HYLA CE-5

Full Review: https://audiorambles.com/hyla-audio-ce-5/


Packaging and Accessories


Exterior wise, it’s a cardboard black box with a golden “HYLA” logo plastered upon the front. Upon opening the box, the CE-5 sits flush within two dimples, cushioned by a thin sheet of cloth which covers the entirety of the interior. Simple yet effective packaging, very pretty.

Accessories provided include:

– A small Van Nuys Carrying Case (not pictured here, sent for warranty)

– Foam tips

– A few pairs of silicone tips

-Cleaning tool

The carrying case is really good, sturdy enough to be useable yet small enough to be portable. The other accessories are kinda “eh”.

Build Quality, Fit, Comfort and Isolation

Aesthetics (8/10): The dark purple shells are quite endearing, although as a whole CE-5 is a little monotonous given its lack of significant design or pattern on its shells.

Build Quality (9/10): The CE-5 feels strong and sturdy to the touch, being made from medical grade German imported resin. The included braided black stock cable is a little thin for my personal tastes, but has well reinforced joints courtesy of the hard rubber material found on the Y-split and jack. Cables are also detachable in my personally preferred 2-pin connections.

Fit and Comfort (8/10): The shells of the CE-5 are quite large and sit outside of my ears a fair bit. Ironically, while the Jerry Harvey Roxannes are bigger than the CE-5 by a fair margin, I found the former a more comfortable experience. While you wouldn’t forget they’re in your ears, they’re still comfortable and don’t cause any discomfort for long-term listening.

Isolation (8.5/10): The CE-5 provides excellent isolation even though they’re vented, and with the right tips, blocks out a significant amount of sound.

Sound

Bass (9.5/10): The bass on the CE-5 is phenomenal, and genuinely one of the best, if not the best set of IEMs I have encountered in that regard.
The name of the game for the CE-5 is summed up by the word “control”. It never ever sounds loose or bloated, even while possessing such amazing slam and impact. The decay of the bass is naturally DD, lingering on for the perfect amount of time.

Subbass on the CE-5 is second to none, extending to the depths of hell, complemented by thunderous rumble and detail. There’s nothing quite like it, with even the JH Roxannes and the Z1R bowing to the CE-5 in terms of subbass response, unable to achieve the glorious rumble capable by the latter. “Royals” by Lorde was an absolute experience on the CE-5.

Midbass, in comparison, can even be termed as “recessed”. When viewed in isolation, however, it is merely just average in quantity. The quality, however, still shines through in ease, with excellent speed, detail and texture. It’s a cleaner, no-nonsense presentation than its subbass brethren, but might be a little thin for some. The basslines in Lauv’s “Paris in the Rain”, for example, don’t quite have the lush, addictive attack that the Roxannes do so well.

“Endgame bass in an IEM and only a 9.5?”, I hear you say, “how can this be allow?” The rating could have easily been a 10/10, but unfortunately the site belongs to me, and my personal preferences lean towards more midbass body. But for most, bass doesn’t get any better than this.

Mids (8/10): I’m quite ambivalent to the midrange on the CE-5. On one hand, there’s such clarity, resolution and detail that’s apparent on first listen. On the other hand, the tonal balance on the midrange of the CE-5 is relatively poor.

Female vocals are far and away the star of the show here, sounding exceedingly sweet and airy. They stand out with a commanding presence, as you hear every breath, every detail in tracks as vocalists like Adele belt their lungs out in tracks like “When we were young”, as every note is delivered with surgical precision.

However, as fantastic as the upper mids are, the lower mids are recessed and scooped in similar magnitude. While still exhibiting great resolution, male vocalists like Frank Sinatra or Andrea Bocelli have their wings clipped, lacking the body, weight and velvety texture traditionally associated with these singers. The lower midrange scoop greatly thins the midrange, and the tonal imbalance can be jarring at times, with both male and female vocals tending to sound nasal.

In many ways, they remind me of the Sony IER-Z1R, though the Z1R’s lower mids are less recessed than the CE-5’s, and are still the benchmark in resolution and clarity, being a step up from the CE-5. They do get close, though.


Highs (9/10): The Piezoelectric Ceramic Super Tweeter is no gimmick. Compared to traditional DD/BA setups, the Super Tweeter produces gobs of detail with excellent clarity, as every instrument sounds crisp and clean. However, the overall timbre exhibits something I personally think of as “EST Timbre” termed after Electrostatic Drivers, where the treble sounds so exceedingly clear it can feel slightly artificial. Not a significant issue, though.

In the lower treble, hi-hats and cymbals on “Hotel California” by the Eagles crash with clarity and authority, and the opening trumpet riff on Michael Buble’s “LOVE” is amazingly detailed, though perhaps sounding slightly thin at times. Best part is, the CE-5 while bright and detailed, is wonderfully tuned and has no detectable sibilance and harsh peaks.

Extension in the upper treble is effortless and quite smooth, retaining similar clarity and emphasis.

Soundstage, Imaging, Seperation and Timbre (8/10): The width of the CE-5 is just above average, though depth and height are both good. Imaging is excellent, as instruments are easily placed and identified across the soundscape. Separation is similarly fantastic, blowing complicated tracks like “Little Talks” out of the water. Timbre is where the CE-5 loses most of its points. While not preposterous, as previously mentioned instruments and vocals can sound a little thin/nasally, and its present more often than not.

Conclusions
The Hyla CE-5 easily gets a rec from me, especially given their asking price of merely USD $915, an absolute bargain for what its capable of. Tremendous bass response, resolution and technicalities at the expense of natural tone and timbre, but that’s a trade-off many are willing to take. The issue here would obviously be the fact that there’s only 200 out there in the wild, so you’d have to likely buy them second hand. Fantastic job, Hyla Audio.

My first entry into the world of high-end portable audio was the AKG K3003. The detail and resolution blew away every other IEM I had listened to in the past. It was enough for about five years and then I got sucked into Gear Acquisition Syndrome, and the constant money-sucking desire for incremental returns.

That journey took me first to the LZ-A4, Noble X, FutureSonics G10, Campfire Audio Andromedas, Aurisonics ASG-2.5, InEar ProPhile-8s, Sony XBA-N3, JVC HA-FW01, UE 18+ Pros (2nd Gen), IMR R1, Oriolus MK2, and finally the Hyla CE-5.

Yes, I have a lot of TOTL IEMs. However, almost all of them are all-BA designs. I longed for a return to the detailed and clear sound and natural decay of my OG hybrid, the AKG K3003. For all its clarity and micro detail, what had driven me away from my AKG K3003 was the light bass (I'm a basshead) and piercing treble. Today, I can say that I've found my endgame in the Hyla CE-5.

Tonality: 3.5/5
With the right low-impedance source, it is the perfect W-shaped signature that gives layers of high quality bass, smooth and engaging mids, and non-piercing but extended treble.
Straight out of my MacBook Pro headphone jack, there was audible hiss, the bass was way too strong, and worst yet - the mids sounded lifeless.
My preference is for the Dragonfly Red out of my MacBook Pro - what a world of difference this made. The mids (both male and female vocals, instruments) sounded so much fuller without losing that clarity and separation. Using the iPhone dongle, it sounded close enough to the Dragonfly Red, but with less dynamic range.

I'm a bit surprised at what a difference the source made in the sound of the Hyla CE-5. In that way, it's a bit like the CFA Andromeda.

Separation / Imaging: 4/5
With a low-impedance source and black background, the CE-5 does admirably and allows you to hear layers of detail through the entire dynamic range. Listening to classical pieces, I can hear every instrument section in their "space" in the orchestra. However, the amount of resolution and detail cannot match my InEar Prophile-8. Those are in a whole different class.

Soundstage: 3.5/5
The soundstage is wide, but not nearly as wide as the CFA Andromeda. With the Andromeda, I would occasionally turn my head to look at the direction of the sound and then realize it was from my music. With the CE-5s, I never get faked out.

Driveability: 1/5
I would not recommend any high-impedance sources (unless you're a fan of massive amounts of bass, and thin/lifeless mids. Smartphones and similar devices allow the Hyla CE-5 to truly shine (IMO).

Comparisons (vs. other TOTL I own or have owned)
vs. CFA Andromeda:
A pretty neutral IEM, with a touch of warmth and AMAZING soundstage. Best soundstage of any IEM I've heard. However, it didn't have the coloration and richness of mids I was looking for in an IEM. Nor did it have the quantity of bass. I want rumble. CE-5 provided both of those.

vs. InEar ProPhile-8:
Extremely neutral IEM, with probably the best bass quantity out of all my TOTL BA IEMs. Soundstage is smaller than Andromeda, probably a 4/5 on my rating (occasionally get the feeling of sound outside your head). Despite the incredible amount of separation, imaging, detail and resolution, the overall sound is very sterile. And I much prefer DD bass decay.

vs. Oriolus MK2:
I thought the MK2 would be my endgame hybrid, until the CE-5 came along. Now, I find the Oriolus too warm with not enough detail for my liking. The bass quantity is also too much for me on the Oriolus. The mids on the Oriolus are gloriously rich, however.

vs. UE 18+ Pro 2nd Gen:
Best mids out of the bunch. However, the tonality is VERY warm. It sounds like someone wrapped the sound in leather and you're listening to it in a room full of mahogany furniture and dusty books. Some say the timbre is very realistic. Soundstage is not as impressive as the PP8 or Andromeda. Has a very intimate sound. Resolution, imaging, and separation are almost as good as the PP8 on this. Bass quantity isn't as great as the CE-5.

I've left out comparisons with rest of the IEMs I own / have owned as the others cannot compare to the CE-5.

Conclusion:
If you're a fan of W-shaped signatures and love DD bass decay, this is the TOTL Hybrid IEM for you. The bass quality is unmatched by any other IEM I've heard - in a lot of BA IEMs, great separation in the mids but I've never heard the same phenomenon for bass. This is truly unique. There's so much separation between the sub-bass, mid-bass, upper-bass that you can hear the difference between bass drum kicks and bass lines. Unreal.

At the same time, the bass quantity isn't overwhelming, but has great growl and rumble. Bass slides give me goosebumps on the CE-5.

Vocals are a bit ahead of instruments, but everything sounds clear and well separated with a hint of warmth. Very coherent.

In terms of treble - I'm not a huge treble head, but I feel there's decent air and sparkle comparable to the PP8.

Based on my own preferences, this is my current favourite IEM and daily driver.

Before starting this review, I would like to share technical aspects and package details.


Specifications:

Driver type (per channel): Balanced Amateur x 2 Dynamic x 1 Ceramic x 1

Sensitivity: 97dB@1kHz / 105dB@2.5kHz

Frequency response: 20Hz-40kHz

Impedance: 8.9Ω

Cord: 2pin CIEM 6N OFC 1.2m

Plug type: 3.5mm mini stereo


Package Details:

Hyla earphone with stock cable

Foam eartips (S M L)

Silicon eartips (S M L XL)

Cleaning tool

Nylon earphone case (Van Nuys collaboration)


Test Equipment:

Lotoo Paw Gold Titanium

Opus #1

Astell Kern AK120

Astell Kern AK70



Package, Design & Isolation;

The Hyla-CE05 comes with a box that can be considered as elegant. While the box has a simple structure, the inner surface of the box is covered with a quality satin-like finish. The contents of the box may be relatively simple. High-quality VanNuys case comes with Hyla CE-05. Also, 3 sets of foam, 4 sets of silicon tips are come out of box. Unfortunately, it does not come with a PW No5 cable like Oriolus, but the CE-05 includes the highest quality stock cable. Probably this is the best stock cable I've ever seen.

The design of the CE-05 has high-quality design and the material quality is top notch. The CE-05 has standard 0.78mm 2-pin design. There is no blemish and no defect in the body that made of German resin. The body is transparent purple color that I really like. There is no logo on the body, only the serial number is on the side of body. However, you can easily recognize of the body when you see due to its unique design.

The CE-05 has a slightly large body, but it fits ergonomically. It is possible to use it for long hours without any pressure on ears. Nozzle is neither too long nor too short and it is quite comfortable on the ear.



Sound Type:

The sound character of CE-05 is like V-shape. The upper frequencies are accompanied by lower frequencies in similar amounts, while the mids are slightly backwards. The vocals are not far behind, but it’s I think a little bit forward. The vocals have a relatively forward presentation even though the mids are behind in the overall spectrum. Also vocals have a very sweet tone and color. Non-aggressive presentation of the vocals can make you feel urge to listen to the vocals for long hours. The treble is incredibly detailed and resolute, thanks to the piezoelectric driver. I didn’t expect such a drastic and detailed treble response. The dynamic driver on the other hand, creates stronger and deeper bass which probably best I ever heard.




Trebles:

Details. Lots of detail in the treble. The treble of CE-05 can be easily my favorite frequency range of the CE-05. The upper frequencies are quite pronounced, but they are also spreading over a very wide area. It is possible to hear lots of instrument details from every part of soundstage. It is possible to feel friction of each part of biceps crashing into each other. You can hear even the smallest nuance in the voices. For some people it may feel a little bit shiny and bright, but it is not disturbing. Though it can be a little tiring in the long listening, it offers a unique experience in terms of speed, frequency and resolution. The well-extended trebles also maintain control of fast sections. The sound does not tend to metalize when you increase the sound level. There is a thin line between sibilance and losing control, which is distinctive and pristine, and this line is stable. I listened to different types of music and I expected to hear some sibilance but I didn’t hear it which I tried with my all sources. Of course, the source used here is also very important. I would also like to mention that I have provided the best harmony with warm character sources. Mostly. I liked AK120 and AK70 with the CE-05. I can say that the CE-05 doesn’t paired good with the LPG. Trebles can be sharp and aggressive.

CE-05 has clean and energetic trebles. If you think to upgrade stock cable, I would recommend to upgrade with pure copper cable. Also, I believe that the result will be really satisfying copper-hybrid cables.



Mids:

The mid frequencies are detailed, but it is slightly behind the lower and upper frequencies. The voices of the instruments are very clear and effortless. Even though mids are behind in general spectrum, the vocals are positioned in front and it performs smooth sweet tones. The overall instrument sound is slightly thinner than natural, but I cannot make a fair approach due the lack of reference earphone. The separation of strings is flawless and it has high level of detail by virtue of bright top mids. There is a slightly pressure of the lower mids because of the powerful low frequencies, but this does not cause an obvious mid-hump. I really liked to presentation of vocals. Although the vocal presentation is in the front even the overall presentation is V-Shaped. The vocals have soft and velvety tone like cream. It is very enjoyable to listen to the both male and female vocals. Overall resolution level of the mids is extremely high. You can hear the drums distinctively on a separate level and you can feel the rumble.



Bass:

CE-05 has amazing slam and well extended bass which I love. It has strong bass that does not lose control. For my personal taste, the tonality and quantity of the bass is almost exactly what I want. I feel that, when I found bass level not enough it doesn't satisfy me, so this situation impacts my musical pleasure negatively.

The extension of sub-bass is quite successful, there is no roll off. There can be bloating in bossy tracks sometimes but it does not feel any hoarseness. If we talk about bass, I always prefer dynamic drivers because it is airier and impactful. There is a strong dynamic driver inside of CE-05 and it reminds you the strong bass in the tracks. I think that listeners who has a similar authoritative bass taste as mine, will like CE-05`s bass quantity. The lower-mid and bass harmony is really good. Bass level does not leave other frequencies in the shade. Its quantity and impact level provide comfortable easy listenability. Bass is slow according to armature driver`s bass but its recovery time is quite short. Bass is not dry as armature driver`s bass.

CE-05 is the best earphone I have ever listened in terms of bass quality.



Soundstage:

CE-05`s soundstage is quite airy and spacious. Stage width is not the best I have ever heard, but it is higher than average. Instruments spreads in a wide spacious area. Background is very dark and silence. There is not any issue like mixing the instruments which makes the positioning easier in the soundstage. You can make the distinction that every instrument plays from a different position. The space between instruments is perceptible. It is amazing to feel and be in the great atmosphere of floating, continuous notes of an instrumental track. CE-05`s performance is successful and above its price about separation of instruments.





Verdict:

CE-05 is detailed, musical and it does not compromise of it is details. It can be counted as powerful, able to go deeper into a certain place. CE-05 can be preferred by anyone who desires a wide soundstage. The CE-05 is a very successful headphone for V-shape lovers, with its full lower and high treble frequencies. This is a type of headphone that I will keep and never sell. Hyla is a young company but it proves that it can produce very successful and satisfying products with the advantage of previous Oriolus experience. I am looking forward to try the new Hyla products in the future. They deserve much more attention.

Introduction –

You probably haven’t heard of Hyla but maybe you’ve read into the success of PWAudio and Oriolus. Neither company possess the greatest market presence in the west, but they have a very loyal fan base and a development/manufacturing process backed by the much larger Cyras; and all the budget and resources associated. As a result, Oriolus have quickly made a name for themselves through their resolving in-ears. Their earphones aren’t an assembly of generic components, but are meticulously engineered in-house, essentially, from the ground up.

And within this, Hyla represent a step forward using the technologies pioneered by Oriolus. They’re a little more experimental, a little more daring and a lot more intriguing. The CE-5 embodies this ethos, utilising a quad hybrid driver setup with a single dynamic woofer, 2 Sonion midrange drivers and a ceramic super tweeter. The result is an earphone that sounds as unique as its specifications would suggest. It should be noted that the CE-5 is a limited run earphone with only 200-units worldwide, it retails for $832 USD. You can read more about the CE-5’s “Trident Engine’ here and secure a unit for yourself here.



Disclaimer –

I would like to thank Hyla very much for providing me with the CE-5 for the purpose of review. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.


Accessories –


The CE-5 comes in a minimal hard box with gold Hyla text providing a hint of the premium goods inside. Upon opening the box, the buyer is greeted by the CE-5 and one of Van-Nuy’s legendary cases decorated in silken fabric.


The case contains a selection of ear tips in addition to a cleaning tool. Hyla provide 3 sizes of silicone tips in addition to a pair of dual flanges. The CE-5 also comes packaged with 3 pairs of foam tips that provide increased isolation and a more personalised fit.



Design & Build –

Unique adequately defines Hyla’s CE-5; not because of any precious materials, but by nature of their design. With sharp, teardrop-shaped housings and a very intriguing purple colour scheme, the CE-5 draws the eye akin to an exotic hyper-car. The earphones may not employ metal in their construction, but they’re 3D printed from German resin and finished to the standard of jewellery. Furthermore, the CE-5 employs titanium sound tubes to reduce resonances.




Resultantly, the earphones feel as pristine as a mass-manufactured product and look as fascinating as a jewel. The CE-5 is quite large, with fairly squared off corners on top, but it carries itself well in the ear. This is mainly due to the terrific sculpting of their housings, with a thin tapered front end and rounded rear. I did find the edge at the back to form a small hotspot after several hours of listening, but this is a surprisingly ergonomic earphone for its size.




And, once fit, the Hyla remains very stable in the ear due to a combination of their over-ear design and tapered, elongated sound tubes that provide a very deep fit. The nozzles have no filters, but there are internal filters protecting the drivers themselves. The nozzles also have some slight ridging but I didn’t find them to hold tips especially well.




The earphones have a small vent on their outer face but still produce very high levels of noise isolation despite their vented design. They don’t attenuate quite as much as a fully sealed monitor from Campfire for instance, but they’re easily adequate for anything from commute to air travel. Some driver flex is present when first inserting the earphones, but I haven’t experienced damage or degradation of sound quality during my month of testing.




Up top, is a recessed 0.78mm 2-pin removable cable system. Unfortunately, Hyla isn’t using the glorious PW No.5 of the Japanese Oriolus MKII, but the included cable houses premium 6N OFC copper innards. It’s otherwise a fairly standard 4-core braid with memory wire guides that hold their position well and provide some additional fit stability. The cable itself has a smooth texture and a supple in-hand feel. I didn’t experience any intermittency and the right angle 3.5mm plug has excellent strain relief.



Sound –

Tonality –

The CE-5 has a modest v-shaped signature on account of its emphasized sub-bass and lower-treble. This isn’t a reference earphone by any stretch of the imagination. Rather, the CE-5 was intentionally designed to chase engagement and energy. It also isn’t the most linear or realistic earphone, but the CE-5 remains one of the most impressive V-shaped earphones I’ve heard.

In particular, its recessed but well-separated midrange and detail forward presentation perfectly complement the more vocal forward mastering style of Japanese albums without over-brightening the high-end. Moreover, the CE-5 has plenty of technicality to flatter other music too. I gave the CE-5 200hrs of burn-in to ensure optimal performance during final evaluation, more in the following sections.



Bass –

The CE-5’s bass presentation is big and bold yet controlled. And, as sub-bass is the main focus of emphasis, it doesn’t overly colour other aspects of its sound. Sub-bass extends to the deepest depths of human perception, with powerful emphasis producing visceral rumble and slam. Mid-bass is less flavoured with a smaller lift infusing warmth and body into the CE-5’s low-end. And, as is fairly typical of bassy but clear in-ears, its mid-bass feeds into a relatively attenuated upper bass response intended to increase separation between bass and mids, minimising colouration.

What makes the CE-5 a unique earphone then, is the quality of that low-end. Of course, some bloat is present by nature of their tuning but muddiness is kept minimal as a result of the CE-5’s excellent transience and control. The CE-5 is incredibly tight and agile without a hint of sloppiness, even during faster tracks. And, as notes have slightly shorter decay, bass remains well separated and very defined despite uneven emphasis. The CE-5 thus excels through a combination of physical slam and impact combined with enhanced articulation; they aren’t balanced, but execute their bassy sound with technical mastery.


Mids –

The Hyla’s midrange is bright and clear yet impressively neutral in tone. Both male and female vocals occupy a slightly distant stage position while instruments are brought more to the fore through the earphone’s aggressive, V-shaped signature. Still, by combining increased mid-bass warmth with reduced lower-midrange density, the earphones produce nicely transparent vocals and instruments even if both can lack a little body. Still, The CE-5’s lower midrange has plenty of fullness to engage and to achieve a natural presentation while capitalising on increased clarity and separation.


Upper mids are subjectively less influenced by the CE-5’s bass colouration, delivering smooth and extended if laid-back female vocals. Midrange resolution is terrific, compounding upon a brighter signature to grant great clarity without the associated unnatural raspiness or sibilance. Upper mids also possess relatively neutral body and tone, though background layers can sound a little thin as a result of increased emphasis on articulation. Resultantly, the CE-5 is a lively yet clean in-ear focussing on clarity and detail over linearity and timbre. They aren’t quite as resolving of background details as more natural, linear in-ears, but do provide a very revealing sound focussing on transparency and resolution.


Highs –

Through emphasized yet well-integrated lower-treble set to a more attenuated middle-treble, the CE-5 delivers a treble presentation that boasts pristine attack while maintaining a dark, clean background. Some may find them a little hot, but the Hyla’s aggression brings intricacies to the fore with great detail and crispness permeating throughout its presentation. And, due to the relatively gradual nature of its emphasis, the CE-5 doesn’t sound overly thin or peaky, though they aren’t especially natural either. Their reduced middle treble may not sound ideal, as it saps some air and shimmer from their sound. However, in the context of the CE-5’s signature, this style of tuning works wonders, creating a treble presentation that remains composed and controlled despite its energy.

Moreover, treble is incredibly well extended with upper-treble extending linearly into the highest registers. This contributes to the earphone’s very high resolution that enables great detail-retrieval despite its uneven signature. Lower-treble elements such as high-hats do sound slightly tizzy due to emphasis on upper harmonics, but notes are very clear and wholly resolved. Moreover, strings, though aggressively detailed, can be a little forward at times. That said, decay is only slightly short and every note is accurately textured. These traits produce a sound that is resolving and clear if lacking some smoothness and accuracy.



Soundstage –

The CE-5 has a huge soundstage that extends well beyond the head; not on account of enhanced air, but due to its slightly more laid-back midrange presentation and excellent treble extension. And though not especially linear, layers are very well delineated, perhaps to the extent that the CE-5 misses some intermediate density. However, as a result, instruments are very easy to locate and vocals remain well-centred. Due to the agility of the Hyla’s sound, they also produce precise directional cues. Their larger low-end isn’t conducive towards a separated sound, however, the CE-5 actually achieves high levels of separation due to its clearly layered sound. Again, this isn’t an earphone that strives for realism, but rather an earphone whose meticulous sculpting provides overall coherence.



Driveability –


The CE-5 has a very low 8.9ohm impedance combined with an average 97dB sensitivity. In use, it’s a fairly sensitive in-ear but also one that is very obviously affected by output impedance. From a source of higher Impedance, the CE-5 can sound considerably bassier which compromises its transparency and clarity. So though it easily attains higher listening volumes, even from smartphones, the CE-5 definitely benefits from a resolving source with a low output impedance.

iPod Touch 6G: Nicely balanced, tight low-end but lacking some extension. Mids are slightly brought forward though sibilance is also emphasized. Treble is extended and detailed but thin, middle-treble is more present producing greater air and separation. Soundstage is more intimate and less layered, but imaging is sound. No audible hiss detected.

Echobox Explorer: Huge bass, somewhat overwhelming. Mids are more recessed by comparison but smooth and naturally bodied. Reduced clarity and transparency. Highs are detailed, takes some edge off the CE-5’s lower-midrange while retaining crispness. Lacking the extension of other DAPs, its stage is quite spacious but not well separated or organised. Easily audible hiss on low-gain. Unspecified output impedance, it is likely quite high.

Hiby R6: Considerably larger bass, a bit bloomy. Mids are recessed but clear, lacking some transparency. Highs sound a little blunted but still extend nicely. A lot smoother overall and quite bass dominated, stage dimensions suffer as do staging properties; imaging is ok but separation is notably reduced. No hiss detected on low-gain. Significant signature change is likely a result of higher output impedance of 10ohms.

Fiio X7 II w/AM3A: The Fiio is ever so slightly engaging, otherwise, it’s a solid reference source. The Hyla has a tight low-end with a little less body. Mids are slightly recessed but very clear. Highs are extended and very detailed with a little extra edge. The X7 II has a more intimate stage relative to some other DAPs, it isn’t as immersive as the iBasso combo. No hiss detected on low-gain.

iBasso DX200 w/AMP5: Excellent synergy, this amp module has a slightly mid-centric signature with a smoother high-end that perfectly complements the Hyla. The CE-5 sounds more balanced, very controlled and with excellent resolution. The DX200 offers a very large soundstage with improved layering and imaging, heaps of detail. No hiss detected on low-gain.



Cables –

The stock cable is a respectable 6N OFC copper unit though there’s always room for improvement. Given that the CE-5 is a highly resolving in-ear, I was curious to put this into effect! Of course, this is just my subjective impression, take it with a grain of salt.


Introducing the EA Eros II into the mix produced numerous changes. Bass became tighter and more articulate while retaining its impact. Mids received a notable benefit, sounding even clearer with a more liquid smoothness. I didn’t enjoy the impact of the cable on male vocals, that became a little thin and strained, but upper mids were supremely smooth and layered; perhaps this character can be attributed to the EROS II’s higher resolution and extension. Highs also received some benefits, becoming more detailed, especially with regards to micro-detail. The cable granted a slightly brighter signature overall, which does sap some of the cleanliness from the CE-5, but also aids air and separation. I didn’t notice any expansion in the CE-5’s stage, but imaging did improve a fair amount, especially with regards to midrange layering.



Comparisons –


Dunu DK-3001 ($550): I love the way the DK-3001 sounds, it’s one of the best hybrids of the recent year. It is cheaper than the Hyla, but from glancing at its stainless steel build a gap in quality isn’t apparent. However, in the ear, the much larger CE-5 actually finds higher levels of comfort and much-improved isolation. Both have removable cables, MMCX on the Dunu and 2-pin on the Hyla.

The DK-3001 is more balanced, u-shaped rather than V-shaped, but it has emphasis in similar regions. The CE-5 provides a more visceral sub-bass response with both greater extension and emphasis. The Dunu has greater mid-bass presence and remains emphasized within its upper-bass, producing a warmer, fuller-bodied midrange. The Hyla is a lot more dynamic and less bloated, it has greater definition as a result. Mids are more present on the Dunu and more realistic in timbre due to greater linearity. However, the Hyla is more transparent due to reduced bass colouration where the Dunu sounds warmer and less separated. Both are brighter earphones with an emphasis on articulation due to a similar lower-treble emphasis.

I find the Dunu to layer slightly better due to its more balanced sound, however, the Hyla has greater clarity, resolution and separation; it is the more revealing earphone. The Hyla has a stronger lower-treble emphasis and less middle-treble air than the Dunu. However, though the Dunu is very well detailed, the Hyla retrieves greater foreground detail in addition to being more aggressive in its presentation. The Hyla sounds darker and cleaner than the Dunu due to the weighting of its emphasis’ where the Dunu has greater shimmer. Both extend very well, but the Hyla has more detail at the very top. The Hyla provides a much larger, more separated stage while the Dunu has better instrument placement due to its greater linearity.

Campfire Jupiter ($799): Campfire draw eyes like few others with their aluminium clad earphones, and the Jupiter is one of their most striking designs yet. Though exotic and unique, the Hyla doesn’t feel as premium in the hand. However, in the ear, both are similarly comfortable and the Hyla isolates almost as well as the Jupiter despite being vented. The Jupiter includes one of ALO’s SPC Litz cables which is subjectively superior to Hyla’s included unit in both sound and ergonomics.

The Jupiter is far more balanced but also warmer and mellower in its presentation. The Jupiter has terrific bass-extension for a BA earphone but it can’t match the hybrid CE-5. Bass is unsurprisingly a lot more present on the Hyla, most notably sub-bass but also mid-bass by a hair. On the contrary, the Jupiter has a notable upper-bass hump that imbues warmth and body into its midrange but also a boxiness to its bass notes. On the contrary, the Hyla is more transparent with greater clarity. The Hyla is noticeably brighter where the Jupiter is fairly linear though its midrange. Resultantly, the Jupiter has excellent layering and background detail retrieval that the Hyla can’t match, but it also sounds quite mellow due to its smoother lower-treble tuning.

The Hyla is quite the opposite, with recessed upper-bass and emphasized lower-treble. As a result, it has greater upper-midrange extension and a grander, if less nuanced stage. The Hyla has greater lower-treble emphasis while the Jupiter smooths off before a modest middle-treble lift. As such, the Hyla is more aggressively detailed with a darker background while the Jupiter has more air and shimmer. Both extend terrifically, the Jupiter a little more granting it higher resolution. Both also have terrific soundstages, the Jupiter is more coherent while the Hyla is more spacious. The Jupiter has better resolution through its intermediate layers where the Hyla transitions more jarringly between foreground and background details.

Campfire Lyra II ($699): The Lyra II carries Campfire’s dynamic driver design that is compact and smoothly formed. Its liquid metal construction feels more premium than the Hyla however, the CE-5 isolates a little more and is more stable for my ears. Both have removable cables, once again, I do prefer ALO’s Litz wire on the Lyra II.

The Lyra II is a mellower earphone than the CE-5, pursuing a gentle l-shaped signature as opposed to the more v-shaped Hyla. Sub-bass extension is excellent on both, the Lyra II has a warmer bass presentation on behalf of its greater mid and upper-bass emphasis. The CE-5, therefore, presents notes with greater slam and definition where the Lyra II has a little bloat. The Lyra II has a little more lower-midrange presence but upper mids are similarly laid-back. The Hyla has a little more midrange articulation, its bass response is more separated from its midrange creating clearer and more transparent vocals.

On the contrary, the Lyra II is natural and full-bodied, it isn’t as clear but doesn’t sound remotely veiled either. The Lyra II has a slight lower-treble emphasis that imbues some additional energy into its sound. The CE-5 is clearly more aggressive but the Lyra II is also very well detailed. The CE-5 has greater treble extension and air where the Lyra II sounds even darker, lacking some air and shimmer. As such, the Hyla has greater resolution and its stage is quite a bit larger. I also feel that the CE-5 has more accurate imaging and separation is higher.

Sennheiser ie800S ($999): The ie800 was among the first 4-digit IEMs and the S represents its re-imagining for the present day. Its minuscule matte ceramic housings offer flawless comfort but only modest levels of isolation and stability. On the contrary, the Hyla locks more solidly into the ear and offers more useable levels of isolation. The ie800S has a semi-removable cable that detaches at the y-split where the Hyla is fully removable, utilising the widely adopted 2-pin interface.

The ie800 is more u-shaped as opposed to the clearly v-shaped Hyla; it’s certainly engaging but still reasonably balanced. Sub-bass is slightly emphasized on the ie800 but not nearly as much as the Hyla, nor does it extend as far. The ie800 remains quite linear through its bass, with an impressively even emphasis throughout. The CE-5 is similarly defined and just as controlled despite its larger emphasis. The Senn has a more present midrange though they are still on the laid-back side. As a result of its more linear low-end, the ie800S’ mids are slightly warm but also very natural, more so than the Hyla. Both are very transparent in-ears, the Hyla is brighter with greater clarity and articulation. However, the ie800S is more realistic and coherent with better layering.

Treble is more aggressive on the Hyla with the ie800S demonstrating a more subtle approach. The ie800S still has some additional lower-treble crispness and a middle/upper-treble lift that enhances air. As such, it isn’t quite as clean sounding as the CE-5, but sounds more expansive at the same time. Both extend terrifically well, the Hyla has a small advantage up top where the ie800S is a little peaky, sounding slightly thin. Both have excellent resolution as a result, the Hyla more evidently so on behalf of its clearer sound. The CE-5 has the more spacious stage, mainly due to its laid-back midrange presentation. However, the Sennheiser is more coherent, especially within its midrange with superior imaging. The Hyla has greater separation.



Verdict –

There’s been a bad attitude permeating throughout audio recently; an idea that generic parts in a fancy package can draw a crowd, make money. My experiences in Japan revealed quite the opposite, these are companies fuelled by passion and an insatiable hunger for high-quality audio; even if that means designing proprietary drivers that extend treble beyond human hearing or including expensive cables that provide no measurable impact on frequency response. It’s a refreshing outlook and one that produces innovation with a profound impact on the end product.


Because, I can’t confirm whether that ultrasound ceramic driver aids soundstage dimension and I can’t quantify the impact of the CE-5’s 6N OFC cable or titanium innards. However, what I can hear, is an incredibly engaging V-shaped signature with outstanding technical ability. It’s soundstage is huge, its bass agile and controlled. Mids may not be realistic in timbre, but I would be lying if I claimed they weren’t pleasing to the ear. When listening through the CE-5 from Hyla, one doesn’t monitor audio, they experience music. The CE-5 therefore best suits buyers searching for a sound that is unique without compromising ergonomics or resolving power.

The CE-5 can be purchased from Hyla’s website here for $832 USD. I am not affiliated with Hyla and receive no earnings from purchases through this link.

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