NiceHCK F1 Pro
Redcarmoose Labs January 3nd, 2024
To tell you the truth having the F1 Pro around has worn out my camera. There are way too many photos in this review……too many to count. As the look of the F1 Pro ended inspiring……almost like having a supermodel over for the weekend……..click, click….click…..a drink of water……click, click click. Here at Redcarmoose Labs we don’t often get supermodels dropping by for photos………so I guess the NiceHCK F1 Pro will have to do….it actually sounds nice too.
In this review I compare the NiceHCK Cyan to the regular cable. This (package deal) Cyan upgrade cable is NiceHCK’s way of offering two cables at a discounted price.
Anyways……there was the original NiceHCK F1 which had the same size driver, but this Pro edition offers an upgraded driver, plus the regular F1 included nozzle changes to offer different sonic signatures. Now it looks like NiceHCK is offering cables as a way to adjust the signature to your liking. And….yes, there really was a noticeable change, if this is simply cable impedance so be it, but both cables are truly very different than what I have seen with IEMs of this price point.
To start of both the Cyan and the regular included cable offer an upgraded look, and sound, simply the 2Pins and the cable jacket material, the cable splitter and chin-cinch additives. This is kinda how it works with cable manufactures which also offer IEMs. As a manufacture, due to not having to go out and buy a nice cable to go along with your IEM, you are able to get an upgraded cable (to your customer) at wholesale, passing on that value.
Cables:
I’m not going to spend too much time on this subject, except I do cable reviews all the time. I’m a cable believer, so much so that before I started to write this review I used the Cyan cable on a handful of IEMs. Yep, this is what happens when a manufacture (NiceHCK) goes ahead and offers you a 4.4mm cable, you start to use it on other manufactures IEMs……in which they only offered 3.5mm. So in many ways the Cyan (blue) cable here has a personal story and relationship. And sure enough the Cyan did its magic trick with other IEMs same as the F1 Pro. What it does is offer an expanded stage, bigger than the included cable, and adds a hint of warmth to kinda smooth out the peaks in treble and upper midrange. For me anyway this was found as unique because normally a wider stage will take place with more silver additive over copper, yet here we were gaining smoothness and a wider stage. The cable though is slightly strange in that it has a furry coat…………..now in regular use it is fine, but this extra fur showed up in photos. Yet as a whole both cables offered great ergonomics…….note how all four 2Pins are color coded…..why doesn’t everyone do that?
All are Planar IEMs in the below photo.....but don't whine, 2 are square planar IEMs and two are Hybrids.
Comparisons:
Comparisons are important as if you were in the market and choosing fruit or vegetables you would grab them and hold them in your hand. You can tell that some fruit is better quality than others. That quality may partially be subjective, but part of the quality is not. Meaning some like soft avocados and some like firm avocados. Yet when you get that one avocado that is the cat’s meow………it goes and somehow gains ground on the other avocados…….to become special. Such character is actually quantifiable and able to be listed as qualities……..beyond preference and beyond subjectivity. This often happens because the sound is more real. It’s hard to argue with that one! Of my two photos here one is the three IEMs we will use to compare the F1 Pro, and another photograph, the one with nine different IEMs is simply showing the hierarchy used to arrive at our test group. If you find your IEM as one of the other eight included, don’t take offense as that my personal choice in the end. Obviously as this is really only my personal battle of IEMs, there still is that element of subjectivity included.
Top row TANGZU Zetian Wu Planar IEM and Kiwi ears Melody Planar IEM
Bottom row NiceHCK F1 Pro
TANGZU Zetian Wu
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/th...ar-in-ear-monitors.26114/reviews#review-29383
The TANGZU ZETIAN WU unexpectedly became my favorite. And for good reason, as its $149.00 14.5mm Planar driver just seemed to promote my style of response. A V shape response which holding to Planar attributes offered a faster bass replay than comparable DDs, or ever Hybrids for that matter. The tone was warm and yet still dynamic. Coming out around September of 2022 the WU ended the Planar to beat…..that was until the Kiwi ears Melody came along.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kiwi-ears-melody.26754/reviews#review-32218
Kiwi Ears Melody:
Just last November I reviewed the Kiwi ears Melody and found it to offer amazing vocals and low-end authority. In fact the Kiwi ears Melody jumped ahead of all the other Planar I tested and found itself holding a spot right next to the ZETIAN WU in Redcarmoose’s history of Planar IEMs. Maybe it is the forwardness that is its secret weapon against past IEMs like the LETSHUOER S12 PRO? You see it’s not just forwardness here, it is also bigness, bringing to life the music at hand…..so much so that I don’t need to test out the LETSHUOER S12 PRO again, I already did that numerous times. As once again this is not a question of preference.
So……shall we begin?
Now I know why everybody is talking about this F1 Pro, yep…….while surprisingly the Wu offered a deep bass additive, there was a noticeable exaggerated treble/midrange energy that I didn’t remember the WU as having. Don’t get me wrong, as I actually love the WU, keeping the WU in her case and not commingling with the peasants. To try and make this clear as day, the Kiwi ears Melody had it’s forward and big displays of imaging, only strangely the F1 Pro was even more forward and offered a (bigger) soundstage which travels even farther outside my head. Where the Medley had bass texture, the F1 Pro had both clearer bass and it was found somehow more together and polite? What this means is the F1 Pro was simply offering a bigger stage and inside that stage was every musical element displayed as it should be, with no Pinna Gain sizzle or heat. There was gorgeous big and fluid bass that outstretched into another realm, an unexpected realm into the stage. Such displays of general quality and detail depth went and truly put the pants on the Melody. The Melody takes slightly more juice to get going than the F1 Pro, but going back and forth between these three over and over again, there is a truly common sound held in many ways making each one the same. Yet the F1 Pro is bigger and possibly more involving due to that size? The F1 Pro is ever so slightly more vibrant and real also showcasing a little more detail in how the stage is spread-out. It’s the fact that the F1 Pro doesn’t have that much of a vocal push as what the Melody is trying to accomplish, that instead we are greeted with a slightly more balanced display……and that balance goes to proclaim slightly more visibility in places…….yet there is this warm smooth lower midrange that is endearing too. That there are spacial properties to this F1 sage where the lower midrange has a finesse to it? In a way that finesse is soft and inviting…….this is what I hear. Yet the WU has a charm all it own, yet that charm is also needing of slightly more juice. In some ways the WU still comes out ahead with imaging? Yet finally in the end I figured out what the biggest difference between the three (timbre)……..really they sound very close to the same as there is speculation one company makes these planer drivers……that is is how they are encapsulated that makes the differences here. But while the WU offers the lower tone of timbre, the Kiwi ears Melody offers the higher aspect inside of each instrument……..and guess where the F1 Pro lands………..can you guess? That’s right, Goldilocks Land…..right dab in the middle timbre wise! It may be that the timbre replay of the F1 Pro gives a more relaxing feeling while listening……..I mean maybe, maybe not, but there was this unexplainable inviting tone which the F1 Pro did all the time, and I tried but could not put my finger on how or why…………………
Though despite these abilities (sure) there is a noticeable difference, yet I’m not so sure if you already had one of the prior two, that getting the new F1 Pro IEM would be that much of a different deal? The crazy part was the contrasts between the the WU having the midrange/treble boost (in that area) but also going with the lowest overall timbre?
Timbre:
What is it? This is the character (inside) of a musical instrument or sung vocals which enable a listener to distinguish (apart) a sound of exactly the same frequency. To address this here, BA drivers often have a distinguishable metallic tinge, Planar divers too at times will not replay perfect timbre, with other factors such as speed of the bass and layering causing people to own them. And finally single full-range DDs ofter probably the best timbre if we were keeping score. Yet none of these methodologies are perfect, what an enthusiast can do is find out though experience which way they want to go, as Hybrids are my favorite way to make IEM music. Yet believe it or not the industry is always making-up new ideas, better ideas to work on any specific one drawback of a methodology and improve that aspect. Where first impressions with the F1 Pro had me say the timbre was really really good, to later on another day and another listening session find the timbre to be slightly off. And that’s how perception of timbre is, no matter who you are. As when put into a challenge the F1 Pro it turns-out generates the best timbre out of the three. Now the biggest part of this timbre judgment is actually the source material. Meaning it is the song you choose which enables your specific judgment of timbre, and maybe as some guess, this has to do with known acoustic instruments sounding real, or not?
Build:
Showing a very different aspect (to me) of a build idea. At just 6 grams the F1 Pro is nether heavy or light weight. And I found the nozzles to be only a fraction short to allow me to use my favorite ear-tips. I mean sure they give you 12 sets of included ear tips……and I have them near by here to try. And I did find the yellow centered included silicone to fit fine, yet the nozzle opening is lesser circumference, hence lesser stage than what I normally use. Though a wild-card tip that seemed to work really well for me was the TANGZU DIVINUS VELVET ear-tips? Such ear-tips had that length that I wasn’t getting with my preferred tips, which makes up for the F1 Pro’s (ever so slightly) short nozzle length. And the VELVETS do this funny dispersion thing which add air to the treble…….really this phenomena works with a number of IEMs…too. NiceCHK has gone forward to include a set of 3 Sony EP-EX11 clones. These are virtually indistinguishable from the real Sony’s and promote extra bass if wanted.
Sony MDR-Z1R with Fibonacci Grill
Shape:
Such build factor comes off really close to perfect in that maybe the F1 Pro could be viewed as middle size? While it is chunky, it is not overly big as seen in all the side-by-side photos above. And I can think of a few IEMs off hand that have utilized this “barrel” shape idea, namely DUNU with the ZEN and TRN with the TA1 Max…there are more. But this encasement is probably aluminum and holds back and subdues any unwanted vibrations from the second generation 14.2mm Planar Diaphragm. But often we need to judge an IEM shape in the long term, I mean does it stay in place? And that’s why the Velvets were even better than the Sony EP-EX11 clones………And why they say fit is everything……because if your not getting good fit, you really don’t know how an IEM sounds. The cable guides also help in this regard. Yet once in place, the F1 Pro stays in place, surprising when you consider how different they look? There are two vents, one facing your ear and the other near the 2Pin as see in photos. They are basically two piece with a Fibonacci Grill to finish off the nozzle ends.
Music tests:
KMFDM
PARADISE
Oh My Goth
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Here is the deal, there are a bunch of IEMs (out there) for sale right now. Ones with maybe better timbre and ones that maybe do the vocals in a slightly better light? Yet where the F1 Pro hits home, where your hard earned dollar bills go into action is with the fast bass dexterity here. Bass notes are getting in and getting out, plus there are layers of detail that is pretty hard for any other driver type to compete at this price. It’s this slam held into actual note visualization, they (the notes) are clear and separated into layers. There is a nice bump to this whole song, in just the way it rocks. Now while all this is going on it still doesn’t have that pin-point detail like some Hybrid in this price-point have…….but due to the bottom-end fireworks we forgive such drawbacks. It’s the fast pace here that is floating our boat……..and taking us out to sea! That in-fact stuff is getting in, then getting out-of-the-way just as fast. That and the sonic transients that just won’t stop. These transients are e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e!
Here Lucia Cifarelli’s vocals are just right.....meaning there is a place for them which isn’t out front and not behind either. To where the vocals are simply correct, but not forward. There is a character too with the guitar where you can hear really fast how the bass tone (notes) follow the exact same note as the guitar, that there is this relationship which takes place, this interaction which comes off sublime. The Planar idea of sound reproduction is very apropos for fast/complicated rock. I mean, that’s why people buy them, if you were wondering.
Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Brotherhood
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
This song is one of favorites to judge timbre. That and there is a way about it that the song Brotherhood which sounds special on a wide variety of IEMs. So why not use it as it is both a tool and a joy. It is recorded well, offering to showcase many IEMs strengths, and at times weaknesses.
The first thing I notice is the size of display. Now with my schedule I’m hearing this song many times a week, and taking it apart into IEM attributes and deficits. And the outcome of such ear-time is I start to get even closer to the music, I am able to start to perceive even deeper into playback ideas and explain them to you. So while my first ideas were to judge timbre, we are long past that idea. Why? The pure size of this song has a very sincere way of distracting you. And folks if you ever wanted to know the very best thing an IEM can do……….that is not on the list of musical attributes like Bass, Treble, Timbre…….it’s distraction, to be inside the song. To forget your laundry list of stuff to do…….that's living, and what IEM listening is all about.
What another paragraph talking about the size of display, already? What? Well kids it’s this immersive quality that everyone is after, and maybe I have hit the mark of mental burn-in with the F1 Pro, maybe a further connection with the music here, but I’m inside the zone. Such examples maybe take place due to evenness of playback? That it is all here, where nothing is causing a disruption, to disrupt our distraction from taking place.
Timbre:
This is my Timbre song. As such the piano is the first clue as to how we are getting along, and of course I used this song in my first impressions of the F1 Pro. And really while there is a hint of planar timbre, it’s not bad, not bad at all……..to almost having you guess there is none…..and that my friends is where we want to be.
Probably the most fun here is the separation, separation and layering that was made for planar IEMs. The next level is when the midrange synth hits at 00:42. This fact is taking place not only due to the midrange synth wash, except it is the actual contrasts to the bass…..again the layers that are taking this song apart, and showcasing the musicality found present. I never get tired of hearing this song, into many forms of playback, but I also notice that the complex bass replay here is making everything much more of a treat.
Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski
Grand Turismo OST
Academy Race
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Laughably, this song is suppose to win-out over the last song due to size of replay, being the last song was primarily direct to board synth with (said) orchestral additives. When Academy Race is the real-deal, a full on Orchestra recorded in all of its size to showcase the grandeur held in replay. Such grandeur can maybe help with the epic emotions found in cinema, the larger than life aspect of cinema. Where the last song Brotherhood was in support for a video game as to not distract a person driving an imaginary car around an imaginary race track, and trying not to get into an imaginary racing accident, so you can meet the imaginary females at the end, and receive an imaginary trophy.
Here though the very first thing we notice is the stand-up bass and cello action. Just letting us know, that this song is not messing around. The low end here is authoritative and full, basically emotional is the best word I can come up with? Part of that ability comes from speed. There is a transient response factor here. Such a component of replay means subtle bass notes can be introduced (even as an accent) and become showcased due to their inherent detail. Transients are detail in the time domain, getting in and getting out just as fast, to enable the highlight of detail, but more than that, to proclaim their space into the imaging.
At 03:03 we come upon a question of timbre? Meaning there are these super high up and fast moving rhythm elements, a lot of ruckus is the metallic rhythm section, and it does have me wonder how close to life such percussive sounds are replayed? Such sounds can also be found falling back into the mix, where they almost blend in once more. Timbre is connected to just how out front sounds in a song can be.
Delain
Apocalypse & Chill
Chemical Redemption
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Oh, gosh, so here is maybe the timbre test song. Truly I don’t know exactly how this is going to work out, as this is a song I don’t always listen to, due to being an extreme example of how to do a musical mix down. Here is Symphonic Metal with a Charlotte Wessels fronted sound that also goes with this buzz-saw guitar. Many IEMs can boost this found frequency or diminish it to where it doesn’t sound correct. Two IEM ways of interpreting the sound, and of course there are a multitude of ideas out there, just as there are a multitude of different IEMs to hear the song with. Plus I’m game to reveal that there isn’t always simply a right or wrong way, that there many levels of right and wrong, with some ways being just a little right and some (ways) way perfect. Also I wasn’t there when the producers were dialing the sound in. I mean sure, I have a guess as to when this sounds correct, but it is anyones guess as to how it sounded during mix down? Here we are witnessing an out of the ordinary song which will do two very important things…..one of course it will show how the F1 Pro does the guitar, but also it is very important to know how the upper-end of treble and midrange are interpreted, as we already know the bass (busy) actions and (complex) drums will be well defined, we can guess that…….but there is a lot going on here…..and it is a good song to use.
Wild as this is probably one of the ways that’s close to what they heard in the studio as far as guitar tone, still there is no denying this tone in completely out of the ordinary, except if your into Symphonic Female Fronted Metal, then you probably listen to this first thing in the morning.
At 00:24 Charlotte Wessels takes a well deserved breath (probably overdubbed) and begins her vocal additives. And I must say, these are exactly the balance I feel the producers wanted as far as where the vocal placement is. They are out-front but still blend with how the song can be heard, right in place. Such a number goes ahead and proclaims a myriad of details……the cymbal strikes etc….etc. It isn’t till the middle of 01:11 that this song kicks into gear, and shows us a broad sounding anthem of a break……one that if you aren’t feeling the music........at no other time later on will you feel the music either. Yep, it’s sink or swim for how this calculated, detailed and complex piece of music is performed. Yet right along with all the bumps and grooves we find the F1 Pro simply keeping up, and better than only keeping up, the F1 Pro is making this memorable. At 01:15 the music starts to sway and Charlotte Wessels sings….the word physical…that’s when we realize that this song is going to places yet uncharted, to a romantic place, full of entertainment and surprises!
Package:
Conclusion:
Well there you have it folks, my first NiceHCK review. And to tell you the truth the F1 Pro was a surprise. And while sure I did first impressions and they were great, but then I set the F1 Pro on the burn-in rack for a week and became inundated with more sound making devices. Yet back in my mind were still those first impressions……making a statement. Then I did something else, I pulled out the NiceHCK Cyan cable and started mixing it with all kinds of IEMs, in fact as the F1 Pro was doing its burn-in I had a week to play around with this peculiar cable. I learned how the Cyan first worked with the F1 Pro, and of course that extra lower authority is a pleasant additive………..but what if it could do the same thing for other IEMs, and increase soundstage girth and size? And sure enough the effects were real and repeatable. I could almost do a complete review separately of this Cyan Cable, as there is story there. Yet NiceHCK said it was fine just to included the Cyan review with this F1Pro review. And in fact if you didn’t want the Cyan cable and you are attracted to a cleaner and faster replay, in so many ways the included cable is all you need. There is nothing cheap of value sounding about the included cable, maybe I didn’t give it enough love here, but it is fully a nice addition by itself, and far nicer than almost all cables that come with IEMs at the $99.99 price point. Simply sturdy and ergonomic, and remember some may like the included cable best, as that’s how subjective this whole hobby is. That NiceHCK is going an offering a cable that totally works, but offering the Cyan Cable to those that want their F1 Pro to own a smoother sound contained in a wider stage!
To summarize this review….the F1 Pro was my most enjoyable Planar IEM to date. And since April of 2022, I have heard my fair share of them. Get yours today……oh, and to me they look even better in real life, than in photographs?
https://id.aliexpress.com/item/1005006228604236.html
$99.00 with the included cable and at times there is also a package deal to get both the F1Pro and Cyan cable.
Disclaimer:
I want to thank Vivian at NiceHCK for the F1 Pro review sample.
I want to thank Vivian at NiceHCK for the Cyan Cable review sample.
Disclaimer:
These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.
Equipment Used:
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
HiBy R3 II DAP in 4.4mm balanced
Samsung Phone 3.5mm output
Update:
The NiceHCK F1 Pro is now (finally available) on Amazon for those that want it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSW8D8JG