[earfonia]

 
These 3 IEMs are some of the best IEMs I've ever heard, regardless of the price. I don't have any particular reason for comparing them, just happen to have them, so i thought to write some reviews and comparison for these 3 wonderful IEMs would be interesting.
 
Both DUNU DN-1000 and DN-2000 have different sound signature than the JVC HA-FX850, actually quite the opposite, where the DUNUs are more toward natural sound with good clarity and transparency, while the JVC HA-FX850 is more towards warm and organic sound signature with a rather strong bass. They are excellent in their own way. Both the DUNUs are currently my reference IEMs. The JVC HA-FX850 I used in this review belong to my brother, I borrowed them for about 1 month.
 
This review and comparison is not about which one is the best IEM. There is no such thing as one gear suits all. It's all about mix and match of the recordings we listen and the gears we use, and most important, our sonic preferences. I hope this article might help the readers to get better idea of the sound signatures of the DUNU DN-1000, DN-2000, & JVC HA-FX850.
 

 
 
 
Balanced Sound
 
Before we continue with the review and comparison, I think it is necessary to clarify to the readers, about what is 'balanced sound' in my definition. We all have our own definition of what we perceive as balanced sound. Could be similar, could be varied greatly. Also greatly influenced by recordings we use to listen. What i consider as 'balanced sound' is tonal balance with good balance from bass to treble, that I perceive as realistic and close to life performance. I prefer a more realistic type of tonal balance, rather than the bland tonal balance that often considered as flat tonal balance. I will list a few earphones and headphones that I consider relatively balanced. Readers can gauge from it to compare with their own definition of balanced sound.
 
Relatively balanced sounding IEM:
Fitear 334 (universal custom demo)
Audio Technica ATH-IM03 with their stock tips.
Audio Technica ATH-IM70 with their stock tips.
DUNU DN-1000 with the JVC EP-FX8 silicone eartips. One of the most balanced sounding IEM I've ever heard. But not DN-1000 with its stock eartips.
Narmoo S1 with their stock eartips also sounds quite balanced to me.
Xiaomi Piston iF Special Edition with Audio Technica IM eartips, slightly V shape, almost balanced.
 
Relatively balanced sounding Headphones:
Philips Fidelio X1 with Oyaide HPC-35 cable. To me, X1 has better tonal balance than my HD800 and T1. HD800 and T1 excel on other area, but X1 wins on tonal balance.
Shure SRH1540, a bit too much bass for my taste, and lacking slightly of the upper treble extension, otherwise can be considered balanced.
 
 
 
Eartips
 
Eartips play a great role on the sound quality, therefore it is important to be specific, which eartips were used during the review. I tried many different eartips for all the 3 IEMs, and then used the type of eartips that I find sound best.
 
I was a bit disappointed with DN-1000 when I tried it out of the box. The treble was a bit metallic with the stock silicone eartips. The first few weeks with DN-1000, I used foam eartips, Comply T-500, that smoothen the treble, made the DN-1000 sounds very open and airy, but a bit lacking in bass. Until I did some experiments with more eartips, and found the silicone eartips from my JVC HA-FXD80 give the best sound and tonal balance for my DN-1000. Treble from the foam eartips & bass from the silicone eartips. Best of both worlds. It was a very happy moment, and I was not alone. I was with my friend Leo who is a sound engineer, and for hours we listened to DN-1000 with the JVC HA-FXD80 silicone eartips. We have same conclusion, very good tonal balance on the whole spectrum, without any annoying peaks and dips. Simply, we didn't find anything to fault the combination. From that moment, the JVC FXD80 tips stay with my DN-1000. Highly recommended for those with DN-1000. And I found that spare eartips for the JVC FXD series are available on Amazon Japan. Just search the following:
 
Large Size: JVC EP-FX8L-B (14 mm diameter)
Medium Size: JVC EP-FX8M-B (12 mm diameter)
Small Size: JVC EP-FX8S-B (10 mm diameter) 
 

 
Please note, that the JVC eartips size is about 1 mm larger than generic eartips size. I use 12-13 mm eartips, so I use the medium size. They are a bit stiff when new, but after some usage will get soften a little bit. 
 
 

 

 
While for DN-2000 and FX850, I found the stock eartips are quite optimum, so I use their stock eartips. Although at the end I found that the DUNU grey silicone eartips (2K Tips) are actually better for FX850. I will explain more at the JVC HA-XF850 review.
 
Eartips used during review:
DUNU DN-2000: The stock DUNU grey colour silicone eartips (2K Tips), medium + silver ring adjustment.
DUNU DN-1000: JVC EP-FX8M-B, medium.
JVC HA-FX850: The stock JVC Spiral Dot eartips, medium. 
 

 
 
 
Summary
 
For those who don’t have much time to read all the details, here is the simplistic short summary for all the 3 IEMS:
 
DUNU DN-2000: One of the best sounding IEM from natural sound perspective.
DUNU DN-1000: One of the best sounding IEM from balanced and realistic sound perspective.
JVC HA-FX850: One of the best wooden boutique IEM for warm and organic sound signature.
 
I would say ‘The Perfectionist’ would be a nice title for DN-2000 to reflect their character, since it is a rather difficult and picky IEM to be paired with. While for DN-1000 I would call it ‘The Fun and Adventurous’ goes well with wide variety of genres and recording, and quite easy on players. FX850 would be ‘The Romantic’, charming its fans with its warm and intimate vocal.
 

 
 
 
Direct links to:
Review of DUNU DN-2000
Review of DUNU DN-1000
Review of JVC HA-FX850
Comparison of DUNU DN-1000, DN-2000, & JVC HA-FX850
 
 
 
Personal Preference
 
Although I've mentioned before that this review and comparison is not to find which one is the best IEM of the 3, I do have my own personal preferences. I do like all the 3 IEMs, and have used them to listen to various recordings, and tried them with various gears that I have. But if I have to choose those that better suit my preferences, I will choose the DN-2000 and DN-1000. I'm simply captivated by the DN-2000 charming sonic character, and the DN-1000 balanced and fun sound. It would be very hard for me to choose between the DUNUs, as I really like them both almost equally. FX850 has a very nice organic sound character, but a bit too warm and bassy for my taste. FX850 is very good for pop and vocal, but it doesn't shine with classical. I know there are some people that looking exactly for warm and organic sound signature with strong bass like FX850, as they go very well with many modern genres recordings. For some people FX850 might be their first choice. So, it's just simply my personal preferences, not judgment over their sound quality.
 
With all the players, DACs, and amplifiers I used in this review, their sound signature varied to some extent. My comments and impressions for the 3 IEMs would be mainly from Yulong Sabre DA8, which is the source & amp combo that I found one of the best for the 3 IEMs, as well as from other DACs like DACport, GO 450, and Dragonfly. Somehow those DACs still sound better than Fiio X5 and DX90, without additional amplifier.
 
 
 
Equipment used in this review
 
Yulong Sabre DA8: DAC + HeadAmp combo. My reference DAC beside my Mytek Stereo 192-DSD. One of the best DAC + HeadAmp combo I've ever heard. Very spacious, detailed, smooth, full bodied, realistic dynamic, and very musical.
Yulong Sabre A28: Desktop balanced headphone amplifier. Natural with slightly dark sound signature. The balance headphone output is the best feature of this headphone amplifier. In this review, Yulong A28 balanced input is connected to Yulong DA8 balanced output.
Fiio E12DIY with AD8599 Op-Amp + LME49600 buffer: Portable headphone amplifier. One of my favorite portable headphone amplifier. Quiet, black background, clean and powerful sounding. AD8599 sounds smooth with good depth and spacious imaging, slightly dark, very smooth treble with very good and powerful bass. AD8599 is one of my favorite Op-Amp.
Centrance DACport: DAC + HeadAmp combo. Very organic and musical sounding. very smooth sounding treble, pretty close to AD8599. Always match very well with bright or analytical sounding earphones & headphones.
Audioquest Dragonfly v1.0c: DAC + HeadAmp combo. Marvelous little DAC. Transparent, airy, and powerful. Slightly lean to analytical sounding.
Light Harmonic Geek Out 450 v10.02: DAC + HeadAmp combo. Newest mini DAC in my arsenal, very powerful and detailed sounding. Sound signature is closer to the Dragonfly than to DACport. Lean a little bit to sterile sounding.
iBasso DX90: Portable player. Natural sounding, not warm and not analytical. Good dynamic, detail and resolution.
Fiio X5: Portable player. Natural warm, very smooth & musical. Sounds a tad warmer than DX90. Good dynamic, detail and resolution. 
 

 
 
 
Some recordings mostly used in this review
 

 

[earfonia]

DUNU DN-2000
 
Hybrid 3 ways: 2x Balance Armature + 1x 10mm Dynamic driver
http://www.dunu-topsound.com/DN-2000.html
 
 

 
I've let around 6 of my friends (non head-fier's) to try DN-2000, without first telling them how much it cost, or what technology behind it, simply just ask them to try it, and to see their initial honest impression. All impressions were an honest "WOW". They simply amazed by how beautiful DN-2000 sounds. DN-2000 does have that initial ‘Wow’ factor. But frankly, after using them regularly for about a month now, that wow factor does fade a little on me. I guess it is simply because the bass is a bit lacking to my liking.
 
 'Highly refined sonic character' maybe the simplest way to describe DN-2000 sound signature. It has natural tonal balance with very good level of detail and resolution. Wide frequency coverage from very low bass to upper treble, in a natural manner, flat smooth without any annoying peak and dip. Clarity and transparency are good, without sounding analytic. Spacious and open sounding, with very focused and clear imaging. Very clear instrument separation and placement. DN-2000 renders the room or hall reverberation very clearly in a natural manner. Somehow I can hear room's reverberation easier on DN-2000, better than DN-1000 and FX850. I notice this quality when I was listening the album of Dr. Chesky's Sensational, Fantastic, and Simply Amazing Binaural Sound Show. DN-2000 is simply sensational with binaural recordings. Maybe one of the best IEM for binaural recordings.
 

 
Midrange is the strength of DN-2000, sweet, smooth, spacious, and detailed. Simply charming and beautiful midrange. A tad warmer than DN-1000, but not as warm as FX850. The midrange could be beautifully mesmerizing, but the quality is highly dependent on the headphone amplifier. When the pairing is not optimal, the midrange sounds loose, lacking definition, with nasal-sounding vocal. There is a little emphasize on 400-600 Hz area on DN-2000, but the intensity is quite different from player to player. I heard the highest intensity of that mid hump is when DN-2000 paired with DX90. For recording like the Chesky ‘The World Greatest Audiophile Vocal Recording’, I hear a rather annoying nasal sound on the vocal, slightly stronger than what I perceived as natural vocal sound. The midrange also sounds a bit glaring, and less detailed. This unnatural nasal sound and ‘midrange glaring’ could be one of the indications of whether the player / amp are a good matching for DN-2000 or not. From the gears used in this review, the DACs and amp seem to be more capable to drive DN-2000 properly than the DAPs. Fiio E12DIY with AD8599 Op-Amp + LME49600 buffer is one of my favourite amp for DN-2000. The ring adjustment reduces this mid hump. The silver ring gives me the most balanced tonal balanced with the 2K Tips.
 

 

Comparing the headphone output of DX90 and the headphone output of Fiio E12DIY using DIY switch box.
 
DN-2000 somehow reminds me of my Beyerdynamic T1. They don’t share the same tonality, but there are some midrange qualities that make my mind relate it to my T1. Most probably the sweet, smooth, spacious, and detailed midrange of DN-2000. T1 still excels in detail, but DN-2000 as an IEM, also has an excellent level of detail. Using foobar equalizer, I tried to equalize DN-2000 to mimic T1 tonal balance, to observe the difference of bass and treble level between the two. The estimated result is, DN-2000 has about 4 dB more bass (80 Hz downward), and about 3 dB less treble (8 kHz onward) than T1. To my ears, only from the tonal balance perspective, I prefer DN-2000 tonal balance than the T1's. I always feel my T1 is a bit bright and lacking a bit bass. But T1 as a full size headphone is still better in detail and spaciousness. This is just a simplistic comparison to give some idea of how DN-2000 sounds in comparison to T1. In this comparison, I used Yulong DA8 headphone output for DN-2000, and Yulong A28 balanced headphone output for T1.
 
Bass has very good low bass extension, good body, and at natural level. But bass rather lacking of bass slam and impact. Bass level is the lowest among the 3, but still considered natural and far from anaemic bass. Simple EQ to shelf-up 50-80 Hz region improves the bass nicely. On foobar I just need around 2-3 dB shelf-up on 55 & 77 Hz, and then gently roll down. But on my DAP like DX90 and X5, sometime more than 3-4 dB boost is what I like. All EQ don't behave in the same manner, so the level of bass boost might vary.
 
When reading user impressions on the impression thread, mostly agree that the bass although extends low but lacking of punch and impact, and the midrange is very beautiful. But for the treble, there are mix impressions. Some say the treble rolls off early, some say neutral, some say bright. I did experience both the treble that sounds roll off early and neutral. I don’t experience bright treble, unless the recording is bright and DN-2000 just honestly reveals it. As mentioned before, DN-2000 quite sensitive with the amplifier. With Fiio X5 headphone output I hear soft treble that lacks of extension, but when connected to Fiio E12DIY amplifier with input from Fiio X5 line out, the treble extension is open up and DN-2000 treble sounds neutral and very transparent, especially when using the silver ring adjustment.
 

 
DN-2000 with the stock 2K eartips, without ring adjustment, treble is silky smooth and slightly softer than the midrange level. Treble extension is reasonably good, and I don't consider the treble rolls off early, but treble is not as airy as DN-1000. The midrange level is slightly more dominant than the treble, especially when listening classical music at low volume. I do prefer to have slightly more airy treble when listening classical. But for Chesky and other modern genres recordings, treble and midrange sound balanced. So I consider the DN-2000 treble is sometime on the softer side of neutral, but not lacking and not bright. Silver ring helps to improve the soft treble to a more balance level with the midrange.
 
Treble quality is good, no annoying peak and dip, very smooth and sounds natural, although slightly less airy when compared to DN-1000. DN-2000 treble is affected by the value of the amplifier output impedance, so always use amplifier with less than 10 ohms output impedance for best treble clarity and transparency. Not only output impedance, but also the amplifier high frequency characteristic can be easily heard from the perceived treble quality.
 
Overall dynamic is good, lively, & never sounds compressed. But bass dynamic is just average due to slightly lacking of bass slam and impact.
 
Many multi drivers IEM suffers from incoherency between the drivers, that the drivers don't sound coherently in the same phase, like an ideal one single driver. This is mostly caused by the less than optimum crossover circuit, or the drivers don't have the same speed, as the woofer usually heavier and slower than the tweeter. From what I hear, DN-2000 does not suffer from any incoherency. Coherency is excellent on DN-2000 when properly paired with matching amplifier.
 
Beside the grey 2K silicone eartips, Comply T-500 foam eartips is my next favourite eartips for DN-2000, especially for classical music, for a more airy sound. Comply T-500 sounds slightly better than DN-2000 stock foam eartips, less bright, with a more natural airy treble. The JVC EP-FX8 eartips are not very good on DN-2000, sound thin and bright, lacking of bass and midrange body.
 
I tried all the ring adjustment, and I prefer the tonal balance of the 2K Tips with silver ring. The silver ring reduces the mids level a little bit, and improves the bass and treble level. But I’m also fine with the tonality without any ring. The blue and red rings shape the tonality more towards V shape tonality.
 
DN-2000 might not be for bass lover. Those who are looking for powerful bass with good bass slam and impact better look elsewhere. But for those who are looking for natural tonal balance with highly refined sonic characteristic will find DN-2000 is hard to beat at any price level.
 

 
 
 
Tonality: Natural with slight warm accent. Smooth, refined, and detailed. Slight emphasize on the midrange area.
Bass: Natural in level, good bass body, extends very low, but rather lacking in bass punch and impact.
Midrange: Simply very natural, beautiful & refined. Slightly fuller, warmer, and more forward than DN-1000.
Treble: Silky smooth and detailed, slightly softer then the midrange level, good clarity but slightly lacking of airiness.
Detail: Very detailed, but in a natural way, not in an exaggerated way like what we use to hear on analytic IEMs.
Imaging: Spacious and 3 dimensional, renders room acoustic in natural manner.
Dynamic and Transient: Bass dynamic is a bit weak and not so realistic, but midrange to treble sound fast and realistic.
Noise isolation: Good.
Comfort: DN-2000, like DN-1000 has large diameter nozzle, around 5.8 mm diameter. This large nozzle could be an issue for small ear canals. For me, DN-2000 is very comfortable, as comfortable as the DN-1000. I always wear it over the ears, so the grey silicone fins are not useful for me. Shape wise, I prefer the DN-1000 housing, smooth bullet shape, without the hook for the silicone fin. 
 

 
Build & design: Housing design doesn’t look as good and durable as DN-1000. Hard edges are prone to dent and scratches.
 

DN-2000 after around 1 month of use. Some scratches on the hard edges.
 
 
Burn-In
I didn’t notice any significant changes before and after 2 days burn-in.
 
Effect of high output impedance amplifier
Multi drivers IEM tonal balance is usually prone to amplifier output impedance due to their crossover circuit.  Tonal balance could change drastically with the change of amplifier output impedance, like what I found with ATH-IM02, where the treble level increases quite a lot with the increase of amplifier output impedance.
 
In this review I use the two outputs of LH Geek Out 450 for the test, one with 0.47 ohm output impedance (low Z), the other one with 47 ohms output impedance (high Z). I noticed when moving from low Z to high Z output, the treble level reduced, resulting a warmer and less transparent sound. The differences is mild to moderate, not really extreme. The high output impedance causes DN-2000 treble rolls off early. DACport has around 10 ohms output impedance, and DN-2000 sounds wonderful with DACport. I also tested with a DIY extension that I put 22 ohms resistor in series in the connector, treble level reduction started to become too evident, but generally still acceptable. So I conclude that DN-2000 still performs quite well with amplifier output impedance up to 20 ohm, which is practically acceptable. Beyond 20 ohms treble will start to sound too soft. For those with high output impedance player or DAC, like 1st gen AK100 (20 ohms) or old version of Meridian Explorer DAC (50 ohms), or when using smart phone that generally has rather high output impedance headphone output (in the range of 50 ohms), please take note.
 
More reading here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/705687/review-of-audio-technica-ath-im01-ath-im02-ath-im03-ath-im04-ath-im50-ath-im70#post_10270915
 
On DN-2000, low output impedance will improve clarity and transparency, while high output impedance will reduces the clarity and transparency. Output impedance of 10 ohms or lower is recommended for best performance. Output impedance higher than 20 ohm is not recommended, as DN-2000 started to lose too much treble clarity & transparency.
 
Gears matching
Although DN-2000 is relatively easy to drive, and doesn't require large voltage swing to drive it, it does demand for good pairing, and also reveals the sound quality of the player / amp quite transparently. When it doesn't sound so good, don't quickly blame DN-2000, because it might just reveals the truth of the source sound quality, or simply it doesn’t pair well with the amplifier.
 
I don’t find my Fiio X5 and iBasso DX90 pair well with DN-2000. For DN-2000, Fiio X5 headphone output lacks of clarity, sounds like it has sharp and early low pass filter that reduces the treble clarity and transparency. While on DX90, the midrange sounds a bit loose, kind of amplifying the 400-600 Hz hump, which makes vocal sounds a little nasal-sounding. But when using the line output of the DAP, connected to Fiio E12DIY headphone amplifier, the combo sounds great on DN-2000, much better well driven bass and midrange, and much better clarity and transparency. Also improves upper treble extension. So DN-2000 does demand for good quality amplification, and quite picky on that. For my case, for portable setup, to use my Fiio E12DIY for my DAP is kind of a must for DN-2000, because I simply not really satisfied with the sound quality of DN-2000 when driven directly from my X5 and DX90, even though both DAPs have low output impedance on their headphones output.
 
Some of the best pairing would be with:
Yulong Sabre DA8, Centrance DACport, Dragonfly, & Fiio E12DIY with AD8599 Op-Amp + LME49600 buffer.
 
Geek Out 450 sounds great as well, but DN-2000 has better chemistry with the above.
I found with DN-2000, Geek Out 450 background noise is audible, more audible than other IEMs. Although it is just a very soft hiss noise. Besides that, GO 450 is also too powerful for DN-2000. I only have around a maximum of 18 levels of volume to play with, and normally my listening volume would be around 12-15 on windows volume fader.
 

 
 
Pros:
One of the best sounding IEM from the natural and refined sound perspective, regardless of the price.
Optimum sound from stock eartips, with other various types of eartips and ring adjustment for flexible sound tuning.
Easy to drive, doesn't require high voltage swing. But low output impedance of 10 ohms or lower is recommended.
Both straight down and over the ears wearing style.
Good build quality with solid metal housing.
Sounds good out of the box requires no or minimum burn-in.
Soft and flexible cable with no coiling memory effect.
 
Cons:
Quite particular with equipment pairing. But very rewarding when paired right.
Slighlty lacking of bass slam and impact.
Large nozzle limits the choices of third party eartips, and might not fit small ear canal.
Driver flex. For some people driver flex matters, for me it is not. Many of my IEMs have driver flex issue, and I don't consider it as an issue.
Relatively small cable for the relatively heavy housing. I hope the small cable will last.
Non-detachable Cable.
Hard edges at the outer part of the housing are prone to dent and scratches.
The hook for the silicone fin might cause discomfort.
 
Suggestion for improvement (maybe for DN-3000):
In my opinion, DN-1000 smooth bullet shape is better and more elegant than DN-2000 shape with hook and silicone wing. I suggest DUNU to collect some user feedback for the design, whether the silicone wing, or the smooth bullet shape is preferable. Hard edges are to be avoided.
The bass. I suggest DUNU to get Audio Technica ATH-CKR9, and let it burn-in for 200 hours, after that analyze the CKR9 bass quality. If DN-3000 can have CKR9 bass, DN-2000 midrange, and a more airy treble, it simply will become the best IEM in the world.
To include Comply T-500 foam eartips in the package.
Detachable cable with included balanced cable.
Ring adjustment is too thin and loose. It’s better if the ring is thicker with some grip to the nozzle.
 
 
Specifications:
Type : Hybrid 3 ways
Driver Unit : 1x Knowles Twin Balance Armature + 1x 10mm Dynamic driver
Frequency Response : 10 - 30,000 Hz
Impedance : 16 ohms
SPL : 102 +/- 2 dB
Plug : L shape 3.5mm 24 Gold plated stereo Mini plug
Cord Length : 1.2m Y shape OFC cable
Detachable Cable : No
Left & Right marking : Clear. Left dot & L/R print on housing.
Weight : 22g
Accessories : 9 sets of silicone eartips, 1 sets of foam eartips, 1 pair of Earhook, 3.5mm Female to 6.5mm Male Adapter, 3.5mm Female to 2-pin Male Adapter, Aluminum alloy box, 6 pairs of metal adjustment ring, 4 pairs of fitting rubber, Shirt Clip. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Genghis Khan’ in Mongolian text is engraved on the DN-2000 metal housing.
 
 
Other review and impression:
Dunu DN-2000 - Hybrid Impressions Thread (It's Here!)
Looking for Mr Perfect? Please meet Mr DUNU DN-2000
DUNU DN-2000 Review

 

[earfonia]

DUNU DN-1000
 
Hybrid 3 ways: 2x Balance Armature + 1x 10mm Dynamic driver
http://www.dunu-topsound.com/DN-1000.html
 
 

 
With the JVC eartips, DN-1000 sounds very balanced, realistic, and most important, very musical and fun sounding. DN-1000 has the realistic type of natural tonal balance, with no emphasize and deemphasize on any region of the frequency, just perfectly smooth and balanced. Good bass, clear mids, smooth and airy high, with good dynamic and lively sounding. Very good detail and transparency without sounding analytical. Truly an excellent all-rounder. With the JVC EP-FX8 eartips, sibilance is very well controlled without sacrificing clarity and transparency. I have no idea how the JVC EP-FX8 eartips do it, maybe there is a little bit of 'smoothening' on the treble, just slightly to remove most sibilance, without sacrificing treble detail. The result is simply amazing. Open, airy, transparent, without sibilance. The JVC EP-FX8 eartips is simply the 'missing secret ingredient' from the DN-1000 package.
 

 
Mids to treble transient is fast, and clarity is crystal clear, but i don't consider it sounds analytical. I guess it is due to the matching dynamic driver with the BA drivers, the dynamic driver seamlessly adds body to the midrange, creating clear and smooth midrange that never sounds dry or analytic. While the JVC EP-FX8 eartips smoothen the treble without reducing transparency and airiness. Balanced, smooth, transparent, and very musical, maybe the best way to describe how DN-1000 sounds with JVC EP-FX8 eartips.
 
Bass level and dynamic is better than DN-2000, better balance with the midrange. Only a few dB better, but since DN-1000 midrange is flatter and more balanced with the rest of the spectrum, not slightly emphasized like DN-2000, bass has better presence and body, and slightly better slam and punch than DN-2000 bass. But bass level is still far from basshead level. FX850 bass level in this case, is closer to basshead level. DN-1000 Bass power and dynamic is good and realistic, and low bass extension is nicely present in realistic level. But overall bass quality is not as good as ATH-CKR9 bass. CKR9 bass has better detail, texture, power and dynamic. I don't mean DN-1000 bass quality is bad, the bass is good. It is just that I ever heard better quality bass from other IEM, which is the ATH-CKR9. So there is still room for improvement for DN-1000 bass, especially on bass tightness and texture.
 
Imaging is impressively spacious and 3 dimensional, almost comparable to the excellent imaging of DN-2000, and sounds slightly more airy and open sounding than DN-2000, maybe due to higher level of treble in comparison to the mids. Instrument separation and placement is clear and focused, although DN-2000 is slightly clearer and more sharply focused. Imaging of the two is like comparing a very good quality consumer grade lens with a professional grade lens. Both are sharp, but the professional lens is slightly sharper. Listening to Chesky binaural recordings, DN-2000 gives slightly more realistic of the 3D imaging than the DN-1000. But DN-1000 imaging is still better than FX850 for binaural recording 3D imaging.
 
Beside the JVC EP-FX8 silicone eartips, Comply T-500 foam eartips is also my next favorite eartips for DN-1000, like on DN-2000. Comply T-500 + the silver adjustment ring gives a more airy sound, while retaining good bass. If you cannot get JVC EP-FX8 silicone eartips, try Comply T-500 + the silver adjustment ring. Another awesome combination for DN-1000.
 
I tried all the ring adjustment, and I prefer no ring for JVC EP-FX8 eartips, and silver ring for Comply T-500. 
 
DN-1000 sounds fun and musical for all the recordings I tried. IMHO, DN-1000 using JVC EP-FX8 eartips has the better 'all-rounder' tonality of the 3. It goes really well with all genres and recordings in my collection, from medieval classical to Baroque, Pop, Jazz, Movie soundtrack, to Dub Colossus, all sounds great and enjoyable! But I didn't try Rock music, because I don't have any. Being the cheapest of the 3, DN-1000 holds it's ground very well to be in the same class with DN-2000 and FX850. But please note, only when using the JVC EP-FX8 eartips. 
 

 
 
 
Tonality: Natural-realistic tonality, good bass, transparent, open sounding, smooth, and very musical. Slightly less refined than DN-2000, especially in level of detail, but can be musically more engaging.
Bass: Natural & realistic, a few dB higher than DN-2000, better bass slam and sounds more realistic. Very good low bass extension. Bass tightness and texture can be improved.
Midrange: Natural, open sounding, and smooth. Not warm and not analytic.
Treble: Clear and transparent, with good treble sparkle and upper treble extension. Might sound a bit metallic with some sibilance when using stock silicone eartips, but not with the JVC EP-FX8 eartips.
Detail: Good level of detail in a natural way, slightly less detailed than DN-2000, but better than FX850.
Imaging: Spacious and 3 dimensional.
Dynamic and Transient: Bass dynamic is good, better than DN-2000, but not as fast as the midrange and treble. Midrange to treble transient is fast and realistic.
Noise isolation: Good.
Comfort: DN-1000 has large diameter nozzle, around 5.8 mm diameter. This large nozzle could be an issue for small ear canals. As for me, DN-1000 is very comfortable.
Build & design: Housing is rather heavy, but very solid. Build quality and design is excellent, looks much better than DN-2000. Smooth bullet shape without any hard edges.
 

My DN-1000 after 6 months of daily usage, looks better than my 1 month old DN-2000.
 
 
Burn-In
I didn’t notice any significant changes before and after 2 days burn-in.
 
Effect of high output impedance amplifier
Explanation on DN-2000 section.
Similar as DN-2000, on DN-1000, low output impedance will improve clarity and transparency, while high output impedance will reduces the clarity, transparency, and also bass dynamic. Bass is a bit sloppy on high impedance output. Low output impedance of 20 ohms or lower is recommended.
 
 
Gears matching
Generally DN-1000 is not very picky on gears, not like DN-2000, maybe due to its balance and fun sound signature. I would say all the gears mentioned here sound great with DN-1000. Fiio X5 headphone output that sounds lacking in transparency on DN-2000, performs much better on DN-1000. Although still not as transparent as the Fiio E12DIY amp, but I don’t feel the treble is lacking.
Some gears that I found sound especially good with DN-1000 would be Yulong DA8, DACport, Dragonfly, and Fiio E12DIY amplifier with AD8599 Op-Amp + LME49600 buffer. 
 

 
 
Pros:
One of the best sounding IEM from the balanced, realistic, and musical sounding perspective, regardless of the price.
Easy to drive, doesn't require high voltage swing. But low output impedance of 20 ohms or lower is recommended.
Comes with various types of eartips and ring adjustment for flexible sound tuning.
Both straight down and over the ears wearing style.
Good build quality with solid metal housing.
Sounds good out of the box requires no or minimum burn-in.
Soft and flexible cable with no coiling memory effect.
 
Cons:
Bass tightness and texture can be improved.
Large nozzle limits the choices of third party eartips, and might not fit small ear canal.
Stock eartips found to be less than optimum compared with 3rd party silicone eartips, for DN-1000 to sound at its best.
Driver flex, mostly with stock silicone tips, much less, to no driver flex with JVC EP-FX8 eartips.
Relatively small cable for the relatively heavy housing. I hope the small cable will last.
Non-detachable Cable.
 
Suggestion for improvement:
Bass tightness and texture.
To include JVC EP-FX8 kind of eartips and Comply T-500 in the package.
Detachable cable with included balanced cable.
Ring adjustment is too thin and loose. It’s better if the ring is thicker with some grip to the nozzle.
 
 
Specifications:
Type : Hybrid 3 ways
Driver Unit : 1x Knowles Twin Balance Armature + 1x 10mm Dynamic driver
Frequency Response : 16 - 22,000 Hz
Impedance  : 10 ohms
SPL : 98 +/- 2 dB
Plug : L shape 3.5mm 24 Gold plated stereo Mini plug
Cord Length : 1.2m Y shape OFC cable
Detachable Cable : No
Left & Right marking : Clear. Left dot & L/R print on housing.
Weight : 26g
Accessories : 10 sets of silicone eartips, 4 sets of foam eartips, 1 pair of Earhook, 3.5mm Female to 6.5mm Male Adapter, 3.5mm Female to 2-pin Male Adapter, Aluminum alloy box, 4 pairs of metal adjustment ring. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Other reviews and impressions:
Dunu DN-1000 - Dunu's hybrid IEM - Appreciation thread
DUNU DN-1000 Review
REVIEW : DUNU DN1000 - Immensely Capable Hybrid IEM

 

[earfonia]

JVC HA-FX850
 
11mm wood dome diaphragm dynamic driver.
http://www3.jvckenwood.com/accessory/headphone/inner/ha-fx850/
 
 

 
Organic, warm, full bodied midrange and bass. Very intimate vocal. Vocal sounds fatter and much warmer than both DN-2000 and DN-1000. Tonal balance clearly tilted up on the bass side, smoothly goes down to the treble region. I don't hear any irregular peak and dip on the tonal balance. Bass is big and full, but not yet in the basshead category. FX850 has the strongest bass of the 3. Treble although sufficient, but not very airy and transparent, especially when compared with the DUNUs. FX850 is clearly suites more for modern recording such Pop and closed miked vocal, where softer and more forgiving treble is preferable. I don't find FX850 is very appealing for distance miked recording such as classical orchestra or binaural recordings, where transparent and airy treble is an important ingredient. I prefer to listen on vibrant pop recordings such as my Stockfisch albums with the FX850, nice warm and intimate vocal with friendly treble. FX850 although doesn't sound as natural as the DUNUs, but it has a very unique, appealing and pleasing sound signature.
 
I’m really impressed with the wooden housing of FX850, simply beautiful, a nice blend of classic and modern touch. Build quality is top notch, a wonderful piece of engineering. The MMCX connection between the cable and the earphone has small degree of friction, so it doesn't feel loose.
 

 

 
I tried all the 3 models of the new JVC wooden IEM series, the FX650, FX750, and FX850 at the local headphone shop. From around 30 minutes of testing and comparing, I prefer the FX850 of the 3. FX850 sounds more balance in tonality than the other 2 models.
 
 
Eartips
 

 
DUNU DN-2000 Grey eartips (2K Tips): Although DUNU tips don't have proper grip on the FX850 nozzle, and sometime the tips left out in my ears, the DUNU 2K tips sound clearer and more transparent than the JVC original spiral dot tips.  This is something that I don't really understand why.  The spiral dot tip has larger bore than the DUNU tip, but DUNU tip sounds more transparent, with better treble extension.
Bass sounds more natural with DUNU tips, not really less in volume, just a tad less, but what important is bass sounds clearer with better texture and definition. Comparing with spiral dot tip, the bass a tad muddy with the spiral dot, not as detailed as the DUNU grey tip.
DUNU 2K Tips is clearly my favorite ear tip for FX850.  Highly recommended for those with FX850. 
 

 
Comply T-500: Another nice sounding ear tip for FX850, for a smoother sound signature. Slightly less detailed as the spiral dot and DUNU grey tip, Comply T-500 is pretty good for those who prefer foam tip. Surprisingly the bass level doesn't drop much as what I often experience on other IEMs. On FX850 the comply T-500 performs quite well with good bass level, only a tad lesser than the DUNU and Sipral Dot. Considering the FX850 big bass, bass level is still very good with T-500, still more bass than DUNU DN-2000 with stock tips.
 
 
Driving FX850 in balance mode, using modified Shure HPASCA2 cable, FX850 really impresses me. Separation is clearer, Imaging is wider and more focused. Dynamic improved, sounds tighter, punchier, cleaner, more open and detailed. Everything is more lively and realistic. FX850 sounds bigger, better drive and more controlled. Drove it in balance, FX850 was not the FX850 I use to hear with its stock unbalanced cable. A different experience all together. It was simply a big WOW!  Balanced amp and DUNU grey tip seems to be the secret recipe to bring FX850 to a new high. Highly recommend!
 

 

 
FX850 is the type of earphone that we can listen for many hours without causing ear fatigue. Smooth, warm and organic sounding. I would place FX850 in the 'Boutique IEM' category. Like boutique microphones, their unique sound signature is what people is looking for. For those who prefer strong bass, warm and intimate sound, FX850 is the better choice of the 3. But FX850 offers more than that, it’s unique build and technology (wood dome diaphragm driver) made it deserves to be a collector item.
 

 
 
 
Tonality: Natural warm & organic. Strong bass with full bodied midrange & intimate vocal.
Bass: Big and strong with good extension, but not yet up to the basshead level.
Midrange: Warm and full bodied while retaining good level of clarity and detail.
Treble: Softer than natural, but sufficient for most modern genres recording, especially the 
Detail: Sufficient level of detail, not as detailed as the DUNUs, but also not lacking in detail.
Imaging: Not narrow, but also not extraordinary spacious like the DUNUs.
Dynamic and Transient: Good bass dynamic and power, but overall not very fast.
Noise Isolation: Below average.
Comfort: Good, despite large housing.
Build & design: Excellent. Beautiful design with excellent craftsmanship.
 
 
Burn-In
I was hoping the openness and treble would improve with burn-in, so I burned-in FX850 for more than 6 days. It opens up, and also sounds smoother after burn-in. The level of changes after burn-in, I would say average, not as significant as what I heard on ATH-CKR9, before and after burn-in.
 
 
Gears matching
I like FX850 with the following gears: iBasso DX90, Dragonfly, LH Geek Out 450. Yulong DA8 + Yulong A28 for balance connection.
Any transparent sounding player, DAC, and amplifier will be good for FX850.
 
 
Pros:
Quite comfortable despite of the large size.
Detachable cable with MMCX connector. Can be used with balanced cable for balanced amplification.
Unique and very good build quality.
Soft and flexible cable with no coiling memory effect.
 
Cons:
Below than average noise isolation. About the same as Fostex TE-05 noise isolation.
Only straight down wearing style, therefore cable microphonics is expected. Although it is still possible to wear it over the ears, it doesn't seem to be designed to be worn over the ear.
 
Suggestion for improvement:
Treble clarity and extension.
To include more eartips in the package, especially DUNU DN-2000 2K like eartips, and Foam Comply T-500.
 
 
Specifications:
Type : Single driver Dynamic
Driver Unit : 11mm wood dome diaphragm driver
Frequency Response : 6 - 45,000 Hz
Impedance  : 16 ohms
Sensitivity : 106 dB/1 mW
Max. Input Capability : 200mW(IEC)
Plug : Straight 3.5mm 24 Gold plated stereo Mini plug
Cord Length : 1.2m Y shape OFC cable
Detachable Cable : Yes. MMCX design detachable cord
Left & Right marking : Clear. Left dot & L/R print on housing and embossed on the MMCX connector.
Weight : 3g (without cord)
Accessories : Carrying pouch, S/M/L silicone earpiece, S/M Memory Foam earpiece
 
Other features:
JVC unique wood dome diaphragm driver
Birch wood made earphone housing
Accoustic Dual Hybrid Damper structure, wood damper and brass ring mounted anti-vibration units
"Wood Ring Absorber" reduce unnecessary virbation and distorstrion, reproduct high definitation sound. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Other reviews and impressions:
The NEW JVC FX850..Woodie perfection?. (A review)
JVC HA-FX850 iem. Woody
JVC Step Into the Right Direction
Quick comparison of HA-FX850 with ASG-2

 

[earfonia]

Comparison of DUNU DN-1000, DN-2000, & JVC HA-FX850
 
 
DN-2000 & DN-1000
 

 
Is DN-2000 an upgrade of DN-1000? I don’t think so. DN-2000 and DN-1000 have different sound characteristic, and excellent in their own way. DN-2000 has charming mids and excellent 3D imaging when properly driven. DN-1000 sounds more fun for wider type of recordings and genres, mainly due to better bass, and slightly more open sounding with more airy treble. Actually DN-2000 and DN-1000 treble has different emphasize. DN-2000 treble slightly emphasized at around 5-6 kHz, that makes acoustic guitar sounds sparkling, while DN-1000 treble emphasize is around 8 kHz or higher, that makes it sounds a bit more open and airy.
 
DN-2000 sounds more refined and detailed, especially on the midrange, like an improved version of DN-1000. Sweeter and a tad warmer mids, which is nicer for vocal. Although DN-1000 mids sounds clear, smooth, and natural, it doesn't sound as charming and captivating when compared to DN-2000. For vocal, DN-2000 is the nicer choice between the 2, slightly fuller and more forward. Although there is nothing bad with the DN-1000 open and airy vocal either. DN-1000 vocal is slightly smoother, less detailed, and less forward than DN-2000 vocal.
 
Overall DN-1000 sounds more relax than DN-2000, with tonal balance that suits wider range of genres and recordings.
 
DN-1000 tonal balance sounds slightly more V-Shape when compared to DN-2000, with better bass slam and impact than DN-2000, for about 3 dB more bass (analyzed using foobar EQ). For classical orchestra, instrumental, and electronic music, I prefer the DN-1000 'fun and airy’ sound.
 
Both are really good in their own way, and I don't think DN-1000 is inferior to DN-2000, especially when using the right eartips. It all goes back to the recordings and personal preferences. Both fits my personal preferences quite well, although I wish DUNU could improve the bass texture, dynamic and transient on both, that I feel a bit slow.
 

 
 
 
DN-1000, DN-2000 & FX850
 

 
Both DN-1000 and DN-2000 are in the group of natural and transparent sounding IEM, while FX850 is more towards warm and intimate sounding. Compared with the DUNUs, FX850 sounds much warmer with much more powerful bass. However, treble might sounds a bit too soft and lacking of extension on FX850. I like FX850 more for vibrant sounding modern recordings such as my Stockfisch albums. Stockfisch recordings generally have vibrant and sparkling treble, a good match for FX850. Vocal sounds clear and intimate, and free of sibilance on FX850. While for recordings that demand for high level of detail retrieval, airy and spacious imaging, such as classical orchestra, the DUNUs are generally better. FX850 with the soft treble are rather shy for classical.
 
Bass is much stronger and fuller on FX850, compare to the DUNUs which are more conservative on bass.
FX850 hides sibilance while the DUNUs reveal them politely without any exaggeration. 
Vocal sounds much more intimate on FX850. Clearer, more transparent, and more detailed on the DUNUs.
 
 
More comparison of individual parameter below, based on:
DUNU DN-2000 with stock 2K eartips
DUNU DN-1000 with JVC EP-FX8
JVC HA-FX850 stock Spiral Dot eartips
 
Top to bottom : More to lesser
 
Bass level:
JVC HA-FX850
DUNU DN-1000
DUNU DN-2000
 
Bass power and dynamic:
JVC HA-FX850
DUNU DN-1000
DUNU DN-2000
 
Midrange fullness on vocal:
JVC HA-FX850
DUNU DN-2000
DUNU DN-1000
 
Treble transparency:
DUNU DN-1000
DUNU DN-2000
JVC HA-FX850
 
Balanced tonal balance:
DUNU DN-1000
DUNU DN-2000
JVC HA-FX850
 
Warm and organic:
JVC HA-FX850
DUNU DN-2000
DUNU DN-1000
 
Open & Spacious Imaging:
DUNU DN-1000
DUNU DN-2000 (pretty close with DUNU DN-1000)
JVC HA-FX850
 
Focused Imaging on instrument separation and placement:
DUNU DN-2000
DUNU DN-1000 (pretty close with DUNU DN-2000)
JVC HA-FX850
 
Detail & Resolution:
DUNU DN-2000
DUNU DN-1000
JVC HA-FX850
 
 
 

 
All the 3 IEMs, DUNU DN-2000, DUNU DN-1000, & JVC HA-FX850, I consider as top-tier IEMs, not based on their price tag, but based on their sound quality, excellent design and build. They really excel and enjoyable in their own unique way.
Kudos to both DUNU and JVC!

 

[dw1narso]

whoa!!! very, very good, balanced and detailed reviews!!!
 
Top notch work Earfonia!!!

 

[earfonia]

  whoa!!! very, very good, balanced and detailed reviews!!!
 
Top notch work Earfonia!!!

 
Thanks Bro! 

 

[Inks]

Nice review. An alternative tip for those DN1000s may be the Meelec triflanges, those tips have been proven to tame peaks well while maintaining extension. Those FXD series tips look like longer Sony Hybrids. 

 

[earfonia]

  Nice review. An alternative tip for those DN1000s may be the Meelec triflanges, those tips have been proven to tame peaks well while maintaining extension. Those FXD series tips look like longer Sony Hybrids. 

 
Right, the Meelec tips are big enough for DN-1000 nozzle. I tried, but on DN-1000, instead of taming treble peaks, it makes the tonal balance sounds V shape, boosting the treble and the bass.  So the sound using JVC eartips is still much much better than using the Meelec.
The FXD tips from the outside looks like the Sony Hybrids, but inside is very different design, as you can see from the picture. While Sony Hybrids is too small for DN-1000.
 

 

 

[Inks]

   
Right, the Meelec tips are big enough for DN-1000 nozzle. I tried, but on DN-1000, instead of taming treble peaks, it makes the tonal balance sounds V shape, boosting the treble and the bass.  So the sound using JVC eartips is still much much better than using the Meelec.
The FXD tips from the outside looks like the Sony Hybrids, but inside is very different design, as you can see from the picture. While Sony Hybrids is too small for DN-1000.
 

Tips do not boost bass, they just optimize the air movement of the IEM, if anything it just means the seal is right, if a tip has less bass it's because the seal isn't as optimal. Meelec triflanges almost never increase treble in my experience, only problem I have had is that it make the midhighs a bit more forward than the higher treble with some IEMs.
 
The FXD tips do look like Sony Hybrid tips as they have identical bore openings, but the difference is in the length, though the slightly longer (hard to find) blue sony hybrid may be just the same length. The way it's built inside only has a say in the seal, which shouldn't matter if you can get a good seal with either tips and the Hybrids should fit with some stretching. 

 

[earfonia]

Tips do not boost bass, they just optimize the air movement of the IEM, if anything it just means the seal is right, if a tip has less bass it's because the seal isn't as optimal. Meelec triflanges almost never increase treble in my experience, only problem I have had is that it make the midhighs a bit more forward than the higher treble with some IEMs.

The FXD tips do look like Sony Hybrid tips as they have identical bore openings, but the difference is in the length, though the slightly longer (hard to find) blue sony hybrid may be just the same length. The way it's built inside only has a say in the seal, which shouldn't matter if you can get a good seal with either tips and the Hybrids should fit with some stretching. 

Well that's what i hear despite all the theory.
I guess you just need to try it by yoirself

 

[Inks]

Well that's what i hear despite all the theory.
I guess you just need to try it by yoirself

it's proven throughout, check out the various tip analysis done in Rin's blog below. The longer the tip, the more higher frequencies are going to be dispersed, though it seems perhaps it tames the higher treble but not the midhighs, but the boost in bass just means the FXD tips weren't sealing as well. Another fact is that smaller the bore, the less treble extension, so the Meelec tips may have more treble extension than the FXD tips for this IEM [data is usually consistent among dynamic/hybrids]

 

[earfonia]

  it's proven throughout, check out the various tip analysis done in Rin's blog below. The longer the tip, the more higher frequencies are going to be dispersed, though it seems perhaps it tames the higher treble but not the midhighs, but the boost in bass just means the FXD tips weren't sealing as well. Another fact is that smaller the bore, the less treble extension, so the Meelec tips may have more treble extension than the FXD tips for this IEM [data is usually consistent among dynamic/hybrids]

 
Is it the right page:
http://rinchoi.blogspot.sg/2012/08/the-effect-of-ear-sleeves-most.html
Thanks for the info, good to know the measurement of various eartips.
Unfortunately many other eartips and the JVC tips are not in the measurement.
I also tried the Monster supertips both gel and foam, no luck with DN-1000. Basically I haven't got any luck with the Monster supertips with all my IEMs.  I bought the Monster Supertips Sampler Starter Kit, what a waste of money ...at least for now...
 
I don't understand your statement here:
'but the boost in bass just means the FXD tips weren't sealing as well.'
My understanding so far, if the seal is good, the bass is good, and if it is not sealing well, the bass sounds thin.  How come if the FXD tips not sealing well the bass is boosted?
 
Btw I don't hear bass boosted at all with FXD tips, bass is in the proper balanced level, but slightly more bass than the Comply T-500 tips that I consider the bass a bit less in my definition.  But the difference is just a little.
 
I just want to say, that I know what I hear, and I use many audiophile recordings to justify naturality. The JVC tips sounds natural to me, very well balanced, and to my sound engineer friend, and many other audiophile friends as well. We all agree DN-1000 sounds very balanced with the JVC tips. So it is not only my personal impression.
The Meelec tips, may have recessed the mids, therefore what I heard on DN-1000 with the Meelec Tripleflanges is a V shape tonality.

 

[Kamakahah]

I enjoyed the review. The tip experiment is interesting as well but unfortunately it cannot account for numerous variables. Lab results are great, but many times fail to represent an individual's specific results. The auditory canal for each individual will be significantly different than a test model head. Individual biology can drastically alter the final result. The point being that those results aren't fact. They are simply the results of one lab setup and cannot hope to accurately reflect individual results.
Still, it's all we can do currently to give us a general idea.

 

[Inks]

   
Is it the right page:
http://rinchoi.blogspot.sg/2012/08/the-effect-of-ear-sleeves-most.html
Thanks for the info, good to know the measurement of various eartips.
Unfortunately many other eartips and the JVC tips are not in the measurement.
I also tried the Monster supertips both gel and foam, no luck with DN-1000. Basically I haven't got any luck with the Monster supertips with all my IEMs.  I bought the Monster Supertips Sampler Starter Kit, what a waste of money ...at least for now...
 
I don't understand your statement here:
'but the boost in bass just means the FXD tips weren't sealing as well.'
My understanding so far, if the seal is good, the bass is good, and if it is not sealing well, the bass sounds thin.  How come if the FXD tips not sealing well the bass is boosted?
 
Btw I don't hear bass boosted at all with FXD tips, bass is in the proper balanced level, but slightly more bass than the Comply T-500 tips that I consider the bass a bit less in my definition.  But the difference is just a little.
 
I just want to say, that I know what I hear, and I use many audiophile recordings to justify naturality. The JVC tips sounds natural to me, very well balanced, and to my sound engineer friend, and many other audiophile friends as well. We all agree DN-1000 sounds very balanced with the JVC tips. So it is not only my personal impression.
The Meelec tips, may have recessed the mids, therefore what I heard on DN-1000 with the Meelec Tripleflanges is a V shape tonality.

You mentioned the Meelec triflanges boosting bass, it's not, it just seals better, if you are indeed hearing more bass. Comply tips tame bass because the softer foam releases some air, ie less ideal seal. Maybe the meelec triflanges tame too much midhighs or even out the peaks into multiple ones like on the TDK IE800, but it's definitely not boosting bass and treble as was mentioned, just want to clear that up. 
 
Don't like Monster tips either
 
This is his most comprehensive tip review for a dynamic. Sony Hybrids seem to do the trick for these which are otherwise kind of peaky. FXD tips are identical bore with more lenght, so it may tame it even better, so I can see how those can work. Here is also a rare case where the Meelec triflanges don't really tame the peaky IEM as it gets rid of the main resonance but dispereses it into multiple ones. So, I'll say it's a good find there, give the Hybrids a shot though if you haven't, as it may have a similar result, though with the shorter lenght, perhaps not.