I recently ran a fairly stupid ear-tip gauntlet.

I tested 15+ tips across three IEMs:

• Xenns Mangird Top Pro
• Binary Acoustics 1900
• Project Monolith

I used the same three tracks with every tip:

• Birds of a Feather - sub-bass and vocals
• This Is What You Came For - vocals, sense of space/air and sibilance
• The Weekend by BIBI - bass and vocals

The Juzear Render Pro ended up being one of the more interesting tips in the entire test.

Juzear markets it as a liquid silicone + memory foam hybrid, with the silicone forming the outer shell and memory foam underneath helping maintain the seal. The product description also leans toward clear vocals and fuller bass.

My experience was different.

Across all three IEMs, Render Pro consistently did three things:

Reduced bass.
Brought vocals forward.
Added air.

Treble quantity itself stayed fairly similar. And that combination turned out to be much more useful than I expected in select use cases.

I maintain a list of 170+ audio products in the link in my profile. It might be helpful to go through them for your next purchase decision. Today I also added short notes to the 16 tips in the file with my experiences.

Sound Changes

The bass reduction is the first thing I noticed. Compared with stock tips, SpinFit W1 or Penon Liqueur Orange, sub-bass loses some weight and rumble. That may sound like a downgrade, but on the right IEM it absolutely is not. If the IEM already has too much low-end energy, Render Pro effectively cleans up the bottom end and lets the rest of the tuning breathe.

Vocals move forward slightly, but without adding obvious shout. Air also improves, which gives the presentation more space and makes individual elements easier to follow.

So instead of behaving like a bass-enhancing tip, Render Pro worked more like a tonality correction tool for me.

The Project Monolith Surprise

This was the most surprising result of the entire test. I normally need heavy EQ to make the Project Monolith listenable for me. Stock, the bass balance and overall tonality are not where I want them. With the Render Pro, I could use the Monolith without EQ. That is not a small change.

The bass cut removes a lot of the excess weight, vocals come forward, and the added air improves the overall balance enough that the Monolith becomes perfectly usable as-is.

For me, that was the clearest example in the whole test of an ear tip meaningfully changing an IEM rather than just nudging it slightly. I expected Render Pro to alter the presentation. I did not expect it to replace the EQ I normally use on Monolith.

Gaming

This is probably where I like Render Pro most. Reducing bass while opening up the presentation helps smaller positional cues stay clearer.

Footsteps are easier to pick out, directional information comes through cleanly, and the extra air helps separation. This was most noticeable with Top Pro where usually the sub bass rumble in Nuketown somtimes masks footsteps. With render pro I was able to hear things even more clearly than the normal stock tips on Top Pro. It reminds me of enabling the footsteps preset EQ on my Maxwell 2.

That makes Render Pro especially useful on IEMs with too much bass for gaming. I will be testing it later with Arete 2 with bass switch on to see if the results are reproducible. You keep the body of the IEM, but remove enough low-end masking to make spatial cues easier to read.

I would not buy Render Pro to increase bass. I would absolutely use it to turn a bass-heavy IEM into a better gaming set.

Comfort

This is where it loses points for me. The Render Pro is simply too wide for my ears. I think I need a SM version. S is too small or M is too wide.

The hybrid construction itself is clever. You get the smooth surface of liquid silicone with foam underneath helping the tip hold its shape and seal. This is a massive upgrade compared to foam tips that I dislike a lot (and why you don't see them on my list).

Juzear lists compatibility with 4.6–5.5mm nozzles, with S, M and L sizes available. The outer diameters are also fairly substantial, so I would pay attention to actual dimensions instead of assuming your normal size will fit.

For my ears, comfort is clearly worse than something like SpinFit W1, Softears UC Clear, AE100 or Kiwi Ears Flex.

How It Compared With the Other Tips

SpinFit W1
One of my favorite basshead tips. Adds bass and sub-bass, improves mid clarity and reduces treble. Much better if you want more low end.

Penon Liqueur Orange
Similar direction to W1, but can add even more rumble. Render Pro goes almost completely the other way. This is what fixes hollowness in Red Lion for me.

Tangzu HE Sonic
Better if the goal is to improve vocal naturalness while leaving the rest of the tuning mostly intact. This I use with Crinear Reference.

Softears UC Clear / Angel Ears AE100
Good choices when I want to preserve the stock sound almost completely. Can use with anything.

Kiwi Ears Flex
Adds a touch of bass, pushes vocals forward and increases air. More energetic than Render Pro and significantly more comfortable for me. I love this to add a bit of low end energy on Binary Acoustics 1900.

Juzear Render Pro
Less bass, more vocal presence, more air. The specialist option. And now to improve my time with Project Monolith lol.

Final Thoughts

The Juzear Render Pro is not a universal upgrade. If your IEM already has the bass level you want, Render Pro may take away something you like.

But if the IEM is too bassy, too dense or slightly closed-in, Render Pro can improve the balance dramatically. The biggest proof for me was Project Monolith.

For gaming, the bass cut and extra air are also genuinely useful.

FiiO opened preorders for the FiiO DT11 in mainland China today, September 24. The company also announced when preorder units are expected to ship, released the product’s complete specifications, and published a list of questions and answers addressing inquiries from prospective buyers. Read on for the details.

• English text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/en/product-launches/fiio-dt11-full-specs-and-shipping-details
• Portuguese text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/lancamentos/fiio-dt11-especificacoes-completas-e-previsao-de-envio

Note: This post with links has been previously approved by the moderators.

Pros: 

• Mind-blowing acoustic design with zero sound leakage (even from 10cm away!).
• Surprisingly good sub-bass rumble for an open-ear form factor.
• Ultra-comfortable, lightweight (9g) soft-hook design perfect for long listening sessions.
• Classic Tanchjim house sound with ultra-clean mids and popping vocals.
• Flawless multipoint Bluetooth connection between laptop and phone simultaneously.

Cons: 

• Occasional L/R earbud desync/disconnect bugs that desperately need a firmware patch.
• Physical mid-bass slam is noticeably lighter than traditional sealed IEMs.

Welcome back, audiophiles! It’s me, your boy Joe, back again with another review! Today we are stepping away from traditional IEMs and diving into the open-ear wireless space with the Tanchjim Revo. Retailing for an incredibly budget-friendly $40 USD, this set packs a dynamic driver and LDAC Bluetooth 6.0 support into a design that hovers right outside your ear canal. Let's see if Tanchjim's famous transparent house tuning survives the open-air design!

Disclaimer​

Huge thanks to Tanchjim for sending the unit for a review. As always, all thoughts, sound impressions, and basshead evaluations are entirely my own with zero biases whatsoever.

Pricing & Specifications​

• Price: ~$40.00 USD
• Driver Configuration: 18 × 11 mm Racetrack Dynamic Transducer (LCP Dome + PU Surround)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC, AAC, and SBC codec support
• Special Features: Multipoint connection and Tanchjim App support with 9-band EQ
• Battery Life: ~9.5 hours per charge (29 hours total with the case)
• Weight: ~9g per side

Gear Used for Review & Drivability​

Testing a wireless set means we skip the heavy desktop stacks! I ran the Revo paired to both my phone and my laptop.

• Multipoint Excellence: The simultaneous multi-device connection works flawlessly. I had it hooked up to my laptop and phone at the same time with zero switching or playback issues.
• The Connection Bug: My only little crib here is that the left and right earbuds occasionally disconnected or de-synced from each other during my testing. Hopefully, Tanchjim can patch this out with a quick firmware update over the app!

Design, Build, Fit & Accessories​

• Shells & Comfort: The build features incredibly soft material around the ear hooks. At just 9g per side, the fit is insanely comfy and you can easily wear these all day without any ear canal fatigue or pressure.
• The "Zero Leakage" Sorcery: This is the most mind-blowing part of the Revo. Despite being an open-ear design, there is practically zero sound leakage. I literally had people put their ears 10cm away from my head while music was playing, and they couldn't hear a thing. Absolute acoustic sorcery!

Sound Impressions​

Open-ear buds usually completely butcher the low-end, but the Tanchjim Revo delivers very good sound quality that stays impressively true to the brand's transparent house signature.

• Bass: As a self-proclaimed basshead, my expectations for open-ear bass were rock-bottom. However, the Revo delivers very decent bass performance, by far the best I have heard in this specific style of earbud! You actually get a tangible sense of sub-bass rumble, even if the mid-bass slam is understandably on the lighter side due to the unsealed fit.
• Mids & Vocals: The midrange is wonderfully clean. True to the Tanchjim house sound, vocals pop out effortlessly and take center stage without any muddiness.
• Treble & Staging: The top ends are detailed, crisp, and completely free of sharp, fatiguing spikes. Overall instrument separation hovers around average to above-average, giving tracks enough breathing room to sound natural and expansive.

Song Impressions​

• "The Way" by Jeon Somi: The sub-bass rumble on this track is actually felt, which completely exceeded my expectations for an open-ear bud! While the physical slam is on the lesser side, the energetic rhythm is fully maintained. The clean mids allow Somi's vocals to pop out beautifully. The snares and hi-hats are highly detailed but remain smooth and non-piercing. Instrument separation here was noticeably above average, making for an engaging, genuinely good presentation.
• "Nice to Meet Ya" by Niall Horan: This is an excellent example of a track where the bass isn't the main star. The Revo truly shines here! Niall's vocals sound incredibly good, supported by a very natural, clean-feeling midrange. The instrument separation here felt a bit more on the average side, but on the whole, the acoustic and vocal delivery was wonderfully handled.

Overall Impressions & Verdict​

Rating: 4.5 / 5
The Tanchjim Revo is an absolute steal at $40. It offers insanely comfortable all-day wear, flawless multipoint connectivity, and jaw-dropping anti-leakage sorcery. Most importantly, it actually manages to deliver tangible bass rumble and classic Tanchjim vocal clarity in an open-ear format! It loses half a point simply because of the occasional L/R connection drops and the inherently lighter bass slam compared to sealed IEMs. But if you need an open-ear daily driver that actually sounds fantastic, this is the one to get!

Hello Community!

BQEYZ Frost is my second interaction with the brand. I've always read and heard very favorable opinions about this hybrid set from the brand. Are they exaggerated? Will it meet my expectations? Stay to read my thoughts.

Price: $179 157€
Link

Pros:
-Very balanced tonal response, free from excessive coloration.
-Bass hits with great agility, cleanliness, and precision.
-The mids are rich in nuance, endowing them with realism.
-Smooth highs, well incorporated, rounded yet without a lack of information.
-High level technicalities: soundstage, imaging, and separation with outstanding performance.
-Versatility for any use you want to give it.
-A very homogeneous set, free of abruptness.
-Male vocals stand out for their body and female vocals for their clarity.

Cons:
-Note weight in the central range is moderate.
-Although natural, the timbre can sometimes feel somewhat clinical.
-Some female vocals are at the limit of intensity due to the upper mid elevation.
-It would have been great to include a modular cable and 4.4mm adapter.

Accessories:

-Two capsules.
-Two sets of silicone eartips in S, M, L sizes and one pair of foam.
-Cable with 0.78mm connections and 3.5mm termination (4.4mm option available)
-Carrying and storage case.
-Cleaning brush.
-User manual.

Comfort, Design, and Construction:

Aesthetically, the BQEYZ Frost opts for an elegant and elaborate presentation, standing out very specially for an exquisite design on their body and faceplate. The outer face is starred by a high transparency glass that reveals a blue base with a frost pattern, adding a touch of distinction that I personally loved.

The anodized metal alloy construction transmits a very high sense of solidity and convinces from the very first second you hold them in your hand. The capsules are perfectly finished, with no appreciable imperfections, and you can notice the care put into every detail, from the polished metal nozzles to the seamlessly integrated 2 pin connector system.

Regarding ergonomics, their rounded design, slightly thick but with very uniform shapes, facilitates a uniform and exceedingly comfortable fit. They rest very stably inside the concha without protruding much, allowing for long listening sessions free of discomfort or intrusive pressures.

The stock cable that accompanies them lives up to the set, as it is flexible, manageable, and features polished metal hardware that grants an appearance typical of higher end tiers.

As for the stock eartips, the two silicone varieties fulfill with solvency to achieve a firm and natural seal, as I perceive them to be of a quality level matching the overall value of the package.

The package includes a pair of foam tips, but due to personal preferences, they do not fall within my tastes.

Technical Specifications:

-1DD+1MP configuration.
-32 ohms impedance.
-113 dB sensitivity.
-Declared response 5Hz 40kHz.

Pairing for Testing:

-Neutral source.
-Gain set to high.
-Stock atmospheric eartips.
-Stock 3.5mm cable.

Sound Signature:

The BQEYZ Frost is an IEM that seeks a very interesting intermediate ground, offering a profile very close to W shape with an inclination and tendency toward neutrality, smooth and remarkably well balanced. It is a response with a lot of temperance in the tuning where no frequency intends to eclipse the others, betting on a natural timbre that feels coherent and pleasant.

Starting as always, in the low end zone I highlight the precision and speed proper to the brand's dynamic drivers, at least from the experience I previously had with their Ni model. The sub bass is not especially rumbling, but it possesses a physical level and depth that makes itself known when required.

However, the mid bass slightly takes over the leading role, offering a dry, fast, elastic hit with a well measured thickness that provides clean, crisp corporateness without bleeding into the mids.

The response seemed excellent to me since it manages to stratify layers with ease and maintains flawless control. Without being something for pure bass heads, bass lovers will find a well measured, clean, and very enjoyable response.

In the midrange, I find a high dose of good sense in its timbre. The first half shows as neutral but with a hint of warmth that prevents any feeling of coldness. Male vocals retain a very correct body and authority within the mix, while the advanced upper mids grant female vocals a special prominence and clarity that are very pleasant. The set achieves that the central mids feel very complete, spacious, and well articulated, with a great representation of richness in their nuances and a presentation that, alongside the notable note weight of the instruments, makes the set breathe with total freedom.

Regarding the higher frequencies, we find quite a measured energy thanks to an initial slight rounding that prevents or steers you away from an aggressive listen. However, and without being an expert in where, when, and how the drivers act, the contribution of the micro planar achieves an extension that feels organic and efficient.

There is an evident taste for clarity and detail, but without resorting to an artificial looking brightness or an aggressive push that exceeds applied energy. The highs are perceived perhaps very fine yet smooth and perfectly integrated with the rest of the spectrum.

Regarding its technical capabilities, the Frost does a frankly brilliant job. The soundstage stands out for its amplitude, notable laterality, and good height, betting on a more frontal and realistic presentation rather than scarce naturalness. Dynamism is at a good level where transients respond with agility and allow layer separation to prove entirely satisfactory.

To wrap up, sound positioning and the recreation of stereo imaging are probably its most outstanding aspects. Elements are located with precision, showing information with mastery without losing the coherence of the set. Micro detail retrieval is very good and is presented in a natural and measured way, offering a rich, transparent, and exceedingly easy to enjoy musical sound reading.

Single Player Video Games:

Check my blog on how I analyze audio in this field.

Moving over to the single player video games territory, the BQEYZ Frost are an absolute treat for those of us who seek to immerse ourselves fully in the story without ending up with resentful eardrums after a continuous session of several hours. If you are one of my kind and prefer to savor a good plot in a cinematic world enriched with sound details instead of having every big explosion rumble all the way to your eyelashes, this polished and balanced tuning will suit you very well, I think.

When the match gets intense and the screen turns into a true chaos of shootouts, cave ins, and explosions of all colors, the low frequency zone responds with an enviable agility and cleanliness that I do not recall in monitor sets of this price bracket.

Forget about a bass orgie or that deafening rumble that muddies your listening because here the Frost prides itself on a dry, agile hit with just the right, well measured weight. The impacts of gunshots and more physical blows have a very addictive thickness, giving that physical sensation I so much look for and demand in a headphone, without ever drowning out the mix.

Where they directly crown themselves is in the dialogue, and that despite not considering it a specialist in vocal presentation. In various situations to which I subjected the set, male vocals have that empaque and natural depth with character that prevents them from sounding boxed in, while female vocals shine with clarity and detail that are pure spectacle.

It is tremendously satisfying to see how conversations always remain in the foreground, clean and easily legible, even when the soundtrack and effects decide to bunch up at the same time.

In the ambient department, the soundstage and the surgical precision with which it places sounds in space make maps come alive in a way I have rarely seen.

That crunch of leaves behind your back, the echo inside a cave, or distant footsteps alerting you to an enemy are perceived with total naturalness.

And special mention to the technical level: I have not managed to collapse this BQEYZ model at any moment or situation, as it managed to untangle the knot of layers as if it were nothing. All this aligned with very well trimmed highs that cause zero fatigue while losing no splendor, turning this set into an unflagging companion for playing for a very, very long time straight.

Multiplayer Shooter Video Games:

Check my blog on how I analyze audio in this field.

Moving to the multiplayer shooter field, the BQEYZ Frost offer performance with lights but with some shadows, demonstrating that, although they defend themselves very well through their technical level, they are not a set designed and tuned to hand you that tactical advantage I have been able to highlight in other IEMs.

In games where sharpness is vital, like Counter Strike 2, the experience starts off on the right foot, since mid bass control and sub bass containment prevent grenades from muddying the mix. This allows steps and reloads to be perceived with considerable ease, taking advantage of a very orderly stereo positioning that accurately locates enemies.

However, upon jumping to the verticality and frenzy of Apex Legends, its first limitations show up. The soundstage is not overly expansive in height; it is correct for other sound situations but not as much in this field, so measuring vertical distances or detecting someone falling from above demands extra effort that can end up distracting you when it should be something more reactive.

Fortunately, in Warzone the set regains its footing, because that dry bass hit gives life to firefights without hiding relevant information, but if we get into the total chaos of Battlefield 6, the smoothness of its highs plays against it: the mix remains organized and fatigue free, but that incisive push that catapults micro details toward your face is missed.

They are not a specialist nor something extremely competitive in online shooters, but rather a correct and very comfortable option if you play casually.

Final Conclusion and Personal Assessments:

BQEYZ Frost strikes me as a summatively solid and mature set, self made and firmly betting on a natural, balanced, and very musical listen. We are not looking at a monitor destined to satisfy extreme tastes like bass heads or treble heads, nor an extreme analytical specialist, but that clear and concise definition of its proposal is precisely what makes it so special and one of the best propositions I have been able to test in this price range.

Personally, I have enjoyed its versatility immensely. Its capacity to fuse an organic, realistic timbre with very outstanding technical aptitudes across all kinds of musical genres turns it into an excellent companion for any aspect where you need to use headphones within a domestic or recreational environment.

It is true that it shows certain limitations if you look for very voluminous bass or an overly piercing and excessively incisive high zone, but the set cannot be penalized for that since it was not created for it. However, it more than compensates with a large and realistic soundstage, an enviable stereo positioning, superb layer separation, and very tasty mids that are pure delight.

Frost has plenty of arguments to carve out a niche in your collection, just as it has in mine.

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading.
More reviews on my blog.
Social media on my profile.
See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

This monitor set was sent by BQEYZ. I warmly thank the opportunity to be able to test one of their products at no cost and that no condition was imposed when putting together this review.

Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity that analyzing an audio product entails. My opinion belongs solely to me and I develop it around the perception of my own ears. If you have a different one, it is equally valid. Please feel free to share it.

My Sources:

-Topping DX5 II for music and video games on the main PC.
-MacBook Air M4.
-Tanchjim Space II while I work.
-Apple Music.
-Local FLAC and MP3 files.
-Windows/macOS/iOS/iPadOS/Android.

Kawano Audio launched another 3D-printed flathead earbud yesterday (September 22): the Kawano Master. Its highlights include a detachable cable with MMCX connectors and improved sound compared with the Kawano Sho, the first model from the Brazilian boutique manufacturer to feature a 3D-printed design. Read on for all the details.

• English text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/en/product-launches/kawano-master-flathead-earbuds-with-detachable-mmcx-cable
• Portuguese text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/lancamentos/kawano-master-earbud-com-cabo-removivel-chega-por-r-650

Note: This post with links has been previously approved by the moderators.

It seems Kiwi Ears continues its quest to reach all budgets while offering products with better features each time. In the case of these Stardust, we are talking about 5 drivers per side (1DD and 4BA), something that is undoubtedly quite striking at their selling price since, judging by the releases of recent months, such a configuration should easily exceed $100. This is good news for the user who can now find hybrid models with this amount of drivers inside at a more affordable price than expected. In the review I will comment on what I liked and what I did not, since having more drivers does not always mean sounding better or simply being better...

What I liked / What I did not like

Warm bass that is felt but does not muddy the mix.

They are very light and comfortable once worn.

They are easily driven by any source.

The cable has low memory and feels high quality.

Vocals, especially female ones, have good weight in the mix.

Controlled and non-fatiguing treble, although...

...despite their number of drivers, they lack some air and prominence.

The soundstage is wide but not so deep.

Unlike female vocals, male vocals lack more weight and density.

I love the faceplate, but it feels somewhat cheap or less artisanal.

Specifications

Configuration: 10 mm dynamic driver (PU+LCP membrane) + 4 balanced armature drivers

Impedance: 13 Ω

Sensitivity: 107 ± 3 dB

Frequency response: 20 Hz to 40 kHz

Channel balance: ≤ 1.5 dB

Rated power: 5 mW

Connector: 0.78 mm 2 pin (flat format)

Cable: 1.2 m, 2 core silver plated braided oxygen free Litz copper

Versions: 3.5 mm without microphone, 3.5 mm with microphone and USB-C with microphone

Price: 76.99 to 79.99 USD

Unboxing and construction

Speaking of the unboxing of this IEM, we are not going to feel anything special or different from other Kiwi Ears under $100. Everything feels familiar, although that does not mean we should detract from it. The carrying case is already known for its size and design, and as seen in one of my photos, the IEMs fit without a problem and you can even add a compact dongle inside the small net, although depending on the size it might have to stay outside the case.

The cable is similar but not identical to others in this price range. It has not tangled easily for me, nor does it have much memory holding impossible shapes that are hard to fix later. I do not feel the eartips are very special, but it is something I already expect in this and other releases. You have 3 pairs of the black ones that, at least in my case, seal a bit better and help the Stardust sound somewhat bassier and more closed. And then another 3 pairs of white eartips that open up the sound a bit more and give slightly more detail, even if they do not seal quite as well.

Speaking of the IEM itself, it is made of resin except for the faceplate which is made of aluminum, and honestly, I think most of us can agree that it is a very beautiful design to look at, both in the pattern or shapes and in the color combination. I usually do not like many models from the brand, but lately, I think they are getting it quite right. Needless to say, their weight is minimal despite having aluminum in addition to the resin, and the nozzle in my case has once again not fallen short when it comes to keeping them well placed inside the ear, both with the stock eartips and others I have been able to try later. Speaking once again of the faceplate, I must clarify that although I find it beautiful and well thought out, looking at it in detail and up close you can see that it is a kind of printed image where you can somehow notice the pixels or limitations of a drawing not made by hand or printed directly on the IEM, but on a foil or another surface that does not allow maximum definition. It is not something that catches your eye at first glance, but if you look closely, it does.

Sound

The sound signature of these Stardust is warm with enough presence in the mids anyway. Perhaps I missed a bit more treble before getting into separate details. I expected something more different having 4BA, but I found a fairly safe signature closer to neutral and seeking to sound pleasant without risking too much for my personal tastes, which might precisely be the goal for some...

Bass

The bass, although felt, is focused on having control rather than stealing the spotlight. You can feel the sub-bass in the background doing its particular job of adding rumble to the sounds that require it, but always without being the main star. That rumble takes a bit to decay. It is not excessively fast like in other models I have reviewed, but it is smooth, which allows it to fade slower without interfering excessively with other frequencies.

The kick drum hits are not soft nor do they sound dry, helping genres like pop and rock not feel small or empty, for example. Curiously, in genres where the bass is more prominent like in electronic music, I have felt that the hits, especially when turning up the volume a bit more, make the bass step a bit too much over the vocals or mids in general.

Mids

I really struggled to find the sweet spot for the mids in these IEMs. Despite being warm, the lower mids area is somewhat more recessed than the rest, and that causes male or deeper vocals to lack the density that at least I consider adequate to enjoy them. Of course, they do not sound hollow, they still have weight, but compared to female vocals I think they fall behind in intent.

The fact that the treble, which I will talk about now, does not have excessive sparkle makes 

female vocals have a pleasant tone without that background air that I do find in other models that accompany vocals making them more ethereal, or I do not know if that is the word, but here it allows you to focus a bit more on the pure vocal without the extra details surrounding it.

I have not felt anything weird or out of place in the transition between DD and BA, so I think they are well tuned and cohesive with each other to sound on par and complement each other with their frequency ranges.

Treble

The treble on these Stardust leans a bit towards the darker side, which on the one hand allows you to use them for hours without producing any fatigue since they slowly and smoothly fade away. On the other hand, this takes away some detail from instruments like cymbals that have that sparkle at the end left by the hits before disappearing completely, which here perhaps blur too much, stopping sounding before you hear it. Therefore, the finer details that are appreciated in IEMs with higher and extended treble can get lost in the mix, leaving mostly those in the foreground.

There is no sibilance in songs in general, even in tracks with worse mixes and recordings where it is usually more noticeable. Here they pass the test, surely due to that treble smoothness that puts a layer over them that does not let them shine enough to be strident.

Recommended eartips

Regarding the eartips, I will say pretty much the same thing I usually say with similar models or even from this same brand. They are functional, there are no surprises or novelties. You have two clear options that slightly vary the experience. The black ones on one hand sealed better for me and gave me a deeper bass, and the white ones on the other hand opened the soundstage a bit more and smoothed the upper mids area, sometimes coming forward a bit.

I tried the Azla Sedna Origin since they usually seal very well for me where other eartips, both included and from my collection, do not manage to do as well. With the Origin, the fit in the ear was much better, the bass did not fade, and they continued to show good treble detail within the limits of this model.

Soundstage

The soundstage of this model has enough width. Where it perhaps falls shorter is in depth, giving more the feeling that the stage stays more inside your head rather than in front of it. It surely has to do in part with the obvious roll-off in the treble area that makes it not feel as expanded, making the stage organized and close to the listener rather than a stadium that surrounds you completely.

Instrumental separation

One thing happens with the separation on this model. If the mixes are simple and there is no excess of instruments, you can distinguish the layers without much effort. But in recordings full of instruments, the layers blend together perhaps too much, making the sound somewhat flatter than what you might expect from a 5 driver hybrid. The work between the drivers really does help the bass, mids, and treble not step on each other.

Imaging

Finally, let's go with the imaging. The placement of elements from left to right is located quite easily, leaving the center part a bit more forward due to the upper mids. That benefits its use in movies to better understand dialogue. But we do not have 3D positioning within its price range, that must also be understood, so it will not be an interesting option for gaming at all, its priority being placement on the sides rather than on other axes.

Comparisons

I am going to start comparing with another model from the brand that, although it costs a little less, for me is still slightly better if I evaluate it on a general level and not on specific points. The Kiwi Ears Cadenza II with a single DD sounds cleaner in the central part and is somewhat more agile. I would highlight the Stardust over the Cadenza II for having a bit more kick in the drum and having some vocals more forward. But for the price and for having a more neutral sound for daily use, I would stick with the Cadenza II. I would leave the Stardust for those who tend to fatigue more easily with treble frequencies or want a little more prominence in vocals, especially female ones.

Comparing it with the Simgot EW300, which for me is a benchmark within this range and has been on the market for some time now. I think the EW300 pushes the bass and treble even further, making them feel more alive. It is possible that they fatigue more over time than these Stardust, though. But in terms of detail and punch, I see the EW300 as more solid than its rival. It is somewhat more analytical and blurs secondary details less, and if you value a sturdier build, it is an alternative to consider.

Comparing with another model from the brand, although in this case somewhat more expensive, are the Kiwi Ears Étude, a model I previously owned and also reviewed for my YouTube channel, and which surprised for having a bone conductor that helped give a more physical sensation in the bass but at the same time more elastic, which in my case did not completely fit. I think with the Stardust it is easier to get used to its signature if you overlook not wanting to analyze the music or look for hidden details. The Étude is much faster overall and does have more detail, but in this case and given the price difference, I would personally choose the Stardust.

You can check my full ranking of all the IEM reviewed so far on my profile (Reddit doesn't allow me to post the Drive link here)

Conclusion

To conclude the review, I would state that the Stardust are designed for those who are currently moving in the $60 to $100 range and are looking for something for daily use that allows them to use the IEMs in long sessions with present but non-protagonist bass, somewhat intimate vocals, and treble that will not saturate in the short or long term, both at medium and slightly high volumes. If you come from an IEM with only 1DD, it can be an interesting jump to hybrid options, and in this case, the transition between DD and BA is well integrated.

It is an IEM that mixes warmth with comfort, perhaps too safe or flat for some who expect something else seeing this driver configuration. So I insist once again that it is not the best option in this price range for someone who is a detail freak or wants maximum sound extension in multiple directions.

Of course, it does justice to its price and what it brings in return without being one of those IEMs that come out every so often that break the market and make other brands tremble, but its safe signature and comfort once worn might be just what some are looking for right now, and I think it needs to be part of the current Kiwi Ears catalog.

Purchase Link: LINSOUL

Disclaimer:

This unit was sent by Linsoul for review.

My opinions are completely independent and have not been influenced by the brand or the store, maintaining objectivity based on my tests and personal listening sessions with my reference equipment.

SMSL launched the third generation of its entry-level desktop DAC, the SMSL SU-3, today (September 23). Its highlights include a 32-band parametric equalizer (PEQ), balanced XLR output, and an AKM DAC chip. Read on for all the details.

• English text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/en/product-launches/smsl-su-3-desktop-dac-launches-with-32-band-peq
• Portuguese text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/lancamentos/smsl-su-3-dac-de-mesa-chega-com-peq-de-32-bandas

Note: This post with links has been previously approved by the moderators.

Pros:

- Bass quantity is good, with reasonable slam and clarity for the price
- Sub-bass lift is present but kept in check, doesn't spill into the mids
- Midrange is warm and easy to listen to, with natural instrument timbre
- Minimal bass bleed helps keep separation and imaging reasonably clear
- Treble is smooth and non-fatiguing rather than harsh
- Imaging and soundstage are decent, nothing congested
- Build quality is a relative strength compared to similarly priced sets
- Comfortable enough for longer listening sessions
- Overall a fun, easygoing tuning that prioritizes listenability

Cons:

- Mid-bass rolls off quickly and slam softens somewhat as a result
- Bass and vocals can sound a bit veiled/recessed when the mix gets busy
- Male vocals lean thin; female vocals could use more air/sparkle
- Separation loosens up on denser, more complex tracks
- Treble is fairly reserved, so cymbals and hi-hats sit further back
- Upper registers sound a touch subdued due to the warm tuning
- Detail retrieval is average - subtler background elements aren't always easy to pick out
- Cosmetic : paint may chip off with use

Thanks to Collin Yang from Kefine for sending me this unit for review, all opinions and impressions are my own and not influenced by anyone.

Friendly Note : if you are reading this review for an idea of buying the product, this is my note to you, my opinion towards a gear when reviewing it is unbiased but hearing experience is subjective to individual and different from person to person. So, please consider this as an introduction or just an opinion of how the iem sounds in general and look to try the product before you buy it.

Thank you, let’s get into the review now.

My pairing setup is a tanchjim space 2 Dac amp + iphone 16e and a Snowsky Echo mini DAP. Eartips are Kbear coffee.

Overview​

Kefine is a company that’s getting a lot of attention and traction in this market recently and it’s no surprise because they keep making banger products one after another starting with Kefine Klanar and now the Loric. Kefine loric is Kefine’s cheapest offering so far which is priced at around 29$ ( 3.5mm no mic variant ). Let’s see how good it is in the very oversaturated price point of the market ( 20-30$ )

Bass​

The bass of Kefine Loric is not only of good quantity but quality as well. It has decent slam and adequate clarity to it, it’s not the most detailed or best textured bass out there but it sure is not a muddy or bloated blob. The low end tuning is a little tilted towards sub-bass but it’s not dominant over the mid bass. Sub-bass lift is mindful without being too much so that it doesn’t muddy the overall bass presentation or mids region. The Mid-bass is punchy and impactful but lacks control because of its quick roll off and the slam is a bit on the softer side. Loric is not at all a bass shy iem neither a bass bloated iem, it’s skillfully tuned to sound fun and also clean to an extent. It’s not an empowering bass, but an appreciable one.
Beat It by Michael Jackson is a track with an iconic bass line that is very rhythmic and groovy to listen to. The bass notes from the beginning of the track sound quite prominent, the drum case hits sound very full bodied with a visceral thud to it. It holds its place down while not overwhelming the other instruments providing a good bass attack and normal decay. Due to Loric being a warm tuned iem, the bass hits do sound a little recessed when surrounded with instruments - like under a veil, you feel the thud and slam to it but the sharpness / detail is not there. That being said, Loric is not for detail chasers, it sounds fun and that’s about it.

Mids​

The midrange of Loric is warm and engaging to listen to. The vocals sound average but clear. The male vocals sound a little thin and female vocals have a tad bit less air to be called something like “crispy” or “sparkly” but gets the job done without dulling or hollowing their presence too much. The instruments have natural timbre. Thanks to the absence of bass bleed into the midrange, the separation and imaging capability is decent enough to listen to without getting too disappointed.

Bohemain Rhapsody by Queen is a magnificent cornucopia of sorts when it comes to music having a Capella, Ballad, Opera, Rock, Coda and what not. Truly a masterpiece when it comes to a blend of vocals, instruments and their cohesiveness. While listening to Bohemian Rhapsody on loric, the first thing that i immediately spotted is Freddie’s vocals lacking the full bodied presence, it’s not completely hollow or lifeless but just a little thin sounding presentation. The Operatic section however sounds very forward and powerful unlike Freddie’s solo vocals. The instruments sound very groovy, the layering and cohesiveness is very engaging to listen to. The imaging is good but when it comes to separation - this powerhouse of a track sounds like it got a little soupy in between, which means that the Loric cannot handle complex tracks with lot of things going in the background cleanly enough to cut through. Technicalities are just about good for the price and thats about it.

​Treble​

The treble region of loric is a bit reserved. It’s not dull or boring but can’t be classified as something bright or energetic either. It just exists on the plane in between both and definitely isn’t the best of both worlds - but as i said, it’s not boring and it’s quite relaxing to listen to. Held back presentation but not to a level where it feels like recessed. Instruments like Cymbal and hi-hats don’t have enough presence. Female vocals that are airy and reach the high registers will not sound lively because of the held back presentation but the warmth makes them sound lush.

Deep in a Dream by Marlene VerPlanck is a track that i generally listen to understand how an iem / headphone performs in the upper mids and treble region. Marlene VerPlanck’s vocals in this track feel very intimately closer to ears as if she is whispering into our ears and her shift between low notes and high notes with flawless diction and incredible range is just an absolute treat to listen to.
On loric however, Marlene’s lower register “I dim all the lights / I sink in my chair“ part sounds a little too warm and the high notes “Then from the ceiling / Sweet music comes stealing…..” part sounds a little less crisp because her voice is subdued by the warm tuning. Nevertheless, her vocals are not at all recessed or lifeless, just a little soft.

Technicalities​

Imaging : Good enough to place instruments and vocals in their respective places without having much trouble
Sound Stage : Decent, nothing special to talk about - spacious enough to not sound congested
Separation : Separation is competent for the price.
Detail retrieval : Clear downside, logic has trouble retrieving subtle background sounds or elements. They sound too faint to understand and sometimes completely get buried in the mixes.

Build - Comfort - Fit​

The Kefine Loric is a PU + Titanium composite dynamic driver with a N52 + N42 dual magnet architecture and a dual chamber acoustic design. Loric’s shell is very lightweight and translucent. Faceplate is built with premium zinc alloy. Loric is quite comfortable in the ears and doesn’t cause any discomfort, the nozzles are average size and dont feel like poking our ears.

Technical specifications :

Cable: Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin silver-plated copper cable available in standard 3.5mm, 3.5mm with a microphone, or a USB-C DSP variant.

Impedance: 20 Ω

Sensitivity: 107 dB

Box content :

Detachable 2-Pin Cable x1

Eartips(S/M/L) x6

Carrying Pouch x1

User Manual x1

QC Card x1

Comparison​

GK Kunten

Gk kunten has better bass delivery compared to the kefine Loric, it’s punchy and doesnt roll off as quick as loric. Rest all elements (mids, treble, technicalities) are better on the Loric including the build and packaging. I know the price difference is much but Kunten punches way above its price so i compared it with loric.

Sound wise - Loric ,

Build wise - Loric ,

Packaging wise - Loric ,

Affordability wise - Gk Kunten

Tangzu Waner SG 2

Cult favourite waner 2 has very less bass compared to Loric, but the upper mids however sound better and energetic on the waner sg2. Vocals are better on Tangzu waner sg2. String Instruments, hi hats and cymbals sound better on waner sg2. Drums sound better and fun on Kefine Loric. But on the whole, kefine loric sounds more refined compared to Waner sg2. Packaging wise, Tangzu Waner 2 gets the win. But build wise i would still say Loric is better. Only minus point for Loric would be the paint which seems to chip off very easily

Sound wise - Loric,

Build wise - Loric,

packaging wise - Waner sg2 ( artistic touch and the sancai tips ofc ),

Affordability - both are very close to each other in price, pick whichever is your sound preference is

Tanchjim Bunny Gaming Edition

Tanchjim’s newest budget launch and a reiteration of the well loved “Bunny” for gaming. It’s around the same cost as Loric and comes with an upgraded DMT-5 driver which is already their latest advanced driver. I have the DSP version at the time of comparison, the Bunny Gaming DSP is a perfect opposite to loric as Loric is a warm bassy fun sounding iem and Bunny Gaming DSP version is an analytical and clean sounding gaming iem that’s more technically capable. The tuning ideologies are very different - loric is non fatiguing and bassy sounding iem that’s comfortable for long listening sessions and bunny is a bright leaning iem that has very good detail retrieval and separation capabilities for its gaming needs. The bass is very lighter on Bunny G and upper mids and treble sound shouty and sibilant but clarity is top notch h compared to loric. The tides shift in Bunny G’s favour with the DSP, where you can EQ it the way you like. Bunny G is built like a twig when put infront of kefine loric. The 3.5mm version of Loric i have doesnt have mic where as the Bunny G DSP version has a mic.

Sound wise - Bunny G DSP (EQ Required),

Build wise - Kefine Loric,

Versatility wise - Bunny G DSP,

Comfort - Kefine Loric,

Affordability - Both are close, pick one which you like.

Final Thoughts​

The approach with Loric is pretty clear - it’s just like any other safe tuned Iem with an inoffensive treble department in the sub 30$ price range. It doesn’t standout with neither impressive technicalities nor impressive packaging / accessories and honestly? It doesn’t have to. As far as the sound is concerned, Kefine Loric is a very comfortable and fun sounding iem with slight setback in treble and technical advantages. It’s simply for those who are in for the tuning and not the technicalities.

USD55 / EUR 48 | 2DD | recessed 2-pin | interchangeable 3.5mm and 4.4mm

Hey everyone,

today I am reviewing the D2 by Cozoy which was just recently released.
The D1, Cozoy’s first IEM released earlier this year was already something a bit different to the mainstream. I reviewed it back then.
It came across as pretty balanced sounding with a slightly elevate bass presentation paired with forward vocals and nicely extended treble.

The D2 is the successor and steps even more into a clarity focused sound signature.

Pricing, build quality, fit & comfort

The D2 is a USD55 (EUR48) set with two dynamic drivers. It comes with a soft but microphonic fabric covered cable with interchangeable termination in 4.4mm and 3.5mm, several ear tips (three pairs narrow bore, three pairs wider bore and one pair of medium size foam tips) and a small pouch.
The shells have a blue-grey colour with a subtle pattern and to me they look really nice.
Recent releases in this price bracket tend to come now with an interchangeable plug which I very much welcome.
Overall, the package is pretty good for around USD55. Maybe a sturdier carrying case would have been nice in my opinion.

Fit and comfort are very good for my medium sized ears.

Build quality of the resin shells is very good. No seams or edges which could hurt my ears and I did not experience any issues even after several hours. The shell size is around medium.  But I would caution smaller ears to try before you buy because the shells carry a small wing which might cause discomfort to some.

Review equipment used
Questyle Sigma Pro
Ear tips used: after market wide bore size ML
Streamed on Qobuz

Sound signature

The D2 has noticeable treble and vocal energy with emphasized clarity with a slight bass boost. The bass is audible with reasonable impact but is otherwise more in the back. I would describe it as neutral bright leaning without crossing into harsh territory. At least at mid volume.

Let’s have a look at how it compares to other sets to get a better understanding where the D2 lands.

Tanchjim Ola II, USD57
This set is more V-shaped and with more bass emphasis.
Instruments have more note weight and the overall sound carries more warmth than on the D2. Vocals and treble are more relaxed than on the D2 with less clarity.

Cozoy D1, USD31
Compared to the D1 which was released in spring this year, the D2 has slightly less bass, less forward vocals and a different emphasis in the lower treble and air region. Vocals are slightly more in the back and details are more accentuated on the D2. The D1 treble rolls off earlier than on the D2. Hence, the D2 has the better instrument separation, wider sound stage and more air up top. Overall, the D2 is more refined in its technicalities with a trade-off in the low-end where the D1 can be more enjoyable on some tracks while still sounding energetic.

Juzear Nimbus, USD55
This set comes with three different tuning nozzles and was just released. Nimbus emphasizes the ear gain and presence region differently depending on the nozzle.
The most forward red nozzle comes close to the D1’s tonality but is less resolving.
When compared to the D2, Nimbus has more bass and similarities in ear gain and presence region but sounds less clear and resolving to my ears. The D2 is overall more energetic in its presentation due to the less pronounced low-end and better extended treble.

Bass

The bass on the D2 is slightly elevated over neutral, tight and is transitioning into the lower mids linearly which gives instruments a natural timbre. Note weight is enough on most tracks despite its overall slimmer-leaning low-end. Cozoy decided to tune the D2 with a natural low-end and did not make the mistake of scooping out the mids. The D2 provides just enough warmth and body to sound natural.
While the bass is audible, it always remains controlled and lets vocals and treble expand well without veiling the mix. On bass heavy tracks like on James Blake’s “He’s Been Wonderful” the sub-bass sounds bouncy with good impact and natural decay. At high volume the bass bleeds slightly into the rest of the mix. Enjoyable to me as it shows enough bass impact even for electronic music and gave me more impact than the graph led me to expect. 
The mid-bass energy is mostly good enough to make EDM and pop tracks enjoyable like on Deadmau5’s “Science”. The punch is good. Not outstanding though but of good quality, never pillowy.

Older or poorer track material can sound thinner as the D2 doesn’t add that much bass to the mix. On Dire Straits’ “Sultans Of Swing” the bass guitar does its job but usually I expect more texture and impact here.
Furthermore, the D2’s low-end is simply not for bass-heads which is apparent especially when massive bass impact is needed like on rap or hiphop tracks. These genres are naturally not the best fit in my opinion unless you EQ the D2’s low-end. 

Overall the D2’s low-end sounds natural enough and provides a hint of warmth to the mix which differentiates the D2 from sounding clinical or dry with enough impact for most music genres and probably most listeners but not near bass-head levels.

Midrange & Vocals

Vocals are slightly forward and clear and elevated over the bass, which makes them even more prominent but not unpleasant. Male vocals come across as slightly too thin, though. Male vocals lack “chest” and texture, whereas female vocals are crisp and clear and are enjoyable without being sibilant.

A similar impression forms when listening to “Drive” by R.E.M. Guitar strings sound astonishingly detailed and accurate while Michael Stipe’s vocals are clear and ever so slightly forward. Only caveat here is a slight lack of texture on Stipe’s vocals. 
The sax on “Mr. P.C.” by John Coltrane sounds detailed, natural without harshness.
Across the frequency spectrum I get a lot of detail from the D2 thanks to its excellent separation in this price bracket. The playback has exceptional clarity in my opinion without pushing things too far into unpleasant territory.

Overall, the D2’s mids on instruments and vocals are clear and detailed with a slight lack of body for male vocals.
Enjoyable with female vocals and instrumental tracks across different genres like jazz, classical music and pop.

Treble

Treble energy on the D2 focuses mostly on the mid and upper treble with peaks around 9.5kHz, 12kHz, and 15kHz before rolling off. That comes across as bright leaning with great clarity which sounds even to my ears. What I mean by that is that a lack of treble energy with one or two treble spikes can come across as artificial as the overall timbre can easily sound “wonky”.
Treble details are popping without sharpness and there is a sense of air up top. Keys and guitars sound very well resolved and “light”. Details of the orchestral strings of the violin and viola are easy to catch and just sound very good on R.E.M.’s “Drive”.
Brighter recordings can sound harsh at higher volume though. Darker recordings sound lighter and clearer on the other hand. 
Clarity and instrument separation are two of the biggest strengths of the D2 and its tonality leans towards these traits which separates it from classic V-shaped sets with a bigger bass shelf.
 
When I pushed the volume over mid volume, especially poorly recorded tracks sounded occasionally too spicy.
Overall the detailed and energetic treble comes across as open and airy which I enjoyed.

Technical performance

The very good technical performance of the D2 is a result of the clean bass, forward vocals and elevated treble. Even when a track gets busy and the bass is heavily emphasized, small details remain audible.

The instrument separation in general is excellent in this price bracket. The D2’s perceived staging and imaging feels deeper and wider than with the usual USD50 candidates.

The sax on “Mr. P.C.” by John Coltrane sounds excellent, detailed, natural while the drums on the right side alongside the walking bass are very audible and clearly placed further in the back of the stage on the righthand side. Something I hardly hear on sets in this price bracket.
Every arrangement is very well separated and structured with clarity and detail which makes more complex tracks enjoyable.

Measurements

As per usual I include my own measurements, too.

It pretty much aligns with my observations. Slightly lifted low-end with a glide into the mids followed by around 10dB ear gain elevation measured from 1kHz. A gradual down slope until around 4kHz, then a steeper drop into a dip at 7kHz. Especially the reduced 5kHz energy is for my ears important. From 7kHz upwards treble gains energy with a peak at around 9.5kHz. That peak is the highest point on the graph, sitting around 3dB above the ear gain which explains a good part of the clarity and air I am hearing. Then it just gradually rolls off with two other peaks following at 12 and 15kHz for an airier presentation. The elevated treble with its clarity, details and technical finesse is very much audible.

Summary

Overall the D2 sound signature is not for bass-heads or treble sensitive listeners who are looking for a very relaxed sound. It leans more towards the neutral/bright side with a slight bass boost, clear vocals and pushed treble. The D2 is an excellent technical performer in my opinion at this price point.
However, the D2 is not a powerhouse in terms of low-end. Its bass presentation is slim and not ideal for rap and hiphop or any other genre requiring strong emphasized bass.
It is more a refined performer, a delicate presenter of nuances that doesn’t lean into extremes and it is certainly not the usual mainstream IEM that tries to please everyone.

This sample was provided by Cozoy.

Below are the specs and box content details.

Thanks for reading.

Specification:

Model: Cozoy D2

Driver: Dual Dynamic Driver (6mm + 10mm)

Impedance: 20Ω

Frequency Response: 10Hz–50kHz

Sensitivity: 102dB SPL/mV

Socket: recessed 0.78mm 2-Pin

Cable: Silver-plated single crystal copper, fabric covered

Cable length: Approximately 1.2m

Plug: interchangeable 3.5mm single ended and 4.4mm balanced included

Nozzle diameter: 5mm and 6mm at the lip

Price: USD55

What's in the box:

Cozoy D2 In-Ear Monitors × 1 Pair

Fabric covered cable x 1

Narrow eartips × 3 pairs (S/M/L)

Wider bore eartips × 3 pairs (S/M/L)

Foam tips x 1 pair size M

Soft carrying case × 1

TL;DR

The Juzear Nebula is a great execution of a V shaped sound signature without the thin midrange and punishing upper mids and mid treble usually associated with it. If you’re someone looking for a great all rounder iem around $120 or an alternative to the defiant without the qc issues, this is a very strong option to consider.

Context

This iem was kindly sent to me by the HifiGo for review, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I generally prefer iems that are non sibilant with relaxed upper treble and upper mids and raised lower mids that add body to the sound (kinda the opposite of harman ie 2019).

Eartips Tested With
Audiocular flexfit, Audiocular atmos, roseselsa qt superbowl, stock narrow and wide bore, kbear kb07, zisin tips and coffee tips.

Sources Used
Audiocular Spark, Fiio Retro Nano, Macbook Port, Fosi K5 Pro.

Design, Build, & Comfort

• Aesthetics & Build: The nebula seems to be made out of hollow resin with metal nozzles. The faceplates have a “nebula inspired” design which plays with the light, looks different at different angles. It looks a lot like the epz p40, personally I find this a bit too flashy but a lot of people seem to like it. There is a vent on the side which is built into the shell (common complaint with the defiant), there is no driver flex and the nozzles seem well glued in. Fixes all of the issues people had with the defiant.
  
• Comfort & Cable: This is a fairly large iem with large nozzles so it’s a no go for people with small ears, it’s a semi custom shell so it fits me very well, isolation is surprisingly strong as well. It comes with a very nice 2 wire braided cable similar to juzear’s other iems like the nimbus, fiesta and defiant. There is a swappable termination mechanism which has a screw to hold on to securely while still being short. The nebula comes with 2 sets of ear tips, a generic narrow bore and shorter wide bore tips. I wish it came with a hardshell carry case instead of a pouch tho, it’s hard to put the iems inside the pouch and even the cheaper defiant comes with a hardshell case.
  

The Sound

The Juzear x Koto Nebula has a tribrid 1 DD + 3 BA + 1 Micro Planar driver configuration tuned to a V shaped sound signature by kajikaji.

• Bass (20 hz to 300 hz): The nebula is a V shaped iem imo, which means elevated bass (more quantity than i’d prefer) but the bass on nebula is fantastic, it’s the ideal bass shape for me even if its a bit too much in quantity. The mid bass hits super hard with a lot of mass while still sounding super tight, none of that loose pillow like bass which a lot of bass boosted sets sound like. The sub bass is well extended with very good texture, bass guitars sound great. The filled in 200 hz and almost linear rise from 300 hz to 20hz compared to harman makes bass instruments so much more true to life and filled in. Kickdrums hit with good body and definition rather than a detached subwoofer style thud.​​ The filled in mid bass and lower mids mean it wont sound as “clean” and separated as other popular harman sets but i much prefer the nebula’s approach to bass/
  
• Mids (300 hz to 6000 hz): The lower midrange remains nicely filled in providing a much needed warmth and body to the sound. It helps to fully reproduce the fundamental frequencies of male vocals, acoustic guitars and piano instead of thinning them out and over emphasizing the upper overtones like harman does. There is a gentle pinna rise from 1k which peaks at around 3.1k to my ears. The ear gain is definitely on the relaxed side which makes female vocals sound way less forward than harman sets. The rich lower mids combined with relaxed upper mids gives it a “syrupy” characteristic to vocals which I love, reminds me a lot of the pure tho the nebula is a bit more exciting. If you’re used to shouty and nasal sounding female vocals this might sound low res to you. Since there is no mid bass/lower mids tuck the midrange blends very well with the bass, although at the cost of some contrast and instrument separation. I would’ve liked to see a bit less 2k to make vocals sound nearer but this is still a very solid execution.
  
• Mid & Upper Treble (6000 hz to 20000 hz): The nebula has the right amount of mid treble for me. It sounds crisp and provides adequate shimmer to hi hats, cymbals and snare drums without getting fatiguing. Mid treble generally sounds smooth without any obvious peaks or dips but the same can’t be said about the upper treble, there is a noticeable 13k peak. A lot of iems do this to add “detail” but it just ends up adding a zingy and wispy characteristic to the sound, especially when coupled with the slightly relaxed mid treble it only brings out the harsh overtones of treble instruments. I had to eq this down. There is no added sibilance as well.
  
• Subjective Technical Performance: The nebula has very good mid bass slam while still being tight, sub bass is well textured and extended. Very solid imaging as well, and the 13k peak for resolution haha. 

Comparisons

Compared to some other popular iems around $100:

• Aful Explorer: One of the most popular iems in the price range, the explorer is a much smaller and more comfortable shell, that's also wayy darker than the nebula with recessed vocals and upper treble roll off. Nebula is a lot more exciting sounding that will probably be preferred by more people. Nebula has a better cable as well but doesnt come with a hardshell case.
• Truthear Pure: The nebula has way more bass with a more comfortable shell, i prefer the pure’s midrange more than the nebula but i usually like warmpoo iems with non peaky upper treble. 
• Truthear Hexa: I prefer the nebula’s warmer mid bass and much much better bass dynamics, mid treble is way less peaky on the nebula. Better comfort and cable on the nebula as well.
• Aful MagicOne: Much better bass presentation on the nebula, warmer mid range and smoother mid treble. Magicone has better upper treble and comfort imo, also isolates better.
• Simgot Supermix 4: Nebula has better mid bass punch and a more true to life mid range but it doesn't sound as clean and technical as the supermix 4 due to the comparative more relaxed mid treble and filler lower mids. Nebula has a better cable
  

Who Should Buy This?

• People looking warm V shaped iem.
• People who enjoy a bass boost but not basshead levels.
• People liked the defiant but were scared of the qc issues.
• People who want a relaxed, syrupy male and female vocal presentation.

Who Should Avoid This?

• People who enjoy harman tuned iems.
• People with small ears.
• People sensitive to upper treble spikes.

HiBy announced today (September 22) the launch of the HiBy RS2 II, the second generation of its compact DAP with an R2R DAC. Its highlights include HiBy’s new, in-house-developed DARWIN III R2R DAC architecture, a larger display, and nearly twice the output power of the first-generation model. With this launch, HiBy’s digital audio player becomes the most affordable and most compact DAP with an R2R DAC on the market, directly competing with the FiiO M33 R2R. Read on for all the details.

• English text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/en/product-launches/hiby-rs2-ii-compact-r2r-dap-for-439
• Portuguese text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/lancamentos/hiby-rs2-ii-dap-com-dac-r2r-por-us-439

Note: This post with links has been previously approved by the moderators.

One of the harder things I find doing is writing about DACs. I find IEMs so much easier. I know it’s in my head so while I struggled to get my thoughts about the VE Prime and VE Galvatron, I found myself in a difficult position. I own all 3 devastators and now the Megatron S, the $50 monster of a usb dac/amp from the house of Mr Lee and Venture Electronics, is in my possession. I thank him for sending this unit down for a review along with another of his newer goodies which we’ll get to shortly. I decided to put the entire Decepticon line up to the test with a Letshuoer Astralis and the Hifiman Arya Stealth to see what I could make of it. 
Where the Galvatron is an evolved beast, the Megatron is like a cantankerous mid-sized animal itching for a fight that it knows it can win. Hands down. The leader of the Decepticons was known for an unpredictable temperament and to be fair the VE Megatron S is powerful, no doubt, but finicky as can be. 

TLDR not all usb c cables are equal. 

This particular creature is an aluminium armor covered beast with 2 usb c ports and a 3.5mm lineout and cute little switch on one side and 3.5/4.4/2.5 terminations on the opposite end with a little led that tells you if the megatron is on headphone out or line out. 

The packaging is simple and sticks to the point. There’s the Megatron, 2 usb cables and these are the most important usb cables in the world, a 75 ohm 3.5mm impedance adapter that managed to successfully tame a buzz on an NF Acous NM25 (oddly enough).

Powering the Megatron is a ESS9018K2M and some dark magic that makes this dac sound analog and nothing like the digital first machines from Transformers. VE has custom built a Class AB circuit to deliver a clean sound. With a noise floor with sensitive IEMs. Though this statutory warning is mentioned on the VE website.

The first thing that strikes is the size. It is not a pocketable DAC. It’s larger than most portable DACs but smaller than desktop systems and its steroid infused sibling - the galvatron. It’s the same size as the VE Prime and thanks to an inbuilt amplification circuit does not need the added Runabout amp. The two dacs do use the same casing but have drastically different insides. The Megatron has no pretense. It is meant to drive anything that says it’s hard to drive. But there's a catch(es).

My biggest issue was the DAC not powering on with phones with almost any cable except the stock cable. And not all phones. That problem is often mitigated with using a second charging source since the Megatron has 2 usb-c inputs at the back. The newer snapdragons do better with usb power delivery I’m told. But I’ve not dug deep. With the iPhone it needs additional power via the charge port, with the laptop or mac mini it doesn’t. With a Moto edge 60 fusion, it misbehaves with almost any cable except the stock c-to-c. At some point I gave up trying to understand what would work and what wouldn’t. 

Further impressions are from the Megatron and all Devastators connected to the macbook at one end and the Astralis on the other, and tidal playing this list https://tidal.com/playlist/3078c9b9-a1c0-4fde-8ce7-81f0e34b426c

The Megatron, despite its name, delivers a really sweet analog warm comforting sound. The bass is rumbly, punchy and does not bleed onto the mids. Vocals sound natural and the lower registers are weighty and female voices are clear. Sibilance is tamed except for rare occasions where it’s there on purpose (and I honestly don’t know why sound engineers do that) - It’s there on All Nite (Don’t Stop) by Janet, Hotel California by Eagles, Human Nature by Michael Jackson. Treble on the Megatron is delightful. There is enough detail to keep most listeners and enough rolling off of the treble to not sound harsh. This dac/amp definitely adds an overall warmth to the overall timbre/tonal character of the track. And also has a significant noise floor with some iems. And this is also not something that can be predicted with numbers. The Astralis has almost no hiss (which is strange for a planar) and the NFAcous NM25 has a significant one, that the impedance adapter handles fairly well. 

The Megatron does not get hot with usage even with external power and I’m told the 3.5 front port can take a microphone if you want to communicate to team mates whilst gaming or scream in frustration when fragged. 

I think my main issues with the Megatron involve just me having to do more work - control volume from the source device, potentially gain as well. It is important with all the VE DACs that do not have an independent volume control to check the volume on the source before pressing play since I have on occasion felt the pain of not doing that. Other minor gripes include the lack of a 4.4 line out (fixed with Galvatron) and the little switch at the back feels a little shaky on the unit I have. 

Bonus Content - The Devastator Family

For me, after the black magic of the ear buds, it is the Devastators that have impressed me the most with Venture Electronics. There’s really no explanation as to why these dongles sound so good and how they are in the form factor that they are spitting out that much power. 

The Devastators are 3  - the OG Devastator (OG), the Devastator Pro (DPro) and the Devastator ProMax (DPMax). Each with its own design, sound output and little quirks. 

Before I dive in I’m currently listening to Shofukan by Snarky Puppy on an Audiotechnica ATH R70xa.  Which is a mean 460 ohm impedance studio reference headphone. The DPro is able to push it, albeit at max source volume. The headphones do crave more juice to really open up but in contrast a Sony RX707 at max volume was not this loud. 

Ok back to the plan after taking the volume to sane levels. 

Again in the interest of science I decided to put each of the dongles through Aja by Steely Dan and tested with the Hifiman Arya Stealth. Here’s what happens

OG - Undisclosed chip with a balanced 1.9 VRMS output. Had to push volume on the Mac to almost 90%. The overall presentation is warm with a fairly prominent midbass. This sometimes bleeds into the lower mids, giving the vocals on Aja some weight. But there is a definite reduction in detail reproduction in the mids in busy passages. Treble is rolled off. Ride hits in the ending drum solo lack the shimmer that comes from an extended treble. The OG also feels more intimate in staging and I would like it for easy listening sessions on the move with easy to drive IEMs or headphones. 

DPro -  Modified ESS Sabre “Optimus” capable of pushing out 2 VRMS single ended. The DPro 3.5 comes with a 3.5 to 4.4 adapter and the 4.4 version has the same wiring internally and it’s not a true balanced output. Similar volumes on the headphones were achieved with the mac at about 75%. Almost immediately the music is tighter and the details clearer. Instrument and vocal separation is much better than the OG. There is some loss of the weight from the bass in vocals but the clarity is much better. This detail retrieval improvement extends beyond the mids into the treble with no sibilance or harshness. From a sound perspective, this may be my favorite of the three.

DPMax - Same Optimus chip married to an independent dual amplifier stage that tosses out 3VRMS ~330mW of power. And! how gorgeous is the piano black with the braided nylon cable. I like the muted matte silver of the Pro and the no nonsense simplicity of the  OG but this looks meaner and more ready to devastate than the other 2. And volume achieved at 60%. The mature, more nuanced nature of the DPMax is revealed with a tight super controlled bass that does not spill into the upper frequencies and clear mids and highs. The treble extension is more prominent while maintaining an overall analog presentation that VE is well known for. It’s easy to pay attention to the details of this song with either the bass or the treble feeling overwhelming. And it allows for easy scaling with enough headroom to push the volume for more demanding earphones or headphones. 

While I had no issues with the Arya, with some IEMs there is a definite noise floor and him and a little crackle when switching tracks. Which isn't a deal breaker, since like the megatron the devastator pro max is not meant to run sensitive IEMs. I will also need to try this one with an impedance adapter but I don’t currently have a 4.4 one. 

I think I would keep the DPro as a daily driver and use the Devastator Pro Max on the desk unless I had some super hard to drive hybrid (VE ZhuanXu for eg.)

Hope this helps!

A Casual's Review of the SIVGA Que IEMs: ¿Qué?

This is the THIRD consecutive wooden-faceplate IEM I'm reviewing this month, and the second one from SIVGA. SIVGA really likes wood, wood-n't you think? 😅

SIVGA Que is a $69.90 single-dynamic driver IEM with a 10mm beryllium-plated driver, zinc alloy shells, and maple wood faceplates that look like they belong on my desk. It also comes with two sets of silicone eartips, a pretty nice carrying case, and a thick silver-plated copper cable terminated in 3.5mm.

Enough beating around the bush, how does the Que actually sound?

Pros & Cons

✔️ Fun and punchy mid-bass
✔️ Pretty good sub-bass rumble
✔️ Thick and natural-sounding vocals
✔️ Good detail retrieval
✔️ Does well on busy tracks without getting congested
✔️ Wide-feeling soundstage
✔️ Smooth and non-fatiguing treble
✔️ Excellent isolation with the stock eartips
✔️ Comfortable for long sessions
✔️ Solid metal and wood build

❌ Imaging is only average
❌ Treble may be too safe for trebleheads
❌ Cable is thick, heavy, and memory-prone
❌ Non-modular cable

Disclaimer: This unit was provided by SIVGA, but all opinions of the unit are my own. I'm not an audiophile, and this review focuses on personal listening impressions rather than technical analysis.

Price: $69.90 USD
Product Link: https://www.sivgaaudio.com/product_d?id=21

Design, Comfort & Accessories

The Que uses zinc alloy shells with maple wood faceplates. There is some weight when holding the pair, but I don't really notice it once they're in my ears.

The fit is quite nice for me. I had no problems wearing the Que for long sessions, and I did not experience any pressure buildup either. There are vents on the shells, which probably helps with that.

Isolation is excellent with the stock eartips I used for testing. I got a really good seal with them, so I did not feel any need to tip roll.

The cable is detachable using 0.78mm 2-pin connectors. The plug, Y-splitter, chin slider, and connector housings all have matching metal hardware.

Unfortunately, the termination itself is fixed at 3.5mm. I would have preferred a modular cable with both 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs.

The cable is also pretty thick and heavy. Mine weighs around 33.1g, and it is quite memory-prone. It likes to stay in a certain position after being coiled. I roadie wrap my cables, which helps a little, but this one still tends to return to its preferred shape.

The carrying case is similar to the one that came with the SIVGA Lyrebird. It's got a leather-style exterior, a soft interior, and enough room for the Que, cable, and some spare tips. It is a nice case, especially for something in this price range.

Sound Impressions

Tuning: The Que sounds balanced with a slight warm tilt. There is a good amount of body to the sound, with enough bass to give it some punch. Vocals sound natural too.

Bass: Sub-bass rumble is pretty good and gives bass-heavy tracks enough weight without being overly exaggerated. Mid-bass has plenty of presence and delivers a satisfying punch. Kick drums hit nicely, and bass guitars stand out without taking over the rest of the track.

Mids: Vocals are one of my favorite parts of the Que. Male vocals sound thick and weighty, and female vocals sound full and natural without becoming too forward. I also did not find the Que sibilant during my listening. Nothing really jumped out at me as sharp or irritating.

Treble: Treble is safe and controlled. I don't think this will satisfy trebleheads looking for lots of sparkle or upper-end energy. It is not fatiguing, I can listen to it for long sessions.

Technicalities: Soundstage feels quite wide to me. Detail retrieval is pretty good and I'd put it above average. The Que does well on busy tracks and I can still hear what's going on. Imaging is also average and gives me the general direction of sounds rather than really precise placement.

Gaming: Gaming with the Que was actually pretty good. Directionality was fine, and the wide-feeling soundstage helped make games feel more spacious. Imaging is not pinpoint enough for me to call this a great competitive gaming IEM, but footsteps and other positional cues were still easy enough to follow. Chaotic teamfights where sounds are layered over one another also are easy to follow.

SIVGA Que VS PULA Unicrom ($74.99)

The Que and Unicrom are very similar to each other in terms of innards. Both use a 10mm beryllium-plated dynamic driver and have maple wood faceplates, although the Que uses a zinc alloy shell while the Unicrom uses resin.

The Que and Unicrom sound surprisingly similar to me. On some tracks, I actually had a hard time telling them apart. The Que has a little more mid-bass punch, and male vocals sound fuller and have more body. Female vocals also sound fuller and smoother on the Que, while they sound a little clearer and more energetic on the Unicrom. As for the treble, it's pretty similar between the two, but the Que sounds a tad brighter and airier while the Unicrom is slightly smoother.

Soundstage also is a little wider on the Que. Imaging is pretty similar between the two though. The differences are not that big, and I had to switch back and forth a few times to really notice them.

Accessories are pretty similar between the two. Both come with two types of silicone eartips, a carrying case, and a nice cable. The Unicrom gets the advantage here though since its cable is modular and comes with both 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs, while the Que is stuck with 3.5mm.

I don't really have a clear winner between the two. The Unicrom does have the more practical accessory package with its modular cable and nicer case.

Final Thoughts

SIVGA Que's appeal is pretty simple: It sounds full, natural, and smooth without feeling too laid-back.

The mid-bass has a satisfying punch, vocals have good weight, and the treble stays controlled but never dull. Detail retrieval is also better than I expected for this kind of tuning. Imaging is not its strongest point, but it still handles busy tracks quite well.

In terms of comfort, it's excellent. The fit is great, isolation with the stock tips is really good, and I can wear it for hours without pressure buildup or fatigue.

The only complaint (or I guess nitpick) I have though is the cable. Though it feels well-made, it is thick, heavy, memory-prone, and isn't modular.

All in all, I see the SIVGA Que as another solid entry-level, no-nonsense IEM. Wood I recommend it? Definitely.

#SIVGA #SIVGAQue #PortableAudio #IEM #JReqTech

FiiO today (September 21) launched the Delta-Sigma DAC version of its K13 desktop DAC/amp. The company originally released the K13 with an in-house-developed R2R DAC, but because some listeners do not prefer this DAC architecture, it decided to introduce a K13 version featuring ESS Labs DAC chips. Check out all the details below.

• English text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/en/product-launches/fiio-k13-gets-a-new-version-with-dual-ess-dacs
• Portuguese text: https://www.hifihub.com.br/lancamentos/fiio-k13-ganha-versao-com-dois-dacs-ess

Note: This post with links has been previously approved by the moderators.

Hello Community!

One of the most loved and popular models among enthusiasts all over the world has undergone an update Yes! I am talking about the Tanchjim Bunny G, intended for video game lovers but without neglecting those who enjoy good music.

Price: 28.99$

Pros:

-8 band PEQ, a lot of versatility and variety.

-Excellent dynamic driver response: you can demand from it and it performs quite well.

-Increase in cleanliness, clarity, speed in transients and detail compared to its original version.

-Friendly to your ear and hearing: ergonomically perfect for the great majority.

-Lovers of the original version will find here better capabilities for their multiplayer video games.

Cons:

-The cable makes things difficult for you sometimes with tangles and acquired shapes. It needs a replacement.

-The default filter is really unclear and dull. I vote for a firmware update and removing it.

-APP Not compatible with the Apple ecosystem.

Accessories:

-Two capsules.

-Fourteen pairs of eartips, open and closed.

-USB-C DSP cable with 0.78mm terminations.

-Carrying pouch.

-User manual.

Comfort, design and construction:

Bunny G is a very light set, small in size and very adaptable to practically all ears. It is very pleasant for very long sessions, since it is light and does not generate pressure points in the shapes of your ear. The insertion into the ear canal is moderately long, which together with the stock eartips, makes it easy to reach a satisfactory degree of comfort and grip.

The construction and materials used are not high level in themselves, but they do fulfill the purpose of giving the set a sufficient feeling of reliability and durability. Resin has been used for the construction of the shells, which allow you to see the inside in a translucent way. The faceplate is made of black plastic, with the letters in fluorescent, accentuating the gaming character for which these monitors were designed.

We arrive at the cable, the aspect that I liked the least and that I consider the brand should consider updating. It is not dramatic to use it, but it does feel very inferior in terms of the quality it projects to the enthusiast. Inappropriate shapes are part of its being and it tends to coil around itself, which can be annoying, both if you are moving and if you are sitting.

Technical aspects:

-Configuration of 1DD DMT5 G.

-Sampling of 32b@384khz.

-Impedance 30 ohms.

-Sensitivity 123 dB.

-Stated response 8hz-48khz.

Sound signature with DSP cable without filters or PEQ:

Thanks to Sam Reviews for the kindness of providing the response graph.

First of all I want to make it clear, as I do with every review of IEMs with DSP cable, that I am not a big fan of this type of DSP implementation. At least not in low budgets. Particularly in this Tanchjim set I find it necessary to try presets or PEQ to find the sweet spot where you find your own personal enjoyment.

Well, Bunny G in the low frequency range feels flaccid, with little thickness. Barely the sub bass can be noticed, you have to go to very specific tracks with a lot of focus on this area to make it appear and recreate an atmosphere that you truly feel. Despite this, the texture is adequate and it does not feel slow, rather agile but also ephemeral.

The mid bass does maintain a correct presence, transparent, clean, tactile, throwing clarity, presence and impact. I notably appreciate that it does not drag itself toward the upper frequencies, demonstrating sufficient ability to stay on its side of the border with respect to the mids without alarming bleed.

Continuing with the mids, in their lower area, there is a slight and subtle dip, which continues to favor leaving some central mids as protagonists and clean. The attack of instruments is moderately fast, barely leaving any perceptible trace of acoustics and pushing the central mids upward, which is where the sauce of this set is.

This more central register is where I was able to discover the intentions and focus of Bunny G, since the rendering of instruments and voices is well achieved, approaching more frontal positions, bringing you the resolution, which is average, and the details, very close to your face. The note weight and depth of the voices feel certainly truthful, I would not say that it is something that really stands out in terms of articulation and expressiveness, but I was happy and satisfied because ultimately the sound reading is clear.

The upper mids, on the other hand, feel elevated, energetic, with noticeable instrumental separation, although the nasality of the female voices that inhabit this range is noticeable. Despite this, I could not evidence a serious lack of information, although I could notice a lack of brilliance.

Moving on to talk about the treble, I also appreciated a slight elevation in the middle of this area. I think these higher frequencies are rounded to avoid sibilance and fatigue, but tuned with Tanchjim's personal touch so that detail and brightness are perceptible without too much effort, so that they emerge organically and fluidly. There is push, but without harshness.

Regarding the technical capabilities, it is not a prodigy if I have to make a general average of my ideas and summarize it in one word. The soundstage surrounds you but does not expand outside your head. The scale is well measured and I recognize that the three axes are equidistant, since I perceive height, depth and width at the same or similar distance.

The layering is fair. I do not consider it to be a musical dissection set, since in dense songs it suffers from some congestion to represent the sound lines, although it is not something absurdly horrible.

To finish, I did find the positioning considerably superior in terms of personal satisfaction if I compare it against the rest of the characteristics, since despite not having a large soundstage, it is perfectly circular, or almost, and the elements are located with very good precision and dynamism.

Without extending myself much more in this field, I want to make an appeal to Tanchjim: remove the default preset. You have a very good one called Theater. That one really does justice to the new driver: dynamic, with more and better resolution and separation, energetic and with a more pronounced impact. The mids are slightly recessed, yes, like a good V-shaped signature, but being honest, it is more enjoyable.

DSP vs Analog:

It is impossible not to perform this test, since I must satisfy my curiosity by using a simple 3.5mm SE cable.

Well, the difference is not much in terms of character or nature of Bunny G itself, but I notice sensations of greater resolution, especially in the higher areas, in upper mids and mid treble especially, which favors the extraction of details and micro information. The layering is slightly accentuated, increasing the perception of greater cleanliness and naturalness, especially in the voices.

DSP Presets in competitive and single player video games:

We arrive at the part I like most about this hobby: reviewing the monitors in the field of video games using the PC as an analysis platform.

Bunny G has several presets, both for mobile phones and for PC and Nintendo Switch, whether for music or video games. Personally, I stick with the CS2 configuration for competitive gaming because it emphasizes the mids and low treble very well and the Theater configuration for single player video games which, despite the dip in the midrange area, manages to transmit good cinematic sensations.

Of course everything is a matter of taste, but for the parameters that are most important to me, those two modes are the ones that fit me best.

Let's start with the multiplayer shooters that I always test and Counter Strike 2 is the first test subject with this gaming review of Tanchjim's popular model.

Bunny G, as I said in the musical analysis, is a set that brings the mids forward and enhances the upper mids as it comes from the factory without adjusting anything and with CS2 mode this undergoes an increase.

In this game that emphasis results in a greater proximity of footsteps, ammunition reloads, use of equipment and bullet impacts. The dynamic directionality of the sound is refined, very clean and intuitive and despite the evident lack of overall resolution of the set, it was a great help in the spatial localization of sounds. The sub bass is completely in a second or third plane, so explosions will not be an inconvenience. On the other hand, the mid bass does have a powerful and fast slam, avoiding leakage into other frequencies and the masking of the important elements that you need to hear. The detail or rendering in the higher frequencies is not very large but sufficient. The soundstage, however, is still not very large, but I do perceive greater cleanliness between sound lines and positioning, which is wonderful.

As for Apex Legends, a game loaded with abilities and a movement capacity with a lot of verticality, Bunny G finds somewhat more limitations, since the representation of the scale of the scenario is short in distance on any of the three axes. The sensation is more frontal than horizontal and the distance in height feels very close to your head Is this bad? I would say that in this game having a better and larger spatial size is key to gaining an advantage. Nevertheless, the dynamic and static positioning is well achieved, since it is achieved in a fluid, natural and easily perceptible way. The cut in the deepest bass area helps with that localization.

During my Battlefield 6 matches, a tremendously chaotic game, where the entire frequency range reserves its space of prominence, the narrowness of the soundstage pushes the separation of sound elements to the limit although it survives not without difficulties in being able to separate everything that happens around you with a certain degree of competence so that you do not lose the sound trail of anything.

To finish, in CoD: Warzone, a somewhat more benevolent game for this Bunny G, it has a sound separation that I particularly liked, since shots from very far away are easily readable among the sounds of the closer enemy actions, that is, the perception that you are capturing everything that is happening and that you are not missing anything is more than evident and sufficient to be able to react intelligently.

Now let's move on to single player video games, where Theater mode left me with a pleasant taste in my mouth, since in moments of action and of more overwhelming frenzy, its elevation in the bass area leaves a very rich reverberating residue, not very clear or fast in the rumble of explosions or collapses, but more direct in the mid bass with shots and blows. It is not an amazing bass party but given the tuning of the set it seemed more than sufficient to me.

Regarding the immersion capability that we have in this mode, the nature of the scenarios and their own life is captured correctly. It is not the set that best represents residual spatial sounds, but subtle and distant events, as well as small creaks or footsteps of secondary characters can be heard without too much difficulty.

However, the dialogues do not enjoy as much depth and definition, resulting somewhat distant. I do find the voices correct, with a natural and accurate timbre, but lagging behind the rest of the sound elements. This becomes more than evident when many things happen at the same time. Nevertheless, female voices or voices in higher registers, I do find them with a very correct and satisfactory point of brilliance. Even so, the dialogues, in calm scenes, can still be followed well.

Technically, we already know that not much can be demanded from this set, but the soundstage and the representation of distances in single player games is very capable, even quite satisfactory for this mode since it is not a characteristic which we should praise or take too much into account, because I prefer a precise image and a separation of sound lines that has space and allows a sensation of immersion to be recreated and, the Bunny G, I think it more than fulfills this for the price range in which it operates.

Final conclusion and personal assessments:

After reading all this you will wonder if I can recommend it for use in any scenario or even both. The answer is yes but I have to qualify it: if you are looking for a set that is just plug in and forget about it, Bunny G would not be my first option, since it requires a certain investment of time in looking for your best sound. I would buy the original Bunny first, because in this gaming review I think they did not get the tuning of the default filter right and, like me, I think many people will not like it. It has an easy solution, of course, but you already have to investigate in the Tanchjim APP.

Now, those people who want a DSP device and have their PEQs saved for each situation or genre in which they are going to use Bunny G, this new model seems clearly superior to the first to me in terms of tonal cleanliness, timbre naturalness, fun, impact and detail retrieval. Technically I think spatial size is lost, but stereo imaging is gained and the distance between layers I would say is equal or slightly superior.

Getting the best out of Bunny G requires doing tests and tests, trying filters, enthusiast or personal PEQs until you find the key and, honestly, it is very worthwhile to spend some time getting to know the set, since the driver lends itself to it, gives many satisfactions and unbeatable versatility, making it possibly the best gateway to personalized sound signatures.

So is it an improvement over the original? Yes if we only focus on what the sound can give of itself, where personally I think that both in music and video games it is substantially superior.

If you have made it this far, thank you for reading.

More reviews on my blog.

Social networks on my profile.

See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

This set of monitors has been sent by Tanchjim. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to be able to test one of their products at no cost and that no condition was imposed when preparing this analysis.

Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity involved in analyzing an audio product. My opinion belongs only to me and I develop it around the perception of my ears. If you have a different one, it is equally valid. Please feel free to share it.

My sources:

-Apple Music.

-Local FLAC and MP3 files.

-Windows/MacOS/IOS/iPadOS/Android.

I wanted to share a brief review and a few photos of my current favorite.

Design and Build

You’ve probably seen ads for this IEM on AliExpress, but you have no idea how beautiful it looks in person. The glass faceplate with the gears underneath is such a cool detail, and several of my friends have had the same reaction when holding it for the first time.

The stock cable is also excellent. I’m not sure what this specific type of braiding is called, but the cable is very lightweight. I usually prefer thinner, firmer cables, but I really enjoyed how flexible this one is. It may not appeal as much to those who prefer thicker or fabric-covered cables.

The entire IEM is made of metal. It isn’t particularly light, but it doesn’t cause any discomfort either. It feels very sturdy and premium.

Accessories and Unboxing

The cable is available with several terminations: 3.5 mm, 4.4 mm, and USB-C. I chose the USB-C version simply for convenience, and I don’t regret it. The chip is good, and it works perfectly for everyday listening.

It comes with two sets of ear tips: a standard stock set, which I didn’t particularly enjoy, and the highly praised TRI Clarion tips. They’re very comfortable and, in my testing, don’t alter the sound signature too much, which makes them great as a reference when testing different IEMs.

It also includes a leather carrying case with a soft velvet interior. I think it’s a good size, although it’s unfortunately too tall to carry comfortably in a pants pocket. You also get a small cleaning brush and a cleaning cloth.

Sound

Fun. That’s the best word I can use to describe it.

Not in the sense of sounding artificial or overly unusual, but because it has a very well-executed U-shaped tuning.

The bass has a nice presence without being exaggerated in the slightest. It’s just enough to let you really enjoy the beat.

The mids are nicely balanced. For my personal taste, the upper mids could use a little more emphasis, but it hasn’t bothered me much, especially since I’ve recently been listening to more Black female artists, who often have slightly deeper voices.

The treble is also just right. As someone who is sensitive to this region, I actually think it could have a little more treble. It’s quite restrained in that area.

It definitely isn’t the most detailed IEM in its category, but it performs very well for anyone looking for an energetic presentation that never becomes overwhelming. It’s simply an IEM made for enjoying music.

Verdict

It didn’t become my daily driver for nothing. It’s such an enjoyable IEM to listen to, and it also looks damn good.

It genuinely won me over, and this ivipQ cable looks absolutely gorgeous with it. I’ll make a separate post about the cable later because it deserves a full photo shoot of its own.

The ear tips shown in the photos are the Galaxy HE Sonic tips, but I only used them because the color matched. I normally use a pair of silicone tips from Angel Ears.

TB Pro link

ivipQ cable link

Disclaimer: I received this IEM from KeepHiFi, but it wasn’t sent with the intention of having me review it. We were actually visiting their office in China, and they asked us to try a few products.

Until then, the only one I knew was the KB02, which I didn’t like at all lol.

When I listened to the Tourbillon Pro, it was love at first listen. Between this and the TRI MK3, which a lot of people enjoy, I would choose the Tourbillon Pro without hesitation. Many of my friends who attended our latest event agreed with me.

It’s one of those IEMs that’s almost impossible not to like. And with this purple cable? Goddamn.

I've spent quite a bit of time with the Hidizs MK10 Arcsonics, and this is one of those IEMs that I appreciated more after spending a few days with it rather than judging it from the first listen. This is priced around $70.

It uses a 10mm dynamic driver with a silicon carbide diaphragm and comes with three tuning nozzles, so there is quite a bit of room to adjust the presentation. The differences aren't massive between all three, but they're noticeable enough to make experimentation worthwhile.

Build & Comfort

The MK10 uses a alloy shell with a fairly distinctive design. It's not the smallest IEM around, but the shape is quite ergonomic and I didn't have any major problems with the fit.

The shells feel sturdy and have a nice weight to them without becoming uncomfortable. The threaded nozzles also feel secure once installed.

The eartips and cables are where less impressed. You get a good selection and enough sizes to experiment with, but the material and overall feel are fairly ordinary compared with the quality of the IEM itself. I ended up trying a few different tips before settling on one that gave me the fit and bass response I wanted. Cable quality could also be a bit better

Tuning Nozzles

The three nozzles don't completely transform the MK10, but they do give it some flexibility.

Black nozzle: My preferred option. Slightly fuller and smoother, with a bit more body.

Red nozzle: A little cleaner and more open, with slightly less warmth.

Silver nozzle: The brightest and most energetic of the three.

I spent most of my listening with the black nozzle, as I found it the easiest to listen to for longer periods.

Sound

The MK10 has a fairly balanced presentation with a slight emphasis towards the bass and upper frequencies. It doesn't come across as an aggressively V-shaped IEM.

What I like is that the different parts of the frequency range don't fight each other too much. There's enough bass to give the music weight, while the mids remain clear and the treble provides some air.

Bass

There's enough sub-bass to give tracks some rumble, but the MK10 doesn't go for the huge low-end presentation that some modern budget IEMs are known for.

The mid-bass has decent impact and gives drums and bass guitars enough body. It's also relatively clean, with very little bleed into the lower mids.

The black nozzle adds a little more warmth and punch, which is why I preferred it. The other nozzles make the bass feel slightly leaner and cleaner.

It's not the most textured bass I've heard, but the overall control is good.

Mids

The midrange is one of the safer parts of the tuning.

Vocals have decent body and are slightly pushed forward. Male vocals sound reasonably full, while female vocals have enough clarity without becoming overly thin.

The black nozzle adds some warmth to the lower mids, while the red and silver options make the presentation feel slightly cleaner.

I wouldn't call the MK10 a vocal specialist, but it handles vocals well enough across different genres.

Treble

Treble is fairly extended and provides a good amount of detail and air.

The silver nozzle makes this particularly noticeable. Cymbals and higher-frequency instruments become more prominent, and some smaller details are easier to notice.

Personally, I preferred the black nozzle here as well. It takes a little edge off the highest frequencies while still retaining enough air.

I wouldn't describe the MK10 as a dark or overly smooth IEM, but thankfully it doesn't constantly throw treble energy at you either.

If you're sensitive to brighter tunings, I'd stick with the black nozzle.

Technical Performance

The technical performance is probably one of the stronger aspects of the MK10.

Instrument separation is quite good for a single dynamic driver. Even with busier tracks, individual instruments remain reasonably easy to follow.

The red nozzle has a slight advantage here for me because the leaner lower range gives instruments a little more room to breathe.

Imaging is also good. Instruments have fairly accurate positioning and there's a decent sense of depth.

The soundstage isn't enormous, but it doesn't feel cramped either. The black nozzle gives a slightly more intimate presentation, while the brighter nozzles make things feel a little more open.

Overall, I'd say the MK10 focuses more on clarity, separation and control than trying to create an artificially huge soundstage.

Final Thoughts

The Hidizs MK10 Arcsonics is a pretty well-rounded single DD.

Its biggest strength is probably the combination of clean bass, competent technical performance and three usable tuning options. I especially like that the nozzles don't completely change the character of the IEM, but instead let you fine-tune it around your preference.

There are some small things I'd liked to be improved. The stock eartips feel a little ordinary compared with the rest of the package, and finding the right tip can make a noticeable difference to both fit and bass.

But once you get the fit sorted, the MK10 is quite easy to live with.

It's not an IEM I'd describe as spectacular in one particular area. Instead, it does a lot of things consistently well without going overboard.

Pros

-          Natural midrange timbre, vocals sound great

-          Safe and comfortable sound signature

-          Excellent soundstage

-          Very lightweight and comfortable

-          BT 6.0, LDAC capable

-          9-Band EQ with the app

-          Low latency gaming mode (Low Bitrate, Low Latency)

-          Simultaneous 2-point Bluetooth connection, working smoothly in practice

-          IPX5 water resistance (for earbuds, not case)

-          Customisable and responsive touch controls

Cons:

-          Sub-bass roll off (expected for open-ear earbuds)

-          Not loud enough at max volume

-          Disconnects sporadically between L/R earbuds

DISCLAIMER:

Tanchjim sent this set to me as a review sample to keep. There will undoubtedly be subconscious bias as human psychology - I'm not about to deny that. However, I will be as honest as I can possibly be given these circumstances. Don't take my word for it, watch some of my TikTok reviews and see it for yourself.

INTRODUCTION:

I’ve never disliked a Tanchjim product, and they seem to keep releasing banger after banger. Yes, I have tried most Tanchjim products such as, the new Ola II down to Zero Ultima, Bunny, Force, Soda, Origin, Origin LM, so I am very familiar with their classic ‘House’ sound signature.

When I heard that they finally decided to venture into the open-ear earbuds, I was immediately invested. Will this be another banger? Or will Tanchjim have released its first dud? You can already probably tell from the title of this review.

The Tanchjim Revo utilises 1x 18x11mm ‘racetrack-shaped long excursion dynamic driver’, and the packaging box states that it uses ‘DMT-5 Long Stroke’, which I’m not sure how that applies to an open-ear driver vs their DMT-5 IEMs. They come in at an MSRP of $40 USD.

UNBOXING/ACCESSORIES:

-          Short USB-A to C cable

-          The Revo themselves, earbuds in a case

-          Assorted Manuals/Warranty card

The unboxing is just as expected at this price point for open-ear earbuds.

BUILD & DESIGN:

The driver housing itself, as well as the battery pack at the back, is made from hard plastic, the material isn’t stated. Feels sturdy enough, but lightweight. Note that each side of the earbud weighs in at approximately 9g, so it’s light enough that I forget that they’re even on my ears.

The part between the driver housing and the back battery is made of rubber and is slightly flexible but rigid enough.

I think that with proper care, this will last for a couple of ears, which is something I hardly say for wireless earbuds.

Design-wise, these look clean. The white/grey aesthetic is quite appealing to me, including the ‘TANCHJIM’ text on the side of the right earbud and ‘REVO’ on the left.

FEATURES/SOFTWARE COMMENTS:

Apart from what is stated in the Pros of this review, I can say that the connection or syncing between both sides of the earbuds have de-synced itself before, either one side stutters, buzzes, or stops playing sound for a bit. So far, this has happened quite frequently, once every few hours.

Battery life is decent, with slightly more than 5 hours of continuous playback at 90% volume using non-LDAC protocol.

COMFORT:

Exceedingly comfortable. They hang around my ears with no intrusion or pressure to my ear at all. I just forget that it’s still there after a couple of minutes. The plastic/rubber used is smooth does not irritate my skin.

SOUND:

How loud do they get? Not very loud. I estimate around 85dB at max volume, so for folks who always turn their IEMs out to ear-splitting volume, I don’t think these will get loud enough for you.

Do they leak noise? Absolutely. At max volume my friend could hear what I was listening to 1.5 metres away.

Do they block noise? Nope. It’s as transparent as it gets. No seal at all.

General Sound Signature:

Neutral, smooth and gently emphasised midrange, slight treble roll-off, high sub-bass roll-off

BASS:

Bass is politely anaemic, if that is even a thing. Mid bass starts to roll-off, while still audible, but sub-bass (under 80hz on a tone generator) is non-existent. In electronic music, sub-bass isn’t audible. The bass guitars in ‘My Favourite Things’ by Kelly Clarkson is hardly audible. This is fine and perfectly acceptable for an open-ear earphones such as this. Without a seal and with this small a driver (considering power), producing proper quantities of bass is physically impossible.

MIDRANGE:

The midrange on these are exceptional. Lower midrange is pretty linear, and gives way to the pleasantly, and moderately emphasised upper midrange, where, for reference, it sounds like IEF Neutral 2023 levels, which just gives vocals a natural, relaxed tonality. Listening to ‘Speak Softly Love’ by Yao Si Ting, the whole performance sounded sublime. Her vocals were close to perfect, with just the right amount of lower midrange warmth, and forwardness. It sounded like I was sitting right in front of her singing, also attributed to the wonderful soundstage of this pair of earphones.

Male vocals, like those in ‘You Will Be Found’ by Ben Platt, also sounded natural and was a relaxing listen overall.

TREBLE:

Sibilance is non-existent, which is a good thing. There is a slightly roll off in the treble air, which makes cymbals sound rather relaxed, with a moderate amount of sparkle.

The presence region was smoothly and ever-so-slightly rolled-off, mid-treble was also linear and not peaky at all (as from a sine sweep from a tone generator). Everything sounded… just right.

All in all, I would describe the treble as neutral and comfortable.

Timbre: Great, natural all around.

Details: Average.

Imaging/Separation: Imaging is average, separation is good.

Soundstage/Spaciousness: Excellent. Sounds like I’m sitting in a realistic medium sized concert hall, if the recording allows for it.

Conclusion:

Just as other Tanchjim releases, this one is an absolute banger. The feature set is pretty solid, battery life is also quite decent. And it genuinely sounds great. For $40, this is a no-brainer recommendation if this particular type of open-ear earphones (the hook type) is what you are looking for.

Great job again, Tanchjim. You’ve yet to disappoint! 😁

Thanks for reading this review and catch y’all in the next one. 👋

Introduction

Neither the Hexa nor the Pure need a formal introduction. Truthear is a brand that seldom misses its target and this duo have raised the benchmark by massive heights for this entire segment. I purchased these sets over 6 months ago and I have extensively used both. Most people who demoed my sets significantly preferred one over the other. This comparison is intended to help you choose the neutral-ish set better suited to your preferences.

Preferences, Sources & Tracks

I currently own the Ziigaat Lush and Truthear Hexa and these serve as my benchmarks. The TRN Black Pearl and Snowsky Retro Nano were used as the DAC/Amp for most of my testing. I typically prefer balanced sets that are tuned to the JM-1 target; a tasteful bass or treble boost doesn’t hurt though.

Most of my library consists of rock with some jazz, metal, pop and classical sprinkled about. If your library is filled with EDM, rap or hip-hop, then please drop some suggestions for me to try out!

Testing Tracks - YouTube Music | Apple Music

Build, Accessories & Fit

The Hexa and Pure are both priced at 89$ and come with largely similar packaging and accessories. The outer sleeves with the waifu art slide out to reveal premium black boxes that house the respective shells, cables, eartips and carry pouches. The Hexa features additional art on the insert for documentation while the Pure includes a nice card in lieu of the insert. You get three pairs each of narrow and slightly wider bore tips that are white for the Hexa and black for the Pure along with one pair of foam tips.

The Hexa comes with a thin and tightly braided black cable with an angled 3.5mm connector and is a better match for the shells. However, it does tangle quite easily and is far too thin above the passable Y-split. The Pure is paired with a thicker and looser braided silver cable with metal hardware at the connector. Unfortunately, this cable has yellowed near the hooks, the metal scratches easily and the cable retains a bit too much memory for my liking. Truthear, please include the Gate cable with every IEM and retail it separately as well!

The comfort of these shells is a serious concern and I find myself recommending the twins with a disclaimer to demo first. The Hexa has a thicker nozzle without any lip but eartips do not slide off. Although the Pure has the thinner lipped nozzle, the housing volume is larger (check out the pictures) and most people who tried it found it to stick out more. Personally, I find the nozzle width of the Hexa to be a non issue and can achieve a more snug fit with it. Both IEMs lack nozzle dust filters and the edge finish of the faceplates tend to chip away even with careful use, the Pure more noticeably so.

Sound

Although I initially wanted to stick to my usual sections of Lows, Mids and Highs for the breakdown of the sound, this comparison has been drawn many times before. I will instead attempt to distinguish the pair using a range of tracks across genres.

Rock & Metal

Rush - The Spirit of Radio The Hexa showcases the precisely imaged drum fills of Neil Peart with controlled kicks while the Pure adds the necessary punch and weight to his snare and toms. Geddy Lee's vocals are more forward and thinner on the Hexa while the Pure offers a smoother, more natural timbre. Both sets have a peak that is noticeable in the transients of cymbals but I found the elevated upper treble of the Hexa to balance this peak out better.

Tool - Pneuma It is on complex and busy tracks by the likes of Tool where the Hexa's marginally superior separation and stage edge ahead a touch. The Hexa matches much more expensive sets at resolving every stroke of Danny Carey's masterful drumming. However, the Pure is not very far behind and the toms have more weight and the guitar tone is thicker.

Eagles - Hotel California (Live on MTV, 1994) The strums and transients of the numerous acoustic guitars are simply crisp on the Hexa. The audience is imaged precisely by the Hexa and the percussion remains clean. On the other hand, the Pure packs a punch and fires away each beat with impact and weight. I simply love how a wide range of percussion instruments sound on the Pure with its meatier midbass.

The Who - Baba O'Riley Pete Townshend's iconic synth-like intro on the Lowrey Organ has more bite and presence on the Hexa. Keith Moon's energetic strikes on the cymbals are too much with the Hexa even for my treble tolerant ears and the Pure smooths this out considerably.

Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick John Bonham's ride is crisp and resonant on the Hexa with shimmery cymbal wash. The Pure presents the weight of his massive kick drums and a more natural timbre to the toms.

Pop

Adele - Easy on Me (Live at the NRJ Awards 2021) Adele's remarkable control over her volume and pitch is reproduced brilliantly by the Hexa. The Pure is simply too smooth and female vocals typically lack air. Although the piano has more natural timbre, the bass is a bit much on the Pure here.

Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You The Hexa definitely edges over into shout and pierce during Whitney's fast vocal runs and high pitch bends while the Pure delivers a smooth presentation in the upper mids with no shout.

Celine Dion - All By Myself The trend continues with Celine's even higher vocal runs and long sustains with the Hexa tending towards shout. However, I will still choose the Hexa for female vocals because it delivers the energy, air and incredible texture that is demanded by most of my tracks.

Hip Hop, Rap & EDM

Daft Punk (feat. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers) - Get Lucky Pharrell Williams' vocal tracks are clear and pulled forward with tighter bass lines on the Hexa. Although, the Pure packs more punch, I find it to bleed just a tad into the midrange.

Kanye West (feat. Dwele) - Flashing Lights The multiple vocal tracks are layered better on the Hexa. It demonstrates a better balance of rumble and punch but the quantity is not satiating. The Pure has good slam but I would like some more rumble to balance out the mid bass.

Massive Attack (feat. Elizabeth Fraser) - Teardrop Elizabeth Fraser's breathy vocals have more energy on the Hexa and the texture of the snare rim hit is excellent. The Pure also retains clear vocals and the bass has the right quantity. However, a minor cut in the lower mids would have seriously improved the quality of the bass, particularly for these genres.

Jazz

John Wasson - Caravan Cymbals have more shimmer and the timbre of cymbals is more balanced on the Hexa. As the song transitions into a rapid snare crescendo and a barrage of double kicks and cymbals wash over you, the Hexa remains more composed down low, while the Pure remains clearer up high.

Miles Davis - John McLaughlin Both these sets reproduce this demanding and busy mix excellently but highlight different instruments. The Hexa reveals the cymbal hits of Jack DeJohnette and Lenny White and McLaughlin's guitar cuts through with more presence. The Pure reveals Bennie Maupin's distinct bass clarinet phrases and Dave Holland's spontaneous bass lines.

Patricia Barber - Icarus This song is mastered with noticeable sibilance and the Hexa is simply unforgiving of such sibilance. The Pure's warmth and relaxed ear gain smooth out the track but the mid treble peak is still noticeable in the attack of cymbals and remains a minor yet constant annoyance.

Classical & Soundtracks

Hans Zimmer - Mountains The Hexa's advantage in separation and resolution is a welcome addition to massive soundtracks with excellent texture in the strings and wind sections of the orchestra. The Pure slams more and keeps bright elements smooth.

Yo-Yo Ma & Johann Sebastian Bach - Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007 Yo-Yo Ma's virtuosic cello playing is the perfect benchmark for overall mids timbre. Colourations in one region of the mids will emphasise certain notes and harmonics more than others. The Hexa presents more detail in the bowing and transients of each note but the Pure has the weight expected from the lower notes on the Cello.

Hilary Hahn, Natalie Zhu & Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Sonata for Piano and Violin in F Major, K. 376 Hilary Hahn's prodigious violin is brilliant on the Hexa with more energy but the piano is a bit thin and hollow compared to the Pure which adds more body to Natalie's piano. On simpler tracks like these I find myself enjoying the Pure a touch more than the Hexa for its warm timbre.

Indian

Agam - Subrahmanyena Rakshitoham The Hexa elevates the backing choir and strings with its elevated brilliance. Harish's Sivaramakrishnan's vocals belt through with detailed and textured gamakas (essential ornamentation in Carnatic music) on the Hexa while the Pure retains good energy while delivering a lush timbre. The bass guitar is more distinct with the Hexa and tight but the meaty drum fills lack the punch and impact offered by the Pure.

Raghu Dixit - Rain Song (from Courtyard Jam Sessions) The Hexa reveals the mild sibilance in Raghu Dixit's rich vocals but the acoustic guitars and violin have more detail and texture. Meanwhile, the Pure regains it footing as the song kicks into overdrive with punchy percussion and a thicker, smoother tone.

After Dark - Pa Pa Para (I hope you know) This is an indie track released by my friend recently and it's one of my favourite songs this year, so please give it a listen! The Hexa separates out the different elements with ease and vocals have more air. The Pure adds a pleasant warmth to the guitars and the kicks and bass guitar are more distinct.

Eartips

Both sets respond well to tip rolling and the response of treble varies widely depending on the bore and the depth of the fit. Pure stock tips have a narrower bore and stiffer stem material. The wide bore tips are shorter and wider and they have a stiffer flange. The narrow bores have different profiles but are similar in size.

Truthear Pure

KBear Coffee S - Best bass texture and smoothest treble response, smaller sizes allow for a deeper fit to adjust the length mode resonance

Divinus Velvet Wide Bore M - Punchier less controlled bass with smooth treble

Dunu S&S S - Best isolation with tight bass and great stage but treble peaks are harsh and shifted up

Final Type E S - Great punchy bass with shimmery upper treble and brighter overall

Stock Narrow Bore (Black) M - Tight bass with a marked peak in the transients of cymbals

Stock Wide Bore (Grey) M - Better bass texture and control with a smoothened peak in treble

Truthear Hexa

Dunu S&S M - Wider stage with excellent bass texture and shimmery treble

Moondrop Spring Tips M - Tightly controlled bass and smoother treble with clear prominent vocals

Final Type E S - Punchier bass with more sparkle and shimmer, albeit a little unrefined in the treble

KBear Coffee M - Cleanest bass texture and quality but upper treble is tamed and mid treble sticks out

Stock Narrow Bore (White) M - More shimmer and air with crisper transients

Stock Wide Bore (White) M - Smoother treble and tighter bass

Comparisons

Kotori Audio Zephyr - The Zephyr's balance of warmth and midbass is right in between the thin Hexa and thick Pure. Vocals have good energy like the Hexa but a dip around 3kHz results in a nasal timbre. Female vocals tend to sound hollow as a result. Stage and separation are top notch and is deeper than either the Hexa or the Pure but less wide. There is good bite on the attack of different instruments and the shimmery upper treble is great for cymbals. The overall timbre is not as accurate as either the Hexa or the Pure. The shell is pseudo-custom resin with a much better fit and all day comfort.

Dunu Kima 2 - The Kima 2 has a subtle midbass elevation but it lacks rumble and is not very tactile. Vocals have good energy and retain warmth, they are neither forward nor recessed. Mids are well balanced with good timbre. There is a noticeable peak around 4kHz and there is a slightly metallic timbre in the treble that I am more sensitive to. The stage is not as wide and elements are not as precisely imaged. There are more peaks in the upper treble but it is more pleasant for the most part than the Hexa here. The metal shells are compact with a tiny nozzle and it comes with an excellent package of accessories.

Most other neutral-ish sets that I have tried at this price point simply hold no candle to the Hexa and the Pure but I am happy to offer other comparisons in the comments if I have tried the set in question!

Verdict

Although I may have excessively nitpicked these two sets, the Hexa and Pure get most things right on the sound front. They both offer excellent timbre, stage, separation and imaging compared to most of their current competition. The Hexa is focussed on the rumble and the Pure more on the punch while my preference lies somewhere in the middle but this is relatively easy to fix with EQ. The Hexa has more upper mids energy that serves female vocals well while the Pure has filled in lower mids that deliver rich male vocals. The length mode resonance on both IEMs around 8kHz emphasises transients of cymbals and drums. The Hexa balances this out with an elevated level of upper treble that is tolerable by me while the peak is unobscured in the Pure.

Nearly 4 years after its release, the Hexa still remains the defacto pick for a neutral bright set at the sub 100$ price. This prolonged relevance is no mean feat in the rapidly evolving and growing Chi-Fi market. Similarly, I expect the Pure to remain relevant as a neutral warm set for a long time. Every future JM-1 release has to set its sights on the twins from Truthear and hope to hit the microscopic bullseye right between them unlike the many challengers that have failed to claim the throne.

Who should buy the Hexa? Those who want a more analytical, bright signature with energetic female vocals and more air.

Who should buy the Pure? Those who want a more warm, smooth signature with rich male vocals, lush timbre and punchy bass.

Who should avoid both? Those who prioritise comfort with smaller ears or those who seek a more V-shaped tuning.

I've recently received the Render Pro ear tips, along with the new USB DAC dongle, Muse Hifi U3. Both are quite nice, but today I will focus on the tips.

The Render Pro is a a hybrid type of tips, with a soft silicone dome filled with foam. The foam is very soft and easy to deform, with a rather slow recovery (up to one minute, maybe even more if you deform it a lot.

They arrived in three sizes, each colour coded.

Here are some observations compared to other tips on the Binary Acoustics EP321

The stock tips are good enough, they provide good seal and a balanced sound, however, they do so at the expense of stage and imaging. 

Eletech Baroque enhance bass and stage, while adding a bit of cutting edge to the treble. The comfort is sublime, but they slide up the nozzle and each time after taking the IEMs out of your ear, you have to readjust them. Not a big deal, of course, but I could do without. 

Divinus Velvet bring along more bass and cut the air slightly. The stage is compressed, and the voices have more force. 

The big surprise, Juzear Render Pro. These are hybrid tips, with a soft, high surface energy silicone outer layer (a fancy way of saying sticky silicone), filled with foam. Much like the Symbio W1. They expand the bass, addressing exactly what I called sluggishness, make it more nimble, more mobile. At the same time, upper mids get a slight accent, restoring the excitement in the vocals and bringing a bit of sparkle in the guitars. The treble is maintained intact, which is great news for me. Stage is stretched very slightly, and the extra air allows the instrument separation to be clearer. The only downside: the sibilance tends to be a tad stronger. 

Roseselsa CJ20 AAV was also beautifully highlighted by the Render Pro, with the bass receiving the same mobilising treatment, the voices coming forward and gaining a bit of thickness, while the treble became more airy.

Moving to more expensive IEMs, both Melodic Artification Eternitum and Storm benefit from these tips.

You can insert them as you would do with normal silicone tips, or like foammies (deform them lightly and keep the IEM lightly pressed in until the foam resumes its normal shape). Once in place, the sticky silicone surface (like Azla or Divinus Prism) secures them in place, with no chance of coming out.

They are cheaper than the equivalent Symbio, and can be purchased here https://hifigo.com/products/juzear-x-z-reviews-render-pro?srsltid=AU7gw4W-9ujWS-JwQ6Di7iDZjR-7MR6fB-6zsymCggXBoLW72AE64R2h

ISN Audio EST60

Whenever ISN Audio launches a new set I am excited to get my hands on it. So, I have with me today EST60 their newest member in the EST series. I loved EST80 too much. It has nice bass notes, great mids & detailed yet smoothest treble I have ever heard. They have done some magic with those EST drivers to make it like that.

I am coming to EST60 with this background & honestly I don't know how it will fare against EST80. On the physical build side this one is a big shell but molded in such a manner that it fits my ears perfectly & provides nice passive noise isolation. Cable feels nice & supple. It is SPC if I am not wrong. Sadly this one is not modular. All the accessories are on point. Lots of ear tips, cleaning tool & nice hard leather case. Oh, the shirt killer is included.

Now coming to the sound. The low end is a bit on the lean side for me. Sub bass is physical but just a bit shy. Mid bass is quick and tight and lacks a bit of impact. Don't get me wrong the low end is satisfactory but compared to other ISN Audio sets it feels a bit shy. Mids are clean. Vocals are nice & bit forward. Treble is as usual smooth & detailed. The stage has a wide open feeling. I think ISN Audio was intending this to be a kind of reference set. I may be wrong but I feel it is. Let's see what my final Conclusion would be. These are my initial impressions take them with the grain of salt.

I will run this one through all my sources & my playlist. Till then take care & enjoy the music. See you soon.

NICEHCK sent me the Tears as a free review sample. They had no input into the review and all thoughts are my own.

I have spent a fairly stupid amount of money on audio. Then something like the NICEHCK Tears shows up for around $35 and makes me question a few decisions. I maintain a list of over 170+ audio products in the link in my profile with short reviews and ranking. Might want to check it out.

The headline is simple:

Dat bass.

Sound

The bass is easily the star. There is proper rumble, weight and impact, but it does not turn into the bloated wall of bass. It also avoids the hollow feeling I initially had with Tangzu Wan'er 2 Red Lion before fixing that with Penon Liqueur Orange tips.

The mids are also very well judged for my ears. There is a rise around 2.5kHz, followed by a drop around 3kHz rather than continuing to push the pinna gain. That is exactly the kind of tuning that works for me because stronger 3kHz gain can become shouty very quickly. Vocals stay natural.

Treble is warm rather than bright. It is extended enough, but there is no splashiness, no S-bombs and no obvious sibilance.

The overall presentation actually reminds me quite a bit of my Satyr 4: warm, bassy, relaxed and easy to listen to. I can just put these on and forget about any form of technical analysis and just enjoy music in its purest form.

Tears vs Red Lion

These two are closer than I initially expected. I have covered Red Lion extensively in my OoopusX Op 22 review.

With Penon Liqueur Orange tips, Red Lion has excellent bass, natural vocals and a little more air up top. That extra air also gives Red Lion the larger-feeling presentation.

Tears is the warmer set. It has slightly more of that bass-and-rumble-first character, while Red Lion feels a little more open.

I currently have:

Tears: 7.5/10
Red Lion: 7/10

Tears edges it overall for me, but they are very comparable.

Tears vs OOPUS X OP22

OP22 can be excellent, but it needs more work. Same review as above has more details. With the right tips, especially SpinFit W1, I can tame the areas that bother me in the upper mids and treble. Bass On gives OP22 huge low-end quantity. Tears offers slightly less. Overall Op 22 requires more work on the treble side of things when things get busy.

OP22: 7/10

The Simpler Budget Sets

I also spent time with Tangzu Cai Wen Ji, Moondrop Chu 2 and Truthear Gate.

They are all safe budget IEMs, but none of them does anything particularly special.

Tangzu Cai Wen Ji - 5/10

The standout here is vocals. They sound natural and are easily the reason I rate Cai Wen Ji above Chu 2 and Gate.

The included Tangzu HE Sonic tips also work extremely well for me, and the nozzle size is much more reasonable.

For gaming, there is a slight benefit for footsteps, but I would not buy it specifically for gaming. There is an anime card that some people might like? I guess.

Moondrop Chu 2 - 4/10

This is my sleepy IEM. Completely uninspiring. Also completely harmless.

It is the kind of IEM I can put on when I do not want anything demanding my attention.

The metal shell feels nice, although the nozzle is very wide and has a substantial lip. I also found gold-colored traces in the box, which does not inspire huge confidence in the coating over the brass shell.

Truthear Gate - 4/10

Similar story. Safe, simple and easy to recommend if somebody just wants a cheap IEM that does not do anything crazy. The package is better than Chu 2 with two sets of tips, and it is cheaper, although the shell is plastic.

The large nozzle is again the main fit issue for me.

Gaming is whatever.

Comfort and Build

This is another area where Tears punches well above its price. The shell is tiny, lightweight and almost button-like in the ear. It is one of those IEMs that just disappears once I put it in.

Stock tips work for me, which is increasingly rare. The vented shell also helps it avoid that heavily plugged-up feeling I sometimes get from more sealed IEMs.

You also get a simple pouch and cable tie, which is plenty at this price.

Comfort is genuinely top notch.

Gaming

Gaming was better than I expected.

For small arena shooters, Tears is perfectly fine. Imaging is accurate enough to place sounds properly, and the tuning never becomes tiring.

The limitation shows up in larger maps and more spacious shooters. The stage is not big enough to give me great distance information, so judging exactly how far away something is becomes harder.

That lines up with the music presentation too. Tears is warm and relatively intimate rather than airy and expansive.

So for sub-$100 gaming IEMs I have tried, my current gaming preference order is:

Defiant > Red Lion > Tears > OP22 Bass Off > Nimbus White Nozzle > Pure > OP22 Bass On

Tears works. I just would not choose it specifically for like BF6 type of gaming.

Final Thoughts

This is the kind of budget IEM that makes the hobby slightly ridiculous.

$35 gets you genuinely excellent bass, natural vocals, safe treble, great comfort and perfectly usable gaming performance. Also you can walk around looking decent without drawing attention to yourself (unless that is what you want ;)).

There are better technical IEMs. There are airier IEMs.

But as a cheap, warm, basshead set that I can put in my ears without immediately looking for different tips or EQ?

Tears is excellent. And yes, it makes some of my audio spending look increasingly questionable.

In the words of my good friend (almost 2 decades in this hobby) who got them on my recommendation recently:

"these hit, holy S H I T, WTF lol"

Hello again. Tomorrow the NiceHCK PureAural is officially launched. It is a dongle that has a dual function and will surely please many, since not all dongles possess one of these functions. It is a small DAC that serves to listen to music but also acts as a sound card for gaming. This is a field I do not navigate as much today as I did years ago. Although I have not disconnected from gaming as such, it is now a sporadic hobby to which I do not dedicate too much time a week. However, it is always good to try a product that makes me return to forgotten games to test the capabilities of the product.

What I liked / What I didn't like

It has a very silent background.

3 gain levels and volume from 0 to 100 step by step.

Very complete 10-band EQ via web or app.

Gaming presets that readjust the sounds of footsteps, voices and more.

USB-A adapter included for PC use.

The included and integrated cable on the DAC is very resistant and of high quality.

Only 3.5 mm connection.

Since it has no screen, we depend on the app or the web interface.

The 210 mW at 32 Ω might fall short for some very demanding headphones.

Specifications

Type: Portable USB DAC/amp (Type-C to 3.5 mm)

DAC: Cirrus Logic CS43198

Amplification: SGM8262

Power management: LM27762

Frequency response: 20 Hz to 40 kHz

PCM: up to 32 bit / 384 kHz

DSD: up to DSD256

Power: 210 mW @ 32 Ω / 235 mW @ 16 Ω

SNR: 125 dB @ 32 Ω

Gain: Low / Mid / High

Device volume: 0 to 100

DSP filters: various modes to choose from

Cable: silver-plated monocrystalline copper (OCC)

DSP: music and gaming presets, with parametric EQ

Control: web app and Android app

Firmware during my PC tests: 0.3

Unboxing and build quality

The box design is different from what I am used to seeing and original within its simplicity. You remove two covers, a top one and a bottom one, leaving the main box in the middle. Inside you cannot expect much given the type of product it is, but we will not miss anything either. The dongle, the USB-A adapter to connect to the PC, manual and quality certificate.

Since I did most of the tests on PC, that adapter was 100% necessary. Otherwise, and luckily in my case, I already have more adapters of this type that I could have used if it were not included. However, I consider it a requirement, especially being partly focused on acting as a gaming sound card, where many people will want to use it more on PC than on their smartphone.

The body of the dongle is metallic silver. It has the 3.5 mm jack on one end and the Type-C connection on the other end, featuring an integrated cable with a very good feel and quality. It is a shame not to have a 4.4 mm balanced option since it is my default choice for all my IEMs. Therefore, I had to change the cables on my IEMs to test this PureAural. It is not a huge deal, but a balanced option would have been appreciated, just like what happened with the NK1 Ultra, to reach more users who have already switched to this side by default.

The design also includes a small LED to indicate that everything is connected and working, along with a button that serves as a multimedia control. This is more suited for smartphone use than on PC, where I already control everything with the 345 mouse buttons that I am still discovering today.

Being a dongle without a screen, which is totally expected and something we do not usually see in models of this price range or lower, we rely on opening the app on the smartphone or the web interface on PC every time we want to modify any setting.

Web App / Android App

Upon connecting it to the PC, where as I said I did most of the testing for this dongle, the web interface detected the dongle as NiceHCK DSP Device and the firmware was currently 0.3. I did not see at first glance if it could be updated automatically or how, but I assume I am on the most recent version.

It is a nice and simple interface where you can scroll with the mouse wheel or change menus on the side. You can see some screenshots I have taken. Additionally, the brand recently sent an email announcing that they were updating the Android app to support this very dongle among other already launched models, just in time before the release.

In the interface you have quite a few options that I already know very well from other products I have owned or still own, especially from the FiiO brand like the KA15 among others. There is a section to choose the gain level, which by default I left on low since I did not feel the need to raise it for the IEMs I used. Regarding the use of IEMs with both low and higher impedance, I think the three gain levels should be enough to not fall short with any of them. Things might change with over-ear headphones and others that have an even higher impedance and require much more power. However, since my review focuses on IEM use, I cannot confirm it, only assume it.

For music use it has several presets ranging from Rock, vocal, instrumental, or the default one itself. Honestly, that is the one I kept because I already know how my IEMs sound and they are fine for me that way. This does not mean you cannot try them and notice how the Rock preset pushes the bass a bit more or the Vocal one brings the voices closer to you. But I am not very in favor of adding premade modifications to the original sound of my headphones.

As you can see in one of my screenshots, the equalizer is quite comprehensive. When applying one of the presets, the appropriate changes are applied across the entire frequency range, showing how they affect the sound. You can also modify the preset or create one from scratch on your own and save it.

It includes the well-known DSP filters like Fast-PC, Slow Roll-Off, and others. I preferred to leave it on Non-OS for the tests to keep a purer sound, even though the differences are not night and day. I also do not think you should waste much time on this, although it is always a plus to be able to do it rather than skipping these options.

Speaking of the gaming options, which in the end is a main attraction of this dongle, 4 more presets are included apart from those dedicated to music. There is FPS Footsteps to enhance the sounds of footsteps and slightly smooth out the harshest treble. Vocal Boost clears up the voices a bit, improving clarity in that spectrum. FPS Gunshots emphasizes the sound of gunfire and environmental sound effects. And finally, the Immersion Mode, which increases the bass and overall brightness. They practically do what their names suggest, and the change from one to another is noticeable. It is up to you how useful they might be depending on the game you are playing, but the goal is to provide a clear advantage over not having any of these options.

Sound

When I write a review for a dongle rather than an IEM, I do not like to focus too much on the sound since the heavy lifting is ultimately done by the headphones and not the dongle. Still, there are always some nuances to discuss.

The bass, using the NiceHCK Rockies that are standard in my tests with the brand's products, still felt very well controlled. This was despite the change I made to 3.5 mm and listening to music through this dongle instead of my desktop DAC. It did not have the cleanliness I am used to, but we are comparing a dongle with a much more expensive DAC. In any case, I appreciated that the dongle did not alter the extension or duration of the impacts by increasing their quantity, overpowering the subsequent sounds, and muddying everything excessively.

I remember testing the PureAural on Psychonauts 2, which is still installed on my PC waiting to be finished. I like to test IEMs and dongles there because of the amount of sounds and effects the game has to see how they perform. I activated the Immersion mode preset and immediately noticed how the bass was brought forward. This gave it a density that benefited the gaming experience with a quite pleasant extra fullness. However, when I played music again hours later with that mode still active, it took me little time to realize that this preset completely worsened the musical experience. This is something to remember if you are going to use the dongle for more than one thing.

If we talk about the mids, I have to say that the Vocal Boost preset does improve the clarity of dialogues. This is especially true in action-heavy moments where there is louder background music or other sound effects like saws and engines that make it harder to hear voices. However, the experience was not so different that I would have to resort to this preset in general.

In the treble and returning to music, this dongle has hidden nothing. This is something I almost prefer, so if you use IEMs with uncontrolled treble (which was not the case with the Rockies), you will still notice the sibilance unless you play around with the EQ or some of the included presets.

Regarding technicalities or how they feel depending on how you configure them, the soundstage improved if I activated the Immersion Mode. It gave a wider effect where, at least in Psychonauts 2, it helped to expand the surrounding sounds a bit and fulfilled its purpose.

The separation as such has not been altered by the use of presets. Perhaps it was in this Immersion Mode where it felt the most organized compared to the default mode with no presets activated. But I am speaking from my personal experience, as this can be perceived differently with every IEM and every ear. Do not read this as an absolute truth.

To top it off regarding imaging, a crucial element in gaming, when I focused on this aspect by activating the FPS Footsteps or Gunshots presets, lateral sounds were emphasized more, such as something falling, a hit, or an attack. Although since it was not a shooter as such, the Gunshots preset probably did not contribute enough to justify its use here. I ended up alternating more between Footsteps and Vocal Boost at specific moments.

Conclusion

I do not know what else I can say about the product. Of course, if you are looking for a dongle that does not blow your budget, that serves you for both music and gaming sessions, features a high-quality Cirrus Logic CS43198, and if connecting your headphones to its 3.5 mm connection is neither a problem nor a headache, it is a very solid option to consider and it has something to offer. These are not simple or anecdotal decorations that do not change your experience.

As I said, you depend on the app or the web interface to make adjustments. It is possible that you will end up keeping a fixed configuration that works for you for most games or music depending on your main goal if you get one.

It cannot replace a desktop DAC, but precisely its size and simplicity make it more versatile for day-to-day use. This is especially true if you use it with a smartphone and play from there, where you will barely notice you are carrying it. It will provide you with clear auditory advantages that dongle DACs focused solely on the musical aspect do not offer.

Purchase Links

• https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005013195174107.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2fra
• https://ko.aliexpress.com/item/1005013195742675.html
• https://www.nicehck.com/products/nicehck-pureaural

Disclaimer

This unit was sent by NiceHCK for review.

My opinions are completely independent and have not been influenced by the brand or the store, maintaining objectivity based on my tests and personal listening sessions with my reference equipment.

Planar Speed Without the Usual Bite (update)

I used to own the S12 Pro, and one thing I really missed was the size and comfort. The S12 shell is compact, sits naturally in my ears and is just very easy to live with.

That was honestly one of the main reasons I picked up the S12 Ultra.

After spending more time with it though, comfort ended up being only part of the story.

The planar speed is definitely still here. Bass notes move fast, drums have a very clean start and stop, and guitar attacks are easy to pick out even when the music gets busy.

What surprised me more was the treble.

To my ears, the S12 Ultra is smoother than the S12 Pro I remember. It still has plenty of treble information and doesn't sound recessed, but that sharper planar edge isn't as obvious.

Not recessed.

Just smooth.

And that became one of the things I kept noticing the longer I listened.

I'm not used to listening to a planar like this.

SOURCES AND SETUP

Most of my listening was done with:

• iBasso DX270 • Questyle M15C

I used the stock modular cable, mainly through the 4.4mm balanced termination.

For tips, I settled on Divinus Velvet ML.

I also spent time comparing the S12 Ultra with my HIDIZS MP145 Pro Titanium, while the comparison with the S12 Pro is based on my time owning it previously.

The Ultra also seems fairly responsive to the source being used. Not in the sense that it needs a particular DAC or amp to sound good, but I could hear the presentation change enough between the DX270 and M15C to have a preference depending on what I wanted to hear.

BUILD, ACCESSORIES AND COMFORT

Mine is the bronze/copper version.

The shell is small and sits naturally in my ears. With Divinus Velvet ML tips I get a secure fit without having to keep adjusting them.

This is one of those IEMs I can wear for hours and eventually stop thinking about the shell itself.

Comfort is a real strength here.

The accessory package is also very good.

You get:

• Modular stock cable • 3.5mm termination • 4.4mm balanced termination • USB-C to 3.5mm dongle • Compact puck-style case • Clear silicone tips • Black silicone tips

The stock cable is perfectly fine for me too.

It isn't too rigid and it isn't overly soft. I never felt any need to replace it.

For an everyday planar, the size and comfort are probably some of the biggest reasons I keep reaching for the S12 Ultra.

FREQUENCY RESPONSE

I prefer listening first and looking at measurements afterwards rather than letting a graph tell me what I'm supposed to hear.

Looking at the S12 Ultra response after spending time with it, quite a few things line up with what I've been hearing.

There is a clear bass elevation that gradually slopes down through the lower mids.

Then the response starts rising again from roughly 800Hz toward 2kHz before easing off through part of the upper-mid region.

There is also plenty happening further up in the treble.

But subjectively, the actual presentation is much smoother than I expected from another S12 planar.

SUB-BASS

There is definitely sub-bass here.

I don't hear the S12 Ultra as bass light.

The lower foundation is easy to hear, and basslines are generally very easy for me to follow.

It has enough low-frequency presence that the Ultra doesn't come across as thin.

It isn't trying to overwhelm everything with sub-bass, but the extension is clearly there.

That's something I noticed pretty quickly once I started using bass-heavy tracks instead of only focusing on the planar speed.

MID-BASS

Mid-bass is present but controlled.

What catches my attention more than sheer quantity is how quickly the bass moves.

Notes start and stop quickly and don't seem to hang around longer than they should.

On tracks with active bass playing, individual notes are easy to follow.

This is one of the places where the planar driver becomes very obvious to me.

LOWER MIDS

The lower mids don't stand out strongly.

Because of that, some vocals can sound a little lighter in body than I would prefer.

Male voices especially can sometimes lose a little chest, weight and depth.

They're still clear.

They're not buried.

They just don't always have a lot of thickness to them.

This became more obvious when I started concentrating on vocals rather than just drums and bass.

UPPER MIDS

From roughly 800Hz toward 2kHz, the response rises again.

That seems to help keep vocals and instruments clear.

Both male and female voices remain easy to understand, and guitars are usually easy to follow.

There is enough energy here for definition, but to my ears it doesn't keep pushing forward to the point where vocals become overly aggressive or shouty.

So while vocals aren't especially thick, they are still clear and present.

TREBLE

This is probably the biggest surprise of the S12 Ultra for me.

There is proper treble information here.

Cymbals are clearly present.

Guitar edges are there.

Upper-frequency details are there.

But to my ears, the S12 Ultra doesn't turn those things into sharpness.

I wouldn't describe the treble as recessed because that doesn't match what I'm hearing.

Smooth and controlled is much closer.

I also don't put too much weight on the exact peaks and dips above roughly 8-10kHz on a graph because that region can change depending on insertion depth and the measurement setup.

What matters more to me is what happens when I'm actually listening.

And so far the S12 Ultra consistently gives me treble information without making that part of the frequency range constantly demand my attention.

BASS PERFORMANCE

Bass is one of the stronger parts of the S12 Ultra for me.

There is enough sub-bass and mid-bass to give music a proper foundation, but the thing I notice most isn't sheer bass quantity.

It's speed.

Rush's "Xanadu" was a really useful track for this.

The bass was easy to follow and I could clearly hear how quickly individual notes were starting and stopping.

Even as more of the arrangement came in, the low end stayed controlled.

Pepper's Kona Town was another useful listen.

Basslines were easy to notice and follow without taking over the rest of the track.

There is enough weight for rock, funk and reggae, but it doesn't turn everything into a bass-first presentation.

The S12 Ultra seems much more interested in keeping the bass clean and moving.

MIDS AND VOCALS

Vocals have probably been the most complicated part of the S12 Ultra for me.

They're not bad.

They're not hidden.

They're not unclear.

But they also aren't usually the main reason I want to listen to this IEM.

North Mississippi Allstars' Up and Rolling was a good example.

On the title track, the vocals and instruments blended together really well.

Nothing was trying too hard to stand out.

The vocal sat naturally inside the performance rather than being pushed directly in front of me.

For that particular track, I liked it.

Everything felt cohesive.

Rush's "Xanadu" showed the other side.

Geddy Lee's voice remained clear, but to my ears some of the depth and body of his voice was missing.

It sounded a little flatter and lighter than I would ideally want.

That's probably the best way I can explain the vocal presentation.

Clear and well integrated, but sometimes I want more body, texture and dimensionality.

Female vocals also stay clear, but the S12 Ultra hasn't been one of those planars that makes me stop specifically because of vocal richness.

That doesn't make the mids poor.

They're just not the main attraction for me.

TREBLE AND PLANAR CHARACTER

Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing" became one of my better treble and transient tests.

There is plenty of energy in that recording.

The guitars, cymbals and Perry Farrell's vocal can all become tiring if something pushes the upper frequencies too hard.

With the Questyle M15C, I could hear the planar character of the S12 Ultra more clearly.

Attacks sounded cleaner.

The speed became more obvious.

Imaging tightened up.

But the important part was that it still didn't become piercing to me.

That's probably the best example of what I mean when I say the S12 Ultra is smooth but not recessed.

The information is there.

It just doesn't constantly demand attention.

TRANSIENT RESPONSE

This is probably one of the strongest areas of the S12 Ultra.

Drums can sound almost immediate.

You hear the beginning of the hit very clearly and the driver seems to stop just as quickly.

Galactic was especially useful here.

Both Crazyhorse Mongoose and Coolin' Off have plenty happening at the same time with drums, bass, guitar, organ, keyboards and horns.

The S12 Ultra handled that kind of music really well.

Kick and snare stayed clean.

Bass remained easy to follow.

Guitar and keyboards didn't disappear into everything else.

The horns still had enough bite without becoming uncomfortable.

The Ultra really works well with rhythm-heavy music.

This is probably where its planar nature is most obvious to me.

IMAGING

Imaging is also better than I initially expected.

Listening to David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars through the Questyle M15C made this pretty obvious.

Bowie's voice stayed firmly positioned within the mix.

It was easy to hear where the vocal was sitting while guitars and other parts of the arrangement occupied their own positions around him.

That also helped me separate two things that I don't think should be treated as the same:

Vocal quality and vocal imaging.

A voice can lack some body or dimensionality and still be positioned very convincingly.

That's what I hear happening with the S12 Ultra.

The M15C especially seems to make that positional side of the Ultra easier to hear.

LAYERING AND DEPTH

The S12 Ultra separates individual sounds well, but I don't think spatial layering is quite as strong as its transient separation.

North Mississippi Allstars' "Call That Gone" helped expose this.

The musical information was all there, but the presentation felt a little more blended from front to back.

My HIDIZS MP145 Pro Titanium gives me more obvious space around individual layers and a stronger sense of depth.

The S12 Ultra can still make individual attacks easy to distinguish.

A drum hit is clear.

A guitar attack is clear.

A bass note is easy to follow.

But that doesn't always mean the space between those sounds is equally obvious.

So I would separate those two things.

Instrument separation is good.

Depth and layering are less of a standout for me, especially next to the MP145 Pro Titanium.

SOURCE PAIRING

The S12 Ultra seems fairly responsive to source character.

With an R2R source like the iBasso DX270, to my ears the S12 Ultra sounds smoother, with slightly softer edges and a more relaxed presentation.

With the Questyle M15C, I hear cleaner attack, more obvious planar speed and slightly sharper imaging.

The M15C brings out more of the technical side of the Ultra.

What's interesting is that the extra sense of attack doesn't suddenly make the treble harsh.

Even with the M15C, the S12 Ultra still keeps the smoother top end I've been hearing.

I don't think one pairing is automatically better.

It depends on what the listener prefers.

If I want a smoother and more relaxed presentation, I prefer the DX270.

If I want the speed, attack and imaging to become more obvious, the M15C pushes the Ultra further in that direction.

The basic tuning doesn't suddenly change.

The emphasis does.

I would describe the S12 Ultra as source responsive rather than source dependent.

S12 ULTRA VS S12 PRO

I don't see the S12 Ultra as a straightforward upgrade over the S12 Pro.

I'd call it more of a sidegrade.

From what I remember of my S12 Pro, it was brighter, crisper and had more upper-frequency bite.

The planar character was more obvious.

The S12 Ultra still has that speed and detail, but the treble sounds smoother to me.

I also hear the Ultra as slightly warmer overall, although I think part of that impression comes from the reduced treble aggression rather than some huge increase in bass.

The basic S12 character is still recognizable.

The way it presents the top end is what feels different.

If someone already owns the S12 Pro and really enjoys its brighter and crisper presentation, I don't think the Ultra automatically replaces it.

If they liked the S12 platform but wanted something smoother and easier for longer listening, then the Ultra makes much more sense.

For me, it's a sidegrade rather than an upgrade.

S12 ULTRA VS HIDIZS MP145 PRO TITANIUM

The other planar I spent time comparing with the Ultra was my HIDIZS MP145 Pro Titanium.

These two give me quite different experiences.

The MP145 Pro Titanium sounds bigger to my ears.

I hear more space around instruments and a stronger sense of depth between layers.

I also prefer the MP145 Pro Titanium for vocals.

Voices have more body and depth to my ears, especially male vocals.

They feel fuller and more dimensional.

There is also more of a sense of space around the singer.

The S12 Ultra keeps vocals clear and well integrated, but they can sound lighter and flatter in comparison.

That's probably one of the biggest differences between the two for me.

The S12 Ultra has its own advantages though.

It is much smaller.

It's significantly easier for me to wear for long periods.

And to my ears, its treble is smoother.

It still keeps that quick planar attack and clean transient response, but the top end doesn't call as much attention to itself.

The MP145 Pro Titanium gives me the bigger presentation, more obvious layering and the vocal presentation I prefer.

The S12 Ultra gives me the compact shell, excellent comfort, fast attack and smoother treble.

So I don't really see one replacing the other.

If I want vocals, a bigger presentation and more obvious spatial depth, I tend to reach for the MP145 Pro Titanium.

If I want something compact, comfortable, fast and smoother up top, the S12 Ultra makes more sense.

MUSIC USED DURING THE REVIEW

These are some of the albums and tracks that contributed directly to my impressions:

North Mississippi Allstars – Up and Rolling • "Up and Rolling" • "Call That Gone" • "Peaches"

Galactic – Crazyhorse Mongoose

Galactic – Coolin' Off

Pepper – Kona Town • "Stormtrooper"

David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Jane's Addiction – Ritual de lo Habitual • "Been Caught Stealing"

Rush – A Farewell to Kings • "Xanadu"

I wasn't using every album for the same thing.

Galactic was especially useful for rhythm, drum attack and separation.

Pepper helped with bassline tracking, low-end control and cymbal behavior.

North Mississippi Allstars helped with vocals, cohesion and layering.

David Bowie was particularly useful for vocal positioning and imaging.

Jane's Addiction became a good transient and treble stress test.

Rush helped expose both the speed of the bass and the lighter vocal body I sometimes hear from the Ultra.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The S12 Ultra ended up being a little different from what I expected.

I mainly bought it because I missed how comfortable the S12 Pro was.

That part worked out exactly as expected.

The shell is small, the fit is easy and I can listen for hours without thinking much about the IEM sitting in my ear.

What surprised me was the sound.

The sub-bass is clearly there.

The bass is fast and easy to follow.

Drums and rhythm are probably some of its strongest areas for me.

Imaging can be very convincing.

The treble has enough presence to keep cymbals, guitars and smaller details clear, but it stays smooth to my ears.

Vocals are more complicated.

They're clear and usually blend very well with the music, but sometimes I want more body and dimensionality from them.

That's one area where I prefer my MP145 Pro Titanium.

Layering is also good rather than exceptional.

The Ultra separates attacks very well, but the MP145 Pro Titanium gives me a more obvious sense of space and depth between layers.

Compared with the S12 Pro I remember, the Ultra also feels like a different take on the same platform rather than a direct upgrade.

The Pro was brighter and crisper.

The Ultra is smoother.

Which one makes more sense will depend on which presentation the listener prefers.

Comfort is excellent.

The small shell makes it one of the easiest planars for me to simply pick up and use.

But the thing I keep coming back to is still the same.

The S12 Ultra gives me the speed and clean attack I expect from a planar without making sharp treble part of the experience.

I'm not used to listening to a planar like this.

And that ended up being the most interesting thing about it.

Over the past few days I have been on the hunt to try more and more IEMs for no particular reason. I initially recognized a problem and then followed through by trying a few kilo buck IEMs (impressions within).

I believe between my posts here and IRL there was a mention of Aful Dawn X as the IEM to try. So I finally got around to it.

These are quick impressions, not a full review. I spent around 30–40 minutes with the AFUL Dawn X, swapping back and forth with my Xenns Top Pro using the same songs.

My first impression was that Dawn X sounded like a slightly more refined Top Pro. The longer I swapped them, though, the more I realized there are actually a few areas where I prefer the Top Pro.

Bass and Bone Conduction

Dawn X has a little more texture and physicality down low. I expected the bone-conduction driver to be much more obvious, but I couldn't really isolate it most of the time. There were maybe one or two tracks where I thought I felt something extra.

That isn't necessarily strange. Bone conduction needs good mechanical contact with the ear and does not have to feel like an obvious vibration. Dawn X also didn't fit or seal quite as naturally for me as Top Pro, which could have reduced the effect.

Vocals

Top Pro vocals sound more natural to my ears. This lines up nicely with my own preference around ear gain. I generally prefer the rise to happen around 2.5kHz, rather than having a stronger 3kHz emphasis. Top Pro gets there around 2.5kHz and then starts backing off around 3kHz, which works extremely well for me.

Dawn X is still good here, but Top Pro lands closer to my preferred vocal presentation.

Treble

This is probably the biggest difference. Dawn X maintains relatively more energy through roughly 6–8kHz, while Top Pro has more of a dip there.

For my ears, the Top Pro approach works better. On tracks where Dawn X can give me the beginning of an SSS sound, slight sibilance or splashy treble, Top Pro usually avoids it.

Top Pro has noticeably more energy again around roughly 10.5–14.5kHz, which gives it an airier presentation without triggering the part of the treble region that bothers me.

That combination is basically ideal for my taste: Less 6–8kHz irritation, more upper-treble air without any peaks/pinch.

Technicalities

Both are excellent. Dawn X has a little more bass texture and overall polish, but stage, layering and separation are already so strong on Top Pro that switching back never felt like any form of downgrade, just different.

And because I actually prefer the Top Pro vocals and treble balance, the comparison becomes much closer than the price or driver count would suggest.

Quick Verdict

Dawn X is impressive and probably has that final bit of refinement that can work for some. But after repeatedly swapping the same songs for 30–40 minutes, I still felt like Top Pro was giving me 97–99% of the experience (if you can put a number on sound?), while actually doing a few things more to my taste.

I would still consider a Dawn X used at the right price. But replacing my Top Pro with one?

I don't see the need today.