DUNU Titan S

Welcome to the Audio Amateur's Review. Straightforward reasoning: I'm an amateur and I love audio.

Disclaimer
Dunu does not sponsor me. I bought the unit's total price for myself. The review will be simple but honest.
I bought it for around $60 in my country.

Gear Used
- MacBook Pro M1 2020
- FiiO Q11
- iPhone 13
- xDuoo MT-602
- Arturia Minifuse 2

To the review...
Let's break down the review into 3 parts, which are Packaging and accessories, Build and comfort, and Sound.

Packaging and Accessories - 9/10
The packaging is quite nice and inclusive for the price. The cable included is okay, not at all bad. The ear tips provided are plenty, with 3 different types of ear tips to choose from. The case though, is an absolute steal. The soft case is a zipper, PU leather case that is very good and feels quite luxurious.

Build and Comfort - 9/10
The IEM is built like it's from the 2077. Mine is the matte black one, and let me tell you. The metal parts (or probably alloy) are very nice to touch, not a fingerprint magnet, and its texture is rough but feels very nice. The little circular grill on the unit is an actual vent, so it's a semi-open IEM. The nozzle extends quite deep, and somehow the fit is .. weird in a sense. Sometimes it cannot stay still, sometimes it sounds muffled when I move my head up and down. I did some ear tips rolling and found one (I forgot whose ear tips) that has a wide bore and it suits pretty well. Still, it goes pretty deep into your ear canal and some may have problems with this.

Sound - 8.6/10
Allow me to elaborate. I pair the IEM with the FiiO Q11.
I made this playlist on Apple Music to test all of my audio equipment.

Bass - 7.5/10
Ah. Bass. The one that is okay but for me, it's a lot left to be desired. The bass is clean, sounds neutral, pretty fast transient, but it doesn't slam in some tracks. Even Hotel California Live from the Hell Freezes Over album's kick drum doesn't hit like it should. It has texture and definition but doesn't rumble and hits. I like how natural it sounds, and sounds great for the acoustical one and even classical.

Mid - 10/10
This is where the IEM shines. It has a very lush, open, and a bit forward presentation. It sounds amazing through all of my vocal tracks on the playlist. Guitar picking sounds detailed. The imaging is pinpoint, and the soundstage is wide open but a bit lacking in depth. It's nothing very spacious, though. It just sounds.. right. The upper mids though, sound a bit shouty at times and with some specific tracks, so it shouldn't be worried about.

High - 8.5/10
The high sounds sparkly and very clear. It's detailed though sometimes I miss the air extension. For my taste it's sparkling enough but because the mid is forward, the highs kind of masked and losing air. That's just me probably, as I agree with other reviewers that the high is amazing. I don't recommend using this with any tube amp because it makes the high even more airy and makes the mids even more forward. It is not sibilant at all and it is not overpowering nor sounds thin.

Conclusion
Overall, I love and use this IEM whenever I want to enjoy vocal tracks, acoustics, and scores on the go. This is perfect for you who love vocals and enjoy their concert on the go. I tried the legendary Moondrop Aria that sold in the same price range here (a bit more expensive), and still, I chose this one. The fit can be cumbersome, but once you get the perfect fit, it will likely stay in your collection for a long time.

INTRODUCTION:
Dunu has been under my radar for quite some time now. I’ve been trying to review anything from their line up and I’m glad that the Titan S is the one that landed on my doorstep. This year if I get lucky, I have my eyes on the SA6 Ultra or even the OG variant will do.

If you have been following me, you must be familiar with my taste in music and preference for sound. And let me tell you early in this review, TS (I will use this name for Titan S for the entirety of this review) is a unique IEM that nailed almost all that is in my book. So without further ado, shall we? Come join me.

FOREWORD:​

• The gear on hand has undergone at least 10-15 hours of use before it was assessed.
• No EQ is ever applied in my reviews.
• For the sake of convenience, I try my best to use a stock setup. Only some people have access to personal ear tips or cables. If personal ear tips, cables, or accessories are used, you will be notified.
• As I try to be objective, my claims inevitably will be subjective and biased to my personal preference. I cannot stress more that you should take this with a grain of salt for we have different perceptions to sound and what we hear.
• Stock tips and cables were used. I did go for the soft and somewhat wide bore tips. Light gray in color. Small size.

SPECIFICATIONS:​

Configuration: 11mm dynamic driver with Polycondensated crystal polymer diahphragm
Impedance: 32ohms
Sensitivity: 110+/- 1db
Freq response: 5hz - 40khz

PACKAGING:​

I received the black and red variant of the TS. Which I think is cooler than the original colorway. The packaging was revamped following the motif of the color obviously, black and red. Small in size and has a distinguishable thickness. If I’m correct, this was released for Dunu’s 20 years of excellence and innovation. Below are the complete inclusions:

1. a pair of Titan S IEM
2. a cable (mixed strand monocrystalline copper and silver plated)
3. generous sets of eartips

• 3 pairs of narrow bore tips, blue and black in color
• 4 pairs of wide bore tips, red and black in color, stiff.
• 3 pairs of wide bore tips, light gray, soft.

1. Paper works
2. Cable clip

Personally, all the essentials are here. Freebies would have been welcome but hey, we are still talking sub $100 here. Now let’s get to the good part eh?

SOUND IMPRESSIONS:​

TS surprised me in sound quality right off the bat. I took my time and burned it in at approximately 3 weeks of almost daily usage. Personally, I hardly noticed any significant change in sound.

TS is a unique-sounding set and I would like to commend Dunu for not going into the mainstream sound of being V-shape or U-shaped. I can safely say that the sound signature belongs to the likes of my Kinera Idun Golden and Seeaudio Bravery red. Let’s breakdown the sound.

Lows are on the lean side. Punch and thud are very humble like a gentle knock. But if the track calls for it, TS is ready to give you some fun in sound. My playlist consists mostly of jazz, funk, acid, and smooth jazz and not so much of modern instruments. The likes of George Benson, Stevie Wonder, and Patrice Rushen sounded almost neutral with minimal elevation and boost. Sub bass is ready to give but quickly decays thus giving me a clean and bleed-free presentation. I can foresee that this might turn off those who are accustomed to boosted lows, but as a neutral head, this is nirvana. Lows are never sluggish and are quick enough to cope with fast-paced rhythms. Double pedals of drum kicks are easy for TS and bass guitar licks are a breeze. On neutral sources, TS lows are more leaning toward neutral domain while analog sources like R2R daps will give a more rounded presentation. Thus TS is quite sensitive to sources.

Mids are properly done and still humble and not emphasized. They are not forward or recessed in any way. They are not highlighted but instead neat and properly placed as they should be. Vocals are still the star of the show on properly mixed tracks and instruments that are supposed to be upfront, are indeed forward and brought to light. The tone and timbre are spot on and as a dynamic driver, being organic and natural comes with the territory. Mids are not edgy or overly defined yet not smoothened. It has the right amount of definition and snappiness with a very realistic sound presentation.

TS is not something I would call a bright set. My Idun and Bravery are the brighter siblings. Yet air and details are clearly present and not subdued. Trebles are not at all rolled off and TS’s treble will scale well with a decent amount of power. A lot of micro and macro details fall in this territory and TS did not leave me cliff hanged. Shimmer and sparkle are on the light side of things so if you’re a treble head, you might want to do some serious tip-rolling. As a friend once put it, well reserved must be the perfect description for the trebles here. Brass sections still satisfied me with sizzles but cymbals, hihats and the likes, might be missing grit and bite to some. Sibilance and the tendency to get hot are nowhere to be found with TS thus safe to treble sensitives as well.

Conclusively, TS has this unique control over its sound presentation, not emphasizing anything in particular yet not too safe to be called boring, clinical, or sterile. There are times that I choose to pick TS over my much beloved Kinera Idun as that set has a tendency to be less engaging while both possess the nature of being neutral. It was mind-boggling for me how can this be so neutral yet so engaging at the same time. Now that is very hard to achieve and I gladly applauded what Dunu did here.

Additional note: If you want to open up the trebles of Titan S, revert to wide bore tips. If you want a little emphasis on the lows, go for narrow bore tips. Now, I have found a tip that both opens up the trebles and have that added emphasis on mid-bass. And that would be the Kbear 07 tips. The Radius Deep Mount is also a good option that suits the Titan S.

TECHNICALITIES:​

TS is by no means a capable set in terms of technicalities. It can even rival my sets that are above $150. More of this in detail later on.

Sound stage is quite wide here and near the territory of my Bqeyz Autumn and Winter. Elements have a good space and does not have that “in your face” nature that can be fatiguing in long listening sessions. For an IEM, I can commend the stage here. Depth and width are discernable giving sufficient headroom.

Imaging has good fluidity and is pinpoint. The instruments are very easy to follow with no struggle in placement. Panning of elements that changes throughout a track is very evident and accurately presented.

Separation might be the one thing that TS is not that exceptional. It is very good but not as separated as my hybrid IEMs. But don’t fret, the staging and imaging compensate for this weakness. I’m speaking from a perspective as I’ve tested better sets in this term. The separation here is still commendable nonetheless.

Speed of drivers are desirable and always satisfying. By no means, one of the quickest and snappy sets that I’ve tested so far. Don’t be afraid to put TS to the test with your complex and busy tracks. This baby will bring it on.

Conclusively, TS is a very competent player in technicalities. As I've mentioned, separation is the only weakness I can find. And I’m literally nitpicking. As a musician, breaking down songs is a too familiar routine. Believe me when I say TS is capable. Harmonies, be they vocal or chords are very easy to decipher with Titan S. And that says a lot for its technical performance.

FIT & ISOLATION:​

Surprisingly, TS is very easy to wear. It wears like a glove to my ears making it one or even my go-to IEM on any given day. Isolation is very commendable with decent insertion. It has good weight but never fatiguing to wear. With its triangular shape, at first, I thought fitting would be cumbersome but voila! Fits perfectly on my ears.

COMPARISONS:​

Welcome to the fun part! Let’s see some head-to-head comparisons with some of my favorite IEMs. Let’s see how TS will perform against $150 and above price range.

Tracks: Can You Imagine by David Benoit, We’ve Just Begun by Sinne Eeg

vs Seeaudio Bravery Red ($299)

• Bravery is the brighter set. Shimmer and sparkle goes to Bravery.
• Lows are more weighted and has good density with Titan S.
• Bravery sounds leaner. Titan S has the advantage of having richer sound.
• Bravery has better separation and layering.
• Titan S sounded more natural.
• Bravery has the advantage on speed being equipped with BA drivers.
• Sound stage is wider on Titan S.
• Bravery has more energy, bite and grit in the upper frequencies.
• Vocals are forward with Bravery but Titan S has a more natural approach.

Conclusively, Bravery wins in terms of technicalities and is the prominently brighter set. Treble heads, pick Bravery. Treble sensitives, pick Titan S. Tone and timbre are correct on both sets. Titan S is laid back, Bravery has more defined details and a bit aggressive.

vs Kinera Idun Golden 2.0 ($169)

• Idun exhibits a brighter sound.
• Lows are leaner on Idun. Titan S has denser lows with added weight.
• Idun is closer to neutrality.
• Titan S has a more natural tone and timbre.
• Idun has the advantage in driver speed.
• Note definitions are more precise on Idun.
• Sound stage is wider on Titan S
• Both have that neutral character.
• Idun has more open and sparkly trebles.
• Vocals are more forward with Idun.
• Mids are more forward on Idun.

Conclusively, Idun has edge in technicalities. Titan S sounded more natural and closer to real life. Idun has a better note definition and is snappier. Titan S wins over Idun in sound stage though. To be honest, these two are very close in sound. And quite often I would go for Titan S for a more organic sound. I’d still go for Idun for monitoring, referencing, and breaking down songs.

vs Bqeyz Winter ($239)

• Lows on Winter are richer and fuller.
• Trebles on both sets are quite close.
• Separation and layering goes to Winter.
• Mids are forward on Winter which will cater mid-centrics.
• Both sounded organic and natural compared to the other two contenders above.
• Sound stage are on par on both sets.
• Mid bass has more punch on Winter.

Conclusively, Winter has the upper hand here in all aspects. Not by a mile but by just a noticeable margin. Both have almost the same trebles. If I have to really nitpick, Winter still has that added shimmer and openness in the upper frequencies. Winter also has that richer and fuller sound shying away from neutrality by a very small margin.

SOURCES USED:​

• Hiby RS2
• Ovidius B1
• Questyle QP2R
• LG V30 quad dac with Centrance Dacport via Hiby music app
• Oppo A94 with Centrance Dacport via Hiby music app
• Oppo A94 with Ifi Hipdac v2 via Hiby music app
• Macbook pro 2011 with Centrance Dacport via Foobar
• Macbook pro 2011 with Ifi Hipdac v2 via Foobar
• Tidal Masters
• Qobuz Studio
• Apple Music

TEST TRACKS:​

Here are some tracks I usually listen to when reviewing:

That’s the way of the World by EWF
Africa by TOTO
The Girl in the Other Room by Diana Kral
Balmorhea album All is wild, All is Silent
Sila by Sud
Smooth Escape by D’Sound
Never too Much by Luther Vandross
P.Y.T by Michael Jackson
Ain’t no Sunshine by Eva Cassidy
Shoot to Thrill by AC/DC
Another one bites the Dust by Queen
Good times bad times by Edie Brickell
Alice in Wonderland by Bill Evans
Ain’t it Fun by Paramore
Redefine by Incubus
Far Away by Nickelback
Lovesong by Adele
Lingus by Snarky Puppy
Harvest for the World by Vanessa Williams
Love Bites by Def Leppard
No Such Thing by John Mayer
As by Stevie Wonder
Whip Appeal by Babyface
Ain’t Nobody by Chaka Khan
Futures by Prep
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Every Summertime by NIKI
SADE tracks
AC/DC tracks
Queen tracks


And many more… I always listen to High resolution format, being the least quality 16bit/44khz FLACS be it offline or online.

VERDICT:​

Titan S is a very unique and special set. I must say that this is a true “balance” sound. From the lows all the way up to the upper frequencies, everything is treated equally. It wouldn’t be a surprise if some will look for more of this and more of that but that is what makes this set unique. The sound stage is something to be bragged about and its technicalities are not that far off from the comparisons above.

Neutral heads will find delight in Titan S. Bass heads will crave more for sure. And mid-centrics will somehow learn to embrace the unrecessed mids here.

Lately, audio companies are releasing IEMs that will “wow” you on the first listen. An example of this is the Aful Performer5. Vivid and full of energy. Titan S is not that. It is something that grows on you and will not fatigue your listening experience on long sessions.

There is something about Titan S that will keep you listening to it given that it does not have any significant forte. It was meant to be humble, gentle, and proper. This makes Titan S not going mainstream and sets itself apart from the others. At $80, it is something for a particular group of listeners. It is not for everyone but if you love details, technicalities, and a proper sounding set that leans toward the neutral sound, this might be the set for you.

Truth be told, these past weeks, I found myself picking Titan S amongst my other IEMs even though that Bqeyz Winter wins in all aspects, Idun and Bravery being technically superior. There is something about it that kept me hooked and coming back for more. As much as I want us to have the same sentiment, I shall leave the judgment to your ears still.

I would like to thank Hifigo for sending this my way, and actually, I took it as a Christmas present as it was sent around the holidays. It arrived late though on January 12, 2023. LOL.

That’s a wrap and I hope I have not taken much of your time and enjoyed your read. As always, love the music more than the gears! Cheers and catch you on the next one!

PRICE: $80​

You can purchase Titan S at the link below:

Dunu Titan S Amazon link

Many have asked, what's the best affordable single DD iem? Some would say Olina, others would say Aria, i would say HE01, but recently a fourth DD has joined the conversation.


Out of the box, with the included eartips, nothing about these sounded impressive. The low-end wasn't all that engaging, the treble sounded somewhat subdued and the upper mids were shouty at higher volumes.

Spring tips made these too bright sounding for me.

I tried some wide-bore KBEAR 10 eartips and the results were pretty astonishing.


The improvements were night and day. It was like i had cleaned my ears. Nothing about the treble sounded subdued now, suddenly there's an abundance of air and extension.

The mids sound (dare i say) holographic. instruments and vocals sound like a personal concert around my head.

The bass is what i can only describe as "tender" it's also very detailed. The gentle sub-bass focus becomes alot easier to appreciate after listening to something flat like the SSR.

Compared to my very best DD, The Titan S is less bassy, less sparkly and overall not as lively sounding as the HE01. Put simply, HE01 is more V shape. Titan S is more of a neutral iem. Both are excellent iems in my eyes.



Inside is a 10mm LCP driver. LCP is a kind of particularly strong plastic. You might be familiar with it in the form of kevlar, which is made out of LCP fibers. The tough opaque yellowish material of the diaphragm definitely fits the bill for LCP.

Lastly, the big vent on the back is real.




Out of the box these didn't meet expectations. But what i was eventually left with is something truly S tier.