NiceHCK ‘Himalaya’
- Single Dynamic Driver
- RRP: $329
Introduction & Caveats
A Head-Fi member reached out to me a number of weeks ago to say NiceHCK were going to be launching a single DD which will be a big step up for them, yet with a goal to compete with IEMs at even higher price points… this member felt as I’m a fan of single DDs, and have own/owned quite a few at various price points, that I might be interested in trying this. I was of course curious, even though I had only been thinking I would take my foot off the review pedal for a while so as to stop and enjoy what I own - the challenge with reviews and especially when a few in the queue is that any spare time is spent just listening to the IEMs pending review so as to become familiar - this can feel a bit like work at times, instead of just reaching out for whatever set in my collections takes my fancy based on mood, choice of music, etc… anyway, I couldn’t resist, and said yes please - how could I say no to a single DD?!
I would like to thank NiceHCK for the opportunity, the Himalaya were sent to me free of charge in exchange for a review - as always, they didn’t cross my palms with silver or gold, nor did they wine and dine me in Michelin star restaurants… my words, my impressions, my pictures etc.
A bit about me...
I worked in the consumer electronics industry for a large part of my career, and have been passionate about music and technology from as far back as I remember - even as a small child asking my Mum to put records on the turntable (Abba, Supertramp and Planxty if anyone is curious )
My music preferences are very varied - anything from classical to techno, indie rock to jazz and all in between. In my early teens I was a big fan of bands like The Cure and The Smiths (still am all these years later), and I was bitten by the dance music bug that arrived in the early 90s where I became hugely passionate about genres like techno, house, trance and IDM - I amassed a huge collection of records and CDs, DJing with the former at various parties and occasional pirate radio station slots - a hobby at the time that I never took further, but still own 1000s of records and my trusty Technics 1210 turntables are still going strong 30 years later, a testament to the Japanese engineering!
I am not a professional reviewer or anything remotely like it. I love music, and I love the methods by which we can listen to music - over the last few years, that has become an obsession with IEMs and related gear. I've bought and sold many, and held on to a select few - these have been anything from a $20 set like the Moondrop Chu, all the way up to kilobuck sets such as Aroma Jewel, the infamous 'Traillii' from Oriolus, UM Mentor, and a whole selection of my beloved single DDs. As part of this exploration, I like to share my thoughts on the various sets in my journey with the Head-Fi community, in the hope it might be useful to others. The massive caveat, is of course that 'your mileage may vary' - this is a highly subjective hobby.
About NiceHCK
I suspect most in this hobby are at the very least aware of NiceHCK, a brand probably most known for good value cables, and especially during the famous AliExpress sales where they are often reduced from $1,500,000,000 to $29… I jest, but you get the drift. I can’t find any direct website, as they appear to only sell directly via AliExpress but they’ve certainly been around for a few years now.
Specifications
- Flagship Titanium-Alloy Cavity Dynamic Driver IEM.
- Aerospace-Grade Titanium-Alloy Shells.
- 10mm Dual-Magnetic Dual-Layer CNT Dynamic Driver.
- Replaceable Acoustic Filters.
- 5-axis CNC Machined Ear shells.
- Multi-curved Ergonomic Shape.
- 3-in-1 swappable Termination Plug.
Unboxing
The Himalaya arrives in a nice box and with an overall experience I would say is in keeping with the price tag.
Accessories
There are a nice selection of accessories, to include:
- Great selection of tips that appear to be from Kbear
- Case
- Cable clip
- Cleaning brush
- Tuning nozzles
Design & Fit
The Himalaya are a titanium shell with a nice smooth finish - very understated design which I tend to prefer, literally the brand printed on one shell, and Himalaya on the other. They have a bit of weight to them but don’t feel heavy in my ears, I do not experience any sense of fatigue during extended listening.
The 2-pin connection is flush on the shell, and the stock cable fits nice and securely. I haven’t used any 3rd partly cables so can’t comment here on fit etc.
This is where it gets a bit tricky, possibly not for all as it will really depend on your ears but the small and stumpy interchangeable nozzles could be a problem - I got them to work by choosing the largest tips in my collection, that being the excellent Acoustune AEX07 in XL which are 14mm wide and comprise of a soft yet relatively robust material that ensures a good fit in my ears for any set that proves a bit more challenging. A massive improvement however was brought to my attention by
@Dsnuts where he recommended trying the nozzles from the Simgot EA1000, and this was an absolute game-changer - the slightly bigger EA1000 nozzles allow for a much better fit, and also improve the delivery of sound in my experience too.
Pictured below with the XL Acoustune AEX07 tips.
The stock nozzle pictured below on the left, with the Simgot EA1000 on the right.
The nozzles detached, with Simgot EA1000 on the left, and stock Himalaya on the right.
Listening Impressions
I feel somewhat long-in-the-tooth now in this hobby, as I’ve owned and tried so many sets at this stage, be it good value entry-level, to ridiculously expensive top-tier sets, and delighted to report that I continue to be surprised for the most part - especially at lower price points. I would love to have tested Himalaya in a blindfold experiment, as I suspect I would have guessed at least 2x the price point, and probably even more… these sound truly fantastic. I would describe Himalaya as having nicely balanced smooth tuning, warm, and very competent technical capability considering the price point. I have been very impressed with how these handle basically any genre I test, be it atmospheric ambient music to complex experimental music - vocals are a huge strong point too, with both male in particular sounding accurately portrayed with a visceral central position, not recessed yet not too pushed forward either. I often end up pigeonholing a set to a few genres, and only reach for them when the mood calls - with Himalaya I’m definitely finding immense enjoyment no matter what the genre, truly a highly competent all-rounder no matter what music I select. Nothing stands out as dominant, again there is an excellent sense of balance throughout the frequencies. While there is sufficient energy, I wouldn’t class them as an especially ‘energetic’ set, they go for a somewhat more relaxed approach but will do justice to basically any genre you care to throw at them.
I must note that since the discovery of using the EA1000 nozzles instead, I have been unable to switch back - you can’t reverse a ‘game-changing’ experience. I hope NiceHCK take note of this and include some bigger nozzles… but even if they don’t, and you find the stock nozzles a touch too small, I encourage you to buy the nozzles from EA1000, and then send your thanks towards Dsnuts!
Bass
Ample low-end on offer here for both sub and mid bass, with excellent control and speed. I would say sub bass has a slight bias, but not massively so. They have that mid-bass ‘kick’ that lands in a central position, one that I’ve noted in previous reviews as being something that reminds me of the wonderful ‘sweet spot’ when listening to a 2-channel system setup. While they aren’t at that ‘bass-head’ level, I’d be surprised if anyone is left wanting here.
Mids
Beautiful mids that exhibit wonderful lifelike qualities with any instrument from strings to electronic. While the overall experience as noted is quite balanced, there is perhaps a slight bias towards mids where they do tend to grab my attention in terms of a lush and captivating tonality. There is a nice weight to the tone, but by no means muddy - excellent clarity and plenty of space. The note weight I feel leans more towards male vocals than female where the body can be a touch heavy for higher pitched vocals.
Treble
The upper region is what I would describe as ‘safe’ where the lower treble region never overextends, nor do the highest registers ever become too harsh or sharp - there is still however sufficient extension to allow instruments extend as might be called for. They do take a slight step back in the upper most regions, which does mean you don’t quite get that ethereal or visceral ‘zing’ that can be achieved in this region, but on the flip side, this can be a double-edged sword on some recordings, leading to a harshness that interrupts the listening experience - this is not something I’ve encountered with Himalaya. Overall, I find there is nice amount of extension up top and again sits in that ‘safe’ zone but some might prefer more extension and air here.
Technical
The sense of instrument positioning and layering of music jumped out at me immediately when I first got these, it was one of those moments where you are almost caught off guard - in spite of the warmth and smoothness, the Himalaya still manages to portray a very precise sense of imaging. I’ve said it many times with regards to single DDs, I love how they remind me of a 2-channel system where the centre image becomes a focal point, with everything emanating out into a wide stereo field - think of the ‘sweet spot’ in 2-channel. They don’t go for microscopic detail but certainly provide enough not to be dubbed as a slouch here - I’ve tested some of my more complex favourites and not been left wanting.
Test Tracks & Comparisons:
I’m using the Sony NW-WM1AM2 for the test tracks, a DAP that I really adore and pairs wonderfully with Himalaya.
Oberst - Marble Arch (electronic / Krautrock)
It only takes a few seconds for this track to kick off and my foot it tapping and a big smile on my face. As often happens when I’m at this section of a review, and scrolling through my albums, stumbling upon one I’ve not heard in a while and decide to give it a spin. This has a classic Berlin School / Krautrock type electronic vibe going on, melodic synths and nice driving percussion - the kick drum has a really nice visceral thud, the synths sound lush and spacious across the stage, the overall listening experience sounds quite analogue.
Aukia - Rekindle (modern classical / electronica)
It is phenomenal to hear how this sounds on Himalaya - the combination of note weight, timbre, stage, imaging, and layering all make for a beautifully engaging experience… utterly captivating from start to finish. The upper realms of strings sparkle out left and right, the bass upon arrival feels like it reaches to the depths of my chest… and again it all sounds very analogue, wrapping you up in a blanket of smoothness.
Cigarettes After Sex - Keep On Loving You
I really love this cover, probably as much as the original. The vocals are central, full-bodied, and delivered with fantastic clarity within the overall presentation - probably a slight touch forward. Very impressive to hear the various components of the band presented in a warm/engulfing somewhat intimate and highly captivating experience.
Agnes Obel - Run Cried the Crawling
I haven’t listened to this album in a while, but often choose a track for a review - I must do a session with the full album. The vocals are again nicely central, a touch forward and with excellent body - perhaps a touch too much where Agnes might be best with a bit more in the upper mids, but will see when I compare with other IEMs. Having listened to the others to compare, and now coming back to Himalaya again I can confirm this set has a smoothness and warmth that provides a more intimate experience.
Pitch Black - Lost in Translation (electronic / dub)
This is a great test for sub bass where a deep/rumbling bass line pulses throughout the track, along with a fantastic offbeat percussion. Absolutely 5/5 here with Himalaya, while the sub does occupy a reasonable amount of space, it is in no way overwhelming or drowning out any other elements within mids. Nothing sounds out of place or harsh, the DD keeps up wonderfully with all of the minute details and brilliantly represents the entire FR spectrum on show.
Leif - Seven Hour Flight to Nowhere (experimental electronic)
Taken from the really spectacular album ‘9 Airs’, one which hardly a month goes by without me listening. This is a great example of how well Himalaya renders imaging and layering, in this case sounding quite holographic - it has that sensation where I find my eyes almost trying to ‘see’ the location of what I’m hearing! The timbre is beautiful, bass has a nice depth and visceral but not massive in quantity which is what I expect in this track.
Lone - Realise (downtempo electronic)
A dreamy electronic track that has nice early 90s vibes going on… one for either building up a night, or on the other end when chilling out. While it’s not particularly complex, there is a reasonable amount going on in terms of drums and synths and the overall ‘ethereal’ vibe the track gives which is very well represented on Himalaya - the warmth and smoothness coupled the sense of space and imaging is fantastic. I feel inclined to really keep increasing the volume on this.
KiloWatts - Night Writer (IDM… ish)
Another that performs without flaw, and another that really drives that ‘wow’ factor from an imaging perspective - there is a lot of detail in this track and you hear each element with such stunning pinpoint clarity, it’s one of those where you almost question how just a single DD at play here.
Heogen - Glas Blackbirds (IDM)
This is taken from the really fantastic ‘Full Spectrum’ compilation from the wonderful Touched Music - as always with this label, all proceeds go to charity and in this case to REACH who help young people with autism. 2x CDs of some of the best modern electronic music, and this was one this really jumped out at me on first listen recently. Beautifully rendered on Himalaya, the melodic synths sending shivers through me from start to finish.
Comparisons
DITA Project M ($330)
This is a brighter set, and steps back from a sub bass perspective. There is a lighter note weight which lends itself more towards female vocals, strings etc when you want to soar a bit higher. The overall presentation sounds more airy, as such giving a greater sense of micro-detail.
Final A5000 ($300)
The A5000 sounds more neutral overall, and could be considered a touch ‘boring’ possibly when switching from one to the other, but upon adjustment it’s just simply a more balanced/less coloured set. It performs incredibly well as an all-rounder and a bit of a ‘jack of all trades’ for any genre. It’s a set I often choose for out walking due to the small and incredibly light shells.
Simgot EA1000 ($230)
The EA1000 is a much loved single DD in the community, and that very much includes me. From a bass perspective, I would say the EA1000 excels with mid-bass where there is better impact and definition, and sub steps back vs Himalaya which extends deeper with a more visceral rumble. The note weight is lighter, and again better suited to female vocals vs Himalaya - it has that more CD-like presentation vs a smoother, analogue vinyl-like presentation with Himalaya.
Conclusion
This price segment continues to excite me - the quality on offer really does drive the whole ‘diminishing returns’ argument event further, you get serious bang-for-buck with the $329 asking price for Himalaya. If you are seeking a smooth set, with a nice robust/full-bodied sound, reminiscent of an analogue vinyl-like presentation, the Himalaya should certainly be on your shortlist. As noted, if looking for a brighter and more airy set, this probably won’t meet your requirements and I would suggest the likes of Project M in this price category - two sides of a coin with both sets, each arguably offering incredible value for money, punching significantly above their asking prices and offering a very different take on your library - highly complementary sets should you choose to invest in both! Hats off to NiceHCK for this step up to a more expensive segment, I’m very impressed.
Giving me the perfect fit for hours without any discomfort.