DUNU SA6 :: A Comparative Review
Summary & Objective:
You have already come across many reviews of
@DUNU-Topsound SA6 which focuses on it's technical capabilities & sound performance details.
This review is not that kind of a review. I will be skipping most of the features and details and getting directly into comparisons with other IEMs in similar or slightly higher price categories. This review is based on request I have received from many people and would want to cover few of the requested comparisons.
If you are looking for a detailed review of the SA6 technical features & technicalities - would highly recommend that you read the review in the link below by Mr.
@kmmbd as that is well written review to which I agree for most of the parts.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/dunu-studio-sa6.24665/review/25633/
Disclaimer:
This review unit was not supplied by
@DUNU-Topsound and I do not own the SA6 either.
I had loaned this SA6 unit from a friend for the purpose of an honest comparative review.
Everything mentioned in this review are purely my own based on my experiences with the IEM .
Specifications:
The DUNU SA6 comes with $549 price tag and the specifications are as below:
https://www.dunu-topsound.com/sa6-detail
- BRAND: DUNU
- MODEL: Studio SA6
- NET WEIGHT: 11 g
- FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 5 Hz - 40 kHz
- SENSITIVITY: 113 ± 1 dB at 1 kHz
- IMPEDANCE: 60 Ω at 1 kHz
- TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION: < 0.5% at 1 kHz
- BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVER CONFIGURATION:
- BASS [2]: Sonion AcuPass Vented Dual Woofer
- MIDRANGE [2]: Knowles Custom Midrange Driver (×2)
- TREBLE [2]: Knowles Custom Dual Tweeter
- TUNING MODES:
- Default Signature (Switch Position ‘I’)
- Atmospheric Immersion (Switch Position ‘ON’)
- HOUSING MATERIAL:
- SHELL: German Nice-Fit Hand-Poured UV Acrylic Resin
- FACEPLATE: High-Grade Stabilized Wood
- CABLE LENGTH: 1.2 ± 0.1 m
- CABLE CONNECTOR: 2-Pin (0.78 mm)
- WIRE MATERIAL:
- 8 Core, High-Purity, Monocrystalline, Silver-Plated Copper
- PLUG CONNECTOR:
- Patented DUNU Quick-Switch Modular Plug System
- INCLUDED PLUG TERMINATION(S):
- 4.4 mm TRRRS Balanced,
- 3.5 mm TRS Single-Ended
- 2.5 mm TRRS Balanced
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOUND....
Items Used for this Review:
DAC/AMP: @iFi audio Micro iDSD Signature, Luxry & Precision W2 Dongle DAC/AMP
DAP/Source : Cayin N6 Mk2 with T01 motherboard,
@Shanling M6 PRO (Ver 21),
@FiiO M3 PRO
Streaming Source: QOBUZ
Ear Tips:
I've tried tip-rolling with a variety of tips including Final Audio E Series Transparent Red,
@SpinFit Eartip CP145 and JVC Spiral Dots. I've found Final E series tips to suit me preferences best and have used that mostly.
Tracks Used:
The tracks I have used can be found from the below playlist that I have used and generally use for most reviews... I would like to thank
@Otto Motor for his contribution here.
SA6 Sound Impressions in Short:
The BASS:
The Bass of the SA6 comes with good attack & Intensity and are quite dense for a BA. In tracks like : "
Anna R. Chie (Remastered) - Konstantin Wecker" and "
My Queen Is Ada Eastman - Sons Of Kemet" you can really feel the drums and their attack - however you will also feel that there are not enough transients like you would get from a Dynamic driver based Bass. Though the SA6 bass is amongst the best all BA bass in the price range - it is not comparable to a good performing Dynamic driver bass in terms of details retrieval & transients.
The MIDS:
Midrange is where the SA6 is great and very enjoyable. It is smooth & musical & comes with enough texture & muscle. The vocals are very immersive and both male and female vocals come with good amount of details. Instruments sounded natural. In tracks like: "
Porch Swing - Trace Bundy" and "
Rickover's Dream - Michael hedges" while you will enjoy the overall midrange - you will also miss some of the transients of guitar plucks and other instrument percussions. Overall it has amongst the best midrange performance for the price range.
The TREBLE:
Treble is quite enjoyable and non-fatiguing. Cymbals sound natural and tracks like “
Chocolate Chip Trip – Tool” sounded great and the track was very enjoyable.
The treble has enough details and texture and is very commendable for the price.
The SOUNDSTAGE:
The SA6 has an above average Soundstage with a slightly lower width& height emphasis but good depth. It is well defined and just as much as the track requires. Tracks like: “
The Secret Drawer – Bela Fleck and the Flecktones” or “
Bohemian Rhapsody (live aid) – Queen” sound good & enjoyable whilst I personally would prefer a slightly better staging like the CA Mammoth.
Imaging & Timbre:
The SA6 also comes with just great Imaging & timbre performances. Tracks like: “
Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) - The Beautiful South “or “
Hello Again - Howard Carpendale & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” just shine through due to the great separation & sense of positioning and timbre.
Comparisons:
This is the key differentiator of this review and this is where many other IEMs of similar price range gets compared to the SA6 in no particular order.
DUNU SA6 vs TRI Starshine vs UM 3DT:
The DUNU SA6 comes at a slightly higher price than both the TRI Starshine ($450) and the UM 3DT ($350). While the SA6 is all BA IEM, the Starshine is a hybrid and the 3DT comes with 3 DD architecture. For the purpose of this comparison, I have kept the "
Atmospheric Immersion mode" to
ON on the DUNU SA6 .
Bass: The TRI Starshine has a punchier bass which I personally prefer while the DUNU SA6 comes with better detailed and textured Bass performance.
I much prefer Dynamic Driver based Bass of the 3DT here none of these two IEMs have.
Mids: The DUNU SA6 has much better and textured mids. more detailed and vocals sound a tad but better. But the Starshine is just great too while falling behind the SA6 here. Hoever, both Starshine and the 3DT lacks in terms of details when compared to the SA6 here.
Treble: I think in this department the Starshine has a smoother Treble performance while the SA6 is just great with details and texture. 3DT also does ok.
Soundstage & Timbre: In terms of soundstage the TRI Starshine beats the SA6 & 3DT quite handsomely both in terms of width and depth. The SA6 seems to have better imaging while Starshine seems to have equally good timbre. the 3DT is the winner in terms of timbre.
DUNU SA6 vs CA Mammoth vs Kinera NORN:
All 3 of the IEMs come at approx. $500 price range - with DUNU SA6 & CA Mammoth at $549 while NORN comes at $509.
Both Mammoth & NORN are hybrids with DD+ BA architecture while the SA6 is an all BA IEM. For the purpose of this comparison, I have kept the "
Atmospheric Immersion mode" to
ON on the DUNU SA6 .
Bass: The Mammoth comes with a much detailed and punchier bass response than both NORN & SA6 while the NORN comes with very deep bass thumps & slam.
The BA based bass of the SA6 has a good balance but is just not as enjoyable.
Mids: The midrange on the SA6 is significantly better than both the Mammoth & the NORN. The NORN comes with forward vocals which a niche segment may prefer but is not desired by all. While the SA6 reigns supreme in the midrange the Mammoth is preferable over the NORN.
Treble: The Treble on the SA6 is more balanced and enjoyable than the other 2 but Mammoth is not far behind also. The NORN has non-fatiguing treble also but not nrealy as detailed as the other two.
Soundstage & Timbre: This is where the Mammoth just reigns supreme. both in terms of staging & imaging. It has a massive stage with great width, height & depth and also very good sense of direction. The timbre of the Mammoth is the best of the 3 and hence in this category the Mammoth is clearly ahead.
DUNU SA6 vs CA Holocene:
Its hard to find another all BA IEM in the $549 range and the Campfire Audio Holocene is the closest competitor in that category coming at slightly higher price of $649. For the purpose of this comparison, I have kept the "
Atmospheric Immersion mode" to
ON for the SA6 - as it enhances bass and the Holocene is a great performer in that department.
Bass: The SA6 is a good balanced performer when it comes to bass specially with the "
Atmospheric Immersion mode" to
ON. Despite that, the Holocene bass seemed to have equal performance in terms of density & richness but the attack & slam & thumps seemed better on the Holocene with better depth also.
Mids & Treble: The SA6 has a great midrange and treble performance for the price range as it is tuned closer to the Harman Curve. However, Despite the
not-so-harman-friendly tuning of the Holocene - the midrange is quite enjoyable with richness texture and vocals also sound great. having said that, the upper mids of Holocene are slightly recessed while the upper treble is quite elevated. I found it quite enjoyable despite that.
Soundstage & Timbre: This is where the Holocene shines much brighter as the SA6 staging though good but is narrower than the Holocene in terms of both width & height. Also, depth sense on the Holocene seemed better. Imaging & timbre seemed equally good on both and not much of difference there.
Conclusion :
The DUNU SA6 is a truly balanced performer and likely amongst the best performing IEMs in the $500 or lower price range. It's really hard to find an overall better performer in that category. It is a great value-for-money and highly recommended for people who seek a balanced performance with a great tuning.