I try to keep my reviews simple and understandable so I don't go into a large amount of detail with each part. There are others here that do an excellent job at very in depth and detailed reviews. I'll leave that to them.
It's been a while since I have been involved in this hobby but occasionally I log into the site to check things out and message some people. Due to this, I haven't had any experience with Dunu before. I have only briefly heard of them when browsing the site. I logged in recently and had a message from Dunu offering me a chance to listen to the Titan 1. I'd like to start by thanking Vivan and Dunu for contacting me and giving me a chance to hear the Titan 1. I received the Titan 1 on January 19th and I have been listening to it as often as time allows. I've gotten acquainted with how it sounds with all the genres I listen to and I feel pretty comfortable with my overall thoughts on the Titan 1.
Looks are first though. They give you the initial impression of what to expect. When I received my Titan 1 box it made me feel confident about how the Titan 1 will sound. The Titan 1 is well packaged, looks nice, and was easy to open. There are many assorted eartips which made is easy for me to find the right fit. There's a nice and slim little carrying case to help you bring them around. These IEMS are actually quite small for their design. They are much smaller than I expected.
Now, onto the sound:
First impressions - Initially I said that these have great clarity and a good sense of space. I also mentioned that these have bass that's a little on the lean side. I still agree with this today. They have a bit of a V shape but I feel like some of this is attributed to the overall distance and sense of space you get with the Titan 1.
What makes the Titan 1 good?
The Titan 1 is a very good IEM. There are some things that it does very well and would make someone want to buy it. First, the Titan 1 has a spacious sound with excellent instrument separation. I love listening to classical, OST's, jazz, and other similar genres with it. It has a big and wide sound which makes it great for pinpointing instruments, making things appear like they're coming from different places, and dealing with layered music where there are multiple vocal tracks, background vocals, or other things. Next, it has excellent clarity. The Titan 1 has slightly boosted treble and light mid bass. This, combined with the spacious sound allows for excellent overall clarity. While the Titan 1's midbass is not terribly impressive I find it to be very good for listening to bass lines, especially in lower-sub bass levels. I highly recommend this to people who love orchestral music, jazz, movies, clarity, and a wide soundstage. I found these a dream when listening to certain music genres as mentioned previously. You want details? You want separation? You want great lower bass? It's all here for you.
What are some things that might turn you off from the Titan 1?
As mentioned above, while the Titan 1 has great clarity, spacing, and lower bass I personally find that the mids leave a little to be desired. I would say mids are the main weak point of the Titan 1. There is nothing especially wrong with the mids of the Titan 1, but with the IEM's presentation it is not well suited to certain genres and music. One thing I always value in an IEM is the mids, specifically vocals. I love listening to really vocal oriented music sometimes. When I listen to that kind of music I would not pick the Titan 1. The presentation is too laid back for me. If you want that intimate feeling of a singer singing to you then this is not for you. While some IEMS put you on stage or in a small room with the music, the Titan 1 does not. It's more like an auditorium, comparatively speaking. Everything sounds a bit distant and this has the most impact on vocals. There are a couple more notable things - like the design. You can potentially wear these over the ear but it will depend on the person and personal fit. These are designed to be worn cable down. I prefer over the ear myself. The last thing I want to mention is sound leakage. Some people have apparently reported this. I can see how it may be an issue but I think it's "something to think about, not something to worry about" if that makes sense to you. If you are in a crowded library during mid terms and you like to listen to your music really loud then maybe you need to consider it. Otherwise I don't think this is an issue.
If I could change one thing..
I would change the vocals and make them a little more intimate sounding. Is this possible? I don't know. But if it were possible, that's what I would do.
Final thoughts:
The Titan 1 is a very respectable IEM. Dunu did a great job on this one. The price seems good for what you're getting. People who value clarity and soundstage should definitely look into buying a pair of these. They are excellent at what they do and come at a great price. I would recommend these most to people who primarily listen to instrumentally oriented music such as OST's, classical, jazz, and progressive rock (think Opeth - Damnation). For people who listen to music that requires a lot of bass impact like hip hop, dubstep, or vocal oriented/poorly recorded music then I would probably look into buying something else.
That being said, everyone has different preferences and I always encourage you to try something over just listening to another person's opinion.
It's been a while since I have been involved in this hobby but occasionally I log into the site to check things out and message some people. Due to this, I haven't had any experience with Dunu before. I have only briefly heard of them when browsing the site. I logged in recently and had a message from Dunu offering me a chance to listen to the Titan 1. I'd like to start by thanking Vivan and Dunu for contacting me and giving me a chance to hear the Titan 1. I received the Titan 1 on January 19th and I have been listening to it as often as time allows. I've gotten acquainted with how it sounds with all the genres I listen to and I feel pretty comfortable with my overall thoughts on the Titan 1.
Looks are first though. They give you the initial impression of what to expect. When I received my Titan 1 box it made me feel confident about how the Titan 1 will sound. The Titan 1 is well packaged, looks nice, and was easy to open. There are many assorted eartips which made is easy for me to find the right fit. There's a nice and slim little carrying case to help you bring them around. These IEMS are actually quite small for their design. They are much smaller than I expected.
Now, onto the sound:
First impressions - Initially I said that these have great clarity and a good sense of space. I also mentioned that these have bass that's a little on the lean side. I still agree with this today. They have a bit of a V shape but I feel like some of this is attributed to the overall distance and sense of space you get with the Titan 1.
What makes the Titan 1 good?
The Titan 1 is a very good IEM. There are some things that it does very well and would make someone want to buy it. First, the Titan 1 has a spacious sound with excellent instrument separation. I love listening to classical, OST's, jazz, and other similar genres with it. It has a big and wide sound which makes it great for pinpointing instruments, making things appear like they're coming from different places, and dealing with layered music where there are multiple vocal tracks, background vocals, or other things. Next, it has excellent clarity. The Titan 1 has slightly boosted treble and light mid bass. This, combined with the spacious sound allows for excellent overall clarity. While the Titan 1's midbass is not terribly impressive I find it to be very good for listening to bass lines, especially in lower-sub bass levels. I highly recommend this to people who love orchestral music, jazz, movies, clarity, and a wide soundstage. I found these a dream when listening to certain music genres as mentioned previously. You want details? You want separation? You want great lower bass? It's all here for you.
What are some things that might turn you off from the Titan 1?
As mentioned above, while the Titan 1 has great clarity, spacing, and lower bass I personally find that the mids leave a little to be desired. I would say mids are the main weak point of the Titan 1. There is nothing especially wrong with the mids of the Titan 1, but with the IEM's presentation it is not well suited to certain genres and music. One thing I always value in an IEM is the mids, specifically vocals. I love listening to really vocal oriented music sometimes. When I listen to that kind of music I would not pick the Titan 1. The presentation is too laid back for me. If you want that intimate feeling of a singer singing to you then this is not for you. While some IEMS put you on stage or in a small room with the music, the Titan 1 does not. It's more like an auditorium, comparatively speaking. Everything sounds a bit distant and this has the most impact on vocals. There are a couple more notable things - like the design. You can potentially wear these over the ear but it will depend on the person and personal fit. These are designed to be worn cable down. I prefer over the ear myself. The last thing I want to mention is sound leakage. Some people have apparently reported this. I can see how it may be an issue but I think it's "something to think about, not something to worry about" if that makes sense to you. If you are in a crowded library during mid terms and you like to listen to your music really loud then maybe you need to consider it. Otherwise I don't think this is an issue.
If I could change one thing..
I would change the vocals and make them a little more intimate sounding. Is this possible? I don't know. But if it were possible, that's what I would do.
Final thoughts:
The Titan 1 is a very respectable IEM. Dunu did a great job on this one. The price seems good for what you're getting. People who value clarity and soundstage should definitely look into buying a pair of these. They are excellent at what they do and come at a great price. I would recommend these most to people who primarily listen to instrumentally oriented music such as OST's, classical, jazz, and progressive rock (think Opeth - Damnation). For people who listen to music that requires a lot of bass impact like hip hop, dubstep, or vocal oriented/poorly recorded music then I would probably look into buying something else.
That being said, everyone has different preferences and I always encourage you to try something over just listening to another person's opinion.
