Nimweth
Headphoneus Supremus
I received the CCA CA2 for review from Kimberly at Fedai via Amazon.com.
Product link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B095X4J26B?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
CCA CA2 Review:
CCA CA2: Blast from the past!
Pros:
Impressive bass power
Good staging
Exciting presentation
Bargain price
Cons:
Recessed mids
Dominant bass
Some harshness and sibilance in treble
Tangly cable
Insecure 2pin connection
The CA2 is a new super-affordable single DD model from CCA. It enters a very crowded arena with the recent KZ EDX, TRN's MT1 and CS1 and the KBEAR KS1 all vying for dominance in this sector of the market.
The CA2 employs a 10mm dynamic driver with a four-layer voice coil and composite diaphragm and has a 2-pin detachable cable. A sensitivity of 112dB/mW is specified with an impedance of 23Ω.
The packaging is similar to that of the recent CSN hybrid, a small rectangular box with an image of the IEMs on the front of the slip cover and specifications on the back. Removing the cover reveals the IEMs sitting in a card cut-out under which are stored the 2-pin cable and spare eartips and documentation. The legend, "Customised Heavy Bass Earphones" is written below. In the box you will find:
* CA2 earpieces with medium eartips pre-fitted
* 2-pin 4-core copper cable
* 2 pairs white silicone eartips (L, S)
* Documentation
It is a very basic presentation but acceptable at the price.
The CA2's shell is formed from ABS and PC resin material and the faceplate comes in three colours, lemon yellow, pomegranate red and crystal (clear). The components are visible through the rear of the body which is also clear. The faceplate features a logo in the shape of a capital A (I'm not sure what that signifies) and there is a circular vent for the dynamic driver on the inner surface. The 2-pin sockets are set flush and accept standard connectors rather than the QDC type.
The cable is the old style KZ 4-core copper type with a black plastic 90° 3.5mm plug. There is a chunky black plastic Y-split but no chin slider and the cable is very thin and prone to tangling. I found the connection to be rather insecure, as the earpieces became detached quite easily on a number of occasions.
First Impressions
The CA2 was tested using the stock cable and tips. An Xduoo X20 DAP was used as the source and 100 hours of burn in was carried out. The earpieces were light and comfortable and a good seal and fit was obtained with the pre-fitted medium tips. Sensitivity was fine with plenty of volume available even from a smartphone, although there was a definite step up in quality with extra amplification which delivered more resolution and definition.
CCA's recent models have been very well tuned with the CA16 and CSN following the traditionally well balanced profile CCA is known for. In contrast, the CA2 displayed a strong exciting V profile with powerful bass and bright treble. The description "heavy bass earphones" is certainly accurate, as the bass did tend to dominate proceedings. In addition, the mids were recessed and there was an emphasis in the upper region leading into the treble, which was bright but a little lacking in extension. Staging was quite impressive with a spacious quality unexpected at the price and the overall tuning was more similar to early KZ dual hybrids like the ZST and ES3 rather than a single DD design.
Bass
The bass was deep, powerful and visceral reaching an acceptable basshead level. The sub bass had reasonable texture and detail with excellent rumble and the mid bass was also elevated but did intrude into the midrange. With the right kind of material it was very entertaining though not strictly natural. Electronic music was very impressive with synth bass possessing prodigious depth and power but dominating the overall picture.
Midrange
The mids were recessed with the lower region receiving some warmth from the bass bleed and gradually becoming brighter as the frequency increased. Lower mids displayed a warm character whereas the upper mids showed a moderate peak with some sharpness of tonality which continued into the lower treble. Male vocals showed warmth and character and were somewhat set back from the accompaniment. Female vocals were more forward in the mix, occasionally displaying some sibilance. Strings and woodwind also exhibited a variation of tone with cellos and bassoons a little over-warm and violins and flutes being thinner in tonality and sometimes edgy in timbre.
Treble
The CA2's treble was emphasised in the lower region, after which there was a dip and a further rise in the upper treble, after which it rolled off quite sharply. The general effect was exciting and delivered reasonable levels of detail but it was once more a little unnatural with the lower peak exhibiting some sharpness and some sibilance and a slight thinness of tonality in addition to which the early roll-off tended to rob the sound of sparkle and air.
Soundstage
This was perhaps the best feature of the CA2, being spacious in all three dimensions and possessing good imaging. Separation and layering were only average, though and there was some compression when things became busy, but it was certainly acceptable at the price. Orchestral music displayed good scale but was slightly over-emphasised at times and ambience was well reproduced due to the powerful bass presence. In contrast, more intimate and less bass-heavy recordings were nicely portrayed with a believable atmosphere and sounded more natural.
Comparisons
CCA CSN
CCA's own CSN is a remarkable IEM at the price. Featuring the XUN DD and the 30095 BA, it has a mature, well balanced tuning unexpected at the price and indeed, outperforms models higher up in CCA's catalogue and is suitable for many genres. It is superior to the CA2 in every way, is better built and comes with a much better cable. It is a much better option even though it is twice the price of the CA2 and unless you are really strapped for cash it is definitely worth the extra outlay.
KBEAR KS1
KBEAR 's KS1 is their most recent single DD model and has a warm gentle V tuning with excellent timbre. Bass is powerful but not too dominant, and there is some bass bleed. The mids are slightly recessed but have good tonality. The treble does roll off a little early but it is free from peaks and is much smoother than the CA2. Soundstage is average and perhaps not as spacious as the CA2 but the overall effect is well balanced and more natural.
CVJ CSA
The CSA is another dual hybrid with a 10mm DD and a "custom" BA. It has a very neutral tuning which is rare in the sea of V shaped offerings in this price sector. Bass is firm and well textured, mids are forward and clean and treble is clear and extended with an absence of peaks. Compared to the CA2, its resolution is far superior and it is excellent for vocal music and many other genres, though it does not possess the powerful bass of the CA2.
Conclusion
The CA2 has been tuned to produce a "fun" tuning reminiscent of earlier models from KZ. It is exciting, impactful and entertaining and it does succeed in this, delivering an impressive bold sound picture and an "edge of the seat" presentation. However, the overall profile may be considered a little unbalanced with a dominant bass, recessed midrange and a treble which does exhibit some harshness especially at high volumes.
The CA2 should definitely appeal to lovers of bass-heavy genres and gaming for which it should provide a suitable thump in the low frequencies, an exciting presentation and good staging, and if these are your preferred genres it represents excellent value. On the other hand, it is not as convincing with classical, jazz or vocal genres which require a more balanced profile, so you may want to look elsewhere if you are looking for an all-rounder suiting these styles of music.
Product link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B095X4J26B?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
CCA CA2 Review:
CCA CA2: Blast from the past!
Pros:
Impressive bass power
Good staging
Exciting presentation
Bargain price
Cons:
Recessed mids
Dominant bass
Some harshness and sibilance in treble
Tangly cable
Insecure 2pin connection
The CA2 is a new super-affordable single DD model from CCA. It enters a very crowded arena with the recent KZ EDX, TRN's MT1 and CS1 and the KBEAR KS1 all vying for dominance in this sector of the market.
The CA2 employs a 10mm dynamic driver with a four-layer voice coil and composite diaphragm and has a 2-pin detachable cable. A sensitivity of 112dB/mW is specified with an impedance of 23Ω.
The packaging is similar to that of the recent CSN hybrid, a small rectangular box with an image of the IEMs on the front of the slip cover and specifications on the back. Removing the cover reveals the IEMs sitting in a card cut-out under which are stored the 2-pin cable and spare eartips and documentation. The legend, "Customised Heavy Bass Earphones" is written below. In the box you will find:
* CA2 earpieces with medium eartips pre-fitted
* 2-pin 4-core copper cable
* 2 pairs white silicone eartips (L, S)
* Documentation
It is a very basic presentation but acceptable at the price.
The CA2's shell is formed from ABS and PC resin material and the faceplate comes in three colours, lemon yellow, pomegranate red and crystal (clear). The components are visible through the rear of the body which is also clear. The faceplate features a logo in the shape of a capital A (I'm not sure what that signifies) and there is a circular vent for the dynamic driver on the inner surface. The 2-pin sockets are set flush and accept standard connectors rather than the QDC type.
The cable is the old style KZ 4-core copper type with a black plastic 90° 3.5mm plug. There is a chunky black plastic Y-split but no chin slider and the cable is very thin and prone to tangling. I found the connection to be rather insecure, as the earpieces became detached quite easily on a number of occasions.
First Impressions
The CA2 was tested using the stock cable and tips. An Xduoo X20 DAP was used as the source and 100 hours of burn in was carried out. The earpieces were light and comfortable and a good seal and fit was obtained with the pre-fitted medium tips. Sensitivity was fine with plenty of volume available even from a smartphone, although there was a definite step up in quality with extra amplification which delivered more resolution and definition.
CCA's recent models have been very well tuned with the CA16 and CSN following the traditionally well balanced profile CCA is known for. In contrast, the CA2 displayed a strong exciting V profile with powerful bass and bright treble. The description "heavy bass earphones" is certainly accurate, as the bass did tend to dominate proceedings. In addition, the mids were recessed and there was an emphasis in the upper region leading into the treble, which was bright but a little lacking in extension. Staging was quite impressive with a spacious quality unexpected at the price and the overall tuning was more similar to early KZ dual hybrids like the ZST and ES3 rather than a single DD design.
Bass
The bass was deep, powerful and visceral reaching an acceptable basshead level. The sub bass had reasonable texture and detail with excellent rumble and the mid bass was also elevated but did intrude into the midrange. With the right kind of material it was very entertaining though not strictly natural. Electronic music was very impressive with synth bass possessing prodigious depth and power but dominating the overall picture.
Midrange
The mids were recessed with the lower region receiving some warmth from the bass bleed and gradually becoming brighter as the frequency increased. Lower mids displayed a warm character whereas the upper mids showed a moderate peak with some sharpness of tonality which continued into the lower treble. Male vocals showed warmth and character and were somewhat set back from the accompaniment. Female vocals were more forward in the mix, occasionally displaying some sibilance. Strings and woodwind also exhibited a variation of tone with cellos and bassoons a little over-warm and violins and flutes being thinner in tonality and sometimes edgy in timbre.
Treble
The CA2's treble was emphasised in the lower region, after which there was a dip and a further rise in the upper treble, after which it rolled off quite sharply. The general effect was exciting and delivered reasonable levels of detail but it was once more a little unnatural with the lower peak exhibiting some sharpness and some sibilance and a slight thinness of tonality in addition to which the early roll-off tended to rob the sound of sparkle and air.
Soundstage
This was perhaps the best feature of the CA2, being spacious in all three dimensions and possessing good imaging. Separation and layering were only average, though and there was some compression when things became busy, but it was certainly acceptable at the price. Orchestral music displayed good scale but was slightly over-emphasised at times and ambience was well reproduced due to the powerful bass presence. In contrast, more intimate and less bass-heavy recordings were nicely portrayed with a believable atmosphere and sounded more natural.
Comparisons
CCA CSN
CCA's own CSN is a remarkable IEM at the price. Featuring the XUN DD and the 30095 BA, it has a mature, well balanced tuning unexpected at the price and indeed, outperforms models higher up in CCA's catalogue and is suitable for many genres. It is superior to the CA2 in every way, is better built and comes with a much better cable. It is a much better option even though it is twice the price of the CA2 and unless you are really strapped for cash it is definitely worth the extra outlay.
KBEAR KS1
KBEAR 's KS1 is their most recent single DD model and has a warm gentle V tuning with excellent timbre. Bass is powerful but not too dominant, and there is some bass bleed. The mids are slightly recessed but have good tonality. The treble does roll off a little early but it is free from peaks and is much smoother than the CA2. Soundstage is average and perhaps not as spacious as the CA2 but the overall effect is well balanced and more natural.
CVJ CSA
The CSA is another dual hybrid with a 10mm DD and a "custom" BA. It has a very neutral tuning which is rare in the sea of V shaped offerings in this price sector. Bass is firm and well textured, mids are forward and clean and treble is clear and extended with an absence of peaks. Compared to the CA2, its resolution is far superior and it is excellent for vocal music and many other genres, though it does not possess the powerful bass of the CA2.
Conclusion
The CA2 has been tuned to produce a "fun" tuning reminiscent of earlier models from KZ. It is exciting, impactful and entertaining and it does succeed in this, delivering an impressive bold sound picture and an "edge of the seat" presentation. However, the overall profile may be considered a little unbalanced with a dominant bass, recessed midrange and a treble which does exhibit some harshness especially at high volumes.
The CA2 should definitely appeal to lovers of bass-heavy genres and gaming for which it should provide a suitable thump in the low frequencies, an exciting presentation and good staging, and if these are your preferred genres it represents excellent value. On the other hand, it is not as convincing with classical, jazz or vocal genres which require a more balanced profile, so you may want to look elsewhere if you are looking for an all-rounder suiting these styles of music.
Has anyone tried or listened to the CCA CC1? Impressions..?
