Cresyn C415E review

Not bad in general, but thick bass knocks them down to average Tested at £20

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

The C415Es aren’t at all bad, but you can still do better for this money

Pros

  • +

    Comfortable fit

  • +

    decent detail

  • +

    warm sound

  • +

    affordable

Cons

  • -

    Too thickly bass-heavy for our tastes

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

There’s no doubting the convenience and discretion of in-ear headphones; sometimes you don’t want to advertise your expensive media player to all and sundry, or feel cut off from the world inside a huge pair of cans.

There’s no doubting the convenience and discretion of in-ear headphones; sometimes you don’t want to advertise your expensive media player to all and sundry, or feel cut off from the world inside a huge pair of cans. To counterpoint that, though, many people don’t like the feeling of earbuds burrowing into their heads.

Cresyn could have the answer with these half-in-ear units. The largeish main units, which house 14.3mm drivers, sit outside your ears, while the smaller ear-tips sit just inside. They’re certainly comfortable in the ear, and they’re easy to fit – not always a given with in-ear headphones.

Set to work with Tortoise’s Cornpone Brunch, there’s decent detail for the money, and dynamic shifts are dispatched without problems. The presentation, though, is a little on the warm side for us – it saps the C415Es of agility and attack, which makes the overall sound too thick. It’s a shame, because underneath that coating of bass lurks decent separation and sweet treble.

Can we recommend them? Well, for only a tenner more you can still find Sennheiser’s top-notch CX 300 IIs online. Just saying

To counterpoint that, though, many people don’t like the feeling of earbuds burrowing into their heads.

Cresyn could have the answer with these half-in-ear units.

The largeish main units, which house 14.3mm drivers, sit outside your ears, while the smaller ear-tips sit just inside.

They’re certainly comfortable in the ear, and they’re easy to fit – not always a given with in-ear headphones.

Cresyn C415E: Sound is too thick
Set to work with Tortoise’s Cornpone Brunch, there’s decent detail for the money, and dynamic shifts are dispatched without problems.

The presentation, though, is a little on the warm side for us – it saps the C415Es of agility and attack, which makes the overall sound too thick.

It’s a shame, because underneath that coating of bass lurks decent separation and sweet treble.

Can we recommend them? Well, for only a tenner more you can still find Sennheiser’s top-notch CX 300 IIs online. Just saying…

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.


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