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.

The unboxing was a premium experience, nicely boxed.
Inside is the beautiful all aluminum IEM , a nice cable, two sets of different size ear tips in Balanced and Bass types, an adapter and a case that looks nice just a little small.

Comfort was good with isolation being good as well, this may not be the case for all due to short nozzles. The build quality is far beyond it price point.
My Thanks to https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005001703378203.html?browser_id=4c6db5f0cf1a4fcc97f11be9b0740985&aff_trace_key=950b0e055c914e60bac5a0ee61c34baf-1610684212234-03640-UneMJZVf&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=eilfxzz8qocaufpf17787bcabef1a97a02c7e121e3&gclid=&_imgsrc_=ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Hf2c0555518e74ff393e4dc02e17207542.jpg_640x640Q90.jpg_.webp

Sound:

Bass: Is very balanced sounding with more Sub-Bass kick than Mids it sounds natural and is a good quality clean bass with a respectful punch.

Mids: Are clear and pronounced with a lift in the upper Mids and the lower being almost neutral in presentation yet great details are here with transparency for me was refreshing and pleasant on most recordings but I found a few hot points nothing much to deter my enjoyment.

Treble: Is open and sounds quite detailed with no sibilance just good controlled highs and a fair amount of sparkle.

Soundstage: Was wide and natural sounding fading off in the distance as it should a slight almost 3D feeling to it but very good imaging and separation give it a extremely good presentation in my opinion.

Conclusion: This is a extremely well made good fitting IEM for me. highly detailed and surprisingly enjoyable even with mids being a little hot at times, its made for monitoring and I think at its price it probably is one of the cheapest on the market. I think it will be loved by people using it for professional and critical listening and not so much for a fun time listening top pop relaxing. Hit or miss? I like it for what it is and find it pleasantly refreshing.

Don't take my four stars for granted, but I had to select a rating. This earphone is 5 stars for some and 3 stars for others depending on their ability to tolerate boosted upper midrange.

The NF Audio NM2+ is a well-built and accessorized neutrally tuned single-dynamic-driver earphone with excellent analytical and technical capabilities that compares to much more expensive earphones. It falls, however, short on its very aggressive midrange that needs modification for many ears.

The review unit was provided by Shenzhenaudio and I think them for that.

You can get it here at $169 (at the time of this posting): https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...n-ear-monitor-earphone-with-0-78mm-2pin-cable

I expressed my detailed opinion in this video - including modding suggestions how to tame the upper midrange:

The NF Audio NM2+ was sent to me for free for the purpose of me sharing my honest thoughts about them. I’d like to thank Shenzhen Audio for giving me the chance to check them out.

They can be purchased here:
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...n-ear-monitor-earphone-with-0-78mm-2pin-cable

About me:

Introduction:
The NF Audio NM2+ are a pair of a single dynamic driver IEM’s that retails for $169.

The package they arrive in is pretty fancy. A couple of pictures says more than a thousand words:


I’d say that the accessories are ok for the price but nothing special. It's quick to sum them up with 6 pair of tips, a zippered case and a cable. On the positive side the included cable is quite nice in my opinion. It has QDC connectors and a couple of NF Audio logos making it seem well thought through and not an afterthought which can often be the case at this price point.




The NM2+ are quite easy to drive but, because of its very revealing nature, can be a bit picky about the source. For the this review I’ve used them with the Quedelix 5K and the Radsone ES100 since they’re my preferred sources for portable listening these days. I suppose many people would prefer them with a warm source and I’d suggest to avoid bright or thin sounding sources with it.

The specs:
Drive unit: Dual Cavity Dynamic Driver of unknown size
Frequency response range: frequency response 20Hz-20kHz
Impedance: 18Ω
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
Earphone pin: 2-pin interface (QDC)
Length:1.2 meters
Plug:3.5mm standard single-ended

Ergonomics:
The NM2+ has a pretty short stem and didn’t fit me well with any of the included tips so I had to go to the big tip box to find a pair of unknown origin that gave me both a perfect seal and good comfort. It actually took a while before I realized that I wasn’t getting a good seal but once I did I was well rewarded both in ergonomics (very comfortable) and sound. I still rate their isolation to a bit less than average though. As always with this section YMMV as none of us has the exact same ear anatomy.

As for looks I really like the industrial all metal design on the NM2+ and would consider it a very beautiful pair of IEM’s. They use a 0.78 mm 2-pin connection with the QCD standard and I must say that this is a design that I tend to like more and more. It’s definitely better than MMCX in my opinion and I also like it better than a standard 2-pin as it gives a safer connection that will likely be less prove to failure in the long run.




Sound:
The overall sound of the NM2+ is perceived as well balanced but has a boost in the upper midrange that gives the perception of great detail retrieval but might not be to everyone’s liking. For those that’s comfortable with it the NM2+ offers class leading performance though. The NM2+ are described as being monitor tuned by NF Audio and this means that they’ve got a quite flat presentation, with the exception of the mentioned upper midrange peak.

Bass:
The NM2+ has more subbass than midbass focus in its tuning. The subbass reaches low and have good impact when the recording calls for it and although impact is not the greatest I never miss any bass when listening to them in quiet environments. That being said I do miss a bit extra bass impact when using them outside in busy streets which typically drowns out a bit of the bass. The quality of the bass is really great. It’s quite dry in its nature leading the thoughts more to balanced armature bass than a dynamic one. The midbass is toned downed quite a bit and does never overshadows the higher frequencies. This does also mean that the lower midrange can lack a bit of warmth but in return makes the whole presentation very clean sounding.

Midrange:
The midrange on the NM2+ are a bit split personality like in the way that the lower midrange is more toned down and, as already mentioned, it doesn’t get much help with any extra warmth from the upper bass. Because of this male vocals can lack a bit of weight in direct comparison to other IEM’s with more midbass presence. This is not anything that bothers me when listening to them exclusively. The upper midrange is quite boosted pushing both female vocals and details more forward. I’m quite tolerant to this myself but the NM2+ does really balance on a knife edge here and I’m sure that some people will not appreciate it. Every time I put them in my ears after listening to something that’s warmer sounding in general it takes some time for my brain to acclimate to the more shouty presentation they deliver. The upside is of course the perception of greater detail retrieval and despite this I don’t find them fatiguing at all. Pianos and especially string instruments come across as very natural sounding to me and this is definitely one of the strongest points on the NM2+. In total I find the midrange to have be highly transparent and enjoyable on them.

Treble:
The treble on the NM2+ is well extended and airy. Despite the lack of weight in the treble I don’t hear any sibilance here, the exception being recordings that has this clearly present. The overall nature of the NM2+ will not hide much in bad recordings but they still come across as a quite relaxed listening. This combination is quite an achievement in my opinion.

Stage and separation:
The NM2+ has a quite wide stage with a good amount of air but may come across as a bit two dimensional in comparison to IEM’s with more presence in the upper bass region and an overall warmer sound. The width and air do contribute to the very good instrument separation making it easy to pinpoint the different instruments even on more busy tracks. If there’s something the NM2+ should never be blamed for its being muddy sounding. Microdetails and resolution are also extremely good without really sounding clinical but I can’t lose the feeling that it relies quite heavily on the boosted upper midrange to achieve this.

Comparison:

Dunu Titan 6 ($140)
The Titan 6 are one of my absolute favorite single dynamics.

The Titan 6 are a lot smaller and can be worn either straight down or over the ears, they’re very comfortable for me and more so than the NM2+. Isolation is quite similar on both. The bass on the Titan 6 is more midbass focused and has some bloom making the lower midrange full and sweet but also a bit boomy. The subbass on the NM2+ does actually reach deeper than on the Titan 6 and is a lot drier and tighter. The midrange on the Titan 6 is more recessed and more boosted in the lower mids while the NM2+ is the total opposite. The quality of the midrange on the Titans is very nice with a warm, rich and intimate presentation while still remaining good details and transparency. The treble on the titan 6 has a more body but does not have the same extension and air as on the NM2+. The Titan 6 are more intimate and organic sounding while the NM2+ has a noticeable wider presentation. They’re both quite easy to drive.

Tri I3 ($169)
The Tri I3 are a dynamic, planar and BA hybrid that hits way beyond its price. They’re one of my all-time favorite value for money IEM offerings.

The I3 is heavier and bulkier compared to the NM2+. Despite this I do actually get a better fit with them even with my smallish ears. They’re equally comfortable but the I3 align better with my ears and, probably because of this, isolate quite a bit better. The I3 has a lot more bass impact, especially midbass. The bass on the I3 is a bit slower and more round compare to the quick and dry bass on the NM2+. making them more boomy in comparison. The midrange on the I3 is thick and lush while the NM2+ is more transparent and detailed, this is also true for the treble. Both male and female vocals are more enjoyable to me on the I3. The NM2+ has more air in its presentation with wider stage and better instrument separation while the I3 is more 3D sounding. The I3 needs quite a bit more power.

These two are actually a great complement to each other and I personally consider them both to be class leaders and punch well above their price. The average enthusiast could probably get both and be perfectly happy for a long time.

LZ A7 ($320)
Crazy comparison, right? One single dynamic $169 driver IEM vs a seven driver $320 pair with three different types of drivers. The fact is though that a lot of people has asked for a comparison between the two so I thought it would be nice to share it here. The reason for people asking for this (weird?) comparison is probably that they’re both class leaders and get a lot of positive remarks in here.

The housing on the NM2+ are bulkier and although I find them comfortable to wear the A7 are clearly better in both ergonomics and isolation. The A7 of course has the LZ filter system and sports several great combinations (they’ve got 10 tuning options) which the NM2+, quite naturally, can’t do.

When it comes to sound the A7 can be so much as it’s hard to do a proper comparison but I’ll try anyway and this is with the gold filter in monitor mode as it’s my favorite tuning for the time being. There’s actually not a great difference in how deep the subbass goes on the two but the impact are bigger on the A7 as is the midbass quantity. The bass on the A7 is just enough more rounded to make it more enjoyable and very engaging sounding in a way the NM2+ can’t achieve. The A7 has sweeter midrange thanks to a bit warmer presentation and I prefer their vocal presentation to the one on the NM2+ as male vocals have more weight and female vocals sounds more intimate and seductive. Despite the sweeter presentation it manages to keep at least the same lever of details and transparency. Soundstage width is a bit smaller on the A7 with the gold filters but can be at least on par with that of the NM2+ with the right tuning, the A7 does also offer better depth and overall a more organic sound. In total the A7 is a more relaxed listening without giving up any of the strong points on the NM2+. To me and with my preferred music (mostly singer/songwriter and typical top 40 music) I don’t really think the NM2+ performs better in any area. That being said they do still offer a lot for half the price and I’d say that the A7 would be a great next step from the NM2+ for many people.

Conclusion:
After reading through what I’ve written so far I’m actually a bit surprised that I enjoy the NM2+ as much as I do. Make no mistake, if you can live with the upper midrange boost they’re a tremendous sounding pair of IEM’s that sound a lot more enjoyable and less fatiguing than the sums of its parts may suggest. Their performance is truly class leading and for people appreciating its strong suits and not being willing to spend multi bucks it could very well be an end game offering, this for only $169 (or even cheaper if you’re lucky).

Great work NF Audio!

Dealing with the Yaoyaotiger HIFI Audio Store was a very friendly experience – message responses were very quick, making the ordering process an absolute breeze. If you notify them that you’re a Head-Fi member....an extra 5% discount will be offered.

Product link:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001382010241.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.8e764c4d1YMsBq

The NM2+ are my first reference monitor iem set, their dual cavity dynamic driver delivers exceptional frequency response of 9-40kHz. Coupled with their low impedance rating of 18ohm (sensitivity: 108dB/mW) they’re very easily driven out of the box - by smartphone, laptop soundcard, DAP or recently acquired VR headset!

The CD style packaging oozes premium quality - the stock tips, foams & cable are adequate enough to obtain audiophile level results. The attention to detail is paramount, even a high quality 6.3mm to 3.5mm adaptor is included...bonus!




I chose to add my goto SPC cable: Kinboofi 4-Core Pure Copper Silver Plated Gold, with mmcx connectors (with right-angle mmcx to 2-pin converter adapters.) This upgrade noticeably improves instrument timbres, adding extra stage "air" & enhances note thickness, helping to convey instrument authenticity. I also attached the supplied stock balanced tips which provide perfect seal (-usually I need to exchange with JVC Spiral Dots modded – with inner column cut off padding them out to get better grip.)

NM2+ feel akin to open-back cans, and have minimal leakage when placed in-ear. Instruments are rendered in a full-bodied, thick note presentation, resulting in their superb musicality – bass, acoustic & amped instruments, percussion & synthetic genres all sound amazingly authentic. Uber impressive technical specifications present a wide and deep sound-stage which resolves particularly well - especially when listening to binaural genres & electronica soundscapes, where nuanced layers of micro details envelop you in a 3D spherical spectrum.




As an electronica musician to finally have a stage monitoring set that render tracks in the way an artists intended them to be heard is invaluable - hence they provide an accurate reflection when mixing your own track compositions. After minimal burn-in period this set becomes more transparent - revealing higher sonic levels, & nuanced details alongside superb imaging, adding to their 3D stage.

I'm currently compiling performance patches via a Korg Wavestate synthesiser, using Master EQ to sound design each patch. NM2+ allows you to tweak desired frequencies extremely accurately: Lows / Mids1 / Mids2 / High, over the entire audible spectrum. Implementing this method, nuances get highlighted, which engages you more in the shaping of the sound design, in-turn, increasing the dramatic impact of each performance – and leave less technical sets behind!

Mixing electronica tracks is a blast using synthesiser vst-plugins, via Ableton Live and iPad apps, layered & sequenced in DAW. Accurate imaging adds to the enveloping stage, whether actively composing tracks or passive listening. Acoustic, amped & percussion instruments all sound incredibly "authentic” without ever becoming fatiguing. Classical/cinematic soundtracks are especially visceral, involving & engaging.

The most pleasure-able aspect of the NM2+, from the viewpoint of being a monitor reference set, i.e. natively neutral, whereby you expect them to be cold/analytical, susceptible to transient peaks/sibilance etc….they sound warm/analogue, surprising you with their sheer brilliant musicality!

The dual cavity dynamic driver is on a par with my floor standing speakers - namely Bowers and Wilkins DM602 S3 Speakers - the internal porting echoing the physical enclosure of the way sound is transmitted. The B&W also are incredibly easily driven as are NM2+ so the parallels are self-evident!



Build/Fit:

The cymbal conchae design provides an ergonomic fit akin to the shells of TRN-VX, plus they aren’t at all cold to the touch e.g. metal shells of Tri-i3. NM2+ build quality is amazing, sporting uber stylish aluminium shells which are extremely aesthetically pleasing. They offer above average isolation with very little protrusion, the circular conch fitting snugly into the ears' tragus – very svelte in-ear. I find that fitting/removing this set to be the easiest, most comfortable set & are ideal for pillow listening.


Tuning / Sound Signature:

The reference, neural tuning is very musical indeed, audiophile refinement combines with an energetic presentation, which means they effortlessly handle any genre you can throw at them.
They manage to retain a warm and analogue tonality, when switching between polar opposite genres the tuning always adapting seamlessly –totally in accordance with my listening preferences!


Sound-stage

NM2+ renders a stunning 3D holophonic stage - in terms of width and depth…. whilst not as deep as it is wide, an all-encompassing sound spectrum. Some front/rear placement can be perceived (alas maybe the height could be a tad more extensive? On an experiential level the double cavity driver handles the most complex tracks effortlessly, never sounding busy, too congested or intimate – placing the listener at the centre of the sound generation, whereby binaural recordings feel “live!”


Highs:

Treble extension is pushed to the forefront right from the first listen. This is eventually smoother post burn-in. The upper frequency doing an incredible job of eking out micro details, previously not perceived in tracks. They’re never “shouty” or display any transient peaks hence totally non-fatiguing with absolutely zero post-listen ear-ringing.

Mids:

The mids are sublime, embellishing the overall balanced signature - particularly appealing when listening to synthesiser/electronic genres of music….and is superb for vocals and soundtracks. This results in an addictive sound signature, specifically for fans of mid-centric iems, whereby the stage, instrument/image separation; placement & layering all combine impressively.

Bass:

A good seal is always easily achieved as the fit is so good….the double cavity driver generating enough quantity of bass/sub-bass to underpin the mids, which sits nicely not too forward in the mix. The bass accuracy & tightness emphases low end rumble boost bass & renders percussion more effectively, generating punchier note weight without ever overshadowing the mids - definitely helping to improve the authenticity of instruments.


EQ response:

They respond adequately to hardware EQ & software applications via DAP’s, Ear-Studio ES100 iPad app, or laptop using Behringer’s Midas pre-amp soundcard as a source. However, experimentation is not overly necessary – due to the nature of this set being reference monitor pair.


Amp Scalability:

Brilliant scalability allows them to be amped effectively - no distortion above and beyond the hi-fi “sweet- spot” generating greater volume levels - they handle warm/cold sources equally efficiently.


Sources:

Adding the Hiby R6 Pro to my set up, offers EQ plus two independent MSEB (Mage Sound 8-ball Tuning) – an app that combines of multiple algorithms, to adjust headphones / iems sound signature according to your taste.

Excellent DAP synergy is also provided by Sony NW-ZX300a with BT receiver mode switched on the vinyl processor, generating extra “analogue” warmth via balanced output from a Dell gaming laptop.

Both units allow two-way bluetooth in order to audition FLAC files via balanced output.

SE output is catered for using: Behringer UMC404HD / iPad Air3 / Cayin N3 in conjunction with NX4 DSD/DAC – the high gain switch increasing all frequencies plus quantity of bass boosted to emphasise the rumble of sub-bass, adjusting to “sweet spot” volume levels with no distortion.

Bluetooth mobility with (Radsone) Ear-Studio ES100 plus added EQ via iPad app. Additional pairing with Xiaomi Mi 9T smartphone & Max Volume Booster app also sounds remarkably good.


Listening preferences:

Various electronica soundtracks were used to test the binaural capabilities of this set such as:

FLAC LP: “Y Dydd Olaf” by Gwenno” & “Jettison Mind Hatch” by Tipper. Ambient Internet Radio / NTS Radio / Live Gigs, Vocals / Jazz & Classical / Electronica / Andy Dragazis – Afterimages - Soundscapes appear visceral, airy and binaural, the timbre of strings is wonderful & otherworldly underpinned by suspenseful cello.

NM2+ excel especially with binaural studio mixed tracks with plenty of multi-layering:

Velvet Universe - Voyager LP / Why? – Ermhoi / Black Boboi - Red Mind

D.A.N. – SSWB / “Shard of Glass” – Fenella / Fuku-Ura / Monochrome Echo / Sync24 / BOC.



Comparisons:

Mofasest Trio: Electrostatic iems require way more power to effectively juice them – they can handle extreme volume levels and respond to EQ pushed to the very limits. Soundstage also is quite different to the NM2+, whereby detailed sounds can sometimes sound more isolated within the 3D spectrum. This occasionally can result in less coherence in the overall presentation of some genres/tracks. Features such as these coupled with their extended treble make the Trio interesting & I’d still argue they’re worth the extra cost. As opposed to EST drivers, the natural instrument timbre of the NM2+ is definitely more authentic imo.

Tri-i3: A/B’ing with the NM2+ reveals that their tuning surpasses the triple hybrid driver configuration of the i3, & engages the listener more when rendering Classical & Electronica, percussion & instrument timbres, which sound seem more authentic with thicker note signature, oozes excitement & energy in comparison to the more sedate i3.

KBEAR KS2: Treble glare lets the KS2 down, whilst they still retain a phenomenal soundstage & very forward mids, which are overshadowed by the full bodied signature of NM2+.

Blon BL-05: The Blon in comparison appears to be bass light & has smoothed out treble which is less extended & rolls off sharply, the NM2+ has similar levels of amp scalability, energy and excitement.

NX7: similar levels of excitement & energy to the three-way hybrid configuration of NX7 - the piezoelectric of boosting bass, treble & detail retrieval. However they do suffer from transient peaks, generating inauthentic instrument timbres - making percussion seem plastic. NM2+ renders instruments with far more authenticity - matching their energy, whilst negating any transients, plus delivering a more impressive 3D stage.


Conclusion:

NF Audio NM2+ easily competes with sonic levels produced by higher-end sets & very affordable at this price point – they certainly outshine comparable mid-range sets. Their tuning delivers a very addictive tonality & timbre - perfectly aligned to my listening preferences. Their balanced reference monitor signature, full bodied instrumentation, is coupled with an intoxicating energetic presentation.

Add to the mix the 3D holophonic spherical stage, which has a depth that makes you really appreciate their technical prowess, which delivers exceptional layering and imaging, making them my goto iems: being supremely addictive & engaging!

The NM2+ represents a superb value alternative to electrostatic high end gear - thus bypassing the risks involved in being an early adopter of new tech (with their inherent experimental crossover/hybrid configurations.) The NM2+ never fail to impress – and are a truly “wow factor” set with plenty of performance sparkle! Kudos goes to NF Audio…highly recommended!


Ratings:

Build: 95

Fit: 95

Bass: 90

Mids: 90

Treble: 90

Soundstage: 90
-
Imaging/Layering: 95

Accessories: 90

Price: 90

NM2+ Single DD IEM from NF Acoustics – mid tier ChiFi challenger



Introduction
The reason why it makes sense to read this review. It’s subjective. That ensures a certain level of professionalism and a modicum of tongue in cheek. It’s also a fact that I don’t read or watch any reviews of any of the product that turns up on this page. My words, my opinions, my original videos. They might stray from the other opinions out there, but if you read something at a later date that sounds similar to what I’ve said ; well, I’m flattered! I shan’t be sueing anyone to prove that I said it first, but believe me, I said it first!
Thanks must be sent out to shenzhen audio, the retailer who sent these to me in return for this review. This is where it’s currently on sale for. Ok, so it’s so new that I don’t believe Amazon UK have these. Shenzhen got these to me in a week. They will guarantee their price as to being the lowest and will hold that guarantee for 30 days from your purchase. That means if you find it somewhere else online at a lower price than you bought it for, send them an email with the link and they will refund you the difference. So, it doesn’t really matter that it might not be available in your Country just yet.




A Chinese company not throwing multiple drivers at a $100+ product surely has to be worth a look/listen. The NM2+, keeps within the current custom of upgrading an existing IEM, namely the NM2, which must have done well for them, but strays from the adage that more drivers maketh a better earphone. NF Audio, established in China in 2014, sent Subjective Reviews these unassuming silver singles and I couldn’t help but be a little skeptical. I mean, this comes a week after receiving the $40 CCA C10 Pro, themselves an upgrade from the CCA C10. The Pro is a 5 driver DD/BA hybrid. The NM2+ is a single DD. And it retails at $169. That being said, there are 1 or 2 decent single driver IEMs out there. The Campfire Audio Ara $1000+, the Sennheiser IE800, the Final Audio Pure Beryllium A8000, all of which I have had extensive time with, and all right up there in the outrageously good territory, and some, naming no names, in the outrageously pricey bracket to boot.

So what do you get for $169, that you don’t get for $40?

The Unboxing Experience

A nifty, sizeable box whets the appetite somewhat doesn’t it? What immediately springs to mind here ; the CCA packaging is a fifth of the size of this box. NF Acoustics must mean business. But what’s in the box?
Just the back of the box – but shiny enough to warrant showing you
Sliding the outer sleeve away to reveal a double box, which opens without any annoying tape which rips half of the cardbord away. Now we can begin to see that quite a bit of attention has gone into making the buyer’s experience a positive one. A distinctive cd jewel box shape on the left and a cd sized presentation of the drivers on the right. Needless to say, the NM2+ have replaceable cables.
Close up of the drivers
The usual instruction booklet, written in Good English, and giving a few insights as to the personality of NF Acoustics
A quick look at what is below the top of the box, again, well thought out. There is an artist’s palette of tips. 2 types, balanced and bass. Don’t be frightened by the word bass for these eartips. They are not going to make the NM2+ into bloated monsters. More on that later. Another welcome addition is the simple word, “balanced” and “bass” to show you the obvious difference between the small, medium and large versions of each set of tips. The CCA C10 Pros had some tips in a plastic bag, and the whole box took up less volume than the NF Audio’s tips….

The instruction manual on the left takes approximately 5 minutes to digest. You get a brief history of the company, their principles, when it’s safe or not safe to wear these, and the standard 1 year warranty. Underneath the instruction manual is a customised black denim box, with the NF Logo embossed on it.
Inside the case
Inside the carry case is a rather nice looking silver cable, and a 3.5-6 mm adapter. Let us now spread all the contents out and have a proper look and start to form some opinions.
Drivers, eartips,adapter And cable, complete with memory wire, transparent (and strengthened) 2 pin connectors, black plastic v split, metal chin strap (or cinch), velcro strap and black plastic and silver 3.5 mm jack.
The NM2+ claims lots of improvements over the existing NM2. Better materials, better sound, lighter weight, better moulding process and an improved cable.
First of all, the drivers. They have just the one colour, which is a small blue logo at the bottom of each shell. The brushed silver appearance is tasteful enough and shouldn’t offend anyone. In it’s lack of standing out from the crowd, it doesn’t have the wow factor of the $40 CCA C10 Pro. It looks a little plain. Of course, once the IEMs are in the ears, they disappear from view. IEMs are meant to be heard and not to be seen. How much time one should spend gazing adoringly at audio purchases remains to be seen. An earring is sold primarily on it’s looks, and once in, only the admiring onlooker catches a glimpse. How much do we shop with the eye when we shop audio? Looks are superficial. But they’re important. They’re also subjective. Oh, but that’s me too!
The NM2+ driver shells have other, aguably more important things going for them. For one, they are an extremely good fit into the concha part of the ear. The shape has been well thought of, and the fit surpasses the good fit of the cheaper C10 Pro. The driver shells have a decent bit of weight to them. That slight extra weight helps to sit the drivers securely into the sweet spot at the entrance to the ear canal, with little need for readjustment. Feel free, those of you who have taken these out for a run or to the gym. Your opinions are welcome as to their abilities when put to those more strenuous tests. I have not yet had the chance to do so, and have spent my time in careful listening contemplation. The tips, shells, memory wire, cable and chin strap all contribute to a decent level of noise attenuation. Isolation on the NM2+ is efficient and backgound noises are reduced down by a good margin. NF claims a 25 dB isolation level. Train and bus journeys should be manageable with these in.
The subjective fit, suitable for most good ears.
The cable is a good looking piece of kit. It has strength where it’s needed and the cable itself wouldn’t look out of place hung around a slender neck. The 3.5 mm jack looks a little out of place amongst all this finery and the black v split looks a little cheap and cheerful. Minor infringements? For sure. More on that lovely cable. It’s a 5N (almost impossibly pure) 238 strands of silver at it’s core, with a bit of oxygen free copper casing to eliminate any interference. The cable doesn’t exhibit any microphonics. These are unwanted vibrations on movement, where the cable flaps against the body and sends a vibration up into the drivers. This is something all too prevalent in IEMs for my liking. But it’s not here, so rant over. The closer one gets to a custom fit (see picture above) the better one can lessen wind noise. Wind noise, when out and about, can turn a £1000 earphone into a £1 sound. If those shells stick out, or if there is a gap anywhere around the shell and concha, wind will find a way in. As you can see, there is a slight gap at the bottom of the earlobe on my ears, close to the entrance of the ear canal. There is some shadow which is making the gap seem larger than it actually is. The seal on these is good. Compared to a standard universal IEM design these can hold back a fair bit of wind. But some wind will get in. The bottom of the shells are angled to get a better fit into the ear canal, inevitably that pulls the bottom part of the shells slightly outwards, so more of them are open to the air. My ears detect less wind than most other IEMs I currently own.
In most conditions, these IEMs go very loud, very quickly. They have the aforementioned 25 dB isolation, 18 Ohms of impedance and 108 dB sensitivity. The impedance is low, good for earphones, and the sensitivity is high, again, what you want for earphones. This means they can be hooked up to your smartphone. If your smartphone doesn’t have a headphone jack, not to worry. There are bluetooth adapters out there and relatively cheap 3.5 dac/amps or adapters, depending on the spec of your device. I have tested mine with both a USB C to headphone jack and a Dragonfly Cobalt Dac/Amp. Both fine, but the Cobalt is waaay too powerful for these!


Sound quality
All of the above; so far so good. We have the Subjective Reviews seal of approval. Technically, yes, a few niggles, but a strong candidate based on looks, design and price. But what now, dear reader, on the nitty gritty? How do these baby’s perform in a real World setting? We don’t do measurements here at Subjective Reviews. If a benefactor has several £1000 to spare and is willing to supply our offices with REAL GOOD gear, then yep, we will put our lab coats on and go a tinkering. And change our name from Subjective. Cos we will go all Objective on you. It’s not the direction I want to go in, I’m a lover not a fighter. So I suspect that this will be the way we shall stay for the forseeable future. I can give you my opinion on how an IEM sounds by shoving them into my lugholes and taking them out quickly and chucking another comparable pair in pronto and repeating this til I’m satisfied. I write the article, film the vlog, and you get to know. An incredibly simple process, but painstaking nonetheless.

Vs. CCA C10 Pro ($40)

This will be short. The CCA C10 Pro, with all of it’s hybridness and it’s beauty, is a steal at $40. But it simply cannot match the NM2+ in sq. The NM2+ sounds in another league in terms of a refinement, or smoothness of sound, in terms of separation, or how easy it is to hear invidual sounds. Of course, the NM2+ IS in another league in terms of price; it’s over 4 x the retail. Do yourselves a favour; don’t listen to something like the NM2+ if you aren’t intending to part with your CCA C10 Pro or similar. In isolation the Pro sounds incredible for the money. It is the usual story that you don’t know what you’re missing until you hear it! I have no criticism of owners of cheaper ChiFi; there is some great stuff out there, I’m currently putting other IEMs through their paces which are at the budget end.

Vs. Shuoer Tape ($129)

This is an interesting match up. The Shuoer Tape is an electrostatic hybrid IEM. It uses dynamic driver tech for bass and an electrostat for the highs. I am a big fan of the Shuoer Tape. This time there was not a gulf between the 2 rivals for sq supremacy. But…The NM2+ still won. The balanced tips offered me very little bass response and were a no no for my ears for the NM2+. If I had used the balanced eartips, I sense the Tape’s would have thrashed the 2+. I am usually reluctant to try anything which mentions the word “bass” on it. Call it a prejudice due to the days in HMV listening to mass market Beats and Skullkandys and the like. I have a distrust. Given the balanced eartips didn’t work, I had to at least try the bass eartips. To me, they were a revelation! There was even some visceral effect. Some air was being pushed from the shell and into the ear. The bass didn’t obscure the rest of the mix of the track. This is the clever bit about using just the 1 driver. There is no crossover to worry about. More on that in the vlog.


The Tapes have a good bass, but it couldn’t compare with the NM2+. There was a thicker, or more bloated sounding bass, which did creep into some of the frequency’s slightly further up the scale. The Shuoer Tape had some sparkle, or extension, in the high mids and treble region. They are quite captivating. The Tape has that sparkle that beats the NM2+ in the upper ranges. But the Tape has to sacrifice that for a slightly less detailed lower mid sound, in other words, the main part of the music, be it vocals or main instrument, are less easy to pick out. The NM2+ is rolled back in the treble region compared to the Tape, but has plenty of detail where it matters. The NM2+ sounds like it has more music inside those shells, whereas the Tapes have a sparkle, but alas, the windows are not quite as thick.


Conclusion
The need for a decent IEM that can perform well and can be compromised into something even more convenient (bluetooth, with a cable) is still with us. Long may that be the case. It will push manufacturers to make ever more advances. And yet, the single dynamic driver remains a potent force. Provided, of course, someone is taking the care needed to give us what we want in our gear. Namely, that is, low distortion and high enjoyment. I believe NF Audio have done enough to convince me they are sailing on the right heading. Thank you to all involved in this latest instalment, and please take the time if you have it to watch my vlog. I always try to include something differnt in the YouTube. As always, listen more and keep it real
Trev

Introduction

Only two months after analysing the fantastic NM2, NF Audio is working hard to develop a new model, based on the name, the NF AUDIO NM2+. And I say that they are based only on the name, because the sound has no similarity in its profile, but deepens in the spirit to unite monitoring and very high fidelity. To this end, the dual magnetic circuit has been improved, with a dynamic drive unit designed with a double cavity. This provides better management of air pressure, to provide fast and smooth movement of the diaphragm. This results in better clarity, clearer sound, a powerful low zone and a wide stage. This time, the capsule is made of aircraft-grade aluminium, to achieve the best precision, thanks also to the 5-axis CNC technology. In addition, the capsules have a different, thinner design, which allows for deeper insertion, without losing the comfort of their predecessors. Of course, the cable has also been improved and for this occasion, a 5N structure Litz cable, made of silver-plated oxygen-free copper, with up to 280 cores, which has very low impedance and a reduced film effect, is included.

All this and much more technology has been used to offer the new NM2+. I will now try to describe them in more detail.



Specifications

• Driver type: MC2L-1OII, double-cavity dynamic driver, double magnetic design. 5u polymer composite diaphragm
• Frequency response: 9-40kHz
• Sensitivity: 108dB/mw
• Impedance: 18 Ω
• Acoustic insulation: 25dB
• Distortion: <1%.
• Jack: 3.5mm Audio, with 6.3mm Audio adapter
• Capsule Connection Type: 2pin 0.78mm
• Cable: Litz 5N oxygen-free copper, silver-plated.

Packaging

The presentation is still the classic cubic box that opens in two halves and its interior is clearly inspired by a Compact Disc. Its dimensions are 145x128x83mm and its weight is 300g. On this occasion, the box has the colours of the NM2+, including the blue dot with the brand logo inside, which also stands out on the capsules. This time, the letters of the model and series are very large and striking. A real photo of the product could not be missing either, in the upper half of the main face. The box comes completely sealed in transparent plastic. Once the cardboard is removed, its interior is opened in two halves. On the left side, there is the CD, the mould that contains the capsules. Under it, there is the round blister pack containing the silicone tips and, finally, the cable. On the right side, there is the manual and under it, the zippered transport case, which NF Audio is used to, made of a strong, dark grey fabric, with the logo silk-screened in black, in the centre of the upper side. As a summary, the complete content is:

• The two capsules of the NM2+.
• The Litz 5N oxygen-free copper cable, silver-plated, with a 3.5mm audio plug.
• Three pairs of white silicone tips SxMxL balanced.
• Three pairs of black silicone tips SxMxL bass.
• Zippered case.
• Adapter for 6.35mm plug.

In this model, despite the fact that the packaging has not changed in its form, it gives the impression that more attractive colours have been used, as well as larger letters. Another important fact is the substantial improvement of the new cable, silver-plated, thicker, with better feel, construction and handling.



Construction and Design

It is clear that this is a product considered more premium. The NM2+ is made from aircraft-grade aluminium, painted in silver grey, light and very bright. A 5-axis CNC has been used to machine them, giving the capsules a more precise, resistant and lighter manufacture, thanks to the quality of the aluminium used and its alloy.

The shape follows the trail of the NM2, being very similar, but gives the impression that the base of the nozzles has been slightly stylised, achieving a thinner column. Both the size of these nozzles and their length are the same as their predecessors. They have a height of 3.5mm, a smaller diameter at the base of 4.75mm and a larger diameter at the outer crown of 5.35mm. Both are covered by a perforated metal grid.

The surface of the capsules has a micro texture and the separation of both sides can be seen, without implying any degree of weakness. The outer face has two levels, the outer part protrudes, while the central one is slightly depressed. The NF logo is inscribed in the centre. At the top of the edge of the capsules, there is the 0.78mm two-pin connection. This is a rigid, transparent plastic plate, which is superficial and oval in shape. This means that it is advisable for the cable pins to have a female sheath, which is compatible with this shape. Very close to the connector there is a hole and continuing downwards, along the same edge, you reach the blue point, a small inscribed circle, inside which there is also the NF logo, surrounded by cyan ink. On the other side of the connector, also following the edge, are inscribed the letters indicating the channel (L and R). Finally, on the lower edge, the letters "NM2+ MONITOR" are inscribed. And finally, there is another small hole on the inner side, at the foot of the nozzle column.

An improved version of the MC2L-1OII magnetic dual circuit driver has been used in this model. The two high-performance magnets provide a magnetic flux of more than 1 Tesla. The diaphragm, made of 5u polymer, is lightweight, of medium rigidity and has good elasticity which improves its performance. Inside the capsule there are 4 micro-shock absorbers, to adjust the air pressure balance of the front and rear cavity. In addition, the MC2L-1OII uses an integrated tuning PCB. The internal acoustic structure, combined with the metal reflective cavity, brings precision, finesse and stability to the overall sound.

The NM2+'s cable has also been upgraded, of course. This time it is a 5N Litz cable made of oxygen-free copper and silver-plated, to improve the film effect and reduce impedance. It consists of 4 strongly coiled strands, which give rise to a soft, shiny, almost white cable, with a very suitable thickness and very manageable, as well as little winding. The cover of the plug has not changed with respect to the other models, being cylindrical and grey, except for the flat part where the brand name is inscribed. The splitter is a black plastic medal, with the logo on both sides. The pin is metallic, with two holes inside. The two-pin connector is covered by a rigid, transparent plastic sleeve. This sleeve is angled and has the classic separation from the vertical axis. The cables coming out of these connectors are protected by a semi-rigid and transparent sheath, which shapes them over the ear.

The overall construction of the capsules is clearly superior and their silver colour enhances their beauty. The new cable represents a clear and necessary improvement, both in quality and in handling. The price increase is justified in this respect alone, compared with the NM2.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

Like the rest of the brand's IEMS, which have a very similar shape, the fit is very good. Even on this occasion, the fact that the column of the mouthpieces is more stylised, favours a deeper insertion and the possibility of using different silicone tips, giving more play for the Tip Rolling. The fitting is still durable, with remarkable hold and no discomfort. There is hardly any friction with the ear parts. The insert, which is slightly deeper depending on the tips, increases the level of insulation (depending on the manufacturer, up to 25dB). Also the comfort and fixation feel improved, compared to the rest of their brothers.

With regard to the wire, the connectors have the same shapes and the detail that separates them from the head. Despite the fact that the cable is thicker, it is very manageable and there is no noticeable increase in weight.

Really very comfortable.



Sound

Profile

The profile of the NF Audio NM2+ differs from the lighter W of the NM2, being neutral-bright, because of its clear presence in the upper mids and first highs. In this way, its sound has an analytical tendency, but without being totally surgical, predominating the clarity, the air, the cleanliness, without forgetting a good texture, precise and fast, in its low zone.



Bass

The lower zone has a slight emphasis on the middle zone, but without neglecting the sub-bass, allowing the range to present a common depth, which the NF IEMS I have analysed never suffer from. In spite of this, the whole offers a good linearity, without a clear enhancement somewhere. Their relation, with respect to the rest of the bands, is downwards, without them feeling completely anaemic in this sense, nor are they lacking in presence. The bass is very expressive, fast, with a great texture and a clearly neutral colour, but perfectly drawn, although placed behind the voices, to give an example. In this way, its recreation is contained, distinguished more by its technical capacity than by an expansive development of greater length. Despite the depth, the amount of air moved is quite permissive with the rest of the sound, without its presence implying notoriety in the overall sound. This means that the planes, despite the excellent definition and detail, are not shown to the naked eye and their stratification is less three-dimensional. Thus, LFOs produce a limited immersion effect, generating a more contemplative area, which can be perceived at a certain distance, making it difficult for those people who demand a more enveloping and impressive area to enjoy. And going into the subject of hitting, this has almost no gumminess, showing itself to be highly tight, dry, perfectly contained and packed. The development is not energetic, but short, with a cold tendency, perceptible depth and fast vanishing. The pity is that its presence is not greater to enjoy, in the foreground, its remarkable virtues.



Mids

The midrange stands out free from any low-frequency pollution, especially because they predominate over them, not being mid-centric, but neutral in sound. The bright trend is evident in the clear emphasis on the upper part of the central range. The tone does not suffer from this characteristic, nor does it appear unreal or forced, keeping the timbre within a natural, but fresh range. The clarity is excellent and the sound is extremely clean, spacious and open. This is why the voices look resplendent, stellar, full of definition and detail. It is tremendously simple to isolate them from the rest of the elements, since their recreation is almost unique, but complete and technically enriched. As great IEMS monitors, the ability to break down all the nuances throughout the performance of the voices is absolutely revealing, demonstrating their enormous analytical capacity, without making the sound completely aseptic and lifeless. Its character is cold, yes, but very enjoyable, because the result is clearly rewarding and pleasant in that respect. On the other hand, the place they occupy is neither wide nor narrow. And it cannot be said that their representation is completely focused, nor that their presence is prioritised over the rest of the elements. They just keep their space well reserved, but like the rest of the instruments. It could not be otherwise, since monitoring does not understand favouritism in this sense.

But, as with all enhanced upper-middles, there is one snag that we all know and that the NM2+ try to minimize with their technical ability and enormous resolution: hearing fatigue. Wheezing turns into detailed nuances, but so much definition in this high end of the media can overwhelm those who love softness and warmth. In that case your best allies will be a good copper wire, narrow channel tips and warm sources, to give the NM2+ a deserved chance, or you won't know what you're missing.

As I previously pointed out, the spatial arrangement of all the elements is a priority in these IEMS. The importance, both of instruments and voices, as well as the details, nuances and description of their journey and recreation, is what differentiates these IEMS from many others, in their price range. The NM2+ have a great democratic capacity to offer the same level of effort in all these aspects, and can be enjoyed both separately and together. But if there is one thing I must highlight, it is their descriptive capacity during the reproduction of voices or instruments, being enormously qualified to extract in time, all the existing nuances from the beginning to the end. And this is not a virtue that is easy to possess, since others prefer to mask their limitations in this aspect, under a pleasant but insufficient smoothness. This time, the NM2+ are there to offer the good and the bad, you just have to accept the challenge of what their quality proposes.



Treble

The highs are tuned as a long, dry, precise, concise, thin, fine and sparkling echo. In spite of its clear presence, its persistence is low, as its speed is very high and its sediment zero. The demonstrated technique is of very high resolution, offering an unheard of precision, which it executes without bothering, in spite of its manifest closeness and expressiveness. The NM2+ are capable of recreating extremely complex and high-pitched passages, with a remarkable virtuosity, where others appear excessive, they respond with precision and definition, offering a clearly reliable and exact response, without being excessive, much less irritating. This virtue manages to redefine those "complex" songs, in a new opportunity to rediscover.

It is not necessary to emphasize that the amount of detail, at the micro and macro level, as well as the capacity of revealing nuances, is almost excellent, in the line of the extension of the treble, capable of filling with air a scene in itself, open.



Soundstage, Separation

As I have finished the previous point, the amount of air favours, together with the clarity and openness of the sound, that the scene is eminently wide, semi-spherical, thanks to the good dose of height that the NM2+ enjoy. The separation is also expressed at a high level, which gives the elements within the image that individuality they enjoy. The positioning is efficient and effective, without the scene being drawn in a very volatile or ethereal way, but rather defined and with a determined and realistic origin. The result is a broad reconstruction, with a natural tendency, a dark background and clearly perceptible separation, but without being overwhelming, without that "out of mind" feeling, maintaining an analytical realism within a logical scene.



Comparisons

NF Audio NA1

The NM2+, in my opinion, should be called NA1+, because they really are an improvement on that model. They follow in their wake, with a very similar, but more refined profile. The NA1's are warmer, with a more present low zone, perhaps a little slower and with a more noticeable deposit. The NM2+, on the other hand, is geared towards brightness, aimed at reproducing more detail, reflecting more nuances and offering a higher resolution sound, as well as improved technique.

The warmth favours a more full-bodied male voice in the NA1. There is more relaxation in this aspect and also in the midrange in general. They sound wider, sweeter and softer. In contrast, in the NM2+, clarity is a degree, both voices and instruments have a more marked definition. Because of their more analytical character, the NM2+ are more expressive, with a superior ability to pick out details and separate notes. This makes everything sound finer, with more light, with a higher resolution drawing. The NA1s are softer, with a slightly darker colour and less inclined to over-expression, which makes them more relaxed and, for some, even more pleasant.

The lower area feels deep, less coloured, but slightly less precise. The bass in the NA1, floods the scene more, feeling wider and larger. The lower zone of the NM2+ is colder and drier, behind the mids, but with a very delicate and descriptive texture. Overall, the bass in the NM2+ is more accurate, despite a slightly more coloured tone on the cold side.

In the upper range, the NM2+ have a clear advantage in their resolution and interpretation of the notes (although this is already noticeable in the other ranges, too). The power of the NM2+ to accurately reproduce the high notes is superior. I don't want to say that the NA1's are bad, at all. In fact, I'm happy to make this comparison so that I can recover the sound of the NA1s, as an initial, sweeter and softer, bassier version of the NM2+s, capable of offering a sound that sticks to my ears. But in the NM2+, the high end is simply a step beyond even many other IEMS in the range.

The NM2+, thanks to its superb monitoring features, makes the sound more open, clear and separate. They are able to introduce a lot of air between the notes, and you can see the darkness and silence between them. All this makes the scene bigger, especially in terms of width and even height. The NA1, don't stay short, but, certainly, the separation is a little lower and the scene feels smaller, although the depth is very good, maybe better.

In terms of ergonomics, the NA1s have a longer nozzle column, which allows deeper insertion and adjustment further away from the ear parts. The NM2+, are more compact, remaining more attached to the ears, achieving an insertion that ranges from superficial to medium. With this, the fixation is higher and I would consider them more suitable for more active activities.



NF Audio NM2

The NM2 are the rogue brother of the NM2+. But he's a very stylish scoundrel, not just any hooligan, but he's the leader, the one who's least dirty... In terms of sound, this analogy refers to the lower area of the NM2, which is really overwhelming in terms of presence and clarity. With a W-profile, its bass is ultra-deep and powerful, a delight for bass lovers. Such a pronounced focus on the sub-bass is the main difference between the two models. Beyond the mids, the tuning is very similar, but not the technique, which is perceived as improved and increased in the NM2+. They are the elegant and brilliant brother of the family, the exquisite, the refined, the outstanding, the professor, the one who puts the dots over the i's. The level of monitoring demonstrated in the NM2, acquires a higher level in the + model. The clear reduction in the sound pressure of the lower zone allows the middle zone to be released, bringing the range forward, but without losing any quality in the developed bass, even gaining in quality, precision and texture. In this way the sound feels wider and more expansive, allowing details to flourish more easily, further enhanced by a more refined and improved technique. This is evident in the upper zone of the NM2+, where they reveal themselves arrogant with respect to their brother, raising their chin and looking at them out of the corner of their eye... they are + for a reason. The highs, already very good in the NM2, are here surpassed in definition and resolution level, reaching the optimum level for monitoring.

The scene, wide in both, also improves in the +, thanks to the aforementioned clarity, liberation, greater separation and sense of openness offered by the NM2+. Which siblings are you staying with? It's not clear to me... The best thing is that, having both, I can choose without mistake. But, it wouldn't be wrong to meet the brother in the middle... Will he be the next NF Audio?



Conclusion

NF Audio continues to show its expertise to each new product it introduces, in a clear upward trend that seems to have no end. And this does not mean that the price rises too much, something that makes it difficult, both for the progression itself, and for the competition... Is it possible to do better for this price...? Without doubt, it is quite difficult... But it seems that they succeed.

The NF Audio NM2+ is not just a simple iteration of the NM2, changing a couple of things and that's it. It is a product with a different tuning, with a neutral-bright tendency, with a softened low zone in presence and with a clear analytical vocation. But, in addition, there are several improvements to emphasize the monitoring capacity of the current model, starting with the construction of the capsule and the material used, a new version of the driver used and the redesign of the inner cavities, as well as a silver-plated 5N Litz cable. The result could not be more accurate: NF has created one of the dynamic IEMS with the most analytical profile I have ever tested, without losing its naturalness, nor offering an artificial tone. On the contrary, the effort to recreate the music as it is really produced, is the idea of the brand. The rest you have to discover for yourselves... and it won't be little.




Sources Used During the Analysis

• Burson Audio Playmate
• JWD JWM-115
• Tempotec Variations V1-A + Earmen Sparrow
• Earmen TR-Amp
• xDuoo XP-2Pro

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 87
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 92
• Accessories: 83
• Bass: 87
• Mids: 92
• Treble: 94
• Separation: 93
• Soundstage: 91
• Quality/Price: 94

Purchase Link

You can read the full review in Spanish here

Introduction: NF Audio has been quietly putting out high-quality single dynamic driver IEMS for a few years now, with a background in stage monitoring. They have two series: the NA for musical enjoyment and the NM for monitoring. The NM2+ is therefore the latest entry amongst their analytically tuned offerings designed for professional use, at a remarkably low price point of $169 USD. Will this new IEM be able to live up to its professional moniker?

Accessories: Given the entry-level price point, NF Audio has accessorized the NM2+ in an extremely generous fashion. Of particular note is the customized Litz 5N silver-plated copper cable (QDC connector type), which is of very high quality (although the ear hooks are a little stiff and may cause fit issues on some ears). In addition, the compact disc-themed box comes with a round semi-hard carry case (a bit on the small side) as well as two sets of silicone tips ("balanced" and "bass", though I found the bass tips to provide a far more balanced sound), and a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter (suitable for an IEM designed for pro use).

Build & Comfort: NF Audio has switched to CNC-machined aluminum alloy for the shells, and build quality is absolutely superb. Personally I find timbre to be generally superior on metal-housed IEMs as compared to resin or other materials, and (spoiler alert) the NM2+ is absolutely no exception to this trend. Comfort is very good, even over prolonged listening sessions. However, the rather long stems mean that for my ears (with their rather small canals) the fitment is not very precise and so isolation is mediocre. I experienced no driver flex whatsoever.

Signature: The NM2+ showcases a generally neutral-bright sound, though the mid-bass has a tastefully subtle boost, giving a hint of warmth and naturalness to the lower mids. The upper mids have a significant boost due to rather steep pinna gain, although thankfully this plateaus rather than peaks and so is much more tolerable to sensitive ears than the more jagged upper range frequency responses not uncommon in ChiFi IEMs. With narrow-bore tips to accentuate the bass in order to balance the upper mid boost, the NM2+ is perhaps better described as a very slightly V-shaped IEM rather than neutral-bright.

I'll be honest here: one's ability to tolerate the upper-mid boost is going to be the difference between loving and hating this IEM. At the beginning it was very hard for me to tolerate, but with time, (driver/brain) burn-in, and a lot of cable and tip-rolling, these became some of the most superb IEMs I have heard. More than almost any other IEM, do not allow first impressions to lead to a snap decision. The NM2+ has ample rewards for those who are patient with it.

Bass: The most surprising thing to me about the NM2+ was how much I ended up loving the bass. It's absolutely perfect in quantity to my taste: there when it should be, with appropriate force, and absolutely never intrudes on anything else. It is very very fast, tight, textured, and superbly well-controlled. It is definitely biased toward the mid-bass - though again the boost is very subtle, just enough to be alive rather than anodyne, and to breathe a hint of warmth to the lower mids. It is also a bit on the dry side, which in my opinion is the absolutely correct decision to highlight the cleanliness of the NM2+'s overall presentation.

Mids: Incredibly clean, transparent, detailed (both macro and micro), and above all else: timbre is off the charts good. Note weight is very good, although the strong upper-mids boost can make the lower mids come across as a bit on the thin side. Male vocals benefit from the hint of warmth so as not to sound thin, and despite the significant upper-mid boost female vocals sound only slightly more forward than males. I also did not hear any sibilance unless the recording was egregious. The upper mids can definitely get a bit hot, and it is one’s tolerance here that will make or break the NM2+.

Treble: Brilliant clarity without harshness or peaks, airy, sparkly, and very well-extended. Very detailed and again with very realistic timbre almost all the time, although it is a tad dry which gives rise to my main issue which is the occasional brittleness of cymbals.

Technicalities: The technicalities of the NM2+ punch way above their price point, across the board. Imaging, layering, soundstage, resolution, details, everything. The one downfall is that the soundstage does not have the most depth (though width and height are very good), which on extremely busy tracks can lead to a bit of congestion to my ear. However, given that this is a single-DD setup it is astounding what NF Audio has accomplished, especially given the entry-level pricing.

Conclusion: There is very little to add to the list of pros and cons. If you're looking for a neutral monitor with mind-boggling technicalities for the sub-$200 price bracket, you have found it... as long as you can handle the energy in the upper mids.

For classical, acoustic, and vocal genres these cannot be beat at the price. They are also well-suited to nearly every genre to a slightly lesser extent, as long as you're looking for a neutral response. But be careful: as others have observed, it can be difficult to listen to other IEMs after the NM2+ since even excellent sets can sound veiled or even muddy by comparison!!

Disclaimer: I purchased the NA2, NM2 at full MSRP from the Penon Audio. As a returning customer they gave me little bit of discount on the NM2+. I am in no way affiliated with the company nor am I compensated in any way for writing this review.

Introduction:
When I first heard about the NF Audio with two random characters together, I had to search for what 'NF' stands for.
According to the company's facebook page NF means: Near Field monitoring, as well as Nice Fit & Nice Frequency response.

OK that's cool.

But what is Near Field monitoring? A bit of googling reveals that Near field monitoring is a way to sit closer to your transducers with the idea that sitting closer to the speakers say 3′- 4′, will reduce the sound of the room in the mix. They're specifically designed for listening to close distances so that the greater proportion of sound wave goes directly to the listener rather than reflecting off the walls and ceilings.

Now most if not all earphones by nature of their in ear design are already functions like near field monitors.
So even though NF audio advertises the NM2+ as monitoring device, you have to remember no earphones regardless of the design principle or cost, has a completely flat frequency response; all earphones color the sound to some degree. But when they claim that their device is designed for monitoring, I assume it to be as free as possible from coloration which NM2+ achieved here successfully.


My musical preferences and sonic objectives:
I am mainly into classical and Jazz music.

I prefer earphones with a realistic timbre, even frequency response, separation / detail and good dynamics for orchestral music. This is a hard group to get right and there are times I’ve given up stage for timbre or detail. My earphone benchmark is the Campfire Andromeda as this has been my goto for the past few years and I have considered it as a great all rounder IEM.



The main impressions were done with the balanced tips which are the frosty white colored ones.
I also tried some wide bore tips namely azla sednaearfits short and JVC spiral dots, but the stock medium eartips with a slightly deeper insertion sounded better to me.


Opening the package, there is a nice presentation box with little bit of compact disc theme going on, silver colored cable and pretty sturdy carrying case. The cable functions well and is light and flexible without any microphonics. A metal chin slider also works well. The cable seems to pick up little bit of EMI noises from my iphone 3.5mm, but hardly noticeable when music is playing. That said the cable sounded great and did not hamper my enjoyment of this earphones. There is also a nice booklet explaining the company's past, present and future.



Comfort and Build Quality: The NM2+'s aluminum with satin finishing feels solid in my hand, but also quite light and smooth on the angles. The curving is elongated and rounded rather than abrupt and sharp so its highly unlikely these will cause long-term discomfort.

BASS
With the balanced tips, you get a fairly linear and solid sounding low-end with excellent definition and a tight pacy bass. Sub-bass weight is about average and if you are looking for physicality and presence you will not get that from the NM2+. It is not lacking in extension with great control with a decent impact though.

There is a slight mid-bass elevation that injects a bit of warmth and body that I think underpins that generally smooth yet detailed mids presentation on the NM2+. The mid-bass elevation is more about timbral balance than injecting a heavy bass fundamental into the NM2+. As such the bass tuning feels more about articulation and control than a driving high-level of PRaT.

LOWER MIDS
Lower mids are not quite as elevated as say iBasso IT00, Penon ORB or even Tanchjim HANA, and slightly more neutral giving some clear space between the bass and mids for some very good instrumental layering and separation. However if you are specifically looking for a warmth and density in male vocal range, you are not going to get it here with the NM2+.

MIDS
Instrumental separation and timbre are very accurate albeit slightly drier tone at times. Certainly, NM2+ has spacious and natural mids in its delivery. The spacing really benefit the vocals also, which, whilst not being overly forward nor warm sounding, did sound resolutely clear and 3D, well textured and very refined in their delivery.

UPPER MIDS
Higher pitched female vocals perhaps a bit more forward sounding with the NM2+ taking a little surge in energy post 1k. Good amount of energy post 3Khz gives stringed instrument like violins really good definition and air.

TREBLE
The treble tuning on the NM2+ is excellent. It has a superb balance with enough lower-treble energy to add some necessary accuracy to percussion timbre without sounding harsh or splashy.

The upper treble is a bit more linear or perhaps just slightly faded rather than pumped like the many other Chi-fi equivalent. What that means is that it is not overly ethereal or brittle sounding. Nuanced and articulate yes, but thin or lean no.

Any instrument pulling its upper harmonic order from the NM2+’s treble tuning benefits, period. It's one of the major reasons why the overall timbre of the NM2+ sounds so pleasing. You get just the right amount of low-end body and treble clarity paired with superbly detailed and transparent mids.



Selected Comparison:
Tanchjim Hana ($159) and NF Audio NM2+ ($169)

Tonally the Hana is a little bit more laid back than the NM2+ and not as bright with a slightly warmish tone and a fuller body to the note. Bass on the Hana doesn’t quite have the low-end definition of the NM2+ and it’s a bit softer in the attack. Decay seems similarly natural on both. Hana has more elevated mid bass and overall more bass quantity than the NM2+.

Vocals and the mid-range on NM2+ are clearer sounding with a little more texture and detail than the Hana. The NM+ driver is the speedier and cleaner of the two. Upper treble performance is better on the NM2+ with a fast and detailed, but never splashy or hot in tonality. They both have similar upper mids and lower treble presence, but Hana sounds bit peakier without modding. Overall Hana doesn’t seem to have that same sense of articulation, sparkle and treble extension.

Certainly, the NM2+ feels more energetic, cleaner, and more neutral than the Hana. Both are detailed but the slightly more dynamic nature of the NM2+ will make you feel you are hearing more micro detail.

The Hana is a touch harder to drive also than the NM2+ and worse fitting due to a very short nozzle. I do love the Hana when amped but on my iPhone, NM2+ seems to be just a bit more engaging and better tuned overall.


Closing Thoughts:
The NM2+ is tonally pleasing, effortlessly dynamic and has detailed sound ideal for classical and acoustic music.
Moreover it works wonderfully well with even smartphones and scales really nicely with a better DAC and amp.
Price to performance ratio is excellent and I will be keeping close eye on NF audio's future developments.

NF audio NM2+

NF audio has been making these dynamic earphones the NA1, NA2, NM2 and now the NM2+. Seem to be using a very specific dynamic driver with a dual cavity design that all have an excellent foundational sound. I can tell these guys are serious about their tunings as I haven't reviewed a unit yet that I thought was lacking when it comes to sonics. In doing all these reviews of these NF audio earphones, I am now seeing a consistency and proficiency with all their dynamic earphones. The NM2+ is their newest effort and maybe their best to date.

Their previous earphone the NM2 is a prime example of what can be achieved in the sub $100 range for earphones. Single dynamic design and sound just don't get too much better in the price range, then I heard they were at work bringing out a + version. I suppose the + can stand for “pro” as it seems that is the proper wording to describe changes from the previous version nowadays but NF audio just simply went with a +.

What they should have done is called this earphone something completely new as it is more than just a revision, it is an entirely new earphone. The only similarities from the previous NM2 is that these are marketed for stage monitoring according to the sales page on them. The NM2 is also marketed for monitoring. Besides the marketing for professional use, they both possess some very nice accurate sound. Now let's look at the changes and tech that went into the NM2+ from the previous models.

NM2 was uses a polycarbonate all plastic sell, the + version uses an aircraft grade aluminum CNC shell that is both stronger and adds some acoustical properties to the tuning. Most definitely more premium looking. The driver being used looks like an updated version of their previous drivers used in the NA1. Called the MC2L-10II driver utilizing a tesla grade dual magnetic circuit, a dual cavity design providing air and stage to the sonics. 5u Polymer composite diaphragm designed for lowering distortion and overall better performance of music.

Most importantly they used this tech to fine tune the sound of the NM2+ with a more neutrally balanced tuning with an upgraded cable to go with it. The end result was not just a little minor update but something that I feel is substantial. The sound of the NM2+ the end results is just simply stunning.

I would like to thank Penon audio and NF audio for providing a review sample for my take on them. You can find more information about the NM2+ here. I have zero affiliation with either company. These here are my thoughts about the NM2+

Owning my share of single dynamic designed earphones, when I first started out analyzing earphones and reviewing them it was actually mostly dynamic in ears. The promise of a better sound now sees the hybrid being more of the norm but single dynamics are making some big strides. The NM2+ I would consider in this category. These don’t just compete with other earphones in the given price range. For this reviewer and enthusiast, these stand out clearly in the price range so much so, you will wonder why you spent so much money for your flagship dynamic earphones.

The build of the NM2+ is very solid with its frosted all metal CNC aluminum machined shell. The shape and design of the shell looks identical to the same design that is on their Polyurethane models the NA2 and NM2. Aluminum housings provides several benefits besides being more sturdy. Metal housings have been used by manufacturers to keep resonances down and help the purity of the sonic produced by the earphone. The frosted silver finish looks very much scratch proof and is definitely more sturdy looking and feeling. The same protruding 2 pin design is used on the top of the housing much like all their previous models. NF audio has a history of making custom IEMS for monitoring so that is where this 2 pin design came from, designed to be more sturdy in real world use.

New to this model is a cable of which I am certain was developed just for this model. The cable is a 5N silver coated Oxygen Free Copper cable in Litz structure. This is most definitely an upgrade to their previous throw in cables. The box contains a clam shell case and 2 sets of silicones to use on the NM2+. One set called balanced and another labeled bass, both tips are subtle in difference but sound good enough on the phones.

Campfire audio super Litz vs NF Audio silver OFC Litz

The tips are standard pack in but what is substantial is this particular cable. The cable reminds me of Alo audios super litz cables, a bit thinner in makeup but similar structure. It has an ear guide but is not annoying like their previous cable that would dig into the back of my ears. I am very certain NF audio tuned the earphones with this particular cable. Overall the cable does a great job and does not limit the sonic production of the earphones.

Sound analysis was done using my DAPs. Fiio M15, Shanling M6pro, M5s, M3s,Cayin N5ii, Sony ZX300, Ibasso DX160 and for amplification my IFI Black Label.

NM2 the previous model before the NM2+ had some outstanding balanced and technical sound characteristics. What NF audio has done with the new + model is not just a small incremental change to the sonics. Upgrade is the word I would describe the NM2+ in comparison. This does not mean the older NM2 is obsolete or anything like that, after all those cost $69 less. The sound went from good to something that was very unexpected. The NM2+ is now pushing sonics that are closer to much higher end earphones. The sound balancing for one has gotten even better but admittedly leaning more toward an analytical detailed version of the dynamic tuning. These share more similarities to the NA1 more so than the NM2. Sound tuning is however even better on the NM2+.

Sound signature falls in the line more toward an analytical, neutral balanced tuning and before you say, nope that is not for me. This is more so due to the highly resolving nature of the NM2+, these pick off details with the best of them and I am talking about earphones in general and not just a sub group based on price. Marketed as a stage monitor, the NM2+ is a highly detailed and resolving listen. Fundamental tuning is more neutral and really not colored too much in any given region.

This doesn’t mean the sound tuning is weak in dynamics or sound anemic. In fact the breathtaking clarity will have you relistening to your favorite vocal and instrumental tracks over and over. If precision, imaging and accuracy is what you're looking for in an in-ear monitor, you have to seriously consider the NM2+. As much as the previous NA1 did this type of reference tuning, the NM2+ refines it and gives you something that clearly stands out in the price range. The overall tonal quality is clean and I mean cleeean for some will be leaning toward a cooler and even bright dependent on cable and source used. Using a warmer source brings the best on the NM2+. I noticed metal shells has a slight effect on tone of a given sound and on the NM2+, not only is the tonal balance very clean and detailed but there is a touch of sweetness and air to the sound.

Treble has most impact in the lower treble region with a gradual step down in emphasis reaching all the way to 16Khz and more. Treble emphasis is energetic and much like the rest of the sonic signature, very clean. Treble shows a nice sparkle with quick transients, decay of the treble notes is dependent on the type of treble note and weight in a given track. Which shows a natural yet highly resolving nature of the treble ability. Treble has excellent extension with no real glaring issues. It is balancing a fine line between clean and just a touch edgy, this is where I would have liked a bit more silkiness and smoothness but for what is there I can’t complain about the treble in both tone and ability. With plenty of sparkle and reason why we like nicely detailed treble it is all there.

Mid bands is where the clarity happens. NM2+ clearly has emphasis in the upper mids which adds a lot of that clarity to the rest of the sonic signature. The benefit there is that these have a reference like clarity in the mid bands, vocals sound tremendous as a result. That breathtaking clarity and range give credence to vocal projection to the point where other monitors will seem veiled in comparison. Folks that are looking for them little tiny details in your music, you now have to consider the NM2+.

The mid bands are not recessed and not forward, not thin and not thick. Sounds just about right to my ears and in fine tuning the sonic balancing of the NM2+, the overall sonic presentation is the goldilocks for presence. Instruments take on a rangy timbre and accuracy that far exceeds anything you would expect at the given price. Little nuanced details will be heard easily using the NM2+. Imaging and instrument separation is another aspect that is outstanding on the NM2+. Single dynamics in this price range has no business having this level of imaging and separation. Again it just shows how resolving the dynamic driver is being used on the NM2+

As good as the included tips are and I do prefer the bass tips, a good set of aftermarket Azla tips and a UPOCC copper cable to warm up the tone a touch and you got yourself one heck of an earphone. One that is knocking at the doors of TOTL offerings and certainly nothing that you would again expect at the price point.

The linear bass end sees a high quality tuned emphasis I only wish more neutral tuned monitors can do. Most neutrally tuned monitors I own has a big drop off around 40hz down, not so much the NM2+. The bass reaches into the depths with an effortless quality to it and your tracks will have an excellent textured sub bass rumble. If it is supposed to be there, these will show that it is there. Upper bass to the lowest registers has a linearity that lets the mid bands shine again giving that clean mid bands every ability to let you know what is in the recording. Just like the rest of the sound balancing, the bass is one of the higher quality bass ends that really represents every single bass note with accuracy that I have noticed.

The NM2+ is not for bassheads but the quality of the bass end is soo dang good. The bass end does not suffer from a neutrally neutered bass end, its a tight, speedy, deep reaching bass is about as good as it gets in the price range. The bass end here does not take second or 3rd place in the sound tuning but takes equal footing with the rest of the signature showing great resolving ability with a quick decay and punchy when called for. Bass notes come naturally and have very good authority and shows excellent detailed like the rest of the sound signature. I think folks will be happy that the bass is not anemic flabby or off in any way.

Overall I know this one was a longer read as I had so much to say about the NM2+. These earphones will not only be great for monitoring but for more demanding enthusiasts that want every bit of that detail in their favorite tracks. The NM2+ is a marvel at its price range and for that it deserves nothing less than a 5 star rating, not to mention the value ratio here is one for the books. I know for a fact if a bigger named entity came up with this same exact sound and charged 2X more people will be floored by how good it sounds, but we don’t have that. We get a monitor earphone with a reference level of sound quality for $169 street price. I think you will be impressed, thanks for reading and as always happy listening.


Bonus comparisons. NF audio phones.

NM2+ vs the NA2
NA2 is NF audios more fun version of their tuning. Fun doesn't mean it is lacking in good sound or balancing. Fundamental tuning for all NF audio phones have well established balanced tunings. NA2 has the most bass presence, a more slight v shaped signature. NA2s adds a bolder bass end to the NF Audio formula. NM2+s technical prowess is clearly evident in comparison with better mids detail and separation, less bass impact and presence and has the wider stage perception between the two. Probably more due to the less bass presence on the NM2+ Treble has greater extension and sparkle over the NA2. Folks that want the most bass out of a the NF audio line up should look into the NA2.The treble end of the tuning is not as extended or detailed but some might prefer this instead of the hyper clear NM2+. NA2 and NM2 both are great values at their price points.

NM2+ vs the NA1. The NA1 has the most similarities to the NM2+. Both having some outstanding technical precision to the sonics. It is the NM2+ that has the edge in sound separation and detail especially for the mid bands. Both earphones share a very similar bass end as both are very capable and reaches deep. Bass end is a wash and the stage is a touch wider on the NM2+. Treble detail again is slightly better on the NM2+. Overall I feel the NM2+ has the slight edge in technicalities here vs the NA1, but it is like splitting hairs between these two.

In the end the slightly better sound separation and stage perception makes the NM2+ stand out. The NA1 has a bit of treble glare vs the NM2+ While both are similar in tone and ability. The NM2+ just sounds that much more refined overall. These both are priced the same and goes without saying my pic would be the NM2+. In fact, bringing out the NM2+ NF audio has pretty much made the NA1 obsolete. If you see an NA1 for a good discount however, they will be worth a set getting about 95% of the SQ of the NM2+. The NA1 with a good aftermarket copper cable will be very close to the NM2+ in sonics with slightly more bass.

NM2+ vs the NM2. Right away the NM2 is not as defined vs the NM2+ imaging, sound separation and detail stands out on the NM2+ in comparison with better vocal clarity and range, showing slightly wider stage vs the NM2 as well. This being said, the NM2 is no joke when it comes to these aspects but the NM2+ clearly has the upper hand in resolution in just about all regions of the sonics. This is the reason why the NM2+ should have been called a different earphone all together. NM2 has a bit more bass impact but quality again goes to NM2+. Treble sparkle hands down the NM2+ with better clarity and perception of detail in all ranges of sound. As good as the NM2 is, NM2+ upgrades just about every aspect of that monitor tuning to a new shiny level.


Bonuseses
Optimized listening. UPOCC and a good sealing tip. Azla Xelastecs.