DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank CVJ for furnishing this unit. The Nami can be gotten here:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805666915862.html (no affiliate links).
SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver configuration: 1 x 10 mm aluminum magnesium alloy DD + 1 x custom BA
- Impedance: 22 Ω
- Frequency response: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
- Sensitivity: 114dB/mW
- Cable: 0.75 mm, 2-pin S config; 3.5 mm; oxygen-free copper silver-plated cable
- Tested at $29 USD (non-mic version); $30 USD (mic version)
ACCESSORIES
Fun fact: The Nami refers to "浪里" in Chinese, which roughly translates to "within the waves".
Other than the IEM, the following are included:
- 3 pairs of silicone ear tips
- Tuning switch card pin
- Cable
There's no mincing it. The accessories are spartan, and even though this IEM is priced at sub $30 USD, I've seen similarly priced rivals packing way more goodies. A wider ear tip selection, or perhaps a case/carrying bag would have been expected.
Customers only have one variation of silicone tips to choose from, with no foam tips or other silicone variants included. These stock tips are thankfully serviceable in terms of fit and sonics.
The cable is an oxygen-free copper silver-plated cable. It is surprisingly decent haptically, and seems well-braided with no tangles. There's a chin cinch for added grip, though microphonics are present in abundance.
To not add aftermarket confounders, which may affect the sound, I completed the following review with the stock tips and stock cable.
BUILD/COMFORT
The Nami's housings are fashioned from CNC-machined resin. The inner aspects are transparent, allowing users to visualize the drivers in the belly of the IEM, while there is a silvery seashell motif on the faceplates.
Ergonomics are well designed, with the inner aspects smooth to the touch, without poking edges.
The Nami is one of the least isolating IEMs, and using this IEM in a noisy place may not be the best idea. I did not find any driver flex on my set.
INTERNALS/TUNING SWITCHES
The Nami is a hybrid, incorporating one 10 mm aluminum magnesium alloy DD for the bass and one custom BA for the rest of the frequencies. There are no marketing materials on the brand of BA used.
The tuning switches are one of the selling points of this IEM. The switch board is located at the side of the shells, and they flick easily with the provided card pin.
Graph of the CVJ Nami with various switch configurations, via an IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.
Across all switch configurations, the Nami has a spectrum of V-shaped profiles. With both switches up, this confers the brightest tone, with the best resolution and soundstage. Unfortunately, this configuration may be fatiguing and harsh in the upper frequencies for our treble sensitive brethren.
On the other extreme, with both switches down, this provides a warm V-shaped signature, which is pretty smooth in the treble (though with the weakest technicalities). The other 2 tonalities lie in between these 2 signatures.
DRIVABILITY
I tested the CVJ Nami with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Creative Sound Blaster X5
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone
This IEM is easily driven, and amplification is not truly required.
SOUND & TECHNICALITIES
The impressions below are made with the Nami with both switches up (ie brightest config with best technicalities). As alluded to, this converts the Nami to a bright V-shaped profile.
On this setting,
technicalities are okay for the $30 asking price, and resolution is decent. Soundstage is above average in all 3 dimensions. The boosted upper frequencies do provide high clarity. Unfortunately, some of the resolution may be "fake", as when complex and rapid tracks come out to play, music can get congested with sub-par layering/separation, and not all micro-details can be heard in tracks I'm familiar with.
Sadly, BA
timbre rears its ugly head, and vocals and acoustic instruments have a hollow and metallic overtone. The timbre does improve with both switches deactivated (though at the expense of technical chops).
This IEM is sub-
bass focused, with a deep extension and rumble. Bass is north of neutral. Bass quality however, is bang average, with a somewhat one-noted texturing heard, with speed on the slower side. When very fast bass riffs are tested, the bass DD driver does have some trouble keeping up with the faster BAs. Mid-bass bleed is moderate.
As per the V-shaped tuning, the lower
midrange is recessed, and the slow bleeding bass does encroach here, making this region not too transparent. The upper mids have a 10 dB ear gain, and female vocals can get shouty, especially at louder volumes.
The lower
treble continues on from the upper mids boost, and this IEM has decent air and sparkle. However, there is sibilance and fatigue present, with some splashiness in cymbals and high hats. Treble sensitive folk best opt for the 2 switches down config as such.
COMPARISONS
Comparisons were made against other ultra budget tunable sets. Once again,
the comparisons below are made with the Nami with both switches up (ie brightest config with best technicalities).
KZ D-Fi
Graphs of the KZ D-Fi via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.
On paper, the KZ D-Fi has 16 tuning switches, but they just give a 4 dB difference in bass amongst the most extreme tunings, and mostly endow a warm neutral tonality. As such, the Nami has better versatility, even though it has only 4 tuning configurations.
The D-Fi has less bass but is smoother in the upper mids/treble region, with less fatigue and shoutiness noted.
Timbre is more natural, with a thicker note weight noted on the D-Fi. Technicalities are easily won by the Nami though, with the D-Fi having a claustrophobic soundstage and inferior micro-detailing and imaging.
KZ Krila
Yes, the self-proclaimed kilobuck killer that purportedly kills all IEMs under $1000 USD makes an esteemed appearance.
Graphs of the KZ Krila via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.
Once again, even though the Krila has 16 promised tuning options, on actual field tests, there is just a 5 dB difference in the bass amongst the most extreme of tuning switches. Thus, the Krila mostly fields a neutralish soundscape across all 16 switch configurations, with the Nami being more versatile.
The Krila has a thinner note weight and less bass. However, the Krila's bass is tighter and cleaner. The Krila has more treble air and sparkle, though it is more fatiguing and sibilant.
Both sets are not paragons of timbral accuracy, but even so, timbre is more metallic and artificial on the Krila.
In technicalities, the Krila has a smaller soundstage, but better micro-detailing, imaging and instrument separation.
CONCLUSIONS
The Nami is a forgettable entrant in the cut-throat ultra budget CHIFI market. While it is easy to drive, boasts decent build and ergonomics, with tuning switches to increase versatility, the Nami doesn't stand out from the tough competition.
The accessories are disappointing, and BA timbre and harshness appears once the more resolving tuning switches are activated. The DD bass is notably incoherent, and cannot keep up with the faster BA drivers handling the top end. I would advise to top up a little bit more to get the CVJ Mei, which is a better tunable IEM in CVJ's stable.
Sadly, I think the Nami might be forgotten after a few weeks post launch. As per its namesake of "within the waves", this IEM might be inundated and drowned by a tsunami of other CHIFI releases. It will be swept away by the current of other hypetrains and won't be talked about in a few weeks' time.