Reviews by adriansticoid
Introduction:
Moondrop is a company from China that produces in-ear monitors, as well as some cables and earbuds. They were made famous by their signature all-metal build and their balanced in-house sound signature closely resembling the Harman target curve, or VDSF (Virtual Diffuse Sound Field) as Moondrop likes to call it. The Chu is their latest in-ear monitor, and included with it is Moondrop's own premium Spring eartips. The Chu currently retails for 20 USD, which makes it the second cheapest in-ear monitor released by Moondrop (right next to the Quarks which was just 12 USD). The Chu was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 10 mm double cavity dynamic, titanium coated diaphragm
Impedance: 28 ohms
Sensitivity: 120 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 35 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Questyle M15, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Chu comes in a compact square box, which opens at the front through the clear plastic flap. Upon opening, there is the earphone inserted in a thick piece of foam. On the left side, there is a smaller rectangular box that contains a pair of removable silicone earhooks, since the cable is fixed and does not have any earhooks or earguides. There is also three pairs of the Spring eartips in small, medium and large sizes. Underneath, there is a pouch made of felt material, the instruction manual, quality control passed certificate, and an invitation card for Moondrop's QQ group chat. Outside the box, there is also an included wooden bookmark engraved with Moondrop and Chu logos and that same anime girl printed at the front of the box.
Build:
The shells are made of injection moulded zinc alloy. The faceplate is decorated with streaks of gold. The part that holds the cable is plastic, and beside it are left and right side indicators. At the back part of the shell, there are two vents, with the other one being slightly larger than the other. The nozzles are equipped with a recessed metal filter and a lip to lock the eartips firmly in place.
The cable is a very basic single core. The material used was not specified but it looks like this is a hybrid of copper and silver plated copper based on the color of the wires seen through the translucent insulation. Flexibility is acceptable but there is some slight stickiness to it. Very minor microphonics can be heard. Unfortunately, Moondrop did not include a chin slider here. The splitter is a circular piece of plastic with Moondrop's logo, and the L-type 3.5 mm gold plated plug is made of hard rubber.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are presented in a neutral, linear manner. Subbass features excellent depth, while the decay is delightfully quick and tight. Midbass is reproduced with the same characteristics; having just sufficient impact that doesn't impede the adjacent frequencies at all.
Overall, the Chu provides a smooth bass response that remains constantly clean across all tracks. The rumbles are not all that powerful but the depth can really be felt when the track calls for it.
Mids:
The mids sound open, airy, and with excellent clarity. Upper and lower mids are neutrally placed. Vocals have an above average level of articulation. There is a tiny boost in the upper mids that is noticeable on some tracks that enjoyably enhances female vocals and the definition of the instruments.
Overall, just like the lows, there is a nice linearity in the mids. Female vocals are slightly favored, but male vocals sound great either way. The transparency and coherence in this section is outstanding at this price.
Highs:
The highs are very natural sounding and has very good resolution. The reach in the treble is slightly above average, yet the decay is at a moderate length. Lead guitars and cymbals sound lively, and subtleties in every track have great presence.
Overall, the highs have a little bit of added sizzle to them, with the instruments sounding crisp and engaging. Relative to the price, the amount of details in this section is very impressive.
Soundstage and Imaging:
When it comes to the soundstage, the Chu is just average. There is much more expansion in the width than the height. Having said that, the clarity and precision of the imaging is superb. Instrument separation is also very good, as well as their layering with the vocals. Tiny hints of congestion is present in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
Moondrop Chu (1 DD, 20 USD) vs. Fiio JD3 (1 DD, 20 USD)
The Chu has a slightly better depth in the subbass, but the lows in the JD3 are heavier and more powerful. Midbass is a lot thicker and has bigger presence in the JD3, while the Chu has the cleaner presentation. The mids are a bit more forward in the Chu, while having way better clarity and resolution at the same time. Vocals, especially male ones, are chunkier in the JD3. Instruments sound more spacious and airy in the Chu. The treble is more prominent and more natural sounding in the Chu; able to reach better heights and more extended in its decay. The difference is not that big, but the Chu has the wider and taller stage. Imaging is way more accurate and clearer, and instruments are separated and layered better in the Chu.
Conclusion:
It's really nice to see the budget segment improving so much over the years, with neutral, balanced, and analytical sounding gears slowly becoming more and more affordable. Moondrop did cut corners to achieve this affordability for the Chu by making the cable unremovable, and it seems like the paint on the shells will eventually chip like some of their in-ear monitors, but they countered those by having their premium Spring eartips as a freebie. At its current efficacy, and price, the Moondrop Chu is extremely hard to beat.
Moondrop is a company from China that produces in-ear monitors, as well as some cables and earbuds. They were made famous by their signature all-metal build and their balanced in-house sound signature closely resembling the Harman target curve, or VDSF (Virtual Diffuse Sound Field) as Moondrop likes to call it. The Chu is their latest in-ear monitor, and included with it is Moondrop's own premium Spring eartips. The Chu currently retails for 20 USD, which makes it the second cheapest in-ear monitor released by Moondrop (right next to the Quarks which was just 12 USD). The Chu was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 10 mm double cavity dynamic, titanium coated diaphragm
Impedance: 28 ohms
Sensitivity: 120 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 35 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Questyle M15, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Chu comes in a compact square box, which opens at the front through the clear plastic flap. Upon opening, there is the earphone inserted in a thick piece of foam. On the left side, there is a smaller rectangular box that contains a pair of removable silicone earhooks, since the cable is fixed and does not have any earhooks or earguides. There is also three pairs of the Spring eartips in small, medium and large sizes. Underneath, there is a pouch made of felt material, the instruction manual, quality control passed certificate, and an invitation card for Moondrop's QQ group chat. Outside the box, there is also an included wooden bookmark engraved with Moondrop and Chu logos and that same anime girl printed at the front of the box.
Build:
The shells are made of injection moulded zinc alloy. The faceplate is decorated with streaks of gold. The part that holds the cable is plastic, and beside it are left and right side indicators. At the back part of the shell, there are two vents, with the other one being slightly larger than the other. The nozzles are equipped with a recessed metal filter and a lip to lock the eartips firmly in place.
The cable is a very basic single core. The material used was not specified but it looks like this is a hybrid of copper and silver plated copper based on the color of the wires seen through the translucent insulation. Flexibility is acceptable but there is some slight stickiness to it. Very minor microphonics can be heard. Unfortunately, Moondrop did not include a chin slider here. The splitter is a circular piece of plastic with Moondrop's logo, and the L-type 3.5 mm gold plated plug is made of hard rubber.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are presented in a neutral, linear manner. Subbass features excellent depth, while the decay is delightfully quick and tight. Midbass is reproduced with the same characteristics; having just sufficient impact that doesn't impede the adjacent frequencies at all.
Overall, the Chu provides a smooth bass response that remains constantly clean across all tracks. The rumbles are not all that powerful but the depth can really be felt when the track calls for it.
Mids:
The mids sound open, airy, and with excellent clarity. Upper and lower mids are neutrally placed. Vocals have an above average level of articulation. There is a tiny boost in the upper mids that is noticeable on some tracks that enjoyably enhances female vocals and the definition of the instruments.
Overall, just like the lows, there is a nice linearity in the mids. Female vocals are slightly favored, but male vocals sound great either way. The transparency and coherence in this section is outstanding at this price.
Highs:
The highs are very natural sounding and has very good resolution. The reach in the treble is slightly above average, yet the decay is at a moderate length. Lead guitars and cymbals sound lively, and subtleties in every track have great presence.
Overall, the highs have a little bit of added sizzle to them, with the instruments sounding crisp and engaging. Relative to the price, the amount of details in this section is very impressive.
Soundstage and Imaging:
When it comes to the soundstage, the Chu is just average. There is much more expansion in the width than the height. Having said that, the clarity and precision of the imaging is superb. Instrument separation is also very good, as well as their layering with the vocals. Tiny hints of congestion is present in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
Moondrop Chu (1 DD, 20 USD) vs. Fiio JD3 (1 DD, 20 USD)
The Chu has a slightly better depth in the subbass, but the lows in the JD3 are heavier and more powerful. Midbass is a lot thicker and has bigger presence in the JD3, while the Chu has the cleaner presentation. The mids are a bit more forward in the Chu, while having way better clarity and resolution at the same time. Vocals, especially male ones, are chunkier in the JD3. Instruments sound more spacious and airy in the Chu. The treble is more prominent and more natural sounding in the Chu; able to reach better heights and more extended in its decay. The difference is not that big, but the Chu has the wider and taller stage. Imaging is way more accurate and clearer, and instruments are separated and layered better in the Chu.
Conclusion:
It's really nice to see the budget segment improving so much over the years, with neutral, balanced, and analytical sounding gears slowly becoming more and more affordable. Moondrop did cut corners to achieve this affordability for the Chu by making the cable unremovable, and it seems like the paint on the shells will eventually chip like some of their in-ear monitors, but they countered those by having their premium Spring eartips as a freebie. At its current efficacy, and price, the Moondrop Chu is extremely hard to beat.
adriansticoid
@jmwant thanks man. Indeed and I'm really excited to see more improvements over the next coming years.
Ausemere
Glad I've found your reviews; you're concise and we have similar taste (LiSA, Slipknot, Ikimono, EWF). I wanted to get the Chu but now with the 7hz Zero I feel undecided... there are also many reports of the Chu dying.
Introduction:
Having started in 2009, Hidizs can definitely be considered a veteran in the field of portable audio. Their first product, the digital audio player AP100, was launched three years after the company was founded. And now, a decade later, Hidizs continued to progress and vastly expanded their product offerings. The MM2 is the newest addition to their lineup of in-ear monitors. This one features a total of three tunings through the replaceable tuning valves. As of writing this review, the MM2 retails for 79 USD, and was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 6 mm low voltage balanced membrane magnetostatic + 10.2 dynamic, polyetherketone diaphragm
Impedance: 18 ohms
Sensitivity: 104 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The MM2 comes in a relatively medium sized sleeved black box. Removing the sleeve reveals a hard plastic inner box, which is nice because it can be reused more than the regular cardboard boxes. Inside, there are the earphones inserted in a piece of foam. Below it is a smaller box that contains the leather case, and inside that case are the chunk of metal that holds the Bass and Treble tuning valves, a small silica gel packet, and two sets of silicone eartips. One in medium sized bores, and another with wide bores. Underneath the foam, there is another box that contains the cable with a velcro strap. There is also an instruction manual, a warranty card, and a card for Hidizs' website information.
Build:
The shells are made of resin, with a metal faceplate and nozzle. The faceplate has this kind of a polygon design with a matte surface. This is also where the valve is situated, which is kind of unusual since a replaceable nozzle is what's commonly implemented. The valves are also made of metal and classified with their color. Rose gold for the Balanced, red for Bass, and silver for Treble. There is a small vent right below the female 2 pin connectors, and another one at the back side of the shell. The nozzles are equipped with a recessed metal filter and a lip to hold eartips in place.
The cable is a 4-core twisted hybrid of oxygen-free copper and silver plated copper. There is only very minor microphonics. The cable is also very soft, light, and with good flexibility. The angled 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic while the splitter, chin slider, and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
I will be using the Balanced valves for the sound impressions, and then compare it later against the Bass and Treble valves.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are partially boosted and smoothly textured. Subbass is reproduced with very good depth, alongside a decay and amount of rumble that are both just slightly above average. Midbass is also emphasized to some degree and shares the same weight as the subbass.
Overall, the MM2 has your usual type of lows in a warm sound signature. It can also be noticed that the texture here feels smoother and cleaner than other in-ear monitors in the same price range.
Mids:
The mids display great clarity and are a tad forward. The thickness of the lower mids is pleasantly accentuated, but the notes become thinner and thinner as it shifts to the upper mids. As a result, female vocals are positioned slightly ahead of the male vocals.
Overall, instruments have good transparency in this section. The lower mids are great for classical music, and while the upper mids does get a little shouty on some tracks, it is only minuscule and nothing to be worried about.
Highs:
The highs provide an adequate amount of energy. Treble reach is decent with an average level of decay. There is a subtle highlight in the lower treble but on some tracks, it is not enough to bring out the vibrancy in the instruments especially when a number of them starts playing in the background.
Overall, on its own, MM2's treble is actually good. But the upper region of the treble can get overwhelmed sometimes by the upper mids affecting the details and general technicalities.
Soundstage and Imaging:
There is moderate expansion in the soundstage. Width is just average but the height has really good amount of space. Imaging accuracy is very good, different instruments can be identified and their positions pinpointed with ease. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
with the Bass valves
The Bass valves greatly improved the depth of the subbass. Decay is also slightly more extended. The amount of rumble is of course increased as well. Midbass became thicker but not too much to the point where it feels bloated. Mids are pushed down a bit, and that bump in the upper region is now smoothened. Treble reach and extension stayed the same. There is a slight reduction in the height of the stage, but the width and other technicalities did not change.
with the Treble valves
There is a very slight decrease in the depth of the subbass while the decay became slightly tighter. With the midbass, there are no changes. The mids are still slightly forward but the thickness of the lower mids is reduced, and then the upper mids became even thinner, amplifying the minor shoutiness from the Balanced valves. The reach in the treble is improved. Decay also became partially longer. Instruments are now livelier and more crisp. The stage widened a bit, and the imaging became slightly clearer.
Hidizs MM2 with Balanced valves (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 79 USD) vs. KZ ZES (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 32 USD)
Depth in the subbass seems to be equal, but the ZES has more quantity in the rumble. The ZES also has the longer decay, but not that much difference. The MM2 though, presents smoother, cleaner note texture. The MM2 also has more forward mids, but the ZES has slightly thicker note weight. Instruments have better definition and sound more spacious in the MM2. With the treble, the ZES has slightly better reach, but they are equal in terms of the decay. That being said, the MM2 still manages to present details clearer due to its overall better technicalities. Imaging is a lot more clearer in the MM2, as well as better instrument separation. In the soundstage, the ZES has the larger width, but the stage is taller in the MM2.
Hidizs MM2 with Balanced valves (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 79 USD) vs. IKKO OH2 (1 dynamic, 79 USD)
The MM2 can certainly reach deeper in the subbass. Rumbles are also more powerful and extends longer in the MM2. Midbass punches harder and with heavier, thicker note weight in the MM2. The positioning of the mids are identical in both of them, but the mids in the MM2 can sometimes be perceived as slightly more forward due to that bump in the upper mids. Lower mids are thicker in the MM2. The MM2 also has slightly better reach in the highs. The decay is almost equal but the MM2 presents a very, very tiny edge. The OH2, on the other hand, has slightly better presence in the lower treble. Imaging clarity and accuracy are identical, as well as the width of the soundstage, but the stage of the MM2 is slightly taller.
Conclusion:
The magnetostatic driver is not something new in the world of portable audio, but Hidizs managed to give it a new twist in the MM2. The way they implemented the tuning valves sure is attractive, especially at this price point. The Bass valves do give the MM2 the hard hitting lows most bassheads seek, but it's a little confusing that the MM2 is already warm sounding with the Balanced valves, and the Treble valves did not sound the way that I expected them to be. For its asking price, the MM2 surely performs well, and the tuning valves is a great idea by Hidizs, they just fell a bit short with the execution.
Having started in 2009, Hidizs can definitely be considered a veteran in the field of portable audio. Their first product, the digital audio player AP100, was launched three years after the company was founded. And now, a decade later, Hidizs continued to progress and vastly expanded their product offerings. The MM2 is the newest addition to their lineup of in-ear monitors. This one features a total of three tunings through the replaceable tuning valves. As of writing this review, the MM2 retails for 79 USD, and was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 6 mm low voltage balanced membrane magnetostatic + 10.2 dynamic, polyetherketone diaphragm
Impedance: 18 ohms
Sensitivity: 104 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The MM2 comes in a relatively medium sized sleeved black box. Removing the sleeve reveals a hard plastic inner box, which is nice because it can be reused more than the regular cardboard boxes. Inside, there are the earphones inserted in a piece of foam. Below it is a smaller box that contains the leather case, and inside that case are the chunk of metal that holds the Bass and Treble tuning valves, a small silica gel packet, and two sets of silicone eartips. One in medium sized bores, and another with wide bores. Underneath the foam, there is another box that contains the cable with a velcro strap. There is also an instruction manual, a warranty card, and a card for Hidizs' website information.
Build:
The shells are made of resin, with a metal faceplate and nozzle. The faceplate has this kind of a polygon design with a matte surface. This is also where the valve is situated, which is kind of unusual since a replaceable nozzle is what's commonly implemented. The valves are also made of metal and classified with their color. Rose gold for the Balanced, red for Bass, and silver for Treble. There is a small vent right below the female 2 pin connectors, and another one at the back side of the shell. The nozzles are equipped with a recessed metal filter and a lip to hold eartips in place.
The cable is a 4-core twisted hybrid of oxygen-free copper and silver plated copper. There is only very minor microphonics. The cable is also very soft, light, and with good flexibility. The angled 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic while the splitter, chin slider, and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
I will be using the Balanced valves for the sound impressions, and then compare it later against the Bass and Treble valves.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are partially boosted and smoothly textured. Subbass is reproduced with very good depth, alongside a decay and amount of rumble that are both just slightly above average. Midbass is also emphasized to some degree and shares the same weight as the subbass.
Overall, the MM2 has your usual type of lows in a warm sound signature. It can also be noticed that the texture here feels smoother and cleaner than other in-ear monitors in the same price range.
Mids:
The mids display great clarity and are a tad forward. The thickness of the lower mids is pleasantly accentuated, but the notes become thinner and thinner as it shifts to the upper mids. As a result, female vocals are positioned slightly ahead of the male vocals.
Overall, instruments have good transparency in this section. The lower mids are great for classical music, and while the upper mids does get a little shouty on some tracks, it is only minuscule and nothing to be worried about.
Highs:
The highs provide an adequate amount of energy. Treble reach is decent with an average level of decay. There is a subtle highlight in the lower treble but on some tracks, it is not enough to bring out the vibrancy in the instruments especially when a number of them starts playing in the background.
Overall, on its own, MM2's treble is actually good. But the upper region of the treble can get overwhelmed sometimes by the upper mids affecting the details and general technicalities.
Soundstage and Imaging:
There is moderate expansion in the soundstage. Width is just average but the height has really good amount of space. Imaging accuracy is very good, different instruments can be identified and their positions pinpointed with ease. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
with the Bass valves
The Bass valves greatly improved the depth of the subbass. Decay is also slightly more extended. The amount of rumble is of course increased as well. Midbass became thicker but not too much to the point where it feels bloated. Mids are pushed down a bit, and that bump in the upper region is now smoothened. Treble reach and extension stayed the same. There is a slight reduction in the height of the stage, but the width and other technicalities did not change.
with the Treble valves
There is a very slight decrease in the depth of the subbass while the decay became slightly tighter. With the midbass, there are no changes. The mids are still slightly forward but the thickness of the lower mids is reduced, and then the upper mids became even thinner, amplifying the minor shoutiness from the Balanced valves. The reach in the treble is improved. Decay also became partially longer. Instruments are now livelier and more crisp. The stage widened a bit, and the imaging became slightly clearer.
Hidizs MM2 with Balanced valves (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 79 USD) vs. KZ ZES (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 32 USD)
Depth in the subbass seems to be equal, but the ZES has more quantity in the rumble. The ZES also has the longer decay, but not that much difference. The MM2 though, presents smoother, cleaner note texture. The MM2 also has more forward mids, but the ZES has slightly thicker note weight. Instruments have better definition and sound more spacious in the MM2. With the treble, the ZES has slightly better reach, but they are equal in terms of the decay. That being said, the MM2 still manages to present details clearer due to its overall better technicalities. Imaging is a lot more clearer in the MM2, as well as better instrument separation. In the soundstage, the ZES has the larger width, but the stage is taller in the MM2.
Hidizs MM2 with Balanced valves (1 magnetostatic + 1 dynamic, 79 USD) vs. IKKO OH2 (1 dynamic, 79 USD)
The MM2 can certainly reach deeper in the subbass. Rumbles are also more powerful and extends longer in the MM2. Midbass punches harder and with heavier, thicker note weight in the MM2. The positioning of the mids are identical in both of them, but the mids in the MM2 can sometimes be perceived as slightly more forward due to that bump in the upper mids. Lower mids are thicker in the MM2. The MM2 also has slightly better reach in the highs. The decay is almost equal but the MM2 presents a very, very tiny edge. The OH2, on the other hand, has slightly better presence in the lower treble. Imaging clarity and accuracy are identical, as well as the width of the soundstage, but the stage of the MM2 is slightly taller.
Conclusion:
The magnetostatic driver is not something new in the world of portable audio, but Hidizs managed to give it a new twist in the MM2. The way they implemented the tuning valves sure is attractive, especially at this price point. The Bass valves do give the MM2 the hard hitting lows most bassheads seek, but it's a little confusing that the MM2 is already warm sounding with the Balanced valves, and the Treble valves did not sound the way that I expected them to be. For its asking price, the MM2 surely performs well, and the tuning valves is a great idea by Hidizs, they just fell a bit short with the execution.
Introduction:
FiiO is a well-known brand from China that was established in 2007. The "Fi" in the brand name was derived from fidelity (as in Hi-Fi), and "iO" from 1 and 0 (digital signals). FiiO is one of the most versatile brands in the industry, offering a wide range of products including digital audio players, amplifiers, digital to analog converters, in-ear monitors and many more. The JD3 is one of their newest and most affordable offering, that currently retails for 20 USD. The Philippine circle of reviewers was provided by FiiO a unit of the JD3 for review purposes.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 9.2 mm dynamic
Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 107 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The JD3 comes in a rather simple but unique packaging. The box is made of clear, hard plastic with paper inlays for the brand logo, product name and other information. Upon opening, there is the earphone inserted in a thin molded black plastic sheet. Right below it is the instruction manual and four sizes of silicone eartips. The cable also comes with a velcro strap.
Build:
The shells are made of metal. The uniquely designed faceplates also act as a vent, and color coded to distinguish the left and right sides easily. The stem is made of rubber that also acts as a strain relief. On the left stem, there are three small bumps that can be used to know which side is which when in the dark. The nozzles are medium in length, and includes a fine metal mesh filter and a lip to lock eartips in position.
The cable is a very basic oxygen-free copper. Some minor microphonics is there but the cable is very light and the flexibility is great. It does come with a microphone module in a metal housing with three buttons for volume and play/pause. Also worth noting that FiiO does not offer a variant of the JD3 without a microphone. The splitter and gold plated 3.5 mm plug are also made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have moderate quickness but packs a heavy punch. Subbass is forward with sufficient depth, accompanied by an average length of decay. Midbass is also prominent. It is slightly bloated and can sometimes feel out of control; smearing nearby frequencies from time to time.
Overall, the JD3 has just adequate decay in the lows but the boominess is what really cements this as a basshead type of earphone. The midbass does get a little too excited sometimes though.
Mids:
The mids take a small step back and have decent clarity. Upper and lower mids are equal in terms of position and both have thicker than average note weight. Instruments have fairly good definition, but vocals, on the other hand, have a tendency to sound a bit veiled or nasal.
Overall, I guess it's only fair to say that this section is the weakest point of the JD3. It can be good for laid back type of genres but whenever the vocals need to shine in a track, it does not receive the push and energy that it needs.
Highs:
The highs are tight laid back just like the mids. Treble reach is below average that dissipates quite fast. Upper region has very little presence, resulting in some instruments to sound grainy. Lower treble also has a tendency to sound thin, causing some details to be easily lost.
Overall, with the current tuning, the highs get easily drowned out by the other frequencies. FiiO could have elevated the highs the compensate for the strong presence of the lows.
Soundstage and Imaging:
As expected, the stage does not have that much expansion. There is equal space in both the height and width. Imaging has acceptable transparency but can definitely feel lacking in genres like rock or metal. Layering and separation of instruments are just average, and congestion is definitely felt especially in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
FiiO JD3 (1 DD, 20 USD) vs. Astrotec Vesna (1 DD, 20 USD)
The Vesna can reach deeper vibrations in the subbass and with a smoother texture, but the JD3 has a bit more rumble quantity. Decay is pretty much equal. Midbass definitely sounds heavier and more forward in the JD3. The Vesna has the clearer, cleaner mids. Vocals sound more airy and more upfront in the Vesna, instruments also have better definition in this section. The Vesna also has a lot more details in the highs. The Vesna also has better treble reach and has a slightly longer decay. Not much difference in the soundstage, only that it is slightly wider in the JH3. The clarity in the imaging is also better in the Vesna, by a mile. The Vesna also presents better layering and instrument separation.
Conclusion:
Budget gears have been slowly but steadily improving over the years, with some of them not even sounding "budget" anymore. With the JD3, FiiO wanted to appeal to the masses by giving this gear powerful bass that may be good for some genres, but made the mistake of reducing the treble a bit too much that it gets easily lost in the background.
FiiO is a well-known brand from China that was established in 2007. The "Fi" in the brand name was derived from fidelity (as in Hi-Fi), and "iO" from 1 and 0 (digital signals). FiiO is one of the most versatile brands in the industry, offering a wide range of products including digital audio players, amplifiers, digital to analog converters, in-ear monitors and many more. The JD3 is one of their newest and most affordable offering, that currently retails for 20 USD. The Philippine circle of reviewers was provided by FiiO a unit of the JD3 for review purposes.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 9.2 mm dynamic
Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 107 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The JD3 comes in a rather simple but unique packaging. The box is made of clear, hard plastic with paper inlays for the brand logo, product name and other information. Upon opening, there is the earphone inserted in a thin molded black plastic sheet. Right below it is the instruction manual and four sizes of silicone eartips. The cable also comes with a velcro strap.
Build:
The shells are made of metal. The uniquely designed faceplates also act as a vent, and color coded to distinguish the left and right sides easily. The stem is made of rubber that also acts as a strain relief. On the left stem, there are three small bumps that can be used to know which side is which when in the dark. The nozzles are medium in length, and includes a fine metal mesh filter and a lip to lock eartips in position.
The cable is a very basic oxygen-free copper. Some minor microphonics is there but the cable is very light and the flexibility is great. It does come with a microphone module in a metal housing with three buttons for volume and play/pause. Also worth noting that FiiO does not offer a variant of the JD3 without a microphone. The splitter and gold plated 3.5 mm plug are also made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have moderate quickness but packs a heavy punch. Subbass is forward with sufficient depth, accompanied by an average length of decay. Midbass is also prominent. It is slightly bloated and can sometimes feel out of control; smearing nearby frequencies from time to time.
Overall, the JD3 has just adequate decay in the lows but the boominess is what really cements this as a basshead type of earphone. The midbass does get a little too excited sometimes though.
Mids:
The mids take a small step back and have decent clarity. Upper and lower mids are equal in terms of position and both have thicker than average note weight. Instruments have fairly good definition, but vocals, on the other hand, have a tendency to sound a bit veiled or nasal.
Overall, I guess it's only fair to say that this section is the weakest point of the JD3. It can be good for laid back type of genres but whenever the vocals need to shine in a track, it does not receive the push and energy that it needs.
Highs:
The highs are tight laid back just like the mids. Treble reach is below average that dissipates quite fast. Upper region has very little presence, resulting in some instruments to sound grainy. Lower treble also has a tendency to sound thin, causing some details to be easily lost.
Overall, with the current tuning, the highs get easily drowned out by the other frequencies. FiiO could have elevated the highs the compensate for the strong presence of the lows.
Soundstage and Imaging:
As expected, the stage does not have that much expansion. There is equal space in both the height and width. Imaging has acceptable transparency but can definitely feel lacking in genres like rock or metal. Layering and separation of instruments are just average, and congestion is definitely felt especially in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
FiiO JD3 (1 DD, 20 USD) vs. Astrotec Vesna (1 DD, 20 USD)
The Vesna can reach deeper vibrations in the subbass and with a smoother texture, but the JD3 has a bit more rumble quantity. Decay is pretty much equal. Midbass definitely sounds heavier and more forward in the JD3. The Vesna has the clearer, cleaner mids. Vocals sound more airy and more upfront in the Vesna, instruments also have better definition in this section. The Vesna also has a lot more details in the highs. The Vesna also has better treble reach and has a slightly longer decay. Not much difference in the soundstage, only that it is slightly wider in the JH3. The clarity in the imaging is also better in the Vesna, by a mile. The Vesna also presents better layering and instrument separation.
Conclusion:
Budget gears have been slowly but steadily improving over the years, with some of them not even sounding "budget" anymore. With the JD3, FiiO wanted to appeal to the masses by giving this gear powerful bass that may be good for some genres, but made the mistake of reducing the treble a bit too much that it gets easily lost in the background.
Introduction:
FiiO is a well-known brand from China that was established in 2007. The "Fi" in the brand name was derived from fidelity (as in Hi-Fi), and "iO" from 1 and 0 (digital signals). FiiO is one of the most versatile brands in the industry, offering a wide range of products including digital audio players, amplifiers, digital to analog converters, in-ear monitors and many more. The JH3 is one of their most recent product, that currently retails for 60 USD. The Philippine circle of reviewers was provided by FiiO a unit of the JH3 for review purposes.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 13.6 mm dynamic + 2 balanced armature
Impedance: 28 ohms
Sensitivity: 106 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The JH3 comes in a compact black cardboard box with the opening located at the top. Upon opening, there is a smaller box that contains two sets of silicone eartips; one with wide bores and another with regular sized bores. There is also a single pair of medium foam tips. Underneath is the instruction manual and a clear plastic waterproof case. Inside is the earphones inserted in a small piece of foam, and the cable that comes with a velcro strap and a plastic cap for the plug.
Build:
The shells are a mixture of plastic and metal. The faceplates are made of aluminum alloy and have this wavy stripe design. Each stripe has a matte surface that greatly reduces smudge. Right beside the female connectors are side indicators and a small vent. The bigger portion of the shell is made of translucent plastic with a smooth, glossy finish. At the back side, there is another vent situated at the center of the dynamic driver. The nozzles are made of metal with a small lip to help eartips stay in place and also equipped with a fine metal mesh filter.
The cable is a twisted 4-core high purity monocrystalline copper. It is lightweight and has good flexibility but the surface of the insulation is slightly sticky. There is also a moderate amount of microphonics. The angled 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, the splitter and the chin slider are made of metal, and the L-type 3.5 mm gold plated plug is made of hard rubber.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are partially elevated, especially the subbass. There is very good depth and the vibrations stay perceptible in the background for quite some time before rolling off. Midbass has a slightly above average weight but does not bleed into the other frequencies at all.
Overall, FiiO advertised these to have "vigorous forceful bass", but the lows are a lot more relaxed than what I expected them to be. These IEMs do have a stronger than average impact but certainly not basshead levels.
Mids:
The mids present itself with good clarity. There is a very small recession in the vocals, and note weight leans partially to the thin side with minor hints of aggressiveness. Instruments are reproduced with great definition, especially string and wind instruments.
Overall, even though there is a slight recession that is more evident in the lower region, the mids of the JH3 can still be quite enjoyable on vocal centric or acoustic genres. It does have a tendency to become marginally shouty, but this is only present on a number of tracks.
Highs:
The highs take the front seat. The reach in the treble is above average as well as the decay. There is abundant sparkle in this section that adds excitement to each track but can go over the top to such an extent that it causes discomfort.
Overall, the highs are both the strength and weakness of the JH3. It has an impressive level of detail on some tracks, but it can also become slightly overwhelming or sibilant on others that may induce fatigue in long listening sessions.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage has decent expansion. The height slightly expands more than the width. Although the layering is affected by the forwardness of the treble, especially when it overlaps with the mids, the quality of imaging and instrument separation are actually very good. Small amounts of congestion can also be heard in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
FiiO JH3 (1 DD + 2 BA, 60 USD) vs. TinHiFi T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD)
The lows of the JH3 are more prominent. Deeper reach in the subbass, rumble is stronger and more extended. The JH3 also has thicker, heavier slam in the midbass. The T3 Plus has more natural sounding mids, with a more upfront approach and slightly warmer tonality. Clarity and definition of instruments in this section are a bit better on the T3 Plus. With the highs, the JH3 evidently has the edge, especially in the upper region. Details are more solid, and there is more air in the JH3. However, the T3 Plus is a lot more comfortable with its relaxed upper treble. Soundstage is a bit bigger in the JH3, noticeably more in the height, but very, very small difference in the width. Imaging is neck and neck, but the T3 Plus takes the edge in the layering and instrument separation.
Conclusion:
Build quality was always one of FiiO's strongest attribute that can still be observed even in their budget priced offerings, and that includes the JH3. FiiO also managed to give the JH3 relatively good technicalities that are always desired in this price range. That being said, this in-ear monitor could have been a whole lot better if the upper treble was toned down a bit in such a way that the details are preserved, but with more comfortability for long term usage.
FiiO is a well-known brand from China that was established in 2007. The "Fi" in the brand name was derived from fidelity (as in Hi-Fi), and "iO" from 1 and 0 (digital signals). FiiO is one of the most versatile brands in the industry, offering a wide range of products including digital audio players, amplifiers, digital to analog converters, in-ear monitors and many more. The JH3 is one of their most recent product, that currently retails for 60 USD. The Philippine circle of reviewers was provided by FiiO a unit of the JH3 for review purposes.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 13.6 mm dynamic + 2 balanced armature
Impedance: 28 ohms
Sensitivity: 106 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, Xduoo Link2 Bal, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The JH3 comes in a compact black cardboard box with the opening located at the top. Upon opening, there is a smaller box that contains two sets of silicone eartips; one with wide bores and another with regular sized bores. There is also a single pair of medium foam tips. Underneath is the instruction manual and a clear plastic waterproof case. Inside is the earphones inserted in a small piece of foam, and the cable that comes with a velcro strap and a plastic cap for the plug.
Build:
The shells are a mixture of plastic and metal. The faceplates are made of aluminum alloy and have this wavy stripe design. Each stripe has a matte surface that greatly reduces smudge. Right beside the female connectors are side indicators and a small vent. The bigger portion of the shell is made of translucent plastic with a smooth, glossy finish. At the back side, there is another vent situated at the center of the dynamic driver. The nozzles are made of metal with a small lip to help eartips stay in place and also equipped with a fine metal mesh filter.
The cable is a twisted 4-core high purity monocrystalline copper. It is lightweight and has good flexibility but the surface of the insulation is slightly sticky. There is also a moderate amount of microphonics. The angled 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, the splitter and the chin slider are made of metal, and the L-type 3.5 mm gold plated plug is made of hard rubber.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are partially elevated, especially the subbass. There is very good depth and the vibrations stay perceptible in the background for quite some time before rolling off. Midbass has a slightly above average weight but does not bleed into the other frequencies at all.
Overall, FiiO advertised these to have "vigorous forceful bass", but the lows are a lot more relaxed than what I expected them to be. These IEMs do have a stronger than average impact but certainly not basshead levels.
Mids:
The mids present itself with good clarity. There is a very small recession in the vocals, and note weight leans partially to the thin side with minor hints of aggressiveness. Instruments are reproduced with great definition, especially string and wind instruments.
Overall, even though there is a slight recession that is more evident in the lower region, the mids of the JH3 can still be quite enjoyable on vocal centric or acoustic genres. It does have a tendency to become marginally shouty, but this is only present on a number of tracks.
Highs:
The highs take the front seat. The reach in the treble is above average as well as the decay. There is abundant sparkle in this section that adds excitement to each track but can go over the top to such an extent that it causes discomfort.
Overall, the highs are both the strength and weakness of the JH3. It has an impressive level of detail on some tracks, but it can also become slightly overwhelming or sibilant on others that may induce fatigue in long listening sessions.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage has decent expansion. The height slightly expands more than the width. Although the layering is affected by the forwardness of the treble, especially when it overlaps with the mids, the quality of imaging and instrument separation are actually very good. Small amounts of congestion can also be heard in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
FiiO JH3 (1 DD + 2 BA, 60 USD) vs. TinHiFi T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD)
The lows of the JH3 are more prominent. Deeper reach in the subbass, rumble is stronger and more extended. The JH3 also has thicker, heavier slam in the midbass. The T3 Plus has more natural sounding mids, with a more upfront approach and slightly warmer tonality. Clarity and definition of instruments in this section are a bit better on the T3 Plus. With the highs, the JH3 evidently has the edge, especially in the upper region. Details are more solid, and there is more air in the JH3. However, the T3 Plus is a lot more comfortable with its relaxed upper treble. Soundstage is a bit bigger in the JH3, noticeably more in the height, but very, very small difference in the width. Imaging is neck and neck, but the T3 Plus takes the edge in the layering and instrument separation.
Conclusion:
Build quality was always one of FiiO's strongest attribute that can still be observed even in their budget priced offerings, and that includes the JH3. FiiO also managed to give the JH3 relatively good technicalities that are always desired in this price range. That being said, this in-ear monitor could have been a whole lot better if the upper treble was toned down a bit in such a way that the details are preserved, but with more comfortability for long term usage.
Introduction:
KLH is a company from the United States that was primarily known for their speakers. It was originally founded in 1957, and the brand name was taken from the initials of the founders Henry Kloss, Malcom S. Low, and Josef Anton Hofmann. Recently, they have decided to explore the portable audio scene and launched their very first pair of headphones, the Ultimate one, which currently retails for 350 USD. Now, it is no secret that the Ultimate One looks exactly the same as the SIVGA SV007, but I'm gonna leave the research to you, readers. The Ultimate One was provided to me for free by KLH through their Philippine distributor, Soundwave Audio Visual Store for the purpose of this review.
International purchase link
Philippines purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 50 mm dynamic, pure beryllium
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 97 dB
Frequency response range: 18 Hz - 22 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Xduoo Link2 Bal, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Ultimate One comes in compact sleeved square box. The front and rear sides of the box show the exact same thing, so I took a picture of the side instead where it shows some specifications. The inner box opens like a book and has a huge KLH logo at the front. Inside, there is the hard leatherette case that contains the headphones and a fabric pouch. The pouch contains the cable and a female 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter. Underneath the case is the instruction manual.
Build:
The headband is made of metal that is wrapped in leather with a thick, soft foam inside. The outer leather part is made of cowhide, and the inner part is made of perforated lambskin. The yokes are also made of metal and can be rotated 180 degrees, and the cups can also be flipped. The cups are made of zebrawood with an openback design. There is a medium-sized opening equipped with metal rings and grills, and another filter underneath for additional protection to the drivers. There is a single 3.5 mm jack on the underside of the left cup to connect the cable. This also means that the Ultimate One cannot be used with a balanced terminated cable, unless some internal modifications are made.
The earpads are made of the same leather as the headband. Outer part is cowhide, inner part is perforated lambskin. The foams are really thick and very comfortable. It is also easily replaceable since it is not attached to any plastic piece like the ones you see from other headphones. It just needs to be inserted into the dedicated groove on the driver cups.
The cable is a 2 meter long pure silver litz. It is sleeved with braided fabric with 3.5 mm gold plated metal plugs on both ends. The plug that goes to the source is slightly bigger, equipped with a spring that acts as strain relief, and a thread for the 6.35 mm adapter to lock in place.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are dominant and very powerful. Subbass has huge presence with a depth that is above average, and a decay that is a bit slow. On the other hand, the midbass takes a small step back. Note weight is slightly thick but doesn't hit as hard as the subbass.
Overall, the lengthy decay in the subbass can feel quite overextended in some bass heavy tracks. Fortunately, the midbass is contained and reduces the bleeding of the lows into the other frequencies.
Mids:
The mids are reproduced in a recessed manner. Lower mids exhibit sufficient thickness but gradually decreases in density as it transitions to the upper mids. As a result, female vocals have a tendency to sound veiled and slightly unnatural. Hints of aggressiveness can also be perceived in some tracks
Overall, the upper mids could use some tweaking. A small increment in the thickness of the upper section improves the female vocals a lot. Having said that, instruments in this section still show great transparency.
Highs:
The highs are right up there with the lows in terms of dominance. Treble is slightly forward and can reach excellent heights, and just like the subbass, the dec byay is slightly extended. The highs give an excellent amount of shimmer and energy in every track yet it does not go over the top.
Overall, the Ultimate One performs extremely well in the treble region. Despite having presence this big, the highs exhibit good control and stays within comfortable levels.
Soundstage and Imaging:
As expected from an openback headphone, the soundstage is massive. The height noticeably expands a lot more than the width. The accuracy and clarity in the imaging is excellent. Each instrument sound open and separation is very good as well as the layering. There is not a hint of congestion even in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
KLH Ultimate One (1 DD, 350 USD) vs. SIVGA Phoenix (1 DD, 255 USD)
The Ultimate One has a lot more quantity in the lows. Subbass has bigger, louder rumble, but the Phoenix has slightly longer decay. Midbass is slightly more forward and packs a heavier punch in the Phoenix. Mids are definitely more upfront in the Phoenix. Both lower and upper mids sound thicker and more natural, but the mids in the Ultimate One are feel more spacious. In the highs, the Ultimate One has better reach, longer decay and able to present more subtitles in every track. The soundstage is a lot bigger in the Ultimate One. There is a small difference in the width, but the difference in the height is very, very evident. Imaging is also slightly clearer and instruments are separated better in the Ultimate One, although only by a small margin.
Conclusion:
The Ultimate One is a great pair of head gear that sports the crowd favorite V-shaped sound signature. KLH could've changed the appearance a bit to avoid some confusion, but it is what it is. Although the mids doesn't have the best tuning in this price especially for vocal centered genres, the capability of the lows and the highs definitely give every listener a dynamic listening experience.
KLH is a company from the United States that was primarily known for their speakers. It was originally founded in 1957, and the brand name was taken from the initials of the founders Henry Kloss, Malcom S. Low, and Josef Anton Hofmann. Recently, they have decided to explore the portable audio scene and launched their very first pair of headphones, the Ultimate one, which currently retails for 350 USD. Now, it is no secret that the Ultimate One looks exactly the same as the SIVGA SV007, but I'm gonna leave the research to you, readers. The Ultimate One was provided to me for free by KLH through their Philippine distributor, Soundwave Audio Visual Store for the purpose of this review.
International purchase link
Philippines purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 50 mm dynamic, pure beryllium
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 97 dB
Frequency response range: 18 Hz - 22 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Xduoo Link2 Bal, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Ultimate One comes in compact sleeved square box. The front and rear sides of the box show the exact same thing, so I took a picture of the side instead where it shows some specifications. The inner box opens like a book and has a huge KLH logo at the front. Inside, there is the hard leatherette case that contains the headphones and a fabric pouch. The pouch contains the cable and a female 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter. Underneath the case is the instruction manual.
Build:
The headband is made of metal that is wrapped in leather with a thick, soft foam inside. The outer leather part is made of cowhide, and the inner part is made of perforated lambskin. The yokes are also made of metal and can be rotated 180 degrees, and the cups can also be flipped. The cups are made of zebrawood with an openback design. There is a medium-sized opening equipped with metal rings and grills, and another filter underneath for additional protection to the drivers. There is a single 3.5 mm jack on the underside of the left cup to connect the cable. This also means that the Ultimate One cannot be used with a balanced terminated cable, unless some internal modifications are made.
The earpads are made of the same leather as the headband. Outer part is cowhide, inner part is perforated lambskin. The foams are really thick and very comfortable. It is also easily replaceable since it is not attached to any plastic piece like the ones you see from other headphones. It just needs to be inserted into the dedicated groove on the driver cups.
The cable is a 2 meter long pure silver litz. It is sleeved with braided fabric with 3.5 mm gold plated metal plugs on both ends. The plug that goes to the source is slightly bigger, equipped with a spring that acts as strain relief, and a thread for the 6.35 mm adapter to lock in place.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are dominant and very powerful. Subbass has huge presence with a depth that is above average, and a decay that is a bit slow. On the other hand, the midbass takes a small step back. Note weight is slightly thick but doesn't hit as hard as the subbass.
Overall, the lengthy decay in the subbass can feel quite overextended in some bass heavy tracks. Fortunately, the midbass is contained and reduces the bleeding of the lows into the other frequencies.
Mids:
The mids are reproduced in a recessed manner. Lower mids exhibit sufficient thickness but gradually decreases in density as it transitions to the upper mids. As a result, female vocals have a tendency to sound veiled and slightly unnatural. Hints of aggressiveness can also be perceived in some tracks
Overall, the upper mids could use some tweaking. A small increment in the thickness of the upper section improves the female vocals a lot. Having said that, instruments in this section still show great transparency.
Highs:
The highs are right up there with the lows in terms of dominance. Treble is slightly forward and can reach excellent heights, and just like the subbass, the dec byay is slightly extended. The highs give an excellent amount of shimmer and energy in every track yet it does not go over the top.
Overall, the Ultimate One performs extremely well in the treble region. Despite having presence this big, the highs exhibit good control and stays within comfortable levels.
Soundstage and Imaging:
As expected from an openback headphone, the soundstage is massive. The height noticeably expands a lot more than the width. The accuracy and clarity in the imaging is excellent. Each instrument sound open and separation is very good as well as the layering. There is not a hint of congestion even in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
KLH Ultimate One (1 DD, 350 USD) vs. SIVGA Phoenix (1 DD, 255 USD)
The Ultimate One has a lot more quantity in the lows. Subbass has bigger, louder rumble, but the Phoenix has slightly longer decay. Midbass is slightly more forward and packs a heavier punch in the Phoenix. Mids are definitely more upfront in the Phoenix. Both lower and upper mids sound thicker and more natural, but the mids in the Ultimate One are feel more spacious. In the highs, the Ultimate One has better reach, longer decay and able to present more subtitles in every track. The soundstage is a lot bigger in the Ultimate One. There is a small difference in the width, but the difference in the height is very, very evident. Imaging is also slightly clearer and instruments are separated better in the Ultimate One, although only by a small margin.
Conclusion:
The Ultimate One is a great pair of head gear that sports the crowd favorite V-shaped sound signature. KLH could've changed the appearance a bit to avoid some confusion, but it is what it is. Although the mids doesn't have the best tuning in this price especially for vocal centered genres, the capability of the lows and the highs definitely give every listener a dynamic listening experience.
Introduction:
SIVGA is a company from China that mainly produces headphones, and a few in-ear monitors. They started in 2016 and was known for utilizing wood in most of their products. They also have a subbrand in the name of Sendy Audio, which is focused on the premium, more expensive side of things. The Phoenix is currently their top headphone equipped with dynamic drivers, as their flagship P-II has planar magnetic drivers. The Phoenix currently retails for 255 USD, and was loaned to me by a friend for the purpose of this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 50 mm dynamic, polycarbonate diaphragm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 103 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Phoenix comes in a large black box with wood design on the side. It almost looks like a shoebox at first glance. Upon opening, you will see the sturdy looking leather headphone case. The case contains the headphones, a small fabric pouch that contains the cable that is about 1.5 meters in length with a velcro strap, and a 6.35 mm male to 3.5 mm female adapter. An instruction manual, while not really that necessary, is nowhere to be found.
Build:
The headband and the yokes are made entirely out of metal. Under the metal part is a leather band with foams inside that acts as a cushion for additional comfort. The length of the headband cannot be extended unlike most headphones, only the position of the leather band can be adjusted. This may become an issue for people with large heads, but personally I didn't have any problem with the fit. The cups are made of zebrawood. This has an openback design but the opening is rather large. There is a metal ring around the opening and metal grills, as well as a filter underneath to protect the drivers from foreign objects. At the bottom part of the cups, there are two 2.5 mm jacks for the cable connection.
The outer part of the earpads are made of leather, with the inner part, the part that touches your skin, is made of fabric. The foams inside are very soft and rebounds quite fast. The problem with these earpads is that they are shallow, and my ears press against the metal plate on the drivers which causes discomfort. SIVGA did release upgraded earpads later on that are slightly thicker and has a perforated leather design.
The material used for the cable was not specified. It is sleeved with fabric and very lightweight despite being longer than average. The left and right channels has 2.5 mm plugs, and the rings on the plugs are color coded red and green to indicate the right and left side respectively. These plugs connect really tightly to the headphones, and there is a loud click whenever they are inserted. There is no chin slider here but the splitter and the plugs are all made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are reproduced in an engaging manner. Subbass depth is excellent. The rumble has just the right amount of strength; not that strong but does not come across as weak. The decay though, makes the subbass more interesting as the vibrations stay in the background for quite some time. Midbass has sizeable impact and thicker than average.
Overall, the Phoenix provides a fun and kind of unique experience in the lows. It may be not enough to satisfy most bassheads but it will surely leave them somehow surprised.
Mids:
The mids are forward with a partially warm timbre. The level of articulation is above average and transparency is very good. The added warmth adds a relaxing feeling to the instruments especially pianos and acoustic guitars. There is also a very small bump in the upper mids that is only noticeable in some tracks.
Overall, despite the vocals being intimate, instruments actually sound open and airy. The level of clarity is outstanding for its price, and I believe the mids is the Phoenix's focal point.
Highs:
The highs offer a decent amount of sparkle. Treble reach is on the average side along with a well-extended decay. Lower treble is slightly elevated, while the upper treble has a somewhat adequate bite. Lead guitars and cymbals have great definition and there is sufficient detail reproduction.
Overall, the Phoenix has partially tame highs. The upper treble which provides that air and sparkle to the music has much better presence on high volumes. But on lower volumes, it has a bit of a soft attack.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage of the Phoenix is not that big, considering this is an openback headphone. The expansion is below average. The width and the height extends equally. Despite the stage being relatively small, the imaging is really, really good. The transparency and clarity are outstanding for the price. Separation and layering of instruments are both slightly above average, and congestion is hardly ever noticed even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
SIVGA Phoenix (1 DD, 255 USD) vs. thinksound ov21 (1 DD, 399 USD)
The Phoenix has bigger sounding lows. The decay is also a lot longer and the rumble is way stronger. Midbass also sounds thicker in the Phoenix, but the ov21 has a cleaner, smoother texture in the overall bass region. The mids are thinner in the ov21. The upper mids boost is more prominent in the ov21, and while the Phoenix doesn't possess any aggressive tendencies unlike the former, the ov21 has better clarity and more spacious sounding mids. With the highs, the ov21 has more sparkle, longer decay, and able to present the details better, but the Phoenix is safer for longer listening sessions with its smoother highs. Despite having a closedback design, the ov21's soundstage is definitely larger. Both the width and height height expands more in the ov21. Imaging is slightly more accurate in the ov21, as well as slightly better instrument separation.
Conclusion:
It has been well over a year since SIVGA launched the Phoenix, and it has received a whole lot of mixed responses from the community. Some say it's good, some say it's bad. With the time I have spent with the Phoenix, I must say that I really liked it. Of course there is definitely a major flaw in the comfort, and the soundstage can be notably small for an openback headphone, but the distinct and flavorful sound it produces is quite addictive, to say the least.
SIVGA is a company from China that mainly produces headphones, and a few in-ear monitors. They started in 2016 and was known for utilizing wood in most of their products. They also have a subbrand in the name of Sendy Audio, which is focused on the premium, more expensive side of things. The Phoenix is currently their top headphone equipped with dynamic drivers, as their flagship P-II has planar magnetic drivers. The Phoenix currently retails for 255 USD, and was loaned to me by a friend for the purpose of this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 50 mm dynamic, polycarbonate diaphragm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 103 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Phoenix comes in a large black box with wood design on the side. It almost looks like a shoebox at first glance. Upon opening, you will see the sturdy looking leather headphone case. The case contains the headphones, a small fabric pouch that contains the cable that is about 1.5 meters in length with a velcro strap, and a 6.35 mm male to 3.5 mm female adapter. An instruction manual, while not really that necessary, is nowhere to be found.
Build:
The headband and the yokes are made entirely out of metal. Under the metal part is a leather band with foams inside that acts as a cushion for additional comfort. The length of the headband cannot be extended unlike most headphones, only the position of the leather band can be adjusted. This may become an issue for people with large heads, but personally I didn't have any problem with the fit. The cups are made of zebrawood. This has an openback design but the opening is rather large. There is a metal ring around the opening and metal grills, as well as a filter underneath to protect the drivers from foreign objects. At the bottom part of the cups, there are two 2.5 mm jacks for the cable connection.
The outer part of the earpads are made of leather, with the inner part, the part that touches your skin, is made of fabric. The foams inside are very soft and rebounds quite fast. The problem with these earpads is that they are shallow, and my ears press against the metal plate on the drivers which causes discomfort. SIVGA did release upgraded earpads later on that are slightly thicker and has a perforated leather design.
The material used for the cable was not specified. It is sleeved with fabric and very lightweight despite being longer than average. The left and right channels has 2.5 mm plugs, and the rings on the plugs are color coded red and green to indicate the right and left side respectively. These plugs connect really tightly to the headphones, and there is a loud click whenever they are inserted. There is no chin slider here but the splitter and the plugs are all made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are reproduced in an engaging manner. Subbass depth is excellent. The rumble has just the right amount of strength; not that strong but does not come across as weak. The decay though, makes the subbass more interesting as the vibrations stay in the background for quite some time. Midbass has sizeable impact and thicker than average.
Overall, the Phoenix provides a fun and kind of unique experience in the lows. It may be not enough to satisfy most bassheads but it will surely leave them somehow surprised.
Mids:
The mids are forward with a partially warm timbre. The level of articulation is above average and transparency is very good. The added warmth adds a relaxing feeling to the instruments especially pianos and acoustic guitars. There is also a very small bump in the upper mids that is only noticeable in some tracks.
Overall, despite the vocals being intimate, instruments actually sound open and airy. The level of clarity is outstanding for its price, and I believe the mids is the Phoenix's focal point.
Highs:
The highs offer a decent amount of sparkle. Treble reach is on the average side along with a well-extended decay. Lower treble is slightly elevated, while the upper treble has a somewhat adequate bite. Lead guitars and cymbals have great definition and there is sufficient detail reproduction.
Overall, the Phoenix has partially tame highs. The upper treble which provides that air and sparkle to the music has much better presence on high volumes. But on lower volumes, it has a bit of a soft attack.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage of the Phoenix is not that big, considering this is an openback headphone. The expansion is below average. The width and the height extends equally. Despite the stage being relatively small, the imaging is really, really good. The transparency and clarity are outstanding for the price. Separation and layering of instruments are both slightly above average, and congestion is hardly ever noticed even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
SIVGA Phoenix (1 DD, 255 USD) vs. thinksound ov21 (1 DD, 399 USD)
The Phoenix has bigger sounding lows. The decay is also a lot longer and the rumble is way stronger. Midbass also sounds thicker in the Phoenix, but the ov21 has a cleaner, smoother texture in the overall bass region. The mids are thinner in the ov21. The upper mids boost is more prominent in the ov21, and while the Phoenix doesn't possess any aggressive tendencies unlike the former, the ov21 has better clarity and more spacious sounding mids. With the highs, the ov21 has more sparkle, longer decay, and able to present the details better, but the Phoenix is safer for longer listening sessions with its smoother highs. Despite having a closedback design, the ov21's soundstage is definitely larger. Both the width and height height expands more in the ov21. Imaging is slightly more accurate in the ov21, as well as slightly better instrument separation.
Conclusion:
It has been well over a year since SIVGA launched the Phoenix, and it has received a whole lot of mixed responses from the community. Some say it's good, some say it's bad. With the time I have spent with the Phoenix, I must say that I really liked it. Of course there is definitely a major flaw in the comfort, and the soundstage can be notably small for an openback headphone, but the distinct and flavorful sound it produces is quite addictive, to say the least.
Introduction:
IKKO is a company that hails from China that got known for their debut product OH1 Meteor. They launched it some years ago and it was a hit in the portable audiophile community due to its unique but beautiful design and fun sound signature. Today, IKKO still only has one lineup for their in-ear monitors which is the OH series. The most recent product in the lineup is the OH2, which currently retails for 79 USD. The OH2 was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
International purchase link (HiFiGO's website)
International purchase link (Amazon)
Specifications:
Driver unit: 8 mm dynamic, carbon diaphragm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 105 dB
Frequency response range: not specified
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The OH2 comes in a medium sized rectangular box with a white sleeve that doesn't go all the way through. Attached on the front is this lady figure that can also act as a refrigerator magnet. Removing the sleeve and the colorful top lid will reveal the OH2 earphones resting on a thick, dense white foam. Attached to the nozzles are plastic pull tabs to lift the earpieces more easily. Below is a gold and black colored IKKO branded button or pin which can be attached to clothes. This and the magnetic lady are pretty unique inclusions for an in-ear monitor. Underneath, there are six pairs of weird looking oval shaped silicone eartips and three pairs of foam eartips. There is another box that contains the cable, and a leather pouch that contains a plastic tool that aids in removal of MMCX connectors, and replacement pair of plastic filters for the nozzle. There is also an envelope the contains the instruction manual and warranty card.
Build:
The shells are a mixture of metal with matte finish and polycarbonate plastic. The faceplate sports the IKKO branding. Right beside it is an oval shaped vent. Right away, it can be seen through the translucent plastic that there is a printed circuit board inside the shell. First thing that will come to anyone's mind is that it's a crossover, a piece of circuitry used to divide the workload of frequencies when an in-ear monitor has multiple drivers. It is not the case. The OH2 only has a single dynamic driver, and this board, according to IKKO, "optimizes the microcurrent which improves the transmission rate more effectively. The OH2 is also equipped with IKKO's self developed SVAS or Separating Vector Acoustic System which is a specific design in the cavity of the shell that supposedly improves the overall sound. At the back part of the shell, there is another vent. The nozzles are relatively short and oval shaped. It has a lip to lock eartips in place and a plastic filter to keep dirt out.
The cable is a 2-core twisted high purity oxygen-free silver plated copper with visible blue and red lines. It is partially stiff and prone to tangling, but very minimal microphonics. The male MMCX connectors are made of plastic, while 5he splitter, chin slider, and 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have an almost neutral presentation with the subbass having slight emphasis. Subbass is slightly forward and has a slightly below average depth accompanied by a moderately quick decay. The weight and impact of the midbass is just average, and positioned in a way that allows the subbass to come through.
Overall, the lows of the OH2 has that inoffensive yet effective characteristic. Midbass texture is nice and clean, and the amount of rumble is good but for my liking, the subbass can use a bit more depth.
Mids:
The mids are partially pushed to the front. Upper and lower mids are generally equal in terms of thickness and positioning, but on some tracks, the upper mids can sound very, very slightly elevated; noticeable on electric guitars. Vocals have great clarity and there's a good amount of air in between instruments.
Overall, soothing is the best word that I can use to describe the mids of the OH2. Every note is in harmony, and that slight elevation in the upper mids does not cause any aggressiveness at all.
Highs:
The highs are full-bodied and dynamic. Treble is well extended and able to reach great heights. Decay is on the average side. Upper treble is somewhat accentuated compared to the lower treble giving extra sparkle to the instruments.
Overall, the OH2 does a good job of reproducing energetic highs without going over the top. Sibilance may occur on naturally sibilant tracks but it is pretty tame on most tracks.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The OH2 has an averagely sized stage. The height has the same amount of space as the width. The clarity on the imaging is really good as well as the layering and separation of instruments, especially for the price of these. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
IKKO OH2 (1 DD, 79 USD) vs. NF Audio NM2 (1 DD, 99 USD)
The NM2 is a lot easier to drive than the OH2. The NM2 has a smoother texture in the lows and has deeper subbass reach, while the amount of rumble seems to be equal. Midbass on the NM2 is a tad thicker and more forward. There is a tiny margin but the mids on the OH2 is more upfront. The NM2 has better articulation in the instruments and cleaner sounding vocals. With the highs, the OH2 has slightly better reach but they are equal in the decay. Soundstage is bigger on the NM2. The width only has a small difference but the height is noticeably more spacious in the NM2. The NM2 also has more clarity in the imaging, as well as better instrument separation.
IKKO OH2 (1DD, 79 USD) vs. TinHiFi T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD)
They are very similar in the lows. The T3 Plus just has more depth in the subbass, while the midbass is very slightly thicker in the OH2. Mids are also really close. The T3 Plus has a bit more warmth in the vocals, and more open sounding instruments. The biggest difference is in the highs. The OH2 shines more and is able to present more details. The OH2 also has slightly longer decay, while the T3 Plus is a bit softer sounding in the lower treble. Imaging is also close, but the T3 Plus has slightly better transparency. Separation of instruments and layering are just about the same.
Conclusion:
IKKO did their homework on this one. They were able to put up something fresh, both inside with the included printed circuit board and Separating Vector Acoustic System that improves the overall sound, and outside with the uniquely designed shell. Although it's a personal issue, I must say that the included eartips look very weird especially the large ones, and none of them gave me a good fit. But then again, it's nice to see another in-ear monitor having an all-rounder type of signature in this price segment.
IKKO is a company that hails from China that got known for their debut product OH1 Meteor. They launched it some years ago and it was a hit in the portable audiophile community due to its unique but beautiful design and fun sound signature. Today, IKKO still only has one lineup for their in-ear monitors which is the OH series. The most recent product in the lineup is the OH2, which currently retails for 79 USD. The OH2 was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
International purchase link (HiFiGO's website)
International purchase link (Amazon)
Specifications:
Driver unit: 8 mm dynamic, carbon diaphragm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 105 dB
Frequency response range: not specified
Source:
Poco X3, Redmi Note 10 Pro paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The OH2 comes in a medium sized rectangular box with a white sleeve that doesn't go all the way through. Attached on the front is this lady figure that can also act as a refrigerator magnet. Removing the sleeve and the colorful top lid will reveal the OH2 earphones resting on a thick, dense white foam. Attached to the nozzles are plastic pull tabs to lift the earpieces more easily. Below is a gold and black colored IKKO branded button or pin which can be attached to clothes. This and the magnetic lady are pretty unique inclusions for an in-ear monitor. Underneath, there are six pairs of weird looking oval shaped silicone eartips and three pairs of foam eartips. There is another box that contains the cable, and a leather pouch that contains a plastic tool that aids in removal of MMCX connectors, and replacement pair of plastic filters for the nozzle. There is also an envelope the contains the instruction manual and warranty card.
Build:
The shells are a mixture of metal with matte finish and polycarbonate plastic. The faceplate sports the IKKO branding. Right beside it is an oval shaped vent. Right away, it can be seen through the translucent plastic that there is a printed circuit board inside the shell. First thing that will come to anyone's mind is that it's a crossover, a piece of circuitry used to divide the workload of frequencies when an in-ear monitor has multiple drivers. It is not the case. The OH2 only has a single dynamic driver, and this board, according to IKKO, "optimizes the microcurrent which improves the transmission rate more effectively. The OH2 is also equipped with IKKO's self developed SVAS or Separating Vector Acoustic System which is a specific design in the cavity of the shell that supposedly improves the overall sound. At the back part of the shell, there is another vent. The nozzles are relatively short and oval shaped. It has a lip to lock eartips in place and a plastic filter to keep dirt out.
The cable is a 2-core twisted high purity oxygen-free silver plated copper with visible blue and red lines. It is partially stiff and prone to tangling, but very minimal microphonics. The male MMCX connectors are made of plastic, while 5he splitter, chin slider, and 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have an almost neutral presentation with the subbass having slight emphasis. Subbass is slightly forward and has a slightly below average depth accompanied by a moderately quick decay. The weight and impact of the midbass is just average, and positioned in a way that allows the subbass to come through.
Overall, the lows of the OH2 has that inoffensive yet effective characteristic. Midbass texture is nice and clean, and the amount of rumble is good but for my liking, the subbass can use a bit more depth.
Mids:
The mids are partially pushed to the front. Upper and lower mids are generally equal in terms of thickness and positioning, but on some tracks, the upper mids can sound very, very slightly elevated; noticeable on electric guitars. Vocals have great clarity and there's a good amount of air in between instruments.
Overall, soothing is the best word that I can use to describe the mids of the OH2. Every note is in harmony, and that slight elevation in the upper mids does not cause any aggressiveness at all.
Highs:
The highs are full-bodied and dynamic. Treble is well extended and able to reach great heights. Decay is on the average side. Upper treble is somewhat accentuated compared to the lower treble giving extra sparkle to the instruments.
Overall, the OH2 does a good job of reproducing energetic highs without going over the top. Sibilance may occur on naturally sibilant tracks but it is pretty tame on most tracks.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The OH2 has an averagely sized stage. The height has the same amount of space as the width. The clarity on the imaging is really good as well as the layering and separation of instruments, especially for the price of these. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
IKKO OH2 (1 DD, 79 USD) vs. NF Audio NM2 (1 DD, 99 USD)
The NM2 is a lot easier to drive than the OH2. The NM2 has a smoother texture in the lows and has deeper subbass reach, while the amount of rumble seems to be equal. Midbass on the NM2 is a tad thicker and more forward. There is a tiny margin but the mids on the OH2 is more upfront. The NM2 has better articulation in the instruments and cleaner sounding vocals. With the highs, the OH2 has slightly better reach but they are equal in the decay. Soundstage is bigger on the NM2. The width only has a small difference but the height is noticeably more spacious in the NM2. The NM2 also has more clarity in the imaging, as well as better instrument separation.
IKKO OH2 (1DD, 79 USD) vs. TinHiFi T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD)
They are very similar in the lows. The T3 Plus just has more depth in the subbass, while the midbass is very slightly thicker in the OH2. Mids are also really close. The T3 Plus has a bit more warmth in the vocals, and more open sounding instruments. The biggest difference is in the highs. The OH2 shines more and is able to present more details. The OH2 also has slightly longer decay, while the T3 Plus is a bit softer sounding in the lower treble. Imaging is also close, but the T3 Plus has slightly better transparency. Separation of instruments and layering are just about the same.
Conclusion:
IKKO did their homework on this one. They were able to put up something fresh, both inside with the included printed circuit board and Separating Vector Acoustic System that improves the overall sound, and outside with the uniquely designed shell. Although it's a personal issue, I must say that the included eartips look very weird especially the large ones, and none of them gave me a good fit. But then again, it's nice to see another in-ear monitor having an all-rounder type of signature in this price segment.
Introduction:
Audiosense is a company from China that right now, exclusively produces in-ear monitors in universal fit. At the moment they have three main lineups. The AQ series with a hybrid driver setup, with the exception of AQ0 that utilizes a single dynamic driver, the DT series with shells resembling a custom fit in-ear, and the T series with more universal fit shells that is reminiscent of what Shure and Westone uses. The AQ4 is latest addition to the AQ lineup that currently retails for 170 USD, and was provided to me at a discounted price by Audiosense in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 10 mm dynamic + 3 Knowles balanced armature
Impedance: 10 ohms
Sensitivity: 101 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 22 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The AQ4 comes in a basic medium sized rectangular box. Opening will reveal the earphones inserted in a dense piece of foam, with the leather zipper case below it. The case containst the cable with a velcro strap, a cleaning tool, AT400/AT100, GT40S, and generic silicone eartips all in small, medium and large sizes. Underneath the case is the instruction manual.
Build:
Just like most Audiosense in-ear monitors, the shells of the AQ4 are made of 3D-printed resin. It has a smooth and glossy surface. The faceplates have this texalium design which looks like carbon fiber but silver in color. At the side of the faceplate, there is a small gold colored Audiosense logo. Right below the female MMCX connectors, there is a single vent. The nozzles has a lip but are relatively short compared to previous in-ear monitors from the brand. Underneath the metal mesh filter, it can be noticed that there are three holes, indicating that there are tubes connecting to the dynamic and balanced armature drivers.
The cable is the standard Audiosense 8 core 6N single crystal copper which is very soft, lightweight, and tightly braided. The male MMCX connectors are made of plastic with color coded side indicators. The splitter and chin slider are made of metal, while the 3.5mm L-type gold plated plug is made of hard rubber.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are the climax of the AQ4, having really powerful rumbles. Subbass has excellent depth; able to reach those strikingly low frequencies. Decay is above average yet does not overstay. The weight of the midbass is slightly elevated with sufficient slam, but it is positioned a bit laid back compared to the subbass
Overall, bassheads will definitely like the presentation of the lows in the AQ4. As expected, the lows will bleed to the other frequencies every now and then, but since the highlight is on the subbass and midbass is just adequate, the impact is very little.
Mids:
The mids are just partially recessed but with very good transparency. Upper and lower mids are linear and share the same note weight. Instruments have great articulation and doesn't feel squeezed in due to the authoritative lows. Drum hits feel solid and acoustic guitars are very clear and crisp.
Overall, despite the very slight recession and dominance of the low frequencies, the AQ4 still manages to present the vocals and different instruments with impressive finesse.
Highs:
The highs are slightly elevated, but not as much as the lows. The reach in the treble is slightly above average, and noticeably there is a bit more focus in the lower treble. Decay is on the average side. Cymbals have sufficient substance but can rarely sound a little grainy depending on the track.
Overall, I would have preferred if the upper treble had a bit more push where it can match the energy of the lows. Nevertheless, the AQ4 can still reproduce a decent amount of details and subtleties.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The AQ4 has an average size of stage. The height has more expansion than the width. The accuracy in the imaging is slightly above average as well as the layering. Instrument separation is adequate but can sometimes get affected by the lows bleeding into mids. Small amounts of congestion can be noticed especially in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
Audiosense AQ4 (1 DD + 3 BA, 170 USD) vs. Audiosense AQ0 (1 DD, 99 USD)
The AQ0 has a bit more quantity in the lows. Depth is just identical but the AQ0 has a slightly longer decay and marginally stronger rumble. However, it can be noticed that the subbass in AQ4 is more forward. Midbass is very, very close in both weight and impact, but the AQ4 has a smoother, rounder reproduction. The mids are also slightly more forward in the AQ4, and are much more natural and lively. Vocals have better articulation and clarity in the AQ4, and instruments sound more spacious and airy. The AQ0 though, has thicker lower mids. With the highs, the AQ4 has better reach and has longer decay. Cymbals and guitars are more lifelike and energetic. Soundstage, both height and width are bigger in the AQ4. Imaging is clearer and more accurate, instruments are more separated and has better layering as well in the AQ4.
Audiosense AQ4 (1 DD + 3 BA, 170 USD) vs. Audiosense DT300 (3 BA, 180 USD)
The AQ4 can definitely reach deeper in the subbass. Although the DT300 has cleaner texture, the AQ4 has more impactful, longer lasting slam. Midbass in the AQ4 is more pronounced and heavier hitting. Upper and lower sections of the mids sound slightly thinner in the DT300, but has better clarity and sense of air. Acoustic guitars and kick drums are reproduced more organically in the DT300. The biggest difference is with the highs. The DT300 was able to present better subtleties, much better reach and shimmer in both the lower and upper treble. Instruments in this section sound more solid in the DT300. There is not much difference in the imaging as well as the expansion in the soundstage, except that the DT300's stage is somewhat taller.
Conclusion:
Audiosense has done it again. They seem to really prefer the V-shaped or warm sound signature, as most of their products sound this way. The AQ4 is no exception, but Audiosense still managed to tune it in a way that the soundstage, detail reproduction, and other technicalities are not left behind. It would be nice to see, and hear, Audiosense explore other sound signatures, but the AQ4 is no slouch and one of the best options for its price.
Audiosense is a company from China that right now, exclusively produces in-ear monitors in universal fit. At the moment they have three main lineups. The AQ series with a hybrid driver setup, with the exception of AQ0 that utilizes a single dynamic driver, the DT series with shells resembling a custom fit in-ear, and the T series with more universal fit shells that is reminiscent of what Shure and Westone uses. The AQ4 is latest addition to the AQ lineup that currently retails for 170 USD, and was provided to me at a discounted price by Audiosense in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 10 mm dynamic + 3 Knowles balanced armature
Impedance: 10 ohms
Sensitivity: 101 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 22 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The AQ4 comes in a basic medium sized rectangular box. Opening will reveal the earphones inserted in a dense piece of foam, with the leather zipper case below it. The case containst the cable with a velcro strap, a cleaning tool, AT400/AT100, GT40S, and generic silicone eartips all in small, medium and large sizes. Underneath the case is the instruction manual.
Build:
Just like most Audiosense in-ear monitors, the shells of the AQ4 are made of 3D-printed resin. It has a smooth and glossy surface. The faceplates have this texalium design which looks like carbon fiber but silver in color. At the side of the faceplate, there is a small gold colored Audiosense logo. Right below the female MMCX connectors, there is a single vent. The nozzles has a lip but are relatively short compared to previous in-ear monitors from the brand. Underneath the metal mesh filter, it can be noticed that there are three holes, indicating that there are tubes connecting to the dynamic and balanced armature drivers.
The cable is the standard Audiosense 8 core 6N single crystal copper which is very soft, lightweight, and tightly braided. The male MMCX connectors are made of plastic with color coded side indicators. The splitter and chin slider are made of metal, while the 3.5mm L-type gold plated plug is made of hard rubber.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are the climax of the AQ4, having really powerful rumbles. Subbass has excellent depth; able to reach those strikingly low frequencies. Decay is above average yet does not overstay. The weight of the midbass is slightly elevated with sufficient slam, but it is positioned a bit laid back compared to the subbass
Overall, bassheads will definitely like the presentation of the lows in the AQ4. As expected, the lows will bleed to the other frequencies every now and then, but since the highlight is on the subbass and midbass is just adequate, the impact is very little.
Mids:
The mids are just partially recessed but with very good transparency. Upper and lower mids are linear and share the same note weight. Instruments have great articulation and doesn't feel squeezed in due to the authoritative lows. Drum hits feel solid and acoustic guitars are very clear and crisp.
Overall, despite the very slight recession and dominance of the low frequencies, the AQ4 still manages to present the vocals and different instruments with impressive finesse.
Highs:
The highs are slightly elevated, but not as much as the lows. The reach in the treble is slightly above average, and noticeably there is a bit more focus in the lower treble. Decay is on the average side. Cymbals have sufficient substance but can rarely sound a little grainy depending on the track.
Overall, I would have preferred if the upper treble had a bit more push where it can match the energy of the lows. Nevertheless, the AQ4 can still reproduce a decent amount of details and subtleties.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The AQ4 has an average size of stage. The height has more expansion than the width. The accuracy in the imaging is slightly above average as well as the layering. Instrument separation is adequate but can sometimes get affected by the lows bleeding into mids. Small amounts of congestion can be noticed especially in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
Audiosense AQ4 (1 DD + 3 BA, 170 USD) vs. Audiosense AQ0 (1 DD, 99 USD)
The AQ0 has a bit more quantity in the lows. Depth is just identical but the AQ0 has a slightly longer decay and marginally stronger rumble. However, it can be noticed that the subbass in AQ4 is more forward. Midbass is very, very close in both weight and impact, but the AQ4 has a smoother, rounder reproduction. The mids are also slightly more forward in the AQ4, and are much more natural and lively. Vocals have better articulation and clarity in the AQ4, and instruments sound more spacious and airy. The AQ0 though, has thicker lower mids. With the highs, the AQ4 has better reach and has longer decay. Cymbals and guitars are more lifelike and energetic. Soundstage, both height and width are bigger in the AQ4. Imaging is clearer and more accurate, instruments are more separated and has better layering as well in the AQ4.
Audiosense AQ4 (1 DD + 3 BA, 170 USD) vs. Audiosense DT300 (3 BA, 180 USD)
The AQ4 can definitely reach deeper in the subbass. Although the DT300 has cleaner texture, the AQ4 has more impactful, longer lasting slam. Midbass in the AQ4 is more pronounced and heavier hitting. Upper and lower sections of the mids sound slightly thinner in the DT300, but has better clarity and sense of air. Acoustic guitars and kick drums are reproduced more organically in the DT300. The biggest difference is with the highs. The DT300 was able to present better subtleties, much better reach and shimmer in both the lower and upper treble. Instruments in this section sound more solid in the DT300. There is not much difference in the imaging as well as the expansion in the soundstage, except that the DT300's stage is somewhat taller.
Conclusion:
Audiosense has done it again. They seem to really prefer the V-shaped or warm sound signature, as most of their products sound this way. The AQ4 is no exception, but Audiosense still managed to tune it in a way that the soundstage, detail reproduction, and other technicalities are not left behind. It would be nice to see, and hear, Audiosense explore other sound signatures, but the AQ4 is no slouch and one of the best options for its price.
Introduction:
Knowledge Zenith, or simply KZ, doesn't really need an introduction at this point. They are, by now, pretty much well-known by long-term audiophiles and newbies alike. With the past few years, KZ has been continuously launching a ton of IEMs. The ZES is the third IEM from KZ to be equipped with what they call an "electrostatic" driver, with their ZEX and ZEX Pro being the first and second one respectively. The ZES currently retails for 32 USD, and was provided to me for free by KZ in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 12 mm dynamic + 6.8 mm electrostatic
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 113 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The ZES comes in a small, white sleeved box that is what KZ commonly uses in their budget lineup. Upon removing the sleeve and the top lid, you will see the earphones inserted in a molded plastic film. Right below it is another, smaller box that contains the cable, instruction manual, small and large eartips with the medium already attached to the earphones.
Build:
The shells are mostly made of metal with green plastic accents. The faceplate has this design that is very similar to the ZSN and ZSN Pro. The top portion of the shell has a translucent window where you can see the dynamic and electrostatic drivers. At the rear side there is a single vent hole. The nozzles are also made of metal and has a fine mesh filter and a lip for the eartips to hold on to.
The cable is a braided 8-core silver plated copper. The cable itself is soft and light but the bulky plug gives it a little more weight. Slight microphonics can also be heard. The angled 0.75 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, while the splitter and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are dominant and drops with authority. Subbass has an average depth alongside a decay that should be more than enough for many. Midbass has great texture. It is partially more forward than the subbass with a slightly above average weight.
Overall, the lows of the ZES surprised me in two ways. First, even though the lows have huge impact and can sometimes feel out of control, it has surprisingly good texture. Second, it has minimal impact to the mids compared to KZ's previous models.
Mids:
The mids are slightly recessed, as expected from KZ. Male and female vocals are linear in position with great clarity and articulation, also slightly leans on the thin side but stays within comfortable levels. Instruments have adequate note weight and reproduced with good transparency.
Overall, the mids of the ZES are colored to some extent but still feels natural. Even though it is a bit thin, lower mids never felt lacking in substance and there was not a hint of aggressiveness or shoutiness in the upper mids.
Highs:
The highs are forward and vibrant sounding. Treble reach is very good with a decay that is slightly above average. Instruments are sparkly but cymbals can sound too splashy and aggressive that may induce fatigue especially for treble sensitive people.
Overall, the highs are right up there with the lows. Cymbals tend to sound shouty at times but sibilance was very minimal even on notoriously sibilant tracks which, for KZ, is a very notable improvement.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage is sufficient in size. The height and the width are just about equal in space. The clarity in the imaging is great, better than most KZs in any price range. Instruments have adequate space and air between them and have good layering. Congestion can be perceived every now and then especially in genres like metal.
Comparisons:
KZ ZES (1 DD + 1 electrostatic, 32 USD) vs. BLON BL-07 (1 DD, 45 USD)
Lows on the ZES are bigger sounding. BL-07 has deeper subbass but the ZES has stronger rumble and marginally longer decay. BL-07's midbass is more boomy and packs a heavier punch, but it also bleeds to the mids more than the ZES. Mids on the ZES are slightly thinner while it's almost neutral in terms of position and weight with the BL-07. Clarity in the mids is just about equal. Highs are more forward, has more presence, and has better reach with the ZES. Decay is longer in the ZES as well, but the highs of the BL-07 are more comfortable for extended periods of listening. With the soundstage, ZES has a bit more expansion in the width, while the BL-07 has more expansion in the height by just a tiny margin. Imaging is definitely clearer in the ZES, as well as better instrument separation.
Conclusion:
KZ has been steadily improving over the years in both build and sound quality. What used to feel flimsy, now feels more solid, what felt too overwhelming and ear piercing, now feels under control to some degree. The ZES is one of the better options from KZ in my opinion, while still equipped with KZ's house sound; the V-shaped signature. KZ was able to show incremental improvements, but at this point, their sound signature really feels dragging and very redundant.
Knowledge Zenith, or simply KZ, doesn't really need an introduction at this point. They are, by now, pretty much well-known by long-term audiophiles and newbies alike. With the past few years, KZ has been continuously launching a ton of IEMs. The ZES is the third IEM from KZ to be equipped with what they call an "electrostatic" driver, with their ZEX and ZEX Pro being the first and second one respectively. The ZES currently retails for 32 USD, and was provided to me for free by KZ in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 12 mm dynamic + 6.8 mm electrostatic
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 113 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The ZES comes in a small, white sleeved box that is what KZ commonly uses in their budget lineup. Upon removing the sleeve and the top lid, you will see the earphones inserted in a molded plastic film. Right below it is another, smaller box that contains the cable, instruction manual, small and large eartips with the medium already attached to the earphones.
Build:
The shells are mostly made of metal with green plastic accents. The faceplate has this design that is very similar to the ZSN and ZSN Pro. The top portion of the shell has a translucent window where you can see the dynamic and electrostatic drivers. At the rear side there is a single vent hole. The nozzles are also made of metal and has a fine mesh filter and a lip for the eartips to hold on to.
The cable is a braided 8-core silver plated copper. The cable itself is soft and light but the bulky plug gives it a little more weight. Slight microphonics can also be heard. The angled 0.75 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, while the splitter and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are dominant and drops with authority. Subbass has an average depth alongside a decay that should be more than enough for many. Midbass has great texture. It is partially more forward than the subbass with a slightly above average weight.
Overall, the lows of the ZES surprised me in two ways. First, even though the lows have huge impact and can sometimes feel out of control, it has surprisingly good texture. Second, it has minimal impact to the mids compared to KZ's previous models.
Mids:
The mids are slightly recessed, as expected from KZ. Male and female vocals are linear in position with great clarity and articulation, also slightly leans on the thin side but stays within comfortable levels. Instruments have adequate note weight and reproduced with good transparency.
Overall, the mids of the ZES are colored to some extent but still feels natural. Even though it is a bit thin, lower mids never felt lacking in substance and there was not a hint of aggressiveness or shoutiness in the upper mids.
Highs:
The highs are forward and vibrant sounding. Treble reach is very good with a decay that is slightly above average. Instruments are sparkly but cymbals can sound too splashy and aggressive that may induce fatigue especially for treble sensitive people.
Overall, the highs are right up there with the lows. Cymbals tend to sound shouty at times but sibilance was very minimal even on notoriously sibilant tracks which, for KZ, is a very notable improvement.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage is sufficient in size. The height and the width are just about equal in space. The clarity in the imaging is great, better than most KZs in any price range. Instruments have adequate space and air between them and have good layering. Congestion can be perceived every now and then especially in genres like metal.
Comparisons:
KZ ZES (1 DD + 1 electrostatic, 32 USD) vs. BLON BL-07 (1 DD, 45 USD)
Lows on the ZES are bigger sounding. BL-07 has deeper subbass but the ZES has stronger rumble and marginally longer decay. BL-07's midbass is more boomy and packs a heavier punch, but it also bleeds to the mids more than the ZES. Mids on the ZES are slightly thinner while it's almost neutral in terms of position and weight with the BL-07. Clarity in the mids is just about equal. Highs are more forward, has more presence, and has better reach with the ZES. Decay is longer in the ZES as well, but the highs of the BL-07 are more comfortable for extended periods of listening. With the soundstage, ZES has a bit more expansion in the width, while the BL-07 has more expansion in the height by just a tiny margin. Imaging is definitely clearer in the ZES, as well as better instrument separation.
Conclusion:
KZ has been steadily improving over the years in both build and sound quality. What used to feel flimsy, now feels more solid, what felt too overwhelming and ear piercing, now feels under control to some degree. The ZES is one of the better options from KZ in my opinion, while still equipped with KZ's house sound; the V-shaped signature. KZ was able to show incremental improvements, but at this point, their sound signature really feels dragging and very redundant.
Introduction:
Kinera is a seasoned brand from China that has produced many, and still producing, custom and universal fit in-ear monitors. They have been around for quite some time now and has a number of gears that made a mark in the audiophile community. The Freya is one of their most recent models, and shortly after its release, the Mini Freya was introduced as a limited edition, rocking a shell 20% smaller than the regular one. The Freya currently retails for 249 USD, and I got the Mini Freya by winning the recent giveaway held by Kinera.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 7 mm dynamic + 3 balanced armature (2 Knowles and 1 custom BA by Kinera)
Impedance: 22 ohms
Sensitivity: 110 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Freya comes in a rather large and unique looking hexagonal box. Lifting the lid up will reveal the instruction manual and cards with information for Kinera's social media accounts, the idea behind the name Freya and why they chose it, and a letter from Cynthia, Kinera's lead artist and designer of Freya. Everything else is underneath and resting on a thick piece of foam. The earphones, three sizes of silicone tips, a female 3.5 mm to male lightning adapter, a cleaning tool, a female 3.5 mm to male 6.35 mm adapter, and lastly, the round storage case that contains the cable, a female 3.5 mm to male USB C adapter, a silical gel packet, and a full set of Final Type E eartips in SS, S, M, L, and LL sizes.
Build:
The shells are made of resin with a glossy finish. The rear, bigger portion of the shell is coated in glittery paint. The right side is decorated with the "Freya" text in silver, while the left one has the Kinera logo. Both are adorned with a hand painted mountain with a starry night sky, which is unique and really a feast for the eyes. At the top portion of the shell, there is a single hole for ventilation. The nozzles are rather large in diameter, so even if it doesn't have that lip, eartips got no problem staying in place. It also doesn't have a mesh filter, but instead it has three individual holes to separate the dynamic driver, the Knowles balanced armature, and Kinera's custom balanced armature.
The cable is a 2-core twisted high purity copper. It is light but moderately stiff, and thankfully doesn't conduct a lot of microphonics. The male 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors, splitter, and 4.4 mm gold plated balanced cable are all made of metal, while the chin slider is made of plastic. The Freya normally comes in 3.5 mm single ended plug, but I requested to have it changed, and Kinera was kind enough to oblige.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are rich and solid in its attack. Subbass is slightly upfront and able to demonstrate great depth with a decay that is on the average side. Midbass takes a small step back and has hints of sounding a bit soft and somewhat loose but not to the point where it feels bloated.
Overall, that small difference in the midbass can be a little hard to notice during the first minutes of listening. But as the tracks progress, I find myself kind of searching for that thud behind the thump. That being said, I don't consider this to be something bad, it's just different.
Mids:
The mids are forward with good clarity and sounds partially thin. Lower mids have sufficient weight while the upper mids have a very noticeable boost which makes the female vocals a lot more intimate. Instruments have some hints of being closed in, but otherwise have good definition.
Overall, the mids of the Freya sound the best with female singers and tracks where string instruments are the highlight due to that bump in the upper mids.
Highs:
The highs are reproduced in a bit of a laid back manner. Treble reach is slightly below average while the duration of decay is on the moderate side. Upper treble doesn't have much presence which renders cymbals and lead guitars to sound somewhat shallow and there can be occasions where they are overshadowed by the lows and mids.
Overall, the upper treble of the Freya can definitely use some lift. I tried to use an equalizer to partially boost this section, just enough to not cause any discomfort and it definitely gave more life and energy to the tracks.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage has a slightly below average expansion. The height expands a lot more than the width. Even though the stage is relatively small, the imaging is surprisingly great in terms of accuracy. The instrument separation and layering is just adequate. There is a very small amount of congestion especially in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
Kinera Freya (1 DD + 3 BA, 249 USD) vs. Audiosense DT600 (6 BA, 248 USD)
The Freya has the bigger sounding lows. The rumble is louder and able to reach deeper, as expected since it has a dynamic driver. Midbass is tighter in the DT600 but sounds thicker on the Freya. In the mids, the DT600 has more substance but more forward and slightly thinner in the Freya. The DT600 has a very slight edge in the clarity. With the highs, the DT600 has better reach as well as longer decay, although not that much. Instruments sound more lively and spacious in the DT600. In the soundstage, the DT600 expands more on the width, while the height is just about the same. Clarity in the imaging is very, very close but the DT600 is better.
Kinera Freya (1 DD + 3 BA, 249 USD) vs. Hisenior FE3U (3 BA, 299 USD)
The Freya has more quantity in the lows. Louder rumble and longer decay. The Freya is able to reach deeper as well. Midbass is a lot tighter and less in weight in the FE3U. The mids sound more open and have better clarity and transparency in the FE3U. Although they both sound slightly thin in this section, the FE3U sounds more natural and energetic. In the highs, the FE3U has way better reach and much longer decay. However, it does tend to be aggressive or sibilant on some tracks which does not happen at all with the Freya. Soundstage is much more open in the FE3U, expanding more on both width and the height as opposed to the Freya. Imaging is also slightly more accurate in the FE3U.
Conclusion:
There is no doubt, and it really shows, that Kinera put a lot of thought and effort in designing the Freya. From the packaging, accessories, and overall looks of the shells screams of premium and unique experience. The Freya's sound is a good choice for easygoing type of genres where you can listen for several hours without fatigue. That being said, some improvements in its technical performance is needed to make the Freya really stand out in its price bracket.
Kinera is a seasoned brand from China that has produced many, and still producing, custom and universal fit in-ear monitors. They have been around for quite some time now and has a number of gears that made a mark in the audiophile community. The Freya is one of their most recent models, and shortly after its release, the Mini Freya was introduced as a limited edition, rocking a shell 20% smaller than the regular one. The Freya currently retails for 249 USD, and I got the Mini Freya by winning the recent giveaway held by Kinera.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 7 mm dynamic + 3 balanced armature (2 Knowles and 1 custom BA by Kinera)
Impedance: 22 ohms
Sensitivity: 110 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with Cayin RU6, FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Freya comes in a rather large and unique looking hexagonal box. Lifting the lid up will reveal the instruction manual and cards with information for Kinera's social media accounts, the idea behind the name Freya and why they chose it, and a letter from Cynthia, Kinera's lead artist and designer of Freya. Everything else is underneath and resting on a thick piece of foam. The earphones, three sizes of silicone tips, a female 3.5 mm to male lightning adapter, a cleaning tool, a female 3.5 mm to male 6.35 mm adapter, and lastly, the round storage case that contains the cable, a female 3.5 mm to male USB C adapter, a silical gel packet, and a full set of Final Type E eartips in SS, S, M, L, and LL sizes.
Build:
The shells are made of resin with a glossy finish. The rear, bigger portion of the shell is coated in glittery paint. The right side is decorated with the "Freya" text in silver, while the left one has the Kinera logo. Both are adorned with a hand painted mountain with a starry night sky, which is unique and really a feast for the eyes. At the top portion of the shell, there is a single hole for ventilation. The nozzles are rather large in diameter, so even if it doesn't have that lip, eartips got no problem staying in place. It also doesn't have a mesh filter, but instead it has three individual holes to separate the dynamic driver, the Knowles balanced armature, and Kinera's custom balanced armature.
The cable is a 2-core twisted high purity copper. It is light but moderately stiff, and thankfully doesn't conduct a lot of microphonics. The male 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors, splitter, and 4.4 mm gold plated balanced cable are all made of metal, while the chin slider is made of plastic. The Freya normally comes in 3.5 mm single ended plug, but I requested to have it changed, and Kinera was kind enough to oblige.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are rich and solid in its attack. Subbass is slightly upfront and able to demonstrate great depth with a decay that is on the average side. Midbass takes a small step back and has hints of sounding a bit soft and somewhat loose but not to the point where it feels bloated.
Overall, that small difference in the midbass can be a little hard to notice during the first minutes of listening. But as the tracks progress, I find myself kind of searching for that thud behind the thump. That being said, I don't consider this to be something bad, it's just different.
Mids:
The mids are forward with good clarity and sounds partially thin. Lower mids have sufficient weight while the upper mids have a very noticeable boost which makes the female vocals a lot more intimate. Instruments have some hints of being closed in, but otherwise have good definition.
Overall, the mids of the Freya sound the best with female singers and tracks where string instruments are the highlight due to that bump in the upper mids.
Highs:
The highs are reproduced in a bit of a laid back manner. Treble reach is slightly below average while the duration of decay is on the moderate side. Upper treble doesn't have much presence which renders cymbals and lead guitars to sound somewhat shallow and there can be occasions where they are overshadowed by the lows and mids.
Overall, the upper treble of the Freya can definitely use some lift. I tried to use an equalizer to partially boost this section, just enough to not cause any discomfort and it definitely gave more life and energy to the tracks.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage has a slightly below average expansion. The height expands a lot more than the width. Even though the stage is relatively small, the imaging is surprisingly great in terms of accuracy. The instrument separation and layering is just adequate. There is a very small amount of congestion especially in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
Kinera Freya (1 DD + 3 BA, 249 USD) vs. Audiosense DT600 (6 BA, 248 USD)
The Freya has the bigger sounding lows. The rumble is louder and able to reach deeper, as expected since it has a dynamic driver. Midbass is tighter in the DT600 but sounds thicker on the Freya. In the mids, the DT600 has more substance but more forward and slightly thinner in the Freya. The DT600 has a very slight edge in the clarity. With the highs, the DT600 has better reach as well as longer decay, although not that much. Instruments sound more lively and spacious in the DT600. In the soundstage, the DT600 expands more on the width, while the height is just about the same. Clarity in the imaging is very, very close but the DT600 is better.
Kinera Freya (1 DD + 3 BA, 249 USD) vs. Hisenior FE3U (3 BA, 299 USD)
The Freya has more quantity in the lows. Louder rumble and longer decay. The Freya is able to reach deeper as well. Midbass is a lot tighter and less in weight in the FE3U. The mids sound more open and have better clarity and transparency in the FE3U. Although they both sound slightly thin in this section, the FE3U sounds more natural and energetic. In the highs, the FE3U has way better reach and much longer decay. However, it does tend to be aggressive or sibilant on some tracks which does not happen at all with the Freya. Soundstage is much more open in the FE3U, expanding more on both width and the height as opposed to the Freya. Imaging is also slightly more accurate in the FE3U.
Conclusion:
There is no doubt, and it really shows, that Kinera put a lot of thought and effort in designing the Freya. From the packaging, accessories, and overall looks of the shells screams of premium and unique experience. The Freya's sound is a good choice for easygoing type of genres where you can listen for several hours without fatigue. That being said, some improvements in its technical performance is needed to make the Freya really stand out in its price bracket.
Introduction:
Founded in 2014, NF(Near Field) Audio is a brand from China that produces in-ear monitors in both custom and universal fit. They got popular through their NA and NM series of IEMs that utilizes a single dynamic driver, but they also have IEMs with balanced armature and electrostatic drivers. The NM2 was released way back in 2020, as well as its sibling, the NM2+. The NM2 currently retails for 99 USD, and was provided to me for free by KeepHiFi in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: MCL2-10 dynamic, dual cavity (diameter not specified)
Impedance: 18 ohms
Sensitivity: 108 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The NM2 comes in a pretty unique packaging. The box is sleeved but only one side is open. The accent color of the box depends on the color variant of the earphone. In my case, I chose pink, so the box was also pink. The inner box opens like a book. On the left side, there is the instruction manual, and underneath it is the round hard fabric case that contains the 3.5 mm female to 6.35 mm male adapter, and a pair of a super small widebore silicone eartips. On the right side, there are the earphone inserted in a circular foam, and made to look like a compact disc. Underneath, there is a circular card that holds two sets of silicone eartips in three sizes. An "atmosphere" set which has wide bores, and a "balanced" set with regular size of bore. Lastly there is the cable with a velcro strap and a plastic cap for the plug.
Build:
The shells are made of transparent resin with a smooth and glossy surface. The faceplate sports the NF Audio logo. It is barely noticeable but right blow the female pins, there is a small vent. Another vent is present at the rear side of the shell. The medium-length nozzles are equipped with a recessed metal filters and a lip to hold eartips in place.
The cable is a 4-core silver plated oxygen-free copper. It is slightly on the thin side but construction feels good. Some microphonics can be heard but nothing major. It is light, very soft and has great flexibility. The male 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, the splitter is made of hard rubber, while the chin slider and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows also have a smooth and clean texture but with an almost neutral attack. Subbass has a slightly above average depth with an adequate level of decay. Midbass is average in weight and is placed at just the right spot along with the subbass.
Overall, the lows of the NM2 exhibit a very dynamic approach where the rumble is impactful when the track calls for it, and takes a step back when not needed.
Mids:
The mids are placed at the center and reproduced with great transparency. Vocals have an above average level of articulation. Both the lower and upper mids are average in terms of note weight. However, there is a small bump in the upper mids that give extra energy to the female vocals and highlight to guitar and pianos.
Overall, I consider the mids of the NM2 to be an all-rounder since it sounds great for most genres. Depending on the track, the boost in the upper mids can sometimes give a hint of aggressiveness although it is very minimal.
Highs:
The highs are presented in a neutral manner. Treble reach and its accompanying decay is average. Having said that, subtleties are still fairly easy to pinpoint. The splashing sound of cymbals and lead guitar overtones sound detailed and crisp.
Overall, the NM2's highs are balanced in such a way that it doesn't come across as too sparkly or too tame, yet it maintains its presence well and doesn't get drowned out easily by neighboring frequencies.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The NM2 has an average size of stage. The height partially expands more than the width. Instruments sound airy, spacious and well separated and the resolution in the imaging is really, really good. Accuracy is great as well as the clarity. Instruments sound airy, spacious and well separated. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
NF Audio NM2 (1 DD, 99 USD) vs. TForce Yuan Li (1 DD, 119 USD)
These two are not far from each other in terms of price and overall sound signature, but the Yuan Li is a lot harder to drive than the NM2. The Yuan Li has the bigger sounding lows. Subbass has more depth and cleaner in texture with the Yuan Li. It has a louder rumble, although the difference is very, very small. Length of decay is just about the same. Midbass impact and weight are identical but slightly more forward in the Yuan Li. With the mids, the difference is also really, really small. The Yuan Li only has partially more energy in the upper mids and slightly better transparency. Other than that, they are identical. In the highs, the decay is equal but the Yuan Li has a very slight, almost unnoticeable edge in the reach. As for the soundstage, they have the same expansion in the width but the NM2 has a bit more height. Imaging, instrument separation and layering are also identical.
Conclusion:
Many have pointed out that the NM2's shells doesn't look all that impressive given its price tag. They are absolutely right. NF Audio could have improved it especially when similarly priced IEMs come in fancy, elegant looking shells. But what the NM2 lacked for the aesthetics, it made up for the sound quality extremely well. Despite being released a few years ago, the NM2 remains to be a great option until today for its respectable sonic performance.
Founded in 2014, NF(Near Field) Audio is a brand from China that produces in-ear monitors in both custom and universal fit. They got popular through their NA and NM series of IEMs that utilizes a single dynamic driver, but they also have IEMs with balanced armature and electrostatic drivers. The NM2 was released way back in 2020, as well as its sibling, the NM2+. The NM2 currently retails for 99 USD, and was provided to me for free by KeepHiFi in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: MCL2-10 dynamic, dual cavity (diameter not specified)
Impedance: 18 ohms
Sensitivity: 108 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The NM2 comes in a pretty unique packaging. The box is sleeved but only one side is open. The accent color of the box depends on the color variant of the earphone. In my case, I chose pink, so the box was also pink. The inner box opens like a book. On the left side, there is the instruction manual, and underneath it is the round hard fabric case that contains the 3.5 mm female to 6.35 mm male adapter, and a pair of a super small widebore silicone eartips. On the right side, there are the earphone inserted in a circular foam, and made to look like a compact disc. Underneath, there is a circular card that holds two sets of silicone eartips in three sizes. An "atmosphere" set which has wide bores, and a "balanced" set with regular size of bore. Lastly there is the cable with a velcro strap and a plastic cap for the plug.
Build:
The shells are made of transparent resin with a smooth and glossy surface. The faceplate sports the NF Audio logo. It is barely noticeable but right blow the female pins, there is a small vent. Another vent is present at the rear side of the shell. The medium-length nozzles are equipped with a recessed metal filters and a lip to hold eartips in place.
The cable is a 4-core silver plated oxygen-free copper. It is slightly on the thin side but construction feels good. Some microphonics can be heard but nothing major. It is light, very soft and has great flexibility. The male 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, the splitter is made of hard rubber, while the chin slider and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows also have a smooth and clean texture but with an almost neutral attack. Subbass has a slightly above average depth with an adequate level of decay. Midbass is average in weight and is placed at just the right spot along with the subbass.
Overall, the lows of the NM2 exhibit a very dynamic approach where the rumble is impactful when the track calls for it, and takes a step back when not needed.
Mids:
The mids are placed at the center and reproduced with great transparency. Vocals have an above average level of articulation. Both the lower and upper mids are average in terms of note weight. However, there is a small bump in the upper mids that give extra energy to the female vocals and highlight to guitar and pianos.
Overall, I consider the mids of the NM2 to be an all-rounder since it sounds great for most genres. Depending on the track, the boost in the upper mids can sometimes give a hint of aggressiveness although it is very minimal.
Highs:
The highs are presented in a neutral manner. Treble reach and its accompanying decay is average. Having said that, subtleties are still fairly easy to pinpoint. The splashing sound of cymbals and lead guitar overtones sound detailed and crisp.
Overall, the NM2's highs are balanced in such a way that it doesn't come across as too sparkly or too tame, yet it maintains its presence well and doesn't get drowned out easily by neighboring frequencies.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The NM2 has an average size of stage. The height partially expands more than the width. Instruments sound airy, spacious and well separated and the resolution in the imaging is really, really good. Accuracy is great as well as the clarity. Instruments sound airy, spacious and well separated. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
NF Audio NM2 (1 DD, 99 USD) vs. TForce Yuan Li (1 DD, 119 USD)
These two are not far from each other in terms of price and overall sound signature, but the Yuan Li is a lot harder to drive than the NM2. The Yuan Li has the bigger sounding lows. Subbass has more depth and cleaner in texture with the Yuan Li. It has a louder rumble, although the difference is very, very small. Length of decay is just about the same. Midbass impact and weight are identical but slightly more forward in the Yuan Li. With the mids, the difference is also really, really small. The Yuan Li only has partially more energy in the upper mids and slightly better transparency. Other than that, they are identical. In the highs, the decay is equal but the Yuan Li has a very slight, almost unnoticeable edge in the reach. As for the soundstage, they have the same expansion in the width but the NM2 has a bit more height. Imaging, instrument separation and layering are also identical.
Conclusion:
Many have pointed out that the NM2's shells doesn't look all that impressive given its price tag. They are absolutely right. NF Audio could have improved it especially when similarly priced IEMs come in fancy, elegant looking shells. But what the NM2 lacked for the aesthetics, it made up for the sound quality extremely well. Despite being released a few years ago, the NM2 remains to be a great option until today for its respectable sonic performance.
Introduction:
BLON is a company from China that produces in-ear monitors and headphones. Over a short span of time, BLON released a handful of gears that utilizes dynamic drivers exclusively. The BL-07 is the latest product in their BL series of IEMs, which thankfully now has a more ergonomic shape compared to their previous releases. The BL-07 currently retails for 45 USD, and was provided to me for free by KeepHiFi in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 10 mm dynamic
Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 115 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The BL-07 comes in the traditional BLON rectangular white box. Opening will reveal the earphones nesting on foams. Right below it is a smaller box that contains the cable, cloth storage pouch, instruction manual, three pairs of regular silicone eartips, and another two pairs of cone shaped silicone eartips.
Build:
The shells are made of metal. It is quite hefty but doesn't feel all that heavy when worn. The variant that I have is the purple one, and the shells are coated in glittery paint with a smooth and glossy finish. At the rear side of the shell, there are two relatively large vents. The nozzle has a lip to hold eartips in place and a mesh filter to keep foreign objects out. It is also worth mentioning that BLON now switched to a more common 2 pin design compared to the one they used in the BL-Max. However, this is not the usual QDC-type design. BLON used the same pin design that TFZ and CCZ use.
The cable is a basic silver plated copper. The cable on each channel is soft and pliable, but it becomes stiff at the main cable, primarily due to its thick insulation. The angled male 2 pin connectors are made of hard rubber, while the splitter and 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are energetic but shows great control. Subbass has more focus than the midbass and exhibits great depth; it is able to reach those really deep rumbles accompanied by a slightly above average length of decay. Midbass sound thick and impactful but instances of it bleeding into the other frequencies are very minimal.
Overall, BLON finally decided to tone the lows down with the BL-07, especially the midbass which was really bloated in their previous releases. There is still an additional amount of vigor in the subbass, but the midbass is not as bloated as before which is definitely a good thing.
Mids:
The mids have a slightly forward presentation with an average weight. Articulation and clarity is great, instruments sound open and well-defined. However, there is a very slight bump somewhere in the upper mids that may sometimes give a hint of shoutiness but it is pretty minor and negligible most of the time.
Overall, the BL-07 has that clear and natural sounding mids. Voices and instruments are reproduced with a good sense of space. One of the better tuning of the mids I heard from BLON.
Highs:
The highs are reproduced in a clear and crisp manner. Treble reach, along with its decay, are both slightly above average. The highs give a very good amount of air and sense of space in the instruments, and also able to present minor details without difficulties.
Overall, another huge but welcome change by BLON. The highs are now more vibrant and lively than their previous releases. Subtleties in every track are now appreciated with ease and instruments sound more open and airy.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage is sufficiently spacious. The width and the height are just about equal in terms of expansion. Imaging has a slightly above average accuracy and clarity. Instruments are pleasingly layered and well separated. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
BLON BL-07 (1 DD, 45 USD) vs. BLON BL-Max (2 DD, 37 USD)
The BL-Max has more quantity in the lows. It has a louder rumble and slightly longer decay in the subbass. Midbass also has more weight and more boomy in the BL-Max. Meanwhile, the BL-07 has better depth, texture and control. With the mids, the BL-07 has way better transparency, has more air, and sound more natural than the sometimes nasal and boxy sounding mids of the BL-Max. The BL-07 also has more details, sparkle, and longer decay in the highs. Cymbals and lead guitar sound livelier and more energetic. In terms of the soundstage, the BL-07 is wider and taller. Instruments are separated better and imaging is much clearer in the BL-07.
Conclusion:
BLON has a tendency of being hit or miss with their releases, and with the BL-07, they definitely hit it big time. It's great to see that they are now back to a more ergonomic shell shape, but it's still questionable as to why they did not use the more common female 2 pin designs. Now going back to the sound quality, this is where BLON displayed the biggest improvement over the previous lackluster BL-Max. If BLON can keep this up, while improving other aspects such as the cable and other accessories, they are gonna be the brand to look out for this year.
BLON is a company from China that produces in-ear monitors and headphones. Over a short span of time, BLON released a handful of gears that utilizes dynamic drivers exclusively. The BL-07 is the latest product in their BL series of IEMs, which thankfully now has a more ergonomic shape compared to their previous releases. The BL-07 currently retails for 45 USD, and was provided to me for free by KeepHiFi in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 10 mm dynamic
Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 115 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The BL-07 comes in the traditional BLON rectangular white box. Opening will reveal the earphones nesting on foams. Right below it is a smaller box that contains the cable, cloth storage pouch, instruction manual, three pairs of regular silicone eartips, and another two pairs of cone shaped silicone eartips.
Build:
The shells are made of metal. It is quite hefty but doesn't feel all that heavy when worn. The variant that I have is the purple one, and the shells are coated in glittery paint with a smooth and glossy finish. At the rear side of the shell, there are two relatively large vents. The nozzle has a lip to hold eartips in place and a mesh filter to keep foreign objects out. It is also worth mentioning that BLON now switched to a more common 2 pin design compared to the one they used in the BL-Max. However, this is not the usual QDC-type design. BLON used the same pin design that TFZ and CCZ use.
The cable is a basic silver plated copper. The cable on each channel is soft and pliable, but it becomes stiff at the main cable, primarily due to its thick insulation. The angled male 2 pin connectors are made of hard rubber, while the splitter and 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are energetic but shows great control. Subbass has more focus than the midbass and exhibits great depth; it is able to reach those really deep rumbles accompanied by a slightly above average length of decay. Midbass sound thick and impactful but instances of it bleeding into the other frequencies are very minimal.
Overall, BLON finally decided to tone the lows down with the BL-07, especially the midbass which was really bloated in their previous releases. There is still an additional amount of vigor in the subbass, but the midbass is not as bloated as before which is definitely a good thing.
Mids:
The mids have a slightly forward presentation with an average weight. Articulation and clarity is great, instruments sound open and well-defined. However, there is a very slight bump somewhere in the upper mids that may sometimes give a hint of shoutiness but it is pretty minor and negligible most of the time.
Overall, the BL-07 has that clear and natural sounding mids. Voices and instruments are reproduced with a good sense of space. One of the better tuning of the mids I heard from BLON.
Highs:
The highs are reproduced in a clear and crisp manner. Treble reach, along with its decay, are both slightly above average. The highs give a very good amount of air and sense of space in the instruments, and also able to present minor details without difficulties.
Overall, another huge but welcome change by BLON. The highs are now more vibrant and lively than their previous releases. Subtleties in every track are now appreciated with ease and instruments sound more open and airy.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage is sufficiently spacious. The width and the height are just about equal in terms of expansion. Imaging has a slightly above average accuracy and clarity. Instruments are pleasingly layered and well separated. Congestion is very minimal even in busy tracks.
Comparisons:
BLON BL-07 (1 DD, 45 USD) vs. BLON BL-Max (2 DD, 37 USD)
The BL-Max has more quantity in the lows. It has a louder rumble and slightly longer decay in the subbass. Midbass also has more weight and more boomy in the BL-Max. Meanwhile, the BL-07 has better depth, texture and control. With the mids, the BL-07 has way better transparency, has more air, and sound more natural than the sometimes nasal and boxy sounding mids of the BL-Max. The BL-07 also has more details, sparkle, and longer decay in the highs. Cymbals and lead guitar sound livelier and more energetic. In terms of the soundstage, the BL-07 is wider and taller. Instruments are separated better and imaging is much clearer in the BL-07.
Conclusion:
BLON has a tendency of being hit or miss with their releases, and with the BL-07, they definitely hit it big time. It's great to see that they are now back to a more ergonomic shell shape, but it's still questionable as to why they did not use the more common female 2 pin designs. Now going back to the sound quality, this is where BLON displayed the biggest improvement over the previous lackluster BL-Max. If BLON can keep this up, while improving other aspects such as the cable and other accessories, they are gonna be the brand to look out for this year.
Introduction:
Astrotec is a company based in China that specializes on portable audio products like in-ear monitors and earbuds. It was founded in 2002 and the word "Astrotec" was from combining the words "astronomy" and "technology". The Vesna, an in-ear monitor with a bullet type design, is their most recent product. It comes in two variants, with the regular one having a fixed cable, and the Evo variant having an improved, detachable cable. The Vesna currently retails for 20 USD, and was provided to me for free by Astrotec in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 6 mm dynamic, liquid crystal polymer diaphragm
Impedance: 30 ohms
Sensitivity: 102 dB
Frequency response range: 5 Hz - 22 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Vesna comes in a pretty small square box. Removing the sleeve will reveal the earphones inserted in a very thick foam and with the cables tied with a velcro strap, and below it is a smaller box that contains a fabric pouch for storage, three pairs of white silicone eartips, and a basic male USB C to female 3.5 mm adapter. As per Astrotec, this is just a simple adapter and does not contain any DAC chip. Underneath the foam there is the instruction manual and a quality control pass certificate.
Build:
The shells are made of metal in a very small, bullet type design. The turquoise colored faceplate has this cross design. At the top portion of the shell, the letters L and R are printed to indicate the left and right side respectively. In the dark, there is no way to determine which side is which, so I thought it might have been better if the cross on one side was tilted so that if you touch it, you'll immediately know which side it is. The nozzle has a fine metal mesh filter and a lip to lock eartips in place.
The cable is a basic single core oxygen-free copper cable. This is the type of cable that gets very stiff over time, especially the part of the cable that touches your cheeks while wearing them. It is lightweight, moderately soft and flexible but microphonics is an issue. The noise is loud when the cable gets rubbed, tapped or wiggled. The chin slider is made of hard rubber, while the splitter and 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are full of impact and have a substantial elevation. Subbass rumbles vigorously with excellent depth, and decay that is longer than average. Midbass also hits strong. It sounds thick and can sometimes get a little too boomy on bass heavy tracks, resulting in some occasions of bass bleed.
Overall, the really small 6 mm driver of the Vesna outputs surprisingly strong bass that is definitely reaching basshead territories. Not only it is strong, it's ability to reach really low frequencies is also impressive.
Mids:
The mids are partially upfront, with an average level of clarity. The mids also have an added hint of warmth that causes the male vocals to be thicker and more forward, but renders female vocals to be slightly nasal on some rare occasions.
Overall, the elevation in the lows carries through the mids. Instruments in this section have sufficient articulation but can sometimes feel like they are pinched together.
Highs:
The highs, just like the lows, are increased in both the quantity and extension. Treble reach is slightly above average as well as the length of the decay. Lower treble has great energy too, giving instruments in this section a more solid attack.
Overall, the Vesna is able to showcase sparkly, vibrant highs. If you are treble sensitive, perhaps the Vesna can become fatiguing for long listening sessions, but it shouldn't be an issue for people without that sensitivity.
Soundstage and Imaging:
This is where we feel the limitations of the small dynamic driver. Stage expansion is slightly below average. There is not much height to the stage, and the width is just barely adequate. Imaging accuracy is good and has sufficient clarity. Instrument separation and layering is good on acoustic tracks but congestion is really noticeable on complex tracks especially in metal and rock genres.
Conclusion:
The Vesna is a great option for casual listeners, those who are just starting to go down the rabbit hole of this hobby, or for those who are wanting to add something inexpensive to their collection. One small complaint is that it comes with a fixed, noisy cable. But nevertheless, relative to the price, the build quality and performance the Vesna can give you is definitely something worth considering.
Astrotec is a company based in China that specializes on portable audio products like in-ear monitors and earbuds. It was founded in 2002 and the word "Astrotec" was from combining the words "astronomy" and "technology". The Vesna, an in-ear monitor with a bullet type design, is their most recent product. It comes in two variants, with the regular one having a fixed cable, and the Evo variant having an improved, detachable cable. The Vesna currently retails for 20 USD, and was provided to me for free by Astrotec in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 6 mm dynamic, liquid crystal polymer diaphragm
Impedance: 30 ohms
Sensitivity: 102 dB
Frequency response range: 5 Hz - 22 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Vesna comes in a pretty small square box. Removing the sleeve will reveal the earphones inserted in a very thick foam and with the cables tied with a velcro strap, and below it is a smaller box that contains a fabric pouch for storage, three pairs of white silicone eartips, and a basic male USB C to female 3.5 mm adapter. As per Astrotec, this is just a simple adapter and does not contain any DAC chip. Underneath the foam there is the instruction manual and a quality control pass certificate.
Build:
The shells are made of metal in a very small, bullet type design. The turquoise colored faceplate has this cross design. At the top portion of the shell, the letters L and R are printed to indicate the left and right side respectively. In the dark, there is no way to determine which side is which, so I thought it might have been better if the cross on one side was tilted so that if you touch it, you'll immediately know which side it is. The nozzle has a fine metal mesh filter and a lip to lock eartips in place.
The cable is a basic single core oxygen-free copper cable. This is the type of cable that gets very stiff over time, especially the part of the cable that touches your cheeks while wearing them. It is lightweight, moderately soft and flexible but microphonics is an issue. The noise is loud when the cable gets rubbed, tapped or wiggled. The chin slider is made of hard rubber, while the splitter and 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are full of impact and have a substantial elevation. Subbass rumbles vigorously with excellent depth, and decay that is longer than average. Midbass also hits strong. It sounds thick and can sometimes get a little too boomy on bass heavy tracks, resulting in some occasions of bass bleed.
Overall, the really small 6 mm driver of the Vesna outputs surprisingly strong bass that is definitely reaching basshead territories. Not only it is strong, it's ability to reach really low frequencies is also impressive.
Mids:
The mids are partially upfront, with an average level of clarity. The mids also have an added hint of warmth that causes the male vocals to be thicker and more forward, but renders female vocals to be slightly nasal on some rare occasions.
Overall, the elevation in the lows carries through the mids. Instruments in this section have sufficient articulation but can sometimes feel like they are pinched together.
Highs:
The highs, just like the lows, are increased in both the quantity and extension. Treble reach is slightly above average as well as the length of the decay. Lower treble has great energy too, giving instruments in this section a more solid attack.
Overall, the Vesna is able to showcase sparkly, vibrant highs. If you are treble sensitive, perhaps the Vesna can become fatiguing for long listening sessions, but it shouldn't be an issue for people without that sensitivity.
Soundstage and Imaging:
This is where we feel the limitations of the small dynamic driver. Stage expansion is slightly below average. There is not much height to the stage, and the width is just barely adequate. Imaging accuracy is good and has sufficient clarity. Instrument separation and layering is good on acoustic tracks but congestion is really noticeable on complex tracks especially in metal and rock genres.
Conclusion:
The Vesna is a great option for casual listeners, those who are just starting to go down the rabbit hole of this hobby, or for those who are wanting to add something inexpensive to their collection. One small complaint is that it comes with a fixed, noisy cable. But nevertheless, relative to the price, the build quality and performance the Vesna can give you is definitely something worth considering.
Introduction:
Kotori Audio is a company from Singapore that produces cables for in-ear monitors. Recently, they decided to create their own IEM, hence, the Dauntless is born. As of writing this review, the Dauntless is up in Kickstarter, where you can get it for an early bird price of just 44 USD, while stocks last. After the crowdfunding campaign, it will go back to its regular retail price of 69 USD. The Dauntless was provided to me for free by Kotori Audio in exchange for this review.
International purchase link (Kickstarter)
Specifications:
Driver unit: 10 mm dynamic, PU (polyurethane) + PEEK (polyetheretherketone) composite membrane
Impedance: 12.2 ohms
Sensitivity: not specified
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Dauntless comes in a small black and white sleeved box. Removing the sleeve and the top lid will reveal the fabric carrying case with a rather large logo of Kotori Audio at the top containing the earphones with the cables already attached. The cable has a velcro strap and a plastic cap for the plug. Underneath is the instruction manual and right next to the case is a smaller box that contains a carabiner and two sets of silicone eartips in small, medium and large sizes.
Build:
The shells are made of 3D-printed resin with a smooth, glossy finish. The faceplate is decorated with the Kotori Audio logo in silver color. Kotori Audio also decided to not put a vent in the shell. The shells are also smaller than average, so it should be comfortable even for those with small ears. The nozzles have a lip that helps eartips stay in place, and equipped with a fine metal mesh.
The cable is a basic twisted 4-core silver plated copper. This is your typical cable commonly included in custom in-ear monitors. It is thin and very flexible but some minor microphonics can be heard. The male 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors, splitter, chin slider, and L-type 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of hard rubber.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are clean and rolls off early. Subbass has minimal presence. The depth is slightly below average accompanied by a tight, quick decay. Midbass is slightly more upfront. Its weight is slightly below average as well and sounds more like a "thud" than a "thump".
Overall, the lows of the Dauntless reminds me of a balanced armature driver. For the most part, the lows have sufficient substance but can feel lacking sometimes especially in tracks where you expect the bass to takeover.
Mids:
The mids are slightly forward. Lower mids have an average weight but there is a bump in the upper mids that boosts female vocals and gives it extra shimmer. This also results in a slight hint of shoutiness when female singers hit some high notes. Percussion and string instruments sound open, airy, and has good definition.
Overall, the Dauntless has that midrange that is focused on clarity but does not lack body at all. Shoutiness can rarely be perceived but it is otherwise negligible in most tracks.
Highs:
The highs have a very significant elevation. Treble reach is great for a dynamic driver, along with an above average level of decay. Lower treble is boosted but well-controlled so sibilance is never an issue, but the upper treble can sometimes get out of hand causing instruments like lead guitars to get a little too aggressive on some tracks.
Overall, this is the most dominant part in the Dauntless' sound. There is a good amount of air here but it does get a little too much sometimes and might cause fatigue over long periods of listening.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage of the Dauntless has an average expansion. The width and the height expands equally. Imaging is slightly above average with each note having good resolution. The layering and instrument separation is also slightly above average and congestion is minimal even in tracks with multiple instruments playing at the same time.
Comparisons:
Kotori Audio Dauntless (1 DD, 69 USD) vs. TinHiFi T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD)
The T3 Plus has a tad more quantity in the lows. The T3 Plus is able go deeper and with a slightly stronger rumble. Length of decay is just about the same. The midbass of the T3 Plus has more powerful slam and is also more loose. The Dauntless has slightly thinner mids in both the lower and upper section, also the level of clarity is slightly better in the Dauntless. The mids are also a bit more forward. The T3 Plus on the other hand, has more substance and body in the mids and yet the difference in the transparency is very minimal. In the highs, it is evident that the Dauntless has more bite, better reach, and longer decay. Cymbals has more presence and sound more defined in the Dauntless. With the soundstage, they have about the same size in the width but the T3 Plus has more height and the difference is very noticeable. Imaging is almost identical but the T3 Plus has very small edge in the separation of instruments.
Conclusion:
Cold or bright sounding gears are a bit rare especially in the budget range, and it's good to see them slowly growing in population. The word "dauntless" means showing fearlessness and determination, and Kotori Audio was able to show that characteristic by giving this in-ear monitor a somewhat uncommon tuning. A slight reduction in the treble could improve the Dauntless in terms of comfortability, but nonetheless, the Dauntless is a good choice for those who are looking for an analytical sounding gear.
Kotori Audio is a company from Singapore that produces cables for in-ear monitors. Recently, they decided to create their own IEM, hence, the Dauntless is born. As of writing this review, the Dauntless is up in Kickstarter, where you can get it for an early bird price of just 44 USD, while stocks last. After the crowdfunding campaign, it will go back to its regular retail price of 69 USD. The Dauntless was provided to me for free by Kotori Audio in exchange for this review.
International purchase link (Kickstarter)
Specifications:
Driver unit: 10 mm dynamic, PU (polyurethane) + PEEK (polyetheretherketone) composite membrane
Impedance: 12.2 ohms
Sensitivity: not specified
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Dauntless comes in a small black and white sleeved box. Removing the sleeve and the top lid will reveal the fabric carrying case with a rather large logo of Kotori Audio at the top containing the earphones with the cables already attached. The cable has a velcro strap and a plastic cap for the plug. Underneath is the instruction manual and right next to the case is a smaller box that contains a carabiner and two sets of silicone eartips in small, medium and large sizes.
Build:
The shells are made of 3D-printed resin with a smooth, glossy finish. The faceplate is decorated with the Kotori Audio logo in silver color. Kotori Audio also decided to not put a vent in the shell. The shells are also smaller than average, so it should be comfortable even for those with small ears. The nozzles have a lip that helps eartips stay in place, and equipped with a fine metal mesh.
The cable is a basic twisted 4-core silver plated copper. This is your typical cable commonly included in custom in-ear monitors. It is thin and very flexible but some minor microphonics can be heard. The male 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors, splitter, chin slider, and L-type 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of hard rubber.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are clean and rolls off early. Subbass has minimal presence. The depth is slightly below average accompanied by a tight, quick decay. Midbass is slightly more upfront. Its weight is slightly below average as well and sounds more like a "thud" than a "thump".
Overall, the lows of the Dauntless reminds me of a balanced armature driver. For the most part, the lows have sufficient substance but can feel lacking sometimes especially in tracks where you expect the bass to takeover.
Mids:
The mids are slightly forward. Lower mids have an average weight but there is a bump in the upper mids that boosts female vocals and gives it extra shimmer. This also results in a slight hint of shoutiness when female singers hit some high notes. Percussion and string instruments sound open, airy, and has good definition.
Overall, the Dauntless has that midrange that is focused on clarity but does not lack body at all. Shoutiness can rarely be perceived but it is otherwise negligible in most tracks.
Highs:
The highs have a very significant elevation. Treble reach is great for a dynamic driver, along with an above average level of decay. Lower treble is boosted but well-controlled so sibilance is never an issue, but the upper treble can sometimes get out of hand causing instruments like lead guitars to get a little too aggressive on some tracks.
Overall, this is the most dominant part in the Dauntless' sound. There is a good amount of air here but it does get a little too much sometimes and might cause fatigue over long periods of listening.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage of the Dauntless has an average expansion. The width and the height expands equally. Imaging is slightly above average with each note having good resolution. The layering and instrument separation is also slightly above average and congestion is minimal even in tracks with multiple instruments playing at the same time.
Comparisons:
Kotori Audio Dauntless (1 DD, 69 USD) vs. TinHiFi T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD)
The T3 Plus has a tad more quantity in the lows. The T3 Plus is able go deeper and with a slightly stronger rumble. Length of decay is just about the same. The midbass of the T3 Plus has more powerful slam and is also more loose. The Dauntless has slightly thinner mids in both the lower and upper section, also the level of clarity is slightly better in the Dauntless. The mids are also a bit more forward. The T3 Plus on the other hand, has more substance and body in the mids and yet the difference in the transparency is very minimal. In the highs, it is evident that the Dauntless has more bite, better reach, and longer decay. Cymbals has more presence and sound more defined in the Dauntless. With the soundstage, they have about the same size in the width but the T3 Plus has more height and the difference is very noticeable. Imaging is almost identical but the T3 Plus has very small edge in the separation of instruments.
Conclusion:
Cold or bright sounding gears are a bit rare especially in the budget range, and it's good to see them slowly growing in population. The word "dauntless" means showing fearlessness and determination, and Kotori Audio was able to show that characteristic by giving this in-ear monitor a somewhat uncommon tuning. A slight reduction in the treble could improve the Dauntless in terms of comfortability, but nonetheless, the Dauntless is a good choice for those who are looking for an analytical sounding gear.
Introduction:
thinksound is a company based in Canada that produces portable audio gears. They started in 2009 and got known for using wood housing in their products. 12 years later, the ov21 is launched, which is thinksound's first over-ear headphones. In addition to wood, all plastic components of the ov21 are made of Eastman Trēva, a bioplastic created from sustainable wood pulp that, according to thinksound, "reduces resonance, distortion, and improves acoustic performance". The ov21 currently retails for 400 USD, and was provided to me for free by thinksound in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 45 mm dynamic
Impedance: 50 ohms
Sensitivity: not specified
Frequency response range: 5 Hz - 22 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The ov21 comes in a large, sleeved box. Upon removing the sleeve and the top lid, you will see the headphones and other accessories wrapped in a honeycomb wrapper and paper string. Inside, there are two drawstring pouches. The bigger one contains the headphones, while the smaller one contains two cables and a female 3.5 mm to male 6.35 mm adapter. There is also a small instruction manual. The unboxing experience here feels very organic, and you can tell that all materials used are recycled or recyclable.
Build:
The headband is made of metal with plastic edges. It has a thick and soft leather padding with the thinksound logo at the top portion. The yokes are made of metal. The earcups are made of plastic and has six holes in each side at the top portion that acts as ventilation. Beside the vents, there is a small rubber piece that prevents the earcups from grinding onto the metal yokes. The faceplates are made of walnut wood and also sport the thinksound logo. The earpads, just like the headband pads, are thick yet very soft. It is glued to a plastic piece that attaches to the earcups through a magnet.
There are two cables included. One with a microphone with a single button control and one without. They have average thickness and moderately soft, and sleeved with Kevlar fabric. The 3.5 mm gold plated plugs are made of plastic.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have a tiny bit of elevation. Subbass is slightly more forward than the midbass, and those really low vibrations can be felt. The depth is excellent, yet the amount of rumble is at just the right spot as well as the decay. Midbass seems to be neutral, having adequate thickness and impact.
Overall, the ov21 does not overwhelm you with the quantity of its lows, but the ability of its drivers to output very low frequencies is praiseworthy.
Mids:
The mids are placed at the center of the stage. The mids feel airy, spacious and with great clarity. Lower mids are slightly thin, and then there is an obvious boost in the upper mids. This results in rare occasions of female vocals being slightly shouty, and lead guitars feeling a tad aggressive at times.
Overall, there are instances where the mids can become marginally uncomfortable. Nevertheless, vocals and instruments sound crisp, well-defined and have great transparency. It feels like a change in the headphone pads can reduce the peaks.
Highs:
The highs have an excellent level of crunch and shimmer. Treble reach and its decay is above average. Cymbals and guitar solos sound very energetic and lively. However, the highs doesn't reach the point where it becomes painfully piercing, but a slight sibilance is noticeable in some tracks.
Overall, this is the strongest point of the ov21's sound. The amount of detail, air, and clarity in this section is just simply remarkable.
Soundstage and Imaging:
Remember that the ov21 is a closedback headphone, but the soundstage is huge. The width has a bit more expansion than the height. It gives off that holographic vibe to the music without feeling unnatural or artificial. The accuracy and transparency of the imaging is superb. Instruments are nicely separated and layered, and congestion is non-existent especially in well recorded tracks.
Conclusion:
The thinksound ov21 is an excellent pair of cans that is for those who aim for a natural sound with bits of added energy and excitement in the mids and highs. Additional points for thinksound being environmentally friendly with the materials that they used. The ov21 is not free from flaws, but without a doubt, its technical performance is its trump card against others.
thinksound is a company based in Canada that produces portable audio gears. They started in 2009 and got known for using wood housing in their products. 12 years later, the ov21 is launched, which is thinksound's first over-ear headphones. In addition to wood, all plastic components of the ov21 are made of Eastman Trēva, a bioplastic created from sustainable wood pulp that, according to thinksound, "reduces resonance, distortion, and improves acoustic performance". The ov21 currently retails for 400 USD, and was provided to me for free by thinksound in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 45 mm dynamic
Impedance: 50 ohms
Sensitivity: not specified
Frequency response range: 5 Hz - 22 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The ov21 comes in a large, sleeved box. Upon removing the sleeve and the top lid, you will see the headphones and other accessories wrapped in a honeycomb wrapper and paper string. Inside, there are two drawstring pouches. The bigger one contains the headphones, while the smaller one contains two cables and a female 3.5 mm to male 6.35 mm adapter. There is also a small instruction manual. The unboxing experience here feels very organic, and you can tell that all materials used are recycled or recyclable.
Build:
The headband is made of metal with plastic edges. It has a thick and soft leather padding with the thinksound logo at the top portion. The yokes are made of metal. The earcups are made of plastic and has six holes in each side at the top portion that acts as ventilation. Beside the vents, there is a small rubber piece that prevents the earcups from grinding onto the metal yokes. The faceplates are made of walnut wood and also sport the thinksound logo. The earpads, just like the headband pads, are thick yet very soft. It is glued to a plastic piece that attaches to the earcups through a magnet.
There are two cables included. One with a microphone with a single button control and one without. They have average thickness and moderately soft, and sleeved with Kevlar fabric. The 3.5 mm gold plated plugs are made of plastic.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have a tiny bit of elevation. Subbass is slightly more forward than the midbass, and those really low vibrations can be felt. The depth is excellent, yet the amount of rumble is at just the right spot as well as the decay. Midbass seems to be neutral, having adequate thickness and impact.
Overall, the ov21 does not overwhelm you with the quantity of its lows, but the ability of its drivers to output very low frequencies is praiseworthy.
Mids:
The mids are placed at the center of the stage. The mids feel airy, spacious and with great clarity. Lower mids are slightly thin, and then there is an obvious boost in the upper mids. This results in rare occasions of female vocals being slightly shouty, and lead guitars feeling a tad aggressive at times.
Overall, there are instances where the mids can become marginally uncomfortable. Nevertheless, vocals and instruments sound crisp, well-defined and have great transparency. It feels like a change in the headphone pads can reduce the peaks.
Highs:
The highs have an excellent level of crunch and shimmer. Treble reach and its decay is above average. Cymbals and guitar solos sound very energetic and lively. However, the highs doesn't reach the point where it becomes painfully piercing, but a slight sibilance is noticeable in some tracks.
Overall, this is the strongest point of the ov21's sound. The amount of detail, air, and clarity in this section is just simply remarkable.
Soundstage and Imaging:
Remember that the ov21 is a closedback headphone, but the soundstage is huge. The width has a bit more expansion than the height. It gives off that holographic vibe to the music without feeling unnatural or artificial. The accuracy and transparency of the imaging is superb. Instruments are nicely separated and layered, and congestion is non-existent especially in well recorded tracks.
Conclusion:
The thinksound ov21 is an excellent pair of cans that is for those who aim for a natural sound with bits of added energy and excitement in the mids and highs. Additional points for thinksound being environmentally friendly with the materials that they used. The ov21 is not free from flaws, but without a doubt, its technical performance is its trump card against others.
LostnAmerica
Nice thorough review. I have a question or two regarding your comments: "The earpads, just like the headband pads, are thick yet very soft. It is glued to a plastic piece that attaches to the earcups through a magnet.", does that mean that the ear pads are Not upgradeable/replaceable? Also, do you think the minor "shoutinesss" and some instances sibilance can be EQ's out?...Thank you again for your info on these and for your responses to my questions.
Cheers
Cheers
adriansticoid
@LostnAmerica Glad you liked my review! The earpads are replaceable but you would have to remove the plastic piece from the old earpads and then glue the replacement pads to it.
For your second question, yes the aggressiveness can be toned down through EQ. The ov21s are very responsive to EQ.
For your second question, yes the aggressiveness can be toned down through EQ. The ov21s are very responsive to EQ.
LostnAmerica
Thx. for the quick response! Darn, the glueing of the pads pretty much will eliminate me from these, but if I had an extra $400, I'd probably get a pair. I am currently saving for my GH40 (Or a used GH50 JM)...
...
Cheers
...Cheers
Introduction:
Ambient Dynamics is a new company that is from Minnesota, United States. Their flagship, debut product is the Lyndale which was named after a place from the aforementioned state in the US. Each pair of the Lyndale is handmade and assembled manually in their headquarters. The Lyndale normally retails for 199 USD, but as of writing this review, Ambient Dynamics is offering an introductory price of 149 USD. The Lyndale was provided to me for free by Ambient Dynamics in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 10 mm dynamic, PU + TI composite diaphragm + E-Audio 29689-000 balanced armature
Impedance: 12 ohms
Sensitivity: 109 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Lyndale comes in a large, elegant looking box with a matte plastic sleeve. Upon opening, there is a large envelope that contains the user manual. Underneath is a large, fabric carrying case that contains the earphones with the cable already attached. There is also a small translucent plastic case that contains the silicone and foam eartips in three sizes, and a cleaning tool.
Build:
The shells are made of medical grade 3D-printed resin with a minimalist, seamless design. The faceplates sport the Ambient Dynamics logo in gold. Printed at the top portion are the model name and the serial number. The shells doesn't have a vent which improves noise isolation. The nozzles are longer than average, has a lip to hold eartips in place and a metal filter to keep foreign objects out.
The cable is a braided 8-core oxygen-free copper litz. It is somewhat sticky but otherwise very soft and lightweight. The male 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of metal that has red and blue rings to indicate the right and left side respectively. The chin slider is made of hard rubber, while the splitter and the straight 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows sound full, thick and have an enhanced impact. Subbass is resounding and reaches great depths, accompanied by a well extended decay. Midbass is well-rounded, slightly more forward, and with a substantial weight behind every punch.
Overall, the lows of the Lyndale adds plenty of the excitement factor in each track and may be enough to satisfy bassheads. That being said, the lows does not, in any way, hamper the mids and the highs.
Mids:
The mids are very dynamic. The elevated warmth in the lows carries on through the lower mids and the male vocals, making them slightly thick in a good way but ever so slightly recessed. Meanwhile, there is a small but noticeable boost in the upper mids that makes female vocals more forward to some degree and adds a bit more life to the instruments.
Overall, despite the elevation in the upper and lower section of the mids, it can be noticed that the articulation is slightly below average. The voices and instruments can sometimes feel partially hazy especially when the tracks get busier.
Highs:
The highs are presented in a relaxed manner. Treble reach is great but it doesn't receive much support from the lower treble causing instruments like cymbals to sound a bit grainy or hollow at times. The decay, on the other hand, is just on the average side.
Overall, the highs of the Lyndale has sufficient amount of sparkle, detail, and can reach great heights but need more definition especially in its lower section.
Soundstage and Imaging:
Apparently, this is the Lyndale's weakness. The stage does not expand that much, with both the width and depth having the same amount of space. There is a fair amount of clarity and definition in the imaging. Instruments have sufficient air and space in between them but can sometimes feel lacking. And although it's not so bad, hints of congestion can also be heard in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
Ambient Dynamics Lyndale (1 BA + 1 DD, 199 USD) vs. Audiosense DT300 (3 BA, 180 USD)
The lows of the DT300 has a cleaner, smoother texture. The subbass of the DT300 sound considerably deeper, but the Lyndale has more presence of rumble. The midbass is thicker in the DT300 while the Lyndale has the quicker decay. The mids have better clarity and sound more open and airy in the DT300. In terms of the highs, the DT300 has the better reach and slightly longer decay, and was also able to present more of the small details in the tracks. The stage is more spacious in the DT300 in both the height and the width. Imaging is also more accurate and instruments have better layering in the DT300.
Conclusion:
The Lyndale is the very first product from Ambient Dynamics, yet they did a pretty good job. From the unboxing experience, to the accessories, design, and the build quality, it is evident that Ambient Dynamics took their time, along with a careful thought, before launching these. However, the Lyndale got introduced in a very, very saturated and highly competitive price range, which makes it quite hard for the Lyndale to withstand the competition.
Ambient Dynamics is a new company that is from Minnesota, United States. Their flagship, debut product is the Lyndale which was named after a place from the aforementioned state in the US. Each pair of the Lyndale is handmade and assembled manually in their headquarters. The Lyndale normally retails for 199 USD, but as of writing this review, Ambient Dynamics is offering an introductory price of 149 USD. The Lyndale was provided to me for free by Ambient Dynamics in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 10 mm dynamic, PU + TI composite diaphragm + E-Audio 29689-000 balanced armature
Impedance: 12 ohms
Sensitivity: 109 dB
Frequency response range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Lyndale comes in a large, elegant looking box with a matte plastic sleeve. Upon opening, there is a large envelope that contains the user manual. Underneath is a large, fabric carrying case that contains the earphones with the cable already attached. There is also a small translucent plastic case that contains the silicone and foam eartips in three sizes, and a cleaning tool.
Build:
The shells are made of medical grade 3D-printed resin with a minimalist, seamless design. The faceplates sport the Ambient Dynamics logo in gold. Printed at the top portion are the model name and the serial number. The shells doesn't have a vent which improves noise isolation. The nozzles are longer than average, has a lip to hold eartips in place and a metal filter to keep foreign objects out.
The cable is a braided 8-core oxygen-free copper litz. It is somewhat sticky but otherwise very soft and lightweight. The male 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of metal that has red and blue rings to indicate the right and left side respectively. The chin slider is made of hard rubber, while the splitter and the straight 3.5 mm gold plated plug are made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows sound full, thick and have an enhanced impact. Subbass is resounding and reaches great depths, accompanied by a well extended decay. Midbass is well-rounded, slightly more forward, and with a substantial weight behind every punch.
Overall, the lows of the Lyndale adds plenty of the excitement factor in each track and may be enough to satisfy bassheads. That being said, the lows does not, in any way, hamper the mids and the highs.
Mids:
The mids are very dynamic. The elevated warmth in the lows carries on through the lower mids and the male vocals, making them slightly thick in a good way but ever so slightly recessed. Meanwhile, there is a small but noticeable boost in the upper mids that makes female vocals more forward to some degree and adds a bit more life to the instruments.
Overall, despite the elevation in the upper and lower section of the mids, it can be noticed that the articulation is slightly below average. The voices and instruments can sometimes feel partially hazy especially when the tracks get busier.
Highs:
The highs are presented in a relaxed manner. Treble reach is great but it doesn't receive much support from the lower treble causing instruments like cymbals to sound a bit grainy or hollow at times. The decay, on the other hand, is just on the average side.
Overall, the highs of the Lyndale has sufficient amount of sparkle, detail, and can reach great heights but need more definition especially in its lower section.
Soundstage and Imaging:
Apparently, this is the Lyndale's weakness. The stage does not expand that much, with both the width and depth having the same amount of space. There is a fair amount of clarity and definition in the imaging. Instruments have sufficient air and space in between them but can sometimes feel lacking. And although it's not so bad, hints of congestion can also be heard in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
Ambient Dynamics Lyndale (1 BA + 1 DD, 199 USD) vs. Audiosense DT300 (3 BA, 180 USD)
The lows of the DT300 has a cleaner, smoother texture. The subbass of the DT300 sound considerably deeper, but the Lyndale has more presence of rumble. The midbass is thicker in the DT300 while the Lyndale has the quicker decay. The mids have better clarity and sound more open and airy in the DT300. In terms of the highs, the DT300 has the better reach and slightly longer decay, and was also able to present more of the small details in the tracks. The stage is more spacious in the DT300 in both the height and the width. Imaging is also more accurate and instruments have better layering in the DT300.
Conclusion:
The Lyndale is the very first product from Ambient Dynamics, yet they did a pretty good job. From the unboxing experience, to the accessories, design, and the build quality, it is evident that Ambient Dynamics took their time, along with a careful thought, before launching these. However, the Lyndale got introduced in a very, very saturated and highly competitive price range, which makes it quite hard for the Lyndale to withstand the competition.
Introduction:
SoundMAGIC has been in the audio business for more than a decade now. The company was founded in 2005, and they were made famous by their bullet type IEMs. It was only recently that they ventured into headphones and true wireless IEMs. The P23BT is SoundMAGIC's follow up to their previously released P22BT. The P23BT currently retails for 55 USD, and was provided to me at a discounted price by SoundMAGIC in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 40 mm dynamic
Impedance: 32 ohms
Bluetooth version: 5.0
Continuous playback: up to 60 hours
Standby time: 50 days
Weight: 156 grams
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The P23BT comes in a large white box that opens at the top. Removing the thin outer packaging will reveal a thick brown cardboard box. On top of everything there is the user manual. Below it is the soft carrying case with a thin sleeve that contains the USB C charging cable, a splitter for computers with split audio and microphone jacks, and the 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm auxiliary cable with a flexible microphone. And finally, the headphones folded and inserted in a thin molded plastic sheet.
Build:
The P23BT has an all plastic build, with the exception of the metal inside the headband for its length adjustment. The headband has a silicone cushion at the top portion. The pads are made of synthetic leather with a very soft foam inside. On the left earcup, there is the 2.5 mm jack for the auxiliary input, and next to is the power button that also acts as a multifunction button. At the top, there is the female USB C port for charging with a rubber dust cap. SoundMAGIC also decided to put the gesture controls on the left side only. You can double tap to play and pause, swipe up or down to adjust volume, and swipe left or right to go to the previous or next track respectively. The right earcup has the NFC logo, which means you can tap your phone on this side to connect instantly.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have a fairly balanced attack. The subbass has good depth but it can be felt that some very low frequencies are missing in action in bass centered tracks. The decay is somewhat adequate and leans partially to the quick side. Midbass has an average thickness and presented harmoniously with the subbass.
Overall, the P23BT has surprisingly well-controlled lows. Having heard other SoundMAGIC products in the past, they surely focus on the low end most of the times, but they seem to have gone a different route here.
Mids:
The mids are recessed with an added touch of warmth. This makes the male vocals more forward and highlighted more than the female vocals. In conjunction to the bump in the lower mids, the upper mids are toned down a bit, causing the female vocals and instruments in this section to sound slightly muffled or veiled.
Overall, the mids of the P23BT can feel slightly bland especially on vocal centered tracks. But, playing around with the equalizer, and giving the 3 - 8 kHz section some two to three notches significantly improves the mids.
Highs:
The highs have a laid back reproduction. Treble reach is slightly below average and dissipates rather quick. The focus of the highs is more on the lower treble, causing instruments in this section to have a bit of a soft attack.
Overall, the highs of the P23BT slightly lacks the reach and the decay to be able to output minor details in every track and to give instruments a solid blow. Although this can be good for treble sensitive people, because this means that fatigue will never be an issue for the P23BT's highs.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage of the P23BT has a slightly below average expansion. The height noticeably expands a lot more than the height. Imaging is good; has sufficient accuracy and clarity. Same thing can be said with the instrument separation and layering, with both having adequate magnitudes. There are occasional hints of congestion in busy tracks especially when instruments like cymbals gets shrouded.
Conclusion:
The SoundMAGIC P23BT is an affordable pair of wireless headphones that is packed with great set of features and accessories, and I do see it to be one of the better options in the price range, considering most other options sound extremely bassy or V-shaped. While it seems that the build quality is not the best you can get for the asking price of these, it is nice to see SoundMAGIC drastically improving especially in the performance of the lows.
SoundMAGIC has been in the audio business for more than a decade now. The company was founded in 2005, and they were made famous by their bullet type IEMs. It was only recently that they ventured into headphones and true wireless IEMs. The P23BT is SoundMAGIC's follow up to their previously released P22BT. The P23BT currently retails for 55 USD, and was provided to me at a discounted price by SoundMAGIC in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 40 mm dynamic
Impedance: 32 ohms
Bluetooth version: 5.0
Continuous playback: up to 60 hours
Standby time: 50 days
Weight: 156 grams
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The P23BT comes in a large white box that opens at the top. Removing the thin outer packaging will reveal a thick brown cardboard box. On top of everything there is the user manual. Below it is the soft carrying case with a thin sleeve that contains the USB C charging cable, a splitter for computers with split audio and microphone jacks, and the 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm auxiliary cable with a flexible microphone. And finally, the headphones folded and inserted in a thin molded plastic sheet.
Build:
The P23BT has an all plastic build, with the exception of the metal inside the headband for its length adjustment. The headband has a silicone cushion at the top portion. The pads are made of synthetic leather with a very soft foam inside. On the left earcup, there is the 2.5 mm jack for the auxiliary input, and next to is the power button that also acts as a multifunction button. At the top, there is the female USB C port for charging with a rubber dust cap. SoundMAGIC also decided to put the gesture controls on the left side only. You can double tap to play and pause, swipe up or down to adjust volume, and swipe left or right to go to the previous or next track respectively. The right earcup has the NFC logo, which means you can tap your phone on this side to connect instantly.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have a fairly balanced attack. The subbass has good depth but it can be felt that some very low frequencies are missing in action in bass centered tracks. The decay is somewhat adequate and leans partially to the quick side. Midbass has an average thickness and presented harmoniously with the subbass.
Overall, the P23BT has surprisingly well-controlled lows. Having heard other SoundMAGIC products in the past, they surely focus on the low end most of the times, but they seem to have gone a different route here.
Mids:
The mids are recessed with an added touch of warmth. This makes the male vocals more forward and highlighted more than the female vocals. In conjunction to the bump in the lower mids, the upper mids are toned down a bit, causing the female vocals and instruments in this section to sound slightly muffled or veiled.
Overall, the mids of the P23BT can feel slightly bland especially on vocal centered tracks. But, playing around with the equalizer, and giving the 3 - 8 kHz section some two to three notches significantly improves the mids.
Highs:
The highs have a laid back reproduction. Treble reach is slightly below average and dissipates rather quick. The focus of the highs is more on the lower treble, causing instruments in this section to have a bit of a soft attack.
Overall, the highs of the P23BT slightly lacks the reach and the decay to be able to output minor details in every track and to give instruments a solid blow. Although this can be good for treble sensitive people, because this means that fatigue will never be an issue for the P23BT's highs.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage of the P23BT has a slightly below average expansion. The height noticeably expands a lot more than the height. Imaging is good; has sufficient accuracy and clarity. Same thing can be said with the instrument separation and layering, with both having adequate magnitudes. There are occasional hints of congestion in busy tracks especially when instruments like cymbals gets shrouded.
Conclusion:
The SoundMAGIC P23BT is an affordable pair of wireless headphones that is packed with great set of features and accessories, and I do see it to be one of the better options in the price range, considering most other options sound extremely bassy or V-shaped. While it seems that the build quality is not the best you can get for the asking price of these, it is nice to see SoundMAGIC drastically improving especially in the performance of the lows.
Introduction:
Moondrop is a company from China that produces in-ear monitors. They were made famous by their signature all-metal build and their balanced in-house sound signature closely resembling the Harman target curve. Their first attempt in the true wireless domain is the Sparks which was released earlier this year, and shortly after, they released the Nekocake. The Nekocake currently retails for 43 USD, and was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 13 mm dynamic, titanium dome composite diaphragm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Bluetooth version: 5.0
Charging time: up to 1 hour
Charging time (case): up to 1.5 hours
Battery capacity (earphones): 37mAh.
Battery capacity(charging case): 380mAh.
Battery life: up to 4 hours on a single charge, up to 12 hours with charging case
Source:
Poco X3, Poco M3, Redmi Note 7 Pro
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Nekocake comes in a dark, glittery box with a white sleeve. Upon opening, you will see the charging case and the earphones resting on a thin piece of plastic sheet. Underneath are the accessories which include additional 3 pairs of eartips, with the fourth one inserted already on the earphones, a warranty card, a USB C charging cable, and a thick instruction manual.
Build:
The charging case is made entirely of plastic, with the classic flip top lid design. At the front, there is a single LED to indicate the remaining battery of the case and charging status. At the underside there is the female USB C port for charging, and at the back there is a single multifunction button to enter pairing mode, to manually check the battery status of the case, and to do a factory reset of the earphones. One thing worth mentioning about the case is that the space inside is very limited, and only allows a handful of different eartips to be used. Eartips like the Spinfit CP100 will not fit inside.
The earphones are made entirely of plastic as well. It has a stem design that looks a lot like the Apple Airpods Pro. Near the end of the stem there is a small hole for the microphone. At the top portion, there is a large oval vent, must be for the microphone used for the active noise cancelling. Near the nozzle, there is another vent. The nozzles are oval in shape, and has a metal mesh filter, and a lip to hold the eartips in place.
With the Moondrop Link app, the Nekocake has 4 additional sound configurations, and the ability to change the behavior of touch controls. For the sound impressions, I will be using the stock, Balanced tuning, then compare it to the other configurations later.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have a very slight emphasis. Subbass has a slightly above average depth, along with a good amount of rumble. Midbass is also elevated that sometimes it can get slightly bloated or sound a little boomy. That being said, instances of bass bleed is at the minimal.
Overall, this was not the type of tuning I expected from the Nekocake since this is a Moondrop's product. It's far from being bad looking back at Moondrop's previous products, I expected the lows to be lesser in quantity.
Mids:
The mids are presented in a laid back manner with a bit of a warm tonality. Vocals are slightly recessed, thicker than average and reproduced in linear fashion; male and female vocals share the same weight, position and have good articulation. String instruments and percussions also have that hint of warmth in them.
Overall, the mids can get a bit too relaxed sometimes in a way that the voices and instruments feel like lacking in energy. The use of Wennebostel or Moondrop Classic configuration is recommended if you want more appealing mids.
Highs:
The highs, just like the mids, are tuned in a relaxed manner and doesn't have much presence. The reach in the treble is below average, with its decay being just the right amount. Cymbals can sometimes sound grainy and hollow, and can get lost in the mix quite easily.
Overall, this is the weakest area of the Nekocake's sound. From what I observed with a number of TWS IEMs, this characteristic of the highs is prevalent in those with only the AAC codec. IEMs with aptX or LDAC have much better treble response.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The Nekocake has a soundstage that is on the narrow side. The height has a slightly bigger expansion than the width. Imaging is good but it's quite obvious that it could have been a lot better if the treble was more present. Instrument separation and their layering is just average, and their is a moderate level of congestion that becomes increasingly noticeable as the tracks get busier.
Comparisons:
Moondrop Classic configuration
Before anything else, this configuration throws all the volume out the window. Volume is like halved in this configuration. Lows are relaxed and actually sound more balanced now. The mids became more transparent, forward and natural sounding. Highs became more forward as well, improving the presence, reach, and prolonging the decay. Soundstage opened up, expanding both the height and the width. Imaging and instrument separation were improved as well.
X Dynamic configuration
This configuration makes the Nekocake a V-shaped sounding TWS. Lows are elevated. Subbass and midbass had bigger and stronger impact, but of course, the lows now obviously bleeds into the mids. The thickness of the mids was increased considerably, reducing its transparency. The highs are now more solid. The decay and reach stayed the same but became louder and more forward. The size of the stage was reduced due to the lows. Imaging became slightly blurry and there were frequent hints of congestion.
Nobass configuration
Does exactly what it says. No difference from the Balanced configuration aside from the lows being greatly reduced in quantity.
Wennebostel configuration
Wennebostel is the name of a municipality in Germany where Sennheiser's headquarters is located. So this is Moondrop's attempt at imitating Sennheiser's in-house sound. This configuration actually sounds a lot like the X Dynamic one, but with a more natural tonality. Mids are just more forward with better clarity.
Conclusion:
The Nekocake is an affordable pair of true wireless IEMs that packs a lot of features and performs surprisingly good considering the competition in its given price point. To date, this is the most affordable pair that supports sound and functionality customizations through an app. Of course, there are still some rough edges that need to be smoothened out, and some minor issues that need to be addressed, but looking at it right now, the Nekocake is one of the better options in the budget range of the TWS market.
Moondrop is a company from China that produces in-ear monitors. They were made famous by their signature all-metal build and their balanced in-house sound signature closely resembling the Harman target curve. Their first attempt in the true wireless domain is the Sparks which was released earlier this year, and shortly after, they released the Nekocake. The Nekocake currently retails for 43 USD, and was provided to me for free by HiFiGO in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver unit: 13 mm dynamic, titanium dome composite diaphragm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Bluetooth version: 5.0
Charging time: up to 1 hour
Charging time (case): up to 1.5 hours
Battery capacity (earphones): 37mAh.
Battery capacity(charging case): 380mAh.
Battery life: up to 4 hours on a single charge, up to 12 hours with charging case
Source:
Poco X3, Poco M3, Redmi Note 7 Pro
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The Nekocake comes in a dark, glittery box with a white sleeve. Upon opening, you will see the charging case and the earphones resting on a thin piece of plastic sheet. Underneath are the accessories which include additional 3 pairs of eartips, with the fourth one inserted already on the earphones, a warranty card, a USB C charging cable, and a thick instruction manual.
Build:
The charging case is made entirely of plastic, with the classic flip top lid design. At the front, there is a single LED to indicate the remaining battery of the case and charging status. At the underside there is the female USB C port for charging, and at the back there is a single multifunction button to enter pairing mode, to manually check the battery status of the case, and to do a factory reset of the earphones. One thing worth mentioning about the case is that the space inside is very limited, and only allows a handful of different eartips to be used. Eartips like the Spinfit CP100 will not fit inside.
The earphones are made entirely of plastic as well. It has a stem design that looks a lot like the Apple Airpods Pro. Near the end of the stem there is a small hole for the microphone. At the top portion, there is a large oval vent, must be for the microphone used for the active noise cancelling. Near the nozzle, there is another vent. The nozzles are oval in shape, and has a metal mesh filter, and a lip to hold the eartips in place.
With the Moondrop Link app, the Nekocake has 4 additional sound configurations, and the ability to change the behavior of touch controls. For the sound impressions, I will be using the stock, Balanced tuning, then compare it to the other configurations later.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows have a very slight emphasis. Subbass has a slightly above average depth, along with a good amount of rumble. Midbass is also elevated that sometimes it can get slightly bloated or sound a little boomy. That being said, instances of bass bleed is at the minimal.
Overall, this was not the type of tuning I expected from the Nekocake since this is a Moondrop's product. It's far from being bad looking back at Moondrop's previous products, I expected the lows to be lesser in quantity.
Mids:
The mids are presented in a laid back manner with a bit of a warm tonality. Vocals are slightly recessed, thicker than average and reproduced in linear fashion; male and female vocals share the same weight, position and have good articulation. String instruments and percussions also have that hint of warmth in them.
Overall, the mids can get a bit too relaxed sometimes in a way that the voices and instruments feel like lacking in energy. The use of Wennebostel or Moondrop Classic configuration is recommended if you want more appealing mids.
Highs:
The highs, just like the mids, are tuned in a relaxed manner and doesn't have much presence. The reach in the treble is below average, with its decay being just the right amount. Cymbals can sometimes sound grainy and hollow, and can get lost in the mix quite easily.
Overall, this is the weakest area of the Nekocake's sound. From what I observed with a number of TWS IEMs, this characteristic of the highs is prevalent in those with only the AAC codec. IEMs with aptX or LDAC have much better treble response.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The Nekocake has a soundstage that is on the narrow side. The height has a slightly bigger expansion than the width. Imaging is good but it's quite obvious that it could have been a lot better if the treble was more present. Instrument separation and their layering is just average, and their is a moderate level of congestion that becomes increasingly noticeable as the tracks get busier.
Comparisons:
Moondrop Classic configuration
Before anything else, this configuration throws all the volume out the window. Volume is like halved in this configuration. Lows are relaxed and actually sound more balanced now. The mids became more transparent, forward and natural sounding. Highs became more forward as well, improving the presence, reach, and prolonging the decay. Soundstage opened up, expanding both the height and the width. Imaging and instrument separation were improved as well.
X Dynamic configuration
This configuration makes the Nekocake a V-shaped sounding TWS. Lows are elevated. Subbass and midbass had bigger and stronger impact, but of course, the lows now obviously bleeds into the mids. The thickness of the mids was increased considerably, reducing its transparency. The highs are now more solid. The decay and reach stayed the same but became louder and more forward. The size of the stage was reduced due to the lows. Imaging became slightly blurry and there were frequent hints of congestion.
Nobass configuration
Does exactly what it says. No difference from the Balanced configuration aside from the lows being greatly reduced in quantity.
Wennebostel configuration
Wennebostel is the name of a municipality in Germany where Sennheiser's headquarters is located. So this is Moondrop's attempt at imitating Sennheiser's in-house sound. This configuration actually sounds a lot like the X Dynamic one, but with a more natural tonality. Mids are just more forward with better clarity.
Conclusion:
The Nekocake is an affordable pair of true wireless IEMs that packs a lot of features and performs surprisingly good considering the competition in its given price point. To date, this is the most affordable pair that supports sound and functionality customizations through an app. Of course, there are still some rough edges that need to be smoothened out, and some minor issues that need to be addressed, but looking at it right now, the Nekocake is one of the better options in the budget range of the TWS market.
Introduction:
BGVP is a company from China that produces portable audio gears including in-ear monitors and earbuds. They have released quite a lot of IEMs already with different driver configurations. The DH5 is the second product in their DH series of IEMs. The DH3 came with tuning switches, so it's surprising that BGVP decided to completely remove it now with the DH5. The DH5 currently retails for 85 USD, and The Philippine circle of reviewers received one unit of the DH5 provided by BGVP as a part of their international tour.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 1 10 mm dynamic, beryllium diaphragm + 4 balanced armature (2 Knowles and 2 BGVP's custom BA)
Impedance: 19 ohms
Sensitivity: 119 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The DH5 comes in a rather large sleeved box. Removing the sleeve and the lid will reveal the earphones inserted in a big block of dense foam. Right next to the DH5 are three sets of different eartips. 3 pairs of "vocal" eartips with a wider sized bore, 3 pairs of "bass" eartips with regular sized bore, and a single pair of memory foam tips. There is also a different eartip already attached to the DH5 with a shorter than normal stem. Below is the cloth carrying case that contains the cable with velcro strap and plastic plug cap, and a cleaning tool. There is also a small envelope that contains the warranty card, instruction manual, and other paperworks.
Build:
The shells are made of 3D-printed medical-grade translucent resin. The faceplates are decorated with small pieces wood in different colors, with the BGVP branding to the side. At the top of the shell, there is a large, oval shaped vent with a metal filter. At the side, right below the female 2 pin connectors, there is another smaller vent that is connected to the dynamic driver through a tube. And upon closer inspection, the balanced armature drivers have a tube as well going to the nozzle of the shell. The nozzles has a lip to hold eartips in place, with a recessed metal filter with elongated holes.
The cable is a twisted 2-core 6N OCC silver plated copper. It is on the thicker side and has some weight to it, while being moderately stiff. The angled 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, while the splitter, chin slider, and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are upfront and big sounding. Subbass is sufficiently deep but with a tight, quicker than average decay. Midbass is more dominant than the subbass, with its thickness being above average that audibly lingers in the background for longer than necessary and sometimes bleeds into the mids.
Overall, the lows feel and sound bloated most of the time. On its own, it's not necessarily a bad thing, but when it starts to tarnish the neighboring frequencies especially the female vocals, the vibrancy of the music is considerably reduced.
Mids:
The mids sound confined and boxy. The clarity and transparency in this section is below average. Male and female vocals are distinctively thick and sound nasal most of the time. There is a noticeable lack of space in-between the instruments, and there is a peak somewhere in the upper mids that results in shoutiness.
Overall, this is definitely the area that needs the most improvement. Even in acoustic tracks where the midbass bleed is not a problem, vocals still feel lacking in resolution.
Highs:
The highs have a slightly relaxed approach. The reach in the treble is somewhat adequate, accompanied by a decay with a partial emphasis. Just like the mids, the highs can get overshadowed sometimes by the presence of the midbass.
Overall, the highs of the DH5 are tuned for treble sensitive people. Fatigue will never be an issue in this section but trebleheads will definitely be left wanting for more.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage of the DH5 has an average expansion. The width obviously expands more than the height. Imaging accuracy is below average due to the interference of the midbass and the lack of transparency in the mids. Instrument separation and layering are adequate but definitely has a lot of room for improvements. As for congestion, there is a fair amount of it in every track.
Comparisons:
BGVP DH5 (4 BA + 1 DD, 85 USD) vs. TinHIFI T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD)
The T3 Plus has more impact in the subbass, as well as a slightly longer decay. The DH5's midbass is more forward, thicker, and hits harder. In the mids, the T3 Plus is cleaner and clearer by a huge margin. Instruments are better defined in the T3 Plus and vocals sound more natural and lively. With the highs, the DH5 has a bit more bite in the upper region, but they are identical in terms of the decay. The T3 Plus has clearer definition in the imaging, and instruments are separated in a more spacious manner. In the soundstage, they are identical in the depth, but the DH5 has a slight edge in the width.
Conclusion:
The BGVP DH5 is a classic example of having more drivers doesn't automatically translate to better sound. It's all in the implementation. BGVP surely made some questionable decisions with how they tuned the DH5, especially if we consider how well-received the DH3 was in the community at the time of its launch.
BGVP is a company from China that produces portable audio gears including in-ear monitors and earbuds. They have released quite a lot of IEMs already with different driver configurations. The DH5 is the second product in their DH series of IEMs. The DH3 came with tuning switches, so it's surprising that BGVP decided to completely remove it now with the DH5. The DH5 currently retails for 85 USD, and The Philippine circle of reviewers received one unit of the DH5 provided by BGVP as a part of their international tour.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 1 10 mm dynamic, beryllium diaphragm + 4 balanced armature (2 Knowles and 2 BGVP's custom BA)
Impedance: 19 ohms
Sensitivity: 119 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The DH5 comes in a rather large sleeved box. Removing the sleeve and the lid will reveal the earphones inserted in a big block of dense foam. Right next to the DH5 are three sets of different eartips. 3 pairs of "vocal" eartips with a wider sized bore, 3 pairs of "bass" eartips with regular sized bore, and a single pair of memory foam tips. There is also a different eartip already attached to the DH5 with a shorter than normal stem. Below is the cloth carrying case that contains the cable with velcro strap and plastic plug cap, and a cleaning tool. There is also a small envelope that contains the warranty card, instruction manual, and other paperworks.
Build:
The shells are made of 3D-printed medical-grade translucent resin. The faceplates are decorated with small pieces wood in different colors, with the BGVP branding to the side. At the top of the shell, there is a large, oval shaped vent with a metal filter. At the side, right below the female 2 pin connectors, there is another smaller vent that is connected to the dynamic driver through a tube. And upon closer inspection, the balanced armature drivers have a tube as well going to the nozzle of the shell. The nozzles has a lip to hold eartips in place, with a recessed metal filter with elongated holes.
The cable is a twisted 2-core 6N OCC silver plated copper. It is on the thicker side and has some weight to it, while being moderately stiff. The angled 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors are made of plastic, while the splitter, chin slider, and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are upfront and big sounding. Subbass is sufficiently deep but with a tight, quicker than average decay. Midbass is more dominant than the subbass, with its thickness being above average that audibly lingers in the background for longer than necessary and sometimes bleeds into the mids.
Overall, the lows feel and sound bloated most of the time. On its own, it's not necessarily a bad thing, but when it starts to tarnish the neighboring frequencies especially the female vocals, the vibrancy of the music is considerably reduced.
Mids:
The mids sound confined and boxy. The clarity and transparency in this section is below average. Male and female vocals are distinctively thick and sound nasal most of the time. There is a noticeable lack of space in-between the instruments, and there is a peak somewhere in the upper mids that results in shoutiness.
Overall, this is definitely the area that needs the most improvement. Even in acoustic tracks where the midbass bleed is not a problem, vocals still feel lacking in resolution.
Highs:
The highs have a slightly relaxed approach. The reach in the treble is somewhat adequate, accompanied by a decay with a partial emphasis. Just like the mids, the highs can get overshadowed sometimes by the presence of the midbass.
Overall, the highs of the DH5 are tuned for treble sensitive people. Fatigue will never be an issue in this section but trebleheads will definitely be left wanting for more.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage of the DH5 has an average expansion. The width obviously expands more than the height. Imaging accuracy is below average due to the interference of the midbass and the lack of transparency in the mids. Instrument separation and layering are adequate but definitely has a lot of room for improvements. As for congestion, there is a fair amount of it in every track.
Comparisons:
BGVP DH5 (4 BA + 1 DD, 85 USD) vs. TinHIFI T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD)
The T3 Plus has more impact in the subbass, as well as a slightly longer decay. The DH5's midbass is more forward, thicker, and hits harder. In the mids, the T3 Plus is cleaner and clearer by a huge margin. Instruments are better defined in the T3 Plus and vocals sound more natural and lively. With the highs, the DH5 has a bit more bite in the upper region, but they are identical in terms of the decay. The T3 Plus has clearer definition in the imaging, and instruments are separated in a more spacious manner. In the soundstage, they are identical in the depth, but the DH5 has a slight edge in the width.
Conclusion:
The BGVP DH5 is a classic example of having more drivers doesn't automatically translate to better sound. It's all in the implementation. BGVP surely made some questionable decisions with how they tuned the DH5, especially if we consider how well-received the DH3 was in the community at the time of its launch.
Introduction:
TinHIFI is, by now, a well known company in the portable audio industry. They were made famous by their T2 which was a big hit. As of writing this review, TinHIFI is exclusively producing IEMs, with their T series utilizing dynamic drivers exclusively, except for the T3 which has a hybrid driver setup, and their P series which uses planar magnetic drivers. The T3 Plus is the second iteration of the T3, and currently retails for 69 USD. The T3 Plus was provided to me for free by KeepHIFI in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 10 mm dynamic, liquid crystal polymer diaphragm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 105 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The T3 Plus comes in a medium sized white box which has a side opening. The inner box has a top lid where a QR code card and the instruction manual are inserted. Underneath are the earphones resting on foams, with medium silicone eartips already attached. Right next to it is a smaller, rectangular box that contains the cable with a velcro strap, a drawstring cloth pouch, and two sets of silicone eartips.
Build:
The shells are made of UV-cured resin. The faceplate has this glittery, marble design that reminds me of the See Audio Bravery. The faceplate also sports the TinHIFI logo. Right now if you browse the T3 Plus' product page in any store, you will notice that the faceplate has a "TINHIFI" text instead of the logo. This is because they decided to change it for some reason. At the top portion of the shell, there is a single vent. At the rear side of the shell there are printed R and L indicators and another vent at the center of the driver. It can be noticed that the dynamic driver is placed closer to the nozzle compared to most IEMs. The nozzle is a separate piece and is made of metal. Additional to the lip, the nozzle is also wider than usual, so eartips are locked in place. The nozzle also has a metal mesh filter.
The cable is a twisted 4-core oxygen-free copper which is the same cable that comes with the TinHIFI T5. It is soft, and a little thinner than average but feels durable enough. The 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors, splitter, chin slider, and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are presented in a rich manner. Subbass is forward and noticeably has more focus than the midbass. Subbass reaches very deep, accompanied by a slightly elevated amount of decay. Midbass is tighter in comparison, with a sufficient weight and slam that never interferes with the mids.
Overall, TinHIFI changed how the lows are tuned in the T3 Plus. Before, most of their IEMs have tight, fast rumbles and hard-hitting midbass. Now with the T3 Plus, the lows have much more substance, with a more vibrant sounding midbass.
Mids:
The mids are placed at just the right spot; not forward nor recessed. Vocals have a slightly above average level of articulation. There is a small bump in the upper mids that makes female vocals partially more forward than the male ones. Acoustic guitars, pianos, and other instruments sound lively and has an added shimmer to them.
Overall, the mids of the T3 Plus is tailored to perform better on tracks with a female vocalist. But, although very minor and pretty much negligible, that small upper mids boost can sometimes give a hint of aggressiveness in some tracks.
Highs:
The highs also exhibit a slight emphasis. Treble reach is adequate while the decay is noticeably extended. On some tracks, the upper treble has a tendency to sound a little grainy, especially in genres like rock or metal.
Overall, the highs are reminiscent of TinHIFI's previous offerings. Sufficient details are present but the elevation is focused more on the lower treble; a safe option especially for treble sensitive people.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage has an adequate amount of space. The width has a very, very slight edge over the height. Imaging has great accuracy and clarity. Instrument separation and layering are great as well, with each instrument having substantial airiness in between them. And since the three major frequencies are fairly balanced and harmonious, there is only minimal congestion even in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
TinHIFI T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD) vs. TinHIFI T2 Evo (1 DD, 49 USD)
As expected, the T3 Plus has more meaty lows. Subbass depth is identical but the volume in the rumble and the decay is much greater in the T3 Plus. Same thing with the midbass. The T3 Plus has thicker, stronger midbass slam. In the mids, they have the same timbre. However, the mids of the T2 sound slightly thinner. In terms of the highs, the T2 Evo has the better reach and extension, but the difference is not that much. Instruments sound more airy in the T2 Evo, soundstage is also slightly wider and taller. Imaging is slightly clearer in the T3 Plus. With the instrument separation, it's very, very close, but the T3 Plus is better in this section as well due to the lows having more presence.
Conclusion:
The T3 Plus feels more like an "evolution" than a "plus". If I were to decide, this should've been named the T2 Evo because first, the T3 uses a hybrid driver setup, and launching its sequel, changing the driver setup to a single dynamic, then naming it a "Plus" just doesn't feel right. And second, TinHIFI was known for their neutral to bright in-house sound signature, and the T3 Plus is way different from that. The T3 Plus is much more refined, more comfortable in terms of its extension in both ends of the spectrum, and I dare say offers better value for money than the rest of TinHIFI's T series of IEMs.
TinHIFI is, by now, a well known company in the portable audio industry. They were made famous by their T2 which was a big hit. As of writing this review, TinHIFI is exclusively producing IEMs, with their T series utilizing dynamic drivers exclusively, except for the T3 which has a hybrid driver setup, and their P series which uses planar magnetic drivers. The T3 Plus is the second iteration of the T3, and currently retails for 69 USD. The T3 Plus was provided to me for free by KeepHIFI in exchange for this review.
International purchase link
Specifications:
Driver units: 10 mm dynamic, liquid crystal polymer diaphragm
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 105 dB
Frequency response range: 10 Hz - 20 kHz
Source:
Poco X3 paired with FiiO KA3, iBasso DC03, Shanling UA1, Tempotec Sonata E35 and Zishan U1
Test tracks:
Africano - Earth Wind and Fire
Dark Necessities - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gurenge - Lisa
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Monsters - All Time Low
Ours - Taylor Swift
Stay - Mayday Parade
Snuff - Slipknot
Yesterday Once More - Carpenters
So Slow - Freestyle
Aurora Sunrise - Franco
Attention - Pentatonix
Blue Bird - Ikimono-gakari
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Anyone Who Knows What Love Is(Will Understand) - Irma Thomas
Salamin - Slapshock
AOV - Slipknot
Hey Jude - The Beatles
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
...and a lot more.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The T3 Plus comes in a medium sized white box which has a side opening. The inner box has a top lid where a QR code card and the instruction manual are inserted. Underneath are the earphones resting on foams, with medium silicone eartips already attached. Right next to it is a smaller, rectangular box that contains the cable with a velcro strap, a drawstring cloth pouch, and two sets of silicone eartips.
Build:
The shells are made of UV-cured resin. The faceplate has this glittery, marble design that reminds me of the See Audio Bravery. The faceplate also sports the TinHIFI logo. Right now if you browse the T3 Plus' product page in any store, you will notice that the faceplate has a "TINHIFI" text instead of the logo. This is because they decided to change it for some reason. At the top portion of the shell, there is a single vent. At the rear side of the shell there are printed R and L indicators and another vent at the center of the driver. It can be noticed that the dynamic driver is placed closer to the nozzle compared to most IEMs. The nozzle is a separate piece and is made of metal. Additional to the lip, the nozzle is also wider than usual, so eartips are locked in place. The nozzle also has a metal mesh filter.
The cable is a twisted 4-core oxygen-free copper which is the same cable that comes with the TinHIFI T5. It is soft, and a little thinner than average but feels durable enough. The 0.78 mm 2 pin connectors, splitter, chin slider, and the 3.5 mm gold plated plug are all made of metal.
Now let's get to the sound.
Lows:
The lows are presented in a rich manner. Subbass is forward and noticeably has more focus than the midbass. Subbass reaches very deep, accompanied by a slightly elevated amount of decay. Midbass is tighter in comparison, with a sufficient weight and slam that never interferes with the mids.
Overall, TinHIFI changed how the lows are tuned in the T3 Plus. Before, most of their IEMs have tight, fast rumbles and hard-hitting midbass. Now with the T3 Plus, the lows have much more substance, with a more vibrant sounding midbass.
Mids:
The mids are placed at just the right spot; not forward nor recessed. Vocals have a slightly above average level of articulation. There is a small bump in the upper mids that makes female vocals partially more forward than the male ones. Acoustic guitars, pianos, and other instruments sound lively and has an added shimmer to them.
Overall, the mids of the T3 Plus is tailored to perform better on tracks with a female vocalist. But, although very minor and pretty much negligible, that small upper mids boost can sometimes give a hint of aggressiveness in some tracks.
Highs:
The highs also exhibit a slight emphasis. Treble reach is adequate while the decay is noticeably extended. On some tracks, the upper treble has a tendency to sound a little grainy, especially in genres like rock or metal.
Overall, the highs are reminiscent of TinHIFI's previous offerings. Sufficient details are present but the elevation is focused more on the lower treble; a safe option especially for treble sensitive people.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The stage has an adequate amount of space. The width has a very, very slight edge over the height. Imaging has great accuracy and clarity. Instrument separation and layering are great as well, with each instrument having substantial airiness in between them. And since the three major frequencies are fairly balanced and harmonious, there is only minimal congestion even in complex tracks.
Comparisons:
TinHIFI T3 Plus (1 DD, 69 USD) vs. TinHIFI T2 Evo (1 DD, 49 USD)
As expected, the T3 Plus has more meaty lows. Subbass depth is identical but the volume in the rumble and the decay is much greater in the T3 Plus. Same thing with the midbass. The T3 Plus has thicker, stronger midbass slam. In the mids, they have the same timbre. However, the mids of the T2 sound slightly thinner. In terms of the highs, the T2 Evo has the better reach and extension, but the difference is not that much. Instruments sound more airy in the T2 Evo, soundstage is also slightly wider and taller. Imaging is slightly clearer in the T3 Plus. With the instrument separation, it's very, very close, but the T3 Plus is better in this section as well due to the lows having more presence.
Conclusion:
The T3 Plus feels more like an "evolution" than a "plus". If I were to decide, this should've been named the T2 Evo because first, the T3 uses a hybrid driver setup, and launching its sequel, changing the driver setup to a single dynamic, then naming it a "Plus" just doesn't feel right. And second, TinHIFI was known for their neutral to bright in-house sound signature, and the T3 Plus is way different from that. The T3 Plus is much more refined, more comfortable in terms of its extension in both ends of the spectrum, and I dare say offers better value for money than the rest of TinHIFI's T series of IEMs.
