So the IEM that (perhaps still?) shall not be named has gotten a lot of my ear time lately, but I said I'd do a more thorough A/B between the iSK HP2011 and the Somic V2.
Things to keep in mind: I am
not an experienced reviewer. I don't own, or have even heard, any super high tier stuff. The gear I own that I would consider "good" is Havi B3 Pro1, (modded) Soundmagic HP150 and now the nameless IEM. With this in mind, everything I write should be taken with a big grain of salt.
With that said, here we go:
Gear used: Zuperdac, ELE EL-D01 through NX1, but mainly D01 through Little Dot I+
.
Build/comfort: Both phones are plastic, build quality is nothing remarkable, doesn't exactly scream high budget.
iSK plastic feels kind of cheap, and the rigid Y split made of metal down to the cups make them feel a bit stiffer than the Somic. Slightly stiff to adjust, nothing big. Pleather on the headband slightly plastic-y feel.
Somic V2: also plastic, but the plastic feels higher quality. Very comfortable, soft head band, velour pads give the impression that these could be worn forever without discomfort. Headband adjustment feel crisp and stays in place. Metal grill on the outside of the cup feels okay. Rotatable earcups (a little bit one way, ~90 degrees the other way) makes them easier to fit.
None of them are foldable
Isolation: Somic V2 is open, 'nuff said. iSK takes this.
Bass: none of these are basshead cans. I wouldn't say bass shy, the Somic actually has more bass presence than I expected. Both lack a bit of sub bass extension, and have more mid bass focus, but nothing I notice unless listening to Daft Punk or something that has a lot of sub bass.
Somic bass is a little bit snappier, and also has better resolution. iSK might dig a
little bit deeper, but on the other hand tends to get slightly muddy when there's a lot going on in the bass department. The Somic actually handles this very well, keeps everything controlled and audible.
Midrange: this is where the Somic shines in my opinion. On the iSK, mids sound a little bit thin in comparison to the Somic, also a little bit artifical. On the Somic, mids sound more lush, especially female vocals sound
very good.
Highs: iSK not bad, but Somic wins this as well, slightly more natural and detailed.
Soundstage/imaging/separation etc: Neither of these have a huge soundstage, I actually expected more from the Somic. Still, being an open can, the soundstage on the Somic is still bigger, and it's not what I would consider small, I just had very high expectations.
The Somic is more detailed, with better separation between instruments, and also better instrument placement.
Conclusion: it might sound like I'm bashing the iSK, which is really not the case. It's incredible what so little money can get you these days. I paid $38.99 for the iSK, and $36 for the Somic (with coupon from
@George-gearbest, and for that price they are both very good.
My first "better" headphone was the Takstar Pro80, and the iSK is (from memory) pretty similar. I might rank the Pro80 a little bit higher, but that might be because I had less gear to compare with at the time, first love syndrome etc.
None the less - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the iSK to someone who wants to dip their toes in what good sound can sound like for a relatively small amount of money. When I started out, I would have probably found them a bit bass light, but that comes down to preference more than anything else, and just means they aren't boom-boom-bassy.
The Somic really surprised me. Sure, the soundstage isn't as large as I would have hoped for my first open can, but they sound way more expensive than they are IMO. When I A/B the iSK with my Soundmagic HP150, I feel that the iSK sounds like a cheaper headphone, but with the Somic, the difference isn't as big. The mids, especially female vocals, sound very good.
The Somic, as well, I would've probably called bass light when I started out, but really, to me, they sound very "audiophile", in the sense that they have a sort of balanced sound signature, great resolution, details and separation etc. A gateway drug to higher end gear without a doubt, and I'd rate them higher than the iSK and even my Pro80, which says a lot considering how much I liked the Pro80
I doubt the iSK will get that much ear time - although not bad, they sound like a lower tier version of my HP150. The Somic is more different than worse (although they still don't quite reach the HP150), and I can actually see myself reaching for them over the HP150 on some material, if for nothing else for the different sound signature. They sound brilliant out of my Little Dot.
I'd love it if someone with better ears than mine could compare the Somic to something like open Senns or something. I'm sure the Senns would be better, but it'd be
very interesting to know by how much.
