Introduction
When the Oneplus One came out, I waited about two months for an invite to purchase it. When I did purchase it, I was floored by the performance for the price. Nothing in the smartphone market came close in value and performance. With the Oneplus Icons, Oneplus seems to look to do the same in the earphone market. Did they succeed like they did with the Oneplus One, or did they stumble a bit like they did with the Oneplus Two?
I'd like to thank Gearbest for providing the sample to review.
About me
I’m a price/performance value shopper in everything I purchase. I spend an extensive amount of time researching purchases and always look for a good value.
I have also spent many years as an A/V and music enthusiast. I have owned some high end audio equipment, from amps, speakers, subs, to just about anything audio related you can think of. I eventually moved on into building my own DIY custom speakers, as I felt the value and performance of most commercial speakers were lacking. I found out through this process that you could create high end setups from equipment costing thousands less than most branded commercial setups.
Since I cannot play music at 100+db all day and night in an apartment complex, I started looking for similar values in the Headphone/Earphone/IEM world. In a Beats dominated world, I was very disappointed.
I then found out about some excellent headphones/IEMs at great prices being made by Asian companies that are not known of here in the US. It renewed my interest in headphones and became the basis of the Asian audio thread.
REVIEW
Specifications
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Driver Unit: 11mm, dynamic
- Weight: 15g
- Cable Length: 1.25m
- In-Line Remote: Yes
- Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 110±2dB
- Colors: Gold, Graphite
- Connector: 3.5mm jack (straight)
- Wire Core Material: Enameled copper wire
- Rated Power: 5mW
- Coil Material: Copper-clad aluminum
- Frequency Range: 20 – 20,000Hz
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.5%(1000Hz, 1mW)
Accessories
Package contents: Faux Leather Pouch. 3 Silicone tip sets. Oneplus Icons
Housing/Fit/Isolation
The Oneplus Icons have a beautiful and unique Organ Pipe shaped design to them. The housing extends upward in an asymmetrical fork like shape, with the driver attached in between. The angled nozzles and long body allow for a very snug yet comfortable fit, excellent for active users at the gym or running. I have seen a review stating the Icons fell out of the reviewer’s ears quite a bit. This is easily solved with a pair of tips that actually fit your ear. My favorite to use on the Icons (and many other IEMs) are the JVC Spiral Dots, large size.
The aluminum alloy the shell is constructed of is lightweight yet strong. The Icons have taken some serious pocket abuse and haven’t gotten a scratch on them.
Isolation is above average. Outside noise is blocked out nicely, while little to no sound escapes to the outside.
Cable/Mic Functionality
The Icon cable uses a regular plastic coating going to each ear after the Y split, but uses a Kevlar type rope coating for the rest of the wire. This has actually helped prevent tangling in my pockets by quite a bit, and I like the design. I only tested the mic briefly, but it worked clearly with no issues.
Sound Review
Testing Gear (in order of quality)
LH Labs Pulse X Infinity 2.0
LH Labs Geek Out V2+ Infinity + Moto X Pure
Moto X Pure
MSI Gaming 7 amped onboard DAC
Testing Songs
Random Metal, Rock, EDM, Rap, Top 40, Hip Hop, Blues, and anything other music genres I feel like listening to at any given moment. I focus on songs I know well to spot differences in frequencies amongst a/b comparisons.
Amplifier Needed?
No. The Icons are driven well by nearly any source.
Sound Signature
The Icons are so close to being balanced audiophile level IEMs, but the upper mid range places a slight metallic emphasis on guitars and vocals where it shouldn’t be.
Resolution
Above average. The clarity is comparable to sets in the $100-$150 range the majority of the time, with all parts of the sound well represented.
Bass
Bass levels are done very well, with a slight boost down low that adds a pleasingly tight and controlled level of fun to the music without bleeding into or muddying the rest of the spectrum. Along with the highs, bass is one of the Icons consistent strong suits. Bass lovers will very much enjoy these.
Midrange
The midrange is the crux of the Icons. At first, it seems excellent. It is not recessed and punches out a very good level of detail. To achieve this enhanced sense of clarity, the driver seems to be being pushed too much or tuned unnaturally. This produces an uneven peak in the upper mids where guitars/vocals normally lie. Once you hear it, it can start to detract from the music a bit. This doesn’t mean the Icons aren’t highly enjoyable however. The Icons were almost on par with my current favorite (discontinued) set, the LZ-A2 during an extended listen of Megadeth Dystopia.
Treble
Despite the enhanced midrange, the highs remain natural and well extended. Cymbals hit with natural power and are easily heard within the music. Small enhancements can be heard within, but no major troubling peaks seem to jump out.
Soundstage and Imaging
Very good for a single dynamic driver. The soundstage is wide, but not open back headphone wide. Instruments can be individually heard, but tend to blend into the middle of the soundstage instead of being able to be easily picked apart in the left and right channels.
Comparisons
The Icons are appropriately priced for the quality of sound they put out. They compare easily with many sets in the $50-150 range from well-known companies. They sit alongside my Dunu Titans, LZ-A2, and Havi B3 Pro 1 as the go-to favorites in my collection.
Conclusion
Like the Oneplus One, I believe Oneplus has winner in the Icons that deserves more attention. It easily gets a thumbs in quality/value from me, and I hope it does for many others.
The OnePlus Icons can be found at OnePlus’ online store, and can be found at Gearbest here:
http://www.gearbest.com/earphones/pp_261000.html