A review of the iBasso IT03 In-Ear Monitor (IEM):
Introduction:
As one of the well-respected old-timers on the DAP (Digital Audio Player) scene, iBasso raised a few eyebrows a year or so ago when they decided to venture into the congested and competitive IEM market. They released the IT03, a hybrid IEM featuring a dynamic driver combined with two balanced armatures, priced at $259 at the time of writing.
Since I started writing this review (months ago!), they have released the IT01 (a single dynamic driver, priced at $99) and are about to release the IT04 (1 DD plus 3 BA’s, priced at $499).
I own the IT01, and since I received it, I listened to it non-stop, to the exclusion of the IT03 and my TOTL Noble Katana. This was partly due to the extensive recommended burn-in period and partly due to it being crazily great for the price, featuring a stunning low end which combines well with an otherwise balanced and cohesive sound signature that has detail and sparkle in spades.
Terrific as an on-the-go IEM (and I am frequently on the go!), and good enough to satisfy deeply for more critical listening at home.
NB: for anyone reading who might not be familiar with the ‘lingo’, TOTL = Top Of The Line; a flagship model, usually with a high price tag attached.
I have also heard a demo model of the upcoming IT04, which blew me away in basically every regard!
With the (pretty deserved) hype of the IT01 and the upcoming IT04, the IT03 seems to have been somewhat overlooked in recent discussions.
I heard a Chinese phrase some years ago; I don’t know if it’s still in common use, but it humorously refers to things or people being relegated to ‘forgotten corner’; I can’t help feeling that this has been the fate that has befallen the IT03 of late!
Upon a sudden whim, I picked up the IT03 a few days ago and revisited it.
I was immediately blown away by its qualities and remembered why I’d loved it so much in the first place. It has gone straight back to being my first-choice IEM.
Hence, I decided to force myself to make the time to return to this review and finish it off!
This IEM deserves the exposure, without question.
Without wanting to give too much away, this IEM absolutely warrants your time, I guarantee it!
Read on for more, intrepid explorers!
The IT03 can be purchased directly from iBasso (and shipped to many locations) at the following link (correct at time of writing):
http://ibasso.com/cp_xq_dy.php?id=4756
A (somewhat lengthy) bit of preamble first:
The Fit:
Regarding the fit, I think one’s individual ear anatomy will play a part in how comfortable these are for you, along with a bit of care being taken as to putting them in.
The protruding upper nodule makes a useful anchoring point that remains unnoticeable when correctly positioned. However, sometimes I’ve become aware of it digging uncomfortably into my ear, but this is due to me either failing to put it in correctly first time, or fiddling with it unconsciously and moving it slightly out of position. This caveat aside, I love how securely these IEM’s fit and never have trouble getting a good seal with the right kind of tips.
Tip Selection:
This is an important factor with these IEM’s that should not be overlooked.
The first time I heard them, I felt they displayed a jaw-droppingly huge soundstage and stunning transparency, clarity and airiness.
However, I recall thinking “wow.. where’s the bass?!” (especially since I was expecting this to be a strong point in an IEM containing a good quality dynamic driver).
That was with Silicone tips, which I generally never get along well with and have trouble gaining a good seal (I have large manly ear canals, heh).
Once I switched over to Comply-style memory foam tips, the qualities I noticed in my initial impressions all decreased to a slight degree, but then I discovered the magnificent bass capabilities of the IT03. Switching to Crystalline Audio’s Crystal Tips (the name represents the sound quality rather than the construction material!) brought back slightly more of the original qualities without sacrificing bass. Monster Foam Supertips again offered further incremental gains in the original qualities whilst also increasing the bass capabilities.
Finally, there are the tips on which I have settled of late, the Symbio wide-bore tips.
These are a hybrid tip similar to previous offerings from Sony and Trinity Audio, but with a couple of factors that make them unique.
They use a silicon outer skin around a bonded-in cushion of dense memory foam (rather than the light and somewhat less effective foams I’ve experienced in other products).
The silicon outer is very thin and heat sensitive so that once inserted, the heat of your ear makes it conform nicely to your individual ear canal shape, whilst the foam keeps it securely in place, and both combine to produce a seal nearly as good as a quality memory foam tip would provide.
These factors, along with the wide bore had pretty startling results compared with any other tip I’d used previously. Those original qualities I mentioned increased significantly and noticeably.
The bass perhaps decreased very slightly but was largely unchanged.
However, whilst I’d certainly encourage one and all to try the Symbio wide-bore tips, the key take-home point/valuable life-lesson here is simply “Tips Matter” – experiment and go with what you know works well for you (allowing for the fact that an ear tip that works well with one IEM may not fit so well on another).
I’ve heard (or heard of) some people trying the IT03 and saying “ugh, where’s the bass?!”.
Whilst respecting the views and different tastes of others, given the amount of bass (sub bass, mid bass etc) that the IT03 is capable of putting out, I strongly suspect that people having such reactions are either:
a) Suffering from a lack of correct seal or tips that aren’t a good pairing with the IT03
Or
b) They are bass-fiends who find that even with the dial turned up to 11, the IEM is not inducing the desired levels of involuntary incontinence, even when playing their 24/192 ‘The Barry White Collection’ FLAC files with the X-Bass function of their DAC engaged
Gratuitous Photos! Graphically exposed!
Just the main pics you need to get an idea.
The IEM comes professionally presented with good packaging, and as a lovely extra touch, a classy looking carrying pouch.
Note that I'm using the upgraded iBasso CB13 cable in these photos.
The stock cable is black and very light and thin. I personally think upgrading to the CB12 ($89) or better may bring out even more of the qualities of these IEM's.
The Sound:
As ever, my preferred method of testing is to try out the product(s) in question with a selection of songs from various genres and to let that process draw out the comparative strengths and weaknesses of each product.
I have a few tracks which I’ve only found available on MP3; the rest are FLAC or WAV in 16/44 or 24/192.
As a way to test and benchmark, I have A/B tested the IT03 with the Noble Audio Katana on all these tracks (and many others), since it’s the best other IEM that I currently own (and an outstanding IEM in its own right). If anyone wishes to send me more TOTL IEM’s to expand my review with, I would not attempt to dissuade you from this course of action
Also, for the purposes of this review, I have used two DAP’s to play the music on for testing; the iBasso DX200 (with AMP1 – balanced mode and AMP3) and the Shozy Alien+ (single ended, but using a 2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm SE Eidolic adapter).
I would add that this review has been done over the course of many months. I do property management/investment in London on a self-employed basis, and anyone reading who has their own business will know how it has a marvellous tendency to intrude upon one’s intended activities!
Since I wrote the bulk of this review, iBasso have released AMP units 4 and 5.
I haven’t yet heard 4 (and greatly wish to do so!), but I own AMP5, and I would say that the sound signature of the DX200 with AMP5 is comparable to the strengths of the Shozy Alien+ DAP used in this review. So, if you are a DX200 owner and you are salivating at my descriptions of the Alien+ sound on certain songs, AMP5 is going to give you a similar experience I believe!
As mentioned above, please note that all impressions below are in both comparison to the Noble Katana as well as ‘stand-alone’. It’s hard to quantify something without a benchmark against which to compare it!
With all this box-ticking preamble out of the way, shall we proceed?
Make it so, number 1
Hobotalk – Walks With Me (from Beauty in Madness, 16/44 FLAC):
This song, by a relatively obscure Scottish band, is one of my all-time favourite songs. A piece of pure bliss; warm and wistful, slightly melancholic without being cold or depressing, beautiful and peaceful in equal measure.
DX200 (AMP3):
Well, this track was nothing short of magical with the IT03.
Every instrument sang with clarity, detail and lifelike timbre. The soundstage seemed even more expansive and open than usual, and a song that itself dances on the edge of perfection found in the IT03 a perfect partner.
DX200 (AMP1): The IT03 impresses again with its beautifully open, 3D, spherical soundstage.
Whilst the notes exhibit slightly less thickness than I hear on the Katana, the articulation of the guitar plucking here is very crisp and accurate. The separation and placement of the instruments is absolutely first class. In the latter parts of the song, where all the instruments are playing and there’s a lot going on, this keeps everything crystal clear, all the details discernible without any feeling of fatigue or muddiness.
This is helped by slight increase in smoothness brought by this combination.
Alien+: Like jewels laid out on black velvet, the black background, superb separation and clarity on this DAP really allow the detailed nature of the IT03 to shine through, with the musicality of the Alien+ bringing an extra sparkle of magic but without in any way reducing the levels of detail.
There’s a faint sound above the guitar fingerstyle playing, which I think might be the brushing of a sleeve or part of the player’s hand against the guitar body. The IT03 brings out this small detail more than the Katana, and even more so when played through the Alien+.
The Darkness - Black Shuck, Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman, Givin' Up:
Now then. I’m autistic (but fortunately was blessed with extreme attractiveness to compensate), and this seems to come with a sensitivity to certain sounds and frequencies.
I love rock, and I love these songs, but I’ve mostly found them difficult to listen to, due to the dense and noisy nature of the song, the joyful bashing of cymbals, occasionally piercing falsetto and so on.
Also, these tracks really benefit from a powerful low end (doesn’t need to be one that is not balanced with the rest of the sound signature, just not an anaemic or lacking one!).
Here’s what I found:
DX200 (AMP3):
There was more crunch and power to the guitar riff’s second opening segment on ‘Get Your Hand Off’, but after that, its accurate and slightly forward presentation of the percussion rendered the sound a bit noisy and overwhelming to my hypersensitive ears. However, that’s not been a normal incidence with these IEM’s rather something unique to this specific, difficult track that I love but have often found difficult to listen to in the past due to fatigue and noisiness.
DX200 (AMP1):
In comparison with the Alien+, the cymbals here are kept more in check.
The sound overall is a very good match for these songs. I have noted repeatedly the musicality of both the Alien+ and Katana generally, but with these songs (especially noticeable on the song Givin’ Up), this combination with the IT03 has plenty of musicality in abundance and sounds extremely engaging.
Alien+:
Cymbals a bit forward for my tastes, which (as noted above) makes the track a slightly difficult listen for me. Having said that, all other aspects of the song sound so outrageously good that I listen anyway, and for those without any sensitivity in this area, I think you’re going to be sitting with a big grin on your face!
Ray Lamontagne - A Falling Through:
This track features a gorgeous drum beat in the background, a delightful deep thump with significant bass weight and presence, that still doesn’t dominate the song but increases its emotion. Along with this, the strumming of the acoustic guitar is a great test for an IEM’s faithful representation of timbre.
DX200 (AMP3): There’s a gorgeous lifelike thump and shudder to the drum, which is more prominent in an extremely likeable way; not over-accentuated in any way and still retaining the original gentle quality in the song. Guitars sound a bit brighter in tone but softer in overall presentation.
DX200 (AMP1):
A nice balance between the drum and the delicate guitar
Alien+:
Drum very slightly too forward here for me, and the vocals have a slightly forward presentation too, but in this case they are presented beautifully and soulfully. The musicality of the Alien+ shines through on this combination.
Club 8 - Love Dies:
My goodness, this song is astonishing. The first time I heard it, my jaw dropped.
It’s extremely crystalline, clear, beautiful. It takes a good combo of equipment to display this to perfection without letting the highs become piercing or strident in occasional places.
The track starts slowly, and from about 50s in to 1:07, you can hear a progression of sounds being introduced at the edge of the soundstage, giving the impression of the soundstage opening out like a blossoming flower.
DX200 (AMP3):
Staggering, crystalline clarity and openness, huge soundstage, precise detail.
Occasional slight sharpness in the treble.
Beautiful blossoming out of the soundstage from 0:50 - 1:07.
DX200 (AMP1):
As I go through these songs, I’m starting to notice that this combination really displays great power and control in the low-end, without any muddiness, and still with sparkle in the high-end and that huge soundstage and great separation.
Alien+:
This song has some sharpness in the treble and occasional moments of sibilance.
This combination seems to bring that out; as ever for others less sensitive, this may be no problem at all. Conversely, this helps to really make the background synthesiser arpeggios shine from 0:25 – 0:52. Terrific detail and resolution here.
RDF (Radical Dance Faction) – Borderline:
This is a somewhat cold and melancholic song, but with a hell of bass line.
It features a wonderful moment in the beginning where the percussion being employed changes 3 times in succession, giving one’s equipment a wonderful opportunity to show of faithful representation of timbre.
DX200 (AMP3):
Superb detailed presentation of the varying percussion techniques from 0:33 - 0:50; bass line is deep, tight and controlled.
DX200 (AMP1): Didn’t get a chance to compare; apologies!
Alien+:
This came across as the weakest combination here (although I should add that I imagine it would still eat plenty of other combos for breakfast!). The bass and percussion felt slightly
too much and it simply didn’t engage as much as other combinations. It wasn’t bad by any means, just the lesser of several giants
Dire Straits – Sultans Of Swing:
One of my go-to test tracks for testing (and just listening), and I know several other reviewers on here share this point of view!
A staggeringly good song, with lots of things to look at; percussion, timbre, guitar fretboard wizardry etc.
DX200 (AMP3):
This combination presents the bassline wonderfully, bringing the song alive and driving it along.
There’s so much space and openness, I’m having fun just focusing on one instrument, then another, then the vocals; every component here is given its own distinct space in the mix, and yet there’s just this INCREDIBLE cohesiveness and musicality over it all.
It’s not like this is the first time I’ve heard this combo, or even this combo with this specific song (I’m actually listening again, just prior to publishing this review), but I’m just staggered by how amazing this combination sounds.
By way of comparison, the TOTL Noble Katana sounds relatively mediocre compared to the IT03 on this song (and with this DAP/AMP combo). The IT03 is just so dynamic, the soundstage and separation so world-class, and the bass so satisfying, that is in itself, TOTL on this song (and many others!).
DX200 (AMP1):
The bassline is wonderfully strong and musical at first on this version; but without unbalancing the sound; it enhances the music rather than detracting from it.
Background details (soft acoustic guitar strumming for example) are brought enchantingly to attention, and overall this is an engaging and moving presentation of the song.
Alien+:
This has plenty of weight and presence in the low-end too. The dextrous and delicate fingerpicking of the guitar line is brought out beautifully here and overall the sound is musical and extremely engaging. Nothing whatsoever to fault. Just superb.
Anberlin – The Art Of War:
This is a staggering track. There’s so much going on in it and so many things to zone in on when listening. There’s powerful percussion and bass, a driving rhythm, synths and sound effects and over all this, great vocals, searing lyrics and simply majestic rock!
In terms of analysis of detail retrieval, on this track, around 9 seconds in, there’s a sudden sense of space opening up in the upper-central zone of the soundstage, along with a faint, almost imperceptible hum.
I don’t know much about music production, but I’m guessing this is the ‘channel’ being switched on that the bass guitar is linked up to (as indeed the bass comes in at the same spatial location a second or two later).
DX200 (AMP3):
This song sounds superb with this combination.
It brings out all the best points described above, without any imbalances.
I could wax lyrical about it all day! The bass and drums have the tactile, percussive quality that I love and which seems to be unique to Dynamic Driver setups. As a result, the whole song has this irresistible force and driving energy, shivering with sub-bass, soaring gloriously as all the instruments in the dense mix are given space and clarity to shine. The IT03 has the speed, accuracy and detail in its low end to really present this song extremely well.
DX200 (AMP1):
Increased soundstage and separation vs the combination with the Katana.
A good balance overall to the sound, without anything being smothered.
I found I could mentally flip my focus easily from one aspect or instrument in the song to another, or simply sit back and let it wash over me. An improvement in bass weight over the Alien+; overall this combination is an outstanding match for this song.
Alien+:
A big smile broke out on my face at about 11 seconds into the song as the bass and the drums kicked in and the keyboards followed shortly after. Huge soundstage and separation, but with all the bass weight that I longed for, but none of the muddiness or smothering of the final details; everything is rendered crystal clear
and powerfully; technically excellent but capturing the essence of great rock music. I find the cymbals very slightly too forward (because I am especially sensitive to such things), but regardless this is a close to perfect match-up for this song.
‘Homeless’ by Paul Simon (Graceland, 25th Anniversary edition, 24/96 FLAC):
Listening to the African vocal ensemble (Ladysmith Black Mambazo – credit where it’s due!) at the beginning, the song sounds warm and luxuriant; the audio equivalent of sinking into a cosy armchair on a day of deep snow, with a hot cup of cocoa in front of the dancing flames of a log fire*.
*other clichéd imagery is available:
A duck waddling and falling over on a frozen lake.
An old couple holding hands in an historic street.
A cat standing up on its hind legs wearing a top hat.
DX200 (AMP3):
Oh, the humanity!
This combo brings the detail, clarity and separation that allows each of the distinctive voices to shine individually, whilst the weighty and musical low end brings out the resonance when the voices sing together in harmony. The cup of cocoa has had Bailey’s, Bruichladdich or one’s tipple of choice added to it
DX200 (AMP1):
Much as above; slightly less richness but still sounding really, really good!
Alien+:
Much as with the AMP3 above. The (very) slight decrease in detail and clarity are offset by blackness of the background and the even greater weight and musicality here to offer an experience that is sublime.
Shawn Mullins – The Gulf of Mexico (16/44 FLAC):
Well, I’m adding this on at the last minute. I don’t have time for a full breakdown, but this song features shimmering, chiming acoustic guitar strumming, gravelly vocals, picked electric guitar harmonies and so forth. It’s a song I’ve loved for years, but listening to it with the IT03, DX200 and AMP3, I can honestly say that it’s one of the best musical experiences OF MY LIFE.
Seriously, it was just magical; I was transfixed. OMG, the soundstage, the separation, the SOUND!
Everything was crystalline, beautiful, perfectly presented. SO musical, just perfect.
I’ve listened to it about 10 times now since the first (about a month or so ago), and it’s not getting any worse!
Comparison with the iBasso IT01:
Now, this is interesting.
As mentioned, when I first received the IT01, I put everything else on hold to listen to it (and give it a very extensive burn-in period - for those that believe in such things).
I really fell in love with the IT01.
I has a huge bass, and a much more V-shaped tuning than the IT03 - possibly it could even be described as L-shaped, due to its remarkable bass quantity and quality.
I find the IT01 sounds especially good on hard rock tracks, with it's weighty and visceral low end and sparkling highs.
I think it is an outstanding IEM which offers terrific value for money, especially considering the overall package it comes with - the cable, the carry case, etc.
However, having revisited the IT03, I can confidently say I believe it to be in an altogether different league.
It has excellent bass too, but not so overwhelming, tighter and more controlled.
In pretty much every other regard it is a significant step up from the IT01, and I say this as a big fan of the IT01!
Conclusion:
This IEM is simply remarkable. It seems to be something of a chameleon in that it can sound neutral and analytical, or powerful, bass-rich and musical, depending on the tips, DAP/DAC and Amp it’s connected to.
Earlier, I alluded to the magnificent bass capabilities of these IEM’s.
And ‘capabilities’ seems an appropriate phrase to use; they are able to exhibit subtlety, warmth and delicacy, or to go as deep, rich, visceral and impactful as the song and source material requires/permits, but they never bloat, bleed into the mids or add bass that wasn’t there to begin with.
They are all about faithful reproduction, with the technical sharpness, speed and detail to do that to a high level, combined with the facility to (re)produce whatever depth or quality of bass or percussion is present in the music. This is a huge plus point for them.
Along with all these qualities, it has the thing that blew me away when I first put them in my ear; the huge soundstage, separation and clarity. This is such a blessing; I’ve found it makes so much of the music I love even more accessible; dense and complex tracks are allowed to ‘stretch themselves out’ and make all the components shine individually without losing any of the cohesiveness or musicality.
Its outstanding clarity (combined with its fairly analytical sound signature) can occasionally come with a touch of sensitivity in the treble (for those who are sensitive to such things). However, this is me making myself have to look for something to be critical about; I can't stress enough how much I love these IEM's and what terrific value for money they offer. And bear in mind that I actually
have a sensitivity to treble, but I find it’s only rarely an issue with these IEM’s, and frankly, they sound so damn good that I can’t stop going back to them anyway
People looking for a neutral and analytical sound will likely find these to hit their sweet spot, especially if they are also fans of sparkling clarity, detail and transparency allied to an expansive soundstage and all the benefits to bass and percussion that a dynamic driver brings.
However, for those whose tastes steer more towards a warm/natural/musical sound, these are able to do exceptionally well in that regard too, when paired with a DAP/DAC/Amp of a more warm, organic and/or musical nature; the iBasso DX200 with AMP3 or AMP5, Alien+, WM1Z would be excellent, and in the more budget range, the Shanling M2s or the Cayin N3 – both of which I have reviewed previously - could perhaps fit the bill nicely).
Bluntly, there are certain combinations of song and equipment with which the IT03 sounds like a TOTL IEM. No joke, no hype. The Katana is far from being the only TOTL IEM I’ve heard, and I still can sit with a jaw slack with amazement and utter delight when listening to the IT03 with DX200 (AMP 3) on Dire Straits’ “Sultans of Swing”, and Shawn Mullins’ “The Gulf of Mexico” and various other tracks.
And I haven’t even tried it yet with AMP 4 or AMP5!
With the caveat that this is my own (absolutely honest) opinion, your mileage may vary and all the usual disclaimers:
If you're looking for the next step up from the IT01 ($99) or IEM's in and around that price range, and perhaps you can't or don't wish to go up to the $500 level (where the IT04 resides, for example), I don't think you can go wrong with this.
At this price point, and with the world-class soundstage and separation these have, combined with the many other great qualities I’ve mentioned, I have no hesitation in recommending these outstanding IEM’s.