NF Audio NM2+

-NF AUDIO NM2+ No Gimmick review--

TONALITY: 8/10
TECHNICALITIES:7/10
CONSTRUCTION&DESIGN: 9.5/10
VALUE: 7/10

About me: I'm into chifi discoveries since its early beginning 8 years ago.I don't have single preference in terms of tuning, but wtv bright or warm, it needs to have cohesive tonal balance and good timbre (realist or romantic). I don't like my mids recessed and rarely listen to male vocal even if i listen to a wide variety of genre including classical, jazz, experimental rock, complex electronic, immature rap, soul, r&b, worldmusic you name it. I can listen to crazy aggressive jazz rock but apart some math-rock that are borderline metal I don't listen to metal. I like my IEM dynamic even when laid back sounding like Starfield. My main used gear is IBASSO DX90 (portable) and SMSL SH-9+SU-9 (deskop) and Tempotec HD PRO+LG V30 (for streaming).

THE GOOD: Balanced lively tonality, sumptuously forwarded vocal rich in texture-details, energic slam, wide soundstage, great for acoustic music especially piano and guitar, bright without being sibilant or harsh, exemplary construction and design, nice cable

THE BAD: Average technicalities like lack of attack snap, closed up imaging, undeep soundstage, rolled off sub-bass that lead to muddy sub-kick separation, sometime vocal take all the place sometime it get crumble under pile of instrument (very strange driver behavior), instrument like violin or cello sound artificial, cymbals get splashy easily, sound layers get messy with busy track, attack lead is not edgy enough, male vocal arent very bodied

THE UGLY: Not a Monitor unless your acoustic or female solo singer, slow transient response that can't deal with busy track, colored treble that lack air, poor sound value

The NM2+ get hyped to the sky due to an army of wannabe-influencer and the fact Linsoul, Penon and other big distributor (but more honest) like SHenzenaudio and Hifigo promote the product release. This is why I feel anti-hype review is urgently needed.


Firstly, the NM2+ is stated as Monitor IEM but isn't competent enough in terms of technicalities to be useful for this purpose unless your music production is very minimal in instrumentation and slow in attack. I think this is thought for vocalist, but you will be hard-pressed to clearly enjoy your vocal if its surrounded by a lot of instrument because imaging is very bad and timbre lack transparency (even if stated the opposite in product description). STILL, I do enjoy the tonality of this IEM because of one simple reason: I'm a sucker for Female vocal and if the NM2+ do something great its delivering rich forwards female vocal with very inviting presence. Its all about this in fact, not other mids instrument apart Piano and acoustic guitar to some extend.

What impresses me the most is all about construction, design and whole packaging. Yes, this only can justify the 170$ price tag to some extend. Housing feel invincible, hard to scratch and is the perfect mix of beauty and practicality.

''The NF Audio NM2+ earpieces are made with ultimate precision using the latest 5-axis CNC technology. The 5-axis CNC technology is much advanced than the traditional die-cast holding method and provides a rich texture and quality to the product. They are made up of high-quality aeronautical grade aluminium material which is usually used in aerospace, aviation, and other high precision industries.''

Yep, this part of the product description (unlike the sound) isn't gimmick. CNC tech is sincerely mind blowing! I love the numerous engraving on housing too. Fit is good, isolation too. As well, we got for once a very good quality cable that suffers from a too-thigh earhook i have to get rid off. But who give a single F about construction if sound is bad? Well, the sound isn't bad, just average.

This time we got a real balanced W shape sound, slightly bright with emphasis on mid-bass, energetically forwarded mids, and vivid treble. Sound signature remind me of Grado SR60 with rounder bass.

BASS is thick, saturated with (grainy) texture, boosted in mid bass for extra slam. Extension isn't natural and sub-bass is rolled off. Don't try to monitor bass line with these cause layering is very poor. Definition and articulation isn't good neither, so we can say its a bit muddy. Sub is far away in the back and kick is juiced up and warm in definition.

MIDS are surely the best part or at least the center of the show. It jump at you eager to seduce you with boosted presence that strangely avoid upper mids sibilance. Imaging and separation is poor apart to extract vocal. I would say they are gently bright and just a hint shouty. The issue begin when you have busy music, I was enjoying Susanna Wallumrod voice and piano playing until drummer come in and suddenly make vocal very distant and drowned in sound layers, when crash cymbals begin everything go out of control making it unlistenable.

TREBLE, like BASS, is a mixed bag showing limit of driver transient response, it boost the presence of some texture and make instrument like violin sound off, dry and thin, lacking both attack edge and snap. Extension isn't natural in decay which stop fast, stoling precious sparkles and air. Still, its well balanced enough with rest of tonality but only offer false dirty clarity lacking clean silence. Snare and most percussions sound realist and full but this is far from being a refined treble response and can easily get hot and fussy when challenged.

COMPARISONS:

VS HZsound MIrror (50$): HZ have notably better technicalities, attack is faster-snappier, imaging cleaner more precise, better transparency, tighter cleaner lighter more extended bass, more realist sparkly airy treble, more details, thinner vocal, it can easily deal with busy tracks. Soundstage is less wide but deeper. HZ is more neutral too.

VS Vsonic VS7 (140$): Soundstage is wider, taller deeper. Vocal are dryier more recessed-thin. Bass is flatter dryier less chunky. Layering is more transparent. VS7 is colder less lush in musicality.

CONCLUSION:
The NFaudio NM2+ is a well balanced gently bright IEM that will please female singer lover but have sub-par technicalities for its price range. Not recommended for budget-minded audiophiles. Not a great all rounder.

PS: Thanks to Shenzhenaudio for the discounted review sample. As always I hold on my No gimmick unbiased independent subjectivity.

NF Audio – IEM brand that we’ve been eager to try out for a long time but never had a chance… Shenzhen Ningfan Acoustics (NF Audio) has one of the most expensive IEM models (JD24) with 2 electrostatic tweeters + Knowles 4 BA combination and price tag of USD1,800. Electrostatic drivers are still rare among IEMs and we hope to review some models of this type soon. Besides that, NF Audio offers a wide selection of other models for different budgets and we would start our journey with this brand from NM2+ single dynamic driver IEMs (USD169).

As found in the description, NM2+ are revised version of initial NM2 monitor dynamic IEMs. It is now based on MC2L-1OII dual magnetic circuit, dual-cavity dynamic driver, built from different materials, still maintaining comfortable fit. Higher resolution and wider frequency response range are stated among improvements as well. Anyway, we have not tested the predecessor, therefore, taking all improvements for granted and would be examining NM2+ solely, not referring to its previous iteration.



NF Audio NM2+ specs:

• Driver: MC2L-1OII, dual cavity, dual magnetic circuit, polymer composite dynamic driver
• Frequency range: 9 – 40kHz
• Impedance: 18 ohm
• Sensitivity: 108 dB
• Distortion: ﹤1%
• Max SPL: 125 dB
• Passive noise cancelling: 25 dB
• Cable: 5N silver-plated OFC
• Cable connectors: 2pin 0.78mm
• Plug: 3.5mm + 6.35mm adapter
• Net weight: 300g

Packaging and design:

NM2+ has a unique packaging with some interesting design findings and much of attention paid to details. Grey square-shaped outer cover of the box contains plenty of company information, large silver names and product picture.



Counterfeit protection sticker is present and located at on of the edges. The box itself maintains similar grey appearance with logo imprints and made foldable – consists of two equal parts that opens like a book, retained by several integrated magnets. Left part has the special podium for user manual and compartment for storage case.



On the right – round cutout holds soft IEM podium with compact disc shape with round ear tips holder and cable stored in the compartment underneath. Even the user manual has a special aluminum clip in its binding to slide it out from the compartment. Tips are stored in pairs according to different sizes and types (bass oriented, neutral). Quite interesting design and clever layout. Full list of accessories is as following:

• NM2+ IEMs
• audio cable with 3.5mm plastic cap
• 3 pairs of neutral ear tips
• 3 pairs of bass ear tips
• storage case
• 3.5mm -> 6.35mm adapter
• user manual

NM2+ IEMs shells consist of two aluminum parts. Top cover is precisely aligned with the base, no gap or sharp edges and also features logo cutouts. Main design element – another logo cutout with blue paint is located at front edge near the output nozzle.



Back edge of the base has one more CNC element of design – its model name. Output nozzles are a part of the bases and end up with aluminum filters. Both IEMs have corresponding channel indicators, transparent plastic 2-pin cable connectors and compensational openings.



Despite the chosen material, MN2+ are lightweight and relatively small (we would say mid-sized) IEMs. Output nozzles are reasonably long and in combination with small weight, custom-like shape and flexible ear guides on the cable NM2+ would provide very comfortable fit for the most of the people.



This model also impressed with its stock audio cable. Not only it’s elements are perfectly crafted but also it is thicker than usually included by the competitors in the similar price segment. Another good feature of this cable – it is hard to tangle, thanks to such type of braid.

In overall, NM2+ design and build quality are close to perfect. Lots of elements, excellent crafting, precise alignment, natural shape, comfortable fit. We would prefer other more attractive colors to be available, but it’s definitely not a complain.



Sound quality:

Testing setup: Hidizs AP80 -> xDuoo XD05 Plus -> NF Audio NM2+

Lows:

First of all, NM2+ are definitely not bass-ordiented IEMs. This range doesn’t have any accent and feels linear with mids while both hang behind the treble. Some additional gain by EQ, MSEB or Bass Boost in our case (xDuoo XD05 Plus) would be necessary if you are a bass head. We personally prefer this type of sound more than having to get rid of extra influence of lows on other ranges. Besides, lows are evident, texturized and contoured in high quality tracks which exposure and presence is being perceived more as balanced, monitor-like sound rather than inadequate exposure. Not that we always like such linear performance but at least it gives you a good base for further tuning whenever needed. Mid bass is totally different story – dynamics, power, speed and articulation are all decent.



Mids:

NM2+ mids get the additional resolution, especially in the upper range. The nature of this resolution is virtual since single dynamic driver is not aided by any additional HF elements and this is the result of gain tuning. Excellent experience on bow and string instruments that show the most amount of micro details and great emotionality of female vocals. Surprisingly, male vocals and lower portion of instruments have managed to maintain adequate thickness and warmth despite the tendency towards emotional appeal. Although, NM2+ are susceptible to whistles and hisses due to its tuning with low quality tracks or cold audio sources. For example, for us, personally, old records (from 1960-70yy) were sounding much worse than most of the tracks from 90s and later. At the same time AP80 DAP own output was significantly worse than xDuoo XD05 Plus DAC/amp with its warmer and more developed sound. But in overall, feeding only high quality records, NM2+ are highly resolving, quite emotional and adequately thick on mids.



Treble:

Of course, with this type of tuning and capable driver unit NM2+ goes all the way up to become one of the best treble performing single dynamic IEMs. Clean, clear and transparent sound with evident accent, great extension and bright overall sound picture. Dynamic IEMs with such performance are quite rare, we can only point out several examples for past 4 years – Kanas Pro, Oxygen and SSP (although, SSPs are less delicate on treble). Here (together with tight and juicy mid bass) you get the full notion of modern fast moving lightweight diaphragm which is used in NM2+ structure.



Soundstage:

One of the most valuable virtues of NM2+ sound is the size of the virtual stage it builds, especially in width. Stereo panorama is very wide, perhaps the largest one that we’ve experienced with IEMs so far. Of course, partially it is a result of high-quality DAC/amp in or setup but even with the simple AP80 SE output NM2+ shows very good stage.



Sound summary:

If to summarize sound of NM2+, we would say that it has colder tonality which further gives the effect of high resolution on upper mids and treble. Treble is accented, clean and crisp while mids and lows are in good balance and retaining good thickness and texturing. Altogether this creates emotional and transparent sound with wide stage and plenty of details. Monitor-like performance on the lower half of the FR range is mostly achieved by the conservative presence of bass portion. Again, NM2+ are definitely track quality / source quality-hungry IEMs and best to be paired with some warmer sources.



Compared to Moondrop Kanas Pro:

Moondrop Kanas Pro also based in single dynamic driver but the tuning is quite different. It is evidently more V-shaped, with much accent added to lower end. Mids are slightly recessed. Soundstage is smaller and fit is not that perfect as with NM2+. But in overall, both models deserve good scores, just the preference in sound should be different. NM2+ more linear while Kanas Pro are obviously V-shaped. Perhaps, NM2+ are even closer to Tanchjim Oxygen but lacking some delicacy and transparency.



Compared to TFZ Secret Garden HD:

Quite similar IEMs in terms of performance on treble and mids, whereas Secret Garden HD have more gain on lows and more suitable for bass heads. Soundstage is not that wide, treble starts to show some minor artifacts at higher volume. Again, both models are close in the resulting sound and most of the difference lies in the amount of bass they produce.



Conclusion:

Our first encounter with NF Audio brand and NM2+ model as its representative went totally positive. “Monitor” label among the declared features is reasonable with the concern of its performance on lows and mids. However, treble portion, despite all of its virtues, is slightly out of this definition. It brings more juice and emotions than mostly inherent for monitor-like delivery. On the other hand, neither we treat it negative, since NM2+ IEMs are nowhere near being dry or anemic. Most of applause go towards its stellar mid bass and treble performance while mids and lows deserve good scores for its accuracy, texturing and resolution. Not less important is the wide soundstage NM2+ are capable of. Definitely a strong contender among single dynamic driver IEMs to play within its price segment and market niche.

NF Audio NM2+ IEMs are available at Aoshida Audio store: LINK

NF Audio NM2+​

disclaimer: NF Audio approached me about reviewing their current lineup recently and I agreed. They sent me the NA2 and NM2+ models for review. I have no financial interest in NF Audio, nor have I received any directions or guidance for this review. I have received no compensation beyond the product for this review. If you have an interest in NF Audio, check out their website and Facebook Page. To purchase NF Audio products, see Aoshida Audio.

Unboxing / Packaging:

The packaging on the NF Audio models is well laid out with the outer box having the picture and name on the front and specs on the reverse. When the inner box is pulled out it is a bookfold design with the manual and case on one side and the earpieces, tips, and cable on the other all neatly tucked into compartments that prevent things from falling out when opened. The provided kit is fairly complete with earpieces, cable, 6.3mm adapter, case, and six (6) sets of silicone eartips. Tips are two (2) styles in three (3) different sizes S,M,L. The cable does have a velcro tie as well as the clamshell case having a second compartment for tips and adapters. The case is large enough to hold the earpieces with cable attached but not large enough to also carry very many accessories so diligence is needed when selecting what else to carry with the earphones. At the price point of the NM2+ I would have liked to see a case with a bit more room for carrying extra tips or an additional cable as well as the inclusion of some foams.




Build/Fit:
The NM2 has a very familiar shape with its inverted teardrop style but instead of the common resin construction is entirely made of aircraft grade aluminum and rather than investment casting the shell and then using a mill to clean it up, these are milled from bar stock to eliminate the possibility of gaps or air pockets in the shell. Shape is the same as the NA2 and NM2 models with the inverted tear and extended nozzle (in this case with a CNC machined lip for tip retention). Face plates are CNC milled aluminum as well and are well fitted to the inner shell with no excess glue or gaps and a good final polish to smooth the edge between the two. Size is small to mid, but nozzles are fairly pronounced to allow for deeper seating. A vent on the inner surface is centered over the middle of the dynamic driver and sits at about the 2 o’clock position behind the nozzle while another sits immediately in front of the QDC style connector. Connectors are the raised bi-pin with rounded housing and are well fitted to the metal shell with no gaps, play, or cant. Comfort was good for extended wear due to the moderate size and isolation is average or slightly better due to the fit of the body of the iem in the ear and the depth of the nozzles.




Internals:
The NM Series all are based on dual magnet dynamic drivers with dual cavity design. In the NM2+, the driver is listed as the MC2L-10ii and seems to be revision 2 of the driver originally used in the NA2 and NM2. NF appears to either manufacture the driver in-house or have a very tight relationship with the supplier as generation time is short and they have continually improved the original design. The NM2+ integrates the tuning elements (cap/resistors) into the housing on the driver as seen below (red and tan bars). The driver has a dual cavity design to match damping pressure on the driver to the housing and venting used. Magnets are neodymium iron boron and provide over 1 Tesla of flux while the diaphragm is a 5 micrometer polymer composite for lightweight and speed. Polymer composite is not as rigid as Be, Ti coated, or even carbon nano-tubes, but it is lighter weight and potentially faster than all of them. NF chose the material to improve transient response beyond what is possible with the super still coatings. The end result is a driver with a nominal impedance of 18Ω and a sensitivity of 108 dB/mW making it easy to drive well with most sources. I found the NM2+ did well when paired to phones and tablets but scaled quite well with higher quality sources.




Cable:
The provided cable is listed as 5N silver coated OFC in a clear sleeve. The jack is a 3.5mm in a straight metal housing with one flat side for gripping. The NF Audio name is printed in the flat in white on the brushed silver background. A matching 6.3mm adapter is also provided which is a nice touch as many will be used with desktop sources. The cable itself is a 4 wire double twist from jack to coin-sytle splitter. The splitter is black plastic and matches the cable while the chin slider is brushed aluminum and matches the jack. Above the split, wires are 2 wire braids with pre-formed hooks and QDC style hooded bi-pin .78mm connectors. The earhooks are a bit tight and benefit from a bit of heat from a heat gun and re-shaping to be a bit more relaxed. (If you do this remove the earpieces first to avoid heat damage to the components).




Sound:


Bass:
Sub-bass has a mild elevation with a center at about 7oHz and roll-off not becoming evident until the mid 20Hz range so will please those looking for some rumble. It is well controlled though with some texture and detail and stays away from bloat and boom although at times decay seems slightly exaggerated as it is a bit slower than realistic. This is particularly audible on big timpani hits as they seem to linger. Mid bass drops back from the peak at a very gradual pace with the difference in peak and trough being less than 10dB so mid-bass comes across as mildly forward and brings some warmth to the lower-mids in the process. mid-bass texture is quite good with the same tight control seen in the sub-bass and no tendency to bloom or produce a lot of bleed.

Mids:
Lower mids are well presented with good clarity and detail and male vocals have good emphasis in the mix and cut through the instrumentation well. Guitar growl is better than expected with good clarity and sharpness while retaining good note weight in the process. Strings are well presented too with both good energy and detail and although tonality isn’t perfect, its closer than most at this price point. There is a lift in the upper mids that brings some extra energy to higher voices but oddly does not push female vocals out in front of their male counterparts notably. Here again detail is very good and upper voices are well controlled if a bit energetic. The drawback is that the upper-mid/lower treble push can get a little hot at times and is particularly unforgiving of poorly recorded tracks that lean toward bright anyway as it accentuates it. I found the NM2+ paired well with the Cayin N3pro in tube mode or the Xduoo MT-601/602 where I could use the tube to bring a little warmth in and tone down the bright a touch.

Treble:
Lower treble shares the same plateau with the upper-mids and gives the NM2+ a bright overall tilt as mentioned above. This does bring good detail and life to snare rattle where edges are crisp and detail is quite good, but also may be a bit aggressive for some as cymbals are a touch sharp and highhat can be a bit metallic (clicky). Here again, a warm amp helps tone down the presence a bit. Brilliance on the other hand is stepped back as there is a distinct step back at about 5kHz that keeps the NM2+ from getting strident and harsh. I found that when paired to a warm source or with a touch of EQ I could make the NM2+ very listenable for extended periods but without one of the two it could get fatiguing. There is added energy at about the 10kHz mark that brings back in some top end air and while sparkle is a bit limited, the NM2+ does not sound closed in, in fact stage is really quite good.

Soundstage / Imaging:
Stage is wider than deep but with good height and has a 3d feel if not as big as some. I would liken stage size and shape to the high school auditorium where the seats are twice the width of the stage and only 20 or so rows deep. Seating the orchestra is straight forward thanks to above average clarity and instrument separation. Layering is quite good with the only compression I heard coming when bass tracks got particularly complex and fast and even then it was a mild thickening rather than an all-out bloom. Imaging is also good with positions being well defined in space and movements being fairly easily tracked around the stage.

Thoughts / Conclusion:
NF Audio’s background in CIEMS for musicians shows on the NM2+ as it is made to withstand the rigors of daily use and the signature boasts good tonal accuracy and detail from end to end. Extension is very good at the low end and above average at the top if not quite as exemplary as the low end. The result is a very mild V with accentuation of the sub-bass and upper-mids/lower-treble regions that helps add some energy where needed. The things that detract from the NM2+ are it has only average isolation, and that same emphasis of the upper-mid/lower treble that brings some life to the signature can also become a bit hot depending on source pairing. So while the NM2+ shares a pedigree with NF Audio’s stage monitors, it does not provide the level of isolation needed for that use. The source dependence means the NM2+ is likely to put any imperfection in your signal path on full display and may make for harsh listening with poor source material. When paired with a mildly warm source, the NM2+ rewards the user with a shallow V tuning that proves a monitor designed for reference listening doesn’t have to be boring. When paired with a brighter source, the NM2+ can be a bit strident and analytical in nature and will likely be polarizing as a result. If your sources are capable of adding a bit of warmth (Opus 1S, DTR1, WM1A & BA300 – the NM2+ will offer a great listen. Without the BA300, the WM1A is too cool and can get fatiguing with the NM2+. I think this is why the NM2+ has been a bit polarizing in recent media. It is actually quite good, the issue comes with the fact that it is good enough to show off all that is going on in the audio chain. That’s a good thing and when purchasing an in ear at this price point, the NM2+ deserves strong consideration and careful source matching.