Elecom CB100 vs Artiste DC1
This is a comparison between the Elecom EPH-CB1000 and the Ariste DC1 IEMs. They are both hybrid earphones. The Elecom has a 10mm dynamic driver and a piezo (ceramic) tweeter. The Artiste DC1 has a larger 13mm dynamic driver and a 12mm ceramic HF unit. The diaphragm materials of the dynamic drivers are not specified. In each case, the dynamic and ceramic drivers are arranged coaxially. The Elecom uses detachable cables with an MMCX interface; the Artiste has a non-detachable cable. I changed the supplied cable on the Elecom for a 4-core braided silver cable from OKCSC. I used Spinfit tips (large, red bore) on the DC1 and the supplied silicone tips (medium) on the Elecom.
The comparison was carried out using the following gear: Hifiwalker H2 DAP via line out with Fiio L12 cable and a Fiio A5 amplifier. And of course, my ears! All the comments below are, of course, subjective and YMMV, as always.
To cover all aspects of the reproduction I chose three different pieces of music in different genres:
Britten: Simple Symphony 2nd Movement, “Playful Pizzicato” English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Britten. A classic Decca recording at The Maltings in Snape.
Prelude: “After the Goldrush”. A stunning a capella track with excellent sound quality perfect for evaluating vocals.
Mark Dwane: Ring of Fire” from the album “Archives”. MIDI guitarist Dwane in full flow in a track with audiophile quality and a huge dynamic range.
Bass:
The most noticeable difference between the two IEMs was in the bass. The DC1 has a powerful and extended bass with a definite lift in the sub-bass extending through to the mid-bass, leveling out before colouring the mids. The basses and cellos in the Britten piece had more impact and level, shifting the emphasis into the lower registers. The reverberation of the Snape Maltings hall was also emphasized but the sustain was shorter than on the Elecom. The CB1000 had a more natural response here, with the ambience having a more believable decay. The bass was not as lifted but more texture was discernible. The Mark Dwane track also showed up the difference between the two IEMs. The DC1 was extremely enjoyable on this track with the bass driving the music in entertaining fashion, with great depth and impact. I believe this is largely due to the larger diameter of the DC1’s bass driver. The Elecom sounded lighter on its feet with a more nimble performance, still entertaining and as before, revealing a little more detail and texture. As far as the bass goes, I would recommend the Elecom for classical music and the DC1 for electronic music.
Mids
There is less difference between the two here. Both have an open, clean and expressive midrange. On the Prelude track the separation of the different voices was excellent on the DC1. It had a slightly warmer tone which softened the transients slightly. The Elecom sounded brighter here, with the breath sounds being easier to discern and with the ability to hear the individual voices more clearly. The studio reverb was also clearer on the Elecom. On the Britten piece there was more sense of individual string instruments playing as a group, whereas the DC1 did tend to homogenise the sound here with the strings sounding a little less separated. Again, the resolution on the Elecom was superior but the DC1 was a little more forgiving or relaxing. The Mark Dwane track sounded equally good on both earphones, with all the elements of the production clear and expressive. Guitars had plenty of bite and attack and drums displayed impact very well. Honours here were more or less even, but the Elecom did reveal a few more subtle details.
Soundstage was very good on both models, with a little more width and height on the Elecom. The warmer balance of the DC1 seemed to enhance the depth of the soundstage.
Treble
With their ceramic HF units, both performed extremely well in this range, and was superior to any BA-equipped IEMs I have heard, being totally free of peaks or harshness, the sound climbing through the high frequencies to beyond audibility in a smooth linear fashion. The extension was excellent on both but once more, the Elecom was able to resolve a little more detail and texture. In the Britten piece, the harmonics on the string instruments were clearer and the texture of the bowing came over more naturally with a good reproduction of “rosin”. The treble was also a little more extended on the CB1000 with a brighter, more “live” effect and a little more “air”.
Conclusion
The overall feeling was that the Elecom has an audiophile, flatter tuning whereas the DC1 has a mild “V-shaped” signature, though not excessively so, and only really noticeable in tracks with a heavier bass. Both deserve a recommendation. I managed to get the Elecom for 49 GBP and the DC1 for 27 GBP so did very well. The DC1 certainly sounds good and is especially adept with electronic music whereas the Elecom really shows what it can do with classical music. It does have greater resolution and a more "hi-fi" sound and is, I feel, worth the extra money but it does have a lighter (or flatter) bass which may not appeal to all listeners .It also has detachable cables, enabling you to improve (or change) the sound. The DC1 is currently available on Amazon for 22.99 GBP so is a total bargain, in fact a no-brainer.
