I've had the DIY Graphene earbud from NiceHCK for a few days now. My initial impressions were that it sounded very impressive and very similar to the Shozy BK sound signature. Neutral, extended, smooth, crisp, tight, and detailed are words that come to mind to describe this sound. I wasn’t a fan of the EB200, but I really like this new DIY Graphene.
After a few days of listening, I decided to take a FR measurement today. I’ve recently setup a new computer with a different desktop environment on my linux OS and new install of Room EQ Wizard. Today was the first time taking measurements on the new setup and I’m having an issue with REW not calibrating the SPL of my mic properly. I am mentioning it just so you aren’t thrown off when you see the measurement data hovering around 50db rather than the usual 90db. The number on the chart is wrong. I can’t say for sure what SPL these were taken at but it would be close to 90db. Anyway, until I get this sorted I’m only going to post a comparison of the DIY Graphene to the Shozy BK and no other earbuds. It’s best to not compare this graph to any of my previous ones as well. Here is the FR graph:
The graph shows a very well extended response in both directions, and this is also how the earbud sounds to me. The FR curve of the DIY Graphene may not look as pretty at first glance compared to the Shozy BK, but my opinion is that it is actually a better looking response. I should mention again that my graphs are uncompensated, so the FR curve doesn’t accurately reflect how these will sound in ear. I believe these graphs are useful for comparing earbuds against each other, but you do need to have real world experience with at least one of the earbuds to have a better understanding of what to expect in terms of sound signature differences.
So there are two reasons why I think the FR curve of the DIY graphene might technically be better than the Shozy BK. First is the treble response having more energy from 7k onward, and second is the dipped region between 1-5khz. The human ear is most sensitive from 2-5khz. Peaks in this area can be very bothersome and cause listening fatigue. The Shozy BK doesn’t have any peaks in this region on my graphs, and in fact it measures extremely well in this area compared to most earbuds I have measured. Having said that, I think if these graphs were compensated properly, there would still be a slight bump somewhere in this region. In my opinion, this is a troublesome area for most earbuds. My interpretation of the DIY Graphene curve is that the dipped region from 1-5k is likely of benefit. This is my opinion, not fact.
So enough about the graph, lets talk about how they sound. I’m not saying these sound identical to a Shozy BK, or better, but I do think they have a very similar sound signature, what most would consider “neutral”. Doing a volume matched comparison between the Shozy BK and DIY Graphene is relatively easy. I only have to turn the Shozy BK down in volume by one button press on the Chord Mojo to achieve equal loudness.
Bass is very well extended, without sounding muddy or bloated. To me the bass sounds tight, controlled, and detailed, much better than many other earbuds imo. Compared to the Shozy BK the bass sounds about the same in quantity, similar in quality, I would give a slight edge to the DIY Graphene for sub bass definition and detail. Your experiences here may vary greatly from mine depending on fit. The DIY Graphene is a large earbud. The diameter of the front cover is 16.8mm, same as an mx500 cover, but the rear of the shell is more rounded compared to the mx500, making the DIY Graphene’s shell overall bulkier than an mx500 shell. If you have fit issues with mx500 shells, these may be worse.
The mid range presentation is very similar to the Shozy BK imo, until you get into the upper mids, where that dip is. When listening to female vocals I feel the DIY Graphene is smoother, but the Shozy BK is already very good. I do not consider the Shozy BK to have any extreme flaws, it is very impressive.
The treble response is very good. Nicely extended, detailed, crisp, and completely fatigue free for me. Differences in treble compared to the Shozy BK aren’t very obvious to my ears. The DIY Graphene may have a touch more air.
Overall I am very pleased with the DIY Graphene and highly recommend it. For the price I think it’s a steal. Sound signature aside, the only thing I can see as being a deal breaker for some is the fit. It seems to me that the majority of earbuds seem to have peaks in the 1-3k region, so these might sound quite different from what you are used to depending on what you have. They sounded great to me right out of the box, but if that isn’t the case with you I suggest giving yourself some time to adjust before making any judgments. Give them a chance, and they may well be a new favorite.
After a few days of listening, I decided to take a FR measurement today. I’ve recently setup a new computer with a different desktop environment on my linux OS and new install of Room EQ Wizard. Today was the first time taking measurements on the new setup and I’m having an issue with REW not calibrating the SPL of my mic properly. I am mentioning it just so you aren’t thrown off when you see the measurement data hovering around 50db rather than the usual 90db. The number on the chart is wrong. I can’t say for sure what SPL these were taken at but it would be close to 90db. Anyway, until I get this sorted I’m only going to post a comparison of the DIY Graphene to the Shozy BK and no other earbuds. It’s best to not compare this graph to any of my previous ones as well. Here is the FR graph:
The graph shows a very well extended response in both directions, and this is also how the earbud sounds to me. The FR curve of the DIY Graphene may not look as pretty at first glance compared to the Shozy BK, but my opinion is that it is actually a better looking response. I should mention again that my graphs are uncompensated, so the FR curve doesn’t accurately reflect how these will sound in ear. I believe these graphs are useful for comparing earbuds against each other, but you do need to have real world experience with at least one of the earbuds to have a better understanding of what to expect in terms of sound signature differences.
So there are two reasons why I think the FR curve of the DIY graphene might technically be better than the Shozy BK. First is the treble response having more energy from 7k onward, and second is the dipped region between 1-5khz. The human ear is most sensitive from 2-5khz. Peaks in this area can be very bothersome and cause listening fatigue. The Shozy BK doesn’t have any peaks in this region on my graphs, and in fact it measures extremely well in this area compared to most earbuds I have measured. Having said that, I think if these graphs were compensated properly, there would still be a slight bump somewhere in this region. In my opinion, this is a troublesome area for most earbuds. My interpretation of the DIY Graphene curve is that the dipped region from 1-5k is likely of benefit. This is my opinion, not fact.
So enough about the graph, lets talk about how they sound. I’m not saying these sound identical to a Shozy BK, or better, but I do think they have a very similar sound signature, what most would consider “neutral”. Doing a volume matched comparison between the Shozy BK and DIY Graphene is relatively easy. I only have to turn the Shozy BK down in volume by one button press on the Chord Mojo to achieve equal loudness.
Bass is very well extended, without sounding muddy or bloated. To me the bass sounds tight, controlled, and detailed, much better than many other earbuds imo. Compared to the Shozy BK the bass sounds about the same in quantity, similar in quality, I would give a slight edge to the DIY Graphene for sub bass definition and detail. Your experiences here may vary greatly from mine depending on fit. The DIY Graphene is a large earbud. The diameter of the front cover is 16.8mm, same as an mx500 cover, but the rear of the shell is more rounded compared to the mx500, making the DIY Graphene’s shell overall bulkier than an mx500 shell. If you have fit issues with mx500 shells, these may be worse.
The mid range presentation is very similar to the Shozy BK imo, until you get into the upper mids, where that dip is. When listening to female vocals I feel the DIY Graphene is smoother, but the Shozy BK is already very good. I do not consider the Shozy BK to have any extreme flaws, it is very impressive.
The treble response is very good. Nicely extended, detailed, crisp, and completely fatigue free for me. Differences in treble compared to the Shozy BK aren’t very obvious to my ears. The DIY Graphene may have a touch more air.
Overall I am very pleased with the DIY Graphene and highly recommend it. For the price I think it’s a steal. Sound signature aside, the only thing I can see as being a deal breaker for some is the fit. It seems to me that the majority of earbuds seem to have peaks in the 1-3k region, so these might sound quite different from what you are used to depending on what you have. They sounded great to me right out of the box, but if that isn’t the case with you I suggest giving yourself some time to adjust before making any judgments. Give them a chance, and they may well be a new favorite.
