INTRODUCTION:

TKZK, a new brand based out of China is also a sub brand of Tin HiFi which of course will be known to all of us. The Tin has been trying to capture the budget market but since they are now only able to concentrate on the bigger game they need a plan to capture the budget segment hence they launched the TKZK through which they can attain their goal. Their first product being the WAVE which is equipped with a dynamic driver and a customised Balanced Armature has stepped into the market and in this review let's see whether the WAVE can create a wave in the budget competition.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle in my country organised by the TKZK team and thanks to them for adding me in. The review is based on my observations with the product over a period of time and based on my pairings with it hence this might differ from person to person. I have not been paid by any means to manipulate this review.

SPECIFICATIONS:

>Premium Dual driver hybrid configuration(1DD+1BA)

>Impedance: 22Ω.

>Sensitivity: 110±3dB.

>Frequency response: 10Hz-40kHz.

>Max distortion: 3%@1kHz.

>Standard 0.75mm 2-pin connectors.

>Straight 3.5mm gold-plated termination plug

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the Wave is clean and neat. Even the branding is not done which is pretty appreciable. The shell is made of hard resin and it uses the semi custom shell shape hence the fit is one of the best i have tried. They provide great isolation and the tips provided are more than enough for attaining the great fit.

The faceplate has striking silver lines that are covered with a layer of resin which looks premium. Interestingly the Wave is equipped with the QDC connectors! Which the KZ, TFZ and CCA uses the most! Due to this the aftermarket cable availability is very limited.



The provided cable is of normal quality but does the job in terms of sonic. The cable is SPC and is braided well. The use of cheap plastics in the cable shows these are not that premium in terms of build especially that termination plug where its fully made out of plastic. Other than the less premium feel nothing to complain of the cable in terms of sonic performance.

SOUND:

The sound profile of the Wave is neutral to bright and has an overall balanced profile. Being a sub brand of Tin the signature resembles the same and that's what makes this product very likeable too. The signature is in-offensive and makes the whole listening experience very pleasant. IN this review let’s dive into the full sectioning of the audio.

LOW END:

The low end of the Wave is pretty balanced. They are not the most neutral, rather have a nice mid bass presence over the sub bass. The low end here is more focussed towards the speed and technicalities over the attack, thump and the weight.

The texture, speed, control and the separation are impressive but you can't expect the weight, body and the attack hence bassheads this is not the product you are in need of. But as per my listening the low end is very good, those technicalities made me forget the quantity aspect.

The sub bass presence is subtle and the mid bass takes the center stage. The rumble cant be expected that much but does strike whenever the track calls for it. The mid bass is not that thick, they sound slightly leaner, faster rather than giving that extra weight and body to the track. You cant see the fullness but the clarity and the resolution of the low end is above average for the price

Tracks Used:

1. Royals – Lorde
2. Even Heaven – Aimer

MID RANGE:

The mid range of the Wave is one of the best aspects here. The mid range here falls on the leaner side hence the vocals sound thinner. The fullness can't be expected here since the bass bleed is not present here. The leanness might affect some people but this led to the clarity and the resolution of the Wave.

The tonality and the timbre are nice with a slight COLD in nature. The timbre of the instruments are great where they sound realistic and natural. The mid range feels nice and spacious where the separation and the amount of air it moves is pretty huge.

The upper mid emphasis is done hence the female vocal sounds slightly more forward when compared to the male vocals but that upper mid emphasis gave a fresh air to the wave and I liked that shimmer on the upper mid section. Even though they sound leaner, the clarity and the clean sound it produces are very pleasant to listen to. The detail retrieval in the mid range is above average where the small nuances are picked up without any issues.

Tracks Used:

1. Stand By Me – Liam Gallagher
2. Me Love – Sean Kingston
3. Makin My Move - Easy Wanderlings

TREBLE:

Treble on the Wave is smooth yet detailed. They are good in terms of separation, openness and detail retrieval. The staging is also done very well where the congestion doesn’t happen even during some busy tracks. The timbre is done great sounding realistic thus the cymbal crashes and the stringed instruments sounds natural and smooth.

The sibilance is kept in check and the shimmer on the top end is present hence they sound very open and detailed. The neutral to bright sound signature will start growing on you after the initial listen period. The extension of the highs is pretty good and the resolution it possesses is above average for the price.

Slight a bit of graininess in the top end can be observed but they are not that evident. Overall the treble sounds natural and doesn’t feel like artificially emphasized. The treble slightly feels drier too but that's only noticeable in some complex or metal genres and that may be due to that lack of impact in the low end.

Tracks Used:

1. Dreams – FleetWood Mac
2. Dream On – Aerosmith
3. Move Your Body – Sia

TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: The staging of the Wave is not that expensive in terms of size but they don’t feel in the head too rather they are well rounded. The staging has adequate width, height and depth. The width and the height correlate with each other while the depth is more immersive than the other two aspects.

IMAGING: There is nothing to complain about the price. Does the job but not the most precise one in terms of identifying the instruments. The sweep from channel to channel is pretty smooth and since the stage is not that big the imaging does have a big impact here. Overall they are not bad and there is nothing to complain about the price.

The technicalities like the detail retrieval, resolution and the layering are above average for the price and if not they are the strongest aspect of the Wave.

Tracks Used:

1. Mountains – Hans Zimmer
2. Sirens Of The Sea – Ocean Labs
3. Benny’s Dispatch – Corey Hawkins

VERDICT:

Wave, the latest and the debut offering from the TKZK , a sub brand of the Tin HiFi group is a solid all rounder. They sound similar to that of the Tin in house tuning which is pretty balanced to a bright signature with excellent technicalities. The low end may not be authoritative but the quality it possesses is excellent. The highs have nice detail retrieval yet keeping the sibilance in check, while also retaining the shimmer and brilliance on the top end.

The earphone itself is built well and provides the best isolation possible. The cable could have been improved but considering their sonic value the price is very justifiable. A nice mid range with forward placement where that lean mid rage also gives that clean and clarity filled sound.

Overall the Wave is an excellent value for money product and it's a PLEASANT DEBUT product from the Tin HiFi’s sub brand TKZK.

INTRODUCTION:

7hz, a brand which is pretty new to this ChiFi audio industry has released its debut product with some spectacular specifications for the price especially with a Planar driver named TIMELESS. The Timeless looks spectacular in design and feels very premium in the hands but does that replicate in the sound too? Let’s check that out in this review.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle in my country organised by HiFiGo and thanks to the team for adding me in. This review is my observations over the product after using it for a period of time hence no one influenced me to manipulate this review. My observations are based on my sources of pairing hence this might differ from person to person.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Driver: 14.2mm planar driver

Impedance: 14.8ohm

Sound pressure level: 104dB/1Khz

Frequency response range: 5-40000hz

THD: <0.2%/1KHZ

Connector: MMCX

Nozzle diameter: 5mm

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the Timeless is pretty unique where the faceplate is disc shaped and many might think that this looks huge and will they fit? But surprisingly they fit very nicely and are isolated from most of the external noises without any issues. The nozzle is of good length and the provided tips are very nice in terms of comfort and fit.

The provided cable is very good and can be bought in different terminations as per your wish. The cable has that nice supple nature and the premium feel it gives is very good. A nice sheath is given over the cable thus it reduces the microphonics. The cable termination is well protected with nice strain relief and is built strong . It has a nice metallic splitter and the provided ear guides are very soft and easy to adapt to your ears.



SOUND:

The sound profile of the 7hz is a U shaped sound but during my listening they fairly sounded much balanced with emphasis on the sub bass which is the sweet aspect and we will talk about that in the next section. The presentation feels very wide and grand meaning the staging felt exceptionally big in every aspect. In this review let's dive into the in depth sectioning of the audio.

SOURCE:

iPhone + Zorloo Ztella + Zen Can + Avani DAC

LOW END:

The low end of the Timeless is Just sublime. In one word, it's “FANTASTICO!” Both the sub and the mid bass have nice impact and the technicalities. The planar type of bass is very addictive and their presence is very authoritative.

Usually the planars do have the best low end response but they require a hell lot of power to unleash it but the Timeless is the only exception where you can enjoy the planar bass just via your smartphone itself.

SUB BASS: Deep, well extended and growls as much as possible without any distortion. The sub base impact, attack, presence and the weight are unmatchable in this price range. The previous king is the OH10 and man this just defeated it by its presence where the sub bass just growls without sacrificing the technicalities aspect like the separation, control and the texture. In the track “BIGFOOT – MALFNKTION”, the track is rendered out just beautifully. The sub bass drops and the weight is just sublime. The authority of the bass is very present and the control, texture are outstanding. The background instruments are neatly brought out without any congestion. The separation and the staging is just immersive. The depth of the staging can be evidently felt here where the drops sustain for a longer period giving that nice rumble while still maintaining that sparkle of the cymbal crash and the kick drums in the background.

MID BASS: They are not as thick as what some bass head iem does instead they sound very clean and detailed while still having that enough slam, weight and the attack. The speed of the mid bass is impressive hence the separation and the clarity is phenomenal. The mid bass never overpowers hence the midrange is not affected too. The bleed is null and the speed of the low end is impressive here yet maintaining that satisfying rumble. In the track “INSTANT CRUSH – DAFT PUNK”, the faster track is well handled by the Timeless and those kick drums got excellent weight, body and the attack.

Overall the low end is excellent with the sub bass emphasis giving that enough rumble, mid bass being a less dominant gives that clarity and separation in the low end. The attack and decay are precise thus the bleed is not that noticeable. Just one of the best low end i have heard at this price point.



MID RANGE:

The mid range of the Timeless is neatly done. They are not on the face type rather they are positioned at a very good spot for comfortable listening. The energy and the engaging factor is nicely present and those vocals have that natural and smoother tonality which is very pleasing. The timbre of the instruments are near to realistic and no metallic taste is found.

Both the male and female vocals have enough body coming from the mid bass which is not excessive nor too low, instead the body is on the point. The warmth is more than enough and that sweet spot made the vocals very pleasing rather too boomy.

The instruments however slightly feel pushed back in the staging but they are not that evident. Small percussion and stringed instruments may get lost but overall the presentation is done very well. Has a good amount of separation and the detail retrieval is above average. The layering is done well too without any in the head feel where the instruments are placed nicely one behind the other.

Tracks Used:

1. Take Me Home – John Denver
2. When You Say Nothing At All – Susan Wong

TREBLE:

The treble of the Timeless is another excellent aspect here. The airiness it possesses is expansive and the open goodness is sweet. This gave a nice separation and detail retrieval to the timeless. The cymbal strikes are very realistic and both the attack, decay are on point.

There is no noticeable sibilance but this is just based on my observation since some of the users noticed it seems. The highs are extended well with a nice open sound. They never feel congested and the brilliance, shimmer on the top is brought out very well.

The stringed instruments sound very nice with excellent timbre. The keystrokes and the guitar strings pluck can be heard very clearly. The trumpets and the other air instruments possess a nice position in the Timeless.

Overall the highs are well open in nature with above average detail retrieval and separation combined with that natural tonality and timbre. It's non fatiguing for a longer listening period while bringing out that nice shimmer on the top.

Tracks Used:

1. Something Happened On The Way To Heaven – Phil Collins
2. Sultans Of Swing – Dire Straits

TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: The staging is one among the widest. In terms of width they appear very open and wide enough. The depth is satisfyingly deep enough and thanks to that nice low end presence. The height is above average too. Overall they don’t feel in the head type or claustrophobic rather they feel well expansive and grand.

IMAGING: Felt very precise in terms of positioning of instruments even in the busy tracks. No clumping of the instruments is seen and the transient response felt very smooth. The channel sweep felt nice and smooth and no 3 point imaging was seen.

The detail retrieval and the separation are above average. Even though they don’t compete with the All BA IEM’S being a single planar, these sound really good with enough detail retrieval.

Tracks Used:

1. Hideaway – Jacob Collier
2. Sirens Of The Sea – Ocean Labs
3. Crossing – Yosi Horikawa
4. Mountains – Hans Zimmer

VERDICT:

Timeless, the latest and the introductory entry from the new brand 7Hz is a well executed package. The brand being their debut product has done an excellent job by giving the Timeless to the market. The Timeless is a unique looking IEM with a disc shaped faceplate which surprisingly provides an excellent fit. The accessories they provide are abundant and especially that metal case which is very sturdy and elegant.

The cables are available at different termination which is good in quality. Now to the sound they are FANTASTIC. The brand with its debut product went with the Planar instead of a dynamic or hybrid which is a pretty bold move and that too easy driveability! The Planar in the Timeless sounds one of the best for the price. Low end with nice sub bass presence, mid range with exceptional tonality and timbre, highs with good open sound gives the Timeless a strong lead over the other competitors in this price range.

The brand’s Timeless being a debut product they have built and made to sound excellent in every way and they have PERFECTLY EXECUTED the Timeless to take its place in the ChiFi market.

Introduction
Xduoo is a popular company from China with a number of years of experience. They are focused on development, design and distributing high end audio products.
They make multiple headphone amplifiers, portable headphone amplifiers and digital audio players. They are the makers of the famous XD05 portable headphone amplifier. Today we
get to review the Xduoo XQ50 Pro which is a bluetooth receiver and dac combo.



Specifications
USB Interface: Type C
Power Input: DC 5V / 1A
Display: OLED, 128 * 64 pixels
Bluetooth Specification Version: 5.0
Bluetooth Chip: CSR8675
Bluetooth Audio Support Formats: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX_LL, aptX_HD, LDAC
Transmission Distance:About 10 Meters

Size: 10.5 * 7.6 * 3.4cm
Weight:165G

THD + N:
Optical Output: 0.00087%
Coaxial Output: 0.00087%
AUX OUT: 0.07%

Output Level:
Optical Output: 0.5Vp-p
Coaxial Output: 0.5Vp-p
AUX OUT: 2.5V

Accessories:
1 x Xduoo XQ-50pro Receiver
1 x TYPE-C Cable
1 x Bluetooth Antenna
1 x Manual
1 x Warranty card



Features
XQ50 Pro features a nice oled display which is of high quality. It displays track name, sample rate and format of the track. The resolution of the screen is good.
The unit has a push button in front that can be used to play and pause the track and the response is quite fast. Speaking of formats it supports AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD and LDAC.
The bluetooth input is bluetooth 5.0 and the dac chip used is ES9018K2M. That's right! the XQ50 Pro has an inbuilt DAC and can be used as a standalone bluetooth DAC if you want to. The pairing is super fast
due to the Bluetooth 5.0. A useful feature is that the USB can be directly used to connect to PC and use it as an USB DAC for your PC. It has coaxial and optical output to connect to an external dac so you can transform your existing dac to a bluetooth DAC
with the XQ50 Pro.



Sound Performance
I compared the bluetooth input and the wired mode by using the XQ50 Pro by using it as an USB DAC and I am happy to say that the bluetooth input sounds just as good as the USB mode! The dynamics of the sound are also on point in bluetooth mode and there is no harshness in the treble.
This means that the bluetooth input implemented here by Xduoo is really good.
The output of the XQ50 Pro as a standalone DAC is crisp and clear with a clean background with no obvious coloration. It is a very capable DAC. When connected to external DAC via the optical or coaxial output, the sound reproduction out of the dac was totally preserved
which means you can pair the XQ50 Pro with any DAC and still maintain its sound quality no matter what. Overall I am very pleased and satisfied with the performance of the XQ50 Pro.

Conclusion
I have tried a few bluetooth receivers before in the budget range and they were good but the XQ50 Pro is definitely a step up in the right direction. It is built well, the OLED screen is quite cool with its black background and the bluetooth input is very clean. What more can you ask for?

INTRODUCTION:

KB-Ear, a brand based out of China is known for its High Fidelity Audio Products and their infamous product BELIEVE which I personally liked a lot. Since the Believe has been discontinued the Kbear was pushed to the edge to release the successor for it and hence they released the Aurora! Even though they don’t look like the successor of the Believe in terms of physical appearance, let's see how they compare to it in terms of sonic performance.



SPECIFICATIONS:

10mm Titanium diaphragm dynamic driver.

Impedance: 18Ω±2Ω.

Sensitivity: 105dB±3dB.

Frequency response range: 20Hz-20kHz.

Standard 2-pin 0.78mm connectors.

3.5mm single-ended termination plug.

DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review tour in my country organised by HiFiGo. I have not been influenced by the brand to manipulate the view and this review is completely based on my experience with it hence it differs from person to person. The observations are based on my source of testing.

You can purchase the Aurora via this link (non-affiliated): https://hifigo.com/products/kbear-aurora

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design language of the Aurora follows that of the usual and traditional in-ear monitors and not the design language of the Believe. The design and the colour scheme they went with is really good. The teal colour along with the shiny mirror finish looks fantastic in the real world but the shiny aspect is the worst part here since a lot of scratches are seen and picks up a lot of fingerprints too. A matt finished sliver looks could have been better.



The fit is decent and isolates from most of the external noises even though they are not designed as Custom shell shaped. The teal trim along with the subtle branding gave the earpiece a neat and clean look. The nozzle is of good length and the tips provided are good in collection and one can easily find a good fit with the provided eartips.

The provided cable is a SPC cable which is 8 core and the look is very premium. The metal shell for the connectors and the termination area gave the cable a premium look and the colour scheme they went with this is very good too which is a blue colour. The cable has a nice supple nature and the cable has nice heftiness in the hand. The cable however has a sticky nature which is kind of obtrusive but otherwise the tangling issue is not highly present.

The 2 pin area is nicely recessed along with the body but the issue is with the cable where the 2 pin tends to be loose in the connector area hence careful attention is required in taking care of the connector area.



SOUND:

The sound signature of the Aurora is a Warm Harman tuned set which has that nice mid bass presence with the smooth highs. The brand even calls this set to be a successor which carries the legacy of the lost Believe. In this review let’s check out whether this really is a successor of the Believe in terms of sound.

LOW END:

The low end performance of the Aurora is not that exciting in my frank opinion when compared to the Believe. The Aurora low end is fully focused on the mid bass region hence they sound thick and fat rather than fast and snappier.

The sub bass here is GOOD but not that great where it is present but still lacks that rumble and bite. The sub bass presence is mostly masked out by the mid bass which makes the track appear very thicker and full bodied but lacks that crispness and bite. In the track “INSTANT CRUSH – DAFT PUNK”, the kick drums sound very thicker and fuller which is pretty appreciable but as i told before this lacks that sub bass kick and the bite. The presence is there but it’s masked out by the excessive mid bass. Since the mid bass is also slightly slower they are not the snappiest and crispiest but it's definitely addictive since it has a nice fuller and thick sounding low end. At 1:30 the sub bass drops but it’s not that evidently felt in the Aurora rather the mid bass is the centre of focus here.

The mid bass is nicely tuned here which is fuller and soothing. The mid bass is thicker, full bodied and well separated. The control is nice but lacks the speed. It doesn’t have that speed of the Believe hence this sound slightly sluggish. Despite the slower mid bass they can handle the faster tracks very well. In the track “IN THE HEIGHTS – LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA”, the kick drums have a nice bite and the kick. The low end reverberation is brought out really well. The cymbal crashes especially are really nice and smooth and the timbre is very pleasing which we will talk about in the technicalities aspect. The separation and the layering in this track is really brought out very well. Since the soundstage is very intimate the space is lacking which made the whole presentation slightly crushed.

Overall the low end is mid bass focussed, thicker, full bodied, well separated, pleasing timbre, controlled and tight, slower( but can handle the faster tracks very well ). The low end would have been complete if a little more sub bass boost had been done. A low end which is tuned to deliver the POP genres beautifully but the metal genres will take the hit.



MID RANGE:

The mid range of the Aurora is slightly recessed, especially the instruments in the background. The vocal takes the nice placement which is presented well and forward but the instruments take the hit.

The best part about the vocals and the instruments in the Aurora is the Tonality and the Timbre. They are very smooth and addictive! The tonality is exceptionally done here. It's warm, pleasing and smooth hence no hotness is seen throughout my listening. The timbre of the instruments are realistic and natural with a hint of warmth. The tonality is however slightly cold but that gives that nice soothing and pleasing experience.

Both the male and the female vocals are nicely rendered out with good body and fullness. The upper mids are not that emphasized hence lacks that female vocal sparkle. Despite that smoother upper mids the vocals sound great in the Aurora. This is a very pleasing set to listen for a longer period rather than being too energetic and fatigued over time. The detail retrieval is average though but the layering is done very well.

The instruments are nicely placed and layered well. The imaging is very nice too. The mids sometimes feels crushed since the soundstage in not that wider. Has a good amount of space but not the best in terms of the price. If the staging is slightly bigger and with some slight upper mid emphasis, the mid range could have got a bit more space to breathe and provide some sparkle in the female vocals.

In the track, “NO TIME TO DIE – BILLIE EILISH”, Billie’s voice is nicely placed and rendered. The vocal has that nice fullness and body. The vocal slightly sounds colder and darker but not that extreme. This also gives that nice sense of fatigue free listening. The instruments take a back seat but the placement and the layering is nicely done. The kick drums and the beat instruments take front seat over the stringed and percussion instruments due to that relaxed upper mids.

In the other track “SHAPE OF YOU – ED SHEERAN”, the male vocal is nicely rendered with the same fullness and body. The kick drums sound nice and sweet but lack that snappy attack though. When the kick drums kick in the stringed instruments takes a big back seat hence midrange lovers need to have less expectations over this set.

Overall even though the midrange is slightly recessed the vocal takes a nice position and made the whole presentation very engaging. Lacks the energy in the upper mids but eventually it provided the nice fatigue free, hotness free listening. The technicalities like the Layering and the imaging are nicely done. Staging is cramped a bit but overall a solid warm and smoother midrange.



TREBLE:

The treble in the Aurora is good. They sound smoother and yet detailed. The treble extension is good but lacks the air! The instruments in the top end feel crushed and a bit congested. The brilliance aspect of the Aurora is fine with some sparkle in the top end. The percussion instruments sound slightly colder hence a bit more brightness could have been done.

The cymbal strikes are however very natural and smoother. No harshness is observed and the attack, decay are at the sweet spot. The electric guitar strings and the trumpets do have that pleasing and addictive tonality. The separation is good and the resolution is pretty average in my time with this. The air is completely lacking hence the congestion and the cramping of the staging is evidently observed.

In the track “ABARIBBA CUMBIAREMOS – EDDIE PALMIERI”, the trumpets and the instruments have a nice tonality. They sound very smoother and clean on the other hand too. The detail retrieval is good too. The track separation and the placement are nicely done but the lacking things are the wider stage and the resolution. The details sometimes get lost but overall the highs are very pleasing and warm to listen to. Slightly colder but very addictive.


In the other track “DREAMS – FLEETWOOD MAC”, the cymbal crashes are very pleasing to listen to while the vocal is nicely rendered out too. The highs are very good in terms of smoothness and tonality but the only thing this lacks is the resolution and the air. Other than that this thing has one of the pleasing sound signatures overall. The layering of the instruments and the separation are one of the best.

The treble in the Aurora is smoother, pleasing and addictive tonality, detailed enough, and has impressive layering. The staging and the presence of air could have been improved other than that nothing to complain of.



TECHNICALITIES:

SOUNDSTAGE: The staging is not the biggest strength of the Aurora. The width seems to be very less but overall the staging seems to be well rounded instead of having that extra sense of width. The height is average too but the depth is nicely done here due to that thick bass response. The lesser width made the Aurora to be slightly congested.

IMAGING: Imaging is very precise. The instruments can be easily pointed out even with that impressive thick bass response. The transient response is pretty smooth and the sweeping of sounds from one channel to the other feels pretty smooth too. The Aurora is able to handle the faster tracks too hence the imaging is not an issue in that area.

RESOLUTION: It's pretty average and the predecessor Believe just surpasses the Aurora in terms of resolution.

DETAIL RETRIEVAL: The detail retrieval is above average. Even with that cramped up intimate claustrophobic soundstage the details are brought out really well

LAYERING: That's the impressive and highlighting feature of the Aurora. The placements and the layering of the instruments are very neatly done.

Tracks Used:

1. Sirens Of The Sea – Ocean Labs
2. Global Gear (Instrumental) – Punya Srinivas
3. Hideaway – Jacob Collier
4. What Are You Going To Do When You Are Not Saving The World – Hans Zimmer

VERDICT:

Aurora, the latest offering from the Kbear is said to be the successor of the lost legend BELIEVE and i believe that this is definitely not the successor rather its focussed towards separate audience. I agree that the tuning has been changed where the Believe had that slight V shape whereas the Aurora has that Warm Harman.

Aurora is a thick sounding pair hence called the THICK BOY. Full focus is towards the mid bass and the midrange is now presented forward when compared to the Believe and the highs has been tamed down and made it more smoother and pleasing with no hotness. Believe had that sub bass focussed sound and the technicalities are superior when compared to the Aurora.

Aurora has the narrower stage if not rounded, the detail retrieval and the presence of air is pretty average. The highs lack the sparkle and the upper mids are tamed down a lot which is pretty opposite to that of Believe. The two tunings are opposite and instead I would call the Aurora to be the successor of the Blon Bl03! Has a similar tuning with improved technicalities.

Overall I would take the Believe over this since i like more sub bass, bigger soundstage and better technicalities. But does that mean Aurora is a hit? NO! Definitely this will please a separate group of people especially who like the BL03 and this THICK BOY will definitely capture the attention from the Audiophile Community.

HZ Sound is an earphone brand based out of China. The Heart Mirror is their latest and budget IEM which boats some clean and neat design in the market. The pricing is done right and is now surrounded by a hell lot of competition. Do they also sound as pristine like their design? And are they really in this budget competition? In this review let’s check out the in depth audio analysis.


DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review tour conducted by Concept kart and by no means have I been influenced by them or the brand to manipulate this review. The review is completely based on my observations with this product and this may vary from users to users depending on the source they use to test it. In case if you are interested in purchasing this unit its available in https://conceptkart.com/products/hzsound-heart-mirror-wired-iem-with-mic and thanks to the team for bringing this to India.

SPECIFICATIONS:​

Driver unit: 10mm driver unit

Impedance: 32Ω (±15%)

Speaker Sensitivity: 106±3dB

Microphone sensitivity: -42±3dB

Frequency range: 15Hz-40kHz

Connector: 2Pin 0.78mm

Plug Type: 3.5mm L type

Cable: 1.2m, OFC silver plated

DESIGN AND BUILD:​

The design is clean and elegant as they sound. Has a clean metallic silver finish with no sort of branding which I love. They are shaped ergonomically and the nozzle is pretty lengthy. The 2 pin connector area is nicely recessed inside the body that doesn’t protrude. The faceplate and the rest of the body is seamlessly attached and no creaky joints are visible.

The whole body is made of aluminium shell and the finish is glossy. No scratches have been seen as of now. The fit is average in the sense the seal is good but the settling of the earpiece is middling. Since it’s not a custom shell shaped and the nozzles are pretty lengthy, the body mostly doesn’t sit in the ear canal and the sel depends on the ear tips alone. For most of the time it’s good but when you are walking or doing certain activities the body might dangle in your ears. The earpiece has nice heft overall giving that premium fell in the hand while holding them.

The cable is very good in quality, has that nice supple nature and is very premium enough in the hands. The good thing is that it has an inbuilt mic hence taking calls is possible with this IEM. The termination plug is L shaped and the provided strain relief is well built and sturdy. They have used the aluminium casings on the cable which looks very good and feels good too. The cable is a 4 core OFC SPC which is great in quality considering it’s a stock cable.

SOUND:​

The sound signature of the Heart Mirror is a neutral-bright. The overall sound is more or less balanced but with an extra hint of brightness for that added clarity and details. The sound even though they are brighter gives that sense of pleasing nature and it’s very addictive too especially if you are listening to instrumentals and classical. The amount of detail it captures and the overall tonality and timbre is very impressive for the price. It’s pretty natural and realistic. In this review let’s dive into the dissection of the sound of HZ.

LOW END:​

The low end in the HZ is just about the accuracy and precision. Both the sub bass and the mid bass are linearly placed thus they don’t overtake each other and make the track look fuzzy.

SUB BASS: The sub bass rumble is very subtle and can be felt only when the track calls for it otherwise it’s very subtle to listen to. The rumble could have been improved a bit but this one is tuned to give that detail and the natural tonality as much as possible in that regard the sub bass is fine. In the track “VICTORIOUS – THE SCORE ”, from the start of the track the sub bass presence can be felt but lacks the weight and the rumble which is pretty expectable in the earphone which focuses mainly in the midrange and highs. The control and the separation is however very nice and even the texture is pretty good in the HZ.

In another track “ANIMAL – THE SIEGE”, at the 0.23 mark the sub bass attack appears but in the HZ they are very subtle to hear and the overall track appears very light and clean.

In another track “TAKE IT – THE SIEGE”, at the start of the track you can appreciate the impressive technicality of the HZ! Oh boy that layering is very impressive. Here the sub bass presence can be felt very nicely since the track calls for it. See the separation! It’s very impressive! The control, speed and the texture everything is just on point.

MID BASS: The mid bass is pretty impressive in the HZ and it’s better than the sub bass. Personally I like the light mid bass earphones and the HZ just tuned to it. The mid bass is not that heavy and thick, rather it’s very light and clean. This aspect helped the HZ to give that extra clean midrange and the crispy highs.

The mid bass just linearly moves into the mid range causing a very detailed listening experience. In the track “GET LUCKY – DAFT PUNK ”, the kick drums and the guitar strings are separated very well and man see the separation here again! It’s pretty impressive. The guitar strings in the center while the other instruments in the sides, kick drums in the background everything is portrayed out very well, this shows the impressive ability of layering. It’s exceptional. The kick drums and the guitar strings never interrupt the mid range and the vocals thus they sound as clean and detailed as possible.

In another track “RISE – HANS ZIMMER ”, at the start of the track the presence of bass can be seen very nicely, it’s not heavy, rather it’s not the lightest but it just touches the sweet spot. The impressive aspect is the separation and the detail it brings out! Now the high end details can be seen very clearly. The positioning of the instruments and the layering is very good. They sound as open and detailed as possible. This track usually sounds very congested and clumsy in most of the earphones but in this one this gave a very detailed experience. The amount of air it moves is impressive.

Overall the low end may feel lighter but believe me this thing gives that extra separation and details. The control and the texture is very impressive, the low end is faster in decay and those technicalities are impressive too. One thing I can say for an improvement is that the sub bass could have been increased a bit.

MID RANGE:​

The midrange in the HM is the star show here. It’s very clean and detailed. Most of the IEM’S at this price point would have that warm tonality due to that excessive mid bass presence but this one is an exception, it’s very good to hear a natural and clean sounding earphones at this budget price point after a long time.

The lower mid range is slightly leaner in nature due to that lack of body in the mid range but this leanness gives that extra touch for clean sound. Even though they are lean, the male vocals sound very much fuller. The detail retrieval in the lower mids is very impressive which is very difficult to find in this price range. The male vocal sounds very good with nice coherency, having a natural tonality. The vocals are not harsh at the same time they are not grainier. In the track “EVERY LITTLE THING – ERIC CLAPTON ” the vocal is rendered very beautifully, the placement is precise and the background female vocal is clearly separated out. The guitar strings are nicely portrayed and the level of separation is god tier level for this price range.

The upper mid range is very good too but due to its detail capture many will find this upper mid range to be very energetic but in my opinion this sounds great! This energetic nature in the upper mids gives this earphone a great sound. The female vocals especially don’t sound shriller rather it sounds fuller and deeper. There is no hint of sibilant in “S ” words or any other sort of words. The percussion instruments sound very natural and realistic. In the track “BETTY – TAYLOR SWIFT ”, Taylor’s voice is rendered very well with good execution. The separation is top notch and the guitar strings sound absolutely realistic and the picks can be heard clearly. The mouth horn and the guitar strings are beautifully portrayed out while the vocal nicely placed in the center which is not too forward or laid back instead at a very good centered position. The detail retrieval and the layering are very good.

Overall in the mid range the clarity, separation and the layering of the instruments are very well depicted. The tonality and the timbre are very realistic and natural. The transition from the lower mids to the upper mids are pretty smooth and no hint of harshness or extreme sharpness is observed. The vocal positioning is neither too forward nor laid back instead the listener sits at the centre row. The upper midrange details and the clarity are freaking good in this earphone.

TREBLE:​

The treble in the HZ is absolutely fantastic! I would easily pick this earphone any day for detailed and sparkly treble. This just shines over the treble region where the technicalities are too good for the price. The cymbal crashes are vibrant and very addictive and the electric guitar strings and the stringed instruments sound absolutely natural and fantastic.

The track separation and the openness in the HZ is just mind blowing. In the track “JACK OF SPEED – STEELY DAN”, the trumpet sounds clean and vibrant and all those cymbal crashes sound dynamic. Even after this kind of brightness to the overall track they never sounded harsh or sibilant. The micro details are heard clearly too! Those background screeching sounds can be heard very clearly which I haven’t heard in most of the other gears I have.

In the other track “THE GIFT OF MUSIC – DREAM THEATER”, those stringed instruments sound very neat and clean while the drums in the background are very well separated out from the rest of the instruments and vocals. That cymbal crash in the left corner is heard very clearly which is a very minute detail but the HZ never missed that out!

Overall the treble in the HZ has an enormous amount of air moving in between the instruments, the detail retrieval is far far above the price and the separation, layering are exceptional. The natural and neutral tonality makes it even more special.

TECHNICALITIES:​

SOUND STAGE: The sound stage in the HZ is very good and well spaced. It may not be the widest but not the most intimate one too. The instruments and the placements are not within the head and have some good amount of space making it well rounded. The depth is good too despite the lack of sub bass extension. The height is very good and better than the depth. The width and the height are really very good for the price giving the HZ the grand presentation.

IMAGING: It’s very precise and accurate. The instruments can be easily pointed out accurately even in the busy tracks and thanks to that reduced and linear bass response. The transition of the instruments from one channel to the other is smooth and non-stuttery.

The detail retrieval, resolution and the separation are whole another level in the HZ, the layering is exceptional so in terms of technicalities the HZ is non complain-able!

Tracks Used:

1. Hideaway – Jacob Collier
2. Coloratura – Cold play
3. Crossing – Yosi Horikawa

PROS AND CONS:​

Pros:​

1. Top tier Detail Retrieval
2. Natural Tonality and Timbre
3. Sparkly Highs
4. Technicalities

Cons:​

1. Bass Quantity (especially sub bass)
2. Fit

VERDICT:​

Heart Mirror, the latest and the budget offering from the House of HZ SOUND is a fantastic package for those who are looking for some audiophile end game in the budget. The sound it delivers is unwatchable in this price range. The sound might not appeal to everyone in the market but this is a big boon for the beginners in audiophiles and a definite keeper IEM for most of the people. Even after the people who are accustomed to the usual V shaped or bassy earphones this will be a new experience to them.

The bright and analytical sound of the HZ is very addictive and it just grows slowly in you. After listening to a lot of instrumentals and classical, this earphone has grown on me very much. Bass heads? Just skip this or get this and get a new whole world of details that you have missed! The mid range is sweet with natural and neutral tonality, the highs are as sparkly as possible giving those extra minute details to breathe the air and the level of separation it provides is impeccable. The layering is another positive of this IEM.

Overall do you get what you paid for? Hell no! Because you get 10 X the sound for what you have paid! I’m in love with this and even though I have the urge for that extra sub bass presence this Heart mirror wins my heart and satisfies my CRISPY hunger for details.

INTRODUCTION:

Lotoo, an emerging brand based out of China. Founded in 1999, Lotoo has focused primarily on professional audio recorders and entered into the audio player market 15 years after their start. To enter the budget DAC AMP segment they have released a product named PAW S1 to go against the competitors. The budget DAC AMP segment is already a hot place since there are heavy competitions and as a new contender the PAW S1 has been introduced and in this review let’s see how this product stacks up against the competitors.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle conducted by the WWW.CONCEPTKART.COM and a big thanks to the team for organising this and considering me in their review circle. This review is completely based on my experience with this product and by no means have I been influenced by the brand to manipulate this review. The views differ from person to person based on the source and gear used to test out the product. In case if you are interested in purchasing this product follow the link: https://conceptkart.com/products/lotoo-paw-s1-portable-usb-dac-and-amp?variant=39279334948938

SPECIFICATIONS:

DAC chip: AKM AK4377
PCM Decoding up to 32-Bit/384kHz, DSD up to DSD128 Natively.
Dual Output Ports, 3.5mm Single-Ended, 4.4mm Balanced.
Output Power(3.5mm): 70mW/ch @ 32 Ohms.
Output Power(4.4mm): 120mW/ch @ 32 Ohms.
Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHz.
Signal to Noise Ratio(3.5mm): 123dB.
Signal to Noise Ratio(4.4mm): 122dB.
Noise Level(3.5mm): -118dBu.
Noise Level(4.4mm): -114dBu
OLED Display with 128x32 display resolution.
Dual Gain Mode: Low and High Gain.
THD+N(Low Gain): -106dB(0.0005%).
THD+N(High Gain): -108dB(0.0004%).
OS: LTOS.
Firmware Update: Supported



DESIGN AND BUILD:

The design of the Paw S1 is very compact and elegant. The whole chassis is made out of aluminium and feels very premium in the hands. The cold touch of the metal gives a nice feel while holding and the good thing is it doesn’t get warm even after several hours of usage!

The front panel has a black and white OLED display and its very good indeed. It shows the filter mode, bit rate and the volume. These things can be adjusted via the buttons given on the side of the product.

The top end has the usb port and the bottom end has the balanced and unbalanced port for connecting the headphones. The unit gets powered without connecting any headphones hence the battery drain in the smartphone is quite high.



PACKAGE:

1U PAW S1
1U Type-C OTG cable, Type-C to Lightning Cable, 1U USB Adapter



SOUND:

All the observations were made using the stock none eq mode and by changing the filters and EQ you can explore more sound profiles.

The Lotoo Paw S1 is powered by the AKM 4377 Chipset and is widely known for its dynamism and clean sound output. This chip has been used in many budget dongles and got many praises from the consumers. The Paw S1 has been implemented with a different strategy and they have designed this DAC to utilise the complete potential of the chip.

The noise floor is pretty null in the low gain mode but in the high gain mode the noise can be heard but only with pretty sensitive IEM’s.

The power output is not that high and in the single ended mode the output is same as that of the normal budget dongles and in the balanced mode the power output is slightly higher but not that high where it can power some high impedance headphones.

There is also a high gain mode which gives some more headroom for volume but it does raises the noise floor too and with sensitive IEMs they are pretty noticeable

LOW END:

The Paw S1 may look like a tiny machine but this can bring a dynamic change in the sound. The low end is smooth and richer in Paw S1. Especially if you pair it with the bright to neutral sounding earphones this thing makes them a complete monster! The low end this pumps out is very rich in timbre and separation. The control and the depth got improved a lot and the sub bass presence got more peppier. The separation in between the instruments are very much improved and the texture this brings out in the low end is impeccable.

MID RANGE:

The mid range is beautifully rendered by the Paw S1. The earphones that have that on the face vocals will get nicely benefited from the Paw S1. The S1 brings the vocals to a sweet spot by pushing them slightly back but not affecting the instruments positioning. The tonality and the timbre are cleanly maintained by the Paw S1. The separation and the clarity in the midrange got slightly improved with extra sense of depth in the soundstage.

TREBLE:

The treble in the Paw S1 does not affect that much. The extensions remain the same but the separation and the clarity again got improved noticeably. The smoothness in the high end got better and the texture of the lower treble got even better and removed that graininess. It is safe to say that this doesn’t affect the high end in the wrong way thus making the whole exaggeration thing rather it kept it as it is but improved the technicalities. Now it allows the earphone to breathe a good amount of air in the high end keeping the timbre of the instruments on point.

PAIRINGS:

HZ HEART MIRROR: With this IEM you can instantly notice the difference between being a bright earphone when paired with the Paw S1. This IEM now has the thing that I thought it lacked! Now the low end is more punchier and impactful than the stock. They are not overly boosted to the extent of muddy but now got very impactful and weightier by maintaining that speed and the tightness.

The midrange slightly takes a step back but at a sweet spot for me. It’s like the listener sitting in the second row hence the singer is not just in right of the face which is a very good thing because due to this the depth of the soundstage got even improved. The instruments however don't take the hit of very laid back positioning rather they are in the sweet spot too. The natural tonality and timbre of the HZ is perfectly maintained by the Paw S1.

The highs doesn’t take any big change here. The clarity and the separation remains the same. Of Course the treble end got a little bit smoother and didn't affect the amazing treble response of the stock HZ which is a very good thing.



SEE AUDIO BRAVERY: This is one another IEM that got benefited with this Paw S1. The Bravery is known for its clean and neutral tonality. Despite being an All BA it is able to maintain that tonality and timbre like a champ. The Paw S1 in this case also didn’t affect that part but improved in other aspects like the low end again.

The Bravery is not the best in low end since its mid bass focused but this Paw S1 just made the low end even more impactful by giving it the taste of sub bass. It’s not that huge but still they sound. It also maintains that clean and quality low end of the Bravery as it is tuned.

The midrange now got the same step back in vocals giving a nice sense of depth and the clarity got improved. The instruments now do sound the same but that BA timbre got slightly masked out. The highs are now as the same stock sound, the extension is good but the separation and the airiness got very much improved giving the Bravery a grand presentation overall.



VERDICT:

The PAW S1, the latest offering from the Lotoo brand, is a very good all-rounder package. It ticks all the boxes that a budget dongle dac should have. From the design, build and to the sound they are a solid deal in this market. With the added beauty of customisable filters this thing makes itself a unique product in this price point.

Beautifully crafted, elegant display, independent volume control, customisable filers, adequate power, one of the best DAC chips with best implementation and the features just goes on! They sound excellent too without any added colouration. They make boring earphones into a very dynamic package by improving all the aspects of the sound from the staging to the technicalities. This mini dongle is truly a LEGIT KING in the mid tier budget dongle market!

INTRODUCTION:

The TACable is the sub brand of the Hakugei which is a famous brand known for its impeccable cables for the earphones. The TACable Obsidian is their latest offering in the budget range and they have priced this at a very nominal price of 20usd! For this price the cable did exceed my expectations in terms of both the build and the sound. Let’s dive in deep to know why this cable is the finest in the market for the price.



BUILD AND DESIGN:

The TACable is built very solid and premium overall. Even though they are priced very less, the premium feel that they provide is unmatchable in this price range. The supple nature that this cable provides is very nice and the materials that they have used in the cable are very premium. For instance the slider, splitter and the termination everything are made out of metal and thus the durability of this product is top notch. The strain relief provided at the termination end is very nice and gives that extra touch in premiumness.

133 cores consisting of 50% Black Litz 5N OCC and 50% Silver-plated Litz 5N OCC wires with DuPont PVC insulation. The whole cable has that black and white look thus it looks very classy and subtle. The cable organiser has also been provided.

The good thing about the cable is that they have used metal parts for most of the areas and this is really a very good move from the brand.



SOUND:

The Obsidian cable does improve the sound a bit. Especially if you are pairing it with the balanced or midrange focused iem’s. The low end gets even more boosted a bit but in a good way where the texture and the control gets improved. The treble now breathes some good amount of air, thus the separation and the openness got even more improved.

The midrange however took a step back in the placement but not that obvious. People who like a laidback and a relaxed sound signature will love this cable pairing with the IEM which has a balanced to mid focus.

The surprising fact is that even though they do alter the frequency response they don’t alter the tonality of the iem. I have tried it with the TForce Yuan Li which of course has that neutral to balanced tonality and the end result is that the bass got even more textured out and the control got improved, the treble got more air to breathe, whereas the tonality didn’t get altered which is a very good thing to notice out.



The other polar opposite iem i have tried it with is the IKKO OH10 and the end result is that the OH10 got even more bassier and of course it's slightly bloated too. Too much bass in the OH10 made the midrange even more placed backwards which is already a laidback earphone in stock form.

VERDICT:

TACable, a new and first release from the sub brand of the Hakugei is a great all round package. From the above observations I can clearly come to a conclusion that this cable does pair well with mid focused and brighter earphones rather than a warm and V shaped IEM’S. The low end control and texture got improved a lot and the treble got open up. Overall I'm pretty impressed with the sound output of the Obsidian cable even though it's very quite subtle since this cable covers most of the aspect from the sound to the build.

INTRODUCTION:

See Audio is a rising audio brand based out of China and got a rave response from the consumers for their already existing products in the market. Their previous model YUME is a very good IEM in terms of botht he design and the sound and the expectations for the bravery are of no short. In this review let’s see how bravery performs against the competitors.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle in our country organised by the Sea Audio Team and a big thanks to them for considering me in their circle. I'm not influenced by anyone to manipulate this review by any means. This whole review is completely based on my experience with this product and this may vary from person to person depending on the source and the gears they use to test out the product.

SPECIFICATIONS:

>Driver Configuration: Quad BA.

>Driver Arrangement: 2 BA Low+ 1 BA Mid+ 1 BA Highs.

>Impedance: 18ohm.

>Frequency response range: 20Hz-20kHz.

>Sensitivity: 110dB/mW.

>THD+N: <1%.

>2-pin 0.78mm connectors

DESIGN AND FIT:

The earpieces are made of clear and transparent resins. The faceplate is seamlessly continued along with the rest of the body. The design is printed and the See Audio logo is imprinted on the faceplate. The 2 pin connector area is nicely tucked in the body itself. The surprising thing is that they have a vent despite being all BA products, this shows that they have used the vented BA to give that natural low end response.

The nozzle is of good length and has the lip to properly seat the ear tips. The fit is really good and creates some decent seal isolating from most of the background noises. The eartips provided are also good in terms of quality.



The cable provided is very good in terms of build which is cloth braided. The other welcoming feature is that they don’t have the ear guides hence the fit is even better. The connector, splitter and the termination area are metal hence the durability would not be an issue. See Audio has partnered with Hakugei, a premium IEM upgrade cable brand based in China. They have designed a customized 6N OCC cable that perfectly matches the synergy of Bravery delivering an impeccable acoustic experience for the users. The cable here has cloth sleeved with 0.78mm 2-pin connectors and a 3.5mm termination plug for easy connectivity



The given case is of very premium in looks and build. Made out of aluminium and the protection it gives to the earphone is excellent. The case is waterproof and shockproof where the locking area is covered with rubber gaskets to prevent the entry of external materials. The inner case is properly lined hence scratches will not happen to the earpieces.

SOUND:

The overall sound signature of the See Audio Bravery is a U shaped profile with boosted bass especially mid bass and the treble while the midrange is slightly recessed. They have a pretty neutral and relaxing tonality and the timbre is impressive being an All BA IEM. In this review let’s see in detail about the sound of this product.



LOW END:

Being a U shaped sound i thought that bass is going to be a string point for this but in the end this is a mid bass focused IEM which i'm not a big fan of. The sub bass presence is too subtle and can be felt only in the tracks which have noticeable sub bass boost. The mid bass is however tuned nice and tight having great technicalities like the texture, control and the tightness. The sub bass is pretty weak thus i cant able to enjoy the OST’s and theme musics.

The resolution is good and the technicalities in the low end are impressive but the lacking thing is the sub bass. The low end is pretty fast in decay hence they sound very cleaner and no muddy or boomy sound. The separation and the timbre in the low end is pretty impressive for an all BA iem. This IEM could have excelled in this department if only the sub bass and the decay could have been better and I hope in the next iteration they improve this. The bravery has been tuned to have more quality over the quantity

In the track “WHY DO WE FALL – HANS ZIMMER”, at the end of the track the sub bass backdrop is very subtle in the Bravery but overall the separation and the control in these regions are very good.

In the other track “JETLAG CORPORATION – AES DANA”, the bass presence is very well portrayed in Bravery. The thump and the weight of the low end is very good and the control, tightness are very impressive. The separation is impeccable due to that faster bass decay and that clean resolution.

MIDRANGE:

The mid range in the Bravery is smooth and clean. They are slightly recessed though but the placement of the vocal is very good. The vocal is placed right in front of you but the instruments are pushed back creating that laidback presentation but im very much ok with the forward vocal presentation.

Due to that laidback instrument placement some percussion instruments don’t sound quite clear hence you need to raise the volume. The vocal has that neutral to natural tonality and the timbre here is quite exceptional considering its an all BA iem! The instruments do sound pretty realistic and the tonality is quite natural. It has that slight BA timbre but not to that extent.

The lower mids sound fine with some fullness due to that mid bass presence but the upper mids need some emphasis since here they sound slightly thinner. The female vocals especially have that thin note and the piano notes don't have that bite overall. The detail retrieval is also however sub par and can't expect that much level of detail retrieval like other BA IEM’s.

The track separation, layering and the imaging are pretty good in this Bravery. Technicality wise it's very good in the midrange. In the track “BETTY – TAYLOR SWIFT”, the taylor’s voice is portrayed very well with nice track separation and the layering of the instruments. The piano notes however and the guitar strings sound slightly thinner but as a whole presentation they are very impressive considering the technicalities aspect.

In another track “ME LOVE – SEAN KINGSTON”, his voice has that fullness and the strings have that nice tonality and timbre. The kick drums however lack that attack due to that sub bass absence. The piano notes sound fine and overall they have very good layering capability.

TREBLE:

The treble in the Bravery is smooth and organic. No sibilance or exaggeration but they are tuned to give that natural smoother sound output overall. The extension is not that good considering it's an all BA IEM but considering the overall coherency between all the BA’s and the sound they deliver is really impressive. The highs have a good amount of detail retrieval and the amount of air it moves in this region is pretty good. The resolution is average and the track separation is very impressive which is not a big surprise being an all BA.

The sparkle and the splashiness in the treble section is missing and that makes the whole listening experience very much laidback thus it lacks the energy in this area. Especially in the track “JACK OF SPEED – STEELY DAN”, those cymbal crashes and the trumpets sound very much relaxed and don't have that energy in them. But as an overall output they have nice coherency and smooth sound.

In the other track “SWEET DREAM – EURYTHMICS”, those piano notes are nicely rendered but need some bite in them. The track separation is very good and the clarity, layering are exceptionally done. The treble has a lot of air to breathe but the issue is again the sparkle where they sound slightly relaxed and smooth instead of having some energy and aggressiveness.



TECHNICALITIES:

SOUNDSTAGE: The staging of the Bravery is well rounded but not the biggest. The width is pretty average which is quite disappointing in this price range but the height and the depth are good enough. The height is pretty nice, giving a nice sense of space in between the instruments. The staging is neither claustrophobic nor widest , the singer seems to be standing just right in front of you. The vocals are slightly straight to the face but as an overall instrument presentation they are very good in terms of placement and the staging is quite nice.

IMAGING: The imaging is very good here. No fuzziness is seen due to that controlled low end. Since the staging is not the widest the instruments don’t have that enough space to be well separated. However the imaging is clean and precise here, where the listener can easily spot out the instruments placement without issues. The transient response is pretty smooth giving a nice sense of instruments sweeping from one channel to the other.

The detail retrieval and the resolution are quite good but not the best. The layering and the imaging are the biggest strength of the Bravery. The dynamism is not the best and they sound pretty much lacklustre and not fun.

Tracks Used:

1. Hideaway – Jacob Collier
2. Crossing – Yosi Horikawa
3. Global Gear (Instrumental) – Punya Srinivas
4. Themyscira – Hans Zimmer

VERDICT:

Bravery, the latest and the mid-tier offering from the SEE AUDIO is a very nice package and has brought some nice improvements over their previous model YUME. As usual when it comes to SEE AUDIO their accessories and the offering will always be premium and from that point of view the provided accessories and the build of the earpiece are very premium and excellent.

When it comes to the sound SEE AUDIO always pursue towards the balanced and smooth sound and the same they did with the Bravery too. Although it's a slight U shaped sound the midrange is not that recessed giving the vocals and instruments a life. The low end here is nicely tuned especially the mid bass, the sub bass is very subtle and they should have boosted a bit to give that dynamism and the fun factor which is lacking in the bravery. When it comes to technicalities these are very good in terms of imaging and layering. The staging is not the biggest but does the job.

So overall, the bravery is a very good package From the brand and is a very good versatile IEM. The whole point of the SEE AUDIO is to provide the QUALITY OVER THE QUANTITY and that's what they did in the sound too which is a thumbs up from my side.

INTRODUCTION:

TForce Audio is a newly established brand in the ChiFi Audio industry and as a first step into this giant industry they released their first product Yuan Li. From the aspect of the looks they appear bold, elegant, they priced it right and in this review let’s see whether this Yuan Li has that same characteristics in the sound too.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle organised by TForce Audio and thanks to the team and Indranil Mitra for giving me this opportunity to review this product. I have not been influenced by the brand by any means to manipulate this review hence the whole views are my own and it’s based on my experience and observations with this product. The views might differ from one person to another since it depends upon the source used to test out the gear.

SPECIFICATIONS:

>Large 10mm Dynamic Driver with DLC Diaphragm.

>Standard 2-pin 0.78mm connectors.

>Impedance: 32Ω.

>Sensitivity: 103.5dB.

>Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHz.

>THD+N: 0.2%

PACKAGE:

Yuan Li is bundled with a custom-made leather earphone carry case, 6N OCC copper cable, six pairs of silicone ear tips

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the Yuan Li is ergonomic and smooth. The whole build is made out of aluminium shell and the edges are smooth and curvy. Silver colour trim is given for the whole earpiece and the faceplate has the TForce Audio logo in it. The 2 Pin connector area is nicely recessed and doesn’t protrude outside. The whole body is not a unibody design rather the faceplate has a connection to the remaining part of the body. The joints are seamlessly finished and the whole surface looks shiny and smooth. The disadvantage of this shiny property is that they attract a hell lot of fingerprints and are very prone to scratch up. It Would have been better if they gave a matt finished look to it. The nozzle area is good in length and has enough width, the nozzle is also gold plated and is attached well to the body.

The cable is pretty good, which is a 2 core 6N OCC Copper cable ending with the 3.5mm termination. The cable looks very sleek and good and has that nice supple texture. The connector, termination and the splitter are everything made of metal hence looks very premium and will definitely last a long.



SOUND:

The sound profile of the Yuan Li is pretty balanced and in specific they are mid centric earphones with one of the best in terms of tonality and vocals. The mid range is very good and the other frequencies are above average too. Initially I was not happy with the Yuan Li but after feeding it some power now I can realise the potential of the product. In this review let’s see how this thing sounds and compares against the competitors.

SOURCE: iPhone + Zorloo Ztella + Zen Can

LOW END:

The low end in the Yuan Li is what i describe to be the accurate or precise. The control, weight and the texture are very good but the thing that locks in the low end are the depth and weight. Of Course these can be mostly seen in only the basshead level earphones but still a slight improvement in these areas would have made this earphone my great pick overall.

The bass here is pretty linear and balanced, from the sub bass to the mid bass the transition is smooth and linear. The bass is clean and doesn’t bleed into the midrange. The control and the texture are exceptional for the price. The sub bass only calls when the track call for it, especially in the track “TAKE IT – SEIGE”, the sub bass drop can be felt evidently but in the track “WHY DO WE FALL – HANS ZIMMER”, here the sub bass presence is very light and thin. The Yuan Li wont give you that rumble type of sub bass instead it would be very clean and minimal.

The mid bass is pretty good too. The overall background of the Yuan li is slightly warmer due to that nice mid bass presence. It gives that essential body and warmth to the midrange and vocals. The kick drums feel very tighter and the timbre is very natural and realistic. In the track “OUT FOR BLOOD – SUM 41”, the kick drums and the electric guitar presence is portrayed very well and especially the timbre of the instruments are very realistic and natural but as i told before it lacks in the weight and the depth of the bass. It’s good but it lacks that energy. It’s pretty good for a midcentric earphone and overall the low end is pretty satisfying. Being a complex track the Yuan Li was able to bring out some great separation and clarity in the low end. Yeah the Yuan Li can handle the faster and complex tracks well.

MIDRANGE:

The midrange in the Yuan Li is the star show here. The vocals especially have that nice tonality and they appear completely natural overall. The warmth of the mid bass continues along with the vocals making them very pleasant to listen to and the tonality is the best aspect here which is pretty natural.

The lower mids are very nice to listen to. The male vocals especially have that nice body and warmth overall and the fullness in the vocals can be clearly appreciated. Especially in the track “EVERY LITTLE THING – ERIC CLAPTON”, his voice sounds very natural and the fullness is very much nice. The mid bass linearly continues along with the lower mid giving that smooth transition.

In another track “BLOWER’S DAUGHTER – DAMIEN RICE”, his voice is the same again with near to natural sounding along with that natural timbre of those instruments. The guitar and the piano notes sound very smooth and clean.

For female vocals, in the track “BLANK SPACE – TAYLOR SWIFT”, her voice sounds non-sibilant and very natural. The upper mid region has no sort of harshness and sounds pretty smooth with natural tonality.

The instrument separation and the detail retrieval are above average. In the track “SULTANS OF SWING – DIRE STRAITS”, the guitar string separation is presented very well and the detail retrieval is really good for the price. The transition of the instruments from channel to channel appears very smooth and cohesive.

The texture, separation and the detail retrieval are very good in the Yuan Li especially in the midrange section. The tonality and timbre are exceptional too. Overall I'm pretty impressed with Yuan Li in the Midrange.

TREBLE:

The treble in the Yuan Li is average in my opinion where they show the roll off evidently thus the sparkle in the top end can't be expected. The trade off gave the smoothness to the Yuan Li thus making this a very good pair for non fatiguing listening. The treble clarity and smoothness is top notch while the details and the extension drops out a bit.

In the track “JACK OF SPEED – STEELY DAN '', the clarity is nice and the instruments are well separated and the layering is also good. The transition of the instruments appears great but the thing is the sparkle and openness! The Yuan Li sounds slightly darker or warmer in background thus the sparkle and the open sounding nature is lacking here. They sound slightly intimate and rounded rather than wider. Overall it's very good but could have been great if the background is slightly brighter and open sounding.

In another track “DREAMS – FLEETWOOD MAC”, the cymbal crashes are very good and smooth. The attack and the decay are precise thus they don’t sound harsh or sibilant rather its very smooth sounding and pleasant.

In another track “MR.BRIGHTSIDE – THE KILLERS '', it's a very complex track where a lot of instruments are played in the background even then Yuan Li was able to portray the separation at best and the overall clarity is presented very well.



TECHNICALITIES:

SOUNDSTAGE: The staging of the Yuan Li is not the widest but it's well rounded and not that intimate. The vocal placement is done mostly forward and the presentation is average in staging. The height is good with average depth. If the sub bass reach is a little bit more than the depth of the staging could have been made better.

IMAGING: The imaging is pretty clean and precise. The instruments can be easily pointed out since the presentation is smooth and clear. The sweeping of the instruments from one channel to the other is pretty smooth and the transition is done very well.

The detail retrieval and the resolution are above average for the price. The coherent sound of the Yuan Li is what makes this a special among its competitors. It just does everything good rather than excelling in one aspect and compromising the other.

VERDICT:

Yuan Li, the latest flagship and the only offering from the emerging chifi audio brand TFORCE is a good starter mid tier package for the audiophiles out there. From the aspect of the build to the sound they got you! The sound is very good for the price especially if you love the vocals and the midrange then this is the pair you need to get. It demands some power though but if you feed them then it will show its true potential. The balanced addictive sound has a nice and smooth midrange which is the biggest strength of this earphone. The neutral tonality of this earphone is another big strength.

The tonality and the timbre are another exceptional aspect of this earphone where they are very natural and realistic. A slight brightness and the wider soundstage could have been better but overall this still sounds very good for the price. The coherent sound is very addictive to listen to and the smoothness it provides is just at the level of peak!

INTRODUCTION:

Hidizs, one of the big names in the ChiFi audio industry is well known for their high quality budget DAC AMPS, Cables, In ear monitors. The Mermaid series of earphones got a very good reputation among the consumers and to that addition they also got a good reputation for some budget dac amps like the sonata series.

They now launched the S8 as their mid fi dongle dac with the dual CS dacs to give a nice competition to its competitors and in this review let's check whether they really are catching up to the competitors.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of the review circle and a big thanks to Indranil Mitra for having me in this circle. The whole review is based on my observations with this product and I have not been influenced by the brand or the person to manipulate this review. The review also depends on the type of gear and the source used to test out the product.

The product can be purchased via Hifinage in India and the link as follows: https://hifinage.com/products/hidizs-s8?_pos=1&_psq=Hidizs&_ss=e&_v=1.0

SPECIFICATIONS:

DAC Chip CS43131
Supported sampling rate PCM up to 32bit 384kHz
DSD up to DSD256
Compatibility iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS, iPad OS
Output options Single-ended stereo output on Jack 3.5mm (compatible with headphones with microphone)
Single-ended output power 2x 30mW @ 32Ω
Single-ended output frequency response 20Hz - 50kHz
Single-ended output THD+N 0.002% (1kHz)
Single-ended output SNR 120dB
Single-ended output channel separation 78dB @ 32Ω
Single-ended output impedance < 1Ω
Recommended headphone resistance range 8-150Ω
Physical buttons Volume +, Volume -

PACKAGE AND ACCESSORIES:

1 x S8 Hi Fi Decoding DAC Amp
1 x 2.0 USB to Micro Cable
1 x Micro to Lightning Cable
1 x Micro to Micro OTG Cable
1 x Micro to Type-C OTG Cable
1 x Silicone Case
1 x User Manual

DESIGN AND BUILD:

The design of the S8 is very minimalistic and small in size and literally they are the size of a pocket knife. The whole construction is made out of aluminium chassis and the front and back of the chassis is made out of glass. The top portion has the volume rockers embedded in a circular button style and in the bottom they possess the 3.5mm jack. In the top portion they possess the micro usb port for connecting the main hub to the various devices.



It would have been nicer if they included the type c port instead of the micro usb port since the USB C is universally used as of now but it's fine since the brand also included the necessary cables in the package itself so no need of worrying about connecting to different platforms.

For some reason the volume buttons don’t work in iOS when the apple music is used but it's not a deal breaker since I use the volume within the smartphone itself.

SOUND:

The Hidizs S8 is equipped with the dual CS43131 dac chip which is now widely used in most of the dacs in this price range where this thing started after the greatest hit of Tempotec Sonata HD Pro. The Hidizs S8 just takes the sound of the HD Pro up a notch by adding the dual dacs in them.

The Cirrus Logic dacs are always a pretty good package giving nice warm and dynamic sound but struggles when it comes to distortion and cleanliness.

The S8 is developed in the sense that it should combine that dynamism and the fun with that undistorted sound and that cleanliness. In this review let’s see whether the S8 really lives up to the expectation.



The power output of the S8 is rated at 32mv@32 Ohms and based on the spec sheet they are very low in power and in my testing the IEM ran sufficiently but the power hungry iem has issues in revealing its full potential. The whole sound output is via the 3.5mm end.

The overall sound signature of the S8 is more of a warm and balanced sound which pairs really well with the bright sound signature earphones. The tin t2 plus and the HZ Sound Heart Mirror does pair well with the S8 and overall they are even good for the balanced sounding iem too.

The S8 instantly shows the dynamic range with all the earphones that I have tested. The soundstage slightly got wider and the depth of the low end notes got slightly improved. The vocal positioning is done pleasantly which is rather not too forward or too laid back instead they are at a sweet spot.

The extensions on both the ends are done very well and the overall sound output is dynamic and fun. The tin t2 plus with bright and balanced dacs doesn’t have that warmth but after using this the whole sound signature appeared very pleasing and smooth.

The awesome aspect of the S8 is that they have one of the best low noise floors thus even when paired with the sensitive iem’s they don’t cause any hissing sound. The TFZ No:03 has a very prominent hissing sound when paired with any ordinary dacs but with the S8, the hissing is completely absent and overall gave a nice positive feedback.

LOW END:

The low end is tighter and provides a nice extension thus giving that nice depth effect overall. The rumble is slightly boosted up and the mid bass section now got slightly cleaner and detailed. These things are pretty appreciated when the bright and balanced sounding earphones are paired with it.

However the bass depth and the extensions are not upto my expectation and in that regards i would say get a DAP for that nice bass effect and the overall deep extensions. Considering the size of the package they sound really great and provide a nice low end overall.

MID SECTION:

The instruments are now clearer and made the presentation slightly wider. Now the instruments get enough air and the space can be easily appreciated. Both the male and the female vocals sound nice and smooth without any harshness. The female vocals however have that grainy effect in the top end but overall they are very pleasing and non fatiguing.

The detail retrieval is good and overall the separation and the clarity of the midrange got improved as per my observations. The midrange however sounds slightly lower in volume since the power of the S8 is not that high and you need to push the volume slightly higher to get that bloom effect in the midrange.

TREBLE:

The high end is not affected at all here, when it comes to the extensions they are not affected but it does the clarity and separation very good. The cymbal crashes are very natural now and the decay of the cymbals are precise and doesn’t sound sharper thus making the listening experience very pleasing.

Overall I don't find a big difference in the high end when it comes to the extension and the quantity but the tonality and the balancing part is nicely done in the S8, the instruments now sound more natural and not sibilant thus the presentation is very pleasing. This is acceptable since the power is required to make the headphones shine in the high end and the S8 doesn't have that, but considering all other factors of the S8 the treble is well tuned and delivered nicely.

The S8 might not have that blooming and vibrant factor but they are dynamic and slightly expansive for sure.



VERDICT:

S8, the latest offering from the Hidizs is a pretty good package from the brand. From the size to the sound they are just overall bang for the buck. The overall sound of the S8 is balanced with the warm background giving a versatile experience and they can be paired well with all kinds of sounding earphones. The power output may not be the strongest aspect of this earphone but when it comes to the sound they are very pleasing and dynamic.

The size is just perfect and the build is overall great with a nice aluminium build. The accessories that they provide with this are generous and of very good quality. At last the price is very reasonable!

The dynamism and the separation are the first aspect that you will observe instantly after listening via the HIDIZS S8 which is a pretty welcoming package in this price range. Even though they lack the vibrant and detailed sound, the dynamic energy and the very low noise floor gives this product a MAJOR GO! from my side.

INTRODUCTION:

Ranko Acoustics is a HiFi audio equipment company and they primarily focused on the development of high quality audio cables and accessories and last year they have decided to enter the IEM market and launched their first flagship product RIE 1000 and to continue its line-up they have also launched the RIE 880. In this review let’s see how does this 880 performs



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle organised by HiFiGo and thanks to the team for considering me and giving me this opportunity. I have not been paid by any means to manipulate this review hence this review is completely based on my experience with this product and it might differ from person to person since this relies upon the type of source used to test out the gears.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Driver: 9.2mm Single Dynamic Driver

Frequency Response Range: 5Hz-30 kHz

Maximum Power: 15mW

Impedance: 60 Ohm

Jack: 3.5mm

Connector: 0.78mm 2-Pin

PACKAGE:

Since this is a review sample circulated among our group members only the earphones along with the case is provided and from that perspective the case is really the best. The case is made of plastic but its hard plastic. Inside the case there is a soft sponge layer to protect the earphones from scratches. The case is locked by a hinge clip on mechanism which is pretty sturdy and feels very premium.



DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the 880 is custom shell shaped and the overall size is pretty average and can fit most of the ears. The faceplate is unique with some lamination, they are hand painted too and the overall build is seamlessly finished with no cracks or gaps.

The 2 pin connector area is nicely recessed and the nozzle is pretty good in length with lip seal to prevent the tips from slipping on. The fit is actually good with nice noise isolation and the tips included are pretty good enough.

The cable looks like an electrical cable, the texture looks very sturdy. The cable is not that supple and feels very hard in hand. The cable is twisted and overall aesthetically they are not that pleasing. Sonically it does the job and if you need some premium feel and to match the aesthetics, then get an aftermarket cable.



SOUND:

The overall sound signature of the 880 is U shaped sound with recessed midrange and the boosted bass and the treble. I personally like the U shaped since they are not that recessed like the V shaped and attains that sweet spot for the midrange. The midrange will be smoother and fatigue free in this signature and in this review let’s see whether this one really lives up to my expectations.

Source: iPhone + Zorloo Ztella + iFi Zen Can

LOW END:

880 has one of the best low ends in the game. It's not the deepest extension but it does well in its range. The sub bass is more elevated than the mid bass thus making the midrange pretty clean and sweet. The sub bass has enough rumble and the texture and separation is above average.

The resolution in the low end is pretty great too with nice micro detail retrieval in the low end. The mid bass is fairly balanced here thus it never reaches the boomy side of the bass whereas it sounds very controlled and clean in the low end.

Overall the low end has enough warmth and has great technicalities for the price. This might not be the bass head level but will never disappoint even the bass heads too thus making this a very good pair to buy if you love the controlled and well resolved low end.

Tracks Used:

1. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
2. What Are You Going To Do When You Are Not Saving The World – Hans Zimmer
3. Bigfoot – MALFNKTION
4. Even Heaven – Aimer

MIDRANGE:

The midrange here is slightly recessed and laid back in signature. Since it's a U shaped signature the midrange is pretty relaxed and sometimes it's not that engaging in sound. Personally I like the forward presentation of the midrange especially the instruments but here they are pretty laid back but yeah this might be preferred by a set of people.

The other aspect that I don't like here is the tonality and timbre. It’s brighter! The vocals sound very bright and even the instrument's timbre is brighter. The kick drums appear natural but percussion instruments like the piano notes, trumpet and the acoustic guitar picks are pretty brighter thus not providing the natural listening experience.

The midrange overall is pretty clean and well layered. This is the best aspect of the 880, the layering and the separation is impeccable. The detail retrieval in the midrange is pretty great too. Despite the tonality and the timbre they perform really nicely in the midrange. Both the upper and the lower midrange is pretty balanced and thanks to the clean mid bass which lead to the clean vocals and the instruments making the lower mid section not fuzzy.

Tracks Used:

1. Cardigan – Folklore
2. Every Little Thing – Eric Clapton
3. Me Love – Sean Kingston

TREBLE:

The treble here is inoffensive and smooth. After extended listening I can confirm that this is definitely a fatigue free and non sibilant earphone for sure. The treble has nice separation and detail retrieval. The amount of air that it has is very impressive thus creating that nice spaciousness in between the instruments.

The cymbal crashes again. It's very bright but thankfully they are not splashy. I don’t know what went wrong but the tonality and the timbre is pretty bright for me thus I cant use this as my primary iem. The electric guitar sounds very bright too thus they don’t sound natural, thus making it more metallic or artificial.

The extension is pretty good and good in terms of detail retrieval. Overall the highs are non sibilant and pretty offensive during my listening. The treble energy may not be present like that of the all BA but for this configuration this is pretty good.



Tracks Used:

1. Move Your Body – Sia
2. Something Happened On The Way To Heaven – Phil Collins
3. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac

TECHNICALITIES:

Soundstage: The soundstage here is pretty good with enough width, height and the depth. This is not the widest but it's great overall and it doesn’t have that in head effect. The depth and the width are proportionate and overall they are pretty nice and spacious.

Imaging: The imaging is very precise and the transient movements are smooth and the sweep is pretty smooth across the channels. Since each frequencies are separated well even in faster tracks the precise pointing of instruments is made easily.

The detail retrieval and the separation resolution are above average for the price and overall it has excellent technicalities. The layering is another exceptional quality of this earphone making this pretty engaging to listen to.

VERDICT:

The 880 RIE, a latest offering from the Ranko Acoustics is a pretty welcome package which does most of the aspects correct. From the build to the sound everything is pretty great for the asking price. Has nice technicalities and good consumer friendly audio signature but for me this is a big deal breaker since the tonality and timbre is what i expect to be better than the technicalities. I would have preferred a less brighter tonality and timbre which the Ranko can ofcourse make it perfect in their next iteration of earphones.

Overall this is really a solid buy for people looking for some U shaped sound with nice technicalities in this price range. Based on my experience with other similarly priced iem’s i question that does this thing do anything different? Can't find the answer but I hope Ranko can deliver this answer via their next iteration of product.

INTRODUCTION:

CVJ, an underdog brand from the Chi-Fi’s audio industry, is doing a pretty great job by releasing some spectacular products like the Mirror, CS8, CSN and the Angel Wings. Their products always have that in house sound signature which is pretty balanced and mid centric and liked by a lot of people. The CSK is focused towards another set of people who love the Low end and live for the low end. In this review let’s see how CSK performs against its competitors.



DISCLAIMER:

The CSK is provided to me by Janet Hu from the CVJ team and I’m very thankful to the team for sending me this unit for review purposes. This review is completely based on my experience with this unit hence i have not been influenced by the brand to manipulate this review. The opinion might differ from person to person and it depends on the music taste and the source used to test out the gear.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Sensitivity: 108dB
Impedance: 22Ω
Frequency response: 10-40KHz
Cable Length: 1.25m±5
Plug Type: 3.5mm plug
Connector: 2PIN 0.75MM
Color: black/Purple
Driver: 8mm 1DD+1BA(30095)

PACKAGING:

The packaging is pretty minimal and small in size. Inside the box you get the earpiece, cable, eartips and the carry pouch. All the included accessories are nice for the price you pay and nothing to complain about in terms of packaging.

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the earpieces are custom shell shaped hence the fit is one of the best i have to say. The seal is pretty nice and the included tips are pretty good. The 2 pin connector area is nicely recessed and the faceplate is pretty minimal and simple. Two colour options are available ( all black and bicolour ) and in my opinion the multicolour looked nice in real life.

The nozzle is of medium length and has the lip in the nozzle for holding the tips but the issue here is that the lip is pretty big and frequently changing the tips is one tough job.

The cable is pretty average and if you need a premium feels better get some aftermarket cable but sonically it the stock one does the job. The stock one gets tangled frequently but hey the cost of the earphone is pretty cheap and changing the cable just defies the cost of the earphone itself!



SOUND:

The overall sound signature of the CSK is a typical chifi V shaped. The low end is boosted very noticeable and the midrange is recessed, the highs are boosted as per the terms of V shaped. This is actually a new path for the CVJ since most of their products don’t follow this kind of signature since they lean towards the neutral to balanced sound for the most part.

Yes of course I found the CVJ products lacking in the low end department and now in the CSK this is completely the opposite! The low end here is just huge and has a big rumble. In this review let’s dive into the full review of the sound.

Source: iPhone + Zorloo Ztella + iFi Zen Can

LOW END:

The low end is pretty huge and weighty providing a nice thump and energetic feeling overall. The sub bass extension is pretty deep and even the subtlest rumble can be heard very nicely. The mid bass is pretty good with fuller sound thus makes the midrange warmer and fuller too.

SUB BASS: This just digs deeper and creates enough rumble in the tracks. They even appear even though the track doesn’t call for it. Especially in the tracks like the “WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT SAVING THE WORLD” – Hans Zimmer the rumble is actually very silent in the track but the CSK amplified them to give that nice little extra rumble sensation. Sub bass is pretty good in this set.

MID BASS: The mid bass is pretty fuller and warmer. The quantity of the bass is huge thus giving the overall track the fuller experience. In fact the mid bass feels slightly excessive in the faster tracks especially since this interfered with the technicalities of it. The mid bass here is boom and weighty rather than a defined or resolved mid bass. They are okay for a pop track but when it comes to something like metal genres they struggle a lot to give that separation.

TECHNICALITIES: The bass here is punchy, big and weightier but this definitely lacks the resolution and separation hence the faster tracks appear very muddy. The bass is overall slow here and would have appreciated a little faster bass. The texture is average but the control is fine overall. The bass is pretty enjoyable but needs some refinement in the separation and resolution department and slight improvements in the texture.

Tracks Used:

1. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
2. Even Heaven – Aimer
3. Sirens Of The Sea – OceanLab
4. Royals – Lorde

MIDRANGE:

As usual that you expect from the V shaped sound signature, the midrange is drowned in between the low end and the highs. The vocals in the CSK are lean and slightly sibilant especially the female vocals. Even in the male vocals when the “S” words appear they sound slightly sibilant to me and also a little bit grainier. The background instruments are fine for a V shaped profile but still they can be brought forward for the engaging experience.

The tonality is warmer and the timbre has no issues here which is pretty surprising since most of the budget chi-fi hybrids miss out on this. The kick drums have a nice impact overall and the piano notes sound very natural with the hint of warmth due to that mid bass presence.

The mid bass gave nice body and warmth to the midrange thus giving that fuller experience while listening. The background instruments do get lost when the track gets busier and sounds very muffled but that's the cost of a V shaped profile. As an overall sound the midrange is fine for this kind of profile and executed well. This might not be the midrange oriented set but still they deliver some good midrange performance.

The upper mid emphasis is seen here hence that slight sibilance when the percussion instruments strike and the decays of those instruments are slightly longer too which leads to that slight sibilance.

Tracks Used:

1. The Blowers Daughter - Damien Rice
2. Perfect - Ed Sheeran
3. Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swings

TREBLE:

The treble in the CSK is expected, since it’s v shaped the treble is boosted a bit but thankfully they are not that peaky and can be used for longer listening too. The problem here is the separation and detail retrieval. When the track becomes busier the csk struggles in the treble region. They tend to be very bright in this region. The timbre is great for most parts but the percussion instruments timbre is slightly off hence the electric guitars and the jazz tracks sound slightly metallic in taste.

The cymbal crash decay is pretty long hence the crash sounds very splashy and spicy. The high hat is kind of sibilant thus making the classical listening very difficult for a longer listening period. The trumpets sound overall natural but still the metallic timbre is felt in certain instruments, but for the price there is nothing to complain about in this part. The CVJ tried to be different and this is their first product in this sound profile hence improvements are expected in their next iteration.

The high end is moderately airier but the separation suffers when the track becomes faster. Especially if you listen to a lot of electronic music which are quite fast paced this might not excite you but this is very good for pop and slow tracks.

Even though the treble has some complaints for the most part they are quite fatigue free to listen. Overall considering the profile of sound the treble is fine for the most part.

Tracks Used:

1. Move your Body - Sia
2. Something Happened On The Way To Heaven - Phil Collins
3. The First Time - Treble Chargers

TECHNICALITIES:

Soundstage: The soundstage here is pretty intimate and everything appears in your head. All the instruments revolve in your head and lack spaciousness. The width is pretty small but the depth is above average since the bass is on the heavier side. Overall the soundstage is pretty average for the price you pay

Imaging: The imaging is not 3 dimensional instead it has the 3 point positioning. Since the bass is very boomy the precise identification of the instruments are not possible here. The transitions of the instruments are pretty average and it's not the smoothest in this price range.

The detail retrieval is not the strongest aspect of this earphone where this is tuned to appeal to a given set of people who love the bass and its thump. The detail is very average and if not they are not the best in terms of it. The resolution and the separation are pretty mediocre too since this has no presence of air in the top end thus making the whole listening experience very intimate and closed.



VERDICT:

The CSK, latest offering from the CVJ is a new approach for the brand and did they do it right? Well it depends. The low end here is pretty meaty and weighty but lacks the definition, resolution and the texture. The midrange here is fine for the instruments but the vocals still sound thin and slightly sibilant. The treble is pretty good for the most part but still needs refinement in the separation and detail retrieval. Technicalities are good for the price and overall since this is a new approach for the brand, it's a pretty welcoming package, you get a nice and neat packaging with one of the best fitting earpieces. The cable needs to be improved but as an overall package they still deliver some value in this V shaped category.

If you love the low end and you love only the low end, especially for casual listening (bassy tracks) while travelling then this can be in your bucket list for your next purchase. The CSK creates a new pathway for the CVJ brand and this might open a way for the next iteration of v shaped products with much more refinement.

INTRODUCTION:

Venture Electronics, an underdog brand in the chifi audio industry came to be known by the people after its successful sales of the Monk Earbuds which created a big revolution in the earbuds market. To continue its growing legacy they have introduced the BIE (BONUS IE) as an in-ear type earphone since most of the users use the in-ears. And what to say! This again a hit product! Even after these many years the BIE still has a separate fan base for its well executed Fun sound signature yet without sacrificing those minute details. In this review let's see how this performs and is it still the best fun sounding pair available in the market.



DISCLAIMER:

This product has been provided to me by VECLAN.COM owned by Wild Lee for the review purpose and I'm very thankful to him for providing me this opportunity. This review is solely based on my experience with this earphone during this testing period and I have not been influenced by the brand nor by any ways to manipulate this review. This view might differ from person to person since it depends on the gears and the source used to test the product.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Driver: 10mm Dynamic Driver (N52+)

Impedance: 32 ohm

Sensitivity: 115dB

Frequency range: 17-22000 Hz

Shell: Aluminum Alloy - matte finish

Interface: 3.5mm

Cable Length: 1.2m

Cable: 99.99% OFC

PACKAGE:

The BIE comes in a small jean clothed square shaped storage box with the VE branding on the top. Inside you get the BIE earphone itself with another 2 pairs of eartips in a small zip lock bag. The package is very simple and minimalistic, no outer box or user manual, just straight to the point and I liked this approach since sound is what is more important to me than the makeup.

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the BIE is pretty usual buller shaped style. The materials they have used here is full aluminium build hence they are built like a tank and coloured as light gold. They provide a nice hefty feeling in the hands which makes you think it's definitely not a cheap earphone. BIE branding is done on the side which is very subtle. The nozzle is pretty short and the diameter is also small hence the astermarket tip selection is pretty difficult. The stock ones however gave me a good fit and seal.



The cable here is of OK quality and it's non detachable. The cable is very microphonic which is mostly seen in all the non detachable earphones. A chin slider is given with the branding on it.

The fit is very nice since the body doesn't touch any part of your ear, just the eartips alone are responsible for the seal and fit. The back plate of the earphone has a small circular vent which in my experience appears to be a functional vent which by blocking it changes the sound a bit, the soundstage gets smaller and the bass loses its impact when the vents are blocked with fingers.

SOUND:

The whole sound signature of the Bie is the V shaped but here is the trick, this is not like the usual chifi v shape instead the midrange is pretty awesome here with nice elevation and forward placement. The midrange clarity is very good for a shaped earphone. The treble is inoffensive and open enough. The tonality and the timbre are the exceptional aspects here, they are very natural and realistic. In this review let’s dive into the detailed explanation of how good the BIE sounds.

Source: iPhone + Avani Dongle DAC + Zen Can

LOW END:

You are a bass head and you need some quality, thumpy and groovy bass? Here you go! The BIE got some serious bass with nice extensions. I can't see any roll off in the low end thus the bass just digs very deeper. The bass attack is pretty natural and has nice weight and body to the overall track.

The sub bass digs deeper and gives the nice rumble sensation. They are well controlled and have that nice grip. Especially in the tracks like “WHY DO WE FALL” – Hans Zimmer, the sub bass presence can be felt very nicely giving a nice rumble sensation. I would like even more sub bass presence since the deep rumble is not separated well but overall this is really a good bass pair.

The mid bass is the star show here. The quantity and quality are very good here. The bass attack and the punch is very natural and realistic, nothing feels artificial or added.

The bass here is a very groovy type rather than a resolved or refined type. The groovy bass I say here is that this just makes your head nod for every beat. The weight here is massive and weighty but the resolution and the separation are the lacking aspect here. The weighty mid bass is very impressive and gives nice body to the overall track whereas the sub bass is moderate in quantity. The control of the bass is pretty good here where there is slight bleed into the midrange but not very extreme.

Since the bass here is more weighty, punchy and massive the resolution and the texture is lacking but this might not be an issue for the casual listening and if you are into the EDM and techno musics then the BIE bass will just make you enjoy a lot and this groovy bass is indeed my recommended in this price range.

Tracks Used:

1. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
2. Points Of Authority – Linkin Park
3. Murphy’s Law - Recondite

MIDRANGE:

The midrange here is surprisingly well done despite being a V shaped earphone. The midrange recession is slightly felt but not very evident at all. The vocal placement is at a sweet spot and the tonal accuracy is better, it's slightly warm though but for the most part they sounded pretty neutral in tonality. The background instruments are heard very clearly, the piano notes and the kick drums have a nice bite and attack overall.

The timbre is another great aspect of this earphone where the instruments sound very natural and clean. No metallic or artificial timbre is observed. The upper mid emphasis is slightly observed here but I like it a lot where this gives a nice sparkle in the top end and openness to the overall listening.



The lower mids have a nice bass body thus they sound very much fuller. The male and the female vocals sound very nice and natural which are not lean, rather they sound fuller and warm giving a nice listening experience.

The acoustic guitar has nice tonality and the strum is pretty natural to hear. Even the singer's breath in between the lyrics can be heard very clearly. The background instruments separation is not upto the mark but overall for a fun casual listening this is really a good pair. The timbre of the instruments are the special part here where they appear pretty natural and this is the gift of dynamic driver earphones.

Tracks Used:

1. I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
2. Mama – Clean Bandit
3. Perfect – Ed Sheeran

HIGHS:

The highs on this earphone are really smooth and non fatiguing. In most of the vhi fi v shaped earphones the highs tends to be boosted a lot which will create a lot of sibilance but this is really an exception, the highs are pretty extended upto a good limit with nice inoffensive sound overall.

The detail retrieval is not that great but for casual listening and fun listening the highs will never disturb you and actually you will like this a lot. The separation and the amount of air present in the treble region is pretty good and this allows the tracks to be well separated and spacious. The electric guitars sound pretty accurate and the strings have a nice natural strike.

The cymbal crashes are pretty natural and has no harshness. The vanish of the cymbal strike is pretty medium in speed hence the harshness is not felt and overall the highs are pretty non fatiguing and smooth. Even when the tracks get busier the highs tend to be very polite and well behaved with nice track separation which the low end missed out. The texture on the high and is same as that of the lower end where the texture is pretty average which is pretty acceptable for this price range.

Overall the highs are pretty inoffensive and have a nice relation with the bass. They are smooth, airy, and non-sibilant.

Tracks Used:

1. Something Happened On The Way To Heaven – Phil Collins
2. Out For Blood – Sum 41
3. Move Your Body – Sia

TECHNICALITIES:

SOUNDSTAGE: The soundstage of the BIE is pretty deep enough and the depth is larger than the width and the height. Since the bass is very deep and massive the stage is very deeper creating that nice cinematic experience. The staging here is above average for the price and it's actually a big pro for this earphone.

IMAGING: The imaging is pretty good where the transitions are pretty smooth from one channel to the other. The three point imaging is absent here hence the transient response is smoother here. When the tracks get busier due to the groovy bass the pointing out of instruments gets slightly off hence the imaging is average in my opinion, it's not the sharpest or full of precision.

The detail retrieval and the resolution are the average aspect here. They are good but not the best in the BIE. At this price it's pretty much acceptable but there are other earphones in this price which provide better details and resolution but hey! BIE is tuned in this way ! which has a separate fan base for it and in fact i’m one of them. Pretty good for fun listening.

Tracks Used:

1. Coloratura – Coldplay
2. Global Gear – Punya Srinivas
3. Crossing – Yosi Horikawa

VERDICT:

BIE, one of the famous and highly bought product from the VECLAN lineup holds up its place even in these times even after so many years, this just defines that not always the newer and the expensive products are gonna be better, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TUNING AND IMPLEMENTATION, and here the VECLAN did it! This small thing is a beast in all the world of frequencies. Do you need bass? This got it, You need good vocals? This thing got it. Do you need an inoffensive treble? This thing got it! What else do you need from a 20USD pair! This thing does more than what you pay for. Even the build quality is great which looks like a tank but the cable is the only problem here but hey that's why the VECLAN also made the Pro version to swap the cable. VE just made a well executed fun sounding pair which will even make a neutral guy to pick this as a beater pair.

Overall this is just a marvellous creation from the VECLAN and its very underrated nowadays due to large crowd in this price segment. Even after several launches of budget earphones by several brands the VE BIE just knocks every brand's door and says “HELLO THERE” !

INTRODUCTION:

CCZ is a new brand in the Chifi audio industry and as their flagship model they have launched the PLUME in ear monitors. Most of the newly launched Chi-Fi brands always tend to give a nice initial product lineup and in that sense the CCZ have taken their first step to become the next big chifi giant. The specifications of the Plume seem to be very promising and they look very eye-catching. In this review let's see whether this Plume can be a gateway to the brand for its future product lineup.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle organised by HiFiGo and I'm very much thankful to them for giving me this opportunity. I have not been influenced by the brand or the HiFiGo to manipulate this review by any means. The whole review is based on my observations with this product and this may vary from person to person since it depends upon the type of gear and source used to test out the product.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Interface/Connector：2Pin (0.78mm)
Plug type: 2.5mm (original)/3.5mm/4.4mm
Impedance: 16±2Ω
Sensitivity: 110±2dB
Frequency response: 20-20kHZ
Driver units: single side- 1 dual magnetic DD + 2 BA ( CCZ-IF-A for mid-high frequency )+ 2 BA ( CCZ-HI-A for high frequency ）
Wearing type: In-Ear
Whether with cable: Yes
Whether with mic: No mic
Cable length: 1.2m
Cable material: Single Crystal Copper

PACKAGE:

Since this is a unit provided to me as a part of a review tour I have received only the earpiece, cable and the case. However the stock packaging is very great and the brand is very generous enough to provide excellent accessories and for the full detailed information please refer the retailers website

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the Plume is really eye striking. The earpieces are made out of aluminium and they are coloured Gold which is quite funky in my view since the gild they have used here is of poor quality where even after some careful usage of it the colour got slightly faded, darker and gets scratched easily.

The earpieces are very comfortable on the ears and literally they are one of the best fitting earbuds i have tested. They are semi custom ear shaped hence they will fit most of the ears without any issues. The fit is really nice with pretty good noise isolation from the external surroundings.



The faceplate has the CCZ branding and has that pseudo grill which mimics that of an open back earphone. Overall they are pretty solid but lightweight on the ears thus long listening sessions are good in this.

The cable is cloth braided and honestly I'm not a big fan of this approach where I like the usual supple braided wire which will feel even more premium on the hands. The cable however is very sturdy and thick enough thus durability is on point.

SOUND:

The sound signature of the Plume is a nice W shaped sound thus the midrange is not recessed that much. In my initial listening they sounded really great with excellent low end without sacrificing the midrange instruments and vocals, there is a slight bass bleed too and the treble is rich and smooth.

After connecting it to a separate AMP then the sound even got improved making the Low end even more tighter and reduced the mid bass bleed, the treble now got a bit more sparkle and airiness. The soundstage got noticeably wide and overall an AMP is required to unleash the complete potential of the Plume.

SOURCE: iPhone + Zorloo Ztella Dac + iFi ZEN CAN

LOW END:

The low end of the Plume is the star show here. It’s very thumoy and full bodied. The sub bass and the mid bass has nice punch and weight overall which gives that nice bass head level bass response. The bass heads will please this sound very much since this literally rattles your head even without any amp connected just straight out of the bass.

The critical neutral listening audiophiles might consider this as a overcooked bass which bleeds extremely into the midrange but for the fun heads out there this is just a gift for your needs. The bass here is just full bodied, weighty and nicely textured, there is ofcourse a slight mid bass bleed but with some decent amp the bass can be controlled noticeably.

The sub bass here digs deeper and gives that nice sensation of rumble in your head and also the mid bass nicely works along with the sub bass by providing a nice full sounding and weighty low end. In the tracks like “ BIGFOOT ''- By MALFUNKTION the sub bass drops are heard very nice and the whole sensation feels thumpy and fuller, the constant low end rumble is present all throughout the track.

In the tracks like “WHY DO WE FALL” By Hans Zimmer at the end of the track the sub bass presence is nicely felt and the mid bass throughout the track is presented really well giving a nice fuller sound.

Even though the bass is pretty fuller and massive the separation of the instruments are done really well, each and every instrument is clearly separated out with a nice texture. The overall experience of the low end is very satisfying minus the slight mid bass bleed into the midrange which however can be corrected by using a decent amp.

Tracks Used:

1. BigFoot – MALFNKTION
2. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
3. In the Heights - Lin Manuel Miranda

MIDRANGE:

The midrange in the Plume is surprisingly done very well. They are positioned nicely where they are not too laid back or neither too forward. I found the placement to be in between them thus giving a nice listening experience. The instruments in the background are heard clearly with a good amount of separation.



Even after that massive amount of bass the midrange has a good amount of air thus giving a nice airier feel to the track. The instruments or the vocals never suffocate and they sound very spacious and wide enough.

The tonality is pretty natural with a hint of warmth thus providing a nice full bodied midrange and the vocals. Guitar strings sometimes sound very tiny or unnatural and this is common to all the stringed instruments and splashy instruments in the Plume. The piano notes however sound very natural and the fullness helped in that natural sound of the piano.

The timbre is fine (slight metallic though) and overall the midrange is very pleasing to listen and no harshness or sibilant is experienced. The upper midrange is pretty good and no shrillness is experienced. Upper midrange is slightly emphasized thus giving a nice sparkle to the midrange and also giving nice separation and airiness to the overall listening.

In the tracks like “Blowers Daughter '' – Damien Rice the acoustic guitar strings sounded slightly metallic or unnatural but the vocals sounded very nice and full. Even with that fullness the background instruments sounded very clean and no congestion is seen here.

In a track like “ Perfect” – Ed Sheeran his vocals sounded very nice and full, also not compromising on the background guitar strings.

Tracks Used:

1. Perfect – Ed Sheeran
2. Blowers Daughter – Damien Rice
3. Yi Jian Mei – Charlotte Halberg
4. Ulan Bator Nights

TREBLE:

The treble in the Plume is good but it's not the best. People who are used to that all BA treble which has better extension and detail retrieval over a hybrid driver system. Here the treble is good enough where it has moderate detail retrieval and resolution. The airiness and the sparkle is pretty good but the detail and the resolution are average in these.

This is pretty much expectable since this is more of a bass head tuning even then the treble is not a slouch at all and still they were able to deliver a nice smooth high end without any sibilance. Most of the bass emphasized earphones tend to have a sharper treble but this one is an exception thus this provides a nice smooth treble with no hint of sibilance.

The wide staging gave this earphone a nice sense of airiness and spaciousness thus the high end feels non congested and well separated.

The cymbal strikes aer very splashy though hence at higher volumes they tend to sound quite artificial. The decay of the cymbal is quite slow too hence that extra bit of brightness can fatigue someone but overall the high end is quite sparkly and airier with decent detail retrieval and resolution.

In tracks like “Dreams – Fleetwood Mac” the cymbal strikes are quite unnatural and harsh but other instruments sound quite natural, especially the percussion instruments.

Tracks Used:

1. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
2. Move Your Body – Sia
3. Sultans Of Swing – Dire Straits

TECHNICALITIES:

Soundstage: The soundstage is pretty impressive here. The width and the depth are massive when compared to the height. They sound very wide, extending extreme right to the left thus providing a nice sense of spaciousness. The depth is quite deep since the bass has a nice impact overall and the sub bass depth makes the soundstage even deeper creating a nice cinematic experience.

Imaging: Since the soundstage is pretty wide the imaging is pretty good despite the fact that it has one of the strongest bass responses too. Most of the bass heavy iem tend to have fuzzy or hazy imaging but here it's very easy to pinpoint the instruments.

The sound nicely sweeps from one channel to the other without any stutters. The transient response is pretty good enough.

Tracks Used:

1. Sires Of The Sea – Above And Beyond
2. Themyscira – Hans Zimmer
3. Crossing – Yosi Horikawa
4. Global Gear – Punya Srinivas

VERDICT:

Plume, the latest and the flagship offering from the newly started Chifi Audio brand is a pretty excellent one and a major go from my side but I don't know why the heck the brand just discontinued the Plume Product just after a few months of release! This is really a bad news since this product is really a shining star for the CCZ brand! The sound quality on these are solid with one of the best bass head approved bass, the midrange is pretty clear and forward despite the bass being massive, the highs are good enough with nice detail retrieval , the technicalities are pretty good too, especially the soundstage which is pretty wide and deep.

From the aspect of the sound to the build this earphone just shines in every way. They are built very well except that funky gold and the fingerprint magnet. The cable is great and the accessories are excellent.

If you are a basshead and even a person who loves very dynamic sound then better get this before it gets sold out everywhere because this is the GOLDEN GATE iem and it’s not gonna be available in future.

INTRODUCTION:

Moondrop, a famous and well established brand in the ChiFi market has already launched a wide variety of products ranging from budget to premium category. The KXXS and the Blessing 2 are highly praised earphones by the people for their exceptional sound quality. Can the brand give the same high quality sound in the budget range too? In this review lets see whether the Quarks is a major GO or a DOWN.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me by Cloris Gee from SHENZHENAUDIO in exchange for my honest opinion on them . This review is completely based on my experience with this unit and I have not been influenced by anyone to manipulate this review by any means. The experience may vary from person to person since it depends upon the source and the gears used to test it out.

Link for the purchase (non-affiliated): https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...er-in-ear-earbuds?_pos=1&_sid=537bdd4bd&_ss=r

SPECIFICATIONS:

Frequency Response : 4Hz-43kHz(IEC61094, Free Field)
Effective frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz(IEC60318-4, -3dB)
Sensitivity: 116dB/Nrms (@1khz)
Impedance: 16Ω+ 15% @1khz)
THD: <1%@1kHz
Configuration: High performance 6mm micro-dynamic driver
Material: PC

PACKAGE:

The package is very minimalistic, neat and pretty small too. The outer box is black coloured with the Moondrop Logo on the top. Opening the box, there is the IEM itself securely placed in the cardboard tray while the cable is neatly tucked below the tray. There is a card to teach you how to wear the earphone which is quite funny. The carry pouch is also included which is quite fine and nothing to describe about it. The eartips are included inside the carry pouch which is pretty generic. Overall the presentation is neat and simple. A very good move to reduce the cost of the earphone.



DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the Quarks is pretty minimalist and simple. The whole body is made of transparent plastic where the internals are pretty visible. The size is pretty small and tiny as a bee and has only the space to accommodate the tiny 6mm micro dynamic driver. The nozzle is average in length and has the lip for the tip placement. The nozzle is however pretty wide but the stock tips are not that wide hence the tips insertion in the nozzle is pretty difficult.

With some innovation they designed this Quarks differently claiming the design as the Closed anterior cavity micro dynamic driver IEM. This is quite the first time that a brand goes towards this approach where the anterior cavity is closed pretty much thus providing a great isolation from the external noise. The isolation of the Quarks is pretty decent and with correct eartips and seal you can achieve what the brand claims.

The small bullet shaped design is very comfortable to wear for a longer period of time and a good earphone to listen to music while sleeping since this shape doesn't interrupt the head position.

The side of the earpieces are graphically mentioned by giving the red quarks logo on the right side and the black quarks logo on the left side which is a pretty nice touch. When the eartips are fitted the earpieces appear smaller than the eartips! Overall a pretty excellent fit and design



The cable is however okayish for the price. It’s a non detachable cable with a nice splitter with branding over it. The termination is L shaped and the cable is very microphonic. The texture is kind of sticky but overall the thickness is pretty good. It would have been even better if it was a detachable cable.

SOUND:

The sound profile of the Quarks is pretty neutral. Nothing is boosted or tamed thus providing nice smooth and natural sound. The 6mm composite magnetic micro diaphragm dynamic driver is able to deliver all the enough details from the track and pretty good enough to make this compete in this ultra budget range. The overall sound may not be the giant killer but for the price this thing just shuts down the sound of other competitors. IN this review let's see in detail about the sound.

Source: iPhone + Zorloo Ztella MQA + FiiO Q3

The Quarks is slightly power hungry where with normal sources the volume needs to be pushed very high to attain the listenable level of sound and with some powerful amps this will be benefitted.

LOW END:

The low end of the Quarks is pretty neutral and flat but it's not boring at all. The bass is faster, punchier, clean and well textured. It's not weighty, attacking or thumpy which most of the bassheads please for it. Overall I loved the bass in this even though im a bass head. It's just about the quality rather than the quantity. The sub bass here is very good and emphasized more than the midbass.

The Sub bass is well extended and very good for the price. The sub bass rumble may not be a very striking feature but still it strikes when the tracks calls for it. Especially in the tracks like “WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT SAVING THE WORLD” the subtle sub bass can be heard very clearly. The rumble cant be felt but can be heard. The Quarks rumble can be also felt but only when the track digs deeper in the sub bass region which is pretty nice since this clears out the midrange from bloating or bleed which we will discuss in the midrange department.

The mid bass is just clean and lean. The emphasis here is just subtle and you won't be experiencing any weighty and full bodied bass rather it's very clean and lean. The leanness makes the sound very well separated, detailed and textured.

The bass performance can be felt evidently when you start listening to some serious bass tracks like the “Bad Guy '' and tracks like the “Royals' ' by Lorde. If the track calls for it then the Quarks unleashes its low end performance.

In the track “Even Heaven” by Aimer at the start of the track the sub bass presence can be heard clearly and this is one of the tracks where one can feel the sub bass which is present in the quarks.

Tracks Used:

1. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
2. Polite – Erika De Casier
3. Even Heaven - Aimer

MIDRANGE:

Sweet...Sweet....Sweet... The midrange is very deliciously presented. Both the male and the female vocals are positioned very well which is in forward position. I personally like forward vocal placement since they give that engaging ang energy in the midrange. The Quarks have that engaging and the energy in the Midrange which is very nice considering the price. The tonality is very natural and slightly brighter overall which is like it and it's not overly done. The timbre is spot on and the separation in the midrange is quite surprisingly neat.

The amount of air it carries in the midrange is very huge considering the price and the detail it brings out of the midrange is quite impressive. The drum hits and the piano notes sound very natural and clean. The body in the vocals are nice and weighty, they don't feel very lean. The vocals sound nice and full bodied even though the mid bass is not that emphasized and that's the wonderful aspect of the Quarks. In the track “Perfect” – Ed Sheeran the male vocal sounded just beautiful and the electric strum along with the other instruments in the background sounded very natural and the layering is done very well for the price that can be appreciated at 1:48 in the track.

In the track like “Inferno”- Mrs. Green Apple the instruments sounds very well separated and has that nice and natural tonality and in the track like “Kokuhaku' – Supercell the kick drums in the background have a nice attack and the electric guitar sounds nice and full. The clean bass made the midrange a star show here and I loved the midrange in the Quarks a lot! It's just clean, engaging and energetic!

Tracks Used:

1. Perfect – Ed Sheeran
2. Makin My Love – Easy Wanderlings
3. The Blowers Daughter – Damien Rice

TREBLE:

The treble in the Quarks is smooth and non fatiguing overall. The roll - of in the treble is evident but that's not an issue considering the price. The 3k peak which is observed in the graph may taunt you but believe me this thing just sounds as smooth as possible. Even after extended listening sessions I did not find that quarks are uncomfortable to listen to. The sibilance is out of the park in the Quarks and even while listening to sibilant prone tracks like the “Move Your Body” – Sia this just sounds nice and smooth in the Quarks. The top end has good enough sparkle and air which is very good for the price.

The cymbal crashes are very natural and the hits attack and the decay are pretty fast and sweet. The acoustic strings and the percussion instruments sound soft and sweet in the Quarks. The neutral to brighter tonality helped the Quarks in the treble by revealing a lot of details and separation even though they are a bit rolled off in the top end.

Overall the treble is very inoffensive, smooth and nice. No harshness or sibilant thus providing nice longer listening sessions. The quite natural and neutral-bright tonality makes the Quarks an excellent pair for casual listening even for audiophiles.

In tracks like the “Cannonball” – Damien Rice the acoustic strings on the right and the left side sound very natural and crystal clear, even the switching of the strings can be heard clearly. The Quarks may not have the best extended highs but this is the best in what it has.

Tracks Used:

1. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
2. Santeria – Sublime
3. The First Time – Treble Charger

TECHNICALITIES:

Soundstage: The soundstage of the Quarks is quite wide. The height and the depth are quite average but the width is very impressive. The instruments just extend from the extreme right to the left creating that nice wide soundstage. The depth is less since the bass is not that strong or deep. Overall the soundstage is quite impressive for the price it quotes.

Imaging: The imaging is quite good in the Quarks. There is a nice transition of instruments from one channel to the other without any stutters. The 3 point imaging is not felt here thus providing that nice sense of complete smooth sweep across the channels.

The detail retrieval and the instrument separation are above average and the wide soundstage helped in the separation thus not creating any congestion within the instruments. The detail retrieval in the midrange is quite excellent and in the treble its average since the extension is not that great.



VERDICT:

Quarks, the latest ultra budget offering from Moondrop is a 5 star rated product as per my experience with it. The Quarks may not be the next budget killer or a blon alternative but Quarks is just totally a different beast. The neutral sound signature of the Quarks is quite addictive in the long run and the sweet midrange is just more than enough to justify the five star rating. The low end may not be very strong, weighty or attacking and it's definitely for bassheads but the bass here is just clean, punchy, fast and tight. The treble is smooth and inoffensive thus making it a very good pair for bedtime listening or for casual listening yet maintaining good enough details and separation within the tracks.

Compared to the Tanya which is another product from Tanchjim priced similarly, I liked the Quarks more because of the neutral background, energetic and engaging midrange and a much more impactful sub bass. Overall the Quarks sounds spectacular for the price and it's a quite different sound signature in this price range and thanks to the MOONDROP team to bravely release a neutral sounding one in this price range since most of the products are mostly a v shaped and this sound of the Quarks made me to name it as the UNVEILED GEM.

INTRODUCTION:

Kinera, the brand which needs no introduction in the first place since they are one of the well established brands in the ChiFi. The models that they have launched received a great amount of response from the audience. The Norn is the in ear monitor which I personally liked a lot and that striking design language of the Norn continues here too! Kinera are specialists in making the earphones very eye-catching and the Skuld is another example for it. As the design looks gorgeous does the sound too? Lets see that in this review.



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle organised by HiFiGo and I'm very thankful to the team for considering me in this review tour. This review is completely based on my experience with this product and no one has influenced me to manipulate the review by any means. The views may differ from person to person and this completely depends on the gear and the source you use to test them out.

If you are interested in purchasing this check out this link (non affiliated) : https://hifigo.com/products/kinera-skuld-in-ear-earphone

SPECIFICATIONS:

>Three Knowles premium BA drivers per side.

>Two Kinera’s customized BA drivers.

>Beautiful Hand-Painted ear cavities.

>Ergonomic cavity design.

>0.78mm 2-pin Silver-Plated Copper balanced 4.4mm cable.

>Premium set of accessories including Final Audio Type E ear tips and 4.4mm-3.5mm, 4.4mm-2.5mm connectors.

>Smooth & Natural sound tuning.

>Impedance: 23 ohms.

>Sensitivity: 120+/-2dB.

>Rated Power: 3mW.

>Frequency Response Range: 5Hz-50kHz

PACKAGE AND CONTENTS:

Since this is a unit which is sent to me as a part of a review circle I haven't received the full package hence for all those details please refer to the official retail website.

The things that i received along with the earpieces are the cable, 2.5mm and the 3.5mm termination adapter and the final audio eartips.

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the Skuld is just Magnificent! The whole look is just eye catchy and it's a love at first sight. The whole body is made out of resin but the faceplate is handcrafted thus giving this a nice premium look. The faceplate looks absolutely gorgeous and I can stare at it for as long as possible but the time will not permit it! The crushed gold foils on the edges of the earpiece and the sparkling colourful glitters which change the colour based on the lightning is just mesmerizing to look at.

The whole shell appears to be a semi custom shaped shell hence the fit is perfect for me. The isolation is pretty great and if not the best where the outside noise is 90 percent blocked out. The tips that came with the earphones are pretty great, giving a nice seal in the ear canal and the nozzle is pretty good in length to aid the isolation. The 2 pin connector area is nicely tucked inside the body and no protrusion is observed. There is a single pressure vent and is situated in the back of the earpiece.

The shells are completely lightweight thus providing nice long time listening sessions. Even though they are lightweight they don't feel cheap at all since the body is nice and glossy providing smooth and soft touch.

The included cable is very nice and supple in nature thus giving a nice feel in the hands and the microphonics are null in this. The braiding is done very well and feels soft to touch, the 2 pin connector area and the wire splitter are metal enclosed. A nice chin slider is given which looks very premium. The ear guides are very soft and nothing intrusive is noticed, they nicely get adapted to the ear shape. The termination area has a nice strain relief which prevents the damage to the cable in the long run. The additionally given 4.4mm and 2.5mm connectors are really useful hence no need to change the cable frequently to match the source.

The provided tips are the usual Final Audio eartips which provide nice isolation and quite sturdy enough.



SOUND:

The sound signature of the SKULD is pretty flat in nature. Initially when i listened i was not surprised by it since the track i used is a bass heavy track which is not justifiable at all for an all BA driver earphone hence after switching to a midrange focused track i was just amazed how good the Skuld is. The flat nature of the earphone helped a lot in bringing out all the details and nuances in the tracks. In this review let's dive into each frequency and how they are performing.

Source: iPhone + Zorloo Ztella MQA + FiiO Q3

LOW END:

The low end in the skuld is pretty fast and it's the usual BA bass. The bass is tight and controlled with slight sub bass presence and lean mid bass body. The bass is pretty flat, not punchy or attacking but its very nice for an all BA iem. The sub bass is very subtle giving ncie rumble in the low end only when the track calls for it. In the tracks like “WHY DO WE FALL” by Hans Zimmer the sub bass is felt very light but that lightness also brought out the essential details in the background which i liked it a lot. Even though the sub bass is not that prominent I liked the way it compensated just by bringing out the details. In the tracks like the “BAD GUY” by Billie Eilish the sub bass is brought out well and hence this is very good in the sub bass too but only when the track call for it.

The mid bass is lean in nature thus lacking the mid bass body but as i mentioned in the above that is leanness also helped in bringing out the clarity in the midrange without any bass bleed. The lean mid bass made the Skuld a clean sounding pair by bringing out the clarity and the details. The bass overall is well resolved and tight. The bleed is mostly null and the clarity it brings out in the midrange due to that subt;le bass response is magical and excellent.

Overall the bass may not be a strong aspect of the Skuld but considering all BA the bass is really nice and even i loved it quite a bit considering myself a bass head. The bass here is less in quantity but excellent in quality. It’s well resolved, tight, faster, flat and separated. The separation of the instruments in the low end region is very impressive and nice. They have plenty of air in between the instruments hence they sound very spacious and deeper providing nice depth in the track. The bass gets even improved a lot by using the Bass Boost mode in the FiiO Q3 or the XBASS mode in the Zen Dac. Overall im just admired by the flatness of the Skuld thus the bass can be versatile and made to be sound to your liking.

Tracks Used:

1. BigFoot – MALFNKTION
2. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
3. Jet Lag Corporation – Aes Dana
4. Kashmir - Marcin

MIDRANGE:

The Midrange is the star show here. The vocals and the instruments are brought out really very well. The flatness in the midrange helped the skuld in reproducing the nice details. There is an excellent amount of air in between the instruments and hence they sound very spacious and wide. The vocals are three dimensional hence the intimate presentation is absent here which is pretty nice. The piano notes and the kick drums sound very natural and percussion instruments sound crisp and clear. The tinality is pretty neutral and no colouration is done here. They just produce the sound as it is when it's recorded.

The timbre is neutral and I'm very surprised by this since most of the BA iem’s that I have tried have the weird timbre issue that might be metallic but this one sounds absolutely neutral and with no colouration.



Both the male and the female vocals sounds very nice and crystal clear with enough amount of air moving in between. Even the breath of the singer and the acoustic strings switching are heard very clearly without the need of raising the volume. The Vocal placement is adequate in distance thus providing the listener a good sense of separation along with the instruments. They are neither too forward nor laid back but are positioned at a sweet spot. The amount of detail this just retrieves is just amazing and I'm very much impressed by it. The all 5BA does a very good job in producing this amazing sound. In the track like “ THE BLOWERS DAUGHTER “ they sound very detailed where the string switching are clearly heard and the DAMIEN RICE breath in between the lines are heard very clearly.

The lower and the upper midrange are equally balanced hence no harshness or unwanted peaks that might cause fatigue in the longer listening sessions.

Overall the midrange is very wide and spacious with neutral tonality and timbre also with excellent detail retrieval. The linear response in the midrange is appreciated very well thus making the listening experience very smooth yet very detailed. The amount of air it has in the midrange is enormous thus providing that nice depth and width in the soundstage.

Tracks Used:

1. The Blowers Daughter – Damien Rice
2. Sirens Of The Sea – Above And Beyond
3. Makin My Move – Easy Wanderlings

TREBLE:

The treble is pretty inoffensive and sweet here. The treble energy is very subtle hence the brightness is slightly tamed out which is pretty nice for longer fatigue free listening. The treble is pretty spacious and wide enough bringing the instruments presenting very nice. Sibilance is literally nonexistent here and even while testing out extreme treble energy tracks like the “MOVE YOUR BODY” by Sia the Skuld exhibited no sibilance.

The detail retrieval is above average and very good for the price it quotes. The extension is however pretty average but it just brings out all the enough details out of the extended frequency. The airiness in the treble is very good and the electric guitars sound very natural and not congested.

The cymbal crashes are pretty natural and organic. The cymbal ends adequately and sounds precise. The uncoloured signature of the Skuld is the key part in providing the organic and natural sound.

Overall the treble is very smooth and inoffensive yet brings out a lot of details with a wide sense of stage and the instrument separation. The extension is average though but as a whole sound the treble is nice and smooth.

Tracks Used:

1. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
2. The First Time – Treble Charger
3. Suffer – The Smashing Pumpkins

TECHNICALITIES:

SOUNDSTAGE: The soundstage is also another star show of the Skuld providing a nice sense of depth and width. The tallness is average though but the depth is the main show here. The drum impacts are very depper thus creating that nice sense of theatrical experience. The depth is very immersive thus giving a nice sense of stage sensation. Especially after listening to the tracks like the “SIRENS OF THE SEA '' the depth of the soundstage can be felt evidently.The sub bass just digs deeper and gives that nice sense of deepness.



IMAGING: The imaging is pretty neat and precise here. Since the bass is not that heavy and since it's being very fast the imaging is not fuzzy or hazy at all rather it's very precise and accurate. The instruments nicely sweep from one channel to the other without any stutter. The three point imaging is absent thus providing that smooth transient response.

The detail retrieval and the instrument separation are above average and nice. The good amount of air in between the instruments makes the percussion instruments sound very natural and airier.

Tracks Used:

1. Global Gear – Punya Srinivas
2. Themyscira – WW84
3. Crossing – Yosi Horikawa

VERDICT:

Skuld, the latest offering from Kinera is an excellent choice for the people who like a flat frequency response to use it for a wide variety of genres. Previously I used the Kinera Norn which is pretty polar opposite where it sounded very energetic and bassy. Personally I liked it a lot. The skuld however is a no slouch hence the Norn and the Skuld compliment each other well. The Skuld is a versatile one thus it can be eq'd to your liking to match the genres you are listening to. The midrange is very sweet here by providing excellent details and the forward positioning made the whole experience engaging and energetic. The treble is well done here with a nice amount of air and the separation through the frequency is pretty nice. The low end here may not be the star show here but it's done well for an all BA iem, it's fast, tight, controlled but not the most punchiest, weighty or attacking one. The bass here is tuned in terms of technicalities hence the fun cant be expected here.

Overall the Skuld is an excellent choice for people who need some flatness and neutrality and thus retains the name AN UNCOLOURED CHAMPION.

INTRODUCTION:

The BGVP is a well known and established audio manufacturing brand in the ChiFi Market. They have manufactured a lot of highly praised audio gears like the DM series. The DN2 is their previous iteration of the DN3 and it got a lot of controversies due to the driver material even though they sounded very nice. Hence they discontinued it and introduced the DN3 as the successor to claim its place in the market. In this review let’s see can the DN3 take the place of the DN2 and still retain the DN series in the market.



SPECIFICATIONS:

>10mm Dynamic driver with Beryllium-coated diaphragm.

>Custom HEVK Balanced Armature Driver

>Impedance: 19 ohm.

>Sensitivity: 109dB/mW.

>Frequency response range: 10Hz-40kHz.

>THD+N: <0.5%.

>Channel difference: <1dB.

>Rated power: 8mW.

>Weight: 5.0grams(each unit excluding cable).

Creedits: HiFiGo

DISCLAIMER:

The DN3 is lended by my friend who received it from the BGVP for review purposes and thanks to the man! This review is completely based on my experience and listening sessions with this unit and this may vary from person to person. This also depends upon the type of source you use to playback. I have not been influenced by anyone to manipulate this review and by no means have I been paid by BGVP.

PACKAGE:

The box in which the DN3 came is very nice and compact. The outer sleeve had the DN3 image and the specifications on the back. Upon removing the sleeve there is the golden yellow coloured box with the BGVP logo and upon opening the lid you are welcomed with all the accessories, documentation and the pouch. The earpieces are placed in the center foam tray and the eartips are arranged up. The cable is separately included in the box. The pouch is of average quality which is like a normal velvet cloth.

The interesting thing is that BGVP used some kind of perfume to give that premium feel which I liked a lot. Even after keeping the box open for a long time the smell persisted for a long time too. A nice touch by BGVP!



BUILD AND DESIGN:

The DN3 is built very well where it is fully made out of CNC machined Aluminium and magnesium alloy. The matt finish texture in a grey coloured shell is very minimalistic and subtle to look at. The feel of the earpieces are extremely nice and fits very well in the ears. The cold touch due to that alloy finish is really good and the MMCX connectors are colour coded to avoid the confusion. The nozzle area has a nice lip area hence the eatips placements now feels even more secure and has a nice width of the nozzle. The nozzle has a metal mesh and looks neat.

The Faceplate looks neat and clean. The fake vent plate design gives a look of open back design and the BGVP logo on the right earpiece is very subtle. They feel very lightweight and one of the most comfortable iem around. The eartips selection is really great and one can easily find a good fit along with this.

The cable is the horrendous part here where it's an unbraided single rubbery cable! This cable looks cheap and feels cheap in my hands. The sticky nature of the cable made the cable to tangel very easily. The good thing about this cable is the Mic availability! Now you can take calls via this mic but if you need a premium feel then an upgrade cable is necessary.



SOUND:

The whole sound signature of the DN3 is more of a neutral sound. The bass, mids and the highs are pretty neutral with more of a mid focused sound. The treble roll off is seen but overall the sound signature is quite energetic in the upper midrange. It reminds of the Harman Tuned sound since the Upper midrange is boosted but let's see in depth of how this performs in each frequency.

TIPS USED: Bass tips inside the Box

Source: iPhone + Zorloo Ztella MQA + FiiO Q3



LOW END:

The low end of the DN3 is fine and average in my testing. The team quotes that they have used the Beryllium coated Dynamic Driver but for me the bass is just average. After a lot of controversies in the DN2 the company claims that they have used a legit Beryllium coated driver but still the bass feels average to me.

The bass is faster and cleaner and in that regard I should appreciate the BGVP since beryllium is known for that. The bass is very fast and very clean hence the detail and the resolution is above average. The separation is done well too with nice space in between the bass guitar strings. The spaciousness is very nice and feels nice and wide.

The sub bass has very subtle reverb and the sub bass rumble only strikes when the track calls upon. The mid bass body is lacking hence the bass sounds very much weightless and bodiless. The fullness to the track is missing hence they sound very lean and also clean.

The weight and the body is what lacking mostly during my listening. The rumble in the low end is also very subtle. Since the driver is very fast and clean they sound well separated and resolved in the low end. The texture in the low is just average. The graininess in the low end can be felt in most of the tracks thus it's one of the negatives to mention in this review.

Overall the low end is fast, clean, resolved but lacks in the Body, weight and in the texture.

Tracks Used:

1. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
2. Let’s Go – Jaxson Gamble
3. Royals – Lorde

MID RANGE:

The midrange is the star performer here. It’s very neat and clean. The compromising factor is that they sound very lean and dry. The midrange is not at all fuller and sounds very lean. The leanness thus provides that clean and detailed sound.

The acoustic guitar strings and the piano notes are very much audible and very detailed. The timbre is overall organic and natural. The drum hits are quite natural but sometimes they also appear slightly brighter.

The upper midrange emphasis might affect some sensitive listeners but for me this is not a big issue. This is kind of the usual tuning of the Harman which most of the people are not a big fan of but that upper mid emphasis made the details shine here. Due to this emphasis they sound very clear and brought out a lot of details and never reached the state of sibilance during my listening.

The male vocals are slightly distant while the female vocals sound very nice with a nice forward presentation. The female vocal also sounds slightly sharper in the upper end but that's not at all an issue for me since that helped in bringing out the details in the midrange. The instruments in the background are well separated and have a nice layering effect. The separation is done well and thus provides a nice sense of wide staging.

The coherency between the BA and the Dynamic Driver is average hence its not the smoothest transition i have ever seen. The tonality is quite natural and slightly brighter in some tracks.

Overall the midrange is quite spacious with nice separation and layering having a nice forward female vocal presentation also having a neutral to bright tonality.

Tracks Used:

1. Shape Of You – Ed Sheeran
2. Blank Space – Taylor Swift
3. Into the Deep Blue – Yanni

TREBLE:

The high end of the DN3 is quite good which is nothing bad in my opinion. The treble of course is not as extended as an all BA iem but this is really good for a hybrid pair. The upper midrange emphasis do meakes trouble in the lower treble region causing some slight harshness but even then this is not very uncomfortable. The hiss sounds are not that troublesome and sounds mostly pleasant to me. The airiness is good and the spaciousness is very much appreciable.

The texture and the separation in the upper treble region is where the DN3 lacks where the instruments are not that separated well in that area and the texture is slightly grainier. The overall tonality appears brighter to me but the listening experience was not harsh.

The cymbal strikes are quite natural and splashy. That slight splashiness in the cymbals might make you think slightly metallic but overall it's very good in this aspect too.

The electric guitar strings sound fine too but sometimes they appear too bright and not natural. As per the other instrument goes they sound fine and quite natural and this issue only pertains to the high hat instruments.

Tracks Used:

1. Move Your Body – Sia
2. You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift

TECHNICALITIES:

SOUNDSTAGE: The soundstage is pretty good here, having nice wideness. The depth and the height are pretty much average since the bass is not the deepest. The spatial positioning of the DN3 is represented very well with a nice sense of spaciousness.

IMAGING: The imaging is pretty good too since the bass is not that overpowering or impactful. The imaging is pretty clear and not hazy where the precise pointing of the instruments is possible and the transient response is above average. The transition of the instruments from one channel to the other is quite smooth and has no stutter or anything.

The layering is exceptionally done here combined with that spatial positioning is very pleasant to hear. The detail retrieval is above average but not the best. The separation and texture of the instruments are average too.

VERDICT:

DN3, the latest offering from the BGVP and a successor to the highly controversial product DN2 is worth it in my opinion. The overall sound signature is pretty neutral with brighter tonality. The bass is good with nice clean and well separated bass with that upper mid emphasized vocals and the airy and brighter treble. The soundstage is good, the imaging and the layering is done exceptionally well. The lacking aspects are the texture, resolution and a very bright tonality but as an overall package this sounds very good. The lean mids are not my taste too hence for my taste this would never suit me. The fullness in the midrange is lacking and the bass and the treble are not textured. The spatial positioning is really done well here and it's my most liked aspect here.

Overall if you like a brighter sound with very clean bass and the upper midrange, straight up vocal placement sound then the DN3 is the pair you need cause it's the one that can give you the CLEAN AND LEAN SOUND!

PROS AND CONS:

Pros:

1. Spatial Positioning and Layering
2. Neutral Sound Profile
3. Fast and Clean Bass
4. Build and Design

Cons:

1. Upper Midrange Emphasis
2. Brighter in Tonality
3. Not the Be Low End
4. Lacks the texture in Sound
5. Sticky Cable

NiceHCK, a Chinese earphone manufacturing company that has a lot of expertise in the audio industry, has already launched a lot of audio gears namely the NX7 series and the EBX21 in the earbud category. The Lofty is their new product with the highly acclaimed Beryllium Dynamic Driver. In this review let’s see whether they really deliver the output of what a real beryllium driver does.


SPECIFICATIONS:
>Impedance: 16 ohms.
>Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-26kHz.
>Sensitivity: 108dB/mW.
>Termination Plug: 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm Optional.
>Connector: 2-Pin 0.78mm
>Large 10.1mm Dynamic Driver Unit.
>Pure Beryllium Diaphragm material.
>High-Quality 6N OCC Cable.
Credits: HiFigo
DISCLAIMER:
I received this Lofty as a part of a review circle organised by HiFiGo and I thank them very much for providing me this opportunity to test it out. This review is completely my subjective audio review and this may differ from person to person since the audio mainly depends on the source and gear we use to test them. I have not been influenced by any person or by any means to manipulate this review.

PACKAGE AND ACCESSORIES:​

I received the earpiece, cable and the case alone since this is a unit provided to me as a part of a review circle and please check the website for the full package and the accessories details.
The Case is very premium and looks fantastic. The case is made of faux leather and the finish is excellent in blue colour. The stitching is perfectly done and the lid closes magnetically. The inner portion of the case is lined with a soft touch smooth liner with an elastic sleeve in the lid for storing the ear tips or the dongles.

DESIGN AND FIT:​

The design of the Lofty is done beautifully. I liked the design a lot with a nice matte texture in grey coloured and the faceplate pattern is quite nice representing some kind of water ripples. The shell is completely made out of CNC machined aluminum and the shape is custom shell shaped which gives nice ergonomics thus the fit is very comfortable. The ear fin mould is quite sharp and edgy other than that even after longer listening sessions they are very much comfortable.
The weight is also not that heavy despite the aluminum build and it feels very lightweight on the ears. The 2 pin connectors are kept flushed within the body which is pretty nice hence they look aesthetically pleasing. The Lofty branding is done on the corner of the earpiece and looks very subtle. The pressure vents are given on the top and the inner side and the L and R markings are clearly mentioned near the 2 pin connector area. The nozzle length is however very small hence the isolation is very less and changing the eartips is one hell of a difficult job.

The cable is quite nice and it’s a usual thing frmo NiceHCK. The full sleeve of the cable is cloth braided and they are very sturdy and premium. They don’t get tangled but get twisted around frequently. The microphonics are slightly noticeable while moving around. They are not the softest cable available but the longevity of the cable is guaranteed. The termination end is metal encased and the metal splitter looks very premium too. The strain relief is provided to the termination plug. Ear Guides are present on both sides of the connector area which is quite supple.

SOUND:​

The sound signature of the Lofty is a somewhat U shaped sound which I’m generally not a big fan of. The whole sound output is delivered by the single 10.1mm Beryllium coated dynamic driver and I have quite a lot of expectations but in the end this is just another mean sound to me. In this review let’s dive into each frequency and see where the Lofty went wrong.

LOW END:​

The low end of the Lofty is just disappointing. It doesn’t stand to the term what a beryllium driver would do to a low end. The low end lacks the weight, quantity and the speed. The speed especially since the beryllium is very well versed in this. The Lofty has a sloppy slow bass hence the texture, resolution and the separation are not good at all
The body in the bass is completely lacking and sounds very hollow and dull. The sub bass is null or non-existent! When listening to tracks like Hans Zimmer “WHY DO WE FALL” the sub bass presence is very poor and the track itself sounded very congested. The sub bass is not pronounced at all hence it only calls upon whenever the track calls for it.
The Mid bass is quite average where it mostly lacks the tightness hence they sound very sloppy. The ear tips provided by the NiceHCK are average of quality and when changed to the final audio eartips the bass got slightly improved in terms of slam and attack but still the speed can be improved.
Overall the bass is not good for the tech they have used namely the BERYLLIUM! The bass is just sloopy, slow and uncontrolled. The bass has good amount of quantity but they lack the definition and the tightness that the Beryllium are very famous for instead they just sound very slow and sluggish.
Tracks Used:

1. Shed My Skin – Within Temptation
2. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
3. Animal – The Siege
4. Even Heaven – Aimer

MIDRANGE:​

The midrange is nice and forward. The vocals sound nice but sometimes they might sound very peaky especially the female vocals. The fullness in the vocals is nice due to that mid bass presence and even made the stage deeper due to that mid bass presence in the midrange.
The aftermarket tips tamed the bass a bit and also made the vocals forwardly placed which of course made the stage less deeper. The upper mid range is quite nice and smooth and never faced any fatigue in my listening sessions. The midrange is overall very smoother and forward.
The airiness and the separation are really very nice here and have no timbre issues since this doesn’t have any BA to replicate any timbre issues. The tonality appears brighter to me and the timbre is quite natural. The tonality is slightly coloured with some brightness which appears evidently. Occasionally the midrange instruments may sound thin and they are very genre specific and happens if you use any aftermarket eartips.
The piano notes and the guitar strings appear slightly brighter whereas the drums sound overall natural with precise hits.
Tracks Used:

1. Cannonball – Damien Rice
2. Blessed – FKJ
3. Santeria – Sublime
4. Black Space – Taylor Swift

TREBLE:​

The treble is very shy in the Lofty. The roll off is very evidently noticed and thus the extension is pretty average. The upper treble end is just absent where the shimmer or the splashiness is completely absent. The sparkle in the top end is just lacking.
The lower treble is just very shy to bring out the details in the track. The engaging or the aggressive factor is not present in the lower treble end. They sound very smooth and just dull without any bite or attack. They are too polite to listen hence treble lovers this is definitely not for you.
The cymbal crashes are very hard to listen to since the lower treble and the upper end are too polite to hear hence you need to increase the volume to listen to them. Even though they sound very natural they sound too polite and silent in the track.
Tracks Used:

1. Dreams – Fleetwood Mac
2. Graffiti – CHVRCHES
3. Move Your Body – Sia

TECHNICALITIES:​

The technicalities in the Lofty are surprisingly well done after the underwhelming sound. The soundstage especially is very nice and wide with good enough depth. The layering is done exceptionally well and it’s one of the best aspects of the Beryllium.
The imaging is very nice too with good transitions across the channels. The precise placement of the instruments made the imaging very well and even in busier tracks they can be pinpointed. Since the bass is very light the imaging isn’t hazy or congested and hence the instrument has a nice sense of air thus providing good imaging capability.
The airiness is very good and the midrange is very much airier. The vocals sound very spacious and never feel congested. The separation is average and especially in the busy tracks the instruments gets congested and feels very intimate.The detail retrieval is average and does good in simple tracks but when the track becomes busy or complex this just fails again.
Overall the technicalities are satisfactory in the Lofty hence its not very bad or not very good instead it just does fine.

VERDICT:​

Lofty, the latest offering from the NiceHCK is a U shaped In ear monitor with average bass which is quite interesting since it uses the Beryllium driver! The midrange is nice and forward with a lot of airiness and nice layering. The treble is too shy to reveal outside hence they sound very smoother and soft instead of engaging and energetic The overall sound signature is very different when viewed from the perspective of what a beryllium driver will do.
The Lofty has great potential but it cant able to reveal it. The driver that they have used in then doesn’t justify at all! They just sound like polar opposite to what a beryllium driver sounds, especially in the low end where in the Lofty they just sound very sloppy, slow and loose, thus completely lacking the tightness and the control which the beryllium is mainly known for. The technicalities are nicely done though since the beryllium does the work. The airiness and the soundstage are one of the main aspects of this Lofty.
So overall would i recommend this pair? Well it depends. Personally it doesn’t fit my taste but if you like a nice midrange with a lot of airiness, good enough soundstage and layering then this can be in your sidelist. As per my taste and listening I just consider this Lofty as just another mean sounding earphone.

INTRODUCTION:

Cat Ear Audio is a newly established brand and they have launched an earbud and an in ear earphone namely MIMI and MIA. Both the products got good response from the community and to continue that amazing response they have launched this amazing cable that gives the lost sparkle to the earphones. In this review lets see how the sparkle is delivered and is it worth spending the money on this cable



DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me by my friend for the review purpose and I have not been influenced by any means to manipulate this review and all the statements I made here are my personal views and it is very subjective. The views differ from person to person and take this review as a grain of salt in your purchase decision. The view also depends on the gears and sources we use to test out the product.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Connector : 2 Pin/MMCX

Adapter : 2.5mm/ 2.5mm /4.4mm

Total Cores: 252 Cores.

Plating-Purity: 99.996%.

Coating Thickness ≈ 60mil.

Conductor Thickness: 26AWGx4.

Insulation Material: DuPont-PVC.

Cable Length: 1.2m±5cm.

>-196℃ Cryogenic Treatment For Components.

>Multi-strand Litz Structure.

>Premium Silver-Plated OCC Wires.

>Rhodium-Plated Copper Termination Plugs.

>German WBT 4% Pure-Silver Soldering Material.

>Available Termination Plug Options:- 4.4mm Bal, 2.5mm Bal, 3.5mm SE.

>Available Connector Type:- MMCX and 2-Pin 0.78mm.

DESIGN AND BUILD:

The cable is very lightweight and supple enough to touch. I have used this cable in the BGVP NS9 and the stock cable of it is very heavy and thick. This one is pretty light yet durable with a nice supple texture. The cable has no microphonics during my usage and the termination plug and the y splitter are made of metal which gives the premium touch to the cable. The best part about this cable is that there are no memory hooks or the ear guides which increases the comfort overall hence easy to wear and can be used in a variety of earphones without any issues.



SOUND:

IEM USED: BGVP NS9

Since this cable came along with the NS9 to me for the review purpose I have used the NS9 to test out the cable.

Initially I disliked the NS9 honestly since the low end overpowered the midrange and the treble. The treble lacked airiness in the NS9 and the midrange is very shallow and veiled. The sound overall was very darker and warm which just removed the sparkle out of the equation.

Then I just saw this cable that came to me along with the box and thought of trying it in the NS9 to check whether they can make some difference although I don't believe in the cable swap for sonic difference. In my initial listening I just wondered whether I connected some other earphones lying in my table so I checked it twice and confirmed that it is NS9! Now they sound muchopen and airiness in the top end can be felt evidently

The lower mids now got the sparkle and engaging factor in the NS9. Now the lower mids don't get overpowered by the mid bass and the treble got that nice sparkle and airiness which just made me reconsider my thoughts on the cable swapping. This also made me realise that why didn't the BGVP did not provided this cable instead of the stock one’s?!

The cable overall improved the sound quality drastically and the main difference that you can identify is that the overpowering bass is now tamed down and the airiness and openness in the treble end is made clear.

VERDICT:

The Tuxedo is the SPC cable from the brand Cat Ear and this one really blew my mind. This cable thing just made me reconsider my thoughts on cable swapping! An IEM which sounded very dark got some light and sparkle in it after the introduction of the Tuxedo. It really made me think that this might be a must but an accessory for me since this can help clear the cons out of the darker sounding earphones.

Buy this one, pair it with any darker and lackluster earphones..BOOM! You yourself made a big change in sound and you will start to love it! This is definitely a light giver for all the darker sounding ones out there!

BGVP, a famous chinese audio manufacturer doesn’t need introduction at all since they are one of the bog giants in the chifi industry. They have produced high end renowned ear monitors like the DM8 etc. The latest offering is the NS9 which is a hybrid driver system consisting of 9 drivers per side. In this review let;s see whether this NS9 competes in its price range with its competitors.




SPECIFICATIONS:
>Powerful nine-driver hybrid configuration.
>Seven high-performance Knowles & Sonion BA drivers.
>Two Powerful dynamic drivers.
>Three pairs of tuning filters.
>Composite Titanium-plated silicone diaphragm material.
>3D-printed acoustic structure.
>Four-way electronic crossover.
>CNC machined ear cavities made using Aviation-grade aluminum alloy.
>High-quality silver-plated braided cable.
>Hi-Res Certified.
>Impedance:20 ohms.
>Sensitivity: 107dB/mW.
>Frequency Response: 10Hz-40kHz.
>Channel Difference: <1dB(20-10kHz).
>Distortion: <0.5%(1kHz).
Credits: HiFiGo

CONTENTS:​

The box comes in a white sleeve with the NS9 image and the branding on it. Inside the sleeve there is the box and after opening it we are welcomed with the earpieces embedded in the foam tray, above it there are the different pairs of eartips. The included square case is sturdier and inside they contain the cable for the NS9. A pair of foam tips and the replaceable filters are also placed inside the case.

DESIGN AND FIT:​

The design of the NS9 looks very similar to that of the FH5 where the stripes has the same resemblance. The faceplate is gold coloured while the body remains balck. The colours are matted out hence fingerprints and the sweats don’t engage here. The iem also comes in different colours like in full grey, blue. The full construction is made out of aviation grade aluminium and looks very sturdier and doesn’t feel heavy at all in the hands and ears. They provide nice subtle weight factor and the premium feel in the hanD. The mmcx connectors are nicely tucked inside the body and don’t protrude outside.
The faceplate and the body are seamlessly attached thus providing a nice seamless finish. They have two pressure vents, one on the inside and one on the side. The filters are interchangeable and BGVP provided balck, white and gold filters to change according to the user’s sound preference.

The filters are screwable and fit nicely alongside the nozzle. The eartips get securely engaged in the nozzle adapting to the filters. Sometimes while adjusting the eartips the filters get disengaged so the care should be taken when adjusting the eartips.
They have provided 3 pairs of Bass tips and 3 Pairs of vocal tips. For this review I found that bass tips work fine for me and sonically I can’t find a big difference in between them.
The included cable is very high quality. The cable is nice and heavy as usual by the BGVP standard and comes with the 3.5MM termination.

SOUND:​

The sound profile of the NS9 is not the usual V shaped instead this is kind of L shaped sound to me. The bass is emphasized more than the midrange and the highs. The whole sound appears to be pretty dark and intimate. Let’s dive into each frequency in detail.
SOURCE: iPhone + Zorloo Ztella MQA Dac
Since this is rated at 25 OHMS and 105 dB this is pretty easy to drive and can be easily run via any underpowered sources like any smartphones. For the purpose of this review I have used the Zorloo Ztella DAC.
In this review I have used the Black filters which sounds better to my ears and frankly the filters don’t change the sound of the NS9 much and the difference is pretty negligible.

LOW END:​

The low end is pretty powerful and it’s the star show here. Both the mid bass and the sub bass is emphasized a lot with enough quantity.
Decay: The bass has very slow decay hence the rumble can be felt evidently. Especially when listening to tracks like Hans Zimmer and OST’s the rumble is very nice here
The slam and the attack is lacking in the NS9. The overall bass appears to be very loose when the track is busy. If the track has less instruments in the background then the bass control is very good. The attack is sloppier and the resolution is average. The separation in the low end is kind of average for me.
The control is the average thing here especially in the busy tracks they become looser and the impact is very much sloppier and boomy. The mid bass is overly done where they sometimes ruin the listening session due to that excessive boomy mid bass. Especially in tracks with vocals the excessive mid bass makes a lot of disturbance.
The good thing in the low end are the slower decay and the mid bass body which is a legit delight for the Bassheads. The mid bass fulness gives a nice body to the overall track and the whole track appears furnished and pleasant to listen to.
Tracks Used:

1. Bigfoot – Malfnktion
2. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
3. Smack That – Akon

MID RANGE:​

The mid range is nice and forward in the NS9 and is portrayed very well until the mid bass comes into the play. The excessive mid bass ruins the lower mid range where they just get completely engulfed in the mid bass thus they sound very much lackluster and too boomy.
The midrange in bass light tracks are pretty nice and have very good resolution and separation in between the instruments. Both the male and the female vocal sounds natural and pretty nice. The vocals have natural tone hence the tonality is pretty much natural and no timbre issues are found despite having the BA’s.
The piano notes and the drum hits are natural and sound very pleasing to listen to. The mid range is smoother overall thus no harsh or sibilance is observed during my listening sessions. The vocals sound very much fuller and thus lacks the air. The vocals are very warm and that lively feel is lacking, thus the engaging factor in the midrange is absent.
The mid bass bleed into the midrange is pretty much evident in a lot of tracks hence mostly the midrange sounds very boomy and unresolved. The separation gets messier and sounds very dull. The midange is pretty nice with the bass light tracks but with the bass heavy and complex tracks the whole situation gets changed.
Tracks Used:

1. The Blowers Daughter – Damien Rice
2. Na Mask Aram – Treble Puns
3. Me! – Taylor Swift

TREBLE:​

The treble is pretty average in the NS9. The airiness and the separation is pretty average and the good thing I can see here is that the detail is very nice with a good amount of retrieval. The treble lacks the sparkle and the extension in the top end.
The top end feels very restricted and limited. The cymbal crashes are pretty natural and sound very nice. The smoothness of the treble can be felt at the instant and harshness is out of the subject in the NS9 sound signature. They are pretty fatigue free and sound warm and smooth.
The electric guitar and the high notes sound very much dull and don’t have that sparkle and aggressiveness. The bite in the electric guitar strings are lacking. This sounds like a very cheap sounding treble section. The treble has a more or less null energy factor.
Tracks Used:

1. Trans Europe Express – Kraftwerk
2. Red Sea, Black Sea – Shearwater

TECHNICALITIES:​

Soundstage: The Soundstage is pretty average too where the width is overall good with moderate in width and the height. The depth is slightly bigger due to that bigger bass body. Overall the soundstage is average in all dimensions except the depth which is above average.
Imaging: The imaging is pretty nice here. The instruments can be easily pointed out even in busy tracks and the precise placement of the instruments makes things pretty much easier in pointing it out. The transient response is very smooth thus the transition of the instruments from one channel to the other is very neatly portrayed without any stutters in the movement.
The separation and the detail retrieval are very dependent on the tracks and they are pretty good if the track is not complex. The tonality is pretty natural with a hint of warmth and the timbre is warm and natural.

VERDICT:​

NS9, the latest offering from the BGVP is one of a kind in the BGVP lineup. This may be a good pick for the Bassheads since the bass in this is pretty powerful and has an enormous amount of bass. The low end has nice staging and the slower decay allows for the nice rumble in the low ends while the bass body gives nice fullness to the vocals. The midrange and treble is however average for its price but nothing to complain about, they sound very smoother and relaxed which might be a great pick for relaxing sessions. For my taste I would have liked a bit more aggression and some energy in the midrange and treble.
The stage depth and the imaging are pretty nice. The separation and detail retrieval are good too. Overall for the price it can be recommended for Bassheads who like a very warm tonality and vocals with slow bass and smooth highs. This unique sound makes this NS9 the dark secret of the BGVP.