Source(s)
Build Quality
Tonality
Bass
Technicalities
Resolution
Soundstage
Imaging
Conclusion
Thanks for reading!
- Jcally JM6 Pro
- Truthear Shio
- Acoustune AET07
- Borrowed unit, so I can't comment too much on the original packaging.
Build Quality
- Beautiful, solid copper alloy finish throughout the shell.
- Nozzle is quite short and narrow.
- Fit is .. only okay for me. Had to use a tip with a hard stem like the AET07 to make them stay in my ears. Any other tip with softer stems would not work for me.
- Weight is tolerable for a few hours for me, but feels quite heavy after that.
Tonality
- V shaped.
Bass
- Sub bass is more prominent than the mid bass, but mid bass still has plenty of thumps and slam.
- Excellent sub bass extension, goes really deep and rumbly.
- Very impactful, also comes with good definition and punch.
- Speed is fast enough to keep up with busy tracks while keeping the decay natural.
- Quantity is huge, may even be sufficient for some bass heads!
- However, despite its huge quantity, it isn't completely bleeding into the midrange.
- Midrange is quite recessed, making it quite clean but also scooped.
- Male vocals suffers quite a bit due to the lack of lushness and body. They just sound dry and thin.
- Female vocals are relatively better compared to male vocals. Although there are still some hollowness in the lower end, but they have great energy, extension and airiness at the upper end.
- However, it does get a little bit shouty after a long listening session
- Overall timbre is on the cold, metallic and thin side. Not the most natural midrange presentation but is decently acceptable for a V shaped signature.
- Overall note weight and density on the lower midrange are thin but gets fuller and thicker as it gets higher.
- Treble is very bright and sparkly.
- It can get pretty spicy and sharp especially at the lower to mid treble.
- Rolled off slightly at upper treble, which tones down the intensity but still having a decent extension and airiness.
- The treble isn't very smooth too, with some minor peaks and sibilance throughout the treble.
- Details, however, is quite revealing in the treble.
Technicalities
Resolution
- Resolution and detail retrieval is actually pretty good. But again, it will not compete when comparing to planar IEMs in this price range.
Soundstage
- Soundstage has very good depth with decent width.
Imaging
- Imaging and accuracy is good , I am able to tell where the instruments and vocals quite well.
- Gaming:
- Apex Legends: Gunshots and footsteps can actually be heard quite clearly in terms of direction and distance.
- Separation and layering is decent, instruments are generally separated quite cleanly but instruments in the lower midrange and male vocals are just kept to the back and are not very distinct.
Conclusion
- As a conclusion, I think the Ikko OH10 is still a very fun set with technicalities that are very competent for the price. Even if it is somewhat old, it is still not outdated in my opinion.
- Pros and cons are very apparent.
- Does very well in the bass and technicalities department but not so much in the midrange and the treble.
- Recommended if you're looking for a very fun signature with monstrous bass and good technicalities. However, if midrange is equally as important, I suggest looking for something else.
Thanks for reading!
Sources used during review: Shanling M3X, Hiby R5 Saber
Cables used during review: **** 16 Core High Purity Copper Cable, FAAEAL Hibiscus High Purity Copper Cable
Tips used during review: Final E-Tips. CP-145
Disclaimer: I originally borrowed the Oh10’s from a friend to review on, later on I ended up liking it so much that I got a pair for myself as well. Needless to say, all the views expressed in this review are my own and not influenced by anyone. It is always my goal to provide a bias free and honest review.
Executive Summary: Ikko Oh10 Obsidian is a near 2 years old IEM which has stood the test of time quite successfully. It is a hybrid IEM consisting of a 10mm dynamic driver made of a polymer composite and a Knowles 33518 balance armature driver. Ikko has redesigned the dynamic driver in house so that it can deliver superior performance. When people in various Facebook audio enthusiast groups recommended me to try out the Ikko Oh10, I was a bit skeptical as it was an older IEM with a dual driver configuration and a hefty price tag of $159. But boy was I wrong, newer always doesn’t mean better.
Hits:
• Nice airy well extended treble with a lot of sparkle and energy. Treble is quite nice and engaging making instruments like high hats, cymbals, violins sound crisp.
• Excellent detail retrieval ability compared to some of the warm & smoother IEM’s in this price range.
• Brilliant resolution and technicalities. A wide soundstage with precise imaging performance.
• Natural timbre for instruments, midrange instruments like cello, electric guitar, drums sound very pleasing.
• Both male & female vocals sound nice. Vocals are positioned nicely in the mix, they don’t sound too thin or overly recessed like some typical V-shaped IEM’s.
• One of the best low-end performance’s I have experienced so far, the bass is textured tight and punchy. Complimented with true bass-head level quantity, the sub-bass has massive rumble and the mid-bass punch is clearly distinguishable as well. And regardless of the bass quantity there is no bleed into other frequencies.
• The bass is fast and tight enough to keep up with busy tracks effortlessly. Genres like Rock & Metal sound wicked on the Oh10’s.
• The shells are made out of thick metal and the honeycomb design pattern makes the Ikko Oh10’s look stunning. Although my personal unit came with some scratches and dents out of the box but Ikko has graciously agreed to replace it for me.
• The build and fit are a perfect match for me personally. I can wear the Oh10 for long listening sessions without feeling fatigue. But I have some noticed other reviewers complaining about the metal shells being too heavy, causing discomfort for them.
• Easy to drive, given 18 ohm impedance of the Ikko Oh10 any mid range dongle like the Shanling UA2 for example should be enough to drive it to its full potential.
Misses:
• Rubbish stock cable, at $159 asking price this type of garbage stock cable is totally unacceptable form a well-established company like Ikko.
• Rubbish ear tips and other accessories in the box like that carrying pouch, even if we can call it that.
• Slightly thicker and a bit more forward vocals could have really made the Oh10’s iconic. It’s more like wishful thinking rather than a complaint.
Conclusion: The Ikko Oh10 really managed to surprise me with how they sound. Apart from the awful packaging and stock accessories there isn’t really much else you can fault it with. If you plan on buying the Oh10’s please add a good upgradable cable and some nice tips to your budget as well and you will be good to go. Those with smaller ears might be better off skipping this one. If you want a pair of IEM that can do most genres justice and really satisfy that bass-head beast inside of you that the Ikko Oh10 should definitely be on the top of you list.
Comparisons: I will be including the Ikko Oh10 in my Sub $200 IEM’S: A Battle Royale Style Comparison thread soon, where it will compete against 8 other IEM’s in same price range. Follow my page to see how it performs, stay tuned!
https://www.facebook.com/TheAudioBloke
amanieux
si is oh10 still today your #1 for all rounder at $200 or less ? thanks
IKKO OH10 Obsidian IEMs - Detail Resolution Maxima
Ikko designed an IEM with a rather uninspired name for the presentation, as Obsidian does not necessarily explain the whole story, and the price of 160 USD is way lower than the quality I am hearing from the OH10. The main comparisons will be with Optimisation Elements Tita, BQEYZ Spring 2, BGVP Art Magic VG4.
Introduction
IKKO is not a big house name yet, but with the stuff they have been releasing lately, they might as well become one of the best known names in audio. The IEM we are looking at today is named OH10 Obsidian, a black and somewhat heavy IEM but with the heart of a surgeon, considering the way it cuts and slices open songs and textures. IKKO is really reliable, they make high quality products, and all the products I've had from them so far survived, plus the company is super responsive and has good representatives.
It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with IKKO, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I'd like to thank IKKO for providing the sample for this review. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in IKKO OH10 Obsidian find their next music companion.
Packaging
First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:
The package of OH10 is the same as the package of Meteor, and Obsidian comes with a leather pouch rather than a case, 4 sets of tips, each with 3 sizes. This is considerably better than most IEMs offer in the price.
There is something like a shirt clip with a little fox, Ikko's logo in the package too, which looks aesthetic, but most probably won't be useful for everyone.
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort
The overall build is excellent, and although the Obsidian is a bit on the large side, they are really comfortable once I place them in my ears. I love the cable, which is both thin and well made. The ear guides seem a bit tight, but I can't say I notice this while wearing the Obsidian.
If driver flex is usually an issue for you, Obsidian is free of it, and that is true about hiss too, as it has zero hiss. Overall, the IEMs isolate fairly from the outside noise, but not quite as well as Etymotic or other smaller, deeper fitting IEMS. Speaking of fit, Obsidian, they are a shallower type of IEM.
They are medium to drive, any high quality DAP will do just fine, like the Shanling M3X, FiiO M11, or iBasso DX150. The comfort is not exactly perfect because they are a bit heavy, but the silicone ear guides do an excellent job at supporting that weight in such a way that you don't really feel it.
Sound Quality
The overall sound can be described as slightly warm, fairly detailed, wide and airy. There's a good amount of treble, but they never come through as harsh or sibilant, which is surprising given the price point. There's a beautiful presentation of textures, especially male voices, and stringed instruments, and OH10 Obsidian sounds really detailed and clean. The bass has enough substance and presence to contrast the stronger treble, and this makes OH10 pretty much the perfect IEM for rock, metal, classical, acoustic. For EDM, Dubstep and Electronic music, I tend to prefer a thicker, more lush presentation, but especially orchestral music is magical played through OH10.
The bass is uplifted above the absolute neutral, but Obsidian is not an overly warm or thick sounding IEM. Rather, the overall tonal balance edges more towards thin and airy, which is kinda cool considering the overall market that is full of thick and chub sounding IEMs. The bass is not the focus of the sound, but Obsidian surely does not lack in lows and sub lows, making for a really engaging and fun sounding IEM with the right amount of substance where it is needed. When listening to rock and metal, bass notes are played extremely clearly, and OH10 is able to keep up with quick drums, even with technical death metal and grindcore songs.
The midrange is where the fun starts to happen. Especially in the lower mids, there is some uplift that makes the sound warm-ish and musical. There's a good amount of detail, a wide stage, and a really excellent instrument separation for the Obsidian. I would call the sound analytical for the most part, as in the middle of the midrange, there is a slight dip, and after it the upper midrange starts to rise again, and that keeps on going forward in the treble. Stringed instruments, trumpets, and classical instruments in general are presented so darn well, they are better than on most 500 USD IEMs. I don't know how, but the size, distance to the listener, texture, realism is absolutely spot on for those instruments. I've been testing Obsidian with Dethklok and their entire album Doomstar Requiem. Obsidian actually renders finer details and micro-details in an excellent fashion, with the upper midrange being fun enough for the sound. Guitar solos are natural with good textures and a colorful , vivid presentation.
The treble continues the tradition of having an excellent detail, and if you didn't tell me the price, I would've assumed that the Obsidian cost about 500 USD or more, that is how good the resolution and soundstage are. The treble extends nicely in the upper treble, with extensions worthy of a much more expensive IEM. I am happy to say that they have enough treble bite and sparkle for me, and OH10 sounds pretty much perfect for my ears, when I'm in the mood for some rock and metal.
Comparisons
The main comparisons will be with BQEYZ Spring 2, BGVP Art Magic VG4, and Optimisation Elements Tita. All of them have a similar price to IKKO OH10 Obsidian, and all of them have a really good quality too, so things should be fair and square. All of the competition has better cables than OH10. All of those IEMS have detachable cables.
You can use basically anything to drive OH10 as it is not sensitive to hiss, and not overly power hungry either. The overall presentation of the IEM is balanced-neutral, so any source works well with it. I used Lotoo Paw 6000, Astell Kern SE180, and iBasso DX300 the most while writing this full written review.
IKKO OH10 Obsidian vs Optimisation Elements Tita (160 USD vs 170 USD) - Tita has a smaller body, but is not more comfortable than OH10, as the IEM bore is a bit larger, and that does create some wearing fatigue in the long run. All of the competitors have better cables than OH10, and Tita is not an exception. The overall sound is considerably thicker, warmer, more lush and with more body for Tita. OH10 has a more airy sound, a much wider soundstage, with more space between instruments, better overall clarity, more detail and more focus on treble. I prefer OH10 for orchestral, rock and metal, also for classical. Tita works much better for Electronic, J-Pop, Dubstep and most contemporary pop music.
IKKO OH10 Obsidian vs BQEYZ Spring 2 (160 USD vs 170 USD) - Spring 2 is similar in tuning to OH10, but they have a smaller body. Despite this, they are not lighter. Spring 2 works equally well for most music styles, but the soundstage is a bit wider, with more air and instrument separation, and the timbre is much better for classical on OH10. For electronic, dubstep and most aggressive electronic music, Spring 2 sounds better, more satisfying, whereas the more limited bass of OH10 sounds better for acoustic instruments, metal and rock.
IKKO OH10 Obsidian vs BGVP Art Magic VG4 (160 USD vs 230 USD) - The comfort is better on OH10 Obsidian than it is on VG4, as they have a smaller, more ergonomic shape. The weight is higher on the OH10. The actual sound has more soundstage, more treble sparkle, and more detail on OH10 Obsidian, while it has more thickness, more substance and a more midrange-forward presentation on VG4. You could say that OH10 is a bit mid-recessed, while VG4 is more midrange-forward from those two. I would generally go with Obsidian for most Rock, Orchestral, Punk, Pop, and wide-sounding music, and would go with VG4 for Jazz, Grindcore, EDM, Industrial and Dubstep.
Value and Conclusion
The value of IKKO OH10 Obsidian is actually much better than most of the IEMs offered in the price range, and regardless of the price range. They are simply put, an exceptional IEM with exceptional qualities. The overall package compliments the excellent sound, and if you want detail + resolution, Ikko made sure that their IEMS can deliver, OH10 being what I would be willing to consider one of the most detailed IEMs I've heard, sub 500 USD.
I actually am going to add it to Audiophile-Heaven's Hall Of Fame, and I can say that I am really into the sound, and I will be looking forward to hearing more IEMs from IKKO in the near future.
If you want one of the most natural sounding IEMS, one of the most live sounding IEMs and one of the most detailed / clean IEMs in the sub 500 USD price range, then IKKO will totally deliver with their OH10, and should make you happy for a long time to come.
Ikko designed an IEM with a rather uninspired name for the presentation, as Obsidian does not necessarily explain the whole story, and the price of 160 USD is way lower than the quality I am hearing from the OH10. The main comparisons will be with Optimisation Elements Tita, BQEYZ Spring 2, BGVP Art Magic VG4.
Introduction
IKKO is not a big house name yet, but with the stuff they have been releasing lately, they might as well become one of the best known names in audio. The IEM we are looking at today is named OH10 Obsidian, a black and somewhat heavy IEM but with the heart of a surgeon, considering the way it cuts and slices open songs and textures. IKKO is really reliable, they make high quality products, and all the products I've had from them so far survived, plus the company is super responsive and has good representatives.
It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with IKKO, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I'd like to thank IKKO for providing the sample for this review. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in IKKO OH10 Obsidian find their next music companion.
Packaging
First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:
The package of OH10 is the same as the package of Meteor, and Obsidian comes with a leather pouch rather than a case, 4 sets of tips, each with 3 sizes. This is considerably better than most IEMs offer in the price.
There is something like a shirt clip with a little fox, Ikko's logo in the package too, which looks aesthetic, but most probably won't be useful for everyone.
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort
The overall build is excellent, and although the Obsidian is a bit on the large side, they are really comfortable once I place them in my ears. I love the cable, which is both thin and well made. The ear guides seem a bit tight, but I can't say I notice this while wearing the Obsidian.
If driver flex is usually an issue for you, Obsidian is free of it, and that is true about hiss too, as it has zero hiss. Overall, the IEMs isolate fairly from the outside noise, but not quite as well as Etymotic or other smaller, deeper fitting IEMS. Speaking of fit, Obsidian, they are a shallower type of IEM.
They are medium to drive, any high quality DAP will do just fine, like the Shanling M3X, FiiO M11, or iBasso DX150. The comfort is not exactly perfect because they are a bit heavy, but the silicone ear guides do an excellent job at supporting that weight in such a way that you don't really feel it.
Sound Quality
The overall sound can be described as slightly warm, fairly detailed, wide and airy. There's a good amount of treble, but they never come through as harsh or sibilant, which is surprising given the price point. There's a beautiful presentation of textures, especially male voices, and stringed instruments, and OH10 Obsidian sounds really detailed and clean. The bass has enough substance and presence to contrast the stronger treble, and this makes OH10 pretty much the perfect IEM for rock, metal, classical, acoustic. For EDM, Dubstep and Electronic music, I tend to prefer a thicker, more lush presentation, but especially orchestral music is magical played through OH10.
The bass is uplifted above the absolute neutral, but Obsidian is not an overly warm or thick sounding IEM. Rather, the overall tonal balance edges more towards thin and airy, which is kinda cool considering the overall market that is full of thick and chub sounding IEMs. The bass is not the focus of the sound, but Obsidian surely does not lack in lows and sub lows, making for a really engaging and fun sounding IEM with the right amount of substance where it is needed. When listening to rock and metal, bass notes are played extremely clearly, and OH10 is able to keep up with quick drums, even with technical death metal and grindcore songs.
The midrange is where the fun starts to happen. Especially in the lower mids, there is some uplift that makes the sound warm-ish and musical. There's a good amount of detail, a wide stage, and a really excellent instrument separation for the Obsidian. I would call the sound analytical for the most part, as in the middle of the midrange, there is a slight dip, and after it the upper midrange starts to rise again, and that keeps on going forward in the treble. Stringed instruments, trumpets, and classical instruments in general are presented so darn well, they are better than on most 500 USD IEMs. I don't know how, but the size, distance to the listener, texture, realism is absolutely spot on for those instruments. I've been testing Obsidian with Dethklok and their entire album Doomstar Requiem. Obsidian actually renders finer details and micro-details in an excellent fashion, with the upper midrange being fun enough for the sound. Guitar solos are natural with good textures and a colorful , vivid presentation.
The treble continues the tradition of having an excellent detail, and if you didn't tell me the price, I would've assumed that the Obsidian cost about 500 USD or more, that is how good the resolution and soundstage are. The treble extends nicely in the upper treble, with extensions worthy of a much more expensive IEM. I am happy to say that they have enough treble bite and sparkle for me, and OH10 sounds pretty much perfect for my ears, when I'm in the mood for some rock and metal.
Comparisons
The main comparisons will be with BQEYZ Spring 2, BGVP Art Magic VG4, and Optimisation Elements Tita. All of them have a similar price to IKKO OH10 Obsidian, and all of them have a really good quality too, so things should be fair and square. All of the competition has better cables than OH10. All of those IEMS have detachable cables.
You can use basically anything to drive OH10 as it is not sensitive to hiss, and not overly power hungry either. The overall presentation of the IEM is balanced-neutral, so any source works well with it. I used Lotoo Paw 6000, Astell Kern SE180, and iBasso DX300 the most while writing this full written review.
IKKO OH10 Obsidian vs Optimisation Elements Tita (160 USD vs 170 USD) - Tita has a smaller body, but is not more comfortable than OH10, as the IEM bore is a bit larger, and that does create some wearing fatigue in the long run. All of the competitors have better cables than OH10, and Tita is not an exception. The overall sound is considerably thicker, warmer, more lush and with more body for Tita. OH10 has a more airy sound, a much wider soundstage, with more space between instruments, better overall clarity, more detail and more focus on treble. I prefer OH10 for orchestral, rock and metal, also for classical. Tita works much better for Electronic, J-Pop, Dubstep and most contemporary pop music.
IKKO OH10 Obsidian vs BQEYZ Spring 2 (160 USD vs 170 USD) - Spring 2 is similar in tuning to OH10, but they have a smaller body. Despite this, they are not lighter. Spring 2 works equally well for most music styles, but the soundstage is a bit wider, with more air and instrument separation, and the timbre is much better for classical on OH10. For electronic, dubstep and most aggressive electronic music, Spring 2 sounds better, more satisfying, whereas the more limited bass of OH10 sounds better for acoustic instruments, metal and rock.
IKKO OH10 Obsidian vs BGVP Art Magic VG4 (160 USD vs 230 USD) - The comfort is better on OH10 Obsidian than it is on VG4, as they have a smaller, more ergonomic shape. The weight is higher on the OH10. The actual sound has more soundstage, more treble sparkle, and more detail on OH10 Obsidian, while it has more thickness, more substance and a more midrange-forward presentation on VG4. You could say that OH10 is a bit mid-recessed, while VG4 is more midrange-forward from those two. I would generally go with Obsidian for most Rock, Orchestral, Punk, Pop, and wide-sounding music, and would go with VG4 for Jazz, Grindcore, EDM, Industrial and Dubstep.
Value and Conclusion
The value of IKKO OH10 Obsidian is actually much better than most of the IEMs offered in the price range, and regardless of the price range. They are simply put, an exceptional IEM with exceptional qualities. The overall package compliments the excellent sound, and if you want detail + resolution, Ikko made sure that their IEMS can deliver, OH10 being what I would be willing to consider one of the most detailed IEMs I've heard, sub 500 USD.
I actually am going to add it to Audiophile-Heaven's Hall Of Fame, and I can say that I am really into the sound, and I will be looking forward to hearing more IEMs from IKKO in the near future.
If you want one of the most natural sounding IEMS, one of the most live sounding IEMs and one of the most detailed / clean IEMs in the sub 500 USD price range, then IKKO will totally deliver with their OH10, and should make you happy for a long time to come.
BattleBrat
This mirrors my experience exactly. I love the OH10’s at medium volume, rich full dynamic but easy on the ears! Great review.
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]
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]
Last edited:
Ace Bee
You may be a new head-fier, but you're surely not new to the trade. Very nicely written review, although, a more detailed comparison would have been appreciated.
Introduction:
IKKO Audio is a Chinese earphone manufacturer who aims to provide high fidelity music for music lovers in a way that integrates with the current digital era and provide a natural, comfortable experience. Ikko is one of the fastest growing brands in IEM market. OH10 aka Obsidian is a shiny new addition in their collection.
At a first glance, OH10 looks like a beautiful IEM with unique design and sturdy retro look. The earpieces itself feel well build and slightly heavy yet fits so comfortably. These have a titanium-coated copper alloy housing with faceplate that has a smoothly hammered look and glossy finish. The overall design has a premium feel to it.
OH10 comes in a nice packaging. The outside cardboard sleeve is adorned with Ikko brand logo and its waifu character sets the tone of this product. Inside the sleeve is a stylish looking black box where all the items ornately arranged. The rather interesting item inside this box is a tiny broach which has Ikko symbol protruding from it. Box also packs a beautiful vintage style leather pouch with a string to tie it close.
Disclaimer:
I have received Ikko OH10 as part of review circle sent from Hifinage (India) in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with IEMs of similar hardware configurations and price range. One can purchase the same from the following link.
Sources:
For this review the unit has been paired to A&K SE100 (ES9038 Pro), Fiio Q5 (AK4490), LG V30+ and Vivo X50pro. No additional amplification is required by this IEM.
Highs:
The upper frequency spectrum of OH10 is purely emphasized on quality rather than quantity. Lower treble is prominent but starts to roll off to the peak making it quite detailed and non-fatiguing as compared to other treble oriented IEMs out there. The overall presentation feels full of air and sparkle. All instruments like violins, cymbals, high notes of piano and trumpets sounds crisp and finely resolved. It’s quite engaging, and for the price point of view it offers quite nice attack and energy. Timber of electric guitars are just fantastic.
While playing Rain by Simply Three, the violins sounded very clean, although loses the texture and layering at some levels but overall presentation came out to be very good.
Mids:
The mid spectrum also has a hint of openness and clarity but also is the weakest point of OH10. The mids can be at one hand quite analytical and precise but at same time feels bit cold and lifeless. The upper and lower mids are quite good and complements the treble and bass regions. The tonality is quite nice, especially for pianos, guitars and is quite lively.
Lower mids feels but recessed resulting in cold male vocals as compared to female ones, female vocals on other hand sounds fuller than male vocals; but the overall texture and detailing is very fine and precise. Same has been observed while listening to "Lava Song by Peter and Evynne Hollens" and "Ring my bells by Enrique Iglesias" having a very fine detailing yet kind of cold presentation in vocals.
But on the other hand, its quite good for listening to classical orchestra. I enjoyed listening to masterpieces of Mozart and Beethoven on it while working.
Lows:
The OH10 offers a well emphasized bass that very well compliments the extended treble. The sub-bass has nice rumble to it, and it follows mid bass and evenly decays off to mids. The overall control and texture are very good. A little bass bleed to mids can be observed. The layering is bass region is good, I have enjoyed some of my favorite bass emphasized songs over it like "KVSH - Tokyo Drift", although the texture was kind of smooth but has nice attach and weight to it.
Detailing/Imaging/Soundstage:
The soundstage of OH-10 is nice and wide and large enough to enjoy any orchestral music. The height and depth felt just average. The imaging on other hand is quite good, with nice separation and air between the instruments. Layering on the other hand is kind of volume driven as with bit high volumes the bass and treble starts to overtake the entire presentation. The detailing and sound resolution is very good as per price point of view.
Final Verdict:
The Ikko OH-10 is a beautiful and rugged yet premium looking IEM with an engaging sound signature. I personally liked the fit of this earpieces; and if one is into the V-shaped sound then this is quite a no brainier at its price point of view. The treble and bass are quite resolving and complements each other. The soundstage and technicalities are quite good and perfect for enjoying orchestral pieces. So in a nutshell, it’s a fun sounding IEM with good timber but yet quite coherent and controlled tuning; if one is a bass head then it will definitely make you feel smile straight out of the box.
Comparisons (OH-10 vs OH-01)
The OH-10 I would say is entirely different IEM w.r.t OH-1. The OH-10 is entirely a V-Shaped signature and bit aggressive and energetic the OH-1 is slightly mid-centric with sort of laid-back signature. Although look wise both of them look similar, OH-10 gives impression on of glossy metallic finish and is heavier as compared to matte finish of OH-1.
IKKO Audio is a Chinese earphone manufacturer who aims to provide high fidelity music for music lovers in a way that integrates with the current digital era and provide a natural, comfortable experience. Ikko is one of the fastest growing brands in IEM market. OH10 aka Obsidian is a shiny new addition in their collection.
At a first glance, OH10 looks like a beautiful IEM with unique design and sturdy retro look. The earpieces itself feel well build and slightly heavy yet fits so comfortably. These have a titanium-coated copper alloy housing with faceplate that has a smoothly hammered look and glossy finish. The overall design has a premium feel to it.
OH10 comes in a nice packaging. The outside cardboard sleeve is adorned with Ikko brand logo and its waifu character sets the tone of this product. Inside the sleeve is a stylish looking black box where all the items ornately arranged. The rather interesting item inside this box is a tiny broach which has Ikko symbol protruding from it. Box also packs a beautiful vintage style leather pouch with a string to tie it close.
Disclaimer:
I have received Ikko OH10 as part of review circle sent from Hifinage (India) in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with IEMs of similar hardware configurations and price range. One can purchase the same from the following link.
Sources:
For this review the unit has been paired to A&K SE100 (ES9038 Pro), Fiio Q5 (AK4490), LG V30+ and Vivo X50pro. No additional amplification is required by this IEM.
Highs:
The upper frequency spectrum of OH10 is purely emphasized on quality rather than quantity. Lower treble is prominent but starts to roll off to the peak making it quite detailed and non-fatiguing as compared to other treble oriented IEMs out there. The overall presentation feels full of air and sparkle. All instruments like violins, cymbals, high notes of piano and trumpets sounds crisp and finely resolved. It’s quite engaging, and for the price point of view it offers quite nice attack and energy. Timber of electric guitars are just fantastic.
While playing Rain by Simply Three, the violins sounded very clean, although loses the texture and layering at some levels but overall presentation came out to be very good.
Mids:
The mid spectrum also has a hint of openness and clarity but also is the weakest point of OH10. The mids can be at one hand quite analytical and precise but at same time feels bit cold and lifeless. The upper and lower mids are quite good and complements the treble and bass regions. The tonality is quite nice, especially for pianos, guitars and is quite lively.
Lower mids feels but recessed resulting in cold male vocals as compared to female ones, female vocals on other hand sounds fuller than male vocals; but the overall texture and detailing is very fine and precise. Same has been observed while listening to "Lava Song by Peter and Evynne Hollens" and "Ring my bells by Enrique Iglesias" having a very fine detailing yet kind of cold presentation in vocals.
But on the other hand, its quite good for listening to classical orchestra. I enjoyed listening to masterpieces of Mozart and Beethoven on it while working.
Lows:
The OH10 offers a well emphasized bass that very well compliments the extended treble. The sub-bass has nice rumble to it, and it follows mid bass and evenly decays off to mids. The overall control and texture are very good. A little bass bleed to mids can be observed. The layering is bass region is good, I have enjoyed some of my favorite bass emphasized songs over it like "KVSH - Tokyo Drift", although the texture was kind of smooth but has nice attach and weight to it.
Detailing/Imaging/Soundstage:
The soundstage of OH-10 is nice and wide and large enough to enjoy any orchestral music. The height and depth felt just average. The imaging on other hand is quite good, with nice separation and air between the instruments. Layering on the other hand is kind of volume driven as with bit high volumes the bass and treble starts to overtake the entire presentation. The detailing and sound resolution is very good as per price point of view.
Final Verdict:
The Ikko OH-10 is a beautiful and rugged yet premium looking IEM with an engaging sound signature. I personally liked the fit of this earpieces; and if one is into the V-shaped sound then this is quite a no brainier at its price point of view. The treble and bass are quite resolving and complements each other. The soundstage and technicalities are quite good and perfect for enjoying orchestral pieces. So in a nutshell, it’s a fun sounding IEM with good timber but yet quite coherent and controlled tuning; if one is a bass head then it will definitely make you feel smile straight out of the box.
Comparisons (OH-10 vs OH-01)
The OH-10 I would say is entirely different IEM w.r.t OH-1. The OH-10 is entirely a V-Shaped signature and bit aggressive and energetic the OH-1 is slightly mid-centric with sort of laid-back signature. Although look wise both of them look similar, OH-10 gives impression on of glossy metallic finish and is heavier as compared to matte finish of OH-1.
Disclaimer : The unit was provided by Hifinage in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase the OH10 here.
Build and Fit
To answer the elephant in the room, yes, the shells are heavy! But that's because they're made of dense chunky metal throughout. These shells can break bones!
Unfortunately, the cable is very janky and thin. Pair it with the awkward novelty focused cable tie and such heavy shells, you will have to spend a minute or two whenever you take them
out of your pocket to untangle the devilish mess that is guaranteed to be made. If you are weight sensitive, the shells might cause fatigue for long term listening.
Amp Needs
At 18 ohms and 108 dB/mW, there is no need for a dedicated amp. Plug it in your phone and enjoy! Right angled jack is provided keeping this in mind.
Sound
Lows
The subbass is considerably accentuated here, to the point of satisfying even the bassheads out there. There is enough extension and quantity to produce the sought after "rumble" down in the depths.
There is a good amount of information in the bass region and when the subbass hits, it hits HARD. The midbass isn't bloated so there isn't any bleed issues. Because of this, the subbass feels like a different
and disjointed "entity" compared to the overall signature, appears only when called, hits hard and exits the stage, although not that fast. Suffice it to say , the bass here is very satisfying and a sizable gem on its
crown.
Mids
The mids are recessed. While the timbre in this region (save the upper midrange) is fine, it feels veiled and hazy. I can hear it beckoning, but it fails to grab my attention and thus my emotional attachment
with the midrange gets severed. The upper midrange is boosted, but nowhere near the levels of its smaller brother, the OH1. I would suggest you look elsewhere if midrange performance is of importance to you.
Highs
The entire treble region is safely tuned, with the occasional sharpness cutting through, none of which at any point is worth cutting marks for. It is fairly active and forward. Paired with the thick and punchy bass, I can't think of a better IEM
for electronica/techno at this price range : its got all the right ingredients. To my ears, I found no sharpness or harshness. It's actually pretty coherent. It's just always there at the right time, never drawing unwanted attention. So much so that
the dominating element in the sound is still the bass. This results in an overall bassy and warm IEM.
Soundstage, Imaging, Dynamics & Resolution
Soundstage is the king of the hill, it is always spacious and wide for every recording. If you want soundstage, buy this. Period. In fact this is consistently wider than the See Audio Yume (169 USD) as well (although the Yume has a more natural stage) by a
substantial margin. News has it that the OH10 is THE iem to get in this price bracket if you crave for stage width, and I agree. So spacious.
Imaging is okay-ish and run of the mill. Same goes for the resolution and raw detail retrieval although the detail in the bass is nicely brought out. I hear more texture in the bass region.
Conclusion
The OH10 has a few aces up it's sleeves : the bass and soundstage width. I haven't come across an IEM that can compete against the OH10 in these regards. Although the See Audio Yume (169 USD) has a far more neutral and balanced tuning with considerably better tonality,
the OH10 is just what a lot of people look for. Another great contender in this already supremely VFM price bracket.
Build and Fit
To answer the elephant in the room, yes, the shells are heavy! But that's because they're made of dense chunky metal throughout. These shells can break bones!
Unfortunately, the cable is very janky and thin. Pair it with the awkward novelty focused cable tie and such heavy shells, you will have to spend a minute or two whenever you take them
out of your pocket to untangle the devilish mess that is guaranteed to be made. If you are weight sensitive, the shells might cause fatigue for long term listening.
Amp Needs
At 18 ohms and 108 dB/mW, there is no need for a dedicated amp. Plug it in your phone and enjoy! Right angled jack is provided keeping this in mind.
Sound
Lows
The subbass is considerably accentuated here, to the point of satisfying even the bassheads out there. There is enough extension and quantity to produce the sought after "rumble" down in the depths.
There is a good amount of information in the bass region and when the subbass hits, it hits HARD. The midbass isn't bloated so there isn't any bleed issues. Because of this, the subbass feels like a different
and disjointed "entity" compared to the overall signature, appears only when called, hits hard and exits the stage, although not that fast. Suffice it to say , the bass here is very satisfying and a sizable gem on its
crown.
Mids
The mids are recessed. While the timbre in this region (save the upper midrange) is fine, it feels veiled and hazy. I can hear it beckoning, but it fails to grab my attention and thus my emotional attachment
with the midrange gets severed. The upper midrange is boosted, but nowhere near the levels of its smaller brother, the OH1. I would suggest you look elsewhere if midrange performance is of importance to you.
Highs
The entire treble region is safely tuned, with the occasional sharpness cutting through, none of which at any point is worth cutting marks for. It is fairly active and forward. Paired with the thick and punchy bass, I can't think of a better IEM
for electronica/techno at this price range : its got all the right ingredients. To my ears, I found no sharpness or harshness. It's actually pretty coherent. It's just always there at the right time, never drawing unwanted attention. So much so that
the dominating element in the sound is still the bass. This results in an overall bassy and warm IEM.
Soundstage, Imaging, Dynamics & Resolution
Soundstage is the king of the hill, it is always spacious and wide for every recording. If you want soundstage, buy this. Period. In fact this is consistently wider than the See Audio Yume (169 USD) as well (although the Yume has a more natural stage) by a
substantial margin. News has it that the OH10 is THE iem to get in this price bracket if you crave for stage width, and I agree. So spacious.
Imaging is okay-ish and run of the mill. Same goes for the resolution and raw detail retrieval although the detail in the bass is nicely brought out. I hear more texture in the bass region.
Conclusion
The OH10 has a few aces up it's sleeves : the bass and soundstage width. I haven't come across an IEM that can compete against the OH10 in these regards. Although the See Audio Yume (169 USD) has a far more neutral and balanced tuning with considerably better tonality,
the OH10 is just what a lot of people look for. Another great contender in this already supremely VFM price bracket.
Disclaimer: I bought this during the end of march AliExpress sale from Penon with only 10 usd discount.
Price: 190 usd (paid 180 usd because of the sale)
Specifications:
Drivers: 1 DD 10mm polymer composite titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic driver and 1 BA Knowles 33518
Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHZ
Sensitivity: 106dB
Impedance: 18 Ω
Cable length: 1.2m
Jack Termination: 3.5mm Gold plated audio
Cable Connection Type: 2-pin 0.78mm
Cable config: 4 strands of 8 high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5n silver-plated
Accessories:
2 sets of S/M/L wide bore tips
Carry pouch
IKKO emblem
Cable: Garbage 4 core cable that measures at 1.01 ohms, get rid of It ASAP and get a 3rd party cable instead…
Build: Made out of copper (copper cavity) and is too heavy for its own good...(more on that a bit later). It is vented and has a lip nozzle (although the nozzle is quite short, so some tips might not fit and will fall off easy).
Fit: Great, the shape and the size (average) cover my entire ears.
Comfort: Here is where it struggles the most, as the heavy shells make the comfort pretty bad and is too fatiguing for me to use for over an hour.
Isolation: Above average since it covers my entire ears and because the vent is positioned near the 2pin connectors.
Setup: Ibasso DX160 (low gain, volume around 24), Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, Cable A1 4.4mm
Lows: Mid-bass is very tight and on the faster side while the quantity is high so it is both fun and clean. The sub-bass however has a lot of rumble (too much for me, but bassheads will like this) so it kind of bleeds into the rest of the sound, although this varies depending on the track as some don’t have any problems at all. Sub-bass focused over mid-bass.
Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), quite clean due to the speed and tightness and with decent texture. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is hearable, but not very clean.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), fun because of the quantity but also clean because of the tightness and speed. Texture is good as well.
Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends very low and rumbles a lot (a bit too much actually). Punch quantity is very high as well but isn’t very clean due to it having too much rumble and speed and tightness are decent.
Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), high quantity, tight and good texture, so it is very fun but clarity isn’t that good due to it having too much rumble.
Mids: Female vocals are a bit more forward than male vocals, but both are still recessed. They do sound natural with their timbre, but tonality, especially for female vocals tend to lack brightness. Detail and clarity could be better as well for something in this price range. Instrument timbre is also very natural. Overall coherency is excellent for a hybrid though.
Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), instrument tonality is good due to the warmth and timbre/coherency are excellent, but is it is a bit harsh. Vocal tonality however, is lacking brightness and overall detail is just ok while it is also recessed in quantity.
Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), vocal tonality is lacking a lot of brightness and clarity/details are lacking for something in this price range. Instruments are a bit harsh.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), somewhat peaky and fatiguing as well as fatiguing.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), sharp and very fatiguing.
Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are very good as is the timbre. Vocals are recessed however.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are very good as is the timbre. Vocals are recessed however.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a bit sharp and is fatiguing.
Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), not peaky but somewhat bloated due to the bass.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), cello tonality, timbre and texture are very good but clarity and details could be better. Violin timbre is very good, but tonality, texture, clarity and details could be better.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), good tonality but recessed mids and clarity could be better.
Soundstage: Holographic soundstage due to good width and depth.
Tonality: Warm V-shape, with very good timbre and coherency. Naturality is only limited by the warm tonality that doesn’t have much ability to adapt to a brighter tonality when the track calls for it. Kind of a specialist iem for bassheads rather than an “audiophile” tuning.
Details: Slightly below average at this price range with both micro and macro details. Bottlenecked by the huge sub-bass.
Instrument Separation: Decent separation but pretty poor imaging due to the sub-bass.
Songs that highlight the IEM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zoBpYfo9WU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCXhD9cwXZA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IH8tNQAzSs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjVkXlxsO8Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwmSjveL3Lc
Good genres: Hip-hop, R&B, EDM, Linkin Park, Pop, Kpop, Good for bassy tracks
Bad genres: Acoustic, vocal, orchestral, OST
Comparisons:
IEM: Fiio FH3, Final Audio Type E tips LL, Cable A3 4.4mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), Extends lower and rumbles more on the OH10. Punch quantity is similar but tighter on the OH10 while speed is similar. Although it is cleaner on the FH3 and more textured as well.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), similar quantity and speed. But tighter on the OH10 while it is more textured and cleaner on the FH3 due to the treble.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), similar speed, but tighter on the OH10 and individual bass strikes are more distinct. Clarity is better on the FH3 due to the treble though, otherwise the bass itself is cleaner on the OH10.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Instrument tonality, and timbre (as well as vocal timbre) are better on the OH10 (coherency is also better). But cleaner, more detailed and more forward vocals (as well as better vocal tonality) on the FH3 as well as less harsh.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit peakier and fatiguing on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), tonality and timbre are better on the OH10. But is cleaner and more detailed on the FH3 as well as more forward vocals.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), a bit sharper on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), cello tonality and timbre are better on the OH10 while texture, clarity and details are better on the FH3. Violin tonality, texture, details, clarity and treble-extension are better on the FH3 while timbre is better on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality and timbre on the OH10 but more detailed and cleaner on the FH3.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), similar width but deeper on the OH10 and is more holographic. Imaging, instrument separation and details are a bit better on the FH3. Timbre (more BA timbre in the mids/treble on the FH3) and coherency are better on the OH10.
Overall: Both are bassy iems, but the FH3 is the easier recommendation (because of price, more versatile and less fatiguing) while the OH10 is more of a basshead recommendation. Generally, the sub-bass is better on the FH3, mid-bass better on the OH10, Mids/treble tied (better timbre and coherency on the OH10 but better clarity, details and not harsh on the FH3).
IEM: Sony XBA-N3, Final Audio Type E tips LL, Cable A6 4.4mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends a bit lower on the N3 but with similar rumble. Punch quantity is a bit higher on the N3, but is looser, more textured and with similar speed. But still cleaner on the N3
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit more quantity on the N3, similar speed but tighter on the OH10 while texture is better on the N3. Cleaner and more detailed on the N3 with better tonality as well.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), faster and tighter on the OH10 with similar quantity and texture. Cleaner on the OH10.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), better tonality and timbre for both vocals/instruments on the N3. As well as more detail, clarity and a bit more forward vocal.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), peakier and more fatiguing on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), similar tonality but better timbre on the N3 as well as more detailed, better clarity and a bit more forward vocal.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), sharper and more fatiguing on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre, details, clarity and texture are better on the N3. Violin tonality is similar, but better timbre, texture, clarity and detail on the N3.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality, timbre, details and clarity are better on the N3.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a lot bigger soundstage on the N3 in width and depth. Details, instrument separation, imaging, timbre and overall coherency are also better on the N3.
Overall: The N3 is better than the OH10 in basically all factors, they are very similar in the mids and treble though. The bass is tighter on the OH10 while it is looser on the N3, but still sounds cleaner on the N3.
IEM: Shuoer Tape (EQ), Final Audio Type E tips LL, Cable 168 (hakuzen) 4.4mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower and rumbles more on the OH10. Punch quantity, speed and tightness are similar. But a bit more textured on the OH10, while it is cleaner and more detailed on the Tape.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), more quantity on the OH10, very similar speed/tightness/texture. But cleaner and more detailed on the Tape.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), more quantity on the OH10 with very similar speed and tightness. But cleaner and more detailed on the Tape.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Instrument and vocal tonality/timbre are more natural on the OH10. But sounds cleaner, more detailed and less harsh on the Tape. A bit more forward vocal on the OH10 though.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), peakier on the OH10 and more fatiguing.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), tonality and timbre are better on the OH10 as well as a bit more forward vocal. But cleaner and more detailed on the Tape.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), sharper and more fatiguing on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre and texture are better on the OH10 but better clarity and details on the Tape. Violin tonality, timbre and texture are better on the OH10 but better clarity and details on the Tape while treble extension is similar.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality, details and clarity on the Tape but better timbre on the OH10.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), soundstage is wider and deeper on the OH10. Imaging, instrument separation and details are better on the Tape. Timbre and coherency are better on the OH10.
Overall: The Tape is a more unique sounding iem and also more technical iem but at the same time NEEDS EQ. While the OH10 is a more fun and natural iem.
IEM: Dunu EST112, Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, stock cable 4.4mm
(from my Dunu EST112 review)
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends and rumbles a lot more on the OH10. Punch quantity is also a lot higher on the OH10 while speed, tightness and texture are a lot better on the EST112. A lot cleaner on the EST112 and is a bit too much bass on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a lot more quantity on the OH10 while the EST112 is a lot faster, tighter and more textured. Sounds a bit bloated on the OH10.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), a lot cleaner on the EST112. Too much quantity and sounds somewhat bloated on the OH10.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), instrument tonality and timbre are a bit better on the OH10. But vocals are a lot better on the EST112 with tonality, details, clarity and is more forward as well.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), peakier and more fatiguing on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Vocal tonality is better on the OH10 due to the warmth and timbre is better as well. But is recessed and a lot cleaner and more detailed on the EST112.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), a bit more fatiguing on the OH10.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre, details, texture and clarity are all better on the EST112. Violin tonality, timbre, details, texture and clarity are all better on the EST112.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality, details and clarity are better on the EST112. Too much bass and recessed vocals on the OH10 but better timbre on it.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a lot wider, deeper and airier soundstage on the EST112. Details, instrument separation and imaging are also better on the EST112. Timbre and coherency are a bit better on the OH10.
Overall: The OH10 is better if you want a more fun iem (a ton of bass, almost basshead) but otherwise the EST112 is superior from tonality to technicalities.
Conclusion: The OH10 isn’t a versatile iem, it is more of a specialist (for warm and bassy stuff) that fortunately does work quite well with my library and purely by sound, I do actually think it deserves a 4,5/5 for my library and if you are a basshead. But placing it at 4/5 because of the crappy accessories and super heavy shells which is a big bottleneck since I can only use it for around an hour because of that weight.
Graph:
Cable source:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...zTm4ei7HEfP8AI1zxswrMw2ho/edit#gid=1801072063
Reference/test songs:
Introduction:
Let's be honest - Ikko OH10 Obsidian is a looker. That Onyx like shell texture, full metal shiny shell, and triangular shape will captivate your attention in a second. I loved the look of it, but never got around to get one for me because I always went for something else and gave it a pass for the moment. So when an opportunity came to audition them in exchange of a fair review, I promptly took it up!
Disclaimer:
Ikko OH10 has been provided by Hifinage, India for review purposes. The impressions provided hereafter are subjective to my gear and listening capabilities. One can purchase OH10 from Hifinage for INR 16,999 through following link.
https://hifinage.com/products/ikko-oh10
Technical Specifications:-
Mentioning this section especially because the box and its contents feels effing premium for this pricepoint. The box looks quite beautiful, and the inside contents are nothing less:
Build and Fit:
OH10 build invokes security in ones mind. It is built like a tank. Full metal solid shell, with stunning texture and reflective shiny surface. I have seen iems that cost more but look and build-wise does not come close to OH10.
However, with this solid shell comes weight, and OH10 has it in plenty. That may resul in poor fit for some, but thankfully, due to the slightly longer nozzle and L size tips, I did not have much issue.
Sound:
This is the deciding aspect of all iems, at least to me. I am not gonna look at the iems, I am gonna put them in my ears. So that is where they are expect to perform the best. I used Shanling UP4 as a source paired with my phone.
OH10 has a V-shaped sound signature, no mistake. Mids are recessed, Bass and Treble both emphasised. Let us get into each of them separately.
Low:
OH10 has a considerably emphasised subbass that reach deep and rumbles nicely. There are no abundance of quantity here. Decay is slow. Although there is a bit of looseness, but nothing so much that details will be masked.
Midbass has a good body and controlled but considerable punch. Midbass hits are very much satisfactory and pleasing. Textures are quite nice, not totally masked.
Overall, low frequencies are reproduced with a noticeable emphasis and more often than not draws the listener's attention.
In Battlestar Galactica Season 2 OST - Prelude To War the Bass drums sound thunderous with very pleasing reverberations.
In Muse - Showbiz and Steven Wilson - Pariah tracks the basslines jump to the front with very much life and presence.
Mid:
Paying homage to the V shaped tuning, the mids are a bit recessed. Not too much, but not in the front either. However, credit has to be given to Ikko for its clean mids and crisp notes. OH10 produces the midrange with sufficient air in between notes, providing very good separation. However, notes are not unnaturally thin here, rather has a nice body such that the naturalness is retained.
Lower mids have good presence. Male vocals sounds slightly thinner than usual but not very unnatural. Instruments although sounds quite snappy.
Upper mids are energetic, but occassionally may get harsh. Female vocals sound pronounced but sibilance are detected sometimes.
In Battlestar Galactica Season 2 OST - Prelude To War the snare drums are reproduced cleanly with crisp notes. Sounds pleasing.
In Poets Of The Fall - The Ballad of Jeremiah Peacekeeper Mike Saaresto's voice sound slightly less emotional, but good nonetheless. Textures are reproduced cleanly though.
In Silversun Pickups - The Royal We the vocals can occassionally get sharp and piercing, and sound slightly thinner than normal. The harsh electric guitar can be a bit taxing for your ears.
Yao Si Ting's voice in Scarborough Fair sounds highly energetic, but often sounds piercing and sibilant.
High:
Even though the highs of OH10 have substantial energy, and even though I like brightness here, I somehow found the highs here a bit unnatural and sometimes a little too much energetic. Sharp notes, airy treble. Details are reproduced well, but sometimes sharpness compromises a bit of details. Lower treble has slightly more emphasis here. Trebles have a slight bit of grain as well.
In Silversun Pickups - The Royal We the cymbals and hi-hats notes have a slightly piercing characteristics. They are emphasised, airy, but notes are kinda sharp as well. Sounds a bit grainy and unnatural to my ears though.
In Muse - Showbiz the background ride cymbal rolls are emphasised and hard to miss.
Soundstage:
The soundstage of OH10 is more wide than deep. There is a nice positioning of different instruments in a wide headspace. However, the depth is relatively less, and hence the holographic feeling is somewhat missing. Height of stage is average. Not bad, not very good.
Comparison:
vs. Penon Fan: Penon Fan is a single DD offering from Penon Audio. Mine is still being burnt in. While it is a bit unfair comparing a single DD with a hybrid iem, the results can be different than general expectation.
OH10 has an obvious upper hand here regarding resolution and crispness in notes. OH10 midrange and high notes are more crisp and defined, whereas having a bit sharpness. Fan midrange notes are slightly dull in comparison. Highs do have more energy than mids, but still less than OH10. However, highs on Fan sounds more coherent than OH10.
Regarding bass, OH10 has more in quantity than Fan. However, that isn't something bad. I found bass on both quite satisfactory.
Fan is slightly more v-shape in comparison to OH10. However, the biggest difference between both is the soundstage depth. Even though Fan is a single DD, it projected sound to much more depth than OH10, giving rise to a comparatively more holographic sound than OH10. However, OH10 wins in width, transparency, and details.
Conclusion:
Frankly, the tuning of OH10 is a crowd pleasing one, but that's not to say it is bad. In fact, Ikko pulled it off considerably well. However, it still is a generic V shaped sound with nothing unique to it that will prompt me to get one for myself for on the go.
Let's be honest - Ikko OH10 Obsidian is a looker. That Onyx like shell texture, full metal shiny shell, and triangular shape will captivate your attention in a second. I loved the look of it, but never got around to get one for me because I always went for something else and gave it a pass for the moment. So when an opportunity came to audition them in exchange of a fair review, I promptly took it up!
Disclaimer:
Ikko OH10 has been provided by Hifinage, India for review purposes. The impressions provided hereafter are subjective to my gear and listening capabilities. One can purchase OH10 from Hifinage for INR 16,999 through following link.
https://hifinage.com/products/ikko-oh10
Technical Specifications:-
- Drivers: 1 DD 10mm polymer composite titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic driver and 1 BA Knowles 33518
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHZ
- Sensitivity: 106dB
- Impedance: 18 Ω
- Cable length: 1.2m
- Jack Termination: 3.5mm Gold plated audio
- Cable Connection Type: 2-pin 0.78mm
- Cable config: 4 strands of 8 high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5n silver-plated
Mentioning this section especially because the box and its contents feels effing premium for this pricepoint. The box looks quite beautiful, and the inside contents are nothing less:
- One pair of IKKO OH10 earpieces.
- One 2-pin 3.5mm terminated cable.
- Three pairs of grey silicone tips.
- Three pairs of black silicone tips.
- One leather carry pouch.
- IKKO Lapel Pin
Build and Fit:
OH10 build invokes security in ones mind. It is built like a tank. Full metal solid shell, with stunning texture and reflective shiny surface. I have seen iems that cost more but look and build-wise does not come close to OH10.
However, with this solid shell comes weight, and OH10 has it in plenty. That may resul in poor fit for some, but thankfully, due to the slightly longer nozzle and L size tips, I did not have much issue.
Sound:
This is the deciding aspect of all iems, at least to me. I am not gonna look at the iems, I am gonna put them in my ears. So that is where they are expect to perform the best. I used Shanling UP4 as a source paired with my phone.
OH10 has a V-shaped sound signature, no mistake. Mids are recessed, Bass and Treble both emphasised. Let us get into each of them separately.
Low:
OH10 has a considerably emphasised subbass that reach deep and rumbles nicely. There are no abundance of quantity here. Decay is slow. Although there is a bit of looseness, but nothing so much that details will be masked.
Midbass has a good body and controlled but considerable punch. Midbass hits are very much satisfactory and pleasing. Textures are quite nice, not totally masked.
Overall, low frequencies are reproduced with a noticeable emphasis and more often than not draws the listener's attention.
In Battlestar Galactica Season 2 OST - Prelude To War the Bass drums sound thunderous with very pleasing reverberations.
In Muse - Showbiz and Steven Wilson - Pariah tracks the basslines jump to the front with very much life and presence.
Mid:
Paying homage to the V shaped tuning, the mids are a bit recessed. Not too much, but not in the front either. However, credit has to be given to Ikko for its clean mids and crisp notes. OH10 produces the midrange with sufficient air in between notes, providing very good separation. However, notes are not unnaturally thin here, rather has a nice body such that the naturalness is retained.
Lower mids have good presence. Male vocals sounds slightly thinner than usual but not very unnatural. Instruments although sounds quite snappy.
Upper mids are energetic, but occassionally may get harsh. Female vocals sound pronounced but sibilance are detected sometimes.
In Battlestar Galactica Season 2 OST - Prelude To War the snare drums are reproduced cleanly with crisp notes. Sounds pleasing.
In Poets Of The Fall - The Ballad of Jeremiah Peacekeeper Mike Saaresto's voice sound slightly less emotional, but good nonetheless. Textures are reproduced cleanly though.
In Silversun Pickups - The Royal We the vocals can occassionally get sharp and piercing, and sound slightly thinner than normal. The harsh electric guitar can be a bit taxing for your ears.
Yao Si Ting's voice in Scarborough Fair sounds highly energetic, but often sounds piercing and sibilant.
High:
Even though the highs of OH10 have substantial energy, and even though I like brightness here, I somehow found the highs here a bit unnatural and sometimes a little too much energetic. Sharp notes, airy treble. Details are reproduced well, but sometimes sharpness compromises a bit of details. Lower treble has slightly more emphasis here. Trebles have a slight bit of grain as well.
In Silversun Pickups - The Royal We the cymbals and hi-hats notes have a slightly piercing characteristics. They are emphasised, airy, but notes are kinda sharp as well. Sounds a bit grainy and unnatural to my ears though.
In Muse - Showbiz the background ride cymbal rolls are emphasised and hard to miss.
Soundstage:
The soundstage of OH10 is more wide than deep. There is a nice positioning of different instruments in a wide headspace. However, the depth is relatively less, and hence the holographic feeling is somewhat missing. Height of stage is average. Not bad, not very good.
Comparison:
vs. Penon Fan: Penon Fan is a single DD offering from Penon Audio. Mine is still being burnt in. While it is a bit unfair comparing a single DD with a hybrid iem, the results can be different than general expectation.
OH10 has an obvious upper hand here regarding resolution and crispness in notes. OH10 midrange and high notes are more crisp and defined, whereas having a bit sharpness. Fan midrange notes are slightly dull in comparison. Highs do have more energy than mids, but still less than OH10. However, highs on Fan sounds more coherent than OH10.
Regarding bass, OH10 has more in quantity than Fan. However, that isn't something bad. I found bass on both quite satisfactory.
Fan is slightly more v-shape in comparison to OH10. However, the biggest difference between both is the soundstage depth. Even though Fan is a single DD, it projected sound to much more depth than OH10, giving rise to a comparatively more holographic sound than OH10. However, OH10 wins in width, transparency, and details.
Conclusion:
Frankly, the tuning of OH10 is a crowd pleasing one, but that's not to say it is bad. In fact, Ikko pulled it off considerably well. However, it still is a generic V shaped sound with nothing unique to it that will prompt me to get one for myself for on the go.
Disclaimer:
The Ikko OH10 is a sample that was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion in this review, as part of a review tour. I thank the team at Ikko & Hifinage for giving me this opportunity.
Introduction:
Ikko has been around for a short while now and yet, it has managed to establish itself as a major player amongst reputed audio brands from across the globe. Infact, in 2021, Ikko is not just a manufacturer of earphones but also happens to make good value for money dongle dac's like the Zerda which I had reviewed previously as well. Considering that both the Ikko OH10 and the slightly cheaper brother OH1 both compete in the sub 200$ price range which has the toughest competition for audiophile and consumer-grade transducers alike, with established products from Fiio, See Audio, Moondrop, and so on.
Test Rig:
Marantz SR5014, LG G8X ThinQ, and VE Odessey HD Dongle DAC
Sound Impressions:
Unlike its younger (read cheaper sibling) the OH1, the OH10 is gunning for a mainstream V-type signature which from the get-go will be a people pleaser thanks to its punchy (read bombastic) bass performance and very contrasty treble which is quite unique in the sub 200$ price category. This is a typical V signature in the true traditional sense of what the old folks called a V-signature to sound like. Boosted bass and boosted treble, not the new norm - boosted upper mids which finds its way into a new classification of V since the last few years as the Chifi progression has taken over the industry by storm where the implementation of the harman tuning and its iterations can be debated to be a derivative of a V signature in some ways.
Moving on to the sonic attributes of the OH10, the overall tonality is warm with boosted sub-bass and mid-bass, recessed midrange (especially the lower mids, decently energetic upper mids, and quite a pleasant and energetic treble performance, perhaps only falling short of the very best in business by a few notches in its upper treble extension. What's good to note is that this massive V implementation is not at the cost of poor detailing and dynamics. The OH10 is quite revealing without being overly splashy in how it portrays its sonic ability. Detailing, textures, dynamic range are truly a class apart for the tuning and price point.
Bass on the OH10 is extremely well extended and boosted, especially the sub-bass frequencies which are so full of rumble and grunt that it's almost physical in nature. This massive boost in quantity is not at the cost of quality though. Although the decay isn't the quickest out there, nor is it going to compete with the speed and layering of multi-ba counterparts, what it does, seems very natural and potent, typical of a well-implemented DD. Mid-bass does come off as a bit bloated, nothing overboard but a bit too much boost here which kinda ruins the lower mids coherency, and the OH10's already recessed lower-mid tuning doesn't help the mids stand out in any way. That said, the OH10 does have quite a bit of airiness to its presentation which helps the mids not feel overly narrow or congested. Even the instrument separation is excellent and keeps its timing intact on complex tracks with heavy bass lines.
Staging on the OH10 is very wide and deep, quite astonishing for an iem at this price point. It's just short of being truly holographic but it's not too far off. Stage width and depth are quite wide and deep giving it an out-of-the-head experience irrespective of the source being played back from and that's a great attribute for those not playing around with TOTL sources all the time. Stage height is a bit limited but nothing to really write the OH10 off in any way.
Summary:
The overall tuning is relatively safe and can be perceived in 2 ways from the consumer's point of view : The OH10 can be a very generic V-shape tuning without really venturing out from its comfort zone or giving the consumer a different take on what can be called as a typical mainstream signature. On the other hand, the OH10 can be perceived as a very refined and mature take on the mainstream V-signature, which does not experiment much with the tuning, but does improve substantially on the technical attributes such as, imaging and soundstage, dynamic range, and depth, as well as being a very coherent yet extremely fun iem that would satisfy most bass heads as well as picky enthusiasts alike. Not to forget, the bass is simply fantastic and flamboyant. I would easily take this fun sound over better tonality or more resolution of that were the only compromises one had to make at this price point.
Buying Link:
In India, one can purchase the Ikko OH10 though Hifinage here : Ikko OH10 - Hifinage
Disclaimer
Ikko OH10 has been provided by Hifinage, India for review purposes. The impressions provided hereafter are subjective to my gear and listening capabilities. One can purchase OH10 from Hifinage for INR 16,999 through following link.
https://hifinage.com/products/ikko-oh10?_pos=1&_sid=bfc4f784c&_ss=r
About
OH10 is also known as the Obsidian OH10 and is a Copper Cavity Hybrid IEM from the house of Ikko. It offers a dual titanium driver with Ikko ultra-low distortion FDB which helps in achieving a clean and clear sound. The driver’s configuration on OH10 is Knowles 33518 BA driver for clear mids and treble with a 10mm dynamic driver for great bass response. It comes with a high purity OFC coated silver cable with a 3.5mm jack.
Build Quality
OH10 has great build quality and fit. The earpieces are made of metal and feel very nice to hold. The earpieces feel hefty and solid in hand and disappears in ears. The weight of earpieces was never felt in my ears and were very comfortable for long usage. OH10 packaging comes with a leather case, an OFC silver cable, and 6 pairs of eartips. Leather case looks nice and well made, but it can only store the IEMs tightly with no space for the eartips. The provided cable, is made of 4 strands of high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5N silver-plated. Cable’s build quality is poor and you need to change it once you receive your OH10. This cable also brings graininess to the music and it’s recommended to upgrade to a new cable, preferably silver.
Sound Quality
I have used mainly my DAP, Cayin N6ii with E02 module for the review purpose.
Bass
OH10’s bass is very good. Very good in both quality and quantity. Sub-bass rumble is excellent. Bass decay is quite fast. Mid bass is excellent too. Very fun sounding and foot tapping bass representation. Icing on the cake is that even with this much bass, OH10 neither feels muddy nor does it cloud other frequencies, it’s very controlled. OH10 sounded excellent with all my bass test tracks including Royals by Lorde, Bad Guy by Billie Eilish, Issues by Julia Michaels and Teardrop by Massive Attack.
Mids/Vocals
OH10’s mids are recessed. Upper mids lack extension making OH10 less enjoyable with mid-centric music. In songs ‘Strong by London Grammar’, ‘Sway by Diana Krall’ and ‘Gold by Gabriel Rios’, vocals lacked that spark that makes one to enjoy such songs. Both, male and female vocals lack energy and sometimes feel grainy. Mids, though have all details with good clarity all through with good spacing. Overall, this section feels duller compared to how OH10 performed in bass.
Soundstage, Imaging, Details & Separation
OH10’s soundstage has very good width to it and feels airy all through. But stage depth and height are below average. It would have been even better if it had depth and height to the levels of width. Detail representation is excellent. And so is imaging. Instruments have very good spacing between them.
Tonality and timbre are natural. Cymbals sound clear. Resolution is very good.
Treble
Treble is very good, neither fatiguing nor harsh. But lacks a little in extension and sparkle. Treble has good details. The song ‘Born, Never Asked by Laurie Anderson’ sounded very good in OH10, though would have been even better if it had better extension in highs.
One thing to note is that I had observed distortion at higher volumes. If one wants to hear their music at higher volumes(not at all advised even in general terms), this should be kept in mind.
Source Pairings
Lotoo Paw S1 USB-C Dongle DAC
OH10 doesn’t scale much with source, performs at more or less at same levels as pointed above in the review. With this Lotoo Paw S1 dongle DAC, OH10 has the same excellent thumping bass performance, same kind of recessed mids and treble too showing same traits as discussed above. Soundstage is less wide than N6ii w/E02 module. OH10 through S1 has less space between instruments, and in turn sound less airy than what is the case with N6ii w/E02. That is a given considering the gap between capabilities between the DAP and dongle. But, in the end, OH10 sounds very good from S1 dongle DAC.
Comparison
Vs JVC HA-FDX1
JVC HA-FDX1 is a single DD IEM that falls under ikko OH10’s price range. It comes with three filters, I am presently using the blue filter, which is warmer of all the three filters. FDX1 sounds very transparent and natural straight out of box. Also FDX1 needs more power to shine than OH10. FDX1’s bass is very natural just above neutral, not to the levels of OH10’s thunderous slams. For fun bass, OH10 wins here. For neutral bass lovers, FDX1 is better. Mids, is where FDX1 takes the cake here. Mids are forward placed in FDX1 than OH10 and sounds exceptionally clean and natural. Upper mids have great extension in FDX1. Vocals sound full of energy, which is what is lacking in OH10. Timbre and tonality too carry forward same naturality, much better than OH10. Detail retrieval capability is better in FDX1. FDX1 lags OH10 in soundstage width but has slightly more depth and height. OH10 feels more airier than FDX1. Whereas FDX1 sounds narrower in comparison. Making OH10’s one and only win over FDX1. FDX1 carries forward its supremacy in treble department too. FDX1’s treble has great extensions and has lot of sparkle and details. Overall, it would be better to say OH10 complements FDX1 as being a fun IEM in one’s collection. If you are looking at a fun sounding IEM, then OH10 is the way to go. If you prefer naturality and transparency in your music, then FDX1 is the one to choose.
Verdict
OH10 is an enjoyable, fun sounding offering from ikko. It has got thunderous bass and yet controlled. It has got wide soundstage and sounds spacious. Even though these two are its major strengths, it fares quite decently in other frequencies too. OH10 is worth to get if you want such a kind of IEM.
Ikko OH10 has been provided by Hifinage, India for review purposes. The impressions provided hereafter are subjective to my gear and listening capabilities. One can purchase OH10 from Hifinage for INR 16,999 through following link.
https://hifinage.com/products/ikko-oh10?_pos=1&_sid=bfc4f784c&_ss=r
About
OH10 is also known as the Obsidian OH10 and is a Copper Cavity Hybrid IEM from the house of Ikko. It offers a dual titanium driver with Ikko ultra-low distortion FDB which helps in achieving a clean and clear sound. The driver’s configuration on OH10 is Knowles 33518 BA driver for clear mids and treble with a 10mm dynamic driver for great bass response. It comes with a high purity OFC coated silver cable with a 3.5mm jack.
Build Quality
OH10 has great build quality and fit. The earpieces are made of metal and feel very nice to hold. The earpieces feel hefty and solid in hand and disappears in ears. The weight of earpieces was never felt in my ears and were very comfortable for long usage. OH10 packaging comes with a leather case, an OFC silver cable, and 6 pairs of eartips. Leather case looks nice and well made, but it can only store the IEMs tightly with no space for the eartips. The provided cable, is made of 4 strands of high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5N silver-plated. Cable’s build quality is poor and you need to change it once you receive your OH10. This cable also brings graininess to the music and it’s recommended to upgrade to a new cable, preferably silver.
Sound Quality
I have used mainly my DAP, Cayin N6ii with E02 module for the review purpose.
Bass
OH10’s bass is very good. Very good in both quality and quantity. Sub-bass rumble is excellent. Bass decay is quite fast. Mid bass is excellent too. Very fun sounding and foot tapping bass representation. Icing on the cake is that even with this much bass, OH10 neither feels muddy nor does it cloud other frequencies, it’s very controlled. OH10 sounded excellent with all my bass test tracks including Royals by Lorde, Bad Guy by Billie Eilish, Issues by Julia Michaels and Teardrop by Massive Attack.
Mids/Vocals
OH10’s mids are recessed. Upper mids lack extension making OH10 less enjoyable with mid-centric music. In songs ‘Strong by London Grammar’, ‘Sway by Diana Krall’ and ‘Gold by Gabriel Rios’, vocals lacked that spark that makes one to enjoy such songs. Both, male and female vocals lack energy and sometimes feel grainy. Mids, though have all details with good clarity all through with good spacing. Overall, this section feels duller compared to how OH10 performed in bass.
Soundstage, Imaging, Details & Separation
OH10’s soundstage has very good width to it and feels airy all through. But stage depth and height are below average. It would have been even better if it had depth and height to the levels of width. Detail representation is excellent. And so is imaging. Instruments have very good spacing between them.
Tonality and timbre are natural. Cymbals sound clear. Resolution is very good.
Treble
Treble is very good, neither fatiguing nor harsh. But lacks a little in extension and sparkle. Treble has good details. The song ‘Born, Never Asked by Laurie Anderson’ sounded very good in OH10, though would have been even better if it had better extension in highs.
One thing to note is that I had observed distortion at higher volumes. If one wants to hear their music at higher volumes(not at all advised even in general terms), this should be kept in mind.
Source Pairings
Lotoo Paw S1 USB-C Dongle DAC
OH10 doesn’t scale much with source, performs at more or less at same levels as pointed above in the review. With this Lotoo Paw S1 dongle DAC, OH10 has the same excellent thumping bass performance, same kind of recessed mids and treble too showing same traits as discussed above. Soundstage is less wide than N6ii w/E02 module. OH10 through S1 has less space between instruments, and in turn sound less airy than what is the case with N6ii w/E02. That is a given considering the gap between capabilities between the DAP and dongle. But, in the end, OH10 sounds very good from S1 dongle DAC.
Comparison
Vs JVC HA-FDX1
JVC HA-FDX1 is a single DD IEM that falls under ikko OH10’s price range. It comes with three filters, I am presently using the blue filter, which is warmer of all the three filters. FDX1 sounds very transparent and natural straight out of box. Also FDX1 needs more power to shine than OH10. FDX1’s bass is very natural just above neutral, not to the levels of OH10’s thunderous slams. For fun bass, OH10 wins here. For neutral bass lovers, FDX1 is better. Mids, is where FDX1 takes the cake here. Mids are forward placed in FDX1 than OH10 and sounds exceptionally clean and natural. Upper mids have great extension in FDX1. Vocals sound full of energy, which is what is lacking in OH10. Timbre and tonality too carry forward same naturality, much better than OH10. Detail retrieval capability is better in FDX1. FDX1 lags OH10 in soundstage width but has slightly more depth and height. OH10 feels more airier than FDX1. Whereas FDX1 sounds narrower in comparison. Making OH10’s one and only win over FDX1. FDX1 carries forward its supremacy in treble department too. FDX1’s treble has great extensions and has lot of sparkle and details. Overall, it would be better to say OH10 complements FDX1 as being a fun IEM in one’s collection. If you are looking at a fun sounding IEM, then OH10 is the way to go. If you prefer naturality and transparency in your music, then FDX1 is the one to choose.
Verdict
OH10 is an enjoyable, fun sounding offering from ikko. It has got thunderous bass and yet controlled. It has got wide soundstage and sounds spacious. Even though these two are its major strengths, it fares quite decently in other frequencies too. OH10 is worth to get if you want such a kind of IEM.
IKKO Audio is a HiFi audio brand based in China. They specialize in high-resolution in-ear monitors with OH1 and OH10 being their most successful pairs. A few days back I reviewed the entry-level OH1 from IKKO Audio that you can check out here. Today, I am gonna share my views on the OH10, a similarly priced model with a similar design and driver configuration but a different ear shell material. So before wasting any more time, Let’s Begin.
Disclaimer:-
I am a part of the IKKO Audio product review tour arranged by hifinage.com in my country. All thoughts in this review are my own, based on my own usage of the product since last week. If you are based in India, you can grab it from Hifinage from the link below.
https://hifinage.com/collections/ikko-audio/products/ikko-oh10
Packaging & Accessories:-
The packaging of OH10 is similar to that of OH1. It has an anime-style beautiful packaging with an IKKO branding logo and Obisidian branding on the front. Obsidian is actually the full-name of OH10(IKKO Obsidian OH10). We also have some key features on the front of the packaging such as Copper Cavity, Comfortable to Wear, and Dynamic Sound. The inner denim finish box pulls out of this beautiful outer packaging. As we open it, we get a direct look at the very beautiful OH10 earpieces sitting firmly into their foam cutouts with a beige-colored leather carry pouch that holds the 3.5mm terminated cable. There’s also the IKKO lapel pin on this first layer of the packaging. On the second layer we have a box having six pairs of silicone ear tips, still, no foam tips included in the OH10. The packaging is, to be honest exactly the same as that of the OH1 nothing new except the girl anime on the front haha. All in all, it's a very beautiful and decent-looking packaging.
Package Contents:-
>One pair of IKKO OH10 earpieces.
>One 2-pin 3.5mm terminated cable.
>Three pairs of grey silicone tips.
>Three pairs of black silicone tips.
>One carry pouch.
>IKKO Lapel Pin.
Design & Build Quality:-
On one hand, the design and look of the OH10 is similar to that of the OH1 but it is different in its own way. Instead of aluminum alloy blue ear shells, the OH10 features glossy metallic finish copper ear shells. These definitely look better with a strong build. They have elevated 2-pin connectors on the top with Red connector on the right earpiece and black on the left. The same colors are denoted on the right and left sides of cable connectors. The earpieces have a dynamic driver vent on the inner side. The ear nozzle is of average length giving no issues in fit. One thing is there though, the earpieces being made of copper are quite heavy and might give trouble to people who are used to Resin ear shells. These are heavier than OH1 earpieces. Other than that, I find the OH10 earpieces to have an elegant look with a solid build, they are not going anywhere even if you drop them.
The included cable is of average quality, I didn’t like it at all. I mean it just doesn’t do justice to the heavyweight of the earpieces. They should have included a heavier cable. In terms of accessories, the silicone tips are of good quality but there is still an absence of foam tips with OH10.
Fit & Noise Isolation:-
The IKKO Oh10 despite being a bit heavy, provides a very comfy fit to me. The earpieces sit firmly on my ears and never fall off. I am using stock medium-sized grey ear tips. They cover the entire ear canal, providing good levels of noise isolation.
Driving The IKKO OH10:-
The IKKO OH10 is a very easy to drive pair. For this review, I used the pair with my Topping E30+L30 combo and Cayin N3 Pro Hi-res player. The player ran off quite easily with both the pairings(On N3 Pro I was at 55/100 volume at Medium gain), I am pretty sure it can be powered easily off smartphones too. Here is my findings for the two pairings I tested.
With Cayin N3 Pro(Tube Timbre):-
With the Cayin N3 Pro, the pair is driven pretty well at medium volume levels. It shows its true potential here with good extensions at the lower end and a wide soundstage presentation. The tonality of this combo is also well complemented by each other, the pair sounds really good here.
With Topping Stack:-
The OH10 doesn’t scale much. It sounds similarly extended like with the N3 Pro. In this combo, the volume was easy at 40% on low gain(-9dB). The tonality of this combo is also pretty good and extensive. Please forgive the messy desk in the image haha.
Sound Impressions:-
The OH10 might have the same design and packaging as that of the OH1 but it sounds quite a bit different. The pair has a natural tonality and timbre to the instruments with a wide soundstage presentation. I loved how smooth it sounds with a deep well-extended lower end. Yes, the lower end is also an attraction here like with the OH1, but the OH10 definitely sounds cleaner and wider. The tonality of the pair is melodious and fun to listen to. Vocals sometimes surely sound a bit grainy to me that spoils the mood for me especially male vocals. Here’s a frequency-wise sound response.
Lower End:-
The OH10 produces a clean, powerful lower end with impactful slams and thunderous sub-bass rumble. The main attraction here is the clean background with such tight controlled bass. It really feels like IKKO has mastered the art of providing an excellent sub-bass rumble with clean background for the under 200$ segment. Drums in Bailando by Enrique are precise and deep, Sub-bass in Bad Guy by Billie Eilish also shows good rumble. All this complements the other frequencies well and provides a fun element to the output.
Mid-Frequencies:-
The mid-frequencies are transparent and wide. They sound very spacious providing a wide airy soundstage for the listener. Acoustic instruments such as Guitars show good clarity and airiness. With a clean background instruments actually come out with good detailing. Vocals are slightly grainy especially male vocals, for example, Cannonball by Damien Rice shows very good airy guitar strings but his voice sounds a bit grainy. This is not present with Taylor Swift though, so female vocals are better presented.
Treble:-
IKKO OH10 has a sparkly treble response with smooth instrument detailing. There is no sibilance or harshness in any of the instruments even at louder volumes. Treble rolls off in the upper treble portion making the instruments such as Piano’s, Violins lacking some bit of extensions in the top end. Though it doesn’t bother me, I find the treble response to be lively and fun. The Slow violin in I Don’t Want To Change You by Damien Rice is simply mesmerizing to listen with the OH10.
Soundstage & Imaging:-
The soundstage might be the main attraction in the OH10. The pair sounds wide, like the feel of an auditorium right into our ears. Instrument detailing and placement is also quite good with the OH10 providing superb instrument clarity and placement.
Final Verdict:-
In my opinion, the OH10 is a refined version of the OH1. It sounds cleaner, it sounds wider, and also it looks better too. If I am asked to choose one between the two, I would choose the OH10 for its super-wide soundstage presentation and cleaner sound output. Really liked the tonality and timbre of the OH10 too.
Disclaimer:-
I am a part of the IKKO Audio product review tour arranged by hifinage.com in my country. All thoughts in this review are my own, based on my own usage of the product since last week. If you are based in India, you can grab it from Hifinage from the link below.
https://hifinage.com/collections/ikko-audio/products/ikko-oh10
Packaging & Accessories:-
The packaging of OH10 is similar to that of OH1. It has an anime-style beautiful packaging with an IKKO branding logo and Obisidian branding on the front. Obsidian is actually the full-name of OH10(IKKO Obsidian OH10). We also have some key features on the front of the packaging such as Copper Cavity, Comfortable to Wear, and Dynamic Sound. The inner denim finish box pulls out of this beautiful outer packaging. As we open it, we get a direct look at the very beautiful OH10 earpieces sitting firmly into their foam cutouts with a beige-colored leather carry pouch that holds the 3.5mm terminated cable. There’s also the IKKO lapel pin on this first layer of the packaging. On the second layer we have a box having six pairs of silicone ear tips, still, no foam tips included in the OH10. The packaging is, to be honest exactly the same as that of the OH1 nothing new except the girl anime on the front haha. All in all, it's a very beautiful and decent-looking packaging.
Package Contents:-
>One pair of IKKO OH10 earpieces.
>One 2-pin 3.5mm terminated cable.
>Three pairs of grey silicone tips.
>Three pairs of black silicone tips.
>One carry pouch.
>IKKO Lapel Pin.
Design & Build Quality:-
On one hand, the design and look of the OH10 is similar to that of the OH1 but it is different in its own way. Instead of aluminum alloy blue ear shells, the OH10 features glossy metallic finish copper ear shells. These definitely look better with a strong build. They have elevated 2-pin connectors on the top with Red connector on the right earpiece and black on the left. The same colors are denoted on the right and left sides of cable connectors. The earpieces have a dynamic driver vent on the inner side. The ear nozzle is of average length giving no issues in fit. One thing is there though, the earpieces being made of copper are quite heavy and might give trouble to people who are used to Resin ear shells. These are heavier than OH1 earpieces. Other than that, I find the OH10 earpieces to have an elegant look with a solid build, they are not going anywhere even if you drop them.
The included cable is of average quality, I didn’t like it at all. I mean it just doesn’t do justice to the heavyweight of the earpieces. They should have included a heavier cable. In terms of accessories, the silicone tips are of good quality but there is still an absence of foam tips with OH10.
Fit & Noise Isolation:-
The IKKO Oh10 despite being a bit heavy, provides a very comfy fit to me. The earpieces sit firmly on my ears and never fall off. I am using stock medium-sized grey ear tips. They cover the entire ear canal, providing good levels of noise isolation.
Driving The IKKO OH10:-
The IKKO OH10 is a very easy to drive pair. For this review, I used the pair with my Topping E30+L30 combo and Cayin N3 Pro Hi-res player. The player ran off quite easily with both the pairings(On N3 Pro I was at 55/100 volume at Medium gain), I am pretty sure it can be powered easily off smartphones too. Here is my findings for the two pairings I tested.
With Cayin N3 Pro(Tube Timbre):-
With the Cayin N3 Pro, the pair is driven pretty well at medium volume levels. It shows its true potential here with good extensions at the lower end and a wide soundstage presentation. The tonality of this combo is also well complemented by each other, the pair sounds really good here.
With Topping Stack:-
The OH10 doesn’t scale much. It sounds similarly extended like with the N3 Pro. In this combo, the volume was easy at 40% on low gain(-9dB). The tonality of this combo is also pretty good and extensive. Please forgive the messy desk in the image haha.
Sound Impressions:-
The OH10 might have the same design and packaging as that of the OH1 but it sounds quite a bit different. The pair has a natural tonality and timbre to the instruments with a wide soundstage presentation. I loved how smooth it sounds with a deep well-extended lower end. Yes, the lower end is also an attraction here like with the OH1, but the OH10 definitely sounds cleaner and wider. The tonality of the pair is melodious and fun to listen to. Vocals sometimes surely sound a bit grainy to me that spoils the mood for me especially male vocals. Here’s a frequency-wise sound response.
Lower End:-
The OH10 produces a clean, powerful lower end with impactful slams and thunderous sub-bass rumble. The main attraction here is the clean background with such tight controlled bass. It really feels like IKKO has mastered the art of providing an excellent sub-bass rumble with clean background for the under 200$ segment. Drums in Bailando by Enrique are precise and deep, Sub-bass in Bad Guy by Billie Eilish also shows good rumble. All this complements the other frequencies well and provides a fun element to the output.
Mid-Frequencies:-
The mid-frequencies are transparent and wide. They sound very spacious providing a wide airy soundstage for the listener. Acoustic instruments such as Guitars show good clarity and airiness. With a clean background instruments actually come out with good detailing. Vocals are slightly grainy especially male vocals, for example, Cannonball by Damien Rice shows very good airy guitar strings but his voice sounds a bit grainy. This is not present with Taylor Swift though, so female vocals are better presented.
Treble:-
IKKO OH10 has a sparkly treble response with smooth instrument detailing. There is no sibilance or harshness in any of the instruments even at louder volumes. Treble rolls off in the upper treble portion making the instruments such as Piano’s, Violins lacking some bit of extensions in the top end. Though it doesn’t bother me, I find the treble response to be lively and fun. The Slow violin in I Don’t Want To Change You by Damien Rice is simply mesmerizing to listen with the OH10.
Soundstage & Imaging:-
The soundstage might be the main attraction in the OH10. The pair sounds wide, like the feel of an auditorium right into our ears. Instrument detailing and placement is also quite good with the OH10 providing superb instrument clarity and placement.
Final Verdict:-
In my opinion, the OH10 is a refined version of the OH1. It sounds cleaner, it sounds wider, and also it looks better too. If I am asked to choose one between the two, I would choose the OH10 for its super-wide soundstage presentation and cleaner sound output. Really liked the tonality and timbre of the OH10 too.
IKKO has very quickly gained itself a healthy reputation in the IEM arena. In the recent few days, IKKO has launched iem’s, Dongle-dac and cables. What I will talk about today is the crowd-pleasing OH10.
Disclaimer:-
This unit of IKKO OH10 was provided to me by hifinage.com for the purpose of this review. I am not paid by anyone to write this review. Each and every impression has been derived using my own judgment. You can buy a pair of the OH10 by clicking here
Technical Specifications:-
OH10 gives a very pleasant unboxing experience. The presentation on the box is very different yet excellent.
Build Quality:
The Stainless stell body provides the OH10 a certain heft but I have used IEM like Campfire Solaris, oBravo Cupids, and similar in likes, so I personally had no issues using this one. Although the nozzles are short in nature but I never faced any issues while wearing the OH10
Fit:
The Fit is purely based on your ears but the overall ergonomics is very very good. My ears are big so had no issues whatsoever in wearing those. I also asked my wofe to try these, since she has considerably smaller ears, and even she had an excellent fit.
Sources:
Sound Impressions:
The major talking point of OH10 is this is a fun iem. It will give you all the pleasures of the world but if you want something of, more like a reference-grade…the OH10 is not for you.
Bass:
First things first…if you are looking for a bloated bass…OH10 is not for you. What you get is very good sub-bass, excellent mid-bass. The rumble is present, the decay is fast. However, the slams are not as expected. They fall apart when driven with higher volumes
Mids:
The mids are open and clear. The separation is excellent and natural. It doesn’t feel unnatural at all. The timbre is as natural as it gets, and the sound is transparent as well. But you will feel that OH10 is somewhat restricted by its tuning.
Highs:
The Highs have sufficient air and sparkle. The treble is clean, as I stated earlier, it doesn’t feel unnatural. The energy, though, is not present. The Upper treble is a bit restricted but the overall sound that it presents to you…trust me…you will not be disappointed at all and OH10 has the capability to entertain you as long as you want it to.
Conclusion:
OH10 is very good at what it does. It hits all the checkboxes that one looks for before buying an iem for fun listening. The sound is superior, the stage is wide, the resolution is high. These will stay in the collection for a long long time.
Disclaimer:-
This unit of IKKO OH10 was provided to me by hifinage.com for the purpose of this review. I am not paid by anyone to write this review. Each and every impression has been derived using my own judgment. You can buy a pair of the OH10 by clicking here
Technical Specifications:-
- Drivers: 1 DD 10mm polymer composite titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic driver and 1 BA Knowles 33518
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHZ
- Sensitivity: 106dB
- Impedance: 18 Ω
- Cable length: 1.2m
- Jack Termination: 3.5mm Gold plated audio
- Cable Connection Type: 2-pin 0.78mm
- Cable config: 4 strands of 8 high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5n silver-plated
OH10 gives a very pleasant unboxing experience. The presentation on the box is very different yet excellent.
Build Quality:
The Stainless stell body provides the OH10 a certain heft but I have used IEM like Campfire Solaris, oBravo Cupids, and similar in likes, so I personally had no issues using this one. Although the nozzles are short in nature but I never faced any issues while wearing the OH10
Fit:
The Fit is purely based on your ears but the overall ergonomics is very very good. My ears are big so had no issues whatsoever in wearing those. I also asked my wofe to try these, since she has considerably smaller ears, and even she had an excellent fit.
Sources:
- Cayin N5ii
- Modded Q5
- Samsung Galaxy S10
- Sony Discman
Sound Impressions:
The major talking point of OH10 is this is a fun iem. It will give you all the pleasures of the world but if you want something of, more like a reference-grade…the OH10 is not for you.
Bass:
First things first…if you are looking for a bloated bass…OH10 is not for you. What you get is very good sub-bass, excellent mid-bass. The rumble is present, the decay is fast. However, the slams are not as expected. They fall apart when driven with higher volumes
Mids:
The mids are open and clear. The separation is excellent and natural. It doesn’t feel unnatural at all. The timbre is as natural as it gets, and the sound is transparent as well. But you will feel that OH10 is somewhat restricted by its tuning.
Highs:
The Highs have sufficient air and sparkle. The treble is clean, as I stated earlier, it doesn’t feel unnatural. The energy, though, is not present. The Upper treble is a bit restricted but the overall sound that it presents to you…trust me…you will not be disappointed at all and OH10 has the capability to entertain you as long as you want it to.
Conclusion:
OH10 is very good at what it does. It hits all the checkboxes that one looks for before buying an iem for fun listening. The sound is superior, the stage is wide, the resolution is high. These will stay in the collection for a long long time.
Attachments
NeonHD
Great job on this review! I am glad that you compared this to the Tape, as I've owned the Tapes and they seem almost similar in sound. Overall would you say that the OH10 is more refined and technically capable than the Tape? The OH10 recently became available on Amazon after a 10 month hiatus so may probably plan to pick them up.
Hooga
@NeonHD Thank you.
Yes OH10 are "more refined" then Tape, definitely - especially in their lack of homonegeity between the two drivers' presentations. Suffice after all to say that as I mentioned above OH10 is something very close to an allrounder, while Tape is to me no doubt a specialty tool which I almost exclusively dedicate to hard bop or similar (Charles Mingus sounds unbeatable on those).
I need to "polish" Tape's treble with some light eq'ing to make them more digestable, even when pairing them to QP1R.
Tape's mids and in particular vocals are too dry. OH10 is not the driver I would use for folk or singwriters, but miles ahead relative to Tape.
Tape remains superior in terms of bass rendering: it's more elevated and hits harder than OH10, but still with zero concession to slowness let alone bleeding. Can't name another IEM with the same capacity down there.
Yes OH10 are "more refined" then Tape, definitely - especially in their lack of homonegeity between the two drivers' presentations. Suffice after all to say that as I mentioned above OH10 is something very close to an allrounder, while Tape is to me no doubt a specialty tool which I almost exclusively dedicate to hard bop or similar (Charles Mingus sounds unbeatable on those).
I need to "polish" Tape's treble with some light eq'ing to make them more digestable, even when pairing them to QP1R.
Tape's mids and in particular vocals are too dry. OH10 is not the driver I would use for folk or singwriters, but miles ahead relative to Tape.
Tape remains superior in terms of bass rendering: it's more elevated and hits harder than OH10, but still with zero concession to slowness let alone bleeding. Can't name another IEM with the same capacity down there.
Hooga
Oh, let me add: if you like this type of general presentation another one to check is Intime Sora 2 
Don't remember if I published my article about those here on headfi yet.
Don't remember if I published my article about those here on headfi yet.
When these first launched I saw a hype train forming for the ikko oh10 and was instantly drawn in by the beautiful darker colored shell. After waiting for the hype to calm down(and stock to replenish) I jumped on board and bought a pair. I’ve owned these around 7 ish months and figured now would be a great time to put a review out for them. These are a copper shell iem with a dynamic and single BA to handle the sound. These use the standard .78 pin connector.
Comfort and fit- These fit well into my smaller ears and give off a ciem look and you can lay on your side and a pillow won’t interfere with the fit. They also are really heavy and unless you use foam or a good sealing ear tip they will start to eventually slide out over time from gravity alone. Tips can make a big difference in sound but I tend to switch between the spinfit cp360 or the stock wide bore tips they came with.
Onto the review of the sound! My personal preference are a dynamic hybrid iem where I get good hitting bass and have a brighter treble with decent mids. I listen to a lot of genres but I hover in the classic rock, blues and edm music with some rap here and there.
Gear used
iPhone X with headphone adapter, FiiO m11, smsl sh8/su8 combo.
Lows-Depending on source these can dig really deep down low end wise. I never had any issues(with amp) when it came to bass leaking into the other ranges. These will provide a nice thump though I wouldn’t call them bass head worthy. A least without EQ.
Mids- I have nothing bad to say. Mids sound great and there is neither sibilance or lack of quality. The quality seems to sound more recessed once you use wider bore tips however. A common trade off IMO for wider soundstage iems.
Highs- Same thing here. These can sound quite clear but not in a analytical way. These don’t provide the same micro details I hear from some of my other iems.
Imaging- Fantastic imaging side to side. No complaints there.
Soundstage- Tip dependent, but wider bored tips give a larger soundstage with a slight recessed feel. Narrow tips give a more intimate experience.
Cable rolling- This was a strange iem to cable roll. It doesn’t seem to change in terms of sound no matter what cable I throw at it. On top on that I had a problem with the right side connector not holding a normal .78 two pin connector well. When I examined the original stock cable with all my 2pin cables I noticed the stock cable pins are a little longer and they have a "click" feel when plugging them in versus my other cables which simply float inside the connector. This resulted in wiggling and loss of sound unless I held it at a certain angle. More than likely this is a possible defect or one off but thought I should mention it. left side connector was fine with all my cables. The stock cable is fine and tangles easily but it feels well made. The stock cable doesn’t have the chin slider like most cables and is fairly thin for a cable as well.I prefer a thiccc cable as they tend to not tangle easily.
Amping- From my iPhone with the headphone adapter these actually sound fairly boring and muddy at times. I wasn’t expecting this as it’s a lower ohm iem. Once plugged into the FiiO m11 it sounded much clearer though the bass didn’t give me quite the kick I heard about. Once it was plugged into the desktop setup it maintained a nice clear sound but I finally got a decent thumping bass that I tend to enjoy. With the SDB setting on the smsl SH-8 turned on It bumped the highs a little and made the bass enter what I would consider good basshead territory. Balanced vs unbalanced I heard no difference. Would recommend amping these for sure.
Overall thoughts
I do enjoy these as a daily pair and will take them on flights or out and about to listen with the FiiO m11. The shells are heavy. So much so I actually can’t listen to these laying down on my back or with any quick head movements as they start to slide out of my ears and require constant adjusting every 10-15min. The nozzles are fairly short as well and this makes my normal go to tips less than ideal. I use the stock tips which work well. The spinfit cp 360 holds decently well but you loose a little of the soundstage you get with the stock wide bore tips. Minus the possibly faulty right connector on the iem I can easily recommend this for anyone looking for a daily iem that leans to the “fun” side. If looking for a more analytical or brighter iem then this won’t fill those needs. I can't think of any iems under $200 that really come close to these overall. Thanks for reading!
corgifall
Thanks!
Sound Review by Hoshi星
Disclaimer: Ikko has graciously provided us with this sample unit in exchange for an honest review. The views discussed below are a reflection of Project A3's thoughts surrounding the product. The sample has been run-in for at least 50 hours prior to review in order to achieve an accurate representation of the product.
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Introduction:
Ikko is a company that had entered the scene in the last year or so with the Meteor OH1, a well-received, entry-level offering that was pleasing to pretty much anyone that got their hands on it. Today Ikko is at-bat again this time with a step-up model, the OH10. With similar but upgraded aesthetics, a new configuration and a bump in the price at $189. We will look into the OH10 on the value proposition and performance it offers in today's review.
Specification:
- BALANCED ARMATURE: KNOWLES 33518
- DYNAMIC DRIVER: 10MM POLYMER COMPOSITE TITANIUM-PLATED DIAPHRAGM DYNAMIC DRIVER
- SENSITIVITY:106DB
- FREQUENCY RANGE:20HZ-40KHZ
- IMPEDANCE:18OHM
- CABLE LENGTH:1.2M
- CONNECTOR；2-PIN 0.78MM
- CABLE TYPE:4 STRANDS OF 8 HIGH-PURITY OXYGEN-FREE COPPER-PLATED 5N SILVER-PLATED
Gear Used & Tracklist:
Shanling M0 | FiiO Q1 Mk II | Hiby R6 | Zorloo ZuperDAC | Massdrop x Cavalli CTH
Unboxing:
The OH10 comes in a sturdy box, with anime type art that may not appeal to all audiences but is not something so overt that it would throw off someone who wasn't into that kind of art. It's pleasing and simple and at the very least adds character to the packaging. There was nothing grand about the contents of the box, a cute little Ikko logo pin plus the usual fare that is to be expected at this price point and coupled with it was a nice feeling but unstructured leather pouch which is good for mobility but doesn't do anything for protection.
Scalability:
Primarily designed as a mobile device, the OH10 is easily powered by most devices and while some higher quality sources seemingly add more control this is very minor and generally, the OH10 doesn't greatly benefit from higher-end amplification. On the flip side, this means that pretty much almost any device can be used to plug the OH10 into and enjoy its full sound.
Fit:
The fit of the OH10 is something I struggled with, while not uncomfortable in any sense, the shape lends itself to a shallow fit because of the rather shallow nozzle and the wide shell made it so that the fit for me personally was shallower than I would like, thus making me prefer tips that were on the longer side to compensate for it.
That coupled with the weight of the OH10 meant that at times falling out of my ear was possible. Those who like their IEMs to fit like this should be rather pleased though and outside of that personal issue, there was nothing else I could think of regarding the fit.
Reference Tracks / Remarks :
Green Day - 21 Guns
Kana Hanazawa - Renai Circulation/ RADWIMPS - Sparkle
Depeche Mode - A Question of Lust
Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
Saori Hayami - Orange Mint
Green Day - 21 Guns
The OH10 allowed the drum slam on the hook of 21 Guns to give the reverberative impression, providing a full sense of impact on the bass drum hits as well as the bass line, without totally overpowering the guitar riff and vocals. It is impactful without being muddy.
Reference Tracks / Remarks :
Kana Hanazawa - Renai Circulation/ RADWIMPS - Sparkle
Using both these songs to contrast the vocals, you can tell the larger emphasis on the higher-pitched voice of female vocals giving them a slight forwardness that is almost reminiscent of something like my Polaris V1, however, there is a slight of dissonance with the mids that I feel could be bridged better. However, the clarity and transparency still shine through on both songs, so I tend to look past it.
Reference Tracks / Remarks :
DAOKO - Cinderella Step
This song enters with tizzy cymbal crashes and synths, both highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the treble presentation. The beginning highlights the sparkle and energy of the treble fully showing how it isn't one that is a dark tuning, however, there is just the mildest sibilance at the very end of the cymbal crashes not enough to be disconcerting and splashy treble will be at it's most uncomfortable for treble sensitive folk. But at the same time, you can fully appreciate the air and crispness of the OH10 with the song.
Reference Tracks / Remarks :
Depeche Mode - A Question of Lust
In A Question of Lust, the complex and layered instrumentation of the live version shines, as with many live recordings where the bass doesn't endlessly reverberate against itself the OH10 doesn't end up congested and let's the inherent technical capability of the IEM shine, it also isn't prone to the aforementioned con due to the fact that it's a relatively complex but somewhat relaxed song.
Reference Tracks / Remarks :
Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
Here we have a "dirtier" recording a track that has a bunch of different segments from a relatively simpler start but tends to slightly ramp up as the song goes, especially towards the guitar solo portion.
Here as long as volumes are reasonable the Ikko performs well with the guitars and shouty vocals of the song more complementary over fighting over each other while the bass drum and bass line play the sidelines supporting the entire exchange.
Reference Tracks / Remarks :Here as long as volumes are reasonable the Ikko performs well with the guitars and shouty vocals of the song more complementary over fighting over each other while the bass drum and bass line play the sidelines supporting the entire exchange.
Saori Hayami - Orange Mint
Here is a mostly synth fueled J-Pop track the Ikko performs capably and musicality shines and the bass beat serves as the backbone of the song with just enough impact to keep things moving along, and the tuning really shows with the vocals cutting through most of the mids, as shown by the upper mids favored tuning. The tones and chimes that go along aren't lost due to the fact that the Ikko has sufficient clarity to bring to the table, and this allows the fun pop song to shine well.
Comparison Chart
How we compare: We chose other similarly priced earphones or similar offerings from the same brand that Project A3 has reviewed in the past, to ensure that we remain as impartial as possible in our comparisons.
Conclusion
The Ikko OK10 presents a capable option in the price bracket, if not an outstanding one. It shows good sonic performance in most aspects relative to the price range, without notably achieving the same. But with a cohesive tuning direction, an attractive design, decently premium feel, and mostly solid build, there is the foundation for a good value option that anyone looking for a high-performance do-it-all IEM would be happy to own. There is a lot to like about the OH10, the clarity you get especially stands out, and not a lot to dislike either. And it is only their second offering you understand why Ikko might fill in the rest of their IEM roster in time, but for now, they still execute well and I would have no reservations recommending the OH10 Obsidian to anyone who is looking for what it provides.
Be sure to follow Project A3 on Facebook for more reviews*.
*All ratings are accurate as of date of publication. Changes in price, newer models may affect Project A3's views on the performance and value of the reviewed product.
Comparison Chart
How we compare: We chose other similarly priced earphones or similar offerings from the same brand that Project A3 has reviewed in the past, to ensure that we remain as impartial as possible in our comparisons.
Conclusion
The Ikko OK10 presents a capable option in the price bracket, if not an outstanding one. It shows good sonic performance in most aspects relative to the price range, without notably achieving the same. But with a cohesive tuning direction, an attractive design, decently premium feel, and mostly solid build, there is the foundation for a good value option that anyone looking for a high-performance do-it-all IEM would be happy to own. There is a lot to like about the OH10, the clarity you get especially stands out, and not a lot to dislike either. And it is only their second offering you understand why Ikko might fill in the rest of their IEM roster in time, but for now, they still execute well and I would have no reservations recommending the OH10 Obsidian to anyone who is looking for what it provides.
Be sure to follow Project A3 on Facebook for more reviews*.
*All ratings are accurate as of date of publication. Changes in price, newer models may affect Project A3's views on the performance and value of the reviewed product.
Introduction
Ikko is a Chinese brand, which became known with its first IEMS, the OH1. Currently they have released several products since then: The Zerda Dongle, the DAC/Amp for mobile ITM05, the present IEMS Obsidian OH10. Then there are a couple of products, whose output will be close: the ArcITB01 Bluetooth headset and the top of the range IEMS Musikv OH7.
The OH10 is, practically, a special edition of the OH1. Its external shape is the same, using other materials and slightly improving the cable. The drivers are the same, but what changes, are the materials used for the capsules and its internal structure. This time, Ikko has used pure copper to manufacture the cavity, which, in turn, is equipped with an iron ring structure. The presentation of the product has also been improved, offering a more careful and exquisite packaging.
Specifications
Packaging
The packaging of the Ikko OH10 reminds me of a review of "The Little Prince", in a female version. On that occasion, the little princess, sitting on a small obsidian rock, loves music and listens to it with her favorite IEMS, the magic Obsidian OH10, which comes flying from outer space. This mini story is nothing more than a free representation of the existing drawing on the main side of the packaging. On the back, there is an introduction to the features of the OH10, in multiple languages, including Spanish, as well as a photo of the capsules. Following the description of the external box, on one of the sides, the specifications are shown. Finally, the overall dimensions of the box are: 201x134x62mm
After removing the cardboard cover, a completely black box can be seen, with the brand logo inscribed in shiny black, in the upper left corner. The lid opens like a chest and is held in place by two magnets. Inside are the beautiful capsules, embedded in a dense black protective mould. Under it there is a leather case, rolled up; a foam mould, in which are the silicone tips and a pin with the brand logo, in gold on a black background. Finally, there is the cable, attached to a leather pin. The silicone tips are of two kinds, one of white silicone, black the other. In total, 6 pairs, in sizes SxMxL.
The presentation is appreciable, the differentiating style is recognized, with the inclusion of the leather case and the pin. But, on the other hand, the case is not very practical, the pin is merely decorative, the tips, except for the color, are similar and no foam tips are included.
Construction and Design
The shape of the OH10 is practically the same as that of the OH1, except for the materials used. On this occasion, pure copper has been used for their manufacture. The result is an IEMS that is clearly heavier than its previous counterpart. On the outside, the shape is maintained, reminiscent of the African continent and the classic dents on the outside. The entire surface has been coated with a special resin, to improve the contact with the skin, looking for a better feeling. The interior of the capsules is very smooth and soft, finely polished, as if it were a jewel. The beauty is thus maximized, enhancing the premium character of the capsules. The capsules are not thick. The nozzles are made of the same material and have a metal filter. Their length is not very long. The diameter is 6mm.
For the connection of two pins, there is a transparent plastic insert that protects the two holes, both of which are gold-plated. On the left side it is black, on the right side red.
The cable consists of 4 strands covered with black plastic, twisted together. Also, it is extremely similar to the OH1, but slightly improved: the cable is somewhat thicker, the metal cylinders are better finished, very much in line with the material of the capsules. Although, it also lacks a pin for the adjustment under the chin.
The weight and the manufacturing quality of the capsules give it an excellent solidity and appearance. Although the cable could be improved, given the importance that this element is having lately, in the new IEMS models.
Adjustment and Ergonomics
The fit is superficial, but the ergonomics are still excellent. The friction is really pleasant and, although the capsules are heavy, the ease of fitting and inserting with the right tips, guarantees a great fit, firm and long-lasting, with no feeling of detachment. These qualities allow the best sound to be achieved easily, without the need for any readjustment, to improve its quality.
Sound
Profile
The profile could be described as a balanced and smooth W. That is, emphasis on the sub-bass, the mid-high and the high end.
Bass
The OH10 repeats excellent linearity in the sub-bass, releasing the mid-bass, as the W-sound canons command. The quantity, is not worthy of the qualification: "suitable for Bass-Heads", but surely they will be able to enjoy without complaint, unless you look for a bloated bass or more emphasized in its middle zone, characteristics that these Ikko do not possess. Extending the power, towards the lower end, guarantees the notable cleanliness that the OH10s demonstrate in the low range, but also limits the greatness of the sensation obtained. But it is still a rule of the game, which Ikko wanted to perpetuate in this new model. Because, the sensations that continue to persist, are the control and the desire to want to remain long sounding in our ears. That's why the bass never feels invasive, nor excessive. Its purpose is to give the listener softness and mystery, desirable oscillations of very low frequency, which strike docilely, without reverberating more than is convenient, generating wide planes of unfathomable depth. With all this, the idea that remains in the environment, is the generation of a sense of presence, against a feeling of quantity or greater power. The bass sounds fast and concentrated, well defined and laminated, minimally rough, just enough to provide the sweet texture it has, as well as a dark color, but cold: that coldness, which characterizes the sound of the OH10, in the rest of the ranges.
Mids
The midrange enjoys a great sense of openness and clarity. The transition between the lower and mid areas is clean, very surgical and well-defined. The OH10s respect, in a remarkable way, the confluence between both zones, providing light, resolution and definition. In addition, they generate an excellent sensation of width and separation. It is worth noting the enormous transparency in the range, as well as the large amount of air that can be perceived. This favors that the mids are distinguished very delicate, fine, analytical, but also somewhat cold. The level of resolution and definition is similarly remarkable. In such an airy and open atmosphere, it is normal that the sound lacks a rounder body or denser mids: it is something diametrically opposed. But, when I speak of coldness, I do not mean a completely digital sound or one that is devoid of total warmth or naturalness. Rather, I want to refer to its sound as neutral, balanced, with a detailed profile and sharp in nuances. The voices are perceived as close, with a more accentuated feminine voice, with that clear and luminous air that slims down their complexion. His nature turns towards an analytical aspect, but without ever falling into artificiality. If something can be attributed to her, it is hyperrealism, due to their remarkable expressiveness and descriptive capacity. In the same sense, the instrumentation is very detailed, free, rich in nuances, with great distance and separation, but also marked and energetic. The sensation of veil is null, the range never appears weak or pale.
I cannot finish describing the range, without mentioning the emphasis on its upper part, a fact that contributes, together with the tonality produced by its BA driver, to generate a high resolution sound, but somewhat lacking in emotion, not too organic, but more direct and clinical.
Treble
The upper zone of the OH10, again, offers more quality than quantity. The energy of the treble is quite restrained, but at the same time the expressiveness and definition is very well balanced. These Ikko manage to sound abundant and rich in detail, without being too crisp, too bright or too sharp. In this sense, the idea of wanting to be suitable for long listening is totally evident in the way the high notes are presented.
The perception of the trebles is smooth and quite fine, with notable extension and a great feeling of air. They bring a lot of clarity and never sound excessive or hurtful, due to their delicacy and control.
Soundstage, Separation
Due to the large amount of air that the OH10 is capable of generating, the scene is built very wide, leaving the depth and height in the background. In this way, the sensation of three-dimensionality is not very great, despite the excellent separation existing in all the ranges. The sound is very atmospheric, very diluted, almost gaseous and volatile, where the most recognizable qualities are transparency, clarity and the enormous width.
Comparisons
Ikko Meteor OH1
Although this is a recurring comparison, I wanted to give my opinion on the two models. Both share a very similar frequency response, same design, same drivers, but different materials have been used in the construction of the capsules. Is this enough to improve the sound? Well, there's no doubt about it. The OH10 has a more delicate, wide, smooth and transparent sound than the OH1. The previous model offers the same profile, but with less air, a more direct, sharp and penetrating sound, also narrower and flatter.
Comparing the lower zone, the amount and power is practically the same. The Meteor, however, offers a flatter bass, with less layers, a simpler texture and less precise and detailed definition. The Obsidian offers a richer, very descriptive low zone, with a more exact drawing and a wider, longer and deeper development. The OH1 presents a very compact hit, but without much information. The OH10, on the other hand, are capable of recreating the bass with higher resolution, fuller and bigger. The execution is more realistic and is perceived with greater fidelity, during all its development, obtaining a sensation of greater depth, fullness, richness and complexity.
With the midrange it's almost the same: the profile is tremendously similar, but the OH1's are not able to reproduce as much detail, nor the texture as descriptive as the OH10's. The comparison becomes obnoxious: Meteors offer a more direct, sharper, not-so-close sound. While the OH10s are clearer and more present, very diaphanous, clean and explicit, with a level of resolution, precision and detail that is simply higher. It's as if we were in front of the HD copy of the previous model.
The upper zone of the OH1 is sharper, crunchier, but also more crisp and a little more uncomfortable, comparatively speaking. The OH10s recreate more pleasant, smoother, more delicate, softer and more condescending highs. The amount of air is also superior, its sound is more extensive at both ends.
As it could not be otherwise, the scene and the separation, are clearly better in the new version, distinguishing a greater width, greater depth, better instrumental positioning, more accurate and realistic.
Leaving aside the sound and going into other aspects, in the Obsidian, the cable has improved slightly, the capsules are more elegant, being polished and shiny, but its weight has increased dramatically.
NS Audio NS5MKII Bass Enhanced Version
The new NS5 are one of my favorite IEMS, I love their technical ability and balance throughout the range. Maybe I miss a little more emphasis on the low end, but then, maybe they would lose neutrality and the goodness of their sound. The OH10's have a less balanced, livelier and more fun profile. The comparison is going to be tough...
In the lower zone, the Ikko show their greater depth and power in the sub-bass zone. Their lower zone is darker and rougher, with a complex and descriptive structure. The NS5 basses are a little simpler, their route does not leave so much sediment and it is perceived as lighter and with a little less information, which is a sign of neutrality. Even so, the bass are more linear and extend more towards the midrange, without ever being invasive. Its hitting is tighter and more compact, very dry. Meanwhile, in the OH10, the hit expands more, especially towards the deep side, being more protagonist and enjoying a larger and bulky body. In this section, the good lover of the low area, would be inclined towards the OH10.
The middle zone of the NS5 is even colder than in the Ikko, and the latter even sounds warm, comparatively speaking. Something that can be appreciated in the male voices. They, however, have a very prominent approach in the NS5, sounding very isolated from the rest, receiving a treatment that focuses on and positions them at a higher height and centering them in the scene, showing almost zenith. In the OH10, this treatment is not so exquisite and favorable, they place the male voices in a more distant area and without as much height. But, on the other hand, it widens their presence, slightly blurring it and giving it a point of warmth and softness, recreating a bit sweeter. With the female voices, the above mentioned is repeated, but the distance is no longer so great and the Ikko improve their performance, getting closer to the treatment that the NS5 propose. If we talk about instrumentation, that certain warmth that the Ikko have, provides a more dynamic and fun, with a little more body in the lower midrange. The NS5 are more complete and linear, but cooler, although more detailed, if possible, both in the lower and upper part of this central range. Its interpretation is more direct, defined and fine, following that pattern of greater focus. The OH10, on the other hand, tend to widen the scene, but showing themselves somewhat flatter, with less three-dimensional projection.
The high zone of the NS5 is difficult to beat, since they have a large extension, along with a very high delicacy and finesse, without losing the naturalness. Its power of definition, detail, description, complexity and precision is almost excellent. The OH10 is also good in this range, but the level of resolution and the ability to reveal micro details is surpassed by the NS5. In addition, their highs have more sparkle and a very, very sharp, but also more penetrating crunch... In contrast, the OH10s end up being quieter in this respect and softer in the long run.
The scene is perceived differently in both, the width of the Ikko is greater, but its recreation is flatter and lower. The NS5 has a more surround representation, with more height, its sound is able to travel back and forth and up and down: it is more three-dimensional and spherical, although narrower.
The NS5 are very small, light and comfortable, the closest thing to having nothing on. The OH10 has a weight that you can feel in your ears, but it does not displease, its ergonomic shape helps a lot in this aspect. But perhaps people with the smallest hole will appreciate the tiny size of the NS5.
The presentation is very careful in both, but without going beyond the remarkable neither of them. The NS have more tips and a much more useful box. The cable, of similar thickness in both, 4 strands, silver plated, with transparent coating for the NS, black for the OH10.
Hard to choose between both IEMS. One has to be clear about what one is looking for and what one likes about the sound, when it comes to choosing one or the other. It's true that they both offer some different things, one from the other, but I wouldn't say they are complementary profiles, because they also have similarities, especially in the midrange instrumentation and in the pre-treble area.
Conclusion
Ikko has created something special: he has started from the same base, which he knows is very good and still has potential for improvement, and has iterated the sound, making small but wise optimizations. The result is irrefutable: the OH10 has grown in all technical aspects, producing a qualitatively superior sound, very refined, highly transparent, wide, deep, delicate, soft, rich and with a higher resolution. In this way, the Obsidian has become an IEMS very suitable for long listening, also based on its great ergonomics and ease of adjustment. For all this, these new Ikko, deserve an "Ohhhh" of "10".
Sources Used During the Analysis
Ratings
Purchase Link
https://penonaudio.com/ikko-oh10.html
You can read the full review in Spanish here:
https://hiendportable.com/2020/02/22/ikko-obsidian-oh10-review/
Ikko is a Chinese brand, which became known with its first IEMS, the OH1. Currently they have released several products since then: The Zerda Dongle, the DAC/Amp for mobile ITM05, the present IEMS Obsidian OH10. Then there are a couple of products, whose output will be close: the ArcITB01 Bluetooth headset and the top of the range IEMS Musikv OH7.
The OH10 is, practically, a special edition of the OH1. Its external shape is the same, using other materials and slightly improving the cable. The drivers are the same, but what changes, are the materials used for the capsules and its internal structure. This time, Ikko has used pure copper to manufacture the cavity, which, in turn, is equipped with an iron ring structure. The presentation of the product has also been improved, offering a more careful and exquisite packaging.
Specifications
- Drivers type: 1 DD 10mm polymer composite titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic driver + 1 BA Knowles 33518
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHZ
- Sensitivity: 106dB
- Impedance: 18 Ω
- Cable length: 1.2m
- Jack connector: 3.5mm Gold plated audio
- Capsule Connection Type: 2-pin 0.78mm
- Cable type: 4 strands of 8 high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5n silver-plated
Packaging
The packaging of the Ikko OH10 reminds me of a review of "The Little Prince", in a female version. On that occasion, the little princess, sitting on a small obsidian rock, loves music and listens to it with her favorite IEMS, the magic Obsidian OH10, which comes flying from outer space. This mini story is nothing more than a free representation of the existing drawing on the main side of the packaging. On the back, there is an introduction to the features of the OH10, in multiple languages, including Spanish, as well as a photo of the capsules. Following the description of the external box, on one of the sides, the specifications are shown. Finally, the overall dimensions of the box are: 201x134x62mm
After removing the cardboard cover, a completely black box can be seen, with the brand logo inscribed in shiny black, in the upper left corner. The lid opens like a chest and is held in place by two magnets. Inside are the beautiful capsules, embedded in a dense black protective mould. Under it there is a leather case, rolled up; a foam mould, in which are the silicone tips and a pin with the brand logo, in gold on a black background. Finally, there is the cable, attached to a leather pin. The silicone tips are of two kinds, one of white silicone, black the other. In total, 6 pairs, in sizes SxMxL.
The presentation is appreciable, the differentiating style is recognized, with the inclusion of the leather case and the pin. But, on the other hand, the case is not very practical, the pin is merely decorative, the tips, except for the color, are similar and no foam tips are included.
Construction and Design
The shape of the OH10 is practically the same as that of the OH1, except for the materials used. On this occasion, pure copper has been used for their manufacture. The result is an IEMS that is clearly heavier than its previous counterpart. On the outside, the shape is maintained, reminiscent of the African continent and the classic dents on the outside. The entire surface has been coated with a special resin, to improve the contact with the skin, looking for a better feeling. The interior of the capsules is very smooth and soft, finely polished, as if it were a jewel. The beauty is thus maximized, enhancing the premium character of the capsules. The capsules are not thick. The nozzles are made of the same material and have a metal filter. Their length is not very long. The diameter is 6mm.
For the connection of two pins, there is a transparent plastic insert that protects the two holes, both of which are gold-plated. On the left side it is black, on the right side red.
The cable consists of 4 strands covered with black plastic, twisted together. Also, it is extremely similar to the OH1, but slightly improved: the cable is somewhat thicker, the metal cylinders are better finished, very much in line with the material of the capsules. Although, it also lacks a pin for the adjustment under the chin.
The weight and the manufacturing quality of the capsules give it an excellent solidity and appearance. Although the cable could be improved, given the importance that this element is having lately, in the new IEMS models.
Adjustment and Ergonomics
The fit is superficial, but the ergonomics are still excellent. The friction is really pleasant and, although the capsules are heavy, the ease of fitting and inserting with the right tips, guarantees a great fit, firm and long-lasting, with no feeling of detachment. These qualities allow the best sound to be achieved easily, without the need for any readjustment, to improve its quality.
Sound
Profile
The profile could be described as a balanced and smooth W. That is, emphasis on the sub-bass, the mid-high and the high end.
Bass
The OH10 repeats excellent linearity in the sub-bass, releasing the mid-bass, as the W-sound canons command. The quantity, is not worthy of the qualification: "suitable for Bass-Heads", but surely they will be able to enjoy without complaint, unless you look for a bloated bass or more emphasized in its middle zone, characteristics that these Ikko do not possess. Extending the power, towards the lower end, guarantees the notable cleanliness that the OH10s demonstrate in the low range, but also limits the greatness of the sensation obtained. But it is still a rule of the game, which Ikko wanted to perpetuate in this new model. Because, the sensations that continue to persist, are the control and the desire to want to remain long sounding in our ears. That's why the bass never feels invasive, nor excessive. Its purpose is to give the listener softness and mystery, desirable oscillations of very low frequency, which strike docilely, without reverberating more than is convenient, generating wide planes of unfathomable depth. With all this, the idea that remains in the environment, is the generation of a sense of presence, against a feeling of quantity or greater power. The bass sounds fast and concentrated, well defined and laminated, minimally rough, just enough to provide the sweet texture it has, as well as a dark color, but cold: that coldness, which characterizes the sound of the OH10, in the rest of the ranges.
Mids
The midrange enjoys a great sense of openness and clarity. The transition between the lower and mid areas is clean, very surgical and well-defined. The OH10s respect, in a remarkable way, the confluence between both zones, providing light, resolution and definition. In addition, they generate an excellent sensation of width and separation. It is worth noting the enormous transparency in the range, as well as the large amount of air that can be perceived. This favors that the mids are distinguished very delicate, fine, analytical, but also somewhat cold. The level of resolution and definition is similarly remarkable. In such an airy and open atmosphere, it is normal that the sound lacks a rounder body or denser mids: it is something diametrically opposed. But, when I speak of coldness, I do not mean a completely digital sound or one that is devoid of total warmth or naturalness. Rather, I want to refer to its sound as neutral, balanced, with a detailed profile and sharp in nuances. The voices are perceived as close, with a more accentuated feminine voice, with that clear and luminous air that slims down their complexion. His nature turns towards an analytical aspect, but without ever falling into artificiality. If something can be attributed to her, it is hyperrealism, due to their remarkable expressiveness and descriptive capacity. In the same sense, the instrumentation is very detailed, free, rich in nuances, with great distance and separation, but also marked and energetic. The sensation of veil is null, the range never appears weak or pale.
I cannot finish describing the range, without mentioning the emphasis on its upper part, a fact that contributes, together with the tonality produced by its BA driver, to generate a high resolution sound, but somewhat lacking in emotion, not too organic, but more direct and clinical.
Treble
The upper zone of the OH10, again, offers more quality than quantity. The energy of the treble is quite restrained, but at the same time the expressiveness and definition is very well balanced. These Ikko manage to sound abundant and rich in detail, without being too crisp, too bright or too sharp. In this sense, the idea of wanting to be suitable for long listening is totally evident in the way the high notes are presented.
The perception of the trebles is smooth and quite fine, with notable extension and a great feeling of air. They bring a lot of clarity and never sound excessive or hurtful, due to their delicacy and control.
Soundstage, Separation
Due to the large amount of air that the OH10 is capable of generating, the scene is built very wide, leaving the depth and height in the background. In this way, the sensation of three-dimensionality is not very great, despite the excellent separation existing in all the ranges. The sound is very atmospheric, very diluted, almost gaseous and volatile, where the most recognizable qualities are transparency, clarity and the enormous width.
Comparisons
Ikko Meteor OH1
Although this is a recurring comparison, I wanted to give my opinion on the two models. Both share a very similar frequency response, same design, same drivers, but different materials have been used in the construction of the capsules. Is this enough to improve the sound? Well, there's no doubt about it. The OH10 has a more delicate, wide, smooth and transparent sound than the OH1. The previous model offers the same profile, but with less air, a more direct, sharp and penetrating sound, also narrower and flatter.
Comparing the lower zone, the amount and power is practically the same. The Meteor, however, offers a flatter bass, with less layers, a simpler texture and less precise and detailed definition. The Obsidian offers a richer, very descriptive low zone, with a more exact drawing and a wider, longer and deeper development. The OH1 presents a very compact hit, but without much information. The OH10, on the other hand, are capable of recreating the bass with higher resolution, fuller and bigger. The execution is more realistic and is perceived with greater fidelity, during all its development, obtaining a sensation of greater depth, fullness, richness and complexity.
With the midrange it's almost the same: the profile is tremendously similar, but the OH1's are not able to reproduce as much detail, nor the texture as descriptive as the OH10's. The comparison becomes obnoxious: Meteors offer a more direct, sharper, not-so-close sound. While the OH10s are clearer and more present, very diaphanous, clean and explicit, with a level of resolution, precision and detail that is simply higher. It's as if we were in front of the HD copy of the previous model.
The upper zone of the OH1 is sharper, crunchier, but also more crisp and a little more uncomfortable, comparatively speaking. The OH10s recreate more pleasant, smoother, more delicate, softer and more condescending highs. The amount of air is also superior, its sound is more extensive at both ends.
As it could not be otherwise, the scene and the separation, are clearly better in the new version, distinguishing a greater width, greater depth, better instrumental positioning, more accurate and realistic.
Leaving aside the sound and going into other aspects, in the Obsidian, the cable has improved slightly, the capsules are more elegant, being polished and shiny, but its weight has increased dramatically.
NS Audio NS5MKII Bass Enhanced Version
The new NS5 are one of my favorite IEMS, I love their technical ability and balance throughout the range. Maybe I miss a little more emphasis on the low end, but then, maybe they would lose neutrality and the goodness of their sound. The OH10's have a less balanced, livelier and more fun profile. The comparison is going to be tough...
In the lower zone, the Ikko show their greater depth and power in the sub-bass zone. Their lower zone is darker and rougher, with a complex and descriptive structure. The NS5 basses are a little simpler, their route does not leave so much sediment and it is perceived as lighter and with a little less information, which is a sign of neutrality. Even so, the bass are more linear and extend more towards the midrange, without ever being invasive. Its hitting is tighter and more compact, very dry. Meanwhile, in the OH10, the hit expands more, especially towards the deep side, being more protagonist and enjoying a larger and bulky body. In this section, the good lover of the low area, would be inclined towards the OH10.
The middle zone of the NS5 is even colder than in the Ikko, and the latter even sounds warm, comparatively speaking. Something that can be appreciated in the male voices. They, however, have a very prominent approach in the NS5, sounding very isolated from the rest, receiving a treatment that focuses on and positions them at a higher height and centering them in the scene, showing almost zenith. In the OH10, this treatment is not so exquisite and favorable, they place the male voices in a more distant area and without as much height. But, on the other hand, it widens their presence, slightly blurring it and giving it a point of warmth and softness, recreating a bit sweeter. With the female voices, the above mentioned is repeated, but the distance is no longer so great and the Ikko improve their performance, getting closer to the treatment that the NS5 propose. If we talk about instrumentation, that certain warmth that the Ikko have, provides a more dynamic and fun, with a little more body in the lower midrange. The NS5 are more complete and linear, but cooler, although more detailed, if possible, both in the lower and upper part of this central range. Its interpretation is more direct, defined and fine, following that pattern of greater focus. The OH10, on the other hand, tend to widen the scene, but showing themselves somewhat flatter, with less three-dimensional projection.
The high zone of the NS5 is difficult to beat, since they have a large extension, along with a very high delicacy and finesse, without losing the naturalness. Its power of definition, detail, description, complexity and precision is almost excellent. The OH10 is also good in this range, but the level of resolution and the ability to reveal micro details is surpassed by the NS5. In addition, their highs have more sparkle and a very, very sharp, but also more penetrating crunch... In contrast, the OH10s end up being quieter in this respect and softer in the long run.
The scene is perceived differently in both, the width of the Ikko is greater, but its recreation is flatter and lower. The NS5 has a more surround representation, with more height, its sound is able to travel back and forth and up and down: it is more three-dimensional and spherical, although narrower.
The NS5 are very small, light and comfortable, the closest thing to having nothing on. The OH10 has a weight that you can feel in your ears, but it does not displease, its ergonomic shape helps a lot in this aspect. But perhaps people with the smallest hole will appreciate the tiny size of the NS5.
The presentation is very careful in both, but without going beyond the remarkable neither of them. The NS have more tips and a much more useful box. The cable, of similar thickness in both, 4 strands, silver plated, with transparent coating for the NS, black for the OH10.
Hard to choose between both IEMS. One has to be clear about what one is looking for and what one likes about the sound, when it comes to choosing one or the other. It's true that they both offer some different things, one from the other, but I wouldn't say they are complementary profiles, because they also have similarities, especially in the midrange instrumentation and in the pre-treble area.
Conclusion
Ikko has created something special: he has started from the same base, which he knows is very good and still has potential for improvement, and has iterated the sound, making small but wise optimizations. The result is irrefutable: the OH10 has grown in all technical aspects, producing a qualitatively superior sound, very refined, highly transparent, wide, deep, delicate, soft, rich and with a higher resolution. In this way, the Obsidian has become an IEMS very suitable for long listening, also based on its great ergonomics and ease of adjustment. For all this, these new Ikko, deserve an "Ohhhh" of "10".
Sources Used During the Analysis
- Burson Audio Playmate
- JWD JWM-115
- Tempotec Sonata iDSD Plus
- ACMEE MF-01
Ratings
- Construction and Design: 92
- Adjustment/Ergonomics: 91
- Accessories: 70
- Bass: 88
- Mids: 89
- Treble: 87
- Separation: 90
- Soundstage: 87
- Quality/Price: 86
Purchase Link
https://penonaudio.com/ikko-oh10.html
You can read the full review in Spanish here:
https://hiendportable.com/2020/02/22/ikko-obsidian-oh10-review/
iBo0m
You definitely put some great work to the review 
. The box is just "funny" for the IEMs, like a present for 3-years old... the sound is taken more seriously though, which is important
. The box is just "funny" for the IEMs, like a present for 3-years old... the sound is taken more seriously though, which is important 
IKKO OBSIDIAN OH10 REVIEW:
SOUND: 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9.5/10
DESIGN: 8.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
VALUE: 8.5/10
INTRO:
IKKO is a rather young audio company from Shenzhen, China.
They were unknow until they lauch their first earphones model call IKKO OH1. The big success that follow make them quite know among curious audiophile, but they gain popularity on Amazon too were OH1 sell very well and receive overwhelming positive feedback.
Inspired by the succes of OH1, IKKO decide to upgrade a near perfect iem to achieve and even more balanced sound. There come the OH10, wich look like to use same hybrid drivers implementation, but tuned slightly differently and using a very unique alloy-copper housing, slightly bigger but notably heavier than allo housing of OH1.
As IKKO stated themself, the choice of copper-allow housing isn’t anecdotal, it is use for its damping property that permit to control resonance wich can create distortion and/or frequencies imbalance.
Priced 190$, the OH10 cost 50$ more than the excellent OH1. Did it worth the extra money in term of sound value?
Let’s check this out in this review.
You can buy the IKKO OH10 at very same 190$ price on Amazon or if your not in USA, i suggest you to buy it from Xtenik HERE cause of free shipping and better consumer service.
DISCLAIMER: I wanna thanks IKKO for sending me this free review sample. As always, I’m not affiliated to anybody and personally choose the product I review. As a fan of OH1, I feel i Must test the OH10 too.
SPECS:
Type: In-Ear Monitor (IEM)
Drivers: Dynamic driver : 10mm Dynamic driver with titanium-plated Polymer membrane
Balanced Armature: Knowles 33518
Sensitivity: 106dB
Frequency range: 20Hz-40kHZ
Imdepance: 18ohm
Cable length: 1.2m
Connector: 2-pin 0.78mm
Cable type: 4 strands of 8 high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5n silver-plated
Package
1x Ikko OH10
1x Storage case
6x Pairs of silicone tips
IN THE BOX:
Here, IKKO give lot of effort to offer a pristine unboxing experience. Compared to OH1, we are granted with a very artistic presentation wich is real candy for the eyes. It’s even more creative than Moondrop presentation, as its not mass manga imagery but real unique surreal art piece. Cat flying on comets? I love that! But that’s not all. The boxing is sumptuous and you open it as a treasure chest to discover meticulously presented accessories that include unique leather rollable pouch, generous amount of eartps, and a fancy IKKO pin (!). To me, this little details tell us how much IKKO respect it’s consumers and indeed it put a big smile on my face.
CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN:
While design is very similar to the OH1, the construction isn’t. You see it but feel it too once in your hand because the OH10 are most likely the heaviest earphones I ever have. About 2 times heavier than OH1, no joke. One would think it will fatigue the ears canal, fall of your ears or be atrociously uncomfortable but this isn’t the case at all. It’s as comfy that the OH1 and even have the property to not get as cold as fast wich make it more practical for winter season. But, unlike the OH1, you are now obligated to use a cable with earhook, otherwise it can tend to slide out of your ears a little, not poping out, but the OH10 do not seat in your ears. Anyway, i never encounter discomfort with OH10, even after hours and hours of intense listening. Cable is very same of OH1, wich is okay but not impressing....i would have love an upgraded cable.
ISOLATION is good and cut most of outside noise with music at medium volume, especially if using memory foam tips. Sound leakage is extremely low as it do not have venting hole in the back, so if you fit them tighly and deeply, you will never annoy anybody with your OH10 music even at high volume.
DRIVEABILITY is rather easy and versatile. This isn’t capricious iem, neither super sensitive to audio output impedance or amping power. At 18ohm impedance and 106db sensitivity the OH10 will be drived proper with any source including your phone.
SOUND:
OVERALL SOUND APPRECIATION is highly positive and the perfect step up from OH1. Even if I must admit the sound difference is in little nuance, the use of upgraded copper housing sure offer a more controled and balanced low end extension, making the OH10 less boomy and U shape than it’s little brother as well as offering clearer more refined mid range and treble. Sub bass is less emphased and more resolve in mid bass, it move a little lessair wich was slightly bleeding on lower mids with OH1. Mid range have great technicalities and articulation, it well resolve even if timbre is on the thin side. Tonality is right. You don’t have as much upper mids sibilance and male vocalaren’t as beefy with OH10. Transient response is excellent, attack is fast and snappy, yes, the OH10 is both more balanced and neutral evenif it keep it’s energic bass within its W shape soundsignature.
SOUNDSTAGE have great deepness to it, make spaciality just enough holographic and around your head, it’s not super wide and tall but still far frombeing intimate.
IMAGING is excellent, thanks to its highly resolved sound, instrument separation have good air between them even if not enourmous space. It’s realist and accurate and the layering is well done from low to highs.
TONAL balance is very good too, with a fast organic transient response that do not make the sound of 2 different drivers differently coloured. Dynamic driver bass and mids and highs of balanced armature mix togheter naturaly as if coming from same sound family.
TIMBRE is slightly bright and transparent, but not dry as it’s well rounded and gently textured.
CLARITY is high without feeling exagerated or cold sounding, I would not call the OH10 analytical, just very well resolve and delicate. Definition is not pushed fowards, it’s still rather smooth.
BASS is both punchy and rumbly, the slam is fast and well rounded. Extension is natural and transparent. Bass line of both slap bass and synth bass sound clear and agile without sounding too thick, resolution is quite high as we can heard any type of bass instrument beautifully layered. Low end do not bleed on midrange, tough it could have add body and warmth to vocal, it would have been less accurate in it’s presentation too. Tough texture of bass is rather smooth, it do not affect it’s definition because of the nice weight and snappy attack it have.
MID RANGE have more presence in mid and highs mids and follow its climb in treble without any harsh peaks. Vocal do not feel particularly recessed even if timbre is on the thin side with hint of breathyness. Female vocal sound fuller than male vocal wich would have benefit of extramid bass or lower mids. Slightly bright, the mids offer high level of clarity and fast attack, it have a vivid presentation that miraculously avoid to sound agressive or shouty. Tonality is excellent, very realist, wich is even more evident with piano, cello or violin than vocal. The whole mid range is sharply articulate and lively, oppositve of laid back or mellow. This type of mids is very versatile because bass and highs too are energic in attack. Only die hard critical listener obsess by vocal presence, timbre and naturalness would find the OH10 somewhat imperfect, but I’m myself obess by vocal and while my favorite singer do not blow my mind, they sound clear and non sibilant so I’m very satisfy because the OH10 offer tremendous agility for jazz, classical and electronic too.
TREBLE is delicate and super snappy, it offer high level of details with good brilliance and effortless decay. Should it be piano in high register, violin or percussions, everything sound sharply resolve. Attack speed is mind blowing for the price as well as control. When a percussion is suppose to be thigh like hit hat it is, when it should have decay like cymbals it have it without sounding splashy or too forward. We aren’t in crunchy territory here, and its more about brilliance than texture. What impress too is how well balanced with whole spectrum the highs are, they do not jump at you, yet they are extremely clear. I think both treble head and treble sensitive people can enjoy OH10, wich is quite a ‘’tour de force’’.
SUB BASS: 8.5/10
MID BASS: 8/10
MID RANGE: 8.5/10
TREBLE: 9/10
TIMBRE: 8/10
TONALITY: 8.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8/10
IMAGING: 8.5/10
ATTACK-DECAY: 9/10
COMPARISONS:
VS IKKO OH1 (140$):
So, if you aren’t a critical listener like me, firstly, your lucky cause it can be nightmare, but secondly, perhaps you will not even hear sound difference of OH10, wich is about nuance, but fondamental one from my point of view.
SOUNDSTAGE is very similar, but you have a hint more deepness and tallness with OH10, wich is a little more airy. IMAGING is slightly more precise, and tend to mix less togher, should it be in lower mids or upper mids and treble. CLARITY is a little improved, as if the sound was cleaned and resonance free. BASS is more controled, slightly clearer and tigher, with sub bass and mid bass being betetr balanced with OH10. MIDS is about the same but slightly more detailed and more natural in timbre, vocal is less harsh and smoother, no more OH1 sibilance. TREBLE is more extended, offering more brilliance in highs as well as more airy presentation.
All in all, the upgrade are small but vital, we have a more refined and balanced sound with improved technicalities over the already great OH1.
VS Obravo Cupid Basic(180$):
SOUNDSTAGE is similar in wideness but taller and notably deeper with the OH10. IMAGING is superior in every way with OH10, offering more precise and clearer instrument placement making it less prompt to congestion like the Obravo.
BASS is thicker and more boomy with the Obravo, lacking in transparency and natural extension and tending to muffled overall sound in bassy track, while OH10 have tigher more balanced bass with better extension and better control. MID RANGE have better tonal balance and accuracy with OH10, timbre is more natural and transparent as well, here the Obravo tend to shout mid range quite agressively with a lack of proper articulation and rather opaque grainy timbre that affect definiton. Whie vocal can sound thinner with the OH10, it’s very positive compared to overly opaque and grainy vocal of Obravo that have more sibilance and rough texture to it. TREBLE is more delicate and sparkly with OH10, offering natural decay the Obravo lack, it’s smoother tough more brilliant and revealing thant harsher thicker highs or Obravo.
TONALY the Obravo is brighter, colder and unbalanced due to strange transient response between dynamic and planar drivers, the OH10 sound more refined and musical with a more organic tonal balance.
All in all, the IKKO OH10 sound more balanced, revealing, transparent and tonaly accurate while the Obravo is agressive and tonaly ackward.
VS BQEYZ Spring1 (140$):
The OH10 is an excellent 1DD+1 knowles BA hybrid earphones while Spring1 is a triple hybrid drive with dual Piezo-DD and BA. Construction is more eye appealing than the Spring1, but both share thick metal housing, one being alloy while OH10 is heavy copper that feel supremely robust. OH10 is notably larger while Spring1 is thicker, offering about both same level of comfort, but as the nozzle is less long and tichk than Spring1, i can use long silicone eartips with the OH1.
SOUNDSTAGE is wider, taller and more holographic with the Spring1 while the OH1 have a little more deepnest to it.
IMAGING is more intimate with the OH1, as if the bass and highs are better separated and mid range is opaque and drier and lack space between instrument, here the Spring1 have near the opposite imaging approach, where whole mid range is extremely well articulated and separeted and the bass and highs stay layered in the back.
BASS is more controled and agile with the OH1 and have better separated sub bass wich extend naturally, is clear and very well define but make the mid bass punch a little less punchy, the Spring1 have less rumble in sub bass, wich is thick, dry and opaque but quite fast, the mid bass have more weight and texure and is more agressively thumping.
MID RANGE is brighter, thinner and less textured with the OH10, this is really where the sword hit, because Spring1 mid range is richer and more accurate, it cover full 1khz-8khz range without notable dip and offer better instrument separation too. OH10 can be hot in upper mids, but little less than the Spring1 but the biggest difference is in timbre and weight, as we can hear with piano.
TREBLE is similar with those too, but again, i find the Spring1 more natural and fuller sounding, percussions have more weight while the OH10 is more about cripsness, brilliance and offer longer decay that sound more lively in upper treble.
All in all, the OH10 is like a more bassy Spring1 with more extended treble and less rich textured timbre.
CONCLUSION:
IKKO OH10 remake OH1 might not be what i would call a completely different earphones, but it sure improve enough in both construction and packaging to justify the price jump.
When it come to sound, only die hard audiophile will applause the sligth sound improvment like I do, because we don’t talk about night and day difference here but about very same sound signature that have been more polish and extended to offer a more mature nuanced sound. Sure, the bass is improved, the mids are more balanced and treble gain in sharpness, but its mostly due to the use of different housing size and material, wich cancel unwanted resonance and distortion that was making OH1 sound more metallic and artificial in mid range and treble.
If you already have the OH1, there no need to buy the OH10. But if you don’t have it, I will enthusiastly suggest you to bypass OH1 and take the OH10 wich offer better controlled technicalities and a vivid, extremely well balanced sound experience.
The IKKO OBSIDIAN OH10 is among the best all arounder in sub-200$ iem market.
SOUND: 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9.5/10
DESIGN: 8.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
VALUE: 8.5/10
INTRO:
IKKO is a rather young audio company from Shenzhen, China.
They were unknow until they lauch their first earphones model call IKKO OH1. The big success that follow make them quite know among curious audiophile, but they gain popularity on Amazon too were OH1 sell very well and receive overwhelming positive feedback.
Inspired by the succes of OH1, IKKO decide to upgrade a near perfect iem to achieve and even more balanced sound. There come the OH10, wich look like to use same hybrid drivers implementation, but tuned slightly differently and using a very unique alloy-copper housing, slightly bigger but notably heavier than allo housing of OH1.
As IKKO stated themself, the choice of copper-allow housing isn’t anecdotal, it is use for its damping property that permit to control resonance wich can create distortion and/or frequencies imbalance.
Priced 190$, the OH10 cost 50$ more than the excellent OH1. Did it worth the extra money in term of sound value?
Let’s check this out in this review.
You can buy the IKKO OH10 at very same 190$ price on Amazon or if your not in USA, i suggest you to buy it from Xtenik HERE cause of free shipping and better consumer service.
DISCLAIMER: I wanna thanks IKKO for sending me this free review sample. As always, I’m not affiliated to anybody and personally choose the product I review. As a fan of OH1, I feel i Must test the OH10 too.
SPECS:
Type: In-Ear Monitor (IEM)
Drivers: Dynamic driver : 10mm Dynamic driver with titanium-plated Polymer membrane
Balanced Armature: Knowles 33518
Sensitivity: 106dB
Frequency range: 20Hz-40kHZ
Imdepance: 18ohm
Cable length: 1.2m
Connector: 2-pin 0.78mm
Cable type: 4 strands of 8 high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5n silver-plated
Package
1x Ikko OH10
1x Storage case
6x Pairs of silicone tips
IN THE BOX:
Here, IKKO give lot of effort to offer a pristine unboxing experience. Compared to OH1, we are granted with a very artistic presentation wich is real candy for the eyes. It’s even more creative than Moondrop presentation, as its not mass manga imagery but real unique surreal art piece. Cat flying on comets? I love that! But that’s not all. The boxing is sumptuous and you open it as a treasure chest to discover meticulously presented accessories that include unique leather rollable pouch, generous amount of eartps, and a fancy IKKO pin (!). To me, this little details tell us how much IKKO respect it’s consumers and indeed it put a big smile on my face.
CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN:
While design is very similar to the OH1, the construction isn’t. You see it but feel it too once in your hand because the OH10 are most likely the heaviest earphones I ever have. About 2 times heavier than OH1, no joke. One would think it will fatigue the ears canal, fall of your ears or be atrociously uncomfortable but this isn’t the case at all. It’s as comfy that the OH1 and even have the property to not get as cold as fast wich make it more practical for winter season. But, unlike the OH1, you are now obligated to use a cable with earhook, otherwise it can tend to slide out of your ears a little, not poping out, but the OH10 do not seat in your ears. Anyway, i never encounter discomfort with OH10, even after hours and hours of intense listening. Cable is very same of OH1, wich is okay but not impressing....i would have love an upgraded cable.
ISOLATION is good and cut most of outside noise with music at medium volume, especially if using memory foam tips. Sound leakage is extremely low as it do not have venting hole in the back, so if you fit them tighly and deeply, you will never annoy anybody with your OH10 music even at high volume.
DRIVEABILITY is rather easy and versatile. This isn’t capricious iem, neither super sensitive to audio output impedance or amping power. At 18ohm impedance and 106db sensitivity the OH10 will be drived proper with any source including your phone.
SOUND:
OVERALL SOUND APPRECIATION is highly positive and the perfect step up from OH1. Even if I must admit the sound difference is in little nuance, the use of upgraded copper housing sure offer a more controled and balanced low end extension, making the OH10 less boomy and U shape than it’s little brother as well as offering clearer more refined mid range and treble. Sub bass is less emphased and more resolve in mid bass, it move a little lessair wich was slightly bleeding on lower mids with OH1. Mid range have great technicalities and articulation, it well resolve even if timbre is on the thin side. Tonality is right. You don’t have as much upper mids sibilance and male vocalaren’t as beefy with OH10. Transient response is excellent, attack is fast and snappy, yes, the OH10 is both more balanced and neutral evenif it keep it’s energic bass within its W shape soundsignature.
SOUNDSTAGE have great deepness to it, make spaciality just enough holographic and around your head, it’s not super wide and tall but still far frombeing intimate.
IMAGING is excellent, thanks to its highly resolved sound, instrument separation have good air between them even if not enourmous space. It’s realist and accurate and the layering is well done from low to highs.
TONAL balance is very good too, with a fast organic transient response that do not make the sound of 2 different drivers differently coloured. Dynamic driver bass and mids and highs of balanced armature mix togheter naturaly as if coming from same sound family.
TIMBRE is slightly bright and transparent, but not dry as it’s well rounded and gently textured.
CLARITY is high without feeling exagerated or cold sounding, I would not call the OH10 analytical, just very well resolve and delicate. Definition is not pushed fowards, it’s still rather smooth.
BASS is both punchy and rumbly, the slam is fast and well rounded. Extension is natural and transparent. Bass line of both slap bass and synth bass sound clear and agile without sounding too thick, resolution is quite high as we can heard any type of bass instrument beautifully layered. Low end do not bleed on midrange, tough it could have add body and warmth to vocal, it would have been less accurate in it’s presentation too. Tough texture of bass is rather smooth, it do not affect it’s definition because of the nice weight and snappy attack it have.
MID RANGE have more presence in mid and highs mids and follow its climb in treble without any harsh peaks. Vocal do not feel particularly recessed even if timbre is on the thin side with hint of breathyness. Female vocal sound fuller than male vocal wich would have benefit of extramid bass or lower mids. Slightly bright, the mids offer high level of clarity and fast attack, it have a vivid presentation that miraculously avoid to sound agressive or shouty. Tonality is excellent, very realist, wich is even more evident with piano, cello or violin than vocal. The whole mid range is sharply articulate and lively, oppositve of laid back or mellow. This type of mids is very versatile because bass and highs too are energic in attack. Only die hard critical listener obsess by vocal presence, timbre and naturalness would find the OH10 somewhat imperfect, but I’m myself obess by vocal and while my favorite singer do not blow my mind, they sound clear and non sibilant so I’m very satisfy because the OH10 offer tremendous agility for jazz, classical and electronic too.
TREBLE is delicate and super snappy, it offer high level of details with good brilliance and effortless decay. Should it be piano in high register, violin or percussions, everything sound sharply resolve. Attack speed is mind blowing for the price as well as control. When a percussion is suppose to be thigh like hit hat it is, when it should have decay like cymbals it have it without sounding splashy or too forward. We aren’t in crunchy territory here, and its more about brilliance than texture. What impress too is how well balanced with whole spectrum the highs are, they do not jump at you, yet they are extremely clear. I think both treble head and treble sensitive people can enjoy OH10, wich is quite a ‘’tour de force’’.
SUB BASS: 8.5/10
MID BASS: 8/10
MID RANGE: 8.5/10
TREBLE: 9/10
TIMBRE: 8/10
TONALITY: 8.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8/10
IMAGING: 8.5/10
ATTACK-DECAY: 9/10
COMPARISONS:
VS IKKO OH1 (140$):
So, if you aren’t a critical listener like me, firstly, your lucky cause it can be nightmare, but secondly, perhaps you will not even hear sound difference of OH10, wich is about nuance, but fondamental one from my point of view.
SOUNDSTAGE is very similar, but you have a hint more deepness and tallness with OH10, wich is a little more airy. IMAGING is slightly more precise, and tend to mix less togher, should it be in lower mids or upper mids and treble. CLARITY is a little improved, as if the sound was cleaned and resonance free. BASS is more controled, slightly clearer and tigher, with sub bass and mid bass being betetr balanced with OH10. MIDS is about the same but slightly more detailed and more natural in timbre, vocal is less harsh and smoother, no more OH1 sibilance. TREBLE is more extended, offering more brilliance in highs as well as more airy presentation.
All in all, the upgrade are small but vital, we have a more refined and balanced sound with improved technicalities over the already great OH1.
VS Obravo Cupid Basic(180$):
SOUNDSTAGE is similar in wideness but taller and notably deeper with the OH10. IMAGING is superior in every way with OH10, offering more precise and clearer instrument placement making it less prompt to congestion like the Obravo.
BASS is thicker and more boomy with the Obravo, lacking in transparency and natural extension and tending to muffled overall sound in bassy track, while OH10 have tigher more balanced bass with better extension and better control. MID RANGE have better tonal balance and accuracy with OH10, timbre is more natural and transparent as well, here the Obravo tend to shout mid range quite agressively with a lack of proper articulation and rather opaque grainy timbre that affect definiton. Whie vocal can sound thinner with the OH10, it’s very positive compared to overly opaque and grainy vocal of Obravo that have more sibilance and rough texture to it. TREBLE is more delicate and sparkly with OH10, offering natural decay the Obravo lack, it’s smoother tough more brilliant and revealing thant harsher thicker highs or Obravo.
TONALY the Obravo is brighter, colder and unbalanced due to strange transient response between dynamic and planar drivers, the OH10 sound more refined and musical with a more organic tonal balance.
All in all, the IKKO OH10 sound more balanced, revealing, transparent and tonaly accurate while the Obravo is agressive and tonaly ackward.
VS BQEYZ Spring1 (140$):
The OH10 is an excellent 1DD+1 knowles BA hybrid earphones while Spring1 is a triple hybrid drive with dual Piezo-DD and BA. Construction is more eye appealing than the Spring1, but both share thick metal housing, one being alloy while OH10 is heavy copper that feel supremely robust. OH10 is notably larger while Spring1 is thicker, offering about both same level of comfort, but as the nozzle is less long and tichk than Spring1, i can use long silicone eartips with the OH1.
SOUNDSTAGE is wider, taller and more holographic with the Spring1 while the OH1 have a little more deepnest to it.
IMAGING is more intimate with the OH1, as if the bass and highs are better separated and mid range is opaque and drier and lack space between instrument, here the Spring1 have near the opposite imaging approach, where whole mid range is extremely well articulated and separeted and the bass and highs stay layered in the back.
BASS is more controled and agile with the OH1 and have better separated sub bass wich extend naturally, is clear and very well define but make the mid bass punch a little less punchy, the Spring1 have less rumble in sub bass, wich is thick, dry and opaque but quite fast, the mid bass have more weight and texure and is more agressively thumping.
MID RANGE is brighter, thinner and less textured with the OH10, this is really where the sword hit, because Spring1 mid range is richer and more accurate, it cover full 1khz-8khz range without notable dip and offer better instrument separation too. OH10 can be hot in upper mids, but little less than the Spring1 but the biggest difference is in timbre and weight, as we can hear with piano.
TREBLE is similar with those too, but again, i find the Spring1 more natural and fuller sounding, percussions have more weight while the OH10 is more about cripsness, brilliance and offer longer decay that sound more lively in upper treble.
All in all, the OH10 is like a more bassy Spring1 with more extended treble and less rich textured timbre.
CONCLUSION:
IKKO OH10 remake OH1 might not be what i would call a completely different earphones, but it sure improve enough in both construction and packaging to justify the price jump.
When it come to sound, only die hard audiophile will applause the sligth sound improvment like I do, because we don’t talk about night and day difference here but about very same sound signature that have been more polish and extended to offer a more mature nuanced sound. Sure, the bass is improved, the mids are more balanced and treble gain in sharpness, but its mostly due to the use of different housing size and material, wich cancel unwanted resonance and distortion that was making OH1 sound more metallic and artificial in mid range and treble.
If you already have the OH1, there no need to buy the OH10. But if you don’t have it, I will enthusiastly suggest you to bypass OH1 and take the OH10 wich offer better controlled technicalities and a vivid, extremely well balanced sound experience.
The IKKO OBSIDIAN OH10 is among the best all arounder in sub-200$ iem market.
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