Dunu TITAN 3

“Call off the search.”
“Yeah?”
“We’ve found it. It’s time to go home.”

Introduction
The Dunu Titan 3 was provided as a sample to me in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Mandy of Dunu for reaching out with this generous offer.

The path to this review was perilous. I remembered liking the FiiO EX1 (a rebranded Titan 1) for its immense soundstage, amazing treble, and the general airy, light-as-a-feather sound I’ve never heard before in other IEMs. There were trade-offs for sure, like the sound leak and recessed mids, but it was a winner at the price range. When opportunity came a-knocking to review the Titan 3 I hooted and hollered in anticipation of the massive eargasm I was about to receive. A Titan 1 with better mids, what’s not to like?

Equipment Used:
Astell & Kern AK100ii
Dunu Titan 3
FiiO EX1
 
Albums Listened:
Adele – 25
Amber Rubarth – Sessions from the 17th Ward
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
David Benoit – Too In Love
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Michael Jackson – Thriller
The Eagles – Hell Freezes Over

“It was a bumpy ride at first.”
So what went wrong? Out of the box they refused to sing. The mids were there, rich and nice and forward, but I could not enjoy the music. I thought the fit was off, since the music lacked serious body. Subbass was missing! It felt like listening to bad earbuds. For the EX1, I wore the stock tips and ran away with the music. This was going to take some work.

Packaging and Accessories
Titan 3 comes in an all-black, classy packaging. The accessories are 6 pairs of silicone eartips (3 Heir-like, 3 Sony Hybrids-like, in S, M and L), a 3.5mm to 6.5mm adapter, a shirt clip, 2 fin-like ear stabilisers, and a plastic carrying case. The case is similar to the Titan 1/EX1 case with the exact same flaw. I had a hard time fitting the Titan 3 into it. I would rather a conventional zippered case instead.
 
 
 

Accessory set. Not pictured: Sony hybrids-like tips.
 
 

“Let’s try some tricks…”
The stock tips did not do it for me. The lack of bass, and hollowness of the music could not be corrected with stock tip-rolling, and I was dreading to put this into words as I had high hopes. To add insult to injury, if I pushed the housings further into my ears, I heard a fuller, more satisfying sound. The missing bass was there! I had to get them out with the correct tips and insertion depth. Sony hybrids, JVC Spiral Dots, Spinfits, some spare KZ tips… nothing. I put them on the burner for 100 hours.

Design, Build Quality and Cables
Make no mistake though, they are meticulously engineered. Solid pieces of metal housings that feel great when you knock ’em together (couldn’t resist), the keenly-designed Y-split and chin slider “lid”, the 90-degree 3.5mm jack with an understated chrome ring… subtle touches that add class and character to the Titan 3. The cable feels supple and smooth, has a seriously nice feel to them and doesn’t tangle easily, replaceable as well… winner. In fact the entire Dunu line has similar nice-to-touch cables, including their upcoming range that I had the pleasure of trying.

“Was it all for naught?”
Burning in didn’t work either, and I shelved the Titan 3 disappointingly. Days bled to weeks, and life got in the way as well. Exam preparations, research deadlines, family commitments, workplace inconveniences… I was taken away from this hobby often enough. Then came the (self-imposed) review deadline, and a friendly reminder from Mandy as well. It has been a month since I had them.

Fit, Isolation and Comfort
They fit comfortably enough. Lightweight just like the Titan 1/EX1 and the thicker MMCX connectors didn’t make them feel heavier at all. The design has always been a better aspect of the Titans. Fit is shallow, like earbuds with tips, so don’t expect a lot of isolation. But at the same time, with significantly less venting than the Titan 1, isolation is much better than the T1, and sound leak is not an issue anymore. There are trade-offs, of course, and I will get to them very soon.

“Heck, let’s give these another shot.”
I did something I would not ordinarily do. Read other reviews of a product I was about to review. And that was where I learnt about the tape mod. Malaysians have an expression when they have a “eureka” moment. And it is expressed, often in bold, all caps and double exclamation, “ITU DIA!!” (read like ee-too deaaa) Literally meaning “that’s the one”, with the tape mod (taping the vent in both housings with masking tape and poking a small hole through them with a pin) I’ve found the missing bass at last, and the sound is instantly pleasing.

“Call off the search, we’re going home.”
 

 

All-chrome goodness.
 
 

Overall Signature
The Titan 3 is tuned slightly warm. Bass has body and thump, with mids/vocals emphasis. Some treble sparkle/shimmer provides counterbalance to the warm bass. A well-balanced tuning, making this a good all-rounder. Take note that sound impressions are made with the tape mod, and frankly the only way I’ll listen to the Titan 3. The tape mod brings out the bass, revealing a pleasing signature with good coherence and a fairly wide soundstage for its asking price.

Bass
Good bass should be heard AND felt. Titan 3 bass reaches down and tickles your throat. You feel the low hums and buzzes. The subbass extends fairly deep, you don’t feel like they lack any details, while the midbass is lifted for more bass body. When it punches it does so with authority. It’s not the swift and nimble type of bass, rather more full-bodied, and in EDM this becomes quite a treat. The note thickness can be overbearing in classical and metal but of course, you can attenuate the bass by poking a larger hole through the taped vent.

Mids
In a word, beautiful. Dunu is known for their V-shaped hybrids, so a mid-centric IEM from them is a welcome addition. Here the mids are placed slightly forward compared to the rest of the spectrum. The lower mids carry over the warmth of the bass, lending weight and a richness to male vocals especially. The upper mids manage a good balance between clarity and smoothness. If bumped up too much, female vocals would sound nasal and unnatural, I’m glad they sidestepped this trap. Timbre and note thickness is just right, so vocals male and female, pianos and guitars sound natural and beautiful.

Treble
Another strength of the Titans. The treble is crispy, clean and clear, again with excellent detail. It is just slightly smoothed out at the top end compared to the Titan 1/EX1, making this a more appealing, comfortable listen. Cymbals and high hats have accurate attack and decay, and never sound harsh. Though it lacks the airiness and excitement of the Titan 1/EX1, it’s a trade-off I’m willing to live with. The treble is not let loose, rather balanced in weightage with the bass. But it is a change in character for people expecting something similar to the Titan 1/EX1.
 
 
 

Respect the Dunu. The what? The Dunu.
 
 

Soundstage and Imaging
The biggest knock takes place here. Gone is the airy, wide and deep encircling soundstage that was akin to open headphones and so thoroughly addictive of the Titan 1/EX1. After cutting down on the vents and improving isolation, this is the compromise of the Titan 3. We have something more expected of IEMs in this price range. Fairly wide, not deep, and just a bit of height. Vocals are projected slightly forward, and that’s as deep as the stage goes. Width is good, especially in well-mastered recordings, just be wary that in most modern recordings it won’t provide the magic dust to make the stage wider or separate cleaner. Imaging is fairly good, placement is quite accurate, just not much space in between instruments. Separation takes a knock because of the bass weight, there is just a bit of bleed into the lower mids in complicated passages. This is the best compromise however, for the modded Titan 3 to sound their best. Unmodded to my ears was airier but thoroughly missing bass authority. I’m sure some reviewers have better luck than me listening to unmodded, or as Dunu intended. Might just be the shape of my ears. What the Titan 3 should be known for, however, is the immaculate balance of the sound spectrum that’s massively satisfying. Bass, mids, and treble work in tandem to provide a very likeable, tuneful sound signature that’s a better all-rounder than the Titan 1/EX1. Nothing to fault tonality-wise, except maybe the difference in note thickness between the bass and the rest of the spectrum, no doubt because of the mod. It’s still fun and engaging nonetheless.

Comparison - Dunu Titan 1
The undisputed lord of airiness and soundstage has yet to be slain at this level, and likely won’t be for quite some time. The Titan 3 did not stand a chance because it set out to achieve a different goal: beautiful mids, which it has accomplished. The reduced venting and improved isolation also meant the Titan 3 has more alike with its similarly-priced peers than the Titan 1. Its greatest weapon is its balanced tuning which it should wield like a mighty sword into battle. The bass and mids slay the Titan 1 in tonality, dynamism and richness. It’s a full, matured sound that makes the Titan 1 sound like a lightweight. The treble is a closer fight. If it’s detail you want, the Titan 1 has it in spades, even more so than the Titan 3. Its no-compromise in approach means it’s very revealing to bad recordings. It sparkles and shimmers even more than the Titan 3, sometimes to the point of harshness. The Titan 3 has less extension and a slightly gentler treble, but well-controlled and definitely provides enough sparkle for the rest of us.
 
 
 

Dangle the bling.
 
 

Conclusion
Dunu has done it again. The Titan 3 hits big where it matters most, delivering quality bass, mids and treble in just the right amounts, with a well-balanced, slightly mid-forward signature. It’s a very likeable sound able to take on most genres. Its weakness in soundstage is only a weakness if compared to the Titan 1, and our expectations of it. My opinion is that the only way to listen to Titan 3 is with the tape mod. Different strokes for different folks, but to me the tape mod completes the Titan 3. It should definitely be in your shortlist if you’re looking for a fun, mid-centric, immersive pair of IEMs.

Keeping the Nano-titanium drivers, Dunu intends to pack all the “Titan-Goodness” into a better isolating package, with the Titan 3 and Titan 5.
Despite the grand response the Titan 1 garnered, a common complaint is the lack of isolation in its semi-vented/open nature.  Dunu has taken criticisms to heart and went back to the drawing board to address common issues from the Titan 1. Lets find out how they did!
  
 
 
Below I have included a video review to supplement my written portion, I will also include a link to my Dunu Titan 1, and 5 review for better reference for readers.  (Skip to the sound section of the Dunu 5 review, for relative comparisons)
 
Titan 1 Review:http://www.head-fi.org/products/dunu-titan-1-titanium-coated-diaphragm-earphones/reviews/13302
Titan 5 Review: http://www.head-fi.org/products/dunu-titan-5/reviews/15084
 
 
Disclaimer- I would like to thank Dunu (for providing me with the Titan 3) to review as well as my peers in the Dunu Titan thread, for arranging for the Titan 3 and 5 for the Demo Tour!
 

 
Accessories:
Dunu includes a variety of goodies with the Titan 3. There are: 3 pairs of the Sony silicone hybrids (black, color-coded tips); 3 pairs Red and Grey Silicone; a shirt clip and a ¼ inch adapter.
Of course one of the biggest additions is the inclusion of the silicone fin guards, providing a rubber bumper guard against the edge of the housing and the concha of your ear. (Simply put, it helps in terms of comfort).
To protect the earphones, included is a hard shell plastic carrying case that snaps shut for safe storage.
Overall: 8.5/10 (Dunu has taken out the 3 pairs of the black silicone tips found in the Titan 1)
 
   
 
Design:
Keeping the Half- Earbud/ half in ear design that many including myself enjoyed, allows more room for the engineers at Dunu to make way for the large titanium coated drivers. The simple, yet flawless chrome housing is something to be admired. The only way to differentiating between the Titan 3 and the 5 is the on the Logo of the earpieces (labeled 3, and 5 respectively).
Overall: 8.5/10
     
 
Build Quality:
Dunu has clearly been listening the feedback from their consumers, through the implementation of the detachable mmcx cables. It’s quite hard to seamlessly integrate a practical, supple yet durable detachable cable, especially with mmcx connectors (it seems Dunu fall on the good side), as it did not suffer from sound cutting in and out when the cable spins. The cables are very well made and Dunu got rid of fabric portion of the cable that’s found on the Titan 1. With plentiful reinforcement in high stress joints, the Titan 3s exude the luxurious feel of a premium product found much higher then what it price indicates.
Overall: 9.5/10
     
 
 
Comfort:
The shallow fit half earbud/in ear fit, will easily garner many fans looking for a comfort of a silicon/foam eartip, while ensuring the slipper- like fit of traditional earbuds.  That’s said the housing is on the larger side and those with smaller ears may not find the Titans to be very comfortable considering the slight edge around the body of the earpieces. (Dunu addressed this issue with the silicone fin guards included in each Titan 3, and 5 package.
Overall: 8.5/10 (smoothing out the edges and providing the silicone fin guards helped)
       
 
Isolation:
 While it’s an improvement over the Semi-open Titan 1s, the Titan 3s won’t be nearly enough for those seeking isolation comparable to the likes of Shure or Westone
Overall: 6.5/10
 
 
 
Sound:
Having the opportunity to listen to the entire Titan line up, has allowed me to better understand what demographic and what sound Dunu is targeting with each respective Titan.
 
The Quick Skinny
Titan 1: Open, spacious, Thinner, Edgy upper mids
Titan 3: More Balanced, fuller midforward sound, with a splash of Brightness
Titan 5: Tastefully bassy, fun sound (without the bloat), take the Titan 3 + a slight bump in the bass and treble
 
 
Titan 3 Breakdown:
The Titan 3 is the most balanced, and mid forward of the Titan family. They will please vocal lovers, with a very clean overall tuning. 
 
Note:
For this review I used the included sony hybrids-> I had quite a long trial period with various tips. In particularly, the Comply Tx 400 (with the wax guard) to smooth out the upper midrange region, making it a bit less fatiguing. ) The Titan 3s are not very forgiving due to the strong upper midrange/lower treble emphasis (but this does give them their character)
 
Bass:
The bass has a slight boost over the Titan 1 in the sub-bass, with a slight upper bass emphasis makes the Titan 3 the leanest in terms of punch of Titan family. Thus, paving way for the midrange to take centre stage. I found I was missing some "meat" that i was craving from the Titan 1. That said the bass was still quite fast and tight.
 
Midrange:
A fuller and more forward midrange makes the Titan 3 a great addition to those that bathe in vocal centric music, be in pop, rock, acoustic, folk, and places voices front and centre. If you like your vocals especially female vocals, the Titan 3 won’t disappoint. It has a very clean, and detailed with glossy, airy with a bit of brassy texture to vocals giving them a sort of “ethereal feel”. The upper bass/lower mid gives a slight richness to male vocals, giving them what I would consider an appropriate amount of body, without impacting it’s articulation. That said, I found it a bit too prominent in the upper mids causing them to be a bit bright or and fatiguing. (I think it’s vaguely similar to my Sennheiser Amperior (portable DJ on ear headphone, which is well known and regarded). --àI’m not usually one to modify equipment, but I felt if I were to use the Titan 3 as my main earphone, I would need to use it with hifiman re400 black filter on the nozzle, which did help warm up the sound a bit, and  smooth out this area a bit (I prefer it), making it less fatiguing.
 
Treble:
This is another area I found the Titan 3 to be an improvement over the Titan 1, as it has more detail and extension. Dunu does this while toning down on the “metallic” texture attributed with the Titan 1. The treble is still not forgiving to sibilance and can be a bit harsh at times.  
 
Overall: 8.8/10 (the upper mids was a bit bothersome without the bass balancing it out )
With the filter dampening, and tape mod (with poked hole)  this 2K-5K hz area- 9.1/10
 
Comparing the Titan 3 to the Titan 1
The Titan 1 has a thinner midrange, with a slightly more bloated mid bass in comparison. The slight boost in the sub-bass was welcome on some bassier tracks, but without some more authority in the midbass, i felt something was "missing" on the  Titan 3.  The Titan 3 is a bit thinner as whole. However, The treble is slightly more extended and a bit more detailed, making the Titan 1 harsher in comparison. On the “fun factor”, I would put the Titan 1 is right in the middle between the fun and bombastic Titan 5s, but more fun then the 3s. However, the Titan 3s are more forward and fuller in the midrange with a better sense of detail.
 
Comparing the Titan 3s to the Hifiman RE400
The quantity of the bass on the Titan 3 is more comparable to the RE400, except with a bit more weight. The Titan 3’s midrange is brighter and more forward with a “glossy, brassier” texture compare to the more transparent, drier midrange on the RE400. The lower treble on the Titan 3 in comparison is more enthusiastic, with more flavor or colour, whereas the RE400 can be a bit grainy, and dull up top.
Considering positive feedback from the RE400 (especially here on head-fi as one of the staples under $100), I feel that Titan 3 would be a good alternative for those users that find the RE400’s “safer” tuning a bit “bland”.
 
Comparing the Titan 3 to the Phonak Audeo PFE 012 (with the Grey Filters)
I found that this comparison to be surprisingly close! The have the most similar sound signature in my collection. Both are very balanced, with a tilt towards the bright side. The PFE012 (at least my pair) seems to have this distortion in the midrange, which when comparing with Titan 3 makes painfully obvious. The PFE 012 has a leaner, faster and tighter bass (but more rolled off in the very lowest frequencies) but I would be very close to call it “bass anemic”, whereas the Titan 3 gives a bit more punch in this area.  The PFE0 12 also has a drier and less forward midrange, that doesn’t seem to draw your attention as much as the Titan 3 does.
 
Note**Tape Mod
For fun I decided use the “tape mod”: by using scotch tape to tape the rear vent (by the nozzle). It became warmer with the bass took a substantial bump, a bit more meat, moving it closer to the Titan 5 (however this increases the potential for driver flex).
I imagine you can play around with poking a hole through the tape to play around with the dampening (be careful not to poke too far). This will roughly mimic how the stock Titan 5s will sound. I’m immensely enjoy this configuration with the Re400 filter on the nozzle!
The plus to all of this is that it’s cheap and reversible! So Experiment away!
 
In conclusion:
The Titan 1 will turn heads with its impressive holographic and spacious imaging.  The Titan 3 will draw you in with its impressive clarity and its “scalpel-like”, clean midrange. The Titan 5 I feel has a good mix of what makes the Titans great, fun, clean, while still sounding decently spacious.
The Titan 3s deserve a Strong Recommendation! They weren’t exactly my cup of tea, its close but I felt the Titan 3 has a bit more of “niche” tuning, making it a bit more limited in its appeal.  However what it does well is in bringing out vocals out in the open with superb clarity and detail. I find the Titan 3 is the earphone equivalent of Sennheiser Amperior (a slightly more refined HD25), and we all know how popular, and widely praised those are.
 
Possible feedback- I would like Dunu dial back a few dB (3-5 dB) off the upper midrange/lower treble (2-5k Hz?) to make them a bit smoother with a slight bump (2-3 dB) around the midbass (somewhere around the 40-100 hz?) I found it a bit bothersome to and overall lovely sound.
The case is nicely made but I would like it if it was a few cm thicker (to compensate for the bigger earpieces, with the detachable cables), and for better clearance for the cable (so it doesn’t crimp when closing it). (or swap to a round semi-hard zippered carrying case). 
 
Overall: Stock- 50.3/60= 84%
With mods- 50.6/60= 84.3%