BLON BL-Max

Introduction

At this point, BLON, or WGZBLON, needs no introduction. Active since 2014, it is the brand responsible for creating one of the most famous Hypes of recent years: the BL-03. It is true that it is the Chinese brand of impossible shapes, heavy metallic constructions that attract a lot of attention and whose shapes are very committed to the fit and ergonomics of each enthusiast. Even so, BLON does not give up and continues to persist on this path, perpetuating its almost extravagant designs. As a further example, the current BL-Max possesses all these traits: it is relatively beautiful, metallic, heavy and with a design that makes it difficult to fit in my ears.
If we talk about its internal design, it is a dynamic dual driver, combining a 10mm driver with a carbon diaphragm and a 6mm driver with a very light diaphragm. The cavity is made of Zinc alloy and uses a 2Pin 0.78 connection. Despite all this, the tuning has not changed that much from that BL-03 or the later BL-05s. So it is not a sonic revolution, only the design is, but not so much of an ergonomic improvement.
In my opinion, BLON is still going round in circles about the tuning of its most successful model, but without taking off from it, nor surpassing the value of that time.
In the following review we will see why these thoughts.



Specifications

• Driver Type: Dual dynamic driver (10mm+6mm).
• Frequency Response: 20-20kHz
• Sensitivity: 115dB
• Impedance: 32Ω
• Jack Connector: 3.5mm, straight plug, gold plated.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm
• Cable length: 1.2m (silver-plated cable).

Packaging

BL-MAX come in a classic white, medium-sized, elongated cardboard box, size 179x96x35mm. On the front side, the silhouette of the product is drawn, the model name appears in the lower right corner and the brand name in the upper left corner. On the back side are the specifications, in Chinese and English. It should be noted that the impedance is 32Ω in Chinese and 16Ω in English. Maybe it's due to jet lag…
After opening the box, you can see the capsules fitted in a plastic holder, at the top. While at the bottom there is another little white cardboard box, with a description of the product in the middle. The complete contents are as follows:

• The 2 BL-MAX capsules.
• 1 x 1.2m silver-plated cable with 3.5mm straight plug.
• 3 pairs of dark grey silicone tips, sizes SxMxL.
• 2 pairs of dark grey silicone tips, more elongated and narrower, sizes SxL.
• 1 cloth bag for storing the headphones.
• 1 user manual.

For the price and as usual, the content is acceptable. Nowadays, it seems that including a pouch to store the product is something to be highlighted, when before it was very common to receive a zipped case, whose protection capacity is much greater.
Neither the pouch, nor the cable, nor the tips are anything special. Although the cable is different and looks a little better than before, its plastic coating makes it easier to shape.



Construction and Design

The capsules are made of zinc alloy for its brilliant sound characteristics. The surface has a very fine sandblasted finish and has been machined to a high gloss, thanks to its PDV plating. They are heavy and large. The outer face is a rectangle with rounded corners, measuring 20x27mm. On the underside you can read the brand, model and channel, written in white letters. The inner side has a flat outer edge, on which the 2Pin connector is mounted. On a second level there is a narrower, more ergonomically shaped box, which tries to fit into the pinna. On the opposite side to the 2Pin connection, on the skirt of the nozzles, there is a hole. Finally, the nozzles are short and slanted in the direction of the ear canal. Their length is 4.25mm and their outer diameter is 5.4mm. Whether this design manages to be ergonomic is another matter, which will be discussed in the next section.
I can't deny that the design is striking and the construction is excellent. But the capsules are heavy, the shape is not very appropriate, the nozzles are short, the inner side does not fit easily due to its size and on top of that they came with a manufacturing defect: the left capsule is out of phase, so I had to use another cable that allowed me to turn it around, in order to solve this inconvenience.
The cable is silver plated and covered with transparent plastic. It is 1.2m long and relatively thin. The plug is 3.5mm SE gold plated. Its jacket is a silver-plated metal cylinder. The cable has a small tubular shield when it comes out of the cable. The splitter piece is another identical cylinder. The 2Pin connectors are completely covered inside an angled sleeve, which fits perfectly with the connector of the capsule. Because of this cover and this angle, I couldn't use the cable, because the left capsule was out of phase. In addition, the cable has both over-ear guides at this point.
The cable is a little above average, but it has a tendency to get a bit of shape due to its unique plastic coating.
Overall, the construction is very good, the design is bold and eye-catching, but the performance is compromised, due to the ergonomics.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

The capsules are heavy and I have had a lot of difficulty finding a durable fit. The nozzles are short and none of the standard tips work for me, because they fall out, they don't reach the ear canal properly. Even with my large foam-filled tips, I have had problems, because of the short size of the nozzles. The fit is very shallow and they can only be held in place by minimal contact and thanks to the over-ear anchorage. So I don't recommend it for use on the street or on the move, unless you are lucky enough to get a better fit than mine.
It’s not normal for me to have problems with the ergonomics of IEMS, almost all of them fit me well and I have very few problems with them. Using the larger tips in my collection I have achieved a more durable fit, but the best sound is very position dependent, the slightest misadjustment and the seal disappears and the perception of the music changes, especially from the low end. So ergonomics is critical.



Sound

Profile

BLON persists with the idea of a soft V-profile, trying to stretch the extension of the treble, although it remains soft, with a point of clipping due to a clear drop before the air region. The mids feel moderately delayed in front of the bass and first treble, which impoverishes the overall tuning result.



Bass

When a good fit and a better level of canal occlusion is achieved, the quality and perception of bass is enhanced. Thanks to the use of my large, foam-filled silicone tips, the surface fit allows the sound to be sealed inside the ears and that is when the bass is maximised. The sensation, then, is of a powerful sub-bass, linear down to the mid-bass, but above all, very physical, with an ability to move quite a lot of air. It has a nice level of roughness, with a good descriptive level and an eloquent texture. The timbre of the lower notes is quite realistic and the low-frequency oscillations develop with naturalness and appropriate colour. The BL-Maxes pass the 20 to 50Hz pure note reproduction test with a fairly high rating. And it is in the transition from the sub-bass to the mid-bass that they are at their most violent. This characteristic offers a sense of sluggishness that weakens the whole, being less agile to follow fast bass lines, as their power exceeds the dynamism needed to pick up in due time. It's a bit like between waves there is no return to the sea and the LFOs collide with each other, as one goes forward and the other picks up. Then, there is too much air in the environment and a feeling of continuous magma. I think the bass notes are fast only on the go, while the decay is slower, giving a wet bass feeling. This is the negative note at the lower end. On the other hand, the colour, power and texture can become quite pleasant, at times, for a bass-lover like me.
In short, the low end is a mixture of mixed feelings, some very enjoyable, others more diffuse, less well defined and of lower resolution. One misses a point of greater overall dryness.



Mids

The first part of the mids is perceived as relatively distant. The body of the male voices and instrumentation in this area is lighter and thinner. This has an impact on the appreciation of texture and details/matices in them. The rendering is simpler and flatter, with little three-dimensionality. The best thing remains the timbre, which feels very appropriate and natural. The sinking of this area is evident when the musical passages have bass, also the first treble predominates over this area. The result is an impoverishment of this first half, in an IEMS whose tuning in comparison to previous models should improve in this area. And this has not been the case. My assessment in this respect is critical: having to turn up the volume to perceive the closeness of the mids is not a solution when the bass remains in the room for a long time. So I am disappointed to have found this initial gap, even though the price level is so low.
The second half is slightly compensated for and the gain of the bell emancipates the female voices and brings a degree of clarity and cleanliness, but pushes the first half even further away. There is a steep rise and this contrast disturbs a quiet, calm listen, as balance and equilibrium are lost. On the one hand there is a bass stage that can become massive and then a high mid-high and early treble enhancement. The sensation of hollowness can become apparent.
The descriptive ability of the mids also feels minimised, when with more presence, this power would surely have been greatly improved. I think that the dynamic capacity of the drivers would be able to contribute more in this sense, but again it remains a sketch, a good approach that leaves me with the honey on my lips: I want more mids! The BL-Max have the qualities to offer them, but they don't, so we have to be satisfied with a marked V in this first half.



Treble

Looking at the frequency response, the first treble is the highest part of the graph. Are these IEMS for treble-heads? Not at all. The treble is quite controlled and the first cymbals are present, but there is no flashy brilliance. There is clear control and smoothness. I like the initial level of extension because they don't have the classic steep drop, at 6kHz, to offer a more pronounced, quiet control. Against that, this part is sustained and it's beyond when the valley gets deep. Good and bad. Musically it's good, because it's pleasant and keeps sibilance very much at bay, offering excellent control over it. This benefits the reproduction of bad recordings, those with uncontrolled brightness in this area. But, on the other hand, this exaggerated valley seems to limit more sparkle in the final notes, impoverishing the harmonics and reducing the level of detail, nuance, even texture. Expressiveness and assurance are always tricky to marry, and the BL-Max have tried to bring something different to the table, and half-heartedly succeed. But, on this occasion, I applaud their daring and insight, because they still have a good representation of first treble and a slight sense of air, though not enough. Perhaps that's why the timbre remains realistic, if, at times, underdeveloped or expanded, like the vast majority of the notes. Good is not superior, but it's better than overdone, in this case.



Soundstage, Separation

The scene has a large width component, even a good sense of envelopment. But I don't find it has much three-dimensionality. There is a good level of depth, but less height. Overall, I think it lacks air, the separation is not very high, and the bass, with its magma, is able to coalesce the scene and the provenance of the elements. The micro-detail is very shaded, even hidden. This is a thick-brush representation, there is not much room for the tiniest nuances, which impoverishes the listening experience, especially if you play music that you know down to the smallest details. Little dark background is observed due to the complete softness of the sound. There is a low level of complexity and little analytical feeling. The BLON BL-Maxes are characterised more by musicality than by technical capabilities, the latter being relatively withdrawn.



Comparisons

TFZ Live 1

If the need is to look for V-U IEMS, it is best to play it safe and buy, for example, a TFZ. The direct consequence is clear, the bass is deeper, more powerful, relatively as fast or slow, depending on how you look at it, but cleaner in its tuning. I prefer the roughness and texture of the TFZ bass, as well as its characteristic darker sonority. It is true that, perhaps, the BL-Max's bass is technically more defined and the TFZ's depth dulls that definition. But their rumble is still shocking to me.
The highs are also more prominent, offering a superior presence of detail by emphasis rather than technical skill. At least, they are more coherent overall, in this upper zone. In this way, micro nuances are not as masked and more of them can be discerned in the Live 1s.
In the mid-range, the lower V of the Blon offers a somewhat fuller sound, with a timbre that I prefer as natural, more musical and pleasant. The TFZs are cooler in the mid-range and the sag is there, even slightly higher. They receive less warmth and body from the bass, but there is a higher point of cleanliness, although they are also lighter and thinner, offering a less representative area.
True, the BLONs are tonally more satisfying, even more musical, but there is more sparkle and life in the Live 1s, and not just because of their name. The tuning of the TFZs is more polarised and that has an impact on the stage, somewhat less so. A larger oval is perceived in the representation of the BL-Max, improving its image and gaining a more enveloping sensation.
The TFZs are smaller, lighter, there are more colours to choose from, they have better ergonomics and are more comfortable. I prefer fun to a "I want to and can't get out of the vicious circle of the BL-03". Although, as I like the mids and they also have plenty of bass, it is possible that at other times, I would look for that comparative superior point between the two, in favour of the BL-Max, although I still think that they could have given more.



Conclusion

I have the feeling that BLON is flying in circles, as if they were vultures on the lookout for the carcass of the best-selling BL-03. They change the design, even create new drivers, improve the cable and adjust to a price range. But they still have fit problems, they are heavy and the tuning is based on that successful model, without providing superior improvements. Tonally I still like them, at the stage level they have some strong points. But they are sparse in detail, the bass decay is slow, the first half of the mids is pushed back, as is the second half of the treble. With all this, in a price range with so much competition, they can't pretend that every model they put on the market is going to be a big hit, just because it's Blon. On the contrary, I expected much more from them.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• HiBy R3 PRO.
• Tempotec Sonata E35.
• Earmen Sparrow.
• Earmen TR-Amp.
• Hidizs DH80S.
• Hidizs S9 Pro.
• E1DA #9038D.
• Qudelix-5K.
• Burson Audio Playmate.
• S.M.S.L Sanskrit 10th MKII + iFi ZEN CAN.
• ACMEE MF02S

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 65
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 55
• Accessories: 70
• Bass: 79
• Mids: 78
• Treble: 80
• Separation: 70
• Soundstage: 87
• Quality/Price: 75

You can read the full review in Spanish here:

https://hiendportable.com/2021/12/26/blon-bl-max-review/

BLON has been around for a while as an IEM/Headphone manufacturer (circa 2014 as per their logo). However, they reached stardom with the BLON BL-03 which have earned a place in our Wall of Excellence as the de-facto budget IEM. Since the breakout success of the BL-03, BLON has tried to re-capture the lightning in the bottle but never gained the same traction.

Enter BLON BL-MAX, their latest attempt at improving upon the BL-03, or perhaps providing something different enough to co-exist (just as the BL-05S were). Priced well under $50, the BL-MAX face stiff competition, even from within the family itself. Do the BL-MAX justify their existence, or are they doomed to fall into obscurity? Let’s find out.

This review was originally published on Audioreviews.

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Dunu was kind enough to send me the Luna as part of the Review Tour (thanks Tom!)

Sources used: Questyle CMA-400i, Hidizs AP80 Pro
Price, while reviewed: $36. Can be bought from KeepHiFi.

Click to expand...

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES​

BLON is notorious for their below-par (often atrociously poor) accessories. This time around, though, they decided to at least provide a good quality cable. The stock cable of the BL-MAX is quite good IMO and I don’t see any reason to go for a third-party one unless you are too bothered by the (slight) stiffness. The stock tips, as always, are horrible and must be ditched if you care about fit. Finally, there is the fabric carrying pouch.

Overall, it’s an improvement for BLON but things can get better.
3/5

BUILD QUALITY​

Build quality of the BL-MAX is solid. Each earpiece has a two-piece metal assembly (zinc alloy) with a visible-but-unobtrusive seam. There is a singular vent near the nozzle and at the bottom you have the protruded 2-pin connectors (not my favorite). The backplate has a chrome-finish that’s prone to picking up smudges and scratches and looks similar to the earcups of the Apple Airpods Max.



It is a fact that the BL-MAX shells are rather… maximized and looks quite menacing in the photos. However, the inner-side is mostly ergonomic and slowly tapers into a more “human-like” shape. Overall, the build quality is as good as one should expect at this price with the scratches being a concern.
4/5

COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT​

Comfort seems to be a major point of discourse when it comes to the BL-MAX. For me it was not an issue once I swapped tips. For others, they found the housing to be too big to wear. I can only talk about my own experience but I also acknowledge that others may have issues given the unconventional shape.



As for isolation – it’s above-average once you get the right tips to fit.
3.5/5

SOURCE AND EARTIPS​

BLON BL-MAX doesn’t need much amplification and ran fine on the Sony NW-A55 (which has fairly weak amplification). Eartips are another story, however. I highly recommend changing tips. Spinfit CP-145 worked great for me, your mileage may vary.

DRIVER SETUP​

The BLON BL-MAX is their first dual-driver IEM with a 10mm CNT driver (likely 1st gen) for the lows and mids, and a 6mm micro-driver for the highs. The micro-driver uses a “lightweight” diaphragm as per the promo materials but the exact composition is missing. I assume it’s a PET/PEN diaphragm since a metal plating would surely be advertised.



An interesting thing is the orientation of the drivers which are stacked together vertically. This kind of driver assembly was first used on JVC’s FX-T90 and a “throwback” revival on the BL-MAX reminds me of the olden days.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES​

In a nutshell, the BL-MAX has a sub-bass boosted V-shaped signature with darker treble. Some also call this a W-shape these days.

Given the sub-bass prominence one would expect that the bass would be skull-shaking but in reality it’s not that dense of a bass response. You do hear the sub-bass rumble and some mid-bass punch but due to the driver limitation texture is lacking. The slow decay exacerbates the problem with the mid-bass sounding rather one-note. Fast-flowing bass sections are often reduced to a hum that fails to portray the rhythmic nature of these notes. I have seen some suggesting to EQ the bass to be even more prominent but I’d advise against that since this CNT driver is already at its limit.

Mids are quite alright though there is the obvious lower-mid recession that drowns out male vocals and low-notes in bass-heavy mixes. Fortunately, the upper-mid has adequate amount of gain and thus female vocals are well-articulated, so are string instruments and guitar riffs. Treble meanwhile is characterized by a noticeable peak around 5KHz that tends to make leading edge of cymbal hits somewhat exaggerated. However, the treble rolls-off quickly after that with perhaps a slight peak around 8KHz.

None of these treble are too noticeable in most songs since the sub-bass masks the peakiness. However, in songs with sparse instrumentation (acoustic tracks, singer/songwriter stuff) you may experience the unevenness in the treble region. The treble lacks extension and air and sounds darkened up top as cymbal and hi-hats decay abruptly, with no sense of airiness or sparkle.

Due to the recessed mids, soundstage feels “wide” but in reality it’s not very deep or tall. Imaging on the other hand was surprisingly decent and could even portray some “ordinal” directions well. Instrument separation was above average. General resolution is below average, and dynamics (both sudden changes in volume and gradual ones) are compressed. Compressed, as in: you don’t feel the immediacy of a sudden bass drop, or the minute changes in volume level of instruments/vocals. However, most budget IEMs fail in this category so no big deal there.

Bass: 3.5/5
Midrange: 4/5
Treble: 2.5/5
Staging: 3.5/5
Imaging and Separation: 4/5
Dynamics and Speed: 2.5/5

BLON BL-MAX FREQUENCY RESPONSE GRAPH​

Channel-matching is very good for a budget IEM, so a job well done on that front.

SELECT COMPARISONS​

vs BLON BL-03​

The OG superstar of the BLON family still remains unchallenged and seems to have been one of the rare “justified” hypes in recent years. The BL-03 is cheaper than the BL-MAX, has a worse fit, and requires both cable and tip changes.

However, once you have managed to get a fit, the BL-03 has a more analogue-ish tone with a warm tuning that offers a colored-yet-appealing midrange. The treble is also more present than the BL-MAX.

BL-MAX strikes back with better imaging, staging, instrument separation, and a deeper bass-reach. The sub-bass on the BL-MAX is better than on the BL-03. If you prefer to have a more mid-centric tuning the BL-03 is still an excellent IEM. For those who think the BL-03 needs more sub-bass or find the upper-midrange shouty – the BL-MAX can be a good alternative.

vs BLON BL-05S​

The BLON BL-05S is my personal favorite BLON till date. It offers the best technicalities among all BLON offerings that I’ve tried and the tuning is pretty solid as well. The fit is a notable improvement over the BL-03 and even the BL-MAX but the cable and tips still require swapping out.

Once you change the cable and get appropriate tips, the BL-05S sounds better than the BL-MAX in nearly all categories except for sub-bass rumble (BL-05S is rolled-off in that region). Imaging and separation is class-leading on the BL-05S so the BL-MAX don’t sound that impressive anymore. However, the BL-05S has a controversial color and I know many who didn’t buy simply because of the jade-green paintjob. BL-MAX has their own idiosyncrasies though with the oversized shell, so it’s a toss-up between them on aesthetics.

For my personal taste and given the much improved technicalities, I will pick the BL-05S over the BL-MAX. If you think the BL-05S sound thin in the mids or too dry in the bass for your liking – BL-MAX might suit you better.

CONCLUDING REMARKS​

The BL-MAX did not stand out or impress in a hyper-competitive market and got overshadowed by its own brethren. It’s a complicated situation where BLON is somewhat bogged down by their own success.

BLON has been ramping up their release cycle lately with new IEM releases appearing almost every month. On one hand, it’s good to have more options in the market, and the potential for another “budget gem” is ever welcome. On the other hand we got this “scattershot” approach where brands try random stuff to see what sticks.

The BL-MAX does not look like a scattershot to me as the design and driver assembly hint towards a more planned approach. However, BLON did not get it right with their first dual-driver IEM, esp since dual-dynamic setups are hard to pull off. I hope BLON goes back to the drawing board, retunes the drivers/swaps them for something better, and while they are at it – redesigns the shell since it has caused fitment issues for some.



Test tracks (as Tidal playlist): https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/04350ebe-1582-4785-9984-ff050d80d2b7

The Blon BL-MAX was kindly provided free of charge from HiFiGo for reviewing purposes.
It is selling for €32,76 and you can buy it from this - not affiliate - link HiFiGo.



Features

The BLON BL-MAX is the latest dual dynamic driver iem from the house of BLON.
The pair features a powerful combination of a 10mm carbon diaphragm dynamic driver and a 6mm lightweight micro dynamic driver with a precise electronic crossover to ensure a high-quality output with low distortion and high clarity.
It has an impedance of 32Ω with a sensitivity of 115dB making it phone friendly and easy to drive.



Build quality and fit

The shells are made with Zinc-Alloy material and they are available in silver, blue and grey.
They have a nice, shiny appearance but they appear to be prone to scratching and discoloration but at this price point I wouldn't care too much.

The shells have an oval shape and they are quite bulky and heavyweight, weighing about 14gr each.
Thankfully the nozzle is extended and they come with longer than the usual ear tips so I was able to get a proper fit with a tight seal that helped with noise attenuation.
Generally speaking, they are not the most comfortable iems and some people will certainly find it hard to get a proper fit.
But if you manage to fit them, then after a while you forget about them and the weight isn't much of an issue thanks to the ear hook like cable that helps a lot with stability and weight distribution.



Cable quality and accessories

Speaking of the cable, it is detachable and of high quality, it doesn't get tangled and it has low microphonic noise.
The only issue is that the 2-pin connectors are a specific design that is not compatible with the usual standard, so finding some aftermarket cables would be an issue.
Of course at this price point I wouldn't bother with cable rolling and the included cable is really good, no need to change it unless you want to go balanced.
There are two cable options, the one with a microphone and the other without.
Except for the cable the buyer gets four pairs of silicone ear tips and a simple carrying pouch.





Sound impressions

The iem was burned for 100 hours prior to listening tests that were mostly done with USB DAC/amps of the same tier, like the Hidizs S3 Pro, ddHiFi TC35B Pro and iBasso DC05.

The Blon BL-MAX is easy to drive and can get pretty loud from mobile phones and low output dongles but I would certainly suggest something a bit more powerful to help it employ it's grand scale.



The sound of the Blon BL-MAX is as the name would suggest, really maxed out.
Big, bold and open with a generous amount of bass boost that can easily reach deep enough and give the listener some pretty good rumbling with very satisfying results.
Unfortunately this emphasis is carried all the way up to the lower mids, so although the lows sound quite controlled, tight and certainly very dynamic they are lacking in clarity and separation.
The Blon BL-MAX isn't able to provide the quality of layering that is needed for music with a more complicated and complex bass line.
Certain parts of the lower registers appear masked and overlaid, bass is one note sounding and not agile enough to keep up when things get busy and fast.
Nonetheless with certain kinds of music like the Spitfire the experience is immaculate and you are going to feel like sitting next to the subwoofers.

The good news is that the bass isn't overpowering nor too dominant so the rest of the frequencies and especially the delicate mid band, don't get clouded and they can sound clear enough and well separated.
This is a hell of an achievement for such a bassy iem and while listening to Billie Eilish I was getting some great amount of hard hitting bass while at the same time I was able to enjoy her clear vocals and a well defined treble.

The BL-MAX isn't the classic V-shaped recipe and mids aren't too recessed, instead they are left with some free space to shine without losing in presence.

The same goes for the treble which is not amplified to compensate for the extra bass but it still has some good amounts of energy and agility.
It is not very sparkling, not too extended nor the most refined and clear sounding but detail retrieval is not missing.
The Blon BL-MAX plays it on the safe side with a smooth presentation that can sound muted and slightly dark but in exchange the listener gets a fatigue free and easy listening experience.
It is very forgiving with poorly mastered material and a suitable partner for strident recordings.
For example I liked it quite a lot while listening to Shadow Play which even in the mastered edition can sound a bit harsh.

The greater strength of the BL-MAX is the grand scale of the presentation aided by the surprisingly holographic soundstage, something quite rare at this price point.



At the end

The Blon BL-MAX is a grand sounding iem with an easy listening character and can offer a huge bass experience without sacrificing much in overall clarity.
It reminds me a lot of the Drop+ JVC HA-FWX 1 and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as a budget friendly alternative.

Test playlist

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