I recently purchased the Yuin PK3 earbuds after searching long and hard for some portable headphones for my iPod Touch and MacBook. I came across the Yuin PK3 after scrolling through Head-Fi and my local headphone store’s website, Headphonic. The PK3 has received a lot of good feedback from a lot of people and they’re even better than I expected them to be.

Firstly, I will say I’m a bit of a closet audiophile, so some decent headphones for my portable rig were important to me. However, I only rip music to a compressed format (128kbps AAC) for my portable gear, and I don’t use a separate headphone amp or external DAC with them, so there comes a point where the headphones will be too good for the gear they’re used with. I wanted to find that sweet spot in the price vs performance ratio, and have something that suited my simple setup without breaking the bank.

The PK3 is the entry level model in Yuin’s line of earbuds, its big brothers being the PK2 and PK1. I’ve tested the PK3 through a few different sources, including the iPod Touch’s internal DAC and headphone amp, the same on the MacBook, and through an external DAC and headphone amp combo.

Just to be specific, the Yuin PK3 is an earbud, the same style of headphones that come packaged with a new iPod, only they’re black and sound much, MUCH better. Being earbuds, they won’t suit everyone, however. Earbuds generally have an open design which means you’ll still be able to hear what’s going on around you, and a fraction of the sound that you’re listening to in the earbuds will leak out, though it is minimal. Another popular headphone style is the canalphone/in-ear monitor, which generally offer some level of sound isolation because they fit right inside the ear canal. Everyone’s ears and listening environments are different, so you should buy the headphone style that suits you. I chose earbuds because I like to hear what’s going on around me at all times, and prefer their comfort over canalphones.

I definitely found what I was looking for in the Yuin PK3. Here’s why…

Sound Quality

The first thing I noticed when listening to them for the first time was the amount of bass that is present. The bass is easily heard while not being overpowering. But don’t interpret this the wrong way. They’re not the most bassy headphones I have ever heard. The difference is that the bass is more punchy and controlled with the PK3 than any other earbud I have heard.

The PK3 has nice balance along the frequency spectrum which I very much appreciate, with perhaps a slight lean towards the lower frequencies, but not by much. The highs are very present and clear for a headphone in their category, and the mids sit just right (which is also very much appreciated, unlike the iPod earbuds which are very heavy in the midrange).

Most important of all, for me at least, is the fact that I can listen to the PK3 for long periods of time without being fatigued. Their sound signature is very pleasant to the ears. There’s nothing worse than listening to music through headphones that give you ear fatigue or a headache after a while.

Just to note, using an externally amplified source for the PK3 won’t make much difference to their sound. I only noticed slight improvements in bass and stereo soundstage, and I really do mean slight. So, for those with external amps in their portable rigs, I’d look at the PK2, or the PK1 which is harder to drive and designed to be used with an amp. Both of these offer improvements in sound quality over the PK3, but I can’t vouch for them personally as I’ve never listened to them.

Design and Build Quality

I must admit, I was a bit skeptical of how robust the Yuin PK3 would be. I mean, how much can you expect from a pair of AU $50 headphones that are made in China? But I was pleasantly surprised. The connectors are all gold plated, the plastic driver housing seems durable, and the cord is thin but not particularly flimsy (at least not the worse I’ve seen, and a thicker cord often means it’s more rigid and less flexible, which can be annoying as it stops the cord from ’sitting’ right). A weak point on any earbuds is where the cord joins into the driver housing. The PK3 has a thick stem which helps to prevent any weakness there.

They’re also very ergonomic and fit into my ear reasonably well. I say reasonably because earbuds usually don’t fit my ears extremely well, either constantly falling out or hurting them from too much pressure on the edge of the ear canal. Everyone’s ears are different, but it’s pretty safe to say that if you’ve used earbuds before and like them, you won’t have a problem with the PK3.

The Yuin PK3 comes in two different flavours, the J-cord and the Y-cord. For those who don’t know, the J-cord (A.K.A asymmetrical) has the cord on either the left or right side longer than the other, and the longer side is designed to be worn around the neck. The Y-cord style (symmetrical) has the cables from both ears the same length, and is usually worn in front, under the chin (the iPod earbuds are an example of this). Personally, I’m a fan of the J-cord, so that is what I purchased. There are differences in the material used for the cord with each design (I’m not sure if this is the case with all Yuin PK3 earbuds, but it is what I’ve experienced first hand). The J style has more of a smooth plastic feel to it, whereas the Y style is more rubbery and possibly less prone to tangling as it seems to bounce back into shape more easily. Whichever style is ‘better’ is a matter of personal taste.

The cord is 120cm long, which is on the short side. I’m about 5′3″ tall, and it’s just long enough for me to use them comfortably connected to the iPod Touch in my pocket. There’s only about 5cm of excess cord. So, for those who are taller than me (which is pretty much everyone), you may need an extension cord. Just remember to get a good quality cord with gold plated connectors, or you’ll reduce the sound quality.

Above: The package contents of the Yuin PK3 including earbuds, foamies, 1/4″ adapter, instruction manual, wooden box, box sleeve, and plastic storage container.

Price vs Performance

In a nutshell, you can’t beat the performance of these earbuds for their price, at least not anywhere I’ve seen. There’s a huge market for portable headphones, and unfortunately it’s populated with a lot of sub-par products that are way more expensive than they’re worth. The PK3 outshines the rest in their class, and at AU $50, they’re a steal. Easily the best earbuds I have heard, and I can’t wait to try the PK2 and PK1 one day.

They also come with some nice accessories including a quality gold plated 1/4″ adapter (click-on not screw-on), included foamies and a cute little wooden box and plastic container to store them in, which just makes the price look even better.

Conclusion

The PK3 is a great sounding earbud with a price tag that’s easy to swallow. They’re bassy without being overpowering, and have clear highs and the right amount of midrange. They’re also durable and come with all the accessories you need. I recommend the PK3 to anyone looking to upgrade their portable headphones, especially if you’re looking to replace the standard white iPod earbuds. I’ve yet to find an earbud that even touches them for the price. I’ll definitely be using the PK3 with my portable rig for a long time yet.