Alpha & Delta D2

Man, I've been waiting to crack my review fingers for this one. With an extensive library of genres and songs, as well as many different formats, I wanted to show my views on these wonderful things for a while. After I (sadly) lost my KZ ZS3s, I was in the market for a new IEM. I had a few choices, but ultimately decided on these due to the carrying case and varieties of eartips. Enough of that, though. Let us get into the review.

Note: these are the D2 and not D2M, so I cannot speak on terms of the microphone. Also, I was not given these for free, and I will never stop sharing my honest opinions just due to the fact I get something for no cost.

Appearance:

I personally believe these look great. Although not as cool as something like the CA Andromeda, or as strange as the ZS3, I think these are nice. The build is good as well, and it works for what it is. Something not in your face, but that still has itself stand nicely. Each side has either red or black near the connectors. They're very helpful when trying to find what each side is.

Accessories:

I find it nice they included a plethora of things. The carrying case is hard, but not by too much. It also has pockets to store the extra goodies you get, the eartips. I did not expect this many. You have standard silicon eartips in three sizes, as well as rubber ones with the same simple three sizes. These fit nicely, and slide in and out with ease. Not bad. However, I did not expect them to have foam tips. I can say these are very comfortable. They are mainly for isolation, the design of the tips being a giveaway. I think these are finely made, as there are two, and the first ones have been lasting well since I got them. There is an included shirt clip as well, but I don't really use shirt clips much. Maybe I'll use it sometime, but for now, I can't say much for it, other than it looks solid. All around, you get a lot of things for the little money you paid.

Comfort:

I've had very long listening sessions with these on. Saying from experience, these will be good for a 5-minute listen, or a 5-hour flight. They're over-ears, but their design makes this work in its favor. I've never had them not seal or slip out of my ear. They fit very well, and won't irritate you on a ride.

Specs: These are straight from the official sellers themselves.

• Driver unit: 10mm dynamic driver
• Impedance: 16 ohm
• Rated power: 1mW
• Frequency Response: 10 Hz- 20 Khz
• Speaker Sensitivity: 95 +/- db/ mW
• Cord Length: 1.2m
• Plug: 3.5 mm

Sound:

This is very important to say, but although I like balance, I find these still fit my tastes due to the tracks I listen to the most. These would most benefit you if you're into jazz, hip-hop, or another genre that works with bass. Chiptunes also benefit. But everything else? Still works, but you'll hear more bass. Not as badly as something like Beats, but it may be a turnoff for some.

Bass:
There is enough strength in the low bass ends to make it a big focus with these, but not enough to drown the other parts. This could either sell you on it or turn you away from it. Some people have said it is too much for them, but the music I listen to lets this pair shine for what they're made for.

Songs for testing: Spring Yard Zone, Stardust Speedway Present, Staff Roll (SM3DW), Studiopolis Zone Act 1

Mids:

They aren't going to blow you away, but at the same time they aren't muffled. Male singers are audible and clear, as well as other instruments that rest themselves in the middle of this spectrum. They're fine. Not horrid, but not great. Not much to talk about here, they just work.

Songs for testing: Great Days, Unknown from M.E, Let me Clear My Wallet (Mashup), Mirage Saloon Zone Act 1, Tuck 'n Roll (MMX: Maverick Rising), Bloody Stream

Highs:

For a pair that focus on bass a little more, the highs are still well-done. Not real sharp or sparkly, but this probably happens due to the bass focus. The highs could use a bit of polish if a new version of these came out, but they would have to shift the bass focus, so I understand. Female vocals are still easy to listen to, and the highs won't cause fatigue.

Songs for testing: This is Madness! (Sonic CD: Temporal Duality), Jump Up, Super Star!, Fire Fire!!, Jeh Jeh Rocket

Overall, if you're looking for a good budget buy, and you couldn't care if the main focus on the sound is bass, this is for you. However, those of you out for a balanced signature, you'll want to look elsewhere. They may not be perfect, but they're still worth what I paid for them.

I am using these for more than a month now, and I am quite liking them, using them with my sony xperia Z3 quite easily. Design wise they got a good ergonomic in ear structure, and are easy to use with a nice fit, but "sort of memory wire" in the iems may confuse you a little at start. They are sweat resistant, so can be used easily while running, workout etc. Package comes with a sturdy case for storage and several pairs of eartips including foam tips to choose from. Sound of D2 is way ahead of its price bracket. Very detailed sound leaning towards a darker tone making them bass heavy iems with bit boomy but still punchy lows. Mids are not overly elevated and detail retrial is good. Treble is nicely extended, with no prominent hint of sibilance. You can buy it from "lendmeurears.com"

 
Introduction:
 
Lend Me UR ears, based in Singapore is an online and physical store that opened in December 2011 with a goal to “bring quality audio products to the masses and providing good customer service in the process” They offer free international shipping and international warranty for all items purchased. They also have their own in-house brand “Alpha & Delta”. Today I’ll be looking at their sport oriented model the Alpha & Delta D2.
 
Disclaimer:
 
This item was sent to me free of charge for the purpose of this review. Opinions here are mine based on my experience with the product. I’m not affiliated with the company and am not gaining any financial incentive for writing this review. I’d like to say thanks to Teo from Lend Me UR ears for the opportunity to test the Alpha & Delta D2.
 
Lend Me UR ears website: http://www.lendmeurears.com/
Alpha & Delta D2 product page: http://www.lendmeurears.com/alpha-delta-d2/
 

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Packaging and accessories:
 
The D2 comes with a nice bundle of accessories including:

1. 1 shirt clip
2. 3 pairs of silicon tips
3. 3 pairs of bifiange tips
4. 2 pairs of foam tips

 
Specifications:
 

1. Driver unit: 10mm dynamic driver  
2. Impedance: 16 ohm  
3. Rated power: 1mW
4. Frequency Response: 10 Hz- 20 Khz
5. Speaker Sensitivity: 95 +/- db/ mW  
6. Cord Length: 1.2m  
7. Plug: 3.5 mm  

 

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Build quality:
 
In a word – outstanding. Very solid construction that also includes an IPX 4 rating. The housing is made from a solid plastic with a rubberized coating and are an over-ear design. There are no sharp edges – everything is nicely rounded. On the inside of the housing towards the back is a pinhole port. It’s difficult to tell but I’m fairly certain that the port would be blocked once the earphones are inserted which makes me think that it may not be a bass vent but there to prevent driver flex. If that is the case, then they work very well because I haven’t encountered any driver flex whatsoever.
 
There are strain reliefs (red on the right and black on the left (clever design) joining the cable to the housing and from those are attached a clear plastic tubing that acts like a memory wire but is more malleable and easy to manage. On the cable (I chose the version without microphone) there is a rubber Y-splitter with very good strain relief. There’s also a cable cinch which is always a nice addition for those that like them. The cable itself is a black rubber that feels quite strong and doesn’t tangle easily. The cable ends in a rubber 45-degree angle plug with strain relief.
 

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Fit, comfort and isolation:
 
The rubberized coating and rounded edges make the D2 feel silky smooth and extremely comfortable in the ear, in fact they’re one of the most comfortable IEMs that I’ve ever used. The plastic tubing I mentioned above does a really good job of holding the D2 in place when you’re moving about and is much more comfortable than having actual memory wire. I can easily wear these for hours on end.
 
Sound isolation is about average for this type of earphone, blocking a fair amount of external noise and making them suitable for noisy environments or commuting.
 
Sound:
 
These earphones have a V-shaped signature, with emphasis on the mid-bass and laid-back treble. As a result, they’re non-fatiguing (unless you don’t like bass) and well-suited to long listening sessions. They have a warm and inviting sound but still manage to convey detail quite well.
 
Bass is prominent but well controlled and textured. There is some slight bleeding into the lower mids but for the most part is more than acceptable. Personally I’d like a little less mid-bass (this can be achieved with EQ) just to allow a bit more detail to come through in the midrange and make the sound slightly more neutral.
 
Male vocals can at times be a little overshadowed by the warmth of the mid-bass but still sound intimate enough without being too distant. These are really well suited for hip-hop and electronic music but handled everything I tried with competence.
 
Highs have reasonable extension and I don’t find them at all edgy or piercing. There’s enough of it there to give music some energy and brightness without being uncomfortable. A little more emphasis on the highs might have been nice to balance out the weighted low end.
 
Comparisons:
 
Alpha & Delta D2 vs Fischer Audio Omega Ace
Both of these have a similar V-shaped sound signature and form factor. The housing on the D2 is slightly larger but it’s smooth edges and rubberized coating make them more comfortable. The memory wire and cable placement on the Ace also made it difficult for me to get a good fit where the Alpha & Delta mate perfectly with my ears providing a wonderful fit and seal.
 
Alpha & Delta D2 vs Tennmak Piano
The D2 has more fullness and warmth in the midrange making the presentation feel smoother than the Piano. As always in this price range though I still find the Piano’s bass superior in texture and control. There’s a way the bass resonates in the Piano’s housing that is just so engaging for my taste. The Tennmak has more detail and has a brighter sound overall. They’re both comfortable to wear but the D2 considerably more so. This one would come down to personal preference and intended use.

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Conclusion:
 
The Alpha & Delta surprised me with its build quality but even more so with its fit and comfort. While the sound is about average for the price range I think it’s well suited to the intended purpose of the D2 (being advertised as a sport model) with enough bass to be energetic but a smooth overall presentation. Weighing up I find the sound to be pretty good but considering they’re IPX4 rated, extremely comfortable, reasonably priced and come with a generous amount of accessories I think they’re easily deserving of four stars. Highly recommended.