Disclosure: The Bmaster5 was provided by BASN for this review. Please read more about our product review disclosure here.

The previous BASN product I looked at was the BASN MMCX, which I really enjoyed for its easy and accessible sound profile, as well as great fit and comfort. Today though I have the pleasure of reviewing the BASN Bmaster5, which is the successor to the original Bmaster IEM. The Bmaster5 features a 10mm DLC (diamond-like carbon) diaphragm driver with four balanced armature (BA) drivers, Pentaconn connectors, and a large assortment of accessories included. Priced at $176 USD, how does this compare in the sub-$200 price segment? Read on to find out.

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• BASN Bmaster5 IEM
• 1.5m silver-plated OFC cable, 3.5mm termination
• 1.5m woven cable with in-line mic and controls, 3.5mm termination
• Aluminum travel case
• Small leather travel pouch
• 3 sets of silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
• 1 set of memory foam ear tips (S, M, L)
• 6.35mm adapter
• Cleaning brush

The Bmaster5 box is fairly large, indicating it comes with more than just the IEMs and a cable. What I appreciated is that, after opening the box, you only need to remove two things: the IEMs, which are displayed nicely on the right side, and the large aluminum travel case, which takes up the rest of the space. All of the accessories are contained within the travel case, which is thoughtful in my opinion.

The travel case has a latch on the front, and once opened all of the included accessories are neatly placed. There’s also enough room to house the IEMs, as well as a dongle DAC if needed. The case feels strong but remains light due to being made of aluminum. The inside is felt and feels soft, which should offer good protection for any items inside. This is probably the nicest case I’ve seen come with an IEM, and while it is large, it allows you to keep everything in one package.

The Bmaster5 comes with 4 sets of S, M, L ear tips. 3 of the sets are silicone, coming in the single, double, and triple flange variety. You also get one memory foam ear tip set. It’s a nice variety of ear tips that should make it easy to find the perfect fit and isolation level for your needs.

The BASN Bmaster5 also comes with two types of cables. The first one is a 1.5 meter silver-plated OFC cable that terminates to 3.5mm. It’s sturdy and has some heft, but isn’t too heavy. It has the right amount of memory so it keeps its shape but is still malleable, and there are no issues with microphonics. It’s a really nice cable overall. The second cable is a 1.5m woven cable with in-line mic and controls and terminates to 3.5mm. It feels cheaper than the other cable, but it’s still rather nice. It’s thinner and lighter and has plastic instead of metal. The in-line controls work well, and the mic works as well as any other in-line mic usually does.

Also included is a leather travel pouch, as if you weren’t getting enough accessories already. The pouch isn’t very big, but it’s light and has enough room to store one of the cables, as well as the IEMs. Given how large the aluminum travel case is, the leather pouch is the more portable option if you just want to take the cable and IEMs with you.

Lastly, the Bmaster5 comes with a fairly standard but plasticky 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter, and a cleaning brush for the IEMs and ear tips.

Overall, you get a lot of extras here with the Bmaster5, and what’s more, this is at the $176 USD price point, which is impressive.

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The BASN Bmaster5’s solid resin construction stands out as feeling solid and durable. A captivating skull pattern lies beneath a protective resin layer on the faceplates, which you will either love or hate. Personally, I love it as it gives a unique look to them, especially in white (which is what I have for this review). An alloy trim around the faceplate adds both visual appeal and strength, and accents elegantly against the black resin shell. Both the earpieces and the cables have L and R indicators on them, which if you’ve read my other IEM reviews, I always appreciate when companies do this.

The Bmaster5 uses the not-so-common Pentaconn connection, which looks similar to an MMCX connector but is far more secure. Once the cable is connected to the earpiece it takes a bit of muscle to get them off, which is ideal if you’re a musician who moves their head a lot, so there shouldn’t be any accidental disconnects.

The earphones feel great during long listening sessions. The universal shell adapts well to different ear shapes, and it does so to mine. The Bmaster5 has medium-length nozzles, and are about 6mm wide. It’s also lightweight and, combined with the ergonomic design, should comfortably fit most people. They also stay in my ear nicely. I tried headbanging pretty hard and they were solidly in my ear, which bodes well for musicians as they tend to move around, whether on stage or in the studio, as well as casual listeners who tend to get physically into the music.

Sound isolation also deserves praise. It’s pretty hard to not get a good fit and seal using any one of the included ear tips. As well, shell design lends itself to providing a good seal against the ear, which again could make them ideal for stage monitoring or commuting.

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The BASN Bmaster5 combines a 10mm DLC (diamond-like carbon) diaphragm driver with four balanced armature (BA) drivers to create a surprisingly refined listening experience. My extensive listening to music of all genres reveals a slightly V-shaped signature. These in-ear monitors have a warm-neutral character, with an overall smoothness that makes them versatile enough for any type of music. It’s a very easy and accessible sound, much in the same way the BASN MMCX IEMs are. Timbre sounds natural to me (not always the case with IEMs using BA drivers), as well as tonality.

The Bmaster5 is very easy to drive, though interestingly it scales really well with the quality of sources you give it. Going from the HiBy R4 to a Sony NW-WM1AM2 DAP adds a bit more body to the bass, as an example.

Bass

The Bmaster5’s bass response shows good depth and texture. With bass-heavy tracks you can hear that satisfying sub-bass rumble, but the mid-bass is held back by a lack of punch or impact, it’s just not very hard hitting here. The bass control is really good, with well defined notes and a clean presentation. My personal preference is bass that hits just a little bit harder, but honestly, I have grown to enjoy the tuning that BASN has done here. Really, only bass heads and bass enthusiasts will be disappointed with this bass profile.

Midrange

The midrange is where the Bmaster5 hits a sweet spot. Male vocals are slightly recessed, with female vocals being pushed forward ever so slightly. Both have good body and clarity. The male vocals being pushed back slightly allows for good performance, especially for deeper-sounding vocals. They have a good thickness, and even some rumble when called for (bands like Alice in Chains and Dire Straits are good choices here). Vocal and instrument separation is very good, as is detail retrieval. The midrange leans towards a safer sound but stays energetic and fun.

Treble

The treble shows the Bmaster5’s real maturity. Even at higher volumes, these IEMs stay composed without any harshness or sibilance. The highs give enough air and sparkle to keep things interesting without any fatiguing peaks. Detail retrieval is excellent for the price, though these aren’t meant to be analytical monitors, and that does show here. The sound stays smooth and easy on the ears, making these perfect for long listening sessions without losing musical enjoyment.

Soundstage and Imaging

The soundstage is good, possibly above average for an IEM. The width is very good, the height sounds very average, and the depth follows the width in being very good, so spatial tracks perform well on the Bmaster5.

The imaging performance is very good, but the overall smoothness of the sound profile holds it back from being amazing here. Instruments are placed accurately and are clearly defined. Listening to Yosi Horikawa’s Letter go from left to right sounds good and shows the Bmaster5 performs competently here.

For gaming, the Bmaster5 works well with more atmospheric games like RPGs, walking simulators, and immersive storytelling games. Competitive gaming titles like Call of Duty and Halo sound alright, but I found the overall sound profile not ideal for these types of games due to the bass tuning and imaging performance.

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The BASN Bmaster5 delivers good value in the sub-$200 IEM segment. The overall sound profile sounds fantastic, the IEMs feel like they are built to last, and the fit is comfortable for a long period of time. The hybrid driver setup creates a well-balanced sound at all frequencies, which makes the Bmaster5 very versatile. BASN also includes plenty of accessories that make this package even more appealing.

I think Musicians will love these IEMs on stage and in the studio due to the fit and sound profile. I also think the Bmaster5 works just as well for casual and critical listening. These IEMs really shine because they adapt so well to different use cases, and they include enough accessories so that you’re not stuck buying a bunch of things after the fact.

The Pentaconn connector does limit compatibility with aftermarket cables, but I understand the reasons for including it considering the IEMs are also geared toward musicians. As well, the aesthetic may not appeal to all, and the same goes for the bass tuning.

The $176 USD price tag might seem high at first glance, but the stellar performance and strong build make it worth every penny in my opinion, and provide a great balance between musical enjoyment and studio monitoring.

BASN currently has a promotion, offering 30% off their microphones, and each purchase includes a free pair of IEMs! Please use the link below to view the promotion as it is US only.

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I’m not always able to cover all the details of a product, both hardware and software, in our reviews. If you have any specific questions you’d like answered about this product please feel free to leave a comment or contact me directly.

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