Ikko OH300

How I review: (See Previous Reviews)
Instagram: regancipher
YouTube: regancipher
Squiglink: regancipher
Socials: Biolink

Model: IKKO OH300
Price: £49.68 - Amazon UK (currently £32.00 at IKKO)
Review Reference: RC120

Manufacturer Specification:

• Brand: IKKO
• Model: OH300
• Driver: 10mm liquid crystal dynamic driver
• IEM Weight: 5.22g
• IEM Dimensions: 24.2mm (height) x 17.0mm (width) x 25.5mm (max depth)
• Shell: CNC+PC+ Photochromic Color-Changing Glass
• Impedance: 32Ω±15% (at 1kHz)
• Sensitivity: 107dB/Vrms (at 1kHz)
• Frequency Response Range: 10Hz-50kHz
• Effective Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
• Cable: High Purity Oxygen-Free Single Crystal Copper
• Connector: 0.78 2 Pin QDC with 3.5mm jack

Includes:

1 x Pair IEM
1 x Detachable Oxygen-Free Copper Cable
6 x Pair spare tips (3 x narrow bore SML, 3 x wide bore SML)
1 x User Manual
1 x Warranty Card

YouTube Review:



Introduction

IKKO are a brand that likes to do things their own way, refusing to flood the market with release after release and shunning the Harman profile that typifies your average budget IEM release these days. Their individualistic approach has seen them pick up a string of VGP awards over the last few years, including for the OH10 - a very popular IEM with the Headfi community. The OH300 joins the OH10S in branching away from the original OH10, retaining a similar fun, energetic sound but bringing a rather unique-looking photochromic glass faceplate to enhance the visuals. The OH300 is the budget-friendly option, sporting a single LCP driver and retailing for around £50 - a price bracket where the competition is fierce - but they definitely have their merits. If you like a fun, bassy sound and don't mind their slightly larger profile then these could be a plum choice.

Unboxing



The OH300 come in a small, bold outer enclosure which showcase the design of the buds, along with the Hi-Res Audio logo. It is a simplistic, uncluttered styling that extends further into the overall unboxing experience, and it gives you that first glimpse of the photochromic design that symbolises the raison d'etre of this release.



Unperturbed by many of their competitors' more extravagant, themed affairs, IKKO have kept the overall unboxing experience simple, with accessories kept to the bare minimum. You're getting 6 sets of eartips - 3 SML in wide bore, 3 SML in narrow, an instruction manual and a high purity copper cable. There's no carry case nor pouch, so if you're the kind of buyer that likes to get a load of freebies in the box, prepare to be a little disappointed. Fortunately, the accessories are serviceable, although due to the shape of the OH300 you may still look to roll those tips anyway.

Design and Build Quality



The first thing to address when examining the design is the OH300's signature - their photochromic glass faceplates, designed to safeguard the circuitry components from ultraviolet damage in sunlight. This has the added bonus of presenting a blue hue in strong light, and whilst it does certainly differentiate the OH300 from other IEMs, the effect isn't quite as startling in the flesh. Nevertheless, the shells are very well designed with good build quality and QC.



Looking away from the plate, the rest of the shell is predominantly plastic, but don't let that put you off. The OH300 is a beefy, robust IEM with a custom 'feel' to the inside. They're a relatively heavy IEM - over 5g - and they're also a deep insertion design with a pretty long nozzle, bringing their overall width to over 25mm. The semi-transparent smoked look enables the internals to be seen with a close look. It's an attractive overall design that is certainly eye-catching, and the brass nozzles reflect solid craftsmanship - the OH300 feel much higher quality than many of their competitors at a similar price.



The cable and connectors are also respectable quality - the latter being a 2 pin QDC type. The ear hooks are augmented by a silicone sleeve that gives them a little more malleability and hold. The price-performance parity is about right here, although the absence of chin slider again on the cable is a minor quibble.



The teardrop shape of the IEM has an ergonomic geometric to it, following the contours of your antihelix and sitting quite naturally against your concha. The ear hook coils pull quite tightly, but I didn't feel any discomfort - instead walking around outdoors I felt a sense of confidence that the hooks wouldn't come loose - something that should be bare minimum, but isn't always the case.



The only slight disappointment for me with the design is how bulky they are, which may or may not be a problem for you depending on your ear anatomy. The 25.5mm depth and long nozzle mean they don't really fit my shallow ear canals particularly well, and whilst they do provide excellent isolation, the deep fit could at times feel a little awkward for me. I could still use the OH300 for a few hours at a time without any issue, but any more than that and I'd need to give my ears a little rest. Bear in mind, my ear canals are definitely not as deep as the average ear - I often have this problem with IEMs, and the ill-fitting look you see above is not so much reflected in real life.

Audio & Sound Signature



The OH300 are the first non-Harman set I've listened to for a while, and after a brief period of readjustment I was able to enjoy what they had to offer - a fun, warm, bouncy v-shape sound that excel particularly with non-complex, energetic genres such as pop, EDM and R&B, where the relaxed treble can combined with polite upper-mids and an enriched low end, offering good detail without fatigue.

A broad +6dB lift spanning 80Hz up through 500Hz injects plenty of warmth and body. The slope ascent brings acoustic instruments forward with woody resonance and injects electronic genres with atmospheric depth. The enlarged bass presence remains tight and punchy thanks to the restrained mid-bass - its a richer, colourful bass rather than a more physical rumble. The bass is punchy and energetic, and whilst this isn't a basshead set, if you like a richer, slightly thicker tone then the OH300 should have enough in the locker for you.

Though the midrange the OH300 takes a politer stance, the sound retains sharpness and clarity, at least when the volume is a little higher. While male vocals shine around 300Hz, a notable -3dB dip at 800Hz can pull some female artists voices and guitars back in the mix. This reduces clarity and intimacy at lower volumes, yet prevents hardness or fatigue at higher levels. Overall the mid contour sounds smooth rather than articulate - atmospheric instruments like strings focus on tone over texture. Vocals maintain intelligibility if not constant presence. The laidback upper-mids likely contribute to the OH300's genre versatility, though critical listeners may want more midrange energy. I tend to prefer a more prominent midrange due to the style of music I favour - progressive house, melodic techno, opera and vocal jazz - but for more energetic listening I found myself enjoying what the OH300 had to offer far more than I thought I would.

As per previous, treble takes a slightly more laidback stance than some of the brighter sets that have passed through the RC test bench, rolling off the extension and dialing brilliance back considerably compared to target, counter-balancing other frequencies nicely to set the tone. A relaxed downward slope prevents vocal sizzle or cymbal sting in exchange for fatigue-free listening. There's no hardness present - rather a graceful triangle decay delivering adequate air and sparkle without fatigue. Ikko have boxed clever here - arranging the treble in a slightly different way to the OH10S due to the absence of BA.

There's enough detail to satisfy non-critical listening, and whilst the OH300 sounds best when enjoying the heart of the music, rather than analyzing every last detail, that isn't to say the sound is blurred or incoherent. Imaging is accurate with a hint of precision - placement is very good for a sub $50 set here, and with its natural staging and tonality, it is unquestionable that IKKO have put their years of experience into the tuning, eeking out strong performance from a relatively bare-bones driver arrangement.



So how do the OH300 compare to other similarly priced buds? At time of writing, in the UK you can pick up the 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 for around £7 less than the OH300, but I personally wouldn't bother. Listening to aggressive hip hop or EDM, the Zero 2 stomps with authoritative slam thanks to its +7dB boost at 40Hz. The boosted sub-bass force shouldn't be understated, allowing synthesizers to growl fiercely while kicks punch with physical impact, but it sounds rather pillowy and bleeds more into the midrange, obscuring details and congesting the sound. Ambient electronica loses its sparkling clarity and jazz pianos sound a shade boomy, lacking the crispness of the OH300. The OH300 provides cleaner mids along with smoother, more fatigue-free treble. Its smoother sound won't rattle ear drums, but instrumentation remains more intelligible across genres without the coarseness that blights the Zero:2. Fans of vocal-centric pop and acoustic styles will almost certainly prefer the OH300's smooth tuning, whereas bassheads will probably favour the less refined Zero:2.



The EPZ Q5 are close to the MSRP of the OH300, and are another Harman-diffuse field set which impressed me. The Q5 are a more musical set, with a dialled-down midbass and upper mid-register extension that suits my preferred styles - melodic techno, vocal jazz, etc by bringing an even cleaner, more cohesive sound to instruments and vocals, and particularly percussion, which has more bite and granularity. However, whilst the bass is clean and reasonably well-textured, bringing a slightly quicker attack and decay, it lacks a little robustness compared to the fuller, thicker sound of the OH300. Non-complex vocal arrangements and rock and metal can both paradoxically sound a bit echoey on the Q5, whereas the sound is fuller and more dynamic on the OH300. Both sets benefit from great imaging for the money, and both are amongst the best picks at around this price, depending on your preferred genre.

Summary

The OH300 are a continuation of IKKO's excellent work with their OH10 and OH10S, and represent a solid addition to their portfolio and a good option in the crowded budget category, especially at their current reduced price of £32.

The photochromic effect is probably more gimmick than tangible benefit, but it makes for an attractive, albeit slightly bulky IEM that offers great isolation and is straightforward to drive. The build quality and craftsmanship are high, despite the predominantly plastic, and whilst the lack of accessories may not appeal to beginners who perhaps don't have carry-cases or pouches and rooms full of spare tips, the cable and tips they do come with are serviceable.

Whilst lacking the theming of some of their competitors, the OH300 may not seem quite as exciting a choice, but they deliver good performance, build quality and finishing, and their engaging, dynamic sound will register with those who enjoy punchy-sounding baselines and a smoother treble.