Get your musical groove on with Rock Jaw Audio's Alfa Genus V2

by Jeff Byrnes

November 2, 2015

Earphones are big business, with many different manufacturers selling their own variants. When you purchase earphones, you want a listening experience that will give you the best possible audio that’s as close to the original sound as it can be. It would also be nice if you could have this sound quality at a price that won’t break the bank. The music enthusiasts and audio engineers at Rock Jaw Audio strive to produce high quality headphones at prices that are more affordable than premium brands, but do they succeed in that with the Alfa Genus V2? Let’s have a listen, shall we?

The Facts

Company Name: Rock Jaw Audio
Product Name: Alfa Genus V2
Price: $69.40 ($49.90 from Amazon)
Compatibility: Any with 35mm audio jack
Website: Rock Jaw Audio Alfa Genus V2
Date Reviewed: Nov. 2, 2015

The Basics

This is the second generation of a line of earbuds that have already won multiple awards. Rock Jaw Audio has rebuilt the model from the ground up, encasing the earphones in lightweight aluminum to provide a durable, sleek finish while still retaining the British engineering and design ethos that goes into every one of their products.

An awesome new feature of these earbuds is a tuning filter system. Every pair of Rock Jaw Audio Alfa Genus V2 earphones comes with three filters, each of which provide control over the crisp highs, booming lows, and warm neutrals of the music waveform. If you want more treble, just change out the tuning filters with the black ones, or swap in the silver ones for enhanced bass. The gold filters provide a natural, balanced sound across all the frequencies.

The Alfa Genus V2 still has a precision-tuned 8 mm driver, giving very accurate and detailed sound. These earbuds are fantastic to listen to, and they’re delivered at a fraction of the price of competitors that offer the same sound quality.

For taking calls, there is also an inline microphone with a universal pause/play button, allowing you to use your iPhone for telephone conversations as well as listening to music.

You get a wide variety of eartips with the Alfa Genus V2, including silicone, memory foam, and double flange. The eartips are easy to remove and put on, allowing you to quickly change them to suit your comfort.

A rubber cable resists tangling, and at 1.2 meters long is definitely long enough for me to keep my iPhone in my back pocket while I’m enjoying some tunes.

Integration With iOS Devices

These earbuds work perfectly with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. They will also function with any device that has a 35mm audio jack. My only complaint is that the jack is at a right-angle, and doesn’t work well with some of my cases.

Use and Feel

The eartips included with the Alfa Genus V2 are comfortable, but the smallest set might still be too large for someone with tiny ears. Even so, these earphones feel great and sound fantastic. I’m not a huge fan of the soft carrying bag, since it can be difficult to stuff the earphone’s cable into the bag, but it’s better than nothing.

What’s Hot

Includes changeable tuning filters for a custom sound
Rubber cable is tangle-resistant
Inline microphone with universal play/pause button

What’s Not

Smallest eartips might still be too large for tiny ears
No hard case included, just a soft carrying bag
Right-angle jack doesn’t work well with some cases

How Does It Stack Up?

Rock Jaw Audio has engineered a fantastic set of earbuds that challenge even the most expensive competitors in sound quality. There are a few drawbacks, but most people will be able to work around them. Even the problem with the right-angle jack is overcome by the fact that many battery cases these days come with short extension cables to allow for such plugs to be used.

Where Can You Get It, and How Much Does It Cost?

You can purchase the Rock Jaw Audio Alfa Genus V2 direct from the manufacturer, or from Amazon for $49.90.

Our Advice

If you’re looking for a set of earphones that offers a custom sound experience and fantastic audio performance, the Rock Jaw Alfa Genus V2 is a great choice.