NiceHCK EP35

I purchased the EP35 at a discounted rate from NiceHCK at Jim’s recommendation. Thoughts presented here are solely my own and I have received no guidance from the Vendor or manufacturer.

Unboxing / Packaging:

The EP35 comes in the standard NiceHCK Brown lift top box with the logo and model designation on the front and the pertinent data on the reverse in both English and Chinese. Inside the box is the standard soft case in a foam frame. The headphones and tips are hiding inside the soft case. 3 sizes of tips are provided.





Build/Fit:

The earpieces are similar to an earbud style with a small barrel at the rear with an MMCX connector and a larger disk at the front with the nozzle offset to the lower lead edge of the earpiece. Nozzles themselves are oval in shape but still take standard 400 sized tips. Venting is provided by 4 ports on the inner face of the earpiece adjacent to the nozzles. L/R are clearly marked on the inner surface as well. No branding is present on the earpieces themselves but the casing on the mmcx connector is labeled EP35. Seems odd to have the model number associated to the cable rather than the earpiece but real estate on the outside of the shell is very limited due to design. Overall the EP35 is small enough and light enough weight that I found them very comfortable for long wear although prone to movement during activity. A chin slider is always appreciated with this style of in ear.



Internals:

The driver is listed as a single dynamic of 13.5mm with an impedance of 32Ω and a sensitivity of 103dB. I had no trouble driving the EP35 with the Cayin N3 on low gain as well as with the LG v30. Rumor is that the driver is the same one used in the Onkyo E700M and it is entirely possible that NiceHCK is the OEM for the e700 as the two bear a more than passing resemblance to each other. Interestingly. **** lists a very similar in-ear but the specs are enough different to make me think the shell is the same but the driver is not. 16Ω vs 32Ω and one listed as 12mm vs 13.5.


Cable:
The provided cable is silver-plated copper in a clear casing. the 3.5mm straight TRS plug is gold plated with a black casement that matches the earphones. The cable exits the jack in a 4 wire braid with no strain relief at the base of the jack. Particularly on a straight jack, I would have preferred to see a good strain relief but none are present anywhere on the length of the cable. The splitter is a cone shape in the same color metal as the earpieces and again no strain relief is provided on either side of it. The cable exits the splitter as 2 strand braids running to the mmcx connectors. Again the mmcx connectors are in matching finish giving the cable a nice aesthetic but again no strain relief exists. One gripe I have to bring up is the cables are marked incorrectly. I thought this was a one time QC issue but received a 2nd pair with the same issue and spoke with several others who have reviewed the EP35 as well and found that all indeed have the Red marking on the left cable. This is easy enough to fix with a bit of blue paint and polarity is correct if Left and Right are reversed so many may own the EP35 and never realize the mistake. I first noticed it with a couple tracks that bounce the melody line left to right and then back between instruments. If you have the EP35, you may want to check this and reverse the cable. Most other reviewers suggested they had previously replaced the cable anyway so this may not be an issue at all if that is the intent.





Sound:

I used the largest provided tips to do all of my listening to this iem.

Bass:

Sub-bass is not emphasized and rolls off pretty substantially below about 70Hz. Mid-bass is also linear without a pronounced hump and is faster on attack than expected. Decay is a bit slower which makes the EP35 sound well controlled in the bass while still bringing a bit of extra warmth and body to the mix. The Downside is that it can get a little muddy at times when tracks get particularly fast and busy.

Mids:

Mids rise from the mid-bass and push vocals a bit forward of the rest of the signature making the EP35 a good choice for a cappella or choral. Upper-mids are emphasized but not disproportionately and don’t jump out as aggresive or over-done. Clarity and detail in the mids is better than expected. The forward push of the upper mids and lower treble also helps make percussion attack sound more natural than most IEMs in its class. Overall if the EP35 does one thing well, the Mids are it.

Treble:

Treble is a mixed bag on the EP35, lower treble takes a step back from the mids but rises again at around the 7kHz mark and adds a bit of brightness back into the mix but can also introduce a bit of sibilance if the track is prone to it. Roll-off above about 11kHz is fairly quick. This leaves the EP35 with some air and sparkle but prevents rendering of cymbals and tambourine from sounding natural and proper. Overall the treble is good (especially at the price) but after the table set by the bass and mids, falls short of what I was hoping for. The lack of upper extension coupled with the 7kHz resonance prevents this from being a recommended earphone to being a cautioned recommendation as EQ goes a long way on the EP35 but many will not want to do that.



Soundstage / Imaging:

Soundstage on the EP35 is quite large but can be tough to define as the push of the vocals forward makes them feel a bit more intimate. Overall the stage is broader than deep with some sense of height. Depth is average for the class while width is a bit better than average. Imaging is solid but suffers occasionally as tracks get too busy for the EP35 to keep up. If tracks are kept to small ensembles the EP35 does well. When full orchestra is on tap, the EP35 can struggle a bit.





Thoughts / Conclusion:

Overall the EP35 is a qualified recommendation. The cable issue is obviously a bit disappointing, but in reality impacts very little. The sound signature is good and gets better with a bit of EQ. Overall the EP35 is best reserved for Choral or vocal pieces where it isn’t overwhelmed like it can be when used for full orchestra pieces. Those looking for an in-ear that can be worn comfortably for extended periods and like a well controlled bass with forward mids will find the EP35 particularly appealing. Those who are more treble sensitive will want to either EQ the EP35 a bit or may want to look to another in-ear.

intro
NICEHCK has a wide range of in-ears, starting from 10 € up to a three-digit range. This one has a single-dynamic driver, which is more likely to be found in Ear-Buds. The sound is similar, because Ear-Buds do not sit in the ear canal but on it, so they don't have much bass and are tuned more neutral. Due to the design with the short nozzles, I would rather call the EP35 a hybrid between Ear-Bud and In-Ear.

Handling
Unfortunately it is immensely important with the EP35 how well it sits in the ear to get a good sound result. This is harder than expected. The in-ear is very flat and has short nozzles. These are also unusually oval in shape. This leads to the fact that you have problems getting a secure hold with the included silicone tips, because they don't reach deep enough into the ear canal, so that a proper isolation is given.

Double silicone tips, which have not only one but two lamellas, are longer and therefore there is a chance to get them deeper into the ear, help here.

Otherwise, a silver-plated 8-core MMCX cable is included, which unfortunately produces some cable noise when moving.
The included transport box is very high quality and a nice addition!

Sound
In the budget class in which we generally operate here, you won't find many comrades-in-arms who are as neutral as the EP35. To be mentioned here are the HIFI-WALKER A1, or the TIN AUDIO T2.

From a 14mm driver you expect basically more bass. While the bass is present and does an accurate job, the sub-bass drops too fast and is too tight. The mid-bass gives the neutral tuning some warmth and works very cleanly. It may be a bit more, but in this case it fits well into the overall sound of the EP35. As already mentioned, this also depends very much on what kind of fit you get in your ear.

The mids are super clear and tonal very clean. Voices have a pleasant presence and position themselves well in the sound field. A little more body could not hurt, but that would also reduce neutrality. I like it a bit fuller and warmer, but I could also get a lot out of the T2, although it is superior to the EP35 in all aspects and so the price difference can be justified.
The instrument separation is good and the stage is pleasantly wide and airy.

This is due to the high frequencies, which are slightly raised. They sound open, clear and rich in detail. You also never get the feeling to miss anything in the high frequency ranges, because they play very linearly into the inaudible range.
It is unpleasant at very high volume levels at most, but due to the high impedance these in-ears are naturally quieter compared to many others.

All in all, the frequency response from 40/50 Hz up to the top is very balanced and it is relaxed to listen to music with the EP35, even if they are too bright for me from time to time.

Outro
The EP35 is certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but it's extremely pleasing when you like a neutral tuning and natural reproduction of your music. Here and there the highs are a bit too prominent, but you quickly get used to the signature. A good fit is absolutely necessary in order not to have to completely do without bass. This doesn't make the EP35 easy for you, but you will be rewarded.
The cable could also be better, as it makes the sound a little brighter and is not noise-free.

Fans of neutrality should rather go for the TIN AUDIO T2, which also has more to offer musically, due to the difficult to overcome weaknesses in the design.
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INTRODUCTION/DISCLAIMER:

The NICEHCK EP35 is an IEM with a single 13.5mm dynamic driver and detachable MMCX cables that retails for $32.99 at the time of this review. The EP35 is sold by the NiceHCK Audio Store on AliExpress. I purchased the EP35 at a promotional price of $0.10 in exchange for this review. My thoughts about the EP35 are my own and I will strive to review the EP35 objectively. This review can also be read on my blog here.



ABOUT ME

I listen mostly to heavy metal, hip hop, and electronic music, as well as movie and video game soundtracks. I value detail, clarity, and soundstage above other acoustic qualities. I like mild V-shaped sound signatures with a slightly elevated upper midrange.



SOURCES

I have used the NICEHCK EP35 with the following sources:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Global > NICEHCK EP35

Windows 10 PC > JDS Labs The Element > NICEHCK EP35

I have tested these headphones with Spotify Premium high-quality streaming and local FLAC.



PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

The EP35 comes in a simple rectangular metallic brown box with the manufacturer’s logo in silver on the front. Inside this box is a NICEHCK-branded semi-rigid zippered carry case containing the IEMs and eartip selection. The EP35 comes with a single braided silver MMCX cable and two sets of eartips (grey silicone [Small, Medium, Large,], and black silicone [Small, Medium].





BUILD QUALITY / DESIGN



The EP35’s design is said to be similar to the Onkyo E700M, with disk-shaped housings that rest against the surface of the ear, a short cylinder protruding outwards, and short nozzles with an elliptical cross section. The nozzles are covered by metal mesh. The housings are mostly polished metal with plastic on the ear-facing surface. The EP35 has four circular vents on each housing on the ear-facing surface of the disk. I have had zero issues with driver flex with the EP35. The EP35 is only intended to be worn cable-down. The included cable, while attractive, flexible, and mostly non-microphonic, does not have any strain relief or an adjustable choker, and uses a straight 3.5mm plug.



FIT / COMFORT / ISOLATION

The EP35 is very comfortable, with the disk housings sitting securely inside my small ears. The cylinder part of the housing does extend past the surface of the ear slightly, but I have been able to sleep wearing them without much trouble. The EP35 has a shallow insertion depth, improving comfort but resulting in poor isolation and seal, especially with the stock eartips.



SOUND

The sound signature of the EP35 is neutral with extended treble. Eartip selection is critical to getting a good bass response. The stock eartips do not provide an adequate seal to realize the full potential of these IEMs.

With the triple-flange eartips from the Mee Audio Pinnacle P1 the EP35 has a lean and controlled bass response with good sub-bass extension, but with the stock tips the bass region is anemic. Bass texture is limited. There is not enough mid-bass to slam, but bass attack is fast and tight.

Mids are balanced and clear. In contrast to a lot of other budget IEMs, lower mids are not recessed. Male vocals are clear and intelligible. There is a slight lift in the upper mids which lends the EP35 excellent presence without being too bright.

Treble is mostly linear and is detailed with no roll off. I did not notice any sibilance.

Soundstage width is above average for a sub-$50 IEM, though soundstage height is cramped. Instrument separation is average.



COMPARISONS

The Yersen FEN-2000 is a sub-$30 hybrid (1DD+1BA). The FEN-2000 is much warmer and more V-shaped, with a more recessed midrange and more elevated lower treble. The FEN-2000 has better bass texture and more mid-bass slam. The EP35 sounds more coherent and natural. The FEN-2000 is slightly airier than the EP35. The FEN-2000 has a slightly larger soundstage.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING

At an impedance of 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 103dB, the EP35 can be adequately driven by a smartphone. I do not feel that they benefit noticeably from having more power on tap. I did not notice any hiss with the EP35.



CLOSING WORDS

The EP35 is a neutral gem if one takes the time to find the right eartips. It is comfortable, has great build quality, detachable cables, and a high-quality carry case. Highly recommended at this price. The EP35 can be purchased here.