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Hidizs is a Chinese company and was founded early in 2009. They're mostly known for their DAPS but seem to be venturing into other areas as well. In Jan 2014, Hidizs’ first pocket HiFi audio player AP100 was officially launch at CES, Les Vegas. Today I'll be reviewing the Hidizs EX-01. Read on to learn more.
 
Disclaimer:
 
The Hidizs EX-01 was sent to me for the purpose of this review. All observations and opinions here are my own and are based on my personal experience with the product. I'd like to thank Penon Audio for the opportunity to test the EX-01. The price at time of testing is US$39.
 
Penon Audio website: http://penonaudio.com/
Product page: http://penonaudio.com/Earphones/In-ear-earphone/Hidizs-EX-01
 
Specifications:

1. The driver: 8mm Dynamic
2. Frequency range: 20-20000HZ
3. Impedance: 16ohm
4. Sensitivity: 102db
5. Maximum power: 20mw
6. Cable length: 1.2M
7. Wire core material: TPE Kevlar core package
8. Plug: 3.5mm gold-plated plug (headphone and microphone)
9. Net weight: 16 g

 
Packaging and accessories:
 
The EX-01 comes in a compact, classy black box with gold highlights. On the front is the Hidizs logo and an image of the earphone. On the back we find Technical Specifications and Package Contents information in Chinese and English languages, along with three QR Codes which link to social media sites. It's fairly simple but done in a way that suggests there's some quality product inside. I mean just look at all that bling!
Upon opening the box you're greeted with a booklet advertising various Hidizs products. Underneath the booklet are the earphones, presented in a black velvet covered foam insert. At the bottom is a smaller cardboard box which contains a Hidizs branded carry case and some extra eartips. There are three pairs of silicone tips and one pair of memory foam tips. Unfortunately all the provided tips were too small for my ears so once again I had to fall back on my personal collection to get a proper seal.
 

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Build:
 
The EX-01 are made of a high density ceramic which is a dark gray gunmetal color with gold trim. They feel very durable and after the tens of hours I've used them over the past few weeks there isn't so much as a scratch on the housing - they still look brand new. They're quite small and have angled nozzles which make it very easy to get a good seal. As a result sound isolation is above average for such a small IEM. My first thought upon seeing the EX-01 was how similar in appearance they are to the ROCK Zircon but unlike with the Zircon, after many hours of use the gold parts on the EX-01 show no signs of color fading.
 

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Onto the cable then which has decent strain reliefs where it attaches to the housing and some more gold bling highlights. The cable is one of the few real criticisms I have for these earphones. It feels strong enough but is a little too stiff and 'bouncy' for my liking and doesn't sit/hang well. On the Left side (Left and Right indicators are extremely difficult to find and see) just a few inches down from the housing is a shiny gold, single button inline control and microphone. During testing the controls worked fine for play/pause and skipping tracks etc. and the microphone has fairly good clarity for phone calls. At the Y-junction is a cylindrical gold splitter  and finally, the cable terminates in a straight, gold colored 3.5 mm plug.
 

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I find these to be very comfortable and can easily wear them for hours at a time. The only annoyance is when moving about the cable tends to bounce around.
 
Sound:
 
Sources used:
 

1. Benjie K9 DAP
2. PC > Arcam irDAC-ii
3. PC > Audinst HUD-MX2

 
Music used for this review:
 

1. iamthemorning "Lighthouse" - full album [flac]
2. Mathias Eick "Midwest" - full album [flac]
3. Porcupine Tree "Fear Of A Blank Planet" - full album [flac]
4. Connect.Ohm "9980"  - full album [flac]
5. Jeremy Soule and Julian Soule "Guild Wars 2 Soundtrack" [flac]
6. Trevor Morris "Vikings - Season 2 Sountrack" [flac]

 
Summary:
 
Powerful bass is probably the first thing I noticed but after further listening it became apparent that these have more than that on offer. They have a fairly wide soundstage but there isn't a lot of depth there. The midrange is slightly recessed and the treble is smooth. Overall these have a warm sound that should fare well with most types of music but are certainly not suited for those who are shy on bass or looking for a neutral sound.
 
Bass:
 
Probably the star of the show, the bass has some real solid impact. Kick drums are full and meaty and can really slam. While I wouldn't call these a bass-head IEM, they're not too far from it. Sub-bass reaches deep and on tracks like Connect.Ohm's "Snow Park" reverberates around your skull. However, the EX-01 does this in a refined sort of way - the quantity is there in spades but quality keeps it from being over the top.
 
Mids:
 
Mids are a little recessed but stand up well considering the weight of the bass. Tonality is good although in some songs like "Embers" by Helen Jane Long some coloration can be heard in the piano notes which gives them a softer edge. The lower-mids can sometimes be affected by the mid-bass resulting in some blending due to bass bleed but you're not likely to notice unless you look for it specifically.
 
Treble:
 
The highs on the EX-01 are well extended and lean towards a neutral sound. The presentation is smooth and non-fatiguing while maintaining a decent amount of detail and airiness. Sibilant tracks that can be edgy such as "Traveling" from Utada Hikaru's "Deep River" album still sound bright but without being painful or losing too much clarity.
 
Comparisons:
 
Hidizs EX-01 vs SHOZY Zero (US$60)
 
The Zero sounds the more natural of the two, with things like cymbals being more lifelike. The Zero also has a more balanced bass and is more mid-centric. Although the EX-01 is very comfortable the Zero is even more so due to their very low weight. The EX-01 has the extra features of the inline remote and microphone making it a little more versatile. Overall I prefer the sound of the SHOZY Zero but for the times when I want some bone shaking bass the Hidizs is the obvious choice.
 
Hidizs EX-01 vs Hisenior UE Steampunk (US$50)
 
The Hisenior has a much nicer cable which is also detachable making it more versatile. They don't have an inline control or microphone but this can easily be remedied by using a third party MMCX cable. The mids can be muddy and sometimes congested on the Hisenior and they have significantly less bass (though still nowhere near neutral). Treble on the Hisenior rolls off earlier giving them a darker and less engaging sound. The Highsenior has significantly better sound isolation due to being a UIEM and they're also very comfortable. The EX-01 has a much wider soundstage, better treble, clearer mids and cleaner bass, so an easy win for the Hidizs here.
 
Conclusion:
 
If you like bass then you should like these. It seems that appearance is not the only thing the Hidizs EX-01 shares with the ROCK Zircon as they're similar in sound too but the EX-01 is more refined on all levels (apart from the cable). Wide soundstage, slamming bass, clear but slightly recessed mids and detailed but smooth treble is what these are about. The only things I would change are the cable and perhaps slightly less mid-bass emphasis. For the asking price they're a good buy but nowadays the sub $50 market is saturated with quality IEMs. If however, you like skull rattling bass then these should serve you very well.
 

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my name is mohammad and I am an audiophile oh headfi(mochill) and I would like to leave a review on the Hidizs EX-01 which I was giving for review for my honest opinion.
INTRO:
one day I was justing roaming facebook and saw a post on Hidizs that they were releasing 2 iems one being the ex-01 and the other the dawnwood gt36. and I was surprised and reading the descriptions on both. ex-01 had ceramic body with a 8mm bio cellulose driver which I am a fan of so I immediately contacted them if I can get a sample and they were so kinda that they let me get one as well as the dawnwood gt36. so this is for the ex-01 the budget gem for naturalness .

ACCESSORY:
came witht the iem with 3 set of tips and a hard case.

BUILD:

strong light housing made from ceramic and cable is medium size with a mic on it, cable does get slightly tangled for me and the plug is gold plated and metal.

SOUND :
the good part, when I received it I plugged them in to be invited to a warm and bassy sounding pair of iem that had a flat midrange ,smooth treble , and very bassy with a nice midbass impact. Knowing bio cell drivers I put them on high volume burn in with heavy bass music for about 50hrs.

AFTER 50HRS:
BASS:
bass has now balanced out with the treble and has fast speed which is an attribute of bio cell driver , it has decent amount of textures and slam is tight now.
MIDRANGE:
one word real , but both male and female vocal are clearly heard. instruments are clear fast and well separated with a wide open soundstage.
TREBLE:
realist ,sparkly and has decent extension . it is never harsh and it is clean and clear as well.
SOUNDSTAGE:
very wide , airy, with good amount of depth . height is about head size everything is separate enough to never sound claustrophobic .it has a very nice relaxing airy feel to the music so you can put it on and really get lost in the music.
CONCLUSION:
I really enjoyed all my music with the ex-01 and how it protayed all the music in a natural way that is relaxing fun and smooth .thank you again hidizs for picking me.

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[/color]

-Introduction-​

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]There’s a lot of companies out there that westerners like myself haven’t heard of. It’s not that they aren’t worthy of the attention, but more that they are drowned out by the aggressive marketing tactics of companies that have home-court advantage. Hidizs is one such company. Based in China and founded in 2009 , Hidizs has been in the mobile-audio game for a while. However, they went silent a little while back. Then, one day, emerging from the dark came the Hidizs EX-01, and the Hidizs AP100, a mobile audio player. However, this review’s focus will be solely on the EX-01, their new affordable IEM.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]You can find the Hidizs EX-01 for sale here on Penon Audio for $39. Find the official page here.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a manufacturer in exchange for my honest opinion and un-edited words. I do not profit in any way from the writing of the review. I would like to thank Hidizs and Penon Audio for providing me with this unit.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Preference and Bias: Before reading a review, it is worth mentioning that there is no way for a reviewer to objectively pass judgment on the enjoy-ability of a product: such a thing is inherently subjective. Therefore, I find it necessary for you to read and understand what I take a natural liking to and how that might affect my rating of a product.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]My ideal sound signature would be an extended sub-bass with a leveled, but textured, bass. The mids should be slightly less pronounced than the treble, but still ahead of the bass. I prefer a more bright upper range.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Source: The EX-01 was powered off of a Nexus 6P -> Creative Sound Blaster E3. All music was served as FLAC, ALAC, or as 320Kbps Mp3. I found the standard DAC/Amp inside my phone and PC to not be adequate to drive the EX-01 at near-peak levels of quality.[/color]

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-Tech Specs-​

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1. The driver: 8mm Dynamic​
2. Frequency range: 20-20000HZ​
3. Impedance: 16ohm​
4. Sensitivity: 102db​
5. Maximum power: 20mw​
6. Cable length: 1.2M​
7. Wire core material: TPE Kevlar core package​
8. Plug: 3.5mm gold-plated plug (headphone and microphone)​
9. Net weight: 16 g​

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]

-Sound Signature-​

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[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Initial Impressions: These impressions were taken before I’d seen any FR response graphs or measurements.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Bass response is good, but leans towards the boomy side. There is some decent extension into the upper-treble, and retrieval is surprisingly good. Mids are recessed, and in certain songs, such as those by Shinedown, can sound flat. Furthermore, I noticed an extremely good sound-stage for a $40 headphone. It actually beats many much more expensive earphones I’ve tested.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Treble: Songs used: White Flag, Arise, Outlands[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Treble is present. It’s not bright per-say, and leans more towards a neutral tone. In White Flag, its balance is notable. The upper extensions of the treble aren’t forgotten, but are pushed into the background. I didn’t notice any lost detail. In fact, I did hear an new echo effect on the vocals around the middle of the song.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The guitars of Arise flow effortlessly in the background during the chorus’ intro, and play nicely in the background. Unfortunately, during the close of the song, the electric guitars did get a little overwhelmed by the din. High-hats are also present, and are much better positioned than I remember them being on IEMs such as the Advanced Sound M4 and Accutone Pavo.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]In Outlands, I missed much of the aggressive edge the violins take on with brighter IEMs. I found the tonality to merely be “okay”. Listeners who want darker sound signatures from their IEMs should be pleased by the EX-01.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Mids: Songs used: The Drift, Jars, I Am The Highway[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Mids are alright, but aren’t anything to write home about. The Drift was generally mediocre. I found the lower-mids to be impacted by the mid-bass, and generally unable to perform as well as more balanced IEMs.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Jars, a song that it composed very differently from The Drift, had much better imaging. The electric guitars sounded electric, and were toned very well. Vocals were placed well, but were slightly less clear than I would have liked.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]I Am The Highway was a pleasant listening experience. The vocals were not as forward as I would have liked, but weren’t receded too far into the mix. Guitars were placed well and in general had a good timbre to them. I did not notice any lost clarity, though some small were missing.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Bass: Songs used: Lights, Kyoto, 99 Problems (Hugo Cover), Leave Me[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]I liked the bass impact of Lights. It wasn’t too harsh and dry, but at the same time, wasn’t too wet and loose. However, I did think that there was a little too much general bass presence. It can busy-up some otherwise somber verses.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Kyoto was a better experience, being that the EX-01 is tuned to excel in electric and hip-hop songs. The sub-bass was rumbly, but not excessively. The mid-bass was present and forwards, but didn’t kill the rest of the song. The bass is shaped moderately, but is nothing special in that respect. It does, however, outperform the Accutone Pavo and Gemini, and gives the MEE Audio M6 Pro a run for its money.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Leave Me gives the EX-01 a good chance to showcase what it can do when only reproducing bass frequencies. To be honest, it’s pretty impressive. The EX-01 is capable of exceptional texturing when it wants to, and has a very good sub-bass balance.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Clarity: Songs used: Throne, Map of The Problimatique, I’m Not Alright[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Clarity is average on Throne. Due to the tonality and tuning of the EX-01, busy songs like Throne don’t get blown out and jagged; instead they simply loose some details — a preferable experience for me. All in all, Throne was definitely palatable.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]I’m Not Alright was fairly well imaged and separated. I did not ever notice the background violins fade out or become drowned. Vocals were toned well throughout the song, although I did notice they became a little smudged during the chorus.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Map Of The Problimatique also faired pretty well. My only complaint is that the electronic background effects during the chorus transition became a little crowded. Opening up the treble frequencies a little bit more should help resolve this.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Male Vocals: Song used: Hotel California, Ashes of Eden, Sunday Bloody Sunday[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Male vocals are decent. I didn’t notice any coloring or biased imaging. My only concern is that very busy rock songs can cause the vocals to sink backwards into the mix. This rarely causes the song to become unlistenable, but does bother me a bit.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Female Vocals: Songs used: Stupid Girl, Sweet Escape, Need Your Heart,CrushCrushCrush[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Female vocals are average. I wish there was more of aggressive edge to them, as I find most female vocalists to be too soft against the rest of the song. CrushCrushCrush is a good example of what I am talking about. However, it’s not an isolated issue. Stupid Girl, while not as affected, does exhibit some softness.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Strangely, Need Your Heart and Sweet Escape were not affected in any significant way. I suspect that the differences in mixing and production may be the root of the discrepancy.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Sound Stage[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Sound staging, as I mentioned earlier, is definitely my favorite part of the EX-01. It’s wide, and has a good amount of depth. Additionally, I found the EX-01 to scale well with higher bit-rates in terms of staging. I can’t say for sure, but it feels to me like there is some form of electrical trickery being used to magnify the effects of hard-panned sounds, increasing the perceived 3D sound space. Be aware though, the EX-01 has almost no hight.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Comparisons[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]EX-01 v.s Accutone Pavo($51)[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The EX-01 is much more warm than the Pavo. That being said, I do find Pavo to be more “reference friendly”, with a balanced upper, middle, and lower register. On a personal level, due to the more dynamic feeling of the EX-01’s sound signature, and the included Comply eartips, I give the win to the EX-01. Sorry Pavo.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]EX-01 v.s Rock Jaw Alfa Genus V2, neutral filter($60)[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Even when using the neutral filter, the Alfa Genus V2 almost matches the EX-01’s sub-bass quantity. However, the EX-01 edges forwards in mid-bass quantity. Due to this, the lower-mids tend to be less prominent. With better mids and treble resolution, I think I’ll give the Alfa Genus V2 the win here.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]EX-01 v.s Advanced Sound M4 ($40)[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The most immediately noticeable difference is the EX-01’s comparatively full sounding bass. The EX-01’s treble is also much more relaxed than the M4’s. In fact, when switching between the two, it’s easy to call the M4’s sound signature anemic. Positioning and imaging is a tie. However, due to the more predictable and less aggressive nature of the EX-01’s sound signature, I’ll give it the win over the M4. Funny how quickly the M4 was dethroned as my favorite sub-$50 IEM.[/color]

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-Packaging / Unboxing-​

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-Build-​

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[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Construction Quality[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The EX-01’s driver housings are built from ceramic, the same kind as the Ghostek Turbines. In fact, it appears that the materials are identical. However, I do like the shaping of the housing more on the EX-01. It fits perfectly between two fingers, making it extremely easy to grasp.[/color]
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[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]However, I’m not too big of a fan of the cable. It’s basic, and has too much body to it, making it easy to tangle. I understand that some compromises need to be made in order to bring us the EX-01 at a mere $40, but I am disappointed nonetheless.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]However, I am glad to report that the stress relief systems in place are decent, and definitely adequate for an IEM of the EX-01’s weight.[/color]
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[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Comfort[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The EX-01 is very comfortable. There’s not a whole lot of eartips to choose from, but there are memory foam eartips included. Isolation is easy to get, as the driver housings aren’t too heavy. It blocks out the sound of my noisy mechanical keyboard quite easily, and scoffs at the noise I make while washing the dishes.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Controls[/color]
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[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The EX-01 comes equipped with a very basic set of controls. Featuring one button and a microphone, the EX-01’s control unit works on both Android and iOS systems. Single, double, and triple press functionality is supported. The mic’s quality isn’t too good, so don’t expect to record your next platinum hit on these earphones.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Accessories[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Unfortunately, we don’t get a very complete stock of accessories with the EX-01. Two sets of standard silicone eartips, and one set of memory eartips are included, and come packaged within the carrying case.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)][/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Fortunately, the case seems high quality, and has a small net on the inside to hold any odds-and-ends that you might want to keep with the EX-01.[/color]

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-Summary-​

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[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The EX-01 is a worth considering if you are in the market for a pair of $40 IEMs and don’t want a bright sound signature. With a spacious sound-stage and a good amount of upper retrieval, the EX-01 is a good value, and a worthy addition to any collection.[/color]