DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci

Quick Disclaimer: As always this review is 100% my own and I did not read or watch any prior to making this one, I guess I can’t consider myself a newbie anymore considering I’ve tried many different IEMs with different tonalities, tunings and price points which makes me believe I have reached the amateur status. I am thinking of changing my style of reviews since it might sound that I am just yapping but if you find what I write here great then that’s awesome!

The equipment I used for this review are the following:

• Spotify
• iPhone XS with Apple Dongle
• FX Audio R07 Plus
• Fosi Audio K7

I would like to thank HIFIGO for making this review possible! This is my 3rd review from them and I have more coming soon so stay tuned for that!

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And away we go~


This is my first product review from DUNU and for those who are new to the company, they started way back in 2006 as an independent company but they’ve been in the development and manufacturing of HiFi earphones since 1994. Their webpage has a lot of products available ranging from budget to expensive options and so far their products have great designs, the DaVinci IEMs are a collaboration between DUNU and Gizaudio which is also great to hear that companies and content creators are doing collaborations since it builds and strengthens relationships with the audio community.


The DaVinci is a 299$ IEM that comes equipped with 2 dynamic drivers(8mm and 10mm) and 4 balanced armatures(2 for mid range, 1 for mid-high and 1 extremely high frequency); for the price range I would say that these are jam packed with a lot of goodies especially with the 4 balanced armatures on each earpiece gives me the impression that the mid-range is going to sound very good and the dual dynamic driver will give a satisfying bass response. Moving on to the shell of the DaVinci which is 3D Printed but the real star of the show here is the Five-Leaf Maple Wood Faceplate and looking at other pictures from those who bought this set, each is unique to one another so if you go ahead and purchase on for yourself, the design is 1:1 and you will not find anyone else who has the same pattern as yours.

One thing I would like to mention is that the nozzle size is large, it is the same size as the Juzear Butterfly 61T’s nozzle but seems to be slightly large, I could be wrong or right but the bottom line is that the nozzle is large. It takes a bit of finessing to get the eartips attached and could potentially break if you’re not too careful so it is important to take note of this one but despite the size, it doesn’t feel like my ear canals are being stretched.

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UNBOXING EXPERIENCE


There’s not much to say about the unboxing experience as it is pretty standard even for the price point of 299$, while yes some IEMs have better packaging and design. I do appreciate that the outer sleeve has sketches of the inventions of DaVinci in the front, the sides just have DUNU X GizAudio printed while on the back is where you can see all the specifications from the weight, drivers and materials. No graph is present but you should be able to visualize what it looks like just by looking at the drivers that come with the sets.


Removing the outer sleeve and lifting the top cover, you will see the DaVinci is encased in a thick sheet of foam, lifting it up will reveal the big carrying/storage case and some user guides underneath. Inside the carrying/storage case are tons of ear tips each packed separately and the cable with the 3.5mm and 4.4mm jack detached, I do appreciate that it also comes with a 6.3mm to 3.5mm adapter plug in case you want to try this out on a DAC/AMP that doesn’t have an option for 3.5mm. All in all you get the following:

• 3 sets of ear tips with 3 S/M/L sizes(1 set for Balanced, 1 set for ambience and sound density and 1 set for dynamic range)
• Cleaning Brush
• Premium Cable with modular plug
• 3.5mm and 4.4mm jack
• 6.3mm to 3.5mm adapter

The cable that comes with the DaVinci has a nice thickness and flex to it, you can see the wiring of the cable which almost looks like carbon fiber but it’s not. Having an option to swap between 3.5mm and 4.4mm jack gives you a lot of versatility if you want to listen to your phone that has a 3.5mm input or powerful DAC/AMPs that have a 4.4mm input, swapping between the two is easy as long as you align the pins and bump. Lastly, the 0.78mm 2 pin connectors don't have any letter indicators but the right side of the 2 pin has 3 red stripes which means that this one is for the right ear piece and not the left.

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OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

Using iPhone XS with Apple Dongle

Surprisingly the DaVinci is easy to drive/power considering that it has two dynamic drivers and 4 balanced armatures on each side which has a very warm tonality focusing a lot on the bass but this does not mean that the highs will sound recessed or muddy because the 4 balanced armatures tend to balance out the inconsistencies that can happen to some IEMs. The vocals sound relaxed and have great clarity and there is good separation between the main, secondary and background vocals; instrument wise it is also the same for vocals having great detail and separation, it is also worth mentioning that there is some sparkle especially in cymbals or bells.

Out of the box, the sound staging is slightly wide while being holographic and has precise imaging. Quite impressive as this is the stock sound quality that the DaVinci brings to the table especially when using the Apple Dongle which has a neutral sound. Being holographic, you can expect that you will hear some offsets when listening to music either the vocals are being played behind you or off your shoulder.

Then we move to the bass and as mentioned already that the DaVinci has a very warm tonality with lots of emphasis on the bass. Mid-bass does have that punch but it is somewhat smooth in the attack but as we move to the sub-bass oh boy all I can say is that it is definitely rumbly, texture wise it is smooth but the rumble will become overwhelming quickly if you play music with lots of bass such as phonk and rock.

Using Fosi Audio K7 3.5mm Jack

Now let’s see how the DaVinci performs with DAC/AMPs with more power, starting with the K7 from Fosi Audio.

Since we have more power, it is expected that there will be a boost on both the vocals and bass but there was none, I wasn’t disappointed by this one but it is just worth noting that if ever you decide to try it with a audio source with more power output that there isn’t much boost in fact there is none at all.

Vocals and instruments still have great clarity and detail while having a bit more sparkle but where the K7 really shines is the sound staging and imaging; pairing the DaVinci which already has a wide sound staging and precise imaging with an audio source that bumps that up to 200 makes for a satisfying and immersive experience. The sound staging has gotten a bit wider for the DaVinci and the imaging sounds like the vocals and instruments are being panned from left to right; while it doesn’t sound like it is being played behind you like in the cinemas, it is quite impressive.

More power means more bass? Not really, the mid-bass still does have its punch but the sub-bass’ rumble became smoother and is more tolerable. Some might say that this was a downgrade but for me the K7 made it into a much better listening experience without any discomfort.

Using Fosi Audio K7 4.4mm Jack

What happens if we try the 4.4mm jack on the DaVinci? Well there were some slight changes. First of all the vocals and instruments have an increased emphasis making the DaVinci slightly bright, no it is not shouty nor while I consider this as a treble increase but I will just describe it as increasing the volume a little bit by 5-10%. With the increase of the volume, vocals and instruments still have good clarity and detail while maintaining that sparkle that is audible on both the Apple Dongle and using the 3.5mm jack.

Sound staging and imaging still remain the same as using the 3.5mm jack. There is a noticeable pattern here when using the K7’s 3.5mm jack and 4.4mm jack is that while there is a volume boost switching from 3.5mm to 4.4mm, the sound quality it brings is still relatively the same. I could be wrong but I could be right so I stand by my ground that there is almost no difference at all.

This is where it gets interesting, the mid-bass did get punchier and the rumble texture of the sub-bass was increased slightly when switching to the 4.4mm jack. Though this might cause just a little bit of discomfort, I find myself listening to music a little longer and don’t have to avoid soundtracks that have a lot of bass in them.

Using FX AUDIO R07 Plus 3.5mm Jack

Last but certainly not the least, we move to the R07 Plus.

Moving to the R07 Plus makes the vocals and instruments revert back to its original sound with the Apple Dongle, I would say that it sounds balanced with the vocals still having good clarity and separation between secondary and background as well as the instruments retaining the detail and sparkle. Vocals also do sound relaxed which is much similar to the Apple Dongle’s sound.

When it comes to the sound staging and imaging, it is slightly wider than the Apple Dongle but not as wide as what the K7 gives, though it is quite respectable given that there has been an improvement when using the R07 Plus, imaging also has improvements too with it having better holographic and imaging. The DaVinci already has a wide sound staging and precise imaging out of the box so using it together with the R07 Plus gives it a little more improvement but some might dismiss these improvements.

For the mid-bass, it is the same as the K7 with the 3.5mm jack, the smooth punch is there and has a decent amount of decay; the sub-bass has a bit more rumble than the K7, though it has more the texture is smoother almost similar to it as well.

Using FX AUDIO R07 Plus 4.4mm Jack

Using the 4.4mm jack, I was also expecting a boost to the volume but there was none, not even a treble boost to the vocals or instruments. I’m assuming that the DaVinci has reached its limit to the power output that it received and can only give out what it can. Despite all that the clarity, details and separation are quite good for both the vocals and instruments.

Sound staging and imaging is significantly better with it being wider and having better imaging, yes the holographic is still there but the panning offset is present making vocals and instruments play as if it is off shoulder. I say this a lot but it is the best way I can describe boeing holographic.

Maybe the same thing can be said for the bass? Nope, in fact the mid-bass has a more impactful punch and the sub-bass goes back to its smooth yet rumbling texture, it did cause a bit of discomfort while listening because of the build up of the rumble but for diehard bassheads, this is more of a blessing than a curse.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

While I don’t have any IEMs for review that fall under the same price point of 299.99$, I will skip the comparison part for this review and hopefully in the near future I can get my hands on some IEMs with the same price point and maybe the same tuning as well. Overall the DaVinci IEMs are perfect for bassheads and anyone who wants to have a little more pizzaz to their bassy/warm listening experience, it performs very well and the bass doesn’t overcome the mid-range and highs but even as a basshead myself, I will say that the sub-bass will build up a lot after prolonged listening and you might find yourself switching to a single dynamic driver or a balanced tuning IEM. Other than that the DaVinci also comes with lots and lots of ear tips for you to do tip rolling and see which one suits you best and with two interchangeable jacks and a 6.3mm to 3.5mm adapter, you’re getting more than your money’s with this set.

Blup blup 𓆟 and happy listening!

Dunu x Gizaudio DaVinci review and comparisons.

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The Dunu x Gizaudio DaVinci ($299.99) is a hybrid IEM that uses 2 dynamic and 4 balance armature drivers, a 10mm dynamic driver for sub-bass, an 8mmm dynamic driver for bass, 2 balance armatures for midrange, a balance armature for high, and a balance armature for ultra-high. And they are divided by a 5-way electronic passive crossover. It has quite an elaborate electrical design for a 300-dollar IEM, but those won't matter if it doesn't sound good, so read on and find out.

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This set was sent to me for a review from a review tour group in my country conducted by the HiFiGo online audio store. Thank you,, HifFiGo.

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The packaging is easy to open and efficiently designed; it includes a very nice Dunu-branded carrying case, 3 kinds of ear tips, which include their famous Dunu S&S tips, a manual, a cleaning tool, and the Dunu Leo cable, a very nice and thick but not overly so, modular 2-pin cable with 3.5mm, 6.25mm, and 4.4mm connectors. I can see that the accessories included here are very good for the price of the set.

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The IEMs themselves are on the larger side in size, which is understandable considering the drivers inside the shell, but they never caused any discomfort even on long listening sessions. It just protrudes slightly from my ears, which makes it not ideal for sleeping with.

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I find it to be ear tip sensitive, and I only use the gray ear tips exclusively for this review, as I almost disliked it using the other tips.

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For the source, I used my iBasso DC Elite dongle DAC/Amp almost exclusively. I have tried it with my other sources but ultimately decided to use the DC Elite for its clarity and good synergy with the Dunu DaVinci. I used the 4.4mm connection with the stock cable.

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It has an average to slightly below-average sensitivity, can go very loud, and takes a lot of power without distorting. I highly recommend using larger dongle DACs than those tiny ones.

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Sound Quality:

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I would describe it as a slightly U-shaped sound with a moderately boosted and very extended sub-bass, a relaxed but clear-sounding midrange, and a very extended and resolving treble. It sounds like a big,, high-end 2-channel speaker audio system. It has a big bass presentation while also having a very resolving yet non-fatiguing midrange and treble.

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The bass goes very deep and has plenty of low-end punch, but it does not overpower the rest of the audio range; it has good smoothness, details, and articulation. The midrange is slightly laid-back in its presentation but has a good upper midrange presence and clarity. The treble is highly resolving with excellent upper treble extension; it produces those very gentle and delicate shimmering sounds with clean decay.

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It has good instrument note weight and never sounded thin.

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The instrument separation is very good, but due to the slightly laid-back presentation of the midrange and,, to some extent, the lower treble, the separation is not as apparent as some brighter-sounding IEMs, but it is there if you listen closely; it's just not the main focus of the overall sound of this set.

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The sound staging is good; it is slightly deeper than it is wide. The size may not be the biggest, but it is large nonetheless and certainly won't cause any aural claustrophobia. But I wish it was slightly wider.

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The imaging is very good. It may not be the most sharply defined I've heard, but the images sound distinct and separated from each other, with good placement.

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The overall sound presentation is slightly bassy, smooth, non-fatiguing, slightly laid-back midrange, and lower treble presentation with high resolution. It has good musicality and engagement.

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Compared to Moondrop Blessing 3 ($360):

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The Moondrop Blessing 3 is a similarly configured IEM with 2 dynamic and 4 balanced armature drivers, but its sound presentation focused more on the sharpness of the imaging, treble presence, wider soundstage, details, resolution, immediacy, speed, and air, but at the expense of tonality by having a note weight that is on the lean side. Plus I find the Blessing 3 to be tiring to listen to on long listening sessions, the higher resolution is hard to deny, though.

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Compared to Dita Audio Project M ($325):

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The Project M is a hybrid IEM with a single 9.8mm dynamic and a single balanced armature driver. It has a more deliberate U-shape and brighter sound signature compared to the Dunu DaVinci. The bass is tuned leaner, but the upper treble is much more elevated. They have about equal resolving power in the midrange and treble when listened to carefully, but due to the brighter and more forward tuning of the Project M, it seems to have more apparent details; in reality and in my opinion, they only differ in presentation. The Project M may be the brightest sounding in this review and comparisons, but is never fatiguing due to its relaxed upper midrange. If you like a warmer tonality with good details and resolution, get the Dunu Davinci. I like them both.

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Pros:

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Warmish, smooth, and detailed sound

non-fatiguing on long listening sessions

excellent bass extension and quality

excellent upper treble extension

Very good accessories included.

very nice cable

3 sets of ear tips

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Cons:

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The shell is on the large side, but understandably so.

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Summary:

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I've spent many minutes on different occasions finding faults in the sound quality of the Dunu x Gizaudio Davinci, and I couldn't find any, but if I have to nitpick, it sounds to me a little too relaxed, but this is a splitting-hair kind of nitpick, as it sounds very good overall and is a crowd-pleaser in terms of tonality. I speculate, and at the same time, based on my experience, that many people will love the sound quality of the Dunu x Gizaudio DaVinci, and thus, I highly recommend it if you are looking for an IEM in this price range.

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I would like to congratulate the tuning team at Dunu and Gizaudio for the excellent sound of the DaVinci.

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Happy listening, cheers!

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Non-affiliated purchase link:
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https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-x-...hSGsX0Erq1_yHKKvx3bQ43Tcst9I_qVj6Gdtkr6RfOPq-

This unit is courtesy of Mr. Harmoko who lent me the Dunu Davinci for a week. Thank you so much for your support as always! This review is my first time reviewing a set from Dunu and actually my first IEM from Timmy from GizAudio, been looking for the Chopin since forever, Haven’t really gotten my hands on them tho… but I digress! As per usual, this review is my own opinion and I’m not forced to say anything good about anything.

Video Review:




Unboxing
Surprisingly, the Box is smaller than what I thought, but it is thick! Inside you’re presented with the Davinci themselves, and underneath there’s a carrying case that I actually really like, and… nothing else...

Inside the case, there’s the included Modular cable, a lot of Eartips Eartips, and the modular Jacks. The Accessories are very generous in my opinion, you got a lot of eartips, a lot of people’s favorites too like the Dunu SnS and the Dunu Candy.. The Modular Jacks included are the 3.5 and 4.4, but not only that, they also put a 6.35 mm adapter, which I’ve never seen included with an IEM before. Oh, they also included a cleaning brush.

Presentation wise, I think they are rather simplistic, but the accessories made up for that. I really like when manufacturers give a lot of good accessories as I think it adds up to the overall perception of value to the items you bought and of course it also gives options to the customers.

LEO Cable
Perhaps it is well understood that DUNU makes some of the best modular cable. Personally, I never tried DUNU’s product outside of this, but that is what I heard from a couple of my friends. Handling the LEO Cable that is included with Davinci feels quite nice on hand. The hardware is on the rather smaller size compared to maybe the Hiby’s Project Ace I reviewed a while back and the design is way more intricate on the Hiby, but I prefer slightly prefer the seamless look on the Leo, hardware look on the other hand, the Hiby Ace has a rather nice machined look to it. The Leo also came with protruded 2-pin to accommodate the recessed pins of Davinci. I think the only questionable combination in the Leo Hardware is the Chin Slider thingy as it is made of plastic and doesn’t really fit the overall rounded round-ish design of the whole cable. Perhaps it is not really important as what is important about the Chin Slider thingy is whether or not it holds the position well, and this one does hold it really well. Overall, I really like the look and feel of the Leo cable. I think we’ve talked about the cable way too much.

Design, Fit, and Comfort

The next thing I need to talk about is Design, Fit, and Comfort. The Davinci is a rather tall IEM with shallow nozzles. Perhaps not as shallow as the Dudu, but it is still rather shallow. It also protrudes out a little bit on the Nozzle part. The fitment is overall pretty good and comfortable, if it is not. Dunu has included a bunch of eartips you could try.

As for the design, I really like the left faceplate on this one, it reminds me a lot of other planet surfaces, like Mars and Jupiter. The Thick transparent top layer of the faceplate is also something worth it as it allows the light to bleed through and create a rather interesting visual. The rather translucent finish of the Body makes them rather interesting to look at for a long period of time. I think the faceplate also has that RNG factor for those who like to play Gacha Games, maybe you could try your luck on Davinci’s Faceplates.

Sound

Let’s move on to the most important part of the review. I’ve been a little bit lucky recently that I got my hands on the Hiby x F.Audio Project Ace before the Davinci. So I roughly have an idea of how the two compare and perhaps to some other $250 to 300 dollars.

Bass
I will start by describing the bass this time around, as the first note I have on the Davinci is the Bass. The bass of the Davinci is rather textured, not really sure how it stacks up to the likes of the Tansio Mirai X I reviewed a while back, but I think it’s more controlled and textured on the Davinci. The Davinci is definitely a Bassy IEM, It is on the edge between being a basshead IEM to a natural sounding IEM. I really like the bass performance of the Davinci as I think it is the strong suit of this set.

Other than the Accessories, this is why I would personally buy the Davinci. Fun fact I did talk to Mr. Harmoko about this, but… at the end I think owning this set would most likely be out of my budget at the time and I would most likely be better off upgrading my source. But again… I digress!

Mids
Moving on, perhaps not the most forward sounding upper mids I’ve experienced so far. Yet, it felt rather natural considering the Hybrid configuration the Davinci has. On the first listen or short listen, there is perhaps nothing that really stands out about the Midrange performance of the Davinci. However, as previously mentioned, the Davinci sounds natural even though they are a Hybrid set. The lower mids are linear with perhaps no dips or bumps, giving an even sound presentation.

Male vocals sound weighty and warm, while females felt slightly lighter, but also a little bit warm. They still have a slight sparkle to them, but not too much as it might give off a sibilant sound on boosted lower treble. The transition from Upper mids to the Treble area is pretty good, just like this transition.

Treble
Perhaps not the brightest set I’ve listened to so far, the treble performance of Davinci is perhaps rather recessed while giving a pretty good definition and air on cymbals, bells, and many other instruments in the frequencies. I don’t have too many notes on the treble as I find them pretty good, maybe not for treblehead, but good across genres and use cases.

For Technicalities, since the Davinci is not that bright, perhaps it also affects the detail retrieval. The detail retrieval is perhaps just okay for the price, you can slightly hear some of that nuance, but not to a point of noticing everything in a recording.

On Distortion
Definitely bassier than the recent listening experiences. As for positioning, I think you’re placed near the stage. While the crowds are slightly pushed backwards pretty far from you, I think details of the crowds are barely there. Perhaps it is a good thing as it doesn’t distract you from the performance. Back to the performance, the positioning of guitars and drums are quite pronounced. The layering of vocal and instruments are also pretty good.

On Empire State of Mind
Not my usual kind of music, but the bassy nature of the Davinci brought me to this song. Perhaps not directly to this song, but to Eminem’s new song Houdini first, then this… but, I digress! What I like most about this song is the bass texture, it surely came out punchy and thumpy but there is also some addition to them. Perhaps I’m using the wrong term, but the bass resolution, the clarity of the bass is pretty nice and rather intoxicating.

On Blitzkrieg Bop
I really really like the Bass guitar performance with the Davinci, as the roll is so well played and has a lot of sense of resolution and texture. It almost feels like you can feel the bass guitar vibrating and the texture of the strings.

On Tsuki Lie by Atarashii Gakko!
This is a really odd choice of music as I barely listen to them with other IEMs, but I do like their song called Tokyo Calling. I’ve never actually listened to this one, but Spotify recommended me to listen to this and yea… as a song that is bass heavy, the Davinci offers a really fun listening experience.

Vs. The Truthear Zero:Red
Ah yes, the teacher and student kind of relationship. It’s no secret that Crinacle and Timmy are pretty close. But of course it doesn’t have anything to do with the Zero:Red and the Davinci. Well, technically it is their collaborations with brands. But, I digress! Since it is unfair to compare the Zero:Red to the Davinci, due to… a lot of reasons actually. Take this as a grain of salt and it’s just for fun.

The Zero:Red is my favorite set that I bought with my second paycheck. It’s been awhile since I listened to them. Compared to the Davinci, the first thing I noticed is that the bass texture came out a little more on the Davinci compared to the Zero:Red. On the top end, the Davinci seems to also be more forward. Bringing out that sense of resolution. I think if you’re like me and want an upgrade to the Zero:Red. The Davinci is perhaps the next step up.

TL; DR
The Dunu Davinci is a collaboration of Dunu and Timmy from Gizaudio (Hi Timmy). The Davinci is a hybrid IEM with 4 Balanced Armature and 2 Dynamic Drivers, costing around $300 dollars. Their sound signature is rather Bassy Natural, as my first note on them is the bass texture they have. They also came with a lot… I mean a lot of accessories in the box. The Modular Cable is also really impressive as they’re quite well built. I honestly do not have too much complaint on the sound as I find them rather nice to listen to. I think if I would be nitpicking, It may feel like it is not resolving enough. However, the fitment is rather… weird, don’t get me wrong they are a comfortable set to wear but the nozzle seems to protrude out of my ears and they don’t have a particularly good passive isolation. Other than that, I think I have really nothing to complain about. It is a really nice set to own and I would highly recommend this set for those who like natural sounding vocals, thumpy and punchy bass. As for the ratings, I give them an A for Tonality and a B+ for Technicalities.

Well, that is it… I guess I will see you when I see you, Davinci! Thank you Mr. Harmoko for providing the unit for review. How about you, what do you think of Davinci ? Why shouldn't you buy DaBinky ? I’m really curious about the last question because genuinely I find nothing wrong outside of the fitment and perhaps the price. Let me know in the comments section. Thank you all for reading and have a great day!

Summary
The Dunu Davinci is a 300$ hybrid iem, made in collaboration with Gizaudio. Inside we see a 4BA+2DD hybrid set up. In classic Dunu fashion this comes with high quality accessories in the box. Build & design is great and fit & comfort is good. Dunu has gone for a warm balanced to mild U shape tuning. This has a smooth, easy going and balanced sound with good engaging bass. What I find interesting is the midrange performance, unlike other similar U shape sets this retains a nice extension through out without being too in your face. So is it any good? In my opinion, this is the best easy going set in the sub 300$ price range. Whether you are an audiophile or general audio enthusiast, I think you will enjoy it either way.



Intro
Hey Guys, whats up….
Today I am checking out the DaVinci from Dunu. This is a pretty popular hybrid iem in the sub 300$ price range. This is also a collaboration between Dunu and Gizaudio. The retail price of the DaVinci is 299$. So is this the best sub 300$ hybrid set right now? Lets discuss…

About the brand:
First, lets get to know the brand, Dunu is a very popular iem manufacturer. They gained huge fame for providing over all high quality sets at a decent price. They are also popular for making premium iem cables. I personally have used a couple of their sets, some being the Titan, Falcon Pro, SA6, Zen. Although I used and tried manyof their offerings, this will be my first review for a Dunu set. Anyways, enough yapping lets get back to the DaVinci, starting off with specs.

Disclaimer: thanks to Hifigo and the review tour group “Audiophile Alliance Bangladesh” for this unit. But as always this is my honest and unbiased opinion.




Packaging
Continuing on to the packaging section, this comes in a good looking box. I like the over all wood type aesthetic they have gone for. Sliding off the outtser sleeve you will find a simple black box with some branding on top. Sliding off the lid, you will see the iems beautifully presented in between foam. Below that you will find the hard shell case and some papers. Inside the case you will find the cable, eartips, connectors and cleaning brush. This comes with 3 sets of eartips. The hard shell case is nice and good looking. And the cable is pretty good, as you would expect from Dunu. I will get into more detail about the case and cable later. List of box contents:


Build and Design
Moving on to the build and design of the DaVinci, this is solid. Dunu has gone for a classic resin construction but they have used stabilized maple wood for the face plate. In classic Dunu fashion they went far and beyond to provide a unique look and high quality build regardless of price. The stabilized wood design is gorgeous and this is maybe the best implementation of wood in an iem I have seen so far. The wood grain pattern is unique to every set. The wood type theme also goes quite well with the cable. Other than the faceplate the shell is black, very slightly translucent if u put it up against light. The shells feel solid in the hands, weight is standard and size is on the medium to large side. Fingerprints or scratches were not an issue in my use case. The nozzle insertion is standard and width is also standard. The 2pin connectors are recessed type. The shells are vented.



Fit and Comfort
Talking about fit and comfort of the DaVinci, it is pretty good for my regular sized ears. Long term listening comfort is standard, nothing too crazy. Isolation is good. Breathability is ok. Stability is pretty good. All in all I find plenty comfortable for daily use.

Inner Structure and Tech
The DaVinci is packing a 6 driver setup per side. Two of those are dynamic drivers, one 10mm driver for sub bass and 8mm driver for mid bass. The other four drivers are custom balanced armatures, two of which handle the midrange. The other two balanced armatures are for treble, one for highs and the other one for ultra highs. Besides the drivers, the DaVinci also has electronic five-way frequency crossover control, physical and electronic dual-frequency tuning systems.

Eartips:

Case

Cable
Now let’s look at the cable, Dunu has provided a fantastic cable with the DaVinci called the “Leo”. The cable looks quite gorgeous and build is fantastic. The brownish aesthetic goes perfect with the wood themed iems. Build wise this uses silver plated copper (4 strands of hogh purity single crystalline copper) wires in a 4core braid. The 4 core braiding is nice and tight. The connector casing and the Y split seem to be made of metal. The chin singe is tight and properly functional. This has modular terminations and uses the Dunu patented “Q Lock” connection system, which is solid. The 2pin connectors are recessed type. There is no audible micrphonics. There is a bit of cable memory, I wish it was a bit softer. I guess I am knit picking too much considering the price lol..



Please note: Listening impressions are highly subjective and can differ depending on different ear shape, individual music library, choice of source, eartips, cable and personal preferences, so your experience may differ. I personally always use and test all my gear in various setups to get a generalized idea on it. You can find my “tested with” info below.

Now most importantly sound, Dunu has gone for a warm balanced to mild U shape sound signature for the Davinci. What is interesting, I find this set unique to other mild V sets I have tried at this price point. The overall sound is smooth, warm, musical with a decent amount of bass. Many companies tend to put ton of bass or make it too relaxed or make the mids too recessed. If you enjoy engaging bass with smooth yet balanced mids and highs, this could be a good options. Lets get into a bit more detail.

Bass
Let's delve into the bass performance of the Davinci, which is its strongest suit. This provides a hard and visceral bass. What I find interesting is that, it still maintains an above average quality while providing good quantity of bass. In terms of positioning, the mid bass is subtly tamer compared to the sub bass. The sub-bass feels visceral and very engaging. Mid bass is slightly less forward but it provides hard and dynamic slam. This does not get blotted. Bass speed is on the slower side. Overall Davinci has a very musical and engaging bass response, enough to satisfy general listeners and bass lovers but the quantity might not be enough for bass heads. The body and layering are executed well. Decay and reverberation are ok and bass note separation is satisfactory. Personally, I did not find it to be bloated or muddy in any way.

Mids
Moving on to the midrange, this is good. The Davinci has a smooth, warm and balanced midrange. The warmth from the bass does influence the midrange but it is still well balanced. What I find interesting is that the male vocals are a bit forward compared to similarly tuned sets, and I quite like it. Both male and female vocals have a thick and smooth nature, with just a slight sparkle on the female vocals. All in all the vocals do not take the center stage nor the back seat, rather they play along side the other instruments with harmony. Speaking of instruments, they take the same route with over all smooth and balanced presentation. Personally, I quite enjoyed the midrange tuning of this set.

Treble
Proceeding on to the treble of the Davinci, it is tuned fairly smooth similar to the midrange. This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather musical. Davinci has a smooth and balanced treble but just enough forward to balance out the bass region. For such tuning the level of detail is decent. Macro detail is more evident over midro detail. Level of energy is good, but nothing crazy. There is a good sense of air in the treble. You will not find any sibilance or harshness present here, thus this could be a good option for treble sensitive listeners. Although I usually I like a more forward and energetic treble, I find this quite nice and it goes well with the bass and mids of the Davinci.



Technical Sound:
Soundstage of the Davinci is pretty good, better than average. All three plains are above average, this has good width but the height is ok. Stage depth is good. Layering is fine, but in busy tracks it may get blended in.
Imaging is also better than average. Davinci’s imaging is fairly accurate and easy to pin point instruments.
Sound separation and layering is average
Resolution is average
Dynamics are good
Timbre is good

Tested With
Source: cayin n3 ultra, cayin ru7, questyle m15, tempotec v3, fosi sk02, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, Final E, spinfit w1, Divinus velvet, azla crystals, JVC Spiral Dots
Cable: stock, Linsoul Euphrosyne mk2, Cema Audio Rosefinch
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music




Conclusion
So to conclude the review, do I recommend this set? I highly recommend this set if you are looking for a easy going set. I think general consumers will find the tuning and the set in general quite appealing at this price point. The pricing is also good on this set in my opinion. Big props to Dunu and Timy from Gizaudio for such a great all rounder set. And huge thanks to you all for sticking around, see yall in the nest one.

Disclaimer: This review reflects my personal and subjective listening experience. I would like to thank HiFigo for the tour review unit with Audiophile Alliance BD and allowing me to share my thoughts on the product, it doesn’t influence my review in any form and nor I am compensated.



Unboxing:

The Dunu x Gizaudio DaVinci is packed with a lot of accessories for the price. The unboxing experience is very delightful. Here is the full list of accessories:

• Dunu DaVinci IEMs
• The LEO Modular Cable with Swappable Terminations (3.5mm & 4.4mm)
• 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter
• Dunu S&S Tips
• Dunu Candy Tips
• Basic Balance Eartips
• Carrying Case
• Cleaning brush
• Paperwork

Build Quality & Design:

Dunu DaVinci has a solid build quality with unique wooden faceplates which enhances its beauty a lot. The looks of the IEM has a very distinctive design because of it. Dunu DaVinci is in bigger sides of IEMs with thicker shells and chunkier nozzles, around 6mm across which is okay for me because I like deeper fit with my IEMs. It makes sound more immersive and you can feel the bass more but more on that later. Internally, the DaVinci features a 2DD + 4BA hybrid drive system. The drivers feature an independent five-channel sound guidance and electronic frequency crossover control with physical and electronic dual-frequency tuning systems. This is all houses in a 3D-printed resin and features a 0.78 recessed connector.



Test Setup:

Sources: Shanling M3X, Cayin RU7, Shanling UA3, FiiO BTR5

Tips: Dunu S&S Eartips, Final Audio Type E Silicone Eartips, DIVINUS Velvet Silicone Eartips

Cable: Stock Cable with 4.4 termination





Signature Analysis:

Tonality

The DaVinci features a warm slight U-shaped sound signature with a VERY deep-reaching bass and warm lower mids, well-bodied overall midrange, and a clean, well-extended, and smooth treble.



Bass

Dunu DaVinci is a bass cannon. It has a very nice balance between Sub-Bass & Mid-Bass. The sub-bass is very deep and has a very good extension with rumbles. On the other hand, Mid-bass is also very textured and punchy without bleeding into the mids. The main thing is that the bass hits pretty hard but also keeps the midrange relatively clean and not left veiled from any overbearing intrusion from the bass region.



Mids

The mids are actually quite clean, forward in presence and carry a lean-lush note weight that just sounds natural. The overall midrange presentation is quite linear yet focuses on having a full-bodied and rich sound overall. It’s just a very nice midrange, musical, melodious and great for male vocals.



Highs

Dunu DaVinci’s treble is smooth but well-defined and well-extended. As one might anticipate, this won't be a treble head’s paradise, but it will be ideal for those who still want a distinct treble but are sensitive to high frequencies. In a word, I would say it is missing the SPARK in the highs, that is all. Overall, the treble is nice, smooth, non-fatiguing and well controlled.



Technicalities, Soundstage and Imaging

Dunu DaVinci is well rounded warm bassy IEM. I found that detail retrieval is only average because the warmth in the tuning masks some of the details in my testing, but overall presentation is satisfactory but definitely not good for Analytical and Neutral lovers. Soundstage is very nicely extended, more in depth and height, less in width. Sometimes tracks feel closer to the ears. Also instrument separation could have been better at this price point but the imaging is very pleasant.



Conclusion:

I would like to congratulate Timmy for such a fine collab with DUNU. Dunu and Timmy have created something truly special with the DaVinci. I must say, The Davinci is a safely tuned warm IEM that is non-fatiguing and bass heavy which majority enjoys. I found that Davinci pairs very good Shanling M3X and Cayin RU7 with stock 4.4 cable with S&S tips. I enjoyed my songs mostly with Cayin RU7.

For me, DaVinci is a complete package for $299 which gives a mouthful of accessories especially the SS Tips. Overall, The DaVinci is a great deal at its price point and it is a BLIND BUY!

This review reflects my personal and subjective listening experience with the mentioned audio gear product. I would like to thank Hifigo for the tour unit and allowing me to share my thoughts on the product, it doesn’t influence my review in any form and nor I am compensated.

Before I start, I would like to mention that most of my impressions of the gear is based on the source and test tracks mentioned, so YMMV.



Sources: Ibasso D16, Dita Navigator and Apple Lightning dongle



Technical Specs



>Six-Driver Hybrid Configuration.

>2DD+4BA Driver Setup Per Side.

>Premium finish with Solid-Stabilized Wooden Face Panels.

>Independent Dual-Chamber Dynamic Drivers.

>Enhanced Five-Way Frequency Crossover.

>Five Separate Acoustic Tubes.

>Swappable Termination Plugs(3.5mm+4.4mm Plugs).

>Interchangeable Cable (0.78mm 2-pin Connectors).



Technical Information: -

>Impedance: 35Ω@1kHz.

>Sensitivity: 109dB/mW.

>THD+N: <0.5%@1kHz.

>Frequency Response: 5Hz-40kHz.

>Net Weight: 6.6g(per earpiece).


Intro -> Dunu Davinci is a DUNU x Gizaudio Collab Product, I have used couple of Dunu iems in the past namely DK3001, DK3001 Pro, have been a fan of their warm kind of tonality. Gizaudio is a YT channel of fellow member Timmy Vangtan, I have been following Timmy’s YT from the time he was doing perfume reviews before entering into audio reviews/ impressions. The earlier collab of Timmy aka Gizaudio viz, LETSHUOER x Gizaudio Galileo, Binary Acoustics x Gizaudio Chopin were pretty famous so I was eager to give this one a try.

DUNU DaVinci is a brand new six-driver hybrid set of in-ear monitors designed with dual dynamic drivers and four BA drivers on each side. Using enhanced acoustic structure consisting of five independent acoustic tubes, DUNU DaVinci features a five-way frequency crossover for uninterrupted sound reproduction. Each driver works perfectly producing a strong and captivating sound with rich tonality, dynamic bass response, and crisp, detailed instruments.

The cable is made of four strands of high-purity single-crystal copper with silver plating for better signal conductivity. It features Litz braided structure for pure sound signal transmission. This cable has DUNU’s patented Q-Lock Mini swappable termination plug design featuring 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs in the package.

Fit and comfort:

I would mention by bias first, I like metallic shell iems, resin shells don’t give me the confidence as I have had a couple of iems developing cracks either on shell or near the 2-pin section so I prefer metal shell iems though these have to sacrifice on the looks. Davinci has natural grain wood Solid-stabilized faceplates, it comes in universal kind of shell which comfortably fits in the ears. The faceplates are a looker, due to shinny shells and striking color. DUNU has crafted the ear shells of DaVinci using high-quality skin-friendly resin material. The overall pair is light in weight and has an ergonomic shape for a comfortable wearing experience.

DUNU has designed the DaVinci with a five-way enhanced crossover. DUNU has manufactured the shells in collaboration with Higetech, a renowned 3D printing brand. They have used high-precision 3D-printing technology to design a five-channel outlet and a stable acoustic structure for optimum performance.



I received the DaVinci with Dunu S&S but I have had love and hate relationship with S&S and I also believe that it kind of compressed the treble, so I switched to Divinus velvet wide bore, fortunately the Divinus Velvet wide bore worked well and helped me get a good seal plus opening up the treble area.


Bass – Bass is the highlighting factor Davinci, the heft is pretty good, rather than quality this iem focuses on quantity delivery, I would have like quick transients but mind that I am coming from iems that do quality but lacking in quantity seriously. Those who love bass know that the quantity of bass has to be good, both mid bass and subs are presented with enough heft, without being muddy. Bass lingers for long forming a space of engagement. You can listen to Hip Hop for an extended session.

Reference track – Cheap Thrills (Sia), Bezubaan Kab se (ABCD), Double Fantasy (Weeknd) and Karle Trip (Sound of trance by Amit Trivedi), Sher Aaya Sher (Gully Boy)



Timbre and Tonality – one of the aspects I keenly look for in iems is how it produces timbre and how is the tonal balance. Davinci has warm tonality, the tonal character of the instruments is not compromised though there is a bit of added weight to instruments notes like guitars, I like to listen to unplugged music to see how each instruments sound like, the imaging of Davinci is very good. Reference Track (Kana Yaari- Coke Studio)



Vocals – Let me admit that I have heard female vocals better on iems of this price, I found female vocals to be slightly veiled or laid back than male vocals, male vocals sound natural this is mostly traits of the sound signature of the iem, male vocals have richness and naturalness I adore mid centric iems so YMMV. Reference Track – Bhare Naina (Ra.One) and Ek Kudi (Udta Punjab)



Treble – This is the area which is safely played by Davinci, the treble is not airy as such, neither does it compresses like many dark sounding iems. I do not hear much of a congestion in busy tracks as well but expected a quicker transient response. I would have liked a bit but brightness but it is unfair to expect everything, right?



Details - Every minute detail is presented to the listener, for example I was listening to this track Mera Yaar Mila de from album Saathiya, there is so many instruments in use in this track, the low end is presented well. Mind that throughout the spectrum of sound, there is some warmness. I was expecting a bit more clarity and resolution.



The soundstage of Davinci is fine in the large scale of things. With Ibasso D16, I noticed an increase in the width of the stage but still crave for more. It creates engaging sonic environment due to somewhat intimate stage. Instruments are well-placed and images precisely. This doesn’t do fake staging like some iems, I would say accurate.



Overall – A good addition to the list of iems in the $300 price bracket, if you love fun sounding iems and not concerned about all the bells and whistles playing in the track to be forwarded and presented then this is an excellent iem to listen. Davinci is an unoffensive kind of iems and intended for long listening session without being fatiguing.

Disclaimer: Although I purchased the Dunu DaVinci with my own funds, I did receive a reviewer discount worth $80. If you decide to buy this IEM based on my review and find that you disagree with the sound or assessment, that responsibility lies solely with you. I strongly discourage relying solely on a single review for purchasing decisions in the realm of audio quality, as preferences vary. You should conduct thorough research by exploring platforms such as YouTube, head-fi forums, and various Facebook audiophile groups before making a purchase decision.





Unboxing: Dunu has provided a generous amount of accessories with the DaVinci which has an asking price of $300, honestly I haven’t seen this much generous accessories with IEM’s with a much higher price tag. You get a pair (S,M,L) of regular narrow bore silicone tips, a pair of immensely popular Dunu S&S tips which provide an excellent deep insertion fit for me, and a pair of Dunu Candy Tips, these are also a pair of narrow bore of tips with better grip & texture. You get a good quality carrying case with my only complain being it not having enough space to carry my bigger dongles like Cayin RU7. Dunu also provides a very sturdy and good quality cable called “Leo,” Leo is made of four strands of pure single-crystal-copper and plated with silver and I think it pairs really well with the warm-ish tone of the DaVinci. The cable is modular and comes with a Q-Lock mechanism which is easy enough to use even for the beginner audiophiles. The modular cable comes included with 3.5mm & 4.4 mm terminals.



Build Quality & Design: Dunu DaVinci boasts a lightweight and ergonomic design and although I have larger ears I don’t think those with smaller and more petite ears will struggle with this one. Dunu has used Natural Grain Wood Solid-Stabilized Faceplates for the DaVinci and no two sets look the same, each has their unique design! Dunu is well known for their crafty designs but they have really impressed me with this time with the look and feel of the DaVinci which feels much more premium than the competition in the same price bracket. I don’t think such a unique design with wooden faceplate exists in this price range.



The Tech: DaVinci houses a unique multi (6)-driver configuration with 2 dynamic drivers and 4 in house developed balanced armature drivers. A 10mm Bio cellulose dome DD covers the sub-bass region, a 8mm Bio cellulose dome DD which covers the mid-bass. The midrange is covered by a customized composite dual balanced armature configuration, while they went with one BA to cover the highs and one more to cover the ultra-highs. DUNU has manufactured the shells in collaboration with Higetech, a renowned 3D printing brand. They have used high-precision 3D-printing technology to design a five-channel outlet and a stable acoustic structure for optimum performance. The pair has five independent acoustic tubes which helps to reduce interference, and produce a clear sound.

Sources Used During Review: Cayin RU7, Hiby R6 Gen III, Hiby R4. I must say having a warm profile I expected the DaVinci to have better synergy with my R6 Gen III which has bright-neutral sound, and it does. But Cayin RU7 manages to add an extra layer of thickness to the overall sound especially to the vocals and also adds an additional analogue tonality which I love more. DaVinci is moderately easy to drive although it has a rated impedance of 35ohms, but it opens up more with a powerful source. Details are highlighted better; bass is feels more textured and technicalities like layering and separation is further improved.



Sound Evaluation:


Signature: DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci features a mild U-shaped profile, with a warm-neutral tonality, deep reaching bass, thick lower mids, and well-rounded, smooth but well extended treble. Timmy from Gizaudio has really outdone himself with this collab, although I didn’t get a chance to try his other projects like LETSHUOER x Gizaudio Galileo, Binary Acoustics x Gizaudio Chopin, etc, I have read he usually goes for a brighter Harman like tuning with an emphasis on upper-mids. I am glad that Timmy has tried something new compared to his usual target and am happy to report that he has really knocked it out of the park with DaVinci.

Highs (4/5): The best thing I can say about DaVinci’s treble is that it manages to sound detailed & energetic without sounding too bright or falling into a dark void. Instruments like cymbals and high hats sound crisp and snappy, there is air present in the lower treble region. The brilliance region of the treble is missing those extra details due to the absence of EST drivers but that’s to be expected at this price point. Overall, the treble has good extension, it is well round and lively but might fail to live up to the expectations of treble heads.

Mids (4.8/5): The mids of the DaVinci is the chef’s kiss from Timmy, it sounds lush, rich and full-bodied. The mids are well positioned in the mix where they take center place, instruments such as bass guitars, cellos, piano and grungy guitars are well highlighted where as vocals don’t sound too forward but very rich and creamy. Due to the boosted lower midrange, male vocals sound mesmerizing which is break from your typical Harman tuning with its boosted upper-midrange and often shouty female vocals. Not to say that female vocals sound bad on the DaVinci but male vocals usually take the center stage and I am all for it. There is no bleed into the mids from the wonderfully meaty bass, rather there is certain hint of warmth present.

A few examples of DaVinci’s top-tier mids performance can be noticed in tracks like Forget About the Party by Majid Jordan, where it feels as if the vocalist is singing live right in in front of you and the mid-range instruments feel very life like. Low Tide by Iann Dior is another cracking example where the DaVinci’s excellent mid-range shines.

Bass (4.5/5): Dunu DaVinci draws a very nice balance between Sub-Bass & Mid-Bass, although the sub-bass has noticeably better extension, it goes deeper and rumbles quite hard when called upon. Mid-bass on the other hand is quite textured, punchy and slams hard without sounding muddy or bloated. DaVinci renders genres like Pop, Rnb, Hip-hop & especially EDM beautifully, bass hits in tracks like If I Lose Myself (Alesso vs OneRepulic) & Me Before You by Kygo feels very thumpy and impactful as if this IEM was made specifically for that one moment. The bass on the DaVinci definitely isn’t slow and is able to keep up with busy genres like Metal but isn’t as fast as analytically tuned IEM’s like the Simgot EA1000 which has a faster decay. DaVinci has a big, meaty and very enjoyable low-end performance but it won’t satisfy bass-heads, the bass here is certainly big & noticeable but not enough to overshadow the rest of the frequency ranges.

Technicalities (4/5): The detail retrieval in the high’s isn’t certainly anything to write home about, they can get masked by the thicker note weight and overall warm sounding tonality of DaVinci. Surprisingly I found DaVinci to have better detail retrieval in the mid-range, the BA’s doing their job highlighting micro nuances and vocals. Sadly, DaVinci doesn’t have the natural timbre of single DD’s it does exhibit a slight BA timbre but it isn’t excessive. The DaVinci has great imaging performance you can pinpoint difference nuances in the left and right channels accurately, unfortunately the instrument separation isn’t as great. Instruments can sound a bit muddy or not as highlighted due to the warm and lush tuning of the DaVinci. The soundstage has very good depth and height but it isn’t as wide, it sounds more in your head and intimate rather than wide or holographic.



Comparisons:

vs Kinera URD: Totally different price points so you must be thinking why the hell am I comparing these two IEM’s? Well, that’s because both have a very similar tuning philosophy with a warm tonal balance and musicality in mind. The URD is more V-shaped, the vocals don’t sound as thick or forward in the mix, although female vocals do sound more emotional due to the boosted upper-mids of the URD. Male vocals sound much more impressive on the DaVinci, overall, it has more well-rounded and noticeably forward mid-range performance compared to the URD. The Urd has much more warmer sound profile than DaVinci, it masks more details as a result minimizing the effects of the EST drivers present in the URD. The URD also lacks treble extension and energy when compared to the DaVinci it sounds much more laid back and frankly sometimes boring in comparison. DaVinci has a better and more lively treble extension, it has more air and sparkle up top although URD does display slightly better detail extraction tendencies in the upper-treble region due to its EST drivers, this is only by a small margin and still not up to the mark when considering the asking price of the Kinera URD. When compared to DaVinci URD has bassier profile, it can win against DaVinci is sheer quantity but not quality. In the Sub-bass region both hits hard with impressive rumble capabilities but in the mid-bass department URD punches harder. The bass on the DaVinci is faster than the URD, it decays faster. Urd has a marginal lead in technicalities with a wider more holographic and 3D soundstage and it tends to display a natural timbre without any hints of BA timbre. Instrument separation is also slightly better with the URD. Overall, even with some of its perks I think the DaVinci is a much more well-rounded IEM compared to the more expensive Kinera URD and will be suited towards many more genres.

vs Simgot EA1000: These two have opposite tuning philosophies, while DaVinci leans towards a smooth warm, musical and lush sound, EA1000 goes for a more analytical, bright and detailed approach. Simply put EA1000 can’t compete with the DaVinci when it comes to musicality, note weight, lower-mids, bass and accessories. On the other end of the spectrum DaVinci can’t compete with the resolution, instrument separation, detail retrieval and natural timbre of the EA1000. Both has some really good things to offer it depends on your taste really. In its stock form EA1000 can come off thin sounding, dry & bright, introduce a good pure cooper cable, a good pair of tips (Divinus Velvet, Final E-Tips) & a warm, musical source like the Cayin RU7 and you will find EA1000 to be much more competitive with the DaVinci. Dunu x Gizaudio DaVinci has better bass balance and quantity, EA1000 tends to be more mid bass focused but its quite textured and fast compared to DaVinci. My personal taste leans more towards the DaVinci but I really enjoy excellent resolution and natural DD timbre of the EA1000 as well.



Conclusion:

Now, is the DaVinci worth the asking $300? For me it is, not only are you getting a pair of IEM which is tuned quite differently to all other sets offered in this price category, you are also getting excellent build quality and accessories (modular cable, SS Tips etc) for the price as well. DaVinci is a complete package for $300 you don’t need to go looking for aftermarket cables or ear tips immediately and that to me holds a lot of value especially if you are new to this journey and lack the budget for additional accessories. I would like to congratulate Timmy from Gizaudio for a grand slam hit! For the longest time I have been yearning to try out a collab IEM, and I am glad that DaVinci was my first. It definitely holds a soft corner in my heart.

Thanks to Hifigo and gadgetgod for organising the review tour of the Dunu's collab with Gizaudio - the Davinci.

As always, the opinions are my own and there was no incentive of any kind requested or offered.

Overview

I have been a user of Dunu iems for a fairly long time and still do break out some of them from time to time. The house signature is a very
well done warm sound with requisite amount of details.

The Davinci doesnt fall too far from the tree either.
Armed with 2 DD and 4 BA, the iems look quite nice with a stabilized wood faceplate, metal nozzles and a recessed 2 pin connector on the shells.
The shells are slightly above average sized, and quite light in the ear. The cable is a fairly nice looking 4.4mm balanced terminated.

The iems came in the Dunu carry case with the Dunu S&S tips on.

Fit and comfort

The iems came with a Dunu S&S tips on a slightly larger than medium nozzles with a lip, so getting the tips off the nozzles is not for the weak hearted.

While S&S tips did a good job the sound, they were a size too large for me. I prefer S or M sized tips mostly. Hence switched them with a Penon Liquer black tips.
The rest of the review was done with these tips due to a better fit.

While the iems are lightweight and comfortable, I would have preferred a slightly longer nozzle, providing a deeper fit and a more throbbing bassline.

With the shallow insert, (due to my small ear canals), the treble is slightly enhanced, but so is the pinna gain and slightly shouty upper mids.

Sound impressions

The iems drive fairly well, inspite of the 6 driver combination per ear. They easily ran off my Lotoo Paw S1 at a low volume and provided sufficient loudness already.

Bass - When the iems are pushed into the ear with a little more pressure/force, the bass is quite well done (as expected from a Dunu). There is good amount of body
and slam, and the decay is almost just right. With a shallow fit, the bass takes a slight backseat and comes across fairly neutral.

Mids - With the shallow fit, the vocals (especially female) gets a little more boost due to pinna gain, and carry a lot of energy. However, with a deeper insert,
the male vocals are well supported with excellent texture and nuance.

Treble - While there is good amount of detail retrieval, this is not for a treblehead, or people that prefer a lot of sparkle on the top end. There is sufficient detail retrieval, but
the iems do get a bit overwhelmed with fast instrument tracks.

Stage - The stage is average an with decent accuracy of instruments

In comparison with competition, this one goes head to head with the Aful Performer 5/8 iems on an even keel, and is also priced in a similar range.

Conclusion
The Davinci is a safely tuned iem that is almost non-fatiguing and works well with jazz, blues, vocal oriented music such as bollywood. They are comfortable to use and look fairly good too!

Dunu Davinci

The Davinci is an IEM that has been getting a lot of hype in the circles I talk to. I definitely understand why. It has some unique features that have been influenced heavily by the B&K 5128 and I will do my best to explain those and then actually get to a mini review of the IEM. I only had it for a few days and I really got to spend about 4 hours with it due to life and time constraints.

The B&K5128 is the newest and greatest in headphone and IEM measurement technology. Supposedly much more accurate below 200 hz and above 5000hz compared to the older GRAS models and the clone 711 couplers that most hobbyists, including myself, use.

The first goal was discovering what neutral was and then trying to tie that to the 5128. People much smarter than myself came up with what would be a diffuse field target and then tilted it on axis to get an accurate depiction of “neutral.” At this point, I am trusting their math and science as I am not very good at either.

For example, on the 711c, the Annihilator measures as “bright neutral” with subbass boost. It’s a bit above neutral but if you see it on the 5128 it would be W shaped. Boosted bass, mids and treble. A very different picture.






The biggest takeaway from these measurements was that almost every IEM had a feature at around 1500hz which was boosted. We also then found that most IEMs had much more treble than we expected. What was neutral became v shaped, what was v shaped became cursed and now I think we are exploring the golden age of IEMs. While measurements are important, I think we are now getting to a point where IEMs are becoming tastefully flavored because we have much more knowledge on how to make a neutral one and what effect the full frequency range has on the music we listen to.

Once the community had a “neutral” target to work with, we started making what would be a delta target. This would be a target that we could use on the 711 that would “emulate” the 5128. If you see the 10db Delta on squig.link, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I took 10 squigs of IEMs that were released on the 5128 and EQed them to “neutral”. Then I measured them on my 711 clone coupler. This is essentially what the delta target is doing, but I wanted to try it myself.

Here are the results of some of the most popular IEMs to date and look at what they all have in common.



If you choose to ignore the past 4kish, because it’s super inaccurate and highly dependent on ears, anatomy and tips, the big outlier of what would be neutral would be this bump in the mids. I think I can count the number of IEMs that don’t have this feature on one hand. When you EQ it in and out the difference could be very jarring. The effect of this area is overly forward vocals and guitars. We get a tuning that is very boosted toward female vocals and mids, but doesn’t play well into neutral.

When you EQ it down, the mix feels more centered. For years, we have been tuning to “targets” because it has helped to market and sell if it’s tuned to “Crin’s Target” or the “harman target.” The big issue though is no one asked if those targets were “correct.” I don’t want to say that the 5128 target is “correct”, but I think we as a community now see the flaws in one true target and now can focus on more accurate measurements and look at the features that are most important to us and that is how I got to the Dunu Davinci.





The Davinici one of the first IEMs that really presents a 5128 tuned IEM. I’m sure there have been many, but the Davinci is the first “high end” one I have heard and the results are something I’m not really sure I liked.

I would characterize the Davinci as bassy and dark. There are tons of users who have been chasing an IEM like this because most every IEM is tuned too bright with boosted mids and the Davinci helps to buck the trend. So now that we have talked about the philosophy, let's talk about the sound

The bass on the Davinci was overwhelming to me. It felt a bit disconnected from the rest of the FR and more importantly pushed the mids too far away. I think that it’s just too much bass for the amount of mids they have. I EQed the bass down about 3.5 db and the clarity was so much better.

The quality of the bass is quite good. It kicks like a horse on steroids and has tons of texture. When I EQed the bass down, it reminded me a lot of Dunu’s other offering, the Mirai. Mirai bass is quite light in the mid bass / lower mids, but is thumpy and also horse kicking. Songs like “Sunset” and “Neon Medusa” by The Midnight are basically just bass and are not very fun to listen to. The bass forward jazz I listen to like Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, and Christian McBride are also just bass and really take away from the whole ensemble. Based on the stock tuning though, I would give the bass a 5/10. It’s too much and a bit brutal. Just not my cup of tea for this tuning. With a bit of EQ, this becomes a top contender for bass on sheer quality.

The mids are also a big question mark mostly because the bass throws the whole balance of the tuning out of whack. I would say the mids are the shining feature of this IEM and are for the most part good. String textures like cellos, and bass guitars are quite good, as I mentioned in the bass area, but they leak into the mids a bit due to the sheer volume which can muffle acoustic or rhythm guitars. However, on rock / pop tracks by Dave Matthews Band, The Grateful Dead, Billy Strings or Tony Rice the mids sound quite excellent. None of these bands really hit that lower sub bass quantity to push the mids too far down so songs like “What Would you Say” and “Cumberland Blues” were clear and bouncy. The play of David Grisman’s Mandolin to Jerry’s guitar on Cumberland Blues or John Popper’s Harmonica and Leroi’s Saxophone on “What Would You Say” was clear and clean. The tone wasn’t so forward but had a really accurate sounding timbre to my ears. It was a bit lucious, but didn’t feel like it was pushing hard like similar offerings with a boosted 1500 hz. I think the mids on tracks like this show that this set would absolutely shine with folk, rock or acoustic music.

However, I was a bit disappointed with the vocal qualities in Dave Matthews and Jerry’s voices. They felt really recessed into the mix, even for what I was expecting. It was bass first, then guitars and then vocals. I had to really focus to get the whole group down in my mind. Overall, I think the mids here are interesting, but don’t really excite me. The tone of the instrumentation is great, but the way the vocals are presented made me unhappy. Overall it felt a bit middling. The 5128 may tell me it’s accurate, but I think I want more. 5/10.

The treble was a sore spot for me because the whole IEM is out of balance. If we have boosted bass and “neutral” mids the mids become recessed. The same could be said about the treble. If you want an IEM that you can listen to without any fatigue or troubling spots, Davinci is a perfect IEM. The more I listened though, I just wanted more treble. The lack of air was suffocating and really just made this an experience of just bass. To my ears, reigning in the bass with EQ really fixes the entire IEM, but off the shelf, I’m missing some of that extra high range on Ariana Grande’s vocals or high percussion detail on Pat Metheny tracks. Maybe it’s hearing loss, or maybe it’s tuning, but I just don’t think this treble was well executed in the grand scheme of the tuning they were trying to achieve. 3/10

I would have to call the Davinci a failed balancing act. I wanted less bass, more mids and more treble. I really really really wanted to like it because this was a set that I really thought was bringing in the advancement of the new measuring and tuning technologies. With all of this said, I think I might have learned a few things. It might not be that the Davinci is a failed set or even a bad set. I believe now that we know what “neutral” might be, I don’t think I want it. I want my extra treble and bit of a boost for the mids. We keep learning and I think I am using this experience to fine tune my understanding of what I want. The Davinci is cutting edge and tuned by excellent hands at Dunu, but this just doesn’t work for me.

TL;DR: Warm, musical, lush sound in a gorgeous package

Overview/History
Hi all.

Are you in need of a warm, bassy yet still capable IEM? Do you want an IEM that is probably one of the best looking ones on the market? Read on! But, this is definitely not one for the people that don't care for 'safer' tuning or an IEM with a lack of bite on the upper mids/treble side.



Enter the Dunu DaVinci which is a collab IEM between @TimmyVangtan of Gizaudio fame and Dunu. This is Timmy's 3rd collab (Binary Chopin and Letshuoer Galileo) and each IEM of his appear to hit a different type of sound and a different price point (Galileo is at the $100 while Chopin is at the $200 range).

Which tells me that the Beethoven will probably be $399 and will probably be an Aful collab with like 8 BAs but tuned extra bassy so you can feel the strong notes from Beethoven's 5th Symphony in C Minor. This is a joke. But if it actually happens, I feel like I should get a Nostradamus title...

The Dunu DaVinci is a 2DD + 4BA IEM. It features a 5 way crossover to handle the entire frequency presentation. Each one has a unique maplewood faceplate that should make each one look individually unique. And wow does the DaVinci look absolutely great.

Disclaimers: I am not affiliated with Dunu or Timmy/Gizaudio and am writing this out of my own desire.

Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories
Photo dump time!

















The DaVinci is an IEM with a wood shell that is simply gorgeous and fits my tastes perfectly.

That being said, they are on the larger side and can be uncomfortable for longer listening sessions or for people that are pressure sensitive. I received the DaVinci when I was originally feeling under the weather with sinus issues and the pressure I had with them was abysmal. Once I got better, though, everything cleared up and it wasn't as big of an issue.





The only thing that I don't like about the DaVinci, functionally, is that they are recessed; this means that you can't cable roll without having a dedicated recessed 2-pin cable.







The DaVinci comes with the modular cable, a set of Dunu S&S tips (already have it), stock tips, a set of the Dunu Candy tips, a cleaning tool and a pretty nice and substantial carrying case.





Tip Rolling
With the DaVinci being on the chonkier side, I did had to go through a few options for tips before I found a few that worked well without taking away from what I enjoyed hearing.



Spinfit W1: This tip tends to be one I can go with for larger sized IEMs along with the S&S. W1 works very well in this case with opening up the mid-range/treble a bit while still keeping the vast majority of the bass intact. I think if you find the bass a bit much for you with the DaVinci, tip rolling is an option.
Final Type E - Clear/Red: Absolutely love the Final Type E Clear/Reds as they are super transparent with overall keeping the bass impact/slam present while bringing out the treble detail. Great combination here. My only issue is that the fit can be a bit tight.
TangZu SanCai - Balanced: Tangzu tips are very versatile - I typically prefer the Balanced vs the Wide and I think they pair OK with the DaVinci. While bass is still present, it tends to dull out the soundstage and makes everything more intimate which the DaVinci isn't very open sounding in the first place. Probably my least favorite here.
Dunu S&S: Where the Final Type E keeps the overall bass notes intact, the S&S tends to favor mid-bass being more present. I think this was my second favorite combination in this case. There is still a bit of ear pressure with the S&S, which is typically uncommon, but the DaVinci pairs up well here.
Kiwi Ears Flex: Bass tips. If you want to go the opposite route and put in some tips that emphasize the bass/warmth, this is where you want to go. But, it does take away from the treble extension and energy.

Penon - I tried to use some Penon Liquers but they did not feel comfortable at all.
Dunu Candy - I was not a fan of trying these but I'm glad to have the opportunity to do so. I'm sure some would appreciate the Candy that kind of smooths over the bass but I think it's almost gratuitous with what it does. Have to pass on this but I'm glad the DaVinci came with so many different tips to try out.
Stock(?) Tips - These were a bit stiff for me but reminded me of like the Radius Deep Mount/Divinus but in a clear form. They weren't that great to me as they were a bit on the big side and couldn't seal comfortably.

I think my favorite combination is definitely the Final Type E Clear/Reds.

Cable
The best thing that Timmy did here (besides releasing the DaVinci in the first place) was do a poll to see what people wanted. This led to the DaVinci being released with a modular cable with 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs.





I kind of have a love/hate relationship with this cable in that I love the modular aspect but I'm not the biggest fan of the feel/memory of the cable. I can't fault it too much, though, since... well, how often do you get a stock cable that's modular from the start?

Sound
So, how do the DaVinci sound? Like a warm, bassy blanket.



Amongst a lot of it's peers in the same price range (between Dusk, Hype 4, etc.) - the DaVinci will absolutely be on the bassier side of the spectrum without losing itself strictly on it's low end.

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer, Laptop or Phone
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Pro
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Fosi DS2
Streamed Music Chain Workstation: Laptop -> JDS Labs Element 3 MK2 Boosted
Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro

*My Audio Preference and Score Disclaimer*: To preface my breakdown, here's my sound preference. I tend to prefer warmer sound. I enjoy good sub-bass extension with enough mid-bass to feel the music. I prefer more fuller sounding mids to match my library. My preference is for smooth treble extension; while I'm not treble sensitive, I'd probably lean more towards 'safer' treble tuning for longer listening. I also tend to listen at either medium to louder listening volumes (reasonably loud).

In addition, all scores listed below are typically (unless otherwise stated) rated/scored as it relates to it's peers in the same price group.

Lows/Bass: Bass is the name of the game with the DaVinci. The DaVinci lays the bass down and paints an extremely full, deep, warm and powerful bass that hits low on the sub-bass but provides that visceral impact on the mid-bass.

Out of the gate, you'll notice the bass borderline creeping up to the mid-range but it never bleeds over and tastefully provides an amazing bass performance.

If I was to list out any issue (and this will be expanded upon a bit down) that I do have with the bass, it's that there is an odd effect that happens with certain sources. When I drove the DaVinci with my dongle dacs (Fosi Audio DS2, Abigail Pro) or a moderately powerful Fiio K11 (both 3.5mm and 4.4mm), I didn't notice any issues and the bass (being handled via crossover with a 10mm DD for sub-bass and an 8mm for the mid-bass) blended together beautifully. But, with the JDS Labs Element 3 MK2 (Boosted), the DaVinci's bass felt more detailed but it lost a lot of the impact/fullness of the mid-bass.

It was like I could hear the difference between the two DDs that were doing their job and, by extension, the sub-bass sounded way louder than the mid-bass and pushed the mid-bass behind it. I did use a different recessed 2-pin cable and continued to hear the same thing plugged into the Element 3. It's almost like the DaVinci (as on the easier side to drive) really doesn't like that extra power.

YMMV - this is definitely something I noticed and couldn't unhear and it sounds almost detached and like the two dedicated DDs are fighting against each other. But on other sources, I couldn't hear this at all.

Bass Score: 8.5/10 - TL;DR: Bass is great but some sources make it sound unnatural

Mids: The mid-range for the DaVinci is extremely lush and full sounding without impacting the vocals or instruments adversely.

There is no deficiency in either male or female vocals from my library and I never felt like the mid-bass had any bleed over to add any unnatural huskiness to vocals that shouldn't have been there.

Instruments that play in the mid-range all sound extremely detailed, complete and clean. While the DaVinci's bass is probably what most people may notice at first, I personally think the mids stick out the most with how satisfyingly focused and natural it sounds.

Mids Score: 9/10 - TL;DR: Mids are absolutely great

Treble: The upper mids/treble range for the DaVinCi is very safe and smooth. Even with higher volume listening (to really take advantage of the lovely warmth from the bass) there was no sibilance or harshness. Everything feels very pleasant and controlled.

That being said, compared to it's peers, the DaVinci is noticably on the weaker side of the treble and will lack full energy or excitement that would probably have made the DaVinci more unique but less safe of a listen.

I think in the grand scheme of things, the safer tuning makes more sense and while it fits more of my own personal sound preference, it would probably be the biggest fault if I had to nitpick.



Treble Score: 8/10 - TL;DR: Treble is probably a bit too safe but I dig it

Detail, Separation, Imaging, Overall Timbre, Etc.: There is a lot to like about what the DaVinci brings to it's listeners but there are also certain sacrifices made in order to provide a very musical listen.

I think while the detail is solid, this is not where the DaVinci excels and I don't think that's what the DaVinci was made for nor does it try to.

You're not going to get the best imaging/separation (I think the Galileo actually is Timmy's best as far as that aspect goes) but you're not going to feel like you're missing out. You're not getting the widest sounding IEM (DaVinci is pretty intimate) but you're not going to feel claustrophobic when you put them on.

But, in some of the intangibles, the DaVinci gets extremely high marks for having overall some of the most natural timbre and it really feels like the DaVinci is trying to get you to sit back and enjoy your music vs trying to pick out every single micro/macrodetail you can.

Technicalities Score: 7.5/10 - TL;DR: Good enough

Library Hit List: Some of my favorite tracks on the DaVinci were based around rock music. Here's some sample songs that I felt like I really enjoyed the most out of my Library and what I tested the DaVinci on.

Fleetwood Mac - Rumors
Florence & The Machine - Dog Days Are Over
Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie & Dark Necessities
Bastille - Good Grief
The Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling
The Weeknd - Blinding Lights
Muse - Madness
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Three Little Birds

Comparisons: For comparisons sake, I'm able to break it down against the Dusk and the Hype 4.



Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk: Between these two, I would put the DaVinci in between tunings for the Dusk. Specifically, I would likely put Dusk DSP > Dunu DaVinci > Dusk Analog in terms of my preference, my library and my overall enjoyment.

The DaVinci is a warmer and bassier version, I've found, of the smoothness that is the Dusk DSP. If I was in the mood for something a bit more fun/bassy, I would consider reaching for the DaVinci over the Dusk DSP but the Dusk DSP would probably be the better all arounder without any sacrifices.

The Dusk Analog, while still sounding good to my subjective ears, does not offer that smoothness that I like to sit back and enjoy. If I wanted more analytical listening, the Dusk Analog would be far better than the other two choices but I'm rarely in that kind of a mood.

Thieaudio Hype 4: Between the Hype 4 and the DaVinci, my preference would be towards the DaVinci overall.

The Hype 4 is, objectively, graphed very similarly to the DaVinci from a lot of squigs I've seen in the past but, my personal take, is that the Hype 4's overall signature leans more towards being fast, detailed and wide.

The Hype 4's bass hits very fast so you can hear/feel the impact but it decays very quickly onto the next hit. The DaVinci, on the other hand, will linger just a tad bit more which gives you more of that heavy note weight feeling that you would expect of a bass oriented set.

That being all said, the Hype 4 has comparable mids (with the Hype 4 being a bit more detailed oriented vs full sounding) and better energy/extension on the treble. Hype 4 is also the widest/most open soundstage as it surrounds you from all angles.

There are things that Hype 4 really does well but my preference would still be leaning towards the warmth of the DaVinci for general listening.

Other Things to be aware of:
Really, my only complain about the DaVinci comes down to the bass when I was using my JDS Element 3 - a lot of other sources allows that crossover to blend beautifully but a lot of power gave me that ability to hear that sub-bass driver being clearly more prominent and larger than the mid-bass which is a somewhat jarring and odd sensation of sound.

But, really, the DaVinci is extremely easy to drive so you may not ever encounter this issue if you're using any amps that aren't pumping out an obscene amount of power. I suspect the DaVinci will pair well with any portable/dongle type of DAC/AMP and likely a lot of desktop solutions but not well with a set up that's meant for dedicated headphones based on power delivery.

They're also priced at $299 (unless you get discount codes) so while this is on the more mid-fi/pricey side, they're still below the compared competition (Dusk and Hype 4) which speaks well, IMHO, about the value that you're getting with the DaVinci.

My only other nitpicks on them would really be how chonky they are (but this may not be an issue for some people) and I don't like recessed 2-pin IEMs since that means a lot of my normal 2-pin IEM cables won't work as well. But, these are personal complaints that are extremely minor in the grand scheme of things.

I think the DaVinci otherwise provides great value for the performance, an extremely gorgeous shell, and a smooth/warm bassy sound that helps you get lost in the music.



Special Sauce/Personal Bias Score: 9/10 - TL;DR: Warm is fun, they look great, competes well with peers

Conclusion:
The Dunu x Gizaduio DaVinci collaboration hits full marks as being a complete package of a release. The DaVinci is an eye-catchingly attractive IEM with full character in its bass and mid-range presentation while still providing satisfyingly smooth treble response. While it may not be for everyone (as I wouldn't say it's for neutral or trebleheads), it simply works in what it's trying to do which is get you lost in the art of music vs the science/details of music.

I think Timmy called his shot and hit a home run with the DaVinci. I can't wait to see what next musical genius he's going to try and channel for the next one.

Final Weighted Score: 8.4/10 - With consideration of how difficult it is to adapt an out of 10 to an out of 5, I am rounding this up a bit out of personal bias.

Thanks for reading!

Before I begin with the review, I want to clarify the unit I received is a tour unit. Secondly, my general preferred signature is warm neutral, with the ThieAudio Elixir and Intime Miyabi Mk1 as my daily drivers. Thirdly, English is not my native language, so I’ll apologize in advance if there are any spelling and/or grammatical errors. This is also my first time reviewing so I’m sorry that I can’t go very in depth when describing the sound.

With all of that out of the way, let’s begin with the review.

Unboxing and physical attributes:
Look and Feel: 9/10
Premium and gorgeous is how I’ll describe the DaVinci’s faceplates, I love the wood aesthetic they went with. The shells themselves are surprisingly quite light despite how chonky they look. The build is solid for both the shells and the cable, while the cable is on the stiffer side it’s still pretty good.

Accessories: 10/10
The accessories are very, very generous. Easily the best I’ve seen in this price range and way more. You get:

• 4 pairs of Dunu S&S eartips, which are my favourite.
• 3 pairs of Dunu Candy eartips, which are basically impossible to put on the DaVinci in my experience.
• 3 pairs of wide bore silicone eartips.
• Dunu’s 4 core, High Purity Single-Crystal Copper with Silver Plating “Leo” cable terminated to Recessed 0.78mm 2 pin with Q-Lock Mini Quick Switch Modular Plug System.
• 4.4mm plug.
• 3.5mm female to 6.35mm male adapter.
• IEM cleaning tool.
• Decently large and solid carrying case.

Dunu’s cable is excellent in build quality and feel, I don’t see a real reason to upgrade to another cable but if you want to more power to you. The Q-Lock system is also the best implementation of a modular plug system I’ve experienced, it is very solid and probably won’t have issue with the connectors being loose over time.


Fit and Comfort: 7/10
Unless you have very small ears, fit and comfort should be good for the most part. For me they are quite comfortable and I can easily wear them for hours. As said previously the shells are light despite of their size. However, the wider nozzle may be a problem with some people on top of the larger sized shells.

Sources used:
Topping DX1 – Connected to PC, Foobar2000.
VE Abigail – Connected to my Samsung S23, Poweramp.


DaVinci connected to my DX1 through the 6.35mm input, using the included adapter.

Important note: I don’t use streaming services, all of the songs / OSTs I listened to are all local FLAC files. These are the soundtracks I listened to with the DaVinci:

Jamiroquai - 16/44.1 khz

• Little L
• Canned Heat
• Corner Of The Earth
• Travelling Without Moving
• Virtual Insanity
• Cosmic Girl

Michael Jackson - 24/176.4 khz

• Rock With You
• She Drives Me Wild
• Billie Jean
• Remember The Time
• Bad
• Dangerous
• Man In The Mirror

Ado - 16/44.1 khz and 24/48 khz

• Show
• Godish
• Ashura-chan
• Bukkiri No Dance
• All Night Radio
• I'm A Controversy
• Usseewa
• Readymade
• Odo
• Gira Gira

- and a whole load of other songs such as VTuber ones from Hololive, there's too many to list.

Sound Impressions:
I only tried the DaVinci using L size S&S eartips, do keep that in mind while I'm describing the sound.

Bass: 7/10
The highlight, but at the same time the Achilles heel of the IEM for me. IF you enjoy bass a lot then in my opinion this should satisfy you. Sub bass can go real deep, midbass has satisfying thumps, impact and texture to it. Thanks to the 5 way crossover the midbass while it does look like it bleeds into the midrange a lot when you look at the graph, it’s not really the case. For tracks that has a lot of bass, the DaVinci is a really fun listen. However, for my personal preference and most of the tracks I listen to (mainly J-Pop), it’s just a few DBs too much. Not to mention, the bass being this much also causes bass fatigue for me so I can’t listen to the DaVinci more than an hour.

Midrange: 7/10
Mids do take a backseat here compared to the bass region. Warm, but there is no bloat to be found here. Rich and musical is how I will describe it. Male and female vocals sound full and lush and both are at an equal footing in terms of forwardness. However, if you prefer vocals standing out from the performance (like me) then the DaVinci won’t be able to deliver. They are more or less in the middle along with the instruments. As for instruments, they are natural and beautifully done, good stuff.

Treble: 6.5/10
Relaxed, but not dark. Smooth, with not much air or sparkle so this might turn away people who enjoy having details presented to their face. On the contrary, this is a set where you can crank the volume up if you want to. It works if you’re a medium to high volume listener but as a low volume listener it can come off as unexciting, not dark but I do crave having just some more sparkle to it. However, what this does is also allowing you to listen to it for longer hours if you’re sensitive to treble.

Technicalities: 6/10
To make the tuning work and to make the DaVinci sound more natural, tech is one area where I find this IEM to be sort of lacking. Staging is a more on the intimate side, with similar and adequate stage depth and height. Separation is good enough that it never sounds congested unless it’s on very busy tracks. Detail retrieval is more or less average, definitely not a set you want to get if you want details presented clearly to you.

Timbre: 8.5/10
Timbre is one of the things that’s hard to describe for me other than whether it sounds ‘right’, ‘offensive’ or just flat out ‘wrong’. The DaVinci in this aspect has pretty good timbre for a 2DD 4BA set. There are no areas where I find them to sound ‘inoffensive’ and ‘wrong’ while listening to my favourite tracks.

Overall Verdict: 7.6/10
After all of this rambling and praises, do I actually recommend the Dunu x GizAudio: DaVinci? For most people, actually yes, I would. The DaVinci has a lot to offer in this price range, and I think this is a worthy pick up. Even though it doesn’t really align with my tonal preference I still think this is a very solid set. The accessories are super generous and of high quality, the IEMs look premium and beautiful, it has good fit and is comfortable to wear (for me at least), it has a decently fun but not fatiguing sound signature.

However, I won’t recommend the DaVinci if:

• You are a treblehead.
• You are looking for an analytical set.
• You are looking for very fun, energetic set.
• You want a neutral set.
• You have small ears.
• You have shallow pockets.

That concludes my review, if you have any advice or opinions do share as I am still trying to improve.

The Davinci – Niche Artist

We don’t really need to talk about build quality and accessories, Dunu has been killing it in this department with a lot of their lineups and Davinci is no different. Hence this review is only focusing on the sound of the IEM itself and I've been lucky enough to be included in the SEA tour of Davinci, and I can say you’re definitely getting your money’s worth with the interchangeable connectors, cable, and build quality of the iem itself. But more importantly, how does it sound?

Good obviously, but is it good enough? I originally had tried the Davinci with a different set of ear tips, the typical one’s you’d find for cheap and it had reminded me my old Berserker 2 earbuds where it was really warm, bassy and somewhat dark. So color me surprised when I tried it with its stock SnS tips, and the sound signature changes to a more balanced, still warm and punchy bass but with a lovely clarity that allowed the treble to show itself without being too stage shy. As with Timmy’s goal with the iem, the bass is the definite star of the show with Davinci, it punches above its weight class in this as the detail and tonal balance of the lows is the best in its class. I am not much for mids, but the mids are definitely nice and present without feeling like they’re being smeared with warmth from the lows, however its shortcoming for some will be in its treble and as a consequence, its staging. Simply put, its small but your mileage may vary.

Personally, I’m alright with the treble, its relaxing and easy to listen to while providing enough details to not feel like you’re missing out on much, but for more fun-loving bright lovers out there, it is lackluster and leaves you yearning for more bite in your music. So depending on which side of the fence you’re on, you’ll either think its perfect or an ‘okay, next’ kind of iem. Last thing I would like to touch on is the vocals, bassier/low tone vocals on Davinci are as you’d expect, really great however brighter singers/head voice singers do lack that intimacy and bite, which for me personally, I really like. I’m not a fan of brighter vocals being in your head or right in your face so Davinci does it just right for me.

I’m going to try and summarize this in an easy way for people to determine whether Davinci is right for them. If you’re like me, and you’re a massive fan of iems like softears studio 4, alpha omega Ra, tangzu zetian wu (original), and blon 03, you’ll probably really love Davinci. If you’re more into the Elysian Gaea, 7hz Timeless, 07 OG, Oracle mk1 you’ll probably not like Davinci.

Unboxing and presentation
When we first opened up the box the initial impression was great. We are presented with an iem with a beautiful resin shell.
After taking out the iem we were greeted with an accessories section the case was very durable enough to protect them while carrying them with you.
The cable that is included with the iem has an interchangeable 3.5, 4.4, and 6.6mm jack.
There are 3 different tips to choose from. Those tips are Dunu candy, S&S, and the standard black tip.

Fit and comfort

This is an area I will not be worried about since there are 3 types of tips included in the pack. Unfortunately, S&S and the standard tips did not fit me well so I will be using the large-size candy tips as the “default” experience. I also tried using Spinfits cp100+ (spinfit not included with the iem) and found that it is a nice substitute.
I did not encounter any issue with fit using the candy tip or the Spinfits cp100+ as it sealed well in my ear. This particular iem is a hybrid iem but I do not experience the “vacuum effect” that some hybrid iem might have all thanks to the proper air vent on the side of the iem.

Sound Impression
Sources used: Moondrop Moonriver 2, Muse Hifi M3 II, Desktop PC
Tip used: Candy tips (default experience)

Summary: The Dunu Davinci can be described as a laid-back signature. It has more bass than neutral, relaxed upper mids and treble. The iem overall feels intimate yet full-bodied especially while listening to male vocals.

Bass
Quantity: 7.5/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Bass is boosted above neutral, It has powerful slam when needed and it can maintain a substantial amount of punchiness in the mid-bass. Subbass goes deep enough to listen to all my music from jpop, to chinese pop music, and even ost that have deep bass. If you like bass this will be a iem for you.

Mids
Quantity: 4/10
Quality: 7.5/10
Mids of the davinci is what I consider tame, warm, full, and lush. There is a slight sensation of bass bleed due to the upper mids being relaxed especially in the 4-6k region. This makes the iem more suitable to listen to male vocals as the husk of the vocals are maintained in the upper bass and lower mids transition region. That being said one might think this iem to be very warm but in truth, it is not an overly warm iem.

Treble:
Quantity: 4/10
Quality: 8/10
The treble has good timber, it does not sound off in any way. It has a very even response that makes everything sound correct. The treble in this iem is laid back it does not exhibit any
aggression but does not sound overly dark. I prefer more treble to add some airiness and excitement to the music. Well, I still think that this iem have a treble that values quality treble more than treble quantity.

Technical performance
Resolution (how much fine detail i can perceive in the music):
It has Adequate resolution. It can be improved further if 4-6k region is elevated slightly more.

Separation (how the vocalist and also various instrument has its own placement):
Slightly above average separation, where the instrument has adequate spacing and does not sound congested

Soundstage (how much width and depth is perceived by the listener):

Width: Average, since it is intimate sounding iem.
Depth: Average, since it is intimate sounding iem.

Conclusion
To conclude, I think this iem is a great iem, especially for someone who enjoys a relaxed and intimate sound signature.

Disclaimer: I have bought this unit with my own money. Thanks to HIFIGO for providing me with a discount.

What’s inside the box:

• 3 types of eartips (Dunu SnS, Candy tips and Basic ones)
• Leo Cable interchangeable terminal (4.4mm and 3.5mm) Q lock mini mechanism
• Carrying case
• 6.35mm adapter
• Brush for cleaning iem

Build and comfort:

Faceplate: The face plate is absolutely stunning. The maple wood face plate. Everyone has different faceplates that alone adds value to these beauties.


Shell: The shell is made of skin friendly resin. The shell is translucent you can see the positions of drivers. The shell is thick.

Nozzle: The nozzle is made out of metal and rugged. Kudos to Dunu for adding curve to the nozzle so that eartips won’t come out easily.

Connection: It has recessed 2 pin connectors. I don’t like recessed pins.

Comfort: Despite being big boy of an iem its comfortable to wear as the surface area that sit on top of ear is average. You can’t sleep wearing them :/ can’t complain though.

Digging down driver(s):

2DD+ 4 BA (6 Driver hybrid configuration per side)

10mm DD for sub-bass

8mm DD for bass

2 BA mid Frequency

1 BA for High Frequency

1 BA for Ultra-High Frequency

Five-way cross over: As I have mentioned above about the drive configuration they created crossover for each frequency range.

“What’s the benefit?” One might ask.

It helps to separate the frequency channels. So that they don’t overlap with each other. As a testament judging from graph, you might think that bass is bleeding into mids. But when try them you get to realize that graph is not telling the whole story. (sorry graph folks, graphs don’t justify hybrid configuration)





Drivability:

For my testing, I drove them with,

• Ibasso DX170
• Ifi micro BL
• CX pro 31993

I would say they are fairly easy to drive but if you can provide power they can scale up and bass gets more authority.



Sound Impressions:

Bass and Sub-bass: This iem is a bassy one. It has tasteful deep bass and sub-bass rumble. The sub-bass in EXES by Tate McRae is just amazing. Some how it manages to pull a good balance between texture and depth of the bass.

Treble : The treble is Smooooth. This has a very good non fatiguing treble. You can listen to them hour after hour. Moreover it has very good treble extension thanks to ultra high freq BA. The fact that both male and female vocal sounds natural and lush impressed me most. Because most of the iems do either male or femal vocals correctly, not both. It has natural timbre.

Technicalities : Technicalities wise it is not the top in the 300$ budet segment. You need to uderstand from and engineer’s perspective if they pulled technicalities then this wouldn’t have natural timbre and smooth treble. To make it easy all the details are there, they won’t distract you. But when you pay attention you can hear them quite well.

Imaging and sound stage : The imaging is good. You can separate the instruments and hear them individually playing. But the sound stage is on the weaker side and congested. It will feel like they are playing instruments sittinng in front of sitting in a congested manner. That’s why positioning of the instruments is okay not great.

Role of eartips: You can improve the sound stage and dynamics by using wide bore eartips. You can use DUNU SnS , Tangzu Sancai or Tri Clarion wide bore eartips. If you are not satisfied with bass(highly unlikely) then you can use divinus but you will sacrifice dynamics and stage.

Conclusion : If you are someone who likes,

• Natural sound
• Prefers lush male and female vocal
• Loves bass and sub-bass
• non fatiguing/smooth treble
• multiple genres

then this iem is blind buy for you. You can listen to them hours after hours, without any fatigue while working. Huge shoutout to Timmy from Giza Audio, DUNU and HIFIGO for creating this amazing product.

Purchase link : https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-x-gizaudio-davinci?variant=44967442743535
Youtube review :

Specs And Driver Configuration

● Six-Driver Hybrid Configuration
● DD+4BA Driver Setup Per Side
● Five-Way Frequency Crossover
● Independent Dual-Chamber Dynamic Drivers
● Impedance: 35Ω@1kHz.
● Sensitivity: 109dB/mW
● Net Weight: 6.6g(per earpiece)

Before starting I want to thank @gadgetgod , @DUNU-Topsound and Hifigo for arranging a review tour of this iem.
Purchase link - https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-x-gizaudio-davinci

Accessories Package

If you are active in the iem hobby, Dunu is famous for their unboxing experience and accessories. They do not disappoint this time as well. The accessories provided are quite lavish for the price. Accessories provided in the box include 1. Modular Leo Cable with 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs, 2. A carrying case 3. Three types of tips like basic balanced tips, Candy tips and people’s beloved S&S tips 4. Quarter inch adapter 5. Cleaning tool. The cable is of very high quality, it feels sturdy and robust. But the cable leans on the stiffer and heavier side.


Design, Fit, and Comfort.

The design of the iem is beautiful. The maple wood faceplate looks absolutely gorgeous. The Iem is slightly on the thicker side, so it sticks out of the ear a bit. Unlike Sa6 mk2, the shells do not have molding of any kind to get a secure fit in the ear, the shells are just flat. Along with that, the nozzles are on the larger side, all this can affect fit and comfort. So, I highly suggest you to tip roll to find the optimum fit. Davinci also provides good isolation, this can be a great iem for traveling and commuting.


Frequency Response

I used divinus velvets and dunu S&S tips for sound evaluation. One unique thing about Davinci is that its sound doesn’t get affected much by tip rolling

Davinci has a warm bassy sound signature with the new school mid-range tuning. Sound is non fatiguing. Let’s take a deep dive into sound.



Bass

Instead of using much popular isobaric configuration, Davinci is using one of its DD driver to produce 10-100 Hz and other DD driver to 100-400Hz. Both drivers are crossed over to produce their own frequency spectrum. Bass is clearly the main focus of this iem’s tuning. It can be a bit much for some people, but I can understand, what Dunu and Gizaudio were trying to achieve. The sub-bass hits deep and low. It has good rumble and texture. The mid-bass thump and slam is also good for the price. Bass over all lacks speed in my opinion. Mid-bass can get boomy on mid-bass heavy tracks. But for the price the bass performance is above average in my opinion. What ever you say, this amount of bass is addicting, on right tracks when bass comes you have no choice but to laugh in joy. Overall I like the bass on this iem.

Mids

Mids are good despite having this amount of bass. I love the mids on this iem. Instruments like guitar, cello, violin, piano, flute, Indian bansuri sounds fantastic. They are so natural and beautiful sounding. Female vocals are on the warmer and lush side, they have enough body and heft. Male vocals shines on these iems, they are powerful, full bodied and soleful. I have no issues with the vocals. Mids are not too forward or recessed they have perfect representation.

Treble

The treble compliments the warm and bassy sound signature. It is not overly boosted. There is a small dip at around 4-6k which prevents sharpness and sibilance. There is also a dip at around 7-10k, which further compliments the laid back nature of this iem. But, for my personal preference, I want more energy there, to balance out the bass. After that there is a wide peak in the air region at around 13k, this helps balance out the sound and increase micro detail pickup. But, in my opinion dunu should have opted for Air region shelf instead of peak, to further enhance the sound. All in all, I can say Davinci’s treble is there to make the overall sound cohesive instead of grabbing your attention towards it.

Detail retrieval and Technical Performance

Davinci handles busier passages of the tracks well, it prevents any congestion in the sound that can happen with this type of tuning. Detail retrieval is also very good, without boosting the treble. Macro detail pick up is good and micro detail pick is also excellent. The stage is not the widest but it presents front and back depth well. Instrument separation and layering is good enough and imaging is done well as well.

Conclusion

I really liked my time with this iem, it is a very well-done rendition of warm bassy sound. This can be a good iem for people who are treble sensitive or want a warm bassy set with good technical performance.

If you want an iem which can proficiency play multiple genres of music, you can consider this iem. This is a great offering by Dunu it fills the gap that is present in the 300 dollar segment and it gets thumbs up from my end.

Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci Review​

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Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci Review​

Intro​

Hello, this review is covering the latest collaboration effort between the audio brand Dunu and the YouTube personality Timmy Vangtan from Gizaudio named the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci. The DaVinci is a six-driver hybrid iem consisting of two dynamic drivers and four balanced armature drivers. I was able to purchase this set from HiFiGo for right around $300 recently and I have had quite a lot of time with them since. Usually, I complete my intro prior to my review but figured… why not and also, this set has been too enthralling to wait. At any rate, as I said the DaVinci is the love child of Timmy Vangtan and the good people of Dunu Audio. I have always enjoyed Timmy’s content over at Gizaudio and thus far he has really done a great job of helping to bring to market some very well-tuned and well timed iems. I have nothing but good words about the guy and nothing but respect over all of my Dunu past purchases. So, naturally this seemed like the perfect set to blind buy. By the way, I don’t condone anyone blind buying anything. That’s just me. I’ve been blind buying for years and sometimes it works, and sometimes my blind buys are horrible disasters. You are supposed to live and learn. I got nothin. Anyways, up to this point I’ve had a very nice time getting to know the DaVinci and I’m prepared to tell you all what I think. But first, a little bit about Dunu Audio…

Dunu​

This is a brand that I’ve known about for years and mostly haven’t ever been able to afford. Three kids will do that. Anyways, Dunu has been at the forefront of innovation, and they’ve been involved with many “top in class” sets n just about any price point they decide to venture into. They’ve had a number of successful and even legendary iems and audio devices throughout the years and are basically highly regarded in the Audio community. Again, many of which I’ve never had the pleasure of hearing, just reading about and wishing. Now, I have reviewed a few of their sets and each time I’ve been happy with the end result. I suppose if you see a review from me then that means I like it, as I only review products that I actually enjoy, or that at least some sect of the community would enjoy. Better said, someone has to actually “potentially” enjoy any product that I review, as it’s a giant waste of time if they don’t. In total I’ve only reviewed three products from this brand, those being the Dunu Kima (Kima Review), the Dunu Kima Classic (Kima Classic Review), and the Dunu Alpha (Alpha Review). Each set has its place in my collection, and each are good buys against the field within their relative price points. Certainly, a brand I’d love to explore more of.

Competition​

No doubt about it, the one looming issue surrounding the meteoric rise of the DaVinci is the fact that there is a vast amount of very well crafted iems which can be found within the same general price point. It’s a loaded ocean of fantastic sets friends, and the DaVinci is in an uphill swim. I will try to answer the question of whether the DaVinci is worth the asking price of $300? It’s a fair question and one that isn’t easy to answer. Anyways, I am more than ready to dive into this one folks. Without further ado, the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci everyone…

Purchase Links:​

–HiFiGo

Gear used for testing​

–Ifi Go Blu
–Aful SnowyNight
–EPZ TP50
–Fiio Q15
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
–Shanling M6 Ultra

Packaging / Accessories​

Box​

The DaVinci arrived at my home in a good sized slightly rectangular cardboard box fitted with a very stylish and appropriate sleeve. The sleeve is very ornate in a very “DaVinci-esque” design. That DaVinci themed tannish brown with the darker pencil writing which spells out… “DaVinci” … of course. You’ll notice in slightly lighter hue, in the background is one of Leonardo DaVinci’s sketches. It’s a beautiful and completely awesome design that is so different from anything else. Now I’m not huge into boxes and all that, but I can truly appreciate a company who gives a damn to do a good job. On the back of the sleeve is simply some specs and a bunch of boring stuff. I’m actually impressed by the simplicity of this theme. Just a great job Dunu, or Timmy, or whoever decided upon this final design theme, well done!

Unboxing​

So, take off the sleeve and you’ll be met with a dark brown box with Dunu across the middle. Take the top off the box and the DaVinci earphones will be sitting beautiful and snug in some foam cut-outs. Pull off that layer and you will see the big carrying case. Take out the carrying case and open it up and you’ll find the tips, the modular cable, the cable adapters, cleaning tool, 3.5 to 6.35 adapter, and the eartips. All of those items are in baggies and wrapped nicely. This is a very good unboxing. Not because of how elaborate it all is because trust me… I’ve seen better for cheaper. It’s not about that. Why this is a good unboxing is because of the quality of the accessories. This is something that people should complain about more. Rarely do I get eartips that actually fit the tuning and are of good quality with sets that I buy. Also rarely is the cable even close to as nice as this one is. Thirdly, the carrying case is a very nice addition too. I’ll explain each of these further in a minute, but I am impressed with Dunu. They know what the fanbase wants and they know how to keep hobbyists coming back. This was good to see.

Eartips​

Dunu Topsound provides 10 pairs and three different sets, or types, of eartips with the DaVinci. The first set of three (S, M, L) are narrow bore long silicone tips with a round flange. These are shaped almost like a ball and are a deeper fit which generally seal very well. Great to have when you need them. The flange is more firm, not loose and the stem is also firm. The 2nd set of three (S, M, L) is Dunu’s “Candy Tips” which are also a narrow bore tip, yet the fit is shallower than the first set of tips. The flange is a bit looser and a hair flimsier. The third set of four (S, M, L, XL) is Dunu’s wildly popular “Dunu S&S tips”. These are some fantastic tips and are wonderful to have in your collection when you need them. I had gone back & forth over the S&S tips and the Penon Liqueur tips for many days. The S&S tips open up the upper-mids & lower treble a hair and the Liqueur tips seem to bring a crispness to the sound with some added oomph in the low-end. Of course, you may have a completely different experience just based on the anatomy of your ears. So, you’ll see most pics have the Penon tips and I think I’ll stick with those for a while. Nevertheless, all eartips provided are of awesome quality and each set is a great addition to a collection.

Carrying Case​

The case that comes provided in the packaging of the DaVinci is really an awesome case for storing and transporting your precious DaVinci’s. Finally, this is a case that I will actually use. In fact, I have been using it every day. I simply throw them into my backpack and off to the office. So, the carrying case is roughly about four inches in length, over an inch deep and about three inches wide. It’s a good size for me. Made out of some very stiff and durable material and overlaid with tan colored fabric. You’ll notice a black zipper which actually works (believe it or not). Dunu imprinted “Dunu” in the center as well. It’s a nice case. The size is really nice folks, I can fit the DaVinci’s as well as a some eartips etc. Perhaps it’s a hint too thin but it’ll get the job done.

Cable​

Its name is “Leo”. I suppose that’s about as fitting a name as I’ve ever heard. I don’t know if Leonardo referred to himself as Leo but, I don’t think he minds. To be 100% honest… this is one of the best cables I’ve received with any set at this price point. Dunu Topsound went all-out to provide the perfect aesthetically pleasing color matched cable. It’s beautiful against the color of the DaVinci. Dunu states that Leo is made of four strands of pure single-crystal-copper and plated with silver. We call these cables “SPC’ (silver plated copper) cables, and I think they made a perfect choice tonality-wise. It’s a 2-pin recessed style connection. By the way, that recessed female 2-pin connection is VERY recessed. Thankfully I don’t ever want to swap cables but if I did, I’d have to come up with a cable that can fit that deeply. Excellent cable though. Leo comes with a Litz style braiding and is what I would call a “fatty”. I love fat cables. It’s a dope one folks.

Modular connection​

However, my next favorite aspect of this cable is the fact that it’s a modular style cable. Meaning, you can swap out jacks from 3.5 single ended and 4.4 balanced. Dunu actually patented this system and named it the Q-Lock system. At any rate, the locking mechanism is wonderful. All you have to do is line up the plugs and push the jack in as far as it can go. You then have to line up the female threads of the jack and the male threads of the cable and screw it on tight. It’s very well done and subtly satisfying to put on. Plus, it looks pretty dope too. Dunu knows what we like. I really do have to explore more from this brand folks. Something about them just oozes quality and the modular jacks are just one example of that.

Build / Design / Internals / Fit ​

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Build Quality​

Now we get to the build quality of the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci. How is it built? Does it feel cheap, chinsy or burdened by glue anywhere along the seams etc. The answer is a very quick and very direct… No! This set is built like it was made by DaVinci himself. Okay that’s going a bit far, but I really am impressed by Dunu’s willingness to always craft iems that seem like they’re a step above all others. The DaVinci appears to be fully 3D printed using resin as the base material though the faceplates are made using stabilized five-leaf maple wood which is absolutely gorgeous and also, no two are the same which is pretty cool. This set is built very well, but we’ve seen all resin sets as low as $30. So, nothing special there but when in hand it’s fairly obvious that Dunu crafted a very durable set and a very nice set to look at. Certainly, it has a premium feel to it. Now, the DaVinci are a large set of earphones which makes sense due to the huge number of drivers held within. So small ear hobbyists may want to take that into consideration. They take on a usual iem shape of an iem with an ergonomic fit. The nozzles are right around 6mm in width and so most tips will fit just fine. On the back of the DaVinci is one larger vent and none that I can see anywhere else. One thing I should mention is that the recessed 2-pin is much deeper than most sets. This may make swapping cables a bit more difficult. However, I cannot fault Dunu at all. The build is really nice folks.

Design​

I’ve already spoken of the stabilized wood, but I haven’t spoken of just how gorgeous these faceplates are. I can see the grains of the wood which are so unique and utterly attractive on a set of earphones. What a nice choice! The Shells are almost transparent black and so if you put the DaVinci up to the light you can almost make out some drivers. The entire appearance is about as elegant and bold as an iem can be folks. I absolutely love the fact that no two sets will have the same exact grain structure of the wood and no two sets will look the same. It’s kind of a shot in the dark of yours will have that grainy appearance and nice mixture of colors. My set has browns, tans, as well as some orange color too. Couple that with the fat brown cable and you have yourself one of the best looking iems within the price point.

Internals​

Like I said earlier, the DaVinci is a six-driver hybrid iem which houses two dynamic drivers, one being a 10mm Bio cellulose dome DD which covers the sub-bass, and the other is an 8mm Bio cellulose dome DD which covers the mid-bass region. The midrange is covered by a customized composite dual balanced armature array while they went with one BA to cover the highs and one more to cover the ultra-highs. Dunu also used a five-way channel sound guidance coupled with an electronic five-way crossover to dole out each drivers’ responsibilities. I think it’s very obvious that Dunu used quality drivers. I love that they went with two DDs to control the bass region as that is one of my favorite aspects of this set.

Fit​

I’ve already covered the fit momentarily, but the DaVinci truly fit my ears like they grew there. It’s perfect. Especially with the Penon Liqueur eartips. Truly a wonderfully ergonomic build for my ears. Now, I have zero idea how they will fit you. I’m assuming that most folks won’t have any issues with the fit of this set, but you never know. They are big and so that is one thing to keep in mind.

Drivability​

The Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci is not a difficult set to drive. Rated at a 35-ohm impedance and a sensitivity of 109 dbs makes the DaVinci easy to drive even from low powered sources. The bonus is that it sounds very nice on lower powered sources, which isn’t always the case. That said, without question this set will show itself off with better sources and more output power from your source devices. I’ll get to that in a minute. Right now, I’ll go through some mobile sources that I’ve used pretty regularly at my work and at home while conducting critical listening.

Mobile Listening​

One device which never gets too far from me is the IFi Go Blu. It’s a little powerhouse of a Bluetooth dac/amp and it pairs extremely well with the DaVinci. The tonalities combine wonderfully. However, I cannot help but love the EPZ TP50 with this set and to a lighter degree the Aful SnowyNight. The TP50 simply has this neutral sounding dynamism that reacts perfectly with the DaVinci’s warm and rich sound. The SnowyNight is much the same. I listened the majority of the time on 4.4 balanced with all sources and it was very evident that the DaVinci increases in sonic ability with the ability and power of my sources. It doesn’t have to be 4.4 either so please don’t get me wrong. The DaVinci simply seems to enjoy more output. The whole spectrum seems to just tighten up a bit. The bass has cleaner lines, the mids sound more in control too. I used many dongle dacs of varying tonalities and most definitely the TP50 and SnowyNight won my affection paired with this set.

More juice​

This is a rare case for me (OK not that rare) but the DaVinci quite literally sounds awesome with all three of my more powerful mobile devices. I purposefully purchased source devices which are slightly different as far as tuning is concerned and it’s good to see a set playing well with each. I generally use the iBasso DX240 with the modular Amp8 MK2 attached, the Fiio Q15 and the Shanling M6 Ultra. Each has slightly different approaches tonality wise. The M6 Ultra being slightly warmer but so resolving. The DX240 has those analytically gifted and wonderful ESS dac chips and the Q15 sounds like the DaVinci was created for it. Just wonderful pairings that I cannot choose which I like better. One take away that I’m pretty firm on is that more output does seem to help the sound come across more polished. Of course, these are marginal up ticks in fidelity. The greatest improvement will always come from the actual sonic ability of your source. Obviously the Fiio Q15 is going to outshine the EPZ TP50… Basically.

What do you need? ​

In my opinion I really feel you’d be okay with a decent Dongle Dac. I’m sure anyone who is able to purchase the DaVinci will very likely also have a decent source device. However, you can find some great dongle dacs under $60 anymore that will pair well and give you an awesome listening experience with the DaVinci. Like I said, I used many different sources. Much more than I listed above. For instance, I used the Simgot Dew4x for hours one day and I was in sonic bliss for quite some time. So, a decent Dongle Dac should suffice but if you can give the DaVinci a better source it’ll reward you.

Sound Impressions​

Note: I should preface this entire section with a few things worth mentioning. First, I did burn-in the DaVinci for about three full days. If I’m being honest, I don’t think I heard any changes. I simply did it to get it out of the way. I could be wrong though. Problem is, when I first listened to the DaVinci it was a quick casual listen and it sounded freaking awesome. So, do you need to burn it in? Probably not. It’s always better to listen-in anyways. Next, all of my critical listening is done using flac or better files stored in my devices. Lastly, I primarily use UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) as my music player downloaded onto my devices. I also use Hiby Player from time to time and Poweramp as well.

What does it sound like?​

The Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci comes across as warm/neutral to my ears with what I would call a buttery U-shaped tuning. Definitely the mids aren’t as recessed as some sets on the market within the price range. This set does come from the mind of Timmy after all. Always the mids will be the Rockstar of the spectrum. Of course, the bass has a few things to say about that. Anyways, definitely a warm U-shaped sound that keeps a nice dynamic balance and an easy-going nature to it.

However, don’t let easy-going fool you. That doesn’t mean this set isn’t fun or dynamic either and no that isn’t a contradiction. It simply isn’t overly emphasized up top and so naturally you won’t have that ultra strident brightness or vibrant energy. You’ll hear fantastic cohesion throughout while at the same moment coming across as very engaging prioritizing musicality first. Transients move at a natural pace with a rich note weight but also a very transparent and clean sound. Only that clean sound maneuvers through a smoother and more lush setting. Like gliding through butter. Okay that was a little too much, but I’m sure you get the gist of it. There’s weight to the sound, a certain roundness too. The DaVinci maintains a clean replay and does so with good density. Timbre is nice as well, maybe not perfectly natural but not even close to off-putting. It’s actually darn nice.

Subjective gripes​

Now, does the DaVinci have its shortcomings? Well, define shortcomings. The DaVinci certainly has some “subjective gripes” that some folks may have. Maybe it isn’t perfectly aligned with everyone’s preferences all the time…naturally. However, I find this set to be one of the more charming sounding sets in the price point.

Condensed Sound Between the 20’s​

Pint-sized low-end​

The low-end is very well extended with a very solid and rigid note body down low. The bass hits pretty heavy but also keeps the midrange relatively clean and not left veiled from any overbearing intrusion from the bass region. This is a heavy bass, wide in presence, but also fairly clean per the quantity or emphasis down low. There is texture to the sound in this region, yet it may be too much for some folks. I still wouldn’t refer to the low-end as “basshead”.

Pint-sized midrange​

The mids are actually quite clean, forward in presence and carry a lean-lush note weight that just sounds natural to me. You do get some carry over from the low-end which does provide just enough warmth in my opinion. The upper-mids are a bit more forward and vibrant but the lower-midrange sounds unsullied, robust, and well defined. This is a slightly warm midrange which is full in body all the while the transient attack through release is not slow. It’s just a very nice midrange, musical, melodious and great for vocalists. It may not be perfectly defined and crystalline, but also… It was never tuned to be that.

Pint-sized treble​

The treble is easy going, no surprising peaks and no shrillness. Extension is nice into the upper treble is very good too. This treble also has body and even some crunch from time to time. However, if I were to call the treble on the DaVinci anything, I’d call it “smooth”. I suppose I’d call it non-offensive as well but too many incorrect takeaways can result in simply saying that. The treble is nice and well controlled.

Technical stuff…Pint-sized​

Technically the DaVinci was not tuned to be a detail king. It wasn’t tuned to delineate and separate every instrument with razor precision. Details are great in the macro sense and pretty nice at times in the micro. I never hear anything I’d refer to as stuffy or congested but you won’t hear airy separation. Imaging is great. So no, the DaVinci isn’t the picture of technical integrity. Rather, Dunu went for engaging and charismatically tuneful. Also, the stage is above average in my opinion, layering is nice too but more on all of this later.

Bass Region​

The Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci uses two dynamic drivers to handle the low-end and the end result is nothing short of spectacular. There is so much raw and visceral texture and body to the sound. I feel that Dunu really nailed it with a bass I’d consider to be fun, but also refined for what it is. This is a bigger bass folks. So do keep that in mind. This isn’t some marginally boosted set with pillowy undertones. No sir. The low-end on the DaVinci has that hard edged note outline and a full and wide attack which decays pretty rapidly for what it is… in my opinion. Of course you have to take into account the emphasis here. The DaVinci isn’t going to decay like a set which has a more analytical tuning. For instance, the Simgot EA1000 has that pointed attack and swift decay. It’s fast. The DaVinci is more earthy (if that makes sense) and atmospheric. That said, there is still good definition of low-end notes, and the bass isn’t as one-noted as I thought it was going to be.

Bass Cont…​

There’s some nuance with this low-end along with some great tactile feel and solidity of bass notes. Bass guitars can fully grumble and drone in the deep depths and kick drums have a booming hollow thud when a track calls for it. For instance, listening to “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects I was pleased to hear the thunderous kick drums which begin this track. The hollow and cavernous “BOOM” is met first with that initial wet & tacky edge. It’s wonderful. The DaVinci is very satisfying in that sense. However, for a bigger bass the thing which stands out is the texture of each note (depending on the track of course). There’s some acuteness, some focus on each note. It isn’t some blurry mishmash of bassy sound. I love how Dunu implements these two DD’s. It’s very nice to my ears. Not for everyone… but nice.

Sub-bass​

The lowest of lows gets… well… low. Or deep, however you want to say it. Extension is plainly obvious. Listening to “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard, or even “Groove” by Ashley Monroe, I hear a deep and grumblin-rumblin’ bass that has that kinetic and haptic guttural vibration. It’s as tight a reverb as you can get while still seeming somewhat atmospheric and bulbous. Again, not basshead. This sub-bass is tuned with other frequencies in mind and many genres in mind. Take the track “Mancey” by Andrew Bird. This song gets so very low with that meaty resonance. You can feel how thick the bass is on this track and you can sense its authority. The bassline is the foundation of that song in my opinion and it’s very nice to hear. So yes, the sub-bass has depth and plays very well off of the mid-bass. I do feel that sometimes it overcrowds a bit, but that’s to be expected. However, the sub-bass is there to add some gravity and grit to that low end, and I feel it does very well against most any set (at least that I’ve heard) within its price point. Feed this set some power and it seems that the sub-bass muscle starts to tighten. All in all, I love the tuning of this fun and satisfying sub-bass and I’m very happy that I have the DaVinci in my collection.

Mid-bass​

The mid bass has that heavy muscle mass. But the kind of heavy muscle without the trapped fat. Even with its more pregnant bump in this region the mid-bass is finely tailored to maneuver around even slightly more complicated bass lines with good agility. If you want boom and if you want slam, but you don’t want bloated, muddy or a bass that layers the rest of the mix in a clouded veil, then I’ve got the set for you. Basically, along with that boom & slam there’s also some evident finesse in the transient in & out shift ability of this set. This is about as large of a bass you can have with it still coming across clean and not disruptive to other frequencies… to a fault that is. In fact, Dunu tuned the DaVinci with just the right amount of warmth spilling over into the midrange. Not a bass tuck, but definitely a nice downhill curve into the mids just before about 300hz. So, it’s a clean bass but not an analytical and thin bass. There’re different versions of clean folks. The track “2040” by Lil Durk & Lil Baby features one of those compacted initial bass drops which begs for everyone’s attention. The DaVinci does not disappoint at all as it replays that drop with a straight-up rotund thump as though it was made just for that moment. The DaVinci has a sonorous bellow in its tank whenever a track calls for it and just as easy it can jitter & jive around most any fast bass passage. Which is rare for a slightly larger bass. It almost reminds me of the Hiby Zeta in that sense. Big, buff, and heavy but it still has some finesse.

Downsides to the Bass Region ​

With every good thing there are always some negatives. In the case of the DaVinci there are a few of them. Obviously, there will be many hobbyists who flat out detest this many bass. However, I say that but in the same breath I don’t even consider the DaVinci basshead. It’s just meaty and mean. Still, not everyone wants that much. Shoot, there are times I don’t want this much convexity of the bass region. Yes, it’s clean, yes, it’s well defined, but it does add warmth to the mix. Not everyone wants that. I went through a period of what I would call “neutral love”, where any bass past a 5db bass shelf was beginning to be too much. So, I get it. Of course, at the moment I’ve been relishing the foundation that a good bass region can give my music. Still, I understand. Not anything is for everyone. I suppose the low-end can get a hair too muddy on heavy bass tracks too. Of course, who’s listening to a heavy bass track wanting to tone down the bass? Seems like it defeats the purpose but… whatever. Anyways, there are some downsides in the quantity. I find it much harder to fault this bigger bass quality. It’s a quality low-end friend.

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Midrange​

One thing which seems to define a Timmy Vangtan iem is the way the midrange comes across. Basically, vocals matter in a Timmy set. Coincidentally, vocals are a huge part of my library. Now there’s never just one way to tune for a “vocalist midrange”, and based on the different tunings of Timmy’s collaborations, I’d say he’s trying out all of them. I own the Galileo which came out some time last year and I love that neutral forward midrange, smooth throughout. Well, the DaVinci takes that smoothness and suave clean sound and takes it up a notch, or two. Because now there’s some meat to the bones of each note. There’s body in this range that comes across more like “full-bodied” rather than lean. The midrange is warmer and heftier to the left and slightly more vibrant to the right, but there’s always that pervasive and wonderful tunefulness encased in subtle warmth, which melts into the entirety of the midrange. Now, separation isn’t perfect, details won’t blow your mind (not bad either) and transients aren’t lightning fast (also not slow) and not super airy. However, the DaVinci hangs all of its hats on the best thing a set should be lauded for… its musicality. It’s musical, emotionally charged and symphonic in its overtones. The tonality and timbre, the tunefulness, the effortless projection of midrange notes lathered in just enough warmth, vibrance and weight. Friends… It’s just nice.

Oversell? ​

I don’t want to oversell this set, and this is not a hype piece, I don’t do that. I’m simply speaking glowing language on something worth glowing over. Of course, this is only one person’s opinion. Still, the mids are quite possibly the centerpiece of the tuning. If the bass is the foundation, then the midrange is the trophy on top. That said, you still have to enjoy the tuning as a whole and I realize that not everyone will think such glowing thoughts. Okay, I wanted to get that out of the way. Moving on…

Lower-midrange​

The lower midrange takes just a titch of that plumped-up & full-bodied warmth from the low-end, but in just the right amount for me at the moment. The low-mids are more forward than most sets too. They aren’t recessed and pushed into the background, but instead seem as though they’re set on a pedestal. Certainly more-so than what many sets are tuned to. Not so forward that they’re boxy or hollow but rather males sound authoritative while carrying a very nice presence. Take the Chris Stapleton track “Tennessee Whiskey”. The DaVinci takes his wonderfully gruff and raspy vocals, and instead of doubling down on that rasp creating a knife edged scratch, it rather smooths those rougher edges making his vocals sound closer at hand and very melodious. His voice has mass and comes across decently textured. It’s very nice and this is only one example. Another is the lead singers voice from The Paper Kites in the track “Till the Flame Turns Blue”. Usually, the vocals on this track almost sound blended-in with the rest of the Melody, but instead they come across just a hair more front and center. Yet at the same time they are clean on the DaVinci. Instruments in this region yield the same results.

Upper-Midrange​

The upper-mids are the place where most female vocals reside. Female vocalists on the DaVinci come across as forward, but not obnoxiously so. There’s a present vibrance and shimmer to this region aided by the gradual pinna rise which never seems to crest over into glare or shout. Not for me anyways. I know some are extremely sensitive to that. At any rate, females are generally well bodied with some very slight additional vibrance, yet always smooth. The track “I Forgive You” by Sia (off her latest album) is absolutely phenomenal with the DaVinci in my ears. Granted, many sets can replay her amazing voice, but she just hits differently with DaVinci. The DaVinci has this way of pulling every last morsel of emotion out of this song. She is forward in the sound field, edgy but not scratchy and grainy. Her voice sounds authentic, it has depth to it and the details in her voice are all captured in milky hi-res. The DaVinci simply provides a very nice way to listen to vocalists. I love the weight of female voices with this set. A much different track is “The Architect” by Kacey Musgraves. Her voice is simply sweet, shimmery at the edges and also… somewhat forward. There’s a certain luminance surrounding Kacey’s vocals which seems to project this euphonic and engaging quality. She isn’t belting anything out or singing her heart out. This track is all about contemplative and ruminant sweetness and the DaVinci captures that nicely. Honestly, it’s the tone and timbre along with the structure to each note, the body, the emphasis, it’s all there, and to sum it up I’d say that Gizaudio and Dunu have nailed this midrange.

Instruments​

I’m at a point in my reviewing life where I’ve realized that trying to describe instruments for each set is a daunting task to say the least. Every track presents them differently and I don’t want to simply blanket speak on every instrument. Speaking on them needs and deserves context and context takes forever to explain at times. Nevertheless, for this review I will simply speak in overarching generalities. Take piano for instance, “generally” the piano on the DaVinci is full in body, resounding at times too. Some may want a hair more luminous gloss in its harmonics on the DaVinci at times, but I honestly feel this set sounds great for piano. Percussion also has that fullness to the extent that percussion can sound full. Perhaps cymbals aren’t quite as snappy and sharp on attack as some would like, but also, secondary harmonics don’t even try to sound splashy, and they still have a well-endowed crash to them. Snares pang with realism to my ears. Strings have depth, good harmonics, just enough bite. Violin can sound silvery, edgy or harmonious without going off the rails and sounding coarse or bright. Woodwind instruments seem to have just enough brilliance and are nicely canorous. Honestly, just think of your favorite instrument and then think of that instrument’s sound with subtle warmth. Think of it with moist and wetted notes, but less vibrant peppy energy. Picture it with great rhythm, cadence, and realistic note weight. Then picture in your mind some pretty darn good depth to that sound. I should’ve started this section with that.

Downsides to the Midrange​

I honestly could have kept going on this midrange and trust me I wanted to, but I am trying hard to keep my word count down. Be that as it may, as nice as I feel the midrange is, someone else will totally disagree with me. This is a fact. Someone will detest the warmth. They will hate that details aren’t being illuminated to the surface with ease. Some people will hate that each instrument and voice doesn’t sound as though air is actively moving between them. There will be plenty of folks who just don’t want something that isn’t bright, neutral or analytical. When coming up with “downsides” I try to put myself in their shoes as best I can. I don’t always succeed at this but like every iem I’ve ever listened to and reviewed, the DaVinci will rub some folks the wrong way. For the record… I think this midrange is freaking awesome and Timmy, Dunu, Gizaudio… Well done.

Treble Region​

Now we get to the treble region, and I’m all for it. No this isn’t some ultra-colored and brilliance-laden treble that shines a light on every last detail that can be squeezed out of every last track. It isn’t that. What this treble is… is a treble that fits. It isn’t some overly emphasized treble that seeks resolution in any way it can get it, even if it’s forced. It isn’t that. This is an easy treble, slightly emphasized and smooth. I’d say it’s boosted enough to offset the bass region just enough. Dunu made sure to give this area just enough levity, adding just enough air to not come across as a veiled mess (as a whole). In doing so I feel that the midrange has a chance to flourish without coming across as thin or more artificial sounding. The DaVinci’s treble keeps its composure at all times, it’s nicely contoured yet has a smoother demeanor. Macro resolution and details come through more readily over micro details, but micro details are still present on many tracks which aren’t more complicated or congested.

Supporting role?​

The way I see it is that the treble region is one of those which plays that supporting role in the frequency cast. Certainly not as energetically colored as some would like. I happen to think that Dunu did exactly what they had to do for this treble region to fit the overall character of this set. I suppose they could’ve added a hint more air and brilliance to the mix or added a bit more energy to the sound, but that would throw off other areas of the DaVinci’s sound profile which would be a tragedy in my humble opinion. Also, the treble is actually kind of talented on this set. For what it is anyways. I still hear some good bite and crispness when called upon and extension into the upper treble is actually quite good. Like I said earlier, the secondary harmonics of something like cymbals is not splashy to my ears and I definitely don’t hear a ton of treble tizz and artificial timbre, no sibilance either. It’s a nice treble and is tuned well. Tuned to uplift the whole spectrum just enough without losing the character and charm of the midrange.

Downsides to the Treble Region​

Looking at the issues up top, the first one that will push people away from this set is the toned-down highs. The DaVinci doesn’t have that bright, crunchy, and airy treble like so many enjoy. It’s still relatively lifted though, and I would never call this treble region dark, and I don’t feel it’s too warm either. Just not ultra-airy and beaming with effulgent brightness. Also, this isn’t the most detailed treble region as well.

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Technicalities​

Soundstage​

When looking at the soundstage of any iem I hesitate even including it into the “Technicalities” portion of my review. Just because a set has some grand soundstage doesn’t make it a good one. In my opinion it doesn’t hurt and does add to the overall listening experience. In the same breath, I’ve heard so many smaller stages that sound amazing. What makes a good stage is the spatial cues and how clean the layering is in the sound field. However, I must say that the DaVinci actually has a good-sized stage. It’s a bit more forward, but the sound field is very large in width, tall and deep. Intimate as in it’s close to the listener though. It doesn’t sound like the band is too far in front of me. That said, layering in this space has been good every time I listen to the DaVinci. There are moments of some blending happening on congested tracks, but layering is quite good the majority of the time in my opinion. At the end of the day, I feel that the stage is a winner in my eyes.

Separation / Imaging​

This is one area where this tuning may seem to lack a bit. You don’t have that ultra peppy and agile thin lined, analytically tuned and thinly weighted type sound here. Again, this is thicker, musical, emotional, closer to the listener. For what the DaVinci is… It’s great. Now I don’t have a clue what “average” is but that’s what I’m going to call the DaVinci’s ability to separate elements within a psycho-acoustically rendered stage. Not bad by any stretch and some tracks will be much better than others. Bass heavy tracks won’t separate as well as some masking will occur, and complicated tracks will also sometimes trip up the DaVinci as well. Imaging on the other hand sounds wonderful. I have never had an issue spotting where an instrument is and the depth plays a part in that as I hear definite layering happening in some tracks too. Left to right is great and so is front to back.

Detail Retrieval​

I would call the DaVinci about average. Again, what’s “average”? I don’t know what else I’d call it. The DaVinci thrives in the macro details with a superbly clean sound, but the micro details can sometimes get mashed in with that thicker note weight. Sometimes they can be masked over as well. However, not even one moment of my listening did I wish to have better detail retrieval. Never once. That would completely neuter what makes this set so special. Why in the world would I strip the DaVinci of this wonderfully musical and gorgeous sound so that I can hear finger scrapes on a guitar string a “little bit” better. I wouldn’t. Sometimes I think we put way too much stock in some of these technicalities’ folks. But that’s just me. Also, the DaVinci really isn’t bad at all in this discipline. I hear decent detail retrieval. The track you are listening to will mostly determine how well your set will resolve those subtleties in your music.

Is it worth the asking price? ​

The $300 question. Is the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci worth the $299 that Dunu and HiFiGo is asking? I can only truly answer this question for myself folks. I couldn’t possibly know how YOU feel about the tuning. Anyways, for me, without even hesitating a second I’d say absolutely this set is worth that money. If you can afford it. Now, there are less expensive sets which stack up nicely. The CCA Hydro (Hydro Review) is one which comes to mind. At any rate, this set is an absolute gem, and I couldn’t say no to this question. I’d be lying to myself. The only caveat is that it sits within a loaded price bracket filled with amazing iems that will also bring enormous amounts of joy to anyone willing to pony up the money to own them. However, there aren’t any that do exactly what the DaVinci does. I really do feel that this set is a unicorn where it’s at and I emphatically declare the $299 a bargain for what the DaVinci will give to those who enjoy this style of tuning.

Not for everyone​

On the flipside, there will be those who wouldn’t spend $50 on this tuning. It’s just the truth. Not everyone wants this thickly weighted and musical sound. So many folks enjoy the thin, analytical, neutral clean or even brightly tuned sets with copious amounts of treble and lean bass. We are all so different so please hear me when I say that I’m answering this question for me and I don’t know where you stand on this. First you have to actually be able to afford it. That’s first. Second, you really need to want something that puts melodious musicality and mellifluous harmony on a pedestal. Warm vocals, forward vocals, laid back treble, non-offensive, rich notes, holographic style stage, and you also have to not really care a whole lot about micro-details. If you check those boxes, then maybe I can speak on your behalf. It’s worth the change people.

The Why…​

I’ve already answered this about fifty times in this review. I must’ve said the words “note weight” “rich” and “musical” about fifty each as well. It kind of felt like I was on repeat in every section to be totally honest. I suppose I could have worse problems. Anywhoo, the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci is absolutely stunning folks. I didn’t get across in the “Design” portion of this review just how I feel about this stabilized maple wood and how nice it is to see the grain of these faceplates. The character of each earphone is off the charts. The build is done in a pristine manner and looks more premium than most iems under $1k. The drivers used are obviously beasts too. Oh my, that cable! The cable is so perfect aesthetically that I wouldn’t even dream of changing it. At least not now. Those browns, oranges and muted reds on the earphones paired with whatever color the cable is just works friends. It’s one of the coolest modular cables I own, and I could be happier with it. Suits this set wonderfully. However, it’s all about the sound when money is involved in this hobby and the DaVinci just so happens to thrive in this regard. Wonderfully musical, as engaging an iem as I’ve had under $500 and it’s also fun too. It’s a guilty pleasure meets maturity. Yes, it lacks in some areas but also… who cares? Don’t answer that, there’s plenty of you who care. The point is that there’s a good reason as to why this set is worth that money, you’d need to drop to own it and I feel great about recommending the DaVinci. Yes, it’s worth the $299!

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Ratings (0-10)​

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci ratings below, that would be $250-$350 multi-driver hybrid iems. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $250-$350 US by rid iems is a smaller scope of iems but it’s also extremely competitive, though it’s not out of the question to see a Rating above a “9.0” for example. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic ​

–Build Quality: 9.7 Built premium.

–Look: 9.9 Just take my money, beautiful!

–Fit/Comfort: 9.1 Fit and comfort is great for me.

–Accessories: 9.9 Dunu always ranks high here.

–Overall: 9.7

Sound Rating ​

–Timbre: 9.3 Warm, engaging, never metallic.

–Bass: 9.6 Big, authoritative, clean, defined.

–Midrange: 9.7 Forward, musical, rich, enthralling.

–Treble: 7.9 Perfect for this tuning, not for treble heads.

–Technicalities: 7.6 Technically fine, not great, but fine.

–Musicality: 9.9 Musicality is the DaVinci’s superpower.
–Overall: 9.0

Ratings Summary:​

There are so many ways I could go here. However, I’ll stick to the game plan and explain why I feel the ratings above make sense for prospective consumers. I rated the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci against multi-driver hybrid iems ranging from $250 to $350 US. There’s a pretty good number of great sets in this range. I should also add that I haven’t heard many of them, but I’ve heard a lot. I own many of them too. However, please take this as a grain of salt. These ratings are only an opinion of one man. Also, ratings are not a good way to explain anything. There’s so much nuance that needs to be considered. I gave the DaVinci an overall “Sound” score of “9.0”! Friends, to me the sound should be a “9.7” at least! However, when you rate in individual categories, this is what you get. A skewed look at a set that should only be rated as a whole. Also skewed by the fact that I haven’t heard every set and also skewed by the fact that we all have different ideas about what represents a “9.0” for example. To some this set will be a “5.0”. No joke. There is that much change from person to person. So please, I beg that you just jump past this section or that you take it solely as a grain of salt. We got a deal? Okay, carry on.

Explain Yourself!​

Every review it’s the bass which will always garner the most anger from the peanut gallery. Always. Why on earth would I give the DaVinci a huge and lofty score of “9.6”? Because it’s so meaty and deep and guttural but also so ductile, so clean, so well defined, and so well separated from the rest of the mix. It’s wonderful. In fact, a “9.6” is low. I went back and forth on this one folks. Think of this though, I gave the Simgot EA1000 a “9.6” as well in its review. Totally different styles of bass. Totally different. It’s not what the bass is exactly but much more how it fits into the overall tuning and even more than that. The DaVinci provides me with this visceral, satisfied reaction and joyful feeling when I’m listening. As does the EA1000. Both bass regions simply fit perfectly the “style” of tuning that each respective brand was going for. Also, if it wasn’t for the DaVinci’s ability to image the stage and the depth of the stage then I would’ve given it a “6.0” in “Technicalities”. I won’t argue the “Midrange”. That I won’t budge on and also… it should’ve been a “9.9”. I bent my will to the imaginary detractors that are in my head at all times when writing and gave it a “9.7” …lol. Facts! A “9.3” in timbre is correct to me and against the other sets that I’ve heard as well but that’s another one where one person may give the DaVinci a much lower score. It’s all in the ears and hearts of the beholder.

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Conclusion​

To conclude my full written review of the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci I must first thank all of you who clicked on this link. Thank you! You may feel this is just words on a page but to this reviewer and my partners at Mobileaudiophile.com it means everything. Thank you for supporting us by simply clicking a link and reading. Thank you. You will always be why I and my partners do this. It’s to strike up conversation and share our passion with the Audioverse and hopefully help you as well. Nothing makes me happier in this hobby than when I hear one of you say that you love something that I rec’cd. I wouldn’t recommend anything that didn’t bring me pure sonic joy and so that is a very good feeling. Anyways, thanks again.

This has been fun​

This has been a blast. I love reviewing things that I find joy in. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s awesome going through the whole process. The DaVinci has been that folks. I doubt he will ever see this but Timmy, if you are reading… Well done man! Dunu… Well done! Now, let’s see you refine this tuning even further and blow up the plus $500 segment of the audio game. Anyways, without question I recommend the DaVinci.

Other perspectives​

Please, if you have read this far will you also click links on any of my fellow reviewers’ websites and read their DaVinci reviews please. Watch their videos too. Listen to other perspectives. I don’t want you to get this wrong and I know you don’t. I have gone far to one side of the aisle in this review, and I can promise you that not everyone will do so. That’s a promise. We are so ridiculously different folks. Please take in other opinions and I hope you can piece together a good idea of what this set actually sounds like so that you either find joy in spending $300 or save yourself from spending $300. I know a handful of fellas right off the top of my head who won’t like this set. They don’t need to listen, I already know. We are different. There are also so many variables to consider. With that, I think I’m done. I hope each and every one of you is doing well. Take good care, stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!

Preface:
I would like to thank @gadgetgod and @DUNU-Topsound for sending this unit as part of the review tour.

Also, I’m not a seasoned reviewer or a seasoned audiophile, so whatever I say is purely my observations and your results may vary.

I’m not the one to usually focus on specifications and numbers. I focus more on how happy I am with the equipment’s sound and that’s it.

Sources used:

• xDuoo XD05 Pro (AKM / Rohm) (w/ SS3602 OpAmps)
• Dita Navigator
• D16 Taipan
• Qudelix T-71
• RME ADI-2 Pro FS R

Introduction:

The Dunu x GizAudio DaVinci IEM is the latest collaboration between Dunu and Timmy from GizAudio, priced at an attractive $299. The DaVinci IEM sets a new benchmark in the mid-range IEM market with its impressive features and sound quality.



Design:

The DaVinci IEM boasts a high-quality, skin-friendly resin shell, featuring a stunning stabilized wood faceplate that adds a touch of natural elegance. Inside, it houses a hybrid driver configuration with two dynamic drivers (10mm and 8mm) and four balanced armature drivers. The design is both visually appealing and practical, ensuring durability and a premium feel.





Fit and Comfort:

Despite being on the larger side, the DaVinci IEM is shaped to provide a comfortable and secure fit. The inclusion of Dunu's S&S and Candy ear tips enhances the deep fit and seal, ensuring long-lasting comfort however I felt that other tips like Spinfit W1, Asla Sedna Light & Divinus Velvet tips were better. The Leo cable, specifically designed for the DaVinci, complements the IEM aesthetically while being well-built and easy to manage.



Sound:

The sound signature of the DaVinci IEM is balanced with boosted bass, characterised by a linear frequency response from 200Hz to 1kHz, followed by a rise into the upper mids around 2.8kHz. This results in a rich, natural sound that is clean and balanced, with no bass bleed into the mids.

Bass:

The DaVinci offers more bass quantity than many competitors in its price range, with excellent extension, dynamics, and slam. The bass presentation is less polite than a neutral tuning, providing a satisfying mid-bass punch without bleeding into the mids. The dynamic driver-based bass delivers physicality and visceral sensation, though it lacks the speed and texture detail of BA bass.

Mid Range:

The mid-range is linear and slightly favors the low mids, contributing to a weightier presentation and naturalness. Instruments and vocals sound realistic and tactile, with a gradual rise into the upper mids that enhances vocal and instrument reproduction. The vocal energy is well-balanced, not too forward or relaxed, maintaining focus without dominating the mix.

Treble:

The treble maintains a natural presentation, with controlled energy and excitement in cymbals and hi-hats. Adequate upper treble presence reveals air and shimmer in live recordings, along with micro details. The treble never becomes peaky, ensuring a pleasant listening experience.

I did however feel that by slightly reducing the bass, the detail retrieval got much better.

Staging and Instrument Separation:

The DaVinci does decently well in technical performance, with good amount of detail, instrument separation, and imaging for its price range. The soundstage is expansive, providing a clear distinction between instruments and enhancing the overall listening experience.

Conclusion:
The DaVinci IEM is a standout in the $300 price range, offering a natural and satisfying sound with decent technical performance. While its bass quantity is slightly above my personal preference, its overall tuning, design, and build quality make it a highly recommended choice. The DaVinci IEM is a testament to the successful collaboration between Dunu and Timmy from GizAudio, solidifying it as a very strong contender in the mid-range segment.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank HIFIGO for providing this review unit.

The DUNU x Gizaudio Da Vinci can be gotten here: https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-x-gizaudio-davinci (no affiliate links).




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 2 x 8 mm biocellulose dynamic driver + 10 mm biocellulose dynamic driver + 4 x custom balanced armature drivers
• Frequency response: 5 Hz - 40 kHz
• Impedance: 35 Ω
• Sensitivity: 109 dB/mW
• Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm; LEO single crystal-copper with silver-plating; Q-lock Mini 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm modules available
• Tested at: $299.99 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of "balanced" grey silicone ear tips
- 3 pairs of Candy silicone ear tips
- 4 pairs of S&S (Stage and Studio) silicone ear tips
- DUNU LEO cable
- Q-Lock Mini 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm modules
- 6.35 mm to 3.5 mm adapter
- Cleaning brush

The accessories are princely, and perhaps other than the omission of foam tips - which is a very small nitpick - everything that an audiophile would require is catered for.




The Candy eartips - as per their colourful namesake - come in a star-spangled motif, and these tips furnish the deepest bass rumble of the lot. Isolation is also the best, though soundstage is compressed.



The S&S (Stage and Studio) tips come in a gel-like material that is grippy and firm. These tips have a long cylindrical shape, and are mid-centric focused, in boosting vocals (though with some decrease in bass). These tips are quite popular on forums, with audiophiles buying them individually at 12 bucks (eg https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-s-s). Lastly, we have the "balanced" grey silicone eartips, which are quite "balanced" in sonic properties, as their name suggests.




The stock cable - the DUNU LEO - is a Litz cable furnished from single crystal-copper with silver-plating. This is well braided and thick, hefty to the touch and tangle-free, with minimal microphonics. There's a chin cinch for grip, and this is one of the better stock cables I've encountered in my audio journey.

This cable incorporates DUNU's patented Q-Lock Mini modular system, which allows consumers to fit 4.4 mm and 3.5 mm modules on it, with a screw-on mechanism. Thus, this IEM can be used with various single-ended and balanced sources, and the screw-on part protects the module from inadvertently detaching, which is a not uncommon complaint faced by audiophiles, causing their gear to drop to the floor!




The provided carrying case is semi-rigid and tough externally, with inner webbing. We also have a 6.35 mm to 3.5 mm adapter and a cleaning brush to complete the accessory line-up.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock S&S tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT



The housings are fashioned from dermatological-friendly resin, with a 3D printed acoustic chamber from Higetech. The faceplates feature solid-stabilized grain wood panels, and each earpiece is unique!



While the shells are on the larger side, each earpiece weighs a mere 6.6 g, and ergonomics are very decent despite the larger size. With no awkward protrusions to poke the ears on the inner aspects, the Da Vinci can be used for longer listening sessions without discomfort.

Isolation is above average despite being vented, and I did not encounter any driver flex, which is a sign of a well-implemented acoustic design.




INTERNALS

The Da Vinci is a 6 driver hybrid. These drivers are arrayed in a 5-way crossover setup, via 5 separate acoustic tubes, in the following configuration:

• 1 x 10 mm biocellulose DD takes care of the sub-bass.
• 1x 8 mm biocellulose DD handles the mid-bass.
• A composite dual BA settles the midrange.
• 1x custom BA plays the treble.
• 1x custom ultra-high frequency BA controls the upper treble.

DRIVABILITY

I tested the Da Vinci with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA11 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 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 relatively easy to drive, with no hard requirements for amplification.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES


Graph of the DUNU x Gizaudio Da Vinci via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler peak.

Tonally, the Da Vinci espouses a warm U-shaped tuning, which is pretty pleasant to the ears. Note weight is on the thicker side and perhaps only trebleheads will find the tuning to be not their cup of tea.

This set is sub-bass focused, with a big descending reverberating rumble. The choice of eartips does play a role in the bass amounts though, so do explore around with tiprolling to see what suits your preferences. Bass texturing is good and speedy, with not an ounce of mid-bass bleed on the S&S tips, though there is a bit of a mid-bass scoop out.

As per the U-shaped profile, the lower midrange is slightly concave, though with no mid-bass encroachment, this region is relatively transparent. With an 8 dB ear gain, the upper mids are forwards without veering too much to shouty territory at moderate volumes.

The Da Vinci is smooth in the treble. It will be a kindred spirit for treble-sensitive folk, though on the flip side, trebleheads might yearn for more sparkle and resolution. The tuning choice guarantees that we do not run into sibilance or splashiness, so this IEM can be used for longer listening sessions for sure.

Timbre-wise, there just a slight whiff of BA timbre in the upper registers. It certainly isn't the most egregious compared to other BA containing hybrids.

In technicalities, the Da Vinci has quite good imaging, though soundstage and micro-detailing are average amongst similarly priced hybrids. Nevertheless, music did not sound congested even during complex tracks, with commendable instrument separation.


COMPARISONS

The Da Vinci will be compared against other midFI hybrids. Single DDs, multi-BAs, and planars are omitted, as they have their own pros and cons due to the different transducer types.




Elysian Pilgrim

The Pilgrim has less mid-bass but more treble. As such, it sounds thinner than the Da Vinci in note weight, and is brighter. Admittedly, we do face treble-fatigue and some sibilance on the Pilgrim, especially if you are treble-sensitive.

In technicalities, the Pilgrim is ahead, with better soundstage, micro-detailing and resolution. Timbre is more natural on the Da Vinci however.

Do note, due to the Pilgrim's low 9 Ω sensitivity, it may be fussy to pair with sources > 1.125 Ω output impedance (based on the rules of eights), as higher OI sources may skew the sound signature. The Pilgrim also comes with a Pentaconn connector, which limits aftermarket cable pairing.


ZiiGaat Doscinco

The Doscinco is a darker and bassier IEM, with more bass quantity and lesser treble extension. The Doscinco loses in technicalities, with a smaller soundstage, poorer micro-detailing and imaging.

Additionally, the Doscinco has driver flex, which may be a potential deal breaker, and it has way less accessories.


CONCLUSIONS



The DUNU Da Vinci is a warm and pleasant hybrid that is well-suited for longer listening sessions, with minimal sibilance and fatigue. No doubt trebleheads might want a bit more pizzazz and sparkle - and we may have some penalties in resolution, micro-detailing and soundstage - but the Da Vinci otherwise comes across as very embracing and relaxing, with a thick and rich note weight greeting listeners.

The sub-bass is quite reverberating with good extension, and mid-bass texturing and speed are well done (do note: bass amounts can be modified with the different eartip permutations). Ergonomics, drivability and accessories are all very solid, and this musical hybrid can be recommended in the midFI market for fans of laid-back and warmish signature.

DUNU x GIZAUDIO DAVINCI REVIEW: BEAUTY IN WARMTH!​

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: ​

PROS:​

• Well-done warm-neutral sound signature
• Very engaging and fun sound overall
• Good value and quality package and accessories
• Superb quality modular cable
• Comfortable fitting
• Superb timbre (especially for a hybrid)
• Thick, deep, and punchy bass
• Rich, well-bodied midrange
• Smooth, inoffensive but well-extended treble
• Great technicalities for a warm IEM

CONS:​

• The treble was a little too pushed down for my liking
• Note definition is not the cleanest
• Warmth might affect upper midrange to treble clarity on some tracks
• Not the most technical set for the price

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:​

• Warm/bassheads
• People who want a complete package
• People who like a warm and very musical sound
• People who like a very rich and natural-sounding timbre
• People who want a safe, clean-sounding IEM

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR:​

• People who want a bright and sparkly set (akin to older Timmy collabs)
• People who want the most technical set for the price
• People who want a lean and analytical sound
• People who want something more energetic-sounding
• People with smaller ears

GENRES​

• R&B
• HipHop
• Rock
• Metal

SHORT REVIEW​

Timmy goes out of his comfort zone by curating one of the best warm-neutral midrange releases of 2024. A thick, lush but very engaging bass complimented by a clean and natural midrange to treble puts the DaVinci as one of the top contenders for those looking for a warm and enveloping experience. It doesn’t excel in all aspects as the warmth can be too much for some tracks and you might find the shells a little bit (like Timmy’s other sets). But pound for pound, this is a very well-done and great value set and in my opinion, Timmy’s best. RECOMMENDED!

FULL REVIEW:​

Collaboration IEMs usually tell a story. Sometimes shallow, occasionally compelling, but importantly something that both parties put a lot of love and effort into. This is especially true for reviewer collaborations where they really want to make sure the IEM that they tuned suits their needs or their goal perfectly. This leads to a somewhat formulaic style of tuning for most of their sets with minor variations in their presentation.

But occasionally, you get a reviewer that is willing to try something different with their collab. Breaking their status quo and making something so left-field and unlike them, but ending up as arguably one of the most iconic sets to date. Let’s talk about the DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci.

DISCLAIMER: The Dunu x Gizaudio DaVinci was sent over by HiFiGo in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not told or paid to say anything and all my thoughts and opinions are mine.

THE RENAISSANCE:​

Timmy Vangtan of Gizaudio has had 3 collaboration IEMs by far. Both sets achieve very different things but are fundamentally sets that follow Timmy’s preference of having a leaner low end with a sub-boost and energetic upper frequency. This is normal as you’d want to make your collab IEMs fit your preferences. So when Timmy came out with DUNU to create a $299 bass beast named DaVinci, I was more than shocked. I thought, “Has Timmy lost his mind? Making a warm IEM, an IEM that he would usually say the female vocals are husky?” But you see, Timmy didn’t just throw in bass for absolutely no reason. He had a realization. A spark of brilliance. A prophecy. And it all starts with the unboxing

UNBOXING​

Coming from my last review of the DUNU Falcon Ultra M.T., I did not feel out of place at all with the unboxing experience of the DaVinci. Coming in a smaller but equally as beautiful box, the DaVinci’s unboxing experience is virtually the same as the Falcon Ultra.

Here is the full list of accessories:

• Dunu DaVinci IEMs
• Modular Cable
• Cleaning brush
• 6.35mm to 3.5mm adaptor
• Dunu S&S Tips
• Dunu Candy Tips
• Olive Eartips
• Carrying Case
• 4.4mm modular jack
• Paperwork

Once again, we are blessed with DUNU’s accessories and am I absolutely all for it. The large carrying pouch is not only spacious enough to hold even a dap inside, you can put basically every single accessory you need inside and still have some room.





And how can I not mention the tips. The DUNU S&S is the goat and the Candy’s are solid eartips. You also get their basic olive eartips that I’m slowly growing to love due to it’s shape and how it reminds me a lot of the Divinus Velvet eartips.

Amazing accessory list as usual, nothing you don’t need and everything you do (sadly the egg bag was omitted for probably obvious reasons)

BUILD & FIT​

There’s this theme that I notice Timmy does on his full resin IEMs. They’re some of the prettiest IEMs in the market. The Galileo’s, well, Gaileio space-themed aesthetics that remind me of the Starry Night truly sparkled in more ways than one. The same can be said for the DaVinci, but exudes maturity, warmth, and a woody vibe.



Internally, the DaVinci features a 2DD + 4BA hybrid drive system which seems to be one of the best ways to implement a 2DD based on my experience so far. The drivers feature an independent five-channel sound guidance and electronic frequency crossover control with physical and electronic dual-frequency tuning sytems (from the official marketing material of the DaVinci). This is all houses in a 3D-printed resin and features a 0.78 recessed connector.



There is much to love about the build and fit of the DaVinci, but some to be concerned about. First, the DaVinci is just a total beaut. I’ve talked about it already, so I’ll let you guys fawn over the design. But also, the recessed 2-pin connector is by far my favorite type of connector. It offers the best protection from having the pin or connector bend or break and it also looks much cleaner on the IEM itself. The only concern would be aftermarket cables not fitting the DaVinci at all and the resin itself breaking when put under a lot of pressure. I saw an SA6 break once because of this, but that’s probably the extreme case.



But worry not, I doubt you’d want to cable roll the DaVinci because the LEO cable is probably one of the best modular cables I’ve tried to date. It’s thick but malleable that is soft on the skin but feels very premium. The braids are confident and does not feel cheap and the interface feels premium. But the best thing about this is the modular system itself. I’m glad more companies are going away from the plug-and-pull modular system as it is very fragile and gets loose over time. DUNU is a pioneer in this regard with the Q-Lock design first found on the Hulk Pro and Hulk Mini, but they stepped it up with the LEO cable.



Instead of a locking mechanism, the cable features a screw system that is INSANELY more secure than the plug-and-pull modular system and easier to maintain than the Q-Lock. It’s a genuinely genius modular system and I am all for it.



Comfort-wise, the DaVinci is surprisingly comfortable for how thick this thing is. This is all thanks to the fact that there are actual vents for air to pass through and not induce any pressure build-up. However due to the less aggressive shape of the inner shell, the DaVinci is also fatigue-free in even long listening sessions. I didn’t find it to be the most snug fitting nor the most stable out of all the IEMs I’ve tried, but it fits well and it’s comfortable. That’s all I ask for. My only concern is the rather thick nozzle. This seems to be a trend for Timmy’s IEMs as both of his previous collabs feature rather thick nozzles. The DaVinci here has a nozzle diameter of 6.6mm on the widest part and 5.5mm on the thinnest part. This makes certain tips problematic to put in like the Divinus Velvet eartips or the DUNU Candy eartips. This made me fall back to the legendary S&S and TRI Clarion’s for the best comfort.

SOUND​

Sound Signature​

The DaVinci features a warm slight u-shaped sound signature with a VERY deep-reaching bass and warm lower mids, well-bodied overall midrange, and a clean, well-extended, and smooth treble. This is a complete contrast to the IEMs Timmy usually does and I am all for it.

Source Pairing​

Despite the rather high 35ohms of impedance, the DaVinci sounds great even on cheaper or lower-powered sources. Using a better and more powerful source improves the sound exponentially in my experience as it cleans up the separation and layering while tightening the bass and improving the details.

Bass​

When you think of Timmy, thick, visceral bass usually isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But the DaVinci is exactly that and more. The bass on the DaVinci goes so deep and hits so hard that you might almost mistake this set for a collab from another reviewer. But nope, it’s just Timmy and he arguably made one of the best to do the warm-bassy kind of sound. The subbass goes VERY deep with a lot of rumble and impact, the midbass is thick, tactile, and punchy but surprisingly clean for its tuning philosophy. This is the warm-head’s dream. As someone who’s slowly starting to appreciate warmer IEMs, the DaVinci proved itself to be one of the best I’ve tried under $500 by far. The balance of sub and midbass is perfect and is perfect for the stuff I listen to

I could talk about the music that I found to be perfect on DaVinci for hours, but for your sake and mine, I will limit it to the best. First, classic rock and pop stuff sounded AMAZING on DaVinci. Take Fleetwood Mac, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Toto with their leaner low-end tuning sounding PERFECT on DaVinci. Metal tracks like August Burns red are also perfect thanks to the midbass emphasis giving the deep bass guitar riffs a very rich and engaging sound. Finally, R&B, HipHop, and EDM tracks sound absolutely wonderful with artists like Daniel Caesar, D’Angelo, and Erykah Badu sounding amazing on DaVinci.

I really could go more with examples but you get the gist. The bass of this thing is top-notch and truly lives up to being 2DD. I’d even go as to say that this is probably the best 2DD set I’ve heard by far in terms of my expectations of how a 2DD set is supposed to sound like.

Mids​

But with that much bass, you almost expect the mids to be sacrificed. But you are absolutely mistaken as the overall midrange presentation is quite linear yet focuses on having a full-bodied and rich sound overall. The lower mids, as expected, sound very full and thick but still nuanced. It doesn’t sound like your usual Harman lower mids scoop that makes lower midrange instruments like bass guitars, cellos, and grungy guitars sound lame and lifeless. This makes DaVinci perfect for heavier genres like Metal and thinly mixed tracks. However, I cannot deny that the upper mids are a little tamer in comparison due to the emphasis on the lower mids. The note weight also affects the note definition on certain tracks as the notes can get enveloped in warmth. It doesn’t mean that the upper mids sound recessed or pulled back, but it’s definitely more of the side dish than the main course. Upper-frequency instruments like violins, high-frequency guitars, pianos, and other air instruments have a decent amount of energy to compliment the thick low end but don’t overdo it to push the mids down for the sake of upper midrange clarity. This gives it a very natural rise into the upper frequencies that make the rest of the range sound quite tasteful and not unnatural to compensate for the bass.

I’ll be using the same examples as earlier with metal, classic rock pop and hip-hop, but I’ll go into detail about specific tracks I like that highlight the mids. First, Toto’s Waiting For Your Love. A track I find to sound quite thin on most sets but sounds wonderfully thick and luscious on the DaVinci. It’s perfectly complemented with the very sparkly top end that sounds smooth yet crisp and giving the bass the much-needed thickness. The same can be said with Dreams by Fleetwood Mac as the bass sounds so freaking engaging and thick while keeping the mids sounding clean and the details up top sounding crisp and well-defined.

Treble​

One of the best things about the DaVinci is despite the thick, visceral bass, the treble is kept clean and snappy without falling into darkness or being forced to be bright. Many warm-leaning sets fall under this and mess up the tonality pretty badly, but the DaVinci completely avoids it by keeping the treble smooth but well-defined and well-extended. This is not going to be a treblehead’s dream as you might expect, but perfect for people who are sensitive to high frequencies but still want a well-defined treble. Air instruments sound crisp but smooth, trailing vocals are soft but well-extended, and instruments never sound choked or rolled off in an unnatural way.

This could not be better shown than with Earth, Wind and Fire’s Fantasy with the sharper, brighter tone on the track Fantasy having the perfect balance on the DaVinci. It also has the benefit of sounding great on poorly mastered tracks like Bruno Mars’s “That’s What I Like” with the oddly sharp treble sounding smoother yet still well-defined and detailed.

Technicalities​

At first glance, you might think that the DaVinci is not technically capable. The stigma people have on warmer sets is that they’re not as technically capable as sets that are brighter or more neutral-tuned. But the DaVinci balances the warmth with the rest of the frequency range along with the high-quality drivers that they used to make DaVinci still a very technically capable set. The highlights are definitely imaging and headstage, particularly in the lower frequencies where the stage depth is quite expansive and very immersive and the air region gives a sufficient level of width and height without sounding unrealistic. Resolving ability is also quite impressive with DaVinci not sounding low resolution in any way at all. The only thing I personally think it struggles with is separation as the warmth definitely has an effect on the perceived separation in the lower frequencies. This is mitigated by the bass being quite well-defined, although definitely on the woofier side, and the rest of the frequency range being quite neutral to allow for the instruments to be placed cleanly in the mix.

REAL WORLD USAGE​

Casual Use​

This is arguably one of the biggest reasons as to why I love the DaVinci so much. As a casual use IEM, the DaVinci ticks all the boxes for a great IEM. Comfortable and decently stable fit that doesn’t get fatiguing, a warm, enveloping, and thick sound that makes content watched sound engaging and fun but clean enough to not muddy the rest of the soundscape and still have a lot of nuance in things like films and shows and is very easy to drive for when I just want to plug this straight into my laptop, phone or other devices. This thing that is amazing when watching films was the thicker low end makes explosions sound so immersive but flat enough in the midrange to not affect dialogue and the finer sound details

Gaming Use​

This is, by far, the best IEM I’ve used for gaming. The tuning is perfect for competitive games like Valorant but even better for environmental or story based games that, just like the moves, aim to immerse you. And the DaVinci achieves that VERY well. I seriously have no gripes when it comes to the sound of the DaVinci when it comes to gaming and makes it even better when you consider the comfort of this thing.

COMPARISONS​

vs Yanyin Canon II​

When I heard the DaVinci, one set came to mind that I thought perfectly competes with DaVinci. The Canon II has a flatter, cleaner, and more detailed overall sound at the cost of timbre not sounding as natural and not sounding as impactful as the DaVinci. The DaVinci on the other hand is more immersive, engaging, punchy, and rich with better timbre but not as clean separation and layering. Both sets cater to a very similar demographic but differ in how far you want the warmth. If you just want something slightly warm but still sparkly and crisp, the Canon II would be the set to get. But if you want pure warmth and richness, go for the DaVinci

vs HiBy x FAudio Project Ace​

Another set with a lot of warmth, the Project Ace has a more linear, flatter and generally more forward presentation but worse timbre, especially in the treble. Tactility is cleaner on the Project Ace, but the DaVinci goes much much deeper and is more impactful. The DaVinci is also cleaner in the top end while also extending better compared to the Project Ace

vs DUNU Falcon Ultra M.T.​

Compared to the Falcon Ultra, the DaVinci is even warmer, thicker, and more engaging to listen to but has an overall more skewed warmth presentation compared to the Falcon Ultra. The Falcon Ultra, to my ears, has a more balanced tonality with a cleaner overall sound that would be more versatile in more genres compared to the DaVinci. But the DaVinci has a much more immersive overall sound that makes the DUNU sound analytical in comparison. The DaVinci is also arguably less offensive than the Falcon Ultra overall.

vs Simgot EA2000​

You might be asking why EA2000 is over EA1000, and that’s because the EA1000 is a completely different style of tuning compared to the DaVinci. The pervious sets had a warmer tone that is similar to the DaVinci and is why I’m comparing it to the EA2000 instead. A bright v-shaped set with one of the best bass quality in the game. This still holds true as the bass of the EA2000 is tighter, and cleaner but still very impactful and deep-reaching. The DaVinci is warmer, and richer but also not as well-defined or tight compared to the EA2000. Everything else, however, the DaVinci is better (minus techs).

CONCLUSION​

A set born out of the need for warmth in the market, the DaVinci achieves exactly what it aims to do by providing us with one of the best warm/bassy sets in the market. Its focus on the bass gives it such a rich, thick, and engaging sound that is unlike anything I’ve heard. Most sets that try this much warmth often overdo it and sound muffled or muddy.

The DaVinci is neither of those and sounds engaging but still clean. Pair that with the mid-to-treble region that perfectly compliments the bass and the insane level of accessories provided by DUNU making the DaVinci an absolute must-buy set for anyone looking for a warm-neutral set with a focus on musicality and engagement.

Admittedly, it really isn’t the cleanest sounding set in terms of separation and some sparkle might do the set a little bit better to make it an all-rounder, but for what it aims to do, it does a damn good job.

Pair that with Dunu’s expertise in making IEMs and knowing what the market wants and needs makes the DaVinci a truly one-of-a-kind experience in and out of listening. There’s a lot to love in the DaVinci, and love it I truly do. Timmy made an IEM that the market really needed and he delivered. And that deserves much respect, especially considering the usual tastes of Timmy.

Thank you for reading my review of the Dunu x Gizaudio DaVinci. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-x-gizaudio-davinci