Sound Rhyme DTE900

Sound Rhyme DTE900 4EST+ 4BA + 1 Dynamic Driver Hybrid 2Pin 0.78mm HiFi Audiophile In-ear Earphones IEMs with Switches! Switches make it very versatile and cost effective!!

• Driver configuration
• 9.2mm dual magnetic dynamic
• Knowles 29689 x 2 + 31736
• Sonion EST65QB02
• Frequency Response: 20hz-70k
• Sensitivity 110dB
• Impedance: 21ohm



Artists and albums used:

Soen- “Hollowed (Elisa)”

The Zenith Passage - “The Axiom of Error”

Cryptopsy-“Lascivious Undivine”

Soreption- "Jord" (album)

Leifur James-“Angel in Disguise”

Kruhl-“Dark Cosmic Inflation”

Gojira-"The Link"(album)

Cattle Decapitation-"Terrasite"(album)

Red Latter-"Digital&Outrage"

Carnivored-“Labyrinth”(album)

Archspire-“Dron Corpse Aviator”

Animals as Leaders- "Red Miso"

Abiotic- "Ikigai" (album)

Ten Walls-"Queen" (album)

Peter Finger- "Flow" (album)

Morandi-“Mind Fields”

The Prodigy- "No Tourists" (album)

Metallica-“Crown of Barbed Wire”

Soul Intent - “Everything and Nothing”

Wilkinson- "Cognition"(album)

Sade-“Smooth Operator"

and some others…

Equipment used: Shanling M7, LG V30+, original cable 4.4 for M7 and 3.5 for LG, stock silicone tips (L). FLAC files of all listed artists and albums. Тhe critical listening was done with a setting of 1/0 (UP/DOWN), which I find to be the most balanced for me.


Tonality: A+
Tech: S
Overall: S-






The SR DTE900 gets a strong recommendation from me for people who want to "end the game" or follow the principle of "one IEM and you're done"!

NOTES:

The Soundrhyme DTE900 stands at the top of this manufacturers product line and is touted as their TOTL product. At $800 USD this iem while not being cheap, is far from the asking price of other TOTL products out there, in particular when its overall performance is considered.

The driver compliment enforces that standing with a single 9mm dynamic driver, four Knowles balanced armatures and four Sonion EST drivers per side. That’s a lot of high quality and Soundrhyme have obviously made a serious effort with the DTE900.

Readers of my past reviews know that driver counts and types look great on paper, but I prefer to let the sound speak for itself. In this respect Soundrhyme are not blowing smoke and the DTE900 does deserve the accolades that the manufacturer has heaped on it. With this iem we have a perfect example of a stunningly beautiful design and build quality combined with a musical sound that lovers of technicalities will adore.

Via a set of two tuning switches, the DTE900 does offer the listener some flexibility. The switch settings are as follows.

1, 2 off: pop music

1, 2 on: wide sound field

1 off, 2 on: clear voice

1 on, 2 off: deep bass

I found that the adjustments were audible but not overdone. After playing around with the different settings, I settled on the 1 on 2 off (Deep Bass) setting. This setting did not result in punishing bass, but instead I found balanced the overall sound signature. With all switches set to off I sound that the mids and treble tended to overshadow the bass somewhat. Moving switch number one to on brought the sound back into balance.

Easy to drive, the DTE900 definitely benefits from a more resolving source. In fact, I preferred a warmer source than a more neutral one when listening to this iem.

Tip rolling was found to be also essential in order to have the DTE900 sound its best. This is an iem that is sensitive to source, tips and cable selection and time spent finding that perfect synergy will pay off in great sound.

SPECS:

• Driver configuration
• 9.2mm dual magnetic dynamic
• Knowles 29689 x 2 + 31736
• Sonion EST65QB02
• Frequency Response: 20hz-70k
• Sensitivity 110dB
• Impedance: 21ohm

BUILD, FIT & QUALITY:

The Soundrhyme DTE900 is a stunning iem. The one I had, thanks goes out to the Canuck Audioholics Review Group for the opportunity, was more of a custom design and looked spectacular.

I did not receive the full retail package but a quick look at the Penon site showed a somewhat modest but still well appointed set of quality accessories in the retail box.

Build quality follows suit and is exemplary. The high quality resin shells have a smooth finish with overall fit and finish done to a very high standard befitting its TOTL status.

The Soundrhyme DTE900 has a chunky design yet still fit very well with no ear fatigue or discomfort noted even after longer listening sessions. People with smaller ears may have difficulty though.




SOUND:

BASS:

The Soundrhyme DTE900 has a bass that is crisp, refined and musical. It does go deep but always with good control. There is a pleasing thickness to the bass that adds to its musicality. Speed and clarity are commendable as well. “Poem Of The Chinese Drum” showcased the amount of control exhibited by this iem with detail levels also high. The impact and reverberation of the drum skins were very natural.

The trend continued and on “Circumstance” by Wayman Tisdale, the DTE900 sounded clean, composed and musical. Moving on the more bass challenging tracks, I sudjected the DTE900 to some punishing Drum & Bas as wel as some Deep House Music favs. I should point out the while the DTE900 can’t be classified as a “Basshead” iem, for those who value clean and controlled delivery this iem is a pleasure to listen to.

“Angel” by Massive Attack has a driving bass that to these opiniated music lovers’ ears was played back very well. The texture of the bass was made very obvious yet was never allowed to overwhelm the rest of the track. The bass in “No Limit” by Marcus Miller was again clear and detailed.

I rate the bass on the Soundrhyme DTE900 highly. While not for those who aren’t satisfied unless their ears a bleeding, the low end of this iem is musical with a great amount of control. Well done.

MIDRANGE:

The midrange of the Soundrhyme is long on technicalities and detail while not sounding clinical. There is ample detail retrieval here with macro and micro details heard in abundance.

The mids are slightly recessed yet sounding more intimate than a number of other iems I’ve listened to lately. Female vocals here do get a presence lift, but it is quite moderate and given the lack of harshness adds to the sense of detail. Male vocals have a touch of warmth sounding more immediate than female. On “Tenderhearted Lover” by John Stoddart the DTE900 laid bare all of the nuances in this gifted artist vocal delivery.

I should point out that the DTE900 is not the most forgiving of poorly recorded audio. There is already a noticeable pinna gain and the upper mids can become spicey when fed with recordings of questionable quality. The DTE900 will lay bare the good and bad in any recording, such is the resolving power of this iem. Feed it some well recorded material, drive it with a quality source and the magic happens. I listened to some high quality DSD files including “He’s a Carioca” by Eden Atwood and was very happy. The level of detail combined with such a smooth delivery made for an easy escape into the music.

Transients and dynamics are relayed in a believable fashion. That is to say the DTE900 does very well here as well with great impact and a natural scaling of dynamics never sounding out of breath or distorted even at what I consider higher than normal volume levels.

Timbre is also good and does in no small part help the escape into the music. The only thing that may ruffle some feathers is that upper mid gain. Not excessive by any means, still it is there and is more detrimental on poorly recorded tracks. The tuning switches can help to balance thing out as previously mentioned.

Layering and separation are also well done. “No Worries” by the Robert Glasper trio was splayed back with each instrument occupying its individual space yet still coming together in a cohesive fashion on this incredible track. Well done.

“Boy From Ipanema” by Robin Atwood has some intricate guitar work playing off of some wonderful piano. The instruments were right there. No need to strain the audio brain to hear what each is doing. Impressive layering was witnessed here combined with standout resolution allowing the listener to chill and take it all in.

TREBLE:

The treble of the Soundrhyme DTE900 is as with the midrange offering high levels of detail retrieval yet still musical. Ample quantities of air and sparkle are present on a treble that is well extended.

This is a quality treble delivered with great poise and no excess embellishments. The cymbal work on “Vanston Place 12am” by Ronny Jordan was beautifully detailed with a pleasing sense of air. Very well done.

The treble on the DTE900 is very well done. Crisp and clean with just the right amount of air. I found the high end a pleasure to listen to.




IMAGING & SOUNDSTAGE:

The Soundrhyme DTE900 throws up a reasonable large soundstage with great width and good amounts of width height. As indicated earlier, this iem really depends on the quality of the recording to shine. On the standout track, “Stimelah” by Hugh Masekela the dimensions of the venue were palpable with each instrument easily placed.

Listening to Tracks off of the album “Waves” by Eden Atwood the sense of space was very well done with pinpoint instrument placement and palpable ambient information.

CONCLUSION:

The Soundrhyme DTE900 is a great iem, but not without a caveat. Feed it with quality components and sound files and this iem will sing. It is though unforgiving with lower quality files which may lead some to have a bad impression of this iem.

That being said, the quality of sound that the DTE900 is capable of is impressive. It is one of those iems that can easily draw the listener into the sound. As long as attention is paid to the audio chain what’s in store is a very pleasant sonic experience.

The Soundrhyme DTE900 gets a Strong recommendation and should be on the shortlist of anyone looking for a detailed and lively audio experience.

Sound Rhyme DTE900



Disclaimer

The DTE900 is my first IEM from Sound Rhyme, I bought it with my own money with a small discount. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts, after having used DTE900 for some weeks.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you. While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current standard in IEMs is AüR Audio Neon Pro and AüR Audio Aurora. The NEON Pro has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. AüR Audio Aurora 2 DD + 6 BA has the best bass quality I have tried in an IEM, while not taking over the mids and showing very natural sound.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is Cayin N7, Penon Tail, Hiby R6 III, FIIO BTR7.
I have a good range of cables from ISN, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



Who is Sound Rhyme

Sound Rhyme as I understand is made by Xiamen Yunjun Electronic Technology Co. , Ltd. They specialize in production and processing of earphones, be it custom, universal or wireless. They also make accessories and cables, they also make IEMs for many other brands out there.

Current Sound Rhyme IEM models:
SR1 - 1DD
SR5 - 1DD + 4BA
SR4 - 4BA
SR7 - 1DD + 6BA
SR8 - 14BA
DTE500 - 1DD + 2BA + 2EST
DTE900 - 1DD + 4BA + 4EST



So what is the DTE900 model

The DTE900 is the newest IEM from Sound Rhyme, it has a tribrid configuration consisting of 1DD + 4BA + 4EST.

The DTE900 is built with high grade resin in an ergonomic shell of high quality. Nozzle is made of metal, and is fairly long. Combination makes it very comfortable for me, even if the size of the shell is on the big side.

The presentation in the box is fairly nice, you get a nice silver plated cable that is modular. No need to upgrade this one, unless you're like me and a little cable obsessed.

You get two storage boxes, the puck box where the IEMs sit. And the more traditional storage case. As for tips you get a set of silicon and some foams, the silicon is actually a great one that I have gotten on plenty of other IEMs also.

Looking at specs, build and price the DTE900 is a very good deal.

My model is a custom design, so if you buy it stock it will look different. Or you can choose the design you like for some extra.



Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

Main comparison is with both switches, unless I say otherwise.

The DTE900 has energetic and forward timbre, and all the ranges from bass, mids and treble are forward and clear. But would still not say the sound is neutral, it's more of a w shaped sound. Most music I play sounds correct, but has a little extra fun and forwardness compared to neutral IEM.

Going to use the ranges here in review:



Details and soundstage

First of all the resolution on the DTE900 is exceptional, it has superb details be it in the bass, mids, treble or just how good the soundstage is. If you go from a cheaper id tier set up to this yoo\u will be pleased by the increased detail level.

Soundstage is larger than most sets, it has extra good width and also depth forward. If most sets position sound between your ears or right in front of you, this pushes it further away and wider out. I would say it's more oval than spherical, but even so the forwardness is awesome also.
This goes also for the layering and imaging, I find plenty of layers in both the height width and depth. Perhaps one of the best sets I have tried when looking at staging of the soundstage, to be an IEM it has a more speaker-like presentation. Still this is an IEM and not speakers, but in comparison to most out there.

Bass

The bass of DTE900 is big and fast, but even so it doesn't take over the music too much. Some of this due to how the rest of the DTE900 is tuned.
Sub bass reaches low without drop off, and can both rumble or slam with authority. Some of this due to how fast and visceral the bass of the DTE900 is, I would classify the speed close to how BA is. But it has slightly more natural decay that dynamic drivers have, but still it is super fast.

The mid bass it's also boosted and gives music that more full and lush sound, I always favor mid bass being slightly boosted. Downside for some will be that the bass does go into the mids, in return you also get richer vocals.

Mids

Midrange on the DTE900 is forward, no way to deny that. Vocal range and instruments are all clear and forward with added thickness to them. Personally I most often prefer this, when I have more sets in front of me I most often reach for the rich sounding ones.

Male vocals are less noticeable than females on the thicker sound, but also on females it depends on the artist or style. This is actually very reminiscent of how the Penon IEMs have their midrange, forward and emotional.

Instruments are also affected, but it never sounds wrong. It just has this rich nature to it, I also think the fast sound helps it not sound sluggish or too thick. If you have seen measurements of the DTE900 it has a fairly elevated upper midrange, I would in most sets avoid this. But for some reason it works perfectly in the DTE900 just making it super resolving.
I have a feeling the BAs used for the upper midrange are of very good quality, as they remain detailed and forward without the usual BA glare many IEMs have.

Be it string, wind or percussion it all have nuanced and great realism to it. Listening to piano playing there is no range that sounds lacking, it just seems detailed, forward and balanced.

Treble

The highs on DTE900 are detailed and resolving, and have plenty of air that sounds just correct and not fake. Also has that shimmer when cymbals are hit, not recessed or dull. Same for violins or other instruments that are very affected by lack of treble or air.

I would call the amount of treble natural on the DTE900, it's in great harmony with the rest and is not tiresome forward or relaxed.
I guess if you're sensitive to upper midrange the amount of treble may seem lacking as the upper midrange is pronounced.

It has an amount of sibilance dip I am a big fan of, some sets have too big of a dip. When the dip is too big it also removes lots of soul and detail from the music. The amount in DTE900 is very reminiscent of my Neon Pro, sibilance is removed but not overly so. So music already with sibilance will show it, while neutral music will not gain it due to the set. In general a balanced amount.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the DTE900.

Most of my listening has been done with HIBY R6 Pro 2, Cayin N7 and Topping E70/A90 Discrete, my favorite pairing being R6 Pro 2 and A90 Discrete together. As in the DAC portion of R6P2 AKM into the A90 Discrete as amplifier. This combo is extremely detailed and musical, not too sharp or thin.

N7 was also great but pushed the treble forward to my liking.

As for cables, I did a cable review for Effect Audio at the same time. I have used the cables from them the most during the review, in general I find copper the best pairing with DTE900.
Perhaps my favorite goes to Ares S 8W or Cadmus 8W, my Gladiator Silver Palladium also being great.








Music

I will just talk about some of the music I like, the music I use here are some of my reference tracks and also just some I like. When I am listening to music and not evaluating, I prefer to listen to whole albums. When comparing DTE900 to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more.
Using both switches down when evaluating, I have also used the same Silver Plated Copper when evaluating the sets. Same for tips used being the same Kbear07 on both sets, and lastly I have used a mic to set volume the same on both sets.

L'Impératrice - Voodoo?​

French group who have many catchy and fun albums, this is from the 2021 album Tako Tsubo. Album is a mix of electronic, pop and disco.

The bass is energetic and fun on Voodoo?, DTE900 manages to punch and be dynamic. Hard to not start moving to the rhythm here, not the most advanced bass line. But it's punchy and has a slower sound to it, for me personally it has just the correct amount of fullness to the low end with DTE900.

She is very nuanced and has a fuller sound to her, in a way forward and very addicting. Same for the instruments and keyboard, it's very in focus and forward. There are also subtle sound elements going through the song that are more easy to hear here over less resolving IEMs.



Gamma Intel - Nonchalance

Electronic artist from Rotterdam in Netherlands, has impressive and technical music. This is also a fairly new artist for me to get into my listening rotation, while track here is just me checking for bass performance in electronica. I always have some electronic tracks when checking gear, the track Nonchalance is perfect for me to check for bass amount. If the set has much upper energy it needs enough bass to balance it out.

The DTE900 has nuanced and tactile bass performance, as for the amount it is close to perfect. Since the upper range of DTE900 is forward I could have wished for maybe 3-5dB more bass to make it perfect, but this would have made it less balanced. So it passes the bass amount test.



Yello - Kiss in Blue

Maybe my favorite track from Yello, rhythmic instruments and intimate vocals. Perhaps the perfect track for showing what the Aure is capable of doing. The bass beat hits hard and drags you into the music, then Heidi pulls you more in with a sensual voice.

The opening of the track has an epic bassline, it's full and dynamic. The DTE900 is impressive here, and if I were to complain is that I prefer a slower DD for this. But it's still spectacular and nuanced, how it changes the structure in each hit is shown fully.

Both Dieter and Heidi are perfect, I could not have wished for anything else from the DTE900. He is full sounding and emotionally shown, changes in his voice are clearly shown. Same goes for Heidi, she is forward and full sounding. Not too thick, just forward and adds to the emotional character. Seducing you with her voice.



Lana Del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd

I love this new album from Lana Del Ray, this track is slow and emotional. I have used it more and more lately for testing gear, its recorded well and has great dynamic range.

The DTE900 adds some soul to her voice, she gets pushed forward slightly over neutral IEMs. This also means that the bass goes into the midrange, as graphs show it's the gliding style. Personally I'm a big fan of this style of bass touching into mids, it just makes vocals more lush and emotional.

There is full emotion on Lana Del Ray, nothing is really spared or lacks energy here. There is also never any sibilance of any sort. The extra vocals have some nice spatial cues to them, showing also how wide and spacious the DTE900 is.

The background instruments like piano or drums are in the background, but what I hear sounds correct and nice. I mainly only use this track for her voice.




TOOL - Schism

One of my favorite tracks ever, also where I got introduced to TOOL back in high school.

Bass of DTE900 sits very well with prog rock or metal, and even if it goes into midrange it still doesn't sound congested or slow.
Drums and bass guitar is nice and quick, not veiling the track into too much boosted bass.
Guitars are detailed and energetic, and you hear every note being played.
His singing is detailed and has very correct note weight not being shallow or too thick, has resolving capability from when he is going easy to aggressive.

If there is one thing to complain about, it is that it's energetic. And for some it might be too much forward energy here. Using tips that dampen the upper range helps, and also using a pure good copper cable. My favorite IEM for prog metal is my Neon Pro, but I think DTE900 rides along and depending on the album this would be my pick instead. But for Schism I would pick Neon Pro as it's slightly more relaxed.



Guru Guru - Woman Drum

First off, the only reason I have this in review is since a fellow DTE900 owner asked me to check the guitar here. He felt it was too sharp for him. What I clearly learned is that I am not as sensitive as others to this range where the electrical guitar is. Or it's just since my set had much more playtime down to relax down the upper range.

It's an older recording that is more bright and not the best recorded either, not the widest dynamic range either. As for DTE900 I think it does it really well, giving the instruments some good bite. DTE900 showing off. If I test the same track with EST50 it lacks bite and is boring, not that it plays it wrong.



Polyphia - Playing God

Polyphia is a instrumental progressive rock group formed in Texas, earlier works were more into metal also.Often they blend different styles of music into their works.
Playing God is an instrumental track with drums, bass guitar and two guitars with nylon strings. Its technical and super euphonic, also show how technical and nuanced the DTE900 is. It's also where the high energy of the DTE900 is perfect, less and it's slightly boring for my taste. It's not so long ago since I heard about Polyphia, I had heard the song now and then when it came on the radio. But never wrote down what it's called, found it again this year, and have used much of their work for evaluating gear. This track has that ability for me to listen to it one time and I probably know if a set is for me or not.

First of the guitars sound spectacular here, and have an especially unique tonality since they shred on nylon strings instead. Nothing is spared on DTE900, it just portrays every slap or pluck perfectly. As for tonality, DTE900 forward nature makes this more melodic and relaxed track have more bite. Cymbal crashes have great energy, the drums in general are great.

As for soundstage its very holographic and sense of width is quite amazing on DTE900, lots of layerings to the instruments and where they place.



David Sanborn - Comin’ Home Baby

One of my favorite Alto sax players, he has a beautiful and smooth sound on his Alto. Having played sax I appreciate the skilled players out there like David, he has lots of skill and can play very soft and mellow to be on an alto.

I often listen to jazz with brass instruments when evaluating audio, first of just to see how beautiful and real it sounds. Second to hear if it's too forward and shrill, on this track it's fairly mellow so most sets will not sound shrill. The DTE900 passes it perfectly here, riding just at the edge of not pushing the sax forward into the unpleasant zone.
The upper midrange on DTE900 makes nothing being spared in detail or soul of the sax playing.
While I use this track often for sax, I also listen to everything. The guitar, bass, drums or synth everything has nice tonality and is shown for full on DTE900. This track in particular is on the soft side, so the forward DTE900 suits it perfectly. As an example if I go to Isn't She Lovely, track 5 on the album. This is a much more forward sounding track, and the DTE900 does push it too far where it's not pleasant. This also shows why some prefer more relaxed sets for jazz, as many albums have that forward energy. Especially on brass instruments like trumpet or sax.



Hart, Wolff & Hennings - Towards the Bending of the Heart

This song is a very odd one, and it has one purpose for me, checking the amount of air in a set.
Percussions are used here making harmonics up in the air region, this shows if a set got more air up top. Unless you have reduced hearing in the upper ranges,you might not notice the air detail. For me the DTE900 is above average than what I have tried in other IEMs. While some sets are more, the DTE900 is not lacking anything.





Comparisons

I have chosen 2 other tribrids that are both cheaper than DTE900, as I don't have any tribrid in the same price range.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





Penon 10th

I got the Penon 10th on loan from a good friend, I never bought it myself due to design. Penon 10th is also a tribrid, with 2DD, 2BA and 2EST. Priced at 499$, sits within the same price range as many other tribrids. The two dynamic drivers are 6mm and work together in making the low end. If I ignore that the design is ugly, the build itself is not the best. Shell looks cheap and thin, it also has a weird nozzle that is short compared to the large body. Result is that the IEM is not the most comfortable to use.

Bass on the 10th is good, I am not denying that it has a nice texture and is loud and big. Where I am not very satisfied with is how it slam and moves air, it's slow and soft. For some this can be perfect, as it does give you a warm cozy and closed in feel. When listening to DTE900 you will notice it slam much harder and is of cleaner nature, they are more on the opposite of each other. Both are nuanced and detailed, while the one with the most dynamic expression from cello or over to fast kick drums is clearly the DTE900. So 10th will have that more cozy and slow bass, while DTE900 will be the energetic and fast performer.

The mids on 10th is also very good, and has that rich Penon vocal style. Vocals are both forward and thick, with great resolving capability. 10th shine with male or darker voices more than brighter artists, brighter artists tend to sound wrong and also lack some airy capability. Male vocals are very similar on both sets, and the more slow presentation might even make 10th better on some albums over DTE900. But for most music they are the same, and if it's faster and more complex music DTE900 everyday.

When listening to females the DTE900 has more presence and airy rich sound to them, it's in a way less thick and diffused. I don't say 10th is bad, more of in comparison. As for instruments it's very good on both sets, while 10th has some uneven tonality on especially the upper part of the piano range. Some high hats and sharper old recordings can hit a peak in 10th making it slightly shrill, it's subtle and not often. On some other recordings it's the opposite where 10th is more relaxed than DTE900, I actually just think it's due to some slight BA timbre appearing sometimes in 10th.

The treble is refined while maybe having a too big anti sibilance region, at first I didn't understand why some piano pieces, brass or violin parts lacked some airy tonality and presence. Looking at measurements, Penon has gone down a safe road and reduced the sibilance region a good amount. Very good at removing sibilance and fatigue, at the cost of losing some treble and resolution. I never find DTE900 sibilant, and at the same time it’s more detailed than 10th.
If it's the extra ESTs or what, the DTE900 has a nicer shimmery treble than the 10th.

Soundstage is a tough one, the 10th is wide and lacks depth. DTE900 is for me wider than 10th and also has a much bigger depth, maybe if we compare them two. The 10th is like listening to nearfield speakers and DTE900 to normal speakers, even though this is not a speaker presentation and I exaggerate it. It's just that DTE900 is larger by a good amount, and I personally love this. Remember that soundstage is very personal from person to person.

Playing God is a nice track to show how more detailed and speedy DTE900 is over 10th, not that 10th sounds wrong here. Just more that's visible in the track, like how the strings resonate or to have the cymbal rings. Drums are also more impactful and fun on DTE900.

Towards the Bending of the Heart is also where I hear that 10th lacks something in the air region compared to DTE900. It just doesn't have the same upper treble resolution.



ISN EST50

ISN EST50 is also a tribrid, 10mm DD + 2 BA + 2 EST. Priced at 449$, very cheap in comparison to DTE900. Having owned many ISN, Penon and Sound Rhyme models I have started to see design elements and similar accessories. So I wouldn't be shocked if it's the same manufacturer that makes many of the models from the brands here.
This sits as one of my favorite IEMs, both sound and shell is perfect to my liking. It's very ergonomic and I have been quite happy having something unique with the yellow wood faceplate. The ergonomic design is also almost the same as DTE900, just in a smaller body.

What I noticed first when comparing it against EST50, the resolving nature of DTE900 is a league ahead. It's just more going on in the details when listening to instruments or vocals, it's also due to the more forward nature of DTE900. This also goes for how much air and how the soundstage is, everything is larger and better. But still both sets have that type of soundstage that is more wide than deep, giving a presentation that is more speaker-like.

Bass on the DTE900 has more sub bass emphasis than mud bass, it does not lack mid bass. It is just that the sub bass is boosted, so the mid bass feels a little behind. A good thing about this type of bass boost is that it doesn't affect all music, but when it calls for some great rumble EST50 can rumble for you. Speed is average on EST50, not slow and not fast. Sound signature of the EST50 is more L-shaped while the DTE900 is more W- shaped.

When comparing the two, it's quite apparent the speedy nature of the DTE900. My thought is that it uses a stronger magnet to control the dynamic driver, this also affects slam. DTE900 makes the EST50 sound softer in each bass kick, not that EST50 is soft. It's just that the DTE900 has more punch in its low end. If I listen to just the texture of bass notes, it's about the same in quality for what they show.

The sub bass rumble is about the same on the two, but since the upper range of EST50 is more relaxed the bass often is more pronounced. The mid bass is much more pronounced on DTE900 and does give more music a more weighty sound compared to EST50. Same for bass slam, it's more impactful and fun on DTE900.

Midrange of the EST50 is its weakest link, it's not the best sounding in detail and presence. Can also at some parts sound slightly grainy, it's still pretty good but lacks compared to its bass and treble. The EST50 is softer than DTE900 on the midrange, in a way it's less in focus and behind. But on music that doesn't use that much bass, the midrange gets to shine and can be very nuanced.

Vocals and instruments are more present and in focus on DTE900, but at the same time EST50 has a more relaxed midrange that is very good for already forward music.
Listening to things like cymbals or sax in jazz, the EST50 do lack some bite and sparkle. And on this DTE900 is instead forward and clear.

DTE900 sounds like a super high end stereo setup. EST50 more like Stereo that is worse,

Woman Drum with the EST50 is a very full sounding and pleasant experience, you don't get the same details in the midrange as with DTE900 and 10th. But in return you get a more pleasing sound, making it less shrill and sharp. Details on EST50 here are below what the DTE900 shows, its less details visible in the recording. What is also very good here is the slower bass of EST50, this matches this tune better than DTE900.

Schism is very relaxed on EST50 and lacks note weight to vocal and the instruments, it's also very noticeable that resolution is far below DTE900. There are many subtle elements in the drumming and guitar that are almost gone on est50. But one thing EST50 does perfectly, this will never ever be fatiguing. Both TE900 and 10th are just much more resolving and energetic, so music like this gets a total change in presentation on EST50.



Conclusion

I have been more than satisfied by the DTE900, and even after many weeks it remains as one of my favorites. I don't like to position any IEM as number one, so let's say it's within my top 3 now. Why is it placed so high? The detail, speed and energetic tonality are all things making DTE900 such a great IEM for me. Most important music sounds awesome with DTE900.

Bass that slam and can make most bassheads smile, of course some of us could have liked even more. Mids that are lush and forward, with lots of detail. And treble that's detailed to match the rest of the tonality. Soundstage in IEMs are most often very close to each other, this is one of those sets that are on a large side.

DTE900 just nailed so much right, that it more than deserves its cost. I would say this is one of the best sets you can now buy under 1000$, but since it's Sound Rhyme it will hardly get any exposure. For the people who have ordered one, enjoy this gem of an IEM. We have a masterpiece here.

Sound Rhyme DTE900 - A Tuneable Masterpiece



I AM GIVING THIS ONE A PERFECT SCORE - BECAUSE IT IS PERFECT TO MY EARS PLAYS AT TOTL PERFORMANCE AND IS WELL UNDER KILO BUCK COST!

INFO AND PURCHASE LINKS: $749
https://penonaudio.com/Sound-Rhyme-DTE900.html

Thank you to PENON for the review unit for Canucks Audioholics Review Group


Lets Start Off technical stuff
Sound Rhyme DTE900 1+4+4 Tribrid IEM
1x 9.2mm Dual Magnet Titanium coated Dynamic Driver
2x Knowles 29689 Balanced Armature for the Mids
2x Knowles 31736 Balanced Armature for the Highs
4x Sonion EST65QB02 EST Drivers for the ultra sparkle
4 way X-over
Frequency response 10Hz-30KHz
Sensitivity 110db 1mW
Impedance of 21 Ohms
2 Tuning Switches (POP, Clear Voice, Deep Bass, Wide Sound Field )
EnvisionTec German 3D Printed Medical Grade Resin Shells




Pictured in final configuration for sound impressions stock cable as I found that a excellent paining.
The ISN G4 also was wonderful.



I treat fine tuning my Impressions including cables like this in my journey with IEM's.
TIPS CHANGE THE SOUND GREATER THAN ANTHING ELSE. ( Stage, bass, vocals, highs ) Can be greatly altered by tips and are first thing I try for fitment and comfort and overall shaping the sound to my desired preference.


Sources are second for me. Since my new Shanling M6 Ultra and XDUOO XD05 PRO almost rivals my desktop stack Geshelli Labs AKM J2/ Topping A90D , I stuck with the Hiby solely with this review because my DACS are out being modded by Geshelli for OP-AMP upgrades.



Subjective Part of my Audio Review -

I share my impressions as I hear them with my ears.
As all our ears are different shapes & size so what I hear as bright or bass heavy -you might hear as dull and Vise-Versa; just something to be mindful of.

What makes my ears happy as a sound signature is a slightly more aggressive L shape. I love my Bass Sub and Mid Bass slam, love it all actually; and in balanced quantity. With the Bass, I prefer a faster decay the faster the better so as to not bleed into the mids., I am treble sensitive and prefer a slightly darker warmer replay with good treble extension.

I prefer the fast speedy bass of the Beryllium Coated Driver of my Xenns Mangird UP with a Beryllium Coated Driver. My references include my Softears Twilite and THOR Mjölinar MKII single DD's.
Of course, there are exceptions in the market - as I also find the bass of the PENON 10th Anniversary IEM special - has some great mid bass snap as well as some serious sub-bass!

My music Library is widely varied from; Metallica, Great White, Cowboy Junkies, Pink Floyd, Adelle, Melisa Ethridge, Fleetwood Mac, Five for Fighting, Mänskin, Poncho Sanchez, Jimmy Smith, Chopin, The Crystal Method just to name a few. When not listening to my test tracks the majority is Jazz or Alternative Rock especially Female Rock. Lorde, Halsey, Alanis Morrisette, Evanescence. All depends on my mood.

Sources: Shanling M6 Ultra as transport into XDUOO XD05 PRO with ESS9039SPRO chip.
Tips Used for the DTE900 were JVC FX10 Spiral Dots

My Format has changed with community feedback. So now I will list the music tracks I used & why with my musical impressions of the playback using that track. I hope this will give you some context for my library and give you some contexts to compare using the same tracks.

Before I begin with some sound impressions, I would like to share a bit of my journey with the DTE900


I like sharing this part as it gives context on how I came upon my sound impressions:

TUNING SWITCHES:
- 2 tuning switches are not bad. On paper they don’t look they do very much and for that I was extremely thankful.
That being said it was nice to be able to fine tune the DTE900 to my personal tastes.
- I will just focus on UP UP or 11 and Down Down 00
- 11 Setting was at the end my nirvana at the beginning on first listen I found this setting a bit spicy on the very top end after about 150 Hours on the Burn rack things changes dramatically and everything settled in nicely , I actually measured the DTE900 before and after burn in and noted a slight roll off on the very end of the sub bass on the graph and this also translated to how the bottom end settled into a really nice musical sub bass and remained fast and punchy in the mid bass. With this setting it has enough high end to really bring out the stage and details without any top end fatigue or harshness my perfect tuning.
- 00 Here on this setting I found the top end was a bit too much for me on certain tracks with poorly recorded material. Because the DTE900 is so resolving the replay became a bit harsh and unforgiving also lowering the bass shelf amplifies this effect so my second favorite settings.
- Now so Antonio Teixeira (TONY TEX) reached out to me and we had a great conversation. He loved the tuning on 00 with a 25ohm impedance adapter. I just received a 4.4 Pentaconn from Penon I bought to try out. Sure enough what happens on paper the graph looks like the 11 Setting but the top end gets smoothed out more.
For me I did really enjoy this setting but found it too relaxed in the top end and found I was missing some details and the special sauce the EST's bring to the upper registers.

Ultimately I found the smooth warmth of the Shanling combined with ESS dac of the XD05 Pro and AZLA Crystal tips was the magic combination for me.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS:
Starting from the bottom and working our way up the frequency spectrum.
Bass , I like fast tight bass with texture and depth. Sub bass needs to extend low and not have too much bass bleed into the mids to muck up the vocals.
Happy to say the DTE900 with its Ti coated driver takes on the lows with authority and play low with sign of strain or fatigue.

Mid Bass gets its own section because what I just said above applies to the DTE900, Yes the Sound Rhyme bleeds into the mids. A bad thing NO WAY a GOOD THING, because it does it in a way to just enough coloration to enhance with going to far.

Mids now you just read how the MB colors the mids and vocals but how do vocals sound… Slightly warm and perfectly balanced in the overall mix, not forward or recessed, not thin and airy nor dark and brooding. Like Mama Bears Porridge JUST RIGHT! Really well done and plays slightly colored adding in just enough huskiness to male vocals and bright and crisp female vocals with correct edge and tonality - a really hard to do balance that only TOTL can pull off.

Treble is clean, precise and well-articulated giving string instruments nice air and details. You can tell the EST drivers are working but just enhancing the presentation and not trying to overpower the highs. The way the DTE900 has amazing coherency with all 9 drivers is a testimonial to how well this IEM was retuned.
I have not heard much about why this unit was retuned or how the OG sounded but this version is BANG ON.

Stage one of the best and most enjoyable and certainly hits a TOTL level of performance and is quite 3D and expansive when it wants to be and intimate when it needs to be in order to give you the playback as the artist or engineer intended. Some IEM force the stage or is simply underwhelming and was very happy as a great ability to project you the listener into the music.

TRACK IMPRESSIONS:

"Kieth Don’t Go" Nils Loftgren
- What a playback LIQUID SMOOTH , excellent stage wide and deep. The guitar was real standout amazing bass death and detail. nails vocals were spot on silky smooth and the top end had a beautiful EST sparkle.



"Turn My Head" By Live
- Here on listening to the male vocals and there was perfect tonality just the right amount of top end to bring excitement to this track and give a really nice playback that I found was being right at the concert standing in front of a speaker stack.

"Butterflies" By Kacey Musgraves
- The DTE900 catches her voice with perfect timbre in her voice.

"DEE" by Randy Rhodes on the OZZY recording
- All the poles the slides and the plucks are all there so smoothly done and very realistic well done DTE900.

"Nothing Else Matters" by Miley Cyrus
- Bass hits are deep and detailed on this track Miley's vocals are spot on and the top end sparkle and the details in the instrumental is very balanced in the mix what a great replay.

"Superman It's Not Easy" By Five For Fighting
- Male vocals on this track are just perfect if there is any bass bleed it just works and it works to the favor of it making this track super fun and musical

"Your Song" By Eton John
- Piano sounds great and Elton's vocals have the great weight to them, very realistic

"You Must Burn" By Metallica
- slam heart and tight that was the best way to describe this bass , the guitars blend in so well and Lars's vocals are also great



"My Girl" By Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Great stage a few times you can hear a few sets of drums hit first at the back on the right and then in the mix over to the left in front closer to you really well done not a lot of IEM can pick this up with the depth let you hear this properly as intended to be able to do this just a testament to how great the DTE900 emulates the stage.



"Bring Me Some Water" By Melissa Etheridge
- The Sound Rhyme Replays the vocals on this track with her singing closer to you and it shows amazing death that DTE 900 can project again great vocals,
First time on a IEM I could really get a sense of the way this track was recorded. kind of a special realization after hearing this track countless times and not picking up on that before!

"Nothing Else Matters" By PG Roxette
- Bass tickles your ear hairs the vocals are absolutely incredible this 9.2 dynamic driver is really quite special

"You Don’t Know Me" a Duet with Ray Charles and Diana Krall
- I like listening to duets because it really gives you a good sense of whether or not this IEM can replay both male and female vocals totally correct and you can hear him in one track I think it's a great way of determining whether or not it has the right note weight and tonality to bring out the vocals correctly and naturally and the DTE900 did so beautifully.

"Bad Liar" By Selema Gomez
- One of the best playbacks I have ever heard so incredibly smooth

"Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box" By Radiohead
- The bottom end of this baselines are really well produced very wonderful the pots and pans are also incredibly realistic you sound you're right there with a wooden spoon banging on them

"Rakin" By Dead Can Dance
- Okay if the Oprah show was hosting a live band and the Dead Can Dance was playing in her studio you sound like you're right there in the crowd cheering them on was a very cool replay and again one of those tracks where I heard a different than I have ever heard it before and the sense of space was ultra realistic.

"Give Life Back To Music" By Daft Punk
- THE ULTIMATE EDM IEM! ? QUITE POSSIBLY

" Conga Blue & Watermelon Man " By Poncho Sanchez
- Poncho and his signature drums have a unique sound but honestly jazz on the DTE900 is simply amazing the drums and the instrumentals are so spot on so damn good. *****



"Without Me" Lillium Remix by Halsey
- The DTE indeed goes into BASS HEAD territory FULL STOP!

"Cello Concerto" Asier Polo
- So how does the DTE900 do strings and classical well they absolutely have great depth and depth I don't mean the stage I mean a depth of the notes that this IEM can bring out in the instrument replay the attack release and decay is simply amazing in how we can project instruments and their tonality correctly both musically and emotionally.


CONCLUSION:
I try to be objective in my reviews sort of but totally know my passion leaks into my words and projects my feelings into my thoughts and subsequently effects my ability to properly reflect my sound impressions to you unobjectively.
Sorry not Sorry.
I LOVE THE DTE900 CHECKS ALL MY BOXES AND I JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH TIME WITH THEM IN A DAY'S SPACE.

COMPARISONS:
XENNS MARGIRD UP: $699 10mm Beryllium Coated DD 2x Sonion BA for Mids 2 Custom BA for highs and 2 Sonion EST
- One of my absolute all time favorite IEM. I love this IEM for its ability to produce not just low bass but fast slam and bass realistically one of the best replays I have ever heard the mids are also wonderful and the EST implementation well on the more tame side still does a pretty good job overall. The IEM like all IEM's in my opinion are not perfect and where the up leaves you with just a little wish that you had more resolution and top end details.



Compared to the DTE900 now takes everything that I love about the up and makes it better the EST implementation is done better it has more sparkle the vocals are cleaner more detailed and slightly less warm but just as musical and the bass is also on par with each other the difference between the two units is about $50 in retail but there is no doubt that the DTE 900 is the better of the two.

Where the UP is a wonderful piece of gear it does not play at Top Of The Line level of performance where I can clearly say the Sound Rhyme clearly does.


KINERA IMPERIAL LOKI: $3099 6mm LCP DD, 6 Knowles BA 4 Sonion EST 1 Bone Conduction Unit
- I was very fortunate to have the LOKI on loan at the same time as I did my sound impressions of the DTE900. The LOKI is a amazing IEM it has a clarity and resolution reflecting its price, the Bass is somewhat lean in the mid bass department but that 6mm plays crazy low.
- Overall the LOKI plays more vocal forward and the EST implementation was done to really showcase the effects that EST can induce and enhance the top end.
- The DTE900 in comparison plays a bit warmer less vocal forward and way more smooth than the LOKI. Bass on the Sound Rhyme is leaps and bounds better, plays with more note weight and makes string instruments like Double Bass and Cello perfect where the LOKI plays them thinner and not perfectly natural like the DTE900 did. Also that extra note weight of the DTE900 add a really nice subtle coloration to the mids that my ears find very pleasing and perfect for my tastes.



IF THE UP AND THE LOKI HAD A WILD NIGHT OF MUSIC AND A LOVE CHILD WAS BORN FROM THE CHAOS THE DTE900 WOULD BE THE RESULT OF THAT PERFECT COUPLING.



FINAL OBSERVATIONS:

AT ITS CORE THE DTE900 REMAINS A FUN AND YET TECHNICAL SET. THE TUNING SWITCHES ALLOW YOU TO FINE TUNE THIS SET TO YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES FROM SUPER DETAILED TO SUPER LAID BACK.

FINDING GOOD BALANCE FOR MANUFACTURES IN TUNING IEM'S AND THIS TASK IS NEVER EASY TO APEASE EVERONE. FOR ME I FOUND THE DTE900 ABSOULTLY PERFECT FOR MY TASTES AND CHECKS OFF EVERY BOX ON ALL METRICS AT TOTL ENDGAME LEVELS!

Thank you for taking the time to read my review.
My Video review is here:

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https://tonedeafmonk.squig.link/

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