PAI AUDIO DR2

Want some lollipops? This is the first association that comes in mind with the look of Pai Audio DR2 IEMs. This model is a budget-friendly, almost the least expensive in π3.14 lineup and based on single dynamic driver units packed into beautiful custom-like shells. Googling for a while also brings the notion that most of the customer feedback and reviews are positive, therefore, not expecting any unwanted surpises here… Already know that the fit would be perfect and hope that the sound would not disappoint either. By the way, Pai Audio has another more conceptial visual branding «π3.14» which is hard to insert into the title of many site engines. Thus, simplified «Pai Audio» is commonly used.



π3.14 DR2 technical specifications:

• Shell materials: resin
• Driver type: dynamic
• Sensitivity: 125dB
• Impedance: 8Ω
• Frequency Response Range: 10Hz — 30kHz
• Cable connectors: MMCX
• Audio Jack: 3.5mm, 90° angle
• Cable Length: 1.2m

Packaging, design and build quality:

At last there is something less common in the box design. DR2 IEMs come in small transparent plastic box. Walls are covered by paper inlet with prints from inside. Prints contain the picture of the product, brand logo and short technical description.



There is also one soft insert that hold IEMs at place. Since the box is transaprent, all accessories and IEMs stay visible.

Box contents:

• π3.14 DR2 IEMs
• audio cable
• 3 pairs of white silicone eartips
• 2 pairs of grey silicone eartips
• cable clip
• plastic cap for audio jack

DR2 shells are made of resin except the aluminum output channels and cable ports. Shells are transparent and top sides have the additional layer of red and green for right/left channels respectively.



This layer also contans beautiful tiny aluminum «π» inside that makes the design more sophisticated and attractive.



Compensational openings are drilled from the edge surface to the corresponding openings on driver assembly. Neat soldering and wires are also observable.



Output channels seem to be added at casting stage since there is no signs of glue. Channels end up with aluminum protective grills.



Stock cable is made of copper, 4 twisted lines with flexible earguides and transparent resin MMCX connectors at one side, 90° audio jack in aluminum housing on the other and transparent resin Y-splitter + limiter at the middle.



Fit:

As expected, DR2 IEMs have absolutely no issues with fit comfort. Such type of «custom» shape is the best and the most comfortable one available at mass market. The only minor complain here is the angle of flexible earguides that would push IEMs hard into the ear channels. This problem originates from tight packing inside so small box resulting into excessive earguides angle. Solution is easy — heating up earguides a bit and giving them more natural shape.

Sound quality:

Tested with Hidizs AP80 DAP



Lows and midbass:

Lows are playing the leading role in DR2 sound and building warm signature. Bass is evident, if not to say overwhelming, brought forward and stays there at any composition. Reach is quite deep, bass feels extended but the shape of it is kind of smeared. It helps a lot to make the stage deeper and wider, although the boundaries and dynamics are hardly perceptible. Bass texturing is moderate.

Midbass dynamics is much better, this range sounds pretty natural and rich. Drums don’t show any harsh peaks, articulation is fast and tight. Volume and amount of air is enough to recreate drums naturally.



Mids and vocals:

I would say that mids are taking second place and middle layer in DR2 presentation of sound. Hanging behind lows but leading if compared to treble. Thanks to such positioning, female voices are absent of any screaming notes no matter the volume level. Vocal sound full-bodied, thick and natural. Instrument separation is also quite good. What DR2 mids lack is the resolution. Amount of details could have been higher to reproduce intermittent sound of piezo pickups or bows interacting with strings. Voices expose good warm timbre but the pleasing «mellow» effect is almost absent. Such performance is pleasing and satisfying in overall unless you have been dealing with much more expensive and resolving IEMs.



Treble:

This range is playing a secondary role and having the least presence. Peceived like this, at least. The graph should definitely show some gain elevation here, but the perception of treble is different due to the amount of lows and exposure of mids. Good treble clarity and above the average extension only gets evident in special tracks that are built upon the respective intruments and sounds. In most of the other compositions treble would act as a supplement with the sufficient presence in overall but getting shadowed by other ranges from time to time. Can’t say that treble is not enough… But it is definitely behind everything else and this is quite different to lots of current IEMs with more evident and equilateral V-shape.



Soundstage:

One of the main advantages of DR2 IEMs is their ability to create evidently large 3D stage with good instrument separation, their defined location and good layering between the ranges. One of the best budget IEMs concerning this aspect.



Sound in overall:

π3.14 DR2 sound could be described as warm, with significant elevation of lows, deep bass reach, natural midbass, thick and warm mids with excellent control over sibilances, laid-back treble, moderate resolution throughout all ranges and large soundstage.

Compared to BQEYZ KB100:



KB100 remain one of the best IEMs in this price. Based on a combination of BA + dynamic driver, those IEMs are capable of clear, transparent and extended treble, defined lows and good resolution on mids. They are more vivid and sharp in sound comparing to DR2 which is the reason for those who like warmth to choose DR2 instead. DR2 also a better choice in terms of midbass amount and power.

Compared to Tanchjim Cora:



Tanchjim Cora is another single dynamic driver contender but its sound is the opposite — tending to bright side with lots of treble defining the picture. Cora sound more balanced since the bass is not that accented and treble is perfectly delivered. Resolution is also better. DR2 leads in terms of deep bass, midbass power and thickness of mids. DR2 is also superior in terms of fit and soundstage.

Compared to Kinera Seed:



Another hybrid IEMs with very different approach. Very calm and neutral sound with no significant accents on either range. Good overall resolution, excellent treble clarity and extension, naturally exposed mids. What it lacks is the deep bass and midbass power. DR2 are better in this as well as in building larger sounstage.

Conclusion:



First of all, π3.14 DR2 should become perfectly satisfying choice for all of the bassheads looking for budget IEMs. Despite low price, DR2 are also building the largest soundstage with good instrument separation and layering among the contenders. Sound is warm in tonality, free of any lisping or sibilances and pleasingly thick on vocals and mids. Versatility is also ensured by the excellent fit comfort of «custom» type shells and very attractive externals. The only complain addresses moderate resolution but there was no other perfect IEMs either. Thus, leading on several parameters, π3.14 DR2 get a high score in under $50 price segment.

π3.14 DR2 available at PenonAudio store

Pai Audio DR2



The product was provided for free for the purpose of review in exchange for my honest opinion.

You can buy Pai Audio DR2 at the link below in the Store Shenzhen Paiaudio Technology Co., Ltd on Aliexpress.

DR2 on Aliexpress: https://pt.aliexpress.com/item/33000545131.html

Originally posted:
https://audiofiliabrasil.home.blog/2019/07/16/pai-audio-dr2-review/

First: Sorry for the bad english.

Intro

Shenzhen Paiaudio Electronics Co.Ltd better known as Pai Audio manufacturer of Earbuds and IEMs of the most varied prices and designs.

I remember when I heard MR2 and MR3 and I was really impressed by their quality, including reviewing them on Mind The Headphone.



Accessories & Design

Pai Audio DR2 is an in-ear equipped with a dynamic 12mm driver, it has several color options from red, royal blue, black, peacock blue and red and blue.

The shells are made of translucent resin, the nozzles are brass and the connection to the cable is MMCX, the shell is small and universal, light and ergonomic. They are extremely well made, have no bubble or sharp edges.



The DR2 comes with a copper cable and a microphone and some tips, the package is simple. The cable has a decent quality, it has a chin-slider and I did not feel any kind of microphone. In the package also comes three silicone tips and a shirt clip.

I found the DR2 more comfortable than the Ibasso IT01, and this is very private. It's a bit heavier than the IT01, but it fits my ears better sometimes and I forget them. Using with silicone or Foam tips they are well fixed in my ears, and are very comfortable.



Sound

DR2 has been my companion for more than 15 days, I have tested it with the most diverse musical styles, and listening to the Podcasts I like. I like to spend a lot of time with my headsets before releasing a review, I believe that time is the best ally when it comes to getting used to the signature and style of the phone.

This In-ear has a V-signature, it's fun and even though it's not an All-Rounder, it allowed me to enjoy other genres of music I do not normally hear like Dance and EDM and the old Rap I hear from national artists like Emicida, Criolo and MV Bill. In other styles it goes well, but does not have the same impact due to the middle ones that are indented.

Bass of this IEM is clearly the priority, they are powerful and alive. You feel the bass, the impact is incredible I caught myself listening to a playlist of Dance and EDM on Deezer and I could not stop listening.

I'm sure bass fans will love DR2, several songs you're used to hearing will sound different due to the bass. Listening to Rap also had a smile on his face, it is very good to feel the beat of the song.

Mid range ones are retracted due to the signature in V, some songs or styles you feel a greater retreat, others not so much. I imagined that due to the more prominent basses the recoil would impact more in the middle, but this was not felt that much.

Treble are clear and smooth, without wheezing or stridency. Everyone who looks for a V-shaped sound and is sensitive to treble will find a sufficient quantity and quality.

The sound stage is very good for an IEM of $ 50, the instrumental separation is also good. It is easy to identify where each instrument is located, they do not overlap.

Conclusion

Pai Audio DR2 has a wonderful bass and allowed me to hear things that I do not pay as much attention as EDM and Dance. Other styles were also favored, but my attention was really focused on that.

The most important thing in this hobby is listening to music, and DR2 provided me with it so that I completely forgot about the review. In the end that's what matters, I was totally positively surprised.

I'm sure that all those who are looking for a well-built IEM, with a variety of incredible colors and with Custom Universal format, will find in Pai Audio DR2 a good companion to listen to their songs.

Enjoy your music and be happy.

Pai Audio DR2 - U$ 49

Driver 12mm Dynamic driver

Frequency response 20 - 20000 kHz

Sensitivity 120 dB

Impedance 32Ohms

Plug size 3.5 TRS gold plated

Connection MMCX

Cable length 1.2m

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Paiaudio DR2 is a superbly built, warm, bright, V-shaped bass gun with laid back mids and a good timbre.


SPECIFICATIONS

Housing: resin shell
Driver: dynamic driver
Sensitivity: 125 dB
Impedance: 8 Ω
Frequency Response Range: 10-30 kHz
Connector: MMCX
Plugs: 3.5mm line type
Cable Length: 1.2 m
Price: $49 (at the time of the review)
Product Link: Penon Audio




PHYSICAL THINGS

In the box are the two earpiece, the cable, 5 sets of rubber tips, and a shirt clip.

The earpieces are made of resin and the cavities are completely filled in order to minimize resonance. The fill is impeccable: there are zero impurities such as bubbles or streaks. The four-core cable matches the amber shells colour wise and the jack features a sturdy spring strain-relief.

The earpieces, since they constitute large lumps of resin, are heavy but ergonomic. They stick quite a bit out of the ears like old-fashioned hearing aids but they fit well and are comfortable. Isolation is excellent, in fact so good that I missed most of the ambient noise on walks through my semi-busy neighbourhood. My phone SE drove the Paiaudio DR2 with ease and the largest included white eartips produced the perfect seal.




TONALITY

JK’s tonal preference and testing practice

Huge bass appealing to bassheads, strongly recessed midrange, prominent Chifi double peak between 2 and 4 kHz (the most sensitive part of the frequency spectrum to the human ear.). Nevertheless, sound is better than frequency response curve may imply.




The midrange is of good tonal quality but the bass pushes it back, mysteriously without covering the vocals up. The vocals are warm and reasonably dense but can be breathy and lack richness in some cases. These vocals with a lesser bass would work very well for me. They are not only under attack from the low end but also from the higher notes. The good thing about the upper midrange peaks (2-4 kHz; add brightness to the image) is that they are being balanced by the bass and do not introduce harshness and screaminess to my ears. This confirms that the human ears hear the whole frequency spectrum in context.

No sibilance or hardness. High-frequency peaks counteract dullness introduced by the bass and freshen up the image. The treble is smooth, not overwhelming and fits well in the overall picture. Nothing unpleasant at the high end. I always felt the need of turning the volume up to move the vocals closer to my ear, but this also increased bass and treble, the combination of which pounded mercilessly against my eardrums. Detail resolution is also surprisingly good: the congestion in the upper midrange which plague so many budget DDs does not exist. Soundstage has a good height and depth, which is also not expected.

Summarizing, these are good dynamic earphones with extra bass added. Take it or leave it. Their sonic and haptic qualities with a different bass dosage would put them in the $100+ area in my books.


CONCLUDING REMARKS

As so often, the Paiaudio DR2’s qualities lie in the eye of the beholder: If you like a very impactful bass and a natural sound, this is a great earphone. If you are bass sensitive and prefer “mid centric”, it is not. Although I belong to the second group, these Paiaudio DR2 kept growing on me, mainly because of the bass quality, timbre, and soundstage. And since they seal well and have this very robust low end, they are useful in combination with bass-light sources such as the Shanling M0, or for commuting, or on the plane. I will try them out on my next flight.


DISCLAIMER

This review was originally posted at https://audioreviews.org.

The Paiaudio DR2 earphone was provided unsolicited and free of charge from Penon Audio for my independent review. Note: the Paiaudio DR2’s earpieces are technically and therefore sonically identical with the the previously reviewed Hill Audio Altair • RA earphone. This was not known to me when accepting the DR2 for review. And it was unknown to Penon Audio that the Altair review was in the works at the time. What is different between the two earphones are the earpieces’ colours and the included accessories, including the cables. Also note that both earphones come with different specifications, but my measurements yielded identical frequency responses (see below). My technical descriptions of the two earphones have therefore large overlaps.

My generic standard disclaimer

About my measurements