SHOZY MXN

Shozy MXN: A Warm Mid-Centric, Musical Embrace

Introduction

The Shozy MXN is a nostalgic nod to the classic MX500 earbud, reimagined for modern audiophiles. This single dynamic driver earbud promises a warm, mid-centric sound signature that prioritizes musicality and comfort. With its affordable price point, the MXN aims to deliver a satisfying listening experience at the TOTL level without breaking the bank.

The Shozy MXN can be purchase here: https://penonaudio.com/SHOZY-MXN.html

Note:
Note: I was fortunate enough to receive a sample set of the Shoxy MXN from PENON for review .



Specifications

Driver: 15.4mm Dynamic driver

Frequency Response: 18Hz - 22kHz

Impedance: 32 Ohms

Sensitivity: 110 dB SPL

Connector: 3.5mm (other options available)


Sound

The Shozy MXN delivers on its promise of a warm, mid-centric sound profile. The overall presentation is smooth, inviting, and remarkably non-fatiguing, making it an excellent choice for long listening sessions.



Bass

The MXN’s bass response is characterized by a punchy and textured mid-bass. It delivers solid impact and depth without overwhelming the other frequencies. However, the sub-bass is slightly rolled off, resulting in a less pronounced low-end extension. While this might be noticeable for bassheads, it contributes to the overall balanced and musical character of the MXN.



Mids

The midrange is the true star of the show. The MXN boasts a lush, thick, and incredibly detailed midrange presentation. Vocals are delivered with exceptional clarity and emotion, while acoustic instruments sound natural and lifelike. The midrange is forward but not overly emphasized, creating a harmonious balance with the other frequencies.



Highs

The treble is smooth and non-fatiguing, with a gentle emphasis on the lower treble region. This contributes to the overall warm character of the MXN. While there is a lack of extreme sparkle and airiness, the treble is well-extended and provides sufficient detail for most listeners.



Gear Pairing

The MXN is relatively easy to drive, but it does benefit from amplification.



Aune M1P: This pairing provides a slightly warmer and thicker sound, emphasizing the MXN's midrange strengths. Bass becomes slightly fuller, but the overall character remains consistent.

Ovidius B1: This combination offers a more balanced presentation, with a slightly more forward midrange and improved clarity. The MXN's strengths are preserved while adding a touch of refinement.

Earman Colibri: This pairing brings a more energetic and dynamic sound to the MXN. Bass becomes tighter, and the overall presentation gains a bit more excitement.

Hiby FC6: This combination offers a rich and detailed sound, allowing the MXN to showcase its musicality and timbre. The FC6 provides a solid foundation for the MXN's strengths.

Comparisons

vs. TRN EMX: The MXN offers a warmer, more natural, and more engaging presentation compared to the TRN EMX's brighter and more energetic presentation. The MXN excels in midrange richness and overall comfort, while the EMX provides more detail and excitement.

vs. NICEHCK EB2s: The MXN's midrange is thicker and more engaging than the EB2s, which have a more neutral and analytical sound. The MXN offers a more relaxed and enjoyable listening experience, while the EB2s provides better imaging and detail retrieval.

vs. Temperament X6: The MXN's warmer and smoother character contrasts with the X6's more neutral and slightly brighter tuning. The MXN is more forgiving of recordings and offers a more relaxed listening experience, while the X6 provides better clarity and instrument separation.

vs. Yincrow Calf: The MXN's midrange is richer and more textured compared to the Calf's more linear and analytical presentation. The MXN offers a more musical and involving sound, while the Calf provides better technical performance.

Overall, the Shozy MXN excels in its ability to deliver a warm, engaging, and musically satisfying listening experience. While it may not be the most technically impressive earbud in its price range, it offers a unique and enjoyable sound signature that is hard to beat.



Conclusion

The Shozy MXN is a delightful surprise for those seeking a warm, mid-centric earbud. Its excellent timbre, smooth treble, and thick note weight create a truly musical and enjoyable listening experience. While it may not be the most technically proficient earbud in its class, the MXN's focus on musicality and comfort makes it a strong contender for those who prioritize these qualities.

I'd just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about flat head ear buds be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how a flathead looks and feels in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone's ear anatomy is different and this effects fit which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right shell shape and foamsor silicone guides that suit your ears to get the best of any flat head most can be used hanging down or over ear.

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the flathead eg a 5 star review of a $10 iem is not equal to one of a $300 flat head.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 15 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me it means not are the technicalities prime importance but does the music move with this particular item.

I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating iems is do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes.

Disclaimer
Penon Audio was kind enough to send me a sample set of the Shoxy MXN to review. I am not affiliated with Penon Audio of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me or. ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.

The Shozy MXN can be PURCHASED here

: https://penonaudio.com/SHOZY-MXN.html

SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 15.4 mm dynamic driver

• Frequency response: 18 Hz - 22 kHz

• Impedance: 32 Ω

• Sensitivity: 110 dB

• Cable: non-detachable option off 4.4MM BALANCED or 3.5mm SE

• $49.90 USD


ACCESSORIES

1. Carrying case

2. Red high-density full foams

3. Black medium-density full foams

4. Blue low-density full foams

5. Donut foams

The provided accessories are excellent for a sub-$50 USD flathead packaging, .

There are 4 types of foam pads. The red full foams are the most dense, giving the most warmth and enhance bass.

The blue ones are are the thinnest foams, they decrease bass but add some brightness.

The blacks ones are somewhere in the middle

Then there’s the donut foams, which enhance the midrange which makes the bass less prominent. Its best to try all the foam options to find which you prefer.

The cable is quite the thin, with n tangle-free braiding. I didn’t notice any microphonics, the chin cinch actually works . You can opt for a 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm termination when ordering I went with the 4.4mm to suit my sources.

BUILD/COMFORT

The MXN uses the MX500 shell type, and is made from a good quality plastic. I found the shell extremely comfortable and was able to wear them all day without and problems I used the donut foams for the review as they provided the most balanced sound signature for my tastes.

The Driver is a 15.4mm good quality dynamic driver which I found relatively easy to drive although sources with more power did seem to improve the experience/



I tested the Shozy MXN with the following sources:

- Cayin RU6

- Shanling H2

- Fiio M15

- Onix Alpha XI 1

- Venture Electronics Runabout + Prime DAC

- Shanling M6 Ultra

- Sony NW-WM1A

- Cayin N3 Ultra



SOUND

The Shozy MXN has a pleasing warm signature where the mids are the centre of attention . Even with the donut foams the Shozy MXN is a warm earphone so I eschewed the other foam options.

With most earbuds, there is a sub-bass roll-off, this is the case with the MXN but the mid-bass is punchy with decent texture that doesn’t bleed into the mids too much just enough to warm the mids. There's enough detail in the bass to provide a very enjoyable listen when listening to classic rock and 80’s syth pop.

Midrange is the star of the show, the only words I can think of to describe the mids and that’s lush, smooth snd sweet. Vocals are natural with superb timbre if you want to listen to vocal centric songs like folk or Americana this is the bud for you.

The treble is smooth without any form of sibilance in fact it’s a bit on the dark side without much shimmer or sparkle I'm in the camp where when using buds I prefer it darker than peaky and sibilant so its ideal for me tastes. The MXN is analogue organic and one of the buds I would reach for to listen to my Americana library for hours and be completely satisfied.



When coming from the world of iem's the $49 MXN would be ultra budget but in the world of flathead buds its considered midfi. So within my experience of buds the MXN is on the top end of the option available for under $100 the Soundstage is wide, much wider than I get from much more expensive in ear iems, this is for me the major advantage of flat head buds over iem's.



COMPARISONS


Shozy Cygnus

The Cygnus is a less warm earbud, with more airy mids than the MXN. It has
Better micro-detailing and soundstage, but with higher levels of imaging. But these differences come at the expense of musicality. While the Cygnus is technically superior it also costs twice as much and I find it less engaging for my music library.



DUNU Alpha 3

The Dunu Alpha 3 definitely has a brighter tuning, with much less bass. The Alpha 3 has a slight metallic timbre with a more digital sound compared to the analogue organic MXN. This Alpha 3 does have a more detailed treble presentation but that detail comes at the expense of sibilance. If you are wanting a more analytical bud the Alpha 3 might be the better option. the Shozy MXN works better for pop and classic rock while the Alpha 3 would be more appropriate for classical music. The build of the alpha 3 is metal so can lead to fatigue as there's a noticeable difference in weight.




CONCLUSION
If you want a flathead bud for all day listening fatigue free, with lush musical mids with really intoxicating timbre and very natural engaging vocals the MXN is an ideal bud for the collection. Would I have preferred a detachable cable? Sure but for $49 its hard to quibble.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Penon for providing this review unit.

The Shozy MXN can be obtained here (no affiliate links): https://penonaudio.com/SHOZY-MXN.html




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 15.4 mm dynamic driver
• Frequency response: 18 Hz - 22 kHz
• Impedance: 32 Ω
• Sensitivity: 110 dB
• Cable: non-detachable; no info on cable materials. Option for 4.4 mm or 3.5 mm termination
• Tested at: $49.90 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the earbuds, these are provided:
1) Carrying case
2) Red high-density full foams
3) Black medium-density full foams
4) Blue low-density full foams
5) Donut foams

The provided accessories are excellent for a sub-$50 USD flathead packaging, can't complain much here.




We have 4 types of foam covers. The red full foams are the densest, bestowing the most warmth and bass. The blue ones are are the thinnest full foams, and they decrease bass but add some brightness to the equation. The blacks ones are a mid-point between the two in terms of sound. Lastly, we have the donut foams, which burnish the midrange and make the sonics less bassy. Do foam-roll and explore what suits your preferences.




We have a very practical zipper carrying case. This is semi-rigid, with the insides lined by a soft material and webbing.




There's no information on the cable materials. FWIW, this cable is on the thinner side, but is well-braided and tangle-free. It has minimal microphonics, with a chin cinch for added grip. When placing an order, one can opt for a 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm termination, depending on your source preference.

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


BUILD/COMFORT



The MXN uses the common MX500 shell type, and is fashioned from plastic. It is very light and ergonomic, and I had no issues using it for long listening sessions.



INTERNALS

This earbud's engine is a 15.4 mm dynamic driver.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the Shozy MXN with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA11 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- 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

This earbud is relatively easy to drive, though it will scale with amplification, in terms of bass tightness, dynamics and soundstage.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES



Tonally, the Shozy MXN sports a warm mid-centric signature. As discussed, the MXN comes with a selection of foams, and the donut foams will augment the midrange, whereas the full foams will make it more bassier and warmer.

The following impressions below are with the donut foams installed.

Like most earbuds, there is a sub-bass roll-off, but the mid-bass is textured and punchy without much mid-bass bleed.

Midrange is the star of the show, with a thick and lush lower midrange adding much heft to the note weight. Upper mids are forwards without shout, and this flathead is a superb option for vocals and acoustic genres. Dare I say, the vocals are creamy and even addictive.

Treble is smooth without harshness or sibilance. It lies towards the dark side of the spectrum, and this earbud will be a kindred spirit our treble-sensitive brethren, but perhaps trebleheads will yearn for a bit more sparkle.

The MXN is extremely organic in timbre, and this will be a delight when listening to acoustic genres.

I would consider $50 to lie in midFI territory for a earbud transducer. Compared to similarly priced competitors, the MXN has above average technicalities. No doubt the tuners embraced a musical soundscape over something highly technical or analytical, but even with blunting of note edges (to relief harshness) and the darkish treble, the MXN still has decent resolution. It isn't the last word in micro-detailing or clarity, but makes it up with an expansive soundstage, coupled with good layering and imaging.


COMPARISONS

The Shozy MXN will be compared against other midFI earbuds.




Fiio FF3S

The FF3S is a warmer earbud, with more bass than the MXN. The FF3S has weaker micro-detailing and soundstage, but has similar levels of imaging.

The FF3S has a detachable cable with 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm modular terminals, however this cable is semi-proprietary, so one needs to get a similar cable from Fiio directly, which kind of defeats the purpose.


DUNU Alpha 3

The Alpha 3 has a neutral bright tuning, with less bass and note weight than the MXN. The Alpha 3 has a more metallic timbre and doesn't sound as organic.

The Alpha 3 has a more extended treble, which furnishes more clarity and micro-detailing, though it can potentially be sibilant and fatiguing. The Alpha 3 has a smaller soundstage but tighter imaging.

The Alpha 3 has a non-detachable cable too. The Alpha 3 housing is much heavier and longer in the stem, so the ergonomics are not as comfortable as that on the MXN.


CONCLUSIONS



The Shozy MXN is a flathead for long late-night relaxing sessions. The excellent timbre and lush note weight confers a musical and agreeable sonic profile, with a thick and sweet midrange showcasing vocals and acoustic instruments to the fullest (no pun intended). The non-peaky upper midrange and sibilant-free treble are a great match for treble-sensitive ears. While there is a sub-bass roll-off - this is a common gripe for most earbuds - the mid-bass is textured and fast.

Due to the blunted note edges and darkish treble, the MXN is not an analytical or micro-detailed focused flathead, but the soundstage and imaging are still solid, even when compared back-to-back with pricier midFI benchmarks like the DUNU Alpha 3 and Fiio FF3S.

This earbud is easily driven, with a nice accessory spread, and is comfortable to wear. It has a non-detachable cable, but we routinely see TOTL earbuds - some costing near a grand - also being non-detachable, so I can close one eye here.

For earbud aficionados that are searching for a midFI earbud that is warm, silky smooth and tranquil, with midrange being a highlight - the Shozy MXN is a great option to consider.