At the time of the review, the Venture Electronics Duke was was on sale on their Aliexpress online store for $198.00 USD. Here is a link to their listing of the product:
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Venture-Electronic-VE-DUKE-In-Ear-Earphone/1924356_32417283204.html
Introduction
I had a chance to demo and review the Venture Electronics Zen earbud. This is the product that I feel really put VE on the map in terms of high fidelity earphones. After experiencing the sound quality of the Zen, I have kept my eyes on Venture Electronics products. Being a fan of IEMs, I was ecstatic to hear that VE was releasing the Duke, a micro dynamic driver in-ear monitor. I am happy to cover them in this review.
Disclaimer
I was given an opportunity to review the Duke in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I am in no way affiliated with VE. I would like to take this time to personally thank Lee over at VE. Keep up the great work my friend!
My Background
I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
There’s something about quality DAPs, DACs, Amplifiers and Earphones that intrigues me, especially if they can be had for low prices. I will buy the $5 to $500 earphone that looks promising, in hopes that I will discover that one new gem that can compete with the big names in this industry. If you look at my Head-Fi profile you will see that I have purchased MANY different headphones and earphones, ranging from from dirt cheap to higher end products. For me, this hobby is more about getting great price to performance ratio from a product, and have a variety of different gears with varying builds and sound to mix and match. With personal audio gear, we tend to pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that just because a headphone has a higher price tag, it doesn’t mean that it has superior build and sound quality.
I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me the “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different builds and sound signatures as long as they are ergonomic, and the sound is pleasing to the ear. It is my pleasure to share my experiences with audio products and make recommendations based gear I have owned and used.
REVIEW
The Duke comes in a white cube box with red accents. There is nothing fancy about the package, but honestly I couldn’t care less. All the magic is inside!
Note: The Duke comes with a complimentary VE Monk earbud. This is a phenomenal earbud that many really enjoy. Honestly, this earbud is so good it could/should be sold separately. When speaking to Lee about this, his response is that he is so confident in VE products, he hopes that this gives Duke owners an opportunity to share a VE product with friends. Let this be an example of why I feel VE is going to become a solid brand in the audiophile industry. Just for the record, the Monk sounds fantastic!
Specifications and Accessories
Housing
| Aluminum alloy
|
Driver Unit
| Dynamic 6mm
|
Frequency range
| 12Hz-28KHz
|
Sensitivity
| 101 dB
|
Impedance
| 16 Ohms
|
Cable length
| 1.2m
|
The Duke comes with a large assortment of tips and accessories:
1x pair memory foam tips (M/L)
2x pair triple flange tips (M,L)
1x pair double flange tips (M/L)
3x pair wide bore single flange tips (S,M,L)
4x pair narrow bore single flange tips (S,M/S,M/L,L)
1x plastic internal foam lined clamshell case
1x VE Monk earbud
Housings
The housings of the Duke are an all metal straight barrel cylinder design. They are skinny in circumference and average in length. The back of the housing has some micro detailed printing of the VE logo and their name
Duke printed around a centered driver venting hole. The nozzle of the Duke is slightly awkward in shape with a wide and longer than normal lip on the end. The VE website is printed around this lip. A nozzle shape like this can make getting tips on and off a bit more challenging than normal. Even still, when tip rolling you should have no problems getting just about any stock and aftermarket tip you have to fit.
Cable, Y-Split, Cable Jack, Strain Reliefs
The Duke has a very nicely done cable. It is constructed of a black rubber sheathing that has very little spring and memory and is very easy to handle. The Y-split is a very simple and small black rubber cube that splits the channels. There is no chin slider. I will say that the Duke would benefit from having one, but I don’t consider it a deal breaker. Strain reliefs at the housing and jack are very well done and slim in profile. The Jack is a heavy duty ninety degree plug that looks well built and should withstand the test of time.
Ergonomics, Fit and Microphonics, Isolation
The small straight barrel and small strain relief at the housing makes the Duke a great fitting IEM. They can be worn over or under the ear. When worn under the ear, the Duke has more microphonics than the average in-ear monitor. Worn over the ear, Duke has virtually no microphonics and is my preferred method of wearing them. Isolation on the Duke is much better than average.
Sound Review
I did my demo with my usual gear. I used an LG-G3 with the latest firmware for portable and smartphone use, and either my Shanling H3 or Sony Walkman F806/Cayin C5 amplifier for a high fidelity portable use. For desktop use I used my Toshiba Satellite Laptop in combination with a HIFIMEDIY Sabre ES9023 USB DAC/Bravo Audio Ocean Tube amplifier with a Mullard 12AU7 tube for higher impedance, and a Fiio E18 USB DAC & Amplifier in both high and low gain. Both were run at 24 bit, 96000 Hz. I also tested them with other DAPs and amplifiers as well. I used Google Music downloaded in its highest download quality (320 KBPS) and I also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I also used purchased and downloaded tracks in MP3, FLAC, WAV and DSD. I make sure that any gear I test has sufficient playtime before writing a review.
I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake (bass speed, punch, response)
“Doin’ it Right” by Daft Punk (sub bass)
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk (bass to midrange transition resolution, male vocals)
“Madness” by Muse (soundstage, separation)
“Some nights” by Fun (soundstage and male vocals)
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela (texture and imaging)
“Bassically” by Tei Shi (bass to midrange resolution, female vocals)
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie (female vocals, acoustic playback)
“One” by Ed Sheeran (male vocals, acoustic playback)
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack (symphonic presentation, imaging)
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits (detail, separation, balance)
“And Justic for All” by Metallica (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to asses and break down the gear’s response.
Source Selection
I had the most success listening to the my Duke through my Shanling H3 and VE Runabout amplifier on low gain. The Duke does need a little more power for an in ear monitor. A little more volume on low gain does the trick. The Duke will butcher poorly recorded and low bit rate music. Feed the Duke high resolution files through a warm source and the Duke will amaze you.
Sound Signature
The Duke is a love or hate signature. I personally really enjoy their presentation. It is a very natural sounding in-ear monitor that features a tight and punchy bass that compliments a slightly warm lower midrange. The upper midrange and treble of the Duke is highly energetic and slightly forward in nature.
While demoing the Duke, I couldn’t help it rave about how good the Duke sounds with my Shanling H3. The synergy between the two is amazeballs! At the time of writing this review, this match is one of my current favorite combinations.
Bass
Bass on the Duke is tight and bouncy at midbass levels. They are slightly rolled off at sub bass levels. I get a decent amount of punch, but not a whole lot in terms of rumble. I can hear the low notes but don’t feel the impact like I often do from other in-ear monitors. Bass heads need not apply for the Duke. Those who want a very natural bass response that doesn’t make booming bass priority number one will really like this tuning. I think this sets up well for people who want to appreciate the entirety of the track, not just the bass line and beat. Don’t get me wrong, the bass isn’t anemic. You just won’t get the run of the muck booming stuff that often comes with in-ear monitors. This low end tuning sets up for other frequencies to be presented to their maximum sonic potential.
Midrange
The Duke midrange is the star of the show in my opinion. They have a very slight warm tint at lower midrange frequencies. It is enough to make the dynamics very good, and add just enough timbre to make things fun. ALL vocals sound very natural and engaging. I really like the way Duke sets vocals apart from the rest of the mix. Synthetic instruments seem to have an almost holographic sense to them, and midrange instruments are very entertaining. Details and resolution are top notch. Separation of sounds is superb.
Upper midrange is aggressive and much drier and energetic than the lower midrange. People who listen to their music an unhealthy levels will probably have issues with this part of the tuning. I usually listen to my earphones at a moderate volume, and enjoy how it adds energy to the track I’m listening to.
Treble
Treble is aggressive and extended. Some will say it is sibilant, and I wouldn’t disagree. This can be tamed with different tips. Some have had success with foam tips, other have used the Ostry tip package. I personally found a sweet spot with the Duke and Sony silicone or Spinfit tips. Just make sure to tip roll with your Duke. Tip rolling, and changing the amount of distance between the driver and your eardrum, along with variances in bore size will impact bass and treble response. With my preferred tips for the Duke, I find the treble to still be aggressive but more under control than other tips. The better seal you can get, the more controlled the treble spike will be.
Soundstage and Imaging
The controlled bass response, midrange detail and dynamics along with treble extension makes the Duke soundstage sound larger than average. I find this to be one of their biggest strengths. For the level of isolation I get, they have a very airy and open presence. Imaging is slightly better than average.
Comparisons
VSONIC GR07BE ($90 to $150 USD on many sites)
The GR07BE is a hall of famer in many people’s collections. They feature a biocellulose driver and provide a very responsive and extended sub bass extension, warm midrange, and aggressive top end that some say is sibilant.
The GR07BE is fantastic, but doing an A-B comparison, I will say that I prefer the Duke. At the end of the day, it’s a more resolving and responsive sound. The GR07BE has great bass response and superior extension, but the leaner and more punchy and fast nature of the Duke makes it a more clinical and clean sounding earphone, and without losing the fun factor. The midrange has much better detail and separation. There is an open and airy presence in the Duke that the GR07BE doesn’t have. Treble presentation is similar, with the the Duke being just a bit more spiked but also higher resolution.
Both earphones come with a ton of tips, but I prefer the plastic case of the Duke over the leather pouch of the GR07BE. Build quality is a draw.
T-Peos Altone200 ($150 to $180 USD on many sites, discontinued*)
The T-Peos Altone200 is a very popular earphone with the Head-Fi community. They offer a tight punchy and forward bass response, crystal clear midrange, and extended treble response.
Doing an A-B comparison led me to conclude that these share some very similar characteristics in terms of tuning. I actually prefer the bass tuning of the Altone200. The midrange is very clear on the T-Peos, but also colder and less entertaining than the Duke. To be honest, the Altone200 midrange sounded almost artificial in comparison to the Duke from what I heard. The treble extension on both earphones are very similar, but for whatever reason the transition from midrange to treble seemed more natural and entertaining on the Duke.
Duke wins in the build and accessories department. They have more tips and a better case. Their cable is slightly better in my opinion, but all in all build quality is very similar.
Conclusion
The Duke is a “grown folks” tuning that is high energy, high resolution, and highly detailed. People are going to love it for these outstanding qualities, or decide to hate it because of the treble emphasis and lack of sub bass. I personally think it is fabulous, and it ranks very highly on my list of favorite in-ear monitors. If you are looking for an in-ear monitor that will maximize vocals, accentuate details, and give your music collection an exciting kick, I strongly recommend the Duke.
Thanks for reading and happy listening!