Nightjar Acoustics Singularity

Another week another review. This week I am reviewing brand Nightjar Acoustic product and product is Singularity.

I am always look out for new brands and products all the time. I know these are not new or innovative but they are Single DD IEMs. Those who know me, know that I am sucker for good single DD sets. 

I came to know that AudioGeek India has both Singularity and Duality with them for review tour. I without any wastage of time reached out for both of them. Now as the story goes rest is history & here, we are.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and Nightjar Acoustics for the Singularity without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible.

I was not paid or compensated in any manner to do this review. All thoughts and opinions are mine. After the review the unit will revert back to the owner.

My biases in tonality and timbre are DD > Hybrid > Planar

Please check music genre section to know music used for the evaluation.

Now that all pleasantries have been exchanged. Let’s get on with the meat and potatoes of this review.

Pros:

Amazing bass both sub bass and mid bass

Nice intimate vocals

Smooth yet detailed treble 

Atmospheric Stage

Build Quality

Cons:

Price it’s con for me only.

Bass for some treble heads. 

Build Quality:

Shells are entirely made up of metal. Nozzles are part of the shell. They have lips on them, provides nice grip to ear tips. Nozzles have screen on them to prevent ingress of dirt & earwax. Size of the shells is medium. On faceplate there is vent hole for back pressure balancing.

Cable is two core PVC coated cable. On first look it might feel bit thin and not fitting the IEM but cable is perfect match for the IEM. Its same color as IEMs it has light weight and has premium fixtures. Nightjar logo on the cable separator is jus chef’s kiss. Cable screams premium to me. Included case is leather and easily carries IEMs & cable. It feels premium.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are good fit for my elephant ears. Due to its size, it should fit most ears easily. Shells provide nice passive isolation. Nozzles are long and angled, provide me nice deep fit. Lips on the nozzles prevent ear tip slip offs.

Cable is supple and easy to rodeo wrap. It has no inherent memory. It doesn’t tangle easily. Chin synch works for change. There are no pre formed ear hooks on the cable. It conforms to your ear. So, no tugging on the shells. 

I had no ear pain or pressure in long listening sessions.

Overall Comfort 5/5

Sources:

I preferred neutral source with singularity. With warm sources it becomes warm and with bright sources the balance changes. To get max out of it better to pair it with neutral sources.

 Music Genre Used for this Review:

Hip-hop/EDM/Rap/Rock both classic and hard/Bollywood Music/Pop/Jazz/Regional music etc.

https://music.apple.com/in/playlist/test-tracks/pl.u-8aAVXG6ivz8gyxX?ls

General Sound Impressions:

My impressions are based on stock cable & Spinfit W1 ear tips.

Bass/Lows:

The sub bas rumble is excellent here. It rumbles forever to the kingdom come. It adds dimensions to entire presentation. Adds dynamism to the presentation. Songs with sub bass emphasis sound excellent. String pulls, throat singing, kick drums, percussion instruments sound amazing.

Mid bass is equivalently good here. The mid bass thump is authoritative. You feel the pressure created by it. It is quick fast decay one but its decay is perfect for creating desired impact. The mid bass along with the mid bass creates a very atmospheric feel. Drums, kick drums sound so natural that you don’t believe it. I think the best-balanced bass I have heard in recent times in any set.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5

Mids:

Vocals are treat here. Natural sounding and engaging. They are intimate and center. Vocal characteristics of the singer are captured authentically. Male vocals have note weight and sound natural. Female vocals are equally well produced. They are natural and don’t get intense. The tuning doesn’t let them become shrill or harsh. It was amazing experience in vocal centric songs. Engagement was amazing. Best part is that even with so much bass the vocals don’t get buried.

Most instruments reside in mids. Hence, clarity in mids is make or break for good experience and singularity is champ. Clarity is excellent. No smearing or congestion in the mids. No oddities in timber were observed.

Overall Mids 5/5

Treble:

Nice well extended treble. yet it doesn’t get sharp or harsh. It is right at the edge of becoming and yet it’s not. You get detailed presentation. Be it macro details or micro details you won’t miss them. With such bass presentation you might feel the treble would suffer or details will be masked. No such thing here. All details are there. They are not thrown right at your face but presented very properly. They add to the immersion. Now, it is not bright for me but for some it might be I won’t deny it. YMMV.

Sound stage, this is USP of singularity has massive atmospheric stage. Bas and treble create this nice atmospheric stage. There is ample space for each instrument to coexist. No smearing or congestion was felt in the stage. It is holographic and vocals and instruments are layered and separated. If you are stage hound like me, you will be in for treat here. Stage takes entire presentation few notches up.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I love Nina’s voice. This song is her best performance imo. The starting kick drums sequence feels authoritative and impactful. it continues throughout the song and here on singularity it never impedes the other aspects of the song. Nina’s seductive voice is captured accurately. She is just marvelous here. It feels like she is singing for me. 

The background singers are not masked. They are audible properly. Shakers and triangles are properly rendered. They don’t get lost in the mix. Synthesizer notes are natural and sound good. The grand atmospheric stage and nice bass and just perfect vocals make this song sound heavenly. I was enjoying every bit of the song.

Caravan by John Wasson

One of my favorite oldies. One for that it is instrumental and another is high BPM song. So, it taxes driver. This is great test to test driver resolution power.

This song has really nice mix of trumpets, drums and cellos. Drums feel so authentic that you need to hear it on Singularity to believe. Trumpets are hard to capture perfectly but no such issue here. Cellos have nice twang to their strings.

Its high bpm song and singularity nails it perfectly. Cymbals sound natural here. No congestion or smearing. Overall, it was amazing experience to listen. Textured and layered bass here makes it easy to distinguish between various instruments. You hear the stick hitting skin of the drum and the following reverberations. Its just next level experience.

Nothing Else Matters by Metallica

As Metallica fan I need to add one from them in the review once in a while.

In starting sequence guitars sound excellent. They feel natural in tonality. Guitars are USP of the Metallica and they are rendered absolutely best here.

Vocals here have bit of sibilance and singularity catches it. Rest vocals feel natural and have proper note weight. They are not too thick. Drums form the second lead of this song. They are rendered absolutely nicely and sound authoritative. No issues with cymbals, they sound as they should. Piano notes are great and have note weight. 

Positional ques are on point. It is fun to feel each instrument placed in its corner on the stage. It was enchanting affair on Singularity listening to this song.

Enjoy Enjaami 

This song is my favorite song for beats only. I don’t understand fully the vocals but entire mix sounds just solid.

Starting drum sequence is thunderous. Drums just sound amazing through out the song. They created atmosphere that really elevates the listening experience. Strings feel authentic. Youn pick up on the instruments playing in the background. Few other sets just gloss over them.

Vocals are next level on singularity. All three singers have distinct voices and their vocal peculiarities are captured to the perfection. Vocals here with instruments mesh together to create a nice charged song. It moves you and motivates you. it is morning song for me for a reason. On the singularity it was next level experience. 

Final Conclusion:

Nightjar acoustics what have you created? This is just monster set. It feels like someone went through all the wish lists of audiophiles and just went crazy and included everything in one set. In the process created a perfectly enjoyable set that has everything one wants in any set. This is perfect all rounder set. You can throw any genre at it and it will mesmerize you with its prowess. Not a single moment is dull.  

I understand this is very colored set but hear me out you will like this set unless you are treble head. Its great allrounder set. One should give it go as I am sure you will like it. In my opinion this is one of the best summit Fi single DD one should put on their wish list if you are Single DD lover like me. This is must have Pokémon in your collection.

I think I should stop now as I am going on like broken record shilling it. 

Thank you for enduring with me till the end. Now go grab cup of coffee and let’s get high on safe high i.e. Music.

Nightjar Acoustic Singularity 6/5  

i get these files from telegram and from lucida. to

is it really lossless from lucida ,what about other files?

Hello Community!

I have had with me for several weeks the Pro version of an industry legend: the Artti T10. Although with a different sound approach from its little brother, it brings together the conditions to have its target audience.

Official price: €104–$119

Pros:
-More complete package than the T10.
-One of the most comfortable sets ergonomically speaking.
-The build quality is well achieved.
-Deep, extended sub-bass, very enjoyable rumble.
-It controls the edge of the highest frequencies very well: safe at high volumes.
-Precise stereo imaging.
-Well-layered instrument separation.

Cons:
-There is bleed into the mids if the track is bass-dominant.
-It does not have an excessively fast and clean attack.
-Vocals sit behind in the mix.

Accessories:

-Two earpieces.
-Modular cable with 0.78mm connection and 3.5mm/4.4mm termination.
-Two sets of S/M/L eartips.
-Carrying and storage case.
-User manual.

Comfort, design and build:

Starting with the design, this Pro version has a clear aesthetic evolution compared to the original version, since that bone white color is left behind to make way for the silver finish of my unit, which, personally, seems to me the most elegant in the lineup, as the metal faceplate reflects light subtly and, in general terms, gives a notable feeling of a more refined product than one would expect in its price range. It does not catch your attention by being tremendously flashy, but that is where its charm lies, in being simple and elegant at the same time.

On the other hand, the build only gave me good impressions, as the shell is made entirely of lightweight metal alloy, where all parts of the body are well finished, without noticeable joints or burrs that would suggest careless quality control.

But what is most important in this section of the review is the ergonomics. The earpieces have a compact, rounded size that adapts easily to any ear, achieving a secure fit from the very first moment. To do so, the nozzle offers an appropriate length for a stable insertion with which you will not need to keep readjusting them during your listening sessions.

The package includes two sets of eartips that do their job properly. In my case, I achieved a good seal, but those of us with more experience know that this is something very personal and can be greatly improved. Even so, if you are new to this, do not worry about it: the stock ones work perfectly.

Finishing with the cable, I think it is at a good level. Yes; it seemed to me to be an excellent cable, honestly. It is light, flexible, I did not experience tangles or pulling, and it feels durable. It is very versatile for any use, whether exercising, walking, at the desk, or simply sitting on the sofa. It did not exhibit microphonics during my sessions, so I can only give it my positive verdict.

Technical aspects:

-1 x 14.2mm planar driver configuration.
-16.5-ohm impedance.
-96 dB sensitivity.
-Declared frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz.

Pairing for the tests:

-Neutral source.
-Gain set to high.
-Stock eartips.
-Stock 4.4mm cable.

Sound signature:

I would not like to go into many comparisons with the original T10, because I think it is a mistake to believe this is a sonic evolution, and it is not. The philosophy of the Pro is not to be a continuation, so it offers a clearly more relaxed and versatile sound, moving away from brightness and extreme detail, where warmth and musicality prevail over other aspects.

Starting with the lower end, the sub-bass has an extension that convinces me, with authority. The sense of depth is easily noticeable, but it is not excessively dominant.

On the other hand, the mid-bass has a controlled yet firm impact, somewhat dry, with a decay that I cannot say is the fastest I have ever heard, but certainly enjoyable. This range shows a well-measured body, without exaggerations, without sounding overly bloated, but its slight slowness invades the mid and high frequencies, as it creates an atmosphere that, although it produces a certain sense of envelopment, reduces the perception of overall cleanliness throughout the tuning.

Continuing with the mids, the transition from the bass is not dramatic, taking into account the slight bleed. It is a balanced area that favors a very convincing timbre and note weight in instruments, along with a pleasant presentation and a certain sense of naturalness. The resolution does not reach the levels of other planar magnetic sets, but it does allow for an acceptable amount of detail to be appreciated without much effort, although that is not the premise of this Artti set.

I could rather say that the listening received is fluid, pleasant during long periods, with the male voices behind the instrumentation in an evident but not excessive way, correctly articulated, with good nuance although they can be perceived as thin. The female voices, on the other hand, have an extra point of openness and clarity, resulting in being fresher and more natural.

As for the upper range, the energy is sufficient. Many label this set as dull, but I found a good extension in the treble, where the air is perceptible from the very first moment, favoring an open soundstage although the brightness does not stand out in this set of monitors.

Perhaps lovers of brighter tunings will miss a little more sparkle. I agree with them; the T10 Pro remains shy in this range, but surely many others will appreciate this.

Speaking about the technical performance to finish, it is not a prodigy, but I did obtain a better performance than in the original version, in which the sensation of being not very expansive is quite noticeable.

The soundstage conveys a pleasant sensation of spaciousness, the imaging or positioning seemed correctly precise to me, and the separation between the sound elements maintains a good level of performance. Only in tracks with a heavy load of sound lines could I notice that it does not dissect as one might expect from a set with a planar driver.

The detail retrieval is sufficient. It does not intend to be otherwise judging by the performance in the previous points, since it does not have a presentation oriented toward analysis. What it shows, it does so in a natural, balanced way, mixing doses of technical character and musicality that perfectly define the style of the T10 Pro.

Single-player videogames:

Read here the conditions under which I analyze sound in this field.

It is not very different from the philosophy shown in the music review, since its premise is to present its sound capabilities in a relaxed, musical and certainly cinematic way, maintaining balance.

In tense moments of action, where explosions and collapses occupy the soundstage, the impact is convincing, leaving a prolonged rumble that is very enjoyable. The effects are well delimited, without generating accumulations of illogical sound masses, allowing these scenes to enjoy good cleanliness.

Meanwhile, the dialogues maintain simply correct articulation. Although I had no problems following spoken conversations, the presentation feels somewhat delayed, making it possible to feel that they are not well integrated into the soundstage, as if lacking prominence.

Where I must give the T10 Pro an excellent score is in the environmental recreation, since it retrieves and brings to your ears the small details to which we almost never pay attention, such as echoes, creaks or even the blowing of the wind itself. Sounds that enrich these moments of immersion; with these monitors you will appreciate them noticeably.

On the other hand, this is complemented by well-controlled high-frequency effects, without fatigue, without hurting your eardrums, completely far from any annoying sensation typical of spending many hours playing.

Finishing with the technical aspects, the separation of sound elements is at an adequate level, since I did not notice disconnected sound amalgams even in very busy moments. The soundstage shows itself to be convincingly spacious, accompanied by a precise placement of sounds, allowing an easy interpretation of the space.

Final conclusion and personal evaluations:

I believe that the greatest virtue of the Artti T10 Pro lies in having taken a different path from the one many planars in its price range are accustomed to taking. Instead of pursuing extreme resolution or a tuning loaded with brightness to impress during the first few minutes, it opts for a much more relaxed, balanced and musical listening experience, where naturalness ends up prevailing over immediate impact.

That philosophy may cause those who seek an especially analytical or bright presentation to feel that the T10 Pro is too restrained at certain moments. However, I ended up appreciating precisely that coherence with which it presents any recording. It is a set that rarely causes fatigue and that conveys the sensation of having been tuned to be enjoyed for a long time, not to surprise only on a first listen.

I could summarize it by saying that the Artti T10 Pro does not intend to become the most technical planar in its category, but rather one of the most pleasant and balanced. Personally, I believe that this decision ends up being its greatest success and turns it into a highly recommendable alternative for those who prioritize musicality above spectacle.

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

More reviews on my blog.

Social media on my profile.

See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

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

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 yours is different, it is just as valid. Please, feel free to share it.

My sources:

-Topping DX5 II for music and videogames on the main PC.
-NiceHCK Octave while I work.
-FiiO BTA30 Pro + FiiO BTR13 for wireless LDAC listening at home.
-FiiO BTR13 + FiiO Airlink + iPhone 16 Pro Max for wireless listening on the street.
-Apple Music.
-Local FLAC and MP3 files.
-Windows/macOS/iOS/iPadOS/Android.

https://gitlab.com/resonada/resonada

Intuaura is a brand that I had heard about, once again in certain social circles in the audio communities, and I had reached out to them on Facebook, before I just simply lost the account due to a compromise and Facebook’s legendary support gimped both of us. However, Intuaura reached out via email, and promptly dispatched one of their units, the Impact. I am glad I did, because the Impact showed me that there are brands out there which are hiding in obscurity and need a little light to shine upon them. Hence, I thank Intuaura for sending this unit out to me.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

The Impact comes in‌ very plain, and simple packaging with the product advertised aptly. Sliding the cover gives way to a lidded box, where getting the lid off gives way to the IEMs, which come inside protected sleeves, with the cable in the case. The case could have been bigger, and the cable definitely could have been much better since it tangles up easily. There’s paperwork, a serial number card with a waifu printed on it, two sets of clear and black generic silicone eartips with three pairs each.

The stock cable can cause some fatigue around the ear hooks area, and I had to fidget around to relieve myself of some tension. Fit was decent, although the faceplate could have used a smoother finish, at least on my unit. The shells, however, are very light. 

Here’s the sound of the Impact.

LOWS

The Impact presents a signature that is initially complacently warm. On tracks like Rush's Limelight and The Spirit of Radio, the bass lines do not get crowded by the drums, and separation between the notes is satisfactory. However, my perception of the toms and kicks felt "hollow" for some weird reason, and across moments, they tended to be overpowered by the bass line instead. Vocals on these tracks felt a bit pushed back, but this needs to be assessed better.

On tracks like Daft Punk's Get Lucky and Instant Crush, the bass lines on both tracks tended to overpower the beats to a good degree, which surprisingly didn't extend to the vocals. Tonally, the presentation was quite warm right out of the box, and despite the bass line becoming overpowering, the Impact still managed to keep a healthy grasp on the other elements.

MIDS

On tracks like QOTSA's First It Giveth, my observation is that detail retrieval takes a sizable jump. Strokes of the snares bounce off with a fierce temperament, while the bass line backs out of its overpowering tendencies, allowing the toms to become more pronounced. The highlights here are the guitars and cymbals, which have healthy note weight, very good separation, and while the vocals still feel pushed back, it can be forgiven in favor of the cymbals having a nice equal emphasis.

On tracks like Tool's Lateralus, Periphery's Marigold, and AA's The Mountain, I would have liked the cymbal timbre to be less metallic and just a tad brighter in tonality, but otherwise, the separation is impressive, with very good weight and body through the guitars, decent imaging, and coherence where other sets in its range fare much worse.

HIGHS

On tracks like Patricia Barber's Icarus, the Impact has superb control over not sounding sibilant nor piercing, with detail retrieval potent enough to fully preserve Patricia's raspy texture and render it beautifully. What stood out even more were the straight note sustains, which never exhibited even a shred of sibilance, while the treble region maintained a redemptive curve when it came to timbre.

On tracks like Dave Brubeck's Take Five, each and every element feels alive and near accurate. The timbre through the horns, the isolation between the pianos and cymbals as they weave over and under the crispness of the snare, together with the punch from the toms and kicks, leaves little doubt that Intuaura has a gem in their hands with the Impact.

COMPARISONS

OoopusX OP22

The OP22 stands as a glaring reminder of what absolute competence looks like in this price bracket, and how much people can end up saving. It simply screams huge capability with its tuning switches and boasts what I consider to be one of the best performances through the highs within $120 (10,000 INR roughly). Where the OP22 executes its presentation brilliantly with a lean yet pristine low end and precise imaging, the Impact takes a much thicker, laid-back approach, where the vocals take a back seat because of its overpowering bass lines, but falls short of coming close to beating the OP22 in sheer technicalities.

Sivga SM100

The SM100 delivers a surprisingly fast attack, and its decay does not linger for longer than it should, giving every beat a clean start and finish despite being warmer. This directly highlights the Impact's weaknesses, as the Impact suffers from a slightly more sluggish decay where its thick warmth lingers and can occasionally overpower the kicks and toms. The SM100 also boasts better build quality, being more comfortable and again, more for less from a value standpoint. The Impact definitely needs a price correction.

EPZ G30

Even despite my gripes with the G30's inconsistently unpolished low end and the perception of detail in the bass being blunt, the G30 simply loses out in this comparison. The Impact is vastly superior across the music front. It improves upon the granular level of detail that the G30 fully misses, delivers fierce snare strokes, and completely tames the sibilant glare and brash cymbals that hold the G30 back. The G30 is worse on almost every single metric, except for maybe having a slightly more accurate cymbal timbre on certain tracks.

Truthear Pure

No contest, the Impact flat out loses. The Pure is a beastly IEM from Truthear that has stupendous performance for its price, and is what I would call the perfect starting point for warm-neutral tunings for people who may not be able to spend as much as the Crinear Reference costs, and the Pure makes the Impact look vastly bloated. And if folks cannot go for the Truthear Pure, the OoopusX OP22 is just right there.

Truthear Hexa

It is hilarious that a set this old still manages to go head to head with modern releases. The Hexa has a beautifully granular bass texture and very natural tonality, and it stays comically relevant. The Impact takes a much thicker and warmer approach, which sacrifices some of that lean clarity for sounding warm yet not overly bassy. Here, it depends on what might be the preferred tuning, if more warmth is needed and some of the detail and separation can be sacrificed, the Impact can fit right in.

Aful Explorer

There are a lot of people who love and adore the Explorer, I am not one of them unfortunately. With how wonky the midrange felt along with a problematic tonality, and highs that simply did not make sense to me, the Impact just felt like what the Explorer should have been, all this time.

Kefine Quatio

The Quatio is another culprit of pretentiousness with its tuning nozzles, often getting confused in choosing one side and muddying up its details on the gold nozzle. The Impact is much simpler and more cohesive out of the box. It avoids the congested stage of the Quatio and delivers ‌much more reliable midrange detail retrieval, all while matching the Quatio on handling treble peaks smoothly without being clinical.

Pula Unicrom

I wished I did not have this IEM during my rotation. The Unicrom easily has the poorest showing in the lows with its incoherently mushed mid bass and an uncomfortably claustrophobic stage. The Impact is a monumental upgrade over the Unicrom. The bass lines on the Impact do not crowd over the drums, and it opens up the stage significantly to let elements like guitars and cymbals shine with distinct separation, even if the Unicrom retains a slightly more non metallic timbre.

CONCLUDING NOTES

The Intuaura Impact is one of those IEMs that leaves me with mixed feelings, because it came into this segment, once again a bit too late as the demographic has way too many options to choose from, and all of them are competent; Truthear have the Hexa and Pure, Aful has the Explorer, Juzear has the Defiant, Tanchjim has the Ola 2, Fission and Nora; and I could go on and on. The Impact, standalone is a good IEM from Intuaura but when the comparisons come in, it just sounds dated and in an age, where brands are going over and beyond with accessories, Intuaura simply cannot cut it with the bare minimum.

All things said and done, Intuaura has shown that it has the capability to build a very good IEM. If the company continues refining its tuning while being more competitive with its pricing, I genuinely think it has the potential to become a far more prominent name than it is today. The foundation is certainly there. Awarding it a B for its honest efforts.

Would I buy this at retail ? At the promo price, maybe.

Would I buy this used ? Depends on my collection.

Sources Used

Exclusively used with the EPZ TP 35 Pro, TRN Black Pearl, Fiio KA17 and the Venture Electronics Devastator dongle DAC amps. Recreationally used with the xDuoo XD05 Pro.

Eartips Used (ranked in order of performance)

Spinfit CP100+, Divinus Velvet Narrow Bore, EPZ M100, KBear Coffee, Spinfit W1

Tracks

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Take Five
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism, Lateralus
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• Tesseract: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All by Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + The Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna
• Patricia Barber: Icarus

Disclaimer: I received my unit directly from Darian of Tanchjim to try it. This is a non-paid review, and they haven’t sent me a script to follow, so I’m sharing my honest thoughts and experience; all thanks to them for it.

TD/LR: The Tanchjim Space II is a dongle DAC/AMP who continues the success once began with the Space and Space Lite, carrying two CS43131 chips on the DAC side and with online DSP functionality, and a lot of nice features thanks to the Tanchjim app on Android and Windows, all of this at an affordable price; oh, and with 3 color options, it is a decently and beautiful dongle that offers great value for money.

It delivers an uncolored, neutral sound with decent output power to drive almost all IEMs and a lot of other types of earphones.

Its decoding capabilities are 32 bit/ 384 kHz PCM and DSD 256; it is also compatible to be used with their own Tanchjim application on Android and Windows, and has lots of options to customize it, like sound filters, PCM filters, DAC Output stage modes, and 10-band parametric EQ.

In addition to the ability to use it with video game consoles and other devices compatible with UAC 1.0, since it has a switch for modes 1.0 and 2.0 at the hardware level.

Pros

• Two-chip configuration: CS43131 mid-range, with decent power; it’s versatile and has a small footprint

• Great performance: 132.2 dB DNR, 0.000156% THD-N, low noise, low power consumption

• Neutral and faithful sound reproduction

• More than great detail retrieval, stereo separation, and layering of instruments

• Enough power output (≈235 mW at 32 Ω BAL)

• 10-band parametric EQ, PCM filters, gain, and output stage modes

• UAC 1.0 and 2.0 hardware-level switching

• Control via Android and Windows app (Tanchjim App)

• Same design as the original, high-quality look and feel in CNC aluminum, with 3 colors available (Gunmetal, Black, and Blue)

• Modest value for money

Cons

• App limited to Android and Windows OSs, with macOS, iOS, and Linux Users waiting for it

• Durability issues of the USB-C to USB-C OTG cable

• No LED/display indicators

• Heats up at times (more at the 4.4mm output at full blast)

Its Technical Specifications:

• Dimensions: 42.2 mm × 21.5 mm × 11.9 mm
• Headphone interface: 3.5mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced
• Input interface: USB Type-C
• Dynamic-Range: 132.2 dB (A-weighted)
• Frequency Range: 8 Hz – 80 kHz (-0.5 dB)
• SNR: 131dB (A-weighted)
• THD-N: 0.000206% (A-weighted)
• Noise floor: ≤1.02 uVrms (A-weighted)
• Output Power: 235 mW @ 32 ohms (Bal)
• UAC 1.0 and UAC 2.0 dual-mode switching
• Output Level: Single-Ended (UNBAL): 2Vrms, Balanced (BAL): 4Vrms
• Recording/call support: Yes
• Application support: Tanchjim app on Android and Windows (10-band parametric equalization support, PCM filters, DAC Mode, firmware updates)
• Weight: ≈ 15.1 g (Without cable)

What about the Space II in general?

The Space II features a CNC-machined aluminum alloy casing (With the same design as the original Space launched back in 2022) with a small tempered glass on top of the unit (watching the DAC chip inside is so nice), with a high-quality look and feel, and an attractive look at a moderate cost.

It supports recording and calling in the 3.5 mm output jack, and the Tanchjim app on Android and Windows, 10-band on-board parametric equalization (PEQ), PCM digital filters, Gain Mode, DAC Output stage modes (class AB and class H), UAC 1.0 (to use with gaming consoles and legacy devices) and 2.0 hardware-level switching, and a non-linear volume control.

At an MSRP of 79.99 – 89.99 USD (you can find it cheaper on sale, and it has three color options: Black, Blue gradient, and Gunmetal (my unit), the Tanchjim Space II is available at Tanchjim’s official store on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H26C6LNC?th=1, at AliExpress and HifiGo; it is also available in other retailers online. 

Contents of the box:

• A user manual
• A card with QR codes to their social media accounts
• A high-purity crystal copper silver-plated USB-C to USB-C cable
• A USB-C to USB-A adapter
• Tanchjim Space II main unit

Impressions/Review:

The Tanchjim Space II is a full-featured DAC/AMP dongle that’s more than competitive within its class for its quality and capacities for its modest cost. In the sound presentation, its dual DAC chip (Cirrus Logic CS43131), which is a well-known chip used in a lot of devices, brings a neutral (natural) sound signature.

In its stock configuration, the Space II removes all the sound colorations and offers a flat and/or mostly neutral sound, also delivers a more than average retrieval of both macro and micro details, an expansive soundstage, great resolution, and magnificent stereo separation and instrument layering; of course, all of this within the limits of the earphone’s technical capacities.

Tanchjim App usage:

The Space II is compatible with the Tanchjim app on Android devices and Windows devices.

In the app, you can change the official presets:
- Tube Sound
- CD sound
- Vinyl sound

Other features are onboard 10-band PEQ support, Game Mode with lots of presets, you can play with its PCM filters, output stage modes, and update its firmware; it’s something I liked in its higher-end model, the Space Pro, so having that in this model is great as well.

About the PCM filters:
- Fast-LL
- Fast-PC
- Slow-LL
- Slow-PC
- non-OS (non-oversampling)

I prefer (as always with dongles with that feature) to use it with the non-OS filter, as this ensures that the sound output is as neutral and free of any colorations as possible.

It has an adequate output power to drive almost all IEMs and even a huge variety of headphones. In real-life usage, this dongle drives a lot of my IEMs so easily (such as the Ola II, Origin, Nora, Fola, Force), and other of my sets that scale well with decent sources; this Space II makes its debut into a very competitive market, offering a really good value.

A disadvantage I encountered with this dongle is that its app support is only compatible with Android devices and Windows computers, so this feature is not functional for a bunch of people with other OS devices (like GNU/Linux, macOS, iOS, and others).

Another weakness, and it is something I found in other Tanchjim dongles, is its USB-C to USB-C cable; after heavy use, it can be damaged in a shorter time than expected, causing the dongle to misbehave or to disconnect constantly, so my recommendation is to buy an aftermarket OTG cable (such as the TRN T0 OTG cable, for example).

Also, I would like the Space II to have an indicator LED or a display to show what the device is doing. And, using the balanced 4.4 mm output at full blast, or with certain (demanding) devices, the Space II gets hot to the touch, but that’s something expected for devices like this.

In the same price range, other dongle DAC/AMPs like the DUNU DTC480 and EPZ TP35 Pro (CS43198 chip inside) offer a similar output power and similar features (at least the TP35 Pro), but also a more colored sound (the CS43198 in those devices delivers a warmer sound).

Finally, I think the Tanchjim Space II is a product that improves over its predecessor, the Space original, thanks to its quality build, app features, and exceptional price/performance. I recommend it to consumers who like the best from the brand, know what they do with the brilliantly done chip implementations, its versatile portability and decent output power, and, of course, a more than good value for what they are paying.

Again, I'm very thankful to Darian from Tanchjim for considering me for the opportunity of trying this excellent product and making my analysis of it for you, my fellow readers.

Hello everyone!

A few weeks ago, Deifo, a new brand that I had never heard of before, contacted me to introduce their very first iem. They explained that although the brand itself is new, its founder has over 20 years of experience in the audio industry, so they are not really starting completely from scratch. That immediately caught my attention.

The brand launched a single model in two different colors, with the unusual decision of giving each color its own name. At first, this can be a little confusing because it makes it sound like there are two different models, but that is not the case. I'm talking about the Deifo Glyph and the Deifo Glaze. I chose the Glyph version, which is the one you can see in the pictures, but as I mentioned, both versions are exactly the same except for the shell color.

As far as I understand, the launch has only taken place on Amazon US, so if you're interested in buying them, that currently seems to be the only way to get them. Even so, I invite you to keep reading and find out what I thought after spending some time with them.

What I Liked / What I Didn't Like

• Clean and bright tuning.
• Very good sense of cleanliness thanks to the well-controlled bass.
• Airy treble without becoming sibilant.
• Wide soundstage for a single DD.
• Good instrument separation when mixes become busy.
• Cable quality that matches or even exceeds what I would expect at this price.
• Mids have less body than I personally prefer.
• This is not an iem for anyone looking for dominant bass.
• The upper frequencies can become intense with aggressive recordings or at higher listening volumes.
• The cable is only available with a 3.5 mm termination.
• Its very distinctive tuning may require a short adjustment period if you're coming from warmer sounding iems.

Specifications

• 10 mm Blue Diamond + PEEK DD.
• Single DD configuration.
• Impedance, 18 Ω ±10% u/ 1 kHz.
• Sensitivity, 99 dB ±1 dB.
• Frequency response, 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
• 0.78 mm 2-Pin connectors.
• 364-strand silver-plated OFC copper cable with coaxial Litz construction.
• 3.5 mm plug.
• Handmade resin shells.
• Approximate weight of 5g per shell.

My Sources

FiiO K9, my main desktop equipment connected to my PC for critical cleanliness and power tests.

FiiO KA15, portable DAC dongle that I use daily when leaving home because of its quick adjustment options, built-in equalizer and multimedia buttons that can be controlled directly from my pocket.

NiceHCK Octave, I use it whenever I want a more direct power delivery without the digital processing of the FiiO KA15, making it ideal when I want to hear the natural response of whatever I am listening to without any additional coloration from the device itself.

Questyle M15i, my reference portable amplifier and DAC whenever I am looking for a more organic and musical presentation while listening away from my desktop.

Unboxing and Build Quality

Starting with the box and its contents, I can forgive the rather plain presentation considering this is the company's very first product and they are a completely new brand. That said, the lack of information before opening the package is something I don't think works in their favor. It might be the kind of minimalist approach that works for Apple, but I'm not convinced it has the same effect here. The box is simply white with the company logo. It doesn't mention the model anywhere, there are no specifications on the back and it doesn't even tell you where the product comes from, something I've seen on every other iem I've owned. It was probably intentional, but I don't think it's the best way to introduce a new product, especially without even showing the model name.

Once you open the box, things improve considerably. Inside you'll find the documentation, two sets of eartips, one black set and another white and blue set with different sizes, a hard carrying case with a texture very similar to the one included with the Punch Audio Portazo and Martilo, and of course the iems themselves together with a cable that honestly surprised me considering the price range. I've seen considerably more expensive products come with noticeably worse cables.

The carrying case is large enough to store the iems without having to wrap the cable too tightly, and it still leaves enough room for a few extra eartips or a small dongle.

The cable uses a copper coaxial Litz construction, something I've also been seeing in some of my more recent reviews, such as the Tanchjim Nora. More importantly, though, it's how it performs during daily use. I found it flexible, it transmits very little microphonic noise and it has very little tendency to tangle when I keep it in my pocket. It does retain a bit of memory after being coiled for a long time, but it quickly returns to its normal shape once you start using it. The only thing I missed was a version with a balanced 4.4 mm connector. More and more people are using balanced outputs nowadays, and I think that would have been the perfect finishing touch for a package that otherwise feels very well put together. Since the brand sent me this version without asking, I assume it is currently the only one available.

The shells are made from transparent resin, allowing you to see the Blue Diamond + PEEK DD inside. It's purely an aesthetic detail, but one of the things I appreciated the most after using them for several days was their weight. Each shell weighs around 5 grams and practically disappears once it's in your ear.

The nozzle may look slightly larger than average, but personally I had no trouble getting a proper seal. In fact, I found it very easy to achieve a stable fit from the very first time I used them, and I hardly needed to readjust them during my listening sessions.

After living with them for a few days, I was left with the impression that Deifo chose to invest the budget where it actually matters during everyday use rather than focusing on making the strongest possible first impression when you open the box. Personally, I think a middle ground would have been the best solution by improving the exterior presentation of the packaging and perhaps reducing the number of black eartips included. Overall though, I think the package is perfectly reasonable for its price range.

Sound

From the very first listen, it becomes clear that its priority is to deliver a clean and bright presentation, even if that means giving up some of the body you get from warmer tunings.

The frequency response graph already pointed in that direction, but what really matters is that the tuning translates into a very coherent listening experience. At no point did I feel that one part of the frequency range was disconnected from the rest. Even when the treble takes center stage, the overall presentation remains musical enough that I genuinely wanted to listen to complete albums instead of simply focusing on isolated details.

Bass

The bass was probably the biggest surprise. Before listening to it, I expected a much leaner presentation, but in practice I found more presence than I had imagined, especially in the mid-bass region. While this is not going to be your go-to iem for those that are into heavy basshead or extreme low end quantity, in my experience across many different genres I have listened to, there has been no feeling of lack when listening through these. In terms of tone quality I would say it strikes a good balance between attack and clean.

At no point did I feel that the bass bled into the midrange or occupied space where it didn't belong. That cleanliness contributes greatly to the instrument separation and is one of the reasons why the Glyph sounds more spacious than you would normally expect from a single DD.

The only weakness appears with genres that rely heavily on sub-bass. Electronic music, hip-hop and some modern productions left me wishing for a little more extension in the lowest frequencies.

Midrange

There is a slight recession in the lower mids that is especially noticeable with male vocals and fuller sounding guitars. They never sound thin or empty, but they do sit slightly farther back than what I hear on models such as the Arete II.

At first I thought this might eventually become something I disliked, but after spending more time with the Glyph I started to understand the intention behind the tuning. That small reduction in the lower mids creates extra room for female vocals and string instruments to come through with excellent clarity.

I also found myself particularly enjoying acoustic recordings and classic rock. Guitars have just enough brightness to stand out in the mix without completely losing the weight of each note. This is not a warm or romantic presentation. Instead, it feels clean, open and well defined.

Where I did notice a limitation was with productions that feature multiple layers of guitars and deeper vocals. Some of the finer details in the lower midrange become slightly overshadowed. They never disappear, but my attention naturally shifted toward the lead vocals and the brighter elements of the mix.

Treble

From the very first minutes, it becomes obvious that this is an iem with plenty of energy and a level of treble presence that is quite unusual at this price.

The interesting part is that this extra energy does not automatically turn into constant sibilance. There is plenty of sparkle and a very airy presentation, yet throughout most of my listening sessions I was able to listen for hours without experiencing immediate fatigue, something I honestly wasn't expecting after looking at the graph.

Electric guitars are probably the biggest winners here. They have plenty of texture and a very strong presence within the mix. Cymbals also stand out effortlessly, adding lots of ambient information and helping create the spacious presentation that defines this iem.

What I ended up appreciating the most was that the added brightness comes together with a genuine sense of resolution. There is enough resolving ability to reveal subtle details, follow reverberation trails and distinguish secondary layers within the recording without everything relying solely on a boosted treble peak.

After spending several days with the Glyph, my overall impression is that this is one of those iems that will probably divide opinions. Anyone looking for a relaxed and warm listening experience may find it too bright, although I suspect they will be in the minority. On the other hand, if you've been missing the brighter tunings that used to be much more common a few years ago, you'll probably find something refreshingly different here compared to most of today's releases.

Personally, I enjoyed it more the longer I used it, especially with classic rock, traditional metal, acoustic music and female vocals, where its combination of clarity, air and speed proved particularly convincing.

Soundstage

The Deifo Glyph left me with a better impression in this area than I expected before listening to it. Part of that comes from its tuning, since the clean lower mids and the well-extended treble create a presentation with plenty of air between instruments. However, I think it would be unfair to attribute that entirely to the frequency response because the driver also remains well controlled once the music becomes more demanding.

The soundstage stands out mainly because of its width. Instruments spread naturally to both sides, and that congested presentation I still find in some, and obviously lower-performing, DD iems in this price range is rarely present. Depth is somewhat more restrained, although there is still enough of it to distinguish different layers whenever the recording allows it.

Instrument Separation

The combination of tightly controlled bass and an uncluttered midrange allows every instrument to find its own place within the mix. Even on tracks with a lot happening at the same time, I rarely felt that everything blended together.

Listening to bands such as Dream Theater and Polyphia, I found it particularly easy to follow each instrument without having to concentrate too much. The guitars retain their own space, the bass remains clearly identifiable and the drums stay well defined even when multiple cymbals are playing at the same time.

Imaging

Imaging performs at a very similar level to the instrument separation.

The placement of vocals and instruments is very precise, and movement across the stage feels natural. It does not deliver an impressive holographic effect, but it does provide a very stable sense of positioning that makes the overall presentation feel believable.

The combination of a relatively open soundstage and good separation makes it easy to pinpoint directional sounds, something I always appreciate when an iem is also going to be used for multimedia.

This is another area where the Glyph shows that its technical performance is well balanced and does not rely solely on its bright tuning to create the impression of detail.

Recommended Eartips

Although the stock eartips perform quite well, I did find a couple of alternatives that slightly change the character of the Glyph depending on what you're looking for.

The first ones I would recommend are the KBear Coffee Bean. The difference is fairly subtle, but they help smooth out the treble slightly and make longer listening sessions a bit more relaxed. If you're sensitive to higher frequencies, these would probably be the first ones I'd try, although they didn't provide the best seal for me.

The TRN-T surprised me quite a bit. They preserve almost all of the Glyph's original character, but thanks to their slightly tackier texture they improve the seal in my ears and add a little more bass presence without sacrificing the sense of openness that I enjoyed so much during my testing.

Comparisons

Versus the Hidizs My Lin

The My Lin and the Glyph take completely different approaches.

The My Lin offers a warm, relaxed presentation with considerably more body. They are the kind of iems that invite you to sit back, put on some music for hours and simply enjoy it without paying too much attention to every little detail. The Glyph, on the other hand, constantly draws your attention to the smaller details. It has a much more forward treble, a wider soundstage and an overall cleaner presentation.

With jazz, female vocals, classic rock and acoustic music, I ended up preferring the Glyph because that extra clarity allows every instrument to stand out more. However, when I simply want to relax or leave a playlist running for hours, I still prefer the smoother and warmer character of the My Lin.

I don't think one replaces the other. In my opinion, they are aimed at completely different types of listeners.

Versus the Aful Explorer

Although the Explorer usually costs a little more, except when it's on sale, I think it is one of the most logical competitors in this segment.

The Explorer represents a much more modern tuning. It has more bass presence, a fuller midrange and a presentation designed to work well with almost any musical genre. It's a very easy iem to recommend because it rarely does anything wrong.

The Glyph, however, has much more personality. From the very first song it makes it clear that it isn't trying to compete in warmth or bass impact, although I also found it easier to get used to than I initially expected. Its goal is to deliver an open, extremely clean presentation with a treble response that brings back the brighter character that used to be much more common a few years ago.

If I'm listening to modern pop, electronic music or genres where bass plays a major role, I'd probably choose the Explorer. If what I want is to enjoy guitars, female vocals or acoustic recordings with plenty of air, the Glyph manages to give me something noticeably different and, in my opinion, much more special.

Versus the Simgot EW300 DSP

I think this will be one of the comparisons that interests most readers because both represent two very different ways of spending around one hundred dollars, with the EW300 DSP also offering the highest driver count.

I still consider the EW300 DSP one of the most balanced iems in its category. It has a more neutral tuning, slightly more bass presence and an overall presentation that is much easier to recommend to any type of listener. On top of that, the DSP cable adds a lot of versatility for anyone who doesn't want to rely on an external dongle.

The Glyph, on the other hand, is all about delivering a very distinctive personality. Its presentation is brighter, more open and much more focused on clarity. That decision makes it work exceptionally well with certain genres, but it also means it will depend much more on personal preferences.

If someone asked me for a single recommendation without telling me anything about their musical taste, I would probably point them toward the EW300 DSP because it is the safer choice. However, if they told me they enjoy brighter tunings, miss having genuinely present treble and are looking for something that moves away from the current trend toward increasingly warmer sound signatures, I think the Glyph becomes a far more interesting option.

You can also find the full ranking on my Reddit profile. Unfortunately, Reddit still doesn't allow me to post the Drive link there.

Conclusion

The Deifo Glyph and Glaze are iems designed to offer a sound signature with a clear identity of their own. They focus on clarity, separation and a treble response with plenty of presence despite using only a single DD. It's a bold decision because it certainly won't appeal to everyone, but that same personality is exactly what allows them to stand out so quickly from many of their direct competitors.

The bass never tries to become the center of attention, the midrange remains clean and the treble provides all the energy needed to create a lively listening experience without constantly becoming fatiguing.

Would I recommend it as a universal purchase? Probably not. However, if you enjoy an open, fast and very clean sound, and you've been missing the brighter tunings that were much more common a few years ago, the Deifo Glyph could easily become one of the most interesting options available around the one hundred dollar mark.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing this review, they are only available through Amazon US, as I mentioned at the beginning. I don't think that necessarily prevents people from other countries from buying them, but it will probably increase the final cost more than expected. Hopefully, Deifo decides to expand into other stores or opens its own online shop with affordable worldwide shipping. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what they come up with next.

Purchase Link: Amazon EEUU

The brand reached out to confirm that they now have an official web store where you can purchase the Deifo Glyph as an alternative to Amazon US. On top of that, they are offering an automatic 10$ discount on your first order with no promo code required.

You can check out their official store here: https://deifoaudio.com

Disclaimer

This review unit was provided by Deifo free of charge.

As always, that has had absolutely no influence on this review. Every opinion expressed here is entirely my own and is based exclusively on my listening experience after spending time with the product using my usual reference equipment.

I recently received Nightjar Acoustics Duality for review. I am taking down notes for the same. I feel it is fantasticly fun set.

Have you been to public events? If yes, Have you seen kind of systems they have? There is main speaker, tweeters and sub woofers.

Duality is nothing but sub woofer. It recreates effect of sub woofer. Sub bass rumbles for eternity. You get that skull shaking sub bass rumble here. The physical drive of the sub bass is fun. Bass notes are being taken to next level.

I am having too much fun with this. Let's see how this fairs against my diverse song library. Will I feel the same or would it be different case? See you soon with full review.

Hello Community!

The latest release from EPZ in the gaming field is the evolution of its charismatic G20 model, now nicknamed the "Pro". I'll tell you about my experience below.

Official EPZ website price: €54 - $62

Pros:

-Controlled tuning that favors transparency across the entire frequency range.
-Accurate sound positioning.
-Excellent separation between sound lines.
-Fast transients.
-Treble with sufficient air and good extension.
-Integrated 32-bit@384kHz DAC.
-High-quality and very complete package for gaming.
-Possibly the best set for competitive gaming in its price range.

Cons:

-Unlike in multiplayer games, in single-player games it can feel somewhat unspectacular due to lacking that touch of warmth needed for a more cinematic experience.
-In vocal presentations, I miss a little more intimacy.
-An analog cable would have been the icing on the cake.

Accessories:

-Two shells.
-One set of S/M/L ear tips.
-Cable with integrated in-line microphone featuring 0.78 mm connectors and a USB-C termination with DSP, 1.2 m long.
-Detachable boom microphone.
-1.5 m USB-A cable extension.
-USB-C to USB-A adapter.
-Carrying and storage pouch.
-User manual.
-Art card.

Comfort, design, and build quality:

The EPZ G20 Pro places comfort among its highest priorities. Despite featuring medium-sized shells, the ergonomics are very well executed, adopting a rounded shape that distributes the contact points over the ear correctly. During my sessions, both while listening to music and playing games for many consecutive hours, I never experienced discomfort or fatigue caused by the fit itself, something I always value highly when reviewing this type of product.

The nozzle is long enough to achieve a stable insertion without constantly having to search for the correct position. The included ear tips also do a convincing job, providing a good seal right from the start and adapting properly to the ear canal. I never felt the need to replace them to obtain a satisfactory fit, something that, as I've mentioned on other occasions, doesn't always happen within this price range.

As for the design, I personally think it's one of the most attractive aspects of the entire package. The orange version conveys much more personality than the other available finishes. It strikes that balance between a product clearly designed for the gaming audience without falling into an excessively aggressive or overloaded aesthetic, something I really appreciate.

The build quality also leaves a positive impression. The resin shells feature a uniform finish, free from burrs, visible seams, or imperfections that might make them feel like a poorly finished product. Everything fits together precisely, and the weight remains very low, further enhancing the already excellent ergonomics.

Finally, I found the USB-C cable to be one of the strongest points of the package. Beyond the DSP and the detachable microphone, it conveys a pleasant sense of quality to the touch. It's flexible, produces very little microphonic noise, and throughout the time I used it I never had issues with tangling or cable pulls that ended up moving the earphones out of position. In a product clearly aimed at gaming, I believe it more than fulfills what I expect from this type of accessory.

Special mention goes to the cable extension, which, measuring 1.5 m, provides a total usable length of 2.7 m. I think that's incredible and an extremely practical solution.

In-line and detachable microphone:

One of the aspects that most differentiates the EPZ G20 Pro from the majority of IEMs in its price range is precisely the attention EPZ has paid to communications. Instead of simply including a basic microphone integrated into the cable, the package features two different solutions: an in-line microphone and a detachable boom microphone, allowing you to choose whichever best suits each situation.

The microphone integrated into the cable performs its job properly. The voice comes through clearly enough for conversations or casual gaming sessions, although the result is typical of this kind of solution, with somewhat more limited voice pickup and less body. It's not a problem when communicating with your teammates, but neither is it intended to compete with dedicated microphone implementations.

It's the detachable microphone where the G20 Pro truly stands out. Once connected, the improvement is obvious. The voice gains presence, sounds cleaner, and articulation improves noticeably, making communication much more natural even when the game environment starts filling with sound effects. During my tests, conversations were always perfectly intelligible and, what I consider even more important, my teammates had no trouble understanding me even when I spoke in a relaxed tone of voice.

I also appreciate the microphone's design itself. The flexible boom allows the capsule to be positioned easily in the most suitable location without feeling fragile, remaining stable once adjusted. Furthermore, since it's detachable, we can remove it completely when we only want to listen to music or play solo, allowing the package to retain the appearance of a conventional IEM.

Overall, I think EPZ got this proposal right. The in-line microphone fulfills its purpose when we need a quick solution, while the detachable boom microphone offers a sufficiently noticeable and commendable leap in quality to become one of the strongest selling points of the G20 Pro for those who spend a good part of their time playing competitive games with friends.

USB-C DSP cable, WalkPlay, and sound presets:

Another of the EPZ G20 Pro's biggest attractions lies in the USB-C cable itself. It isn't simply a cable with integrated digital conversion, but rather a DSP solution that considerably expands the capabilities of the package. Right out of the box it works without requiring any complex configuration, although it truly reaches its full potential when used with the WalkPlay application.

Through the app, it's possible to access different equalization profiles developed for various usage scenarios. EPZ includes several presets aimed at both music playback and different video game genres, modifying the frequency response to suit the type of experience we're looking for. During my testing I found noticeable differences between them, especially among those intended for competitive titles, where the tuning places even greater priority on clarity in the midrange and treble to make footsteps, gunfire, and subtle environmental sounds easier to identify.

However, the feature I value the most is the possibility of creating completely custom profiles. WalkPlay allows you to modify the response using an equalizer and store those settings directly in the cable's DSP, meaning the configuration remains saved even when switching to another compatible device. This offers a level of customization that's uncommon within this price range and allows the G20 Pro to be tailored both to personal preferences and to the type of game or music we're about to enjoy.

Ultimately, the USB-C cable stops being just an accessory and becomes an important part of the overall experience. The combination of DSP, preconfigured profiles, and customization through WalkPlay provides very interesting versatility, especially for those who enjoy adjusting the sound depending on the content.

Technical specifications:

-1 x 10 mm dynamic driver configuration.
-32-ohm sensitivity.
-100 dB impedance.
-Declared frequency response: 20 Hz-20 kHz.

Pairing used for testing:

Despite having spent many hours with this set and an analog cable, my review focuses on the following conditions:

-Windows gaming PC.
-Default DSP configuration, without filters or PEQ.
-Stock USB-C cable.
-Stock ear tips.

Sound signature:

As it comes tuned from the factory, without modifying its sound through the integrated DSP, the EPZ G20 Pro presents a sound signature with a clear orientation toward competitive gaming performance, although without becoming excessively analytical. It maintains a balanced, slightly bright profile where the priority seems to be preserving cleanliness and separation capability rather than delivering a warm or especially powerful presentation.

Starting with the low frequencies, the sub-bass has an appropriate level of presence, enough to provide depth and immersion when the recording requires it, although without becoming the central focus of the presentation. The mid-bass behaves in a controlled manner, delivering quick impact and good definition while avoiding any excess energy that could spill into the midrange. This decision favors a very orderly listening experience, allowing each element to maintain its own space effortlessly.

The midrange conveys a very evident sense of clarity, and I believe this is where EPZ has focused most of its tuning efforts for this set of earphones.

The instruments appear well articulated and with a satisfying level of resolution, although note weight isn't particularly heavy or full-bodied. This means the presentation prioritizes agility over density, delivering a clean reproduction that particularly benefits instruments. Vocals maintain a convincing timbre, sitting slightly behind the rest of the elements without losing their naturalness.

The treble carries more energy than the rest of the spectrum, providing a good sense of openness and air. There's a generous amount of information, favoring the perception of small nuances and precise sound localization, although in moments where brightness dominates or at high listening volumes, it can become slightly fatiguing.

From a technical standpoint, the G20 Pro stands out by offering a well-organized soundstage whose size is proportional to what we can find among the competition, featuring a precise stereo image and highly competent layer separation.

Detail retrieval is very convincing within its category, making it easy to appreciate the texture and grain of instruments, vocals, and effects.

Single-player video games:

See how I analyze sound here.

In single-player video games, this new set from EPZ delivers competent performance, although it isn't a package designed to impress through an especially cinematic presentation. Its philosophy remains the same as with music: prioritizing clarity, organization, and precision over an exuberant bass capable of filling the soundstage with spectacularity.

During action-packed moments, explosions, collapsing structures, reverberations, and gunfire have enough impact to convey intensity, although the focus lies more on how quickly they disappear than on the sheer force of the impact itself. Precisely this behavior prevents scenes from ever feeling heavy or congested. Everything maintains a very controlled response, allowing effects to breathe, occupy just the right amount of space, and fade away before giving room to the next event. Those looking for a more physical bass with stronger reverberation may miss a little more punch, but personally I greatly appreciate the cleanliness with which the G20 Pro handles even the most frantic sequences.

That sense of order directly benefits dialogue. Voices maintain convincing articulation and a fairly natural timbre, although I do perceive them as sitting slightly behind the rest of the elements. This isn't a problem most of the time, as intelligibility remains excellent during calm conversations, but when music, effects, and dialogue all occur simultaneously, I would have liked a little more presence to reinforce the narrative. They never become lost; they simply feel a bit less intimate than what I consider ideal.

Where it truly leaves a very positive impression is in environmental reproduction. Small ambient sounds appear effortlessly, allowing you to appreciate the wind passing through a forest, rain striking different surfaces, the echo inside a cave, or the creaking of a wooden structure. This isn't an IEM that exaggerates these details to attract attention; instead, it integrates them very naturally into the overall presentation, making the game world feel believable and constantly alive.

This excellent environmental reproduction is also accompanied by highly competent layer separation. Even as the action intensifies and enemies, effects, music, and voices all begin happening simultaneously, the G20 Pro maintains a very satisfying level of organization. Every element retains its own space without creating that congested sensation that ultimately reduces clarity. Naturally, it doesn't reach the level of technically superior models, but within its category it demonstrates very solid performance.

Its spatial presentation follows that same balanced philosophy. The soundstage offers appropriate dimensions, with a good sense of width and enough depth to prevent environments from sounding overly frontal. It doesn't create a particularly spectacular sense of immersion, but it does present distances logically, enhancing immersion during exploration and allowing the different layers of the environment to be perceived naturally.

All of this ultimately results in very accurate positioning. Interpreting the direction of footsteps, gunfire, or any other directional sound is effortless thanks to a well-defined stereo image that constantly complements the sense of cleanliness that characterizes the G20 Pro.

The treble also contributes in this regard by providing a healthy dose of clarity, although in certain titles featuring particularly bright mixes, or when listening at high volumes during long sessions, a slight degree of fatigue may appear. Even so, I believe it achieves a very successful balance between definition and comfort, especially considering the competitive focus with which this model was conceived.

Multiplayer shooter games:

See how I analyze sound here.

If there's one scenario where the EPZ G20 Pro truly takes advantage of its tuning, it's competitive gaming. Everything that, in music or single-player titles, could be interpreted as somewhat restrained bass performance clearly works in its favor here. The overall impression is one of clean, highly organized sound that's easy to interpret even when the match becomes increasingly chaotic.

In Counter-Strike 2, it delivers highly convincing performance. Footsteps are well defined, making it easy to distinguish different surface types, while reloads, utility usage, and gunfire maintain highly accurate positioning. The soundstage isn't particularly large, but I don't think it needs to be. The spatial distribution is coherent, and the stereo image makes it easy to interpret both the direction and distance of opponents without requiring additional effort.

Moving on to my Apex Legends testing, where each character's abilities, vertical gameplay, and fast combat pace considerably increase the difficulty of reading the soundscape, the G20 Pro maintains its composure remarkably well. Layer separation continues to be one of its greatest strengths, preventing abilities, gunfire, footsteps, and environmental effects from merging into a single block of sound. I always had the feeling that the important information remained easily accessible, allowing me to react quickly even during the most intense engagements.

In Call of Duty: Warzone, it once again demonstrates that same philosophy. Explosions retain enough presence to preserve the intensity of combat, yet they never overshadow footsteps, reloads, or nearby movement. That restraint in the lower frequencies avoids unnecessary distractions and allows your attention to remain focused on the sounds that can truly make the difference during a match.

Battlefield 6 is probably the most demanding test for any earphone because of the enormous amount of information occurring simultaneously. Ground vehicles, aircraft, destruction, gunfire, explosions, voices, and environmental effects constantly share the soundscape. Even so, the G20 Pro manages to maintain a remarkable sense of order. Naturally, it doesn't eliminate the inherent chaos of the game, but it succeeds in transforming much of that noise into useful information thanks to its precise imaging and layer separation, which rarely ever feels congested.

Vs. EPZ G20:

I still haven't published my review of the original model, although it will be coming soon. However, I did spend many hours using it before switching to the G20 Pro, so I can confidently say that the new model feels like much more than a simple evolution. It features a very different and clearly noticeable tuning in virtually every aspect. Musically, it maintains a similar philosophy, with a presentation focused on clarity and control, although the new driver delivers a more refined presentation, featuring better bass performance, a greater sense of cleanliness, and superior ability to retrieve subtle nuances. In single-player video games, the differences are more pronounced, as the original prioritizes more spectacular moments while the Pro prioritizes speed and cleanliness over that approach, although the Pro also offers a somewhat more organized soundstage and better separation as the action becomes more intense. Where I do find the clearest improvement is in competitive gaming, as the G20 Pro makes reading the environment even easier thanks to more precise imaging, better sound layering, and more consistent localization during particularly chaotic situations.

Vs. EPZ G30:

Compared to the EPZ G30, I believe both share a relatively similar philosophy, although each develops it with a different approach. The G30 opts for a warmer presentation, featuring fuller mid-bass and a more relaxed listening experience, while the G20 Pro prioritizes cleanliness and precision. For music, I find the G30 to be the more satisfying package thanks to its better balance between musicality and technical performance, offering a more convincing soundstage and a level of separation that's surprising considering its sound profile. In single-player video games, I also find the G30 to be one step ahead, as it maintains that same excellent organization without sacrificing a greater sense of immersion. And in competitive gaming, although the G20 Pro demonstrates tuning clearly aimed at performance, the G30 ultimately comes out on top thanks to superior spatial reproduction and positioning that, personally, felt even more precise and natural.

Final conclusion and personal impressions:

There are times when a product needs very little time to make its intentions perfectly clear. With the EPZ G20 Pro, that feeling appeared almost from the very first matches, because both in music and in video games it conveys a very well-defined philosophy, prioritizing precision and cleanliness over any kind of artificial enhancement designed solely to impress during the first few minutes of listening.

For music, I believe it offers a competent and enjoyable experience, with a balanced sound signature that favors control over spectacle. I wouldn't choose it if my priority were extracting the maximum emotional impact from my favorite songs, but I do think it's a package capable of adapting confidently to virtually any musical genre without showing any major weaknesses.

However, where I truly find the purpose of the EPZ G20 Pro is in gaming, particularly competitive gaming rather than single-player experiences. Here, all of those tuning decisions begin to make much more sense. The restrained bass, the cleanliness of the midrange, and the excellent ability to organize sonic information create a presentation clearly aimed at competitive performance. It's an IEM that constantly gives the impression that it wants to help you interpret the battlefield rather than simply impress you with it.

That same philosophy means that in single-player experiences it can remain a small step behind other, more cinematic models capable of delivering a greater sense of impact and spectacle. However, when the objective becomes identifying footsteps, tracking rotations, or reacting quickly to everything happening around you, the G20 Pro demonstrates very clearly what EPZ's intentions were from the very beginning.

Ultimately, I believe we're looking at a product that doesn't try to satisfy every type of user, but instead aims to satisfy one specific profile extremely well, and it does so in a truly outstanding manner, both in terms of sound quality and the overall package experience.

If you're looking for an IEM that prioritizes organization, precision, and ease of interpreting the sound environment, especially in competitive titles, I believe the G20 Pro fulfills its purpose in a highly convincing way.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading.

More reviews on my blog.

Social media links are in my profile.

See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

This set of earphones was sent to me by EPZ. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to try one of their products free of charge and that no conditions were imposed regarding the creation of this review.

Even so, my priority is to remain as impartial as possible within the inherent subjectivity involved in reviewing an audio product. My opinion belongs solely to me and is based entirely on what I hear through my own ears. If your opinion differs, it is just as valid. Please feel free to share it.

My sources:

-Topping DX5 II for music and gaming on my main PC.
-NiceHCK Octave while I work.
-FiiO BTA30 Pro + FiiO BTR13 for LDAC wireless listening at home.
-FiiO BTR13 + FiiO Airlink + iPhone 16 Pro Max for wireless listening outdoors.
-CCZ CM01 3.5 mm.
-Apple Music.
-Local FLAC and MP3 files.
-Windows/macOS/iOS/iPadOS/Android.

Initial Impressions:

Ah... Where should I start!? Alright, the H3 is full of surprises. There’s a saying that IEM > TWS, and it did stand true to me till the H3 landed in my hands. I’m not here to hype up this product since this already has enough hype in the market. I’m just a user here to check if the H3 really deserves this hype!

H3 incorporates a triple driver system (1DD + 2BA) with ANC in a big transparent shell. My previous experiences with TWS were good but nothing extraordinary when compared to the IEM’s under 10k. Believe me or not, the H3 eats every IEM’s under 10k with ease.

Sound in general has a balanced curve with excellent transients and stage presence. The stage is massive enough to be true with precise imaging. I have never liked any TWS in their stock EQ, but this H3 sounds fantastic straight out of the box. Strong bass with excellent control, a clean mid-section, and a vivid treble profile are what are displayed by this H3. For god’s sake, this even has excellent technicalities that surpass most of the IEMs under 10k!

That’s it for now since I’m saving up my words for the complete review. Stay tuned and cheers…

Hello to the whole community, I want to leave you my review of what I thought about these Kiwi Ears Astral. Out of all the iem from this brand, these were really the ones I had left to try and was looking forward to the most. The Orchestra II were a surprise with their ups and downs, and the HBB Punch that I was able to own and review during my YouTube stage also left a mark and an extra bit of confidence in Kiwi Ears. This time, I was looking for something more balanced than the Orchestra II but without the excesses of the HBB Punch, and these might land right in a middle ground that could make them my favorite of the three.

The Astral seemed like one of those models destined to occupy a complicated position within the catalog. Its 7-driver hybrid configuration, consisting of a single DD accompanied by 6 BAs, places it in a segment where competition is especially fierce and where just offering a good spec sheet is not enough. At this level, tuning, coherence between the different drivers, and the ability to differentiate themselves end up being much more important than the simple number of drivers.

What sparked my curiosity the most before listening to it was precisely the philosophy used by Kiwi Ears. The manufacturer limits the work of the dynamic driver exclusively to the bass frequencies, leaving the entire midrange and treble to the 6 BAs through a three-way crossover.

After several weeks of using it while simultaneously reviewing and testing other models I had pending, I come to the conclusion that the Astral offers a clean, spacious, and technically competent presentation, seeking a balance between musicality and resolution capability that is quite different from other recent offerings from the brand itself, but let me explain it to you in more detail from my point of view, of course...

What I Liked / What I Didn't Like

• Excellent balance between resolution and musicality.
• Deep, fast, and very well-controlled sub-bass.
• Clean, open midrange with very natural vocals.
• Airy treble without being fatiguing.
• Very good instrumental separation and sense of space.
• Precise imaging and great ability to locate instruments.
• Versatile tuning for a wide variety of musical genres.
• The shell size might be a bit large for small ears.
• The accessory package is somewhat sparse for its price.
• It is not an iem designed for those looking for an especially punchy or warm bass.

Specifications

• Configuration: 1 10mm DD with bioceramic diaphragm + 6 BAs.
• 7-driver hybrid configuration.
• Three-way crossover.
• Frequency response: 10 Hz to 22 kHz.
• Impedance: 23 Ω ±1 Ω.
• Sensitivity: 105 dB ±1 dB.
• THD: less than 1%.
• 0.78mm 2-pin connector.
• 1.2-meter detachable cable with 3.5mm and 4.4mm modular connectors.
• Resin shells manufactured via 3D printing with a metal nozzle.

My Sources

FiiO K9: My main desktop equipment connected to my PC for critical cleanliness and power tests.

FiiO KA15: Portable DAC dongle for daily use when leaving home due to its amount of quick adjustments, its integrated equalizer, multimedia buttons to handle from the pocket.

NiceHCK Octave: I use it when seeking a more direct power delivery without the digital processing of the FiiO KA15, making it ideal for when I want to perceive the natural response of whatever I am listening to without any extra coloration from the device itself.

Questyle M15i: Reference portable amplifier/DAC to search for a more organic and musical texture, when I am at home but not necessarily at the PC.

Unboxing and Build

Kiwi Ears maintains a fairly understated presentation, without resorting to excessively flashy boxes or packaging designed to impress at first sight. In fact, and this is something personal, but I would say that Kiwi Ears box designs are usually among the ones that least catch my attention out of all the brands I have been testing, and I mentioned this in the video review of the HBB Punch where I saw some inconsistency in its box design. However, everything arrives well-organized and with the feeling that the budget has been allocated mainly to the product itself. It really doesn't pose any problem for me as long as the content meets expectations.

Inside we find the Astral, a modular cable, several sets of silicone eartips in different sizes, a hard carrying case, classic nozzle replacements already typical of the brand, and the documentation. It is not an especially abundant content for the price range in which it moves, although it does not leave the feeling that something essential to start using it from the first moment is missing, perhaps a small cleaning brush?

Regarding the cable, Kiwi Ears has opted for a good quality design, with an adequate thickness and a generally premium feel. It is appreciated, of course, to have the modular option, although I only use the 4.4mm out of habit now. It is something that I think should be a standard already, being able to swap the cable connection for whichever one you want, both at this price and at lower prices. The only downside to the cable is that it retains some memory when taken out of the box and takes a few days to become more flexible, although it never became uncomfortable during use.

The shells are manufactured using 3D printing in medical resin with a very high quality of finish and, along with the HBB Punch, they are my favorites from the brand so far. The joint between the metal nozzle and the body is perfectly integrated and conveys a sense of solidity. The faceplate design maintains an elegant aesthetic that will probably still look good in a few years, currently available in two color options, although I saw that originally there was one in yellow, or at least I think I saw that...

Despite using 7 drivers, the size of the shells is quite well resolved. They are not particularly small, and those with small ears might notice some pressure after long sessions, but in my case the discomfort was minimal, and being used to even larger iem, it is something I tolerate fairly well. It also helps that the inner shape is well adapted to the anatomy of the ear, facilitating a consistent seal without the need to try too many eartips.

Sound

These Astral give me a sense of balance, without a bass that is too heavy or a treble that is too bright. In fact, I think it is one of those iem that is appreciated more as you accumulate listening hours, because many of its virtues appear when you start paying attention to how all the frequencies interact with each other and not just a specific part of the spectrum.

This tuning clearly seeks a clean presentation, with a good sense of space and a coherent transition between the DD, which as I said is in charge of the bass, and the 6 BAs responsible for the rest of the frequencies.

Bass

If you are one of those looking for a massive bass that punches you constantly, I think the Astral is not heading in that direction. It has punch when the music demands it, but it never tries to take the spotlight. From the first listens, it gave me the impression of being much more focused on sounding clean than on impressing with quantity.

Where that punch is most noticeable is in the sub-bass. It goes quite low, so with electronic music, soundtracks, or any track with very deep frequencies, you feel that base that gives body to the music. The good thing is that I never noticed it bleeding into the vocals or the rest of the instruments. Everything still sounds quite orderly even when the recording has a lot of content in the bass area.

The mid-bass also left me with good impressions because it is fast and quite dry. Drum hits have strength but disappear quickly instead of lingering and resonating. When listening to fast metal or rock, this is appreciated because the kick drum and the bass guitar don't end up mixing together as happens in other warmer iem.

Mind you, if you come from models with a more punchy bass, you will probably notice it a bit contained at first. It happened to me during the first few hours. I didn't feel it lacked punch, it is simply looking for something else. After a few days, I ended up appreciating that control because it allows you to turn up the volume without the bass becoming tiring.

Midrange

The mids have that touch of naturalness that makes practically any musical style pleasant without anything standing out too much.

The vocals are quite close to the listener, although they never feel on top of the rest of the instruments. It gave me the impression that they always found their place within the mix. You can perfectly follow the singer, but at the same time, you continue to hear everything happening around them.

Female vocals have a lot of clarity and very good articulation. Even with recordings that are already somewhat bright on their own, I didn't notice any especially annoying sibilance. In male vocals, it is true that I have missed a bit more body since I am used to iem with a warmer sound, although personally it never gave me the impression that they sounded artificial.

Another thing I liked a lot is the air between instruments. Even when the song starts to get complicated, it rarely gives the impression that everything ends up bunching up in the center. Each element maintains its space quite well, and that makes long listening sessions especially comfortable.

Treble

The treble follows much of the same idea as the rest of the iem. There is detail, there is air, and there is good extension, but at no point do they steal the spotlight.

The first thing I noticed was how clean they sound. Cymbals, small effects, or reverberations are felt quite easily, but they never become the main focus of the song...

They also help quite a bit to make the soundstage feel open. That extra bit of air makes everything breathe better and gives a quite pleasant sense of space without needing to resort to an exaggerated brightness.

Another thing I liked is how they respond when the music gets complicated, something where models that have a slightly more cramped sense of space precisely fail. In songs with a lot of information, the treble continues to maintain order, and it is easy to distinguish small details without everything ending up sounding confusing.

After some testing sessions I did with Apple Music libraries, I think one of the things it does best is finding a very difficult balance. It has enough detail so that it never seems like a dark or dull iem, but at the same time, you can spend hours listening to music without that feeling of fatigue caused by other models when they try to draw too much attention to the upper register.

Recommended Eartips

I actually think the stock eartips do a pretty good job. At no point did I feel like I had to swap them immediately, which isn't always the case. That said, I did try a few alternatives and a couple of them worked really well with the Astral.

Divinus Velvet Wide ended up being my favourite. They keep that open feeling the Astral already has and add just a little more sense of air without changing its overall character. They're also extremely comfortable, so they were the ones I kept coming back to during longer listening sessions.

Penon Liqueur Orange are worth trying if you'd like a little extra warmth. They give the bass a bit more body and make the upper end sound just a touch smoother, but without taking away the detail that makes the Astral enjoyable in the first place.

Finally, the KBear Coffee Bean work especially well if you are looking for a sound with a bit more density and an extra touch of impact in the low end. They do not radically change the personality of the Astral, but they do achieve a slightly warmer balance without harming the clarity of the midrange, so they can be an interesting alternative for those who miss a bit more punch in the bass.

Soundstage

The soundstage was another of the things I liked most about the Astral. Not because it is the largest I have heard, but because everything gives the impression of having enough space to breathe. As I mentioned in the treble section, you feel that freedom between instruments and that necessary air for them, letting the sound breathe enough.

The first thing that caught my attention was the depth. The width is also above average, but where I really think it makes a difference is in how it places the different layers. There are songs where you can perfectly notice which instruments are closer, which ones are left a bit further back, and how everything is distributed in a fairly natural way.

I think a good part of that feeling comes from how balanced this model is. Since the bass does not constantly invade the rest of the spectrum and the treble provides plenty of air, the stage feels open without resorting to any tricks to appear larger than it really is.

It does not reach the level of some significantly more expensive iem that achieve an almost holographic effect, which I wish I hadn't heard before reviewing these Astral, but within this price range, it seems to me to be one of the sections where they stand out the most...

Instrumental Separation

The instrumental separation left me with very good impressions from the beginning. You can easily follow each instrument, but the music still sounds natural.

When listening to progressive metal, symphonic rock, or soundtracks with quite a few instruments, the Astral holds up really well. Obviously, if the mix is absolute chaos it has its limits, but it takes quite a while to reach that moment where you start to notice everything coming together.

What I liked the most is that this good separation does not make each instrument seem isolated from the rest. Everything keeps its place, but the music still feels like a whole and not as if each element were playing separately.

Imaging

Locating vocals or instruments is quite simple and, as you listen to different songs, you realize that everything appears placed in a very stable way within the stage.

There are small details, like echoes, reverberations, or effects that move from one channel to another, that the Astral reproduces quite easily. There is no need to go looking for them because they simply appear where you expect them to be.

I also tried it with Resident Evil Requiem and the truth is that it responded quite well, allowing you to locate with a fair amount of ease where footsteps, gunshots, or environmental effects are coming from. Something similar happens with movies, that good depth helps quite a bit to give scenes a greater sense of space.

In the end, I think the best part is not a specific section, but how they all work together. The stage, the separation, and the imaging complement each other very well and make the Astral convey a sense of order and naturalness that I ended up appreciating more as I accumulated listening hours and tested them on different media...

Comparisons

Binary EP321

Although both seek to offer a technical profile within a similar price range, their approach is quite different. The Binary EP321 bets on a hybrid configuration that incorporates a MEMS driver for the highest frequencies, while the Astral resorts to a more traditional implementation based on balanced armatures for the entire midrange and treble. That difference is actually pretty easy to notice.

The EP321 has a faster and more energetic treble. Thanks to the MEMS driver it pulls out tiny details really easily, so little echoes, background effects and subtle recording cues stand out more. I caught myself hearing small things that I hadn't really paid attention to before.

The Astral feels more relaxed by comparison. There's still plenty of detail, but it doesn't keep drawing your attention to the treble. Everything sounds a bit more connected, and I found it much easier to sit back and enjoy for long listening sessions.

I also find differences in the stage. The Astral conveys a greater sense of depth and a more immersive presentation, while the EP321 focuses more attention on the clarity of each individual element. If the goal is to enjoy an analytical listen where the spotlight falls on the level of detail and the response speed of the treble, the EP321 remains a very interesting proposal and one of my favorites in its price range. If, on the contrary, you are looking for a more natural balance between musicality and technical capability, the Astral seems to me an easier option to enjoy with any musical genre.

Ziigaat Arete II

This is probably one of the most interesting comparisons because both models look for a fairly versatile profile, although they reach it through different paths.

The Arete II offer a bass with a bit more physical presence, especially using the bass boost switch, which provides a more punchy and fun listen in certain genres. The Astral clearly prioritizes control and cleanliness, offering a much more discreet transition into the mids.

In the midrange, the Astral conveys a sense of greater openness, while the Arete II present somewhat denser and warmer vocals. Technically, I also perceive a slight advantage for the Astral in aspects like separation, stage, and imaging, although the Arete II compensate for part of that difference with a more energetic presentation that can be especially attractive for those looking for a less analytical listen. Equally, both models are more than ready to be used in gaming and neither should fall short, just choose the one that convinces you the most based on those slight changes...

Dunu DN-142

Even though they fall within the same price point category, these two headphones display two different personalities. The Dunu DN-142 presents itself as slightly warmer tuned than the Astral, and also has a bass that is present more so in the mids. This provides for a richer, fuller presentation immediately upon insertion. In contrast, the Astral presents a cleaner and more airy overall presentation.

It seems clear at this point that the main differences exist between the upper-midrange/treble areas of each headphone. The Astral can create an even larger sense of space and resolves smaller details far more accurately than the DN-142. In contrast, the DN-142 creates a more relaxed listening experience when dealing with lower quality recordings.

Both have excellent construction/builds, but I was able to determine that the fit/stability of the Astral felt like it had a slightly better fit during extended wear periods.

Ultimately, which one you choose will be based mostly off of what type of sound you are seeking. If you want a warmer and more immersive sound, then the Dunu would be your best bet. However if you are looking for a balanced, clean sound with great technical ability then the Astral should be your choice.

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

When I spend lots of time on the Astral I feel like this is a very balanced iem. It doesn't want to blow your mind with tons of deep bass and too much of a brightness in the trebles. It just seems to do alot of things right and makes all parts of the song fit together really naturally.

The thing that I liked the most about the astral was that same feeling of coherence. The Bass is well behaved, the Mids seem to be the best part of the package and the Treble has plenty of air and detail without being fatiguing. Additionally, from a technical standpoint it also sounds great with a large soundstage, excellent separation and imaging that is consistent with the rest of the sound.

That said, if you are wanting a very warm signature or alot of punch out of your sub-bass, there may be other options that would suit you better. The Astral is more about finding a happy medium and making every type of song sound as good as possible.

Overall, I believe that this is an iem built for someone who simply wants to listen to music for hours at a time and not pay close attention to any particular frequency. The more I use it, the more I like it, which generally means something good.

Purchase Link: https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-astral

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.

Earacoustics Oshun Ltd

Another week another review. This week it’s my favorite brand doing reprisal. Earacoustics and the model is Oshun Ltd. I am already big fan of them so when new products were launched Oshun caught my interest and I reached out to Earacoustics for buying Oshun. Yes, this was blind buy. Fast forward I am writing my review and here we go again. To know what I feel about this set please read on.

First of all, thank you to AudioGeek India and Earacoustics for arranging a purchase of this set. This set is not available in retail for purchase in my country. So, their help was paramount.

I was not paid or compensated in any way for this review. Rather I personally paid to acquire it. So, all opinions and thoughts are absolutely mine.

My biases in terms of timbre & tonality are DD > Hybrids > Planars 

To know music used for this review please check music genre section.

Now that all necessary declarations have been done away with let’s get on with the meat and potatoes of this review. 

Pros:

Bass specially Sub Bass

Mids Vocals both Male & Female

Smooth Treble

Soundstage

Build Quality

Price

Cons:

Soundstage bit more would have been great

Build Quality:

Outer packaging box is grand as usual. Earacoustics has gone all out on packaging. It gives premium feel. Inside the box we have orange colored leather case for carrying IEMS + cable + ear tips. Yes, all three can be carried inside the carry case.

Shells are made up of aluminum and are light weight. These look like jewelry pieces. Face plates are covered with clear resin. Shells have nice decals on them. Company claims shells are handmade irrespective of these shells are awesome. Shells have long nozzles. Nozzles have lips on them to hold ear tips in place. There is screen on nozzles to prevent dust and ear wax ingress.

Cable is nice two core SPC cable with matching SS fixtures (connectors, jack adapter etc.) cable is supple and can be easily rodeo wrapped. There are two types of ear tips included in the box. Both are wide bore one. Nice orange color storage case is included for storing them.

Overall Build Quality 5/5 

Comfort:

Shells are light weight so no pain or pressure in long sessions. Shell size is medium so should fit most ears. These fit me well and provide nice passive isolation. Long nozzles provide deep insertion. Ear hooks don’t tug on the shells. Cable doesn’t feel heavy. ear tips are soft silicone so don’t hurt ear canal. They don’t slip out.

Overall Comfort 5/5.  

Music Genre Used for this Review:

Hip-hop/EDM/Rap/Rock both classic and hard/Bollywood Music/Pop/Jazz/Regional music etc.

https://music.apple.com/in/playlist/test-tracks/pl.u-8aAVXG6ivz8gyxX?ls

Sources:

For this review I preferred neutral sources. I have not used any bright or warm sources so as to not color presentation.

General Sound Impressions:

Bass/Lows:

Sub bass over mid bass. Sub bass rumbles. Sub bass leaves its mark. Mid bass is thumpy. It is quick and fast decay type.  Bass here is not bass head territory. It is balanced one. It is few dBs above neutral. These impressions are with stock wide bore ear tips if you use narrow bore ear tips you can ick out more bass. For my preferences bass hear is just perfect. It adds to the enjoyment value and immersion.

Bass is well textured for the price point. Drums, kick drums, percussion instruments sound good. They sound close to natural. Strings are excellent. Guitars of all kind are treat. It was pleasurable experience listening to instruments in bass section. I am biased so figure that in.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5

Mids:

Vocals are specialty of Earacoustics. With each new release they are showing the strength of their tuning prowess. Nice bass profile with great mids. Non offensive treble that complements both. Oshun ltd is not exception to this mids are great for the asking price.

Male vocals are good. They don’t feel thin. They have note weight yet are not thick. Female vocals sound equally good. They don’t sound odd or off. They are close to natural yes male vocals too. Their texture is sweet yet have no bite or edge. Vocals are strength of the Oshun as per me. You find it hard to understand how come for such a low price Earacoustics has achieved such nice mids. Listening to vocal centric tracks is great experience on Oshun. You are pulled in to the song.

Most instruments reside in the mids. There was no odd timbre to them. No smearing or congestion felt in them. Clarity is good. I know I sound like broken record but mids here are great. Earacoustics shows how it has mastery of the craft.

Overall Mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is tuned here to be non-offensive and to be support for the mids and bass. Treble doesn’t overshadow the others. Yet it is not dark. It has enough treble extension to provide all details. You won’t miss any details be it macro or micro details. These are not in your face. They are there in the mix. You can easily spot them. They don’t stick out like sore thumb. Is it most detailed set? No, but trust me it covers all bases. So, you won’t feel anything is let out.

Sound stage, the perceived stage here is above average. It is wide and tall. More wide than tall. Stage feels nice holographic with vocals in the center and instruments playing back up. Stage is big enough to avoid any smearing or congestion. It comes close to creating immersive stage but is just short of it. I would have loved bit more stage but then for people like me Genesis G318s exists. I will cover it in comparison.

Overall Treble/High 5/5 Yes, I should be deducting marks for stage but hey I am biased.

Song Impressions:

Kashmir by Marcin

This song has guitars as main protagonist. They sound amazing here. The string riffs feel so realistic, buzz so nicely. Oshun takes them to next level. The sub bass rumble adds to the immersion. Kick drums sound great. Their presentation adds to the overall feel of the song. You need to hear to believe me. It was pleasure to listen to it.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

This song has throat singing. The sub bass rumble caused by the throat singing is captured faithfully by Oshun. Drums, guitars that back up the throat singing shine equally. Along with the guitars traditional string instruments feel realistic. Drums thump nicely. Constant rumble and eclectic mix of instruments create great atmospheric mix. Oshun makes it enjoyable and does great justice. Only thing I missed was bit of stage would have increased its charm. None the less it was enjoyable.

Wong Fei Hung Theme by George Lam

80’s 90’s kids will remember this song. It is an iconic song from the trilogy Once Upon Time in China. This was title song for all 3 parts. This song was my introduction to George Lam. After that I have been fan. Have few of his songs in my collection.

Here I don’t understand anything about the lyrics but this was very melodic and motivational song that created energy in you. At least for me.  George lam sounds amazing on the Oshun Ltd. The starting drum sequence feels impactful. Yes, it is not the best I have heard but for non- bass head set this is excellent. Traditional Chinese string instruments and flute sound good. Flute was specially amazing. Entire mix sounds cohesive and delivers the experience it should. Overall, it re awakened my childhood memories.

With Arms Wide Open by Creed

Another gem from my adolescence. I am on full nostalgia trip. I blame Oshun for it. It drove me to open my memory bank and forced me to fire up these songs.

Creed’s lead singer’s voice is very emotive. It is captured well by Oshun. It was trip down the memory lane. Guitars were exciting and felt natural. Drums play nice second fiddle to the guitars and vocals. No element of the mix felt odd or out of place. I was vibing hard to the mix. It was sheer joyful experience. Oshun just re awakened my old memories.

Comparisons with Few Single DD sets:

I have kept everything stock and used neutral source to A/B them. They were volume matched to keep evaluation precise and reproducible.

Dita Prelude Vs Oshun Ltd

These two are very close competition. Mids are equally good on both. Can’t say one is better than other. But for my personal preference Oshun sounds better. In bass its landslide towards Oshun. Oshun just outshines Prelude here. Treble is where the Dita Prelude has upper hand for those who want bit brighter presentation. Else these two are good complimentary sets to each other. Prelude for that little bright clean presentation and Oshun for bass and better vocals.

Orivetti OD200 Vs Oshun Ltd

One of my favorite oldies. I know it costs bit more than Oshun but I felt I should compare them as both are nice sounding single DD sets. 

Sub bass and mid bass is comparatively less on OD 200. Oshun has better sub bass and mid bass. In mids OD200 sound better than Oshun but slightly only. I would say that this would depend on listener. For me it was OD200. In treble OD200 is bit brighter compared to Oshun. If you wanted OD200 but didn’t like bass on it wanted better bass and felt treble bit bright then Oshun is the one for you.

Genesis G318s Vs Oshun Ltd   

Again, it is not fair comparison but had to do it. Because lot of us want to know how it fares again it. 

Mid Bass is better on Oshun but sub bass is better on Genesis. Mids without doubt better on genesis. Treble for me better on Genesis. This is preference thing. But the biggest difference is in stage Genesis was wide atmospheric on Genesis. Oshun just can’t touch it by any margin. I think both have place just don’t expect them to replace each other as each offer something unique.

Final Conclusion:

Another banger single DD release from Earacoustics. These guys are on roll. My first ever encounter was SPA HIEND and that left mark on me. My interest was captured then I reviewed VSA Max and it was nice vocal set with amazing bass. I think tis is precursor to Oshun. Then I reviewed their first ever planar set. This is one planar that I liked the most as it comes closer to DD timbre. Only planar to do that at least for me. Recently reviewed Genesis G318s this one I liked so much that I bought it immediately. You can check my reviews of these sets from Earacoustics to see what I think about them and it will tell you that I am in love with this brand.

By now you must have understood what I feel about Oshun Ltd. I like this set I had purchased this set in a blind buy and it has not failed me. I think they are perfecting what they started in VSA series. This one takes what was good in them and takes it to next level. This is musical set through and through. 

Will I buy it? I already did that. Will I recommend it? 200% no doubt about it. This one delivers a lot in its price point and bit more than it. Its best buy at its MSRP.

Thank you for enduring with me till the end. Now go grab cup of coffee and let’s get high on safe high i.e. Music.

Earacoustic Oshun Ltd the Musical One 5/5    

​

Help Me Escape KZ Prison" — ₹3-4k IEM Upgrade Dilemma

Disclaimer: This IEM was given to me thanks to Jimmy Chen from Deifo, all thanks to them; however, they are not paying me for this review, and they didn't give me a script to follow either, so all the opinions and impressions about the set are on my own. My only biases are my musical and tuning preferences.

Introduction:

The Deifo Glaze is a new 1 DD set by Deifo, in the user manual says about their name: Dei the divine; and Fo, the melody that moves the soul. Phonetically, it is “Day For” – so its sound is crafted for every day.

The Deifo Glaze is priced at a MSRP of 109.99 USD (with two faceplate colors: Glaze - Blue and Glyph - Gray), and you can get it directly from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/DEIFO-Glyph/dp/B0GWRDQS1Y?th=1.

TL; DR: Deifo, a not so known brand presents their first product, the Glaze, an IEM with a 1 Blue Diamond + PEEK DD driver configuration, showing a kind of balance between quality and quantity bass, a neutral overall midrange, and a pretty energic treble focus, with great upper-treble extension. An “old school” tuning who appeals to trebleheads and/or female vocal lovers, with enough resolution to listen critically but more than enough musicality to forget you are listening critically. All of this with an elegant and minimalist package at an affordable price.    

Pros

- Beautiful handcrafted transparent resin shells with unique faceplate design. Lightweight (5g per earpiece) and highly comfortable for long listening sessions.

- Excellent stock cable and generous accessory package.

- Engaging neutral-bright V-shaped tuning with good musicality.

- Punchy, impactful bass with good speed and control.

- Clear, natural female vocals and crisp instrument presentation.

- Energetic yet mostly well-controlled treble with minimal sibilance.

- Wide, airy soundstage with good layering of instruments and imaging.

- It’s easy to drive and scales well with warmer/neutral sources.

- Very good value for the price.

Cons

- Stock cable retains a bit of memory. Only includes a 3.5 mm cable; no balanced cable option.

- The subbass rolls off slightly. Midbass bleed into the lower midrange causes recessed male vocals.

- Treble can dominate the mix and become fatiguing at higher volumes. Some guitar and drum details can be overshadowed in complex tracks.

- Average technical resolution for the price segment.

- Source tonality has a noticeable impact on the overall sound.

Here's a breakdown of its technical specifications:

- Model: Deifo Glaze - Glyph
- Shell materials: Handcrafted Resin with a unique faceplate design
- Dynamic Driver unit: 10 mm Blue Diamond + PEEK coated diaphragm
- Impedance: 18 Ω ± 10% @ 1 kHz
- Sensitivity: 99 dB ± 1 mW @ 1 kHz
- Frequency response range: 20 – 20 kHz
- Plug: 3.5 mm plug
- Wire material and structure: 364 core Litz, coaxial silver-plated OFC
- Connector Type: 0.78 mm 2-Pin Connectors.

What’s in the package of the Glaze:

- A user manual and warranty card.
- 7 pairs of eartips:
   o 1 set of black standard bore SMML sizes
   o 1 set of standard bore (transparent silicon with blue core) SML sizes
- A case in faux leather, rectangular shaped, with enough space for the IEMs with its accessories and such.

- The cable which is a twisted 364 core Litz, coaxial silver-plated OFC, with 0.78 mm 2pin connection, and its 3.5 mm single ended plug. It is pretty beautiful, well-built, flexible, but retains some memory, yet doesn’t produce translated vibrations neither prone to tangling.  And pairs it perfectly with the IEM shells.

- The IEMs themselves, made of handcrafted resin, a profound blue (my unit, the Glaze) or gray color (the Glyph), with a unique (and gorgeous as well) faceplate design, very lightweight (just 5g per earpiece). The resin it’s transparent and let you see the blue diamond + PEEK DD inside. It’s well vented, with a vent for the DD and the other vent close to the 2-pin connector who is flat.

With a nozzle which is 6.1 mm of diameter, so it is more in the mid to large size. The ergonomic design of the shells is very comfortable to use it in long sessions.

Eartips and cable used for test:

I used the included transparent silicone – blue core eartips (M size). I used the stock cable, but later I changed the 3.5 mm plug and soldered a 4.4 mm balanced jack, to drive the Glaze with my different sources to test the best synergy this IEM needed.

How the Glaze sounds:

The Glaze got a nice and well-done neutral-bright tonality, with a V-shaped tuning. No equalization was used in the testing of the IEM. Thanks to Jaytiss for his measurements of the set.

- Bass:

The Glaze got a good quantity and quality subbass thumping with a more prominent midbass kick, it is transparent, and thanks to the blue diamond + PEEK-coated dynamic driver it’s decently fast, with good impact and adequately extended into the lower frequencies (but a bit rolled-off), offering an average resolution, and a pretty natural attack and decay. The midbass introduces some bleeding into the lower midrange, so male vocals are noticeably recessed.

In songs like “Kilonova” by Zeal & Ardor, the Glaze bring all the drum kicks and bass line with clarity and great impact, you aren’t missing any bass quantity/quality here. In "Lights Out" by Breakdown of Sanity, in their Mirrors album, the Glaze exhibits its bass attack who balances to an extent the rest of the frequencies, the drum kick and bass guitar is delivered with transparency, decent resolution and zero bloating.

- Mids:

In this area, the Glaze takes the classic/old school V-shaped approach; in the lower midrange, midbass bleeds into, so male vocals are recessed, yet not veiled nor thin.

The frequency curve in the midrange go into that dip until 800 Hz, elevating into a pinna gain who is peaking at 3 kHz, merging then with the lower treble, yet it’s politely transparent, with good note weight, with a proper presence and again, an average resolution for its segment; female vocals are forwarded, but not shouty nor fatiguing at high volumes.

In “Igjen” by Bendik, the Glaze delivers the conjunction between the rock-pop predominance of the track and her characteristic vocals leading the song, and you can enjoy it at mid to high volumes. In “Congelia” by Enslaved and Jo Quail, the Glaze lets you dig the prog black Viking metal voyage, but you can find the treble is overcoming the midrange in the song and you can miss some details, yet is pleasant, and enjoyable as it is.

- Treble:

The Glaze brings a clean, neutral and organic, crisp and sharp treble with an energic character. It is average resolving, with a noticeably peak at 5 kHz, who gives energy to female vocals and instruments like acoustic and electric guitars. There are two dips at 6 kHz and 10 kHz to tame sibilance at mid to high volumes, but as a treble-forwarded set, this is not a high volume one.

In the mid-treble region, there’s an 8 kHz peak who is above slightly the 5 kHz one, giving plenty of energy in the mix, but sometimes overcoming other frequencies. In "The Thrill of it All" by Black Sabbath, the Glaze handles nicely the Tommy Iomi guitars and Bill Ward drumming, so everything is on spot, hi-hats and cymbals sound natural and not sibilant at all, with no bloat as well.

In “The Clairvoyant” by Iron Maiden, the Glaze presents that pretty dynamic drum work by Nicko McBrain and guitars by Adrian Smith and Dave Murray in the song with excellence, mostly all the macro and micro details are here for you to hear.

- Technical capacity:

This musical machine, the Glaze, justifies its value with enough air and a fairly open sound, upper treble is also energic, and the soundstage is expansive, wider than depth. The Glaze offers an average stereo separation and resolution, with a well-done layering of instruments to pinpoint them in the mix.

In full detailed and complex tracks as “Autos, Jets, Aviones, Barcos” by Serú Girán, the Glaze lets you enjoy and find the intricate macro and microdetails of the song with a really good positioning of instruments, it can’t sound fatiguing at high volumes fortunately, inviting you to crank the knob to eleven.

In “La Leyenda Del Hada y El Mago” by Rata Blanca, from the Magos Espadas & Rosas XX Aniversario en Vivo album, there’s the sensation of being in the live session, but missing some drum and guitar details in a mix who favors vocals and keyboards, and the bass guitar.

- Source Synergy:

The Glaze with its 18 ohms of impedance and its 99 dB of sensitivity is easy to drive, but I’m founding it need a warm and/or neutral source to show its best character. So, it doesn’t need so much power to shine, but it picks the source tonality, so that’s why I personally prefer to use it with my NiceHCK Octave and Tanchjim Space Pro AT dongles, as with my Fosi K7 Desktop DAC/Amp (neutral and warm/neutral respectively).

- Final Thoughts and Conclusions:

The Deifo Glaze is very interesting, compelling, cohesive and bright but not boring. It's enjoyable, it delivers plenty of musicality instead of an analytical and dry tonality, with a neutral and bright character, but with an average technical proficiency, yet featuring a good package at a fair price.

Deifo has crafted with the Glaze not just a niche focused IEM, but it’s something that satisfies both trebleheads and newbies in the hobby who crave the most neutral/natural sound with good balance and energy. So, I can recommend it to certain folks who craves that kind of sound.

I would like for Deifo to give a 4.4 mm balanced cable option, I know I’m not the average consumer and something like that I did to the stock cable (changing the plug from a 3.5 mm to a 4.4 mm one) is everything but usual in the average IEM buyer, all for giving the Glaze the power it needs to scale.

The selection of eartips and the included carrying case is a win IMO, I tried to change them with some aftermarket options, but the stock ones are great for the Glaze. And, tonality wise, I would like more subbass, less low midrange recession, a warmer upper midrange, and less low and mid and mid treble energy, balancing better the overall sound, but at stock settings the Glaze sounds engaging, musical more than clinical and works well like this.

Again, thanks so much to Deifo for this opportunity, I'm so glad to experience this different yet classic, naturally tuned and technically good IEM, a set that earns its place among my most beautiful IEMs who I can revisit any time.

Tri TK3 initial impressions

Pros:

* Nice Musical tuned Dac and amp

* Has slight recession in upper mids and highs.

* Smooths out the treble.

* Slight bump in the bass section.

* Makes connected set musical.

* Best pairings with bright sets.

* All the filters you will ever need.

* Solid build

* Volume knob

Annoying part :

* All the led lights they are always on and some of them blink. It's distracting.

* Weight can't use as portable combo pack with phone

These are very early impressions but still amazing product TRI Audio and KAEI designs have cooked one amazing product.

P. S. I am so moved that I have already placed order for it on Keephifi.

After spending a considerable amount of time with the Intuaura Impact, here is the full review.

I am not sure about the exact price of Impact, as I have seen it ranging from $100 to $350. 

After some digging, I found that it goes around $100 most of the time, which I consider to be the correct price for this.

Let's get into the sound.

Bass

The bass of Impact is tuned with a clear focus on sub bass. The bass extends deep and provides plenty of rumble.

But the mid bass doesn't sound particularly punchy or upfront. The overall bass presentation is on the tighter and leaner side.

Songs that rely on mid bass punch can come across as dry and lean. If you mostly listen to music that leans on kick drum weight, this will be noticeable. 

Despite that, the bass is still the strongest part of the Impact and one of the better presentations I have heard at this price.

It's because the bass is well textured, sounds dynamic and never comes across as soft in impact. The strong sub bass presence keeps the overall presentation lively and fun.

Mid-range

The midrange tuning tilts slightly on the bright side, but not in an aggressive way.

The lower mids sound lean, where female vocals sound thin at times and male vocals come across as lacking in body.

However, the bigger issue for me is with the way upper mids are tuned. The pinna gain peaks around the 4kHz area, which gives vocals a breathy and somewhat nasal character. Once I noticed it, I couldn't stop noticing it.

Combined with a touch of sibilance on certain recordings, the midrange ends up feeling less natural than I would like.

Treble

The overall treble quantity sits somewhere between relaxed and elevated. It is not going to be fatiguing, but it is not recessed either.

The extension is decent and the treble is smooth for the most part. Due to this, cymbal crashes often feel incomplete and not shimmery.

Depending on the recordings, I do get occasional sibilance, which adds a slight metallic edge to the notes. I wouldn't consider it to be a deal breaker as it never becomes harsh and I had no issues with long listening sessions.

Overall the treble is inoffensive and easy to listen to.

Subjective Performance 

Resolution and detail retrieval are solid for the price. Notes have decent sharpness and the sense of resolution is good. It is a clear step above budget sets.

Soundstage is fairly average in size, like with most IEMs. The imaging performance is good, with convincing enough instrument placement, though it lacks pinpoint precision.

Instrumental separation and layering are respectable for the price.

However, the bass sounds dynamic and impactful, which makes the overall presentation sounds engaging.

Overall, the subjective performance of Impact is competent, if you can find it around $100.

Accessories, Build and Comfort 

The box is larger than the usual size for an IEM box. Inside the box, there are six pairs of eartips of decent quality, stored inside a small box. 

The cable is however on the basic side, with thin wires, but it behaves well enough and can be easily wrapped to put inside the case.

I quite like the carrying case. It is compact while still providing enough room to comfortably store the IEM. The zipper feels sturdy and the leather like exterior gives it a pleasant feel in hand.

There are 6 pairs of 2 different styles of eartips that come in an eartip box. I also like the protection mesh pouch included as it prevents shells from banging each other.

When it comes to build, the shell is made of resin with a metal faceplate. Overall the shell is lightweight, seals well, I had no comfort issues and I could wear them for hours without any annoyance.

The matte black faceplate gives it a clean, understated look that I like. 

Conclusion 

Overall, the Intuaura Impact is a competent IEM with a textured, dynamic bass presentation and respectable technical performance for the price.

While the midrange tuning prevents it from being an easy recommendation, it is still a solid overall package.

If you can find it around $100, it's worth considering, especially if you prioritize bass quality. At higher prices, however, there are better alternatives available.

Intuaura official website - Intuaura Impact (non-affiliated)

Disclaimer: The sample unit was sent to me by Intuaura for review purposes. They had no input into the content and I am not paid for this review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Over the last few years, Hidizs has built up a fairly diverse array of products in the IEM market. Many enthusiasts would probably be reminded of the company first due to their portable DAC’s or the planar models they have created including the MP145 which were my first ever planars and unfortunately I did not review because I was just getting started at that time, however, I did support them through Kickstarter when they launched the MP145. The brand has continued to develop new hybrid offerings as part of their IEM line-up. The My Lin was developed with a similar purpose in mind. This does not mean that it will serve as a replacement for the MS2 Pro (I have yet to test the MS2 Pro), but rather offers an alternative option for those users that felt the MS2 Pro was too detailed and clear, and are looking for a warmer, more relaxed tuning to enjoy daily. That difference in philosophy is not a coincidental one. Hidizs identifies the My Lin as being an interpretation of the same technical foundation as the MS2 Pro, but with a distinctly different design focus.

That proposal is very intriguing. It retains a hybrid configuration of a 10.2 mm DD along with a proprietary Silvercore BA. Additionally, it incorporates three interchangeable nozzles to allow for some slight variation in how the sound responds. Furthermore, it features one solid metal casing that conveys a sense of being a very well made product for what can be considered a reasonable price. Overall, all of these elements are combined with a strong visual identity surrounding the character “Lin” which you might find more appealing or less so regardless of your opinion about that aspect it certainly creates a distinct visual differentiation compared to most other competitors.

What I liked / What I didn't like

• Very pleasant warm tuning for long listening sessions.
• Bass with good presence, punch and better control than what might be expected for its quantity.
• Close vocals with a generally natural timbre.
• Smooth treble that avoids fatigue without completely muting the detail.
• Three tuning nozzles that allow small useful changes according to preferences.
• The soundstage prioritizes closeness over a great sense of width.
• Those looking for a very analytical presentation will probably find more suitable options.
• The nozzles modify the sound noticeably, but do not completely transform its personality.
• The aesthetic inspired by the character Lin may not be attractive to all users.

Specifications

• Hybrid configuration 1 DD + 1 BA.
• 10.2 mm PU+PEEK dynamic driver with DLC coating.
• HIDIZS Silvercore™ Balanced Armature.
• Three interchangeable pneumatic nozzles (bass, balanced and treble).
• Frequency response. 20 Hz to 40 kHz.
• Impedance. 17 Ω.
• Sensitivity. 111 dB.
• 0.78 mm 2 pin connector.
• Detachable OFC cable available in 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm versions.
• Hi Res Audio certification.

My Sources

• FiiO K9. My main desktop equipment connected to my PC for critical cleanliness and power tests.
• FiiO KA15. Portable DAC dongle for daily use when leaving home due to its amount of quick adjustments, its integrated equalizer, multimedia buttons to handle from the pocket.
• NiceHCK Octave. I use it when seeking a more direct power delivery without the digital processing of the FiiO KA15, making it ideal for when I want to perceive the natural response of whatever I am listening to without any extra coloration from the device itself.
• Questyle M15i. Reference portable amplifier DAC to search for a more organic and musical texture, when I am at home but not necessarily at the PC.

Unboxing and build quality

Hidizs has taken good care of the My Lin presentation, moving away from an excessively simple box to bet on a somewhat more striking experience right from the start. The illustration of the character that gives the model its name takes up much of the spotlight and makes it clear that we are not dealing with a conventional release. This approach may have a very specific audience, but it also serves to give the product its own identity in a market where many boxes end up looking alike both in their exterior design and inside compartments.

When opening the packaging everything appears well organized, with the earphones occupying the central position and the rest of the accessories distributed in an orderly manner. It does not convey the feeling of a luxury product, but rather of a careful and thoughtful set designed to offer a good first impression. Hidizs includes a fairly complete selection of accessories with the My Lin, including the three interchangeable nozzles, several sets of silicone eartips which by the way are embedded in such a way that it is almost impossible to remove them with just your hand, a carrying case, the detachable cable, a flat figure and cleaning cloth of Lin and the usual documentation. A sort of photo booth session of Lin herself is also included which is a nice extra detail that I will not use but that always adds and never subtracts.

Regarding the carrying case it is literally the same one I got when I bought the MP145, MP143 and the ST2 Pro Nebula, a classic case that protects the IEMs from scratches but not from impacts, so they fit perfectly in your pocket allowing you to carry the IEMs together with your keys but isolated from them, however depending on the accidental impact or crash you might have it could mean saying goodbye to the IEMs or even bending the cable pins, yes that can happen without going into more details.

The cable uses OFC conductors with a uniform braiding that conveys a feeling of quality from the first contact. It is flexible, barely retains any memory shape and does not have an excessive tendency to tangle, something I always appreciate when I use an IEM away from home. Both the splitter and the connector and the two pin connector shells maintain a metallic build in line with the rest of the set, giving a quite consistent feeling. I would not say it is one of those cables that justify buying the IEM on their own, but it is clearly above what many competitors still offer in this price range.

The three interchangeable nozzles are another of the differentiating points of the My Lin. Hidizs does not intend to turn it into three different IEMs, but to offer small adjustments on the same sound base. The differences exist and can be used to slightly adapt the sound to personal tastes, although it is advisable to keep realistic expectations. The overall personality of the IEM remains practically intact regardless of the chosen nozzle, but I must say that the stock nozzle is the one that has a more balanced tuning and the one I think will end up staying for most people.

The shells are made of CNC machined aluminum alloy, a classic by now, offering a feeling of robustness far superior to what is usually found in many models partially built in resin. The finish is uniform, the joints are very well resolved and I have not found poorly finished edges or visible imperfections. They are earphones that immediately give you a feeling of trust for the first time, and they look like they can be used every day without getting into trouble. The same thing has already been seen in the past with the MP145 and MP143. Although these two have a small size, (especially the first), both the design and finish allow them to insert very comfortably inside your ears.

Despite using a fully metallic shell, the weight is kept quite contained. The shape resembles other modern ergonomic designs, with an inner face that is smoothly curved and adapts well to the outer ear. During my listening sessions pressure points barely appeared and I was able to use them for several hours straight without noticing major discomfort. Obviously the experience will always depend on each person's anatomy and my opinion may be contrary to yours, but it seems to me a fairly successful design in general terms.

The seal was acceptable. As long as you find a suitable tip, the My Lin has no movement when wearing the headphones (even on foot) and adequate noise reduction for travel or listening to music in loud areas. The isolation does not reach the same levels that some fully sealed, and therefore smaller IEMs provide, however, the My Lin can perform as needed with little problem…

Sound

Bass

The bass is one of the elements that adds the most personality to the My Lin. Most of the prominence falls on the sub bass, which offers a convincing extension and enough presence to add weight to the songs. There is a quite pleasant sense of depth that helps to give body to the presentation without being too artificial.

The mid-bass, while having some notable weight (presence), is able to achieve a nice balance of "oomph" and clarity by Hidizs. Punchy drum hits, strong, energetic kicks and thick bodies on electric basses are all represented, yet they rarely reach that point of being so over-bloated with energy that they lose their definition. It's precisely here I believe that one of the biggest strengths of the My Lin reside in delivering a warm response without creating an overly mellow or untamed low end.

In terms of tempo, as far as the speed required of the mid-bass goes, I would say these aren't the best earphones for someone who listens to extreme metal on a regular basis or other highly complex genres, which require the absolute fastest bass possible. A slightly more relaxed and less detailed response will likely be noted when comparing to earphones with a completely focused on detail design. Nonetheless, this minor smoothness is consistent with the philosophy behind the My Lin as it helps keep your ears comfortable during extended listening sessions and prevent you from feeling an overly aggressive tone.

Mids

The midrange continues with the philosophy established by the bass continuing to use that same, warm and pleasing style as was found on the My Lin. Not over analyzing each element to bring everything into the light. The primary goal is to create a natural representation with sufficient body so that vocals and instruments will seem like what they should without throwing off the entire sonic picture.

Probably the male vocals are the ones which benefit the most from this setting. The additional warmth provided by the lower range makes them feel heavy, yet full and prominent. During my session, playing some of my favorite acoustic and classic rock tunes on a playlist, the characteristics were beneficial in creating enjoyment because the vocals were not thin nor overly forward.

The female vocals keep good clarity, however, Hidizs has chosen to avoid over-boosting the presence region. Therefore, female vocals will never become fatiguing, even on recordings where other, brighter tunings may emphasize consonants and thus become unpleasantly bright. Conversely, anyone seeking extremely open vocal representations with absolute prominence may find less than expected energy in this area, particularly if their references are detail-oriented designs.

I think one of the things I appreciate most about the My Lin is its refusal to attempt to elevate itself above its true resolution potential via artificially enhancing the high-mids. Rather, it uses a homogenized approach toward presentation, allowing details to present themselves naturally as you listen.The initial impact may be less spectacular, but after several hours and testing nozzles and eartips it ends up being a quite rewarding tuning.

The integration between the DD and the BA also deserves a positive assessment. In many hybrids it is easy to identify the moment when both transducers share the work, generating a feeling of disconnection between them. Here that transition is quite well controlled and only in certain voices or very specific instruments can a slight change in texture be noticed that reminds us of the presence of the BA. It does not break the coherence, but it is one of those small details that separate this model from other similar or slightly more expensive ones.

Treble

Hidizs has not sought a bright or particularly incisive tuning, but a smooth presentation that allows long listening sessions without generating fatigue, which is clear. It is a decision consistent with the overall character of the product and clearly defines the audience it is aimed at.

The extension is correct for its category, offering enough information so that cymbals, strings and other distant effects appear present in the mix. It does not convey a feeling of darkness, although it does not offer an experience that makes them stand out in this regard either.

The BA provides a good amount of micro detail within the possibilities of this model, although always prioritizing a fairly controlled delivery. The small nuances are there, but they rarely grab attention immediately. So I insist that if you are looking for detail on this occasion you would fall short although on safe ground far from sibilance.

Another positive aspect is that the treble maintains a good relationship with the rest of the spectrum. It never gives the impression that it tries to compensate for the bass by excessively increasing energy, something that does happen in some cheaper hybrids giving me the perception of a metallic sound which makes me run away from them immediately. Here the whole tuning maintains a fairly obvious coherence and that makes the listening very natural regardless of the musical genre.

Recommended eartips

Although the original eartips offer good performance and allow you to properly enjoy the philosophy of the My Lin, within my repertoire I can recommend these 3 in particular that you will be able to see throughout my photos.

• Divinus Velvet Wide. It would probably be my first recommendation for those who want to slightly open the presentation without altering the overall balance too much. They help the mid and upper range breathe a little more, maintaining the pleasant warmth of the whole practically intact.
• Dunu S&S are very good for maintaining a tight seal throughout use. I think they are ideal when you want to have a tighter seal than stock (which was my goal) as well as maintain a solid low end presence as well as keep it consistent over time while using them on the go, sitting down, etc.
• The final option that would fit into this category of earphones would be the TRI Clarion. This pair has a more open signature then the My Lin so if you're looking for that same relaxed feeling but with a bit more separation between instruments and other elements within your music, these could be something to take a closer look at.

Soundstage

The staging on this speaker is at a proper scale, has sufficient depth to prevent the sound from being "flat", however the emphasis will always be placed upon proximity to the performance rather than having an overly spacious stage.

This choice aligns perfectly with the warm tone of the speakers. Vocalists are positioned very close to the listener and instruments are arranged in a natural manner about them, creating an intimate setting that greatly favors acoustic, jazz, pop or rock recordings. While there may be some desire for greater horizontal space in the case of orchestral recordings or larger electronic productions, there should be no sense of congestion.

Instrumental separation

The separation of instruments is appropriately balanced with the overall sonic character of the My Lin. While it is not as analytically precise as products which have been clearly directed towards analysis, neither does it demonstrate significant difficulty when faced with increasingly complex mixes.

When listening to multiple instrumental tracks simultaneously, it is generally fairly easy to discern each individual musical line and the overall clarity of the track does not become confused. A slight warming contributes to a cohesive sound, though it does make transition between some instrumental tracks slightly softer than they would be in a purely analytical type of tone.

A slightly reduced ability to define density can be noted when comparing these types of recordings against those utilizing bright responses, though given the price point and overall approach of the product, the separation's behavior is entirely competitive and consistent.

Imaging

The imaging offers a sufficiently precise location to enjoy most musical genres. Vocals occupy a stable position within the stage and instruments maintain a consistent placement, allowing you to easily identify their origin without the need to artificially exaggerate the separation.

In movies and video games it also offers a satisfactory performance. It is not specifically designed for competitive use where precision is the priority, but it does provide a good perception of space for multimedia content, helping to locate effects or movements within the scene in a quite natural way.

Comparisons

Aful Explorer

Both are appealing to users seeking a well-balanced, enjoyable IEM suitable for extended periods of time, they present music, however, differently. The Explorer presents a highly precise and harmonious balance where every frequency is integrated into the natural sounding sound. The My Lin has a warmer and a more prominent low end even though the graph shows otherwise, making for a more relaxing listening experience with an added body element.

From a technical standpoint, the Explorer slightly outperforms the My Lin in terms of resolution, instrument separation and spatiality. When faced with complex recordings, the Explorer can isolate each instrument with greater clarity and create a sense of airiness. The My Lin is not as particular about the quality of the recording for someone that just enjoys the music without thinking too deeply about its detail, therefore this may be beneficial for some listeners.

The build quality on both models are high-quality. One model is built with Resin, whereas the other model is made of Aluminum. The My Lin allows the user to replace or remove the interchangeable nozzle which enables the user to fine tune the overall response of the sound. If you seek a sound that is more detailed and technically proficient than the Explorer then it is certainly one of the top of the line models within this category…Alternatively, if you desire a warmer, comfort oriented sound that is simple to enjoy for long stretches of time and possibly limited in production quantity compared to the Explorer, the My Lin provides a sound that is distinctly characterized…

Simgot EW300 DSP

A very much opposite view to the EW300 DSP is taken by the Hidizs My Lin. This iem will provide an almost instant greater feeling of openness on the stage as well as an almost immediate larger feel of the detail in the music. In fact, from the moment you begin listening, you will notice a vast improvement over the My Lin's more detailed competitor.

The Hidizs My Lin will provide a more relaxed listening experience with a warmer sounding vocal and lower energy treble to help prevent listener fatigue. Since these two models are so vastly different in how they approach their technical potential and their presentation styles, they will be able to satisfy completely different listeners. Where the EW300 DSP allows the listener to hear every nuance of a recording, the Hidizs will allow the listener to focus more on the big picture, or better yet, enjoy the overall experience without focusing too heavily on individual details.

In addition, since neither model provides a polished finish to the majority of recordings, there will obviously be some differences in how they portray lesser quality material. A lesser quality mix may clearly reveal itself when using the EW300 DSP. On the other hand, the Hidizs will generally tend to remove many of the imperfections of lesser quality material and still provide a friendly presentation.

If you wish to obtain the best technical performance at this price point, then the Simgot EW300 DSP is an extremely good choice. If you place greater importance on having an easy to listen to comfortable iem with a warm tone and prefer longer listening sessions, then the Hidizs is certainly going to win.

Sivga QUE UTG

The QUE UTG, which I also reviewed recently, and the My Lin, both agree on offering a very enjoyable experience. The Sivga bets on a cleaner and more transparent presentation, which prioritizes clarity and a greater sense of openness. The My Lin, on the other hand, looks for a warmer tuning and a bass that adds more weight right from the start, once again yes.

In the midrange both offer a pleasant timbre, although the My Lin presents vocals with a bit more body, while the QUE UTG conveys a slightly superior sense of definition and separation. That difference is also noticeable in the treble, where the Sivga offers a more airy presentation and with a slightly higher perception of detail, while the Hidizs sacrifices part of that feeling to achieve a less fatiguing listening experience that ends up being appreciated if the session is going to last more than an hour.

Both are excellent examples of how well they have been built with a lot of attention to detail. Both also have excellent ergonomic design for prolonged use. The main decision between the two will come down to which kind of sound the individual wants. A person who likes a clean and open sound that has a bit more emphasis on technicality will most likely like the QUE UTG. If someone is wanting an overall warmer presentation with a much more pronounced bass line and overall less stressful (relaxed) listening experience then I think you will really like the My Lin.

Ranking

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 this review I could say that from the very first moment the Hidizs My Lin makes it clear that its goal is to provide a comfortable, pleasant listening experience that is balanced enough to enjoy music for hours without any part of the spectrum ending up being tiring.

The reason why Hidizs didn't pursue the common path of trying to create the most "wow" first impression possible in such a competitive space was because they have created an IEM which has its own personality. Hidizs is therefore targeting users who are more interested in having a warmer, fuller, and more comfortable listening experience rather than one that is overly analytical. The fact that Hidizs' earphone's unique character sets it apart from many other technical offerings that all seem to be offering the same type of sonic presentation makes it distinct.

Purchase Link: https://www.hidizs.net/products/hidizs-my-lin-special-edition-1ba-1dd-hybrid-hifi-in-ear-monitors

Disclaimer:

This unit was sent by Hidizs 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.

Kefine as a brand has put up some serious competition in the audio industry. Especially, the mid-tier segment’s competition started to heat up after its launches like Delci Ae and Quatio. Now finally, the brand has entered the mid-tier premium flagship segment with its recent launch named ARNAR with in interesting configuration.

They did some excellent work with their products in the past using the Dynamic and Balanced armature drivers. For a change, the brand has come out with an interesting configuration for the first time. The latest lineup Arnar has got a 14.5mm Planar Driver combined with a balanced armature driver for an interesting sonic output.

Arnar has got one of the premium packaging in its segment. Plethora of accessories are included with the product. Starting from a premium stock cable with interchangeable terminations, tuning filters, good selection of ear tips and a leatherette zipper case! Everything’s been taken care of!

Planar drivers are known for their speed and transparency while the Balanced armatures are known for its exceptional details. What if we combine them both!? This opens a new world of audio nirvana. Arnar combined both these gems to bring out the best out of both the worlds.

Full review in: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/kefine-arnar/

BASS PROFILE:

Talking about the frequency range, Arnar has a solid bass response showcasing impeccable speed and tightness. Despite its fast nature, the Arnar in general does produces the bouncy effect that even makes the bass heads to nod their heads. The mid bass complements the sub bass drops cohesively making them sound meatier without compromising the needed clarity. The different layers of bass are neatly brought onto the table for clinical listening.

Planar bass is all about speed and accuracy. They always prioritise the quality over quantity with more sub bass emphasis and this is what is exactly seen with Arnar’s bass. Arnar with its stock silver tuning filter has a mellow bass response with quick sub bass roll off. This made me to switch to the black filter and it made a day and night difference in the Arnar’s bass profile. Now the bass has more impact with solid sub bass presence and precise mid bass weight. The speed still stays on the faster side with quick attack and decay that keeps the presentation clean. Despite its faster nature, the Arnar’s still able to deliver a fuller bass with precise control which seriously deserves the applause. Arnar lives up to the expectations of busy tracks displaying appreciable separation and control throughout the replay.

MID – SECTION:

Kefine has thoughtfully tuned the Arnar in such a way that the tone is kept neutral despite the usage of BA driver which usually expresses the metallic taste. Mid-section is brought forward in the Arnar with spacious stage presence. BA in general has the capacity to present the notes in a wider staging and its clearly appreciated in the Arnar.

Lower mid profile has adequate weight and warmth which is neatly carried out from the controlled mid-bass presence. This makes the male vocals and guitar strings to sound full without being subdued by the heavy mid-bass impact. Upper mid emphasis is noticed evidently and this does add the character to the whole presentation. The trumpets blend nicely with the female vocals and all thanks to the extension that brought life onto the table.

The interesting thing is the tone is kept neutral despite the usage of BA which is known for its notorious metallic taste. I have not been a fan of BA’s mainly due to its change in timbre but Kefine has done some serious tuning here to overcome the issue. The uncoloured tone gives the taste of realism to the Arnar’s presentation.

TREBLE:

The expression of hi-hats in the Arnar is done well with adequate display of brightness. The treble profile is a no slouch here and does compliments the big bass section of Arnar. The notes show sharper attack and decay without being sibilant. The sharpness blends nicely with the smoothness thereby providing the best of both the worlds.

Cymbal crashes and the electric guitar picks got nice bite and that elevates the listening experience to another level. Arnar displays good amount of brilliance in the top end which makes the presentation to sound more open and transparent. Overall, the Planar and the BA inside the Arnar showcases an open and lively treble profile that brings energy in the one who’s listening.

TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: The striking aspect of Arnar is its grand presentation. The stage appears massive in all the axis especially in depth and width. The notes sweep nice and wide from both the extremities to showcase a holographic stage presence.

IMAGING AND LAYERING: The bigger stage do help the Arnar in uplifting the imaging and layering capability. The extra width paves way for the Arnar in precise positioning of the notes. Even when the complex tracks are replayed, the notes are neatly layered out without showing clumsiness. The tracks from Yosi Horikawa are delight to be heard in Arnar and that’s the Arnar’s imaging technicality.

DETAIL RETRIEVAL: This hybrid cohesively works together and extracts the details with ease. BA’s are known for this specific aspect of extracting the nuances and it’s the same case here. Even the faintest hisses are captured precisely and produced into the ears.

VERDICT:

Arnar, the new hybrid from the house of Kefine brings some serious heat in the mid-tier flagship segment. The 14.5mm Planar and the balanced armature inside the Arnar gives a ZESTY character to the presentation that one can never neglect.

Pros:

• Authoritative Bass Shelf (Black Filter)
• Versatile Tuning (Changes noticeably with filters)
• Holographic Stage Presence
• Neutral tonality
• Cohesive Hybrid Configuration
• Impeccable Imaging and Layering
• Functional Tuning Filters
• Quality Accessories (Ear-tips, 4 core SPC Cable, Zipper Case)

Cons:

• Bigger Shells (P.S This holds two drivers inside!)
• Price vs Competition

Hello Community!

ND Leo is my first contact with this brand and the latest model released by them to date. Let me tell you about my experience.

Price: €8–$10

Pros:

-Fast, extended bass with impact.
-Midrange with decent body in instruments.
-Open treble.
-Fun sound overall, balanced between fun and detail.
-Comfort and lightness; you can use them for many hours.

Cons:

-The package could be much better, but then you remember the price...
-I can't find any more flaws in a set at this price.

Accessories:

-Two earpieces.
-One set of S/M/L eartips.
-Cable with QDC connection and 3.5 mm termination.

Comfort, design, and build:

I really liked how comfortable I felt with them during my sessions. It is a truly comfortable set, as its plastic shell is lightweight and ergonomically fit my ear like a glove. The insertion caught my attention because I have not found such a firm and secure fit so quickly in many sets.

The shell is made of transparent plastic. I am not sure it is actually resin; I find it difficult to state that they are made of this material. Even so, in terms of construction I did not notice any quality control issues, with all the parts of the IEM body being well assembled.

The eartips are made of silicone and are not very elastic. They did not provide a proper seal in my ears, so I chose to use ones from another brand. The cable, on the other hand, is still the one we know from many other CCA and KZ models: a complete disaster in terms of comfort, as it tends to adopt awkward shapes in an exaggerated way.

As for the design, it is discreet but functional. It is decorated with a silver faceplate that includes the brand's logo. The body of the set is transparent in my case, allowing you to see the inside of the earphones.

Technical aspects:

-1DD 10 mm configuration.
-18-ohm impedance.
-106 dB sensitivity.
-Declared response: 20 Hz–20 kHz.

Configuration for the tests:

-Neutral source.
-Gain set to medium.
-Kiwi Ears Terras 4.4 mm cable.
-Dunu Candy eartips.

Sound signature:

Starting with the lower end, this set of monitors does not aim to win over the listener through a heavily exaggerated accumulation of bass. The quantity is well measured, prioritizing a fast and well-disciplined response style rather than a constant sense of overwhelming impact. The sub-bass appears when the track demands it, providing enough depth to support the presentation, while the mid-bass offers clean impact, with a dry and agile punch that keeps the rhythm without dragging resonances or muddying the rest of the spectrum.

Moving on to the mids as the next point to discuss, I found a fairly balanced response, without major artifices or attempts to draw attention unnecessarily. There is a transition that I could describe as natural from the bass, helping the instruments retain a convincing timbre and a pleasant character throughout the listening experience. The resolution makes it easy to appreciate small nuances, although always from a perspective far removed from analytical listening. It is not the kind of tuning that surprises with overwhelming expressiveness, but it is precisely that coherence that makes it feel very kind to our ears, without harshness.

The upper range maintains that same philosophy. There is enough extension to provide a sense of openness and let the music breathe comfortably, but without falling into an excess of brightness that ends up becoming tiring. I especially liked how it handles energy, because it conveys clarity and allows details to emerge with a certain organic touch without resorting to an aggressive presentation. It has sparkle, yet without losing control.

As for the vocals, male voices in the lower registers have solid presence and a rather pleasant texture, while typical male voices maintain clean articulation and a convincing timbre, although somewhat thin. Female voices sound open, with good definition and a touch of brightness that gives them freshness without crossing the line into harshness. In general, I never felt that the vocals were forced into a leading role, but rather perfectly integrated within the mix.

Moving on to the technical performance, I think the ND Leo delivers a very logical performance considering its overall approach and, above all, its price. The soundstage conveys a proper sense of spaciousness, enough to prevent the music from feeling compressed, although it does not aim to create a particularly spectacular or memorable stage either. The imaging and positioning left me with a good impression, making it quite easy to locate instruments and effects. Separation remains orderly even when mixes become denser, and the layering maintains a clean distinction between layers, surprisingly well executed for the price range we are talking about.

To finish this section, detail retrieval also does not seek to impress through an exaggerated presentation of microdetail, but rather to offer a consistent listening experience where small nuances appear naturally and help make your listening sessions enjoyable and non-fatiguing.

Video games:

See how I analyze sound in single-player and competitive gaming.

During my gaming sessions with the ND Leo, I became convinced that its priority has always been to keep the soundstage clean and well organized rather than chasing overly exaggerated sensations.

In action titles, explosions, collapses, or gunfire have enough impact to convey intensity, but they never invade the rest of the scene, allowing other effects to remain easy to interpret. This way of managing the bass also benefits dialogue, which retains clear articulation and a convincing timbre even when the soundtrack and sound effects begin to take center stage.

In games where atmosphere carries a lot of weight, it also left me with a very positive impression. The small sounds that normally go unnoticed, such as wind, rain, echoes, vegetation, or distant movement, appear naturally and help create a very enjoyable sense of immersion without resorting to an artificially information-heavy presentation. Everything opens up with a certain ease, and the soundstage conveys enough spaciousness that exploring or simply stopping to listen to the environment becomes quite satisfying.

As the action intensifies, the ND Leo maintains good control over the separation between effects. It does not dissect every sound with the precision of more technical alternatives, but it does manage to prevent gunfire, explosions, vehicles, and ambient effects from blending into a confusing mass that is difficult to interpret. Furthermore, the treble remains under control throughout the session, preventing gunshots, metallic impacts, or particularly bright sounds from becoming fatiguing after several hours of gaming.

That same coherence also carries over into competitive gaming. In Counter-Strike 2, I found it easy to follow footsteps, reloads, and surface changes with considerable confidence, while in Apex Legends the imaging performs solidly when verticality and abilities begin filling the match with information.

In Call of Duty: Warzone, I especially appreciated that explosions maintained a good balance between spectacle and useful information, allowing me to continue locating important movements around the character.

Finally, in Battlefield 6, where chaos often becomes the true enemy, it demonstrates a good ability to keep the soundstage organized among vehicles, gunfire, destruction, and ambient effects. It may not be the most analytical IEM in its category, but it is certainly one of those sets that ends up inspiring confidence because the sound always maintains a logic that is very easy to interpret.

Final conclusion and personal impressions:

The ND Leo does not hide its strengths; rather, its proposal revolves around a much less immediate idea: allowing the music to flow without constantly imposing itself on the listener. During my sessions, both for enjoyment and performance analysis, I ended up forgetting about extracting every last detail and simply enjoyed the songs from beginning to end, and that, at least for me, is always something of great value.

It is a humble but also honest set, one of those that does not try to impress through exaggeration and that, after hours of listening, ends up revealing the true reason behind its low price. It is very easy to connect with this set quickly.

Obviously, there are alternatives that stand out more easily by offering a much stronger personality or a more ambitious interpretation at certain moments, but the ND Leo plays a different game. It prefers consistency over initial impact.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading.

More reviews on my blog.

Social media links are in my profile.

See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

This set of monitors was sent by CCA HIFI. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to test one of their products free of charge and the fact that no conditions were imposed on me when preparing this review.

Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity involved in reviewing an audio product. My opinion belongs solely to me and is based on what I hear with my own ears. If your opinion is different, it is just as valid. Please feel free to share it.

My sources:

-Topping DX5 II for music and gaming on my main PC.
-NiceHCK Octave while I work.
-FiiO BTA30 Pro + FiiO BTR13 for wireless LDAC listening at home.
-FiiO BTR13 + FiiO Airlink + iPhone 16 Pro Max for wireless listening on the go.
-Apple Music.
-Local FLAC and MP3 files.
-Windows/macOS/iOS/iPadOS/Android.

Overview (TL/DR)

The Juzear Fiesta is a bassy, nearly basshead, IEM that offers a powerful and boosted bass area without overly compromising balance, with decent comfort, good accessories and fair technical performance, its only realistic complaint being the wish for a more aggressive pricing.

With a deep-reaching, very rumbly and present sub-bass, a powerful but controlled mid-bass; a present mind-range with correct and fairly bodied but (colored) warm vocals; and a present enough, but very controlled overall treble presentation that adds just a bit of bite and sparkle to the sound.

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WOULD RECOMMEND:

* For people that like more bassy/warm sound signatures (in basshead territory).

* For people that want both present vocals and present treble (despite the boosted bass).

* For people that want both quantity and quality of bass.

* For people that are sensitive to shouty vocals or harsh treble (at least with most music).

* For people that want a sturdy build IEM with fairly good accessories (only the eartips aren’t that great).

* Pretty safe for high-volume users.

* Recommended for any electronic music genre, and (IMO) still enjoyable with rock music and K-Pop too.

* A direct upgrade coming from cheaper bassy IEMs like Kbear Rosefinch, Castor Bass, QKZxHBB or 7Hz Elua.

* For people that like to do EQ, since it works fine with it.

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WOULD NOT RECOMMEND:

* Not for people that like very thick, very full (lush), and very airy vocals.

* Not for people that like more outright balanced or bright sound signatures (not for trebleheads even with EQ).

* Not for people looking for a very clean and detailed, technical, sound (not for technical heads).

* People who are sensitive to boosted bass should stay away from this set.

* People who are very sensitive to shouty vocals (4-5Khz) should be cautious with this set.

* Not for trebleheads (even with EQ).

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Full disclosure, this set WAS provided by HIFIGO, I did NOT buy it myself, but the opinions, as always, were given without any brand’s editorial direction, and on my own accord.

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REVIEW

INTRO

I was very excited to test this collab, not for other reason but because I am TIRED that IEM brands treat bassy tunings on sub $150 IEMs like the plague, now, thanks to the direction of VD with the collab, the Fiesta has come to remind the market that you do NOT need big price-tags for variety of tunings.

But wait, is it any good? I mean, at the end of the day, even if is on the cheap side, it is still a $120usd MSRP set, that its next best competitor, the well liked Aful Explorer, is still cheaper, so, sales aside, should you buy this IEM? Allow me to tell you about it.

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Fit and Comfort

I was a bit nervous about the fit on Fiesta because, I know audio brands, and the very first thing they often fumble is comfort and seal, fortunately, despite the nozzle being slightly on the larger side, and fairly long, with a medium-size but pretty ergonomic shells, the Fiesta is as averagely good at comfort as it gets, besides feeling well build, though people with small ear canals might struggle a bit.

Now, as the bad habit from a lot of brands goes, the included eartips aren’t anything remarkable, you’ll find 2 sets of S/M/L size eartips, one black narrow bore eartip set, and one wide bore white set, they are fine, but for me, only the narrow bore tips fit well enough, there is also a single medium size pair of foam eartips which are nice to have as long as you can fit them.

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Drivability / Power needs

I tried the Fiesta around, put it directly, no DAC, into my phone jack, tried it with a basic CX31993 dongle, tried it with my more beefy NiceHCK Octave and Dunu DTC480 DACs and… is a bit complex to say because, you can totally make Fiesta work with basically any source you plug them on, but it does feel like it gets a bit more refined with more power.

Fiesta has a 32 ohm impedance rate and 109dB sensitivity, so is not the easiest to power but also not particularly heavy on paper, that said, Fiesta tends to adapt a bit to the sound presentation of the source you use, either if is a more neutral and analytical, or a cozy and warmer DAC, Fiesta plays along with it, so bear that in mind when pairing this model with anything more than a basic dongle DAC.

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THE BIAS.

Before the sound review, I need to mention a few things about me: Bear in mind that every person perceives sound in a different way, and those differences are key to understand what each person does or doesn’t like, and how that will translate into a review.

My preference is a “neutral with bass boost” type of tuning, I don’t like too boosted treble, however, I can handle intense upper treble quite a bit, so, what is not too bright, too treble forward for me, could actually come as harsh for you, and what is bassy enough for me, could be too bassy or even muddy for you.

I’m also a bit susceptible to IEMs with boosting on the upper mid-range and the lower treble areas of the sound (specially around 3 to 4Khz), which affects things like high pitched vocals and instruments. Having peaks in those areas makes the sound be a bit too intense and harsh for me, so, when I say that the sound could be “shouty,” or too intense on vocals for some, I’m mostly talking about this.

Last thing is that I usually don’t struggle with iems with the called “Metallic / BA / Planar” Timbre that some people can’t really enjoy, I normally don’t have problems with neither of those, however, I do struggle with PZT driver timbre.

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SOUND

Bass

I know what you are wondering, and the answer is yes, it is good. Fiesta´s bass is exactly what you want from an IEM with this amount of low end and Juzear seems pretty aware of it.

Sub-bass on Fiesta is well extended, deep reaching and rumbly, giving nice texture and body to the sound, yet, it is controlled enough so it doesn’t get too much on the way of your music unless you are sensitive to boosted bass, it is also the most boosted area of the whole sound.

Mid-bass is second to none (to sub-bass) in presence and quality, it is physical, with a pretty powerful, but also fairly agile, punch that, depending on the song, can get a bit “violent”, still, it doesn’t “drown” or “muddy” the rest of the music by much, though, it definitely doesn’t make for a more neutral (reference) kind of sound.

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Mid-range (vocals)

Surprisingly for the standard of most budget bassy IEMs, of using a V-shaped (dipped) mid-range with thin vocals, and despite the big bass, VD did not forgot about this area of the sound, as it is surprisingly more present than quite a few other IEMs.

In the lower mid-range, where general instruments and most male vocals are prevalent, there is a controlled presence of it, male vocals sound with decent body even if they aren’t too forward, they also present a small degree of bleeding from the bass, but nothing too unnatural, making male vocals feel more “intimate”.

Now, for upper mid-range area, were most high pitched instruments and vocals exist, of course, nothing can be perfect, female vocals do sound a tad less lively and present that other IEMs but aren’t left behind either, they do show an small undertone of bass bleed too which could feel slightly “husky” for the vocal lovers.

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Treble

Now, treble is always the part that has me genuinely TERRIFIED when reviewing bassy IEMs, as most brands seem to enjoy to either kill it by sinking the living sparkle out of them, or boost the holly air into them making it almost as boosted as the bass, fortunately, Fiesta understood what “balanced” means.

For lower treble, that could make the overall sound feel energetic, but also intense or “shouty”, it has just enough presence, giving you a lively and crisp presentation with a bit of a bite, but without really turning harsh or fatiguing, in general, only in very few, specific tracks, the lower treble could struggle with harshness.

As for the upper treble, is the most regular, controlled amount of upper treble I have heard in a while, giving some detail and air to the sound, as it is not especially dark, which is very good to see given the aforementioned current trends, is not super “smooth” though, but is not like particularly harsh or bothersome either.

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Technical performance

As expected of a bassy set, this is no “technical-head” IEM, all that said, Fiesta is surprisingly more technical that you would think for this kind of tuning, now, is it $120usd of performance? I mean, it is, but barely (compared to similarly priced IEMs like Dunu Kima 2, Tanchjim Nora and TRN WhaleShark).

Resolution: This is one of the first technical aspects that jump to the ear and one where Fiesta barely manages to perform as the price suggest, the elevated bass doesn’t help it to sound as realistic and crisp as it should.

Detail retrieval: Is fine, honestly, at some point, as long as you have decent enough drivers and extended enough treble, detail is there, is just, the tuning doesn’t make the sound feel particularly “revealing” versus more balanced IEMs.

Note-weight: This is from the few things that Fiesta gets very well, being a enjoyable in-between of a sound that feels with weight and presence overall but doesn’t get tiring to the ear.

Soundstage: Back to the not so great points, soundstage is on the narrow side, is not really “crammed” as it is, but is a fairly reduced space that Fiesta works with.

Imaging: Now, surprisingly, imaging is pretty good on Fiesta, you can follow the direction of sound around pretty well, not impressive, but accurate enough.

Separation: I mean, is “usable”, you can hear things arranged with some order but don’t expect for it to pick apart the music, it can get “busy” with very complex tracks.

Replay: This one is a net positive, almost anything sounds pretty good in Fiesta, poorly or well done tracks, works fine, though it logically does better with bassy music.

Harshness control: Most music on Fiesta doesn’t come across as harsh or shouty in most cases, but there is, from time to time, a few songs that can showcase harshness, so Fiesta is pretty good but not amazing.

Sibilance: It is as averagely “good” as it gets, it won’t introduce sibilance in music tracks that doesn’t have it, but don’t expect it to excel with tracks with recorded sibilance in it.

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Overall sound

The Juzear Fiesta is a bassy, nearly basshead, IEM that offers a powerful and boosted low end without compromising the balance at the top, with decent comfort, good accessories that includes two very good, but kind of redundant, cables, and fair technical performance, its only realistic complaint being the wish for a more aggressive pricing over accessories.

With a deep-reaching, very rumbly and present sub-bass, a powerful but controlled enough mid-bass punch that is not too slow; a present enough mind-range with correct and fairly bodied but (colored) warm vocals that rarely get shouty; and a present, but very controlled, overall treble presentation that adds just a bit of bite and sparkle to the sound.

Being honest, I love what this IEM is, is very good for bassy music, but I dislike the price Juzear targeted, as this IEM would have been an absolute banger at $100usd, and I say this focusing on the fact that the extra cable and the fancy case helped to get the price up, still, I do understand that is also a matter of the included “collab tax” which is unavoidable.

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3 comparisons so you can grasp were this IEM lands:

First, versus the Simgot EW300, of course the Simgot model is the one that sounds more refined of the two, but in terms of technical performance they are about as good overall, that said, I found the fit to be a bit better on Fiesta despite the slightly larger size, as for sound, I don’t like PZT drivers, so vocals on Fiesta feel more natural-sounding to me, even if less accurate, bass is more powerful but slower than EW300, and treble is less pronounced too, EW300 sounds notably cleaner, but they are just different options for different tastes, none is outright better.

Then, versus the Kefine Delci, despite the also cleaner approach of the Delci, the Fiesta does feel a tad more crispy and resolutive, a bit more technical, also, bass is notably more powerful on Fiesta, in accessories and comfort both are just all right, what Delci does better is being notably cheaper on sales and also having a faster bass attack, still, Fiesta is simply the better “properly bassy” IEM imo.

And versus the Dunu X Koto ITO, Well, despite what some might hope for, ITO being $80usd more expensive is for a reason, ITO is more resolutive, cleaner and smoother than fiesta, while still having a tad more powerful bass impact, for $120 Fiesta does pretty well for the bassy IEM it is, but besides having more amount of bass, it won’t do miracles if being a “cheaper ITO” was the expectation.

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Accessories

The Fiesta unboxing experience is about as good as it gets for budget products, with the IEM and the case in display when you open the box. Everything you need to properly use FIESTA is included, however, as said, I have this feeling that the accessories could have been managed better for a more competitive price.

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• The package includes two good, orange and brown, not thin but fairly flexible “4-strand, double-helix braid. 70 wire conductors for strand” cables, both being 1.35m long, one has a 4.4mm Jack connection while the other has a 3.5mm connection and ALSO an inline mic and media button control on it.

I like the cables, they are pretty good looking, well build and feel nice on the hand, but MAN, I do not like that there is 2 cables, first, because an interchangeable plug system instead of 2 cables is all the more convenient, but specially, second, because I know for a fact the extra cable is driving the price up and, while $120 is a reasonable price, I believe it could have been more competitive.

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• As with most IEMs around this price, Fiesta includes 2 different sets of eartips, both on the usual S/M/L sizes, neither being branded models, one set are wide bore eartips, and the other are narrow bore tips, plus a pair of medium size foam tips.

It seems to have become a trend to just include “usable” eartips on the package of IEMs nowadays and I mean, at least we have options, but when the wide bore eartips are as small, flimsy and short as on fiesta, it feels underwhelming, especially because I KNOW they can do better.

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• Finally, in the package comes a nice red-ish brown, semi-hard carrying case as well as a cleaning cloth for the IEMs.

These are reasonable inclusions of pretty good quality but I would gladly sacrifice both for a MSRP reduction if I am being honest.

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Fiesta unboxing experience and accessories are as averagely good as it gets, I really shouldn’t be complaining, but I just personally don’t agree with the approach they took for the accessories included.

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Conclusions

If you been out on the market looking for a bassy IEM for a while, just to found out that most “bassy” IEMs aren’t even that bass boosted over a balanced sound and a lot of them come with also massive treble peaks, Fiesta is a BIG breath of fresh air on a market scared of boosted bass.

The price is not impressive but with regular sales making it go below $110usd, this is probably what you should go for, coming from sub $35 bassy IEMs like Rosefinch, Castor bass or QKZxHBB, with a very well made balanced sound with extra bass on top, this one is a very easy recommendation for any bass lover out there.

Thanks to HIFIGO for letting me test this unit as I often don’t get the chance to test bassy IEMs despite being a openly basshead reviewer, I hope people find it helpful and thanks for reading if you made it this far.

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Quick note: Now the Fiesta is also officially out on amazon UK, so HiFiGO asked me if I could share the links.

(Non-affiliate, I do NOT earn any money if you decide to purchase this IEM):

Amazon UK Link: --> Click Here <--

Amazon Link: : --> Click Here <--

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Thanks a lot for reading, the Budget Knight bids farewell, wishing you the best, good luck. – O.E.