NiceHCK DB1
NiceHCK needs no introduction. One of the premiere vendors on aliexpress has made some excellent sounding earphones in the past and today we see an earphone from the group that cost a staggering $16! The DB1 is a tried-and-true single dynamic design with a solid plastic medium sized shell in 2 pin configurations. Ergonomic in shape, size and comfort. The DB1 comes to the masses with a promising tuning, using a nicer dynamic driver and what the group says is a balanced sound signature.
How good can a $16 earphone be right? I mean $16? That doesn't amount to taxes for most mid fi IEMs or even for DHL shipping for most earphones. But I digress, I have seen NiceHCK do some surprising earphones in the past for peanuts so I wouldn't put it past them to come up with a surprising earphone. And surprisingly it is.
The DB1 comes to you in their newly designed waifu infused box which has some basic accessories. A sets of silicone tips, and a very basic OFC cable. You can’t expect a world class unboxing experience for your $16, heck even with the very minor duty and or taxes on the item they will ship it to you for roughly that price plus a dollar when bought from NiceHCK site. Please do expect snail mail as free shipping for a $16 item means you will not get it for at least 4 weeks to a month. However, snail mail means you buy it and forget about it and it will be like finding a $20 bill inside your jeans pocket a month later.
Standardly disclaimers: the NiceHCK DB1 was sent via snail mail to my house halfway around the world almost free of charge for the purpose of a review. It has been burned in for a weeks' time and is ready for evaluation using my sources. Ibasso DX300Max, Fiio M15, Shanling M6 pro, M5s, M3s, DX160, Sony ZX300, Fiio K3 2021, IFI black label for amping. Instead of forking out the money to take your girlfriend or boyfriend out for some cheap street tacos. Get yourself a DB1 sold
here.
So why would you be interested in the $16 DB1? I mean they look simple, dare I say lives up to the price point. Because they will blow your mind just how good sounding they are. It wouldn't surprise me if they sound better than a lot of your earphones. The notion of just because it is cheap does not mean it has to have a cheap sound most definitely applies here. Pound for pound, sound for sound what you're getting with your hard-earned cash is something substantial in the price range. As a reviewer, if I can point to a nicer sounding earphone at this price, I will lower the score I am about to give these things. But in all honesty, I can’t. NiceHCKs own X49 single BA earphone is one with good value but the DB1 actually sets the bar. I have no issues saying the SQ of these things' rival earphones from $50-$100 in cost. I am sure you read such declarations from impressions of earphones on the threads, but I have yet to come across anything that comes close to these at the price NiceHCK is selling a set for. That my friends is reason alone to give these a higher rating.
Basically, until I actually hear one better at the $16. These are it. Obviously, the value statement is why these exist. You don’t have to pay a lump sum of your income to have a complete sound experience. You don’t have to take out a 2nd mortgage to enjoy your music, that is a crazy notion. Sure, you can’t expect mid fi level technicalities or refinements from a $16 earphone. But refinements be damned, these things sound nice. Please do spend on an upgraded cable when buying you a set, or use something that came with your other earphones, you can use anything cable wise actually and it will be an upgrade. The one that is included probably costs less than $1 to make. That goes without saying. Your best tips and cables most definitely apply to how nice you want your DB1 to sound.
Build
It looks and feels like a cheap earphone. The all-plastic toy aesthetic is full on with this one, but it is using a very strong plastic housing. The housing is made of what is called a Bayer PC material. AKA strong plastic. Supposedly won't discolor and should hold the test of time. It certainly looks and feels like strong plastic, but its transparent looks are once again a bit on the cheap looking. Though I do have experience with this particular type of plastic on other earphones. I have never had one break or crack on me. In fact, I own a $1000 earphone that is made with a resin material that has cracks in it. Never had this type of hard hollow plastic shell crack and I don’t expect that to be an issue on the DB1. The build is as good as it will get at the price point. This being said, it is always a good idea to treat your earphones with kid gloves regardless of price. Unless you're ok with waiting another month to get yourself another set.
Sound
Basic tuning is well balanced. An offshoot of the harmon tuning with a mild upper mid pinna gain and a moderate bass emphasis. The tuning is interesting and if I was to go by the graph provided by NiceHCK. The tuning here is actually arguably better than their flagship dynamic the Top Guy. I can already tell you I prefer this tuning to their sub flagship the Loftys. The driver being used is not your average dynamic. A 10mm PU bio fiber composite diaphragm using a strong magnetic circuit in an N50. This driver and strong magnet combo is quite the surprise as you're not going to get a sound anywhere close to what you think even a decent sounding $16 earphones should sound like.
So why put in all this effort for a $16 level earphone? Why not? To me if you're going to make an earphone it should represent what your company should be about at any level of sound. To say these are a trojan horse of an earphone would be an understatement. Forget about just getting an earphone for the first-time enthusiasts. Just get one and find out for yourself how good a $16 earphone can sound. I am actually very certain. This level of sonics in the capable hands of most other manufacturers will charge much much more. Actually, comparable to the NF audio brand of dynamic earphones in the $100 range in both build and gets fairly close to their sound quality.
Technicals
Emitting an organic slightly warmer natural tonality. The DB1s strengths are in its moderately large display of sound, something that is not too common among the extreme budget fi level earphones. While not the widest sounding earphone, it makes up for it with some excellent deep and taller than average sound for earphones. Showing some surprising layering with a good level of sound separation, the tuning here actually has some meat to its foundation. The DB1 is a mild v harmon signature and while the timbre, its attack and micro details are a touch on the soft/smooth side of sound, there is a certain romanticism of its presentation that makes up for these average technical aspects with a heavier note weight and a thicker than average body of sound. The wow factor is the DB1 presents with a dynamism that you would not expect at all in this price range. The tuning is basically a budget level Topguy but believe it or not I actually like the tuning on these DB1s a bit better. In fact, if NiceHCK reads this, I wish they are able to bring out a new Topguy 2 with this tuning using their titanium alloy dynamic driver.
Trebles
The DB1 has a moderate amount of treble emphasis with the most emphasis being lower treble but slowly tapers off into the higher treble realm. Its trebles for the most part is clean but not particularly airy nor does it convey the best articulation, at the same time you're not gonna wonder where the treble is. Its balancing of the trebles is done well meaning I don’t find it lacking too much or is it too rolled off. It has a good solid footprint for the trebles and the only area it is really lacking in is its’ attack with average extension and definition. Treble is not as finely detailed, and its transients are only average and plays more of a supporting role in the whole picture.
Treble can sound slightly dull at times especially for the upper treble region which shows that lack of upper treble air that would cap these earphones into a different realm of sound but hey for the bucks I am not gonna complain too much. You can’t expect world class treble refinement and or treble ability here and for the bucks it is a non-fatiguing balanced treble which leans more on its macro ability more so than showing nuanced micro detail for treble. But again, for what it is it is more complete than you would imagine at the price range.
Mids.
NiceHCKs house tunings are all about the mids and bass presentations. DB1 shows a moderate pinna gain/ upper mids emphasis; It has a slight early rise toward bass meaning it will have some lower mid emphasis to go with that 10dbs of upper mid emphasis. What you get is a forward vocal presentation for both male and female vocals. A lot of harmonish tunings convey more upper mids than lower mids but the DB1 shows a clear affinity for the vocal performance as both male and female vocals are forward and due to that tall and deep sound presentation.
You get a full bored rangy vocal performance when tracks call for it. Here is where the DB1 really shines and shows how good a $16 earphone sounds with your favorite vocal tracks. If you have an affinity for vocal performances to be forward and emotive. Check out a $16 DB1 and be amazed.
And it is due to the tall and deep sound, the mids layering has a dimensional projection that you would never associate with an ultra-budget level earphone. Dimensional sound from a $16 earphone? I know that sounds absolutely bonkers but believe it or not on the DB1 sound presentation you can make out clearly where in the sound field each of the instruments, vocals, percussion are playing from. It is quite shocking to hear that from these earphones. It is not exactly at the level of something like NiceHCKs own Topguy but it does a damn good job at it nonetheless.
Much like the attack being slightly soft on the treble end. This is also apparent on the mids as well. DB1 here is not a chiseled sounding earphone, let me put it that way. But for casual listening, the full-bodied organic sound signature here more than makes up for its lack of attack with just how rangy and vigorous the sound can be. I have reviewed earphones that cost substantially more that don’t have the dynamism of the DB1.
Experienced enthusiasts only look into something like the DB1 thinking something this ultra-cheap will be a good work out phone or the AKA the beater phone. Ya they will beat your other earphones alright. You have been warned. Go into the purchase with an open mind, throw on a good resolving cable, your best tips and be prepared to look at your other earphones differently afterwards. The DB1 now puts an entirely new value proposal for the enthusiast at the extreme budget level. If only mid fi and higher end stuff scaled like the DB1. One can only wish. But it will take earphones like the DB1 for others to realize even at the budget fi level. People are stepping up their game.
Bass.
Ok the bass end here is not the most defined bass. You can’t expect world class bass for the change you find in your old sofa.. But! And I say But! These do have an impactful extended deep hitting bass. Bass once again here is a touch on the soft and not as tight or defined as I am used to but I would rather have bass that is actually represented vs having no bass or bass domination. Bass is a few dbs over moderate levels in emphasis for both mid to sub bass infusing some soul into your music. Bass ability here adds versatility to the DB1 sound formula. NiceHCK has always tuned their monitors with bass emphasis, so these follow suit. Don’t know if it is due to this particular driver but the one area, I feel it is lacking in consistency is that attack.
Music sounds fantastic nonetheless and much more dynamic than you would ever think can sound from these but somehow a touch slower in attack and not exactly tight in all parts of the sound. Bass speed I can’t say is fast but more just average for dynamics but bass tonality and impact has some chops. Digs deep when called for, it's surprising how well the DB1 rumbles for the subs. Here is where you can let the bass loose a bit or tighten it up a bit by using some aftermarket cables. As mentioned above, just about anything you use on the DB1 for a cable will be an upgrade to the included cable. But for what it is the bass end here caps off a very surprising full bored dynamic sound signature of the DB1. Forward sounding mids and an actual impactful bass that is well represented caps off NiceHCKs version of the harmon tuning.
Overall
I would say the DB1 is a smashing success, and it seems NiceHCK has made these more for fan service than anything cus they can’t possibly be making much money from these. I am just saying, not to mention being a clear statement piece. Here is what we can do with your $16 price point. Is what they are saying. I have to admit on the heels of their flagship dynamic Topguy and their former flagship Loftys, the DB1s value is much greater than both combined. I can honestly say these are comparable to similar designed earphones up to the $100 range for sound and that is not something I can say about extreme budget earphones I have heard in the past. These are a clear example of how to do budget right and one that everyone can afford and even better enjoy. They don’t have a weird shape, have a very likable versatile dynamic tuning and its full range sound is something you would never expect from them. Every time I listen to these things they surprise, and you will never guess they cost $16 upon hearing them. Add an extra zero on the price tag and these would be more like a 3 star earphone but at the $16 level? They are not perfect, but damn do they sound nice. Thanks for taking the time to read.
