Venture Electronics - Bonus IE (VE BIE)

So much more than just a bass cannon!​

Design & Build Quality

Bullet. Fixed cable. Short nozzle. Aluminum… That’s about as short as I can make it.

BIE is a bullet-style IEM that features a single 10mm dynamic driver which uses N52 neodymium magnets. The shells are made of high-quality aluminum that is of a pale gold color. It’s easy to mistake the color for silver, especially in online photos, but in reality it’s a very beautiful and subtle pale gold finish.

The shells consist of two parts, and the seam is visible. At the back of the shell, there is a single vent. The nozzle is considerably shorter than usual, which is something I noticed only later down the line. It has a notch, but I didn’t find it to be as functional as it should be. Most ear-tips I tried easily come off, but the ones that are tighter seem to have no problem staying on.

Even though BIE has a vent, I still experienced driver flex when inserting the IEMs, but also when taking them out. This forced me to be more gentle.

As it’s usually the case with fixed cables, there’s nothing really to compliment here. It's not the most flexible cable and it's microphonic.

Comfort

BIE is perhaps the most ear-tip sensitive IEM I’ve come across. I had to go through just about every ear-tip I own, only to settle down with the size M tips that come with the Samsung EO-IG955BSEGW earphones. With these tips, I am able to get a secure and tight fit, but also a deep insertion.

As already mentioned, the BIE is extremely tip sensitive, so, depending on which tips you use, the sound performance will significantly differ. For example, the stock tips provide MASSIVE bass, extreme levels of bass quantity, and the tips I decided to use (from the EO-IG955BSEGW) tone down the quantity, and instead increase the quality. With this out of the way, be aware that my review is mostly based on BIE’s performance with 3rd party tips.

Sound Performance​

Lows

Before switching out the tips, this is what I wrote:

“Did I mention that these are bass cannons yet? No? In that case, yes, these are bass cannons. If you are a basshead, you will almost certainly love these.

When I say they rumble, I mean it. If you can picture being in a club, that’s exactly how I’d describe BIE’s bass performance — you feel it.”

I take that back, because that’s only the case with the stock tips. These IEMs have so much more to offer! Switching out the tips makes them a completely different IEM.

Quality-wise, BIE doesn’t have the most defined bass, but it packs a serious punch while maintaining surprisingly decent speed qualities. In MOON’s “Hydrogen”, it’s apparent that the bassline is rich in quantity, has very good decay response, and has a softer/slower attack. It’s not overly slow to the point that the bass sound sloppy or loose, but it’s not fast enough to make it sound snappy and punchy. It’s not tight, I am trying to say. In “Smoking Mirrors” by Lee Curtiss, the bassline is more refined. The body is more defined, but at the same time there is more depth. The same qualities I noticed in “Hydrogen” are also present here, the speed is not so fast to the point it’s snappy, but it’s also not so slow to the point it’s sloppy.

Sub-bass, on the other hand, isn’t as emphasized. Well, with the 3rd party tips, that is. With the stock tips, the sub-bass has “too” much quantity. By “too much”, I mean that the quality suffers so much that it’s nothing more than a great volume of sub-bass hitting you. There’s not a lot of definition. However, when I switched out the tips to my preferred 3rd party ones, the quality was significantly better.
In Hans Zimmer’s “Why So Serious?”, the sub-bass drop occurring at the 3:27 minute mark shows these qualities. The sub-bass is pulsating, and is more subtle than present. It’s not overwhelming like it is with the stock tips.

The track that made me go nuts is Arctic Monkey’s “Do I Wanna Know?”. Mind you, when I took these out of the box, I didn’t fiddle with different ear-tips. When I listened to this track with the stock tips, I was like “Yep. These are for bassheads. This is insane.”. With my preferred 3rd party tips, the introduction of this tracks still sound above average, but with the stock tips… it’s a whole different story. The drum kicks have such thump, such density. This is the second IEM ever to have such a special performance in this track. The only other IEM being TRI’s original i3 (not the new i3 Pro).



Mids

Since the BIE is generally a V-shaped IEM, the mids aren’t the star of the show. I will say though, I was surprised to hear how much of a difference the tips make here. At least in my eyes, the difference in performance in the lower frequency range was expected to be significant, but in the mid-range, not so much.

The stock tips have a greater upper mid-range extension, while my preferred 3rd party ones have a greater lower mid-range extension. As you can imagine, which one sounds better is differs from track to track. The two track I quickly went over to notice these differences are “Speak Softly, Love” and “One More Time” by Yao Si Ting. I’d say the mids aren’t perfect on neither the stock pads nor the 3rd party ones.

One thing I will say is that there is significant amount of mid-bass bleed when using the stock tips. It’s audible in several tracks, of which I wouldn’t set apart any particular ones. It’s apparent that the mid-bass bleeds into the mids, and it can be noticed in just about every track where there are elements in both the lower frequency range and in the mid frequency range. If those two elements are playing at the same time, you will very easily hear it… It doesn’t take a trained ear.

When it comes to acoustic stringed instruments, I prefer the tonality and the sound of the 3rd party tips. Piano sounds fuller and weightier on the stock tips, and that’s largely because of the greater lower end extension.



Highs

Once again, depending on which tips you use, the amount of high end extension will differ. As I expected, there is a greater top end extension when using the stock tips (which are more focused/concentrated due to the narrower opening). My preferred Samsung tips give a more relaxed and smooth upper end.

In fact, the lower treble is so smooth with the Samsung tips that I consider it as warm. On the other hand, the upper treble has a great extension. And when I say “great”, I am referring to quality-wise, not quantity-wise. It’s not overly emphasized, it’s not piercing or fatiguing, it’s just a very good V-shaped treble extension. For example, Dire Straits’ “Money For Nothing” is a track where I would expect crisp and pronounced percussion, but on the BIE that’s not the case. However, when it comes to peaks from, e.g. vocals, instruments, they are out there. This is what I mean when I say that the upper treble has a great extension while the lower treble is warm.

Speaking of peaks, “Stop Trying to Be God” by Travis Scott is a reference track of mine for brightness. In particular, it’s Stevie Wonder’s mouth harmonica at the very end of this track that I’m listening to (from 4:43 – 5:38). BIE’s sound performance in this track had audible qualities of near-sparkle levels of treble. When I talk about sparkle qualities, this is how I sort them in terms of quantity:
piercing>sparkle>shine>sheen>warm

Soundstage, Imaging & Separation

How much did you say these cost again? Nope. The price simply doesn’t make sense. The soundstage, imo, is on-par with IEM 15 times its price. The soundstage is roughly 10-15 centimeters outside the IEMs themselves. It may not sound like a lot, but when it comes to IEMs, it is. Although I wouldn’t say BIE has anything outstanding to offer in terms of staging and separation, the soundstage is above average when it comes to its size.

Conclusion​

Believe it or not, I had zero expectation for the BIE. All I knew is that it was perceived to be a bass cannon and that it had Venture Electronics’ house sound.

On one hand, what people were talking about turned out to be true — BIE is a bass cannon. Behaving like a sub-woofer in your ears, it can produce the physical sensation of rumble. On the other hand, when you switch out the stock tips, you get a completely different experience. It’s a two-way street. You are not stuck with the bass-focused sound signature. Not only can you alter its sound signature significantly with tips, but also with your source. I first started listening to the BIE with the DX300 + AMP11Mk1 amp module, and that's the combo that gives the ultimate bass-focused performance. When paired with the DX300 MAX, the sound perforamnce is more refined and tame.

This is why I titled this review “So much more than just a bass cannon”.

With the stock tips, it’s a very fun IEM. Like very, very fun. I would definitely use it for casual listening and when I’m trying to get hit in the face with bass. However, if I want a more refined listening experience, I will throw my Samsung tips on and get just that.

Price-wise… yeah, this is not a $20 sounding IEM. I know people want to hear names and not just “it sounds 15x the price”, but to stay on the safe side, let’s just say that it doesn’t sound anywhere near 20 bucks. I, as someone with limited IEM experience, cannot say it sounds better than something I’ve never heard, but when my friend who owns the MMR Thummim tried the BIE out, he was blown away. That says enough by itself.

I think Lee wanted to give the world a “trial” of the Grand Duke. Like “Here’s a little taste, and if you want the full package, it exists ”
But there’s a catch: BIE on its own is a package that is of such an extreme value that it successfully exists as a standalone product.

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Setup:
Source: iBasso DX300 MAX (Gain: Low | DAC Volume: 90 | Ultimate Mode: ON | OS: Android)
Ear-tips: Samsung EO-IG955BSEGW (M), Stock SM tips

INTRODUCTION:

Venture Electronics, an underdog brand in the chifi audio industry came to be known by the people after its successful sales of the Monk Earbuds which created a big revolution in the earbuds market. To continue its growing legacy they have introduced the BIE (BONUS IE) as an in-ear type earphone since most of the users use the in-ears. And what to say! This again a hit product! Even after these many years the BIE still has a separate fan base for its well executed Fun sound signature yet without sacrificing those minute details. In this review let's see how this performs and is it still the best fun sounding pair available in the market.



DISCLAIMER:

This product has been provided to me by VECLAN.COM owned by Wild Lee for the review purpose and I'm very thankful to him for providing me this opportunity. This review is solely based on my experience with this earphone during this testing period and I have not been influenced by the brand nor by any ways to manipulate this review. This view might differ from person to person since it depends on the gears and the source used to test the product.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Driver: 10mm Dynamic Driver (N52+)

Impedance: 32 ohm

Sensitivity: 115dB

Frequency range: 17-22000 Hz

Shell: Aluminum Alloy - matte finish

Interface: 3.5mm

Cable Length: 1.2m

Cable: 99.99% OFC

PACKAGE:

The BIE comes in a small jean clothed square shaped storage box with the VE branding on the top. Inside you get the BIE earphone itself with another 2 pairs of eartips in a small zip lock bag. The package is very simple and minimalistic, no outer box or user manual, just straight to the point and I liked this approach since sound is what is more important to me than the makeup.

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the BIE is pretty usual buller shaped style. The materials they have used here is full aluminium build hence they are built like a tank and coloured as light gold. They provide a nice hefty feeling in the hands which makes you think it's definitely not a cheap earphone. BIE branding is done on the side which is very subtle. The nozzle is pretty short and the diameter is also small hence the astermarket tip selection is pretty difficult. The stock ones however gave me a good fit and seal.



The cable here is of OK quality and it's non detachable. The cable is very microphonic which is mostly seen in all the non detachable earphones. A chin slider is given with the branding on it.

The fit is very nice since the body doesn't touch any part of your ear, just the eartips alone are responsible for the seal and fit. The back plate of the earphone has a small circular vent which in my experience appears to be a functional vent which by blocking it changes the sound a bit, the soundstage gets smaller and the bass loses its impact when the vents are blocked with fingers.

SOUND:

The whole sound signature of the Bie is the V shaped but here is the trick, this is not like the usual chifi v shape instead the midrange is pretty awesome here with nice elevation and forward placement. The midrange clarity is very good for a shaped earphone. The treble is inoffensive and open enough. The tonality and the timbre are the exceptional aspects here, they are very natural and realistic. In this review let’s dive into the detailed explanation of how good the BIE sounds.

Source: iPhone + Avani Dongle DAC + Zen Can

LOW END:

You are a bass head and you need some quality, thumpy and groovy bass? Here you go! The BIE got some serious bass with nice extensions. I can't see any roll off in the low end thus the bass just digs very deeper. The bass attack is pretty natural and has nice weight and body to the overall track.

The sub bass digs deeper and gives the nice rumble sensation. They are well controlled and have that nice grip. Especially in the tracks like “WHY DO WE FALL” – Hans Zimmer, the sub bass presence can be felt very nicely giving a nice rumble sensation. I would like even more sub bass presence since the deep rumble is not separated well but overall this is really a good bass pair.

The mid bass is the star show here. The quantity and quality are very good here. The bass attack and the punch is very natural and realistic, nothing feels artificial or added.

The bass here is a very groovy type rather than a resolved or refined type. The groovy bass I say here is that this just makes your head nod for every beat. The weight here is massive and weighty but the resolution and the separation are the lacking aspect here. The weighty mid bass is very impressive and gives nice body to the overall track whereas the sub bass is moderate in quantity. The control of the bass is pretty good here where there is slight bleed into the midrange but not very extreme.

Since the bass here is more weighty, punchy and massive the resolution and the texture is lacking but this might not be an issue for the casual listening and if you are into the EDM and techno musics then the BIE bass will just make you enjoy a lot and this groovy bass is indeed my recommended in this price range.

Tracks Used:

1. Why Do We Fall – Hans Zimmer
2. Points Of Authority – Linkin Park
3. Murphy’s Law - Recondite

MIDRANGE:

The midrange here is surprisingly well done despite being a V shaped earphone. The midrange recession is slightly felt but not very evident at all. The vocal placement is at a sweet spot and the tonal accuracy is better, it's slightly warm though but for the most part they sounded pretty neutral in tonality. The background instruments are heard very clearly, the piano notes and the kick drums have a nice bite and attack overall.

The timbre is another great aspect of this earphone where the instruments sound very natural and clean. No metallic or artificial timbre is observed. The upper mid emphasis is slightly observed here but I like it a lot where this gives a nice sparkle in the top end and openness to the overall listening.



The lower mids have a nice bass body thus they sound very much fuller. The male and the female vocals sound very nice and natural which are not lean, rather they sound fuller and warm giving a nice listening experience.

The acoustic guitar has nice tonality and the strum is pretty natural to hear. Even the singer's breath in between the lyrics can be heard very clearly. The background instruments separation is not upto the mark but overall for a fun casual listening this is really a good pair. The timbre of the instruments are the special part here where they appear pretty natural and this is the gift of dynamic driver earphones.

Tracks Used:

1. I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
2. Mama – Clean Bandit
3. Perfect – Ed Sheeran

HIGHS:

The highs on this earphone are really smooth and non fatiguing. In most of the vhi fi v shaped earphones the highs tends to be boosted a lot which will create a lot of sibilance but this is really an exception, the highs are pretty extended upto a good limit with nice inoffensive sound overall.

The detail retrieval is not that great but for casual listening and fun listening the highs will never disturb you and actually you will like this a lot. The separation and the amount of air present in the treble region is pretty good and this allows the tracks to be well separated and spacious. The electric guitars sound pretty accurate and the strings have a nice natural strike.

The cymbal crashes are pretty natural and has no harshness. The vanish of the cymbal strike is pretty medium in speed hence the harshness is not felt and overall the highs are pretty non fatiguing and smooth. Even when the tracks get busier the highs tend to be very polite and well behaved with nice track separation which the low end missed out. The texture on the high and is same as that of the lower end where the texture is pretty average which is pretty acceptable for this price range.

Overall the highs are pretty inoffensive and have a nice relation with the bass. They are smooth, airy, and non-sibilant.

Tracks Used:

1. Something Happened On The Way To Heaven – Phil Collins
2. Out For Blood – Sum 41
3. Move Your Body – Sia

TECHNICALITIES:

SOUNDSTAGE: The soundstage of the BIE is pretty deep enough and the depth is larger than the width and the height. Since the bass is very deep and massive the stage is very deeper creating that nice cinematic experience. The staging here is above average for the price and it's actually a big pro for this earphone.

IMAGING: The imaging is pretty good where the transitions are pretty smooth from one channel to the other. The three point imaging is absent here hence the transient response is smoother here. When the tracks get busier due to the groovy bass the pointing out of instruments gets slightly off hence the imaging is average in my opinion, it's not the sharpest or full of precision.

The detail retrieval and the resolution are the average aspect here. They are good but not the best in the BIE. At this price it's pretty much acceptable but there are other earphones in this price which provide better details and resolution but hey! BIE is tuned in this way ! which has a separate fan base for it and in fact i’m one of them. Pretty good for fun listening.

Tracks Used:

1. Coloratura – Coldplay
2. Global Gear – Punya Srinivas
3. Crossing – Yosi Horikawa

VERDICT:

BIE, one of the famous and highly bought product from the VECLAN lineup holds up its place even in these times even after so many years, this just defines that not always the newer and the expensive products are gonna be better, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TUNING AND IMPLEMENTATION, and here the VECLAN did it! This small thing is a beast in all the world of frequencies. Do you need bass? This got it, You need good vocals? This thing got it. Do you need an inoffensive treble? This thing got it! What else do you need from a 20USD pair! This thing does more than what you pay for. Even the build quality is great which looks like a tank but the cable is the only problem here but hey that's why the VECLAN also made the Pro version to swap the cable. VE just made a well executed fun sounding pair which will even make a neutral guy to pick this as a beater pair.

Overall this is just a marvellous creation from the VECLAN and its very underrated nowadays due to large crowd in this price segment. Even after several launches of budget earphones by several brands the VE BIE just knocks every brand's door and says “HELLO THERE” !

Greetings!

Today we're checking out Venture Electronics' (VE) latest budget earphone release, the Bonus IE (BIE).

While probably best known for their extensive earbud lineup which includes the legendary Monk, in-ears are something VE hasn't dabbled nearly as much in, though I can think of at least four different models; The Duke, Monk IE Biggie and Smalls, and the Grand Duke which is their current flagship iem. Being a new budget model makes the BIE all the more exciting for me since the same principles that were applied to the legendary Monk earbuds apply here; quality sound at an attainable price.

Did Wild Lee and Venture Electronics succeed? I think they did. Let's take a closer look, shall we?


What I Hear

Tips: The stock tips included with the BIE are wholly generic but work well with the BIE. The small bore emphasizes it's specialty; massive bass. Due to the nozzle design, most of my preferred tips wouldn't stay on, but there were two in particular that matched up nicely; Spintfit CP145 and ADV Eartune Fidelity U. They sound basically the same, slightly lowering bass quantity over the stock tips. The ADV tips fit basically the same as the stock tips, while the Spintfits provide a deeper fit in case you have issues with the short nozzle.

EQ: I found the BIE to be very receptive to EQing. Using the Sound Shaper Two mk II, a vintage 12 band equalizer, I found the following adjustments to make the BIE a more balanced, yet no less fun sounding earphone with great timbre and clarity; -6dB@30Hz, -4dB@50Hz, -2dB@90Hz, -2dB@3kHz, -3dB@5kHz. These settings balanced out the low end, reduced the mild mid-bass bleed, and then reduced some of the resulting presence region focus that cropped up as a result of the reduction to the low end.

If bass is your jam, you're going to have a ball with the BIE. Bass is greatly emphasized with excellent depth. There is no lack of visceral feedback or noticeable roll off to mar the experience. Mid-bass is big and punchy, adding plenty of warmth to the overall experience. Texturing is good but not outstanding. The crunchy, Prodigy-esque bass of The Prototypes ft. B3NDU's “Enter The Warrior” is produced admirably, but I can't help but want just a bit more grunge. It works very well with the smooth bass of pop and synth tracks though. Speed is pretty decent, especially considering how much the BIE slams, but there is some bleed into the lower mids that hurts resolution somewhat.

Heading into the mids, they remain impressively forward and coherent amidst the low end bombardment. With a pleasing warmth to them, timbre accuracy is excellent with none of the artificial dryness or metallic qualities much of the similarly priced hybrid competition often suffers from. Complimenting the warmth is a fairly dense and weighty presentation that sounds fantastic with female vocals. Celine Dion in her Deadpool 2 smash hit, “Ashes”, comes across just as emotional and powerful as I'd expect from such a powerhouse of a vocalist. Detail and clarity are generally good with the smoothness of the signature somewhat hiding micro details that more analytically tuned products reproduce with more authority, such as the subtle waves that headline “Orchestral Intro” from Gorillaz's 'Plastic Beach'. Through the BIE, the waves unfortunately just sound like static, until the volume picks up and it starts to resolve the ebb and flow more effectively. Other than that, I've found little to nitpick.

Treble performance is generally quite positive, minus the micro-detail issue that persists here too. The presentation has a slight brilliance region bias giving higher frequency instruments enough sparkle and air without being hissy or exhausting, while the fairly reserved presence region ensures the BIE dodges harshness. In terms of speed the BIE does a good job with notes attacking and decaying realistically, if not a tad slow. It fits in with the bass-heavy sound and isn't a detriment since it ensures the BIE's presentation retains consistent top to bottom.

The BIE's sound stage is plenty satisfying. The ample low end provides a wide, deep base upon which everything else resides. I found the presentation fairly even with width having a mild advantage over depth. Default positioning for vocals is just at the edge of the ear which helps provide a decent sense of space from the outset. Channel-to-channel movement is smooth and reasonably accurate, though not quite as precise as some others in this price range. Perfectly serviceable for gaming, but better suited for mediums that do not require intense precision, like movies. Instrument separation and track layering are average, in line with other products in the price and in my opinion, considerably better than I'd expect them to be given the quantity of bass on tap.

Overall a really enjoyable earphone. Despite the hefty low end the midrange is oddly clear and coherent and the treble is tuned to just the right quantity. I appreciate that this driver is very receptive to EQ so I can dial down the bass which lets the rest of the BIE's competencies shine through. I only wish micro-detailing were better, but at this price something has to give which is fine given how nice it sounds as a whole.

Compared To A Peer (volumes matched with Dayton iMM-6)

KZ ZST X (~17.00 USD): While the BIE has plenty of entertaining bass, I actually prefer the quality of what the ZST X outputs. The dual magnet system used results in something tighter and more precise with better speed, improved texture, and less bleed into the lower mids. Heading into the mids the ZST X is cooler, leaner, and less natural sounding, though they are more clear and provide additional detail. Sibilance is more noticeable though, and notes have a hard edge to them. Similar thoughts carry over into the treble region. While both have a brilliance region bias with more or less the same reserved 7k peak, the BIE sounds more meaty and natural, save for the lack of micro detail which the ZST X resolves much more effectively. The ZST X comes across as the more artificial of the two thanks to the metallic edge of the armatures. When it comes to sound stage and technical qualities, the two trade blows. The ZST X has a smaller stage (not as wide or deep) with a more intimate default positioning for vocals. It's imaging is also quite a bit more precise with improved instrument separation, though the BIE does a better job of layering individual track elements.

Overall I have a hard time picking one over the other. The BIE is more natural and realistic sounding but the ZST X's hybrid setup gives it a big advantage in terms of detail and texture. I suppose the BIE is the one I'd choose for music and podcasts, and the ZST X for gaming and film.

ADV 1M (19.99 USD): The 1M has a more reserved low end with a more linear transition from lower to upper bass. While it lacks the visceral slam and punch of the BIE, it is also completely free of mid-bass bleed which the BIE has, though in low quantities. Texture, control, and speed are all in the 1M's camp, probably helped considerably by the less emphasized bass. The BIE has a thicker, more weighty, consistent midrange which helps keep vocals clear and prominent, even across very bassy tracks. The 1M sounds quite lean in comparison with vocals having a wispy nature to them. Detail and clarity are quite similar though. Timbre is definitely more natural on the BIE with the 1M coming across a touch breathy and metallic, especially on higher-frequency instruments. Treble on the BIE is better tuned too thanks to a much more natural transition from upper mids to presence and brilliance regions. The 1M has a pretty insane peak starting at 1k, rising 18dB to 6k. As a result, it offers great detail and resolution, but at the expense of listening fatigue thanks to excess hiss and sizzle. On the wrong tracks, this over boosting leaves it sounding quite harsh, especially compared to the BIE. While the BIE is less detailed, the difference isn't nearly as drastic as you would expect. It also has a cleaner, tighter note presentation without the 1M's splash. Sound stage is an interesting one because they're both great. The BIE's massive bass gives it's staging a better defined width and depth compared to the 1M which is more vague. On the other hand, the 1M's leaner note presentation and improved airiness gives it a more generally spacious feel, helped out by improved imaging and similarly positive layering/separation qualities.

Overall, while I prefer the form factor and size of the 1M, the BIE is a much better sounding earphone out of the box. Using equalization to address aspects I had issues with, I could make them quite comparable, but in general I find the BIE to be the superior product.


In The Ear Admittedly I'm not a huge fan of the BIE's design. The look reminds me of the basic, hyper budget plastic iems that would show up on AliExpress back when I first jumped into the hobby. Thankfully that's where the similarities end. Material quality is excellent with dense metal running the show. They're weighty without being cumbersome and feel like a quality product in the hand. Tight seams that line up well support this impression. To the rear of each housing is a vent surrounded by a circular design feature that gives your finger a bit of extra purchase when pushing the iem into your ear. The machining is clean and smooth with well-defined ridges. BIE branding can be found laser etched into the side of each housing in VE's distinct 8-bit font. The nozzles have neatly inserted metal grills and feature an obvious lip, helpful for holding tips in place. While that's never a bad thing, the nozzle is quite short leaving little space for the ridge of a tip to hook onto the nozzle lip. As a result, I found most third party tips failed to stay securely in place and could be easily knocked off. Not a huge deal since the stock tips are a decent match for the BIE.

The cable of the BIE is not a flashy braided cable as seems to be the norm nowadays. It's more old school than that being a reliable, bi-strand, black rubber sheathed unit. I loved it on the Monk v2 and +, and I love it here. It doesn’t transmit a ton of noise, tangling isn't a huge deal, and it’s shown itself to be quite durable. The hardware is nice too with a compact, rubber straight jack with decent strain relief. The rubber y-split is tiny so no relief is needed. Surprisingly, above it rests a chin cinch. This is a feature that is sorely lacking on budget earphones so big props to VE for adding it. Surrounding the cable leading into each earpiece is a long, flexible strain relief with left and right marking so you know which channel is which.

Comfort with the BIE is pretty decent. The traditional barrel shape of the housings works just as well cable up as it does cable down, giving those who prefer one or the other the option. There are no sharp edges or odd protrusions to cause discomfort either. It's a pretty straightforward fit, with potential hindrance coming only from the aforementioned nozzle length and difficulty finding third party tips that will stay on, pending the stock tips don't work for you.

In The Box The BIE did not arrive in any sort of formal packaging, instead showing up in a clam shell case with the earphones and tips inside. In all you receive;

• BIE earphones
• Clam shell carrying case
• Single flange tips (xs/s/m/l)

The case has a bold triangular rubber logo threaded to the jean-like material that covers the rest of the case. It is visually appealing and feels durable. Inside there is plenty of space for the earphones, spare tips, and a small DAP like the Shanling M0 and/or a dongle like VE's own Odyssey HD. It will be a bit thick for those with tight pockets, though I have no issues carrying it around in mine. The ear tips are the familiar plain Jane type you've seen with a million other products. They're reasonably comfortable and seal reliably enough, which is all you can ask for in this price range. Overall a functional accessory kit.


Final Thoughts Given the somewhat mixed response to the Monk IE Biggie and Smalls and the extremely competitive price point the BIE resides within, I have to admit it was the product Wild Lee sent that I was least interested in. The measurements I saw when it was originally released didn't help since I typically prefer products that have considerably less bass. However, any doubts I had were immediately smashed during my first listen. Heck, I even reached out to Lynn with Ngoshawk right away to express my excitement and confirm what I was hearing. I NEVER do this. Even though that initial excitement waned over the last couple months, I still think the Bonus IE is the real deal.

The BIE is one of few products that I feel are a legitimate contender in this price range. Unlike something like the Blon BL-03 which [according to the community] needs the cable and tips replaced out of the box and even then probably still fits poorly, the BIE ticks every important box, out-of-the-box; build, comfort, sound quality, and price. Sure, a removable cable would be nice at this price, but you need to step up to the BIE Pro for that. Improved micro-detailing would also be a plus, but you can bring some of that back if you're adept with an equalizer.

If you want a bassy, natural sounding in-ear that gets the essentials right, check out the BIE. I'd be surprised if you're anything less than satisfied.

Thanks for reading!

- B9

Disclaimer A big thanks goes out to Wild Lee for reaching out to see if I'd be interested in covering some Venture Electronics' products, and for sending over the Bonus IE for review. The thoughts within this review are my subjective opinions and do not represent Lee, Venture Electronics, or any other entity. At the time of writing, pricing for the Bonus IE started at 20 USD for the standard version. You can check it out here: https://www.veclan.com/engappliance_sel_one?eng_ApplianceVo.eac_id=35 / www.aliexpress.com/item/33009006408.html

Specifications

• Frequency Response: 17Hz – 22kHz
• Sensitivity: 115dB
• Impedance: 32ohms
• Drivers: 10mm dynamic

Gear Used For Testing Huawei P40, VE Odyssey HD, Earstudio HUD100, Earmen TR-Amp, Asus FX53V, TEAC HA-501, ADC Sound Shaper Two mk II

Some Test Tunes

Supertramp – Crime of the Century
Slipknot – Vol 3 (The Subliminal Verses)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid
King Crimson – Lark's Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy
Steely Dan – The Royal Scam
Porcupine Tree – Stupid Dreams