Reviews by zabiri
Summary
To summarize the review, this is Allegro, a budget dac dongle from Kiwi Ears, coming in at 60$. This is their first attempt at making a dac dongle, and I must say they did it well. Build and design is really good, with a full metal build and unique old school game controller design. There are two buttons for volume control on the top, unfortunately the buttons on the front are just for show. Price wise specs are standard, with ESS9028Q2M DAC chip and up to 155mW power output on balanced. So how does it sound? This sounds quite decent, a bit more on the analytical side. I found this to be quite enjoyable with warmer sounding iems. If you are looking for an all rounder dac dongle with cool looks, this is a great option in my opinion.
Intro
Hey guys, whats up
This is the Kiwi Ears Allegro, a budget dongle dac coming in at 60$. Allegro is the first ever dongle dac released by Kiwi Ears, so it was exciting to check out.
Talking about Kiwi Ears, they are a pretty popular chifi iem brand. I have previously checked out some of their products, among which Quintet and Orchestra Lite was notably good. Getting back to the Allegro, they have gained attention specially because of its nostalgic analog game controller look. Anyways lets get into the review starting off with specs.
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Specs
> DAC Chip: ES9028Q2M
> THD+N: 0.0015% (32 Ohms)
> Output Power: 70mW@32 Ohms (3.5mm), 155mW@32 Ohms (4.4mm)
> SNR: 123dB
> Frequency Response: 20Hz~40kHz
> Noise Floor: <1μV
> Supported Formats: PCM (up to 32bit/384kHz), DSD (DSD256, DSD128, DSD64)
> Indicator Lights: PCM (blue), DSD (red)
> PRICE: $59.99 USD
Packaging
Starting off with the packaging of the Allegro, its very simple, maybe a bit too simple in my opinion. The box contains papers, the dac itself and a usb type C to C cable. The included cable is quite nice but they should included a type C to usb A adaptor. I will talk more about the cable in the build and design section.
Build and Design
Moving on to the build and design of the Allegro, this is amazing. The design, as you can see in the pictures is inspired by old school game controller which I find really unique and attractive. The build is also quite solid, full metal construction, aluminum to be exact. It has nice weight, feels more premium for the price. Thanks to the matte finish finger prints are not an issue. The silver color is nice but a beige version of this would give it a more old school vibe. In my use case, I did notice some minor scratches though.
On the fromt of the dongle the buttons are just for show, i wish they had some function. The top side is curved and has two circular buttons for volume up and down. The bottom side is flat and plain. On the back is the kiwi ears logo and a LED indicator. On the right is the 4.4mm and 3.5mm outputs and type C input on the left.
The included cable is really good. Construction of the cable is high quality regardless of the price. The connectors are metal and the pvc covering is done well.
User Experience
Moving on to the user experience of the Allegro, it is as you would expect from a dongle at this price, simple and to the point. Talking about controls, you only get volume up and down. This was not that power hungry, this drained around 10% percent battery every hour of listening from my samsung galaxy S20 and pixel 2xl. Power output is nothing crazy, but can power most iems perfectly except the really power hungry ones. I did find the LED indicator placement to be a bit odd though, because you would not usually look at the back side of the dac. Honestly I can not think of any major cons here.
Sound
Now most importantly how does it sound? This sounds great, talking about sound signature, this is more towards analytical than neutral. Bass performance is very clean and tight but a bit more depth would have been nice. Mids is also clean and transparent type but with brighter sounding iems upper mids might sound a bit thin. Treble is energetic and quite detailed, I find this dongle to pair well with warmer iems. Staging and imaging is accurate. I tried it with a couple Kiwi Ears iems, it was lovely specially with Orchestra Lite.
Tested with:
IEMS: Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite, Kiwi Ears Quintet, Simgot EA1000, Moondrop Aria 2, Thie Audio Hype 2
Headphones: Koss KPH30i, Koss Porta Pro, Aune AR5000
Conclusion
To conclude the review, I can say if you are looking for a unique looking, well built and decent sounding dac dongle, this is a solid option. Personally I like this more from my previous favor ate at sub 50$ budget, Moondrop Dawn Pro. Props to Kiwi Ears, they have done a beautiful job specially with the design. Thanks to you guys for checking out my review, see you in the next one.
To summarize the review, this is Allegro, a budget dac dongle from Kiwi Ears, coming in at 60$. This is their first attempt at making a dac dongle, and I must say they did it well. Build and design is really good, with a full metal build and unique old school game controller design. There are two buttons for volume control on the top, unfortunately the buttons on the front are just for show. Price wise specs are standard, with ESS9028Q2M DAC chip and up to 155mW power output on balanced. So how does it sound? This sounds quite decent, a bit more on the analytical side. I found this to be quite enjoyable with warmer sounding iems. If you are looking for an all rounder dac dongle with cool looks, this is a great option in my opinion.
Intro
Hey guys, whats up
This is the Kiwi Ears Allegro, a budget dongle dac coming in at 60$. Allegro is the first ever dongle dac released by Kiwi Ears, so it was exciting to check out.
Talking about Kiwi Ears, they are a pretty popular chifi iem brand. I have previously checked out some of their products, among which Quintet and Orchestra Lite was notably good. Getting back to the Allegro, they have gained attention specially because of its nostalgic analog game controller look. Anyways lets get into the review starting off with specs.
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Specs
> DAC Chip: ES9028Q2M
> THD+N: 0.0015% (32 Ohms)
> Output Power: 70mW@32 Ohms (3.5mm), 155mW@32 Ohms (4.4mm)
> SNR: 123dB
> Frequency Response: 20Hz~40kHz
> Noise Floor: <1μV
> Supported Formats: PCM (up to 32bit/384kHz), DSD (DSD256, DSD128, DSD64)
> Indicator Lights: PCM (blue), DSD (red)
> PRICE: $59.99 USD
Packaging
Starting off with the packaging of the Allegro, its very simple, maybe a bit too simple in my opinion. The box contains papers, the dac itself and a usb type C to C cable. The included cable is quite nice but they should included a type C to usb A adaptor. I will talk more about the cable in the build and design section.
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Build and Design
Moving on to the build and design of the Allegro, this is amazing. The design, as you can see in the pictures is inspired by old school game controller which I find really unique and attractive. The build is also quite solid, full metal construction, aluminum to be exact. It has nice weight, feels more premium for the price. Thanks to the matte finish finger prints are not an issue. The silver color is nice but a beige version of this would give it a more old school vibe. In my use case, I did notice some minor scratches though.
On the fromt of the dongle the buttons are just for show, i wish they had some function. The top side is curved and has two circular buttons for volume up and down. The bottom side is flat and plain. On the back is the kiwi ears logo and a LED indicator. On the right is the 4.4mm and 3.5mm outputs and type C input on the left.
The included cable is really good. Construction of the cable is high quality regardless of the price. The connectors are metal and the pvc covering is done well.
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User Experience
Moving on to the user experience of the Allegro, it is as you would expect from a dongle at this price, simple and to the point. Talking about controls, you only get volume up and down. This was not that power hungry, this drained around 10% percent battery every hour of listening from my samsung galaxy S20 and pixel 2xl. Power output is nothing crazy, but can power most iems perfectly except the really power hungry ones. I did find the LED indicator placement to be a bit odd though, because you would not usually look at the back side of the dac. Honestly I can not think of any major cons here.
Sound
Now most importantly how does it sound? This sounds great, talking about sound signature, this is more towards analytical than neutral. Bass performance is very clean and tight but a bit more depth would have been nice. Mids is also clean and transparent type but with brighter sounding iems upper mids might sound a bit thin. Treble is energetic and quite detailed, I find this dongle to pair well with warmer iems. Staging and imaging is accurate. I tried it with a couple Kiwi Ears iems, it was lovely specially with Orchestra Lite.
Tested with:
IEMS: Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite, Kiwi Ears Quintet, Simgot EA1000, Moondrop Aria 2, Thie Audio Hype 2
Headphones: Koss KPH30i, Koss Porta Pro, Aune AR5000
Conclusion
To conclude the review, I can say if you are looking for a unique looking, well built and decent sounding dac dongle, this is a solid option. Personally I like this more from my previous favor ate at sub 50$ budget, Moondrop Dawn Pro. Props to Kiwi Ears, they have done a beautiful job specially with the design. Thanks to you guys for checking out my review, see you in the next one.
Summary:
To summarize the review this is the Aria 2 from Moondrop. This is the sequel to the original Aria, coming in at around 90$. Like the original this is also a single dynamic driver iem. In terms of build and design, this is solid and beautiful with full metal construction and modern minimalistic look. Fit is decent. Included accessories are of good quality specially the cable is quite nice. Now most importantly how does it sound? This has a balanced to mild V shape sound signature, this is more mature and balanced compared to the original Aria. Bass here is good, slams quite hard when the music calls for it, mid is more forward compared to the sub bass. Mids is warm and lush type but it upper mids is energetic. Treble also shares that energetic nature of the upper mids and is generally more forward compared to the original Aria. Technicalities is a average. So who is this for? I would say if you are a beginner and you are looking for well rounded iem package from a name brand, this can be a good option. But if you are looking for the best sound for the money there are better options out there.
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Intro
Hey Guys, whats up….
This is the Aria 2 from Moondrop, yes I know I am bit too late for its review but I decided to write down the review as its been sitting in my collection. So the Aria 2 is a single dynamic driver iem coming in at 90$. I will drop the specs below.
Talking about Moondrop, they are one of the most if not the most recognizable Chifi companies out there. They have released several remarkable iems in their journey, one of them being the original Aria. The original Aria was quite special, this was the gateway for many new audiophiles. I personally owned and loved that set. Fast forward to late 2023, Moondrop released the Aria 2, successor to the Aria and Aria Snow edition. Now lets get into the review.
Packaging/ Box Contents
Proceeding on to the packaging section, this comes in a fairly nice box with a beautiful artwork on top. Included accessories are of high quality. The included case is quite premium and looks gorgeous. Eartips are good. Included cable is very nice for the price, I will get into more detail about it below. This comes with,
Papers
Eartips (3pairs)
Cable with modular terminations
Carrying Case
Iems itself
Important Specs
Sensitivity: 122dB/Vrms (@1kHz)
Impedance: 33Ω±15% (@1kHz)
Frequency Response Range: 16Hz-22kHZ (IEC61094, Free Field)
Effective Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHZ (IEC60318-4, -3dB)
EarphoneJack: 0.78-2pin
THD+N: THD ≤0.05% (@1kHz)
Cavity Material: Zinc Alloy Cavity + Brass Nozzle
Plug: 3.5mm single ended
Build and Design
Let’s start with Aria 2’s build….
The shells are made of metal, zinc alloy to be specific. The shells have nice weight to them, feels quite premium in the hands. The shells are average sized. The face plate design is quite attractive in my opinion, they have a very modern minimal aesthetic. It has a a dotted pattern with a yellowish gold color screw in between.This has a semi custom iem shape. Fingerprints or scratches were not an issue due to the matte finish. The 2 pin connector is slightly recessed type. The nozzle is standard sized and also lipped thus it holds eartips quite securely. The shells have a vented design, thus breathability is good.
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section of the Aria 2, it is good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Breathability is ok. Stability is mid, this does move if I vibe really hard
. I did not find any issues with long term listening, it was quite comfortable.
Cable
Now let’s look at the cable. The Aria 2 comes with a very nicely built stock cable for the price. This is a 4core silver plated copper (OFC) cable. It uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and has modular terminations, which is good. Connectors and the Y split are made of metal. There is no audible microphonics. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any irritation. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the iems.
Tested With
Source: cayin ru7, tempotec v3, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, Final E, spinfit w1, Divinus velvet (best paring)
Cable: stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound signature: balanced to mild v
Sound tonality
Now most importantly sound, the Aria 2 provides a generally pleasing sound, I would say this is a more mature and balanced version of the original Aria.
Bass
Let's delve into the bass performance of the Aria 2, which is solid. This provides a hard end engaging bass performance like the OG Aria, but a bit toned down. In terms of positioning, the mid bass is is more forward compared to the sub bass. The sub-bass, thanks to the dynamic driver feels tactile and dynamic, but can seem a bit dry due to the forward mid bass. Mid bass is quite engaging with powerful punch and slam, without getting muddy. In terms of speed this is more on the slower side. The body and layering are fine. Decay and reverberation are satisfactory, and bass note separation is ok. Personally, I did not find it to be bloated or muddy in any way.
Mids
Moving on to the midrange performance of the Aria 2, its ok. Moondrop has gone for a has relaxed and warm type tuning. The transition from bass to lower mids is quite warm because of its bass bleed. Thus this contributes to a thick and lush male vocal performance. However, I've noticed that female vocals and the upper mids, in general, can sound a bit bright but nonetheless this is enjoyable for the most part. While this doesn't get sibilant or harsh, it might be fatiguing for treble sensitive listeners. Note weight and separation are satisfactory. Instruments sound clean but is also slightly affected by the upper mid boost.
Treble
Proceeding on to the treble section, Moondrop have opted for a slightly more forward treble compared to the original Aria. In short the Aria 2’s treble is refined, well-extended, and it flows nicely with the frequency range. Details are crisp without being too in your face. It is easy to spot intricate nuances. Occasionally, instruments sound metallic due to the boosted upper mids. While there is no significant harshness or sibilance issues, treble sensitive listeners may find it fatiguing. The airy presentation enhances the sense of space in the soundstage. The only con I can think of here is that, its not as detailed.
Technical Sound:
Soundstage of the Aria 2 is good, better than average. All three plains are above average, this has good width but the height is ok. Stage depth is good.
Imaging is average.
Sound separation and layering is ok
Resolution is ok
Dynamics are ok
Timbre is ok
Conclusion
So to conclude the review, if you are just starting out in the audio hobby or you are looking for all rounded nice package, I recommend this set, besides providing a good sound quality, this also includes nice build, nice looks and high quality accessories. But if you want the best sound for the price, there are better options out there
To summarize the review this is the Aria 2 from Moondrop. This is the sequel to the original Aria, coming in at around 90$. Like the original this is also a single dynamic driver iem. In terms of build and design, this is solid and beautiful with full metal construction and modern minimalistic look. Fit is decent. Included accessories are of good quality specially the cable is quite nice. Now most importantly how does it sound? This has a balanced to mild V shape sound signature, this is more mature and balanced compared to the original Aria. Bass here is good, slams quite hard when the music calls for it, mid is more forward compared to the sub bass. Mids is warm and lush type but it upper mids is energetic. Treble also shares that energetic nature of the upper mids and is generally more forward compared to the original Aria. Technicalities is a average. So who is this for? I would say if you are a beginner and you are looking for well rounded iem package from a name brand, this can be a good option. But if you are looking for the best sound for the money there are better options out there.
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Intro
Hey Guys, whats up….
This is the Aria 2 from Moondrop, yes I know I am bit too late for its review but I decided to write down the review as its been sitting in my collection. So the Aria 2 is a single dynamic driver iem coming in at 90$. I will drop the specs below.
Talking about Moondrop, they are one of the most if not the most recognizable Chifi companies out there. They have released several remarkable iems in their journey, one of them being the original Aria. The original Aria was quite special, this was the gateway for many new audiophiles. I personally owned and loved that set. Fast forward to late 2023, Moondrop released the Aria 2, successor to the Aria and Aria Snow edition. Now lets get into the review.
Packaging/ Box Contents
Proceeding on to the packaging section, this comes in a fairly nice box with a beautiful artwork on top. Included accessories are of high quality. The included case is quite premium and looks gorgeous. Eartips are good. Included cable is very nice for the price, I will get into more detail about it below. This comes with,
Papers
Eartips (3pairs)
Cable with modular terminations
Carrying Case
Iems itself
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Important Specs
Sensitivity: 122dB/Vrms (@1kHz)
Impedance: 33Ω±15% (@1kHz)
Frequency Response Range: 16Hz-22kHZ (IEC61094, Free Field)
Effective Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHZ (IEC60318-4, -3dB)
EarphoneJack: 0.78-2pin
THD+N: THD ≤0.05% (@1kHz)
Cavity Material: Zinc Alloy Cavity + Brass Nozzle
Plug: 3.5mm single ended
Build and Design
Let’s start with Aria 2’s build….
The shells are made of metal, zinc alloy to be specific. The shells have nice weight to them, feels quite premium in the hands. The shells are average sized. The face plate design is quite attractive in my opinion, they have a very modern minimal aesthetic. It has a a dotted pattern with a yellowish gold color screw in between.This has a semi custom iem shape. Fingerprints or scratches were not an issue due to the matte finish. The 2 pin connector is slightly recessed type. The nozzle is standard sized and also lipped thus it holds eartips quite securely. The shells have a vented design, thus breathability is good.
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section of the Aria 2, it is good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Breathability is ok. Stability is mid, this does move if I vibe really hard
. I did not find any issues with long term listening, it was quite comfortable.Cable
Now let’s look at the cable. The Aria 2 comes with a very nicely built stock cable for the price. This is a 4core silver plated copper (OFC) cable. It uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and has modular terminations, which is good. Connectors and the Y split are made of metal. There is no audible microphonics. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any irritation. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the iems.
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Tested With
Source: cayin ru7, tempotec v3, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, Final E, spinfit w1, Divinus velvet (best paring)
Cable: stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound signature: balanced to mild v
Sound tonality
Now most importantly sound, the Aria 2 provides a generally pleasing sound, I would say this is a more mature and balanced version of the original Aria.
Bass
Let's delve into the bass performance of the Aria 2, which is solid. This provides a hard end engaging bass performance like the OG Aria, but a bit toned down. In terms of positioning, the mid bass is is more forward compared to the sub bass. The sub-bass, thanks to the dynamic driver feels tactile and dynamic, but can seem a bit dry due to the forward mid bass. Mid bass is quite engaging with powerful punch and slam, without getting muddy. In terms of speed this is more on the slower side. The body and layering are fine. Decay and reverberation are satisfactory, and bass note separation is ok. Personally, I did not find it to be bloated or muddy in any way.
Mids
Moving on to the midrange performance of the Aria 2, its ok. Moondrop has gone for a has relaxed and warm type tuning. The transition from bass to lower mids is quite warm because of its bass bleed. Thus this contributes to a thick and lush male vocal performance. However, I've noticed that female vocals and the upper mids, in general, can sound a bit bright but nonetheless this is enjoyable for the most part. While this doesn't get sibilant or harsh, it might be fatiguing for treble sensitive listeners. Note weight and separation are satisfactory. Instruments sound clean but is also slightly affected by the upper mid boost.
Treble
Proceeding on to the treble section, Moondrop have opted for a slightly more forward treble compared to the original Aria. In short the Aria 2’s treble is refined, well-extended, and it flows nicely with the frequency range. Details are crisp without being too in your face. It is easy to spot intricate nuances. Occasionally, instruments sound metallic due to the boosted upper mids. While there is no significant harshness or sibilance issues, treble sensitive listeners may find it fatiguing. The airy presentation enhances the sense of space in the soundstage. The only con I can think of here is that, its not as detailed.
Technical Sound:
Soundstage of the Aria 2 is good, better than average. All three plains are above average, this has good width but the height is ok. Stage depth is good.
Imaging is average.
Sound separation and layering is ok
Resolution is ok
Dynamics are ok
Timbre is ok
Conclusion
So to conclude the review, if you are just starting out in the audio hobby or you are looking for all rounded nice package, I recommend this set, besides providing a good sound quality, this also includes nice build, nice looks and high quality accessories. But if you want the best sound for the price, there are better options out there
Summary
To summarize the review, this is the Jcally JA04, a cheap dongle dac from the brand Jcally. This comes in at around 10$. This is a compact metal built dongle, which survived more than 1 year of use, so I can say this is pretty durable. Sound is good considering its price tag, this has a transparent, a hint bright sound signature. If you are in the market for a cheap dongle dac, this is a good option.
Intro
Hey guys, Whats up
This Jcally JA04, this is a cheap/ entry level dac dongle coming in at around 10$. Jcally is a chinese audio brand, not the most popular internationally but they make nice cheap audio products, mostly dad dongles I believe. Besides the JA04 I have also used the AP10, which was also good. Lets get into the review starting with its specs.
Specs
>DAC Chip: ALC5686
>THD-H: 0.003%
>Power Output: 65mw 320
>Support: USB Exclusive
>Sampling rate: up to 32bits-384KHz
>SNR/DNR: 125dB/-113dB
>Case Material: Aluminum
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Packaging
This comes in a very basic packaging, which is expected at this price.
Build and Design
Moving on the build, this is made of aluminum. It is very light weight and small in size, I almost lost it a couple of times. In terms if design its also simplistic. On one side is the Jcally logo and on the other side are some specs. Although the design is compact, I personally prefer the classic style of dongle dacs with a cable in between the dac and the type C plug.
User Experience
Going over to the user experience, this is as basic gets, just plug and play
. Battery consumption or drainage is quite low. The type C connection is not the most sturdy, but gets the job done. Although power output is standard, volume was plenty sufficient with most iems. This does get slightly warm with long use, but it is not bothersome. If you are wondering, I have been using this to test entry level to budget iems for more than a year.
Sound
Now most importantly, how does it sound?
I will keep this simple, this sounds good considering the price. At this price point this obviously will not blow you away, but this serves the purpose for a 10$ dongle, if you are just starting out you can spot some improvements compared to headphone jacks on phones. This has transparent, somewhat bright sound signature. Bass is strong but not prominent. Mids are clean and crisp. Treble is energetic and fairly detailed. Technicalities is good enough, sound stage and imaging is ok, resolution, dynamics and sound separation is average.
Conclusion
So to conclude, is it worth the price and would I recommend it?
Sort of, thing is I would recommend 15$ to 20$ to get something a bit better, where the improvements are more significant. But if you want something cheap that just gets the job done, this is a good option
To summarize the review, this is the Jcally JA04, a cheap dongle dac from the brand Jcally. This comes in at around 10$. This is a compact metal built dongle, which survived more than 1 year of use, so I can say this is pretty durable. Sound is good considering its price tag, this has a transparent, a hint bright sound signature. If you are in the market for a cheap dongle dac, this is a good option.
Intro
Hey guys, Whats up
This Jcally JA04, this is a cheap/ entry level dac dongle coming in at around 10$. Jcally is a chinese audio brand, not the most popular internationally but they make nice cheap audio products, mostly dad dongles I believe. Besides the JA04 I have also used the AP10, which was also good. Lets get into the review starting with its specs.
Specs
>DAC Chip: ALC5686
>THD-H: 0.003%
>Power Output: 65mw 320
>Support: USB Exclusive
>Sampling rate: up to 32bits-384KHz
>SNR/DNR: 125dB/-113dB
>Case Material: Aluminum
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Packaging
This comes in a very basic packaging, which is expected at this price.
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Build and Design
Moving on the build, this is made of aluminum. It is very light weight and small in size, I almost lost it a couple of times
. In terms if design its also simplistic. On one side is the Jcally logo and on the other side are some specs. Although the design is compact, I personally prefer the classic style of dongle dacs with a cable in between the dac and the type C plug.
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User Experience
Going over to the user experience, this is as basic gets, just plug and play
. Battery consumption or drainage is quite low. The type C connection is not the most sturdy, but gets the job done. Although power output is standard, volume was plenty sufficient with most iems. This does get slightly warm with long use, but it is not bothersome. If you are wondering, I have been using this to test entry level to budget iems for more than a year.Sound
Now most importantly, how does it sound?
I will keep this simple, this sounds good considering the price. At this price point this obviously will not blow you away, but this serves the purpose for a 10$ dongle, if you are just starting out you can spot some improvements compared to headphone jacks on phones. This has transparent, somewhat bright sound signature. Bass is strong but not prominent. Mids are clean and crisp. Treble is energetic and fairly detailed. Technicalities is good enough, sound stage and imaging is ok, resolution, dynamics and sound separation is average.
Conclusion
So to conclude, is it worth the price and would I recommend it?
Sort of, thing is I would recommend 15$ to 20$ to get something a bit better, where the improvements are more significant. But if you want something cheap that just gets the job done, this is a good option
Summary
This is the Tempotec V3, a killer budget dap coming in at 200$. This is a nicely built dap with a minimalistic design. In terms of usability this is pretty good, the size is handy and the buttons are placed smartly. This uses a modified version of the Hiby OS. Battery life is decent, lasts almost 10hours. Besides playing local files this can also play music via bluetooth, tidal and qobuz. Now most importantly sound, this dap provides a very balanced sound, there is a very subtle midrange forwardness I noticed. Bass is clean and the treble is natural. Technical performance is good, but the soundstage seems a bit intimate. Overall I think this is the best 200$ non android dap in the market right now, and this can be a good starting point for a first dap.
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Intro
Tempotec V3 is a budget dap coming in at 200$. For the price specs are pretty good (important specs are mentioned below).
Talking about tempotec, they have been around for a while, although they are not as popular internationally, I believe they deserve a chance. I have used few of their products such as the tempotec sonata and sonata hd during the beginning of my audio journey. Coming to V3, what I believe this is a budget version of their popular android dap V6. Anyways, lets get into the review…..
Specs:
>Dual AK4493SEQ DAC Chips
>DSD512, PCM 32bit/768kHz, MQA 16X Full decoding support.
>HiByOS.
>4.4mm+3.5mm Headphone Output.
>Bluetooth V5.1
>Tidal, Qobuz Streaming Support
>3.2” HD Display Screen.
>Output Power up to 610mW@32Ω in balanced and 330mW@32Ω in single ended
>Battery Capacity 3500mAh
Packaging/ Box Contents
This comes with a simple to the point packaging, but a bit too simple. Also they should have included a case for it. This includes
Dap itself
Cable
Papers
Extra set of screen protectors
Build, design and “feel”
Starting with the build and design, I quite like it. Like most recent daps this has a glass sandwich design with a metal frame. Glass being glass, its prone to fingerprints, I wish they implemented matt glass but its nitpicking at this price. The top side of the frame is plastic, for bluetooth and wifi connectivity I believe. This has a very industrial or angular design somewhat like Astell&Kern, which I like very much. The edges and corners are beveled so they are not sharp, thankfully. The overall sizing of the dap is handy and I prefer it more than hiby r3 series for example. The dap weights 166.5 grams.
Talking about the buttons, the playback buttons are on the front below the screen, functionality wise I like this format better as its easier to press when it is on the desk or in pockets but not sure whether I really like the look. Anyways, power and volume buttons are on the right side. The type C port and 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports are on the bottom side of the player. On the left is the micro SD card slot. Forgot to mention there is a led indicator on the right between the power and volume buttons. I took pictures from every angle for a better look.
User Experience and OS
Moving on,I am not sure about everyone but for me a smooth user experience is as important as good sound. And I can say V3’s user experience is quite good, specially considering the price. This uses the newer version of Hiby OS with slight mods. Software interface is simple and easy to navigate. Moreover I like the ,minimalistic monochrome aesthetic in the main menu, but there is no album art present in the music library. Searching is pretty bothersome because of the T9 style keyboard. The top down shortcut menu is useful but brightness control is not present here.In terms of speed it is responsive, no complains here. Boot time of this player is decent, around 5 seconds, as its non android.
Going over to playback section, SD card playback is as you would expect, it plays every format I can think of. The bluetooth performance is very stable and hassle free, both way. But streaming is a different story. It has the classic hiby os straming problems, such as slow loading, stutter, logs out every time from tidal and so on. Some of the streaming problems were solved with software updates and I believe and hope Tempotec will solve rest of them soon.
Battery:
Speaking of its battery, V3 lasted me almost 10hours of continuous use. In regular use case scenario I can say this will last you 3 or maybe 4 days even for 2 hours per day use. But yeah this does not have fast charging, it is pretty slow.
Sound:
Let’s begin with sound differences and drivability, then I will get into the tonal performance. Ok so as you can guess this sounds the best when playing music from SD card. Talking about bluetooth this was pretty smooth and stable maintaining a very respectable sound quality. When it comes to streaming, other than the software and connectivity issues, I was pleasantly surprised with the sound quality. Honestly at first I did not expect a non android player to sound this good when streaming. But still this spent most of its time playing my local files. Power output is pretty impressive for such a budget dap, this drove all my iems with ease. I believe this can drive most full sized headphones nicely, other then those extreme planars. Anyways I mentioned all the iems I tested below.
Going over to its tonal performance, this is neutral with a subtle emphasis on the mids. Bass performance is accurate, providing decent punch and slam when the music calls for it. Bass note separation is not the best but it is nitpicking at this price. Mids has a slight sense of warmth, and produces very natural vocal and instrument presentation. Treble is fairly detailed but not too in your face, which I like. There is a decent amount of energy and sparkle present. But the V3 falls back in technical performance, the soundstage is fairly intimate. Imagine is good enough, resolution and dynamics is ok.
Comparing it with other sub 200$ daps, such as the hiby r3 series, hidiz ap80 line up, sony nw a55, etc this is an overall winner in my opinion. Time to conclude…
Used/ Tested with
Balanced: Thie Audio Hype 2, Letshuoer S12 pro, Sennheiser hd6xx, simgot ea1000
Single Ended: 7hz zero 2, ziigaat nuo, simgot ew200, koes kph30, dunu kima classic.
Conclusion
To conclude, this is the best non android dap at around 200$, all things considered. If you are strictly looking for the best sound you can get at this price, I say go for dongle dacs instead. And if you are a beginner looking for your first dap, this is a fantastic starting point. For a budget android dap, tempotec’s V6 looks like a good option at 300$, although I have not used that myself, fellow audiophiles liked it quite a bit. Props to Tempotec for making a great dap
This is the Tempotec V3, a killer budget dap coming in at 200$. This is a nicely built dap with a minimalistic design. In terms of usability this is pretty good, the size is handy and the buttons are placed smartly. This uses a modified version of the Hiby OS. Battery life is decent, lasts almost 10hours. Besides playing local files this can also play music via bluetooth, tidal and qobuz. Now most importantly sound, this dap provides a very balanced sound, there is a very subtle midrange forwardness I noticed. Bass is clean and the treble is natural. Technical performance is good, but the soundstage seems a bit intimate. Overall I think this is the best 200$ non android dap in the market right now, and this can be a good starting point for a first dap.
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Intro
Tempotec V3 is a budget dap coming in at 200$. For the price specs are pretty good (important specs are mentioned below).
Talking about tempotec, they have been around for a while, although they are not as popular internationally, I believe they deserve a chance. I have used few of their products such as the tempotec sonata and sonata hd during the beginning of my audio journey. Coming to V3, what I believe this is a budget version of their popular android dap V6. Anyways, lets get into the review…..
Specs:
>Dual AK4493SEQ DAC Chips
>DSD512, PCM 32bit/768kHz, MQA 16X Full decoding support.
>HiByOS.
>4.4mm+3.5mm Headphone Output.
>Bluetooth V5.1
>Tidal, Qobuz Streaming Support
>3.2” HD Display Screen.
>Output Power up to 610mW@32Ω in balanced and 330mW@32Ω in single ended
>Battery Capacity 3500mAh
Packaging/ Box Contents
This comes with a simple to the point packaging, but a bit too simple. Also they should have included a case for it. This includes
Dap itself
Cable
Papers
Extra set of screen protectors
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Build, design and “feel”
Starting with the build and design, I quite like it. Like most recent daps this has a glass sandwich design with a metal frame. Glass being glass, its prone to fingerprints, I wish they implemented matt glass but its nitpicking at this price. The top side of the frame is plastic, for bluetooth and wifi connectivity I believe. This has a very industrial or angular design somewhat like Astell&Kern, which I like very much. The edges and corners are beveled so they are not sharp, thankfully. The overall sizing of the dap is handy and I prefer it more than hiby r3 series for example. The dap weights 166.5 grams.
Talking about the buttons, the playback buttons are on the front below the screen, functionality wise I like this format better as its easier to press when it is on the desk or in pockets but not sure whether I really like the look. Anyways, power and volume buttons are on the right side. The type C port and 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports are on the bottom side of the player. On the left is the micro SD card slot. Forgot to mention there is a led indicator on the right between the power and volume buttons. I took pictures from every angle for a better look.
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User Experience and OS
Moving on,I am not sure about everyone but for me a smooth user experience is as important as good sound. And I can say V3’s user experience is quite good, specially considering the price. This uses the newer version of Hiby OS with slight mods. Software interface is simple and easy to navigate. Moreover I like the ,minimalistic monochrome aesthetic in the main menu, but there is no album art present in the music library. Searching is pretty bothersome because of the T9 style keyboard. The top down shortcut menu is useful but brightness control is not present here.In terms of speed it is responsive, no complains here. Boot time of this player is decent, around 5 seconds, as its non android.
Going over to playback section, SD card playback is as you would expect, it plays every format I can think of. The bluetooth performance is very stable and hassle free, both way. But streaming is a different story. It has the classic hiby os straming problems, such as slow loading, stutter, logs out every time from tidal and so on. Some of the streaming problems were solved with software updates and I believe and hope Tempotec will solve rest of them soon.
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Battery:
Speaking of its battery, V3 lasted me almost 10hours of continuous use. In regular use case scenario I can say this will last you 3 or maybe 4 days even for 2 hours per day use. But yeah this does not have fast charging, it is pretty slow.
Sound:
Let’s begin with sound differences and drivability, then I will get into the tonal performance. Ok so as you can guess this sounds the best when playing music from SD card. Talking about bluetooth this was pretty smooth and stable maintaining a very respectable sound quality. When it comes to streaming, other than the software and connectivity issues, I was pleasantly surprised with the sound quality. Honestly at first I did not expect a non android player to sound this good when streaming. But still this spent most of its time playing my local files. Power output is pretty impressive for such a budget dap, this drove all my iems with ease. I believe this can drive most full sized headphones nicely, other then those extreme planars
. Anyways I mentioned all the iems I tested below.Going over to its tonal performance, this is neutral with a subtle emphasis on the mids. Bass performance is accurate, providing decent punch and slam when the music calls for it. Bass note separation is not the best but it is nitpicking at this price. Mids has a slight sense of warmth, and produces very natural vocal and instrument presentation. Treble is fairly detailed but not too in your face, which I like. There is a decent amount of energy and sparkle present. But the V3 falls back in technical performance, the soundstage is fairly intimate. Imagine is good enough, resolution and dynamics is ok.
Comparing it with other sub 200$ daps, such as the hiby r3 series, hidiz ap80 line up, sony nw a55, etc this is an overall winner in my opinion. Time to conclude…
Used/ Tested with
Balanced: Thie Audio Hype 2, Letshuoer S12 pro, Sennheiser hd6xx, simgot ea1000
Single Ended: 7hz zero 2, ziigaat nuo, simgot ew200, koes kph30, dunu kima classic.
Conclusion
To conclude, this is the best non android dap at around 200$, all things considered. If you are strictly looking for the best sound you can get at this price, I say go for dongle dacs instead. And if you are a beginner looking for your first dap, this is a fantastic starting point. For a budget android dap, tempotec’s V6 looks like a good option at 300$, although I have not used that myself, fellow audiophiles liked it quite a bit. Props to Tempotec for making a great dap
Attachments
Summary
This is Leyding, a 70$ upgrade cable from Kinera. This is a silver plated copper 8core cable with modular terminations. This is a good looking, fairly premium feeling cable, with a light weight design and medium thickness. This is quite soft so there is no memory. If you are looking for a versatile iem cable below 100$ from a name brand, this is a very good option.
Intro
Hey guys, whats up
Today I am reviewing the Kinera Leyding, a $70 upgrade cable. This is more of a long term review as this has been one of my primary iem cables for quite a while now.
Talking about “Kinera”, they are one of most popular chifi audio brands out there and for good reason. They been around for quite a while now and have made amazing iems from budget to multi kilobuck flagships. I am a big fan of their gear and have owned many kinera iems in my audio journey. Talking about cables they have a good line up, Ace being one of their most popular.
Let’s get into Leyding’s review. Startung off with specs:
Specs
Material: OFC + Alloy copper with 5N silver plated
Braid way: 8 core 3-dimensional braided
Diameter: 1.0mm/core
Strands: 24 strands of 0.05mm alloy copper with 5N silver plated + 14 strands OF 0.06mm OFC
Cable skin material: soft PVC
Interface: 0.78 2pin/mmcx
Plug: 4 pin detachable plugs, 2.5mm/ 4.4mm/ 3.5mm
Plug material: copper with 24 carat gold plated
Plug internal connection: 6N OCC+ OCC with silver plated mix
conductor
External metal part: Aluminum alloy anode
Cable length: 122cm+-2cm
Cable structure. litz + multiple structure + twisting strands
Disclaimer
As we all know cables are a very debated topic among audiophiles, whether they actually make a difference or not. I am not here to argue or debate but just to share my own personal opinion/ experience. In my opinion and experience cables do “influence” the sound of certain iems a bit more than others. The changes are pretty minimal thats why I call it “influence” rather than change.
When I am out shopping for a cable, the physical construction and feel is more important to me than what it sounds like.
This cable was purchased with my own money and this review is my true and honest opinion, thanks.
Packaging
Moving on to the packaging section, Leyding comes a minimalistic premium looking box. Inside the box, it comes with a simple kinera branded hard shell pouch, the modular terminations and papers. In my opinion they should have given a better pouch.
Build, Feel and Design
Going over the build, this is a silver plated copper (OFC + Alloy copper with 5N silver plated) cable. Its available both in MMCX and 2pin connectors, mine are 2pin. The connectors and split are made of aluminum alloy. One of the selling points of this cable is that it has modular terminations. In terms of thickness, this is not too thick nor too thin, in the middle. This is fairly light weight. The cable is very soft, there is literally no memory. Earhooks are fine, they do not cause any botheration. The modular terminations fit quite snug.
Most importantly how does it look and feel? In my opinion this is a beautiful looking cable, this goes quite nicely with darker colored iems. In terms of feel this is a bit subjective but I think its quite premium feeling. Although I personally like thicker and heavier cables, I do like this quite a bit.
Sound
How does this cable sound? This is a very debated topic as I have already mentioned in the disclaimer section, but my take on cables is, cables do not change the sound rather they influence it, the change is a bit more significant on some iems more than others.
Anyways, I find this cable mostly improves the bass region a bit, this helped thicken the lower frequencies. I found this particularly pleasing with bass light hybrid iems. There is barely any change in mids, but treble did improve very mildly. I find this adds a touch of shimmer to the upper mids to treble region.
Conclusion
To conclude, this is a good option if you are in the market for a cable below 100$ from a name brand. I do love this cable but at this price custom cables such Cema electro are also very good if not better. The main question is whether we want a name brand or not. Personally, I have more custom ones than name brand ones.
This is Leyding, a 70$ upgrade cable from Kinera. This is a silver plated copper 8core cable with modular terminations. This is a good looking, fairly premium feeling cable, with a light weight design and medium thickness. This is quite soft so there is no memory. If you are looking for a versatile iem cable below 100$ from a name brand, this is a very good option.
Intro
Hey guys, whats up
Today I am reviewing the Kinera Leyding, a $70 upgrade cable. This is more of a long term review as this has been one of my primary iem cables for quite a while now.
Talking about “Kinera”, they are one of most popular chifi audio brands out there and for good reason. They been around for quite a while now and have made amazing iems from budget to multi kilobuck flagships. I am a big fan of their gear and have owned many kinera iems in my audio journey. Talking about cables they have a good line up, Ace being one of their most popular.
Let’s get into Leyding’s review. Startung off with specs:
Specs
Material: OFC + Alloy copper with 5N silver plated
Braid way: 8 core 3-dimensional braided
Diameter: 1.0mm/core
Strands: 24 strands of 0.05mm alloy copper with 5N silver plated + 14 strands OF 0.06mm OFC
Cable skin material: soft PVC
Interface: 0.78 2pin/mmcx
Plug: 4 pin detachable plugs, 2.5mm/ 4.4mm/ 3.5mm
Plug material: copper with 24 carat gold plated
Plug internal connection: 6N OCC+ OCC with silver plated mix
conductor
External metal part: Aluminum alloy anode
Cable length: 122cm+-2cm
Cable structure. litz + multiple structure + twisting strands
Disclaimer
As we all know cables are a very debated topic among audiophiles, whether they actually make a difference or not. I am not here to argue or debate but just to share my own personal opinion/ experience. In my opinion and experience cables do “influence” the sound of certain iems a bit more than others. The changes are pretty minimal thats why I call it “influence” rather than change.
When I am out shopping for a cable, the physical construction and feel is more important to me than what it sounds like.
This cable was purchased with my own money and this review is my true and honest opinion, thanks.
Packaging
Moving on to the packaging section, Leyding comes a minimalistic premium looking box. Inside the box, it comes with a simple kinera branded hard shell pouch, the modular terminations and papers. In my opinion they should have given a better pouch.
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Build, Feel and Design
Going over the build, this is a silver plated copper (OFC + Alloy copper with 5N silver plated) cable. Its available both in MMCX and 2pin connectors, mine are 2pin. The connectors and split are made of aluminum alloy. One of the selling points of this cable is that it has modular terminations. In terms of thickness, this is not too thick nor too thin, in the middle. This is fairly light weight. The cable is very soft, there is literally no memory. Earhooks are fine, they do not cause any botheration. The modular terminations fit quite snug.
Most importantly how does it look and feel? In my opinion this is a beautiful looking cable, this goes quite nicely with darker colored iems. In terms of feel this is a bit subjective but I think its quite premium feeling. Although I personally like thicker and heavier cables, I do like this quite a bit.
Sound
How does this cable sound? This is a very debated topic as I have already mentioned in the disclaimer section, but my take on cables is, cables do not change the sound rather they influence it, the change is a bit more significant on some iems more than others.
Anyways, I find this cable mostly improves the bass region a bit, this helped thicken the lower frequencies. I found this particularly pleasing with bass light hybrid iems. There is barely any change in mids, but treble did improve very mildly. I find this adds a touch of shimmer to the upper mids to treble region.
Conclusion
To conclude, this is a good option if you are in the market for a cable below 100$ from a name brand. I do love this cable but at this price custom cables such Cema electro are also very good if not better. The main question is whether we want a name brand or not. Personally, I have more custom ones than name brand ones.
Attachments
Somafunk
Nice looking cable but I have to take issue with one section of their marketing blurb above.
It mentions “Leyding has a compact replaceable plug design”
If that is compact then I’d hate to see what they consider normal, I’d have seriously considered purchasing that cable but the size of that Jack is just unnecessary
It mentions “Leyding has a compact replaceable plug design”
If that is compact then I’d hate to see what they consider normal, I’d have seriously considered purchasing that cable but the size of that Jack is just unnecessary
Summary:
To summerize the review, this is the Yume Ultra from See Audio, a hybrid iem with 1DD+2BA, coming in at $220. This was released back in mid last year. Considering the price build is decent and fit is quite comfortable. This has a balanced to mild v shape sound signature. In terms of sound, bass is balanced with more focus on the sub bass. Mids are clean and natural with good energy and sparkle on top. Treble is also energetic and speedy with good detail. Overall technical performance is solid. Personally I do not find it as worthy in the current market at this price, but they do go on good discount tho…
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Intro
Hey Guys, whats up….
This is Yume Ultra from See Audio, yes I know I am way too late for its review
, but this seems to go on good discount, thats why I decided to go through with it. This is a hybrid iem with a 1DD+2BA drivers, coming in at $220, but you can find it at around 170$ on discount. Btw all the important specs are mentioned below. The Yume Ultra is a collaboration between See Audio and Angel Ears.
Talking about See Audio, they are a well reputed chifi brand. They gained quite a bit of popularity from their Yume line up in the past few years. I have previously owned the original Yume, which used to be one of my favorites. Anyways getting back to the Yume Ultra, these are good, but nothing crazy at this present time.
Packaging/ Box Contents
Proceeding on to the packaging section, this comes in a fairly nice box with a beautiful artwork on top. Included accessories are of ok quality. I would say, rather than including the artwork they could have given a better case. Eartips are good. Included cable is ok, I will get into a bit more detail about it below. This comes with,
Papers
Eartips (6pairs)
Cable
Carrying Case
Artwork/ artstand
Iems itself
Important Specs
SENSITIVITY : 113dB 1dB
IMPENDENCE : 12 ohm
FREQUENCY RANGE: 20Hz - 20kHz
DRIVER: 1DD + 2BA
Cable: 2pin (0.78mm) 6n OFC silver plated
PLUG: 3.5mm/2.5mm/4.4mm
Build and Design
Let’s start with Yume Ultra’s build….
The shells are made of high quality 3d printed resin. The shells are quite light weight, but they do not feel cheap in the hands. The shells are fairly small sized. The face plate design is immaculate, it looks way more gorgeous in real life than any of its picture. The See Audio logo is on top of a black surface with colorful spots. This has a semi custom iem shape. Fingerprints or scratches can be an issue due to the glossy finish, but its fine in my case. The 2 pin connector is flush type, i found it to be a bit loose, I am not sure whether it’s the cable or the connector. The nozzle is standard sized and also lipped thus it holds eartips quite securely. The shells have a non vented design, thus passive isolation is good.
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section of the Yume Ultra, it is very good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears thanks to the overall small footprint Breathability is ok. Stability is solid, this does not move at all even if I vibe really hard. I did not find any issues with long term listening, it was quite comfortable.
Cable
Now let’s look at the cable. The Yume Ultra comes with a nicely built stock cable but honestly this feels cheap, this is a bit too thin, this is memory prone, not as soft or flexible and this tangles easily. This is a 2 core silver plated copper (OFC) cable. It uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and has modular terminations, which is good. Connectors and the Y split are made of metal. There is no audible microphonics. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any irritation. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the iems.
Tested With
Source: cayin ru7, tempotec v3, hidiz ap80, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, Final E, spinfit w1, spinfit cp145, Divinus velvet (best paring), azla crystals (2nd best pairing)
Cable: stock, kinera leyding, kbear black blade
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound signature: balanced to mild v
Sound tonality
Now most importantly sound, the Yume Ultra provides a generally pleasing clean, energetic, somewhat bright sound.
Bass
Let's delve into the bass performance of the Yume Ultra, which is good. This provides a balanced, low profile but qualityfull bass. In terms of positioning, the mid bass is subtly rolled off compared to the sub bass. The sub-bass, thanks to the dynamic driver feels tactile and dynamic. Mid bass is not as forward but it provides decent punch, but I feel its lacking in quantity a bit. Overall, the Yume Ultra has a fast and precise bass response. The body and layering are executed well, with instruments like the bass guitar and kick drums sounding accurate. Decay and reverberation are satisfactory, and bass note separation is good. Personally, I did not find it to be bloated or muddy in any way. The only drawback I can think of is the mid bass quantity.
Mids
Moving on to the midrange, this is its strongest suit. The Yume Ultra prioritizes clarity and transparency with sparkle and crispness on top. The transition from bass to lower mids is linear, with almost zero bass bleed. Thus this contributes to a clean and clear male vocal performance. However, I've noticed that female vocals and the upper mids, in general, can sound a bit bright, but nonetheless this is enjoyable for the most part. While this doesn't get sibilant or harsh, it might be fatiguing for treble sensitive listeners. I quite enjoyed the level of energy and intimacy present in the midrange. Note weight and separation are satisfactory. Instruments sound clean but is also slightly affected by the upper mid boost.
Treble
Proceeding on to the treble section, they have opted for a bright tuning for the Yume Ultra, and I can say it's executed well. In short the Yume Ultra’s treble is refined, well-extended, and it flows nicely with the frequency range. Details are crisp without being too in your face. It is easy to spot intricate nuances. Occasionally, instruments sound metallic due to the boosted upper mids. While there is no significant harshness or sibilance issues, treble sensitive listeners may find it bothersome. Upper treble seemed a bit dull comparatively. The speed is normal to fast type. Personally, I find this tuning quite enjoyable with rock, metal, and electronic tracks. The airy presentation enhances the sense of space in the soundstage. This has good resolving capabilities.
Technical Sound:
Soundstage of the Yume ultra is good, better than average. All three plains are above average, this has good width but the height is ok. Stage depth is good.
Imaging is also better than average. Yume Ultra’s imaging is very accurate and it’s very easy to pin point instruments.
Sound separation and layering is good
Resolution is good
Dynamics are ok
Timbre is good
Conclusion
So to conclude the review, at its retail price I would not buy it anymore, as there are better options available such as the Performer 5, Falcon ultra, EA1000, etc. But if you are looking for the ‘Yume” sound this is good at the discounted price
To summerize the review, this is the Yume Ultra from See Audio, a hybrid iem with 1DD+2BA, coming in at $220. This was released back in mid last year. Considering the price build is decent and fit is quite comfortable. This has a balanced to mild v shape sound signature. In terms of sound, bass is balanced with more focus on the sub bass. Mids are clean and natural with good energy and sparkle on top. Treble is also energetic and speedy with good detail. Overall technical performance is solid. Personally I do not find it as worthy in the current market at this price, but they do go on good discount tho…
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Intro
Hey Guys, whats up….
This is Yume Ultra from See Audio, yes I know I am way too late for its review
, but this seems to go on good discount, thats why I decided to go through with it. This is a hybrid iem with a 1DD+2BA drivers, coming in at $220, but you can find it at around 170$ on discount. Btw all the important specs are mentioned below. The Yume Ultra is a collaboration between See Audio and Angel Ears.Talking about See Audio, they are a well reputed chifi brand. They gained quite a bit of popularity from their Yume line up in the past few years. I have previously owned the original Yume, which used to be one of my favorites. Anyways getting back to the Yume Ultra, these are good, but nothing crazy at this present time.
Packaging/ Box Contents
Proceeding on to the packaging section, this comes in a fairly nice box with a beautiful artwork on top. Included accessories are of ok quality. I would say, rather than including the artwork they could have given a better case. Eartips are good. Included cable is ok, I will get into a bit more detail about it below. This comes with,
Papers
Eartips (6pairs)
Cable
Carrying Case
Artwork/ artstand
Iems itself
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Important Specs
SENSITIVITY : 113dB 1dB
IMPENDENCE : 12 ohm
FREQUENCY RANGE: 20Hz - 20kHz
DRIVER: 1DD + 2BA
Cable: 2pin (0.78mm) 6n OFC silver plated
PLUG: 3.5mm/2.5mm/4.4mm
Build and Design
Let’s start with Yume Ultra’s build….
The shells are made of high quality 3d printed resin. The shells are quite light weight, but they do not feel cheap in the hands. The shells are fairly small sized. The face plate design is immaculate, it looks way more gorgeous in real life than any of its picture. The See Audio logo is on top of a black surface with colorful spots. This has a semi custom iem shape. Fingerprints or scratches can be an issue due to the glossy finish, but its fine in my case. The 2 pin connector is flush type, i found it to be a bit loose, I am not sure whether it’s the cable or the connector. The nozzle is standard sized and also lipped thus it holds eartips quite securely. The shells have a non vented design, thus passive isolation is good.
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section of the Yume Ultra, it is very good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears thanks to the overall small footprint Breathability is ok. Stability is solid, this does not move at all even if I vibe really hard
. I did not find any issues with long term listening, it was quite comfortable. Cable
Now let’s look at the cable. The Yume Ultra comes with a nicely built stock cable but honestly this feels cheap, this is a bit too thin, this is memory prone, not as soft or flexible and this tangles easily. This is a 2 core silver plated copper (OFC) cable. It uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and has modular terminations, which is good. Connectors and the Y split are made of metal. There is no audible microphonics. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any irritation. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the iems.
Tested With
Source: cayin ru7, tempotec v3, hidiz ap80, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, Final E, spinfit w1, spinfit cp145, Divinus velvet (best paring), azla crystals (2nd best pairing)
Cable: stock, kinera leyding, kbear black blade
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound signature: balanced to mild v
Sound tonality
Now most importantly sound, the Yume Ultra provides a generally pleasing clean, energetic, somewhat bright sound.
Bass
Let's delve into the bass performance of the Yume Ultra, which is good. This provides a balanced, low profile but qualityfull bass. In terms of positioning, the mid bass is subtly rolled off compared to the sub bass. The sub-bass, thanks to the dynamic driver feels tactile and dynamic. Mid bass is not as forward but it provides decent punch, but I feel its lacking in quantity a bit. Overall, the Yume Ultra has a fast and precise bass response. The body and layering are executed well, with instruments like the bass guitar and kick drums sounding accurate. Decay and reverberation are satisfactory, and bass note separation is good. Personally, I did not find it to be bloated or muddy in any way. The only drawback I can think of is the mid bass quantity.
Mids
Moving on to the midrange, this is its strongest suit. The Yume Ultra prioritizes clarity and transparency with sparkle and crispness on top. The transition from bass to lower mids is linear, with almost zero bass bleed. Thus this contributes to a clean and clear male vocal performance. However, I've noticed that female vocals and the upper mids, in general, can sound a bit bright, but nonetheless this is enjoyable for the most part. While this doesn't get sibilant or harsh, it might be fatiguing for treble sensitive listeners. I quite enjoyed the level of energy and intimacy present in the midrange. Note weight and separation are satisfactory. Instruments sound clean but is also slightly affected by the upper mid boost.
Treble
Proceeding on to the treble section, they have opted for a bright tuning for the Yume Ultra, and I can say it's executed well. In short the Yume Ultra’s treble is refined, well-extended, and it flows nicely with the frequency range. Details are crisp without being too in your face. It is easy to spot intricate nuances. Occasionally, instruments sound metallic due to the boosted upper mids. While there is no significant harshness or sibilance issues, treble sensitive listeners may find it bothersome. Upper treble seemed a bit dull comparatively. The speed is normal to fast type. Personally, I find this tuning quite enjoyable with rock, metal, and electronic tracks. The airy presentation enhances the sense of space in the soundstage. This has good resolving capabilities.
Technical Sound:
Soundstage of the Yume ultra is good, better than average. All three plains are above average, this has good width but the height is ok. Stage depth is good.
Imaging is also better than average. Yume Ultra’s imaging is very accurate and it’s very easy to pin point instruments.
Sound separation and layering is good
Resolution is good
Dynamics are ok
Timbre is good
Conclusion
So to conclude the review, at its retail price I would not buy it anymore, as there are better options available such as the Performer 5, Falcon ultra, EA1000, etc. But if you are looking for the ‘Yume” sound this is good at the discounted price
Attachments
TSUNDERE
Great review! How does it compare to the original Yume ? In terms of sound and technicalities?
Disclaimer:
My take on cables is, they do influence the sound of certain iems a bit more than others. But in general the audible change is insignificant and subjective, in my opinion.
Overview:
Letshuoer x Z Reviews Chimera cable is a 2 core silver plated copper cable with interchangeable 2.5mm/3.5mm/4.4mm terminations.
Unboxing is simple and to the point, it contains the terminations, a pouch, the cable itself and some papers.
Build, fit and feel:
In short its pretty solid for the price. Its a looker, the silver and grey aesthetic goes well with bladk or dark iems, I have tried it with the truthear hexa and softears studio 4. The thickness is just right, not too thick not too thin. Weight is fine. Pvc coating is done well. Ear hooks use heat shrinks, stiffness is fine. Spliter, termination connector and 2 pin connector are metal giving it good feel.
If I have to nitpick, there is a bit of cable memory present.
Sound
(Please check the disclaimer above)
Conclusion:
This is a solid cable in the 50 dollar region. This is a nice upgrade from the stock cables of majority budget iems.
Somafunk
Look at the size of that Jack 
, not practical unless you’re sat at home - I wish cable companies would take notice of the jack that Dunu use, it’s far better
, not practical unless you’re sat at home - I wish cable companies would take notice of the jack that Dunu use, it’s far better
T
TsukiGermany
How does it compare to the Gizaudio Galileo cable which is also from Letshuoer? Great review btw 
Summary:
To summarize the review EA1000 Fermat from Simgot is a single dynamic driver IEM with a passive radiator, priced at $220. Considering the price packaging is nice and it comes with high quality accessories. Build is solid and the design is fantastic. With a bright mild V-shaped sound signature, the EA1000 provides quality bass, clear midrange, and refined treble. Despite minor drawbacks such as sub-bass quantity and a bit thin upper mids, the overall sound quality is quite enjoyable. Technical performance of this set is quite good as well.
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Intro
This is EA1000 Fermat from Simgot, this is a single dynamic driver iem with a passive radiator. This comes in at $220.
Talking about Simgot, they are a well reputed chifi brand. They gained quite a bit of popularity from their EA500. I have previously checked out their EW200, which is the best balanced sounding single DD iem under 50$ in my opinion. I am planning to check out their EA500lm soon. Anyways Getting back to the EA1000, these have been getting quite a bit of hype recently, and I must say these deserve the hype.
Packaging/ Box Contents
This comes with a beautiful packaging for the price, I like the purple theme through out the box. The included accessories are also of good quality. This comes with,
Papers
Eartips (2 sets)
Cable
Tuning nozzles
Extra replacement mesh/ filter
Iems itself
Important Specs
Driver 10mm dynamic
Sensitivity 127dB/Vrms
Impedance 16Ω
Frequency response 10Hz-50kHz
Cable high purity silver-plated OFC wire in Litz structure
Build and Design
Let’s start with EA1000’s build, very solid
The shells are made of solid metal, aluminum I am guessing. The shells have nice weight to them, feels quite substantial in the hands. The shells are average sized. The face plate design is immaculate, it looks way more gorgeous in real life than any of its picture. The Simgot logo in on top of a patterned surface and it seems to be covered by glass giving it a 3d-ish look. Fingerprints or scratches can be an issue due to the polished finish, but its fine in my case. The 2 pin connector is recessed type. The nozzle is standard sized and also lipped thus it holds eartips quite securely. The shells are vented, so there is no pressure build up.
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Breathability is good because of the vented design. Stability is ok, I did notice the iems slipping out sometimes but rarely, I am guessing because of its weight. I did not find any issues with long term listening, it was comfortable.
Cable
The EA1000 comes with a very nicely built stock cable considering the price. This is a 2 core silver plated copper (OFC) cable in litz structure. It uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and terminates in 3.5mm. I wish the cable came with modular terminations. Connectors and the Y split are made of metal. There is no audible microphonics. Cable memory is basic, but a bit more softer cable would have been nice. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any irritation. Cable weight and thickness is standard. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the white and silver theme.
Nozzles
The EA1000 comes with three sets of tuning nozzles. The difference between each nozzle is not very massive. Personally I used the silver with red silicone band one, I find this one most compatible with my taste.
Tested With
Source: cayin ru7, tempotec v3, hidiz ap80, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, Final E (best pairing), spinfit w1, spinfit cp145, Divinus velvet (2nd best pairing), azla crystals
Cable: stock, kinera leyding, kbear black blade
Nozzle: silver with red silicone marking
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound signature: bright mild V shape
Sound tonality
The EA1000s provides fantastic cohesion with a unique, clear tonal quality that highlights remarkable transparency. Despite their neutral sound signature, they stand out from many 'reference' tuned IEMs by avoiding any sense of dullness.
Bass
Let's delve into the bass performance of the EA1000, which is nearly flawless. Handled by a single dynamic driver along with a passive radiator, Simgot's choice of drivers deserves praise; you can truly sense the quality of the dynamic driver with every beat, delivering that classic dynamic punch. In terms of positioning, the sub-bass is subtly rolled off compared to the mid-bass. The sub-bass, thanks to the passive radiator, feels tactile, but a bit more quantity would be better. Mid-bass is more forward and it provides ample punch. Overall, the EA1000 has a fast and precise bass response, somewhat like planar bass. The body and layering are executed well, with instruments like the bass guitar and kick drums sounding accurate. Decay and reverberation are satisfactory, and bass note separation is solid. Personally, I did not find it to be bloated or muddy in any way. The only drawback I can think of is the sub-bass quantity.
Mids
Moving on to the midrange, the EA1000 prioritizes clarity and transparency. The transition from bass to lower mids is relatively linear, with minor and well-controlled bass bleed. Thus there's a hint of warmth in the lower mids, which contributes to the smoother male vocals. However, I've noticed that female vocals and the upper mids, in general, can sound a bit shouty and thin. While this doesn't get sibilant or harsh, it might be fatiguing for treble sensitive listeners. Nonetheless, I quite enjoyed the energy and intimacy present in the midrange. Note weight and separation are satisfactory. Instruments sound clean but is also slightly affected by the upper mid boost.
Treble
Transitioning to the treble section, Simgot has opted for a bright tuning for the EA1000, and I must say it's executed quite well. In short the EA1000's treble is refined, well-extended, and it flows nicely with the entire frequency range. Details are crisp without being too in your face. It is easy to spot intricate nuances. Occasionally, instruments sound metallic due to the boosted upper mids. While there is no significant harshness or sibilance issues, treble sensitive listeners may find it bothersome. The speed is normal to fast type. Personally, I find this tuning wuitw enjoyable with rock, metal, and electronic tracks. The airy presentation enhances the sense of space in the soundstage. This has good resolving capabilities.
Technical Sound:
Soundstage of the EA1000 is good, nothing extra ordinary. All three plains are above average, this has good width but the height is lacking. Stage depth is not bad.
Imaging is quite impressive. EA1000’s imaging is very accurate and its very easy to pin point instruments.
Sound separation and layering is surprisingly good
Resolution is solid considering its price and driver count.
Dynamics are good
Timbre is good
Conclusion
I have quite enjoyed my time with the EA1000 and I think this is worth the $220 price tag. Other reviewers are saying the new EA500lm is much better value, and I can’t say until I try that. But so far I can say for sure this is the best Simgot has to offer. If you like bright-ish mild v tuning definitely give this a try. Props to Simgot they did a awesome job with this one.
To summarize the review EA1000 Fermat from Simgot is a single dynamic driver IEM with a passive radiator, priced at $220. Considering the price packaging is nice and it comes with high quality accessories. Build is solid and the design is fantastic. With a bright mild V-shaped sound signature, the EA1000 provides quality bass, clear midrange, and refined treble. Despite minor drawbacks such as sub-bass quantity and a bit thin upper mids, the overall sound quality is quite enjoyable. Technical performance of this set is quite good as well.
Disclaimer: this unit was purchased with my own money and this review is my honest and unbiased opinion, thanks.
Intro
This is EA1000 Fermat from Simgot, this is a single dynamic driver iem with a passive radiator. This comes in at $220.
Talking about Simgot, they are a well reputed chifi brand. They gained quite a bit of popularity from their EA500. I have previously checked out their EW200, which is the best balanced sounding single DD iem under 50$ in my opinion. I am planning to check out their EA500lm soon. Anyways Getting back to the EA1000, these have been getting quite a bit of hype recently, and I must say these deserve the hype.
Packaging/ Box Contents
This comes with a beautiful packaging for the price, I like the purple theme through out the box. The included accessories are also of good quality. This comes with,
Papers
Eartips (2 sets)
Cable
Tuning nozzles
Extra replacement mesh/ filter
Iems itself
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Important Specs
Driver 10mm dynamic
Sensitivity 127dB/Vrms
Impedance 16Ω
Frequency response 10Hz-50kHz
Cable high purity silver-plated OFC wire in Litz structure
Build and Design
Let’s start with EA1000’s build, very solid
The shells are made of solid metal, aluminum I am guessing. The shells have nice weight to them, feels quite substantial in the hands. The shells are average sized. The face plate design is immaculate, it looks way more gorgeous in real life than any of its picture. The Simgot logo in on top of a patterned surface and it seems to be covered by glass giving it a 3d-ish look. Fingerprints or scratches can be an issue due to the polished finish, but its fine in my case. The 2 pin connector is recessed type. The nozzle is standard sized and also lipped thus it holds eartips quite securely. The shells are vented, so there is no pressure build up.
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Breathability is good because of the vented design. Stability is ok, I did notice the iems slipping out sometimes but rarely, I am guessing because of its weight. I did not find any issues with long term listening, it was comfortable.
Cable
The EA1000 comes with a very nicely built stock cable considering the price. This is a 2 core silver plated copper (OFC) cable in litz structure. It uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and terminates in 3.5mm. I wish the cable came with modular terminations. Connectors and the Y split are made of metal. There is no audible microphonics. Cable memory is basic, but a bit more softer cable would have been nice. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any irritation. Cable weight and thickness is standard. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the white and silver theme.
Nozzles
The EA1000 comes with three sets of tuning nozzles. The difference between each nozzle is not very massive. Personally I used the silver with red silicone band one, I find this one most compatible with my taste.
Tested With
Source: cayin ru7, tempotec v3, hidiz ap80, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, Final E (best pairing), spinfit w1, spinfit cp145, Divinus velvet (2nd best pairing), azla crystals
Cable: stock, kinera leyding, kbear black blade
Nozzle: silver with red silicone marking
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound signature: bright mild V shape
Sound tonality
The EA1000s provides fantastic cohesion with a unique, clear tonal quality that highlights remarkable transparency. Despite their neutral sound signature, they stand out from many 'reference' tuned IEMs by avoiding any sense of dullness.
Bass
Let's delve into the bass performance of the EA1000, which is nearly flawless. Handled by a single dynamic driver along with a passive radiator, Simgot's choice of drivers deserves praise; you can truly sense the quality of the dynamic driver with every beat, delivering that classic dynamic punch. In terms of positioning, the sub-bass is subtly rolled off compared to the mid-bass. The sub-bass, thanks to the passive radiator, feels tactile, but a bit more quantity would be better. Mid-bass is more forward and it provides ample punch. Overall, the EA1000 has a fast and precise bass response, somewhat like planar bass. The body and layering are executed well, with instruments like the bass guitar and kick drums sounding accurate. Decay and reverberation are satisfactory, and bass note separation is solid. Personally, I did not find it to be bloated or muddy in any way. The only drawback I can think of is the sub-bass quantity.
Mids
Moving on to the midrange, the EA1000 prioritizes clarity and transparency. The transition from bass to lower mids is relatively linear, with minor and well-controlled bass bleed. Thus there's a hint of warmth in the lower mids, which contributes to the smoother male vocals. However, I've noticed that female vocals and the upper mids, in general, can sound a bit shouty and thin. While this doesn't get sibilant or harsh, it might be fatiguing for treble sensitive listeners. Nonetheless, I quite enjoyed the energy and intimacy present in the midrange. Note weight and separation are satisfactory. Instruments sound clean but is also slightly affected by the upper mid boost.
Treble
Transitioning to the treble section, Simgot has opted for a bright tuning for the EA1000, and I must say it's executed quite well. In short the EA1000's treble is refined, well-extended, and it flows nicely with the entire frequency range. Details are crisp without being too in your face. It is easy to spot intricate nuances. Occasionally, instruments sound metallic due to the boosted upper mids. While there is no significant harshness or sibilance issues, treble sensitive listeners may find it bothersome. The speed is normal to fast type. Personally, I find this tuning wuitw enjoyable with rock, metal, and electronic tracks. The airy presentation enhances the sense of space in the soundstage. This has good resolving capabilities.
Technical Sound:
Soundstage of the EA1000 is good, nothing extra ordinary. All three plains are above average, this has good width but the height is lacking. Stage depth is not bad.
Imaging is quite impressive. EA1000’s imaging is very accurate and its very easy to pin point instruments.
Sound separation and layering is surprisingly good
Resolution is solid considering its price and driver count.
Dynamics are good
Timbre is good
Conclusion
I have quite enjoyed my time with the EA1000 and I think this is worth the $220 price tag. Other reviewers are saying the new EA500lm is much better value, and I can’t say until I try that. But so far I can say for sure this is the best Simgot has to offer. If you like bright-ish mild v tuning definitely give this a try. Props to Simgot they did a awesome job with this one.
Attachments
Summary
To summarize the whole review, the EW200 is a budget offering by the bran Simgot, coming in at 40$. It is a single DD iem with a 10mm LCP dynamic driver. Build is solid, comfort is good and looks are premium considering the price. In terms of sound this has a mild U shape sound signature. This maintains a striking good balance between bass, mids and highs with good technical performance. This is the best balanced sounding iem under 50$, in my opinion.
Disclaimer:
Thanks to Simgot for providing this unit, but this review is unbiased and my honest opinion. Thanks.
Sound signature: mild U shape
Overview
Simgot EW200 is a 40$ single DD with a 10mm LCP dynamic bdriver. It has impedence of 16ohms and sensitivity of 126db.
Talking about “Simgot” they are a pretty popular ChiFi audio brand specially recently. Notable releases being EA500, EM6L, EA1000. Anyways getting back to the EW200, this is their first budget set coming in at 40$, and I must say this is the best single DD iem under 50$ in my opinion.
Packaging/ Box Contents
The packaging is simple and to the point. This comes with:
Eartips, 3pairs of standard white tips. Quality is fine.
Cable, standard 2pin 3.5mm cable.
Pouch, its basic. A hard shell case would have been better.
Papers
Iems itself
Build and Design
Let’s start with EW200’s build, one of the best in its price range. The shells are made of metal. It has a silver chrome or mirror type finish. It is prone to finger prints and scratches. The shells have nice weight to them, feels fairly substantial in the hands. The shells are average sized. This has the classic semi custom iem shape. The face plate design is minimal with the simgot logo. The 2 pin connector is flush type. Nozzle insertion is standard. Score:4.75/5
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Fit stability is fine. Breathability is ok. It is generally comfortable for long listening sessions but the shape of the iem did cause some fatigue in my case. Score: 4/5
Cable
This comes with a OFC silver plated copper cable, for the price cable quality is good. This uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and terminates in 3.5mm. Connectors and the Y split are made of rubber. There is no audible microphonics. Cable memory is basic. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any skin irritation. Cable weight and thickness is standard. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the over all silver aesthetic.
Tested With
Source: Cayin ru7, hidiz ap80, jcally ja04
Eartips: spinfit cp100, stodk
Cable: kbear black blade, stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound tonality
The Ew200 has a modified harman tuning, implementing Simgot’s target to harman target.
Bass
Let’s talk about EW200’s bass performance, this maintains a good balance between quality and quantity.
Sub bass is a bit more extended compared to the mid bass. Sub bass hit has good body and rumble. Although mid bass is not as forward as sub bass, it does not lack in authority. Bass speed is good. Bass note separation is good and bass texture is decent. In terms of quality Simgot did a great job, but quantity is not for bass heads. Usually I like a bit more forward mid bass presentation but in this case I quite enjoyed it’s overall tuning. Score: 4.5/5
Mids
Coming to the mids performance its clean with energy on top.
Transition from mid bass to the mids is mostly clean with a touch of warmth. Male vocals are natural but a bit recessed sounding. Female vocals are more forward compared to male vocals, providing good energy. They are clean but can be a bit sibilant for treble sensitive listeners. There is a good sense of air present in the female vocals and carried over to the instruments section. Talking about the instruments, its transparent. There is good body through out. In certain tracks specially acoustic tracks, the level of energy in the upper midrange cause the female vocals and instruments to sound a bit unnatural. Score: 4/5
Highs
Going over to the treble section of the EW200, it provides a balanced and precise treble performance with good detail.
Treble here is tuned really nicely and flows really nicely with the other frequencies. There is a touch of warmth still maintaining an energetic presence. Detailing is crisp without being too in your face. There is no major harshness or sharpness but treble sensitive listeners will find this tuning quite bright sounding. There is a good sense of air present. Note weight is decent along with good resolving capabilities. Speed is standard to fast type. Score: 4.5/5
technicalities Score: 4.5/5
Soundstage: better than average
Imaging: good
Dynamics: good
Sound separation: good
Resolution: good
Conclusion
To conclude this review, if you like a overall balanced sound this is the best under 50$. It’s clarity and cohesiveness coupled with intricate detail creates a truly beautiful listening experience. Simgot has done a fantastic job sith the EW200.
To summarize the whole review, the EW200 is a budget offering by the bran Simgot, coming in at 40$. It is a single DD iem with a 10mm LCP dynamic driver. Build is solid, comfort is good and looks are premium considering the price. In terms of sound this has a mild U shape sound signature. This maintains a striking good balance between bass, mids and highs with good technical performance. This is the best balanced sounding iem under 50$, in my opinion.
Disclaimer:
Thanks to Simgot for providing this unit, but this review is unbiased and my honest opinion. Thanks.
Sound signature: mild U shape
Overview
Simgot EW200 is a 40$ single DD with a 10mm LCP dynamic bdriver. It has impedence of 16ohms and sensitivity of 126db.
Talking about “Simgot” they are a pretty popular ChiFi audio brand specially recently. Notable releases being EA500, EM6L, EA1000. Anyways getting back to the EW200, this is their first budget set coming in at 40$, and I must say this is the best single DD iem under 50$ in my opinion.
Packaging/ Box Contents
The packaging is simple and to the point. This comes with:
Eartips, 3pairs of standard white tips. Quality is fine.
Cable, standard 2pin 3.5mm cable.
Pouch, its basic. A hard shell case would have been better.
Papers
Iems itself
Build and Design
Let’s start with EW200’s build, one of the best in its price range. The shells are made of metal. It has a silver chrome or mirror type finish. It is prone to finger prints and scratches. The shells have nice weight to them, feels fairly substantial in the hands. The shells are average sized. This has the classic semi custom iem shape. The face plate design is minimal with the simgot logo. The 2 pin connector is flush type. Nozzle insertion is standard. Score:4.75/5
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Fit stability is fine. Breathability is ok. It is generally comfortable for long listening sessions but the shape of the iem did cause some fatigue in my case. Score: 4/5
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Cable
This comes with a OFC silver plated copper cable, for the price cable quality is good. This uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and terminates in 3.5mm. Connectors and the Y split are made of rubber. There is no audible microphonics. Cable memory is basic. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any skin irritation. Cable weight and thickness is standard. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the over all silver aesthetic.
Tested With
Source: Cayin ru7, hidiz ap80, jcally ja04
Eartips: spinfit cp100, stodk
Cable: kbear black blade, stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound tonality
The Ew200 has a modified harman tuning, implementing Simgot’s target to harman target.
Bass
Let’s talk about EW200’s bass performance, this maintains a good balance between quality and quantity.
Sub bass is a bit more extended compared to the mid bass. Sub bass hit has good body and rumble. Although mid bass is not as forward as sub bass, it does not lack in authority. Bass speed is good. Bass note separation is good and bass texture is decent. In terms of quality Simgot did a great job, but quantity is not for bass heads. Usually I like a bit more forward mid bass presentation but in this case I quite enjoyed it’s overall tuning. Score: 4.5/5
Mids
Coming to the mids performance its clean with energy on top.
Transition from mid bass to the mids is mostly clean with a touch of warmth. Male vocals are natural but a bit recessed sounding. Female vocals are more forward compared to male vocals, providing good energy. They are clean but can be a bit sibilant for treble sensitive listeners. There is a good sense of air present in the female vocals and carried over to the instruments section. Talking about the instruments, its transparent. There is good body through out. In certain tracks specially acoustic tracks, the level of energy in the upper midrange cause the female vocals and instruments to sound a bit unnatural. Score: 4/5
Highs
Going over to the treble section of the EW200, it provides a balanced and precise treble performance with good detail.
Treble here is tuned really nicely and flows really nicely with the other frequencies. There is a touch of warmth still maintaining an energetic presence. Detailing is crisp without being too in your face. There is no major harshness or sharpness but treble sensitive listeners will find this tuning quite bright sounding. There is a good sense of air present. Note weight is decent along with good resolving capabilities. Speed is standard to fast type. Score: 4.5/5
technicalities Score: 4.5/5
Soundstage: better than average
Imaging: good
Dynamics: good
Sound separation: good
Resolution: good
Conclusion
To conclude this review, if you like a overall balanced sound this is the best under 50$. It’s clarity and cohesiveness coupled with intricate detail creates a truly beautiful listening experience. Simgot has done a fantastic job sith the EW200.
Attachments
Summary
To summarize the review “Freya 2.0” is a 270$ hybrid iem from Kinera. This is the sequel to the previous Freya, housing 1DD+ 3BA (Knowles). In terms of build, esthetics and ergonomics, this is built well, looks very gorgeous and fits amazing. Comes with high quality accessories. Talking about sound this has a V shape sound signature/ kinera house sound. Bass and mids is solid but the treble performance is ok, this follows a warm and chill tonality through out. This is very much on the musical side rather than analytical, more suitable towards pop, hiphop genres. Moving on to technicalities, its ok, this did not impress/ disappoint me in any way. To conclude, if you are looking for a good all rounder set with such tonality, this is a good option.
Sound signature: V shape, it has the kinera house sound.
Disclaimer: this unit was borrowed from a friend for this review, thus this review is unbiased and my honest opinion. Thanks to the unnamed friend for lending me this set.
Overview
Kinera Freya 2.0 is a 270$ hybrid iem with a 7mm DD + 3 Knowles BA drivers. It has impedence of 20ohms and sensitivity of 105db.
Talking about Kinera they are one of the most famous audio brands in the ChiFi audio space. They have iems starting from the ultra budget to ultra highend price range. The Freya 2.0 is their sequel to the OG Freya, as the name might suggest. I have owned and tried several Kinera iems in my audio journey, Norn being one of the most notable ones. Getting back to the Freya 2.0, I must say this is amazing.
Packaging/ Box Contents
Unfortunately I do not have the box for this, so I do not have any pictures. This cones with:
Iems itself
Cable with interchangeable terminations
3sets of eartips: 5pair of (full set) Final E eartips, 3pair of vocal eartips, 3pair od balanced eartips
Carrying Case, looks gorgeous
Papers
Build and Design
Let’s get into the Freya 2.0’s build, its quite good price considered. The shells are made of high quality 3d printed resin, with a gradient transparent design. The drivers inside are clearly visible. The faceplate design is immaculate, the shades of blue and silver with glitter create a mesmerizing combination. This is surely one of the best looking in this price. The shells are light weight and are average to small sized. This has the classic semi custom iem shape. Fingerprints or scratches were not an issue in my experience. The 2 pin connector is flush type. The nozzle width is normal and the nozzle length/ insertion is fairly deep. Score: 5/5
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is solid. The light weight and small shells sit snug and comfortably in my regular sized ears. They sit flush and stable. Breathability is ok. It is quite comfortable for longr listening sessions. Score: 5/5
Cable
Continuing in the blue and silver aesthetic the cable provides a pleasent visual experience. Kinera makes great cables and this is no exception, in terms of quality is quite nice. This comes with a 4 core alloy copper cable. This uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and modular terminations. Connectors and the Y split are made of metal and seem ok. There is no audible microphonics. Cable memory is basic, but a bit more softer cable would have been nice. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any skin irritation. Cable weight and thickness is standard. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the color of the iems.
Tested With
Source: Cayin Ru7, Questyle M15, Fiio btr5, ifi hip dac 2, apple type C dongle.
Eartips: Spinfit W1 (best paring), Final E (2nd best paring), Spintfit cp145, Divinus velvet
Cable: Stock, Kinera Leyding
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound tonality
Bass
Let’s talk about Freya 2’s bass performance, spoiler: its good, it mantains a satisfactory balance between quality and quantity.
Its bass is handled by 7mm single dynamic driver (1DD). This has that classic dynamic punch, which I personally really like, due to the dynamic driver. Sub bass is a bit more extended compared to the mid bass. Sub bass hit has good body and rumble. Although mid bass is not as forward as sub bass, it does not lack in authority. This has that good physicality factor. A bit more mid bass extension would have been great in my opinion, because lets say in more acoustic tracks mid bass may seem a bit overshadowed by the sub bass. Bass speed is on the faster side. Bass note separation is good and bass texture is decent. This provides a fun/ musical experience without hampering other frequencies. Score: 4/5
Mids
Coming to the mids, its handled by Knowles BA drivers. To summarize the mids performance its natural with a touch of warmth.
Warmth of the bass is carried over the mids. As a whole its natural, lush and there is an upper mid extension giving a bit of energy on top. Bass bleed was present but rather insignificant. Vocals un general is lush specially male vocals. Females vocals are more energetic and crisp. Talking about the instruments, it is slightly pushed back from linear, but still retains decent level of detail. Freya 2.0’s mids has a “dreamy” characteristic. For me the mids is good but I like a more airy and forward midrange. Score: 4/5
Highs
Going over to the treble section of the Freya 2.0 it is musical, chill, fairly detailed.
Treble performance of the Freya 2 is good but nothing impressive.This is more on the softer and laid back side. In terms of detail, its ok, this focuses on macro detail over micro detail. There is lack of air. Level of energy is ok. I did not find any sibilance or harshness in my testing. Lacks in accuracy. Honestly I expected better, Freya 2’s treble quality is not up to the mark considering the price. Score: 3/5
technicalities
Soundstage was intimate, lacked depth
Imaging is average
Dynamics is good enough
Sound separation is average
Resolution is ok
Conclusion
To conclude this is a fantastic all rounder set. This has good build, looks amazing, solid fit/ comfort, decent accessories and overall decent sound. This is a "Jack of all trades, master of none". If you are looking for a well rounded package with such sound, this is a really good option. Props to Kinera.
To summarize the review “Freya 2.0” is a 270$ hybrid iem from Kinera. This is the sequel to the previous Freya, housing 1DD+ 3BA (Knowles). In terms of build, esthetics and ergonomics, this is built well, looks very gorgeous and fits amazing. Comes with high quality accessories. Talking about sound this has a V shape sound signature/ kinera house sound. Bass and mids is solid but the treble performance is ok, this follows a warm and chill tonality through out. This is very much on the musical side rather than analytical, more suitable towards pop, hiphop genres. Moving on to technicalities, its ok, this did not impress/ disappoint me in any way. To conclude, if you are looking for a good all rounder set with such tonality, this is a good option.
Sound signature: V shape, it has the kinera house sound.
Disclaimer: this unit was borrowed from a friend for this review, thus this review is unbiased and my honest opinion. Thanks to the unnamed friend for lending me this set.
Overview
Kinera Freya 2.0 is a 270$ hybrid iem with a 7mm DD + 3 Knowles BA drivers. It has impedence of 20ohms and sensitivity of 105db.
Talking about Kinera they are one of the most famous audio brands in the ChiFi audio space. They have iems starting from the ultra budget to ultra highend price range. The Freya 2.0 is their sequel to the OG Freya, as the name might suggest. I have owned and tried several Kinera iems in my audio journey, Norn being one of the most notable ones. Getting back to the Freya 2.0, I must say this is amazing.
Packaging/ Box Contents
Unfortunately I do not have the box for this, so I do not have any pictures. This cones with:
Iems itself
Cable with interchangeable terminations
3sets of eartips: 5pair of (full set) Final E eartips, 3pair of vocal eartips, 3pair od balanced eartips
Carrying Case, looks gorgeous
Papers
Build and Design
Let’s get into the Freya 2.0’s build, its quite good price considered. The shells are made of high quality 3d printed resin, with a gradient transparent design. The drivers inside are clearly visible. The faceplate design is immaculate, the shades of blue and silver with glitter create a mesmerizing combination. This is surely one of the best looking in this price. The shells are light weight and are average to small sized. This has the classic semi custom iem shape. Fingerprints or scratches were not an issue in my experience. The 2 pin connector is flush type. The nozzle width is normal and the nozzle length/ insertion is fairly deep. Score: 5/5
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is solid. The light weight and small shells sit snug and comfortably in my regular sized ears. They sit flush and stable. Breathability is ok. It is quite comfortable for longr listening sessions. Score: 5/5
Cable
Continuing in the blue and silver aesthetic the cable provides a pleasent visual experience. Kinera makes great cables and this is no exception, in terms of quality is quite nice. This comes with a 4 core alloy copper cable. This uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and modular terminations. Connectors and the Y split are made of metal and seem ok. There is no audible microphonics. Cable memory is basic, but a bit more softer cable would have been nice. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any skin irritation. Cable weight and thickness is standard. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the color of the iems.
Tested With
Source: Cayin Ru7, Questyle M15, Fiio btr5, ifi hip dac 2, apple type C dongle.
Eartips: Spinfit W1 (best paring), Final E (2nd best paring), Spintfit cp145, Divinus velvet
Cable: Stock, Kinera Leyding
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound tonality
Bass
Let’s talk about Freya 2’s bass performance, spoiler: its good, it mantains a satisfactory balance between quality and quantity.
Its bass is handled by 7mm single dynamic driver (1DD). This has that classic dynamic punch, which I personally really like, due to the dynamic driver. Sub bass is a bit more extended compared to the mid bass. Sub bass hit has good body and rumble. Although mid bass is not as forward as sub bass, it does not lack in authority. This has that good physicality factor. A bit more mid bass extension would have been great in my opinion, because lets say in more acoustic tracks mid bass may seem a bit overshadowed by the sub bass. Bass speed is on the faster side. Bass note separation is good and bass texture is decent. This provides a fun/ musical experience without hampering other frequencies. Score: 4/5
Mids
Coming to the mids, its handled by Knowles BA drivers. To summarize the mids performance its natural with a touch of warmth.
Warmth of the bass is carried over the mids. As a whole its natural, lush and there is an upper mid extension giving a bit of energy on top. Bass bleed was present but rather insignificant. Vocals un general is lush specially male vocals. Females vocals are more energetic and crisp. Talking about the instruments, it is slightly pushed back from linear, but still retains decent level of detail. Freya 2.0’s mids has a “dreamy” characteristic. For me the mids is good but I like a more airy and forward midrange. Score: 4/5
Highs
Going over to the treble section of the Freya 2.0 it is musical, chill, fairly detailed.
Treble performance of the Freya 2 is good but nothing impressive.This is more on the softer and laid back side. In terms of detail, its ok, this focuses on macro detail over micro detail. There is lack of air. Level of energy is ok. I did not find any sibilance or harshness in my testing. Lacks in accuracy. Honestly I expected better, Freya 2’s treble quality is not up to the mark considering the price. Score: 3/5
technicalities
Soundstage was intimate, lacked depth
Imaging is average
Dynamics is good enough
Sound separation is average
Resolution is ok
Conclusion
To conclude this is a fantastic all rounder set. This has good build, looks amazing, solid fit/ comfort, decent accessories and overall decent sound. This is a "Jack of all trades, master of none". If you are looking for a well rounded package with such sound, this is a really good option. Props to Kinera.
Attachments
Summary
To summarize the review, this is a single DD iem from a new company called Ziigaat. This set “Nuo” comes in at around $25. Physically this is made well, does not feel like a 25$ iem, in terms of fit this is very comfortable. Talking about the most important aspect “sound” this offers a warmish balanced sound with an overall clean and natural presentation. In terms of flaws, sub bass lacks extension and treble sounded peaky/ sharp in certain circumstances. Other than some minor flaws this is the best set in the sub $25 range, in my opinion.
Sound signature: warm balanced
Disclaimer: This unit was purchased with my own money and this review is unbiased and my honest opinion…
Intro
Ziigaat nuo is a sub 25$ single DD iem with a 10mm LCP dynamic driver. It has impedence of 32ohms and sensitivity of 107db.
Talking about Ziigaat they are a new brand from Linsoul. So far their starting line up is looking quite strong. I am planning to check out their 99$ hybrid set soon. Anyways getting back to the Nuo, this is a real good one for the price.
Packaging/ Box Contents
Comes in a standard box, no complains here. It comes with:
Cable
Eartips
Iems itself
Papers
Build and Design
Let’s talk about nuo’s build, this is one of the strongest point of this set, one of the best if not the best in this price range. The shells are made of good quality 3d printed resin. The shells are light weight. The shells are average sized and has the classic semi custom iem shape. The face plate is metal, aluminum I guess, it has smooth matte finish and has very basic design. Fingerprints or scratches are not an issue. The 2 pin connector is flush type. The nozzle is metal with medium length and width. Nozzle is lipped so eartips are held securely. Score:4.75/5
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is quite good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Fit stability is good. Breathability is ok. It is generally comfortable for longr listening sessions. In terms of of passive noise isolation its good. Score: 5/5
Cable
I will keep the cable section short, its solid. Build quality of the cable is pretty good considering the price. Its a 2pin 3.5mm cable with 2 core braiding. I must mention this has slight microphonics. There is cable memory present, although its nitpicking considering its price. Score:4/5
Tested With
Source: Cayin ru7, fiio btr5, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock
Cable: stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound tonality
Bass
Let’s talk about nuo’s bass performance, its balanced.
Nuo’s bass focuses on quality over quantity. Initially I found the bass specially the sub bass lacking in terms of forwardness, but eventually I can appreciate the level of quality at this price. Mid bass is slightly forward compared to sub bass region. Mid bass presents decent level of authority with decent slam and attack. As I already mention sub bass is a bit recessed to my preference. Bass speed is ok. Bass note separation is good and bass texture is decent. In more acoustic tracks I enjoyed the clean presentation. As a whole quality is there but a bit more bass extension mainly the sub bass would have been solid. Score: 3.75/5
Mids
Midrange performance of the Nuo is its strongest suit. It’s clean and natural.
Transition from mid bass to the mids is mostly linear with a mild warmth. Male vocals sound thicker then female vocals. Overall vocals are clean and crisp but maintains naturalness throughout. There is a good sense of air present in the female vocals and carried over to the instruments section. Instruments section retains decent transparency without being in your face. The balanced nature of the bass continued on the mids of Nuo. Score: 4/5
Highs
Going over to the treble section of the Nuo, its sort of balanced but not exactly either.
Treble section is a bit extended from linear with some peaks present. This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather musical. Details are crisp. I must mention that the treble peaks do sound sharp in some tracks. This might get fatiguing for long listening sessions. This has good resolving capabilities. I enjoyed its sense of air with live tracks. It has good speed and energy. Score: 3.5/5
technicalities score:4/5
Soundstage: average to wider than average
Imaging: ok
Dynamics: good
Sound separation: average to better than average
Resolution: good
Conclusion
Overall I love this set for the level of quality its bringing at this price. Other than some minor issues in the bass and treble, its a great set. As a new company Ziigaat has done a fantastic job with the Nuo and I am excited to see what they bring in the future.
To summarize the review, this is a single DD iem from a new company called Ziigaat. This set “Nuo” comes in at around $25. Physically this is made well, does not feel like a 25$ iem, in terms of fit this is very comfortable. Talking about the most important aspect “sound” this offers a warmish balanced sound with an overall clean and natural presentation. In terms of flaws, sub bass lacks extension and treble sounded peaky/ sharp in certain circumstances. Other than some minor flaws this is the best set in the sub $25 range, in my opinion.
Sound signature: warm balanced
Disclaimer: This unit was purchased with my own money and this review is unbiased and my honest opinion…
Intro
Ziigaat nuo is a sub 25$ single DD iem with a 10mm LCP dynamic driver. It has impedence of 32ohms and sensitivity of 107db.
Talking about Ziigaat they are a new brand from Linsoul. So far their starting line up is looking quite strong. I am planning to check out their 99$ hybrid set soon. Anyways getting back to the Nuo, this is a real good one for the price.
Packaging/ Box Contents
Comes in a standard box, no complains here. It comes with:
Cable
Eartips
Iems itself
Papers
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Build and Design
Let’s talk about nuo’s build, this is one of the strongest point of this set, one of the best if not the best in this price range. The shells are made of good quality 3d printed resin. The shells are light weight. The shells are average sized and has the classic semi custom iem shape. The face plate is metal, aluminum I guess, it has smooth matte finish and has very basic design. Fingerprints or scratches are not an issue. The 2 pin connector is flush type. The nozzle is metal with medium length and width. Nozzle is lipped so eartips are held securely. Score:4.75/5
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is quite good. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Fit stability is good. Breathability is ok. It is generally comfortable for longr listening sessions. In terms of of passive noise isolation its good. Score: 5/5
Cable
I will keep the cable section short, its solid. Build quality of the cable is pretty good considering the price. Its a 2pin 3.5mm cable with 2 core braiding. I must mention this has slight microphonics. There is cable memory present, although its nitpicking considering its price. Score:4/5
Tested With
Source: Cayin ru7, fiio btr5, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock
Cable: stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound tonality
Bass
Let’s talk about nuo’s bass performance, its balanced.
Nuo’s bass focuses on quality over quantity. Initially I found the bass specially the sub bass lacking in terms of forwardness, but eventually I can appreciate the level of quality at this price. Mid bass is slightly forward compared to sub bass region. Mid bass presents decent level of authority with decent slam and attack. As I already mention sub bass is a bit recessed to my preference. Bass speed is ok. Bass note separation is good and bass texture is decent. In more acoustic tracks I enjoyed the clean presentation. As a whole quality is there but a bit more bass extension mainly the sub bass would have been solid. Score: 3.75/5
Mids
Midrange performance of the Nuo is its strongest suit. It’s clean and natural.
Transition from mid bass to the mids is mostly linear with a mild warmth. Male vocals sound thicker then female vocals. Overall vocals are clean and crisp but maintains naturalness throughout. There is a good sense of air present in the female vocals and carried over to the instruments section. Instruments section retains decent transparency without being in your face. The balanced nature of the bass continued on the mids of Nuo. Score: 4/5
Highs
Going over to the treble section of the Nuo, its sort of balanced but not exactly either.
Treble section is a bit extended from linear with some peaks present. This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather musical. Details are crisp. I must mention that the treble peaks do sound sharp in some tracks. This might get fatiguing for long listening sessions. This has good resolving capabilities. I enjoyed its sense of air with live tracks. It has good speed and energy. Score: 3.5/5
technicalities score:4/5
Soundstage: average to wider than average
Imaging: ok
Dynamics: good
Sound separation: average to better than average
Resolution: good
Conclusion
Overall I love this set for the level of quality its bringing at this price. Other than some minor issues in the bass and treble, its a great set. As a new company Ziigaat has done a fantastic job with the Nuo and I am excited to see what they bring in the future.
Attachments
Disclaimer: Thanks to Letshuoer for supplying this unit; however, it's crucial to note that my review remains unbiased and impartial.
Summary:
To summarize the review, this is a170USD 14.8mm planar driver iem with good accessory package for the price. In terms of sound tonality this has a V shape signature, its clean with top end energy and sparkle, and good low dnd. This is the evolution/ refined version of the original S12, with smoother upper midrange and slight boost in the sub bass region
Sound signature: V shape
Overview
Letshuoer S12 pro is a planar iem with a 14.8mm planar magnetic driver. It has impedence of 16ohms and sensitivity of 102db. This comes in at 170USD.
Letshuoer as a brand is good, they have a good track record, so far each of their recent releases got a lot of hype. S12 pro is my first letshuoer I have owned and extensively used. Other than this s12 pro, I have tried the limited Z12gold, previous planar s12 and their triple dynamic driver set, DZ4. Coming to the S12 pro, I had high expectations and it fulfilled it.
Packaging/ Box Contents:
The packaging is tastefully done price considered. Included accessories are pretty good.
Cable: its a 2pin cable with interchangeable terminations 2.5/3.5/4.4mm.
3 sets of eartips, a set of foam and two sets of silicone. Quality is good.
The iems itself
Papers
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Build and Design
Let’s start with S12 pro’s build, spoiler: its solid.The shells are made of CNC machined aluminum. The shells have nice weight to them, feels fairly substantial in the hands. The shells are small sized. This has the classic semi custom iem shape. The face plate design is plain, with a protrusion under the 2pin connector. Fingerprints were not an issue due to its matte finish but not so confident about scratches though. The 2 pin connector is flush type. The nozzle is width is medium but the length seems a bit short in my case, as the insertion was not as deep. Score: 4/5
Fit and Comfort
Moving on to the fit and comfort section, it is great. The shells sit nice and flush in my regular sized ears. Fortunately due to the lipped nozzle the eartips sit securely. Fit stability is ok, because of the shorter nozzle length the insertion is not as deep. Breathability is good. It is quite comfortable for longr listening sessions. In terms of passive noise isolation its under performing in my case due the shorter nozzle length. Score: 4.75/5
Cable
Talking about the cable it is one of the best if not the best in this price, I can nof say for sure but looks very similar to their letshuoer x Zreviews Chimera cable. This 392 strands of silver plated copper wire with 4 core construction. The pvc coating seems good. This uses a 0.78mm 2pin connector and has swappable terminations. Connectors and the Y split are made of aluminum.There is no audible microphonics. Cable memory is basic, but a bit more softer cable would have been great. The preformed earhooks are ok, they blend in with the color of the cable and did not cause any skin irritation. Cable weight and thickness is standard. In terms of looks this goes nicely with the blue color of the iems. Score: 5/5
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Tested With
Source: cayin ru7, fiio btr5, apple type c dongle
Eartips: spinfit w1 (best pairing), spinfit sp145, Divinus velvet, Final E, stock foam, stock silicone.
Cable: stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound tonality
Bass
Let’s talk about S12 pro’s bass performance, spoiler: its great.
The bass is handled by its single full range planar driver. This has the classic planar bass characteristics which I personally enjoy with electronic and rock music. Transition from sub bass to mid bass is fairly linear with a very mild elevation from the mid bass. Sub bass hit has good slam and rumble. Mid bas is tactile. Overall speed is fast. Bass note separation is good and bass texture is decent. I quite enjoyed its speed and tactility including with its definition. Score: 4.75/5
Mids
To summarize the mids performance its clean and neutral.
Transition from mid bass to the mids is mostly linear. Male vocals sound thick and lush,I did not find any mushiness. Female vocals are clean and crisp. Although I would say male vocals have better body than female vocals. There is a good sense of air present in the female vocals and carried over to the instruments section. Talking about the instruments it retains decent level of detail without being too analytical. The upper mid range is smooth unlike several planars, including its predecessor, S12. I must say the balance between detail and smoothness is amazing in the mids, specially the female vocals. Score: 4/5
Highs
Going over to the treble section of the S12 pro, as a whole it is musical, fast and detailed.
Treble section is elevated significantly from neutral giving it V shape signature.. This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather musical. Details are crisp. I personally find this V tuning quite tasteful and it goes quite well with my library. S12 pro’s treble is quite accurate/ transparent without being offensive or aggressive in any way. Note weight is decent. This has good resolving capabilities. I enjoyed its sense of air/ spaciousness with live tracks. It has amazing speed and energy. Detail retrieval is above average. In certain circumstances its treble sounds a bit thin. As mentioned already sibilance or harshness is not an issue here, so this will be good choice for treble sensitive listeners who still want good details. Score: 4/5
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technicalities (score: 4.5/5)
Soundstage: above average, it’s fairly wide, has reasonable forward backward depth. It does not reach far out the headspace.
Imaging: above average
Dynamics: good
Sound separation: solid
Resolution: good
Comparison with the original S12
I will keep this short as there is not much to it, basically this is a refined version of the original S12. This comes in a prettier color, modular cable and improved sound. Sub bass is slightly elevated and the upper mids is tamer, thus it’s quite a bit smoother. This was a complain against the s12 that a lot of people including me found it a bit fatiguing and I am glad that they fixed it.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a good budget friendly planar set, this is a good option in its price range. Personally I have not tried ghee hidiz mp145 yet so I do not know how it compares. If you are looking to upgrade from the original s12, this is not it. Thanks to Letshuoer for providing this unit.
Attachments
Disclaimer: This unit was purchased using my own money, thus all my opinions are genuine and unbiased. Thanks
Sound signature: warm
Overview:
This is a 30$ dhnamic driver headphone.
Talking about koss, they are one of the more older and well established brands, basically they have been around for a long while now. Most people know them for their Porta Pros, which was released back in 1984, and still in production to this day! This koss kph30i is one of their more recent additions, and spoiler: this is really good.
Box and accessories
In the box it comes with:
The headphone itself
Papers
Build and Fit:
Build in general is ok price considered. Full body is made of plastic. The suspension strap is made of silicone and the pads are foam. Attached cable and mic is ok. Kph30 is quite light weight. Fit is really good, quite comfortable even for long listening sessions. Fit stability is good, clamping force is normal. As this is a semi open-back on ear headphone the passive isolation is very low. Fit breathability is ok, but my ears did get hot on very humid days. Score 3.5/5
Tested with
Source: ak sp1000m, cayin ru7, fiio btr5, hiby r5s, apple type c dongle.
Modded Earpads: yaxi pads, grado gs1000 pads, stock pads
Modded cable: **** 16 core cable
Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound
Bass
Over all bass is solid, its forward from neutral giving a bit more liveliness to the music. Sub bass is not as forward as mid bass as its open back. Mid bass is prominent and is done well with decent punch and slam. Bass notes are ok separated and bass texture is average, but this basically nitpicking considering the price. Speed is normal for a dynamic driver. Score 4.5/5
Midrange
As a whole midrange performance is warm and lush. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is thick. Males vocals are warm and lush with no points to gripe about. Female vocals are fairly natural, details are crisp and full bodied. Instruments are also natural with good decay. Personally I would have preferred a bit more excitement in the upper mids. 4.5/5
Treble
This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather more musical, with over all good resolution. There is good enough energy and detail without it sounding harsh or sharp. It has ok resolving capabilities. The kph30 sounds spacious with good sense of air. As mentioned already, sibilance is not an issue here, so this will suit treble sensitive listeners. Score 4/5
Technical performance (score: 4/5)
Soundstage: pretty good
Imaging: good
Sound separation: good
Dynamics: ok
Resolution: ok
Conclusion
This is the best headphone under 30$ in my opinion. Cheap enough to rough use it and sound good. Comfort is also a plus point for me. I highly recommend this set if u wanna get into headphones that sounds decent without breaking the bank.
Sound signature: warm
Overview:
This is a 30$ dhnamic driver headphone.
Talking about koss, they are one of the more older and well established brands, basically they have been around for a long while now. Most people know them for their Porta Pros, which was released back in 1984, and still in production to this day! This koss kph30i is one of their more recent additions, and spoiler: this is really good.
Box and accessories
In the box it comes with:
The headphone itself
Papers
Build and Fit:
Build in general is ok price considered. Full body is made of plastic. The suspension strap is made of silicone and the pads are foam. Attached cable and mic is ok. Kph30 is quite light weight. Fit is really good, quite comfortable even for long listening sessions. Fit stability is good, clamping force is normal. As this is a semi open-back on ear headphone the passive isolation is very low. Fit breathability is ok, but my ears did get hot on very humid days. Score 3.5/5
Tested with
Source: ak sp1000m, cayin ru7, fiio btr5, hiby r5s, apple type c dongle.
Modded Earpads: yaxi pads, grado gs1000 pads, stock pads
Modded cable: **** 16 core cable
Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound
Bass
Over all bass is solid, its forward from neutral giving a bit more liveliness to the music. Sub bass is not as forward as mid bass as its open back. Mid bass is prominent and is done well with decent punch and slam. Bass notes are ok separated and bass texture is average, but this basically nitpicking considering the price. Speed is normal for a dynamic driver. Score 4.5/5
Midrange
As a whole midrange performance is warm and lush. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is thick. Males vocals are warm and lush with no points to gripe about. Female vocals are fairly natural, details are crisp and full bodied. Instruments are also natural with good decay. Personally I would have preferred a bit more excitement in the upper mids. 4.5/5
Treble
This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather more musical, with over all good resolution. There is good enough energy and detail without it sounding harsh or sharp. It has ok resolving capabilities. The kph30 sounds spacious with good sense of air. As mentioned already, sibilance is not an issue here, so this will suit treble sensitive listeners. Score 4/5
Technical performance (score: 4/5)
Soundstage: pretty good
Imaging: good
Sound separation: good
Dynamics: ok
Resolution: ok
Conclusion
This is the best headphone under 30$ in my opinion. Cheap enough to rough use it and sound good. Comfort is also a plus point for me. I highly recommend this set if u wanna get into headphones that sounds decent without breaking the bank.
Attachments
Summary: Unfortunately I am way too late for this review, but thought to do it anyway as it seems to go on sale on a lot of local places. This has decent build and looks, comfort is slightly lacking. In terms of sound this has a bright mild v shape sound signature. Overall at sound is ok but not good enough for its asking price.
Sound signature: bright, mild V shape
Overview:
This is a single DD iem with 10mm dynamic driver with an impedance of 32ohms and sensitivity of 104db.
Talking about Tin hifi, they are one of the moe popular chifi brands. One of their most popular model the tin hifi t2 started my journey with tin hifi. Other than the t2 and p1 I personally did not find their other releases that special.
Box and accessories
In the box it comes with:
Iems itself
2 pin cable, its average price considered. They have provided better cables with their other offerings.
3pairs of narrow boar tips (average quality)
3pairs of medium boar tips (average quality)
Papers
Build and Fit:
Build in general is good price considered. It’s made of cnc machined aluminum, feels decent in the hands. In terms of looks, they are one of the best in this price range, it has a industrial sci fi look. Shells are medium to small size. They are decent weight as its fully metal built. Fit is good but it does sacrifice in the comfort region. Fit stability and breathability is ok. Score 3/5
Tested with
Source: hidiz ap80, cx pro dongle
Eartips: stock, spinfit cp100
Cable: stock
Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound
Bass
Bass performance is ok. Sub bass is more forward than mid bass with good rumble and attack. But mid bass is not as prominent and its lacking punch and slam. Bass notes are separated and bass texture is ok Speed is ok for a dynamic driver. Personally I would have prefered more mid bass extension. Score 2.5/5
Midrange
Coming to the midrange, as a whole its ok. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is linear. Vocals are crisp and clean but specifically female vocals sound a bit thin. There are some peaks which is audible but not sinilent. Instruments are also clean and linear sounding but in certain tracks it is brighter due to the peaks as mentioned. Personally I would have preferred a bit more body and thickness in the overall mids. Score 3/5
Treble
Talking about treble performance, it is energetic and bright. Details are crisp and have good shimmer to it. It has decent resolving capabilities. I would say this sound very analytical.
Unfortunately there is a fair bit of sharpness/ harshness present in a lot of tracks, so this will not be suitable for treble sensitive listeners. Although I enjoyed its treble with metal and rock music. Score 3.5/5
Technical performance (score: 4/5)
Soundstage: above average
Imaging: ok
Sound separation: ok
Dynamics: ok
Resolution:good
Conclusion
I personally do not recommend this set, as there are better options in its price range and even in its discounted price range. Other than that this is more suitable for genres like metal, rock and classical in my opinion.
Sound signature: bright, mild V shape
Overview:
This is a single DD iem with 10mm dynamic driver with an impedance of 32ohms and sensitivity of 104db.
Talking about Tin hifi, they are one of the moe popular chifi brands. One of their most popular model the tin hifi t2 started my journey with tin hifi. Other than the t2 and p1 I personally did not find their other releases that special.
Box and accessories
In the box it comes with:
Iems itself
2 pin cable, its average price considered. They have provided better cables with their other offerings.
3pairs of narrow boar tips (average quality)
3pairs of medium boar tips (average quality)
Papers
Build and Fit:
Build in general is good price considered. It’s made of cnc machined aluminum, feels decent in the hands. In terms of looks, they are one of the best in this price range, it has a industrial sci fi look. Shells are medium to small size. They are decent weight as its fully metal built. Fit is good but it does sacrifice in the comfort region. Fit stability and breathability is ok. Score 3/5
Tested with
Source: hidiz ap80, cx pro dongle
Eartips: stock, spinfit cp100
Cable: stock
Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound
Bass
Bass performance is ok. Sub bass is more forward than mid bass with good rumble and attack. But mid bass is not as prominent and its lacking punch and slam. Bass notes are separated and bass texture is ok Speed is ok for a dynamic driver. Personally I would have prefered more mid bass extension. Score 2.5/5
Midrange
Coming to the midrange, as a whole its ok. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is linear. Vocals are crisp and clean but specifically female vocals sound a bit thin. There are some peaks which is audible but not sinilent. Instruments are also clean and linear sounding but in certain tracks it is brighter due to the peaks as mentioned. Personally I would have preferred a bit more body and thickness in the overall mids. Score 3/5
Treble
Talking about treble performance, it is energetic and bright. Details are crisp and have good shimmer to it. It has decent resolving capabilities. I would say this sound very analytical.
Unfortunately there is a fair bit of sharpness/ harshness present in a lot of tracks, so this will not be suitable for treble sensitive listeners. Although I enjoyed its treble with metal and rock music. Score 3.5/5
Technical performance (score: 4/5)
Soundstage: above average
Imaging: ok
Sound separation: ok
Dynamics: ok
Resolution:good
Conclusion
I personally do not recommend this set, as there are better options in its price range and even in its discounted price range. Other than that this is more suitable for genres like metal, rock and classical in my opinion.
Attachments
Summary: Unfortunately I am way too late for this review, but thought to do it anyway as it seems to go on sale on a lot of local places. In the current market situation the only reason to purchase this set instead of other is because of its Final tips set. Otherwise this is just not worth the money anymore in my opinion.
Sound signature: Bass forward
Overview:
This is a single dynamic driver iem with a 6mm micro dynamic driver with an impedance of 16ohms and sensitivity of 105db.
Box and accessories
In the box it comes with:
Earphone itself
2 sets of of tips, a basic set and a full set of Final audio tips (which are almost 15$)
Case
Build and Fit:
Build in general is ok price considered. The bullet style shells are made of aluminum, feels sturdy in the hands. Shells are fairlh small size. They are pretty light weight. Although the attached cable is average to kinda cheap feeling. Cable is a bit microphonic and is memory prone. The in line microphone is ok. Fit of the tyr is quite comfortable, even for long listening sessions. Score 4/5
Tested with
Source: cayin ru7, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, final
Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound
Bass
Although bass performance is its strongest suit, its very unsatisfactory in present circumstance. Tyr’s bass is handled by its single full range dynamic driver, thus it has the classic dynamic punch. Over all bass is quite extended from neutral giving more liveliness to the music. Sub bass and mid bass is linear with decent rumble and attack. This has a sense of physicality factor. Overall bass is quite prominent in the tracks. Bass notes are not as well separated and bass texture is missing. Speed is slow and boomy. Compared to its present competition bass quality is very poor. Score: 2/5
Midrange
As a whole midrange performance is hardly ok. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is poor. Vocals are warm and compressed. It lacks detail. Instruments lack the energy. Overall mids quality is lacking from its competitors. Score: 2/5
Treble
Treble is tuned smooth. There is ok energy and detail without it sounding harsh or sharp. It has ok resolving capabilities.Tyr sounds fairly spacious with ok sense of air. As mentioned already, sibilance is not an issue, at least to my ears. Score5/5
Technical performance (score: 3/5)
Soundstage: good
Imaging: good
Sound separation: meh
Dynamics: meh
Resolution: poor
Conclusion
As an earphone this does not justify buying it for 20$ anymore. The only logical reason may be to buy for the final tips which is 15$ and keep the tyr as a 5$ set, in which case its solid .
I know I am quite late for this review, but still decided to do so as it seems to go on sale pretty often.
Sound signature: Bass forward
Overview:
This is a single dynamic driver iem with a 6mm micro dynamic driver with an impedance of 16ohms and sensitivity of 105db.
Box and accessories
In the box it comes with:
Earphone itself
2 sets of of tips, a basic set and a full set of Final audio tips (which are almost 15$)
Case
Build and Fit:
Build in general is ok price considered. The bullet style shells are made of aluminum, feels sturdy in the hands. Shells are fairlh small size. They are pretty light weight. Although the attached cable is average to kinda cheap feeling. Cable is a bit microphonic and is memory prone. The in line microphone is ok. Fit of the tyr is quite comfortable, even for long listening sessions. Score 4/5
Tested with
Source: cayin ru7, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, final
Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound
Bass
Although bass performance is its strongest suit, its very unsatisfactory in present circumstance. Tyr’s bass is handled by its single full range dynamic driver, thus it has the classic dynamic punch. Over all bass is quite extended from neutral giving more liveliness to the music. Sub bass and mid bass is linear with decent rumble and attack. This has a sense of physicality factor. Overall bass is quite prominent in the tracks. Bass notes are not as well separated and bass texture is missing. Speed is slow and boomy. Compared to its present competition bass quality is very poor. Score: 2/5
Midrange
As a whole midrange performance is hardly ok. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is poor. Vocals are warm and compressed. It lacks detail. Instruments lack the energy. Overall mids quality is lacking from its competitors. Score: 2/5
Treble
Treble is tuned smooth. There is ok energy and detail without it sounding harsh or sharp. It has ok resolving capabilities.Tyr sounds fairly spacious with ok sense of air. As mentioned already, sibilance is not an issue, at least to my ears. Score5/5
Technical performance (score: 3/5)
Soundstage: good
Imaging: good
Sound separation: meh
Dynamics: meh
Resolution: poor
Conclusion
As an earphone this does not justify buying it for 20$ anymore. The only logical reason may be to buy for the final tips which is 15$ and keep the tyr as a 5$ set
, in which case its solid . I know I am quite late for this review, but still decided to do so as it seems to go on sale pretty often.
Attachments
Sound signature: mild V shape
Disclaimer: Thanks to linsoul for providing this unit, but I am in no way biased for this review
Overview:
Kiwi Ears Melody is a planar iem with a single 12mm planar driver.
Talking about Kiwi Ears, they are one of my favorite chi fi brands and for good reason. I used the orchestra lite for a long while as my only iem and recently I also tried the quintet which is one of my fav sub 200$ iem, so I had high hopes for this.
| Box and accessories Unboxing was basic for the price. It came with Iems Cable, it’s a 2pin cable with 3.5mm termination. Cable quality is good price considered. 6 pairs of tips, 3 pair regular and 3 pair wide boar tips. Quality is average Papers | 
|
| Build, design and fit In terms of looks they have a matte black finish with logos on the face plate. They have similar look like the Quintet. On the first glance they can be mistaken for guitar picks. Personally, I think it looks a bit boring compared to let’s say their other 100$ set Quartet, which was a looker. Although some people might like the minimalistic design approach. Build in general is good price considered. Its made of 3d printed resin, feels ok in the hands. Shells are medium to small size. They are quite light weight. Nozzle size is medium. Tip rolling is not an issue here. Fit is quite comfortable even for long listening sessions. Fit stability is good as well. Passive issolation is average. Fit breathability is decent. Score 5/5 |
Tested with Source: cayin ru7, fiio btr5, apple type c dont le Eartips: stock, spinfit w1 Cable: stock Tested with versatile genre of music 
| 
|
Sound
Bass
Bass performance is Melody’s strongest suit in my opinion, it is boosted but not overwhelming. Melody’s single planar driver handles the bass like a champ, this has the classic planar bass attributes. It has good speed keeping bass notes separated. Sub bass has decent rumble as well good tightness to it. Transition from sub bass to mid bass is linear. Mid bass slams hard but also having good body. This has that physicality factor. Thanks to the planar the tightness in the bass keeps it from sounding muddy. This is one of the more resolving and engaging planar bass in my opinion. Score 4.75/5
Midrange
Coming to Melody’s midrange performance, it is laid back as a whole. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is warm. Male vocals are mellow sounding but are a bit too recessed. Female vocals have a bit more details are crispness compared to male vocals. There is a audible peak in the upper mids which could be a bit sibilant for treble sensitive listeners. Personally I would have preferred a bit more extension in the male vocals. I found some instruments sound weird or honky due to the upper mids peak in some tracks. Score: 3/5
Treble
Melody’s treble is satisfactory. This has a lively presentation with good energy. I find this to sound accurate. Top end extension is done well. Treble is tuned generally to my liking but a touch more additional sparkle would go well. There is good energy and detail without it sounding harsh or sibilant. It has decent note weight and resolving capabilities. This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather more musical, with over all good resolution. Details are crisp and it has good body. Melody’s treble sounds spacious with good sense of air. I did find a similarity between its treble and Quintet’s treble. Score 4.5/5
Technical performance (score: 4.5/5)
Soundstage: above average
Imaging:above average
Sound separation: very good
Dynamics: good
Resolution:good
Conclusion
This is the best planar under 100$ in my opinion. If you like planar bass, this would be right up your alley. But I should mention this is not like DD bass, so this might not satisfy bass heads. Kiwi Ears team did a great job with this set. Once again thanks to linsoul for providing this unit.
Attachments
Sound signature: neutral with mild bass extension.
Overview:
This is a hybrid iem with 5 drivers (1DD+4BA) with an impedance of 35ohms and sensitivity of 110db.
Box and accessories
In the box it comes with:
Cable (8core 2pin cable with 3.5mm termination), really nice for the price
6pairs of tips, average quality
Case, generic case that comes with chifi iems.
Build and Fit:
Build in general is really good price considered. Its made of high quality 3d printed resin, feels fairly premium in the hands. Shells are average to small size. They are light weight. Fit is amazing, quite comfortable even for long listening sessions. Fit stability is good as well. Nozzle width is medium sized and the nozzle insertion is deep, therefore good passive isolation. Fit breathability is average. Score 5/5
Tested with
Source: Ak sp1000m, questyle m15, cayin ru7, fiio btr 5, apple type c dongle
Eartips: spinfit w1, spinfit cp145, spinfit cp100+, final E, jvc spiral dots, stock
Cable: stock, letshuoer chimera, kbear blackblade
Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound
Bass
Bass performance is solid. Performer 5’s bass is handled by a single dynamic driver, thus it has the classic dynamic punch. Over all bass is slightly boosted from neutral giving a bit more liveliness to the music. Sub bass is a bit more forward than mid bass with decent rumble and attack. This has a good physicality factor. But mid bass is still prominent and is done well with good punch and body. Bass notes are well separated and bass texture is good. Speed is decent for a dynamic driver. There is no hollowness or muddiness present. Score 4.75/5
Midrange
Mids and treble are handled by the BA drivers. As a whole midrange performance is beautiful. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is smooth with a touch of warmth. Males vocals are warm and lush with no points to gripe about. Female vocals are natural, details are crisp and full bodied. Instruments are also natural with good decay. Personally I would have preferred a bit more extension in the upper mids. 4.5/5
Treble
Treble is tuned perfectly to my and general liking. There is good energy and detail without it sounding harsh or sharp. It has good resolving capabilities. This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather more musical, with over all good resolution. Details are crisp with good body to it. Performer 5 sounds quite spacious with good sense of air. As mentioned already, sibilance is not an issue, at least to my ears. Score5/5
Technical performance (score: 4/5)
Soundstage: above average
Imaging:above average
Sound separation: above average
Dynamics: good
Resolution:good
Conclusion
This is still a solid choice in this price range, in my opinion. Must say the Aful team did a fantastic job making this masterpiece at such an affordable price. As the competition arises, even if this does not stay in the top 3 at 200$, it will stay in the top 10 for a while.
Overview:
This is a hybrid iem with 5 drivers (1DD+4BA) with an impedance of 35ohms and sensitivity of 110db.
Box and accessories
In the box it comes with:
Cable (8core 2pin cable with 3.5mm termination), really nice for the price
6pairs of tips, average quality
Case, generic case that comes with chifi iems.
Build and Fit:
Build in general is really good price considered. Its made of high quality 3d printed resin, feels fairly premium in the hands. Shells are average to small size. They are light weight. Fit is amazing, quite comfortable even for long listening sessions. Fit stability is good as well. Nozzle width is medium sized and the nozzle insertion is deep, therefore good passive isolation. Fit breathability is average. Score 5/5
Tested with
Source: Ak sp1000m, questyle m15, cayin ru7, fiio btr 5, apple type c dongle
Eartips: spinfit w1, spinfit cp145, spinfit cp100+, final E, jvc spiral dots, stock
Cable: stock, letshuoer chimera, kbear blackblade
Tested with versatile genre of music
Sound
Bass
Bass performance is solid. Performer 5’s bass is handled by a single dynamic driver, thus it has the classic dynamic punch. Over all bass is slightly boosted from neutral giving a bit more liveliness to the music. Sub bass is a bit more forward than mid bass with decent rumble and attack. This has a good physicality factor. But mid bass is still prominent and is done well with good punch and body. Bass notes are well separated and bass texture is good. Speed is decent for a dynamic driver. There is no hollowness or muddiness present. Score 4.75/5
Midrange
Mids and treble are handled by the BA drivers. As a whole midrange performance is beautiful. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is smooth with a touch of warmth. Males vocals are warm and lush with no points to gripe about. Female vocals are natural, details are crisp and full bodied. Instruments are also natural with good decay. Personally I would have preferred a bit more extension in the upper mids. 4.5/5
Treble
Treble is tuned perfectly to my and general liking. There is good energy and detail without it sounding harsh or sharp. It has good resolving capabilities. This is not the most analytical type of treble but rather more musical, with over all good resolution. Details are crisp with good body to it. Performer 5 sounds quite spacious with good sense of air. As mentioned already, sibilance is not an issue, at least to my ears. Score5/5
Technical performance (score: 4/5)
Soundstage: above average
Imaging:above average
Sound separation: above average
Dynamics: good
Resolution:good
Conclusion
This is still a solid choice in this price range, in my opinion. Must say the Aful team did a fantastic job making this masterpiece at such an affordable price. As the competition arises, even if this does not stay in the top 3 at 200$, it will stay in the top 10 for a while.
GoneToPlaid
Nice review. I need to get around to posting my parametric EQ tweaks for the Performer 5.
zabiri
@GoneToPlaid Thanks for checking out my review and best wishes for your post
Probably V3 is the killer entry DAP.