Reviews by kapsontong
Overall rating: 4/5
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4/5
Design: 3/5
Accessories: 3/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 4/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 4/5
Treble: 3.5/5
Technicalities: 4/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a self-purchased unit with a discounted price by EPZ official. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 24 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
Recently I have too many backlogs going on, but there a few things that caught my attention. One is IEMs are getting better and better tuned, and the dongle DAC market is getting heated with competitions. In the midst of the highly competitive CS43198 market, the brand new EPZ TP50 stood out with its unbeatable US$108 price tag and great build quality. So, other than the price, is there anything the EPZ TP50 can do to convince my Asian’s cheapskate sense?
Unboxing and Accessories:
If you have read my recent reviews on the EPZ TP20 Pro, you should know that the unboxing routine is similar to it. EPZ has said to minimize the budget, they have to take consideration and sacrifice some unboxing experience, just to ensure that customer will be pleased with the actual product itself.
The packaging box is designed with the similar carbon-fiber like appearance as the TP50, and it is embossed with the product model and illustration. Slide open the box, you can find the EPZ TP50 lies within the foam cut-outs.
What is inside the box?
- EPZ TP50 dongle DAC
- 1x copper & silver mix braided type – c cable.
- Paperworks.
Still no USB-C to USB-A unfortunately. Whoever wants to connect to PC or laptop will have to purchase one elsewhere. Hopefully EPZ will consider about it and include one adapter to enhance the versatility of the dongle DAC.
Design & Build Quality:
Overall housing is made of metal alloy and has black matte textures, all the way from top to bottom. The front face of the TP50 is finished with the carbon-fiber like panels and has a small LED screen that shows all the information once the DAC is connected. The overall DAC feels very comfortable on hand, which EPZ claimed that the housing undergoes CNC carving to make rounded edges for better handling.
The buttons of the TP50 are very solid with no pre/post travel and has a tactile sound. On the rear side, you can find a slab of carbon-fiber panels. EPZ has implemented the carbon-fiber to make sure the TP50 is light enough to hold, and their efforts paid off. The TP50 is weighted 28 grams, and its surface is more durable than glass panel surfaces. If you don’t want your DAC to have scratch marks, then the TP50 is worth your consideration.
Specifications:
- DAC chip: Dual - CS43198
- Amplifier: 2x RT6863
- Supports up to PCM 32bit/768khz & DSD256
- Output: 3.5 single ended: 2vrms (121mW @32 ohms)/ 4.4 balanced: 4vrms [240mW @32 ohms)
- SNR: 3.5- +/-125db 4.4- +/-130db
- THD+N: +/- 0.0005%
- Dynamic Range: 3.5- +/-125db 4.4- +/-130db
- Frequency Response: 20hz to 80khz
Functionality:
EPZ TP50 has 3 buttons on the left side, which are the volume control buttons and a mode button, which is functioned to do minor adjustment inside the DAC.
Modes that can be adjusted according to order:
- Gain level: Low/High
- Left/Right adjustment.
- Filter mode.
- DAC OM (digital signal mode to change from digital into analog.)
- S/PDIF.
- H-Depop to eliminate crackles/pops.
- Display Brightness (0-10)
- Display Rotation.
- Display time off.
- Hide Key.
- UAD FW
- Reset to default.
There are also a few filter modes that can be adjusted to suit IEMs with different sound signatures.
- Slow LL: Slightly warmer sub-bass, and lesser pronounced upper mids.
- Slow PC: The sub-bass is boosted by a small margin; the rest remained neutral.
- Fast PC: The upper mids are slightly elevated, with good level of transparency.
- Fast LL: Similar to Fast PC, but with a tinge of elevated treble snappiness.
- Non-OS: Probably the most neutral filter yet, which I adore.
The EPZ TP50 has both 3.5mm and 4.5mm standard outputs to benefit audiophiles with different scenarios.
Drivability:
In this test, I will bring out the easiest to drive SoundRhyme SR5 to test if the TP50 will have any distortions or background noise, and the Philips SHP9500 to test out the output capability. Without a doubt, the TP50 passed all of my driving test without any weird hiss. My Dita Audio Perpetua sounds full when it is plugged into the balanced output.
The TP50 has 100 volume levels in both low and high gain level, to ensure the IEM and headphones have enough volumes for maneuver. The hardest to drive IEM I have is the KZ PR2, and that will have to drive up to 40/100 in high gain. On the headphone side, my Philips SHP9500 is able to be driven properly on 55/100 in high gain.
Sound Impression:
The EPZ TP50 is a very promising DAC, as it has an almost neutral sound compared to its little brother, TP20 Pro. All of my tested audio gears are true to its sound signature. The tonality is rendered exactly what can be expected and there is a slight hint of warmth in the vocals department.
Bass:
The bass is tight and full, comes with a good sense of presence. Mid-bass is accurate with good textures. However, when pair it with a warm tuned IEM and it will have a bit better bass quality, making the sub-bass to sound tight and rumbly. The lower end extension is deep enough to reproduce meaty bass.
Mids:
The vocals behave like pure water in almost every tracks. There is no colorization in the midrange, and everything sounds cohesive. Vocals is presented slightly forward and there are no changes in the timbre and tonality.
The instruments sounded full in the lower midrange, like the trumpet and the cello. The characteristic of brass and wood have a kind of resonance, and the TP50 has the ability to replicate that. The near neutral tuning benefits it to optimize for any music genre.
Treble:
Well, I have to say, the treble is accurate to ears without any glares or sudden peaks. On the other hand, I do find the treble response of the TP50 extends smoothly and adds a certain amount of airiness. There are some zings and snaps up top but it is still under controlled to avoid unwanted sibilance.
Soundstage & Technicalities:
The soundstage of TP50 is rather in the middle, which does not feel shallow in depth or width, but it is not expansive enough. The technicalities however, is decent. The separation and layering of the CS43198 is always handy especially when comes to listen to congested tracks like orchestra. Imaging of the TP50 is great too as I can pinpoint instruments easily. Transients are fast and tight, so the instruments are replicated as life-like.
Detail retrieval of the TP50 is also great, as I do not have to pay effort to find for subtle nuances in any test tracks. One downside of the technical part is the dynamics are rather not impressive, therefore people who demanded to have a fun and warm sounding DAC may have to look away.
Comparison:
Truthear Shio
The DAC that has been on hot topic throughout the year 2023. Its unbeatable sub-$150 price tag and solid build quality has been a hit since. I guess it is time for EPZ TP50 to dethrone the long reigning Shio in the budget DAC category.
Sonic performance wise, both having absolutely different style of tuning as the Shio has emphasis on mid-bass and warmer representation, while the TP50 has its own distinctive neutral tonality which can improve the technicalities. With the aid of the Slow LL filter mode that can be found in TP50, it can sound closer to Shio but comes with better separation, presence and soundstage. If you are not keen to find a relaxing sounding DAC, the TP50 is already a decent all-rounder that can completely outcompete the Shio.
Moondrop Moonriver 2:Ti
Another warm sounding DAC that has the same hardware configuration as the EPZ TP50. If you have owned the Moonriver 2 Ti, it is the best time to change a bit of the flavor with a neutral sounding DAC like TP50, as a compliment DAC. If you have not owned it, I guess you might have to choose one that suits you. Moonriver 2 Ti has dual CS43198 DAC chip, and it has a warm filter wrapped around the aural field. The TP50 on the other hand, sounds colder and more analytical. I will recommend the Moonriver 2:TI for audiophiles that likes to listen to vocal focused tracks, and TP50 for faster and congested tracks like ACG and K-pop.
Conclusion:
EPZ has did a good job, making their first flagship level dongle DAC to a very high standard for the other companies to catch up. The sturdy build quality with a lightweight chassis is favorable for every carry scenario, and the near neutral sound produced by the DAC chip allows the TP50 to fit in every music genre. With the aid of the filter modes, I think the EPZ TP50 is one of the best all rounder DAC in the sub US$150 market.
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4/5
Design: 3/5
Accessories: 3/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 4/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 4/5
Treble: 3.5/5
Technicalities: 4/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a self-purchased unit with a discounted price by EPZ official. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 24 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
Recently I have too many backlogs going on, but there a few things that caught my attention. One is IEMs are getting better and better tuned, and the dongle DAC market is getting heated with competitions. In the midst of the highly competitive CS43198 market, the brand new EPZ TP50 stood out with its unbeatable US$108 price tag and great build quality. So, other than the price, is there anything the EPZ TP50 can do to convince my Asian’s cheapskate sense?
Unboxing and Accessories:
If you have read my recent reviews on the EPZ TP20 Pro, you should know that the unboxing routine is similar to it. EPZ has said to minimize the budget, they have to take consideration and sacrifice some unboxing experience, just to ensure that customer will be pleased with the actual product itself.
The packaging box is designed with the similar carbon-fiber like appearance as the TP50, and it is embossed with the product model and illustration. Slide open the box, you can find the EPZ TP50 lies within the foam cut-outs.
What is inside the box?
- EPZ TP50 dongle DAC
- 1x copper & silver mix braided type – c cable.
- Paperworks.
Still no USB-C to USB-A unfortunately. Whoever wants to connect to PC or laptop will have to purchase one elsewhere. Hopefully EPZ will consider about it and include one adapter to enhance the versatility of the dongle DAC.
Design & Build Quality:
Overall housing is made of metal alloy and has black matte textures, all the way from top to bottom. The front face of the TP50 is finished with the carbon-fiber like panels and has a small LED screen that shows all the information once the DAC is connected. The overall DAC feels very comfortable on hand, which EPZ claimed that the housing undergoes CNC carving to make rounded edges for better handling.
The buttons of the TP50 are very solid with no pre/post travel and has a tactile sound. On the rear side, you can find a slab of carbon-fiber panels. EPZ has implemented the carbon-fiber to make sure the TP50 is light enough to hold, and their efforts paid off. The TP50 is weighted 28 grams, and its surface is more durable than glass panel surfaces. If you don’t want your DAC to have scratch marks, then the TP50 is worth your consideration.
Specifications:
- DAC chip: Dual - CS43198
- Amplifier: 2x RT6863
- Supports up to PCM 32bit/768khz & DSD256
- Output: 3.5 single ended: 2vrms (121mW @32 ohms)/ 4.4 balanced: 4vrms [240mW @32 ohms)
- SNR: 3.5- +/-125db 4.4- +/-130db
- THD+N: +/- 0.0005%
- Dynamic Range: 3.5- +/-125db 4.4- +/-130db
- Frequency Response: 20hz to 80khz
Functionality:
EPZ TP50 has 3 buttons on the left side, which are the volume control buttons and a mode button, which is functioned to do minor adjustment inside the DAC.
Modes that can be adjusted according to order:
- Gain level: Low/High
- Left/Right adjustment.
- Filter mode.
- DAC OM (digital signal mode to change from digital into analog.)
- S/PDIF.
- H-Depop to eliminate crackles/pops.
- Display Brightness (0-10)
- Display Rotation.
- Display time off.
- Hide Key.
- UAD FW
- Reset to default.
There are also a few filter modes that can be adjusted to suit IEMs with different sound signatures.
- Slow LL: Slightly warmer sub-bass, and lesser pronounced upper mids.
- Slow PC: The sub-bass is boosted by a small margin; the rest remained neutral.
- Fast PC: The upper mids are slightly elevated, with good level of transparency.
- Fast LL: Similar to Fast PC, but with a tinge of elevated treble snappiness.
- Non-OS: Probably the most neutral filter yet, which I adore.
The EPZ TP50 has both 3.5mm and 4.5mm standard outputs to benefit audiophiles with different scenarios.
Drivability:
In this test, I will bring out the easiest to drive SoundRhyme SR5 to test if the TP50 will have any distortions or background noise, and the Philips SHP9500 to test out the output capability. Without a doubt, the TP50 passed all of my driving test without any weird hiss. My Dita Audio Perpetua sounds full when it is plugged into the balanced output.
The TP50 has 100 volume levels in both low and high gain level, to ensure the IEM and headphones have enough volumes for maneuver. The hardest to drive IEM I have is the KZ PR2, and that will have to drive up to 40/100 in high gain. On the headphone side, my Philips SHP9500 is able to be driven properly on 55/100 in high gain.
Sound Impression:
The EPZ TP50 is a very promising DAC, as it has an almost neutral sound compared to its little brother, TP20 Pro. All of my tested audio gears are true to its sound signature. The tonality is rendered exactly what can be expected and there is a slight hint of warmth in the vocals department.
Bass:
The bass is tight and full, comes with a good sense of presence. Mid-bass is accurate with good textures. However, when pair it with a warm tuned IEM and it will have a bit better bass quality, making the sub-bass to sound tight and rumbly. The lower end extension is deep enough to reproduce meaty bass.
Mids:
The vocals behave like pure water in almost every tracks. There is no colorization in the midrange, and everything sounds cohesive. Vocals is presented slightly forward and there are no changes in the timbre and tonality.
The instruments sounded full in the lower midrange, like the trumpet and the cello. The characteristic of brass and wood have a kind of resonance, and the TP50 has the ability to replicate that. The near neutral tuning benefits it to optimize for any music genre.
Treble:
Well, I have to say, the treble is accurate to ears without any glares or sudden peaks. On the other hand, I do find the treble response of the TP50 extends smoothly and adds a certain amount of airiness. There are some zings and snaps up top but it is still under controlled to avoid unwanted sibilance.
Soundstage & Technicalities:
The soundstage of TP50 is rather in the middle, which does not feel shallow in depth or width, but it is not expansive enough. The technicalities however, is decent. The separation and layering of the CS43198 is always handy especially when comes to listen to congested tracks like orchestra. Imaging of the TP50 is great too as I can pinpoint instruments easily. Transients are fast and tight, so the instruments are replicated as life-like.
Detail retrieval of the TP50 is also great, as I do not have to pay effort to find for subtle nuances in any test tracks. One downside of the technical part is the dynamics are rather not impressive, therefore people who demanded to have a fun and warm sounding DAC may have to look away.
Comparison:
Truthear Shio
The DAC that has been on hot topic throughout the year 2023. Its unbeatable sub-$150 price tag and solid build quality has been a hit since. I guess it is time for EPZ TP50 to dethrone the long reigning Shio in the budget DAC category.
Sonic performance wise, both having absolutely different style of tuning as the Shio has emphasis on mid-bass and warmer representation, while the TP50 has its own distinctive neutral tonality which can improve the technicalities. With the aid of the Slow LL filter mode that can be found in TP50, it can sound closer to Shio but comes with better separation, presence and soundstage. If you are not keen to find a relaxing sounding DAC, the TP50 is already a decent all-rounder that can completely outcompete the Shio.
Moondrop Moonriver 2:Ti
Another warm sounding DAC that has the same hardware configuration as the EPZ TP50. If you have owned the Moonriver 2 Ti, it is the best time to change a bit of the flavor with a neutral sounding DAC like TP50, as a compliment DAC. If you have not owned it, I guess you might have to choose one that suits you. Moonriver 2 Ti has dual CS43198 DAC chip, and it has a warm filter wrapped around the aural field. The TP50 on the other hand, sounds colder and more analytical. I will recommend the Moonriver 2:TI for audiophiles that likes to listen to vocal focused tracks, and TP50 for faster and congested tracks like ACG and K-pop.
Conclusion:
EPZ has did a good job, making their first flagship level dongle DAC to a very high standard for the other companies to catch up. The sturdy build quality with a lightweight chassis is favorable for every carry scenario, and the near neutral sound produced by the DAC chip allows the TP50 to fit in every music genre. With the aid of the filter modes, I think the EPZ TP50 is one of the best all rounder DAC in the sub US$150 market.
Attachments
Overall rating: 4/5
Aesthetic:
- Build Quality: 4.5/5
- Design: 5/5
- Accessories: 3/5
Sound Rating:
- Timbre: 3.5/5
- Bass: 4/5
- Midrange: 4.5/5
- Treble: 4/5
- Technicalities: 4/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a review unit sent by Fir Audio US in exchange for a review session. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 100 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
Fir Audio is a renowned audio company that has established since 2018 by Bogdan Belonozhko, and has offered many necessary and unique accessories for all IEM owners. They are the experts in manufacturing and custom made nearly thousands of IEMs, and their proprietary acoustic technology like the RCX connector, Tubeless high-driver, Tubeless shell design, and Atom-X modules defined the new age of in-ear monitors technology. I have no doubts of their high reputation in the high-end audiophile market and I am sure whoever is interested will want to know how good is their new Electron series, Fir Audio E12.
Unboxing and accessories:
Fir Audio comes with a compact box, covered with a white sleeve that has the E12 image printed at the front. Once we get to remove the sleeve, the box will reveal and it is black with gold accent logos and art.
What is inside the box?
- Fir Audio E12
- Genuine leather protective round case
- Fir Audio genuine sticker art
- 3x Foam tips (S/M/L)
- 3x Whirlwind tips (S/M/L)
- Pure silver core cable with OFC shielding
- Cleaning tool
- Suction plunger
Design and build quality:
Fir Audio E12 is light to hold and premium looking, and the design enhanced with a matte touch finish. It has implemented the SwapX technology that has the ability to swap the faceplate design. The faceplates are highly customizable and attached by magnets so it can be removed easily by using their included suction plunge. There are some ready-made face plates for you to purchase on their official website, but Fir provided custom artwork option for people to unleash their creativity.
While the SwapX technology being one of their party tricks, it also has Rigid Tech built in for user to replace the 2pin connector socket easily. Fir Audio has researched long enough to ensure the IEM has enough longevity, thus increase its capability to be repaired which I think everyone will appreciate.
Another proprietary tech that the E12 equipped is the ATOM (Air Transferring Open Module) being highlighted as to reduce pressure built inside the IEM, to achieve results such as bigger soundstage and reduce listening fatigue. So far, I have never felt tired listening to it for a few hours easily per day, which is a promising feature coming from them.
The fit is okay for my small ears. However, my friend will say the otherwise. He complained that it is hard to get good seal maybe because of the shallow nozzle. So, this maybe one’s deal breaker if cannot achieve the best fit.
Talking about the nozzle, it has no mesh within the nozzle as the drivers sit far away from the nozzle for easy cleaning. It feels weird at first glance like something is missing, but I got used to it later.
Technical Specifications:
Drivers: Single 12mm Electro-Dynamic Driver with Tactile Bass
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz
Impedance: 16 ohms
Isolation: -17db
Cable: Pure silver, Oxygen-free, copper shielded Clear Cable with Gold-plated balanced 4.4mm Termination
Purchase link (Unaffiliated):
https://www.firaudio.com/designer?product=e12
Drivability:
Fir E12 is surprisingly easy to drive. It does not require a lot of sheer power and it scales well with amplification. The bass becomes bouncier and soundstage is a bit more expansive when it is drive properly off a desktop DAC AMP.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- Ado – Unravel (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Calvin Harris – Motion album (MQA via Tidal)
- Avicii – Stories album (MQA via Tidal)
- Taylor Swift “1989” album (24bit/48 kHZ)
Source used:
- Acmee SoundMagic 4X pair with Android phone
- Aune Yuki plugged into iPad Air
- Aune S9C Pro plugged into PC
- Fiio KA17 plugged into PC
- Topping A0300 plugged into PC
- Astell & Kern SR25 Dap
Sonic Impression:
The E12 is sporting a 12mm single dynamic driver, aided by its solid chassis as an acoustic chamber to transfer the sound into ear canal, resulting it to sound airy and vocals have certain transparency. The overall sound signature of Fir E12 is a mild V-shape, and it has its own charms that stands out from its competition.
Bass:
Fir Audio E12 is a sub-bass focused IEM, as it has fair amount of rumble and reverberation thanks to its acoustic conduction technology. The sub-bass has deep extension but it will not fracture your head with its quantity. The sub-bass is prominent, with good texture and weight that you can feel it resonates in your head.
On the other hand, the mid-bass of E12 is allowed to make spaces and give some percussion attacks. The sub-bass sometimes will be a bit overwhelming, resulting the mid-bass to sound not as fun in congested tracks. Bassheads rejoice as this may be the closest IEM that has tight and high-fidelity bass but let loose for rock and metal music.
Midrange:
The midrange is not thin at all, but clean and effortless despite being slightly recessed in overall tuning. The lower mids are impressive, being highlighted most of the time as it sounds very natural, full-bodied and musical. Kanye west sound has the oomph and masculine charm in his Carnival album.
The midrange is enhanced by the lower range, allowing the lower mids to be audibly natural and accurate while being clean and well separated. Instruments sound natural and clean with a dark background. Which is beneficial for congested tracks like J-rock.
Upper mids are tamed and controlled, as the bass has balanced out to avoid tendency of being sibilant. Despite being less transparent, it does not sound dull as female vocals are presented slightly forward and still sound clean and delicate.
The timbre is slightly metallic as it intended to sound more Hi-Fi than being analogue-ish. Some people may not find it enjoyable, but not in my case.
Treble:
The treble is snappy and has enough bite to allow fast attacks. It may not be emphasized as the other frequency ranges but it can capture adequate notes like cymbals. The upper treble has fast roll off to make spaces for midrange and bass to perform the tricks, resulting for a smooth and less offensive treble response. This may ease some ear fatigue in the process and promotes longer listening session.
Soundstage and Technicalities:
The soundstage of E12 ranges from average to slightly intimate, as the midrange is like in-your-face kind of tuning to separate between background and main vocals. Overall, the soundstage has wide horizontal width but average depth.
The technicalities prowess of it is very promising, which is deserved to be a Summit-Fi. Good dynamics, micro-details and imaging. However, separation takes a toll as the soundstage does not feel holographic to render its background. Orchestra music maybe is not its thing, I guess.
Comparison:
Acoustune HX2000MX Mk2
It is one of the most renowned Japanese boutique brands to date, and still releasing exotic bangers. One of their most remarkable products will be the HX2000MX Mk2 with 1DD setup, that has a modular chamber design. To summarize both sound tuning, the HX2000MX Mk2 has leaner bass and vocals compared to the Fir Audio E12.
Bass:
The bass of HX2000MX Mk2 is not underwhelming but not as weighted as the E12, however the mid bass has a good texture and presence which is more immersive than E12 which has lesser fun bass.
Midrange:
E12 has warmer vocals but HX2000MX Mk2 has better vocals clarity. The Acoustune has better transients as well but it is more prone to sibilant, which E12 has no issue with it. The V shape tuning of HX2000MX Mk2 made the vocals to be slightly recessed, which may reduce the tendency of sibilance by a bit. Instruments has more punch and attacks with HX2000MX Mk2 with the good presence of mid-bass, to enhance the listening experience.
Treble:
Treble is more audible with HX2000MX Mk2, which allows more treble bite and airiness into female vocals tracks or pop genre tracks. Whereas the E12 has tamer and controlled treble to make sure it is suitable for treble sensitive people, but to reduce transparency and airiness in return.
Technicalities:
Soundstage of both is quite similar, but all the real comparisons lie within the technical prowess. Separation and detail retrieval of E12 is better than what Acoustune has offered, but HX2000MX Mk2 edges with layering and presence. It is quite unique to see how 1DD can be tuned so different consider they have different material of body and acoustic technology.
Dita Audio Perpetua
My best IEM, no words to say. Worriless fit and smooth tuning makes it my solid endgame since last year. So does this 1DD IEM still stands compared with the brand-new Fir Audio E12?
Bass:
Perpetua is more analogue-ish and reacts like a subwoofer, rich and full bodied with that slower speed than E12. While Perpetua giving tribute to the past, E12 is looking forwards to the future with that tight and addicting bass which punches on every beats you listened. Mid-bass is better with the E12 though, which can provide more percussions listening that can benefits drummers and rock/metal genre tracks.
Midrange:
Super pleasing with the Dita’s, not so much with E12. The Perpetua has rich and creamy vocals with no glaring and hot at all, but E12 is no slouch either. However, the forwarded vocal presentation plus the slightly metallic timbre are making it slightly fatiguing after some hours of listening. Instrument sounded natural and pleasing with Perpetua while the E12 is much cleaner in the background. Both offers different approach of sound so pick your poison.
Treble:
The Perpetua has better treble response for sure, which allows the vocals to have some airiness and plenty of cymbal’s crash. E12 is more mature with the treble response and it did not react too much with the high hats and all, but it has better treble clarity which will not mushed especially with highly congested tracks.
Technicalities:
Soundstage of Perpetua is what made me buying this set. It is vivid and the rhythms wrapped around my head like a sphere. If you do not like holographical staging, then it is fine you have your taste. Talking about the technical chops, the separation, layering, dynamics of the Perpetua is better but detail clarity and micro-detail nuances are not on par with the E12 offered, at least according to my test tracks.
Conclusion:
Fir Audio E12 is well executed as a high fidelity and pure EDM and rock music beast with good number of bass that being tight and impactful, alongside good vocal presentation and tonality. Priced at $1799, this may be unobtainable for budget-conscious people. But if the price tag is not a concern, I will recommend this to you, fellow bass enthusiast.
Aesthetic:
- Build Quality: 4.5/5
- Design: 5/5
- Accessories: 3/5
Sound Rating:
- Timbre: 3.5/5
- Bass: 4/5
- Midrange: 4.5/5
- Treble: 4/5
- Technicalities: 4/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a review unit sent by Fir Audio US in exchange for a review session. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 100 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
Fir Audio is a renowned audio company that has established since 2018 by Bogdan Belonozhko, and has offered many necessary and unique accessories for all IEM owners. They are the experts in manufacturing and custom made nearly thousands of IEMs, and their proprietary acoustic technology like the RCX connector, Tubeless high-driver, Tubeless shell design, and Atom-X modules defined the new age of in-ear monitors technology. I have no doubts of their high reputation in the high-end audiophile market and I am sure whoever is interested will want to know how good is their new Electron series, Fir Audio E12.
Unboxing and accessories:
Fir Audio comes with a compact box, covered with a white sleeve that has the E12 image printed at the front. Once we get to remove the sleeve, the box will reveal and it is black with gold accent logos and art.
What is inside the box?
- Fir Audio E12
- Genuine leather protective round case
- Fir Audio genuine sticker art
- 3x Foam tips (S/M/L)
- 3x Whirlwind tips (S/M/L)
- Pure silver core cable with OFC shielding
- Cleaning tool
- Suction plunger
Design and build quality:
Fir Audio E12 is light to hold and premium looking, and the design enhanced with a matte touch finish. It has implemented the SwapX technology that has the ability to swap the faceplate design. The faceplates are highly customizable and attached by magnets so it can be removed easily by using their included suction plunge. There are some ready-made face plates for you to purchase on their official website, but Fir provided custom artwork option for people to unleash their creativity.
While the SwapX technology being one of their party tricks, it also has Rigid Tech built in for user to replace the 2pin connector socket easily. Fir Audio has researched long enough to ensure the IEM has enough longevity, thus increase its capability to be repaired which I think everyone will appreciate.
Another proprietary tech that the E12 equipped is the ATOM (Air Transferring Open Module) being highlighted as to reduce pressure built inside the IEM, to achieve results such as bigger soundstage and reduce listening fatigue. So far, I have never felt tired listening to it for a few hours easily per day, which is a promising feature coming from them.
The fit is okay for my small ears. However, my friend will say the otherwise. He complained that it is hard to get good seal maybe because of the shallow nozzle. So, this maybe one’s deal breaker if cannot achieve the best fit.
Talking about the nozzle, it has no mesh within the nozzle as the drivers sit far away from the nozzle for easy cleaning. It feels weird at first glance like something is missing, but I got used to it later.
Technical Specifications:
Drivers: Single 12mm Electro-Dynamic Driver with Tactile Bass
Frequency Response: 20-20kHz
Impedance: 16 ohms
Isolation: -17db
Cable: Pure silver, Oxygen-free, copper shielded Clear Cable with Gold-plated balanced 4.4mm Termination
Purchase link (Unaffiliated):
https://www.firaudio.com/designer?product=e12
Drivability:
Fir E12 is surprisingly easy to drive. It does not require a lot of sheer power and it scales well with amplification. The bass becomes bouncier and soundstage is a bit more expansive when it is drive properly off a desktop DAC AMP.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- Ado – Unravel (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Calvin Harris – Motion album (MQA via Tidal)
- Avicii – Stories album (MQA via Tidal)
- Taylor Swift “1989” album (24bit/48 kHZ)
Source used:
- Acmee SoundMagic 4X pair with Android phone
- Aune Yuki plugged into iPad Air
- Aune S9C Pro plugged into PC
- Fiio KA17 plugged into PC
- Topping A0300 plugged into PC
- Astell & Kern SR25 Dap
Sonic Impression:
The E12 is sporting a 12mm single dynamic driver, aided by its solid chassis as an acoustic chamber to transfer the sound into ear canal, resulting it to sound airy and vocals have certain transparency. The overall sound signature of Fir E12 is a mild V-shape, and it has its own charms that stands out from its competition.
Bass:
Fir Audio E12 is a sub-bass focused IEM, as it has fair amount of rumble and reverberation thanks to its acoustic conduction technology. The sub-bass has deep extension but it will not fracture your head with its quantity. The sub-bass is prominent, with good texture and weight that you can feel it resonates in your head.
On the other hand, the mid-bass of E12 is allowed to make spaces and give some percussion attacks. The sub-bass sometimes will be a bit overwhelming, resulting the mid-bass to sound not as fun in congested tracks. Bassheads rejoice as this may be the closest IEM that has tight and high-fidelity bass but let loose for rock and metal music.
Midrange:
The midrange is not thin at all, but clean and effortless despite being slightly recessed in overall tuning. The lower mids are impressive, being highlighted most of the time as it sounds very natural, full-bodied and musical. Kanye west sound has the oomph and masculine charm in his Carnival album.
The midrange is enhanced by the lower range, allowing the lower mids to be audibly natural and accurate while being clean and well separated. Instruments sound natural and clean with a dark background. Which is beneficial for congested tracks like J-rock.
Upper mids are tamed and controlled, as the bass has balanced out to avoid tendency of being sibilant. Despite being less transparent, it does not sound dull as female vocals are presented slightly forward and still sound clean and delicate.
The timbre is slightly metallic as it intended to sound more Hi-Fi than being analogue-ish. Some people may not find it enjoyable, but not in my case.
Treble:
The treble is snappy and has enough bite to allow fast attacks. It may not be emphasized as the other frequency ranges but it can capture adequate notes like cymbals. The upper treble has fast roll off to make spaces for midrange and bass to perform the tricks, resulting for a smooth and less offensive treble response. This may ease some ear fatigue in the process and promotes longer listening session.
Soundstage and Technicalities:
The soundstage of E12 ranges from average to slightly intimate, as the midrange is like in-your-face kind of tuning to separate between background and main vocals. Overall, the soundstage has wide horizontal width but average depth.
The technicalities prowess of it is very promising, which is deserved to be a Summit-Fi. Good dynamics, micro-details and imaging. However, separation takes a toll as the soundstage does not feel holographic to render its background. Orchestra music maybe is not its thing, I guess.
Comparison:
Acoustune HX2000MX Mk2
It is one of the most renowned Japanese boutique brands to date, and still releasing exotic bangers. One of their most remarkable products will be the HX2000MX Mk2 with 1DD setup, that has a modular chamber design. To summarize both sound tuning, the HX2000MX Mk2 has leaner bass and vocals compared to the Fir Audio E12.
Bass:
The bass of HX2000MX Mk2 is not underwhelming but not as weighted as the E12, however the mid bass has a good texture and presence which is more immersive than E12 which has lesser fun bass.
Midrange:
E12 has warmer vocals but HX2000MX Mk2 has better vocals clarity. The Acoustune has better transients as well but it is more prone to sibilant, which E12 has no issue with it. The V shape tuning of HX2000MX Mk2 made the vocals to be slightly recessed, which may reduce the tendency of sibilance by a bit. Instruments has more punch and attacks with HX2000MX Mk2 with the good presence of mid-bass, to enhance the listening experience.
Treble:
Treble is more audible with HX2000MX Mk2, which allows more treble bite and airiness into female vocals tracks or pop genre tracks. Whereas the E12 has tamer and controlled treble to make sure it is suitable for treble sensitive people, but to reduce transparency and airiness in return.
Technicalities:
Soundstage of both is quite similar, but all the real comparisons lie within the technical prowess. Separation and detail retrieval of E12 is better than what Acoustune has offered, but HX2000MX Mk2 edges with layering and presence. It is quite unique to see how 1DD can be tuned so different consider they have different material of body and acoustic technology.
Dita Audio Perpetua
My best IEM, no words to say. Worriless fit and smooth tuning makes it my solid endgame since last year. So does this 1DD IEM still stands compared with the brand-new Fir Audio E12?
Bass:
Perpetua is more analogue-ish and reacts like a subwoofer, rich and full bodied with that slower speed than E12. While Perpetua giving tribute to the past, E12 is looking forwards to the future with that tight and addicting bass which punches on every beats you listened. Mid-bass is better with the E12 though, which can provide more percussions listening that can benefits drummers and rock/metal genre tracks.
Midrange:
Super pleasing with the Dita’s, not so much with E12. The Perpetua has rich and creamy vocals with no glaring and hot at all, but E12 is no slouch either. However, the forwarded vocal presentation plus the slightly metallic timbre are making it slightly fatiguing after some hours of listening. Instrument sounded natural and pleasing with Perpetua while the E12 is much cleaner in the background. Both offers different approach of sound so pick your poison.
Treble:
The Perpetua has better treble response for sure, which allows the vocals to have some airiness and plenty of cymbal’s crash. E12 is more mature with the treble response and it did not react too much with the high hats and all, but it has better treble clarity which will not mushed especially with highly congested tracks.
Technicalities:
Soundstage of Perpetua is what made me buying this set. It is vivid and the rhythms wrapped around my head like a sphere. If you do not like holographical staging, then it is fine you have your taste. Talking about the technical chops, the separation, layering, dynamics of the Perpetua is better but detail clarity and micro-detail nuances are not on par with the E12 offered, at least according to my test tracks.
Conclusion:
Fir Audio E12 is well executed as a high fidelity and pure EDM and rock music beast with good number of bass that being tight and impactful, alongside good vocal presentation and tonality. Priced at $1799, this may be unobtainable for budget-conscious people. But if the price tag is not a concern, I will recommend this to you, fellow bass enthusiast.
Attachments
Overall rating: 3/5
Aesthetic:
- Build Quality: 2.5/5
- Design: 3/5
- Accessories: 3/5
Sound Rating:
- Timbre: 3.5/5
- Bass: 3/5
- Midrange: 3/5
- Treble: 3/5
- Technicalities: 3/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a review unit sent by Tempotec Official in exchange for a review session. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 80 hours prior to review.
Purchase Link for Russian audiophiles (Non-affiliated) : https://www.ozon.ru/.../tempotec-sonata-bhd-portativnyy.../
Purchase link in AliExpress (Non-affiliated):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006195974359.html
Introduction:
Tempotec is not some strangers in the chi-fi world. Back in 2020, they released the Tempotec Sonata HD and fast forward to late 2023, they refreshed the Sonata series with a brand-new BHD. Since the Pro version has better ratings and names, how does it perform to compete against its rivals?
Unboxing and Accessories:
The unboxing is quick and straightforward. Tempotec names in front of the box, spec sheets at the back. Open up the box will see the DAC is showing at glance. What else in the box?
- Tempotec Sonata BHD
- A braided USB Type C cable in copper finish
- USB-C to USB-A adapter
- Fabric storage bag
- User manuals and warranty card
Build Quality and Design:
It has people’s attention with that glass sandwich on front and back to elevate its overall build quality. The sides are rounded and the body of the DAC is made of aluminum alloy with matte finish. There is a rose gold gain button on the side. Overall build quality is top notch and it stays lightweight.
Front of the DAC is keeping it minimal that shows only two things, which is the model’s name and an LED signal ring. On the back it is the brand logo, pretty easy. On top you get the type-C input and bottom is the 3.5mm SE and 4.5mm balanced output.
Functionality:
The one side of the DAC has the volume rocker, which is like 16 steps from 0 to max which is kind of limited. It is better than none, I guess. The gain switch has 3 gain modes, which is low, medium and high, that can be indicated by the LED ring at the front face.
LED indicator is as shown below:
Yellow: Low gain
Purple: Medium gain
Cyan: High gain
With 32 volume steps on each gain, the totaled volume steps for the Sonata BHD will be 96 steps, ensure that all the IEMs with different impedances will be driven properly. There is no sample rate indication sadly, but from my point of view, I do not think that will be bothering.
Drivability:
There is no issue driving any IEM with the Tempotec Sonata BHD. I have tested with planar IEMs such as Tangzu Zetian Wu and the notoriously hard to drive KZ PR2, to open back headphones like the Philips SHP9500 for this testing. All of them can be driven properly and with ample of headspace left. However, I cannot say the same for harder to drive headphones like planar magnetic headphones.
One benefit of this Tempotec Sonata BHD is that it won't be a hand warmer. The DAC remained cool after testing it with several hours and that can reduce battery consumption of your device.
Specification:
- DAC Chip: 2x Cirrus Logic CS43131
- SNR: SNR: 131dB
- 3 Gain Level
- THD+N: 0.00012% (@32ohm, 1kHz 0dB signal)
- OUTPUT LEVEL: 4 VRMS@4.4mm/32Ω, 2 VRMS@3.5mm/32Ω.
- OUTPUT POWER: 280mW@4.4mm/32ohm
- Frequency: 0-40KHZ /+- 0.5dB
- RGB light: indicates working status
- PCM: up to 32Bit/384kHz DSD256(NATIVE)
- DSD: up to DSD256
- Volume Control: hardware buttons
- Platform support: Windows PC,MACOS and Android
- USB Audio driver: Win7,Win8 Win10 & Exclusive ASIO driver for windows system
(This review I will be using my reference benchmark, Moondrop SSR for the sound impression)
Sound Impression:
The sound of Tempotec Sonata BHD is something that I can expect from a CS43131 chip: smooth and warm, comes with good levels of details and imaging. Unlike other CS43131 dongle dacs, Tempotec Sonata BHD has slightly better presence and dynamics. This shows that Tempotec is still the real deal that they have came a long way since the beginning of the chi-fi DAC competition.
The bass of the Sonata subtly warm, comes with good ol’ rumbles and tight punches that is slightly more colored than the rest of the CS43131 DACs. Nevertheless, it still renders good textures and maintain the IEM prowess but at the same time aided some bright sets to sound warmer and more balanced with the slight bass boost. The rest of the tuning stayed neutral to make sure the IEM align to its sound signature.
Technicalities:
The soundstage of Tempotec Sonata BHD is never boosted, so it depends on how the IEM sounded. The separation and layering of it is quite average, as I have never found them impressive or have a very holographic headspace. The dynamics of it is good though, I can hear the different intensity of instruments played in the score.
Comparison:
Fiio KA13
The first CS43131 chips driven dongle DAC that I have reviewed in my page, and it still stands as one of the best budget DAC in the chi-fi competition. Fiio has implemented their signature clean and neutral sound into this dongle DAC, and it is still the fan favourite.
Compared to the Tempotec Sonata BHD, the Fiio sounds noticeably brighter especially when it is in Desktop mode. The bass of KA13 is tighter, vocals are slightly cleaner, and treble is a bit snappier.
Technicality wise, they both have similar soundstage but the dynamics of tempotec is slightly better to enhance the presence. Both are tuned differently so pick your poison according to your music genre.
Shanling UA4
On the other side of the Cirrus Logic lineups, Shanling has gone with ESS Sabre’s ES9069Q DAC chip for the Shanling UA4. However, it is tuned to be as warm as it can be which is unlike all the previous ESS Sabre DACs. Compared to the Tempotec Sonata BHD, it still sounds slightly closer to neutral. The bass is slightly warmer on the Sonata BHD but UA4 has slightly faster treble roll offs, which tames the treble a bit.
In terms of Technicalities, the Tempotec Sonata BHD has slightly better dynamics but UA4 has a more expansive soundstage and better separations. Detail retrievals is slightly better in Shanling UA4. Moreover, you have a mini-LED screen with the UA4 which I can see it as the clear winner in this competition.
Conclusion:
Tempotec Sonata BHD is impressive with its performance to price ratio, especially with the quality build, and its versatile musicality that can suit with every music genre. A perfect combo with bright tuning IEMs.
Aesthetic:
- Build Quality: 2.5/5
- Design: 3/5
- Accessories: 3/5
Sound Rating:
- Timbre: 3.5/5
- Bass: 3/5
- Midrange: 3/5
- Treble: 3/5
- Technicalities: 3/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a review unit sent by Tempotec Official in exchange for a review session. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 80 hours prior to review.
Purchase Link for Russian audiophiles (Non-affiliated) : https://www.ozon.ru/.../tempotec-sonata-bhd-portativnyy.../
Purchase link in AliExpress (Non-affiliated):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006195974359.html
Introduction:
Tempotec is not some strangers in the chi-fi world. Back in 2020, they released the Tempotec Sonata HD and fast forward to late 2023, they refreshed the Sonata series with a brand-new BHD. Since the Pro version has better ratings and names, how does it perform to compete against its rivals?
Unboxing and Accessories:
The unboxing is quick and straightforward. Tempotec names in front of the box, spec sheets at the back. Open up the box will see the DAC is showing at glance. What else in the box?
- Tempotec Sonata BHD
- A braided USB Type C cable in copper finish
- USB-C to USB-A adapter
- Fabric storage bag
- User manuals and warranty card
Build Quality and Design:
It has people’s attention with that glass sandwich on front and back to elevate its overall build quality. The sides are rounded and the body of the DAC is made of aluminum alloy with matte finish. There is a rose gold gain button on the side. Overall build quality is top notch and it stays lightweight.
Front of the DAC is keeping it minimal that shows only two things, which is the model’s name and an LED signal ring. On the back it is the brand logo, pretty easy. On top you get the type-C input and bottom is the 3.5mm SE and 4.5mm balanced output.
Functionality:
The one side of the DAC has the volume rocker, which is like 16 steps from 0 to max which is kind of limited. It is better than none, I guess. The gain switch has 3 gain modes, which is low, medium and high, that can be indicated by the LED ring at the front face.
LED indicator is as shown below:
Yellow: Low gain
Purple: Medium gain
Cyan: High gain
With 32 volume steps on each gain, the totaled volume steps for the Sonata BHD will be 96 steps, ensure that all the IEMs with different impedances will be driven properly. There is no sample rate indication sadly, but from my point of view, I do not think that will be bothering.
Drivability:
There is no issue driving any IEM with the Tempotec Sonata BHD. I have tested with planar IEMs such as Tangzu Zetian Wu and the notoriously hard to drive KZ PR2, to open back headphones like the Philips SHP9500 for this testing. All of them can be driven properly and with ample of headspace left. However, I cannot say the same for harder to drive headphones like planar magnetic headphones.
One benefit of this Tempotec Sonata BHD is that it won't be a hand warmer. The DAC remained cool after testing it with several hours and that can reduce battery consumption of your device.
Specification:
- DAC Chip: 2x Cirrus Logic CS43131
- SNR: SNR: 131dB
- 3 Gain Level
- THD+N: 0.00012% (@32ohm, 1kHz 0dB signal)
- OUTPUT LEVEL: 4 VRMS@4.4mm/32Ω, 2 VRMS@3.5mm/32Ω.
- OUTPUT POWER: 280mW@4.4mm/32ohm
- Frequency: 0-40KHZ /+- 0.5dB
- RGB light: indicates working status
- PCM: up to 32Bit/384kHz DSD256(NATIVE)
- DSD: up to DSD256
- Volume Control: hardware buttons
- Platform support: Windows PC,MACOS and Android
- USB Audio driver: Win7,Win8 Win10 & Exclusive ASIO driver for windows system
(This review I will be using my reference benchmark, Moondrop SSR for the sound impression)
Sound Impression:
The sound of Tempotec Sonata BHD is something that I can expect from a CS43131 chip: smooth and warm, comes with good levels of details and imaging. Unlike other CS43131 dongle dacs, Tempotec Sonata BHD has slightly better presence and dynamics. This shows that Tempotec is still the real deal that they have came a long way since the beginning of the chi-fi DAC competition.
The bass of the Sonata subtly warm, comes with good ol’ rumbles and tight punches that is slightly more colored than the rest of the CS43131 DACs. Nevertheless, it still renders good textures and maintain the IEM prowess but at the same time aided some bright sets to sound warmer and more balanced with the slight bass boost. The rest of the tuning stayed neutral to make sure the IEM align to its sound signature.
Technicalities:
The soundstage of Tempotec Sonata BHD is never boosted, so it depends on how the IEM sounded. The separation and layering of it is quite average, as I have never found them impressive or have a very holographic headspace. The dynamics of it is good though, I can hear the different intensity of instruments played in the score.
Comparison:
Fiio KA13
The first CS43131 chips driven dongle DAC that I have reviewed in my page, and it still stands as one of the best budget DAC in the chi-fi competition. Fiio has implemented their signature clean and neutral sound into this dongle DAC, and it is still the fan favourite.
Compared to the Tempotec Sonata BHD, the Fiio sounds noticeably brighter especially when it is in Desktop mode. The bass of KA13 is tighter, vocals are slightly cleaner, and treble is a bit snappier.
Technicality wise, they both have similar soundstage but the dynamics of tempotec is slightly better to enhance the presence. Both are tuned differently so pick your poison according to your music genre.
Shanling UA4
On the other side of the Cirrus Logic lineups, Shanling has gone with ESS Sabre’s ES9069Q DAC chip for the Shanling UA4. However, it is tuned to be as warm as it can be which is unlike all the previous ESS Sabre DACs. Compared to the Tempotec Sonata BHD, it still sounds slightly closer to neutral. The bass is slightly warmer on the Sonata BHD but UA4 has slightly faster treble roll offs, which tames the treble a bit.
In terms of Technicalities, the Tempotec Sonata BHD has slightly better dynamics but UA4 has a more expansive soundstage and better separations. Detail retrievals is slightly better in Shanling UA4. Moreover, you have a mini-LED screen with the UA4 which I can see it as the clear winner in this competition.
Conclusion:
Tempotec Sonata BHD is impressive with its performance to price ratio, especially with the quality build, and its versatile musicality that can suit with every music genre. A perfect combo with bright tuning IEMs.
~Zhulinniao Qing Luan Review~
Pros:
- Premium looking shell with sturdy material.
- Generous amount of accessories with signature bamboo tips.
- Tuning nozzles suits different preferences.
- Clean, transparent and smooth vocals.
- Natural and silky timbre.
- Energetic trebles without fatiguing.
- Vocal centric tuning.
- Good separation and layering of sound.
Cons:
- Small size that might not fit bigger ears.
- Bass shy.
- Tamed treble, making it less airy and snappy.
- Resolution takes a toll.
- Average soundstage.
Overall rating: 3/5
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 3/5
Design: 4/5
Accessories: 3.5/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 3/5
Bass: 2.5/5
Midrange: 3/5
Treble: 3/5
Technicalities: 2.5/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a review unit sent by Hidizs Official for the review tour in Malaysia. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 80 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
It is been some time that we have heard Zhulinniao has released any IEM after the debut of Zhulinniao Jing Hong in 2023. When the Qing Luan is released, it gets under the radar even in the native Chinese market. Therefore, I am here to introduce you their latest IEM available, the Zhulinniao Qing Luan.
Qing Luan is released around June in 2023. It is still their most expensive set ever released and it is sold for around 259 RMB ($36). I have to say, for the price you paid, you will have some seriously good accessories and IEM with decent build.
Unboxing and accessories:
The first glance on the box, I have no clue that this is priced at $36. The black coloured outer box is embossed with the rose gold colour branding, with the big Chinese calligraphy characters “青鸾” that enhances the Chinese aesthetic design intentions. Behind the box stated the specifications of the Qing Luan, which I will post it later on. Open up the outer box and the magnetic cover, the IEM and accessories are presented in an exquisite way.
What’s in the box?
- Zhulinniao signature bamboo tips (S, M, L)
- Balanced ear tips (S, M, L)
- Vocals ear tips (S, M, L)
- Leatherette carrying case with suede inner
- Silver tuning nozzle.
- 2 strands silver plated cable (3.5mm/4.4mm)
Not to forget to mention, the instruction and product background paperwork are presented with index tabs, which is a creative way to celebrate the minor stuffs that people will be overlooked.
Build quality & design:
The zinc alloy made Qing Luan is fascinating to look at, while providing a sturdier material for it to last long. The overall shell and half of the faceplate is frosted, to prevent fingerprint smudges and easier to grip. The Qing Luan has a aerodynamic shape, which matches the design concept of a flying bird. The juxtaposition between modern industry elements and ancient Chinese artistry is something always look interesting and fresh.
The shape of the Qing Luan is a bit on the smaller side, and this may cause some fit issue with bigger ears. Fit wise, it is okay for me as it does not protrude or weird feeling inside my ears. The lightweight shell allows me to wear it for a couple hours with ease.
Drivability:
Driving the Qing Luan is worry free, as it is easy to drive and it will also benefit other better sources with better power output to amplify this set in a more dynamic and full-range sounding. I do recommend getting warm sounding DAC like Colorfly M1P or EPZ TP50 to pair with it.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Jacky Cheung – Kiss goodbye (24bit/96kHz)
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra - "Kimetsu no Yaiba" Orchestra concert -Kimetsu no Kanade- (24bit/96 kHz)
- Taylor Swift “1989” album (24bit/48 kHZ)
- La La Land Soundtrack album (24bit/ 44.1kHz)
Source used:
- EPZ TP50 into Android Phone
- Aune Yuki plugged into iPad Air
- Aune S9C Pro plugged into PC
- Fiio KA17 (D.mode) plugged into PC
- Fiio KA11 plugged into PC
- Astell & Kern SR25 Dap
Tuning nozzle:
Qing Luan has 2 different tuning nozzles, which are the preinstalled transparent nozzle and red ring nozzle. After tested with my test tracks, I find it is as advertised, which the red nozzle has treble boost with snappier upper treble bite.
One thing that baffled me is how unnatural the timbre has become, and the note weight has become leaner. The best option for me is to listen with the preinstalled nozzle.
Sonic Impression (Based on transparent nozzle):
Zhulinniao focused a lot on the vocal’s presence and tonality, therefore its tuning steered towards the vocal-centric traits.
Bass:
I am happy to say I like the bass that they presented, but everyone will have different preferences as I find it will be lacking for some, especially the bassheads. These do not come with thunderous bass. The Qing Luan is sub-bass focused and it attacks fast and decays early, which produced pleasant textures and quality bass. The bass guitar sounds deep and immersive, suitable for slow rocks and EDM tracks.
Mid-bass is present but does not highlight in the audio spectrum. It behaved nicely without overshadowing the sub-bass and allow space for the midrange to come through. No bass bleed is audible.
Midrange:
The midrange is very prominent, especially the vocals took the limelight of the show. Male vocals sounded raspy with a tinge of warmth tone but does not sound husky, while the female vocals have a sweet tone and smooth without any glaring. The vocals presented quite forward to enhance the upper mids details and weight. Transients are fast and accurate while maintaining its tuning to make it smooth from lower to upper range.
Instruments sound natural and lush, which rendered the background of the tuning to elevate the vocals and create hierarchy. It has velvety tone and note weight despite having not enough dynamics in my opinion.
Treble:
Qing Luan has a tamed and controlled treble to prevent unwanted peakiness, and increases its treble energy at the same time. The treble sounds accurate but lacks transparency, which does not give snappiness. The fast roll off is audible in this case.
Soundstage & Technicalities:
It has a mediocre soundstage which does not sound expansive nor congested. But it is leaning towards the intimate side for sure. Fortunately, the distinctive vocals allow the staging to be deeper, making an oval shape headspace.
Qing Luan is not a technical beast but the main notes and melody are easily captured and presented accurately and naturally. Being less analytical, more fun and pleasant to listen. Midrange has good details and accurate notes, without a lot of sharpening and glaring.
Comparison:
i) EPZ G10
EPZ G10 is one of my favourite IEM under $50. Both have a dynamic driver setup and it is tuned to be harman-balanced. Despite the EPZ G10 does not make the vocals sounds as prominent as the Qing Luan, it has more rumble in the bass region to balanced out the emphasized upper mids. I would say Qing Luan edges the G10 with its warmer tonality and thicker note weight, but EPZ G10 has a much natural treble without losing a lot of details.
Technicalities of G10 is also better, making it a better set for gaming and daily usage. It has better imaging and headspace for the sound distribution. Overall, I am pleased with G10.
ii) CCA Pianist
The $30 CCA Pianist is a 1DD+2BA set, which is also having a lifted upper mids. By comparing them, I can feel the lean upper mids of the Pianist blasting through my ears without mercy. Qing Luan on the other hand, presented its upper mids in a warmer and soothing way to capture most of the notes accurately.
Both have lean bass, but Pianist has better treble response and upper treble extension despite being more likely to have ear fatigue over time. Technicalities on the CCA Pianist is a tad better than the Qing Luan but it is borderline sibilant and treble peakiness is insane. I will prefer the Zhulinniao Qing Luan without hesitation.
Conclusion:
Zhulinniao Qing Luan is one of the overlooked and niche sets in this competitive chifi market, but I will say it is a capable budget vocal focused set. For the price you are paying, you will get high-quality ear tips and carrying case, and delicate tuning for vocals. If you are opting for an IEM for soft pop, ACG music and R&B, this might be the one you can deal with.
Pros:
- Premium looking shell with sturdy material.
- Generous amount of accessories with signature bamboo tips.
- Tuning nozzles suits different preferences.
- Clean, transparent and smooth vocals.
- Natural and silky timbre.
- Energetic trebles without fatiguing.
- Vocal centric tuning.
- Good separation and layering of sound.
Cons:
- Small size that might not fit bigger ears.
- Bass shy.
- Tamed treble, making it less airy and snappy.
- Resolution takes a toll.
- Average soundstage.
Overall rating: 3/5
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 3/5
Design: 4/5
Accessories: 3.5/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 3/5
Bass: 2.5/5
Midrange: 3/5
Treble: 3/5
Technicalities: 2.5/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a review unit sent by Hidizs Official for the review tour in Malaysia. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 80 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
It is been some time that we have heard Zhulinniao has released any IEM after the debut of Zhulinniao Jing Hong in 2023. When the Qing Luan is released, it gets under the radar even in the native Chinese market. Therefore, I am here to introduce you their latest IEM available, the Zhulinniao Qing Luan.
Qing Luan is released around June in 2023. It is still their most expensive set ever released and it is sold for around 259 RMB ($36). I have to say, for the price you paid, you will have some seriously good accessories and IEM with decent build.
Unboxing and accessories:
The first glance on the box, I have no clue that this is priced at $36. The black coloured outer box is embossed with the rose gold colour branding, with the big Chinese calligraphy characters “青鸾” that enhances the Chinese aesthetic design intentions. Behind the box stated the specifications of the Qing Luan, which I will post it later on. Open up the outer box and the magnetic cover, the IEM and accessories are presented in an exquisite way.
What’s in the box?
- Zhulinniao signature bamboo tips (S, M, L)
- Balanced ear tips (S, M, L)
- Vocals ear tips (S, M, L)
- Leatherette carrying case with suede inner
- Silver tuning nozzle.
- 2 strands silver plated cable (3.5mm/4.4mm)
Not to forget to mention, the instruction and product background paperwork are presented with index tabs, which is a creative way to celebrate the minor stuffs that people will be overlooked.
Build quality & design:
The zinc alloy made Qing Luan is fascinating to look at, while providing a sturdier material for it to last long. The overall shell and half of the faceplate is frosted, to prevent fingerprint smudges and easier to grip. The Qing Luan has a aerodynamic shape, which matches the design concept of a flying bird. The juxtaposition between modern industry elements and ancient Chinese artistry is something always look interesting and fresh.
The shape of the Qing Luan is a bit on the smaller side, and this may cause some fit issue with bigger ears. Fit wise, it is okay for me as it does not protrude or weird feeling inside my ears. The lightweight shell allows me to wear it for a couple hours with ease.
Drivability:
Driving the Qing Luan is worry free, as it is easy to drive and it will also benefit other better sources with better power output to amplify this set in a more dynamic and full-range sounding. I do recommend getting warm sounding DAC like Colorfly M1P or EPZ TP50 to pair with it.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Jacky Cheung – Kiss goodbye (24bit/96kHz)
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra - "Kimetsu no Yaiba" Orchestra concert -Kimetsu no Kanade- (24bit/96 kHz)
- Taylor Swift “1989” album (24bit/48 kHZ)
- La La Land Soundtrack album (24bit/ 44.1kHz)
Source used:
- EPZ TP50 into Android Phone
- Aune Yuki plugged into iPad Air
- Aune S9C Pro plugged into PC
- Fiio KA17 (D.mode) plugged into PC
- Fiio KA11 plugged into PC
- Astell & Kern SR25 Dap
Tuning nozzle:
Qing Luan has 2 different tuning nozzles, which are the preinstalled transparent nozzle and red ring nozzle. After tested with my test tracks, I find it is as advertised, which the red nozzle has treble boost with snappier upper treble bite.
One thing that baffled me is how unnatural the timbre has become, and the note weight has become leaner. The best option for me is to listen with the preinstalled nozzle.
Sonic Impression (Based on transparent nozzle):
Zhulinniao focused a lot on the vocal’s presence and tonality, therefore its tuning steered towards the vocal-centric traits.
Bass:
I am happy to say I like the bass that they presented, but everyone will have different preferences as I find it will be lacking for some, especially the bassheads. These do not come with thunderous bass. The Qing Luan is sub-bass focused and it attacks fast and decays early, which produced pleasant textures and quality bass. The bass guitar sounds deep and immersive, suitable for slow rocks and EDM tracks.
Mid-bass is present but does not highlight in the audio spectrum. It behaved nicely without overshadowing the sub-bass and allow space for the midrange to come through. No bass bleed is audible.
Midrange:
The midrange is very prominent, especially the vocals took the limelight of the show. Male vocals sounded raspy with a tinge of warmth tone but does not sound husky, while the female vocals have a sweet tone and smooth without any glaring. The vocals presented quite forward to enhance the upper mids details and weight. Transients are fast and accurate while maintaining its tuning to make it smooth from lower to upper range.
Instruments sound natural and lush, which rendered the background of the tuning to elevate the vocals and create hierarchy. It has velvety tone and note weight despite having not enough dynamics in my opinion.
Treble:
Qing Luan has a tamed and controlled treble to prevent unwanted peakiness, and increases its treble energy at the same time. The treble sounds accurate but lacks transparency, which does not give snappiness. The fast roll off is audible in this case.
Soundstage & Technicalities:
It has a mediocre soundstage which does not sound expansive nor congested. But it is leaning towards the intimate side for sure. Fortunately, the distinctive vocals allow the staging to be deeper, making an oval shape headspace.
Qing Luan is not a technical beast but the main notes and melody are easily captured and presented accurately and naturally. Being less analytical, more fun and pleasant to listen. Midrange has good details and accurate notes, without a lot of sharpening and glaring.
Comparison:
i) EPZ G10
EPZ G10 is one of my favourite IEM under $50. Both have a dynamic driver setup and it is tuned to be harman-balanced. Despite the EPZ G10 does not make the vocals sounds as prominent as the Qing Luan, it has more rumble in the bass region to balanced out the emphasized upper mids. I would say Qing Luan edges the G10 with its warmer tonality and thicker note weight, but EPZ G10 has a much natural treble without losing a lot of details.
Technicalities of G10 is also better, making it a better set for gaming and daily usage. It has better imaging and headspace for the sound distribution. Overall, I am pleased with G10.
ii) CCA Pianist
The $30 CCA Pianist is a 1DD+2BA set, which is also having a lifted upper mids. By comparing them, I can feel the lean upper mids of the Pianist blasting through my ears without mercy. Qing Luan on the other hand, presented its upper mids in a warmer and soothing way to capture most of the notes accurately.
Both have lean bass, but Pianist has better treble response and upper treble extension despite being more likely to have ear fatigue over time. Technicalities on the CCA Pianist is a tad better than the Qing Luan but it is borderline sibilant and treble peakiness is insane. I will prefer the Zhulinniao Qing Luan without hesitation.
Conclusion:
Zhulinniao Qing Luan is one of the overlooked and niche sets in this competitive chifi market, but I will say it is a capable budget vocal focused set. For the price you are paying, you will get high-quality ear tips and carrying case, and delicate tuning for vocals. If you are opting for an IEM for soft pop, ACG music and R&B, this might be the one you can deal with.
Attachments
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 3.5/5
Design: 4/5
Accessories: 3.5/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 4/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 3/5
Treble: 3/5
Technicalities: 2.5/5
DISCLAIMER
- This unit is purchased with my own money. All opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 80 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
In this review, we will take a look on the EPZ Q1, one of EPZ (Ear Pageantry Zeal) budget offerings. As EPZ company just established their brand on 2019, the budget IEM market is already quite competitive. So instead of competing with other companies to stand out, the founder embraces his ideology to share his audio passion by polishing the build quality and his preferred tuning. Therefore, the EPZ Q1 is their celebration of audio and art.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The box is rather small and printed with a big “Q1” in front of the packaging. There is a pull tab on the bottom of the box. Slide open the box, you can see the IEM itself and several size of ear tips underneath the Q1. What’s in the box?
- EPZ Q1
- Soft storage pouch
- 3 pairs of double flange silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 3 pairs of generic silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 5N 4 core Single Crystal Copper cable with Microphone
- User Manual guide
Although I said that the storage pouch is not hard enough to protect the IEM, but honestly the price it offered is considered quite good.
Build Quality and Design:
EPZ Q1 is made of 3D printed resin, and it is polished to remove any sharp edges. The surface is glossy, and it is a fingerprint magnet. I like the faceplate design as it has black and gold accent which has a brushed texture when it nears any light source. It is well designed on both product aesthetic and ergonomic shape. It sits snugly in my small ears to get a good seal, even with their pre-included ear tips.
Specification:
Drive unit: 13mm dual cavity composite dynamic driver
Diaphragm: Polymer titanium-coated composite diaphragm
Frequency Response: 20Hz-40KHz
Sensitivity: ≥115dB
Rated impedance: 32Q
Cable: 0.78mm 2-pin Oxygen Free Copper (OFC) Silver Plated
Drivability:
The EPZ Q1 is easy to drive, and no amplification is needed. A small dongle like VE Avani will do the job flawlessly.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Jacky Cheung – Kiss goodbye (24bit/96kHz)
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra - "Kimetsu no Yaiba" Orchestra concert -Kimetsu no Kanade- (24bit/96 kHz)
- Taylor Swift “1989” album (24bit/48 kHZ)
Source used:
- Fiio K11 plugged into PC
- Aune Yuki plugged into iPad Air
- Aune S9C Pro plugged into PC
- Fiio KB3 plugged into PC
- Astell & Kern SR25 Dap
- Ibasso DX300 Dap (Impression soon)
Sonic Impression:
EPZ Q1 is a Harman-balanced tuned IEM with lush and meaty bass, slightly forward midrange, and inoffensive treble bite. This should work with pop, rock, R&B and movie soundtrack genre lovers.
Bass:
The Q1 is mid-bass focused, and its slower speed and decay makes the bass sound meaty and rumbly. It is dark and at the same time has musical traits. The bass quantity on this set is promising due to the 14mm dynamic driver, making it quite a standout from its competitors in this price range. Borderline bass-head approved!
Lower range extension is controlled, but the balance between quantity and quality is decent. You can listen to warm bass but at the same time you can hear some of the bass notes in the background. Drum kicks are a bit soft with adequate attack. Bass guitar has more presence, and it sounds natural with their single dynamic driver.
Midrange:
The midrange is the main spotlight of the show. It sounded warm but at the same time engaging. The upper mids are lifted, in a good way. Female vocals sound slightly elevated from the background to allow some space for the instrument to render. Q1 has natural tonality, I can hear near accurate instruments and vocal notes. There is no sibilant heard and the transients allow the midrange to sound lively. J-rock like Bocchi the Rock tracks are quite fast with complicated notes, and the Q1 can capture it without harshness or muddiness.
Both male and female vocals have thick note weights and liveliness, but transparency take a toll due to the warmer tuning. Lower mids sounds has more body, making it sounds a bit muddy. Brass instruments and piano sounds lifelike with orchestra tracks, without metallic timbres to be heard.
Treble:
Dark treble with controlled upper extension. Q1 steered towards relaxed listening, and this has to do with the laid-back presentation of drum snares and cymbals. Even though the treble does not stand out, it is still sounded balanced with enough major notes. Treble decay hits the right spot to make sure the tracks does not sound too fast and tame the upper mids from being shouty.
Soundstage and Technicalities:
Q1 spreads its soundstage with good amount of width but average with its depth. This affected the layering in the sound spectrum a bit, but it is compensated by its good imaging and separation. Detail retrievals and sound dynamics are not its thing but at least the musicality of this set explained why. It sounds immersive with orchestra music and movie soundtracks.
Comparison:
QOA Gimlet
I must go head-to-head with my daily driver, the QOA Gimlet. It is one of my favorite warm and organic tuned IEM to date. Both set offers good warmth and lush vocals, with good enough details to be rendered. The Q1 has better vocals energy in my opinion, while Gimlet has better tonality with that analogue-ish approach.
Technicalities wise, both sounds more or less the same. Gimlet has a tad better height and depth perception but Q1 has better width extension into the sound realm.
Conclusion:
The EPZ Q1 is a unique set as it sounds warmer than being just balanced. I found the EPZ Q1 sounds musical and at the same time retains vocal energy and did well with sound separations. Do I recommend it? I am saying yes for the audiophiles who want to have warm and engaging vocals.
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 3.5/5
Design: 4/5
Accessories: 3.5/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 4/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 3/5
Treble: 3/5
Technicalities: 2.5/5
DISCLAIMER
- This unit is purchased with my own money. All opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 80 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
In this review, we will take a look on the EPZ Q1, one of EPZ (Ear Pageantry Zeal) budget offerings. As EPZ company just established their brand on 2019, the budget IEM market is already quite competitive. So instead of competing with other companies to stand out, the founder embraces his ideology to share his audio passion by polishing the build quality and his preferred tuning. Therefore, the EPZ Q1 is their celebration of audio and art.
Unboxing and Accessories:
The box is rather small and printed with a big “Q1” in front of the packaging. There is a pull tab on the bottom of the box. Slide open the box, you can see the IEM itself and several size of ear tips underneath the Q1. What’s in the box?
- EPZ Q1
- Soft storage pouch
- 3 pairs of double flange silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 3 pairs of generic silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 5N 4 core Single Crystal Copper cable with Microphone
- User Manual guide
Although I said that the storage pouch is not hard enough to protect the IEM, but honestly the price it offered is considered quite good.
Build Quality and Design:
EPZ Q1 is made of 3D printed resin, and it is polished to remove any sharp edges. The surface is glossy, and it is a fingerprint magnet. I like the faceplate design as it has black and gold accent which has a brushed texture when it nears any light source. It is well designed on both product aesthetic and ergonomic shape. It sits snugly in my small ears to get a good seal, even with their pre-included ear tips.
Specification:
Drive unit: 13mm dual cavity composite dynamic driver
Diaphragm: Polymer titanium-coated composite diaphragm
Frequency Response: 20Hz-40KHz
Sensitivity: ≥115dB
Rated impedance: 32Q
Cable: 0.78mm 2-pin Oxygen Free Copper (OFC) Silver Plated
Drivability:
The EPZ Q1 is easy to drive, and no amplification is needed. A small dongle like VE Avani will do the job flawlessly.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Jacky Cheung – Kiss goodbye (24bit/96kHz)
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra - "Kimetsu no Yaiba" Orchestra concert -Kimetsu no Kanade- (24bit/96 kHz)
- Taylor Swift “1989” album (24bit/48 kHZ)
Source used:
- Fiio K11 plugged into PC
- Aune Yuki plugged into iPad Air
- Aune S9C Pro plugged into PC
- Fiio KB3 plugged into PC
- Astell & Kern SR25 Dap
- Ibasso DX300 Dap (Impression soon)
Sonic Impression:
EPZ Q1 is a Harman-balanced tuned IEM with lush and meaty bass, slightly forward midrange, and inoffensive treble bite. This should work with pop, rock, R&B and movie soundtrack genre lovers.
Bass:
The Q1 is mid-bass focused, and its slower speed and decay makes the bass sound meaty and rumbly. It is dark and at the same time has musical traits. The bass quantity on this set is promising due to the 14mm dynamic driver, making it quite a standout from its competitors in this price range. Borderline bass-head approved!
Lower range extension is controlled, but the balance between quantity and quality is decent. You can listen to warm bass but at the same time you can hear some of the bass notes in the background. Drum kicks are a bit soft with adequate attack. Bass guitar has more presence, and it sounds natural with their single dynamic driver.
Midrange:
The midrange is the main spotlight of the show. It sounded warm but at the same time engaging. The upper mids are lifted, in a good way. Female vocals sound slightly elevated from the background to allow some space for the instrument to render. Q1 has natural tonality, I can hear near accurate instruments and vocal notes. There is no sibilant heard and the transients allow the midrange to sound lively. J-rock like Bocchi the Rock tracks are quite fast with complicated notes, and the Q1 can capture it without harshness or muddiness.
Both male and female vocals have thick note weights and liveliness, but transparency take a toll due to the warmer tuning. Lower mids sounds has more body, making it sounds a bit muddy. Brass instruments and piano sounds lifelike with orchestra tracks, without metallic timbres to be heard.
Treble:
Dark treble with controlled upper extension. Q1 steered towards relaxed listening, and this has to do with the laid-back presentation of drum snares and cymbals. Even though the treble does not stand out, it is still sounded balanced with enough major notes. Treble decay hits the right spot to make sure the tracks does not sound too fast and tame the upper mids from being shouty.
Soundstage and Technicalities:
Q1 spreads its soundstage with good amount of width but average with its depth. This affected the layering in the sound spectrum a bit, but it is compensated by its good imaging and separation. Detail retrievals and sound dynamics are not its thing but at least the musicality of this set explained why. It sounds immersive with orchestra music and movie soundtracks.
Comparison:
QOA Gimlet
I must go head-to-head with my daily driver, the QOA Gimlet. It is one of my favorite warm and organic tuned IEM to date. Both set offers good warmth and lush vocals, with good enough details to be rendered. The Q1 has better vocals energy in my opinion, while Gimlet has better tonality with that analogue-ish approach.
Technicalities wise, both sounds more or less the same. Gimlet has a tad better height and depth perception but Q1 has better width extension into the sound realm.
Conclusion:
The EPZ Q1 is a unique set as it sounds warmer than being just balanced. I found the EPZ Q1 sounds musical and at the same time retains vocal energy and did well with sound separations. Do I recommend it? I am saying yes for the audiophiles who want to have warm and engaging vocals.
Attachments
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4.5/5
Design: 4.5/5
Accessories: 5/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 5/5
Bass: 4.5/5
Midrange: 4/5
Treble: 4/5
Technicalities: 4.5/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a loan unit sent by Kinera Official from China, in exchange for an honest in-depth review. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 120 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
Loki, the trickster god, known for being chaotic in the Norse mythology, has descend to the audiophile world. It happened when Kinera named their latest flagship, a multi-drivers IEM “Loki” to accentuate their mythical series. I am very lucky to review the Kinera Loki, and I am very glad that I have been given a chance. This may be someone’s endgame, including me. I do find difficult to listen my personal audio gears again.
Unboxing:
If you happened to purchase the Kinera Loki, you deserved a flagship tier unboxing experience. Everything packed in the box is top notch, and it is like nothing else I have unboxed before. The Loki has a hexagonal box with a printed picture of lava flowing down. Inside the box you can find a brochure showing Kinera Loki graph in hexagonal cut-out. Underneath it hides the magnificent looking Loki, with the included 4-wire Effect Audio UP-OCC Copper cable in 4.4mm termination. The overall unveiling presentation is unmatched, which reminds me of opening a one-of-a-kind jewelry box.
Do you think it stops here? No. There is more below it! Remove the top part, you can see the massive bunch of third-party accessories including:
- 5 pairs of Final E Eartips
- 3 pairs of AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal Eartips
- 3 pairs of Spinfit CP145 Eartips
- 2 pairs of Symbio F Foam Tips
These are the ear tips that Kinera thinks it synergies well with the Loki. One can try to do some tip-rolling to get the best seal and use case. Other than the massive tons of tips, you will get a Kinera customized jet black with gold accent cable in 4.4 termination, a few paper works, a cleaning brush and an opaque paper as separator.
Build Quality & Design:
The Kinera Loki I got here is international version, and it is purely hand-painted in Emerald colorway with the mixture of glittery teal, royal blue, and violet blue. It feels nice to hold on hand, as it celebrates the top tier build quality and design approach, which is a priority to set foot on the high-end audio gears ground. My eyes are obsessed to look at it every day.
The IEM shell is made up of resin, which is lightweight to hold and wear for long period. The fit is okay with my small ears, except the nozzle is a bit wide, and it bothers my ears. The Loki has a proprietary bone-conductor module built in, so it is crucial to get the IEM in contact with your concha, and feel the vibration. Bigger nozzles also limit the selections of ear tips.
The cable that I have used is the Kinera’s customized 4.4mm termination cable, which has a fabric like sheathing. The reason I will use this as my reference equipment is that this cable provides audibly better soundstage and micro dynamics than the preinstalled Effect Audio cable, which has a rather intimate staging and a bit bass boosted to my ears. I will also choose the Azla SednaEarfit Crystal as reference ear tips too.
Specification:
- 1x 6mm liquid silicone Dynamic Driver for bass frequency.
- 6x Knowles Balanced Armature drivers, 4 BAs for midrange and 2 BAs for treble frequency.
- 4x Sonion Electrostatic Drivers for ultra-high frequency and additional air.
- 1x Kinera custom-build contact type bone conduction driver for deeper pitch on ultra-low frequency.
Drivability:
Loki is much needed to be amplified. It is understandable as this little beast has 12 drivers inside its shell. Therefore, the extra power is needed for it to sound correct. In case you are using a DAP, I do recommend clean and resolving sources to truly embraces its ability to make the extraordinary bass and vocals shine.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Jacky Cheung – Kiss goodbye (24bit/96kHz)
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra - "Kimetsu no Yaiba" Orchestra concert -Kimetsu no Kanade- (24bit/96 kHz)
- Taylor Swift “1989” album (24bit/48 kHZ)
Source used:
- Fiio K11 plugged into PC
- Aune Yuki plugged into iPad Air
- Aune S9C Pro plugged into PC
- Fiio KA13 (D.mode) plugged into PC
- Fiio KB3 plugged into PC
- Astell & Kern SR25 Dap
Sonic Impression:
Kinera Loki makes me fall in love instantly with the bass and the forward midrange presentation, with the addition of exceptional dynamics and resolution. Everything sounds engaging and natural, while keeping the sound spectrum in control without overwhelming in my ears.
Bass:
The bass quantity is not overdone but made to the level that does not sound lean. The sub-bass is more prominent here and the lower end extension is deep, making it to sound rumbly. The bass kick is detailed, and it sounded immersive even in fast tracks, despite it has a bit of bass bleed into the mids.
The Bone-Conductor module is doing its job flawlessly by giving the bass some extra textures and reverbs, which enhance the overall listening experience. Bass head may not be satisfied, but most will be happy with the quality of the rumbly sub-bass it offered.
Midrange:
The mids are enhanced by its bass presence, which lifted the midrange presentation. The vocals especially, has body and excellent tonality. The warm and lush midrange enhanced the lower mids so male vocals can sound more transparent and natural. None of the metallic or weird timbre can be heard, let alone the tendency of being sibilant. With the Effect Audio cable, the vocals will be elevated more thus less warm.
Female vocals sound as natural and transparent as the male counterpart, and to my ears there is no sibilant can be heard. Transients are in optimum range to gives more weight. Kinera has done an amazing job in their quality control, starting from the selections of batches of BA, to the final modification to make all the BA sound coherent.
Treble:
The treble is smooth and velvety. It does not sound too sparkly, but it has adequate upper extension to make the cymbals sound shimmering. Overall, can be referred as mature, as it existed when the tracks come calling. High hats sounded natural, and the extra airiness able to make female vocals sounded more open.
Soundstage & technicalities:
The soundstage of Kinera Loki is a bit short on the width but excels in the height and depth range. Kinera Loki does not lack in the technical department either, boasting with the holographic staging and well executed macro-dynamic.
The detail retrieval is commendable as it can capture most nuances, even some other surprising little notes that I did not realize in my test tracks. Layering is no doubt above average due to the large sense of depth.
Contender:
Kinera Loki (China Exclusive Edition)
Surprise, surprise. I have the Chinese release edition just right for this comparison. How is the Kinera Loki compared to its Chinese doppelganger? The China exclusive edition featured all the same offerings as the international version, but the faceplate will be different.
Design:
The China version I got here is uniquely different, with a very intricate style of hand painted pattern. The overall pattern looks like a hot lava flowing down the rocks, with the rocks in imperial blue colour and the lava being bright red. The pattern underneath the resin coating looks like its floating on top of the faceplate.
Sound comparison:
Sound wise, this is an interesting take. The China Version has more prominent midrange than the bass and treble, allowing the vocals to stand out more. With the aid of 4.4mm Kinera customized cable, sub-bass is slightly lifted up to enhance the liveliness of the tracks.
Bass:
The bass region is lean towards sub-bass, but the quantity is slightly lesser than the international version. This is because to allow the bass to sound refined and impactful. The Bone conductor as well, making its way to render sub-bass texture and weight. The mid-bass take a toll to sound dark and relaxed, making the overall bass sounds less engaging than the International Version.
Midrange:
The midrange is something worth to compare to. The upper midrange on the Loki China version is much more forward than the Loki international due to the slight recessed mid-bass. The lower mids on the other hand, are similar on both sides. Male vocals are so nice to hear as the tonality are flawless, especially with acoustic tracks and male vocal focused tracks. Instruments has very good note weight on both sides.
Treble:
Very safe treble in fact, and it does not have much airiness. The international version is slightly bright in the upper treble, so it is not for the treble sensitive audiophile. This may be the deciding factor if I am the customer.
Soundstage and technicalities:
Both have the same soundstage and technicalities. This is where you can find both Lokis are similar.
Conclusion:
Kinera Loki, a very interesting bassy set with tons of details. There is always new discovery on my test tracks whenever I listened to it. Honestly, this is not my first TOTL experience, but this will be my first highly rated TOTL IEM in my audio journey. If you have the big money to spend, this is it chief. Kinera Loki deserved the praise, and its price destined how it should sound.
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4.5/5
Design: 4.5/5
Accessories: 5/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 5/5
Bass: 4.5/5
Midrange: 4/5
Treble: 4/5
Technicalities: 4.5/5
DISCLAIMER
- This is a loan unit sent by Kinera Official from China, in exchange for an honest in-depth review. Regardless, all opinions remain original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 120 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
Loki, the trickster god, known for being chaotic in the Norse mythology, has descend to the audiophile world. It happened when Kinera named their latest flagship, a multi-drivers IEM “Loki” to accentuate their mythical series. I am very lucky to review the Kinera Loki, and I am very glad that I have been given a chance. This may be someone’s endgame, including me. I do find difficult to listen my personal audio gears again.
Unboxing:
If you happened to purchase the Kinera Loki, you deserved a flagship tier unboxing experience. Everything packed in the box is top notch, and it is like nothing else I have unboxed before. The Loki has a hexagonal box with a printed picture of lava flowing down. Inside the box you can find a brochure showing Kinera Loki graph in hexagonal cut-out. Underneath it hides the magnificent looking Loki, with the included 4-wire Effect Audio UP-OCC Copper cable in 4.4mm termination. The overall unveiling presentation is unmatched, which reminds me of opening a one-of-a-kind jewelry box.
Do you think it stops here? No. There is more below it! Remove the top part, you can see the massive bunch of third-party accessories including:
- 5 pairs of Final E Eartips
- 3 pairs of AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal Eartips
- 3 pairs of Spinfit CP145 Eartips
- 2 pairs of Symbio F Foam Tips
These are the ear tips that Kinera thinks it synergies well with the Loki. One can try to do some tip-rolling to get the best seal and use case. Other than the massive tons of tips, you will get a Kinera customized jet black with gold accent cable in 4.4 termination, a few paper works, a cleaning brush and an opaque paper as separator.
Build Quality & Design:
The Kinera Loki I got here is international version, and it is purely hand-painted in Emerald colorway with the mixture of glittery teal, royal blue, and violet blue. It feels nice to hold on hand, as it celebrates the top tier build quality and design approach, which is a priority to set foot on the high-end audio gears ground. My eyes are obsessed to look at it every day.
The IEM shell is made up of resin, which is lightweight to hold and wear for long period. The fit is okay with my small ears, except the nozzle is a bit wide, and it bothers my ears. The Loki has a proprietary bone-conductor module built in, so it is crucial to get the IEM in contact with your concha, and feel the vibration. Bigger nozzles also limit the selections of ear tips.
The cable that I have used is the Kinera’s customized 4.4mm termination cable, which has a fabric like sheathing. The reason I will use this as my reference equipment is that this cable provides audibly better soundstage and micro dynamics than the preinstalled Effect Audio cable, which has a rather intimate staging and a bit bass boosted to my ears. I will also choose the Azla SednaEarfit Crystal as reference ear tips too.
Specification:
- 1x 6mm liquid silicone Dynamic Driver for bass frequency.
- 6x Knowles Balanced Armature drivers, 4 BAs for midrange and 2 BAs for treble frequency.
- 4x Sonion Electrostatic Drivers for ultra-high frequency and additional air.
- 1x Kinera custom-build contact type bone conduction driver for deeper pitch on ultra-low frequency.
Drivability:
Loki is much needed to be amplified. It is understandable as this little beast has 12 drivers inside its shell. Therefore, the extra power is needed for it to sound correct. In case you are using a DAP, I do recommend clean and resolving sources to truly embraces its ability to make the extraordinary bass and vocals shine.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Jacky Cheung – Kiss goodbye (24bit/96kHz)
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra - "Kimetsu no Yaiba" Orchestra concert -Kimetsu no Kanade- (24bit/96 kHz)
- Taylor Swift “1989” album (24bit/48 kHZ)
Source used:
- Fiio K11 plugged into PC
- Aune Yuki plugged into iPad Air
- Aune S9C Pro plugged into PC
- Fiio KA13 (D.mode) plugged into PC
- Fiio KB3 plugged into PC
- Astell & Kern SR25 Dap
Sonic Impression:
Kinera Loki makes me fall in love instantly with the bass and the forward midrange presentation, with the addition of exceptional dynamics and resolution. Everything sounds engaging and natural, while keeping the sound spectrum in control without overwhelming in my ears.
Bass:
The bass quantity is not overdone but made to the level that does not sound lean. The sub-bass is more prominent here and the lower end extension is deep, making it to sound rumbly. The bass kick is detailed, and it sounded immersive even in fast tracks, despite it has a bit of bass bleed into the mids.
The Bone-Conductor module is doing its job flawlessly by giving the bass some extra textures and reverbs, which enhance the overall listening experience. Bass head may not be satisfied, but most will be happy with the quality of the rumbly sub-bass it offered.
Midrange:
The mids are enhanced by its bass presence, which lifted the midrange presentation. The vocals especially, has body and excellent tonality. The warm and lush midrange enhanced the lower mids so male vocals can sound more transparent and natural. None of the metallic or weird timbre can be heard, let alone the tendency of being sibilant. With the Effect Audio cable, the vocals will be elevated more thus less warm.
Female vocals sound as natural and transparent as the male counterpart, and to my ears there is no sibilant can be heard. Transients are in optimum range to gives more weight. Kinera has done an amazing job in their quality control, starting from the selections of batches of BA, to the final modification to make all the BA sound coherent.
Treble:
The treble is smooth and velvety. It does not sound too sparkly, but it has adequate upper extension to make the cymbals sound shimmering. Overall, can be referred as mature, as it existed when the tracks come calling. High hats sounded natural, and the extra airiness able to make female vocals sounded more open.
Soundstage & technicalities:
The soundstage of Kinera Loki is a bit short on the width but excels in the height and depth range. Kinera Loki does not lack in the technical department either, boasting with the holographic staging and well executed macro-dynamic.
The detail retrieval is commendable as it can capture most nuances, even some other surprising little notes that I did not realize in my test tracks. Layering is no doubt above average due to the large sense of depth.
Contender:
Kinera Loki (China Exclusive Edition)
Surprise, surprise. I have the Chinese release edition just right for this comparison. How is the Kinera Loki compared to its Chinese doppelganger? The China exclusive edition featured all the same offerings as the international version, but the faceplate will be different.
Design:
The China version I got here is uniquely different, with a very intricate style of hand painted pattern. The overall pattern looks like a hot lava flowing down the rocks, with the rocks in imperial blue colour and the lava being bright red. The pattern underneath the resin coating looks like its floating on top of the faceplate.
Sound comparison:
Sound wise, this is an interesting take. The China Version has more prominent midrange than the bass and treble, allowing the vocals to stand out more. With the aid of 4.4mm Kinera customized cable, sub-bass is slightly lifted up to enhance the liveliness of the tracks.
Bass:
The bass region is lean towards sub-bass, but the quantity is slightly lesser than the international version. This is because to allow the bass to sound refined and impactful. The Bone conductor as well, making its way to render sub-bass texture and weight. The mid-bass take a toll to sound dark and relaxed, making the overall bass sounds less engaging than the International Version.
Midrange:
The midrange is something worth to compare to. The upper midrange on the Loki China version is much more forward than the Loki international due to the slight recessed mid-bass. The lower mids on the other hand, are similar on both sides. Male vocals are so nice to hear as the tonality are flawless, especially with acoustic tracks and male vocal focused tracks. Instruments has very good note weight on both sides.
Treble:
Very safe treble in fact, and it does not have much airiness. The international version is slightly bright in the upper treble, so it is not for the treble sensitive audiophile. This may be the deciding factor if I am the customer.
Soundstage and technicalities:
Both have the same soundstage and technicalities. This is where you can find both Lokis are similar.
Conclusion:
Kinera Loki, a very interesting bassy set with tons of details. There is always new discovery on my test tracks whenever I listened to it. Honestly, this is not my first TOTL experience, but this will be my first highly rated TOTL IEM in my audio journey. If you have the big money to spend, this is it chief. Kinera Loki deserved the praise, and its price destined how it should sound.
Attachments
fabio19
Excuse my question......between the 2 versions (international and Chinese) which one has the drier and much more controlled low range ?
kapsontong
Hi Fabio, the Chinese version will have a much controlled low range and very prominent midrange to elevate the vocals.
fabio19
Thank you
Overall rating: 4/ 5
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4/5
Design: 4.5/5
Accessories: 4/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 4/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 4/5
Treble: 4/5
Technicalities: 4/5
DISCLAIMER
- The review equipment is a demo unit sent by Hidizs as a part of a tour review. Regardless, all opinions remains original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and due to the type-c cable gone missing, I will use my Jcally cable to work on this review.
- Burn-in was done for 100 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
Take a look into the Hidizs XO, not their latest dongle DAC at all, but this was the DAC that Hidizs brings gamers aesthetic into the audiophile game, and made the list. Apart from the RGB lightshow, Hidizs knew what they are doing. Sporting dual ESS Sabre ES9219C dac chip which can produce a bunch of power, and a relatively premium looking enclosure.
Unboxing & Accessories:
Hidizs XO is packed under this plastic case, to protect the dongle DAC from damaging. What you will find?
- OTG Type-C cable
- Type C to Type A adapter
- User manuals
- Hidizs XO
I find the Hidizs XO comes with the stiff cable. I do prefer braided cables so hopefully Hidizs will consider that in the future.
Build and Design:
The overall CNC-milled aluminium alloy feels premium on hand. The surface is matte finished to avoid fingerprints. The “X” and “O” are the only tactile buttons you can press, which one act as the 15 different RGB modes switch, and the O being the digital filter toggle.
The “O” tactile button is design with a LED outer ring, indicating the sampling rate. The LED emits 5 different LED lights for different sampling rate:
GREEN -> PCM 44.1- 96KHz
BLUE -> PCM 192KHz
RED -> PCM 384KHz
YELLOW -> DSD64 - DSD256
ORANGE -> MQA ~up to 16x
The design is very straightforward and focus more on the details. The edges are chamfered to avoid unwanted cosmetic damage and feels comfortable to hold on hand. The HIDIZS logo on the surface of the XO is a nice touch to be recognized easily.
Functionality:
Hidizs XO supports PCM up to 32bit/384kHZ, DSD up to DSD256 and MQA unfold up to 16x, dedicated for the MQA lovers. The digital filter can be triggered by pressing the “O” button, which we have red and blue filters.
RED FILTER: High frequency will be reduced to about 30 – 40% and boosted low end.
BLUE FILTER: High frequency will be reduced to about 20 – 30% and boosted low end.
I find the filter does not do much in the overall sound spectrum, leading it to be a gimmick feature. At the rear we can find a 3.5mm single output and 2.5mm balanced output. Both can put out a bunch of power at that time.
- max of 78mW@32 ohms in the 3.5mm
- max of 195mW@32 ohms in the 2.5mm
It is still usable despite having too many dongle DACs has been released this year, but my only complaint is I wish to have a 4.4mm balanced output, which make sense by today’s standard.
Drivability:
Not an issue even if I tested it today. The only thing may struggle is to drive planar headphones, but I have tried it with my Philips SHP9500 and it has no problem with that. No noise floor issue whatsoever but it gets relatively warm, even warmer than my Fiio KA13 in Desktop mode. This can be someone’s heat pad in the cold. (Just kidding) but this does show how warm it is.
The power that it can delivers amazed me. I have 6~7/100 volume steps with my PC, and -60db in UAPP with my smartphone to get to my acceptable volume. One drawback is that the volume steps are quite marginal. If I take one step above, it will sound louder than what I expected. It is a bit hard to get to an optimal volume I would say.
When it gets warm, the power efficiency gets lower, hence the power drain issue occurred. Just plugged into my smartphone and played with a few songs, enough to drain from 100% to 95% in less than half an hour. Not an ideal situation for this to happen.
Source used:
- Hidizs XO pairs with android phone, direct output 3.5mm to Moondrop SSR
- Hidizs XO pairs with PC, direct output 3.5mm to Moondrop SSR
- Hidizs XO pairs with Iphone 15 pro, direct output 2.5mm to Tangzu Zetian Wu
- Hidzs XO pairs with PC, direct output 2.5mm to Geekwold GK20
Sound:
So how is the sound? The sound itself is clean and almost neutral, with a bit of colorization in the low end. Pairing with my warm-balanced Geekwold GK20, it emphasizes on the mid-bass so the GK20 got a bit more oomph in the bass guitar.
Then I have switched to my Moondrop SSR. The DF-neutral sound signature is coloured with more authority in the sub-bass. The treble in default mode or in any other mode, has heard with some roll offs. It does not have enough sparkles to my desire.
The ES9219C DAC chip has that clean analytical sound, making the vocals sounds drier than CS chips driven dongle DAC. Though it is not a problem with me as I quite like it, some may find a bit cold.
Soundstage and Technicalities:
The soundstage is wide, but the sense of depth to me is just average. The separation is not something I like from the Hidizs XO but the imaging is decent. I can hear lyrics while enjoying the guitar riffing and drum snares at the back.
Comparison:
Jcally AP10
I have not review my Jcally AP10 yet but this is a neutral set with the dual-CS43131 dac chips. Compared it to the Hidizs XO, it has engaging midrange, especially female vocals. The vocals are pushed forward to sound fuller. The vocals have that CS chip sound which has a warmth and natural filter on top of it. The Hidizs XO sounds cleaner, has more texture in the sub-bass and less offensive treble.
Both offers good technicalities, but do not sound like each other. The Jcally AP10 excels in separation, holographic soundstage, and dynamics. While the XO excels in imaging, and microdetails retrieval.
Conclusion:
The Hidizs XO is a great dongle with the price of $99. However, it is competing in the recent overcrowded budget DACs market. Without the 4.4mm balanced output and independent volume buttons, the Hidizs XO would not stand for its own and the team need a revise to gain back the traction. Since the Hidizs S9 Pro Plus released lately, I do not think I have any reason to recommend this anymore. Unless you want a tacky RGB aesthetic to add it into your equipment!
Hidizs XO is now having a bargain at $79 in their official website. Attached below is the unaffiliated link to purchase one:
https://www.hidizs.net/.../hidizs-xo-single-ended...
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4/5
Design: 4.5/5
Accessories: 4/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 4/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 4/5
Treble: 4/5
Technicalities: 4/5
DISCLAIMER
- The review equipment is a demo unit sent by Hidizs as a part of a tour review. Regardless, all opinions remains original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- Sound evaluations are kept neutral and due to the type-c cable gone missing, I will use my Jcally cable to work on this review.
- Burn-in was done for 100 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
Take a look into the Hidizs XO, not their latest dongle DAC at all, but this was the DAC that Hidizs brings gamers aesthetic into the audiophile game, and made the list. Apart from the RGB lightshow, Hidizs knew what they are doing. Sporting dual ESS Sabre ES9219C dac chip which can produce a bunch of power, and a relatively premium looking enclosure.
Unboxing & Accessories:
Hidizs XO is packed under this plastic case, to protect the dongle DAC from damaging. What you will find?
- OTG Type-C cable
- Type C to Type A adapter
- User manuals
- Hidizs XO
I find the Hidizs XO comes with the stiff cable. I do prefer braided cables so hopefully Hidizs will consider that in the future.
Build and Design:
The overall CNC-milled aluminium alloy feels premium on hand. The surface is matte finished to avoid fingerprints. The “X” and “O” are the only tactile buttons you can press, which one act as the 15 different RGB modes switch, and the O being the digital filter toggle.
The “O” tactile button is design with a LED outer ring, indicating the sampling rate. The LED emits 5 different LED lights for different sampling rate:
GREEN -> PCM 44.1- 96KHz
BLUE -> PCM 192KHz
RED -> PCM 384KHz
YELLOW -> DSD64 - DSD256
ORANGE -> MQA ~up to 16x
The design is very straightforward and focus more on the details. The edges are chamfered to avoid unwanted cosmetic damage and feels comfortable to hold on hand. The HIDIZS logo on the surface of the XO is a nice touch to be recognized easily.
Functionality:
Hidizs XO supports PCM up to 32bit/384kHZ, DSD up to DSD256 and MQA unfold up to 16x, dedicated for the MQA lovers. The digital filter can be triggered by pressing the “O” button, which we have red and blue filters.
RED FILTER: High frequency will be reduced to about 30 – 40% and boosted low end.
BLUE FILTER: High frequency will be reduced to about 20 – 30% and boosted low end.
I find the filter does not do much in the overall sound spectrum, leading it to be a gimmick feature. At the rear we can find a 3.5mm single output and 2.5mm balanced output. Both can put out a bunch of power at that time.
- max of 78mW@32 ohms in the 3.5mm
- max of 195mW@32 ohms in the 2.5mm
It is still usable despite having too many dongle DACs has been released this year, but my only complaint is I wish to have a 4.4mm balanced output, which make sense by today’s standard.
Drivability:
Not an issue even if I tested it today. The only thing may struggle is to drive planar headphones, but I have tried it with my Philips SHP9500 and it has no problem with that. No noise floor issue whatsoever but it gets relatively warm, even warmer than my Fiio KA13 in Desktop mode. This can be someone’s heat pad in the cold. (Just kidding) but this does show how warm it is.
The power that it can delivers amazed me. I have 6~7/100 volume steps with my PC, and -60db in UAPP with my smartphone to get to my acceptable volume. One drawback is that the volume steps are quite marginal. If I take one step above, it will sound louder than what I expected. It is a bit hard to get to an optimal volume I would say.
When it gets warm, the power efficiency gets lower, hence the power drain issue occurred. Just plugged into my smartphone and played with a few songs, enough to drain from 100% to 95% in less than half an hour. Not an ideal situation for this to happen.
Source used:
- Hidizs XO pairs with android phone, direct output 3.5mm to Moondrop SSR
- Hidizs XO pairs with PC, direct output 3.5mm to Moondrop SSR
- Hidizs XO pairs with Iphone 15 pro, direct output 2.5mm to Tangzu Zetian Wu
- Hidzs XO pairs with PC, direct output 2.5mm to Geekwold GK20
Sound:
So how is the sound? The sound itself is clean and almost neutral, with a bit of colorization in the low end. Pairing with my warm-balanced Geekwold GK20, it emphasizes on the mid-bass so the GK20 got a bit more oomph in the bass guitar.
Then I have switched to my Moondrop SSR. The DF-neutral sound signature is coloured with more authority in the sub-bass. The treble in default mode or in any other mode, has heard with some roll offs. It does not have enough sparkles to my desire.
The ES9219C DAC chip has that clean analytical sound, making the vocals sounds drier than CS chips driven dongle DAC. Though it is not a problem with me as I quite like it, some may find a bit cold.
Soundstage and Technicalities:
The soundstage is wide, but the sense of depth to me is just average. The separation is not something I like from the Hidizs XO but the imaging is decent. I can hear lyrics while enjoying the guitar riffing and drum snares at the back.
Comparison:
Jcally AP10
I have not review my Jcally AP10 yet but this is a neutral set with the dual-CS43131 dac chips. Compared it to the Hidizs XO, it has engaging midrange, especially female vocals. The vocals are pushed forward to sound fuller. The vocals have that CS chip sound which has a warmth and natural filter on top of it. The Hidizs XO sounds cleaner, has more texture in the sub-bass and less offensive treble.
Both offers good technicalities, but do not sound like each other. The Jcally AP10 excels in separation, holographic soundstage, and dynamics. While the XO excels in imaging, and microdetails retrieval.
Conclusion:
The Hidizs XO is a great dongle with the price of $99. However, it is competing in the recent overcrowded budget DACs market. Without the 4.4mm balanced output and independent volume buttons, the Hidizs XO would not stand for its own and the team need a revise to gain back the traction. Since the Hidizs S9 Pro Plus released lately, I do not think I have any reason to recommend this anymore. Unless you want a tacky RGB aesthetic to add it into your equipment!
Hidizs XO is now having a bargain at $79 in their official website. Attached below is the unaffiliated link to purchase one:
https://www.hidizs.net/.../hidizs-xo-single-ended...
Attachments
kapsontong
Sorry if I didnt evaluate this enough. Basically I am telling that the XO's good technicalities allowed my test tracks to have distinctive present and separation, with a slightly recessed but prominent vocals as well as tight bass. Hope this helps
kapsontong
Source used:
- Hidizs XO pairs with android phone, direct output 3.5mm to Moondrop SSR
- Hidizs XO pairs with PC, direct output 3.5mm to Moondrop SSR
- Hidizs XO pairs with Iphone 15 pro, direct output 2.5mm to Tangzu Zetian Wu
- Hidzs XO pairs with PC, direct output 2.5mm to Geekwold GK20
These are the ones mainly used for this particular review.
- Hidizs XO pairs with android phone, direct output 3.5mm to Moondrop SSR
- Hidizs XO pairs with PC, direct output 3.5mm to Moondrop SSR
- Hidizs XO pairs with Iphone 15 pro, direct output 2.5mm to Tangzu Zetian Wu
- Hidzs XO pairs with PC, direct output 2.5mm to Geekwold GK20
These are the ones mainly used for this particular review.
Overall rating: 4/ 5
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4/5
Design: 4/5
Accessories: 4.5/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 3.5/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 3.5/5
Treble: 3.5/5
Technicalities: 4/5
DISCLAIMER
- The review equipment is a demo unit sent by Hidizs as a part of a tour review. Regardless, all opinions remains original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluation are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 100 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
It is not long ago Hidizs just released the MP145 whale inspired planar IEM and Hidizs S9’s successor, the S9 Pro Plus Martha. But in today’s review, we will go back to the past. Hidizs MS3 was released in June 2023, and whoever listened to the MS3, instantly praising it until it took over the hype by storm. How is it going to hold its place in this everchanging Chi-Fi market? Let us find out.
Unboxing:
The unboxing experience is rather satisfying. The box itself is huge, but Hidizs did a good job for not wasting any spaces by stuffing multiple sets of eartips and a storage pouch. A very friendly gesture for the audiophile beginners. In this box you will get:
- 3 pairs of vocal (wide-bore) silicone eartips
- 3 pairs of bass (narrow-bore) silicone eartips
- 3 pairs of balanced silicone eartips
- Storage pouch
- Cable
- 3 tuning nozzles (silver, red and rose gold)
- high-purity oxygen-free copper cable. 192 threads in 4 strands mixed braiding.
Specification:
- Drivers: 1DD(10.2mm dual magnetic circuit, dual cavity) + 2BA drivers (Knowles SWFK-31736)
- Fr Response at 20hz-40khz
- 112db Sensitivity
- 18 ohms Impedance
Design & Build Quality:
The MS3 boasts the matte black anodized texture of the face plate, making it hard to leave fingerprints. Design is subjective to every person, but I find the black and rose gold color combination is interesting. The wave motives on the faceplate have different hierarchy to create a rhythmic pattern, as a compliment to their naming of this IEM (Mermaid MS3). Build quality is top notch, without any flaws or flimsy feeling when shaking the 2pin connections.
Drivability:
It is easy to drive. It does not need any efforts to keep the background silent and it handles the noise floor very well. I have tried to connect it into the 3.5mm termination of Fiio K11 desktop dac/amp and it excels quickly with the dark background.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Jacky Cheung – Kiss goodbye (24bit/96kHz)
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra - "Kimetsu no Yaiba" Orchestra concert -Kimetsu no Kanade- (24bit/96 kHz)
Source used:
- VE Avani plugged into iPad Air
- Aune Flamingo DAC plugged into PC
- Hidizs XO dongle DAC plugged into PC
- Jcally AP10 plugged into Android/ PC
- Fiio KA13 plugged into Oneplus 6T
- Tempotec Sonata BHD plugged into iPhone 12
Sound Performance:
In short, Hidizs MS3 has a bright balanced V shaped tuning, and it leans toward the fun side. Despite being not the most natural sounding set, Hidizs has turned the MS3 into a technical monster.
Bass:
The bass of the Hidizs MS3 has a lot of authorities and punches hard. The lower extension is deep, and it does give massive impact. I will not call this as bass-head tuned but the bass is enough to make your heart pound hard.
Sub-bass of the Hidizs MS3 gives out a fair amount of rumble energy and reverberation, while not disturbing the rest of the elements. Towards the mid-bass is satisfying, while giving out a hint of warmth with the percussions especially with the drum snares. The speed and decay of the bass is faster than average, which makes it suitable for electronic tracks.
Midrange:
The midrange is recessed, which is common with most V-shaped IEM. The vocals sound veiled but does not overshadow by the sub-bass. Vocal heads may look somewhere else. The instruments such as bass guitars has notes almost in-line with the vocals, hence the mid-bass bleed. Instrument sounds quite resolving and slightly lifted, with all the macro & micro dynamics captured within tracks.
The female vocals are shining with presence than the male counterparts. The tonality of the MS3 steer towards the technical side. Lower mids will have a tinge of metallic timbre, which may sound unnatural for some. Luckily towards the upper mids, there are none. The transients are fast and give out shimmering playback in female voices.
Treble:
The upper extension is doing a good job raising the spectrum, making the MS3 sounded airy and energetic. However, the shimmering up top has brought some slight sibilance that may be the dealbreaker for treble sensitive people. I noticed it the first time when I started to play Bochi the Rock’s tracks. Tuning aside, treble has some bites that able to capture micro-details fairly. BA timbre still exist but I am okay with it. Does not need to be very natural when you have this kind of resolution coming into your ears.
Soundstage & Technicalities:
Has an intimate soundstage with enough width and depth to determine the separations and imaging. The width being the wider spectrum, make transients fast enough to create macro and micro-dynamics. The 1DD+2BA drivers synergies well thus create layered separations. You can hear the riffing of the bass guitar on the side and vocals in the middle. Imaging has no problem with me as I can pinpoint the sound of instruments quickly.
Extra:
RED NOZZLE: The “Bass” nozzle, allow MS3 to allocate more bass to sound thicker with every note played. Though you must make sacrifice on the bass quality and loose sounding bass. The midrange got more recessed than usual, making the separation harder to notice. Preferably if you are opting for a smoother and warmer tone listening for long hours.
ROSE GOLD NOZZLE: My favorite tuning nozzle in the bunch. It gives what I was expecting about this IEM: Fun and energetic, with the emphasize on upper midrange and treble. As a bright sets lover, the upper region captured my ears, and it has bite that I wished for and it has minute changes in clarity!
SILVER NOZZLE: Bright, just fully bright. The nozzle makes vocals and instrument sounds too thin and sibilant at times. The good side is the treble punches a lot and comes with a lot of micro-details, slightly more than the balanced out rose-gold nozzle.
Comparison:
Dunu Kima Classic (1DD)
Mild V-shaped tuned IEM by Dunu, offers delicate female vocals as well as good presence of treble. It excels in every genre of music, like Hidizs MS3. The bass of Dunu Kima Classic is more natural and boomy, with a tinge of warmth. While MS3 has more resolution in bass and the decay is faster, thus snappy.
Kima Classic sounds forwardly, and has good amount of warmth to sound natural and transparent. Hidizs MS3 vocals are recessed, does not have the naturalness of single DD but it has better clarity in vocals and instruments.
Both have good treble energy, and MS3 has more bite to sound exciting. Kima Classic has controlled treble extension to make sure it has enough airiness, but MS3 literally uplift it and make it sounds open and transparent, allowing more resolution up top.
Both MS3 and Kima Classic has good technical chops, with the MS3 takes the slight edge in the separation. MS3 can create distinctive layer of details while the Kima Classic has more coherent sound and smoother presentation.
Kiwi Ears Quarter (2DD+2BA)
Another fun tuning set by Kiwi Ears, which has a resin build and purple aesthetic. The fun part of Quartet is the switches to tune the sound signature according to tracks. MS3 has 3 tuning nozzles, making it the more versatile one.
The Quartet focus more on the mid-bass, with a touch of warmth in the spectrum. The warmth is extended into the midrange and treble to sound musical and natural. In the same breath, the MS3 went to the opposite pole. I understand that both the sets have different target audiences, so the choice is yours.
Technical wise, the MS3 is superior in every aspect. From the soundstage to imaging, Hidizs MS3 checked all the boxes with ease.
Conclusion:
The Hidizs MS3 is a daring set to pull the resolution out of every track I have thrown into. With the accessories comes with it, and the clarity offered in this price range is unmatched. Despite it is quite dated compared to all the newcomers in the $150 segment, the technicalities it offers are still worthy to keep up a good fight.
Hidizs MS3 is on sale right now in their official website at $99, unaffiliated link is attached below:
https://www.hidizs.net/.../hidizs-ms3-2ba-1dd-hybrid-3...
Aesthetic:
Build Quality: 4/5
Design: 4/5
Accessories: 4.5/5
Sound Rating:
Timbre: 3.5/5
Bass: 4/5
Midrange: 3.5/5
Treble: 3.5/5
Technicalities: 4/5
DISCLAIMER
- The review equipment is a demo unit sent by Hidizs as a part of a tour review. Regardless, all opinions remains original ideas, thus there is zero influence from any 3rd party or external opinions.
- No EQ or filter presets were used during the entire review period.
- Sound evaluation are kept neutral and does not include 3rd party accessories (ie; eartips, cable, reversible mods).
- Burn-in was done for 100 hours prior to review.
Introduction:
It is not long ago Hidizs just released the MP145 whale inspired planar IEM and Hidizs S9’s successor, the S9 Pro Plus Martha. But in today’s review, we will go back to the past. Hidizs MS3 was released in June 2023, and whoever listened to the MS3, instantly praising it until it took over the hype by storm. How is it going to hold its place in this everchanging Chi-Fi market? Let us find out.
Unboxing:
The unboxing experience is rather satisfying. The box itself is huge, but Hidizs did a good job for not wasting any spaces by stuffing multiple sets of eartips and a storage pouch. A very friendly gesture for the audiophile beginners. In this box you will get:
- 3 pairs of vocal (wide-bore) silicone eartips
- 3 pairs of bass (narrow-bore) silicone eartips
- 3 pairs of balanced silicone eartips
- Storage pouch
- Cable
- 3 tuning nozzles (silver, red and rose gold)
- high-purity oxygen-free copper cable. 192 threads in 4 strands mixed braiding.
Specification:
- Drivers: 1DD(10.2mm dual magnetic circuit, dual cavity) + 2BA drivers (Knowles SWFK-31736)
- Fr Response at 20hz-40khz
- 112db Sensitivity
- 18 ohms Impedance
Design & Build Quality:
The MS3 boasts the matte black anodized texture of the face plate, making it hard to leave fingerprints. Design is subjective to every person, but I find the black and rose gold color combination is interesting. The wave motives on the faceplate have different hierarchy to create a rhythmic pattern, as a compliment to their naming of this IEM (Mermaid MS3). Build quality is top notch, without any flaws or flimsy feeling when shaking the 2pin connections.
Drivability:
It is easy to drive. It does not need any efforts to keep the background silent and it handles the noise floor very well. I have tried to connect it into the 3.5mm termination of Fiio K11 desktop dac/amp and it excels quickly with the dark background.
My music (don’t judge me xD) :
- Yoasobi - idol (24bit/96khz)
- Joji Nectar Album (24bit/96 kHz)
- Kamado Tanjiro no Uta (16bit/44.1 kHz)
- ReoNa - Human, Alive, Seimeisen, till the end (24/96 khz)
- Taylor Swift - We are never ever getting back together (DSD 5644kbps/ 2.8MHz)
- Radwimps - Suzume (24bit/96 kHz)
- And whole album of Kessoku Band
- G.E.M – GLORIA (24bit/96 kHz)
- Martin Garrix – In the Name of Love (24bit/44.1kHz)
- Jacky Cheung – Kiss goodbye (24bit/96kHz)
- Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra - "Kimetsu no Yaiba" Orchestra concert -Kimetsu no Kanade- (24bit/96 kHz)
Source used:
- VE Avani plugged into iPad Air
- Aune Flamingo DAC plugged into PC
- Hidizs XO dongle DAC plugged into PC
- Jcally AP10 plugged into Android/ PC
- Fiio KA13 plugged into Oneplus 6T
- Tempotec Sonata BHD plugged into iPhone 12
Sound Performance:
In short, Hidizs MS3 has a bright balanced V shaped tuning, and it leans toward the fun side. Despite being not the most natural sounding set, Hidizs has turned the MS3 into a technical monster.
Bass:
The bass of the Hidizs MS3 has a lot of authorities and punches hard. The lower extension is deep, and it does give massive impact. I will not call this as bass-head tuned but the bass is enough to make your heart pound hard.
Sub-bass of the Hidizs MS3 gives out a fair amount of rumble energy and reverberation, while not disturbing the rest of the elements. Towards the mid-bass is satisfying, while giving out a hint of warmth with the percussions especially with the drum snares. The speed and decay of the bass is faster than average, which makes it suitable for electronic tracks.
Midrange:
The midrange is recessed, which is common with most V-shaped IEM. The vocals sound veiled but does not overshadow by the sub-bass. Vocal heads may look somewhere else. The instruments such as bass guitars has notes almost in-line with the vocals, hence the mid-bass bleed. Instrument sounds quite resolving and slightly lifted, with all the macro & micro dynamics captured within tracks.
The female vocals are shining with presence than the male counterparts. The tonality of the MS3 steer towards the technical side. Lower mids will have a tinge of metallic timbre, which may sound unnatural for some. Luckily towards the upper mids, there are none. The transients are fast and give out shimmering playback in female voices.
Treble:
The upper extension is doing a good job raising the spectrum, making the MS3 sounded airy and energetic. However, the shimmering up top has brought some slight sibilance that may be the dealbreaker for treble sensitive people. I noticed it the first time when I started to play Bochi the Rock’s tracks. Tuning aside, treble has some bites that able to capture micro-details fairly. BA timbre still exist but I am okay with it. Does not need to be very natural when you have this kind of resolution coming into your ears.
Soundstage & Technicalities:
Has an intimate soundstage with enough width and depth to determine the separations and imaging. The width being the wider spectrum, make transients fast enough to create macro and micro-dynamics. The 1DD+2BA drivers synergies well thus create layered separations. You can hear the riffing of the bass guitar on the side and vocals in the middle. Imaging has no problem with me as I can pinpoint the sound of instruments quickly.
Extra:
RED NOZZLE: The “Bass” nozzle, allow MS3 to allocate more bass to sound thicker with every note played. Though you must make sacrifice on the bass quality and loose sounding bass. The midrange got more recessed than usual, making the separation harder to notice. Preferably if you are opting for a smoother and warmer tone listening for long hours.
ROSE GOLD NOZZLE: My favorite tuning nozzle in the bunch. It gives what I was expecting about this IEM: Fun and energetic, with the emphasize on upper midrange and treble. As a bright sets lover, the upper region captured my ears, and it has bite that I wished for and it has minute changes in clarity!
SILVER NOZZLE: Bright, just fully bright. The nozzle makes vocals and instrument sounds too thin and sibilant at times. The good side is the treble punches a lot and comes with a lot of micro-details, slightly more than the balanced out rose-gold nozzle.
Comparison:
Dunu Kima Classic (1DD)
Mild V-shaped tuned IEM by Dunu, offers delicate female vocals as well as good presence of treble. It excels in every genre of music, like Hidizs MS3. The bass of Dunu Kima Classic is more natural and boomy, with a tinge of warmth. While MS3 has more resolution in bass and the decay is faster, thus snappy.
Kima Classic sounds forwardly, and has good amount of warmth to sound natural and transparent. Hidizs MS3 vocals are recessed, does not have the naturalness of single DD but it has better clarity in vocals and instruments.
Both have good treble energy, and MS3 has more bite to sound exciting. Kima Classic has controlled treble extension to make sure it has enough airiness, but MS3 literally uplift it and make it sounds open and transparent, allowing more resolution up top.
Both MS3 and Kima Classic has good technical chops, with the MS3 takes the slight edge in the separation. MS3 can create distinctive layer of details while the Kima Classic has more coherent sound and smoother presentation.
Kiwi Ears Quarter (2DD+2BA)
Another fun tuning set by Kiwi Ears, which has a resin build and purple aesthetic. The fun part of Quartet is the switches to tune the sound signature according to tracks. MS3 has 3 tuning nozzles, making it the more versatile one.
The Quartet focus more on the mid-bass, with a touch of warmth in the spectrum. The warmth is extended into the midrange and treble to sound musical and natural. In the same breath, the MS3 went to the opposite pole. I understand that both the sets have different target audiences, so the choice is yours.
Technical wise, the MS3 is superior in every aspect. From the soundstage to imaging, Hidizs MS3 checked all the boxes with ease.
Conclusion:
The Hidizs MS3 is a daring set to pull the resolution out of every track I have thrown into. With the accessories comes with it, and the clarity offered in this price range is unmatched. Despite it is quite dated compared to all the newcomers in the $150 segment, the technicalities it offers are still worthy to keep up a good fight.
Hidizs MS3 is on sale right now in their official website at $99, unaffiliated link is attached below:
https://www.hidizs.net/.../hidizs-ms3-2ba-1dd-hybrid-3...
Attachments
DISCLAIMER
Aune is known for producing DACs and AMPs for the past few years. Most of their products are highly praised but not in the dongle DAC segment. Therefore, Aune saw the opportunity and released the latest Yuki dongle DAC, in response to today's highly competitive dongle DACs market.
Unboxing:
The unboxing experience is rather satisfying. Aune Yuki comes with a cylindrical shape box which is meant to be slide open. To make things pretty, they have added a waifu band wrapped around the box. Slide open the lid, Yuki is standing right in front of your eyesight. A few things are laying inside the box, which are the type C – type C OTG cable with gold-plated heads, and the type-C to USB adapter.
Design & Build Quality:
The dongle DAC is made of sturdy aluminium alloy structure, with fine baked painting finish to even out the coating. It has good touch on hand, without feeling slippery or harshness. No flex or bending which passed my bend test.
Aesthetic of design is subjective; I find it appealing and geeky. It is hard to find pure white dongle DAC as this, which is a plus for me. Yuki greets the users with a glass window, showing the PCB circuits to demonstrate the beauty of engineering and art.
Specification:
Specs aside, the Yuki has the volume adjustment buttons at the back of the body. The color matching (+) and (–) buttons in my opinion is a bit tiny compared to the volume rockers on any other dongle DACs in the market. I personally do not like the button placement at the bottom of the body as I have to flip sides to access to the buttons easily, which ruined the glass window intention to show the aesthetic of Yuki.
On top you can find a USB-C connector, which is then connected to the source. On the bottom you can find a 3.5mm SE output and 4.4 balanced output. Both are equally powerful which have no issues with any of my audio gears (except speakers which I have none). I find the 4.4 balanced output has slightly cleaner sounding and no noise floor with pitch black background.
The Yuki has no RGB showing the source format (I do not really like RGB lol thanks Aune!) It further up shows that the dongle DAC is designed to serve 1 purpose, which is absolute focus on its sonic performance.
Source and Gears Used:
The Yuki pairs with any of the sources flawlessly, as well as any audio gears listed. It can powers up planers IEM quite well, without any distortions when I switch up the volume. On low sens IEM like the SoundRhyme SR5, the 3.5mm has a bit of noise floor hissing while the 4.4mm balanced solves this issue. The Philips SHP9500 is a fairly easy headphone to power but it has no issue with both terminations. The volume of each gear may vary from 2-6 steps increase & decrease in order to get to my preferred volume.
Sonic Performance:
The main dish of the course, Yuki sounds pleasing and velvety without coloring the IEM or headphones sound signature. The overall sound of Yuki is smooth with a touch of warmth in the lower end, but that does not mean it is warm sounding. When pairing with S12 Pro, it retains the sparkly treble but does not get overly sharp in certain songs that I find it spicy.
Bass:
Lower End has deep extension but does not feel very punchy or rumbling, just a touch of fullness into the mid-bass region. Sub-bass has that delicious reverb that makes every tracks you throw to it sounds fuller and rich with informations.
Mids:
The mids are resolving yet musical, which is surprising to my ears. The Yuki sounds a bit familiar to me as it reminds me of my desktop DAC, the Aune Flamingo on the table. It has a bit of the atmospheric staging of Flamingo which I really like. The vocals are thick & energetic, but it does not shout into your head. Instead, it is more centered and slightly behind the head.
Transient of the tracks are fast, tonality of instruments lies between natural and artificial to put some magic into instruments. Brass sound metallic but at the same time has weight and engaging for example.
Treble:
The upper end extension to upper treble is soothing and swift. Cymbals and crash do not sound too spicy as the deeper bass extension to balanced out the sibilance. The upper end quality is overall good and polished. In brighter IEMs, it will smoothen out the peaks but remain the micro details, making it more pleasant to hear with higher volume.
Soundstage & technicalities:
Aune Yuki enhances the soundstage a hair better after I did an extensive A/B comparison with budget DACs but falls behind the flagships such as Cayin RU7. When it comes to technicals, the dynamics of tracks are interpreted easily, with adequate amount of nuances and note weights.
The separations work flawlessly with the double channel CS43198, thanks to the newly design circuit. Imaging and staging is aided by the strong dynamics. When listening to orchestra music, the instruments have presence and able to pinpoint the directions. The distortions are minimal to none.
Comparisons:
Ibasso DC04 Pro
Both of them does not sound equally, as the DC04 Pro has more warmth than Aune Yuki. DC04 Pro is natural sounding and synergies better with bright tuned IEMs but sounded dark when pairs with bassy IEMs. The Yuki on the other hand, pairs with anything else and does not interfere with sound signature of my IEMs.
Both trade blows with different technicalities strengths, with DC04 pro’s near accurate tonality and Yuki’s extensively dynamics. Micro details on the Yuki is slightly better than DC04 pro though.
Cayin RU7
The flagship that has the similar traits of Yuki, now comes face to face. I am so glad to say that the Yuki is closer to the RU7, but falls behind on some aspects. Both enhance liveliness and does not falls behind on technical chops. Cayin RU7 sounds warmer than the Ibasso DC04 Pro. Therefore, it should sound noticeably warmer than the Yuki. The Yuki has its own unique tuning, making it clean and natural.
When comes to its details and dynamics, compared to the Yuki, the RU7 is in its own league. For the users of Cayin RU7, I do not think you will need to consider this dongle DAC. But for the rest, you might need to pay attention to this.
Conclusion:
Aune pays a lot of effort to make the Yuki sound closer to its DAC AMP products, which I really like. The unique tuning makes it special and pairs well with anything in the market. The pure white design may satisfy the white purist out there and also most importantly, it sounded good, all genres work like a charm especially orchestra music. Definitely the no-brainer in the current market!
- I bought this unit from Taobao China as a retail unit. Therefore, this is not a review unit. All the evaluations are true to my intentions and no bias will be tolerate.
- All the impressions and evaluations will take measures according to my gears and equipment and format of tracks. Your experience may vary.
Aune is known for producing DACs and AMPs for the past few years. Most of their products are highly praised but not in the dongle DAC segment. Therefore, Aune saw the opportunity and released the latest Yuki dongle DAC, in response to today's highly competitive dongle DACs market.
Unboxing:
The unboxing experience is rather satisfying. Aune Yuki comes with a cylindrical shape box which is meant to be slide open. To make things pretty, they have added a waifu band wrapped around the box. Slide open the lid, Yuki is standing right in front of your eyesight. A few things are laying inside the box, which are the type C – type C OTG cable with gold-plated heads, and the type-C to USB adapter.
Design & Build Quality:
The dongle DAC is made of sturdy aluminium alloy structure, with fine baked painting finish to even out the coating. It has good touch on hand, without feeling slippery or harshness. No flex or bending which passed my bend test.
Aesthetic of design is subjective; I find it appealing and geeky. It is hard to find pure white dongle DAC as this, which is a plus for me. Yuki greets the users with a glass window, showing the PCB circuits to demonstrate the beauty of engineering and art.
Specification:
- Dual CS43198 DAC chip on both channels. (Dynamic and separation benefits)
- PCM 32/768k & DSD256 supported.
- Dual-layer circuit board design. (Headphone amp board separated with 5V power supply)
- Amp board with 16 transistors to form the 4-way headphone amp to feed power demanding headphones.
- 3.5mm supplies maximum 2.0 Vrms, 90mW@30 Ohm
- 4.4mm supplies maximum 4.0 Vrms, 160mW@30 Ohm
- Hybrid Ceramic PCB for better strengths and frequencies performance, but mostly efficient for thermal conductivity and insulation.
- Supports Switch UAC 1.0
Specs aside, the Yuki has the volume adjustment buttons at the back of the body. The color matching (+) and (–) buttons in my opinion is a bit tiny compared to the volume rockers on any other dongle DACs in the market. I personally do not like the button placement at the bottom of the body as I have to flip sides to access to the buttons easily, which ruined the glass window intention to show the aesthetic of Yuki.
On top you can find a USB-C connector, which is then connected to the source. On the bottom you can find a 3.5mm SE output and 4.4 balanced output. Both are equally powerful which have no issues with any of my audio gears (except speakers which I have none). I find the 4.4 balanced output has slightly cleaner sounding and no noise floor with pitch black background.
The Yuki has no RGB showing the source format (I do not really like RGB lol thanks Aune!) It further up shows that the dongle DAC is designed to serve 1 purpose, which is absolute focus on its sonic performance.
Source and Gears Used:
- Aune Yuki
- Android Phone
- PC, connected with type-C to USB adapter
- iPhone 15 Pro
- QOA Aviation
- Hidizs MP145 Planar IEM
- Philips SHP9500
- Letshuoer S12 Pro
- Sound rhyme SR5
The Yuki pairs with any of the sources flawlessly, as well as any audio gears listed. It can powers up planers IEM quite well, without any distortions when I switch up the volume. On low sens IEM like the SoundRhyme SR5, the 3.5mm has a bit of noise floor hissing while the 4.4mm balanced solves this issue. The Philips SHP9500 is a fairly easy headphone to power but it has no issue with both terminations. The volume of each gear may vary from 2-6 steps increase & decrease in order to get to my preferred volume.
Sonic Performance:
The main dish of the course, Yuki sounds pleasing and velvety without coloring the IEM or headphones sound signature. The overall sound of Yuki is smooth with a touch of warmth in the lower end, but that does not mean it is warm sounding. When pairing with S12 Pro, it retains the sparkly treble but does not get overly sharp in certain songs that I find it spicy.
Bass:
Lower End has deep extension but does not feel very punchy or rumbling, just a touch of fullness into the mid-bass region. Sub-bass has that delicious reverb that makes every tracks you throw to it sounds fuller and rich with informations.
Mids:
The mids are resolving yet musical, which is surprising to my ears. The Yuki sounds a bit familiar to me as it reminds me of my desktop DAC, the Aune Flamingo on the table. It has a bit of the atmospheric staging of Flamingo which I really like. The vocals are thick & energetic, but it does not shout into your head. Instead, it is more centered and slightly behind the head.
Transient of the tracks are fast, tonality of instruments lies between natural and artificial to put some magic into instruments. Brass sound metallic but at the same time has weight and engaging for example.
Treble:
The upper end extension to upper treble is soothing and swift. Cymbals and crash do not sound too spicy as the deeper bass extension to balanced out the sibilance. The upper end quality is overall good and polished. In brighter IEMs, it will smoothen out the peaks but remain the micro details, making it more pleasant to hear with higher volume.
Soundstage & technicalities:
Aune Yuki enhances the soundstage a hair better after I did an extensive A/B comparison with budget DACs but falls behind the flagships such as Cayin RU7. When it comes to technicals, the dynamics of tracks are interpreted easily, with adequate amount of nuances and note weights.
The separations work flawlessly with the double channel CS43198, thanks to the newly design circuit. Imaging and staging is aided by the strong dynamics. When listening to orchestra music, the instruments have presence and able to pinpoint the directions. The distortions are minimal to none.
Comparisons:
Ibasso DC04 Pro
Both of them does not sound equally, as the DC04 Pro has more warmth than Aune Yuki. DC04 Pro is natural sounding and synergies better with bright tuned IEMs but sounded dark when pairs with bassy IEMs. The Yuki on the other hand, pairs with anything else and does not interfere with sound signature of my IEMs.
Both trade blows with different technicalities strengths, with DC04 pro’s near accurate tonality and Yuki’s extensively dynamics. Micro details on the Yuki is slightly better than DC04 pro though.
Cayin RU7
The flagship that has the similar traits of Yuki, now comes face to face. I am so glad to say that the Yuki is closer to the RU7, but falls behind on some aspects. Both enhance liveliness and does not falls behind on technical chops. Cayin RU7 sounds warmer than the Ibasso DC04 Pro. Therefore, it should sound noticeably warmer than the Yuki. The Yuki has its own unique tuning, making it clean and natural.
When comes to its details and dynamics, compared to the Yuki, the RU7 is in its own league. For the users of Cayin RU7, I do not think you will need to consider this dongle DAC. But for the rest, you might need to pay attention to this.
Conclusion:
Aune pays a lot of effort to make the Yuki sound closer to its DAC AMP products, which I really like. The unique tuning makes it special and pairs well with anything in the market. The pure white design may satisfy the white purist out there and also most importantly, it sounded good, all genres work like a charm especially orchestra music. Definitely the no-brainer in the current market!
Attachments
musingclouds
Would you say this beats most DAPs in sound under 500$?
kapsontong
Sound wise, I would say better than some DAPs I have tried before under this price range. But not better than Shanling M3U, Hidizs AP80 pro-X and my A&K SR25.
