Greetings,
Today we're taking a quick look at the NX7 from NiceHCK.
NiceHCK is an online retailer that in recent years has started developing in-house products under their store name. The NX7 is a fairly ambitious release combining seven drivers of three drivers types into one surprisingly compact, KZ-esque shell.
With dual-dynamic drivers, four balanced armatures, and one piezoelectric ceramic driver per side, the NX7 certainly impresses on paper, but does it impress in the ears? Let's find out.
Disclaimer:
To my surprise, given my negative feedback on the N3, Jim from NiceHCK reached out well before the NX7 was announced and asked if I would like to give feedback on a prototype earphone that was in the works. I said sure, knowing literally nothing about the product except that it was an iem. The NX7 prototype arrived, I listened for a few weeks and sent back some feedback along with the EQ settings I used.
Despite my involvement leading up to the retail release of the NX7, my thoughts will remain as unbiased as possible. This review is my unaltered, subjective opinion on the retail copy of the NX7 based on time spent listening to it throughout the month of August. It does not represent NiceHCK or any other entity. At the time of writing, it was retailing for around 66 USD. You can check it out here:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000013594343.html
Personal Preference:
I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.
Sources:
Portable: Shanling M0, Shanling M0 or LG G6 with a Periodic Audio Nickel amp
@home: TEAC HA-501 with a Shanling M0 or Asus FX53V sourcing music
Specifications:
Frequency Response: 20-25,000Hz
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
Impedance: 55ohms
Packaging and Accessories:
The NX7 arrives in a very standard package similar to what other brands like TRN and Knowledge Zenith have been doing as of late. The exterior sheath contains a clean image of the NX7's earpieces, preformed ear guides, and braided cable, along with the usual branding and model details. On the back you find specs in three languages. Lift off the sheath and you find the NX7 nestled within a foam insert and a cardboard box with the accessories, all covered by a clear plastic window. In all you get:
NX7 earphones
Braided 2-pin tinned copper cable
Fabric carrying bag
Velcro cable strap
Small bore, single flange tips
Medium bore, single flange tips
Overall a solid unboxing. The tips are generic as ever but they work just fine (esp. the medium bore set), and I really appreciate the inclusion of a carrying bag. Yeah, it's not going to offer much protection but it will help keep the cable neatly wrapped when not in use, plus it's more than the aforementioned brands offer.
Build, Comfort, and Isolation:
Build quality of the NX7 is good. The over-ear shape will be familiar to anyone that has bought a KZ or TFZ within the last couple years, though it's thinner and offers a cleaner, lower profile. The aluminum face plate doesn't have the most attractive design I've seen, but you can't deny the machining quality is outstanding. The 2 pin system is similar to what KZ and TFZ do. The 2-pin port protrudes from the shell while the plug on the cable wraps around it. I prefer what NiceHCK has done though. The plug's plastic feels thicker and more durable, and the port protrudes less from the shell. It all just comes across a bit tougher and that much more resistant to unexpected damage.
The cable seems to be getting a lot of flack from the community which I don't get. It's pretty much the same as what KZ has been offering with their recent releases, but with a better relieved 90 degree angled plug and more importantly, a chin cinch!! Woo!! Great addition NiceHCK. The preformed ear guides are also naturally curved and stiff enough to keep the cable behind the ear, even during heavy movement. I like this cable a lot and felt no need to move away from it during my testing. That said, I did try other cables as suggested by prominent members of the Head-fi community and Jim of NiceHCK himself, but I always went back to the stock option. It's perfectly fine.
Comfort is a strong point for the NX7. The shell is very ergonomic and feels great to wear for long periods. It's not particularly big or heavy, and being so low profile ends up being something that gets out of the way during use.
Isolation is about average, maybe slightly above, at least with silicone tips. The shells are vented to ensure the dynamic driver can breath, which also lets in outside noise. Toss on some foam tips and things improve marginally. I found these fine to use in noisy areas, like a coffee shop, with the caveat being some volume boost is needed which may push the treble quantity over the edge for some people.
Sound Quality:
Tips: I found the NX7 fairly receptive to different tips. My preference was the stock medium bore (medium size) pair. Small bore tips made the treble really sharp and wide vbore tips made it extra splashy. I didn't much of a change in the mids or low end. Foams sucked up some of the treble but smoothed out the dynamic driver's texture
The NX7 comes at you with a fairly mild v-shaped signature with treble getting most of the attention thanks to the addition of that piezoelectric driver. The piezo has a sharp, dry quality to it compared to the armatures and dynamic which are a bit more organic and natural, meaning the overall presentation isn't as coherent as I've heard from other products in the price range, though it's also far from the worst. In general I like the sound and it is the best implementation of piezo tech I've heard so far.
Starting with the NX7's upper ranges, treble is prominent with a fairly notable upper spike that gives it a sparkle-rich presentation, though one that is somewhat splashy. Extension seems to be quite good without any of the notable drop off that hindered products like the Massdrop x Mee Audio Planamic or Brainwavz M100. It is much more akin to the KZ AS16 in terms of emphasis, but with somewhat less aggressive spikes. Where the NX7 really shines is in clarity and detail thanks to a forward lower treble. Often brands will boost treble to increase perceived detail, whereas here it just serves to highlight actual detail. If you like to listen quietly, a situation where earphones often sound dull and lacking dynamics, the NX7 might be right up your alley since it retails impressive amounts of fine detail at any volume.
Female vocals fall on the light and lean side whereas male vocalists are replicated with a slightly fuller, more weighty presentation, but still kinda lean. I typically enjoy this style of product so while I don't really consider any of this a negative, some undoubtedly will, particularly if they are used to thick, mid-bassy tunes. Beside competitors like the KZ ZS10 Pro, the NX7's mid-range comes across less balanced from lower to upper, with a lighter, less accurate timbre. This is exacerbated further when comparing to something even warmer and more timbre accurate like the Final Audio E2000. Overall the mid-range presence is a bit weedy in terms of weight and prominence, yet very clear and full of detail.
The low end of the NX7 is a strength to my ears. It is only slightly elevated with good extension. It doesn't rumble on deep sub-bass notes like Shozy's Hibiki MK.2 or the TRN V80, but it also manages mid- and sub-bass balance more effectively. Texturing is stellar with grungy notes replicated accordingly well, and control is good. A bit more speed and slam would be appreciated, but as is the presentation should be quite inoffensive for the vast majority of listeners. The NX7 handles rapid double bass no problem, and doesn't trip up with there are multiple bass lines fighting each other, as is common in the EDM I listen to.
Thanks to all that upper treble energy, I found the NX7 to sound pretty spacious and open for a product with a comparatively small shell and so many drivers crammed inside. Stage depth is greater than width, though channel to channel imaging remains crisp and accurate. Using these with gaming was satisfactory, though the limited width did hinder my ability to tracks sounds at the outer edges of the audible area (ex. foot steps around a house began and ended closer than they actually were). Not my favorite for gaming, but passable.
Final Thoughts:
Overall I find the NX7 a very competent earphone with some really positive qualities. The level of detail and clarity afforded by it's seven drivers is nearly unmatched in the segment. The low end is tastefully boosted and free of bloat, though I would like more sub-bass emphasis. The peizo... that can go. It's presentation is not to my liking and hinders what is otherwise a coherent sounding product, plus, it's on the splashy side. At least it's not grainy like the prototype was.
For my tastes, I'd still rather pick up a KZ ZSN or ZS10 Pro, or any of TinHIFI's sub-100 USD offerings. They provide more refined and mature listening experiences to my ear, probably thanks to their use of common driver tech and less experimentation in the form of a piezoelectric driver. Still, the NX7 is a fine sounding product with a lot going for it. It's the best implementation of a piezoelectric driver I've heard so far, and I really hope companies like NiceHCK continue to develop and refine it. The potential is there, it just hasn't been fully realized as of yet.
Thanks for reading!
- B9Scrambler
*If you enjoyed this review, visit
The Contraptionist for more just like it.*
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Some Test Tunes:
Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)