ZiiGaat x HBB: Arcadia

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Linsoul for providing this review unit.

The ZiiGaat x HBB: Arcadia can be gotten here: https://www.linsoul.com/products/ziigaat-hbb-arcadia (no affiliate links).




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 1 x 10 mm topology diaphragm dynamic driver + 1 x Knowles ED 29689 balanced armature driver + 1 x Knowles RAD 33518 balanced armature driver
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 23000 Hz
• Impedance: 12 Ω
• Sensitivity: 106 dB
• Cable: 2-pin 0.78 mm; no information about cable material; 3.5 mm termination
• Tested at: $199.99 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 1 pair of foam eartips (S/M/L)
- Cable
- Case

For an IEM just touching 200 bucks, the accessory line-up is a disappointment. Gear at this price point usually incorporate a modular cable and/or a wider array of eartips.




Nevertheless, the silicone tips are serviceable in terms of fit and sonics. The foam tips improve isolation, though with some shaving off of the treble and soundstage.




We have no information on the stock cable materials, but suffice to say, it is a 3.5 mm (single-ended) one, with minimal tangling and microphonics, though it lies on the thinner side.




Lastly, we have a carrying case that has inner webbing.

In a nutshell, nothing to write home in terms of accessories, and there are cheaper sets that have a better provision of accessories. Of course, accessories maketh not an IEM, and let's read on to find out about other areas for this set.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock silicone eartips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT



The shells are fashioned from resin, with a psychedelic green-gold sparkly faceplate.

The housings are lightweight and ergonomic, with no discomfort for longer listening sessions.



The earpieces have a huge vent, so this does result in sub-par isolation - the Arcadia is not recommended for usage in noisy environments as such - though thankfully, we have no driver flex due to this acoustic design.




INTERNALS

The Arcadia is a 3 driver hybrid, packing the following drivers:

• 1 x 10 mm topology diaphragm dynamic driver handles the bass.
• 1 x Knowles ED 29689 balanced armature driver takes care of the midrange
• 1 x Knowles RAD 33518 balanced armature driver settles the treble

DRIVABILITY

I tested the Arcadia with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA15 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

This IEM is easily driven even off weak sources, and amplification is not compulsory.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES


Graph of the ZiiGaat x HBB: Arcadia via IEC711 coupler. 8 khz is a coupler artefact peak.

Tonally, the ZiiGaat x HBB Arcadia is a basshead's dream, with an L-shaped signature.

It has a massive bass shelf on the backdrop of a tamed treble/upper mids, with a deep and visceral rumble that can rattle the chest. However, the bass is on the slower side, with below average texturing. Basshead IEMs are generally considered a niche one-trick-pony, and the Arcadia excels with bass heavy genres such as hip-hop and EDM. However, purists who listen to classical music for example, might find the bass intrusive.

It is inevitable to have some bass bleed with such copious bass amounts, but this adds some warmth to the lower midrange. This region is thick and lush, though with some veil in the soundscape. With a tame 6 dB ear gain in the upper mids, the Arcadia has sedate vocals, and will be one for the anti-pinna gain gang.

Treble is smooth as silk, with no sibilance. The placid top-end will probably not suit trebleheads who want air and sparkle, but conversely, the Arcadia will be a kindred spirit for the treble-sensitive.

Technicalities are okay for a midFI hybrid, but are not class-leading. Essentially, the Arcadia embraces a musical signature over a more analytical listen. Soundstage and imaging are average, though for something with mammoth bass, micro-detailing is surprisingly decent. Instrument separation and layering are acceptable too, but when very complex tracks come out to play, there may be some smearing.

In the area of timbre, the Arcadia has mild BA timbre for the regions covered by the Knowles BAs - this is more prominent with acoustic instruments like strings - but it is nothing too egregious, ie there are worse offenders in this department.


COMPARISONS

The Arcadia will be compared against other hybrids residing around the $200 USD bracket. Single DDs, tribrids, BAs and planars are left out of the conversation, as the different transducer types have their own pros and cons.




Kiwi Ears KE4

The KE4 has one of those "META" type pleasant signatures. It sounds more boring than the head-banging fun brought to the table by the Arcadia. The KE4 has much less bass, but a fuller sounding midrange.

The KE4 is a hair weaker in technicalities - in areas such as imaging, soundstage and micro-details.

The KE4 is also poorly accessorized, but importantly, has driver flex, which may be a deal-breaker for some.


Letshuoer Cadenza 4

The Cadenza 4 is an antithesis to the Arcadia in terms of tuning, with the former having a bland - and perhaps - sterile dead neutral soundscape.

The Cadenza 4 is very uncoloured, and has exponentially less bass, but the bass is tighter and cleaner. However, it has a more sibilant and fatiguing treble region.

The Cadenza 4 has a more generous accessory inclusion, and has superior technicalities - in soundstage, micro-detailing and imaging.


CONCLUSIONS



At the end of the day, basshead tunings are a specialist tuning - they may induce a huge eargasm in bass-heavy genres such as hip-hop and EDM - but on the flip-side, may be a bit too coloured for some genres such as classical.

The ZiiGaat x HBB: Arcadia is an unashamed basshead hybrid - it is a basshead's basshead IEM - espousing a tremendous sub-bass descent that rumbles the jaw. It definitely brings lots of fun, and goes for a musical signature over something outright technical or analytical.

Yes, the Arcadia is not the last word in technicalities, but isn't the weakest in the pack too, and the upper mids and treble are smooth and non-fatiguing. Ergonomics and drivability are solid, though the accessory line-up is disappointing, with a small whiff of BA timbre. Unexpectedly, there is inevitable bass bleed with such titanic bass quantities, so it is a case of quantity over quality.



In conclusion, the Arcadia shines for bassy tracks - and is a recommendation for bassheads - but there will always be detractors for a basshead-tuned set, so it may not be the cup of tea for diehard purists in other less bass focused genres.

If you're interested in graph comparison, there's no link, yet
Disclamer:

+ I'm a normal asian dude with some music producing background
+ I like clean balanced sound signature with focus on sub bass and lower treble
+ Can consider myself as treblehead
+ 60-68db listening session
+ Avarage 4/10 (Quarks/ 7hz Zero), Good 6/10 (Tanchjim Kara), Endgame 8/10, Bias Endgame 10/10
: Good, but with a catch
: Worth the money
: Specialist at something else
: A Very close to perfection
: Perfect for me

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How to read my review: (Which bold font is x2 in score)

. TONE
- Timbre: How sounds projected, usually free score for most iem. Only GK10 would get a 2 from this
- BASS: (20hz - 500hz)

Depth	How low can i hear (physically, not graph)
" /; \; =" + "number hz"	/: rolloff, \: upward, =:flat after Hz of the highest spot i heard
Decay	Decay + Sustain, usually the mid bass and flexability of driver
Resonance (or Release)	Driver + tune. The bass after kick drum
Air	Flexibility of bass. effect by tune and driver
Tone	Based on how balanced it is
Tech	Detail (Texture, Fastness). Effect mostly by air

- MID: (500hz - 5khz)

Acoustic	Piano, Violin, Strings basically, flute, ...
Electric	Synth, Lead, Pluck, Electric guitar and Bass guitar, ...
Tone	Based on how balanced it is
Tech	Detail (Texture, Separation). Effect by tone

- TREBLE: (5khz - 16khz)

Extension	The upper end of high, quite easy to hear if you don't have hearing loss
Air	Spacing between instrument, cymbal
" /; \; =" + "number hz"	/: rolloff, \: upward, =:flat after Hz of the highest spot i heard
Sparkle	Attack and Decay of cymbal. Is tonality element
Shimmering	Sustain and Release of cymbal. Is tonality element
Tech	Detail (Texture, Separation, Transients). Effect by tone and air

- OTHERS:

Vocals	uhm. Vocals?
Drum	uhm. Drum?
Percussion	most of the clack clack click click lol. Effect by texture in mid
Resonance	The one that will let you know if transducer good with rock or not
Dynamism	Ability to make emotion
Sibilance	10 meant no sibilance.

. TECH
- Detail: Bass + Mid + Treble
- Soundstage: Rough description wall of sounds
- Imaging: {Width, Depth, Height}, {blurry, solid (better than blurry); Phantom (Good microspacing)}
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Click to expand...

- Bass:
- Mid:
- Treble:
- Vocals:
- Soundstage/Imaging presentation:
I have nothing against HBB but i genuinely want to ask if he truly know what he's doing.
If you want my text review on Arcadia, the best things i could say is i like Blon Bl03 better
Edit: i also have nothing against Ziigaat, as Ziigaat x Jay audio Estrella or Ziigaat x Fresh Review Arete i actually like a lot

Disclaimer:
This unit was provided by Linsoul Audio. However, I am not financially affiliated with either ZiiGaat or Linsoul; neither company has influenced my thoughts or opinions, which remain entirely my own.

Purchase Link

Unboxing:
Standard ZiiGaat unboxing experience, not much to be seen.

Included accessories:
- Faux Leather carrying case
- 4x Pairs of ear tips
- Cable


Case:
Semi-hard carrying case included, lined with faux leather on the outside and a thin fabric lining on the inside.
Waterproof zipper goes around the entire case—a nice addition.



Cable
Provided in either a 4.4/3.5mm termination
- Very susceptible to memory caused by bending stresses
- No noticeable microphonics
- Fittings feel quite cheap
- No tangling problems pretty much
- Upper split wires tends to unravel at times



Ear Tips:
- 3x Sets of S/M/L Silicone tips
- 1x Pair of Foam tips

- I personally found that foam tips did not go very well with this set, bass became even more bloated, causing further lower mid-range congestion; in addition to the fact that the highs were toned down to cause the sound to be a bit muddy.



Very nice, unique looking shell.
Quite a small contoured shell design featuring a relatively narrow, ~5.3mm nozzle

Fit:
I did not particularly struggle to get a good seal with this set; there was, however, a bit of wiggle room in my concha—nothing major, though. Nozzle seal-wise, I did not have any problems.

My ear is quite small, I'd say. I personally didn’t have any long-term comfort issues.



Tuning and Internals:
This IEM was made in collaboration between ZiiGaat and HBB, featuring what seems to be the closest sound signature to HBB's target yet. It has a warm, V-shaped tuning, resulting in more forward vocals and ample bass, suitable for many hip-hop sub-genres.
Features the following driver config:
2x Knowles BA drivers:
- 1 full range
- 1 responsible for highs

1x Dynamic Driver
- Focuses on lows, providing slower, more enjoyable bass transients



Equipment used:
Sources:
- Astell&Kern Acro L1000
- Aune Yuki
- Meizu Lifeme Mblu (CX31993)
- Playing tracks through Tidal

Tips:
- Fiio HS20 (in my opinion worked quite well)
- Stock tips

Bass:
Sub-bass:
Sub bass had a very nice and enjoyable depth to it with decent quantity and slightly above average detailing, didn't particularly overshadow or overwhelm the mid-bass and the rest of the sound sig. I thought it was quite well extended, as opposed to the mid-bass.

Mid-bass:
Mid bass was quite punchy but came off as quite loose and bloomy, therefore causing congestion in the lower mid-range (this is partially the cause for the very narrow perceived stage on this set). It did also slightly bleed into the mid-range, resulting in a noticeable loss in lower mid-range clarity. Timbre wasn't the greatest, neither was it very textured at all times, but I quite enjoyed it, mostly just nit-picking.

Mid-range:
Lower mids were slightly bloated due to the overwhelming mid-bass frequencies. However, upper mids were quite elevated, allowing for more forward and energetic, but not shouty, vocals.
This elevation on both ends did cause narrower perceived stage and slight congestion/muddiness in the lower frequencies, however I did not find this to be much of a loss particularly, as it just added more enjoyment to the sound signature whilst retaining the objective technicalities of the set such as imaging.
Vocals:
Female vocals sounded very rich and energetic on this set with a relatively nice timbre. However male vocals, despite being enjoyable sounded slightly off and thin at times due to the elevated upper-mids, compared to my other sets.
Treble:
Overall, treble was very smooth and non-fatiguing, I didn’t notice any sibilance or harshness on most tracks, hi-hats were not fatiguing, however decay caused by cymbal resonance was slightly fatiguing, seemingly due to some sort of peak in the 10k-13k region. Timbre was quite natural, transients were not too quick nor slow and never came off as rolled off but was quite well extended.
Technicalities:
Soundstage:
Perceived sound stage was very narrow on this set, narrower than pretty much any other set I had, causing some tracks to sound slightly constrained in a way, this didn’t bother me too much. As I mentioned previously, this was not caused by the actual technical ability, but rather, by its tuning.
Imaging & Separation
Imaging is good, was quite easy to pin-point different sounds and track certain instruments/notes that were seemingly in motion.
Separation was better than average however wasn’t particularly impressive due to the slight congestion in the mid-range.

Comparison 1: Hype 4


These 2 are tuned very similarly
- Hype 4s sound a lot more open, with far better sub/mid bass extension, timbre and detail retrieval
- Both are relatively smooth in the highs, H4s were more fatiguing around 5k, Arcadias at 8-13k
- Hype 4s were less vocal forward, but male vocals sounded quite a lot more natural and rich
- Transients were seemingly quicker throughout the frequency response of the Hype 4s and somewhat less sub-bass quantity than the Arcadias

Comparison 2 - Xuan NV


- Both of these IEMs are HBB collabs, thought I would do a comparison between both; one of his budget sets and a mid-range set such as the Arcadia
- XNV had a wider perceived stage with far inferior technicalities overall in terms of imaging
- Mid-bass on XNV was slower due to the driver config, caused more bass bleed, impacting mid-range clarity.
- Arcadias feature a more V-shaped, energetic sound signature with more forward vocals, whilst the Xuan NV was overall more relaxed but still vocal forward
- Arcadias feature ever so slightly more fatiguing highs due to harsh decay




Conclusion:
Do I recommend this set? Sure, I think its a very competitive set for hip-hop and EDM lovers looking for IEMs around the $200 price bracket. I think it will work best for slower-paced tracks however will, still work very well with quicker tracks.