DUNU Talos

The One Closest to a Planar Headphone



Dunu Talos is a planar IEM with the ability to activate an additional pair of BA driver for additional treble. Among the IEM today, it belongs to the more neutral IEM with a slight hint of brightness and a more moderate bass. If you are mainly a PLANAR headphone user with occasional IEM, this maybe the one closest a similar feel. This review will be done in pure planar mode as the activation of the BA drivers is way too hot for me in the treble.


My video review will cover amplification so do take a look!

Scoring System:
This is added to give a simple scoring with emphasis on sound quality but not forgetting build and comfort. The maximum score is 40.

10: Tonality: timbre, accuracy, balance
10: Technicality: details, separation, clarity
10: Enjoyment: soundstage, dynamics, vocals
5: Build: how well is it built
5: Comfort: how Long can you wear

Tonality: 8
Technicality: 8
Enjoyment: 7
Build: 4
Comfort: 3.5

Total: 30.5/40

The One Closest to a Planar Headphone

TLDR
This earphones is quite unlike the usual tonality I heard in recent IEM which has an elevated bass region. The sound I get from the Dunu Talos mirror more similar to how planar headphone sound, which is good extension but not exactly bassy or high in impact. It’s is generally neutral with a hint of brightness in the upper mids and treble. There maybe some sibilance depending on track but overall I enjoy this sound signature as a person who predominately listen to headphones.

Disclaimer: This earphone was purchased by me. No special deal was struck for this review. Additionally, I am predominately a headphone reviewer. As such my expectations may vary from the pure IEM crowd.



Introduction
Dunu is well known to deliver great value, in this review we will take a look at what the Talos offer. Dunu Talos is a planar IEM with the ability to activate additional drivers for increased treble. This itself is quite a unique function, almost getting two iem in a single purchase. Priced at about $200usd, it belongs to more of entry to mid cost for IEM.

Build
Sporting a full metal body, the Dunu is as well built as I feel it could be. The earphone has a matt finishing that makes grabbing it easy. The edges are well rounded so nothing uncomfortable got the touch. I do not think it can get much better especially at this price point and for what it’s meant to do. The Talos comes with a decent cable but without the newer fancy adaptable head. You get to choose 3.5mm or 4.4mm on purchase. The cable has a small amount of memory but can still easily bend to most shape. It is not the softest or nicest looking cable but for its price I think other then providing the adaptable head, it can’t get any better.



Comfort and Fit.
The size is moderate and fits into my ears which I consider average for asians easily. The weight isn’t much from the time i use. I have no issue keeping it in my ears moving around. As a full metal IEM, putting them on in winter initially may not be the most comfortable affair, but holding it in your palms before wearing will make it a whole lot better. As the earphone do not conform to the shape of the ear, it may rotate and move around given sufficient head movement. Due to its structure and it not being flush with the ear, if you intend to sleep and listen music, it is ok but definitely not the most comfortable experience.

Sound quality
As this is a relatively affordable IEM, I will mainly give my opinion based on using it with dongles and wireless adapter. I will however have a special section at the end added later that I will add testing it with much better amplification such as the Enleum HPA-23RM or Ferrum Oor once I get access to them again.

Used on:
iPhone + Apple Dongle
iPhone + Questyle m15
TRN wireless Dongle

Songs:
Ultima (FF14 soundtrack)
Suzume (Radwimps)
Shatter Me (Lindsey Stirling)
Unravel (ADO)
The Brave (Yoasobi)
Avid (Sawano Hiroyuki)
Comet (Yoasobi, Cover Ari Anjou)
I really want to stay at your house (Lunity)
RGB(Yoasobi)

Tonality/Timbre:
Talos belongs to the more neutral type with a slight bump in the upper mids and treble. This gives it a little more zing and also the occasional sibilance. It however maintains a generally natural sound with no additional warmth or too cold sounding. Instruments on general sound as they should be.

Sound stage:
For a IEM this has a decent size sound stage. The sound don’t feel like it’s inside your head but slightly outside. Depth is quite limited but width moves out of the head. Compared to other planar IEM (S12Pro, Wu Zetian), it’s a touch smaller but this may be partially due to the more focused mids.

Position:
The positioning of the instrument is quite good though limited to only left and right. In ultima there’s always this moving bell which is properly portrayed here. Instruments general position can be quite easily identified but limited to left and right with no layers. This is noticeable in shatter me where all instruments are on the same plane and level with difference only left and right.

Separation:
Separation is good. In suzume later parts where multiple instruments are playing, you can clearly identify the vocals from the treble instruments and bass instruments. This is probably due to the more neutral tone, a slight treble emphasis and a relatively nimble driver. The edges of the treble instruments do cut through the mix well with minimal dulling,

Clarity:
This is a high clarity iem. Due to the lower sub bass, most instruments can be easily heard. There’s also no veil to the sound and most of the instruments can be easily heard even in very complex songs.

Details:
Details in the mids and treble is very good. Details in the bass region on the other hand is quite limited if you are looking for texture and nuances there. The various bass brass instrument tends to loose details the moment the track gets busy.

Bass:
The Talos is on the lighter side for bass for modern iem and even compared to its planar peer. But it trades the lighter bass for better control. The sub bass on general do have some texture and the mid bass impact is fast, quick and clean. The Brave has a portion with a lot of fast bass hits. It’s very enjoyable on the Talos as the control and speed is superb resulting in a very nice clean rhythm for it.

Mids:
This is where the Talos is good. There is good body and rich sounding. The Talos has a slightly forward mid, which makes things feel slightly closer. When listening to Talos and then switching to many other iem, you just feel the lost of body that the Talos offer. The upper mids can get a little hot and sibilant in certain tracks like Shatter Me. The higher mid frequencies of violin and vocals can be a little too hot.

Treble:
Treble here is very natural. The cymbals in unravel is clear and natural sounding. The treble is also never masked by the other frequencies unless in very complex song, where some definition and edges maybe lost in softer treble instrument.



Comparisons

Letshouer S12Pro:
This is a little more bassy and smoother. I also find them alittle more laid back and warmer with a slight list of clarity. The fit is superior to the Talos and it has bigger sound stage

Tang Zu Wu Zetian:
I find this to be a better comparison to the Talos. It has more bass without losing the responsiveness. There is also less Sibilance and treble energy here, fixing one of the concern I have with the Talos. It also has a slightly warmer signature. Personally this and Talos is a matter of preference then true technical difference.



Amplification
The Dunu Talos do not benefit much from improvement in amplification unless its through something a Current Amp such as the Enleum. For more details do look at the video above. In short, save your money and stick to the apple dongle as the last mile may not be worth it.

Conclusion:
To me the Talos is a very competent IEM. Especially at its price range, you get an experience that neutral, clear with plenty of details. Technicalities are great and if you are not adverse to a slightly brighter earphone, this maybe one of the best. That said, I come from a headphone user POV and to me the tuning is really like a full size planar headphone which I enjoy more then the more elevated/V shaped tuning that IEM this days seems to be targeting. If you are looking for a head banging, closer to current IEM tuning like those of Crinacle with significant sub bass lift and mid bass impact, this may not be the IEM for you.

Few IEMs captured my imagination more than the famous planar-BA hybrid from Dunu.

I waited and waited for a chance to source the IEM. Meanwhile, I looked at the graphs and read all reviews, imagining how these IEMs sound. I even prepared a little joke for the day when I would review them.



Finally. Finally. I have laid my hands on Talos. How do they sound?

Forewords​

• This rapid-fire review is based on a sample by Addicted to Audio (A2A). The sample was returned to the store after the review. It retails at A2A for AUD $339.
• You should treat this review as the subjective impressions of an audio geek rather than an “objective truth” about the IEM. Your experience with any IEM would change depending on your DAC/AMP, music library, ear tips, and listening volume.
• I rate IEMs by A/B testing them against a few benchmark IEMs, regardless of price point. This approach ensures the consistency of the ratings in my ranking list. It means that if two IEMs score the same, they perform more or less similar.
• I believe that great IEMs are the ones that can achieve multiple difficult things simultaneously: (1) high resolution (meaning lines of music are crisp, clear, easy to follow and full of texture), (2) 3D soundstage with a strong sense of depth, (3) bold and natural bass with a physical rumble, (4) natural timbre, (5) relaxing and comfortable tonality.
• Ranking list and measurement database can be found on my IEM review blog.

Specs​

• Driver: planar + 2BA
• Connector Type: 2-pin
• Impedance: 16ohm@1kHz
• Sensitivity: 100dB@1kHz

Non-sound Aspects​

It’s Dunu. Of course, the packaging is generous, and the build quality is solid.



The earpieces are made of metal with a form of powdery coating. They are way smaller yet thicker than I imagined. The dip switch can be operated without additional tools, which is good. My only complaint is the flushed 2-pin connectors. I’m always worried about snapping off the pins.



You have a nicely constructed canvas case that feels nice and expensive. The cable is thick and shiny but well-behaved, not microphonic.

In the box, you have three types of ear tips. I went directly to the famous S&S tips for my measurement and listening tests. They are nice, though not easy to put on the nozzle. Sticking them to your ears is also hard work due to how sticky they are.

How it sounds​

Sources for listening tests:

• Shanling M6 Ultra (thicker low-end, slightly rounded top-end, desktop-like soundstage imaging)

Local FLAC files ripped from CDs or bought from Qobuz were used for most casual listening and A/B tests. My playlist for A/B tests can be found on Apple Music here.

Tonality and Timbre: 4/5 - Good​

Frequency response of Talos in planar and planar+BA mode. Measurements were done with an IEC-711-compliant coupler and might only be compared with other measurements from this same coupler. The new Dunu tips were used for the measurement. Visit my graph database for more comparisons.

Talos has two distinct sound signatures.

First, let’s talk about the planar + BA mode because it can be explained in one word: WHY? When activating the BA mode, three changes happen:

• Slightly reduction of high-mid / low-treble (3-5kHz)
• Massive increase of mid-treble (8kHz)
• Massive increase of high-treble (“air”) (15khz)

One positive aspect of this tuning is the soundstage expansion due to the boost in “air.” Simply put, instruments in an orchestra feel more spread out, away from you and each other. The negative aspect comes from the 8kHz boost, which makes the instruments’ timbre unrealistically thin and bright. This effect is audible with both orchestras (e.g., Presto) and single instrument (e.g., Flute Partita in A Minor). The 8kHz boost also introduces deadly sibilance. For example, Shivers by Ed Sheeran will make you shiver due to how ice-picky and sibilance it is. The 3kHz dip further emphasises the 8kHz boost. Shiver indeed.



The planar mode is much saner. In general, Talos sounds quite similar to Dunu Titan S. Talos presents music with a sense of lightness and elegance, utterly devoid of excessive warmth or muddiness. At the same time, Talos does not sound stone cold like Etymotic ER2SE or banshee screaming like some KZ.

Talos’ midrange feels right but a bit too forward. It means that the centre of the stereo image, such as the principal violin in Presto or Ed Sheeran’s voice, stands out and locates unabashedly in my head.

Talos’ treble is quite decent. For example, cymbals and chimes are not harsh but can cut through the mix. The sibilance can be a touch sharp but manageable.

Talos’ bass is Luigi to the midrange Mario. There are still some “boom boom” and deep rumbles, but they are mostly there to complete the mix rather than the highlights. The bass is still more highlighted than Etymotic ER2SE.

How do I rate the tuning of Talos? Firstly, I would ignore the planar+BA mode. The planar mode is trickier to assess. On the one hand, I prefer a slightly thicker tuning. On the other hand, I admire the lightness and elegance of the midrange. So, I rate Talos’ tonality 4/5 - Good.

Resolution, Detail, Separation: 4/5 - Good​

Resolution is a fascinating subject due to the difficulty of pinning down what it really is. The resolution is closely tied to how many quiet and minor details you can hear. Of course, if you turn the music louder, you can spot more details. However, you can only turn up the volume if the tuning does not have random peaks that stab your ears and mask minor details around them. Moreover, you can only hear details if the drivers manage to separate them rather than presenting a blob of sound. Earphone DIYers very well recognise this “true resolution” difference between drivers.

Talos does an admirable job at macro details or separation. For instance, during the dense phrases of Presto, Talos still managed to keep the instruments cleanly separated due to sharp and clear note attacks. In other words, I can follow each instrument with little difficulty. This characteristic, likely thanks to the planar drivers, gives Talos a pristine and clean presentation.



Micro-detail is where Talos tumbles. The Flute Partita in A Minor highlights this issue clearly. This piece has only one instrument, the concert flute. Therefore, the textures and nuances, such as the sound of air and the resonance within the flute, play a significant role in the presentation of the Partita. In a quick A/B with the Monarch MkII (5/5 - Outstanding), it was apparent that Talos misses the last layer of nuances that makes the flute sound so real with the Monarch. Interestingly, the BA mode did not help as much as I expected.

In summary, Talos’ resolution falls squarely in at Blessing 2 level: 4/5 - Good. Talos is enjoyably resolving and unlikely to disappoint on this front.

Percussion Rendering: 3/5 - Average​

Percussion rendering reflects how well the tuning and technical performance of an IEM work together to recreate realistic sound of a drum set. Good drum hits have a crisp attack (controlled by frequencies from 4kHz to 6kHz), full body (midbass frequencies around 200Hz), and physical sensation (sub-bass frequencies around 50Hz). Good technical performance (“fast” driver) ensures that bass notes can be loud yet detailed. IEMs that cannot control bass very well tend to reduce the bass’ loudness to prevent muddiness.

Click to expand...

It’s alright. Talos’ basslines feel “fast” and clean but not impactful. The sense of air pushing against my eardrums is not strong. For instance, the bass drops of Despacito are not impactful and do not show large dynamic swings. I found that LETSHOUER S12 does a better job here.

I rate Talos’ percussion rendering 3/5 - Average. It is acceptable but nothing to write home about.

Stereo Imaging (Soundstage): 3/5 - Average​

Stereo imaging or “soundstage” is a psychoacoustic illusion that different recording elements appear at various locations inside and around your head. Your brain creates based on the cues such as the loudness and phase differences between the left and right channels. Most IEMs do not differ significantly, nor can they compete with headphones or loudspeakers. However, some IEMs offer a more spacious soundstage than others. Best IEMs can create multiple layers of sound from closer to further away and make some instruments float slightly above your head.

Click to expand...

Again, it’s alright. Even with my Shanling M6U, which tends to enlarge IEM’s soundstage in all directions, Talos does not project an immersive 3D soundstage. The first issue is the forward midrange, pushing vocals and main instruments strictly in my head. The second issue is that Talos fails to make instruments pop up at different distances (depths) within the soundstage. To me, the stage feels wide but shallow.

In summary, Talos’ stereo imaging is a strict 3/5 - Average. Not offensive, but I wouldn’t consider it a selling point.

Source Pairing​

Talos is rather demanding.

Of course, you can get loud volume out of anything nowadays. Still, you would need something with more power reserve to avoid flattening the soundstage or killing the bass further. All the descriptions in this article are based on a mid-range DAP, which matches the performance of an entry-level desktop setup like Fiio K7. You can expect slightly worse staging and micro detailing with less capable sources.

ConclusionPermalink​

My experience with Talos mirrors my previous experience with Dunu Vulkan. I walked away from the listening sessions with an almost empty feeling. That does not mean that Talos is not good. No, it’s an elegant-sounding and handsome-looking IEM. I just expected more, especially from the BA gimmick.

Pros:

• Clean, clear, open midrange
• Highlighted but not overly cooked treble (in planar mode)
• Excellent build quality and packaging

Cons:

• The BA gimmick is not usable
• Bass lacks dynamic swings and impacts
• The soundstage could be deeper for a more 3D presentation

Dunu Talos

Planar IEMs are the rage nowadays. It seems every year there is a trend that everyone follows in order to get themselves a piece of the pie sort to say. Be it the beryllium craze from a few years back to the new planar craze now. The way I see it, if Dunu gets involved and makes a Planar that means it is what's hot at the moment. Sure Dunu is riding that wave of what's popular, what really matters is what Dunu has done with their version of the planar IEM.

The Talos is designed with a brand new CNC machined aluminum alloy medium sized dome type housing. The unique alloy metal design incorporates a new 14.6mm planar magnetic driver ultra thin diaphragm, but what separates the Talos from other planar IEMs is that it also incorporates a dual BA that enhances the trebles of the Talos with a flick of a switch.

This does two things. It allows for a different sound profile for the base tuning of the Talos as the switch brings more treble presence, especially more brilliance for the trebles. You like your sparkly extended treble that is exactly what you're going to get, a whole heaping of it actually. So that will be a matter of taste in how you like your treble presentations. To be fair, poorly recorded material with a lack of clarity and treble end up benefiting the most from the added treble enhancement but for me anyways, I thought the base planar tuning did just fine for most of my eclectic music collection I listen to.

For folks that complain there is not enough treble for your liking. Hey guess what, no need for a pro version of the Talos cus you got your pro version just by flicking the switch with more treble than you will ever need. Talos becomes the standard Talos and the imaginary new revised pro version of the Talos at the same time. I joke. If you follow the naming scheme and the need to always create updated versions of Dunu classics you will know what I am talking about here.

If you read the majority of reviews about the Talos. It is pretty unanimous that the Talos stock planar mode has plenty of treble with really no need for the extra BA enhancement. Hey, I applaud Dunu for trying something new here. However, why not go for a potent smaller dynamic in the housing instead of the BAs. I would have loved to see this instead with a variable bass switch. How cool would that have been, you need more boost in the bass? Imagine a neutrally tuned planar but when you feel the need for more bass. Flicking a switch for 3-4 dbs of more boom. To be fair it has been done before with hybrid IEMs but not quite yet with a Planar. Instead here we get more treble. To be honest I have not seen a single post or review saying they actually prefer the BA enhancement mode. But I suppose it is there if you feel the need so it's not a loss of a design.

With that I would like to thank the fine folks at Dunu for allowing myself to give my $.02 worth and how I hear the Talos. The Talos was provided for the purpose of a review by Dunu. You can purchase a set for you on their website here. The Talos and every IEM I do reviews for are burned in for a period of a weeks time and are now ready for evaluation using my IBasso DX300Max, Shanling M6 Pro, Fiio M15, BTR7, K7, IFI Gryphon, IFI Signature.

What you get.
Dunu packages are always tops. Here we get the familiar Dunu labeled quality zip up rectangular hard case, cleaning tool, stereo adapter, 3 sets of tips and most importantly a well matching 4 core silver plated crystal copper cable in single ended. I was a bit surprised Dunu did not include a variation of their modular cables, maybe to save a bit on cost? Reason why I say this is because while the cable itself is of a nice quality and matches well with the sound design of the Talos. It is well known that Planars perform better with more power no matter how efficient they are tuned. Talos' sound is most definitely enhanced with more power. A balanced cable would mean better performance from the Talos as most players throw out more power through their balanced outs. The good news there is that the Talos is a .78mm flat 2 pin design in which you can easily use an aftermarket cable to use in balanced for the Talos.

The other aspect of the included accessory's worth mentioning is a new type of tip which seems to be a Dunu exclusive. These new sticky type silicone tips are surprisingly very good if not just out right substantial. I am going to assume these were designed by Dunu as I have never seen these types of tips before. The tips are officially called S&S tips which stands for Stage and studio, these are now sold from your favorite Dunu vendors. I am a huge fan of these tips and have been posting about just how unique and well-designed they are. Not every day we get a tip design that just works with every IEM and maximizes their sound. These tips are worth mentioning as it was the first time in a very long time I have seen a substantial new tip design that seals this well and makes every IEM sound their best. Worth looking them up and getting a few sets for you, especially if you own more than a few IEMs.

Sound design
Recent trends for Dunu seem to be variations on the neutral tunings. Minus their Vulkan IEMs which was a more of a musically tuned deep bass focused IEM, the Titan S and even their limited edition Vernus and their newest Kima are all tuned with more neutrality vs anything with too much coloring or V shaped tunings. Neutral tunings are arguably the most versatile as there simply aren't too much in one aspect of emphasis in sound over another when it comes to sound balancing. Trebles do end up playing a bigger role in a neutral tuned IEM as it will come down to how the manufacturer emphasized the treble aspect of the tunings. The Talos to my ears sounds similar to how their Titan S was tuned but one that is clearly an upgrade. Its strengths are that it brings a wide technical resolving sound presentation for IEMs with just enough musicality to its makeup to not make it sound sterile or too analytical.

Planar IEMs when designed correctly give an astonishing amount of details that seem to cover the gamut of a complete sound profile. I still feel dynamics for IEMS provides the best natural timbre, bass and texture but it is arguable which type of drivers provide a higher grade of sound overall. Don't know if the Planar will be here to stay or if it is merely a trend but I do know the Talos sounds very good when it comes to its sound quality and how it portrays sound overall. And once again I am going to clearly mention that you have to be into your neutral tunings to admire what the Talos is about. I have gotten folks that end up buying IEMs due to a review I would put out only to complain about the bass end not to their liking. Read the sound description folks, it is the sole reason why I post a review in the first place to give you a good idea what you're dealing with. A neutral tuning is not going to have an overly pronounced bass end. Just to be clear on that.

Trebles ( based on the stock planar tuning)
of the Talos has an ample slightly elevated presence included in its balanced neutral tuning. ( A bit of a side note. I do recommend a good burn in for the Talos as this area seemed to smooth out and sounds much more cohesive with the rest of the signature than out of the box. Bass also seems to get better presence as well.

Treble areas of the Talos are slightly elevated, have excellent detail, clarity and extension. This was the reason why I was surprised even more treble enhancement was added to this sound profile. Do they actually need the extra dual BAs for more treble and air? Sure why not. But you would figure the base planar tuning would be rolled off or lack somehow in the upper trebles. But that's not what I am hearing from the Talos planar tuning. Add the switch and you get extra brilliance for trebles. Extra sizzle, sparkle, shimmer. Most will find the trebles to be standing out of the balancing with the BAs on. For rock and metal music or EDM this will be a bit much. The base treble tuning actually sounds more balanced and in tune with the rest of the signature. The treble has just a slight bit of tizziness especially noticed on open listen but has smoothed out for the most part over time. I don’t get a sense that the Talos actually needs more treble. Its a function switch for some might be a good thing so I am not gonna doc a point, at least Dunu is trying something different.

Extra treble mode definitely adds more brightness to the treble area. For the old timers and folks that need that extra bit of treble enhancement for that added air and sizzle. Your planar is calling your name. Base trebles have excellent presence and its transients are very tight much like how BAs presents trebles. Planars to my ears just simply don't have any issue covering the treble area. Now when it comes to the bass end that area brings a bit of a different take. Will get into more later. But let's talk about what makes the Talos stand out. Its mids presentation.

Mids of the Talos is broad in scope wider than tall with good depth to its presentation. Its forward projecting presentation brings a proper layering and has enough note weight for vocals and instruments to sound proper. Its nicely resolving detailed presentation brings a technical aspect that I am actually used to hearing from Dunu. I would expect nothing less to be honest. Everything they make recently has a level of resolve that is some of the best in the industry for the type of IEMs they make. Its sound separation, imaging and a believable realistic timbre makes the Talos stand out. The one aspect that truly stands out for me with the Talos is vocal music. Just fantastic on the Talos. The level of details on the Talos is exemplary and proper form for Dunu and I think this is the one constant that I can say without reservation that you will get from a well designed Dunu IEM. If you feel the Talos sounds a touch thin or they aren’t how I am describing them. Try them with a proper DAC/AMP and and upgraded balanced cable, you will come away with something that will be way more than what you paid for. A bit of Power my friends is a good thing in the case of the Talos.

Competition is stiff for Dunu and anyone that makes a Planar. I know there are a lot of options out there now for planars but I do know the Talos clearly is worthy of its asking price just based on how well it resolves at its price point. I was not disappointed with how the Talos presents its mids and I am certain it will be a strong suit for a majority of folks that invest in getting a set.

Bass
True to a neutrally tuned IEM. These are not for bass first enthusiasts. The bass emphasis for the Talos leans more toward its sub bass but still has some solid details for its bass end. Its sub bass emphasis leaves a very clean and present mids emphasis which was the point of the tuning. Bass impact is enough to complete the sound balancing but is not emphasized to make it have any type of boominess, nor does the bass end have the quality of a well tuned vented dynamic driver. But to my surprise it does have a nicely textured sub bass note that I appreciate.

Bass impact is subdued a touch but makes up for it in sheer speed. It is well known the planar driver provides speed on a similar level of a BA. Speed metal fans would appreciate the sheer speed of the Talos bass end. Its mid bass has less emphasis vs its sub bass but not enough to make it sound unnatural for its bass presentation. For the most part the Talos is actually very versatile sounding and can do bass genres. It's just that it specializes more for acoustic, orchestral, jazz and vocal type music vs bass genres. And this was the main reason why I would have liked Dunu to come up with a bass switch instead of a treble switch. In any case what's here is good but nothing that stands out as being special or of uber quality for bass. Bass seems more to compliment the mids and treble vs being highlighted and that is what you're getting with the bass. The bass end comes much more alive with more power here as well. Using the new Fiio K7 dac/amp which has a very good bass foundation for its sound. The Talos loves its power and bass from this source. Synergy of the Talos seems to be one where sources with good power and good foundational bass will mesh extremely well. Second runner up would be my IBasso DX300Max.

In the end
The Talos is clearly a Dunu product. Their version of the Planar IEM has some uniqueness in how it looks and does provide a treble enhancing switch for the hybrid mode. I think most folks will be happy with its base Planar tuning to not be too bothered by the switch. Or some might actually enjoy having a bit of extra treble. Its well balanced tuning with a wide stage for IEMs comes with some of the best mids for a planar IEM I have heard. If fed the right source the Talos sounds quite good if not just outright amazing. I would expect nothing less from Dunu as the build quality is tops for this one, not to mention a great looking IEM. I know there are a lot of choices nowadays for Planars but one made by Dunu you can always trust its production values and their solid tunings. Dunu has delivered yet once again with a very capable sounding Planar that will do your music justice. Overall these will more than compete with the likes of other IEMs in the price bracket and if you want a neutrally tuned planar IEM that will ramp up nicely with your more powerful sources. The Dunu Talos is a very nice option. I think the Talos sound quality will easily have staying power as it is an easy IEM to like for its sound quality. Thanks for taking the time to read. Happy listening always. And get yourself a set of them S&S tips for your other IEMs. You will thank me later.

Review Of The Dunu Talos​

Introduction​

Following the controversial 7Hz Timeless, releases of planar IEMs have exploded, with the majority of them differing in several ways and sounding very different. The well-known Chinese firm DUNU also entered this market and introduced the DUNU Talos, a planar hybrid IEM that is a little different. However, I have never encountered any DUNU IEMs that were offensive or had a poor sound quality. The DUNU Talos is their first attempt at playing over the Planar; let's hear how they sound, but first, a few clarifications.

Disclaimer​

*Since this unit tour was organized by the beautiful people at HiFiGo, I am grateful to them. And as I've said in all of my evaluations, the same is true for this one: all of the concepts I've expressed below are entirely my own, original ideas that haven't been influenced by anyone else. If interested, go to this link.
*I am not associated with the connection, and I receive no financial assistance from anyone.
*For the remainder of the review, I will refer to these IEMs as "Talos."
*I am using different Ear-tips (Moondrop Spring Tips) and Cable(Effect Audio Eros S) for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Talos based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification​

The first hybrid to use a planar and a balance armature, as well as a bespoke balance armature driver and a 14.6mm Planar driver with an ultra-thin diaphragm and a N55 dual-magnetic circuit. This makes it a special pair because there is an option to have a switch that turns the balance armature on and off. Just below the two pin connector, there is a switch. Aluminum alloy is CNC-machined for the shell. They fit my ears wonderfully and are smaller than I anticipated. The Talos has a droplet-shaped faceplate with the brand logo in the center. DUNU has always been quite inventive with its designs. The cable is a high purity silver plated monocrystalline copper cable. The cable is a lightweight and feels much higher quality than the ones offered in the same segment.
The termination is a 3.5mm plug, and the connectors are the typical 0.78 2 pin connectors. There are numerous tip variations included with the Talos, but only the white and black ones fit properly.
The impedance is 16 Ohms at 1 kHz and the frequency range is 5 to 40 kHz. The total harmonic distortion is less than 0.3% and the sensitivity is at 100 dB. They are effective to use even in hybrid mode, as I discovered throughout my testing because I had no problems utilizing it with my phone.

Sound​

One thing is for certain: Talos is one of the greatest planar IEMs I have ever heard, and it does not have a timid tone. The Talos is tuned with a forward upper mid range and sub bass focus, favouring a bright, neutral sound. The 7Hz/Salnotes Dioko had a similar sounding profile to another IEM I tried previously, but it had less energy in the upper mid range and sounded more balanced. Naturally, performance varies depending on the driver, and the Dioko was less detailed than the Talos. While there are other planars, they either have a very balanced character or a lot of bass. The Talos's mid range is very expansive and clean with a lot of energy in it, while the bass is quite tight and forceful, encouraging the response to be more playful and enjoyable sounding. Talos doesn't underperform in the treble range while maintaining this much midrange intensity since it has a very wide and clean range.

Treble​

The top treble is fairly expansive compared to most of the Planars I have experienced in the treble range. The high treble is crisp and precise. The vocals sound non-sibilant and clean, and they are considerably fuller. The sound of the instruments is similar to that of the voices, with the exception of some instruments, such as cymbal crashes, where the splash is less consistent and distinct than the hi-hat. Because of this, I did detect a bit of sibilance, however it depends on how various listeners perceive it. Overall, the details are present and the upper treble sounds airy, wide, and crisp.Although the balance between the upper mid-range and the lower treble is seamless and immersive, I do feel the lower treble to be less focused despite having good energy similar to the upper mid-range. The answer shows that the lower treble is being used, and the elements don't sound harsh but rather complement the higher octaves in the upper frequencies. The total response is expansive and succinctly detailed.

Mid Range​

The midrange, however, may be rather challenging because while the upper midrange is lively and forward, the lower midrange might use a little more substance to sound more natural and tonally pleasing. Both the female and male voices have a roomy tone, which is appealing and quite provocative. In fact, the instruments also respond very effectively in the high midrange. It's interesting how the voices and instruments are kept distinct but the exposure and level of detail are maintained. I think the lower mid range is where note weight and density really start to become an issue since it makes it impossible to understand the lean notes there. While the upper mid range is heavily forward in the mix, the lower mid range is more relaxed. But even so, I enjoyed every aspect of this area. There is heat in the higher octaves, notably in the female vocals, which is undoubtedly caused by the lean notes. The astounding aspect is that even with everything going on in the background, the stage is maintained and details are discerned with higher accuracy than with any other IEM I have heard. However, I consider the need for note thickness and density. Overall, the mid range's expression is open, colorful, and expressive.

Bass​

Although I cannot dispute that the response is identical to that of the 7Hz Dioko, the Talos has significantly superior details and texture. The impactful punchy bass is projected properly and successfully. The mid bass is less prominent than the sub bass in this area, and the bass notes don't sound as robust as they should. When listening to the mix as a whole, the bass manages itself better than any other IEM I've heard while leaving the midrange and treble unaltered. The bass is informational and unique rather than boomy, slamming, or in a manner hitting you hard with rumbling. The extension is long and maintains harmony with the treble and midrange. Simply put, the bass is powerful and very well regulated.

Technical Performance​

It is well known that the technical aspect of a full range planar driver is excellent. Surprisingly, the performance is excellent. These offer the best technical performance I've heard on a planar pair in Talos's segment, so I wonder whether I'm starting to like them. The stage is obviously holographic; the image is clear, the separation is great, and each element is distinguished. A Planar's charm is its ability to retrieve fine details with tremendous resolution and quickness.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

The scene is supposed to have a holographic quality, with a large, open space. I can readily identify where each vocal or instrument sound is coming from because of the clearer imaging and the separation of each piece, which also gives the impression that each element of the sound has plenty of room to breathe.

Speed & Resolution​

This planar IEM has an impressively high level of detail retrieval, which contributes to the resolution. The nicest feature of a planar IEM where the speed is very rapid is the attack and decay of notes. Nothing sounds sloppy or loose; everything is pristine.

Impressions With Switch On​

From my opinion, the sound is not particularly pleasant after turning on the switch that causes the balance armature to operate in hybrid configuration. The treble frequency range definitely has sibilance and hotness, therefore I think adding a BA is only recommended to make the treble more airy and expansive, which my testing has shown is already achieved. Only from the upper mid range does the Ba typically interfere. The treble does become airy and spacious, as previously indicated, but at the expense of the singers and instruments sounding tinny and hot. I think that employing the BAs throws off the natural tonal balance, making the music sound off-balance. But when viewed from a different angle, perhaps this type of implementation can benefit those who either adore this profile or whose hearing is impaired by the strong synergy between the upper midrange and treble region.

Sound Impressions ​

Sources​

1. Tempotec V6 Variations- When combined with V6, Tempotec V6 Variations sounded fantastic. They sounded clear, neutral, and enormous thanks to the power delivery. The V6's ability to give a response that is both sharp and detailed with neutral qualities is made possible by the nature of Talos, which is highly predictable.




2. Questyle M15- The M15 was able to make these sound more detailed, especially in the treble region, while yet preserving the clean and crisp sound. The stage did seem to becoming smaller than it had been before. Talos still had its technical performance to dazzle, though, bearing the response in mind. To suggest that M15 sounded balanced rather than neutral.




3. iFi Hipdac - While not nearly at a significant level, there was a discernible difference while listening with Hipdac, making the sound warmer and slightly more sibilant in the high midrange. Although friendlier, the bass was also a little sloppy. The treble felt less expansive while the mid range was more dynamic. The overall reaction was more nuanced and friendly.

Tracks​

Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
Boston - More Than A Feeling
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere(Remastered)
Toto - Africa
The Police - Every Breath You Take
George Benson - Affirmation
Daft Punk - Doin' It Right
Daft Punk - Derezzed
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy (End Titles)
GOJIRA - Amazonia
The Mars Volta - Inertiatic ESP
Fergie - Glamorous
50 Cent - In Da Club
Jay Z - Holy Grail
Erbes - Lies
Nitti Gritti - The Loud
Juelz - Inferno

Conclusion​

I'll just say that the greatest planar I've heard and manages to keep and regulate the entire spectrum while reaching such excellent details and resolution is this beast. Although I would encourage bassheads to try them first, I have no reason not to suggest this IEM. Either way, the response will astound you.

The Dunu Talos were sent to me directly by Dunu. They have not requested anything at all, in fact, I didn’t even know they were sending them to me until I received them and was very surprised to find them in the box.

Therefore, my review will be as unbiased and sincere as possible, something that I always aim to be.

You can find the official page for the Dunu Talos here: https://www.dunu-topsound.com/talos

I have no affiliation with Dunu (or any other brand), so I make absolutely nothing out of anyone clicking on the link or purchasing these IEMs.



Intro…

As anyone who follows the IEM world will know, planars are the rage at the moment and we have gone from having very few options in planar IEMs to having more options than we can count.

I have reviewed a few planar IEMs but I am not even close to having covered most of them, therefore my experience is limited to those that I have heard. Out of those that I have tried, it is no secret that the Letshuoer have been my favourites, being my EDC (every day carry) set of IEMs that I have always in my bag for the times when I am not testing something new or I just want a break. That was until the Talos came along. I know that this is a bit of a spoiler but these have literally travelled with me everywhere since I first started listening to them and while there are a few quirks, once I got them where I wanted, I have really enjoyed them.

I will get into those details in just a moment but let’s follow the usual schedule and start off with the presentation.



Presentation…

Dunu have a habit of making a good job of packaging and presenting their IEMs, although they do have a few strange tendencies, usually in the form of including things that aren’t really needed (airplane adapter anyone?). In this case they have included something that wasn't necessary but not in the form of accessories.

Packaged in a simple but elegant box, we get the Talos IEMs, the cable, 9 sets of tips in 3 different types, a green coloured transport case, a cleaning tool and a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter.

I have to mention one of the types of tips included as they are something that I have not come across before. I am not sure if these are a Dunu creation (I should have probably researched this ) but included are some tips that are almost square ended and are of much stiffer silicone than is usually found. They are a little difficult to explain so here is a photo:



I was curious to try out these tips and did use them for a few days but personally I struggled with the seal and didn’t find them extremely comfortable but, as always, everyones experience will be different. However, it is nice to see them to continue innovating and trying new things.

Unfortunately there is no cable with interchangeable connectors included with the Talos but it is nice to see that they have opted for a 2 pin connection (even if that means I can’t steal the cable from the Vulkan for the Talos ).

I really have no complaints with the presentation of the Talos, although the green case did confuse me a little as nothing else is green, still a nice case though!



Build and aesthetics…

The IEMs are of a tear drop shape, using a matte black finish with copper highlights and I have to say that I really like them. They are not flashy but they are still interesting and I find them to look elegant. I took the on a recent business trip and did not feel at all out of place in the conference room surrounded by Bose and B&O wearing colleagues. In fact, I received a few pleasant comments on the Talos paired with its almost titanium coloured cable and the Go Blu.

But I digress!

The build quality is good, with good comfort and a very lightweight combination of metal shells and cable. Yes, I would have preferred the cable that came with the Vulkan but this is not an inferior cable, it’s just lacking the termination options.

The IEMs also have a little switch on the side of them that is to turn on or off the BA driver, allowing just planar or turning them into a planar+BA combination. The switch is labelled in its two positions as “On” or “1”, which I again find a little strange, but the functionality is fine, so no complaints.

There really isn’t much more I can say about build and aesthetics, they are great.



Sound…

(As always, all tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to reference the song in the streaming platform of your choice)

Now, remember I said in the presentation section that Dunu had included something unnecessary but it wasn't part of the accessories? Well, that "something" is the BA driver.

That may sound a little cruel but, honestly, try as I may, I cannot seem to find a moment where I feel the BA actually adds something positive to the equation.

Here is a graph of the Talos, both with and without the BA active, in comparison to my usual preference graph:



In case I haven't said it enough lately, let me just remind people that my preference target is just a general guide and is not necessarily a rule that means I will or won't like something.

Ok, so I already said that I don't like the BA driver in this set, so all of my opinions are based on using the Talos with only the planar driver active.

Even with only the planar driver active, I still found the upper regions to be a little harsh for my tastes. It was one of those cases that it was so close that I felt that I needed to find the tips that worked for me with them. I worked my way through the tips that are included without finding the "right one" for me, I also tried the usual Crystals, Springs and a few others that I default to. But it wasn't until I tried the foam tips from the IE600 that everything clicked into place for me!

In case you don't know, the Sennheiser tips for the IE600 have a built in filter and they seem to tame the upper ranges just the right amount for me to find that the Talos have now become my favourite planar IEMs, replacing the S12 as my default set.

I guess I already gave away the fact that I really enjoy these IEMs, so I guess it's time to break it down into the usual steps to try and explain why I like them.

Starting off with the subbass…

The subbass is a little tamer on the Talos with the IE600 tips than the stock tips, yet it is just around where I like it. As you probably all know by now, I am not someone who favours excessive bass in general (although there are exceptions) and I find that the Talos with the tip change gives me just the right amount for my usual music choices and general listening sessions.

Using the usual “Chameleon” assault on subbass, the rumble is there but not to the extent that it is on so many other sets. This is due both to the reduction in subbass and also the midbass, which I will comment on in just a second. The subbass of “Chameleon” may not be a brain rattling experience with the Talos but it is a great listening experience, especially when volume levels are increased slightly above my usual listening levels (which are quite low). The lowest notes are extremely clean and detailed, swapping a bit of quantity for quality in comparison to other planar sets that I have tried recently.

The midbass is the part of the tuning that has really made me fall for the Talos. There is a noticeable reduction in comparison to the S12 for example, the planar set that has been my go to for quite some time now. While I do like the extra warmth that the S12 provides on occasions for certain recordings, especially for bass guitars and lower ranges of electric guitars and even to give body to acoustic guitars, the Talos just seems more correct to my ear in this region. Yes, there are occasions in which I do find myself missing that extra little bit of subbass and midbass, depending on track and my mood, but as I mainly use the iFi Gryphon or Go Blu, that extra bass is only a quick press of a button away (and the Talos reacts to it beautifully).

The midbass is very clean and tracks like “No Sanctuary here” are detailed and well composed in their lower end, giving me bass without ever making it the centre of attention (unless I click that button ).

The only other set that has matched this in the subbass and midbass regions has been the Dioko, however, it falls way behind on details and performance in comparison.

In the higher part of the midbass moving into the lower mids, this is where there could maybe be just a few extra dB to really make it perfect for me. With bass lines that are instrumental and not electronic in nature, I get the feeling that everything is clean and detailed, only leaving me with a craving for a little extra body on somethings like the guitar in “Hotel California (Acoustic)” or “Hurt” by Johnny Cash, yet the cleanliness and detail is more than enough to make up for it (in my personal experience of course, your mileage may vary) and there is absolutely zero bleed into the mids themselves.

The mids themselves are well balanced with the lower ranges, giving me what I feel is just the right amount of presence in the lower ranges of vocals, especially female vocals (which I listen to a lot of). If the midbass was higher, then I think that the mids would be a little lean as a result, however, as they are, I feel that they are well placed.

There is also a lot of detail in the mids, with “The Expert” by Yello showing detail that has not been apparent in other planar sets (except maybe for the iSine, which is a different story). Vocals, such as Alison Krauss in “Down To The River To Pray” are well balanced and provide a good amount of detail. There is not quite as much body in her vocals as on other sets but at the same time she is neither smoothed over nor is she missing any detail that I do find to be more absent on other alternatives.

The upper mids (and the lower treble) are the areas that I didn’t find as great when using the Talos with the stock tips (or other silicone tips that I have tried). It is strange as I tried doing various measurements with different tips that really don’t show much difference on paper (you can see them and compare them on achoreviews.squig.link) yet to my ears, these ranges seem to be more controlled and smoother with the foam IE600 tips. I am sure that there are other tuning filters that can create the same outcome and I plan to give them a try, to see if I can get this smoothness and balance while using silicone tips (not that I don’t like the Senn foams, it is just that foams are not the best for daily abuse when using IEMs regularly).

There are still some tracks, even with the IE600 tips, that can come across as a little harsh on the Talos. Things like “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson have too much emphasis in this region, obviously caused by the sum of the recording and the tuning. However, a track that I use a lot for calculating harshness in the upper vocal ranges is “Don’t You Worry Child” as Beth’s voice can become quite harsh and shouty, and it is actually quite listenable. It doesn’t eliminate the shoutyness or harshness completely but is certainly tolerable, something that is by no means a regular occurrence on sets with a slightly forward upper mid and lower treble range.

Moving into the treble ranges, there is a good extension and no shortage or airiness and openness to the higher ranges. Unfortunately there is a presence of sibilance and tracks that are sibilant in their recordings, such as the intro to “Hope Is A Dangerous Thing” or even “Billie Jean” that I mentioned previously will come across with that harshness in the sibilance range. To judge increase (or dampening) of sibilance, I like to use “Code Cool” as I feel that on a well balanced set, Patricia Barber is always on the verge of sibilance, with just a hint that appears but doesn’t become uncomfortable. With this track on the Talos, I would say that if we use -12 to +12 scale, counting well balanced as 0, then this set puts it at +2 in the sibilance range, where something like the S12 is a -1. Basically I am saying that sibilance is a little hotter than it should be but it is only uncomfortable on specific tracks. I would personally tame it down a little with EQ in this region but it is not something that I find obligatory to enjoy the Talos.

One thing that I have mentioned a couple of times throughout this review is detail. I have said in the past that I haven't really found a set of planar IEMs that have been overly impressive in the detail category except for the Audeze iSine LX. The issue with the iSine is that it needs major equalisation in order for the tuning to be anything near what I would consider correct (they are also huge!).

In the case of the Talos, I find that these are the first set of IEMs from this local batch that have actually impressed me as far as details. It may not be up to the detail levels of something like a Hifiman over ear (which is to be expected), yet it does provide the level of detail that I would like to expect from a planar driver. It is fast to react and keeps background details well separated and clear even on fast paced and busy tracks.

In the soundstage part of things, I feel that the Talos is actually above average for a set or IEMs. It is not a huge open space yet there is plenty of width and the placement of images is well defined. The detail along with the image placement makes things like “Bubbles” a very immersive experience.



The isolation of the Talos is also fairly decent, being above average in most of the frequency ranges. Ok, it is not quite the level of good earplugs but it is enough for you to enjoy the music without anything interfering. I used them on a couple of 4 hour flights and while the engine rumbling was evident in quiet or silent passages, I had no complaints while music was playing.



Conclusion…

There are so many different planar models out there at the moment that it is difficult for a set to offer something that the others don’t. Other sets offer more bass (such as the PR1) but are not exactly what I am looking for, others offer good tuning (such as the Dioko) but lack in details, and until now, the S12 have been the set that has most clicked into my personal preferences but still had things that I wasn’t quite ecstatic about.

The Talos has appeared with a tuning that I like (for the most part, at least after the tip change) and has added something that I felt was mediocre on most of the others, the detail and speed that I would want to expect from a set of planar IEMs.

The Talos are still not perfect of course, that upper mids/lower treble can still be a little harsh (even with the filters built into the tips) and the BA I find is something that only works to add pain to an upper frequency range that is already at the limit of where I would want to be. But this hasn’t stopped them from becoming my favourite set of planar IEMs to date.

There are still times when I would prefer the S12 with it’s slightly higher midbass and smoothed over details, mainly for BGM consisting of acoustic and electrical instruments etc. Yet if I am wanting something to immerse myself in the music and experience the detail and quality of the track, then I feel that the Talos has moved much closer to that goal.

As always, this review is also available in Spanish both on my blog (www.achoreviews.com) and on YouTube (www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

All FR measurements of IEMs can be viewed and compared on achoreviews.squig.link

All isolation measurements of IEMs can be found on achoreviews.squig.link/isolation

General info/Build/Packaging/Comfort
Dunu entered the planar space with their debut Planar Hybrid (Planar + 2BA), also adding a switch for the IEM with the ability to switch the hybrid mode on or off. The shell is made out of aluminium with a matte black colorway, very premium looking and also no weird protruding edges that will compromise comfort. I have used the Talos for long listening sessions and found them to be comfortable with the stock SS eartips (also a new eartips from Dunu which will go on sale sometime soon).

As for packaging, you should expect nothing less from Dunu as they are always on top of the game when it comes to their product’s packaging. Very positive unboxing experience for me, a hard case with denim like material, three types of eartips including the new SS eartips, a solid OCC silver plated Litz cable (flexible and not stiff, a little microphonics).



Gears used for this review

• Topping DX1 + iFi Zen Air Can
• Hidizs XO Dongle
• Aune M2, Cayin N5
• Macbook Air M2’s 3.5mm port

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression
Talos sounds very neutral and balanced to my ears. In terms of tonality, Talos is U shaped sounding, hence quite balanced across the spectrum and suitable for quite a number of genres out there. There is also a switch on the Talos that will activate the hybrid mode if you flick the switch on both the L and R’d earpiece to ON. We will go into that in detail later on. Timbre on Talos is quite natural and realistic, another plus point for a planar based IEM.

Bass

• Bass control is very good in both planar and hybrid mode, adequate texture and clean
• Sub bass does rumble when the track calls for it, but nowhere near bass head kind of bass presentation, I would put it as a more realistic bass presence, not too boosted or lacking in terms of quantity
• Mid bass is slightly lacking in terms of punch but adequate to enjoy the music
• Bass presentation is nicely done overall, not overly boosted nor sounded roll off, just nice in my opinion, or in other words, realistic bass (may varies depending on how one perceive bass quantity and quality)

Mids

• Vocal positioning is not recessed nor too forward to the point where it feels literally in your face, just several step back before the point where it sounded recessed
• Female vocal sounded very sweet and it has got good texture, doesn’t sound nasally and thin, Faye Wang’s voice in Tian Kong sounded very mesmerising and very enjoyable listening to it via Talos
• Male vocal with low baritone such as Zhao Peng, sounded a little thin, somehow lacking a little weight to my ears, a little added warmth will somehow thickens the vocal at that range in my opinion, but the rest of the male artist such as The Beatles, Joji, Queens, they are generally sounding good with sufficient texture
• The mid range is lush generally and very pleasant to listen to, upper mids are okay with the usual pinna gain, not harsh nor fatiguing

Treble

• Talos’s treble is nicely done, even on pure planar mode, the treble has good extension and plenty of details, never once it sounded harsh nor sibilant, smooth to my ears
• When the hybrid mode has been switched on, the treble is further elevated, especially on the brilliance, air, and also the presence region, this in turn also enhance the soundstage making it sound bigger, but at the expense of being a lot more brighter, it is either a love it or hate it kind in my opinion
• The enhanced soundstage on hybrid mode is enjoyable, at the same time, it also brought out a lot of details, and personally i can only tolerate it for a track or two, because it gets fatiguing after a little while
• Detail retrieval on planar mode is decent, as mentioned above, it is further enhanced when you switch on the hybrid mode allowing you to pick up even more micro details

Soundstage/Imaging

• Talos’s soundstage is wide and also have good height presentation, a little lacking on the depth but it does sounds wide and very enjoyable to listen to especially on tracks like Toto’s Africa Live, that is on planar only mode
• Switching the hybrid mode on, the soundstage is even bigger, but at this point of time I do feel it is a little too wide and perhaps too artificial?
• Imaging on both planar and hybrid mode is decent, good layering and also instruments can be pinpointed easily

Driveability
Talos is easy to drive and you will be able to get decent volume/loudness from your usual 3.5mm port out from your smartphone, however it does scale with better source as well as amplification, amplification is not necessary but it does help to better certain aspect in terms of tighter bass as well as slightly better dynamics. I personally enjoyed listening via Aune M2’s DAP as it is using a Class A amplification within the DAP, very good synergy to my ears.



Final Thoughts
I have heard and reviewed several planar IEMs prior to Talos, namely Letshuoer’s S12, Tangzu’s Ze Tian Wu, TinHifi’s P1 Max, Moondrop’s Stellaris and 7Hz’s Dioko. Each of them have their pros and cons without a doubt, even Talos, but what makes Talos stand out among the pack is the inclusion of a switch to activate/deactivate the hybrid mode, also the tuning of Talos is nicely done in a way where it is balanced and pleasant to listen to. At times where you feel like you want to hear more details in the track, just switch on the hybrid mode and you’re good to go, kinda like two tuning in one IEM, the flexibility offered is definitely a plus point. Without a doubt, Talos is leading the pack for the current “Planar War”.
A solid 4.5/5 from me and I have no problem recommending it to anyone who is currently on the lookout for a planar IEM.

*This unit is sent over by @DUNU-Topsound F.O.C in exchange of this review, all thoughts are of my own and i am not under any influence to produce this review nor do i receive any monetary compensation for this review.

Head over to Dunu’s official store to grab a pair if you are interested in getting one (It is currently on a 20$ discount from 199 to 179)
Dunu Talos Product Page
Dunu Talos Store Link - Non affiliated

Dunu Talos Review​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Dunu Talos is an in-ear monitor (IEM) utilizing a planar-magnetic driver and two optional balanced armatures (BAs) per housing. The BAs can be activated with a toggle switch. The Talos normally retails for $199.99 but is on sale for $179.99 at the time of writing this review. Dunu sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Dunu Talos with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• E1DA 9038D

MUSIC:​

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Dunu Talos comes in a medium-sized rectangular black box. The Talos is pictured on the front of the box’s slipcover, and technical specifications for the Talos and Dunu’s corporate contact information are provided on the rear of the slipcover. The lid of the box features Dunu’s logo. Inside the box are the included semi-rigid zippered carry case, a small rectangular cardboard box that stores the included 2-pin cable, and a foam mounting sheet that holds the IEMs. Confusingly, the Talos includes an instruction booklet for one of Dunu’s modular cables, but the included 2-pin cable is not modular. This is disappointing considering the Dunu Falcon Pro included a modular cable. The only other piece of included documentation is a quality control pass chit.


The Talos includes nine pairs of silicone eartips in three different styles. The first is a set of light grey conventional eartips (S, M, L), the second is a shorter, squatter set of black wide-bore eartips (S, M, L), and the third is a set of cylindrical tips which resemble a factory version of flip-tips (S, M, L). The Talos also includes a Dunu-branded velcro zip tie, a cleaning brush, and a Dunu-branded 3.5mm to 1/4" adapter.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Dunu Talos has water droplet-shaped faceplates. The center of the faceplate features a raised circular plateau marked with a stylized golden “D.” This raised section is surrounded by concentric grooves. The lip of the faceplate is rimmed with gold trim. The toggle switches that activate the BAs are located on the forward-facing side of the IEM. The off position is labeled “1,” and the on position is labeled “ON.” The 2-pin housings are flush with the rest of the shell. There are small “L” and “R” indicators near the base of the 2-pin housings. Each IEM has a pinprick circular vent near the base of the nozzle and three tiny ovular vents along the bottom of the housing. The nozzles are metal with metal mesh covers. The nozzles have substantial lips to secure eartips.

The included 2-pin cable uses a quad-braid below the Y-split and double-helix braids above the Y-split. The cable uses silver-plated wires with transparent rubber sheathing. The 3.5mm jack and Y-split hardware have a reflective, glossy finish. The jack uses a straight form factor. The Y-split is marked with the unit serial number. The cable features pre-formed earguides and a chin-adjustment choker. The cable is moderately microphonic.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Dunu Talos is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a shallow insertion depth with most eartips. Secureness of fit and isolation are poor. I was forced to use the largest size of the included wide-bore eartips to get a reasonably secure fit. There is no driver flex.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Dunu Talos can be found on my expanding squig.link database:
Dunu Talos — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

With the BAs off, the Dunu Talos has a neutral tuning with a moderate sub-bass boost.
The Dunu Talos has above-average sub-bass extension. The bass does lack physicality, even on intense electronic dance tracks. However, the speed of bass articulation is excellent, as are bass texture and resolution. There is no mid-bass bleed.
The Talos has a vocal-forward midrange with textbook pinna gain centering at 2.5 kHz. Male vocals have grit and some body, while female vocals are rich and vibrant without being oversaturated. While the Talos has excellent midrange clarity and detail retrieval in most respects, I did feel that male vocals were not rendered with the same resolution as other types of midrange instrumentation. The internal resolution of female vocals is slightly better. There is a hint of planar plasticity to the midrange timbre but it did not impede my listening enjoyment. There is an appropriate level of presence.
What sets the Talos apart from similarly-priced IEMs is its treble response. In its stock configuration, the Talos has a detailed yet even treble response that avoids any harsh peaks. Even with the BAs off, the Talos has exceptional treble extension. There is ample sparkle and air but not too much of either. Overall resolution and detail retrieval are terrific, and the Talos has class-leading instrument separation. Imaging and soundstage width and depth are above average but not amazing.
The optional BAs are a tool best reserved for slower and darker-sounding recordings. For music with a heavy emphasis on top-end percussion, particularly fast-paced analog drums, I found that the lower treble emphasis created by the BAs was too strong. However, for slower ambient tracks, I felt that the BAs offered me greater insight into the soundscapes and textures.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Dunu Talos requires at least a modest dedicated source device with power delivery capabilities beyond what the Apple dongle can provide without circumventing the hardware volume limitation on Android. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Dunu Talos puts many of the IEMs under $300 I have heard to shame in terms of both tuning and technicalities. I do think the optional BAs are limited to niche applications, and I would love to see a streamlined, planar-magnetic-only version of the Talos for a modestly reduced price. Even so, the Talos is easily worth its retail price and is a no-brainer purchase on sale.
The Dunu Talos can be purchased below:
TALOS | DUNU (dunu-topsound.com)

A few weeks back, DUNU came up with a Planar+ Dual BA hybrid set of in-ear monitors namely Talos. Talos came with a new 14.6mm full-frequency range planar magnetic driver equipped with two Balanced Armatures for the treble region. The pair featured a two-way switch to choose between the two options. I got to try the Talos courtesy of a review tour, Let’s begin with my review.

Before I begin, I would like to thank @gadgetgod and HiFiGo for the review tour of DUNU Talos. Be assured all the impressions in this review are my own without any influence from my friend GadgetGod or from the organizer HiFiGo. The only thing that affects my judgment is my own personal listening preferences, I personally like good sub-bass with a thick midrange and sparkly, energetic highs. You can check more details on the HiFiGo link below.

https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-talos (Hifigo)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFF8P26W/dunu+talos/ (Amazon non-affiliated)

Design:-
Talos gets a beautiful design with matte-finished teardrop-shaped shells. With a matte black textured design, you also get a shiny golden outlining on the face cover area. At the center here we have the DUNU logo engraved. The shape and form factor of the Talos ear shells is quite comfortable to me. I find a good fit with the pair with good isolation as well. DUNU has included their new S&S silicone ear tips with the Talos. These have a straight cylindrical shape. At first, I was skeptical that they will give me a good fit or isolation, but to my surprise, they fit quite well.
There is a two-way mode switching switch present at the top of the pair. Which is placed right next to the two-pin connectors. The included cable here with the Talos has fixed 3.5mm connectors. This is kind of disappointing because most DUNU IEMs I have seen so far include a modular cable system.

Impressive design, a comfortable fit, and a simple cable.

Sound Quality:-
I used my xDuoo Link 2 BAL mainly with the DUNU Talos. It drives the Talos well enough without much trouble. To start with, I find the Talos to have a crisp, detailed sound with a tight lower end and precise instruments. Talos packs a good amount of resolution, much crispier than the Hook-X that I own. Female vocals sound better to me while I find the Male vocals to be a bit thinner than what I prefer. Bass punch is very good and accurate. It extends well into the sub-bass region as well. Treble response is crisp, quite crisp I would say. Instruments in their highs show good prominence and are upfront. DUNU delivers a wide soundstage with the Talos. The pair simply hooks me with its sound!!

The planar driver here works so well that it delivers quality imaging and resolution. The pair sounds clean and crisp for everything right from the lower end to the treble region. Overall, I am impressed by the crisp, tight sound from the Talos.

With the Dual BA enabled(On on the switch), Talos increases the amount of details you get from the Treble region. It sounds cleaner than before. The difference isn’t huge, but it’s there and easily notable with high-bitrate tracks(I tried some DSDs and some 24-Bit/192kHz files). Although, Dual BA introduces some brightness in the signature. It was not present before with the Planar-only mode.

DUNU Talo RaptGo Hook X:-
A few months back I bought the Hook X when it was launched in my country. It’s a beautiful-sounding pair that I enjoy daily. Since both the pairs have Planar Hybrid configurations and similar sound profiles, I feel like I should compare them in this review.

RaptGo Hook X packs a more powerful bass response compared to the Talos, Talos on the other hand has more refinement to its lower end. Vocals have a better body and sound richer on the Hook-X, Talos has crispier sounding but slightly lean vocals. Talos presents much more details and resolution throughout the frequency band compared to the Hook-X. Hook-X is still one of my favorites with its fun and musical presentation, Talos on the other hand impresses me with its crispness and its resolution.

Conclusion:-
Being DUNU’s first planar hybrid, the DUNU Talos is a wonderful-sounding set. The pair as I mentioned above impresses me with its detailing and resolution. The dual BA mode gets sharp but the pure Planar mode sounds exciting and actually complements my Hook-X with its presentation.

DUNU TALOS - The absolute budget Planar STAR!!

The current wave of budget planars has gotten me super excited as they do a lot more than what I have experienced with traditional BA and DD based iems that I have tried so far. Latest in this assembly line of amazing iems is Dunu Talos, an iem that looks the way it sounds, which is beautiful.



Before going ahead with my impressions, I would like to thank Hifigo for including me in this review tour. You can read the technical details about this iem by visiting the below mentioned link.

https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-talos



You can purchase Talos from the link above or from Amazon using the link provided below :-

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFF8P26W/dunu+talos/



My Testing was done using Astell & Kern Kann Max and with the switch off on Talos. Let’s dive straight into the impressions now.

Bass – The bass is pretty tight, decently extended and well articulated for the price. I would have preferred a bit more in terms of both extension as well as the quality but at the price point that this IEM retails for, I really have no complaints. It is not a bassy IEM per se but it shows up as and when required in the song and it doesn’t sound lean or anemic.



Mids – overall the mids are on the warmer side, they sound clear, has a decent amount of body and also does convey the emotional aspects of the vocals very well for the price. The Mids are neither too forward nor to resist, I found them to be at a perfect level that is suitable for all kind of recordings/tracks. The strings have a decent amount of bite that kept me interested throughout and the upper mids didn’t have any fatigue or harshness to them, thereby letting me enjoy the electric guitars too without them overwhelming me at any point of time.



Treble – Decent treble extensions add to the experience along with a not so exaggerated presence, which gives an overall sweeter/darker tone to the iems, without really compromising on the details. The is no harshness that I felt cymbal crashes and the upper treble region had adequate air to keep me interested.



Tonality, Dynamics, Separation and layering – Overall, tonally these IEMs lean slightly towards the darker side for me, especially when comparing to the other IEMs that I have heard like the 7HzTimeless and Shuoer S12. They aren’t muddy and sound pretty clean and crisp. The tonal weight is pretty decent as well, slightly thicker than S12 imo. Dynamics are pretty decent on this one, slightly muted when compared to S12 imo. But it was still enough to keep me interested. Separation and layering are excellent as well, at par with others in the stable of the modern planar iems.





Stage and Imaging – Soundstage and imaging on this iem falls somewhere between S12 and tin hifi P1 max for me, where P1 Max << Talos << S12. It is quite wide and has very tall images which I have noticed across the board more or less with this latest crop of budget planars. Positional cues are fairly accurate, enough to identify the instruments fairly easily in the mix. The depth is probably the only aspect of staging where I find this iem to lack a bit. But again, no real complaints considering the price tag of Talos.



Conclusion – This nicely warmish pair of iems are right up my alley, having a warm laidback presentation for long, fatigue free session. I’ll mostly buy one for myself, now that I have gotten a chance to listen to the Talos, courtesy Hifigo. Thanks a tonne to them!!

TONALITY (planar mode): 8.6/10
(Hybrid mode): 7.4/10
TECHNICALITIES (planar mode): 8.4/10
(Hybrid mode): 8.2/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.5/10


DUNU is a well established earphones company with mroe than 10 years of experience. In my 10 years Chifi journey, I've test numerous IEM'S from them including budget single DD DM480, excellent hybrid DK-2001, very impressive Berylium DD Luna and energic fun sound Zen. Let say Dunu are very prolific lately and launch very diversify IEM and even good dongle like DTC500.
Today I will review one of their latest release, the Dunu Talos.
Priced 199$, the Talos is a Planar + 2 balanced armature hybrid with a tuning switch that permit you to choose between single planar or hybrid mode. They are the first to launch an Hybrid of this type and let say it represent an utopia becoming true. Its THAT exciting to me, the possibility to change soundsignature in a more drastic way that slight crossover change we often found with multi-BA'S with tuning switch.
But will it sound exciting too? Let check in this ''dualistic'' review.

CONSTRUCTION




Dunu rarely if ever disappoint with its construction quality and here it another prime example of excellent craftmanship with an all metal construction that feel as much sturdy that it look good. The housing scream durability even if it have an elegant sober design. As well, its the first time the tuning switch are well implemented and user friendly, in the sens you don't even need to pull out the IEM, you can switch it on the go when it's in you ears...so, this happen to me often, when i need more treble bite to enjoy this user friendly sound tweaking.
Back to construction, the 2pin connector seem sturdy and the rather thick housing sit comfortably in my ears. Ear hook is mandatory for these type of shell and the included cable do great job for this.



Talking about cable, i was very impress by the quality of it, it's a 4 thick cores High-purity Silver-Plated Monocrystalline Copper cable. For once, i don't feel to upgrade it unless i need to go balanced way, this cable match Talos tonality perfectly and doesn't justify intense quest for upgrading it. Nice look, Sturdy built. Comfy ear hook. What to ask more?



Well, a good quality carrying case and plenty of ear tips perhaps, because Dunu cover this too. Let say whole packaging is excellent and 9 pairs of different ear tips are excellent too since it even include the new horn shaped silicone eartips that was missing in my collection. This is giving good result with the Talos, its my fav ear tips after short wide bore that isn't include but offer very open sound presentation. It include a cleaning brush and 6.5mm plug adapter. Excellent accessories.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS




TONALITY

Planar Mode: Smooth mature neutral to warm W shape, their slight sub bass boost and good mids presence emphasis, treble without being completly dark is smooth, creamy yet with some snap when needed, not very airy or sparkly tough.

The planar mode is my favorite one by a big margin, it's laid back in edgyness and just enough dynamic to avoid overly lean presentation that would lack dynamic. This make it perfect for long time listening session with great immersivity to it due to an open soundstage, very wide and holographic. To note that ear tips choice will drastically inflict on sound presentation, i use short wide bore eartips for this review, result is similar to Dunu Horn tips but taller and wider and less compressed in sound layers.

The bass have minimal punch to it, just enough to perceive kick drum energy, it's well controlled and keep the mids clean. The sub bass is a hint more boosted, so with som trap rap you can be surprise by the slam it deliver, this Talos can deliver rumble when needed but doesn't pack a big weighty chunky punch nor are aimed for basshead at all. Its quality bass, well textured, clean in presence and fast enough in control. With the track ''Moonlight'' from IAMDD, its evident that kick have less amplitude impact than sub bass line, yet, even is vibrant and well bodied the sub line stay in the back of the female singer, which avoid veiling or vocal recession. This is a very versatile low end that don't sound boomy or muddy not rolled off, acoustic bass extend naturaly with realist texture, so for jazz it's excellent, for rock, electric bass too sound great but perhaps beat heavy music that need lot of bass thump will sound less energic and not induce headbanging.

Mid range might be my favorite part of the Talos, since it sound very natural and smooth for a planar. Its a hint warm, yet not lacking in resolution which have excellent transparency to permit accurate instruments presence positioning. Timbre is dense, organic with just enough texture to make it captivating. Female vocal are very good, very appealing, fowards and open with wide presence and hint of breathyness to them like I love. Their no sibilance apart if present in the recording, it will not over soft upper mids presence even if its quite smoothed. In the other hand, male vocal are a bit more recessed in dynamic, yet clear and well define in presence so they never feel too dark, just not as bodied as female singer. When I do my piano test on an IEM and it pass it gloriously, i know the mid range is excellent and this is one of these rare case here with the Talos: near full range of piano sound incredible, we have good note weight and natural resonance too, the note are well rounded and full in rendering, rich intexture yet not too boosted in noise artefact, it's lush, its round and full, and most of all doesn't sound distant, thin or dry. Talos are made for Piano and Female vocal lover it seem. Are they tune for me then? Well, i would love a bit more bite for violin, as well as cleaner space between note for piano too, so, their perhaps a warm sustaint after attack here, quite inherent to planar driver in general.

I will have more to talk about in Balanced Armature mode for treble section, but this doesn't mean it'S lacking in planar mode, not at all in fact, as said it's not an overly dark set, just smoothed in higher range texture, soft in edge and a bit euphonic in macro rendering. In fact, we even have extra snap for percussions. We are in safe treble territory where lower treble is dark and instrument presence not overly boosted in brightness-texture detailing. Sure, the Talos doesn't put fowards lot of micro-details in planar mode, but nuance is there and speed too, especially in how sound layers are well articulated. Splash cymbals can feel a bit scooper in extension but this avoid harshness too. Overall, it sound full and warm here, with just enough minimal brilliance for acoustic guitar or percussions to sound alive. Percussions part can be extremely fast and precise in attack, snare too, so again, for jazz lover this can be super rewarding listening since you got a non fatiguing yet exciting macro-musicality.

Technicaly, these are quite good for a planar, and on par with Letshuoer S12 and Tangzu Zetian. Attack speed is fast but attack have slightly smoothed sustain, yet it doesn't stole completly natural resonance, just warm it a little. Resolution while good haven't the cleanest definition and we struggle to really see ''silence'' between instrument, this is compensate by a grear layering capacity due to fast sound projection that avoid muddyness in busy track even if definition of each instrument will not be 100% sharply define. Their often a sens of euphony to planar accuracy and the Talos take advantage of this, it have this organic cohesion with extra treble speed that offer a good all-arounder performance.


Hybrid Mode: Bright balanced W shape to analytical neutral, with extra focus on mid treble where the texture get boosted and attack bite more edgy and immediate.

OK, here the biggest difference with Planar mode is all in treble section, so it's a bit redundant to describe bass part, yet, let say it feel more recessed and less clear, due to more textured and opaque sound layer that affect overall transparency. We can say kick drum is more textured too, so its mostly sub bass that feel more recessed here.

Now, the mids aren't my favorite part of Talos Hybrid mode, they become brighter and hint shoutier and more prompt to sibilance, its more textured and benefit some instrument like violin and electric guitar which become more upfront, energic and edgy in attack. Timbre tough is less natural and affected by balanced armature slight metallic sheen in timbre. Transparency too isn't as good as planar mode. Clarity while boosted in presence, isn't as open and well layered. Pina gain being more important, it can induce fatigue. I do feel saxophone is richer and better define in space, cello have more grunt too. Piano isn't as felt in weight and natural resonance isn't as airy. Overall mid range seem a bit compressed under treble section.

And there we are, the 2 balanced armature seem to boost 6khz and up section and indeed it isn't trying to hide it's presence at all, it's quite in your face in term of energic boost, yet stay cohesive a a ''bright whole''. Here the Talos become W shape analytical, it dig alot of sound info and can overwhelmed us with micro details. Its very snappy yet not very sparkly still. Yet, this benefit certain genre, like string quartet are notably more energic and richer in texture as well as more define in attack, sure it's bright but in a good way here. Clavichord too gain in immediacy, resolution and attack speed. If your not treble sensitive, rock can be very lively listen too, with abrasive detailed guitar line, highlight kick drum texture presence and snare impact, offer an ultra detailed and snappy musicality with unapological agressivity. Acoustic guitar too gain in bite and definition sharpness. Simply put, BA mode is for treble head and I do appreciate that it offer a very different soundsignature that planar mode.

Technicaly, the attack speed is pretty similar to planar mode but highs are more detaileds, crunchy and snappy, while i feel resolution loose some natural refinement, it gain vividness, its not cleaner but edgier. We have more extra dynamic loudness quantity, all concentrate in treble so this indeed shadow some part of lows and mids, especially in openess and proper perceived decay of attack. Soundstage get affected by the BA's, which stole the holographic wideness and deepness and make the sound more in your head as if your very near the stage. Instrument separation have less space because it's mroe saturated with sound info, incluing background noise artefacts.

COMPARISONS

VS SHUOER S12

Talos is smoother L shape to neutral, less vivid and bright in dynamic, less mid bass punchy. S12 is brighter, with more upper mids bite and fowards vocal and texture. Timbre is a bit less smooth, natural, liquid but dynamic is more hefty and lively. Bass is chunkier, more define in punch but less clean and extended-rumbly and more prompt to bleeding than Talos, which have cleaner mid range, leaner yet better resolve ,effortles way. Treble is more snappy and agressive with the S12, in a good way since it offer more lively and immersive dynamic rendering, sharper in details yet not as rich in sound info than Talos which deliver high amount of details in a delicate way, with less highs grain and more transparent but not as holographic presentation. About this, Soundstage seem more out of your head and wide with the S12, yet layering is thicker and more prompt to muddyness.
BA MODE: Now, the Talos become more ''trebly agressive'', its resolution that was superior is now intensely better and a more energic way, female vocal are as upfront than S12, perhaps more bright (slight instance of sibilance like S12 too). Soundstage loose in depth. Bass is still untouch and notably less punchy and boosted. But here we have more similar W shape tonality, more bass light and analytical with Talos.

All in all, these 2 are great and quite different in tonal balance, S12 being a more bassy energic W shape while Talos being more mature neutral with slightly better resolution due to less spiky presentation. Both are great choice, but the ride is more fun and less refined with S12.

VS TANGZU ZETIAN WU

Ok, perhaps i'm bias here since these are my fav planar and first thing that hit is how it sound more open, bassier and more mid centric than leaner more neutral Talos. Again, the bass have chunkier punch and weight, yet its warmer in resolution where Talos is more textured and clean. Mid range is fuller, thicker and more natural-euphonic in timbre with the WU, tone of instrument is more versatile and accurate, yet definition is a bit darker while dynamic of vocal jump at you more and is more upfront and highlight than Talos that have less lower mids. Dynamic of the Wu is more W shape and energic, so it have even more note weight too. Transparency go to Talos tough, unless BA mode. Talking BA mode, as expected it become brigther harsher sounding than more mid centric Wu. Yet, even in planar mode the Talos have spikier treble mixed with darker fullness. Imaging is near on par but Wu have wider space between isntrument and more articulate layering.

All in all, the Zetian Wu sound more full bodied and lush in tonality, with heavier dynamic and notably more boosted bass, while I find it's tonality more musicaly appealing, im struggling to conclude it's technical performance is superior since the more neutral Talos have superior transparency, better bass separation and can go from darker to brighter than the Wu.

CONCLUSION



Dunu really create a one-of-a-kind IEM with the Talos, for once I can say that an IEM switch transform the stock neutral tonality to something drastically different, a treble head W shape! This sure open new doors to IEM creation and merit an applause for a first try.

Because of this the Talos sound value is even higher, you have a warmish laid back immersive planar musicality, really versatile and easy to enjoy, with natural appealing timbre and full bodied mid range as well as a near analytical energically bright treble centric tonal balance.
To say the Talos is fascinating is an under statement, in fact, it never finish to surprise you. You feel like having an immediate vividness to your electric guitar or violin attacks? Swith to Hybrid. You feel like enjoying lush vocal and calm piano session? Planar mode is there to cuddle your ears.

While there no doubt I listen 80% of the time to Planar mode that feel more open in spatiality and natural in timbre, I find the 20% of Hybrid mode very entertaining for jazz, rock, folk and instrumental music in general.

The Dunu Talos is a Planar Hybrid IEM like no other that worth to have in any audiophile collection or be considerate for those seeking to taste both planar and balanced armature sound flavor.

Highly recommended!




--------
PS: I want to thanks Dunu for sending me this review sample. I'm not affiliated nor have show this review before publishing it. As always, this is my 100% subjective honest audio impressions.

You can buy the Talos for 200$ from this official retailer: https://www.linsoul.com/products/dunu-talos

For more info about Dunu products, give a look at their official website here:https://www.dunu-topsound.com

For more diversify honest audio reviews, give a look at my ads free, sponsors free, affiliated link free website here:
https://nobordersaudiophile.wordpress.com

The DUNU Talos is my first pair of planars in IEM size. They have the great quality of planars: they are fast with great extension in the bass and treble but without much punch in the bass. This may be a problem for people which like lots of bass, I prefer a more balanced signature and for this Talos is great. This also does not mean that bass is bad: even if there is not lots of bass in quantity, the definition is very nice for the price.



The treble sounds very nice and it is not fatiguing at all, and also well balanced. In this regard, as I mentioned above the headphones have a very balanced tuning, if you like critical listening this is great, or if you like to have room to equalize and obtain the sound signature that you want, or if you dislike v-shaped tuned earphones. Detail is excellent for the price.

It is also great to have a switch to change its sound signature. With the switch they become more analytical, it reminds me of earphones I tested such as Ety er4p. I have not found them especially sibilant, but I am happy with other IEMs that has been claimed to be too bright, so it would depend on your taste. If only DUNU could have done with a second switch position for those that like more bass quantity (not my case) these would be the perfect all-rounder; however I do not think they could implement that much in this size (and planars are not good for bass quantity anyways, even if the bass quality is good and detailed).



I would recommend the eartips that are shown in my pictures, these are great and have not seen them in my previous DUNUs. I also like the Talos with comply or hybrid tips (silicone + foam). I did not like them with silicone tips; I think this may be the cause of some people finding them too bright with the switch on.

The earphones also looks great and paint job looks pretty durable. I am thinking to swap the stock cable for a quality 8-strand one, even though I have no initial complains from the stock one.



In terms of accessories, these are fine considerign the price range (pouch, cleaning brush, mini-jack to jack converter, and a set of eartips). I prefer money being spent on just the IEMs and a good set of eartips, especially for the difficult to find ones such as comply or hybrid, because pouch size as aesthetics may not be of your liking and can be purchased separately (in my case for example I do not like much this DUNU one; not bad in terms of protection, but not my liking in aesthetics/materials used).



A great surprise were the new eartips (shown in my pictures) that has a great fit and, together with comply and hybrids (not supplied) gives the best sound in DUNU Talos. This may vary depending on your ears I think; in any case, I would really recommend to carefully test different eartips as specially with the switch ON I dislike the silicone ones.

Overall impresion for me is GREAT, and I would humbly recommend these to anybody who is looking for a well balanced, detailed IEMs if asked.



Tested so far with IBasso DX50, and with Bang&Olufsen HiFi Plus for G5.

Recently, planar magnetic driver IEMs priced at $200 have been popping up everywhere, and many of them are phenomenal products. This time, TALOS has successfully raised the IEM standard of the $200 flat diaphragm to a higher level (I don't know if it is because DUNU has to prepare for their 20th anniversary). To be honest, in the beginning, I watched various warm-up activities of DUNU, plus various spy photos. I thought that TALOS would at least be an IEM of the same level as VULKAN and SA4, but unfortunately, I guessed wrong. As a new product of DUNU at the price of $200, TALOS maintains the same high level as always in terms of workmanship and accessories and is full of sincerity.

TALOS packaging is straightforward and clear in DUNU products. After pulling out the box, open the TALOS earbud body, and an ancestral but color-changing storage box will be displayed in front of the eyes. TALOS cavity is made of aluminum and brass gold-plated conduit, the overall feeling in the hand is very light. The back of the cavity is made through finishing similar to the corrugated metal texture, the center of the corrugation is the logo of Dayinco. With the teardrop-shaped back cover shape, even putting TALOS at the higher price point will not feel incongruous.

Sound-wise, TALOS is not just a planar magnetic driver IEM. It is also equipped with two balanced armature units and can be turned on and off via the switch lever on the side of the earbuds. Therefore, this article will give a summary description of the sound in the two modes.

In pure planar magnetic driver mode, TALOS has higher requirements for AMP, which I think should not be surprising to most HIFIMAN users or users with planar magnetic driver IEM. This is caused by the characteristics of the planar magnetic driver. When using a mid-range portable DAC such as the DUNU DTC500 and COLORFLY M1, the TALOS does not emit a very unpleasant sound, but the overall sound is still slightly dry, and the high-frequency burr is obvious.

And when I replaced the DAC with Poke 2nd generation, ifi hip-DAC, and other high-power single-ended decoding amps, the performance of TALOS really got on the right track, the sense of hearing suddenly became apparent, and a grand oval sound field unfolded impressively. Although TALOS's high-frequency analysis and vocal performance are its characteristics, this will not affect the relaxed atmosphere of the TALOS tuning style. Especially in the case of good driving, whether the low frequency's elasticity and texture or the mid-frequency's suppleness, it is absolutely worth the money. It is also interesting that when you feed the TALOS, you will find its overall sound warm and gentle rather than the cold sound of the portable DAC.

When the lever is switched to the hybrid mode, the sound field of the TALOS is significantly narrowed compared to the planar magnetic driver mode and replaced by a more rounded standard sound field with a higher density of high-frequency performance. In hybrid mode, 70% of the performance of TALOS can be achieved by using a mid-range portable DAC, but it is still not recommended to use a portable DAC as the first choice for driving TALOS. Its sound has a classic flavor of balanced armature drivers in this mode. The flat diaphragm mainly provides a loose base for the balanced armature drivers in hybrid mode, and the high frequency is basically given to the balanced armature drivers to present. Personally, I am more inclined to choose the planar magnetic driver mode for daily use. In contrast, the hybrid mode is more suitable for listening to small-scale classical music or parlour music. But if you use it to listen to pop music, the flaws of low-quality sources will be exposed.

Introduction
Over the past year or so, we have seen the Chi-Fi Planar IEM space picking up massively and offering a variety of options to planar enthusiasts, which I believe is a great thing. There are a lot of brands like Letshuoer & 7Hz who released planar IEMs such as the Timeless & S12 and they are well celebrated for the sound experience they provide.

Dunu is a well-known brand when it comes to IEMs, and they are known for offering a wide range and variety of IEMs with different driver configurations. So, when a brand like Dunu gets into the Planar Space, one really wants to experience what they have to offer.

Disclaimer
This unit of Dunu Talos has been provided to me as part of the review circle by the team of HifiGo. I am not a professional reviewer and following are my personal impressions of the Talos based on my listening preferences, choice of music and source gear used. I have not been paid or influenced, in any way, to write anything for or against the same.
If you are interested in purchasing the Dunu Talos, you may go ahead and buy it from HifiGo Here or from their Amazon Store Here (both non-affiliate links)

Features and Specs

• 14.6mm Planar Magnetic Driver with Ultra-thin diaphragm
• Dual Customized Balanced Armature Drivers
• Easy switching between Planar and Hybrid (Planar + BA) mode
• CNC machined aluminum alloy cavities
• High-purity Silver-Plated Monocrystalline Copper cable
• Standard 0.78mm 2-pin Connectors
• Impedance 16W
• Sensitivity 100dB

I received the review unit of Dunu Talos along with the stock cable, tips and the carry case but without the retail box therefore I am going to skip the unboxing.

Design & Build
Talos is a beautifully crafted IEM. The shells are made using CNC machined process using aviation grade aluminum alloy material with a nicely textured matt finish and gold-plated brass acoustic cavity structure. There are multiple air vents on the front and rear cavities that form a multi-vent air flow system that helps in achieving dynamic low and response along with good isolation and comfortable wearing experience.

The shells are ergonomic and light weight that makes the Talos very comfortable to wear for long hours without causing any discomfort. Supplied stock cable and connectors are very good quality. Highlight of the package are the new eartips that are made of soft silicone in a unique flat cylindrical shape. According to the brand they offer lively mid-range an enhanced vocals and I did experience the same during my listening. They are also very comfortable to wear and are not as sticky as some of the similar tips made by others.

Sound Impressions
As I mentioned earlier - when a well known company like Dunu chooses to try something new, it’s always generates a lot of curiosity (of course, liking it or otherwise is subjective and we won’t get into that).
Right from the beginning, Talos offer a sound which is smooth but with great level of details and resolution and at no point during my listening, I experienced any hiss or noise. The overall sound is neutral and well balanced without any boost in any specific region. Overall timbre is smooth and organic, and I would not like to call it a Warm or Bright IEM as it maintains coherency in the overall presentation without any extra elevation or recession in a particular region.

The low-end response on Talos is fast and quick like a well-tuned planar. While the bass is not as thunderous as a DD pair, it is very clean, well-controlled and doesn’t sound bloated, congested, or muddy at all. The sub-bass goes deep and with enough rumble where needed in the music.

The midrange on Talos is rather unique and it maintains a very good balance between crisp and smooth. Lower mids on Talos are well separated from bass and while it is slightly laid back, the upper mids are energetic enough to present a very natural and balanced mid-range. Both male and female vocals sound rich and lively while not being overtly forward so nothing sounds in-your-face.

Treble on the Talos is highly resolving and well-extended offering great amount of micro details. This might induce a touch of brightness however it does not get harsh or sibilant and there’s no fatigue.

Technical Performance
In terms of technicalities, Talos provide a nice and open soundstage without losing out on clarity and resolution. Imaging and instrument separation is very good and even while listening to complex tracks, there’s no compromise on clarity and separation.

Planar vs Hybrid Mode
My impressions of Talos so far are recorded on the Planar Mode only. The overall tonality on Planar Mode is neutral and pleasant and even with a hint of brightness it makes for a great listening. However, things change when Hybrid Mode is engaged (with the help of tuning switch as shown in the image), especially in the treble region. It sure offers better details, but at the cost of being peaky, sibilant and can get fatiguing. This may not be a bad thing for treble heads, and I personally know a few people who prefer such treble; however, I am sensitive to peaky treble therefore all my impressions are taken on Planar Only Mode which, in my opinion, is far better than the hybrid mode.

Final words
Dunu Talos is a very well-tuned Planar IEM and for a price of $199 is offers great value. In my opinion, Talos is a great additional to the Planar IEM space and provides a very pleasing and musical sound along-with great technical performance. The build quality is very good and supplied accessories like the Zip Case and Cable certainly add value to the overall package. New eartips are a great addition and I’d recommend everyone to try it once. It’s very thoughtful of Dunu to include a 3.5 to 6.35mm adapter in the package since Talos being a Planar IEM surely shines with better power therefore some people might wanna try it with their desktop AMPs. Although, most people use IEMs on portable gears therefore, in my opinion, it would have been nice if a balanced cable was included in the stock package along with SE adapters however for the price of the package that’s not something I’d complain about too much. It’s a tuning that should satisfy most listeners, unless of course you are a bass-head - in which case look elsewhere. But if you are someone like me who is curious to explore more Planar IEMs, Dunu Talos is certainly a worthy contender you want to try, especially given the price which makes it fairly accessible to most of us IMO.

I have stopped counting the number of planar IEMs coming out this year. Planar Magnetic Driver technology, which was only limited to full-sized headphones or only a few IEMs until last year has got a boom in the IEM industry this year. So many brands including 7Hz, LETSHUOER, KZ, have joined the Planar wars with their own battalions(pairs of IEMs). The latest addition to the Planar world came from DUNU and Moondrop with the release of DUNU Talos and Moondrop Stellaris. DUNU Talos is actually a Planar Hybrid IEM that houses a 14.6mm planar driver and two custom BA drivers. What makes the Talos different from the other Hybrid IEMs in the market is that it features a physical switch that can turn the hybrid crossover off, allowing the users to use it in single planar mode or planar+Dual BA hybrid mode. I have got the Talos right here with me. Personally, I am following the Planar Wars this year where I am trying to listen to all the Planar IEMs being released and share my impressions on them. So far I have auditioned the 7Hz Salnotes Dioko, Timeless, LETSHUOER S12, Z12 Gold Edition, Tin HiFi P1 Plus, P1 Max, RaptGo Hook-X, etc. You can follow my Planar Wars thread on Head-fi over here. Today, I will be sharing my review of DUNU’s latest Planar Hybrid, the DUNU Talos. So before wasting any more time, let’s begin.

A Short Disclaimer:-

I bought DUNU Talos from HiFiGo. They were kind enough to offer me a discount in exchange for my review. Be assured nothing affects my impressions or review of the Talos. I also got a HiFiGo NeckStrap and Leather Buckle in the package(I was among the first 100 orders I guess where they ran this offer). You can check out technical information about the Talos on the HiFIGo store from the link below.

https://hifigo.com/products/dunu-talos
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFF8P26W/dunu+talos/(Amazon)

You can also read my review on Gizaudio website here.
Unboxing the DUNU Talos:-

Let’s get done with the unboxing first. We have the Talos in a beautiful black package. The cover-on has an image of the pair printed on the front with the DUNU branding logo and Hi-Res audio logos. On the back side of this outer cover, we have basic features and the technical specs of the pair printed in different languages. Upon opening up the inner main package, we have the Talos ear shells sitting comfortably in their foam layer on the top side of the package. There’s the traditional Green colored DUNU zipper carry case at the bottom side. The case includes three different packets of silicone ear tips and a 6.35mm adapter. Right underneath the foam layers containing the Talos earpieces, we have a small cardboard box that holds our stock cable.

DUNU Talos comes with a 3.5mm stock cable. I personally kind of expected to get a better modular cable with the Talos as DUNU is known for its premium cables and accessories. Also, Talos benefits from a powerful source, so including a 4.4mm balanced cable could have been a better choice. Coming to the other accessories, we have the new DUNU silicone ear tips in the package. These are super good actually. Straight tube-like form factor with a transparent build and soft silicone in-hand feel. They fit comfortably and have joined hands with SpinFit W1 and Azla SednaEarfit Light in my collection as my favorites.

Package Contents:-

>DUNU Talos Earphones.

>Stock 3.5mm single-ended cable.

>Nine pairs of silicone ear tips(including 3 new DUNU soft-silicone straight tube tips).

>Zipper carry case.

>3.5mm-6.35mm adapter.

Design & Build Quality:-

DUNU has beautifully designed the Talos in a water-droplet shape design. The pair has power-coated matte-finished black face covers. They have a 3-dimensional design with the DUNU logo printed in the center. DUNU has treated the pair with a striking Matte-Black finish and Golden complementing lines. According to the brand, the shells are made up of CNC machined aluminum alloy material, but they have a textured matte stone-like in-hand feel. The cavities might look big at a glance, but they are designed in such a manner that they provide comfortable wear. You can glance at them for hours, and you can wear them for hours. The stock soft-silicone tips serve me well for a comfortable fit and provide me with a good level of isolation from the surrounding noises. Heck, I can even use these at the gym where the speaker is shouting at my head.


TBH, DUNU never disappoints me with its design. I have previously had the pleasure to own the DK3001 Pro, EST112, Falcon Pro, etc. Talos brings a new-generation modern design to the DUNU’s lineup with its majestic looks!!

Driving The DUNU Talos:-

Talos loves power, it shines better with the extra power it's way. It sounds decent with low-power sources too, like with standard smartphone output, but once it gets a decently powerful source like a dedicated digital audio player or a Portable USB DAC/Amp, it shines and delivers better dynamics. I personally paired it with the Questyle M15, HiBy RS2, and Shanling M7. Here are my findings.

Shanling M7+DUNU Talos:-

The power hunger of Talos is being fulfilled here easily, M7 is a mighty powerful device. It drives the Talos amazingly well with brilliant details and crisp high-resolution clarity. Resolution and clarity are top-notch in this combination. M7 powers it easily at around 40/100 volume on medium gain mode.

HiBy RS2+DUNU Talos:-

I actually have to push the volume a little hard on this combination, roughly at around 75/100 on high gain mode. Synergy of Talos and RS2 is amazing, Talos takes the benefit of the organic texture of RS2 and presents an excellent tone for vocals. The Treble is a bit smoothened out here, but still retains a good amount of details. The bass is warm and smooth. Pretty good combo for use on the go.

Sound Impressions:-

Out of all the Planar Magnetic Driver IEMs, I have tried/owned/auditioned so far, Talos has the best tuning so far. The pair delivers an outstandingly detailed sound with a smooth, fast lower-end and a lovely midrange presentation. It’s not an IEM that will deliver you with a deep-hitting bass response but fills your heart with many details from your music. It retrieves the minutest of the details from our music and presents it with utmost clarity and precision. Talos sounds so clean, there’s no sign of background noise or hiss, and you are always greeted with a rich, crisp resolution. The vocals capture my attention with their rich tone and texture.

Talos’s sound delivers excellent coherency throughout the frequency band. The transitions from lower-end to midrange and then midrange to the treble region are smooth and effortless. But not all that glitters is gold here, while the Talos delivers you a fast, detailed sound with excellent resolution, it surely has a bright touch to its sound. Which might not be comfortable for treble-sensitive people. It’s not fatiguing for me, but people sensitive to treble might feel the pair to be sharp. On the Planar+BA hybrid mode, the detail retrieval, and the airiness on the stage, both the things show drastic improvements, but it also introduces more brightness to the sound. I personally use it on the standard Planar mode most of the time. Let’s move forward with the frequency-wise sound description.

Lower-End/Bass Response:-

Talos greets its users with a quick lower-end response. Sub-bass portion reaches deep and presents the listeners with a thunderous rumble. Mid-bass could use some more punch to give a more powerful feel from the lower end. I personally feel Talos has more focus on the sub-bass than the Mid-bass region. Nonetheless, Talos maintains a clean texture throughout the lower end. It doesn’t sound muddy at all.

Midrange:-

As soon as we transient smoothly into the Midrange, the charm of Talos starts to unfold itself. Midrange sounds precise, accurate, and very well-detailed. The pair has a rich tone for vocals and instruments in the midrange segment. It doesn’t sound recessed or veiled, but rather has an upfront presentation. I find both male and female vocals to be the star of the show here with their amazing clarity and resolution. If you are into acoustic music or vocal-centric music, I can assure you, you are in for a great time with the Talos.

High-Frequencies/Treble:-

Treble maintains ultimate resolution and clarity on the Talos. DUNU has tuned the set with a lively treble response. Although the set gets bright, it doesn’t sound fatiguing or harsh to me. I love how effortless the pair sounds, and how smoothly it reproduces detailed in the treble region. If you can listen to a little bright tone to the signature, turning on the Planar+dual BA mode will bring a lot more details and also increases the air on the stage.

Dynamics, Soundstage, Imaging, Instrument Separation:-

Talos impresses me in the dynamics and resolution department. It presents a wide immersive soundstage with good depth. For its price point, I can say the Talos has an impressive soundstage. It feels massive, and with such details, it’s bliss to listen to. Imaging and Instrument Separation with the pair are also top-notch. Even for busy tracks like Billie Jean by MJ or Californication by RHCP, one can recognize and position different instruments on the stage easily.

Well, that’s about the sound part from my end, let’s move ahead and I would like to share my experience with a few of my favorite tracks.

Limit to your love by James Blunt:-

When the bass drops in this track, it leaves its mark with the rumble going deeper and deeper. Talos handles the powerful bass of this track excellently and maintains its clean texture throughout the track.


Band Darwaze by Amrinder Gill:-

This is a regional language track and it delivers an excellent sub-bass response. Although Drum Kicks could use more depths in the mid-bass section. A fairly enjoyable experience.


Gravity by Haywyre:-

What an excellent piano this track has. Talos reproduces amazing details from this track, simply loved it on the Talos. Throughout the track, you will notice an amazing piano which the Talos renders beautifully.


Shameless by Camila Cabello:-

This is a fast track and the Talos keeps up with its pace. Talos never lacks anywhere and produces this track with all its glory. Even during the busy segments on the track, Talos maintains its clarity and speed. Excellent presentation!!


My Humps by Black Eyed Peas:-

Again a fast track with a punchy lower end. Talos shows good resolution, and retrieves good details, although not as punchy as it sounds on the Z12. Nonetheless impressive experience with the Talos.


Glimpses of Us by Joji:-

One of my all-time favorite tracks and Talos does justice to it with its excellent details and rich vocals. Right from the beginning, the track will hold on to you with its excellent rendition of Piano and Vocals. An amazing experience on the Talos.


Munidya from Coke Studio:-

This is one of my favorite tracks from Coke Studio. It came out in Season 12, it has excellent vocals, lyrics, and music. Talos presents this track with all its glory. This track has slowly found a place in my regular tracks, I find Talos to reproduce amazing details from it. Not to mention QB's and Ali Sethi’s vocals are worth listening!!


DUNU Talos vs LETSHUOER Z12 Gold Edition:-

Let’s put the latest Talos against the Z12 Gold Edition. Here are my findings.

>Talos has better resolution and sounds crispier.

>Z12 Gold Edition shows excellent bass, I can groove to the set all day long.

>Talos’s vocals sound rich and show better texture.

>Z12 Gold Edition sounds more punchy.

>Talos sounds wider and has a massive stage.

>I find Talos to be faster and more precise.

Personally, I love both the Z12 Gold and Talos. Both serve us with different presentations. On the one hand, Z12 Gold sounds fun and engaging, on the other the Talos sounds more detailed and crisp. For me, it’s hard choosing between them hehe.

DUNU Talos Vs Rapt Go Hook-X:-

Let’s put the Talos against another one of my favorite planar hybrid IEMs, the Hook-X.

>Hook-X sounds more spacious, while the width and depth are identical on both.

>Talos again wins here in terms of resolution and details.

>Hook-X is the smoother of the two.

>Vocals sound richer on the Talos.

>Fit-wise, Talos is better. It also has better isolation with its closed-back design.

Again, both here serve a different taste. Hook-X for a smooth listening experience, and Talos for more details and a slightly richer tone.

Final Words:-

DUNU Talos is a brilliantly tuned IEM that delivers impressive performance. It creates a new benchmark for me in terms of planar IEMs. I love it for its exceptional clarity, resolution, and detail. Not to mention the impressive soundstage is a bonus here. Though it isn’t ’free from flaws but what it delivers, it excels at it. IMO DUNU has done a great job with the Talos and with this, my confusion about choosing the best IEM around 200$ has increased lol. There are so many options, so many good options in fact, but the DUNU Talos manages to create a charm of its own and it surely gets my recommendation if you are in the market and want a good Planar IEM or just a good-sounding IEM

Thank You!!

Tonality: 6.3/9
Technicalities: 6.3/9
Preference: 7/9
Overall: 6.5/9 (B+)
(star rating is for the price to performance)


(total 5 mins read)
Intro
Recently I reviewed Dunu Vulkan and I was quite pleased with its performance the whole time. I think it's healthy to have a variety of tuning choices in the market, especially when a company trying to be different or rather original and somehow succeeds. Today I’m going to share my thoughts on Dunu’s own take on the planar magnetic in-ear monitor as it’s getting crowder if not more competitive in the game than ever before. I’m not going to write anything about the company because it will be a copy-and-paste job at this point, so, I’ll be straightforward and brief.

Talos is Dunu’s first planar or their first hybrid planar set that sports a 14.6mm “Dual Chamber Dual Sided Orthodynamic” and a “Custom Dual Supertweeters” according to the website’s description. I guess it's a fancy way to describe a configuration of hybrid planar and balanced armature drivers if not scientific. The unique shape might raise a concern regarding the fit yet I find it quite comfortable for a long period of usage. It comes with premium accessories but not a modular cable as everyone expected yet the overall build quality is the usual Dunu’s standard. They are simply great. Talos has a switch to turn on/off the BA tweeters for the hybrid mode which somewhat makes me feel a little anxious based on my experience with every IEM that comes with switches. Regardless, it’s the tuning that matter. So, how good are Talos?





Signature
The sound signature of Talos on pure planar mode can be described as neutral with a bass boost that’s pretty balanced in my opinion. It’s the most neutral and natural-sounding planar IEM among all that I’ve tried. In the hybrid mode, the treble is boosted significantly to a point where it becomes brighter-neutral as it may give a better sense of perceived detail and a little harsher too. My guess is that the treble boost could be useful for some old recordings or classical music, but at the end of the day, I don’t find myself using the hybrid mode even for the track that could use more treble.

*Please note that I’m only reviewing the planar mode for the reason above.



measurement graph courtesy of precog.squig.link


Tonality
To be frank, minus the hybrid option, I really like Talos for what it is as an IEM regardless of its minor shortcomings. It’s not perfect but it’s serviceable up to a great level of satisfaction. In short, Talos is tonally pleasant to my ears.

Although there are some peaks and valleys after the pinna gain (around 2k-5kHz), unlike other planar IEMs, I don’t find it harsh or sibilant at all. The treble offers an ample amount of sparkle and bite and even though it’s a little bit on the thin side of note density, it’s organic-sounding with lesser to no hint of planar timbre that I forever distaste. On the surface, the treble is downright fine, but I think there’s room for improvement and in need of a deeper conversation.

What I don’t quite like with its upper register performance after the first listening session is that there was a slight imbalance between the upper midrange to the air region for a “natural” music reproduction that I used to, especially with loudspeakers. While subjectively there are no detrimental effects as I’ve mentioned earlier, the upper midrange to the treble response is not the smoothest as also can be seen on paper.

Overlapping of notes may happen when there is multiple treble information at one time perhaps because of the lack of air response (imbalance response). Some might also experience a sense of “compression” in female vocals at times. However, one can achieve a smoother and more coherent treble response with a simple ear-tip rolling. I find wide-bore ear tips especially the Azla Sedna Earfit Light to be the best pair for Talos as it helps to give better balance in overall upper frequencies. While not as airy as I’d prefer, the treble is now smoother and more natural-sounding than using any of the stock tips. Dunu has provided a very nice variety of ear tips but they really are all just sonically... okay-ish (including Dunu’s new proprietary tube-like silicone tips).

The midrange of Talos in my opinion is neutral and natural-sounding to a good magnitude of realism. It doesn’t sound like a planar or balanced armature or even a dynamic driver to me. It’s just vibrant and "lively" with a fair level of note weight. I believe this is easily the best-tuned midrange-to-bass of any planar magnetic IEM I’ve heard as it goes smoothly and seamlessly with its lower frequencies. Coherent is the word that comes to mind. The mid-bass is fast and tight with a good measure of balance for a clean presentation while the sub-bass digs deep enough with ample rumble when summoned upon. Excluding personal preferences, there’s really nothing much to fault about Talos in terms of tonality, especially once one gets the ear tip right.

Overall, I can say that this is a pretty well-tuned IEM if not the most well-tuned planar IEM I’ve heard so far. From the tonality angle alone, I’d recommend it as my top 3 IEM for under $200 alongside See Audio Yume Midnight & Moondrop KATO.



Talos comes with 3 different types of ear tips. Azla Sedna Earfit Light is not included and Bill Evans is judging you.


Technicalities +
Talos boasts great resolving capability with excellent detail retrieval for the price, but just like all planar magnetic IEMs (or common planar magnetic in general), it suffers from weird or rather not-so-great imaging in terms of spatial projection or “stereo effect”, especially from the lowest octave to the lower midrange. Instrument localization is somewhat "untidy" and notes are sort of smeared onto each other at times. It doesn’t mean that the instrument separation is bad, but rather there’s little to no sense of layering because of its not-so-great positional cues. In short, the imaging has lack clarity and is far from holographical, especially on busy passages.

Related to imaging, from my perspective, the sound stage comes off as 2-dimensional-ish rather than 3-dimensional for its lack of depth. The width is relatively narrow as it appears "tight" and "compact" with an average sense of height, but I believe it’s not that bad or... important.

Regarding dynamics, Talos performs pretty well in terms of macro and micro dynamics in a timely manner with a good range of nuances and subtleties. Transient attacks are fast and sharp for impactful macro decibel shifts while maintaining a nice measure of naturalness for decays although I’d prefer a slightly more extension for decaying. Micro dynamics are natural and believable in Tia Cabral’s vibratos and trumpet attacks heard in Sinne Eeg & The Danish Radio Big Band’s We’ve Just Begun.




Technicality-wise, I think Talos is more than capable to hammer out all the information in the music and perhaps the best in the planar game right now, although subjectively the imaging is not what I’d consider as solid or top-tier. I’m not sure what’s causing that but from my experience, all planar magnetic drivers with a simple construction or simple design do have imaging issues regardless of their excellent resolving capability and micro detail retrieval. It seems like a contradiction, a paradox nature of a planar magnetic driver if I may. Perhaps I need to listen to the next-level planar magnetic design like Meze Empyrean to refute or maybe strengthen my unorthodox belief of planar magnetic technology for peace of mind.



MEZE Empyrean's "Isodynamic Hybrid Array Driver" design is unique compared to common planar magnetic design


Verdict
As I mentioned earlier, I like Talos for what it is. Simply put, I think this is one of the easiest recommendations for all in-ear monitors I’ve reviewed. For $200, it’s obviously a no-brainer for its overall sonic performance alone. It is well-tuned, well-resolving, well-built, and packed with rich accessories (except that I don’t dig that somewhat mismatched carrying case), and even without the hybrid mode option, it’s still a pretty solid purchase in my book.

I wish Dunu could make another version of Talos without the balanced armature driver and sell it for a cheaper price so that more people are able to experience this excellent IEM (or maybe replace the cost for the BA with a better/modular cable like DUW02). Let's hope Dunu hears my prayer. Having said all that, I'm still going to say, buy Talos.

(test song ratings below)



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*this unit is sent by HiFiGo in exchange for an honest review and I thank my buddy @OspreyAndy for the unit. all words are 100% mine and I'm not compensated or influenced by any party.

Purchase Talos HERE (HiFiGo - non-affiliated)
or here on Amazon

tools:
Tidal / Apple Music via LG G7 / Macbook Pro with/without Ovidius B1 / Hidizs S9 Pro
Tidal / Foobar2000 (FLAC) via Topping EX5 with/without Aune X7s

key songs & ratings: (technical & enjoyment without comparison)
Será Una Noche – Taquito Militar (Tango) 4/5
Eddie Daniels – Baião Malandro (Jazz Fusion / Classical Crossover) 4/5
Patricia Petibon - Mozart: Der Zauberflöte – Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen (Classical [Aria]) 5/5

Sinne Eeg – We've Just Begun (Jazz) 4/5
Cécile McLorin Salvant - Ghost Song (Vocal Jazz) 5/5
Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone - A Lovely Night (Jazz Pop / Film Score) 4/5

Muddy Waters – My Home Is in The Delta (Delta Blues) 4/5
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble – Tin Pan Alley (Blues Rock) 5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand (Alternative Rock / Punk Blues) 4/5

toe - 孤独の発明 (Math Rock) 4/5
Tera Melos - 40 Rods to the Hog's Head (Math Rock / Avant-Prog) 3/5
Don Caballero - Don Caballero 3 (Math Rock) 5/5

Scott Walker – Corps De Blah (Experimental / Post-Industrial) 5/5
Swans – Lunacy (Experimental Rock / Post-Rock) 4/5
Zu - Carbon (Avant-Garde Metal / Avant-Garde Jazz) 5/5

My Disco – A Christ Pendant Comfort Her Neck (Noise Rock / Post-Hardcore) 4/5
Arab On Radar - God is Dad (No Wave / Noise Rock) 5/5
Shellac - Crow (Post-Hardcore / Noise Rock) 4/5

Mastodon – The Wolf Is Loose (Progressive Metal / Sludge Metal) 5/5
Fear Before the March of Flames – High as a Horse (Post-Hardcore / Metalcore) 4/5
Botch - Japam (Matchcore / Post-Hardcore) 4/5

ANOHNI - Drone Bomb Me (Art Pop / Elctropop) 4/5
Slowdive - Star Roving (Shoegaze / Dream Pop) 5/5
The Shins - Simple Song (Indie Pop / Psychedelic Pop) 4/5

Radiohead - Idioteque (Art Rock / Experimental Rock / Electronic) 4/5
TheFatRat - Warbringer feat. Lindsey Stirling (Electropop) 5/5
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (Trip Hop / UK Hip Hop) 5/5

Justin Bieber - Holy feat. Chance the Rapper (Contemporary R&B / Dance-Pop) 5/5
Lizzo - About Damn Time (Contemporary R&B / Dance-Pop) 5/5
Kylie Minogue - Real Groove (Dance-Pop / Nu-Disco) 5/5

Click to expand...

Dunu is a company known for extravagant accessories and market-shaking (and not-so-market-shaking) IEMs. The most notable ones are the Titan S and the SA6, which till today, are highly regarded in the community and amongst popular reviewers. While other models from Dunu eventually get lost to time, this latest release, in this reviewer's opinion, is here to stay. One can say it's potentially......"Timeless." heh heh planar joke.

Accessories

While I don't typically cover accessories in my reviews as I don't find most worth mentioning (also, a quick look at the product page will show you everything you're getting), I'll make one exception just for today.

The Talos comes with a unique set of eartips that, to my knowledge, will become its own product down the line. The eartips have Azla Xelastec feeling material while not being "sticky." The shape is more akin to foam tips, being more tube-like than a dome. Now I'm no eartips expert, but whatever they did here gave me the perfect seal every time with every IEM I've put them on. Color me impressed! Needless to say, when it comes out as a stand-alone product, I'll be snagging a bucket for myself.

Another notable accessory would be the cable, though not noteworthy for the same reason as the eartips. The cable is 3.5mm only, with no interchangeable termination system. This is a slight disappointment from Dunu since even the Falcon Pro has interchangeable terminations and tuning nozzles for a similar price tag.



Sound Impression

Before we get into the meat of the analysis, we first need to discuss this gimmick. The Talos has a tuning switch that switches between a Pure Planar Mode utilizing only the planar driver) and Hybrid Mode (using both planar and balanced armatures).

The graph below is courtesy of Ianfann (https://www.youtube.com/c/ianfann)



The Planar Mode has a pleasant and neutral tonality, with a laid-back approach to the upper-midrange. The treble doesn't feel harsh or sibilance-y while delivering enough treble to display a decent level of detail. In many ways, a well-tuned signature with a touch of flavor that sounds great and quite versatile.

On the other hand, the Hybrid Mode is, to put it simply, painful. The balanced armatures boosted the 8K region to an undesirable level, causing peaks, sibilance, unnatural timbre, and fatigue. The single benefit of "better" details does not outweigh the cons in this case. The Planar Mode's tuning is far superior, so for the rest of this review, we'll focus on just that.



Bass

The bass is modest, with a smooth glide from sub-bass bottoming out at around 300Hz; this is what we call "well-controlled" bass. The lower midrange is open and devoid of congestion, which allows for the most clarity and resolution in this area. For neutral listeners or those seeking the "High Fidelity" experience, this bass style is superior to the typical "V-shape" bass response. However, for bass-heads/ bass lovers/warm-tuned enthusiasts, the Talos's bass is not the best fit because it lacks the fullness you may seek from more bassy sets.

Midrange

As stated before, the midrange has a laid-back approach with a sense of openness, thanks to the lower mid and bass separation. Instruments and vocals display fully without hints of mud or congestion. The upper midrange is energetic enough to pop the vocals from the background despite the slight dip after 3KHz. Speaking of the dip, this is where the "laid-back" tone comes in. For context, a significant drop in this range 2k-4k) can spell disaster for vocals, making them sound cut off, unnatural, and dead. Though, in the case of the Talos, the dip is minor, which brings down the vocal energy just a touch to give it that smooth, easy to listen to, and "laid-back" appeal. The vocals are still well extended and natural sounding. Overall, beautifully tuned and will work with nearly every genre.

Treble

I already touched a little on the treble, so I'll be expounding on my thoughts stated above. The treble as a whole sounds naturally extending with minimal if zero hints of sibilance and harshness. It achieves this while being sufficiently energetic in the lower treble and not sacrificing details. The single issue I have with the treble is in the air region; though I admit this is a nitpick at best, it's worth noting anyways. The Talos is not a very airy IEM. While it's not devoid of air, it can benefit from more. For context, more air usually means a broader sense of soundstage. The Talos doesn't feel closed in, but I've always thought it could use just a bit more air to compliment the tuning style.



Technical Performance

Detail performance is generally good, and for $200, I would even call it great. The notes have decently clean definitions, impressive clarity, and a decent overall sense of stage. While it's not going to best other planar IEMs like the Timeless or S12 for head-stage and note definition, it certainly wins in overall clarity. Now, if the BAs (balanced armatures) were used to boost the air region instead of 8KHz, we'd have a bigger winner. Atlas, we can't have everything we want in life.



Summary

Do I recommend the Talos? The short and long answer is yes. The tuning is a welcome change to the planar scene that's plagued by v-shape tuning. Of course, nothing is wrong with V-shape, but variety is good.
The tuning is exceptional, especially for the price, and it competes well in the context of planars and the market as a whole for its price range. For under $200, I can only think of one other non-planar IEM that might give Talos a challenge, and that's the SeeAudio Yume Midnight. Though, even that is not as detailed as the Talos; tuning-wise, we can swing either way, but that's another conversation for another time.

Overall, a well-tuned IEM with competitive technical and the signature Dunu built quality and accessories. Nothing screams "don't buy me," unless of course....you're a bass head. If you are, please look at the other planar options.

Dunu Talos Grade: A-

Links: https://bit.ly/3dHDbRF (Hifigo)
https://amzn.to/3UIQ4vu (Amazon)

For comparisons with other planar IEMs such as the Timeless, S12, Hook-X, Zetian Wu, and Dioko, please refer to my video review on my youtube channel.

Foreword

• At the point of this article, my Talos has undergone over 100 hours of burn in and approximately 40 hours of actual listening
• I don't do measurements, I just describe what I hear, from my own POV
• I don't use EQ
• The entirety of my impressions was done with Misodiko MIX460 Tips
• Ultimately, my reviews are purely subjective and biased to my personal preference in sound

At the height of Magnetic Planars war, DUNU came forth with their latest offering in the form of Talos.
Talos, the mythical Greek defense Automaton, gigantic and majestic, the protector of Europa..

To say the least, this is a very bold and endearing move by DUNU, as the namesake suggests, Talos is meant to strike hard at the ensuing battles for supremacy.

The Build

The first thing that I caught my attention, how stylishly elegant the design is. Teardrop shaped reminiscent of Dwarven Centurion tech of Elder Scrolls, made of metal (seemingly CNC machined Aluminum) and powder coated in black with gold accented lines. I can stare at it for hours on end. I just love gadgets that speak strongly for themselves. It is artistic as it is practical. The powder coated shells designed to withstand abuse and will never fell victim to smudges.

Housed inside the shells, DUNU crafted some sort of special arrangement of 14.6mm ultra-thin diaphragm Magnetic Planar drivers assisted by dual configuration of Customized Balanced Armature Drivers, intended to be serving the function of higher frequency tweeters. The overall assembly rated at 16 Ohm with 100db of sensitivity. To make things even more interesting, Talos comes with easily accessible switch on each sides. The switches can be easily flicked with fingernails without the need to use pointy tools. I find this to be quite thoughtful on DUNU side for them to implement it that way.

Despite the angular edges on the outside, Talos proved to be ergonomically comfortable to use. The shells sized just about right and the sides facing the ears are curvy enough to sit on ear concha naturally. I have no issues at all wearing my Talos for listening sessions exceeding 5-6 hours nonstop. No hint of wear fatigue to complain about.

Next, fittingly elegant is the stock cable made of Monocrystalline Silver Plated Copper, exquisitely braided in beautiful and somewhat complex pattern. The construction designed to complement the bronze/black theme of Talos, it’s a bit on the chunky side but it also means the cable itself will be less prone to tangling itself. Simply put, the cable is as beautiful as it is practically robust for daily usage. The termination on IEM side ended with 0.78mm pins configuration.


Talos also packaged three type of tips. The one that grabbed my attention the most is the cylindrically shaped rubbery unit – not something that can be found easily. It also proved to be the one that I ended up using for more than half of the time. It is easy to insert, wear and attain seal. The seal itself being superb.


The other two are pretty much the usual deal. Silicone tips either in wide or narrow bore configuration. But I am not a fan of both due to sonic characteristics of these type of tips (which I will touch later in details).

To complete the package, Talos also came with green carrying bag which I personally think somewhat out of place of the overall color theme. Would have been better if the color were black or something darker. Well it’s just nitpicking on my end.

The important thing is, Talos overall packaging is simple yet premium. The center of all those being the IEM unit itself.

Sound Impressions

Equipment Used
- Xiaomi Mi 9T (3.5mm SE and USB Port)
- Sony Xperia X Compact (3.5mm SE and USB Port)
- Windows 10 with Native USB Drivers
- HiBy Audio Player USB Exclusive Mode with FLAC files
- CEntrance DACport HD
- Cayin RU6
- Ovidius B1
- NotByVE Abigail
- NotByVE Avani
- VE Megatron
- MUSE HiFi M1

Due to the special duality nature of Talos, I have opted to split the Sound Impressions into two parts. The reason being, Talos practically behave differently between the modes. So profoundly significant that it would be difficult for me to bundle them into combined impressions.

Also, the impressions are based on usage of Talos with my own Misodiko MIX460 ear tips (similar to Symbio Orange). I just found that MIX460 gave me the best balance of output to suit my personal preferences. Otherwise the other half of my earlier listening sessions were done mostly with the stock cylindrical tips.

Planar only Mode
Talos appeared to my senses as near neutral with very-very soft hint of Harman-ish V curve with audible elevation of lower frequencies and upper register. The overall timbre is naturally organic and smooth. I cannot pin down Talos being “bright” nor “warm” – there’s subtle balance of sound spectrum suggesting very mature and refined tuning that remind me of classic Fostex T series Magnetic Planars or even the venerable TIN HiFi P1 (1st gen). Which means, this alone already a huge plus from my perspective. I treasure properly organic and near analogue sound which does not succumb to being sounding dry, metallic or digital-ish.

Dynamic range of Talos is exemplary to say the least. Talos lived up to the expectations with properly extended lower frequencies that offer smooth rendering of dynamic transients that is dense and rich. The Mids being naturally neutral and wholesome. The upper registers exhibiting great depth, sparkle, air and subtle details. To simplify, Talos does not attempt to overcook anything beyond what I deem as natural. Perhaps the lower frequency is a bit heavier that what I normally prefer, but this also mean Talos will offer richer sounding output that is vibrant and lively.

On the Midrange side, Talos is tastefully well balanced with the placement of Mids staging being sufficiently forward. Entirely depending on how the original mixing/mastering of the subjected tracks. For example with Modern Jazz, Bluegrass, Folk and Instrumentals, I find the Mids to be naturally wholesome and faithful to the intended output. It is rich as it is detailed. Crisp edged yet smooth. A balance that is not easy to attain.

From vocals perspective, Talos is faithfully neutral. Be it female or male, contralto to soprano – or Baritone, all sounded believable with no attempt to add warmth or impart dryness. It is so very well resolved with mature attack and decays. Not even the shrill peaky vocals of Alison Krauss can rattle Talos with any element of upper Mids sibilance – just none.

For the upper registers, Talos employ something most would consider as “safe-tuning”. The Treble being well controlled. The best part, despite all this, edge resolution and attack remained crisp, solid and smooth. No micro details sacrificed while at it. Subjecting Talos to handling of highly energetic and complex cymbals/hi-hat attacks, I can clearly hear how well the cohesion and control of Treble transients. The decays being properly crispy smooth, dispersing at the rate I regarded as natural. It is evident to my ears, it will be very difficult for Talos to emit something that is unnaturally sibilant, there’s no chance for unnatural shimmer or glare that would constitute to Treble fatigue. Even with the most Lo-Fi Black Metal tracks I have in my library, Talos seems to handle them quite admirably.

Balance is the theme for Talos lower frequencies. Midbass being amply present yet never dominant, Subbass subtly well pronounced with equally subtle seismic responses – the sort of lows that is felt as it is heard. But of course not as prominent as Dynamic Drivers Bass responses. Overall Bass theme being fast and tidy.
What impresses me the most of Talos Bass, it is highly configurable with the usage of different tips. For a DF Neutral junkie like me, stock Talos Bass is a bit stronger that I personally prefer. Using Talos with the silicone tips will exhibit Bass vibrancy that actually can compete with Dynamic Drivers – pronounced Bass reverbs and resonance that some may find very addictive (but not to me). Using foam tips proved to be the one that worked for me. In this case the reason I opted for Misodiko MIX460, was because now the Bass responses of Talos are a lot tighter and edges close enough to being neutral – which in turn makes the whole experience more fun for me subjectively.
Talos must be commended for being highly versatile as well with Bass performances. It seems to work with any genre thrown at it. Be it the electro Bass of KRAFTWERK, Hans Zimmer, Massive Attack or stringed Bass of Metal/Rock/Indie, Talos handled them all gracefully. Even more pleasing with the Modern Jazz of Sinne Eeg and Diana Krall, which are rich with cello and Bass guitars.


Hybrid Mode

Perhaps the biggest appeal of Talos, duality on the fly at the flick of the switch.
I am genuinely surprised how different Talos behave now in Hybrid mode. The most prominent difference being the resolution of upper frequencies from Upper Mids to Treble decays. While the overall sound signature pretty much retained, the output in Hybrid mode appeared to my senses as being exceedingly resolving and detailed. Macro details are now more pronounced and present, the body crisp and clinically transparent. Micro details equally pronounced. Gone are the “Safe-Tuning” mask. Talos now behave like a thoroughbred Studio Monitors. Something along the line of Etymotic ER4S (2nd GEN 100 Ohm) or Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro.
The good thing is, I can enjoy both spectrum of sound. I am a zealot of Ety precise clinical sound since 2006. And I can truly enjoy the heightened details presented to me as how Talos did it.

However, in the process of all this, Talos did sacrifice some element of smooth organic timbre in favor of surgical edge and precision. But not too gravely that Talos still was able to maintain a deposition to not sounding outright dry or digital-ish. For this element alone, I give two thumbs up to Talos. As observed with many studio monitors, there’s tendency to sound a bit too edgy or even sterile, thankfully Talos managed to avoid that.
Another thing worth mentioning, in hybrid mode the attack, speed and energy is also heightened. Which means Talos in hybrid mode are less likely to be suitable for listening to an already highly energetic recording/mixing/mastering. For example, I will not use Talos in hybrid mode to listen to my collection of Rock/Metal. But the Hybrid mode is absolutely addictive for savoring highly complex Jazz of Diana Krall/Sinne Eeg or the lush music of Nick Cave/Morrisey.

Having said that, the resolving power of Talos in Hybrid mode are best suited to listening to proper lossless sources. At least for my usage, I will refrain from Hybrid mode for listening to anything under 320 Kbps, Tidal MQA Masters or even Deezer Flac. It is so resolving that the ugliness and artifacts contained within the recording/encoding will all be revealed. Just try this with Madonna “Something to Remember” album. The ones encoded in MQA on Tidal exhibited audible artifacts as compared to the original FLAC CD rip – Talos revealed them all just like how Etymotic ER4SR and Shure KSE1500 would.

To summarize, Hybrid mode is less likely appealing for those who are Treble sensitive or those preferring warm sounding output. The energy of upper frequency may prove fatigue inducing to them.

Technicalities
In native Planar mode, Talos is already a highly competent unit with technicalities. The only complain I would highlight being the width of staging that feel it could use a bit more of space. But really this is perhaps a common trait shared with many IEMs within this price range that I have tested. Otherwise, Talos is admirably crisp with resolution, truthfully transparent and clinically clean with layer separation.
The precision of imaging with great spatial positioning makes Talos even suitable for gaming or movie indulgence. Truly versatile.
Going back to resolving prowess, Talos benefitted from the speedy and agile drivers housed within. Even the thin Magnetic Planar itself is already quite nimble on its own, more so when switched to hybrid mode when the resolving power practically equal to the performances expected of TOTL devices. It does not matter how complex the recording is, Talos resolves and responds amazingly deft with graceful speed. There’s great harmony in the cohesion of the drivers working in tandem.
Details and details, especially in hybrid mode – Talos will satisfy the need for discerning details articulation – for as long as the sources contain details….of should I say it will also resolve any artifacts contained within.

Scalability

Rated at 16 Ohm, I expected Talos to be efficient with low powered sources. True enough to a certain extend this is the case. I was able to use my phones directly and enjoy my music. However I do need to crank the volume higher than normal to attain desirable loudness. This indicate that despite seemingly efficient, Talos will only sound better as the power scales up.
True enough, with my 2-4 Vrms DAC/Amps, I have found Talos to sound much better. The richness of dynamic texture and density, more spacious headroom and good sense of air.

On the other hand, it is only fair for me to mention that Talos in hybrid mode does have tendency to sound slightly shouty if the volume are cranked higher than normal. In fact when paired with high mW partners, I will notch the volume one step down. There’s no need to crank it higher since the output is already very resolving with lower loudness. Subjectively for my own usage, I am happy with this arrangement as I have been training my ears to listen to lower volumes. But for some who love to crank it loud, Talos in hybrid mode may not work well.



Final Words
As I reflect on the overall presentation of Talos, I can only see an IEM that has been meticulously designed and tuned to present itself as formidable as the namesake demand. Talos is an amazing unit end to end. It starts with keeping the sound faithfully natural with some splashes of vibrancy that remained polished, crisp and smooth. The de-facto feature, Talos duality to perform differently to suit different scenario. It’s like having two great sounding IEMs in one package. Both options highly viable and usable – especially for my own usage of which I am appreciative of both tuning approach, be it musically organic or highly clinical precision. Not forgetting how elegant Talos is esthetically, offering comfort as well as longevity of usage endurance.

The last time I reviewed a DUNU IEM, it was the Titan-S. It was okay-ish for me. Ultimately Titan-S didn’t work for my sonic preference because it appeared dry and lean for my taste. Lacking organic smoothness. Talos addressed all those deficiencies. While Titan-S gets 3.5/5 rating from me, Talos on the other hand gets a full 5/5 – thoroughly deserved winner in my book.

DUNU Talos is available via HiFiGo:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFF8P26W/dunu+talos/
AND
https://hifigo.com/collections/new-arrival/products/dunu-talos