EARNiNE EN1J

EARNINE is most known for its previous product EN2J with two balanced armature drivers design and which has got lots of warm mentions by different audiophile geeks and reviewers. We didn’t have a chance to try those out and starting our journey with this brand from their mid-budget offering — EN1J. Those are based on more expensive precedessor with logical and inevitable simplifications in terms of technical design and materials used. Anyway, this doesn’t mean a simple degradation of sound. In fact, EN1J got its own well-developed sound signature and would stand on par with their rivals in class.



EARNINE EN1J (TE100BB) technical specifications:

• Driver type: 1 x balanced armature
• Sensitivity: 104dB ± 3dB at 1KHz
• Frequency range: 20Hz to 20KHz
• Impedance: 38Ω ± 20% at 1KHz
• Max. input: 10mW
• Cable: twisted, 1.2m
• Plug: 3.5mm, 24K gold-plated, L-shaped

Additional information quoted from PenonAudio store:

• Adopt own developed full arrange balanced armature driver

Succeeded in development by repeatedly failing and challenging for about two years by the in-house development team. Full range BA is a basic model of EARNiNE that covers broadband.

• Adopt twisted cable

Although it is a basic model, it is very important to prevent touch noise firmly and it was possible to minimize it by adopting a twisted cable.

• Noise isolation design

By design that fits the structure of the ear, I was able to concentrate more on music than suppressing noise from the outside.

Having signle balanced armature driver usually leads to compromizing on a frequency range unless there were additional efforts made about the driver itself or special chambers to compensate the possible shortcomings. Jumping ahead we would say that EN1J are sudject to focus on certain range more than the other but still exhibit good sound picture in overall.

Packaging and box contents:



Our usual statement about the large box for IEMs of this size is that it is a nightmare for logistics and good initial impressions for the owner. Box is big with good glossy picture of the product, gold brand name and item name inprints and lots of technical data.



Good to have this exploded diagram on the back — creates a feel that EN1J belong to the professional field. Besides, the box tells us that this product is made in South Korea which is kind of rare nowadays.



Box contents are regular:

• EN1J IEMs
• Carrying and protective case
• 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S|M|L)
• 1 pair of foam eartips (M-size)
• user manual
• warranty card

We would be very disappointed in case if the carrying case would not have been included into the package with $105 price…

Build quality and materials:

EN1J IEMs is fully made of plastic. The only aluminum elements are non removable nozzle covers (grills). Despite that the build quality is excellent.



Those are small IEMs with low profile, perfect parts alignment and neat brand logo inprints. Cable is a bit hard to bend which would lead to more touching noise but incorporates well-developed ear guides and bending protection at both ends. 3.5mm L-shaped connector housing is also made of plastic. In overall, the choice of materials is ok here, especially if to forget about the wide choice of much cheaper models from other brands that are made of CNC-aluminum and lots of design findings… the reason not to complain much here is that the choice of materials would also influence audio quality. If EARNINE has chosen plastic as the most appropriate material and could deliver good sound — we can live with that.



One of the best part about this product is the fit: small size, perfect profile, variety of eartips, low weight and subjectively thin nozzles dedicate much to long lasting wearing comfort together with excellent outer noise isolation. One of the best IEMs in this regard so far. Spent at least half of the day with EN1J on and had no signs of pain or a will to get rid of it.

Sound quality:

Our testing equipment: Hidizs AP200 DAP, Hidizs AP80 DAP



Lows:

First listening session might end up with the initial impression that deep bass and lows are almost absent. Giving some more time for ears to adopt and lows become more apparent especially in mid and upper bass regions. Don’t expect too much of details here due to the lower presence but the shape and speed is on the appropriate level. Some compositions would surely lack the dynamics and «tight» feel in midbass resulting into more affiliation to a specific genres and creating less stress for the ears as the positive outcome.

Mids and vocals:

EN1J is the product for mids. This range has the best resolution, highest presence, the most natural sound and good articulation. It stands in front of other ranges and delivers the most of details. Moreover, EARNINE has achieved very important goal — to create a feel of gentle sound at the most emphasized one and throughout the intire frequency range. There is no excessive crispness or other disturbing overly bright sound properties that would make you feel tired. Same goes to the vocals — intimate, gentle and natural vocals that stand out of the entire scene and allow all other instruments to take their sweet spots at the background.



Treble:

Never though that balanced armature could be tuned to emhasize mids more than the treble. It definitely hangs a little bit behind the mids here. The most curious part is that despite more than average texturing and detailing — treble is not that crisp as seen in other armature IEMs and feels a bit muted. This helps to eliminate all possible hisses and sibilances — those are totally absent. Seems that EARNINE has chosen the approach to deliver treble very carefully and to keep it far away from overpowering. In overall, treble is well balanced with mids and totally enough for most of the genres, just the previous experience with BA commands us that there should be some more…

Channel separation and stage:

More than the average. As mids play the central role here — vocals are brought to front, there is a feel of standing close to a singer. The rest of the instruments are located slightly deeper on stage with good separation from each other. There is no mess in the mix, all instruments are well shaped and have a good contouring. Monaural recordings exhibit distant horizontal and vertical placement with the precise locations.



Overall sound picture:

EARNINE EN1J could be desribed as mids-oriented, neutral and natural IEMs with a tendency to a bright side and lack of deep bass region. These are neither too crisp and too bright as many other BA IEMs, thus, free of such shortcomings as excessive noise, hisses and sibilances. The best experience would be using EN1J with dark or neutral sound source for genres like rock, jazz, blues, soul, etc. Finally, the best characteristics of sound is the feel of gentleness — neutrality multiplied by accurate tuning and keeping away from any peaks.

Compared to MaGaosi K3HD:

MaGaosi K3HD are hybrid type IEMs with the similar pricing. They have clear advantages / disadvatnages in direct comparison to EARNINE EN1J. Advantages are the materials used (CNC-aluminum), detachable filters and cable, better low bass and more detailed sound in overall. Disadvatnages are: more prone to sibilance and hisses on treble, more irritating sound during long sessions due to excessive amount of details on mids and treble, less comfortable fit.



We would say that MaGaosi K3HD is the best choice for energetic listening sessions and EARNINE EN1J is for getting some rest and meditation

Conclusion:



We definitely like EARNINE EN1J product and respect manufacturer’s approach towards tuning. Those IEMs might be used as precise monitors by mids-oriented musicians or by vocalists. For home use those would be perfect to relax with slow music or to rediscover new details in many favorite songs. Excellent fit and very good noise isolation would also help a lot to get the maximum of each audio composition!

PS: EARNINE EN1J sample was provided by PenonAudio store in exchange for honest review with no additional payments.

Link to EARNINE EN1J at PenonAudio store
Link to offical EARNINE page

Greetings!

Today we're checking out EARNiNE's mid-range offering in the single balanced armature (BA) EN1J.

Unlike most, EARNiNE does not use drivers from well-established companies like Knowles or Sonion. Instead, they designed their own in-house which gives their earphones their own unique sound. The EN1J uses a single full-range driver within a housing reminiscent of that found on their flagship EN2J, though sonically they are very different creatures.

What makes the EN1J a strong contender in EARNiNE's lineup? Let's take a look.


Disclaimer:

Thanks to Penon Audio and EARNiNE for arranging a complimentary sample of the EN1J for the purposes of review. All thoughts within are my own and do not represent EARNiNE, Penon, or any other entity, nor am I being provided any financial compensation to write this review.

The EN1J retailed for 105 USD at the time of this writing: https://penonaudio.com/earnine-en1j.html

The EN1J on EARNiNE's site: http://earnine9.com/e9/?page_id=71

Source:

For at home use the EN1J was powered by a TEAC HA-501 desktop amp or straight out of my Asus FX53V laptop. For portable use it was paired with an LG G5, HiFi E.T. MA8, F.Audio S1, or Shanling M1, all of which brought it up to listening volume without any effort. I didn't find it particularly succeptable to hiss from any particular device. While I always recommend a clean source, the EN1J isn't as picky or revealing as some other earphones, so you can get away with something that could be considered less than ideal.

Personal Preferences:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. While I enjoy a variety of signatures in my headphones I generally lean towards slightly warm with elevated treble and sub-bass, an even and natural mid-range response, with reduced mid-bass. The HiFiMan RE800, Brainwavz B400, and thinksound On2 offer examples of signatures I enjoy.

Specifications:

• Sensitivity: 104 dB/mW +/- 3 dB @ 1 kHz
• Impedance: 38 ohm @ 1kHz +/- 20%F
• requency response: 20-20 kHz

Packaging and Accessories:

On the front of the outer sheath of the EN1J's packaging you find an image of the earphone with some stylish matte graphics in the background. The left side contains some information on the product, such as that it contains one BA, a twisted cable, and strong noise isolation. On the right the accessories are listed. On the back you have a blown up image of the earphone's construction along with the specifications and a few more statements about the EN1J's features.

Just as with the EN2J, the EN1J is nestled in a dense foam cutout with the cable neatly coiled underneath. You also find a spacious carrying case holding all the accessories. In all you get;

• EN1J earphones
• Carrying case
• 3 pairs of single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)
• 1 pair of foam eartips (m)

This is essentially the same accessory kit as is provided with the EN1J, sans cable since it is fixed on this model. Overall it's fairly minimal, especially for the price, but the quality of everything is outstanding. The tips are dense but soft and sticky providing a great seal. The case is compact and spacious inside with a smooth-moving zipper and covered in a durable fabric. I would love to see EARNiNE include some multi-flange tips, or even partner up with Spinfit since they pair so well with the EN1J.


Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The EN1J shares the same basic housing design as the flagship of the lineup, but with notable step down in material quality from stainless steel to a two-tone plastic; glossy facing the ear, semi-gloss facing the public. Most manufacturers would have swapped that around with the glossy side facing onlookers, but it looks fine so I'm not complaining. Feel in the hand is another matter with the EN1J's plastics giving off a certain cheapness I associate with lower cost earphones. They're very well put together with outstanding fit and finish, the materials simply don't feel like they belong on a 100 USD product.

The cable is a bit of an oddity too. At first glance, it looks just like the top tier twisted cable found on the EN120 and EN2J, but once you've got it in hand you realize it's not the same. The EN1J's cable is a slightly stiffer and as a result less flexible and ever so slightly more prone to cable noise. They also removed the excellent chin cinch found on both the EN120 and EN2J, a move which makes little no sense to me. The steel jack has also been replaced with a lightweight plastic one. The excellent strain relief and preformed ear guides found on the EN2J are still in place here, which as you would expect is a great thing.

As with the EN2J and other earphones that run with a shapely, low-profile design, the EN1J is very ergonomic and virtually disappears in my ears. With the stock silicone tips I found them slightly finicky to seal fully, but that's more a fault of the shape of my ear than the earphone itself. It's my experience with most earphones of this style. Using the included foam tips eliminates this issue completely, as do any number of after market tips be they from Sony, KZ, HiFiMan, or another brand. At 5mm the EN2J's nozzles are a standard size and the majority of 3rd party tips fit them just fine.

As is the case with most BA earphones, the EN1J is fully sealed and isolation is quite good, though not as impressive as the EN2J. The plastic housings used here let slightly more noise bleed in. Despite being sealed, I never experienced any pressure build up causing discomfort. Can't say the same for the vast majority of fully sealed earphones I've come across.


Sound:

Tips: Unlike a lot of other earphones, I didn't find tips made a huge difference in experiencing what the EN1J had to offer. For fit and comfort reasons, I stuck with Spitfits for all my personal listening, though critical time was spent with the stock medium or large; whichever felt right at the time.

The EN1J has a mid-forward signature, and like the EN120 and EN2J, displays that distinct mid-range breathiness I have come to associate with EARNiNE's custom BAs.

Treble out of the EN1J focuses on lower regions and has a somewhat dry quality to it. This combined with a smooth roll off takes the edge of aggressive use of cymbals and other higher pitched sounds. Micro-details are smoothed over slightly, but in general is in line with other competitive earphones in the 100 USD price range. Decay is expectedly snappy given the use of a BA, but no so quick as to be a hindrance for those looking for a realistic presentation. The EN1J's treble is also quite airy, an impression helped along by this earphone's competent staging qualities, such as it's impressive separation that keep all effects playing in their own space.

The mid-range is where the EN1J makes it's mark, offering listeners a crystal clear glimpse into their tunes. Listening to King Crimson's Red front to back was one heck of a pleasant experience with the EN1J, showing off just how clean and detailed the mid-range is. Individual and rapid note changes on the sax, the unique vocals, and more all pulled together to provide a cohesive and unique experience. Tonality is spot on and timbre is realistically rendered. This is a very full mid-range with a lot of presence and character.

While bass is expectedly reserved coming from the single BA in the EN1J, it is far from anemic. Presence is mostly in the mid-bass regions with just enough digging going on to tickle your sub-bass receptors. More importantly, the EN1J's low end is graced with texture out the wazzoo. Notes have great depth and body to them, and hit with speed and adequate impact.

When it comes to sound stage, the EN1J does a great job shaming some of it's peers. With vocals front and centre hogging the spotlight, instruments and effects are free to roam around in the background. Effects that sweep back and forth, something Aesop Rock incorporates into many of his tracks along with layered vocals, are given lots of room to play and will comfortably swath from shoulder to shoulder. Front and back movement is adequately represented too, though raw side to side distance is where the EN1J excels. Imaging is reasonably accurate, losing precision as you move away from centre. Layering and separation are handled well too, especially in the mids where there is zero congestion.


Select Comparisons:

(Volumes matched as best I could using Dayton Audio’s iMM-6 calibrated mic with Audio Tool for Android.)

Brainwavz B150 (69.50 USD): Both earphones are low profile, single BA products. While they also both feature twisted cables, Brainwavz's is covered in another sheath adding some additional protection from tugs, pulls, cuts, etc., though this also reduces flexibility. The B150's cable is better relieved and has the most effectively shaped preformed ear guides I've come across, though I have zero complaints about what EARNiNE has done with the EN1J's guides. Both earphones' shells are made from basic plastics and neither feel particularly premium. While the B150 has a more stylish design, I find the EN1J's simpler, more mature approach more attractive.

In terms of sound they both suffer slightly from a lack of end to end extension with well-presented mids. The B150 is warmer and less detailed, in the mid-range especially, with greater mid-bass presence and makes for a smoother, more easygoing listen. The EN1J is also more textured in the low end providing a more engaging listen to my ears. In terms of sound stage, the EN1J throws sounds further, though not quite with as much precision. It is much more impressive than the B150 in terms of layering and separation though, avoiding the occasional bouts of congestion that plague the B150.

1More C1002 Capsule (89.99 USD): The C1002 squeezes one BA and one Micro-DD into a compact, pill-shaped and sized housing which nearly disappears in the ear. The fit and finish and overall build quality, along with the magnetic tips makes them feel more premium than the EN1J. Until you get to the cable that is. Noisy, semi-stiff rubber above the wire and fray-prone cloth below, with only passable strain relief to boot, EARNiNE's cable is vastly superior in my opinion.

In terms of sound the C1002 is brighter which makes it seem more detailed, though on closer listen I'd put the EN1J slightly ahead for it's resolution of fine nuances. The C1002's mid-range is prone to mild sibilance and lacks the natural feel of the EN1J. Bass on the C1002 is handled by it's tiny 6mm dynamic driver. It's not big and boisterous, but actually quite reserved. It's slightly slower and less textured than the EN1J but with more impact and slightly better extension. The C1002's thinner presentation gives it a more airy presentation, though the EN1J throws sounds a greater distance with great accuracy and with a more layered feel.

Whizzer A15 Pro Haydn (124.90 USD): The A15 Pro's overall package, from design to materials to build to accessories, certainly supports the feeling that it is the more expensive product, which it is. The EN1J doesn't really compete in this regard with it's overly basic accessory package and lightweight plastic housings. The EN1J succeeds where the A15 fails though. It's fit is more secure, it isolates better, and the A15's MMCX application needs some work. It is very easy to disconnect the cable simply by wiggling it. I like to dangle my earphones around my neck when not in use, a practice that will very likely lead to lost earpieces with the Whizzer.

The A15 Pro utilizes a single dynamic driver that somehow provides less low end impact than the EN1J's single BA, though it extends deeper. Both are very textured and loaded with detail, both in the bass and mid-range regions with the A15 pushing out more detail in the treble which is also slightly more prominent. Both have a very open and airy presentation with the A15's thinner sound helping it out. With airy, basic tracks like much of BT's “If The Stars Are Eternal Than So Are You And I” album, it can sound impressively spacious. Despite the A15's oddly non-visceral presentation, these two are great competitors and prime examples of their respective driver types.

Final Thoughts:

With the EN1J, EARNiNE has brought to market a mid-head's dream product. Forward, detailed, and natural, this earphone and vocal-focused tracks are simply made for each other. Add to that a comfortable, well isolating, low profile housing and some high quality accessories, though minimal in quantity, and you've got yourself a solid product.

In terms of improvements, I would love to see the EN1J revised with higher quality materials and a removable cable. At it's current price of 105 USD, it doesn't offer up the same value as other products in this price range like the numerous options from TFZ, MacaW, and others. Those brands will give you more for your money while still sounding fantastic. That said, if you don't necessarily care about the extras and just want a good sounding, well-constructed and comfortable product that you can pop on and enjoy, the EN1J is a resounding success.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler


Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock - Skelethon (Album)
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (Album)
Elton John - Yellow Golden Brick Road (Album)
King Crimson - Lark's Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp - Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians (Album)
Infected Mushroom - Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack - Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac - Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy - The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco - screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt - Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bone) (Album)