Welcome to the Audio Amateur's Review. Straightforward reasoning: I'm an amateur and I love audio.

Disclaimer
Dunu does not sponsor me. I bought the unit's total price for myself. The review will be simple but honest.
I bought it for around $60 in my country.

Gear Used
- MacBook Pro M1 2020
- FiiO Q11
- iPhone 13
- xDuoo MT-602
- Arturia Minifuse 2

To the review...
Let's break down the review into 3 parts, which are Packaging and accessories, Build and comfort, and Sound.

Packaging and Accessories - 9/10
The packaging is quite nice and inclusive for the price. The cable included is okay, not at all bad. The ear tips provided are plenty, with 3 different types of ear tips to choose from. The case though, is an absolute steal. The soft case is a zipper, PU leather case that is very good and feels quite luxurious.

Build and Comfort - 9/10
The IEM is built like it's from the 2077. Mine is the matte black one, and let me tell you. The metal parts (or probably alloy) are very nice to touch, not a fingerprint magnet, and its texture is rough but feels very nice. The little circular grill on the unit is an actual vent, so it's a semi-open IEM. The nozzle extends quite deep, and somehow the fit is .. weird in a sense. Sometimes it cannot stay still, sometimes it sounds muffled when I move my head up and down. I did some ear tips rolling and found one (I forgot whose ear tips) that has a wide bore and it suits pretty well. Still, it goes pretty deep into your ear canal and some may have problems with this.

Sound - 8.6/10
Allow me to elaborate. I pair the IEM with the FiiO Q11.
I made this playlist on Apple Music to test all of my audio equipment.

Bass - 7.5/10
Ah. Bass. The one that is okay but for me, it's a lot left to be desired. The bass is clean, sounds neutral, pretty fast transient, but it doesn't slam in some tracks. Even Hotel California Live from the Hell Freezes Over album's kick drum doesn't hit like it should. It has texture and definition but doesn't rumble and hits. I like how natural it sounds, and sounds great for the acoustical one and even classical.

Mid - 10/10
This is where the IEM shines. It has a very lush, open, and a bit forward presentation. It sounds amazing through all of my vocal tracks on the playlist. Guitar picking sounds detailed. The imaging is pinpoint, and the soundstage is wide open but a bit lacking in depth. It's nothing very spacious, though. It just sounds.. right. The upper mids though, sound a bit shouty at times and with some specific tracks, so it shouldn't be worried about.

High - 8.5/10
The high sounds sparkly and very clear. It's detailed though sometimes I miss the air extension. For my taste it's sparkling enough but because the mid is forward, the highs kind of masked and losing air. That's just me probably, as I agree with other reviewers that the high is amazing. I don't recommend using this with any tube amp because it makes the high even more airy and makes the mids even more forward. It is not sibilant at all and it is not overpowering nor sounds thin.

Conclusion
Overall, I love and use this IEM whenever I want to enjoy vocal tracks, acoustics, and scores on the go. This is perfect for you who love vocals and enjoy their concert on the go. I tried the legendary Moondrop Aria that sold in the same price range here (a bit more expensive), and still, I chose this one. The fit can be cumbersome, but once you get the perfect fit, it will likely stay in your collection for a long time.

Welcome to the Audio Amateur's Review. Straightforward reasoning: I'm an amateur and I love audio.

Disclaimer
Shanling does not sponsor me. I bought the unit's total price for myself. The review will be simple but honest.
I bought it for around $80 in my country.

Gear Used
- MacBook Pro M1 2020
- FiiO Q11
- iPhone 13
- xDuoo MT-602
- Arturia Minifuse 2

To the review...
Let's break down the review into 3 parts, which are Packaging and accessories, Build and comfort, and Sound.

Packaging and Accessories - 8/10
I love the packaging. It's compact but fully loaded. It came with the IEM, several ear tips, the cable, a hard carrying case, and the replaceable filters. The presentation is pretty straightforward, but I liked it. The cable is great looking and of kind of great quality. The case is minimal but very adequate. The included eartips are fine, and even double-flanged eartips are included but only in 1 size. The filters can be replaced, and the package includes red and black filters. The black filter is pre-installed on the IEM. Overall, it is sufficient for the price.

Build and Comfort - 9/10
The IEM is built like a luxury item. It is soft to the skin yet feels solid. It is fully metal-built and cast. All that means that the surface of the IEM is also a fingerprint magnet, especially for oily hands like mine. When I tried the IEM for the first time with the included tips, it fit perfectly on my ears and they stayed put for a long time. It is not too heavy on the ear, nor does it hurt when you use it for a longer listening session.

Sound - 9/10
Allow me to elaborate. I pair the IEM with the MT-602 and the FiiO Q11.
I will provide both red and black filter impressions.
I made this playlist on Apple Music to test all of my audio equipment.

---Red Filter---
Bass - 10/10
Alert: Bass head, this is the way to go. The bass extends so deep. and provide a really good rumble. The bass is more of a sub-bass rather than a mid-bass. It is one of my picks for EDM tracks, Hip-Hop, and any bass-oriented tracks. This is my default filter and the one I prefer because I am bored of a mild V-shaped / more neutral set.

Mid - 8/10
The midrange is even more recessed than the already recessed mid with the black filter. This is due to the more pronounced bass and highs. Worry not, the mid is still great. The vocal doesn't shine in this filter though, and sounds even further than the black filter. The presence is great but what do you expect at a v-shaped set? Surprisingly enough, the details are still there. It sounds more intimate than the black filter. The timbre is correct and sounds natural. Imaging is pinpoint. The soundstage feels intimate and a bit lacking in width.

High - 9/10
Oh boy, the high extends a bit more than the black filter. This makes the overall signature extremely V-shaped. Detail retrieval is amazing. Cymbals and Hats sound amazing. The high is sparkly and airy, yet for me, it's not sibilant. It's perfect for my liking. No early high roll-offs and so on.

---Black Filter---
Bass - 8/10
This is the default filter that comes with the IEM. It provides sufficient bass-boosted sound and good rumble, but not as good and huge as the red filter. However, I feel that the bass definition is somehow more pronounced with this filter. The bass extension is still deep.

Mid - 9/10
The midrange in the black filter sounds far and that's expected because of the V-shape characteristic. However, the vocals still shine quite well and are intimate. Vocal presence is good. The timbre is correct and sounds natural. Imaging is pinpoint. The soundstage feels intimate. Somehow, the filter makes the overall stage feel.. better? I am not sure why it does that, but it did feel better with the black filter in terms of the soundstage.

High - 10/10
The high, though, is very detailed and smoother than the red filter. It is still sparkly and airy, but no sibilant is present in my set. Detail retrieval is amazing and extension is good.

Conclusion
Overall, I like this IEM a lot. This definitely will be my daily cans. For the price it is meeting expectations and for me, this is the first V-shaped cans that I liked so much (I am a neutral head). What's not to like if you are looking for a V-shaped IEM? It's great at retrieving details, absolute bass cannon, is built amazing, and is very comfortable for a longer session.

AKG Y50: Supposed to be Beats Contender but it's A LOT MORE

Another Amateur Audio's Review! A little context to the Y50, this is a pretty old headphone, dating back to 2014. At the time, Beats Headphone was the go-to lifestyle headphone just because artists endorsed them even though they sound crap. This Y50 right here is an attempt by AKG to route the Beats Headphone owner to AKG's line of products, designed to directly compete with Beats.

TL;DR: Comparing ANY Beats to this was a HUGE Insult to AKG.

Disclaimer
AKG does not sponsor me. I bought the unit's total price for myself. The review will be simple but honest.

Gear Used
- MacBook Pro M1 2020
- FiiO Q1 Mark II
- iPhone 13
- Arturia Minifuse 2

To the review...
Let's break down the review into 3 parts, which are Packaging and Accessories, Comfort, and Sound.

Packaging and Accessories - 8/10
Basically, it is really revealing about the product. It is basic packaging yet intriguing and seems complete. It includes the headphone, a detachable 2.5mm (balanced) to 3.5mm cable with a microphone, a really nice pouch, a 3.5mm to 1/4" Adapter, and some paperwork.

Comfort - 6/10
The comfort is mediocre like any other On-Ear Headphone. The clamping force is not that hard for me, but for some people with a bigger head, it'll clamp a lot harder. This is due to the metal headband which has little to no padding. Even with my big head, it stays on my head nicely though I have to take it out several times on a longer listening session. The isolation is great, provided this is a closed-back on-ear headphone. Other than the on-ear issue I mentioned, there's nothing else, I guess.

Sound - 8.6/10
Allow me to elaborate. All are tested using MacBook > Arturia Minifuse > Headphone.

Bass - 10/10
Basically one of the biggest reasons you'd buy these cans. The bass is SUPER. The amount is good, the punch is hitting your face directly. The sub is rumbling hard, and the mid-bass sounds amazing. Overall bass sounds clean and definitely fun for listening to today's pop song or EDM. The mid-bass, however, sometimes bleeds into the mid though this is kinda nitpicking. Note, that this big bass is definitely not for everyone, but for someone that looks for the fun factor on the bass, this is it, buddy.

Mid - 9/10
The mid is actually good. I was expecting a more V-shaped sound, but nope. It is warm, lush, and very smooth overall. The vocal sounds great, timbre is sounding realistic, especially for the price. The imaging and soundstage on the mid are decent but not as wide as an open-back (obviously). Very surprising indeed that AKG decided to make a warm, laid-back sound signature rather than a V-shaped sound signature that's usually on consumer headphones.

High - 7/10
The high is, as expected, rolled off pretty early. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice high response and really smooth, but it lacks the sparkle and the air. I personally love a sparkly and airy set of cans, so for the high, it's quite left to be desired. Again, as to the warm sound signature, this is expected and nothing to be worried about if you're looking for warmer cans.

Conclusion
I love these headphones. The price I paid at the time I bought it (2020) was around $40, but currently, in my country, it is massively discounted to a mere $20. Yes, you read it right. It's priced like a large pan of pizza. CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE THAT AN AKG IS PRICED AT A MERE $20? Seriously, buy these whenever you find them. The original price of $99 is even worth the price, don't think of not buying one if you see one below $50.

ATH-E40: Lean but Mean

This is my first time writing a review in this forum, and let's call it an Audio Amateur's Review. Straightforward reasoning: I'm an amateur and I love audio.

Disclaimer
Audio-Technica does not sponsor me. I bought the unit total price for myself. The review will be simple but honest.

Gear Used
- MacBook Pro M1 2020
- FiiO Q1 Mark II
- iPhone 13
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 2nd Gen

To the review...
Let's break down the review into 3 parts, which are Packaging and Accessories, Comfort, and Sound.

Packaging and Accessories - 8/10
I love the packaging. It's compact but fully loaded. It came with the IEM, several ear tips, the cable, a hard carrying case, and a 3.5mm to 1/4" converter. The presentation is pretty straightforward, but I liked it.

Comfort - 4/10
Dammit, Audio-Technica. Why ruin such great IEM with comfort issues? The IEM is big, and by I mean big, it's bigger than most IEMs. Very big that for most people, it would hurt when you are wearing this for a prolonged amount of time. Fortunately enough, I have bigger ears and not using IEM that long, so it's been fine most of the time. Though, to achieve comfort, I did a LOT of tip rolling. I am settled with the Final Audio Type E, but it would be different for everyone.

I hate the original cable. It is super long for an IEM, and I hate the memory ear hooks. I found it very uncomfortable and cannot sit tight on my ears no matter how I bend the ear hooks. So, to continue using the IEM, I bought myself a custom copper cable with a balanced input, a 2.5mm to be specific. Now that the annoying fit and cable have been gone, let's go into sound. I will review the sound using the pair of Final Audio Type E ear tips and the custom copper, balanced cable.

Sound - 8/10
Allow me to elaborate. All are tested using MacBook > FiiO Q1 Mark II > IEM.

Bass - 8/10
The bass is more sub-bass rather than mid-bass. It is sounding clean to me, with decent details and presence. It's perfect in amount and didn't cover up the rest of the frequency, though this might not be suitable for bass heads out there. It's present, enough to give a kick and life to a track. It's hitting kind of hard, but not boomy or boxy in any way.

Mid - 9/10
The midrange is simply amazing. It somehow activates the pinna and gives that wide soundstage. It also gives a great sense of positioning and details. It sounded lush and highly musical, though that means it is not as critical as the competitor that offers more detailed sounds. It doesn't sound the best and the most detailed, but it is super nice and great.

High - 7/10
The high is the most disappointing part of my experience, but remember that the whole experience is amazing, the high is just, so so. The high is adequate but is rolled off pretty early. It loses the air and the shimmer of the higher frequencies for my liking. This simply means the detail is decent but not great as the air is pretty much gone. It loses the sparkling sound for my liking. Remember, that my liking perhaps would be different than yours. Overall, great quality, and great imaging, but just need that air and shimmer.

Conclusion
Overall, I like this IEM a lot. I love the sound profile, though the comfort may be left desired. The IEM is smooth, lean, warm-tilted, and balanced at the same time. It's a great addition to your collection if you'd like a warm, fun, and a bit colored sound signature.