NICEHCK Bro In Ear Earphone 1DD+1BA Hybrid Earphone

I bought this IEM due to people recommending it as a well balanced set without recessed mids. This is not how I would describe the sound, and since there are very few reviews, I figured I should probably add my impressions

Cable: Feels very cheap and plasticky, but soft and entirely without memory wire of any kind. Very comfortable once properly seated.

Aesthetics: Can't be worn around people I know. If using in public, I'll have to tape over the "BRO" scrawled on the side or random passers by will all want high-fives yelling "Dude!" "Sweet" "What's up Bro?!" "Wazzzzzzzzzuuupp??"

Fit/Comfort: Excellent. I have large, very soft silicone tips on there and the fit is excellent. In combination with the included cable I can wear these for hours on end. They're also quite secure during physical activity. Full points from my ear canal!

Bass: Fat. Nice extension, decent mid-bass hump, but bleeds into the mids a bit. I like it for casual listening. Stronger than ZS10 Pro, C10, ZS4.


Mids: Not recessed, but swallowed by the mid-bass and a strong high-mid peak (haven't measured but I assume around 3k-4k). The peak was unbearably harsh out of the box, but calmed a little after about 24 hours of burn-in. Now it's still present, giving the set a distinctly cheap sound (reminds me of Creative EP630). This is the only annoyance I have with this IEM.

Much harsher than the aforementioned comparison IEMs.


Highs: No real complaints other than the aforementioned high-mid peak covering them up a little and causing sibilance in the high end. Lacks "airiness" compared to ZS10 Pro and (especially) C10.



All in all, I would buy these again due to their superb comfort and fat bass. The peak and sibilance can be worked around using a decent EQ, which is acceptable at this price point, IMO.

You also find this review and much more on my blog audioreviews.org



Executive Summary

The NICEHCK BRO is a low-priced in-ear-monitor-style hybrid earphone for people who prefer a warm towards neutral sound signature. It excels in its homogeneity built around a natural vocals reproduction and a very good resolution resulting in a smooth listening experience even for the demanding listener on a budget. Particularly, the quality of the vocals is a rare find in this price category. The only downside is its inclination to sibilance. The BRO features an exchangeable MMCX cable. Overall, it is a good earphone and excellent value for money. It can be purchased only from the NICEHCK store: https://goo.gl/4n8Ls6



Disclaimer

I was asked by Jim NICEHCK to review this earphone and purchased it for $0.10 from the NICEHCK store. The regular price of this configuration (silver-plated cable; no remote) was $24 at the time. I was further asked to link to the product: https://goo.gl/4n8Ls6 That’s it. This earphone is presently being prepared to be given to charity to avoid conflict of interest (I have yet to find a communal service to put it to good use).

As always, I test earphones with a cross section of music that provides a broad coverage of the frequency spectrum, including naturally generated sounds such a voices and classical instruments. To me, as a rule of thumb (and first approximation), the value of an earphone is correlated with the quality of voice reproduction.


Introduction

The BRO was originally released in 2017, and at the time of this review, was enjoying considerable appreciation as a good-sounding earphone at a low price. The model was updated in 2018 with new colours but it remained technically identical to the original according to Jim NICEHCK. It is claimed by some that the BRO shares hardware with the higher-priced and less-accessorized BGVP SGZ-DN1 but the question remains whether the tuning is identical between them.


Specifications

Product Name: NICEHCK BRO hybrid in-ear earphone
Brand: NICEHCK
Model: BRO
Drivers:1DD + 1BA driver
Impedance: 16Ω
Earphone sensitivity: 108±3dB
Frequency range: 20-30000Hz
Weight: 15g
Interface Type: MMCX Interface
Price: $21 to $24 (according to cable configuration)
Product Link: https://goo.gl/4n8Ls6



Packaging and Accessories

The plain white box contains two sets of rubber earpieces in each standard size (S, M, L), a pair of foam tips cable, one pair of earhooks, and a shirt clip. Another pair of medium-sized tips comes on the earpieces. Everything you need, except perhaps a case.


Physical Appearance, Haptic, and Build Quality

The earpieces are made of plastic, the faceplate is translucent and the main body is transparent, allowing a view into the interior. The plastic is as good as you expect at this price and the glueing is just fine. The included “upgrade” cable is in the $7-8 class (estimated) and also ok.


Ergonomics, Comfort and Fit

The earpieces are rather small and should therefore fit even smaller ears quite well. In terms of cable which is worn over-ear, you have the option to "stiffen it up" around the ears with the included earhooks. The earphones didn’t bleed into the neighbouring bed at night, and they worked quite well on a noisy city bus.


Source and Eartips

I used the iPhone 5S with or without the audioquest dragonfly 1.5 black. The large included tips were too small for my ear canals. I used my standard third party ones.


Tonality

The strength or this earphone is its overall tonal coherence without harshness, piercing treble, thumping bass etc. All departments (bass, mids, treble) harmonize very well so that there is not a single weak point, other than some sibilance in mediocre recordings. A smooth, fluid ride that gets even better when connecting the audioquest dragonfly dac/amp to my iphone 5S (the "fly" has a lower output impedance than the iPhone).

The sound is slightly warm leaning towards neutral. Classical string and wind instruments as well as vocals are surprisingly naturally reproduced. The Bass is not overly extended, robust, and reasonably well focussed, it does not affect the mids in any way, and it tightens nicely with the dragonfly connected. The mids are refreshingly forward and would be my deal sealer. And the highs are pleasant and well resolving. Soundstage width is upper average, it is wider than deep and relatively accurate; resolution, imaging, layering, and instrument separation are very good. Unexpectedly good!

This sonic homogeneity and fluidity works well for Max Bruch’s Romance and Motörhead alike. A good allrounder which I used fatigue-free for hours at a time.


Select Comparisons?

I don’t think any detailed comparisons are necessary considering the BRO's moderate price measured against its overall very balanced and even performance. I have yet to find an earphone in this category that performs “better”…although I don’t know all competitors. My similar looking, warmer and quite decent sounding KZ ZST (PRO; $15–20), for example, has a noticeably softer yet stronger bass and a narrower stage.

The NICEHCK BRO comes in some situations close to my UE900S benchmark ($399; $179 on sale) in terms of resolution and tonal accuracy. Being slightly more coloured and “adrenalized” in contrast to the UE900S, the latter sounds somewhat more forward with more accurate instrument placement and layering – but not as much as the price difference would imply. And the UE900S has the considerably drier and faster bass and a generally more natural timbre.


Concluding Remarks

The NICEHCK BRO is a good performer without any obvious weakness at a moderate price – and “good performer” means independent of price in this case. It shines particularly at more sophisticated music with many competing instruments such as classical or jazz: reproduction that benefits from a natural timbre, an accurate soundstage, and good resolution and instrument placement. But the BRO also rocks the casbah if desired – and it does that very well, too.


Acknowledgement

Comparison with the UE900S is loosely based on discussion with loomisjohnson.

NICEHCK BRO REVIEW :

SOUND:8/10
CONSTRUCTION:9/10
VALUE:8.5/10




Bro, you got only 20$ in ya pocket? Ya listen to big beat and stuffs? Ya like da bass to kick you hard?

And Bro, ya love wide soundstage? Ya listen not just rap but quite lot of different music style?

Well know what bro, I got a Bromance story to tell ya. Its about a Dual hybrid drivers IEM that came from china. Did ya know china got their shyt togheter and know how to make IEM now, in many aspect way more than Beats that manufacture their not so nice IEM in china too?
Time have change Bro, and for the best! Chinese manufacturer kick out the white ass big boss from their shop and take control of their futur, and this one very high value promised one!

Listen to this, it’s call the NICEHCK BRO, as its not a well hidden secret, its made by NICEHCK Aliexpress store, and it sound damn good for the price, like it will blow ya mind bro!

So, more seriously, yes, this IEM are a very very nice discoveries, I paid them 15$ in sale, at 20$ their still a steel. Let’s see why.



Brand Name: NICEHCK BRO

• Function: For Mobile Phone,Monitor Headphone,HiFi Headphone,For iPod,Sport,Common Headphone
  
  
• Active Noise-Cancellation: No
  
  
• Is wireless: No
  
  
• Sensitivity: 108±3dB
  
  
• Wireless Type: None
  
  
• Connectors: None
  
  
• Volume Control: No
  
  
• Waterproof: No
  
  
• Line Length: 1.2m
  
  
• Resistance: 16Ω
  
  
• Communication: Wired
  
  
• Vocalism Principle: Hybrid technology
  
  
• Control Button: No
  
  
• Model Number: Bro
  
  
• Style: In-Ear
  
  
• Plug Type: Line Type
  
  
• Frequency Response Range: 20-300000Hz
  
  
• Package: Yes
  
  
• Use: Portable Media Player

CONSTRUCTION & ACCESSORIES:

In custom looking IEM, I really like to feel it sturdy in my hand, and learn to really appreciate this type of high quality plastic (resin?) housing that is use by **** UE too, they look quite indestructible and if you don’t have a pitbull, will even perhaps survive to dog bite. To be honnest, i’m not really a gangsta rapper so the big BRO kinda make me shy on the street cause lot of rapper came to me and begin conversation in langage I don’t understand, but hey, they like my BRO too, so, yeah, lets talk about Vince Staples togheter.

Connection is MMCX of good quality, not connect problem and cable stay there, it happen with few MMCX Iem that its loose. Not with the BrO, no QC issue here.

Cable is basic, let’s be honnest, but hes not ugly and better quality of stock KZ cable...still, I suggest you to change it for a better, just for fun, just for more fraternal Bromance. It will worth it and congratulate you with a better sound perhaps.

You got quite a lot of gifts like silicone eartips of nice quality, one pair of memory foam tips and even quality earhooks (got 2...surely an error!), and all this in a little Bro Box, for less than 30$.




SOUND :


This is where, for me, the surprise begin. This earphones have a warm, musical, bassy and mid centric soundsignature with very large soundstage. This type of sound is very forgiving and a nice all arounder that permit any type of music to be enjoyable as well as fun due to a low bass bump with good but not too harsh punch that give an overall very enjoyable audio experience.



The bass isn’t a big boomy muffled ''I-stole-your-mids'' type of bass, its a warm and controlled one but it is neither too analytical or texured, punch is wide cause it embrace the sub instead of being separeted: bromance between those too again! The warmish low haven’t a very fast attack but they never feel out of place, if used with bright audio gear this IEM became incredibly marvelous IMO. Some air are stole between instruments because of bass decay, but as said, it never kill the mids or vocals, even give some more body. Hope Sandoval female signer love the Bro too…..I guess! Cello is Really enjoyable with the BRO, and it get good texture, so I think balanced armature can positively surprise you time to time with there subtle complementation. As said, bass isn’t perfect, but his imperfection strangely is charming.



The vocal are very sweet, not harsh or agressive, not too detailed, but wide and enveloping, very tender for the ears. In this wide soundstage, they feel part of the family of whole music experience, not out of place even in a V-Shaped universe. Resolution isn’t extra detailed and this is why this IEM are permissive and will not make bad recording sound unlistenable, I think in a IEM collection it can be a savior to have a Bro like the BRO. So, not a lot of micro details but a very musical wide soundstage sounding like a concert presentation instead of a mixing studio. Clean mids that sit on a wide bass and do not get distract by a harsh treble.



Highs are roll off a little, this is perfect IEM for treble sensitive people as well as somebody that search a all-arounder at a very very tiny price. Still, details and texture can surprise, because the balanced armature perform well. Hard to explain but its surely as seen in the only graph I found, there a little peak after 10K and a big drop follow, this peak perhaps explain microdetails that can pop up in a quite good way, not a unnatural one. So treble sparkle due occur time to time, and the listening is never boring due to an excellent mix of both dynamic and balanceds drivers. Impressive for the price, to say the least!


I think the graph (wich I can't show cause its not mine, make a google search) show well what you can hope from this marvelous IEM, as seen, sub bass is lower in DB so mid eat it a little, or more likely as said (see the graph after I write this review) it embrace sub, there no unwanted peak, curve is quite beautifull to look at in fact. Let’s contemplate…….



CONCLUSION :

The BRO isn’t the normal V shape IEM that invade the market and make audiophile feel constantly betray by immature IEM just good for giving goosebumps for your balls (if your a man). Yeah, the BRO got balls, but a soul too, and its musicality will appeal to a wide crownd, as much basshead than audiophile with different music style to listen at and that need bass too, should it be for cello, slap bass, male or female vocal, synth or bassoon or jazz bass, it will please your ears with a warm wide and very addictive soundsignature. This BRO is my friends and I will keep it in my IEM crew for a long long time.