IKKO OH2 Opal

Ikko Opal OH2: An overlooked gem

Intro

I’m back after being quite busy with university. I had the opportunity to listen to the Ikko Opal OH2, a pair of IEMs that have been on the market for a couple of years. Let's see how this $80 set from Ikko Audio performs.


If you wish to read this review in Spanish, click here

Check out previous reviews here (or in spanish here)


Disclaimers:

• I would like to thank Ikko Audio for providing me with this set for an honest review. You can find the OH2 here: https://www.ikkoaudio.com/products/opal-oh2-iems
• Analysis over 6 days - Sessions of approximately 2 to 4 hours
• All music is lossless (Qobuz > 16bit - 44.1kHz).
• Gear Used: IFI Zen Air Can (AMP) + Fiio E10K (DAC) / TempoTec Sonata HD PRO (dongle)

Unboxing, Build & Comfort







Opal OH2: Its housing is made of a combination of metal and transparent polycarbonate, allowing you to see the PCB inside, which gives it a "futuristic" touch, along with the 8mm driver featuring a nano carbon diaphragm. Its shape is quite peculiar, almost triangular, and it features oval-shaped nozzles, which are not common. Near the top of the triangle, you'll find MMCX type connectors.



Cable: When in use, the cable serves its purpose. However, it is one of the cables that tangles easily when you try to store the IEMs, and it needs to be left stretched for a while to lose its coiled shape. Additionally, it's worth noting that the MMCX connectors easily rotate around the IEMs' connection. This didn't cause them to disconnect from the cable, but I did have to readjust the IEMs every time I used them.



Eartips: It comes with 6 pairs of silicone tips and 3 pairs of foam tips. From my personal experience, I cannot recommend the silicone ones as they provide no seal when used. On the other hand, both the included foam tips and the Saturn tips provided by Ikko Audio offer a good seal, but they do not block external noise to a significant extent.

Pouch: The pouch is beautifully made of faux leather.

Comfort: Ikko has succeeded in making the Opal extremely comfortable IEMs thanks to their ergonomic design. They protrude very little, and I even forgot I had them on when I went skiing. The only minor drawback is that the isolation leaves something to be desired.



Sound Description

As this IEM is not a recent release and considering there are various opinions about its sound, I'll try to be brief about how these sound and quickly jump to a couple of comparisons.



Albums:

• “Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 "Unfinished" & 9 "The Great"” - Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
• “United Alive in Madrid (Live)” - Helloween
• “Sentio” – Martin Garrix
• “Back To Black” – Amy Winehouse
• “Romanza (20th Anniversary Edition / Deluxe)” – Andrea Bocelli
• “<|º_º|>” - Caravan Palace
• “Powerslave” – Iron Maiden
• “25” - Adele
• “Los Abuelos De La Nada 1” – Los Abuelos De La Nada

Sound profile - Credits: https://fahryst.squig.link


Bass

Having listened to many IEMs that follow the Harman curve target, the OH2 pleasantly surprised me by deviating a bit from this paradigm and leaning more towards neutrality, with a slight emphasis on the midbass over the sub-bass. This doesn't mean that the subbass is weak, but it's far from having the best rumble I've heard from a dynamic driver, and it doesn't extend too deeply into the lower regions.

On the other hand, the midbass is punchy and stands out in EDM songs. It's quite suitable for electronic genres and makes kick drums and bass guitar more prominent for those listening to rock or heavy metal.

The quality of both lower spectrums is acceptable for the price, although the driver may fall behind in situations where the bass is executed consecutively.


Mids

The mids are the highlight of the show thanks to the OH2. Both male and female vocals sound silky and without any hint of aggression or artificial metallic tone. Male singers have a slightly weightier presence and stand out a tad more than female voices when singing duets.

The sense of smoothness also extends to certain instruments. Winds like trumpets and clarinets are very pleasant to listen to because the OH2 manages to reproduce them harmoniously, smoothing out their rough edges at the cost of losing some details. However, pianos and electric guitars retain their details intact, with a better-defined texture.

From what I heard in orchestral music, violins have slightly less tactile feel compared to electric guitars, not being as detailed. Nevertheless, I found that in Schubert's works, the coherence among the ensemble of instruments (winds, strings, percussion, etc.) was exceptional and very enjoyable, despite these not being IEMs focused on music analysis.


Treble

The OH2 has high-frequency registers that aim to provide a relatively relaxed listening experience. This can sometimes push cymbals and high-frequency elements into the background and may not be the optimal tuning for people who like to extract every detail from their music, as the microdynamics are not particularly impressive. However, it performs quite well for sessions where you're not looking to scrutinize the sound in-depth. Obviously, having mentioned this, you won't find a great extension in the treble, as the tuning primarily focuses on highlighting the mids.


Soundstage and Imaging

The OH2 favors a deep but relatively narrow three-dimensional soundstage. Surprisingly, this didn't significantly congest the instruments, and they could be heard distinctly during my analysis.



vs Moondrop Aria & Whizzer Kylin HE10



Scores (TL;DR for those who prefer a more concise format)

• Best to worst (left to right)
• More ">" indicates a greater difference
• "=" is used to indicate that the left and right sets are similar in a certain aspect
• “>=” indicates that two IEMs could be similar depending on the song

. Ergonomics: OH2 >> HE10 > Aria

. Driveability: OH2 > Aria > HE10 (the 3 of them are easy to drive)

. Subbass: HE10 > Aria >> OH2

. Bass: OH2 > Aria > HE10

. Mids (Male Vocals): OH2 >= Aria = HE10

. Mids (Female Vocals): HE10 >> OH2 >= Aria

. Mids (Instruments): HE10 = OH2 > Aria

. Treble: Aria >> HE10 >> OH2

. Imaging: Aria >= OH2 > HE10

. Soundstage: Aria >> HE10 >= OH2


As I mentioned in my review of the HE10, the latter and the Aria are not that different, and I found them to be a good point of comparison when evaluating the OH2, even though Ikko's tuning clearly has a different goal. These three sets are all in the $80 USD range.


Credits: https://fahryst.squig.link

In summary, the OH2 focuses much more on highlighting the entire spectrum of mid frequencies (despite a very slight bleed from the midbass). The OH2 presents this frequency range as the most prominent but also harmonious and velvety at the same time. None of the three models excel in detail retrieval in this range, but their performance is adequate for non-analytical listening.

The mid-bass is also a strong point shared with the Aria, with the OH2 having a bit more quantity but similar quality. However, the subbass lags behind considerably compared to the Moondrop and Whizzer models.

The treble on the OH2 is the most relaxed of the three models, so lovers of high-frequency registers should lean more towards the Aria to meet those needs. Having said that, there are also many users who prefer this type of presentation with limited treble extension and a calmer reproduction.

In terms of soundstage, the Aria outperforms the other two, providing the widest and deepest stage, but the OH2 comes very close in terms of imaging and instrument separation.



Conclusion

My time evaluating the Ikko Opal OH2 was extremely enjoyable, and I would recommend them to users looking for a non-fatiguing signature for their everyday music or gaming needs. What prevents me from giving them a higher rating is that, like the Moondrop Aria, their price has not dropped despite being released almost 2 years ago. Technological advancements in the world of audio have reached a point where cheaper IEMs ($50 USD) are on par with these "older" models.

So, this is my first IEM from ikko, I have the cool Breezy Bone conduction headphones, The OH2 was sent to me, and I would like the thank them, as always, my opinions are my own no influences it's how I feel about a product. I test everything stock then I ad tips or cable if needed to my personal taste.
Packaging is very artistic and colorful, inside one finds much more than an average IEM at this price.

They can be found here https://www.amazon.com/Ikko-Monitor...ones/dp/B09KNKX7JS?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

what is in the box :
The OH2 OPAL IEM
A 2 Core MMCX Silver Plated Copper Cable (3.5mm)
leather like Pouch
Foam Eartips (3 Pairs)
Silicone Oval Eartips (6 Pairs)
MMCX / nozzle filter Remover
IKKO Pin
Waifu locker Magnet.



Build Etc.. The Opal is made of mostly metal with some resin in the clear window showing the board inside, I got the green but honestly like all the colors. I'm always a fan when things come in more than the standard colors. They are on the smaller side and were comfortable in my ears for long use and even sleeping. Isolation was good with the foam tips and okay with the stock ones although I had to use a size bigger than normal for me. Ultimately, I decided to use ddhifis bass tips for my personal use. I found the build quality great and love the look.


Sound:

Bass: Bass presents almost Neutral it has good weight and speed but isn't the fastest I've heard in a single Dynamic but still does well with most music. The Mid-Bass is more prominent but Sub-Bass has a decent rumble, but it should be noted this is more of a quality over quantity.

Mids: Midrange presents itself smooth but still detailed, vocals are a little forward and sound natural, with a fair amount of emotion and richness to them. The Mids defiantly are quite good, and they are not sibilant or get shouty in anyway, so they are pleasant no matter the volume level used.
Treble: Is well controlled and sounds smooth but is not without details. However, it does roll of fast and treble sensitive people will appreciate it for a non-fatiguing and safe tuning.

Soundstage Etc: Staging is wide and deep with excellent layering and imaging is accurate even on busy recordings it does well.

Conclusion: The OH2 is a great every day and all-around usage IEM it is neither fatiguing or harsh and its safely tuning might not be for everyone, but I personally like the refreshing signature for a change. It is a great looking, well made and comfortable budget offering in my opinion.

Since many before me have covered the physical aspects of the OH2, I focus on my sound impressions.

You find the whole story at https://www.audioreviews.org/ikko-oh2-review-jk/

Equipment used: Macbook Air, Sony NW-A55, Questyle QP1R;Apogee Groove and Earstudio HUD 100 with JitterBug FMJ; Stock wide-bore tips, JVC Spiral Dots, SpinFit CP500; “normal” filters.

IKKO have tuned the OH2 differently from their other popular models. It is not V-shaped like the OH10 – and it is not as treble extended as the OH1S, although both share the relatively flat frequency response up to 1.5 kHz. As in so many cases, the OH2’s frequency response graph is literally misleading as it leads speculations into the wrong direction.




IKKO OH2’s frequency response.

From a helicopter perspective, the IKKO OH2 is somewhat dry and slightly warm sounding iem. For me, the included IKKO I-Planet foam tips worked best. But foams in combination with my ears always generate a rather dry bass.

And it is rather dry indeed. Sub-bass extension is good, there is plenty of rumble down there, and there is no boomy mid-bass peak. Nevertheless could the bass be tighter – and it probably is with a different tips/ears combination. I’d call the bass typical for mid-price single dynamic-driver iems, but nothing special. It is certainly not the fastest around and can be somewhat blunt in some recordings.

The vocals have very good weight and decent definition, they are not set back, which is an asset at this price tag. There is a small congestion from the hesitant upper midrange (pinna gain is <10 dB) which compresses male and female voices a bit. A tad more energy at around 2 kHz would make them wider and airier. Higher piano and violin notes lack sparkle.

The top rolloff starts already in the upper midrange but becomes dramatic at above 5 kHz. Treble extension is audibly lacking and compromises stage width and overall sparkle/air.

And whilst stage is narrow, it has a good height and depth. Imaging and spatial cues are good and resolution, separation, and layering are average. The OH2’s biggest sonic assets are its note weight and its very natural timbre.




Spot the difference between OH1S and OH2. Hint: it is in the treble.

IKKO OH2 Compared​

The $79 Hidizs MM2 with their exchangeable out vents are more versatile and may have slightly better imaging and staging (more headroom), but I find the OH2 have a better organic reproduction , note weight, and cohesion. Instant wow effect vs. slowly growing likability! I also prefer the OH2’s smaller earpieces for their small design and premium haptic whereas the light yet bulky MM2 shells are reminiscent of the budget KZ fare. I’d say the OH2 appeal more to the older, mature crowd (like me) and the MM2 preferably to teenagers.

The $79 Moondrop Aria, viewed as the dynamic-driver standard below $100, is much faster, brighter, and leaner than the OH2. It is technically cleaner with a better defined low end, a better extended treble, and more width. But it also has an upper midrange glare that may be unpleasant for some. The OH2 is less analytical, warmer, deeper, but also thicker in its performance, it has more “soul” and is more engaging to me. The Moondrop may be the “better” earphone, but the OH2 is more enjoyable to me.

The main question may be how the OH2 compares to the $159 IKKO OH1S? Well the OH1S may be brighter but they benefit from their treble extension, which results in a wider stage and better imaging. They provide more headroom. They also have better note definition and resolution. I’d say the price difference is justified – and I, quite frankly, prefer the OH1S as they are the better iem.

Concluding Remarks​

IKKO iems are totally underrated in the internet’s echo chambers that cultivate herd mentality pushing überhyped yet short-lived products to promote compulsive buying habits. IKKO iems have a long shelf live for a reason.

The IKKO OH2 are the mellow alternative to all these brightish <$100 earphones such as the Moondrop Aria. They impress by their haptic and accessories, which are essentially identical to the OH1S at twice the price. They further have a decent tonality with an intimate midrange and an organic timbre.

The OH2 will appeal to the more mature budget “audiophile”, who cares about substance rather than gimmicks.

To give you my personal perspective: I really like the OH2 a lot – and not only for their sound but also for their handling (the importance of which for daily use is typically undervalued in reviews). But then again, I could say the same about the OH1S and OH10.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Disclaimer​

The OH2 were supplied by IKKO for my analysis and I thank them for that.

Get it from IKKO Audio.