LaughMoreDaily
Headphoneus Supremus
3 is a good number but a handful is perfect.
Tripowin x HBB: Mele/Olina - Discussion Thread - Olina OUT now
Tripowin x HBB: Olina - Unboxing
Tripowin x HBB: Olina - First impressions
By now, these need no introduction. HawaiianBadBoy's goal is simple: to create a marginally similar IEM to Oxygen, for less than half the price and with better fit.
I can’t honestly answer if the first goal was met yet, as I’m only getting Oxygen tomorrow and I’ll follow up to that soon, but regarding the fit, I can vouch for it: it’s great and one of the best for me, regarding comfort and weight. Those who already have his other collaboration, Mele, already know what to expect: a great fit to most people (YMMV), built like a tank, a premium feel for the bracket and a nice faceplate - and I’m drooling over it.
Package is great, as seen in my unboxing pics, cable feels good for a budget IEM and has some nice details on it like his own logo on the splitter. The only downside being you can only purchase it as 3.5mm single ended.
Build aside, let’s dive into the sound, starting by the tuning. It’s an harman tuned IEM made to be balanced amongst all frequencies. I’ve spent the last 24 hours with it, and these are my first impressions:
The bass has extension, some texture and speed. Lacks some elevation on the sub-bass frequency and some punch on the mid-bass for some genres, but I’d say it’s a very clean bass, making it great for some other genres like acoustic music or jazz.
The dive into the mids is very clean, without any type of bleed, but adding some warmth to the sound, enough to not feel thin, but also just enough to not make the notes blurred or too heavy. The details are on point and together with the techs that I will talk in a bit, make them shine. Upper mid-range is the usual harman, but with a twist. I usually find vocals to get overly shouty but not this time. It just feels there’s enough energy for some bite on those female vocals, but never enough to come across as shouty - and my ears thank me for it. In fact, female vocals are even better than male vocals on this set.
Overall they are clean, forward and detailed, which checks all the marks for me and my library, as I’m a mid-centric enthusiast.
Treble is nicely extended and energetic, although not yet fatiding for me. This was another surprised as, by judging the graph, I was ready to be murdered on this frequency. Detail is very nice and the decay on electric guitar and cymbal strikes is on point.
Regarding technicalities, it’s a beast for its price point. Stage is wide and has good depth, only lacking some height. Imaging is amazing - you can pin-point every drum-roll, - and one of its best characteristics, especially when paired with it’s good separation, turning it into a joy to listen to. Details follows the same path, as it is very detailed, even though it has some tuning (treble) help. Timbre closes this chapter with a golden mark, reinforcing why it’s great for instrumental music.
I made a very quick comparison vs Teas, and these are my raw notes. Please take them with a grain of salt for now:
- Olina has more depth. Width seems close. Teas have more height.
- Both feel somewhat 3D, but Tea more.
- Imaging is great on both but slightly better on Olina.
- Tea might have better detail, but Olina has more treble boost.
- Olina has better treble extension and a bit more air.
- Tea has more body and note weight.
- Separation is on Tea’s side.
- Teas have more slam.
- Dynamics are better on Teas but good on Olina.
- Olina has better timbre.
- Olina is more fatiding for long sessions, due to treble.
- Teas have better sub-bass texture and rumble.
- Olina has more mid-bass elevation.
- Vocals (male and female) are better on Teas.
Early conclusions: These are a beast for 100 usd. In fact, scratch that. These will be benchmarks for 100 usd. I would take them over ER2XR, which has been the 100 usd gatekeeper in my collection, without even talking about the fit and driveability. Once you A/B it with more budget stuff, the difference is even more shocking.
I’m yet to figure how high is the flight on these, and for that I will need to hear Oxygen first. Besides that, I think a great part of HBB’s goal was reached, and that’s why I’m also being a bit reserved on this take, as I want to spend more time to make sure this is real life and not just a market crasher that will haunt competition for a good while. Again, credit where it’s due, so touché, Chris.
I’ll post more impressions tomorrow and talk about music as well. So far, approved without a doubt. I love it.
By now, these need no introduction. HawaiianBadBoy's goal is simple: to create a marginally similar IEM to Oxygen, for less than half the price and with better fit.
I can’t honestly answer if the first goal was met yet, as I’m only getting Oxygen tomorrow and I’ll follow up to that soon, but regarding the fit, I can vouch for it: it’s great and one of the best for me, regarding comfort and weight. Those who already have his other collaboration, Mele, already know what to expect: a great fit to most people (YMMV), built like a tank, a premium feel for the bracket and a nice faceplate - and I’m drooling over it.
Package is great, as seen in my unboxing pics, cable feels good for a budget IEM and has some nice details on it like his own logo on the splitter. The only downside being you can only purchase it as 3.5mm single ended.
Build aside, let’s dive into the sound, starting by the tuning. It’s an harman tuned IEM made to be balanced amongst all frequencies. I’ve spent the last 24 hours with it, and these are my first impressions:
The bass has extension, some texture and speed. Lacks some elevation on the sub-bass frequency and some punch on the mid-bass for some genres, but I’d say it’s a very clean bass, making it great for some other genres like acoustic music or jazz.
The dive into the mids is very clean, without any type of bleed, but adding some warmth to the sound, enough to not feel thin, but also just enough to not make the notes blurred or too heavy. The details are on point and together with the techs that I will talk in a bit, make them shine. Upper mid-range is the usual harman, but with a twist. I usually find vocals to get overly shouty but not this time. It just feels there’s enough energy for some bite on those female vocals, but never enough to come across as shouty - and my ears thank me for it. In fact, female vocals are even better than male vocals on this set.
Overall they are clean, forward and detailed, which checks all the marks for me and my library, as I’m a mid-centric enthusiast.
Treble is nicely extended and energetic, although not yet fatiding for me. This was another surprised as, by judging the graph, I was ready to be murdered on this frequency. Detail is very nice and the decay on electric guitar and cymbal strikes is on point.
Regarding technicalities, it’s a beast for its price point. Stage is wide and has good depth, only lacking some height. Imaging is amazing - you can pin-point every drum-roll, - and one of its best characteristics, especially when paired with it’s good separation, turning it into a joy to listen to. Details follows the same path, as it is very detailed, even though it has some tuning (treble) help. Timbre closes this chapter with a golden mark, reinforcing why it’s great for instrumental music.
I made a very quick comparison vs Teas, and these are my raw notes. Please take them with a grain of salt for now:
- Olina has more depth. Width seems close. Teas have more height.
- Both feel somewhat 3D, but Tea more.
- Imaging is great on both but slightly better on Olina.
- Tea might have better detail, but Olina has more treble boost.
- Olina has better treble extension and a bit more air.
- Tea has more body and note weight.
- Separation is on Tea’s side.
- Teas have more slam.
- Dynamics are better on Teas but good on Olina.
- Olina has better timbre.
- Olina is more fatiding for long sessions, due to treble.
- Teas have better sub-bass texture and rumble.
- Olina has more mid-bass elevation.
- Vocals (male and female) are better on Teas.
Early conclusions: These are a beast for 100 usd. In fact, scratch that. These will be benchmarks for 100 usd. I would take them over ER2XR, which has been the 100 usd gatekeeper in my collection, without even talking about the fit and driveability. Once you A/B it with more budget stuff, the difference is even more shocking.
I’m yet to figure how high is the flight on these, and for that I will need to hear Oxygen first. Besides that, I think a great part of HBB’s goal was reached, and that’s why I’m also being a bit reserved on this take, as I want to spend more time to make sure this is real life and not just a market crasher that will haunt competition for a good while. Again, credit where it’s due, so touché, Chris.
I’ll post more impressions tomorrow and talk about music as well. So far, approved without a doubt. I love it.
so vs $40 heart mirror, the difference is shocking ?
Yes, for sure.
eridenti
100+ Head-Fier
Thanks for your impressions. They sound very appealing indeed. 
Are you using the Final Audio eartips in that picture? Here's hoping it won't have the same issues as some Mele units had with moisture build up.
Are you using the Final Audio eartips in that picture? Here's hoping it won't have the same issues as some Mele units had with moisture build up.
jsmiller58
Headphoneus Supremus
Following up on @eridenti comment, do the Olina come with replacement filters/grills?Tripowin x HBB: Olina - First impressions
By now, these need no introduction. HawaiianBadBoy's goal is simple: to create a marginally similar IEM to Oxygen, for less than half the price and with better fit.
I can’t honestly answer if the first goal was met yet, as I’m only getting Oxygen tomorrow and I’ll follow up to that soon, but regarding the fit, I can vouch for it: it’s great and one of the best for me, regarding comfort and weight. Those who already have his other collaboration, Mele, already know what to expect: a great fit to most people (YMMV), built like a tank, a premium feel for the bracket and a nice faceplate - and I’m drooling over it.
Package is great, as seen in my unboxing pics, cable feels good for a budget IEM and has some nice details on it like his own logo on the splitter. The only downside being you can only purchase it as 3.5mm single ended.
Build aside, let’s dive into the sound, starting by the tuning. It’s an harman tuned IEM made to be balanced amongst all frequencies. I’ve spent the last 24 hours with it, and these are my first impressions:
The bass has extension, some texture and speed. Lacks some elevation on the sub-bass frequency and some punch on the mid-bass for some genres, but I’d say it’s a very clean bass, making it great for some other genres like acoustic music or jazz.
The dive into the mids is very clean, without any type of bleed, but adding some warmth to the sound, enough to not feel thin, but also just enough to not make the notes blurred or too heavy. The details are on point and together with the techs that I will talk in a bit, make them shine. Upper mid-range is the usual harman, but with a twist. I usually find vocals to get overly shouty but not this time. It just feels there’s enough energy for some bite on those female vocals, but never enough to come across as shouty - and my ears thank me for it. In fact, female vocals are even better than male vocals on this set.
Overall they are clean, forward and detailed, which checks all the marks for me and my library, as I’m a mid-centric enthusiast.
Treble is nicely extended and energetic, although not yet fatiding for me. This was another surprised as, by judging the graph, I was ready to be murdered on this frequency. Detail is very nice and the decay on electric guitar and cymbal strikes is on point.
Regarding technicalities, it’s a beast for its price point. Stage is wide and has good depth, only lacking some height. Imaging is amazing - you can pin-point every drum-roll, - and one of its best characteristics, especially when paired with it’s good separation, turning it into a joy to listen to. Details follows the same path, as it is very detailed, even though it has some tuning (treble) help. Timbre closes this chapter with a golden mark, reinforcing why it’s great for instrumental music.
I made a very quick comparison vs Teas, and these are my raw notes. Please take them with a grain of salt for now:
- Olina has more depth. Width seems close. Teas have more height.
- Both feel somewhat 3D, but Tea more.
- Imaging is great on both but slightly better on Olina.
- Tea might have better detail, but Olina has more treble boost.
- Olina has better treble extension and a bit more air.
- Tea has more body and note weight.
- Separation is on Tea’s side.
- Teas have more slam.
- Dynamics are better on Teas but good on Olina.
- Olina has better timbre.
- Olina is more fatiding for long sessions, due to treble.
- Teas have better sub-bass texture and rumble.
- Olina has more mid-bass elevation.
- Vocals (male and female) are better on Teas.
Early conclusions: These are a beast for 100 usd. In fact, scratch that. These will be benchmarks for 100 usd. I would take them over ER2XR, which has been the 100 usd gatekeeper in my collection, without even talking about the fit and driveability. Once you A/B it with more budget stuff, the difference is even more shocking.
I’m yet to figure how high is the flight on these, and for that I will need to hear Oxygen first. Besides that, I think a great part of HBB’s goal was reached, and that’s why I’m also being a bit reserved on this take, as I want to spend more time to make sure this is real life and not just a market crasher that will haunt competition for a good while. Again, credit where it’s due, so touché, Chris.
I’ll post more impressions tomorrow and talk about music as well. So far, approved without a doubt. I love it.
A comparison with Titan S also would be much appreciated.Tripowin x HBB: Olina - First impressions
By now, these need no introduction. HawaiianBadBoy's goal is simple: to create a marginally similar IEM to Oxygen, for less than half the price and with better fit.
I can’t honestly answer if the first goal was met yet, as I’m only getting Oxygen tomorrow and I’ll follow up to that soon, but regarding the fit, I can vouch for it: it’s great and one of the best for me, regarding comfort and weight. Those who already have his other collaboration, Mele, already know what to expect: a great fit to most people (YMMV), built like a tank, a premium feel for the bracket and a nice faceplate - and I’m drooling over it.
Package is great, as seen in my unboxing pics, cable feels good for a budget IEM and has some nice details on it like his own logo on the splitter. The only downside being you can only purchase it as 3.5mm single ended.
Build aside, let’s dive into the sound, starting by the tuning. It’s an harman tuned IEM made to be balanced amongst all frequencies. I’ve spent the last 24 hours with it, and these are my first impressions:
The bass has extension, some texture and speed. Lacks some elevation on the sub-bass frequency and some punch on the mid-bass for some genres, but I’d say it’s a very clean bass, making it great for some other genres like acoustic music or jazz.
The dive into the mids is very clean, without any type of bleed, but adding some warmth to the sound, enough to not feel thin, but also just enough to not make the notes blurred or too heavy. The details are on point and together with the techs that I will talk in a bit, make them shine. Upper mid-range is the usual harman, but with a twist. I usually find vocals to get overly shouty but not this time. It just feels there’s enough energy for some bite on those female vocals, but never enough to come across as shouty - and my ears thank me for it. In fact, female vocals are even better than male vocals on this set.
Overall they are clean, forward and detailed, which checks all the marks for me and my library, as I’m a mid-centric enthusiast.
Treble is nicely extended and energetic, although not yet fatiding for me. This was another surprised as, by judging the graph, I was ready to be murdered on this frequency. Detail is very nice and the decay on electric guitar and cymbal strikes is on point.
Regarding technicalities, it’s a beast for its price point. Stage is wide and has good depth, only lacking some height. Imaging is amazing - you can pin-point every drum-roll, - and one of its best characteristics, especially when paired with it’s good separation, turning it into a joy to listen to. Details follows the same path, as it is very detailed, even though it has some tuning (treble) help. Timbre closes this chapter with a golden mark, reinforcing why it’s great for instrumental music.
I made a very quick comparison vs Teas, and these are my raw notes. Please take them with a grain of salt for now:
- Olina has more depth. Width seems close. Teas have more height.
- Both feel somewhat 3D, but Tea more.
- Imaging is great on both but slightly better on Olina.
- Tea might have better detail, but Olina has more treble boost.
- Olina has better treble extension and a bit more air.
- Tea has more body and note weight.
- Separation is on Tea’s side.
- Teas have more slam.
- Dynamics are better on Teas but good on Olina.
- Olina has better timbre.
- Olina is more fatiding for long sessions, due to treble.
- Teas have better sub-bass texture and rumble.
- Olina has more mid-bass elevation.
- Vocals (male and female) are better on Teas.
Early conclusions: These are a beast for 100 usd. In fact, scratch that. These will be benchmarks for 100 usd. I would take them over ER2XR, which has been the 100 usd gatekeeper in my collection, without even talking about the fit and driveability. Once you A/B it with more budget stuff, the difference is even more shocking.
I’m yet to figure how high is the flight on these, and for that I will need to hear Oxygen first. Besides that, I think a great part of HBB’s goal was reached, and that’s why I’m also being a bit reserved on this take, as I want to spend more time to make sure this is real life and not just a market crasher that will haunt competition for a good while. Again, credit where it’s due, so touché, Chris.
I’ll post more impressions tomorrow and talk about music as well. So far, approved without a doubt. I love it.
Thanks for your impressions. They sound very appealing indeed.
That's Shuoer's stock tips but I think I'm settling on CP100.
No moisture build up. I think Linsoul or HBB mentioned that aspect was revised to make sure it won’t happen. I have no way to test that as I don't have that problem on my Mele unit, sorry. It does come with extra filters, yes.
Will do for sure. Titan S review should out soon, just waiting on some iems for final comparitions. I would say Olina is an upgrade overall, unless you want less bass and to save some bucks. I do love Titan and I was using it for commutes on the last couple weeks.
Great times for the budget segment
can someone please compare olina to s12 ? - shuoer s12 is only $30 more than olina ( early bird price until february the 8th on shuoer website)
darfk fear
New Head-Fier
I saw nymz on hifiguides said S12 is bassier and is more resolving but olina is better on other aspects (Stage, imaging, timbre etc) and he likes it more (for the moment..!)
he also added S12 sounds unique (planar) and everyone should try them to know how planar sounds..!
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those who consider buying olina,first check if you like oxygen sound signature on this sleek blind test
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redrol
Headphoneus Supremus
O2 is not sibilant and these tests are bunk.
Just got a loaner so I can compare.
Yes, other than resolving power, I prefer Olina to S12. Timbre as different taste. To me they feel more of complimentary sets than rivals, so far.
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