Review by Mhark Jhoshua Q. Torres
Thank you Brainwavz Audio for letting us give our honest take towards the Zeta. Given that the review unit is from Brainwavz Audio and is free of charge, it doesn’t affect the honesty and integrity of this review.

The Company


Brainwavz provides high-end earphones specifically designed for high-quality sound and tailor-made to provide the user with a solution that can be used across a wide range of audio genres and styles at affordable prices. Brainwavz believes in the idea that sound is a deeply personal experience, and strives to provide users with earphones that match their personal inclinations, to inspire with intensity. The Brainwavz name is known in many countries across the globe, and the company is continually committed to providing the best products at the best value. This is what they stated in their website but hey, Brainwavz has been in the industry for years and they already build a good reputation in terms of build and sound quality in fact the B400 was a hit!

The Brainwavz Audio Zeta
The Zeta are made out of plastic and for me it doesn’t feel premium or even reliable, but looks can be deceiving as I’ve been throwing it in my bag for weeks and it still work as fine as when I pulled it from the box for the first time. The color is black with red accent, the cable isn’t removable but that’s fine for a beater IEM at this price. The Zeta has 1 year of warranty so this is a good option for those who have trust issues with Chi-fi like KZ, QKZ and TRN. Detailed specification isn’t listed on their website but this is a single dynamic driver IEM.

Packaging

Here’s the simple packaging of Zeta, you’ll get 3 pairs of silicone tips, the IEM itself, Velcro strap (can’t find it at the moment) and a clip. Decent packaging since most sub 20 USD IEMs don’t actually came with case.

Fit and Comfort

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Fit, isolation and comfort is very good, due to its small profile and lightweight materials it feels like nothing is inserted in your ear. I never felt ear strain even if I used it for hours, this is definitely a good daily beater IEM.

Sound
I love IEMs and earbuds with midcentric to flat sound signature as I really love listening to vocals rather than instruments. My genre ranges from heavy rock, alternative rock, pop rock, acoustic, pop, jazz and folk. Majority of my test tracks are in 16 bit – 44 khz and 24 bit – 48 khz FLAC file and here is the list of my commom test tracks.

1. Reese Lansangan – For the Fickle (background, female vocals and upper mids)
2. Foo Fighters – Bridge Burning (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
3. LANY – Thick And Thin (Mid Bass, Mids)
4. Ed Sheeran – Dive (Mid bass, Lower Mids)
5. Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why (Upper Mids and Instruments)
6. Paramore – Hard Times (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
7. Radiohead – Life in a Glasshouse (Imaging Layering, Bass, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
8. Passenger – Coins in a Fountain (Mid bass, Layering, Imaging, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
9. Tori Kelly – Hollow (Background, Upper mids)
10. Ariana Grande – Raindrops (Background, Upper mids)

Bass

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Moderate extension and quantity while rendering the rumbles in smooth manner, details aren’t spectacular but don’t fret it is audible but for those who nitpick while listening, you can easily distinguish the lack of texture. Sub bass is not forward or recessed, it is properly positioned. Elevated, full and a bit loose, bass lacks control but definitely packs a lot of punch. The mid bass gave the Zeta a warm-smooth tonality that is suited for easy listening. The intro of Dive by Ed Sheeran is prominent and will surely please bass heads that aren’t picky with the speed of bass and it’s decay. The bass is quite slow and even decay speed isn’t that quick causing congestion with complex rock and metal tracks.

Mids
Full and lush sounding, the lower mids never sounded hollow or dry, tho the texture and clarity isn’t something to be praised, it will sound veiled if you love transparent sounding gears like Tin Audio T3 or Moonbuds Bunting. Even instruments that falls in this certain range of frequency is being rendered in thick manner, the lower mids is slightly recessed with respect to mid bass. Playing IV of Spades’ ”Bawat Kaluluwa” is definitely fun when using Zeta, lush sounding vocals and punchy bass notes is suitable for quick and easy listening. Still quite lush sounding but sounds great with majority of tracks with female artist. Playing Lonestar by Norah Jones, the Zeta gave justice with her vocals by making it even more lush. It isn’t sweet nor transparent at all, but the thickness of its upper mids isn’t as much as the lower mids. Upper mids is slightly more forward than the lower mids, texture and details is average since the upper mids is still smooth sounding. Luckily the upper mids is sibilant free, therefore annoying “S” isn’t present here.

Treble
Treble is smooth but rolled off, none fatiguing at all. If you love treble with good definition and sparkle then this IEM isn’t for you, the treble has the least quantity and the most laid back amongst the three major frequencies. It’s airy but with metal and rock tracks like Asphyxia the treble is lacking, cymbals aren’t energetic and engaging at all. It’s good for acoustic tracks and edm tracks where treble isn’t that prominent along the track. Decay has decent speed while the resolution is just average.

Sound Stage and Resolution
Sound stage isn’t that boxy like some or budget KZ IEMs, depth is decent while the height and width is pretty good. Layering and imaging is not spectacular, it gets pretty congested with busy tracks, but for the price, it’s decent in this category. Resolution is satisfactory, from sub bass to lower mids the details are pretty nice despite its smoothness. Upper mids and treble is not that resolving but that’s fine since the target of this IEM is casual listening with non fatiguing sound signature.

Synergy and Sound Signature
Zeta’s sound signature is warm and smooth with rolled off treble, the bass is prominent and elevated that will actually please bass-heads out there and just enough to give a taste of thump in your tracks. The mids is not that recessed while the treble is presented in smooth and relaxing manner while losing details and extension.

Shanling M3s


The M3s is known to be an intimate sounding DAP with balanced sound signature and stellar mids, with this the Zeta sounded really warm with very smooth and thick presentation. Sub bass has good extension and quantity, mid bass is still elevated but kinda slow for busy tracks. Mids is still lush and not thin or hollow, male vocals are delivered very well while female vocals lacks sweetness. Treble lacks extension, resolution and sparkle. Really good pairing for easy listening during commute.

Adding Jazz R7.0 to the link and copper IC, the bass became quicker and more controlled without adding further quantity, mids became cleaner and smoother while the treble remains the same.

Smartphone (Huawei Mate 10)
The Huawei Mate 10 has a sound signature of neutral-bright, sound quality is not on par with the M3s, noise floor is a bit high. Bass extension became shallow, and the quantity was reduced. Mids remains full sounding and smooth while the treble gain more definition and sparkle. This pairing is good for those who doesn’t want excessive warmth.

Comparison
KZ ZSN
The KZ ZSN and Zeta are opposite since they have emphasis on treble and bass respectively. Clarity, resolution, build quality and aesthetics easily goes to the ZSN due to its thin presentation. Bass, fit and staging goes to the Zeta plus 1 yr warranty. The Zeta sounds more natural and airy while the ZSN has more transparent presentation but sounds boxy at times.

Conclusion

The Zeta is built for casual listeners who is looking for a nice sounding pair, with good fit, isolation and comfort. It is perfect for daily commute. Bass is elevated and rich in quantity, mids is lush, smooth and far from being dry. Treble is quite the weak point but still nice for easy listening. Technical performance such as sound stage, resolution, imaging and layering is good for the price. This isn’t the best sounding pair for the price, but it is the most comfortable one and it has 1 year of warranty in case you’re clumsy, you can also order it without shipping fee, pretty sweet right?

About the Company

Beyerdynamic (stylized "beyerdynamic") GmbH & Co. KG is a German audio equipment manufacturer, which produces microphones, headphones, and wireless audio systems and conference systems. Beyerdynamic has been family owned since its founding in 1924. Beyerdynamic is the oldest audio company that remains active, though its earliest competitors such as Shure and RG Jones Sound Engineering were founded in the years that followed. Most of beyerdynamic's products are made in Germany. At the end of the 1930s Beyer developed the first pair of dynamic headphones.

Technical Specs

Transducer type Dynamic

Operating principle Closed

Frequency response 5 – 40,000 Hz

Nominal impedance 250 Ω

Nominal SPL 102 dB SPL (1 mW / 500 Hz)

Max. SPL 125 dB SPL (200 mW / 500 Hz)

T.H.D. < 0.05% (1 mW / 500 Hz)

Nominal power handling capacity 200 mW

Sound coupling to the ear Circumaural

Ambient noise attenuation Velours: approx. 18 dBA Leatherette: approx. 21 dBA

Nominal headband pressure Approx. 7.2 N

Weight (without cable) 388 g

Length and type of cable 3 m / straight cable or 5 m / coiled cable (stretched), each detachable with 3-pin mini XLR cable connector, single-sided

Connection Gold-plated mini stereo jack (3.5 mm) & 1/4″ adapter (6.35 mm)


Foreword

This unit is a personal purchase. I am not in any way connected to Beyerdynamic. I receive no incentive or whatsoever in writing this review. This is purely my contribution to the hobby.


Packaging

Included here are two sets of swappable ear pads, velour and leather. Beyerdynamic has also included two options for cables, either your standard 3M cord or the coiled wire. They also included a big, black, carrying case.





Build Quality

We’ve come to recognize the term “German-Engineering” as synonymous with exemplary craftsmanship. The DT1770 is no exception. Materials are top-notch, no corners were definitely cut, equating to a build quality that will surely last for years.







Fit and Comfort

The headphones are quite hefty, weighing at 388 g. But this is contrasted with the well-padded headband that balances the weight evenly. The leatherette and the velour pads are very comfortable and could be wore for more than an hour without much discomfort.


Sound

The DT1770 pro is equipped with Beyerdynamic’s Tesla technology, which is also utilized in their flagships. According to Beyerdynamic, “Tesla 2.0 systems offer maximum efficiency and ensure precise, completely distortion-free sound quality with the finest resolution and impressive spatial properties even at very powerful output levels.”


Beyerdynamic has also included two sets of earpads: leatherette and velour, which completely alters the sound. In a nutshell, the leatherette provides more bass, it gives a warmer tonality, and isolates better. While the velour presents a colder and more analytical signature that is typical of studio monitors. I mainly use the leatherette pads for this review.


Bass

Bass is full bodied and very punchy, it is well extended and very satisfying. Decay is neither too fast nor sluggish. Presenting just the right amount to give it a very musical character. However, a note to be taken here is that the mid bass has a slight tendency to blend into the midrange. Personally it isn’t a problem as I found that it gives the vocals and stringed instruments a nice weight and timbre, thought others may perceive this differently.

Midrange

The midrange has a nice texture to it. I find it to be very well balanced, it doesn’t sound too thick, nor too thin, too forward nor too laidback. It sounds pristine and clear, rendering vocals and a whole variety of instruments with finesse.

Treble

This are known to be one of the mildest sounding beyerdynamic in respect to treble. However, I would still describe it as a touch bright, but it never goes to the point of sibilance. Details are rendered impressively. Keep in mind that these are marketed as studio monitors for “musicians, sound engineers, and producers”. This trait can be a double-edged sword as it can be unforgiving to poorly recorded material.


Soundstage and Imaging

Soundstage sounds quite “open” for a close designed headphone. But open-back headphones will always sound a bit wider (obviously). The height of its staging gives a good dimension, and to top it off, the imaging, which is my favorite aspect of this headphone is exceptional. Every instrument is simply well defined.


Conclusion

The Beyerdynamic DT1770’s sound is a perfect contrast between being musical and analytical. It is engaging and fun, yet it doesn’t spare any details. Crafted from top-notch materials, it is well-built and highly comfortable. It really sets itself apart in the sea of closed headphones


Sources

Fiio X7
Ibasso DX120
Chord Mojo
Modded Jazz Amplifier


Recordings Used

The Beatles “Love”
Nobuo Uematsu “Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy - Returning Home”
Weezer “Teal Album”
Simon and Garfunkel “The Best of Simon & Garfunkel”

Review by Mhark Jhoshua Q. Torres
Thank you Linsoul Audio for letting us give our honest take towards the KZ AS06. Given that the review unit is from Linsoul audio and is free of charge, it doesn’t affect the honesty and integrity of this review.

Linsoul Audio Online Stores:
Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&me=A267P2DT104U3C&page=1
Direct store: https://www.linsoul.com

The Company

Knowledge Zenith which is more infamous as “KZ” has been the king of sub 1000 php ($20) IEMs in the Philippines for at least 2 years. It is a china based company that produces Single dynamic drivers IEM up to 5 hybrid drivers (4 BAs +1 DD). They are famous not because of its phenomenal sound quality but for being bang for the buck. As we surf the internet, KZ doesn’t have their own website and rely towards online shops such as aliexpress and gearbest.

The KZ AS06

The AS06 comes it two color way, transparent black and cyan. The first thing that I noticed is the change of design, as compared to the previous KZs with circuit board design, the styling of AS06 has more edge and is better looking. Cable didn’t adapt the ZSN’s and it is disappointing, the nozzles have 3 grips for the tip not to slip.

Techincal Specification:

• Driver unit: 3 balanced armatures
• Sensitivity: 105 dB
• Impedance: 15 ohms
• Frequency response: 20 Hz–40 kHz
• Cable length: 4 ft (1.2 m)
• Plug type: L-shaped

Packaging

The packaging of KZ AS06 is not the usual white box, the IEM is now packed in a black box with KZ embossed. Opening the box, you will see the AS06 and a metal nameplate under it where the model name is written. You’ll get the typical KZ paperwork, cable, and 2 extra tips. Still no carrying pouch or even several tip choices, the cable is still the same copper cable, it is less enticing to look at as compared with the ZSN’s stock cable.

Fit and Comfort

The nozzle is neither too long nor too short, with medium sized ear tip, the fit and isolation is superb. There are no discomforts to even listening for an hour. The AS06 is one comfortable IEM, though it might feel to big for some users with small ears.

Sound
I love IEMs with midcentric to flat sound signature as I really love listening to vocals rather than instruments. My genre ranges from heavy rock, alternative rock, pop rock, acoustic, pop, jazz and folk. Majority of my test tracks are in 16 bit – 44 khz and 24 bit – 48 khz FLAC file and here is the list of my commom test tracks.

1. Reese Lansangan – For the Fickle (background, female vocals and upper mids)
2. Foo Fighters – Bridge Burning (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
3. LANY – Thick And Thin (Mid Bass, Mids)
4. Ed Sheeran – Dive (Mid bass, Lower Mids)
5. Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why (Upper Mids and Instruments)
6. Paramore – Hard Times (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
7. Radiohead – Life in a Glasshouse (Imaging Layering, Bass, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
8. Passenger – Coins in a Fountain (Mid bass, Layering, Imaging, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
9. Tori Kelly – Hollow (Background, Upper mids)
10. Ariana Grande – Raindrops (Background, Upper mids)

Bass

Sub bass goes deep enough to give enough depth to rumbles, texture is above decent for the price while the quantity is neither excessive nor lacking. The AS06 is well extended especially for a pure BA IEM.Mid bass is quite punchy for a pure BA IEM, not the same weight you’ll get from single DD IEMs such as TFZ t2 galaxy or Ibasso it01 but it is surprisingly punchier than the tin audio t2 pro. Texture and resolution is fair, it is fast and agile as it decays pretty quick, lastly the mid bass is smooth and good for easy listening.

Mids
The mids is neither lean nor lush it is just enough not to sound hollow or too thick. Coldplay and Foo Fighters songs sounded really nice and enjoyable with the as06, the placement is a bit recessed after burning in for about 50 to 100 hrs. Upper mids lacks transparency, it is too thick to give sweetness towards female vocals guitar strums sounded a bit thick as well but it is still enjoyable, it shares the same placement as the lower mids which is a bit recessed, surprisingly the AS06 is not sibilant at all.

Treble
Treble is not your typical KZ, they are slowly tuning their IEMs the right way. The treble is not piercing anymore but still packs good extension. It is quite airy for a BA IEM and that helped a lot to make the sound stage a bit wider and taller, treble is not too thin and a bit smooth while the placement lies between the bass and the mids. The treble decays pretty quick too resulting to agile performance when playing pacey tracks.

Sound Stage and Resolution
Sound stage is massive – when you compare it with the likes of ZS3 and ZST, they are not congested or boxy anymore, the AS06 copes up with live tracks as well as studio tracks. The AS06 is not that detailed and is made for easy listening, for me the bass is the most detailed part across the three frequencies.

Synergy and Sound Signature

The sound signature of the AS06 is balanced to slightly warm, if the mids is placed a bit more forward it can even pass as neutral IEM (at least for me). With warm DAP such as Fiio X7 mk1, the bass became more upfront and slighty more resolving while the mids became lusher, the upper mids became too thick to be enjoyable (at least for me who loves lean sounding upper mids), and the treble sounded a bit rolled off. As I pair the AS06 with my smartphone (Huawei Mate 10), the sound became more balanced as the upper mids and treble lost some body, of course the soundstage narrowed and the resolution became just satisfactory.

Conclusion

The is a smooth sounding IEM with good enough level of details and above decent sound stage. It has fast and punchy bass, thick and lush mids and smooth treble. For under 2000 PHP (50 USD) this performs great, recommendable for long listening periods as it can adapt through different song genres.

Review by Mhark Jhoshua Q. Torres
Thank you Linsoul Audio for letting us give our honest take towards the Tin Audio T2 pro. Given that the review unit is from Linsoul audio and is free of charge, it doesn’t affect the honesty and integrity of this review.

Linsoul Audio Online Stores:
Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&me=A267P2DT104U3C&page=1
Direct store: https://www.linsoul.com

The Company

Tin audio is a chi-fi contender that appeared last Q1 of 2018, their first IEM was Tin Audio T1 (based on what I’ve read) and it was followed by the T2s which became a lot more popular in comparison to the T1. Their IEMs are known for being bass anemic, since they are tuning their products into a neutral sound signature despite the use of all DD. “Tin Audio is committed to deliver an uncommonly refined tuning.” this is what they said in their Facebook page and based on what I’ve heard from the T2 pro, the statement is legit!

The Tin Audio T2 Pro

The T2 Pro is made out of metal that makes the overall feel to be premium and reliable, in fact I’ve been using the T2 Pro as my daily driver for a month and they never disappoint in terms of solidness and sound quality. The nozzle is a bit short, the filter is fine, and there are two vents per side one facing the ears and one at the face plate. The T2 Pro is the successor of the T2, Tin Audio said that the build and treble issues has been resolve in this unit. Other Technical Specification are as follow:

• Driver: Dynamic 10mm woofer, 6mm tweeter
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Frequency response: 12 Hz–40 kHz
• Interface: 3.5 mm
• Plug: ⅛ in (3.5 mm) carbon
• Cable: 4.1 ft (1.25 m) 5N OFC silver plating MMCX Connection

Packaging

The packaging of the T2 Pro is rather simple, the white box is relatively small making me think that the tips would be 4 pairs at max. The blue leather box contains everything from manual to tips, there is no carrying case included which is normal under the Php 3000 (50-70 USD) price tag, but it would be better including a carrying case just like TFZ T2 Galaxy and Series 2. The blue foam tips is the one you’ll get OOTB but it is huge for my ears to fit, good thing that Tin audio included 9 pairs of extra tips for tip rolling. Lastly the cable feels a bit cheap since I have the TFZ T2 Galaxy as a point of comparison which delivers a really nice looking cable but nonetheless a SPC with nice robust 3.5 mm jack is already forgivable.

Fit and Comfort


The T2 pro is made out of metal and there are few sharp edges unlike other IEMs that has CIEM-ish build therefore the fit of the T2 Pro is sub par in comparison to other IEMs in this price tier (eg. TFZ lineup and Shozy Hibiki). The isolation of T2 Pros is very dependent with the tips used, the nozzle is short hence the insertion is shallow.

Sound
I love IEMs with midcentric to flat sound signature as I really love listening to vocals rather than instruments. My genre ranges from heavy rock, alternative rock, pop rock, acoustic, pop, jazz and folk. Majority of my test tracks are in 16 bit – 44 khz and 24 bit – 48 khz FLAC file and here is the list of my commom test tracks.

1. Reese Lansangan – For the Fickle (background, female vocals and upper mids)
2. Foo Fighters – Bridge Burning (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
3. LANY – Thick And Thin (Mid Bass, Mids)
4. Ed Sheeran – Dive (Mid bass, Lower Mids)
5. Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why (Upper Mids and Instruments)
6. Paramore – Hard Times (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
7. Radiohead – Life in a Glasshouse (Imaging Layering, Bass, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
8. Passenger – Coins in a Fountain (Mid bass, Layering, Imaging, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
9. Tori Kelly – Hollow (Background, Upper mids)
10. Ariana Grande – Raindrops (Background, Upper mids)

Bass
Sub bass has moderate quantity and depth, the extension is good enough while the quality and texture is nice, the rumbles are rendered nicely without sounding too smooth nor muddy. The positioning is on the neutral side, it is linear, the decay is fast as well. The mid bass is tight and rounded, it doesn’t pack that much of punch nor it has a mid bass hump, it is actually the opposite as some may even refer it as “bass anemic”. The mid bass has decent body and weight, good texture and pretty resolving as well. It is still placed neutrally and doesn’t have any noticeable humps or dips, it is quick making the overall presentation less congested. The bass of t2 pro is far from bass head level so skip this iem if you are searching for some ear pounding bass.

Mids

The lower mids packs just the right amount of body for it not to sound too thin or shrill, it doesn’t have the lushy presentation but instead it boasts good clarity and transparency. It is slightly forward as compared to the bass but is not a mid forward iem, i believe that the lower mids is still placed neutrally here but it is a bit too lean to give extreme justice for some male vocalist like Dave Grohl. The upper mids sometimes shouty, at some peculiar tracks the upper mids sound a bit sibilant. The upper mids is sweet and a bit more forward than the bass and lower mids, it offers top notch transparency for the price. Guitar strums sound realistic too. This iem is best for acoustic genres which is full of vocals and guitar strums, Reese Lansangan sounded angelic with the T2 pro.

Treble
The treble of the T2 Pro is borderline of bright, they never sounded hot for me. The sparkle is very enjoyable in most occasion, but there are tracks that the treble sounds a bit harsh and too aggressive. The extension definitely outclass the likes of T2 Galaxy and Shozy Hibiki Mk2, it presents the treble in a defined manner. The decay is pretty quick too, the texture and resolution is great for the price as well. The treble share the same positioning as the upper mids, luckily the airyness added a good sense of width, height and depth making the overall sound stage to be spacious.

Sound Stage and Resolution
The sound stage of the T2 pro is commendable for the price range it belongs, listening to live tracks is very enjoyable since the height, depth and width are all above decent. The sound stage isn’t something “monstrous” but it expands naturally whenever it is needed. None of the three major frequency sounded smooth nor muddy in the T2 pro, from sub bass to treble the texture and details are nicely rendered and is very audible. Separation is above decent while the layering is just decent, nothing special here.

Synergy and Sound Signature
T2 Pro’s sound signature ranges from neutral to bright, the bass is linear and clinical and just enough to give a taste of thump in your tracks. The mids is placed close to neutral as well while the treble seems to have some peaks in few tracks I’ve tested. The treble might sound aggressive for some but for me they are not harsh at least for most tracks that I’m listening to.

Cayin N5iis

Cayin N5iis is a neutral-slightly bright and transparent sounding DAP, mids sounds lean, bass is flat and does not have any coloration, and treble is a bit more prominent than the bass. The T2 sounded clinical when using the N5iis, the background is silent and the treble became a bit more upfront. The texture of sub bass is very good and same goes to the mids and treble, lastly the sound stage is wider and more natural here. I would suggest this pair for those who are not that treble sensitive since the treble of T2 pro here is truly transparent, but if not it is more recommended to find a warm sounding DAP to have a better synergy.

Smartphone (Huawei Mate 10)

The Huawei Mate 10 has a sound signature of neutral-bright, sound quality is not on par with the N5iis, noise floor is a bit high. The bass lost its extension and texture, the mid bass became smoother and less impactful. The lower mids became thinner and smooth reducing the texture of the mids, the upper mids still sounds sweet and a bit forward. Lastly the treble is well extended while the presentation is less airy and detailed. The T2 pro can be easily powered by smartphones but the potential will not be maximized, the bass quantity will further be reduced but the overall sound quality is already enjoyable.

Comparison
The sound signature of T2 galaxy ranges from L shaped to warm and smooth in comparison to neutral-bright sound signature of the T2 Pro.

Conclusion

The Tin Audio T2 Pro features generous set of tips, above decent set of cable, sturdy metallic shell to take daily beating, and a great overall sound quality. The Bass is well textured and has good depth while being placed neutrally, though the quantity is a bit lacking. The mids is approached in textured and detailed manner with nice transparency in it, the lower mids might sound a bit thin for some but the upper mids sounds magnificent, it is sibilant at some few tracks. The treble is well extended, airy and resolving but it is harsh at times, it gives a nice sense of depth, width and height. The T2 Pro is a very nice starter IEM for the hobby, and I easily recommend this pair!

Review by:Thor
The Company

“Personal made earbuds made by Moon. Each model offers unique and remarkable sound that will suit your taste.”. This are the description that will welcome you as you visit theMoonbuds Facebook page. Moonbuds has been a fast growing DIY buds creator last 2018, his work catches the eye (aesthetically pleasing) and will surely please your ears (at least for every Moonbuds that I’ve tried).

The Moonbuds Bunting

The Moonbuds line up are obviously named from different kind of birds, the bunting is claimed (by Moon Harvester) to be the Nightingale Jr. which simply implies that it should be close to the flagship Nightingale in terms of tonality. For me based on what I’ve heard from the first gen Nightingale, it is indeed close to bunting it’s just that the Nightingale is less bright and more linear in presentation it also packs better details. The shell used is a Yuin shell which is more comfortable than the MX500 shell (for me). The plug, splitter and slider feels elegant and premium as I’ve been using this as my daily driver it doesn’t show any signs of breakage. To wrap it up, the build quality of bunting is top notch and considering the original package of moonbuds, it comes with a wooden box and a leather pouch with lots of earfoams inside.

Technical Specifications:

• 16 Ohms Dynamic Driver
• Imported 7n OCC cable
• Yuin Pk shell

Sound
I love IEMs and earbuds with midcentric to flat sound signature as I really love listening to vocals rather than instruments. My genre ranges from heavy rock, alternative rock, pop rock, acoustic, pop, jazz and folk. Majority of my test tracks are in 16 bit – 44 khz and 24 bit – 48 khz FLAC file and here is the list of my commom test tracks.

1. Reese Lansangan – For the Fickle (background, female vocals and upper mids)
2. Foo Fighters – Bridge Burning (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
3. LANY – Thick And Thin (Mid Bass, Mids)
4. Ed Sheeran – Dive (Mid bass, Lower Mids)
5. Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why (Upper Mids and Instruments)
6. Paramore – Hard Times (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
7. Radiohead – Life in a Glasshouse (Imaging Layering, Bass, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
8. Passenger – Coins in a Fountain (Mid bass, Layering, Imaging, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
9. Tori Kelly – Hollow (Background, Upper mids)
10. Ariana Grande – Raindrops (Background, Upper mids)

Bass
Sub bass is there with very good quality and texture, the rumbles at the beginning of “Bridge Burning” is deep and enjoyable but the placement and quantity is not bass head level. Mid bass is linear just like the sub bass, it is there when needed, fast and tight but the weight is just enough not upfront and heavy. The decay speed is pretty fast which is very good for any genres, pacey tracks never sounded congested.

Mids

Lower mids sound transparent and may sound a bit thin for those who love lush and thick vocals but it doesn’t sound dry nor hollow. Guitar strumms sound euphoric, upper mids must be the strength of this guy, well layered, nice dynamics and sweet presentation. Hearing Reese Lansangan’s Island (Acoustic version) and For the Fickle with the bunting was the most enjoyable thing I experienced using earbuds. No signs of being sibilant even at higher pitched artists such as Adele, the mids is slightly forward compared to the bass giving the bunting a sweet overall character.

Treble
Treble is also nice here, good extension and sense of being airy. No noticeable harshness and it never sounded aggressive, the treble is pronounced nicely with great resolution (even using FIIO X7i which is warm). It almost share the same placement as the mids, the decay is also quick just like the bass, it never sounded piercing or screechy. Overall I love the treble of the bunting, clear and crisp without being metallic sounding.

Sound Stage and Resolution
The width, height and depth of bunting are equally good, definitely not the widest but it is open and airy enough to give a great sense of layering and imaging, it never sounded congested or boxy at all even with tracks that sounds really narrow with some of my IEMs. The resolution of bunting is top notch, definitely above Penon BS1 and if not better, on par with the Rose Mojito, mids and treble packs a lot of details.

Synergy and Sound Signature

The Moonbuds Bunting’s sound signature ranges from neutral to slightly bright which means it will synergize nicely with warm DAPs. With Fiio X7i, the bass is lifted slightly giving a better punch to it but resulted to a bit sluggish presentation. Mids gained body and lushness without losing its upper mids’ sweet timbre, it sounded smoother but less detailed and transparent. Treble is still crisp and well extended, it sounded a bit smoother but not too much. Pairing the Bunting with my smartphone (Huawei Mate 10), it sounds lean and transparent with less bass quantity and weight while the treble became slightly more forward.

Comparison
Penon BS1 (3.5mm, 100 USD+) and Rose Mojito (200 USD+)
All of this buds are known for having a near neutral sound signature, the BS1 is slightly leaning to warm as it has good sub bass extension, the mojito is the most neutral, and the bunting leaning to bright. All of these three earbuds are pretty easy to drive, in terms of build quality I’d choose the BS1, I love the shell used here as it looks good and very comfortable. Bunting is well built as well with nice looking cable, the mojito may be made out of metal but the connector and the cable itself doesn’t feel reliable. In terms of resolution I’d choose the bunting over the 2, the bunting revealed some details that I never heard before with my other gears. The staging and layering definitely goes to the mojito, wide and accurate it never sounded distant even though it has airy presentation. The fight between the mojito and bunting is really close, the presentation of mids in the bunting is much more sweeter and transparent while the mojito sounds more coherent and linear.

Conclusion

The Moonbuds bunting is definitely a beast within its class, I never heard a buds as sweet and as transparent as the bunting under 200USD, it presents everything in detailed manner. Deep and quick enough bass that packs a lot of texture and details with decent punch. Sweet, transparent and airy mids to give justice with both female and male vocals, string instruments sounds really nice too. Treble is crisp and decays fast to avoid congested feeling with complex tracks. Resolving and above decent coherence, I can’t ask for more, the bunting is well crafted given it’s price tag.

​

The Company
“Earsonics was founded in 2005 by Franck Lopez, a musician and sound engineer, who, unhappy with the quality of in-ear monitors available at the time decided to create his own. In 2006, he begins to offer his creation for sale and enjoys immediate success, even equipping the biggest French music tour at the time. Earsonics was born ! In 2012, Earsonics launches the first universal 6 driver earphone in the world, the S-EM6. Entirely made by hand, its musical qualities garner universal praise in numerous tests. For Earsonics, the most important criteria about listening to sound is absolute precision – just like the original recording, no effects or modifications – just reality.”

Earsonics don’t need any introduction but I still decided to get some information from their site, Earsonics has been one of the most renowned brand in the earphone industry. their house sound are known to be warm and thick with an overall smooth presentation.

The Earsonics ES3
The ES3 adapts the trademark look of earsonics, it comes with a black opaque shells with the “ES” printed on the one side and the “3” printed on the other one. The shell is made out of plastic but it feels premium and well built, the nozzle doesn’t have metal filter but instead it has 3 holes that is desired to separate highs, lows and highs. The ES3 was released years ago and it falls under the mid tier department, it has 3 BA drivers one for bass, one for mids and one for treble. Other technical specifications are as follow:

• Sensibility: 116 dB/mW
• Frequency response: 10 Hz -20 kHz
• Impedance: 31.5 ohm
• Driver: 3 drivers, 3-way crossover with impedance corrector.
• Connector: 2 pin (0.78)

Packaging
It comes with medium sized gray box, it is sleeve type and underneath the gray facade is a black box. Inside it are the IEM itself with medium black silicone tips and braided cable pre-installed, foam tips, a carrying case with several tips inside (includes double flange tips), cleaning tool, and 2 cards that are mostly written in French. The packaging feels premium and all but for me, adding a better cable, more tips and a hard carrying case would be better but that’s fine it is already a complete package in my opinion.

Fit and comfort

The nozzle is a bit short making the insertion to the ear a bit shallow, the isolation is average even after tip rolling, the diameter of the nozzle is a bit smaller too that is why it is a bit hard to use other tips. Nonetheless the comfort is good, the shell itself is light and wearing it is very comfortable and easy, but the ear guide is too stiff and sometimes it is hard to find the optimum position.

Sound

I love IEMs with midcentric to flat sound signature as I really love listening to vocals rather than instruments. My genre ranges from heavy rock, alternative rock, pop rock, acoustic, pop, jazz and folk. Majority of my test tracks are in 16 bit – 44 khz and 24 bit – 48 khz FLAC file and here is the list of my commom test tracks.

1. Reese Lansangan – For the Fickle (background, female vocals and upper mids)
2. Foo Fighters – Bridge Burning (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
3. LANY – Thick And Thin (Mid Bass, Mids)
4. Ed Sheeran – Dive (Mid bass, Lower Mids)
5. Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why (Upper Mids and Instruments)
6. Paramore – Hard Times (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
7. Radiohead – Life in a Glasshouse (Imaging Layering, Bass, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
8. Passenger – Coins in a Fountain (Mid bass, Layering, Imaging, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
9. Tori Kelly – Hollow (Background, Upper mids)
10. Ariana Grande – Raindrops (Background, Upper mids)

Bass

Sub bass has average extension and has really great quality, the ES3 adapts the house sound of Earsonics which is leaning to warm and thick. The rumbles and guitar riffs sounds really good, the texture is just top notch for pure BA IEM. The mid bass is slightly boosted, slams are very much enjoyable as it packs good punch in it, it is not that weighty but the impact, texture, and decay speed is perfectly balanced for me, the bass is just slightly forward compared to the mids and treble but the good thing is that it doesn’t overshadow them at all. Despite having good punch, it never sounded loose and slow, ES3 has really nice bass considering the 3 BA inside it.

Mids
Lower mids is approached in a lush manner, it has good amount of body to give male vocals justice. It never sounded muddy, nasal, or veiled, the clarity is still great. The lower mids is not recessed nor forward, it is placed at the middle ground. For the upper mids, there are some audible dips but it is not a deal breaker for me, in the track raindrops, at the beginning, the vocals are placed a bit forward and at around 12 seconds there is a sudden recession. Talking about the quality, it is on the smooth side, the good thing here is that texture of vocals is still presented nicely. It never sounded nasal or sibilant, it sounds very balanced as it has really good amount of thickness but doesn’t make the upper mids sounds nasal.

Treble
Treble is not emphasized here; it has good resolution and extends nicely. The overall presentation is far from being neither aggressive nor sharp, in fact it is airy and a bit relaxed. The treble of the ES3 gives a nice sense of height and depth, it is placed just a bit behind the lower mids, and it has still the sparkle to deliver cymbals nicely. The treble is made for long listening, it is not laid back but it will never pop out on your face, it has nice texture and quality but it may lack quantity, forwardness and sparkle from treble heads out there, but for me who’s opposite of it, the highs of ES3 is just perfect.

Sound Stage and Resolution
The ES3 excels in this department, it sounds really cohesive. The sense of depth, width and height is very strong here in the ES3, the stage is amazingly huge for a pure BA IEM, there’s an airy feeling here even there’s no DD present. Layering and imaging is also one of the best that I’ve tried, as I close. My eyes listening alone in my room I can easily pin point the positions of the sound present in a track, from drum roll to second voices. The decay speed of the ES3 also helped a lot; it can easily cope up to pacey rock and metal songs. The ES3 has an above average resolution especially on the bass and lower mids, the upper mids and highs are still resolved nicely but not as good as the lower frequencies.

Synergy and Sound Signature
ES3 is a warm and smooth IEM, it has the lower end to lower mids warmth and the body is being shed to the upper mids making it fatigue and sibilant free, the treble is also well extended, resolving without being aggressive. I would love pairing this with neutral to bright sources as it would retain the punch and add some coldness in it.

Aune M1s

Aune M1s is a thick sounding neutral dap with nice black background on a budget. This guy increases the lushness of ES3 not to the extent of being muddy. Subs are well extended with a bit smooth texture, mid bass remains punchy. Lower mids is a bit too thick but is still enjoyable, upper mids remains the same with nice timbre. Treble became a bit more receseed, but retains the extension and resolution. The background is amazingly silent, staging is very good as the M1s unleashes the cohesiveness of the ES3. Average pairing for me, I want the body of ES3 to be lessened but the M1s increased it further nonetheless the technical prowess of this pair is nice.

Hidizs Sonata HD v2
The sonata DAC is leaning to warm, the mid bass bump increased while still retaining the nice texture, the sub bass remains the same except that it is a bit more forward. Lower mids was slightly emphasized and gained more thickness; the upper mids is still the same, the treble sounded a bit rolled off and smooth. The staging is just fine, not as wide as with the M1s or n5iis, background is fairly dark as well.

Cayin N5iis

Cayin N5iis is a neutral-slightly bright and transparent sounding DAP, mids sounds lean, bass is flat and does not have any coloration, and treble is a bit more prominent than the bass. I simply love the synergy of this pair, the sub bass is still well extended with nicer details retrieval and texture, the emphasis on mid bass became less and the texture also better. Lower mids became a bit leaner and was able to have better transparency same goes to upper mids, it also became a bit more forward. The treble is well extended, better resolution and slightly more forward still, without sounding shrill. This pair has one of the blackest background that I’ve tried on SE, sound stage is huge with better layering and imaging.

Smart Phone (Huawei Mate 10)
The Huawei Mate 10 is has a sound signature of neutral-bright, sound quality is not on par with the N5iis or M1s, noise floor is a bit high. The bass became a bit rolled off and less textured; the mid bass became smoother and less impactful. The lower mids is not that affected with still having that thick presentation, upper mids became a bit leaner. The treble was not extended further but was placed a bit more forward and the quantity slightly improved while still being relaxed. Sound stage is not that huge but it still sounded pretty cohesive. This two is a nice pairing, as the mate 10 slightly boosts the upper mids to treble of the ES3.

Comparison

Earsonics ES3 vs Empire Ears Bravado
Both of this IEMs are leaning to warm, the ES3 extends a bit deeper, the sub bass of ES3 packs a bit more texture than the bravado. The mid bass of these IEMs almost have the same amount of texture; the bass of ES3 is more forward and packs more punch in comparison to Bravado’s tighter and faster mid bass. The lower mids of these two IEMs still share the same characteristics; both are neither recessed nor forward and have velvet like lushness. The texture of the lower mids now goes to the Bravado, but the delivery of ES3 is a bit cleaner. The upper mids of bravado is leaner and packs more sweetness than the ES3, the upper mids of ES3 is presented in a smooth manner and is less fatiguing than the Bravado’s. For the treble, both are not emphasized, the treble of bravado is more linear and a bit more forward on the other hand, ES3’s is more extended, better details and has faster decay. The ES3 is better has better sound stage in terms of height, it is also better in imaging.

Earsonics ES3 vs Acoustune HS1551 CU
ES3 sounded lean when compared to the HS1551 CU. The bass of these two IEMs are equally well extended but the sub bass of HS1551 has more texture and quantity. The mid bass is a bit smoother on the HS1551 as the ES3 delivers more texture and is also tighter, the quantity and impact goes to HS1551. The lower mids of ES3 is more transparent, forward and textured as the HS1551 is meatier and a bit more recessed. The same thing can be observed on the upper mids, the ES3 is leaner and packs more clarity as the HS1551 still have the warmth up to the upper mids. The HS1551’s treble is a bit rolled off in comparison to the well extended and controlled treble of ES3, the sparkle and resolution also goes to ES3 while the smoothness goes to HS1551. The stage of HS1551 is fairly wide but the ES3 is simply wider, has more sense of height and depth, imaging is also slightly better in the ES3.

Earsonics ES3 vs Noble Sage
The sage sounds leaner in comparison to thick sounding ES3. The bass of ES3 is extended a bit deeper as compared to the Sage, it is also more textured as the Sage presents the sub bass in a smooth manner. The mid bass of Sage sounded linient when compared side to side with ES3, it is also smoother but in return it is more tight and fast than the ES3’s. The lower mids is cleaner in Sage, it is a more forward to but it lacks the body that ES3 making it dry sounding at times. The upper mids sounds sweeter and more transparent in the Sage, it is more upfront too. The Sage is a bit bright compared to the relaxed and airy treble of the ES3, the ES3 has more controlled and is a bit recessed while the Sage wins with crispness and resolution. The stage of ES3 is still bigger for me, but this time it is closer it is just that the sense of depth is better in the ES3, on the other hand layering and imaging goes to the Sage.

Conclusion

Earsonics ES3 was released years ago, but hey it can still go toe to toe against newer competitors in its price tier. I love the bass as it has moderate impact yet there’s a good amount of texture and resolution, it can go deep too. Lower mids is full sounding and it sounds fantastic when playing heavy rock and metal songs, upper mids has moderate transparency without sounding shrill or sibilant. Treble is airy especially for a pure BA, it is placed just enough to have presence and not be fatiguing, it extends very well and it is controlled with nice resolution and decay speed. The ES3 is very cohesive, it is open sounding with great sense of height, width and depth, layering and imaging is realistic as well. I would say that ES3 is one of the best warm and smooth sounding pair that I’ve ever tried; I can say that under 30,000 PHP the ES3 is a beast in cohesiveness!

The Company

Simgot was first established in 2015 and their first product was Simgot EN700 which was the predecessor of Simgot EN700 Pro, later they released the Simgot EN700 Bass which doesn’t have removable cable and as the name suggests, it is focused on the bass frequency. Their website states that “SIMGOT，means “Simple and elegant”.We trust only finest product and perfect service, only the fusion of old-school rules and fashion creativity. Don’t give in to conservative and troubles, we will redefine your senses. Stop step around and start set out. Salute to art and science”. I believe their statement because their product speaks for them (Spoiler).

The Simgot EN700 Pro


The Simgot EN700 Pro is Hi-Res Certified and the papers of the certification can be seen in their website, the 700 Pro is equipped with polymer composite titanium plated diaphragm N50 strong magnetic loop and has a frequency response raging from 15 Hz to 40 kHz. The 700 Pro also comes with a 6N single-crystal copper and silver-plated braided wires with standard 0.78 mm 2 pin connector, the hybrid cable is done exquisitely but based on my experience both copper and silver oxidized after months of use.

Package

Pardon us for not having pictures of the package since our unit was a demo unit bought from a friend, the EN700 Pro comes with a black elegant box, after removing the sleeve a more elegant box will surprise the user, the box contain the two earpieces that comes with 4 color way, red, blue, blue and red, and black in my case I’ve got the blue one. Premium leather carrying pouch and the hybrid cable can also be seen inside the box, my favorite part of the package is the two types of ear tips, one for better upper frequencies (Red) and one for better lower frequencies (Blue). Overall the EN700’s package is the best under sub 8000 PHP ($160).

Fit and Comfort

I will describe the fit and comfort to be mediocre, the fit is good, it sits perfectly to my ear and the comfort is good as well, but as we combine the fit and comfort in IEMs, the isolation comes in and this is where the EN700 Pro falls down a little. The profile of the EN700 Pro looks sexy and feels sexy as well but as I use it during commutes the jeepney’s engine noise can be still audible but still far better than using my buds for commute.

Sound

Bass

Note: The sound impression are done with the red tips equipped because the blue tips boosts the lower frequencies resulting to a bit overpowering bass.

Deep sub bass! It is well extended, excellent texture and quality and good quantity. Madman of Sean Rowe sounds superb with the EN700 Pro, the rumble sounds natural and deep, his vocals lowest signature is very audible with nice texture. The mid bass takes a little step forward without having that annoying bass bleed, the attack is tight yet punchy, it is unbelievably fast and accurate, the texture is on the average side since it is a bit smooth. Lastly, the bass never sounded boomy since it is quick, bass decay is impressive as well, it is fast thus it can handle rock and metal tracks without being congested.

Mids

‌The mids is laid back yet retaining good clarity and is layered well, the lower mids sounds warm and lush giving good advantage when handling male vocals, Ed Sheeran’s Wake me up sounds relaxing, it may not be placed forward but the quality of mids is far from being muddy. Upper mids is a bit forward as compared to the lower mids, but still a bit laid back as compared to the bass, it lacks sweetness and crisp but has ample body, Halie Loren’s Wild Birds is enjoyable as there are no noticeable peaks also sibilant is absent in the EN700 Pro. Mids has good amount of body and clarity, but lacks details and sweetness, I’d say that the mids is just average since I’m a mid centric guy that loves transparency in mids that has pristine clarity and forward layering.

Treble

‌Treble section is airy and laid back, it decays fairly good and has average sparkle and extension. I’d say that it is a bit relaxed and far from being aggressive, Asphyxia of Co Shu Nie never sounded fatiguing nor peaky and piercing the highs may not please treble heads but for treble sensitive users the treble is great because it has is airy and open as it retains good definition and details.

Sound Stage and Resolution

The Company
Geek Wold recently established their company, their representative told me some brief background about them, “Geek Wold company was a professional manufacturer of high-end HIFI universal model earphones. We have ODM over $800-$2000 HIFI IEMs for other brands. We plan to use our own technology and persistent pursuit of HIFI quality to create more good sound quality earphones for ordinary consumers. our aim is to make HIFI earphones more popular. In the future, we will launch 25-30USD 1BA+3 Dynamic driver earphone, 50-60USD 4BA+2Dynamic driver earphones, Geek Wold focus on audiophile earphones and high technicality earphones, we are not focused on low-cost earphones, we focus on high quality earphones!”. The Geek Wold seems to offer high quality audio gears without sacrificing the price to performance ratio.

The Geek Wold GK3
The GK3 made may jaw drop the moment I unboxed it. It looks manly, clean and premium it is one IEM you can brag around your friends and told them that it is worth 5000 Php (100 USD). The carbon fiber looks legit and is wisely protected by a resin like material. The splitter looks like it is made out of stainless steel with Geek Wold being inprinted on it. The cable is a braided one, we don’t have any idea about the materials used but it looks sturdy and can take your daily beating. The connector is an angled one and lastly the filters are nicely attached to the nozzle making it feels more reliable than other IEMs in this price tier. I’m very impressed with the overall build quality but I still prefer a detachable cables as it is the first thing that breaks based with my previous IEMs. Lastly it has 3 dynamic drivers, each one are designated for bass, mids and treble respectively.

Technical Specification:

• Driver: 3 Dynamic Driver
• Sensitivity: 102dB/mW
• Impedance: 8Ω
• Frequency response range: 20-20000Hz
• Plug diameter: 3.5mm
• Headphone plug type: L-shaped gold-plated

Package
The package of the GK3 is pretty standard, you’ll get the GK3 itself with medium tips being attached out of the box, a warranty card written in chinesse language (not sure about which one) and finally 2 pair of extra tips, 1 L and 1 S. Added pouch would be much better but hey, I don’t have the rights to complaining for their asking price.

Fit and Comfort
A closer look of GK3’s body, the can be seen as well as the thick nozzle.
The fit and comfort of GK3 is just average, it provides moderate isolation and the sound leak is almost absent. I think that the nozzle is not that good as it is too thick and short to fit nicely in my ears. It fits better than bullet type IEMs but again it is not as good as CIEM like shells such as Kinera Idun, Ibasso IT01, Magaosi K5 and QDC Neptune but hey the price is just a fraction of the said IEMs.

Sound
Bass
I’m expecting an overly warm tuning here because it is composed of 3 dynamic drivers but I’m very that it isn’t. The sub bass has moderate quantity and depth for it to be felt in Melanie Martinez’s Carousel The rumbles at the beginning is just enough to please my ears, it is present but never excessive, the texture is quite smooth and is not that detailed. The mid bass shares the same characteristic as the sub bass, it has enough punch to tackle EDM tracks but I don’t think it will please bass lovers out there, you’ll get a smooth, tight and rounded mid bass with nice speed. It never sounded slow at all it decays quite fast as well making it more agile for fast and complex tracks. The overall bass doesn’t sound like a DD but the good thing is that it is tuned balance enough giving it almost a linear bass response.

Mids
Full sounding, it is the best way to define the mids of GK3, it packs good lushness and body without sounding colored at all. For the lower mids it is not recessed nor forward, it is properly positioned making it a nice all rounder. Ahmir’s On Bended Knee Sounds very enjoyable with GK3, it never sounded dry nor hollow, the body is just enough to retain the transparency for male vocals. As for the upper mids, it sounds too thick for me, the body somewhat reduced the sweetness needed to tackle female vocals, the texture remains great but it is placed a step or two behind the lower mids making it less intimate and sweet. Good thing is that sibilant is absent, the mids of GK3 is velvety and full sounding without sounding too colored, it is a bit forward than the bass making it a bit mid-centric IEM, clarity and transprency surprisingly not sacrificed for lush tuning.

Treble
Highs are meant for treble sensitives, it is placed behind the bass and mids giving the listener better depth and airier presentation. TK’s Unravel never sounded aggressive nor piercing, it is not that sparkly like the competition IEMs within the price tier but it is made for longer listening sessions. Despite the lack of sparkle and bite, it is still clear and fast listening to metal and rock songs won’t be a problem at all as it decays pretty quick, the extension is also decent. I love the treble of GK3, it’s like it is tuned for my treble sensitive ears, it is airy and placed slightly recessed without sacrificing the texture and speed.

Sound Stage and Resolution
Sound stage is above average, it has nice depth, width and height i believe that the GK3 sounds quite open especially when listening to live tracks but still does not sound confined when listening to studio recorded tracks. The sound stage nicely expands when it is needed, the 3 drivers also helped giving the GK3 enough prowess for good imaging and layering. The resolution is nice in bass as it passed my Everything’s Not Lost test, mids has average details and same can be observed with the treble, it is actually a detailed IEM under 1000 PHP (20 USD).

Sound Signature and Synergy
The GK3 has warm and smooth to mid-centric sound signature, the bass is a bit recessed with respect to mids and the treble sits behind the two frequencies. The GK3 is one of the least aggressive IEM that I’ve tried.

Aune M1s
Aune M1s x Geek Wold GK3
Aune M1s is a neutral sounding DAP with good body and low noise floor, the GK3 performs well as I pair it with M1s but it is quite odd that I need to put the volume up to 80 at low gain. The GK3 has nice punch and the sub bass is noticeably deeper as compared to the other two sources below. The mids is more full sounding but the transparency increased as well. Treble is still laid back with better texture and better extension. It is nice to pair the GK3 with neutral source as the relaxed tuning will not be disrupted.

Shanling M1
The Shanling M1 sounds warmer and it doesn’t synergize well with the GK3 the bass became slower with more warmth, the mids further gained body with the expense of less clarity and the treble sounded too rolled off. The GK3 won’t sound as nice as it should be with warm sources, the body will become excessive and the treble will further lose its sparkle.

Smart Phone (Huawei Mate 10)
The Huawei Mate 10 is fairly neutra slightly leaning to bright, the sub bass extension was lessen, the mid bass became less impactful, the mids became more transparent and slightly drier and the treble gained some sparkle and became slightly forward. As for the sound stage it is noticeably became narrower, pairing the GK3 with bright sources will make the mids and treble more balance but the bass will suffer.

Conclusion

The GK3 is a nice offering from the recently established company, Geek Wold it might be one of the best IEMs under 1000 PHP (20 USD). The sub bass extends well with moderate quantity and texture while the mid bass has enough punch and is surprisingly fast for a triple dynamic configuration. The mids are tuned forwardly with nice body without losing clarity and details. The treble is airy, relaxed and quick without being rolled off. The sound stage is wide and it has good layering and imaging, it is pretty resolving for the price too. It may sound a bit too thick especially for upper mids, the bass isn’t that textured, and the highs might sound recessed but it is one of the most relaxing IEM that I’ve tried, it is thick without losing its technical performance, I believe it one of my top 3 under 1000 PHP and the build punches way than the price, this IEM is a damn good starting product from Geek Wold.