NICEHCK N3

NiceHCK N3

Disclaimer: Jim at NiceHck was kind enough to send the N3 at a substantial discount for review. As with most of my review samples, it will likely go to either the schools or the hospital when the review is completed. This way either it introduces good earphones to the next generation of music lovers (band and choir students) or it goes to someone who can use it to enjoy music and audio books while recovering. This allows me to review a great many earphones without the questions of conflict of interest that sometimes arise.



Unboxing / Packaging:

The outer packaging is a slip-cover with an inner paperboard box holding the N3 earpieces in the top 2/3 and hiding the cable and accessories in a box in the lower 1/3. The complete kit consists of the earpieces, three sizes of silicone single flanged tips, the cable, and a cable tie. No shirt clip or case is provided with the N3.





Cable:

The cable provided with the N3 is silver-plated copper in a smoked housing. Fitting are gunmetal colored on the jack, splitter, and slider with black MMCX connectors at the upper end. The jack is of the 90º style I find preferable with the a solid metal casing and good strain relief. The splitter is matching metal with NiceHCK imprinted on it and N3 imprinted on the chin-slider immediately above it. At the north end, the cable does have pre-formed earhooks but does not have a memory wire. The mmcx housings are thick and sturdy and the connections take some force to make. Overall, I find the cable to be good and much less tangle prone than that which came with the **** (my other current piezo review).




Build/Fit:

THe N3 has a machined aluminum alloy housing in a bar shape. The exterior of each has NickHCK printed in the mid section while the interior of the bar is imprinted with L/R markings although it be impossible to switch the two unless you were going to ear them tip down. Nozzles are straight inward with no forward rake and have a pronounced lip to hold tips in place. Perhaps the most unique feature is the U shaped interior of the shell which makes it fit very differently than most iems. For me, the rear of the N3 sits at a near 45º angle upward from the lead edge. Forcing the N3 to try and sit flat in the ear is not a comfortable option as the rear arm of the U presses firmly against my ear. I also found that with the vent being in the shallow portion of the U, it is possible to block the vent depending on how these are worn.



Internals:

The N3 uses a dual layer 10mm dynamic driver paired with a piezo-electric driver to handle the upper frequencies. Nominal impedance is listed as 55Ω with a sensitivity of 100dB/mw. As I have found with other in-ears featuring Piezo elements, the N3 needs more power than the specs suggest in order to operate at its best. Coherency suffers as power goes down as the dynamic seems to drop off more rapidly as power decreases than the piezo. With higher power output, the drivers are more nearly the same level and overall transitions between the two are less easily detected. I would recommend not attempting to use the N3 from a smartphone or tablet as neither will be particularly good pairings. I found the xDSD and Xduoo XP-2 both worked well between a phone and the N3 to provide the best results.



Sound:

The N3 is tip sensitive and, for my tastes, ships with tips that do not complement it well. I found the narrow bore tips to push the mid-bass forward, and strengthens an already over-exuberant treble. I found whirlwinds or Spiral-dots worked much better to tone the mid-bass back a bit and give the mids a bit more room to breathe. Treble splash was still present and I suspect the tips did almost nothing to it, but it did allow other things to come closer to meeting it which makes it seem a bit more in balance.

Also of note, it was suggested that the N3 needed considerable burn-in (to the tune of 150 hours). I ran the FR both before and after doing that length burn-in and found any differences to be within the expected standard deviation between runs. Take that as you will, but to my ears, it did not change appreciably and the graphs seem to bear out that same observation.





Bass:

Bass extension on the N3 is good, but not exceptional as it drops off rapidly below about 70Hz so anything centered above that sounds good while tones centered below that sound anemic at times. Sub-bass quantity is limited but can be brought forward with some EQ tweaks. Mid-bass is a bit more forward, but also somehow overly clean and not as engaging as expected. The mid-bass is not as well textured or detailed as I would prefer and quite frankly when I had read the specs regarding the carbon nanotube dual driver, I expected better. I know the technology is capable of it, but this particular version is either not tuned to do so, or not designed well. Overall, the lows on the N3 are pretty pedestrian and somewhat forgettable.



Mids:

Mids start out well as the lower mids follow from the bass with a clean transition and show a bit better timbre and detail level. Unfortunately, that takes a turn as you reach into the upper-mids and lower treble where it hits a big spike that makes vocal shouty at times. The problem here is the “at times” as if you tune the mids using EQ you sometimes get better balance, and at other times the vocal disappears behind other things. I found the spike made some vocalists sibilant and others excessively nasal sounding. The same was true for most strings and brass as they came off as either overly aggressive or unnaturally thin. Male vocals present a particularly interesting phenomena where when singing in the lower registers (chest voice) the vocalist appears to be behind other instrumentation, then when they climb into higher registers (head voice) they take a sudden leap forward. The N3 has the odd distinction of both being too recessed and too forward for vocals.



Treble:

Here again, we have mixed results. The lower treble has a spike that dominates the rest of the treble range and gives the N3 a really unnatural and harsh tone at times. Female vocals that border on sibilant anyway, will go into full fledged ear-shredding mode and cymbals become indistinguishable if played quickly as the hits all run together instead of being distinct. To make matters worse, decay of the lower treble is slow so those harsh factors extend out and tend to have a linger impact. As we move above the spike, the upper treble first takes a nosedive and produces a considerable trough at about the 7kHz mark. Some energy is brought back at about the 12kHz mark which helps give the N3 some air at the top end which would otherwise be lacking. Again, depending on which range the upper harmonics fall into, an instrument may show air and sparkle, or it may fall dead flat to the ground depending on whether it hits the peak or the trough.



Soundstage / Imaging:

Soundstage may be the single best thing about the N3. It is slightly wider than deep, but has good dimensions both ways and gives a very open feel in the overall. Things like the Cowboy Junkies Trinity sessions really highlight the depth and width of stage and are indeed impressive. Layering and imaging are also a mixed bag. With most tracks, instrument separation is good and lends to easy placement of instruments on the stage. As tracks get really busy, the N3 becomes overwhelmed and the imaging falls apart.


Thoughts / Conclusion:

The N3 seems like a lot of experiments in one package. Shape is the first and is a mixed result. For some it is comfortable, for others the lip at the rear pushes against the ear and makes long wear uncomfortable. The Piezo-electric driver is another experiment, and another mixed result. Whether the spikes are inherent to the drivers used or a product of the combination of drivers, crossover components, and housings remains to be identified. It would not surprise me if the 2kHz spike was a resonance between the piezo and the housing while the 4kHz seems more likely to be inherent to the driver itself. Either way, these unfortunately overshadow the occasional flash of something good underneath. My hope is that NiceHCK will take what they have learned with the N3 and move forward to produce an N4 and N5 that move the state of the design forward and into territory where it can be recommended as I do think it shows a lot of potential.

The Chi Fi scene for earphones is vibrant with new designs coming out of China with regularity now a days and NiceHCK has been in the forefront of some creative designs. The read here is about the new NiceHCK N3. Currently being sold for $59 on NiceHCK web site. Here. Also being sold on Amazon. Here.


I was provided a sample for review purposes. For a period of 1 month I have exclusively listened to the N3. These are my thoughts on the newest design from NiceHCK.


The N3 is a new design incorporating 3 drivers per housing. While this is a common driver count now a days, it is the materials used for the drivers that the N3 uses that are intriguing. Dual 10mm carbon nanotube dynamics and a piezoelectric 7 layer ceramic tweeter taking care of the highs in a small compact over the ear design set with mmcx connectors.


The N3 is my first ever piezoelectric ceramic earphone that I have heard so I was enthusiastic to hear the results with the combination of the dual carbon nanotube dynamics working the bass to mids portion of the sound. Makes for a newer hybrid combo that should peak some interest among enthusiasts.


So there is a clear disclaimer about the N3. Jim at NiceHCK suggested 150-200 hours of burn in for the sound to be correct and I have to agree. The N3 out of the box is a bit cringe worthy. It is not a sound anyone will admire. It was boxed in and had a strange tonality to it. Piano sounded dull and muted. Vocals sounded off especially male vocals. So off to the burner they went. It took almost 2 weeks of burn in for the sound to actually change/ to become correct. If you are a non believer of burn in. Your gonna have to skip on these earphones as they will and do sound terrible out of the box. Onward and upward.


Build of the N3 is good a solid smaller rectangle like shaped earphone with a protrusion facing toward the outer ear. Made of aluminum alloy milled with CNC processing for precision cut lines.The housing of the earphones is very solid and surprisingly smaller in form and shape for iems that houses 3 drivers. I am a bit torn on the design of the housing. It is much more solid than anything plastic for example but at the same time the short nozzle and the 90 degree angle make them to be a bit too L in shape. Not as ergonomic as it could have been. The design gets a plus for being solid but they don’t scream high end in looks to me. Of course it is not supposed to be right? Just a missed opportunity is all I am saying. It has an original housing lets put it that way.


The included tips are functionable but I am sure you can find better tips to use for these from your collection. Coming with just 4 pairs of silicone tips. A small treasure trove of tips you won’t find here. The Cable that it comes with these are a decent silver coated copper variety mmcx cable complete with ear guides. Made of copper and nothing out of the ordinary. You get an exotic hybrid earphone but yet once again included accessories is at a bare minimum. Enthusiasts does what enthusiasts do. Highly recommend tips and cable rolling to get the best out of the N3. Even suggested by Jim himself. Now onto the review.


Fit. They fit comfortable on my medium sized ears for the most part and the large included silicones provided a good seal but was not exactly optimized for the sound on the N3. I ended up using my faithful JVC Spiral dots with much better results. Even though fit was much improved I still have to fidget with the housing on the ear to position them correct for a tighter seal and better sound.



With the nozzle having a short 90 degree angle to the inner ear canal I can see some ear shapes not meshing so well with the housing shape and design on these. I feel the design of the housing would have been better if the angle was not so 90 degrees but less angled for a more ergonomic fit using a slightly longer nozzle in conjunction for a deeper tighter seal in the ear. Small details is what separates a successful universal design. For the most part these will fit most folks but I can clearly see how they can improve the design of them to fit more varieties of ears.


Specs are as follows:

1. Product Name: Original NICEHCK N3 In Ear Earphone
2. Brand: NICEHCK
3. Model: N3
4. Earphone type: In-ear
5. Impedance: 55Ω
6. Earphone sensitivity: 100 dB/mW
7. Frequency range: 20-22000Hz
8. Plug Type: 3.5mm L Bending
9. Cable Length: 1.2m±3cm
10.Color: Gray
11.Whether with cable: Yes
12.Earphone interface: MMCX connector
13.Driver unit: 10mm Dual Carbon Nanotube Dynamic Driver+Piezoelectric Ceramics Driver Hybrid 3 Units (3 driver units each side)



Sources used for the evaluation with a large library of music ranging from modern to classical.
Shanling M3s, Shanling M5s, Fiio X3ii, Ibasso DX90 w PB3 amp, IFI Ican amp, IFI Black label.


The N3 is not as easy to drive as most iems in the price bracket they scale well to more powerful equipment. They are easy enough to drive out of a cell phone but does need more volume than more sensitive iems. N3 does benefit from source matching. They sound better with more neutrally tuned sources my DX90 and Shanling M3s both showed good synergy with the N3. Out of my BL the N3 clearly benefit from more power and showed that they do scale well. Throwing out more stage and a more fleshed out dynamic sound as a result.


As most NiceHCK tuned earphone goes. Their house sound incorporates one part balance a good amount of bass and usually a non fatiguing treble end. I am very familiar with this tuning in many of their earphones. The house tuning formula is yet on display once again on the N3.

With equal parts emphasis on bass and upper mids/ lower treble the N3 has a W shaped Fr with emphasis toward upper mids. The N3 can be interpreted as a V shaped Fr but due to the large dip in the mid treble area vs the upper mids I feel these are more closer to a W than an V. It has decent layering and transients yet instrument separation ends up being average. The treble end of the N3 I was excited to hear since it is the first time I have heard a Piezoelectric ceramic used for treble.


While treble for the most part has a non fatiguing presentation in the overall mix and has good speed the meat of the treble end Fr is a step below the upper mids and bass end in emphasis. Your gonna hear vocals and guitars come in nice and clear but high hat notes bells and chimes come slightly muted. Treble shimmer is at a minimum here as well. Upper treble extension is good and show a good amount of air in the upper registers but that mid treble dip brings an inconsistency to the treble and the brilliance end of the N3.

The treble is there for most tunes but is missing breathe and shimmer that I want to hear for Jazz rhythm sections and more importantly treble tonality which has to be correct for a more complete sound was just not evident. Thus the Piezoelectric ceramic tweeter implemented in the N3 does not impress. There seems to be a disconnect between the treble driver and the rest of the sound. Anything with energy and speed be it Megadeths Kingmaker or Charles Mingus Boogie stop shuffle. If you raise the volume on the source most of the music would raise in volume accordingly but the treble end stays at roughly the same volume. Don’t know if it is due to the treble driver possibly needing more power vs the dynamic drivers. Or if it is due to the large dip in the mid treble frequencies or both. Cohesion is the one aspect that is very important for hybrids and these just don’t seem to have it.


Truth be told, it is more difficult for earphone designers to get the treble end correct than the mids or the bass end. It is a fine line between being non fatiguing and having the right amount of presence. I give credit to the makers of these earphones for giving it a go but the treble on these are not amazing. This is the area that I feel is the weak spot of these earphones. And this is the area that is supposed to be something new and special due to the material. As they are, it is serviceable yet unbalanced and dull at the same time. I think these would have had a more natural cohesion without using the piezoelectric ceramic here as implementation of them seems experimental.


Mids are also uneven in that there is more emphasis in the upper mids vs the central to lower mid section perhaps to give a better sense of stage and more presence to vocals. As a result most instruments in the mix has a slight step back in the track while anything bass emphasized will be more forward. Stringed instruments and female vocals seems to benefit the most from the upper mids enhancements. Overall mids definition is good on the N3 but only after the necessary burn in. Vocals have good presence but at the same time instruments that are supposed to be in the mix seems a bit more distant at times. Imagery of the mids are ok but again a bit inconsistent here due to how the focus of the tune is portrayed. Slower ballad stuff seems fine but anything with energy especially rock and metal is very uneven sounding.


Bass of the N3 has slightly more sub bass emphasis over mid bass. Bass has never been an issue for the carbon nanotube drivers and i don’t see it being a problem here. However there is a bit of bass bloom that is noticeable on bass rhythm sections and or Bass driven tracks. Bass emphasis has a bit of a sub wooferish appeal in that it is not the tightest or the most textured of bass notes. The thicker bass notes have no problems reaching the deep sub notes but bass tone is not the best. It shows spunk when needed. Bass genres does fine here with texture and refinement being ok at this price range of earphones. The bass end can be enjoyable with a faster speed than most dynamic drivers with a good sense of rhythm and pace. With bass bloom being apparent it can and does overshadow the mids at times making vocals and instruments sound a bit drowned out in hip hop tracks. Truth be told I like my hip hop tracks to sound a bit loose like this anyhow. For the most part however it stays put and has good authority when called for.


Overall sonic qualities of the N3 is passable given the price to own a pair but there is so much competition in this price range now a days. Even though this is a unique hybrid combo and delivers for the most part for its price, these feel and sounds more like an experiment than an actual full fleshed out product. The piezoelectric ceramic tweeter here seems to struggle in balance and presence where needed combined with an in your head average boxy like head stage. Somehow I feel a more spacious housing and a smoother a more balanced tuning curve could have benefitted the sound NiceHCK is going for here. Taller than it is deep with a not so wide a stage. Making them sound a bit closed in as a result. For a unique hybrid combination I feel these aren’t a complete fail. They will get you into your music especially for bass genres but for them to truly sound exceptional they have to have a lot more going for them over the myriad of others being sold at this price range.


Potential is evident on these especially when using an amp and better cables but I would love to see NiceHCK bring out one of these being a more complete package and with a better designed more ergonomic spacious housing. The saying less is more could actually apply to the N3. More drivers in the N3 does not mean these are going to be better than a single well tuned dynamic earphone. It would have been something very special if NiceHCK pulled off this one of a kind hybrid with mastery of sound and form but, there has to be a starting point. I have no doubts NiceHCK can make a great sounding earphone. And I hope to see a NiceHCK N3ii perhaps.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Product Name: Original NICEHCK N3 In Ear
• EarphoneBrand: NICEHCKModel: N3Earphone
• Type: In-ear
• Impedance: 55 Ω
• Earphone Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW
• Frequency Range: 20-22000Hz
• Plug Type: 3.5mm L-shaped
• Cable Length: 1.2m±3cm
• Color: Gray
• Earphone interface: MMCX connector
• Remote: No
• Driver Unit: 10mm Dual Carbon Nanotube Dynamic Driver+Piezoelectric CeramicsDriver Hybrid 3 Units (3 driver units each side)
• Price: ~$60
• Purchase link aliexpress: Here
• Purchase link amazon: Here

INTRODUCTION

The NiceHCK N3 is a beautiful earphone with impeccable CNC-machined metal housings and a great cable, which has a round cross section (it is not braided). The box contains the bare minimum including four pairs of rubber tips. And, for the first time in my experience, I received a NiceHCK product does not come with a protective case.



The earpieces fit me comfortably well but I had sound problems (boomy bass) with the included rubber tips — the N3 worked well for me with the large Knowledge Zenith starline tips. I also tried foams but they sucked too much life out of the sound while also trimming the rough edges a bit.

I first used my iPhone SE and the audioquest dragonfly dac/amp attached to it, which produced sufficient power to drive the N3…but also a harsh, congested sound. I then switched to my MacBook Air with the Schiit Fulla dongle amp, which improved the imaging (which would have been the case with most other earphones, too, as the amp is a notch up compared to the dragonfly).




TONALITY

My tonal preference and testing practice

The tuning is a classic V-shape with a frequency response typical for budget earphones.

The bass is reasonably well extended but could be a bit more focused, faster, and layered — and therefore less boomy and dull, which would also improve clarity. Both male and female voices, although having a good depth, are thin, over-accentuated and therefore rather sharp and aggressive, and the degree of both increases into the upper midrange [2-4 kHz] where guitars can sound shrill and ear-piercing. Some female singers appear to croak rather than sing and even the audience’s applause can be very unpleasant for my ears. The midrange simply lacks volume and smoothness and the sound appears artificial and forced. Treble sensu stricto is actually ok as a drop above 4 kHz adds some relaxation. The 12-15 kHz peak attempts to add clarity and pretend resolution but all it does is contribute to throwing the overall image out of balance.

The soundstage is rather deep but also unusually narrow. The timbre is unnaturally metallic: a classical orchestra sounds electrically amplified. In the big picture, the sound is not balanced or cohesive and quickly fatiguing to my ears. The N3 masters most things with great difficulty. To be brutally honest, I would not spend any money on it.


CONCLUDING REMARKS

The N3 surely is an interesting experiment with its piezoelectric drivers and its high 55 Ω impedance. It is also built very well and comes with a great cable. Unfortunately, this experiment needs being sent back to the drafting table to produce a more balanced, pleasant, and less fatiguing sound with a more natural timbre. I look forward to a retuned, improved version.


DISCLAIMER

I received my unit from NiceHCK Audiostore for a few pennies (and will give it to charity). The sole purpose of this review was to independently test the N3’s technical and practical capabilities.

My generic standard disclaimer

About my measurements