Nightjar Acoustics Duality: Impressions and Discussion

[phiemon]

Photo credits to @szabb27, he received the kit from me, I couldn't find my photo​

I'm finally getting around to posting my impressions of Duality from the EU-Tour. A big thank you to Chang (@Chang) and John (@armstrj2) for organising the EU-Tour. You guys are fantastic, it's just great how much willingness and effort there is

First of all, I apologise for the late posting. I've been so busy that I couldn't find the time to think and write everything in peace.

This is by no means a detailed test, but merely impressions that came to me spontaneously while listening and comparing with the Xe6. So it's nothing detailed, just subjective thoughts that are not even that structured.

For the test I used my two DAPs N30 and DX320MaxTi, both at the highest gain level, with and without Impedance Adapter and cable upgrade Blue Hour 2W. I liked the stock tips the best, I'm a big fan of them also with other iems.

I originally wanted to buy Duality because I was planning to replace my XE6 as a bassy IEM. I was looking for an alternative and I thought Duality could compete well. But I was wrong: despite similarities in the bass range, I would not consider both IEMs to be similar at all, but rather complementary.

What immediately struck me about Duality is how amazing it can be that the bass can be so big, strong, really powerfull and yet not bloomy or anything like that at the same time. The decay is relatively speaking very fast, which makes a big difference to the Xe6. The Xe6 has a longer decay - so long that it fades into the mids, which for me personally is by no means a negative, but rather a special aspect. Qualitatively, I like Duality better in the bass range, but quantitatively I have my difficulties. For some songs it works quite well, but for others rather less so, sorry: it just doesn't work, I had the feeling that something just wasn't right. In this respect, Duality is certainly a specialist for me, even more so than the Xe6, which I also like to think of as an all-arounder once I've gotten used to the sound. So the bass on Duality can be very overwhelming. Unfortunately, I really couldn't hear it in bass mode, even though I'm such a fan of a bassy sound.

And this is the reason: compared to the Xe6, Duality's mids are rather clear and thinner, and I personally found this contrast problematic. With the Xe6 there is a flow between bass and (low) mids, which is why some say that Xe6's bass is bloomy. But for me it fits, it's quite addicting. On the other hand, the mids on Duality are unfortunately too clear and thin in relation to the bass, which is why the bass requires too much focus. I wanted to make the music louder because I wanted to hear more mids, but again, the bass was just too much of a good thing for me. The Xe6 doesn't have this, everything here is more balanced (and addictive) to listen to. Yes, it's true that Duality is also more resolved in this area, but that wasn't enough for me to enjoy music. However, I'm talking here about music in which vocals are the main thing you want to hear. For all that has been electronic-instrumental, Duality has admittedly been more fun for the bass and mid aspect, even much more than the Xe6 - yes, at least here, I'll get to the rest.

As far as the trebles are concerned, what I had already heard with Elise Audio was confirmed: the trebles can have unpleasant peaks for me, as they are particularly bright, sharp and on the thinner side. Again, this didn't work well with certain vocals. The extension was relatively good, but unfortunately the quality was not.

Technically, I expected more compared to the Xe6. Basically, aspects such as stage, holography and imaging are extremely important to me. I'm happy to do without a great resolution, but if the stage is small, the image isn't as holographic and the imaging isn't clear enough, it just doesn't work. That would be a big dealbreaker for me. And that's unfortunately what Duality was like. Please don't misunderstand: Duality has been very good in itself, and I mean “mid/high-fi” good, but certainly not “totl” good. The Xe6 is clearly better in the aforementioned aspects, it’s simply different league, period. Above all, Duality's stage was notably smaller than that of the Xe6. Xe6 doesn't have a super large stage either, but the sense of immersion and holography are really unique and Duality simply doesn't come close. Due to this technical aspect, I was able to hear a lot more information from the music on the Xe6 overall, but Duality had the upper hand for the individual aspects of the bass and mids.

The conclusion is mixed. While the bass is impressive - qualitatively excellent and quantitatively powerful, fast and yet not bloomy - there are weaknesses in the overall sound. The mids are thin compared to the bass, which disturbs the balance and impairs listening enjoyment, especially with vocal-heavy music. The treble can have unpleasant peaks, which further problematises the sound character. Technically, Duality is not convincing in all aspects, especially in terms of stage, holography and imaging precision it falls short of expectations. Overall, I praise Duality as a specialist for certain musical genres, but it does not achieve the versatility or the immersive sound of the Xe6. However, these are also two different price ranges and categories for which both were intended. It would be unfair to expect Duality to be able to keep up with the Xe6. But that's my own fault, of course, as it only affects my own expectations. So let me put it this way: for the price category and its own specialisation in the bass range, Duality is without doubt the best IEM on the market. Fluctuations only occur in comparison to the Xe6, which in turn belongs in a different category per se. My recommendation: if you want one of the best (or maybe even the best) bassy IEMs for the price range of Duality and even much more, you can't avoid having to buy Duality.

Duality is extremely specialized for me: with the right music it's really something unique and a lot of fun, but you have to listen to the right music. If only it had been technically on a higher level, but stage, holography and imaging are too important to me. Maybe it comes with a hypothetical Triality?

A tabular summary thanks to ChatGPT

In retrospect, I'm afraid that my impressions may have come across as too negative. But that should not be the case. On the contrary: for the price range and unique character (particularly in relation to the bass), Duality is simply the top dog. My expectations were set too high by the desire to find a successor to the Xe6 as a bassy IEM. But apples and oranges simply cannot be compared.

It would be great to have a Triality (as a duality with even better technicalities) …

 

[zikarus]

Time for me to report back some impressions. But firstly I would also like to thank @Chang and John (@armstrj2) for making the ongoing EU tour become reality! It is such a great way to experience gear that otherwise would not be accessible over here in Europe despite buying such items blindly...

The Duality is not my first IEM from Nightjar acoustics. I bought their 1st edition Singularity (blindly) when it was released. And I have to confess that I was quite skeptical about what to expect from the Duality because I happened to sell my Singularity quite fast as it did not meet my preferences. The Singularity was to dark for my taste and especially its mid-bass (much) to bloated. I tried to like it (and prevent me from an experience of disappointment) but I had to admit that it just did not work for me and that buying blindly may not always work. First time that happened to me but oc it had to happen somewhen. Lesson learned...

But guess what - the Duality is a totally different kind of beast imo and to my surprise / unexpectedly it worked much better for me than Nightjars Singularity.

Before I talk about its sound characteristics let me first make a note about the look and build quality of the Duality. Both - IEM and cables - are exceptionally well made and done. I really like the Dualitys non-blingy look and that they have a nice weight to them and feel very sturdy. The Blue Hour cable is also crafted beautifully and will especially please those who like extremely supple and very thin cables. In short - the Duality is absolutely top notch in that regard and a pleasure to hold and use.

I had the 2w Blue Hour cable attached during all my listening sessions. Once I exchanged it for my (not yet fully burnt-in) Euclid just to quickly return back to the Blue Hour which to me - soundwise - matched the Duality a bit better. But the difference appeared small as often the case with better cables.

So what about the sound now? Well, let me not start with the description of the bass. What stood out for me was the clarity in the mid and lower treble region not, at least not so much the Dualitys bass. Wearing Divinus Velvet wide bore tips I heard an overall astoundingly neutral IEM and really enjoyed the Dualitys unobtrusive timbre and tuning. It's soundstage was wide and deep but not overly so.

For my personal taste the mids could have been a bit more forward and lively tbh, but the slightly colder touch had a special magic to it which was alluring and still lingers on, now that I have already parted with them.

The reason why I might not end up buying the Duality lies in the assumed reason for the perceived over all characteristic which imo is due to a lack of (mid) bass foundation. I would like a tad more in that regard and for my very mixed library. In other words - the Dualitys bass is somewhat weird to my ears: If you listen to tracks like the following, which call for a lot of subbass,



or



the Duality delivers a great, rich and deep reaching subbass with a very pleasing texture, decay and reverb. Not to fast, not to slow, just right and so fun imo.

When listening to less bass containing guitar oriented stuff though



or something like



I missed a proper base aka thickness in the mid bass. It seemed to me as if the transition from the sub- to the mid bass region was a bit uneven or call it unbalanced. Hard for me to find the right words but compared to my Maven II or IMR Enigma+ the Duality lacked something in the bass as a whole I usually crave for.

To sum it up - the Duality is a great IEM and I clearly prefer it over the Singularity. Would there not be so many other tempting offers in its price range and would it match my preferences a little more it would be a candidate for my next buy. As it stands for now I will wait for Nightjars logical follow-up: when the leap from Duality to Trinity will equal the leap from Singularity to Duality, the Trinity will become a must buy...

PS edit:

One thing I forgot to mention is the power hunger of the Duality. It is almost crazy how much further the volume knob needs to be turned in comparison to my other IEM. As the only DAP I had at hand atm was my DX180 my impressions may have been influenced by power limits of that DAP.

 

[armstrj2]

Time for me to report back some impressions. But firstly I would also like to thank @Chang and John (@armstrj2) for making the ongoing EU tour become reality! It is such a great way to experience gear that otherwise would not be accessible over here in Europe despite buying such items blindly...

The Duality is not my first IEM from Nightjar acoustics. I bought their 1st edition Singularity (blindly) when it was released. And I have to confess that I was quite skeptical about what to expect from the Duality because I happened to sell my Singularity quite fast as it did not meet my preferences. The Singularity was to dark for my taste and especially its mid-bass (much) to bloated. I tried to like it (and prevent me from an experience of disappointment) but I had to admit that it just did not work for me and that buying blindly may not always work. First time that happened to me but oc it had to happen somewhen. Lesson learned...

But guess what - the Duality is a totally different kind of beast imo and to my surprise / unexpectedly it worked much better for me than Nightjars Singularity.

Before I talk about its sound characteristics let me first make a note about the look and build quality of the Duality. Both - IEM and cables - are exceptionally well made and done. I really like the Dualitys non-blingy look and that they have a nice weight to them and feel very sturdy. The Blue Hour cable is also crafted beautifully and will especially please those who like extremely supple and very thin cables. In short - the Duality is absolutely top notch in that regard and a pleasure to hold and use.

I had the 2w Blue Hour cable attached during all my listening sessions. Once I exchanged it for my (not yet fully burnt-in) Euclid just to quickly return back to the Blue Hour which to me - soundwise - matched the Duality a bit better. But the difference appeared small to me as often the case with better cables.

So what about the sound now? Well, let me not start with the description of the bass. What stood out for me was the clarity in the mid and lower treble region not, at least not so much the Dualitys bass. Wearing Divinus Velvet wide bore tips I heard an overall astoundingly neutral IEM and really enjoyed the Dualitys unobtrusive timbre and tuning. It's soundstage was wide and deep but not overly so.

For my personal taste the mids could have been a bit more forward and lively tbh, but the slightly colder touch had a special magic to it which was alluring and still lingers on, now that I have already parted with them.

The reason why I might not end up buying the Duality lies in the assumed reason for the perceived over all characteristic which imo is due to a lack of (mid) bass foundation. I would like a tad more in that regard and for my very mixed library. In other words - the Dualitys bass is somewhat weird to my ears: If you listen to tracks like the following, which call for a lot of subbass,



or



the Duality delivers a great, rich and deep reaching subbass with a very pleasing texture, decay and reverb. Not to fast, not to slow, just right and so fun imo.

When listening to less bass containing guitar oriented stuff though



or something like



I missed a proper base aka thickness in the mid bass. It seemed to me as if the transition from the sub- to the mid bass region was a bit uneven or call it unbalanced. Hard for me to find the right words but compared to my Maven II or IMR Enigma+ the Duality lacked something in the bass as a whole I usually crave for.

To sum it up - the Duality is a great IEM and I clearly prefer it over the Singularity. Would there not be so many other tempting offers in its price range and would it match my preferences a little more it would be a candidate for my next buy. As it stands for now I will wait for Nightjars logical follow-up: when the leap from Duality to Trinity will equal the leap from Singularity to Duality, the Trinity will become a must buy...

Glad you enjoyed your time with the tour kit, and many thanks for sharing your impressions

 

[mikaik]

Nightjar Acoustic Duality impressions

I’ve received this unit as part of the tour kindly organised by Nightjar and @armstrj2.
Many thanks, guys!

A beautifully crafted set, with a design that speaks to me and seems to be purposefully chosen. The shells, although made out of metal, are very light, at 8,1g. That’s nothing compared to Legion’s 12,4g or Rhapsodio’s 27g.
The switch on the face plate is easy to activate with your finger, no need for pins or similar tools, thankfully.

First, I tried the Blue hour cable, that I really loved last year at CJ London. Eletech Baroque tips and SP3000T+Brise Tsuranagi as source.

I’ve listened to

Chimene Badi - nice staging, the voice remains close to the centre. It gets a bit strident at higher volume. It feels like a something is missing between the bass and the voice. Otherwise, very emotional, much more than expected from such a beast. The voice could have used more warmth for me.

Phil Collins - In the air tonight, again wonderful staging, very detailed. The bass guitar is more present than I’d like, but still manageable.
Another day in Paradise - This takes me back to my childhood, and the tape player we used to have. Despite a bit of coldness, it sounds very nice, the bass is more contained, does not smother any other frequencies.

Christophe Mae - Pays des merveilles I've perceived Duality as lacking a bit of energy. It sounded a bit lifeless. This song is very summer-ish, but the warmth was missing now. I could get used to this presentation, but it’s not my favourite.

After more tips rolling (Divinus velvet) and swapping the cable I started to enjoy it more and more. You see, when hooked up to the Kensei, the sound is less bassy, and more balanced. The highs carry more energy, getting really close to my ideal (I am a firm believer in DD for everything). The treble has not only ample energy, but it’s got plenty of body. I also found them more engaging in this combination.

Judas Priest - Trial by fire - the songs that made me buy Mest 3. The bass is fantastic, just the right amountof sub bass for my taste, good mid bass. The drums, in particular bass drum don’t have the same impact I’m used to, but I have been spoiled lately (Rhapsodio V3). The guitars have good attack, but are lacking a bit of body, they sound just a bit thin.
I still have the impression there is something missing, like a passage way between the mid bass and upper mids.
Vs IE900
IE900 is notoriously V shaped, but with a bespoke Brise cable and custom tips, is a whole lot other IEM than stock. It's one of my two most bassy IEMs, so I chose to use it for comparisons. The guitars have more grittiness, the cymbals sound even more natural, although with a bit less energy. The drums hit with explosive impact; in terms of attack, IE900 takes the prize. The mids have just enough body for me. I do like my V-tunings...

2Pac - All eyez on me - Duality shines here, although the treble is a bit hot. This song is very telling, any sibilance is brought to light and bright sets struggle (it's impossible with some bright IEMs)). It was not the case here. Moved the switch to the other position and boom, perfect. The effect when the bass stops is akin to the time standing still. The voice is clear, the treble is no longer that hot and the bass is simply stunning, with very good slam and impact. The bass is like a matrix, in which all the other sounds are seamlessly integrated.
IE900 was the right choice for comparison…it gets somehow close to Duality on technicalities, but in terms of overall tonality it is closer to my taste. There is less rumble, but almost the same precise control, the level of details in the bass comes very close to Duality, never quite reaching the same level, though. In terms of mids, I can’t say I prefer one or the other. The treble is certainly more energetic than Duality (in bass mode), so it is a bit much at times. The stage is narrower than Duality. But the custom tips go deep in my ears, so this could be a reason. Despite, IE900 being my preferred tuning, I’d take Duality over IE900 for this one.

Tori Amos - Ocean to ocean (Live) the openness of the stage lets you know immediately you are at a concert. With the switch in the bass position, the bass is overwhelming. but once switched back, it’s perfect. Unexpectedly mellow and sensitive.
IE900 - also gives the impression of open space. Less treble energy, but not necessarily lacking. The bass guitar does not have the same texture and level of details, but this doesn’t hinder from enjoying the music. The drums are thunderous, but the piano sounded more natural on Duality, as well as Tori’s voice. A bit of metallic timbre on the IE900. The sub bass is less prominent on the Senny, leaving more breathing room for the rest of instruments. It’s hard to pick a favourite, I’ll call this a draw.

I could go on like this forever. No matter how I turn it around, the Duality is a great IEM and I sure am glad I had a chance to try it.

Conclusion
I understand why they called it Duality. It’s a two in one. It can be polite, at low volume, with the right music, or it can turn into a rumbling monster at higher volume levels. I really love how this is done. At low volume it is mostly balanced and behaved. Crank it up and it transforms. I don’t even need the switch, apart from hiphop, I left it in the off position. This dual character is also reflected on the design of the face plates, or at least that is how I interpret the two circles, black and white….
The package was also very well thought, the Blue hour cable and a second cable (which I preferred), a dongle (SMSL DS10) with a Y cable (I hope they are also selling those, it's a great idea to not drain your phone's battery and maintain signal integrity), with additional usb cable, tips, and a nice box.
Would I buy one? Well, it's fun, but good fun. Despite a bumpy start, I ended up loving it and I'll be sorry to see it gone. So, yes, I would buy one, but for the time being I have other plans.

 

[armstrj2]

Nightjar Acoustic Duality impressions

I’ve received this unit as part of the tour kindly organised by Nightjar and @armstrj2.
Many thanks, guys!

A beautifully crafted set, with a design that speaks to me and seems to be purposefully chosen. The shells, although made out of metal, are very light, at 8,1g. That’s nothing compared to Legion’s 12,4g or Rhapsodio’s 27g.
The switch on the face plate is easy to activate with your finger, no need for pins or similar tools, thankfully.

First, I tried the Blue hour cable, that I really loved last year at CJ London. Eletech Baroque tips and SP3000T+Brise Tsuranagi as source.



I’ve listened to

Chimene Badi - nice staging, the voice remains close to the centre. It gets a bit strident at higher volume. It feels like a something is missing between the bass and the voice. Otherwise, very emotional, much more than expected from such a beast. The voice could have used more warmth for me.

Phil Collins - In the air tonight, again wonderful staging, very detailed. The bass guitar is more present than I’d like, but still manageable.
Another day in Paradise - This takes me back to my childhood, and the tape player we used to have. Despite a bit of coldness, it sounds very nice, the bass is more contained, does not smother any other frequencies.

Christophe Mae - Pays des merveilles I've perceived Duality as lacking a bit of energy. It sounded a bit lifeless. This song is very summer-ish, but the warmth was missing now. I could get used to this presentation, but it’s not my favourite.

After more tips rolling (Divinus velvet) and swapping the cable I started to enjoy it more and more. You see, when hooked up to the Kensei, the sound is less bassy, and more balanced. The highs carry more energy, getting really close to my ideal (I am a firm believer in DD for everything). The treble has not only ample energy, but it’s got plenty of body. I also found them more engaging in this combination.



Judas Priest - Trial by fire - the songs that made me buy Mest 3. The bass is fantastic, just the right amountof sub bass for my taste, good mid bass. The drums, in particular bass drum don’t have the same impact I’m used to, but I have been spoiled lately (Rhapsodio V3). The guitars have good attack, but are lacking a bit of body, they sound just a bit thin.
I still have the impression there is something missing, like a passage way between the mid bass and upper mids.
Vs IE900
IE900 is notoriously V shaped, but with a bespoke Brise cable and custom tips, is a whole lot other IEM than stock. It's one of my two most bassy IEMs, so I chose to use it for comparisons. The guitars have more grittiness, the cymbals sound even more natural, although with a bit less energy. The drums hit with explosive impact; in terms of attack, IE900 takes the prize. The mids have just enough body for me. I do like my V-tunings...

2Pac - All eyez on me - Duality shines here, although the treble is a bit hot. This song is very telling, any sibilance is brought to light and bright sets struggle (it's impossible with some bright IEMs)). It was not the case here. Moved the switch to the other position and boom, perfect. The effect when the bass stops is akin to the time standing still. The voice is clear, the treble is no longer that hot and the bass is simply stunning, with very good slam and impact. The bass is like a matrix, in which all the other sounds are seamlessly integrated.
IE900 was the right choice for comparison…it gets somehow close to Duality on technicalities, but in terms of overall tonality it is closer to my taste. There is less rumble, but almost the same precise control, the level of details in the bass comes very close to Duality, never quite reaching the same level, though. In terms of mids, I can’t say I prefer one or the other. The treble is certainly more energetic than Duality (in bass mode), so it is a bit much at times. The stage is narrower than Duality. But the custom tips go deep in my ears, so this could be a reason. Despite, IE900 being my preferred tuning, I’d take Duality over IE900 for this one.

Tori Amos - Ocean to ocean (Live) the openness of the stage lets you know immediately you are at a concert. With the switch in the bass position, the bass is overwhelming. but once switched back, it’s perfect. Unexpectedly mellow and sensitive.
IE900 - also gives the impression of open space. Less treble energy, but not necessarily lacking. The bass guitar does not have the same texture and level of details, but this doesn’t hinder from enjoying the music. The drums are thunderous, but the piano sounded more natural on Duality, as well as Tori’s voice. A bit of metallic timbre on the IE900. The sub bass is less prominent on the Senny, leaving more breathing room for the rest of instruments. It’s hard to pick a favourite, I’ll call this a draw.

I could go on like this forever. No matter how I turn it around, the Duality is a great IEM and I sure am glad I had a chance to try it.

Conclusion
I understand why they called it Duality. It’s a two in one. It can be polite, at low volume, with the right music, or it can turn into a rumbling monster at higher volume levels. I really love how this is done. At low volume it is mostly balanced and behaved. Crank it up and it transforms. I don’t even need the switch, apart from hiphop, I left it in the off position. This dual character is also reflected on the design of the face plates, or at least that is how I interpret the two circles, black and white….
The package was also very well thought, the Blue hour cable and a second cable (which I preferred), a dongle (SMSL DS10) with a Y cable (I hope they are also selling those, it's a great idea to not drain your phone's battery and maintain signal integrity), with additional usb cable, tips, and a nice box.
Would I buy one? Well, it's fun, but good fun. Despite a bumpy start, I ended up loving it and I'll be sorry to see it gone. So, yes, I would buy one, but for the time being I have other plans.

@mikaik Thanks for sharing these great impressions. I am sure you will be reunited with Duality at some point in the future!

 

[Loke13]

Time for my Duality tour recap. First of all, I would like to thank @Chang and @armstrj2 for organizing the tour. Over the last 3 days, I spent about 15 hours with the Duality in my ears. It's definitely less than I would like, but enough to have my own opinion about them.

A few words about me. I am not a reviewer, I have no talent for technical description of sound and breaking down music into its micro factors. I won't call myself a basshead, but I like airy and full sound with strong bass. Where tolerance ends for most, for me, fun usually begins. Please take this post with a grain of salt, because it was written under the influence of emotions.

Ok, to the point. After unpacking the package with the tour kit, a very positive impression was made by the box hiding 3 bags. It may be just an aluminum black block, but the impression is very positive.

Tour bags containing:

Duality IEM
- Synthesis 4-wire cable
- Blue Hour 2-wire cable
- Blue Hour 2-wire impedance adapter
- Eartips
- SMSL D10 dongle with USB C to C cable
- USB C cable with split data and power to use dongle with external power for powerbank

What again caused a positive surprise was the quality of the IEMs and cables themselves. The photos definitely do not show their charm and quality of workmanship. I could not resist and despite the lack of time, I managed to plug them into the DAP for a moment. Here is the first surprise. Dx340 set to low gain and volume scale 45/100 was barely able to extract any sound from them. Changing to mid gain did not change much. Only high gain and turning up the volume to 70/100 seemed to be almost ok.
Turning the volume up doesn't make much sense, because distortions start to appear. The situation is saved by running super gain in dx340. Most of my listening sessions were done this way. I used amp16 in AB mode because it suited me best with duality.

My everyday bass department is xe6 and I complement them with rn6. I was curious how the duality would fare against the twins from fir, and it turns out that they fare very well.

Of course, it's a completely different beast, but it has many advantages. Despite the huge amount of bass they give, I would describe them as neutral. They are not too bright or too warm. The stage on the stock cable is correct, just ok. It is quite wide and deep, but after changing the cable to 2w they sounds clearly wider and deeper. There is even more space for instruments.

What Duality does unrivaledn is the reproduction of sub-bass. Its descent is almost tectonic, it has a powerful impact and lively resonance. Despite its rich presence, the bass does not flood other bands, but creates space for them. Its control with such an amount is a phenomenon for me. Regardless of whether I listened to jazz, country, movies soundtracks, electronics or rap. The bass was perfectly controlled everywhere. The mids are slightly behind, but in no case did I get the impression that they were covered. I am used to a closer presentation, especially vocals, but I can't say that I miss anything. The upper mids and highs are pleasantly natural. They sound a bit brighter, but not too bright. What surprised me is that they do not extract sibilants even where I know they are. These aren't the best choice for treble heads, but I didn't miss anything. I could end my impressions here, summing up that the sound is quite nice, I like the bass, but I don't see the point of changing from rn6 or xe6.

Well...... No!!! I have to mention one configuration that totally knocked me out of my shoes. I plugged Eletech SOA in Duality and for the next few hours I was immersed in the music.

The bass receded into the background, reaching even greater depth. The bass resolution also increased. The instruments moved noticeably closer, they sound livelier with a certain note of sweetness. The amount of detail increased, and the dynamics improved significantly. The space above the head opened up, letting in more air. However, the icing on the cake are the vocals!! Velvety moved forward, more in 3d with a slight reverb. I like to sometimes switch cables and I think that it is often the final touch in completing the track. I do not think that cables have magical properties, but sometimes the synergy can be very surprising. I do not think that the changes they introduce justify their price .... apart from a few exceptions. I consider this to be one of them.

In fact, the only cons , and at the same time the thing that stops me from buying them is the feeling that I do not use their maximum potential. At a higher volume set in the DAP, distortion sometimes occurs. After some correspondence with couple headfiers, I have the impression that a portable amplifier would solve the problem and get even more out of the Duality. However, for the time being, for ergonomic reasons it isn't possibly for me. Not yet.
This was my first contact with nightjar, but certainly not the last

 

[phiemon]

Time for my Duality tour recap. First of all, I would like to thank @Chang and @armstrj2 for organizing the tour. Over the last 3 days, I spent about 15 hours with the Duality in my ears. It's definitely less than I would like, but enough to have my own opinion about them.

A few words about me. I am not a reviewer, I have no talent for technical description of sound and breaking down music into its micro factors. I won't call myself a basshead, but I like airy and full sound with strong bass. Where tolerance ends for most, for me, fun usually begins. Please take this post with a grain of salt, because it was written under the influence of emotions.

Ok, to the point. After unpacking the package with the tour kit, a very positive impression was made by the box hiding 3 bags. It may be just an aluminum black block, but the impression is very positive.

Tour bags containing:

Duality IEM
- Synthesis 4-wire cable
- Blue Hour 2-wire cable
- Blue Hour 2-wire impedance adapter
- Eartips
- SMSL D10 dongle with USB C to C cable
- USB C cable with split data and power to use dongle with external power for powerbank


What again caused a positive surprise was the quality of the IEMs and cables themselves. The photos definitely do not show their charm and quality of workmanship. I could not resist and despite the lack of time, I managed to plug them into the DAP for a moment. Here is the first surprise. Dx340 set to low gain and volume scale 45/100 was barely able to extract any sound from them. Changing to mid gain did not change much. Only high gain and turning up the volume to 70/100 seemed to be almost ok.
Turning the volume up doesn't make much sense, because distortions start to appear. The situation is saved by running super gain in dx340. Most of my listening sessions were done this way. I used amp16 in AB mode because it suited me best with duality.

My everyday bass department is xe6 and I complement them with rn6. I was curious how the duality would fare against the twins from fir, and it turns out that they fare very well.



Of course, it's a completely different beast, but it has many advantages. Despite the huge amount of bass they give, I would describe them as neutral. They are not too bright or too warm. The stage on the stock cable is correct, just ok. It is quite wide and deep, but after changing the cable to 2w they sounds clearly wider and deeper. There is even more space for instruments.


What Duality does unrivaledn is the reproduction of sub-bass. Its descent is almost tectonic, it has a powerful impact and lively resonance. Despite its rich presence, the bass does not flood other bands, but creates space for them. Its control with such an amount is a phenomenon for me. Regardless of whether I listened to jazz, country, movies soundtracks, electronics or rap. The bass was perfectly controlled everywhere. The mids are slightly behind, but in no case did I get the impression that they were covered. I am used to a closer presentation, especially vocals, but I can't say that I miss anything. The upper mids and highs are pleasantly natural. They sound a bit brighter, but not too bright. What surprised me is that they do not extract sibilants even where I know they are. These aren't the best choice for treble heads, but I didn't miss anything. I could end my impressions here, summing up that the sound is quite nice, I like the bass, but I don't see the point of changing from rn6 or xe6.

Well...... No!!! I have to mention one configuration that totally knocked me out of my shoes. I plugged Eletech SOA in Duality and for the next few hours I was immersed in the music.



The bass receded into the background, reaching even greater depth. The bass resolution also increased. The instruments moved noticeably closer, they sound livelier with a certain note of sweetness. The amount of detail increased, and the dynamics improved significantly. The space above the head opened up, letting in more air. However, the icing on the cake are the vocals!! Velvety moved forward, more in 3d with a slight reverb. I like to sometimes switch cables and I think that it is often the final touch in completing the track. I do not think that cables have magical properties, but sometimes the synergy can be very surprising. I do not think that the changes they introduce justify their price .... apart from a few exceptions. I consider this to be one of them.

In fact, the only cons , and at the same time the thing that stops me from buying them is the feeling that I do not use their maximum potential. At a higher volume set in the DAP, distortion sometimes occurs. After some correspondence with couple headfiers, I have the impression that a portable amplifier would solve the problem and get even more out of the Duality. However, for the time being, for ergonomic reasons it isn't possibly for me. Not yet.
This was my first contact with nightjar, but certainly not the last

Really great impressions, thanks!

Try the Blue Hours with the Firs brothers and you will be surprised - in a positive way. Actually, a comparison with OTL would be interesting.

 

[Loke13]

Really great impressions, thanks!

Try the Blue Hours with the Firs brothers and you will be surprised - in a positive way. Actually, a comparison with OTL would be interesting.

Thank.

Yes I know you liked this combination. I preferred not to check for peace of mind

 

[emdeevee]

Time for my Duality tour recap. First of all, I would like to thank @Chang and @armstrj2 for organizing the tour. Over the last 3 days, I spent about 15 hours with the Duality in my ears. It's definitely less than I would like, but enough to have my own opinion about them.

A few words about me. I am not a reviewer, I have no talent for technical description of sound and breaking down music into its micro factors. I won't call myself a basshead, but I like airy and full sound with strong bass. Where tolerance ends for most, for me, fun usually begins. Please take this post with a grain of salt, because it was written under the influence of emotions.

Ok, to the point. After unpacking the package with the tour kit, a very positive impression was made by the box hiding 3 bags. It may be just an aluminum black block, but the impression is very positive.

Tour bags containing:

Duality IEM
- Synthesis 4-wire cable
- Blue Hour 2-wire cable
- Blue Hour 2-wire impedance adapter
- Eartips
- SMSL D10 dongle with USB C to C cable
- USB C cable with split data and power to use dongle with external power for powerbank


What again caused a positive surprise was the quality of the IEMs and cables themselves. The photos definitely do not show their charm and quality of workmanship. I could not resist and despite the lack of time, I managed to plug them into the DAP for a moment. Here is the first surprise. Dx340 set to low gain and volume scale 45/100 was barely able to extract any sound from them. Changing to mid gain did not change much. Only high gain and turning up the volume to 70/100 seemed to be almost ok.
Turning the volume up doesn't make much sense, because distortions start to appear. The situation is saved by running super gain in dx340. Most of my listening sessions were done this way. I used amp16 in AB mode because it suited me best with duality.

My everyday bass department is xe6 and I complement them with rn6. I was curious how the duality would fare against the twins from fir, and it turns out that they fare very well.



Of course, it's a completely different beast, but it has many advantages. Despite the huge amount of bass they give, I would describe them as neutral. They are not too bright or too warm. The stage on the stock cable is correct, just ok. It is quite wide and deep, but after changing the cable to 2w they sounds clearly wider and deeper. There is even more space for instruments.


What Duality does unrivaledn is the reproduction of sub-bass. Its descent is almost tectonic, it has a powerful impact and lively resonance. Despite its rich presence, the bass does not flood other bands, but creates space for them. Its control with such an amount is a phenomenon for me. Regardless of whether I listened to jazz, country, movies soundtracks, electronics or rap. The bass was perfectly controlled everywhere. The mids are slightly behind, but in no case did I get the impression that they were covered. I am used to a closer presentation, especially vocals, but I can't say that I miss anything. The upper mids and highs are pleasantly natural. They sound a bit brighter, but not too bright. What surprised me is that they do not extract sibilants even where I know they are. These aren't the best choice for treble heads, but I didn't miss anything. I could end my impressions here, summing up that the sound is quite nice, I like the bass, but I don't see the point of changing from rn6 or xe6.

Well...... No!!! I have to mention one configuration that totally knocked me out of my shoes. I plugged Eletech SOA in Duality and for the next few hours I was immersed in the music.



The bass receded into the background, reaching even greater depth. The bass resolution also increased. The instruments moved noticeably closer, they sound livelier with a certain note of sweetness. The amount of detail increased, and the dynamics improved significantly. The space above the head opened up, letting in more air. However, the icing on the cake are the vocals!! Velvety moved forward, more in 3d with a slight reverb. I like to sometimes switch cables and I think that it is often the final touch in completing the track. I do not think that cables have magical properties, but sometimes the synergy can be very surprising. I do not think that the changes they introduce justify their price .... apart from a few exceptions. I consider this to be one of them.

In fact, the only cons , and at the same time the thing that stops me from buying them is the feeling that I do not use their maximum potential. At a higher volume set in the DAP, distortion sometimes occurs. After some correspondence with couple headfiers, I have the impression that a portable amplifier would solve the problem and get even more out of the Duality. However, for the time being, for ergonomic reasons it isn't possibly for me. Not yet.
This was my first contact with nightjar, but certainly not the last

Really appreciate your impressions, thanks! I have the USA Watercooler Tour unit right now and the idea of cable rolling this was beating me. I don't have SoA, but I do have Ambition and will try that now! I have wondered if I am one cable roll away from true greatness!

 

[Loke13]

Really appreciate your impressions, thanks! I have the USA Watercooler Tour unit right now and the idea of cable rolling this was beating me. I don't have SoA, but I do have Ambition and will try that now! I have wondered if I am one cable roll away from true greatness!

Ambitions looks like an 8-wire version of SOA so it could be really interesting. I'm waiting for your impressions

 

[marcus2704]

I am being sent a demo set with a Synthesis 4 wire cable & impedance adaptor next week, really looking forward to this as these (along with the Amber Pearl and Fei Wan) are at the top of my IEM list at the moment. I intend to pair them with a Hugo 2, but I do have the SAEQ Armageddon to hand to form a comparison of sorts, I heard these are very demanding IEMs to drive.

 

[Aetherhole]

I am being sent a demo set with a Synthesis 4 wire cable & impedance adaptor next week, really looking forward to this as these (along with the Amber Pearl and Fei Wan) are at the top of my IEM list at the moment. I intend to pair them with a Hugo 2, but I do have the SAEQ Armageddon to hand to form a comparison of sorts, I heard these are very demanding IEMs to drive.

The Hugo2 may not be enough to properly drive them with or without the impedance adapter. Curious how well it’ll do, so keep us posted. That said, the SAEQ will be MORE Than enough to drive it.

From my experience I had the Duality with the impedance adapter at the same volume position as the OG Susvara and my Immanis for my IEM listening preferences.

 

[marcus2704]

Had a couple of hours with these so far and playing my way through my trusted playlist of audio test tracks, very impressed! Initially ran from the Hugo 2 and am very pleased with how it sounds, the clean house sound of Chord works well with the warmer sound of the Duality so as not to make it overly warm. No issue at all with volume levels or anything, plenty loud enough and no distortion.

My plan was to buy something like an EA4 to amp the Duality off the Hugo 2 but initial feeling is that I may not even need to.

I have the BH 2W cable and impedance adaptor, as well as the standard 4W stock cable. Maybe its my age (50) but I struggle to hear too much difference between them so far, which in a way is great as it will save me some money, alternatively perhaps I just need to listen more to pick out the nuances between them. As always, once the IEMs are removed from my ears I am relying on a memory, I expect were I to be able to flip between the two the differences would be more apparent.

Playing through the SAEQ, a different presentation to the Hugo 2, I hear an elevated bass, really kicks. This whole thing came about as I moved and lost my dedicated listening space for my rack. If I can work out my desk area to be able to place the Armageddon then that will be my optimal choice, with the Hugo 2 in DAC mode. The power of the Armageddon trivialises every headphone on the planet which opens many options for me going forward, and today I learnt that it is pretty great with IEMs too.

 

[MusicalDoc8]

Double D fun
Pro:
- Nails bass like there's no tomorrow
- Switch on bass is even more fun, and it's very controlled
Cons:
- Highs go in the booster seat on the back, their extension is good but there's better.
- mids feel a bit "separated" and recessed.
And here we go again, another tour in the EU gets announced and i dive into it like it's saturday morning and it's time to get my coffee. Time to sip a nice cup of nigt in a jar, and see if it's my cup of coffee or not.
The box it comes in is fancy, the accessories include two cables, an impedence filter 4.4mm to 4.4mm male to female,a lots of tips and a small portable dac/amp that...i sincerely bypassed because i konw how my gear sounds and i need a reference point if i hope to make a decent opinion worth a damn to people on the internet that might want a matter-of-fact review with no frills and lots of "meat" on it.

All the listening has been done on my lovely pair HiBy RS8 + Cayin C9.

Roundabout - YES - Fragile
It's a pleasure to listen to it with the nightjar. Bass is plentyful, though the voices lose a bit of their presence, resulting a bit "separated" from the bass. If you turn on the switch, you get even more bass. That is all fun and games, and in this kind of song it does make for a very fun additional bass-addition. The voice still seems a bit isolated and recessed before the powerful bass.
It keeps a coherent bass, not the muddy kind. I feel the highs are those who are unfortunately hit, since i feel them subdued. Not a problem with this type of song, but it's a point that's important to know.

Sirius - Aoi Eir
Right out of the bat, i think the nightjars are not the best for the female vocals. Reduced extension in the high register works fine and dandy in male voices (expceptions apply) but suffucate a bit the female ones. Bass's fun and note weight is pleasurable, but in a song that has a very extended sound range, tipping toward the highs, you can feel it's not their preferred territory.

The Demon Of The Round Table - Ace Combat Zero
Mix of lots of highs, cords, voice and deep basses. I think it's one of the songs that help me divide the wheat from the chaff easily.
Right off the bat, it seems the nightjar exhibit less instrument separation. Bass is plentyful and powerful, but the highs take a hit. They don't disappear, but they lose lushness and spark.

Feel Good Inc
Another song that i can safely include in the group "yes the duality are right for it". Male voices are deeper and thus are more in tune with the tuning of the duality. Not too much highs so you won't notice any...reduction.

Beethoven. No.1 21 1.Adagio Molto-Allegro con brio.
Yup gotta test it with classical music to complete the circle and have as much variety as possible.
The nightjar here are at their weakest. Not bad, mind you, otherwise they wouldn't be in TOTL territory. But the highs are weak, and there's slight distortion in the clarinets at around the 0.52 mark. It's i think tied to the nature of their own sound profile.


They also come with an adapter 4.4 to 4.4 to increase impedence, and testing it just reduced a bit the distortion of the highest highs by a smidge. Otherwise i didn't feel it much necessary.
There's a switch on the IEM to make it go even more into the bass zone. I tried it for fun, and fun it is, but kinda shadows even more the rest of the frequencies.
Are these TOTL iem? Yes they are, they are nice, clean and impactful. They are also a SPECIALIZED IEM. Why do i say that? because you can't measure a fish by its ability to climb a ladder, nor you should think every single IEM on earth is tuned to be an all rounder. My annihilator keep being my reference IEM like my LCD5 are my HP reference. They are all rounders and i can only ask to have more of the same from them.
In the case of nightjar duality, you are going to have a great time IF you aim for a bass-centric IEM that is for the times when ou want to bang your head and enjoy impactful sound.
If you're in the market for a bass-centric IEM, i would very warmly reccomend you try out the Nightjar Duality. They are fun, comfortable and beautiful.

EDIT: Sorry for being late, i got distracted by personal stuff and forgot to post the review.

 

[UnknownOperator]

For anyone planning to purchase Duality, I suggest buying it with the Synthesis 8-wire. I had the Blue Hour 2-wire and Synthesis 4-wire and the Synthesis 8-wire features an articulate presentation without changing the inherent character of this bass-first monitor.