Whizzer Kylin HE01

02 / 08 / 2023 update;

I lowered the score from 4 / 5 to 3.5 / 5
It has a price of about $70, and it is impossible for it to compete in this price band in 2023. If we do not count the contents of the reference box, it does not have any features that can compete with the current models. I remember it was a 2020 or 2021 model, the industry has changed a lot.


I reduced the product score from 4 to 3.5. It has a price of 55-70, despite the reference box content, it has no claim in this price band anymore.


today I am here with whizzer kylin he01b in-ear monitors.



the whizzer sent me this iems in exchange for an honest review. As always it will be an honest review. I want to thank whizzer here.

before moving on to the iems, I would like to talk about the brand, which is not a very well-known brand, whizzer, as my personal opinion, I can say that the reason for this is that they do not release many models to the market. They put their minds on quality products and make it feel from the box to the earphones. Speaking of boxes, we can get there.

When you say the box is a classic whizzer, magnetic caps, etc., you can see the thoughtful things. There are even cutouts in the main box for the metal protection case of the earphone and the small cardboard box that contains the cable. Let's open the box;











The contents of the box are also quite good, so what does we expect?

- iem

- A cable of good quality, packed in a cardboard box,

- Different ear tips (silicone and 6 pairs in total) for different sound characters,

- Metal protection container (there is fabric inside and the part where the cover comes from is silicone),

- An envelope with warranty card and user's manual inside,

- Cleaning brush,


















Now let's talk about the structure of the headset and the cable:

Earphones;

- A single dynamic driver earphone made of quality plastic, they even added details on top of the chill driver. By the way, don't step on it, you break it. The result is a first-class workmanship and material quality, proof;











Cable;

- I wish they put the same cable on the he03s, no need to upgrade. Speaking of the cable, it says he01d and has a color match with the earphones. The reason why I say this is that there is a he01 as a different model of the same headset in the whizzer, and if I remember correctly, it is also different in color. In other words, there are different details even in different colors of the same model, there are very few companies that do this. Is it necessary? It's up to you, ultimately the cost.



Comfort:

- I did not feel any discomfort, they are not heavy either. I won't dwell too much on comfort as it is a personal thing.

Insulation:

- I found it weak, he03 had the same problem. I think it's not even mediocre, you can easily hear the sounds coming from outside. I definitely expected better.

sound quality;

Low frequencies: 8.3 / 10

- The basses are above average, the quality is quite good and they are fast. It's fine if you're not an extreme bass fan, meanwhile you might have to turn the volume up a little to hear deep bass.

Mid frequencies: 7.9 / 10

- They definitely differ from the he03s at this point, it was much more detailed and the he03s are far superior to the he01s in terms of instrument separations. I think the male vocals are more lively on he01, which is the only good thing that caught my eye compared to he03. Vocals are good but sometimes they get in front of the instruments. Did I say sometimes? Most of the time. In particular, instruments such as the clarinet were lagging behind in the songs I listened to.

Upper frequencies: 7.5 / 10

- He03 was a bit bright for me, especially since I have treble sensitivity, there is no such problem. The treble is generally average, but lacks sparkle and vibrancy. On top of that, when the instruments standing behind are added, they become a bit boring, I did not find it vergi entertaining.

Scene:

- Above average, sounds not as deep as in he03, they are more superficial. It's up to your taste, but he01 is more general, he03 was a little weirder. I also like the width quite a bit.


Instrument separation and detail:

- Even if the vocals are a bit overwhelming, instrument separation is also very successful.


Sound effects in games:

- Gun sounds are not very realistic, but footsteps contract very, very well. In this regard, the g332 mi slaps, even I think it can be better than most gaming headsets.

sound performance:

- I don't think you can choose a lot of sources because it is very easy to drive, if there was a little sparkle and liveliness in the treble, I would definitely give 8.4-8.5 for the higher frequencies. For example, I listen to taladro and I feel as if they are forcing me to say it. Ha, a successful headphone for pure-blooded vocals. If the timbre was a little better, it would be a very good choice for vocals. Although it is good in terms of bass, the headphone does not have a distinctive side.





Pros and cons;



Pluses:

- First-class build quality,

- Quality box,

- Quality cable,

- Easy to drive,

- comfortable,

- Bass is good quality,

- Good vocals,

- Different tips for different voice characters, which saves post-order cost,

- Nice look,

- Metal storage case,


Cons:

- Vocals that are too forward or instruments that are too far behind

- Sub-par sound insulation,

- Luminous highs,

- Mediocre technical details,

- Boring sound performance for some,


It can be found between 45-50 as the price currently on sale. If you buy it at a discounted price, there are better models in terms of sound quality on the market, but it should not be forgotten that this headset has been on the market for about two years. At the time, the competition was not so fierce, and for the price of that time, it was among the reviewer's favorite headphones. If you can find it in the 45-50 band, I suggest you take into account that a few of the negatives I have listed above are for the 75 band. Sometimes you can't find this kind of box even in 200 band because not every brand thinks about such subtleties. If you find it in the 45 - 50 band, I say don't miss it, if you come across the prices in the 71-75 band, maybe not in terms of the box, but you can find better models in terms of sound.

By the way, if the sound quality was a little better, I would give 9, if the box quality was a little worse, I would give 7. You'll hardly find anything better on the 45 band, there are a few models but most of them have quality control issues. If it were me, I'd give the serious price difference and buy he03, I still recommend it in the 45 band. You can buy the headset from the official store here. sorry for terrible english

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EwMPcfR

Disclaimer: I was sent the HE01 from Whizzer for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own. I have no affiliation with the brand or company.



The Whizzer HE01 arrive in a rather substantial packaging, priced at $80, there is a heft and a feeling of quality, maybe it's just the hi-res sticker. Venturing inside i find the earphones themselves, an envelope with papers/warranty, then there's a cylindrical aluminum case with a set of Easytips reference tips and a set of Easytips vocal tips inside. Lastly there's the 4-core "5N OFC" (oxygen free copper) cable.



let's talk a little about the HE01. The HE01 are made by Whizzer as part of their "Kylin" line of iem (HE03, and the newest HE03AL) and is designed by J.IDEA+ ("Junctions IDEA") Studio, which from my understanding is the design division of Whizzer, similar to how "Operafactory" is Whizzer's division dedicated to more budget audio gear. The HE01 have Hi-res certification and also HDSS (High Definition Sound Standard) which is another type of certification for audio products that include an HDSS "ETL" module, it's the little cylindrical metal thing seen next to the driver in the marketing materials. This module, called an ETL, (Embedded Transmission Line) can be thought of as an open tuna-can filled with acoustic foam, it is meant to increase sound quality by absorbing some of the backwaves made by the dynamic driver. By absorbing some of these backwaves, the pressure fluctuations inside the housing should be reduced, theoretically reducing distortion. I have never owned a product with HDSS technology, i first saw it mentioned in the Hiby Seeds iem and at the time i didn't understand what it was. They have a website, hdss.com, there you can find technical details about HDSS, datasheets, measurements. They even go as far as to say:

"We believe that ETL is the first significant development in audio reproduction theory since the 1925 invention of the Moving Coil Speaker patented by Bell Labs"

It sure talks the talk, but does it walk the walk?





Physically inspecting the iems, there's rose gold accenting on the faceplate, nozzle, driver, the connecters, even the cable itself is a kinda rosy tinted copper that follows the whole aesthetic theme. Theres a metal damping ring on front the driver with the word "BRIGHT" and the words: "WHIZZER 10.2mm 4th Gen BRIGHT J.IDEA TYPE KYLIN HIGH-FIDELITY DESIGNED BY JUNCTIONS IDEA." marked in a ring on the front of the dynamic driver. On the nozzle is written "4TH.GEN". Personally i really like little details like these. it feels like i am inspecting a fine swiss watchpiece.



Removing the faceplate reveals the HDSS ETL module inside:







Diving into the FR graph:





using my preferred tips:



At 18 ohms and a sensitivity of 107dB per mW, the HE01 should play loud and proud on even the wimpiest of sources.

All my listening is done using an lg v30+, Neutron Player, lossless FLACs downloaded from Deezer.

Starting with the bass, it is elevated, and it sounds absolutely fantastic. It's speedy, detailed, punchy. i find the bass very satisfying. i recently reviewed the more expensive BGVP NS9, i did not like the bass on those, it sounded soft, the decay was very long and for their price they were just plain upsetting, The HE01 are MILES better in bass performance, you can hear every reverberation. Good, fast bass. Excellent.

Going into the mids department, male vocals sound rich, and the midbass isn't intrusive on the vocals, Sinatra and Jobim is just a pleasure to listen to on my HE01, and I'm able to listen loud without any protest from my ears. The amount of midbass although elevated is not too too much like the KBEAR KS1 or the BGVP NS9 midbass. In the track "RETRIEVING THE CASE" by Ludwig Goransson, the intro is a rising, intensifying bass tone, on the NS9 the intro is absolutely headache inducingly boomy, on the HE01? the intro sequence sounds ..huge.. but alot more bearable.

I do not find myself having to jack up the volume to bring out vocals, something i find myself trying to do on a few other sets, the mids/vocals here just blend into the mix nice and beautifully from what i hear.

Bringing our attention to the treble, i think these perform very well. The HE01 treble sounds natural. It doesn't sound metallic, the treble does not sound "forward" like how some of my cheapo balanced armature iems sound, and most importantly the treble does not sound rolled off, i am still getting great clarity and treble extension all without dedicated tweeters and such.

The treble IS missing a bit of splashiness, which would've made drums sound more realistic.

Referring to the graph, there looks to be a dip at 7k to cut out sibilance, Then there's a dip at 10k, which i believe is to help mitigate harsh or "blinky" treble. (treble that makes you wince whenever there's a cymbal strike or clap). In most iems, there's usually a point after 10k where the frequency response completely dies, some don't make it to 16k, the HE01 treble response goes all the way up to 20k on my IEC711 compliant mic, so if you're listening to music made for dogs or bats, you can rest easy knowing you'll be getting every bit of the music.

Soundstage is good, it isn't huge and the imaging isn't remarkable, the lows sound as though they are located around my ears, treble sounds like it is coming from just above my ears, there isn't much action going on behind you (NS9 in comparison sounded as though stuff was happening behind you) vocals are located mostly in my head. imaging isn't all too realistic, drums don't sound very lifelike, probably has something to do with the dips and spikes. In the track "Bucket" by Alltta, there's a short intro sequence where some sets (Sony wi-1000x for example) sound very realistic, the HE01 don't sound as convincing as some really good hybrids.


COMPARISONS:




KZ EDX: This is an $8 single DD earphone that there's a good chance you've probably tried.

Mids don't sound nearly as pleasing on the EDX as they do on the HE01, male vocals sound laid back and fairly distant, male vocals sound unusually bright too. Bass sounds a little more sub bass focused on the EDX and not as speedy as the HE01. treble quality is actually fairly comparable between the two, EDX is more tactile and snappy than HE01, you may prefer how the EDX images over the HE01.



Moondrop Sparks: This earphone costs $90, single DD, and is a prime example of Moondrop's diffuse field tuning, which alot of people i know are a fan of. The bass sounds flatter, more neutral on the Sparks and also has excellent speed like the HE01, mids don't sound as flavorful as the HE01, i like my male vocals with a little more warmth, the Sparks are alot colder. Female vocals are detailed and very good though. When it comes to treble the HE01 are noticeably airier with bigger soundstage all around your head, the Sparks are much less airy and also cannot playback any frequencies above 16k due to it's bluetooth limitations. The Sparks also cannot play nearly as loud as the HE01.

CVJ Mirror: This is a $50 hybrid 1dd + 2ba and one of my favourites from the slew of chifi hybrids I've tried. These have punchy speedy bass quite like the HE01, only a touch more potent. The mids aren't quite as good as HE01, male vocals aren't as full sounding, and the bass can be boomy on some tracks on the Mirror. The Mirror has the advantage of 2 custom balanced armatures and the result is much more precise imaging than the HE01. The treble, more crispy and finely textured than HE01. The Mirror does have some pretty bad driver flex, and the cable and accessories, nowhere near Whizzer..



I have had the HE01 for many many weeks now, they have done nothing but grow on me. These are the first iems that I've tried that i think i can safely give 5 stars to, and it will have this rating until something around the same price is able to impress me more than the HE01 (maybe Aria?) i truly love this sound, i trust the HE01 to faithfully reproduce my whole library. I think these are an excellent all-genre earphone for musical enjoyment, not for studio work.

TONALITY: 8/10
TECHNICALITIES: 7/10
CONSTRUCTION-DESIGN: 7.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 7.8/10

WHIZZER has been around for years now with a line-up of mostly hybrid IEM. Their last offering, the HE01, is this time a single dynamic driver earphone. Due to the great reception, it got among audiophiles, I decide to test them to see if the hype is well deserved.

PACKAGING is very impressive for the asking price and more the type we would expect from a pricier product. The accessories are generous enough too and of good quality. It includes a good quality copper cable, a nice carrying case and 6 pairs of eartips.



CONSTRUCTION is mostly plastic apart metal nozzle and backplate metal ring. The choice of plastic is rather cheap and doesn't promise extremely sturdy durability unlike UIEM made of molded resin plastic. If you drop them on hard floor or step on them, it will surely broke. Still, it doesn't look cheap at all due to elegant design that will be hit or miss depending of your aesthetic taste. To my eyes, they look very good and don't seem to attract attention too much due to their pale color and small size.



One drawback about design choice is the 2pin connector type, firstly they are extremely tight so it was already hard to use the stock cable with them, secondly, it has a shape that doesn't match well 90% of 2pin cable on the market.

SOUND
(using SMSL SU-9+SH-9, Audirect Beam2)

TONALITY is an energic W shape to V shape balance with well-rounded upper mids and rolled-off upper treble. Everything is warmish apart upper mids and mid-treble that jump at you while avoiding most sibilance issues.

While the HE01 doesn't sound too dark or unresolved, it isn't a crisp or clean-sounding IEM. The tonal balance is cohesive but not very articulate and bass-mids-highs lack proper separation. For those that need lotta air to breathe in their sound space, HE01 isn't the answer. It's thick and saturated with warmed mids and crunchy treble so to me these aren't the most immersive sounding IEM with complex music, but with pop, electronic, R&B, and even some rock they are very addictive...so can we say they are still catchy thumpy pleasure? I think so.

BASS is more about body and slam than extension and separation. It has good chunky punch that will benefit rock. It have more thump and slam than rumble. Extension roll off before 20hz and can be muddy in articulation making sub and kick sometimes mixed-up and hollow. The electric bass line sound great, well-textured and bodied while toms lack natural extension resonance and acoustic bass lack transparency and natural extension.

MIDS are surely the best part of HE01, it's full-bodied, natural and rich in timbre and forwards in presence without problematic sibilance. Female vocal sounds lush and inviting, wide and open but not transparent nor well centered-separated, it's stick on top of darkish resolution. Clarity isn't that good and the attack lack clean definition and edge. Tone of any instrument is realistic and well done, piano is weighty, full and natural but don't have decay to it's attack. Violin has a good body but no attack bite.

TREBLE is colored in a way that permits to extract a specific micro-details section and tame sibilance and harshness of upper highs without sacrificing too much in resolution. It's the crunchy type, not very snappy and rarely sparkly. It can be a bit screechy at high volume with music tracks that have a lot going on in higher pitch. Percussions can get lost in the mix when too diversify in pitch. What the treble cruelly lack is air to expand in decay.

TECHNICALITIES are good enough for the price but nothing mind-blowing. Attack has a good lead but lacks the edge and can go rarely shouty when pushed too far or listening at high volume. Bass has a fast slam but lacks articulation and separation. Treble sustain is crunchy and doesn't have natural decay-sparkle so hit-hat will sound a bit hot and high pitch percussion lacking brilliance and extension. Transient response is fast enough to permit a vivid weighty dynamic experience.

TIMBRE is very nice, natural, realistic but a hint rough in texture. Density is there, giving female vocal natural body. It sits between lushness and dryness.

SOUNDSTAGE is average. It has good wideness but still feels a bit in your head. It's not very open due to a lack of deepness.

IMAGING is average and when the bass is very present it becomes hollow and muddy. Their no spacious instruments separation with the HE01, layers of sounds (while wide) are too close to each other and lack of clean clarity doesn't permit to pinpoint the instruments precisely.

SUBJECTIVE APPRECIATION

I really like the Whizzer HE01 because I'm a big fan of female singers and they are very well rendered both in timbre and wide presence here. While I know the HE01 will never show me something I wasn't aware of in a music track, they will inflict a lively thumpy near mid centric dynamic musicality that makes my feet tapping. More musical than technical, the thick warm aggressive dynamic sound never goes overly harsh and avoids making me too distant from its musicality with a clinical or analytical approach.
If I think of the ARIA as a contemplation of the starry sky, the HE01 would be about undergoing a big firework in 3 primary colors. HE01 isn't about Macro or Micro definition but about living the present moment in excitement. Superficial but charismatic, the HE01 delivers a clear enough sound with vivid weighty dynamic and lush timbre. Sometimes the bass is hit or miss, but when everything is a hit, the HE01 can be very impressive in musical liveliness.

Sidenotes: The HE01 doesn't scale up with powerful amping or a better audio source, but a crisp clean source might help it's resolution. Ear tips can inflict on the soundstage size but will not help imaging.

COMPARISONS

VS MOONDROP ARIA (80$)

To my ears, the HE01 sound like an ARIA on steroid with a lack of focus for accuracy (due to steroid use?). While ARIA chooses a smooth harman'ish W shape signature, the HE01 go all-in punchy W with more boosted mids and lower treble, still well rounded up but not as smooth and laid back as the calmer ARIA.

BASS doesn't extend as deep as the ARIA but has a more energic weighty punch, yet less clean definition and transition to mid-range.
While sub-bass is notably rolled off, their some mid-bass slam bloom that can occur to mids, but it affects more the macro-resolution than mids presence which in fact gain some pleasant body warmth.

The MIDS are more forwards, but less well resolved and not as accurate and controlled in the attack. Compared to leaner mids of the ARIA, its border line shouty some time. Transparency, layering, and imaging are notably better with the ARIA as well.

TREBLE is where the technical limit of the HE01 is shown compared to the faster transient response of the ARIA. It's less snappy and sparkly, can go splashy more easily than ARIA, and doesn't deliver as many micro-details. In fast busy tracks, HE01 can go muddy while it's isn't the case with the ARIA. HE01 has more emphasis on lower&mid-treble too.
TIMBRE is thicker and more opaque with the HE01.
SOUNDSTAGE is wider-deeper with the ARIA.
IMAGING is more precise in positioning and complex in layering with the ARIA.

All in all, the ARIA is more balanced and refined in tonality as well as cleaner, clearer and more accurate, and articulate in technicalities. But it isn't as fun and lively as the HE01, which will be a big deal for those searching for an IEM that wakes them up with a hefty dynamic sound.

VS FIIO FD1 (70$)

Again another punchy W to V shape signature with a brighter crisper tonality and tighter attack than warmer sloppier HE01.
FIIO FD1 is this time the more exciting version of a similar tuning, with sharper definition and more articulated hefty dynamic.
BASS is thicker and more extended with the FD1, as well as more textured and separated. Both are very punchy, but FD1 seem faster in attack and more refined in timbre.
MIDS are a bit more forwards too, but harsher than HE01. They are thicker, crisper, brighter. Definition-resolution seem better.
TREBLE of both is very similar, but the FD1 is more textured and better articulated.

All in all, FD1 is a brighter HE01 with a faster transient response that permit better layering-imaging.

CONCLUSION

Even if the HE01 offer average technicalities for its price, its tonality is both well balanced and musical. The HE01 is easy to love and its energetic lush sound is all but boring. While far from perfect and more aimed for audio enthusiast than critical audiophiles, the HE01 offer a refreshing take of V shape tuning by boosting the presence of mids and vocal without going too bright. For the female vocal lovers, the HE01 is sure a great bet, both timbre and tonality being spot on. But don't expect crisp clarity and informative imaging with those, it's really to enjoy music as it comes as a whole, not as a puzzle to unsolve.
I do think Whizzer have tremendous potential as an audio company and hope they continue to work on their single dynamic driver offering.


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PS: Thanks to Whizzer for sending me the HE01 review sample after I contact them. As always, i'm fully independent and my goal in life isn't to be a hysterical hyper so Big Respect to Whizzer for their courage too.