When ordering the Blon BL-05....communication with AK Audio store (product link below) was as usual efficient - parcel dispatch was swift & arrived in uber quick time!
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000932019151.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.c2664c4dNseFPt
On this occasion, I specifically ordered two sets: Blon BL05 and KBEAR Diamond together. This was a marked departure from the usual collecting strategy - i.e. linear upgrading in accordance with price ratio of improved sound signature, builds & configurations.
My aim in this instance was to pair both left & right channel of the iems, to SE & balanced cables. The two respective configurations I settled upon are:
1) Blon (L) & KBEAR Diamond (R) attached to 2.5mm balanced (VE) cable.
2) Blon (R) & KBEAR Diamond (L) attached to AK pure silver 3.5mm SE cable.
The synergy between both pairings works remarkably well....so much so that after the process of burn-in occurs the strengths of both blend into a set which is imho, ostensibly greater than the sum of the individual parts. I usually choose balanced out by default on via Sony & ES100, & use silver cable for SE listening to provide extra stage "air."
Initially, obviously, you're conscious that two independent signatures are at play: aware of the pronounced bass/sub-bass presentation of the Diamond, coupled with forward mids & treble extension of the Blon....despite this you eventually become accustomed to their differences.
However the seeming disparity between the two is not an overriding distraction once one's brain has had time to process the dichotomy and merge the two.
The main facets I was looking to retain a balanced sound via lighter/smaller housings - for a convenient fit & allow pillowing listening whilst in bed. I decided upon this iem configuration whilst waiting for high-end gear to trickle down to mid-range, i.e. a set that improves upon Tri-i3....without necessarily parting with excessive funds.
Regarding comfort the Blon-05 are the perfect set for pillow listening whilst in bed, which provides a totally visceral experience - almost feeling as though you’re not wearing any earphones whatsoever!
Build/Fit:
Excellent build quality & exceptional ergonomic fit - never slips and maintains the seal. Initially the angle of the nozzle seemed wrong - alas with continual wear you realise they fit perfectly. Admittedly, the nozzle length could be extended further by a few mm for a better seal. Despite this, they’re streamlined perfectly within the ears tragus – totally plush with no protrusion at all.
Tuning / Sound Signature:
Blon-05 has a bright, energetic signature - reducing the bass experienced in the 03 counterpart whilst boosting the mid-range. However, the lack of bass / sub lift can be boosted via EQ.
Soundstage:
The stage is less deep than wide – hence the sound spectrum is not overly 3D holophonic. This can be useful when for example, mixing tracks where placement and layering are crucial to the final mix.
Highs:
Can be perceived as slightly spiky initially - but any transient peaks become smoothed out and less “shouty” once the burn-in process has taken place.
Mids:
The stand out feature of the set is their pronounced mid-range which is full of energy & excitement, without being too distracting or fatiguing. This can be a useful asset when to isolate the mid-range, whilst composing, layering &finally mixing tracks.
Bass:
Bass is present with a good seal, however the quantity of sub-bass is minimal…they’re certainly not a set for bass-heads!
EQ response:
Respond well to EQ especially to boost low–range frequencies in order to bring out the bass & develop a more balanced signature.
Amp Scalability:
The Blon-05 amp much more effectively than Blon-03, which easily distort at greater volume levels - the bass response gets muddier – hence mid-tier sets left them behind.
Sources:
I prefer devices which offer two-way Bluetooth. The best synergy is attained listening to FLAC files via balanced output of Sony NW-ZX300a – the DAP remains distortion-free at max volume. BT receiver mode of the Sony DAP with vinyl processor switched on, adds extra “analogue” warmth- in order to experience balanced from Dell 7559 gaming laptop.
SE output: Behringer UMC404HD / Xiaomi Mi 9T smartphone / iPad Air3 / Cayin N3 & NX4 DAC - gain switch increases all frequencies plus quantity of bass & rumble of sub-bass allows for “sweet spot” volume levels over halfway with no distortion. Additional mobility is provided by EarStudio ES100 (Radsone) with EQ added via iPad app.
Listening preferences:
Ambient Internet Radio (NTS) / Soundscapes / Live Gigs, Vocals / Jazz.
Classical / Electronica / FLAC LP’s: Andy Dragazis - Afterimages - this soundtrack appears visceral, airy and binaural, the timbre of strings is wonderful & otherworldly underpinned by suspenseful cello.
I’m currently listening to a gamut of electronica album tracks such as:
“Jettison Mind Hatch” by Tipper, and “Y Dydd Olaf” by Gwenno.
Velvet Universe - Voyager LP (Full) – 1981
Monochrome Echo
“Shard of Glass” by Fenella
Fuku-Ura
Musicality:
Warm tuning coupled with the extra energy and micro detailing results in a very moreish refined sonic experience. Furthermore, the superb mids adds to an incredibly musical signature, excelling with a wide gamut of genres (especially Classical/Vocals & Electronica) imbibing tracks with a “live” presentation. After one week’s period of burn in, the planar seems to be more transparent & revealing.
Comparisons:
Tri-i3: The BL-05 with their much smaller housings is less 3D holophonic/ Binaural - having a narrower stage than the wider, deeper Tri-i3. The BL-05 favour electronic music, presenting a much punchier signature. IMO the Tri- i3 remains unsurpassed at rendering classical timbres; whilst both sets excel with male & female vocals.
KBEAR: The BL-05 in a way mirrors the KBEAR, their forward mids complementing the inherent bass-centric signature of the DLC driver.
Blon BL-03: A/B’ing Blon-05 with the 03 reveals the shortcomings of the latter. Admittedly there is more bass presence in the latter; however the amp scalability of the 03 is poor, becoming unlistenable at high volume levels. It’s also apparent that they lack energy and excitement, whereby the treble is more smoothed out & rolls off sharply. Consequently vocals & instrument timbre can seem distant & unengaging.
Conclusion:
I really like the BL-05 – as my LP/track collection comprises of predominantly electronica and synthesiser based music. Hence my signature preference will always lean towards iems with an extended mid-range. Their build quality, seamless fit, plus their ability to manage extra amping & EQ are in my opinion, a definite improvement over the previous 03 incarnation. Within the budget range they’re good value, possibly their next iteration will no doubt add a boosted bass response, in order to generate a more balanced sound, whilst managing to retain their addictive forward-mids emphasis.
Ratings:
Build: 90
Fit: 90
Bass: 75
Mids: 90
Treble: 85
Soundstage: 80
Imaging/Layering: 85
Accessories: 70
Price: 85
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000932019151.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.c2664c4dNseFPt
On this occasion, I specifically ordered two sets: Blon BL05 and KBEAR Diamond together. This was a marked departure from the usual collecting strategy - i.e. linear upgrading in accordance with price ratio of improved sound signature, builds & configurations.
My aim in this instance was to pair both left & right channel of the iems, to SE & balanced cables. The two respective configurations I settled upon are:
1) Blon (L) & KBEAR Diamond (R) attached to 2.5mm balanced (VE) cable.
2) Blon (R) & KBEAR Diamond (L) attached to AK pure silver 3.5mm SE cable.
The synergy between both pairings works remarkably well....so much so that after the process of burn-in occurs the strengths of both blend into a set which is imho, ostensibly greater than the sum of the individual parts. I usually choose balanced out by default on via Sony & ES100, & use silver cable for SE listening to provide extra stage "air."
Initially, obviously, you're conscious that two independent signatures are at play: aware of the pronounced bass/sub-bass presentation of the Diamond, coupled with forward mids & treble extension of the Blon....despite this you eventually become accustomed to their differences.
However the seeming disparity between the two is not an overriding distraction once one's brain has had time to process the dichotomy and merge the two.
The main facets I was looking to retain a balanced sound via lighter/smaller housings - for a convenient fit & allow pillowing listening whilst in bed. I decided upon this iem configuration whilst waiting for high-end gear to trickle down to mid-range, i.e. a set that improves upon Tri-i3....without necessarily parting with excessive funds.
Regarding comfort the Blon-05 are the perfect set for pillow listening whilst in bed, which provides a totally visceral experience - almost feeling as though you’re not wearing any earphones whatsoever!
Build/Fit:
Excellent build quality & exceptional ergonomic fit - never slips and maintains the seal. Initially the angle of the nozzle seemed wrong - alas with continual wear you realise they fit perfectly. Admittedly, the nozzle length could be extended further by a few mm for a better seal. Despite this, they’re streamlined perfectly within the ears tragus – totally plush with no protrusion at all.
Tuning / Sound Signature:
Blon-05 has a bright, energetic signature - reducing the bass experienced in the 03 counterpart whilst boosting the mid-range. However, the lack of bass / sub lift can be boosted via EQ.
Soundstage:
The stage is less deep than wide – hence the sound spectrum is not overly 3D holophonic. This can be useful when for example, mixing tracks where placement and layering are crucial to the final mix.
Highs:
Can be perceived as slightly spiky initially - but any transient peaks become smoothed out and less “shouty” once the burn-in process has taken place.
Mids:
The stand out feature of the set is their pronounced mid-range which is full of energy & excitement, without being too distracting or fatiguing. This can be a useful asset when to isolate the mid-range, whilst composing, layering &finally mixing tracks.
Bass:
Bass is present with a good seal, however the quantity of sub-bass is minimal…they’re certainly not a set for bass-heads!
EQ response:
Respond well to EQ especially to boost low–range frequencies in order to bring out the bass & develop a more balanced signature.
Amp Scalability:
The Blon-05 amp much more effectively than Blon-03, which easily distort at greater volume levels - the bass response gets muddier – hence mid-tier sets left them behind.
Sources:
I prefer devices which offer two-way Bluetooth. The best synergy is attained listening to FLAC files via balanced output of Sony NW-ZX300a – the DAP remains distortion-free at max volume. BT receiver mode of the Sony DAP with vinyl processor switched on, adds extra “analogue” warmth- in order to experience balanced from Dell 7559 gaming laptop.
SE output: Behringer UMC404HD / Xiaomi Mi 9T smartphone / iPad Air3 / Cayin N3 & NX4 DAC - gain switch increases all frequencies plus quantity of bass & rumble of sub-bass allows for “sweet spot” volume levels over halfway with no distortion. Additional mobility is provided by EarStudio ES100 (Radsone) with EQ added via iPad app.
Listening preferences:
Ambient Internet Radio (NTS) / Soundscapes / Live Gigs, Vocals / Jazz.
Classical / Electronica / FLAC LP’s: Andy Dragazis - Afterimages - this soundtrack appears visceral, airy and binaural, the timbre of strings is wonderful & otherworldly underpinned by suspenseful cello.
I’m currently listening to a gamut of electronica album tracks such as:
“Jettison Mind Hatch” by Tipper, and “Y Dydd Olaf” by Gwenno.
Velvet Universe - Voyager LP (Full) – 1981
Monochrome Echo
“Shard of Glass” by Fenella
Fuku-Ura
Musicality:
Warm tuning coupled with the extra energy and micro detailing results in a very moreish refined sonic experience. Furthermore, the superb mids adds to an incredibly musical signature, excelling with a wide gamut of genres (especially Classical/Vocals & Electronica) imbibing tracks with a “live” presentation. After one week’s period of burn in, the planar seems to be more transparent & revealing.
Comparisons:
Tri-i3: The BL-05 with their much smaller housings is less 3D holophonic/ Binaural - having a narrower stage than the wider, deeper Tri-i3. The BL-05 favour electronic music, presenting a much punchier signature. IMO the Tri- i3 remains unsurpassed at rendering classical timbres; whilst both sets excel with male & female vocals.
KBEAR: The BL-05 in a way mirrors the KBEAR, their forward mids complementing the inherent bass-centric signature of the DLC driver.
Blon BL-03: A/B’ing Blon-05 with the 03 reveals the shortcomings of the latter. Admittedly there is more bass presence in the latter; however the amp scalability of the 03 is poor, becoming unlistenable at high volume levels. It’s also apparent that they lack energy and excitement, whereby the treble is more smoothed out & rolls off sharply. Consequently vocals & instrument timbre can seem distant & unengaging.
Conclusion:
I really like the BL-05 – as my LP/track collection comprises of predominantly electronica and synthesiser based music. Hence my signature preference will always lean towards iems with an extended mid-range. Their build quality, seamless fit, plus their ability to manage extra amping & EQ are in my opinion, a definite improvement over the previous 03 incarnation. Within the budget range they’re good value, possibly their next iteration will no doubt add a boosted bass response, in order to generate a more balanced sound, whilst managing to retain their addictive forward-mids emphasis.
Ratings:
Build: 90
Fit: 90
Bass: 75
Mids: 90
Treble: 85
Soundstage: 80
Imaging/Layering: 85
Accessories: 70
Price: 85