Intro​

The 1+2 hybrids have been made for quite a while now and there’s a lot of different tunings being offered using the same driver configurations in the market. So what makes the Yume any different from the others? Would it be ‘meh’ or would it trumps over all the other similarly configured hybrids out there? It is interesting to see how a ‘new’ brand name would approach the almost overly saturated IEM space and this debut IEM by See Audio should not be looked down upon. Why? Let’s find out…

Packaging​

First off, I’m not really a fan of the waifu-themed box sleeve. Yes the colour choices are attractive and it is eye-catching to be displayed on your shelf (it gives a different kind of vibe) but that particular theme is just not for me. The box itself however is more of my liking with its black on black printing. Inside, the Yume is nestled comfortably in its foam slot cut-out along with the black metal carry case resting next to a complete set of eartips, enough for the majority of people.

Fancy box sleeves aside, the IEM itself; the Yume is beautifully built. Sporting the universal custom shell design, it is made of resin and is fairly light despite the purposedly designed half-filled cavity. The smoked translucent shell is a feast to the eyes for those who love to peek at the drivers inside and the faceplate really does complete the looks. The glittery dark green complements its somewhat embossed-chrome logo printing. The fit is perfect for my ears and the stock cable while average, they are supple to the hands and behaves very well.

Functions & Specifications​

• Material – Resin
• Transducer Type – 1x 9.2mm Liquid Silica Dynamic Driver, 2x Knowles Balanced Armature
• Sensitivity – 106dB SPL/mW @ 1kHz
• Impedance – 32ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Range – 20Hz to 20kHz

What’s In The Box​

• See Audio Yume
• Silicon Eartips (XS, S, M, L) x1
• Foam Eartips (M, L) x2
• Hockey Puck Carry Case
• Replacement Nozzle Filters x2
• Rinko Stickers

Sound & Tonality​

See Audio Yume was tuned to have a sound signature which follows closely to the Harman target curve and supposedly an all rounder for most music genres. They are in fact a fantastic IEM once you put them in your ears. Tonality can be considered natural and timbre is just about right with somewhat typical OK-ish hybrid coherency (unless you’re really nitpicking on this part, it’s not of a concern). It is by no means groundbreaking but rather a more polished presentation of what a good hybrid IEM should sound like.

Source Used​

Xduoo X2s > Xduoo XQ-10 > See Audio Yume
Hiby R2 > iFi Micro iDSD Black Label > See Audio Yume

Bass​

Sub-bass is powerful but not overly dominant on the Yume. The rumble is done just right with enough presence to make it an intriguing listen. Mid-bass is punchy, impactful and clean which makes it quite versatile without being boomy nor sounding bloated. Upper-bass is lean, detailed and textured. There’s no significant bleed towards the lower mids…just a good mature bass and they are annoyingly addictive. I’ve found myself cranking up the volume on these just to get more fun out of it…and it gives you exactly that.

Mids​

Transitioning to the lower-mids, the Yume sounds lean and clean. There is slight warmth carried over from the upper-bass which really helps with the tonality here. The mids is forward, transparent and detailed. While not being the most revealing mids, they are great considering the micro details and timbre are complementing each other very well despite can be hollow sounding at times (rarely, depending on tracks). Upper-mids can be somewhat tinny-bit thin but are never shouty which renders them to be almost perfect.

Treble​

The lower-treble is pleasantly inoffensive. There’s no annoying edginess, not dull sounding and definitely no sibilance…just carefully tuned to tread between the lines. Treble however can get a little bit peaky but still nowhere near being alarming and is detailed. The sparkle is just right and the shimmer is somehow controlled despite the sometimes intrusive peak. The upper-treble on the Yume could do with a bit more air for nuances but then again it will definitely risk the already good overall treble response.

Soundstage​

It is fair to say that the soundstage on the Yume is average at its best. They are slightly wider than deep but are pretty evenly distributed and what impressed me is their height. For what it’s worth, it manages to present a quite tall soundstage which gives the overall soundstage perception to be almost holographic. Layering is OK but can sometimes be a bit confusing. (YMMV)

Imaging & Separation​

Imaging is precise to say the least and separation on the Yume is fantastic for the price. Everything is very well presented despite the sometimes confusing layering. By this I mean sometimes cues are percepted to be nearer than it should be, and farther when it shouldn’t. I would say that they perform excellently in this regard which actually makes them capable for some technically-inclined duty.

Driveability​

The good news is that they’re not demanding of powerful sources. Most portable devices will be able to drive them pretty well. The bad news is they do scale with more power. So, that’ll leave some of us longing for that extra oomph! But fret not, even a dongle dac will do just fine to make the Yume reveal its true colours.

Synergy​

The Yume will pair well with most sources with very minor changes, slightly affecting the already excellent transient response and even less on the overall sound signature. They can be ‘fun’ sounding with warm sources and can also be somewhat analytical sounding with close to neutral sources but are very enjoyable regardless what source you plug them in.

Comparison​

HillAudio S8 (1DD, 2BA – Balanced Filter)

Back in the days, the S8 is probably the most pleasing IEM to listen to. Along with the tunable nozzle filters, it is among the very versatile IEM at the time. The bass is much more emphasized on the S8 with more rumble but suffers from a very slow decay which bleeds into the mids. The mids is lush sounding and warmer on the S8 as compared to the Yume. Treble however can be a bit metallic-ish sounding with sometimes offensive peaks on the S8 which renders the Yume to be a more refined, well tuned IEM.

On to technicalities, the Yume just blows the S8 away in every audible aspects. Soundstage is ever so slightly larger, layering is more defined, imaging and separation is excellent on the Yume in comparison to the S8. With that being said, it shows that the Eastern companies (in general) have indeed improved upon the tuning of their products and it is a very wise move in order to keep bringing something fresh, technically competent products on the table.

Moondrop Blessing 2 (1DD, 4BA)

Retailing for almost twice the asking price, the Blessing 2 is a honestly different IEM altogether along with a different approach on the sound signature and a more bad ass technicality. Bass is leaner, cleaner and more textured on the Blessing 2. Mids is transparent, more revealing of micro details and thinner sounding on the Blessing 2. Treble is livelier, airier and more nuanced on the Blessing 2 at the expense of it getting a bit hot. But for tonality, the Yume sounds more balanced and more pleasant overall.

The technicalities on the Yume is, like I said earlier…competent. No it won’t trade blows with the Blessing 2 but more of a benchmark on what a tehcnically capable IEM should deliver. Alas, the soundstage on the Blessing 2 is wider and taller but the Yume is perceptibly slightly deeper. Imaging is similarly precise but separation on the Blessing 2 is superior. Remember the somewhat confusing layering on the Yume? The Blessing 2 does not suffer from that.

For Who?​

In my opinion, those who are fans of the ‘Harman-Target’ curve will definitely adore the Yume. Despite some minor nit-picking technical quirks, they do sound great. Needless to say that with the asking price, you really do get more than just a fancy packaging/unboxing experience…you also get a very competent IEM to add in your collection.

Verdict & Stars​

I would say that the Yume will probably be the most valuable priceerformance purchase and will put you in a pause for quite a while before you start looking for replacements. And it is suffice to say that the only way you will be satisfied after the Yume is with the upper-tier offerings. Yes, it is that good. Let’s just hope that the Yume is not a one-hit-wonder from See Audio.

5 Stars

Intro​

First and foremost, big thanks to BQEYZ for sending in the Summer to be reviewed. Personally it’s my first BQEYZ In Ear Monitor (IEM) at the moment and frankly speaking, this particular IEM is quite appealing. It’s getting crowded in this price segment and audio companies need to deliver something outstanding if not unique in order to capture the market. Truth be told, the Summer is one of those unique (in a good way) IEM that pop ups every once in a while.

Sporting a tribrid design (1 DD, 1 BA, 1 Piezo), the configuration alone is unique in the price segment. The build is solid for a plastic shell (they claimed it to be made of resin) but to be honest they could’ve been better. The Summer is a fairly light IEM hence there’s no issue regarding comfort. I can wear these all day long. So, will the unique configuration of the Summer complement its sound signature? Read on…

Packaging​

The packaging is simple yet sufficient. Unboxing experience is somewhat disappointing due to the lack of accessories but putting that aside, it’s honestly complete to get you started. Besides, what are the odds that we actually use all of the accessories included with any IEM? There are a total of 6 pairs of eartips provided, 3 sets of wide-bore eartips and another 3 sets of narrow-bore eartips. The carry case however, is lit!!! With somewhat leathery finished that screams ‘exclusive’ and a very substantial feel to it.

Functions & Specifications​

• Material: Ultra-light Resin
• Transducer Type: 1x 13mm PU+LCP diaphragm Dynamic Driver, 1x Balanced Armature, 1x 5 Layers Piezo Electric.
• Sensitivity: 107dB/Vrms @ 1kHz
• Impedance: 32ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Range: 7Hz – 40kHz

What’s In The Box​

• BQEYZ Summer
• Silicon eartips (S, M, L) x 2 pairs each
• Carry case

Sound & Tonality​

The Summer carries a W-shaped sound signature with an overall fun and clean tonality. It is mostly balanced, slightly leaning towards bright sounding IEM with a very engaging high frequency response. Technical ability is somewhat mediocre at its best, but definitely a step up from the more budget segment IEMs.

Source Used​

Sony WM1Z (Midnight FW, Balanced) > BQEYZ Summer

Bass​

The sub-bass on the Summer is audibly rolled off. The rumble is present but really not that satisfying. Don’t get me wrong, it’s there but just not inspiring (at least for me). The mid-bass has good texture and engaging to listen to without ever, not even near being bloated. Upper-bass is clean and there’s no significant bleed towards the lower-mids. It’s just enough to provide slight warmth to the tonality. I would say that the Summer is a mid-bass focused IEM with a clean, fast and well textured bass presentation.

Mids​

The lower-mids sounds natural but the transition from the lower end is somewhat incoherent. This is purely nit-picking as it is not that significant to be a deterrent for music enjoyment. The mids itself is presented in a textured, clear and well articulated with good detail retrieval. But the forward mids might sound hollow, depending on the tracks. Now, the upper-mids may get hot and can be perceived as slightly thin sounding at times. All in all, the mids on the Summer can be perceived as clean and arguably natural.

Treble​

There’s a slight sibilance to be heard on the lower-treble, which can be fatiguing at times. The treble however is well done and sparkly with excellent detail retrieval. The only caveat for me is that it can sound metallic-ish. The upper-treble lacks air and rolled off on the extreme end. To be frank, the brilliance that it presents in this region is amazing and it would be perfect if it was toned down a tinny bit just to avoid from sounding metallic. But then again, the treble coming from the Piezo driver is what renders the Summer as unique.

Soundstage​

To be honest despite the slightly bright sound signature, the soundstage is average at its best. They are indeed wider than deep and throughout my listening period there has never been a single moment that I felt them as being too closed in. The best part of the Summer is that it possess a perceptibly good height in its soundstage, which is excellent for the price. Layering on the Summer is good enough to complement the depth of the soundstage. It’s not stellar but definitely notable especially when coming from more budget oriented IEMs.

Imaging & Separation​

The Summer showcases good separation throughout the frequency range. It was never crowded nor congested. The imaging that it presents is fairly precise. They’re not pinpoint accurate but enough to clearly distinguish every spatial cues. But both separation and imaging capabilities are limited to its height presentation. Despite having a perceptibly good height in its soundstage, it is also the limiting factor here. By that I mean they could be much better in this regard. They’re good but that’s just it.

Driveability​

These are easily driven by any source and scales very, very well with more power. Control is the word here. Everything sounds more controlled and refined with more powerful sources. But do be careful since they’re quite picky when it comes to the source’s sound signature.

Synergy​

It is safe to say that the Summer pairs very well with warm sources to add more weight & body to the overall tonality. Since I experienced some slight sibilance, eartips rolling might help to compensate the tiny sibilance issue. I end up with the JVC Spiraldots despite still having that periodically, tiny bit of annoying “Ss” and “Ts” but I just can’t forego their overall considerably fantastic treble presentation.

Comparison​

Shozy x Neo CP

The CP is a 3-BA configurated IEM with a very well made resin shell. Despite having an all-BA drivers, the CP is warmer and more coherent. In comparison to the Summer, the bass is more extended with more natural decay throughout, with more rumble too. Yes, more rumble. Mids are slightly recessed but more transparent and fuller sounding as compared to the Summer. Treble is where the Summer outshines the CP, and by a very good margin. The Piezoelectric driver used in the Summer clearly delivers a more revealing, airier and more engaging treble experience.

On to technical performance, the soundstage is wider and deeper on the Summer, and slightly taller too. The CP has a more closed in soundstage but they’re much more holographic in comparison to the Summer which makes them the more immersive IEM to listen to. Imaging and layering is better defined on the Summer while separation can be considered similar despite things can sound a bit muddled up on the CP at times.

For Who?​

I would say that those who seek to venture into more exotic driver configuration will most likely find the Summer a promising option. Despite the tribrid configuration, they’re just a slightly above average technical performer with some minor quirks in tonality and coherency. But trust me, this is just nit-picking. They’re absolutely worthy of the asking price considering what it offers.

Verdict & Stars​

With exotic drivers being offered in the lower tier segment, it is interesting to see where Chi-Fi manufacturers would take us further into this never-ending rabbit hole. The effort to trickle down all the fancy tech for more pocket friendly price tag is massively appreciated. At the very least, it is something different from the others. For the asking price, it will surely lure in more users to experience the exotic drivers configuration, including (but not limited to) the higher tier ones. Good job, BQEYZ!

4 Stars

Intro​

In the chase towards the ‘flattest-sounding’ IEM, there has been a lot of manufacturers and brand names that showed off their tuning expertise to be offered to the mass market. Most of them have a different approach to deliver somewhat close to the Diffuse Field Neutral sound signature. Yes, it is not a Harman’s target and it is less appealing for the general consumer but rather a niche tuning catered to a very specific crowd. But a target curve is just a target curve. The whole listening experience is also weighted by other factors.

KB Ear really did their homework with the Neon and it was a really interesting feat having them compared side by side to some more pricier, similarly tuned and similarly configured IEMs. It will definitely appeal to a specific group of audiophile but will also provide a new listening experience for the more adventurous ones. This review unit was provided by KB Ear.

Packaging​

Packaging is fairly simple. The black sleeve with the neon-colored wording really pops out and actually gives me some sort of a neon-light-district vibes. The IEM itself is packed neatly inside, nestled securely in foams. Supplied along with the Neon are 3 sets of silicon eartips, a set of foam eartips and a nicely made carry case. It’s a fairly simple packaging here but the presentation is different from what I was accustomed to.

The shell is made of resin with an aluminium nozzle and while the color choices might be questionable, it really does reflect its name. The overall design itself suggests that it should perform at its best with a deep fit. And I mean a very deep fit somewhere similar to that of the Etymōtic’s deep. The cable supplied with the Neon is one of the best stock cable that I have experienced so far. The behaviour and feel of the cable just speaks for itself = quality. It is also worth noting that the connector is uniquely marked with a bulge which makes it easier to differentiate the left and right IEM (the bulge should be pointed forward when in use).

The only caveat I had with the Neon is the cable connection. It is secure enough until you are used to using them deep inside your ears. Once, the entire Neon was left inside my left ear while trying to pull them out. Yes the whole IEM, not just the eartips. LOL! Most probably it was me not being extra careful but the connections really should been more secure considering the design approach.

Functions & Specifications​

• Material: Resin Shell with Aluminium Nozzle
• Transducer Type: 1x Balanced Armature (Knowles ED29689
• Sensitivity: 105dB/Vrms @ 1kHz
• Impedance: 14ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Range: 20Hz – 20kHz

What’s In The Box​

• KBEar Neon
• Silicon Eartips (S, M, L) x1
• Foam Eartip (M) x1
• Carry Case

Sound & Tonality​

Despite the fun sounding name and interesting shell colour choices, the Neon carries a neutral sound signature (which is an uncoloured sound). Accompanied with an arguably BA-natural tonality, they’re leaning close to the Diffuse Field Neutral but somehow manages to maintain the balance between being too analytical and too fun, which is a very wise decision.

Source Used​

Xduoo X2S > Xduoo XQ-10 > KBEar Neon
Foobar2k > IFI micro iDSD Black Label > KBEar Neon

Bass​

The Neon does extend into the sub-bass region but they are by no means rumbly or elevated. It’s just there. Mid-bass is neutral but is also somewhat ‘thumpy’. Yes, ‘thumpy’ in a way that it tries to provide some sense of energy on the lower end to avoid from sounding too anaemic (they’ll still sound anaemic if you’re used to more fun signature, YMMV). Upper-bass however is clean but somewhat blunted in speed. The bass on the Neon is not the most detailed despite sounding clean and textured but it is at least typical of a Diffuse Field Neutral tuned IEM.

Mids​

The transition from the upper-bass to the lower-mids is good and as expected from a single BA driver, there’s no audible bass bleed here, obviously. The mids is forward but somehow they sound veiled. Don’t get me wrong, the detail retrieval is OK but there’s some kind of muffle which retracts the full potential of the Knowles ED29689. But on the plus side, that slight veil avoids the mids from sounding hollow. Upper-mids is tastefully done to be engaging enough without being thin and far from being shouty.

Treble​

Lower-treble is clear and almost…almost crunchy sounding. It somehow lacks the energy to proper complement the upper-mids. Treble is fairly detailed, controlled and peakiness is a non-existent which renders the Neon suitable for longer listening sessions. The brilliance on the upper-treble is good but they’re rolled off quite a bit early, resulting in a less airy presentation. Nonetheless, the treble is inoffensive and will suit most people who prefer the characteristics of a neutral, somewhat accurate ‘reference-tuned’ IEM.

Soundstage​

The Neon do sound a bit closed in. They are slightly wider than deep but lacking in height. If the stage is slightly taller, it would render the Neon to be almost holographic sounding (with constraint from the stage depth). Still, a good soundstage presentation nonetheless considering the asking price and the limits of a single BA driver that’s being used.

Imaging & Separation​

On to some more technicalities, the Neon paints the spatial cues in a well defined and precise image despite the small-ish soundstage. Separation however is not rendered as beautifully as the imaging itself. It can get rather congested, which also affects the layering to be somewhat more 2-dimensional. While these two should come hand in hand, it may be due to the veil that took its toll on the separation as opposed to the size of the soundstage.

Driveability​

The Neon is relatively easy to drive and its behaviour is pretty much similar to one of the more highly regarded IEM…more on that in the comparison section. Truth be told, they don’t quite scale very well with more power being fed. There are slight improvement but rather insignificant.

Synergy​

Similar to most neutral-sounding IEMs, they’re source sensitive and are very fond of warm sources. Reason being is that warm sources will balance out all the uncoloured part of the sound spectrum to be more pleasing, immersive and fun to listen to.

Comparison​

*disclaimer: comparison is made based within the niche area of “neutrally-tuned” IEM, and not based on the general consensus.

FiiO FA1​

The FA1 is FiiO’s take on the single-BA IEM market which utilizes a Knowles ED33357 accompanied with a more ergonomically designed shell. The sound signature is balanced-neutral and can at least be an all rounder if need be (YMMV). Bass sounds more natural and smoother on the FA1 but detail retrieval is excellent in comparison to the Neon. Mids have more body (read:lush) and clearer on the FA1 which renders better detail retrieval than the Neon. Treble is more exciting (still a safe treble) and airier on the FA1 despite being the more ‘balanced’ sounding IEM.

On to some technicalities, soundstage on the FA1 is rounder and taller. But then again it’s not a night and day difference since it’s still a single-BA, derived from the same base model. Layering is perceptibly similar on both despite the FA1 being slightly deeper. Imaging and separation is noticeably better, well distinguished and more accurate on the FA1 as compared to the Neon. In short, the FA1 is more comfortable, slightly balanced sounding with a slightly better technical performer than the Neon.

Etymōtic ER3SE (stock filter)​

The ER3SE is similarly designed to be a minimalistic, deep fitting IEM and built with an aluminium shell as opposed to resin shell on the Neon. Well, these are the guys who pioneered this particular niche IEM-scape after all. Bass is similarly neutral but more detailed and wonderfully textured on the ER3SE. Mids are more transparent and detailed on the ER3SE but almost sounding hollow as compared to the Neon. Treble is safely tuned to give enough energy and sparkle but are similarly rolled off for both the ER3SE and the Neon.

This Etymōtic is my current benchmark for technical performance under the $200 mark. To be fair, the Neon is not that far off in some region. Soundstage is similarly closed in for both IEMs but the ER3SE has a more evenly distributed width, depth and height which renders them to be more holographic sounding. Imaging and separation on the Neon is clearly outpaced by the ER3SE. Not to mention the layering on the ER3SE is more defined and polished. All in all the Neon is a good, cheaper alternative for one to experience something almost similar to the Etymōtic.

For Who​

In my humble opinion, those who prefer Diffuse Field Neutral signature will most likely grow fond of the Neon. Standing between the lines of being anaemic, sterile and monitor-ish sounding IEM, the Neon is indeed one of the less ‘fun’ IEM which targets a specific group of people. I mean, yes it’s a niche tuning but IEMs that bear this particular sound signature are very versatile to begin with. The Neon do benefit from deep insertion similar to the Etymōtics so potential buyers be wary.

Stars & Verdict​

Unlike a single-DD IEM, a single-BA IEM is arguably the more unfavourable configuration for most people due to the known limitation of the driver. But in the real world application, as long as the IEM caters to your sound preference and use case scenario, it should be more than adequate to provide a satisfying listening experience (given that you like the signature). Despite its quirks, it’s not too much to say that the Neon is quite a competitive IEM (considering its price) within the niche single-BA, neutral-sounding IEMs realm.

4 Stars