ZiiGaat Nuo

INTRODUCTION

The Nuo model is a budget offering from:

,a company that has been making a name for itself in the Chi-Fi world. The specimen I will present to you today was sent to me by the manufacturer himself ( thank you very much ) in exchange for an honest description of my impressions, which I do in the words below:



PRESENTATION



The headphones came to me in a small paper container, the smallest of all the headphones I had the opportunity to test. In the box is a mediocre cable, very rubbery, which after I tried to roll it up it unrolled by itself


.... very rubbery. It is still better than the cable we get with the iconic Blon BL-03 model, which with its tangling could drive the world's calmest man crazy. In addition to the cable in the box, you will also find a set of tips (S/M/L). During the period of listening and writing this review, I used the cable that came with the BQEYZ WIND, or some other upgrade cable made by the company whose name I just don’t remember now - both copper covered with silver crystals, and tips from the WHIZZER model SS20 (wide bore), or ePRO P00 which usually fit my ears very well. The conclusion that came to me while perusing the contents of the package was quite obvious: Ziigaat has taken the cost burden off the equipment, but has it shifted to the headphones themselves?

BUILD



The construction of the headphones is solid. The finish is simple and minimalist, with a total of only a white manufacturer's logo on a black background. The shape is ergonomic, and I had no problems locating them in my ear. I like such a minimalist finish.



SOUND

...That is what is most important. The very first sounds of the song being played made my eyes open wider. Full, clear sound, with great strength of notes. I didn't expect anything like this from a model in this price range. As I hadn't read any reviews before it was a very positive surprise. WOW! Well, it's now clear that the manufacturer has shifted most of the manufacturing costs from the accessories to the headphones themselves to deliver quality unparalleled in this price range, or at least to match the best in this range. I find the tuning balanced with a slightly forward midrange. The tonality is rather dark, so a rather warm sound is to be expected, but at the same time, I don't find the midrange registers bloated ( like the Blon Bl03, for example).

Moving on to the details:

BASS

The bass is focused on the mid-bass, which provides great dynamics to the sound and allows for a solid impact. The sub-bass, although a bit withdrawn, is there and reveals itself when the song calls for it. The Bass is not overly boosted and I have never had headache symptoms from prolonged listening (Footnote: I mention this because I just happened to have a Kiwi Ears Forteza to test, which caused such an effect). The bass guitar is textured and sounds mature and natural. This is not a set for bass heads, but I also don't think it aspires to be such. The bass is soft and doesn't buzz, and for the price, it's as satisfying as can be and can go low, which is great.

MIDS

The mids perform brilliantly, which is not typical in this price bracket. In Nuo acoustic guitars, classical guitars, percussion elements, crackling of e.g. vinyl records, and of course vocals, both male and female, sound natural and true. I am very pleased that the price range of about $24 has gained a set that can impress with the quality of reproduction of sounds of the middle registers. A few minutes with the ASMR recordings provided me with waves of chills running down my spine, so if you're looking for a set that will provide you with such sensations, Nuo might be a good option. Occasionally, but only occasionally, there may be slightly irritating sibilants in the female vocals, which is not something for which this set should be crossed out, after all, the sibilant phenomenon itself occurs naturally during speech, and the moments when they bothered me were very sporadic, and if it weren't for the increased attention, I probably wouldn't have paid attention to them.

TREBLE

Treble in my opinion is the least well-taken care of register in this set, which is not to say that there is anything wrong with it, no, it's just that they could be cleaner and sound more natural, because, unfortunately, sometimes they are just unspecified hisses and snaps, not resembling real instruments. It also happens that sometimes the sounds of for example drum cymbals sound strange, so a little..... crackling and unpleasant when you listen to them. So, if your heart lies with the trebles, you might want to look somewhere else, but also I don’t want to exaggerate: there is no tragedy. It's just ok.

TECHNICALITIES

Imaging is adequate, and for the price at which the Nuo is placed, it is simply unprecedented. Sounds appear from different sides and instruments stay in place. The sound is presented in a holographic manner, although the stage is not deep and the presentation is rather close. Instrument separation is very good, and during listening one could also hear the constituent layers of a song more than once, so in terms of layering it is also very good.

PAIRING

Pairing the Nuo with various sources, I can confidently confirm that they sounded best when I played songs from the Sony A55 DAP (Mr. Walkman firmware), not via Bluetooth, but directly from the DAP, because despite the use of the LDAC codec, the quality, especially of the treble, could have been better. Playback through the Moondrop Dawn Pro dongle or the Musehifi M1 also gave very good results. Unfortunately, I didn't like the pairing with the Kiwi Ears Allegro, which I feel took away some of the dynamics and I just didn't find this pairing good. As for the tips, it was very well matched with the ePro Pr00 (of course it did), Spinfit CP100, and Whizzer SS20, but with the KBEAR 07, for example, which are famous for enhancing the bass, here they darken even more the already quite dark sound presentation, which can reflect negatively on the presentation.



GOOD EXAMPLES

In my reviews, I like to give examples of songs that caught my particular attention while listening in detail to the quality of the reproduced sound, in other words: when the headphones do something very well.

a. Francine Thirteen - Queen Mary

- Model genre: electronic music
- Female voice: penetrating and natural. You can hear wonderful speech sounds making the vocal sound more realistic
- bass low, very pleasant with a big (not too big) impact – these headphones can handle such low bass
- despite the strong bass impact, the other registers seem unaffected by it

b. Snarky Puppy - Grown Folks



- Model genre: jazz, fusion
- An example of good imagery: every 4 bars something new appears in a different place; sound fills the space around the head
- good separation of instruments; no feeling of sounds blending, even in the climax of the piece
- textured bass; you can hear the sound of the strings crunching against the frets; no buzzing - you can hear that this is a bass guitar
- Downside: sometimes the cymbals hiss unnaturally, but the cowbell and other bell-like sounds are clear and quite natural sounding

c. Bring me the Horizon - Sugar Ice & tea



- Model genre: rock, metal, etc.
- An example of a rather dense track, which Nuo handles quite well
- The drum cymbals are there, but rather muted and somewhere in the background
- added tracks can be heard slightly separated from the rest of the track - good layering
- bass as it should be in music of this type: audible and adding dynamics
- Vocal in the calming moment of the track (about 2:50 minutes) is intimate, but close and detailed - just the way I like them

d. Beastie Boys - Live At P.J.'s



- Model genre: instrumental hip-hop, the 80s
- Instruments beautifully separated and distributed around the head: guitar on the left, keyboard on the right, a little behind the bongos; Vocals and bass in the front; drums in the back
- All instruments audible and clear throughout the song
- Natural sound of instruments, good dynamics, and strength of notes
- Vocals here withdrawn a bit, but this is more a result of the way the track was recorded

e. Eugene Ruffolo - Poor Lonesome Me



- Model genre: Country, Folk, Acoustic guitars
- Two acoustic guitars, quiet but warm bass and vocals - everything sounds beautiful
- The vocals have warmth in them
- Clear and melodic guitars with natural timbre



CONCLUSION:

With practically every genre of music, the Nuo perform very well. In rock and metal music, thanks to the emphasis on the middle registers, the guitars do not lack claw, and the substantial bass adds dynamics to the tracks. In acoustic tracks, the sounds of metal strings shine through, and vocals sound natural and pleasant. In electronic music, the good dynamics and capabilities of the driver, which is capable of generating very low sounds without distorting the other registers, make themselves known. Only for those who like to sink into the sounds of clicks of drum cymbals, I would recommend looking for something else, such as the Tanchjim Zero, but if this is not your main area of interest, I think the Ziigaat Nuo can confidently serve as a budget entry-level - allrounder for any genre of music.

SOUND SUMMARY

As a summary of the sonic capabilities of the Ziigaat Nuo, they emit a balanced sound in which all registers are sufficiently audible. Reviewing the frequency graph and comparing it with the HARMANN curve, you can see that there are a few more decibels in the midrange registers (especially low), which results in a warmer presentation but also translates into increased strength of notes, which can be heard and is worth appreciating, as it is not common for this price range. If one were to add the HBB target curve to the graph, one can see that the Nuo almost perfectly coincides with it, so those familiar with the tastes of the Bad Boy from Hawaii can guess what to expect.

As for the objections I put forward above, especially regarding the treble, please note that they are the result of critical listening, i.e. the kind where I look for flaws in a product without paying attention to the price range, which in the case of the Ziigaat Nuo is nothing more than nit-picking, because the set itself is great in my opinion, and I can in good conscience recommend it as an entry point into the world of IN-EAR headphones.

In my opinion, Ziigaat has revolutionized the price range around $25, and by releasing the NUO, they have raised the bar well above what can be expected for such money.
Highly recommended.

The Nuo is Ziigaat’s entry level IEM and entries the market in the super competitive sub $30 price range (currently $24 ).



So, if you are interested in an excellently tuned IEM, the Nuo may well be one to add to your collection.

Read on to find out why …

What is in the box​

The Nuo comes in a fairly simple box, typical of this end of the IEM market.



I do like the way the Nuo’s are presented to you once you open the box.



It is a little hard to get them out but once you do, you can then easily access the cable and the accessories.

Overall it is a well-designed package. The accessories are a bit limited with just the usual L/M/S sized ear tips. The cable is reasonable quality for this price and finally a user guide is provided.

Design and Build Quality​

The Nuo IEM shell itself boasts a sleek, minimalist design, appealing to those who appreciate subtlety and elegance in their audio gear. The build quality is impressive for its price bracket, featuring a durable body that feels robust yet lightweight. The attention to detail in the finish and the choice of materials raises it above similar priced IEM’s like the Salnotes Zero 2. a pleasant surprise in this cost-effective segment.




One minor thing, was it is a pity that the Nuo doesn’t have a recessed 2-pin connection, as I do worry that eventually the 2-pin connector will bend and ultimately break.

Here is a short video:

Comfort and Fit​

I found Ziigaat Nuo comfortable (though it’s ‘sister’ the Ziigaat Cinno’s was more comfortable). I think it has much better shape than similarly priced competitors like the Moondrop Chu 2 (too small) or the Salnotes Zero 2 (too blocky) or even the Tanchjim One (too small). I spend 4-5 hours one day without any discomfort, with an excellent seal and almost forgetting I was wearing them.

That said I did find the angle of the nozzle wasn’t quite right for me, this is where I think the Ziigaat Cinno has the more comfortable fit, but this especially will be very subjective and it was only a concern when trying the longer fitting Ear tips (like a triple flange).

My advise is to try allot of IEM’s and once you discovery the shape and nozzle angle that suits you best, use a video like the one I provided above to find the best IEM for comfort and fit and then look into the sound signature.

I found the weight and balance to be excellent, again at an almost ‘goldilocks’ level where it was not too light and definitely not too heavy but just about right for long sessions.

The cable was good especially at this price point, it was mostly tangle free and kept its shape well so did not get in the way.

Sound Quality​

The sound quality of the Ziigaat Nuo is remarkably neutral, nicely following the ‘Harman Target’ target. The only concern I had was with the upper treble but lets get into the details.

Bass​

The bass is well-balanced, providing enough punch and depth to satisfy bass enthusiasts without overpowering the mids and treble. It’s tight and controlled, offering a natural and accurate representation of low frequencies. I did find a sub-bass roll off when listening to a frequency sweep, so a deep subwoofer rumble when watching movies might not always happen but for listening to music I never found the bass wanting. With Massive Attack’s Angel the bass kicked in after a second or 2 and was appropraite balanced for the whole track, no ‘boomy’ bass but also nothing missing from the bass.

Mids​

Midrange performance is a standout feature, with vocals and instruments rendered with clarity and detail. The neutrality in the mids ensures a true-to-life representation, making it ideal for a wide range of music genres. I loved the tonality on all of my usual midrange tracks for example on “Baby plays around” by Elvis Costello and Anne Sofie van Otter, Anne’s voice was just stunning.

Treble​

Treble frequencies are mostly handled with care, delivering crisp and clear highs without any sibilance or harshness. But I did feel occasionally there was slightly too much upper treble though some people will simply call this its ’technicalities’ I would have thought its slightly more than appropriate at least in my reference songs. But if you want to hear treble detail without sibiliance this makes a great choice at this price point. My own preference would be for slightly ‘brightness’, so I used a Foam eartip ultimately which as you will see in the Measurement section does lower that treble region slightly.

Soundstage and Imaging​

The soundstage is surprisingly expansive for an IEM in this category, providing a good sense of space and positioning. Imaging is good for this price point, with a clear distinction of instruments and vocals, allowing for an immersive sound experience.

Specifications and Measurements​

Specifications​

The important specifications:

Measurements​

Background to these measurements​

So new in this review I decided to standardise on a set of measurements which I will use in all future reviews. The idea is to do measure the frequency response of the standard tips (typically the Medium size) but then also measure a typical selection of ear tips which can easily be used to adjust the sound signature. So, I have choosen the following extra measurement options, a narrow bore ear tip, a wide bore, a ’tall’ shaped ear tip, a normal foam tip, a large ‘comfly’ foam tip, a double flange and finally a triple flange.



Because a double and triple flange are typically used by people who have larger than average ear canals so I have adapted these eartips slightly to allow a ‘deeper’ fit my IEC711 ‘clone’ coupler, basically try to simulate a longer ear canal in ‘standard’ coupler. I believe this technique will allow people to select both the best IEM for a specific tonality for them (does not always have to be ‘harman’) and then fine tune it with some ’ear tip rolling’ and for those who find it hard to get good seal this technique might allow them to experiment with alternative eartips and have a reasonable understand of how those alternative eartips alter the frequency response of their ideal IEM.

All measurements will go up on the Pragmatic Audio Squiq.link

So now onto the measurements…

L/F Balance and Distortion​

Good Left/Right balance and tonality is very close to Harman:

Very low distortion

Various Ear tip Frequency Responses​

Showing all the ear tip variatons shows you can alter the treble regions significantly in the 4kHz to 8Khz region depending on the tip:



Given how close this is to Harman depending on if you want a more Air

Comparison with IEM’s​

Some comparisions (lots more on my squiq website ):



Overall you can see the Nuo is an excellent Harman Neutral IEM.

Rating​

The Nuo gets a pragmatic score of 4 stars, it is one of the best IEM’s in this price range (if not the best), it is comfortable, measures well and most importantly sounds great.

Conclusion​

Note: I would like to thank Lillian @ Linsoul for providing the Ziigaat Nuo - if you are interested in purchasing it here is a non-affiliated link to their store: here

The Ziigaat Nuo IEM is a stellar offering in the budget IEM market, especially for audiophiles seeking a neutral sound signature. It’s adherence to the Neutral ‘Harman Target’ frequency response, combined with a single dynamic driver design, results in an authentic and balanced audio experience. The build quality, comfort, and sound performance make it an excellent choice for both casual listeners and audio enthusiasts.

The Ziigaat Nuo stands out as a high-value proposition, offering a premium listening experience at an accessible price point.

Summary
To summarize the review, this is a single DD iem from a new company called Ziigaat. This set “Nuo” comes in at around $25. Physically this is made well, does not feel like a 25$ iem, in terms of fit this is very comfortable. Talking about the most important aspect “sound” this offers a warmish balanced sound with an overall clean and natural presentation. In terms of flaws, sub bass lacks extension and treble sounded peaky/ sharp in certain circumstances. Other than some minor flaws this is the best set in the sub $25 range, in my opinion.



Sound signature: warm balanced

Disclaimer: This unit was purchased with my own money and this review is unbiased and my honest opinion…

Intro
Ziigaat nuo is a sub 25$ single DD iem with a 10mm LCP dynamic driver. It has impedence of 32ohms and sensitivity of 107db.
Talking about Ziigaat they are a new brand from Linsoul. So far their starting line up is looking quite strong. I am planning to check out their 99$ hybrid set soon. Anyways getting back to the Nuo, this is a real good one for the price.



Packaging/ Box Contents
Comes in a standard box, no complains here. It comes with:
Cable
Eartips
Iems itself
Papers


Build and Design
Let’s talk about nuo’s build, this is one of the strongest point of this set, one of the best if not the best in this price range. The shells are made of good quality 3d printed resin. The shells are light weight. The shells are average sized and has the classic semi custom iem shape. The face plate is metal, aluminum I guess, it has smooth matte finish and has very basic design. Fingerprints or scratches are not an issue. The 2 pin connector is flush type. The nozzle is metal with medium length and width. Nozzle is lipped so eartips are held securely. Score:4.75/5

Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is quite good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Fit stability is good. Breathability is ok. It is generally comfortable for longr listening sessions. In terms of of passive noise isolation its good. Score: 5/5



Cable
I will keep the cable section short, its solid. Build quality of the cable is pretty good considering the price. Its a 2pin 3.5mm cable with 2 core braiding. I must mention this has slight microphonics. There is cable memory present, although its nitpicking considering its price. Score:4/5

Tested With
Source: Cayin ru7, fiio btr5, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock
Cable: stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music



Sound tonality
Bass
Let’s talk about nuo’s bass performance, its balanced.
Nuo’s bass focuses on quality over quantity. Initially I found the bass specially the sub bass lacking in terms of forwardness, but eventually I can appreciate the level of quality at this price. Mid bass is slightly forward compared to sub bass region. Mid bass presents decent level of authority with decent slam and attack. As I already mention sub bass is a bit recessed to my preference. Bass speed is ok. Bass note separation is good and bass texture is decent. In more acoustic tracks I enjoyed the clean presentation. As a whole quality is there but a bit more bass extension mainly the sub bass would have been solid. Score: 3.75/5

Mids
Midrange performance of the Nuo is its strongest suit. It’s clean and natural.
Transition from mid bass to the mids is mostly linear with a mild warmth. Male vocals sound thicker then female vocals. Overall vocals are clean and crisp but maintains naturalness throughout. There is a good sense of air present in the female vocals and carried over to the instruments section. Instruments section retains decent transparency without being in your face. The balanced nature of the bass continued on the mids of Nuo. Score: 4/5

Highs
Going over to the treble section of the Nuo, its sort of balanced but not exactly either.
Treble section is a bit extended from linear with some peaks present. This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather musical. Details are crisp. I must mention that the treble peaks do sound sharp in some tracks. This might get fatiguing for long listening sessions. This has good resolving capabilities. I enjoyed its sense of air with live tracks. It has good speed and energy. Score: 3.5/5

technicalities score:4/5
Soundstage: average to wider than average
Imaging: ok
Dynamics: good
Sound separation: average to better than average
Resolution: good



Conclusion
Overall I love this set for the level of quality its bringing at this price. Other than some minor issues in the bass and treble, its a great set. As a new company Ziigaat has done a fantastic job with the Nuo and I am excited to see what they bring in the future.