CVJ KE-S

Disclaimer

• Huge thanks to CVJ for providing the opportunity for me to review the CVJ KE-S and CVJ TXS. I really do appreciate it. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own, and are not influenced in any way.
• Both of the IEMs sound quite similar. Therefore, I decided to write about both in the same article, as I think it is a little redundant to release 2 very similar articles.

Price(MSRP)

• CVJ KE-S: $10
• CVJ TXS: $12

Source(s)

• Jcally JM6 Pro
• Truthear Shio

Ear tips

• Dunu S&S

Packaging

• CVJ KE-S
  • Comes with a barebone set of accessories
    • IEM.
      • Attached to 1 pair of silicone ear tips (M sized)
    • Decent selection of ear tips.
      • 2 pairs of silicone ear tips (S, L)
        • The stock ear tips are actually quite comfortable for me, they are soft and sounds pretty decent.
    • 4N OFC cable woven with Kevlar fiber
      • Feels cheap but it is soft and doesn't tangle often.
      • Ear hooks are soft as well.

• CVJ TXS
  • Comes with a barebone set of accessories
    • IEM.
      • Attached to 1 pair of silicone ear tips (M sized)
    • Decent selection of ear tips.
      • 2 pairs of silicone ear tips (S, L)
        • The stock ear tips are actually quite comfortable for me, they are soft and sounds pretty decent.
    • High purity OFC cable
      • Decent at first look, but they feel surprisingly cheap. I did not like the feel of them.
      • Ear hooks are stiffer than the ones in KE-S
    • Switch control tool

Build Quality

• Plasticky, lightweight shell. Feels and looks very cheap.

Fit

• KE-S
  • Nozzle width and length is quite average.
  • Fit is quite comfortable for me, very lightweight so I don't feel much on my ears.
  • Ear hooks shape is a bit weird and long but it is soft so it doesn't actually bother me too much.

• TXS
  • Nozzle width and length is quite average.
  • Fit is decent, lightweight but isn't super comfortable like the KE-S.
  • Ear hooks shape is a bit weird and long, but in this case, the ear hooks are stiffer than the one in KE-S, therefore irritating me a bit more.

Tonality

• V shaped.
• For the TXS, I don't hear a very apparent difference for the tuning switch settings. Therefore, I go with the default setting for both being down.

Bass

• Quite balanced between the sub bass and mid bass, but mid bass is slightly more prominent here.
• Fun and impactful. Have good slam, rumble and decent depth.
• Bass texture and definition are average as expected, plus the speed and decay is a little on the slower side, which makes it a little harder to keep up with very busy tracks.
• Not the most well controlled bass too, bleeds a little into the midrange.
• Surprisingly, for KE-S, it has decent sub bass extension for the extra rumble.
• The TXS is lacking a little bit of that extra rumble.
• Quantity of bass is quite huge, may even be sufficient for some bass heads!

Midrange

• Midrange is somewhat recessed, making it quite scooped after the initial bleed.
• Male vocals and instruments in the lower midrange are pushed back, sounding a bit too distant to my liking.
• Higher female vocals and instruments in the upper midrange on the other hand, are very forward and energetic, but it is a little too aggressive for me, making them sounding too veil and shouty.
• The TXS isn't as bad as the KE-S in this aspect but still suffers from similar issue.
• Timbre is not the most natural as there is some bass bleed and veil-ness but is decently acceptable for a V shaped signature at this price range.
• Note weight and density are decent everywhere else other than the lower midrange which is kind of thin.

Treble

• Treble is on the brighter side.
• Not the smoothest treble as it comes with some sibilance but far from the worst I've heard.
• Treble extension is ... subpar. Basically no sense of airiness. However, the KE-S is a touch better in terms of treble extension if I had to pick one.
• Details in treble are subpar, cymbals sound blunted and smeared but this is to be expected from something in this price range.

Technicalities

Resolution

• Resolution and detail retrieval are average. However, I think this is fairly acceptable considering that this only costs $10 - $12.

Soundstage

• Soundstage is somewhat cramped, doesn't sound wide or deep in any way.

Imaging

• Imaging is also subpar, sound can be distinguished for left and right but struggles in other directions.

Separation

• Separation and layering is average.
• Suffers a bit during busy tracks but generally does alright for not-so-busy tracks

Comparison

CVJ KE-S & CVJ TXS

• Accessories: While the TXS stock cable may seem a bit more premium at first sight, KE-S has a softer cable with softer ear hooks, and the KE-S fits better on my ears. The TXS on the other hand has tuning switching but those are more of a gimmick.
• Bass: KE-S has better sub bass extension, which gives a little bit more rumble. Other than that, there isn't much noticeable difference between them.
• Midrange: Both are also quite similar in this aspect, while still being a little aggressive, the upper midrange on the TXS is slightly less veil and shouty.
• Treble: While both are bright and sparkly, having a similar smoothness as well, the KE-S has a slightly better upper treble extension.
• Technicalities: Both are very similar in this aspect.
• Overall, I would personally KE-S due to its better fit, cable and sonic presentation. However, the difference between them are not day and night.

Conclusion

• Despite all cons, these only cost around $10, therefore I think most of the cons are forgivable because of the price.
• As a conclusion, I think both are actually quite good for the price. They are fun sounding IEMs with some spiciness to it but lacks quite a bit in terms of technicalities.
• Personally, I would go for the KE-S as it is cheaper, has a softer cable with softer ear hooks, and a better fit for my ears.
• However, if you're looking for a more relaxed or neutral signature with good technicalities, I suggest looking for something else.

Thanks for reading!

CVJ, I had never heard of this brand before but I needed a cheap gift for my younger brother, thus, I have decided to review this product. I haven't been paid to mention anything positive or anything like that. It is a fairly simple presentation as it is a product that costs around 10 dollars. For this range you never expect much but let's see how the brand does.

First things first: the presentation. As I mentioned, this is really basic. It is very reminiscent of what KZ does but with a slightly more elaborate design in its drawing.



The CVJ brand name is displayed and we see the model name. Nothing to say.
Inside the box we find:
- The IEMs
- Three pairs of eartips
- The cable (2 pin .75 qdc)
- Manual



The quality of the capsules is average, remember that we are talking about 10 dollars. It is in fact a solid plastic. It is the same quality as the Edx Pro in this respect. The cable is functional. Very similar to what you find at similar prices. It is simply ok.
Comfort is good, I have no problems with this issue. It is also worth noting that the design is very interesting. Personally I like the simple futuristic style. There are three colours to choose from.



The technical features are rather humble. It is a really easy product to drive. My crummy mid-range phone amps up well at half the volume settings.
Separation is, well, meh... Don't expect too much in this aspect. I would use this product in very specific situations like walking outside or on a bus where I don't need to pay attention to every details of my tracks.
The image is decent. In actual fact, I have no problem here. The soundstage is standard but I don't expect a great performance here either when it comes to IEMs.
The timbre may not be as natural but I have heard other V-signatures that sound like listening to music through a metal tube lol. Not so annoying in my opinion. Personally I would use these earphones for musical enjoyment.

The sound signature is in V, it's fun but I like that it doesn't have aggressive treble. Let's see!

Bass: Thanks to the signature, it is evident that the bass and sub-bass are predominant and have a very good predominance. At these prices I have heard very uncontrolled lows but that is not the case here. The bass has an acceptable speed and I don't notice any distortion. They are very good for very rhythmic genres without paying too much. For the Latin taste, I think it's a very good enjoyment.

Mids: I repeat the same, it is a V-signature and therefore the mids tend to present themselves in a considerable recession. Have you heard the Edx Pro? the mids there sound as if they were far away. That doesn't happen here and that's why I think they are better developed. Obviously there are no details here.

Treble: They are not very aggressive frequencies as is usually done. Therefore, those sensitive to treble will not encounter any major problems. I didn't find any silicities at high volumes. On the other hand, the IEMs will not be the most resolving and there tends to be a loss at certain frequencies. This is purely a matter of preference. In my opinion, it's nice to hear a V-signature without as much deadly treble as in my old Edx Pros.

In summary, priced at just $9, CVJ offers a decent value for money, making them a recommended choice for those seeking a satisfying auditory experience without breaking the bank. While they may lack certain refinements found in pricier products, their satisfactory performance and affordable appeal make them a solid recommendation for those seeking an accessible and functional choice for their daily musical enjoyment.
It can be a good gift for your loved ones to whom you want to give an acceptable product. However, if you can stretch your budget a little further, you may want to go for other options where you will find a better product in technical aspects.

Introduction

CVJ is one of few chi-fi company that’s gaining their popularity in other western and eastern with many model released in their cataloge

KE-S is one of their latest option, with the main objective of trying the be as cheap as possible, without sacrificing too much in terms of sound quality and music enjoyment.

I would like to thank CVJ for giving me this unit in exchange for an honest review.


Design/Build quality

With the cost at 10$, it’s exactly like what I would imagine. The whole construction is made out of plastic, which is fine by the way. It’s smooth, light and very comfortable. The housing and faceplate are 2 seperated pieces that was glued together.

I’ve decided to opt for the grey colorway, so that I can see clearly the driver inside

The nozzle is on a medium size. I’ve installed other 3rd party tips with no prolem

Stock cable and tips feels absolutely cheap. In order to wear it long enough to write down a review, I’ve decided to change the cable to a cheap SPC cable from Xinhs. The rest of my sound impression will be with me using said cable and stock tips.


Sound impression

Test track:

• Shivers – Ed Sheeran
• Spider man 3 OST: Drive That Funky Soul
• Highway to Hell – AC/DC
• One Last Time – Ariana Grande
• Runaway Baby – Bruno Mars
• POP/STARS – K/DA
• Blank Space – Taylor Swift
• Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd (the bass rift session)
• Golden Hour - JVKE
• Love You Like A Love Song - Selena Gomez

Tonality: V-shaped

Bass

The bass region of the KE-S is very well elevated with subbass over midbass. Bass is obviously the star of this iem. The quality of the bass is average, which is good for this price. Subbass rumble is very firm, midbass has a lot of punch to it. On normal pop music, it performs adequately in terms of accurate reproduction. Kick drum, cello and bass guitar has lots of heft and body to it. However, on a more challenging rock or metal or songs with more complex bass line, the bass notes sort of feels smear together, not very well defined.

Mid

Recessed mid with slighltly veiled characteristic. Noticable bass bleed. Male vocal got good warmth, good body to it. Females sounds engaging, energetic, though not the most natural in my experience. However, both vocal got that veil feeling over it due to the bass.

Instruments on the other hand is on the acceptable level. Piano got good presentation, but violin sound a bit laid back, like one step backward in the stage


Treble

The treble is on a safe side. Microdetails and nuances act as a more backstage support for the bass and mid instead of being more forward. I can pick it out of the tracks just fine; however, stuff like hi hats and cymbal strikes don’t have that familiar shimering sound that I’m familiar with.

Technicalities:

Technicalities is below average. The sound stage is very 2D with almost no height with average width and depth. Imaging and seperation is also poor, all the elements of the songs sort of blend together. The resolution just feels a bit blunted. The timbre is not the most natural I’ve heard, especially coming from a 1DD. The overall dynamic of the iem just have so much more to be desire



Driveability

The CVJ KE-S is very easy to drive, even through my phone’s passive dongle. For most of the review, I’ve paired it with my trusty 7hz 71

Comparison

Vs 7hz Zero

The 7hz Zero has much less bass, brighter, has more clarity and overall have one notch better technicalities compare to the KE-S. Vocal and instruments sounds cleaner with better texture and timbre. If bass is the most important to you then the KE-S takes the win. However, if you value mid, treble and the overall tonal balance as well as ready to spend an additional 10$, then 7hz takes the win

Vs QKZ HBB

Both the QKZ HBB and the CVJ KE-S has a lot of similarities, where both has I would say a V-shape tonality and similar technical perfomance. However, the QKZ HBB house a more thumping, visceral bass, darker uppermid range and with slightly better treble extension. The QKZ HBB has better overall macrodynamics to my ears

Vs Simgot EA500

It’s not really a fair comparison, since it’s 10$ vs 79$. However, I want to show what an iem that’s 8 times more expensive (and it’s also the value champ in my book) can do compare to it’s counter part.

The EA500 is league better than the CVJ KE-S (obviously). The overall tonality is a milder V-shape with subbass roll off and brighter tonality. The bass feels more thumpy, have better texture and you can feel the speed, the quality of the driver itself just from the bass region. Mids on the EA500 sounds more forward with better clarity. Treble is much more emphasis; cymbal strikes and bass guitar, as well as other instruments have better decay. You can just perceive more details from the EA500. The overall dynamics of the EA500 just feels more… engaging, fuller, more satisfied. Soundstage wise, EA500 is at least 3 notches better compare to the KE-S, with better imaging and seperation to add up.

Conclusion

In and of itself, CVJ KE-S is a good solid option for 10$. Sound alone, i would have leave it at 2.5 stars. However, due to the value (price/performance) of this iem, i've brought it to 3.5. CVJ have done a terrific job to introduce iem to those that have extreme limited budget. If 10$ is all you have, KE-S is all you gonna get. But truth be told, if you can save up a little more, expand your budget up until 20$, or even 30$, you will have a wider range of choices for good iems like the Truthear Hola, Tangzu Waner, Blon Z300, QKZ HBB,…

But credit where it’s due. Thank you CVJ for making this model for the masses and thank you once again for giving me the opportunity to review this iem. I’m looking forward to see what you may bring in the future