Toyeteam UFO

Toyeteam is a relatively new entry in the crowded Chinese earphone manufacturer space. After a bit of research I was able to find four different models from the company: The UFO, UFO Pro, Thor and TX 601, the former 3 having dynamic drivers while the TX 601 is a dual hybrid driver configuration. Today I'll be taking a look at the UFO so if you want to know whether these can whisk you away to another planet follow me.

Disclaimer

This sample was provided for the purpose of an honest review. I'm not affiliated with the company and all observations and opinions here are my own, based on my experience with the product.

The Toyeteam UFO retails for $35 at the time of writing and is available from Penon Audio: https://penonaudio.com/TOYETEAM-UFO

Specifications

Impedance: 18Ω
Driver: 8 mm dynamic
Earphone sensitivity: 105dB+3
Frequency range: 20-20000Hz
Maximum power: 2mW
Interface: 3.5mm Gilded
Cable Length: 1.2m±0.05m

Package and accessories

The UFO comes in a very compact white box with a color image of the earphone on the front. On the back of the box are the specifications and a frequency response graph. Inside the box is a clamshell carry case. Everything else is of course found inside the carry case and includes the UFO earphones, x3 pairs of silicone eartips (S, M, L), a shirt clip and user manual. It's a very basic package but I like the way they were able to keep it so small yet still provide the clamshell case which is always a welcome addition.



Build, comfort and isolation

There are four variants of the UFO, with the only difference being the cables. There's a red cable, one with microphone and one without then the same again in a black version. My sample has the black cable with microphone.

The all metal housings have a polished silver finish and at a glance look nice for a budget IEM. They're a slight variation of the common barrel shape with a raised disc section in the middle where the two halves of the shells are joined together. It's this section that gives the earphones their UFO type appearance. The rear half has several slits running lengthwise from just behind the "disc" which act as vents/bass ports. It then tapers down slightly where the cable connects. On the back of the housing is the company logo. The front half of the housing tapers down to the nozzle which has a nicely pronounced lip for securing the eartips. The nozzles have a protective metal mesh inside the end. These IEMs are really small. They don't protrude out of the ears at all and so are great for laying down.



The cable is a simple rubber sheathed affair but it's a lot better than many that you find in its price range. It's fairly supple, smooth to the touch and doesn't have any stickiness or kinks. On the left side is a plastic, single button control and microphone. Although the control is made of plastic it doesn't look or feel cheap and the button has a solid tactile click. There's a small, hardened rubber Y-split and finally the cable terminates in a straight 3.5 mm plug. Strain relief from top to bottom is excellent and I actually like it a lot. There is some microphonics but that's very common for any earphone with small housings.



These are super comfortable because of their small size and I had no trouble wearing them for several hours. Noise isolation for me personally is a bit better than average for this type of IEM because of their size and shape they give me a great fit and seal.

The UFO looks pretty good (a bit similar to the DUNU Titan 1 if you use your imagination) but don't look quite as premium. For the price I think they're really well built and as I mentioned above I really like the cable.



Sound

Gear used for testing

Benjie T6

ATC HDA-DP20

JRiver > Topping DX7

First thing you're likely to notice listening to the UFO is the rather massive bass. It has a real meatiness and is thick and impactful,. It's kinda like standing outside a nightclub: all you can hear is the thumping of the bass through the walls with just a hint of midrange and treble in the background. Well, that is exaggerating of course but you get the idea.

Bass is where the spotlight shines on the UFO. It's big and bold with an ability to get physical with its impact. Sub-bass similarly can really shake you up. It digs deep and oozes with dominating power and can be a lot of fun. Definition is actually not bad but the attack is fairly slow so you don't get much sense of the "thwack" - rather you're assaulted with the thump. The bass is thick and a bit woolly but feels controlled at the same time.

Midrange is fairly recessed compared to the abundant bass. There's a fair bit of bleed from the lower end, coloring the lower mids and giving them some excess weight. Timbre is not too far off but vocals and instruments can sound a bit veiled. Notes have a soft, rounded edge and lack definition.

Treble on the UFO is actually pretty nice but it rolls off early and sits too far behind the bass to give music enough lift and energy. There's no hint of sibilance anywhere though and that's always a bonus. The treble is executed quite well but doesn't quite have enough presence to rise out of the dominant lower frequencies.

Soundstage is fairly limited which is normal for an IEM with such a dark and warm signature. On tracks where the bass is light or there isn't much bass present things feel less congested and more open but in general the stage feels pretty intimate.



Comparisons

BGVP BKYT MRY6 ($24.90 USD)

The MRY6 has a more even tonal balance than the UFO. Bass quality is similar but not as overwhelming as it is on the UFO. Midrange is less recessed with less sense of a veil over it and sounds a little more natural. The MRY6's treble has more presence and better extension than the UFO and it has a slightly bigger soundstage.

Both of these IEMs are well built but the UFO's cable is a definite step up from the one on the BGVP. They're both very comfortable but the UFO's smaller form factor makes it even more so. In terms of accessories the UFO comes with a nice clamshell case where the MRY6 has a larger eartip selection but just a velvet carry pouch. For $5 less the MRY6 is my pick of the two but there are better options available IMO, such as the Brainwavz Jive or Fischer Audio Paco.

Conclusion

The Toyeteam UFO is a very well built and comfortable IEM with an above average quality cable. The sound is not one that will be for everybody as it ultimately falls a bit short and fails to excite or inspire with its dark overtones. It might be a good choice for anyone who is hypersensitive to treble or is looking for a dark sound with impactful bass. It's not a bad IEM but comes across as only average and in my opinion there are better options around the same price. However I do look forward to seeing and hearing more from Toyeteam as they've proven that they can make a quality product at least in the physical sense.

Toyeteam UFO Review: Well, at Least It’s Made of Metal

Toyeteam is a very new OEM in the Chi-Fi scene. Their initial lineup consists of two single-dynamic driver IEMs, both of which sport a polished metal finish and robust cables. This review, however, will be focusing on the UFO, their $35 budget offering. But is an IEM at $35 any better than mainstream earbuds at that price?

You can find the UFO here, on Penon Audio, for $35.

Disclaimer: This unit was provided to me free of charge for review purposes. I am not affiliated with Toyeteam beyond this review. These words reflect my true, unaltered, opinion about the product.

Preference and Bias: Before reading a review, it is worth mentioning that there is no way for a reviewer to objectively pass judgment on the enjoy-ability of a product: such a thing is inherently subjective. Therefore, I find it necessary for you to read and understand what I take a natural liking to and how that might affect my rating of a product.

My ideal sound signature would be an extended sub-bass with a leveled, but textured, mid-bass. The mids should be slightly less pronounced than the treble, but still ahead of the bass. I prefer a more bright upper range.

Source: The UFO was powered like so:

HTC U11 -> USB-C adapter -> earphones

or

Hidizs AP100 3.5mm out -> earphones

or

HiFiMAN SuperMini -> earphones

or

PC optical out -> HiFiMe SPDIF 9018 Sabre DAC 3.5mm out -> earphones

All music was served as MP3 @320Kbps or as FLAC.

Sound Signature
Initial Impressions:

The UFO embodies stereotypical consumer tuning: a V-shaped sound signature, boosted upper-mids for vocals, and a mid-bass that is too fat for its own good. However, the UFO also avoids a lot of tuning pitfalls. More on that later. Detail, separation, and air are all slightly below average for this price range.

Treble: Songs used: In One Ear, Midnight City, Outlands, Satisfy

Treble is nice and clear, with a good boost past the upper-mids. Cohesion in the upper register is maintained well, and I have to say I quite enjoyed the presentation of the synths on Midnight City. Air and spacing is okay, but certainly nothing to brag about, even at this price range.

There’s absolutely no sibilance on the UFO, even on poorly behaved tracks like Satisfy.

Mids: Songs used: Flagpole Sitta, Jacked Up, I Am The Highway, Dreams

The mids are the most recessed band of frequencies on the UFO. Fortunately this doesn’t mean that they are cannibalized by the rest of the sound, though it does present a distinct disadvantage; when there’s a lot of mid-bass in play, the lower-mids are very much overwhelmed.

Guitars have a nice crunch to them, though they are softer than I am used to. Overall the mids are just too mushy for me to really enjoy, especially after hearing offerings from companies like KZ, New Harmonic, and Advanced Sound at this price range.

Vocals sound a bit muffled, especially with mastering styles like those of Rise Against.

Bass: Songs used: Moth, Gold Dust, In For The Kill (Skream Remix), War Pigs (Celldweller Remix)

Bass is probably the UFO’s strongest point. Though the mid-bass is too fat for my tastes, it is still reasonably tight (relatively speaking) and can convey a decent amount of detail. Unfortunately, in absolute terms, this still translates to a rather non-solid bass experience.

The highlight of the low-end, however, is the sub-bass. It’s not often you can find an IEM capable of delivering high-quantity, high quality sub-bass at this price. While it obviously doesn’t compare to the more robust offerings in higher price brackets, it is still a head above it’s competition in the $30–40 range.

Packaging / Unboxing
The UFO comes in a very simple cardboard box.



Build
Construction Quality



Build is average. The driver housings are made from metal though, which is nice. It is finished with a chrome paint and a glossy top-coat. The nozzle is of average diameter and is not hard to find after-market tips for.



The cable is… average as well. It is made from a simple black plastic. The Y-splitter is as well. Stress relief is decent, and does a good job eliminating much of the mechanical force exerted on the cable connections in day-to-day life.



The cable terminates in a metal-housed 3.5mm jack. I’d like to see slightly more stress relief here, but this will do well-enough.

Comfort

The UFO isn’t too comfortable, though it’s not particularly uncomfortable either. It took about an hour for me to have noticeable discomfort. Obviously, you millage may vary.

Accessories
Accessories are paltry at best, though that is in part excusable due to the UFO’s low price tag. Inside the box you will find:

• 1x semi-hard carrying case
• 2x extra silicone eartips
• 1x shirt clip

Again, quality here is average.

Summary
The thing is, the UFO is, by almost every metric, average. Would I recommend it? Probably not to be honest. It comes close to being good in each category, but falls short of what it takes to be truly competitive. I recommend that you save up more and try and purchase an IEM in a higher price bracket or look at offerings from a different manufacturer.