Introduction
IKKO Audio is a very young company, established just a few years ago, and it has already left its footprint in the audio industry; it makes mainly IEMs and headphone DACs and Amplifiers. I think it is accurate to say that in just a few years where others would do steps IKKO has done jumps.
The company’s flagship IEM is OH7, which is based on a single dynamic driver; it has a performance and also an MSRP that puts it in the “upper level league”, and it certainly deserves a separate review.
Two much more reasonably priced IEMs are OH1 and OH10; OH1 was IKKO’s first IEM, and it was followed by OH10 in an attempt to further improve OH1. I therefore think that it is quite appropriate to review both of them at the same time and see the similarities and differences between them.
OH1
OH1, to which IKKO gave the name “Meteor”, is a hybrid, and by this I mean that it has two drivers; a 10mm dynamic driver made of a polymer composite with a titanium coating, and a Knowles 33518 balance armature driver. Obviously, the dynamic driver is mainly responsible for the low frequencies, and the balance armature driver for the highs, while both contribute to the mid range. So, internally, IKKO did a very detailed work designing carefully the dynamic driver and using a balance armature driver from one of the most respected manufacturers.
The housing is made of an aerospace alloy, which is very lightweight (only 6 grams per piece) to the point that you don’t feel that you have the earpiece in your ear; however, the aerospace alloy is also hard and rigid enough in order to contribute to the sound signature of the IEM. The housing is in an attractive light blue color and the overall quality is outstanding, far beyond OH1’s price tag of $139.00.
The cable is a high-purity oxygen-free copper (OFC) silver-plated cable; it is a 2-pin, 0.78 mm, detachable design. According to IKKO, each side’s cable has 4 strands of high-purity (8-purity) oxygen-free copper that is silver-plated, and it is designed to extend high frequencies and enhance low frequencies. Where the cable connects to the housing of the IEMs has a plastic cover, which is very helpful for helping the user to place the cable over the ears. So, the quality of the cable is another thing that is far beyond OH1’s price tag.
The accessories are all that is needed. Besides the two earpieces and their cable, there are two sets of eartips, with three sizes (S,M,L) each; in the first set the color is black and it is named “Vocal Eartips”, apparently, giving an emphasis to the vocal part of a musical piece; in the second set the color is blue and it is named “Balanced Eartips”, obviously, designed to give a balanced version of what you are listening to. The user is also provided with a case made of genuine leather, which is very attractive, at least for my taste, and besides protecting the IEMs, it also has on the inner side instructions on how to wear the IEMs over your ears. Finally, there is a very elegant “Customer Service Card”, which actually acts as a Warranty Card.
All these come in a very stylish box, together with the IKKO pin, which is a pleasure to look at.
Overall, the quality of OH1 is outstanding in and out, and it is far beyond from what one expects from a set with a medium price tag.
OH10
OH10, to which IKKO gave the name “Obsidian”, was designed to further improve on OH1, so the two share some common things, but they also have certain differences.
OH10 is also a hybrid having a 10mm dynamic driver made of a polymer composite and a Knowles 33518 balance armature driver. However, the dynamic driver in OH10 is redesigned to be dynamically superior and to overall achieve a better performance.
The second big difference between OH10 and OH1 is in the material of the housing, as the shape of the housing is the same in both IEMs.
The housing of OH10 is made of high-purity copper, which makes it much heavier than that of OH1 (16.2 grams instead of 6 grams per earpiece); this, nonetheless, does not affect at all comfort, and one barely feels that he wears OH10 in his ears. Now, one of the characteristics of copper is that it makes sound to be condensed inside the cavity, resulting in a more full bodied and powerful sound. Furthermore, additional coatings are applied on the inside and the outside, with different effects in each case. On the inside, a platinum coating is added, which, while retaining the full bodied and powerfulsound, it also makes it cleaner and more transparent. On the exterior of the cavity, there is a three layer coating: The outer layer is a skin-friendly resin coating, the intermediate layer is a titanium alloy coating and the inner layer is an electroplated coating. The result is a pitch-black piano gloss finish in titanium color, which looks classy and it is really exquisite, particularly for IEMs costing a mere $199.00; it is hard to believe that IKKO can give listeners such high quality for a mediocre amount of money.
The cable, accessories and outer box of OH10 are about the same as those of OH1, so nothing is missing, and one has everything he needs; an exception is with the eartips, where the set with emphasis to the vocal part of a musical piece, named “Vocal Eartips”, is, as in OH1, in black color, but the second set, designed to give a balanced version of what you are listening to, named “Balanced Eartips”, is in white color.
Now, not only the quality of OH10 is outstanding in and out, but it appears even better than that of OH1. This is because the housing of OH10 is made of high-purity copper, it has a high gloss finish and it is quite heavy; in reality, both OH1 and OH10 have the same outstanding quality, but the set up in OH10 looks nicer.
The sound
Both OH1 and OH10 have the same sound signature, which is to be expected; after all, OH10 was designed not necessarily as an upgrade of OH1, but in order to further improve on the already great performance of OH1.
The sound signature of OH1 and OH10 is balanced on the warm side; this warmth is clear, yet delicate, so the presentation is what we call “pleasantly warm”. It is the warmth that is added in order to make the presentation more engaging, and not in order to change the sound signature from balanced to bassy. So, if you are a bass head, then neither OH1 nor OH10 is for you. There is some amount of sub-bass, and a bigger amount of mid-bass, so I never felt some rumbling bass; however, the important thing is that whatever bass, whether sub- or mid-bass, is tight and well-controlled.
On the other hand, both OH1 and OH10 are very revealing with really extended highs. Now, I have to admit that the tuning of both OH1 and OH10 must be very meticulous; I never felt that the highs were harsh, but I also do not remember a case in which I thought that there is some roll off.
Based on what I wrote above the sound signature of both OH1 and OH10 is what many people would call “V” shape. If I had to use this kind of characterization, I would rather call it “U” shape, as I never felt that the vocals, both female and male, were actually recessed and lacking liveliness; obviously, they do not appear to be forward, but they never were set back either.
I already wrote that OH1 and OH10 have the same sound signature; but what about their differences? Let me start by saying that whatever differences exist they are small. One’s first impression is that OH10’s presentation compared to that of OH1 is more polished and slightly more accurate and correct. Paying a little more attention, you realize that the sound of OH10 is more full-bodied, what we use to call “meatier”, better defined, and a little more cleaner and transparent. Furthermore, both OH1 and OH10 have a very big soundstage, both in width and depth, a very nice image, great dynamics and excellent separation; I really cannot detect any difference between the two in these departments. In a way, you can say that OH1 is intended for a quality everyday listening, while OH10 is intended for a dedicated high quality listening.
I should say that in all the different genres I tried OH1 and OH10, I did not see much difference in the presentation with the “Vocal Eartips” or the “Balanced Eartips”; this is not surprising, as all these filters not only are designed to have small differences among each other, but they also depend on what each listener actually perceives. I started with the classic songs “Always in my Mind” by Elvis Presley, RCA Victor, and “The Look of Love” by Diana Krall, from the album with the same name, Verve. Both OH1 and OH10 put Presley and Krall in the center, with the orchestra all around; it was a really excellent performance, and the difference between the two was minimal. Then I tried “Move” by Hiromi (Uehara), from the album with the same name, Telarc International. This is an extremely complex piece, with Hiromi on piano, Anthony Jackson on bass, and Simon Phillips on drums. It is very difficult to catch the powerful and fast playing of Hiromi and Phillips, complemented by the beautiful bass tones of Jackson, and both OH1 and OH10 were spectacular, with the sound of the latter being more full-bodied and clean-cut; so, here, OH10’s performance had a definite lead. The same was the case with “Fanfare for the Volunteer” by Mark O’Connor, from the album with the same name, Sony Classical. This is a beautiful Orchestral piece composed by O’Connor, and played by him on the violin and London Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Steven Mercurio. It is another demanding piece with many high and low passages, which is very common in Orchestral music. Both OH1 and OH10 delivered the piece in a masterful way, but the sound of the latter was more “meaty” and precise. From all these different listenings it is clear that OH1 and OH10, on top of everything else, are wonderful all-rounders.
Selected comparisons
One of the IEMs that I envy is the MEE Audio Pinnacle P1. Its MSRP is $199.99, but frequently can be found at a (much) more “friendly” price (sometimes even close to half-price). P1’s housing is die-cast from a Zinc alloy and hand-polished, for a very nice look, and it is certainly built to last; in addition, the Zinc alloy is more rigid and has better impact resistance than aluminum, yet offers significant weight savings compared to stainless steel; so, it contributes to the sound signature of P1, and it feels less bulky in the ear. P1 comes with two MMCX cables, one without and one with a microphone, which are both silver-plated 99.99% pure copper and of very good quality. P1 utilizes a proprietary 10mm moving coil driver, with 50 Ω impedance and 96±3dB sensitivity, and a Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire (CCAW) voice coil. A moving coil driver is a dynamic driver, which ensures a good performance in the low frequencies, while the CCAW voice coil is lighter than the copper voice coil, so the couple diaphragm-voice coil has lower inertia, which contributes to improved sound. Furthermore, a proprietary sound chamber and damping scheme, together with a patented acoustic diffuser, improves the detailing and high-frequency extension without adding harshness. Now, the carefully chosen ingredients, combined with a very meticulous, after many trials, tuning, gave P1 a sound signature that I consider exemplary, at least for my taste: It is one of the most balanced IEMs on the planet, and I would dare to call it “the definition of balance”; it is extremely revealing, with plenty of details, i.e., very transparent; it also has a very big soundstage, both in width and depth, and a wonderful image, with great separation. However, its neutral presentation makes P1 kind of bass shy and rather flat, so not very engaging, at least for a number of listeners; at the same time, its 50 Ω impedance, combined with its low sensitivity, does not make it the easier load, and because of that P1 shows its best with the help of some amplification. OH10, on the other hand, does not have the neutrality of P1, but it is powerful and transparent, and it has at least the same soundstage, both in width and depth, image and separation. However, where OH10 wins is that it is very engaging, without any exaggerations, while it is also an easy load and therefore it is more dynamic. So, if I wanted to use an IEM set for a recording, I would choose P1; but, if I wanted to listen to music, as I usually do, I would go with OH10.
Another IEM I am reviewing this period is the Final A3000. Final is known for making excellent IEMs, and A3000 is one of the two (the other being A4000) recently announced IEMs in the A series, in which also belongs the legendary A8000. Both new A3000 and A4000 have a newly designed driver, which is really unique as to its technical innovations as well as its difficult manufacturing; the diaphragm is from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and pushed to its limit, which together with a CCAW voice coil, a reduced gap between the magnet and the voice coil and a copper housing, has taken the performance of the new driver to a very high level. A3000’s MSRP is $129.99, so I thought to compare OH1 with it. Undoubtedly, OH1’s quality is unsurpassed; its housing, as mentioned, is made of a very lightweight aerospace alloy and it is beautifully finished, while A3000’s housing is made from ABS resin. Both IEMs have a balanced and pleasantly warm sound signature, with great transparency and soundstage. However, OH1 is extremely engaging and dynamic, while A3000 is very relaxing. So, these two are IEMs for different audiences and maybe different situations; engaging sound is always a plus, although in certain moments one might want something more relaxing.
Accessories and fit
I have already given a detailed description of the accessories supplied with each of OH1 and OH10. I have to say once again that nothing is missing, and everything you find in the box, from the earpieces, to the cable, the eartips, the leather case, even the outer box, are all of extremely high quality that truly impresses.
Furthermore, both OH1 and OH10 are extremely comfortable; this is natural for OH1, as it is very lightweight. It is quite interesting that the same is the case with OH10, which weights almost three times as much as OH1 (16.2 grams vs. 6 grams per earpiece). This shows that the main thing in fitting is the ergonomic design of the earpieces and not their weight. I should also add that the eartips provided offer a high level of sound isolation, so ambient noise with OH1or OH10 was never a problem. Also, the plastic cover, at the end of the cable, helps the user to place the cable over the ears, thus avoiding microphonics.
Conclusion
Both OH1 and OH10 have a balanced sound on the warm side; the bass is (more than) adequate, tight and well-controlled; the highs are extended, but not harsh; the mids are not forward, but not recessed either, and male and female vocals are well positioned. The overall sound signature is very engaging and what one would call “U” shaped; it is also highly transparent, with a very big soundstage, both in width and depth, a very nice image, great dynamics and excellent separation. Furthermore, the overall quality in these two IEMs is unsurpassed.
Between the two, OH10 has a more complete sound than OH1; more full-bodied and, overall, more articulate. Does OH10 worth the extra $60.00? It does, as you get a better sound and a more sleek appearance. On the other hand, if you are somewhat financially pressed, go ahead and buy OH1; you would be most happy with it, as the difference between the two is rather small.
It is very hard not to like OH1 and OH10. They do so many things right, and you would be hard-pressed to find something they do wrong. I am overly impressed by their wonderful sound and top quality. Most heartedly recommended.
Specifications
OH1
Housing: Aerospace alloy
Driver: 1 Dynamic driver + 1Balance Armature driver
Sensitivity: 106 dB
Impedance: 18 Ω
Frequency response: 20-40 kHz
Connector: 2-Pin, 0.78 mm plugs to earbuds + 3.5 mm plugs to the source
Cable: OFC silver-plated cable
Cord length: 1.2 m
Price: $139.00
OH10
Housing: Pure Copper
Driver: 1 Dynamic driver + 1Balance Armature driver
Sensitivity: 106 dB
Impedance: 18 Ω
Frequency response: 20-40 kHz
Connector: 2-Pin, 0.78 mm plugs to earbuds + 3.5 mm plugs to the source
Cable: OFC silver-plated cable
Cord length: 1.2 m
Price: $199.00
https://ikkoaudio.com]