DUNU Titan S

Fit:
Can become uncomfortable during long listening sessions.

Listened in stock accessories (cable and eartips.)


Timbre
-natural.

Vocals
-Forward
- Natural timbre.
- Adequate details.
- Articulate.
- Can sound harsh.

Bass
- Balanced across the frequency.
- Sub-bass rumble is there but weak.
- Mid-bass is punchy.
- Handles deep bass, but lacks extension.
- Fast decay, so bass isn’t as full or powerful.
- Adequate for EDM, and Pop.

Instruments
- Natural timbre.
- String instruments, especially steel, sound bright, detailed, and tactile.
- Snare drums have good timbre.
- Cymbals and hi-hats sound natural but lack detail, *can sound harsh.
- Distorted electric guitars are detailed but could use more body and bite.

Soundstage
- average, it feels open rather than "boxed"
- space between the instruments isn't the widest and kinda sounds close together.
- The imaging isn’t the most accurate.
-Can't produce phantom center effectively.

Resolution
For the price, it’s ok. Textures can be tactile, but the detail definition sounds soft.

Build Quality:
Good for the price.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Lyre mini 4.4mm + OnixAlpha.

-Bass decays slightly longer, sounds fuller. Quantity is the same.
-Layering is slightly more defined, making it easier to distinguish which note is above another.
-Soundstage width is the same but has defined depth making the soundstage feel convex than flat.
-Instrument placement and distance within the soundstage is more defined
-Upper-mids harshness is less noticeable due to added warmth but still shouty.
-Treble remains sparkly.
-no noticeable difference in treble extension.




tracks I use

Welcome to the Audio Amateur's Review. Straightforward reasoning: I'm an amateur and I love audio.

Disclaimer
Dunu does not sponsor me. I bought the unit's total price for myself. The review will be simple but honest.
I bought it for around $60 in my country.

Gear Used
- MacBook Pro M1 2020
- FiiO Q11
- iPhone 13
- xDuoo MT-602
- Arturia Minifuse 2

To the review...
Let's break down the review into 3 parts, which are Packaging and accessories, Build and comfort, and Sound.

Packaging and Accessories - 9/10
The packaging is quite nice and inclusive for the price. The cable included is okay, not at all bad. The ear tips provided are plenty, with 3 different types of ear tips to choose from. The case though, is an absolute steal. The soft case is a zipper, PU leather case that is very good and feels quite luxurious.

Build and Comfort - 9/10
The IEM is built like it's from the 2077. Mine is the matte black one, and let me tell you. The metal parts (or probably alloy) are very nice to touch, not a fingerprint magnet, and its texture is rough but feels very nice. The little circular grill on the unit is an actual vent, so it's a semi-open IEM. The nozzle extends quite deep, and somehow the fit is .. weird in a sense. Sometimes it cannot stay still, sometimes it sounds muffled when I move my head up and down. I did some ear tips rolling and found one (I forgot whose ear tips) that has a wide bore and it suits pretty well. Still, it goes pretty deep into your ear canal and some may have problems with this.

Sound - 8.6/10
Allow me to elaborate. I pair the IEM with the FiiO Q11.
I made this playlist on Apple Music to test all of my audio equipment.

Bass - 7.5/10
Ah. Bass. The one that is okay but for me, it's a lot left to be desired. The bass is clean, sounds neutral, pretty fast transient, but it doesn't slam in some tracks. Even Hotel California Live from the Hell Freezes Over album's kick drum doesn't hit like it should. It has texture and definition but doesn't rumble and hits. I like how natural it sounds, and sounds great for the acoustical one and even classical.

Mid - 10/10
This is where the IEM shines. It has a very lush, open, and a bit forward presentation. It sounds amazing through all of my vocal tracks on the playlist. Guitar picking sounds detailed. The imaging is pinpoint, and the soundstage is wide open but a bit lacking in depth. It's nothing very spacious, though. It just sounds.. right. The upper mids though, sound a bit shouty at times and with some specific tracks, so it shouldn't be worried about.

High - 8.5/10
The high sounds sparkly and very clear. It's detailed though sometimes I miss the air extension. For my taste it's sparkling enough but because the mid is forward, the highs kind of masked and losing air. That's just me probably, as I agree with other reviewers that the high is amazing. I don't recommend using this with any tube amp because it makes the high even more airy and makes the mids even more forward. It is not sibilant at all and it is not overpowering nor sounds thin.

Conclusion
Overall, I love and use this IEM whenever I want to enjoy vocal tracks, acoustics, and scores on the go. This is perfect for you who love vocals and enjoy their concert on the go. I tried the legendary Moondrop Aria that sold in the same price range here (a bit more expensive), and still, I chose this one. The fit can be cumbersome, but once you get the perfect fit, it will likely stay in your collection for a long time.

INTRODUCTION:
Dunu has been under my radar for quite some time now. I’ve been trying to review anything from their line up and I’m glad that the Titan S is the one that landed on my doorstep. This year if I get lucky, I have my eyes on the SA6 Ultra or even the OG variant will do.

If you have been following me, you must be familiar with my taste in music and preference for sound. And let me tell you early in this review, TS (I will use this name for Titan S for the entirety of this review) is a unique IEM that nailed almost all that is in my book. So without further ado, shall we? Come join me.

FOREWORD:​

• The gear on hand has undergone at least 10-15 hours of use before it was assessed.
• No EQ is ever applied in my reviews.
• For the sake of convenience, I try my best to use a stock setup. Only some people have access to personal ear tips or cables. If personal ear tips, cables, or accessories are used, you will be notified.
• As I try to be objective, my claims inevitably will be subjective and biased to my personal preference. I cannot stress more that you should take this with a grain of salt for we have different perceptions to sound and what we hear.
• Stock tips and cables were used. I did go for the soft and somewhat wide bore tips. Light gray in color. Small size.

SPECIFICATIONS:​

Configuration: 11mm dynamic driver with Polycondensated crystal polymer diahphragm
Impedance: 32ohms
Sensitivity: 110+/- 1db
Freq response: 5hz - 40khz

PACKAGING:​

I received the black and red variant of the TS. Which I think is cooler than the original colorway. The packaging was revamped following the motif of the color obviously, black and red. Small in size and has a distinguishable thickness. If I’m correct, this was released for Dunu’s 20 years of excellence and innovation. Below are the complete inclusions:

1. a pair of Titan S IEM
2. a cable (mixed strand monocrystalline copper and silver plated)
3. generous sets of eartips

• 3 pairs of narrow bore tips, blue and black in color
• 4 pairs of wide bore tips, red and black in color, stiff.
• 3 pairs of wide bore tips, light gray, soft.

1. Paper works
2. Cable clip

Personally, all the essentials are here. Freebies would have been welcome but hey, we are still talking sub $100 here. Now let’s get to the good part eh?

SOUND IMPRESSIONS:​

TS surprised me in sound quality right off the bat. I took my time and burned it in at approximately 3 weeks of almost daily usage. Personally, I hardly noticed any significant change in sound.

TS is a unique-sounding set and I would like to commend Dunu for not going into the mainstream sound of being V-shape or U-shaped. I can safely say that the sound signature belongs to the likes of my Kinera Idun Golden and Seeaudio Bravery red. Let’s breakdown the sound.

Lows are on the lean side. Punch and thud are very humble like a gentle knock. But if the track calls for it, TS is ready to give you some fun in sound. My playlist consists mostly of jazz, funk, acid, and smooth jazz and not so much of modern instruments. The likes of George Benson, Stevie Wonder, and Patrice Rushen sounded almost neutral with minimal elevation and boost. Sub bass is ready to give but quickly decays thus giving me a clean and bleed-free presentation. I can foresee that this might turn off those who are accustomed to boosted lows, but as a neutral head, this is nirvana. Lows are never sluggish and are quick enough to cope with fast-paced rhythms. Double pedals of drum kicks are easy for TS and bass guitar licks are a breeze. On neutral sources, TS lows are more leaning toward neutral domain while analog sources like R2R daps will give a more rounded presentation. Thus TS is quite sensitive to sources.

Mids are properly done and still humble and not emphasized. They are not forward or recessed in any way. They are not highlighted but instead neat and properly placed as they should be. Vocals are still the star of the show on properly mixed tracks and instruments that are supposed to be upfront, are indeed forward and brought to light. The tone and timbre are spot on and as a dynamic driver, being organic and natural comes with the territory. Mids are not edgy or overly defined yet not smoothened. It has the right amount of definition and snappiness with a very realistic sound presentation.

TS is not something I would call a bright set. My Idun and Bravery are the brighter siblings. Yet air and details are clearly present and not subdued. Trebles are not at all rolled off and TS’s treble will scale well with a decent amount of power. A lot of micro and macro details fall in this territory and TS did not leave me cliff hanged. Shimmer and sparkle are on the light side of things so if you’re a treble head, you might want to do some serious tip-rolling. As a friend once put it, well reserved must be the perfect description for the trebles here. Brass sections still satisfied me with sizzles but cymbals, hihats and the likes, might be missing grit and bite to some. Sibilance and the tendency to get hot are nowhere to be found with TS thus safe to treble sensitives as well.

Conclusively, TS has this unique control over its sound presentation, not emphasizing anything in particular yet not too safe to be called boring, clinical, or sterile. There are times that I choose to pick TS over my much beloved Kinera Idun as that set has a tendency to be less engaging while both possess the nature of being neutral. It was mind-boggling for me how can this be so neutral yet so engaging at the same time. Now that is very hard to achieve and I gladly applauded what Dunu did here.

Additional note: If you want to open up the trebles of Titan S, revert to wide bore tips. If you want a little emphasis on the lows, go for narrow bore tips. Now, I have found a tip that both opens up the trebles and have that added emphasis on mid-bass. And that would be the Kbear 07 tips. The Radius Deep Mount is also a good option that suits the Titan S.

TECHNICALITIES:​

TS is by no means a capable set in terms of technicalities. It can even rival my sets that are above $150. More of this in detail later on.

Sound stage is quite wide here and near the territory of my Bqeyz Autumn and Winter. Elements have a good space and does not have that “in your face” nature that can be fatiguing in long listening sessions. For an IEM, I can commend the stage here. Depth and width are discernable giving sufficient headroom.

Imaging has good fluidity and is pinpoint. The instruments are very easy to follow with no struggle in placement. Panning of elements that changes throughout a track is very evident and accurately presented.

Separation might be the one thing that TS is not that exceptional. It is very good but not as separated as my hybrid IEMs. But don’t fret, the staging and imaging compensate for this weakness. I’m speaking from a perspective as I’ve tested better sets in this term. The separation here is still commendable nonetheless.

Speed of drivers are desirable and always satisfying. By no means, one of the quickest and snappy sets that I’ve tested so far. Don’t be afraid to put TS to the test with your complex and busy tracks. This baby will bring it on.

Conclusively, TS is a very competent player in technicalities. As I've mentioned, separation is the only weakness I can find. And I’m literally nitpicking. As a musician, breaking down songs is a too familiar routine. Believe me when I say TS is capable. Harmonies, be they vocal or chords are very easy to decipher with Titan S. And that says a lot for its technical performance.

FIT & ISOLATION:​

Surprisingly, TS is very easy to wear. It wears like a glove to my ears making it one or even my go-to IEM on any given day. Isolation is very commendable with decent insertion. It has good weight but never fatiguing to wear. With its triangular shape, at first, I thought fitting would be cumbersome but voila! Fits perfectly on my ears.

COMPARISONS:​

Welcome to the fun part! Let’s see some head-to-head comparisons with some of my favorite IEMs. Let’s see how TS will perform against $150 and above price range.

Tracks: Can You Imagine by David Benoit, We’ve Just Begun by Sinne Eeg

vs Seeaudio Bravery Red ($299)

• Bravery is the brighter set. Shimmer and sparkle goes to Bravery.
• Lows are more weighted and has good density with Titan S.
• Bravery sounds leaner. Titan S has the advantage of having richer sound.
• Bravery has better separation and layering.
• Titan S sounded more natural.
• Bravery has the advantage on speed being equipped with BA drivers.
• Sound stage is wider on Titan S.
• Bravery has more energy, bite and grit in the upper frequencies.
• Vocals are forward with Bravery but Titan S has a more natural approach.

Conclusively, Bravery wins in terms of technicalities and is the prominently brighter set. Treble heads, pick Bravery. Treble sensitives, pick Titan S. Tone and timbre are correct on both sets. Titan S is laid back, Bravery has more defined details and a bit aggressive.

vs Kinera Idun Golden 2.0 ($169)

• Idun exhibits a brighter sound.
• Lows are leaner on Idun. Titan S has denser lows with added weight.
• Idun is closer to neutrality.
• Titan S has a more natural tone and timbre.
• Idun has the advantage in driver speed.
• Note definitions are more precise on Idun.
• Sound stage is wider on Titan S
• Both have that neutral character.
• Idun has more open and sparkly trebles.
• Vocals are more forward with Idun.
• Mids are more forward on Idun.

Conclusively, Idun has edge in technicalities. Titan S sounded more natural and closer to real life. Idun has a better note definition and is snappier. Titan S wins over Idun in sound stage though. To be honest, these two are very close in sound. And quite often I would go for Titan S for a more organic sound. I’d still go for Idun for monitoring, referencing, and breaking down songs.

vs Bqeyz Winter ($239)

• Lows on Winter are richer and fuller.
• Trebles on both sets are quite close.
• Separation and layering goes to Winter.
• Mids are forward on Winter which will cater mid-centrics.
• Both sounded organic and natural compared to the other two contenders above.
• Sound stage are on par on both sets.
• Mid bass has more punch on Winter.

Conclusively, Winter has the upper hand here in all aspects. Not by a mile but by just a noticeable margin. Both have almost the same trebles. If I have to really nitpick, Winter still has that added shimmer and openness in the upper frequencies. Winter also has that richer and fuller sound shying away from neutrality by a very small margin.

SOURCES USED:​

• Hiby RS2
• Ovidius B1
• Questyle QP2R
• LG V30 quad dac with Centrance Dacport via Hiby music app
• Oppo A94 with Centrance Dacport via Hiby music app
• Oppo A94 with Ifi Hipdac v2 via Hiby music app
• Macbook pro 2011 with Centrance Dacport via Foobar
• Macbook pro 2011 with Ifi Hipdac v2 via Foobar
• Tidal Masters
• Qobuz Studio
• Apple Music

TEST TRACKS:​

Here are some tracks I usually listen to when reviewing:

That’s the way of the World by EWF
Africa by TOTO
The Girl in the Other Room by Diana Kral
Balmorhea album All is wild, All is Silent
Sila by Sud
Smooth Escape by D’Sound
Never too Much by Luther Vandross
P.Y.T by Michael Jackson
Ain’t no Sunshine by Eva Cassidy
Shoot to Thrill by AC/DC
Another one bites the Dust by Queen
Good times bad times by Edie Brickell
Alice in Wonderland by Bill Evans
Ain’t it Fun by Paramore
Redefine by Incubus
Far Away by Nickelback
Lovesong by Adele
Lingus by Snarky Puppy
Harvest for the World by Vanessa Williams
Love Bites by Def Leppard
No Such Thing by John Mayer
As by Stevie Wonder
Whip Appeal by Babyface
Ain’t Nobody by Chaka Khan
Futures by Prep
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Every Summertime by NIKI
SADE tracks
AC/DC tracks
Queen tracks


And many more… I always listen to High resolution format, being the least quality 16bit/44khz FLACS be it offline or online.

VERDICT:​

Titan S is a very unique and special set. I must say that this is a true “balance” sound. From the lows all the way up to the upper frequencies, everything is treated equally. It wouldn’t be a surprise if some will look for more of this and more of that but that is what makes this set unique. The sound stage is something to be bragged about and its technicalities are not that far off from the comparisons above.

Neutral heads will find delight in Titan S. Bass heads will crave more for sure. And mid-centrics will somehow learn to embrace the unrecessed mids here.

Lately, audio companies are releasing IEMs that will “wow” you on the first listen. An example of this is the Aful Performer5. Vivid and full of energy. Titan S is not that. It is something that grows on you and will not fatigue your listening experience on long sessions.

There is something about Titan S that will keep you listening to it given that it does not have any significant forte. It was meant to be humble, gentle, and proper. This makes Titan S not going mainstream and sets itself apart from the others. At $80, it is something for a particular group of listeners. It is not for everyone but if you love details, technicalities, and a proper sounding set that leans toward the neutral sound, this might be the set for you.

Truth be told, these past weeks, I found myself picking Titan S amongst my other IEMs even though that Bqeyz Winter wins in all aspects, Idun and Bravery being technically superior. There is something about it that kept me hooked and coming back for more. As much as I want us to have the same sentiment, I shall leave the judgment to your ears still.

I would like to thank Hifigo for sending this my way, and actually, I took it as a Christmas present as it was sent around the holidays. It arrived late though on January 12, 2023. LOL.

That’s a wrap and I hope I have not taken much of your time and enjoyed your read. As always, love the music more than the gears! Cheers and catch you on the next one!

PRICE: $80​

You can purchase Titan S at the link below:

Dunu Titan S Amazon link

Many have asked, what's the best affordable single DD iem? Some would say Olina, others would say Aria, i would say HE01, but recently a fourth DD has joined the conversation.


Out of the box, with the included eartips, nothing about these sounded impressive. The low-end wasn't all that engaging, the treble sounded somewhat subdued and the upper mids were shouty at higher volumes.

Spring tips made these too bright sounding for me.

I tried some wide-bore KBEAR 10 eartips and the results were pretty astonishing.


The improvements were night and day. It was like i had cleaned my ears. Nothing about the treble sounded subdued now, suddenly there's an abundance of air and extension.

The mids sound (dare i say) holographic. instruments and vocals sound like a personal concert around my head.

The bass is what i can only describe as "tender" it's also very detailed. The gentle sub-bass focus becomes alot easier to appreciate after listening to something flat like the SSR.

Compared to my very best DD, The Titan S is less bassy, less sparkly and overall not as lively sounding as the HE01. Put simply, HE01 is more V shape. Titan S is more of a neutral iem. Both are excellent iems in my eyes.



Inside is a 10mm LCP driver. LCP is a kind of particularly strong plastic. You might be familiar with it in the form of kevlar, which is made out of LCP fibers. The tough opaque yellowish material of the diaphragm definitely fits the bill for LCP.

Lastly, the big vent on the back is real.




Out of the box these didn't meet expectations. But what i was eventually left with is something truly S tier.

DUNU Titan-S – A Clean Sounding Unit



FOREWORD

1. This unit was provided by HiFiGo for review purposes
2. My DUNU Titan-S has undergone at least 100 hours of playtime
3. I don't do measurements, I just describe what I hear, from my own POV
4. I don't use EQ
5. The entirety of my impressions was done with my own foam tips
6. Ultimately, my reviews are purely subjective and biased to my personal preference in sound

EQUIPMENT USED

• Ovidius B1
• CEntrance DACport HD
• Cayin RU6
• Audirect BEAM 3 Plus
• NotByVE Abigail
• NotByVE Avani
• LG V50 ThinQ
• Sony Xperia X Compact (USB 2.0 host)
• HiBy Music Player (USB Exclusive Mode)
• FLAC Lossless Files

The Build
Titan-S comes in something which I would regard as Steampunk themed design. I can appreciate this aesthetically. The stock cable being configured in 2 Pins setup, are quite firm when plugged in to the IEMs housings. The cable itself being pliable and robust. It will probably take some really rough usage to abuse them.

Wearing Titan-S takes a bit of practice, the edgy design will first feel a bit awkward. But with regular usage, it no longer bothers me and I was able to wear it for 1-2 hours without any issues.

Titan-S is a traditional single 11mm DD with 32 Ohm of impedance and generous 110db of sensitivity - which means Titan-S will already work great with many sources.

Sound Impressions

DYNAMICS, TONE & TIMBRE
The overall tone and timbre signature of Titan-S is something I would regard as close to neutral. Taking Etymotic ER4 series as the benchmark for Diffused Field Neutral, Titan-S edge towards the sound curve of the Etys (which are a lot flatter). Otherwise, among many ChiFi IEMs that we see in the market nowadays, Titan-S assuredly fall into one of the more neutral sounding unit available. It offers mature sound with moderate dynamics vibrancy. Titan-S also has slightly pronounced upper frequencies focus with audible sparkle. All in all, Titan-S is mostly free of any coloration.

Dynamic range appeared well balanced. Titan-S offers good extensions on both end of the spectrum. Perhaps being clinical I would say it does seem to fall short on Sub-Bass region.

My critique on the overall sound characteristics of Titan-S, it does appear dry, metallic and lean especially when paired with natively bright sounding partners – lacking organic touch and smoothness (a little too much on crispness). But then when paired with an already neutral organic sources, Titan-S will then sound very well balanced and articulate – upper frequencies edginess being less apparent.

MIDS
Essentially, Titan-S, Mids being neutral and uncolored. The staging of Mids however seems to be slightly stepped back, less forward. It does appear well defined with clean and crisp imaging. Mostly faithful to the intended nature of the recordings. There's good texture and details especially for acoustic, percussions and air instruments. There’s polished maturity in the way attack and decays with how the instruments being played.

On vocals, Titan-S exhibited similarly neutral presentation. Realistic Diana Krall and Sinne Eeg vocals, properly chesty and deep, no attempt to add any element of warmth. With something a bit peakier like Alison Krauss, Titan-S presented her Soprano singing with piercing tone which may appear sibilant. But then that’s the nature of Alison Krauss, she’s known to be one of the sharpest sounding female vocalist to ever exist. Titan-S fares better with Baritone type – very chesty, deep and commanding, Nick Cave and Morrissey sounded realistically lively and engaging. Again, without any hint of added warmth.

TREBLE
Depending on the listener preferences, Titan-S crisp and clean Treble being the highlight of the upper frequency characteristics. Titan-S exhibited admirable prowess with Treble micro details. Well controlled but perhaps a bit bright. With some type of music, it can sizzle a bit more than what I regard as pleasant - but perhaps Trebleheads will find this quite acceptable. There’s good sparkle and shimmer to keep things vibrant. What I do wish Titan-S could have done better, a bit more of air and smoothness. The focus on crispness seemed to take away some velvety element that I normally prefer for Treble presentation.

BASS
Titan-S Bass performances is adequate at best. Being somewhat neutral also means Titan-S will appear subdued to those preferring their Bass big. What Titan-S does offer is good textured Bass performances especially with Mid-Bass. Mid-Bass being solid and fast, tidy. Ample details and texture while at it. For the most part, the Mid-Bass will not attempt to overshadow lower Mids. But I will say that it is still not neutral enough to call it flat. However, Titan-S Sub-Bass appeared meek and reserved. Very rarely I would be able to feel the presence of Sub-Bass seismic responses. Otherwise, I have nothing else to complain about Titan-S overall Bass performances.

TECHNICALITIES
Titan-S scores good on technicalities. For a start, the soundstage respectably wide with good sense of space and depth. There’s precision with holographic spatial imaging and resolution. Macro and Micro details handling of Titan-S also being very commendable. Especially when paired with natively technical sources, Titan-S exhibited deft articulation of details retrieval. Speed and resolution equally good as well. Be it complex or fast the tracks are, Titan-S handled them all gracefully without any hint of congestion or compression. Each layers remained separated, no mucking up of multiple complex composition of instruments. Making it easy to track individual instruments.

Final Thoughts
When I received my Titan-S, I have placed high expectations on it. Suffice to say that I have mixed feelings about the unit as a whole. For one, the overall dry and lean sound is something that bothers me a bit. Other than that, Titan-S offers great technicalities, good dynamic range and clean output, as can be expected of many IEMs within this segment. Technically it has speed and good resolution, cohesion of sound end to end. Perhaps, on a personal level, very subjective to my own sonic preferences, Titan-S lacks that organic touch which I treasure most.

Nonetheless, Titan-S will still be one of the viable option to have especially when pairing done correctly with sources that can help with depth and richness, Pairing with DAC/Amps which are already bright sounding (typically ESS Sabre native tuning), Titan-S will be borderline sterile and dry – somewhat bright-ish.

Review Of The DUNU Titan S​

Introduction​

DUNU is a known premium CHIFI brand acknowledged by their releases like Zen Pro, Falcon Pro, SA6, EST112, etc. One of their newly released budget offering is DUNU Titan S, and today I’ll be reviewing these IEM. This is is their first attempt on a budget segment in the market, and from the looks of it feels, It is gonna be a star. If you want to own one, these are available on this site :-

https://conceptkart.com/products/dunu-titan-s-wired-iem (https://conceptkart.com/products/dunu-titan-s-wired-iem#)#

Disclaimer​

* This is a review unit, courtesy of Concept Kart. Thank you for providing me with this unit to review. But still each and every thoughts below mentioned are my personal own thoughts and they are not fiddled with any outside influences. Link for the DUNU Titan S is below :-

https://conceptkart.com/products/dunu-titan-s-wired-iem (https://conceptkart.com/products/dunu-titan-s-wired-iem#)#

*I will be referring these IEMs to as 'Titan S' for the rest of the review.
*And at last I will only be reviewing the Titan S on the basis of their performance, I do not care what these are made of or packaged with when newly purchased unless it affects the sound in any sense what so ever.

Specification​

So the Titan S has a 11mm dynamic driver made of multi-layered, poly-condensed liquid crystal polymer (LCP) diaphragm, lightweight CCAW voice coil and N52 internal magnet.
The frequency response is from 5 Hz – 40 kHz, impedance is 32 Ω at 1 kHz and sensitivity is 110 dB ± 1 dB at 1 kHz. The total harmonic distortion is < 0.3 % at 1 kHz.

Sound​

Titan S leans towards being bright neutral with mid bass emphasis. The sound of titan s is really on another level when compared to its other competitor. Being very clean and clear sounding and great technical performance and the bass is tight and punchy while retaining that note weight and density, I am very much impressed with the sound of titan s. Everything sounds up front like putting and everything on the table and not messing any element of sound.

Treble​

The treble is a little hot for some people, I presume. But to me this is the best tuned LCP driver for the performance. There is enough air to let every instruments to breath, cymbal crashes and snare hits sounds rounded and very much alive. The treble extension is really great. The guitars here in this region sounds more revealing. I would also like to add that the vocals doesn’t resist but sounds flawlessly, especially female vocals. The treble is bright, upfront and lively sounding while not being hot or sibilant or very peaky. Yes I did found that some songs were a little harsh on my ears but other than that very well tuned.

Mid Range​

Coming to the mid range, Titan s has more lean sounding mid range than warm, although mid range doesn’t sound metallic in nature. The upper mid range is very froward in the mix and have a very crisp and clean sound and it doesn’t messes anything in the mix. The lower mid range have that note weight and density due to the emphasis on the mid bass but it doesn’t feel warm or welcoming , rather more open and expressing with enough room to perform. The guitars have a peculiar sound where I find it natural yet sharp. The female vocals are very energizing and spacious, same goes for the male vocals. Over all the mid range are very clean and much preferred tuning for me.

Bass​

The bass region is very well tuned, especially where the emphasis on the mid bass. The bass is punchy and tight. It is very well controlled and the texture is really really good. Even by having mid bass emphasis, the bass doesn’t bleed in the mid range. For some the bass impact might be insufficient, but it is powerful enough to have cause an effect in mix. Only thing I find missing is the rumbling nature of bass, hence the bass extension is not that great. Other than that, everything sounds very exciting.

Technical Performance​

Titan S excels in its technical performance, resolves sharper notes, retrieves a lot of details and the staging is really appreciated. The speed of attack and decay of notes is surprisingly good. Maybe being a bright sounding IEM helps with the detail retrieval and resolution. Even minute details are heard on this unit

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

The three dimensional holographic nature of sound representation is really well done, especially when coming to the vocals being in the center. Coming to performing instruments in the mix, each and every instrument has it’s own space and air to breath and sound 100% which brings me to the imaging and layering. The sound imaging is sharp and detailed easily finishes every sounding element complete and makes them distinct and it doesn’t sound intimate . Very beautifully done separation and yes definitely I can pin point where the sound is coming.

Speed & Resolution​

The resolution on this set is very clean and very much retrieving. Being on the lean side than warm, yes the resolution is far better. The detail retrieval for the price they are offered for is the in its class. The note speed determined by their attack and decay is fast resolving while keeping the whole mix clean.

Conclusion​

To conclude, This is a totally different tuned IEM, where every element in the mix sounds clean and clear, bright and upfront and very energetic. I believe this release of IEM is for another particular set of people who didn’t appreciate Moondrop Aria and wanted what Titan S is able to achieve, in the Aria. Well yes I definitely recommend DUNU Titan S to everyone, especially for those who didn’t like the Moondrop Aria.

Sources And Tracks Used​

Sources​

Apple iPhone XS Max
LG G8X
iPad (4th generation)
Apple Dongle Dac
Shanling UA1 Pro
iFi HIPDAC
Venture Electronics Megatron
Lotoo PAW S1
Apple Lossless
UAPP
Localy stored Flac and Wav Files

Tracks​

Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
Boston - More Than A Feeling
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere(Remastered)
Toto - Africa
The Police - Every Breath You Take
George Benson - Affirmation
Daft Punk - Doin' It Right
Daft Punk - Derezzed
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy (End Titles)
GOJIRA - Amazonia
The Mars Volta - Inertiatic ESP
Fergie - Glamorous
50 Cent - In Da Club
Jay Z - Holy Grail
Erbes - Lies
Nitti Gritti - The Loud
Juelz - Inferno

Dunu Titan S - A short review​

Thanks to Concept Kart for a super quick delivery (https://conceptkart.com/).

BACKGROUND​

Dunu as a company, have produced very well regarded iems in the audiophile community, and I have owned/listened to multiple iems in the past including DN2001, Falcon Pro and the Dunu Titan (v1).

The Titan series have been single DD implementations that have been reference tuned. The Dunu Titan v1, which was also sold by Fiio as the Ex1 with a poorer cable, was semi open. With earbud like staging, the single DD still sounds fantastic, organic and tonally correct.

The latest revision is the Titan S, which is another Single DD implementation with 11mm LCP diaphragm, but in a closed form factor.

BUILD AND PACKAGING​

The Dunu has never shied away from excellent packaging. This time again, they have a well protected iem in the foam packaging, with a rectangular zipper case to hold the iems, and 3 sets of eartips (red, blue and white). I found the blue tips to fit excellently.

The cable while looking familiar to the KZ brown ones, are better built, with no microphonics, supple and terminated with a 2-pin connector into the iems and a 3.5 L shaped connector. The cable is SPC and feels robust, with a chin slider.

FIT​

The Titan S is slightly bigger than the Titan v1, and in a different form factor (for those who remember). It is worn over the ear wear, and sits well in the ear (I have small ears and it feels very comfortable).

SOUND​

The iems sounded right, from the word go. It sounds like a good upgrade to a well modded Blon03 (sounds like an insult, but the blon03 when modded, sounds very good). It is slightly W shaped.
Bass : The bass is well represented, with a bit of sub and mid bass. It is not a bass monster, and instead sounds like what bass should sound like. The bass does not bleed into the mids. It is a warm and rich sounding iem from the word go.
Mids: The male and female vocals sound very good, with a lot of detail and emotion. Gilmour on the Pulse Live album, conveys emotions very well. As does Harish on the Agam tracks. Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal too sound fantastic on multiple tracks. All in all, good support for vocals.
Treble: The treble has slight emphasis, with decent extension. Guitars, triangles, cymbals, sound shimmery and with good presence. The slight emphasis is made apparent on poor recordings, where things can get a little bit hot, but much lesser than say a Zex pro or a CCA NRA. There is excellent treble energy and keeps the proceedings nice and lively

Stage: The stage is not the widest, and is slightly above average room sized. What it does is put the listener close to the performers, and gives them a front of the stage feel.
Imaging is excellent, with instrument placement being very accurate.
Speed is excellent too, with no fuzziness or muddiness in well mastered tracks. If an iem can keep pace with Pt. Ravishankar, it is a fast iem indeed!

A recent reference track discovered : The Song o f the Butterfly - Channeling Music from Hungary

Conclusions​

This is an easy recommendation, with a very well implemented single DD, nothing short of expectation from the venerable Dunu. I can see this iem become my everyday carry. Except for a little reveal on poor tracks, Dunu has captured magic at an excellent pricepoint!

disclaimer: The Dunu TitanS was sent by Dunu for purposes of this review. I have no financial interest in Dunu, any of its distributors, or resellers. I will admit to an ongoing love affair with several of Dunu’s in-ears and I probably am a bit biased in that I have an expectation that they will perform well. For more information on the Titan S or to purchase your own, See the Dunu website.


Unboxing / Packaging:
The TitanS ships in slip-cover with the earpieces displayed on front and the specifications on the rear. The inner box is gloss black with Dunu in silver on the top and is tastefully understated. Lifting the lid reveals the blue zipper case with the earpieces, cable, and accessories all hiding either in it or under it. The kit consists of the case, earpieces, cable, 10 sets of tips in three different styles, a shirt clip, and various instruction and warranty cards. The kit is impressive, not for the sheer volume of stuff, but for the quality of the items in it as the soft case is the same model paired with the Falcon Pro and models higher up the line. It would have been easy to cut corners on this budget model, but Dunu didn’t.





Build/Fit:
Those familiar with the Titan line will take one look at the Titan S and know that something has changed. The earlier Titans all shared a very similar shell design that I call the ice cream cone shape with a small faceplate and outer shell followed by a bell to house the driver and then a nozzle to direct sound into the ear canal. The 6 was a little bit of a departure in that it blended the two sections a bit but overall it still had the same aesthetic. Those days are gone. The Titan S is a reboot of the franchise and while internals are similar, looks are not. The new design has a larger triangular shaped zinc shell with the nozzle exiting the leading point of the triangle and the bi-pin connector the top. All the edges and corners are smoothed so they sit comfortably in the ear. There is a large functional outer vent and another smaller vent just behind the nozzle on the under side of the shell. Size is fairly large so those with small ears may need to audition these before purchase. This is one place where the new design may be a step backward for some but for most with normal sized ears the Titan S is quite comfortable.





Internals:
The heart of the the Titan S is a new 11mm dynamic driver that while not part of the ECLIPSE family has a lot of trickle down technology from its bigger siblings. The driver uses a multi-layer polycondensated liquid crystal polymer diaphragm, an ultra-lite CCAW voice coil and N52 internal magnet structure. I’ve mentioned before that Kevlar is one form of liquid crystal polymer and the reason for use in diaphragms is its combination of stiffness and lack of weight. Copper clad aluminum wire CCAW is a cost saving measure as aluminum is less expensive but requires more space while copper is considerably more costly but more compact. The hybrid CCAW is a way to hit a happy mid-point between larger Aluminum windings and more expensive copper windings in the coil. The resulting driver has a nominal frequency response of 5Hz – 40kHz with an impedance of 32Ω (@ 1kHz) and a sensitivity of 110dB/mW (also at 1kHz). I found the Titan S easy to drive from dongles or phones and that additional power wasn’t needed for it to do its best work. The Titan S does scale some qualitatively, but doesn’t need a potent source to sound its best.
for the record, I did attempt to find an internals diagram and then not finding one did attempt to open the case on one to get internal photos. The screw is either captive or purely for looks and I gave up on trying to remove the face when it became obvious that doing so without damaging them was not likely. Maybe one of the gents that regularly do tear-downs will offer something up but I like mine well enough to not want them destroyed for the sake of a photo.


Cable:
Dunu cables have been among my favorites of late as their modular design is quite good and their durability is generally equally good. The cable here is a bit simpler than some as there are no modular connectors or fancy fittings involved. Starting at the southern end we have a 3.5mm jack in a 90° housing with a proper strain relief. The cable itself is a mix of single crystal copper and silver plated copper strands in a brown casing. From the jack to the splitter it is a 4 wire tight twist. Above the splitter it is a much looser two wire twist up to the earhooks and 0.78mm bi-pin connectors. The connectors have colored plated to denote left and right indexing and while standard cables will fit the Titan S, the geometry of the connector on the supplied cable is enough different than standard that aesthetics are impacted by switching cables.




Sound:


Bass:
The Titan S shares a similar low-end tuning with the Falcon Pro in that there is a mild emphasis in the mid-bass but the sub-bass tapers off gradually with some roll-off evident in the 30Hz range. This won’t please the basshead crowd, but is a more natural sound than many with elevated sub-bass. What sub-bass is present has good speed and some texture as well so doesn’t disapppoint qualitatively. The mid-bass emphasis is very mild and is heard more as a bit more presence in the mix than as a distinct emphasis as in reality the Titan S is near linear through about the 1kHz mark where it begins to deviate northward fairly quickly. For a budget in-ear, the bass quality is better than expected and quite different than most. Those looking for a big V need to look elsewhere as what is here is a well controlled near neutral presentation with good texture and moderate detail.

Mids:
Lower-mids have a very smooth transition from the mid-bass with no discernible bleed or obstruction and no big recess to be found. Lower vocals have good tone and cut through the mix well but are not quite as weighted as on the Falcon Pro. Guitar has a quick attack and a slight sustain that give it a natural tone and good clarity. Starting at about 1Khz there is a push forward that looks bigger on paper than it sounds in the ear. Strings have good energy while not getting too hot and piano has enough detail to be a fun listen. I didn’t find a tendency for the emphasis in the upper-mids/lower treble to become shouty but it is possible with extreme recordings that double down on the emphasis. Female vocals do stand slightly in front of their male counterparts but not artificially so. Mids are quite well done here and I had to remind myself these sell for $79 when critiquing as comparisons are generally to higher priced models.

Treble:
Unlike a lot of in-ears with an upper-mid push, the Titan S does not plateau that emphasis all the way through the lower-treble. Instead that upper-mid emphasis drops back rather rapidly above about the 3kHz mark and the result is a very non-fatiguing listen. Extension is good with roll-off somewhere above the limit of my hearing (14kHz roughly) and there is enough energy at the top to provide some air but sparkle is a bit limited. Snares have good rattle and cymbals aren’t over clicky but are slightly less than realistic. Overall, the treble tuning is on the safe side and while it won’t please treble enthusiasts, it won’t send the treble shy to the exits either.

Soundstage / Imaging:
Stage is good on the Titan S with moderate depth and only slightly more width by comparison. There is some height but it stops well short of fully three dimensional with the bulk of the sound seemingly coming from eye level almost directly in front of the listener. Seating the orchestra is straight forward with no major misplacements or overlaps. Instrument separation is good and about what you’d expect here with some mild compression becoming evident when tracks get overly complex. Imaging is good, but again stage size keeps it from being fully realized and honestly we shouldn’t expect miracles form this $79 offering.

Comparisons:
There is no shortage of budget single dynamics to compare against so I picked four of the most popular with price points that are close to the Titan S. Some a bit less, others a bit more, but those looking at buying the Titan S would likely consider all of these as direct competitors.

Fiio FD1 – $59.99 – We have to include Fiio in any discussion of budget models as they have been a dominant force in the market place. The FD1 shell is acrylic vs the metal shell of the Titan S so weight is a bit less on the Fiio. Both use a single dynamic with the fiio sporting a Beryllium coating vs the LCP of the Titan S. The Fiio is a little warmer and a bit more V-shaped and neither is going to please the bassheads in the group. Mids are a bit better on the Titan S as the FD1 is a bit recessed by comparison, but the note weight is slightly better on the FD1. Overall, I find the Titan S has a more natural tonality and is a more enjoyable listen.

Moondrop Aria – $79.99 – You couldn’t ask for a more dead on compare than these two. Both $79.99, both LCP, both metal shells, right down the line these two check all the same boxes. Size and weight won’t help us sort this one either so its down to sound. The Aria has a bit more low end and will please those looking for big bass hits a bit more. What they trade for that is clarity and while the Aria has more bass, the Titan S has the better textured more articulate of the two. At the top end, the Titan S is better extended again having more clarity and better instrument separation but coming across as a bit more technical when compared to the slightly smoother Aria. The treble shy will prefer Aria, those looking for a closer to neutral reference with more technical merit will chose Titan S.

T-force Yuan Li – $129.00 – So what does a fifty dollar step up get you? The Yuan Li is definitely more about fit and polish as its mirror polished shells stand in stark contrast to the industrial look of the Titan S. Internally the Yuan Li uses a 10mm dynamic with a DLC diaphragm so similar but not exactly the same as the Titan S. Sound wise, the Yuan Li has similar extension at the low end and won’t make the bass fans happy either so not a lot of separation there. Mid-bass is a little smoother and more organic with slightly better note weight on the Yuan Li in comparison to the Titan S. That observation really carries through the whole signature. The Yuan Li is a bit smoother, more relaxed, and effortless in its delivery while the Titan S is a bit leaner and not quite as smooth. Overall the Yuan Li is probably a better option when listening with poorly recorded tracks or just for fun while the Titan S is a bit more technical and closer to accurate.

TinHifi T2 Evo – $59.99 – And finally the step back in price. Most of the T2/T3/T4 line have shared a similar barrel shaped design with some form of 10mm dynamic driver in the shell so this could have just as well been any of the TinHifi mainstays. They also share enough in signature that likely would be interchangeable or nearly so in that respect too. The EVO uses a DLC diaphragm so a slight departure there, but other-wise specs are nearly identical. The barrel shape shell may fit smaller ears better than the Titan S but loses some style points in the process. Sound wise the two have a similar low end but mids favor the Titan S as does the treble where the T2 Evo can be too bright for some. The one place the T2 Evo is a clear winner is stage. When AB testing these two it is like going from your living room to a High School auditorium and those looking for a large stage will prefer the T2 Evo. The Titan S is a better balanced sounding in-ear than the more V shaped and bright T2 Evo though so even with its better stage, the T2 Evo falls to the Titan S.

Thoughts / Conclusion:
The sub one hundred dollar market is one of the hottest and most contested markets in earphones right now with some really brilliant products coming out. A few years ago any of the models I compared would have been a massive improvement over what was available in this price class. It’s a good time to be an audio enthusiast as prices continue to drop and quality continues to go up. That having been said when Dunu told me about the Titan S, I had my reservations. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dunu and generally think they do a good job building a quality product and aggressively pricing it. But this was something different. We want to take on the Aria on its own turf, same price, same driver type, same shell materials and we think we can beat it. The Moondrop series has been hugely popular for years and with the Aria still being on many “recommended” lists, that’s a bit like announcing your intention to beat Floyd Mayweather before you start taking boxing lessons. I’ve been a Dunu fan for years, but I was not at all sure I wouldn’t have to write a review that said “Close, but no”. I shouldn’t have doubted Dunu though as the Titan S does indeed knock the Aria out of that top spot for me and become my recommended in-ear at its price point. For a near neutral, very technical proficient in-ear that doesn’t fatigue during longer listening sessions, the Titan-S is the one to beat.

Dunu Titan S​

​

The sample was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for my subjective and unbiased review.
The selling price is $79.99 and you can buy it directly from DUNU online shop by using this - non affiliate - link.

Introduction

The DUNU Titan 1, disguised as FiiO EX1, was one of my first and most beloved iems.
It is one of the few earphones that didn't end up in the classifieds, it has proven to be very durable and I am still using it for phone calls.



DUNU Titan S

Fast forward to the present and the brand new Titan S reboots the classic and much acclaimed Titan series that established the DUNU as one of the best iem manufacturers from China.
For the first time ever an entry level wired earphone from DUNU has an over-ear wearing style with a bold new cyberpunk-inspired design language, and an all-new driver.



The Titan S features an 11mm dynamic driver with a multi-layered poly-condensated liquid crystal polymer (LCP) diaphragm, combined with a lightweight CCAW voice coil and N52 internal magnet.
The driver is placed inside durable, lightweight zinc alloy shells with dual-chamber anti-resonance housings.



Cable

DUNU is well known for its high-quality cable offerings.
They have included a monocrystalline, copper and silver-plated copper mixed cable with a 3.5mm termination plug.
For the first time, DUNU has featured the 2-pin connector.
The cable itself is of good quality, lightweight and soft but a little thin.
Microphonic noise is moderate and it has a tendency to get tangled a lot.
The 2-pin connectors are well made, sturdy and seem to be very durable.



Build quality and appearance

Build quality is excellent, the Titan S is well constructed and a pleasure to handle.
The appearance is cyber - punk as the company claims.
I don't know what cyber - punk is but I do know that it looks beautiful with a modern, minimal and rather futuristic design.



Wearing comfort and isolation

The Titan S, is plain and simple, so comfortable that you are going to forget wearing it.
They fit tightly, stay at place and are suitable for long term use without causing any kind of discomfort.
Due to the vented design of the Titan S, sound isolation is good but not the best although I haven't experienced any serious issues while using them in moderately noisy environments.

Accessories

The Titan S comes bundled with three different types of silicone ear tips each in three sizes (S,M,L).
There is also one of the most beautiful and well constructed carrying cases, a rarity at this price point.
The case is like a small wallet, made from faux leather with a zipper and fabric protection at the inside.



Sound impressions

As per usual practice I left the Titan S playing music for about 150 hours without bothering to monitor the burning progress.
With a given impedance of 32Ω and 110dB of sensitivity, the Titan S is pretty easy to drive, you can use it straight from your phone's earphone output.
But truth is that the Titan S scales pretty well for a budget iem, so the use of at least an entry level USB DAC is strongly suggested.
I used various USB DAC dongles like the iBasso DC05, ddHiFi TC35B Pro and FiiO KA3.
Most of the listening was done with the red colored eartips.



The Titan S has a reference, neutral tuning with a mild upper - mid / treble emphasis while it exhibits top notch clarity with excellent resolving ability, making for an earphone that is equally suitable for casual and critical listening alike.
Timbre is mostly natural, instruments and voices are heard almost lifelike but they do have the tendency to become thinner and less weighty while climbing up the frequency range.

Bass is slightly raised above the point of linearity but without any given mid - bass emphasis, gently downsloping to the mid range.
Sub - bass presence is adequate for all acoustic instruments but it may come as slightly lacking for synthesized tones especially when considering the physical rumbling effect.
The Titan S is pretty competent when it comes to dynamics with a realistic contrast between piano and forte, although the overall presentation is rather lean and dry.
The bass is not as full bodied and weighty but on the other hand is super tight, fast, controlled and well textured.
The bass line stays clear and free of overlapping even under multilayered pieces without any traces of masking between the various instruments of the same frequency family.

Mid range is still flat, with great presence, firm texture and crystal clear articulation.
Clarity is just amazing, voices and instruments sound like shaped diamonds, well defined but not boring or clinical.
The Titan S is quite musical and engaging despite the neutral tuning, an amazing achievement for DUNU who found a way to balance neutrality with musicality in a well blended mix.

The upper mid-range in combination with the treble, gets a well-executed emphasis that adds greatly to the overall sense of definition, making for a luminous, detailed and lively presentation while avoiding becoming overly bright and piercing.
Thus said, the Titan S is not forgiving at all and has an extra bite at the upper parts of the frequency range that can become a little irritating, with certain recordings or at higher listening levels.
Detail retrieval is absolutely perfect, the Titan S is highly resolving and can dig deeply into the recording but again there seems to be a well-determined limit as to where to stop in order not to become intensely analytical.
The soundstage is open and wide, with ample space between the instruments that are precisely positioned and arranged in the horizontal axis but there is a certain lack of depth and dimensionality.



The Titan S is very good for classical music and I greatly enjoyed the last concert of the late Nikolaus Harnoncourt, one of my favorite conductors ever.



Selected comparisons

Vs Moondrop Aria 2

The Aria follows a tuning that is closer to the Harman target with a greater bass / mid - bass emphasis and a subdued upper - mid range.
As such it sounds more warm and bassy but with less extended treble, not pronounced vocals and is missing some sparkle and treble energy.
It is more forgiving to poor recordings and generally speaking more easy to the ear.
The Aria is weighty with thicker notes, more relaxed decaying but is also looser on the bass, not as controlled and tight with poorer imaging.
Timbre is slightly more natural in the Aria, especially for the upper - range instruments but on the other hand clarity and detail retrieval are a step behind while the soundstage is more narrow and not as spacious as in the Titan S.
In the end, it is the more neutral, highly technical but still engaging Titan S against the more relaxed and musical but considerably less technical Aria 2.



Vs TinHiFi T3 Plus

The T3 Plus tuning is like a fusion between the Titan S and Aria 2 with a more V-shaped frequency response.
Bass quantity is on the same increased levels as in the Aria while upper - mid range is equally emphasized as in the Titan S.
Strangely enough it sounds slightly brighter than the Titan S and can become more strident at higher listening levels.
Bass is fuller sounding, more visceral with thicker texture and greater impact but at the same time it gets a touch bloated, less controlled and not as clear as in the Titan S.
Technicalities and soundstage are of higher quality at the Titan S which is also more suitable for critical listening vs the more consumer tuning of the T3 Plus.



On non audio related stuff, the Titan S has a marginally better cable and the best carrying case by a fair margin, the Aria is slightly more comfortable and discreet while the T3 Plus is the most bulky one.

Three very competent earphones at the sub $100 range with slightly different sound profiles that are going to give you a hard time in deciding which one to choose.

In the end

With the Titan S, DUNU has made a brave decision not to follow the V-shaped trend and release something more reference and neutrally tuned, an iem addressed to the minority, despite the possible effect of such a decision on the sales of the brand.
And thus, the Titans have risen from the river of Lethe, led by the most prestigious Titan S, an excellent budget earphone with great technicalities and a well thought tuning that greatly balances neutrality with musicality.

Test playlist

Copyright - Laskis Petros 2022.

Dunu Titan S

Dunu Titan series of dynamic earphones for me anyways actually put the group on the map. It has been a while since I reviewed the Titan 1 in 2015 which I still have on hand and that earphone did some things that were unusually higher end than its price point would indicate. It had a semi open all metal design that had some standout technicalities. However, it was a deeply colored sound signature with said technicals that showed a step forward for dynamic offerings at the time. That was then and this is now, the new version of the Titan series in the Titan S has a new driver, a new look, new build and a new tuning.

The only similarities to the older Titan 1 is that the new Titan S is also an all-metal build with a semi open design supporting a titanium coated dynamic. Otherwise the new Titan S is an entirely new product from our friends at Dunu. Dunu has clearly put themselves on the hierarchy of IEM dom in that they are a premiere IEM manufacturer and has been making some stand out products for the enthusiasts. It is not all about the higher end IEMs they make but I can argue it is actually more important to bring out something everyone can afford. The Titan S is such a product and one that has been getting some press lately. It was my turn to give them a shot as Thomas of Dunu, reached out to me to see how I heard them.

With that I would like to thank the Dunu topsound team for reaching out to me for a review of the Titan S. It was provided for the purpose of a review. You can purchase a set for you on their aliexpress page here and this is their home page here. The Titan S has been burned in for a period of a week and now is ready for evaluation using my sources. IBasso DX300Max. Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, Ibasso DX160, Sony ZX300, IFI Black label, Fiio K3 2021, Fiio UTWS5.

An intro level earphone does not have to be intro level in sound and here is a case where Dunu has put their work in on a newly designed Titan S. There are plenty of reviews out in the interwebs that clearly puts this IEM in the spotlight as a premiere IEM for the price. Not to add more fuel than it needs but the one aspect I admire about Dunu is that you can tell nothing is left to chance. They go over each aspect of their designs and tunings to be deliberate and detailed as their products reflect.

The package
Titan S comes with their familiar larger blue colored zip up case, nice n roomy for the earphones themselves and some tips to go with them, 3 sets of silicone tips and a customized 2 pin .78mm silver plated higher purity copper cable terminated in single ended. You might have been hoping for modular cables but you gotta be realistic what the price point here gets you. As far as I know their cheapest Dunu modular cables the now discontinued DUW-02 cost as much as the entire package of the Titan S. Needless to say if you're gonna do any cable rolling. Highly recommended by the way and I will tell you why later on the read. That my friends will be up to you.

The Titan S has an all-metal cyberpunk influenced modern design, definitely different in looks from your standard IEM but the build is most definitely rock solid. The actual size of the earphones themselves is a smaller medium with a longer nozzle. Fitment is easy with its size and shape and should fit most easily without too much fuss. I also like the fact that the 2 pin cable has a continuation of the housing angle which makes the cables relatively seamless in looks when connected, this makes the cable look like it is fixed into the housing, very slick. It is an over the ear build that is very comfortable in fitment, while squarish in looks is very ergonomic in its shape and is about as good as it gets when it comes to a quality build at the price point. The variety of tips are ok but I have noticed some aftermarket tips fairing much better for better tonal balance and some bass adjustment vs the included tips.

So aftermarket tips and cables will be important here to get the Titan S to your liking. For example if you find the Titan S to sound a bit lean and more brighter in tonal character. You can enhance the lower end of the sound by using a longer wider tips, specifically the Azla Sendafit tips on them. Spinfit CP100 tips are also recommended. Thanks for the tip on the tips Tom. So the Titan S seems a bit finicky and sensitive to tips changes. Included tips brings out more neutrality and brightness for me which makes the Titan S sound a bit more analytical. If that is the type of sound you're going for, it will be fine for you. The good news here is I don’t feel that is necessarily the Titan Ss final sound. They do extremely well with aftermarket tips and cable combinations to bring out more body, fullness and make them sound more musical to my ears. More on this toward the end of the read.

Sound
The original Titan 1 was clearly a v shaped signature but had some very good technical chops which made them stand out. The new Titan S is more a modern day harmon neutral tuning with a mild bass boost. The overall balancing of the 3 zones is done tastefully. Leaning a bit more neutral in its tone and presence. The 11mm multi layered polycondensated LCP, Liquid Crystal Polymer driver seems to be the new beryllium coating nowadays. Brings out a nice higher end technical ability that makes the Titan S stand out as being a premiere iem in the price range. With so much competition in the sub $100 category of earphones, the design aesthetics and sound quality has to stand out from the collective to take notice and I do believe Dunu has created just this.

Technicals.
I have to admit I am sold on the LCP drivers being used by Dunu. There are numerous harmon tuned IEMs in the market. Seems to be more of the norm nowadays than being more rare in the industry. However what separates the Titan S from the numerous others. If timbre, a proper stage, imaging, sound separation and detail matters to you. You will immediately see why the Titan S has been highly regarded. No secret the tried and true dynamic earphone provides a natural timbre for music and the Titan S is a prime example of a proper timbre from a nicely resolving driver.

The vented design for the driver here breathes nicely and gives out a very good moderate stage in all dimensions. It isn’t the widest or the deepest sounding but most definitely not lacking in the stage department and does sound more spacious than canned. I would put the stage at a moderately spacious level with a decent depth and good height of sound. Due to the more resolving nature of the Titan S its sound separation and imaging is ideal and I can argue punches above its price class. This is what separates the Titan S from so many IEMs in the sub $100 category. If anything, the LCP driver being used here seems to provide a level of resolve that is uncommon at the price point.

Trebles
Harmon tuned monitors have plenty of treble presence; it is more of if the drivers have enough resolve to extend and present the treble end of the tuning properly. The Titan S is a much more refined Titan earphone from their previous efforts.Trebles here is to my ears has slightly more emphasis and presence but mostly equal in its balancing vs the other parts of the sound. Its tonal character is no longer metallic from their prior Titan 1. Natural and detailed the treble comes off with a moderate amount of emphasis. The upper treble sees a gradual de-emphasis toward upper trebles for proper balance. The Titan S has some extended trebles, sounds natural and is about as good as anything I have heard for trebles at the price range.

Treble timbre is excellent, clean transient responses, delicate to full on when called for, it is difficult to pinpoint an area of the treble that seems off or is overly emphasized. If you would like to have a bit more treble emphasis, I mentioned previously that tips will have an effect on how the Titan S sounds to you. Here you can get more treble emphasis with included tips. You can fine tune the treble response to how you like the presence area for your sound via cables and tips. For the most part the trebles show good presence with a proper extension showing proper sparkle and air.

Mids
The mids of the Titan S has more upper mids than lower which injects the presence of the mid bands to be slightly forward. I wouldn't put the mids here at the shouty level but it does have a good healthy amount of upper mids emphasis. I do feel the Titan S does better with female vocals than male vocals. Mids presents with good clarity, showing a spacious mids range some might prefer a bit more body to the Titan S sound signature but for me anyways here is where the neutrality of the tonal qualities comes through. Mids don’t sound thick, full bodied or overly forward per se but they are not playing 2nd tier to the trebles or the bass either.

A bit of a tip for Titan S owners. Due to the more neutral nature of the sound balancing of the Titan S. The Titan S does better with pure copper type cables and especially in balanced. The added power from a balanced cable expands and enhances the sound profile for better dynamics and yes a denser fuller mid range as well. Dynamic earphones in general like a bit of extra power but with that power if the sound doesn't get you a bit of an extra then it will not have been worth it. The Titan S clearly benefits from some juice. Balanced out is easily better than single out from your source on the Titan S.

There is a certain level of sound modification that comes with a nice source, cables and tip pairings that Titan S loves. This is a case where you should not judge the Titan S for what it sounds like on open listen using the stock tips and its included cable. Again there is a limit to what Dunu can provide for the bucks here. The included cable is good for what it is but, try the Titan S with a thicker balanced pure copper cable. Aftermarket tips have more of an effect on their tonal and dynamic qualities than you would imagine. This is a case of good things on the Titan S and you will hear the benefits. Try your best tips and cables to optimize the Titan S to your liking. Your ears will thank you for it. With the Titan S optimized with the right tips and cables and a great sounding source. I am very certain you will be impressed.

The mid bands show clear advantages of its resolving ability. Here is where its technicalities separate the Titan S from many others that try to do this exact harmon tuning. Add to this one of the best timbres for sound at the price range and you get a sound that is clearly worth the value of what you paid and more. Its spacious imaging is addictive and its timbral accuracy is really about as good as it gets for the price. The only issue for me anyways was a bit of a thinner note weight with its stock tips and cables.

Bass
Bass of the Titan S is moderate in presence but manages to provide a solid bass foundation and detail. Moderate levels of bass means better quickness, agility and tightness. Its bass emphasis is enough to clearly let you know what genre of music you're listening to but by no means is the Titan S a bass specialist or focussed on bass. Bass quality is very good for what it is but with that moderation I do notice it will depend on the tip you chose just how much bass you want from the Titan S. Using the Azla Sendafit tips. Bass comes alive but at the cost of lowering the mids and trebles even further back in the mix.

Azla Crystal tips is the middle ground of the stock tips, more forward treble and mids with slightly less bass emphasis of the Azla sendafits a good middle ground. Again, experiment with your best tips and you will be able to find the right sound for you. Bass ability overall is not emphasized to have any influence on tonality or cause any warmth. But it does have solid impact, speed and detail for the region. Sub bass reaches deep and has decent rumble, not the best texture but represents well enough at the price point. I noticed here a thicker pure copper cable enhances the lower registers with an increase of body of sound. So really it will depend on what you end up using on the Titan S and with that very important tip choice to make them sound to your liking.

In the end
The Titan S is a new modern take on the Titan dynamic formula. It has a likable sound with some very good technicalities that separates the Titan S from the many harmon tuned earphones out on the market. Taken even further once you throw in your best copper cables and tips in the mix. They are easy to drive, have decent passive isolation and have a solid build for EDC use. For the price point you really can’t do much if at all better for sound quality. Of course that will depend on just how you maximize the Titan S for you. Its balancing is done nicely with a slight brightness from the treble area that does just enough to not throw out the sound altogether as being fatiguing or unnatural. The Titan S is an easy recommendation for enthusiasts that demand a better, more resolving sound from your sub $100 monitors and most importantly with proper technicalities.

Extra.
If you haven’t guessed by now I much prefer using aftermarket accessories on the TitanS than I will clearly tell you. If you are stuck on just using the stock cables and tips for Titan S. You're missing out on the potential you hear from them to really hear how they can perform optimized. I will post in this section exactly how I am optimizing these. What I am about to show is how I like to pair the Titan S with my own set of tips and cables. So this part is very much subjective. Truth be told there are earphones out in the wild that cost a whole lot more that you can’t optimize much on. The Titan S on the other hand is easily one of the best monitors that will change how you hear them with a proper cable and some better tips.

Tips for tips.

Azla Sendafit and Azla crystal tips.
Both these sets will surprise you just how much bass you can squeeze out of the Titan S. The longer stem seems to have a horn effect on the Titan S and bass just comes alive using the Azla Sendafit. The only issue here is that the Sendafit fits a touch loose on the nozzle. Not so much that it just falls out but not the best fitting on the nozzle.

The Crystals here fits tight. The side effect of the Sendafit was that while bass is much more enhanced it sets the mids and treble a touch back in the mix now as a result. The Crystals nozzle is not as long as the Sendafit so the mids and trebles are retained but also retains most of the bass impact of the Sendafit. This is a great middle ground between the Sendafit and the stock tips. The tips here works even better once you get a pure copper cable on the Titan S.

Spinfit CP100. These work to bring out more bass as well but to me the mids especially sounds just a touch reserved from what I hear on the more open nozzle Azla tips. But the bass is much more pronounced using these and you just might like its presentation using the CP100s.

Lastly out of my tip collection the ones that was very surprising yet worked extremely well on the Titan S was Finals E tips. You seen these tips on premiere IEMs in the market. These give the best imaging with the best balance of bass mids and treble out of all the tips I listed here.

Since this is a Dunu review. I don’t want to go into detail about other manufacturers' cables but just know those pure copper cables you bought that have been collecting dust in your collection will now come into play. Try your copper cables on the Titan S. The thicker the better. Reason why I say a thicker copper cable. Copper cables bring added body and fullness to a sound signature. Since the Titan S is more neutral in presence, especially the lower mids to bass area a thicker copper cable will add some meat to the Titan S neutrality leaning sound signature. Stock cable is fine by the way but if you plan on utilizing your balanced out from your DAPs anyway which also helps adding a bit of extra power to the Titan S. Go for an aftermarket pure copper variety to really maximize the sound signature of the Titan S.

Introduction: Dunu is a brand that surely needs no introduction to most IEM lovers on HeadFi. Over the past several years they have really stepped up their game, particularly when it comes to the single dynamic driver renaissance we have been enjoying recently. However, up until last year’s Dunu Falcon Pro their single-DD efforts had focused on the summit-fi (Dunu Luna) or upper mid-fi (Zen/Zen Pro) price tiers. The Falcon Pro, on the other hand, came in at a much more attainable $219 price tag, and while I found it to be quite good it nevertheless was tuned (in my opinion) to be something of a mid-bass specialist rather than a true all-rounder. But now Dunu has released the Titan S for our listening pleasure, a single-DD coming in at a mere $79 to pick up the gauntlet thrown down by such best-sellers as the Moondrop Aria.

It is important to note that the Titan S is not based on the Eclipse driver technology featured in the last three single-DD entries by Dunu. Nevertheless it is clear that Dunu has put a lot of care and thought into the engineering of the Titan S, choosing to employ an LCP diaphragm but using an atypical 11mm driver size, and encasing it in a zinc-alloy dual-chamber housing. Both LCP diaphragms and dual-chamber housings have been features of some of my favorite single-DDs of the past few years, so it was with great eagerness that I accepted when Dunu reached out to me to offer a sample of the Titan S in exchange for my honest review.

The specifications are as follows:
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 5 Hz – 40 kHz
IMPEDANCE: 32 Ω at 1 kHz
SENSITIVITY: 110 dB ± 1 dB at 1 kHz
TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION: < 0.3 % at 1 kHz
DRIVE MODULE: 11 mm Driver with Polycondensated Crystal Polymer Diaphragm
HOUSING MATERIAL: High-Density Zinc Alloy

INCLUDED CABLE

• LENGTH: 1.2m ± 0.1m
• MATERIAL: High-Purity, Mixed Strand Monocrystalline Copper & Silver-Plated Copper
• CABLE CONNECTOR: 0.78 mm 2-Pin
• PLUG TERMINATION: 3.5 mm TRS Single-Ended

Packaging & Accessories: Dunu continues to go toe-to-toe with FiiO in terms of generosity in accessorizing even their budget entries. While it is true that they have not included one of their acclaimed interchangeable-termination cables (after all this is a $79 IEM), nevertheless there is very little cause for complaint in their offerings here. There are three sets of excellent tips (designated as Bass/Balanced/Vocal), a very well-constructed 4-strand mixed single-crystal copper and SPC cable in 2-pin termination with a shirt clip, and a leatherette carry case.



Not only is the inclusion of a carry case by no means assured in this price bracket, but in this case they have given us a carry case that is one of the favorites I have received with any IEM. It is a bit on the larger size, so as to be able to comfortably include several dongles for transport when traveling, but it is quite slim and I find it very convenient to throw into the front pouch of a bag when on the go. As to the cable, it is quite well-constructed with a very tight weave, but it is a bit on the thin side and thus prone to some tangling. It has an L-shaped 3.5mm plug with strain relief, but unfortunately the 2-pin terminations are molded to the recessed IEM connectors in such a way that third-party cables will detract from the aesthetic.



Build & Comfort: Dunu certainly cannot be accused of laziness in choosing a generic housing or aesthetic for their IEMs, least of all the Titan S. It has a quite unique cyberpunk-type aesthetic, but I do not find it at all garish or over-the-top. It isn’t breathtakingly beautiful by any means, but nevertheless I think it looks quite nice and I far prefer it to the ostentatious designs that unfortunately have begun to be more and more common recently. I am a big fan of the understated yet quite solid and well-crafted appearance of the Titan S.



The build quality is quite high, with tight seams and a solid heft, and despite the sharp lines and angles of the exterior the IEMs sit extremely comfortably in my ear even over longer listening sessions. While I had significant difficulty attaining a good fit with the Falcon Pro (as well as many other IEMs, to be fair, my ear anatomy is definitely on the finicky side), the Titan S on the other hand fits me like a glove. The only fault I can find with the construction is that the isolation is only mediocre, with a large vent on the inner side of the IEM as well as a grille on the exterior that may or may not be decorative.



Signature: Other reviews and impressions have most often described the Titan S as neutral-bright, and while I can certainly understand where these people are coming from, I have to respectfully disagree. I could likewise understand if others described it as “neutral with bass boost,” although once again I do not personally find it to be so. For me it is a mild U-shape, with a restrained but definitely audible ~5db bass boost as well as a mildly accented treble region. The bass boost imparts a bit of warmth to the lower mids, and there is a solid 10db of pinna gain which means that female vocals are a bit on the forward side. All of this does mean that the true mids are ever so slightly recessed, which if I had to nitpick is probably the one thing that I take issue with tuning-wise. But that quibble aside, the tuning of the Titan S is absolutely superb as an all-rounder, one which (with its slightly accented treble and excellent transient response) might skew a bit toward the analytical side of things, but which nevertheless does not at all lose its musical appeal. Bassheads need not apply of course, but I am quite certain that nearly everyone else will be extremely pleased by the neutral-ish but lightly spiced tonality of the Titan S.



Bass: Though the bass boost of the Titan S is restrained, nevertheless it is by no means anemic, and more importantly the quality is quite high for a budget single-DD. There is a very good amount of texturing, it is fast and very well-controlled, and although the extension is perhaps not exactly what I would call “effortless” it is nevertheless quite respectable. The mild sub-bass rolloff does mean that it comes across as slightly mid-bass focused, but in my opinion this is exactly the right choice for the neutral-ish tonality targeted by the Titan S. The bass boost descends gradually rather than forming an obvious shelf, which means that the lower mids receive a mild amount of warmth and body, but due to the moderate quantity of the bass there is no bloat whatsoever.

Mids: As mentioned the lower mids are warmed up a bit by the bass, but really this is quite mild. Male vocals sound, well, simply natural: certainly not thin or anemic, but neither are they thick or meaty. If you’re looking for a colored midrange a la Penon Audio, this isn’t it; but this does mean that the midrange has a clarity and openness that warmer presentations lack. True mids, as I mentioned, are a bit recessed, but then we get a fairly substantial 10db of pinna gain, pushing female vocals forward somewhat in the mix and giving them and certain stringed instruments a good amount of energy and zest. Occasionally this does approach the point of aggressiveness, so those with sensitivities around 3K are advised to try before they buy if possible. However, for me personally it never crossed the line, and there was no sibilance to my ear.

Treble: Here we come to what is so often the downfall of single-DDs, especially in the budget realm. However Dunu has really showed their chops here, and both the lower and upper treble are lightly accented in a very pleasing manner that nevertheless never becomes either harsh or unnatural. Cymbals, always a great test of treble tuning, are among the most natural I have ever heard in this price bracket. There is some extension and air here, remarkably so for a budget single-DD, yet I must add that this comes at the cost of some peakiness and grain in the upper treble. Yet all in all, Dunu has crafted a pleasing yet open and detailed treble response without any of the usual trickery that is so often employed to mask a lack of inherent technical prowess.



Soundstage & Technicalities: Dunu has been able to get away without the aforementioned treble trickery in large part because the transient response is astoundingly good for a $79 single dynamic driver. The attack in particular blows away anything I have heard in any remotely similar price range. Macro-details are present in abundance, and even micro-details are more than respectable given the price range and driver configuration.Timbre is of course is outstanding. However the Achille’s heel of the Titan S is that the soundstage, although fairly wide, lacks in height and especially depth, leading to imaging which can become compressed at times and so is somewhat prone to congestion on busier tracks.



Select Comparisons:
vs. Dunu Falcon Pro ($219): What can I say, despite the price difference I would choose the Titan S every time. While the Eclipse driver in the Falcon Pro might be inherently capable of greater technical performance than the one in the Titan S, the tuning of the Falcon Pro simply obscures it too much to tell and the more neutral Titan S undeniably comes across as being more clear, open, and analytically capable. But of course there is a flip side, and if you’re looking for a warmer, smoother, and more punchy sound then the Falcon Pro is certainly the one to choose. The Falcon Pro also boasts a higher quality cable with interchangeable terminations, as well as tuning nozzles.

vs. BQEYZ Autumn ($199): This is the most recent IEM I reviewed prior to the Titan S, and had taken the crown as my favorite sub-$200 single-DD IEM. Imagine my shock when the Titan S arrived and began trading blows and in some cases surpassing the Autumn at less than half the price. In terms of technicalities (especially transient response) I actually give the slight nod to the Titan S, although the Autumn has a slightly warmer, slightly less fatiguing, and more laid-back personality which some might prefer. Technically the Autumn is no slouch either, and it has the advantage of tuning magnets as well, so it’s not as though the Titan S has made it totally obsolete. But for me, I find myself reaching for the Titan S quite often despite the difference in price (better ergonomics on the Titan S for my ear anatomy plays a part in this too).

vs. FiiO FD3 ($99): Being that I found the Falcon Pro to be a direct upgrade to the FD3, most of what I wrote two paragraphs above holds true here as well, except in this case the technical superiority of the Titan S over the FD3 is completely undeniable. In this price range, unless you really crave the strong mid-bass punch of the FD3, there is no reason not to choose the much more versatile, detailed, refined, and technically accomplished Titan S in my opinion.

vs. Moondrop Aria ($79): Here is probably the real rival of the Titan S. In most respects they are level competitors, and (from memory, I no longer have the Aria) everything probably comes down to a matter of tuning preference. The Aria is a bit warmer on the low end, and a bit smoother (perhaps even darker) in the treble. Ultimately it was a somewhat anodyne treble response that made me sell the Aria, and so for me the Titan S is the perfect alternative. From memory, I also think the Titan S has the edge technically, again in terms of transient response particularly. However, I do not doubt that those who prefer a more warm and laid-back signature to the slightly analytical (albeit still musical) presentation of the Titan S will do just fine with the Aria.

vs. Tin T2 Plus ($54.99): Not a lot of people talk about the T2 Plus anymore, but for a long time it was my favorite sub-$100 single DD and I still think it is a great value. The Titan S is tuned quite similarly, with the exception of a more prominent pinna gain as compared to the T2 Plus. In practice this means that the T2 Plus is a bit more mellow, and the true midrange comes across as being less recessed than the Titan S. However the Titan S boasts a more textured and solid bass response, versus the sometimes hollow or “bouncy” bass of the T2 Plus. In addition, transients are notably better on the Titan S. To me, this (along with markedly better accessories) makes it definitely worth the $25 premium for my taste.

Conclusion: The sub-$100 price range has become incredibly competitive over the past several years, especially among single dynamic driver IEMs. There is now no lack of competent options in any variety of tuning preferences, and yet there are few if any that are both as well-rounded and technically accomplished as the Titan S. It is well-built, well-accessorized, and well-priced. Not only does it not possess any glaring faults, but it has scarcely any areas in which it could conceivably be improved (within the context of it being a budget single DD, of course). For those looking for a versatile all-rounder, one which effortlessly conveys the musicality of the recording by means of solid technicalities undergirding an extremely well-crafted natural tuning, I cannot recommend the Titan S highly enough, and it is my new default recommendation for an all-rounder under $200 (not to mention $100!).

Tonality: 6/9
Technicalities: 6/9
Preference: 6/9
Overall: 6/9 (B)
(star rating is for the price to performance)

(total 3 mins read)

Intro
Recently I’ve been impressed with the new Tin Hifi T3 Plus and have been talking about it for at least 2 days but I guess that’s just evaporated. This is because it feels like there’s a new Harman target IEM every month since last year. The market is flooded with single dynamic driver IEMs from different ranges of prices, a variety of tunings, and plenty of offerings to choose from, especially in this interesting price segment, the sub $100. As consumers, we are just going to benefit from this.

Dunu is one of those matured Chifi companies who have made numerous statements with their releases like Luna & Zen (though I haven’t listened to them). I believe they have their own niche in the market and always looking brilliant and metallically-solid with every release even with their entry-level IEM called Titan. I’m not going to pretend that I know Dunu that much, just like most people do, I read.

Titan S is Dunu’s latest effort in reviving the old Titan with a new driver, with a new steampunk design that is aesthetically satisfying to look at. “TITAN reborn” sports a new 11mm multi-layered, polycondensated LCP diaphragm dynamic driver in a lightweight zinc alloy shell, dual-chamber anti-resonance housings, and unlike other Dunu’s IEMs, it’s standardized with 2 pin connectors with mixed copper & silver-plated copper wire.

So, the question is, will Titan S stay relevant longer than other competitors? Will it be at least successful like Moondrop Aria* or will it be just another flavor of the month?

*as a $100 benchmark & as a direct comparison to Titan S by many people



Dunu Titan S & Harman IE 2019 v2 courtesy of IEF


Sound Signature
On subjective listening, Dunu Titan S can be described as neutral with a bass boost with a slight tilt towards the brighter side of tonality, while on paper, it looks like a Harman-neutral. One might also call it bright-neutral with a tasteful bass boost but as we all know, neutrality is very subjective as determined by one’s own HRTF. However, in my case, it’ll be Dolby’s reference room target (X-Curve) which is the Etymotic’s target.


Tonality
The overall tonality is very good for what it is. There's no obvious bloat or bleed from the bass response. While the bass amount is good, it lacks authority even when compared to the flat response Etymotic ER2SE. Titan S’ overall bass is what I’d call “plain-good”. the sub-bass has less rumble and the mid-bass lacks punch when put head-to-head with the ER2SE even though Titan S is the louder set. Don’t get me wrong. On individual listening, the bass response is considered fairly good with decent texturing and density. It's just that the driver does not have the ideal raw bass quality, but that’s just nitpicking.

Titan S has a forward presentation yet is pretty balanced and nothing feels out of place or lacking. Even so, there is a minimal “shoutiness” going on in the upper midrange as it’s slightly favoring female vocal more than average male vocal. The treble has sparkle and is well-extended without detrimental effects as it's well-masked by its appropriate bass amount although not to the level of smoothness that I’d like. Albeit not the best kind of quality, the overall tonality is pretty balanced and clean, even though not up to the level of ER2SE’s clarity. Nevertheless, I think it’s really well-tuned, tonally matured & pleasant.


Technicalities +
Being an almost neutral set, Titan S doesn’t feel like lacking in the note definition. The resolution and its imaging capabilities are pretty good. Instrument localization is also quite good with average sound stage width, height, and depth. An ‘accurate reproduction’ should not produce a wide or deep stage, (as proven with forward and backward masking principles) especially for track-by-track recording or heavily mixed song. In this case, Titan S performs in a direction towards accuracy, with a little twist of its own flavor.

By saying everything is good, do not expect excellent, “top tier” resolution. However, it’s fair to say that Titan S is technically very competent for a budget single dynamic driver. The treble transient considerably fast & sharp coupled with its apt treble peaks makes up for good resolution & imaging. As a consequence, the timbre may sound slightly “metallic” or rather bright, especially to those who are used to more "bassy" or warmer signatures. I guess it also has to do with the use of zinc alloy shell affecting the transient response and timbre, and it seems the design is favoring the treble more than the bass. So, those who lean towards balance & neutrality like myself will appreciate the Titan S.

In general, there’s not much to fault because Titan S does nothing wrong at all except perhaps the underwhelming macro-dynamics & raw bass quality other than the weird fit to my ears. Yes, your mileage may vary.


Valuation
Unlike many other Harman-inspired single dynamic drivers in the market, Titan S is one of a few that is closer to neutral or Harman-neutral than the warmer side of tonality. It's highly recommended if one is looking for a closer to accurate music reproduction, especially to those who are too afraid to shove a pair of Etymotic deep into their ear canals. Otherwise, I’ll stick with recommending ER2SE for accuracy, a reference for tonality & technicalities especially for $100 price point**.

**Etymotic ER2SE price varies from different vendors


***this review unit is provided by Dunu (Kevin & Thomas) for the tour and loaned to me by my buddy Heng. so I thank him and Dunu for the opportunity. I have 100% control of my words and am not compensated by any party.

Titan S Product Page
Dunu Webstore
Dunu Aliexpress Store

(I used everything 'stock' for this review)

tools:
Tidal / Apple Music via LG G7 with/without Ovidius B1
Tidal / Foobar2000 (FLAC) via Topping EX5 with/without Aune X7s

key songs:
Será Una Noche – Taquito Militar
Eddie Daniels – Baião Malandro
Patricia Petibon - Mozart: Der Zauberflöte – Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen

Sinne Eeg – We've Just Begun
Lady Blackbird - Ruler of my Heart
Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone - A Lovely Night

Muddy Waters – Big Leg Woman
Stevie Ray Vaughan – Tin Pan Alley
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand

Scott Walker – Corps De Blah
Swans – Lunacy
Zu - Carbon

My Disco – A Christ Pendant Comfort Her Neck
Arab On Radar - God is Dad
Shellac - Crow

Mastodon – The Wolf Is Loose
Fear Before the March of Flames – High as a Horse
Botch - Japam

ANOHNI - Drone Bomb Me
Slowdive - Star Roving
The Shins - Simple Song

Radiohead - Idioteque
TheFatRat - Warbringer (feat. Lindsey Stirling)
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross & Karen O - Immigrant Song

Justin Bieber - Holy (fear. Chance the Rapper)
Doja Cat - Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)
Kylie Minogue - Real Groove

Click to expand...

Introduction​

When I started participating in the Dunu review sample program it occurred to me that this was very professionally prepared on their side. Everything laid out from the beginning, straight to the point, very solid FAQ for reviewers. Wow – I thought to myself – they are really on top of their game. No wonder why, they are in business since 1994, so they are just a year younger than me.
As a brand, they’ve started in 2006 and since then they have earned themselves quite a reputation. Of course, that level of expertise will translate into the professionalism of a company, as I have encountered from the beginning. Titan S is the second cheapest headphone in their portfolio. It’s a single driver, starter IEM for newbs, or a side headphone for more experienced users. Its marketing screams to me: budget IEM done right. But is it?

Packaging​

You basically get everything that you might need in a pretty small box. I think that this style of box is a gold standard for IEMs under around $200. Simple, two-piece box with a thick paper sleeve over it. It contains your stuff and lets it get to you securely across the world. It’s good.

The first thing you see is an indigo blue case that is probably the largest case I’ve seen so far. It’s great, as you can fit there not only your headphones but also your dongle. You get some tips, three packs to be exact. To each their own, everybody should find something suitable for them. No foams sadly, but really, it’s an $80 IEM. BYOF – bring your own foams.
Then there are the headphones themself and a factory stock cable. It’s a great cable, really. Silver-plated, monocrystalline copper. Super soft, rubber finished jacket, with uniquely shaped 2 pin connectors. Their shape plays together with the shape of the headphone themselves. On the source side, there is a 3.5 mm jack. No surprises here. Oh, also the headphones come inside the case each in their own, small ziplock bag.

Build Quality & Comfort​

These are really great-looking IEMs. They have a little techno-cyber-punk look that I really like. Much nicer than the Shuoer S12 that looks like mad cyborgs eggs. Titan S is made entirely of metal with a brushed surface that will be scratch-resistant. Can’t see a scratch on more scratches. The coloring of the surface is due to a process known as electroplating, so no paint that can flake off. Nice.

The air port is just for aesthetics, the actual port is just a small hole underneath. The second one is on the other side of headphones which is, together with a dual-chamber configuration, a standard setup for DD only IEM. It’s not semi-open, so don’t worry about background noise leaking in.
Well, then you put them on, and man. They have a fairly deep insertion, probably the deepest in my collection. Still not as deep as Etymotic though. Once you find some tips that support that level of insertion it’s a very comfortable IEM to wear. Even after a long day of pretending to work, they don’t tire my ears. Oh, and also they are sweatproof, so that’s a nice feature.

Tech​

I know that one DD IEM isn’t gonna generate much interest by itself, but hear me out on this one.
Simple isn’t actually bad, or worse than a hybrid. I’d take a good single driver over 27 bad ones. Oh, you know who I’m thinking about now. Especially that Dunu has made a really good driver for those. It’s quite large at its 11mm diameter. The diaphragm is made of polycondensate LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) and is driven by a magnetic drive of N52 magnets (strongest on the market as far as I know) and a super lightweight CCAW voice coil.

The super-stiff and super light diaphragm will bring a very good high-frequency response and it shows, as you will learn soon. It’s a really well-engineered driver that takes names and kicks butts. Also, liquid crystal polymer sounds like something out of Lex Luthors lab. You gotta give credit for that. Titan S despite its name is a light load for amps at 32Ohms and 110 dB efficiency. Your phone will barely notice it, let alone something nicer.

Sound​

Officially it’s a neutral to neutral bright sounding IEM and I agree with the latter. My personal preference is for a bit more bass, but it is, what it is. We all have some sort of preference, but as a reviewer, I need to look past that. Balance is tilted towards midrange and highs with a peak around the usual 8kHz and another one around 13kHz. While I’m allergic to any peaking, especially past 1kHz. Here it doesn’t bother me, it actually plays very nice with extended midrange adding a nice spark and liveliness to the sound. Probably it’s time to rework my understanding of frequency responses as in the headphone world it is so much different than with loudspeakers. Noted.

The bass despite being not as present as other frequencies still do a very good job. Of course, it has all the DD factors: it’s punchy, has some weight to it. While Titan S is a lighter-sounding IEM in songs that have a lot of bass, you do get lots of bass. Take a listen to „Drop it like it’s hot” by two masterminds of contemporary music Pharrell Wiliams and Snoop Dogg. The song starts with a bang with lots of thick basses. It creates that pillow that the song rides on. It can create some rumble, trust me. On the other hand, what about the speed, and control? Kidnapped by Neptune by Scout Niblett is my go-to test for that. Drums feel very snappy and are separated from each other even in the most intense moments of the song. Another great thing about this bass is that it doesn’t interfere with the midrange. Even in the first song I’ve mentioned in this paragraph, despite the boomy sound from the song, the voices of Pharrell and Snoop are not distorted by low frequencies. Something that can happen in more expensive headphones. Takeout for this section is that lighter doesn’t mean bassless or boring.

The midrange reproduced by Titan S has a really nice color to it. It all comes from DD, as its diaphragm is not as stiff and not as light as it is in planars or BA. If you are a zealot fighting for the perfectly transparent sound it’s not the IEM for you. For the rest of us who like to enjoy our hobby, I think you will find Titan S midrange very fun. It is just so much fun. It provides very nice detail, good resolution, and tonality of DD actually helps to shield you from weaker-sounding albums. Biffy Clyro doesn’t shine in terms of recording quality, but they make great music. The Titan S will give you some awesome time with their discography. If you decide to dive into Alan Parsons Project, you will feel the improvement. You will hear more, the sound will be much more realistic and emotionally intensive. It’s also excellently all-rounded. Doesn’t favor any type of instruments, or vocalists sex. Perfectly coherent and universal.


The treble is a very pleasant surprise after seeing the frequency response. It is not at all tiring, and I’m very picky about that part. It has that bright, clean character to it. The trebles are rich and they play perfectly with mids. Overall DD sound of the driver is present in the same manner in every frequency range, including here. Cymbals, bells all are a bit forward and in your face which is actually very realistic if you ever heard them in nature. Listen to Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne and you will instantly get what I mean by that. These IEMs really like rock and metal. They shine with that kind of music. Shine because they are on the brighter side. Get it?

The soundstage is very good, for this price, there is nothing that we can reasonably argue about. It presents excellent width and very good depth. They are great at positioning. You definitely feel the instrument, or person producing the sound rather than an overall direction. It provides a very good sense of the presence of the musicians. When you listen to Symphony of Destruction by Megadeath after the short intro the main part of the song just rolls out into the space in front of you with no effort. Titan S easily provides it with a soundstage to do that. Another excellent quality of these headphones is how good they are at showing the decay of sounds in the background. It really creates another layer of realism and a natural feeling to the sound. It all just clicks together.

Comparisons
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Shuoer S12

While Shuoers are almost twice as expensive I believe that it’s a great comparison to make. They are totally different products with totally different goals. S12 is a planar IEM that beats Titan S in detail, resolution, bass. It’s also picky with pairing and shows its true colors after you put some effort into matching them. Titan S is a much more coherent, fun, universal, and easy-going headphone. You plug them into anything and they will sound great. Its bass is punchier but lacks the momentum and authority of S12. The midrange on Dunu is more vibrant and juicy. A competitor shows you everything in its true form. Highs on Titans are overall better, which is actually kind of surprising. They are more natural, crystal clear without metallic tonality Shuoers can provide. To put this into perspective, S12 will give you more mileage, but it’s also a more demanding, specialty product. Titan S is everybody’s favorite child.

Fiio FH3



FH3 is one of my favorite IEMs at a reasonable price range. It’s a hybrid design that uses different, specialized drivers for each frequency range, instead of one for all like in Dunu. Bass in FH3 has more impact and is much more present overall. It’s thicker and slower, but overall more my style. While technically mids are better on FH3 thanks to the BA diver I actually prefer ones from Titan S. While lacking the insight and detail from FH3, it certainly sounds way more natural and analog-like. The top end is for FiiO this time. Even a good dynamic driver like here can’t compete with a dedicated BA. FH3 offers better quality, more refinement, and nicer glossier highs. Soundstage-wise FH3 is more precise but at the cost of more compressed width and depth. I was actually expecting the opposite, but surprise. My finishing thoughts is that FH3 is better (and more expensive), has a more balanced sound character, but it doesn’t have such a cohesive sound.

KZ AS16
KZ is a much brighter and sharper sounding earphone. It’s 8 BA per side excel and delivering detail and resolution, but there isn’t much space for music. There is not much bass, it’s also very lean and extremely fast. It lacks the authority when it’s needed, so point for Titan S. Midrange in KZ is super spacious and resolving, the detail is on another whole level compared to Dunu. For me though it is spread to thin and lacks the emotion. It’s kind of dry, while Titan S sounds more natural and convincing. Highs are really dominating in AS16, it’s a top heavy IEM. They are intensive, big in quantity and super fast. That richness quickly leads to fatigue in my case. Dunu again – slower, less detail but better balance and effortless. Soundstage of KZ is very open and larger than Dunu, but way less precise. I guess it’s not the amount of drivers but how you use them.

Summary​

Very often we, reviewers tend to say: these headphones are amazing at this, or amazing at that. It’s great to have so much choice, so many sound signatures to choose from. To each, they own, whatever floats your boat, etc. That can create an impression that you need to pick a style. You either go bass-head, vocal-heavy, whatever. That isn’t the case. There are products that are extremely universal and super user-friendly. Jack of all trades, but master of none, as they say. Dunu Titan S is a jack of all trades and basically a master of all of them at the same time. They took a great driver and reinforced its strengths while minimalizing weaknesses. You get a fun, exciting, smooth, cohesive sound that is just smack in the middle of traits, leaning just to the brighter sound. Am I excited, do I sound excited? Yes, I’m! It’s super hard to do and Dunu nailed it. Looking for sub $100? You have to try Titan S, end of the story.

Recommended.

Disclaimer : I would like to thank Dunu for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my unbiased opinion and it wasn’t influenced by anybody.

Introduction

Veteran headphone brand Dunu, which has been around since 2006, but whose roots go back to 1994, continues to innovate for music lovers, as they put it. But a brand with the surname "TopSound" has always given me pause for thought: is it a pretentious name or a high level of self-importance? Without a doubt, I would venture to write that it is the latter. Every new model that Dunu presents will always raise high expectations. It will be thoroughly reviewed by shops, reviewers and enthusiasts alike. TopSound implies this level of demand. Dunu has been able to generate this perspective from the outset and, at the same time, to present models that are always interesting and up to the demands. This sums up the philosophy of the new Titan S. From the design point of view, it is an iconoclastic image, even within its own catalogue. Both its superb construction and its daring design are eye-catching. This is one point of view. The next area that separates Dunu from many other brands is its packaging and level of accessories. Rather than opting for a large, half-empty box, it settles for a packaging that highlights the shapes of its new product, but is tailored to what it offers: it's not much bigger than the large zipped case it comes with. The level of detail and protection of its elements I have not found in other models in this range, or immediately above. Even the capsules are wrapped in small zip bags, so that they don't suffer the slightest damage until they reach the customer's hands. Finally, there is the sound. And this is the most complex part. As a big brand, the engineers and tuners have to have an idea, which can be shaped by current market trends as well as the many requests from the fans. It is clear that no universal sound can be created and that each signature can be unique. But the real knowledge and skill of each brand lies in wisely combining all these concepts. So what has Dunu achieved with this new model? First and foremost, a very attractive design and many other things that we will see below.



Disclaimer

Dunu offered me this model, in exchange for writing an honest review. I want to make it clear that all my opinions written in this review have not been conditioned by this fact, nor will I ever write anything that I do not really think or feel here. I will only write about my personal opinion in relation to the revised product.



Specifications

• Driver Type: 11mm dynamic transducer, with multi-layered, polycondensated liquid crystal polymer (LCP) diaphragm, lightweight CCAW voice coil, N52 internal magnet.
• Capsule Material: High-density zinc alloy. Dual Chamber, anti-resonance housings.
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz-40 kHz
• Sensitivity: 110 ± 1dB @1kHz
• Impedance: 32Ω @1kHz
• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.3% @1kHz
• Jack connector: 3.5mm TRS Single-Ended
• Cable Composition: High-purity, mixed strand monocrystalline copper and silver-plated copper.
• Cable Length: 1.2m ± 0.1m.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm
• Net Weight: 17g

Packaging

The Dunu Titan S comes in an almost small box, measuring 134x97x70mm. The main side shows a real image of the capsules, on a splashed surface. In the background, vertical bars that look like red and blue neon are shown. In the upper left corner is the brand logo and the model name in white letters. In the bottom right corner is the Hi-Res logo. On the back, the red and blue neon and water splashes are highlighted in a rather blurred image. The model name still stands out at the top, in white, capital letters. Just below it, there are 4 QR codes. Then there are the model specifications, in English and Chinese. Finally, at the bottom, there are the brand's contact details, the codes with the different certifications that the product has and an EAN13.
Once the outer carton has been removed, a complete black box appears, with the brand logo in the centre, written in white letters. The lid is lifted to reveal a large, vivid blue leatherette case. The logo is marked in the centre near the gold-coloured zip. It can be easily opened thanks to a generous loop made of the same material as the case itself. Behind it is a small black cardboard cover, marked "Dunu", which houses the rest of the accessories. In a summary:

• Capsules with cable and one pair of medium sized silicone tips, red core.
• Three pairs of blue core silicone tips, sizes SxMxL.
• Three pairs of translucent grey silicone tips, sizes SxMxL.
• Three pairs of red core silicone tips, sizes SxMxL.
• One clothes pin.
• Warranty certificate card.
• Instruction manual.

The capsules with the cable come inside the case. The whole set is protected by a zip bag. In addition, each capsule is, in turn, protected by a smaller zip bag.
Each set of silicone tips comes in a sealed whitish pouch.
The cable is attached to the capsules and has a rubber band to tuck it away.
I would like to point out that there is no need for an inordinate size of packaging, to include an efficient number of accessories, as well as exceptional care in the protection of the elements that make up the product.
I think there are many brands that should learn from what can be done with an IEMS presentation under $100. Dunu makes a creative effort with each model and adds some fantastic accessories, such as the zippered case on this model. And all this without compromising on the sound quality or the construction of the product. Nor, of course, in its design. Worthy of admiration and praise.



Construction and Design

I've read a lot about the aesthetics of the Titan S. But to me it reminds me of those metal giants from the cartoons I used to watch when I was a kid. From Mazinger Z, to Transformers... There is something of a "Mecha" design in the capsules, or that is my humble opinion. The capsules are constructed from a high-density zinc alloy. Their outer face has similarities to a sort of triangular shape, with filed corners. The inside of the face is shaped like a spiral that projects towards the cables and ends at the centre of the face in a round, micro-perforated grid, superimposed by a double crown of black plastic. This face has up to four different levels of planes. Almost in the centre of the short side, between the grille and the plastic cable connector, there is an eye-catching black Torx screw. The metal is brushed on this side and the Dunu brand is written between the bevelled corner and the grille. The inner side is smoother and rounded. A smooth rib almost divides it into two parts. There is a letter inscribed inside a circle, to indicate the channel. At the foot of the nozzles there is a hole, which is surprisingly large: it is not exactly small, but not as big as the channel marking, but it is very obvious. Through it can be seen as a mesh of dense, white cloth. The nozzles are long (almost 6mm) and have 4 levels. The one closest to the base is a stopper, the tips should not cover it, its diameter is 6.5mm. The next level is lower, slightly larger than 5mm. The third level is an inclined ring, the base of which is larger in diameter (5.6mm) to end at the outside of the nozzle, 5.1mm. The interior is protected by a dense metal grid.
The 2Pin 0.78mm connection is embedded in the metal body. So the cable has a small square surface, with slightly rounded corners, which fits perfectly into the recess. These pieces have the colour of each channel. On top of them is a piece of hard, rubbery, black plastic that follows the rounded trapezoidal shape of the capsules, all the way down to the cable. Once the cable is in place, it looks as if the whole thing is just one piece, as the shapes have a continuity that fits perfectly into the design.
The cable has semi-rigid over-ear guides, formed by a transparent, slightly hardened plastic sheath. It is 1.2m long and consists of 4 spirally wound strands. The material is high purity monocrystalline copper and silver-plated copper. The splitter piece is a black metal cylinder, with the marking in white lettering. The edges are subtly recessed, the real colour of the material is visible. The pin is a small translucent plastic cylinder, double-holed. The cable can be tucked away thanks to a black rubber band. The connector is angled, 3.5m SE, gold-plated.
Internally, the Titan S features an 11 mm dynamic driver with a multi-layer liquid crystal polymer diaphragm (LCP), a lightweight CCAW voice coil and an internal N52 magnet.
The design is unique and very special, giving the feeling of holding a much more expensive model in your hands. Anyone looking at these IEMS can expect that this is something very exclusive and unique. The integration of the shapes with the cable connector sleeve breaks the continuist aesthetics, if the cable is changed. Perhaps this cable is the weakest point of the set: there is no balanced option and it seems a bit thin. But it is really comfortable, smooth, tangle-free and has no stiffness whatsoever. The pin is close to perfection and the rubber adjustment strap, despite being a classic, I don't find it to be totally effective.
In conclusion, the construction/design pairing is within the reach of few brands, for a product in this range.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

It may seem that a capsule with such a particular shape must be deadly uncomfortable. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although it looks angular on the outside, inside it has a very smooth, rounded face. The corners and edges on the inside are much more subtle, barely touching any part of the ear. The nozzle has an elongated projection, so a medium insertion can be assumed. Using fairly wide canal tips, you could cover the top of the 6.5mm base and make the insertion shallow. This is my case and even then I don't find that the outer parts bother me. With normal tips, the capsules seem to float in the pinna and the friction is almost non-existent. I prefer shallow insertion, using large internal channel tips, bringing the mouthpiece closer to the edge of the tips, achieving superior isolation, due to the thickness of the tips. By bringing the nozzle closer to the outside of the tips, I get a feeling of closeness in the details, a greater opening of the music, which together with the pressure exerted by my homemade tips, filled with foam, I get a very full sound in the low area, in addition to that extra isolation. The advantages of a good nozzle design allow the use of various tips and settings. Very good.



Sound

Profile

The profile of the Dunu Titan S is balanced, with a tendency towards neutrality, mixed with an emphasis on mid-highs that brings clarity and transparency, as well as a certain sparkle. On the other hand, the subtle linearity of the low end adds a slight air of warmth in some situations. It is not a bright profile, nor is it purely neutral, nor does it have a predominance of warmth, but there is a good conjunction of each element to provide a natural, pleasant, musical sound with a good timbre, balance and equilibrium.
In terms of response vs. power, these IEMS are not difficult to move, but their 32Ω demand a little more energy to respond with more verve. I needed a little more power to level out volumes versus their more direct competition.



Bass

The Titan S is a member of the academic bass class. That is to say, a low end with a pattern that seeks linearity, but is subtly emphasised at the beginning of the mid-bass, bringing a gentle warmth, but losing some presence at the lower end. Even so, the LFOs have a light, but adequate representation, which avoids a mere testimonial display. The low end does not rumble loudly, but its sonority is very realistic and natural. The representation of the pure tones of very low frequencies is really well done, producing a pleasant vibration without colouring, very much in accordance with reality and with that reliable and academic reproduction I mentioned at the beginning of the paragraph. The hit of the bass drums is dry, restrained, precise and agile, although not very lively. I mean that the Titan S is not euphoric about displaying all its technique, class, let alone punch, unless it is demanded. He is not a serious scaredy-cat, I would say he has a somewhat modest, prudent, cautious, even shy character. But he shouldn't be. I would have liked a little more emphasis, punch, strength and energy in this range, because he lacks neither technical nor sonorous abilities. However, the low end still behaves like that nice guy who tries to stay out of the way, who works in the shadows and leads by example. In this way, the bass is presented in a soft, yet effective way, possessing a pleasant texture, whose subtle roughness is clearly visible, demonstrating a natural, silky sweetness. The decay of the notes is in keeping with this idiosyncrasy and the little sediment that is observed leaves a great taste in the mouth, increasing a memory that seeks something more, but that will never come. Both the lamination of the bass and the generation of the layers is tenuous, drawing a real but slight stratification. This fact feeds that suggestive sensation that the Titan S bass possesses, but at the same time, it limits the perception of a more accentuated depth. If you will allow me to use a football simile, the Titan S bass is like that football player who never quite explodes, but who sometimes provides afternoons of glory. Because of his craft and sacrifice, he is always good to have in the team.



Mids

And if we have a great partner at the back, we can play better in the middle. This "Mecha" belongs in the division of honour and proves it with his central range. Its good work is reflected in the representation of a zone based on a well-defined softness: it is pleasant in its zenith, but explicit in the rest of the points. It is a measured response that does not hide its character, nor its clear, clean and transparent nature, but never feels hurtful. The sound still strives to be sweet, though here there is a more overt exaltation, which will never be a problem. In this way, sibilance is hinted at, but never persistent or uncontrolled. Such rounded curves would never allow such a thing. The result is a pleasing mid-zone, well supported by the slight warmth underneath and its good, clean transition, which enjoys a natural, balanced body, neither too dense, nor too light, but always present. I find no hollowness in the mid-range, no big jolts, but a great coherence that produces pleasure and musicality in equal parts. It is a great all-rounder, not powerful, but very reliable. It is the midrange I prefer when I don't know what to use. Perhaps it is because of its evocative capacity, its precise and realistic timbre and the presence of its voices. It is true that the pinna gain favours a greater corpulence and presence of the female voices, as well as a point of greater passion compared to the male voices, somewhat lighter and thinner, but equally sweet, natural and suggestive. I do not deny a favourable treatment of these voices, compared to the rest of the instruments, but their presentation is not predominant. This is another point I would like to highlight, how well the Titan S mixes the elements and arranges them in their different planes of presence. Starting from a bass that is not characterised by being very deep, the mids bring a better ability to laminate voices and instruments, separating and emphasising them individually, leaving, in addition, a lot of space to represent details and nuances. This sense of openness seems to be inherited from the early Titan models, such as the 1 (which I still have the pleasure of owning). It's not quite the semi-open design of that early version, but I'm sure that the grille on the outer face has a bearing on this. The good perception of spaciousness corroborates the clean look of the first half of the mids, helping them to be light and with a certain point of volatility. It may seem that there is not much substrate in this part and that the music does not possess much muscle, or density, but this avoids any sense of dullness and darkness. The upside of this aspect is that it can become a virtue, when it comes to releasing very compact music in this area, helping to clarify and lighten overloaded, complex, dense and heavy passages in this transition from the lows to the mids. In other words, the Dunu Titan S is that team player who is always ready to help. A reference in the midrange.



Treble

The first treble of the Dunu Titan S starts off softly muffled. After an exalted mid-high range, the entry into the upper range drops off slightly, creating the classic control tuning. As usual, the rest of the zone alternates between peaks and valleys. But there are several things to note: the valley in the control zone is not deep and there is a noticeable response in the air zone. The first characteristic results in a natural reproduction of the treble, with a progressive decay that gives it an organic, analogue feel. The flares have a measured finesse, not extended in presence or energy, but integrated coherently with the overall smoothness of the sound. On the other hand, there is no sense of a drastic cut in the harmonic progression, something that avoids a dry, concrete sound. Fortunately, there is juice and sparkle, although the sound is never distinctly bright. The second feature is the amount of air, which is unusual for a dynamic driver in this price range, but pleasantly surprising. This fact helps to harmonise the zone by offering a vaporous finish, which provides a subtle and pleasing sense of volatility.
The end result is a side zone that bases its effort on enriching the mid-range, rather than individually showing off with more pronounced excitement or more prominent energy.



Soundstage, Separation

The soundstage is notable for its width, a more than adequate height and a more limited depth. The amount of air provides vapour and an ethereal feeling. Perhaps, the opening of the IEMS, with that grille on the outer face, also helps to expand the image and produce a sense of oval scenery, which does not escape the head. In this sense, the feeling remains natural, unforced and never unreal. The recreation of vocal tracks and not too many instruments produces a more evocative effect, thanks to the greater projection of those voices, which generates a more extended and fuller scene, providing a pleasing sense of volatility and vaporous expansion.
Separation is good, there is a clear distinction between the elements, thanks to the improved clarity and level of transparency. This is not an analytical sound, with an ability to isolate elements with greater precision, but the sound has a more natural, noticeable, yet realistic resolution. Nor is it a cohesive sound, unified by the smoothness of its reproduction, but is freer and cleaner, more separate and discernible, but without offering a deep distance that allows the desired abyssal darkness to be seen.
The level of detail is somewhat more than favourable, there is a good recreation of nuance and the breakdown of harmonics helps to represent a greater richness in this respect. Still, the micro detail is not as explicit and the depiction of the nimby aspects is appreciable, though not profound, nor clinical. But, on the whole, all its development fits in a balanced way with the musical profile of the Titan S.



Comparisons

Hidizs MS2

Just over a year ago I reviewed one of my favourite IEMS in this price range. However, I have seen that nobody has yet compared it against the Titan S. The price range is the same, even the profile is similar. The packaging is also quite good, with neat accessories, a luxurious, if thin, cable and a large carrying case, somewhat inadequate for its bulk and construction. I think that both the packaging and the level of construction is superior on the Dunu. The capsules of the Hidizs are of a similar size, but made of a quality polycarbonate, very light. But there is no comparison that stands up to the zinc alloy construction and design of the Titan S. So in all matters other than sound, the Dunu is superior. Only the Hidizs win in ergonomics, basically because they are very light, but not because of pure fit, which could even be very similar.
In terms of sound, the MS2s are easy to move, while the Titan S needs a clear higher energy input. In the Hidizs you can see their hybrid nature, because there is a split between the warmth offered by their DD, while a more analytical aspect can also be perceived in the second half of the sound. While the Titan S has a bass tuning that descends from the sub-bass, the MS2s grow from that same point, peaking in the mid-bass. There is definitely more warmth in the Hidizs and a clearer bass perception, with more energy and weight in the sound. Their low end is wider and more encompassing, that greater weight in the mid-bass rounding out the band and making it more of a protagonist. On the other hand, the bass of the Titan S is cleaner, has less projection, decays faster, has less punch and is also executed in an agile and somewhat faster way. With less energy, the speed parameters are better in the Dunu, although the Hidizs are good in this department. For those who like bass, the Titan S may be a little short, while the Hidizs, without having to sacrifice quality or technical qualities, can offer more punch and presence in this range. For sub-bass lovers, make no mistake, they are on a par, and I even consider the Dunu's slightly superior. Texturally, both are very enjoyable and it's something I like about the Titan S, how a restrained bass can be rich in this respect. There is more roughness in the Hidizs, but that's also because their surface is larger.
The tuning of the first half of the midrange is different. The MS2s have an upper body, the incidence of that lower mid-bass that descends later, emphasises the initial part of the midrange, bringing it closer, showing it fuller, denser, warmer and bulkier. In contrast, this same zone in the Titan S is cleaner, also more distant, this transition is softer and less present, it feels lighter and thinner. Both in the male vocals and in the instrumentation of this zone, these differences can be clearly perceived. Then, there are the tastes of each one in relation to these aspects. It is not better or worse, because technically and qualitatively, both are very capable. It is purely a question of tuning.
In the second half of the mids, when the BA of the Hidizs comes into action, the relative sonority changes. You feel a quicker and faster spark, a more energetic flash and more light. On this side, the more analytical side of the MS2s awakens, with its high level of precision, definition and finesse in the notes. The Dunu is more musical, not as fast, not as splashy, not as emphasised. You can feel the smoothness, more cohesion and superior harmony. Again, although the tuning is similar here, the execution is different. The BA driver exhibits its character in the Hidizs, with all its potential, and the dynamic driver of the Dunu does the same, but in a different way. It is true that the highs of the MS2s also have a great influence on the perception of the high mids. And this is clear, because despite a similar start, the highs are more extensive and noticeable in the Hidizs. There, there is more free rein for the high notes to expand, extend, grow and reach higher, with the approval of a driver that shows its power. The Dunu remains coherent and more controlled, so the zone feels more natural and calm. But they show great character when they have a similar amount of air to a good hybrid with a dedicated BA. Very much to be reckoned with.
At the detail level, the more analytical profile of the MS2s is felt and the nuances are more pronounced, making them more immediately perceptible. When speed is required, the Hidizs' higher resolution and velocity is able to draw transients with more immediacy, giving it a higher definition capability. When nuances can be presented in quieter settings, despite the difference in exposure, the level of detail is equalised.
The Hidizs show a more evident separation, with a distance that generates more darkness between notes. The Dunu shows more soundstage width, but less depth and not as much height. The MS2s offer a rounder, more even image on all three axes, not spherical, but comparatively more similar.



Ikko OH2

The battle in the sub-$100 range is fierce. Another novelty that plays in the same league as the Dunu Titan S is this model from Ikko. They have a bigger packaging, a good amount of accessories, with special attention to their unique tips and a rather flat leather pouch. Both the silicone tips and their special shape are not very useful for me. Somewhat better are the foam tips, but I don't usually use them. The leather pouch is not very practical either, because it's quite flat, it's nice but the closure is not very suitable. I much prefer the Dunu case. In terms of capsule design, the OH2s are very small, dense and also a bit heavy, due to their hybrid design using metal and plastic. Undeniably stylish and attractive, they are available in various colours. They fit very well and integrate nicely into the pavilion. Another thing is its short, oval nozzle, which can present some problems in the choice of tips. Overall, I prefer the more compact packaging of the Titan S, even the cable is superior, as it has no stiffness compared to the Ikko. Also, I prefer the 2Pin connection over the MMCX rotary connection.
The OH2s are slightly easier to move. They have a warmer profile, with a light low end in the sub-bass and a clear emphasis on the mid and upper bass. From 1kHz onwards the curve evens out and then offers an even softer treble, but also with a good extension in the air area. It's just another twist in a profile that has similarities to the Titan S, but with more body from the mid-bass to the mid-mids and more nuanced treble.
The OH2's lack of sub-bass is apparent in those recordings where it exists and its appearance is demanded. Again, it is a reverse tuning, between the two models: the Dunu's decrease from the lower end, while the Ikko's grow, albeit from a lower point. Technically speaking, bass recreation is very good in both IEMS, enjoying speed and accuracy, cleanliness and detail. The Ikko has a rounder low end, with a focused impact, a nice texture but less descriptive than the Dunu. There is more cleanness in the low end of the Titan S and also less warmth. Their stroke is faster in execution and with a quicker decay, while in the OH2s, the greater emphasis on mid-bass offers a little more travel.
In the mid-range there is that more concrete and sparse sound of the Opals, with less brightness, something that creates a feeling of greater darkness and less extension, certifying a superior warmth. In the Titan S there is more freedom, cleanliness, sparkle, more life and dynamism. Although there is a little more body in the Ikko, with a denser and more exposed area in the first half of the mids, the projection is more muffled, generating a containment of the notes and their harmonics. The expansion of the sound is curtailed, which is not the case with the Titan S, although the sound is always under control. This control is more pronounced in the treble, where the notes are even softer and more nuanced. Thus, the high notes of the OH2s feel polished and inoffensive, a little more presence and joy is missing. Fortunately, the Dunu does offer this difference.
In terms of detail, the OH2s show a surprising ability to extract nuance in the mid-range. Because the treble does not stand out too much, the sound is left more naked and exposed to some details, which can be more easily observed. On the Dunu, not as much information is omitted from the high end and there are more notes to be reproduced, so it may be a little more difficult to discern some of those details, because there are actually more of them in the music they reproduce.
If the Ikko scene could be considered as intimate, in the Dunu it is represented with more width and a bit more expansion. In this way, there is more extension in their image, with a tendency to occupy more space.
The particular sound of the OH2s offers a good level of separation, with a surprisingly large amount of air. The more open, ethereal and vaporous feel of the Dunu provides a greater appreciation of the distance between elements, more separation and more three-dimensionality.



Conclusion

Many brands would like the launch of each of their new models to be an event. But few manage to do so. Among them, Dunu can do it, especially when they have so many reasons to make the new model a success. In this new batch of Dunu products, there is a clear demand for a high price/performance ratio. To this end, the design, build level, presentation and accessories are all superior to what is offered by other brands in the same range. But then there is the sound, which must be up to the task. And this is not a trivial aspect, for a brand that cares about taking the pulse of the current trends and of the fans, in general. On this basis, the paradigm of a new Dunu model is the Titan S, because it fulfils each and every one of the elements described above. In reality, the result is a great sum of efforts that have their reward. Whoever buys this model knows that they have in their hands an added value, a plus of distinction, and not only for that reason it will sound better. This differentiating element must be supported by the real effectiveness of a great sound. This is where fans should be most critical of each new model from this brand. And, indeed, they are. And so am I. But as long as Dunu keeps designing, making models like this and getting this sound... I'll be happy to be critical!



Sources Used During the Analysis

• ACMEE MF02s.
• ACMEE Magic Sound 4 AK4493EQ 768K
• xDuoo Link2 Bal.
• Hidizs S9 Pro.
• Earmen Sparrow.
• E1DA #9038D.
• HiBy R3 Pro.
• Burson Audio Playmate.
• S.M.S.L Sanskrit 10th MKII + iFi ZEN CAN.

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 93
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 87
• Accessories: 92
• Bass: 85
• Mids: 90
• Treble: 85
• Separation: 85
• Soundstage: 85
• Quality/Price: 94

Purchase Link

https://www.dunu-topsound.com/titan-s



You can read the full review in Spanish here:

https://hiendportable.com/2022/02/13/dunu-titan-s-review/

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Dunu Titan S is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a single 11mm dynamic driver with a polycondensated crystal polymer diaphragm. The Titan S was provided to me by Dunu in exchange for my evaluation. The Titan S retails for $79.99.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Dunu Titan S with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9

I have tested the Dunu Titan S with local lossless audio files and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Dunu Titan S comes in a medium-sized box with a slipcover. Technical specifications for the Titan S, Dunu’s corporate contact information, and a series of quick response codes which link to Dunu’s social media channels are provided on the rear of the slipcover.
The Titan S includes nine pairs of silicone eartips. These eartips come in three varieties, each in small-, medium-, and large-sized pairs. The first is conventionally shaped, the second is more bulbous, and the third is short, wide, and conical. I would have liked to see at least one set of foam eartips, perhaps in place of one of the silicone varieties.

The Titan S includes a large semi-rigid zippered carry case. The zipper has a sizable pleather pull tab. The case has a pleather exterior and a felt-lined interior with a small elastic pocket. The case exterior is embossed with the Dunu logo. I would have preferred the case to have been a more muted color, but the craftsmanship is excellent otherwise.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Dunu Titan S has burnished zinc alloy shells with an angular, industrial aesthetic. There is a circular strainer-style mesh-covered vent surrounded by a black rim in the center of each faceplate. The Dunu logo is printed in white off to the side of this vent. A black nut is set into each faceplate at the top corner just below the 2-pin connector housings, which reinforces the Titan S’s industrial design language. “L” and “R” indicators are printed on the interior housing body of each earpiece. There is a large circular vent at the base of each nozzle. The nozzles are made of the same burnished alloy as the rest of the earpiece and have mesh covers and substantial lips with which to secure eartips.

The included 2-pin cable uses four individual strands wrapped in a spiral below the Y-split and a double helix pattern on each side above the Y-split. The unit serial number is printed in white on the Y-split hardware. The 3.5mm jack housing and the Y-split hardware are made of polished black metal with reflective rings at the ends. The jack uses an L-shaped form factor, and the jack cap is engraved with fine concentric circles. The jack has substantial strain relief. The cable has a chin adjustment choker and uses preformed earguides without memory wire. The 2-pin connector housings are made of plastic, and the pin housings are slightly extruded to ensure a flush fit between the IEM and the cable connectors. The cable comes with a rubber attachment for securing the cable when coiled and a large black plastic shirt clip.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Dunu Titan S is intended to be worn cable up. The nozzles have a moderate to deep insertion depth. The Titan is very comfortable and remains secure over extended periods. However, isolation is poor.

MEASUREMENTS:​

Measurements of the Dunu Titan S can be found on my expanding squig.link database: Dunu Titan S — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews
My measurements are conducted with a Dayton iMM-6 microphone using a vinyl tubing coupler and a calibrated USB sound interface. The measurements use a compensation file derived from relating my raw measurements to published measurements from Crinacle and Antdroid. There is a resonant peak around 8k. Measurements above 10 kHz are not reliable.

SOUND:​

The Dunu Titan S has a Harman-ish tuning.
The bass is modestly elevated, with the elevation confined to the sub-bass. This avoids any kind of mid-bass bleed into the lower mids. Sub-bass extension is good but not exceptional. The bass is well-textured and avoids the wooly timbre exhibited by the similarly priced Tin T3+. The Titan S exhibits good bass articulation but seems to privilege note weight over speed just a smidge.
The Titan S’s midrange is on the brighter side of Harman-ish and emphasizes vocal clarity. Both male and female vocals are forward and distinct from the underlying instrumentation. Male and female vocals are roughly equal in emphasis and intelligibility. Melodic male vocals are on the thinner side, with some limited body. Female vocals sound more vibrant than male vocals. The Titan S avoids overemphasizing the presence region.
The Titan S has the evenest transition from the pinna gain region to presence to treble that I have ever heard on an IEM in this price range. This even presentation is coupled with exceptional upper treble extension for the price point. The Titan S’s extended yet balanced treble presentation puts much more expensive IEMs to shame. Treble transient delivery is superbly natural, and detail retrieval is excellent. On the other hand, the overall size of the soundstage is limited, and instrument separation and imaging are distinctly average.

SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Dunu Titan S is easy to drive. I did not notice any hiss during my listening on either of my source devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Dunu Titan S is a superb IEM and a new benchmark in the $75–100 range. While the Moondrop Aria remains a more universally inoffensive option in terms of its tuning, the Titan S is a much more exciting listen.

Dunu’s last entry on the 2021 IEM market took some attention ever since its announcement: A cyberpunk themed IEM on the budget range that promised to rival some of the kingpins in it. But does it?

Disclaimer: This unit is a review unit sent to me by Dunu in exchange for a full review. No incentives were given to me and my words are my own. Thanks again to Dunu for reaching out and being nothing but professional.

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Starting with these, I will say right now they are excellent. Build feels amazing and, while being fully metal, it’s still lightweight. The shell size is on the smaller side, giving it a very good fit. Even though the nozzle is a bit longer than my canal, it’s really a small and personal nitpick, and I got past that by tip rolling. I’ve been using them as my EDC with Qudelix5k for the past weeks and they fulfill the job better than expected - Truly easy to carry around, just grab and go style like every IEM should be, but a lot of others aren’t. It’s easy to drive, so a simple dongle is just fine.

Another thing to note is its full package: Tips for every liking and a nice carrying pouch. Could be smaller, but good to fit Titan S + a BT amp or dongle inside and just throw it in the bag or coat’s pocket. Dunu keeps its track record for package quality, even on lower budgets.

Two small cons I would like to note are the isolation, that is average to below average, and the cable tangliness due to its slim thickness while also only coming with a 3.5mm termination option.

During the time of this review, Titan S was connected to iFi xDSD Gryphon and Topping NX7, using Spinfits CP100 and stock cable.

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These are basically a less bassier Harman, with just a touch of bass to give some presence, but not acting as the main course. Pinna gain has slightly more elevation than I would like (they came out as borderline shouty at first), but not so much for me to not enjoy them.

The reason I called this IEM the smooth operator is also related to this. It succeeds at replaying everything yet doesn’t really specialize at anything. This may sound boring but this seems harder to find in the IEM world each day. I would consider it a low profile all-rounder, and the genres I enjoy it most with are mainly instrumental or vocal, like classical, jazz, acoustic, etc.

Bass

Example tracks: Kendrick - Backseat Freestyle/Collard Greens, Hans Zimmer - Why So Serious, Beyoncé - Deja vu (intro), Trentemoller - Chameleon.

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It’s a mid-bass focused signature over sub-bass. Low elevation or presence, but good texture, extension and control - feels somewhat fast and tight, while still retaining some of that sweet decay. It’s a sleeper and, half of the time, the bass only comes out when called. There’s a slight warmth added just to not feel too thin, but absolutely no bleed. Clean is the right word.
The two cons about lower frequencies will be its sub-bass feeling somewhat light - although it still rumbles (Hans Zimmer - Why So Serious?), - and its mid-bass could have more punch to it (especially kick drums).


Mids/Vocals

Example tracks: EWF - September, Hania Rani - Glass, Nils Frahm - All Melody, Pentatonix - Daft Punk, Lorde - Buzzcut Season, Agnes Obel - The Curse, Michael Bublé - Feeling Good, Ursine Vulpine - Wicked Game.

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Slightly shoutier than my personal preferences, but that might not be a problem for most people or different libraries. Mids have some separation and detail (easy to spot on Hania Rani - Glass), above average for its bracket.
Female vocals have a better replay than the male’s counterpart, that can sometimes lack a hair of some of the bite and whispiness to it, but still present (Agnes Obel - The Curse vs Michael Bublé - Feeling Good).

Even though this is slightly more shouted vocals than I would like, I still think the mids are the strongest link in this IEM’s tuning - I really like them for the asking price!

Treble

Example tracks: Daft Punk - Aerodynamic, Larnell Lewis - Change Your Mind, Yo-Yo Ma - “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, Kid Cudi - Too Bad I have to Destroy you now, Twice - Moonlight.

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Treble is good. No complaints, really. Cymbals, guitars, and cello sound great. There’s also no metallic treble up there. So, again, a smooth operator. Air is good and I’ve never felt claustrophobic due to its extension.
Larnell Lewis’ cymbal strikes on Change Your Mind just have the right feeling and decay, while Aerodynamic’s guitars are emphasized but without becoming overwhelming to the replay.

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Timbre: Very good. Not just good but also consistent, from top to bottom - no upper treble metallic shrillness whatsoever, making it suitsome instrumental music just fine. Again, one of Titan’s strong points which is making instruments sing.

Example song: Max Richter - Four Seasons - Spring 1

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Stage: This aspect called to my attention the most right away. Lacks some depth, as usual per these budget brackets, but width is good. There seems to be some air on it, as if the vent was giving the unit a semi-open style. Also seems that sometimes you can get something that I would call a semi-holographic and dynamic left to right sound, but not always. It’s surely not your cookie-cutter left/right stage around this price, but it’s also far from stages found in higher-end sets. I found it very good and intriguing.

Example song: Yosi Horikawa - Crossing

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Imaging: Good and above average for this price point.

Example song: O'Flynn - Tyrion

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Detail: Average to above average details. Nothing will sound lacking or missing, but it won't be as resolving as other more expensive or resolving IEMs. Treble elevation also helps a lot with the overall clarity, giving it the tuning upperhand.

Example song: Hania Rani - Esja

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Etymotic ER2XR - The gatekeeper is still going strong and performs better than Titan S to my library and preferences on sound quality alone. But if you factor in the fit, no microphonics cable, stage and price (unless you are in the US), Titan S will appeal more to most people. I’d consider Titan a better package with better timbre that can be recommended to fit most people, as I can’t do the same to ER2XR, to my sadness.

Heart Mirror - Titan S is almost a true upgrade over Heart Mirror since it’s easier to drive, less hot in the upper regions and has more prominent bass. There’s a good chance that if you like stock Heart Mirror, you’ll like Titan S.

GS Audio ST1 - Titan S is better in all aspects - and for the same price. ST1 is more laid back but still close, but when it comes down to techs, it’s a bloodbath.
The only reason I’d say ST1 would suit someone is if they really wanna try BA for the first time without breaking the bank.

Tripowin x HBB: Olina - In my opinion, Olina is an upgrade to Titan S in almost every aspect. Titan S would suit better more neutral heads that look for less bass elevation and treble energy and would like to save a couple dollars.

Shuoer (LETSHUOER) S12 - The planar king wipes the floor of Titan S regarding resolution. Tuning wise, Titan S turns the tables to meet my preferences better, while also packaging a better stage presentation and imaging, which S12 lacks. While S12 holds the best for the most resolving IEM under 150 usd, Titan S shows that you can pay almost half and still have better tuning. Stage presentation is no challenge to Titan S, as it is one of Shuoer’s IEM weak spots.
Given their timbre, tuning and stage difference, I’d say both sets are more complementary than substitutes, maybe even risky to say that they serve libraries where the other falls short of.

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In my opinion, I would describe Dunu’s latest release as a smooth operator: it doesn’t excel on anything specifically but also does nothing wrong. I don’t think that a bad thing, as I’ve heard IEMs that excel at something but then plain murders some other aspect in my library. It’s that kind of IEM you can’t really fault or point a finger at, and, given I spent a lot of time with it daily, it kept growing on me day by day.

It not only gets my recommendation but is now my default for people looking for a more neutral IEM under 80$ (R.I.P. Heart Mirror). I want to remind people that this type of tuning isn’t abundant in this hobby, let alone being on the budget side - which was always a problem for me since I don’t enjoy V-Shaped IEM or ultra-bass boosted stuff. I feel Titan S is a great entry way for newcomers as well.

To summarize, I would like to add that I’ve been reaching for these in the last weeks more than I expected me to, especially at night after a tired day. Grabbing something to drink, Titan S and an amp, going into the balcony and playing some not-so-party music (like Bach or Vivaldi) is giving me joy. Truly making the big boys in my collection jealous. There’s just something easy going in them for me to just turn off the brain and enjoy music on it.

Final Ranking: B / Value ranking : 4.5/5 (due to Olina, else 5/5)

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Thanks for reading!

The Titan S have been sent to me by Dunu for me to try them out and share my impressions. Dunu have not requested anything specific, therefore my review will follow the usual system of being as unbiased and sincere as possible, while keeping in mind that it has not cost me anything in order to try out these IEMs.

You can find the official Dunu Titan S page here: https://www.dunu-topsound.com/titan-s


Intro…

Dunu are a brand that I have had on my radar for quite a while but never had the chance to try until now. IEMs like the Zen, Zen Pro, and especially the SA6, have all been models that have drawn my attention and their modular cables are not only a great idea but have also been praised by many for their quality.

None of these items are really budget oriented though, so when they announced a new budget model in their line up, the Titan S, I was of course immediately interested. I have been lucky enough to be sent these out by Dunu to try and I am really glad they did.



Presentation…

The box is cheerful and colourful, showing an image of the Titan S on the front with specifications on the back.

From the coloured sleeve, a simple black box sporting the Dunu logo slides out. Removing the lid, we are greeted with a very nice carrying case, inside of which we find the IEMs, attached to their cable, but each covered with their own individual zip lock bag.

Under the case there is another smaller black box that contains the warranty card, (plenty of) replacement tips and a clip for attaching the cable to your shirt etc.

There is nothing really out of the ordinary about the way they are packed but it does show that plenty of care has been taken to pack them. I can’t complain about the amount of included tips (of multiple types), in fact, I really don’t think there is anything I would consider missing from the presentation at all.




Build and aesthetics…

Anyone who has seen a photo of the Titan S, which you obviously have if you have made it this far into the review, will have noticed the steampunk aesthetic going on. I have to say that I am a fan of the looks, they break away from the aesthetics of so many other IEMs (as do many of Dunu’s models) but I can’t deny that I was worried about fit. The thing with using strangely shaped and contoured IEMs is that there is a big risk of them being uncomfortable, but that is not the case with the Titan S (at least for me).

The size and shape of the shell does not cause me any kind of discomfort at all, as long as I am using tips that work for me, and they are also lighter than I expected from the photos. After trying the included types of tips, and a few more, I decided on the included red tips and they are what I have used for these impressions.

The build quality seems to be of high quality and Dunu have paid attention to detail, with things like the connectors being shaped to match the aesthetics of the shells.

That is something that some may see as a negative, the fact that changing the cable (even though it is a simple 2 pin) will interfere with the looks of the IEMs, but the good news is that the cable included is a very nice cable. It is a simple twisted cable which is quite thin but feels very nice and does not have a habit of tangling at all. It fits nicely together and I must say that the Go Blu with the Titan S connected via the stock cable looks great!



Sound…

Straight away I knew I was going to like the Titan S. The overall tuning is aimed towards my preferred kind of tuning and after 5 minutes of listening, I knew this was going to be an enjoyable review.

I have used these IEMs on my usual setups that I use for testing and comparisons between IEMs, but I have to say that I found these to work extremely well with the Go Blu and would be high on my list of choices for a general day to day IEM, but I am getting ahead of myself, so let’s do the usual walk through the frequency ranges.

Starting off down in the subbass, there is no real boost down there but it doesn’t roll off sharply either. I put them through the usual sub test that is “Chameleon” and I can’t say that I needed any more sub bass than what they gave me but that doesn’t mean that others won’t find themselves looking for a little more of the rumble. In more realistic scenarios, in other words with songs that aren’t aimed at destroying subwoofers, I would say that the low end is nicely balanced and works well with the overall tuning.

Moving into the mid bass category, they may be just slightly warmer than neutral but are by no means boosted. In fact, they remind me a lot of the bass found on the Aune Jasper, that is fairly neutral but with just a hint of warmth.

Listening to my usual acoustic based music, I would find myself feeling that they could have even added a little more in this area but when swapping over to other music that has more bass content, such as “No Sanctuary Here” by Marian Herzog feat. Chris Jones, I am very glad they didn’t. This is mainly due to the additional presence around the 3kHz mark but I will mention that in more detail in a moment.

I would say that the bass is maybe not the most detailed bass out there but it has a way of making things sound real. The timbre of things like acoustic guitars sound very natural and listening to “Long After You’re Gone” by Chris Jones, the air moved by the hits on the guitar body really stand out.

Moving into the mids, there is no sense of anything being missing at all throughout the mids, with a nice clean transition moving into the lower mids that doesn’t seem to get muddy not matter what I decided to listen to.

Reaching the higher end of the mids, there is a presence as we move past 3kHz that is slightly higher than normal and give voices a bit of a push forwards. I recently reviewed the Reecho SG01 that also had a bit of a boost in this area and I mentioned that this created a sensation of harshness with some music and vocals. This is not the case with the Titan S, the additional presence is a lot smoother than on the SG01. Where there was a more pronounced peak just over 2kHz, the Titan S just climbs smoothly to be and doesn’t create that harshness at all (as long as you are not listening to music that is already overly boosted in those frequencies).

I feel that another reason for the Titan S to avoid being overly present in those higher mids is due to these IEMs having a fairly decent extension in the higher ranges. For a single dynamic driver, aided by its overall tuning, the treble extension is more than acceptable, especially if we think of the price range these sit in.

This gives a nice sense of air to the IEMs and although the soundstage is not the largest out there, it is still at least average, with image placement and separation being quite good and making the most of the space they have to work with.

Detail and speed is also pretty good, again aided by the overall tuning, sounding clean and not making me have to strain to be able to focus on those details. Ok, these are not detailed in a way that something like a planar headphone is but are certainly more than adequate for what I usually expect from a sub 100€ IEM.

Vs Aria…

I don’t usually go into too many comparisons in my reviews, you can read other reviews of mine to see what I feel about other IEMs (that is why I try to keep my review system consistent) but the Moondrop Aria is something that needs to be mentioned. Ever since I received the Aria, back in May last year, they have been my go to recommendation under 100€ (and for many other people) and I think the Titan S are a serious contender for that spot, if they haven’t won it already.

The main difference between these IEMs, which sit at the same price point, is the tuning and the way they focus on different presentations. Where the Aria are a much warmer and laid back presentation, the Titan S focus on a brighter “more awake” presentation. The latter works much better for my preferences and the majority of music I listen to.

I don’t feel that the Titan S are leaps and bounds above the Aria as far as technicalities, I just feel that they present them in a way that makes it easier to appreciate them. Personally, after listening to both, I prefer the Titan S over the Aria but which you prefer will depend on your preferences and the music you listen to.



Conclusion…

The Dunu Titan S have been a nice introduction to Dunu for me. I obviously can’t say how they compare to other Dunu products but against other similarly priced (and some higher priced) alternatives, they are more than competitive.

When I think of Dunu, I think of their higher end models and their modular cables, but the Titan S is a set of IEMs that deserves a lot of attention.

I wouldn’t say the Dunu is the “best” anything in particular, but I would say that it scores well in every category and is tuned in a way that I find very pleasing. I feel that Dunu haven’t just released this IEM so that they have a model in a, lets face it, very popular price range, I feel that they have spent time on making it a good IEM, treating it as its own thing and not just dropping their name on something. Dunu have proved that they know what they are doing with their other models, and with the Titan S they have proved that they put effort into all of them, independently of the price.

If you are a fan of the looks (which I can imagine some people won’t be, but I am), and you like a tuning that is aimed more towards a neutral bright response, then the Titan S is really one of a kind, I don’t think there is anything like it on the market.

I am glad that I have had a chance to spend time with these IEMs and they have turned into a reference point for me under the 100€ mark.

As always, this review is available in Spanish on my blog here and on YouTube here.

Dunu Titan S vs Moondrop Aria vs Tin T3 Plus​

Link to squig: https://bryaudioreviews.squig.link/?share=Harman_2019_Target,Dunu_Titan_S​

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Dunu Titan S - $79usd, 1DD. I will say it right away. The Dunu Titan S is probably one of the best 1DD IEM you can buy for under $100usd. Technicality wise, it beats the Moondrop Aria slightly and beats the Tin T3 Plus by a HUGE margin. In terms of tonality, just like the Aria and T3 Plus, the Titan S is also tuned close to the Harman 2019 Target, but with lesser bass boost (refer to FR graph below). Bass is clean punchy and decently textured, midrange is natural and clean, female vocals sound engaging yet non-fatiguing, and treble is well-extended, smooth, and airy.

In terms of its technicalities, it has good soundstage width with decent depth and height, very good imaging and detail retrieval for the price, decent dynamics, and timbre is also very good. Not to mention, it is also pretty easy to drive.

Here's a simplified technical breakdown of the 3 IEMs below.

DUNU TITAN S VS TIN T3 PLUS VS MOONDROP ARIA:​

• Bass: Aria > Titan S > T3 Plus
• Lower Mids: Aria > Titan S = T3 Plus
• Upper Mids: Titan S > Aria = T3 Plus
• Treble: Titan S > Aria > T3 Plus
• Soundstage: Titan S > Aria > T3 Plus (widest but bad depth/height)
• Layering: Titan S > Aria > T3 Plus
• Imaging: Titan S > Aria > T3 Plus
• Timbre: Titan S > Aria > T3 Plus
• Detail/Resolution: Titan S > Aria > T3 Plus
• Dynamics: Aria > Titan S > T3 Plus
• Value: Titan S > Aria > T3 Plus

As you can see from the comparison above, the Titan S is a slight upgrade over the Aria and absolutely triumphs the underwhelming Tin T3 Plus (Tin T3 Plus owners, I am so sorry). Not to mention, it is also better than both Tin T3 Plus and Moondrop Aria accessory-wise. Dunu Titan S comes with a better cable, better eartips (3 different types!), a better case, and a sexier looking shell design.

However, despite me sounding like an absolute shill over the Dunu Titan S, it is still not perfect. In terms of cons, the dynamics could be better, bass texture could be better, bass quantity might be lacking for some (if you like more bass buy Aria), and fit might also be an issue for some (I find the shorter nozzle black/blue tips to fit me very well).


In conclusion, I highly recommend the Dunu Titan S. If you are looking for an all-rounder 1DD IEM under $100usd, the Dunu Titan S should be at the top of your shopping list. The Dunu Titan S will receive my first ever 5 out of 5 rating. Great job Dunu. The Titan S is amazing for its price - 5/5


Huge thanks to DUNU for sending the Dunu Titan S over. This review unit is provided by them as part of their Malaysian Dunu review tour. I am not at all compensated by them and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Interested in getting the Dunu Titan S? Here are the links (non-affiliated):

• Dunu Official- https://www.dunu-topsound.com/product-page/titan-s
• Aliexpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003705607566.html

Link to squig: https://bryaudioreviews.squig.link/?share=Harman_2019_Target,Dunu_Titan_S,Tin_T3_Plus​

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Link to squig: https://bryaudioreviews.squig.link/?share=Harman_2019_Target,Dunu_Titan_S,Moondrop_Aria​

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DISCLAIMER:
The Dunu Titan S was sent to me by Dunu in exchange for an honest review. No monetary exchange took place. This is 100% my honest opinion.


Sub-bass:
The sub-bass is sufficient and not forward, with a decent rumble although lacking a bit of reverb. The extension is alright and the sub-bass is lacking a bit of volume. The decay is also a bit quick.

Mid-bass:
The mid-bass is also lacking the volume but is pretty tight and clean. It is a quick and fast punch, so drums will sound leaner and lighter. The bass also lacks a bit of texture.

Mids:
The mids are pretty good as the timbre and tonality are pretty correct. The timbre sounds realistic and the tonality sounds natural. The female vocals sound natural, not shouty at all and sounding clean and detailed. The male vocals are also sound realistic, but does lack a bit of mellow feeling from the lack of quantity of the bass. Overall this IEM has a good midrange.

Treble:
The treble does not sound harsh or sibilant. The cymbal crashes and electric guitars do not sound peaky or sharp. The treble sounds sparkly and airy. Although, it might be lacking a bit of treble extension.

Soundstage/imaging;
The soundstage is pretty wide but the depth and height is average. Not the biggest soundstage out there. The imaging is good and the sound separation is excellent.

Detail retrieval:
The detail retrieval is pretty average and micro-details can somewhat be heard. The resolution of the music is alright, lacking a bit of texture, a tad bit on the leaner and lighter side.

Verdict:
This IEM is good for vocals, and if that is what you love, then go for this pair. But other than that, nothing really stands out about this IEM.


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