Rhapsodio Galaxy V2 In Ear Headphones Review

Rhapsodio Galaxy V2 Pros&Cons

Rhapsodio Galaxy V2 Specs

• Impedance: 16-ohm
• Driver: 10.3mm titanium diaphragm dynamic driver
• Frequency response: 10-23,000 Hz
• Sensitivity: 103dB/mW

Packaging

Rhapsodio hasn’t done anything particularly interesting or premium with the packaging of the Galaxy V2. They’ve opted for a fairly simple black box which features some gold Rhapsiodo branding, and a flap which snaps shut via magnets. The box also does not showcase any additional information such as specifications. However, whilst Rhapsodio clearly saved some cash on the box, they’ve spent it wisely elsewhere.

What’s in the box?

• Rhapsodio Galaxy V2
• Protective case
• 3 pairs Spinfit eartips
• 3 pairs “hybrid-style” silicon eartips

Accessories

Rhapsodio didn’t include a great deal of accessories, but what they did include is rather good nonetheless. In particular, the storage case is excellent. It’s a well-constructed, all-metal, foam-lined case. Also included are 3 pairs of “hybrid-style” silicon eartips, as well as 3 pairs of genuine SpinFit eartips.

 

Design

The Galaxy V2 is one seriously good-looking set of IEMs. It simply screams premium with its highly-polished brass housings. It’s got quite a bit of heft too, which adds to that feeling of exclusivity, but perhaps too much heft. The thing is, the Galaxy V2 can be a really tricky little bugger to keep in your ears. Because of its weight, getting a deep insertion in the ear in order to keep them in place is exceptionally important. As such, if you’re not using the correct tips the Galaxy V2 will either break their seal after some time, or even fall out. The trouble here is that eartips can have a major impact on how IEMs sound, and so care needs to be taken to use eartips that provide a deep enough insertion to keep the Galaxy V2 in place, but without negatively affecting the sound signature.
The braided copper-cable is really nice too. The connectors can seem just a little bit…ermm, DIY…but it does look and feel premium nonetheless. Due to the softer nature of copper, the cable also isn’t too stiff. It’s not as soft and manageable as the braided cables included with the MEE Audio Pinnacle P1, for example, but certainly not as stiff and prone to microphonics as the silver-plated cables included with the Unique Melody Mentor V2.

Sound

At a price-point of $1450, you would expect to sound damn good. But then you learn that the Galaxy V2 only has a single dynamic driver in each housing. Oh dear.

Thankfully, though, the Galaxy V2 represents everything that I personally love about a single dynamic driver. It’s a testament to the idea that simplicity is often perfectly adequate. For the same money you could get a completely custom set of Unique Melody Mentor V2 IEMs which is a 10-driver BA setup. Sure, the BA setup of the Mentor V2 does offer slightly better instrument separation and detail retrieval, but what it can’t do is to sound as natural as the Galaxy V2.

The Galaxy V2 certainly does not feel overly smooth, although it does feature a slightly U-curve sound signature. What is particularly satisfying is how the Galaxy V2 manages to have a nice, wide soundstage, yet it’s able to keep vocals intimate at the same time. Clarity is excellent, as is details retrieval, albeit it not quite on the same level as that of BA setups (as mentioned previously).

However, to really enjoy the exquisite sound of the Galaxy V2, we’re going to have to talk about eartips. As mentioned in the Design portion of the review, the eartips are what can make or break this IEM. This is not only because of the weight of the Galaxy V2, but how the eartips influence the sound. With the standard “hybrid-style” eartips, the Galaxy V2 just sounded a bit wrong. It was as though vocals just seemed veiled, and with very little mid-range presence. This could very well have to do with the fact that I had such an incredibly difficult time in getting the IEMs to seal properly and stay put. Likewise, the SpinFits did improve things a bit, but the keeping the Galaxy V2 in place was still troublesome. Using the smaller double-flange tips that are included with the MEE Audio Pinnacle P1 proved to be the answer for me. They’ve got a significantly smaller bore diameter than the standard “hybrid” style tips, whilst ever so slightly larger than the SpinFits. This smaller diameter, along with the fact that I was able to get a proper seal, allowed me to truly experience what the Galaxy V2 is capable of. Things just seemed more in focus, tightened up and natural. Bass extends low, and deep. Perhaps not quite to the liking of bass-heads, but satisfyingly powerful nonetheless. The mid-range is in focus, but not totally in your face, whilst the upper-registers are wonderfully sparkly, without any introduction of off-putting sibilance.

 

Read: MEE Audio Pinnacle P1 In-Ear Headphones Review

Value

$1450 certainly is not pocket-change for the vast majority of people, yours truly included. So perhaps the best way to evaluate the value of the Galaxy V2 is to consider what other products are available within this price-range. The recently reviewed Mentor V2 from Unique Melody seems fitting enough.
As concluded with the Mentor V2, IEMs at this price-point tend to be pinups. The stuff you dream about. The stuff that can make very little financial or practical sense. But that’s part of their charm, just like it is with an Italian or German supercar. The’res no doubt about it, both the Galaxy V2 and Mentor V2 perform exceptionally well. However, they do approach things in a different manner. Whilst the Mentor V2 goes in the direction of technical capability and the work of an engineer’s wet-dream, the Galaxy V2, on the other hand, leans more towards a simplistic, yet equally exciting and engaging experience. The Galaxy V2 has the more understated, yet equally stunning design elements akin to a Porsche. It’s just a bit more mature. Where the Mentor V2, on the other hand, has the flair and engineering intricacies of a Ferrari.
Taking this into account, the Galaxy V2 is without a doubt an excellent product. It’s capability to reproduce music with an engaging and natural tone is utterly enjoyable. But, for those on a tighter-budget, you could get equally good sound at a cheaper price-point. Although, that would most likely mean having to sacrifice on the sense of exclusivity.

 

Rating

The TECH MERIT rating system is designed to take as many aspects of the device into account as possible. As such, we have a basic rating, as well as a final rating. The basic rating rates the product purely as a high quality portable audio device, and is generally a good indicator of how it stacks up to its rivals in terms of standard features and specs. The final rating, however, grants bonus points for any extra features and specs that aren’t quite as common, and is a great way to judge the product as a complete package.

Packaging
Look and feel: 7 / 10

Included Accessories
More than 3 pairs of eartips included: YES
Protective case: YES

Build
Quality control: 10 / 10
Seems durable: YES
Microphonics: 8 / 10
Comfort: 7 / 10

Sound
Relatively balanced signature: –
Soundstage: 9 / 10
Detail retrieval: 9 / 10
Sibilance: 9 / 10
Instrument separation: 9 / 10
Isolation: 8 / 10
Hiss: 7 / 10

Portability
Small size: 8 / 10
Relatively low power required: 9 / 10
Weight: 6 / 10

Value
Competitive price-point: –
Relative value: 7 / 10

Basic Rating: 7.9

Bonus points
Removable cables: YES
Number of cables included: 1
Premium cables: YES
Pairs of eartips above 3 pairs: 3
How premium the case looks and feels: 10
Battery life above 8 hours: –
Bluetooth: –
Apt-X: –
Volume/remote controls: –
Metal body: YES
Interchangeable filter system: –
Premium look and feel: YES
Use of exotic materials: YES
Bluetooth connection quality: –
1/4” adapter included: –
Cable management: YES
Aircraft adapter: –

Final Rating: 8.9

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Many thanks to Rhapsodio for sending us the Galaxy V2 for review!