Aune, or Wuhan Ao Lai Er Technology Co., Ltd., as is the official name of the Company, is a brand dedicated to developedesktop and portable audio products, such as DACs, digital transports, music players, headphone amplifiers, etc.

It is not as young of a Company, as people might think. In fact, this year it celebrates its 20th anniversary since its foundation in 2004. Among the Company’s six co-founders, there are experts in various audio related fields, such as hardware design, electro-acoustics design, programming, speaker design and tuning. This combined with extensive research and development, during the past 20 years, has resulted in products that have been very well received globally.

Since I first met with an Aune product, I was wondering about the Company’s logo, which was inspired by the concept of Yin-Yang - the Chinese philosophy of balance. The rounded design of the letters conveys a message of peace and gentleness, while the openings on four sides indicate inclusiveness.

During the past 20 years, Aune became well-known for high quality desktop devices, primarily DACs and amplifiers, which provided great sound and nice user experience. Recently, Aune diversified in IEMs, headphones and mobile DACs. This review is for their first IEM model, the Jasper-T.


Description

Introduction

iBasso is a company that does not need any introduction. It is one of the Chinese leaders in the audio trade specializing in IEMs, DACs, amplifiers, DAPs, and accessories. In the past few years, it has presented some very nice DACs, among them DC03 and DC04; both were of great quality, with nice sound tuning, and got good reviews.

Recently, iBasso presented DC03PRO and DC04PRO. By just looking at these new devices, you understand the high quality of the two products. And of course, a high-quality product is usually accompanied by high-quality sound, so it was a real temptation to find out!




Description

DC04 was of great quality, but it had a more “conservative” design. DC04PRO is one of the nicest looking DACs in the market today. Anodized, CNC-milled aluminum around, with two tempered glass covers on top and bottom and with two classy buttons on the right side is all one can ask for. The unit comes in two colors, black or blue. Everything looks, feels and sounds of top quality!



Despite of having 3.5mm TRS + 4.4mm Pentaconn outputs, DC04PRO is quite small measuring 59m x 23.4 mm x 12.1 mm and weighting only 21 g. It connects by a USB-C to USB-C cable or for iPhone users by a USB-C to lightning cable, which sells separately; I also had in hand the new really great CB18 USB-C to USB-C cable on which I am going to comment below.



Moreover, there is an iBasso UAC APP made for Android users and giving you: 100 steps of hardware volume, 5 digital filters, 3 gain levels, 2 output modes, 20 steps of L/R balance and a power saver. Furthermore, on the top side, there is anLED light, indicating the current sampling rates: Red for standby, green for PCM files and blue for DSD files.



DC04PRO was designed with all the latest technology and all of iBasso experience:

• Dual Cirrus Logic flagship DAC chips CS43131, which are equipped with Master HiFiT technology for improving the performance and sound. These coupled with a synchronous DC-DC converter and a low-noise high-speed LDO, having 100dB Power Supply Rejection Ratio, ensures great sound quality with extremely black background. CS43131 has been quite popular recently, as, among other things, has (according to Cirrus Logic’s description): An integrated GND-centered with a Class H headphone driver able to deliver 30mW per channel at 32Ω; PCM decoding up to 32bit/384kHz and a 32-bit oversampled multi-bit modulator with mismatch shaping technology; and an output level of up to 2 VRMS into 600Ω headphones.

Final needs no introduction, and I am really accustomed to be pleasantly surprised with any new product. Why? Simply because any Final product has two main characteristics: Top quality and great sound; in particular, a sound that is characterized by what I call “unique Final tonality”, which remains unchanged in all Final products through the years. It is a sound that is balanced, but at the same time natural and life like.

Of course, not all Final products are the same. There are flagship products, like A8000, which has stellar sound, but it will make you poorer by $2000.00; and products that won’t break your bank, like A4000 and A3000, which, for 1/12thor 1/15th of A8000’s cost, give you the same sound signature and even more a performance that is extremely articulate and equaling the A8000 performance by 70%-80%.

In developing A8000, Final did a lot of research on how the quality of sound is evaluated. The result was an IEM having transparency levels that, personally, I have not encountered on any other IEM I have tried so far. As A4000 and A3000 both belong to the same series as A8000, they should share some common characteristics in their sound signature, and most notably transparency. Of course, this was not easy at all, given the meticulous and expensive design of A8000, which was reflected to its very high retail price compared to the very modest price of A4000 and A3000. Final decided to put all its money in one basket, in this case the driver, and save as much as it could from the rest, such as the housing and the cable. The result was an all new exquisite driver and two superb IEMs: A4000 with beautiful balance and stunning for an IEM in this price category transparency, soundstage, image and dynamic range; and A3000, which has the same merits as A4000, but with a warmer touch.

Now, believe it or not, it has already been two years since Final presented A4000 and A3000, so I expected something new to come out in the A series, and it just did: It is the all-new model A5000. On the outside, there are similarities and differences with A4000 and A3000, but what about on the inside? And how does the new model sound? I will tell you as much as I know and give you my impression on the sound of it, but let me first remind you some information on the driver of A4000 and A3000, as we will need it!

Introduction

Final is a well-known headphones and In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) manufacturer not because it is big, but because it has products of very high quality. Quality that extends from the way an IEM is made to the way it sounds. It is also a very unusual company, in the sense that it has $20.00-$30.00 models, with a performance that make you scratch your head on how they could be that good. On the other hand, Final also has a line of exquisite models, like the planar magnetic headphones D8000 or the flagship IEM A8000, that could take one to stellar levels of performance. If one would ask me what are the merits of a Final product, I would primarily mentioned two: The overall quality in the housing, the cable, even the eartips, for which Final is famous; and the sound that I could summarize in two words, “Final tonality”, which is truly unique and it is what makes Final headphones and IEMs to differentiate from similar products in the market.

Quite recently, Final entered the world of TWS (True Wireless Stereo) systems, with the ZE3000 model following the same Final philosophy: Sound comes always first. Although an old-fashioned guy and a fan of wired IEMs, I was quite impressed by ZE3000’s performance (see my review in https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/final-ze3000.25659/reviews#review-28980). Did I expect an upgrade of ZE3000, maybe even a flagship Final TWS model that belongs to the 8000 range? You bet I did, and Final did not belie me. The all new ZE8000 model is just out.

Now, it is well known that it is really difficult to make an audiophile TWS model; a company has to overcome a number of obstacles, and Final engineers were successful with ZE3000. However, no matter how good the latter is, creating a flagship model presents many more hardships. On the other hand, Final engineers are known for challenging the impossible! They did that before, and I must admit that they did it with ZE8000 more than ever. I shall only say here, and give you details in what follows, that ZE8000 represents a completely new way as to how one perceives music, and this is the reason behind Final’s claim that ZE8000’s performance is what one could call the “True Sound” of music.

Introduction

Final is a company that needs no introduction. It has a really long history in the audio industry, and in recent years it is specializing in the design and manufacture of IEMs and headphones. In IEMs, Final has given us such successful models like the E series or the more audiophile A series; while in headphones, the Sonorous series set a benchmark among dynamic headphones and the D8000 among planar ones. What is very unusual is that Final makes some truly humble models, like E1000, costing $25.00 and having a performance that worths several times more; and it also has other models, like A8000, costing $2000.00 and taking you to stellar levels of performance. Final accomplished that by paying attention into two things: Quality and sound. All of the Company’s products talk of quality in the housing, the cable, even the eartips, for which Final is famous; however, what many times leaves you stunned is the Final sound. Now, if someone would ask me to describe the latter, I could obviously start talking about balance, resolution, soundstage, dynamics, etc., as we always do in reviews; or I could summarize everything in two words: “Final tonality”, which for me is really unique, and it is what differentiates Final IEMs and headphones from similar products in the market. In fact, I dare to say that to this day I have not found this exact tonality in any other IEM or headphone set among those that I have tried.

Very recently, Final presented its first TWS (True Wireless Stereo) earbuds, the ZE3000. Now, let me tell you that maybe due to my age, I am a rather old fashioned person, and for me an IEM set is a wired set. I have seen several TWS models in the market and I have even tried some; it was clear to me in all cases that one would choose them for their ease of use and not for their sound. It is not that they sounded bad, but rather indifferent. However, what made me paying attention to ZE3000 is Final’s philosophy: Sound comes always first!

Now, it is well known that it is really difficult to make an audiophile TWS model; a company has to overcome a number of obstacles that mainly have to do with putting delicate electronics in an earbud housing and making sure that these electronics do not interfere with the earbud driver. On the other hand, Final engineers are known for challenging the impossible! Were they successful in this case? Let’s find out!


Description

Maybe the biggest success of Final, among all its IEMs and headphones is E3000, which has won ten consecutive Gold medals in Japan's largest audio awards, the VGP, and it has sold hundreds of thousands of units since its launch in 2017. If you have listened to E3000, you know that they don’t impress you with their extended bass or tremble or their forward mids; what stands out is their natural and relaxing sound, which lets you enjoy the music, and this is what it will make you to appreciate them overtime.



In developing ZE3000, Final wanted to repeat and even surpass the success of E3000, and in doing so, it had to mainly overcome two challenges:

• The first is that inside the ZE3000’s housing are delicate electronics, such as batteries, electronic circuit boards and antennas, which leave little freedom in creating a perfect acoustic chamber, necessary for achieving a high quality sound. In addition, the waterproof feature, which is to be expected from a TWS system, excluded the use of a single vent for regulating the air pressure inside the acoustic chamber. The result of this is that the low-frequencies become overwhelming and the overall clarity degrades due to the auditory masking effect. Some companies try to overcome this problem by increasing the high frequencies to regain the lost clarity, but this creates a so-called “V-shape” sound signature and leads to fatigue after a long period of listening. Final took a different path, bydeveloping the “f-LINK Damping System” that optimizes the pressure in the acoustic space inside the ZE3000housing to create a sound equivalent to wired earphones without the need for external vents.
• The other problem is distortion. This is usually referred to as Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), or THD+N, and it amounts to the sum of THD and (all) other distortions; essentially, it shows how much the signal waveform is (non-linearly) deformated. In order to understand how much detrimental distortion can be to sound, it is enough to think that a DAC or an amplifier has distortion as low as 0.0001%, while a superior IEM has distortion around3%, i.e., 30,000 times more, in the low-frequency range. So, it is easy to understand by how much the sound quality would improve if the distortion problem is confronted. Final’s cure to that was the development of “f-Core for Wireless”, a newly designed driver that achieves ultra-low distortion, and thus resulting in high resolution and extended soundstage and imaging

Let me describe here in a little more details these two important feats:

• I will start with the all new driver “f-Core for Wireless”. Here Final did not rely on heavy software equalization in order to obtain the desired sound signature, as this occasionally leads to unnatural results and tiring listening experience; equalization was used, but only for making precise corrections in certain points in the audio spectrum. Final instead chose the hard path, which was to start with the “f-Core DU” driver, used in A3000 and A4000, and completely redesigned it to come up with the new “f-Core for Wireless” driver. As we already mentioned, the idea here was to fight distortion, as only that way the new driver would obtain the desired sound signature and would be able to apply the precise equalization whenever needed; for example, with the typical accuracy of about 3dB in sound pressure the precise equalization is bound to fail. In a typical driver diaphragm, monolithic injection molding is used with the center and surround being formed at the same time, while tangential corrugations are added to the surround to stabilize the movement at higher amplitude; this results in a rotational movement of the diaphragm, which causes distortion. In the case of the “f-Core for Wireless”, the center is made of a special resin, which is both light and hard, while the surround is made of a special, extremely flexible silicone, ensuring smooth and undistorted movement. The benefit is two-fold: The effective area of a 6mm diameter diaphragm is equivalent to that of a 9mm diameter monolithic injection molded diaphragm; and the distortion is substantially reduced. In addition, the resin center and the special silicone surround are directly molded together without the use of adhesives, which improves assembly accuracy and significantly reduces weight, thus further contributing to a reduction of distortion. Now, try to imagine how difficult the manufacturing of such a diaphragm might be. Of course, the new diaphragm is complemented by a light CCAW voice coil and a strong neodymium magnet.

Introduction

I think that Questyle is one of these companies that has caused a sensation in the Hi-Fi world and for a good reason. The company was founded on December 12, 2012, and a year and a half later applied for a global PCT patent on “Current Mode Amplification (CMA)”, a new technology that essentially revolutionized how an amplifier works (more on that below), and since then it has been used in all Questyle products, desktop or mobile.

Questyle products are designed to give the consumer the highest, yet trouble-free, audio quality, and they are manufactured at the Foxconn Technology Group, which is known to be one of the technological giants and highest quality manufacturers in China. Look at any of these products and you will immediately realize that it “talks quality in and out”. During development, Questyle uses Audio Precision (AP) to test and analyze sound, spending weeks on sound listening, again and again, and even inviting some audiophiles to join the listening in order to perfect both the specifications and the design details and through that sound. And after manufacture, every Questyle product undergoes a strict sound and quality control.

It is then no wonder that since 2015 Questyle has obtained 20 international awards, such as the CES Innovation Award, the iF Industrial Design Award and the VGP Lifestyle Award. Questyle products are sold in the USA, Japan, Germany andthe UK among many other countries, while Questyle Audio has been honored as one of the top 50 competitive enterprises in Shenzhen by Hurun Research Institute in 2017.

So, it did not go unnoticed when, last year, Questyle presented M12, the first mobile headphone Hi-Fi amplifier with DAC incorporating the same technologies as the company’s desktop products, which is the product we are going to review today.

Introduction

Final is a company that needs no introduction. It has a long history in the audio industry, and in the past several years it specializes in the design and manufacture of IEMs and headphones. I have reviewed some Final IEMs, ranging from the very modestly priced E2000C/E3000C to the Company’s flagship (and very expensive) A8000. Obviously, all these IEMs do not have the same performance. A8000 has a stellar performance in terms of balance, transparency, natural presentation and almost zero distortion; it is among the very best IEMs on the planet today, and it is my personal reference set. On the other hand, even very reasonably priced Final IEMs, like E2000/E3000, have a lot of the merits of their (much higher priced) siblings, like A8000. These merits are summarized to want I call “Final tonality”, which for me is unique, and I dare to say that I have not found in almost all other IEMs that I have tried.

However, Final also makes headphones! Currently, they are making the D series, the Sonorous series and the wireless UX series. Originally, the Sonorous series included many models, from the flagship (and really highly priced) Sonorous X and VIII to the rather modestly priced Sonorous III and II. Recently, Final decided to discontinue all Sonorous models except for the III and II, keeping as their flagship headphones the D8000, which however use a planar magnetic driver, so it is a whole different design.

I recently got a sample of Sonorous III, and I was very much interested to see how good they sound given that their MSRP is $399.00 and sometimes go on sale for as low as $299.00, so certainly they won't break your bank!


Description

Sonorous is a whole series originally including six different models, II, III, IV, VI, VIII and X. Now, it is quite interesting that II, III, VIII and X are single dynamic driver models, while IV and VI are hybrid, adding to the dynamic driver a balance armature one.





The first thing that I have to point out is that the flagship Sonorous X shares quite a bit with Sonorous III. As much as this might sound crazy and before you blame me that I am highly exaggerating, please allow me to mention a few things that may convince you for the truthfulness of my statement. First of all, if you put Sonorous X and III side by side, you will realize that they have the same type of exterior housing; just look at the above pictures! Of course, the ear cups of the X are made of highly polished stainless steel and aluminum, while for the III it was used textured ABS of excellent quality; please let me also mention that the whole of the Sonorous series is manufactured in the premises of Final in Japan. So, although the III may be considered the “poor man’s” X, it nonetheless looks really nice.



Even more interesting is that Sonorous X and III share the same driver philosophy: A 50mm dynamic driver, with the driver unit integrated with the front plate. This design, according to Final, reduces the instabilities, such as resonance and deflection, that adversely affect sound quality and at the same time enhance clarity. Now, on the X, the driver unit and the front plate are machined as an integrated unit from the same piece of aluminum magnesium alloy, while on the III the front plate is moulded from a hard resin that is comprised of hard polycarbonate strengthened with 30% glass added to it. It is also remarkable that both the X and the III sport the same titanium diaphragm.



Another common feature that both the Sonorous X and III share is the BAM (Balancing Air Movement) mechanism. This was originally developed for balanced armature drivers, and it is the first time that it has been employed on a dynamic driver. The idea of the BAM system is to optimize the air pressure on the front and the back of the diaphragm, and the result is the accurate reproduction of bass tones and the three-dimensional spatial representation. On top of that, Final applied on III even more precise tuning based on knowledge obtained through the development of X.

Moreover, both Sonorous X and III employ a 3.5mm metal plated monaural termination plugs, which takes care of poor connection through changes over time. Furthermore, on the headphone end the plugs are terminated with a locking mechanism that rotates 90 degrees, which is a Final’s proprietary system.



Last but not least, Final knows that the ear pads used in headphones play an important role in sound quality; the reason is very simple: The low frequency varies with the space between the ear pad and the ear. In order to achieve optimal sound quality and superior fit, Final employed synthetic leather, which is equally flexible both horizontally and vertically, and has carefully chosen the sponge padding materials which, with the right apertures on the interior and exterior of the pads, ensure clear sound quality with sealed headphones. It is really impressive that Final developed different set of pads for different Sonorous models, while particular attention was given into the pads used in Sonorous III.



Attention to every little detail might be unusual or even considered peculiarity for some companies, but it is the trend for and should therefore be expected from Final! The question is how all this meticulous design translates into sound quality; let’s find out!


The sound

I hope it became clear that Sonorous III shares a number of common features with the flagship Sonorous X, so it is natural to expect, and it is actually no wonder, that the two share quite a bit in their sound signature. Although I do believe that this is a true statement, I cannot confirm it, simply because I did not have a chance to listen to the X. On the other hand, I am also pretty sure that the X is a true and clear upgrade of the III; otherwise, how could one justify an “upgrade” in the price of III by 12x?

Nonetheless, I shall go ahead and say it upfront: The sound signature of Sonorous III is simply exquisite, far beyond of what one would expect from a set costing $299.00-$399.00. It is balanced, yet natural and realistic; so, it is not sterile, and certainly not neutral, a term that many people like to use. As I have mentioned in previous reviews, to me there is no real neutrality in a sound signature; the main reason for this is that the tuning of a headphone or an IEM is made by a real person, who no matter how much tries to keep his personal preference out of the tuning, it is really impossible to do it 100%.

So, Sonorous III has the beautiful, and unique I should say, Final tonality that characterizes every headphone or IEM made by the Company. It has a really relaxed sound with precisely the correct amount of bass, mids and tremble, and it invites you to listen more and more to it.

The bass is balanced between sub- and mid-bass, and if you ask me which one is prevailing, I would have a hard time to tell you; in some musical pieces I thought that it is the sub-bass and in others I thought it is the mid-bass; so, Sonorous III is a chameleon that can change according to the song, which I do like. Nonetheless, in all cases, whether sub- or mid-bass, it is full, polite, tight and extremely well controlled.

The mids are never forward or recessed, and both female and male vocals are presented beautifully, with a sense of naturalness and realism.

The tremble is very extended, so the sound is crisp and very detailed without any hint of roll of; however, it is never harsh and, no matter for how long you listen to, you never get the impression of fatigueness.

The soundstage is huge, in height, width and depth, while the image is spatial and holographic; you feel that the sound is all around you and fills the room and beyond. The separation and dynamics are excellent, while Sonorous III is really an easy load.

I tried Sonorous III on a big variety of songs like “The Look Of Love” by Diana Krall, from the album with the same name, Verve, or “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” by Jack Savoretti, Lanza Music Limited, and in all of them all female and male vocals were beautifully presented. I also played through the III many jazz pieces by Vince Guaraldi, and the performance was nothing short of outstanding. Finally, I tried Sonorous III in “Fanfare For The Volunteer” by Mark O’Connor, from the album with the same name, Sony Classical. This is a beautiful and very demanding orchestral piece with many high and low passages, which is very common in orchestral music, and once again Sonorous III managed to deliver it in a masterful way.

Another interesting thing is that although Sonorous III is on the heavy side, weighting 410g, I never felt any discomfort, at least not up to 2-3 hours that I was wearing it; you certainly feel that it is on your head, but it does not tend to press you and thus lead you to remove it.

Now, as I already mentioned, Final, having realized the importance of ear pads, provides in its Sonorous series five types, A-E; my Sonorous III came with the D-type, and it is quite interesting that also appropriate for it is B-, C- and E-type pads; I don’t have them, but I promise to ask Final for them and update my review.


Selected comparison

I compared Sonorous III to Sennheiser HD599, one of Sennheiser’s popular models. Both headphones have similar sensitivity, although the Sonorous III is an easier load, 16Ω versus 50Ω for the HD599 (which is also a fairly easy load).

The HD599 is cheaper, costing $199.95. It has a balanced sound signature, but clearly on the warm side, which is probably the reason for its popularity. It lacks the transparency and resolution of Sonorous III and, up to a point, its holographic image. The dynamics and separation is about the same in both sets. I guess one has, up to a certain extent, to sacrifice some of the resolution and transparency for the warm sound signature; this is not necessarily bad, but rather a matter of choice, and it is also something that many people do prefer.

Overall, the Sonorous III is, for my taste, superior to HD599. Of course, one could say that the III is $100.00 more expensive; personally, I wouldn’t mind paying $100.00 if I would enjoy the level of performance that Sonorous III has to offer.


Conclusion

I know that $299.00-$399.00 that Sonorous III costs is not little money. However, I dare to say that for what it does is a true bargain. It has the great Final tonality, so it is beautifully balanced, yet natural and with a sense of realism that you rarely meet at this price level. It has an articulate and well controlled bass, mellow mids and extended tremble. It also has a huge soundstage, spatial image and great dynamics and separation. And on top of all this, its quality is unsurpassed.

I am pretty sure that Sonorous III performance is very close to that of Sonorous X for just a fraction of the cost, while you would have to pay substantially more if you wanted to go to the next level. Personally, I am most satisfied with what Sonorous III can do, and I could not be more enthusiastic about it.


Specifications

Housing: ABS
Driver: 50mmΦ dynamic
Sensitivity: 105dB
Impedance: 16Ω
Weight: 410g
Cord length: 1.5ｍ

https://snext-final.com

Reviewer’s note: The reviewer is grateful to Kyo of Final Inc. for sending him a sample of Sonorous III.

Introduction

The past few years we have a “big bang” in new In-Ear Monitors (IEMs), the vast majority of which are of good and quite a few of excellent quality; there are obviously different sound signatures for different tastes, but the quality of most of these IEMs is really good.

Good quality IEMs created a need for good quality Digital to Analog Converters (DACs). Now, if you want to have just one DAC on the go and at home, then you need a mobile or portable DAC, what we usually call a “dongle”; and it is true that in recent years dongles started popping up at a pace that is really hard to follow.

Here, I should point out that what we usually call DAC it actually is a DAC/AMP, namely, a device which, besides doing the conversion of a digital to an analog signal, it also has an amplifier section that allows this signal to be played through an IEM or a headphone even one of low sensitivity and/or high impedance.

We have actually reached a point where we have companies that deal exclusively with the manufacture of mobile DAC/AMPs. One such company is the TempoTec Corporation, originally formed by a group of audio experts from China, Taiwan, Korea and Germany, each having more than 20 years of experience in the development of audio systems. The purpose of this coalition was to create products which are friendly, affordable and of audiophile quality.

TempoTec has so far presented a number of great and affordable products, and one of their latest additions is Sonata E44.


Description

Sonata E44 uses dual CS43131 chips; this is the flagship, and indeed a very mighty chip, of Cirrus Logic, which is used in some very good DAC/AMPs in the market. There is no additional information provided on the amplification part of the unit. Nonetheless, E44 has some very impressive specifications: The SNR is 130 dB, the THD+N 115 dB, the crosstalk -127 dB and the frequency response 0 Hz-40 kHz/±0.5 dB. Although there is no information given on the amplification of the unit, the output level is an impressive 4 Vrms and the output power 175 mW/32 Ω. This is obviously the result of the dual CS43131 chips and the fact that the unit has a 4.4 mm balanced output. The volume is controlled by a long button, having 32 steps, and this allows for a smooth adjustment of the volume level.



The Sonata E44 is able to deliver PCM 32 bit / 384 kHz plus DSD 256 (native) and 128 (DOP) playback, which is more than what one needs from a portable DAC. It is compatible with MacOS, Windows (7,8,10 and USB ASIO driver) and Android (supports OTG function). It is USB powered through a type-C cable. The output is a stereo 4.4 mm balanced output. It is both interesting and quite unusual that the type-C and the 4.4 mm balanced cables are both incorporated into the unit i.e., they are part of it, and they are made of 8-core, single crystal copper silver-plated OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) wires; for those that are not familiar, OCC is a casting process for copper or silver wire that draws a single crystal up to 125 meters in length, providing the least possible oxides and other impurities. Furthermore, a female type-C to a male USB-A adapter is also provided.



The housing of Sonata E44 is made of metal (I suspect CNC aluminum) and glass on the front and back plates. Although the unit itself is petit, its physical dimensions, including the cables, the type-C input and the 4.4 mm balanced output, are 185 mm x 21 mm x 7 mm, and its weight is 27.2 grams. One could certainly argue whether the attached cables to the unit is a practical choice. In the market, you find units with separate cables for the input or output, while you can also find units that have just one cable for the input attached (like in the iBasso DC series). There is no doubt that the attached cables cannot be lost, unless you loose the unit itself; on the other hand, you have to carry cables all the time with the unit, which make it bulkier. It is really a matter of personal choice.



In order to be able to use Sonata E44 with IEMs and headphones having a 3.5 mm plug, the unit comes, as a gift to the user, with a 4.4 mm male balanced to a 3.5 mm female cable adapter, which is really very versatile.



What I can say without any hesitation is that the overall quality is outstanding; this could be expected from a unit having a tag price of well over $100.00, like many DAC/AMPs in the market today. What about if I tell you that E44’s MSRP is just $89.90, and many times you find it on sale for as low as $69.99? Amazing? You bet!


Performance

I use the word performance, because Sonata E44 has a DAC and an AMP section, so I shall comment on each one of the two, and the combined effect is what I call performance.

The main characteristic of E44’s sound is that it has a very nice tonal balance; balanced sound does not mean what some people view as or call neutral sound. One has to be very careful with this term, and because of that I very rarely use it. I do believe that very few manufacturers want to make a truly neutral sounding product, and I very much doubt that they can actually do it even if they want to, given that the tuning is done by acoustic engineers according to what “they believe” that is neutral. Really neutral means no engagement and no musicality whatsoever, so maybe good for studio recording but not for listening to music. E44’s sound is completely uncolored, and at the same time natural, with a true sense of realism, relaxing and very detailed.

The bass is tight, with the right amount of sub- and mainly mid-bass, and very polite, so you will never feel that E44’s sound is even the slightest warm; in that sense, if someone wants to experience a kind of analogue and organic sound, then most likely he will be a bit disappointed.

The mids are very natural and relaxing, and both female and male vocals are very nicely presented. It is also interesting that through the 4.4 mm balanced output the vocals retain their natural and relaxing character, but they become slightly more intimate.

The tremble is extended but never hissing or harsh; so, one gets plenty of details, but I would not call the presentation euphonic, although in some cases one may get this impression.

Overall, the timbre is natural, realistic, full bodied and transparent. The soundstage is quite big, mainly in width, and in certain cases is also tall and extends in depth, while the image quite holographic.

The sound through both the 4.4 mm balanced and 3.5 mm outputs has the same character and is really great, as was already described. The difference between the two is that through the 4.4 mm balanced output the sound opens up and becomes more airy and detailed, although one may find it a little more crispy than one would actually like. On the other hand, this extra crispiness gives the impression of a taller stage.

The dynamics is really great given that the output level is an impressive 4 Vrms. E44 is a beast that can drive any IEM or headphone up to 600 Ω with ease and without any change in its sound signature. Furthermore, it is a very quiet unit, without any floor noise even with the most sensitive IEMs, which is quite of an advantage.

The sound testing of E44 was done with a variety of musical pieces from TIDAL, varying among the classical songs “The Look of Love” by Diana Krall, “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman, “Texas Sun” by Khruangbin and Leon Bridges and “I Want The World To Stop” by Belle & Sebastian, using a variety of IEMs and headphones. In all of them, E44’s performance was uncolored, natural, relaxing and transparent.

It is really amazing that E44 costs so little and offers so much; it would be a truly worthy addition to every computer, laptop or smartphone. The reproduction of the whole of the audio spectrum is very articulate and E44’s performance represents a big improvement over the usual one-dimensional output that comes out from a computer’s, laptop’s or smartphone’s DAC. It is undoubtedly one of the best implementations of a dual CS43131 chips design.


Comparisons

To iBasso DC04

Another DAC/AMP, using dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 chips and having a balanced 4.4 mm output, is the iBasso DC04; although it has been discontinued, one can still find it in certain vendors; its MSRP was $75.00, and it pretty much remains the same or a bit lower in some cases. The DC04 is a very powerful unit providing 195 mW at 32 Ω and 4 Vrms at 300 Ω. It also has a a low background noise of less than 0.9 uV (or 900 nano volts), an output impedance of 0.12 Ω and low total harmonic distortion rated at 0.00039% at 32 Ω and0.00032% at 300 Ω. A type-C plug is attached to the unit through a good quality cable, while an adapter converting the type-C plug into a full-size USB-A is provided. DC04 is able to deliver PCM 32 bit / 384 kHz plus DSD 256 (native) playback. However, it does not have a volume control. Like E44, the housing of DC04 is brushed aluminum; its length is 110 mm and its weight is 12.0 grams.

I have to admit that the sound of Sonata E44 and DC04 is very close to each other, although there are small differences; the sound of E44 is more relaxed, while that of DC04 is more revealing. Someone listening to E44 may get the impression that the tonality of E44 is somewhat warm in order to give this relaxed sound signature; it is not, and it actually gives plenty of information. It is that it does not have the crispiness of DC04. Other than that the soundstage of both units is about the same, although DC04 with its extended highs may give you the impression of a slightly taller stage; the image is holographic in both of them, and also excellent is the dynamics and separation. Both units can drive any IEM or headphone up to 600 Ω with ease and without any change in their sound signature.

So, if you want a relaxed performance, which is preferable for me, then you go with E44; if, on the other hand, you prefer a crispier performance, then you go with DC04. It is good to have choices!


Conclusion

Sonata E44 is a truly amazing unit. It has a sound that is uncolored, natural, with a true sense of realism, relaxing, very detailed, with a big soundstage, and great holographic image, dynamics and separation. On top of all this, its quality is outstanding.

What is even more amazing is E44’s price: At $89.90, it is a bargain; at $69.99, that you frequently find it, it is a steal.

E44 improves by a whole lot your computer’s, laptop’s or smartphone’s sound, and at $69.99 everybody should own one. Most highly recommended!

https://www.tempotec.net

Reviewer’s note: The reviewer is grateful to TempoTec Corporation for sending him a sample of Sonata E44.

Introduction

Νot very long ago, I reviewed IKKO OH1 and OH10, and rather recently OH1s. I have to say that I was very pleased with all of them, particularly, with the latter. They all have a balanced sound, with tight and well-controlled bass, extended, but not harsh, highs, and mids that are not forward or recessed. OH1 and OH10 are on the warm side, while OH1s is more balanced, although some people might find it a bit cold. Transparency is better on OH1s, while soundstage, image,dynamics and separation are great and about the same in all three of them.

IKKO is a very young company, having a history of just a few years, so it is rather remarkable that they have presented all these successful models. Actually, not only those, as a couple of months ago, a new model, OH2, popped up. The first thing that struck me about it was its price; just $79.00, which is quite far away from the price of the other three models that are selling between $159.00 and $199.00. I thought that this makes OH2 a nice addition to IKKO’s existing line of IEMs. Of course, the question is how does OH2 sound? Let’s find out!


Description

OH1 and OH10 had the nick name “Meteor” and “Obsidian”, respectively, while OH1s goes by the name “Gems”; for OH2 the chosen name is “Opal”. I am not really sure how the IKKO people pick these names; does the name reflect something of the specific model’s sound? This was actually my impression when it came to OH1 and OH10; but then, when I saw OH1s, I was pretty sure that the name was related to the model’s appearance, as OH1s really looked like a gem! And now, for OH2 the chosen name is “Opal”; is it something that has to do with both sound and appearance?

Let’s take things step by step. OH2’s housing is a combination of metallic and highly-transparent polycarbonate that looks very nice and certainly of high quality; it comes in five very nice “opal” colors: Green, which is my set, purple, white, gold and grey.



However, the look is not the only point in which IKKO devoted some effort while designing OH2. Much more effort has been invested in the technology of the new IEM for improving the sound:

• For OH2, IKKO designed an all new deposited carbon dynamic driver. I bet that the experience that has been gained while designing the driver of the flagship model OH7 has played an important role here.
• Moreover, IKKO kept in OH2 the patented Separating Vector Acoustics System (SVAS). The whole idea of this Acoustic Cavity Technology System is to design in each IEM the necessary, different cavities, so that the limited sound volume, together with the right reflection and diffusion angles, to produce a pure, transparent and extended sound. All this is by no means simple neither in its conception nor in its implementation.
• OH2 adopts a newly designed 24K immersion gold board for optimizing microcurrent together with an ultra-low resistance Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) for improving the transmission rate.
• IKKO also kept in OH2 a Micro-miniature coaxial (MMCX) high purity oxygen-free copper (OFC ) silver-plated cable.

Introduction

iBasso is a company that does not need any introduction. It is one of the Chinese leaders in the audio trade specializing in DAPs, amplifiers, IEMs and accessories. In the past few years, it has presented some very nice IEM sets, among them IT01 and IT01s; both were single dynamic driver IEMs with a very nice sound tuning that got very good reviews.

Recently, iBasso replaced IT01s with IT01X; the “X” in life always stands for the “unknown” or the “surprise” if you want to. When I saw a brief description of it, I immediately understood that it is an IEM that deserves some attention, and it has the potential to bring single dynamic driver IEM at a different level; now, add to this its very competitive price of $119.00, and you have a model that it is hard to pass by. So, I asked for a sample, and here we are!




Description

All iBasso IEM models have a number of technicalities, but I have to admit that IT01X has (much) more than the usual (fair) amount. So, let me take things one by one:

• As I already mentioned, IT01X is a single dynamic driver IEM belonging to the “In Tune” iBasso series.
• IT01X uses, instead of the usual iron, a brass internal cavity. Brass has higher density than iron, and this effectively reduces internal resonance and distortion. In addition, it provides a well-controlled low frequencies without affecting the mid frequencies.
  

  
• IT01X uses a system of brass dual Helmholtz resonators, which are known to improve low-frequencies performance; that way standing waves are cancelled and more natural sound is ensured.
  
  
• After trying many different materials for the diaphragm of the driver, including Magnesium and Titanium, finally it was chosen to plate both sides of the diaphragm with Beryllium, which is known to be lightweight and extremely rigid. That way it can be driven with ease, while it ensures low distortion, i.e., minimal deformation throughout the whole frequency range, which leads to very accurate reproduction of the whole of the audio spectrum.
• Another innovation that I have not encountered before is that IT01X uses a three-dimensional suspension. That way it can inhibit, or at least reduce to a substantial extend, the vibration of the driver, thus reducing the distortion and improving sound.
• Like other iBasso IEMs, IT01X utilizes a high magnetic flux Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NeFeB) magnet, which can drive the thin and lightweight double-sided Beryllium plated diaphragm very efficiently, thus resulting in fast transient response and overall excellent dynamics.
  

  
• IT01X is accompanied by a Micro-miniature coaxial (MMCX) detachable high-purity oxygen free copper (OFC) cable that is silver plated, with a 3.5mm gold-plated plug and cable splitter made of stainless steel; this is a high quality standard for IEMs costing $200.00 or higher, but it is unusual to find in a set having the price tag of IT01X.
  

  
• Furthermore, iBasso in IT01X paid attention to every little detail, even the aesthetics of it. The earpieces’ housings are made of aluminum and finished with a metallic paint like that used in luxury cars. The metallic paint adds hardness to the housings together with a beautiful, smooth luster. IT01X is offered in three colors, Black, Blue and Red.
  

  

Introduction

I honestly do not know much about HZSOUND. It is a bit of an obscure company having a website in Chinese and English, although in the English version many things are in Chinese, and they have some products that it is hard to find, even in AliExpress. So, I could overpass them and go to the next IEM maker; after all there so many of them! All this until about a year ago, when they presented a model which goes by the name “Heart Mirror”.

In Buddhist religion, the meaning of “Heart Mirror” is that a pure heart is a mirror of what is inside a person. So, I guess, a good quality IEM is a mirror of high quality music. Now, in order to justify the name, the shape of Heart Mirror is like a heart, and it is polished by hand to be as smooth and shiny as a mirror.

All this is very interesting from the philosophical point of view, but even more interesting, spectacular I would say, is the sound of Heart Mirror. But let me start from the beginning by giving you some information about this wonderful IEM.


Description

The quality of Heart Mirror is unsurpassed and hard to believe for an IEM having an MSRP of $49.00-$51.00, depending whether it is without or with a microphone. Its housing is made of a Zinc alloy, die-casted by high-precision mirror surface mold, cut by CNC high-precision process, and finally hand-polished by skilled workers. Hand polished? How could this be possible? I frankly don’t know, but apparently the polishing is by hand, because the result is a surface as smooth as a mirror, and this surface is in the final step electroplated. I would find all this reasonable if the price tag of Heart Mirror was $150.00-$200.00, but I have not heard it before for an IEM costing $50.00. Needless to say, Heart Mirror is one of the most beautiful IEMs I have seen the past few years, shape and surface wise. Even if it is not your “cup of coffee”, you have to admit that its quality, given its price tag, is second to none.



Heart Mirror is equipped with a 10 mm dynamic driver, with three important elements: A rigid Carbon Nanotube diaphragm; a strong, high-performance iron boron magnet; and a Copper-clad Aluminum Wire (CCAW), instead of the commonly used copper wire, voice coil. What is the benefit of all these? Diaphragm, magnet and voice coil are the three parts which together make a dynamic driver. How these three produce sound? The magnet magnetizes the voice coil and that way it transforms it to an electromagnet. When the voice coil receives an electric signal, it creates a magnetic field, and it moves back and forth according to the flow of the signal. The diaphragm, which is attached to the voice coil, moves too, displacing the air around it, and thus creating sound. Carbon Nanotube is ideal for a diaphragm material as it is lightweight and it has high rigidity and high toughness, thus, it is fast and reproduces the whole of the acoustic spectrum in a very accurate way. The iron boron magnet is very strong, and this is very important for creating the right magnetic field. Finally, the CCAW voice coil is made from aluminum inside with a copper coating (copper cladding) outside. The density of copper is three times that of aluminum, so a CCAW voice coil is almost three times lighter than a copper voice coil, and as a result of this the couple diaphragm-voice coil has a really fast and accurate reaction to the feeding electric signal. All this is a very sophisticated design, and, again, it is hard to believe that you find it in an IEM costing just $50.00.

The cable is a 2-Pin connector, following the highest versatility φ0.78 standard, made of oxygen-free copper (OFC) and silver plated. According to HZSOUND, it will not have a bad contact after a long time use, so it will be longer lasting.



I really cannot recall another IEM having all these technicalities and costing $50.00, and that alone is not a small feat. So, the ingredients are there, and of course the question is how good is the result, i.e., the sound of Heart Mirror? With one word, exemplary!


The sound

As always, I did the usual burn-in of about 50 hours, which helps IEMs to reach their full potential. Of course, this is the technical burn-in, and besides that there is also the so-called phycological burn-in, which helps the listener to get acquainted with the IEM; in that sense, the phycological burn-in does not actually have a limit, and the more you listen to an IEM the better you get to know it.

If I wanted to summarize Heart Mirror’s performance in a single statement, I would say that its sound is balanced, natural and alive. It is characterized by very high resolution, cleanness and crispiness, so a very detailed sound. I was really impressed by this combination of balance and resolution, which one finds in IEMs having a much higher price tag.

The low frequencies might appear a bit weak to some; for me it is perfect, as if it was more, then it would destroy the beautiful balance. It is mainly mid-bass, with a touch of sub-bass, and the important thing is that it is taut and very well controlled. It can slightly be enhanced by using the provided “brother” eartips, although I did prefer the “bullet” eartips, which offered almost perfect balance. On the other hand, the “sponge” eartips made the sound “dental” like, and at the same time a bit lean without much body, so it was not my preference either. The mids are accurate and engaging, and both female and male vocals were delivered without any forwardness or recession. The highs are very open and extended, although some might feel that it is a bit too much. For me it is crispy, but not harsh, while I have not spotted a case where I felt that there is some kind of a roll off.

Another thing that really made an impression was Heart Mirror’s soundstage, both in width and depth, together with its image and very broad dynamic range, while it also has excellent separation. Overall, Heart Mirror has a very open presentation, which is also very unusual at this price range. Certainly to all this contributes its 10 mm dynamic driver, which is very fast, a common characteristic of the Carbon Nanotube diaphragm. I should also mention that Heart Mirror is quite unforgiving, and this is something that I highly appreciate in an IEM.

In songs like “The Look of Love” by Diana Krall, from the album with the same name, Verve, “She’s Got Her Ticket” by Tracy Chapman from the album Fast Car, Elektra/Asylum Records and “One More Second” by Matt Berninger from the album Serpentine Prison, Concord Records, Heart Mirror was very balanced, detailed, engaging and without any forwardness or recession, so all female and male vocals were very nicely presented. “Move” by Hiromi (Uehara), from the album with the same name, Telarc International, is a very fast piece played by the trio of Hiromi on piano, Anthony Jackson on bass and Simon Phillips on drums, and it was delivered by Heart Mirror with unusual ease. The same was the case with “Fanfare for the Volunteer” by Mark O’Connor, from the album with the same name, Sony Classical. This is a beautiful Orchestral piece composed by O’Connor, and played by him on the violin and London Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Steven Mercurio. It is a very demanding piece, with many ups and downs, which Heart Mirror had no problem to reproduce in a very natural way, proving that on top of everything else it is a universal performer and a wonderful all-rounder.


Selected comparisons

I first chose to compare Heart Mirror with Final E2000, which has about the same price ($44.90). This is a tiny IEM, with a 6.4 mm dynamic driver, a housing made of aluminum black alumite and a non-detachable cable of very good quality. E2000 has a beautiful balanced tonality, and this is what made it one of my favorite IEMs and a long-time companion. This tonality gives it a relaxed, clean and clear presentation. It also has very good transparency, great soundstage, both in width and depth, and very good image, dynamics and separation. Heart Mirror, οn the other hand, has a very balanced and natural sound, but it does not have the E2000 tonality; it is engaging rather than relaxing. This has probably to do with the fact that E2000 has a (very precisely added) touch of warmth, which gives it the beautiful tonality. Heart Mirror instead of the “sweet tonality” of E2000 offers a balanced “by the book” presentation, with adequate, but maybe minimal for some, bass and extended, but maybe a bit too much for some others, tremble. Furthermore, and in spite of the excellent quality of E2000, the quality of Heart Mirror is exquisite, particularly given its really low price tag.

Then, I chose to compare Heart Mirror to IKKO OH1, which is substantially more expensive (originally $139.00). This is a hybrid IEM, having a dynamic and a Knowles balanced armature driver, a housing made of an aerospace alloy and a 2-Pin cable, so, overall, a much more sophisticated design. OH1 has a very powerful and alive, on the warm side, sound, so great dynamics, good transparency, great soundstage, both in width and depth, image and separation. Heart Mirror does not have the aliveness of OH1, but in exchange it offers a beautiful balance, while in everything else it is as good as OH1. The quality is the same in both IEMs, but it is more impressive on Heart Mirror. Now, the price of OH1 is pretty much what you expect it to be; what makes you wonder is how Heart Mirror could cost that little.


Accessories and fit

Heart Mirror comes in a nice cartoon box, where one would find, besides the two earpieces and their cable, a variety of eartips: “Brother”, “bullet” and “sponge” (please see above for an explanation). Furthermore, there is a clip, to secure the cable on your shirt, thus avoiding microphonics, which was never a problem anyway, a woven case, for protecting and carrying the IEM and a user manual.



Furthermore, I have to admit that Heart Mirror, besides being of exquisite quality, it is rather lightweight and very comfortable, providing very good sound isolation, so ambient noise was never a problem.

Finally, the cable is of very good quality, given the price of Heart Mirror; my only complain is that sometimes it tangles, which is somewhat of a problem.


Conclusion

If I say that I was impressed by Heart Mirror, it is an underestimation. It is an IEM of unsurpassed quality and of hi-fi sound. It is extremely balanced and detailed, highly transparent, with big soundstage, great image, dynamics and separation. Its quality and sound would be justified, if its price tag was $150.00-$200.00. For $50.00, I really scratch my head to find out how HZSOUND did that. It already became one of my favorites, and it is nothing short of most highly recommended.


Specifications

Housing: Zinc alloy
Driver: Carbon Nanotube Dynamic driver
Sensitivity: 106 ± 3 dB
Impedance: 32 Ω (± 15%)
Frequency response: 15 Hz - 40 kHz
THD: < 1% @ 1kHz
Connector: 2-pin + 3.5 mm plug to the source
Cable: Oxygen-free copper, silver-plated cable
Cord length: 1.2 m
Price: $49.00-$51.00 (without or with a microphone)
https://www.hzsound.cn
You can buy Heart Mirror at https://keephifi.com

Reviewer’s note: The reviewer is grateful to Ann at KEEPHiFi for sending him a sample of Heart Mirror.

Introduction

It was not long ago that I reviewed IKKO OH1 and OH10, and I was impressed by both of them. They have a balanced and pleasantly warm sound, with tight and well-controlled bass, extended, but not harsh, highs, and mids that are not forward and not recessed. It is pretty much what one could call “U” shape sound, but one that is highly transparent, with very big soundstage, both in width and depth, very nice image, great dynamics, excellent separation and, overall, very engaging. Furthermore, both OH1 and OH10 are of unsurpassed quality.

All this is not little, particularly as IKKO is a very young company, having a history of just a few years. However, its activity is really amazing. Just look, in its recently renewed webpage, under “coming soon”: You will see a number of new and innovative products that really impress; among them, a new IEM model, OH2, sporting an 8 mm Beryllium dynamic driver and IKKO’s newly developed SVAS technology. However, all this belongs to the future; for now we have for review IKKO’s most recent IEM model, OH1s.


Description

OH1 and OH10 had the nick name “Meteor” and “Obsidian”, respectively; for OH1s, the chosen nick name is “Gems”. I guess this reflects rather appropriately the appearance of OH1s: They kind of look like gems! Their housing is made of an aviation-grade aluminum alloy and resin, which have put together in a very nice way, and with their textured upper surface they look like a piece of jewelry. OH1s comes in two colors, blue and grey.



However, the look is not the only point in which IKKO devoted some effort while designing the new model. Much more has been invested on the technology of the new IEMs for improving the sound. Of course, we have to be fair; going from OH1 to OH10, IKKO made certain and very important changes: A redesigned dynamic driver and a high-purity copper housing, with a platinum coating inside, resulted in a sound more full bodied and engaging, while at the same time it was cleaner and more transparent.



Now, in developing OH1s, IKKO did quite a few extra miles:

• Like OH1 and OH10, OH1s is a hybrid with one dynamic driver and a Knowles 33518 balanced armature driver. However, the dynamic driver is a newly designed Carbon Nanotube driver. This is a material coming from an allotropic modification of carbon, with extremely high strength to density ratio, and as a result it is very effective in creating acoustic emmiters of high fidelity. It is for this reason that Carbon Nanotube drivers are used in recent years by many IEM manufacturers.
• Now, maybe the biggest innovation of OH1s is IKKO’s patented SVAS Acoustic Cavity Technology system. The Separating Vector Acoustics System (SVAS), essentially, uses three cavities: The Aluminum front and rear cavities and the middle Resin cavity. The Resin cavity has a very precisely calculated unique sound diffusion structure, and the front Aluminum cavity has a frequency division structure. All these are designed such that the limited sound volume, together with the right reflection and diffusion angles, produce a pure, transparent and extended sound. All this is by no means simple neither in its conception nor in its implementation.

Maybe the name EarMen does not ring a bell to everyone. Although, it is a relatively young company, it had a lot of activity since it was founded just a few years ago. Of course, this is no by accident; EarMen has an older sibling, Auris Audio, which is famous for making tube amplifiers characterized by their emphasis on purity of sound. The idea behind every Auris product is to perfect neutral, natural and clean sound and package the final product in a stylish and quality design that please the eyes and last for many, many years to come.

It is no secret that behind both Auris Audio and EarMen is Milomir "Miki" Trosic who has designed and engineered all products of both companies. Obviously, for someone who has designed the exquisite Auris products is rather easy to design the EarMen products. The difference between the two is that the former are hi end desktop products, while the latter are portable devices to be used with computers and smartphones. However, both share the same philosophy: Top sound and outstanding quality, and this is what characterizes the products under review EarMen Sparrow and Eagle.


Description

Maybe the name EarMen does not ring a bell to everyone. Although, it is a relatively young company, it had a lot of activity since it was founded just a few years ago. Of course, this is no by accident; EarMen has an older sibling, Auris Audio, which is famous for making tube amplifiers characterized by their emphasis on purity of sound. The idea behind every Auris product is to perfect neutral, natural and clean sound and package the final product in a stylish and quality design that please the eyes and last for many, many years to come.

It is no secret that behind both Auris Audio and EarMen is Milomir "Miki" Trosic who has designed and engineered all products of both companies. Obviously, for someone who has designed the exquisite Auris products is rather easy to design the EarMen products. The difference between the two is that the former are hi end desktop products, while the latter are portable devices to be used with computers and smartphones. However, both share the same philosophy: Top sound and outstanding quality, and this is what characterizes the products under review EarMen Sparrow and Eagle.


Description

Introduction

Guangzhou DD Electronics Technology Co., Ltd., aka ddHiFi, is a young company, established in 2017, specializing in the design and making of audiophile products, in particular, DACs, cables, earphones and accessories. The founder of the company had previously working experience in both OPPO and FiiO.

ddHiFi is dedicated to make user-friendly products, of high quality and great sound, by paying attention to the materials used and to all production details, while at the same time controlling carefully the cost, such that the resulting products are truly affortable. One such product is a tiny DAC, TC35B, which is up for review. Its MSRP is just $37.99, so it would be very interesting to see how much a DAC of such a moderate price can achieve.


Description

As already mentioned TC35B is a tiny little DAC, probably the tiniest you can find overall; its dimensions are 18.8 mm x 11.2 mm x 10.2 mm, and I really don’t think that you can find a smaller one. It is made of stainless steel 316, which is the typical stainless steel grade used in the watchmaking industry. Now, if you are like me a mechanical wristwatches lover, then you know the importance of good quality stainless steel for a wristwatch case, particularly one with high anticorrosion properties. So, it is easy to understand that 316 stainless steel is of top quality, and this is useful for protecting the DAC, while at the same time adding to its looks.



The chip used for TC35B is a USB Codec, the Realtek ALC5686. This is a Codec chip used in many computer motherboards, so one might wonder whether TC35B is any better than what his computer has to offer. The answer is very simple: A critical factor in a DAC’s performance is not just the chip used, but also how the whole design is implemented. To put it in simple words, a top chip alone does not guarantee that the DAC would have a great performance, while a humble chip, with the proper implementation, can do miracles. Now, to start with, ALC5686 is not a bad chip, and because of that it is used in many computer motherboards; the mediocre sound that you usually get from the earphones output of a computer has mostly to do with the fact that computer companies do not pay much attention in making a good implementation. ddHiFi paid the effort, and the result is shown in the specs: DNR >110 dB, SNR >120 dB, even THD+N <-92 db, which are all very respectable. The output power is not very high, 30 mW @32 Ω; however, this is a bit tricky! What I heard through my auditions was certainly more than 30 mW @32 Ω. Whatever the case is, I have to say that the output is more than sufficient to drive headphones up to 200 Ω.

The TC35B is able to deliver PCM 32 bit / 384 kHz, and it is compatible with MacOS and Windows (for XP/7/8 a driver is available). The output is a stereo 3.5 mm jack, headphone or line output.

And of course, the cherry on the tart is that, as already mentioned, TC35B costs a mere $37.99; honestly, I cannot think of a brand name DAC with a lower price tag. Furthermore, it comes in a very stylish wooden box, which adds to the top quality of the theme.


The sound

When I started my auditions, I really did not know what to expect, but TC35B was a very pleasant surprise.

Its sound is very well balanced, to the point that some people might find the low frequencies inadequate; this is not true, and it is due to the fact that TC35B is tuned to be almost perfectly balanced, as the idea is to improve the sound and not to color it.

So, the low frequencies are sufficient and well controlled, while at the same time the upper end of the spectrum is quite extended, so the presentation is overall quite revealing.

The mid frequencies are not forward, but not recessed either; in particular, female vocals have a very nice presentation, right in the center of the stage.

However, what really impressed me is that TC35B opens your sound, so its soundstage and image are certainly above average.

Is TC35B going to improve the sound of your computer, laptop or smartphone? By all means! I compared it to what I get through my iMac, and there was simply no comparison. The sound through TC35B was balanced, musical and sweet, while the sound through the earphones output of the iMac was almost annoying; and this in spite of the fact that iMacs and iPhones use, at least in some cases, proprietary Cirrus Logic DAC chips.




In conclusion

TC35B really impressed me with its top quality, diminutive size and extremely articulate sound; and all this for a mere $37.99.

If you want to improve the sound of your computer, laptop or smartphone with just one move, don’t think for a second time: You go ahead and buy TC35B, and you won’t regret it.

Well done by ddHiFi and most recommended.

Many thanks to Lily of ddHiFi for providing a sample for TC35B.

https://www.ddhifi.com

Introduction

iBasso was founded in 2006, and in a mere 15 years became one of the most respected designer and manufacturer of digital audio players (DAPs), headphone amplifiers and digital to analog converters (DACs). In 2011, it successfully bypassed the Android ALSA driver and developed the world's first 24bit / 192kHz Android audio player. This was a milestone for high-resolution portable audio players, that enabled high-resolution online streaming.

However, iBasso also designs and manufactures in-ear monitors (IEMs), and full-sized headphones. It essentially has two series of IEMs, the IT series (IT standing for “In Tune”) and the AM series (AM standing for “All Music”). The IT series is characterized by the fact that each model has either a single dynamic driver (DD) only or a dynamic driver complemented by one or more balance armature (BA) drivers. In the AM series, all drivers are BA drivers.

I have always been fascinated by single driver IEMs. The fact that a DD or a BA driver can produce the whole of the audio spectrum in an articulate way makes me really admire a manufacturer, and in the past 12 years that I am reviewing IEMs I had the chance to audition some truly exquisite models, with either a DD or a BA driver, some of which had a stellar performance.

One such single DD model is iBasso IT00, which is up for review. Its MSRP is just $69.00, so it would be very interesting to see how much an IEM of such a moderate price can achieve.


Earpieces and cable

iBasso designs with meticulous care all its IEM models, and all of them are characterized by one or more technical innovations. It was therefore a very pleasant surprise to see that this is the case even with IT00 in spite of its moderate price.

If I wanted to summarize the innovative points in the earpieces of IT00, I would mention three:

• A multi-layered Graphene diaphragm of 10 mm.
• A customized magnet.
• A dual Helmholtz resonator.

Introduction

IKKO Audio is a very young company, established just a few years ago, and it has already left its footprint in the audio industry; it makes mainly IEMs and headphone DACs and Amplifiers. I think it is accurate to say that in just a few years where others would do steps IKKO has done jumps.

The company’s flagship IEM is OH7, which is based on a single dynamic driver; it has a performance and also an MSRP that puts it in the “upper level league”, and it certainly deserves a separate review.

Two much more reasonably priced IEMs are OH1 and OH10; OH1 was IKKO’s first IEM, and it was followed by OH10 in an attempt to further improve OH1. I therefore think that it is quite appropriate to review both of them at the same time and see the similarities and differences between them.


OH1

OH1, to which IKKO gave the name “Meteor”, is a hybrid, and by this I mean that it has two drivers; a 10mm dynamic driver made of a polymer composite with a titanium coating, and a Knowles 33518 balance armature driver. Obviously, the dynamic driver is mainly responsible for the low frequencies, and the balance armature driver for the highs, while both contribute to the mid range. So, internally, IKKO did a very detailed work designing carefully the dynamic driver and using a balance armature driver from one of the most respected manufacturers.

The housing is made of an aerospace alloy, which is very lightweight (only 6 grams per piece) to the point that you don’t feel that you have the earpiece in your ear; however, the aerospace alloy is also hard and rigid enough in order to contribute to the sound signature of the IEM. The housing is in an attractive light blue color and the overall quality is outstanding, far beyond OH1’s price tag of $139.00.

The cable is a high-purity oxygen-free copper (OFC) silver-plated cable; it is a 2-pin, 0.78 mm, detachable design. According to IKKO, each side’s cable has 4 strands of high-purity (8-purity) oxygen-free copper that is silver-plated, and it is designed to extend high frequencies and enhance low frequencies. Where the cable connects to the housing of the IEMs has a plastic cover, which is very helpful for helping the user to place the cable over the ears. So, the quality of the cable is another thing that is far beyond OH1’s price tag.



The accessories are all that is needed. Besides the two earpieces and their cable, there are two sets of eartips, with three sizes (S,M,L) each; in the first set the color is black and it is named “Vocal Eartips”, apparently, giving an emphasis to the vocal part of a musical piece; in the second set the color is blue and it is named “Balanced Eartips”, obviously, designed to give a balanced version of what you are listening to. The user is also provided with a case made of genuine leather, which is very attractive, at least for my taste, and besides protecting the IEMs, it also has on the inner side instructions on how to wear the IEMs over your ears. Finally, there is a very elegant “Customer Service Card”, which actually acts as a Warranty Card.



All these come in a very stylish box, together with the IKKO pin, which is a pleasure to look at.



Overall, the quality of OH1 is outstanding in and out, and it is far beyond from what one expects from a set with a medium price tag.


OH10

OH10, to which IKKO gave the name “Obsidian”, was designed to further improve on OH1, so the two share some common things, but they also have certain differences.

OH10 is also a hybrid having a 10mm dynamic driver made of a polymer composite and a Knowles 33518 balance armature driver. However, the dynamic driver in OH10 is redesigned to be dynamically superior and to overall achieve a better performance.

The second big difference between OH10 and OH1 is in the material of the housing, as the shape of the housing is the same in both IEMs.



The housing of OH10 is made of high-purity copper, which makes it much heavier than that of OH1 (16.2 grams instead of 6 grams per earpiece); this, nonetheless, does not affect at all comfort, and one barely feels that he wears OH10 in his ears. Now, one of the characteristics of copper is that it makes sound to be condensed inside the cavity, resulting in a more full bodied and powerful sound. Furthermore, additional coatings are applied on the inside and the outside, with different effects in each case. On the inside, a platinum coating is added, which, while retaining the full bodied and powerfulsound, it also makes it cleaner and more transparent. On the exterior of the cavity, there is a three layer coating: The outer layer is a skin-friendly resin coating, the intermediate layer is a titanium alloy coating and the inner layer is an electroplated coating. The result is a pitch-black piano gloss finish in titanium color, which looks classy and it is really exquisite, particularly for IEMs costing a mere $199.00; it is hard to believe that IKKO can give listeners such high quality for a mediocre amount of money.



The cable, accessories and outer box of OH10 are about the same as those of OH1, so nothing is missing, and one has everything he needs; an exception is with the eartips, where the set with emphasis to the vocal part of a musical piece, named “Vocal Eartips”, is, as in OH1, in black color, but the second set, designed to give a balanced version of what you are listening to, named “Balanced Eartips”, is in white color.

Now, not only the quality of OH10 is outstanding in and out, but it appears even better than that of OH1. This is because the housing of OH10 is made of high-purity copper, it has a high gloss finish and it is quite heavy; in reality, both OH1 and OH10 have the same outstanding quality, but the set up in OH10 looks nicer.




The sound

Both OH1 and OH10 have the same sound signature, which is to be expected; after all, OH10 was designed not necessarily as an upgrade of OH1, but in order to further improve on the already great performance of OH1.

The sound signature of OH1 and OH10 is balanced on the warm side; this warmth is clear, yet delicate, so the presentation is what we call “pleasantly warm”. It is the warmth that is added in order to make the presentation more engaging, and not in order to change the sound signature from balanced to bassy. So, if you are a bass head, then neither OH1 nor OH10 is for you. There is some amount of sub-bass, and a bigger amount of mid-bass, so I never felt some rumbling bass; however, the important thing is that whatever bass, whether sub- or mid-bass, is tight and well-controlled.

On the other hand, both OH1 and OH10 are very revealing with really extended highs. Now, I have to admit that the tuning of both OH1 and OH10 must be very meticulous; I never felt that the highs were harsh, but I also do not remember a case in which I thought that there is some roll off.

Based on what I wrote above the sound signature of both OH1 and OH10 is what many people would call “V” shape. If I had to use this kind of characterization, I would rather call it “U” shape, as I never felt that the vocals, both female and male, were actually recessed and lacking liveliness; obviously, they do not appear to be forward, but they never were set back either.

I already wrote that OH1 and OH10 have the same sound signature; but what about their differences? Let me start by saying that whatever differences exist they are small. One’s first impression is that OH10’s presentation compared to that of OH1 is more polished and slightly more accurate and correct. Paying a little more attention, you realize that the sound of OH10 is more full-bodied, what we use to call “meatier”, better defined, and a little more cleaner and transparent. Furthermore, both OH1 and OH10 have a very big soundstage, both in width and depth, a very nice image, great dynamics and excellent separation; I really cannot detect any difference between the two in these departments. In a way, you can say that OH1 is intended for a quality everyday listening, while OH10 is intended for a dedicated high quality listening.

I should say that in all the different genres I tried OH1 and OH10, I did not see much difference in the presentation with the “Vocal Eartips” or the “Balanced Eartips”; this is not surprising, as all these filters not only are designed to have small differences among each other, but they also depend on what each listener actually perceives. I started with the classic songs “Always in my Mind” by Elvis Presley, RCA Victor, and “The Look of Love” by Diana Krall, from the album with the same name, Verve. Both OH1 and OH10 put Presley and Krall in the center, with the orchestra all around; it was a really excellent performance, and the difference between the two was minimal. Then I tried “Move” by Hiromi (Uehara), from the album with the same name, Telarc International. This is an extremely complex piece, with Hiromi on piano, Anthony Jackson on bass, and Simon Phillips on drums. It is very difficult to catch the powerful and fast playing of Hiromi and Phillips, complemented by the beautiful bass tones of Jackson, and both OH1 and OH10 were spectacular, with the sound of the latter being more full-bodied and clean-cut; so, here, OH10’s performance had a definite lead. The same was the case with “Fanfare for the Volunteer” by Mark O’Connor, from the album with the same name, Sony Classical. This is a beautiful Orchestral piece composed by O’Connor, and played by him on the violin and London Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Steven Mercurio. It is another demanding piece with many high and low passages, which is very common in Orchestral music. Both OH1 and OH10 delivered the piece in a masterful way, but the sound of the latter was more “meaty” and precise. From all these different listenings it is clear that OH1 and OH10, on top of everything else, are wonderful all-rounders.


Selected comparisons

One of the IEMs that I envy is the MEE Audio Pinnacle P1. Its MSRP is $199.99, but frequently can be found at a (much) more “friendly” price (sometimes even close to half-price). P1’s housing is die-cast from a Zinc alloy and hand-polished, for a very nice look, and it is certainly built to last; in addition, the Zinc alloy is more rigid and has better impact resistance than aluminum, yet offers significant weight savings compared to stainless steel; so, it contributes to the sound signature of P1, and it feels less bulky in the ear. P1 comes with two MMCX cables, one without and one with a microphone, which are both silver-plated 99.99% pure copper and of very good quality. P1 utilizes a proprietary 10mm moving coil driver, with 50 Ω impedance and 96±3dB sensitivity, and a Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire (CCAW) voice coil. A moving coil driver is a dynamic driver, which ensures a good performance in the low frequencies, while the CCAW voice coil is lighter than the copper voice coil, so the couple diaphragm-voice coil has lower inertia, which contributes to improved sound. Furthermore, a proprietary sound chamber and damping scheme, together with a patented acoustic diffuser, improves the detailing and high-frequency extension without adding harshness. Now, the carefully chosen ingredients, combined with a very meticulous, after many trials, tuning, gave P1 a sound signature that I consider exemplary, at least for my taste: It is one of the most balanced IEMs on the planet, and I would dare to call it “the definition of balance”; it is extremely revealing, with plenty of details, i.e., very transparent; it also has a very big soundstage, both in width and depth, and a wonderful image, with great separation. However, its neutral presentation makes P1 kind of bass shy and rather flat, so not very engaging, at least for a number of listeners; at the same time, its 50 Ω impedance, combined with its low sensitivity, does not make it the easier load, and because of that P1 shows its best with the help of some amplification. OH10, on the other hand, does not have the neutrality of P1, but it is powerful and transparent, and it has at least the same soundstage, both in width and depth, image and separation. However, where OH10 wins is that it is very engaging, without any exaggerations, while it is also an easy load and therefore it is more dynamic. So, if I wanted to use an IEM set for a recording, I would choose P1; but, if I wanted to listen to music, as I usually do, I would go with OH10.

Another IEM I am reviewing this period is the Final A3000. Final is known for making excellent IEMs, and A3000 is one of the two (the other being A4000) recently announced IEMs in the A series, in which also belongs the legendary A8000. Both new A3000 and A4000 have a newly designed driver, which is really unique as to its technical innovations as well as its difficult manufacturing; the diaphragm is from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and pushed to its limit, which together with a CCAW voice coil, a reduced gap between the magnet and the voice coil and a copper housing, has taken the performance of the new driver to a very high level. A3000’s MSRP is $129.99, so I thought to compare OH1 with it. Undoubtedly, OH1’s quality is unsurpassed; its housing, as mentioned, is made of a very lightweight aerospace alloy and it is beautifully finished, while A3000’s housing is made from ABS resin. Both IEMs have a balanced and pleasantly warm sound signature, with great transparency and soundstage. However, OH1 is extremely engaging and dynamic, while A3000 is very relaxing. So, these two are IEMs for different audiences and maybe different situations; engaging sound is always a plus, although in certain moments one might want something more relaxing.


Accessories and fit

I have already given a detailed description of the accessories supplied with each of OH1 and OH10. I have to say once again that nothing is missing, and everything you find in the box, from the earpieces, to the cable, the eartips, the leather case, even the outer box, are all of extremely high quality that truly impresses.



Furthermore, both OH1 and OH10 are extremely comfortable; this is natural for OH1, as it is very lightweight. It is quite interesting that the same is the case with OH10, which weights almost three times as much as OH1 (16.2 grams vs. 6 grams per earpiece). This shows that the main thing in fitting is the ergonomic design of the earpieces and not their weight. I should also add that the eartips provided offer a high level of sound isolation, so ambient noise with OH1or OH10 was never a problem. Also, the plastic cover, at the end of the cable, helps the user to place the cable over the ears, thus avoiding microphonics.


Conclusion

Both OH1 and OH10 have a balanced sound on the warm side; the bass is (more than) adequate, tight and well-controlled; the highs are extended, but not harsh; the mids are not forward, but not recessed either, and male and female vocals are well positioned. The overall sound signature is very engaging and what one would call “U” shaped; it is also highly transparent, with a very big soundstage, both in width and depth, a very nice image, great dynamics and excellent separation. Furthermore, the overall quality in these two IEMs is unsurpassed.

Between the two, OH10 has a more complete sound than OH1; more full-bodied and, overall, more articulate. Does OH10 worth the extra $60.00? It does, as you get a better sound and a more sleek appearance. On the other hand, if you are somewhat financially pressed, go ahead and buy OH1; you would be most happy with it, as the difference between the two is rather small.

It is very hard not to like OH1 and OH10. They do so many things right, and you would be hard-pressed to find something they do wrong. I am overly impressed by their wonderful sound and top quality. Most heartedly recommended.


Specifications

OH1
Housing: Aerospace alloy
Driver: 1 Dynamic driver + 1Balance Armature driver
Sensitivity: 106 dB
Impedance: 18 Ω
Frequency response: 20-40 kHz
Connector: 2-Pin, 0.78 mm plugs to earbuds + 3.5 mm plugs to the source
Cable: OFC silver-plated cable
Cord length: 1.2 m
Price: $139.00

OH10
Housing: Pure Copper
Driver: 1 Dynamic driver + 1Balance Armature driver
Sensitivity: 106 dB
Impedance: 18 Ω
Frequency response: 20-40 kHz
Connector: 2-Pin, 0.78 mm plugs to earbuds + 3.5 mm plugs to the source
Cable: OFC silver-plated cable
Cord length: 1.2 m
Price: $199.00

https://ikkoaudio.com]