SuperTFZ Force 1

TFZ stands for The Fragrant Zither, was established in 2015 and have been selling mostly dynamic based IEMs with a few hybrids since its inception. What is SuperTFZ? Perhaps a new line of IEMs made by the group? As numerous as their offerings are, I have never heard a TFZ made earphone. That is until now. The SuperTFZ Force 1 is a tried and true dynamic IEM but with some surprising aspects to its make up reserved for more higher end IEMs but sold at the very accessible price of $79 on Penon web site here.

Initial impressions of the Force 1 were good even out of the box, easy on the eyes and to the ears. What was impressive is just how premium the entire package looked upon receiving and opening the taller rectangular box. A unique presentation and a first for a sub $100 IEM that is for certain.
Opening the top half of the box reveals two earpieces laid out in an almost jewel like presentation for its housing pieces. The all-clear resin makes them look not only premium but stunning to look at. One way to impress is the use of a clear resin shell which clearly shows the inner workings and the drivers used for the sound of the IEM. What is interesting is that the driver seems to be encased in its own metal shell inside the resin. The Force 1 utilizes a dual magnetic system culminating in a tesla flux, aka strong magnets to help control the highly resolving 10.2mm 4th gen nano coated beryllium plated dynamic. The rest of the package includes a thinner standard silver-plated copper cable in single ended in a standard .78mm 2 pin connector. Two sets of silicone tips and a pouch. I would say this is about average in what you get accessories wise with this level of earphone, but I have to wonder in making these so premium looking. Why not go all the way and include some better stuff, more variety of tips and a more premium case and charge a bit more? My point is that the sound more than competes with the best of the best sub $100 earphones based on my testing with the unit. What was included is fairly insignificant as most sub $100 packages are.

Disclaimers. The SuperTFZ Force 1 was provided for the purpose of a review by Penonaudio. The Force 1 was burned in for a week straight and is now ready for evaluation using my sources. IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, IFI Gryphon, IFI Signature, Fiio K3 pro, Fiio QTR7.

Build and ease of use.
The Force 1 is using an all resin build for this one and as solid as resin builds are, this one looks premium due to how clean everything looks. The physical size of the Force 1 is medium in size but is slightly bulky in build, you can see the dome that encases the dynamic driver sitting right at the heart centrally in the resin housing. Positives of resin builds are that you usually get better passive sound isolation with all that resin inside your ears. The Force 1 here shows better than average passive isolation as a result, I would guesstimate the isolation to be at least 26-28dbs of passive isolation more better with foam tips, which makes for an excellent out and about earphone. The negatives of resin builds is that they will crack and/ shatter if dropped from a tall place or hit a concrete floor with some force. Casual use with the occasional drops, they will do fine but if you accidentally drop them from your apartment terrace on the ground below that will be the end of the Force 1. The included cable here with its blocky metal accessories is a bit unique looking but in the end the cable and the tips are insignificant as far as enhancing the sonics to your Force 1. Your better aftermarket cables, especially in balanced and tips most definitely applies to the Force 1.

Open listen
I was impressed with its spacious clarity and definition, showing a nicely wide sound field with some solid dynamics and imaging. Ok, call me surprised? These sounded pretty good out of the box. But like all IEMs I review, I quickly put them on the burn in to see where they go. As far as anything using Beryllium goes. I do recommend a solid week's worth of burn-in for the Force 1. A week's worth of burn in actually balances out the sonics better than what I heard on open listen. Mids become better fleshed out, more dense in its presentation, better bass control and treble seems to clean up a touch.

Sound design of the SuperTFZ Force1 is a balanced mild V shaped harmon tuning with a good amount of clarity, surprisingly dynamic and technically solid for its foundational sound signature. Its balancing is a strong suit in that I don’t feel either the treble or the bass aspect sticks out in the balancing too much for its tuning. It has Just enough treble extension and sparkle to add a bit of clarity, a bit of air which helps with micro detailing. Just enough bass presence to give a complete sound profile with a nicely imaging mids to the Force 1. A complete sounding single dynamic in the sub $100 range? When I say complete I mean it has it all, deep reaching bass, check, good well layered rangy mids, check, and clean extended detailed treble, double check all with a nice spacious tight sound presentation. Its balancing clearly shows versatility which is key for a well rounded IEM sound signature.

Trebles
The type of dynamic drier the Force 1 is using is nothing new to the market but one thing I do know about real beryllium coated dynamics is its technical ability with solid extension on both ends of the spectrum. The trebles of the Force 1 is no exception. Quite remarkable just how complete the sound this single dynamic covers but not only is the driver more resolving than most dynamics but then they included a dual magnet reaching a tesla flux. I remember when the Beyer Xelentos came out folks were enamored with the idea of having a tesla flux magnet on a dynamic driver and what that does for sound. Well if it is true to what the descriptor on the Force 1 says, these have to be the cheapest tesla flux magnets used for dynamics. The sound certainly reflects that. A good resolving dynamic and strong magnets means a tight well detailed executed sound including its treble end that gives a complete treble experience. Extension with ample sparkle the good kind not the glary splashy type. This was evident even on open listening.

Treble presents with a clean speedy transient definition and seems to be balanced well between the lower to mid trebles with a good treble extension that leads to an airy treble note. Beryllium plated dynamics has no issues reaching the abyss for bass on the opposite end of the spectrum; it is the Force 1s ability in the trebles that is impressing me just as much. Trebles are not overly saturated or do I hear a treble spike that forces the trebles in the presentation. Its treble is moderate in emphasis with enough treble presence for all types of music I listen to. A versatile treble with good accurate transients and tonality that is just a touch on the cool side of neutral but otherwise trebles are one of the strong aspects of the Force 1 presentation. It is usually the treble end that fails for most sub $100 IEMs but not so much the Force 1. It is clearly showing me it can do accurate treble from orchestral tracks to hip hop. At the price point it is actually nicely detailed with a level of clarity and refinement that is usually not apparent at this price point.

Mids
Mids of the Force 1 is just ever so slightly laid back. Not to the point where I feel parts of the mids presentation has a recession, but it reflects on the staging of the Force1. It's wider than taller with greater depth than height of the sound.. Mids however benefit from a resolving Beryllium plated diaphragm of the Force1. It has just enough upper mid pinna gain to give credence to vocal presence both male and female. Its overall tone character is more neutral than warm or cold. Though on open listen the Force 1 was just a touch on the brighter side of neutral. Burn in seems to have opened up the sound of the Force 1 and balances its overall sound to a greater degree.

With amplification the Force 1 sound expands and scales nicely. Which by the way is most definitely recommended for optimal Force 1 sound experience. Its 32 ohm sensitivity is easy enough to drive with any source but it is when you throw the Force 1 in balanced mode on a dedicated player with some power is when the sound becomes more than what you paid for a set. Beryllium plated dynamics shows the advantages of the material by throwing out a more capable technical ability. What is impressive about the Force 1 is just how good it is in the technical aspects. It is timbrally accurate, mostly neutral in tonalities, images better than most in the price range which is the result of some excellent detail retrieval. All within a tight moderately wide spacious stage presentation. This was when I realized these things are much better than what the price here is indicating. Its balanced yet dynamic sound presentation bodes well for all types of music genres including bass genres. The Force 1 does vocals justice and sounds great for instruments, strings or otherwise perfectly fine if not just outright better than most I have heard in the price range. These sound great for acoustical tracks as much as synthetic tracks. Again that versatility is key for a well rounded IEM and Force 1 here is clearly showing it can do it all.

Bass
Bass of the Force 1 is moderate with a solid definition for its presentation. Its mid bass is punchy with no bleed and has a very nicely done textured sub bass extension. I have yet to experience any real beryllium plated or pure beryllium dynamics that is shy about the bass end. Not a single one have I experienced with any type of neutrality for its bass presence. I realize that TFZs prior history all have some semblance of emphasized bass. The Force 1s bass is tasty, tight, speedy for dynamics when called upon and rumbles like a champ when boosted. Even in stock form it has plenty of bass ability. I have not yet seen a frequency graph for the Force1 but I would wager to guess it has a healthy 7-8 or so dbs of bass lift. Bass genres sound proper as a result. Just my opinion but 8dbs is the goldilocks of bass presences for IEMs. Anything over that would be knocking on basshead territory and anything below that you might want to use your bass boost on your amplifiers. The Force 1 here has a nice balanced bass presentation with a nicely textured rumbling sub bass presence and is most definitely satisfying. I mentioned amplification for the Force 1. Its overall presentation gets a natural expansion of sound but more importantly it gets a nice uptick in bass definition and texture using some proper amplification. To my ears it is difficult to hear the Force 1 using a weaker source after you hear it properly powered. It goes from good sound to euphoric with amplification and that is why I highly recommend throwing some power in the mix with these.

Overall
The SuperTFZ Force1 is indeed a force to be reckoned with. It is easy to overlook this particular model as there are so many compelling products being pushed out of China at the price range. I am personally guilty of overlooking the TFZ brand. These guys have made so many dynamic IEMs that look similarly. I pretty much had no inclination of trying one out as I figured it must be yet another average sounding IEM, until I heard these. How surprised was I when these turned out to be one of the best dynamic based IEMs at the price point that I have ever heard. In fact I will go as far to say I am fairly certain these will easily compete if not just sound better than most dynamic IEMs being sold anywhere close to this price range

The sound quality is much better than you would imagine. I have owned and heard numerous sub $100 IEMs and done reviews for some of the best in the industry. The Dunu Titan S comes to mind. Pound for pound the Force1 is right there with the heavy weights in single dynamic land. These aren’t going to be a giant killer by any means, but they do have a properly complete broad nicely resolving tight sound presentation that is highly enjoyable for any genre of music. Being versatile is huge in my book toward greatness and the Force 1 is just this. When amplified they have no business being sold at the $79 price point. No matter how much an earphone costs, if the sound does not immerse you into your music then it's just not good enough to throw in your ears. The Force1s are clearly worthy. Thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

Optimized Force1 IFI Gryphon+ ISN G4 in balanced+Force1+JVC Spiral Dot +++

Cat Ear Meow

Obscure brands are nothing new from the various/ myriad of Chinese manufacturers and makers of IEMs but one that is called Cat Ear Meow? Well let's just say you have to take a good look at what the IEMs are made of and what their goals are for such a name and its design. I have no idea if that is going to be the brand name going by Cat Ear from this point forward or if this is just a one-off design from some random company that produces other random IEMs.

However, what is interesting is that it is being sold on the Penon audio website here. From what I know about Penon audio business philosophy, they try not to offer goods on their site they consider not to be any good. This is based on just dealing with Penon and knowing their product line on their site, not to mention the numerous emails back and forth from them and this is how they maintain the Penon site and the goods being sold on it. Which makes a lot of sense. Why offer goods on your sales pages that are not any good? So that alone had me curious about a $55 earphone called Cat Ear Meow.

This and the fact that it is using two different types of dynamic drivers in its make up in an all metal housing in 2 pin form. To be specific it is using a 10mm LCD dynamic and an 8mm PET dynamic. From the descriptor on the back of the box, the Meows are using the 10mm LCD for mids to treble and the 8mm PET polymer dynamic for the bass. Truth be told dual dynamics are fairly rare in the industry and even more rare given the price point. But how do they sound?

Design
Meows are made with an all metal zinc alloy plated housing in an ergonomic medium size. The only real issue with all metal builds is how cold they can get in the middle of winter. Otherwise the shells are heavier than plastic or even resin shells but not by a big margin and certainly not uncomfortable to use. It has a very nicely done ergonomic universal shape and with a bit of a unique presentation for how they look. Cat Ears provides a few customization options on the Penon site. Standard silver, a gunmetal gray which costs $10 more and the most uber version which is the gold set. All 3 designs have different cat motifs/ artwork on each color.

So you gotta wonder, these folks must be pretty proud of this one, I mean how can you provide not one but 3 different design choices for the looks of the earphones for an obscure $55 earphone right? Also I have a sneaking suspicion that these were designed for the ladies, as they all have a femanine aesthetic to them. Though no reason why the fellas aren’t fans of cats. Just an observation that is all. The 2 pin design for this price is always appreciated for easy cable changes. I can confirm the Meow here sounds awesome on more power much like most dynamic based earphones these are no exception. A bit of juice from a small amp and these end up sounding much better than what you paid for a set. They drive perfectly fine from a cell phone but amplification helps to increase its sense of dynamics as far as sound goes. I noticed bass gets better control and tonal qualities from using something like my IFI Signature. The Meows seem to like a bit of power to really strut its sound.

The Meow comes with what the manufacturer claims is a -196 degrees C cryogenically frozen silver plated OFC cable as well as the housing. Ok, that's great n all but to be honest the cable that was provided is no better than most sub $100 packaged in cables. I will give some pointers for proper cable pair ups toward the end of the read. Meow to my ears sounds much better with just about anything that will allow for balanced out, more on that at the end of the read. Meow also includes two sets of silicone tips, one set called balanced and another called bass. Both having a slightly different effect on the Meow sound. Finished off by a fairly useless pouch that is too thin to really use. Pretty much basic packaging which is what you can expect for a $55 earphone.

Disclaimers: The Cat Ear Meow was provided for the purpose of a review by Penonaudio. They have been burned in for a period of a week straight and are now ready for evaluation using my sources Ibasso DX300, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, IFI DSD Signature, IFI Gryphon and Fiios BTR7, K3 pro 2021 version on my laptop.

Even at the $55 range of earphones, let it be known there is some stiff competition so Cat Ear has to have it where it counts. The Sound. As good looking as the design is, none of that matters if the sound is no good. But like I mentioned before there is a reason why Penon saw it being worthy enough to be sold on their site.

How they sound.
The sound profile is a balanced yet slightly warm harmon tuning. I know some folks associate warmth with lack of resolve or have too much bass to make them sound warm. These are the good type of warm leaning more natural than anything artificial sounding. A mid forward sound with a slightly laid-back treble presentation will get you a bit of natural warmth. For the most part it is balanced well but clearly is a mid-first IEM which is a bit unique especially for the price range.

Mids of the Meow takes the spotlight for its tuning. Here is where I will give a bit of a warning to prospective buyers in the dual dynamic Meows. I always listen to an earphone fresh out of the box just to get a good idea of how they sound from the factory. To say it was one of the worst sounding IEMs I have heard on open listen is an understatement. For folks that have nothing to do with burn in. I would avoid the Meows altogether as you will not understand any of what I write about how they sound. Compressed and confined the open box sound quality was astoundingly bad. But for all types of IEMs in existence it is the dynamic type that needs the burn in and the Meow housing two types of dynamics. You bet they need it, I would highly suggest at least a week's worth straight. If you plan on trying a set for you. Consider it a warning.

Treble
Is presented with a smoother angle and I don’t perceive the usual treble spikes to enhance the region much. Bulk of the trebles comes from a lower treble emphasis, but I am also not hearing the most airiest or the most extended articulate trebles. A lot of budget IEMs try to create a sense of treble extension and air via treble spikes to make it seem like it has more treble. Which in turns colors the sound profile to be on the colder side of neutrality but not so much the Meow.

You can’t expect a highly resolving treble for a $55 budget set but on the opposite end I feel Cat Ears portrays a more natural take on treble vs forcing the trebles much to your ears. It does convey somewhat of a slightly darker treble character which is both good and bad. Darker sounding treble is a bit unique in the price range, let me put it that way. It does seem to lack treble extension for refinement beyond the price point. This, somewhat reserved, yet natural in its treble tuning allowing the mid bands to shine and take the spotlight for its sound focus. The bulk of the treble detail is more macro than micro but is good enough to make the meow sound complete in its presentation. Again not the most extended treble but certainly serviceable for its warmer sound profile. The good news here is that for folks that worry about budget sets that have a tendency to go harmon treble brightness. You won't have to worry about that at all with the Meows. Its treble is decent at the price point but somewhat unremarkable at the same time. Which is again both good and bad. It is good that the treble end of the Meow is somewhat reserved and stays in check but bad in that some might feel the treble to be a bit reserved at the same time.

Mids
Mids of the Meow is what gives them the warmer tint on their tonal character. Due to the somewhat reserved treble tuning the mids are what you're going to hear front and center. The tuning here is a bit unconventional to today's upper mid overly hyped IEMs. The Meow is somewhat reserved for its upper mids presence, while the graph shows plenty of upper mid gain, it lacks resolve from the driver to truly take advantage of the upper mids enhancement. Again helping in the warmer natural take on its mids presentation. The meows presentation is diffused and can sound spacious but presents with mostly a moderate stage level for IEMs. Has better depth than it does height for sound but otherwise the mids of the Meows gives a slight warm and inviting tonal character that mostly sounds natural. A mids tonal character that is just ever so slightly warmer than a neutral tone. Parts of its technical presentation could do better here but for the price level its inviting warmish non fatiguing tonal character and its decent spacing helps a lot to engage the listener and get into your music.

Its imaging takes a bit of a hit due to the slightly reserved treble emphasis and its lack of extension. You're not getting an airy sound here at all. If anything, it sounds a bit closed in at times but nothing that sounds artificial. Male vocals sound more proper on the Meow than female vocals due to a lack of proper treble harmonics having an effect in the upper mids in combination with a softer attack. However, for the most part, mids bands are surprisingly engaging nonetheless and are layered decently for its sound presentation.

I would say it is lacking a bit in its transient response. Stringed instruments lack bite, making some music sound a touch soft in its attack. Its timbre aspects are just ok, nothing that will win any awards there, however it has a surprisingly spacious sound separation and makes good use of its stage limitations and can actually sound enveloping. Moews do not have the most dimensional sound but not too many $55 earphones do. Due to the natural warmth of the Meow sound presentation. I noticed more neutral and or brighter sounding sources match better with the Meows, warmer sources not as much. Meows mids are a bit like the treble end in that while it does nothing to really offend, It does nothing really egregious either. These pretty much read casual beater all the way. If taken as such they will deliver. The two dynamic drivers seem to jive well and its cohesion here with the bass dynamic is fluid in delivery.

Bass
Has got equal mid to sub bass presence on the Meows. As warm as the mids are for the Meows the bass end is warmer. It is interesting that the manufacturer claims to be using a PET type 8mm dynamic I would assume for its bass presentation. Bass is good here but nothing that is going to make you take notice. It does a good job at representing the bass notes and is for the most part versatile in how it sounds with decent sub bass presence. The quality of the bass end here is not the best I have heard at the price point. But they certainly represent good bass for the price. Its speed is OK but is not a standout, its tightness as well as its speed is what I consider just average here but not a standout either. It does have some surprising deep reaching sub bass rumble when called for, not the best textured bass but not bad.

This is a case where I feel these guys would have done better just to use a better more resolving single dynamic and just tuned that instead of using a different dynamic to do its bass. It is hard to really hear the benefits of the Meow using two different dynamics vs using a more capable more resolving single dynamic driver is my point. Bass here does a great job to help the overall presentation, but does nothing really stand out as being anything special at the price range. Not bad but not great at the same time.

Overall
The Cat Ear Meow is a musical sounding $55 earphone that takes on a unique role for budget level IEMs. Its design is a standout, its materials are some of the better used at the price range and not too many IEMs at the price uses two dynamics for its sound presentation. It's got a unique warm natural sound character that sounds even better when amplified. Very stylish for the folks that love them some cat design motifs. At the price range the Cat Ear Meow is more than capable of sounding good for its naturalness and spacious sound presentation. These are more for casual use and in that regard they are fun take from this obscure brand. For the price you're getting a nice little package and a well-represented easy listening sound signature. The meows are more for casual use and for enthusiasts that like a warmer, non fatiguing IEM. It's not the most resolving IEM at the price range but it will surprise you just how good they can sound with a proper source. For the best results I do recommend using an aftermarket balanced cable, just about anything that's got a good amount of silver in the cable to help with the detail aspect of the Meow.
Thanks for taking the time to read.

Optimized Meow. Yanyin Moonlight cable Fiio BTR7 in balanced.

Cable pair ups.
Due to the warmer tonality of the Meows. Really anything that has good transparency will be better than the included cable. The included cable is OK and if you're on a tight budget there is really no need to get yourself a different cable. However even a cheaper $30-$40 cable will do wonders for this IEM. Let's be realistic there is just so much a manufacturer can include in an earphone that is worth $55-$75. I am just saying. Heck even try your other cables that came included with your other IEMs is what I am saying. Preferably something thicker with more silver content in the mix which would counter Meow warmer tonal character.

ECCI YST-03

ECCI earphones have made a splash in the audio scene with two earphones, their prior YST-02 was a surprise to me and the folks that have heard them. ECCI folks' more recent designs are hybrids but make full use of a 10mm single dynamic doing most of the sound work in their designs also incorporating a treble BA for its upper treble detail. The new 03 version now incorporates two BAs for its upper treble presentation using a dual frequency dual crossover division method to bring about the sound of the YST-03.

Much like its prior design the BAs being used are much like tweeters in a speaker design and maybe this is ECCIs reasoning for utilizing the bulk of the sound to be from the dynamic driver. From how I understand it, the YST-03 incorporates a 10mm liquid suspension dynamic doing the bulk of the sound from sub bass to treble. Then the BAs take over from there to give the final upper portion of the treble some added transient ability, shimmer, air, sparkle and extension for the YST-03. Much like how ESTs are used for upper trebles on higher end tribrids. Their prior design was all about the mids and bass with the treble aspect of its tuning to play more of a supporting role for its sound. The YST-03 in upping the driver count to two BAs with its new tuning angle, has much more treble especially upper trebles in store this time around. How does that affect the sound balancing and tonal qualities for the YST-03? Let's find out.

Disclaimers.
The YST-03 was provided by Penon audio for the purpose of a review. These are my thoughts about the YST-03 after a week's worth of burn-in. You can find out more about them on the Penon sales pages here. They are now ready for evaluation using my IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, IBasso DX160, Fiio K3 2021, IFI Gryphon, IFI Signature for amping.

What you get.
Their YST series of hybrids seem to use a gold color trim inlay with a blue colored abalone shell on a shiny onyx black plastic housing. While the color scheme and aesthetic design of the earphones looks similar to the YST-02. The shells are actually different in shape. More like a shoe shape vs the traditional conch shell shape of its predecessor the YST-02. The use of brighter blue abalone shells with gold trim makes the YST earphones more premium looking than pictures would indicate. You get in the box a nice hand stitched Chinese motif pouch. A single set of silicone tips and a 4 cored silver plated 5N single crystal copper cable in single 3.5mm termination.

I hope ECCI will add more tips to their packaging in the future. Having a decent set of tips should not cost much to the overall scheme of things but it is one aspect I always appreciate when manufacturers care enough to throw in a good variety. And variety is not what you get with the YST-03. The cable is a good included cable which matches extremely well with their prior YST-02. Not as much with the YST-03. I will get into that more so in the review.

The newer YST-03 is using one more BA for its treble focus and a different tuning altogether. While the older YST-02 was more of a mid centric balanced musical tuning, the newer YST-03 is more of a U shaped analytical signature. YST-03 is clearly more technical in approach due to having much more treble influence for its base sound signature. True to a more analytical approach, the YST-03 has an ample 12dbs of upper mids presentation. Then the lower treble has a bit more emphasis on top of that. This brings about a brighter, cleaner, somewhat clinical sound presentation vs their prior YST-02. It is the upper mids and its lower treble area that has an influence in the overall tuning, providing the overall tonal and technical character of the YST-03 being on the brighter cooler slightly edgy side of neutrality and lacking some of the natural warmth of the YST-02.

Trebles
Trebles presents with ample lower treble emphasis and then a mid treble spike at 10khz region. The treble here works well with the dynamic of the YST-03 but I can’t say the cohesion here is fluid. The trebles are clearly accented and featured for its sound presentation. Main treble focus however is in its lower trebles region which is about equal to the spiky 10Khz area. Sparkly treble is always a plus for IEM presentations but the treble here goes a bit above what I consider a good sparkly treble. Trebles can get splashy for just about anything that touches that region for trebles. The benefit of this ample treble presentation is that the trebles are airy, extended and overall is very detailed if not a bit forced for its treble presentation. Its extension is very good and covers a broad treble range. And this is the reason why I don’t like the cable match up with the YST-03. It is a nicely resolving silver plated thinner cable which enhances the upper regions of the YST-03, which it does not need at all. The YST-03 needs a pure copper based cable to balance out the treble emphasis and add a bit more body to the lower mids focus.

Treble heads will be happy with how much treble the YST-03 has. This ample upper mid and its treble emphasis clearly take precedence for female vocals and upper region instruments like strings, horns, percussion.. The mids as a result comes a bit uneven and lacks body to its lower mids presentation.


Mids
The bulk of the YST-03 sound actually comes from the dynamic it is using and I can tell the resolution from this newer driver is greater than what came with the prior YST-02. A nicer, more resolving dynamic is one aspect that I appreciate but then when you include as much upper mids and treble, you get a brighter tonal character for music that requires a bit of warmth to be more natural sounding. Adding a warmer source and a warmer copper based cable does a great job to get the tonal character to be more in line with what I consider more natural for its tone.

The mids presentation is clean, clear and has just enough body for the mids to be represented well enough in the balancing but again is not the focus of the sound this time. For the added sake of a wider stage presentation the lower mids take a step back in the mix in comparison to the upper mids which clearly has more precedence vs the lower mids. Male vocals and instruments requiring a fuller note weight sounds a bit thin lacking some weight and fullness. Overall tonal character is clean due to the ample upper mids and lower treble. Its mids are layered well enough but could use some better balancing here for a fuller note weight and body that YST-03 lacks in. I do notice amplification helps add some note weight to the dynamic which helps bring a better more balanced response to its sound profile.

Bass
Bass of the YST-03 is more sub bass biased with adequate mid bass presence. The bass emphasis for the YST-03 is similar in execution to the YST-02 with good solid footing for the low end of the YST-03 sound. The bass end has moderate emphasis and does all the aspects of a good bass presentation fine albeit a bit unremarkable. To give credit to the ECCI team, sometimes I forget the YST-03 is at the $100 price point. In that regard the bass here and the overall sound is actually a solid outing for the group albeit not exactly my favorite type of sound signature.

The bass end is neither fantastically detailed nor does it show any real weakness at the same time. For the given price its bass ability shows no roll off and has just the right amount of emphasis to make the YST-03 not sound overly analytical. The bass end counters the ample lower treble emphasis with just enough quantity to balance out the tonality of the presentation. Bass is always the counter to analytical and is something you can add to a detailed presentation without too much in the way of taking away from what the sound is doing.

Bass impact is sufficient with a moderate speed in its presentation. Bass texture and sub bass could be tighter but it certainly represents a deep reaching bass ability and throws in just enough presence with a realistic bass decay to complete the sound presentation of the YST-03.

Overall
The YST-03 is yet another solid outing for ECCI. If I was a guessing man, we are not done seeing hybrids from the group. The YST-03 is throwing out a sound signature that is more dedicated for much higher end IEMs but at the $100 price point. For the most part I feel it succeeds but the tuning is definitely skewed a bit toward the trebles. This is both good and bad. It leans the sound to be on the cooler side of neutrality and trebles does not have the most refined presentation and sounds a touch forced vs actually having a solid tuning in the trebles.

The benefit of having the treble emphasis that is on the YST-03 is that it presents with an airy, sparkly highly detailed treble presentation that is not too common in the price range. Dedicating two treble BAs for the region will do that. However its presentation is not exactly perfect or with the best cohesion. Trebles come brighter than the mids here which clearly shows contrasting sound characteristics for both types of drivers. Its mids presents with a laid back presentation that is a bit of a hit and a miss both at once. Lower mids could use more presence vs the upper mids which has a bit much in the balancing. If ECCI took 2dbs of the upper mids and used that on the lower mids, the sound would have had better balancing as a results but hey I am not ECCI. Some folks who like analytical signatures will dig this one. Again there are not too many in this price range that provides the details of the YST-03 at its price range. This alone is intriguing but again you have to be into your analytical signatures.

Your best tips and thicker copper cables apply to this one for a better tonal, smoother listening experience. Its stock cable accentuates details which is not what the YST-03 needs. The bass end throws just enough presence and ability to complete a detailed tuning with some solid bass involved. Its technicalities are overall good but not outstanding at the price point. Timbre is a bit edgy sounding especially for the upper mids area and lacks a bit of naturalness. Due to ample treble presence its details are its strength with good imaging and sound separation. Tonality is skewed a bit toward the treble aspect of its balancing yet can clearly hit the low notes as intended with zero roll off. The YST-03 makes for an energetic detailed listen but comes at a time where competition at the $100 level sees planars and dynamics that use premium drivers. It's got enough going for it to stand on its own especially for folks that appreciate some full trebles in their IEM presentations. Otherwise, folks that are looking for a better-balanced presentation would do better with the YST-02. Thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

Penon Vortex.

The Vortex is a newly developed single dynamic IEM made from the ground up utilizing a smaller form resin shell and a 2 pin connector lovingly crafted by our friends at Penon.

Penon is a bit like your small ma and pa eatery. Seems they take pride in making high quality, excellent sounding IEMs each customized with a clear sound direction in smaller batches of whatever they are cooking. Penon is not a big name in the industry but more boutique in what they do. But the one constant is the Penon house sound. Unlike a lot of IEM manufacturers that do the, let's try something and see what sticks method of tuning. Penon clearly has a direction and a tuning philosophy which comes through with each new release. The new Vortex is a culmination of years of know-how and tuning prowess from the makers of fine IEM cables and IEMs. I appreciate how Penon tunes each IEM as they consider what the end user experiences are with each and every release. The new Vortex is the 2nd single dynamic with the Penon brand name; their first was the limited edition Fan. I suppose the triple dynamic, Penon Serials comes the closest to the cohesion timbral and tonal characters of a single dynamic but not exactly a single dynamic.

If you have never heard a Penon made IEM. Now is a great time to explore what they have to offer as the new Vortex is 100% pure Penon sound. Another aspect I appreciate about Penon is that I can clearly tell these folks actually listen to music. Just based on how they tune an earphone. The Penon sound is more based on a musical experience meaning music has to have body, it has to have substance, it has to move your soul with a solid bass foundation, it has to have a proper space for its presentation and most of all it has to be versatile with all types of music.

This philosophy comes through loud and clear with their new Vortex. Let's find out how this new single dynamic will win over folks that have never heard of Penon or have never tried one of their creations.

Disclaimers: I would like to thank Penon for the review sample of the Vortex. I am never asked to give a favorable review on any of their goods. If you would like to purchase a Vortex you can log onto their sales page here to check them out. The Vortex was given a weeks' worth of burn in and now are ready for evaluation through a fairly large eclectic music library of music played through the IBasso DX300Max, IFI signature, IFI Gryphon, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, IBasso DX160, Fiio X3ii, Fiio K3 2021,

What you get/Build.
I appreciate how Penon reads what we write about. You can join the discussion about the Vortex and any of their goods on the official discussion page here. The Vortex comes with their standard, fairly no frills package. A medium sized zip up rectangle case. Roomy enough to throw in your IEMs, an extra cable and the tips. The reason why I know Penon reads the forums is that a headfier suggested some tips in the past that seem to mesh really well with their IEMs. Called the ePro horns. So what did Penon do? They reached out to the manufacturer and got a deal to include ePro horn tips and I can see them including the ePro horns on future IEMs as well. EPro horn tips can also be purchased separately here. Vortex now comes with a set of ePros in all 3 standard sizes. Horn shaped silicone with graphene inlay the ePros for the most part expands an earphone sound and are like a horn to your ear drums. Works well with just about any IEM but if I was to complain a bit about them it would be the ePros are a bit flimsy in make-up. Wish it was using a stiffer slightly thicker silicone. In any case these are the tips to try on the Vortex and any Penon IEM you own.

The package also includes 2 other sets of silicones, one of these two sets the green stemmed tips are very similar to the popular Symbio W tips. Identical in size and shape. So they are providing good tips all around. A cleaning brush, a shirt clip and to finish off the package. You get the CS819 cable and any of the popular terminations you want when ordering.
Build of the Vortex is using a solid poured resin material and inside encases a 10mm DLC fiber dynamic with a larger vent out back. Its physical size is smaller than a medium in bulk/size. Meaning these will fit just about anyone. They are small enough to lounge around with, so fitment will not be an issue with the Vortex. They come in 2 blue patterns: a dark sky blue and a smoke swirl embedded dark blue. Both sets are very aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing to look at and comfortable to use.

About the cable match up.
The Penon CS819 is made up with 8 cores of mostly OCC copper base with half the cores plated in silver. You can read more about this cable here. Some folks will like the added warmth, fullness and smoothness the CS819 cable provides but I can’t say it is the best match up with the Vortex and here is why. The Vortex is using a highly resolving DLC or diamond like carbon fiber diaphragm for the sound on the Vortex. Just based on some cable testing I have done it seems the CS819 cable makes the Vortex sound a touch smoother, a touch softer than it has to be. Of course, this will also depend on how this combination will synergize with the sources you're using as well. I noticed SPC type cables or something with more silver content than what the CS819 provides is a better match up with the Vortex sound profile. I will post cable matchups toward the end of the read.

Burn in
Seems to affect the Vortex. I do notice a tightening of the sound on the Vortex after a week's worth. Sound is cleaner, more precise, bass sounds tighter, treble is also more apparent vs open listen. Burn in is recommended. Vortex sounds great out of the box but you're not exactly getting a 100% of their sonics on open listen.

Sound.
Prior experiences with DLC drivers in other iems, even before getting the Vortex I was assuming it will have a tighter cleaner a more detailed sound profile. And this is what I get with the Vortex. Which would lead one to think these are analytical by nature but analytical is not really a Penon house sound trait, well at least in a traditional sense. Highly detailed yes but short of being a true analytical tuning, the Vortex still shows that Penon pedigree. A part of the analytical stigma is that IEMs that are considered analytical would have a leaner, neutral and or a weaker bass profile.

Right off the bat the Vortex has a solid bass end like all Penon made IEMs. Not the weak, barely there neutral type of emphasis with a mild impact. No way, I doubt Penon will ever produce an IEM with a true analytical or overly neutral anything. On the same token I have yet to hear a true basshead level of IEM from Penon. Too much or too little bass emphasis and this does not bode well for one of the main parameters for Penon sound. The Vortex is tuned for versatility as its foundational balancing is there.

Overall, the Vortex is tuned masterfully, balanced with a mild v shaped tuning but with no recession and certainly not too much upper mids presence. It has good balancing with a clean technical approach to the Penon house sound. Has a deep textured impactful bass, a spacious tall and deep mid-range and a clean extended treble all mixed with some really good technicalities.

Technicals
Showing excellent accurate timbre and a natural clean tonal quality, the Vortex is one of the least colored sounding Penon tuned IEMs they have produced. Showing a very good sound separation, a dimensional type imaging in conjunction with a well-rounded holographic moderate sized headstage, the sound quality of the Vortex is a highly technical earphone but tuned to not be too clinical or sterile sounding. The Vortex shows an ample body of note and fullness to your music but more importantly is textured well in all parts of its sound. The higher end levels of technicalities and a surprising degree of definition brings a very immersive sound quality to the Vortex sound.

Trebles
Just about all IEMs use the enhanced treble tuning to emphasize the treble to show some sparkle and presence for your music. The Vortex’s treble detail and emphasis is spot on for its presentation. Enough presence and sparkle to make everything sound fresh, clean and highly detailed. The treble here has good balancing with and a rangy tonal quality even though just looking at the graph of the Vortex makes its treble look a bit uneven. The main points for its treble presence has well placed emphasis in all 3 parts of its treble areas. Lower treble, mid treble and upper treble all have some emphasis with a well-placed anti sibilance dip in the 7Khz range. Which also happens to be a Penon tuning trait as you will never hear any of their IEMs emit any type of sibilance or treble grain of any type. Trebles are clean, extended well and detailed without sticking out in the mix.

Trebles don’t have any influence on the Vortex tonal quality which is a good sign that treble tuning is right where it should be in the presentation. The well-placed moderate treble peaks gives just enough treble coloration and extension to balance out the sound but not enough to cause any type of undue fatigue. This aspect is important as nothing is more grating than treble tunings with irritating treble peaks become the rays of the sun everytime you're listening to your rock and metal tracks. No such issue for any Penon made IEM and none for the Vortex. Transients for the treble are well executed, seamless and fluid for its presentation and the Vortex lets you hear every treble note with a natural tonality, ability, detail and sparkle when called for.

Mids.
Mids are the bread and butter of the Penon house sound. I have yet to hear a Penon made IEM that can’t do mids well. The Vortex is no exception. Mids imaging is exceptionally good here as its timbre quality is not only accurate, but complete and satisfying with a natural clean crisp tonal character. Vortex mids have plenty of body and texture in conjunction with a taller and deeper than average presentation for its mids; there is no part of the mids that makes the Vortex sound anemic or recessed in any part of its presentation. Mids have a bit more emphasis for its upper mids vs its lower mids but nothing that seems too lopsided or overly skewed toward upper mids presence. Vocals are well represented for vocal lovers and instruments sound superb especially strings in their complete execution and command in a track. Again the strength of the DLC dynamic is clearly evident in just how clean the mids are portrayed for the Vortex. Sound has an excellent sense of scope as the Vortex has a rangy taller and deeper sound vs your average single dynamic IEM. Penons use of the sound stage is once again evident on the Vortex as there is nothing on the presentation that sounds confined or compressed.

Vortex is not the widest staged IEMs Penon produces. I would give that honor to their flagships the Legends, but its moderate stage with good height and depth makes for a very immersive quality to what you're hearing. Mids have excellent layering and a well imaged dimensional character here as all Penon IEMs have a tendency to do and when you add that highly technical aspect to the overall presentation. The Vortex is nothing short of an excellent sounding single dynamic IEM as a result. It is the mids highly technical, timbral and rangy quality that you can tell the DLC fiber dynamic used on the Vortex, is a very resolving driver being used.

Bass
Bass end of the Vortex as I noted before is very good on the Vortex. I feel the sound quality in all parts of its presentation is consistent and shows a higher level of sound quality in general. Its bass performance has a bit more in the mid bass emphasis vs its sub bass. The quantity and the quality here is not playing a supporting role vs the other parts of the sound. It is most definitely featured. A good sealing tip and you're going to get an ample amount of some very nicely textured quality bass in full glory.

Much like the rest of the sound tuning on the Vortex. Bass comes tight, the entire presentation is tight, fairly fast for dynamics and has an excellent well textured sub bass presentation. Vortex has roughly 7dbs of bass emphasis which if you actually hear the bass end seems to punch with greater authority than that. This is a case of you have to listen to the IEMs to really get a good idea of their ability vs just looking at a graph. Bass when called upon has some solid detail much like the rest of its tuning and is most definitely the clean and punchy type of bass once fully burned in. Some might prefer to have just a bit more in the sub bass but as a person who listens to a lot of bass genres I have never thought the bass end was lacking in the least bit for its presentation on the Vortex. The Bass end is once again a featured tuning aspect to the Penon sound. This is the true reason why Penon will never tune a truly neutral or full on analytical IEM. Highly detailed yes but you can’t add a booty shaking deep impactful bass to a neutral presentation and call it neutral. You just can’t. But having aspects of a detailed presentation is never a bad thing for any IEM. The Vortex is yet another excellent offering from Penon. Overall It has a lively tight spacious sound presentation with excellent technicalities, timbre and tonal character. Its mix of the technical with an excellent body of sound comes through in the Vortex to immerse in every type of music you're going to listen to.

In the end.
I have to admit this one caught me by surprise as I was not expecting such a highly technical offering from Penon at this price range. But here we are. One of their absolute best IEMs comes in the form of a single highly resolving single dynamic IEM that is affordable by most enthusiasts. The Vortex I feel is a statement piece by Penon. They squeeze maximum sound out of a 10mm DLC fiber dynamic and it has so much right about its tuning and sound. As much as I have enjoyed listening and writing about the Vortex. I would like to see them take it one step further. I am certain whatever Penon is cooking up next it will have to top the Vortex. That I can’t wait for. The Vortex is not perfect, I mean it is a $220 earphone but they are very enjoyable and has that perfect mix of technical ability and immersive quality to it that is just as good as anything that has come out lately if not just out right better. If you're looking for a highly competent, detailed and technical IEM yet musical in every way. Look into getting yourself a Vortex. These are simply excellent sounding IEM and if your a fan of just how far single dynamics have come in 2022, give the Vortex a go and you will not be disappointed. Thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

Bonus extras.
Cable match ups are a bit of my contribution to how I hear better synergy with aftermarket cables. This section is for folks that want to fully maximize the sound output of the Vortex. Believe me they have huge potential and every part of the sound chain connected to the Vortex makes a difference including their tips. What I am showing here is not cardinal rule. I encourage folks to optimize your investments, I mean who doesn’t want the best sounding Vortex.

First up is the ISN S4. This cable is not only affordable but I felt should have come with the Vortex but it is not exactly a Penon cable. For folks that like a thinner lighter form cable the S4 synergizes with the Vortex to a greater degree vs the CS819. It has a much higher silver content to its make up making the S4 a more resolving cable. The great aspect of the Vortex tuning is that no matter what cable you use you really can’t make them sound out of line in any part of its sound. It's just that the detail and timbre aspects of its sound is so good you want more of it highlighted and that is where an SPC type cable like the ISN S4 brings out those qualities better and brings out a more robust treble presence vs the included CS819 cable. A more detailed Vortex is never a bad thing and that is what the ISN S4 enhances not to mention it opens up the treble aspects of the Vortex to a greater degree.

A level up from the ISN S4 is Penons own OS849
This is a fantastic pairing if there ever was one with any IEM. The OS849 enhances all parts of the Vortex sound. This pairing gets to a point where you start to wonder just how much value you got from your uber expensive single dynamics vs the Vortex using the OS849. This combination brings out greater note weight, enhances stage, dynamics, bass extension and impact, treble articulation and presence. All of it. In the scheme of things the OS849 is not too expensive and you do have to be OK with a thicker cable profile but in the name of enhancing a sound this is what you need to try if you want something that will enhance everything about the Vortex.

ISN AG8
This is a substantial upgrade for the Vortex. A pure silver cable thicker than any you have seen. The advantage of using a thicker pure silver cable is not only does the AG8 enhance the detail aspect of the Vortex sound but these give the absolute widest biggest stage possible for the Vortex. The prior OS849 enhances the stage of the Vortex to a greater degree but not quite like how this cable does it. If you want a grand sounding Vortex and while pure silver mostly gives a slight minus for bass impact and presence the AG8 being a thicker cable that minus is not much. You like how technical the Vortex sounds but want to stretch out that sound stage to an ample degree the AG8 does just this injecting more air for trebles, more air for its mids presence and enhancing all the technical aspects the AG8 sounds fantastic on the Vortex.

Each of these cables brings something new and higher end to the Vortex tuning and by that alone the Vortex is showing just how much potential they have with aftermarket cables. Its highly resolving make up with a combination of a more resolving silver-based cable and you get a much higher end Vortex.

Dunu Vulkan

Vulkan is a newly released hybrid from Dunu that has caught the collective interest of a lot of enthusiasts. Utilizing a newly designed coaxial dual dynamic with 4 BAs for its makeup. Last time I heard a Dunu IEM with a dual coaxial dynamic was the Dunu DM-480 with some crazy deep hitting bass. I remember when I first heard the DM-480 my thoughts of``what would these things sound like with some BAs attached to them?”.

Today we have a much higher end earphone in the Vulkan that utilizes an upgraded coaxial dual dynamic with 4 BAs. Its driver combination is quite unique for hybrids as there simply aren’t too many in the industry that use dual dynamics in conjunction with BAs. I would assume using two dynamics would mean some beefy bass for the sonics. This highly specialized coaxial dual dynamic plays a big role in how the Vulkan plays but it is all about how the rest of the drivers mesh to present its grand sound profile.

Dunu stuffed all these drivers inside one of their largest earphone housings, confirmed it is using the same housing as their EST112. But with a very nice darker damascus steel like pattern finish for the shells. Well officially the design was based on a Japanese Mokume Gane design which is described as a Japanese metal working procedure that creates a mixed metal laminate with distinctive layered patterns. So the principle of the plate was based on these designs. Very handsome nonetheless, I notice there are no different pattern markings on the right vs the left shell so probably more laser printed in that same pattern which was probably mass produced to save a bit instead of making each plate a one off. Though this would have been a nice touch, uniqueness for each IEM set is something everyone seems to appreciate. I remember the positive reaction to each SA6 plate being unique. But I get it, a one off plate would have taken much more time and money for Dunu which probably would have added to the cost of the Vulkan.

The CNC machined aluminum alloy shell is a medium side of large in size, meaning I own earphones that are physically larger. Certainly not heavy due to the lighter but strong metal used. In utilizing this housing shell Dunu is making good use of its space to fit a lot of drivers. In our ever pursuit of sound perfection, generally larger housings for IEMs help produce a larger, bigger scope of sound. Be it the Moondrop Blessing 2 or Campfire Audios Solaris. IER-Z1R. UM MEST. To name a few.

Upon receiving the Vulkan and trying them out for the first time, I was greeted with such a stage. Vulkan officially has a wide spacious large sound stage for IEMs, maybe the widest of any of the Dunu line up, and certainly more than most earphones. This turns out to be a part of the design choice for the tuning angle for the Vulkan. A large spacious stage is exactly what you want for a coaxial dual bass dynamics as a foundation for its bass to be proper.

Out of the box experience.
Most folks that read my reviews clearly know I do a full week's worth of burn in before I do any reviewing. I will put it out there if there are changes to an earphone sound with burn in. I can say without burn in your most definitely not going to hear the Vulkan in a correct manner. They sound disjointed and mids completely flat sounding out of the box. When I say flat I mean you can’t hear any separation from the vocals to the instruments out of the box. A solid week's worth of burn-in is highly recommended for the Vulkan so you can actually hear what the sound engineers at Dunu had in mind.

Tip rolling.
Tips in general will have an effect on how you're hearing your IEMs, some to a greater effect than others. No need to go into fundamentals of why that is but for the Vulkans I have to admit I was very surprised just how much the sound changes with tips. In fact so much so, tip rolling will be a requirement right up there with burning in the Vulkans. They can sound warm, dark and bassy to bright, neutral and energetic depending on what tips you use. It is advisable to tip roll after the drivers have settled down after burn in.

Disclaimers. I would like to thank the Dunu Top-sound team for the loaner of the Dunu Vulkan. You can find out more about the Vulkan on their official page here. These here are my thoughts about Dunus newest hybrids. Vulkans was burned in for a period of 5 days and nights and are now ready for evaluation using my IBasso DX300Max, IFI Gryphon, IFI DSD Signature, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro. M5s, IBasso DX160, Fiio K3 2021.

What you get.
Dunus packages never disappoints. What is included within the box of the Vulkan or any Dunu IEM are always top tier. A nice DUW-02S silver plated copper modular cable in all popular connections. 3 sets of silicone tips, a nice carry case, cleaning brush, stereo adapter, airplane adapter and the phones themselves.

The DUW-02S is a refreshed version of their prior DUW-02. Dunus intro level modular cables is a very good one. Based more on copper properties, the silver plating is done to help with clarity, detail and technical aspects of the source earphone. The DUW-02S is described as a 26AWG per core, 4 cored silver plated OCC copper cable in a litz 1 configuration. This cable adds just a hint of warmth and fullness based on their copper cores with a good level of transparency. A good match with the Vulkan. Modular cables if you haven’t experienced them, Dunu arguably makes the best version of the modular cable. Very handy for all sources. Vulkans plays well out of just about anything but I do notice they like a bit of power to really strut its stuff and ends up sounding much more dynamic and more in line with what the tuners are going for, more on this in the rest of the read.

That beastly/Sound
The tuning on the Vulkan is interesting. Again, another reason why you need to do a full burn in cycle. The reason why they sound so flat out of the box. The dual coaxial dynamics. One dynamic is handling the sub to mid bass, with the other handling upper bass to lower mids. This is the reason why the Vulkan sounds flat on arrival. The dual dynamic needs that run in time to effectively open up, giving note weight and fullness to the mids of the Vulkan. Dual BAs handle the upper mids to lower treble. Another dual BA set is for treble only, lower trebles to upper trebles. There are a lot of crossover points and a lot of drivers here so just know if you get these and they are not how I am describing them…. BURN THEM IN.

Once all these speakers are doing their thing 100%. Now you're cooking with what was intended. The Vulkans sound takes on a big, bold, large and in charge sound profile. Strictly neutral and or harmon tuned folks need not apply. The Vulkans are made for why we look into hybrids in the first place. A powerful deep hitting bass, natural and meaty in its presentation. BAs for their detail and technical abilities married together. In that respect the Vulkan does not disappoint.

Techno/ Technicals
Dunu earphones would not be a Dunu earphone without some outstanding technicalities. The Vulkan with one of the wider stages for IEMs also shows a unique broader, wider scope of imaging and sound as a result. The use of two completely different types of drivers for its mids yields an interesting mix of pluses and some minuses. If you're a low volume listener, the Vulkan might not be a good phone for you. Reason being the Fletcher Munson Curve highly applies to the Vulkans as well as the dynamic drivers seem to need more volume to wake up. At low listening volumes, Vulkans dynamics are not really apparent, in fact sounds lacking if not a bit flat sounding, not really engaging. You're not going to hear what the Vulkans actually sound like. You might as well listen with airplane buds as there will really not be much difference. It is when you're listening at moderate levels you will get what the Vulkans are all about, it seems to me the dual dynamics here require some volume/power for them to wake up, and wake up they do. I don’t ever advise listening to IEMs at louder volumes but that is easy to do with the Vulkans with its moderate pinna gain showing a warmer, slightly darker tonal character for its mids with a full roomy powerful bass all enhanced with sparkly detailed treble.

Sound separation is good for the given driver tech mix here especially on a horizontal axis of stage on a wider broader scope of sound than most IEMs. Music can sound out of your head at times. However, music requiring a proper sense of vertical imaging and contrast from background instruments, vocals/acoustic music for example is where the Vulkans are not at their best and seems not really suited for vocal music. Vocals sound natural breathy and can sound grand overall but lack intimacy and texture. It seems the Vulkan sound direction was not really made to be a vocal specialist IEM.

For the most part, its tonal qualities for vocals and instruments sounds mostly natural with a moderate body of sound but you get some contrasting timbres depending on what you're listening to. Since there are two completely different types of drivers for the Vulkan mids. It's got an underlying warmer, slightly darker tonal quality to it but then has the BAs doing some cleaner brighter over cues with its trebles that contrasts that warmth. It actually works to give a unique sound character to how the Vulkan sounds. Vocals and instruments that are more focussed in the lower mids on some tracks come on with a thicker note weight vs its upper mids emphasized instruments like strings and percussion accents for example sounds thinner in contrast, this is what I mean by contrasting timbre. Again unique in these aspects in the grand scheme of the sound but I have heard other Dunu earphones that do these aspects better. It is when you hear the entire presentation is where the Vulkans stand to be one of the most unique if not just outright entertaining sounding IEMs the group has ever made. This one seems to be tuned to enjoy music and is not one for analyzing music.

The BAs shows faster transients by nature when listening critically but then it seems in the fuller warmer lower mids presentation, its attack and decay of instruments provides more reverb and a greater note weight in general giving a slightly slower transient response in comparison. This contrast in turn seems to not present the best detailed sound presentation. Vulkans presentation is not about picking off minute nuanced detail or being an end game IEM for its precision. To understand the Vulkan, it is all about a big powerful musical sound.

Overall sound presentation takes on a bigger, larger scope of sound vs being the type of IEM that focuses on micro detailing and or anything really chiseled or crystraline for its imaging. Vulkans has a slightly soft diffused timbre quality due to the lower mids playing a big role in how sound is portrayed. That scope of its presentation is where the Vulkans has a plus to its sound however being spread out wide it lacks a touch in a dimensional aspect to its presentation. With the imaging spread wider than taller or deep. Amplification seems to really wake up the Vulkan and it takes on a completely different level of sound immersion using something like my IFI Signature or my IBasso DX300Max both these sources bringing on power and even a grander stage than what the Vulkan can already do.

Spicy/Trebles
Trebles of the Vulkan are handled by a set of dual Knowles BAs focussed on upper mids and lower treble and another dual BA set handling the lower to upper trebles. Dunu has tuned the trebles to be detailed, sparkly with plenty of emphasis. It has a moderate treble shelf from 7Khz-8Khz which adds a good amount of presence for the trebles. Its detail ability is overall good but treble sounds a touch dry and can sound a bit splashy at times especially for rock and metal music with a lot of high hats and splash cymbals involved. For the most part it is moderate in everything it does but has that treble shelf that some will be sensitive to, and again this is the reason why I mentioned tip rolling. The tips have a huge effect on how much treble emphasis you want from the Vulkan.

Trebles can be moderately present to a point of emphasis all depending on which tip set you choose. The trebles here seem to be tuned more to play a supporting role for the overall presentation but again can sound like it is featured even more so than the bass end to the point where it changes tonal character to be brighter than what the Vulkan actually sound like. With the right tips and the idea there is to find a tip that balances out the sound for you. Tip experimentation I am gonna call it cus you can’t just tip roll. You gotta dig deep into your tip jar and find the one. Included tips are fine and you can get a general sense of how the Vulkan sounds but just know you can find something even better that you probably already have.

Treble tone has a slight edgy quality to it which is the character of the BAs timbre that are being used for its treble presentation. Transients are fine for the given presentation and are more moderate in quantity and quality for the given driver tech it is using. Trebles much like the bass end has some coloration via treble shelf and utilizing extra BAs for its presentation the treble presentation has a flare to it but nothing egregious or fatiguing. ( On a side note, the Vulkan treble can get fatiguing if you are using the wrong set of tips.) Trebles come with plenty of sizzle and sparkle when called upon but has a moderate extension for how it is tuned. It's not the most balanced trebles but does add to the fun aspect of what the Vulkans are going for. Trebles have a solid footing on the upper note registers which again brings a nice contrast to the overall slightly warmer tuned Vulkan. The presentation has more weight in how it is presented toward the lows and lower mids vs the upper mids and highs but this can flip to the opposite if you're using the wrong set of tips. While the tuning is a moderate U shape tuning, its fullness and sound weight is skewed more to a mild L shaped for its tuning.

Middling/Mids
The uniqueness in the Vulkan sound. The bulk of the mids are done with the dual coaxial dynamic; it takes on a slightly warmer even a bit darker tonal character in contrast to the slightly brighter cleaner edged treble tonal character. The mids show good balance with a moderate 8dbs of upper mid pinna gain. As previously mentioned, the way the Vulkan mids are presented benefits from the wide broad stage. The mids sound like you're sitting in the center rows of a larger amphitheater in how it presents and not up close toward the front. This aspect will depend on just how much volume you put on the Vulkans but overall it is more of a laid-back approach vs being more intimate. Music as a result can sound a touch distant at times. That lack of vertical contrast and roundness to instruments and vocals are easily made up however with a special bass presentation.

A proper sense of height and depth of an IEM sound leads to a better sense of layering of your music and ultimately toward greater immersion. I don’t perceive the Vulkan to lack in sound layering per se but its presentation is more broad, spread out and diffused more than rounded or dimensional in how you’re hearing its presentation in approach and certainly not intimate. However, I believe this was what the sound was meant to be. A powerful broad sound signature. I found myself enjoying this presentation for its boldness and grand flare especially with more modern genres. They remind me of much higher end IEMS that does the same type of sound presentations, see comparos on bottom of read. Timbre for the most part sounds natural but can sound a touch soft lacking a bit in a micro detailing.

I can confirm in trying out a much more transparent cable, Dunu Noble cable tested, the Vulkans technical aspects are greatly improved. DUW-02S does just fine and I feel tip rolling is more important than trying out another cable but for folks that like to squeeze just a bit more out of the Vulkans. A more transparent cable takes the Vulkan into a different playing field for its sound signature..

Optimized Vulkan = M15+ IFI DSD signature+ Dunu Noble in balanced 4.4mm + Azla crystals+ Vulkan

Vulkan the bold/Bass
The bass end of the Vulkan is where the Vulkan takes on a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde aspect to its bass and gives it even a more unique flavoring for its sound. You figure since its largest drivers being the bass dynamics used here would dominate the sound. One aspect I appreciate about Dunu is that they are masters of the dynamic drivers and always seem to get the best out of them with clear control. Music with light bass emphasis sounds proper and you would never assume it is using anything special for bass. However it is when your music calls for some bass authority. That is when DJ Hyde comes out to play. Bass becomes a different beast.

Utilizing two types of 8mm dynamics, a cross linked polyethylene foam cell dome and a nanocrystalline titanium coated diaphragm was chosen to do bass duties for the Vulkan. Bass emphasis leans more toward sub bass with plenty of solid impact for its mid bass presentation. Sub bass texture and extension is excellent, a deep digging rumbly bass end. Its impact is closer to moderate in quantity but the quality however is in true Dunu fashion, bass end for the Vulkan is not your garden variety hybrid presentation.

Cayenne, mayo with a touch of dijon/ Special Sauce.
Bass has low end authority and a power to it that is not really like IEM bass. I own way too many hybrids than I would like to admit, and the bass end doesn't sound quite like your traditional bass from a dedicated dynamic. The Vulkan gives a speaker bass vibe to its bass presentation that is hard to reproduce for IEMS. I don’t own too many IEMs that have the bass presentation of the Vulkan. Bass has a bloom and a realistic sustain similar to a well vented woofer. Bass has sheer power and sounds amplified like a well vented woofer. The sub bass frequencies rumbles like a well vented woofer. Yet is clearly behaved when called for. Bass is tight, well defined and has decent speed. It is that bass bloom that I find particularly addictive and rare for IEMs to project.

I suppose you can’t have too much in the way of bass for a mostly neutral IEM presentation. Bass represents well with the Vulkan for actually being bass focused and I feel the advantages of this particular set of drivers shows in the Vulkan. For its given price range, the bass end gives a bit of a party atmosphere and your bass tracks be it EDM, Hip hop and the like comes full on with a room filling 2.1 presentation when called for. It is almost like you're listening to two different IEMS. A mostly laid-back broad presentation for non-bass tracks,well behaved and then full on thumpy soul shaking rumbly bass end for bassy tracks that need it. Vulkan bass is not the last word in texture but is well represented with an authority that can morph into any type of bass note but one with some true power. Dunu bass in my experience has always been clean and well extended and the Vulkan easily represents Dunu bass, yes, the fun type. Once you hear its bass presentation, it is difficult to think comparable priced hybrids do bass justice. Juicy with the right amount of thump, an addictive bloom and proper authority. When Dunu said they tuned these to be crowd pleasing. Who doesn't like an authoritative powerful deep hitting bass for their IEM presentations? Well neutral and treble heads I guess.

Final thoughts

The Vulkans is a monster of epic proportions. It is that gal in high school that was not so attractive but had such a great unique fun personality that you can’t help fall in love with. It is that church potluck dinner you would never have expected to have the ingredients for an epic meal. They are the tool you need to recreate a live concert you attended in highschool with your thug friends that drank and smoked too much and ended up vomiting but is etched in your memory as one of the best experiences you have ever had. They are Dunus version of a fun tuning.
It's arguably one of their best looking IEMs with a solid build. Always appreciate the attention to detail Dunu has for their earphone packages.

The Vulkan is all about a big bold musical presentation vs being anything too analytical in approach. They do provide that WOW inducing sound as you will not have heard such a wide stage come from an IEM. A crowd pleasing tuning means it has to have some bass authority and Dunu has achieved that using a unique coaxial dual dynamic. The Vulkans sound is approaching much higher end sounding big boy IEMs but priced for just about anyone to get into. My time with the Vulkan was very interesting as it went through so many ebbs and flows to its sound but overall I enjoyed my time with them. If you're in the market for an IEM that gives a big bold musical sound, with a speaker like bass presentation. Give the Vulkans a go especially if you're into your modern music. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Bonus extras. Cuz well all like bonuses. Some comparos

Vulkans vs OG Solaris.
The earphones the Vulkan reminded me of is a classic former flagship by Campfire audio the Solaris. Ok so the price difference would indicate a different level of SQ here but given both of these earphones sound profiles they both shoot for a similar type signature. Big bold musical hybrids with some substantial bass ends. I can imagine if the Vulkan was upgraded with some better drivers how that would sound. I am certain they would sound quite a bit like the Solaris.

A head to head comparison yields what you would expect given their price levels. All the aspects I was critical of the Vulkan are proper on the Solaris but that's when listening to more vocal and instrumental focused music. When it comes to something like EDM and hip hop, bass genres that is when the Vulkans comes closer to the Solaris in performance. In fact track for track the Vulkan keeps up with the big roomy sound of the Solaris presentation with a room filling bass that is very addictive unto its own. Solaris digs a bit lower and has a leg up on its texture but otherwise very similar type bass performance between these two. A cheap man's Solaris? You can say that but to be honest I actually like how the Vulkan looks and fits better than my Solaris. Sound wise an upgraded Vulkan I would imagine coming very close to the Solaris sound.

Vulkans vs UM MEST.
Another big large sounding IEM that the Vulkans reminded me of. Here was a bit of a surprise to me. The MEST at least for bass genres sound remarkably similar in presentation vs the Vulkans. The Mest mids I would say while showing a higher level of technicalities with a cleaner tonal quality is laid back just a bit more but also is clearly using BAs for its mids. It has a faster, cleaner more resolving and technical sound vs the Vulkans darker, slightly warmer tone. I would say vocals actually sound a bit more natural on the Vulkan than the MEST. Bass ends on both sets have identical impact and extensions. I don’t necessarily perceive the bass of the MEST to be better here, just a bit more in the way of quantity vs the Vulkans bass performance. The quality of the Vulkan bass end is where I find similarities. The Mest is a bit more in the way of a U shaped signature showing a bit more in the sub bass and its upper trebles but otherwise. I would consider the Vulkan a nice alternative to the OG MEST. Very comparable sounding but not quite as detailed and technical but the Vulkan makes up for it with better balancing vs the MEST. It is the Bass genres again that comes strikingly close in performance.

Last but not least.
Vulkans vs Fiio FH5s pro
Ok so the competition here has some similarities to the Vullkans. The FH5S pro version corrects the 8 khz treble glare of the non pro model. The Fiio FH5S uses two dynamics a 12mm beryllium coated dynamic for bass, a 6mm beryllium coated dynamic for its mids and two BAs for trebles. There are at comparable price levels, comparable type driver make up, comparable packaging as both sets come with modular cables. I would say for the included stuff you get both companies are well represented in what they include with your IEMS.

As per the sound. Vulkans shows a slightly wider stage vs the FH5s and is balanced better. The advantage of the FH5s is that it has 3 tuning switches that enhance bass, mids and treble on the fly and works pretty well. The treble switch is fairly useless however as no one in their right mind is gonna need more treble emphasis from the FH5S. Fiios FH5s was tuned for musical bassy immersion however its treble emphasis has a larger spike at the 8khz region that is a bit much hence the need for a cable revision that helped smooth out the treble end a bit. Vulkans, even though it also has emphasis in the region, is not as forward sounding for its treble presentation, is blended better with the rest of the tuning more so than the FH5s. Vs the Vulkan sound presentation both sets shows that contrasting use of BAs for treble and a warmer mids and bass end. The issue with the FH5s is that its design has BAs in the nozzle that produces that treble glare with an added emphasis which ultimately sound distracting especially for rock and metal music.

The Vulkans are balanced better and its sound gives a grander experience. The only way the FH5S is comparable is when you're using a source that is warm like Fiios own UTW5S. Otherwise while both sets are going for a big bold sound signature. The Vulkans have a leg up in sound performance for a similar type signature. A larger dynamic does not mean bigger bass. Their sub bass performance are comparable but the Vullkans bass bloom and power behind its bass presentation is very addictive for this type of sound it is going for. The FH5s bass end while good in what it does, it is one of them hybrid IEMs that sounds like IEM bass and lacks that power that the Vulkans have. The FH5s while its mids presentation is where it has an advantage for better clarity and better timbre, the Vulcans sound has a bit more energy in the right way and is just as versatile as the FH5S tuning switches just based on what tips you use.

Yanyin Moonlight


If you aren’t familiar with Yanyin IEMs, their name and their reputation has been growing among enthusiasts recently and it has everything to do with their products. The company is composed of earphone design veterans that brought them together to form Yanyin in 2020.

What is remarkable about all their earphones is that each one stands tall on its own at the price ranges they are sold for. When I heard they were producing their first tribrid. I had to get me a set to try out and more importantly let you all know how I heard them. It seems these folks just can’t do anything wrong with their earphone designs. For the most part their earphones have been well received and you can certainly read more about Yanyin IEMs on their dedicated thread here. Overall enthusiasm for their products has been a testament to how well these guys can take a bunch of drivers and tune them to be not only proper, but arguably some of the best sounding earphones in the industry.

Their Aladdin was an eye-opening intro hybrid from the group, and I am guilty of helping spread the word about this remarkable hybrid. These are a great starting point for enthusiasts that want a complete sound experience with their trademark balancing and a smoother tonal character. You can read my take on them here. They added an additional driver and brought out their more energetic and versatile Canons, adding the ability to use an effective 3 tuning switch variants that actually works giving an outstanding 8 different sound tuning variations. One of the best bang for buck hybrids in the industry, you can read about them here.

Now we have Yanyin's newest, Moonlight. Utilizing 7 drivers per side, 10mm bio dynamic handling the bass + 2 Knowles BA for mids + 2 Knowles BAs for highs + 2 Sonion ESTs for ultra-highs. 4 crossovers and 4 sound bores all in a compact all resin semi custom smaller side of medium sized shell. Extremely comfortable due to their smaller medium size with solid all resin isolation and a decent passive isolation. These earphones, my friends, are serious business.

Tribrid designs are nothing new to the market but getting all them drivers to gel in perfect harmony will be a challenge for any designer no matter how experienced they are. Coherence should be the goal for such designs and the first very positive aspect of the Moonlight design is indeed its reference level of coherence. No jaggedness in its tonality or drivers from one part of the sound taking over another. The seamless cohesion of the Moonlight was the very first thing I noticed when listening to them. But then they go far beyond a higher level of cohesiveness for a tribrid.

Masterful in how even and natural their tonal balance is across the sound spectrum, the Moonlight is tuned for versatility and ultimate immersion. The advantage of an 8 ohm sensitive IEM. The Moonlight needs a simple source to bring out a full bored sound from them. A portable dongle, phone or dap will suffice nicely. The disadvantage of an 8 ohm IEM is that you do have to watch what you're connecting them into. A high output impedance source like a powerful desktop amp will actually be a negative and will skew the overall sound of all Yanyin IEMs including the Moonlight.

Moonlight's level of balanced tuning is not just dedicated for the uber expensive TOTL IEM. We have a tribrid that performs exceedingly well in the Moonlight that is nowhere near the cost of a TOTL level iem. Its fluid transients and a higher degree of technicalities are what makes the Moonlight stand out at any price, let alone what they are asking for a set.

Disclaimers; I would like to thank Penon audio for the discount on Moonlight. I paid for these albeit at a discount. I had to get em for the collection. Plus Yanyin needed some exposure for these. The Moonlight for me was a no brainer. You can purchase a set for you on Penon sales pages here. I burned in the Moonlights for a period of a week's time and now are ready for review using my Ibasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s connected to Ibasso PB3 amp. Ibasso DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021 and IFI Gryphon, IFI black label for amping.

What you get. A unique package?
I am an admitted accessories whore much more than I would like to admit. Just how does a manufacturer present their earphones when you get that brand new sealed box for me anyways, matter. What they include in the box with their IEMs shows just how much they want the consumer to be impressed. After all, the first thing we do when we open a package is inspect what was included right? Little things about the package start to affect how you view the “package.” Who doesn't like to get that sealed package and having that anticipation of opening it up to see what was included with the earphones. It is Christmas all over again.

This being said, I usually knock down a peg in my rating system for earphones that don’t provide enough tips or worse provide a cable that makes the earphone sound worse than it has to be. This happens more times than I would like to admit. You don’t buy a new Mercedes Benz to find out your tires are cheap is my point. I might be more critical on the accessories tip than most but after reviewing so many I can clearly tell who is paying attention and who doesn't give a rip on the end user experience. How did Yanyin do here? Let's find out.

The Moonlight you get a very large rectangular zip up carry case, lined inside with a take out formed piece of plastic also covered with a soft velvety short furry material. This rather larger 3inch by 6inch zip up rectangular box case is actually what you get for the “package.” Meaning this is the entire presentation and something that ends up being useful. You can take out the plastic piece on the bottom of the case and now you have room for an amp, dap, a box of tips, at least 2 sets of different cables and the Moonlight. Very unique and useful in what you get.

Inside that case was the Moonlights, a soft velvety pouch, airplane adapter, a stereo plug adapter which is only made for a single 3.5mm jack. Unfortunately if you order a balanced version of its cable this will be useless. Most folks don't end up using this anyhow. Also included is a single set of silicones and a nice boutique level graphene cored silver plated cable in litz configuration.

OK one set of tips? For a $650 earphone? That is really not excusable to be honest but in this case. You're not going to care. In fact it is like Yanyin knows already you're going to dig deep into your tip canister. In a way they are forcing you to tip roll and for a good reason. Will get into that in the read. But for now yes a measly single set of tips which are unremarkable, let me put it that way. Your best aftermarket tips most definitely apply here.

The cable on the other hand is excellent. One of the best included cables in the industry and I would go as far as to say they made up for the lack of tips with this particular cable. I am a cable guy and therefore a great added cable is much better than the lack of tips provided easily. From what the descriptor says it has a graphene core covered with a silver plated copper litz cable in 4 cores. My cable came in a 4.4mm pentaconn plug.

You can order your Moonlight in any connection you need for your source so that is a plus. The cable is very high quality, one of the best included cables for an IEM and nearing boutique level in its quality. I am familiar with graphene type IEM cables which helps with the technical aspects for an IEM, a highly refined cable for a highly refined phone and absolute superb match for the Moonlights. The Moonlight is fairly consistent in its sound characteristics regardless of cable you attach to it, but the matching cable here gets a huge plus as you will not need to go out and buy another cable for it.

A side word about single ended or balanced use on the Moonlight. So you would figure going balanced using the Moonlight would be the way to go. Not exactly, here is what I mean, due to the very low impedance being 8 ohms. Single ended might actually be the better way to go with the Moonlight. My point is that most earphones benefit from being balanced out from your sources but Moonlight might not. All Yanyin IEMs have very high sensitivity and therefore you need a low output impedance from your source and single ended connection is the lowest. In balanced, you get double the output impedance in most cases the difference between 2>ohm out vs 4>ohm out. Yes it can and does affect the Moonlight in a negative way. It will skew them to sound thinner and brighter than they actually are. I highly advise trying out a single ended connection through your source if you find my sound descriptor does not align with yours and that is after you fully burn them in. I know that is counter intuitive to what the threads tell us about using our gears in balanced but. This is a case where simplicity might actually be better. Oh and I don't need to tell you, you have to use your sources in low gain with these. I am gonna mention that just in case you forget to turn your high gain on your players to low gain.

Sonics. Balanced heads unite!
Yanyin now has a house sound, I have 3 examples from the group and it is one of implementing a reference level of balancing as all their earphones have superb balancing. The Moonlight is in my estimation one of the very best balanced earphones and I am talking about from the 100s of earphones I own. It's the type of sound balancing that others strive for but does not quite achieve. Why utilize 7 drivers to do a deep V shaped signature when you should bring all parts of the sound to be full on? Is my point, and that is exactly what the Moonlight represents. Its balancing is unbelievably good which is just a part of its tuning make up. Then they have outstanding technicalities on top of that. Each driver here plays an important role in the make up of why the Moonlight is playing at a much greater level.

What makes the Moonlight name so proper? It is what I would describe as a romantic sound. Moonlight brings a sound quality level that is one of the absolute best at the price level it is asking for a set. The Moonlight is tuned a bit like their intro level Aladdins but playing on a much higher level. It incorporates 3 types of drivers in a very cohesive manner but also has so much right about their tonal, timbral, balancing and technical output. Yes you can say these are the embodiment of a real reference level of sonics.

Technicals, separation is bad for you and your girlfriend but great for an earphone.
A complete standout for why I consider these flagship worthy. I already touched upon how coherent and balanced the sound is. Then when you start listening to your favorite tracks. You get a nice broad, wide, deep and fairly tall stage. I can officially say Moonlight has the widest stage from their prior IEMs both the Aladdin and Canons. The sound field takes a leap in stage vs the other two. The scope of sound is grander. Then there is the sound layering. Using 4 high precision Knowles BAs for mids and highs the Moonlight sound separation is ideal and this is what separates a really good iem into a different territory in sound. Everything is separated nicely on the moonlights with zero disjointedness or incoherency. Which leads to a class leading level of imaging. It has ambience and air around each note, each vocal, each drum hit.

That sound separation adds to the imaging aspect so much you can say they are intertwined. The Moonlight's liquid imaging is what makes them sound ‘romantic’. Folks that take a premium to macro and micro level details really need to pay attention to how the Moonlight dissects each instrument, vocals and percussion using its wide presentation. A highly dimensional sound that embodies all this into a larger spacious field for earphones with pinpoint accuracy on top of that. BAs will have BA timbre but the Moonlight somehow manages to make you forget your listening to multiple BAs, some ESTs and a dynamic. Timbre is about as good as it gets for utilizing BAs and hence I have no issue with the timbre aspects of the Moonlight sound. When taken as a whole, prepare to fall head over heels with how the Moonlight presents your music.

A reference level neutral tonality with ample fullness and body to the sounds. The Moonlight is neither cold nor warm sounding IEM. It is right smack in the middle of tonality with a very slight smoothness that just adds to how liquid the entire presentation can be. The end results of its high level of technicalities is that your music sounds like you're standing right there with the artists. A transparent clear glass level of a transient quality that just doesn't happen too often for earphones. The tool you need to really hear your music on the correct. If you're reading this. Sell your other earphones. Get yourself a Moonlight and be done with. Much higher end IEMs that sell for crazy prices aren’t going to be a leap over these. You're better off getting a nice source and more music instead.

Treble. Shimer in all the right places.
The trebles of the Moonlight utilize 4 drivers. 2 Knowles BAs for treble and 2 Sonion ESTs for the ultra highs. In using 2 types of drivers just for the highs not only is the treble ideal in emphasis but in its ability to have an extension, a lot of earphones are missing. EST implementations are not all exactly the same. The idea that somehow if you use more ESTs you will get better quality treble is simply not the case. Yanyin is utilizing these drivers based on their strengths. Some of the best treble articulation and details come from the specialized treble BAs and ESTs are best utilized for their upper treble extension with realistic air, decay and sparkle. Combine both and you have one of the most complete, accurate and refined trebles with an ideal extension for earphones. What Yanyin has done with using 2ESTs is far and away better than some I have heard utilizing 4ESTs.

It's not just that they are using these drivers to their full ability but how they are tuned as well. Unlike a lot of IEMs that rely on spikes in the treble region to “enhance” their treble presence. The Moonlight has one of the most balanced trebles in its emphasis from lower to upper trebles. This in turn brings the Moonlight to have a very evenly articulate, smoother, airier, rangier trebles for its presentation all with every detail and proper tonal character for every treble note from every track your listening to. .

Yes it is yet another harmon balanced IEM but with some superb reference level of massaging for its sound. As the saying goes, it is the little things that count. These are like the goldilocks of everything. Highs, mids lows. That smoothness in its trebles are capped off by some very addictive shimmer and sparkle from the EST implementation. It is a complete treble with an ideal airy presence. I wouldn't consider myself a treble head but the quality of the treble here is quite addictive in how it presents. Some might prefer a bit more treble presence, well that is if you're a true treble head but overall the trebles here are absolutely satisfying, rangy, delicately detailed and much like the overall sound, fluid in its overall presentation.

Mids. The wagyu beef of sound.
I am very certain the BAs being used for the Moonlight are a much higher level of Knowles BAs just based on their flagship level of technicalities for the mids. Folks come out of the woodwork and always ask is this better than that. How's the mids compared to that? Well I can tell you there is a clear reason why Yanyin is asking $650 for a set of these earphones. The mids are simply spectacular. This is the reason why you pay to play as they say. Mids on the Moonlight have the right combination of roughly 8dbs of upper mids emphasis with proper body of note, accuracy showing just the right amount of clarity and or a natural slight warmth for its sound foundation. The mids are based on a reference level of space, its ideal layering, precise imaging, uncanny detail, natural sounding timbre and tonality to really separate the Moonlight from most if not all of the other midfi counterparts. There is no part of the mids that I hear that is behind or recessed in anything. Everything is frontal and right where it should be for its imaging in space. Its highly technical and dimensional nature means you will be able to hear every note from your tracks to their full extent.

There is a slight warmth and body to male vocals which again sounds very natural with a broad dynamic range to female vocals that make hearing vocals on the Moonlight a treat. I really can’t point out any aspects of its mids that I can point to and say, this is not right or this is too little or that is too much. None of that applies to the Moonlights mids presentation. Mids will make or break a higher end IEM and the mids for the Moonlight are some of the best of the best in the industry. So that means the treble and the bass is 2ndary right? Nope. All 3 parts of the sound bands are equally good.

Bass, the soul of your music
The Moonlight descriptor says it is using a NEW 10mm bio dynamic. Yanyin seems to be a huge fan of this particular dynamic as they have used a version of it on every IEM they have. Though I have yet to hear the Rosemary which is their flagship IEM. The Moonlight has what they say is a newer version of this dynamic dedicated for its bass. You figure since the Moonlight is playing on a higher level, Yanyin would be going for some specialized higher end dynamic for the Moonlight. This is a case of why change a good thing? All prior Yanyin products use the bio dynamic and it has to do with how natural and realistic the bass end are on their IEMs. Yanyin IEMs are not going to be known for their bass presentations but they certainly will not be known to have weak bass performance for their IEMs either.

The Moonlights treble and mids performance are so spectacular, the bass end as good as it is, plays more of a supporting role for its overall presentation and that is how they tuned the bass for the Moonlights, to be natural, impactful, realistic and always in control.

The bass end of the Moonlight is focused a bit more toward the sub bass but also has some solid impact for its mid bass. Its bass is natural and clearly agile in its ability with a tonal range that covers every type of low note in existence. I think it is due to their naturalness that Yanyin has chosen this dynamic to represent their house sound. It sounds just as good for synthetic bass as it does for percussion sets. It has what seems to be about 7 dbs of bass which is just slightly below my goldilocks for bass emphasis at 8 dbs but you would never know it as tips here makes a big difference for bass. As I mentioned earlier, Yanyin provides a single set of unremarkable standard silicone tips. Yes they focused on the end sound of their Moonlight more so than providing a set of tips you will probably not use anyway. So you are forced to tip roll.

Tips make a difference in how you want to hear the Moonlights. Its bass emphasis is highly dependent on your tip selection. A tight sealing tip like the Azla crystal tips. Bass comes out to play. I have a fairly large library of eclectic music and I would say about 70% of it absolutely requires proper bass. Lets just say I would never give an earphone a 5 star rating if it doesn't have the bass end to keep up with the rest of the sound. You want the best sounding Moonlights? Use your best aftermarket tips. JVC Spiral Dots, Azla, Symbio, Final Es. To name a few and each one will provide something a touch different with better emphasis for the regions of sound you care for.

Yanyin picked a good one here in the bio dynamic. I have always loved its tonal qualities and its ability to reproduce the bass note with a proper bass decay and tightness. It's not the speediest of bass presentations nor is it the end game for Bass lovers but there is really nothing that hampers the low end presentation of the Moonlights. It keeps up with speed metal just as well as providing a big, reverberant note for orchestral scores. Bass provides the rhythmic soul of any good recording and in that regard the Bass end here is superb in its natural ability to reproduce an accurate bass note. Its quality and definition is right up there with the rest of the sounds on the Moonlight. Yanyin folks not only tune with the best of them but they seem to massage every part of the sound presentation. Bass in the end will not be overlooked nor is it an afterthought, and plays a key role into that reference level of sound tuning on the Moonlight.

Finally, the one to rule them all.
I can safely say the Moonlights are about as good as it gets in the tribrid realm. These are remarkable in so many ways. They provide a reference level of so many things that you can just say they are truly a reference tribrd earphone. A cohesive balanced foundation for its tuning, Their treble is addictive, smooth yet highly detailed with excellent articulation and an airy extension. The mids, clear and liquid in its tonal character with superb technicalities, sound layering, separation, imaging and detail that presents a higher end sound. Their bass supports with a superb quality, the right amount of emphasis with an impactful, tight, textured supreme and a natural broad tonal range. All encompassed in a spacious wide sound scope of a stage that really sounds like a window to your music. When your IEM disappears and you're right there in the recording hearing every note and every nuanced detail of the recording, this says a lot about the IEMs you're using.

The Moonlights are a huge success and I feel will become a classic among classics. The one consistent with Yanyin earphones is that these guys know how to tune an earphone at all levels of their IEMS and you can hear how well tuned the Moonlights sound, and this is a rare case where your $650 gets you more than what you paid for a set in my opinion. Considering newer higher end IEMS nowadays requires a month of hard works wages. Yanyin has one of the best tribrids in the Moonlights that will be cherished by yours truly for years to come. I look forward to what these guys have in store for the enthusiasts next. Whatever they are doing these guys seem to have superstar tuners in their midst that know exactly what they are doing. As always, happy listening. Now go sell off a few of your unused stuff. Get yourself a Moonlight…. And some tips.

Comparos. Cus everyone asks how is this vs that?


Aladdin
Here is where the difference in resolution, extension, tonal refinements and stage is clearly evident vs the Aladdin. I mentioned earlier the Moonlights have more in common with the Aladdin vs the Canon. Its balancing is similar but that is where the similarities ends. Treble on the Moonlight alone is vastly superior with much better articulation and extension. Bass while using similar dynamics seems to have a greater impact and is slightly tighter in presentation vs the Aladdin bass. Don't know if it is due to having a newer slightly larger dynamic but the good news is the Moonlight to my ears does sound like it is improved over the Aladdin bass. Moonlight's overall tonality sounds more natural, with superior timbre, its technicals are playing on a completely different tier of earphone as it should. However I do have a suggestion. If you are in any way a fan of the Aladdin and would love to hear a much higher end TOTL version of the Aladdin. Yes, that is what the Moonlight is. A much higher end reference level Aladdin. Get yourself a Moonlight… And some tips

Canon
Canon is perhaps the best value Yanyin in the market due to its sheer versatility and its more energetic technical nature in tuning vs the Aladdin. The Canons are closer to the Moonlights in its technical traits and has a bit more for its lower treble and mid bass impact vs the Moonlights. Folks ask if the Moonlight would be an upgrade on the Canons. Oh yes make no mistake. Moonlight has a more expansive stage and clearly shows it is using some upgraded drivers for its sound vs the Canon. Moonlights show a refinement level that the Canon does not quite reach. Its higher level of sound separation and imaging alone will be a nice upgrade on the Canon but also its airy treble expansion via Sonion ESTs. 010 configuration comes closest to the Moonlight tuning. Imagine in this configuration a wider stage with more black space around instruments. Imagine treble with more air, slightly smoother and more articulation and you might get a good idea of how the Moonlight would be. Don't Imagine my friends. Get yourself a Moonlight… And some tips.

Vs some other popular Tribrids in the price range.
Penon Volts.
Penon and Yanyin house tunings are clearly different. Penon has balancing on its house sound signature as well but takes that smooth tonal quality into the rich organic territory. Volts stage vs the Moonlights are comparable but the difference really comes down to higher end Sonion BAs vs higher end Knowles BAs. The Sonion BAs used for the Volts emit a rich organic sound quality that Penon has taken as their main special sauce for their house sound and their Tribrid the Volts. Volts use 7 drivers much like the Moonlight but uses 4 Sonion ESTs for the highs + 2 Sonion BAs for mids and a 10mm graphite fiber silk paper dome dynamic for bass.

Volts have one of the best present broad and rangy mids for any earphone and you can even say the Volts are tuned more to highlight the mid range. The treble aspects are where the Moonlight has the upper hand. The Moonlight uses 2 BAs for the bulk of its treble, while extension for both sets sound great due to the EST implementations, the difference is the ability of the BAs lower treble presence vs the ESTs on the Volts. It is well documented that ESTs struggle a bit for lower trebles hence this is the reason why they are used for upper trebles where they show their strengths. Moonlight's treble sounds more complete, a bit more present and articulate due to having more ample lower trebles vs the Volts treble.

However the Volts make up for it with a superior warmth, greater note weight and dimensional character from their mids, while the Moonlights does not lag behind much in these aspects. The mids are a trade off from that rich organic euphoric mids in the Volts to a fluid transient highly technical mids presentation of the Moonlights..Otherwise these two trades punches for their technicalities and their overall end sounds. Volts are euphoric for vocal performances and their instrument presentation with one of the richest tonal characters for earphones. Its bass presentation is a bit more forward sounding, otherwise these two sets are clearly playing at the level they were intended for and trade punches vs each other for superior tribrid presentations for their given house sounds.

ISN EST50
Here is the flagship ISN earphone but ISN also has an identity of their own. ISN uses ample lower mids and bass presence on their IEMs. Bass specialists? Yes indeed. EST50s have a very nicely tuned L shaped tuning done right. Bass is your thing than you need to look into an EST50. The crazy aspect of the EST50 is that they also have good balancing considering it has the most brawny bass out of these earphones I have compared to the Moonlight thus far. Take that extra brawn from the bass end to put that into a much more complete and extended treble end of the Moonlight with added higher level of technicalities for its mids and you get the immediate differences in their sound presentations.

EST50 uses a highly specialized 10mm silicone dynamic for bass+ 1 Sonion BA for mids+ 1 Knowles BA for treble +2 Sonion ESTs for highs. Uses 5 drivers vs its bigger brother the Volts and Moonlights which both use 7 drivers. When comparing these two earphones again the house tunings are the main differences. One thing I appreciate from expert tuners in the IEM game is that they have an identity. Folks like Penon, ISN, Yanyin have a clear direction of what type of IEM and what type of sound tuning they are clearly going for. ISN is more focused on their lower mids and bass presentations while clearly having the rest of the sound tuning to be balanced. Moonlight being much more even handed in its overall balancing is most definitely a superior earphone on a technical level but it really comes down to if you put bass as your favorite part of a sound tuning. I can’t imagine what the Moonlight might sound like with the silicon dynamic the EST50 is using. Ya you want to have your cake and eat it too. That would be what that is. I mean the bio dynamic is no slouch for bass but it isn’t quite at the level of the silicone dynamic being used on the EST50. Less drivers means less in its price. The EST50 is a more affordable tribrid for using 5 drivers vs 7 in the others. The great aspect of the EST50 is that it clearly has an identity and makes no excuse that it is a bassy yet balanced and technical IEM also showing a rich tonal character via higher end Sonion BA.

Last but not least the Taniso Mirai Lands
Lands are using 6 drivers for its make up. 10mm composite dynamic for bass+ 2 BAs for mids+1 BA for treble 2 Sonion ESTs for upper highs. The Tansio Mirai Lands is the opposite of the EST50 in its sound tuning focus. Tansio Mirais house tunings in general are more predicated on their level of detail, upper mids imaging with its foundation on treble presence. Land's focus is more on its full trebles with a physical bass and a deeper than taller sounding mid range. It has one of the widest stages for tribrids. A hair wider than the Moonlights in fact. Lands are a broad U shaped tuning and has greater fuller treble presence with a punchier mid bass end. It owes its wider stage presence due to the laid back mid range. While detailed and layered well it's mid range is the least frontal of all the tribrids I have compared the Moonlight to. Lands are more or less made for treble heads that want some complete full bored treble and a deep hitting bass end to go with it.

Losing some hearing are you? You like some full range treble? Try the Lands as it has more treble presence than any of the tribrids. Its treble tonal qualities and details are where they share some similarities to the Moonlight. Roughly equal in its treble extension the main difference is in the emphasis of the treble vs the Moonlight. You need the right source, cable and tips to tame that upper frequency ability of the Lands. The Moonlight treble sounds full on using your cell phone. Moonlight has a more proper mids presentation here as well. As it is much more forward, more euphoric in how it presents its mids. I do like the mids of the Lands but it needs to be a touch more forward in the mix to approach what the mids of the Moonlight represents. Their technical level is also somewhat similar in execution but Moonlight having a taller more proper mids presentation. Bass is separated to a greater degree on the Lands due to their laid back mid range hence they sound like they have more bass quantity vs the more fluid transition on the Moonlight bass to its mids.

Optimized Moonlight.
DX300Max +Penon Mix hybrid cable + Moonlight + Azla Crystals

Rose QT9-MK2S

Rose Technics has been making earphones for years and it is one of those groups that keep on keeping on and has for the most part been overlooked on headfi. I have to admit I am guilty of overlooking this brand myself, that was until I got to review the Rose QT9-MK2 last year. I know naming conventions here are a bit confusing. Would have been better if they called it MK3 or something entirely different but why throw the 3 if you can just throw an S. The new S version promises a few new aspects that make them a revision. A new upgraded dynamic driver, new upgraded cable and a slight balancing tweak.

Slight tweaks for already established earphones seems to be a good way to revise and renew an older product. The Rose QT9-MK2 was a surprise in several ways. It had an energetic, balanced V shaped tuning with some very surprising technicalities all within one of the most compact shells that can house 4BAs + 10mm dynamic. My take on the original MK2 you can read about here.

What you get.
The Rose QT9-MK2S comes with 2 medium sized rectangular clam shell case/ boxes for storage and carry. You can pretty much fit the entirely of what comes with the QT9-MK2S inside one of them but you get a 2nd box just in case. A smaller box houses the tips 3 silicones in various sizes, a double flange and a large foam set. The new cable is a newly developed 6N OCC copper cable that is supposedly an upgrade from their prior 4N crystal copper. A stereo adapter and new to Rose technics one of them mmcx removal tools.

The new S version has a new upgraded 10mm Liquid Crystal Tesla Dynamic. Moving on from a 10mm Goertek tungsten alloy dynamic. And here was the only real change in drivers. A bit of research on my end shows the new S version is using the same Knowles BAs, a dual TWF30018 for mids and a dual TWF30019 for the highs. So yes technically they are using 4BAs. Using dual BAs makes sense in a smaller form factor shell. The drivers here are stuffed inside the same exact compact housing which was reused on the new S version. Why change one of the most comfortable smaller form factor plastic shells. The new S version has increased sensitivity and a more expanded frequency range from the former MK2 version. Also apparently the tunings for the QT9 series have been done by a former Fostex tuner Xie Yu. Interesting. I can see how these QT9 series of earphones have some similar tuning philosophies with some of the traditional older Fostex tunings. As they are all V shaped tunings.

Is the change in a dynamic driver enough for a new version? It is a revision but one of the aspects I actually liked about the former MK2 version was its visceral bass. Ya sometimes you want an IEM with some visceral impactful bass in it. That was the MK2 version. The new one is supposedly an upgrade, Yes and no. Let me explain.

Firstly I would like to thank Archiee from Rose Techniques for reaching out to me to do a review for the Rose QT9-MK2S. The review unit was burned in for a period of a week and are now ready for evaluation using my sources Ibasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, IBasso DX160, Fiio K3 2021, IFI black label for amping. The QT9-MK2S was provided for the purpose of a review. If you feel you need to get a smaller form factor well tuned hybrid you can get yourself a set from Rose Technics Aliexpress page here.

I am wondering about the reasoning for this revision. It is very obvious Rose Technics folks are proud of this one. They even put in the descriptor on their Aliexpress page as using flagship level components. Marketing stuff for me is mostly ignored but truth be told their former QT9-MK2 was a surprise for me and every other person that got one.

It was and still is for its price, one of the best small form hybrids you can buy in the market. Smaller form meaning the actual shells are smaller than your average medium or larger hybrid shells used in the market. Can you show me just how many smaller hybrids are out on the market today that includes 4BAs and a 10mm dynamic? Ya that's what I thought.

Not many is the answer. The QT9 earphones are actually one of the smallest out there if not the smallest. This is an immediate plus right there. Sometimes good sounding earphones don’t mean squat when the fitment is too big or awkward to the point there is discomfort. However there is one negative about just how small these QT9 shells actually are. The shells are small and so are the nozzles, being relatively short. This means if you have large ear cavities you will have to use longer tips to get optimal seal inside your ears. I think overall having a small form factor is never a bad thing but in order to fit most ear shapes it will be the large eared folks that will have to adjust to the small size of the QT9-MK2S. The same shell was used for their newest S version. If I showed you a picture side by side

Of the older QT9-MK2 blue and the new QT9-MK2S green. While they look the same, the sound however has some key changes that you might actually like better or worse depending on how you like your earphone bass presentation. And that is where the biggest change comes from.

So far going back and forth from the prior MK2 version and the new MK2S version. Bass characteristics have clearly changed. MK2 version had a fun/ exciting visceral bass. It was one of the factors that separated the MK2 from other hybrids I have reviewed in the past using similar driver make up. There is bass emphasis and then there is visceral. The MK2 was visceral. It rumbled like a champ and hence it was an addictive listen. But the QT9 earphones are not just about the bass but its utilization of 2 sets of dual Knowles BAs which held up their parts of the sound just fine.

Sometimes you take away that visceral quality to help out for a better balanced tonal presentation and that is what you're getting with the new S version. The new dynamic seems to have its own flavoring when it comes to bass as well.

Treble is clean, extended well and presents with good imaging, detail and transients. Treble tuning has a moderate emphasis to offset the bass end of the QT9-MK2S but this time around due to the tighter, cleaner bass presentation of the new S version, treble and mids get a slight boost for its balancing. In simple terms you take away a bit of the bass which lets mids and the treble breathe and take more of the center stage. This is what you're getting with the new S version with the side benefit of better coherency as well.

BA timbre is there but not to the point where thes QT9 earphones sound unnatural or overly clinical. QT9 both the MK2 and the new S version both have good coherency and its sound balancing is done tastefully which includes bass presence. The new upgraded bass component actually helps a bit with even better coherency on the new S version as it does not have the same pronounced impactfulness as the prior MK2 version. So while the new S version, one would assume it will be an obvious upgrade on the older MK2. It is and it isn’t. Some will actually prefer the prior version due to the more impactful visceral bass. I will get into the bass aspects of the new S version but for now. I don’t necessarily think these are an immediate upgrade, in fact the S version shares more similarities than differences vs the prior MK2 version. Especially when comparing their mids and treble aspects. The S version is more like a different take on the MK2 vs being a different earphone altogether.

Mids on the S version is clean with enough body to not make them thin sounding or missing some aspects. While the mids are not forward in the balancing. They don’t have an obvious recession either. Mids have good presence with about the same amount of upper mids of the prior MK2 version had roughly 10dbs of upper mid pinna gain. Utilizing a dual BA to do the mid bands. Mids have good fundamental layering, good tonal balance and show the benefits of utilizing some nice BAs.

Its technicalities are what you would expect for using two BAs. Dimensional aspects are about average here for the given drivers but considering the restriction of the housing space, you get a bigger sound than the physical size of the earphones would indicate. Stage is quite good in how it expands and makes good use of the depth and height as well as the width being clearly above average. Coming from a small housing this is quite magical actually. Its Imaging has proper space to work with and detail and sound separation for the mid bands are good at the price range but not remarkable. If I was to complain a bit. Mids come a bit dry in presentation but otherwise the mids have very good presence for proper engagement for your favorite tracks.

Rose Technics provides a graph on their sales page that clearly shows these are a V shaped tuning however if you were to judge the sound just based on the graph it shows the mids have recession. This is just not true when you listen to these and their former MK2. Mids have good body and density to its presentation and does not show obvious recession traits. Having ample pinna gain or upper mids helps in that regard giving a vocal lift for vocals and instruments.

Bass is where the main differences are from the prior MK2 version. As such we are going from a borderline bass head MK2 to a moderate, tighter and speedier bass presentation of the S version. Utilizing a new Tesla magnet, I do notice a tighter speedier bass performance from the S version. I didn’t think the prior MK2 was sloppy or slow by any means but it clearly has more of an impactful nature to its presentation that the new S version does not. I can argue that the new S version is more of a mature take on the MK2. But at the same time I actually thought it was one of the better traits for the MK2. So it will come down to what your preferences for bass are. Brawny vs tighter speedier bass, is the difference. Another benefit of the new bass on the S version is that it brings better tonal character to its overall presentation simply by the fact that the bass does not stand out as much.

Bass on the S version is plenty impactful when called upon, again its speed is clearly noticeable on speedy metal tracks. While not as fast as all BA bass offerings it makes up for it with a more natural bass presentation and a deep reaching sub bass with good texture. So the bass end will be reliant upon a proper tips selection. In going with a small form factor and a short nozzle. Both the prior MK2 and the S version shown here

For folks with sizable ears will have to find longer stemmed tips, like double flange tips in order for the ears to seal correctly. This matters especially for bass. I let a coworker try out the QT9 MK2S using a standard tip and he was saying how they sounded bass light.

The bass on the S is not light, I would say more moderate in impact with very good extension. Subbass is excellent on the S but he was not hearing it as much as I was. That was when I realized the guy had larger ear canals than me. The smaller housing will fit everyone but at the same time it will be the large ears that might have a slight fitment issue. While Rose provides a single pair of double flange tips I had to resort to my tip collection to get the best tips for better seal and sound. Tip rolling will most definitely be required to get the best sound out of the QT9-MK2S. While on the subject of tip selection. I also recommend trying out your favorite aftermarket cables as well. I feel the stock cable does just fine but I do notice clear improvements with aftermarket cables.

Overall the Rose QT9 MK2S is more of a revision than an upgrade of sorts on the sound. I think Rose is reintroducing the MK2 with a more mature take on the sound is what they are doing on the new S version. Its advantages are that it clearly utilizes each driver to maximize the sound presentation of the MK2S all inside one of the smallest housings in the industry. Due to the new bass presentation the S version actually has the upper hand in versatility vs the prior version. But at the same time folks that actually want a more impactful deep rumbly bass would probably prefer the prior version over the new S version.

However, the new S version has better tonal qualities with a speedier, tighter bass presentation. As I understand it, you can still purchase the MK2 version on the nets, but the Rose site only has the new S version. It will really be up to the prospective buyer of these earphones if they want the new S version or the MK2 version based on sound descriptors. Rose has done a great job in creating one of the smallest hybrids in the industry with a big sound but at the same time there is nothing really groundbreaking or substantial for hybrids here. One suggestion I have for Rose is that they need to explore a medium sized shell for an even better stage and improve the ergonomics of the shell with a longer stem.

I would say these earphones are priced accordingly and represent hybrids in the price range just fine and I suppose if you're looking for a smaller more compact hybrid design these are an easy recommendation. They have a very good energetic balanced sound signature and provide an easy formfactor to get into and clearly shows its versatility. It has a large sound that engages the listener and will be a good earphone to get into for your daily sessions. Thanks for taking the time to read .

Penon OS133

Master craftsman at work. The sound guys at Penon have been at it once again with a new cable offering that much like the rest of their line up serves a purpose but now officially their cheapest branded cable.

So a bit of the price slash and this is the value marketing. If you notice on their recent cable offerings being the Penon PAC480, the new ISN G4 and now the Penon OS133. They have an actual price value they mark the item at. I have some insight into what that is about. Unlike how vendors in the Aliexpress market temporarily mark up their cables and then have a sale that really reflects what the real value of the cables are. Penon is just putting it out there what the actual value of the cables they are selling are at for the RP.

I can see the collective eyes rolling here but here me out. I actually did some online research on comparable cables being sold on the express and lo n behold there is a very popular cable maker on the express that sells a very similar cable to the OS133. Similar make up with comparable materials which goes for $88. So the actual RP value at $100 is not too far fetched. But what you are paying to get a set of these new fandangled cables delivered to your doorstep is a bit under $40?

So if the true value on the cables are actually $100, why would anyone sell it for $40? I mean your cousin at the car dealership will give you a better deal vs that random car salesman right? But Penon is not your cousin. Could be due to the sign of the times. Could be due to fan service.

Truth be told, if whatever item your making does not sell then what good is it? Whatever the case may be, the folks that produce these cables are clearly putting it out there that the sheer value of such cables are in that price range. That would make the new Penon OS133 a great value right?

Lets find out,
First off I would like to thank Penon audio for the OS133 sample. It was provided for the purpose of a review. This is how I perceive the cables and what they do on various in- ears I tried them on. If you find that you would like a nice upgraded cable for your earphones, you can buy a set for you at said discount on their Penon sales page here.

In simple terms if the cable we are talking about is the same material as something that is included with a lot of your earphones, OFC is pretty much standard type copper cable at a bare minimum of cables for the industry. Then how can they be an actual upgrade right? An upgrade on a cable is justifiable for two reasons. If you feel your included cables on your IEMS for whatever the reason may be, just don’t cut it. Most included cables have their limitations, some are better than others of course and just because you're spending a lot on an IEM doesn't necessarily mean the cable that was included optimizes the sound of that particular IEM. Believe me this is more the case than not.

For the most part manufacturers do what they can to provide the best they can for the price point but getting that nice sounding IEM to sound even better is always worth the effort to track down a well matching sonic enhancing cable. Of course the other reason is to maximize the power output and sound of your sources using a balanced cable. If you need a balanced cable to take advantage of the balanced out from your sources. This is how I got into buying up various cables myself.

That was when I realized, cables make much more of a difference than I could have imagined. Case in point the OS133 is one of the more rare thinner designed cables from Penon. The reason why most Penon cables are thicker, OS849 shown here for comparison for example.

Thicker cores/ more shares of material usually adds a thicker wider sound profile to what you’re hearing on your IEMS. The OS133 is one of Penons thinner IEM cables, their thinnest cable being their pure silver Penon Neo cables.

So by that observation does that mean the OS133 brings out a thinner sound profile? Here is where a cable alchemy does not conform to what was once conceived as being the case. I will say it is usually true that thinner cables do not enhance the stage like thicker cables. The OS133 here is an outlier.

During my encounters with many of you who have read my cable reviews. I have come across many folks that have told me they want and like thinner cables vs the bulky 8-16 core type cables. I get it, you're the type that don't want the cable to add any weight to the earphones and want that easier usability with more flexibility. The OS133 is calling your name. You can’t expect the perfect IEM cable at the price range but thinner well designed cables are more rare than thicker ones nowadays.

The cable is made out of a silver plating on OFC or oxygen free copper, consisting of 2 cores, each core using 133 shares of the material then all wrapped up in a tightly knit nylon sleeving.
The all black look is enhanced by the gold plated copper accessories with black carbon fiber that makes the OS133 look premium. The y splitter, chin slider, connector and terminations are taken from Penon’s highest end cables the storm.

Unlike most nylon covered cables, the OS133 is quite flexible and pliable due to it being a thinner lighter cable. One negative of being a thinner cable however is that they are more prone to tangle when wound up using the 3 finger method. This will be the case for any thinner cable not just the OS133. But not a big deal to be honest. Just be careful unwinding your cable and earphone when using it and you're golden. The gold plated copper accessories end up being heavier than the cable itself and the looks of them with a black and gold motif is nice nonetheless.

The OS133 cable does not scream to you or me, high end. After all, I have numerous cables that come packed with an earphone that uses very similar materials. However, that is really about the only similarities you will notice. On paper it is the same stuff but when you actually use the OS133. That is when you will notice what the OS133s are all about.

These have the one aspect going for them that are clearly evident of more higher end cables. That is the idea of expanding your sound. Going from the stock cables that come with the IEMs I tested them on. ISN H50, ISN EST50, Reecho SG-01 OVA, Yanin Canon and the NF audio NE4 with the OS133. It was consistent across the board, there is a difference I noticed especially for sound stage aspects for each of the earphones I tested them with. How can that be? These don’t show the expansiveness of pure silver or cables that are included with much higher end IEMS but if you compare them to most earphone cables that come packed with budget and midfi level IEMs. This expansion of sound seems to be what these cables are about.

The cables influence tonal qualities that lean it toward copper in how they help produce sound. Natural, slightly smoother and warmer in how it influences the sound supporting the dynamic aspect of your earphones, meaning bass and mids especially will be full on and enhanced. The silver plating is always helpful for the cable to be more transparent. Based on my prior findings of how the stage expands with a thicker cable. Call me completely surprised, these act like they are thicker cables but only use 2 thinner cores.

The OS133 does not enhance treble and details like a pure silver cable, but at the same time does not take away any detail here either. It doesn’t smooth out trebles and or thicken the sound quite like a pure copper cable but that stage enhancing ability is noticeable. The cable gives a very natural balanced tonal quality across the sound spectrum of the earphones they are attached to, plus adds that stage enhancement element. Greater width, better depth of sound, more air around instruments and set pieces you're listening to. Due to that stage enhancing ability vocals and instruments sound more rangy giving your earphones an injection of dynamism. Bass emphasis is full on, mids showing more space with a clean treble delivery.

Your earphones will sound like your earphones but now with a greater spacious sound. This whole stage and space enhancing ability is usually the effects from much higher end cables but to get that in a sub $40 set was unexpected. Again it is not to the degree of something like Penons own Totem or Mix cable but sound clearly opens up and expands using this cable.

Sometimes we want a cable to not change the sound qualities in our earphones. But extra space and a roomier stage? Who doesn’t want that? I noticed when using the OS133 on various IEMs they add a slightly weightier tonal character to your IEMs meaning the copper element is where the OS133 seems to lean more on. The ISN H50 for example going back and forth from their stock cable the ISN S8. The sound immediately gets greater note weight with a more spacious and deeper sound.

And it wasn’t due to going from single ended to balanced. It was a head to head comparison connecting the housings to the cables in balanced using the same set of symbio W tips. This testing method was done over and over again with each earphone I tried them on and it was consistent every time. I noticed these cables are fairly comparable to the included cable that comes with the Yanyin Canons. But once again shows a slight widening of stage. NE4 sounds absolutely superb using these cables and there is really no comparison to how their cheaper included SPC cable does in comparison.

Another aspect I noticed was that these don't emit cord noise as much as some other nylon covered cables I own. I was always under the assumption that nylon covered cables will emit more sound than standard PVC covered cables. It is not exactly dead silent but it is much more acceptable vs your standard nylon covered cable. The wires are obviously more flexible due to utilizing less cores and of course has a thinner profile than most standard IEM cables.

Overall
The OS133 is a great little cable, It doesn’t neuter any of your sound details and traits of your earphone if anything it will enhance them adding a moderate stage and space element. They enhance a natural tonal character, supporting a bit more the bass and mids qualities with a clean treble. The OS133 is a superb tool like a clean window to view your sound, especially in balanced form. Earphones with a bit leaner mid range and bass will do well with the OS133. Earphones needing a bit of stage and space enhancement will do well with the OS133. It is very versatile in how they work. The material and workmanship is of a high quality and not to mention will enhance any earphone they are attached to. Penon got another winner of a cable here especially if you take a premium to thinner style good looking cables. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Reecho SG-01 OVA edition

One of the bigger surprises for me last year was the onset of some truly well-done budget offerings by Reecho. The SG-03 is an all-metal sub bass focused v shaped tuned earphone done right and even more surprising was the cheaper SG-01. Even though at $40 the SG-01 was their intro budget offering, the SG-01 turned out to be the better-balanced dynamic earphone vs the bass specialist SG-03. The SG-01 was for me one of the best budget IEMS I have heard all year. Just my opinion but not too many earphones for the bucks will give you the sound of these two earphones.

Fast forward to today and the SG-01 gets a newer version now called the OVA SG-01. This new single dynamic IEM has a few upgraded components as well as a slight tuning tweak to enhance the sonics of the new OVA version. The new OVA SG-01 now has an upgraded 7micron thick 10mm graphene composite dynamic as well as using a stronger magnet in the N52 vs the N50 used in the prior version. It also gets a new upgraded 5N 96 strands of silver-plated OCC cable for greater transparency. Tuning now has better optimization for its treble and mids while retaining similar bass ability of the older SG-01. The zinc alloy acoustic cavity is an all-metal build with a new electric blue color.

Standardly proclaimers. The OVA SG-01 was provided for the purpose of a review by Penon Audio. You can get yourself a set here. They have been burned in for a period of a week and are now ready for evaluation using my sources. IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, IBasso DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021, Ibasso PB3, IFI Black Label for amping.

The new OVA version even before burning in had a slightly cleaner sound tuning vs the standard SG-01 most evident in the treble area. Its treble has better articulation and definition while not more emphasized. The balancing is clearly there; the tuning is not all that different from the standard SG-01 but somehow these minor tweaks all come together and make for an upgraded version.

If you have never experienced a Reecho made earphone. The $49 OVA SG-01 is more than an introduction of their sound. It is what they can do with a nicely resolving graphene dynamic. As I mentioned in the original SG-01 review. These earphones have nothing to do with an intro level sound. Reecho now has a catalog of earphones they have made and even though the older SG-01 and the new OVA version are both well priced in the budget category. Drive them correctly with the right cable and tips and you will not think they sound anywhere close to the price you paid for a set. As much as prior budget single dynamics goes. These sound markedly more dynamic sounding than any of the Tin Hifi offerings being sold at this price as a frame of reference. Well that is unless you're into your no bass neutral bright signatures.

It goes without saying but budget offerings are not going to be known for their included accessories, however the OVA SG-01 and their prior SG-01s are the exceptions. You're not just getting a decent variety of silicone tips here, 3 sets or 9 pairs to be exact. But each set of tips actually has an effect on the sound of the SG-01 and are not just throw-in tips you are more accustomed to at this price level. It seems Reecho has done some actual tip rolling and listening on the behalf of the consumer to figure out what works best for the sound of the SG-01. These were the same set of tips provided from their prior SG-01. Why change a good thing right? Here is what I mean.

These three sets all have varying sizes of openings and varies in silicone thickness and make up from one another.

The most narrow bored gray colored tips are equivalent in nozzle opening and function to something like Sony hybrids and or Final E tips. These lessen the treble perception a touch bringing out a more forward mids presentation. Vocal tips? If you want the mids to be the focus of the OVA. These are the tips to try.

The medium bored colored stemmed tips, the stems of these tips are thicker in makeup but again moderate in opening. About the same as the very popular Symbio W tips with a similar shape. These produce the best focused bass presentation, mids are not as focused as the prior mentioned gray narrow bored tips and also has a moderate amount of treble emphasis. These are a happy medium vs the other two tips in what it does but also has the best bass presentation. Balanced bass tips?

Finally we have the clear wide bored silicone tips. These are very similar to Azla sendafit or JVC spiral dot tips. These seem to enhance the treble and slightly for the bass with the widest open mid range presentation from the OVA SG-01 hence giving the widest sound presentation as a side effect. Imaging seems to be the best out of the 3 tips used. These tips inject a bit of air and stage vs the other two. Transparent treble tips?

WUT!!??Actual tips that not only affect the sound but meshes with the SG-01 to your liking? No need to use your own aftermarket tips? Since when have you seen a budget offering actually include not one but 3 different sets of tips that optimizes the sound of the IEM it is attached to? That is quite refreshing to be honest. ( A note to other manufacturers. Tips don’t cost much but here is a rare case where Reecho clearly gave it some careful thought with some trial and error. This does make a difference for the end user in a positive way. Kudos to Reecho for not just throwing in some random set of tips. )

Then there is the new upgraded OCC silver plated cable. A more transparent better quality cable vs their prior cable provided on the older SG-01. A more transparent cable, some added massaging for its tuning, an upgraded driver with a stronger magnet and you get a nice little upgrade on the original SG-01.

Going back and forth from the standard version vs the new OVA. The sound balancing/ tuning is identical but now with a slightly better treble and mids definition. Yes and this is going back and forth from the original SG-01 vs the OVA version using the same source, same cable and same tips. This being said I still think the original version easily holds its own for being $10 less but hey if you can afford $10 more. Then why not? Truth be told, you can get fairly close to the new OVA version just using a better cable and the right tips on the older SG-01. So the new OVA version is not drastically different. More similar than anything sonically.

The all metal shells are solid in form and build. The form factor is a smaller side of medium in physical size and so far the new color scheme seems to have a rock solid finish. No scratches or marks during casual use and putting the earphones into the case. The isolation is roughly average for metal builds but not the best when it comes to passive isolation. Overall there is not much to complain about for the OVA in build or form factor. If I remember correctly it was the cable that was included on the older SG-01 I had an issue with. The cable did nothing for the SG-01 sound. The new cable is clearly upgraded and is much more proper to the sound of the new OVA version. Quite thin in build and simple but some folks love their thin cables. As a side note, yes the OVA does well with your aftermarket cables.

Sound
OVA SG-01 is a balanced v with a u mixed signature. Which seems to be the house tuning for Reecho. Has a moderate upper mid presence that brings a clean yet natural tonal quality to the SG-01. Versatile in its balance and dynamic in its bass presence. The OVA SG-01s technical aspects are well above average at the price point. Sound separation, imaging, timbre and stage are all quite good in their abilities for using a single dynamic. The dynamic earphone has seen so many releases you might be saying. OK yet another one? But if they are tuned this well and have this type of balanced versatility. Then why not.

Trebles.
Treble presentation has a moderate amount of emphasis for the lower treble to mid trebles and then gradually lessens in emphasis toward the upper trebles. Trebles have good balance with surprising extension. To be honest the difference in treble emphasis from the original is really not much different. Where the difference that I can hear has to do with treble articulation. Treble now has a more realistic sustain and attack vs the prior SG-01. The treble on the new OVA has a bit more tonal range and I don't know if it is due to the newer upgraded dynamic or the upgraded magnet, maybe the combo of both. Either way, unless you're actually doing a head to head against both sets like I did. You are less likely to hear a clear difference. The differences only seem to appear on well recorded tracks with clean treble recordings.

Overall the treble detail is slightly cleaner vs the prior version and does not show much in the way of glare or sibilance. It does have a mild 8khz peak that some might take some issue with but it is nothing like the older Tin Hifi earphones where treble sticks out. Its treble character is ever so slightly on the bright side but again nothing to make you fast forward an EDM or your rock tracks. Its detail level for the treble here is clean, its articulation and transients as good as it gets in the price range. Besides that mild 8Khz peak there is really nothing to complain about on the treble end. Treble can sound airy and with a good rangy tonal character. Depending on how sensitive you are to the treble region the OVA SG-01 provides some really nice silicone tips to help lessen or open up that sound tuning of the SG-01 to your liking. Can’t say that about any other earphone I have reviewed anywhere around this price range. None to be exact.

Mids
Much like the treble aspects having a bit more in the way of tonal range and definition, so does the mids of the OVA version. Its Instrumental timbre has good accuracy, lacking that final bit of weight and nuance of higher end in ears. For the price however, it is about as good as it gets for timbre. Vocals are done well showing an impressive dynamic range but due to a central mid dip has a mildly thinner note weight for some male vocals. Female vocals and stringed instruments seem to fare better for the OVA SG-01. Mids sound relatively spacious from left to right in your auditory presentation but lack a bit of depth hence not having the best dimensional sound. I suppose you can’t expect that on a $50 earphone so for what it is, I will gladly take it. But this is more or less nitpicking. Mids have that emotive roomy quality you want to hear from a proper sounding IEM and the OVA has a good fundamental layering of the mid bands.

It has ample upper mid presence with no shoutiness. Has a moderate note weight combined with very good imaging. Its upper mids have more emphasis vs the lower mids in the tuning but nothing that will make you think the mids are too unbalanced or one sided. Its tonal character here is clean yet natural showing just a hint of warmth. The mid bands benefit from the upper mid lift of the OVA, which shows in the way of vocal and instrument highlights. While the mids does not have the dimensional sound aspect of a more resolving higher end dynamic earphone presentations, it easily makes up for this aspect with a rangy tonal quality that is about as good as it gets for the price.

Bass
Is the strong suit for the Reecho IEMs and here the OVA version has identical bass presence vs their prior SG-01. Bass leans a touch more sub bass focused vs mid bass but has equal parts of well timed impact and good low end sub bass rumble. The strength of the carbon based composite dynamic would be for its bass end and the OVA here shows good ability for the region. Here is where these budget Reechos really separate themselves from the rest of the dynamic crop in the price range. The bass end of the OVA is fantastic. It clearly shows versatility for any music with a low end emphasis.

It has enough bass to actually put the SG-01 into the fun category in sound but is not overly pronounced, it is well controlled and gifted. The bass end here has no business being at this price level. Truth be told I have earphones that cost way more that don’t have this bass. If you're a fan of having good bass emphasis for your earphone sound tunings, the OVA is just the ticket. It's not too much and certainly not too little.

You don’t have to worry about a wooly uncontrolled sloppiness or Un emphasized limp weakness. None of that applies to the OVA bass. If your tunes have bass, you're gonna get a very good textured impactful bass. You can’t expect world class bass presentation from a $50 phone but you can expect good bass in all forms from the OVA. The bass end of the OVA is not the final word in speed, tightness or texture but hey what do you want for your $50? I can safely say the OVA SG-01 will actually be pretty much the best you can get for bass for quality and ability at the price point.

In the end
The OVA SG-01 is a revision of one of their more affordable in-ears. Its natural tonal character with well perceived dynamics does wonders for its sound presentation. It has a surprisingly technically proficient versatile yet fun tuning, has good energy and presence that lets you enjoy the vast majority of music types and genres. The OVA scales well to more powerful sources but is efficient enough to be run through with your phone.

Reecho has done something that most manufacturers ignore and that is the included tip selection that actually makes a difference. If you're looking for a budget set and are a fan of good bass, a versatile sound and are looking for something you can actually enjoy your music with without too much fuss, these are not only affordable but a good solid value at the price point. I can’t recommend a set highly enough at the price. If I was to put a price value for the included tips alone, they are easily worth the asking price for the OVA SG-01 by themselves. Overall, this one is an easy recommendation to folks that take a stock to well tuned, well designed dynamic earphones at a very affordable price. As always, thanks for taking the time to read.

Tansio Mirai Sands

The company that keeps on making high quality in ears brings to the masses their very first traditional hybrid. Composed of a new 10mm bass dynamic, 2 Sonion BAs for mids, 1 Knowles BA for the highs. All in a compact medium sized resin shell. Well vented for the bass complete with 3 tuning switches that mildly boosts the region they are taxed with. If you have never heard of Tansio Mirai or have heard any of their offerings. Tansio Mirai started out making arguably some of the best all BA designs.

The new Sands are a departure from the traditional TSMR shell molds of their past BA designs. The new shells have a few differences, its shape is more traditional semi-custom in form and the nozzle now has a proper lip to retain tips. Prior shell nozzles did not. This little added aspect of the new shell design is worth noting as the prior shell nozzles just had a straight nozzle. The issue with prior shell design was that sometimes tips would slip farther down the nozzle than I would have liked or not fit at all. This new design fixes the one real quibble of their prior shell designs.

The shells are more compact in form, a smaller medium sized all Resin filled cavity design with a nice vent for the bass dynamic on the backside of the shells. The Sands shells are finished off with a nice-looking clear yellow/gold flake face plate and 3 tuning switches.

The rest of the included stuff is their smallish square white faux leather zip up case, several sets of silicone tips, 2 different switch tools, cleaning brush, and their newly developed silver-plated OCC cable. You can purchase the cable in balanced terminations when ordering otherwise they come in single ended.

A word about the cable. This cable Tansio has provided is a nicely resolving well balanced cable in what it does but due to the highly detailed nature of the Sands tuning I do recommend doing some cable rolling for the best synergy for the Sands. The included cable is certainly a good product and is a much better cable than what was provided with TSMR earphones in the past. It is a thinner version of the cable on Tansios flagship Akibas. However, the cable match up here is subjectively not the best with the Sands. Of course, this is just my opinion. I highly recommend a more copper based cable for added fullness and warmth to add to the tonal character of the Sands.

ISN G4 cable shown.

Standardly disclaimers: The Sands was provided by Penon audio for the purpose of a review. If you feel the need to add to your collection one of the best $300 plus earphones for its type in the market, you can get yourself a set here. The Sands was burned in for a period of a week straight and are now ready for evaluation using my sources. Ibasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s line out to IBasso PB3m IBasso DX160, Sony ZX300 and IFI Black Label for amping.

Tansio Mirai has emerged as a premiere IEM maker/ designer. Their earphones are all of the highest quality standards and consistency. I am most definitely lucky to have had the opportunity to review and hear most of their best IEMS. They all have differences in their sounds of course but the one consistency is their quality. There is no question what you're getting for your hard-earned bucks when it comes to a Tansio Mirai earphone. I have yet to read about or experience any type of negative when it comes to their builds or their designs. The tunings and sounds of course are all subjective but the consistency of a quality solid built product is clearly there.

The Sands represent the group's very first actual dynamic infused hybrid. They recently ventured out of the TSMR all BA designs and have dabbled in a tribrid in the higher end Lands and several flagship level EST infused hybrids BA + EST designs in the Sparks and their newest flagship the Akiba.

I remember when I did a review of their TSMR-3 pros a long time ago thinking just how great that earphone would have sounded with a nice dynamic thrown in there handling the bass for the earphone. Lo n behold not only are the Sands just this but it is clearly a leap in performance from those TSMR-3 pros as well. The design of the Sands incorporates 3 sound bores that emanate the parts of the sounds they are taxed with. Bass is separated from the mid bands which again is separated from the treble. Love this design for multiple driver IEMS as I feel this design not only makes sense but actually has an effect of cleanly separating the sound bands better than utilizing a single tube. This design is more common in much higher end flagship level IEMs, the results of the 3 bored design comes through with a highly detailed reference like level of technicalities.

The sound
Sands have a clear w shaped signature due to the bass, upper mids and mid trebles playing a role in their sound signature but this time around the tuning here is more of a reference tuned detailed analytical sound signature. These share some sound traits from much higher end Tansio offerings including the bass end of the Lands and the treble of the TSMR-6 and mids of their flagship Sparks.

A note about analytical signatures. There is a stigma attached to such tunings and signatures that don’t really seem to garner a favorable ideal sound type signature among enthusiasts. Of course if that is the type of tunings you like then there is no problem with that but for the rest of the enthusiasts out there.. You see the word analytical and it is an immediate nope for me. To these folks I say hold on partner. There is more to analytical than just a bright signature. Let me explain what is happening with the Sands here and you can make a judgment call for yourselves. Please read on.

The technicals
A stand out aspect of the Sands signature is how detailed they are and when I say detailed, I mean being able to pick off macro and micro details even with slight tonal nuances of every mid to high notes. Utilizing two Sonion BAs that work together for the mid bands in conjunction with a Knowles treble BA. The Sands have a much higher level of resolving detail that is some of the best, if not the best I have heard at the price point. There are a few earphones I can think of that come closer to the Sands for their detail aspects at the price point, the old Dunu DN2000J, Ibasso IT04 and the recent Yanyin Canons comes to mind, but as a whole package, I can honestly say the Sands are unequaled for its sonically chiseled detail retrieval.

Sound separation mentioned from above is clearly a stand out. For nicely recorded orchestral pieces or live music sets you can hear exactly where the instruments and vocals lie in a moderately large spacious field you’re hearing. It has good depth but more importantly very good height of sound all within a nicely encompassing medium wide sound field. Nuanced and layered well beyond what was achievable from yester years earphones and very competitive in these aspects to much more expensive in ears.

You get a rich yet slightly brighter, clean tonal character from the mids which is capped off by a very detailed treble end. The highly detailed treble presentation is done by a highly specialized Knowles treble BA. Instrument separation is most definitely above average for typical hybrids on the Sands due to the two BAs firing off in unison. The spacious nature of the sound, images in a way that you probably have not heard at this price range. If you take a premium for pinpoint precision in your sound presentation, with high levels of detail for your music, the Sands is properly named as much like each small piece of grain that makes a Sand pile. You will hear every individual piece of instrument that makes up the music you're hearing.

At the $300 price level, your typical hybrid IEM will present some good technical aspects that are above average, but the Sands here are for folks that take a premium for outstanding technical aspects and will absolutely love the Sands sound presentation. However there is a caveat to how technical the sound is. I will cover that in my final statement.

Treble.
Is clearly separated from the mid bands due to the treble BA outputting sound out of one of the three sound tubes. This and the treble tuning has a mid treble shelf from 7Khz all the way to roughly 9 Khz. That is 2K, khz of treble coverage in the most sensitive treble area for earphone tunings. Most IEMs will have a spike around these regions for better presence, but the Sands have a moderately boosted shelf. The result is you get treble detail that is not too common at this price range. Treble details are highlighted more so than treble outputting through a single tube mixed with the mids and bass. Treble imaging is heightened due to this design. Treble emphasis is slightly greater than the mids for the Sands. Treble has a very good extension and its tonal character has a roundness/ substance to the treble notes which is something I am not accustomed to hearing at this price range. On much higher end IEMs Yes, but certainly not at the asking price of the Sands. The treble being nicely separated; it has air around the treble notes with easy to hear micro detailing. Folks that love them some full range trebles will love how the Sands portray treble.

However, the Sands full range treble presentation can come off as being slightly aggressive but this is where source and cable matchups play a crucial role in getting the Sands to where you want it. If you get the wrong synergy with the wrong cable and source match up. ( Do not use neutral bright sources and or pure silver cables for example) The Sands can sound aggressive for its treble presentation. If I was to nitpick I would have liked a bit less treble presence by a few dbs especially at the 7-8khz mid treble area. But for what is on there, out of my Ibasso DX300Max and using an aftermarket. ISN G4 cable it is pure ( bliss )

I am going to tell each and every one of you reading this you will have never heard anything like the Sands at this price range achieve the sound they are capable of. It has absolutely no business at the price level it is being sold at. I have done reviews and own some of Tansios highest end earphones. The Lands, the TSMR-6, TSMR-10, Sparks and Akibas. And I would put the sound quality level right around with these much higher end Tansio Mirai earphones. The Sparks and Akiba are both north of $1500 dollars in price point.

This being said the treble here is like a double edge sword. If you are highly sensitive to detailed treble presentations, I would look elsewhere but for folks that want that detail in their treble with ideally extended, tight, rangy, sparkly, sizzly, speedy, crisp, it has a full on treble with zero roll off showing a full gamut of treble character, airy and dimensional to its fullest. The Sands are for you.

However this treble presentation comes with a bit of that analytical stigma attached. A lot of the detail properties for the Sands comes from the treble region hence micro details will be clearly heard. The full treble end of the Sands are a bit much for recordings with too much saturation to begin with. Sands are brutally non forgiving of poorly recorded music. Rock, metal, EDM and some Pop music. They do amazingly well with more instrumental vocal, older analogue recordings in fact you can say the Sands specialize in it. But the catch there is, anything overly emphasized for the treble to begin with will be highlighted, you're going to hear every bit of the details in the recording including its flaws. The Sands do not gloss over anything.

The mids.
The Sands have put to good use two Sonion BAs for its mids. If you use the wrong cable not only the trebles are affected, so are the mids. The mids using the stock cable are relaxed a bit not overly forward but due to ample upper mid pinna gain, vocals are clearly highlighted. Female vocals especially sound stupendous out of the Sands. The mids imaging is worth noting as you're going to get impeccable imaging and precision that is really difficult to hear at this price range. The mids body of sound is moderate in emphasis with a tonal character that can sound slightly bright but once again with the right cable the mids tonality is corrected and sounds superbly natural in the process. Shows hints of that organic rich tonal character Sonion BAs are known for. Mids have somewhat of a scoop for its central mid band but nothing that is egregious.

Some male vocals are not as forward sounding vs female vocals using the Sands but the reference level of clarity in conjunction with its highly technical presentation makes up for any lack of presence in the region. This is another reason why I mention aftermarket cables for the Sands. If you were not a cable believer before. The Sands will make you into a believer. Due to the highly resolving character of the Sands presentation. You will notice differences using cables more than any other earphone you have ever used a cable on. My friendly advice is you want to use a cable that retains its technical aspects and adds some warmth and fullness to the tonal quality while smoothing out the treble area. Will show some pics of what I ended up using for its final sound at the end of the read.

Reference like in clarity, it's overall clean tonal presence with that high level sound imaging, sound separation and you get a euphoric listening experience that achieves much greater results than you would imagine. Instrumental timbre while BA in nature does a great job reproducing a nuanced sound if not just a bit edgy due to how chiseled the sound can be. Stringed instruments especially sound superb. The Sands are a euphoric analytical sound tuning. With well recorded material the Sands will dissect and portray every bit of that recording at every layer of that sound.

Ample upper mid pinna gain means instruments and vocals will be highlighted clearly. Showing excellent sound separation, it will be the orchestral and instrumental scores that will shine with the Sands presentation. Vocals are at a fine line of being emphasized but not exactly shouty at the same time. Again it will come down to how well the vocal track was recorded. Overly saturated material will come through and make something like EDM sound slightly harsh at times. So the Sands are not perfect for every genre. It straddles a fine line of detail and brightness but the trade off is so well worth it when you get the right synergy with the right matching parts to its sound chain.

Bass
Standing tall, right with the technical aspects you get a bass end to match. Bass is proper on the Sands. Here is where a bit of that Lands dynamic bass character comes through on the Sands. One of the biggest surprises for me was when Tansio announced they were making a tribrid with a new 10mm dynamic on the Lands. The Sands dynamic is very much identical to the Lands bass in both performance and emphasis. Having roughly 8dbs of enhanced bass from flat neutral, it is the goldilocks of bass emphasis with excellent presence in both mid to lower sub bass with zero roll off. I was not given any information about the dynamic being used on the Sands but if I was a guessing man just based on its performance the dynamic here sounds identical to the Lands bass end and that is certainly not a bad thing.

Bass is what you would expect from a specialized bass dynamic. It is moderate in emphasis, a full on punchy bass end digging in deep for bass. Its attack and speed is just ever so slightly slower and not as chiseled as the rest of the sound signature but that is due to using two completely different types of drivers being used. While the speed is not exactly perfectly aligned with the mids and treble BA it does a fine job keeping up with the rest of the sound and sounds great doing it. Bass emphasis is enhanced a bit with the 1 switch on. The benefit there is that bass genres sound proper with the switch in the on position. This doesn’t add a big boost or anything like that but it does enough for the bass end to hold their own against a highly detailed IEM sound presentation.

Bass has solid definition, is tight and punchy with a rangy tonal quality that clearly shows it is capable. Hence you get a very good tonally and timbrally accurate bass end to the Sands overall sound quality that caps off an amazing sound experience. A euphoric analytical sound signature with very good bass? Yes it can be done, I know it is not common to read about anything analytical with good bass. I mean how can they coexist? Your traditional analytical sound signature means the bass is neutral right? Nope the Sands bass end has some of the best quality capable bass I have heard on anything close to its price range.

In the end
Tansio Mirai seems to have several different reputations. On one hand there is no question of their solid build and quality using premium drivers to achieve their sound. Tansio Mirai sound signatures have now become what Audio Technica once was in the early 2010s. A bright analytical signature? The Sands ability to pick off details and their highly detailed signature is lovely to hear with the right matching source cables and the right type of music but on the other hand I know due to their treble emphasis it will make some folks that are sensitive to highly detailed treble presentations hesitate to take a leap into getting a set. And this is the point where I will make a suggestion to Tansio Mirai.

There is nothing wrong with highly detailed monitors in what we all perceive as a higher end sound tuning however, I want to challenge Tansio Mirai to really look into their treble tunings of earphones past and present. If a person has to make sure they have the right source, cable and tips for optimal sound. To be fair this is what I do with every earphone I listen to anyhow but for the Sands to have a semblance of versatility and influence the final sound to have more musicality this is an absolute requirement.

What is that saying about the earphone design? For folks that look at these reviews to get a good idea of how they sound should know exactly what they are in for before purchasing but at the same time. I have other highly detailed earphones that show more versatility, out of the box. There is a fine line of too much detail and technical to the point where only well recorded stuff sounds great. I do realize that there are enthusiasts that are looking for just this. I would have liked to see the Sands with a bit less in the treble department especially at around the 8Khz region. As they are, the Sands might be too much for some and very good for others.

Not once have I ever had the need to turn on the treble switch on a single TSMR or Tansio made earphone. They all have pronounced treble presence to begin with. It would have been nice to see an actual change from a smooth easy to listen to treble to a more pronounced treble presence when turning on the switch. Just my opinion but it would have been great to have the current treble presence on the Sands actually be what it is with the switch on and with the switch off have it be 3dbs lower for the treble shelf.

I remember hearing the InEar ProPhile 8 IEM with tuning switches in a similar manner to the Tansio Mirai earphones. But the difference there is that the switch for the treble region is clearly smooth and more neutral when not on and then accented with the switch on. There should actually be two levels there. To be honest I have no idea who will actually feel the need to turn on the switch even if it is just a minor enhancement because there is no need for it at all. In fact the idea of using a copper cable with a warmer source is to smooth out the treble presentation for a more balanced tonal character.

With that being said. Here is the big caveat for folks that are willing to give the Sands a go. You have to truly take your time with them, try your best copper based cables and use a source that has some warmth to its tonality. ( Shanling, IBasso DAPs. IFI source) and you will be golden. It will clearly sound better than anything you have heard at their given price point. If you do all the added aspects for the Sands to get that musical synergy down, you will get that grin from ear to ear because you will have never heard anything sound so good at their price point.

Tuning such an earphone should have a detailed treble without treble glare and even on not so good recordings. The Sands trebles are like a high powered microscope for your music and to a different degree so are the Lands. Some may even say their higher end Sparks were like that. House sound trait? Maybe. And maybe it might be time to look at your “ house sound.” Balance in all things are key especially for sound in my humble opinion and if the tonal character shows brightness then there is too much accented in the regions that accentuate brightness. The Sands can and does sound absolutely spectacular but it comes with that huge caveat. One where you have to have the right source, cable and tips to match up. But are you willing to do all that? Heck I already know some of you reading this have nothing to do with cable rolling and don’t believe in it.

No matter what type of tuning a manufacturer achieves, it has to be one where universal versatility is the ideal. Not just for the eastern enthusiasts. After all, you're selling to the world not just for Asia. A universal sound should be the new reference in my opinion. The sound has to be versatile as much as possible and in doing so you're reaching out to enthusiasts of all corners of the globe. To me this is what a true reference sound should be about. Why eliminate a chunk of a possible enthusiast base with a tuning only suited for the OCD and the overly sophisticated?

Not everyone will understand the Sands tuning or give them their due time needed to really figure them out. Hence I hope to see a slight change of tuning philosophy from Tansio Mirai in their future products that are not just about sound tunings that are as detailed as possible. Think more universally with a huge broad range of music we are talking about here and focus on sound balancing and I think Tansio will see an emergence of a greater fan base than they can imagine. The Sands are a mind blowing experience but only for folks that are into their highly detailed technical sound tunings that have the right stuff to go along with it. If you ask me if this sound quality is worth doing all that I mentioned on this read? Absolutely, as they say you gotta,”tame the beast.” but for the non sophisticated or the casual listener. You have been warned. Thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

Bonus cable matchups.

Here is what I am using for the best synergy with the Sands.
First matchup is a nice copper based cable from Penon. The PAC480. This cable was what I was using with the Taniso Mirai Lands. And here it has a very similar effect for what it does for the Land to the Sands. The Sands actually benefit greatly with this particular cable as it smoothes that treble shelf of the Sands treble while adding greater note weight to the mids. In balanced form throws out a wider stage than the stock cable to boot.

( As of writing this review. You can now order the PAC480 to go along with the Sands when purchasing. I highly suggest you get a set considering the PAC480 will be highly discounted as a package deal. Worth getting a set for certain.)

I actually tried numerous copper based cables and while most of them did a decent job with the Sands it came down to two cables that stood out to me as being what the Sands needed for proper synergy. Even with cables that cost 6X more than the PAC480. They didn’t do better than the PAC480 for how it meshes with the Sands. If your source is more neutral in signature you plan on using with the Sands. This is the cable I recommend over the ISN G4 which is the other cable I will recommend.

ISN G4.
This pairing is substantial. The PAC480 smooths the treble area better than the G4 here but the G4 makes up for it by not only retaining the technical aspects but actually enhancing some of it like precision and imaging all while adding a more natural tonal character to the Sands sonics. These also have an added effect of enhancing the stage, not to mention the cable color scheme actually matches the yellow, gold flake faceplate on the Sands. For folks that use more warmer tuned sources, this is the cable to get to match up with the Sands. It is a higher grade of cable vs the PAC480 and it shows in its resolving ability. The G4 smooths the treble region a touch but the precision and imaging you get from this cable in conjunction with that warmer source brings a nice higher level of sonics for the Sands. Absolutely mind blowing on my DX300Max.

Tri Wolfram

Premium earphone cables are all about maximizing the sound you are hearing from your favorite IEMs and today we will dive into a new flagship IEM cable from IEM manufacturers Tri audio. These folks have been making premium affordable IEMS and are sold on Aliexpress. I have noticed they have made a few nicer cables that are sold on their website. For the most part these were your standard copper based cables, and one thing I learned is that they do take their cables seriously.

The Wolfram is composed of 4 thicker cores totaling 204 strands of the material of a pure silver base which is then plated/shielded in oxygen free copper. This is the opposite of what you normally see for cables. Most SPC cables are copper cores plated in a silver coating. In doing the opposite of the SPC the new Wolfram boasts some unique sound characteristics that warrant their cost for one but also throws a different take on the silver and copper mix type cable.

With that, I would like to thank Ann of Keephifi for the review sample of the Wolfram. These are new to the market and are pre production units that were provided for the purpose of a review. I have used the Wolfram on various IEMS to learn how the cable affects the base sound of my IEMS. The Wolfram was used for a period of 3 weeks with various IEMS for this review. If you would like to get you a set you can look them up here.

Wolframs build quality is substantial as it is covered with a gray colored nylon cloth covering in a very tight clean weave, they utilize plastic ear guides and an all black metal accessories package in the form of connectors and terminations to cap off the cable build. The form is moderately pliable and does not kink or have any awkward bends to the form. The nylon covering does 2 things, for one it makes the cable very tough and adds a rigidness to the final finish. The other is that it will hide any oxidation of the material being used. The build quality and finish is fairly average if I was to be honest. You're not getting a splashy looking or feeling cable. It has a functional finish and build to it and that is really about it. What makes up for their unsubstantial looks is most definitely how they affect your IEMs.

At the core for the Wolfram you can expect pure silver effects on the sound but what separates the Wolfram from the myriad of other pure silver cables is its copper shielding which affects how that pure silver presents your sound. If you ever wanted just a hint of a smoother, more fluid sound presentation over how pure silver dissects and presents the technical aspects to your IEM sound. The Wolfram is just this.

It's no secret pure silver gives the fastest, purest, and the most transient presentation of sound to your IEMs. This is the reason why some of the highest end audio components all use pure silver. This is why pure silver and silver solder is used on the highest end cables in the market. Expect an enhancement of stage, detail, imaging and separation from using pure silver but with the added plus of the copper plating on that silver. You're now getting a nice musical tilt to that pure silver presentation. Using pure silver on an IEM that already has a high level of detail might not be ideal here because of how revealing pure silver can be. This in turn can lead to sound fatigue as there is such a thing as too much detail. Silver will naturally enhance detail aspects of a sound presentation therefore pure silver may not be the best way to go for these types of IEMs. However what makes the Wolfram different is that they add a bit of a smoother, more mellow tonal character with that highly detailed nature of pure silver that is distinct when using the Wolfram. Going back and forth from lets say KBEARs 8 core pure silver cable the limpid to the Wolfram. Yes the price difference is substantial but so are the gains in what the Wolfram represents.

Pure silver cables when it comes to music have to be connected to the right IEM or headphones for best synergy. Truth is most of my cables are copper based and I have a few pure silver ones but the pure silver cables I actually prefer has some added element to it like half copper or one I have reviewed in the past covered in 24k gold. While pure silver will bring out the best detail of any IEM it is attached to, the negative aspect of this presentation is that sound can become a bit sterile, a bit too etched, a bit unforgiving using pure silver. This will all depend on what your sound priorities are, if you're the type that likes the cleanest, most detailed and technical sound presentation possible. I have always said in the past, a good set of pure silver cables should always be a part of an IEM collectors stable.

Connecting back to the Wolfram and all the benefits of the pure silver element to your sound will be in place. You're not going to get a lesser technical sound vs the pure silver cable but now your sound becomes somehow smoother, more fluid, a bit more mellow in tonal character of sound. I noticed I am hearing a better texture of sound vs the standard pure silver. Ultimately a more musical fluid silver sound presentation. This smoother, more mellow silver sound means you can have your cake and eat it too. Meaning these are now very versatile to use on just about any type and any tuning style of IEM.

If you wanted to keep that multi BA presentation with high levels of imaging and depth to your music but didn’t like how clinical your music can sound at times. The Wolfram will be a good match up. The technical aspects to an earphone sound is enhanced using the Wolfram but does not portray those elements in a clinical or analytical manor that pure silver can do at times. Music has a body and texture with a smoothness that is not present in your standard pure silver. This element brings a more versatile pure silver. A cable you can use with highly detailed multi BA earphones as well as your dynamic IEMs with good resolving ability.

Tested on the Aurora. The sound comes alive with a detail and imaging with a much more expansive stage yet sounds completely natural in the process. Wolfram is without a doubt, one of the best aftermarket cables at the price point I have tried thus far. I think these folks are onto something a bit unique in cable land and maybe they have come up with a formula that reigns in that analytical aspect of silver that makes music sound more natural.

The Wolfram is a prime example of bringing out something different that ends up working better than you would imagine. A copper shielded silver cable? Ya instead of the SPC you're getting the opposite. I think Tri Audio is onto something here. If you thought your pure silver cables made your earphones sound a bit too analytical but loved what it did for the technical aspect of your sounds. Give the Wolfram a go. It will change your perception on pure silver cables. If you feel pure silver cables does nothing to add a more musical smoother flavor to your sound like pure copper cables do. Give the Wolfram a go. Again it will change your perception of pure silver cables or pure copper cables for that matter. I feel this cable is more than just a hybrid or a mixed type cable. Which silver enhances the copper element of the SPC type cable. The Wolfram is the opposite in that it is the musical fullness of a smoother copper presentation that enhances the pure silver element of the Wolfram. There is a distinct difference from the opposite or the SPC variety of cables.

In the end the Wolfram is a nicely realized boutique level cable that has a good build, good looks and more importantly a unique sound property. It shows a versatility that you can’t get with just pure silver and that is what makes the Wolfram succeed. If you take the best aspects of pure silver and what pure silver does for sound and then add a smoother, more fluid finish to its presentation that is in effect what the Wolfram does. I think perhaps the best justification of a higher end IEM cable is if you clearly hear advancements to your sound you know going from the stock cable to something like the Wolfram. Yes you will hear a clear difference this time. You will notice and enhancement of stage in all directions, imaging, detail sound separation just like silver does but now somehow the tonal character will be smoother, less etched and more liquid in presentation. I can say the Wolfram was a big surprise to me as I never thought the copper shielding over pure silver would make that much of a difference. A difference it clearly makes. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Tri Onyx

Earphone cables are as numerous as the earphones they are connected to, probably even more so with greater variations of the cables than you would imagine. But there is so much you can do with copper and or silver and the combination thereof and just because your earphone manufacturers throw in a cable that looks and feels similar to these aftermarket cables. I can assure you there is a reason why the industry has thrived on selling the aftermarket cable. There is a clear reason why these cables cost the way they do and why you are seeing the growth of the IEM cable industry.

The Onyx is a brand new cable from Tri audio and the idea with the aftermarket cables like the Onyx is to provide a plus for your earphone. “The plus.” is that with the right match up to your earphones you will get one better than what was provided out of the box from the earphone manufacturers and I am not talking about just looks but more importantly, the sound.

Being an earphone reviewer, I can honestly say it is rare to see an included cable with an earphone package that actually optimizes the absolute best sound that is coming from the earphones and that is at all levels of earphones not just the budget sector. Unless your paying a lump sum of money for a top of the line flagship model which throws in a stupid expensive cable adding to the bottom line cost of the IEM. I would say a good 90% of all earphones just provide the bare minimum for a cable that while doesn’t limit the sound of the earphone they are attached to but does not do anything to really optimize the sound either.

In many cases I have had cables that actually enhance the worst aspects of an earphone sound, be it a cable that enhances treble that is already very detailed to begin with or a bad matching warm copper cable included with a bassy IEM. Yes there is such a thing as throwing in a bad cable that limits a sound or enhances the bad parts of an earphone sound. More times than not this is the manufacturer not paying attention to how the end product actually sounds with the throw in cable included in the box. Believe me, just about everyone is guilty of this at one point or another. Whether this was done intentionally or accidentally, there is the need for aftermarket cables.

Standardly disclaimers. The Onyx was provided from Ann at keephifi for the purpose of a review. You can read more about the Onyx and can be purchased on Keephifi web site store here. I know burning in cables sounds hokey but I try to get at least a week's worth of run time on the material before doing any real analysis. People already think burning in earphones is a sham. I mean what do they think about cable burn in? In any case. The Onyx was tested using variety of my best earphones and these here are my findings based on perceived changes I am hearing using the Onyx.

The Onyx at its core is a 6 core 252 total strands of silver plated crystal copper sleeved in a shiny black and gold flake PVC coating. These are moderately thick in their substance as an earphone cable and therefore are not as pliable or soft as they could be. The black and gold flake PVC coating makes them a bit stiff actually. I don't know what the effect of the coating on the cable cores will be in the long run after years of use but for now from what I know about this particular finish is that on one hand it is a good looking cable the other is that this particular finish is done to prevent seeing any oxidation of the cables. Usually silver plated copper cables turn color over time but with a black PVC finish they can turn rainbow colored and you won't notice for the better.

Arguably and over all shiny black is easy on the eyes not to mention goth hip, but then they added gold flakes? To be honest I am not sure if the gold flakes on the finish achieved a more premium look. When I first noticed the flakes on the finish I thought it was a flaw in the finish I literally took a cloth to the cable. Never seen gold flakes in the finish of a cable so I will give props to a unique finish at least but a more premium look, that is debatable.

I suppose it is a unique aspect of the Onyx is that the cables are not 100% shiny black however when viewing casually the cable looks more like a flaw in the finish of the Onyx. Flaw or gold flakes it seems to be uniform on all parts of the Onyx. So with that shiny black you also get specs of gold metal flakes for a little bit of an added bling factor to the cable.

No need to color match the Onyx as they will match with everything. They are like your one pair of black jeans for your wardrobe. My first experience with the Onyx was on the KBEAR Aurora earphones which comes with a stock cable that is similar in design to the Onyx. Once switched out to the Onyx I can tell right away the sound was better and more expansive. My impressions of what the cables do here is based on how they perform vs the stock cable the manufacturers include.

The reason for the price of the Onyx has to do with its material base as most cables are priced accordingly. Crystal copper cables unto itself is a highly resolving copper cable and one that has some micro properties to its finish that are officially called crystal copper. I happen to own crystal copper cables that cost more than the Onyx so I have a firm idea of how resolving this material is. Next to pure silver it is copper that has the best transmission of sound but one which gives a different, some might consider more natural tonal qualities to sound. While not as expensive or as technical in its presentation as pure silver, the crystal copper material is a much higher end pure copper variety that comes very close to ultra pure copper used for very high end copper cables. Then particular strands are coated in a liquid form of pure silver to enhance its resolving ability even further. Thicker cores translate to thicker sound which is also evident in how the Onyx performs.

How they affect sound.
The Onyx is a classic silver plated copper cable but is using a higher end more resolving crystal copper. Most included cables with earphones are of some type of copper variety and I am seeing more and more silver plated copper cables that are included with some of the nicer earphones being sold. Even over the stock silver plated copper cable of the Aurora with the Onyx the sound clearly expands and has greater note weight and fullness. I can tell the Onyx is a much more resolving cable just by the sound differences I am hearing. And truth be told it isn’t a leap in sound it is more subtle than substantially different. Going back n forth yes I can tell the sound expands giving the Aurora a weightier, deeper and expansive sound profile.

The idea of silver plating on a crystal copper cable is to enhance what crystal copper does. A more resolving copper cable on one hand but at the same time it is clearly not a pure silver cable or a pure copper one. In combining the two in a seamless cable. Silver aspects of the cable support the technical aspects of your sound like imaging, sound separation, detail and stage. The copper has an affect on tonal character, note weight and timbre enhancing mids warmth, bass impact and its texture. Combine the two aspects and you get a cable that is versatile and will match up with just about any type of sound signature you throw the cable on.

For first timers that have never tried matching up their earphones with a more premium cable. It is the SPC or silver plated copper cable that you will do well with. SPC cables are more or less safe to try out as they are the most versatile type of cables in the market. This being said, not all SPC type cables are the same. For example the cable that comes with the KBEAR Aurora is also a silver plated copper cable and you would figure since both the stock cable and the Onyx are using similar materials. This would mean that the Onyx should have a very slight influence on the sound compared to the stock cable. But in reality there is a difference.

Cables are a lot like the TVs you see at the local shops. They all look good but some are cheap and some are much more expensive. Does a $100 cable do better than a $30 one? Most of the time in my experience, yes. I suppose it will come down to trusting a manufacturer of the cable. When I say trust, if you have had products from them in the past that you trust, then more than likely the descriptors of these cables and the idea that they are selling you a higher end item is probably for real. Not to mention the said item should have a positive effect when used with your favorite earphones.

Again going back on the TV analogy. What constitutes the higher cost is their resolution. They all do HD nowadays but now you got ones that show even higher resolution. Colors are more colorful. Blacks are more blacker. This is also the case of the aftermarket cable. The Onyx represents for the group a higher end SPC cable that you will never have to worry will turn color and should prove the test of time. In testing the Onyx on the Aurora IEMs the sound expands to to greater degree also revealing a bit more of the sound the Aurora can do. If you can’t notice changes from one cable to another. It is easier to hear differences when going from a higher end cable and then switching to a lesser stock or the throw in cable.

You will clearly hear what is missing once you adjust to hearing the earphones with the higher end cable. In this case the Onyx stays consistent in what it does with the host of IEMs I tried using them with.

They expand the stage. The resolving ability of the Onyx is on display with every IEM it is attached to. Details are easier to hear, imaging more clearly heard, better sound separation with greater note weight to music. Once you go back to the stock cable all these aspects will be slightly lesser. The one consistent of the Onyx is that it shows the best of both copper and shows a bit of silver properties in how it enhances sound, therefore more versatile in approach vs just being a pure silver or pure copper cable.

Overall the Onyx is a good solid SPC type cable while on one hand it is nothing revolutionary for cables. It sticks to a safe formula with a silver plated resolving copper that will match up well with most types of earphones it is used with. The benefit of having both materials in use here is that it does nothing to drastically change tonal qualities but more so enhance the technical aspects of a sound while enhancing a bit of stage and note weight properties. If your looking for a safe black colored cable that will match well sonically with your IEM the Onyx is certainly a contender at their price point for what it does. As always thanks for taking the time to read.

BQEYZ Autumn

Aha the seasonal earphone. I personally think it is a great thematic idea for an earphone. The idea there is to come up with new designs and tunings with the seasonal naming scheme upon them. BQEYZ has been coming out with newer seasonal offerings and the Autumn while it has been around for a while has garnered fanfare for its design and sound quality. It was my turn to have a listen to the acclaimed Autumn.

Thoughts of bright Autumn colors with a cool breezy air, brisk walks with loved ones and a time to really enjoy the outdoors before the weather turns cold. Speaking of which I have yet to see a winter theme. One suggestion I have is a highly detailed reference earphone with the best detail possible at the given price range. Someone has to tackle the Winter phone and who better than BQEYZ. Back to the review.

The Autumn comes with some substantial upgrades to its build and design. In its smallish medium sized all metal shell the Autumn utilizes a large 13mm, 6 micron thin dynamic in a double cavity structure which controls air pressure better than single cavity designs. Touted to bring out better clarity, a wider sound field and better detail retrieval of sound. In ditching the prior tribrid formula, BQEYZ has focused on using one full range highly resolving single dynamic to throw out the sound. What makes the Autumn interesting, it now utilizes an easy switch out magnetic tuning venting system. The Autumn comes with a small stylus-like magnetic tool which easily pulls out the small circular magnetic structure on the bottom of the housing for another different sized vent structure which again stays in place using magnets. The idea there is with the different sized vents you're gonna get varying bass performance which in turn balances out the Autumn in 3 different ways.

This way of adding or decreasing bass presence is a mod that you might be familiar with on the threads. Something like this the old tape vent mod. The idea here is pretty much the same as what BQEYZ has implemented on their Autumn.

I have seen numerous quick tuning schemes from other tunable earphones including ones that have you change out the face plates on the shells entirely for a completely different sound tuning but someone did some out of the box thinking to come up with this brilliant little idea. The idea of modifying the vent hole is nothing new but how to quickly switch the vents is most definitely a new idea. No longer do you have to mess with tiny caps or nozzles that can come off while listening or worse yet lose due to the sheer size. The magnetic vent system here is as easy as taking out the bottom magnet vent with an easy included tool and replacing it with the bass or treble vent hole structure. To be clear it is the bass end that is affected here and not like the tuning nozzles which affects the treble and upper mids of an earphone. So the basic foundational sound of the Autumn is there. Now with varying degrees of bass emphasis depending on the venting magnet hole you throw on the Autumn

I have quickly become a fan of this style of the quick switch tuning system, it is a brilliant way to quickly add some bass in a pinch. Slick and surprisingly the little magnetic vent hole stays in place until you take it out. I do prefer the bass magnet of the 3 options as it adds just enough bass to make the Autumn sound musical.

Standardly disclaimers. I would like to thank BQEYZ for the sample of the Autumn. It was provided for the purpose of a review. If you feel the need to get yourself a well designed dynamic earphone you can purchase you a set from their aliexpress page here. They have been burned in for a period of a week's time and now are ready for evaluation using my sources. IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15,Shanling M6pro, M5s, M3s, IBasso DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021, IFI black label for amping.

What you get.
The Autumn comes with 2 sets silicone tips, a stylus sized magnetic tool, 3 different magnetic vent holes aka tuning vents, a square zip up case, the phones and a nicely done 4 core silver plated copper cable in single ended. The cable is one of the nicer cables as a throw in and it is sold separately at $49.

I noticed BQEYZ incorporates a lot of vents inside the metal shells of the Autumn and they did something similar to the previous Summer and Spring iterations. Proper venting for dynamics. There are much more pros when it comes to proper venting a dynamic earphone but the one negative is that passive isolation suffers a bit in the Autumn. Not a big deal to be honest but I would put the passive isolation to be a bit below average for all metal builds. But again this is due to the various methods of venting the driver. The end results however makes the Autumn sound more like a semi open design vs being a closed design.

Trebles.
Of the autumn sounds natural, extended well and has good presence in all parts of the treble bands. Autumn sticks to a harmon curve for its tuning in general so overall the treble is balanced with the most emphasis in the lower treble. Treble gradually tapers off toward the upper trebles. This treble tuning is common for harmon based earphones and I find the Autumn gives a good solid rendition of treble. Its transient and detailed qualities are ideal in several ways. Dynamic treble presentation is not as clinical in how it presents treble vs something like BA treble. Tonally treble sounds a bit better, rounded more textured. Treble has a good balance of presence and quantity and hence harmon treble curves are some of the better representations for treble tunings for earphones.

The important aspects of the treble presentation for the Autumn is that while one set of the tuning magnetic vents say treble, meaning you would think it will mean more treble emphasis is actually not more treble but more so has to do with neutral bass emphasis using that particular magnetic vent. You will perceive the mids and treble a bit more so using that particular vent. So you are not really getting more emphasis like how tuning nozzles and caps works. At no point does the Autumn sound harsh or too forward of anything including the treble. How the vent affects the sound is more to lessen the bass end so the other frequencies are highlighted more when you're hearing lesser bass emphasis as a whole.
Overall the treble is done really well. The treble bands have very strategic mild spikes to accentuate the treble area, BQEYZ did a fine job in tuning the trebles to represent the sound of the Autumn to a nice higher degree. Treble and the resolution of the Autumn presentation in general is not the last word in resolve but the tuning is done exceptionally well for the Autumn. Treble is dynamic and sounds spacious with enough grunt to let you hear fine details for the treble region. No complaints at all about the treble tuning with its good combination of presence, detail and has a bit of air with an appropriate amount of sparkle.

The mids of the Autumn much like the treble tuning is also done well with a mild pinna gain the Autumn sticks to the harmon upper mid curve with good presence and clarity. Tonality for the mids are natural with good timbre for both instruments and vocals alike. One of the negatives of sticking to a harmon curve is it leaves just a slight thinness for mid bands that could use a bit of extra meat in the presentation for the mids. I don’t perceive the mids to have the dreaded thin note weight but at the same time I have heard harmon based earphones present a fuller note, better than the Autumn. It is more of a nit pick than anything. The mids have very good technical foundation. Some of the best I have heard for a BQEYZ earphone.

Technicalities such as imaging, sound separation and details as well as spacious realized stage are done to a nice higher degree in the Autumn. At the price range single dynamics really don’t get much better add to the fact that you can tune the bass end to how you want it. The Autumn goes from a neutral harmon to a musical harmon and a medium of both if you want.

The added bass vent adds just a hint of warmth to the lower mids but otherwise is done exceptionally well to clearly stay away from the mid bands. Vocals be it male and females are done well here and instruments sound natural with good realism. Timbre here is a strong suit and should bode well for folks that are into their acoustic music with vocals. Versatile using the bass vent for modern genres. Detailed well for orchestral scores and jazz.

Bass of the Autumn
Varies by 6dbs from neutral to bass vent its upper bass at around 5dbs. This bass vent structure is well suited for all types of music and enthusiasts tastes in bass presence. Bass with the bass vents has a mild bass presence and even though this has the most bass out of the 3 vent types. Bass is more moderate in form vs being overblown basshead levels. I feel if the bass was to increase over what was done here it would start to really affect the mids and or even the treble area negatively so for the safe of a clean sound presentation the mild boost is all it really needed to bring out more physical bass to the area bringing out a more musical Autumn presentation. More bass on the Autumn and it will start to effect other technical aspects of its sound so the vents here are done tastefully to bring out the 3 levels of bass.

Obviously when using the treble vent, more focus is on the mids to treble giving the best clarity and technical aspects and it does seem to give out slightly more stage in the process. You get neutral amount of bass emphasis on this vent. The “normal” vent is the mid ground between the bass and the treble vent. This one is the closest to sticking with that harmon curve and a middle ground of bass emphasis. I can use either this or the bass vent and be completely happy with the Autumn. The treble vent for my liking is most definitely shy in the bass area. Some will prefer this for the cleanest presentation possible. Again all these are adjustable on the fly.

Bass quantity is moderate but punchy when called for. Its sub bass is done well for using a single dynamic. Digs deep with sub bass tracks. I can tell the dynamic being used has good resolution as bass shows good texture and responds well to bass tracks. Again very versatile in how the bass is presented and its ability. Bass shows tightness with a moderate speed. Bass is not the quickest dynamic bass I have heard but bass end keeps up well with the speediest of metal tracks I have tried on them.

Overall
Autumn is a well tuned, well designed earphone and one that should provide the enthusiast more than just one tuning. The magnetic tuning vent is brilliant in execution and is something BQEYZ should implement on all their earphones from this point forward. When EQing is not an option and you want just a bit more bass. Why not be able to use a little tool and add that bass on each ear piece. This alone is worth the extra that BQEYZ is charging to own a set. Its ideal technicalities for single dynamics as well as its nicely harmon balanced tuning clearly shows even more versatility adding the ability to quickly add or reduce the bass end to your liking.
It seems BQEYZ has been getting better and better at tuning the seasonal earphone with their best effort here to date. If you're looking for a versatile dynamic IEM with some great adjustable bass I can’t think of a better way to go than the Autumn. As always, thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

ECCI YST-02

ECCI has a few earphones and some amps they have made in the past and it seems it has been a while since the group has made an IEM. The YST-02 represents a newer modern style IEM for the group and I believe their first ever hybrid. Modern as in detachable 2 pin cables and a new semi-custom shell type. The YST-02 incorporates a new 10mm composite diaphragm and a customized BA for ultra-high notes. The YST-02 by configuration and design is nothing new but once you actually hold the shells in hand you will immediately see where the YST-02 is different especially for the asking price point.

Looks and build of the YST-02 is using darker ocean blue colored abalone shells and the housing itself, while made of a sturdy plastic, has a metallic onyx finish with gold trim making them stand out from other offerings. The shell shape is similar to the many you have seen in semi-custom form in standard 2 pin .78mm design. It has a very ergonomic form in a medium sized shell and should fit most with ease. The rest of the accessories package includes a bare minimum 4 pairs of silicones and a very nice looking handmade Chinese motif luxurious looking pouch. Best aspect of the throw in accessories is by far its cable.

You get a nice 4 cored, 5N crystal copper cable plated in silver. While this cable is nothing spectacular, at this price you usually get OFC stuff and or standard copper variants, so the cable is something much better than your usual offerings.

I would like to thank Penon audio for the review sample of the YST-02. If you feel the need to get a proper sounding wallet friendly hybrid. You can purchase a set for you on Penon web site here. The YST-02 has been burned in for a week and are now ready for sound evaluation using my IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 Pro, M5s, M3s, Ibasso DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021, and IFI black label for amping.

Sound
As I understand it. There was a slight delay in releasing the YST-02 due to some finalization issues they had. Once they figured out what was happening to the YST-02. They got a quick QC revision and a release that sees the final production model I have on hand. And the wait for the YST-02 was all done for the sake of the best sound possible using two drivers in a spacious medium sized housing. The sound signature of the YST-02 has a harmon balancing but infused with a bit of coloring to make them highlight detail for treble and upper mids with good bass impact and rumble. The bulk of the YST-02 sound comes from the composite dynamic. The sound from the lowest hitting bass notes to the low-mid trebles is mostly done by the dynamic driver and the BA is basically a tweeter to handle the ultra highs. This configuration means you're getting the benefit of dynamic timbre and sound characteristics of the composite diaphragm and the BA is there to throw a bit of air and shimmer to the treble up top.

Treble is mostly handled by the dynamic but when you get to the highest octaves the BA comes into play injecting some upper sheen, air and micro detailing for the highs. This ends up working well as the BA is more or less just a tweeter to enhance the high notes. You’ve seen BAs for hybrids that are tuned to handle mids and highs while the dynamic naturally handles the lows but in this case the ability of the nicely tuned composite dynamic does the bulk of the sound profile. The advantage of this particular design is that the ultra high notes are accounted for. This essentially is the work of the higher end ESTs and or a lower end Piezo drivers for hybrids and tribrids.

Highs are detailed well and have a good presence in the region. Does not have any undue spikes that I can detect but here is where the cohesion of the two drivers have a contrast. The treble notes from the dynamic while natural and sounds complete, the upper treble emits a slight and subtle metallic over tone. I don’t perceive this to be an issue if you come from listening to speakers you will know what to expect here. The advantage of this single BA tweeter is that you're getting a level of detail for the treble notes that is not too common for this price range. I would say the sub $100 category for earphones are still within the budget range and there are not too many budget level earphones that represent the much higher treble notes like how the YST-02 here does it. The upper treble BA is there to accentuate and highlight the high notes and in that regard it succeeds giving the YTS-02 an arguably higher end, a higher fidelity sound in general.

Mids of the YST-02 are substantial, this is where the composite dynamic is tuned exceptionally well. It has a spacious full on sound signature. Showing a very good resolving mids character. Vocals both male and female come through with excellent range. Full bodied and dense when called for, the upper mid pinna gain is not too much and not too little here for a proper mids presentation. Mids emit a smooth and a slight lush type of full on spacious mids signature that just jives with me.

While the mids are not overly forward they are in no way recessed in any part of the mid bands. It is the mids timbre, its imaging in space, sound separation and detail that the tuning here focuses on. Tonality of the YST-02 is spot on as well. Even out of the box I can tell the YST-02 is tuned and balanced nicely. It's got all the hallmarks of what makes a modern hybrid sound as good as it gets. The sound is presented with a moderate yet spacious sound that immerses you into your music, the depth and height of the sound is not as expansive as much higher end offerings but certainly not restrictive, the mids dynamic character is a standout on the YST-02.

Bass end of the YST-02 is slightly above what I call mild level emphasis meaning they have a boldness when called for. Punchy and well defined. The bass of the YST-02 is slightly more mid bass than sub bass but has a versatile bass end that seems to add to the YST-02 overall sound signature. This composite dynamic has good low end presence and definition with a deep reaching bass and clearly stays away from the mid bands. It's got enough grunt to represent bass genres properly and while the speed of the bass end here is not the fastest it is represented with a tightly defined bass character that is one of the better bass presentations in the price range that I have heard.

Its sub bass sounds natural with a slower decay. Once again for the dynamic here to present with some nice technical aspects and a good bass end these will surprise just how versatile the sound tuning is on the YST-02. Bass is more moderate in emphasis vs being overly present or big, but for what its got, it does a good job in bass ability for all types of music. The bass end is versatile, you can’t expect world class bass for the price but for what its got. It has just enough quality and quantity ratio to complete the sound profile for the YST-02.

In the end
The YST-02 is the first earphone I have heard from the ECCI group and I think these folks have a bright future. If they keep making these affordable good sounding earphones. These will catch on among enthusiasts. I can see a scenario where they will start to get a following for their earphones. The YST-02 is a nice sounding hybrid out of nowhere. It does more right than wrong in fact I have on hand two other brand new earphones I am reviewing, one of them which cost more than double the price of the YST-02 and I much prefer the YST-02. Here is a case where proper tuning and utilizing both drivers to their full ability meet to give the buyer a real value in sound quality.

They look much more premium in hand vs pictures and not to mention they sound superb in general. I think most folks reading this have never heard of ECCI. I certainly haven’t even though they have made phones in the past, but the YST-02 will get these guys known. I hope to see more offerings from the group and I can honestly say for your money. These are well worth taking a look if not due to the fact that they perform better than you would imagine at their price point. This is one earphone I can say is worth owning. The sound is a prime example of how much manufacturers are stepping up their game when it comes to these earphones. I think ECCI did a fine job with this one, thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

Shozy Djembe

Djembe is a goblet type hand drum made in West Africa.

Also the name of Shozy’s newest. The Djembe is a new dynamic earphone from Shozy. With this new release I can officially say Dynamics are not only making a comeback but they seem to be the new rage. Everyone is making new dynamic earphones using newer type dynamic drivers and newer tunings. The sound quality of newer dynamic earphones are some of the best I can recall in recent history for earphones. The Djembe is something a bit different than your harmon tuned or overly v signatures.

The Djembe is nothing groundbreaking, but you are going to get a well designed earphone for the bucks. I have seen numerous posts of enthusiasts that want an earphone they can fall asleep using them with, meaning they want the earphones small enough so it sits flush within your ears and comfortable enough to keep in the ear for hours. Or how about the active type that bikes to work everyday or enjoys the long 10 mile hike on weekends. The Djembe is calling for you. You want to be semi hearing your environment when out in public anyway is my point.

Djembe comes in three colors, transparent, black and amber. The review sample I got was transparent which allows me to take a good look inside the design of the Djemebe. Toward the end of the nozzle sits the single dynamic flush against the nozzle and the rest of the shell is used like a sound chamber for the dynamic to breathe. On the bottom portion of the shell are several well placed vent holes which makes the Djembe a semi open design. The shell in of itself is a physically smaller size, the only other earphone that comes to mind that is this small is the Rose QT9-MK2.


So out of these two guess which one is the most comfortable. Hmm.
Its size is worth noting as not too many earphones are this small and fit this well. At least for me. The entire earphone sits inside the concha of my ear. If you take a premium for comfort and ease of use and want a dynamic earphone you can keep in your ears for hours. These might fit the bill for you. So what is interesting is that even though the diaphragm inside the shell clearly sits inside the ear, again right at the end of the nozzle. You would figure by design this would mean a very narrow stage. Truth is the stage is not what I consider wide for earphones, but it does have a surprisingly spacious medium level stage as I can tell the housing is designed to be a sound chamber of sorts. The sound has a surprising roominess to it that you would never expect given the compactness of the design.

Standardly disclaimers. I would like to thank Penon audio for the review sample. The Djembe was provided for the purpose of a review. If you feel the need for your next sleeping IEM. You can get yourself a set here on Penon web site here. They have been burned in for a weeks time and are ready for evaluation using my IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, Ibasso DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021, IFI black label for amping.

A side word about burn in. By nature, dynamic earphones in general all need burn in for full sound. This statement is not by me but more the makers of the IEMs. As a burn in believer and practitioner of the idea that all things audio related should be burned in. Some phones do nothing with burn in and some like the Djembe absolutely require it. I highly recommend you burn in the Djembe for best performance as I can clearly hear how they improved over burn in period. These will not sound great out of the box. The sound will be compressed and the stage will be narrow, sq is about as average as it gets. The Djembe reveals their much better qualities after a week's worth of burn-in.

Build of the Djembe is using hard as nails plastic but with a standard 2 pin connector which is a good design choice. This allows the Djembe to use much better cables. The cable it comes with is about as minimal as it gets. As small as the Djembe is, so is its silver plated copper cable. It looks like 2 cores of the stuff in single ended. Having tried some aftermarket cables. I can confirm the stock cable is actually restrictive of the full sound qualities of the Djembe. Your better cables are highly recommended over the included cable.

Shozy provides their hexagonal zip up grey case and a bare minimum single set of silicone tips to finish off the package. These hard plastic shells are tough and light and looks are subjective, I bet the amber color looks a bit more premium but the all clear one here is like they forgot to color it with something. It just looks a bit incomplete. Otherwise I have a few IEMS using this type of hard plastic for an earphone housing and I have yet to see any issues with this type of housings.

Sound.
The Djembe is a mids focused IEM with the bass and then the treble that plays a role in completing the sound. Despite the graph of the Djembe which make them look like a bright signature, the Djembe is not a bright sounding IEM. On the contrary they have a vocal forward mids sound signature that will win lovers of vocal music. The one negative aspect of the Djembe sound is that they have average technicalities. Specifically sound separation and detail with a moderate stage. It has greater depth than height but again with a more intimate medium stage for sound. Within that sound field is where I can say their technicalities are good enough but nothing groundbreaking at the same time. This will be even more evident on open listen hence the need for them to actually open up with burn in. But as crazy as it sounds they have a euphoric vocal presentation, good timbre with a slight mid forwardness that actually makes them sound engaging. They almost remind me of vocal monitor tunings due to the vocal forwardness. Not so forward as to sound shouty or uneven, then there is that comfort level that gives the Djembe a plus factor.

Treble.
Djembe treble is interesting. The bulk of the treble tuning here is its mid treble bands with two distinctive treble spikes, one around the 6 Khz and another lesser spike at around 9Khz. I know the dreaded 6khz spike. Which again would make you think these will have a bright sounding treble. Some high notes do show a slight splashines but for the most part the treble while accentuated is not fatiguing and I think it is due to a quick treble decay I am hearing. What fatigues for treble is when you get a longer sustain for treble notes that overstay their welcome. Not so much the Djembe treble. It hits the high notes just fine but I do notice it does not have the best extension of treble notes with that short decay which ultimately makes treble notes sound a touch dry. Treble sounds slightly blunted at times and more focused on macro vs micro detailing. But it is not the treble that makes the Djembe what it is as it is more tuned to support the mid bands and balancing out the sound signature.

The Djembe has a forward lower mids presentation with a mild upper mid roughly 8dbs of pinna gain and this early lower mid rise seems to counter the slight brightness in the treble region. Treble is clean for the most part but lacks some micro fine detailing and air for the treble region. It's got a fairly uneven treble tuning but does have good macro ability and treble seems to be more about highlighting the mid bands more than sticking out. Which is important for earphones that you want to hear for hours on end. I can tell the driver being used for the Djembe is not the most resolving as the treble tonality and ability is just there. Again much like the technical aspect of the sound the treble here is well, average. The good news there is that the treble is not as fatiguing as the graph of them might show. This is a case of you gotta hear them to understand.

Mids of the Djembe is what the Djembe is really about. Folks that love to fall asleep to your favorite vocal tracks. You of all people will appreciate the Djembe sound presentation. Vocal forwardness is one aspect but the mids presentation makes very good use of the limited space that is provided. It is the type of sound that you can most definitely drift away with. For fans of vocal performances these will be a very good edition to your collection. The sound of the Djembe has just enough proficiency with the technical aspects to the sound to not make them sound too dull or hampered. It has a good fundamental layered sound presentation and while it doesn't have world class of anything it doesn't sound like anything is really lacking at the same time.

It is the mids that folks should take an interest in for the Djembe sound. While imaging is generally good the sound is hampered a bit by the lack of a real good instrument/note separation. Presentation is more intimate than vast but again this just bodes well for what it does best which is vocal texture with a rangy performance. Its timbre is also done well and there is just a hint of warmth to the mids tonality making them sound natural in the process. The Djembe makes good use of its hollow smaller shell that has them vented holes in the bottom. This semi openness gives the Djembe dynamic the ability to breathe freely, giving the sound a bit of space to work with which helps also for its bass performance.

Bass is mid bass focussed and hence most music will benefit from its musical bass presentation. The bass definition here is as you can imagine about average for dynamics in this price range. I have heard better but I have also heard worse. Bass impact is good but the more technical aspect to the bass is as you guessed it, average. Sub bass is rolled off but has just enough presence to complete the sound here. I suppose to give a bit of extra to the treble regions the sub low end had to be sacrificed a bit. Bass is not necessarily beefy but they are not weak either. It has roughly 10dbs of bass boost in the mid bass regions and tapers off when digging into the sub regions. It has decent impact to the bass area to make the Djembe sound complete but it's not a sound specializing in its bass ability or the treble ability. The bass end much like the treble enhances what the mids are doing more than being the star attraction. For what it is, bass notes have decent impact, good definition but lacks speed and texture of a higher end dynamic offering. The bass end here is once again kinda average for the price point.

In the end
Djembe is tuned a bit like how single BAs are tuned. Which are all about the mids. But what makes the Djembe interesting is that it has really excellent vocal infused mids projecting sound signature.The sound tuning for the most part is balanced. Its intimate size and sound makes for an interesting angle on the in ear phone that you can be comfortable using for hours on end. I do wish the djembe had some better technical aspects to its presentation but their vocal forwardness makes them have a unique engaging sound profile some will gravitate to. For folks that love them some vocal music, these are going to be right up your alley. As they are, the Djembe is a good phone to use for casual or relaxed listening to your favorites for hours with great comfort. Its average technical aspects keeps them from reaching a higher level of sound performance but when you get your favorite vocal artists all up in your grill. It makes up for these aspects. They fill a niche that is not too common in the marketplace and that is the small comfortable good sounding earphone as most earphones are medium to large in size. Casual listeners and especially folks that listen to vocal performances will love the Djembe. Thanks for taking the time to read and happy listening always.

Optimized Djembe. Finale E tips w ISN G4 cable.



Truth is just about anything aftermarket cable wise will be an upgrade on the included cable

KB EAR Aurora- Matte grey 2022 version

KB EAR has been making budget friendly earphones for enthusiasts and now sees an earphone that is approaching a higher price category, a newer design and a new tuning. The Aurora has plenty of reviews on headfi and I suppose it was only a matter of time before it was my turn to have a crack at them.

Upon receiving the new pewter brown colored Aurora is what it looks like in person actually. This is the new 2022 version and not the chrome version. It most definitely has a much more premium look to its Oxidized aluminum alloy shell. A new color motif and a new matte grey colored cable as well. The new Aurora before you ask is a new color but with the same tuning of the previous chrome version. Sometimes a new paint job is all it takes for a fresh launch and this is exactly what the new Aurora is all about. There have been plenty of sound descriptions of the prior Aurora on headfi and other online publications but somehow this new color makes them a bit more premium.

I would like to thank Ann at Keephifi and Wendy Li of KBEAR. For the opportunity to check out the Aurora and report back how I heard them. You can purchase a set for you here and also can be found on KBEARs official page on Aliexpress. The Aurora has been burned in for a weeks' time and is now ready for evaluation using my sources the IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, Ibasso DX160, Fiio K3 2021, and IFI black label for amping.

Titanium plated dynamics for earphones has actually been around for a while, I would say at least 15 years.

According to the nets
“ Titanium is a transition metal of silver color with low density, and high strength. Titanium has the highest strength to weight ratio of any metal. It is applied to earbud drivers to make sure they are as light and strong as possible. This means that the diaphragm in titanium driver earbuds is stiff and strong to resonate high-fidelity, clear sound and high quality throughout the audio spectrum, and at the same time light and precise enough to ensure super fast response times and the accurate reproduction of sounds.”

So while it isn’t something that is completely new or even cutting edge for dynamics, it is the idea behind the dynamic driver in the Aurora with a stronger lighter more agile diaphragm for sound that propels the Aurora to a nice level of sonics. I am very familiar with Titanium coated dynamics as I own at least a dozen earphones and a headphone that uses it. Titanium dynamics gives credence to bass its texture and helps with detail for a given earphone or headphone with increased speed properties to the diaphragm. Clarity, detail and a tighter response which gives the earphone that uses this driver an advantage in technicalities. The Aurora I feel follows suit.

Package
Of the Aurora includes a nice box filled with 8 pairs of silicones in various sizes, KBEARs brown faux leather magnetic square case. An 8 cored 2 pin silver plated OFC cable in single ended configuration, a lint free cloth and cleaning tool.

A side note about the cleaning tool. The cleaning tool is the one accessory that I think we all kinda overlook. I get the idea behind the cleaning tool and why manufacturers include it in the package. Ya so let's get into this a bit. If you find yourself after using IEMs leaving big chunks of wax all over your tips and such. I would suggest you try an ear cleaning regimen. Yes I bet you were not expecting a review about cleaning out your ears. But I know why some folks hear differently and let's eliminate the one thing that can cause you to not hear your earphones in a correct manner and that is to clean out your ear holes. I am just saying. A good way to gauge how clean your ears are is if you leave big globs or chunks/flakes of the stuff when taking out your earphones. Regular ear hygiene, yes there is such a thing and maybe you would never have to touch the cleaning tool. I digress, back to the review.

The build is as solid as it gets in the earphone game. Aluminum alloy is not only tough, impervious to minor nicks and scratches but keeps the weight of the earphones in check. Strong and lighter the Aurora build quality and clean modern looks make them ideal for an everyday use earphone. On a side note, I notice due to the all metal build the passive isolation here is actually decent. I would say about average for passive isolation for such builds.It does a decent job at blocking out some road noise when commuting.

The cable that the new Aurora comes with also matches up with the new brownish pewter color of the new Aurora instead of the light blue colored theme of the chrome version. This new color I believe is the same cable but different color, which I got confirmation from Ann at Keephifi. Cable being 8 cored silver plated OFC, is thicker than your average included cable so if you're not into your thicker cables just be warned. Luckily the cables are an easy switch to anything you would like to use on the Aurora due to being standard 2 pin .78mm configuration. Single ended only as well so you might have to seek out a different cable to go with them. As a bonus I will post about how the Aurora matches up with Tris two new cables that will be on the market very soon on this read later on.

Sound performance.
The single dynamic has made a surge as of late. It seems folks are liking what a well tuned dynamic does for sound nowadays. Hence the popularity for single dynamics are at an all time high. Some benefits of a full range dynamic goes without saying. The tried and true dynamic arguably gives the most natural sound and timbre. Utilizing one capable full range Titanium dome 10mm driver means costs will be at a minimum for the manufacturer, not to mention

At the price range you can’t expect class leading or even ground breaking type of IEM but at the same time at this price range it has to clearly do one over the magic $100 IEM price bracket. Does it succeed? As a whole package for the most part, yes it does but at the same time the performance level of these earphones recently has gotten better to the point where they should be grazing that lower tier of mid fi level performance at the sub $200 price range.

The bar as they say has been raised and this seems to be a yearly trend. What we heard that was acceptable a few years ago is not such a good value this year. This happens because there are so many good sounding earphones that all try to take the piece of the pie. Earphones have to be better, not only in design but also more importantly in sound. This being said the Aurora stays fairly safe with its harmon tuning and shows its strengths on a technical foundation for its sound. In a way even though I was expecting the driver to be something new like the more recent love affair the industry has with LCP drivers. Titanium dome drivers have their strengths that show what it can do in the Aurora with a well balanced harmon tuning.

Treble
Harmon tunings in general do not have treble that sticks out of the norm but on the Aurora there is a mild 8 Khz spike which introduces a bit of an extra splash and sparkle for the treble regions. A bit of coloration to make treble sound well like treble. The Aurora for the most part plays safe here again with the treble aspect of its tuning. Its overall tonality for the treble is fairly smooth but I do notice on rock tracks with splash cymbals the Aurora can sound a touch grainy. This aspect seems to lesen as the drivers get more time on them. Extension is moderate with good clean detail for the trebles. It has the most emphasis for lower treble and then has that mild 8 Khz peak with a standard de-emphasized upper treble emphasis.

Treble here is not the most refined or does it have the best extension but does a solid job representing the high notes and balancing out the sound presentation. If I was to nitpick I would say the treble is not the most airy here but for what it's got, the treble region has just enough coloration to offset the slightly warmer lower mids in its overall presentation. Tracks can sound warm and slightly cooler at the same time due to this contrasting portions of the tuning. Treble could use a bit less of the 8 khz spike with a slight rise of the upper trebles but that is just my subjective take on how KBEAR has tuned these. However for the presentation the treble here is done well. Its got a good foundational clean treble with a nicely done precise imaging for the trebles that makes the Aurora sound complete. It has just enough of that sparkle to add to the musicality of the Aurora sound.

Cables do affect the Aurora tuning which can highlight and or smooth out the treble area to a certain degree. If you feel the Aurora can do with a bit more treble emphasis and or less you can certainly do some cable rolling to help shape the treble region to your liking.

Mids.
Mids are the foundation of any earphone and here the Aurora has a mild pinna/upper mid gain with a moderate lower mid lift that brings the Aurora mids into a well balanced signature. Some may say it is a mild v shaped signature which is the way it looks on a graph but to my ears its mids are well imaged and sounds slightly forward especially compared to more neutral and more v shaped offerings. Vocal presentations are a strong suit for both male and female vocals which shows a nice range of dynamism in space and here is the benefit of a nicely done harmon tuned IEM. Mids here have a smoothness, a slight lushness, well proportioned with a dense sound projection.

I do notice one aspect that is hampering the presentation a bit is its somewhat intimate stage. I wouldn't say the stage here is confined; it sounds a bit more intimate and compact vs a semi open in ear design with a more spacious housing that shows a much grander stage. It has a moderate stage level and I feel this has to do with its relatively flat compact housing shape and design. This is in comparison to much higher end earphones that protrude outside the ears, Sony IER-Z1R for example. Shell designs that fit almost entirely in the concha of the ears that are closed designs like the Aurora do show a more intimate stage. What makes up for that moderate stage is a well imaged sound that makes really good use of its space inside that stage. Its depth is slightly greater than the height, but the width of stage is spacious yet moderate. The housing being used is a good ergonomic, comfortable design and does not protrude too much outside the ears which some might see as a plus but I was thinking what these exact drivers and tuning would have been like inside a more roomier housing, which would have given the sound a boost in stage presentation. Again more wishful thinking on my part but for the given presentation the mids are done very nicely on the Aurora and is one of its strong suits.

Its technicalities are solid. For the presentation the imaging is a standout and I attribute this to the resolving titanium dome. Sound separation is good but shows even better with a more resolving cable, detail level is about average nowadays in comparison to others in the price bracket. Its macro detailing and layering is about as good as it gets for a dynamic earphone at this price but lacks some very minor micro aspects something like a multi BA offering does best. However it makes up for it with Its timbre which sounds accurate to my ears with a slightly warm tonality. These aspects fit right into the cost range and what a good performing earphone would be at the price but at the same time something like the Auroras ability several years back and folks would have been enamored by its technical ability.

Here is a bit of advice on how to get the very best of the Aurora and this will only apply to folks that believe in more resolving aftermarket cables. The same package that I got the new version of the Aurora, I got two new cables from Tri. The Onxy and Wolfram both are pre production units, the Wolfram costing a bit over the cost of the Aurora. I will post a pic on the bottom of the read of these two cables. But I can tell you if you feel the sound of the Aurora is constrained a bit in any part of the sound, be it detail, its resolving ability, sound stage, bass definition, treble extension and such. Yes they sound markedly better using these two upgraded cables. If you are the type that doesn't believe cables do a damn thing then you will be happy not spending for an upgraded cable. On the other hand if you're like me and want the very best of what you get and optimize each earphone sound to be the best it can be. Keep reading.

Bass
Is the strength of the Titanium dome. The bass end here shows moderate elevation, more mid bass than sub bass but the roll off here is not much. Titanium bass has always been a stand out much like how Beryllium affects bass it was Titanium that leaves some of the best heavy hitting bass for headphones and earphones. The strength of the Titanium dome being bass has never been an issue. Here we get a well defined punchy tighter bass end that is elevated enough for versatility. A well tuned earphone means it has to perform in the very important bass aspect and here the Aurora makes good use of a more resolving titanium dome dynamic. Bold when called for and rumbly when extended. The bass aspect of the Aurora benefits from burn in which I highly recommend folks do with their Auroras to get the best sound out of them.

Bass end of the Aurora is clean and mud free with enough emphasis to let you know exactly what genre of music you're hearing. It doesn't specialize in the bass region so it isn’t a bass cannon or are they the end word when it comes to bass definition, yet you're gonna get the good type of bass when called for, punchy tight, good speed and rumbly when called for.

I would have liked to see a bit more massaging of the bass here to be a bit more sub bass focused but when listening casually there is enough there to suffice for any genre. Another aspect of the titanium dome is that they can take to EQ and bass boost like a champ. If you feel you need a bit more down low. No issues with adding a bit of boost. Sounds absolutely authoritative using a bit of bass boost on my IFI Black label as well as the 6dbs of boost on the Fiio K3 2021.

As they are, the enthusiastic bass end caps off a well balanced yet technical sound signature. It has just enough emphasis to bring on a musical tilt to the sound. The tuning and balancing here is done nicely. If KBEAR added just a smidge more treble it would have sounded more analytical. If they added just a bit more bass it would have been a more L shaped signature and warm in tonality. As they are, you get the nice contrast of a clean and tight sparkly treble with a moderate warm authoritative punch add to it a rangy dense mids presentation all in a well imaged intimate sound presentation. The Aurora is the type of earphone that initially will not wow a person but the more and more you listen to them they will grow on a person as they have for me.

In the end
The Aurora is a nice competitive offering from KBEAR. Unlike some of the reviews I have read about the aurora. I feel they resolve much better than folks that sampled them state on their reviews. My reasoning for this is that with the Aurora I got two much higher end cables for review purposes which also happened to be 2 pin. And both of them bring yet another level to the Aurora sound. The included cable is fine for its purpose but the differences for me anyways are very clear. As they are, the Aurora is a nicely positioned higher end yet affordable earphone from KBEAR. It has a versatile harmon tuning with just enough accuracy, timbre, imaging, detail dynamism and balance to sound great for just about any type of music you listen to. The Aurora is not perfect by any stretch but it does have a solid sound foundation for all things music. The strong build and their performance lives up to the cost for them but to get one more level above what you hear, your best tips and an upgraded cable most certainly applies to the Aurora. Happy listening always.

Extra
As promised this section is more of a preview on two new items from Tri. If you are a non cable believer than you dont have to read any of what I am about to write but if you love you some Aurora and want the very best Aurora possible. I present to you two brand new higher end cables from Tri. Both the cables I am about to show are pre production models meaning they are not yet available for purchase but will be sold on KBEARs and Keephifi audio site soon.

First is the Onyx.
Consists of 6 cores 252 strands is a silver plated Crystal Copper cable. Sleeved in an all black PVC color. The Onyx is thicker than the stock 8 cored silver plated OFC cable of the Aurora. Connecting this cable to the Aurora yields an expansion of its sound properties. It is the Aurora sound magnified. Bigger bolder sound properties including an expansion of stage in all directions. Thicker more substantial note weight while enhancing its technical abilities with added texture to their sound properties. The Onxy here is a direct upgrade and a much more resolving cable vs the stock cable of the Aurora. The Onyx will retail for $99.

New flagship level cable the Wolfram.
This cable is unique in several ways. While only 4 cores and with less stands at 204 from the previous Onyx cable. The grey colored fiber cloth makes the Wolfram just as thick aesthetically. What makes the Wolfram interesting is that these cable has pure silver at its cores but has a copper shielding on them. You see plenty of silver plated copper cables in the market as the previous Onyx cable is just this but the new Wolfram is the opposite. What this copper plating does is it adds a musical tilt to the traditional silver cable. Tri will be charging $200 for these cables. Yes it makes absolutely no sense to spend more money than the earphones cost but does the end result justify the cost? You better believe it.

These cables are legit. As expansive as the prior Onyx throw out on the Aurora. The Aurora with this cable is now playing on a completely different level in sound. Not only are the sound aspects enhanced much like the Onyx but now you get much better depth, the best possible stage for the Aurora with a fuller thicker note weight. Added texture to bass. Even better precision to treble notes. Adding this cable and going back to the stock cable made me realized just how resolving the Titanium dome in the Aurora really is. I have to admit it is difficult to hear the Aurora using its stock cable after using the Wolfram on it. This is boutique level cable from Tri folks keep a watch on this cable when released.

NiceHCK EB2S

NiceHCK is no stranger to good sounding buds. One thing consistent about NiceHCK is that they have made some excellent bang for buck earbuds they sell regularly on their site. The EB2S is the follow up to one of their budget bud offerings that sold well for the group the EB2. Now in the EB2S. We get an entirely new design and a new large and in-charge LCP 15.4mm driver handling the sound of the EB2S.

I am mostly an IEM guy, but I do dab in the earbud game on occasion, and it is surprising just how good a bud can sound vs the IEM. I can actually make an argument it is the buds that bring even more of a bang for buck sound quality wise than just about anything you throw into your ears. Of course, not everyone can use buds, so I suppose you have to have a large enough ear to use them correctly. The EB2S has a standard bud shape with a horn-like protrusion for venting out the back. Simple in their design made with a CNC machined aluminum alloy housing that is about as strong and light a bud could be. I have already accidentally dropped them on my hardwood floor once. Not suggested to actually test the durability of a housing like so but just know the buds worked flawlessly since the accidental drop of roughly 4 ft in height. So, no issues there.

Looks wise I do like how they look for a design vs their former EB2. Less bulky and cleaner, more modern looking at the same time. Buds all share a common look and are designed so the driver portion of the housing sits inside the concha of the ear. Unlike earphones the only thing you gotta put on buds are foam coverings in which you get 3 pairs. So how a bud will fit and sound will be determined by your ear shape. Earbuds will not be for everyone as some folks are not able to fit the housing in the ear correctly. If you have an average ear shape and size, you should have no issues with their comfortable shape. On the opposite end if you have a large sized ear your average bud will fit a bit loose in the ear which can make them sound anemic with a thinner sound. If that is how buds fit your ears you can try putting on a second foam covering to make the buds fit a bit more bulkier which helps them sound correct.

The cable is a standard brown colored relatively thin OFC copper variety that comes to you with or without a mic in single ended when ordering a set. Since the cable is attached to the housing it is not replaceable as you do not get an option for using the EB2S in balanced. The cable is inconsequential to the sound design as it is way too thin to throw any type of influence on the EB2S. I suppose you gotta cut corners somewhere and it was the cable that got the functionable with zero substance treatment. Otherwise, the EB2S has a strong build, and I can tell will last the test of time for daily use. My friendly advice is always treat your audio goods with kid gloves but hey maybe these cheaper buds and IEMs serve the purpose of, if it breaks you can always get another.

With that I would like to thank Jim of NiceHCK who provided the EB2S for review purposes and you can buy a set for you here. They have been burned in for a week's time and are now ready for review using my sources. IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, Ibasso DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021, and IFI Black Label for amping.

First impressions
Is always important and so NiceHCK now incorporates a new anime infused waifu design on their box packaging. Somehow it seems IEMs without the waifu is waifuless hence not hip and happening? In any case throwing them in my ears for the first time I was greeted with a big full dynamic sound signature. EB2S is using a large dynamic driver and I can tell just by how big the sound is. When I say big, I mean tall and deep with a nicely wide imaged sound field. It has a punchy surprisingly deep bass end too which is something I am accustomed to coming from NiceHCK. But the imaging here is a clear stand out.

Hmm, I had to explore more. Tried them on my DX300Max with mid gain, the sound was even more expansive with more dynamism than when I played them on the M15. I knew right away the sound was an upgrade on the old EB2. The price here is identical to the old EB2 yet these are clearly a substantial upgrade on them in several ways. The EB2 was using a good but nothing special 14.8mm dynamic drivers and the EB2S here is using the new darling of the IEM world the LCP which stands for liquid crystal polymer in a large sized 15.4mm dynamic. My recent exposure to LCP diaphragm sound includes the recent Dunu Titan S and NiceHCKs former flagship buds the EBX21, hence this is the reason why I immediately knew the EB2S was a leap forward in sound. LCP seems to have a knack for excelling at technicalities and hence the EB2S shows the strengths of this driver. This and the fact that I am digging on how they look vs the older EB2. Better looking with a better sound and for me an easy fitting even easier to use form factor.

Of course, newer drivers in and of itself does not propel a sound to be more advanced than their prior iterations but the tuning on the new EB2S here is something that a lot of enthusiasts will gravitate to. Marketed as a vocal music earphone. I have to agree that is exactly what the EBS2 excels at.

But the surprising aspect of the EB2S is that it is not just a one trick pony. Sure, like most buds I have heard in the past the mids are the star of the show on the EB2, but it is more than that. It has a very dynamic sound signature with all parts of the sound well represented. Its staging properties are something to behold and now we can add a technical element to the EB2 sound that clearly separates the new EB2S to be much better than your average bud in all aspects.

Technicals
This is where the EB2S was a surprise. I noticed the LCP drivers evident in the Dunu Titan S also has the ability to separate, image and detail better than your average dynamic driver. Well mastered music tracks throw out images that hover in front and outside your head, I was certainly not expecting this from a $27 earbud. Much like most buds, the EB2S clearly have some coloration, slightly warm yet very natural in tonality but that is due to the forward mids and bass on them. It presents with a warmer yet technical timbrally accurate sound signature that gives a headphone like presentation. This type of musical presentation is usually reserved for much higher end and higher priced units in general but the EB2S technical chops presents with an excellent dimensional imaging that floats in the air at times which had me thinking this budget bud might be budget, but the sound however is nowhere near budget anything. The resolving ability of the EB2S is clearly evident in how it presents sound to your ears.

There is nothing that sounds thin or does not have authority to it. If the dynamic presentation don't get you. It will be the outstanding forward vocal presentation that will wow you.

Trebles.
Trebles here are represented well and here is where I feel the sound has a slight reservation to it. I suppose it is more the nature of the open design of buds that makes them have different sound characteristics. One being that at the outer extremes of the treble end seems to have some roll off. On a macro level the trebles are well represented but lacks a touch of extension and shimmer I am used to hearing from IEMS. If you're not analyzing the EB2S but more enjoying your music, this aspect you will not notice being an issue if at all. However, this being a review it is my job to tell you what I feel is a bit lacking.

It is partially due to how they are tuned more so but the EB2S is clearly a mids with bass earphone first. Trebles takes a slight step back in the mix and this is more the house sound trait from NiceHCK. I know there are plenty of buds in the wild with plenty of treble emphasis and presence for the region. The positive there is that there is zero chance you will be fatigued by the treble end of the EB2S. Yes, even for pronounced treble emphasized rock, EDM tracks the EB2S actually sounds more balanced as the treble is reigned in just a touch vs being completely balanced.

The trebles that are presented are clean, surprisingly precise and lean more on their macro ability vs showing and abundance of micro details. As such I would have liked just a bit more overall treble emphasis to really balance out the sound presentation but for what it is. Treble I don’t feel is lacking and plays more of a supporting role to the real reason why you want to get these.

Mids.
Is where the EB2S excel. Vocal forward for both male and female vocals. The EB2S clearly has one of the best mids I have heard for an ear bud. It does not have any shoutiness in any of the mid bands and clearly shows that technical ability in a juicy full thick mids presentation of the EB2S. Forward mids are lovely to hear for me as I am so used to moderate V shaped tunings from IEMs that can lack this aspect at times. If you prioritize mids in your sound presentations. It will be difficult to dislike how the EB2S sound is presented. The sound tuning here is versatile as I don’t feel the mids are so colored to the point where something like orchestral scores don’t sound right for example. Even rock and metal music sounds right at home on the EB2S as well as some RnB, Reggae and Hiphop. Showing their versatility with realive solid balancing.

When you hear full on vocal performances using the EB2S you will know why these were created. Live venues come alive with vocals that range and emotion you don’t get with other earphones. Instruments have their own space to work with as the presentation has the necessary height and depth for proper instrumental presentations.

Bass
Bass of the EB2S is more mid bass than sub bass. Hence they work great with something like 90s hiphop and RnB music. Jazz music sounds fantastic due to the roomy spacious presentation the EB2S throws out. Mid bass while having the most emphasis for the bass end has a physical presence that adds a touch of warmth to the lower registers. It will really depend on how the EB2S fits in your ears for the bass to come alive for you. I let a friend listen to the EB2S and he thought they were a bit bass light. Which I figured was how they fit for him. I pressed the buds into his ears a bit and that was when he heard the bass end come full circle.

Bass is most definitely not lacking on the EB2S. Infact much like the mids it is actually featured. The oversized LCP driver performing for the bass is tuned to be a bit brawny but ultimately sounds balanced as the buds by nature is not sealed so the extra oomph in the bass department was purposefully tuned that way to actually give a sense of complimentary bass. Which is the way I hear it. I am used to hearing much more tighter speedier bass presentations from IEMs but the EB2S has absolutely no problems replicating a full bodied bass note. I do noticed a bit of a roll off for is sub bass but not to the point where it is clearly noticeable. Bass notes on the EB2S sounds like how it should the speed is not the best but you can’t expect speedy bass performance from an open form bud. This being said something like speed metal due to how spacious the EB2S sounds, sound proper. Bass actually punches and keeps up with the speed of the music just fine. Bass here is done well and considering the bud here is clearly an open design with a large vent out back. Surprising how capable the bass end here is.

In the end.
The EB2S are fantastically good. A solid bud in build, comfort and sound. I have no qualms about recommending to my fellow bud lovers and enthusiasts that want to dabble a bit in something a bit different than IEMs. If your ear shape is not elf like. You should be fine with how the EB2S will fit. The sound quality of the EB2S is actually outstanding for the price point. I reviewed NiceHCKs flagship buds the EBX21 which seems to have been discontinued. The EB2S clearly hold their own against them and the value for sound goes to the EB2S easily for being almost 10X less in price of NiceHCKs former flagship. Its big bold sound signature is very pleasing to listen to when you're ready to relax a bit and get into your music. NiceHCK seems to be on a roll lately as they introduced their outstanding new DB1 IEMS for the cost of a cheap dinner plate and now the EB2S which easily gets nothing less than a 5 star recommend from me. Thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always.

NiceHCK DB1

NiceHCK needs no introduction. One of the premiere vendors on aliexpress has made some excellent sounding earphones in the past and today we see an earphone from the group that cost a staggering $16! The DB1 is a tried-and-true single dynamic design with a solid plastic medium sized shell in 2 pin configurations. Ergonomic in shape, size and comfort. The DB1 comes to the masses with a promising tuning, using a nicer dynamic driver and what the group says is a balanced sound signature.

How good can a $16 earphone be right? I mean $16? That doesn't amount to taxes for most mid fi IEMs or even for DHL shipping for most earphones. But I digress, I have seen NiceHCK do some surprising earphones in the past for peanuts so I wouldn't put it past them to come up with a surprising earphone. And surprisingly it is.

The DB1 comes to you in their newly designed waifu infused box which has some basic accessories. A sets of silicone tips, and a very basic OFC cable. You can’t expect a world class unboxing experience for your $16, heck even with the very minor duty and or taxes on the item they will ship it to you for roughly that price plus a dollar when bought from NiceHCK site. Please do expect snail mail as free shipping for a $16 item means you will not get it for at least 4 weeks to a month. However, snail mail means you buy it and forget about it and it will be like finding a $20 bill inside your jeans pocket a month later.

Standardly disclaimers: the NiceHCK DB1 was sent via snail mail to my house halfway around the world almost free of charge for the purpose of a review. It has been burned in for a weeks' time and is ready for evaluation using my sources. Ibasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021, IFI black label for amping. Instead of forking out the money to take your girlfriend or boyfriend out for some cheap street tacos. Get yourself a DB1 sold here.

So why would you be interested in the $16 DB1? I mean they look simple, dare I say lives up to the price point. Because they will blow your mind just how good sounding they are. It wouldn't surprise me if they sound better than a lot of your earphones. The notion of just because it is cheap does not mean it has to have a cheap sound most definitely applies here. Pound for pound, sound for sound what you're getting with your hard-earned cash is something substantial in the price range. As a reviewer, if I can point to a nicer sounding earphone at this price, I will lower the score I am about to give these things. But in all honesty, I can’t. NiceHCKs own X49 single BA earphone is one with good value but the DB1 actually sets the bar. I have no issues saying the SQ of these things' rival earphones from $50-$100 in cost. I am sure you read such declarations from impressions of earphones on the threads, but I have yet to come across anything that comes close to these at the price NiceHCK is selling a set for. That my friends is reason alone to give these a higher rating.

Basically, until I actually hear one better at the $16. These are it. Obviously, the value statement is why these exist. You don’t have to pay a lump sum of your income to have a complete sound experience. You don’t have to take out a 2nd mortgage to enjoy your music, that is a crazy notion. Sure, you can’t expect mid fi level technicalities or refinements from a $16 earphone. But refinements be damned, these things sound nice. Please do spend on an upgraded cable when buying you a set, or use something that came with your other earphones, you can use anything cable wise actually and it will be an upgrade. The one that is included probably costs less than $1 to make. That goes without saying. Your best tips and cables most definitely apply to how nice you want your DB1 to sound.

Build
It looks and feels like a cheap earphone. The all-plastic toy aesthetic is full on with this one, but it is using a very strong plastic housing. The housing is made of what is called a Bayer PC material. AKA strong plastic. Supposedly won't discolor and should hold the test of time. It certainly looks and feels like strong plastic, but its transparent looks are once again a bit on the cheap looking. Though I do have experience with this particular type of plastic on other earphones. I have never had one break or crack on me. In fact, I own a $1000 earphone that is made with a resin material that has cracks in it. Never had this type of hard hollow plastic shell crack and I don’t expect that to be an issue on the DB1. The build is as good as it will get at the price point. This being said, it is always a good idea to treat your earphones with kid gloves regardless of price. Unless you're ok with waiting another month to get yourself another set.

Sound
Basic tuning is well balanced. An offshoot of the harmon tuning with a mild upper mid pinna gain and a moderate bass emphasis. The tuning is interesting and if I was to go by the graph provided by NiceHCK. The tuning here is actually arguably better than their flagship dynamic the Top Guy. I can already tell you I prefer this tuning to their sub flagship the Loftys. The driver being used is not your average dynamic. A 10mm PU bio fiber composite diaphragm using a strong magnetic circuit in an N50. This driver and strong magnet combo is quite the surprise as you're not going to get a sound anywhere close to what you think even a decent sounding $16 earphones should sound like.

So why put in all this effort for a $16 level earphone? Why not? To me if you're going to make an earphone it should represent what your company should be about at any level of sound. To say these are a trojan horse of an earphone would be an understatement. Forget about just getting an earphone for the first-time enthusiasts. Just get one and find out for yourself how good a $16 earphone can sound. I am actually very certain. This level of sonics in the capable hands of most other manufacturers will charge much much more. Actually, comparable to the NF audio brand of dynamic earphones in the $100 range in both build and gets fairly close to their sound quality.

Technicals
Emitting an organic slightly warmer natural tonality. The DB1s strengths are in its moderately large display of sound, something that is not too common among the extreme budget fi level earphones. While not the widest sounding earphone, it makes up for it with some excellent deep and taller than average sound for earphones. Showing some surprising layering with a good level of sound separation, the tuning here actually has some meat to its foundation. The DB1 is a mild v harmon signature and while the timbre, its attack and micro details are a touch on the soft/smooth side of sound, there is a certain romanticism of its presentation that makes up for these average technical aspects with a heavier note weight and a thicker than average body of sound. The wow factor is the DB1 presents with a dynamism that you would not expect at all in this price range. The tuning is basically a budget level Topguy but believe it or not I actually like the tuning on these DB1s a bit better. In fact, if NiceHCK reads this, I wish they are able to bring out a new Topguy 2 with this tuning using their titanium alloy dynamic driver.

Trebles
The DB1 has a moderate amount of treble emphasis with the most emphasis being lower treble but slowly tapers off into the higher treble realm. Its trebles for the most part is clean but not particularly airy nor does it convey the best articulation, at the same time you're not gonna wonder where the treble is. Its balancing of the trebles is done well meaning I don’t find it lacking too much or is it too rolled off. It has a good solid footprint for the trebles and the only area it is really lacking in is its’ attack with average extension and definition. Treble is not as finely detailed, and its transients are only average and plays more of a supporting role in the whole picture.

Treble can sound slightly dull at times especially for the upper treble region which shows that lack of upper treble air that would cap these earphones into a different realm of sound but hey for the bucks I am not gonna complain too much. You can’t expect world class treble refinement and or treble ability here and for the bucks it is a non-fatiguing balanced treble which leans more on its macro ability more so than showing nuanced micro detail for treble. But again, for what it is it is more complete than you would imagine at the price range.

Mids.
NiceHCKs house tunings are all about the mids and bass presentations. DB1 shows a moderate pinna gain/ upper mids emphasis; It has a slight early rise toward bass meaning it will have some lower mid emphasis to go with that 10dbs of upper mid emphasis. What you get is a forward vocal presentation for both male and female vocals. A lot of harmonish tunings convey more upper mids than lower mids but the DB1 shows a clear affinity for the vocal performance as both male and female vocals are forward and due to that tall and deep sound presentation.

You get a full bored rangy vocal performance when tracks call for it. Here is where the DB1 really shines and shows how good a $16 earphone sounds with your favorite vocal tracks. If you have an affinity for vocal performances to be forward and emotive. Check out a $16 DB1 and be amazed.

And it is due to the tall and deep sound, the mids layering has a dimensional projection that you would never associate with an ultra-budget level earphone. Dimensional sound from a $16 earphone? I know that sounds absolutely bonkers but believe it or not on the DB1 sound presentation you can make out clearly where in the sound field each of the instruments, vocals, percussion are playing from. It is quite shocking to hear that from these earphones. It is not exactly at the level of something like NiceHCKs own Topguy but it does a damn good job at it nonetheless.

Much like the attack being slightly soft on the treble end. This is also apparent on the mids as well. DB1 here is not a chiseled sounding earphone, let me put it that way. But for casual listening, the full-bodied organic sound signature here more than makes up for its lack of attack with just how rangy and vigorous the sound can be. I have reviewed earphones that cost substantially more that don’t have the dynamism of the DB1.

Experienced enthusiasts only look into something like the DB1 thinking something this ultra-cheap will be a good work out phone or the AKA the beater phone. Ya they will beat your other earphones alright. You have been warned. Go into the purchase with an open mind, throw on a good resolving cable, your best tips and be prepared to look at your other earphones differently afterwards. The DB1 now puts an entirely new value proposal for the enthusiast at the extreme budget level. If only mid fi and higher end stuff scaled like the DB1. One can only wish. But it will take earphones like the DB1 for others to realize even at the budget fi level. People are stepping up their game.

Bass.
Ok the bass end here is not the most defined bass. You can’t expect world class bass for the change you find in your old sofa.. But! And I say But! These do have an impactful extended deep hitting bass. Bass once again here is a touch on the soft and not as tight or defined as I am used to but I would rather have bass that is actually represented vs having no bass or bass domination. Bass is a few dbs over moderate levels in emphasis for both mid to sub bass infusing some soul into your music. Bass ability here adds versatility to the DB1 sound formula. NiceHCK has always tuned their monitors with bass emphasis, so these follow suit. Don’t know if it is due to this particular driver but the one area, I feel it is lacking in consistency is that attack.

Music sounds fantastic nonetheless and much more dynamic than you would ever think can sound from these but somehow a touch slower in attack and not exactly tight in all parts of the sound. Bass speed I can’t say is fast but more just average for dynamics but bass tonality and impact has some chops. Digs deep when called for, it's surprising how well the DB1 rumbles for the subs. Here is where you can let the bass loose a bit or tighten it up a bit by using some aftermarket cables. As mentioned above, just about anything you use on the DB1 for a cable will be an upgrade to the included cable. But for what it is the bass end here caps off a very surprising full bored dynamic sound signature of the DB1. Forward sounding mids and an actual impactful bass that is well represented caps off NiceHCKs version of the harmon tuning.

Overall
I would say the DB1 is a smashing success, and it seems NiceHCK has made these more for fan service than anything cus they can’t possibly be making much money from these. I am just saying, not to mention being a clear statement piece. Here is what we can do with your $16 price point. Is what they are saying. I have to admit on the heels of their flagship dynamic Topguy and their former flagship Loftys, the DB1s value is much greater than both combined. I can honestly say these are comparable to similar designed earphones up to the $100 range for sound and that is not something I can say about extreme budget earphones I have heard in the past. These are a clear example of how to do budget right and one that everyone can afford and even better enjoy. They don’t have a weird shape, have a very likable versatile dynamic tuning and its full range sound is something you would never expect from them. Every time I listen to these things they surprise, and you will never guess they cost $16 upon hearing them. Add an extra zero on the price tag and these would be more like a 3 star earphone but at the $16 level? They are not perfect, but damn do they sound nice. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Dunu Titan S

Dunu Titan series of dynamic earphones for me anyways actually put the group on the map. It has been a while since I reviewed the Titan 1 in 2015 which I still have on hand and that earphone did some things that were unusually higher end than its price point would indicate. It had a semi open all metal design that had some standout technicalities. However, it was a deeply colored sound signature with said technicals that showed a step forward for dynamic offerings at the time. That was then and this is now, the new version of the Titan series in the Titan S has a new driver, a new look, new build and a new tuning.

The only similarities to the older Titan 1 is that the new Titan S is also an all-metal build with a semi open design supporting a titanium coated dynamic. Otherwise the new Titan S is an entirely new product from our friends at Dunu. Dunu has clearly put themselves on the hierarchy of IEM dom in that they are a premiere IEM manufacturer and has been making some stand out products for the enthusiasts. It is not all about the higher end IEMs they make but I can argue it is actually more important to bring out something everyone can afford. The Titan S is such a product and one that has been getting some press lately. It was my turn to give them a shot as Thomas of Dunu, reached out to me to see how I heard them.

With that I would like to thank the Dunu topsound team for reaching out to me for a review of the Titan S. It was provided for the purpose of a review. You can purchase a set for you on their aliexpress page here and this is their home page here. The Titan S has been burned in for a period of a week and now is ready for evaluation using my sources. IBasso DX300Max. Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, Ibasso DX160, Sony ZX300, IFI Black label, Fiio K3 2021, Fiio UTWS5.

An intro level earphone does not have to be intro level in sound and here is a case where Dunu has put their work in on a newly designed Titan S. There are plenty of reviews out in the interwebs that clearly puts this IEM in the spotlight as a premiere IEM for the price. Not to add more fuel than it needs but the one aspect I admire about Dunu is that you can tell nothing is left to chance. They go over each aspect of their designs and tunings to be deliberate and detailed as their products reflect.

The package
Titan S comes with their familiar larger blue colored zip up case, nice n roomy for the earphones themselves and some tips to go with them, 3 sets of silicone tips and a customized 2 pin .78mm silver plated higher purity copper cable terminated in single ended. You might have been hoping for modular cables but you gotta be realistic what the price point here gets you. As far as I know their cheapest Dunu modular cables the now discontinued DUW-02 cost as much as the entire package of the Titan S. Needless to say if you're gonna do any cable rolling. Highly recommended by the way and I will tell you why later on the read. That my friends will be up to you.

The Titan S has an all-metal cyberpunk influenced modern design, definitely different in looks from your standard IEM but the build is most definitely rock solid. The actual size of the earphones themselves is a smaller medium with a longer nozzle. Fitment is easy with its size and shape and should fit most easily without too much fuss. I also like the fact that the 2 pin cable has a continuation of the housing angle which makes the cables relatively seamless in looks when connected, this makes the cable look like it is fixed into the housing, very slick. It is an over the ear build that is very comfortable in fitment, while squarish in looks is very ergonomic in its shape and is about as good as it gets when it comes to a quality build at the price point. The variety of tips are ok but I have noticed some aftermarket tips fairing much better for better tonal balance and some bass adjustment vs the included tips.

So aftermarket tips and cables will be important here to get the Titan S to your liking. For example if you find the Titan S to sound a bit lean and more brighter in tonal character. You can enhance the lower end of the sound by using a longer wider tips, specifically the Azla Sendafit tips on them. Spinfit CP100 tips are also recommended. Thanks for the tip on the tips Tom. So the Titan S seems a bit finicky and sensitive to tips changes. Included tips brings out more neutrality and brightness for me which makes the Titan S sound a bit more analytical. If that is the type of sound you're going for, it will be fine for you. The good news here is I don’t feel that is necessarily the Titan Ss final sound. They do extremely well with aftermarket tips and cable combinations to bring out more body, fullness and make them sound more musical to my ears. More on this toward the end of the read.

Sound
The original Titan 1 was clearly a v shaped signature but had some very good technical chops which made them stand out. The new Titan S is more a modern day harmon neutral tuning with a mild bass boost. The overall balancing of the 3 zones is done tastefully. Leaning a bit more neutral in its tone and presence. The 11mm multi layered polycondensated LCP, Liquid Crystal Polymer driver seems to be the new beryllium coating nowadays. Brings out a nice higher end technical ability that makes the Titan S stand out as being a premiere iem in the price range. With so much competition in the sub $100 category of earphones, the design aesthetics and sound quality has to stand out from the collective to take notice and I do believe Dunu has created just this.

Technicals.
I have to admit I am sold on the LCP drivers being used by Dunu. There are numerous harmon tuned IEMs in the market. Seems to be more of the norm nowadays than being more rare in the industry. However what separates the Titan S from the numerous others. If timbre, a proper stage, imaging, sound separation and detail matters to you. You will immediately see why the Titan S has been highly regarded. No secret the tried and true dynamic earphone provides a natural timbre for music and the Titan S is a prime example of a proper timbre from a nicely resolving driver.

The vented design for the driver here breathes nicely and gives out a very good moderate stage in all dimensions. It isn’t the widest or the deepest sounding but most definitely not lacking in the stage department and does sound more spacious than canned. I would put the stage at a moderately spacious level with a decent depth and good height of sound. Due to the more resolving nature of the Titan S its sound separation and imaging is ideal and I can argue punches above its price class. This is what separates the Titan S from so many IEMs in the sub $100 category. If anything, the LCP driver being used here seems to provide a level of resolve that is uncommon at the price point.

Trebles
Harmon tuned monitors have plenty of treble presence; it is more of if the drivers have enough resolve to extend and present the treble end of the tuning properly. The Titan S is a much more refined Titan earphone from their previous efforts.Trebles here is to my ears has slightly more emphasis and presence but mostly equal in its balancing vs the other parts of the sound. Its tonal character is no longer metallic from their prior Titan 1. Natural and detailed the treble comes off with a moderate amount of emphasis. The upper treble sees a gradual de-emphasis toward upper trebles for proper balance. The Titan S has some extended trebles, sounds natural and is about as good as anything I have heard for trebles at the price range.

Treble timbre is excellent, clean transient responses, delicate to full on when called for, it is difficult to pinpoint an area of the treble that seems off or is overly emphasized. If you would like to have a bit more treble emphasis, I mentioned previously that tips will have an effect on how the Titan S sounds to you. Here you can get more treble emphasis with included tips. You can fine tune the treble response to how you like the presence area for your sound via cables and tips. For the most part the trebles show good presence with a proper extension showing proper sparkle and air.

Mids
The mids of the Titan S has more upper mids than lower which injects the presence of the mid bands to be slightly forward. I wouldn't put the mids here at the shouty level but it does have a good healthy amount of upper mids emphasis. I do feel the Titan S does better with female vocals than male vocals. Mids presents with good clarity, showing a spacious mids range some might prefer a bit more body to the Titan S sound signature but for me anyways here is where the neutrality of the tonal qualities comes through. Mids don’t sound thick, full bodied or overly forward per se but they are not playing 2nd tier to the trebles or the bass either.

A bit of a tip for Titan S owners. Due to the more neutral nature of the sound balancing of the Titan S. The Titan S does better with pure copper type cables and especially in balanced. The added power from a balanced cable expands and enhances the sound profile for better dynamics and yes a denser fuller mid range as well. Dynamic earphones in general like a bit of extra power but with that power if the sound doesn't get you a bit of an extra then it will not have been worth it. The Titan S clearly benefits from some juice. Balanced out is easily better than single out from your source on the Titan S.

There is a certain level of sound modification that comes with a nice source, cables and tip pairings that Titan S loves. This is a case where you should not judge the Titan S for what it sounds like on open listen using the stock tips and its included cable. Again there is a limit to what Dunu can provide for the bucks here. The included cable is good for what it is but, try the Titan S with a thicker balanced pure copper cable. Aftermarket tips have more of an effect on their tonal and dynamic qualities than you would imagine. This is a case of good things on the Titan S and you will hear the benefits. Try your best tips and cables to optimize the Titan S to your liking. Your ears will thank you for it. With the Titan S optimized with the right tips and cables and a great sounding source. I am very certain you will be impressed.

The mid bands show clear advantages of its resolving ability. Here is where its technicalities separate the Titan S from many others that try to do this exact harmon tuning. Add to this one of the best timbres for sound at the price range and you get a sound that is clearly worth the value of what you paid and more. Its spacious imaging is addictive and its timbral accuracy is really about as good as it gets for the price. The only issue for me anyways was a bit of a thinner note weight with its stock tips and cables.

Bass
Bass of the Titan S is moderate in presence but manages to provide a solid bass foundation and detail. Moderate levels of bass means better quickness, agility and tightness. Its bass emphasis is enough to clearly let you know what genre of music you're listening to but by no means is the Titan S a bass specialist or focussed on bass. Bass quality is very good for what it is but with that moderation I do notice it will depend on the tip you chose just how much bass you want from the Titan S. Using the Azla Sendafit tips. Bass comes alive but at the cost of lowering the mids and trebles even further back in the mix.

Azla Crystal tips is the middle ground of the stock tips, more forward treble and mids with slightly less bass emphasis of the Azla sendafits a good middle ground. Again, experiment with your best tips and you will be able to find the right sound for you. Bass ability overall is not emphasized to have any influence on tonality or cause any warmth. But it does have solid impact, speed and detail for the region. Sub bass reaches deep and has decent rumble, not the best texture but represents well enough at the price point. I noticed here a thicker pure copper cable enhances the lower registers with an increase of body of sound. So really it will depend on what you end up using on the Titan S and with that very important tip choice to make them sound to your liking.

In the end
The Titan S is a new modern take on the Titan dynamic formula. It has a likable sound with some very good technicalities that separates the Titan S from the many harmon tuned earphones out on the market. Taken even further once you throw in your best copper cables and tips in the mix. They are easy to drive, have decent passive isolation and have a solid build for EDC use. For the price point you really can’t do much if at all better for sound quality. Of course that will depend on just how you maximize the Titan S for you. Its balancing is done nicely with a slight brightness from the treble area that does just enough to not throw out the sound altogether as being fatiguing or unnatural. The Titan S is an easy recommendation for enthusiasts that demand a better, more resolving sound from your sub $100 monitors and most importantly with proper technicalities.

Extra.
If you haven’t guessed by now I much prefer using aftermarket accessories on the TitanS than I will clearly tell you. If you are stuck on just using the stock cables and tips for Titan S. You're missing out on the potential you hear from them to really hear how they can perform optimized. I will post in this section exactly how I am optimizing these. What I am about to show is how I like to pair the Titan S with my own set of tips and cables. So this part is very much subjective. Truth be told there are earphones out in the wild that cost a whole lot more that you can’t optimize much on. The Titan S on the other hand is easily one of the best monitors that will change how you hear them with a proper cable and some better tips.

Tips for tips.

Azla Sendafit and Azla crystal tips.
Both these sets will surprise you just how much bass you can squeeze out of the Titan S. The longer stem seems to have a horn effect on the Titan S and bass just comes alive using the Azla Sendafit. The only issue here is that the Sendafit fits a touch loose on the nozzle. Not so much that it just falls out but not the best fitting on the nozzle.

The Crystals here fits tight. The side effect of the Sendafit was that while bass is much more enhanced it sets the mids and treble a touch back in the mix now as a result. The Crystals nozzle is not as long as the Sendafit so the mids and trebles are retained but also retains most of the bass impact of the Sendafit. This is a great middle ground between the Sendafit and the stock tips. The tips here works even better once you get a pure copper cable on the Titan S.

Spinfit CP100. These work to bring out more bass as well but to me the mids especially sounds just a touch reserved from what I hear on the more open nozzle Azla tips. But the bass is much more pronounced using these and you just might like its presentation using the CP100s.

Lastly out of my tip collection the ones that was very surprising yet worked extremely well on the Titan S was Finals E tips. You seen these tips on premiere IEMs in the market. These give the best imaging with the best balance of bass mids and treble out of all the tips I listed here.

Since this is a Dunu review. I don’t want to go into detail about other manufacturers' cables but just know those pure copper cables you bought that have been collecting dust in your collection will now come into play. Try your copper cables on the Titan S. The thicker the better. Reason why I say a thicker copper cable. Copper cables bring added body and fullness to a sound signature. Since the Titan S is more neutral in presence, especially the lower mids to bass area a thicker copper cable will add some meat to the Titan S neutrality leaning sound signature. Stock cable is fine by the way but if you plan on utilizing your balanced out from your DAPs anyway which also helps adding a bit of extra power to the Titan S. Go for an aftermarket pure copper variety to really maximize the sound signature of the Titan S.

Tansio Mirai Akiba

My history with Tansio Mirai started with the TSMR-2 which to this day is one of the best dual BA designed earphones. It was this earphone that made me realize these guys can not only tune but they were one of the early adopters of the switch add-on to their IEMs, which added slight tuning variations on all of their earphones. The tuning switch has become a staple of every single Tansio Mirai earphone since. I have been lucky enough to hear the progression of their earphone designs, most of which are all BA sets with the more recent Lands being their first tribrid. Some of the other higher end Tansios include the TSMR-10 the Zodiac and the more recent flagship Sparks I reviewed here.

The Akiba announcement was quite the surprise as it wasn’t too long ago the Sparks was released. Even more of a surprise is that the new Akiba is using exactly the same driver configuration of their Sparks. The Akiba incorporates 7 high end Sonion BAs + 4 Sonion EST in an all-resin semi-custom shell, adding 3 tuning switches which slightly affects 7 different tuning variants to the overall sound. Enhancing bass, balancing and treble or a combination thereof, the tuning switch has a minor effect in the regions and is nothing that overly boosts the sound area it is taxed with. I personally prefer a bit of a bass boost and balanced mid switch on with the treble switch off as Tansio Mirai earphones in general have enhanced treble tunings with ample treble emphasis from the get-go. The overall design is very identical to the Sparks so I figured there has to be some tweaks to the formula and the tuning that would warrant an entirely new release.

When I received the Akiba everything from the shells to how the drivers are laid out inside the shells was identical to the Sparks. So, what gives? It turns out Tansio has switched out the Sonion BASS BAs for newer Sonion drivers for better bass performance vs their Sparks and also incorporated a slight sound tweak for the new Akiba. The Spark in of itself is an outstanding offering from the onset so it was quite puzzling for me. But I get it, we want progress and the Akiba is just that. The earphone industry is all about advancing forward. I take it that Tansio Mirai has read the reviews and some of the wants from the reviews and comments. Folks wanted a more impactful, better bass performance for the Sparks.

That is in fact what the Akiba does but more importantly this added bass presence brings the overall sound quality to yet another level in performance. The driver layout is as follows. The upgraded drivers in the Akiba are in the bass BAs. Dual BA=Sub bass, dual BA= mid upper bass, Two BA=mids, BA for lower to mid treble + 4 Sonion ESTs for upper trebles. A 4 way crossover design with 4 channels, this is exactly the same configuration as the Sparks. Besides the change in the name and reworking of the bass vents with new bass drivers. The Akiba ups the price point by $50. Also adding to the Akiba a new included cable which now lives up to the flagship status of the Akiba. No longer is the throw-in cable the standard rehashed SPC cable of Tansio Mirai past. It is now a brand spanking new customized boutique level 2 thicker cored silver plated higher end OCC litz cable that also plays a part in how the new Akiba plays out. This cable is so good I heard it might be sold separately as an item you might be able to purchase on Penon. Look for it soon.

Standardly disclaimers. The Akiba was provided for the purpose of a review by Tansio Mirai. It was fully burned non-stop for an entire week. You can look up the Akiba on their sales page here. The Akiba has been analyzed using my IBasso DX300Max, Fiio M15,Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, IBasso DX160, IFI black label, Fiio K3 2021, UTWS5.

Sound
It is amazing what a little sound tweak can do for an already great IEM in the Tansio Mirai Sparks. There is no denying how good the Sparks are but they have been replaced by the Akiba as it is more of a revision of the Sparks and not entirely a new model. The new Akiba has the same mild broad v shaped tuning of the Sparks but now has two fundamental changes vs the Sparks sound. The first thing I noticed is a more expansive head stage. It has a noticeable expansion for the width of the sound vs the Sparks slightly more intimate presentation. Usually when you add a more capable bass end on an earphone design you get the opposite effect so that was unexpected. Then there is the new bass end.

At one point I went back and forth from the Sparks vs the Akiba and I was asking myself if I am hearing the changes that should be evident when going back and forth. To be fair this was early on when the Akiba was more or less out of the box. As the days went by with more time on the Akiba the changes started to become more noticeable. The bass end of the Akiba is now perhaps one of the best BA bass presentations I have heard. The Sparks moderate bass emphasis is not weak by any means but there were a few that wanted something a bit more impactful with better lower sub bass grunt. The new bass drivers provide this for the Akiba. Will get into this aspect a bit more in the bass sound descriptions but for now, it was these two fundamental changes from the Sparks that makes the Akiba an entirely new product to replace the Sparks.

Trebles
The Akiba and the prior Sparks both use the quad aray Sonion EST drivers for the upper high notes. If you have never experienced EST implementations for earphones, there is a reason why Sonion EST drivers are so highly sought out by higher end IEM manufacturers. Apparently there is a difference not only in price but going from two, four and even six EST drivers. The reasoning for using a single BA to do the lower treble is due to ESTs inherent struggles with the lower treble notes. ESTs are all about the upper treble presentations providing air sparkle and shimmer. The Akiba delivers with a much higher end treble with a refinement level I would say is a true reference grade treble for earphone designs. Taniso Mirai earphones in general specialize in the treble emphasized tunings, giving them a distinctive higher end sound vs your standard all BA offerings. If you're looking for a higher end earphone that has a warm tonality with a mild or moderate treble emphasis. Tansio Mirai earphones may not be for you. However if you're looking for a highly detailed energetic BA set with a full on refined extended treble presentation, the Akiba is the new flagship for Tansio Mirai for a reason.
Treble presentations are the forte of the Tansio Mirai IEM. You will not hear a flagship Tansio Miriai with a moderate or mediocre treble end. You get the full bells and whistles with one of the most articulate treble presentations for any IEM. Nuanced, full bodied and well executed, presenting with a ghost like crisp clean dimensional treble detail. It is arguable that the treble aspect of tunings is more difficult to get right vs the mids or the bass. It requires fine measured responses so the end user can pick out the detail they want to hear yet not to introduce undue fatigue at the same time. A good treble presence is more than just definition of both micro and macro details. It has to have air, tight transients, rangy in ability and a lingering effect when called upon aka sparkle. The EST implementation here is all that which makes the treble end of the Akiba one of the most refined trebles for earphones. As I am getting older in age, I am appreciating the more refined extended treble presentations from nicer earphones. I have no issue calling the Akiba my reference for high end treble presentations as there will be a drop off from the Akiba or even the Sparks when you go from these in ears to something else that is not as capable. Of course, this is all subjective as I can see folks that like a more laid-back treble presentation. But my point is. Why include 5 drivers to do treble to get a reserved treble end.

Treble extension is ideal, Airy sparkly yet cleanly precise for treble notes.
The Akiba does justice for the treble lovers and does it in a way where it sounds effortless. Its focus for treble is more mid to upper treble emphasis but this brings a highlighted imaging for the trebles. Jazz blues rock, and pop music just about anything that requires an agile full on treble detail the Akiba is superb for folks that want their full treble.

Mids
The trebles to the mids presentation is liquid, cohesion for Tansio Mirai phones have never been an issue. The fluid nature of the mids presentation is handled by two very high end Sonion BAs. It is no secret some of the highest end earphones use Sonion drivers. Both the Sparks and the Akiba use the same Sonion BAs for the important mids. Why change something that works? The mids of both the Sparks and Akiba share the most similarities with the Sparks mids being ever so slightly forward in comparison. Otherwise, the mids between both these earphones are nearly identical. Which for me is certainly a good thing. Both exhibits more upper mids vs lower mids and while mids are not forward they don't take a step back in the mix either.

One of better mids presentations for BA based IEMS, the Akiba mids exudes a euphoric emotive well layered dimensional presentation. Vocal renditions, especially female vocals just emanate with a spacial holographic rangy ability that has to be one of the best in this regard.

Akiba mids shows supremely dynamic breathy vocal renditions but also some of the best natural timbre for instruments from BA drivers especially stringed instruments. It does take some higher end BAs to show it can do more than just be detailed for the region with a distinctive layering and imaging of the mid bands, the Akiba benefits from some of the best BA drivers money can buy. Hence the Akiba shows that it is more than just a treble specialist.

The Akiba has a moderate upper mid pinna gain yet due to the ample treble emphasis has a clean and clear sound signature. I noticed with more copper based cables the tonality here can sway a bit more toward warmer so the neutrality aspect for its tonal quality is there using the included cable. If you do want more of a warmer fuller bodied signature I do recommend a nicer copper based cable. The ISN G4 shown here.

This being said the included new cable is superb on the Akiba and I can tell the cable brings a highly transparent nature of a high end copper base with a thicker silver plating. It is too bad these cables cannot be ordered with balanced terminations when ordering the Akiba otherwise the match up with the Akiba is superb and is a huge leap in quality vs their pior cable they used to throw in with all their IEMs.

Mids shows an excellent technical ability from its spacious head stage, to its top flight imaging, sound separation, and shows impeccable detail. Due to the detailed nature of the signature on the Akiba, the Akiba pairs better with warmer sounding sources. DX160, Shanling M6pro, DX300Max, IFI black label. Basically newer IBasso and Shanling sources. They sound good out of more neutral sources but that extra warmth of the previously mentioned sources synergizes with the Akiba even better.

Bass
Bass of the Akiba is where the change has occurred for the new design. Reading previous reviews of the Sparks there were a few comments and remarks about how folks would have loved to see a more impactful bass end from the Sparks. The Sparks were using an older Sonion vented dual bass drivers. From what I understand about the new drivers. These are an improved version from Sonion and I got word Tansio also reworked the venting for more airflow to the drivers. The end results, the new Akiba now has impact and a low-end rumbly extension that is similar to a well vented dynamic. These come dangerously close to how a well fueled dynamic sounds like for bass and while you can still tell they are BAs doing the low-end work. It is less evident the more you hear its bass ability. In fact, going back and forth from the only dynamic bass offering from Tansio Mirai in their LAND tribrid, actual impact and amount of bass emphasis is actually similar. Where the main difference is its speed with a quicker delivery and decay. It wasn’t like the Lands 10mm dynamic bass was slow by any means but going to the Akiba and you get a much quicker, snappier tighter delivery of bass. The Akiba sounds amazing for speedy bass performance as a result. Metal in particular benefits hugely from the meaty tight speedy bass presentation.


Bass comes alive when called for with a detail that is some of the best I have heard for BA bass. Its low-end rumbling capabilities are substantial as you now have an actual sub-woofer on tap. Two of them actually per ear making the Akiba very versatile.


Overall
The new Akiba is all about presenting the best of the best of Taniso Mirai. They have always made nicely capable monitors but the Akiba now incorporates one of the best articulare treble I have heard from any of their monitors. One of the best mids of any of their monitors and for BA bass the tops for bass as well. If you measure a flagship IEMs based on the best of the best of what the manufacturer can do, then the Akiba here is a success. I would have liked to have just a few DBs less mid to upper treble presence adding that to the lower mids but otherwise I get this particular signature and its tuning. It is going for a reference level of detail and is very good at it. The Akiba is not an entirely new IEM it is more of a Sparks revision but at the same time at this level of earphone a revision is actually all you need to do one better than their previous flagship which was arguably a high level earphone in the first place.

If you have never heard a Tansio Mirai earphone and would like to dive deep and just go for their best offering. I can confidently say it is now the Akiba that is their top IEM. With premium IEM prices at an all time high, Tansio Mirai has kept their offerings grounded with a realistic price point which now also includes a premium cable. Initially I was a bit worried that the Akiba is not really doing one over the Sparks and for folks that own the Sparks currently. I will tell you to hold onto your Sparks. Get yourself a nice higher end copper cable and the Sparks will be very close in sound and ability to the Akiba. However if you are looking for an ideal EST implemented flagship that has all 3 parts of sound at a highly refined levels. The Akiba is easily one of the best IEMs I have heard for the new year. Thanks for taking the time to read, happy listening always.

Cuz people always want comparisons.

Vs the CA Solaris.
Both earphones do dimensional sound. The Solaris is CA highest end IEMs for a reason and since its very first iteration. I never thought slight tweaks on the Solaris formula warranted another purchase. The Original Solaris is to this day one of my all time favorites. Solaris has a comparable treble emphasis and extension but is not quite as articulate or as detailed as the Akiba treble. Akibas advantage is how resolving its treble is in comparison. While the Solaris treble is no slouch Akibas EST drivers are the leg up for its performance over the Solaris treble end showing a bit more air and micro details. By design the Akiba has more lower treble vs the Solaris treble tuning so by default it has a bit more treble energy.

Solaris mids are not as dense as I would like. Here is where the Akiba also has a leg up.. Both have good mids presence with the Solaris having just a more forward lower mid range but I will give the edge here to the Akiba as its mids sounds more grounded to me with more density. Solaris stage is wider than the Akiba with the Akiba having a bit more height and similar in depth. The surprise here is Akiba actually has a touch more bass impact than the Solaris. Solaris bass texture is where it wins but for quantity the Akiba has a bit more bass presence in general. Speedier since it is BA bass and while the quality is won by the Solaris the Akiba does not fall too far behind in the quality department even though it is BA bass.

Vs the UM Mest
Mest just like the Solaris has seen various revisions. The original Mest has seen a fairly large following which prompted UM to make a bunch of revisions of them and while the OG MEST was the first to use a bone conduction for the group. Bone conduction has folks swearing up n down it does something for the mids that other drivers can’t do. Subtle or not the OG MEST has one of the best dimensional sounds around and was one of its trump cards. MEST is a direct competitor to the Solaris and even Sonys IER Z1R. All these IEMS have wide stage presentations and the MEST here is only slightly lesser vs the Solaris. Very comparable actually. The Akiba shows greater upper mids presence and actually has a more forward mid range in general vs the OG MEST. Trebles once again is not as articulate as the Akiba. The MEST treble here is also using two BAs for its treble and uses two EST for upper trebles. So similar level of driver count vs the Akiba. The MEST treble detail and articulation is more closer to the Akiba vs the Solaris with similar emphasis here as well. However the Akiba has a bit of extra for its sparkle that the MEST does not have. Could be due to the extra ESTs. Treble presence here is similar but it is the AKIBA that has a touch better sparkle and slightly better dimensional qualities. Otherwise similar in execution.

The main difference is the mids presentation. MEST even though it does not show on graphs actually sound like it has a scoop for the mids. The mids was addressed on their newer MK2 version but the scoop is clearly there. Akiba does not have this issue so the mids again shows more density for the AKiba. These both trade punches for technicalities, imaging and sound separation and such but the AKiba has better layering for its mids presentation. MEST has very good dimensional qualities which makes them sound exciting but the mids sounding scooped once you hear something else without this scoop that is when you realize why UM made some revisions. MEST bass has more sub bass but mid bass impact is at a similar level here with the speed again a leg up on the Akiba.

Sony IER Z1R.
Vs the Akiba, Sony's IER Z1R is by far Sony's best IEM and one that is clearly doing well with the test of time. Others make revisions. Sony does not, they just release new IEMs every 5-8 years or so. I first heard the IER-Z1R, a pre-production unit at Can jam in Denver in 2018 and I knew I would eventually have to have a set. I bought a clean used set from our sales thread and have been enjoying them ever since. Onto the comparison. As crazy as this sounds it is the IER Z1R that shows the most similarities to the Akiba well at least for balancing. You can say the Akiba is like an all BA and EST version of the Sony IER-Z1R. Similar in how it presents the mids the Z1R does have a more natural tonality and its bass is one of the absolute best in the industry. The treble for the Z1R takes on a silkier quality vs the Akiba's more nuanced EST presentation. I like both treble presentations.

The Akiba has a slight leg up on the treble definition but the IER-Z1R sounds a touch more natural in the process. Akiba has a bit more in the way of Mids dimensional character with a few dbs more upper mids lower trebles.. Akiba shows a slightly brighter tonal quality vs a slightly warmer tonality of the IER-Z1R. I am gonna say, I doubt there will be any BA based Bass that will approach Sony's dynamic bass for the IER-Z1R. What the Akiba lacks in comparison for physical bass vs the Z1R makes up for it with a tighter speedy well-defined bass. It won't reach the Z1R level for bass quality but for using BAs it will be as good as it gets in that regard. The Akiba images a bit more precisely for its mids and that is due to the all BA layout with EST implementation. Z1R on the other hand has the edge in naturalness, a silkier tonal character for trebles and its bass which has world class texture, with a wider stage vs the Akiba. Z1R is a bit more laid back in its presentation while the Akiba shows a more forward a bit more aggressive sound profile.