NMD Audio Clear silicon eartips
- Added by mars chan
- Create date
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This is a newly released eartip from NMD Audio and was sent to me for a review.
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Introduction:
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NMD Audio is a Hong Kong-based audio company that primarily sells very high-quality IEM cables.
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The NMD Audio silicon eartips (14 USD) came to me packed in a plastic eartips case and contained small, medium, and large pairs of eartips. The tips feel meaty in the foremost part and slowly soften toward the rear. The seal and fitting are perfect for me; I don't need to fiddle with my IEM to make it seal properly; I just insert it once and it's good to go; it's very easy to use; it feels very comfortable; I used it for hours without any comfort issues.
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Sound:
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It has a noticeable boost in the subbass, very flat and even from midbass to treble, and a gentle rise in the upper treble; I don't hear any bumps or scoops in the midrange or treble. When listening to music, the subbass sounds very solid, the midrange is detailed, and the treble is very extended. I would say that it has a slight U-shaped sound signature. I also noticed that the soundstage and imaging are above average in performance. Overall, very refined-sounding eartips.
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Compared to TRN T-tips:
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Out of all the eartips being compared here, the T-tips are the most similar in sound to the NMD Audio clear silicon tips, but the NMD Audio is more solid in the bass and has a smoother treble, it sounds more refined than the T-tips, and the imaging is slightly better. The soundstage is about the same, though I feel the NMD tips are slightly more spacious. The T-tips are slightly more forward in the upper midrange in comparison, but they still fall within the U-shape sound signature camp.
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Compared to acoustune AET08:
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The AET08 has a V-shape sound signature; it has a harsher, less refined sounding treble, but it also sounds more energetic overall. The NMD eartips are more refined, sounding with deeper soundtage and better imaging.
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Compared to NF-Acous MS42:
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The MS42 has a boosted subbass and midbass, a slightly recessed upper midrange, and a slightly boosted upper treble, giving it a warm U-shaped sound signature. The MS42 sounds warmer than the NMD eartips; with deeper soundstage, the imaging is about equal, but the MS42 is slightly more holographic. The NMD eartips sound more neutral in comparison with the more forward-detail presentation.
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Compared to KZ starline eartips:
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The starline tips sound flatter with a slight broad hump in the upper midrange in comparison. It was clear to me at first listen that the bass on the starline tips is weaker sounding; it also sounds overall brighter and less refined than the NMD eartips; they have about the same imaging performance, but the starline tips have a shallower soundstage. The differences between the two are apparent.
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Compared to Acoustune AET07:
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The AET07 has even-sounding bass, but there is a very broad hump in the midrange in side by side comparison to the NMD eartips. It sounds better than the KZ starline tips but less refined than the NMD eartips; the imaging and sound-staging performance is not as good as the NMD eartips, but not bad in genereal terms.
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Compared to Moondrop Spring tips:
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They have similar bass profiles, but the NMD eartips have a stronger and punchier bass presentation. The midrange is about the same, but the lower treble on the Spring tips is slightly elevated. When it comes to the upper treble, the NMD eartips are more extended and have more air. I find the upper treble on the Spring tips to be slightly peculiar; it seems to cut short the decay of the treble air, making it sound dry at times.
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Compared to Fiio HS18:
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The HS18 is the most neutral sounding in this group; it's also the most boring sounding; it has a very flat frequency response but unfortunately also has flat dynamics. The subbass is weak and upper treble lacks liveliness.
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Compared to ePro EP00:
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The EP00 has a slightly weaker bass, a very clear midrange and treble, with slight emphasis around the 4 to 6 KHz area, which brings the details forward. Overall, the NMD eartips sound more refined than the EP00, but the EP00 is more energetic, has better imaging, and is very holographic. The soundstage on the NMD eartips is deeper.
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Compared to Divinus Velvet:
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The Divinus Velvet has a stronger sounding midbass and overall sound bassier; it has a slightly V-shaped sound signature, which makes it sound more dynamic and contrastier than the U-shaped NMD eartips. The Velvet, with the right IEM, is more fun to listen to, but with the wrong IEM, it doesn't sound as good. The Divinus Velvet is very choosy when it comes to pairing; some IEM sounds very good with it while some are not. The NMD eartips have a more relaxed, even, and refined sound between the two; they are also more versatile when it comes to pairing. In terms of overall sound quality, it is very close between the two.
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Compared to Dunu S&S:
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The S&S eartips have a more neutral and even-sounding bass, but they have good energy, making them not sound boring and lifeless. They have a slightly more forward midrange and a more extended and flatter treble. overall, it sounds slightly brighter than the bassy NMD eartips. The NMD eartips have a deeper soundstage, while the S&S have a wider soundstage; both of them sound very spacious. The main difference between the two is that one sounds slightly bright, while the other sounds slightly dark.
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Compared to Divinus Wide Bore:
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The Divinus Wide Bore tips sound very similar to the NMD eartips in the bass, with a very similar energy level; in the midrange, the Divinus sounds more lush while the NMD eartips are clearer; both are very musical; in the treble, both have very good sparkle, but the NMD eartips have a slightly more air. They have very similar tonality and are about equal in imaging and soundstage performance.
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Compared to ePRO Propeller:
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The Propeller sounds more neutral and has a flatter perceived frequency response in comparison to the NMD eartips, but I can hear that it has a slight emphasis around the 3 KHz region, making the presentation slightly more forward. The NMD Audio eartips have more extended sounding on both ends of the audio spectrum as they have a U-shape sound signature. They have a similar above-average imaging performance, but I feel the NMD eartips are more spacious, sounding in all directions.
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Please note that the differences are subtle and might not be apparent to biginners, but as you listen more or fall deeper in the rabbit hole, the differences between these eartips matter more.
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All eartips in this comparison review are comfortable and fit easily, except for the Fiio HS18, as it is fiddly to get a proper seal due to its soft flare collapsing.
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For review and comparison, I used the following equipment:
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Fiio M15s DAP
Topping G5 DAC/Amp
an Android phone
Kinera Celest CD-20 DAC/Amp
iBasso DC Elite dongle DAC/amp
Kinera Celest IgniteX Beast IEM
NF Acous NM20 IEM
Xenns Mangird Top
Kiwi Ears KE4
Dita Audio Project M
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Pros:
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Great sounding
big soundstage
very good imaging
very comfortable
easily seals
good grip
affordable
slight U-shaped sound signature
uncolored sounding
natural sound
extended bass and treble
doesn't tap the energy of the sound
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Cons:
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No cons for sound quality.
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Conclusion:
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I didn't expect it to sound this good. I was pleasantly surprised by its refined sound quality, which sounds like an expensive and special eartip. I'm also happy that it is versatile and not choosy when it comes to pairing, as it tends to upgrade the sound of every IEM I tried it with, not just the ones I listed in this review. Factor in the comfort of the NMD Audio clear silicon eartips. It is very highly recommended, and I highly urge you to try it.
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Happy listening! Cheers!
