Intro: Dulce Bass is the successor to Noble’s basshead IEM, the Noble 5. Like its predecessor, it has 5 balanced armatures per side and is tuned toward the low-end. That’s about all the specs you’ll get from Noble. This is a bold move in the audiophile world, which has become ever more focused on the numbers. I don’t want enter the fray between the subjectivists and objectivists, but I have to say it’s refreshing for a company to focus on the experience instead of the technical data.
Disclosure: This is my first review. I’m writing it because I relied solely on reviews when purchasing my HD 650s and the Dulce Bass and I’d like to return the favor. I’m finding it really difficult to describe the listening experience in a way that might make sense to other people so excuse any confusing terminology. My headphone history includes Sony MDR 7506, Beats Tour, Beats Solo Wireless, AKG K545, and Sennheiser HD650, plus some others along the way. On the go, I listen to the Dulce Bass on my Galaxy Note 4 without sound effects or EQ using the Samsung Music app, Google Play Music, Soundcloud, and Spotify. At home, I run them off a Schiit 2 Stack with Google Play Music, Spotify, Soundcloud, and F2K in a variety of formats from 24-bit WAV to FLAC to 192kbps MP3. Electronic music is 99% of what I listen to and DnB comprises the majority of that.
Sound:
Bass - It’s sweet. Seriously. I’ve never heard bass like this from any headphone let alone most speaker systems. It’s present but not overpowering (to a basshead at least). Here’s what I mean by that: the bass in every Beats set I’ve heard is present in an in-your-face kind of way that overwhelms the Mids and Highs. Because of this the bass in Beats sounds artificially high - as if they’re EQe’d to hell and the drivers can’t handle it. The Ducle Bass actually enhance what’s in a song instead of forcing frequencies that aren’t there. I would describe it as revealing because there’s been a few songs I’ve listened to where I *thought* I knew that the bass sounded like only to be surprised. At the same time, I was left wanting even more bass with songs I thought might have more impact. The part of me that likes to hear what a song naturally presents is okay with a little less bass than expected. Other words I would use to describe the bass are tight, punchy, controlled. Most of the time I seriously can’t help grinning like an idiot when the bass hits.
Mids - The mids are clear and detailed even though they’re tuned toward the low end. Most genres of electronic, particularly DnB don’t have much mid range to focus on. If there are vocals it’s usually high-pitched females. Mid-ranged male vocals in Grime and Hip Hop are perfect. I put the Dulce Bass through its paces by listening some pop songs, including Daya - Sit Still, Look Pretty; Adele - Hello; Taylor Swift - Blank Space; Nick Jonas - Close (ft. Tove Lo); and Beyonce - Formation; It sounded great. All of it.
Highs - This is another area where the Dulce Bass shines (but not in a sibilant way)! They’re clear, detailed, and smooth. The loudness of the treble isn’t distracting or fatiguing. I find it to be superior to the HD 650, which is slightly veiled (muted) in comparison.
Everything else:
Pictures - http://imgur.com/a/z70PJ
Unboxing - The outer box perfectly fits the inner, decorated one. No foam. No peanuts. Just clean. The inner box is beautiful. Thick, textured, dense. It gives you the sense it holds something special. The back has a sticker with the product name, serial number, and a brief description of the sound. Removing the lid of the inner box reveals 2 Wizard Audio stickers, a velvet bag and a Pelican 1010 micro case. The Pelican case is amazing. It has such a satisfying latching mechanism. It’s padded on the inside and waterproof. Inside the Pelican case are two rubber bands for holding a dac/amp to a phone, for example. There’s also a carabiner which can clip to the Pelican case. The cable is in an electrostatic protective bag as well as the actual IEMs. Below them is a tray with an array of tips.
Fit and Feel - The tips take some work to get on the first few times, but once they’re loose it’s not an issue. I found it took a lot of trial-and-error to find the perfect fit for my canals, so I got practice putting on/taking off the tips. They fit remarkably well compared to any other earbud/IEM I’ve tried. I actually don’t notice them after a few minutes in - no pain, no discomfort. The Beats Tour were uncomfortable literally every time I wore them. It’s something I thought would go away after a few weeks, but I never got used to it. Another issue with the Beats Tour was cable noise transmission. I could hear every fractional move of my head. Walking was a nightmare. Nothing took away that noise. The cables for the Dulce Bass transmit only the music. I feel this really adds to their comfort and overall experience. Isolation is impressive as well. I tried it out while vacuuming and only had to increase the volume minimally from quiet levels.
Impressions - The Dulce Bass feel like the unicorn IEMs - they’re tuned perfectly, they fit perfectly, they don’t need an amp, they’re not fatiguing…. I could go on and on. I even prefer them to my HD 650 for most home listening. Overall, I couldn’t be happier with the purchase. If you are looking for an IEM catered to the basshead audiophile, the Dulce Bass are for you!