DUNU Titan S

Disclaimer: I received this review unit for free from Dunu, thank you very much.

Price: 80 usd

Specifications:

Impedance: 32Ω @ 1kHz.

Sensitivity: 110dB.

Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.3%.

Frequency Response: 5Hz-40kHz.



Accessories:

S/M/L silicone tips (3 types)

Clip

Carry case


Cable: 4-core cable, measuring at 0.66 ohm which is pretty bad nowadays. Metal divider and 3.5mm connector, plastic on the 2pin connectors. It has a working chin-slider.






Build: Metal shell and metal nozzle with a lip. The 2pin connector is recessed and does look a bit more unique than usual, but it still works with 3rd party cables. (my unit is a blemished unit, so that’s why the nozzle isn’t perfectly round.)

Fit: Very good for me, the nozzle is on the longer side though, so people with a shorter ear canal might have a problem with it.

Comfort: Pretty good, the shell is a bit smaller than average.

Isolation: Average, nothing special, the big vent on the faceplate doesn’t affect the isolation.

Setup: Schiit Asgard 3 (low-gain, volume around 8 o´clock), stock tips (grey/transparent) M, stock cable 3.5mm

Lows: Pretty flat sounding bass not a lot of quantity with sub/mid-bass. Very clean and it is pretty fast/tight, texture is lacking though. Not for bassheads but works well for its intended tuning (acoustic/vocal tracks).

Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), very clean due to the fast/tight bass but lacking a lot of quantity and texture. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is clean and hearable.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), quantity is lacking but decent texture, clean due to the speed/tightness.

Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), lacking in extension and rumble. Punch quantity needs to be a lot higher and more textured; it is clean though (fast/tight).

Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), decent texture, fast and tight but lacking in quantity.

Mids: Excellent female vocals tonality and timbre, very clean and detailed, non-shouty, forward when needed otherwise neutral placement. Male vocals can lack some warmth but has good timbre, clean and detailed. Great for vocal lovers.

Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), great vocal tonality, timbre and clarity, also forward. Instrument tonality is pretty good although would be better with some more warmth, good timbre and clean.

Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), great vocal and instrument tonality, timbre, very clean as well.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shouty vocals, not particularly peaky treble though.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), shouty vocals and peaky treble, very fatiguing.

Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality and timbre are pretty good, although some more warmth would be better, it is very clean and vocals have a neutral placement.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality needs to be warmer, good timbre and clean though.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars aren’t sharp, good tonality and timbre.

Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), treble is fatiguing due to the bright tonality, a bit chaotic though.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality needs to be warmer and texture is lacking, clean and decent good timbre. Violin tonality, timbre, treble-extension and clarity are very good.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), decent tonality, although lacks warmth (and bass quantity/texture), timbre and clarity are good.

Soundstage: Average stage, nothing special.

Tonality: Bright-neutral, note-weight is a bit on the thinner side. Specialist for acoustic/vocals tracks.

Details: Good macro and micro-details.

Instrument Separation: Imaging and separation are pretty good.

Songs that highlight the IEM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSzyI3u5DFo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HxxQ8d68_E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F_11HaH4mE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INTpLH-prt8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zz5X1uwKcM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtXNvoPfO84

Good genres: Acoustic/vocal, OSTs

Bad genres: EDM, Trance, Hip-Hop

Comparisons:

IEM: Tin Hifi T3 Plus (2 High-density tuning foams + Tanchjim filter), Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, stock cable 3.5mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends a bit lower and rumbles more on the T3 Plus. Punch quantity is higher on the T3 Plus but similar texture and much cleaner due to the faster/tighter bass on the Titan S. More tonally correct on the T3 Plus, but a bit better timbre on the Titan S.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), more quantity but more textured, faster/tighter and cleaner on the Titan S.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), Much cleaner on the Titan S due to the lower bass quantity and much tighter/faster bass, a bit more textured on it.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality, timbre, clarity and detail are much better on the Titan S, also more forward vocals. Instrument tonality is better on the T3 Plus but better timbre, clarity and detail on the Titan S.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit shoutier on the Titan S and brighter tonality so it is more fatiguing.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are a bit better on the T3 Plus but a lot cleaner, more detailed and better timbre on the Titan S.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are more fatiguing due to the brighter tonality but also more accurate tonality and timbre on the Titan S.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is better on the T3 Plus but better timbre, texture, detail and clarity on the Titan S. Violin tonality, timbre, treble-extension, detail and clarity are better on the Titan S.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), a bit better tonality on the T3 Plus, but cleaner, more detailed and better timbre on the Titan S.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a bit wider on the Titan S but a bit deeper on the T3 Plus. Imaging, separation, detail and timbre are better on the Titan S.

Overall: They are different in tonality; the Titan S is more of a reference tuned iem while the T3 Plus is going for a more fun tonality. The Titan S is a lot more technical and has better timbre than the T3 Plus.



IEM: Dunu Falcon Pro (reference filter), Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, cable 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower and rumbles a little bit more. Punch quantity is a bit higher and more textured, but faster/tighter and cleaner on the Titan S. A bit better tonality on the Falcon Pro, similar timbre.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a lot more quantity on the Falcon Pro and more textured, cleaner on the Titan S with its much faster/tighter bass though. More tonally correct on the Falcon Pro, similar timbre.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), cleaner and more detailed on the Titan S due to the bloated bass on the Falcon Pro (slower/looser and much more quantity).

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality, detail, clarity and forwardness are better on the Titan S but better timbre on the Falcon Pro. Instrument tonality and timbre are better on the Falcon Pro but cleaner and more detailed on the Titan S.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shoutier vocals and more fatiguing overall due to the brighter tonality on the Titan S.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Vocal and instrument tonality and timbre are better on the Falcon Pro but cleaner and more detailed on the Titan S.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are more tonally correct on the Titan S but more fatiguing (brighter), timbre is similar.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre and texture are better on the Falcon Pro but cleaner and more detailed on the Titan S. Violin tonality, timbre, detail, clarity and treble-extension are better on the Titan S.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality is a bit better on the Falcon Pro, similar timbre but more detailed and cleaner on the Titan S.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), similar width but deeper on the Falcon Pro. Imaging, separation and detail are better on the Titan S. Similar timbre.

Overall: The Titan S is more technical; they specialize in different genres where the Titan S is meant for acoustic/vocal tracks and the Falcon Pro is better for rock/metal. The Titan S is the better value, although I personally do prefer the Falcon Pro when it is playing rock/metal tracks compared to the Titan S playing acoustic/vocal tracks.



IEM: Tanchjim Oxygen, Final Audio Type E tips LL, Cable A6 4.4mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower on the O2, similar rumble. Punch quantity is very similar but more textured and cleaner due to it being a bit faster/tighter on the O2. Similar tonality but a bit better timbre on the O2.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), very similar quantity but more textured, faster and tighter on the O2, cleaner and more detailed on it. Similar tonality but a bit better timbre on the O2.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), cleaner on the O2 due to the faster/tighter bass (and brighter tonality) with more texture, similar quantity.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality, timbre, clarity and detail are better on the O2. Instrument tonality is better on the Titan S but better timbre, clarity and detail on the O2.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shoutier vocals and peakier treble on the O2.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality and timbre are better on the Titan S but cleaner and more detailed on the O2.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a lot sharper on the O2, better tonality on the Titan S, similar timbre.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is slightly better on the Titan S but more textured, cleaner, more detailed and a bit better timbre on the O2. Violin tonality, timbre, treble-extension, texture, clarity and detail are better on the O2.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), a bit better tonality on the Titan S, cleaner and more detailed on the O2 and a bit better timbre on it.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a lot wider on the O2 and a bit deeper. Imaging, separation, details and timbre are better on the O2.

Overall: They are both aimed at doing the same thing, but the O2 is the more technical one while it is also brighter. The Titan S have a safer tonality, as the O2 can have too much treble occasionally.



IEM: CCA CRA (500 mesh + Sony general foam), stock tips L, stock cable 3.5mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower and rumbles a lot more on the CRA. Punch quantity is a lot higher and more textured on the CRA, tighter/faster and cleaner on the Titan S. More tonally correct on the CRA but better timbre on the Titan S.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), more quantity and a lot more textured on the CRA, a bit faster/tighter on the Titan S. More tonally correct on the CRA but better timbre on the Titan S.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), Cleaner on the Titan S due to the tighter/faster and lower bass quantity. More textured on the CRA though.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality, timbre, clarity and forwardness are better on the Titan S, similar detail. Instrument tonality is better on the CRA, similar detail but cleaner and better timbre on the Titan S.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), slightly shoutier vocals on the Titan S but peakier treble on the CRA.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are better on the CRA, but better timbre and cleaner on the Titan S, similar detail.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), Electric guitars are sharper on the CRA but more tonally correct and a bit better timbre.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, texture and timbre are better on the CRA, similar detail but a bit cleaner on the Titan S. Violin tonality, texture, treble-extension and clarity are better on the CRA, similar detail and better timbre on the Titan S.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), a bit better tonality on the CRA but cleaner and better timbre on the Titan S.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), wider and deeper, more holographic stage on the CRA. Imaging and separation are better on the Titan S, similar macro-details but more micro-details on the CRA. Better timbre on the Titan S.

Overall: They are quite even with technicalities, but the CRA is better if you want a more fun iem (and more to my preferences) while the Titan S is better if you want something more neutral.



Conclusion: If you want a neutral iem at this price range, then this is my default recommendation. Highly recommended.

Graph:

Cable source:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...zTm4ei7HEfP8AI1zxswrMw2ho/edit#gid=1801072063

Reference/test songs:

Intro
No intro needed for Dunu i believe? They’re pretty much very well known in the audiophile community with their SA6 and EST 112. Today I have here with me the reboot of their entry level series, Titan S, A 11 mm dynamic driver with a multi-layered, poly-condensated liquid crystal polymer (LCP) diaphragm. Let’s find out how it will pit itself against today’s sub 100$ mark’s IEM.


Packaging
I would say the packaging is reasonable for the asking price. However, when i unbox it, i’m very surprised to see such a nice and premium looking storage pouch, it doesn’t look generic, this pretty much shows the thought that goes into it.


Build/Comfort
The shell of Titan S is made from durable and lightweight zinc alloy, you will feel a little weight when you are holding the IEM, but when you are actually wearing it, it is very comfortable and you won’t feel like something is weighing you down. No weird nor sharp protruding edge that causes discomfort.

Design wise, it does have a cyberpunk kind of feel to it. Including the box’s artwork. I like the design personally.



Source
Foobar2k -> RHA L1-> Titan S(Stock Cable and Tips)
Ibasso DX160 -> Titan S(Stock Cable and Tips)
Windows 10 Tidal(MQA) -> Audirect Beam 3 Pro -> Titan S(Stock Cable and Tips)


Sound
The overall tuning is very balanced except there’s a slight elevation at the upper midrange’s 3k freq from the official FR in Titan S’s product page, personally i kinda like this slight gain as it gives the music a little more excitement and stand out a little bit compared to a smoother curve which often feels a little dull to my taste.

Titan S sounds pretty neutral to my ears. However, if you prefer a colored tuning, you can easily match it with any cooler/warm source.


Bass

• Bass is done very well here in terms of quality and quantity
• Bass extension is pretty much spot on
• Tight and fast
• Doesn’t bleed into the mids
• Sub bass rumble is there when it’s called for, very evident in Dune’s OST Dream of Arrakis, not lacking in any way
• Not bloated and has got good texture to it

Mids

• Vocals are forward but not intimidating in any away
• Both male and female has got good texture to it
• I personally liked the slight elevation on the upper mids, it does highlight and put some emphasis to certain instruments, but it’s not too intrusive that made you feel like it is overwhelming

Treble

• Not sibilant nor harsh
• It has got enough air and sparkles to not made it sound dull and dark
• Extension can be better but at the asking price,it’s just nitpicking
• Plenty of perceived detail

Soundstage/Imaging

• The soundstage is wide, if you are listening to live music, very very good
• Good imaging and instruments can be pinpointed easily
• Good layering between instruments,it doesn’t feel like one is trying to drown/over-power the other instruments
• Overall, very good considering the price point, anything more than this is just nitpicking

Driveability

• Easy to drive, you can easily get a listenable volume level straight out of a phone’s jack
• Doesn’t need amping to sound good, but scales very well with it

Comparison (Ikko’s OH2)

• OH2 is a bit more mid centric and laid back
• Tonality wise its tilting towards the warmer side of spectrum
• Generally a more laid back listening experience comparing to Titan S which has got more energy and revealing nature (Not a good or bad thing,it’s all down to personal preference)
• Detail wise,Titan S takes the lead as OH2 is not tuned to be a revealing set in nature
• Soundstage on the OH2 feels more in your head rather than having a more open kind of sound like Titan S

Comparison (Moondrop’s Aria)

• Aria being slightly bland(darker),Titan S has got more sparkles and air
• Smoother top end
• Less analytical than Titan S
• Bass quantity is slightly higher on the Aria compared to Titan S, but both exhibited good control
• In terms of treble presentation, both are different being Titan has got more energy and Aria is more reserved in terms of a smoother response
• Both are going head to head,to my ears and my setup

Final Thoughts

Well, what do I think about Titan S? I absolutely like it and it is very easy to recommend to someone who dislikes Aria due to it being bland. Titan S is the alternative and in fact, it is a bit more resolving compared to Aria based on my listening setup.

Dunu has really set a benchmark on how budget IEM should sound and you don’t even have to pay a significant amount of money to enjoy good sound. I will definitely be keeping an eye out to see what they have to offer up next.

At the time of writing, Titan S is going for 79.9$, which has a high price performance ratio.



An easy 4.5/5 stars from me
(Do take into consideration that what i mentioned in this review is based on how i hear it via my own setup,YMMV
However, rest assured that you will still be getting a good sound out of Titan S even if you don’t share the same source as i have)

*A Big thanks to Kevin and Thomas from Dunu for sending over this tour unit and providing the opportunity for others to review the Titan S as well. I am in no way influenced to write a positive review by participating in this tour

Titan S Product Page
Dunu’s Webstore
Dunu’s Aliexpress Store

The Dunu Titan 1 is my first, in a real sense, HiFi headphones, my preference of the Dunu has started from then on. And the price of Dunu's Titan series has always been in the range that I can afford, so I have bought the Titan1, Titan3 and Titan5.

But when the Titan 6 was released, I haven’t been attracted by it. One was that its appearance was not that attractive, and the other was because its sound was no longer what it used to be. But just this month(Dec. 2021), the Titan S attracted me deeply, with a mechanical appearance, a reasonable price and a neutral sound.


Appearance:
In fact, when I saw the word Titan, I thought of the Nvidia GTX Titan X. I think that the appearance of the Titan S may be a bit of a reference to the Titan X. At first glance, Titan S is angular, but in actual wear, there is no discomfort at all. Due to the compact cavity and light weight, coupled with good ergonomic design, it is more comfortable than ALO Andromeda which also has an angular appearance.

I think Titan S looks good in every way.



Sound:
The sound of Titan S is tasteless and neutural. You can't find its serious shortcomings, and neither can you tell its very outstanding points. After HRTF's compensation, it will show a very flat frequency response graph. Anyway, I will introduce its sound briefly.

The Titan S can be easily driven by mobile phones, but after changing to a balanced output device, the sound will be still greatly improved.

Bass: There are not many basses. The Titan S may not be able to cope with some pop, rock and metal tracks with heavy bass. But fortunately, after blocking the pressure balance hole, the subbass has been significantly improved. After boosting the sub bass, the sound of Titan S is much closer to the Harman target curve, but the disadvantage of the bass boosting is that the mids will be relatively reduced, resulting in a dry sound. I still don't know the diameter of its drivers, I don't think they have large diaphragms because its bass texture is audibly not as good as my FD3. It is difficult for smaller size drivers to bring a large sound stage.

Mids: Mids are actually very standard, moderate and a little thin, it will not cause the vocals to change tones or affect the bass and treble.

Treble: Very standard Harman tuning, though the falloff of 6kHz is too much, resulting reducing a part of sound details, and the overall sound will be slightly darker, the falloff still brings benefits, which is that the Titan S can well suppress the sibilance for most vocals, making vocals harmonious. The treble resolution of the Titan S is also good at its price range.



Conclusion:
In terms of overall performance, the Titan S is at the forefront of the its price range. I thought the Dunu had forgotten the entry-level market when I saw that they were updating mid-to-high level products such as the Zen series, but didn't see the release of any entry-level products. The appearance of Titan S ignited entry-level audiophiles.
The Titan S is suitable for: entry-level audiophiles, users have limited budget, users who use mobile phone to drive it, users who like a more flat sound.
Not suitable for: users who expect too much (for example, want to spend 80 dollars to get 100 dollars sound).
After all, it is a product I highly recommend to buy (within 80 US dollars).


One more funny fact, after the pressure balance hole is blocked, the overall sound style of the Titan S is very close to Moondrop-Variations. Of course, the sound quality of it is inferior to the Variations.

Video review/ramble here:

DISCLAIMER: This unit is a pre-production unit sent to me by Dunu for testing before they put out the retail unit. I don't have any of the retail packaging and accessories, except the iem and the cable themselves. The sound should be the same as the retail unit. I am not being paid to say anything good or bad regarding this iem, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Build: Extremely solid due to the metal shell, love the cyberpunk-inspired aesthetic. The cable is fairly soft and flexible, but does tangle at times if you really are careless with it. Still, Dunu makes some wonderful cables and this stock one is no exception. Concerning the fit, the Titan S fits me very well, and doesn't irritate me at all-in fact, I have slept while wearing these iems multiple times. However, keep in mind that since Dunu intends for the listener to have a decently deep fit, the nozzle is a little long. Not by much though.

Bass: Slightly and tastefully elevated, pretty clean and never bloated. Has rumble and thumps when the track calls for it, but doesn't distract from the music at all. Decent texture.

Mids: Forward in the mix. Both male and female vocals sound very nice, with good texture in the vocals. Not shouty like the SSR.

Treble: Present without fatigue or sibilance. Has enough air to not be considered dark. Could do with better extension, but at this price point it's very acceptable.

Technicalities: Has an average stage for iems, which is to say it's not going to outstage and open-back headphone, but it's wide enough to enjoyable and not make the listener claustrophobic. Imaging is pretty decent, I can pinpoint sounds well, and layering and separation are fairly good as well. Details are about average, I wasn't wowed by minute sounds in the track like I was by the Mest and Clairvoyance, but it was serviceable.

Final Thoughts: The Dunu Titan S is a very solid iem in the sub-$100 price range. It has a nice (slightly lean) tuning that I think a lot of people won't have qualms with, a very solid build with the metal shell, and accessories that cover everything for a person looking to get their first iem/a reliable beater set. Highly recommend for $80.

I received a pre-production unit, so I did not receive the production packaging or accessories. However, as far as the IEM itself is concerned, it has a triangular shell with a darker, steampunk aesthetic. I dig it. Build quality is good, although there is a distinct line where the two halves of the shell meet. The nozzles are also a tad longer than might be expected; however, I had no issues with comfort and was able to even lay on my side with minimal fatigue. Isolation is average. The included cable is commendable for this price point. It has a weave reminiscent of the DUW02, so it is highly pliable and has minimal microphonic feedback. The 2-pin connectors themselves have a plastic wrap that aligns with the stem of the Titan S. Connectors are recessed for maximum stability. This is just a really solid build all-round that should mitigate some of the issues that plight most budget IEMs.

Sound Talk​

The measurement below was taken off of an IEC-711 coupler. There is a resonance peak at 8kHz, so measurements after that point should not be considered entirely accurate. You can follow this link to compare the DUNU Titan S to other IEMs that I have graphed.



Generally, the Titan S has a Harman-oriented tonality with some minor deviations that make it perceptively hit closer to a reference sound. I'll draw comparisons to the Moondrop Aria because that's really the only other IEM that I think plays with the Titan S at this price point, and I finally got around to A/B-ing them. Generally, I'd say the Titan S is slightly leaner, cleaner, and indexing for a more analytical sound by comparison.

Expectedly, then, the bass shelf of the Titan S eschews some quantity relative to the Moondrop Aria for a less warm, more controlled response. The midrange of the Titan S is pretty solid as well. It can get sort of in-your-face at times, but never to the point of which it's offensive. That in mind, I find it's pretty reminiscent of the universal Viento-B's upper-midrange (just, you know, without the sibilance). The treble of the Titan S is where things get a little spicy. It's relatively smooth sailing until the upper-treble. Here, there's definitely a peak à la the Moondrop single-DD IEMs, but graphs can be deceiving. The peak of the Titan S actually sounds noticeably greater in amplitude relative to the Aria which has something of a haziness to treble decay. On one hand...this does lend to better perceived extension. Conversely, it lends to a slightly metallic timbre. I wish this had been dampened some more; still, it does play into the cleaner tonality that the Titan S is going for against the Moondrop Aria. I don't expect class-leading treble at this price point anyways.

Similarly, technicalities are more or less what you'd expect. Head-to-head with the Aria, I find the two to be about par for detail. The Titan S is maybe a tad more resolving in the bass and treble regions (at the very least it sounds more controlled) whereas the Aria has more pleasing timbre. Don't expect anything crazy, but the Titan S is a solid technical performer for $80.

In terms of comparisons...I alluded to it earlier, but there's not many IEMs that compete with the Titan S at this price point. It's a step above stuff like the BLON BL03 and Tripowin Mele in terms of technicalities and tonal balance. The HZSound Heart Mirror sounds exceedingly peaky and takes anemic too far by comparison. I feel like the Tin T4 might be able to compete with the Titan S but it's slightly more expensive and the tonal balance isn't quite as good from memory. If you want to stretch your budget a little more and can stomach the fit, then the ER2XR still comes out on top for pure SQ. But you're definitely trading build quality (specifically for the cable) and convenience there.

Wrap-Up​

What more is there to say? The Titan S is just...good. And I say this in the best sense possible. It makes no glaring mistakes as far as I can tell, and it's a given that the build quality is going to be solid because this is DUNU we're talking about. I can totally see this being a worthy alternative to the Moondrop Aria for listeners who are after a slightly cleaner, more analytical sound. It's an easy recommendation from this reviewer.