TFZ Exclusive 5

Introduction –

TFZ pioneered a truly revolutionary dynamic driver formula with their recently released King, a $100 earphone that held a notable advantage over many other iems I tested within a similar price range. However, though the King is an immensely impressive earphone, its aggressive mid-forward tones are certainly not for everyone nor are their large housings and bright blue colour scheme (though TFZ has since released a gunmetal variant).

TFZ has made an intelligent move here, by filtering this cutting edge technology down into their lower end models, creating an entire lineup of competitive earphones at various important price points. And perhaps the most sought after is the Exclusive 5, sitting a step below the King, the 5 sports an enticing full-metal build and a more universally pleasing v-shaped tonality based on the same driver tech as the King. Let’s see whether the Exclusive 5 is the King alternative everyone has hoped it would be.



Disclaimer –

I would like to thank Chi Kong Hui from Penon Audio very much for his quick communication and for providing me with the Exclusive 5 for the purpose of review. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.





Unboxing –



The entire exclusive series has essentially the same packaging though I have few complaints since TFZ provide a nice simple unboxing with a comprehensive set of accessories.



The Exclusive earphones come in a tall box with the TFZ branding embossed in silver print.



Inside sits the earphones within a moulded tray with the accessories below. TFZ include a soft pouch with every earphone in addition to a range of ear tips, 3 pairs of wide bore tips, 3 pairs of small bore tips, a pair of dual flange tips and a pair of foams.



Design –

The Exclusive 5 has one of the best constructions I’ve encountered at any price. Sure, they’re not as striking as the Campfire Audio earphones, but their all metal build is similarly solid and their fine brushed finish and embossed print very much exceed their asking price. The Exclusive 5 is available in silver, black and blue, I was highly impressed by the raw silver colour that I received which allows the natural texture of the metal housings to shine through.



As aforementioned, the Exclusive 5 boasts a 2-piece metal build though the housings feel appreciably denser than regular aluminium earphones like the K3 Pro. Although TFZ don’t state the exact housing material, the Exclusive 5’s are likely constructed from stainless steel or brass due to their very high weight. Further compounding upon this impression of solidity is the earphone’s finish; both earpieces were perfectly formed with a very consistent brushed texture that provides some lustre without coming off as gaudy. The two halves of the shell were very well joined with very minimal seam and only a slight difference in the direction of the brushed finish.



I also didn’t notice any scuffing or scratching of the brushed finish during my month of testing which bodes well for their resistance to long term wear. The outer faces are also tastefully designed with embossed exclusive text and a laser etched model numbers granting the earphones with a more industrial look. In silver, the earphones are eye catching in the best possible way, their build easily bests some earphones costing many times more, I really can’t praise the exclusive 5’s build more.



Ergonomically, the Exclusive 5’s are a medium sized earphone that don’t disappear in the ear but find great comfort with their smooth, ergonomic styling. And despite their weight, they are small enough to maintain comfort during longer listening sessions and avoid forming hotspots. I didn’t struggle to find a strong seal though some driver flex was evident and they do protrude a tad too much for perfectly comfortable wear whilst sleeping (though considerably less than the King and Kinera H3). This comfort is aided by their well-angled nozzles of medium length and bore size, accepting a wide range of aftermarket ear tips. The nozzles are also integrated into the inner face rather than glued on like the Magaosi K3 Pro which insinuates greater longevity.



But despite their over-ear fit, the Exclusive 5 isn’t the most stable fitting earphone due to its heavy weight and slightly smaller size which permits some movement within the ear, eventually working them free. As such, they weren’t usable running or other vigorous activity but they did stay put fine during general commute and home listening. In addition, the Exclusive 5 is a vented earphone with an obvious opening on the front face and a smaller port on the inner face. Isolation is above average but considerably worse than the fully sealed King; they are not ideal for noisier areas and definitely not for air travel however, their bassier sound does somewhat offset their reduced ambient noise reduction.



And like every other TFZ Exclusive earphone, the 5 utilizes a non-recessed 0.78mm 2-pin removable cable that was reliable during extended testing. The connectors are slim and low profile, exiting the earphones at a comfortable angle. The pre-moulded cable guides are not obtrusive but provide absolutely no support as they are incorrectly angled. In culmination with the 5’s heavy housings, this only exacerbated their unstable fit. That being said, the rest of the cable is very good, TFZ are using a smooth, braided silver plated copper cable that is super supple and well resists tangles, better than the stiffer unit on the King in fact. The cable is also well designed in terms of durability with outstanding strain relief on both the plug and y-split. Unfortunately, the plug isn’t case friendly, I had to remove the case from my X7 and HTC 10 in order to achieve a reliable connection.



Sound –



The TFZ Exclusive 5 is another earphone that demonstrates that a simple, well-done driver setup can provide some stunning results and at a reasonable price to boot. The 5 implements a single dynamic driver with the same dual circuit graphene diaphragm as the King. However, one would not postulate, given the Exclusive 5’s smaller 9mm driver as opposed to the 12mm driver in the King, that the Exclusive is actually the more vibrant, dynamic earphone and not just of the two but in general. Where the King was all about balance and high-frequency detail, the Exclusive 5 rewards listeners with a super clear, engaging listen that is still very technically impressive.



Tonality –

The Exclusive 5 is a V-shaped earphone with a powerful sub-bass response followed by a mild treble boost and a more recessed midrange. They are a great departure to the TFZ King with essentially the opposite tonality though their tuning and presentation are similar in that the both earphones carry a similarly clear, resolving sound with a more aggressive detail presentation. The Exclusive 5 is also more v-shaped than the Kinera H3, it is similar to the K3 Pro with more sub-bass emphasis and less mid-bass bloat. The Exclusive 5 also has a more coherent treble response than the Magaosi though they don’t resolve quite as well as the updated but more expensive K3 HD.



Soundstage, Imaging and Separation –

With their slightly recessed midrange, the Exclusive 5 produces a nice presentation with abundant space and separation though imaging does suffer slightly on behalf of their more sculpted tuning. Unlike a lot of earphones, the 5 is more depth biased, with expansive vocals and instruments and above average width that never causes compression. They aren’t a huge sounding earphone, but their clear tuning can create a convincing sense of space when the track calls for it. In addition, the exclusive 5 has excellent separation, they are actually more separated than the more mid-forward King and Kinera H3 though they don’t sound as clean as the Basic. Imaging isn’t bad on the when compared to the competition around this price but they clearly lack the speed and precision of the King and their slightly more incoherent high-frequency response does compromise placement in a lot of instances.



Drivability –

The Exclusive 5 is an efficient earphone with a sensitivity of 107dB and a lower 24ohm impedance. While it isn’t quite as efficient from lower powered sources as the King, the Exclusive 5 is appreciably easier to drive than the K3 HD/Pro and Kinera H3. Being a single dynamic driver earphone, the Exclusive 5 doesn’t experience any impedance swing from higher output impedance sources, sounding tonally identical from my HTC 10, Laptop and Fiio X7 II. The Fiio X7 II did provide a notable improvement with regards to bass tightness and sub-bass control though treble didn’t become notably more coherent than the HTC. They don’t respond exceptionally to amplification since they are very sensitive but if you are hiss sensitive, the Exclusive 5 can relatively easily discern hiss from noisier sources.







Bass –

The Exclusive 5 has a notably emphasized bass response when compared to the King, they even outstrip the Kinera H3 and Magaosi K3 HD in terms of outright quantity. However, the 5 retains much of the quality provided by the King and their style of bass emphasis is far more tasteful than the more bloated K3 HD and Simgot EN700 Bass. The majority of the Exclusive 5’s emphasis lies within sub-bass with a little extra mid and upper bass imbuing their low end with a sense of richness without encroaching on their lower midrange. And where a lot of similarly priced in-ears struggle with sub-bass extension, the 5’s easily matches the King and H3, even giving the Oriveti Basic a run for their money in terms of overall bass slam. For electronic, rock and pop, the 5 provides a tight but super solid thump to sub-bass notes with a lively mid-bass response that never comes across as tubby or boxy. They have a very clean sound, again, not dissimilar to the Basic which is a great thing in my books. While they don’t possess the low-end warmth of the H3 and K3 HD due to a relative dip in upper bass fullness, the 5 is rich, lush and achieves separation that these earphones don’t glimpse.

Of course, due to their emphasis, some muddiness and bloat is apparent, though their more restrained mid-bass and more even integration with sub-bass provides an appreciably more nuanced and textured bass response to the Magaosi and Simgot earphones. Bass probably takes the biggest resolution hit from the King, their additional quantity also coming with a layer of dampening that saps them of some bass definition. They also lack the excellent speed of the King; when listening to faster rock songs, metal and electronic, the 5 could get a bit lost where the King rarely ran into an issue. That being said, I still found bass generally more revealing on the Exclusive 5 than the Simgot EN700 Bass, K3 Pro and lower TFZ Exclusive earphones. But while the exemplary Kinera H3 is appreciably more textured and the King has clearer, more immediate bass details, the Exclusive 5 is easily the most dynamic and engaging of the bunch. If you’re looking for outright bass slam and thump without sacrificing too much bass quality, the Exclusive 5 provides a more aggressive alternative to the Oriveti Basic.



Mids –

Being a clearly v-shaped earphone, midrange details can and often do come across as slightly distant and recessed though they retain a lot of the exquisite clarity and resolution carried by the more expensive King. As such, the Exclusive 5, like the Magaosi K3 HD, tends to draw attention towards midrange elements through their clear, more aggressive tuning, providing a skewed sound but one that has greater perceived balance than their V-shaped description would suggest. And it’s no surprise that the Exclusive 5 has a slightly brighter tonal tilt with somewhat recessed lower mids leading into a more present but smoother upper midrange. It’s a really enjoyable, insightful presentation that many listeners will love. If you’re a big jazz and vocal listener, a warmer, more natural earphone like the Kinera H3 or Simgot EN700 Bass will likely suit you better, but the Exclusive 5 is so delightfully dynamic, engaging and vivid, easily besting both in terms of clarity, resolution and vocal layering.

However, this presentation isn’t all good, of course, the Exclusive 5’s midrange does not sound particularly natural to me, especially when compared to the Kinera H3 and Oriveti Basic, with their notable clarity boost making vocals sound quite raspy. Strangely, this quality is actually more noticeable with male vocals than female vocals, listening to Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like” and the Exclusive 5 provided a guilty pleasure level bass response with excellent detail and clarity combined with a really pleasing sense of midrange resolution and layering. However, both Mars’ and background vocals did sound somewhat unnatural, not thin but quite raspy and dry. How much this bothers you will depend on the type of sound you are accustomed to and your preferred style of tuning and the Exclusive 5 is certainly no worse than something like the Magaosi K3 Pro. And upper mids are largely improved though their smoother character does rob the Exclusive 5 of that immediate sense of resolution possessed by the King. Listening to “Officially Missing You” by Tamia, and the 5 provided a crisp, detailed presentation of acoustic guitar along with silky, layered female vocals. The Exclusive 5 wasn’t quite as impressive as the King in terms of outright quality though they are still a resolving and well-tuned earphone. So despite their more dry lower midrange, buyers will still find plenty of enjoyment in TFZ’s more dynamic offering, especially those that fear the King’s aggressive, forward upper midrange will not suit their preferences.



Treble –

Being a v-shaped earphone, highs tend grab attention more than the King since they lack the upper midrange aggression and presence of TFZ’s Exclusive flagship. And, like their bass response, the Exclusive 5 has that layer of smoothness on top which trades some of the excellent detailing and resolution of the King for a little extra listenability and musicality. But besides the difference in quantity, the actual tuning of that treble is quite similar to the King albeit with less of a middle treble spike. This makes them a sparkly, more detail-forward earphone though treble notes are more natural than their midrange; texturing and extension are both fantastic though treble is still a bit on the thinner side. Listening to “Carry On My Wayward Son” by Kansas and the Exclusive 5 provided great separation between the electric guitars and cymbals with a pleasing sense of both clarity and texture to all elements. However, high details weren’t quite as raw as the King nor were they as coherent.

In terms of detail retrieval, the Exclusive 5 still gets a bit uneven in their high-frequency response to retrieve details like more expensive, more linear earphones such as the Kinera H3 and Magaosi K3 HD. However, the Exclusive 5 sounds more coherent than the older K3 Pro and extends appreciably further than the Oriveti Basic, it also demolishes older earphones like the Shure SE215 when it comes to high-frequency reproduction. The King is noticeably faster throughout, the Exclusive 5 getting more overwhelmed with more complex, faster-paced songs even though separation is excellent. That being said, extension is great, high hats sound accurate and any roll off rarely presents in average listening. They also have a nice sense of air and shimmer to notes and their shortcomings in outright detail retrieval and texture are relative to the more expensive King, K3 HD and H3 so I would still consider them to be a very strong performer around this price.



Verdict –

It’s easy to see the common trends with these affordable Chi-Fi iems, many are immensely impressive with a few outliers providing truly price beating performances. However, many are still lacking the refinement of the earphones in the next price class up, some may rival earphones like the 1More Quad Driver and Pinnacle P1 in certain aspects but overall, they aren’t as linear and coherent. The Exclusive series so far has come the closest to these earphones in technical ability, but their tuning is a bit raw. Similarly, more tonally correct earphones around this price simply lack the engagement and technical foundation to compete.



The Kinera H3 and King still possess the most pleasing balance of tuning and technicality to me but that’s not to discount the Exclusive 5 as a very realistic and logical choice for buyers looking for some more clarity, resolution and sub-bass impact. The Exclusive 5 also has a class leading build and a super ergonomic if heavy design that easily outclasses earphones at and far above their price. While they do give up some speed in pursuing this more weighted sound, the Exclusive 5 is nowhere near as heavy handed in its execution as a lot of budget earphones.

Verdict – 8.75/10, TFZ have produced yet another impressive fully-featured sub $100 earphone that provides a more dynamic alternative to the King and H3 whilst retaining much of the quality of both. Their bass response and build quality, in particular, are truly outstanding. Buyer’s looking for an affordable, featured and vibrant earphone should look no further than the Exclusive 5.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed my review, please have a look at my website for more just like it:
https://everydaylisteningblog.wordpress.com/2017/08/06/tfz-exclusive-5-review-salted-caramel/

Greetings Head-fi,

I was introduced to the TFZ brand with the top of line model in the Exclusive series, the aptly named King. The King made a pretty strong first impression with a signature that seemed to display what one would think of as your typical 'audiophile' sound. It's slightly warm, treble and mid-range focused sound oozes detail and clarity with a low end that, relative to the norm, is a little reserved in quantity. From top to bottom the King is swift, powerful, and controlled and I felt it was a very successful attempt by TFZ to bring a 'high end' sound to a more reasonable price point.

Today we're going to be looking at the third model in this series. Unlike the rest of the offerings in this lineup, the 5 goes all out with solid steel housings that match their heavy handed signature quite well. As a result, this is my personal favorite of the Exclusive lineup.

Let's check them out in greater detail, shall we?

Disclaimer:

The Exclusive 5 was purchased from Penon Audio at a discounted rate for the purposes of review. There is no financial incentive for writing this review, and all thoughts and opinions within are my own. They do not represent TFZ, Penon Audio, or any other entity.

At the time of this review the Exclusive 5 retailed through Penon for 92.90 USD; https://penonaudio.com/TFZ-EXCLUSIVE-5


Packaging and Accessories:

TFZ really nailed the packaging on the Exclusive 1, 3, and 5, though like on many Chinese products, some of the translations to English came out a touch wonky.

Unlike most packages, it's quite long and slender measuring in at around 21 cm x 8 cm x 4 cm. All text is printed in a very clean, well-pressed silver foil. On the front is the model number, 'Double Magnetic Circuit Graphene Unit', and TFZ's logo. Flipping to the back where you would normally expect to see specifications or features is some customer service information, manufacturing details, and a quote:

"Perfection, elegance, courage & insight. Trendiness will facilitate wearing TFZ to become a part of your wonderful life."

Lift off the lid, which is admittedly easier said than done (just watch the unboxing video), and you're greeted to a cardboard sheet with more writing:

"Make every song ambilight. Beautiful like the stars."

I'm not sure if ambilight was the word they were going for. A quick search online shows that Ambilight is the name of an ambient lighting technology designed for Philips televisions; http://www.philips.co.uk/c-m-so/televisions/p/ambilight

Slid out the cardboard sheet to the earpieces set in a hard plastic display case, the cable Velcro wrapped neatly in a space beneath. The accessories, instruction manual, and warranty card are contained within a smaller cardboard box that mimics the primary design. When it comes to accessories, TFZ gives you a healthy does;

- soft pleather carrying pouch (black on the Exclusive 5, white for the rest of the lineup)

- one pair of medium bi-flange tips

- small bore silicone tips in s/m/l; a second set of mediums comes pre-installed on the 1

- wide bore silicone tips in s/m/l; a second set of mediums comes pre-installed on the 3 and 5

- cable clip

- one pair of foam tips (not included with the 1; the set that most benefits from them)

Overall TFZ did a great job here. While it's only cardboard and plastic, the quality of the packaging materials is excellent and the layout is interesting. It's subtle, professional, and makes you feel like you're getting something really nice. Because you are.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The Exclusive series uses the same low profile, teardrop shaped design for the 1, 3, and 5, incorporating more premium materials as you move through the lineup. The 5 is available in three colors; blue, silver, or black. I thought they all looked amazing from the pictures, the blue in particular. The silver color I was sent shows off the all-metal housings of the 5, something no other model in the Exclusive lineup features. As a result, the 5 comes across as the most durable solid of the bunch. It's also quite heavy, giving the Exclusive King a run for it's money.

One possible area of concern regarding durability that is shared between the 1, 3, and 5 is the two pin connector. It is not recessed at all meaning there is little to no protection for the pins. If you were to sit on these earphones by accident, I would not be shocked to see the pins snap. Recessing the connector into the housing, which thanks to the clear inner body of the 1 shows there is space to do so, would alleviate this worry. On the other hand, as it is currently you could swap over a wide variety of alternative cables without having to worry about them fitting into the housing. This seems like a very universal 2-pin setup.

The 5 uses a black sheathed and slightly thicker version of the excellent silver cable found on the King, swapping out the sleek 45 degree angled jack and slender y-split for much chunkier options. The y-split is now a thick disk with the TFZ logo, and the jack attached to a pudgy straight plug that probably isn't going to fit into a large number of cellphone cases. Leading into the housings you find a very effective preformed ear guide. I'd take this any day over memory wire because it's flexible, more comfortable, and doubles as strain relief. It also helps keep microphonics (cable noise) to a minimum. The only other qualm I have with this cable is it's tendency to tangle upon itself. Other than that's it's great.

Speaking of comfort, the design for these new Exclusive in-ears is exceptionally comfortable. Like the 1, the 3 almost completely disappears once inserted. The extra weight brought on by the metal face plate makes the 3 slightly more noticeable though. Either way, the earpieces are very compact with rounded edges so there is nothing to catch on your ears or cause hot spots and discomfort. My only concern for comfort once again leads us to the removable cable's plugs which are squared off with defined edges. When trying to sleep with the earphones in place I could feel them poking my ear.

When it comes to isolating yourself from the outside world, the Exclusive 1, 3, and 5 are pretty average when compared to other dynamic driver based earphones. All three have a prominent vent on the exterior of the earpiece so you'll have to up the volume a bit to counter incoming noise, but not excessively so. I was expecting these vents to be a hindrance when outside on a windy day, but to my pleasant surprise you really only hear the wind rushing past when it hits at a specific angle. For the most part, they do a great job of cutting through the wind silently.

Overall the 5 is a well built and comfortable earphone with a very smooth design. My only criticism is levied at the plug design which juts out far to much. There is plenty of room inside the housing to recess the plug further in which would aid in perceived durability and serve to clean up the design a bit.

Specification:

Driver: 9mm double magnetic circuit Graphene unit
Impedance: 24 ohm
Sensitivity: 107 dB mW
Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 40 kHz
Lowest Power: 8 mW
Material: All-metal

Sound:

Tips: The preinstalled medium, wide bore tips are the perfect match for the 5 to my ears. I felt zero needs to swap and as a result completed nearly all of my listening with them installed. If you find the treble a little too excessive, toss on the foams or included small bore tips. If you find the bass overbearing, you'll have to resort to EQ or try some other unique tips. None of mine did much to modify bass presence.

Source/Amping: The 5 is the most demanding of the bunch to drive, and it shows when paired with more powerful sources. Through my LG G5 it sounds good but lacks authority. Toss it on the Shanling M1 and it starts to wake up. Bass has some extra kick. Treble picks up some extra sparkle. Toss the Topping NX1 into the mix and those aspects improve further. Match it with the HIFI E.T. MA8 and wow. It becomes a whole new beast, even at low volumes. Bass punches hard. Treble is razor sharp, and the mid-range steps up and out. It becomes extremely engaging and authoritative, demanding your attention.

My first listen to the 5 served to confirm that it was pretty much exactly what I was hoping it would be; The King but with more bass. Like the King, it takes on a slightly warm, treble prominent, mid-ranged focused sound that has a well-extended, sub-bass focused low end playing support. In the case of the 5 it seems they dialed down the treble prominence a bit, added some extra weight and texture to the overall sound, along with a couple extra dB to the low end. It's not as audiophile-focused as the King, and that's alright. The 5 has a charm all it's own, and wow, does it entertain.

Just like the majority of the Exclusive lineup, the 5's treble is focused and sharp and not for the treble averse. The clarity and detail combined with impressive speed and accuracy is great for complicated tracks, but this also makes it very revealing. I found it quite unforgiving with low quality tracks, highlighting artifacts and other flaws in the recording.

Shifting into the mid-range is where the 5 really starts to engage me. It's more natural and powerful than anything else in the Exclusive lineup. Vocals have a certain presence to them that is hard for me to put into words. Guitars are rife with texture and grit in a way that few earphones I've heard can compare. It's a very musical and emotional presentation that doesn't shy away during particularly bassy or treble heavy moments in a track.

Bass is where the the 5 is at it's best in my opinion. The weight and power behind each hit is immense. The King was great in that it's bass was snippy and nimble while still offering up fantastic sub-bass rumble. The 5 is a touch slower and thicker, but it's so much more attention grabbing down low than the King ever could be. The texture this thing can pull out of a track is awe inspiring. When you've got this low end backing some vocal-focused EDM, like BT's Dreaming or Last Moment of Clarity, wow. Just wow.

All of the above-mentioned goodness would mean little if crammed into a sub-par sound stage. Thankfully, that's not the case. While the 5 has the smallest sound stage of the Exclusive series, what it does with it is just as impressive as the King. The precision and accuracy in the way sound travels is uncanny. Lots of black space between instruments with stellar layering and precise imaging.

Overall the 5 is a very engaging and powerful listen. As the weighty and textured sounding earphone in the Exclusive series, I found it the most engaging. I'm sure it will be too bright for those who are treble sensitive, and too bassy for those that want a more audiophile focused sound, but that's where the 3 and King come in.

Vs. Exclusive Series:

Exclusive 1: The 5 falls between 1 and 3 in terms of brightness. It takes the qualities of the 3 I enjoyed over the 1 and makes them even better. Even greater texturing and weight to it's presentation, further improved imaging, separation and layering. The only caveat is the 5's overall sound stage size is the least expansive of the lineup. Still, it's better than average and the way it moves sound around more than makes up for that small negative in my mind.

Exclusive 3: The 5 falls between 1 and 3 in terms of brightness. It improves upon the 3's already solid texturing, further improved imaging, separation and layering. It also has a more weighty presentation. The only caveat is the 5's overall sound stage size is the least expansive of the lineup. Still, it's better than average and the way it moves sound around more than makes up for that small negative in my mind.

Exclusive King: The 5 doesn't have quite the upper end prominence of the King and as a result makes for a less fatiguing listening, but only by a small amount. Their mid-ranges are comparable in quality with the 5 taking on a thicker, more weighted sound. Bass on the 5 has a lot more punch to it, and greater prominence all around.

Brief Soundstage Comparison with the 3:

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories - Touch

When Paul Williams started his singing after that creepy intro build (~1:50), he came across closer on the 5 vs. the 3. At around 2:30 when the cymbals and 70's 'wicka wicka' effect kicked in, they were further back and to the right on the 5. On the three they lost the depth but were pushed out to the sides a bit more. When the song picked up energy around 3:24 it sounded like it was playing in a wider but flatter plain on the 3 vs. the 5. Instruments were coming from the same locations, but it was much more defined with the 5; drums in front right, trombone (?) back right, piano's sprinkling on both sides just off centre, horns dead centre and forward, etc. The 3 has the larger sound stage, but what the 5 lacks in raw scope it more than makes up for with technical prowess.

Final Thoughts:

While I think the King is the best performer of the Exclusive lineup, the 5 comes exceptionally close and to my ears is more entertaining as a result of the more aggressive texturing and additional bass. Combine that with a smaller, more ergonomic housing and a more durable all-metal housing and you've got yourself a killer daily driver.

The 5 would benefit with some additional refinement to the design, specifically around the removable cable system, and a smoother treble response. As-is, it is still an excellent earphone and one of the most enjoyable I've experienced around 100 USD.

They get a solid 4.25 stars out of 5 from me.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Test Tracks:

Aesop Rock - Crows 1

Aesop Rock - Maintenance

BT - The Antikythera Mechanism

The Crystal Method - Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes)

Daft Punk - Touch

Gramatik - Bluestep (Album Version)

Godsmack - Hollow

Godsmack - One Rainy Day

Incubus - 2nd/3rd/4th Movements of the Odyssey

Infected Mushroom - Deeply Disturbed

Infected Mushroom - The Legend of the Black Shawarma

Jessie J - Bang Bang

Kiesza - Hideaway

King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black

Pink Floyd - Money

Skindred - Death to all Spies

Supertramp - Rudy

The Prodigy - Get Your Fight On

Witcher 2 Official Soundtrack