Introduction

Sunrise Audio is one of the only companies around to still create high-performance ear buds. With the release of the update, the Charm3 and Dragon2 Sunrise once again underline the company's commitment to this form factor that has struggled ever since the arrival of budget in-ears and cheaper, portable on-ear headphones.

Yuin started the quality ear-bud movement, and it seems as though Sunrise is the company that keeps it going. Both the Charm3 and the Dragon2 provide improved sound quality and extended bass response over their predecessors. The build quality has also been improved even though it was fine to begin with, and they now come with a very nice bundle.

Package

Sunrise has come a long way since the last time we had a look at their products. The new ear buds ship in very neat, plastic retail cases.


You, as always, get a pretty neat bundle with a Sunrise product.


The two most recent ear buds from Sunrise are very different in terms of styling but both maintain quite similar performance levels. The Charm3 is now equipped with a flat non-tangle cable and a very interesting, futuristic ear-piece design. The Dragon2, on the other hand, looks like itself—the differences here are, aside from a couple small tweaks to the cable and its graphics, internal.


I wouldn't call it charming, but it is definitely interesting. The new Charm design is a far cry from the conventional ear-bud designs we have seen from this high-end manufacturer.


The Charm3 bundle is a bit special: You get three sets of rubber rings that can be used instead of foam or with the foam. Swapping from foam to rubber alters the fit somewhat.


The new flat cable by Sunrise is very sturdy and the jack is also very nicely executed.


Dragon-like or not, these ear buds are well-made. The build quality is very good. It is definitely on par with that of Yuin, its main competitor.


Despite its name, the Dragons from Sunrise look just like any other black ear bud once they have been inserted into your ears, which is a pro in my book. They are quite small and are definitely not flashy.


Even though the cable of the Dragons is less flashy than that of the Charm3, it is still of a good quality.

Performance

Ear buds are for those looking for a set of transportable headphones that are easy to use on the go. They are less bulky than on-ear (supra aural) headphones and can in some incarnations provide very good sound quality. In-ears have of course conquered quite a bit of the ear-bud market, but there are still some things that make ear buds interesting. They, for one, do not block out all noise and are easy to remove and insert, which can be somewhat tricky with some in-ears. Also, they are usually more durable, which makes them a better in-the-pocket partner for your smart phone than most in-ears with, for example, small and delicate sound tubes.