CCA Rhapsody

Introduction!
Hello friends!
Today in the review we’ll talk about a new hybrid product from CCA and their model is called Rhapsody!
The headphones come in a very small black box where there is only the company logo, and the technical characteristics of this model are indicated on the side, and these headphones received 2 dynamic drivers with a diameter of 8 mm, and 4 armature drivers, and the sensitivity is 102 dB, and they received a impedance from 15 to 20 ohm.

Let's take a look at what's included!
And here everything is actually simple, we get headphones that look pretty good to me, although the metal front panel is easily soiled and collects fingerprints, and has a large hole with a mesh, and the inscription Rhapsody on both headphones.

And the inner panel here is made of translucent resin and through it you can very clearly see the dynamic drivers and small reinforcements here, there are no holes for compensation as such that we are used to here, so I have seen a small vacuum effect with some ear pads, but it is not so scary and it is quite easy to fix with the right selection of eartips.

And on the side there is a block with switches, in general there is something to play with here, but in reality I think you, like me, will set them once in one position and will not touch them again.

But it’s worth saying that there is a 2-pin connector installed here, and unfortunately it is not recessed into the case as is usually the case, so you still have to pick up a cable here.
Accessories!
Because the included cable here is completely standard in the Kz style, and I think this is not the first time you’ve seen it, I advise you to immediately change it to something more interesting, yes, it has a microphone and qdc connectors, but it also smells terrible, so it’s probably better don't even get it, that's my advice haha.

There is also exactly 1 bag of black silicone ear tips and instruction!

How do these headphones sound?
Now let's talk about the sound of these headphones.
And here is a very interesting picture, the tuning here is designed in the Harman style, this is not the first time we have seen this, there is also a very good emphasis on low frequencies with a fairly smooth approach to the mid frequencies and a slightly more raised emphasis on the upper middle, but it is small, but personally, I feel it, and the high frequencies here are designed quite well they are long and slightly emphasized with a very small compensation hole, and in general, surprisingly, the headphones are very close to my near neutral target, which pleased me =)

Low Frequencies:
At low frequencies, this model demonstrates a very good and peppy rise of 10 dB if you turn the first two switches up, we get excellent weight and depth of sub-bass notes, which is complemented by midbass with a very pronounced punch and a characteristic attack, albeit not the most clearly defined impulse, and the texture here may not be record-breakingly transparent, but at least the bass doesn’t sound muddy and too relaxed when hit, and the saturation and distortion of the guitars are quite easily conveyed and in the end there is no feeling that something was not told to us here, and the bassheads are already They may well consider purchasing this model.
Mid Frequencies:
The mids here are presented as very energetic with normal, not excessive transparency and air, and feel slightly dry and have a slight lightness in the lower mids, and it’s worth saying that there is a noticeable armature timbre, especially noticeable in vocals, I personally immediately noticed this attention.
But on the plus side, there are quite emphasized transients and attacks that clearly stand out on drums due to the strengthening of the upper mid region, and although the low frequencies compensate for it, I personally would like to get less emphasis on it and make this area a little more neutral, but this is already It’s purely my taste, since I know that fans of brighter settings also read my reviews, so I’m sure they will be happy in this case, and the tuning will be very familiar to them.
High Frequencies:
High frequencies here are a musical and have very correct approach to tuning where there is no super excessive brightness and what I call pseudo detailing due to the strengthening of this area, there is also moderate technicality and, albeit not the most noticeable, but not lost bias in analytics, due to which we we have better separation of cymbals and percussion in this range where nothing blends into one , and everything in the end sounds very readable with good detail and sparkle at the cymbals and long aftersounds, and the very duration of the high frequencies here was surprising, finally there is no such decline after 8 or 10 kHz as often happens even with expensive hybrid headphones!
Stage and stereo panorama:
In Rhapsody it is not super wide and quite close and slightly intimate for the vocal part in terms of location, so there is no feeling like in the same Hidizis MP145 or Letshuer S15 that you are listening to open full sizes headphones, but nevertheless the depth is not bad, and the drawing of plans and the images are not particularly simplified for this cost, everything is quite separated and there are no problems with determining the sound source.
My conclusion on this headphones:
Cca Rhapsody turned out to be an interesting inexpensive hybrid headphone with the ability to tune the sound using switches on the body and the presentation of the headphones, although bright, is quite rich and dynamic with massive bass.
Link where you can buy them!
Aliexpress:https://aliexpress.ru/item/1005006266992448.html
Linsoul:https://www.linsoul.com/products/cca-rhapsody
I will be glad if you subscribe to my YouTube channel and watch this full review on CCA RHAPSODY!

CCA Rhapsody Review: THE NEW HYBRID BENCHMARK?

Price: $50​

PROS:​

• Refined-sounding hybrid for CCA
• Fun, engaging sound that makes music sound alive
• Tuning switches
• Very good seal
• Good tonal balance
• Deep reaching, rumbly bass
• Clean mids with decent note weight

CONS:​

• Might be too large for smaller ears
• Not the most technical set
• Not for trebleheads/detail heads
• Slight incoherency on the bass
• Barebones inclusions
• Not the most dynamic bass presentation

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• Harman-lovers
• People looking to upgrade from the Castor Bass
• Bassheads
• People looking for a fun, engaging set
• People with larger than average ears
• People with high tolerance to air pressure build up

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• Trebleheads/detailheads
• Timbreheads
• People with small ears
• People with low tolerance for air pressure build up
• People who want an abundance of inclusions

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• HipHop
• Rock
• Pop

SHORT REVIEW:​

The Rhapsody is potentially the new standard for CCA hybrids coming into 2024 with its big, hefty bass, clean mids, and tame treble that makes this a solid all-rounder set for anyone looking for a fun listening experience. It isn’t the most technical or coherent sounding set with a slower, less dynamic-sounding bass and a larger-than-average fit that might be uncomfortable for some. Regardless, you cannot deny that the CCA has made a solid hybrid! RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS.

FULL REVIEW:​

CCA has always been an interesting case in the KZ family. Is it their premium division? Is it their hybrid division? What is the purpose of CCA’s existence when KZ exists in a similar market? Well, the more I looked at the sets that come out from CCA, the more evident it is that they seem to pioneer the tech and concepts that KZ will eventually adopt.

Think CCA CXS, an IEM that first featured the weird open shell design that ended with the creation of the KZ ZVX. Or the CCA CRA’s tuning philosophy that ended up as the KZ EDA Balanced. Now I have no 100% proof of this claim, but it really seems that way when you look into their products and the subsequent KZs coming afterwards

Today, we’ll talk about one such IEM due to just how well executed the overall package is. Let’s talk about the CCA Rhapsody!

DISCLAIMER: This product was sent over by CCA in exchange for my honest impressions. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be of my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

A CLEARLY CONCEPT AUDIO BRAND​

CCA is well known for being KZ’s sister brand and also featuring some of the most well-received sets in the past like the C10, CRA, and today’s set, the Rhapsody. While it might not be as clear as to what exactly separates CCA and KZ’s philosophy, you may speculate as to the reasons. Regardless, it’s hard to deny that CCA has released critically acclaimed sets.

What is clear, however, is that the Rhapsody seems to spice up the market with it’s 2DD + 4BA set-up (with proper tubing between the drivers this time) and a price tag of just shy of $50. So, how well can it capture the market?

UNBOXING:​

The unboxing of the CCA Rhapsody is surprisingly slightly varied from the usual KZ-style products. Instead of the usual whitebox with the illustration of the IEM up front, the Rhapsody comes in a pure black box that has the specifications and illustration printed on the side and CCA up front. That’s how you know this is a unique (or on the contrary, possibly) set.

The inclusions are as follows:

• 1 pair of KZ Rhapsody
• 1 3.5mm Cable
• 3 sets of eartips
• Paperwork

The eartips are your usual KZ Starline that may or may not work, but it does improve seal and boosts the bass at the cost of stage. Unfortunately, no foam tips here which might have actually helped a little bit with the fit which I’ll talk more about later.

BUILD & FIT​

The CCA Rhapsody features 2 Dynamic Drivers and 4 Balanced Armatures in a resin shell and metal faceplate with an interface of 0.75mm QDC. Like many KZ sets, the Rhapsody features 4 tuning switches per side with a potential of 16 different tuning modes with 5 advertised by CCA themselves.



The build itself is your standard CCA/KZ set with a pretty durable feeling resin shell and metallic faceplate. It feels sturdy, but nothing too special or fancy in how it feels. I’ll be honest, I don’t like the faceplate design that much. I do not like the Rhapsody font and the somewhat folded design looks a little odd when paired with that massive vent. Obviously, it’s a taste thing but regardless, I’m not a big fan



Speaking of big, this is, by far, the chunkiest KZ I’ve ever worn. Seriously, the fit was so snug and tight in my ear I almost thought I was wearing some $300 hybrid that also hurt my ears due to the number of drivers jammed into it requiring a larger shell. As expected, people will smaller ears will absolutely abhor the Rhapsody. This thing is so massive that this was my first KZ in a while that actually caused problems for long-term comfort.



However, I do want to address the seal as this is probably the part of the Rhapsody that separates it from the rest of the hybrid lineups. The seal on this is insanely good. But at the cost of air pressure build up. And if you’ve been following my reviewers for a while, you know IEMs that have air pressure build up are essentially unusable to me. Thankfully, the Rhapsody isn’t the most air-sucking IEM that I’ve tried and tiprolling to the tried and tested Tangzu Sancai actually helped this to not have as crazy of air pressure build up.



As expected, stability is solid on the Rhapsody due to its size and shape. I had 0 problems wearing this for long periods and it falling out due to my ears starting to sweat up. It’s a very snug and stable fit that, again, comes at the cost of discomfort as it adds a lot of pressure unto my antihelix.



Overall, it’s a decently built, larger than average CCA set with a VERY snug fit, seal and isolation at the cost of long term comfort and air pressure build up. It can be remedied quite well through tip-rolling and the stability is one of the best I’ve tried in any CCA sets. I’m not a fan of the aesthetics, but that’s just me.

SOUND​

NOTE: As the Rhapsody features 4 tuning switches per side, I’ll be talking about the tuning configuration that it came stock in and compare the other configurations later.

Sound Signature​

The Rhapsody features a rather steep U-Shaped sound signature with subbass emphasis, recessed lower mids, forward upper mids and elevated but smooth treble. As a KZ hybrid, the coherency in this set is actually insane. While the bass might still lag a little bit behind the mids and treble, there’s barely any metallic timbre and the higher frequencies don’t sound much faster than the lower frequencies.

Drivability:​

With an impedance of 15-20ohms and sensitivity of 102db, the Rhapsody is quite easy to drive with a smartphone. Its tuning also makes it sound quite good, even through a smartphone. Your experience with the Rhapsody will be improved when using at least a dongle DAC, but I’d say it’s not necessary at all. I will say that pairing this with a more dynamic sounding DAC would improve its low end nuances better and bringing out the details better too.

Bass:​

On my first impressions, I said that the Rhapsody sounded alive. And this was the reason for that finding. The bass on the Rhapsody is big, boomy and ready to party. It has a subbass over midbass emphasis, but it’s elevated to the point where the subbass and midbass starts to balance out into a perfect storm. It is massive, it is booming and certainly for bassheads. However, I will say that texturing and bass nuances.

Right away, I HAD to listen to Childish Gambino’s Me and Your Mama at the 1:37 mark and feel that rumble and boy, was I not disappointed. The depth and rumble of this is out of the charts and absolutely addicting. However, texturing as mentioned was lacking on a track like Send It by D’Angelo.

Mids:​

What’s not so undeniably fun is its midrange. I will preface this however by saying that the Rhapsody’s lower midrange presentation is quite better than other midbass tucked sets in the market. There’s still a decent amount of body and note weight, but still lacks for my tastes and can sound quite recessed in busier mixes. Female vocals fair better, however, as the cleaner and open lower mids leave the upper frequencies with a rather crisp and nuanced vocal presentation.

Instruments are expectedly on the thinner side, particularly in the lower frequencies. There’s almost this clear divide when the bass ends and the lower mids start as instruments lose their hefitness quite quick. It’s note entirely cold sounding, however, as the balance between the lower mids and upper mids are quite well done and smooth in the mix.

Get Lucky by Daft Funk sounds very fun and energetic, but Pharell’s vocals as well as some of the backing pianos often lacks emphasis in the mix due to the deep, elevated bass presentation. Still, this was a very fun track to listen to on the Rhapsody despite that. The low end emphasis made the music sound so alive and engaging. Orchestral tracks, however, don’t fair as well. Something like Tohpati’s True Love. Despite not really having much low end, the guitar reverberations loses some nuances in the acoustic guitars.

Treble:​

The treble of the Rhapsody is generous and forgiving. There’s no unneeded overemphasis on the treble but still keeps a decent amount of clarity and energy to give life to higher frequency notes. I didn’t find any harshness or sibilance whatsoever and I’d even go to say that this would be a pretty good IEM for those who are sensitive to treble. There are instances of it getting a little hot, particularly on more poorly mixed tracks and when cranking the volume too high. But as a whole, it’s quite inoffensive. However, it does lack a little bit of that sparkle for my own personal tastes. You probably already know how much I love my spicy treble and for better or worse, the Rhapsody keeps sparkle at a normal level.

Can’t Hide Love by Earth, Wind and Fire is a very good track to showcase the smoother treble presentation of the Rhapsody. From the intro to the end, the cymbals in this track never got grating or sibilant and offered a really nice amount of clarity, although admittedly has its finer details masked in the rather bombastic bass presentation that I found to perfectly suit this older track. Older tracks seem to be tuned with less bass in mind, so a bigger bass set like the Rhapsody was able to nicely present both the low end and the top end.

Technicalities:​

This is where the Rhapsody takes a chill-pill and takes the energy a notch down. It takes a more musical than technical approach with the stage offering pretty good depth, decent separation and layering and pretty good imaging.

Stage is more catered to providing a rather immersive experience than something more expansive, but the depth is quite well done and music feels extra full.

Separation is less than stellar, but it’s still able to present instruments in a rather clean and smooth manner without much congestion until more complex tracks. The bass definitely attributes to the less capable separation ability.

Imaging is quite good, and I’ll talk more about in the gaming section. But for music, I absolutely loved how this was able to present instruments in a rather expansive level. Left and right as well as front and back was quite impressive, although nothing that is too mindblowing. I can pinpoint instruments quite accurately, but once agains struggles on more complex tracks.

REAL WORLD USAGE:​

Casual Use:​

On one end, I think the Rhapsody is pretty good for casual browsing and consumign content. The tuning is very engaging and fun when watching movies, shows and the tuning allows for most content to never get grating or hard to hear thanks to its easy drivability and balanced tuning. However, fit is certainly a big issue on longer sessions as it seriously gets painful. It’s been a while since an IEM has done that to me, but it’s honestly expected due to its 6 driver per side configuration

Gaming Use:​

Gaming is fantastic on these. The subbass over midbass emphasis allows low end sounds to pass through without sounding muddy or congested and the balance with the upper mids allow higher frequency sounds to shine without harshness. I absolutely loved this for gaming, but unfortunately the fit rears its ugly head once again. I have to take more breaks when gaming with the Rhapsody than the usual IEM which is not a good thing when I wanna keep immersive, but at least reminds me to take breaks every once in a while.

DIFFERENT TUNING MODES:​

Let’s do a quick comparison between the different tuning modes that are advertised by CCA


0000 - The “Basic” graph as CCA stated, but oddly was not the basic graph for me as it came in all up mode. This is essentially boosts the bass up which breaches into the midbass and can occasionally sound a little bit on the bloated side.


1000 - The Bass +1 mode, which boosts the bass even more. This is makes the bass even more boomy, but oddly not as much on the rumble end. Rumble still seems quite similar but the midbass sounds a little bit more overcooked



1100 - The Bass +2 mode, even more bass! But this time, with extra rumble. This is the basshead setting and I did not linger on this mode for too long for the sake of my eardrums. It sounds very fun though



0010 - The Mid & High + 1 mode, which tames the sub bass but boosts the midbass without really changing the upper mids or treble that much. It shifts the balance to be less boomy and slightly clear



0011 - The Mid & High +2 mode, which is my favorite tuning as it’s the least bassy. Subbass does take a significant hit and it becomes considerably cleaner but less engaging. Still, I loved this setting the most because it’s the least bassy mode.

COMPARISONS​

Vs KZ Castor Bass Enhanced​

The reason why this is my first comparison is because the Rhapsody is essentially the upgraded version of the Castor Bass in every single way, minus maybe the build as they’re very similar in that regard.

The bass is tighter and cleaner on the Rhapsody, lower mids aren’t as sunken or thin, upper mids aren’t as shouty and the treble is better extended and more resolving. Even the fit is better, although more on the stability side as the Castor is still more comfortable than the Rhapsody due to its smaller shape.

Vs Simgot EW200​

The EW200 has a better overall timbre and technical ability than the Rhapsody, but the Rhapsody brings in a considerably bigger and more engaging overall sound. It’s less natural sounding than the EW200, but also less fatiguing than the brighter and potentially hotter upper mids to treble of the EW200. Technicalities are ahead on the EW200 by quite a margin which surprised me as the EW200 is cheaper, but it does feature a very high quality driver.

Vs Truthear x Crinacle Zero: RED​

Against it’s fellow 2DD (but not hybrid) brethren, the two have a similar transient response, that being on the smoother side with focus on a smoother and more lush listening experience. However, timbre and coherency is better on the red as unlike the Rhapsody which is a little bit slower on the bass and a tad bit faster on the treble, the Red just sounds slow and sloppy althroughout which gives it a lush and analogue sound. The Rhapsody is also considerably more fun and engaging sounding than the Red, even with the included impedance adaptor. Technicalities are slightly ahead on the Castor, but the overall presentation is smoother on the Red.

Vs Truthear Hexa​

The Hexa falls under a similar light to the Red with it focused more on providing a smoother, more coherent and more natural sound presentation compared to the Rhapsody. However, unlike the red, the Hexa is more technical sounding than the Rhapsody. The Rhapsody is still more fun than the Hexa, however.

CONCLUSION​

If it was not yet clear, I genuinely think that the Rhapsody is a fantastic IEM. Hell, I’d even say that the Rhapsody is one of if not the best-sounding hybrid that KZ has ever made. The balance of booming, lush bass and smooth upper midrange gives it a well-rounded sound.

While I do find some gripes with the bass tuck, bass lacking nuance and being just a tad bit slower than the rest of the frequency, its sparkle somewhat lacking for my tastes, and it generally not-so-stellar technical ability it is almost hard not to recommend this to most people who want a fun, engaging and well-tuned set.

Thank you for checking out my full review of the CCA Big thanks to CCA for sending this over for my honest impressions. If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below: https://www.kztws.com/products/cca-rhapsody

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: CCA Rhapsody Review Video


If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

Introduction​

CCA has always been “the handsome sister brand” of KZ, famous for bringing products g more balanced and better sounding tunings with respect to their strongly V-Shaped counterparts.
The CCA Rhapsody are among the latest releases from the brand, featuring 6 drivers per side (2 DD + 4 BA) and tuning switches, and has already received some good reviews online.

Well, guess it’s my turn now!

Disclaimer: the CCA Rhapsody were sent to me by CCA free of charge so that I could write an honest review. This review represents my personal opinion on the set and it is by no means a promotional or paid content.
At the time of the review, the CCA Rhapsody were on sale for 35,99$ at kztws.com.

Technical Specifications​

• Driver Configuration → Hybrid (2 DD + 4 x BA)
• Impedance → 8 Ω
• Sensitivity → 108dB
• Effective Frequency Response Range → 20Hz-20kHz
• Cable → 1,20m 5N copper silver plated cable with 0.78mm 2-PIN connectors
• Plug Type → straight gold plated 3.5mm jack connector

Packaging​

Nothing new under the sunlight as the Rhapsody come with the same packaging as older KZ and CCA products:

• The CCA Rhapsody
• One set of starline eartips (S, M, L)
• The detachable 3.5mm cable with 0.78mm 2-PIN QDC connectors
• A SIM Card removal needle (needed to move the switches)
• User manuals and instructions

Design and Build Quality​

The CCA Rhapsody are larger and taller than average, with a thick shell that hides a multi-driver setup and tuning switches. The dark-silver faceplate is glossy and elegant, and the “Rhapsody” name isn’t ugly to see (which is good news) and there’s a hole on the faceplate with a visible grill, even though I’m not sure if it’s an open vent or if it’s just a decorative part of the shell.
The switches are located on one side of the IEM, but the reason why the switch panel is not symmetrical between the two IEMs is unknown to me.
The nozzle is not as wide as on other sets but it’s not a small nozzle either.
Overall, the Rhapsody are built very well with no major assembly flaws and they also feel very sturdy and well built to the touch.

Cable​

The stock cable is, unfortunately, nothing to write home about. It’s the same cable that KZ and CCA have been including for ages now, and even though it’s not as bad as the one they used to provide in the past, I still think a small effort to include an even better cable could be done.

Comfort and Isolation​

Comfort can be good or bad depending on the size of the ears: those who have small ears will likely have some comfort issues overtime, mostly related to the size of the shells (including their thickness), whereas others will find them sitting in a stable and comfortable way in their ears.
Isolation is more than enough for outdoor listening sessions.

Sound​

GEAR USED FOR THE TEST

• DAC: Topping E30
• AMP: Topping L30
• Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Xiaomi Mi A3, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
• Moondrop May’s DSP cable with PEQ=0
• Dongle: Apple Type-C dongle, Truthear SHIO
• Portable DAPs: Benjie S8/AGPTEK M30B
• Other sources: Presonus AudioBox iONE, Elgato Wave XLR, KZ AZ10

Do they need an amplifier?
The CCA Rhapsody don’t need an amplifier, but giving them some juice is not a bad idea. I’ve noticed a bit better low-end tightness when connecting them to a proper amp.

Sound signature
The sound signature depends on the switches’ positions. The first two switches have impact on the bass, the other two twitches have impact on mid&high frequencies. Basically, setting the first bass switch in the UP position increases the low end, but if the second bass switch is also switched in the UP position, then the bass increases even more. Same applies for the mid&highs switches.
There are many possibilities and one can really try playing with them, but this review will be based on the DDUU combination, which basically avoids too much bass emphasis or a subdued upper range by following the Harman target more or less.
Moving the switches in different ways by starting from this position helped me understanding the various effects of the switches, but your mileage may vary of course.

Lows
The low-end is solid with average extension, a pleasant yet limited rumble and a very punchy bass that is more forward than the sub-bass. The bass is not the tightest or the fastest around, and the textures are only average, but it sounds very impactful in a pleasant way. I think these will be perfect for bassheads since there’s already a good amount of bass in the DDUU config and the switches really make the bass even more powerful, deeper and punchier.
For sure these are not for those seeking for neutrality, especially because they already have emphasized bass even in the switches’ combination with the least amount of low-end.

Mids
The lower midrange is slightly compressed between the emphasized bass and the upper midrange, and even though this happens, it still has some pleasant warmth that brings some character to male vocals (even though they don’t really “stand out”). The upper midrange is forward, just like on most Harman-ish sets, and although some instances of sibilance are still a thing, they don’t occur very often and aren’t unbearable, also thanks to the fact that the treble is gently roll-off providing more smoothness.

Highs
As said some lines above, the treble is rolled-off but still has enough energy to make good contrast with the low-end, providing a very engaging and dynamic sound. And good news, BA timbre is not a thing in most cases (even though it can pop-up at very high volumes and while listening to genres that require more treble such as metal).
The detail retrieval and resolution are below average for the price but the overall sound is very smooth and cohesive also thanks to the treble tuning. In addition, if we put the switches into the equation, then it’s easy to understand that everyone, including those who are sensitive to treble, has a chance to like these.

Soundstage is average and so is the imaging.

My favorite combination of the various switches: UUUU.​

The UUUU combination has a more controlled midbass, more sub-bass extension and rumble, a bit less subdued lower mids and slightly better timbre overall. The other frequencies remain basically the same, so it’s more of a personal preference than anything else.

Some comparisons:​

CCA Rhapsody DDUU vs TRI Star River DD (Balanced and Natural position)​

Both have switches but the Rhapsody has even more, thus giving more combinations of up and down positions.
Overall, the Rhapsody are a lot better in terms of tonality, timbre and cohesiveness even though they are a hybrid set. The Star River has a bit more sub-bass extension with respect to the DDUU config of the Rhapsody, even though the latter can easily compensate by using the UUUU config. Going up top, the Rhapsody are more natural too and can be used also by those who are sensitive to treble, whereas the Star River are bright even in the least bright config, even though they have better details, resolution, imaging and soundstage.
The Rhapsody are more refined and pleasant to the ears, the Star River are more technical but way less pleasant and fun to listen to.
Both are well built, very comfortable and insulate well from external noises and both come with average cables, but the Star River come with a much better set of tips (since they also include TRI Clarion eartips).
If someone told me to choose only one of the two, I’d get the Rhapsody without thinking twice.

CCA Rhapsody UUUU vs CCA CRA​

To compare them in a fair way, the Rhapsody have been set to UUUU combination.
The low-end is perceived as more emphasized on the Rhapsody but this is just because they have less treble than the CRA. The CRA, instead, have better treble extension, more details, better resolution. Soundstage and imaging are slightly better on the CRA.
From a tonal perspective, the CRA are very bright so they are a no-go for those who are sensitive to treble, whereas the Rhapsody are very versatile and usable even in their brightest switches’ combination. In fact, the biggest step up from the average KZ/CCA set is the timbre, which is greatly improved on the Rhapsody.
Both are well built and the CRA are more comfortable but the Rhapsody insulate better from external noises. Both come with very average cables, to say the least.
I would probably pick the CRA for the brighter signature since I like a more sparkling upper-end, but I think the Rhapsody are more refined and easier to recommend to anyone.

CCA Rhapsody DDUU vs Celest Wyvern Pro​

Both are Harman-ish but the Rhapsody are more fun, warmer and bassier overall, while the Wyvern Pro are technically superior and more balanced with better end-to-end extension.
They have more mid-bass quantity and punch, slightly warmer male vocals, and a touch less forward upper-midrange. The Wyvern Pro have less midbass that is also faster and more accurate, slightly more subdued male vocals and more forward and energetic female vocals. The treble extension is decent on both but the Wyvern Pro are slightly superior and more resolving due to the fact that their midbass is not as prominent as on the Rhapsody.
Soundstage and imaging are a lot better on the Wyvern Pro.
Build quality is very good on both. Comfort is very subjective since both have something that could make them tricky to keep in the ears: the Wyvern Pro have a protruding wing on the shell, whereas the Rhapsody have very bulky shells. The Wyvern Pro come with a better cable.
If I were asked to pick one, I’d choose the Wyvern Pro any day, but I also understand those who like a lot of bass will find the Rhapsody a more interesting set from a timbrical point of view.

Final Thoughts​

CCA has really done wonders with the overall cohesiveness and timbre of the Rhapsody: they are fun, warm, pleasant to listen to, easy to drive and versatile thanks to the switches. I think this is the best driver implementation KZ has done to date, especially considering that there are multiple drivers that come into play.
Where do they fall? Soundstage, imaging, resolution and detail retrieval aren’t their “forte”. They are not bad under those aspects, but since there are lots of IEMs that are technically capable in this price range it’s time for KZ and CCA to step up on that, especially now that they have reached enough confidence with the tuning and that they have shown (i.e. with the Duo) that they can make technically competent stuff for cheap.

I am pleased to recommend the Rhapsody, but only if you are able to buy them for around their launch price or discounted price (i.e. around 30$): that is a very good price for them and they are definitely worth that money if you want a fun and smooth sounding set and are not bothered by their bulky shell.

Review Of The CCA Rhapsody ​

Introduction​

Chinese company CCA has impressed many audiophiles with their high-quality and affordable products since their debut. However, I have only tried one of their products before which is CCA CRA, and now I got the opportunity to test their latest model: the Rhapsody. I was curious to see what CCA had to offer, as I have heard a lot of praise for their IEMs. The Rhapsody is a 2DD+4BA hybrid IEM with a 4-stage switch design. In this review, I will explore whether the Rhapsody can live up to the high standards that CCA has set for themselves. Yet, prior to that, I have to specify some details.

Disclaimer​

*Since this unit tour was organised by the kindly people at Linsoul, 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 “Rhapsody.”
*I am using different Ear-tips for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Rhapsody based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification​

The CCA Rhapsody is a 2DD+4BA hybrid IEM that employs a dual dynamic driver configuration for the low and mid frequencies, and four balanced armature units for the high and ultra-high frequencies. The dynamic drivers are 8mm in diameter and have a composite diaphragm, while the balanced armature units are 31736 models from Knowles. The frequency division technology ensures a smooth and coherent crossover between the drivers, resulting in a balanced and detailed sound signature. The frequency response range is 20-40000 Hz, the sensitivity is 102 dB, and the impedance varies from 15 Ohms to 20 Ohms. The total harmonic distortion is less than 0.5% at 1 kHz. The earpieces are made of metal and have a 3D printed cavity, which enhances the acoustic performance and the comfort. The earphones also feature a 4-stage switch design, which allows the user to adjust the frequency bands and the tuning styles according to their preferences. The earphones come with a detachable silver-plated copper cable, which has a 3.5 mm plug and a 0.75 mm two-pin connector. The cable length is 1.2 meters and the cable has a dual-braid design to prevent tangling. The earphones also come with six pairs of eartips in two different styles and three sizes.

Sound​

I did try a lot of CCA products, but at first I wasn't interested in them. Then, the CRA came along and became my favorite CCA IEM after that. I never wavered in my interest in CCA, and now I realize how stupid I was. When I heard, I knew this was the best CCA IEM I had ever heard. The Rhapsody is possibly the best IEM I have heard at this price point. It is certainly among the best. Nowhere did I feel that anything was anything other than precisely what I liked—balanced with a clear midrange and subbass emphasis—and if I thought that wasn't enough, the tuning switches helped me remain enthralled with the IEM. I'm grateful to CCA for providing a high-quality IEM at such a reasonable price. The switches are really helpful, I assure you. I believe the technical aspects seem reasonable given the price they are being offered at. Allow me to elaborate on why.

Treble​

The treble is handled incredibly well; in fact, the extension and seamless, coherent response bring to mind Thieaudio Monarch MKII or Hype2. Although the rounded notes produce clean details, they also create a mellow and pleasant experience. I can hear hints of BA timbre occasionally, but these usually have custom house-made drivers that have advanced significantly and sound just as good as the last BA-configured IEM I've heard from CCA or KZ. The vocals sound fuller and more pleasant thanks to the expansive, airy, and wide upper treble, which also provides a good exposure of details and clarity from the instruments. The vocals and instruments are able to produce enough details to maintain a silky smooth response without sounding monotonous because the lower treble is cohesive and has a good amount of energy, without being overly forward or mysterious. As a result, the treble region presents itself in a pleasant, fluid, and clear manner overall.

Mid Range​

In terms of quantity and quality, the mid range is expressive. I think the balance between the upper and lower mid ranges is ideal because the lower mid range gives the upper mid range just the right amount of warmth, making the upper mid range sound more soothing and natural. Naturally, compared to some other IEMs in this price range on the market, they aren't as precise or detailed. However, I think the answer was a smooth and safe one. The cohesive response seen in the lower treble is also present in the upper mid range, but with more weight notes and a more organic presentation. When listening to female vocals, the lower treble did have a slight sibilant sound, but the response does not permit any peaky or sibilant sounds. The instruments sound natural and enhance the vocals, which are light and open in tone. It is advantageous that the lower mid range sounds weighty and hazy with details because it gives the higher frequencies—such as peaky, metallic, or hot—a more robust and warm foundation. As a result, the mid range presents itself in a pleasant, natural, and silky manner overall.

Bass​

The tuning switches are very helpful when it comes to bass. The tuning switches alter the expected bass response, which is the reason. This IEM is ideal because it emphasizes and subdues the sub bass and mid bass without affecting or altering the higher frequencies. Those who prefer greater emphasis or less bass can choose to subdue their presence. Later on, I'll go into more detail about it. No matter how many tuning switches you use, the sub bass is the main focus, giving your ears a subtle rumbling sensation and making your punches feel powerful. While the bass doesn't really leak into the mids, it does provide warmth that flows into the lower mid range, which is sufficient to support the audible slams and thumps. Even though the bass has the potential to be extremely powerful and impactful, the details and quality fall short of expectations, but this is not a drawback because the response feels natural. Overall, the bass region is presented in a thick, organic, and customizable way.

Technical Performance​

Regarding the technical performance, I believe it is comparable to other products in this price range. Allow me to elaborate.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

The stage's width and length allow for a spacious sound with clear imaging, but it could have been sharper, which would have, in my opinion, resulted in a poorer tonal balance because of the limitations of the BA drivers. Notes have a sufficient amount of separation because they sound far away, making it easy to determine where the sound is coming from.

Speed & Resolution​

Overall, the resolution sounds good and better than I had anticipated because the macro details are sufficiently expressive while the micro details are less noticeable. Notes are attacked and decayed at a suitable pace to prevent a chaotic reaction.

Sound Impressions ​

Tuning Switches​

To be honest, I didn't think the tuning switches worked because I didn't hear the treble getting tamed or aggressive or the vocals being forward or subdued. However, as I listened more, I realized that the bass was changing. In other words, the switches essentially emphasize or subdue the mid- and subbass. Technically speaking, the second switch helps to emphasize the mid bass below 300 Hz and a 2-3 db increase in sub bass, while the first switch does very little to nothing. When the third and fourth switches were hit, the mid bass was somewhat muted and the sub bass became more noticeable and impactful in the mix. Hence, depending on your preference, using two or three switches together helped emphasize the mid- or sub-bass. The combinations that I felt were the most effective and truly made a difference were:

a. 3rd & 4th - Here, the bass felt more accurate and in control, while the higher frequencies were more lively and clear because of the subdued bass.

C. 1st and 3rd - The sub bass region is being emphasized more and the mid bass presence is being subdued in this combination, but the overall response is still the same—it just has more rumble and control over the thumping response.

Sources​

Sony WM1A - Using the WM1A to listen, I could hear a much cleaner, smoother response with better stage and separation. Although the treble energy was a little muted, the sound was still more expansive and open. The emphasis on the mid range made the vocals in the mix more powerful. Also, there seemed to be more depth to the bass. All in all, the sound was smoothed and softer.

Tempotec V6 - When using the V6, the response sounded more lively, particularly in the treble range, where the normally gentle and seamless response started to sound a little forward. A lively and captivating sound was created overall with this response, which made the details feel more in-your-face and the bass response feel more tactile and prominent.

Tracks​

Luna Haruna - Glory days
Luna Haruna - Overfly
Rokudenashi - The Flame of Love
LMYK - 0 (zero)
ORESKABAND - Jitensya
Marina Horiuchi - Mizukagami no Sekai
RADWIMPS - Suzume
Indila - Love Story
Indila - Tourner dans le vide
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Tom Petty - Free Fallin'
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Blue Oyester Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Guns 'N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Gojira - Amazonia
TV on the radio - Wolf Like Me
Bring Me To The Horizon - Can You Feel My Heart
Bring Me To The Horizon - sTraNgeRs
Avril Lavigne - Dare To Love Me
Travis - Love Will Come Through
Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
DJ Shadows - Six Days (Remix) [feat. Mos Def]
Lady Gaga - Just Dance
Lil Wayne - Lollipop
Flo Rida - Low
Sebastian Lopez & Flug - Electronic Measures
Federico Mecozzi - Blue (Da Ba Dee)
Wayve - Not Enough
Kai Wachi & TeZATalks - Ghost
NGHTMRE, Zeds Dead & Tori Levett - Shady Intentions
Zeds Dead, DNMO & GG Magree - Save My Grave
Skrillex, Noisia, josh pan & Dylan Brady - Supersonic
Skrillex & Nai Barghouti - Xena
Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo - RATATA
Kaifi Khalil, Eva B & Wahab Bugti - Kana Yaari
A.R. Rahman, Javed Ali & Mohit Chauhan - Kun Faya Kun

Conclusion​

To sum up this review, I'll be frank and say that the best-sounding IEM for under $40 should be purchased by anyone with that kind of money. Every frequency range—treble, midrange, and bass—is adjusted to suit the preferences of the majority of listeners. With a well-balanced sound and a bass that can be adjusted, it creates a smooth, coherent response with just the right amount of detail to keep you interested. The CCA Rhapsody was fantastic, and I heartily suggest these.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank CCA for providing the Rhapsody.
It can be gotten here: https://www.kztws.com/products/cca-rhapsody (no affiliate links).





SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 4 x 31736 balanced armature drivers, 2 x 8 mm dynamic drivers
• Impedance: 15 - 20 Ω (depending on switch configuration)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
• Sensitivity: 102 dB
• Cable: 2-pin, 0.75 mm cable; 3.5 mm termination; silver-plated cable
• Tested at $50.99 USD for mic version; $49.99 USD for non-mic version

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of KZ "starline" silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- Cable
- Card pin

For a $50ish USD IEM, the accessories - or rather lack thereof - are disappointing. We have only one set of silicone tips, with no foam tips, nor even a carrying case or carrying pouch. I've surely seen cheaper IEMs with a better accessory spread.




KZ's classic "starline" eartips are included here, and they are serviceable from a fit and sonic perspective.




The stock silver-plated cable is not great haptically - it is very tangly and thin, with no chin cinch, and with microphonics in abundance. It is thankfully a 2-pin connector, which is usually more robust than MMCX at the budget segment. However, take note that this has a 0.75 mm terminal instead of the more common 0.78 mm one.




Don't lose the card pin, which is essential for flipping the tuning switches!

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT



Fashioned from 3D-printed metal, the housings feature a mirror-like faceplate. While it does look quite elegant, this may be a fingerprint or scratch magnet. The inner aspect is made of plastic resin, allowing one to visualize the internals.




The Rhapsody has a large circular mesh on the housing, which confers a semi-open back design. As such, isolation is bang average. However, this aids in acoustic flow, with no driver flex noted on my pair.

While the shells are light, they are huge in dimensions. Thus, those with smaller ears might have fitting or comfort issues. YMMV.


INTERNALS/TUNING SWITCHES

The Rhapsody sports a 6 driver setup:
- Two x 8 mm dynamic drivers - one for the sub-bass, and one for the midrange.
- Four x 31736 BAs handle the treble and upper treble.



2023 has been the year of the tuning switch craze, and it is no surprise that this concept is incorporated here. We have 4 tuning switches, to give a total of 16 tuning permutations:

Graphs of the CCA Rhapsody via IEC711 coupler.

As per the above graphs, the switches confer an 8 dB or so difference in bass to the lower mids, which does vary the sonics (ie this is not a total gimmick).

Thus, the Rhapsody can be converted from a Harmanish tone to a more sub-bass predominant profile. The former is crisper and leaner, and not so boomy in the bass, with better treble extension; whereas the latter is warmer, and slower in the bass, but with much thicker note weight.

Do explore with the various switch permutations to see what suits your requirements. Thankfully, the switches are easily manipulated with the card pin, and are not as microscopic as the KZ AS24's!


DRIVABILITY

I tested the Rhapsody with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Fiio K11 DAC/amp
- Fiio KA13 dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

The impedance does vary between the different switch settings, but overall, the Rhapsody is moderately easy to drive. While weak sources can drive the Rhapsody acceptably, it might benefit a bit from amplification in terms of scalability.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

The following sonic impressions are done with the least bassy configuration - DDDU - which provides a Harmanish sound.

On this setup, the Rhapsody is less bassy than the other profiles. There is a mid-bass focused soundscape, with a slight sub-bass roll-off. Bass quality is sadly not up-to-mark. We hear a bassline on the slower side, with some mid-bass bleed, in addition to a one-noted textureless bass. On complex or rapid bass tracks - for example Sting's Englishman In New York - the bass is noticeably slower than the treble, thus contributing to some incoherency.

The lower mids are depressed, but with the big bass bleeding into this region, it adds warmth and heft, rounding notes and blunting note definition. The upper midrange has a 9 dB ear gain, which pushes vocals forwards without overt shoutiness (at moderate volumes).

The lower treble continues on from this boosted upper mids, and sibilance is minimal. The upper treble rolls-off early thereafter, and the Rhapsody is not a very airy set. Trebleheads will find the resolution and treble extension wanting, but conversely, this is a suitable IEM for the treble-sensitive among stus.

Timbre is very decent for a BA containing hybrid - this is one area where many budget hybrids fail at. No complains for acoustic instrumentation playback.

With regard to technicalities, the Rhapsody is sub-par. It isn't too detailed or resolving, and instrument separation and layering is messy, which is more apparent when complex tracks with competing riffs come out to play. Soundstage is thankfully above average, though imaging is fuzzy when compared against other competitor budget hybrids.


COMPARISONS

Comparisons were made with other sub-$100 USD hybrids. Pure BA, pure DDs and planars were left out of the comparisons as the different driver types have their pros and cons.



CVJ Mei

The Mei has only 4 tuning options via 2 tuning switches, but it has greater versatility in sonics compared to the 16 variations on the Rhapsody that just has a 8 dB lower mids/bass difference.

Graph of the CVJ Mei via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler peak.

It can be converted from a neutral bright set to an L-shaped bassy beast.

On the most resolving setup (both switches toggled up), the Mei is neutral bright, which has less bass and a greater treble extension/sparkle. The Mei's bass is tighter and faster, though it is more fatiguing and sibilant in the upper end.

The Mei has a more marked metallic timbre, but superior technicalities, besting the Rhapsody in imaging, soundstage, micro-detailing and instrument separation.


Truthear HEXA

The HEXA is tuned neutral with a sub-bass boost. It has much less bass than the Rhapsody, but the bass is cleaner and more textured. Additionally, the HEXA has more treble extension and a thinner note weight. The Rhapsody is thus more "fun-sounding", whereas the HEXA is more sterile/analytical in signature.

The HEXA has a slightly less natural timbre, but is superior to the Rhapsody in technicalities such as imaging, micro-detailing and instrument separation. Soundstage is about equal.

The HEXA is slightly harder to drive, though it has no tuning switches.


CONCLUSIONS



The Rhapsody is a smooth and non-fatiguing hybrid, with good versatility - it can be switched literally from a Harmanish tone to a more bass-laden signature. I appreciate that the Rhapsody has solid timbre for a BA-containing hybrid - something that cannot be said of most budget hybrids - coupled with a musical laid-back trademark.

There are some flaws though. There is a dearth of accessories, and it may be uncomfortable, what with the sumo-sized shells. Compared to other budget hybrids, technicalities are also lacking, with a slow and ponderous bass that doesn't fare well for complex bass tracks.

This set is also not for trebleheads due to a rolled-off treble with some deficiencies in resolution. On the flip-side - no pun intended - the Rhapsody is creamy smooth and will be a kindred spirit for our treble-sensitive brethren.

In a nutshell, I have mixed feelings about the Rhapsody. It is certainly a chill and relaxing hybrid, well-suited for long listening sessions, with an agreeable timbre, but if you are a technical junkie or value technicalities, it might be better to look elsewhere.

CCA Rhapsody Review​

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CCA Rhapsody ​

Intro​

Hello, the set I have before me today is one of KZ/CCA‘s latest Hybrid iems, the “CCA Rhapsody”. I just reviewed the most recent hybrid, the KZ ZAT (ZAT Review) a month or so ago and I was impressed. There are some slight issues but it’s a nice set. I am very curious what we will be seeing with this latest iteration in KZ/CCA’s lineup and how KZ/CCA builds upon past hybrids.
I want to thank KZ for sending me the Rhapsody in exchange for a full written review. Just a disclaimer; I received no monetary gain in exchange for writing this review and I’m not affiliated with KZ in any way, shape, or form. It’s a fair deal and a good relationship in which I tell my truth about the product and the brand (KZ) gets the word out. Please understand there will always be biases in every review, flirting one way or the other, but I can assure you that every word I write comes from a place of honesty.

CCA & KZ​

If ever there was a company which was more polarizing than KZ or their sub-brand CCA then I haven’t heard about it. However, this is a company who has always been good to me and very fair and has never shunned me for handing out a less than stellar review. I have found that KZ/CCA is always seemingly getting better. Obviously not everything works for everyone and not everything will fit everyone’s preferences from the company, like any brands iems. However, in general KZ is a company who seems to get better and learn from past tuning ventures. I have actually reviewed a number of their sets over the last few years and below is a link to those reviews if you’d like to check them out.

• –KZ AS16 Pro
• –KZ VXS
• –CCA CRA+
• –KZ PR1 Hifi
• –KZ EDCX
• –KZ Linglong
• –KZ ZVX
• –KZ D-Fi
• –KZ X-HBB PR2
• –CCA Duo
• –KZ EDXS
• –KZ AS24
• –KZ Krila
• –KZ AZ20
• –KZ ZAT

Relatively good​

That’s just to name a few and guess what… they’re all relatively good. Each one of them. Well done products for their respective price points that put up a serious fight against any set they are priced around. It’s just the truth folks. KZ/CCA seems to always seek to outdo the last set of every series every time they craft a new set. They build off the last iteration and with incremental changes that progressively get better and better. The good thing is that KZ/CCA is making affordable iems or products that most any pocketbook can obtain. One last thing… ethics and drama are not what I’m reviewing folks. As with every set, I do a deep dive on exactly what’s in front of me. Nothing more and nothing less.
Anyways, the CCA Rhapsody is a hybrid iem which comes hot off the heels of a well-received KZ Castor and I’m very curious if the same formula was used for this set as well. With all that said let’s get into it, the CCA Rhapsody…

Non-Affiliated Purchase Links:​

–Linsoul
–Amazon
–KZTWS.com

Disclaimer: I received the Rhapsody from KZ in exchange for a full review. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a sample iem. KZ has not requested to pre-read any review and does have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece. Thank you to KZ and thanks for reading.

Gear used for testing​

–Ifi Go Blu

–Moondrop Dawn 4.4

–Hidizs S9 Pro Plus

–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

–Shanling M6 Ultra

Packaging / Accessories​

Unboxing​

This should be no surprise to anyone, but the CCA Rhapsody comes in the usually very small black CCA box with the company “CCA” logo on the front sleeve. Take off the sleeve and you’ll see the Rhapsody lookin’ all fly in foam cut-outs. Under the earphones you’ll notice the cable and eartips wrapped up in cellophane. CCA also provides a dip-switch tool in the package to help with changing up the sound to suit your preferences. Along with that is a little card showing what the switches actually do. So, there ya’ go, nothing crazy or world changing and exactly what I expect from this brand. It’s all good folks. KZ tends to put the money towards the earphones themselves rather than giving a better unboxing experience.

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Eartips​

The last couple years KZ/CCA has been adding in some very useful and legendary tips, the KZ Starline tips. CCA provides you with three pairs (S, M, L) in total. I find the Starlines work just fine but I instead opted for a slightly wider bore to hopefully prop up the upper mids a hair more. Instead of the Starlines I chose to use my all-time favorite eartips, the KBear 07 tips in the medium size for deeper insertion. The 07’s are pretty well known for increasing the mid presence as well as adding some punch to the mid-bass. The stem is very firm and thick which helps add a harder lined response and the bore is slightly wider which does open up the sound a hair. To be honest the Starlines are just fine, and I didn’t notice a monumental change when tip rolling. Still, if I have an option to use the 07’s, Imma’ use the 07’s.

Cable​

This was also no surprise. I’ll keep this relatively short because CCA once again added the same QDC cable that they have used for years now. Not a bad cable at all but I just don’t like the aesthetic of it. Is it usable? Absolutely! The included cable is this white/opaque Silver-Plated Copper (SPC) cable that isn’t braided or thick or fun to look at either. It sounds perfectly fine though. Let’s put it this way; if you only have the included cable and cannot afford a better-looking cable… You’re perfectly fine. I instead went with the TRN Redchain modular cable which looks a bit better paired with the Rhapsody. Also, I can use this cable with balanced sources which is a win-win.

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Build / Design / Internals / Fit ​

Build Quality​

One thing that KZ/CCA never skimps on is build quality. The build structure and mold seem to be the same that they’ve used for multiple iems of late. It has the same basic shape as the KZ ZAT, AS16 Pro, AS24 etc. So that’ll tell you right away that this is a large set. The shell cavity is made by way of 3D printing out of a hard plastic/resin material which feels very solid. The faceplate is made out of some sort of an alloy. I would assume aluminum, but I don’t know for sure. It’s nice, that much I know. You’ll see a small round vent on the back end of the faceplate with a metal mesh grill covering it. On the backside of the Rhapsody, you can see the four dipswitches which are nicely inlaid into the resin.

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Design​

The overall design is one of the better that KZ/CCA have come out with. First off, the Shells once again give you the ability to peer into the inside and see the inner workings of the Rhapsody. You can see the DD’s as well as some of the BA drivers which I think is pretty cool. The faceplate design was a great idea as CCA decided upon a shiny metal with only the name “Rhapsody” written on the bottom of the faceplates. The design is simple, it’s not gaudy or too bougie but it’s classy. Just the name, a vent, and shiny metal and you’re good. I think this set looks nice.

High-Precision 3D Printed Cavity
The high-precision 3D printing technology ensures detailed and accurate shells, enhancing overall product quality. Complex internal ducts are precisely printed, guaranteeing accurate sound transmission.
Ergonomic Design for Comfort
The classic ergonomic design ensures a stable and comfortable fit to the ear. Coupled with memory foam ear tips, it effectively isolates external noise, providing a comfortable and immersive listening experience.
CCA Promotional​

Click to expand...

Dip-Switches​

Like I said the Rhapsody comes with four dipswitches in total which help to switch up the sound to your liking. I find the dipswitches do a nice job of tailoring the sound, for the most part. KZ has had plenty of sets which have working dipswitches to figure it out and get this tech right. In fact, I’d probably say that the switches on the Rhapsody are probably one of their better implementations. The first two switches affect the bass region by adding what CCA refers to as “1 level” up of mid-bass amplitude per switch. I’m assuming they are 1- or 2-dB increments. I could be wrong. The 3rd and 4th switches are the same only they affect the mid/high frequencies. Each switch can either be flicked “up” which means it’s “on” or “down” which means that switch is “off”. For review purposes a “1” will mean “on” and a “0” will mean “off”. For instance, a “1111” means all switches are “on”.

Don’t waste the digital ink​

I won’t waste the digital ink going through each variation of switch settings because it is very boring to write about and even more boring to read about. Just know that there is a decently substantial change which takes place with these settings. However, you are not getting multiple different tunings but instead slight variations of the same tuning depending on what switch alignment you choose. The low-end switches add some slight note weight and low-end oomph and fullness while the last two switches add some slight levity to the mix up top by lowering the bass shelf. I don’t have a graph showing all the different settings unfortunately but by hearing I can tell the upper-mid/lower-treble area is being affected with those switches. It turns out I’m a bit more partial to a couple settings. I mostly feel that “1111” resonates with me the best as well as “1001”. I will allude to different switch orientations throughout the review but mostly I stuck to “1111”. That setup seemed to suit me the best.

Internals​

The CCA Rhapsody is a six driver per side hybrid iem that comes with two dynamic drivers as well as four balanced armature drivers. CCA chose two 8mm dynamic drivers to operate both the low-end as well as the midrange. They did this to allow some separation of the frequency between the low-end and midrange. It helps to clean things up a bit without any overlap or blending. It’s just cleaner. One DD for the lows and one DD for the mids. It’s a more organic approach rather than using a BA for the midrange. The four balanced armature drivers are 31736 BA’s which are used to operate both the treble as well as the upper-treble. The thought is to break up the frequency and hopefully clean things up, separate the sound a bit. Each BA focuses on a specific area of the mix.

Now, this is great and it’s good to see multi hybrid sets for cheap ($49), but the tough thing is adding so many drivers and keeping some level of coherency between all of the drivers. Dynamic drivers have a certain tonal quality as well as balanced armature drivers. Tuning all these drivers to mesh and marry the sound altogether is a tough task. Not that I’ve ever tuned anything but… So, I’m told. I can tell you right now that CCA doesn’t have any issues with coherency. Good job CCA.

Fit / Isolation ​

The Rhapsody fits me like a glove. They really do. Now, the nozzle fits a hair deeper than most and so that may be something you need to consider but for the most part this set fits great. Keep in mind, this set is huge! Like, really huge. If you have smaller ears this may pose an issue. I have what I would call medium sized ears and I feel the fit couldn’t get much better, but hay is just me. I’m sure some folks will have an issue. I find isolation to be about average. Nothing to write home about. I mean, the Rhapsody has a good-sized vent in the back, so it stands to reason that you won’t get amazing isolation. For the most part I think that most hobbyists will have no real issues fitting this set.

Drivability​

The CCA Rhapsody is rated at 15-20 ohms and a sensitivity of 102 dBs. Therefore, the Rhapsody fairly easy to drive. I have to add a hint more volume than usual but for the most part the Rhapsody isn’t a problem driving. If you at least have a decent Dongle Dac you should be fine. I don’t hear any huge scaling with additional power. Perhaps using my daps (DX240 & M6 Ultra) gave it a little bit more refined sound but I don’t think you need a big power supply.

Mobile Listening​

Listening with something like the IFi Go Blu or the Qudelix 5k will put you in a fantastic spot with the Rhapsody. I never really needed to go to a balanced connection as the 3.5 single ended was enough. However, much of my critical listening was done using a 4.4 connection. Again, there wasn’t any crazy uptick in auditory ability with more power. I used a 4.4 connection when I listened to Moondrop Dawn 4.4, and I simply love the synergy between these two. The Rhapsody seems to play well off of a more neutral canvas.

Daps
My favorite way to listen to the CCA Rhapsody was with my daps. My music is all there, ready to go, but also these are my two most sonically gifted devices as well. However, I adore how well the Rhapsody’s warmer replay took to the velvet and resolving M6 Ultra.

In the end
Like I said, a decent Dongle Dac will suffice. If you don’t have one there are some good setups costing as low as $25 to $50. If all you have is a phone with a 3.5 connection, then I think you can get the Rhapsody to volume okay. Like I did on my iPad 6th gen, but you really aren’t getting the dynamic capabilities of the Rhapsody.

Sound Impressions ​

The CCA Rhapsody comes across warmer than it isn’t. There’s a pervasive and inviting warmth which cascades the entire frequency and good representation from each area of the mix. I know that what I’m going to say really doesn’t help you at all and it’s about as subjective as subjectivity gets but… The Rhapsody has a very enjoyable and very musical tuning. I would say that the Rhapsody is probably V-shaped to a warm U-shape depending on your switch orientation. However, the one thing which remains no matter the settings used is that the Rhapsody is a non-offensive, non-fatiguing, and an altogether easy listening iem. This isn’t dry, not analytical, not bright but also not the airiest either. I wouldn’t consider the Rhapsody a technical sounding set though the technical side of listening isn’t entirely lost. There are some caveats to that, and I will explain more later.

Emotionally charged​

I would consider the greatest attribute of the Rhapsody is something that I haven’t really heard in a hybrid from KZ/CCA and that is very nice coherence across the range. I get no hints of BA timbre or anything metallic when I listen. Friends, I really think this is a good job on CCA’s part of tuning two DD’s and four BAs without any real issues in this regard. I hear nice transitions from the bass to mids and mids to treble. The sound is certainly a form of a V-shape sound but there is a good dynamic balance where no one region truly dwarfs another, on some settings that is. Yes, it is a bassier set (which I love) but it’s also a warm-musical set. I think we throw that word (musical) around too much to be honest. There are different forms of musicality, and it doesn’t always have to be a warmer set that gives off a moody, passionate and melodious type listen. Still, in the case of the Rhapsody I feel CCA really nailed an emotionally charged and musical sound.

Between the 20’s​

KZ/CCA has come a long way by slightly improving their tuning set by set and the Rhapsody seems to be a perfect example of that. Starting off with the bass; the Rhapsody has plenty of thump and rumble. Not the speediest of all bass replays but very satisfying. Not quite basshead but it has great representation per the tuning CCA was going for. The midrange is recessed only slightly but it isn’t the type of recession that sounds attenuated or too pushed back in the sound field. The mids have a nice presence in the mix and fit the overall sound very well. Note weight is lusher and richer in this region giving vocalists plenty of realistic body to their voices. The treble area also is smoother with some hints of shimmer and shine yet never crests over into brightness. The Rhapsody stays the course and provides a treble that meshes very nicely. Not the most detailed but with a pretty good extension. It also doesn’t have the sharpest attack bite either, but it does have decent body up top.

Bass Region​

The bass comes across emphasized and fun. Depending on your switch settings the bass can really deliver a big, bold, and even bulbous response. Or it can come across slightly less warm and a hint leaner, but always physical. Basically, the Rhapsody has the ability to give off a good rumble on most tracks no matter the settings. This will appeal to those who want a set that can thump and simply have a little fun with. In the same breath the Rhapsody is reasonably detailed in the “macro” sense. Per the quantity that is.

The low-end is warmer, atmospheric, and not technically the speediest of low-end bass replays. Decay/sustain sounds a bit more spread out and prolonged while the leading edge of attack is relatively solid. It isn’t a crystalline and concrete note definition with an exact or precise note edge, but it’s solid. When the bass drops you have a fairly hard initial hit followed by a slightly lingering decay. Obviously, this depends on the track and the type of bass (kick drum, synth, bass guitar, etc.) coming through the Rhapsody. The sound is pretty deep, big, and fun. If that descriptor is not what you are after, then I would not think this set is up your alley. Just my opinion.

Sub-bass​

The lowest of the lows has a nicely deep resonant drone on a track like “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard. It’s that guttural type of gravely fullness that I really dig. It’s just fun. It isn’t the speediest of sub-bass replays and technically it won’t blow your mind, but it is nice to listen to. Also, take what I just said as a grain of salt because the word “technical” can be taken way out of context. It’s a clean bass, it’s an engaging bass, but it isn’t tuned for details, that’s all I meant by that. For what it is, the Rhapsody and those who tuned it have nothing to be ashamed of. After all, what do you want out of a sub-bass? For me, I simply want some representation in the area and some haptic feedback that isn’t hollow or pillowy. By-and-Large the Rhapsody has a good and controlled-resonant meat to it. It’s sonorous and can reach a fairly low pitch. The sub-bass doesn’t come across too knife edged or on the flipside… fuzzy. The Rhapsody has a clean enough note definition to not sound blended or simply one-noted against the mid-bass either. It isn’t a mishmash of bass sound, it’s tidy for what it is.

Mid-bass​

The mid-bass carries the majority of the low-end emphasis. Again, depending on your switch settings the mid-bass can sound very well balanced in the mix or slightly dominant. I like the “1111” bass which actually isn’t as emphasized but still very strong down low. If I turn only the first two switches the sound becomes much more boomy and broad and bulbous. Depending on your switches the Rhapsody can sound pretty agile and dexterous, or it can sound almost too emphasized (to some folks anyways). I happen to think it sounds fantastic for the price. I really mean that.

“2040” by Lil Durk is a BANGER, and the Rhapsody does not disappoint. No matter the switch setting this track hits hard on the Rhapsody. I can hear all the thunderous, undulating, and thrumming rumble without feeling the entire track is caked in bass. “Feelin’ the Miles” by The Wilder Blue has a great bass guitar riff which shows off the Rhapsody’s ability to be nimble as well as robust as it manages a relatively clean rolling bass guitar that sounds full and authoritative in its expression yet also spry and agile. I really enjoy the sound folks. This is not a cheap sounding “big bass” folks. Now, I do feel that the Rhapsody can flirt with bassheads and I don’t say that lightly. Of course, it all depends on your switches and what you consider is a basshead set.

Further thoughts on the bass region​

This is a bass for fans of a good strong bass. This is not a set that will appeal to a quick styled “hit-it-n’-git-it” type of bass. It doesn’t have that analytical, rapid fire, or quick thump sound & polar opposites to some of the planar or BA Bass replays on the market. This is a DD doing exactly what a low-end boosted DD does. However, this one at least sounds pretty compact for the price. Fans of smooth jazz, hip-hop, to an extent edm, r&b etc. or fans of a fuller bass response will dig this set. One thing I should also add is that the bass does have a nice ever-so-slight spill over into the midrange that is not a detriment for me. Now that could be an issue if you don’t want that moderately warm midrange, but I should at least speak on it. I would assume that bassheads will probably dig the Rhapsody, especially in a couple of the more bass heavy switch settings. I feel it just scrapes that basshead moniker. The priceless thing is that the settings can also yield a balanced sound with the rest of the mix. CCA really did a great job on these switches.

Downsides to the Bass Region​

The first and biggest downside in my mind is the amount of low-end rise we have on the Rhapsody. There are a ton of hobbyists who don’t like this type of sound. They may think it sounds borderline muddy, maybe bloated, too warm, not defined and detailed enough. I get that too. So I definitely understand those folks who may not enjoy the Rhapsody. It takes all types in this hobby. Many folks want a more flat and linear bass that has a tight and even more nimble transient attack through sustain. Understandable. Perhaps the low-end could have a more hard-edged note definition but I’m really reaching for “downsides” at the price of $50. With this emphasis? Trust me I’m reaching. All in all, the bass sounds great to my ears. It is as tight as $50 can give you for the amount of bass the Rhapsody has. CCA squeezed every last bit of definition they could muster out of this fun bass. Please don’t misunderstand, there are sets at the price point which can give you a bigger and more bullish bass and there are also sets which are more clearly defined too. The Rhapsody’s beauty is in its cohesion across the mix and the way it “all” comes together.

Midrange​

After many hours of listening, it’s easy to hear that the midrange is a smooth (you’ll hear this word a lot) and melodious affair that honors musicality over everything else. The midrange has this cascading and umbrella like warmth over the whole of the midrange which leans out a hint in the upper mids. Of course, this will vary with your switch settings. The mids have very nice note weight which is not the most crisp or exact in the heavier bass settings. However, the midrange does tighten up and clean up as you pull that bass down. I don’t hear the most detailed or resolving midrange, but that is what you have to live with for this type of warm and emotional sound. The switches can change things up a bit and level out the mix a hair depending on your settings but for the most part it is smooth, rich, prioritizing lushness and musicality over cleanliness and detail.

Smoothly rendered presence​

The midrange is recessed to a degree but not nearly to the point that I would declare them attenuated or too far back in the mix. To my ears they generally occupy a good place in the overall stage with a lusher and more smoothly rendered presence. I find the leading edge of attack can go from slightly blunted too slightly crisp. Listening with “1111” I hear a slight crispness which enhances a smooth and weighty undercurrent. The macro-dynamic amplitude is not one which is brighter or sprightly or sheened out in shimmery ampleness. Instead, the macro-dynamics are profuse in a more saturated way, yet still fun and bountiful. The stage helps with the big width and good height which broadens the sound to my ears. Vocals are actually better than decent too. Maybe not as enhanced as I’d like but still very good.

Lower-midrange​

The lower midrange can go from lean-lush to fairly thick and milky. Scratch that… They are always full, it’s just that in some settings there is less of a coating of warm energy. I find males to be pretty virile in sound which helps a masculine voice to be… well… masculine. Using “1111” a male’s voice has a cleaner and less warmly veiled energy yet still comes across rich in tone. Take “Sand in My Boots” by Morgan Wallen. His voice is naturally thinner, raspy, edgy and the Rhapsody easily manages a realistically weighted sound. His voice is well executed and closer to organic than any other word I could use. I don’t hear any extra metallic grain crudding up the note definition either.

Low-mids cont…​

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by Home Free (U2 acapella cover) is an excellent song to test male vocals and I feel this track found a home with the Rhapsody. Each male voice, from tenor to bass, is very clean on this track. There’s depth for layering and good transparency. Granted this is a very well recorded track and most sets sound pretty darn good listening to it. However, what strikes me is the timbre to the voices and this laid-back dynamism (best I could do) sounds utterly poised and stout. There is a crispness in the attack edge that is like the “cherry on the top” to the smooth and rich body with realistic harmonics. Also, when I say “crisp”, I don’t mean edgy, metallic, or glassy either. I mean there is a crystalline bite that’s clean. Eh, I’m still not perfectly happy with my description. Just know that it sounds good.

Upper-Midrange​

I usually concentrate on vocals in my lower and upper midrange sections. It probably isn’t the best way to go about it but it’s what I’m looking for in a set. Vocals are important to me. Females are usually the focal point of the upper-mids but that isn’t always true. Still, it’s females we generally look for in this region. The Rhapsody actually has a decent amount of controlled shimmer and females do have some vibrancy to them. They sound more elated and a bit leaner than males, also a bit more forward in the mix but only slightly. “Breathing Song” by Samia is a track that props up her voice as though it’s on a pedestal. The Rhapsody centers her voice so well, catching every inflection with good control and actual realistic sounding timbre to my ears. Possibly some people may think it’s just a slight hint too boosted for natural, maybe. However, she sounds hauntingly silvery and very pleasant.

Upper-mids cont… ​

“I’ve Drawn Your Face” by Rachael & Vilray portrays a female lead who is a bit lower in register, to a degree. Her voice is prominent against the slow picks of the guitar and the Rhapsody does an admirable job of highlighting her voice with good note weight, good tonality and a clean approach. She really sounds nice. I hear every pluck of the guitar, every finger slide. Of course, this is a very simple song and so you should be able to catch that stuff. The point is, females like her come across almost velvety, but not soft. Smooth, but more like porcelain smooth rather than buttery. I hope that makes sense to you. She sounds clean with appropriate thickness and what I feel is good timbral qualities.

Instrumentation​

I won’t go too long into Instruments as it is kind of a loaded and broad stroke type of thing to describe. My descriptions will be very general as I’m not going to cite every song for every type of instrument. I could just tell you this; most instrumentation sounds very well played. Nothing sounds out of the ordinary or too artificial. Strings have just enough of a sharpness with fluid harmonics. Electric guitars with or without distortion aren’t too sheened-out or glaring though may be a hint too bright depending on the track and your taste. I don’t find them bad. “Sabotage” by The Beastie Boys is easy for my brain to accept. Nothing glaring. Percussion has a snap to it. Most snares have that pointed “pang” and weighted body which is satisfying. Cymbals don’t sound splashy at all to me. Violin can sound steely and edgy rough but also clear and resonant. I could keep going but this section won’t be the same for everyone. We all have our idea of what the correct sound is and while the Rhapsody isn’t perfect by any stretch, I don’t hear anything that sounds “off” to me. So, forgive me for cutting this short.

Downsides to the Midrange​

Let’s see, if I were to nitpick, I could easily say that the Rhapsody is not the most detailed sounding set. I realize the songs I chose I described as being mostly clean alluding to good resolution. But this isn’t always the case. The sound altogether is mostly warmer, smoother with less fine lines. Granted, details aren’t bad at all. Also, this isn’t the quickest or transient swift midrange and so complicated tracks may blend a bit. This simply isn’t the most technically inclined sound. Being more musical sometimes steals some of the separation and nimbleness. It’s a give and take folks. With the bass switches up the sound may be too warm veiled or stuffy for some folks. It isn’t the most open sounding in that orientation. Also, please remember this is a $50 iem and please try to put my words to some sort of a context. My descriptions are tallied with the mindset of other $35-$55 iems. Of course, good sound is good no matter the price.

Treble Region ​

The upper regions of the CCA Rhapsody are fairly airy but in a warmer and smoother sense. Basically, it isn’t the brightest treble, which in my opinion is mostly a departure from some KZ/CCA iems of the past. I feel it takes a more natural glide through the treble, to an extent. Certainly not as polished as some sets but has a nice tonality to my ears. The treble is more soothing and not at all fatiguing. There’s moderate levels of vibrant sheen and some immediacy in the attack bite. I find the rise up top is enough to elevate the overall sound, as though CCA tuned this set to have just enough levity. The leading edge at attack is slightly softened but with good presence depending on the track. This isn’t a treble that will come across oversaturated or artificial, but more of a natural lift and decline. Of course, this is while using the “1111” switch setting so take that into account. The sound can get a degree more airy and slightly leaner with a bit more brilliance. However, for the most part CCA did keep this more safe and easier to digest.

Not for treble heads​

Let’s put it this way; treble heads and those who desire that ultra clean, precise, contoured and shimmery treble will likely want to keep looking. I say that but I can also confidently say that the treble is well emphasized to coherently fit the tuning. However, those who enjoy a treble that isn’t overbearing, without any piercing glare, isn’t even close to tinsley or splashy, but is still able to bring some air to the mix… then maybe this is a treble for you. But no, it is not for treble heads or even moderate fans of treble leaning tunings.

Example​

Listening to “Keel Over and Die” by Old Crow Medicine Show actually sounds quite nice and the Rhapsody seems to be able to keep up pretty well to the fast instrument play. I don’t think it compares to other sets in the price point that are literally tuned to illuminate the treble with more of a compacted and boosted sense of luminance. I’ve heard many that will separate a titch better or bring out some micro details better as well. That said, for CCA to tune the Rhapsody in such a musical and rich manner I find the treble perfectly suitable for this track. To be honest I enjoy that certain peaky areas of the song are easier on my ears.

The treble should sit well with folks who value tonality and timbre above technicalities. Not to say the Rhapsody is deficient in the technical aspect but that was not how the Rhapsody was tuned. I don’t hear any sibilance or undue spikes and I don’t get any sense of that BA timbre or metallic edge to notes. It’s actually pretty pleasant. It has a fairly transient fast and contoured sound, yet it does so in a safer manner. For long listening sessions this is a nicely smooth sound that still has enough emphasis to sound balanced with the rest of the mix. Extension into the highest of highs isn’t going to change your life but it isn’t bad by any stretch. For instance, the secondary harmonics of a cymbal strike don’t sound splashy and depending on the track don’t come across attenuated or dull. Basically, harmonics in the upper treble are decent.

Downsides to the Treble Region​

The first thing which comes to mind I’ve pretty much expressed and that is the treble is not going to be bright enough for some people. The Rhapsody doesn’t have that chimy brilliance and doesn’t have that “treble head” type of lustrous vibrance. It is partially subdued and so I do believe that will be a turn off for some. This isn’t an analytical treble region at all and won’t be a situation where you are hearing details you haven’t heard before. It isn’t that. While the minutiae within a track can be heard to a degree this won’t come across like a detail king. In the end, this also isn’t a treble that is super refined with that haptic sort of feel to the attack edge. It isn’t really a physical treble. However, for the price and considering the overall signature, I feel the highs on the Rhapsody fit the overall dynamic of this set very well and very coherently. There isn’t any sibilance, no shout or pierce and no real BA timbre. At least that I’ve noticed.

Technicalities​

Soundstage​

The soundstage will probably surprise some folks. It is actually pretty wide. Certainly, outside of my ears. Height is about what I would call average and there is some decent depth. Nothing which will usurp Kilo-Buck sets but better than a lot you will find in the price point. The psycho-acoustic rendering of the soundstage gives a round portrayal of my music and it all just feels “big”. There are full sounding macro-dynamics that are very expressive. The music is a bit closer to the listener, not pushed back or distant. The sound field doesn’t entirely sound “in-front” of me but instead it’s all around and seems to use all of my head space. If that makes sense. If not, then I’m sorry. The sound is closer but fuller too. The stage is very nice. I feel nothing cramped at all! Nothing feels congested either. CCA did a nice job getting all they could out of this set.

Separation​

I feel the only two words I could use to accurately describe Rhapsody’s ability to separate and partition off elements of a stage would be… “appropriately-average”. Not bad by any stretch, especially for the type of warm, thick, lush tuning. It’s average in the grand scope of things. Much better on simpler tracks but a bit more blended on really complicated stuff. It won’t blow your mind and sort-of follows the overall technical sentiment of this set. It’s a musical sound, more organic, full, softer lines and smooth undertones. Within that lens I feel that the Rhapsody does very nicely for what it is. You have to spend a lot more money to feel such richness but also focus on perfect and distinct separation. However, I say that, but I also have to stress… This is a $50 iem. This isn’t $500. For $50 I feel I lose nothing with this set. Now, if you are a constant critical listener who loves to focus pointedly on certain instruments or vocals and “need” that clean separated sound, then I’m afraid you will probably have to keep looking. Appropriately-average is great for what the Rhapsody is.

Imaging​

Imaging fares pretty well. I really have no issues either with left to right or even front to back. There is some depth for layering to a degree which is very helpful for placing instruments and voices. I haven’t heard anything that would counter that thought. The stage is pretty well drawn out and I dont hear any odd placement of instruments and vocalists. This is one area that I think is a plus for CCA and the Rhapsody.

Detail Retrieval ​

When trying to listen for the finite and subtle little details the Rhapsody does just fine. I feel you probably already know what my thoughts are if you’ve read this far. Still, I’ll reiterate that in complicated and congested or poorly recorded tracks there always exists a possibility of some blending. Also, in heavier bass jams you may hear some masking of sounds which takes away from your ability to actually hear details in the first place. It really depends mostly on the track and to an extent the genre. So no, the Rhapsody will not be the best set if detailed and critical listening is your favorite way to listen to music. Again, this set simply isn’t tuned for that. Now, I say that, but I’ll also say that the Rhapsody isn’t bad at all. I think we go too far with detail retrieval when so much has to do with the music and to a lesser degree also the source device. Thankfully CCA created a very musical sound with a fun signature while still doing a commendable job of bringing out the details.

Is it worth the asking price?​

The answer to this question is yes. Despite that, for those folks who don’t subscribe to this type of sound I think that’s an easy no for them. Still, if I’m answering this question for me then absolutely yes, it’s worth the cost of $49-$50!

The Why​

To start, the sound quality is fantastic for the price. You’d be very hard pressed to find anything like the Rhapsody anywhere near the price that CCA is asking. You just won’t find it. Folks, this is a 2DD/4BA hybrid iem and it ONLY costs $49! The bonus is that the sound isn’t just good… it’s great. Again, it won’t be for everyone, but the sound is very mellifluous and melodic with such an engaging emotional tilt to my music. I really am impressed! The sound is wonderfully coherent. Yes, I said “wonderfully”. I’ll say it again if I have to. The sound is coherent between all of these drivers and the sound is rich and non-offensive to the core. Just a nice and easy listen. You have a great build with actual working dipswitches and a classy and cool appearance as well. The accessories won’t be the best and the cable will likely be swapped out by most folks, but beyond that, I think the Rhapsody is one of the better sets under $50. I would go further with that, but I’ll try to play it cool.

Other fish in the sea?​

The Rhapsody is an easy rec from me. If a warm to neutral/warm and wholly musical sound is up your alley, then I wouldn’t wait on this one. It’s good folks. Now, there is a sea of great sets in the price point and many of those great sets have different signatures and are good for their own reasons. You have the Rose Technics QuietSea (QuietSea Review), Simgot EW200 (EW200 Review) the BGVP P05 (P05 Review) EPZ Q5 (Q5 Review), Reecho SG-01 Ova (SG-01 Ova Review), Kiwi Ears Cadenza (Cadenza Review) and that is only to name a few. Listen folks, those are all great sets, each one of them.

Each set highlighted above has its own distinct sound, driver configuration, style and each has a good reason to be placed near the top of most folks “Best Under $50 List”. Obviously, there are quite a few I left out because I’m not going to spend too much time on it. However, none of those are exactly like the Rhapsody. None of them. The Rhapsody is an altogether different animal and that is one of the reasons that I say… Not everyone will dig the sound like I and others enjoy it. I would even go so far to say that the Rhapsody may be a hair polarizing to the consumer public. For me… I think the Rhapsody is priced very competitively and is definitely a set to get for your collection.

Ratings (0-10)​

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the CCA Rhapsody ratings below, that would be $35-$55 iems of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5” is exactly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $35-$55 US is a decent sized scope of iems and so seeing a 9 should probably be pretty special. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings it will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic ​

-Build Quality: 9.0 One of the nicer builds in the price point.

-Look: 9.0 This set looks very classy in a minimalist way.

-Accessories: – – Accessories don’t matter at this price.

–Overall: 9.0

Sound Rating ​

-Timbre: 9.2 The timbre and tonality are very good.

-Bass: 9.1 Big in quantity & doesn’t lack quality.

-Midrange: 9.5 The mids are great on this set.

-Treble: 7.9 Nice & non-offensive treble with good energy.

-Technicalities: 7.0 Musical over technical but above average.

–Overall: 8.5

Ratings Summary:​

Folks, this is one set of ratings which absolutely demands some sort of an explanation. I did say that the Rhapsody is one of the best in the price point yet individual ratings aren’t as high as this would indicate. What gives? Well, this is why I always say that ratings don’t tell the whole story. The Rhapsody isn’t a set to judge in separate areas like this. This is a set you judge as a whole. The Rhapsody’s goodness is in how it all comes together. It is when all of the frequencies combine to form the end product. No doubt when judging this set, I went through each Rating against every set I’ve ever heard or owned, and that is a lot. Simply put, other iems beat out the Rhapsody in individual rating areas. Others specialize in certain areas. Another thing that I need to stress to you, this is MY idea of what constitutes “Good” and MY thoughts against other iems. I promise in a room of 20 that 10 may disagree with me. Please take that into account. I don’t want any DMs from you guys saying I steered you wrong.

Explain yourself! ​

Anyways, to begin I would say that the bass is an area of contention. I gave it a “9.1”. Those who want a snappy and quick bass with a concrete punch but don’t want all the quantity may give this set a “5.0”, or less even. Not everyone wants a thick and muscular low end. I gave it my rating because it’s big, bold, meaty and yet it’s tight for such a quantity, with a nice relatively solid edge to notes down low. It’s clean for its breadth and can reach deep. To me it is very good. At times I like that more transient swift low-end with better breathing room for the mids as well. But I can’t help but love what I hear on this set. One thing to also consider is that I can dial back the switches a bit on the Rhapsody which does lean it out a hair.

The next area people could have an issue is the “Technicalities” rating. I gave the Rhapsody a “7.0” but in my review I basically called it all average, which should be a “5.0”. However, it’s the soundstage which saved that score. The stage alone is one of the better stages you’ll hear in the price point. Also, imaging is actually good on this set. So… “7.0”. Sounds good to me.

Note: I did not complete any comparisons due to time constraints. Please message me for any questions or quick comparisons and I will be glad to help you out if I can.

Conclusion​

To conclude this review of the CCA Rhapsody I have to first say thank you to KZ/CCA as well as Tyvan Lam for providing the Rhapsody for a full feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. Friends, I want to assure you that what I write is my own thoughts. I’ve never been paid a cent, never had any company pre-read or approve my reviews either. If either of those two things were required, I would not even consider touching their products. KZ doesn’t ask this out of me and have never requested I speak highly on their devices or favorably. I also want to thank anyone who chose to read a word that I wrote. I put quite a bit of time into each review, and I do so in hopes it helps you to make a purchasing decision. However, it was you who clicked the link and for that I as well as mobileaudiophile.com are grateful.

Other perspectives​

One more thing, I always end my reviews with a plea that you would now close this review and read, watch, or listen to other thoughts on this set. We all have varying thoughts about everything in this entirely subjective hobby, and it’ll serve you well to listen to other perspectives. I give the CCA Rhapsody a recommendation and do believe it is one of the more unique sets at its price point. Please take care, stay as safe as you are able and always… God Bless!

Build:
let's start with the package. inside one finds the Rhapsody, that typical CCA / KZ cable, Starline, tips and a tool for the switches. You would not know by the simple package that inside it a flagship with multiple drivers, there is no little metal banner proclaiming the cool name. Inside is the stuff you'll need to get started listening to your IEM.
The shell of the Rhapsody is large is thickness but not as big as the AS24, small ears should take note though. The Rhapsody has a resin body with metal faceplate. It has a cool scalloped shell design. I found very good isolation with the stock tips. overall comfort was good for me, but the cables small hook created pressure, so I needed to fix it.

There are four switches on each unit allowing you to customize your experience with the Rhapsody, I found the adjustments to effect mid or sub-Bass or both in various degrees. The tastefully implemented switches work better than I was expecting.

For the majority of this review, I will be using stock configuration and accessories. Equipment used were the ifi Hip-DAC 3, Hidizs S9 Pro Plus, Questyle M15 and Tempotech V6. the AZ10 was used post testing and paired well with this IEM. Streaming was through Tidal HQ and Spotify, DSD and Flack through Hiby and Foobar2000.

Technical Details
lmpedance
15-20Ω
Product model
Rhapsody
Sensitivity
102土3dB
Frequency
20-40000Hz
Plug type
3.5mm
Pin Type
0.75mm
Cable Type
silver-plated cable
Cable length
120+5cm

Sound impressions:
The Rhapsody presents with a Bassy, warm, and smooth V-shaped natural signature.
Bass:
The lower end has good emphasis. Both Mid-Bass and Sub-Bass have an impressive amount of energy and control.
Mid-Bass seems to be more prominent out of the two with a good speed and plenty of power. Sub-Bass has very good depth, one thing I liked is it doesn't linger very long, the rumble moves on quickly. I think Bass sounded better after a long burn in but it's just my opinion. The Bass details are average but good for the cost, details in general are good but this is definitely not a technical IEM is a fun and pleasant one.

The Midrange:
The Mids come across with a lush and mildly thick and warm presentation, still there is good separation and clarity. The Mids have a fine balanced property. Vocals, both male and female are forward / center and have a middle level of energy. I found it good because there is no harshness and shout here just natural sounding vocal representation. Fine details are smoothed but not missing. Lower mids at times have a small recession that is only noticed by me with older rock songs that have male singers. The Midrange in general is very enjoyable with my music and the balance with some neutral and smoothness just enhance some good old rock music and pop.

Treble:
The Treble was very well done to me, there is good air and sparkle with decent details and separation considering the cost it was impressive. The highs compliment the soundstage and vice versa. there's not an abundance of brightness, it's more like well-matched BA drivers working seamlessly to produce a realistic outcome. In general, the Treble sounds open and with a fair level of energy treble sensitives would like and others would too.

Soundstage, ETC: The CCA Rhapsody does soundstage right, its wide with good imaging and its accurate too. The technical abilities are above average here. I would not say its holographic, but it is a nice wide and deep soundstage.
I think it complements the rest of the tuning quite well.

Afterthoughts:
The CCA Rapsody is amazing considering the cost, there is a wonderful balance and smoothness. When compared toa more expensive IEM like the MD Blessing-3 that is far more expensive, the Rhapsody excelled more in bass and without the muddiness that the Blessing showed at times. The Rhapsody also showed zero harshness under various circumstances I had heard in many more expensive hybrids that were brighter up top. To be fair the Moondrop B3 is a great IEM, it has excellent resolution and details are abundant. The point being the Rhapsody is also a multi driver IEM that sounds much different from other KZ, with good technicalities and a pleasant all-day kind of tuning for much less. Most IEM have one or more thing quirks or things that add character or turn off users. The Think the $50 will appeal to music lovers and enthusiast alike. Hard core detail heads, treble heads and critical listeners maybe not your thing here but it's both enjoyable and pleasant for the cost.