Disclamer​

The Hisenior Okavango is a loaned unit from Dream Audio Store here in Indonesia. They have no input on what I'm supposed to say about the HiSenior Products and the opinion is completely my own. However, as a token of gratitude, I will link them Here. I also want to thank Mr Gareth from HiSenior for giving me the contact of Dream Audio and making all of this possible. For ordering and more information of HiSenior Okavango, you can click here. Both links are NON affiliated links.

Design​

Named after a delta in Africa, the design does resemble pictures from the Internet. Green with a little bit of sandy brown. The green part is made of resin and the sandy brown is actually stabilized wood, a representing design for sure.

The Okavango's fitment design is a semi-custom ergonomic, a middle ground of universal fitment and custom fitments. This shape offers a sealing inside of you ears and theoretically should be more comfortable. While, the Okavango is actually comfortable to my ears, putting them on is another different story. I guess it's just the nature of Hybrid IEMs, the fittings can be a little awkward since they're usually larger than IEMs with single drivers or less drivers than the Okavango.

Sound​

The First Impression I got about them is that they sound off, they don't sound as clean as the PhoenixCall I reviewed a while ago. However, they are cleaner than my usual Zero:Red. Turns out, the issue was that the Okavango was in the Bass+ configuration. Bass+ configuration does not suit me very well due to it having a lot of midbass and not enough treble. But we will get back to the switches in the later section.

My second note I have about the Okavango is on the treble, while the treble is pretty good, there seems to be an absence of some frequencies in some of the mixes I listen to, notably in Barracuda by Heart, in some part of the song, there is an acoustic guitar strumming along in the background. While it is definitely not supposed to be prominent, playing it with the Okavango pushed it slightly backwards making the sound incredibly small and barely noticeable. Similar issue is also present in Babymetal's Karate, but instead of an acoustic guitar it is a tapping of electric guitars. Perhaps this is all a nitpick but, I think it is worth noting if you want to hear more details in your playlist(s).

The other nitpick that I have, is that the female vocals are a bit less forward and sparkly compared to something like the Blessing 3, PhoenixCall, or the Variations. Compared to the PhoenixCall, the treble performance also has slight less bite but at the same time, the Okavango sounds more natural compared to the PhoenixCall.

Personally, I don’t have any notes about the Mids, it sounded lush and good most of the time. Coming from something with a significant mid scoop. I find The Okavango is more versatile than the PhoenixCall. Okavango works really well for a lot of Metal and Rock tracks. Vocals got a lot of body to them, giving it a weighty feeling to the notes.

The bass performance of the Okavango is what you expect from a V-tuned IEM. Personally, I find the bass performance of the Okavango helps a lot creating a sense of wide soundstage while having a decent texturing . However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. As the sub-bass of the Okavango feel slightly lacking from what I prefer. The kickdrums in my opinion are not defined (punchy) enough to what I’m used to. However, this is probably another nitpick as I enjoy the versatility of the Okavango.

4K to 6K dip ?​

ToneDeafMonk's Okavango Frequency response graph here

This perhaps explains where the acoustic guitar strumming in Barracuda by Heart and electric guitar tapping in Karate are gone to when I talked about them earlier. Personally, this might be a double-edged sword as it causes the Okavango to be less fatiguing while sacrificing in some of that detail retrieval and some weight to cymbals.

My theory is that the Okavango is actually designed to be a stage IEM, where it is aimed to be extra comfortable and not fatiguing for long sessions. The 4k to 6k dip maybe an attempt by HiSenior to reduce the chance of treble fatigue in that scenario. Personally, I find the Okavango comfortable and enjoyable to wear for a long period of time.

Switches​

The Okavango has 2 switches on the back of the IEM, next to the vent holes on each sides. It is marked with the number '1' and '2', with 'On' for the point of reference if the switches are switched on. The Okavango is my first time reviewing an IEM with Switches and I think it delivers, as the tuning switches changes the sound and feel of the Okavango.




When I first got them, the Okavango is on the Bass+ Configuration. I personally find them not my kind of thing as I find the bass slightly overpowers the Treble and mids, giving a sense of too much bass for my preferences.

The Balanced works the best for me, as the Balance offers a more balanced presentation of both bass and treble without being overpowered in either ends. The Balanced Configuration is my go-to for most of my listening sessions.

To be completly honest, I didn't try the Vocal+ Configuration that much, however on some occasion where I feel like it could use a little more sparkle. The Vocal+ delivers a sparklier and livelier vocals.

The Soundstage+ works really well with movies, I watched Dune 2 and Episode 13 of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. The Soundstage+ works really well at giving a 3D space and feeling of a wide soundstage as if You are watching them in with a set of Home Theatre or speakers. Well, technically it would be better with speakers and in cinema but for a portable setup, the Soundstage+ is really good for movies.

TL;DR​

The Okavango is an IEM from HiSenior/Febos. It is a 7 drivers hybrid, consisting of 6 Balance Armature Drivers and a Single Dynamic Driver. While the fitting was rather awkward, it is worth noting that most Hybrids or multiple drivers IEM seems to always fit a bit weird. To be fair, the Okavango is actually very comfortable for prolonged listening session. The inclusion of switches are nice, offering a variety of options for the user. Overall, I’m satisfied with the Okavango, the Tonality are A- for me and B for technicalities. Technicalities in the form of detail retrieval could use a little bit of work. However, the imaging, soundstaging, and instrument separation are good enough to impress me.

Video Review​

Some of The Music I Enjoy with The Okavango​

Introductions
This is the Moondrop Blessing 3! It’s been a while since I’ve listened to one of these. I think this was one of the first “Expensive” IEMs, or perhaps even the first one I’ve tried almost a year ago now ? Back then I was really looking forward to reviewing one of these. The other pair I tested was a pair of Stellaris. But, I digress. How do they sound ? Especially after experiencing the Crimson, the Volur, and many more IEMs ? I think I’ve grown a lot since the last time I tried them. With the Blessing 3 Dusk around the corner now. It feels like it is a good time to revisit them! This unit here is another loaner from Jaben Surabaya. Thank you for sending them in for reviews!


Backstory + Sound Impressions
Back when I was first tried them on, I was still in love with my Moondrop Chu. I still remembered there was a note about the Blessing 3 that I wrote during the time. I said “The Blessing 3 has better micro details, I feel like I can hear the Bass String vibrating on Hotel California”. Which is weird because I only noticed that one time. The other time I tried looking for it, it didn’t show. I also wrote that the nozzle looks funny, because the eartips are just pressed on there. Which is kind of a problem now, as the eartips keep falling off the earbuds when I take them off. And… they ended up stuck inside my ears. Or, they became loose and rolled of the desk or something. Oh, the initial note from a year ago also mentioned that it sounds thin. I also wrote that it might need a DAC/Amp, which I do not own back then. However, now… it doesn’t sound thin at all. It is still considered “lean” but not thin. Which I don’t really mind, I think you could consider this as reference tuned IEM ? I personally enjoyed my time editing the Moondrop Variations video with this.


What I liked about the Blessing 3
Although technically it is a little too lean to be considered as a “fun” IEM to my taste. I think the Blessing 3 is fun enough to be daily driven. Where it really shines is actually the vocal presentation. Female vocals are airy, sparkly, clean, and well defined. Male vocals are strong, forward, and well defined. Guitars on Symphony of Destruction are forward and snappy, while the Bass is slightly clouded in the background. I personally don’t mind and it is to be expected from a “leaner” sounding IEMs. I think if you like guitars, vocals, and orchestra the Blessing 3 truly is a blessing for you.


Why I Always Switch to The Variations
Don’t get me wrong, the Blessing 3 is still a “fun” IEM. But the fun is different from something like the Variations, the 64Audio Volur, or even the Symphonium Crimson. The fun aspect of Blessing 3 is I think more of like a scavenger hunt fun. It is where you pick up some of the microdetails on certain recording or hearing something that you don’t notice usually. Although, from my experience. This kind of fun can be a little exhausting at times, more so than the analytical fun nature of the Symphonium Crimson. But, that’s just me.

What Music I Love to Listen to with The Blessing 3
I personally love listening to Danish National Symphony Orchestra with the Blessing 3. Like listening to them playing Welcome to Jurassic Park, Shallow, and My Heart Will Go On. Or listening to the acoustic tracks, such as Hikari by Miwa, La La Lost You by Niki, and Hotel California by Eagles. As the tracks works really well with Treble forward IEMs.

TL;DR/DW
Overall, I think the Blessing 3 is excellent the Tonality are great, I give them a B, and the Technicalities are up there with some of the best. So they got an A on Technicalities. Also, something is also bugging me for some reason. I feel like whenever I pick up the Blessing 3 for a listen, at 2 or so hour mark. I feel a bit tense after listening to them ? Let me know what do you think happened in the comments section.

That is it ? That is the Moondrop Blessing 3! I would personally wait for the Blessing 3 : Dusk, as I would like to see what that version brings to the table. And with them showing up in CanJam NYC earlier. I think the release date is around the corner. Thank you again Jaben Surabaya for lending me the Moondrop Blessing 3 and the Variations. Hopefully, at the time this video is released. They’re already safe and sound at their rightful place.

I personally encourage you to watch my Here



Footnote :
My Source is the TimeEar BTE-222 connected to my PC most of the time. I judge them using various genres of songs. I narrowed down what I think sounds best in this Spotify Playlist here :

Head-Fi Special (Videos about this might be up soon)
Durability :
The unit is a store demo unit, so it is slight worse for wear. Considering the age of the unit, which is around 6 months according to my friend at Jaben Surabaya. They still look pretty good, the faceplate does have a lot of micro scratches, but it is to be expected. Honestly, I think it's not that bad. Considering the fact that it is a Demo unit after all. Although if you own this IEM or any other IEM, I think it is good practice to put them inside a case with Silica Gel in it. Oxidation is slightly starting on the inside of the Blessing 3. It is clearly displayed as the resin body are very clean and clear.

Yes, The Moondrop Variations is almost 3 years old. Enough to be considered old in the ever fast moving world of IEMs. With something like the Studio4 that came out last year. How does it feel to life with this aging beast ? Should you still buy one ? Let’s talk about it.

This unit is here on my desk courtesy of Jaben Surabaya, who is kind enough to keep my weekly uploads going and really went out of their way to ship them here! Thank you Jaben Surabaya for the chance to review this beautiful beast. More on them in the video description. But, I digress.

First time picking them up, I thought they’re made of frosted glass. As it was slightly cold to touch and it is dense. The buds themselves are hefty. Oh, incase you didn’t know. This is a Moondrop Tribrid IEM, with 2 Electrostatic Drivers, 2 Balanced Armature, and a Dynamic Driver. Full specs will be in the Description and the link to Moondrop’s Website.

After unwrapping and putting them on, I jumped straight to testing their isolation. Keyboard sound does come through, when you don’t play anything. After that, I went and played Master of Puppets by Metallica. Where I wrote on a note “Closer to what I’m used to, but there are something different. Perhaps the Separations of Instruments and vocals ?” These notes are mostly just compared to what I’m daily driving, which is the Truthear Zero:Red most of the time.

But, I digress. The vocals are forward, airy, and well defined. There are slight possibility to notice some sibilance, but also not really ? And, this is I think my first time experiencing Electrostatic Drivers ? I’m not really concerned about driver configurations, so I don’t really look them up as much as I would like. I think the Imaging and Sound Staging is Exceptional with this pair. Again, this is mostly compared to my daily driver. I wish I could compare this to the Symphonium Crimson or the Studio 4 directly. Circling back to Master of Puppets, I think the song sounds engaging as ever and I consider it smooth even.

Before I totally forgot. The fit and comfort is okay. The unit is an absolute chonker! Your ears might feel packed when wearing them. But for me at least, after a prolonged use it’s overall okay.

Getting back to the sound department, Female vocals on Heavy Rotation by JKT48 are surprisingly separated, sparkly, forward, and airy. Bass performance is tight, with fast decay, punchy, and well presented. Definitely no sloppy bass here. Although, the slight mid-bass dip might be worth noting. But that might be a nitpick ? At least the Bass does not bleed to the Mids. Speaking about the mids, perhaps it’s another nitpick, but I think it could be a little forward. It’s not really a problem most of the time. But on some Rock songs, it does shows.

The experience is just… something else, especially when listening to The Velvet Underground’s Oh! Sweet Nuthin’. The sense of sound stage and imaging feels like I’m in the same room as they are playing. It was so expressive, full of character. I think I’ve never experience this before… or maybe I just didn’t listen to their song while testing other IEMs…

But I digress, hard, busy song like Megadeth’s Symphony of Destruction sounds really nice, the bassline is pronounced, the mids are engaging enough, and the treble are lively and airy. Meanwhile, on Unholy confessions. The Ride Cymbals are not only noticeable, the vibration also came through adding a little hint of detail to the overall experience.

While the details, imaging, and staging is pretty good so far. At first glance, playing some orchestral songs may result in a 50/50 gamble. On the not so busy part of The Mandalorian by Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Most of the time, the experience is really nice. However, I think moving up to some of the busiest part of the song, the instruments gets together a little too much ? and can sound a bit overwhelming. I thought of something funny when writing this, Can I call this like a “Stew” ? It doesn’t mean that the experience is bad, but it’s just everything is mixed up in there. After further testing however, I think you’ll need more volume on Orchestral tracks, as increasing the volume. It sounds overall better than before!

Games and movies sound amazing with this. You could say they are immersive. However, on e-sport titles, I don’t seem to notice a lot of difference or gain any competitive advantage with more expensive IEMs. I think that is it ? that concludes my review of the Moondrop Variations. Thank you again Jaben Surabaya for lending them for review!

The Cable looks and feels nice, they are also weighty for what they are. Sadly the cable does oxidize over time, giving it a slight green tint to the cable.

The HX2000MX design are definitely unique, reminds me a lot of Japanese Mecha Style from Gundam, LBX, and many other Mecha Anime. The Sharp lines, The Metalic Blue and White Color screams futuristic in their design. Apparently what you saw here can be separated, the buds are modular, hence the Modular Body Design Technology they use.

Speaking about the shape and design of the IEM. Honestly, the IEM fit weird on my ears. And, I may or may not hate the shape and fit. But… since I just found out you could separate the module from the case, maybe removing it will help them fit better in ears. Since these aren’t mine, I don’t think I should be messing with them. The futuristic design and shape made this iem unique to look at but does not provide a good and easy insertion upon wearing them.



Enough talk about fit and design, let move to…

The Sounds!

I test this pair with my demo test playlist which I linked in the video description.

Let’s talk about the first song on the list! Hikari by Miwa. The First Take, Home Take version to be exact. From the notes I’ve taken during the test. Vocals on the HX2000MX took the front stage with it. Meaning that the vocals are pronounced and forward, the performance is also really good as her voice doesn’t came out harsh or quiet. However, I think that her guitar feels a little “Dry” in My Opinion. The soundstage on this particular track is not exactly wide, but the imaging is pretty good so far. Overall, a pretty good experience with Japanese Pop Song.

Moving out towards the west, the next track is Barracuda by Heart. For me, Barracuda sounds pretty lacking on the subbass department, as the kickdrums aren’t pronounced enough to my taste. However, I don’t really mind this downside as the Electric Guitars are very pronounced, but not the Acoustic one. Plugging the HX2000MX to a Chord Mojo made the subbass slightly better, but overall it’s not really a huge difference. If this song and this pair is in for review, this song will get a 1, meaning it’s okay to listen to, but I enjoyed something else.

Moving on the slightly harsh end of the spectrum, the next song is Unholy Confessions by Avenged Sevenfold. The Male Vocal presence on this track is pretty good, in my opinion, the Male Vocals stands out from the instruments. The Soundstage is also wide, with good enough separation between instruments. Especially the Ride Cymbals on the Scream part of the song, eventhough it is in a very busy part of the song, the ride cymbals are still noticeable and not covered by the other sounds. However, the kick drum problem persists to this song. Not sure, how I would rate this song. But I think it’s way more enjoyable than Barracuda. Okay so far ? Good… Onward then!

Orchestral version of My Heart Will Go On by Danish National Symphony is next. In this track I do found another flaw ? maybe ? I digress, in this song, I found out that there are slight peak in high frequencies. Making the set a candidate for a fatiguing experience. The Soundstage are amazing, but I think it might have a slight disadvantage on the Instrument Separation department. Overall, the experience with the orchestral song is a good one, it should work well if you like to listen to an orchestra.

Last but not least, let’s talk “fun” factor, for this test I choose Animals by Martin Garrix. There’s not a lot said about this song other than the bass is slightly better than Astell & Kern’s Zero2. But again, the lack of kick drum thumps on the other test track made this a “meh” set, and barely passes the “fun” test.

When I first picked them up, the first thing I noticed was how thin the cables are, especially the upper half of it. Don’t get me wrong, the cables are really nice, they’re just really thin. I think if you want a thicker cable you should go for the 8 wire one. The buds are weirdly light, after further research, turns out that the buds are made from aluminium with a touch of Forged Carbon as the face plate. Which is really nice…



This portion of the video is made from the Demo Playlist I’ve linked to in the video description.

First song on the list is Hikari by Miwa, the first take edition. Right out of the bat, the first thing I noticed was these might be a little bright. As there are some sharp notes I’ve encountered. But honestly, it’s still tolerable. Especially on this track as it’s quite interesting to have an analytical to notice recording imperfections and details. The Soundstage on this track isn’t really wide enough to be mindblowing, but this set performs well, as it is still wider than my usual truthear zero:red. Oh, I think I’ve noticed why expensive iems are expensive. The soundstage performance usually are wider than your cheaper iem sets. That’s one of the things I’ve noticed so far.

I digress, let’s move to the second track on the list is, Barracuda by Heart. Not a lot said about this set on my notes other than The Subbass still aren’t as thumpy as the Zero:Reds. And, The Kickdrums aren’t really noticeable, however I think this might be caused by my brain melting from listening to too much IEMs for the day. I couldn’t really tell, But…

The thing I could tell is how the Crimson performs on the third song on the list. Which is Unholy Confessions by Avenged Sevenfold. Even though this is one of the busiest track I have on the playlist, the instrument separation is really nice, the vocals are also forward from the rest of the instruments. The Ride Cymbals on the scream part is really nice, probably one of the best so far.

Moving on to My Heart Will Go On, Orchestral version by Danish National Symphony. Not a lot of things said about this song either other than the separations, the details, the soundstage and imaging, is awesome. However, the first and only cons so far is present in this song also. Which is the “bright” sounding part.

Moving on… Oh… my gosh… I think I didn’t have any notes on the last song on the list…or I didn’t test it… but the last song doesn’t really matter anyways, I use that to rate the “fun” aspect of the set. Well I define “fun” as thumpy subbass, engaging mids, and slightly forward highs. Which the crimson ticks every single part in previous tracks tested. Maybe too much on the highs, but that’s just a theory…

Verdict, the Crimson gets a fun-ish analytical set. If you’re a square, with rounded corners. This might be your cup of tea. My corners are definitely too rounded, so this set is a hit or miss. I couldn’t really say much because this is not a review. But hey, If I ever get my hands on one for a pretty good amount of time. I would let you know how it works for me.

That’s it, that’s my experience with Symphonium Crimson. Have… a great day!

This is a new Dongle DAC from Hidizs called the SD2. It’s just released at the time this video went live. This unit is provided by Hidizs as a sample unit. Although, the thoughts and opinions that are in this Review is 100% my own and I’ll try to be unbiased as possible.

This unit costs 39 dollars.

The SD2 is powered by an ES9270, it supports Native DSD64 and 128. In PCM, it supports up to 384kHz/32Bit. You can tell by the LED that are on the product. Blue for 88.2-384kHz and DSD, while the if it turns red, it is outputting in PCM Sampling Rate 44.1 to 48 kHz. I currently don’t have any DSD Files on me, and my library are mostly FLACs.

Moving on to the sound, the SD2 is tonally warmer than the TEU-99 or BTE-222. What I mean by warm is that the sound that came out from the SD2 is slightly bass boosted. It’s not as bad as if I plugged in my IEMs directly to my PC. But it’s noticeable. I personally thing this Dongle DAC works best with bright neutral-ish IEMs like the original moondrop Chu and TEA-99 from TimeEar or maybe other Earbuds too as earbuds aren’t really known to be as bassy as IEMs. I’m actually working on the TEA-99 review. But, I digress.

My pet peeve with the SD2 is that I personally prefer something that is low-profile or something with removeable cable. And, the fact that the 3.5 output is angled made the experience of unplugging IEMs without unplugging the SD2, pretty jarring. Lastly, the warm-ish tone feels like something that has a V-shaped tuning like the MS1 Galaxy, sound overly warm to my taste.

TL;DW

I think the SD2 is a DAC/Amp that emphasize musicality over reference. One of the true highlight of the product for me is actually the Microphone pass through. The TEU-99 doesn't support Microphone Passthrough. The accessories is nice. I think if you have a reference IEM, this could add some spice to it.

I actually did a double review, comparing this Dongle DAC to the TEU-99 from TimeEar. A rather unknown Dongle DAC outside of China. Which You can check the full review Here.

TimeEar BTE-222​

Neutral Sounding Bluetooth Portable DAC/Amp, with Ample Power.​

Specifications :​

• DAC : AKM AK4377A x 2
• Amplifier : ESS9603
• Chipset : Qualcomm QCC3034/5125
• Bluetooth version : Bluetooth 5.1
• Battery capacity : 400mAh Battery life: 12.5 hours (aptX-HD), 14 hours (SBC)
• Output : 3.5mm audio jack

Output Voltage :

Physical Stuff
The Form factor is quite small. Solid aluminum build with anodized finish. Acrylic face plate with NFC Logo. NFC does work when getting your phone NFC Coil close to the Unit. 3 buttons on the right side of the unit, Plus, Multi-function Button, and Minus Button. And also the inclusion of Gain Switch, switching the switch towards the other buttons puts in High Gain Mode. While Flipping it the other way around is the Low Gain Mode. The microphone on the side (where the buttons and switch are) is probably used for Noise Reduction. The top (or where the 3.5 mm jack resides) consists of an unbalanced 3.5 mm, which will be used as your main output. The other hole next to the 3.5 mm jack is another Microphone, but this one is used for your voice input. On the left side of the unit, there is a TimeEar logo. On the bottom, the USB Input or Charging resides.

First Impression


Full Review


Experience
The lack of User Manual might be the downside of this product. Without the User manual, it's quite hard to understand what the EQs are, how the buttons work, how to tell the sounds it made. From my experience owning this, pressing the Plus or Minus Buttons once, increases or decreases the sound respectively. Double Pressing the Plus (+) button, until there's a double beep means the EQ setting is changed. I'm still unsure which one is which. The EQ mostly focuses on the Upper Midrange and Presence Regions. For me, it's not really noticeable. But, my hack to know which EQ is which, is by playing a YouTube Video to monitor the changes in people voices. The buttons seems to not (barely) work on USB Mode. On PC, It's better to disable the voice input of this unit. As the sound played through is now on lower Bitrate which startled me at first.

Sound
The Sound is as I described in the Heading is neutral-ish. I do not notice any coloration to my usual Zero:Reds. On USB, the Power is also ample, driving the Zero:Reds to the point of being too loud and hurting. As per time of writing, I do not own any high impedance or low sensitivity IEMs or Headphones. So I could not test the power outside of telling it is really loud on USB mode. As on Bluetooth Mode, I could not really tell if it is louder or not, or how loud the High Gain Mode really is. But it is noticeably louder if you switch into High Gain Mode. It is always recommended to not play anything when you plug this or any amplifier and lowering the Volume completely to 0 and gradually increases it.

Compared to TEU-99
While it is unfair to compare a Dongle DAC to a Portable Bluetooth DAC/Amp. The TEU and BTE-222 shares the same DAC Chip. And the sound really does shows, the presentation is rather neutral-ish to my ears. The only difference between the two is the form factor, the TEU-99 is way smaller and it's a dongle DAC. Which needs to be plugged into your Source. The output power is also not as powerful as the BTE-222.

Compared to Hidizs SD2
I'm fortunate enough to experince the SD2 before it launches. Which in time of writing, it should be launching tomorrow 10 AM. The BTE-222 sounds way more natural, neutral. While the SD2 is slightly warmer. I would not go indepth about this as I've made a video and it should be up on launch day.

My Limitations
As per time of writing, I do not own any other competing product in the price bracket, as the Moondrop Dawn Pro, Fiio BTR3K, BTR5, Simgot DEW4X, or any DAC/Amp in $60 - $100. I also do not own any high impedance or low sensitivity IEMs or Headphones.

TL;DR
The BTE-222 is compact $60 Portable DAC/Amp from a rather new company called TimeEar. The BTE-222 supports Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity. It is powered by AKM AK4377A DAC chip and ESS9603 Amplifier Chip. The sound presentation is rather neutral-ish or un-altering in my opinion, which is really good as it highlights the tuning of your IEMs or Headphones. It provides ample power to drive almost any IEMs, although further Headphones testing might be needed. It has a microphone which works really well on Bluetooth mode, the sound quality is not as good as IEM microphones, but in a pinch it does work. While there are a lot of positives, the lacks of user manual might be an interesting experience, the bitrate issue on USB mode is also something worth noting. I'm personally happy with the product, especially if you just use it as a standalone USB DAC/Amp for PC. Once the wrinkles are sorted, it's all smooth sailing. Maybe the lack of 4.4 mm jack ? But that might be a nitpick.

After owning my pair for a few months, I haven’t seen any more damage or scratches to the resin plastic they use for the casing. So, I think Truthear deserves a thumbs up for that. Do you own a pair ? let me know how yours are holding up in the comments below. The cable continues to be fine for the price and definitely better than the Moondrop Chu on the cable department. It hasn’t become sticky or anything. However on the ear hook part, I’ve seen like a white powdery stuff on it just like the Chu. I’m not sure if it is dust or something else. Moving on to the case, the case do collect scratches from my fingernail. The “leather” still seems fine overall. I’m still not sure this will hold up for long. And, I don’t like the rubbery feeling it has.

Enough about the durability and builds of the Reds, let’s talk about sounds. I’ve grown to like the Truthear Zero Reds more over time. I think it really is the best IEM you can buy under $100. Would it be better than the Hexa, Aria, Aria 2, Titan S, and other ? probably not. But 1 think for sure, is that I demo a lot of IEMs. And, overall I’m pretty satisfied with the Truthear Zero:Red. In my opinion, while there are better pairs over there. If you already own the Truthear Zero:Red, you’re not missing much from other pairs, even the expensive ones.

The Truthear Zero:Red performs well on Test Playlist #1, the Bass and Sub-bass are welcomed for a well-rounded listening experience across genres. Although this may come as a double-edged sword. As the bass and subbass can overpower the other frequencies to a point of hazing up tracks. Mids performance is quite good as the separation between instruments are noticeable but not amazing. In my opinion, vocals, especially male vocals feels a little recessed compared to other frequencies. I think this set works best if you have a library that are mostly filled with female vocal. Treble can get a little fatiguing at times, the fatiguing trebles can be heard especially in Aoyama Killer Story. Other tracks may also produce a fatiguing treble, however for me it is barely fatiguing most of the time. Imaging can be a little clouded in busier tracks and mid details can get lost in the mix. This hinders the performance on orchestral and hard rock/metal tracks. Soundstage, depending on the tracks listened can vary. Based on my experience, the soundstage is overall okay, neither bad nor good.

In my almost 5 months of use. The Truthear Zero:Red performs really well across medias. Movies, TV Shows, Games, Videos, and Music sounds excellent. Big well-made movies such as Oppenheimer, 1917, and Mission Impossibleead Reckoning sounds really good with the Truthear Zero:Red, delivering a well-rounded, grand, and magnificent sounds. Games such as Valorant performs well with the Truthear Zero:Red, however the lack of mic on the default configuration of Zero:Red made it slightly less appealing for competitive games where communication is needed. It is also worth noting the not so good imaging also hinder the performance of Truthear Zero:Red on games where elevation and busy environments are at play. About the 10 ohms resistor, I haven’t use it that much as I don’t think they are necessary. HOWEVER! Please do include things like this in the future, as it would be a good thing to give flexibility to the user.

Comfort wise, the reds feels a bit uncomfortable after wearing them for awhile. Around 3 hours of continuous listening, your ears can feel a bit fatigued. As the pressure from the nozzle are quite hard and the stock tips aren’t helping. Sound fatigue will happen if you listen with higher volumes. It’s also not recommended listen to such loud things as it might damage your hearing.

Overall, the Truthear Zero:Red offers an outstanding value for just $55. The tuning is well done, you can listen to a lot of genres and most likely be satisfied with them. Gaming performance is questionable, watching movies and listening to live performances are pretty immersive with these pair. Overall a pretty fun and correct IEMs to own and listen to.

Video Review Here