Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
Simgot ET142 Review
Pros: -Build is more like a tank than anything else I can think of

-Typical classy and amazing Simgot design. Gorgeous

-Great unboxing experience

-Fantastic Simgot LC7 modular cable, nice case, boatload of tips

-Some of the best tuning nozzles (four in total)

-Very technically proficient tuning with a very clean sound

-Snappy, deep, impactful, and very tight bass region

-Midrange is crisp, high resolution, fast transients

-Treble has nice brilliance, pristine, highly detailed, nice extension

-Detail Retrieval

-Spatial imaging

-Large soundstage
Cons: -Some nozzles can be too bright for some

-Not the most lush, rich, and organic sounding

-Some slight planar timbre (doesn’t bother me at all)

Simgot ET142 Review

By: Chris Love​

Simgot ET142 Featured ImageFull Review can be found HERE

Simgot ET142 Header Photo

Simgot ET142 Review

Intro

Hello, this review and feature covers the latest Simgot Audio iem which goes by the name “Simgot ET142” ($219). One thing I always look forward to featuring at Mobileaudiophile.com is any Simgot release. The ET142 is actually a hybrid iem consisting of one planar magnetic driver as well as one piezoelectric driver. Without question I am very interested to hear the implementation of those drivers. I should also mention that the ET142 happens to be their first set of planar magnetic “in-ear earphones” crafted and created by Simgot. However, Simgot did release a pair of planar magnetic full-sized over-ear headphones over six years ago which went by the appropriate name of Simgot ET1000. To hear that Simgot of all brands have finally gone the “in-ear” planar route is very intriguing. Again, I couldn’t have been more interested to hear this set. No doubt that with the expertise on hand within the roster at Simgot they should have zero issues getting the most out of this set.

Simgot

Friends, I feel like a broken record in these reviews. I say that because out of all the Simgot reviews that I’ve conducted, not one has been something that I turned away. You know, I only review what I enjoy as I value my time and want to spend that time with things that I enjoy. Coincidentally, I’ve featured every one of Simgot’s products that I’ve been sent. Basically, I truly enjoyed their products. I wouldn’t say that I’m a fanboy… but I may be a fanboy. At least a little. At any rate, Simgot has literally taken their whole operation three-to-four years ago from a place of relative obscurity and turned their brand into one of the most prolific, cornerstone brands of this generation within the audio world. I really don’t feel that I’m exaggerating with that statement either. If it’s a Simgot release, then you know you are getting something which has been mulled over to exhaustion. Hashed and rehashed over and over again until the end product is one that deserves the name “Simgot” attached to it. There are a few other brands which embody this work ethic as well. However, I feel it’s important to voice my trust in Simgot. That trust comes from the extensive time I’ve spent with their products. Hundreds of hours, no joke.

Glowing Reviews!

It all began with the Simgot EA500 (EA500 Review) which came out of the gate like a shooting star, taking over the budget market, redefining what the consumer should expect for their dollar. Honestly, it still easily stands up against most any set under $100. Then there was the Simgot EW200 (EW200 Review). Once again, Simgot took the entire budget market and quite literally turned it on its head. Still an awesome iem. After that I reviewed the Simgot EM6L (EM6L Review) which was a total departure from Simgot’s “house sound” so to speak. Another very well-tuned iem. After that I reviewed the Simgot EA1000 (EA1000 Review). Um, folks, find me a better single DD under $250. I won’t hold my breath. Then I reviewed what I considered the best single DD under $100 in the Simgot EA500LM (EA500LM Review). What a fantastic iem for the cost. Next was the Simgot Dew4x (Dew4x Review) which is a very well-made dongle dac. Very nice. I still use it for parts of every review I complete. Then came one of my favorites under $200 iems PERIOD, the Simgot SuperMix 4 (SM4 Review). Lastly, I had the pleasure of reviewing the tribrid Simgot EW300 (EW300 Review) which is a strong performer under $100. I realize that nobody asked for that rundown of reviews, but I did so to cement the fact that I couldn’t be more impressed by this brand. Pick a link and read and you’ll see mostly glowing words throughout each one.

Without Further Ado…

And here we are. I finally received the ET142, and it is sitting in a burn-in station and will remain there for at least four full days. Whether it needs it or not (I’m sure it does) doesn’t matter. I do it anyway. From my first listen I can hear the Simgot DNA is in full swing. I spent enough time with the ET142 to decide what tuning nozzles I enjoy the most, even played around modding too as Simgot made the awesome decision to add tuning foams as well as tuning nozzles. Right away I can hear the making of a technical BEAST! For a first go at the planar sound I couldn’t be more impressed folks. With all of that said, I think my intro is complete. So, without further ado, I present to you my thoughts on the brand new Simgot ET142…

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

Linsoul

Simgot ET142

20250118_181443.jpg


Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

Simgot Dew4x

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

Hiby R4

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra

Simgot ET142 Review Pic (64).jpg


Simgot-ET142-Review-Pic-46.jpg
What an elegant and completely handsome iem.

Packaging / Accessories

Unboxing

The Simgot ET142 arrived at my home in a medium sized square box (6” x 6” x 2”) with a gradient light gray to dark gray colorway and a picture of the ET142 on the sleeve cover. The backside of the box has a blown-out picture of the driver configuration and Internals as well as some specs for the ET142. Actually, it’s a really cool design for a box. I don’t ever really comment on box designs, but the ET142 box is pretty slick. Slip off the sleeve as best you can. It took two hands because it is ridiculously tight. I really mean this, good luck. Anyways, slip off the sleeve and you’ll see a cardboard flap with a metallic silver picture of a planar magnetic driver and underneath written in cursive it says, “Salute to Art and Science”. It checks out, in fact, that checks out for all of Simgot’s iems. Nice, moving on. Open the flap and you’ll see the beautiful ET142 chillin’ in some black foam cutouts. Next to the ET142 is a box which indicates “Storage Box” which obviously means “Carrying Case”. Inside of the case is the cable and modular adapters. Next to that box is another smaller box which contains the tuning nozzles. Now, under the ET142 is yet another longer box which houses the eartips, some reading material, extra nozzle gaskets, and even some tuning foam to help tune your listening even further. At any rate, the unboxing is actually quite good. For a box of its size, Simgot squeezed a lot of nice accessories.

Simgot ET142 Packaging
Simgot added in high quality accesories.

Eartips

ET142 Eartips

Simgot added in a bunch of eartips within the packaging and each type of tip is actually quite nice. Now, I didn’t actually use any of those tips as I went with the Dunu S&S eartips as they simply sound the best to me, but the added tips included are still great to have in your collection. In total Simgot provides ten pairs of eartips spread across three types of eartips. You get four pairs (XL, L, M, S) of nice black wide bore silicone eartips. They have a firm flange, rigid stem, shallow fit, nice wide-bores. Next, they added in three pairs (L, M, S) of some shallower type of dark gray and red stem silicone tips. These tips have a slightly less firm flange, a hair flimsier along with a rigid stem. Lastly, Simgot provides three pairs (L, M, S) of white silicone tips with a black stem. These tips are very similar in size, feel, and stature to the KBear 07 eartips. Perhaps a hint flimsier on the flange yet still feels rather firm. The stem is rigid, and the bore is closer to a semi-wide bore. Like I said, each style of tips is very nice and could easily be used with other iems in your collection. Thanks, Simgot, nice additions!


Carrying Case

ET142 Carrying Cae

The carrying case provided is a very nice case. I’d say it’s covered in a faux leather, nice stitching. It’s a light gray open top case with a magnetic flap to shut closed. It’s not the largest case. Probably just enough room to store your ET142 and cable. Possibly a really small dongle dac too. It is 3.5” long, 2.5” deep, and 1.5” tall. So, a good size for its purpose. This is actually the exact same case that is provided with the Simgot EA1000. Really a very nice addition into the packaging. I actually never really use any cases but rather have slightly larger cases which can carry more items. Just a reviewer doing reviewer stuff. Yet at times I will use them, and I have to say, this case is one of the few that I actually care to use. It’s just very nicely made, nice to look at. I do wish it was a hint larger. Maybe large enough for another set of earphones and cable, but I’m not complaining. It’s an elegant case for a very elegant set of iems.


Tuning nozzles

ET142 Tuning Nozzles

Like I said, Simgot added in four different tuning nozzles as well as extra foam inserts all in an attempt to provide the consumer with a way to tune their iems to fit their particular tastes. One thing is for sure, these tuning nozzles do make a difference. Some more than others, but I found that with the help of the tuning nozzles and the foam inserts I was really able to dial this set in. However, I did go with the “short black nozzle w/the black silicone ring” during critical listening. I’ll explain next. Anyways, I love that Simgot actually added nozzles which are productive at making actual changes in what I hear through the ET142. Simgot also added in one alloy carrying block which gives you the ability to put two sets of tuning nozzles screwed onto it. The other nozzles are simply put into a baggie. Anyways, it’s a nice feature of this set and I’m glad that Simgot had the presence of mind to add them.

What do they do?

Golden Copper Nozzle & Yellow Silicone Ring:

This nozzle is tied as the brightest of the nozzles as there is no tuning mesh added, no foam, no-nothing but a mesh earwax catch. This nozzle will give you the exact tuning of this set yet with the slight difference that copper will add to the sonic character of the iem. I find this nozzle too bright for me. Definitely a treble-boi nozzle.

Baked Blue Titanium Nozzle & Transparent Silicone Ring:

This nozzle is just as bright as the golden Copper nozzle, yet the sonic character is a hair different as the material used is titanium. Again, too bright for me. Highs are pretty intense. That said, this is the nozzle that I used the tuning foams with where I was able to really dial in the sound. It’s open inside which is nice for fiddling around and modding the nozzle to fit what I like. However, I won’t speak on that because this is a review over stock sound.

Stainless Steel Short Nozzle & Red Silicone Ring:

This nozzle is the warmest of all of the nozzles. In fact, both of the “short” nozzles veer towards warm. It is amazing that I can go from bright to warm simply by using tuning nozzles. Really a large swing in sound. With this nozzle, the real change comes from the upper midrange through to the upper treble. Not an insane difference but you’d be surprised what some treble reduction will do for your listening experience. Bass is deeper, more of a focus too, less intensity, less shout. I definitely enjoy this one.

Stainless Steel Short Nozzle & Black Silicone Ring:

Now this is definitely the nozzle that I enjoy the most. Well, this week anyways. So, the black ring short nozzle is almost identical to the red ring nozzle yet with a touch more upper mid through lower treble emphasis. It’s a very small difference, maybe 2-3 db’s. However, that “little bit” makes a world of difference. It gives me just enough bass focus, treble emphasis, presence up top, and the sound retains mostly all of the technical abilities while coming across more balanced as a whole. Definitely it fits me the most besides my modded nozzle.

Tuning Options

Simgot ET142 Review Pic (102).jpgPlease remember that Simgot added in the tuning foam in the packaging and so you can really drop the sheer amount of treble and upper mid activity. In all truth, my favorite way to hear this set is with the titanium blue hue longer nozzle with some tuning foam inside. Again, for critical listening the short stainless steel nozzle with the black ring is just about the same for me. Perhaps a hair more upper mid energy. However, what Simgot did with this set is give us plenty of options. It comes down to how much you enjoy treble and brilliant energy. You can most assuredly dial that down quite a bit. The amazing skill of this iem is what makes it so nice as no amount of foam inside of the nozzles created any kind of veil and the driver control remains. It’s just a very nice set. I tossed around the idea of reviewing this set with my modded nozzle but after burn-in and hours of brain burn I began to truly enjoy the short stainless nozzle with the black ring. At times the red ring nozzle fits my fancy too, but I had to make a choice. Still, it’s a wonderful thing to have choices and flexibility. Simgot has the forethought to provide us with those options. Friends, that is part of what makes this brand so special.

Cable

Simgot LC7

This is one of my favorite pieces to the ET142 puzzle. Simgot added into the package one of my favorite cables under $100. That is the Simgot LC7 modular cable. The LC7 itself costs upwards of $70 and so it is a very viable cable to use with the ET142. The LC7 is a beautiful metallic white, coaxial Litz twist, 2-pin cable with perfectly contrasting mirror polished silver copper alloy fittings (Y-split, termination housing etc.). The look is so perfectly made for the ET142! I love good aesthetics, and I laud brands who actually think of this part of the package. You need a good looking cable with your earphones. Okay, “need” is a little over the top, but you know what I mean. The look is perfect for the ET142. The mirror silver of the fittings next to the mirror polished design of the ET142 and the metallic white twisted cable is absolutely striking. Now, the LC7 is made with 732 cores (fatty) of high-purity oxygen-free copper and silver-plated wires. Simgot also adds an anti-oxidation pvc coating which supposedly has anti-aging properties. Pretty cool. To add to all of that, the cable is MODULAR! Thank you Simgot! Thank you! How nice is it to simply pull off the termination and put in the one you need? I know, I have many modular cables too, but that doesn’t make it any less nice. The LC7 comes with both a 3.5 single ended termination and a 4.4 balanced termination. I am very happy with this cable. Such a nice inclusion!


The ET142's cable is amazing
One of the best cables you can buy under $100, in my opinion is the Simgot LC7.


Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

The actual build of the Simgot ET142 is made by way of CNC machined alloy (likely stainless steel) which are fairly large in stature and are literally smooth everywhere. The ergonomics are perfect for my ears. The ET142 housing has one small vent towards the nozzle. Also, the nozzles (all nozzles) are exactly 6mm in width. Folks, this set is built very durable with such a premium feel to them. I would say that the ET142 are a heavier set of earphones. I don’t know exactly how heavy they are but they’re pretty stout, substantial, and could easily be used as an awesome paperweight. Of course, that would be the ultimate shame because the ET142 looks and sounds so much better when in the ear. Also, I found that the weight distribution is such that I don’t even notice the weight at all. Really a wonderful build for a +$200 set of earphones.

Simgot ET142 Build Quality
The ET142’s build quality is through-the-roof, very well designed and structurally of great quality


Design

Now we get to the design of the ET142. Actually, did you like the design of the Simgot EA500? Well, if you did, you are in luck because the design of the EA500 is pretty much the exact design of the ET142. You have the gorgeous high-polished mirror alloy covering the entirety of the ET142. Simgot also very elegantly added in their logo with a very slight gray color placed in the center of the faceplate area. Such a tasteful and graceful look. Only those who truly understand elegance and minimalist design can craft such a look. It is astoundingly nice to look at. I give Simgot two thumbs up, A+, five stars, and whatever other indicator that I can to denote something which is the embodiment of the panache sophistication. I know, I realize that I may be going a bit strong on this description, but I mean every word. Truly, a wonderful job Simgot!

Internals

As I said earlier, the Simgot ET142 is a dual-driver hybrid earphone. Simgot used a 12.5 mm planar magnetic driver (PL) with an ultra-thin diaphragm encased in a dual-sided magnetic system. This driver covers most of the frequency from the sub-bass through to the highs. The other driver is a piezoelectric driver (PZT) which covers the whole of the treble region or possibly the high-highs. I don’t know exactly where the PZT comes into play. I want to note something as well. The ET142 is strikingly similar to the Raptgo Hook-X in the fact that the Hook-X also used a PL/PZT arrangement, and their frequency graphs are extremely similar. Just thought I’d throw that out there as the Hook-X is clearly one of the best planar sets on the market under $300. I can tell that the drivers used in the ET142 are superior, but it’s worth noting. Anyways, I love the choice of drivers with this set. Other than the drivers and driver materials I don’t know much more about the internals or the acoustic cavity etc.

Fit / Comfort

As I said, the Simgot ET142 is very ergonomic for my ears. I realize this is a very subjective thing to say as it only applies to me, but I’d think the ET142 would fit most hobbyists fairly well. I find them to be very comfortable in my ears and over long listening sessions. To add to that, some of my sessions can regularly go hours on end. No fatigue at all. Maybe I have to take them out to itch my ear from time to time, but they really are very comfortable for me. I have zero idea how this set will fit you, obviously. But again, I cannot imagine that they wouldn’t fit nicely for most people.


Simgot ET142 Review Pic (56).jpg


The Simgot ET142 works well with many sources

Drivability

Sensitivity / Output-Power

The Simgot ET142 is rated with an impedance of 14 ohms and a sensitivity of around 118 db/vrms(@1kHz). Basically, the ET142 is not a super hard set to drive for volume. Even cheap dongle dacs can get this set to volume. However, I hardly feel that using a weaker source is the best way to go with this set. In my listening I quickly found out that the ET142 most certainly scales with good and clean power. Of course, I also figured this would be the case being that this set is a predominantly planar earphone. So, I could use the ET142 with weaker sources and it doesn’t sound bad at all, but I wasn’t getting the most out of it. This is always a difficult section to write about because what we hear is so subjective. You may love the way the ET142 sounds off of a cheap Amazon dongle dac or the Apple dongle. For me, I notice a definite tightening up of the entire frequency when going from one of those lesser powerful 3.5 dongles or my older Android smartphone to the EPZ TP50 on high gain, for example. Really any of my solid dongle dacs was usually plenty. However, without question I received the best sound quality when I paired the ET142 with my much more powerful and more talented daps & dac amps. Like the Hiby R4, iBasso DX240, Shanling M6 Ultra, or even the Fiio Q15. Tighter bass, less splashy upper treble, less planar timbre, and simply more of a dynamic range.

Source tonality

Simgot ET142 Review Pic (63).jpgHow the ET142 responds to your source tonality will depend at least slightly on what tuning nozzle that you prefer. This is another highly subjective topic. I know we reviewers like to speak in absolutes and declare which source tonality is best for whatever set we are reviewing. However, the truth is that it will come down to you and what you enjoy. I can tell you that for me I enjoy a warmer/neutral to neutral source. That said, I don’t enjoy (as much) sources which lean bright or analytical. I much more enjoy a more musical sounding source too with the ET142. Without question my favorite pairing is with my Shanling M6 Ultra. However, even more neutral devices sound nice with this set as well. Dac/amps like the Fiio Q15 have that clean, neutral, and dynamic sound which pair nicely with the ET142. I can tell you this, you certainly don’t need more brightness or treble emphasis, I would think anyways. I suppose if you’re a treble junkie than you’d probably invite more treble sheen. At any rate, most sources do quite well with this set. It may go without saying but the ET142 will certainly reward you for pairing it with more talented source devices. Better dac chips, better amps, circuitry, and for lack of a better words… simply more sonically gifted devices.

Simgot ET142 Review Pic (82).jpg


My favorite, the Fiio Q15 and the Simgot ET142
The Fiio Q15 is certainly a very gifted dac/amp and the ET142 sounds great with it.


Sound Impressions


*Note: Before I delve into the sound, I should first inform you all that I did give the Simgot ET142 about four full days of burn-in. Without question burn-in should be conducted with the ET142. Also, I listen mainly to flac or better files stored on my devices with a little streaming here and there. Also, I listen mostly using the UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) Android music player along with Hiby Music Player from time to time. I also used Dunu S&S eartips for all critical listening. Lastly, I used the “stainless steel short nozzle & black silicone ring” for almost all critical listening and so my findings will mostly be using that nozzle.

What’s it sound like?

The Simgot ET142 comes across as a very clean and cohesive sounding planar hybrid. No doubt about it that this is a planar type of sound, full of fast twitch muscle reflex and about as dexterous as a set can get. Very agile as the ET142 maneuvers through dynamic shifts, hard stops, attack and recovery in an energetic yet very well controlled manner. This is a somewhat vibrant iem, even with the short stainless black ring nozzle. It’s boisterous, vivid & transparent with nice cadence and a very kinetic charge to the sound. In the same breath, I wouldn’t call the sound strident or too brightly colored (depending on your nozzle choice). Words which first come to mind concerning the sound of the ET142 are vibrant, controlled, structured, impactful, untarnished, and vigorous. In no particular order. Highly complicated tracks seem to not be a problem. This set will have your mind’s eye concentrating on details you didn’t know were there. A very prolific technical iem which doesn’t leave out some semblance of musicality. A lot depends on the track obviously, but Simgot did a very nice job for a planar/PZT hybrid iem costing under $250.

Sound signature

Simgot ET142 Review Pic (35).jpgI’d probably call it a W-shaped sound signature though I could see someone calling it a U-shaped or even a slight V-shaped sound as well. I only say W-shaped because of the fact that the midrange is fairly far forward, pronounced and simply situated closer to the listener. Depending on the nozzle that you choose, the ET142 can go from sharp, bright and snappy to smoother, slightly warmer and snappy, but always snappy. I happen to enjoy smooth and snappy (stainless short nozzle & black ring) and so that’s what I’m going to speak on. Anyways, what you have is a real bite to most all notes depending on the track. If there’s a hard edge, it’ll sound as though there’s a hard bite. There’s a lot of crispness, nice crunch, sharp attack, clean attack, quick decay, and unsullied note outlines. Just a very clean sound. Note weight is not thin, but not thick either, and I still hear adequate density to each note. A certain dynamism with more voluminous macro-dynamics and a nice contrast in tones. However, the ET142 doesn’t lack musicality either. Again, there’s a warmth to the sound with this nozzle and I can’t stress that enough. Some of the other nozzles are a much brighter and more exaggerated W-shaped sound with even more bright energy. That said, it isn’t all cold, dry, and bright. It definitely does lean in the direction of analytical, yet it also carries some tunefulness and a certain symphonic quality which keeps the ET142 from leaning entirely towards the clinical side.

Sound cont…

The ET142 has a big and rigid sub-bass along with a sprightly and brilliant treble that really makes percussion “pop”. Also, the driver control is really great. You don’t have those lingering harmonics mashing together the edges of notes with other notes. Clean separation and excellent clarity. With all that said, the ET142 won’t come across as the most organic sounding iem as far as timbre is concerned. It definitely has its moments and there definitely are tracks which sound more organic than others. Certainly, it isn’t artificial sounding. Only the very slightest planar timbre using the brighter nozzles. I would say right away that the ET142 is not going to be for those folks who desire a warm, laid-back, and lush sound with earthy timbre. However, the ET142 is a very skilled iem and I’m quite positive that most folks will realize this very quickly. Basically, those who really want to try out a planar iem which is always on point, precise, yet doesn’t leave out all emotion will enjoy what Simgot has created.

*Note: The graph below indicates the stock tuning. Remember that each tuning nozzle will present the frequency a hair differently. My preferred nozzle has less upper-mid emphasis for instance. Just something to consider.

Simgot ET142 Graph
Graph courtesy of Aftersound, Thank You!


Simgot-ET142-Review-Pic-87.jpg



Bass Region


The low-end of the ET142 is mostly showcased within the sub-levels with a healthy dose of emphasis which does its best to offset the energy up top. With my nozzle of choice, it is a nice balancing act which makes for a very nice listen. Now, the bass is one of impeccable control with a tight, acutely impactful and very pointed attack edge that decays very quickly. As many planar magnetic earphones do. We should expect as much. No, you don’t quite get that atmospheric and textured decay of a dynamic driver, nor do you get quite the depth. But I promise, the ET142 doesn’t miss by much, at all! Also, who’s to say that a DD bass is the best way to hear bass? Many folks desire planar style bass more. I am not one of those people, but I can really appreciate what Simgot did here. Also, planar drivers can do things that DD’s really cannot easily replicate. However, the ET142 really does hit hard when called upon. Way more than enough to satisfy. It’s rich, full-bodied, and it can bang!

Bass cont…

Furthermore, this is a low-end which can go from 0-100 in the blink of an eye yet with solid bass density. The speed is one of its really nice attributes. I have yet to hear a track that the ET142 couldn’t keep up with. I tried too. The nice mix of speed and density is one of the better qualities of the ET142 in my opinion. All things considered, the ET142 from Simgot has some very nice low-end muscle, some chasmic and low-droning rumble, and some very nice and clean impact. The bass has great note definition and is so far from being one-noted that I thought I heard the ET142 start to belly laugh in my ears for even thinking about it. Fast, tight, profuse in its emphasis, plenty of weight, and not in the slightest form is this bass weak. Basically, the ET142’s bass region is quality over quantity with plenty of quantity.

Sub-Bass

Looking at the sub-bass I’d say it’s pretty clear that the Simgot ET142 can flat-out BANG! Notwithstanding, that “BANG” doesn’t seem to ever muddy the low-end waters. No over-emphasis, always fantastic note control and clean note contour. It’s the type and style of sub-level rumble which drones deeply yet in a very structured manner. I hear nothing even remotely sloppy. Fast, clean, highly resolute, bullish in its tapered and arrow-like attack with a prompt transient decay. No it isn’t some lingering, atmospheric, resonant filled or ear massaging style. It doesn’t detonate sending long drawn out aftershock reverbs to every corner of your brain. If you’ve heard a planar style bass that isn’t so one sided towards the lows, then you know… they hit n’ git. If I’m being totally honest, and I am, the bass on this set can be very enthralling and the sub-bass is a huge reason for that. Listening to The Wilder Blue in their track “Feelin’ the Miles” you’ll hear a fairly bulbous and meaty bassline with a full toned bass guitar that you can feel. It’s the extension down low which gets me. It’s the shuddering and juddering pin-point and hard edged crest of every note which makes me hit replay just to hear it again. Basically, the ET142’s ability to dig deep with a nice haptic feel to my music is great, while at the same time never muddying the mix is a treat for this guy.

Mid-Bass

Like I said, the sub-levels of the mix carries the majority of the convexity of the bass shelf. Just like every region on this set, it’s fast and tight, taut and defined, and it has a penchant for never missing a beat. Now, the mid-bass isn’t the most robust area of the mix, and it doesn’t steal focus. I would call it moderate in overall emphasis and authority. That said, I really don’t miss anything, and I actually really enjoy this slightly lifted mid bass region. I can tell you this for sure; the ET142’s mid-bass isn’t even close to muddy. If anything, it’s the exact antithesis of the word “muddy”. Clean-lined, streamlined, and very tidy. Certainly not what anyone would consider basshead. However, the mid-bass is also bolstered by the sub-bass quite often. What you get in this area is just enough fullness for Kick-drums, bass guitar, baritones, etc. Tracks like “2040” by Lil Durk and Lil Baby produces a fairly strong boom on the bass drop. Anyone listening to that track wants that bulbous bass to bullishly bang. I wouldn’t say that bassheads would be impressed, but those who enjoy a quality mid-bass with a solid technical footing should appreciate what the ET142 can do. It’s skilled folks… nuff’ said. Well, there’s actually quite a bit more to say. Like, when I’m listening to the track “Billie Jean” from Weezer. Right out the gate you hear some fast repetitious kick drums. One after the other. I enjoy that the ET142 keeps such a pristine note edge, nice timbre and doesn’t feel like it’s lacking either. Granted, it isn’t slam-city, but I get that nice snap on attack quickly followed by a nice and cavernous boom. Nice enough anyways. Really, it all comes down to how you like to hear your music for a track such as this.

Mid-bass cont…

There are obviously many sets which can produce more emphasis at this price which will provide a much more dense and textured low-end note delivery. Not to say the ET142 is without texture or density, because it certainly has enough of both. Though it simply won’t be able to be fully appreciated unless you actually desire a set with less robust fullness and more clinical quality. Having said that, as a whole the ET142 is very close in quantity to a set like the Raptgo Hook-X for example. It hits pretty hard. If you know that set, then you know that you won’t be missing any low-end rumble. Or something like the 7hz Timeless. Actually, to my ears the ET142 has more low-end weight than the set which started the whole planar craziness. Now, the ET142 does have some brightness to offset the boom. However, for the 20th time I have to say that you get to change up the sound to fit your fancy. I am so very satisfied with the mid-bass slam using the short stainless black ring nozzles as there’s enough thrumming meat and shuddering slam for most any track. That all said, no doubt about it that the ET142 has a highly skilled bass in this region and will truly take on any track. I should also add that the midrange does receive a bit of bass bleed. Just enough to add some warmth.

Downsides to the Bass Region

I’d say the number one thing which the ET142 is guilty of is that it isn’t a dynamic driver. Be that as it may, the ET142 gets you somewhat close. On top of getting you close, it also can-do things that most dynamic drivers cannot do. Still, the ET142 doesn’t quite have the organic and resonant impact of a DD. Again, it’s so close that most of you won’t even notice. This I can assure you. It’s only when you actually listen for it. I say that because the bass on the ET142 is very full bodied, very rich, and it really does hit very hard. However, it’s also very impressive technically which simply leaves that last touch of lingering harmonics and bulbous depth. I also think that bassheads, or even moderate bassheads won’t be entirely in love. Yes, the ET142 can bang, and yes, the sub-bass rumbles in a very deep and guttural way when called upon, but the ET142 does miss a hair in the mid-bass. Once again, I really miss nothing with this set. I understand what it is and what it’s good at. Perhaps texture is ever-so-slightly not as evident, but that is hardly the most vital piece to this low-end puzzle. In truth, I feel that Simgot nailed this bass. For a planar set it rumbles in a very deep and palpable way. Again, very rich and full bodied. There’s plenty of haptic vibratory goodness, clean and well-defined notes, fast attack through recovery, not even hinting at anything muddy, veiled, or one-noted as well. It’s a solid low-end.



The Shanling M6 Ultra & Simgot ET142 Planar


Midrange

I feel that the midrange is probably the focal point of the ET142 and depending on your nozzle situation it can go from slightly lean to a natural semi-rich note weight. I really don’t consider this set to be thin, dry, anemic or frail, at all. No way. The ET142 has a vibrant presence, very airy, open, well-separated, it’s fast too, with details coming out of the woodwork to get to your ears. This would usually make me think that the mids are analytical through and through. Well, they partially lean that way, but the midrange also has a certain smoothness which is very nice to the ear. Think of a sound which is ridiculously fast, controlled, tight around every corner, no track too fast. Now think of that same set with a smoother note inflection. Not too sharp, mellifluous to an extent as well. The mids definitely have some levity however with very nice transparency. Some tracks can be a hair hot due to the pinna rise but not glaring to the point that it induces pain or makes me want to turn the volume down. I cannot stress enough that you need to try all nozzles. The two longer and brighter nozzles sound extremely similar and those two are pretty bright. I am not talking about those. The only thing I like about those nozzles is that I can mod them to sound more like the two shorter nozzles. Anyways, I digress. The ET142 has a very nice sounding midrange. It’s forward in a pleasant way and the midrange has a very nice note presence with very nice etched note outlines. Nothing grainy or fuzzy.

Mids cont…

Also, the stage is wonderful too. I hear nicely delineated note separation accompanied by solid layering of sounds. Something most planars aren’t usually good at. There’s only a couple that I’ve heard with the depth of field similar to the ET142, and those are the Letshuoer S12 2024 Edition, and the Letshuoer S15. I wouldn’t call the midrange “holographic” per say, but I would say it is well sparse-out with solid imaging and decent front to back layers for a planar magnetic earphone. Also, in my opinion, the midrange is more natural tonally than it isn’t. You don’t have that earthy type of organic or analog style sound, but the midrange also isn’t plagued with planar timbre or metallic timbre. There’s the faintest touch of it that you really cannot get around with a planar tuned this way, but it is not even close to a problem for me. I don’t even notice it actually unless I strategically listen for it. So, the timbre is actually fairly nice. I think what keeps it from perfectly natural is its tight transient behavior. Again, very little lingering harmonics. In the same breath, those tight transients are one of its best qualities. I guess like anything it all comes down to what you enjoy. Thankfully, I enjoy just about every sound signature and so I really do recognize where Simgot got things right.

Lower-Midrange

Looking at the lower-midrange, I hear some decent warmth and body along with some vibrance. Not vibrant as in “bright”, but vibrant as in “energized”. There’s a certain air to the sound which makes the lower midrange come across open sounding and not dull or flat. So many sets suffer from a more obtuse, blunted, or edge-less sound here. Not the ET142. Along with its smooth under-body the ET142 has plenty of surface texture and crispness. It’s a very tangible and tactile sound. More corporeal and vivid too. Basically, the low-mids aren’t boring and have plenty of edge when a track presents it. Now, when I think of the low-mids I usually think of male vocalists. It’s the easiest way for me to explain the sound rather than going through every Instrument. For instance, “Rome” by Dermot Kennedy. His voice is full of that Irish pronunciation, which shows clearly in his songs. His voice has an edge to it, it’s slightly abrasive, especially when he belts stuff out. However, his voice has some authority and weight to it too. The ET142 really does his voice some justice. The edge to his voice isn’t inflated, or magnified. While the edginess is there, it isn’t too coarse or dissonant. Really well highlighted against the melody which surrounds his voice too. More forward than it isn’t, yet not boxy. Really, a nice take on the low-mids. Of course, less edgy voices like Sam Barber in “Cold, Dark Place” sounds very melodic. His voice comes across uplifted, tuneful, and the ET142 shows off great clarity too. I know some people enjoy warmer and lusher sounding low-mids but I cannot knock the ET142 here.

Upper-Midrange

The upper-mids are most certainly more forward than the lower-midrange. As you’d expect. The ear gain rises about 12 db’s using the brighter “long” nozzles. Yet the nozzles that I enjoy are less pronounced and so they don’t come across quite as energized or shouty. You see, right after the pinna rise is a short-lived roll-off and dip which seems to keep the glare at bay. To tell you the truth, females actually come through with awesome presence. Generally, their voices seem to project or extrude toward the listener with a clean note outline and decent note body. Slightly thinner and slightly drier than the low-mids, but still nice. Singers like Norah Jones in “Don’t Know Why” sound so very silky, smooth, and just plain charming. There is not even a hint of bad timbre in this track. Very pleasant to the ear. Her voice is perfectly centered, forward in the sound field while the acoustic guitar and piano sitting a hair further back. Really harmonious. Having said that, her voice sounds good on almost any set.

More of a test

However, Sia‘s track off her new album called “I Forgive You” has a bit more contrast to it which may present more problems for the ET142. Nevertheless, the ET142 replays her scratchy and resounding vocal inflections very well. I like how the ET142 doesn’t fall flat on its face in this track as there’s way more than enough moments for it to do so. As uplifted and airy as this set is, Sia’s vocals never induce any sharpness. Perhaps there is a hint of thinness, but man I am reaching when I say that. Honestly, females sound pretty nice folks. However, I need to test this set with the real glaring tracks, like “The Otherside” by Cam. For whatever reason her voice just hits that right frequency which if played with the wrong set will definitely force your in-ears to no longer be… in your ears. I have so many of these types of tracks in my “Shout” playlist and honestly the ET142 generally keeps everything together nicely.

Instruments

Folks, I really don’t like explaining instruments as every track is not recorded the same, every track is different, and not every track is going to sound the same for every instrument, obviously. That said, the ET142 replays most instruments a hair off of organic. Being a planar definitely has its upsides, and downsides. Yes, it hits those transients with ease and illuminates every detail with good resolve. However, some fundamental and secondary harmonics may sound a hair stripped. As though the notes cut-off seemingly clipping the full breadth of those notes. Having said that, the ET142 does a nice job tonally. Percussion has a hard snap and a thrusted crash. Snares “pap” with very solid energy. Or the fundamental tone of a cymbal strike sounds slightly scaled-up or more slightly more intense. Strings of all kinds. Violin can come across silvery, glassy, lustrous, and even elegant. Woodwind instruments are ever-so-slightly embellished but also leaning toward the natural. I could go on and on folks. Basically, instruments come across pretty nice for the tuning. Maybe a hint more energetic than some may like, and perhaps not perfectly authentic to life, but I don’t hear anything which is downright “off”.

Downsides to the Midrange

To me the biggest downside of the midrange is that those who enjoy a warmer, lusher, and richer sound in this region aren’t going to get that here. So many hobbyists prefer a thicker sound. So many enjoy an easy-going and even smoother sound as well. No doubt the ET142 is an acquired taste. Like anything. However, not everyone is going to be down with its more lustrous sound. It’s just the truth. I can tell you that I’ve spent so many hours with the ET142 in my ears and I have more than grown accustomed to the way it portrays the midrange, and I quite like it. Brain-burn is in full effect. I actually went back to the Aful Explorer after weeks with this set and the sound came across veiled in comparison. Granted I love that set, but I say that to make a point. The ET142 has a sound that will grab you when you least expect it. Also, this midrange has so many upsides. Especially when speaking in its technical capabilities in conjunction with its symphonic sound. Not bad at all.



Simgot-ET142-Review-Pic-90.jpg



Treble Region

The highs in the ET142 are without question the most energetic part of the spectrum. They come across with plenty of solid treble crunch with a sparkly clean-cut resonance. It can go from “pretty brilliant and emphasized”, to “very brilliant and very emphasized” just by modifying the sound using the tuning nozzles and included foam inserts. I would definitely say that using the Golden-Copper nozzle will be a treat for treble heads. As we’ve learned throughout this review I mainly listened with the less intense short stainless nozzle. That said, the ET142 has a very lively macro-dynamic sound with forward instruments in this region that are very well articulated. You have a lot of nice driver control as well. To my ears the piezoelectric driver seems to be well implemented. I don’t get that electric-metallic “zizz” at the crest of each note like I do on so many other sets using a piezo. I can’t imagine it’s a very easy driver to tune. However, when done right, they can sound like they have all the earmarks of a nice treble driver. I give all of the credit to the people over at Simgot as they really did a nice job. Now, I’d say the ET142 certainly has a more analytical approach to this area of the mix

Lively & well contoured

Now, the treble on the ET142 has plenty of upper range emphasis which is contrasted well enough against the lift in the bass region. No doubt this is a brighter iem. Yet that brightness never really becomes fatiguing for me. The treble is very well controlled. Every note seems to have some decent treble bite. I hear a punchy treble with solid enough note body. The treble region is well done with a tactile and even slightly haptic style sound. The track “Evil Twin” by Lindsey Stirling is one which shows off that ability. This track moves along at a fairly fast speed with quite a lot of treble output and the ET142 never seems to cross the line into offense. Each note sounds very clean, satisfyingly edgy, solid note body too. Each leading edge on attack has a tasteful abrasive quality, is well textured, and has plenty of micro-details coming forth. Ultra crisp and very sparkly without killing my ears in the process. Really a nice replay of this track. In my opinion the ET142 has solid note structure and a well laid out note contour in the midst of a very lively and sprightly sound. For me a lot depends on the nozzle I choose to use. For instance, using the brighter gold nozzle was just a tad too much vivacity for my ears. I’m sure treble heads would be right at home, but I much more enjoyed the slightly toned down stainless short nozzle.

Airy, open, extended

Another solid quality of the treble is how open and airy it is. What this does is add what I perceive to be a more uncluttered and spacious sound across the mix. The ET142’s treble most certainly uplifts most frequencies by bringing some exuberance and dynamism to the sound creating space between notes along with ample amounts of sparkle as well. The ET142 also has great extension into the highest of highs. The upper treble region, or the “air” region has more than enough emphasis to give the secondary harmonics of a cymbal strike some real nice presence, for example. Like I said earlier, I don’t hear anything outright splashy, and I don’t hear anything outright artificial sounding either. In fact, timbre stays close to natural for me. Well, maybe “bright/natural”, if that’s a thing. Also, the good extension provides a wider overall sound field. A psycho-acoustic stretching of the stage. Couple that with the deep and extended sub-bass and what you have is a pretty vast showcase by the ET142. Better extension usually will add some width to the sound and the ET142 is a testament to that.

Speedy

To add to that, the ET142 has a keen ability to take on most any track that I throw at it with relative ease. It doesn’t seem to matter how complicated it is. If the track is well recorded the ET142 will resolve every note very well. That piezo and planar combo is really a winner when it comes to speed. However, it isn’t just speedy as it also doesn’t lack quality either. I’ve heard plenty of very fast treble sets which don’t really present notes very well. You’ve heard them, they will sound as though you're swimming in a pool of treble tizz and sheened out treble. Not the ET142. At least not with the nozzle I enjoy. At any rate, the treble is very skilled. A very open sounding, transparent, and clean-lined sound that’s highly resolving leading to solid detail retrieval, nice note separation, and one of the better treble showcases I’ve heard under $250. Also, just like every other area of the mix transients move along very rapidly. Again, I would think that anyone who really enjoys treble will enjoy the ET142.

Downsides to the Treble Region

As much as I enjoy the highs on this set, that certainly doesn’t mean that you will enjoy the highs. Yes, you can change it all up to your hearts’ content with modifications, but without question the treble will be too bright for many people. This hobby is so diverse. In fact, I went through a stage not too long ago where I only wanted rolled-off and dark treble. So, I get it. Nothing is for everyone. At any rate, there are plenty of people who are sensitive to a more treble-focused iem who may want to keep looking. Beyond the emphasis, I really do find the ET142 to be a special set with a very competent and compelling treble region. It adds such a nice vivacious energy and does so without coming across too sharp, harsh, or grating.


Simgot ET142 Review Pic (25).jpg


Simgot-ET142-Review-Pic-79.jpg



Technicalities

Soundstage

The soundstage is great, and I feel it’s certainly a “pro” for this set. Listening to the ET142 I definitely hear above average width of the sound field. In fact, above average is a very conservative thing for me to say concerning the width of this stage. Height is also very nice too. Yet what helps the Simgot ET142 the most in providing a captivating stage would be the depth. Now, I’m not saying “best in class” or anything, but the fact that the ET142 is a planar magnetic earphone and there is any depth is saying a lot. This is not usually the case. In reality many planars come across with a wider presentation. However, that wide stage is also usually a flat plane of sound in front of the listener. Thankfully the Simgot ET142 has enough good depth for solid layering. I won’t go so far as to say the stage is holographic, but there is some dimension to the sound. All things considered, the ET142’s stage size and quality are pretty darn good.

Separation / Imaging

I think you already know exactly what I’m going to say here. But humor you and speak on it again. So, the Simgot ET142 really does have excellent separation of elements within the stage. There is plenty of good space created to provide very well designated and delineated instruments and voices. Unequivocally, the ET142 is a technical beast. The note control is great, the sound is transparent, clean too. The ET142 has a very open sound, very aired-out while also having transient attack through decay which is fleet-footed and swift. It has glass-lined notes, a black background too. These character traits all help in the ET142’s ability to sparse out instrumentation very well. Imaging is just as solid too. I have zero issues placing elements of the stage in particular spots in the sound field. Both separation and imaging are strong “Pros” in my opinion.

Detail Retrieval

Again, I’ve said it a few times, but detail retrieval is fantastic. This set has no issues highlighting the subtleties within my music. Even in complicated passages the ET142 seems to be able to take them all on. Again, for all the reasons that this set separates and images the stage at a top class level are some of the same reasons that it’s able to put a spotlight on the minutiae. Whether it be the subtle breath in a mic, hard to hear noises in your favorite live track, finger slides on the guitar strings, to all the resulting gradient harmonics which would be much harder to hear on a less able iem, the ET142 performs. I’d say the only real stipulation would be that heavy bass dominated music will obviously be harder to spot those subtle details. The bass can mask over certain areas and simply make details harder to detect. I should also add that the ET142 will most certainly play much better in quality recorded tracks. On the flipside of that, the ET142 will definitely let you know if your music is not a quality recording. Also, not everyone wants to be forced to pay attention to all of those details. Sometimes you just want to close your eyes and casually listen.

What a beauty of a planar from Simgot.




Comparisons

Planar Wars! Comparison
Simgot ET142 / Letshuoer S12 2024 Edition

Letshuoer S12 2024 Edition ($199)

S12 2024 Edition

The Letshuoer S12 2024 Edition came out last year with a bang. I reviewed the S12 2024 (S12 2024 Review) at some point last year and I gotta tell you guys, I fell head over heels over that set. Without a doubt it’s one of the best planars within the entire market. For many reasons. Now, the S12 2024 comes with a very large 14.8 planar magnetic driver and one of the best looking iems as well. This is a set which blasted off into the audio-world stratosphere very quickly. Letshuoer took all of their combined knowledge crafting planar sets and put it all into this special addition iem. Really a solid set for the cost too. Let’s see what the differences are.

Differences

To start, both iems are built using all-alloy. Both built extremely well, very durable, very stout. The ET142 is a little bit larger in overall size and it has a deeper fitting nozzle too, so you may want to keep that in mind. I fins the ET142 is a hair easier to get to seal in my ears as well but that’s highly subjective. As far as design goes, the S12 2024 is simply stunning with its golden mirror like colorway. Having said that, I personally feel that the Simgot ET142 is clearly the better designed set of the two. As nice as the S12 2024 is to look at the ET142 is a clear winner in my book. So classy, elegant and clean. Between the two the S12 2024 probably has the more ornate and lavish unboxing (clearly a special addition set) but as far as actual inclusions the ET142 definitely has the better cable. Both sets come with a boatload of eartips and both sets have a nice carrying case too. I’d say that they are equal in this department after all is said and done. Having said all of that, the S12 2024 is a hair cheaper by about $20, give or take.

Sound Differences

I’ll be honest, I don’t know if the S12 2024 was the best comparison to use for this review. Really it sounds very different from the ET142. For one, the S12 2024 is a much warmer sounding iem, less technical, more musical, less crisp and crunch and less bright. Also, the S12 2024 definitely comes across more organic and less intense with a more naturally organic sounding timbre. However, the ET142 is much more refined in its technical approach and the driver combo of the planar & PZT do seem to add some better layering, better separation of instruments, better imaging capabilities and a wider stage. Depth is about equal too but the ET142 has the better layering as well. The ET142 is definitely the more open sounding set, airier, better stage size.

Each 3rd of the mix

Starting with the bass region the S12 2024 has the more forward bass. It also has less treble output which certainly helps to give a more pronounced bass section with more slam and boom by the tiniest margin. That said, the ET142 has the more defined bass with a more guttural sub-level bass. Again, by the slightest of margins. The midrange if the S12 2024 has the more authentic timbre in my opinion while the ET142 is a titch less natural. I suppose a lot has to do with the boosted treble and upper-mids. Of course, change your nozzle situation and you can get the ET142 sounding pretty nice and closer to natural. Once again, the ET142 has better detail retrieval within the mids and a more open and separated sound. The ET142 is more transparent, cleaner, more crisp, and more vibrant too. Also, the treble region on the ET142 has more brilliance, better extension, and it carries a better quality treble in my opinion as well. I should also note that the S12 2024 does very nicely in the technical stuff too. Basically, it’s no slouch. However, the ET142 is on another level in this regard. Folks, both of these sets have their own rewards and both do very well for their respective prices. Really these are two totally different sets as far as their sound signatures.

Final thoughts on this comparison

I’ll be honest, I love both sets for different reasons and different uses. One is slightly musical and very technical, while the other is slightly technical and very musical. Both are top class for planar sets around $200. Both truly have wonderful implementations of planar magnetic drivers. Clearly there are some fairly magnificent experts tuning them both.


2d06cd15-f326-495c-96c8-6f3b7c9c946c.png
Graph courtesy of Aftersound, I greatly appreciate the use of this graph, thank you!


The Simgot ET142 & the iBasso DX240

Is it worth the asking price?

The Simgot ET142 comes in with an MSRP of right around $219. That’s a ton of money for many people around the globe. Not everyone can just plop down +$200 on a set of earphones. To add to that, there’s plenty of lesser expensive sets which almost get you to the quality of the ET142. Like the Hidizs MP145 (MP145 Review) which is one of the legendary planar sets. Truly a performer across the board. Also, the Letshuoer S12 Pro. Another very competent planar iem. In all reality, I could name so many sets which are great for lesser prices. This hobby is filled with them. It all comes down to you, your pocketbook, and your sound signature preferences. However, preferences aside, I can tell you with complete confidence that the ET142 is worth every last dollar of that $219 that Simgot is asking. Will it be for everyone? Of course not. Despite that, for those who are seeking out a set with the ET142’s style of tuning I think that this set is a complete no brainer.

The Why…

Because the ET142 is built like an absolute tank. The alloy used is polished to a gorgeous mirror finish with the small Simgot logo very lightly imposed on the center of the faceplates. I can’t get over how nice this set looks. The mirror look is really enthralling. Such a classy, dignified, and handsome iem. Also, the ET142 is outfitted with awesome accessories. The cable is one of my favorites under $100 and you get a bevy of tips and a nice case too. Then you have actual working tuning nozzles which make large somewhat differences in sound are included as well. So the unboxing is pretty great. Yet when it comes down to worth, the only thing that ever matters is the sound. The bass hits so deep, extended, and guttural. I hear such a solid and dense sound yet with a very tight transient response. Next, the midrange is great for vocalists for an analytically leaning iem. I said it earlier in the review and I’ll say it again; the Simgot ET142 is not without musicality. The mids are very precise, unsullied, and speckless. Then comes the treble which is so very capable folks. The crunch, the crispness, the punch, the bite and the brilliance. The ET142 definitely has a very refined sound. Again, detail retrieval is more than adequate. Separation of instruments is stellar, Imaging is spot-on, and I hear actual layering happening within a very nicely sized stage. It all adds up people, the ET142 is without a doubt worth every penny.

Simgot ET142 Review Pic (50).jpg

Simgot-ET142-Review-Pic-11.jpg

Ratings (0-10)

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Simgot ET142 ratings below, that would be $100-$250 planar magnetic iems. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $100-$250 planar iems are not a large sized scope of iems. So, It should more common to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic

Build Quality: 9.8 Well built, all-alloy

Look: 9.8 Just gorgeous.

Fit/Comfort: 9.3 Fit and comfort is very good for me.

Accessories: 9.3 Accessories are all nice.

–Overall: 9.6🔥


Sound Rating

Timbre: 9.0 Timbre is nice for a planar.

Bass: 9.3 Very deep, palpable, and impactful.

Midrange: 9.3 Clean and detailed.

Treble: 9.7 A very talented treble region.

Technicalities: 9.6 Technical beast!

Musicality: 8.7 Still has some nice musicality.

Overall: 9.3🔥🔥🔥


Ratings Summary:

I feel like the ratings above pretty much say everything and I don’t feel that there’s much to explain either. For this rating period I pitted the ET142 against any planar magnetic earphone between the prices of $100 and $250 that I have heard. I had many of these sets during this ratings comparison and I feel that the ET142 was probably the most skilled of them all. Some were more musical, bigger low-end, better for vocalists, etc. However, the ET142 quite easily deserves the “9.6” that I earned. Now I haven’t heard every set within this price range and so I cannot say I’ve heard them all. Still, I feel I have a good idea where the ET142 stands. The crux is that these ratings will only tell you my opinion, for me. You may think very differently than I do. So I would urge you to take these ratings lightly. They are only one man’s opinion folks. Remember, grains of salt.

Simgot ET142 Review Pic (12).jpg

The SimgotET142 is gorgeous



Conclusion

To conclude my full written review and feature of the Simgot ET142, I want to first thank the good people of Simgot for providing the ET142 in exchange for a full feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. Simgot thank you! Also, thank you to you, the reader, for taking the time to click the link and check out any review at Mobileaudiophile.com. You have to know that this means quite a lot to us as your clicks really does benefit the website. It’s our best hope that you would take something away from our reviews and possibly help in your journey to find the best audio devices to suit your preferences. So, thank you!

Other Perspectives

Also, I must add that I do feel it is a good idea to check out other thoughts besides mine. Folks, we are all so very different and each one of us has our idea of what either “good” or “bad” sounds like. We all don’t have the same hearing abilities, we may not have similar music libraries and tastes, and not everyone has the same gear either. Also, we all haven’t been down the same journey through audio. That journey does help to shape and form opinions. The point is that we are not all the same and not every reviewer is going to judge the same. So I do hope that you will take a look at other perspectives on the Simgot ET142. I do believe that will help you to make a purchasing decision.

Lastly, I dont want to leave this review without giving the Simgot ET142 my recommendation. Without a doubt this is one very talented iem. Yes, it is an acquired style of tuning and may take a moment. However, I also think that the legendary Simgot EA1000 is also an acquired taste for many. I’m telling you, the ET142 is a flat-out and hands-down PERFORMER! I love that I have options to dial in the sound to my particular sound ideals. I can mod till my hearts content. However, there are so many reasons why this set is worth every penny as well as being one of the better iems that $220 can get you. Just a fantastic addition to the audio world. So, the Simgot ET142 is an easy rec from me. With that, I think that I am done. Again, thanks to Simgot, the wonderful rep that I deal with (you are awesome Betty) and thank you for visiting. Please take good care, stay as safe as you can, and always…God Bless!


Simgot ET142 Review Pic (92).jpg
Last edited:

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
ivipQ IQ-14 Shanhai Review
Pros: -Great all-resin build

-The design is stellar, no two are the same

-Great provided case

-Very full sound, immersive, holographic for the price

-Timbre is lush/organic with a very nice musical nature

-Deep and palpable bass, robust, authoritative, clean for the quantity

-Milky midrange, forward, melodic, lush, yet clean

-The Shanhai has a wonderful sound for vocalists

-Non-fatiguing, very competent treble region, very nice treble

-Imaging

-Spacious and even layered soundstage
Cons: -Large shells, may be too large for some ears

-Provided eartips aren’t great and don’t help the Shanhai

-This set shines with power, may need a better source device

-Those analytical lovers are not going to enjoy this set

ivipQ IQ-14 Shanhai Review

By: Chris Love

Shanhai Review featured image
Full Review can be found HERE

Header photo of the Shanhai

ivipQ IQ-14 Shanhai Review

Intro

This review and feature covers one of the latest “under $100” releases from the audio brand ivipQ named the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai. For your info, I’ll simply use the name “Shanhai” for review purposes. Also, the Shanhai comes in with an MSRP of right around $98, but the sales price has been pretty persistent around $66. So many brands do this, where they provide an MSRP, but never sell at that price. Anyways, I was very intrigued by this budget oriented iem. This “intrigue” begun upon hearing of its driver configuration from some friends within the community. To be exact the Shanhai is a multi-driver iem consisting of three dynamic drivers on each side. Folks, I love a well-developed dynamic driver earphone. Always have. I love the innate tonality of a DD, as well as the natural resonant inflections and organic timbre which come from a dynamic driver. Not that I’m telling you all something you aren’t aware of. However, when a good DD is done right, they can create some of the most fundamentally enthralling listening sessions. Of course, I could say the same for most any driver used today. When implemented well they’ll usually sound pretty great. That said, there’s some other secret sauce inherent in a dynamic driver that other driver types simply aren’t as easy to replicate all the time. So, hearing ivipQ was going to present their own 3DD model was something my ears had to hear.

ivipQ

To be honest with you all, I have only ever heard one other ivipQ iem. That is the IvipQ V-13 Conch. I’ve had that set for quite some time but decided to not review it as time constraints and a few other factors kept me from publishing. I would explain but you aren’t here for that, and I don’t have the patience to write it all out. It’s actually a solid set though, for the price. Anyways, as most of you already are well aware ivipQ actually made their name as cable makers. We’ve seen a few cable brands branch out into the iem business of late. I wouldn’t say it’s a perfectly natural progression but ivipQ seems to have really hit their stride. In my opinion and gauging consumer interest it seems fairly obvious that ivipQ has a pretty large fan base. One thing I can say about ivipQ is that they obviously have some high standards for the products they put to market. I really do respect that. From the outside looking in they seem like a really dedicated group of enthusiastic people who enjoy their craft. I absolutely must try more of their iems.

Competition

Okay, I just now received the Shanhai and listened to it for a little bit along with placing it in the burn-in station for a few days. After hearing them I can tell that it is going to compete. So, this is the one section which I feel must be in just about every one of my intros for every single set that I review. That is, there’s quite a lot of solid “competition” within the price point that the Shanhai battles in. I am going to say between $50 and $100. I honestly don’t think ivipQ ever intended to sell the Shanhai at its MSRP of $98. It’s been stuck with that sale price of $66 for a while now. At any rate, the Shanhai truly competes within this range folks. I know you hear this alot, I get it. I’d probably be rolling my eyes reading this too. Still, think now of all the iems which could be considered “tops” within the range. Folks, it is daunting for any set, to say the least. Why any brand would even try to craft a set between $50 and $100 anymore is beyond me. The competition is stacked! Without question, any iem within this range absolutely has to stand out. In one way or another. That is what I’m trying to find out. I’ve already decided this set is definitely solid and one that I am going to review (I only review what I enjoy). So, I know it’s good. However, how good is it? Where does it fit? For whom is the Shanhai for? I will try to answer those questions and hopefully answer a few more that I haven’t even thought of yet. With that said, I’m ready to get going on this. I’ll see you all in about two weeks folks. So, without further ado, the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai everyone…


Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

Aliexpress



Gorgeous ivipQ iem
What a beauty!

20250118_181443.jpg


Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

EPZ TP35

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

Hiby R4

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra


IvipQ-iq-14-shanhai-Review-Pic-117.jpg



Packaging / Accessories


Unboxing

The packaging that ivipQ provides is actually quite classy. I cannot state enough how nice the box alone is. It doesn’t have some elaborate theme, or box art, or graphic. Really you simply have a blue box with ivipQ centered on the top. That’s it. Now, take the top off of the box top and what you’ll see is the absolutely gorgeous carrying case. Now, take out the case, open it up, and you’ll see the cable, tips, and Shanhai earphones. Really a simple packaging that’s not very embellished in ornate elegance. Actually, it’s really cut-n-dry, but nice enough, nonetheless.

ivipQ Shanhai packaging



Eartips


Eartips

This is one point of contention for me. Can any of you explain why in the world a brand would add into the packaging eartips which don’t bring out the best in their earphones? Please tell me. So many brands do this. As if the eartips are an afterthought! Brands! Hear me now, don’t operate this way! Eartips are such a low-cost way to bring out the best sonics with your earphones. Why would you not want to provide the absolute best pairing possible? Anyways, I don’t want to crap on them too hard because so many brands do this. Nothing against ivipQ at all. They probably figure you are going to tip roll anyway. Coincidentally, that’s exactly what I had to do. I actually went with some of my favorite eartips, the Dunu S&S and KBear 07 tips. Friends, if ever there was a perfect fitting eartip for me, it’d be the 07’s and the S&S tips. I tried many tips with the Shanhai, but kept coming back to these two styles. I should note that the majority of listening was with the S&S tips for a deeper fit. I like both styles a lot and not just for their fit either. Actually, they both provided a crisper sound with a more taut bass then other tips and the upper-mids sounded slightly more pronounced, in a controlled manner with the 07’s & S&S. That’s exactly what I heard with these tips. So, I’m not you and your own personal ear anatomy is most definitely different, but I do feel you should take the time to find the best tips for you. If I’m being honest, and I am, the S&S are probably my absolute favorite and bring the Shanhai to its best place sonically. Hence why I used them the most.

Carrying Case

The Shanhai's carrying case

Now, if eartips are a sour point of the packaging, the carrying case is definitely a highlight. What a beautiful and big carrying case! It’s awesome. One of the coolest looking cases too. It’s got this faux leather covering over a hard case, fairly large too. Able to easily fit the Shanhai, the cable, extra tips, and a dongle dac if you so choose. The case itself is this marbled burgundy colorway with a very nice zipper, stitching, and it’s just a sweet inclusion within the packaging. Now, I rarely use any earphone cases, but I’ve used this one everyday. I throw it into my backpack and go about my day. It goes with me to my office at work everyday. Everyone stops and asks what it is, which is a pretty good indication that ivipQ hit a homerun with it. Nice job ivipQ.

Cable

ivipQ cable

Okay, so this brings us to the cable provided with the Shanhai. Now, I’ve tried to find information on this cable but there just isn’t anything out there that is easy to find. At any rate, what I do know is that the cable provided is an 8-core black 2-pin cable which I believe to be silver-plated copper and terminates in a 4.4 balanced jack. The cable is very pliable, very easy to use. My only point of contention here is that I don’t feel that black is the best colorway for the Shanhai. Yes, I am a very moderate cable snob. Aesthetics have to work for me. So, while it’s a nice cable that I will use with another set, I did swap cables to a better cable both in the way it looks as well as sonically. That cable is the KBear Chord 4.4 balanced. I’m telling you; I must have gone through about 15 different cables until I landed on the Chord. It is truly one of the best budget cables out there. It’s made of silver-plated OFC wire mixed with graphene and the sonics are very impressive with this mixture attached to the Shanhai. Yes, the included cable is great, and yes, it sounds good too. However, it’s just not aesthetically pleasing to my eyes and so I had to swap. You may not think it looks great. I don’t blame you one bit. No doubt the included cable performs the way it should and is a perfectly solid cable.


The Shanhai and the included cable
The ivipQ IQ-14 Shanhai and its included cable.


Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

So, the IQ-14 is made almost entirely of 3D printed resin/acrylic with a wonderful smooth shape and texture to the earphones. The only piece which isn’t resin are the nozzles, which are made of some sort of metal. Either aluminum or stainless steel, perhaps. At any rate, the build is solid. Not unlike a thousand other all-resin sets, but I will say that the Shanhai feels nice in hand and is very ergonomic for my ears. The nozzles are a hair longer than average which provides a slightly deeper fit. I had a very nice seal with the Shanhai. The nozzles are roughly about 6mm in width which is basically standard anymore. I only noticed one vent on the back of the shells, near the 2-pin connector. Honestly folks, we’ve seen all-resin sets built beautifully for as low as $30. Sets like the Kiwi Ears Cadenza come to mind. So, the build isn’t going to change your life. However, it’s nice. The Shells are rather large to accommodate the three dynamic drivers and the large acoustic cavity of the Shanhai. They may be a hint large for some of you, but they are great for me. Altogether, it’s a nice build.

ivipQ Shanhai build quality



Design

Now the design is one which I’m pretty impressed with. You can only go so many ways in the design arena anymore as everything has been done. However, the Shanhai has absolutely striking faceplates. I love the marbled colors. I see deep black as the base color with slightly marbled light browns and contrasting light blues and dark blues. Glitter is also infused into the paint which has been used in the design. Friends, once you look upon this set into the right light, you’ll see the colors pop out. In my pictures I had to really get my lighting right to bring them (colors) out because upon first looking at the Shanhai without good lighting the blue colors are subtly subdued and not as vibrant. You need light. Well, at least my set needs it. Yet once you do these colors just jump out at you. Also, there’s a nicely placed silver colored “ivipQ” at the bottom of the faceplate which looks classy, non-intrusive, and it fits the overall aesthetic well. It’s truly a gorgeous set. Add in the fact that the silver nozzles are a great contrast to the blended colorway of the faceplate. I so appreciate artistic expression, and I love to see that in a set of earphones. Very cool looking. That said, once again, the Shanhai isn’t alone in this type of design. In fact, there’s about a hundred other sets with similar design characteristics.

Internals

As I’ve said, the Shanhai is a triple dynamic driver earphone with three high quality drivers. You can tell. No distortions at high volumes, clean and crisp note outlines. They are solid drivers implemented well. The 1st driver is a 10mm beryllium coated dynamic driver with a moving coil for the highs (I believe). Next, they added in a coaxial mounted setup involving one 10mm composite diaphragm driver hooked to a 6mm titanium plated dynamic driver. IvipQ states that their customized multi-unit moving coils are similar to a balanced armature in how they are implemented.

Fit / Comfort

I already briefly spoke on this in the “Build Quality” section but I’ll reiterate here. Yes, the Shanhai fits my ears like a perfect form fitting glove. Like they grew there. I mean perfectly! It couldn’t get any more form fitting for me. Again, deep insertion works best for me. I would find some tips which seal well first and hopefully the Shanhai isn’t too large for your ears. The Shanhai is a very comfortable set, not too heavy, smooth and rounded corners everywhere. Also, isolation is better than most sets I feel. Really some decent passive noise isolation.



IvipQ-iq-14-shanhai-Review-Pic-103.jpg



Drivability

Sensitivity / Output-Power

The IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai is rated with an impedance of right around 16 ohms and a sensitivity of around 104 db’s. At least that’s what the marketing for the Shanhai states. So, the Shanhai is certainly sensitive enough for good volume headroom with devices like smartphones, weak dongles, tablets (iPad). I actually check every set with my iPad, with my other Android phones, and with a few cheapo Amazon 3.5 single ended dongles. I found that I could fairly easily get the Shanhai to volume well. That said, there’s a reason that ivipQ sends out this set with a 4.4 balanced cable. It likes juice. Please trust me, this set is a 3DD iem and it wants and deserves some power. Without a doubt, the Shanhai sounds great using the 4.4 balanced connection on my dongles like the EPZ TP50, Aful SnowyNight, Simgot Dew4x, Hidizs S9 Pro Plus, EPZ TP35, among others. You want to go with high gain (if your dongle has this ability) and use the 4.4 port. It’ll bring out the best, clearest, cleanest, and altogether tightest sound out of the Shanhai. I found that my better sources like the Shanling M6 Ultra, the iBasso DX240, Hiby R4 and Fiio Q15 all really drive this set well. You can quite easily hear the improvements over weker sources. Usually, multiple dynamic driver earphones will do well to have more power added to the listening experience and the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai is no different.

Source Pairing

IvipQ-iq-14-shanhai-Review-Pic-80.jpg

Now, the Shanhai comes across warm/neutral to my ears. Right in that sweet spot for device pairing. For me personally, I like the Fiio Q15 the most with its neutral take on my music. The two just fit. However, like is aid the Shanhai is in that sweet spot and I listened quite a lot with my Shanling M6 Ultra (warm/neutral). Those four AK4493SEQ dac chips really sing with this set. The iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2 installed did the same. Now, I don’t enjoy brighter source devices with the Shanhai. I have a few which simply bring on a slightly more artificial sound in some areas. That all said, I don’t think you’ll have much trouble pairing anything tonally with the Shanhai.

What do you need?

Like I said, I’d try to get my hands on a nice dongle dac with good enough power, at the least. Yes, you can listen to the Shanhai with lesser powerful sources, but you won’t be getting the most from this 3DD set. The Shanhai also sounds wonderful with good and clean sources. I like neutral source devices the best but even warm/neutral sounds wonderful. It really comes down to your preferences. So, give it some juice and give it more high-fidelity sources and you’ll be in for a quality listening session.

What a beauty



Sound Impressions


*Note: prior to any critical listening I let the Shanhai burn-in for a total of about three full days. Over 70 hours. I most definitely feel that anyone getting this set should probably do the same. Yes, there is an improvement. I paid close attention to this one with the before and after effect being fairly obvious. As one should expect with dynamic drivers. Not to mention that the Shanhai has a total of three, and one is beryllium plated as well as titanium. Two types which most certainly need it. Beyond that, all critical listening was completed using flac or better files which are stored on my devices. I stream occasionally but the grand majority is with stored files. I use UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) for my Android music player, for the most part. There are a couple dongle dacs that I like better with Hiby Music Player and anything Bluetooth I use Poweramp. Also, I mainly used Dunu S&S eartips as well as KBear 07 tips at times. I used the KBear Chord cable for all critical listening as well.


How does it sound?

The Shanhai has a very nice warm rendition of what I’d call a dynamically balanced sound. What that means is that the dynamism of each area of the mix comes across equal. I’d call the Shanhai a U-shaped to even W-shaped sound with boosted bass, forward mids, and nicely emphasized highs. I would agree with either U or W. I could see an argument for both actually. In my opinion the Shanhai has a warm/neutral tonal coloration. I definitely hear a slight warmth adding a sense of weight to most notes across the mix. However, that warmth is not all-encompassing. Certainly there’s also some vibrance which can be found, especially throughout the midrange which projects very nicely at the listener. The Shanhai also has some dimension to the sound as well. Obviously, this is a budget iem and so tailoring our expectations may be a wise move, but I am actually very impressed. Some folks in the hobby (that I completely trust) call the Shanhai a baby Penon Serial, which is really saying a lot. Would I go that far? Eh, maybe. I mean, the Shanhai has all the fundamental tuning measures to come across in that illustrious light. However, to me it’s the dimensionality of the sound field in conjunction with the provided emphasis to different areas of the mix which harkens back to the DNA of a set like the Serial. Does the Shanhai render the Serial obsolete? Absolutely not. I won’t sign off on that. However, the sound quality of this set certainly puts it in “best of class” territory for me, which is quite a compliment to the people of ivipQ.

Sound cont…

Furthermore, the Shanhai has a mostly smooth delivery throughout the mix with just enough crispness in more dynamic attack moments along with certain harmonics when called upon. Basically, the Shanhai is not some drab and boring sounding set. While the dynamic contrast isn’t screaming “best in class macro dynamics”, I do hear enough of a contrast and vivacious energy to add an element of vigor, some spice (if you will). It has enough well placed and well-timed luster to convincingly replicate different instrumentation and vocal passages in my music. I’d characterize the Shanhai as easy on the ears. Nothing comes across hot. I don’t hear any undue sharpness, and the timbre is actually very nicely organic. Nothing metallic at all as the triple DD setup certainly leans natural. As one should expect with a multi-DD set. Though that certainly isn’t a guarantee with all DD configured iems. Also, note weight has some lushness, some richness. I don’t hear anything remotely dry or frail sounding. There is some extra energy as you move up the frequency, but it always comes across milky and slightly heavier in note body.

Technical beast?

Beyond energy and timbre, the Shanhai is not going to win any awards for its technical prowess. To put it bluntly, I don’t think many people will be calling the Shanhai a “technical beast”. Yes it can surprise you from time to time but this is not an analytically tuned iem. In the “macro” sense I hear a very clean and relatively clear sound which provides plenty of macro-details. That said, micro-detail retrieval is about average for what you should expect for the cost. Separation is about average as well but I’ll explain that later. Now, Imaging is actually quite solid on this set as well as a nicely layered approach to the sound field. This is not a flat plain of sound in front of the listener. Again, I will cover all of that later in this review. Honestly, the Shanhai is a musicality-first iem which leans much more towards the emotional rather than the clinical. Truly a special budget iem if what you desire is a great set for fatigue-free casual listening while also getting a very solid performer in every area of the mix. Enough of a performer to help the Shanhai stand apart from the competition. Let’s check out each 3rd of the mix.

M6 Ultra and the IQ-14
The Shanhai paired with the Shanling M6 Ultra is a very nice combo.


Bass Region

The low-end of the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai certainly has plenty of oomph to carry most any genre in a fulfilling manner for the cost. This is the type of budget bass that doesn’t necessarily feel like a budget bass. I really like the tuning here folks. What ivipQ did was tune this low-end with a nice dynamic balance with the mids and highs. As emphasized as the Shanhai is in this region, I still don’t feel it’s a blatant focus of this set. Most certainly the bass has the most effect on the rest of the mix though. However, in my opinion, this is a tuning by committee. Yes, the bass is deep, and yes, it’s bulbous enough too. But also, this isn’t the type of low-end which comes across murky or too muddy. It’s actually fairly well defined with very nice organic style timbre. The Shanhai has what I consider a semi rigid note outline. Maybe slightly cushioned, but very good density to every fundamental note. I always say it’s like a hammer wrapped in a sock. Also, I have no idea why it has to be a sock. Steel covered in cotton? So anyways, what I’m trying to say is that there’s a very solid note body down low with a full and robust sound. Maybe a hint pillowy on attack but decay comes across naturally, not too fast, not too slow. More atmospheric yet never sluggish. The bass region is cleaner than it isn’t with good outward radial projection of low-end notes which sound fairly rounded, not flat, and not one-noted (for most tracks). Also, the Shanhai’s low-end does bleed into the midrange, yet in a more controlled manner. Like a healthy dose of warmth without the detrimental side effects of a veiled midrange. The bass is solid folks.

Better performers?

That said, for fans of snappy and speedy bass the Shanhai may not be your perfect preference. I do feel that for the size and convexity of the bass it is fairly tight. The low-end is certainly less defined and refined than some iems on the market within the price range. In truth, this is not some bass that you can throw any complicated and speedy bass passage at and it’ll shine. There are definitely some speedier bass tracks which tend to blur the sound field a bit with the Shanhai. Which is to be expected at this cost and for such an emphasis. Unless ivipQ decided to use a planar, balanced armature, or simply tune this set with a more analytical approach, which they didn’t. However, I happen to really enjoy what they did. It’s a fun approach, bullish enough, deep enough, full enough, and just snappy enough for a quality listen. I just want you to know what you are getting.

Sub-Bass

The sublevels of the bass region hit pretty deep in the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai. You can bet that once you turn on your favorite track with that gravelly and meaty bass that the Shanhai will reciprocate with plenty of low-droning muscle of its own. Especially with tracks which are overtly emphasized in this region. The sub-bass has what I consider as a very nice haptic feel to it. You get that palpable and visceral vibratory goodness… within reason. Enough for a deep bass drop like you get in “2040” by Lil Baby and Lil Durk to sound flat-out potent, undiluted, and pretty intense, with a solid initial attack carrying mass until the timely decay. Or “Tell Me What’s on Your Mind” by The Decemberists. This is another bone rattling vibratory bass which will come across guttural on any set, just from how it’s recorded. However, the Shanhai really does an adequate job of separating the initial bassline from the heavy drums which run in tandem with that bassline. Both clean, well-executed, and the Shanhai never loses the clarity of that low droning and weighty bass. I’m not saying the sub-bass will change your life, vibrate your earlobes, or render you speechless. Shoot, I’m not even saying that it’s best in class. What I am trying to get across is that ivipQ did a very solid job with a nice driver. IvipQ tuned a deep, tactile, and very physical sub-bass which never sounds sloppy in respect to the tuning.

Mid-Bass

Now, the mid-bass kind of shares the spotlight with the sub-bass. Perhaps to a slightly lesser degree. However, to my ears it’s very hard to discern which range carries the most emphasis. I say that because the Shanhai has some really nice impact. Maybe not a fast-twitch impact that hits and decays like a good BA or planar. But it has some hard, earthy, and organic slam. The mid-bass offers so many instruments and vocalists some real fullness and weight. Like bass guitars, kick drums, baritones, even a solid double-bass. Like the deep clean bass guitar which begins the song “Lone Star Lake” by Waxahatchee. The Shanhai presents a very satisfying and mass filled bassline with a nice and clean note edge. Yet it doesn’t seem to mask the other frequencies to the point of losing all technical abilities. Or the pounding kick drums which hit straight out the gate in the track “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects. The Shanhai has a good and tacky initial attack with pointed and acute energy followed by the thunderous and cavernous resonant boom. Again, full, weighted, yet never to the point of creating a problem in the mix. Again, the mid-bass is not some ultra-agile and peppery bass that moves at breakneck speeds. But it is agile enough, dexterous enough, and it was tuned to a nice balance. Never usually overcrowding the frequency and coming through with nice note definition. Nice for a budget iem.

Downsides to the Bass Region

The biggest gripe that some will likely have is the emphasis and all that comes with a more bass focused sound. Not everyone yearns for a fuller sounding bass region. I personally feel that the overall balance is great, and the bass is tuned very well, but I know many who much more enjoy an even better-defined bass with better details, more clean-cut, snappier, tighter in transient attack through decay. Basically, these tyoes simply don’t like a bass focus, at all. I understand that too as I sometimes prefer a less full low-end. I can tell you that in bass heavy tracks the low-end will mask some of the finer details, and the note delivery on the Shanhai is not perfectly contoured and distinct. Naturally, this is a budget iem and nothing is perfect, but for what the Shanhai is and for how it was tuned I really do enjoy the sound down low. I have so many referenced tracks in my notes where I was very impressed. All in all, the bass is great.


IvipQ-iq-14-shanhai-Review-Pic-25.jpg



Midrange

The midrange of the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai may just be the crown jewel of this set. What you have is a more forward sitting midrange that is very harmonic and emotionally gratifying. If you are the type who desires those smoothly rendered yet intimate sounding vocals, instruments with organic timbre, acoustic sets with velvet style fluidity, or just someone who enjoys a non-offensive yet very engaging sound then I think I may have a set for you to try out. For the cost, the Shanhai really does a wonderful job of projecting vocalists and instrumentation toward the listener. Close enough that W-shaped or U-shaped is the closest resemblance to what I hear. Certainly not pushed back or recessed and not so close that anything comes across boxy or out of position. Like I said, the Shanhai is smooth to my ears, yet it also doesn’t lack in crispness and some slight sparkle when my music calls for it. Also, for a set teetering towards warm, thicker note weight, rich, and not a ton of air to the sound (there’s enough), it is nice to hear decent detail retrieval and a non-congested soundstage. Transient attack through sustain is what I’d call “natural” and I hear a mostly black background, clean note outlines, a slight edge at the crest of notes as well. Honestly, the 3DD setup is more refined than I would’ve thought with a nice depth of field that gives a sense of layering, proportion, scale, and dimensionality. Obviously, we have to look through the lenses of a budget iem, yet against what’s out there at this cost I’d say the Shanhai is a very nice midrange set.

Lower-midrange

The low mids have a nice amount of bleed from the bass region which comes across with just enough to cremate that lush sound. Not so much that we lose the note edge or congest adjacent notes, but enough to give notes some body, some authority. Now, the low-mids may be a hair more recessed (if you want to call it that) than the upper portions of the midrange. They aren’t as energetic either. Those who enjoy a more vivacious and pristine sound in this region without the gradual bass bleed may not love what the Shanhai can do. Furthermore, I’d probably say that if this midrange had a weak point, it’d likely be the low-mids. Though I couldn’t possibly sit here and say that the Shanhai lacks engagement, and I really enjoy male singers on this set too. Males have some textured and authoritative vocals with very nice note density. They also still have nice presence in the mix as the fundamental body to each note has some mass, yet I also hear a titch of vibrance too, which helps to give males some prominence. Not so much that the sound is out of whack or disjointed either. Again, the low-mids maintain the overall balance of the sound quite well.

Low-Mids cont…

Chris Stapleton sings “Sometimes I Cry” and the Shanhai actually nails his voice, the instruments too as the timbre is very organic, nothing grainy either. I could go through many male singers and the story would be the same; rich, clean for the tuning, nice definition, good presence. Perhaps missing just a touch of luminance, but overall, very nice to the ear. I do hear some blending of sounds in really complicated tracks, but that should probably go without saying. Again, budget iem, lusher sound, yet no real blatant drawbacks either. I quite enjoy both male vocalists as well as instruments in the low-midrange. I should also add that macro-details are pretty solid, and you’ll even hear some really good micro-details in certain tracks too. Really a nice sounding lower-midrange that doesn’t have many distinct flaws. Vocals are great, technically there’s nothing egregiously bad, and notes have some mass to them. Not bad at all.

Upper-Midrange

This brings us to the upper-mids where females are generally featured the most, as far as vocalists are concerned anyways. Females like Adele in “Hello” come across so beautifully folks. I could go on and on over females on the Shanhai. “I Can Change” by Lake Street Dive is another vocal clinic put in by this set. What you have once again is good body to notes, milky, great projection of vocals and instrumentation and the Shanhai also has plenty of sparkle. This is not a drab and dull region at all. There’s some luster to enhance the note edges, add some crispness, and provide a little glitter to females like Lady Gaga in “I’ll Always Remember Us This Way”. The Shanhai can play back a breathy voice in such an elegant and flowery way. Yet, the Shanhai can also propel a resounding voice like Sia very well. Add to that, there’s some decent snap to percussion, like snares and the fundamental tone of a cymbal strike etc. Strings have just enough edge and abrasiveness along great trailing harmonics. Woodwind instruments come across as tuneful for me as well. In truth, I don’t feel that any instrument lacks or sounds artificial in the upper-mids at all. Additionally, I hear no real drawbacks at all, for both instruments and female vocalists. Of course, we need to keep our expectations and suppositions in check. To an extent. That said, I feel that the Shanhai’s midrange is really great. Nice work ivipQ.

Downsides to the Midrange

I really don’t hear any definite downsides in this midrange. Once again, the only real issues will come from folks who simply don’t want any warmth in their mids. We all know those people who want that bass shelf to flatten before 200hz, clean as a whistle, crystal clear and transparent. I could also say that those people probably want a bit more crispy and crunchy energy. They want analytical, clinical, fast, and glass lined. Nothing remotely lush. I’d definitely say that those people may want to keep looking because the Shanhai is not that. Though, for me and my library I feel the Shanhai’s midrange is very close to “Tops in Class”. Again, for me. It’s just too juicy, moist notes, never dry, never sibilant, great note body, very nice presence against the mix, and the soundstage is very diverse and layered for a set at this cost. In my opinion the midrange is the Shanhai’s best range.



The Shanhai and the included cable



Treble Region

The treble region of the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai is the type which stays in its lane, never too rambunctious, never sloppy, nice control, never too sharp. This is a more non-offensive sound, easy going, and the emphasis is enough to simply remain balanced. However, I couldn’t be happier with the actual performance of the treble on this set. Folks, it is really a very talented region. This one I didn’t expect at all. However, that treble driver does some solid work at providing really good edge detail, details in general, enough crispness to add definition and enough soft air to create separation. Yes, the treble is toned down and not the most brilliant. But it’s also not rolled-off, dark, or boring. I hear just enough zing up top to bring some good sparkle to my music as well. To add to that, there’s enough brilliance to provide other areas of the mix with some levity, some shimmer, some snap and subtle crunch too. For a non-fatiguing style treble the Shanhai doesn’t lack at all.

Performs very well

I also hear some decent bite to notes in this region too. Again, there’s some crunch or crispness that shows up with a decent feel to treble notes. It has just enough vibrancy to create a sense of edginess, yet at the same time the treble remains cohesive with the smooth replay of the rest of the mix. However, the most surprising attribute of the treble has got to be its detail retrieval up top without the help of forced resolution. This tells me that not only has ivipQ tuned this set very well, but the 6mm dynamic driver is tuned to be very agile. Almost in the same vein as a balanced armature yet a hair more organic, in my opinion. It’s able to contour treble notes in a way that illuminates the subtle details just by sheer cleanliness and driver control. The only real caveat would be in bass heavy tracks and complicated/congested tracks, but beyond that the Shanhai performs very well.

Extension

Now, extension into the upper treble is about average. Basically, it’s good. I don’t hear any roll-off yet at the same time that area of the mix isn’t not lifted and magnified through the tuning. Just a nice rendition of different instruments and harmonics. Such as, the secondary harmonics of a cymbal strike which really come across with some body to them. Granted, every track is different in how they are recorded and not every track displays stuff like cymbals in a prominent way. I can tell you that more often than not I hear a sound that has some note density in the upper-highs, and I really don’t hear anything outright splashy or smeared in treble tizz. Again, ivipQ did a nice job of highlighting this region without boosting the treble to the moon. Obviously, there are plenty of iems within the Shanhai’s price point which are actually tuned to illuminate this region. No doubt that the Shanhai is not for treble heads. I feel that the treble is very well done for what it is, but it won’t please those people, I wouldn’t think.

Downsides to the Treble Region

I’d say the only true “downside” would be for those who greatly desire a heavily boosted treble region. I feel that the treble is very well tuned to fit the overall scheme of the Shanhai. However, those treble bois will likely want to keep looking. Friends, I find it very hard to fault anything on this set and that goes for the treble region too. It’s just very well done. I keep adding “for what it is, and for how it was tuned”. I think this is important because I can only judge this set against what the target was that ivipQ was going for. Having said that, I feel that the treble is very well executed on this set. No, it isn’t ultra brilliant or gleaming in resplendent treble luminosity. Yet the note control, cleanliness, detail retrieval, timing, cadence and a number of other key factors help the treble to (at the very least) “fit”, and “fit well”. Another nice job by ivipQ.


IvipQ-iq-14-shanhai-Review-Pic-6.jpg



Technicalities

Soundstage

As far as the overall size of the Shanhai’s soundstage, I don’t feel it is some ultra cavernous and huge stage. Honestly, it’s about average in actual size. Not to mention that it’s a more intimate stage as well. The Shanhai’s midrange is a hair more forward than average which draws the stage a bit closer to the listener. So no, the stage isn’t some stadium sized venue in your head. However, I actually don’t feel that overall size is the only determination of what makes a soundstage “good”. Actually, the stage on the Shanhai is not congested sounding, isn’t too mishmashed together. In my opinion I hear very nice depth of field which makes way for a nicely layered sounding stage for the cost. Spacing is nice, and overall placement is also good, nice height and depth too which helps to bring on the psycho-acoustic perception of a well-done stage. Is it my perfect cup o’ tea? Probably not, but I have nothing to complain about here. It’s a nice stage, average in size but very nicely spaced out in all directions for the cost.

Separation / Imaging

Now, separation of elements within the imaginary stage within my mind when playing my library are generally pretty nice. For a richer sounding iem I find the overall note control and definition to be solid. Again, spacing is good enough too which helps to bring on the perception of decent separation of instruments and voices. There are some drawbacks like in heavily congested tracks with a lot of moving parts, complicated tracks, and bass heavy tracks. Those are the instances where the Shanhai is not going to sparse out the sound field perfectly. Nor should we expect it too. That said, for $66 it is very hard for me to speak in any negative light about this set. For a 3DD iem under $100 which can do everything that the Shanhai can do with no glaring problems is quite nice to hear. For the most part separation of instruments is pretty solid. Now, Imaging is quite good. Of course, the Shanhai falls victim to the same issues with congested or bass heavy tracks in this regard as well, but imaging overall is really nice. Add to that the layering ability of the Shanhai and what you end up with is a very nicely rendered stage.

Detail Retrieval

I feel like a broken record folks. Literally, the same issues that disrupts perfect separation & imaging are the same slight issues which affect its ability to illuminate some of the finer details. However, again I’d say that detail retrieval is very nice in the grand scheme of things. When you consider that the Shanhai is a warmer, richer sounding set yet I can still distinctly hear some fine details across the spectrum. I wouldn’t say the Shanhai is a technical beast or anything, but I do feel it does an average to slightly above average job at revealing some of the minutiae within my music. Alot depends on the track and to a slightly lesser degree your source as well.



The KBear Chord cable attached to the ivipQ IQ-14



Comparisons

Comparison Photo
Artti R1 / ivipQ IQ-14 Shanhai


Artti R1 ($65-$80)

Artti R1

I chose to compare another under $100 triple dynamic driver earphone against the Shanhai. It certainly seems like the natural set to put the Shanhai against. I reviewed the R1 (R1 Review) at some point last year and was instantly struck at how well done this set was from so many different points of view. Truly a price to performance bad boy. Again, the R1 is a 3DD iem consisting of two 6mm titanium dome and PU suspension edge DD’s along with one 8mm beryllium plated DD. I honestly never thought I’d hear a triple DD set of this quality level, but Artti really surprised me and coincidentally also probably influenced many other brands to try for a more demanding driver configuration. Let’s take a look at the differences.

Differences

First off, the R1 is made entirely out of aluminum and is very durable while the Shanhai is made entirely out of a resin material. Both built very well but I think you have to give the nod to the R1 in this regard. Maybe. Now, as far as the design, I personally feel the Shanhai is one of the more gorgeous iems under $100 and it certainly trumps the R1 in this respect. The Shanhai comes equipped with what I consider a better carrying case by a wide margin. However, the R1 clearly has the better cable. Also, the R1 comes with three extra sets of tips. So, the package itself sort of squashes between the two. Both sets are high value for dollar purchases. Also, both sets cost about the same, so this really is a 1 v 1 comparison.

Sound Differences

This should be a relatively quick sound comparison. I say that because both sets are really completely different in their respective tunings. The R1 is a leaner sounding and energetic set compared to the rich sounding and less intense Shanhai. The Shanhai has a warmer tonality and better body to notes. Most certainly the Shanhai carries a more bass enhanced frequency which adds to that nice warmth while the R1 comes across brighter and more open sounding. The R1 has a more crisp, transparent and airy sound. However, the organic, and more musical sound of the Shanhai barely loses out in overall detail retrieval. I find the stage of the Shanhai to have better layering, more holographic, better depth against the wider and more outwardly spacious sound of the R1.

Each 3rd of the mix

Now, the Shanhai comes across beefier in the bass region, deeper, more guttural, fuller, more impactful, while the R1 has a more energetic attack, faster and a quicker decay. The mids in the R1 are leaner, thinner, and drier than the rich, moist and forward Shanhai. Again, the Shanhai carries that musicality, which is much easier going, less shouty in the upper-mids too. The treble region of the R1 has more of a sharp bite, higher resolution, and it comes across as more of a filo us in its tuning. However, the Shanhai has a more laid back but better controlled treble region. It has less splash to a degree and better note body up top. I find the R1 is better technically in almost all facets of the sound. Better detail retrieval and better clarity for more pronounced imaging, better separation too. Also, the R1 has a wider, grander stage. Like I said, the Shanhai seems to have better actual depth of field which does lead way to some nice layering capabilities but the R1 is simply cleaner.

Final thoughts on this comparison

These comparisons always lack nuance. It may seem as though the R1 is the better set because it is the more technically adept iem. Basically, it won out everywhere. So, why would I choose the Shanhai every day of the week over the R1? Well, because the Shanhai has that more musicality driven sound, richer, better and more natural timbre, more rounded in note density, and simply comes across more mellifluous. Also, yes, the R1 beats the Shanhai in many areas technically, but honestly folks, the Shanhai is very good in all of those areas even in the midst of that warmer and richer sound. The R1 is simply tuned to illuminate the finer points within music. To be totally honest, I really enjoy both sets for two entirely different reasons. Some days the R1 is exactly what I want and other days (more so of late) the Shanhai perfectly fits my preferences. Both sets are much better than their cost would indicate, and both are bona-fide STUDS under $75. What would you choose?


IvipQ iq-14 shanhai Review Pic (95).jpg


The Shanhai is a fantastic iem


Is it worth the asking price?

This is always the toughest question to answer for me. Well, not for me, it’s tough to answer for you. Personally, I feel the Shanhai is an easy no brainer because it does so much very well. Very clean approach for a lush sounding set. Yet, you may not like this style of tuning at all. You may feel it’s muddy, too intimate of a stage, too little treble influence on the sound, and too much bass output. Ya know what, you wouldn’t be wrong. Of course, nobody is ever wrong in this hobby. What I’m doing is simply trying to help you find the set which works for you. Plus, writing these reviews is completely gratifying and a perfect outlet for me. At any rate, I digress, the Shanhai is locked within a very competitive price point against some of the best the under $100 market has to offer. There’s too many to name right now but trust me, there’s a boat load. That all said, without a doubt in my mind the Shanhai is worth every penny.

The Why…

Because the Shanhai is nicely packaged for the cost, fantastic carrying case, decent enough cable too. The build on the Shanhai is wonderfully ergonomic with its all-resin shells and smooth body. Oh, and those face plates! None two are the same, absolutely gorgeous. Put this set up to the light and you’ll see, it’s one of the better looking iems in any price bracket. Truly a great design. However, the Shanhai earns its flowers because it is a highly musical and completely immersive sounding iem for the cost. You have three dynamic drivers working in tandem across the frequency to bring you a very rich and very full sound. In fact, fullness is one of the Shanhai’s best attributes. It has a very organic sound which comes across much cleaner than it should. Decently detailed, decent separation, solid imaging, and nice layering. Beyond that the stage has very nice spatiality in the way the stage is rendered. Nice depth too. The bass hits deep, hard, impactful, and tight for its size. The midrange is forward, lush, and never gets too shouty, no sibilance, and very harmonious. The treble is easy going, decent extension, great timbre, decent enough bite, and has just enough brilliance too. Folks, I couldn’t possibly walk out of those review without declaring wholeheartedly that the Shanhai is worth every penny.

IvipQ iq-14 shanhai Review Pic (24).jpg


iBasso DX240 with the IQ-14



Ratings (0-10)

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai ratings below, that would be $50-$99 iems of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $50-$99 sets of any driver configuration is a large sized scope of iems. So, It should be noteworthy to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic

Build Quality: 9.0 Well built, 3D printed, clean build

Look: 9.8 Very unique and beautiful design.

Fit/Comfort: 9.1 Fit and comfort is very good for me.

Accessories: 8.5 One of the best carrying case, nice cable.

Overall: 9.1🔥

Sound Rating

Timbre: 9.3 Great timbre.

Bass: 9.2 Deep, palpable, textured and impactful.

Midrange: 9.5 Highly musical.

Treble: 8.8 Non-Offensive, sparkly enough too.

Technicalities: 8.1 Very nice for the tuning.

Musicality: 9.8 Musicality is its lifeblood.

Overall: 9.1🔥🔥🔥

Ratings Summary:

Honestly, I don’t feel there is much to explain here as the Shanhai is what it is. Great bass, wonderfully musical midrange and a treble which plays its part very well. You don’t have the best technical game in town, but the Shanhai may surprise you from time to time. The “Overall Sound” score is a lofty 9.1 against any and all iems between the cost of $50 and $99. This may or may not be a fair lot of iems. I mean, the Shanhai only costs $66 US and so many sets which cost almost $30 more are thrown into the lot of iems that it battles against. So, seeing an average score of a “9.1” is pretty great. To be honest, I went up to $99 because I honestly feel the Shanhai can compete. Maybe not for its technical prowess, but certainly for its overall musically driven tuning. I actually had a mountain of sets laid out before me to conduct this little rating period and the Shanhai did well in many areas. There was no rating that the Shanhai got my highest score but that’s to be expected. However, it did well almost across the board. Furthermore, I don’t like ratings at all as they don’t explain the set at all. Yes, other iems are better in certain individual areas, but not many put it all together exactly like the Shanhai. Though it’s tough when comparing against the lies of the Simgot EA500LM, Shanling Tino, Truthear Hexa, Fiio JD7 and many, many, more. That all said, I urge you to skip these ratings as they are only one man’s opinion, over a short period of time, and are they’re hardly a good reference if you are trying to decide what to purchase.

Explain Yourself!!

So, there’s a few ratings which may get some arguments or eye rolls. First, the bass rating of a “9.2”. Honestly, the Shanhai really does perform well. Granted, there were four or five sets which were better defined while still coming across just as meaty. However, “9.2” is appropriate in my opinion. That means the bass is very good. Also, the midrange rating of a very high “9.5” is another rating which could go either way depending on what you personally enjoy. You may not enjoy a thicker and richer set with awesome musical abilities. You may enjoy a snappier, more transparent, and higher resolution iem. Again, I wouldn’t argue with you. I simply like that lush sound at the moment and that’s where the Shanhai ended up (9.5). The rest of the ratings speak for themselves, and I don’t feel they need a ton of explanation. Remember, these are my personal “tested” ratings. My opinion folks. Please do not base any buying decision off of them as there’s way more that goes into finding the set perfect for you than any rating system… from anyone.

IvipQ iq-14 shanhai Review Pic (7).jpg


Shanhai and Box



Conclusion

To conclude my full written review and feature of the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai I really do have to thank each and every one of you for clicking the link and taking your busy time to read my words. Or the words of any of my partners at Mobileaudiophile.com. It means everything to us that you visit our site. We contend against so many other great review websites and we are really trying to improve our reach. Granted, mobileaudiophile.com is doing wonderful but that doesn’t mean that we are content. We desperately try to get each review right for you. We try to explain exactly what we see and hear in a way that is palatable for the reader. I truly hope this review and every review that comes from our website is a help to you. Thank you so much for taking your time.

Other perspectives

Also, please check out other thoughts and perspectives on the IvipQ IQ-14 Shanhai. Please don’t read this review and hit the “Buy-Now” button. Don’t do that. Folks, we are all so very different and unique. Every hobbyist and every reviewer. Some may have more insight than me and some may have a totally different opinion than me. It’s just the truth and rather than try to come across as though I know it all, I’d much rather be honest and try to help you out. Even poj t you in the right direction. So, please take some time to read watch, or listen to other reviews of the Shanhai before buying. We want you to get your purchase right so at you can have those wonderful moments with your music. That’s what it’s all about after all. With that said, I think I’m done. Please take good care of yourself and your family, stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!

IvipQ iq-14 shanhai Review Pic (21).jpg



  • Like
Reactions: Colin5619

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
Craft Ears Omnium Review
Pros: -Wonderful Build

-The design and choice of custom designs is ridiculously classy, and unique

-Holographic, euphonic stage, great depth

-Detail retrieval is very nice, very resolving per the signature

-Imaging is spot on

-Warm/neutral, pristine sound

-Organic timbre

-Guttural, bellowing deep bass with natural decay

-Rich, musically infused midrange that’s just as talented with the technical stuff

-Treble is stellar, easy going, nicely detailed, great extension

-Simply a very fun and also highly addictive sound, very engaging
Cons: -Very large set of earphones, may not fit everyone’s ears perfectly

-Sub-bass may be a hair too lifted for some folks

-Not for treble heads

Craft Ears Omnium Review

By: Chris Love

Craft Ears Omnium Featured Image
Full Review can also be found HERE

The Omnium is a gorgeous iem

Craft Ears Omnium Review

Intro

Hello, this sound review and feature covers the latest from a truly premier audio brand named Craft Ears, and the set I’m referring to is the Craft Ears Omnium. The Omnium ($2,600) has a very unique tribrid driver configuration (1DD, 1PL, 5BA’s) and to say I was excited to hear how Craft Ears implemented those drivers is an understatement. Craft Ears has a long history now of producing some of the finest earphones on the market. Granted, this is the only Craft Ears product that I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with. However, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than thrilled to be able to spend time with this set and explain my thoughts about it. I should also note that I received the Omnium as part of Audio Geeks United States review tour. So, thank you very much Audio Geeks and thank you Craft Ears. Truly, when it comes to spending my quality time with the Omnium in my ears… the pleasure is all mine!

Craft EarsCraft Ears Omnium Review Pic (41).jpg

If I’m being honest, I really didn’t know much about Craft Ears previous to a couple years ago. I’ve seen their extensive website and checked out their products, but with three kids, a mortgage, and a bunch of other things which drain my money I simply don’t have the funds to attain any of those fine products. So of course, I look from afar, nod my head, looks amazing … maybe one day. It wasn’t until Audio Geeks made this feature possible that I began checking out Craft Ears origin story in greater curiosity. It took no time to be impressed folks. The Craft Ears journey is a cool story. The brand was conceived only in 2019, out of Poland. That’s going on six years ago. I had no idea. However, this brand was born from the passion of one man. This man goes by the name of Jedrek. A musician, drummer, music producer, with a background in engineering and apparently, he’s also a very talented and outgoing person. Craft Ears has a series of videos in their “About us” section of their website which explains this origin story, spoken by the man himself. Years ago Jedrek decided that he’d simply craft and create iems for himself and after much trial and error he began to hit his stride. Thus, in a very condensed format, Jedrek founded Craft Ears. At any rate, it’s fairly obvious that Craft Ears has some extremely talented people and a penchant for creating not just iems, but works of art and passion. I couldn’t be more impressed. By the way, I shortened this story so much that it’s almost criminal. I can tell you for sure that I am most definitely a fan now. How could you not be?

Without further ado…
Folks, I am thrilled to be able to spend good and quality time with the Omnium. I have nothing on hand for a good comparison, but I have two ears and an interest in providing you the best explanation of the Omnium, to the best of my ability. With all of that said, I think I’m ready to get this review going. So, without further ado, the Craft Ears Omnium everyone…
*Note: I need to note that this review is only a “sound review” as I did not receive any of the packaging or accessories involved with the packaging. The only thing that I received was the earphones themselves as well as the beautiful cable. I can only speak on what I experienced firsthand.


Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

craftears.com

Disclaimer:

I received the Craft Ears Omnium from Audio Geeks United States Tour and from Craft Ears as a loaned tour sample. In exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. Again, this set is a tour unit. Craft Ears has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to Audio Geek/Craft Ears, and thanks for reading.


The Craft Ears Omnium is a true TOTL Flagship iem

20250118_181443.jpg


Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

EPZ TP35

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

Hiby R4

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra


20250125_210318.jpg
Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-53.jpg

Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

The Craft Ears Omnium is simply built wonderfully. Enough said. I find the Shells to be very intricately crafted with precision as Craft Ears used a special 3D printing tech to create the housing of the Omnium. The faceplates have a slick looking carbon fiber design with polished acrylic resin covering making a very well developed and totally unique look. The nozzles actually have a slightly deeper fit than average yet is built to a perfect angle for my ears. I mean perfect! I couldn’t get a better seal. At any rate, the Omnium is built in a stellar fashion which exudes durability. It’s something you feel when they’re in hand. Very nice in its structure. I don’t see any extra ventilation holes. No where on the front or the back. That said, I also don’t get any annoying suction issues either. However, what this build style does accomplish is truly awesome passive noise isolation. Craft Ears states in their promotional material that the Omnium will afford you at least -26 db’s of isolation. That’s pretty awesome, if you didn’t know. Great for on stage and casual listening as well with no sound leakage. Folks, the Omnium is a structurally sound set with adequate weight, and certainly bulky. Still, I think this set is made with attention to detail and with strict scrutiny over the whole process.


Craft Ears Omnium Build Quality



Design

Now, the design is one which is an actual art piece. The colors, the contrast, the materials, they all come together to form one of the better looking iems out there. Now, nothing is for everyone, but I cannot imagine many folks who wouldn’t feel that the Omnium is one of the sleeker looking iems on the market. Like I said earlier, you can actually change the design to fit your preferences with many options at the Craft Ears website. That said, I’m only speaking on the standard model here today, naturally. Still, the standard model is absolutely gorgeous! Again, it has a carbon fiber faceplate design with a high polish imported resin coating while an 18k gold border encircles the faceplates. Each one meticulously made, by hand, from a team of folks with more than 10 years of experience. Friends, hear me out. My pictures do not do this set justice. I tried, and I tried hard to capture the fibers in the faceplates, or the black-on-gold colors distinctly coinciding to form what I’d consider a small work of art. It’s just clean, from front to back. Basically, when the Omnium is in hand and in the ear you can see with perfect clarity what it is that you are paying for.

Internals

This brings us to the Internals within the Craft Ears Omnium. I have to be honest, one of the largest reasons why I even wanted to hear the Omnium was because of the elaborate driver configuration. Again, the Omnium has a tribrid setup with a total of seven drivers separating the frequency by way of a 6-way crossover. Before I explain the drivers, I’ll first mention that Craft Ears employed their very own trademarked Space Expanse System named SES 3.0 as well as their own trademarked True Load “flat-impedance” technology. Friends, I really tried to find out more about this tech but there isn’t much that is readily available. However, one of the cooler things is that the Omnium presents a tubeless design along with what Craft Ears calls “custom-tuned acoustic chambers and resonators”. Needless to say, this type of internal structure obviously requires prolific engineering and understanding of acoustic principles. They did the work, and we benefited.

Drivers

Back to the drivers, Craft Ears decided to go with seven drivers in total using three different types of driver tech. They went with an amazing 9.2mm LSR (liquid silicone rubber) dynamic driver to cover the lows. LSR drivers are known for their bone rattling dense bass and impactful, punchy qualities when well implemented. I’ve tried a few other sets using LSR drivers and the Omnium is clearly the best. Next, Craft Ears went with a 10mm planar magnetic driver to cover the midrange. This is the one I was curious about the most. For the upper-mids they used one balanced armature driver. I have no idea what make and model of any of the BA’s. The highs use two additional balanced armature drivers, and the upper treble is also covered by two balanced armature drivers. So, as you can see it’s a pretty eclectic mix of drivers which encompasses this tribrid set. I should also mention the complexity involved in crafting a set with this many drivers, different styles and types of drivers, and doing so in a coherent manner harmonizing all of the qualities of each driver. This is no small feat folks. The people of Craft Ears should feel proud over this one. They sound fantastic!

Cable

Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-33.jpg

I should also speak on the cable provided with the Omnium. After all, it’s the only accessory that I have at my disposal. Having said that, I know almost nothing about this cable. Other than the fact that it is in fact a 2-pin cable with a 4.4 balanced termination, it’s 1.5 m in length, and the cable is made using silver-plated OCC copper materials and gold-plated jacks. As far as materials used, that’s all that I know. As far as the look; it’s a nice cable. The Omnium deserves a quality cable. I wouldn’t say it’d be my first choice, but a nice cable, nonetheless. So, it’s a copper-colored cable which actually looks great when paired with the Omnium. I feel the PVC outer insulation is pliable, rolls up nice, isn’t microphonic to my ears either. Not bad at all. I used this cable for about half of my critical listening. However, I also decided to upgrade the cable using an Effect Audio Eros S ii (series 2) cable just to hear if there was a slight difference. The sound using the Eros S ii was a small upgrade which seemed to fit the Omnium very well. That said, the included cable is perfectly fine and does exactly what it’s supposed to do. Again, it wouldn’t be my first choice, but if I was stuck on an island alone with my dap, the Omnium, and the included cable… I’d be perfectly happy. At least until my battery died. Not bad at all.


Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-87.jpg
Really a nice cable provided with the Craft Ears Omnium


Fit / Comfort

As far as fit and comfort is concerned, you have to know that I have zero idea how this set is going to fit you. I’ve said this in every past review and it’s just as relevant now. As for me, the Omnium literally couldn’t fit better. I don’t have big ears either and the Omnium is quite chunky. Be that as it may, the nozzles have the perfect angle which seats wonderfully in my ears. I get a nice seal everytime and the bulk of this set isn’t a concern at all. Yes, this set is big, and yes, the fit is deep, but the ergonomics of this set is very good, for me. Obviously, the comfort is also very nice. I’ve had many multi hour sessions and never once did I get irritated with how the Omnium fit my ears. So, it’s subjective and we’re all different, but I really feel that the majority of people will have zero issues, just like me.

Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-100.jpg

Different source devices with the Omnium
The Omnium seems to gel well with many different source devices.


Drivability


Output Power

Friends, I looked everywhere but I was unable to find an actual sensitivity of the Omnium. However, I was able to conjure up the rated impedance which is right around 12 ohms. I suppose the sensitivity numbers aren’t all that important because I thankfully have my ears to guide me. From all of my sources I honestly never had an issue. Even less powerful sources worked just fine. However, folks, this set deserves and desires some good and strong output from whatever device it is that you choose. Without question! Feed it some power. I promise it will reward you. Also, how many people are buying the Omnium at $2k without also having a quality source? It’s almost a crime to pair a dongle dac with this set, but lo-and-behold… they actually sound fantastic when I used the 4.4 balanced port on my devices like the EPZ TP50, Aful SnowyNight, and about 15 others that I’m not willing to jot down here. I mainly used my Fiio Q15 on high gain, my Shanling M6 Ultra (also high gain), as well as a few other daps and it is very apparent to my ears that power brings out the best in this set. Now, it doesn’t have to be 10,000 watts but give the Omnium some juice. You can thank me later.

Source Pairing

The Shanling H0 and the Omnium

As far as tonal pairing of the Omnium with my source devices. After listening to over 20 different devices in the time I’ve had the Omnium, I personally enjoy a warm/neutral to neutral source device. Now, the Omnium is just that… warm/neutral. Or, mostly neutral with an ever-so-slight warmth captured within its tonal coloration. That said, I absolutely adore this set with my warm/neutral Shanling M6 Ultra. Just wonderful. Something about how crisp this set can sound, how clean-lined it is, and how utterly spacious the stage is that having a warmer source didn’t exaggerate whatever warmth the Omnium is perceived to have. No veil, nothing blended or too congested sounding either. In truth, I found the Omnium to mesh very well with most sources. Please take note that the Omnium really does have some significant changes per what source you do choose. Now, I don’t think it’s very “picky”. Meaning, the sound will truly be great no matter what you choose. But it will adapt to the source and you will have tonal changes, so I’d choose the source which fits you. One more point, I would certainly try to pair the Omnium’s with your best sources. No doubt this is a set that will reward you for feeding it with cleaner and more sonically gifted devices.


Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-37.jpg

Full Review can also be found HERE

Effect Audio Eros S ii and the Omnium
The Effect Audio Eros S ii cable really does bring out the Omnium. Out of all of my cables this was a winning combo.


Sound Impressions

*Note: I mentioned it in the intro but I’ll mention it again, the Omnium came to me from Audio Geeks USA Tour provided from Craft Ears. What this means is that I received this set after many folks had already had a chance to listen. I say that because I have zero idea if burn-in is necessary, or not. Sorry for that. Also, I listen almost entirely with flac or better files which are stored on my devices. I mainly use UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) as my Android music player as well as occasionally use Hiby Music Player as well.

What’s it sound like?

The Craft Ears Omnium is truly a special iem, from so many angles. Every way you turn the Omnium you’re actually seeing the epitome of the word “premium”. Luxurious in how it’s outfitted, upmarket and upscale in every way. However, brush all of that aside. Folks, if it doesn’t sound good then everything else is a golden ring in a pig’s snout. One thing I found out right away is that the Omnium absolutely fits the bill of a flagship caliber iem from a flagship caliber brand. The type of set which reminds those who berate companies for their kilo-buck offerings that there is in fact… levels to this game. Make no mistake friends. Without question the Craft Ears Omnium is one which resonated to the umpteenth degree with me and one which I have taken every second that I’ve had to engulf myself in its sound. After all, it isn’t every day that I am able to hear a set of this quality. I’m going to get the most of it.

Well represented

In my opinion the Omnium hovers right around warm/neutral and comes across in a mostly speckless manner (for the tuning) and a very full sound with a smoother demeanor. A subtle warmth evokes a certain organic quality that the Omnium has. It’s a realistic tinge towards the natural. Authentic in its timbrel approach and aided by a holographic, almost euphonic stage showing off every front to back tier of sound that my music asks of it. Somehow Craft Ears crafted this tribrid set with the cohesion of a single DD, yet with the fairly clean-cut separation, depth of field, and distinct note outlines of a multi-driver iem. Basically, every solid quality of every driver used in the Omnium is tailored wonderfully to the target that Craft Ears was shooting for. Add to that, every area of the mix is well accounted for and very well represented. I’d say the Omnium is a nice mix of technically able and musically inclined. It’s a very smooth operator through and through, yet doesn’t lack the knife-edged definition needed for certain tracks, certain instruments, and overall note definition when a track requires it. There’s plenty of upper frequency brilliance to illuminate the subtle details, with some caveats that I’ll explain later. Maybe not the most exciting set on planet earth but man does it have its rewards.

Super condensed sound between the 20’s

I’d say the Omnium carries a U-shaped sound signature with a focused sub-bass lift and again, a fairly brilliant upper half of the frequency. The sub-level of the bass is an absolute banger! It hits hard! Deep! The mid-bass is more slender and not as impactful but has enough boom for most genres. One thing is for sure there is no shortage of texture, and it comes across very well contoured and clean. Now, the midrange is dynamic, pristine, lean in body but dense in perceived mass with a clean contour to notes and never really recessed to my ears. The mids are forward, snappy, yet not without some form of musicality. Each midrange note has good clean-lined presence, leaner in body but still rich. There’s authority in the midrange presence, the lean density. The Omnium also has better detail retrieval than I would’ve guessed and does so with the help of tight transients, a glass-lined surface texture, along with a widespread, tall, deep, but also fairly intimate stage. Separation is nice, Imaging is spot on and I hear fantastic layering of sounds. In fact, that’s one of my favorite aspects of this set.

Omnium-Frequency-Graph.png
Graph courtesy of Elise Audio, Thank You!

Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-1.jpg



Bass Region

The Omnium is not basshead. Let’s just get that out of the way now. I’m sure if Craft Ears wanted to they could produce one of the most amazing basshead sets on the market. However, the Omnium is not it. Now, this set is certainly “partially” tilted that way as the sub-bass has a mean lift with plenty of emphasis enforcing the lowest of the lows. In my opinion the Omnium is just above moderate in its low-end muscle with a densely weighted sound down low which can get flat-out jarring when a track calls for it. Now, the low-end mostly keeps to itself. This is not a bass region which enforces its warmth and weight to every far corner of the frequency. Craft Ears is better than that folks. What they did was roll off the mid-bass just enough to leave pristine mids. In fact, the bass flattens right at about 150hz. Having said that, this somehow doesn’t take away from the mid-bass boom as I thought it might. Perhaps on some big bass drops I could use more oomph and boom muscle as the lows are missing just a touch of impact due to the roll-off. But I really wasn’t missing much of anything besides those rare instances. The truth is, the low-end has plenty of body and meat for most any genre. Not to mention that the bass region as a whole is very well defined, very clean, and not even hinting at anything one noted or blended. I hear excellent texture, nice layering of the bass, and I can certainly feel the low-end rumble. So, it could use a hair of impact, and the Omnium may not be the mid-bass boom king. If those are the only downsides thus far then… I’d say the Omnium is doing pretty good.

Sub-Bass

Like I said, the sub-bass region houses the most of the Omnium’s low-end emphasis. That said, I should prepare you for just how bone rattling this sub-bass can get. This 9.2 mm LSR driver was absolutely put to the test during my critical listening “bass playlist” and passed with flying colors. The sub-bass enforces its will on the track “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard. Every undulating and quivering note is met with some of the deepest droning haptic growl that I’ve heard in a while. Really, the Omnium provides a very hardy and robust rumble and vibratory feel to my music. In the same breath, I hear a very streamlined cleanliness without the usual fuzz floating around at the crest of every note. Sub-level notes are hard edged, well contrasted, dynamic, and they can take on some very fast bass passages with relative ease. I fell for the mixture of mass and speed when listening to this set. How the driver can attack fast, hard, and with a concrete style note surface, full of dense meat, and then decay and recover with precision. Notes are rounded, well dimensioned, never flat, always full, never pillowy, and always clean. Really a nice job here.

Mid-Bass

Again, the mid-bass does have a slight roll-off, but somehow, I hardly ever miss whatever it is that it’s supposedly missing. There’re a few tracks missing that last little bit of added weight in this region, but really the mid-bass still carries a decent boom. I’d say it’s very well put together. The mid-bass has very decisive and very firm notes with usually very explicit note outlines. Well defined, punchy too. Couple those descriptors with the aggressive sub-level palpable drone and what you get is a very well-rounded bass. Lucas Graham has a track called “All of it All” and right away the Omnium reminds me why I should never look at a graph. This is one of those tracks which calls on some meat in this region and the Omnium delivers. However, it’s in tandem with the presence from the sub-bass which almost bolsters this region. Or Sun June in the song “Everything I Had”. Right at the outset of this song you’ll hear the bass guitar’s fullness. It bellows, pregnant with a low drone yet concise at the edges. No extra fat at all. Lean, yet dense. If that makes sense. There’s an organic depth and timbre along with a natural decay that creates a very atmospheric sound while at the same moment that full bass never seems to mask over other frequencies. Really a well-controlled bass in general.

Downsides to the Bass Region

Without a doubt the number one thing that you may want to watch out for is the sub-level emphasis. It’s hefty, meaty, guttural to the core. Not everyone desires such a sound. In the same breath, there’s almost a lack of impact at times too. Not every track either. However, I can attest that on some tracks you’ll feel as though you are slightly missing something. Very rare, very few and far in between, but it exists with the Omnium. Definitely, there will be those who want a more balanced sound, less coloration. However, with this sub-level emphasis I don’t hear any distortions, and it’s never so emphasized that it obscures other elements in the mix. I also wouldn’t go so far as to call it bloated either, It’s way too clean for that. To flip that coin, there will certainly be bassheads who actually desire more than the Omnium can give them down low. I mean, you have to be a bona-fide bass junkie, but they are out there. To finish this section, I just want to declare that I love this bass. For so many reasons and from many tracks. I love the speed, the bulbous body, the decisive and dense notes. Just really nice.


Craft Ears Omnium Review Pic (5).jpg

Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-50.jpg



Midrange

This brings us to the midrange. I hear a mostly warm/neutral midrange with a forward tilt, perhaps making the soundstage come across a slight bit intimate. Yet the stage also comes across wonderfully holographic with great layering of the sound field. As far as note weight goes, I’d probably refer to the midrange as lean-lush in its approach. Less like a milkshake and more like skim milk. It is milky though, with a silken sound and moist notes which never really come across “traditionally” thin, dry, papery, or anemic to my ears. I suppose the midrange is a hair lean, but somehow it does have adequate body across the mids due to the density of each note and the black background. Again, there’s a richness to the sound which is completely enthralling. Couple that with a very engaging and immersive soundstage presentation and what you get is a wholly captivating and charming sound. To add to that, Craft Ears was able to draw enough solid emotion from my music, with enough smoothness, and enough wetted body to keep from sounding analytical. Truth is, I could definitely use a hair more warmth to embolden the low-mids a bit more. But please trust me… I’m not complaining. After a few songs I began to melt into this midrange and all questions about warmth and note weight flew right out the window. This lean-lush approach is partially caused because the low-end really doesn’t encroach at all into the midrange, leaving a very pristine sound in this region without any chance at any veil or any muddiness in my music.

Mids cont…

Now, the Omnium midrange does borrow some vibrancy and crisp snap from the opposite end of the spectrum, leached from the treble region. Enough of a pointed and acute snap on attack for instruments such as snares, cymbals, adding that satisfying abrasiveness for strings with very nice harmonics. Generally speaking. Also brass or woodwind instruments have enough energy to never come across dull but rather pronounced and with great presence in the mix. Of course, not every track is the same but by-and-large the Omnium does sweet justice for most instruments. Also, the Omnium doesn’t have an ultra-contrasted and rambunctious presentation. Yes, it has good energy, but that energy is well regulated, well structured, never loose or sloppy and never too vivacious. It’s controlled, clean, and each note sounds cropped, trimmed, and shaped enough to pull nice separation of instrumentation along with plenty of air in this region too. Also, I don’t hear anything I’d call shouty, sibilant, or metallic, and the cohesion of the drivers is out of this world. Timbre leans natural to my ears with a nice attack and a natural decay to most notes. Resolution is pretty darn nice in this region too with good note definition, separation, and air to the sound. The Omnium is not tuned to be a detail beast, but in my opinion, it illuminates the subtleties very nicely. Really an all-rounder style which should fit many hobbyists quite well.

Lower-Midrange

If I were to characterize the low-mids, I’d say “lean n’ clean”. Now, “lean” is not a downside in my eyes. Perhaps for lesser quality iems which come across more dry, papery, and less concrete in body. However, the Omnium is none of those things, but instead the Omnium presents stuff like male vocalists very favorably against the rest of the mix. They come across substantial in the face of that lean structure. You have this lean-muscle mass style of fast twitch transient behavior in a fluid manner with a smooth body, crisp at the edges, well defined, and nicely etched in the face of a black background. Can a set of earphones come across both lean, and… meaty? Well, I suppose they can. Is the greatest contributing factor the tuning, the drivers, maybe a little of both? That said, the low-mids do come across with a subtle warmth. Not a lot, but it’s there. They aren’t dead neutral. I’d say toeing the line closer to warm/neutral, yet with one foot leaning closer to the neutral side. Oddly enough, there is just enough warmth to give instruments and male voices a palpable sense to my ears. There’s texture in these low-mids while layered sounds project some dimension into my music. Notes have a certain roundness to them. Of course, I could repeat this same thing in every area of the mix. Another thing I think is great is how well Craft Ears tuned this set and all of its drivers to come across uniform and very cohesive. Every transition sounds nicely blended.

Low-mids cont…

I definitely hear an almost glass-lined inflection at the crest of most notes. For instance, “How it Feels” by Zayn shows off his hearty yet raspy voice. With the Omnium in my ears, the note edges of that rasp aren’t exaggerated. So easily his voice can sound almost sharp. Especially when too much vibrance is added into the equation. What I enjoy about the Omnium is that his vocals remain in control throughout and never lose the note outline. He sounds knife edged without sounding abrasive. He sounds illuminated in the midst of solid underlying density and a very focused clarity. Almost as though his (and many other males) vocals sound embossed, with great presence, and a certain governed vibrancy. Again, I could use a hint more warmth here and generally I feel that males and certain instrumentation benefit greatly with a thicker and more hearty sound. However, it’s almost as though I’m hearing my playlist tracks for the first time going through many male lead songs just to hear how the Omnium will portray these tracks that I know so well. I gotta tell you all, the sound is so clean, transients are rapid, quick in decay, without lagging harmonics blending surrounding notes within the sound field. What’s left is very bold fundamental tones and a more sculpted body as a whole. It’s hard to not be impressed with this one folks.

Upper-Midrange

The upper mids come across more forward than the lower half of the midrange mix, which is pretty much customary in most sets. The Omnium can at times come across with a hint of glare. I suppose this is from the quick and steep pinna rise. Having said that, I don’t mind it at all. Perhaps not perfectly natural but with a nicely energetic sound which almost sounds capped-off so as not to induce too much brightness and luminosity into this region. Just enough to add some sparkle to the upper-mids, some shimmer, some strategically placed luster to female vocalists and instruments. Now, if you are sensitive to a pinch more vibrance in this area than you may want to look at other options. As for me, I actually really enjoy how Craft Ears tuned this region. I hear a nice crispness, some crunch, and a very resolving sound which draws out every last little micro-dynamic and micro-detail. Transparent, well-resolved, clean-lined, and once again there’s a smooth underlying fundamental tone. Usually. Every track is different but for the most part the Omnium has a magical ability of being many different descriptors at once. The upper mids once again pull off a very full sound while keeping a leaner demeanor. It’s the way female voices and instruments sound well projected, impelled towards the listener.

Upper-mids cont…

Also, the Omnium doesn’t leave out the emotion from my music. Like the song “I Can Change” by Lake Street Dive. Friends, there is a fullness that resonates in a very lovely manner. Feather-soft at the outset of the song to resounding at the drop of a dime. Yes, there’s a pinch more outward radiance and candor, but I feel this helps to propel her vocals. Every intonation of her voice sounds both clinical and emotionally gratifying. Enough to not come across analytical anyways. Again, there’s still a large enough musical influence on the sound and enough body to her vocals. Every reverb & secondary harmonic of the acoustic guitar which strums alongside her vocals comes through crystal clear. Once more, depending on your preference, this region’s ear gain may just bring you right to the cusp of your tolerance, only to stop short of anything offensive. This rise adds a sense of air to the sound, some space, solid separation, and helps to illuminate those subtle details. You see, the Omnium is not one of those sets with forced resolution in an attempt to draw those subtleties to the surface, which usually comes across grating. The Omnium isn’t that at all. Everything is under control, every note is contoured, every last accentuation and modulation of her voice is form-fitted and moist, never dry.

Downsides to the Midrange

I could list a few potential issues that some may have. All subjective tuning preference stuff. Like, the midrange is not a very thick and lush sound and those who desire that warmly weighted and mass filled sound will not exactly get that here. Again, this set leans analytical and while its notes do have nice density, they aren’t thick. Also, the pinna rise will likely be an issue for anyone sensitive to it. There’s no shortage of folks who want a less vibrant upper-mid to lower treble, who get fatigued very easily. While I have absolutely zero issue with how Craft Ears tuned this region, I still know that there will be plenty who’d be better served checking out other sets tuned more to their liking. In truth, I find the upper-mids very tasteful and they really do well to highlight all the technical stuff very well. I could also say that the Omnium definitely has a “quasi-natural” sound. Almost there. Perhaps the drivers themselves and their outright ability (transient swiftness, speed) along with the slightly boosted ear gain keeps the Omnium from coming across perfectly organic. In my opinion I’d take this tuning every day of the week as it has way more wonderful qualities than anything else, but it isn’t perfectly authentic to life. Close though. I suppose I could also add that the sound is so clean and so precise at times that the Omnium will likely uncover the issues of poorly recorded and lesser quality tracks. This is one of those things that reviewers say, “audiophile speak”, but there’s some truth to it.

Tolerance

Everything comes down to your tolerance for everything mentioned and your preferences. For me, I get lost in the sound of this set. The way it layers the stage, the 3D style dimensions of the sound field, the distinct separation, the wonderful cohesiveness, the nice mix of musicality and technical ability, the snap, the crispness, the controlled vibrance; It all adds up to a very compelling and completely engaging sound. You are getting what you pay for with the Omnium. Nice work Craft Ears!



With the Shanling M6 Ultra



Treble Region

The treble is one of nicely feathered-in brilliance and a very cohesive rendering of this region. I wouldn’t call the treble “energetic” as it comes across as slightly more calm, easy on the ears, less intense as a whole up top. Coming out of the upper midrange you have a quick dip at 6k in what most consider the “presence region” and then a linear ride on-out to the upper treble. Like I said earlier, you won’t have any of that forced-resolution which comes from boosting the treble region in an attempt to add more resolve, details, etc. What you usually end up getting is an artificial sounding treble with over emphasized peaks that usually end up causing fatigue. Not with the Omnium. Actually, I find the Omnium is tuned very nicely offering a smoother take on this region. Great for long listening sessions. I can tell you that the Omnium’s treble probably wouldn’t be the first choice amongst die-hard treble-bois. The Omnium simply isn’t tuned with the sort of emphasis and focus within the treble region that most treble heads prescribe to. That doesn’t mean it isn’t talented, very well defined, nice crispness, adequate treble bite, and solid extension though. Also, the treble still provides the rest of the mix with some solid air, openness, and levity, or luminance. Furthermore, the Omnium never sounds congested, or constricted, never dull and never boring. The treble simply isn’t boosted to the stars. Craft Ears made it palatable for the average listener and I can really respect that.

It fits the character of the tuning

Like I said, the Omnium has plenty of edge to the sound which helps in adding some bite to notes but more than anything this is a smoother treble. The body to most treble notes is nice too and there is some tactile feel up top depending on the track or recording. Basically, just because you don’t have that ultra contrasted and dynamic treble doesn’t mean it isn’t a good treble. Craft Ears tuned the highs to fit the overall character and target they were going for. I’m sure if they wanted to craft and create the ultimate treble head set, they probably could very easily. It’s much harder to tune an easy going yet talented treble region. One where you still have very good note definition, treble punch, and a relatively brisk snap as on the Omnium. One which keeps a calm and linear path through the treble yet extends very well into the upper portions of the treble. Most definitely this region plays a supporting actor role, but treble is one of those areas which can literally make or break an iem. Too much emphasis, too little, lacks bite, too much edginess, too much sharpness, too dull. I could go on and on. The point is the treble is important to get right whether it’s the focus or not. I couldn’t praise what Craft Ears has done enough because the treble is dulled down yet still doesn’t lose the clarity, spunk, and resolution of a solid treble.

Examples

Furthermore, the treble has some speed too. Transients are not lagging at all. The treble can and will take on faster passages fairly well. As in “Magnetic Fields, Pt. 1” by Jean Michel Jarre. This track is littered with digital treble coming at you from so many angles. Very rapidly I might add. The Omnium is able to distinctly separate and delineate every attack edge with a layered and rounded note body with an acute incisiveness. For the most part anyways. Every note sounds very well placed in the sound field too. Timbre is fantastic as it isn’t overtly boosted causing anything to sound artificial. Enough brilliance to add some sparkle to each note in a more organic fashion. Very speedy too as I really feel that the Omnium almost forces my mind’s eye to locate every note. It isn’t just some mishmash of treble tizz blended and flatly displayed. There’s an element of dimension to the sound folks. Another track is “Evil Twin” by Lindsey Stirling. The Omnium is able to resolve all the subtle details in this less intense manner which is a nice thing to hear. So easily this track can push tolerances on lesser quality sets, with lesser quality drivers, and lesser quality tuning. Also, her violin comes across with just enough shimmer and dynamics to satisfy yet without becoming abrasive. Again, the sound field has layers to it with well placed notes. One more example is a track I also use often called “Ice Bridges” by Billy Strings. His banjo play is lightning fast, and the Omnium really does resolve this track well. Not every set pulls it off very well. Craft Ears did a fine job.

Extension

Real quick I should write about one aspect of the treble which is surprisingly well done. That is, the way it extends into the upper treble. Folks, I am literally missing nothing out past 10k. The Omnium is able to convincingly portray every last lingering harmonic, every cymbal crash, or any other sound within the high-highs very well. Again, very nice timbre too. Now, every track presents cymbal strikes differently, but by-and-large I don’t hear anything splashy. I don’t hear anything with too much of a sheen to it. I hear cymbals with a nice body to them and the secondary harmonics seem to cut loose relatively quickly keeping a clean edge. This extension also seems to psycho-acoustically stretch the soundstage to a degree. I definitely get the illusion of greater width. I thought that was nice to hear as there’s a ton of info up top which many sets either neglect to capture or sound artificial to the ear.

Let’s face it…

Having said all of those nice things, let’s face it… there are certainly iems tuned to take on these areas better. However, at times those sets are more one-dimensional, while the Omnium is much more of an all-rounder style. So, it’s nice to hear such a talented sounding iem. Like a Swiss army knife of iems. Again, there are certainly iems which specialize in areas like the treble region. These sets can come across more resolving, with better detail retrieval, more tart in their note bite, and with more of a haptic feel to the treble region. So, the Omnium is obviously not perfect. No doubt this is a set which has to align well with your own personal tastes, and yes, I realize I made the most obvious statement ever right there. However, the sentiment remains. You have to want a slightly more laid-back sound tonally. You have to desire a less intense and less energetic sounding treble region. However, I really don’t want to skew these words in the wrong light. The Omnium is not without energy, dynamism, sharpness, and brilliance. It’s just like I said earlier, Craft Ears simply tuned the Omnium in a more palatable and easy-going manner.

Downsides to the Treble Region

No doubt the biggest glaring issue would be for treble junkies. The Omnium was tuned with more of a balance dynamically and so treble heads won’t always get that gratifying vivaciousness that they crave. Of course, for fans of good easy going treble, I have the set for you. I suppose the treble region could use a hair more of that pleasing snap and punch, similar to what you get with good EST drivers, among a few other driver types. However, I cannot take anything away from how this set was tuned up top. So long as you know what you are getting. Still its well detailed, good precision, has some zing, not too drab and not rolled-off to my ears. Also, the timbre is solid.


Craft Ears Omnium Review Pic (58).jpg

Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-105.jpg



Technicalities

Soundstage

The overall “perceived” size of the imaginary stage within my mind when listening to the Omnium is certainly above average. I’d say width is great, out past my ears, nice dynamic range, just as potent at the outer edges as it is closer to the center. You have decent height too, and very nice depth of field to my ears. Enough to put a smile on my face. That said, the Omnium sounds as though it is somewhat closer and more Intimate on the front end. The midrange is positioned a hair closer to the listener. I actually love this type of stage and prefer it to a stage which sits out in front, pulled back. I like the intimacy and so maybe I have a bias here. I’m sure there’s plenty of you who don’t enjoy a more intimate portrayal of your music. At any rate, for me it’s great and therefore I give it two thumbs up. Add to that the stage has a very nice 3D style dimensionality as well. I’ve said a few times that layering is very nice and that is partially due to the depth I’m referring to. I can tell you that the sound is not congested at all. The soundstage is great folks.

Separation / Imaging

Instrument separation is generally very good. The Omnium has that nice clarity, clean note delivery, well defined notes, it sounds airy and open, quicker transients, slightly leaner presentation. Add those all together and what you get (most of the time) is nice separation of elements within the imaginary stage. Of course, there are some caveats which should go without saying. That is, if you are listening to a heavily bassy track then you may get some masking happening. Obviously, you aren’t going to hear all of that good separation through that raucous bass. Also, badly recorded tracks are going to show themselves with this set and they may cause separation to not be as easy to discern. Imaging walks the same line as separation. Or better, as I find the imaging capabilities on the Omnium to be really great. I can’t remember any time during my listening that I felt anything was out of place. The Omnium is always on-point. Moreover, the Omnium’s layering ability is quite awesome too. Truly a nice set.

Detail Retrieval

As far as detail retrieval I’d have to say that the Omnium is above average. No doubt about it. For all the reasons that the Omnium succeeds in separation and imaging, it also succeeds in detail retrieval. Just a very clean sound as the Omnium has all the trappings of a set which can bring all the subtleties to the surface quite well. I hear nice micro-dynamics (depending on the track) and the Omnium has very nice and pronounced macro-details. For the micro stuff the Omnium performs much better when a track isn’t ultra congested and there isn’t a booming bass presence. I really didn’t have a hard time hearing the minutiae within my music and at times the Omnium is flat out amazing in this regard. That all said, I should also add that obviously there are sets which are tuned more analytical with a much more clinical sound which outperform the Omnium here. However, those sets also don’t have the wonderful tonality, timbre, and fluidity of the Omnium. This is why the Omnium is such a special iem. Really an all-rounder kilo-buck in-ear monitor that can mostly do it all very well.



The Omnium is a beautiful set
Craft-Ears-Omnium-Review-Pic-3.jpg



Is it worth the asking price?

Okay, this question is going to have to come with some fairly obvious caveats. Let’s just get something out of the way, the Craft Ears Omnium is meant for who it’s meant for. Maybe that doesn’t make sense. Let’s try it this way, the Craft Ears Omnium is most certainly worth every last dollar of the $2k+ that it costs to those who have zero issue purchasing something at this cost. It is what it is. I’m assuming if you’re still here then you are likely one of those folks. The truth is, the Omnium is actually a very well priced iem for what it is. Yes it’s a kilo-buck iem, but against the current crop of kilo-buck sets it actually stands very tall. No doubt the Omnium will have to suit your idea of what “good” sounds like. However, at these prices I’m quite positive that you are well aware of what your preferences are. Anyone willing to pick up a top-tier flagship like the Omnium likely knows exactly what they are looking for. That all said, the Omnium has a big fat “YES” to the question in the header.

The Why…

Because the Omnium comes with an absolute boatload of accessories (I realize I didn’t cover the accessories, if I had them I would’ve.), a very nice copper colored cable, fantastic case, a slew of tips. Next, the build and design are so classy, very stoic looking, handsome, and premium in every sense of the word. Craft Ears gives you the option to design your own on their website with so many options that it isn’t even worth talking about here. You’d have to see for yourself. 18k gold trim surrounds the carbon fiber and resin covered faceplates. Folks, the design is absolutely DOPE! In every sense and meaning of the word. However, it’s the next section which helps propel this set from a gorgeous paperweight into one of the best TOTL flagship iems that my ears have heard.

That sound!

Beyond the aesthetic, build quality, packaging/Accessories, what makes the Omnium one of the better sets within its price point is…THAT SOUND! I’m sure that’s what you all came for anyways. The Omnium has a very nice balance across the spectrum, warm/neutral, very cleanly defined, awesome mix of smooth and crisp, with a stage which sounds wide, deep, and holographic. Timbre is very nice as well. I don’t hear anything outright peaky, glaring, or too sharp. Everything is kept in great control. Nothing metallic, no sibilance and cohesion of drivers is really special. The Omnium has this deep and vibratory sub-bass that reaches guttural levels serving as the foundation of this set striking a bold contrast against the levity of the upper portions of the mix. The mids are both technically on-point as well as emotionally gratifying. Forward, great clarity, tight transients, lean yet dense. Nice musicality and great technically! The treble is easy going, never strident or too vivacious, yet the Omnium’s treble is not without nicely controlled vibrance. Also, the extension into the upper treble sounds well tuned, nothing splashy, no treble tizz. Again, the stage is well dimensioned, intimate yet full, 3D in its rendering as the stage really adds to the whole experience. Nice with details, solid separation of elements of the stage, well layered, Imaging is spot-on too. Now, there are some subjective gripes that some may have but in my opinion the Omnium is a very nice all-rounder flagship iem that’s worth every penny to own. If you can do it. Obviously for those who cannot afford such a set there are many iems within the market which can almost get you there and cost much less. For whom it’s for… yes, the Omnium is worth the asking price.

Craft Ears Omnium Review Pic (38).jpg


Craft Ears Omnium



Conclusion

To conclude my full written review and feature of the Craft Ears Omnium I again have to thank the good people of Craft Ears for supplying the Audio Geeks USA Tour with a set of the Omnium in exchange for a full review. With that, I also want to thank Audio Geeks as I wouldn’t have been able to dive into a set like this without them. I thank both outfits very much! Also, I need to thank you, the reader, for clicking the link and spending time at Mobileaudiophile.com. Every time you click a link to this website it is very important to us. Without question we are trying to build our reach and that doesn’t happen without you. Granted, we’ve really grown in a special way with many many followers, and we couldn’t do any of it without you. Thank you so very much.

Other Perspectives

Now that you’ve read my full review and heard all of my thoughts and my perspective of the Craft Ears Omnium, I am urging you to go and check out other thoughts of this wonderful iem. At this price I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but I’m urging you nonetheless. Every reviewer has the potential to be very different from the next. Just like you. We all have our own tastes in music, we all have different preferred sound signatures, likes and dislikes. Beyond those things, we don’t all have the same gear, which can greatly change how we perceive each product we review. Also, not all of us have been down the same road in audio. We’ve had different experiences in the hobby. There’s a thousand variables which differ from the final thoughts and opinions we have. So, it really does pay for you to do your due diligence and read, watch, or listen to all of the opinions. Well my friends, I am all out of words, I hope each and every one of you are healthy and happy. Take good care, stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!

Craft Ears Omnium Review Pic (13).jpg

Attachments

  • Craft Ears Omnium Review Pic (32).jpg
    Craft Ears Omnium Review Pic (32).jpg
    1.7 MB · Views: 0
  • Craft Ears Omnium Review Pic (83).jpg
    Craft Ears Omnium Review Pic (83).jpg
    1.7 MB · Views: 0
Last edited:
Ceeluh7
Ceeluh7
Appreciate that man, it means a lot Mark. This set really was a joy to review. Take care man.
Palpatine79
Palpatine79
Nice review. Eros SII is perfect match with Omnium. Great combo.
Ceeluh7
Ceeluh7

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
KZ Zenith Review
Pros: -Build Quality is phenomenal

-Design and aesthetic are very unique, really an awesome looking set.

-Very nicely balanced U-shaped sound

-Clean, punchy, well defined and textured bass region

-Midrange is nicely detailed with a very pristine note definition

Treble is non-offensive yet very resolving, nice extension

-Imaging

-Detail Retrieval for an under $100 single DD

-Nice spatiality, with a layered and well-proportioned soundstage
Cons: -May be too heavy, bulky for some folks

-Cable does not do the Zenith justice

-Bassheads will not enjoy this set

KZ Zenith Review

By: Chris Love

Zenith Featured Image


Zenith Review

KZ Zenith Review

Intro

Hello everyone, this review and feature covers the latest from KZ Audio named the KZ Zenith. The Zenith is a single dynamic driver earphone equipped with some special upgrades from previous dynamic drivers within the KZ lineup. I’ll of course explain those as I go along within this review. I’d say that KZ puts a pretty high level of importance on the Zenith as it quite literally is their namesake. Of course, “Zenith” is derived from the full name of KZ, that’s… “Knowledge Zenith”. Not everyone knows that. I can tell you right now after speaking with some folks from KZ that the Zenith represents a more premium product in which much R&D and expertise went into the crafting of this set. From the beautiful all metal build, to their brand new “Driver-X” which is a new ultra-linear dynamic driver, the Zenith is set to take on some of the best from its price point. KZ’s website has the Zenith’s MSRP set at $99 but the initial sale is asking for a low $55. In fact, there are a few different prices depending on the website. For now, kz-audio.com has the cheapest ($55) which I’m sure is an initial sales price. I will treat this set like a $99 iem and compare it that way as well. I am in the middle of burn-in at the moment and haven’t spent enough time to report if the Zenith can take on the best. However, I can assure you that I am going to really dive deep into this one.

Knowledge Zenith

KZ and their sub-brand CCA have been hitting the market like a fully automatic machine gun as they bring to market more sets than any brand, just about every year. That said, I can’t sit here and say that I haven’t been impressed with their releases the last few years. Especially this last year. In fact, they started out the new year with one of the best all-BA iems under $200 in the KZ Sonata (Sonata Review). Truly a special iem and certainly KZ’s most flagship offering to date. Beyond that, within the last year KZ just kept getting better, as they do. From the ultra-budget range on up past the $100 barrier KZ has been nailing their tunings of late. Folks, KZ was the first iems that brought me into this hobby years ago. I was hooked from the jump. From then on it was me doing everything in my power to hear my music with the best fidelity possible. KZ is a huge reason that I’m even writing reviews today. I think that many of us have similar stories. The great thing is that all KZ has ever done was improve. I have complete confidence that this trend will continue.

Something new …

With that said, I have a sneaky suspicion that KZ has begun moving in a different direction with their tunings. I’ve noticed a tilt towards the mature, better drivers, better materials, and a more balanced approach. I’m not the only one though. Others on Facebook, Reddit threads etc. have also noticed a shift. How many KZ sets “outside” of the ultra-budget class of iems are straight up V-shaped bangers anymore? Folks, KZ has turned a corner, which is great for the community and the consumer. Granted, they always had nicely tuned sets in the past but with some of their later iems KZ seems to be taking a different approach. With all of KZ’s resources and expertise at their disposal along with the fact that they operate their own factory where they make their products from top to bottom. What happens when a brand like that decides they’re going to begin tuning their products in a much more polished, refined, and seasoned manner? This is not to say that KZ hasn’t been upgrading their tunings, drivers, designs for years now. In fact, that’s kind of their MO. Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade. Every new release is an incremental improvement over the last. However, these last couple sets seemed to have sparked something new. I don’t want to go any further with any of this, but I like what I’m seeing, and… hearing.

Competition

I suppose the only other real issue standing in the way for the Zenith happens to be the same issue for every iem in every price segment. That is… “competition”. Every other week a new promising iem hits the market in every price bracket and each one seems to be the new top class set. At least, that’s how it seems at times. This is the major problem for every iem. However, it is a very good thing for us, the consumer. Competition has effectively upped the ante, so to speak. Thus, we are seeing some of the best price to performance iems in quite some time. Especially under $100. In my opinion, the under $100 price range is the hottest range in all of audio. I’d say anywhere from $50 to $100. I don’t have enough fingers to count all of the iems which could be considered the best within the class. The truth is competition has sparked better products. Coincidentally, the audio community is very diverse. Basically, there’s something for everyone. So, I suppose it isn’t about what is best. In fact, is there a “best”? For such a subjective question I’m leaning on “probably not” as my answer. The only “best” set is the one which is “best” for you and your own unique preferences. Hopefully this review, as well as a hundred other opinions on different iems will help you narrow down your search. That said, no doubt the Zenith has a lot of sets to contend against. I’m excited to see where it stands. With that, I think I’m ready to get into this review folks. So, without further ado, the KZ Zenith everyone…

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

Aliexpress
KZ-audio.com
Amazon

Disclaimer:

I received the KZ Zenith from KZ Audio as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. KZ Audio has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to KZ Audio, and thanks for reading.


KZ-Zenith-Review-Pic-67.jpg

20250118_181443.jpg


Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

EPZ TP35

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

Hiby R4

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra


Zenith is one of the best looking sets
What a gorgeous iem!



Packaging / Accessories

Unboxing

The KZ Zenith arrived at my door in a larger box than I’m used to seeing. KZ has certain packaging which obviously applies to their more premium line of iems. The Zenith most certainly falls into that category. It’s a larger than usual black box with a graphic of the Zenith on the front sleeve as well as some specs on the back. Take off the sleeve and you are met with an all-black box. Open the box and you’ll see the awesome looking Zenith staring back at you while nestled tightly in some cut-outs. Next to the Zenith you’ll see a cardboard box which contains the carrying case. Inside the carrying case you’ll find the cable as well as the dip-switch tool. Also next to the earphones you’ll see the eartips holder which is a very nice touch. Altogether the package and its contents are very nice for the cost. I like what KZ did here. Certainly, a better unboxing than we’ve historically seen from KZ. Of course, the Sonata came in a similar package with a similar layout as well. Not bad at all.

KZ really upgraded the packaging
Another set which comes with KZ’s more premium unboxing experiences.


Eartips

Foam and Starlines eartips

KZ provided a total of six eartips within the packaging of the Zenith. To be exact, that’s three pairs (S, M, L) of slow-rise foam tips. Now, I really don’t enjoy foam tips. Never have. I know some of you adore them, but they’ve never been for me. I suppose I use them when I absolutely have to and no doubt there’s plenty of situations which call for foamies. However, they aren’t usually my bag. Though I will say, KZ’s slow-rise foam tips are actually very good additions to a collection. They seal great and they really do form to the inner ear perfectly. Next, KZ added in three pairs (S, M, L) of KZ’s own KZ Starline eartips. These tips are named after the Star pattern at the opening. They are black silicone eartips with a narrow bore and usually will add some meat to the low-end as well as sand down the peaks in the treble. Of course, this isn’t always the case. At any rate, the Starlines are truly awesome tips to have laying around. No doubt about it there will come a day when the Starlines come in super handy. That said, I didn’t use either of the included tips. I actually decided upon my personal favorite cheap eartips, the KBear 07 tips. Without question the 07’s helped the Zenith rather than hurt them and the fit I get is wonderful. Obviously, you and I are probably fairly different in our ear anatomy, but it does pay to at least try other tips with the Zenith.

Carrying Case

Carrying case

Another nice addition into the overall packaging is the carrying case. This is a case that we’ve seen a few other times from KZ or from some of KZ’s sister brands, like Joyodio. So, the case is a nice deep indigo blue and made of a faux leather material. Very sturdy and certainly what I’d consider a hard case. This case also has a nice silver zipper which poses as a nice color contrast. It’s just a nice-looking case. Large enough to fit the Zenith, the cable, some extra tips and maybe (if you’re good) you can fit a very small dongle dac. Something like the EPZ TP35, for example. At any rate, nice case, zipper works, looks cool, not bad at all.

Cable

Included Cable

The cable provided is what you get with 99% of KZ iems. That is the same QDC style, 2-pin, SPC (silver-plated-copper) cable which comes in a white colorway. You can purchase the Zenith with, or without, the microphone and one button controller. The mic gives you the ability to play/pause, skip tracks, answer/hang-up calls, etc. The included cable does its job perfectly fine and really, I’ve never had any true complaints about it. However, I did swap the Zenith cable with the Nicehck IcyMoon 4.4 balanced cable. I couldn’t resist. The Zenith seems to scale well with adequate power and so a balanced cable is a good way to get that power with my sources. Also, you have this really handsome set of earphones, and it just compels me to put a handsome cable on it. That fat white and perfectly pliable IcyMoon cable is outstanding for this set. Not to mention the sonics when the Zenith is on the IcyMoon. There’s a few other budget “under $40” cables which really sound and look good with the Zenith, but for me the IcyMoon just hits that sweet spot both aesthetically and sonically with the Zenith. However, I also really enjoyed the Artti balanced cable (you’ll see some pics with it) with the Zenith, but it was the IcyMoon which stood out the most. So, there’s certainly options. However, please understand that for the simple purpose of listening to your music, the included cable is perfectly fine and serves its purpose perfectly. You definitely don’t “need” to swap cables. I am at least a marginal cable snob, so please don’t feel you have to follow my lead.


The IcyMoon cable attached to the KZ Zenith
The KZ Zenith with a 4.4 balanced IcyMoon cable attached to the Hiby R4.


Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

As far as the build “quality” is concerned, folks, I don’t think you can get a better build at this cost. Most certainly KZ maximized what they could create. Friends, the Zenith is 100% all-metal on the shells, faceplate, and through the nozzles. Truly, the Zenith is actually built like a tank. The Zenith weighs right around 12.5 grams which is actually lighter than I thought. Still, the weight is more than most iems. No where near the heaviest, but substantial. I only say that for full disclosure because you may be the type who doesn’t enjoy heavier iems. Also, the Zenith is not a small set of earphones. The weight is substantial, and the size is above average for a single DD in my estimation. That said, it’s built wonderfully. Again, metal everywhere. The nozzles are about medium length, not too long, not too short either and they measure about 5.8mm in width. So pretty much standard size. You’ll also notice the four dip-switch panel on the rear side of the Zenith. I would think that the switches take up some room making the Zenith a hair larger as well. However, I feel that KZ did a very nice job on the build. It’s very clean and screams “premium” when in the hand.

Zenith Build Quality is premium



Design

Now we get to the design and aesthetic of the KZ Zenith. In my humble opinion I feel that KZ did a very solid job on the design. The first thing which stands out are the faceplates. They are an easy focal point. You have this metal webbed design made of metal which consists of abutting triangles cut-out and adjoined which makes for a very nice pattern. Very cool looking. Truly an awesome design folks and about as premium as a design can get for the cost. Now, KZ states that the faceplate is actually open using a metal mesh under the faceplate. This helps to provide a more open sound with proper airflow. There is also some very small writing which lines the edge of the faceplate saying, “New Tech * Zenith”. Very small white lettering. Another cool feature of the faceplates is the large brass colored screw which I don’t think is only decorative though I haven’t tested that theory. Once again, the Zenith has QDC style male connectors at the top of the Shells too. Truly a great design. I give it an easy two thumbs up.

Internals

KZ employed their brand new (made in-house) driver inside of the Zenith named “Driver-X”. Driver-X is a newly devised ultra-linear driver and clearly it is a high-quality driver. In fact, I feel that the driver is one of the components which makes the most difference in sound. Coupled with the rest of the structural acoustic cavity design used in the Zenith. KZ also increased the size of their voice coil up to 7mm from the traditional 5mm that we always see. In addition, KZ used larger magnets of increased size as well as an ultra-narrow diaphragm suspension which is said to dramatically decrease sound distortions. Of course, you also have the dip-switch panel as well. So, there is a lot of new tech happening here and it all goes into the end result. That is, better sound. I’m telling you all right now, this driver is a very good one. I’d love to hear it in other situations, but I do think that KZ maximized its output in the Zenith to the target they were going for. Very nice.

Tuning-Switches

Tuning Switches settings for the Zenith

Like I said earlier, the KZ Zenith comes with a total of four dip-switches or tuning switches, whatever you want to call them. For review purposes when a switch is flipped “on” it will be represented as “1”. When a switch is flipped “off” it will be represented as “0”. So, for example, if all four switches are on then for review purposes, I will call it “1111”. Naturally, if all switches are off then I will call it “0000”. Now KZ makes this set very easy to use and understand. I say that because all the switches generally do is control the bass region. To break it down, if you flip the 1st switch then you’ll add 1 db to the low-end. If the #1 and #2 switches are flipped on, then you’ll be adding 2 db’s. This also applies to the 3rd switch. Flipping it on will give you 3 db’s of emphasis afforded to the low-end. Now, if you flip the last switch on then it says it increases the entire spectrum. KZ calls it a “full-range boost”. They’ve added this in the past, but it makes the Zenith a bit more sensitive, among other things.

Subtle changesKZ Zenith Review Pic (28).jpg

For the critical listening I did have the first three switches on and the fourth switch off (1110). I simply like this configuration the most as it fits my preferences a bit better at the moment. Again, the switches are ridiculously easy to use and understand and they make subtle differences (3db sub-bass lift) in your listening session which is nice. However, the difference is not nearly enough to change the overall sound signature and not enough to steal the balance that the Zenith has. Make sure to use the switch tool provided in the packaging to flip the switches.

Fit / Comfort

Like always, I include this ridiculous section. It makes no sense to tell you all how the Zenith fits me when you and I are likely not the same. However, I should add that the Zenith fits me very well. I got a solid seal once I found tips which fit me perfectly and the weight distribution is great on this set. Basically, once they are in the ear the Zenith feels great. So, comfort is good. Now, it is an all-metal shell and so colder environments just be aware that the Zenith will also get very cold. Just some things to think about. I think they fit great but I’m not you.



KZ-Zenith-Review-Pic-64.jpg

The Zenith works well with most sources
The KZ Zenith performs well with many different source devices.


Drivability

Output Power

The KZ Zenith is a very sensitive set. Well, it’s not hard to drive. It is rated with an impedance of roughly about 41 ohms and a sensitivity of around 128 db’s. Give or take. This means that the Zenith is a very sensitive set. To an extent that is. No more sensitive than most iems at this cost, but sensitive enough for a smartphone, nonetheless. I even tried out my iPad briefly and had zero issues along with some Android tablets. Again, no issues, good headroom in volume too. However, as I suspected the Zenith most certainly scales to the power and ability of a stronger and better source. Without question the Zenith seems to get better with more juice and oddly enough, when I pump up the volume a bit. I almost always used the 4.4 balanced IcyMoon cable during listening effectively providing more power from my sources. The difference is better layering (to a degree), separation, cleaner and more punchy bass, deeper bass, more sparkly highs too. Now, I don’t want to lead you astray because using a 3.5 single ended cable on a good dongle dac will most certainly suffice as well. I simply have so many 4.4 balanced sources that it’s kind of my go to. I adore this set on the Shanling H0, EPZ TP50, as well as the Aful SnowyNight. It really sounds great paired with those CS43198 dac chips, it seems. So, rest assured at least with some good dongle dacs the Zenith sounds pretty awesome. However, medium gain on the iBasso DX240, Shanling M6 Ultra, Fiio Q15 and the Hiby R4 is where my listening really scaled. Particularly with the M6 Ultra. Really a wonderful pairing.

Source pairingKZ Zenith Review Pic (65).jpg

As far as source pairing, I found that any brighter source attached to the Zenith wasn’t to my liking. I have some cooler/brighter ESS Sabre dac/amps which tend to make the sound a hair artificial. Now, I used neutral sources like the iBasso DX240, EPZ TP50, TP35, among others and the pairing was pretty great for me. However, personally I enjoy a source closer to warm/neutral. This is why the M6 Ultra worked out so well and seemed to bring out the best in the Zenith, to my ears. I don’t think the Zenith is very picky though. You don’t have any crazy peaks which can get exaggerated by source tonality or coloration. The Zenith is right around neutral to warm/neutral (depending on switch orientation) and so they pair fairly well with most sources. Like I said, anything which leans brighter really didn’t agree with me. However, that’s me. You may feel totally different.

What do you need?

If I were you, I’d try to get my hands on a decent Dongle Dac. Personally, I like to give the Zenith more power as I do feel it helps to bring the most out of this set. However, I also feel the Zenith will reward your listening if you use better sources. This is a quality set folks, with a quality tuning, quality drivers too, and so you can push it a little bit. I don’t hear any undue distortions at high volumes and the Zenith seems to only get better with better source devices. So, try to get a decent Dongle Dac if you can. That said, if you cannot then please don’t think the Zenith won’t sound perfectly fine out of a smartphone or similar device.


KZ-Zenith-Review-Pic-9.jpg



Sound Impressions

*Note: Before I get into the reason why everyone is here, I want to first inform you all that I certainly did give the Zenith plenty of burn-in. Anywhere from 60-70 hours. Best guess. This involves simply leaving it connected to my burn-in station for days on end. I honestly don’t feel this helped all that much, but also, it was days in between listening so take it all with a grain of salt. I always burn-in for reviews whether it helps or not. My critical listening switch settings were “1110”, for the most part. Also, I use flac or better files stored on my devices for all critical listening. Most of my devices have UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) installed on them which is my preferred music player app. Of course, some dongles I use Hiby Music Player as well as Poweramp at times too. Beyond those things, I did use KBear 07 tips and cable swapped to the IcyMoon 4.4 balanced cable.

How does it sound?

The KZ Zenith has a nicely balanced tuning. Lately we’ve seen a more balanced and mature approach than previous years from KZ and it’s a very nice change of pace. I hear a mostly organic sound out of the Zenith, leaning natural. Also, I’d probably say that the Zenith has a U-shaped sound signature. Now, the bass is slightly emphasized, mids don’t sound recessed or distant and the treble has a smooth and semi brilliant emphasis of its own. What that correlates to is a solid dynamic balance, which is great to hear. However, couple that with very nice texture, spatial imaging, and even some layering of the sound field and what you get is a very well-tuned single dynamic driver earphone. I’d say the Zenith is smoother than it is crisp, but it’s not without crispness and adequate snap for certain instrumentation. There seems to be a very nice symmetry across the mix, or a symphonic parity with the Zenith. However, that’s just another way of telling you that there’s a balance. Furthermore, I hear no one frequency which really dominates the spectrum. There isn’t any one focal point to my ears. The focal point is the whole spectrum in melodic cohesion. A single dynamic driver portraying each area of the mix with very nice continuity, clean lines, natural transients, and with subtle contrasting dynamics to the sound which never magnify edginess, peakiness, sibilance or shout. This balance helps with imaging, detail retrieval, and note separation when paired with the Zenith’s solid driver control. Is the Zenith the best KZ single DD? Um… yes!

A new philosophy? KZ Zenith Review Pic (46).jpg

As far as tonal coloration goes, I find the Zenith to be anywhere from neutral to warm/neutral depending on your switch settings. The Zenith has a mostly unsullied sound, while at the same time I hear a very nice and natural note weight. Nothing too thick, and nothing too thin. Also, there’s nothing veiled and nothing too strident. Like I said earlier, it’s natural sounding, with a more organic constitution and again, no crazy peaks to disjoint that balance I keep talking about. Panning out and looking at the Zenith as a whole, I think this tuning is refreshing for a brand like KZ, as in the past KZ had slightly different tuning, but also the driver tech is getting better. Now it’s about maturity, control, glass lined definition and a more balanced distribution of the frequency. So, you won’t hear that screaming treble adding undue brightness and forced resolution. Also, you won’t hear that bulbous bass muddying up the mix or recessed and less pronounced mids. It’s a very even keeled tuning with nicely taut notes which meander through just about every track with solid control (for an under $100 single DD) and a higher-res depiction of my music library. This is what updated drivers, and a more balanced philosophy will afford you. At least that’s how I hear it.

Nice resolution

I hear a layered sound with clean note outlines, which comes across mostly rounded in body, giving off the illusion of dimensionality. I also hear good texture to the sound. From the low-end through to the treble each frequency range has some actual texture. It isn’t some flat, dull, deadpanned and anemic sound. Less soft note edges, nothing pillowy, wooly, hazy, and nothing grainy with seemingly no overlapping or blended notes. Instead, the Zenith has solid note density while also being able to take on complicated tracks rather well. Certainly, much better than I would’ve thought. Once again, very nice note definition and clarity along with a heightened resolution. Is it a detail beast? Well, no, it’s not exactly that. The Zenith most definitely is not an analytical style sound. However, the Zenith has a sharper note contour than we are used to hearing which does aid resolution making details and other technical aspects of the sound easier to hear.

*Note: the below graph only shows the Zenith without the bass witches enabled using the “0000” switch configuration. My critical listening was completed using “1110”. Basically, picture about 3dbs of extra low-end emphasis.

Zenith Graph
Graph courtesy of Paul Wasabii, Thank You!

Zenith is handsome



Bass Region

The bass region is one which won’t win any basshead awards and won’t appeal to your inner “guilty pleasure” style need for some raucous bass. It isn’t basshead. The low-end sounds like it’s moderately lifted, it’s somewhat guttural and adequately deep in extension and it has some slam too. But that has more to do with emphasis. What the Zenith does well is keep a very nicely controlled bass. Certainly, quality over quantity. The low end is punchy, tightly wound, and reasonably pronounced while never encroaching upon the midrange in a detrimental manner. No doubt the bass does glide right into the midrange in a very subtle manner adding a touch of warmth and body to notes. Nothing egregious though. The bass has some fast-twitch snap to it, good clarity for the cost, and a more tactile nature to it. Not the type which makes its presence felt within each region but more so shows up when called upon. Even with all three bass switches flipped “on”. You are only adding roughly 3dbs of extra lift and so you never really get a dominant bass region. That doesn’t make it bad though. Not even close. No sir, the low-end has some real speed to it as it can take on quicker bass tracks with conviction yet at the same time, I don’t feel that transients are lightning quick or anything like that. There’s a natural decay. Again, the bass does carry some density along with palpable and rounded notes. I haven’t heard anything that I’d consider one-noted either. Just a clean bass. Just enough muscle and authority. Of course it won’t be for everyone, but those who enjoy a nicely balanced low-end with solid definition should enjoy the Zenith.

Sub-Bass

Like I said, the sub-levels of the low-end don’t grumble and rumble to the deepest extents of the frequency. The sub-bass can get guttural when a track calls for it though. It’s simply not bass-boi in the way it performs those tracks. Plenty satisfying for me though. Maybe not the best for a convincing double bass all the time, but very well controlled, nonetheless. That said, there’s plenty of weight and droning depth for the bass guitars in “Kick It” by Collective Soul or “I Still Exist” by White Denim. I get that haptic judder, that tactile feel to these tracks and even some substantial enough fullness. Yet what strikes me the most is how tailored and formed each note is. Nice timbre too. Again, nothing that is going to rattle your eyeballs. Remember, this is a balanced tuning here. So, I could see some folks yearning for a more deeply shuddering and quavering sub level bass, but I am perfectly happy. What’s nice is how well contoured and detailed this region is and that detailed approach enters in a linear manner right into the mid-bass. Really a nicely done job here by KZ. I know it’s tempting to tune some extra meat into this region but that would also throw off what makes this set special. Not bad at all.

Mid-Bass

Just like the sub-bass, the mid-bass has a moderate level of convexity and bullish slam. Yet it can still rise to the occasion and hit pretty hard for my tastes. Granted, I like most any sound signature. Yet the mid-bass can at times scratch that itch. Listen to Ice Cube‘s “So Sensitive”. Friends, it is so very satisfying. The Zenith hits those exact and pronounced bass drops with exactness and some real nice punch. It has that tacky snap on attack yet with a meaty fundamental tone. Edgy note outlines encase the body to each sonorous and deep-toned beat. To add to that, the Zenith shows off a perfectly clean surrounding Melody, well separated, and each note sounds distinct. I’m telling you this is a quality low-end. “The Hardest Part” by Washed Out is another which shows the Zenith’s ability to show up when called upon. However, it doesn’t just minimally show up. What the Zenith does is hit each bass guitar with fullness and mass. There’s a fast twitch density that the Zenith has which never seems to overstay its welcome. So no, it isn’t the most robust of mid-bass replays, but it contrasts the other regions wonderfully and does so in a very clean manner, with great note definition, great texture, and that hard and precise punch which is nice to hear.

Downsides to the Bass Region

Of course, the downside is the same downside that I’ve been talking about within the last few paragraphs. Like I said, the Zenith won’t be for everyone. If you need, require, and absolutely have to have a meaty and booming low-end then the Zenith won’t be for you. Even with all bass switches turned on. In fact, those switches don’t affect the balance at all in my opinion. Furthermore, I’d say the bass switches turned on provides the best balance. Without them the sound veers into slightly bright territory yet stays within the bounds of what I’d call neutral. At any rate, I digress. The truth is that the Zenith is not a heavy hitter and certainly could use a few more db’s down low. For those who desire a hint more warmth, some deeper and more bullish sub-bass, a more rotund and resonance-fueled listening session. Those folks probably will want to keep looking. No doubt there’s no shortage of heavy hitters in the price range. However, I cannot in good faith knock what KZ did here. I think it’s a fantastic bass region for many reasons. Well, resolved, well defined, well textured, and enough weight to play most any genre convincingly.


The KZ Zenith and the iBasso DX240



Midrange

The midrange on the KZ Zenith is a story of neutrality with a touch of warmth, cleanliness, streamlined, glass-lined, and clean-lined musicality with plenty of technical chops for most folks. Really nice for a single dynamic driver earphone. If there was a focal point to this set, it would likely be the midrange. Something I don’t usually say in a KZ iem. I like how the midrange is not pushed back into the sound field, but instead it is rendered a bit closer to the listener. This does a few things, but most importantly it helps vocalists to sound well highlighted against the rest of the track. Also, vocals are perfectly centered at all times unless a recording tells it otherwise. However, the midrange capitalizes on the awesome control that this Driver-X is able to provide my music. From the low-mids to the upper-mids the sound is very clean, and I hear an almost holographic or 3D presentation. I’d actually say that this is one of the better tuned midrange performances that KZ has come up with and certainly the best from any of their single dynamic driver earphones. Very precise without losing the emotional pull that some tracks need.

Musical/Technical

Certainly, there are more musical midranges from some other sets out there. However, the Zenith has this awesome knack for being one part musically driven and one part technically adept. The technical side comes from the awesome clarity that the Zenith possesses along with this highly resolving and tight note delivery. Not to mention the staging is really nice on this set. There’s also a non-abrasive controlled and acute sharpness to most notes along with a mostly black background. Together the Zenith seems to pronounce the clarity really well. Yet it still has an emotionally gratifying feel to any song which requires it. So definitely the Zenith doesn’t lack musicality at all in my opinion. Also, the Zenith shows off a nice technical ability. Detail retrieval is very good in the midrange. Separation of instruments and vocalists is also very solid. Imaging and placement of elements within the sound field along with nice layering of sounds is also very well done. This Driver-X is obviously a very nice driver, and I feel that KZ got the most out of it.

Lower-Midrange

The low-mids are not the type which are overly aided by warmth cast upon them from the bass region. You won’t hear the thickest or most rich sounding low-mids either. Be that as it may, I don’t hear anything thin or papery either. There’s an element of moistness to the sound, very nice timbre, and etched-out lean muscle mass which helps to provide a semi-rich note body that has good contrast to it. It’d be one thing if the sound was frail, or dry, or dull and boring. But it’s none of those things. The song “How it Feels” by Zayn is great with the Zenith in my ears. His voice is hearty, raspy, and sentimental in his artistic expression which almost sounds blues influenced. The Zenith portrays his voice very well, great presence in the mix, each lingering breath is heard. Every up and down harmonic shift in his voice comes through with that rasp, semi-rich but well bodied, and the emotion is not lost on the Zenith. It’s a similar story for most male singers within the region. They have just enough weighted authority to sound like males but also, they come across nicely etched against the backdrop of a track. I know there are plenty of people who desire warm, thick, and lush in this region but for a balanced approach the Zenith is very nice.

Upper-Midrange

The upper-mids have a very easy lift in the pinna rise. Such a nice and gradual climb. Man, KZ did a nice job in “not” tuning the Zenith with more of a tight vertical pinna climb, and they kept the pinna rise in nice balance with the bass. Really nice to hear. I say that because this region has a natural helping of shimmer, natural level of levity to female voices, just enough sparkle for instrumentation. Certainly, the upper-mids are a hair more forward and present than the low-mids. They are tuned with a touch more vibrance and energy. All the same, I never feel like the Zenith veers towards shout. There’s a point where an iem can go past. An imaginary ceiling, if you will. Where a set can go from shimmery with controlled vivacity, to artificially boosted and glaring. The Zenith never does that, it never seems to cross that line. It does gain some extra luminance with the bass switches turned off, but it’s never outright sharp to my ears. The timbre remains intact, hovering around natural, colored towards neutral, clean as can be. Females have just enough weight for their voices too. Norah Jones sings her hit “Don’t Know Why” and the Zenith just eats this track up. Her voice is so well pronounced, breathy, feathered into the melody surrounding her so nicely to my ears with the Zenith. Every inflection, every nuance of her silky voice is heard. So, females do very well.

Instruments

Most midrange instruments come across organic, closer to natural. This region is so well contoured with each note, very taut, tight, and glass-lined. You can hear every last intonation to every instrument. I like that notes are relatively tight without losing out on harmonics. Like I said earlier, there’s a natural transient behavior on the Zenith. Strings generally have a slight sharpness or satisfying abrasiveness when needed along with a very woody and natural resonance to them. Acoustic guitar decays with such a nice and earthy sustained harmonic. Violin is similar, at times, though violin play can also sound silvery, mellifluous and always with nice projection and intonation of the timbre. Percussion has that snap I was talking about. Not to an ultra-energetic or vibrant extent, but there’s some crisp snap on attack. I hear nice body to percussion as well, they aren’t dulled or hollow. Really all instruments benefit from the Zenith so long as they don’t require a ridiculously deep bass. Honestly, the midrange instruments all sound nice for a single DD at this price. Very clean, with the right amount of sharpness, very precise without sounding dry and clinical, or too analytical. Sure, piano could use a hint more warmth but still can sound resounding when it needs to and always seemingly very tuneful. I am not going through every Instrument here as it takes too long, too generalized, and every track can display them differently. That said, I am very happy with the timbre and the overall natural tinge to my music.

Downsides to the Midrange

The biggest gripe that I can hear would be the fact that the midrange doesn’t have that warm, lush, and rich timbre that so many desire. Note weight is not going to be thick and weighted. You won’t hear that ultra-authoritative male voice. Granted, I don’t mind it at all but I’m not you. I’d also say that anyone who desires an even more analytical style sound may want to keep looking. Those who are absolute detail lovers, those who tend to like a more bright, thinner and more clinical sound may want to look at other options. The Zenith is somewhere in the middle. Good at all aspects but not really a true master of any. Truthfully, I love what KZ did here and it’s a breath of fresh air to my ears. At least from a tuning standpoint. Yes, it could use a little of this here, and a little of that there, but altogether I find the midrange on the Zenith is probably the jewel of the tuning. Not bad at all.


KZ-Zenith-Review-Pic-68.jpg



Treble Region

This brings us to the treble region. I feel the Zenith does well for a single DD at trying to replicate a tough region to get right. Probably the toughest to get right. Especially for a single dynamic driver. The Zenith does have some treble bite to notes, some crispness too. Without question this is not a treble head’s delight, however. KZ added just enough influence from this region to counter the bass, to bring levity to the rest of the mix, to add enough openness to the sound, and enough to illuminate some details. Truth is that the treble is actually quite good. I like that there is plenty of brilliance in the treble to provide levity to the rest of the mix. When you add in the fact that note definition is also very well defined, notes also have at least some semblances of roundness to them. Granted, the treble is smoother than it isn’t as there’s certainly some limitations to a single DD. However, the Zenith actually has some presence of treble punch and some slight haptic recognition as well. There is some feel to notes, almost like some notes are embossed within that smoothness. I don’t want to oversell here either. You won’t get the type of technical treble that you’d get from a good balanced armature, planar, EST, or some piezo drivers. But you will get solid timbre and very nice tonality from the Zenith along with perfect cohesion which is just as important to me.

It fits…

There’s an uplifting quality to this region with plenty of sparkle, while never forcing it down our throats. So often we hear artificially boosted treble in an attempt to glean some details with forced resolution, all to extract the subtleties from music. It’s something that KZ themselves have done quite a bit in the past. Now, that type of tuning has its fans and it isn’t all bad, but by-and-large with an overly boosted treble you’ll likely have some sharpness. One thing I can say for sure is that the KZ Zenith never seems to step over that line for me. I don’t hear anything too harsh or piercing for my tastes. Yes, the treble is boosted, but not to the point of annoyance, and not even close to artificially boosted. Again, it all goes back to the balance. Across the spectrum nothing stands out as a surefire focal point of this set and the treble is no different. I’d actually say it’s boosted just enough to fit the overall character of this set as the treble just… fits.

Technically astute

Beyond the emphasis I am also pretty impressed with the Zenith’s technical ability up top. For one, I hear some nice extension into the upper treble. Stuff like the secondary harmonics of a cymbal strike never sound splashy, tizzy, or tinny. I don’t ever get that washed out treble tizz from this set. Also, I can hear those harmonics pretty well. The extension isn’t game changing or anything but it’s solid enough to stretch the stage a bit and provide some of that info which gets lost on so many budget iems. Of course, there are iems which are literally tuned to illuminate the highest of highs a lot better and I’m sure treble heads already know all about those sets. So, no… the Zenith isn’t perfect and if I’ve sounded as though I’m saying that then please forgive me. This is an under $100 single DD and expectations should be corralled a bit. Again, it has its limitations. Nevertheless, for what it is, the Zenith does a fine job with reaching out past 10k and not coming across exaggerated or too intense. Also, detail retrieval is quite nice. Certainly not the best and KZ didn’t exactly tune this set to extract every last detail, but there are so many instances where the Zenith surprised me. The micro-dynamic subtle volume shifts and micro-details can be heard nicely so long as the track isn’t too complicated, too congested, or ultra bass heavy. Separation of instruments is once again good as well.

Downsides to the Treble Region

I’d say the biggest downside will be for those treble heads who love a shiny treble with all the bite, punch, and roundness that they can get. I feel the Zenith is great for what it is, but it won’t make those people happy. Also, dark treble lovers or those who desire a rolled-off treble will not find that here. I know so many folks who are very sensitive to any brightness, and I do think that the Zenith can exhibit enough brilliance to be a problem for them. Especially in the “0000” configuration. That all said, I find it hard to criticize what KZ was able to do here. I feel they did a solid job tuning a treble which works nicely with the rest of the mix and doesn’t induce fatigue. Not for me anyways.

Such a cool faceplate design

KZ Zenith Review Pic (96).jpg


Technicalities

Soundstage

I’d say that the KZ Zenith has a nice sized stage. I’d say it’s roughly average to above average in overall perceived size and grandeur. However, the Zenith has a more Intimate stage. It’s wide, and tall, nothing congested, and there’s good space between instruments, very nice layering of sounds too. Yet the stage is a little closer to the listener. The midrange isn’t really recessed but instead it’s pushed a hint forward which makes things a hair more intimate. That said, I really like the way the sound field comes across for my music library. It is not some vast and enormous stadium sized venue in my head. Of course, I don’t know many iems that will give you a huge stage. But size isn’t the greatest determination of what makes a soundstage “good”, in my opinion. Much has to do with spacing, depth, and layering too. Thankfully the Zenith actually has good depth. At least enough to perceive layers within my music. Obviously, not all types and genres are filled with layers, but if they are there, the Zenith will usually reciprocate. One thing is for sure, I don’t hear a stage that sounds compressed, or blended and nothing sounds congested. For the most part it’s a nicely laid out stage.

Separation / Imaging

Another bright spot to this high-budget oriented single DD is that it actually has some nice instrument separation and imaging. Both skills come across very well on the Zenith. Again, this is a very competent driver with a solid tuning. The balance alone helps tremendously for the Zenith to sound well separated with partitioned-off elements of the soundstage. I hear very nice layering of sounds for the cost of the Zenith too. Certainly, better than I expected. You have great clarity, high resolution, clean transients, a nice stage size, very nice macro-dynamics, and you have a mostly black background which all comes together to help the Zenith in separation. Imaging follows suit with very well-placed elements of the stage. Vocals are always centered well. At least that I paid attention to. Really a nice job on KZ’s part with these two important attributes to the sound.

Detail Retrieval

Once again, I have nothing bad to say about the Zenith for detail retrieval. For all the reasons it’s solid in separation of instruments, it is also solid in illuminating the subtleties and bringing the details to the surface. Obviously on seriously congested or complicated tracks you won’t hear the finest details, or in heavy bass driven music also. That should go without saying. Also, single DD’s are already at a slight disadvantage when it comes to resolving tiny details and all technicalities for that matter. Yet when tuned well, like the Zenith is tuned, you may just be surprised. Certainly, the Zenith is above average in its ability to retrieve details.


KZ-Zenith-Review-Pic-8.jpg



Comparison

Comparison between the Zenith and the Kima 2
Dunu Kima 2 / KZ Zenith


Dunu Kima 2 ($119)

Kima 2 for comparison

The Dunu Kima 2 (Kima 2 Review) is one of those sets which really surprised me. Truly a timbre beast which provides some of the most natural timbre available for the cost. I have so many comparisons which I could pull but the Kima 2 seems like the perfect set to pair the Zenith against. Yes, it is more expensive, but I think the two are right in line with each other on sheer ability. Now, the Kima 2 is also a single dynamic driver earphone which consists of a 10mm DLC dynamic driver and one of the better unboxing experiences that $100 can afford. Now, the Kima 2 is part of the Kima series of iems which has been a major win for Dunu. Really each iem in this series has been a hit. However, it’s the Kima 2 which took the series to the next level and one that I personally really enjoy. Let’s look at some differences.

Differences

To begin, the build of both sets is off the charts. I do find the Zenith to have the “seemingly” better build, but that’s by a micro-fraction. Both are truly built awesome. The design of both is also equally great in my opinion. However, I personally enjoy the look of the Zenith here too. Again, I love them both, but the Zenith design is simply too intricate and unique to not give it the nod. Now, as far as unboxing experiences go, I definitely think the Kima 2 wins out. They provide a really nice modular cable, awesome case and a truck load of eartips. Not that the Zenith is bad, but the Kima 2 is on another level. Perhaps that’s where the cost increase goes. Again, the Kima 2 is a little bit more expensive than the original MSRP of the Zenith ($99). However, remember that right now you can get it for only $55. If it was me, that would seal the deal between the two. Still, I have to measure each other against the actual MSRP. So far, these two are really neck and neck for me. Let’s check out the sound difference between both sets.

Sound Differences

To begin, both iems are very similar. It isn’t until you spend quality time comparing that you hear the distinct differences. Anyways, the Zenith has a more guttural, and more well defined low-end with a slightly cleaner approach. Note that this is with the bass switches turned on. Without the bass switches it is hard to tell a difference other than the slightly denser bass of the Zenith. As far as midranges go, the Kima 2 truly specializes in its ability to render vocals beautifully and so it does have the edge there. Slightly more realistic timbre, more natural by a slight degree too. However, the Zenith is a better balance of technically adept and musical. Most certainly better detail retrieval, slightly better layering of sounds too, slightly more open. The treble is also a hair more pronounced on the Zenith. A touch more airy, better bite and more crispness. While the Kima 2 shows off a wonderfully smooth and non-offensive sounding treble, the Zenith adds a touch more bite. Both sets have very nice extension into the upper treble and neither sounds splashy. Technically the Zenith seems to win out here. But man is it by the slightest of margins. On the flipside, the Kima 2 wins out for timbre and tonality. The Zenith and the Kima 2 both have nice soundstage, but the Zenith has a touch more depth.

Final thoughts on this comparison

I felt this was an appropriate comparison. Both iems are absolute baller sets for their respective prices. Both have their own sway to the sound which sets them apart. It really comes down to whether you want to pay more for a more timbre accurate and wholly musical iem that doesn’t even sniff at being offensive in the Kima 2 and a better unboxing, awesome cable. Or do you want a less expensive and completely clean, punchy, well defined and resolute iem in the Zenith. Also, better details on the Zenith while not missing out in musicality. Again, these differences are so very slight. Also, it would change by the day which one I like more. I guess it depends on my mood. Both sets are personally highly recommended by me (if that means anything) and both are very nice sets for any collection.

Kima 2 & Zenith Graph Comparison
Graph courtesy of Paul Wasabii, Thank You very much!!

KZ Zenith Review Pic (7).JPG


Is it worth the asking price?

The $55 sale price and $99 MSRP are both absolutely worth the cost of ownership. There’s no doubt in my mind. I’m telling you; the KZ Zenith is a very high caliber set for the cost. At $55 it is one of the more insane no brainer that I’ve come across. Akin to the Kefine Klean (Klean Review) in how awesome that price is. Only the Zenith is actually more refined to my ears. Which is saying a lot because the Kefine Klean is a wonderful iem. Anyways, the KZ Zenith does have a boatload of iems which all hustle for your dollar. So many great single DD’s like the Simgot EA500LM (EA500LM Review), the Kefine Delci AE (Delci AE Review), the Fiio JD7 (JD7 Review), the Dunu Kima 2 (Kima 2 Review) is close in price too. I could sit here for a while naming off quality sets. However, there’s also planars, a couple all-BA sets, and some very nice hybrids, dual/triple DD sets etc. which occupy this space. Sets like the Shanling Tino (Tino Review), the QOA Mimosa (Mimosa Reviewc), Artti R1 (R1 Review), Letshuoer DZ4 (DZ4 Review), ivipQ Q14 Shanhai (soon to be reviewed), Simgot EW300 (EW300 Review) and the list goes on and on. So, no shortage of competition. However, I do think the Zenith is set apart a little bit and I’ll try to make that case below.

The Why…

Because the build quality is truly second to none at this price point. Whether at $55 or $99 the Zenith is built like it should cost three times as much. I am so impressed at the all-metal build! The intricately laid out faceplate is so stellar! Just holding them in your hands feels like a premium set. KZ also updated the driver to the brand new (also stellar) Driver-X. It’s the new ultra-linear driver made in house by KZ and folks, it’s very nice. In fact, the driver is one of the largest reasons why the Zenith performs the way it does (yes, I’m captain obvious). Also take into account the dip-switches. You have a nice unboxing too. You may want to upgrade the cable, but the presentation is nice. There is quite a bit more upgrades they made to make the Zenith what it is.

That sound!!

However, as always, it’s the sound which truly takes this set and sets it apart. Now, I’m not saying it’s the best in the price point. Though the Zenith does have a case for it if you enjoy the sound signature. It has a very clean, tidy, very punchy bass that keeps up well with complicated tracks. I hear awesome texture out of the bass. Really well done. Next, you have a forward and pristine midrange with a natural note weight, clean transients, non-offensive and good for vocalists. I hear solid details, Imaging, and separation with nice layering for a single DD at this price. Also, the treble has nice extension, has its fair share of treble bite and punch with just enough crispness while displaying a mostly smooth and easy listening treble region. Yet it’s how this set brings it altogether which helps it to really make its mark. Great technically, still very musically gifted too though. Now, besides a slight lack in bass weight and depth, the sound is super clean, black background, highly resolute, and almost perfectly balanced. I gotta say, the Zenith is a very nice offering and if you can get it for $55 then it is a wild steal. Without question the Zenith is worth every last penny.

Zenith paired with the Hiby R4

KZ Zenith Review Pic (108).jpg


Ratings (0-10)

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the KZ Zenith ratings below, that would be $50-$99 single dynamic driver earphones. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $50-$99 single dynamic driver sets are a fairly large sized scope of iems. So, It should be noteworthy to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic

Build Quality: 9.9 Well built, 3D printed, clean build

Look: 9.8 Very unique and cool design.

Fit/Comfort: 9.1 Fit and comfort is very good for me.

Accessories: 8.9 One of the best KZ unboxing experiences.

Overall: 9.4🔥

Sound Rating

Timbre: 9.3 Great timbre.

Bass: 9.3 Punchy, textured, clean.

Midrange: 9.4 Highly detailed, great clarity, tuneful.

Treble: 9.3 Non-Offensive, sparkly, extended well.

Technicalities: 9.3 Technically astute iem, great details.

Musicality: 9.0 Musicality is nice, rhythmic sound.

Overall: 9.3🔥🔥🔥

Ratings Summary:

To summarize my ratings for the KZ Zenith I should point out what I said in the note before this section. I said that I’m rating the KZ Zenith against any single dynamic driver earphones between the price of $50 and $99. I would have gone higher but I’m not sure what the final price will be. I’m quite positive that KZ will likely keep it under $60 but I’m simply not sure. So, it made sense to me to go from $50 to $99. I had all of the better single DD iems within this price point right in front of me to complete this rating, which is helpful to have. I listen to a track for each rating category and go through each set quickly to establish some fairly fast ratings. It usually takes me about 1-2 hours. I actually enjoy this portion of every review. That said, I don’t advise that you take these ratings as gold. They are not. They are one man’s opinion. A biased opinion at that. Ratings never made much sense to me as all of the nuance and intricacies don’t get addressed and so many people base buying decisions off of ratings. Of course, they have their place, and I love “best-of” ranking lists. However, take these ratings above as a grain of salt. In fact, skip ahead.

Explain Yourself!!

Without a doubt the most flak I get over any ratings… is always the “Bass” rating. I could certainly see that happening on this set. I gave the Zenith a “9.3”, which is high. Why did I give the Zenith a “9.3”? Well, it wasn’t for its quantity, I can tell you that. I gave it that score because of how nicely refined the bass is. You have actual good texture, clean attack through decay, well defined, not even close to one-noted, and able to resolve subtleties within the region better than most sets under $100. There are a couple sets I had rated either the same or higher but a “9.3” is great and the Zenith deserves it… in my humble opinion. The rest of the ratings speak for themselves, and I don’t think they need explanation. If you read my review, then you’ll know why I scored the Zenith so high against other single DD’s.

One more thing, friends, try to remember the lot of iems I am rating the Zenith against. So often I get messages asking about why I rate a set so high by people who never take the time to read the note above this section. Remember, I am not rating the Zenith against any and every driver configuration. Only against other single DD’s. This drastically changes the rating as the pool of sets is so much smaller. Not a big deal though but I feel I need to explain myself a bit. I’m definitely considering stopping these ratings.

A gorgeous iem
What a handsome set. This design is insanely cool.


Conclusion

Thank you!

To conclude my full written review and feature of the KZ Zenith, I first have to thank the people of Knowledge Zenith for providing the Zenith for review. I also want to personally thank Tyvan Lam. Thank you very much, KZ is truly doing awesome! Also, I want to thank you, the reader, for clicking the link and spending time here. Mobileaudiophile.com survives off of clicks and we really want to grow our reach. To do that we need to get in line with the Google algorithm. However, to do that we need clicks and time spent from you. I promise you it means the world to us. Thank you. Also, I really do hope it helps you. I cannot say that I review without bias, but I definitely tell you exactly how I feel about any and every product that I feature. I know I can say the same for my partners. Mobileaudiophile.com is a place where you can go for a truthful opinion. Thank you.

Other Perspectives

Now that you’ve read this review, I encourage you to go and check out other thoughts. Friends, this is very important. Get other perspectives from other people. We are so very different. Each one of us. Just because I enjoy something doesn’t mean that the next guy will, or that you will. I give you my opinion. Granted, that opinion comes from many reviews, but it’s an opinion, nonetheless. I will always see other reviewers who differ from me. Guess what… that’s okay. In fact, I wouldn’t have it any other way. We want you to find what works for you and if figuring that out means looking at 5-7 reviews, then good. You figured it out. So, with that all said I think I’m done. Please comment below any questions that you may have, and I’ll be happy to answer. I don’t always see those questions but eventually I’ll get to them. Beyond that, please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!

KZ Zenith Review Pic (97).jpg

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
KZ Sonata Review
Pros: -Build Quality is pretty nice

-Nice unboxing for a KZ set (is this a pro?)

-14 BA’s coherently working for the price of $149, pretty awesome

-Very nicely balanced sound (depending on the switches)

-Working switches add quite a bit to the low-end

-Fast, tight, punchy low-end, very well defined

-Vocals are very nice, natural sound

-Crisp and extended highs

-Highly detailed

-Wide, tall, and relatively deep soundstage
Cons: -Design may not be for everyone

-Shells are the large KZ mold, may be too large for smaller ears

-Those who detest switches may not like what KZ has done here

-No 4.4 balanced cable option

-Lacks the bass depth of a dynamic driver (to an extent)

-Can be bright in certain switch settings

KZ Sonata Review

By: Chris Love



Sonata Featured Image


Sonata

KZ Sonata Review

Intro

Today I have with me the KZ Sonata ($149), from KZ Audio. The Sonata is actually an all-balanced armature earphone. Well, there’s more to that, actually, the Sonata has 14 balanced armature drivers per side. Yes, you read that right, that’s “14” balanced armature drivers. The second I found out about the Sonata I was beyond thrilled to hear them, so naturally I am also pretty excited to explain my thoughts about them. I have reviewed a mountain of KZ/CCA earphones in the past and I can say with complete assurance that the Sonata is without question KZ’s most ambitious earphone to date. Did I mention it has 14 BA’s per side? That’s, cray-cray. Ya know, usually I write my intros prior to even having the earphones in hand, it’s something I enjoy doing in anticipation of receiving the product. That said, I didn’t even know I was receiving the Sonata at all. In fact, I didn’t know the Sonata even existed. Not until I opened the very nice packaging and saw that KZ once again “upped the ante”. Marketed as the perfect earphone for the novice as well as seasoned musicians. It has tuning switches, upgraded cable, better tips, better case. However, I’ll cover that later. The point is, the Sonata was a big surprise for me.

A lot to live up to…

Now, the Sonata comes hot on the heels of one of my personal favorite earphones above $100 in the KZ AS24 Pro (AS24 Pro Review), and let’s not forget the KZ AS24 (AS24 Review). Without question the Sonata has a lot to live up to as the AS24 Pro is a true testament to KZ’s ingenuity and willingness to push the boundaries of what is possible inside of a small housing. Well, the housing is actually quite large for an in-ear monitor. However, the fact that KZ squeezed two more BA’s inside of that housing is pretty awesome. I’d also state with complete assurance that another one of KZ/CCA’s best iems to date is the CCA Hydro (Hydro Review). Have you heard that set? Friends, it’s an absolutely wonderful sounding hybrid iem and I couldn’t sing its praises enough. So, between the likes of the KZ AS24, AS24 Pro, and the Hydro, I really feel strongly that the Sonata has a lot to live up to and should likely be an upgrade to them all.

Good position

I’m not going to push this intro too far, keep it short, less word babble. However, I do need to speak on a few things. First, the price of $149 is a hotly contested price point. No doubt about that. However, one thing that the $149 price point is missing is… all BA iems. You don’t see them all that often. Well, you don’t see non-KZ all-BA iems very often under $150. It’s sort-of a rarity which places the Sonata in a unique position against the current crop of contenders. We see a ton of single dynamic driver earphones, hybrid earphones too. Yet there are only a handful of all-BA iems in this price point. Whether that’s single BA sets, or multi-BA sets. KZ has been one of the few brands willing to bring-to-market all balanced armature earphones at a cheaper price. I think a lot has to do with the fact that they source their own drivers, create it all in their own factories and cut out all of the middlemen. Something that I don’t think many people know. With that in mind, I feel the Sonata is in a very good position as far as competition is concerned. Also, with that said, I think I’m ready to get into this review. The KZ Sonata…

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

KZ-audio
Amazon

Disclaimer:

I received the KZ Sonata from KZ Audio as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. KZ Audio has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to KZ Audio, and thanks for reading.


Sonata


BASN Metalen Pro Review Pic (23).jpg


Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

EPZ TP35

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra



Sonata
KZ Sonata looking all fly with its included upgrade cable!



Packaging / Accessories

Unboxing

Well, the KZ Sonata came to my home in a much larger box than I usually see from KZ. The 1st thing you’ll notice is the giant picture of the Sonata adoring the black sleeve cover. On the back of the sleeve is some specs, a couple frequency graphs, and some stats as well. Nothing out of the ordinary. Take off the sleeve and you’ll get an almost blank black box besides a small KZ logo in the middle. Obviously made very well and not some cheapo box being used. Open the lid and the Sonata are sitting to the right/top within foam cut-outs. Below the earphones you’ll see the assortment of eartips in a nicely packaged tray. To the left is a larger box which houses the carrying case. Take out the carrying case, open it up and you’ll see two different cables (I’ll explain later) as well as a dip-switch tool. All things considered; the unboxing is nice. Certainly, better than we are used to seeing from KZ and very nice at the $149 price point.

Sonata Packaging
KZ put together a very nice unboxing for the Sonata.


Eartips

Sonata Eartips

So, KZ added in a total of seven pairs of eartips. They provide four pairs (S, M, L, L) of slow-rise foam eartips which are of high enough quality. I don’t usually use foamies unless I absolutely have to, but these are quite nice. The next type of tips are three pairs (S, M, L) of KZ’s highly enjoyed KZ Starline tips. I actually really do enjoy using Starline tips when they are needed. However, I feel for my own comfort and sound enjoyment I went instead with KBear 07 eartips. If any of you have read any of my reviews, then you know that the good ole’ KBear 07 tips fit me like a glove, and I love what they generally do for the sound with any set of earphones. They are just a little bit more robust at the flange then the Starlines which seals better in my ears. You may be entirely different. Also, the 07’s seem to add just a touch more punchiness to the low-end while opening up the upper mids to a degree. Just more of an edge to the sound, more crispness. Of course, I do feel that each one of you should check out every tip you have in your arsenal to get the sound closest to your preferences.

Carrying Case

Sonata Carrying Case

One thing we aren’t used to seeing is an actual carrying case with KZ models. So, the Sonata comes with a very nice faux leather zipper case which is of good size and very nice looking too. It comes in a deep blue color which contrasts nicely the silver zipper. It’s a nice case folks. Plenty large enough to house the Sonata earphones, the cable, some eartips, and maybe a small dongle dac. Great for throwing into a bag and not having to worry about anything becoming damaged. It’s a nice case and not one I would have expected to see with the Sonata.


Cables

Sonata Cables

KZ provides not just one, but two cables with the KZ Sonata. That’s right, one is the regular KZ QDC style SPC cable that we see so often with their products. The next cable is KZ’s own upgrade cable. The upgrade cable is a 784 core fairly fat cable which can be purchased separately by the way. It is a mostly white/silver cable with blue accents making it a very attractive cable for the Sonata. Both cables come in 3.5 single ended terminations, both are QDC style 2-pin, and both are silver plated copper cables. I’m fairly positive about that last sentence. So, both cables are very useful. The regular KZ white opaque cable which we see with every KZ set actually has a microphone and a switch on it to control different things while listening. However, one thing I rarely hear anything about is that the KZ “mic” cable actually records the human voice pretty darn well. I don’t want to go crazy about this, but my voice comes through fairly naturally. Just an added little tidbit which I don’t think ever gets spoken of. I suppose I only ever get the “non-mic” versions and so I usually don’t get the opportunity to check out the mic quality.

What did I use?

Having said all of that, I actually went with an entirely different cable for my listening. Folks, I went through a multitude of cables trying to find the perfect pairing in a budget form. Basically, I didn’t want to spend 8 thousand dollars finding a good cable match. What I came up with is one of the best cable discoveries I’ve had in a while. I used the Nicehck IcyMoon cable in the 4.4 balanced variant. Friends, I spend way too much time going through different cables, trying to find suitable pairings. I’m telling you that the Nicehck IcyMoon is truly a perfect cable for the Sonata. If I’m being honest, the IcyMoon works wonderfully for many sets. However, the pairing was too good to not speak of in this review. For a cheaper cable ($22-28) it’s as pliable as can be, non-microphonic, very fat, dope looking, and is simply a nice feeling cable. Now, for any 3.5 single ended listening I did use the KZ upgrade cable. Still, if you want to find a nice non-expensive cable which will upgrade your listening experience, the IcyMoon is a good place to start.


Sonata Cable


KZ Sonata Review Pic (71).jpg



Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

So, the actual build of the Sonata is very much reminiscent of previous KZ/CCA models. The Sonata uses the large sized housing from KZ’s mild lineups, which is pretty obvious considering the staggering number of drivers they somehow crammed inside of the shells. Made entirely by way of DLP-3D printing, the housings are crafted precisely between units. This preserves the quality and cohesion between earphones. KZ states that the resin used is skin-friendly, has high impact resistance, and offers high durability. Now, you have to realize that this is a huge set of earphones. They’re big folks! Smaller ears may not be able to accommodate the full girth of this set. Having said that, my ears are not big and the Sonata fits like a glove. Then again, any earphone in their lineup using this mold has fit my ears perfectly. Also, the Sonata doesn’t feel heavy, oddly enough. Maybe it’s the way KZ distributed the weight, but I don’t ever get any fatigue whatsoever when wearing. On the faceplates you’ll see a stainless-steel ornamental border which is a nice thing to see along with a larger vent on the faceplates as well. On the back of the Sonata, you’ll see the four dip-switches (I’ll explain next). The nozzles are right around 6mm in width, and they are a hair past medium length. Meaning, they fit fairly deep in the ear. In my opinion, the build is very good folks, nothing rattling around inside and everything just feels like a durable and well put together package.

Sonata Build Quality



Tuning Switches

Tuning Switches

The KZ Sonata comes in two different variants. You can purchase the non-switch variant which KZ refers to as the “Standard” model. Or you can purchase the tuning switch model which KZ calls the “Tuning Version”. Obviously, the set I have is the tuning version and I feel like this is the model which makes the most sense to actually purchase. I mean, why in the world would you not want more control over the sound? I think it’s great. However, there was a point in the recent past where people were beginning to complain about the switches on KZ/CCA earphones. I don’t get it, again I ask… why would anyone complain about having more control over the sound? You set them once and forget about them. Anyways, such is life.

What do they do?

So, the Tuning Version comes with four dip-switches and mostly those switches only control the bass. I won’t go into some long discussion on the switches, but I’ll instead keep things short and easy to understand. So, for review purposes, “1” means “on”, and “0” means “off”. So, if I have all switches “on” I will call it “1111”. If I have all switches off, I will call it “0000”. I personally enjoy “1110” or “1111” with the Sonata and now I’ll try to explain what those switches mean. Basically, if you flip on the 1st switch it’ll add about 1db of bass emphasis. Now, flip the next switch on and it’ll add another 1db of bass emphasis. Next, flip on the 3rd switch and guess what, it’ll decrease the highs by 1db. Lastly, if you flip the last switch on it also decreases the highs another 1 db. So, the 1st two switches’ controls bass emphasis, and the last two switches controls the highs. I’m telling you folks; KZ has figured out how to best use their switches and really dialed them in. Like I said, I mostly enjoy either “1111” or “1110”. For review purposes I used either one of those two switch settings. There isn’t some drastic difference between the two, other than some slight additional sparkles up top. So not much. At any rate, it’s all really easy to understand as KZ has made switches very simple.

Design

Now, the actual design of the Sonata is not unlike a few other higher end KZ models. The look is similar to the AS24 and AS24 Pro for example. Once again, the Sonata appears more like jewelry in the ear than anything else. Also, once again, the look may be pretty polarizing for some folks. Not everyone wants a blingy look. Having said that, I actually feel the design of the Sonata is one of the best that KZ has ever come up with. The Shells are this dark transparent housing which allows me to see the drivers inside. While the faceplates have this gun-metal color stainless steel trim which borders the faceplates. Really, it’s one of the dopest looking sets! They really did a nice job on the design language. I like the darker setting, the less extravagant and blingy look. Much more unassuming. I won’t go too long here but KZ did a nice job. Of course it won’t be for everyone, but really… what is? Nice job KZ.

Internals

Now we get to the real mind-boggling detail about the KZ Sonata. Forget the switches, forget the unboxing, forget all of that because KZ actually squeezed 14 balanced armature drivers inside of these Shells. That’s quite impressive folks. Even more impressive is that they actually get all of those drivers to coexist and cohesively replay my music. But that’s for later. So, 14 drivers! To be exact that is one “22955” giant BA bass driver, two “26698” drivers covering the mids, one “30019” driver covering the highs, and ten “31736” drivers covering the ultra-highs. The 31376 drivers are actually BA arrays meaning every two is a back-to-back BA unit. So really, it’s five “31376” arrays of two. I hope that makes sense. Obviously, using BA arrays helps tremendously for fitting so many drivers within the shells. Beyond the drivers, KZ utilized a four-way crossover unit which separates the spectrum and coherently blends all of those drivers to form the sound that our ears hear. Truly a spectacular feat from KZ. I am impressed.

Fit/Comfort

I spoke on this briefly a few sections ago but the fit I get from the Sonata is about as good of a fit as I can get. Yes, the shells are enormous, yes, they are bigger than your average earphones, but they also fit better than most too. KZ must’ve done their homework here because I’ve never had even one issue with KZ’s larger shell molds. Very ergonomic for their size. Weight distribution is key, and I’d say they nailed this set perfectly. It should go without saying that I have zero idea how the Sonata is going to fit your ears, but I can tell you how they fit mine. Honestly, once I found the right eartips I was good to go. I’m assuming most other people will be in the same boat. Having said all of that, I do need to speak on the fact that you can get some pressure build up from the Sonata when putting them in your ears. My suggestion is to cycle through tips and insert them in a way that this doesn’t happen. I felt it a few times with the KZ tips which prompted me to change to KBear 07 tips.

KZ Sonata Review Pic (74).jpg


Sonata
The Sonata plays well with many different source devices.


Drivability / Pairings

Output Power

The KZ Sonata “Tuning Version” is rated with an impedance of 22-50 ohms depending on your switch orientation. Also, the Sonata has a sensitivity of right around 110 db’s. What this basically means is that the Sonata is fairly easy to drive. I was able to use a regular smartphone and my iPad to drive the Sonata to decent enough volume. However, I’d be very much remiss if I didn’t also tell you all that the Sonata actually thrives with a bit more power. Unlike previous versions, namely the KZ AS24, adding more volume doesn’t hurt this set as much and in fact, I feel that more raw power helps the sound quite a bit. You’ll bring out all of the nuances in the drivers with some added torque. Enough to notice, let’s just put it that way.

How much is enough?

KZ Sonata Review Pic (38).jpgI would certainly try to use a decent Dongle Dac with your Sonata, something with adequate power. What is adequate power? Well, my best guess is at least a 100 mw @32 ohms dongle. It doesn’t have to be some mega amp worth of power. Just a nice dongle dac. Having said that, without question my daps (which all max around 1watt) sounded best with this set. Many times, I question whether it’s the power that scaled the sound, or the actual better circuitry and better sources which scale my listening the most. I don’t know. I do know that any source which offers more output simply sounds better. No doubt about that. Still, I absolutely adore the Sonata on dongle dacs like the EPZ TP50, Hidizs S9 Pro Plus, Aful SnowyNight, Simgot Dew4x, EPZ TP35 and on and on. I should add that I always use high gain on all of my dongle dacs. So, to conclude this little section, try to find something with at least a moderate amount of power and the Sonata will reciprocate.

Source Pairing

KZ Sonata Review Pic (32).jpg
Source pairing with your earphones is one of the most convoluted understandings within audio. We hear reviewers constantly speak on best sources to use with this or that set of earphones and folks… It Is only an opinion. That’s it. In my… “opinion” … the best source tonality to use with the Sonata ranges from neutral to warm. That means, neutral, warm/neutral, and warm sounding dac/amps, daps, dongle dacs etc. That’s my opinion. Others may love a bright/neutral source, who knows. I am somewhat against saying something “synergizes” with another thing because it’s based on subjectively driven criteria personal to me. Also, I don’t want you spending money off of something that synergizes to my tastes. Now, I do believe that “personal synergy” exists. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes because some of the most awesome and Influential minds in the hobby use “synergy” often. I am hoping to help you, the buyer, as best I can. To do so I have to be upfront with you. I’m telling you right now that the KZ Sonata is not very picky about source tonality. For me, in my personal use, I don’t like anything bright with the Sonata. That’s me though. You may be different. You may greatly enjoy hearing even sparklier highs, further extended up top, more brilliance. I truly try to find a balance. Thankfully, the Sonata already has a nice tonal balance to work with.

What do you need?

To summarize what I just said, I think you should strive to get a decently powerful dongle dac. The Sonata will certainly reward better sources. It’ll show up in your listening. If you have a nice dongle dac that you enjoy, use it. Maybe put it on high gain and enjoy, wake up those drivers. However, if you only have money for the Sonata. You don’t have a dime more to put towards a dongle dac or dap etc. then i think you will still have a set of earphones that sound very nice even off of a 3.5 single ended jack on a smartphone (depending on the phone). Still, more power helps, better sources help.

Sonata
I really enjoy the Sonata paired with the Shanling H0.


Sound Impressions

*Note: I want to preface this entire sound section with a couple things. First, I did burn this set in (mostly out of habit). People say that balanced armature drivers don’t need burn-in but I burned-them-in anyways. About 40-50 hours, best guess. If I’m being totally honest, I didn’t think it did much. Lol. Full disclosure. On top of that, I did not like the included tips “sonically” with the Sonata and found that the KBear 07 tips did a wonderful job of opening this set up, so to speak. I also listen primarily using flac or better files stored on my devices. The music player I use mostly is UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro). However, for certain dongle dacs I do use Hiby Music Player and when I’m out and about I like to use Poweramp at times too.

A little context

Ya know, one of the biggest gripes I have about this set, is that so many folks aren’t going to give it the time of day. Likely due to the name which precedes “Sonata”. That’s “KZ” if you didn’t know. Of course, before I say anything of substance (and there’s no guarantee I’ll accomplish that) I want to warn you that I’ll speak fairly highly of this set. Just lettin’ you know now. However, those words have to be put into context. After all, without context our words either incriminate us or mislead others and I don’t want to do either of those things. At any rate, please understand, I am judging the sound against iems within the Sonata’s price point. Please let that sink-in. When I say “great”, “awesome”, “wonderful” or “fantastic”, what I’m actually saying is “those words” within the standpoint of an iem ranging from $100 to, let’s say… $199. With that context I am absolutely describing exactly what my ears hear from the framework by which my auditory cortex associates the sound to my personal and subjective taste. Also, I don’t review anything I don’t enjoy, so obviously you already know I like this set.

What’s it sound like?

The words which first crest my mind are “full”, “immersive”, “voluminous”, “precise”, and for whatever reason the word “distinct” keeps creeping its way in. I suppose I’ll figure that through during this review. Truth is that the sound is how one should expect a total of 14 balanced armature drivers should sound while they are all in sync and at least marginally in concert with each other. It should be multi-dimensioned, sound coming from different partitioned off areas of the imaginary sound field in your mind. A lot has to do with the music of your choosing, your eartips, your source, and of course your personal taste. It’s a very nice sounding set, but it has to agree with you.

Best KZ BA?

The KZ Sonata ranges anywhere from neutral to warm, in my opinion. The way I choose to listen is with either “1111” or “1110” in my dip-switch settings, which is more like warm/neutral. There’s a very nice balance with both bass switches turned on and that balance drastically helps the overall sound which reaches your head space. Anywhere from V-shaped to U-shaped and again, the switches will certainly be the determining factor in that. Well, along with finding eartips which work for you. And please hear me now, eartips make a difference with this iem! From my perspective, the Sonata offers a big sound. It’s full, with a broad stage that encompasses all of my mindscape. Using my switch settings, I found the balance from bass to treble is really nice with a very impactful and energetic sound. The Sonata is mostly smooth yet with crisp highlights, very quick and decisive transients across the range and very good note density. Nothing papery here folks. I hear nothing weak about the sound of the Sonata. There’s a real symphonic quality to this set which isn’t easy to put your finger on. Certainly, a very musical sounding set in the “1111” or “1110” configuration while at the same time it comes across highly detailed, very solid instrument separation and good air between notes. However, what’s most impressive to me is the cohesion between frequency ranges. You don’t hear any crazy peaks or uneven moments throughout the spectrum. It’s all smooth and easy transitions with very solid timing and cadence. No doubt in my mind the KZ Sonata is the best all-BA set made by KZ. As much as it pains me to say this because I really love the AS24 Pro.

Condensed Sound Between the 20’s

The bass is very tight while in the same breath it can get reasonably deep and penetrative for a balanced armature driver. Without question it won’t heed the same depth and organic qualities of a dynamic driver, but boy-oh-boy is it close folks. Again, it depends wholly on your switch settings. No doubt the bass hits hard and with better impact than the AS24 Pro. It’s very nicely defined too. The midrange is certainly a vocal friendly midrange, somewhat forward, very clean, nothing grainy, metallic, and nothing sibilant. The midrange is a great mixture of technical ability and musicality. Just a pleasant-sounding midrange. The treble has plenty of brilliance, has some quality treble bite, is very well extended and doesn’t cause undue fatigue. Unless all bass switches are off, at which point the treble can start to become a bother without the offset. Still, the treble has a nicely layered sound, good treble punch, and even some haptic recognition in each note. As far as technicalities, the Sonata is a very well detailed set, nice and tight transients help instrument separation quite a lot. The Sonata is a highly resolving set of earphones where clarity is a mainstay. In truth, the Sonata certainly has some issues, and I will try to outline those in the coming sections. However, in terms of straight price to performance, the Sonata offers a very solid performance. Obviously, the sound may not be for everyone, but for what it is… the Sonata is a good sounding set of earphones for a relatively cheap price.

1000037163.webp
Graph courtesy of KZ Audio, Thanks. Each respective color indicates a different switch setting.


Sonata
The KZ Sonata using the Nicehck IcyMoon 4.4 balanced is a great pairing folks.


Bass Region

The low-end of the KZ Sonata is one which hits-n-gits. It has that very quick impulse attack with a punchy nature. It’s fast and can take on very quick bass passages with no problem. The recovery of each note is like any good balanced armature driver, it’s quick. What I noticed first was how deep and bullish this bass can sound though. You normally don’t hear this from a balanced armature. I said similar things with the AS24 Pro but this time around you have even more depth and layering to the sound. The bass on the Sonata isn’t even trying to be one-noted. In fact, note definition is very high. Each note is somewhat rounded, very chiseled, etched out, and with space between notes. Where a dynamic driver will usually sound more authentic, organic, and simply more atmospheric, the Sonata will cut off some of those resonances and so you really don’t have quite the depth of a DD. Not that I’m missing much either and you hardly even notice unless you are actively listening for it. Please trust me, it took three or four songs before I heard a large enough difference between the Sonata’s BA’s and a regular DD to even speak on it. This is a very fast bass yet with enough forceful oomph to accommodate genres that need some bulbous bass to satisfy. Of course, the Sonata is more balanced across the frequency range which means that it’s not a basshead set. It won’t rattle your eyeballs. It’s just a good strong and punchy bass with a solid snap on impact and some good ole’ quick recover speed density. Like I said, it hits-n-gits. Like most any BA or planar down low.

Sub-Bass

I won’t go too long in these upcoming sections, but I found the sub-bass to be decently extended into the lowest of lows. The Sonata can reach some deep pitched guttural sounds without breaking up and while maintaining control over the spectrum. You shouldn’t expect some bassist style heavy drone though; the Sonata cannot deliver the deepest lows like some of the heavier bass iems that we’ve seen of late. Instead, the Sonata stays clean, highly resolved, fast in its transient attack through sustain, and always adds some hard density to each note. Of course, every track will give you something different, but generally it is very hard for me to find complaints. Now, the sub-bass note weight is not super hefty. Nothing waterlogged or too bullish. However, there is some low droning grumble down low when a track calls for it. Tracks like “Tell Me What’s on Your Mind” by The Decemberists is a perfect example of the Sonata’s ability to take a completely growling and deep bass riff and replicate that with a low thrumming drone of its own. Basically, the sub-bass weight and density is there. It isn’t rolled-off or too light in amplitude like so many balanced armature sets out there. It’s hard edged, nothing soft, nothing pillowy and just enough haptic feel to the sub-bass along with a very crisp, clean, and well-defined sub level rumble. Let’s put it this way, I really mean it when I say that the Sonata has a very capable sub-bass which truly does a fantastic job for a balanced armature driver. Just as good as other BA sets which cost three times as much as the Sonata. I know because I’m literally listening to some of those sets right now for this review.

Mid-Bass

Just like the sub levels, the mid-bass is no slouch whatsoever. Switch on your bass switches and you’ll hear what I’m talking about. Like I said, you won’t get that long decay and atmospheric type of dynamic driver depth. Yet you are getting some nice BA bass for a set costing under $300. It easily hangs with sets like the Hiby Yvain, Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite, and Softears Studio 4. The fact that the $149 Sonata hangs with those sets down low is somewhat of a testament to the quality of drivers and tuning from KZ. Furthermore, I could name many more all-BA sets that I feel cannot stand next to the Sonata in overall weight, density, or quality. The Sonata can flat out bang at times folks. However, that “bang” is tight, it’s quick, it’s mostly impactful, very punchy, very exact in its approach. I hear a snap on its attack, a certain crispness, a vibrancy. It isn’t simply a bland and dull thud. It’s a quality bass. However, please remember this is with both bass switches turned on and at least one treble switch turned on (which means less treble). One song which will show you the dexterity, solid surfaced slam, and speed of the Sonata is Daft Punk‘s “Get Lucky”. I truly enjoy the dynamic volume and robustness that each beat carries while maintaining a condensed and clean slam. I hear roundness to each note, there’s depth there, it isn’t some one-dimensional and one noted affair. No sir, this bass is agile in a way similar to a solid planar. Is it perfect, absolutely not. It’s pretty nice for a balanced armature set however, but I think I’ve established that.

Slight lack?

Beyond that, there may be some kick drums which don’t feel as authentically textured or swollen in hollow brunt force as some sets. Not that I think they lack either. It’s just better to temper expectations a bit. Especially if you are used to dynamic drivers. Like “Billie Jean” by Weezer. The kick drums were a hair less pointed in their forcefulness and boom. Slightly doughy. Not bad though, still fast, still pleasing. Just not a dynamic driver. I should also add that other examples render a completely different result. Which is at least mildly strange. Now, bass guitar usually does have enough of that fullness. Again, I never feel as though what I’m hearing is lacking. I still hear enough of a foundational bass guitar backbone to carry most tracks just fine. In fact, some of you may feel the bass is too emphasized. Still, in the case of the Sonata there are some tracks which truly sound about as close to a DD as a BA can get. There’s always this richness to the sound, a certain power, a voluminous nature to the sound which is compelled by the bass more than anything.

Downsides to the Bass Region

The biggest drawback of the KZ Sonata’s low-end is that it simply isn’t a dynamic driver. Let’s face it, most anytime that you see “balanced armature” providing the bass you will also likely not get the forcefulness and organic depth that a dynamic driver naturally provides. It’s just the truth. Having said that, I know so many folks who disagree with that and who much prefer BA bass. I think they are probably in the minority, but hey, it takes all kinds. The low-end isn’t atmospheric and won’t give you that realistic resonance decay. Also, it isn’t the most sonorous, stentorian, low droning, or deepest sub-level bass ever made. Or just in the $149 price range. So be aware of that. This is not a basshead set and won’t appeal to those who love that long lingering decay and reverb. However, in my opinion the cons stop there because the Sonata sounds flat-out nice for what it is and how it was tuned. It’s a clean bass, has enough meaty weight for most any genre (at least to an extent) and can hang quite easily with much better all-BA iems in the bass region.



Sonata
Dope looking set!



Midrange

The midrange is (in my opinion) the focal point of the Sonata. I wouldn’t say it’s a bona-fide slam dunk that the mids play this role, but it’s definitely the region which forces my focus with most genres. I said in the “condensed” sound opening that the midrange is a nice mix of technical and musical and I stand by that. That said, the Sonata’s midrange is one of tighter transient attack & decay. It’s fast, nimble, dexterous, and ductile in its ability to attack and then recover quickly while never losing the round dimensional body of its notes. Usually anyways. That quickly paced rhythmic sound is ushered in with what I’d call a semi-natural note weight (perhaps a hint thin at times) and a very detailed sound. There’s a vibrant nature to the mids while coming across as warmly toned with semi-energetic and smooth dynamics. The atmosphere has a warmth to it, not a veil, and not muddy, grainy, or rolled off sounding, yet there’s still vibrancy, some luster, some tinsel glittered across the crest of each note, so to speak. But there is a pervasive warmth which cascades. It’s not super easy to explain a warmth which doesn’t make the overall sound overtly… warm. You won’t hear a huge contrast in its dynamism, but I don’t think that is something to judge against the Sonata for. You see, the sound is enthralling, even engaging in the layered display of the sound field. The stage is absolutely grandiose with a very holographic take on my music. You will hear this right away folks. Just a very upbeat sound that’s again… also very quick. It can take on even complicated passages with relative ease.

Timbre

Now, at times the sound can come across more natural than others. Timbre is not organic as in the way a DD can come across organic. However, solid for a $149 balanced armature set and better in my opinion than the AS24 Pro. Which is saying a lot. It takes at least a small measure of an acquired taste if you are coming from a very natural and organic sounding set. Let’s put it this way, I just finished my review of the ultra-realistic and natural Dunu Kima 2 (Kima 2 Review) and so there was some listening I had to do for the Sonata to truly resonate. I certainly wouldn’t call the Sonata an artificial sounding set either, but there’s just so much for the mind to pay attention to as details, layers, micro-layers, separate and distinct instruments, and micro-dynamics, all play for space within the mind. Especially in complicated tracks. However, in slower and more melodic music the Sonata is exactly that… melodic. For a $149 all BA set, that is. I hear zero metallic or plasticky type of timbre. There’s a certain density to every note. Even though I wouldn’t necessarily call the Sonata a rich or lush set when it comes to note body. To be perfectly honest, different songs render different results, but mostly it’s a mature sounding midrange with some wisps of musicality and fun. Highly detailed, great separation, distinct layering, 3D in its psycho-acoustic display of the sound field, a hint of warmth and it carries a smoother demeanor. Score one for KZ folks, it may not be a picture-perfect midrange but it’s very nice for the cost of ownership.

Lower-midrange

The low-mids could use some weight I suppose, though they aren’t the type which feel they are in much need of anymore bodily support. Also, they don’t come across too far pushed to the rear of the sound field or too recessed. Nothing sounds out of place and the low-mids generally have a decent presence. Now, the bass doesn’t encroach upon the mids to the point of adding warmth and voluptuous notes. Perhaps to an extent but nothing which gives males that truly authoritative robustness that some male vocalists thrive with. Not that the Sonata has anything to be ashamed of as males sound nicely centered, and vocally very clear against the musical backdrop. If anything, I’d say the low-mids are more like “lean yet condensed”. There’s nothing worse than thin and dry and I can tell you they aren’t that.

Low-mids cont…

There is some density, some forward leaning presence which helps a singer like Dermot Kennedy in the track “Rome” to come across smooth in rhythmic flow yet with a clean edge to his vocal delivery. If you’ve ever heard him, his voice has a natural sharp edge to it. There’s an abrasiveness to his powerful voice. This is where the Sonata does very well at sanding down those coarse moments offering a pleasing take on his and many other male voices. Personally, I enjoy a bit more weight, providing that weight doesn’t widen the presence, or make males sound too dull or too unenergetic. females are also very well centered while instrumentation is placed almost perfectly in the periphery. The Sonata does seem to have a mid-focus by a small margin. Though I also usually enjoy at least some vibrance to the sound. Thankfully, the Sonata seems to have enough vibrance and clarity to help males to stand out, and great imaging capabilities to keep them stationary and centered.

Upper-Midrange

The upper midrange certainly offers a more forward portrayal of female voices and instruments. I hear some subtle radiance and crispness which provides some shimmer to this region, just a bit of sparkle. Enough to sound energetic yet not enough to sound glaring. Just a touch. Females like Olivia Rodrigo in “Deja Vu” sounds really nice actually. Her voice has that realistic quality which never sounds too uplifted in lustrous vivacity. Never too forward. She sounds smooth, and buttery, enough for an emotional tilt to her voice. Again, presence is great, and her voice is centered very well. The pinna rise is not one which peaks too early, and there isn’t some steep uphill climb in the pinna resulting in any real shout. Everything is kept in pretty nice control. Again, clarity is very high, details are easy to distinguish, it’s a nicely tuned upper midrange which fits the overall tuning nicely. Honestly, females come across very nicely and I have plenty of examples of this. From sweetly breathy in “I Love You, I’m Sorry” by Gracie Abrams. To bold, and downright resounding in Sia’sUnstoppable”. Voices are never artificial to me, and they are always well centered in the sound field. Very nice note structure and image placement.

Downsides to the Midrange

I’d say that the biggest downside would be for those completely organic lovers who like a more earthy sound. The Sonata is again, not artificial sounding, but it is a fast-decaying balanced armature midrange which leaves harmonics cut back at times. Thankfully we don’t hear any of that metallic timbre though, and trust me if I did hear it I would speak on it, because I cannot stand it. However, nothing is for everyone, ever. That all said, I think the midrange is actually very nice and you can always use the switches to change things up a bit if you’d like. It is a very pleasant-sounding midrange with a highly technical side to a musical tuning. Not an easy thing to tune into a set of earphones. Not that I’ve tried. At any rate, at the end of the day the Sonata is a very nice sounding all-BA set and the mids are a big reason for that.


Sonata




Treble Region

The treble region all depends on what your switches are set to. I made sure to leave one of the treble switches on while the other drops back the emphasis a couple db’s. Add in the fact that I have both bass switches on and the balance sort-of tilts towards the warm. Having said that, I feel the treble on the KZ Sonata has a very nice emphasis. It has a brilliant sway over the frequency without being all-consuming. I hear a very fine-tuned control over the spectrum, and nothing sounds out of place. I don’t hear anything sharp from the treble region and I don’t hear anything splashy either. It’s a nicely tuned treble region. I’d say it is smoother than it isn’t, with adequate bite to treble notes, depending on the song of course. I like that I have some control of the output in the treble region and how the treble impacts the rest of the mix. In my opinion the tonality and timbre of the treble is actually very nice for a balanced armature set as well. I’d call it an upgrade over the AS24 Pro, with some extra extension into the upper treble region, better precision, and a more layered sound up top. Really a nicely tuned iem as a whole, and the treble is a huge player in that.

Nothing forced

The treble is clean, bright, crisp and detailed. Upper harmonics from vocals are smooth, enhanced and clearly audible. Sopranos come through with elegance, and a very vivid note body. The definition of instrumentation is clearly evident as well. There’s an audible snap and crispness up top as well as some vibrant impact for percussive instruments like snares, cymbals, hi-hats, and other pointed impact instruments. Electric guitar is never too abrasive or shreikingly sharp. Stuff like violin, mandolin, flute, and many other instruments generally come across believable and nicely crisp at the crest of their notes while never really crossing that artificial line. There’s nothing forced here folks as KZ walked a very tight line in their tuning. Again, you can add or take away some emphasis in this region and eartips do make a world of difference with this iem. However, as a whole, really some good treble.

Examples

Furthermore, the Sonata also carries a nice bite in this region. I am happily impressed by treble notes. Take the track “Magnetic Fields, Pt. 1” by Jean Michel Jarre which is littered in treble activity and comes through from all sides and speeds. Very precise, but also pretty elaborate electronic treble beats. The Sonata has nicely defined note outlines, clearly refined and articulate without losing the note edge. Very nicely rounded notes as the Sonata is a clear and definitive upgrade over the AS24 Pro. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse with that point, but to this reviewer that’s saying quite a lot for KZ. I just love that you are getting such a mature sound out of this set. All Balanced Armature iems are not the easiest to tune in a believable way at these prices. Another track is “Evil Twin” by Lindsey Stirling. The Sonata does a wonderful job of maneuvering around the complicated treble without coming across shrill. The violin sounds nicely silvery without sounding too sharp, even at louder volumes. Those violin notes treble is well timed and with great cadence and nothing sounds unauthentic, coming through clean and clear with fairly exact and taut notes. Same can be said of the piano play during this track. Very rich in tonality, very nice and natural note body, and very tuneful, resounding even.

Extension

Now, one of the biggest differences from the previous best all-BA set under $150 (AS24 Pro) is the fact that the upper treble has been addressed in a more refined and mature manner. I’m assuming those last two upper treble BA’s are there simply for this purpose. At any rate, I feel I am missing nothing up top, as info is coming in from all sides. The Sonata carries fairly good extension into the upper treble without coming across artificial, tinny, or splashy. Those are three descriptors that I’d recognize right away, and I certainly haven’t heard that, or anything other than a clean and mature tuning from this iem. I’ve been very impressed. This extended “air” region provides plenty of info past 10k but also adds air to the sound of the Sonata. It provides certain instrumentation the feeling of some breathing room, giving my music a sense of space and some separation. Not bad at all KZ.

Downsides to the Treble Region

The one downside in the treble will be for those who love a more dark, less fatiguing and even rolled off treble region. If anything, the Sonata has spruced up the upper end of the frequency this time around. They elevated the overall grandeur of the treble allowing a more expressive sound, a more extended sound, and a wider presentation. Remember, they added in no less than ten balanced armature drivers simply to take on the upper treble region. Obviously, KZ feels that this is an important area that needed addressed. I would also think that treble heads would probably want a hair more of an emphasis with even more punch in the upper frequency. While the treble is nice on the Sonata, it still could use some more haptic recognition to notes. However, I cannot walk away from this section without giving KZ a huge thumbs up. In my opinion the Sonata marks an improvement up top. The sound is very nicely detailed, bright enough, clean, precise, clearly defined, and isn’t particularly shrill or sharp.

Sonata



Technicalities

Soundstage

One of the other bright spots with the Sonata’s tuning can be hard in the soundstage. I hear a very wide, tall and even deep sound with multiple layers, nice dimensions and a nice outward presentation which feels and sounds expansive. Well, to the extent that a $149 in-ear monitor can sound expansive. Perceptibly, I’d say the stage as a whole comes across as a slight upgrade from previous all-BA KZ iems. Now, some tracks will come across more intimate than others, and I don’t want to oversell what I’m hearing, but it’s unmistakable that the Sonata does a very nice job of introducing a diverse and well dimensioned soundstage.

Separation / Imaging

As far as instrument separation the Sonata also does a very fine job. Like I said earlier, the overall sound is airy, transients are exact, and there’s a high level of clarity and resolution. Notes on the Sonata are generally clean (depending on the track) sounding which all bodes well for a set to have fairly distinct note outlines and separation. I wouldn’t call it “best in class” or anything like that, because the Sonata is not one of those analytical, dry, or clinical type iems. There is plenty of smooth musicality with this set too. Granted, I’d still say that the Sonata will at times almost force your mind to hear the finer stuff, especially in more complicated tracks. Like I said, it’s a nice mix of technical and musical. Imaging follows suit nicely as I clearly hear well placed instruments within the sound field. Vocals are always dead center as well. You have some very nice layering of sounds which provides some front to back depth for instruments as well. Again, not every track is recorded the same and so I’d temper your expectations a little bit, but by-and-large the stage of the Sonata is well delineated and well placed.

Detail Retrieval

I feel like you can guess what I’m about to say. No doubt about it that the KZ Sonata has a very detail-oriented sound. In fact, there are moments that all I’m doing is hearing the details. After you toss in the fact that the stage is large, wide and fairly vast you begin to seek out details even when you aren’t listening for them. This can be a problem for some. That said, I feel there’s actually a nice mix of musicality with those details and so I certainly don’t find it to be a problem. Perhaps for those who only enjoy fluid, rhythmic, tuneful and musical. Those folks may want something different. However, I think it’s a bonus that the Sonata has enough fine-lined micro-dynamic illumination to pacify those who really enjoy hearing the subtleties, the micro-details, the breath in mics, clear harmonics, fingers on strings, lip smacks, stuff like that. Now, I’m not saying the Sonata is a detail monster, detail beast, or anything alluding to a detail focused set. Fact of the matter is that the Sonata has much more going for it than simply calling it a detail first iem. Nevertheless, the Sonata is a skilled iem and can easily hang with those detail first sets.


KZ-Sonata-Review-Pic-29.jpg
Sonata

Is it worth the asking price?

How many all-BA iems have you seen costing $149? Wait, let me rephrase that. How many 14 balanced armature driver iems have you seen that cost $149? Hold on, there’s more. How many 14 BA iems with a solid balanced tuning, dip-switches which work, a nice unboxing and one of the better tuned all-BA iems anywhere near its price point? Folks, I can’t tell you that the KZ Sonata is going to be right for you. I can’t do that, nor would I. I can tell you that from all of the iems that I’ve had the pleasure of testing, that for me, there is no world in which I wouldn’t say for certain that the Sonata is worth every single last penny of that $149.

Of course, like anything in this crazy hobby, the Sonata obviously has to fit your particular preferences. I wish I could answer for every reader if this set would satisfy you. I would tell you in a heartbeat. Truth is, all that I can do is present what I hear, what I see, and what my opinion is. Still, no doubt the Sonata has its issues. Yes, there are some subjective gripes which some of you may have. No doubt the Sonata could use some more bass emphasis for those who desire a bass-boi caliber set. No doubt transient attack and decay is quicker, tighter and not everyone desires such a sound. Also, there’s no doubt in my mind that there may be other talented iems which could command your attention easier. Shoot, that’s the issue with every single iem put to market. Though if you are still reading this then I’d say you are at least mildly interested.

The Why…

Because you are getting what KZ refers to as their premium line iem and without question it is KZ’s flagship iem thus far. Without question the Sonata is one of the most refined and mature iems that KZ has ever created. Be that as it may, the Sonata also happens to have a very nice unboxing with a nice budget upgrade cable to boot. Really a solid unboxing experience, and trust me, I cannot remember the last time I’ve said that about a KZ set. It’s built very well, very stout, obviously very durable. The design will go one of two ways with most people, but I think it looks sick. That’s “sick” as in “great”. You have actual working switches which can help to dial in the sound a bit which is a nice thing to see.

That sound though…

However, all of that stuff is meaningless if the iem I’m referring to doesn’t actually sound good. Speaking of which, the KZ Sonata just so happens to sound very nice. What were those words I said earlier, “full”, “immersive”, “voluminous” and “precise”? Oh, and “distinct”. Each of those words checks out. The sound is full, it’s big, it’s holographic and immersive yet at the same time there is a certain precision within the sound of the Sonata. All of these attributes certainly make this set very distinct within an Audioverse chock full of copycat tunings. The Sonata is different folks. Bass is tight, punchy, deep and great for an all-BA set. The midrange is forward but not to a fault, very clean, very detailed, and also musically gifted as well. The treble is airy, open, very well extended, brilliant enough, very technical, and it has some bite to each note. The stage is big, wide, and 3D. Each note is separated, and the sound field has solid imaging capabilities. Folks, it’s worth every penny.


Sonata

KZ Sonata Review Pic (47).jpg


Ratings (0-10)

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the KZ Sonata ratings below, that would be $100-$200 earphones of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $100-$200 is a fairly large sized scope of iems. So, It should be noteworthy to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic

Build Quality: 8.7 Well built, 3D printed, clean build

Look: 8.9 Very unique and cool design.

Fit/Comfort: 9.1 Fit and comfort is very good for me.

Accessories: 9.0 One of the best KZ unboxing experiences.

Overall: 8.9🔥

Sound Rating

Timbre: 9.0 Great timbre for an all-BA set.

Bass: 8.9 Punchy, textured, clean.

Midrange: 9.3 Highly detailed, great clarity, tuneful.

Treble: 8.9 Non-Offensive, sparkly, extended well.

Technicalities: 9.3 Technically astute iem, great details.

Musicality: 9.0 Musicality is nice, rhythmic sound.

Overall: 9.1🔥🔥🔥

Ratings Summary:

This is one of those sets where I could see someone arguing with me over just about every rating. In the same breath, I could see someone wondering why I scored this set so low in some areas. Well, the truth is, I am comparing the KZ Sonata against any and all iems of every driver configuration between the prices of $100 and $200. Do you have any clue how many great iems are between those prices? I know I do. It’s quite literally one of the most fought over ranges within the entire audio game. I did say “one of”. Now, the Sonata had an uphill climb. I know this, you know this and I’m fairly certain that KZ knows this. Thankfully they put their best foot forward and came up with a set that could easily hang with any set I put before me to listen to during this rating. It wasn’t the best at anything. Let’s just get that out of the way. There were other sets which scored higher in every rating. This is why I say that ratings are bogus folks. No, the Sonata doesn’t win out in anything in any one area. What makes this set special is that it’s good at literally everything. Now we can disagree on that, and that’s perfectly fine. But I am going to rate this set with my ears and tell you exactly what I think in my bogus ratings. You’d be wise to just skip this section altogether.

Explain Yourself!!

Now that I’ve said all of that, I don’t think there’s much to explain. Not with the Sonata. I know you see a “9.3” in the midrange and you may think this is very high. Well, there’s about five other sets which rank higher for me. Also, “midrange” is such a bloated and broad thing to rate. I really have to change how I do this. Anyways, what do I mean by “midrange” in the first place? What I mean by “midrange” is how it sounds to me, for me, and against other sets in front of me. There’s no grand and sophisticated way in which I judge. I listen for timbre, cleanliness, vocals, transients, if it’s shouty or not, sibilant or not, detail retrieval, and simple and raw musicality among about 10 other attributes which are too boring for me to write out. However, what I basically do is just listen. Again, this is why ratings show zero nuance in a hobby which is 100% nuance, all the time, every day of the week. Believe me, I could do this for every rating category, but I’ll spare you the word babble. In the end, that “9.1” overall sound rating doesn’t reflect how I actually see this set. To me, as a whole, it should be higher. That number is derived simply from adding up every rating and giving you an average. That’s it. The Sonata is a very nice iem for what it is, and for the cost to own it.

KZ Sonata Review Pic (14).jpg



Final thoughts on the KZ Sonata before I conclude

I’ll keep this brief. I think I’ve said enough in this review for everyone. Also, I’m climbing close to that 10,000-word mark and I really try not to go over that. Psst, I always do. As honest as I can be, the KZ Sonata represents a new voyage in the journey that is Knowledge Zenith. They crafted one of the best all-BA sets that money could buy under $200 in the KZ AS24 Pro last year. I didn’t hold onto any hope they would trump that set. Well, lo and behold, KZ went and did just that. I feel that I can comfortably say that the Sonata is likely the best $150 all balanced armature earphone in the business. It’s a debatable thing to say, I get that. Still, for me I don’t think there’s much in the way of competition in that regard. There’s a few, and they aren’t slouches either. Sets like the Aful MagicOne ($139), or the CVJ Kumo ($179), the AS24 Pro as well. There’re a few others, but the point is, the competition isn’t very great concerning all balanced armature earphones in this price point. So, if you are someone who is looking for an all-BA set around this price then there is a very good option out there in the Sonata. Now, I don’t think that the Sonata is necessarily an “all-rounder” type set. Not that it cannot perform admirably in most genres. However, any genre which requires that deep authentic bass perhaps won’t completely satisfy the listener at all times. Of course, a lot has to do with your personal taste. Beyond that, I can’t leave this review without personally recommending the Sonata. Truly a very solid offering from KZ.

Sonata


KZ Sonata Review Pic (58).jpg



Conclusion

To conclude my full written review and feature of the KZ Sonata, I first want to thank KZ & Tyvan Lam for providing the Sonata in exchange for a review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. KZ has always been very good to me over the years and has never expected anything out of me. Never have they requested anything of me other than a truthful review. Whether my review has praised their products, or it was less than stellar, KZ has always been reliable, and they live with the results. I suppose it doesn’t hurt that they’ve had some real bangers of late. Still, I have absolutely nothing negative to say of my many years cooperation I’ve had with KZ and I’m very thankful. Always. I’m also thankful to you, the reader, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to check out my words in this set. It means the world to me and everyone at Mobileaudiophile.com. Thank you so very much.

Different perspectives

As I always do in each and every review, I must ask you to please check out other thoughts about the KZ Sonata from other reviewers, as it’ll most certainly only help you to make an educated purchasing decision. $149 is a lot of money to many people around the globe, and so getting the best understanding possible from as many reviewers as possible can only benefit you. We are all very different friends. We have different gear, music libraries, likes and dislikes, and we haven’t all been down the same journey in audio. Take the time to research a bit and you’ll be better for it. With all that said, I think I’m done folks. So, please take care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!

KZ Sonata Review Pic (84).jpg

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
Dunu Kima 2 Review "The Heir Apparent"
Pros: -Exquisite build, all-alloy, light, premium

-Such a slick looking series of iems. The Kima 2 is a looker

-The unboxing is one of the best in the price point

-Fantastic Lyre Mini cable

-Almost perfect tonal balance

-Completely natural timbre

-Highly resolute sound, very clean across the board

-Fast, punchy bass

-Wonderful midrange, completely tuneful, great for vocalists

-Non-fatiguing treble, balanced, just brilliant enough

-Detail Retrieval is solid

-Separation & imaging

-Spacious sound field
Cons: -Bassheads, even moderate bassheads will want more bass emphasis

-Warm/dark lovers will not enjoy the Kima 2

Dunu Kima 2 Review

"The Heir Apparant"
By: Chris Love


1000036088.jpg

Check out full review HERE
Kima 2

Dunu Kima 2 Review

Intro

Hello, this review and feature covers the latest from the audio brand Dunu named the Dunu Kima 2. The Kima 2 follows a couple of its already well accomplished predecessors in their 2022 model, the Dunu Kima (Kima Review) as well as the Dunu Kima Classic (Kima Classic Review). I gotta say, I was, and still am, a fairly large fan of the series for their natural and very organic take on my music. Really a clean sound across the board on the Kima original, yet it was missing some weight in the low-end. It was missing some energy in the upper portions. Some would call it a very “blah” sounding set. I disagree, but that’s me. Dunu’s answer for that “meh” sound came in the form of the Kima Classic, which added some bite, some low-end oomph and simply a more fun sound. Both sets are very well tuned iems at the $100 price point. Both sets were pretty complete packages as well. However, there were still improvements which needed attention and Dunu set out to attend to those changes on this latest Kima 2.

Dunu

Dunu Audio is one of those brands which effectively releases a product, and the entire hobbyist community collectively turns to see what it is. Really a very well-respected name in the hobby. Dunu is not one of those brands seeking their next buck. You can tell there is passion involved in their products by the fact that they only release a product when the proper amount of R&D has been accomplished and when that product is ready. This is an important point that I hope doesn’t get overlooked. So many brands spit out products like they are on an assembly line anymore. Dunu puts the tough work in, to craft and create products that they can be proud of as well as products that the hobbyist community will ultimately enjoy. Not many brands have crafted as many legendary type sets as Dunu. The Zen series, the Falcon series, the SA6 series, the Kima series, and on, and on, and on. The point being, Dunu takes their work seriously, with a ton of expertise on hand. Just so you know the pedigree of the Kima series.

Will it hold up?

I suppose the last thing I need to find out is how well does the Kima 2 hold up against not just those iems in its same series, but also against all of those iems within its price point. That’s the real question after all. We only care about getting the best we can for our dollar. Let’s face it, there truly is a mountain of solid iems vying for your money. The hobby has gotten so convoluted of late, a new set every week promising to revolutionize your listening experience. Coincidentally, the $100 price point just so happens to be the most hotly fought-over, sought-after, and is one of the most viciously contested price points within the hobby. Really, I’d say the range begins at $75 to about $150. In that range you’ll see brands pulling some major breakthroughs. This price point is the 1st steppingstone for hobbyists. Getting past that $100 barrier. Iems get better made, better accessorized, and actual R&D is committed to these iems which mostly results in better drivers, cavities, etc. along with better tech, which may lead to better tuning and ultimately, if they’ve done their homework… better sound. I won’t bore you (as I have in the past) and go through all of the sets which fight over dominance of this price point. But I will say that the Kima 2 has to be good. It has to bring something to the table folks that isn’t regurgitated for the hundredth time.

Weeding through the hype…

My Pops told me that no matter where you are, whatever venture you go into, the cream will always rise to the top. As many hype trains that exist in this audio game, it’s true that the hobby has a way of weeding through the initial hype and only the most valued, most unique, and most worthy iems stand the test. Those are the sets we talk about six months after release. I am very curious if Dunu has built upon the Kima series, to be what it was always supposed to be. One of the best. With that, the Dunu Kima 2 everyone…


Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

Hifigo
Amazon (HiFiGo)

Kima 2

BASN Metalen Pro Review Pic (23).jpg


Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

EPZ TP35

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra





Kima 2



Packaging / Accessories

Unboxing

The Dunu Kima 2 arrived at my home in a medium sized square box. The artwork is the first thing you’ll notice. A gorgeous anime artistic rendering of a young girl, reading a book? With doves flying around? I don’t know what this graphic is supposed to mean, but it’s a very imaginative picture with some great colors. Anyways, that’s on the sleeve to the box. Take off the sleeve and you’ll see a regular black box with “Dunu” imprinted in the center. Take off the lid and you’ll see the “anime stand”? Of sorts. Some sort of anime decoration for a desk or something? I don’t know folks. Anyways, under that you’ll see the Kima 2 sitting comfortably in foam cut-outs. Take off that layer and underneath you’ll see the carrying case. Open the case and inside is the cable, the multitude of eartips, a 3.5-6.35mm adapter, a small cloth bag, as well as the 3.5 and the 4.4 modular adapters. You’ll also notice an iem cleaning tool & a cable clip. Really a full package from Dunu once again. One thing that Dunu never seems to skimp on is the packaging and accessories.

Kima 2 Packaging



Eartips

Kima 2 Eartips

Now, Dunu provides a ton of eartips. That’s 13 pairs of eartips in total across four differ rent styles of tips. I have to salute Dunu as all of the eartips provided are actually quite good tips. Let’s start with three pairs (S, M, L) of black silicone “Vocal Enhancement” eartips with a blue rigid stem and a narrow bore. The next tips are also a black/dark gray silicone “Atmospheric” eartips with a red stem which come in three pairs (S, M, L) and also have a narrow bore. Next are the awesome Dunu’s Candy Tips. They provide three pairs (S, M, L) and also come with a narrower bore. I love the Candy Tips with thier flexible flange and stem. Lastly, Dunu puts into the package four pairs (S, M, L, XL) of Dunu S&S eartips. The S&S tips have a wider bore and are certainly some fantastic tips to have around. You never know when you’ll need them. However, I chose to actually go with the Dunu large sized candy tips. They fit like a glove, nice and rigid enough flange and they seal wonderfully for me. Thankfully, Dunu quite literally provides a mountain of tips, and each is different in how they present the sound. Really great package folks. Each of the types of tips provided are solid tips which can be used at some point, with some set. Great for a collection.



Carrying Case

Kima 2 Case

Now, the carrying case that Dunu adds into the package is actually great. Really a gorgeous case. It’s a large white fabric hard case with a working zipper that’s very chic, stylish, and altogether just a classy inclusion for $100. Please trust me, you don’t usually see a case as nice as this one. On the top of the case, you’ll notice “DUNU” Indented directly in the center of it. Again, stylish, classy. I’d say the case is plenty large enough for your earphones, cable, adapters, eartips, and possibly a small dongle dac. Great for throwing into a bag. Not so great for putting into a pocket. Unless you want to look like you are happy to see… everyone. Sorry, I had to. Anyways, the case is a great inclusion folks. Dunu does nothing cheaply and always seeks to impress. Nice work in that one Dunu.





Cable

Kima 2 Cble

This brings us to the cable. Folks, no set of earphones is complete without a solid cable. However, that cable NEEDS to nail three features and functions. Any cable needs to look nice aesthetically. It has to look nice folks. C’mon! Next, the cable has to be made of materials which play well “sonically” with the earphones provided. Lastly, it’s always better when the cable is not impossible to roll up without blowing apart. Okay, fitment means something too, of course that may be different for everyone. However, those are the main attributes needed in my mind. Thankfully the Dunu Lyre Mini modular cable provided is a gorgeous gray wire with a nylon fabric insulation. To be exact, it’s a 2-pin, four-core monocrystalline copper and silver-plated monocrystalline copper cable which comes equipped with a 3.5 single ended as well as 4.4 balanced Q-Lock adapters. Basically, the adapters get lined-up and pushed on while a metal threaded fitting threads onto the cable holding it securely. I’d say it’s one of the better implementations of modular adapters. Especially at this price. Also, I feel that the cable does the Kima 2 justice sonically. I tried a silver cable, please don’t do that. Learn from me. I tried a fully copper cable too, which almost dulled the midrange. Honestly, the included cable sounded awesome from all of these other cables that I have on hand to try. What I’m trying to say is; fantastic job Dunu! You provided us a cable which actually makes sense paired with the Kima 2.

Kima 2 Cable

Dunu Kima 2 Review Pic (44).jpg




Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

This will be short because it is so very apparent that the Kima 2 is built magnificently. Friends, I feel that one of the best materials that exists to use for an earphone shell is stainless steel. Well, that is exactly what Dunu used for the Shells on the Kima 2. Of course, the Kima 2 is a hair heavier at 10.2 grams. As they should be. That said, 10 grams is hardly heavy. As far as size, the Kima 2 is about average sized, not too big and not small. The shells are cut in a way that hugs the ear nicely, a very cool shape which is functional and nice to look at. So, the shells are actually sandblasted to leave a semi-faded surface finished off with a dull polish that really looks nice. In fact, the shape of the faceplates is actually crafted to create shadows. You’ll notice two vents, one on the back cavity and one on the front. The nozzles are plated in what appears to be brass. Just a gorgeous contrast. The nozzles are right around 6mm (give or take) and actually fit somewhat deeply. At least in my ears they do. The fit is wonderful, but I’ll cover that later. At any rate, the build is top class, top shelf, and premium, any way you turn them.

Kima 2 Build



Design

Let’s talk about the design language of the Dunu Kima 2. To be totally honest, not much has changed from the Kima original or the Kima Classic. You still have the “K” across the faceplates. Yes, the same “K” which was crafted to create intricate shadows bringing upon a 3D element into the design. The all-silver semi-polished look is without question one of the best designs in the price point. Add to that the brass or gold-plated nozzle and you have yourself one of the best designed earphones that $100 can buy. It’s no wonder Dunu decided not to change the design up too much. Why would they change a good thing? I personally loved the design of both the OG Kima and the Classic, so it’s no surprise that I equally enjoy the Kima 2’s design language. For what it’s worth, Dunu is also seeing their limited-edition Kima 2 which comes in a crazy beautiful high polish green. The Limited Edition is limited to #999 units, so act fast on that one. As for me, I like the Kima 2 as it is. I love the semi-polish silver stainless steel. It is such a nice design. Well, done, once again Dunu.

Internals

The Dunu Kima 2 is a single dynamic driver earphone which consists of one “New-Generation” 10mm diamond-like-carbon (DLC) composite dome diaphragm driver with what Dunu states has a different material for the suspension. Dunu also states that the deposition process of coating the driver with the DLC compound is much better now. They say there is less gaps, less surface defects too. This can only improve the sound at the end of the day. Beyond the drivers, Dunu decided to use the same high-power magnetic architecture as was used in the very popular Dunu Falcon Ultra. It appears that Dunu really wanted this set to sound amazing for the cost and seemed to spare no expense in making sure that was the end result.

Fit / Comfort

Now fit and comfort is completely subjective and a very personal thing to speak on. Like, I have zero idea if the Kima 2 will or won’t fit your ears. All I can say is that the Kima 2 fit me very well. Once I got the tips which worked for me, that is. It did take long though as any of the tips provided in the packaging worked like a charm. The Co fort is great, you don’t even feel the 10-gram shells in your ears as the weight is dispersed very well. Honestly, to me the Kima 2 is a homerun from a fit standpoint. That’s me though. How they will fit you is anyone’s guess.



Kima 2




Drivability / Pairings

Output Power

The Dunu Kima 2 is rated with an impedance of right around 20 ohms and a sensitivity of about 108 db/mw (@1kHz). What this translates to is that the Kima 2 is a very sensitive iem which can run well off of lower powered sources. Even on a simple smartphone, iPad, cheap Amazon 3.5 dongles, really any low powered source the Kima 2 was able to get to good volume with plenty of headroom. That said, I feel that some more raw power does help to bring the Kima 2 to its pinnacle sound fidelity. I’m not talking about a million watts either. Let’s put it this way, high gain on the EPZ TP50 was wonderful. I’m sure low gain would be just fine too. But who likes low gain? Yuck. Anyways, without a doubt the mix tightens up, adds more vibrance, slightly more sculpted bass region, better extended upper treble with more body to that region. Of course, I should also add that my higher-powered sources are also my most talented sources. So, how much of that improvement comes from simply using a better source, or more power. I think it’s a mix of both. Still, more raw power certainly helps the Kima 2 scale nicely. Still, in the end you really should strive to get a decent Dongle Dac. Something with some juice helps.

Source PairingDunu Kima 2 Review Pic (29).jpg

Now we get to one of the most subjective sections in audio. That is “source pairing”. So many reviewers will swear that this set needs this source, or that source. They will say that synergy happens with this, or that. Insert eye-roll emoji. Friends, “synergy” is a made-up word that is supposed to direct the reader or listener to the perfect pairing based on tonality and other features. While synergy has its place, it is not an across the board understanding. I mean, “synergy” really just means; “it sounds good to me”. It’s subjective folks. Person to person can change. So, as far as the synergy that I heard with the Kima 2. In truth, it’s an almost dead neutral iem. Perhaps warm/neutral. Friends, this basically means that almost any source can play them just fine. Be it warmer, warm/neutral, neutral, bright/neutral, rolled off…whatever, the Kima 2 will sound good. Now, does this mean that you will enjoy all of these different source tonality pairings with the Kima 2? No that definitely doesn’t mean that. It’s personal, subjective, person-to-person may feel differently. For me, I like anything from warm to a neutral source. The Kima 2 is so clean that it can cooperate with most any source pairing and sound great. That’s why neutral iems are so nice. Of course everything has its downsides, but for a dead neutral iem, usually tonality pairing is not one of them.

What do you need?

You only really need something with at least a 3.5 single ended port to plug the Kima 2 into. However, to get the most out of this beautiful iem I would certainly suggest that you try to get a decently powerful dongle dac. 150mW at 32ohms is more than enough, which is basically any and all dongle dacs above $40. In fact, most dongle dacs will provide twice that anymore. At any rate, get a decent dongle dac, that you enjoy the sound and performance of, and you should be good to go. Who knows though, you may like something a hair warmer, or cooler. It’s a process folks.



Dunu-Kima-2-Review-Pic-69.jpg

Dunu Kima 2 Review Pic (81).JPG




Sound Impressions



*Note: I want to preface this section with a few things. First, I gave the Kima 2 about five days of burn-in playing loops of white noise, pink noise, tones & sweeps, and different tunes specifically meant to settle the driver in certain areas. Did this help? Honestly, I have no idea. I really didn’t pay enough attention early on to tell a difference and nothing stood out to me that needed changing when I 1st listened. So, I don’t know if it helped, but I definitely performed it. I listen almost entirely to flac or better files stored on my many devices. Also, I listen mainly to the UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) music player as well as Hiby Music Player and Poweramp from time to time. Each music player has its own strengths, and I use them all.

Neutral / Natural

The Dunu Kima 2 comes across very close to dead neutral to my ears, maybe warm/neutral too. I wouldn’t argue about either. I absolutely adore what Dunu was able to accomplish with this set, for the cost. Without a doubt in my mind the Kima 2 is most definitely an upgrade from the previous iterations of the Kima series. Granted, those were nice sets, but the Kima 2 has more of a crispness on attack. More of a fundamental bite to notes whilst remaining harmoniously smooth across the board. This set is so clean, so tight, yet wonderfully balanced across the mix. Just an almost perfectly pleasant sound. Friends, I treasure the sound of the Fiio FD15 (FD15 Review) and I can barely tell a difference between the two sets. Okay, there is distinct subtle differences, but that’s beside the point. The point is, for $50 less the Kima 2 is a wonderfully fluid sounding iem with great natural note weight, natural in its transients, natural in its macro-dynamics, in its vibrance, and just about any other sound descriptor. Yes, the Kima 2 has its subtle subjective issues and of course it (along with every other iem) is not going to be everyone’s cup-o’-tea, but man is it a nice sounding set! Simply pleasant folks. I could listen all day long and never grow tired of it. In truth, Dunu could’ve asked for a whole lot more money in exchange for the Kima 2, and I wouldn’t have batted an eye. It’s a very nice sounding set.

How does it sound?

Again, the Kima 2 is very close to neutral with a healthy bump up top, as well as a slight linear bass shelf in which ever-so-gently squeezes itself (in a very polite manner) into the midrange adding a very organic weight and richness to an otherwise very clean sound. I would call this a U-shaped sound signature. The bass hits fast, punchy, relatively deep but is mostly playing second fiddle to the midrange. Without question, the midrange is the bread and butter of the Kima 2. You have an excellent midrange for vocalists. Not too forward, not pushed back, very melodious, and tuneful all the way out. Just enough shimmer, sparkle, and vibrancy. Lastly the treble is almost perfectly balanced with the rest of the mix, to my ears anyways. A very nice, very smooth treble which comes with no real peaks, no sibilance, no odd timbre. Just a nice sounding treble. Detail retrieval is probably just above average, same with instrument separation, and imaging. Good, not great, but also, I wouldn’t change it even if I could. The stage is average, average width, average depth, average height. So no, the Kima 2 is not the picture of technical prowess. It won’t resolve the subtlest of subtleties. It will however sound like pure musicality in the most non-offensive form with an effortless ability to convey my music. Truly a diamond folks. If you didn’t know, it’s wise to pick up diamonds. Just sayin’.


Kima 2 Graph
Graph courtesy of Practphile, Thank You!


Kima 2



Bass Region

The low-end of the Dunu Kima 2 is what I would refer to as natural. It’s realistic, authentic, organic to life. Yes, it can get reasonably deep in pitch and yes it has some guttural tendencies, but mostly it keeps a perfect balance against the mids and the treble. Nothing about the bass is overdone, or overcooked. So, with that said, the Kima 2 is obviously NOT for bassheads. The low-end is all about quality over quantity and it exemplifies this at all times. I hear a very nicely textured low-end with very nice note definition as well. I also hear a very tactile type of bass punch which provides a nice snap on attack for kick drums etc. No where in the bass do I hear anything remotely bloated, or muddy, and certainly nothing which promotes any sort of veil to the overall sound. Truly this is a very well thought out and nicely tuned bass region that has the ability to hit quickly, with a palpable punch, and a certain dexterity which enables the Kima 2 to sound very precise, with a natural note recovery. Perhaps less full in authority, but very agile, very clean, very natural to my ears.

Sub-Bass

The sublevels of the low-end aren’t going to bring the bass-bois out of the woodwork. This is not the type of sub-bass that’ll rattle your eyeballs, tickle your nose hairs, or realign your brain stem. It thankfully is not anything like that. Again, quality over quantity, with another helping of quality. The sub-bass still has some haptic feel to bass notes when a track presents such a thing. Like the track I always use for my reviews, “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard. It’s a cool fest of jazz infused rumble with an aggressive drone. Any set will sound at least marginally deep and guttural with this song. What I enjoy about the Kima 2 is how well it navigates that low aggressive drone while simultaneously replaying the rest of the mix as though there’s more than one driver. Another track just like that, by The Decemberists, called “Tell Me What’s on Your Mind” is another heavy rumble and bulbous style growl and drone. Once again, every set replays this song with at least a modicum of beastliness. Still, the Kima 2 is amazing once the drums kick in. Again, it’s like there’s more than one driver. The snap on attack of each drum hit comes through loud and clear while the thrumming deep buzz of the bassline creates the foundation of the track. Now, those are tracks which should sound guttural. I also noticed that even most bass guitars have a certain fullness and bite with enough resonant rumble to sound and feel authentic.

Mid-Bass

I have gone back and forth against myself whether the mid-bass has the brunt of the emphasis down low. I would venture to say that it does, but the linearity of this bass shelf is wonderful folks. So, the mid-bass is less intense, not a ton of robust slam. I’m sure it’s enough for 90% of hobbyists, but it won’t make big bass lovers very happy. Though, I think we’ve established that. Once again, the quality of the bass region is what makes this low-end as special as it is. It’s fast enough to take in complicated bass passages yet has enough of a lingering resonance to sound realistic. It’s simply clean. Clean can mean a lot of things but the 1st things I think of are good definition, texture, good resolution, without a ton of residual harmonics, a glass-lined note outline, rather than plush or fuzzy. The mid-bass of the Kima 2 is all of those things. It may not satisfy everyone’s guilty pleasure style bass fantasies, but you can throw almost anything at it and the Kima 2 will perform. Listening to “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams you’ll see right away that the Kima 2 can take on a speedy mid-bass yet at the same time easily separate the surrounding melodies like the strumming guitar, there’s nothing murky, nothing masked, just a clean sounding bass which does the song crazy-good justice rather than steal any clarity. Each bass note hits with some nice precision, it’s tidy, it has some real good density in its less bombastic boom. The cool thing is that the bass is elevated enough to sound meaty. Just a nice bass.

Downsides to the Bass Region

Without a doubt the number one issue that most folks will have is the lack of a big authoritative boom or deep sublevel grumble. Not that it doesn’t present these things sufficiently, but just not enough to come across “big” and “deep” in the traditional bass lover sense. That’s it. What the low-end does really well is show up when it’s called upon. Let’s put it this way, I never hear anything which sounds or feels as though the Kima 2 “lacks”. I don’t get that folks. The low-end holds up its end of the agreement when it’s asked to. See, the bass is not the focus of this iem. I know we are inundated with iems that have a powerful low-end leaving other areas of the mix to slightly suffer. If anything, the Kima 2 could use some more sublevel emphasis. Maybe a touch. However, it would kill me to ruin the sound of this set for a hair more guttural growl. Ya know what… I take that back, don’t touch a thing, I like it just the way it is. Of course, I am not everyone else, and I’m sure that the Kima 2 will not suffice for many folks. It’s just the truth. I said the same thing in the Fiio FD15 Review. If you like natural, ridiculously clean, nicely layered, with some tactility and dense punch then you may love what the Kima 2 has to offer down low. Quality trumps quantity on this set every day of the week.



Kima 2



Midrange



The midrange is the bread-&-butter of the Dunu Kima 2. When I listen to this set all I can think of is how effortless the Kima 2 navigates any track in such a harmonious manner. Really a sweet sounding iem and its midrange is a huge reason for that. There’s no other way to look at the Kima 2. It’s a balanced iem, no one area of the mix steals the focus. However, the crown jewel of that balanced signature happens to be the midrange on the Kima 2. Tuned to be a hair closer, very naturally tuned. The midrange comes across as smooth in its note body, crisp at the edges (when needed) and very clear. Note weight sounds natural, not thin or frail sounding and not overly thick. These attributes set the stage wonderfully for vocalists and for instrumentation to sound open and full, realistic in their inflections, yet melodious at every turn. No color alters the sound one way or the other. See, the bass shelf is not heavily emphasized. In fact, I’d say it’s emphasized just enough. Yet that bass shelf doesn’t flatten out until almost 700hz, which is far into the midrange. I think the result is like I’ve been saying… it has a very realistic tuning. Natural voices, forward yet never boxy, rich yet never overly wide in presence. Just tight enough to decay in a way that cooperates with my natural understanding of what a “thing” actually sounds like. Be it, a vocalist, or be it violin, piano, acoustic guitar, etc. The macro cleanliness and neutrality are such that instruments come across uncolored and preserved allowing their natural sound to come across. If I haven’t said it yet, this is a breath of fresh air folks.

Macro Clarity

The truth is that the Kima 2’s midrange is actually fairly well detailed with a transparent sound, black background, as though all midrange notes have a spotlight pointed right at them. However, in the face of that spotlight, the Kima 2 has this persistent sound balance, which always keeps the sound (as a whole) anchored. Yes, the mids are fantastic, but the beauty of the Kima 2 is in that balance. It allows certain elements of the frequency to stand out where they otherwise may sound a little murkier on other sets. So, you won’t get top-class micro-details and fine-lined precision, what you will get is perfectly clean macro clarity coupled with effortless musicality. Truly a nice midrange folks.

Lower-Midrange

Male vocals sound awesome. Flat-out, hands-down. In my opinion, males come with a very unsullied authority to their voices. Meaning, there is weight to the body of their notes, yet that weight isn’t the type which clouds, veils, or congests the image. There is a richness, some etched-out fullness that draws the male voice forward in an appropriate way. I’m telling you folks; the macro-cleanliness is very nice. For instance, Gary Lightbody in “This is How You Walk On” almost puts Gary’s voice on a pedestal against that rest of the mix. With the Kima 2 in ear, he sounds very distinct, almost engraved within the sound field and against the rest of the melody. Notes are sculpted well enough, but not clinical, they’re textured, but never dry. Now, I could see some folks wishing the Kima 2 had even more rich warmth. I could see that. Despite that, for those who enjoy a cleaner neutral approach that doesn’t skimp on note weight, those are the people the Kima 2 is for. Males, lower register females, and instrumentation all “generally” sound very nice for a $100 iem.

Upper-Midrange

Now, the upper-mids have that nicely gradual pinna rise which peaks below the Harman Target. So already you can tell that the Kima 2 is not going to be as glare inducing as some of those Harman style bad boys. I actually find the upper mids to be the most enthralling frequency range, for me anyways. I like that the upper mids have more than enough sparkle, and shimmer to cap certain instruments, or female voices. To add to that, you still have that nice note body. Now it does thin out a hair in this region, but I’d still refer to the upper midrange as a very natural & neutral sound that’ll present the track as it is, for both instruments & voices too. Truly some of the best timbre that $100 can get you, in my opinion. Really a very gratifying sound. I hear a euphonic, crystalline, very lucid sounding upper portion of the mids combined with a certain buttery and full-bodied sound as well. It’s just wonderful folks. Also, I hear nothing fatiguing. You won’t get hit with any random peaks, no hidden jolts of glare. No sibilance (that is noteworthy) either. Pleasant is still the word which best describes the Kima 2 as a whole, and certainly pleasant describes the upper midrange.

Upper-mids cont…

Now, females are truly set up to shine with the Kima 2. The upper-mids are more forward than the low-mids with subtle touches of extra energy that seems to mesh wonderfully for most female vocalists. Furthermore, the Kima 2 carries this soft glow of controlled vibrance which summits every note. Friends, just do yourself a favor and listen to Adele sing “Easy on Me (Live at the NRJ Awards, 2021)”. It’s a vocal masterpiece from the singer. The Kima 2 is the perfect vehicle to drive her sound. No sharp inflections in Adele’s voice get exaggerated, you hear nothing metallic (which can easily happen). However, what you will hear is that very clean, nicely bodied, and natural timbre softly layered with just the right amount of sparkle. Obviously, these are highly subjective words here, but I just feel that some things in this hobby are pretty much universal.

Fluid/Smooth

Another singer is Sia who emotionally belts out “Nowhere to Be”. Folks, I adore how the Kima 2 can take abrasive voices, more like sharp little micro abrasions that a singer like Sia has cresting every note sung from her mouth. There’s an edge, and this edge can sound… well… edgy. You could say metallic but really, it’s simply not natural to the ear. Some sets will magnify and embellish these little moments. Not the Kima 2. The fluidity and smoothness of the Kima 2 comes across glass lined as it smooths, sands down, and gets the most out of Sia’s vocals in a very liquid way. If that makes sense to you. Not to mention piano, violin, percussion of all sorts, strings of all sorts too, along with every other instrument that I’ve heard played through the Kima 2. It’s the same story; full bodied, rounded, very clear, enough sparkle and shimmer to bring some slight bite and crispness while also sounding very resounding when needed.

Downsides to the Midrange

Now, I don’t want to oversell this set, and I don’t want to make this some hype piece either. No question there have been plenty of iems which can perform in a similar fashion. Namely, the original Kima, the much less expensive HZsound Heart Mirror, the Aful MagicOne, and many others in the price point which can really carry vocals and instruments in a natural and timbre-first way. Do those sets put it all together like the Kima 2? Now that’s a question that deserves some attention. However, of course there are going to be those who simply don’t enjoy this vocal friendly sound. That should go without saying. Also, folks who really love a heavy warmth, an even juicier and richer sound or those who don’t enjoy neutrality will not be enamored with the Kima 2. Most definitely macro-dynamics are not the Kima 2’s calling card either. Yes, there’s energy, but it’s controlled, capped, and never does that energy serve as a sharp contrast sonically. Some may even call the Kima 2 “dull”. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that. Personally, I don’t feel that something which sounds so authentic to life could be “dull”, but also, I’m not you. Coincidentally, it’s you who I’m trying to help here. So no, the mids aren’t perfect. They could use some more hard-lined density, some more focused details, more separation of instrumentation etc. Still, at the end of the day Dunu did a wonderful job in tuning this set.



Kima 2



Treble Region

In a nutshell, the Kima 2’s treble region is fairly safe. Certainly, it has its moments of brilliance and shine, but the Kima 2’s treble is not going to “push the envelope” … so to speak. So, it isn’t an intense treble, or a very dynamic treble. I’d say it’s just brilliant enough and emphasized enough to add some luster to the overall sound. Also, the treble is lifted enough to balance the spectrum wonderfully as the treble is a huge reason for this overall neutral/natural sound. So, while the highs on the Kima 2 aren’t spit-fire, ultra-peppy, or heavily contrasted against the rest of the mix, they’re actually perfect for the Kima 2. I wouldn’t change a thing. Basically, treble heads won’t jump for joy as the Kima 2 will not be the $100 set they crown as “Prince of Treble”. Or those who desire some slight sharpness, some vivacity, or some hard-edged treble bite will likely want to keep looking. In my opinion, Dunu made sure to tune this set with a superlative tonal balance that not many sets priced around $100 are offering these days. Not quite like the Kima 2 anyways. However, to get that balance they did have to sacrifice some dynamic energy in this region. I’m okay with it.

It’s a single DD…

Having said all of that, I still feel that detail retrieval up top is a plus, clarity is still a mainstay for this tuning as well. It is a very clean treble, smoother than crisp, decently extended, and this treble has enough vivid radiance to filter down to the midrange providing some snap on percussion, adding sparkle to the upper mids, enough edge to acoustic strings etc. So, while it may not be the picture of refulgent luminosity, it is not boring or dull and isn’t even close to rolled off or dark. No way. The Kima 2 has the perfect treble emphasis for the Kima 2 and carries enough resplendent candor to add some gloss to this region. Let’s put it that way. Again, details are nice, especially in a macro sense with some micro-details coming through as well. Probably above average in this area. Obviously, that is highly debatable, but I have almost no issues hearing most of the subtle stuff within my music. I’d say that you don’t have a ton of treble bite, with transient swiftness, precise note density, or perfectly contoured & rounded treble notes. There isn’t that haptic style treble that only certain drivers can obtain. This is a $100 iem and it is a single dynamic driver earphone. Just keep that in mind.

Tonal balance trumps technical prowess

What you won’t hear is anything shreikingly sharp or too bright. I really don’t feel that many people are going to feel the Kima 2 has too much brilliance. Maybe for those who only enjoy a dark treble. Everyone else will likely find the Kima 2 right in their comfort zone. It’s an easy listen, non-offensive, nothing shrill to my ears and I don’t hear that tizzy upper treble splash with the secondary harmonics of a cymbal strike. Also, I don’t hear a ton of blending in this area either, except for heavily complicated treble music. On the flipside, for a more exact digital treble like the style of “Magnetic Fields, Pt. 1” by Jean Michel Jarre you will hear that precision, the rounded notes, the bite. That should be expected, even with loads of treble coming at you. The Kima 2 seems to handle that very well. Yet in more chaotic treble tracks with actual woodwind instruments, electric guitar, brass instruments, cello, clarinet, french horn, among others all mishmashing in the treble region as in “Adventure of a Lifetime” by Cold Play, there is some slight blending up top. Tonally the sound is beautiful, but I’d say some of the distinct note separation will leave those treble diehards wanting. So, while the sound is about as harmonious as you can get, it isn’t the most exact and probably isn’t the most polished treble region. Now, does any of that make even a slight difference to me or take away from my enjoyment? Absolutely not. This is certainly a time where I’d say that tonal-balance and good timbre trumps technical proficiency, with ease.

Downsides to the Treble Region

I feel I’ve already covered this in the previous paragraphs. It really all comes down to subjective issues that “some” people “might” have. Again, not for treble heads. I think we’ve established that. Also, you have to keep in mind the price, the driver configuration too. It’s simply true that an under $100 single dynamic driver earphone is not going to replicate the treble region perfectly, with perfect precision, and isn’t going to sculpt every treble note in fine-lined accuracy. Some tracks will make what I just said a liar out of me, but I feel you all understand what I’m saying. Well, I hope you do.

The truth is, I couldn’t say enough good things about the way Dunu crafted and tuned the treble to fit perfectly within the canvas that is the Kima 2. It just works. The tonality and timbre strike a wonderfully organic chord within my mind space when listening. I’ve said the same thing about a few other sets in this price point as well, so the Kima 2 is not something I haven’t heard before. However, it is a quality attribute of this set which shouldn’t go unspoken of or ignored. It’s a quality treble which may not be the picture-perfect model of a technical treble. I think I’ve beat this horse to death; you get the idea.



Kima 2




Technicalities

Soundstage

Beginning with the soundstage, I find the Kima 2 to give an average portrayal of the sound field. Thankfully you don’t have a small stage, or a congested stage and so that is a huge plus. It’s about average. Average width, decent height, but you have some decent depth of field, which is a plus. I do hear some nice layering of sound as well. However, all in all, the Kima 2’s soundstage is about average with other single DD sets around its cost. Now, this doesn’t mean the stage is not a benefit of this iem, because I do feel that the Kima 2 has a very well laid-out stage with a slightly more 3D aspect to it. It is perhaps a hair more intimate but there’s dimension to the sound.

Separation / Imaging

Now, instrument separation is actually quite good if you ask me. I know I said it was roughly average in my review but in truth the Kima 2 does a nice job of separating elements of an imaginary stage. I’d say that the only issues arise in Ultra congested music, as one should expect. Really, the clarity is so nice on this set that it is able to separate instruments and voices in a nice way. Imaging is even better. I have zero issues placing instruments within the sound field. Never are there any floating images, muffled images, or anything of the sort. Left to right is solid, front to back is also better than expected. You’ll hear some decent layering of sounds which only helps the mental picture. I’d say that Dunu did a nice job here. Obviously, the Kima 2 is not tops in class and many sets will show off a better ability to separate elements and image those elements. Still, the Kima 2 is nice.

Detail Retrieval

As far as detail retrieval is concerned, I’d say the Kima 2 is just above average. The macro clarity is too good, nice macro details, and yes, the subtle stuff can be picked up rather easily in the right tracks. It should go without saying that more congested music obviously will make it harder to dissect the minutiae. I can tell you that the Kima 2 is certainly not a detail beast, and it won’t be the envy of the audio world for its technical prowess, but I can’t sit here and call it bad either. Now, there’s no quantitative way to come up with this determination, but again, I’d say that the Kima 2 is probably just above the average set within its price point.

Dunu Kima 2 Review Pic (77).JPG




Comparisons

Comparisons
Dunu Kima Classic / Dunu Kima 2 / Fiio FD15


Dunu Kima Classic ($109)

Kima Classic

I reviewed both of the previous iterations of the Dunu Kima series and the one which resonated with me the most (until the Kima 2) was the Kima Classic (Kima Classic Review). The Classic was crafted with an upgraded tuning from the OG Kima and was (in my opinion) an upgrade from the OG. Once again, the Kima Classic comes with a single 10mm DLC dynamic driver. You have an updated paint job on the Classic as well with a more coffee colored design. Very nice looking but beyond that, everything remained the same as far as build is concerned. The point of the Classic was to provide a more classical V-shaped tuning scheme. More bass impact, depth, more treble output etc. I’d say they accomplished their task because the Kima Classic is a nice sounding set.

Differences

Folks, the Kima Classic and Kima 2 are identical in all ways physically and aesthetically except for the color. Well, that and the Kima 2 has upgraded drivers and the 2-pin on the Kima 2 is more recessed. Beyond those things, these two are spot on identical. The vents are the same, writing on the faceplates is the same, same 3D looking “K”. Identical. Coincidentally, the price is also identical at right around $100 – $110. I think the similarities fade when you consider that the Kima 2 has a much better cable and more eartips. Both sets offer the same carrying case except they are different colors. Both give a solid unboxing experience for the cost. However, I would certainly say that the Kima 2 has the better unboxing.

Sound Differences

As far as sound differences, the Kima Classic comes across a hair warmer, less neutral, more like warm/neutral to my ears. Really, the difference is that the Classic is more fun, V-shaped in signature whereas the Kima 2 is the more mature, refined, and 5onally balanced of the two. The Classic has a deeper low-end, more slam, meatier low-end. While the Kima 2 has the better quality low-end with a more precise impact and definition. The Kima 2 has the faster bass, with more of a direct granite infused punch. The midrange is more recessed and pushed back on the Classic whereas the mids on the Kima 2 are absolutely wonderful. More forward, cleaner, better clarity, more melodic, more of a natural note weight and richness. The Classic is a hint thinner in this region. Now, the Classic has a brighter treble, more detailed, easier to gain fatigue, but it has a higher resolution to my ears up top. Having said that, the Kima 2 has the more tonally accurate and balanced treble, easier in the ears, and a better upper treble in my opinion. As far as detail retrieval, the Classic and the Kima 2 are both slightly above average though the Classic wins out by a slight degree in the treble area while the Kima 2 has the more defined bass and midrange. I’d say the soundstage size goes to the Classic while depth and layering goes to the Kima 2.

Final thoughts on this comparison

Honestly, I love that Dunu made almost identical sets yet switched up the tuning. Different flavors, if you will. Both are very well done per their respective tunings and per the cost. In fact, I still feel that the Classic is a highly underrated iem. However, I personally feel the Kima 2 is the better iem. It’s better almost across the board for me. The tonality and timbre are simply to die for on the Kima 2 and I find it is simply the more upscale version of the Kima series. That takes nothing away from the Classic. I’m sure that fans of a more V-shaped sound would not agree with me. Both are nice, but I’ll take the Kima 2.



Kima Classic
Graph courtesy of Basking Shark, Thanks!


Fiio FD15 ($149)

FD15

The Fiio FD15 (FD15 Review) is a criminally underrated iem. Let’s just get that out of the way. The fact that it isn’t being shared across social media by countless people is proof enough because the FD15 is one helluva iem. It truly is. In fact, it’s so good that this comparison isn’t really all that fair. The truth is, both sets are very similar in many ways. This is something that I noticed right away when listening to the Kima 2 for the 1st time. It was easy to spot the similarities. At any rate, the FD15 is a single dynamic driver earphone which consists of a massive 13.8 mm driver with a magnalium diaphragm and a DLC gasket. The highlights keep going though as the FD15 has a ton of physical tech and wizardry involved with the creation of the FD15. In my mind, the FD15 is one of the best iems period between $100 and $200. So again, maybe not a fair fight between the Kima 2 and FD15, but just for similarities sake it’s worth it to compare.

Differences

To begin, the difference in body style is pretty stark. The FD15 takes on Fiio’s very popular cylindrical body styles, whereas the Kima 2 is most certainly not that. The FD15 is heavier as well, denser, also made entirely of stainless steel. Oddly enough, the FD15 is also much smaller in stature. Both are nice to wear over long periods and neither feel heavy on the ear. I should add that the FD15 comes equipped with two sets of tuning nozzles, which is a nice inclusion. As far as design, I think they are both fantastic looking iems. I may like the FD15 a hair more, but I think Dunu did a marvelous job with this design and every design in the Kima series. Now, the unboxing is actually probably just as good on the Kima 2. Now, I’d say the cable of the FD15 is probably the better modular cable, as it is a Furukawa authentic cable. However, the Fiio case situation is very strange. Definitely the Kima 2 has the much better case. Both earphones come with a mountain of eartips and in truth, both brands are well known for providing great unboxing experiences. Of course, the FD15 is about $40 to $50 more in cost and so that should be noted.

Sound Differences

This brings us to the sound. Now, both iems are almost dead neutral and in truth they sound very similar across the board. Of course, there are certainly differences though. Both iems are superb in tonal accuracy with extremely natural timbre. Both sets exude this aspect of the sound, and both specialize in tonal balance. However, the FD15 has that massive 13.8mm DD which most certainly provides a more guttural depth and meaty slam. Both are tight and nicely resolved down low. The Kima 2 has a touch more forward midrange while the FD15 is definitely the more detailed set of the two. In a micro sense that is. Of course, neither set is a slouch. Really most technical aspects of the sound go to the FD15 as it is simply a touch more refined altogether. That said, I don’t know which set is the more engaging of the two, that’d be tough to answer. The treble region of both sets is mostly non-offensive, both have just enough brilliance to uplift the mix, and both have nice extension in the upper treble without any splashiness. Perhaps the Kima 2 has the faintest of hairs better extension, but that’s not entirely easy to hear. Again, technically both sets offer superbly clean sound, a I’ve average details, though I’d certainly say the FD15 has the edge. Especially in terms of soundstage as the FD15 has better width, just as much depth, and both iems have nice layering and imaging abilities.

Final thoughts on this comparison

Folks, these comparisons are a total crap shoot. I’m just being honest. Do you know how difficult it is to hear differences of any kind between these two sets? After hours of enjoyably going back and forth between the two I did come to the conclusion that the FD15 is probably the better set. More technically able whilst having just as engaging timbre and just as good of a tonal balance. The FD15 has the more bullish and organic bass helped by that enormous 13.8 mm DD. Trust me, the size makes a difference. However, is it worth $40 to $50 more? Probably not, is my answer. As solid as the FD15 is, I think the Kima 2 is likely the better buy. I feel that this comparison really drove that home for me.


FD15 Graph
Graph courtesy of AudioAI, Thank You!


Kima 2



Is it worth the asking price?

The answer to the question in the header is one of the easier questions to answer from this guy. I happen to really enjoy the Kima 2. I mean, really enjoy it. Also, I feel that Dunu honestly could’ve charged more for this iem. I mean, friends, the Dunu Kima 2 costs $100 for crying out loud. To have this level of balance, clarity, and this level of clean-cut musicality is a definite testament to the professionals over at Dunu. The Kima 2 shows me just how close Dunu got with the last two installments (Kima, Kima Classic) in this series. I feel that this time around, Dunu brought it all together. Also, understand that I’m saying this with all of the other iems within the price point sitting fresh within my mind as well. For the cost, the Kima 2 is a very well done iem.

Despite all of the nice words, the Dunu Kima 2 is not going to be loved universally. It’s a tough market for any iem to truly stand out and the truth is that not all people desire a neutral-ish, and tonally-balanced. Many people in the Hobby need that heavy weighted low-end that’ll satisfy certain genres. It’s not just the low-end, because how many friends of mine enjoy even more treble presence? Another thing is that there are iems less expensive iems which gets them 85-90% of the performance of the Kima 2. So, of course, the Kima 2 is not a perfect iem. Of course it has some subjective qualms. Hopefully I’ve detailed those slight issues in this review. However, let’s check out a few reasons why the Kima 2 is most certainly worth the cost of ownership.

The Why…

Because the Kima 2 has no glaring issues. I feel that Dunu covered almost everything with this set and there’s no wondering who the Kima 2 is for. Now, anytime you go so hard with one sound signature you are going to have a more polarizing sound. Having said that, the Kima 2 is solid across the board. For what it is, and for how Dunu envisioned the sound being, I’d say they absolutely nailed it! Made entirely out of stainless steel except the brass nozzle tips is a huge bonus. Friends, this set is built like a champ. Flat-out and hands-down! Though, watch in those winter months if you are outside with the Kima 2 as I can attest that they get super cold. Anyways, the look and design of the Kima 2 hasn’t changed much from previous Kima series sets, much to my delight. I love that Dunu kept the design. It’s tough. The Kima 2 is accessorized very well. Folks, I’d venture to say that it’s “one of”, if not “thee” best unboxing experiences for $100. That’s grossly debatable, but I simply haven’t seen many other sets which have a distinctly better unboxing. Again, there could be sets that I’m not thinking of at the moment. However, regardless of whether the Kima 2 is one of the best, or not, I can tell you that you are getting a ton of usable goodies in the packaging.

That sound!

As nice as the unboxing is, or the build, the design, etc. The true character of the Kima 2 is found in its tuning. Dunu did a very nice job here. Like I’ve said, the Kima 2 has a wonderfully balanced tuning with a quick and punchy low-end. It’s tight, very clean and well defined. That brings us to the gold star frequencies of the Kima 2, the midrange. Folks, the mids are some of the best mids that I’ve enjoyed around $100. Vocals are like butter, forward, yet not to a fault, as natural as can be. It’s creamy from the low-mids to the upper-mids and stuff like instruments are so well captured. Note weight is natural, timbre is natural, and without any sharpness or glare. The treble is tuned very nice in relation to the rest of the mix. Brilliant enough, clarity is high, yet they are so smooth, nothing shrill. I could keep going but no doubt if you are a natural lover and $100 is your price point, then the Kima 2 is a no brainer folks. Easily worth the cost of ownership.


Dunu Kima 2 Review Pic (99).jpg



Ratings (0-10)

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Dunu Kima 2 ratings below, that would be $75-$125 earphones of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $75-$125 is a fairly large sized scope of iems. So, it should be noteworthy to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic

Build Quality: 9.4 Stainless steel, wonderfully built.

Look: 9.1 Love the look of this set.

Fit/Comfort: 9.4 Fit and comfort is very good for me.

Accessories: 9.7 One of the best around $100.

Overall: 9.4🔥🔥

Sound Rating

Timbre: 9.6 Some of the best timbre in the price point.

Bass: 9.1 Punchy, textured, clean.

Midrange: 9.5 Awesome for vocalists.

Treble: 8.9 Non-offensive, sparkly, clean.

Technicalities: 8.8 I’d say it’s above average across the board.

Musicality: 9.4 So melodic, so tuneful!

Overall: 9.2🔥🔥🔥

Ratings Summary:

Folks, I honestly don’t feel there’s anything to talk about here. I really truly feel that a “9.2” in “Overall Sound” is well beyond worth it. In my opinion. The Kima 2 hits in every area very well. I suppose anyone who needs and yearns for a bigger bass emphasis will likely not agree. However, I feel I’ve made it clear that the Kima 2 has a low-end which is judged by its quality over its quantity. It is a fantastically tuned iem. And I envision many folks adoring the Kima 2. I would go much longer here but I am up against a time crunch folks. However, these scores are legit in my opinion, what a fine set!

Dunu Kima 2 Review Pic (78).JPG


Kima 2



Conclusion

To conclude my full written review of the Dunu Kima 2, I’d first like to thank the awesome people of HiFiGo. You know who you are. Thank you very much. It would have been a crime had I never heard the Dunu Kima 2 & HiFiGo gave me that opportunity. So, thank you very much! HiFiGo has been one of my go-to online audio stores for years and they always have what I want. So, thanks a bunch! I also need to thank you, the reader, for clicking the link and checking out my full review. It means the world to us at Mobileaudiophile.com. Every click, and every moment/minute spent makes a difference in our success. So, thank you very much. I do hope that all your questions have been answered.

Different Perspectives

Now that you’ve read my full review, I do hope you’ll click some other links on other reviews, from other reviewers regarding the Kima 2. It’ll help you even more to understand the Kima 2, and to make a much better educated decision before you go and plop almost $100 down on this set. It’s always a good idea to get other perspectives from other reviewers. So please listen to, watch, or read other thoughts about this set folks and I do hope you find the perfect set for your listening sessions. Okay folks, I think I’m done! I hope each and every one of you are well and good. Please stay as safe as you are able and always… God Bless!

Dunu Kima 2 Review Pic (82).JPG

Attachments

  • Dunu Kima 2 Review Pic (45).jpg
    Dunu Kima 2 Review Pic (45).jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 0
Last edited:

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
QOA Mimosa Review
Pros: -Nice all-resin build, light, obviously well made

-Both design styles are gorgeous, very artistic, creative

-Comfort (for me) is one of the best

-Accessories are very nice for under $100

-Great cable

-Warm, rich, and organic timbre. Very smooth

-Deep, palpable and textured bass region

-Smooth and lush midrange with milky vocals

-Very well extended and energetic treble

-Soundstage is intimate, but also very wide and deep. Nice for the price

-Imaging
Cons: -This much bass (12db shelf) may be too much for some hobbyists

-Not for analytical lovers, neutral, or bright lovers

-Not the most technically astute iem under $100

-Treble can become fatiguing with the right tracks

-Simply put; not everyone enjoys a rich and smooth sound

QOA Mimosa Review



Mimosa featured image


1000031378.jpg

QOA Mimosa Review

Intro

Hello, today I am featuring the latest from the audio brand QOA (Queen of Audio) named the QOA Mimosa. The Mimosa ($99) is actually a dual driver hybrid iem consisting of one dynamic driver and one micro planar magnetic driver. When I found out about this set, I was kind of stoked. When I think of solid driver pairings (most configurations can work when implemented right) this combination is one which makes sense to me. You have the organic and natural qualities of a DD and the ultra-snappy qualities of the Micro-planar. It just makes sense to me. The DD is the cake, and the micro-planar is the icing on the top. At any rate, this is one reviewer/hobbyist who enjoys any Kinera/QOA/Celest release. I haven’t heard the Mimosa yet as it’s still a couple days away, but I know that there is more to this set. Already there’s an air of something pretty solid. Before I go any further, I want to publicly thank the good people of Kinera (Kinera Thomas) for providing the Mimosa, and in return I will publish a subjective review aimed at helping you all. If it’s good, I’ll review it. If not… well… you’ll never read this.

Kinera/QOA /Celest

I won’t go too long here but folks, I’ve always admired Kinera. Along with Kinera’s sub-brand in Queen of Audio, and Celest Audio. You see, there’s always more to the story with them. I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt that they’ve done their homework, they’ve done the R&D, the leg work, and they are only going to put to market a product that they are proud of. This is why each of these brands rarely have any duds. If any. They are ultra-artistic, very crafty, imaginative, and aren’t scared of innovation. I love that. Kinera/QOA isn’t afraid to go unorthodox, get clever, avant-garde, and push visionary ideas. And guess what? They always seem to nail anything they put their hands, hearts, and minds to. Couple all those descriptors with the fact that they are ultra professional, they have an enormous arsenal of backing, a respected name (even their budget Celest), many highly skilled engineers, virtuosos, and specialists making darn sure that when a product is initially promoted… that it’s also very much ready, complete, and a solid product. I can see why they aren’t scared to give out review units to reviewers. The reason… because they believe in their products. As they should.

Mimosa

Mimosa: a drink of champagne and orange juice. Of course, that’s the North American definition of “Mimosa”. It also is another name for a silk tree, or an Australian Acacia tree with soft featherlike flowers. At least that’s what the Google gods told me. Judging on QOA’s promotional material, I’m thinking they are heavily leaning on the 1st choice, the frou-frou drink, the one my wife prefers. I say all of this because Kinera, QOA, & Celest do something with every release that I admire to no end. That is, they establish a theme for every product, and they embed that theme into the design, the build, and to the tuning. They create products which embody each respective theme, and they do so in the most creative of ways. Maybe I’m easily entertained, amused, or whatever, but in a hobby that so often lacks creativity, with so many products looking more like copy-cats than anything else. I just find it cool that there are brands out there who care enough about their craft, to give “what” they craft… an identity of sorts. However, what QOA does is take it a step further and in my opinion goes to whatever length they need, to impress. That is awesome. That’s care. They care about what they are putting to market enough to impress you with it. There’s no gimmicks in that folks. That’s the furthest thing from throwing spaghetti at a wall to see what sticks. Anyways, I just felt the need to speak on that.

Competition

Obviously, there is a ton of competition in this range. We are talking about the “under $100” price point, which is full to the brim with solid iems vying for your attention. I find that any iem which is to succeed in this price point needs to stand out with at least some unique quality, or, it just has to sound really good. In my opinion, purely conjecture, but most folks around the globe have a spending limit within this under $100 price point. Give or take. Obviously, brands know this and so the around $100 range is always active. I’m talking $75 to $125. Absolutely loaded folks. I repeat this in many reviews because every set that I review is up against the same uphill battle. They already start out with a disadvantage, right out the gate. Usually, it takes me longer in this price range because it is such an important range, and because there are so many variables to consider. I’m beyond curious to see how well the Mimosa stacks up.

A solid set

Well, I just got the Mimosa in and just posted some initial impressions to social media. Friends, remember how I said that any set needs to stand out in this price range to succeed? Well, I think that QOA cracked the code folks because it most certainly has enough of a distinction to make others “possibly” hit the “buy now” button? However, much remains to be seen with the Mimosa, and I’ll find out what I can. Okay, well I just put the Mimosa on the burn-in station. I’ll give it about three to five days of constant run-in using my burn-in playlist of pink and white noise, tones and sweeps, along with specific melodies aimed at certain regions. With that said, I’ll see you all in a couple weeks. Till then, the QOA Mimosa everyone….

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

-KineraAudio.com
HiFiGo
Shenzhen Audio
Aliexpress

Disclaimer:

I received the QOA Mimosa from Kinera as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. Kinera Audio has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to Kinera, and thanks for reading.


Mimosa
The Shanling M6 Ultra is easily my favorite source to pair with the QOA Mimosa.

Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

EPZ TP35

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra

Mimosa
So stylish at every angle.




Packaging / Accessories

Unboxing

The QOA Mimosa arrived at my door in a medium sized white box with the name “Mimosa” written elegantly in cursive lettering with the “QOA” logo in the top left of the outer sleeve. It’s a nicely designed cover sleeve, simple, not too much going on. Take off the sleeve and you’ll see an all-black box with QOA imposed in the center in gold lettering. Once you take off the box top and you’ll be met with both the carrying case as well as the Mimosa earphones sitting lovely within foam cut-outs. Take out the box and open it up and you’ll find the eartips and cable. That’s about it. Believe it or not, this is actually a fairly nice unboxing as all of the accessories make sense and are of good quality. Nothing is just randomly thrown into the packaging. Anyways, not bad QOA.

Mimosa Packaging
A very nice unboxing for an under $100 iem.


Eartips

Mimosa Eartips

So, QOA provides six pairs of eartips in total. That’s two different styles of tips and three pairs each. The first set is a dark gray silicone eartips with an orange I eternal stem. These are literally the exact same as old school Fiio bass tips. Or, they are identical in size, shape, bore size, and feel to the KBear 07 tips. Really great tips for any collection folks. You get three pairs (S, M, L) of these tips. They have a firm flange; very rigid stem and they are a semi-wide bore eartip. Again, very nice tips. Next QOA added in three pairs (S, M, L) of white silicone eartips with a purple stem. These tips are equally awesome, made with a firm flange, very rigid stem and come with a wide-bore. In my opinion these tips are the best to use with the Mimosa. I feel that the wide-bore helps to add a sense of air to the sound and subtly reduce the bass veracity. Then again, I used both styles of tips and enjoyed both a lot. However, for the majority of critical listening I did decide upon the wide bores. This was nice as it was one of the few times that I didn’t need to tip roll and happily used the included eartips. Of course, there are many different 3rd party tips which work wonderfully for the Mimosa. I can tell you right now that Divinus Velvet Wide Bore tips are a great pairing. At any rate, nice work QOA once again. You added in eartips which make sense! Thank you! I was so happy to see that they didn’t add in narrow bore eartips. It shows they know exactly what they are doing.


Carrying Case

Mimosa Carrying Case

QOA did supply a carrying case to the packaging as well. The case is a small, black, faux leather zipper case and is nice to see added in here. One thing for certain, I definitely don’t feel it’s a given to see carrying cases included under $100. So, it’s nice to see. Anyways, the carrying case is not huge. Probably big enough to fit the Mimosa and the cable. Kind of perfect actually if you like putting the case into your front pocket. I feel it’s just small enough for that. The case’s zipper actually works, imagine that! I don’t have much more to say, but it’s a nice inclusion.


Cable

Mimosa Cable

Now we get to the cable provided within the packaging and I am impressed. Really a gorgeous white (almost metallic white) cable with what appears to be high polished stainless-steel fittings (Y-split, termination housing, 2-pins) attached and very elegant, very classy, and very well paired aesthetically with the Mimosa. Whether you choose either color of the Mimosa, the white cable will pair well. As white does. To be exact, the cable is a 2-pin, 2-core,5N oxygen-free copper cable with silver-plating and a copper termination. You can pick this set up with either 3.5 or 4.4 terminations. Thankfully I have the 4.4 balanced cable with my set. Folks, for under $100, this cable is an absolute BALLER. Such a nice look with the Mimosa. So, I didn’t go crazy trying out different cables or cable materials. I’m sure I will when the review period is complete. Until then, I think this cable is a very nice accessory and certainly a “Pro” of this set. You don’t always get a good cable folks, it’s just the truth. So often I’m wondering “What these brands are doing! “. QOA knows that one of the most important aspects of every earphone is the cable. We want nice, we want pliable, plump, and we want a nice aesthetic color contrast. Also, we love when the brand thinks about the material that the cable is made of and how that material fits the overall sound. Is that too much to ask? QOA knows, nice work.

Mimosa Cable
Really the perfect aesthetic pairing w/ the Mimosa. Sounds great too.

QOA Mimosa Review Pic (82).jpg




Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

The QOA Mimosa is and all-resin iem, built by way of 3D printing and feels very solid in hand. As does any resin set. I suppose there is nothing structurally which separates the Mimosa from other resin iems other than the fact that one of the colors you can purchase (wood-brown) actually has pinecone incorporated into the build. I’ll cover that in the next section though. As far as the build is concerned, it’s very nicely done. The Mimosa has nothing but smooth and rounded corners, nothing jagged or sharp. Another nice touch is that the Mimosa is a very light iem. Not as light as something like the Kefine Delci, or the Shanling Tino, but very lightweight. I’m telling you, over long periods of listening this will make a difference. It’s also not a big iem either. Just large enough to fit both drivers and that’s about it. Now, the nozzles are roughly about 6mm in width and medium length. Maybe a titch past average. They fit very nicely. Also, the Mimosa does have one tiny rear vent. This is just another solidly built iem by QOA.

Mimosa Build
C’mon, this set is on another level in the right light.


Design

As far as the actual look and aesthetic of the QOA Mimosa, it is simply stunning. I mean it folks. When I twirl this set around in the light it is a beautiful iem. So, the QOA Mimosa comes in two colorways, “Woodgrain Brown” and “Dusky Purple”. The woodgrain brown model is actually made using pinecone which is resin covered along with other swirling colors. The QOA Adonis New also incorporated pinecone in their shell design, and I couldn’t have been happier with the design of that set. You can see the pieces of pinecone wood intermixed with dark blue resin. Just gorgeous. Next, the Dusky Purple is a beautifully hand painted iem which has a purple undercoat and sparkling little “stars” across the faceplate area. Both sets have a very classy “Mimosa” written in cursive lettering across the center of the faceplates. Usually I wouldn’t like that, but for these designs it looks so nice. Folks, both versions are very nicely crafted with imaginative designs which could only come from people who have an artistic flair and creativity. It’s just QOA doing what QOA does. Gorgeous.

Internals

As far as the driver configuration of the QOA Mimosa, they added in one dynamic driver paired with one micro planar driver. To be exact, that is one full frequency 10 mm Dynamic Driver controlling the lows, mids, and highs, as well as one 6 mm micro planar covering the ultra-highs. It’s basically a single dynamic driver with a micro planar to enhance the treble bite and bring upon some good extension and air to the sound. At least, I believe this was the thought process. From what I can tell, with many hours of listening to the Mimosa, is that the drivers are very capable. Now, I don’t know what material was used for the DD, and I really don’t have many of the details about either driver other than what is in Kinera/QOA promotional material. So, if I learn more, I will certainly update this review.

Fit / Comfort

This is another area where the Mimosa shines. The comfort of this set is easily one of the tops within the price point for me. I have been wearing these iems for days folks. For my ear shape the Mimosa simply fits wonderfully. Of course, I say this a lot…not many earphones don’t fit nicely. However, I think the difference here is the weight. The Mimosa is a very lite earphone which is so very helpful for longer listening sessions. For what it’s worth, I always have iems in my ears and very few sets feel as nice as the Mimosa. That said, I don’t have any way of knowing how this set will fit you, but I’d be willing to bet that the great majority of people will feel the same way that I do. There’s nothing sharp, jagged, or coarse anywhere in the Shells. The nozzle isn’t too intrusive, too long, or too wide. They are simply nice.

Mimosa Build Quality



Drivability / Pairings

Source Output

The Queen of Audio Mimosa comes in with an impedance of roughly about 32 ohms, and a sensitivity of about 102 dbs. This translates to a fairly sensitive earphone which can be used with relatively weaker sources. I was able to use a few of those no name dongle dacs that I purchased a few years ago when we were going through the whole “dongle madness”. Now, I only ever use them momentarily for testing purposes and the Mimosa passed with flying colors. The same can be said for my iPad. I had plenty of headroom in volume. So yes, the Mimosa can be used with weaker sources. Having said that, I most definitely feel that more power will do well to scale your listening experience with this set. The dynamic driver and micro planar seem to be seething for more output. Thus, I found that there was a pretty substantial difference when using weaker or more powerful sources. Now, I don’t think you need to go crazy. I’d say (best guess) that at the least it’s a good idea to provide the Mimosa with at least a reasonably powerful dongle dac with better Internals. The Mimosa will reward you.

At any rate, I’m just guessing but I’d say try to give the Mimosa with at least 75mW @32ohms. For your info, that’s about every dongle dac on the planet past $25. Using my daps (Shanling M6 Ultra, iBasso DX240) I went with medium gain and the sound really came alive. The treble gained control; the bass tightened. Now, I say this for most iems, but I do feel the difference is a hint more with the Mimosa. Although, I’d also say that even with weaker sources the Mimosa still sounds very smooth and very fun.

Source pairingQOA Mimosa Review Pic (8).jpg

When it comes to source tonality, I personally enjoy any source which isn’t too warm, or one which leans ultra bright. If you’ve been paying attention, not many dongle dacs hit the market with a strictly warm or strictly colder/brighter sound influence. Most dongle dacs, dac/amps, daps are right around warm/neutral to neutral. More than anything, I don’t feel that the Mimosa enjoys strictly warm devices. For instance, the Roseselsa RS9039 (RS9039 Review), is one of those sources which just didn’t seem to pair very well. This is all subjective though and truthfully, I think we make way too much of source pairing in this hobby. Still, that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. I found that any of my sources with good output and have a warm/neutral tonal color worked the best. Though, my neutral sources sounded nice too. What I really feel is that any very talented source will bring out the best in the Mimosa (yes, I am captain obvious) and will provide the best listening experience. My favorite pairing was with the Shanling M6 Ultra (warm/neutral and wholly resolving). However, even my neutral sources like the iBasso DX240 and the Fiio Q15 sounded fantastic. What you don’t want is any source device which will exaggerate the upper treble frequency. On the flipside, I also don’t like any source which will push more warmth into the sound. This adds unneeded veil (which some may enjoy) to the sound and simply makes my listening experience a bit too murky.

What do you need?

I’d say that if Purchasing the Mimosa puts you at the top of your budget then I would try to get a cheap dongle dac with at least marginal output that isn’t tonally too bright or overtly warm. It is extremely easy to stay within those parameters. Also, there’s too many dongle dacs which fall within those parameters out in the market. However, most certainly the Mimosa will reward you for using better sources, with better circuitry, better amping too. The nice thing is that the Mimosa is fairly sensitive and so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a device to pair with it.
QOA Mimosa Review Pic (98).jpg

Mimosa



Sound Impressions

*Note: I just want to preface the sound portion of this review with a few things. I gave the Mimosa four full days of burn in. Of course, I don’t truly know if this helped or not and I’m not comfortable enough to tell you one way or another. I would think that it did, but I just didn’t have a good enough memory pre-burn-in to say one way or the other. Full disclosure. Also, I use flac or better music files which are stored in my devices for all listening. I primarily use UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) for my music player, yet I also use Hiby Music for some dongle dacs as well as Poweramp from time to time.

How does it sound?

Without question the QOA Mimosa comes across velvety warm with a smoother underbody yet a nice and tinsley upper treble influence adds slight glazing of crispness and tinsley highlights to the sound when needed. I would call this a slight V-shaped sound signature yet wouldn’t argue if you wanted to call it a U-shaped sound with a sub-bass boost. The Mimosa definitely carries a bright but not overwhelming treble and an emphasized foundational style bass region. I’d best describe the Mimosa as musical, through-and-through. The sound is slightly softer in presence yet with very good density to notes and a thick and lush note weight along with a naturally textured timbre. However, those thick and lush notes are crested with a sheen of detailed and very clean treble influence. I liken it to a warm cake just out of the oven and a slight layer of icing on the top. Again, the Mimosa is a smooth sounding iem which hugs the ear like a warm blanket while note outlines are crested with some rewarding brilliance and energy when a track calls for it (most tracks).

Condensed Sound between the 20’s

In my opinion the Mimosa has a very warm and full bass region with a sub-bass focus but still a very robust mid-bass. Notes aren’t too wide; there’s a certain rigidity and compactness to each bass note as well. Not the fastest bass, but not slow “per the emphasis” either. Very organic, atmospheric, yet defined fairly well. The midrange is warm/neutral, milky, syrupy, and with very nice clarity for a smoother sound. Most certainly it’s a laid-back and easy midrange which doesn’t persuade your ears to hear every last detail. Some may want a bit more energy out of the mids but I found the Mimosa to have a very pleasing tonality and timbre which isn’t so colored that they sound dull or veiled. The low mids are caked in fullness while the upper-mids bring a bit more energy and sprightliness. The treble region provides a nice contrast to the bass adding some glitter to the top end. It’s a brilliant and fairly airy treble which layers an otherwise warm sounding set. The treble is nicely detailed, has good treble bite, and is very fast in attack and decay. Like I said, “icing on the warm cake”. Generally, details aren’t going to pop out at you like an analytical style tuning, but I promise you’ll be surprised at the resolving ability of the Mimosa. Now, instrument separation is not it’s fortay but the clarity is nice, transients are somewhat compact & concentrated enough to come across clean. The soundstage is big, wide, and deep with fantastic imaging and a holographic euphonic style soundscape.

Baby Adonis-New

Truly a cool sounding iem and a nice departure from some other sets out there. In fact, the Mimosa is very much similar in sound to QOA’s amazing QOA Adonis New (Adonis New Review). That’s a very good thing. I absolutely adore the Adonis New for its refreshing departure from the Harman onslaught that we’ve heard the last five years. While we’ve seen warmer tilted iems of late, there aren’t many which perform this tonal color well. Especially at lower prices. Thankfully, I find both set’s overall sound is very similar in almost all ways. The only thing which may catch some folks is tracks with heavy and chaotic treble emphasis as you can get some glare and sharpness at times up top with the Mimosa which you may not get from the Adonis New. Also, tracks which display a mega ton of bass activity are going to sound… well… kinda like they have a mega ton of bass activity. This tuning is one which can be very polarizing in my opinion. No doubt, you’ll either love it (like me), or not. Let’s do a deep dive into the sound shall we.

Graph
Graph courtesy of Mars Chan, Thank You!


Mimosa



Bass Region

Once again, the bass region of the QOA Mimosa is its bedrock, its foundation, its fundamental cornerstone that all other areas of the mix are at least mildly influenced by. In my humble opinion, the Mimosa is just under basshead levels of intensity. I only say that because while the bass is the foundation, it isn’t the primary focus. Also, while the Mimosa can flat-out bang, that bass usually doesn’t ravel and convolute other areas of the mix, to a fault. Also, I just don’t get that sense. The other areas of the mix are too well laid-out for me to slap a label on the Mimosa and pigeonhole it as a bass monster. Yes, it can be that, but also, it’s so much more than that.

Big… yet taut

The low-end is pretty heavily emphasized with a 12-13 dB bass shelf peaking at around the sub-bass level and immediately gliding downward through the mid-bass, finally leveling out around 700 hz. There’s some serious convexity in the shelf and a steep slope which looks like I could ski down. Bass notes generally have a full-bodied presence and enough gusto to infuse a bass heavy track with reciprocating energy. I think a key attribute of the Mimosa is that even in the face of that bigger bass energy, the Mimosa is not sloppy. The bass doesn’t have an overly wide presence and somehow isn’t always a one-noted affair. Granted, there are most certainly tracks which will make me a liar. With that much emphasis, obviously the Mimosa wasn’t tuned to be that ultra-tight, perfectly defined, quick-punchy and peppy style bass. I’d say that in general, the low-end may be big and weighted… yet it’s also fairly taut, it’s sizable… yet steely and dense. I’d agree that note edges are slightly softer, less glass lined and plusher. But they are also compacted, nicely agile, and reasonably textured. It’s a fun one, friends! QOA made sure that this “fun” Bass doesn’t wreak havoc all throughout the mix. Now, it’s certainly more atmospheric, very much hefty/organic. Yet in the same breath (depending on the track) transients aren’t super slow either. It toes-the-line, just under basshead, but shipshape for such an emphasis.

Sub-bass

The sub level bass is where the majority of the assertiveness comes from though the mi-bass is anything but polite, it is definitely less weighted. I’ll tell you what though, the sub-bass gets flat-out guttural, in every sense of the word. This driver is able to reach low in register with a very palpable, haptic, and vibration-laden drone when any track even hints at it. Unquestionably the sub-bass runs deep with a very fun and very satisfying rumble. This is a physical sub-bass which can be felt in a track like “Heavy is the Ocean” by Bush. This track begins with a very low droning rumble and slowly progresses to the main verse. I found that the Mimosa rewarded my ears on this one with a tangible and textured thunder down low. Having said that, you should know that on a track such as this, with a very heavy rumble you’ll notice some masking of the subtle details, to an extent. I don’t think you can get around this on a track which presents a big and physical bass when listening with a set of iems that yearns to be physical. That said, the Mimosa runs deep folks. Still, it’s taut enough, very well controlled, agile enough, and dexterous enough to maneuver around those intricate basslines fairly well. Within reason of course.

Mid-bass

Like I said, the mid-bass doesn’t have as heavy as a swell in emphasis as the sub-bass region. However, the mid-bass has plenty of weight for most any genre. QOA did a nice job of keeping this area relatively clean and not so overbearing. I’m quite sure they were looking out for the midrange, making sure it doesn’t come across too muddled & murky. Actually, I find the mid-bass does still provide a solid slam and enough fullness cooperating with the sub-bass to give bass guitars that heavy growl. Very satisfying. Kick-drums come across booming and with some veracity. Tracks such as “Matter of Fact” by Collective Soul have a hardy kick drum. The Mimosa has enough bullish oomph and snap on attack to make the kick-drum sound very gratifying. To be honest, there’s nothing weak about this mid-bass folks. It hits hard and fairly fast too. I find it can keep up with speedier bass passages better than I would’ve thought and does so with some intensity. Like I said, bass guitars can flat-out grumble and drone with an appropriate fullness. I also find the mid-bass is great for any hip-hop bass drops too. For instance, “WTFYM” by Future & Metro Boomin’ carries a very authoritative drop. Very heavy, whilst not completely masking the rest of the mix. No this isn’t the type of clean bass which will define every last detail. However, for a set with so much presence in this region I find that QOA did a great job of making it as tidy as possible.

Downsides to the Bass Region

The biggest drawback of a larger bass region is that it simply won’t come across as pristine or well defined as a more peppy and zippy bass. Bass is a very important region which can do a lot of masking with the right amount of emphasis and the right track. Without question the Mimosa can and will mask over some frequencies, at least to a degree. You can’t get around this. I will say that QOA did a marvelous job of creating distinctions between the low-end and the midrange for instance. I don’t feel that the bass encroaches to the point of mud. In truth, I find the Mimosa to be very clean per the quantity. It doesn’t have loads of floating resonances clouding the mix. It also isn’t so emphasized that it causes veil either. Folks, the bass is pretty awesome on this set. I downplayed that a little bit but there’s no denying that the low-end on the Mimosa is very well tuned, using a very solid driver. Great Job here QOA!


Mimosa
Another fantastic pairing, the Fiio Q15 and the QOA Mimosa.


Midrange

Now, the midrange is not as recessed as I would’ve thought, to the ear. It’s an organic, earthy type of midrange with a very dense and natural timbre. A lot of coloring of the mids is happening as they come across very smooth, buttery, and almost euphonic. Vocals are centered, very intimate, harmonic, lush, and has a natural texture to vocals. Of course, the Mimosa’s midrange is not the most energetic, and macro-dynamics aren’t going to jump out at you. The lower midrange especially doesn’t have loads of sprightly energy and sparkle though the upper-mids remedy that a bit with more liveliness, and vibrance. Transients aren’t too slow, perceivably swift enough, not too much harmonic/resonant lag. Really, the Mimosa certainly has some very nice redeeming qualities. I suppose it’s all about what you are looking for in an iem. For one, musicality is one of the Mimosa’s calling cards folks. Needless to say, musicality is one of the QOA Adonis New’s best features as well. You have this forward style milky sound in the mids. It’s liquid through and through, with a very fluid style. Details are probably average to above average as a whole as well with decent separation, and very good imaging and spatial cues. However, technicalities are not what the Mimosa hangs its hat on, and I don’t suspect many folks would be purchasing this set for those abilities. It’s a musicality-first iem which just so happens to be pretty nice technically in this range.

The midrange has a forward and rather rich sound, yet I find that the bass is kept enough at bay to preserve the clarity of some vocalists. To an extent as there is certainly coloration happening. Yet not to a fault. In my opinion, it’s a very nice midrange.

Instruments (heavily condensed)

Instruments will certainly come across a bit heavier in sound yet there is most definitely some treble energy which casts a nice tinsley touch to the crest of notes as well as some harmonics. Percussion does have some solid snap at attack which comes directly from the micro planar doing its thing up top. It’s really a cool dichotomy between the two drivers. There’s a coherent contrast between the two as both drivers work in tandem adding their own sway to the sound as a whole. Instruments are helped on many fronts. Cymbals generally have that nice “chisk” followed by a non-splashy secondary harmonic. Strings have just enough energy and edge to them. For the most part. Violin can be downright silvery, yet also with a full note weight. I could keep on going with different instruments, but I’m sure you get the picture. Obviously, there are some downsides to different instruments as well, especially in faster tracks where the sound can blend a bit. Bass heavy tracks don’t help in this regard either. However, I’m very happy with how well QOA tuned this lusher sounding set. Just enough crispness, just enough added detail at the crest of most notes too.

Lower-midrange

The low-mids present male vocals with a softer cadence at the crest of a note yet each note also has plenty of lushness. Again, not as pushed back or recessed as I would’ve thought. In my opinion male vocalists are generally closer to the listener than not. Males have a certain boldness to their voices provided by the warmth cast upon this region from the bass. Some may want a bit more energy out of the low-mids but I find that they fit the overall scheme of the tuning nicely. While detail retrieval is not class leading, I do find that detail retrieval is not abysmal either. It’s actually pretty nice for a thicker, smoother and warmer sound as note definition is also pretty solid. Instruments pay off for this. I find piano to come across very tuneful, full bodied too. In fact, many instruments follow this same trajectory. Fuller body, less intense but more organic. Male vocalists too. Take a singer like Zach Bryan in “Pain, Sweet, Pain”. His voice simply comes across naturally. Naturally weighted, natural in timbre too. Perhaps he could use a hint more vibrance, but all things considered I love that his vocals are somewhat forward, well highlighted against the rest of the mix with a feeling of good authority. Yes, they are a hair toned-down, but also very harmonious. I could say this about so many male singers too. Now, males who reside in a slightly higher register will have a bit more energy, like Noah Kahan in “Stick Season”.

Upper-Midrange

This brings us to the upper-mids where you’ll hear more of a shimmery presence, more forward, and simply more energy borrowed from the treble region. Personally, I feel the upper midrange does a wonderful job of replaying female vocalists. Very silky, fluid, and buttery, yet also just a smidgen of sparkle as well. Not as thickly weighted as the low-mids, more like lean-lush, better note separation, more resolute as well. Actually, detail retrieval is quite good around this region as the sound is pretty transparent. I really like the natural note weight here as well as the nice timbre. Females have a very clear and clean sound while displaying a very moist sound as well. You don’t hear a ton of crispness, but it is there when needed. However, I would mostly characterize the upper-mids as smoother than anything else. This really hits the sweet spot with a singer like Norah Jones and her raspy, wispy and totally feathery voice. Listening to “Come Away with Me” is a close my eyes moment. Another is Lady GaGa in “Always Remember Us This Way”. Her voice just plays right into the Mimosa’s strengths in the midrange. Such a nice pairing. Really, females come across very well on the Mimosa.

Downsides to the Midrange

The downsides would be that the Mimosa is not an analytical style earphone. Anyone looking for an ultra-hi-res, very resolving sound would be somewhat let down. Better said, I just don’t think those who desire a more clinical presentation would be down with the Mimosa. Granted, I also feel that most folks would know that by now (if you’ve read this far), and I’d assume anyone still reading has at least a marginal affection for a warmer, more melodic, and musical display of the mix. But you never know. So, the Mimosa is not the most detailed iem in its price point, instrument separation is not class leading, and the transient response is not to the skill of some other sets made for those purposes. Again, it also fares very well in those technical aspects for the tuning. Without question the Mimosa carries a more earthy type of organic sound. There certainly is some sprightly energy, especially in the upper midrange but for the most part you have to really enjoy this buttery style. I think it’s great and it doesn’t take me long at all to get into this style within my head space. All in all, QOA did a very nice job tuning the mids.


Mimosa



Treble Region

As far as the treble is concerned, I love the contrast between the dynamic driver and the micro-planar up top. The DD handles the highs while the micro-planar handles the ultra-highs and they do so in a very symphonious manner at times. In fact, the treble is actually very well extended and pretty brilliant as well. I’m giving you a fair warning that this is certainly a brighter treble. The wild thing is that it is never overcooked to my ears. It really all just fits, very well too. QOA tuned just the right amount of extra clarity up top without the sound coming across forced. It’s a highly resolute treble that carries a lot of good bite to notes. You have the solid and dense note body from the DD and the final touches from the planar. Again, a very nice contrast providing a talented treble region from an analytical/technical perspective. Having said that, the treble is not the most authentic as far as timbre is concerned, yet I have zero issues enjoying what I’m hearing at all. Also, it isn’t unnatural either. Certainly nothing off-putting to my ears. With that said, I easily hear nice micro details, good separation, and a very crisp and precise treble out of the Mimosa. Beyond those points, the treble is elevated enough to provide some air, some openness to the sound. It’s elevated enough to bring some levity and enough to counter the fuller style bass.

Examples

Listening to the track “Eye of the Untold Her” by Lindsey Stirling is an experience as the entire Melody has this nicely beefy note body and fullness to the sound with a very euphonic 3d style replay. However, it’s the treble which caps it all off as each note has a very distinct outline, very clean & relatively fast too. She plays fast, very much exact as she meanders through this track and there’s a ton of treble activity. Or Jean Michel Jarre in his track “Magnetic Fields, Pt. 1”. This is another song which has loads of electric/digital treble action happening. The Mimosa hits every note very definitively, in a transparent manner, plenty of treble punch and even some haptic feel to each note. Now, I need to say that of course the Mimosa is not some treble head’s dream. Certainly, the Mimosa isn’t tuned to create a focus in this region. I find the treble region to be a good supporting actor with some nice abilities. Let’s put it this way; the treble is much better than I would’ve thought. Also, this is a $99 iem here, so, we should temper our expectations a little bit. It’s nice, but not top class. Still, for a musical sounding set to have those last little touches of treble energy providing the icing to the metaphorical cake, is pretty nice to hear.

Extension

Like I said a little bit earlier, the extension into the upper treble is solid too. You definitely don’t miss out on any info past 8k, and you get some nicely rendered harmonics out there as well. I spoke briefly on cymbals earlier, but I’ll reemphasize that the Mimosa has a nice way of replaying them without any real splash or mashed-up treble tizz. Also, I don’t hear that metallic style timbre either, which is definitely something one should worry about with a micro-planar involved. I think that QOA did a solid job of adding enough luster to the top end without going overboard and not forcing that treble down our throats. As a whole, the treble fits the tuning well.

Downsides to the Treble Region

One issue that some may have is for those warm and dark lovers who enjoy a much more rolled off style treble region. I feel the Mimosa will be too bright for those types. There are instances in the treble region where they can get a hint sharp up top. Granted, those instances are few and far in between, but they exist. There is also the tiniest but if sibilance which rears its head from time to time. However, not enough for me to label it as a “con”. To be honest, it’s not easy coming up with real issues in this region as I feel that the treble only enhances this set. Like I said, maybe it’ll be a bit too bright for some. Also, treble heads probably won’t be beating down any market doors to get to this set. The treble is not one which falls into the “treble head” camp. Again, just a nice supporting actor which makes the overall sound better. My opinion of course.

Mimosa



Technicalities

Soundstage

The soundstage is a very nice bright spot for this set. The Mimosa carries a mostly holographic style soundstage which isn’t the norm for a $99 iem. It has very nice width of stage, with solid extension both in the sub-bass as well as the upper treble. However, the sound field in front of the listener is fairly intimate and close. Having said that, the intimate sound is pretty expansive. Again, good width, great height, and some very nice front to back depth.That depth provides some nice layering of sounds as well. It’s just a very well-drawn-out stage with some psycho-acoustically composed trickery which makes it sound almost 3D within my mindscape. For a $99 set, the Mimosa has a very nice sized and nicely devised soundstage.

Separation

As far as instrument separation, the Mimosa is probably what I’d call average, though there’s no quantifiable way to examine that. Other than average is what makes sense to me. It just is. You have a richer sound, fuller, lush note body, average transients, more organic, earthy sounding. This is not at all an analytically tuned iem folks. You shouldn’t expect amazing instrument separation. Furthermore, I am so glad it isn’t that. I love the musical nature of the Mimosa and would hate to see it lose its charm over a hair better note separation. We take these attributes too far anyways in this hobby. Even with what I’d call “average”, it’s still pretty damn good. Also, some tracks will replay much better than others in this regard and it’s just not an exact science how anyone determines something which can only be subjectively “perceived”. It’s all crapshoot folks. Still, in my mind the Mimosa has an average ability to sharply separate instruments and voices. Which is not a bad thing.

Imaging

This brings us to another solid area for the QOA Mimosa, that being imaging. This is one set which has absolutely no issue placing elements within the imaginary stage inside of my head. Especially due to the fact that the Mimosa has very nice depth of stage. This depth helps tremendously to add certain layers to my music. Of course, not every track will replay the same. That shouldn’t go unsaid. However, on average the Mimosa does a good job at distinguishing those front to back layers with rounded notes, and dimensionality. Left to right is spot on as well. Certainly, the Mimosa’s imaging capabilities are a strong “pro” in my mind. One more thing which I should also make of is that in bass heavy tracks or with very congested tracks the Mimosa’s separation and imaging may not be as easy to differentiate. This is probably obvious to many of you, but I have to at least speak on it.

Detail Retrieval

I would probably call the Mimosa average in detail retrieval at times and above average in other times. I have a hard time saying average though, because so often the Mimosa does an effective job of bringing the subtleties to the surface. In fact, there have been many moments where the Mimosa is flat out impressive at illuminating micro details, and with other tracks it’ll go the other way. It really all depends on the track. I mean, think about it, you have a warmer, smoother style sound, pretty lush, less fine-lined note execution. However, you also have an airy style treble, a tidy treble and upper mids, very clean across the board, nice clarity as a whole. Add all of these areas up and I feel that you get about average detail retrieval when all is said and done. Which is a very good thing to be for a smoother style sound. QOA did a fine job with the Mimosa.



Mimosa
The Mimosa and the Shanling H0 is a very nice pairing.


Is it a good purchase at its price?

This is a loaded question folks. It could go either way depending on your taste. I’m assuming that anyone who desires an ultra-peppy, clean, sterile, clinical, and analytically inclined sound has already stopped reading. I’m assuming that all we have left is folks who desire the heavier low-end, the musical approach, the richer sound lovers. For those people in the latter, I cannot tell you fast enough that the Mimosa is most certainly a fantastic purchase at $99. Truly a special iem for those who desire a more fun, more bass heavy, and a more musical sound. I have had a great time reviewing this set and trying not to coat this review in praise. While the Mimosa certainly has its issues, the benefits far outweigh any of the slight subjective qualms that I have. However, you have to enjoy this style of tuning (I know, I’m Captain Obvious). You have to desire something a bit more full, fun, and organic.

The Why…

Because the Queen of Audio Mimosa is a wonderfully built iem with an even more wonderful design. Light as can be, smooth surrounding, and two of the most unique and cool faceplates that you’ll find under $100. I mean, c’mon folks, pinecone infused wood covered faceplates in the “Woodgrain Brown” colorway. Also, the “Dusky Purple” is gorgeous in any way that you turn it. Just a slick looking iem no matter the style that you choose. Furthermore, the Mimosa is a well accessorized set which includes a very nice cable for an under $100 iem. I think QOA hit a homerun on this one for its design and build while certainly striking a powerful chord with the tuning. The deep and weighted bass is heavy, infectious in its veracity and slam while keeping tight reigns on the note definition. For a large quantity it’s a clean sound down low. Next, the midrange is so milky and dreamy, it’s forward and as musical as you can get for a $99 iem. Lastly the treble is bright, detailed, energetic, and very well extended without causing huge amounts of undue fatigue. Another key feature of the tuning is the soundstage and its 3d style holographic sound field. This leads way to very nice imaging and layering. Really nice sounding unit folks that’s easily worth the cost of ownership.

1000031374.jpg



Ratings (0-10)

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the QOA Mimosa ratings below, that would be $75-$125 earphones of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $75-$125 is a very large sized scope of iems. So, It should be noteworthy to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic

Build Quality: 8.7 Nice resin build, very light.

Look: 9.6 Love the look of this set.

Fit/Comfort: 9.2 Fit and comfort is very good for me.

Accessories: 9.0 One of the best under $100.

Overall: 9.1🔥🔥

Sound Rating

Timbre: 9.4 Organic and clean.

Bass: 9.3 Punchy, textured, very deep.

Midrange: 8.9 Natural, nice note density, melodic.

Treble: 8.9 Nicely detailed, good extension.

Technicalities: 8.2 Nice per the musical tuning.

Musicality: 9.6 Musical thru-and-thru.

Overall: 9.0🔥🔥🔥

Ratings Summary:

I rated the QOA Mimosa against any and all iems of any driver configuration between the prices of $75 and $125. It was an easy choice and obvious range due to the $99 cost of the Mimosa. I feel it’s not out of the question for those folks looking to purchase a $100 iem to jump up to $125 or down to $75. That said, there are a multitude of iems falling into these parameters. I have about 15 in front of me and each are solid sets. Please remember that I haven’t heard (with my ears) every iem within this price range and so you may not want to put much weight to these ratings. Granted, I’ve heard a lot of them. However, I much rather would be honest with you all that these are very shaky ratings based on what I have in my collection and what I have heard well enough to know like the back of my hand. So, grains of salt. Still, at the end of the day, I don’t feel I am very far off on these ratings either. Feel free to skip past this section.

Explain Yourself!!
I gave the Mimosa a very high score of a “9.0” overall in sound ratings and I would do the same 100 times out of 100. Yes, there are higher rated sets too. However, I feel the Mimosa would be much higher rated had I rated/compared them against warm/bassy iems only. Perhaps that’s what I should’ve done. I say that because going against any and all iems within that range drastically drops stuff like “Technicalities”, “Treble”, and even the “Midrange” scores. Had I rated against only bassy and warm sets the overall sound rating would be closer to a “9.7” or “9.8”, easily. However, there are a couple ratings which may need some explanation. Namely the “Technicalities” rating. How in the world could I give the Mimosa a score of “8.2” when detail retrieval is just above average, separation is average too? Well, the saving grace of the Mimosa’s Tech scores comes from its imaging abilities as well as its wonderful soundstage.

Other than Technicalities, the “Treble” rating could go either way. I gave it a “8.9” but in all reality that could’ve been a bit higher. The only slight issue is the sharpness which occurs every so often. Other than that, the treble is very well done, great control too. At any rate, those two scores are the only somewhat questionable scores, while the rest I feel are pretty cut n’ dry. Honestly, the Mimosa is a fine set folks and deserves such high ratings, in my opinion.


QOA Mimosa Review Pic (61).jpg


Final thoughts on the QOA Mimosa before I conclude

This is the part of the review in which I either personally recommend the set I’m reviewing, or I don’t. However, I’m fairly positive that you all know how I feel by now. Listen folks, the Mimosa is most certainly going to serve anyone who desires that hard, strong, palpable bass yet doesn’t need any of the mudd which usually comes with a bigger bass section. I really feel that the Mimosa is almost a baby Adonis New yet with a slightly more energetic and talented treble region. I feel that for $99 you cannot go wrong here and once again QOA knocked it out of the park. Friends, I give each and every one of you my absolute honesty and I can tell you that without a shadow of a doubt, the QOA Mimosa is a very well-done hybrid iem. The driver configuration is very unique, but also very well implemented. I feel that QOA got the very most out of the dynamic driver and the micro-planar, using each driver to their strengths. In fact, I’d say that the Mimosa is a complete testament to Kinera/QOA’s expertise and knowledge. The bonus is that we reap the benefit. At the end of the day, I feel the Mimosa is great per the type of tuning. No, it won’t be for everyone, and it will be slightly polarizing for others, but if you are down with a warm, bassy set with a forward midrange and some very sprightly treble, look no further, QOA did a helluva job folks. I absolutely recommend the Mimosa.



Mimosa


Conclusion

To conclude my full written review of the QOA Mimosa, I first want to thank the awesome people of Kinera and Kinera Thomas for providing the Mimosa for review. It has been an absolute blast getting to know this set and I am more than happy to feature it at Mobileaudiophile.com. Folks, Kinera/QOA have been so very easy to work with. Never have they ever asked me to speak in any certain way of their products and never have they requested to reread any review. I love that they provide their products and live with the results. Of course, most of their products are quite good. At any rate, it has been my pleasure. Thanks again.

I also want to thank you, the reader, for clicking the link to check out my thoughts. As honest as I can be, we hope this review and any other reviews at Mobileaudiophile.com are of some help to you. This is our greatest hope folks. So, thank you, it is because of you that our website is live. Thank you.

Other perspectives

Please listen to, watch, or read other thoughts covering the Mimosa. It will certainly be a benefit to you. Don’t simply rely on my words and my thoughts. We (reviewers) are all so very different. The next guy may absolutely love this set, and ya know what… they’re right, and the guy next to him may totally dislike this set and also, they’re right too. This is a hobby where every opinion is always correct. It’s all subjective and personal to the person listening. So please do yourself a favor and check out other perspectives. Please don’t simply read this review and take it for gospel. Get other opinions and you’ll be better off for it. Okay, that’s about all I have. Please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

-KineraAudio.com

HiFiGo

Shenzhen Audio

Aliexpress

Attachments

  • QOA Mimosa Review Pic (99).jpg
    QOA Mimosa Review Pic (99).jpg
    938.1 KB · Views: 0

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
Shanling Tino Review
Pros: -Price to performance

-The build is nice for such a light iem (4.6 grams!)

-The design is very easy to appreciate (foil-burned faceplates)

-Very comfortable, could wear for hours

-Great unboxing (one of the best in the price point)

-Gorgeous white modular cable

-Well balanced and energetic sound

-Timbre is fantastic, natural, earthy, smooth, clean

-Fast & rigid bass, well-defined, good density, punchy, impactful

-The mids are very nice for vocalists as well as instrumentation

-Treble has a very natural sound, just enough brilliance, smooth

-Imaging is great

-Stage has nice depth

-Really just a wonderful tuning
Cons: -Can come across a hair shouty with the right track

-Some may want more air up top

-Bass heads will not be impressed, nor will treble-bois

-Detail Retrieval isn’t its specialty

Shanling Tino Review

By: Chris Love



Tino Featured Image
Full Review can be found HERE

Shanling-Tino-Review-Pic-33.jpg

Shanling Tino Review

Intro

Hello, this review and feature covers the latest from Shanling Audio named the Shanling Tino. The Tino is actually a dual dynamic driver earphone which comes in with an MSRP of $79. I received the Tino directly from Shanling Audio and I am very excited to finally get to hear Shanling’s rendition of a dual DD set. I’ve reviewed only one other Shanling product prior to the Tino. That product happens to be one of Shanling’s more exquisite single dynamic driver iems in the Shanling MG600 (MG600 Review). At any rate, the Tino should arrive soon, and I cannot wait to fill you all in.

Shanling

Shanling Audio is one of the most popular brands within the audio world and has actually been around for a ridiculously long time. Founded in 1988! Read that again. I was beyond impressed to see this fact. Folks, they have way too many patents to list here but just so you know, they have an incredibly impressive track record of R&D and innovation within the hobby. You can check that out HERE. Thirty-six years is not a fluke friends. Brands simply cannot hang around for that long unless they have some solid innovations and solid products. Time is the real litmus test. They began making dac/amps and slowly evolved into every conceivable audio product type. I have personally purchased many Shanling Audio products over the years and the one unifying theme is usually price to performance. Price to performance can mean a lot of things but it usually revolves around fantastic build quality, attention to details, knowing the pulse of the community, creating aesthetically pleasing products, making sure they sound great, and of course making sure the price tag isn’t so high. That’s Shanling in my eyes. Hence why I am excited to check out this latest two DD iem.

Competition

Now, I cannot leave this intro without speaking on the elephant in every room, for every product, in almost all price points. That is competition. There is so much of it folks. Think about it, under $100 is easily the most sought-after spot for so many brands to hit the jackpot. Sets like the Simgot EA500 (EA500 Review) and EA500LM (EA500LM Review), the Kefine sets like the Delci (Delci Review), Delci AE (Delci AE Review), and Klean (Klean Review) all hit that “jackpot”. I could easily keep going, with no end in sight while listing off many iems which compete well within the $50 to $100 price point. So, what I will try to do is break down the Tino and try to figure out who it is for, what it’s good at, and how it compares to other similar sets. The Audioverse is so stacked with solid iems and each brand behind those iems are vying for your dollar. No doubt about it, the price point that the Tino is in happens to be one of the most viscous. Let’s see how it stacks up moving forward.

Nice package

Well, I just got the Tino in and I’m very happy with the whole package here, Shanling really did a nice job on this one. I will most certainly get a lot of alone time with the Tino in my ears, with a bunch of different sources and many different genres. However, right now it goes to the burn-in station, and I’ll reconvene in about five days. And with that all said, I think I’m ready to get into this review. The Shanling Tino everyone…

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

Shanling.com
HiFiGo
Aliexpress
Linsoul

Disclaimer:

I received the Shanling Tino from Shanling Audio as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. Shanling Audio has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to Shanling, and thank each of you for taking the time to read.


Tino


Shanling Tino Review Pic (53).JPG


BASN Metalen Pro Review Pic (23).jpg

Ifi Go Blu / Simgot DEW4X / iBasso DX240 / Shanling M6 Ultra / Fiio Q15 / Shanling H0 / EPZ TP50 / Aful SnowyNight
*Many sources not shown above*

Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

EPZ TP35

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra


Tino




Packaging / Accessories

Unboxing

The Tino arrived in a small sized box with an outer sleeve which shows off a picture of the Tino in all its glory. Take off the sleeve and you’ll see a regular black box. Open that and the Tino is the first thing to hit your eye. Gorgeous as ever and attached to the white cable. Take out the earphones and under that layer is the hockey puck style carrying case. Inside of the case you’ll find the eartips. Next to the case is a smaller box which has some reading material as well as the extra modular adapter. Really there isn’t a ton to say about the unboxing other than it is a very nice one for $79. It’s pretty obvious that Shanling included some very nice accessories.

Tino Packaging



Eartips

Tino Eartips

Shanling put together a nice package. Even the eartips are of good quality. You can tell that Shanling put some thought into what eartips that they chose to send out. So, they provided eight pairs of eartips in total which come on a handy little “holder” of sorts and sit comfortably within the case. So, the first type are five pairs (Sx2, M, M, L) of dark gray narrow-bore style shallow fit eartips. These tips have a firmer flange and a rigid stem. Each stem is colored differently per their size. Now, again, this style has a shallower fit, so keep that in mind. The next type of tips are three pairs (S, M, L) of narrow-bore tips with a softer feel to the flange and once again they are not flimsy (which is nice to see). The tips I’m referring to are the three pairs in the center of the “holder”. Again, these tips also have a rigid stem. Additionally, these tips are actually quite a bit longer than the first style which can be used for a deeper fit.

What’d I use

To be honest, all tips provided are very nice. Perfect tips for this set. I did end up using the included tips for the entire critical listening period. Those would be the second type of tips I described. The slightly longer set of narrow bore tips. Very comfortable. They have a feel similar to Divinus Velvet tips in the type of silicone used. I of course went through every set of tips that I own trying to find the best pairing sonically. What I ended up finding was that Final Audio E-Tips, and the included tips worked best. So naturally I went with the included tips and the rest is history. Really a nice addition in the packaging and my hat goes off to Shanling for providing eartips which actually pair well sonically. You rarely see that. I almost never use any included tips in any earphone review. Nice job Shanling.

Carrying Case

Tino Case

Folks, I’ve always liked those hockey puck shaped tin cans. You see these brands use them from time to time. Well, lucky for me Shanling decided upon the alloy cans as the carrying case for the Tino. These cans come in two halves which simply get pushed together. They aren’t very large, however. Perhaps just large enough to fit your earphones and cable. Really great size too. They fit comfortably in the front pocket of my jeans and don’t look ridiculous. So that’s a plus. However, the best part is that it is a highly protective case. You could drop it from a roof, and nothing will happen to your earphones inside. Of course I don’t suggest you try. Anyways, it’s a very nice style case for a $79 set. Certainly, better than some cloth carrying case or some faux leather style case. I’m down with the can. Nice addition.

Cable

Cable

The last accessory that Shanling provided is most certainly the best accessory that they provided. That being the beautiful white modular cable. Very nice. So, it has 4-cores of 18 strands of OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper), along with 49 strands of copper wire and finally they used 133 strands of silver-plated copper wires forming the outer layer. Really a phenomenal cable at this price. Certainly, I didn’t expect such a high-quality inclusion. Now, you can purchase the Tino in this modular form which offers 3.5 single ended as well as 4.4 balanced terminations. Or you can purchase Shanling’s type-c DSP cable as well. I personally like the modular designed cable as the fittings are gorgeous. Made out of what I assume is stainless steel or some sort of hard and shiny metal. At any rate, the modular terminations are simply pushed together, and the outer coupling simply gets threaded on over the adapter to hold it firmly. I really enjoy this cable. It’s nicely plump, looks fantastic with the Tino, and the almost metallic white sheen on the outer layer just looks nice. Another great addition from Shanling.

GridArt_20241221_083443313.jpg

Tino Cable

Really, a lovely cable for the cost!


Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

So Shanling decided upon using resin for the body of the Tino. The great thing about resin is that it can look amazing and it’s usually much lighter in weight. I was amazed to see that the Tino only weighs 4.6 grams! That is essentially nothing in the ear folks. Really an extremely light set. Lighter than even the Kefine Delci, Klean and a few other notably light iems within the price point. Great for wear, and smaller than most multi-driver sets. So, the Tino was crafted by way of 3D printing and tested ad nauseum to find perfect fitment and weight. The faceplate area is a flat piece which is attached in two parts with the shell. The nozzles are just under 6mm in width with a medium length nozzle. The nozzle itself is on a slight angle towards the ear which helps tremendously for fitment. At least for me. Honestly, the Tino was made with comfort in mind folks. So often we see these heavy all-alloy sets which weigh closer to 20 grams and the difference over a long listening session is very obvious as far as comfort is concerned. It’s a nice build. Nothing that’ll blow your mind, but very nice, and I cannot emphasize enough how nice 4.6 grams is to wear.

Tino Build



Design

One of the huge benefits to the Tino is how nice this set looks. In my opinion, this is an area where Shanling seems to excel in, that being design. Certainly, they have a flair for the artistic. The Tino comes in a gorgeous “fall-color” motif, deep amber, slight grays, dull oranges to reddish-orange as well as hints of browns. Just beautiful iem folks. They capped off the faceplate with a golden alloy ring around it. Really a classy touch. Ya know, the faceplates are very interesting actually. Shanling states that they used a foil burning method on the faceplate design. I don’t know much about “foil-burning” but if that is what got them these deep textures then I’m all for it. Supposedly, foil burning is rich in Chinese history. Really a very nice-looking design, minimalist but very intricate in its coloration. They did a fantastic job.

Internals

Shanling decided upon a two dynamic driver setup which includes one 10 mm LCP diaphragm dynamic driver with a PU suspended edge as well as an 8mm DLC dynamic driver. The 10mm handles the bass region, and the 8mm tackles the mids and highs. Each driver makes use of N52 magnets along with an imported lightweight black copper voice coil. Obviously, they used some solid drivers in this set as I don’t hear any undue distortions, and the sound comes through crystal clear.

Fit / Comfort

As far as fit is concerned, I couldn’t have asked for a better fitment for me. I feel like I say this in most reviews anymore, but I haven’t had a bad fit since HBB’s dud, the Kailua (horrible fit on that one), or Muse Hifi’s East 6. At any rate, the fit of the Tino is quite impressive for me. Quite literally they slide right in and are comfortable as a set of earphones could be. It cannot go understated just how light this set is. It really is a selling point in my opinion. Once you wear them for a few hours you’ll understand what I’m saying. Extremely comfortable! I applaud Shanling for seeking out the best materials that they could find for a very comfortable fit. Now, I have no idea as to how this set will fit you, but I’m willing to go out on a limb and say that they will probably fit you like a glove. Unless you have some sort of alien ears. At which point, the Tino may not fit you. For everyone else, Shanling hooked us up because the comfort is phenomenal.

Tino Pairings




Drivability / Pairings

Output
Shanling Tino Review Pic (66).JPG

The Shanling Tino is a very sensitive iem. Rated with an impedance of 16 ohms and a sensitivity of 113 db’s (give or take) it is extremely sensitive and can get to ear piercing volume without much power added. This set can be used with multiple lower powered sources. I used my iPad and had zero issues, I used those super cheap Amazon dongle dacs as well and it was easily driven. So, you don’t need some enormously powerful source. That said, there is a small improvement (in my opinion) with using a touch more power than something like a simple smartphone, iPad, etc. I find this to be the case with most iems. Nothing crazy either, just a simple dongle dac will suffice. You don’t need some thousand-watt monster amp. In fact, I used the EPZ TP50 quite a lot when out and about and I love the pairing on high gain. At any rate, more power isn’t needed but helps to a small degree.

Source tonalityShanling Tino Review Pic (36).jpg

Once again, I find myself in the middle of a review with a warm/neutral sounding set. Just like the others, I really don’t think source tonal color (warm, bright etc.) makes a huge difference in my listening. I can tell you this, I don’t like bright sources with this set. Brighter sources will induce a hair too much glare and shrillness in the upper-mids/lower treble regions. Every other source type is game-on. For the most part anyways. Maybe if I was being extremely picky, I may veer towards a slightly warmer and more velvet sounding source.

What do you need?

Just like I said, you can use a smartphone and you’ll be in business. You may want to order this set with the type-c DSP cable as well. However, for best listening I would try to at least pair this set with a decent Dongle Dac, decent power too, and you’ll be in business. Happy listening.

Tino

Shanling Tino Review Pic (84).jpg


Sound Impressions

*Note: Before I enter into the sound portion of this review, I must first make a couple points. First off, I burned in the Tino for about three full days. I do think this helped the overall sound. I hear a slightly tighter, less fuzzy bass. However, listen-in over time may be the funner way to go about this. Also, I use flac or better files which are stored on my devices, and I listen mainly with UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro). At times for certain dongle, I also listen with Hiby Music Player as well.

What’s it sounds like? (condensed)

The Shanling Tino is what I’d consider a warm/neutral sounding set. However, it’s closer to neutral than anything. There is a little warmth afforded from the bass region but mostly it stays pretty tight and isn’t too overbearing. I would call it a U-shaped sound as the midrange is nicely forward and not recessed to the back of the sound field, but I also tend to think slightly V-shaped makes sense too. Honestly, it’s a nicely tuned set, very well balanced dynamically, very clean, perhaps not as detailed as some may like but very musical too. To me, the Tino is highly energetic, owning quite a lot of tonal contrast to my ears. I’d say it’s a nice mix of crisp and smooth as the dynamic drivers do a nice job of being a chameleon per the genre I’m playing. I certainly wouldn’t say that the Tino is all smooth, all the time. It most definitely isn’t. There’s some edge there, some real bite. This isn’t some lame dudd sound folks. Again, it’s at least partially energetic, it has some sonic tenacity, some drive to it. But above all else it is a musical sounding iem that is a nice option on the market as an all-rounder type set.

Condensed between the 20’s

However, with that slightly more contrasted sound are some deep thumping and thrumming lows which always seem to stay well kempt, tighter than anything else and well defined. You have some smooth and clean mids, not overtly recessed, musical. Also, you have a treble which is mostly non-offensive (watch your source; nothing too bright) but also has some sparkle to it, some shine. Really a nice balance in all of its dynamic presentation and a nice distribution of the frequency by Shanling. Details aren’t the best, musical over technical, separation too. Imaging is pretty nice though. Now, the stage isn’t the most vast, closer to the listener, decent depth though, some layering. Not bad at all.

*Note: one last thing before I dive into each area of the mix. Folks, I use a lot of words to convey what I hear, what I feel, and I do so a lot. My reviews are always too long, but that’s me. Anyways, the point is, please read those words with respect to the price point. If I say, “the sound is amazing”, what I’m really saying is “the sound is amazing for a set at this price point”. We reviewers use a lot of words with no context to the rest of the Audioverse. I know you all know this, but I felt I needed to verbalize it.


Tino Graph
Graph courtesy of Tone Deaf Monk, Thank You!


Tino



Bass Region

The low-end on the Tino has some oomph to it. Controlled oomph that is. It is definitely not a basshead set but there’s plenty of emphasis for stuff like bass guitars and kick drums etc. Now, I wouldn’t necessarily call the bass the “focal point” of this set, but rather “one of the focal points”. Certainly not bass dominant. Now that’s out of the way, folks, the bass hits with a very punchy nature. I love this style of bass. It has that hard and glass lined edge on attack which always offers a clean sound. Nothing fuzzy or pillowy here. It’s “density-meets-speed”. You don’t have a ton of lingering resonances like on so many iems. The Tino hits just right providing some very natural sounding lows with just enough gumption and authoritative emphasis to make it fun. If anything, you’d probably call this a sub-bass focused set, but I don’t 100% buy that. Not entirely anyways. The mid-bass slams just as well as the sub-bass drones. It’s a very nice mix with a sonic linearity between bass segments which offer an awesome low-end for a $79 iem. Attack is tight, hard edged, never soft while decay is fleeting, quicker than most DDs with a very clean approach. Nothing muddy about the low-end here. It has good slam, a solid robustness, and great impact which serves so many instruments well. Just a fine job by Shanling.

Sub-Bass

The sub-bass drones with some vibratory goodness and haptic charge whenever I play any track which features it. Tracks like “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard will add in some haptic buzz on most any set, but the Tino goes a step further and actually sounds nice doing it. Not just a mishmash of deeply pitched bass. No sir, the Tino keeps that clean edge the whole time allowing other frequencies to play clean alongside it. However, the sub-bass does reach deep with some good extension into the lowest of lows. It isn’t the type of sub level bass which will muck-up the mid-bass adding too much bloat to the sound. Again, it’s clean, tight, and reasonably agile for a bass region under $100. I can hear an almost ductile style of agility in fact. You don’t hear those bloated tones which ultimately make the mid-bass less defined, as the sub-bass stays in its lane. Really a clean approach to a more emphasized area. Great job Shanling, you added some fun yet without the needed clean-up. Another set where I can confidently say… “Hello Fun, meet my friend Maturity”. Very nice.

Mid-Bass

Looking at the mid-bass, it is perhaps a hint lower in veracity and volume than the sub-bass, but like I said, I don’t hear some tremendous disparity between the two. I’m telling you, the mid-bass slams, and slams hard. The only difference between the Tino and other sets which also slam hard… is the cleanliness. It’s a faster and more well-defined mid-bass which resolves some macro level details very well. One thing you won’t hear is anything one-noted or sloppy (providing the track isn’t sloppy), and you won’t hear muddiness either. Now, there is some level of bass breaching the midrange which does provide a subtle warmth to the mids, but that encroachment is kept in control. I feel that Shanling made a conscientious decision to provide the midrange with some slight weight while keeping good clarity, and the bass is always a good helping hand in that regard.

Not too heavy, not too weak

Anyways, the mid-bass can flat out bang when called upon. It can also grumble in the gravelly, meaty depths which is great for providing pretty full bass guitar play too. Now, there are certainly other sets which provide a weightier bass guitar. However, the Tino provides what I’d call a “naturally weighted” sound. There’s a difference. For instance, the bass guitar sounds amazing in “Lone Star Lake” by Waxahatchee. It’s full, yet edgy, has depth, and stays in its lane. But mostly, it’s realistic. Not overtly colored or ballooned out of proportion. It’s natural yet slightly emphasized past that for a fun but mature sound. Also, with the Tino in my ears, Kick-drums always seem to have that snap on attack, that tacky initial strike followed by a usually deep hollowed boom. I love it. You can hear it in “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects, or “Billie Jean” by Weezer, or the immersive and totally gratifying kick drums & drums in “Glass House” by Kaleo. They all have that deep, penetrative and hollow crevasse of sound which resonates. It’s great. The Tino is a perfect set to replay those sounds. Not too heavy, not too weak. It’s just right. That’s the bass in a nutshell actually.

Downsides to the Bass Region

The only real downside that I can see would be for those who enjoy more of it, or those who desire less. That’s honestly it. I say that because as far as bass regions goes, the Tino has really done a superb job. However, bassheads aren’t going to jump for joy over this set. The bass is way too balanced across the mix for those folks to be happy. Also, analytical lovers who want far less bass, snappier, fine-lined, and less intrusive, will obviously not enjoy the low-end display on this set. Again, for everyone else the Tino will likely fit you like a glove. Really a perfect emphasis to feel deep and guttural thunder when needed, and it has the slam needed when called upon as well. I suppose I could see some folks wanting a more organic bass. As in, even more atmospheric, more earthy, less tight transients, longer decay. I could see that. The Tino has a pumped-up bass with a beautiful glide from its peak, down the mid-bass and slightly feathering into the midrange for a real organic and natural take on this region. Really nice for $79. However, this type of bass also isn’t unheard of in the price point as other sets can duplicate the sound, maybe. Although, that doesn’t make the Tino any less awesome.


Tino



Midrange

The midrange is more forward than I initially suspected with very good presence for both male and female singers, not to mention instrumentation. It all sounds rather natural to my ears yet with a slight forward highlight for vocalists. Maybe the midrange is a hint less airy than some would enjoy, or less detailed than some may like, but it is highly addictive for many tracks within my playlists. I would characterize the midrange’s note body as lean-lush, or semi-rich. It has a realistic note weight to my ears. Warmer toward the low-mids, cooler towards the upper-mids. Not too thick and not wide in presence, yet with this slight vibrance which accompanies most midrange notes. There’s zero veil over the sound, no sibilance, and very little glare. Unless of course a track features some heavily glaring passages, at which point you may get a small dosage. Nothing that bothered me, but perhaps those who are sensitive to it may find issue with the Tino in that regard. For example, I found a couple tracks like “Africa” by Weezer which gets a bit sharp when the chorus erupts. Actually, you can take many Weezer tracks and get the same result. However, those are very few and far in between for me.

Pointed snap

Honestly, that slight glare or levity is what helps the Tino’s midrange to stand out and feel energized. You get some pinpoint and localized sparkle. Like the pointed snap on attack from a hard snare drum, the resounding vibrance with piano, the lovely abrasiveness in the violin, and the way it portrays a female head voice flowering my music. Among a thousand other instances where a slight bit more emphasis adds much more than it takes away. There’s always a give and take in everything, especially in audio, and thankfully for me the Tino’s midrange is of high quality for the price.

Mids cont…

I enjoy how clean the mids are for a smoother overall sound. It isn’t the most transient tight midrange on planet earth which makes it all the more awesome that it has pretty decent detail retrieval. Relative to the tuning of course. Especially for a two DD set. Instrument separation isn’t going to impress those analytical lovers, though I have to say once again, the Tino still performs admirably for a $79 two DD iem. Perhaps the technical stuff isn’t the Tino’s strong suit, but the Tino has nothing to be ashamed of. In truth, the sound is more melodic, more liquid, less clinical and more engaging. The Tino’s midrange comes with a very nice tonal and dynamic contrast. This nice contrast is leveraged from its energetic style that it was tuned with, so as not to come across bland… at all. There’s some midrange pep, some zestiness, some upper-mid sparkle, and some shimmer too as detailed in the last paragraph. Macro-dynamics POP, sending controlled energy to my auditory cortex which then carves a pathway to my heart. Okay, I went a little too far there, but you get the gist. However, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea either. Let’s put it this way, the Tino is not as energetic and glaring as the Simgot EA500LM can be. That set is one of the best money can buy under $100. So, what does that say of the Tino?

Lower-Midrange

Like I said earlier, the midrange borrows a nice dosage of warmth from the bass region. Not so much that the sound becomes murky, or not as clean sounding. But enough warmth and weight that notes aren’t lean. I also don’t feel there’s some pushed-back recession in this region either. Stuff like male vocals have plenty of forward-facing energy with an etched-out display of a man’s voice. There’s some authority, some gusto, some density, and to top it off… the lower mids have decent sprightliness. Basically, they don’t come across humdrum and lifeless. Male vocalists don’t sound meshed together or bland as so many sets in the price point can do. For instance, Max McNown sings “A Lot More Free” with heavy hearted passion and his voice really embodies that with the Tino. His voice doesn’t really sway in pitch. There isn’t a ton of vocal contrast or undulating bravado. It’s a slightly raspy, breathy, and weighted voice. I love that the Tino puts a highlight on his vocals. There’s weight behind his voice, but also some fire behind it as well as the Tino adds to the song with some of that etched presence I was talking about. I find this with so many male singers where there’s a certain organic energy which adds the last little bit of vibrancy to the inflections within their voices. A few other sets perform similarly, so I’m not calling the Tino a unicorn or anything. But it’s a great quality, nonetheless.

Upper-Midrange

Now, female vocalists as well as instrumentation will have an even more forward poise and personality in the upper-mids. The pinna rise is not overbearing here. Shanling did a marvelous job tuning this set as they added just enough of a rise and just the right gradual uphill pinna climb to never really come across grating. It’s all very well controlled. Again, not to the point of those Simgot sets. Less vivacity and more controlled vibrance. Females really pay off as they have just enough weight to make vocalists substantive yet also just enough sparkle to bring those beautiful female accentuations to life. Norah Jones in her massive success “Don’t Know Why” sounds almost hauntingly seductive. I like how the vocals sit just in front of the rest of the melody. Leaner than the low-mids but still moist enough to aid the emotion within the song. Very pleasing to the ear. Another track is “High”, by Caitlyn Smith. It’s a nice track for testing female vocals. Anyways, the Tino can go from feather soft through the 1st verse, to sonorous and resounding in the chorus and both sections are still very tuneful. I should also state that there’s a lot of chaos happening in the chorus as well, and while the Tino doesn’t separate everything perfectly, it all sounds very musical and enthralling. Once again, there are other sets within the price point more geared toward vocalists, but those sets also miss out in some other key areas and I really like how Shanling put all of it together with the Tino.

Upper-mids cont…

Instruments also gain a lot from the way this set was tuned. First, they are crystal clear, perhaps not as precisely detailed, but very clean in a macro-detail sort of way. I won’t go into every instrument, but they usually will have some added shimmer, some luster, yet still have the note body to provide them with some tangible physicality. For me, I sometimes feel that instruments need that last tinge of luster at the crest of a note, to carry out different harmonics in a harmonious way. Thankfully the Tino adds just enough vibrancy to bring some of that needed luster. I know I described the Tino as mostly smooth, but there definitely are touches of crispness on the Tino when a track deems it necessary.

Downsides to the Midrange

The first thing I’d say is that anyone who is allergic to any vibrancy may not want to partake in this set. Again, I really don’t feel it’s a problem and is probably more realistic than anything, but I am friends with many of you who only want warm, weighted, and rich. The Tino is only partially that. So yes, there are occasions when the Tino gets a hair too bright. I don’t want to say artificial, because that is not what I hear. Just a bit brighter at times. Also, detail retrieval, separation of instruments and transient swiftness are not key features of the Tino’s midrange. This is not a technical lover’s dream set. Again, it’s musicality over technicality. However, within the Tino’s musical abilities it also doesn’t really dissatisfy technically. Confused yet? Listen, I love dynamic drivers, always will. I love how organic they can sound. Still, not all DD’s can replicate the exactness of a balanced armature driver, or a planar for instance, among other driver types. Yet even with that being true, the Tino can bring some of the subtleties (details) to the surface pretty well. Also, it isn’t some claustrophobic sound field that gets congested easily. It isn’t that. The Tino does have a slight bit of air between notes. It just isn’t as open as some more analytically tuned iems. That’s it. All things considered; I really admire what Shanling did with a two DD set costing $79. It is a solid midrange that will resonate with many folks.


Tino

Treble Region

One thing dynamic drivers are not known for is their biting, sparkly, or well extended treble regions, not all the time anyways. At least not in the budget space. Granted, that doesn’t mean that they can’t have those attributes, but it’s just less likely. Other drivers add those last little tones and modulations a hair better. Like a good EST, a solid planar, micro planar, or a nice balanced armature. Having said that, the Tino does a surprisingly nice job for a two DD set. Obviously, it has everything to do with the type of drivers chosen and the ability of the sound engineers at Shanling to coordinate the frequency the way they have.

Tino treble

Honestly, I find the Tino to have a nice treble region. No, it isn’t ultra brilliant, and it won’t be preferred by treble-heads, let’s just get that out of the way. What the treble does best is… it fits. I say this a lot in reviews because that’s what a treble region is supposed to do, at the least. However, you won’t hear a ton of openness and the Tino won’t drive a ton of midrange instrument separation. What it will do is add just enough levity to the overall sound. The treble is emphasized enough, just past the pinna. The lower treble area as well as the upper treble helps the overall tonal color of the Tino sound slightly brighter, more lustery (to an extent), with added sparkle, added snap, and crispness where needed. On the flipside, this is certainly NOT a dull or boring treble. It’s just not overtly brilliant and it doesn’t have a treble-head worthy sparkle and bite. It’s a smoother style treble with moments of crispness. You’ll hear some DD style bite, some decent treble body, but mostly it stays smooth. Beyond those points, the treble won’t cause undue fatigue and is mostly non-offensive and a reasonably easy set to listen to for longer periods.

Extension / speed

I would say that the Tino has good enough extension that cymbals aren’t rolled off. I still hear a nice and hard “chisk” (made up word) on a cymbal strike yet without that widened splash and “treble tizz” (another made up word, I think they work). That’s not to say you won’t hear any of that either as every recording is quite literally different. However, by-and-large the treble extension is good enough to obtain some solid info past 8k. There is a hair of a roll-off, but not enough to bury that info. Another thing which is at least marginally beneficial about the treble region is the speed of the driver. Now, this isn’t some planar, or EST (I keep needing to say this) but for a DD the speed isn’t bad at all. Listening to “Evil Twin” by Lindsey Stirling is a decent example. Many treble notes hit at different points, semi-speedy, but very easy to discern with the Tino. Each note was met with decent roundness, sparkle, and the timing is very good. The pitch and tone of the Tino was also very good. Nothing artificial sounding, nothing metallic, and I don’t really detect a huge amount of sibilance either. Yet the fact that the Tino can (at least marginally well) keep up with a faster treble track like “Ice Bridges” by Billy Strings says a lot. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. Of course, this is also a $79 set. Is it better than many DD sets under $100? Now you’re asking the right question. The answer is, yes. It is a very solid treble for a DD not seeking to be over-the-top with its emphasis. No forced resolution, nothing like that. Timbre is nice, realistic enough too. Like I said, the treble simply fits.

Downsides to the Treble Region

The only real knock I can give the Tino here is that the treble probably isn’t as refined technically as some other sets in the price point. Maybe you might want a set with more air to the sound. I could see that. Perhaps, you desire those high frequencies to have an even more palpable and haptic treble bite to notes. I hardly feel that this would be a reason to not enjoy this set but some of you really love good treble. I get it. However, this is a $79 dual-DD all-rounder type set which cannot specialize in the treble region without affecting other areas of the mix to at least a partial degree. You’d lose so many of the great qualities that it has. This just brings me back to what I always say, “Nothing is for everyone”. I really appreciate what Shanling did here and how they were able to coherently tune this set with such nice timing, cadence, timbre, and controlled energy which never really offends. Not to the point that it is a hard “con”. To me anyways. I suppose another point should also be taken into account. That is, I’m… me and you are… you. We differ. To me the Tino is a fantastic set for the price and the treble most certainly is a huge part of what makes this set such a nice offering.



Tino

Technicalities

Soundstage

I find the soundstage to be appropriate. It’s not some huge and vast mega stadium. Then again, no iem is. However, it isn’t the type of stage which feels super expanded, aired out, and isn’t really a multi-level dimensional style stage. Honestly, it’s an average stage. It works. Which is a good thing. It would be utterly disappointing if the stage felt cramped, congested, or downright small. That would be a problem. Actually, the front layer of the Tino’s soundstage is closer in proximity to the listener. More forward, within reach, yet the stage is also tall, decent width, decent depth as well. It’s a solid stage folks, but just average in how expansive it is to the right and left. Really, it’s a very full sound field, covering the whole of my mindscape. Yes, it may not be as cavernous or stadium-like as some may like, but the Tino has a certain fullness, within the intimate style. We’ve seen a number of sets with similar stages of late and to be honest, I like this style better sometimes than the pushed back, distant and ultra-wide stage. At times anyways. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard some pretty awesome psycho-acoustically rendered stages. I simply don’t want to discredit a more intimate, yet also very full stage. It may not be “grand”, as in the traditional audiophile standard of what “grand” is supposed to mean, but it works very well for this set.

Separation

Instrument separation is not a technical lover’s dream, though I’d argue that the Tino is also not bad, not by any stretch of the imagination. It’s like everything “technical” on this set, it’s appropriate to the tuning. The Tino is on the musical side of the sound spectrum which doesn’t always bode well for stuff like separation or detail retrieval. Transients aren’t lightning quick, and the tuning doesn’t give you some super airy presentation either. The Tino simply wasn’t made to be a clinical, dry, and analytically tuned iem. However, in the same breath I could also make a case that the Tino separates elements within the stage pretty good. Good for a musical set, good for a set crafted to reach people in a fun way, in an emotional way, and to a slightly lesser degree… in a mature way. What the Tino has going for it is the cleanliness of the sound, well-defined notes, good clarity too. These sub-components all have a hand in helping the Tino to perform well for what it is. I still hear slightly above average note separation. Of course, a lot depends on the track too. Any track with a boatload of bass will slightly mask over certain frequencies as well as highly congested songs. That said, I will resort to the only thing which matters to most folks by saying that the Tino doesn’t sound congested, mushed together, and is actually pretty good.

Imaging

Now, Imaging is an area where I feel that the Tino does surprisingly well. Maybe “surprisingly” is a bad word, but the sentiment stands. I hear everything left to right in great placement. There are so many songs that the Tino never disappointed me in this regard. I haven’t tried, but I’m sure the Tino would be a solid set for gaming too. Imaging is solid folks. Another thing which makes it solid for me is the fact that I do hear some layering within the depth of the soundstage. The Tino does a nice job here.

Detail Retrieval

Again, detail retrieval is not the best in the price point. Nor should it be. Nor would I personally want it to be. What makes this set solid at $79 is the fact that Shanling didn’t do what it takes for the Tino to be a “detail monster”, so to speak. They know that musicality should come first. However, I go back to the basic theme of this set where technicalities are concerned… the Tino is pretty good. Average, to above average. Once again, bass heavy tracks may impede some of those tiny subtleties within my music as well as congested tracks. But nothing out of the ordinary. That should go without saying. Shanling did a solid job here, in my opinion.



Comparisons


Comparisons
Artti R1 / Shanling Tino / Simgot EA500LM


Artti R1 ($60-$75)

R1

Talk about an awesome iem. The Arrti R1 (R1 Review) is a triple dynamic driver earphone from the brand Arrti Audio which is a sister brand of Letshuoer Audio. Honestly, I love this set folks. I have a boatload of iems in my collection and the R1 is a set which seems to be with me in so many situations. If I’m using the Fiio UTWS5 what iem do I first put onto it? The Arrti R1. If I’m working around the house outside of a review what budget iem do I carry with me? That’s right, the R1. I just love the build, the design and the tuning very much. Now, the R1 is a very well-made triple DD, but is it up to the standards of the Tino? We shall see.

Differences

To begin, the Tino is built using resin while the R1 is all alloy (aluminum). The Tino is a bit lighter as the R1 is twice as heavy at 8.8 grams. Granted neither is very “heavy”. The design of the Tino will likely reflect more folks’ preferences but the R1 has such a cool design too. In my opinion. The deep green colorway, silver bordered square looking thing on the faceplates and the feel of the R1 make it pretty nice to look at. Still, the Tino is gorgeous. I think it would win a design battle. The Tino comes with better accessories across the board, much better modular cable, better case, better tips, better package altogether for the cost. The fit of the Tino will likely jive with more people too. So far, aesthetically, the Tino has the upper hand by a small degree in my opinion. When considering comfort, overall design, and packaging, it wins out. Though without question the R1 is the better built iem, seemingly more durable too. Both are nice though.

Sound Differences

To begin, the R1 is warmer in tonal color with a slightly different version of organic. Whereas the Tino has some coolness and brilliance in the upper portions of the mix. The R1 has a deeper, heavier and dare I say slightly muddier low-end. Certainly, the Tino has the cleaner and better-defined bass. More pointed in its impact and punch. Note weight is heavier in the R1’s midrange, but also its transients come across less tidy. I feel the Tino is a more technically adept iem, better midrange detail, separation, clarity. Vocals sound great on both sets. The Tino has more energy in the midrange, especially the upper mids and can be a hair more offensive in the right tracks while the R1 is slightly smoother. Neither set is what I’d consider recessed here. The treble region on the Tino has more energy, brilliance, sprightliness, better treble punch and bite. Extension reaches out better on the Tino. Both are on the smooth side in this region as well. The R1 is just as nice but a hair more subdued. One isn’t necessarily better than the other is what I’m trying to say. Just different. Both sets are about average in detail retrieval, maybe hair above, but the Tino does have the upper hand. Imaging is good on both. The stage of the R1 is a bit wider, and slightly less intimate than the Tino too. Both have decent depth and even some layering with the Tino having a slight advantage.

Final thoughts on this comparison

I never like comparisons. They are very deceptive at times. This set is better at this, this better at that. But really, you have to judge each set on who it’s for as well as judge them for the whole package. Honestly, the R1 is the more musical set of the two but is not as technically able as the Tino. The Tino is the more refined iem with more of a contrast dynamically. More energy, more exactness in its note delivery. However, the R1 has that alloy sound to it. It’s cleaner resonant, grander in stage size, easier on the ears, and again, more musically gifted. In fact, these two are almost a preference battle as they are different enough to fit two slightly different style listeners. I really like both of these sets. However, in my most honest opinion, the Shanling Tino is the better purchase. You just get more for the money, and also, it is the more refined iem of the two.

Graph-1.png
Graph courtesy of Tone Deaf Monk, Thanks!


Simgot EA500LM ($89)

EA500LM

The EA500LM from Simgot (EA500LM Review) is very likely the universal king of the under $100 iems. For many hobbyists anyways, and for better or for worse. Let’s just call it that, and whether it is, or isn’t, it’ll help with this review. Also, I realize that it’s highly debatable. Personally, I think it’s a top five under $100 set. However, the EA500LM is adored by so many for its class, style, build, and wonderful tuning. Now, the EA500LM is a single dynamic driver earphone with a single 10mm lithium-magnesium dynamic driver along with a dual cavity/dual magnet setup. Just a beauty across the board. Perhaps as close to a perfect under $100 single DD as you can get with a brighter hue to the sound. At any rate, the EA500LM has had its share of accolades, deservedly so! I personally gave it some of the highest marks for an under $100 iem that I’ve given out. Let’s see how the Tino stacks up against this juggernaut.

Differences

The build of both sets is very good for what they were made to be. I mean, there’s only so many ways a brand can go. Mainly, it’s resin or metal. In this case, the EA500LM is made with legendary beauty, within its simplicity and it’s built like a tank made of all stainless steel. It’s dope. However, the Tino is no slouch (Build-wise), to craft an iem this lite, it has to be made of resin. One set is built with a more functional purpose (Tino), and the other is strictly ornamental, built to last, but also really heavy. The disparity is pretty large concerning the weight. Keep that in mind. The Tino and the EA500LM are both amazingly designed, and I cannot choose which I like better. I gotta say, the foil-burned faceplates on the Tino are quite awesome though. This is a toss-up. That says more for the Tino, trust me. Accessories are better with the Tino, better cable, cases are a wash, and the Tino has much better tips. I find the fit to be better with the Tino as well. I do have to fidget a bit to get the EA500LM to seal perfectly. Although, you may feel exactly the opposite of me so… grains of salt. Also, the EA500LM is a single DD while the Tino is a dual-DD. I believe having a well implemented dedicated bass driver should help to a degree, in theory. Simgot saw to it to add in two sets of tuning nozzles with the EA500LM which do make marginal changes to the sound. Lastly, the EA500LM costs about $10 more.

Sound Differences

To begin, both sets are extremely similar as far as tonality and timbre is concerned. These two are very close. Both have a very nice and natural playback, mostly organic, and both carry very nicely controlled energy. I’d say that both sets are either slight V-shaped iems or U-shaped. I wouldn’t argue about either interpretation of the sound. Both are highly engaging, good technically for their respective tunings, and both are very sharp with a nice tonal contrast. In fact, I have a hard time saying one is better than the other, but I will most certainly make my conclusion known at the end of this comparison.

Between the 20’s

Now, the bass is deeper on the Tino. It runs at a deeper pitch when needed, but the EA500LM has a wider bass presence, yet also a less robust sub-bass. The slam on the Tino is more authoritative, more exact, better defined, punchier. This takes absolutely nothing away from the EA500LM. Its bass is great, but this is where you are seeing the difference from a single DD to a set with a well implemented solely dedicated bass driver. I’d take the bass of the Tino every day of the week. The midrange of the Tino has better note density while both sets sit at that lean-lush style note body. I like the low-mids on both sets, very clean, well defined, and organic enough too. However, I do like the upper mids on the Tino a hair better (ask me tomorrow and I might change that). The only reason that I say that is the EA500LM has a slightly better chance at fatigue for me. Even though the Tino does have a couple DB bump over the EA500LM at the crest of the pinna rise. Perhaps it has something to do with all metal acoustic cavity. Who knows. Anyways, the treble on the Tino is smoother while the EA500LM has the more crisp, better detailed treble region. Extension is good on both sets. In reality, the EA500LM has the more brilliant, sparkly treble with a touch more air to the sound.

Technicalities

I’d say that instrument separation is a hair better with the EA500LM, but that is highly debatable. It’s sound is a touch airier, and open which does aid in this. Transient attack through sustain is relatively quick for both iems and I don’t think there’s some discernible difference between the two. Detail retrieval is probably a hair better on the EA500LM, but again, highly debatable. Layering is nice on both sets but imaging with the Tino does edge out the EA500LM. Looking at the soundstage, the EA500LM has a wider sound, but the Tino has a slightly deeper sound field. Really, both iems are more intimate but the Tino is a hint further forward.

Final thoughts on this comparison

Folks, how could I choose between the two of these Goliath sets in the under $100 price point? How can I? They are both really great iems for the cost. Both have their strong points, and both have their less amazing points. It may come down to cost for some of you. Maybe the accessories will sway your mind. Definitely the design & build can help people choose as well. Metal-versus-resin, heavy-versus-light, beautiful oranges, reds, brown, amber of the Tino verses that fly looking gun-metal high polish design of the EA500LM. These two go toe to toe. It may be the fatigue factor of the EA500LM that may bring your vote to the Tino side. Or you may want that last little bit of detail retrieval that the EA500LM can give you (still debatable). However, for me, personally, I would go with the Tino. Mostly because of the bass region but also because of the way the sound comes together as a whole and it costs less, better unboxing, better cable too. I hate saying that because I adore the EA500LM. Both are phenomenal iems and you won’t go wrong with either.

Graph-2.png
Graph courtesy of Tone Deaf Monk, Thanks!


Tino



Is it worth the asking price?


I’ll make this section very short because it’s a very easy answer. That answer of course is a giant YES. Yes, the Tino is worth every penny. No doubt about it. The fact that this set is $79 sounds more like a great bargain than anything else. Shanling truly did a fantastic job, and I am more than happy featuring them and spending time with them. Folks, the competition is fierce in the under $100 crowded market. Trust me, I’ve reviewed a ton of them. Some of the best (Granted, I haven’t heard em’ all). I never would have expected to say this but, the Tino most certainly cracked my top five under $100. What’s even more crazy is that it’s seriously putting pressure on the rest for the top spot. Remember, for ME. This small, ultra lightweight set truly shines. Having said that, the Tino does have its issues. Granted, they would only be subjective issues personal from person to person. However, the Tino doesn’t really have any huge glaring issues which stand out, especially for $79. Anyways, I’m not going to go through my usual “The Why” section because the answer is… the entire package is the reason why the Tino is worth the asking price.

Ratings (0-10)

*Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Fiio FD15 ratings below, that would be $50-$100 earphones of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $50-$100 is a very large sized scope of iems. So, it should be noteworthy to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me. *

Aesthetic

Build Quality: 9.3 Unbelievably light, all resin.

Look: 9.5 Love the look of this set.

Fit/Comfort: 9.0 Fit and comfort is very good for me.

Accessories: 9.8 One of the best under $100.

Overall: 9.4🔥🔥

Sound Rating

Timbre: 9.4 Organic and clean.

Bass: 9.5 Punchy, textured, deep, defined.

Midrange: 9.1 Natural, nice note density, very clean.

Treble: 8.8 Well extended, smooth, non-offensive, clean.

Technicalities: 8.2 Mostly great for what it is.

Musicality: 9.6 Very musical.

Overall: 9.1🔥🔥🔥

Ratings Summary:

There’s a reason why the Tino was able to pull a “9.1” overall sound rating. Think about it. As I said in the above note, I am rating the Tino against any and all iems of any driver configuration from $50 to $100. Take a minute to let your mind go through the vast ocean of good iems in this range. I can tell you that I have too many right in front of me and each has a reason to be considered. I decided upon rating the Tino against every iem of any driver configuration because I honestly feel it can hold its own against any of them. Of course, this means the score won’t be through the roof. However, a “9.1” is very high for this type of rating. It’s the toughest rating to achieve a high score when I say, “any and all driver configurations”. This opens the pool to all of them. Multi-driver, hybrids, planars, BA sets, single DD’s… all of them. I listened to each set in front of me, which was quickly followed by the Tino on about six different tracks. Having said all of that, I still feel that a “9.1” is low. Sets which specialize in musicality will always have a harder time due to always receiving a slightly lower score in “Technicalities”. So, to see such a score is saying something.

Explain Yourself!!

In truth, there’s nothing to explain here. I feel the scores are pretty cut-n-dry actually and so I’m not going to go all out explaining my reasoning. For me, there’s a couple which could be a hair higher, and a couple which could be lower too. Now, you may totally disagree with me, and that is fine. It happens to be the thing which makes this hobby so great. Some may not feel the “Bass” is worthy of a “9.5”, or the “Timbre” isn’t worthy of such a lofty score, and I get that. Still, at the end of the day the Tino is a solid set for its price, no matter the driver configuration.

Shanling Tino Review Pic (40).jpg


Final thoughts on the Shanling Tino before I conclude

Friends, I’ve had a blast with the Shanling Tino. What a nice surprise it has been while getting to know this set. To be honest, I was expecting something much brighter, flabbier bass, and some metallic tinge in the timbre. Coincidentally, I heard none of that. What I actually heard is a set which truly shines with a very nice balance across the mix, deep punchy bass, clear mids, and a non-offensive and fairly sparkly treble region. Add in the fact that the Tino is so lite, so comfortable and designed so well. Also, you have one of the best unboxings within the price point and certainly one of the better cables. Just a fine set for anyone looking for an under $100 iem. I can’t wait to see where Shanling goes next and how they build off of this set. I’m all for it friends. The Tino is an instant recommendation from this guy.

Shanling Tino Review Pic (90).jpg


Tino



Conclusion

To conclude my full written review and feature of the Shanling Tino I first have to thank the good people of Shanling for providing the Tino in exchange for a published review to mobileaudiophile.com. They have been nothing but great through the process and me as well as mobileaudiophile.com thanks you. Also, I thank you, the reader, for clicking the link to read any of my words. You will always be the most important aspect of these reviews. Without question. On the flipside, every click to our website is a wonderful thing to see and it means so much to us. So, thank you so very much and I truly hope this review has helped at least to some effect.

Other Perspectives

Friends, please check out other thoughts of the Shanling Tino. We (reviewers) are all very much different, as each one of us has our own ideals, likes & dislikes. Of course, we may have different gear, different hearing abilities and we all haven’t been down the same journey through audio. Each of these differences can help to skew our thoughts, for any particular product. It will be very beneficial to you if you just click a few more links. Don’t simply rely on me. I’m only one man, and while I do give you my absolute most honest take, the next guy may feel entirely different. So please check out other thoughts about the Tino. With that, I think I’m done folks. I hope you all are well and good. Please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless

Shanling Tino Review Pic (24).jpg

Attachments

  • BASN Metalen Pro Review Pic (23).jpg
    BASN Metalen Pro Review Pic (23).jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 0
  • GridArt_20241221_083443313.jpg
    GridArt_20241221_083443313.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 0
  • Shanling Tino Review Pic (87).jpg
    Shanling Tino Review Pic (87).jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 0
  • Shanling Tino Review Pic (84).jpg
    Shanling Tino Review Pic (84).jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 0
  • Shanling Tino Review Pic (24).jpg
    Shanling Tino Review Pic (24).jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 0
  • Shanling Tino Review Pic (40).jpg
    Shanling Tino Review Pic (40).jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 0
  • Shanling Tino Review Pic (53).JPG
    Shanling Tino Review Pic (53).JPG
    1.4 MB · Views: 0
  • Shanling Tino Review Pic (59).JPG
    Shanling Tino Review Pic (59).JPG
    1.1 MB · Views: 0

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
Elysian X-Effect Audio Pilgrim: Noir Review
Pros: -Build is fantastic, Stainless Steel

-Pentaconn connectors are seriously awesome

-The blacked-out design is the definition of DOPE

-Effect Audio Signature Series custom Eros S cable is outstanding

-Fit and comfort

-Great timbre, warm, yet energetic, clean

-Fast, precise bass with solid texture and a heavy punch

-Melodic and holographic midrange

-Talented treble, extended nicely, smooth, non-offensive

-Details, Imaging, layering, instrument separation

-Nice and vast stage with great depth of field
Cons: -Price addition with cable (not really a con)

-Bass-bois may want a hint more low-end oomph

-Treble could use a hint more sparkle

-The mids energy isn’t going to be to everyone’s liking

Elysian X-Effect Audio Pilgrim: Noir Review


Elysian X-Effect Audio Pilgrim Noir Review

Full Review can be found HERE
Noir

Elysian X-Effect Audio Pilgrim:Noir Review

Intro

Hello everyone, this “sound review” and feature covers one of the latest Elysian Acoustics hybrid iems which goes by the name “Elysian X-Effect Audio Pilgrim: Noir” ($799). Obviously, it’ll be “Noir” for review purposes. So, the Noir is actually a tour iem provided to me from the Audio Geeks US Tour and MusicTeck. So, thank you to both entities as I greatly appreciate the opportunity to try out this most special iem. To be honest, I’ve only tested out one other Elysian Acoustics iem and that happened to be the predecessor to the Noir named the Elysian Acoustics Pilgrim. I did enjoy the Pilgrim, but it simply wasn’t my perfect cup-o-tea. I actually decided to not review that set at the time as I was simply not entirely feeling it. You should all know by now that I only review what I enjoy. At any rate, it’s still a fantastic set for whom it is for. However, this is not a review of the Pilgrim, but a set that I’ve been intrigued by for quite some time, in the Noire.

Elysian X-Effect

The Noir is actually a collaboration effort between Elysian Acoustics Labs and Effect Audio. You know, the amazing cable makers. Yeah, those guys. I couldn’t wait to hear this collaboration with my own ears. Of course, this collab entails adding in one of Effect Audio’s Signature Series cables, which is a huge benefit to the overall sound fidelity of the Noir. I know because I just reviewed Effect Audio’s latest Signature Series ii cable, the Effect Audio Eros S ii (Eros S ii Review). Without question I am very impressed with that cable, from the build, to the design, to the sound influence, the Eros S ii impressed. Needless to say, this was one of the more tantalizing aspects of the Noire for me, personally. I don’t have 10 million dollars burning a hole in my pockets and so having the opportunity to spend quality time with the Noire is truly a pleasure for me and I don’t take it lightly.

Pilgrim:Noir

The idea of the Pilgrim Noir was actually an idea born from the mind of Elysian Acoustics Labs Lee (I don’t know who “Lee” is), to redefine exactly how we think of entry level iems. Partnering with Effect Audio on the same shared goal of creating and crafting an iem that goes against the grain of what is thought possible from this price range. Said to be what the original Pilgrim was yet upgraded across the board. Same driver count, and same principle but the two brands brought their expertise together to make it better. Elysian Acoustics promotional state the “The Noir is said to be what the OG Pilgrim could’ve been in another dimension”. A variant if you will. Said to be designed with these three words in mind: Sophisticated, Sensual, & Seductive. In my opinion, I’d say that nailed it. Certainly the Noir is a very well-done attempt at creating an earphone which does embody those descriptors. Without question the Noir has a certain mood, a flavor, or a disposition which sways this impression for me. At which point I’d say that Elysian Acoustics Labs and Effect Audio hit their mark wonderfully.
With that all said, I do believe I’m ready to get this one started. So, without further ado, the Elysian X-Effect Audio Pilgrim Noir everyone…


**Oh, one last thing before I begin. This is a sound review folks. I received the Noir without the box or accessories. Only the carrying case, the cable, and the Noir. So naturally I will not be able to speak on the other portions of the packaging. **

Pilgrim:Noir


BASN Metalen Pro Review Pic (23).jpg

Ifi Go Blu / Simgot Dew4X / iBasso DX240 / Shanling M6 Ultra / Fiio Q15 / Shanling H0 / EPZ TP50 / Aful SnowyNight
*Not all sources are shown here*

Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

EPZ TP35

Aful SnowyNight

Shanling H0

Fiio Q15

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra



Elysian Acoustic pilgrim Noir Review Pic (5).JPG

Pilgrim:Noir
What a gorgeous iem in the Noir.



Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

When it comes to build, the Noir is truly a specimen folks. Made entirely out of stainless steel and built to last. The Noir is slightly above average in size, not too heavy, nice weight displacement in the ear and a very nice fit for me. I really enjoy the Pentaconn connectors which make attaching and taking off the cable extremely easy. It has such a solid feel when attaching. Really a nice addition. At any rate, the nozzle is about medium length with a nozzle size of right around 6 mm in size. Folks, I could go on and on about the actual build quality of this set, but I will sum it up by stating that the Noire is built like an absolute tank. Build Quality is a hard “Pro” in my book.

Pilgrim:Noir Build Quality



Cable

Pilgrim:Noir Cable

One of the absolute standout features of the Noir is without question…the cable. Most certainly using this cable ballooned the price tag, but I feel it’s a great addition and worth every penny. Listen folks, this set is $799, and anyone who is willing to purchase a $799 iem likely has no qualms with this awesome cable. They know what they are getting, and they know how much they’re willing to spend to get it. I’ve heard the murmuring in the message boards, in Facebook, in Reddit threads. I’ve heard some of you ask the question “why would they use a $299 cable?!” and the answer is that they were trying to make the best earphone that they could put to market for $799. Also, before you even say it… no… a regular cable for $50 is not going to compete SONICALLY with the Eros S. This much I can promise you. Anyways, I have zero issues with Elysian/Effect choosing this cable. In fact, I love it. The reason why is because I know how good this cable is. I reviewed the Eros S ii for months folks. Undoubtedly it enhanced my listening experience. It’s true, no doubt Elysian Acoustics could’ve gone with a cheaper cable and ultimately a less expensive earphone. But then it wouldn’t have been a collab and there wouldn’t have been such an air of luxury about this set and finally, you wouldn’t have the exact sound that they put together.

What’s it made of?

With all of that out of the way, let’s take a look at the cable itself. So, the provided cable is (once again) a Limited Edition, Effect Audio “custom” Signature Series Eros S cable. The Noire’s internal wires are made using a blend of Palladium, pure silver, and pure oxygen-free copper materials. It is a 26 awg thick 8-wire cable. Each wire is woven beautifully in a Litz pattern with aluminum fittings (Y-split, connectors etc.). The insulation is really cool too. It’s made out of EA Ultra-Flexi (™) coating which adds rigidity as well as pliability which seem as though they are combating principles, but I can assure you that they aren’t. The Eros S: Noir cable is colored all-black to keep the theme and perfect aesthetic with the Noir intact. One of my favorite aspects of these cables is that they adopted Effect Audio’s ConX connectors. Meaning, you can actually screw on and off different connectors like 2-pin, A2DC, MMCX, Pentaconn, and IPX. The Noire’s cable uses the amazing Pentaconn connectors, and I think I’m in love. They push on so smoothly, pull off so smoothly, they stay on, they are perfect. The only issue is that you don’t have many 3rd party cables to purchase for use with the Noire. However, who would ever want to? Anyways, the Noir cable also uses their TermX terminations which is basically 3.5 single ended and 4.4 balanced for the Noire. Folks, this is truly a special cable and I’m very glad to have used it with the Noire.

Design

This is the first place where the Noir really began to stand out from the competition, and I think it is blatantly obvious that its design is truly “top shelf” for its price point. I couldn’t be more impressed by the artistic ingenuity it must’ve taken to come up with such a design language. Designed entirely after the legendary artist Zada Hadid’s radically deconstructivist method. Said to be conceived and crafted after the natural topography of knolls, or small hills, rolling hills. Now, the Noir design is very reminiscent of the original design of the Pilgrim, yet Elysian Acoustics Labs chose instead to use a fully matte black colorway. I like to call it “blacked-out” because that is exactly what it is. Folks, it is utterly and positively DOPE! In every sense of the word. I love the golden logo accents on the faceplates. You’ll see the Effect Audio logo on one and the Elysian Acoustics logo on the other as well as a golden colored nozzle. Black-on-gold always works. I honestly don’t feel there is any iem in its price point designed with such attention to impress, to catch the eye, and to simply command one’s attention. Really a remarkable design, premium from the nozzles to the connectors.

Internals

Elysian Acoustics and Effect Audio decided not to change up the driver count from the original Pilgrim as they wanted this to instead be a slight variant of the original. Once again, the Noir is built using four drivers in total. To be exact, that’s one 9.2 mm LSR (liquid-silicone-rubber) dynamic driver with a magnesium-aluminum diaphragm which covers the low-end and does a magnificent job at doing so. The midrange is covered using what Elysian/Effect refers to as the Twin Thrust Module featuring two Sonion 2300 balanced armature drivers. One BA covers the low-mids and one BA covers the upper-mids. Finally, the highs are handled by an unnamed Knowles balanced armature driver. All of these drivers are selectively & cohesively dissected and then sent to your ear by a four-way crossover. I should also note that instead of Elysian Acoustics using their own internal wiring they actually had Effect Audio wire every driver element within the Shells. Certainly, a huge leg-up to have a company such as Effect Audio handling such an important piece to the audio chain. Friends, these drivers are hand-picked and expertly tuned and it’s beyond obvious that both of these brands knew exactly what they were doing.

Fit / Comfort

As far as fit and comfort, I’ve partially alluded to the fact that the fit for me is really close to perfect. I never had to worry about earaches, fatigue or any stress to my ears at all. Really a very comfortable set for me. I have zero idea as to how they will fit your ears, but I had a great time listening with this set in my ears and I did that for many days on end. Once I got a solid seal with the Noir, I was good.

Pilgrim:Noir
Pilgrim:Noir



Drivability

Output Power

The Noire is rated with an impedance of right around a very low 8 ohms @1kHz as well as a sensitivity of 103dbs @1kHz. What this means is that the Noir is reasonably easy to drive. However, as with most sets, the Noir most certainly scales with power. In fact, I used my daps at medium to high gain at all times and my dongle dacs on high gain 100% of the time. Yes, you can run this set off of less powerful sources and they will still sound pretty great. Yet when power is added I began to hear a smoother overall sound. Bass comes across better defined (not that it needs it), the midrange has better clarity too while the treble almost sounds better extended. I’m not talking megawatts of power here either but a set like this yearns for better sources, better circuitry, better amping, and a little bit more power which usually comes with better sources.

Source tonality Elysian Acoustic pilgrim Noir Review Pic (32).jpg

As far as source pairing with the Noir, I found that it does well with most source tonalities. I used everything from the warmer Shanling M6 Ultra, to the neutral and crisper EPZ TP35, EPZ TP50, Dita Navigator. It sounded fantastic with the M6 Ultra and sounded fantastic with the neutral Fiio Q15 or iBasso DX240. So, what I get out of that is that it really doesn’t matter a whole lot what tonal color your sources have. At least I didn’t think so. Yes, there will be a slightly different influence on the sound per whatever source you do decide to use. But I don’t think you have to buy some specific type of source device to have a good listening session with the Noir.

What do you need?

At the very least I’d try to get my hands on a good dongle dac with a solid amount of output power. This is an earphone which begs you to attach it to something worthy of it. In the same breath, I had this thing on the $59 EPZ TP35 for quite some time and it sounded fantastic. So, in the end, I would simply find a source that you enjoy and go with it. Perhaps up the output if it’s a dongle dac to high gain, but the Noir is not picky in my opinion.

Elysian Acoustic pilgrim Noir Review Pic (80).jpg


Pilgrim:Noir





Sound Impressions


*Note: I want to preface this portion of the review with a few things. First off, I did not burn this set in as it already went to a few people prior to me having it on tour. Basically, if it needed burn-in, it probably got that from other users. So, I cannot answer if burn-in is helpful here. I use flac or better files which are stored on my devices, and I listen mainly with UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro), Hiby Player (for some dongle dacs) as well as with Poweramp from time to time.

How does it sound?

The Elysian Acoustics X-Effect Audio Pilgrim: Noir comes across fairly well balanced dynamically, yet with a sub-bass lift causing a subtle warmth in the lower portions of the frequency creating a very organic sound altogether. I’d say that the timbre is close to what I’d think “natural” sounds like. Of course, that is highly subjective, but still, you don’t have anything artificial on this set, at all. Not in the slightest. In fact, the sound is actually very well-tuned to keep all nasty peaks at bay, capped, held in check. Yet all the while I still hear a certain type of vibrance, or a 3d style energy immersion which sounds crystal clear and coming from multiple angles. Layering is fantastic folks; you have great depth of field and obvious front to back layers. This helps so much to add some dimension to the sound. A nicely 3d presentation. Truly a nice soundstage and one which adds to the listening experience in my opinion. Furthermore, the Noir is a very cohesive four driver hybrid iem. The drivers employed within work seamlessly as the crossover easily feathers them into each driver’s respective frequencies. Note fluidity is like a rolling wave. The sound is rhythmic at its heart, effortless in its lithesome ductility, yet agile and nimble enough to make distinct note outlines and separation. It’s somehow atmospheric and compact at the same time. Really a well-tuned, top-class type of sound which brings my music to life beautifully.

Tonality / TimbreElysian Acoustic pilgrim Noir Review Pic (6).JPG

As far as tonal qualities, the Noir has a very smooth take on my music. Now, hearing “smooth” you may infer that the sound will not be as high resolution, or as transparent, maybe less detailed than more analytically inclined sets. Well, I’m here to say that this is not entirely true. The Noir has a very clean sound, from the sub-bass to the upper treble I hear fantastic control over the mix. Notes have a solid density, solid structure, timing, and a solid cadence. I wouldn’t call the Noir a detail beast, but I would say it’s above average at resolving more subtle moments within my music. If I were to label the Noir’s sound sig it would have to be “slightly V-shaped”. Perhaps even U-shaped to a degree as well. To be honest, it’s kind of stuck in this happy place tonally. That said, the bass is elevated, heavy, deep too. The mids are forward enough, rich, yet somewhat sparkly too without going shouty. The treble also has some sparkle, some slight brilliance whilst never getting out of control. It’s warm, yet it can also be neutral depending on the track. Oh, and the note control, transient tightness, and smooth surfaced yet dense note dictation is in my humble opinion… freaking great! The timbre isn’t really skewed in any one direction to a fault and no one area of the mix truly dominates the spectrum. Maybe the bass can be a hair heavy but there is most certainly a dynamic balance that serves an altogether fairly relaxed sound. I’ve asked myself a few times how I’m going to explain a sound which is smooth, relaxed, and rich, yet has enough pointed energy to form a dynamic contrast to the sound as well.

Does any of this make sense to you?

I suppose the Noir can go either way to different people. I’ve read some saying it’s too relaxed, even boring. While others have stated that the Noir is highly energetic, even sprightly (in so many words). Perhaps your source will help dictate how the overall energy is perceived, at least to an extent. I gotta admit to you all though… I’m at least partially tired of trying to describe it and I’d rather just close my eyes and listen. Eh, who am I kidding, I like a good challenge. Let’s just hope my words make any sense to you. Let’s check out each 3rd of the mix shall we…

Pilgrim:Noir Graph
Graph courtesy of Super Reviews, Thank You!

Pilgrim:Noir



Bass Region

The low-end of the Elysian Acoustics X-Effect Audio Pilgrim Noir is the backbone of this set while at the same time never infringing too greatly on any other area. Granted, it does keep a warm presence and there’s most definitely a warmth provided to the sound which comes directly from the emphasis down low. The Noir is most certainly a sub-bass focused low-end in which Elysian/Effect decided they’d rather hear a less potent mid-bass which rolls-off just enough to scrape the lower-mids leaving them very clean yet also rich enough. I have to hand it to these collaborating brands because I absolutely adore the bass on this set. So tight and punchy while keeping just enough resonance and lingering harmonics to feel atmospheric at times. However, by-and-large the bass is very tight, with a hard and robust density which decays in a more precise manner. Not at all a basshead set but instead it’s a mature bass which could be described as “quality-over-quantity”, even though the quantity is still pretty authoritative and strong. Notes are well defined, the attack on each note is met with a solid surface (depending on the track), nothing fuzzy or pillowy. The bass has a dense yet compact note body that adds a certain type of vibrance to the presence of some notes and definitely a roundness to the sound. Just a very well-done set.

Sub-Bass

The Noir most definitely has a sub-bass focus. Perhaps the anchor frequency of this set. The sub-bass is a special blend of guttural and tight which isn’t the easiest thing to be for a sub-bass. Notes don’t really hang around, at least not in the atmospheric sense. Like lingering resonances. I never hear a flabby or stuffy sub level drone. It’s concise yet it’s bold, heavy-handed, and commanding when it is called upon. Very much a haptic style of sub-bass that you can feel as well as hear. In the track “Tell Me What’s on Your Mind” by The Decemberists you’ll be exposed to a very gravely and deep bass drone which you can most certainly feel with the Noir in your ears. I know I can, and it’s awesome. So, the song begins with this electric sounding abrasive and excellently deep pitched bass guitar. Listening with the Noir is wonderful because the bass is so well separated from the quickly incoming drums as well as the leads vocals. It feels and sounds like partitioned-off elements without any true masking happening. I mean, obviously the ridiculously guttural bass line will take precedence within the sound field, but it’s not blended. It’s clean. There are so many instances like this. Or “Groove” by Ashley Monroe. Again, a heavy and weighted bass guitar reaches some droning low pitches, yet it’s also very kinetic, you can feel it. While at the same time Ashley’s gorgeous vocals remain relatively untouched. I honestly feel that the Noir has fantastic sub-bass. It’s deep, authoritative, well-defined, but it’s also not going to steal all focus, all the time.

Mid-Bass

Like I said in the “Bass” section Intro, the mid-bass is held back a bit and less up front than the sub-bass. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be substantial or satisfying. I hear some very nice density in this region. Notes have concrete style rigidity which is nice. I’d venture to say it actually has some pretty hefty slam when a track calls for it. However, mostly the mid-bass is a very quick, very resolving. A very clean and tidy mid-bass. So tidy in fact, that it almost comes across with more of a central focus with a hard, snappy, and direct punch. It hits-n-gets. The crest of each note is certainly hard edged (some tracks will prove me wrong) with a more exact note outline. Again, nothing grainy, fuzzy, pillowy, and definitely nothing weak. The Noir has a hard punch will show up only when a track presents it. Also, the mid-bass doesn’t impede on other areas of the mix to the point that overarching warmth and veil is colors the sound. Not to say it doesn’t color the mids either. I definitely hear some added richness and warmth to the midrange. Again, it isn’t to the point of veil though, not one-noted either and the midrange retains its clarity. It’s not so intrusive to the point that midrange notes sound too wide, too lazy, or non-energetic. To my ears, this is a detailed bass that is the polar opposite of the words “one-noted” and keeps a very clean presence in the midst of its weight. Also, it’s a very fast bass, transients are perceivably quicker than most with that pointed, weighty slam. It’s just nice.

Mid-Bass cont…

In the incredibly fast bass replay of Iron Maiden in their track “Run to the Hills” somehow, I can hear each individual note. Obviously, you can only get so good on a track like this until you need something like a faster planar, or BA to really run at breakneck speeds. However, those driver types will usually never replay the bass region with the same authentic feel as a DD. So, for a single dynamic driver covering the bass, it is very impressive in this song. Another track is “Hysteria” by Muse where the Noir is absolutely showing out! Such a meaty tightness. The feel of the sub-bass haptic buzz & thrum coupled with the fast, very articulate, and authentic mid-bass punch is a nice mixture. I’ll take it any day of the week. Now, I’m not saying this bass will change your life. Yes, other sets can do this. Shoot, cheaper sets can do this. So, this isn’t some hype/fluff piece covering the Noir. However, it has to be stated how nice the bass is. Clean, very well textured, layered, well-defined, but also gratifying in its guilty-pleasure style rumble and slam. Add in every other frequency and you have one helluva coherent and pleasing hybrid set.

Downsides to the Bass Region

I have a few downsides to the bass region and even more so because this set costs so much. It is held to a higher standard. That said, I cannot fault this set for its technical prowess down low. Especially with the amount of emphasis afforded to the bass region. To be heavy and tight is a very nice combo. Not every set does it convincingly. Still, there will be those who feel that the mid-bass is not lifted enough. That it doesn’t add enough warmth to the mids. Some will say that the sub-bass is too elevated, and it’ll mask over too much of the spectrum. There isn’t enough resonant information and reverb from the back plate of the acoustic cavity. Too many absorbed resonances. Others will say that the bass isn’t nearly lifted enough, that the mid-bass is weak, not authoritative enough. Among other complaints. Folks, I hear all of that, and I just don’t buy it. No way. What this all comes down to is “preferential” and “subjective” ideals that particular people have. Those “issues” are in no way indicative of how well Elysian & Effect Audio tuned the bass. This is a case where I’d say that some will like it, and others won’t, but everyone should at least respect its game. Nice work Elysian & Effect Audio.


Pilgrim:Noir

Midrange

The midrange on the Elysian Acoustics X-Effect Audio Pilgrim Noir has a very immersive and engaging presence. This all occurs without any forced glare or exaggerated pinna rise too. The Noir’s midrange has this thin layer of warmth which feathers the neutrality of this region. What I hear is a more organic midrange that doesn’t sacrifice the subtleties (details) to achieve authentic note weight. There is some very expressive fluidity within that warmth. I wouldn’t say that macro-dynamics are ultra vibrant, but they are there. I’d say it’s slightly laid-back, but never boring or too relaxed. There’s still some energy and some spunk to the midrange. Yet that spunk and vibrance is capped. Though, the midrange is certainly not some energy-fest, sparkling with copious amounts of zestiness and shimmer either. Now, transient attack through sustain is semi-swift, tighter, condensed, with very little hanging fat. Though the note body is richer than it isn’t, with good note density. The midrange is nicely textured, well-detailed, with well separated instruments, even somewhat airy too. Add to that a full-bodied sound and lean-lush type of note body like I was referring to and you’ll have yourself a nice midrange.

Mids cont…

To me the midrange is actually quite forward in the mix and with the subtle warmth and density, the presence of vocalist notes lean savory, melodic enough, and pretty rhythmical. Then again, I say “forward”, but what I really mean is “not overly recessed”. Of course, I have most certainly heard sets which are better for vocalists, made for vocalists, even vocal-centric if you will. However, I cannot knock the Noir for having a very engaging midrange. It is tuned very well and replays very nicely. No, it isn’t vocal-centric, but vocals of both males and females sound authoritative and dulcet, great for moderate vocal lovers.

Instruments

Instruments come through very naturally too. Strings carry a very melodic and clean sound with just enough edginess, and the same goes for violin, for the most part. I get those sparkly and textured guitar riffs along with a silvery violin, banjo, etc. Percussion all seems to have that meaty body with just enough snap at attack to sound legitimate and true-to-life. Timpani drums have the sharp, dry, attack and bellowing hollow resonance sound as though they have depth on the Noir. Trumpets, horns, sax, along with any other brass instrument all usually sounded naturally resounding, reasonably edgy, clean. In truth, this section could go on forever, but I will cut it short by simply noting that I didn’t hear anything which sounded “off” when listening to instruments with the Noir. Every track displays these items a little differently and so it’s difficult to speak on every instrument. Just know that the Noir has the power to sound authoritative and robust with solid depth. Or feathery, soft, and sweet with smooth transitions, good transparency and authentic note body.

Lower-Midrange

The low-mids have a certain lean style richness, although I don’t feel that the lower midrange is overly warm. The mids actually sound pretty realistic to me. I suppose. I can say for sure that males in this region sound full, congruent with life, poised and authoritative, yet never overcast in too much warmth. The low-mids have solid note mass with nothing coming across dull It has very nice timbre here as males like Dermot Kennedy in his track “Rome” sound great with the Noir. His voice is never too sharp. On many sets the edges of his vocal notes can sometimes have a coarse, edgy sound. With the Noir it’s just smooth and bodied enough to sand down those coarse edges. “This is How You Walk On” by Gary Lightbody not only emphasizes his vocals but comes across as emotionally gratifying to me. The musicality shows off a bit and Gary’s voice has the clean presence and density needed to stand out while remaining very fluid and rhythmic. These are only a couple examples out of hundreds of male vocalist tracks, but the sentiment never really changed for me. Generally, nice timbre, solid note body, clear sounding, forward enough to sound highlighted and etched out against the rest of the melody but not forward to a fault. I hear good depth, nice layering of sounds and a more organic timbre. Sure, there will be hobbyists who would rather hear an even warmer and fuller sound here. Vice-versa there will be those who prefer a drier and sharper sound with a more exact transparency. I feel the Noir is a little bit of both, which is a thing to be.

Upper-Midrange

The upper mids have just enough elevated shimmer attached to higher pitched voices and instruments. Just enough sparkle while never coming across “sparkly” per se. The pinna rise is not one which will induce fatigue, and that pinna isn’t coupled with some highly energetic treble to exaggerate that rise. Again, it’s a natural sound here. Vocals and instrumentation have solid depth with female voices coming across highly emotional when needed. Moist-over-dry, dense-over-papery, while sounding elated enough for female voices too. Norah Jones sounds simply ambrosial, savorous, and honeyed in the track “Visions” off her latest album “Vision”. Well, take any track with this woman singing lead and you’ll hear the same thing with the Noir. As though it’s made for a voice like hers. The tonality of the Noir just seems to benefit a voice such as hers. Lainey Wilson in “Broken Hearts Still Beat” is another example of an amazing female voice sounding just lustrous enough without coming across artificial. These tracks are emotional in one sense or another and the Noir does emotion very well while still drawing out those subtle micro-dynamics and details. Really a nice sounding upper-midrange.

Musical/Analytical

So far, I think I’ve described something more musically inclined, but the Noir misses nothing on the technical side of things either. In truth, I’d probably say that the Noir is a nice in-between of musical and analytical. Again, detail retrieval is solid with a resolving sound and enough air that the midrange does not feel cramped or congested. So far, I’m really happy with the midrange folks.

Downsides to the Midrange

I would say the only real “downsides” within the midrange would be subjective tonal preferences from different hobbyists. Like, some folks want a more analytical, even more transparent or clinical sounding midrange. The Noir isn’t that. Also, some folks desire an almost rolled-off upper-mid without any hint of levity. Some will desire more weight and lushness in the lower midrange. Some will likely call this set too relaxed in the mids, and I understand that too. I don’t agree, but I get it. Those would be the downsides that I could possibly see. Guys and gals, this set has a very fine sounding midrange. Is it perfect? Of course not. Nothing is perfect. Something will have at least one problem for someone… all the time. However, the Noir had such a nice mix of both musical and technical, well defined, nice separation of instruments and an organic timbre. It’s fun, yet mature, very clean whilst keeping solid note richness. And of course, the layered and well-dimensioned sound field comes across nicely holographic. So no, it won’t be for everyone, but I can tell you that the Noir is 100%… For me.

Pilgrim:Noir



Treble Region

This is a treble region which strays almost entirely from fatigue. There are no harsh peaks anywhere in the latter parts of the mix. That said, Elysian Acoustics didn’t need peaks or a forced lift in the treble region to add some brilliance to the sound. Albeit I’d probably call it “semi” brilliant. Yet there’s some levity and enough emphasis to spread that levity across the mix, just enough. Similar to the way the bass feathers itself into the rest of the range, just enough. Some may call it relaxed, but I wouldn’t call it that because I hear solid energy here. I hear sparkle, shimmer, and fantastic upper treble extension. The treble is very well refined (as it should be for $799) and has a very smooth take on this area of the mix. It’s fairly obvious that the new drivers have been put to work and Elysian/Effect did a fine job of implementing those drivers because not only is the treble very pleasant, it’s also extremely cohesive with the rest of the mix. There’re no odd transitions from mids-to-treble. To add to that, the treble follows suit with both the bass and the mids in that, it has a very nice and organic timbre. Even past 10k.

Extension

Like I said, extension is great into the upper treble. I can hear it plainly on any track featuring cymbals, hi-hats, or the like. They actually come across very realistic. This means, not splashy (very few sets actually do this), not too tinsley, not tizzy, and not sharp. I beg you to listen to “#41” by the Dave Matthew’s Band with this set in your ears and tell me it doesn’t do cymbals in one of the most refined ways under $1k. The upper treble game on the Noir is wonderful. Listen to “Concertino for Flute and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 28 Movement 3” by Emmanuel Pahud. The body of each note is so silvery, so dulcet and never does it induce shrillness while also keeping a solid timbre. I’m telling you; this set is refined! Every last little subtle shift of volume is detailed in the micro-dynamics of this region as the new Knowles driver shows what it is capable of when tuned well.

Detail Retrieval?

Another aspect of the treble region that somewhat defies auditory norms is its detail retrieval abilities. I only say that because the Noir’s treble range doesn’t have all the usual prerequisites for a detail-oriented sound. If anything, the Noir should have a smooth and less articulate sounding treble. Despite prerequisites, the Noir definitely does have an overall smoother treble, which usually would provoke a less detailed sound. Smoother usually doesn’t equate to fine-lined and intricate. Tell that to my ears. Friends, this is a smoother treble, well bodied, not thin, not dry, not ultra edgy and crisp sounding, and it isn’t overly boosted in treble emphasis. What gives? Those characteristics usually don’t apply to iems which are good at detail retrieval. In fact, usually I’d say that it’s the opposite. Well in the case of the Noir I can hear subtleties very well. Every bit as good as the OG Pilgrim but even more dense in body, better treble punch to notes, a rounder approach and added all up… you simply have better and more realistic timbre. As though the Noir was created to fix all of the OG Pilgrim’s problems. Anyways, depending on the track, I can hear all of the finest details just fine barring that track isn’t a heavily bassy track. That’s it. This set will resolve all of the finer details very well. It’s a fast driver and can take on fast treble passages fairly easily. Now, after I’ve said so many nice things, I don’t feel the Noir is what I’d consider a “detail monster”. That’s not its natural fortay. I’d still call this set musical-over-technical, and so it was pretty cool to hear such a talented region up top.

Pleasant

Beyond all of that, the treble is very well balanced dynamically with the rest of the mix. Ya know, one thing I look for when listening to tracks with a bunch of treble range info is if it coherently and sonically fits the rest of the signature. I would think this would be a given being that the price is $799. But alas, nothing is a given in this hobby. So yes, coherence of drivers, as well as coherence of frequency is no problem. The treble fits, it’s not too edged-out or razor sharp. You don’t have those ear gouging peaks, and you don’t have sibilance. Tonally the treble region is so very easy to listen to for long periods and to me this is fantastic. I’ve done a few reviews lately where my brain had to do some gymnastics to achieve brain burn. I didn’t have to do that with this set. It’s just… pleasant.

Downsides to the Treble Region

What are the issues up top? Hmm. Okay, let’s do some stretching. So, I know at least a handful of folks who are actual treble-heads. That means; gleaming bright and zesty, tons of treble bite, crispness, and controlled edginess. I wouldn’t say the treble on the Noir is up to treble-head standards. Honestly, like bassheads, treble heads are more niche than anything. For the rest of us, we simply want a treble which fits the overall tuning scheme. At the least. The Noir will give you that and much more. However, treble-heads are not going to come away drooling over the treble on this set. I mean, there’s barely an abrasive element within the Noir’s treble. On the flip, those who enjoy a darker and more rolled-off sound, blunted notes, less vibrancy, where the treble is more of an afterthought. Those would be hobbyists who are extremely sensitive to treble and get fatigued very easily. Those folks will also not enjoy this set. I suppose I could say that the Noir could use a hint more bite at $799. Possibly a slight increase in the crispness of its note outlines. However, that is being ridiculously picky. Folks, the treble is great, and I honestly cannot find many true “cons”.


Elysian Acoustic pilgrim Noir Review Pic (75).jpg

Pilgrim:Noir



Technicalities

Soundstage

Beginning with the soundstage, I keep going back and forth on average and above average. Although, there’s nothing average at all about this sets sound field. The quality of the stage is top notch in my opinion. It’s use of depth, and it’s layering ability is top shelf. Now, actual width is about average for a set of in-ears, but again, “average” is good. However, I keep saying this, but I think it falls on deaf ears that the quality of a soundstage is only partially dependent on overall size, in my opinion. I think what makes a good stage is its use of depth and how holographic the set comes across. Yes, grander stage sizes are nice, but also, some of the worst stage iems have had vast stage sizes. They didn’t use the sound field in a way which added depth of field, some are flat, some are simply more 2D. It’s not always about the size. However, the Noir is actually pretty good as far as size is concerned. It certainly feels open, airy enough, space between elements in the stage is great, depth and layering are phenomenal too. In my opinion the stage on the Noir is wonderful. More 3D than anything else where instruments hold their front to back placement in a very audible fashion with a width that is just past my ears and the sound field is tall as well. Very nice. K

Separation / Imaging

Instrument separation is also a “pro” on the Noir. I feel I’ve covered this already, but the sound of the Noir is such that instruments are well separated, as well as voices. Let’s put it this way, the soundstage is certainly not congested which would push notes together and begin to blend sounds. The Noir doesn’t even try to do that. Each and every element on a stage is well partitioned off from the next. Clean note outlines, densely compact notes which are transient tight and very transparent for a warmer sound. The only issue the Noir really has, is with really bassy songs, poorly recorded songs, and songs which are stupidly congested or complicated. Of course, any kilo-buck set will suffer the same fate with tracks like that. Well, some of them anyways. The point is that instruments and vocalists have room to breathe which is great to hear. Imaging walks the exact same line as separation, only I do believe that imaging takes it a step further as the front to back layering is fantastic. The stage has really nice depth which makes notes feel rounded, as though each instrument is its own mass of sound apart from the others. You can very easily place each instrument. Right to left and front to back is just very well defined. Very nice job Elysian Acoustics and Effect Audio.

Detail Retrieval

As far as detail retrieval is concerned, I’d say the Noir is above average. To me average is good, average is quality, average is the status quo, it’s good, par for the course. So, anything above that is icing in the cake. Coincidentally, the Noir has plenty of icing. Details are fairly easy to discern so long as the track isn’t ultra complicated or heavily bass dominant. The bass will mask other sounds if it’s too heavy. Yes, I realize that is an obvious thing to say, yet it must be said. Now, the Noir would need an extremely complicated and congested song to get tripped up. Believe me I tested this set out to some of the most rapid-fire songs and it held its own very well. I was able to dissect subtleties really well. The bonus of this set is that it isn’t so clinical and dry, or analytical and precise that it forces you to hear every last bit of minutiae within my music. That’s a good thing. Those details are there if you want them, but the sound altogether is still more musically inclined than technical in my opinion. So, details are good folks, when you want to hear them.

Pilgrim:Noir

Is it worth the asking price?

Without question the answer to this is a nuanced one. There’re so many ways I can go here. To me, and for me, full disclosure… I would not spend $799 on this set. I only say that because I simply don’t have the money for it. Plain and simple. Now, if money was no problem and I had that amount to throw down would the Noir be worth it? That’s a yes. Of course it is worth it. I do wish I had the funds to buy this set. But I digress, friends, I’ve heard many sets at and above this price and I can tell you that it is without a doubt worth that money. I know some folks are wondering why Elysian would add in such an expensive cable and I get that. The Noir could’ve been much less expensive. Also, how much of an upgrade is it from the OG Pilgrim? Let’s put it this way; I chose to not even review the Pilgrim, while the Noir I feel is one of the best iems under $1k that I’ve heard. So yes, it’s quite an upgrade for me. Also, I feel the Effect Audio Eros S custom cable is such an awesome addition to this package. To me, it’s a selling point.

The Why…

Because my word folks, have you taken a good look at this set?! The Noir drips class from front to back and is built extremely well using stainless steel and other materials. In my opinion, the Noir is one of the best looking iems of any price point. They are also coupled with a gorgeous matte black Effect Audio Eros S custom cable. The cable alone is quite a feature folks and I was very glad to see that this collaboration resulted in its addition. I cannot tell you about the entire packaging as this Tour package didn’t come with the original box and accessories, however, I’m fairly certain that it would be amazing. Yet as always, it’s the sound which pushes this set over the top for me. With a very strong, deep and textured bass which is very well defined, I find the bass to be a focal point of this set. Truly awesome. The midrange is very organic, yet also very clean for a perfect mix of musical/technical. Also, that wonderful stage presence and 3D style sound field really takes my music to another level. The treble is a delight, moderately brilliant, very natural sounding with a smooth demeanor and perfect coherence with the rest of the mix. Just like the other frequencies, the treble simply fits. Friends, Elysian/Effect did a fantastic job tuning what I would consider one of the best sets under $1k. Truly a special product and worth every penny in my opinion.

Elysian Acoustic pilgrim Noir Review Pic (37).jpg

Pilgrim:Noir



Final thoughts on the Elysian Acoustics X-Effect Audio Pilgrim Noir:

This set is such an awesome all-rounder type listen. It truly is one of the better iems that under $1k will provide you. Granted, the sound signature still has to align with yours. However, I couldn’t be more impressed with this iem. What a nice job that Elysian Acoustics and Effect Audio did to bring not only one of the dopest looking sets, but also one of the best sounding sets for the price. I feel that the Noir will be for anyone looking for a very fun and balanced sound with crystal clear note definition along with some of the better timbre you’ll hear for a bass emphasized sound. Fellas & Females, the Noir is an easy recommendation from me. I don’t think many folks will be dissatisfied.

Elysian Acoustic pilgrim Noir Review Pic (48).jpg

Pilgrim:Noir



Conclusion

To conclude my full written review and feature of the Elysian Acoustics X-Effect Audio Pilgrim Noir, I first have to thank the Audio Geeks US Tour and all of those people instrumental in putting this all together. I cannot thank you enough. Also, thank you to MusicTeck for providing the Noir for review. Without both entities, I wouldn’t be able to test out one of my absolute favorite iems at its price point. It has been nothing but a joy getting to know this set. So, thank you very much. I also want to thank you, the reader, for clicking on the link to view this sound review of the Noir. It really does mean everything to us at Mobileaudiophile.com that you click those links and spend time at our website. So, thank you very much!

Other Perspectives

Finally, please check out other thoughts and opinions on this set. Please don’t just read this review and hit the “buy now” button. There are plenty of other reviews from some amazing reviewers who also want to help you in your journey. It’ll only help folks. Gather other ideas because no two people are exactly the same. I adore this set, but the person next to me may not enjoy this set as much. Everything is subjective in this hobby, and it will always be just that. So definitely check out others’ Noir reviews, and I do hope it helps you. With that all said, I think I’m done. Please take good care of yourself and stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!

Elysian Acoustic pilgrim Noir Review Pic (6).JPG
Last edited:

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
Hidizs ST2 Pro "Nebula" Review
Pros: -Great pouch

-Very portable, easy to manage when out and about

-8xMQA, Native 128DSD, 32bit/384khz

-ES9281AC Pro dac chip is great to see in a device like this

-70mW of power is way more than enough for most iems

-The cable is really great with most earphones I pair it with

-Just a nice cable altogether

-Fun sound out of the earphones. With or without the cable

-Deep, hard-hitting bass

-Sparkly treble

-Detail Retrieval

-Imaging
Cons: -The treble can come across a bit artificial sounding

-Earphone build isn’t the best we’ve seen

-Stock eartips do not do this set justice

-Other 2-pin sets feel ever-so-slightly looser than normal

Hidizs ST2 Pro Nebula Review



ST2P Featured Image

Full Review HERE
ST2P

Hidizs ST2 Pro Nebula Review

Intro

Hello, this review and feature covers the Hidizs ST2 Pro Nebula (ST2P for review purposes) from the audio brand Hidizs Audio. Hidizs is a brand who are usually somewhere around the front lines of innovation and this new budget DSP cable and earphones certainly promises a large uptick in fidelity in a very portable and mobile form. Now, the ST2P is actually a Kickstarter project which debuts on December 19th, 2024, and so it will be very good to get your order in when deadlines allow. One thing I notice about most Hidizs products is that they usually improve upon different tech that’s already on the market, and they usually do so at a competitive cost for the consumer. The ST2P seems primed to be one of those products. Made entirely for those who don’t have the funds to purchase some top-of-the-line dongle dac, dap, dac/amp etc. or for those who want a very portable and convenient way to listen to high resolution music.

Hidizs

Ya know, I’ve spent a great deal o