Today we're going to be taking a brief look at the Rikubud Alter Rider 3 and which cost 100 euros and were bought by myself, I don't have much to say about it but I'll make my points clear.

Build​

For the build we have a photopolymer resin body, that feels pretty solid like it could survive some abuse, we also have a plastic cap that covers the driver and the foam covers, for the review I'll be using tuning intended by the Riku which are the foams that come pre-fitted to the earbud which are the white ones though you do get lower density black ones and medium density blue foams. These fit very snuggly and comfortably and would be suited to hours of pain free use,































The standard cable is rough and plasticity feeling though of good quality and nice braid, it is terminated in a very compact 3.5mm connector though you can order it in 4.4mm which costs 25 euro extra.

Sound Quality​

For sound quality, these buds offer a warmish though slightly congested sound signature, the mids sound a little too thick in a sense which smears the clarity of instruments, the upper mids feel slightly recessed though smooth and lush with a rich timbre, the bass is textured and rich with pretty decent extension for an earbud.

Treble is smooth though slightly on the exited side, some songs may be a little intense at times but it's never harsh.



In this track the bass and kick affinity is excellent, the bass has presence and amazingly rich timbre and the kick just pops out from under it which really drives the song forward like well-oiled clockwork, though slight problem is the vocals sound too warm and recessed.

These have good dynamics and an okay sound stage that projects a near sense of vocals to about the bridge of your nose and a decently wide width, not much depth here but the imaging is pretty decent. Detail retrieval is average, partially soiled by the slightly boxy nature of the mids and instrument layering and separation aren't much of a strong point here though it's not in a way that completely ruins the listening experience.

To be clear, these are excellent if you need something for a fun and semi-natural sound, comfortable listening session but they are not for analytical listening.

Hifiman Audivina Review​

I would like to thank Hifiman for sending these on to me as part of the Audivina tour, as usual, all words are my own.

Build, Comfort & Isolation​

The headband of this headphone is similar to the HE1000V2 in its design and construction, it uses all metal parts with a vented leather suspension strap, and the cups can swivel a full 360 degrees on their axis. The cups are made out of some thin wood which when tapped exhibit quite a high-pitched resonant frequency. Inside is hollow with only a small square of foam which feels to be the same foam they use on the top of their boxes to protect the contents.

The comfort is great, the strap perfectly distributes the headphone's weight without any hotspots, and the large pads mean that your ears do not touch any part of the headphone while in use; speaking of pads, they attach to the headphone using velcro, which makes for easy removal but you have to be careful to line them up perfectly while refitting them. Though not the best choice of attachment as the seal isn't the best leading to a roll off in the bass.

Overall Isolation isn't that good, it doesn't isolate much more than if you were to wear nothing at all it's in the ballpark of 15dB at 1kHz attenuation.

Specifications:
Drivers: Supernano Stealth Magnet Planar
Sensitivity: 97dB/mw
Impedance: 20Ω
Weight: 470g

Inclusions:
Hard Case
4 Pin XLR Cable
1/4" TRS Cable
3.5mm TRS Cable

Sound Quality​

What first strikes you is how uneven and lean they sound, they project their honky, boxy and bright tonality with dominance and utmost importance, it is quite blunt about how it does this. It reminds me of a low-quality 1970s radio.

Bass​

The bass on the Audivina, is lacking in rich punch and impact the mid-bass is scooped leading to somewhat poor timbre and articulation on bass guitars.

Kicks sound somewhat muted and dull but not completely dead, killing the drive and energy in most music, speed also isn't much of a strong point here, it's almost sloppy for a planar in how it handles fast transients.

Mids​

Arguably the worst part about this headphone, the mids are honky and uneven, and pianos sound like they're missing a bit too much of their body and weight. for older recordings these headphones might be okay to give you a sense of nostalgia as if you were listening to a Shellac 78 RPM record on an old gramophone, precisely the tonality these headphones somewhat portray.

For vocals, all you need to do is imagine the vocalist blocking their nose and singing through a toilet roll tube, very unfaithful and offensive honky boxy tonality to vocals here, both female and male.

Adding on, the saxophone on this track is presented way too honky than it actually should be, and the guitar just sounds lacking in life, The soundstage is at least quite wide and vibrant though it doesn't project sound that far in front of you.

Treble​

Treble on this pair is very hot, though not the most offensive I have heard, hats and cymbals have a slight metallic edge to them but seem to come forward with good attack. Though cymbal hits have a sort of splashy characteristic to them

Technicalities ​

For soundstage, these project wide to the sides, but not far in front, depth stops at roughly the bridge of your nose, imaging, however, seems perfectly fine, with good placement of instruments in their correct spot.

Separation is to be expected for how poorly they are tuned; smashed together and congested with not many layers. Detail retrieval on some less dense tracks is fine but not groundbreaking, you'd have to strain yourself to pick out some finer details on busier tracks and I can't say they're the headphone you'd want to be picking up for analytical use to be honest despite the bogus marketing as a "Studio Headphone"

Conclusion​

I can't say I recommend it, for the price of $1999 the tuning is rather unacceptable, while it could be helped with EQ you shouldn't be expected to have to do this out of the box, should you still be interested in these headphones, I'd recommend you audition them in person to see whether they're for you. These are not a blind buy.

Review of the Letshuoer DZ4​

In the world of portable audio, finding the perfect pair of in ears that deliver exceptional sound quality and immersive listening experiences can be a quest in itself. Letshuoer, a brand known for its dedication to some quite great products such as the S12 Pro, Galileo and EJ07M, presents the Letshuoer DZ4, an impressive in-ear monitor (IEM) boasting a unique configuration of three dynamic drivers and one passive radiator. The DZ4 aims to captivate audiophiles and casual listeners alike. In this easy to digest review with no fluff or tomfoolery, we dive into its features, sound signature, build quality, and overall performance. For the price of $89 let's see what you get!



Specifications:
Drivers: 3*6mm Titanium Dome Dynamic Driver + 6mm Passive Radiator
Crossover: Two way crossover with four way acoustic tubing
Sensitivity: 104dB/mw (1kHz)
Impedance: 12Ω±1 (1kHz)
Distortion: ≤3% (1kHz)

In this diagram we can see the three drivers neatly laid out and the passive radiator in blue, they are hooked up via use of a flat flex with what they advertise as a two way crossover, the use of flat flex greatly improves ease of manufacture and leads to an internal that is as good looking as the exterior, the passive radiator works by using excess pressure of the active drivers by resonating on it's own, creating a deeper lowend and allows the iems to work more efficiently.

Inclusions:​

In the box you will find some paperwork, a plastic tin with a screw lid; quite similar to the one that comes with the EJ07M. It is rubber lined to offer some protection and happily stores the tips, cable and IEMS. You get the as mentioned cable, IEMS and some great quality tips also.



The cable is similar to ones Letshuoer ships with most of their IEMS, it is soft, pliable and presents minimal microphonics. The feel is soft and the earhooks form nicely around your ear. It is a four core, two-hundred and sixteen strand silver plated copper cable for those curious, terminated in 3.5mn and 0.78mm at the IEM. On the IEM side it has a clear and red plastic to denominate left and right (Clear is Left, Red is Right)

Build Quality:​

The design of this IEM is undeniably striking. The combination of the aluminium faceplate and the orange mesh under a lightning bolt type pattern creates an eye-catching aesthetic that is both stylish and attention-grabbing, However the semi-open designs leads to isolation that isn't the best, it lets in almost everything below 1khz and attenuates frequencies higher than this by only about 15dB. Despite this the resin body provides a lightweight and comfortable fit, allowing for extended listening sessions without fatigue. The build quality is solid, and the materials used feel durable and should be capable of withstanding regular use and many years to come.

Sound:​

What is most obvious at first is how natural and punchy they sound, they render vocals clearly and with utmost salience, with only 104 dB/mW at 12 ohms, they are fairly easy to drive, only needing 0.35V (RMS) to drive to 114dB so you'll have plenty of headroom on anything from a phone to a laptop to a dongle. Tested on an EU Apple Dongle, Macbook Pro, iFi Nano iDSD BL and an iFi Zen Can Sig.



Bass:
The punchiness of the bass adds a more dynamic and impactful element to the overall sound, giving each note a distinct and energetic presence. With excellent extension, the bass reaches deep into the lower frequencies, creating a rich and full-bodied sound that hits you with rich, depth and power. The texture of the bass is finely detailed and articulated, allowing for the subtle nuances of each bass note to be fully appreciated. Whether it's the rumble of a kick drum or the smooth grooves of a bass guitar, the texture adds layers of complexity to the sound, resulting in a truly engaging and satisfying listening experience.

In the song "Becoming Insane" by Infected Mushroom there is a hefty rhythmic bass that kicks in at 0:26. This is presented with dominance and speed it kind of slams in your face with it's sheer power, It is as mentioned generously textured and full bodied.



Mids:
For the lower mids, instruments such as pianos have this sort of lush warmth to it, very smooth and joyful to listen to, I wish the middle mids were a little more present but they come through perfectly acceptable, The snap of snares is tight and quick and perfectly blend with the kick drum.

Upper Mids are diffuse field like, which pushes vocals forward with authority, the timbre is quite good, vocals sound, I don't know. They just sound right, I think if say 1.5k was dipped a little more they could come through a little better in the center image but otherwise they are clean and well defined.

On the song "New York Minute - Live on MTV 1994" by Eagles, the strings on the intro are presented in an almost holographic way, timbre is good and they sound full bodied and natural.



Treble:
The treble as a whole is very controlled although many will probably wish for a little more air to give these more sense of openness but otherwise it's very faithful and non fatiguing, hi-hats and the upper register of guitars, etc come through as quite natural, so not much grain or metallic layer here

Technicals:
I wouldn't say detail or resolution is much of a strong point here, It's okay but it isn't groundbreaking. They do present finer details and you can pick these out quite easily but they aren't space age and for what they are, they do everything I'd expect them to. The IEM stage isn't that wide but it's accurate and instruments are placed where I'd expect them to be. Micro and Macro Dynamics are quite good however so you can feel contrast in your music if it is present.

Conclusion:
In a market saturated with countless earphone options, the Letshuoer DZ4 emerges as a standout contender, armed with its unique configuration of three dynamic drivers and one passive radiator. Whether you're a discerning audiophile or a casual listener seeking to try something new the Letshuoer DZ4 won't disappoint you in my opinion.

Ah the Edition XS, a full-sized beast. These were sent to me by Hifiman for review but all words are my own so here's my quick summary.





Build:
Plastic fantastic apart from the slider, yoke and grille, but the headband pad feels like a pool noodle wrapped in Won Hung Lo leatherette, more so the headphones exhibit all sorts of creaks and rattles when you fit them and they overall didn't fit me very well, tho I must say the pads are quite spacious.

Sound:
Well-extended bass with decent texture and average dynamics, Smooth and detailed mids tho the upper mids have a scoop to give an illusion of a wider stage. I must say the treble is a bit on the zingy side which is not unusual for a planar.

Summary:
Overall I think it's probably the best headphone in the price range today, if they fit you then great, but if not. I think dekoni nuggets would fix the comfort issue.

Here is the accompanying video for this review, I go into more detail. YouTube Video

Letshuoer EJ07M Review​

Thank you to Letshuoer for lending me this set for review.

What you find in the box is not a lot for an iem that costs this much: the IEMs, an occ copper cable, 2 sets of silicone ear tips (S/M/L), a little box with foams, a metal case and the paperwork. Like the S12 Pro, the EJ07M features a relatively compact body, providing an excellent and comfortable fit. They are made of sturdy stainless steel with fancy and unit-dependent faceplates.

The cable is quite nice, It doesn’t tangle and the hooks are comfortable, the selection of tips is also, well I’d say generous but the IEMs are $699 after all.

Driver Setup
Dynamic Driver	10mm Dynamic Driver
Balanced Armature	2x Sonion 2389
Electrostatic Driver	Sonion 4 in 1 electrostatic driver

Click to expand...

These IEMS have a very clinical and neutral sound signature.​

The Bass
The bass is tight and textured. Much snappier than I would expect from a Dynamic Driver, there is a generous boost to the sub-bass. It is very well articulated and detailed, providing you with the thump of every kick and thick rumble when it is called for. Delicately layered and rich with texture.

The Mids
The Mids come across as warm and layered also, with excellent instrument separation, Pianos are full-bodied and rich, and guitars similarly sound great and natural on these.

Upper Mids and Treble
Female vocals sound natural and present, Male vocals sound kind of recessed and dull, and cymbals have a slight edge to them but come forward with detail and precision.

Technicals
Macro and Micro Dynamics are faithful and make these an extremely engaging set to listen to, fine details are easy to pick out and separation is excellent, soundstage is as expected from an IEM, narrow, but more narrow than other IEMs I have tried; oh well no issue, it is an IEM afterall, Imaging is good.

Overall:
If you’re looking for a mid-tier iem, I don’t think you could go wrong with these, for $699 they’re a compact and comfortable set with engaging bass and faithful treble reproduction. I’d compare them to the variations, but I think I like these more.