Cowin Audio E7 vs. Cowin Audio SE8: What’s The Difference?

Recording can be a long process, and having studio monitors is always a good idea. Are the Cowin Audio E7 and SE any good for home recording? Let’s find out…

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Cowin Audio: What Is EQ Reference?

Recording with your guitar/band is usually something we all eventually do. If you plan on trying to make it in the music business or even just do it for practice… you eventually want to record and share a song.

There are steps that every PRO follows, and the most important one is the final step: Referencing and Playback. This is where you check your final mix and get ready for release.

If you have been recording for a while, you will probably know all about how to “reference” your recorded music. When digital recording first started, I was working in California and we had all kinds of studio monitors that you use when you are actually recording.

But when it came to referencing, the car was always our best option. Sound silly? Ask anyone that has been recording for a while!

You might remember having to burn your tracks to a CD, just so you could go out to the car and listen to your song. The car was always a great “reference” place. When you had the doors closed, it was basically a soundproof reference monitor!

Those days are long gone, and now we can instantly upload a song to our phone, and do playback on multiple devices. However, the car stereo is still a valuable tool!

What is Referencing?

Referencing is an important step when it comes to recording. Most professional studios have a different set of monitors especially made for this step.

But when recording at home, most of us don’t have $5000 monitors to use for playback and referencing. So we use our cars, or our home stereo to try and get the mastered track to the right volume, and nail the mix.

You do this with EVERY genre when recording.

Picking a reference track can be intimidating at first. You want to pick a professional track that is recent, and in the same genre as what you are trying to record.

If your song has quiet/loud dynamics, then pick a track that does that too! Then put it at the bottom of your mixdown, on a separate track in your DAW. Keep it muted, and toggle back and forth with your song, to see if the volumes and dynamics match.

Your mixed and mastered track should be as close as possible in volume and dynamics to your reference track. Once you have done this, and you are satisfied with the results, then we move on to the playback phase.

This is where the Cowin Audio Headphones come in, and any other device that you may have.

Cowin Audio is kind of a “best kept secret brand” when it comes to headphones. It started 3 years ago as an Amazon brand based in the USA and UK, but has since moved on to bigger things.

The company has taken active noise canceling technology and really boosted it to a new level. So even if you are not a musician, Cowin Audio might be right up your alley.

That being said, Cowin Audio Headphones are not made for mixing. When you are recording, it really is best to use studio monitors that are “flat” in EQ.

These are usually small speakers that are known as “near field monitors”. You CAN use headphones to mix, but that requires a pair of “flat EQ” headphones.

These Cowin Audio Headphones that we are talking about today are for playback and referencing.

Today we are going to go over two models that are almost completely noise canceling, and perfect for listening back to your recordings and reference tracks.

Cowin Audio makes some solid stuff for budget prices, and today we are only looking at the “over the ear” models. Earbuds are good for listening to the final product, but they lack depth.

I cannot stress how important it is to check your mixes BEFORE you upload them. The finished tracks may sound amazing through your studio monitors, but with bass boost and other EQ options, they may be clipping or muddy!

You won’t know until you have listened on another device. I actually have a few different methods of checking a track before I upload them to Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.

• 1. Make a private Soundcloud or dropbox account for your test mixes.
• 2. Make sure your track and your reference track are as close as possible in your DAW.
• 3. Have 3 devices that you check your finished song on. For example: Car, Headphones, Stereo.
• 4. Have an extra set of ears, like a bandmate, or friend to listen with you.
• 5. make sure your track fits the parameters (Luffs) of the platform you use.

In a separate article, I will go over how to mix and master a song. These Cowin Audio Headphones are more for people that are already familiar with the process.

So with all of that out of the way, let’s check out the two models – the Cowin Audio E7 and the Cowin Audio SE8 – that I think are the best!

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Cowin Audio E7 vs. Cowin Audio S8

Cowin Audio E7 Model: Budget Functionality

The Cowin Audio E7 Headphones are perfect for listening back to your mixes, but they also have a few other uses!

The headphones are “dual function” and that means that they work with Bluetooth, as well as a cord. Having a cord means that they will work with most guitar amps for quiet practice, but also your audio interface.

The features are pretty amazing at this price point:

• Professional Active Noise Cancelling Technology
• Proprietary 40mm Large-aperture Drivers.
• High-quality Built-in Microphone and NFC Technology. 
• The Professional Protein Earpad and 90° Swiveling Earcups. 
• A built-in 600mAh battery won’t allow your headphones power off, you can enjoy your world without noise for 30 hours at a time.
• 16Ω Impedance
• Frequency: 20Hz-20kHz

I was immediately impressed with the Cowin Audio E7 Headphones, and I broke them in for about 20 hours before using them.

This is not really a step you NEED to take, but it’s something I have always preferred to do with new speakers of any kind. You just let music play at a medium volume overnight, and that works out fine.

Right out of the box, they sounded fine in my opinion.

The 40mm drivers push a ton of air, and they react really well to bass and mid-bass frequencies. I was surprised at the EQ curve in general with the Cowin Audio E7s.

They have a good boost in the mids, as well as the treble, so nothing gets lost in the mix. I listened to some of my own music for a while but eventually tried out Spotify. Everything sounds brilliant and crisp.

What Is Active Noise Cancelling?

Active noise canceling (ANC) is a great feature, and the Cowin Audio E7 set has a 3 microphone technology to pick up and filter the noise. It also uses a single mic for picking up telephone calls or communications for text-to-speech.

Active noise canceling essentially filters the outside world and brings it down a few decibels while raising it in the earphones. BOSE made this tech a long time ago, but Cowin Audio has made it affordable.

The active noise canceling feature is not as good on the Cowin Audio E7, as the next set that we are going to talk about today. But the company states that you get around 90% of outside noise canceled, and I think it may actually be a little bit lower than that.

I tested these with the leaf blower going outside, and I could still hear the outside noise just a little bit. I would say the E7s probably cancel about 80% of the noise.

The Bluetooth range is pretty substantial for budget headphones. I was surprised that I could go out to my parking lot and these still worked fine!

I measured this to be about 30 feet from my computer, so these blow my earbuds away when it comes to distance. The padding and overall comfort were excellent, and I had no problem wearing these for hours.

I also tried these with my studio interface and my BOSS Katana amplifier.

Using the Cowin Audio E7s in this manner was delightful. I love having the active noise canceling when practicing my guitar quietly. If you’re the type of person that like to jam with backing tracks, these are perfect for that as well.

I spent over an hour playing and tried tons of different genres to play along with.

The EQ Curve that is built into the E7s is a little bit different than what I was expecting. Most headphones these days have entirely too much bass response, and it can make the details of most tracks really get lost in the mix.

The Cowin Audio E7s have a pretty balanced EQ, and they work great with just about any genre. Bass-heavy tracks have plenty of bass response, but I feel like these “breathe” better than something like BEATS.

As you can see above, the bass IS boosted just a little. But the low mids are more prominent in the mix. This means that kick drums have a real punch, and guitars really “pop” in the mix.

The high-mids that would usually catch cymbals are turned down pretty low, but the treble boost makes up for that. Snares and high hats are crisp and clean through all of the mixes I tried out.

So altogether, the Cowin Audio E7 Headphones are an absolute steal in my opinion at only 50 bucks.

Listening to Spotify, CDs, and my own music was a real treat. these are a great budget option for people that want to really test their mixes out on “middle of the road” quality headphones that MOST of your listeners would probably have!

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Cowin Audio SE8: For Pros And Audiophiles Alike!

If you work in a professional music studio, you may scoff at just about any set of “cans” that cost less than $150.

But I assure you, the SE8 models will absolutely knock your socks off. These are an audiophile’s dream, in my opinion.

The Cowin Audio SE8 Headphones pack a ton of features into a product that has a surprising price.

• Hybrid Digital Noise Canceling. Our professional ANC technology significantly reduces noise to help you focus on what you want to hear. And you can adjusts the ambient sound to your activity to get the best noise cancellation between noise cancellation and ambient sound modes.
• Superior Sound Quality. SBC and AAC audio codecs.
• CVC HD Calls and Bluetooth 5.0. The high-quality built-in microphones provide CVC HD calls, the business class communications even in windy or noisy environments.
• 36mm Drivers
• Upgraded Soft Ear Cushions and Premium Material.
• Foldable for easy transportation.
• 30 Hours Playtime. 750mah battery.
• Comes with AUX cord.
• Impedance: 16Ω
• Included travel case

Just like the E7 models that we also tried out, these have all of the same basic features. The difference that I noticed, was the ANC was STELLAR on the SE8s.

These will cancel almost 98% of the noise from the outside world. This makes for a listening experience that I have never really experienced outside of $400 BOSE headphones.

But to be honest, the frequency response is a little better than BOSE in my opinion.

The ANC is just ridiculous with the SE8 models, and it can even be adjusted! I heard absolutely zero outside noise while using these, which allowed me to focus fully on my listening experience.

Honestly, these feel like much more expensive headphones on every level. Even without music playing, the outside noise was very low.

Again, I let these break-in overnight playing a variety of music at a medium volume. They sounded great right out of the box, but definitely better “broken in”.

The Bluetooth range was once again a good 30 feet from the source, and I probably could have pushed them a little further.

The headband comfort is much nicer than the E7 models, and I could wear these all day. I have a big head, but these covered my ears, and fit just fine.

Cowin Audio really nailed the frequency range again, using a very similar EQ curve as the E7s. However, I feel like the SE8s have more bass, and more midrange overall.

This just makes the sound more clear and transparent. I realized immediately just how much detail you can get with these! The low-mid boost is still in there too, like the E7 set.

But overall, these are just more defined across the whole frequency spectrum.

I played some of my recent music from my DAW/interface on these, and I was surprised at the nuances that the Cowin Audio SE8s really pick up.

Things like the slight reverb that I put on the snare in some of my new music were noticeable and defined. I can’t even hear details that clearly on my studio monitors! There is a real “separation” of all of the instruments when I listen back. The SE8s pick up even the most minute details, without being distracting.

These also come with a cord for devices without Bluetooth. Playing along with backing tracks again, I had the same experience as before but enhanced. The delay and reverbs coming from my guitar amp really pierce the mix, instead of sounding washed out.

Just playing the guitar by itself, the SE8s really pick up any change in your outgoing EQ. Distorted sounds don’t have any of the “headphone fizz” that you get with some headphones.

Battery life lasted me two full days of heavy usage. I like to listen to music when I write, and that takes up most of my day. Charging only took about an hour from 20%. Cowin Audio states that these have a 750mah battery.

The Cowin Audio SE8 is definitely my pick for any “over-the-ear” headphones. These are just truly amazing, and make everything sound almost “high def”.

My only gripe is the volume, as I wish these got a little bit louder. But overall these are hitting way above the price tag, for me.

If you already have another set of headphones you use for reference, as well as your car stereo, the Cowin Audio SE8s are going to be next level.

These are headphones that will make just about any mix sound amazing. So if you lack any high-end audio gear to really test your mixes, the SE8s are perfect for you. Because you usually wouldn’t get sound this good under $300.

The Cowin Audio SE8s make for a great set of headphones for listening back to your tracks. If the E7s were great for how your music will sound on most of your listener’s headphones, the SE8s are an example of how GREAT your music can sound.

The SE8s represent what an audio enthusiast may be listening to your music with, which is something we rarely take into account as producers. So these are an affordable options for high-quality sound, that you would usually pay 4X more for!

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Cowin Audio: Wrapping Up…

Cowin Audio has really lived up to the challenge that we set for the company. We try to keep things as honest as possible here, and when it comes to headphones, Cowin Audio might be my new brand.

I will always keep my studio “cans” around for listening to music as I record it. As well as mixing, when that calls for headphones on the rare occasion.

But for listening back to your finished tracks, Cowin really knocked it out of the park. You’re getting BOSE quality at a fraction of the price.

That being said, you don’t have to be a musician to love these headphones. Casual listeners and audiophiles alike will get a kick out of how good these sound. Not just for the money, either. These are great headphones, period.

So if you’re producing music… either of these models can be amazing tools for referencing your tracks and making sure they sound great before posting them online. But on the other hand, you need not be a musician to enjoy these.

If you just want a high-quality set of headphones that have a long battery life, Cowin Audio is the “best-kept secret” that you need to know about!

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