ALPHA & DELTA AD01 (very late) Review :



CONSTRUCTION: 7.5/10
DESIGN: 7/10
SOUND: 7/10
VALUE: 7/10


Alpha and Delta is a very promising earphones company from Singapore that aim for quality instead of quantity and have create 6 different iem up to date. There goal is to stay budget friendly while delivering good sound quality, wich their last model call the Alpha & Delta D6 show perfectly.
Now, for the AD01, there first attempt, they try to create something for the mass with a bass oriented soundsignature that will entertain the basshead while keeping enough details and clarity to be enjoyed by music lovers as well, these I think aren’t mean for critical listiner or audiophile but more for youngster that enjoy bass driven music and want to make a first step in good quality audio.



CONSTRUCTION, ACCESSORIES AND DESIGN :



Very pleasant unboxing experience with lot of extra eartips of all type, ear hook and cable clip. As well a good quality protective case is include. It look like A&D give lot of attention to details when it come to product presentation ,as we can see with the cute little box that contain eartips.



A&D do not idle on construction, always goind toward durability for their iem, AD01 is no exception and have a built like a tank housing made of thick (and heavy) polish metal. As well, it come with all copper detachable cable of average quality this time.



For design, i’m a little more reserved due to the iem being very big and heavy wich will not suit every type of ears and even if it do not fall from my ears I guess I look dumb wearin. As well, not having MMCX connection but an old type of connection that make you dependant to their store when it come to buy extra cable is a drawback for me becaus yes, I would be curious to try a SPC cable with the AD01 because the one caming with it are just basic copper one, sure they are cute and have the advantage not creating microphonic, but these days its either MMCX or 2pin connection so I don’t see the goal of this type of cable choice.



SOUND :




Overall impression of the sound is rather positive if I forget the 100$ asking price for a V shaped soundsignature that hesitate between darkness and warmnest and struggle with complex music or anything that need a well controled bass or treble. This is a very wide sounding IEM with big impact and pumped but not detailed and well layered bass that without sounding completely boomy is stilla little muffly and well, immature sounding. Treble curve help mids being more hearable than low grade V shaped IEM and we have some details to enjoy, but attack decay and speed is above average in this price range, as well, no sparkle to be found and layering is kind of veiled.



BASS have pumped up impact that lack resolution where the sub and mid bass mix togheter and gain in weight but not really in energic thickness, it can be too slow for very fast electronic or jazz rock, but can deal great with some rap like Sudan Archive wich is very well mastered and clean sounding by its own. These are freakin basshead earphones where A&D try to keep the mids not too recessed, even if there some bass bleed it do not feel it veil them, its more the whole overall sound that feel little veiled in fact and lacking enough texture in lows to make the punch enough fowards as we can heard in RAGE track from Rico Nasty where everything sound as a big wall of sound without lot of deepness to it, so in some sens, the bass sound cavernous but at the same time in your face wich is a very strange experience that lack realism. Anyway, bass is energic and do not sound boomy, so it will not be a problem with excellently mastered music.



MIDS are warm but have some magic trick extra grainy resolution that make them just okay and not completly overshadowed by vast bass, its not really an IEM for instrumental music because violin or piano lack treble and details, but it do okay and have laid back non fatiguing approach that can be still enjoyable for some jazz and such. Transient response is well coordonated in all range but lack in finess, transparency and layering. Vocal can slightly sound hissy because of upper mids peak, but they have above average resolution for a bassy tuned iem.



HIGHS are roll off in upper region and non fatiguing, as the most fatiguing aspect of these iem is bass. It have enough treble to show details and some push in lower high but it do not really help percussion to shine and be easily hearable, even snare lack fowardness here, but the bigger problem is even if soudnstage is wide it do not feel clean as well as having enough air in all the space to make precise sound have well spoted presence. Overall, the AD01 is slightlydark in this region even if whole sound have lot of grain to it.

COMPARAISONS:




VS NiceHCK M6:
Around 100$, the M6 is well tuned comapred to AD01 and even if both have good bass energy, the separation from mid and lower bass of M6 is in another league as it have better separation in whole sound spectrum. Mids of AD01 feel congested compared to M6 wich is in the middle, well separated and barely recessed. Both M6 and AD01 are onthe warm side without fowards highs but M6 because of great layering due to its multi driver implementation (Dual DD+4BA) is clearly more detailed even if less fatituing.

VS Macaw GT600S:
Bass of AD01 have more impact even if less textured, its more energic and weighty and give a more exciting fun sound. Soundstage of AD01 is wider while the one of GT600S is deeper and cleaner. Mids of GT600S are more fowards and textured but somewhat thinner than AD01. GT600S have more fowards highs and details and can be fatiguing for treble sensitive people in this aspect, M6 are more permissive in this region.



CONCLUSION as said, isn’t as disastrous as it can look , because these AD01 are quite enjoyable and fun to listen with some (simple well recorded) beat driven music, but unfortunatly it’s a minority of them. The V here lack resolution and details retrieval to create an enough clear sound and I say that using very clear and detailed sound source (Ibasso DX90 and Xduoo X20). As well, I feel at 100$ we can find lot of better IEM because last years competition in budget earphones go crazy. All in all, this AD01 is an average sounding classic V shaped earphones with wider than average soundstage and great fun for beat driven enthusiast but not for audiophile or critical listener (wich wasn't the consumer targeted).

Lend Me Ur Ears is a name that many in the portable audio world know and love.  They are known for being a distributor of quality audio products to many around the world.  In the past I have really enjoyed the Vsonic brand in which LMUE is an authorized dealer.  However, recently I was contacted by headfier @nmatheis asking if I would be interested in testing and reviewing a brand new in house product by LMUE the Alpha & Delta AD01 IEM.  What follows is my experience with the AD01. 
 
Specifications:
•   Driver unit: 9.8mm and 6.0mm Dual Dynamic Driver
•   Rated Impedance: 9 Ohm 
•   Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW 
•   Frequency response: 10Hz- 25KHz 
•   Rated power: 10 mW 
•   Maximum input power: 30 mW 
•   Plug: 3.5mm dual-channel plug 
•   Cable: 1.30 mm 18N OFC cable
 
Accessories:
My review unit came packaged in a fantastic box and is labeled Alpha & Delta with an AD01 sticker in the bottom right corner.  Immediately the presentation of these earphones impress!

 
Upon opening the box you will notice that the body of the earphones themselves are in fact separate from the cable.  Which of course means removable cables! This is a great feature and not one that you often see at this price.  Also included are a nice selection of biflange and single flange silicone tips a pair of foam tips and a nice hard case to use on the go.  Also included are a pair of ear guides to use when wearing these over the ear and shirt clip.

 
Build Quality & Fit:
The AD01 is one solid earphone! I personally did not have any issues with the build quality of the earphone itself during my time with these.  I must agree with other reviewers in saying that the cable on these can tend to be a little stiff and springy.  Also of note is that it is not very clear as to which earphone is the left and which earphone is the right.  Some clearer markings would have been helpful here especially given the fact that these come with removable cables.  Speaking of….removable cables!!! That is awesome to see and very welcome at this price point!
 
Isolation:
Isolation is actually better than what I thought it would be.  I found that they were reasonably effective at blocking noise but definitely not at the level of my old etymotics or even my aurisonics rockets.  Of course tips and proper seal can make a difference here as well.

 

Microphonics:

Microphonics were never an issue for me during my review period.  I wore these cable down.

 

Sound:

LMUE has something really fun going on here with the AD01.  These were very enjoyable to listen listen to but definitely not for someone looking for immense details and clarity.  The bass is certainly elevated withthe AD01 and I would certainly classify this as a warm sounding earphone.

Lows: As I noted above the loves are accentuated in the AD01 and they are without a doubt the most prominent feature of the sound signature.  Midbass is king with the AD01 and the lows present themselves front and center.  I could see many bassheads very happy with these in the under $100 price range.  Overall, bass tends to be a little slow and it can ever so-slightly bleed into the mids.

Mids: The mids of the AD01 can be categorized as slightly warm and smooth.  Unfortunately for those that really enjoy mids these can be a little recessed.  The clarity and the detail of the mids are just fine but as soon as a song calls for bass the mids are simply overshadowed.    

Highs: The highs are not recessed but do not expect to be blown away by insane amounts of treble.  If you are looking for clarity on the level of the B2 you will be better served elsewhere.  I personally found there to be more of a presence in the highs than the mids but once again the bass is the star of the show here with the AD01.  On the bright side is the fact that most will not consider the AD01 to be very fatiguing due to the little emphasis placed on the upper highs.
Soundstage: I found the soundstage of these to be average in this price range.  It is not something to brag about but certainly not so closed in that they feel congested.
 
Conclusion: Overall, I feel that these are pretty good for the price LMUE is asking and an awesome debut earphone from them.  I cannot wait to see what they will offer in the future.  Once again a special thank you to LMUE and @nmatheis for organizing the tour and allowing me to participate.

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Preamble:

Lend Me UR Ears is a dealer for audio products and based in Singapore. Besides their online shop, LMUE also has got an Amazon shop as well as a local storefront that is opened Monday to Saturday from noon to 7.30 pm.
Alpha & Delta is LMUE’s very first own brand and the AD01 (http://www.lendmeurears.com/alpha-delta/) their first own in-ear creation, a dual-driver with two dynamic drivers per side. The Alpha & Delta AD01 is modularly built, which means that both earpieces as well as the cable can be purchased separately in case that one of them breaks, which is really commendable. Replacing the parts is easy as well.
The in-ears are available in two colours (silver and black), an upgrade cable can be bought, too.

The Alpha & Delta AD01 in-ears were sent to me free of charge by Lend Me UR Ears’ Teo for the purpose of an honest evaluation. I should have originally posted this review months ago in the past year, but something seemed to have gone wrong at the mailing route in Germany and the parcel was returned, but the second delivery this year was successful. Thanks, Teo!


Technical Specifications:

Price: SGD 130/~ USD 93
Driver unit: 9.8mm and 6.0mm Dual Dynamic Driver
Rated Impedance: 9 Ohm
Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW
Frequency response: 10Hz- 25KHz
Rated power: 10 mW
Maximum input power: 30 mW
Plug: 3.5mm dual-channel plug
Cable: 1.30 mm 18N OFC cable


Delivery Content:

The in-ears arrive in a navy blue cardboard box that can be flipped open and has got a shiny silver Alpha & Delta logo on the lid. Inside, it is bolstered with velour. The amount of included accessories is quite ample: besides the in-ear bodies and the cable, a carrying case with loop, one pair of foam tips, three pairs of double-flange tips, three pairs of regular silicone tips as well as three pairs of hybrid silicone tips (“Sony-style”) come included.

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The upgrade cable arrives in a small black pouch, along with one pair of cone-shaped silicone tips.
 

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Looks, Feels, Build Quality:

The in-ear bodies are made of black, machined aluminium and don’t show any flaws in terms of build quality – they even feel somewhat premium and very solid. As the cables are replaceable and the in-ears modularly built, there are no side-markers on the in-ear bodies themselves but solely on the cables in the form of letters (additional coloured side-markers would probably be useful).
The connectors are 2.5 mm DC plugs, similar to MEE M6’s, however they aren’t rotation-locked on the AD01 (but still sit quite tightly).

The carrying case doesn’t look super premium and could be somewhat better made on the inside, however it is still very sturdy and protects the in-ears, just like it should.

The regular black cable reminds me of the one used by SoundMAGIC and on the Brainwavz M3, however it is a bit more flexible and less springy. The angled 3.5 mm connector, y-split and 2.5 mm DC connectors have got really good and commendable strain relief; a chin-slider (cable cinch) is also present. Overall, the cable leaves a positive impression.
The upgrade cable is haptically quite similar to the black one, meaning it has got the same excellent strain relief. In contrast, the metal elements are silver and not black, and the coating is clear, wherefore the copper litzes can be seen. The upgrade cable is more flexible as well.
 

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Comfort, Isolation:

The in-ear bodies aren’t overly large, so the in-ears should easily fit most people.
In my large ears, the AD01 sit very comfortably and securely. I have worn the in-ears with the cables over the ears, along with using the cable cinch, wherefore microphonics were entirely eliminated. Nonetheless, even when wearing the in-ears straight down, microphonics were relatively mid.

Isolation is on a good level and definitely above average, however still a bit below entirely closed in-ears.


Sound:

My main sources for listening were the iBasso DX80, LH Labs Geek Out IEM 100 and HiFiMe 9018d.
I used the upgrade cable as well as the largest included black silicone tips.
Although I don’t believe much in burn-in (with headphones), I burnt the AD01 in for 100 hours with noise and sine signals.

Thoughts on the Upgrade Cable:

I am someone who is very sceptical towards the sound of cables as long as they don’t influence the sound because of measurable parameters, for example a different cable’s inner impedance in combination with multi-BA in-ears. That said, I was also somewhat sceptical when using the upgrade cable for the AD01. I indeed seemed to hear a slight difference in terms of control and clarity, but it was easily explainable as volume output was very slightly louder with the upgrade cable than with the standard one.
I just want to leave it at that, as objective listening comparisons between cables are barely possible.

Tonality:

A small side-note regarding the tonal differences between the Sony Hybrid-style and regular black silicone tips: sonically both types are very similar sounding – the largest difference is that the hybrid tips have somewhat less level in the middle highs, hence sounding more relaxed – the difference isn’t super large though.

I would describe AD01’s tonal tuning as bass-heavy with a (much lesser) upper treble emphasis for compensation – therefore it is a quite common “consumer-oriented” tuning that tends towards a v-shape.

The lows are the central element and dominate the sound. With about 13 dB at the climax, the lows’ emphasis is quite ample. Sub-bass doesn’t really roll off, however it softens a bit. The focus lays on mid-bass; from there on the emphasis decreases evenly with the shape of a hump towards the mids where the emphasis stops at about 800 Hz. As a result, the fundamental area is quite lush and the lows don’t only appear mighty and voluminous but also warm, with mids that are still more or less natural considering the strongly emphasised bass, however voices and instruments in this area are warmer than they should be and are also a bit overshadowed by the lows that spill into the lower mids. Between 1 and 2 kHz, level is neutral and very even, wherefore vocals sound still quite good despite the added warmth; above, the treble is evenly in the background in the upper lower and middle highs. 6 and 7 kHz are more in the background than the rest and guarantee for a smooth, relaxed sound and quite good long-term listenability. At 9 kHz is a rather bread-banded peak that is above the ground-line, however it is rather mild and of much lesser quantity than the bass emphasis, it just compensates for the lows and helps that the sound doesn’t become woolly or muffled.
The v-shaped signature is clearly bass-focussed.
Above 10 kHz, level rolls evenly off.

What’s quite positively outstanding is that sound is very coherent; there is no audible transition between both drivers.
Who knows me and my reviews better should know that I don’t judge a headphone for its general tonal tuning as long as the mids are tonally quite correct and the upper treble extension is good. For the price, extension above 10 kHz is still good, however I have to subtract some points for the midrange: despite the mighty bass, it sounds quite natural, but is audible on the warm side with deeper voices, with slightly too much warmth and lushness – a somewhat lower starting bass emphasis would probably have been slightly better for the mids.


Ensuing is a frequency response plot of the in-ears:


 
Please note that it wasn’t recorded with professional equipment but with my Vibro Veritas coupler that was pseudo-calibrated to more or less match a real IEC 711 coupler’s response with applied diffuse-field target, hence the results shouldn’t be regarded as absolute values but rather as a rough visualisation. Especially at 3, 6 and 9 kHz, there are sometimes greater deviations from professional plots – but for a general, rough comparison between various in-ears and a rough idea of how they sound, the results are sufficient.

Resolution:

Positively, there is no audible transition between both drivers; transition is very cohesive and unobtrusive, unnoticeable.
Starting with the highs: they are quite detailed and sound harmonious, mostly very natural. Here’s really nothing I could blame.
The mids are slightly overshadowed by the strong bass emphasis, however they are still able to keep authority, although they sound slightly less detailed than the highs. On their own, the mids sound quite good though.
The big drawback in the system however are the lows: the bass is clearly more on the boomy than punchy side, more spongy than dry and more slow than fast. With more demanding music, lows lose contour and begin to sound muddier; the bass also softens towards the sub-bass.
Overall detail retrieval is about average for the price – neither super outstanding nor particularly bad.

Soundstage:

In my ears, AD01’s soundstage is slightly wider than average, with good spatial depth and height. The relation between depth and width is very natural and the soundstage is round as well as harmonious.
Layering and instrument separation could be slightly more precise and less foggy nonetheless.

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Compared to other In-Ears:

Brainwavz R3:
The AD01 is so much easier to insert and comfortable – despite (or probably because of?) my large ears, I struggle to get a secure fit with the R3 and getting a seal also takes quite some time, whereas inserting the AD01 is extremely easy.
The Brainwavz is tonally very balanced sounding, with a slightly dark neutrality. The only thing it could be blamed for is that the mids are a bit on the darker side.
In terms of detail retrieval in the mids and highs, both in-ears are about comparable – both have about similar resolution in the treble and a midrange that is slightly less detailed. Where the R3 wins however is the bass: R3’s lows are easily more controlled and faster.
A01’s soundstage is deeper, R3’s is a bit wider and has got the slightly cleaner instrument separation.

Havi B3 Pro I:
The Havi is much more balanced sounding and has got a very natural, moderately warm signature with slightly elevated upper treble (with the stock tips I am using).
The Havi is an extremely good in-ear for its little price, although there is one thing I can’t describe closer and that makes me not to like it entirely for 100% - probably a phase anomaly? Nonetheless, the transition between both drivers sounds slightly inconsistent (however just very minimally) – here, the AD01 sounds more coherent in my ears, however the Alpha & Delta can’t compete with the B3 Pro I when it is about resolution, bass speed and spatial precision: the Havi is a distinct level above and offers unbelievable value for its price.

TTPod T1 (non-E):
TTPod’s (that I consider as a very good overall in-ear for their price) signature is a v-shape as well, however a much tamer and more natural one.
T1 has got audible less bass and is quite a bit brighter in the treble department – sometimes even slightly too bright.
T1’s midrange resolution is slightly better, however its highs sound less natural and are a bit gimmicky, faking resolution with the emphasis. Despite the treble that is more in the background, AD01’s detail retrieval in the upper frequencies is clearly better and sounds more natural as well. As long as there are not too many fast or complex bass lines on the recording, details in the lows are comparable; generally speaking, detail retrieval is about comparable with both in-ears, however the T1 slightly wins in the mids and the AD01 in the treble.
The T1 isn’t known for super-fast lows (although they are faster than some other in-ears’), but sounds quite controlled and clean – AD01’s bass sounds muddier, boomier and less controlled when the music speeds up.
In terms of soundstage, AD01 slightly wins because of more spatial depth; both are about comparable regarding spatial presentation and precision.


Conclusion:

Are the AD01 in-ears worth their price? Yes, they are, especially if you are looking for this kind of sound – but keep in mind that there are some technically superior models for less money, however none of them with a similar tonality. Who is looking for a tendentially v-shaped sound with full-bodied lows that are clearly in the focus will find solid in-ears with the AD01.
Their snag is definitely the bass which is rather blunt, rather slow and can’t handle fast music with authority. If the bass would be more refined and faster, the AD01 would be good in-ears for the price – they are not bad as they are now (they are quite solid), have got good spatiality, offer a good amount of accessories, are well made, offer replaceable cables, a really well made treble and are bass-heavy however without any muffled midrange, but can’t handle faster music as good as other similarly or lower priced in-ears.

67% or 3.35 out of 5 stars.
My suggestion: tighten up the lows and the AD01 will be a really good basshead in-ear.

At the time of the review, the Alpha & Delta AD01 was was on sale on Lendmeurear’s website. Here are a couple links to their listing of the product:
 
http://www.lendmeurears.com/alpha-delta/
 
As you can see by clicking on the link, there are various styles and options we will go over in this review.
 
Introduction
The market for lower to mid-fi earphones is flooded. If you aren’t active in Head-Fi threads and researching products and releases on a daily basis, it’s easy to get lost in all the hoopla. It can be a tough when faced with our particular budgets, and have to pick out the best earphone for our lifestyles and preferences. Head-Fi is a valuable resource because there’s reviews for just about every earphone there is.
 
We all know the big players in earphones. What Head-Fi does is give us reviews on many of the more popular brand’s models and also the new companies that are trying to get established. One thing is for sure, the newer companies are hit or miss, and some of them bring new earphones to market having no idea what the game of in-ear monitors is all about.
 
The AD01 is a unique entry into the world of earphones. Alpha & Delta is owned and operated by a vendor (Lendmeurears). I feel this gives them a competitive advantage. Not only do they understand the game of in-ear monitors, they have a website in which they market and sell their product. Today we will cover the AD01 with a comprehensive review.
 
Disclaimer
I was given an opportunity to review the AD01 as part of a tour and in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I am in no way affiliated with Lendmeurears. I would like to take this time to personally thank Nikolaus (nmatheis) for the opportunity to be part of this tour.
 
My Background
I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
 
There’s something about quality DAPs, DACs, Amplifiers and Earphones that intrigues me, especially if they can be had for low prices. I will buy the $5 to $500 earphone that looks promising, in hopes that I will discover that one new gem that can compete with the big names in this industry. If you look at my Head-Fi profile you will see that I have purchased MANY different headphones and earphones, ranging from from dirt cheap to higher end products. For me, this hobby is more about getting great price to performance ratio from a product, and have a variety of different gears with varying builds and sound to mix and match. With personal audio gear, we tend to pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that just because a headphone has a higher price tag, it doesn’t mean that it has superior build and sound quality.
 
I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me the “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different builds and sound signatures as long as they are ergonomic, and the sound is pleasing to the ear. It is my pleasure to share my experiences with audio products and make recommendations based gear I have owned and used.
 
REVIEW

The AD01 comes in a royal blue box with a sophisticated Alpha & Delta logo stamped in silver leaf on the front. The back and sides of the box are blank.
 

Opening the package I’m greeted with a nice layout of the housings, a bag of accessories and the cable. Removing the top foam panel, there is a is a nice sized semi rigid cloth zipper storage case along with a lanyard and some earhooks.
 
Specifications and Accesories
 

Specification:

1. Driver unit: 9.8mm and 6.0mm Dual Dynamic Driver
   
2. Rated Impedance: 9 Ohm
   
3. Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW
   
4. Frequency response: 10Hz- 25KHz
   
5. Rated power: 10 mW
   
6. Maximum input power: 30 mW
   
7. Plug: 3.5mm dual-channel plug
   
8. Cable: 1.30 mm 18N OFC cable
   
   

Accessories:

1. 1 pair of foam tips
   
2. 3 pairs of biflange tips
   
3. 6 pairs of silicon tips of various sizes
   
4. 1 hard case
   
5. 1 pair of ear guides
   
   

 
Housings

The housings of the AD01 are a black all metal barrel design. There is a venting hole at the back of the housing and at the base of the nozzle. The nozzle is a pretty standard design. I had no trouble tip rolling with them.
 

The detachable cable connects to the bottom of the housing at a ninety degree angle.
 
NOTE: The AD01 comes in two finishes. Black (pictured) and silver (not pictured)
 
Cable, Y-Split, Cable Jack, Strain Reliefs
The cable of the AD01 is a black 18N OFC cable that is on the thin side, but seems very durable. It has a considerable amount of spring and memory. The cable connect via an exclusive connection that appears to be a combination of a MMCX and DC plug. I really like the design and feel as though this is an improvement over a standard MMCX adapter. The Y split has a black metal jacketed housing with a chin slider that snugs flush with it when not in use. The jack is a ninety degree gold plated plug with a metal and rubber jacket. Strain reliefs at all plugs are adequate and well built to withstand the test of time.
 

Also included in the tour package was an upgrade cable offered by Lendmeurears. It is a 32N OFC cable that is slightly thicker than the stock cable, but is in a clear jacketed rubber cable that reveals the inner wire. Aside from being slightly thicker and having a different appearance, the upgrade cable offers the same Y-split, cable jack and strain relief features but also with a different appearance. Lendmeurears claims that the upgrade cable tightens the AD01 bass and makes them more detailed. I didn’t notice a significant upgrade in fidelity. If there is, it isn’t a night and day difference to my ears.
 
Functionality
The AD01 is a plug and play device. I didn’t get any microphones or remotes with the AD01. Plug them in, play music, enjoy, repeat.
 
Ergonomics, Fit and Microphonics, Isolation
Fitment on the AD01 is pretty standard. It is a barrel shaped in-ears with a ninety degree plug. They can be worn cable down or over the ear. The provided chin slider is a nice touch that helps snug things into place. As always, finding a tip that seals well is necessary for maximizing the sound quality of the earphones.
 
Cable down, the AD01 has better than average microphonics, but it is still present to a degree. Worn over the ear microphonics are pretty much eliminated.
 
Sound Review
I did my demo with my usual gear. I used an LG-G3 with the latest firmware for portable and smartphone use, and either my Shanling H3 or Sony Walkman F806/Cayin C5 amplifier for a high fidelity portable use. For desktop use I used my Toshiba Satellite Laptop in combination with a HIFIMEDIY Sabre ES9023 USB DAC/Bravo Audio Ocean Tube amplifier with a Mullard 12AU7 tube for higher impedance, and a Fiio E18 USB DAC & Amplifier in both high and low gain. Both were run at 24 bit, 96000 Hz. I also tested them with other DAPs and amplifiers as well. I used Google Music downloaded in its highest download quality (320 KBPS) and I also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I also used purchased and downloaded tracks in MP3, FLAC, WAV and DSD. I make sure that any gear I test has sufficient playtime before writing a review.
 
I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake (bass speed, punch, response)
“Doin’ it Right” by Daft Punk (sub bass)
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk (bass to midrange transition resolution, male vocals)
“Madness” by Muse (soundstage, separation)
“Some nights” by Fun (soundstage and male vocals)
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela (texture and imaging)
“Bassically” by Tei Shi (bass to midrange resolution, female vocals)
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie (female vocals, acoustic playback)
“One” by Ed Sheeran (male vocals, acoustic playback)
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack (symphonic presentation, imaging)
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits (detail, separation, balance)
“And Justic for All” by Metallica (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
 
Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to assess and break down the gear’s response.
 
Source Selection
At nine ohms the AD01 is incredibly easy to drive and sounds good through just about any source you plug them into. The bass forward tuning makes them very forgiving. They do have the ability to upscale with better sources and higher bitrate files. Listen to the AD01 with a neutral source and high quality recordings for best results.
 
Sound Signature
The dual dynamic driver design of the AD01 is basshead audiophile material. They have an authoritative punchy bass that can dig deep. This forward bass is complimented by a pretty neutral midrange and treble that compliments the rest of the signature without making the AD01 seem either harsh or rolled off. The overall feel is an engaging and entertaining sound.
 
Bass
The bass on the AD01 kicks like a mule. It is punchy and dynamic bass that digs deep when the track calls for it. It will satisfy the needs of most bassheads, but is in a good spot that it can be enjoyed by the masses. The forward nature will impact the rest of the sound, but thanks to the dual drivers it is able to pack this much bass wallop and still have a decent amount of separation. The AD01 does this while avoiding a case of the dreaded mid bass bleed.
 
Midrange
Listening to sounds when the bass wasn’t playing, the AD01 midrange seemed neutral and polite, with a decent sense of clarity and detail. There didn’t appear to be any type of upper midrange boost. All in all it was pretty smooth. The thing to note is that when the bass hits, separation of sounds is good but the amount of punch and rumble puts the midrange in the back of the pack. The AD01 is not midrange forward, that’s for sure.
 
Treble
The treble follows follows suit with the AD01 midrange response. It sits in a good spot that it’s hard to pick apart. I would describe it as universally polite. It is not what I would consider extended or rolled off. It isn’t sibilant, and it isn’t lacking crispness. It really is in good balance with the rest of the frequencies so it can be enjoyed for long listening sessions.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
The dual dynamic’s strong and dynamic bass presence in combination with the reasonably clear midrange and treble gives the AD01 a better than average sense of soundstage. The booming bass prevents me from being able to get a solid sense of imaging.
 
Comparisons
 
VSONIC GR07BE ($85 to $135 USD on many sites)
The GR07BE is a hall of famer that will be a part of my collection for as long as they hold up. The Biocellulose driver offers a slight V-signature with what to this day is still some of the most responsive and satisfying bass I’ve heard in an in-ear monitor.
 
Comparing the two, the first thing to point out is that the AD01 has a boomier and more boosted bass response. The GR07BE bass is tighter and more enjoyable to my ears. The midrange and treble of the GR07BE is more forward. Overall resolution goes to the GR07BE. Treble on the GR07BE is more extended, but can also be sibilant and fatiguing at loud volumes. I prefer the treble response of the AD01 as it sets up for more enjoyable less fatiguing listening sessions.
 
Build goes to the AD01. They offer all metal housings and detachable cables as compared to the plastic housing and attached cable of the GR07BE. Ergonomics also goes to the AD01 as they can be worn over or under the ear (GR07BE is over the ear only).
 
Accessories is a draw. Both offer a large selection of tips and a case/pouch.

 
Zero Audio Duoza ($110 to $130 USD on many sites)
The Duoza gained quite a following after their release. Their design was pretty awkward (the look like Frankenbolts when wearing them) but there’s no denying their impressive sound presentation. The Duoza offers a forward bass presence with awesome overall clarity and separation.
 
Comparing the two, again the AD01 has more bass presence and is more boomy in nature. Although the bass of the Duoza is more controlled, I enjoy the AD01 bass more because it has better sub to mid bass balance. Duoza has some of the best midrange I’ve heard and is considerably better than the AD01 to my ears. Treble is similar on both.
 
Build again goes to the AD01. The flimsy attached cable of the Duoza is almost laughable. Ergonomics also goes to the AD01. Their shape is more conventional and conducive for owners to get an easier and more versatile fit.

 
Conclusion
The AD01 is a bass lover’s earphone with complimentary frequencies that help them present a very enjoyable listening experience. If you are in the market for a basshead-meets-audiophile earphone for around one hundred dollars, make sure to consider the Alpha & Delta AD01.
 
Thanks for reading and happy listening!
 

First of all, big thanks to Lend Me UR Ears (LMUE) for the review sample of Alpha & Delta AD01!
Alpha & Delta is LMUE house brand, and AD01 is their first product.
 
http://www.lendmeurears.com/alpha-delta-ad01-black/
 

 
 
 
Through my journey in head-fi world, I've heard of IEMs that are technically superior but lacking of the subjective musical enjoyment. On the other hand, there are IEMs that may not sound technically outstanding, but musically pleasing, and highly enjoyable. Alpha & Delta AD01 is leaning more to the later, while still being technically excellent.
 
Alpha & Delta AD01 is a two ways IEM, using dual dynamic drivers on dual concentric configuration. It uses 9.8mm and 6.0mm dynamic drivers, with rated overall impedance of 9 ohms. The cable is detachable using 2mm DC connector, the same type as older Nokia phone DC connector for charging, so durability has been proven. There are not many IEMs in this price category to feature detachable cable, so a plus point for the features. My usual concern for multi-driver IEMs is coherency between the drivers. But after extensive listening, I don't hear any coherency distortion from AD01. The 2 drivers are very coherent, and sounding like a single driver configuration.
 

 
 
Before going into details, I like to start my review with summary. Please take note the scores below is based on the best matching setup that I've tried, which is using AudioQuest Dragonfly 1.0c DAC, iBasso DX90, and Fiio X3 2nd generation, the copper colour upgrade cable for AD01, stock white foam eartips, Comply T500 foam eartips, and large bore (red core) eartips (from Lunashop).
 

 
 
 
Estimated Sound Quality: 4/5 (Very Good)
Estimated Value (SQ/Price): 5/5 (Excellent)
Features & Build Quality: 5/5 (Excellent)
Noise Isolation: 3/5 (Good)
Microphone: No
Other Features: Detachable cable
 
Perceived level of:
Naturalness & musicality: 4/5 (Very Good)
Clarity: 4/5 (Very Good)
Detail & Separation: 4/5 (Very Good)
Holographic Imaging & Spaciousness: 4/5 (Very Good)
Dynamic & Transient: 4/5 (Very Good)
 
Silicone eartips:
Treble level in comparison to midrange: -1
Bass level in comparison to midrange: +1
Relax (-) to Analytical (+) balance: -1
 
Foam Comply T500 foam eartips:
Treble level in comparison to midrange: 0
Bass level in comparison to midrange: 0
Relax (-) to Analytical (+) balance: -1
 
Scores and levels:
 
5 - Excellent
4 - Very Good
3 - Good
2 - Acceptable
1 - Poor
 
+/- 1: Mild - Still within acceptable range for most recordings.
+/- 2: Moderate - Generally acceptable, but may start to sound a little too much on some recordings.
+/- 3: Strong - Generally sounds unnatural and too strong for most recordings.
 
 

Pros:

1. Excellent value, can be considered a giant killer IEM for bass lover. Deep and tuneful bass with good midrange and treble clarity.
2. Wide frequency response.
3. Detachable cable.
4. Various eartips for flexible sound tuning.
5. No driver flex.
6. Sounds good out of the box, no burn-in required.

 
 

Cons:

1. Left & Right markings are not clear.

 
 

Suggestions for improvements:

1. Clearer Left & Right marking for the drivers.
2. To include good quality large bore silicone ear tips and more variety of foam ear tips for various sound tuning.

 
 

Summary of Sound Quality:

1. Excellent smooth and full sounding all-rounder IEM.
2. Relatively balance tonality with some mild to moderate bass emphasize (eartips dependent).
3. Lively dynamic with beautiful bass. Bass sounds deep with powerful sub bass rumble for realistic live performance or cinematic experience.
4. Smooth and pleasing tonality with no irregular peaks and dips in the frequency response, mildly warm, with good level of clarity, detail, and upper treble extension.
5. Treble has decent sparkle, and quite immune to sibilant.
6. Very good stereo imaging for realistic cinematic holographic illusion.

 
 

Recommendation:

1. AD01 tonality is rather bassy, therefore it is not for those who prefer neutral transparent sound signature with lean, flat level of bass, but more for those who are looking for full and lively sounding IEM, with realistic powerful bass and good clarity.
2. Highly recommended for both music and movie, and probably one of the best IEM for realistic cinematic experience.
3. Large bore eartips and Foam eartips such as the Comply T series are recommended for a more neutral, less bassy tonality.
4. Need decent source or player to sound best, bass may sound a little loose and boomy from lower quality player such as mobile phone.

 
 

Fit and comfort:

Generally very good, no issues with fit and comfort so far. Bullet shape design is generally more flexible, can be worn both over the ear or straight down, and can be easily inserted deep into the ear canals.
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
[size=24.57px]Sound Quality[/size]
 
The way reviewer describe sound quality will be more or less influenced by his/her personal preferences, recordings they use, and other equipment used for the review. Definition of balance perceived tonality has some degree of variation between different people. My personal preference on tonality, I prefer balance sound that has good amount of bass and sub bass, natural sounding midrange (not too warm or analytic), with smooth and transparent treble. I don't consider neutral tonality with lean flat bass that sometime called as 'reference' or 'purist' tonality, as balance, as I mostly perceive it as thin sounding. I like good quality bass at realistic level, with deep sub bass rumble and extension. But as much as I love good quality bass at realistic level, I really hate loose, boomy, and bloated bass. To me both bass quality and quantity are equally important. The same goes for midrange and treble, good balance and natural sounding clarity is a must. But too much clarity that sounds unnatural and analytic is not pleasant and I consider as bad remarks. Midrange and treble must be pleasantly smooth and transparent with good level of detail.
 
So far, I tried not to be restricted too much into a particular sound signature, and learn to appreciate wider variety of sound signature. I try my best to evaluate IEMs or headphones by considering their unique sound signature. For example, bassy IEMs are to be evaluated as bassy IEMs, and how they perform within their category of sound signature. For example, if personally I prefer analytical sound signature, and I judge an excellent bassy IEM as bad because they are bassy and are not matching my personal preferences, I think it is more of a personal opinion, and not a fair judgement for a review.
 

 
 
Now let's discuss a little of how human ears perceive balance tonality. When looking into various equal loudness contour graphs, there are quite great differences between the older Fletcher-Munson graph (1933) and the newer and updated ISO 226:2003 graph (2003).
http://www.macfreek.nl/memory/Sound_Level
 
For example, looking at the graph for 80 phon loudness (my average music listening level), at 63 Hz which is the bass area, Fletcher-Munson curve is indicating 88.0 dB (SPL) and the ISO 226:2003 curve is indicating 98.4 dB (SPL). That is more than 10 dB (SPL) of differences which is quite significant. My definition of balance tonality, especially for bass area, is most probably closer to ISO 226:2003 curve than the Fletcher-Munson curve.
 
Another interesting observation is the 'Golden Ears Target Curve':
http://en.goldenears.net/419
Golden Ears applies around 6 dB of bass boost in its target curve for earphones and headphones, as compared to the flat target curve for speaker. So, it seems that my preference of mild bass boost for earphones and headphones is in line with Golden Ears target curve.
 
From all the IEMs that I have, and have tried, 1964 Ears V3 tonality is so far the closest to what I perceived as balanced tonality, followed by DUNU DN-2000. 1964 Ears V3 probably has around 2 dB higher level of bass than DN-2000. And AD01 has around 4 dB more bass than DN-2000. So AD01 bass is only around 2 dB higher than 1964 V3, but with stronger sub-bass.
 
Thanks to InnerFidelity for the measurement of AD01:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AlphaandDeltaAD01.pdf
Compared to DUNU DN-2000 measurement:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/DunuDN2000.pdf
 
The bass level in comparison to 1 kHz on AD01 is around +13 dB higher, while on DN-2000 it is around +9 dB. And treble level of AD01 is about -3 dB less than DN-2000.
 

 
 

Bass

Some AD01 users described AD01 as bass heavy, some said a bit bassy, it's all boils down to personal preferences of bass level. To me, it is a bassy IEM, but only mildly bassy. I won't say AD01 is a basshead IEM, because the overall tonal balance is still more or less quite balance in my book, with only a few dBs of bass emphasize, not yet in the category of bass heavy IEM such as Future Sonics G10 for example. And the bass can be reduced a little by using larger bore silicone eartips, or foam eartips, such as Comply T series, for more bass reduction. The small bore stock eartips is rather bassy and cut a little bit of the treble. Using wider bore ear silicone eartips make AD01 sounds more balance with better treble clarity. Speed and texture of the bass are good, not the best, but good enough and doesn't sound lazy and bloated. The sub bass extension is simply one of the strength of AD01. We can hear realistic sub bass rumble and vibration which is important especially for movie, or listening to church pipe organ recordings. Even many much more expensive IEMs rarely have such good sub bass quality. So, though it has some emphasize on bass, but AD01 does it in a nice and tuneful way, not the brute force boomy and bloated kind of emphasize. AD01 bass is beautiful, powerful, and addictive. And I consider it as the strength of AD01. Comply T series foam ear tips reduces the bass by probably around 2-3 dB, brings it to a more neutral level. The stock white foam ear tips, though sounds good, but it has stronger bass than Comply T series. I'm not a fan of foam ear tips, but this time, it works really well on AD01, and highly recommended when bass level reduction is preferable.
 

 

 
 

Midrange

The midrange is natural and smooth sounding, but not overly smooth. I can still observe the different level of smoothness from different amplifier using AD01, and that means the midrange detail is actually pretty good. Midrange sounds full, but not warm, and not analytical either. The bass does creep a little bit into the midrange adding some fullness to the midrange, but it doesn't ruin the midrange detail and clarity. Vocal has good clarity and a little laid back in presentation. To me the midrange simply sounds natural with minimum coloration. A little smooth and relax, but still with good level of detail, texture, and dynamic.
 

Treble

The treble is smooth and linear with good level of extension, clarity and sparkle. Not for treble lover, because the level of treble is slightly below the midrange, and may be perceived as slightly soft, but not lacking either. The good thing is, the treble has good upper treble extension, reaching quite high, and free from peaks and sibilant. So this is a friendly IEM for treble sensitive people.
 
Another interesting signature of AD01 is the sensation of sounding big, a holographic illusion of big space, with clear and distinct instrument separation. Though AD01 sound signature is not the transparent type, but stereo imaging is spacious, good depth with impressive holographic imaging. It is quite rare an IEM with smooth and bassy sound signature like AD01 to have such a spacious stereo imaging. Beside the bass, this is another character of AD01 that I like most. Deep good bass with spacious holographic imaging are really good recipe for realistic cinematic experience for movie.
 

 
 
What I like most from AD01 is its liveliness and musicality. It practically sounds good and highly enjoyable to almost any recordings I tried. Sometime bassy IEM like AD01 is not very suitable for large scale orchestra where we need to hear plenty of detail, clear instrument separation, and most important spacious holographic imaging. But to my surprise, AD01 done it quite well. From classical to modern large scale orchestra, AD01 put a smile on my face. Not only the bass is so addictive, AD01 spacious holographic imaging is also very impressive. Presentation is big and spacious. Only on some Chesky binaural recordings that I found AD01 is lacking a little bit of airiness and transparency. But other than that, it is a great all-rounder, especially for bass lover.
 
 
AD01 performs differently using different players. I can hear clearly the difference of sound quality using different DACs and player. This is a good indicator, indicating that AD01 has good capability to reveal the sound quality of other components. I found that my desktop DAC, Yulong DA8 is a little too warm and bassy for AD01. With source like Yulong DA8, I agree that AD01 is a little too bassy, but AD01 performs differently with different source, so it is not always too bassy. Though my Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone drives AD01 adequately, it is clearly not the best player for AD01. From Galaxy S4, AD01 bass sounds loose and a bit boomy, lacking of speed and tightness. I found that the 10 ohms output impedance of Centrance DACport reduces the bass a little bit, making the AD01 less bassy. Cayin C5 DAC also controls the AD01 bass pretty well, but the midrange and treble are a tad grainy. Bass is tightest and fastest on AudioQuest Dragonfly 1.0c DAC. Treble is also more transparent with better overall imaging and spaciousness. On the go, iBAsso DX90 and Fiio X3 2nd generation are good match for AD01. Generally AD01 is easy to drive, but demand matching player to sound best.
 

 
 
 
 

Comparisons

 

 
 

Comparison with my current reference IEM, 1964 Ears V3 (universal fit)

Tonality wise, there is some similarities between the two. 1964 Ears V3 is more linear and balance, like AD01 with around 2 dB less bass and around 2 dB more treble. Bass it tighter, faster, with better texture on 1964 Ears V3, and treble is more sparkling with better texture as well. Most obvious is the level of perceived detail and clarity that, as expected, is better on the 1964 Ears V3. For movie, AD01 wins the low bass rumble. While 1964 Ears V3 is better on other sonic characters. Beside the different emphasize of the tonality, what I like from both are the smooth frequency response that sounds natural to my ears.
 
 

Comparison with other dual dynamic drivers IEMs

 

 
Comparison with ATH-IM50 (one way dual dynamic)
Those who like ATH-IM50 sound signature will most probably like AD01 as well. They share the natural bassy signature, with more or less similar level of bass emphasize. IM50 emphasizes more on the mid bass, faster attack and punch harder with slightly better bass dynamic, while AD01 has more sub bass, therefore bass sounds bigger with more sub bass rumble, but slightly slower. For movie, I slightly prefer the AD01 bass signature that sounds bigger and reaches lower. ATH-IM50 mids is more forward and intimate, while AD01 mids is more laid back. ATH-IM50 treble is a little rolled off on the upper end and slightly less sparkling than AD01 treble. If AD01 perceived as balanced, than ATH-IM50 is slightly 'n' shape with less sub bass and upper treble extension. But if we perceived ATH-IM50 as the balance reference, than AD01 is slightly V shape. Both are more or less are quite balance in my book. My personal preference leans slightly to the AD01. The slightly laid back presentation and the extra low end and upper end coverage makes the overall presentation bigger and more spacious. AD01 also has slightly smoother texture.
 
Comparison with ATH-IM70 (one way dual dynamic)
ATH-IM70 and ATH-IM50 sound pretty close. IM70 is only a tad more refined, a tad smoother treble. There rest are about the same. Beside the differences described above, one important thing to be mentioned is the fit and comfort. Both ATH-IM50 and ATH-IM70 are design to be worn over the ears, and due to the design, some people have issue with the fitting. AD01 conventional bullet shape design is actually more flexible for any wearing style, and also allow deeper insertion into ear canal. Therefore AD01 will be most likely has less fitting issue.
 
 
 

 
Comparison with Narmoo S1 (two ways dual dynamic)
When I tried AD01 for the first time, it immediately reminded my of one of my favorite IEM, the Narmoo S1. When I compared them, I was right, they surprisingly sound really close. So close that I guess they must be designed by the same IEM engineer, or at least using the same drivers. According the their website Narmoo S1 is using 10 mm woofer and 6 mm tweeter, while AD01 is using 9.8 mm woofer and 6.0 mm tweeter. They have the same sensitivity at 102dB/1mW (S.P.L at 1KHz), so I don't have to do any volume adjustment when comparing them. Most probably they utilize the same drivers. There is a slight difference in impedance; Narmoo S1 is rated at 10 ohms, while AD01 is 9 ohms.  Anyway, they sound surprisingly very close to my ears. After comparing them for hours using the same large bore ear tips, I would say their tonal balance is really close, like 95% similar. AD01 is like a tad smoother and more refined, slightly deeper sub bass, and has a few percents improvement in dynamic. There is a very slight difference in presentation, where Narmoo S1 is a little more forward than AD01. Besides that, other physical differences are, Narmoo S1 shell feels very light and some users reported slight discomfort from the knurling texture. AD01 shell feels heavier, smoother surface, and more solid. AD01 cable is detachable, and Narmoo S1 cable is not. I experienced driver flex with Narmoo S1, while there is no driver flex with AD01. So, are those differences justify the price difference? Depend on the priority. Some people prefer detachable cable, and some allergic to driver flex, so the price difference is justifiable. But those on tight budget, Narmoo S1 is really a good alternative for those looking for a fun sounding IEM with deep and good bass. Both are highly recommended in my book.
 

 
 
Comparison with MEElectronics M-Duo (two ways dual dynamic)
There is no contest here, AD01 sounds way better than M-Duo. M-Duo tonal balance is not natural, the midrange sounds muffled, bass is boomy and loose, the mid bass is over emphasized, and the high frequency driver doesn't sound coherent with the low frequency driver. I don't have to write further, AD01 is a clear winner here.
 
Comparison with TDK IE800 (two ways dual dynamic)
Though TDK IE800 is a dual dynamic drivers IEM, somehow I always have the impression that TDK IE800 sounds like an excellent dual balanced armature drivers IEM. IE800 has good micro detail, and share some signature of balanced armature IEM. IE800 has neutral, flat frequency response, especially from mids to treble. Bass level is slightly lower than my personal preference. Perceived like Bass -1 and Treble 0 in comparison to the midrange. IE800 has slightly better perceived detail and clarity as compared to the AD01, but lacking in dynamic, and also lacking in bass. IE800 always sound like it is a hard to drive IEM. Very good tonal balance but rather lacking in dynamic, similar to what I often hear from a good dual BA IEMs. Though tonality wise AD01 is not as neutral as IE800, AD01 offers a lot more power and oomph. Many recordings sound good on IE800, but for certain music like EDM, good dynamic is a must. IE800 sounds very good, but AD01 sounds more enjoyable.
 
 
 

Comparison with other IEMs in similar price category

 

 
Comparison with Yamaha EPH-100
Yamaha EPH-100 has a smooth 'dark chocolate' type of sound signature, some mild emphasize on the lower midrange with nice smooth chocolaty texture. A little more colored than AD01. EPH-100 is slightly darker than AD01, the upper treble rolls off earlier. AD01 has better frequency extension than EPH-100, more sub bass and more transparent upper treble. Bass to mid bass level is approximately about the same, but AD01 bass extends lower. EPH-100 tonality is somewhere close to ATH-IM50 and ATH-IM70, but with slightly less treble extension. EPH-100 has about the same smooth texture as the AD01. EPH-100 was one of my favorite front mounted micro driver IEM, but now I prefer AD01 over EPH-100 for a more spacious imaging and a more extended frequency response.
 
Comparison with Brainwavz S5
Brainwavz S5 emphasizes more on clarity, and sounds brighter. Perceived detail and clarity are better on S5. Bass is faster and punchier on S5, but also slightly thinner and doesn't have sub bass rumble as good as AD01. Bass is not lacking on S5, but clearly less emphasized. Both have smooth frequency response, but different emphasize. I indicated AD01 Bass as +1 and Treble as -1 with comparison to the midrange, and S5 would be Bass -1 and Treble +1. Both are very good IEMs, about in the same class, only different emphasize in tonality. Both represent my tolerable margin for bassy or bright IEMs. More bassy than AD01 I would call too bassy, and brighter than S5 I would call too bright. Currently 1964 Ears V3 is my reference for 0, or flat tonality. For movie and EDM, AD01 would be my choice. While for classical music, Brainwavz S5 is the better choice.
 
 
 
 

Features and Specifications

 
The stock black cable is a little coiling, and the upgrade copper color cable is more flexible and doesn't coil as much. As for the sound quality between the 2 cables, the difference is minimal. From what I can hear, the upgrade cable is only a tad more transparent and smoother, just a tad. While the black cable is a tad dryer in texture. I asked a friend of mine to compare the 2 cables, and he has more or less the same impression. Honestly the difference is very little, and not at the level that I might be able to pass in a blind test. IMHO, the benefit from the upgrade cable is more on the flexibility and the quality of the cable's jacket which does feel much better than the stock black cable.
 

 

 
 
I like the 2mm DC connector for the connection to the driver. The main benefit as compared to 2 pins connector, the cylindrical DC connector is rotate-able, so when wearing the earphones over the ears, we can just rotate it to adjust the cable placement on the ear to make the cable stays nicely on the ear. MMCX connector is also rotate-able but a bit loose, while the 2mm DC connector is more firm and doesn't rotate loosely like MMCX.
 
 

 

 
 

Specification:

Driver unit: 9.8mm and 6.0mm Dual Dynamic Driver
Rated Impedance: 9 Ohm
Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW
Frequency response: 10Hz- 25KHz
Rated power: 10 mW
Maximum input power: 30 mW
Plug: 3.5mm dual-channel plug
Cable: Detachable Y cable, 1.30 m, 18N OFC cable
Nozzle size: 4.5 mm
Colour: Black and Silver
 
 
 
I consider Alpha and Delta AD01 a successful beginning of LMUE house brand. I'm saying this not just for the sake of review, but I've been observing myself that since I have AD01, I've been reaching to it quite often, more than my other IEMs. Probably I'm in the mood for good bass. But to be honest, I like it a lot, and I placed AD01 in my list of highly recommended IEMs. Clearly one of the best bassy IEM I ever had. Kudos to Lend Me UR Ears!
 

 
 
 
 

Equipment used in this review:

 

[size=20.007px]Earphones / IEMs:[/size]

1964 Ears V3
Audio-Technica ATH-IM50
Audio-Technica ATH-IM70
DUNU DN-2000
MEElectronics M-Duo
Narmoo S1
TDK IE800
Brainwavz S5
Yamaha EPH-100
 

DAPs & DACs:

AudioQuest Dragonfly 1.0c
Cayin C5 DAC
Centrance DACport
Fiio X3 2nd gen
iBasso DX90
Samsung Galaxy S4
 

Computer & Player:

DIY Desktop PC: Gigabyte GA-H77-D3H-MVP motherboard, Intel i7-3770, 16 GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP1.
foobar2000 v1.3.3
 
 
 

Some recordings used in this review:

The Alpha & Delta AD01 is the prized first entry of popular reseller, Lendme Ur Ears. They decided to take a stab at the portable audio market, in particularly at the rather crowded $100 price point. It’s certainly a rather ambitious goal. Lets see if they have succeeded in making a splash in the seemingly ever-changing audio scene.

Before I begin I want to thank Teo as well as Lendme Ur Ears for sending me a review sample. If you would rather watch this review, please click on the link below, be sure to like, subscribe, share and comment! I look forward to hearing your feedback!



Design: At the time this review, the AD01 comes in two colours, the sleek black, and a “silver bullet” shade. The pair I have on hand is the black variation with a rather minimalist design, that’s sleek and subtle, reminiscent of a pellet. No branding is found on either the housing or cable, making for a difficult time identifying what company this earphone belongs to. On the flip side, this is quite refreshing in today’s society where we are bombarded with branding and logos left and right.

Overall: 7/10







Accessories: The AD01 comes with the following:
A protective shell carrying case with a lanyard strap
A wide assortment of eartips (3 pairs of narrow bore black single flanges, 3 sets of colour coordinated hybrids, 3 sets of wide bore biflanges). the tips are not of great quality and kind of "papery". I quickly replaced them with sony hybrids and spinfits
* A minor quibble. I would have preferred to have a mesh or pocket for the earphones and various included eartips*

Overall: 8.5/10



Build Quality- Very solid. The all-metal housing exudes a weighty but not intimating feeling. They come equipped with a pair of 2mm DC plug connectors (yes the AD01 come with a detachable cable feature). The cable connectors are secure and feel quite robust, requiring moderate force upon removal and insertion. Lend Me Ur Ears stated that the left and right earpieces are interchangeable are sold separately for easy replacement on their website. They also sell replacement cables in two configurations: the stock black cable and an upgraded bronze/copper, transparent cable (intended to improve sonically). Both cables feel well made, with good very well relieved joints, a compact y split with a strong cable cinch and terminate in L shape headphone jack. However, my issue(s) with the cable is that it tends to retain memory, and carries some cable noise. (the upgraded cable seems to be an improvement in these areas).
Overall: 8.5/10









Comfort- The housing is very smooth and is devoid of sharp edges that may carry the potential to cause irritation for some users. These earphones were designed to be very practical, allowing them to slip in out of your ears quickly, without fuss. (I preferred wearing these cable down, with the earphones sitting flush against my ears). The housing is on the chunkier side, so these may not be as comfortable as the tiny Hifiman RE400, due to the sheer footprint size. I found the soft wide bore double flanges to complement the AD01 on a comfort and a sound perspective, but more on the sound later.
Overall: 8.5/10





Isolation: I found the isolation to be slightly above average. The AD01 as pointed out my by friend nmathesis, is a multivented design, with a vent on the underside of the nozzle, and another vent on the rear side of the housing. That said I found the isolation to be sufficient for outside and commuting use, where I imagine is the environment the AD01 is intended for, see below.
Overall: 7/10




Sound: The AD01 is packed a 9.0mm and a 6.0mm dynamic driver in earpiece. Alpha and Delta had not divulged the materials and the arrangement of these drivers.
That said, in terms of sound signature, I would characterize the AD01 as a slightly V shaped, but takes cues from its competitors with a smooth, warm sound. This makes the AD01 a rather unique because the bass is rich and smooth, but because of the slightly emphasized treble, it doesn’t dull or sleepy.

I was also given the upgraded cable, that was described to improve the sonic performance of the AD01, I personally did not hear any differences between the two cables, but I preferred the upgraded cable because it retained less memory and I was quite drawn to the transparent bronze colour.

Let me clarify below:

Bass: The bass on the AD01 is above neutral. It’s walking a fine line between being bassy, and neutral with a very satisfying punch. The bass is robust and well rounded with a thicker, smooth mid-bass response with great depth and rumble down low without sounding overly boomy. The bass is well rounded with medium speed with a hint of looseness, but nothing overblown.

Midrange: The midrange is cleverly tuned, with good clarity without being buried behind the punchy bass by any means. The lower midrange is a bit on the thicker side, giving male vocals some warmth, with strong presence, and a bit of chesty sound. I don’t listen to much jazz or blues much on the tracks I did test them on, but it made Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble nice and rich. The upper midrange seems to be reined in a bit, to avoid strident female vocals and preventing saxophones from sounding overly energetic, but is slightly thinner, aiding in terms of clarity.

Treble: The treble is nicely detailed without sounding bright. The treble has a slightly emphasized lower treble, giving cymbals a nice crisp response, but tapers off to prevent any added sibilance. The treble is not what I would call “brilliant or ground breaking”, its nicely tuned to be snappy but can benefit with a bit more extension.

Soundstage: Due to the treble tapering off, the AD01 does not have quite have that airy soundstage, but has a nice left and right imaging, avoiding the congestion that warmer-sounding earphones typically suffer from.

Comparing with the Audio Technica Im70 ($150).
These are quite similar with a few notable tweaks. The AD01 has a similar characteristic in the bass, smooth and punchy abeit in the thicker end. However the AD01 has better extension down low, with a better sense of depth and rumble. The Im70 on the other hand, has a “lusher” and more forward warmer midrange, which makes vocals in particularly female vocals quite beautiful. Both are smooth sounding, but I would give the edge to the AD01 in terms of clarity.

Comparing them to the Dunu Titan 1 ($120-150)
The Titan 1 has the edge in terms of detail retrieval, and bass texture and clarity. But a common criticism of the Titan 1s, myself included is the brighter treble that’s a bit metallic, which can be a bit fatiguing for some listeners. This is where the AD01 fills that role, as a smoother alternative, but still has a healthy dose of “pizz zazz” up top.

Overall: 8.5/10

In conclusion,
I’m very pleased to say I can wholeheartedly recommend the AD01 as almost a complete package for someone looking for a slightly bassy all rounder, it comes with a wide array of accessories (plus detachable cables!) with a simple, and practical no- nonsense design. It also has a sound signature that is nicely detailed, that’s rich without being too rich, and is smooth without being completely devoid of energy. Great first entry Lendme Ur Ears! Easily one of my favorites!


Possible areas for improvement:
I hope that the cables have a both a visual and tactile marking to help distinguish between the left and right side (as the earpieces are identical, and interchangeable, this makes for a bit of a task when taking them out of their case
Providing pouches in the hard shell carrying case (2 ideally) to better fasten the headphones and accessories (cables and such).

Trading a bit of that bass for bit more extension in the treble.
The material on the hybrid silicone is a bit hard and brittle on my pair, causing it to rip, I hope for a softer material to be used on future iterations.







Overall: 48/60= 80%

 ​

 
 

You gonna get an amp now? ...or wait?​

 
 
 
 
 
 

SUB-BASS

 
(20-60Hz)

1. 20Hz
2. 30Hz
3. 40Hz
4. 50Hz
5. 60Hz

 
 

MID-BASS

 
(65-120Hz)

1. 65Hz
2. 75Hz
3. 85Hz
4. 95Hz
5. 100Hz
6. 110Hz
7. 120Hz

 
 

UPPER-BASS

(125-250Hz)

1. 125Hz
2. 150Hz
3. 175Hz
4. 200Hz
5. 220Hz
6. 250Hz

 
 
 
 
 

 

I think it's safe to say I got an offer to review these because they are good with bass

 
 
They are.
 
 
I always listen with an amp and a lot of eq boosting regardless of genre' as the bass will not show itself if it's not there.  no audio info..... no worry ......that a U.G.K track on a random shuffle playlist is gonna bass bomb the Led Zeppelin track that comes right behind it. It doesn't and wouldn't happen.
 
There is a lot of parroting of beliefs that are based on nothing and just generic good ole' fashion misinformation.  One would be that a pair of earphones in or out with an elevated low end response is not going to play well with certain genre' Really? Roger Waters does not sound like he punched out Nick Mason and unplugged David Gilmour's guitar while jumping on a stack of amps when my bass slope for a Hip hop track rolls right into a Pink Floyd track.
 
A flattish response curve is ideal for 2 simple reasons and one is that it will replay the track closer to the original mastering and second if one does want to manipulate the curve they have a much easier time if a flat eq is pretty much in-line with the curve.
That's it. Purist thinking. Very simple actually. That it's associated with expensive gear is a kinda weird joke.
The Sony MDR7506 or older versions are what the mixers of some famous music were wearing when laying down Phil Spector like "Walls of Sound"
They cost $88 bucks.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Now...
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
This is a dual driver set that has a lower end that is elevated. There is no roll off in the sub-bass. that would be a death blow for me as the only set of roll off music gear I own is the Sony MA900 and I make that work cuz they shine in many other ways. An IEM with little or rolled off bass is a non starter for me...we ain't going anywhere. Fleetwood Mac isn't gonna sound good and neither is 2pac.
 
The bass to mid transition which is the hardest zone to get right is nice in an M-Audio Q40 kinda way (to compare to an over ear) and that is high praise.
 
Now the mids go from about 300Hz-5000khz.
 
If this set has any issue it is somewhere between 850-2,500Hz.  The eq below is really simple and not un-common and took a thinness out of the replay and gave some body to everything.
 
 

 
 
 
The highs are really smooth and not rolled off like my Aurisonics 2.5 which cost me $800.00 here in Japan.
These AD01 are not on the same level but it shows that most everything has some kind of an issue somewhere along the line...literally and it happens to stuff that costs 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,$900.00.
 
 The highs were the nicest surprise as the talk of a "V" response gave me thoughts of piercing treble. Nope...didn't have that problem and it wasn't rolled...neat ******* trick for about $100 bucks
 
 
The only true issue is the power handling which is the rub....it's kinda perfect for a large group of folks. I listen to stuff with massive power and eq elevation and I'd kill these but I am a ******* relic. A Car Audio bass competitor who ported himself to personal audio. I'm in the minority.  I know that because i get a lot of PM's from folks asking for advice and the idea of an amp and an EQ seems to be too far a walk for them.  They got an ipod/iphone or a walkman and just want some ******* bass...what's with me and my vids? Is there any middle ground? What??
 
If middle ground is a set that plays Rock/Rap/Reggae and has no issue with electric or acoustic guitar and is just plug and play?...... than this is your middle ground. The bass is really really nice. They knew that and sent them to me or they are looking for a niche' and looking to the bassheads? Doesn't matter to me as they really are a nice tuned set and stupid cheap,lots of tips and well made.
 
That's a lot of WIN.
 
 

Unboxing vid
 

 

---

 

From the site:

 
Dual Driver Design for Excellent Sound Quality
In designing this IEM, we aimed to create a pair of earphones that has a strong punch bass while maintaining the overall clarity in the mids and the highs. To this end, a dual driver design is used for such purposes. 
Modular Design
AD01 also adopts a modular design. This means that that drivers and the wires can be easily replaceable if damaged or lost. The drivers and wires will be made available for sale separately.
Well designed connection pins    
For AD01 to use a modular design, the wires needs to be detachable. However, several existing solutions for the connector pins can lead to loose connection overtime. To this end, AD01 overcomes such build quality issues by adopting the 2mm dc plug connector pins which are extensively tested for reliability. 
Accessories: 

1. 1 pair of foam tips
2. 3 pairs of biflange tips
3. 6 pairs of silicon tips of various sizes
4. 1 hard case 
5. 1 pair of ear guides 

Specification: 

1. Driver unit: 9.8mm and 6.0mm Dual Dynamic Driver
2. Rated Impedance: 9 Ohm 
3. Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW 
4. Frequency response: 10Hz- 25KHz 
5. Rated power: 10 mW 
6. Maximum input power: 30 mW 
7. Plug: 3.5mm dual-channel plug 
8. Cable: 1.30 mm 18N OFC cable

 
 
 
 
 

---

 
There is no disclaimer. If you think I'd blow smoke up asses to play with a set of $100.00 IEM then you don't know me.
 
 
 
 
 Thanks to Lend me UR ears
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lend Me Ur Ear (LMUE) is a Singaporean-based dealer that has made many Asian brands, such as Vsonic and Fidue, available to the international market. LMUE is a dealer that I’ve personally purchased from before, and my experience with them has been very positive. After being in the business for a few years, LMUE decided to use the experience they’ve gained from being an audio retailer and create their own set of IEMs. The Alpha & Delta AD01 is a dual dynamic driver IEM that was the results of their efforts. The particular unit that I have is part of the North American Tour that a fellow Head-Fier and LMUE set up, and I’d like to give a thank you to LMUE for bringing us the opportunity to try their new IEM as well as for their great service!
 
I don’t think I know of any audio product under 100 dollars that is as well-presented as the AD01. The AD01 comes in a nice blue box that opens like a jewelry box. At a first glance of what’s inside, I’m immediately reminded of the packaging from Tralucent Audio, but watered down a few notches. There are different slots in the box where the cables, accessories, and housing of the IEM are as well as a few special slots for some extra ear tips. Again, for an IEM under 100 dollars, the presentation of the AD01 is top notch.
 
The AD01 also comes with a generous number of accessories. There are a good amount of silicon tips (the silicon tips look like they may be Sony tips), a pair of comply tips, an ear guide, as well as a hard carrying case. What’s also included is the optional upgrade cable, which can be bought on the side for an additional 30 dollars or so. I personally enjoy clear cables that allow me to see individual strands that are inside the cable. So for those that would like to score a few extra style points, the upgrade cable is certainly something worth considering, as it’s not overly expensive. LMUE also sell replacement earpieces, which I think is a fantastic service that they provide to insure that there’s a fairly economic way of replacing the AD01 if it breaks after its warranty. Big thumbs up to LMUE for offering this kind of service.
 
 
The AD01’s metal housing feels very sturdy while remaining relatively light. The cable, both stock and extra, are also very well build and very sturdy with good strain relief at the 90 degree angle jack. At 100 dollars, I think the AD01is a very well-built product.
 
The cable is detachable, and the connector reminds me very much of those used by Sleek Audio. I personally feel that the cable may detach a little too easily, and those that like to stuff their earphones in their backpack or purse and just go might have to search through their backpack to find one of the earpieces every now and then. That doesn’t mean the connection is loose though. When wearing the AD01, you’ll never have any issues with the connector coming off because of the cable being tugged at. Overall easy to use and simple design that works.
 
One downside to the earpieces being replaceable if damaged or lost is that there’s no right/left indicator on the housing itself. Instead, the indicators are on the cable. Unfortunately, the indicators are way too damn hard to read. Rather than having almost illegible R or L on the cable, I think simply a red and blue dot would have been much more effective.
 
Overall comfort of the AD01 is very good. The housing, while perhaps a bit bulky, is quite comfortable and lightweight. Its sound isolation is average, as it doesn’t insert particularly deep. The AD01 can be worn both straight down and over the ear with the ear guide provided – I’ve found both to work very well. Cable noise isn’t a big issue with the AD01, but is nonetheless present. I do find that wearing the cable over the ear reduces cable noise a bit and is my preferred method of wearing the AD01 because I hate cable noise.
 
I’ve had more time in the house during the week that I had with the AD01, so most of my listening was done with my desktop setup running Foobar > Schiit Wyrd > Asus Essence III DAC/Amp > AD01. The setup is probably a bit overkill for the AD01, but the AD01 isn’t particularly sensitive so the setup drives it quite well. In addition, I’ve been using this setup more and more for most of my listening, pairing the AD01 with it gives me a more consistent listening experience as well.
 
As a whole, the AD01 is a v-shaped sounding IEM with most of its emphasis on the mid bass and lower midrange, giving it a more colored and warm sound.
 
The bass is certainly big and bold, and one of the bassiest products I’ve tried in the past year or so. Bass impact is surprisingly good in terms of tightness in its punch for the amount of bass boost that the AD01 has, and the bass also extends quite well into the bottom end. I think LMUE did a respectable job bringing forth so much bass without the sound of the AD01 becoming boomy. However, I do find the caveat to the AD01 having such an accentuated bass is that bass texture and separation isn’t quite up to par with what it could be. The bassline of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” possibly the most badass bassline to ever exist, while punchy, didn’t really have the grit to its texture that makes it so satisfying for me. Overall bass decay is also a bit slow, which also adds to the bass’s separation and texture being a bit more difficult to distinguish.
 
The midrange of the AD01 has more emphasis on the lower midrange, and is fairly relaxed sounding overall. The accentuated lower end does color the midrange a bit, giving the AD01 a warmer and slightly thicker sound. The upper end of the AD01’s midrange is more recessed relative to the lower midrange and lower treble of the AD01, giving the AD01’s midrange a fairly smooth sound that, to me, is just a little lacking in detail. Despite that though, I do have to commend the AD01 for remaining clean sounding with relatively good separation despite its emphasis on the lower end.
 
The treble tuning of the AD01 is a bit interesting. There’s a peak at 3kHz and 5kHz, but then the AD01 takes quite a bit of a dive after 5kHz and eventually rolls of around 15kHz or so. The lower treble peaks are present, but not jarring to me. It gives instruments a bit more edge, texture, and crispness, which I personally like, but others may find a tad artificial sounding. Besides that, the treble is quite smooth, without any other peaks that would cause any excessive harshness. Extension is fine on the AD01, but the sound does begin to roll off past 15kHz. For that reason, while not closed-in sounding, the AD01 doesn’t offer the airiest or open sound.
 
Soundstage I think is fair on the AD01. It still fairly in-your-head, but does have a good sense of extension in all directions. Left/right imaging is pretty good overall, but the warmer and less airy sound of the AD01 doesn’t really allow for the most natural experience.
 
The sound signature of the AD01 isn’t really my cup of tea. The bass is a good bit more boosted than I’m used to and the midrange is just a bit too pulled back for me. The tuning is, however, very consumer friendly and certainly makes a whole lot of sense for its target audience.
 
 
The AD01 is certainly a good first effort from LMUE. The presentation and accessories that comes with the AD01 as well as the ability to get replacement earpieces is unseen in an IEM of its price. In fact, it’s hard to find such services at all. I think at its price of just under 100 dollars, the ability to replace the earpieces makes the AD01 a very safe investment that could save you a lot down the road. Despite that, I do feel that the price of the AD01 is just a tad steeper than I would like. While you certainly don’t get the benefits and services or the sheer bass punch of the AD01 in most other IEMs at a lower price, I do feel that you can get better sound for less – unless you really want the extra bass punch. There are IEMs that have enough bass to satisfy most people while retaining better detail than the AD01, so unless you’re looking to buy an IEM that you’ll be using for years and years down the road, I think there are other options available. Nonetheless, I do commend LMUE on putting forth their first IEM, and I am excited to see what else they can do.

A few weeks ago, my great Head-Fi pal @nmatheis contacted me and asked if I’d like to coordinate a Canadian tour of a new IEM from Lend Me UR Ears (herein known as LMUE). I knew of the company from their online store, but wasn’t aware they’d decided to try their hand at designing and manufacturing their own product. Initial information on the Alpha & Delta AD01 was that it seemed like a solid product with good build quality and a consumer-friendly sound signature. I’m always up for trying a new piece of kit, so jumped at the chance and said yes.
 

 
I am not affiliated with LMUE in any way, and was sent a sample the AD01 in order to try out the product, write an unbiased review, and coordinate the Canadian review tour. I have not derived any benefit as a result.
 
About the AD01
 
The AD01 is a dual dynamic driver (9.8 mm and 6.0 mm) IEM with solidly built metal housing (silver or black) and detachable cable. Cable connector is a 2.0 mm DC plug that fits snugly and seems very robust and durable. The 2 mm connector is shorter than that used on some other IEMs (like the newer T-Peos Altone series), which allows for both a sturdy connection and a reasonable housing cylinder length.
 

 

 
The cable seems very well made, with plentiful strain relief on connectors and the L-shaped plug, and at the y-split. There is a cinch for securing the cable when worn up around the ears. The cable has some spring to it, so the cinch is a necessity.
 
Product specifications include:

1. Rated Impedance: 9 Ohm
2. Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW
3. Frequency response: 10Hz- 25KHz
4. Rated power: 10 mW
5. Maximum input power: 30 mW
6. Plug: 3.5mm dual-channel L-shaped plug
7. Cable: 1.30 mm 18N OFC cable (black casing)

 
Standard accessories include:

1. 1 pair of foam tips
2. 3 pairs of bi-flange tips
3. 6 pairs of silicon tips of various sizes
4. 1 hard case

 

 
In addition to the standard black cable, the tour unit also came with an upgrade cable with a clear casing. I’m not 100% sure of how the cable differs from the stock black cable, but I did find the upgrade cable slightly less springy so used it exclusively in my listening.
 
Unboxing images:
 

 

 

 

 
About Me
 
Before getting into the review, a little about me. I’m 50 years old, and so probably have deficiencies in my hearing (in a recent, entirely non-scientific test I discovered I can’t really hear anything over about 15 kHz, with roll-of starting around 12 or 13 kHz, which is actually pretty good for someone of my vintage). I’ve been a music lover for decades, but am still relatively new to the MidFi/HiFi/Head-Fi game; I haven’t listened to a lot of high-end equipment, and am not an expert on the technical aspects of electronics or musical terminology. I have read a lot of reviews and threads on Head-Fi, and spend a lot of time on the site; as such I know what has been helpful to me in reviews and endeavor to provide what I consider useful insights to help others make decisions about items they might want to try, buy or avoid.
 
I listen to a variety of music genres, in particular, Classical (mostly mid 1700s to mid/late 1800s), Jazz (late ‘50s to early 70’s), Rock and some Prog-Rock (‘70s), ‘80s New Wave/Electro, and Trip Hop/Acid Jazz (90’s into 00’s). My preferred sound signature would be characterized by a good sub-bass presence, tight mid bass, and relatively linear, detailed mids and highs. I like my music quite lush and rich, but with a good level of detail. I’m not a bass-head, am not a big fan of anything too boomy, and don’t like highs that are too intense or harsh.
 
The Review
 
Without further ado, here are my impressions of the AD01. As I usually do, I’ve divided my observations into two sections: first straight listening for general AD01-specific sound characteristics, and second comparisons with what I consider to be comparable products. Before doing any critical listening, I used the AD01 as my sole IEM for a few days to adjust my ears and brain to the sound signature. General listening was done using my Hidizs AP100, and comparisons using the Fiio X3ii. Both DAPs are powerful enough to drive the IEMs used, so I didn’t bother with additional, external amplification.
 

 
General Listening
 
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977): Usually when I do listening evaluations of DAPs or headphones, I pick one song from a variety of albums, with each chosen to showcase different elements of audio performance. I was going to choose a Fleetwood Mac track, but wasn’t set on which and had to do some dishes, so I decided to just listen to Rumours from start to finish and figure out a review track as I went along. About three songs in it came to me that this is perhaps the perfect review album as it has a mix of vocal styles, great instrumental variety and detail, and energy levels ranging from slow ballads to energetic, more rocking numbers.
 
Have to say it’s been a while since I enjoyed this album as much as through the AD01s. Bass is punchy, with excellent quality in both sub- and mid-bass. Kick drum and bass have good rumble and attack, and although bass is somewhat emphasized, there’s no bleed or impact on quality of mids and highs. “The Chain”, with thumping kick drum and energetic bass line is a revelation. Mids are a touch on the dry side and very slightly recessed, and highs have a nice sparkle and clarity without being harsh or fatiguing. Stevie Nicks’ vocal tracks sound wonderful, with her raspy, throaty voice beautifully clear and detailed on “Dreams” and “Gold Dust Woman.” Christine McVie’s smooth, silky voice is airy and intimate, with hushed stillness to the softer sections on “Songbird”, and energy and dynamism when she pushes a bit harder on “You Make Loving Fun” and “Oh Daddy.” Lindsey Buckingham’s vocals are a bit subdued on tracks like “Don’t Stop” and “Go Your Own Way”, but still have nice tone and detail. Highlight for me throughout the album is the guitars; both electric and acoustic have a glittering presence, with super clarity and detail. “Never Going Back” with its picked guitar is a lovely listen, with nice left-right separation, while the sharp electric guitar solos in “Go Your Own Way” have energy and a piercing quality, though without harshness. And again on “The Chain,” the dobro and piercing electric solo all have wonderful quality and definition. Throughout the album, guitars, high hat, snare and other higher frequency sounds have a crispness that gives an almost holographic feel to the music and impression of soundstage.
 
Dire Straits – Dire Straits (1978): So, figured I’d do a play-through of another favourite album. Again, guitars rule! “Water Of Love” opens, and features thoughout, some gorgeously picked guitar, and this is clear and crisp, but not jarring. Mark Knopfler’s vocals are detailed and textured, but a touch subdued and lacking impact; there’s that mid dryness again. Bass and kick drum are lively and prominent without taking over, with the bass opening to “Six Blade Knife” really thumping, driving and energetic, while guitar wails and sings sweetly and clearly up on high. High hat on “Setting Me Up” is brilliant, tap-tap-tapping along to good effect. “Sultans Of Swing” swings, as it should, and again it’s the bass chugging along providing a pulsing heartbeat, and guitars glistening up high that really shine. Again, as with Rumours, I’m impressed with the sound coming from the AD01, and thoroughly enjoying the listening experience.
 
Comparison Listening
 
Bass Presence: Sade – Bullet Proof Soul (from Love Deluxe, 1992): I had several questions on the dedicated AD01 forum thread around bassiness in relation to other in-ears in my possession, in particular the RHA MA750 and the Brainwavs S0 (little sister to the S5), so decided to include a comparison in the review. I chose this Sade track as it’s my go-to bass-heavy track. Switched AD01 stock silicon tips to Spinfits as I didn’t want tip variation to be a difference maker in the sound comparison (I thus used Spinfits on MA750 and S0 as well).

1. AD01: Bass is full and crunching. Strong rumble and reverb in sub bass, which slightly dominates the track. Snare drum is clear, nicely defined and textured, but not dry. Sax (lower notes), piano (mostly left-handed chords) and male backing vocal are slightly recessed (somewhat expected from the sound signature noted in previous listening observations). Sade’s vocal is ever so slightly smoothed and lacking in the air I usually associate with her singing (her voice is quite low, so the recessed mids seem to be playing into that).
2. MA750: Bass is less round and prominent than AD01, particularly in sub-bass rumble. Tighter, less reverb, drier quality. Wouldn’t say it’s absent or lacking, but more balanced, and doesn’t dominate the track as much, if at all. Snare drier and less prominent. Sax, piano and male vocal nice and clear with good brightness and texture. Interplay of male and female backing vocals and Sade’s lead more noticeable and effective. Overall much more linear, natural presentation.
3. S0: Bass more focused on mid- than sub-bass compared to AD01 and MA750. Warm, mid-forward, somewhat muffled sound signature. Snares a bit hollow and recessed. Sade’s vocal nicely textured, and interplay with background singers more noticeable than AD01, but less than MA750. Sax and piano have a warm, smoothed-over quality, lacking detail and clarity. Soundstage closed in, with sound very much inside the head.
4. AD01 again, with stock tips: Just out of interest, I decided to give the same track a listen using stock tips as I hadn’t noticed the bass emphasis to the extent I hear with the Spinfits. Stock tips really tone down the bass, not that they make the bass disappear, but they reduce the crunching prominence and allow the mids to come through a bit better. Sade’s airy quality returns, and the interplay with backing vocals is more noticeable. Snare still clear and well resolved, and sax and piano are less veiled. Sound here is not as balanced as the MA750, and mids are still somewhat recessed, but difference with MA750 is less evident, and sound signature is more in line with what I heard in my earlier critical listening.
5. Verdict: This one is close between the MA750 with Spinfits, and the AD01 with stock tips. Both setups gave a really nice listening experience, and were I not A/B listening, would have satisfied me completely. That said, this one goes to the MA750 for the balance between bass, mids and highs, and overall natural presentation.

 

 
Bass and Treble Quality: Cat Power – Silver Stallion (from Jukebox, 2008): My earlier observations of the AD01’s bass emphasis and treble clarity made me curious about how this IEM compares to the T-Peos Altone 200. The Altone is a triple hybrid, with single dynamic and dual BA drivers, but it also has a good bass presence and what some would call sparkling highs. Having noted the difference in sound with the AD01 and different tips, I decided this time to just go with the tips that I enjoy most on each IEM, so the stock tips with the AD01, and Sony Foam-filled Hybrids on the Altones.

1. AD01 + Stock Tips: This is a simple song, with just Cat’s vocal and double guitar accompaniment (steel and orthodox acoustic). Slidy steel and acoustic guitars to start have a warm timbre, with sparkle in the high notes. Cat’s vocal has an intimate, simultaneously smooth and textured tone. Steel guitar drops to the background once the intro is done, becoming more of a backing instrument. Acoustic is the lead, and dominates the song somewhat, with prominent reverb in the low notes colouring the overall sound. Cat’s voice is quite low for a female, and it is ever-so-slightly veiled, and overpowered by the lead acoustic guitar.
2. Altone 200 + Sony Tips: Low end of guitars is less prominent and more controlled. It’s quicker, with less reverb, and doesn’t dominate Cat’s vocal the way the AD01 did. Guitar is not so focused on warm bass and clear highs; now the notes in the middle come alive, and guitar parts become more articulate and cohesive. The vocal loses it’s veiled quality, and integrates with the instrumental accompaniment in a more musical way. Cat’s voice is drier, and details of mouth movement and vocal control become audible. Overall presentation is not as warm here, but more musical, natural and balanced.
3. Verdict: Preferred the Altone 200 for it’s more balanced, cohesive presentation. AD01 was a pleasant listen as well, but overall presentation was a touch warm and vocal overwhelmed by instruments.

 
Soundstage and Speed: Al Di Meola – Mediterranean Sundance (from Elegant Gypsy, 1977): Another area of curiosity when I first heard about the AD01s was how they, as a dual dynamic IEM, would stack up against the venerable Havi B3 Pro 1. The Pro 1s are not known for their bass, but have a great reputation for vocals and soundstage. So another test pairing was born. Mediterranean Sundance features no vocal, but I find it a wonderful test of soundstage; two flamenco guitars, duelling it out rapid-fire in what comes through, with the right headphones, as a lovely open recording space. This piece is also a good test of driver speed and transients. Again I went with my preferred tip matches here: stock for the AD01, and Spinfits for the Havi (many prefer the JVC Spiral Dots with the Havi, but I find they de-emphasize bass, even if they do enhance soundstage).

1. Havi + Spinfit Tips: Guitar clarity across the frequency spectrum is gorgeously bright and open. Strummed lower notes and plucked highs have a glistening quickness to them, with slight prominence of highs, and roll-off in the bass. Midway through the song there is a drum-like effect created by knocking knuckles on the guitar body, and this has a dynamic, realistic woody quality. Sound here is very much outside the head, with a sense that the two players are sat a few feet in front of the listener, and a few feet apart on either side. There is a spacious feel, as if in a large room, possibly a stone church, with high ceilings. Sound wafts, though not in an echo-y way.
2. AD01 + Stock Tips: For the first time really, I sense the AD01 having difficulty keeping up. This piece involves some speedy, intricate passages, and here the AD01 falls a bit short. The opening of the song, which is relatively slow and subdued, has good detail and clarity, with warmer, bassier undertones than the Havi. Once the piece picks up and the duel begins, highs sound fine, with good detail and clarity, but the low end comes unstuck, with some sound lag and bleed, and an overall muddled sound. Our guitar-body drum-knocks are evident, but less woody, less dynamic, and hollower sounding (not hollow as in guitar-body hollow, but less lively and lacking quality). The sense of space created by the Havi is not evident with the AD01; sound is more inside the head than outside.
3. Verdict: Preferred the Havi for detail, speed and soundstage. The AD01 had a hard time with this piece, being overwhelmed by the speed and detail, and unable to create a feeling of atmosphere or space.

 
Vocal Quality: Norah Jones – Shoot The Moon (from Come Away With Me, 2002): If we’re going to listen for a comparison of vocal quality, what better than a little Norah Jones? As noted, the B3 Pro 1 has a reputation as a vocal powerhouse, so this is a good chance to see what the AD01 is made of.

1. AD01 + Stock Tips: Opening guitar is clear and bright as is accompanying piano (though piano is a touch subdued). Norah’s voice is its usual airy, textured self. Snare and guitar dance playfully, with occasional upper register piano notes for good measure, and low piano and bass – while obviously playing a backing role only – are evident throughout, adding a touch of warmth to the piece. Lower piano notes are veiled, but can still be heard. Overall presentation has a warm, pleasant feel, if slightly coloured; Norah doesn’t dominate, but isn’t overwhelmed either.
2. Havi + Spinfit Tips: Overall dry, detailed presentation. Opening guitar is bright, plucky, and impactful. Piano clarity is excellent, and the two instruments balance each other nicely before Norah joins in. Bass is rolled off, but still evident in the background. Snare is dry, yet lively. Norah’s vocal is forward, detailed and textured, with an intimate, lyrical quality. She is the star of this show! Overall emphasis on mids and highs here, with neutral sound signature that lacks just a bit on the warmth side.
3. Verdict: Preferred the AD01 overall as the blend of instruments and vocal presented as a unified whole, while the Havi lacked in the low end and came across a touch cold and dry. Norah’s vocal was more prominent with the Havi, but overall balance was missing.

 
Conclusions
 
I have to admit I found the AD01 fun to listen to, most of the time. My impression on first hearing them (and I quote from the tour thread) was: “Sounding pretty good so far; bass-forward but no bass bleed, and pretty good detail in mids and highs. I'd call these fun with a capital ‘F.’” I did find the mids ever so slightly lacking, and hoped they would fill out with some playing time.
 
Brain burn and further listening did little to change my first impressions. In my general listening, I found bass, especially sub-bass, to be powerful, with crisp and clear highs. Mids were a bit recessed. Female vocals reproduced well, but male vocals were somewhat veiled and lacked impact. Instrumentally, I really liked the portrayal of guitars and piano with the AD01, and the punch and energy of bass guitar.
 

 
Fit- and comfort-wise, the AD01 earpieces have a solid heft to them. They feel like… quality. The tapered, cylindrical earpieces are narrow enough for deep insertion, with good length so the cable can be comfortably worn down or up. I prefer up and around the ear, and the cable cinch allows for a secure, comfortable fit, even with a slightly springy cable. With cable up, I did not notice any microphonics.
 
Admittedly much of my listening was done with older albums, and others who’ve tried the AD01 mentioned that they are perfectly suited to relatively bass-light recordings from the 60s, 70s and 80s, before the “loudness wars” kicked in. I would agree that the AD01s enhanced the low end of these recordings while still allowing the upper end to sing. What issues I had with the AD01 reared themselves during my comparison listening. With bass-heavy songs, the low end could be overpowering and unnatural. If that low end was also high tempo, the AD01 could have trouble keeping up, with articulation, resolution and soundstage negatively affected.
 

 
While they may not be the most “audiophile” of IEMs, and displayed some minor issues with certain kinds of music, I really enjoyed the experience of listening to the AD01. They’re comfortable and robust, deliver a fun sound, and work really well with many of my preferred music genres. Given the opportunity, I’d be happy to make these part of my permanent IEM collection.
 
Thanks to @TEOSJ for making the tour units available, and @nmatheis for making me his tour lieutenant.

Alpha & Delta AD01 IEM Review
 

 
Intro: Lend Me UR Ears is a Singaporean audio retailer that sells high-quality but affordable budget gear. Offering international shipping to the USA and Canada, they are the official retailer for a wide range of brands and started producing their own in-house products under the Alpha & Delta brand name. The Alpha & Delta brand is the result of Lend Me UR ear collaboration with an unspecified Chinese manufacturer. The Alpha & Delta AD01 in-ear headphones are their first product launch.
 
 
Tech: The Alpha & Delta AD01 is a dual dynamic driver universal-fit IEM with detachable cables. MSRP is $95.15. Currently being offered at $86.53 from Lend Me UR Ears HERE. Additional promo code “LMUECUST” is currently available for an additional 5% discount.
 
Official Specifications: (copied directly from lendmeurears)
Driver: 9.8mm and 6.0mm Dual Dynamic Driver
Rated Impedance: 9 Ohm
Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW
 
Packaging: I do not weight packaging in my review, but included picture for those who are interested.
 
 
Design & Build Quality: Modular design of the AD01 is very practical. The driver housing uses an olive-shaped design. It measures ¾” long not including the protruding filter where the eartips attach. Using the grey foam tips, its total length is 1⅛”. Diameter of the oval housing is approximately ½” at its thickest part (this would be its height & width measurements).
 
 
 
 
The AD01 has a very thoughtful detachable cable design, using a 2mm dc plug connector to attach to the driver housing. R and L labelling is written in black on the cable close to where they plug into the housing. The included cables are extremely well-designed. The sleek cylindrical y-splitter has a sliding portion that can serves as a neck ciche or sit discreetly on top of the y-splitter. The cable terminates in a 3.5mm right-angle plug. I personally really like right-angle plugs for IEMs as I feel it works better with portable devices and relieves cable strain. There is no microphone or remote buttons on the cables.
 
 
Comfort: I would estimate the comfort of these IEMs to be good for the majority of users. The inclusion of a large variety of eartips should make it easy to find the perfect individual fit. These are an universal-fit canalphone. I personally ended up using the grey foam eartips for the majority of my testing as I found those to be the most comfortable eartips for me. Sonic impressions will all be based on those tips.
 
 
Accessories: This is where the AD01 really shines. It includes:

1. x2 AD01 Universal Driver
2. x1 removable cable (black, approximately 4’3” length)
3. x1 pair of grey foam tips
4. x3 pairs of bi-flange tips
5. x6 pairs of silicon tips
6. x1 hard case (4.5” x 3” x 1.5”)
7. x1 pair V-sonic ear guides

 
 
The AD01 packages a plethora of eartip options. There are two distinct sets of small, medium, large silicon eartips for a total of 6 different sizes for people who enjoy olive-shaped silicon eartips. In addition, three different sized bi-flanged eartips (small, medium, and large) and one pair of medium grey foam eartips were included for a total of 10 different options for eartips. As a fan of foam eartips myself, I would have liked to see a bit more varying foam options instead of so many silicon tips, but silicon eartip fans will rejoice!
 
Silicon Eartips in L to R order (non-colored bores Large, Medium, Small ~~~ colored bores orange Small, Green Medium, Blue Large)
 
Eartips in L to R order (Bi-flanged Large, Medium, Small ~~~ Grey medium foam eartips)
 
The V-Sonic ear guides are planned to be included with the Alpha & Delta AD01. They consist of two black tubes with slits that allow easy attachment and removal onto the cabling to add a more rigid structure for over-ear wear style. Very nice addition for fans of wearing the cables over-the-ears.
 
 
The blue zippered hard case does appear quite durable and includes a detachable black lanyard. A nice touch is the case can only open about 45 degrees with elastic straps preventing the case from flopping 360 degrees and spilling out all its contents. Should be a good practical solution for those who want some protection for their IEMs.
 
 
 
My review tour unit also included the 32N oxygen-free copper upgrade cable for testing and I did extensively try both cables. I cannot engage in any sonic descriptions of cables as I personally have never found myself to be able to hear any differences between cables. The copper styling was quite eye-catching while the black one is more discrete. I personally prefer the look with the stock black cables.
 
 
  
I tested out the variety of different eartips and the ear guides prior to personally settling on the grey foam without ear guides for a straight down wear. Numerous eartip options should be sufficient to cover a pretty extensive range of individual fits.

 
Sound Quality:

1. Useful resource for audiophile terms: http://www.head-fi.org/a/describing-sound-a-glossary
2. Useful resource for frequency response correlation to audiophile terms: http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/main_display.htm
3. Note: It is actually quite difficult for me to write a review on these headphones as its sound signature is quite a bit different from my preferred type of sound signature. I did my best to write as an objective review as I could here. Do note impressions taken using the grey foam tips.

 
Overall, the AD01 is a warm and fun-sounding pair of headphones. Quite a bit of coloration, but not in an unpleasant manner. The bass is boosted the most significantly with the treble relatively even but still boosted compared to the mid-range. The midrange is recessed with the upper mid-recession more noticeable to my ears as there is a more abrupt transition from the relatively less emphasized in upper mids to relatively more emphasized treble region. I would estimate the point of prominent mid-recession occurs approximately after 500 Hz. The transition from the upper bass to the lower midrange is quite smooth and well-done taper. The low midrange does not sound recessed with a relative elevation compared to the rest of the mid-range as it is still tapering down from the upper bass boost. I would broadly categorize these headphones as having a v-shaped frequency response tuning that would particularly excel with modern pop, rap & hip-hop, and EDM (genres that provide strong bass that you want to feel).
 
Treble Tuning: The treble region is not as emphasized as the bass, but there is still a bit of emphasis relative to the midrange, which will give these headphones a bit of brightness (or treble sparkle) to its overall warm feel. Typically, v-shaped frequency responses will have a more dramatic treble tuning, so these headphones present more of a warm bass-focused sound signature rather than a prominent “V” with a very sharp treble. There is a hint of edginess and harshness with certain treble notes compared to some of the more neutrally-tuned headphones I’ve tried, but compared to the typical v-shaped sound signature, the treble should be relatively more forgiving and less fatiguing as it does sound quite even overall. Certain treble notes appear duller than what I would expect on a v-shaped presentation, so treble energy is adequate, but not especially pronounced. Likely no strong peak at 10 kHz, whereas more prominent emphasis in that region would contribute to a more vivid piercing presentation. Overall treble clarity is quite nice for this type of sonic presentation.
 
The upper frequency does extends up to 18 kHz, but there is a subtle roll-off from 16 kHz, which will make these headphones feel less airy compared to other tuning choices that have peaks in that area. The subtle airiness or breathiness of the treble can often be hidden by the AD01’s strong bass presence, so track dependent how much of those types of details will be noticeable. From 13-16 kHz, the treble does sound relatively even without any glaring peaks or dips. I found there was a significant peak at 11-13 kHz and a recognizable dip in 6-8kHz to my ears from high frequency log sweeps and critical listening.
 
Mid-range Tuning: The lower midrange is more emphasized with an overall mid-recession primarily focused in the middle to upper mid-range. The lower mids do present a very well-balanced sense of fullness without going overboard, so no excessively muddy ‘bleeding’. There is definitely a subtle bit of bleed from the lower frequencies, but not to the point where it completely overpowers the midrange.
 
Midrange still maintains a nice sense of richness and fullness due to more noticeable drop-off point of the mid-range recession occurring after the lower mids. The lower mids is elevated compared to the rest of the midrange which contributes to the warmer feeling to the overall sound. I would guess that the upper mids from 1-3 kHz is most likely the most ‘recessed’ from a measurement standpoint as we typically hear that region to be emphasized if the frequency response is linear due to increased sensitivity of the human ear to that region. Many ideal target headphone responses incorporate a slight recession in this area to compensate. The upper mids do sound a bit recessed to my ears, which indicates a bit heavier dip in this region. The contrasting relative change from the dip in 1-2 kHz to the more emphasized the low treble region makes this upper-mid region feel perceptually more recessed, though there is likely similar levels of recession from after 500 Hz to 1 kHz. Overall though, the midrange tuning maintains a good sense of smoothness and clarity. Despite its coloration, I do not think that the AD01’s midrange will sound too overly scooped out for users who enjoy v-shaped presentations as there is a gradual taper from the bass emphasis to the mid recession. The coloration do appear to generally be sloping changes rather than any specific abrupt shifts that may detract from the musical enjoyment. The most abrupt change in frequency response will occur between the upper mids and lower treble. The bass emphasis that transitions into the lower mids tapers well enough that the transition area does sound quite natural.
 
Bass Tuning: There is quite an apparent mid-bass bass boost on these headphones. This sort of tuning choice provides a good sense of warmth and fullness to notes. From lower frequency response sweeps, it sounds to me as the bass response is a gradual upward slope until approximately 90 Hz where the emphasis becomes more noticeable. At approximately 120 Hz, there is a more dramatic elevation until 200 Hz where it begins to subtly taper down. However, this mid-bass boost is relatively well-done and more gradual compared to some other mid-bass boosted or v-shaped headphones I’ve had experience with, so the bass does not sound overly boomy or bloated. Sub-bass is adequately present, though there is a bit of tapering in the extremely low frequency to my ears. This is common among more budget entry or non-planar magnetic headphones. Many highly regarded mid-tier over-ear headphones also exhibit a similar tapering in the sub-bass region, so I estimate will not be an issue for users who do not have experience with planar magnetic headphones or more high-end headphones. Overall, for this type of headphone in this price range, the bass has a good visceral impact and nice deep rumbling sensation.
 
Bass is relatively clean and tight for this type of warm sound signature, but I have had previous experience with faster and more accurate bass with similar levels of warmth. The AD01 can sound cleaner than other bass-boosted options with a more punchy feel rather than a very thick ‘syrupy’ feel, but will not sound as accurate as more neutral-tuned options. The punchier presentation makes me think that the bass boost is likely mostly predominantly in the 125-200 Hz region, whereas a ‘muddier’ bass boost will primarily focus in the 200-300 Hz region.  Individual bass notes still sound relatively slow compared to other IEMs and headphones I have had experience (though I do not really own many pairs of v-shaped or more significantly bass-boosted headphones). A bit boomy sounding compared to more neutral-orientated or bright presentations, but likely one of the better done bass boosts out there in this price range for warmer sound signatures. For a v-shaped headphone, these headphones do present the bass relatively well. Should be extremely enjoyable for those looking for a warmer sound signature. Its particularly strong sense of warmth and punchiness with a relatively even and non-fatiguing treble would result in a very fun and musical tuning that should be quite pleasant for non-critical listening.
 
Direct Comparisons:
*******Important Notes*******
While I normally like to write extensive direct comparisons against competing products, I do not really have any other IEMs currently in my possession that fall within the same budget price range. I do think the most relevant comparison here is against the Bose SoundTrue in-ears, which approximately typifies what can be expected of the pricier consumer-orientated IEMs. Comparisons against IEMs primarily done on my HA-2 dac/amplifier or straight from my Samsung S5 to simulate normal usage with some testing done on my Lyr 2 + Bifrost Uber stack.
*********************************
 

Against the Bose SoundTrue In-Ear Headphones: consumer-orientated in-ear headphones (more an earbud design than a canal-phone), listed MSRP $129.99
The Bose in-ears actually have a similar overall sound signature as the AD01. Both the AD01 and Bose in-ears have a noticeable addition of warmth and a bit of bloat to their bass presentation compared my current collection of headphones. However, this coloration can be quite enjoyable for non-critical listening. They both sound to have a bit of recession to their midrange, more noticeable on the Bose in-ears. The AD01 has better treble presentation than the Bose in-ears with relatively less harshness and better definition. The AD01 also has better isolation as the Bose headphones are more earbud style headphones.

Click to expand...

 

Against the Flare Audio R2A: single dynamic driver, pressure-balanced IEM with aluminium housing (MSRP: ~$270 USD, listed price point is £175)
The Flare Audio R2A is a noticeable upgrade to the AD01. Much cleaner bass presentation with tighter notes and a less bloat. A subtle touch of warmth on the R2A compared to some other IEMs I’ve used such as the R2Pro and Final Audio Heaven VII, but compared to the AD01, the R2A provides technical improvements in speed, clarity, soundstage, and imaging. Sound signature of the R2A is closer to what I consider to be a neutral-orientated presentation relative to the AD01. Compared to other high-end IEMs I have tried, I would personally categorize the R2A as a “fun” pair of headphones with some coloration more than a reference-tuned pair of IEMs. I do strongly personally prefer the R2A over the AD01, but do note that the R2A does cost three times as much as the AD01, so it is a bit of an unfair comparison. I do think this comparison does illustrates that an increased number of drivers does not always provide sound quality or sound signature more suitable for personal tastes compared to single driver designs.

Click to expand...

 
Amplification:
 
I tested the AD01 IEMs on the Aune B1 amplifier, Cozoy Astrapi amplifier/dac, Oppo HA-2 amplifier/dac, and Schiit Lyr 2. The AD01 IEMs are extremely easy to drive and does not require any additional amplification. Its extremely low impedance of 9 ohms and high sensitivity of 102 dB/mW makes these IEMs more prone to hiss with certain equipment (though I did not experience hissing at my normal playback volumes). If wanting to pick up an amplifier to pair with the AD01, I would recommend looking at IEM-dedicated amplifiers or an amplifier with an output impedance less than 1 ohm for ideal performance.
 
I would personally recommend pairing these IEMs with a neutral solid state amplifier as they already currently have quite extensive coloration. If disliking the AD01’s stock sound signature, I would recommend swapping to a different IEM rather than spending time and effort looking for a specific amplifier/dac pairing to adjust its sound signature. There is scaling potential, but not enough to my ears to really justify carrying additional gear in portable situations. I do personally think additional amplification is unnecessary for these IEMs.
 
Value Judgement:
 
I am not too familiar with the sub-$100 IEM product category, so difficult for me to say how competitive the AD01’s sound quality for its price point. If considering a “fun” IEM, I think these do offer an enjoyable and well-done v-shaped presentation. I do feel that these IEMs are worth consideration if on a strict budget. I view the AD01 to fulfill a similar niche for IEMs as the ATH-M50 does for over-ear headphones. A solid entry-level pair of headphones priced competitively with an enjoyable v-shaped presentation. Should offer a noticeable upgrade from consumer-orientated IEMs, but probably will not satisfy the enthusiast looking for a neutral-tuned reference pair of IEMs with minimal coloration. While noticeable improvements in overall technical performance can be found if budget can be stretched a bit, I cannot comment on comparative performance of other IEMs in this price range. Should be more competitive than many other consumer-orientated brands that retail at a more expensive MSRP.
 
Rating: Please note that these are nothing more than my personal rating based on my own personal requirements. I hardly ever give out full score rankings unless I feel like the product reaches a new high standard for its product category and price point.
Audio Quality: 6/10 (probably a competitive sound for a product with this overall sound signature at this price point)
Comfort: 8/10 (likely comfortable for most users)
Design: 9/10 (very good design aspects for this price point)
Isolation: 7/10
Value: 9/10
Overall Rating: Probably somewhere between 3-3.5 stars, though can be higher if your preferences differ from mine (aka if you enjoy a warmer sound signatures). Overall rating is also based on pickier audiophile standards rather than consumer standards. For the general consumer, this product will probably score approximately 4 or higher as sound quality is extremely competitive against consumer brands.
 
Conclusion:
 
The AD01 are fun and warm pair of IEMs with an even non-fatiguing treble, smooth but recessed midrange, and a hefty lumbering punch behind its bass. Well-designed and extremely affordable, they should offer a good value for buyers looking at this price range.
 
Greatest overall pro is the AD01’s overall design and extensive amount of accessories. Its cable is extremely well-designed and these IEMs should last quite a long time with all its parts being replaceable. Best tuned region of the frequency response would probably be its bass if looking for a fun warm v-shaped sound signature. These headphones should work well for mobile usage, active usage, and situations that require noise isolation.
 
Largest consideration is its overall sound signature. These are warm IEMs with a v-shaped sound. While I cannot say how competitive its technical performance (imaging, speed, note spacing, resolution, and soundstage) compares to other options at its price point, it is definitely possible to find significant improvements at higher price points. For me personally, I feel like 'speed' would be the area that would benefit the most from further refinements. I estimate that these will still outperform the pricier consumer-orientated headphones, but there may be other more competitive budget options out there. There also will be better options out there for individuals who engage in critical listening or require neutral-tuning for professional applications.
 
Recommended for consideration for buyers looking for non-reference sound signature illustrating an enjoyable fun and warm coloration with better technical performance than consumer-oriented brands. Price point is under the $100 mark which would make it a strong contender for buyers on a restricted budget. Good entry-level option for newcomers just starting out on their audiophile journey with non-fatiguing and pleasing tuning. Overall, a nice first entry into the IEM product category with a lot of potential. I look forward to seeing future products developed under the Alpha & Delta banner and I am personally hoping for some neutral-orientated IEMs that will fit my personal sonic tastes better. The AD01's warm sound signature tuning still should be quite appealing for more general tastes and especially popular among the basshead segment within our head-fi community.
 
 
Official Product Link: http://www.lendmeurears.com/alpha-delta-ad01-black/

My longer impressions here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/773148/alpha-delta-ad01/75#post_11824251 (post #83)
 
The short version:
A nice first try by Alpha & Delta, and the tuning is obviously geared towards a bass heavy "consumer" sound which isn't bad by itself... but there's much more to sound than just the frequency response. I suspect there's some heavy distortion and decay products in there, because while it "sounds" ok at first, it "feels" awful. That said, the build quality and accessories are really nice.

---

Before I start my review, I would like to Thank Teo (@TEOSJ) and Lend me UR ears: http://www.lendmeurears.com/alpha-delta/ for providing me with a review sample of AD01.

---

 
Anybody who is familiar with today's EDM music will recognize that a lot of big hits come from DJs/producers (Avicii, Zedd, Hardwell, David Guetta, Skrillex as well as old timers like Tiesto and AvB).  The explanation of this phenomenon is very simple: DJs know exactly what works and what doesn't on the dance floor and how to create a hit.  Lend Me UR Ears (LMUE) is a well known audio store specializing in sales of popular IEMs, and just like a DJ/producer - they know exactly what works and what doesn't when it comes to in-ear monitors and their sales and service.  Maybe for some people it came as a surprise when LMUE announced their own line of IEMs (result of collaboration with some Chinese manufacturer), but I found it to be a logical step forward with an innovative modular design and a popular mainstream sound tuning.  Were they able to deliver a hit with their "Alpha" release to make any noticeable "Delta" change within existing crowded headphone market?  Let’s find out!
 
Starting with a packaging, it has a nice gift box style which reveals a jewelry-like setting of AD01 and some of the accessories once you flip open the top cover.  Outside of the box on the cover you will only see a fancy "Alpha & Delta" print with "AD01" clear sticker in the corner which probably suggests there will be more IEM models released in the future housed in the same box.  No other text, spec, or additional info was printed on the box, while inside I found a printed piece of paper with a list of accessories and other detailed info.
 
Beside a pair of IEMs and a detachable cable, among included accessories you will find 3 pairs of bi-flange eartips (S/M/L), 3 pairs of regular narrow bore eartips (S/M/L), 3 pairs of hybrid narrow bore eartips (S/M/L), a pair of medium foam eartips (not Comply), and one rather unique hard case with a detachable lanyard.  Eartips are generic, and I think it would have been a good idea to also include a set with wide bore opening tips (more about it later).  Case is really nice and slim, and large enough to fit IEMs and additional cable or extra eartips.  I also like how it has two rubber bands on the sides preventing it from swinging fully open, but I do wish there was an inner mesh pocket to better organize things inside.  With an extra room and metal shells, you don't want them to be banging and rubbing inside of the case, thus a mesh pocket can take care of this keeping them more secure.
 
Unboxing and accessories.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Now, here come design details.  Starting with a cable, you have a very nice and sturdy 90deg gold plated headphone plug with a great strain relief.  This connector has a slim body that should work even with rugged smartphone case, and a rubbery end cap for a secure grip.  Cable itself has twisted high purity OFC wires with a shrink-wrapped rubbery shielding.  Cable does contribute to some microphonics, and it's a bit springy and on a stiffer side with some memory effect.  Cable management is not that bad and easy to wrap around for storage in a case.  LMUE offers an alternative replacement cable with a clear shielding and an even higher purity OFC wires.  I don't have it at the moment of writing the review, but will add my impression once I receive it, hoping it will be softer due to a different shielding.
 
Moving up to y-splitter which is metal with a small cylindrical shape and a nice strain relief on a common side; the splitter side would have benefited from a longer strain relief but it was intentionally designed without one to mate with a chin-slider.  I was glad to see a nice chin-slider with some resistance as you slide it up.  The connector part has a nice rubbery housing with a good grip and a nice strain relief.  The chosen connector was a rare 2mm DC plug with a secure and tight fitment.  To be honest, I like this connector a lot better than mmcx.  The only problem is this being unique and uncommon when it comes to aftermarket replacement cables.  LMUE already has one replacement cable, but it's still OFC rather than something with silver-plated wires or maybe with in-line remote for smartphone control.  Hopefully more replacement cables will be offered in the future.
 
The only gripe I have with a cable is a hard to see L/R marking with slightly raised letters.  Unless you are under a good light or bring them closer to your eyes, these are very hard to see.  My suggestion is to add a little "bump" on the Left side so you can id L/R just by sliding a finger, a common solution used with other cables/IEMs.  In case of AD01 the id of L/R sides is very important for a simple reason - a modular design with identical symmetrical shells.
 
Shells have a symmetrical design with no other way of telling which one are Left or Right.  The whole point of this modular design is that in addition to replacement cable (if it breaks you get another cable instead of throwing IEMs away) you can also replace a single shell by buying another one, independent of designated side.  LMUE sells a single replacement shell by itself.  Even though the shell is made out of alloy material, probably aluminum, it's relatively lightweight and has a smooth olive-shape profile with one vent on the back and another one by the base of the nozzle.  Overall fitment works and looks better with wire down, though it's possible to wear it wire up, and maybe use one of the common earhook guides for a better comfort.  Personally, I wasn't too crazy about over-ear fitment.  Also their design and fitment makes them stick out a bit from your ears, but it's a matter of personal taste.  Btw, despite 2 vents, with a right selection of eartips AD01 offers a decent sound isolation with noticeable passive noise attenuation.
 
Design details.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Fitment.
 
 
 
 
So how do these dual dynamic (9.8mm and 6.0mm) drivers sound?  From a frequency response of 10 Hz – 25 kHz you can already guess about their bass extension.  And as a matter of fact, LMUE is very upfront and right on the money describing their sound signature as having "a strong punchy bass while maintaining an overall clarity in mids and treble".  Out of the box, sound was a bit on a bright side but it has changed and finalized after about 60 hours of free-air burn in.  Also, considering bass impact of these IEMs, narrow bore or foam tips won't do it justice since they will enhance low end further while tame down upper mids/treble.  If you prefer a more L-shaped signature, the included tips should do the trick, but I wanted a more balanced sound and ended up using tips with a wider bore opening.  As a matter of fact, these are also generic and came with some other IEMs.  Bottom line: invest some time in tip rolling before you start judging a sound.
 

 
After hours of listening, I found AD01 to have a full body sound with a slightly V-shaped signature and a great low end impact with clear smooth upper frequencies.  The tuning of the drivers is done in such way where despite a strong mid-bass punch you can still easily shift your focus from the bass to the mids/vocals and the treble without low end overpowering the frequency range or a sound being too harsh or too boomy, just smooth and clear without becoming too bright or too detailed in analytical way.
 
AD01 has an average width soundstage with above average depth.  Separation/layering effect is better in instrumental/vocal tracks where there is no pounding 4x4 beat.  In tracks with strong beats where mids-bass comes out in full swing, this effect is not as clearly defined due to sound becoming a bit congested.
 
In more details, low end has a great sub-bass extension with a nice supporting rumble underneath of a strong mid-bass punch.  Thanks to a dual driver design it's well controlled and isolated without any bloat spilling into lowers mids.  Mid-bass is not too fast or too slow, but rather more rounded and slightly laid back (not as aggressive).
 
Lower mids are on a thicker warmer side adding to a body of the sound and still keeping it in balance with upper mids.  Upper mids are clear and smooth, pushed a bit back, but still with enough energy to bring details of vocals and other instruments into the focus.  I actually like how uppers mids are pushed slightly back, giving a nice depth to a sound, especially smooth organic vocals.
 
Treble is smooth, crisp, and clear, not too far extended, and also slightly lower in quantity.  A smooth nature of the treble, along with smooth clear upper mids, makes sound non-fatigue and great for extended listening.
 
Comparing to other IEMs, I actually started to appreciate AD01 even more after realizing how much I enjoy a smooth clarity of mids/treble without being too much in your face. In particular, I found:
 
AD01 vs IM50: IM50 low end has less impact with a little less sub-bass and not as much of mid-bass, leaner lower mids and a little more upfront upper mids.  Treble is brighter and a little splashy (in relative comparison).  Soundstage depth was similar but width is a little bit wider.  AD01 is definitely warmer and smoother.  Also in comparison, IM50 vocals sound dry.
 
AD01 vs CKR10: CKR10 sounds leaner with less sub-bass, faster mid-bass punch, leaner lower mids, more upfront and detailed upper mids, and better treble extension.  I do like clarity of CKR10 upper mids/treble, but found AD01 bass to be tighter and with a much better impact.
 
AD01 vs A73/A71: Surprisingly, low end was tuned similarly between these two, though quantity/impact is a bit stronger in AD01.  A73 lower mids are leaner and upper mids are brighter, as well as a bit more upfront and more detailed.  Also, A73 has a better treble extension (thanks to BA drivers).  It does felt like a similarly tuned low end dynamic driver, and the difference was primary in mids/treble where AD01 has another dynamic driver while A73 has BA driver.  There are also similarities with A71, another dual dynamic IEM, but A71 bass has a little more mid-bass bloat and a little less clarity in upper mids (more veiled).
 
AD01 vs VSD3: VSD3 has less sub-bass, thinner-punchier mid-bass, leaner lower mids, brighter/harsher upper mids, and brighter treble with a better extension.  AD01 stands out in here as being a lot smoother and easier on your ears for an extended listening period.
 
AD01 vs S5: S5 bass is very similar with a bit less sub-bass and a little weaker mid-bass punch.  S5 also has slightly leaner lower mids, and more upfront upper mids that sound harsher; also treble is a little higher in quantity.  In comparison, AD01 soundstage is more spacious and not as much in-your-head like S5.
 
Summary.
 
I think AD01 should adapt a marketing slogan of "for recovering bassheads who want to take their sound to the next step".  Don't get me wrong, these IEMs are not a one trick pony, and they are fantastic for a range of EDM, Pop/Rock, and Hip Hop styles, but constant presence of the bass (mid-bass hump) might not be appropriate for instrumental or classical or any other type of music where you crave more analytical retrieval of details with expanded staging.  LMUE did a great job with a modular design including capability to replace/purchase just a single earpiece and a replacement cable with a high quality short DC connector.  But what impressed me the most was a dual driver design tuned to perfection with a full body smooth and clear sound, delivering a strong bass that punches with authority without overpowering the rest of a sound spectrum, and leaving enough headroom for a second dynamic driver to deliver clear smooth upper mids and well defined treble.  Just be aware, you NEED to use a wide bore eartips to get to that sound signature.  I will go even as far as saying, if you are listening to a lot of EDM and Club music and strong punchy bass is your thing, these IEMs are a must have to add to your collection.

INTRODUCTION

The Alpha & Delta AD01 is the first house-brand product from Lend Me UR Ears.  LMUE is well-known to adventurous Head-Fi members who like to experiment with bang for your buck Asian portable audio gear.  I've purchased several IEM from LMUE and was intrigued when I ran across an email announcing the AD01, so I reached out to LMUE to see if we could set up a Head-Fi tour to see what the community here thinks of their first product. LMUE was very receptive to the suggestion, and here we are.  A big thanks to @TEOSJ from LMUE for helping me set this up!
 
Here's LMUE's Product Description for the AD01:
 
"Alpha & Delta AD01 is the result of a collaboration between Lend Me UR ears and a Chinese manufacturer. In English, the noun "alpha" is used as a synonym for "beginning", or "first" while the greek symbol for Delta is used to denote change. Thus, the name Alpha & Delta was coined to represent a new chapter in LMUE's history and the wish that this brand will chart a new direction for the company. 
 
Dual Driver Design for Excellent Sound Quality
In designing this IEM, we aimed to create a pair of earphones that has a strong punch bass while maintaining the overall clarity in the mids and the highs. To this end, a dual driver design is used for such purposes. 
 
Modular Design
AD01 also adopts a modular design. This means that that drivers and the wires can be easily replaceable if damaged or lost. The drivers and wires will be made available for sale separately.
 
Well designed connection pins    
For AD01 to use a modular design, the wires needs to be detachable. However, several existing solutions for the connector pins can lead to loose connection overtime. To this end, AD01 overcomes such build quality issues by adopting the 2mm dc plug connector pins which are extensively tested for reliability."

 
Sounds pretty interesting.  There are some pretty good bang for your buck dual drivers with quite different sound signatures on the market like the Havi B3 Pro I and TTPOD T1E.  What will LMUE's first IEM bring to the table?  Read on to find out...
 
First, here are some links for further exploration:
@thatBeatsguy's review
@ljokerl's review
Dedicated AD01 thread
 
 
DISCLAIMER
I was provided the Alpha & Delta AD01 as a review sample as part of a U.S. + Canada Review Tour I'm coordinating.  There is no financial incentive from LMUE in writing this review.  I am in no way affiliated with LMUE, and this is my honest opinion of the AD01.  I would like to thank @TEOSJ for giving the Head-Fi community a chance to test drive the AD01, and I hope our feedback proves useful for fellow Head-Fi members as well as for LMUE.



 

(PHOTOS COURTESY OF LMUE)

 
 
ABOUT ME
I'm a 43 year old music lover who listens to a wide variety of genres and artists (but mostly electronic, metal, and modern composition these days). As with a lot of people my age, I've got some hearing issues - some upper frequency loss and mild tinnitus. 
 
My portable music journey started with the venerable Sony Cassette Walkman and then progressed to portable CD players, minidisc recorders, and finally on to DAPs like the Rio Karma, iRiver IHP-120, iPod, iPhone, and the newer crop of DAPs from Fiio and iBasso. 
 
My headphone journey started with Sony MDR e888 and Eggos back in my minidisc days.  I moved on to full-size Beyerdynamic and Ultrasone cans and Shure E2 and E3 IEM. Those all served me well for quite some time.  Then I rediscovered Head-Fi, and my poor wallet...
 
 
SPECIFICATIONS

Drivers	9.8mm and 6.0mm Dual Dynamic Driver
Frequency range	10Hz- 25KHz
Impedance	9 Ω
Sensitivity	102 dB/mW
Rated / Max power	10 / 20mW
Weight	Shells: 7g Shells, tips, cable: 17g
Cable	1.30 mm 18N OFC cable with 2mm DC connectors
Connector	3.5mm, gold-plated right-angle plug
Warranty	1 year

 
MSRP: $99

 
 
PACKAGING & ACCESSORIES
I'm not one to go on about packaging and accessories, so I'll keep this short and sweet and let the pictures do the talking.
 
Here's the packaging:

Flip the lid back, and you find:

 
Lift off the top foam layer, and you get to the final bits:


Here are the AD01 and accessories:

 

What's missing?  A shirt clip and ear guides are what immediately came to my mind.  Other than that, you get a nice selection of tips and a semi-hard case.  Speaking of the case, it could use a mesh pocket or two inside to hold your extra tips - but it does have a wrist strap if you need one of those for some reason.
 
 

 
BUILD & ERGONOMICS
Let's see how well the AD01 are constructed and how well they fit.
 
Starting with the shells, they appear to be mostly metal construction, are very smooth, and seem quite sturdy.  The shells are ~23mm long and ~12mm in diameter at their widest point.  There are two small vents indicated below with red arrows.  I'm sure you could try a tape mod or two (or maybe three) with these vents if your heart so desired.  The nozzles are pretty standard 5mm in diameter, meaning you can engage in a lot of tip rolling, as well.  Tips were held in place quite securely.  Metal mesh wax guards are glued down over the nozzle and don't look like they be easy to remove / replace, so keep them clean!
 
Here are the 2mm DC connectors.  I read in @thatBeatsguy's review that the MEE M6 Pro also use this type of connector. I've also seen DC connectors used by T-PEOS in their higher-tier IEM, but it's a much bulkier implementation.  The male connector is 2mm in diameter and 3mm long.  The strain relief is ~20mm, with the first 10mm housing the actual connector and the remaining 10mm being the flexible cable entry point.

 

Once inserted, the connection is quite stable.  Note that while there are L / R indicators on the strain reliefs, they are very subtle.  This makes it hard to determine which orientation to insert them in under less than ideal lighting connections.
 
Here is the stock black cable and the upgrade cable.  The stock cable is springy and reminds me of the SoundMagic E50 / E80 cables.  The upgrade cable is less springy and is still OFC.  Both seem solid with solid connections and good strain reliefs.  The y-splitter is in the normal spot and hits me in the middle of my torso.  I didn't find either cable to be overly microphonic, but then again I do use the chin slider.  If you don't like using chin sliders, the springy stock cable might cause some problems for you.  Unfortunately, there's no shirt clip to help abate this.

 
Here's a close up of the L-plug, y-splitter, and chin slider.  The plug is narrow enough to fit into smartphone cases, which is much appreciated.  The chin slider is pretty grippy, so it's not the easiest to get sliding but stays in place very well!  There's really no visible difference between these components on the stock vs. upgrade cable besides the color.

 
Under ear fit was very comfortable for long periods of time with my smaller than average ears.  Over ear fit was a bit trickier due to the length of the connector's housing and strain relief.  LMUE has indicated that they'll be providing ear guides to help solve this issue for existing and future owners.  Good show! 

 
Ok, so what's the takeaway?  Obvious positives are the solid build, detachable cables, and (for me anyway) comfortable housings.  Suggestions for improvement would be to use a more supple stock cable, implement an improved system for distinguishing L / R earpieces, include ear guides and/or reduce the connector + strain relief size for easier over ear fit, include a shirt clip for more secure fit and reduced microphonics, and offer a silver-plated copper upgrade cable to tighten the low end and open up the upper end a bit.
 

 
SOUND
I'm going to keep this section simple. I appreciate reviewers who wax eloquent, describing each peak and valley - but that's not my forte.  There are others on the AD01 Review Tour who will do a much better job than I will at describing all the nuances, so stay tuned!
 
With that disclaimer out of the way, how does LMUE's rookie IEM sound?  
 
Here's a quote of @TEOSJ from @thatBeatsguy's review:
 
“The AD01 has a V-shaped sound signature. Even though the bass is punchy, it does not bleed in to the mids and the overall clarity of the IEM is still there. Several people compared it as the Havi B3 Pro 1 with a good and punchy bass. I will also be offering an upgrade cable which will improve on the highs and the mids while taming the bass a little.”
 
Does the AD01 live up to that description?  Somewhat.  I'll try to explain.  Instead of describing the sound signature as v-shaped, I'd instead describe it as a reverse checkmark shaped sound signature with copious amounts of bass, very sightly recessed mids, and flat upper end.  What does that mean for the listener?  Well, it will obviously mean different things to different people, but I'll tell you what it meant for me.
 
I listened to the AD01 as my primary IEM for a couple weeks, using it the Shanling M3 DAP I was testing, as well as my Fiio X3 & X5 DAPs and iPhone 5s.  I listened mostly to experimental electronic and metal because that's what's I groove on.  In addition to daytime listening, these were well-burned in with my music collection on shuffle at moderate listening levels overnight for the first week.
 
LOWS

1. Bass emphasis is focused on lower bass, so it has good impact but doesn't sound overly boomy despite being generous as would a more mid-bass focused low end
2. Bass speed is a bit slow due to the generous bass quantity but speeds up with a bit of bass reduction
3. Bass definition and texture also improves with a bit of bass reduction in EQ

 
MIDS

1. Mids are slightly recessed and dry, keeping the AD01 from feeling overly warm but making vocals sound a bit sterile and distant
2. Mid register vocals are more affected than upper register vocals
3. A bit of bass reduction in EQ makes the mids feel less intimate but keeps the dry tonality

HIGHS

1. The upper end has just a hint of sparkle and maintains a decent amount of clarity
2. Cymbals sound distant and a bit muted - definitely not splashy at all
3. Treble heads will find this too relaxed

 
SOUNDSTAGE

1. Soundstage is pretty closed in compared to brighter IEM but is on par for this type of sound signature
2. If you're looking for something spacious like Dunu DN1000, Havi B3 Pro I, or TPEOS Altone200, move along

 
EQ
I used the tone controls on my Fiio X3 to adjust the AD01's sound signature with the following results

1. -2 bass changes these from a reverse check mark to slight v-shape sound signature, tightening up the bass a bit
2. -4 bass makes these quite neutral but not as fun, but the bass feels much faster now
3. -1 or -2 treble should help those with extreme treble sensitivity
4. My preference is 0 to -2 bass with no treble adjustment depending on what I'm listening to and my mood

TIPS & CABLE
For me, the sweet spot was with the hybrid-style tips and upgrade cable.  It's practically impossible to do any type of valid A/B comparison with time spent changing tips and cables, so take this with a few grains of salt.  The hybrid tips seemed to tame the low end a touch and sweetened up the mids slightly without noticeably impacting the upper end.  Adding the upgrade cable seemed to enhance this effect.  All of this back and forth took so much time that I was relying a lot on audio memory, which is notoriously faulty, so again - grain of salt, please!
 
@TEOSJ: I'd really like to see a silver plated copper cable for these from LMUE to further tighten up the low end and bring out the upper end a bit more!
 
SUITABILITY FOR MY MUSIC
As I mentioned earlier, I listen to a lot of experimental electronic and metal.  How did the AD01 work out for me, taking my musical preferences into account?  
 
For electronic music, it worked out pretty well.  A lot of my enjoyment there relies on high-impact, well-extended bass.  Without that and a nice soundstage, you just can't get the same feeling you get from larger cans or speakers.  The AD01's got you covered with the bass.  It extends well and has nice impact, but if there were sections where the bass hit hard and fast the AD01 stumbled, losing articulation and blurring a bit.  If my electronic music has vocals, they're usually female vocals.  Since they usually hit the upper midrange, female vocals felt more forward and covered more emotion, which I preferred.  The upper end had enough sparkle to be satisfying without getting fatiguing in any way.  Soundstage and placement weren't the AD01's strength but were ok.  For electronic music, I didn't touch the EQ much.
 
For metal, it depended on the type of metal I was listening to.  For doom / stoner / sludge and old school metal, the AD01 were pretty good!  The low end beautifully conveyed the sense of ponderous weight needed for these genres, the upper end was just sparkly enough to liven things up, and the mids, well... I could've used a bit more emotion there but it was okay.  I didn't touch the EQ for these metal sub-genres.  For black and death metal, I ended up using the EQ to reduce the bass a bit so it didn't get bogged down during kick drum blast beats.  And just for black metal, I ended up using the EQ to reduce the treble a bit - but black metal is often mixed quite hot even for my older ears, so that shouldn't be too surprising.  With the black and death metal sub-genres, who can really tell what they're singing anyways, so the mids weren't as much of a factor for me.  So with a bit of EQ, the AD01 were pretty good for these sub-genres, too.
 
I listened to other music with them and found that in general, the AD01 sounded pretty good with older music recorded before the loudness wars.  This music was less compressed and often recorded leaner than the majority of today's music is.  For instance, with older Black Sabbath and Rush, the AD01 filled out the low end quite nicely.  This gave those recordings body and texture they lack with a more neutral IEM.  With a lot of today's highly compressed music, you just might find yourself reaching for the EQ. 
 
 
ISOLATION & MICROPHONICS
Not much to say here that I didn't cover earlier.  Isolation is on par with my other dynamic driver IEM, and microphonics can be easily controlled by using the chin slider.  That said, I'd still appreciate a shirt clip to further control microphonics.
 
 
VS. OTHER IEM
 
vs. TPEOS Altone150 (single dynamic driver) with Heir-style tips - $89
Despite being bass-enhanced IEM, these two couldn't be more different.  Basically this comes down to whether you're looking for a bass-enhanced IEM that sounds cleaner / more neutral (AD01) vs one that sounds sweeter / warmer (A150).  Versus the TPEOS A150, LMUE certainly succeeded in producing a more audiophile-oriented bashed IEM.  I think that's what they were going for here, so that's a good thing!
 
vs.  Vsonic VSD5 (with stock tips) - ~$70
Okay, I intentionally chose an IEM with a radically different sound signature this time.  The VSD5 is much more focused on the mids and upper end than but isn't lacking in the lower end by any means.  With the VSD5, soundstage is less intimate and vocals are more prominent, as are cymbals and (unfortunately) sibilance.  Moving back and forth between the two, I'm sensing a lack of engagement on the low end with the VSD5, but that's balanced out by the more engaging vocals and added clarity up top.  However, the upper end can be a bit hot - especially with poor recordings.  With the AD01, the bass is slower and boomier but more engaging, the mids are recessed making vocals more distant, and the top end lacks clarity but is much easier to listen to for extended periods.

 
 
SUMMARY
The AD01 are an interesting first house-brand product from LMUE.  The target seemed to be an audiophile-friendly bass-enhanced IEM.  I'd say they came close but fell short due to lack of clarity up top.  Design-wise, I really liked them - especially the connectors they used for he detachable cables.  I hope more manufacturers start using these 2mm DC connectors!  Aesthetically, the plain black or silver shells with no branding are quite attractive yet unassuming at the same time.  Ergonomically, they worked very well for me.  The shells were comfortable, and I actually prefer IEM that are worn down so that was a plus.  Finally, LMUE included a pretty good accessory package.
 
What could be better?  As far as the sound goes, tone down the low end a bit while keep the same overall sound.  This will make it more responsive and less boomy.  It will also make the mids stand out a bit more, making vocals more engaging.  Bump up the upper end a tad, increasing clarity.  I think these changes would keep this IEM differentiated from the competition, retain the basic sound signature it seems LMUE was after, and better please the audiophile crowd.  I'd also suggest pairing the AD01 with a more supple stock cable with better L / R markings and slightly smaller strain reliefs.  This would help fix concerns about microphonics and make over ear fit more ergonomic.  Including ear guides (already in the works) and a shirt clip would help out here, as well.  Finally, I really think a silver plated copper cable would be of benefit to tighten up the low end and open up the upper end if the same tuning is kept. 
 
Thanks again to @TEOSJ at LMUE for the opportunity to give these a listen, and please stay tuned for more reviews from the U.S. and Canada tours!

Intro​

 
TL;DR: The debut IEM of LMUE's in-house brand, the AD01 provides a thunderous, bass-heavy sound signature built almost specifically for the basshead.
 
Before I begin, I would like to thank Teo at Led Me UR Ears for providing the review sample of the Alpha & Delta AD01 seen in this review. Note that I am neither affiliated with LMUE or any of its staff, nor am I being paid to write this review. Everything that follows is from my own honest opinion unless otherwise specified, and all pictures are taken and owned by me. Finally, please take everything stated in this review with a grain of salt. Thanks!
 
Lend Me UR Ears – from henceforth will be called LMUE – is a headphone retailer and distributor based in Singapore, known for popularizing many East Asian brands and making them accessible to the Western audiophile market – not unlike Penon Audio – thanks to its Amazon warehouses in the US and Canada. Just about 3 weeks ago, Teo approached me offering to review an in-house IEM which they released in partnership with a local manufacturer. The IEM in question is the Alpha & Delta AD01.
 
This new IEM employs a dual dynamic driver system, priced at about $100. How will these newcomers stand up to its much older competitors? Find out after the jump.
 
 

== Aesthetics ==​

Packaging, Accessories​

 
The AD01 arrives in a fancy jewelry box-like package, adorned with the Alpha & Delta logo, a weird sticker that says AD01 (not shown in the picture because I removed it), and…not much else, actually. Inside you're greeted by a foam cutout containing the AD01 itself (detached from its cable), a couple pairs of eartips, and a plastic pouch with more eartips inside. Under that foam cutout is another cutout containing a hard case, inside which is the AD01’s cable.

The AD01, for a $100 IEM, has a great accessory package. Aside from the already mentioned hard case, you also get ten pairs of eartips: generic eartips in S/M/L, Sony Hybrid lookalikes in S/M/L, bi-flange eartips in S/M/L, and a pair of generic foam eartips. Despite the quantity of included eartips, they aren’t exactly of the highest quality, with the included Sony Hybrid look-alikes looking about as cheaply made as possible. LMUE also offers aftermarket accessories on their site, one of which is a neat upgrade cable (priced at 45 SGD as of this writing) which Teo was kind enough to send along with the main package (I will expand on this later).
 
One thing I noticed about the AD01 at first glance is the apparent lack of branding on the earphones and its packaging. About the only thing that indicates the AD01’s brand is the logo on the front of the box. Otherwise there is no indication of what brand the IEMs themselves are, being little more than your generic Chinese-brand earphones if you have no prior knowledge of what it is.
 
 

Design, Build, Microphonics​