INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Moondrop Chu II is an in-ear monitor (IEM) with one 10mm aluminum-magnesium composite alloy diaphragm dynamic driver in each housing. It is a sequel release to the Moondrop Chu and now features a removable 2-pin cable. The Chu II retails for $18.99 at ShenzhenAudio. I received the Chu II from ShenzhenAudio in exchange for my review.

MUSIC:​

I tested this device with FLAC local files and Spotify Premium streaming. Check out my last.fm page to see what I’m listening to:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Moondrop Chu II arrives in a rectangular grey cardboard box with a lid adorned with an anime waifu illustration. Technical specifications and a frequency response graph for the Chu II appear on the back. Within, the Chu II earpieces are secured in a black sheet of foam. The package includes three pairs of generic silicone eartips (S, M, L) and the same small Moondrop-branded black pleather storage pouch included with the Moondrop Jiu. Unfortunately, the Chu II does not include Moondrop Spring Tips like the Jiu and the original Chu. Also inside the box are a quality control pass chit, user manual, and contact card linking to Moondrop’s Tencent QQ account.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Moondrop Chu II is similar to the Moondrop Jiu and the original Moondrop Chu in appearance:
The Chu II’s finish is smooth with a shiny luster…The faceplates are oval-shaped…“L” and “R” indicators are also printed in copper adjacent to the cable entry sites. There are two pinprick circular vents on the interior face of the IEM body.
Unlike those two IEMs, the Chu II has a detachable cable. The cable connector housings are forward-swept at the same acute angle as the Jiu and Chu. The connector ports are recessed below the housing.
The Chu II has replaceable screw-in nozzles which contain the filter material. In the few weeks that I have had the Chu II, the finish on these nozzles has tarnished noticeably. The nozzles have a lip to secure eartips. The nozzles have saucer plate-style mesh coverings.
The cable is unbraided and uses a soft transparent sheath. The Y-split hardware is a simple translucent rubber cylinder. There is no chin-adjustment choker and the cable is mildly tangle-prone. The cable does have preformed earguides. The 3.5mm jack uses an L-shaped housing with significant strain relief. There is no strain relief at the Y-split.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Moondrop Chu II is identical in comfort, fit, and isolation to the Moondrop Chu. The Moondrop Chu II is intended to be worn cable-up. The nozzles have a shallow insertion depth. Given the relatively small size of the earpieces, the Chu II is very comfortable to wear for extended periods, but secureness of fit and isolation are slightly below average. The Chu II has worse driver flex than the original Chu or the Jiu.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Moondrop Jiu can be found on my expanding squig.link database:
Moondrop Chu 2 — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

Unlike the Moondrop Jiu, which was essentially a minor refinement of the original Moondrop Chu, the Chu II has a noticeably more V-shaped sound signature compared to the Chu.
The Chu II has more bass presence than the Chu down from the sub-bass to around 400 Hz. The Chu II sounds more full and impactful as a result. Thankfully, this bump is moderate enough to continue to avoid bass bleed. The Chu II’s bass is more resolving, textured, and sharply articulated than the original Chu’s.
The Chu II has greater contrast between its upper and lower midrange regions than the Chu. Due to the increased bass presence, this does not negatively impact the overall tonality. The Chu II actually has much better timbre than the Chu. The Chu sounds thinner and more compressed, particularly with respect to analog percussion. Midrange clarity and instrument separation are excellent. However, I do feel that the Chu II has too much presence. This is most evident when listening to distorted electric guitars, which take on a buzzsaw-like quality on some tracks. Female vocals are more prominent compared to male vocals and enjoy slightly better clarity, but both sound full and intelligible.
The Chu II not only retains the Chu’s prominent lower treble emphasis but has a hair more energy in this region. This did not bother me, but treble-sensitive listeners may want to approach it with caution. The Chu II also shifts some energy from the upper treble to the mid-treble, which helps provide some of the sparkle that the Chu lacked. The upper treble remains well extended. The Chu II has superior overall detail retrieval and improved soundstage height compared to the Chu.

CLOSING WORDS:​

While I may take issue with its presence region and mourn the absence of Spring tips included in the package, I think the Moondrop Chu II’s tuning is going to be well received by the average listener. More importantly, Moondrop has once again raised the bar for what is possible in terms of technical performance in a $20 IEM with the Chu II’s new dynamic driver. This is a great starting point for a budding audiophile.
Finally, while the Chu II is a marked improvement on the Chu, I still recommend saving for a higher tier IEM instead of replacing one with the other.
The Moondrop Chu II can be purchased below:
MOONDROP CHU 2 10mm Dynamic Driver In-ear Headphone (shenzhenaudio.com)

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The HiBy Zeta is a hybrid in-ear monitor that combines one 10mm dynamic driver, four balanced armatures, and four electrostatic drivers per earpiece. It retails for $1399. I received the Zeta through a review tour organized by HiBy. I was able to test it for a week and a half before writing my review. I covered the shipping costs to the next reviewer on the tour, and no compensation was received for this review.

SOURCES:​

During my review process, I utilized the Hiby Zeta with the following sources:

• Moondrop Dawn
• Truthear Shio
• Hiby R6 Pro II

MUSIC:​

I assessed the quality of these headphones using FLAC and Spotify Premium. To gain an understanding of my musical taste, visit my last.fm page:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The HiBy Zeta comes in a rectangular square black box with a black cardboard slipcover. The included 2-pin cable has a 4.4mm balanced termination. The package includes nine pairs of eartips. This selection consists of three pairs of standard silicone eartips (S, M, L), three pairs of shallow wide-bore eartips (S, M, L), and three pairs of hybrid silicone-foam eartips (S, M, L). The package also includes a HiBy-branded hockey puck-shaped storage case with a friction-fit lid finished in turquoize leather. Two small drawstring mesh bags are included to protect the earpieces inside the storage case. A magnetic cable clasp and a cleaning brush are also provided. As for documentation, the Zeta comes with a user manual and a quality control pass chit.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Hiby Zeta’s earpieces are machined from titanium and feature a puesdo-custom fit. The teardrop-shaped faceplates have mirrored stainless steel inlays featuring a two-tone geometric design. The earpieces are laser etched with with the HiBy logo and unit serial number, plus “L” and “R” indicators below the 2-pin ports. Each earpiece has a single circular vent near the serial number. The nozzles are thick and have a gently raised lip to secure eartips. I did not have any issues with eartips coming loose during my time with the Zeta.
The included 8-core litz cable uses an eight-way braid below the Y-split and quad-braids on each side above the Y-split. It has strain relief above its 4.4mm jack but none at the Y-split. Its chin adjustment choker, 4.4 mm jack housing and Y-split hardware are all dark polished chrome with white lettering (“HIBY” on the 4.4mm jack hardware and “ZETA” on the Y-split hardware). It also has pre-formed earguides and the 2-pin connector hardware is marked red and blue for right and left. My one complaint about the cable is that the chin adjustment choker is hard to slide up and down the cable due to the girth of the quad-braids.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The HiBy Zeta should be worn with the cable up. Though it has a moderate insertion depth, secureness of fit is slightly below average. However, isolation is very good. The included cable is somewhat microphonic even with the use of the chin adjustment choker.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the HiBy Zeta can be found on my expanding squig.link database:
HiBy Zeta — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The HiBy Zeta has a refined V-shaped tuning, with the bass and upper midrange/lower treble having roughly equal intensity. The upper midrange is notably even, avoiding any harsh peaks.
The Zeta’s dynamic driver produces a thunderous, powerful bass response. The bass is most elevated in the bottommost sub-bass and recedes in a roughly linear fashion until around 700 Hz. If the Zeta’s dynamic driver were less capable, I would imagine this tuning would be muddy and bloated. Given the capabilities of the driver, however, the Zeta has some of the best bass I have ever heard, with superb articulation and resolution, impactful slam and excellent note weight and texture.
The Zeta’s lower mids are recessed, resulting in male vocals sounding slightly boxed-in compared to low-end and top-end instrumentation. With that said, harsh male vocals have body, grit, and power in spades. Female vocals are lush, vibrant, and clearer than male vocals. However, there is a hint of sibilance to female vocals. Analog percussion has an organic and snappy timbre. There is a moderate dip between 5 kHz and 8 kHz which appears to be intentional. Adding presence into this dip with equalization introduces an unpleasant grittyness to the presentation.
The Zeta has a gentle but detailed treble response that delivers the micro-level insight one would expect from an IEM of its price. I do think the Zeta could use a bit more upper treble emphasis, as there is limited air. Furthermore, the soundstage is not as spacious as the driver configuration might suggest. The soundstage width extends outside the head, while the height and depth of the soundstage are average and shallow respectively. The sustained emphasis in the mid-bass region does create a busy center-stage image, yet layering is still very good. Thanks to its punchy and highly textured bass response, the Zeta conveys dynamic swings with ease. Finally, imaging is excellent.
The Zeta is one of the best IEMs for extreme metal I have listened to to date. I felt the power of its sound listening to a high-resolution digital copy of “I Will Find You” by Whitechapel early in my review process. The galloping double bass and downtuned extended range electric guitars that kick in at 0:46 sound like a stampede, and vocalist Phil Bozeman’s growl at 4:11 sent shivers down my spine.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Hiby Zeta is easy to drive and had no hiss with any of my sources. For best results, I recommend pairing it with a highly resolving source device, like the Hiby R6 Pro II, which offered an audibly blacker background than my Truthear Shio.

CLOSING WORDS:​

I usually prefer reference-tuned IEMs, but the HiBy Zeta’s stellar bass performance and excellent build quality have won me over. I can confidently recommend the Zeta to anyone looking for an endgame IEM with a V-shaped sound profile.

Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite Review​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite is an in-ear monitor (IEM) featuring eight balanced armature (BA) drivers per housing. The Orchestra Lite retails for $249.99 at Linsoul. Linsoul sent me the Orchestra Lite in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Truthear Shio
• Audirect Atom 3
• Hidizs S9
• Apple dongle

MUSIC:​

I tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite comes packaged in a black, rectangular cardboard box with a dark green slipcover. Inside the box, the IEMs are held in place in a black foam mounting sheet. The Orchestra Lite comes with nine pairs of generic silicone eartips (S, M, L) in three different colors. A black semi-rigid zippered carry case and a user manual are also included.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite has clear acrylic housing with teardrop-shaped colored faceplates. The faceplates feature the Kiwi Ears logo inlaid in silver. The housings are otherwise unadorned. The housings are unvented and the nozzles have three distinct sound tubes. The nozzles lack protective mesh filters or raised lips with which to secure eartips. The 2-pin ports are flush with the surface of the housings.

The Orchestra Lite includes an attractive 4-core 7n oxygen-free copper cable. The Y-split and 3.5mm jack hardware are polished aluminum, and the chin-adjustment choker is translucent plastic. There is strain relief above the straight 3.5mm jack but not above or below the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed plastic earguides. The plastic base of the right-side 2-pin connector is red, which is the sole directional indicator for the set. The included cable is not especially microphonic.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite should be worn cable up. The earpieces have a shallow-to-moderate insertion depth. The Orchestra Lite is comfortable but is not the most securely fitting IEM. The earpieces are on the larger side and tend to rotate backward out of their ideal orientation. The earpieces also extend past the surface of the ear when fully inserted, so the Orchestra Lite is not ideal if one plans to use them at night. Isolation is less than I would have expected for sealed all-BA IEM. However, there is no driver flex due to the absence of a dynamic driver.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite has a neutral tuning with a sub-bass lift below 200 Hz.

The Orchestra Lite has atypical bass for an all-BA IEM. From memory, it reminds me of the Softears RSV in that it delivers more textured and impactful but slower and less precise bass than one might expect given its driver configuration. The Orchestra Lite also fares better than one might expect in terms of dynamic contrast, although it does not compete at the level of the RSV. Despite the emphasis on an impactful and dynamic bass presentation, bass resolution and articulation remain adequate for the price point.

The Orchestra Lite has a distinct but restrained pinna gain region centered around 2.5 kHz. This is not ideal for my head-related transfer function and results in less separation between instrumentation and vocals than I would prefer. Instrument separation is variable. For example, there is better instrument separation between male vocals and analog percussion than there is between male vocals and distorted electric guitars. As a result, overall midrange clarity is average at best. The Kiwi Ears Cadenza’s more pronounced pinna gain hump, which is centered at 3 kHz, worked more consistently for me. The lower midrange has plenty of body and warmth despite the linear mid-bass response. Male and female vocals are roughly even in emphasis, though female vocals are more intelligible. Female vocals can occasionally sound strident but generally sound excellent. The Orchestra Lite has very natural-sounding timbre for an all-BA IEM.

The Orchestra Lite has a safe and relaxed treble response that conceals very good internal detail retrieval. The upper treble is less extended than I would like, and there is limited air. The Orchestra Lite does respond well to equalization in this region, but other IEMs in the same price range like the SeeAudio Bravery are going to have more up-front resolution. The soundstage is adequate but is less expansive than I would have expected given the number of BAs used per housing.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite can be powered by the Apple dongle. For me to reach my usual listening level with Spotify Normalization set to “Normal”, I had to set my Pixel 7’s volume to 20/25. Depending on your preferences, you may not have to adjust your volume as high. I experienced no hissing with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite is a good IEM, but not necessarily the IEM one might expect from looking at its technical specifications. Given its particular strengths, it is perhaps best viewed as a budget Softears RSV as opposed to a budget Moondrop S8.

The Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite can be purchased below:
https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-orchestra-lite

Moondrop LAN Review​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Moondrop LAN is an in-ear monitor (IEM) featuring one 10mm beryllium-plated dynamic driver per housing. The LAN retails for $39.99 at ShenzhenAudio. ShenzhenAudio sent me the LAN in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Moondrop LAN with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Truthear Shio
• Apple Dongle

MUSIC:​

I tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Moondrop LAN comes packaged in a white, rectangular cardboard box with a slipcover featuring an anime waifu on the front and technical specs and a frequency response graph on the back. In the box, the IEMs are held in place in a white foam mounting sheet. It comes with three generic silicone eartips (S, M, L) but no Moondrop Spring tips. The LAN comes with a card with a quick response code that links to Moondrop’s QQ page, as well as an illustrated postcard and a user manual written in both Chinese and English. The LAN also includes a soft leather carry pouch.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Moondrop LAN’s earpieces feature an all-metal, stainless steel build with ovular faceplates. The faceplates are etched with a flower petal design, which is the only marking found on the earpieces. This includes directional markings, of which there are none. Metal injection moulding (MIM) manufacturing provides an attractive, consistent finish. There are two small ventilation holes on the inner face of the housing body, one at the base of the nozzle and one near the back edge of the face. The nozzles are equipped with perforated metal covers and robust lips that ensure a secure fit for eartips. The 2-pin ports are recessed.


The only Moondrop branding on the LAN is found on the Y-split hardware, which uses the same MIM stainless steel material as the earpieces. While Moondrop has never been a leader in included cables, the LAN’s cable is underwhelming. The LAN’s cable consists of spiraling silver and black wires wrapped in an unbraided clear plastic sheath. Sadly, the 3.5mm jack does not feature the same MIM stainless steel materials as the earpieces and Y-split hardware. The cable does feature strain relief above the 3.5mm jack. The cable has pre-formed heat-shrink earguides. The right-side 2-pin connector is denoted with a small red rubber ring that sits just below the 2-pin housing. The cable does not feature a chin-adjustment choker and is moderately tangle-prone. On the other hand, the cable is less microphonic than one might expect given the absence of a chin-adjustment choker.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Moondrop LAN earphones should be worn with their cable up. The earpieces have a shallow-to-moderate insertion depth. The LAN is comfortable but is not the most securely fitting IEM. Isolation is less than average, with noticeable driver flex when using larger ear tips.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Moondrop LAN can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Moondrop Lan — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The Moondrop LAN’s sound tuning is the same Virtual Diffusion Sound Field (VDSF) target found in many other Moondrop IEMs. Of the dozen Moondrop IEMs I have reviewed, the LAN’s tuning is most akin to the original Moondrop Aria.

The LAN has more sub-bass than mid-bass, transitioning smoothly between the two rather than adopting a distinct sub-bass shelf. While I would not characterize the LAN as a bassy IEM, there is a good amount of rumble and enough impact to the mid-bass to convincingly render percussion. The LAN has excellent bass technicalities across the board, with terrific resolution, articulation, and texture for the price. The LAN does not have mid-bass bleed.

The LAN has a broad pinna gain region from 2.5 kHz to 5 kHz, creating a clear midrange with good separation between vocals and instrumentation. This comes despite the use of a plateau-style pinna gain region as opposed to a focused peak, which normally results in less separation between vocals and instrumentation. On the other hand, the midrange is on the thin side, with limited body, particularly in the lower midrange. Male vocals are highly intelligible but lack warmth. Male and female vocals are roughly even in emphasis. I do not have any complaints when it comes to the LAN’s presentation of female vocals. Instrument separation is quite good overall, and the overall soundstage is expansive for a budget single dynamic driver design. The overall timbre is pleasant and natural.

The LAN boasts an energy-filled treble response that is more balanced than the Moondrop Chu. The amount of lower treble is just shy of what might cause me discomfort, giving cymbal crashes an exciting amount of sparkle and definition. Similarly, the upper treble region is present enough to create a sense of airiness without making the sound feel artificial. The LAN punches well above its asking price in terms of treble extension, and detail retrieval is excellent.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Moondrop LAN can be powered by the Apple dongle. For me to reach my usual listening level with Spotify Normalization set to “Normal”, I had to set my Pixel 7’s volume to 22/25. Depending on your preferences, you may not have to adjust your volume as much. I experienced no hissing with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Moondrop LAN is what we expect from Moondrop in terms of tuning. While not a bad thing to my ears, some hobby veterans may find it too familiar. If you are not a VDSF convert already, the LAN will not change your mind. However, the Moondrop LAN is a surprisingly competent performer from a technical perspective. I would go so far as to say that the LAN is to the Aria what the Moondrop Starfield was to the Moondrop KXXS, which is to say the lion’s share of the performance for a substantially lower price.

The Moondrop LAN can be purchased below:

MOONDROP LAN Earphone 10mm Dynamic Driver In-Ear HiFi Headphone (shenzhenaudio.com)

Tin HiFi T4 Plus​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The TinHiFi T4 Plus is an in-ear monitor (IEM) featuring one 10mm carbon nanotube dynamic driver per housing. The T4 Plus retails for $119.99. I am not receiving any compensation, financial or otherwise, for writing this review.

SOURCES:​

I have used the TinHiFi T4 Plus with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Truthear Shio

MUSIC:​

I tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The TinHiFi T4 Plus comes in a square black cardboard box with a black slipcover. The slipcover displays an image of a satellite that resembles TinHiFi’s iconic tube-shaped IEM design. I’m grateful for the refreshing change from the now-commonly featured anime waifu illustrations on IEM packaging. The rear face of the slipcover features several scannable Quick-Response (QR) codes that link to TinHiFi’s social media profiles.




The IEMs are securely held in place under the box lid, via a white foam mounting sheet. The T4 Plus comes with nine pairs of eartips — three each of generic silicone eartips with black and red cores (in sizes S, M, and L), as well as three pairs of Symbio-like hybrid silicone-foam eartips (also in sizes S, M, and L). The hybrid eartips come packaged in a sturdy, transparent plastic container, whereas the generic eartips come in a clear plastic bag. The T4 Plus comes with a card with quick response (QR) codes that link to TinHiFi’s Twitter and Facebook pages, as well as a user manual written in both Chinese and English. The T4 also includes a semi-rigid pleather carry case with a magnetic closure.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The TinHiFi T4 Plus largely resembles the iconic TinHiFi T2. The IEM is composed of a three-part polished copper assembly, featuring a circular faceplate with a faux-wood grain finish. At the base of the nozzle and the middle housing section, where the two housing sections meet, there are small ventilation holes. The nozzles are equipped with perforated metal covers and robust lips that ensure a secure fit for eartips. The 2-pin ports are fitted flush into a circular base that matches the diameter of the pin connector base on the cable side. This base is marked with a dab of blue paint to indicate polarity. The base of the right-hand side IEM connector and the base of the 2-pin connector of the corresponding cable are red plastic. The corresponding left-hand side bases are composed of clear resin. The housings otherwise lack directional indicators. In fact, the housings lack any branding or text whatsoever.


The only TinHiFi branding on the T4 Plus is found on the metal chin-adjustment choker on the cable, which bears TinHiFi’s logo. I appreciate this subtle approach to branding. I’m always impressed with the aesthetics and quality of the stock cables TinHiFi includes with IEMs at this price point, and this cable is no exception. It uses a quad-braid below the Y-split and double-helix patterns above the Y-split. The metal 3.5mm jack hardware, Y-split hardware, chin-adjustment choker, and 2-pin housings are all similar in appearance to the coppery alloy used for the IEM shells. The jack and Y-Split hardware feature an intriguing fluted pattern engraved onto them. There is strain relief above the 3.5mm jack, but not above or below the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed heat-shrink earguides. The 2-pin housings have “L” and “R” indicators printed in white. The cable is moderately microphonic even with the use of the chin-adjustment choker.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The TinHiFi T4 Plus is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a moderate-to-deep insertion depth. The T4 Plus is neither comfortable nor securely fitting. The housings are on the larger side, which, combined with the deepish insertion depth, makes the user acutely aware that they are using IEMs. Isolation is average. The housings also frequently need to be pushed back into the ear canal. I did not experience driver flex with the T4 Plus.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the TinHiFi T4 Plus can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

TinHiFi T4 Plus — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The TinHiFi T4 Plus has a V-shaped sound signature that places more emphasis on bass than treble.

The T4 Plus has excellent bass technicalities, managing to strike a good balance between staying nimble in articulation yet still having impact. Bass is adequately resolving for the price and highly textured. There is ample sub-bass rumble. However, I do feel there is too much mid-bass, particularly between 100–200 Hz, which clouds the lower midrange. Midrange clarity is not great. Fast analog percussion, down-tuned and distorted electric guitars, and harsh male vocals can blur together. Combined with the T4 Plus’s limited soundstage, this creates a sense of vertical compression.

The T4 Plus centers its pinna gain region at roughly 2.5 kHz. I find that this causes the vocals and midrange instruments to blend together more than I would prefer. Male vocals do have plenty of warmth, grit, and body. Male vocal intelligibility is moderate. Female vocals enjoy notably better intelligibility and separation from the rest of the frequency response compared to male vocals. However, female vocals do sound a little husky. Midrange timbre is natural-sounding overall.

The T4 Plus has a subdued and unremarkable treble region. There is less in the way of sparkle or air than the T4 Plus’s measured frequency response would suggest. Overall detail retrieval is not quite up to the standard I would expect for this price. As mentioned above, instrument separation and soundstage are quite limited as well.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The TinHiFi T4 Plus can be powered by the Apple dongle, though I needed to set the volume on my Pixel 7 to 21/25 to reach my usual listening level when Spotify Normalization was set to “Normal.” Depending on your typical listening volume, music player of choice, and feelings on volume normalization when using a streaming service, you may have more leeway when using the Apple dongle than I do. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The TinHiFi T4 Plus is not a bad IEM, but it is overpriced given what it brings to the table. If you are dead-set on a warm, bassy IEM under $150 and are more interested in strong bass technicalities than other performance aspects, it may be worth considering. Otherwise, I would look elsewhere.

The TinHiFi T4 Plus can be purchased below:

TINHIFI T4 PLUS Space Station

TINHIFI T4 PLUS 10mm Magnetic CNT Driver In Ear Monitor — Linsoul Audio

Truthear Hola Review​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Truthear Hola is an in-ear monitor (IEM) featuring detachable cables and one 11mm dynamic driver per housing. The Hola retails for $18.99 at ShenzhenAudio. ShenzhenAudio sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Truthear Hola with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• Truthear Shio
• Apple Dongle

MUSIC:​

I tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Hola comes in a small grey cardboard package with a white slipcover. The slipcover features the anime mascot “Shiroi” on the front face and details the Hola’s technical specifications on the rear face. The rear face of the slipcover also features the Hola’s frequency response graph. The text on the packaging is inconsistent as to whether this set of headphones is named “Hola” or “Halo.” In addition to the IEMs, the Hola includes an Truthear-branded pleather carry pouch with a magnetic closure and a Truthear-branded plastic mounting tray for the included eartip selection. The Hola includes three pairs of generic black silicone eartips (XS, S, M) and four pairs of squat, wide-bore black silicone eartips (XS, S, M, L). In terms of documentation, the Shio comes with a warranty card and an owner’s manual written in Chinese, English, and Japanese. The Shio also includes an illustrated postcard providing key biographical details about Shiroi.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Truthear Hola features 3D-printed black resin shells with a pseudo-custom fit paired with CNC aluminum faceplates. The faceplates feature a geometric pattern printed in white. Directional indicators are engraved into the shell just below the slightly recessed 2-pin ports. The shells are unmarked otherwise. There is a small circular vent at the base of each nozzle and a larger bean-shaped vent towards the edge of the inner housing body. The nozzles have mesh covers and raised lips with which to secure eartips.


The Hola uses a different cable than the one included with the Truthear Zero and Truthear Hexa. This plain two-strand cable features a double-helix pattern below the Y-split. The wires are wrapped in a shiny black plastic sheath. The 3.5mm jack uses stout rubber hardware in an L-shaped form factor, whereas the Y-split and chin-adjustment choker hardware are made from black anodized aluminum. The Y-split hardware features the text “Truthear Co.” There is substantial strain relief above the 3.5mm jack but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed heat-shrink earguides. The 2-pin connectors are embossed with “L” and “R” indicators. The cable is virtually silent in terms of microphonics, especially when the chin-adjustment choker is used.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Truthear Hola is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a shallow insertion depth. The Hola is comfortable but required the use of the largest size of included wide-bore eartips to maintain a secure fit. Isolation is above average. I did not experience driver flex with the Hola.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Truthear Hola can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Truthear Hola — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The Truthear Hola has an overall warm tuning with a neutral midrange and a relaxed treble response. The Hola has a nearly identical tuning to the Moondrop Aria below 1 kHz, with the most noticeable differences between the two appearing in the upper midrange.

The Hola scores well in terms of both sub-bass rumble and mid-bass slam. The Hola’s bass response is also highly textured. Bass resolution and articulation are very good for the price but I do not agree with other reviewers who place the Hola in the same league as the Aria in terms of technical performance. There is still a gulf in technical performance between the Hola and the best IEMs in the $80–100 price bracket, especially with the arrival of the Truthear Hexa to the market.

There is a touch of bloom from the mid-bass into the lower midrange, but not enough that I would consider the Hola to suffer from mid-bass bleed. The effect is mostly positive, in that the Hola has a little extra warmth in the lower midrange. However, I can think of other IEMs around this price, such as the Moondrop Chu, which have greater midrange clarity. Switching back and forth between the two IEMs, I get a distinct feeling that the Hola is over-dampened.

The Hola centers its pinna gain region at 4 kHz, whereas the Aria centers its pinna gain region at roughly 2.5 kHz. I prefer the pinna gain region to be centered right at 3 kHz, so neither approach is ideal for me. With the Hola, male vocals are pressed too far forward for my tastes. On the other hand, I really enjoy the presentation of female vocals on the Hola. Vocal intelligibility is very good for both male and female vocals, though female vocals are slightly clearer. Timbre is very natural.

The Hola has a safe and relaxed treble response with limited sparkle and moderate air. While it may be unreasonable to expect more from a sub-$20 IEM, the subdued treble response hurts the overall listening experience for me. The Hola’s overall resolution is very good for the price point but is edged out in this respect by the Moondrop Chu. Instrument separation and soundstage are both better than what I would expect from an IEM at this price point, but again, I feel the Chu is slightly superior in both respects.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

While it is possible to power the Truthear Hola with the Apple dongle, doing so required the volume level on Android devices to be nearly maxed out, at least with Spotify volume normalization set to “Normal.” Depending on your typical listening volume, I would recommend using a different source without the Apple dongle’s limitations if you regularly use an Android device. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Truthear Hola is a solid contender at the sub-$20 price point. I do think there are real gaps between the Hola, the Moondrop Chu, and the 7Hz Zero with respect to various aspects of technical performance. With that said, while these gaps are concrete, they are small enough that your primary decision point should be based on the subtle differences in tuning between the three. The Hola is the warmest of the three, the Zero the closest to textbook neutrality, and the Chu the brightest. In addition, each present what is ostensibly a Harman-ish midrange in slightly different ways. For those just entering the IEM space, my recommendation would be to purchase all three to better inform your more expensive purchases down the road.

The Truthear Hola can be purchased below:

Truthear HOLA Earphone 11mm High-Performance Dynamic Driver In-ear Mo (shenzhenaudio.com)

Truthear Shio Review​

The Truthear Shio is a compact digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and amplifier combination unit that retails for $69.99. The Shio features a 3.5 mm single-ended output and a 4.4 mm balanced output, as well as a physical volume rocker. The Shio uses dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chips, only seen previously on more expensive products. ShenzhenAudio sent me the Shio in exchange for my impressions.

HEADPHONES:​

I have used the Truthear Shio with the following headphones:

• Moondrop S8
• Dunu Kima
• Truthear Hola
• TinHiFi T4 Plus
• Moondrop Void
• HiFiMan HE400SE

MUSIC:​

I have tested this device with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Shio comes in a small grey cardboard package with a white slipcover. The slipcover features the anime mascot “Shiroi” on the front face and details the Shio’s technical specifications on the rear face. The device itself and a small Truthear-branded USB-C to USB-C cable are secured in a foam mounting tray inside the package. In terms of documentation, the Shio comes with a warranty card and an owner’s manual written in Chinese, English, and Japanese. The Shio also includes an illustrated postcard providing key biographical details about Shiroi.

DESIGN, BUILD QUALITY, AND AESTHETICS:​

The Truthear Shio has an oblong form factor with rounded corners. The four long faces of the device are covered in a textured pleather wrap. The wrap is subtly embossed with the Truthear logo on one side. I strongly dislike the use of pleather in most products and the Shio does not change my mind. The pleather looks and feels cheap and tacky. I would have preferred the entire device use the black anodized finish present on the top and bottom faces. The Shio features a female USB-C port, which enables use with different kinds of transport devices. The metal volume rocker is located on the spine of the device. There is a small LED indicator off to the side of the volume rocker that indicates the current gain setting. The pleather around this LED is not cut perfectly, adding to the cheap presentation. The 4.4mm balanced output is gold-plated, but the 3.5mm output is not.

STANDARDS COMPLIANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY:​

The Truthear Shio is not compatible with headset controls, nor does it send connector status to the host device. It also lacks pause on headphone disconnect functionality. Because the Shio is most likely intended for use with a desktop or laptop, I am willing to overlook these omissions, but I would love to see at least the pause on headphone disconnect feature enabled on more balanced source devices. My aging Qudelix 5K has this feature for its balanced 2.5mm output, so I do not understand why this functionality is overlooked on so many products.

USB DRIVER:​

Truthear has made an ASIO driver available for the Shio here. I generally stick to WASAPI (Shared) for ease of use with Equalizer APO, but I did confirm that the driver worked with MusicBee.

POWER DELIVERY:​

Note: I made the following observations with a system-wide -4 dB pre-amp setting as suggested here. While I recommend using this pre-amp setting to preserve fidelity, it does reduce the headroom of all connected source devices.

The Truthear Shio is very powerful. Pairing the Shio with the Moondrop S8 using the balanced output, I reach my typical listening volume at a Windows system volume setting of 12/100. The HiFiMan HE400SE requires a volume setting of around 40/100 using the balanced connection. On the single-ended side, the Truthear Shio required a setting of 20/100 and the Moondrop Void needed 32/100. I did not need to use the high-gain setting for any of the headphones I tested the Shio with.

POWER CONSUMPTION AND HEAT MANAGEMENT:​

I took the following power consumption measurements with the Truthear Shio connected to my PC:


Single-Ended:


Balanced:

All measurements were taken on the low-gain setting. The Windows system volume was set to 60/100 using the balanced output with the Moondrop S8 and 94/100 using the single-ended output with the Truthear Hola. Playing a -12 dBV 1 kHz test tone from REW, these volume settings achieved an SPL of roughly 94 dB, as registered by my IEC-711 clone microphone.

The Shio does not appear to have a true idle mode:

The Shio has excellent heat management and does not get warm to the touch even with prolonged use.

SOUND COMPARISON WITH THE HIDIZS S9:​

Note: I made the following observations switching back and forth between the Truthear Shio and the Hidizs S9 repeatedly under sighted conditions. The two devices were volume-matched to within .5 dB. Any perceived differences between the two sources may be a result of the remaining volume difference. There was also a delay of several seconds when switching between devices. The Moondrop S8 was used as the transducer for this comparison. In most cases, any differences between competently designed sources are infinitesimal and not necessarily apparent under uncontrolled testing conditions.

The Truthear Shio sounded slightly more grounded than the Hidizs S9, which is to say that there was more of a bass emphasis. The bass was better controlled and there was greater instrument separation, particularly between low- and high-frequency instruments. The S9 tends to oversharpen treble transients, whereas the Shio sounded smoother and more realistic.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Truthear Shio is a terrific value and an easy recommendation from both a measured and subjective performance perspective. However, the sub-par build quality and questionable aesthetic may be dealbreakers for some. I hope that Turthear releases a revision with a cleaner, less polarizing exterior design quickly.

The Truthear Shio can be purchased here:

Truthear SHIO Dual CS43198 D/A Chips Lossless Portable DAC Amplifier/ (shenzhenaudio.com)

Truthear Hexa Review​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Truthear Hexa is an in-ear monitor (IEM) utilizing one dynamic driver and three balanced armatures (BAs) per housing. The Hexa retails for $79.99 at ShenzhenAudio. ShenzhenAudio sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Truthear Hexa with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• Xumee Dongle
• Apple Dongle

MUSIC:​

I tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Truthear Hexa comes in a small rectangular black box with a white slipcover. Shiroi, one of Truthear’s anime mascots, is pictured on the front of the slipcover. Technical specifications for the Hexa, including a frequency response graph, and Truthear’s corporate contact information are provided on the rear of the slipcover in English and Chinese.

The IEMs are held inside the box in a foam mounting sheet. A Truthear-branded plastic mounting tray holds the included eartips. The Hexa includes seven pairs of eartips. There is one pair of black foam eartips, three pairs of white round silicone eartips (S, M, L), and three pairs of white conical wide-bore eartips (S, M, L). The Hexa includes the same Truthear-branded black synthetic leather carry pouch as the Truthear Zero. A user manual and warranty card are also included.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Truthear Hexa has black triangular aluminum alloy faceplates secured by a single screw. The black finish on one of these screws has already started to wear off on my unit. “Truthear” is printed in white along the bottom of the right faceplate. The housing bodies are 3D-printed from a translucent black acrylic material. The 2-pin connections are slightly recessed. “L” and “R” indicators are recessed into the housing in line with the 2-pin connections. The nozzles have two separate sound bores with green and yellow acoustic filter plugs. The nozzles do not have a raised lip.

The cable is the same as the one included with the Truthear Zero:

The cable uses black sheathed wires wrapped in a quad-braid below the Y-split and coiled into double-helix patterns above the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed heat-shrink earguides and a metal chin adjustment choker. The cable is very microphonic if the chin adjustment choker is not used. The L-shaped 3.5mm jack uses rubber hardware. There is strain relief above the 3.5mm jack but none at the Y-split.

Click to expand...

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Truthear Hexa is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a moderate insertion depth. The Hexa is one of the most comfortable IEMs I have ever used. Secureness of fit is excellent, but isolation is below average. There is no driver flex.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Truthear Hexa can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Truthear Hexa — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The Truthear Hexa has a neutral tuning with a moderate sub-bass boost.

The Hexa has excellent sub-bass extension. The bass has impressive physicality and impact without creating bloom or muddiness. The bass is also highly textured and resolving. However, the Hexa has slower-than-average bass articulation compared to other IEMs priced between $75 and $100.

The Hexa has an appropriate level of pinna gain centered at 3 kHz. Both male vocals and female vocals are accurately rendered in terms of body, grit, and presence. Midrange clarity is excellent, and vocal intelligibily is terrific. BA timbre is noticeably absent.

The Hexa has a smooth yet detailed treble response with very good upper treble extension with silicone eartips. There are good amounts of both sparkle and air. Overall resolution is terrific for the price point. The Hexa has excellent instrument separation and a larger-than-average soundstage.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

While it is possible to power the Truthear Hexa with the Apple dongle, doing so required the volume level on Android devices to be nearly maxed out. Depending on your typical listening volume, I would recommend using a different source without the Apple dongle’s limitations if you regularly use an Android device. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Truthear Hexa is my new default recommendation at the sub-$100 price point. It is a nearly perfect purchase at its price, with my sole complaint being the relatively slow bass articulation.

The Truthear Hexa can be purchased below:

Truthear HEXA 1DD+3BA Hybird Earphones with 0.78 2Pin Cable Earbuds (shenzhenaudio.com)

Dunu Talos Review​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Dunu Talos is an in-ear monitor (IEM) utilizing a planar-magnetic driver and two optional balanced armatures (BAs) per housing. The BAs can be activated with a toggle switch. The Talos normally retails for $199.99 but is on sale for $179.99 at the time of writing this review. Dunu sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Dunu Talos with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• E1DA 9038D

MUSIC:​

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Dunu Talos comes in a medium-sized rectangular black box. The Talos is pictured on the front of the box’s slipcover, and technical specifications for the Talos and Dunu’s corporate contact information are provided on the rear of the slipcover. The lid of the box features Dunu’s logo. Inside the box are the included semi-rigid zippered carry case, a small rectangular cardboard box that stores the included 2-pin cable, and a foam mounting sheet that holds the IEMs. Confusingly, the Talos includes an instruction booklet for one of Dunu’s modular cables, but the included 2-pin cable is not modular. This is disappointing considering the Dunu Falcon Pro included a modular cable. The only other piece of included documentation is a quality control pass chit.


The Talos includes nine pairs of silicone eartips in three different styles. The first is a set of light grey conventional eartips (S, M, L), the second is a shorter, squatter set of black wide-bore eartips (S, M, L), and the third is a set of cylindrical tips which resemble a factory version of flip-tips (S, M, L). The Talos also includes a Dunu-branded velcro zip tie, a cleaning brush, and a Dunu-branded 3.5mm to 1/4" adapter.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Dunu Talos has water droplet-shaped faceplates. The center of the faceplate features a raised circular plateau marked with a stylized golden “D.” This raised section is surrounded by concentric grooves. The lip of the faceplate is rimmed with gold trim. The toggle switches that activate the BAs are located on the forward-facing side of the IEM. The off position is labeled “1,” and the on position is labeled “ON.” The 2-pin housings are flush with the rest of the shell. There are small “L” and “R” indicators near the base of the 2-pin housings. Each IEM has a pinprick circular vent near the base of the nozzle and three tiny ovular vents along the bottom of the housing. The nozzles are metal with metal mesh covers. The nozzles have substantial lips to secure eartips.

The included 2-pin cable uses a quad-braid below the Y-split and double-helix braids above the Y-split. The cable uses silver-plated wires with transparent rubber sheathing. The 3.5mm jack and Y-split hardware have a reflective, glossy finish. The jack uses a straight form factor. The Y-split is marked with the unit serial number. The cable features pre-formed earguides and a chin-adjustment choker. The cable is moderately microphonic.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Dunu Talos is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a shallow insertion depth with most eartips. Secureness of fit and isolation are poor. I was forced to use the largest size of the included wide-bore eartips to get a reasonably secure fit. There is no driver flex.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Dunu Talos can be found on my expanding squig.link database:
Dunu Talos — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

With the BAs off, the Dunu Talos has a neutral tuning with a moderate sub-bass boost.
The Dunu Talos has above-average sub-bass extension. The bass does lack physicality, even on intense electronic dance tracks. However, the speed of bass articulation is excellent, as are bass texture and resolution. There is no mid-bass bleed.
The Talos has a vocal-forward midrange with textbook pinna gain centering at 2.5 kHz. Male vocals have grit and some body, while female vocals are rich and vibrant without being oversaturated. While the Talos has excellent midrange clarity and detail retrieval in most respects, I did feel that male vocals were not rendered with the same resolution as other types of midrange instrumentation. The internal resolution of female vocals is slightly better. There is a hint of planar plasticity to the midrange timbre but it did not impede my listening enjoyment. There is an appropriate level of presence.
What sets the Talos apart from similarly-priced IEMs is its treble response. In its stock configuration, the Talos has a detailed yet even treble response that avoids any harsh peaks. Even with the BAs off, the Talos has exceptional treble extension. There is ample sparkle and air but not too much of either. Overall resolution and detail retrieval are terrific, and the Talos has class-leading instrument separation. Imaging and soundstage width and depth are above average but not amazing.
The optional BAs are a tool best reserved for slower and darker-sounding recordings. For music with a heavy emphasis on top-end percussion, particularly fast-paced analog drums, I found that the lower treble emphasis created by the BAs was too strong. However, for slower ambient tracks, I felt that the BAs offered me greater insight into the soundscapes and textures.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Dunu Talos requires at least a modest dedicated source device with power delivery capabilities beyond what the Apple dongle can provide without circumventing the hardware volume limitation on Android. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Dunu Talos puts many of the IEMs under $300 I have heard to shame in terms of both tuning and technicalities. I do think the optional BAs are limited to niche applications, and I would love to see a streamlined, planar-magnetic-only version of the Talos for a modestly reduced price. Even so, the Talos is easily worth its retail price and is a no-brainer purchase on sale.
The Dunu Talos can be purchased below:
TALOS | DUNU (dunu-topsound.com)

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The TinHiFi T2 DLC is a new revision of TinHiFi’s famed T2 in-ear monitor (IEM). The T2 DLC features a new 10mm dynamic driver with a diamond-like carbon diaphragm and adopts 2-pin connectors for the detachable cable interface. The T2 DLC retails for $52.51 directly from TinHiFi at the time of writing this review. TinHiFi sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the TinHiFi T2 DLC with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9

MUSIC:​

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The TinHiFi T2 DLC comes in a small rectangular black box. The TinHiFi logo and the text “T2” are printed on the top of the box in white. Inside the box is a second black-and-beige cardboard container designed to resemble a book. The top lid of this container features TinHiFi’s logo inlaid in silver. This “book” unfolds right-to-left, revealing the IEMs held in a foam mounting block. The included cable, accessories, and documentation are stored below this block.
The T2 DLC includes six pairs of silicone eartips (2xS, 2xM, 2xL) and one pair of the iconic teal TinHiFi foam eartips. A TinHiFi-branded velcro zip tie is also included. In terms of documentation, the T2 DLC includes a user manual and a contact card featuring scannable quick-response codes that link to TinHiFi’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The T2 DLC does not include a carry pouch or case.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

Apart from the switch from MMCX to 2-pin, the TinHiFi T2 DLC largely resembles its venerable predecessor. The IEM is composed of a three-part polished metal assemblage. The faceplate is circular in shape and is marked with the TinHiFi logo in light blue. The bottom of the outer section of each housing has a pinprick circular vent, as does the back face of the midsection. The nozzles have perforated metal nozzle covers and substantial lips to secure eartips. The 2-pin ports are flush fit into a circular base that matches the cable-side pin connector base in diameter. This base is marked with a dab of blue paint to indicate polarity. The base on the right-hand side IEM and the base of the 2-pin connector of the right-hand side cable are made of red plastic. The corresponding left-hand side bases are clear resin. The cable and IEM housings otherwise lack directional indicators.

The included 2-pin cable uses a complex eight-strand braid below the Y-split and twin quad-braids above the Y-split. The cable has strain relief above the straight 3.5mm jack and below the Y-split hardware. The cable hardware is polished metal without any branding. The 3.5mm jack hardware does feature two knurled bands. The cable features pre-formed earguides and a plastic bead chin-adjustment choker. The cable is mildly microphonic.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The TinHiFi T2 DLC is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a moderate insertion depth. I found the T2 DLC to be average in comfort. Secureness of fit and isolation are above average. There is no driver flex.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the TinHiFi T2 DLC can be found on my expanding squig.link database:
TinHiFi T2 DLC — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The TinHiFi T2 DLC has a Harman-ish tuning that strongly resembles the Moondrop Aria.
The T2 DLC features a sub-bass region that is more elevated than the mid-bass region, a comparatively recessed lower midrange, a broadly yet moderately elevated upper midrange, and a treble region that is slightly less emphasized than the upper midrange.
The T2 DLC’s sub-bass extension is above average but not exceptional. There is a satisfying amount of weight and impact to percussion. The speed of bass articulation is average. Bass texture is very good, and bass resolution is above average. There is a mild amount of mid-bass bleed, but in my opinion, this is a trade-off worth making for bass impact and lower midrange body.
Considering its price, the T2 DLC has a very natural-sounding midrange. Male vocals are vibrant and have excellent body, though harsh male vocals do sound slightly smoothed over. Vocals sit above midrange instrumentation but do not overshadow it. Midrange timbre is generally very good, but there is a smidge of compression to analog percussion. Overall midrange clarity is excellent, and the level of presence is generally appropriate. Distorted electric guitars do sound a hair overdriven.
The T2 DLC has a competent if unexciting treble response. There is a moderate amount of lower treble which prevents cymbals from disappearing completely into the mix, but there is an audible dip in the mid-treble which robs those cymbals of sparkle. With that said, the T2 DLC has very good upper treble extension. Overall resolution and detail retrieval are average at best, but imaging, instrument separation, and the size of the T2 DLC’s soundstage are very good for a single dynamic driver design at this price point.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The TinHiFi T2 DLC is easily driven to a usable listening volume. I did not notice hiss with either of my devices.

SIMILARLY PRICED ALTERNATIVES:​

Listeners in search of a slightly more aggressive but still coherent presentation should look at the Truthear Zero, which features a more defined sub-bass shelf and slightly more upper midrange presence. However, the Zero is much more difficult to drive than the T2 DLC.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The TinHiFi T2 DLC is is competent in all respects and is a great addition to TinHifi’s lineup. I could not ask for more from an IEM with a street price of around $50, and I am happy to recommend the T2 DLC to new IEM listeners.
The TinHiFi T2 DLC can be purchased below:
TINHIFI T2 DLC TINHIFI T2 EVO TINHIFI T2

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Moondrop Stellaris is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a 14.5mm planar-magnetic driver. The Stellaris retails for $109 at ShenzhenAudio, which sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Moondrop Stellaris with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• E1DA 9038D
• Xumee USB-C to 3.5mm Audio Adapter

MUSIC:​

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Moondrop Stellaris comes in a large square black cardboard box with a white slipcover. The slipcover features an anime waifu on the front cover and an exploded diagram of the Stellaris on the rear cover. The rear cover also provides a frequency response graph for the Stellaris, technical specifications for the Stellaris in English and Chinese, and Moondrop’s corporate address.


The box has three compartments. The first compartment holds the IEMs in a removable foam tray. The second compartment holds the included carry case. The third compartment holds a smaller rectangular box. This box contains the included eartips, a translucent zip-lock bag in which the included 2-pin cable is stored, and several pieces of paper documentation.

The Stellaris includes three pairs of Misodiko foam eartips (S, M, L) and three pairs of what appears to be Moondrop’s take on a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) eartip (S, M, L). The included case is similar in size and materials to the case included with the Moondrop Variations but uses a more traditional form factor, which is my preference. The flap of this case features a magnetic closure, which works well. In terms of documentation, the Stellaris includes a user manual, a postcard featuring another anime waifu illustration, a quality control pass chit, and a contact card featuring a scannable quick response code.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Moondrop Stellaris has metal housings with the same glittery blue glossy enamel finish as the Moondrop Starfield. The left faceplate is illustrated with a comet design, and the right faceplate features a sun and a crescent moon. The faceplates are secured via gold screws which feature three tiny circular divets. “STELLARIS” is printed on the back face of each the housing body just below the seam between the body and the faceplate. “L” and “R” indicators are printed above the base of the nozzle in line with the “S” in “STELLARIS.” All the text and designs on the faceplates and shell bodies are printed using gold paint.


There are small circular vents at the bases of the nozzles. The nozzles have substantial lips to secure eartips, which is a welcome change for Moondrop. The nozzles appear to be stuffed with black mesh a millimeter or two down the nozzle bore. The 2-pin connectors are slightly recessed.


The included 2-pin cable uses blue and gold wires wrapped in a transparent plastic sheath. The cable is not braided above or below the Y-split. The Y-split and jack hardware are made from hard dark blue rubber. The Y-split hardware is embossed with Moondrop branding. The cable jack has an L-shaped form factor. The cable features pre-formed earguides and a gold-colored metal chin-adjustment choker. There is strain relief above the jack housing but none at the Y-split. The 2-pin connectors have nearly invisible raised “L” and “R” markings. The cable is mildly microphonic.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Moondrop Stellaris is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a moderate to deep insertion depth. I found the Stellaris to be average in comfort. However, secureness of fit is below average because the large and heavy housings protrude substantially away from the ears. The housings required periodic readjustment using the included TPE eartips. Isolation is poor. There is no driver flex.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Moondrop Stellaris can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Moondrop Stellaris — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The Moondrop Stellaris does not sound like any other Moondrop IEM I have reviewed, and this is not a positive distinction. Unfortunately, the tuning of the Stellaris reminds me of something TRN would release.

The bass region is most reminiscent of a conventional Moondrop IEM, featuring a moderately elevated sub-bass region that tapers off gently rather than abruptly. Subjectively, the Stellaris does not have as good sub-bass extension as its frequency response measurement would suggest. The bass response is lacking in weight and punchiness. Bass articulation and resolution are both excellent. Bass texture is middle of the road. The bass does not bleed into the lower mids.

The Stellaris has a strained, peaky midrange. Other reviewers have described the Stellaris as “shouty.” I do not feel that shouty is the correct adjective for the Stellaris’ midrange. I would instead use the term Head-Fi-er baskingshark used, “nasal.” Vocals, especially male vocals, seem compressed along the X-axis and have nowhere to go but up. The result is that male vocalists often sound as if they are battling a cold. Harsh male vocals lack body and warmth, while simultaneously sounding overly gritty. Female vocals are a little more realistic but still sound overemphasized and potentially sibilant. Vocals and midrange instrumentation are not well-integrated. Timbral accuracy is acceptable, as is the level of presence.

The Stellaris has an uneven treble response. There is a reasonable amount of lower treble which seems roughly in line with the presence region. However, this is followed by an audible mid-treble peak. This peak overemphasizes the trailing edge of cymbals and hi-hats and can make these kinds of percussion unpleasant to listen to. The Stellaris does have excellent upper treble extension and superb detail retrieval. Other types of technical performance such as soundstage size, imaging, and instrument separation are also excellent for the price point. These qualities are more easily appreciated if the Stellaris’ overall frequency response is massaged into coherency with equalization.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Moondrop Stellaris is quite difficult to drive and requires a moderately powerful source to reach a usable listening volume. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Moondrop Stellaris is a disappointing first entry by Moondrop into the planar-magnetic IEM space. This is an IEM that could have used more time in development and has unfortunately become a victim of the Chi-Fi industry’s breakneck rush to capitalize on a new driver type trend.

Below are my thoughts on why the Stellaris sounds the way that it does:

My suspicion is that Moondrop is using the same or a similar driver as everyone else and hasn’t figured out how to shift the center of the pinna gain peak too far away from 2.3 kHz using this driver, nor have they figured out how to avoid the tendency of this driver to narrowly peak at this frequency. As far as I know, 7Hz is the only manufacturer who’s managed to both shift the apex of that peak further down the frequency range and broaden it, as seen on the Dioko.
I don’t think the problem is the amount of pinna gain on its own. I think the problem is that Moondrop tried to give the Stellaris what on any other Moondrop IEM would be a reasonable amount of pinna gain without solving these driver limitations. Something like the Raptgo Hook-X works a lot better for me even though they haven’t solved these issues either because they adjusted the amount of pinna gain down substantially.

Click to expand...

I do not recommend the Moondrop Stellaris.

The Moondrop Stellaris can be purchased below:

MOONDROP STELLARIS 14.5mm Planar IEMs SUB-Nanometer Diaphragm Dynamic (shenzhenaudio.com)

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:
The 7Hz Salnotes Zero is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a 10mm dynamic driver. The Zero retails for $20 on Linsoul’s Amazon shop. Linsoul sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:
I have used the 7Hz Salnotes Zero with the following sources:

Qudelix 5K
Hidizs S9
E1DA 9038D

MUSIC:
I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

https://www.last.fm/user/XenosBroodLord

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:
The 7Hz Salnotes Zero comes in a small white cardboard box. The packaging features pictures of the Zero on the front and back covers.

In addition to the IEMs and detachable 2-pin cable, the Zero includes six pairs of silicone eartips in several varieties. These appear to be the same varieties described in my Dioko review:

The red, blue, and orange pairs are squatter and more conical in shape and feature wider nozzles. The light blue and yellow eartips are more round with narrower nozzles. The pink pair is also round but with wider nozzles than the other round eartips.

The pair of eartips resembling AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal eartips included with the Dioko is not included with the Zero. The Zero includes a product information card and a user manual written in English and Chinese, as well as a small velcro tie. The Zero does not include a carry pouch or case.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:
The 7Hz Salnotes Zero has a two-part plastic chassis with a stainless steel faceplate. The faceplates have a jagged, angular outline. “SAL♪NOTES ZERO” is laser-etched at the base of each faceplate. There is a small circular rivet at the top of each faceplate. The faceplates have developed minor scratches over the course of my review.

There is a small circular recession on the inside of each chassis with an embossed “L” or “R” indicator. There is also a pinprick vent at the base of the nozzle. The nozzles have the same metal and paper nozzle covers as the Dioko, and have extruded lips to secure eartips.

The 2-pin connectors are very snug and quite difficult to remove. The 2-pin connectors fit flush with the surface of the IEM housing body. Each 2-pin entry site is marked with a small red dot to indicate polarity.

The included 2-pin cable has two strands that are joined in parallel below the Y-split. The cable uses a mix of metal and dark plastic hardware. The cable jack has a straight form factor. “SAL♪NOTES” is printed in white along the length of the jack housing. There is strain relief above the jack housing but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed earguides without memory wire and a rubber chin-adjustment choker. The curved 2-pin housings have faintly raised “L” and “R” markings. The cable is mildly microphonic.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:
The 7Hz Salnotes Zero is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a shallow insertion depth. I found the Zero to be very comfortable. However, secureness of fit is below average and the housings required occasional readjustment with most eartips I tried the Zero with. Isolation is fairly poor. There is mild driver flex.

MEASUREMENTS:
My measurements of the 7Hz Salnotes Zero can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

7Hz Zero — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND AND COMPARISON TO THE MOONDROP CHU:
The 7Hz Salnotes Zero is tuned very similarly to the Moondrop Chu.

Like the Chu, the Zero has a Harman-ish sound that emphasizes sub-bass over mid-bass, features a robust pinna gain region, and slopes downward from the pinna gain region through the upper treble.

The biggest tonal difference between the Chu and the Zero is that the Zero’s pinna gain region peaks later than the Chu. The Chu’s pinna gain region is centered around 3 kHz, while the Zero’s peaks later at around 3.5 kHz. This is a subtle difference, but depending on your ear physiology, may impact which of the two IEMs vocals sound more natural with. The Zero has a twinge more measured sub-bass than the Chu, although the difference between my samples is so small that this may be a question of unit variation rather than intended tuning. Subjectively, I feel that percussion actually has a greater impact on the Chu than the Zero. The Chu also has a hair more upper treble extension than the Zero.

The Zero’s sub-bass shelf is mild in its amplitude, and sub-bass extension is average. Bass articulation and resolution are both very good. The Zero’s bass is well-textured for the price but is lacking in impact. The result is a clean but underwhelming bass tuning. After hearing the Chu and now the Zero, I have come to believe that if an IEM opts for a pure sub-bass shelf, the amplitude of that shelf needs to be greater than what either of these IEMs displays. The bass does not bleed into the lower mids.

The Zero’s midrange is on the cooler side. Male vocals have grit but are slightly lacking in warmth. The amount of body to male vocals is somewhere in between these two other qualities. Female vocals are slightly more forward than male vocals, though both are very intelligible. Female vocals do sound more natural on the Chu than the Zero. On the Zero, there is a hint of strain and sibilance. On the Chu, female vocals are just slightly more grounded. With that said, the Zero’s midrange clarity is astonishing for an IEM of this price. The level of presence is essentially perfect for heavy rock genres. Timbre is slightly dry but natural sounding overall.

The Zero has slightly less lower treble energy than the Chu, which I prefer. Like the Chu, the Zero has a noticeable drop-off in the mid-treble which deprives cymbal hits of sparkle. While the Chu has better upper treble extension than the Zero, the Zero has slightly crisper treble transient delivery. The Chu has a larger soundstage and slightly better detail retrieval. Imaging between the two is comparable. The Zero has the best instrument separation I have heard on an IEM at this price.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:
The 7Hz Salnotes Zero does not need a powerful source to reach a usable listening volume. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:
Overall, the 7Hz Salnotes Zero and the Moondrop Chu are neck-and-neck in terms of sound quality. They each have certain strengths and weaknesses compared to the other, but both put other options at the price point to shame. The two IEMs also make different trade-offs in terms of build and accessories. With the Zero, you get a detachable cable, whereas, with the Chu, you get Spring tips. While buyers will need to weigh which characteristics they value more in choosing between the two, both are solid buys for $20.

The 7Hz Salnotes Zero can be purchased below:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B571FWFK/

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a 14.6mm planar-magnetic driver. 7Hz created the Dioko in collaboration with Crinacle. Please refer to my previous disclaimer addressing my reviews of Crinacle collaborations. The Dioko retails for $99 on Linsoul’s Amazon shop. Linsoul sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the D13 with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• E1DA 9038D

MUSIC:​

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko comes in a white cardboard box. The packaging features pictures of the Dioko and lists 7Hz’s corporate address on the back of the box. There is also a large sticker on the side of the box highlighting the collaboration between 7Hz and Crinacle.

Inside the cardboard box is a large zippered carry case which takes up the entire volume of the box. The exterior of the carry case is covered in black synthetic leather and has a red “7” emblazoned across the top lid. The stitching is also red. “SAL♪NOTES” is inlaid in gold text near the bottom of the lid. The bottom of the case is lined with felt and features dedicated cutouts for the IEM housings and cable. The case also has a large mesh pocket on the top lid for storing accessories. The case is exceptional in terms of build quality, especially for the price point. However, the sheer size is excessive and requires the use of a sling or backpack if you intend to bring it with you on your commute.
In addition to the IEMs and detachable 2-pin cable, the Dioko includes seven pairs of silicone eartips in several varieties. The dark grey pair with red cores feels similar to AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal eartips. This pair aggravates my ears less than other non-foam eartips. The red, blue, and orange pairs are squatter and more conical in shape and feature wider nozzles. The light blue and yellow eartips are more round with narrower nozzles. The pink pair is also round but with wider nozzles than the other round eartips. The Dioko includes a product information card and a user manual written in English and Chinese.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko has large aluminum housings with purple tempered glass faceplates. The faceplates have an ovular cross-section. “SAL♪NOTES DIOKO” is printed in white at the bottom of each faceplate. There is one circular vent at the base of the nozzle and three more in a line along the outer circumference of the inner housing. “L” and “R” indicators are printed in white on the inner faces of the housings. The nozzles have metal and paper nozzle covers and extruded lips to secure eartips.
The included 2-pin cable is wrapped in a quad-braid below the Y-split and double-helix patterns above the Y-split. Like the cable included with the Letshuoer D13 I recently reviewed, the wire used in the cable’s construction punches above the Dioko’s price point.
The cable uses gunmetal aluminum hardware. The cable jack has a straight form factor. “SAL♪NOTES” is printed in white along the length of the jack housing. There is strain relief above the jack housing but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed earguides without memory wire and a metal chin-adjustment choker. The 2-pin connectors fit flush with the surface of the IEM housing body. The curved 2-pin housings have faintly raised “L” and “R” markings. The cable is moderately microphonic.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a very shallow insertion depth. I found the Dioko to be very comfortable. However, secureness of fit is very poor and the housings required frequent readjustment. I had to use the Dioko with the largest Misodiko foam tips I own in order to minimize the housings’ tendency to migrate out of my ear canals. Isolation is also quite poor.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the 7Hz Salnotes Dioko can be found on my expanding squig.link database:
7Hz Dioko — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko features a sub-bass boost concentrated entirely below 200 Hz, a midrange tuned to Crinacle’s IEF Netural target, and an extended treble response with a distinct lower treble peak at 8 kHz as well as a noticeable upper treble boost.
The Dioko’s bass is fast, cleanly articulated, and adequately textured, but lacking in sustain and impact. As a result, the bass is somewhat limp in its delivery. There is also less rumble than the Dioko’s frequency response plot would suggest. On the other hand, bass detail retrieval is very good.
The Dioko’s lower midrange is slightly recessed and the overall midrange timbre is on the thin side. I would prefer if male vocals had a bit more body and warmth. The Dioko’s pinna gain region is correctly centered for my preferences, between 2.5 and 3 kHz. There is less pinna gain than I generally prefer, but it works well with the Dioko’s overall tuning. There is not as much separation between vocals and midrange instrumentation as the average Harman-ish IEM, but neither do vocals overshadow midrange instrumentation, as is often the case with such tunings. Vocal intelligibility for both male and female vocals is still excellent despite the restrained amount of pinna gain. The presence region is just emphasized enough to deliver an impressive amount of midrange clarity without straying into harshness or sibilance. Aggressive male vocals could use a bit more bite, but I am happy with the level of presence overall.
Like a lot of other planar-magnetic IEMs released in the last year, the Dioko has a prominent lower treble peak around 8 kHz. While this peak generally did not bother me, this is not an IEM for the treble-sensitive. Overall detail retrieval is excellent. The Dioko’s treble transient delivery is also more realistic than the significantly more expensive Raptgo Hook-X. Upper treble extension is spectacular for the price point, but this region is overemphasized relative to the rest of the Dioko’s frequency response. This creates an artificial-sounding sheen over the rest of the sonic presentation. The Dioko’s soundstage extends just slightly outside of the head. Imaging is very good, and instrument separation is excellent.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko needs a moderately powerful source to achieve usable volume levels. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

While I take issue with certain aspects of its tuning, from a technical standpoint, the 7Hz Salnotes Dioko is better than any other IEM that I can think of at the $100 dollar price point. For me, the biggest issue with the Dioko is the shallow and insecure fit. My recommendation comes with a warning that buyers should prepare to tip-roll extensively.
The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko can be purchased below:
Amazon.com: 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Dioko HiFi 14.6mm Planar Diaphragm Driver in Ear Earphone IEMs with CNC Aviation-Grade Aluminum Case, Detachable 4-Core Litz OCC Copper Cable for Audiophile Musician Studio : Electronics

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:
The Letshuoer D13 is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a 13mm diamond-like carbon dynamic driver. The D13 also features two different sets of swappable tuning nozzles. The D13 retails for $113 at HiFiGo, which sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:
I have used the D13 with the following sources:

Qudelix 5K
Moondrop Dawn

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:




The Letshuoer D13 comes in a black cardboard box with a black slipcover. The front of the slipcover features a picture of the D13. The rear of the slipcover features technical specifications for the D13 in what I believe are Mandarin, Cantonese, English, and Japanese. Letshuoer’s corporate contact information is also listed on the back of the slipcover.

The D13 uses a detachable 2-pin cable. My review unit came with a 4.4mm balanced cable, but a 3.5mm single-ended cable is also available.


The D13 includes a faux-leather black zippered semi-rigid carry case with embossed Letshuoer branding and an internal mesh pocket.


The D13 includes two sets of silicone eartips (S, M, L). The clear-and-black set of eartips is shorter and wider in shape than the all-black set.

In terms of documentation, the D13 includes a manual, a warranty registration card, a product catalog, a quality control pass chit, and a card featuring quick response codes that link to Letshuoer’s social media profiles.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:

The Letshuoer D13 has aluminum alloy housings with a rounded form factor reminiscent of Dunu’s DK series IEMs. The faceplate features a single slim arc-shaped vent and three arc-shaped recessions radiating outwards in a half-circle arrangement. The recessed arcs are filled in with bright yellow paint, which would not have been my first choice to pair with the metallic cobalt housings. “LETSHOUER D13-XXX” is printed in white on the back face of both the left and right housings, where “XXX” is the unit serial number.

There are circular resin plugs on the inner face of the 2-pin connector housing which are embossed with “L” and “R” indicators. The plugs are flush with the surface of the housing. The left side plug is blue and the right side plug is red, matching the resin endcaps of the included 2-pin cable. This is a subtle but impressive example of attention to detail in the D13’s design.

There are three small round vents on the inner face of the housing at the base of the nozzle. The nozzles are forward-swept and feature extruded lips for eartip retention. The two sets of tuning nozzles are distinguished by differently colored mesh covers.

The included 2-pin cable is wrapped in a quad-braid below the Y-split and double-helix patterns above the Y-split. The wire used in the cable’s construction is gorgeous and evokes a comparison to expensive aftermarket cables.


The cable jack has a straight form factor. There is a knurled band on the jack. “LETSHUOER” is printed in white towards the top of the jack housing. There is strain relief above the jack housing but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed earguides without memory wire and an acrylic chin-adjustment choker. The cable microphonics are minor to non-existent even without the use of the choker.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:

The Letshouer D13 is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a moderate insertion depth. I found the D13 to be exceptionally comfortable. Secureness of fit is average and the housings required occasional readjustment. I did not experience any driver flex with the D13. Isolation is very poor.

MEASUREMENTS:
My measurements of the Letshuoer D13 can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

https://bedrock.squig.link/index.html?share=Letshuoer_D13_(Silver)

https://bedrock.squig.link/index.html?share=Letshuoer_D13_(Gold)

SOUND:
The following sound impressions were taken with the silver nozzle filters.

The Letshuoer D13 has a U-shaped sound signature.

The D13’s bass tuning is highly reminiscent of the Moondrop Aria. Like the Aria, the D13’s bass is most elevated in the sub-bass region and gently decreases in emphasis all the way through the mid-bass region. The D13’s bass is clean and clear-sounding while retaining some mid-bass presence. There are moderate amounts of rumble and impact. Sub-bass extension is very good. Bass texture and detail retrieval are above average for the D13’s price point. I did find myself wanting more bass from the D13. Thankfully, the driver is highly capable and responds well to equalization (EQ).

The D13’s lower midrange is quite recessed. Some midrange instrumentation, such as analog percussion and electric guitars, can come across as a bit thin-sounding as a result. The D13’s pinna gain region is centered just past 2 kHz, which is earlier than I prefer. While not sibilant, both male and female vocals are overly forward and somewhat shouty to my ears. Harsh male vocals are appropriately abrasive and surprisingly intelligible. Female vocals sound realistic if overemphasized. The presence region is well-controlled and overall midrange clarity is excellent. Midrange timbre is very natural-sounding.

The D13 has a prominent lower treble peak. Treble-sensitive listeners may want to consider using foam eartips to dampen this peak, though will come at a cost to upper treble extension. Detail retrieval is average. Treble transient delivery is realistic and not overly splashy. Upper treble extension is fair. Interestingly, the D13 has a more natural-sounding timbre than the Moondrop Aria. The Aria, while having slightly superior detail retrieval, seems to have an overabundance of upper treble, which creates an artificial-sounding sheen. The D13’s soundstage and imaging are average. Instrument separation is slightly above average.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:
The Letshuoer D13 is easy to drive. I did not notice hiss with either of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:

The Letshuoer D13 is a respectable offering at its price point but does little to stand out from the array of comparably priced and similarly competent IEMs on the market today. Bassheads comfortable with EQ and sticklers for timbre may want to take a closer look.

The Letshuoer D13 can be purchased below:

https://hifigo.com/products/letshuoer-d13

Raptgo Hook-X Review​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Raptgo Hook-X is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a 14.2mm planar-magnetic driver and a piezoelectric driver. The Hook-X retails for $239 at Linsoul, which sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Raptgo Hook-X with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• Reiyin DA-PLUS
• Moondrop Dawn

MUSIC:​

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Raptgo Hook-X comes in a medium-sized square-ish grey cardboard box with a grey slipcover. The front of the slipcover features a blueprint-style illustration of the Hook-X. The rear of the slipcover features an exploded diagram of the Hook-X along with Raptgo’s corporate contact information. The packaging is stylish and the unboxing experience is appropriate for a product of this price point.




The Hook-X includes nine pairs of silicone eartips (3xS, 3xM, 3xL) in three different colorways. The eartips appear identical other than having different colored bores. Including three sets of the same type of eartips is excessive and I would have preferred a set of foam tips if not just a differently shaped set of silicone eartips.
The Hook-X includes a grey zippered semi-rigid carry case.



The Hook-X also includes a detachable .78mm 2-pin cable with swappable terminations. 3.5mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced, and 2.5mm balanced terminations are included, which I appreciate as opposed to including just one kind of balanced connection or the other.


In terms of documentation, the Zero includes an owner’s manual and a warranty booklet, which are both written in English and Chinese.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Raptgo Hook-X has gunmetal aluminum housings with perforated black faceplates. The rim of the faceplate contains metallic green accents, a detail which is also found on the detachable 2-pin cable in several spots. The 2-pin connector base is slightly raised from the surface of the shell. There is a single circular vent in the center of the inside face of the housing. “RAPTGO HOOK-X” and the unit serial number are printed in white on the top face of the housing, along with “L” and “R” indicators. The nozzles are made from the same gunmetal aluminum as the rest of the housing and feature metal mesh nozzle covers and extruded rims to secure eartips.

The cable uses fabric-sheathed wires wrapped in a double-helix below the Y-split. The fabric is black with a metallic green accent, in keeping with the overall aesthetic. The cable has pre-formed heat-shrink earguides and a metal chin-adjustment choker. Despite the use of fabric sheathing, the cable is less microphonic than I would have expected, even when the chin-adjustment choker is not used.

The modular jack has a straight form factor. To swap terminations, one simply pulls the lower 2/3rds of the jack away from the upper third. The jack hardware uses a 4-pin connector between the swappable termination and the cable. The design is not locking and relies on friction to stay in place. I did not have any issues with the termination coming loose when I did not wish to detach it during my review process. There is strain relief above the jack but none at the Y-split.

Unfortunately, the cable included with my first unit experienced a quality control failure out of the box. The wiring for the right channel was faulty somewhere above the swappable termination and only outputted at full volume when held in certain orientations. Swapping to another cable fixed the issue. I also obtained a replacement unit, which did not have this issue with the cable. This failure has been reported by other end-users on Head-Fi. It is a shame that this issue exists because I like the Hook-X’s cable from an aesthetic and functional perspective, and I presume that the modular cable design is in large part responsible for the Hook-X’s price premium over similarly-specced planar-magnetic IEMs like the 7Hz Timeless and Letshuoer S12.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Raptgo Hook-X is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a shallow insertion depth. While comfortable, secureness of fit is problematic and requires frequent re-adjustment to maintain an optimal seal. As one might expect from a planar-magnetic design, there is no driver flex.

For most external noise, the Hook-X offers better isolation than one would expect from a semi-open design. The foremost exception is the user’s own voice, for which isolation is noticeably worse than other sounds, even compared to other IEMs. This makes the Hook-X a great candidate for gaming use. If one is not using an external mixer or software-based real-time monitoring solution which allows latency-free playback of one’s own voice, playing online games with friends can be disconcerting with highly isolating IEMs. This is even more of an issue if one wants to use their usual audiophile-focused external DAC/AMP solution for gaming rather than a gaming-focused peripheral. The Hook-X has quickly become my go-to IEM for gaming, as it has a better uncorrected tonality than the ancient pair of Sennheiser HD 500A over-ear headphones I typically use.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Raptgo Hook-X can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Raptgo Hook-X — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The Raptgo Hook-X has a warm, relaxed sound signature.

The Hook-X’s bass is most elevated in the sub-bass region, but rather than confining the bass emphasis exclusively to the sub-bass, the Hook-X retains a moderate amount of mid-bass presence. This mid-bass presence rolls off gently into the lower midrange. The Hook-X is a dynamic-sounding and impactful IEM. Sub-bass extension is excellent. Bass texture and detail retrieval are about what I would expect for an IEM of this price.

The approach the Hook-X takes with its mid-bass contour is a compromise that sacrifices a smidge of midrange clarity in order to retain the warmth and body in the lower midrange which more Harman-compliant IEMs frequently lack. As with many Harman-ish IEMs, vocal delivery takes center stage with the Hook-X. However, male vocals are noticeably more forward and present than is common on many contemporary IEMs, and have grit and bite in spades when called for. Female vocals have a bit too much low-end energy and can sound slightly husky. Vocal intelligibility is also mildly superior for male vocals as compared to female vocals. I did not notice any sibilance in the Hook-X’s midrange. The presence region is in line with the relaxed midrange. Overall midrange clarity is middling and there is a sense of graininess where one would expect more midrange detail. The Hook-X has very good midrange timbre and comes across just a smidge on the dry side.

The Hook-X has a pronounced lower treble peak which can create an excessive sizzle to high-frequency percussion like cymbals. This can be mostly tamed with the use of foam eartips. There is a faint but distinct sense of oversharpening to transients in the lower and mid-treble, which is a timbral inaccuracy inherent to piezoelectric drivers. With that said, it is much less severe than on other IEMs with piezoelectric drivers I’ve used in the past. The Hook-X has very good upper treble extension, which combined with the semi-open design, creates a spacious soundstage. The Hook-X also has excellent instrument separation. Imaging is quite good as well, which is useful for gaming.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Raptgo Hook-X is surprisingly easy to drive even without the use of balanced source devices. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Raptgo Hook-X is a very good-sounding IEM, but if your sole use-case for an IEM is listening to music, the Hook-X is not the best value for your dollar. As stated earlier, I suspect that the inclusion of a modular cable is responsible for a large part of the higher sticker price relative to contemporary planar-magnetic IEMs. This cable system is nice to have but not strictly necessary given that the Hook-X is easy enough to drive off of a single-ended connection. Further, QC issues with the cable are evidently not uncommon, which should give potential buyers pause. The Hook-X has additional value for use cases where the semi-open design gives unique benefits, such as gaming, but it is up to the individual buyer to decide whether these benefits are worth an additional $40 over the 7Hz Timeless or nearly $90 over the Letshuoer S12.

The Raptgo Hook-X can be purchased below:

RAPTGO HOOK-X Planar + PiezoElectric Drivers Hybrid IEM — Linsoul Audio

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The CCA CRA+ is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a single 10mm dynamic driver per housing. HiFiGo sent me the CRA+ in exchange for my evaluation. The CRA+ retails for $33.

SOURCES:​

I used the CCA CRA+ with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• Apple Dongle

I tested the CRA+ with local lossless audio files and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The CCA CRA+ comes in a small rectangular white box with a white slipcover. The slipcover pictures the CRA+ on the front and provides CCA’s contact information and technical specifications for the CRA+ on the back. Inside the box are the IEMs, a detachable .75mm 2-pin cable, 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S, M, L), and a user manual. The CRA+ does not come with a carry pouch or case.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The CCA CRA+ has dark translucent acrylic housings with gold metal faceplates. The faceplates are fingerprint magnets. The housings have a pseudo-custom fit. There are two pinprick vents on the inner housing, one directly above the dynamic driver and one in line with the 2-pin connector. The acrylic nozzles have small lips for securing eartips.
The included 2-pin cable is typical of a KZ-type IEM. The cable uses QDC-style extruded connectors. “L” and “R” indicators are faintly embossed on the 2-pin connectors. The cable has chunky rubber hardware at the Y-split and 3.5mm jack, with substantial strain relief above the 3.5mm jack. The cable has pre-formed earguides without memory wire. There is no chin adjustment slider.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The CCA CRA+ is worn cable-up. I found the CRA+ to be comfortable. Insertion depth is shallow and secureness of fit is tip-dependent. I had the most secure fit with Tennmak foam eartips. Most aftermarket silicone eartips I tried, including Moondrop Spring tips and Eartune Fidelity tips, did not feel secure even using the largest-sized eartips I had available. Spinfit CP100+ eartips were an exception. Isolation is above average. The CRA+ had moderate driver flex with most silicone eartips.

MEASUREMENTS:​

You can find measurements of the CCA CRA+ on my expanding squig.link database:
CCA CRA+ — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The CCA CRA+ has a V-shaped tuning.
The CRA+ has a fun and impactful level of bass. Sub-bass extension is excellent. Bass texture, articulation, and resolution are all great for the price point. There is more mid-bass than I prefer, but the CRA+ largely avoids mid-bass bleed.
The CRA+ has ample lower midrange body. Vocal intelligibility is very good for both male and female vocals. Male and female vocals are roughly equal in their emphasis, but female vocals have a hint of extra energy. The level of presence is appropriate given the overall upper midrange contour. Midrange clarity is adequate for the price point. There is a hint of plasticity and a moderate amount of compression to percussion.
There is a bit of extra sizzle in the lower treble, even with foam eartips. Still, the heightened treble emphasis is complementary to the engaging bass region. Detail retrieval is much better than I would expect from a $30 IEM, and trades blows with $80 IEMs like the Moondrop Aria and Dunu Titan S. Upper treble extension is stellar for an IEM of this price, and treble transient delivery is very crisp. Soundstage size is average, as are instrument separation and imaging.

SOURCE PAIRING:​

The CCA CRA+can be comfortably driven with nearly any dedicated source, including the Apple dongle. I did not notice hiss with any of my sources.

CLOSING WORDS:​

While I prefer the tuning of the Moondrop Chu in most areas, the CCA CRA+ offers tangible improvements to bass and treble technicalities for a modest price increase. The CRA+ is perhaps the best IEM to emerge from under the KZ umbrella and is one of the best IEMs at this price point from any manufacturer.
The CCA CRA+ can be purchased here:
CCA CRA+ Sports Game HiFi Noice Cancelling Metal In-ear Earphones — HiFiGo

The Moondrop Dawn is a compact DAC/AMP combination unit with a 4.4.mm balanced output and a fixed USB-C termination. ShenzhenAudio sent me the Moondrop Dawn in exchange for my impressions. The Moondrop Dawn retails for 69.99.

HEADPHONES:​

I have used the Moondrop Dawn with the following headphones:

• Moondrop S8
• Dunu Vulkan
• Raptgo Hook-X

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Moondrop Dawn comes in a round metal tin. Technical specifications for the Dawn are provided in English and Chinese on the rear of the box. The Dawn is held in a foam mounting sheet inside the tin. In addition to the Dawn itself, the box contains a quality control pass chit and what appears to be an unbranded Baseus USB-C female to USB-A male adapter. This adapter does not have active circuitry to prevent backpower and I do not recommend using this adapter. If you must use an adapter like this with the Dawn or any other DAC/AMP with a fixed USB-C termination, I recommend the ones from CableCreation. There is an additional slot in the foam mounting tray seemingly sized for an additional adapter, but my review sample did not include anything in this slot.

DESIGN, BUILD QUALITY, AND AESTHETICS:​

The Moondrop Dawn has a stout yet sleek matte white and translucent grey build. The round housing has a small orange power LED. In line with the LED is a subtle logo with the text “Moondrop DAWN Micro DAC.” The Dawn is otherwise unbranded. The Dawn’s USB-C termination is not gold-plated. The wires leading from the housing to the USB-C termination as well as the USB-C termination’s internal components are visible through the protective sheath. There is strain relief at both ends of the cable portion of the Dawn.

STANDARDS COMPLIANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY:​

I do not own any 2.5mm or 4.4mm cables with microphones or in-line controls, if such cables even exist, nor do I own any 4.4mm balanced to 3.5mm single-ended adapters. Therefore, I cannot confirm if the Moondrop Dawn implements Android’s headset button standards. However, I can confirm that the Dawn does not send connector status to the host device or pause on headphone disconnect, which is a shame.

APP FUNCTIONALITY:​

The end-user can control the Moondrop Dawn’s digital filter, output voltage, and LED using the Moondrop Link app, which is a level of extra attention to detail I appreciate.

POWER DELIVERY:​

Note: I made the following observations with a system-wide -4 dB pre-amp setting as suggested here and Spotify volume normalization set to “Normal.” While I recommend using this pre-amp setting to preserve fidelity, it does reduce the headroom of any and all connected source devices.
The Moondrop Dawn is ludicrously powerful. Pairing the Dawn with the Moondrop S8, I reach my typical listening volume at a Windows system volume setting of 8/100. On my Google Pixel 3, I achieve a usable volume at a system volume setting of 6/25.

POWER CONSUMPTION AND HEAT MANAGEMENT:​

I took the following power consumption measurements while the Moondrop Dawn was in use at the above volume settings:

PC

Google Pixel 3
This is the most efficient balanced output device I have evaluated and approaches the efficiency of the single-ended Meizu HiFi Pro dongle:
The Dawn can get warm to the touch after a multi-hour listening session, particularly if kept inside a pocket. The Dawn does not appear to have an idle mode. The difference in power consumption between the 2V and 4V outputs to achieve the same volume level is negligible, so I recommend leaving the output voltage at 4V.

SOUND COMPARISON WITH THE HIDIZS S9:​

Note: I made the following observations switching back and forth between the two devices repeatedly under sighted conditions while volume matched to within .3 dB. The Hidizs S9 was .3 dB louder than the Moondrop Dawn. Any perceived differences between the two sources may be a result of this volume difference. There was a delay of several seconds to facilitate source switching. The Moondrop S8 was used as the transducer for this comparison. I set the Dawn to use the fast roll-off, low-latency digital filter and 4V output before my comparison. In most cases, any differences between compentently designed sources are infinitesimal and would not necessarily be apparent under uncontrolled testing conditions.
Transient delivery did seem slightly sharper and more instantaneous on the Moondrop Dawn as compared to the Hidizs S9, particularly for percussion. Otherwise, the Dawn sounded largely identical to the S9, which is not a bad thing given that I use the S9 as my go-to source for IEMs.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Moondrop Dawn is a powerful and competitively priced opportunity to dive into balanced audio. Moreover, it is noticeably more efficient in terms of power consumption than its peers. Power efficiency is frequently an afterthought in this product space. I hope that future revisions will incorporate pause on headphone disconnect functionality, which is my one major quibble with the Dawn. Otherwise, I am happy to recommend it.
The Moondrop Dawn can be purchased here:
MoonDrop DAWN Dual CS43131 Chip Portable USB DAC/AMP PCM 768khz DSD25 (shenzhenaudio.com)

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Dunu Vulkan is an in-ear monitor (IEM) which uses a hybrid (2 dynamic drivers + 4 balanced armatures) driver configuration. Dunu sent me the Vulkan in exchange for my evaluation. The Vulkan retails for $379.99.

SOURCES:​

I used the Dunu Vulkan with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• Moondrop Dawn

I tested the Dunu Vulkan with local lossless audio files and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Dunu Vulkan comes in a rectangular black box with a black slipcover. A magnet secures the lid of the box. One foam mounting tray holds the IEM and modular MMCX cable, and a second holds the swappable cable terminations and a plastic storage container for two of the three sets of eartips (2S, 2M, 2L in total). The cable uses Dunu’s Q-Lock PLUS swappable termination system. A small box contains the third set of eartips (S, M, L), which are squatter with a wider nozzle than the first two sets. Also inside the box are an airplane adapter, a cleaning brush, a 3.5mm to 1/4" jack adapter, a microfiber cleaning cloth with Dunu branding, and a small booklet featuring instructions for Dunu’s cable system in Chinese.




The level of attention to detail in the unboxing experience is impressive. Dunu consistently provides packaging that befits the price tag of its products. However, I continue to hope that Dunu will include at least one set of foam eartips in future products rather than the borderline redundant amount of silicone eartips they often include with their IEMs.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Dunu Vulkan has black anodized metal housings with metal faceplates. The faceplates have a mixed matte and reflective finish which is reminiscent of Damascus steel knives. There is a thin vertical mesh-covered vent centered along the bottom tip of the faceplate, and a pinprick vent in the center of the inside of the shell housing. On the left earpiece, “DUNU, ESTABLISHED 2003” is etched above the vent, while “VULKAN, DK-X6 HYBRID” is etched on the right earpiece. Each earpiece also has a directional indicator. The nozzles have metal mesh filters and lips to secure eartips.

The included MMCX cable uses a quad-braid pattern below the Y-split and a double-helix pattern above the Y-split. The cable uses gunmetal grey There is strain relief above the 3.5mm jack but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed earguides. There is a chin-adjustment choker. The 3.5mm jack and the Y-split use metal hardware. There are raised “L” and “R” markings on each 2-pin connector.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Dunu Vulkan should be worn cable-up. I found the Vulkan very comfortable. Secureness of fit is tip-dependent. I had the best luck with the short and wide set of included silicone eartips. I found secureness of fit with large-sized Moondrop Spring tips lacking. Isolation is above average. The Vulkan does not have driver flex.

MEASUREMENTS:​

You can find measurements of the Dunu Vulkan on my expanding squig.link database:

Squiglink — IEM frequency response database by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The Dunu Vulkan is a neutralish sounding headphone with a moderate sub-bass boost and a substantial lower-treble boost.

Sub-bass extension is excellent. There is a fair amount of impact to percussion, but I found myself craving a more intense sub-bass boost than what the Vulkan has out of the box. Bass texture is quite good, as is the speed of bass articulation. Bass resolution is fair. There is enough mid-bass to provide body and warmth, but not so much that the bass overshadows or muddies the midrange.

The Vulkan’s midrange favors vocals over instrumentation. Vocal intelligibility is excellent, and the Vulkan renders harsher male vocals with both grit and power. There are moments when both male and female vocals stray into sibilance, though female vocals are more at risk of this. While vocals are most prominent, midrange instrumentation is well-represented as well. Distorted and downtuned electric guitars have a satisfying growl without coming across as underemphasized or overdriven. Organic percussion is crisp-sounding with excellent timbre. The level of presence is appropriate, but as with the bass region, internal resolution and midrange detail retrieval are average.

As mentioned before, there is a pointed elevation in the lower treble region. This did not pose a problem for most of my listening with the exception of certain electronic music tracks. Still, I cannot help but feel the lower treble emphasis is intended to compensate for the middling detail retrieval elsewhere in the Vulkan’s frequency response. Upper treble extension is excellent, and the soundstage is both wide and tall. Instrument separation is very good, while imaging is just good. Treble transient delivery is slightly hazy.

SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Dunu Vulkan is surprisingly easy to drive. I did not notice hiss with any of my sources.

CLOSING WORDS:​

I have reviewed a significant number of IEMs at the sub-$100 price point, and a fair number of IEMs retailing for $700 and up. The $400 price bracket is new territory for me, so my value judgment of the Dunu Vulkan is at best an educated guess. With that said, if I were making my first jump up from budget territory and had $400 blowing a hole in my pocket, I would be quite happy putting it towards the Dunu Vulkan.

The Topping D90SE is a flagship digital-to-analog converter (DAC) using an ESS SABRE ES9038 PRO DAC chip. The D90SE retails for $899. I had the opportunity to listen to the D90SE as part of a tour organized by AudioTiers.com. The unit was provided by Apos Audio. I was responsible for covering shipping costs to the next reviewer and am not being compensated monetarily or otherwise for writing these impressions.

LISTENING SETUP:​

I used the Topping D90SE in a home theater setup during my evaluation. I used the TOSLINK output of my television to feed the D90SE, and then used the D90SE’s XLR outputs to feed a pair of Kali Audio LP-6 powered monitors.

MUSIC:​

I tested the Topping D90SE with Spotify Premium and FLAC streamed through Plex. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Topping D90SE Pro comes in a large rectangular black box. The lid of the box is embossed with the Topping logo, and a large “Hi-Res Audio” sticker is featured on the bottom left corner of the lid. On the right face of the lid is a sticker which provides the model number, voltage information, and the unit serial number. The top face of the lid is marked with Topping’s corporate contact information. The D90SE includes an AC cable, a USB-A to USB-B cable and an antenna to enable the device’s Bluetooth functionality. The included documentation consists of a manual and a warranty card. The D90SE includes the same remote included with more inexpensive Topping products, such as the D30 Pro and E30.

DESIGN AND AESTHETICS:​

The Topping logo is printed in white in the top left corner of the front face. “D90SE” is printed in the bottom left corner, and the MQA logo is featured in the top right corner. On the left side of the device’s front face is a small square power / select button, which cycles through inputs by default. On the right side of the front face are similarly shaped and sized plus and minus volume controls.

The center of the front face features a large display. The front display of the unit uses the same familiar font seen on other Topping products but uses white text rather than orange. The selected input and output as well as the current sample rate are shown on the left of the display. The current volume setting is shown in the center of the display, and the playback format, whether PCM or MQA, is shown in the top right corner.

CONNECTIVITY AND FUNCTIONALITY:​

During my initial evaluation of the Topping D90SE, I experienced intermittent popping noises when initiating music playback. This would occur immediately after the television and the D90SE first powered up. This may be related to documented issues with the D90SE’s TOSLINK connection interfacing with some televisions and other devices. In my case, it seemed to be an interaction between the D90SE’s sleep mode and the TV. I have since disabled the D90SE’s sleep mode. I have not noticed the issue during the last several months of my evaluation.

SOUND:​

The following impressions were made using the high output (5 Vrms) setting with the RCA outputs disabled and the default digital filter (#3). These impressions should be treated as ephemeral and non-definitive.

Two major benefits of the D90SE were improved layering and dynamics. Following secondary instrumental lines was easier, and I noticed several details, including subtle choral notes in the background of the chorus of Kate Boy’s “Northern Lights,” which I had not before. Percussion benefited the most from the D90SE’s improved dynamics, having a punchier overall delivery than I am used to. Certain midrange instruments also seemed more confident in their attack, such as the lower pitched synth line in Celldweller’s “Unshakeable,” which comes in at 0:53. The improvements to layering and dynamics were frequently mutually reinforcing, such as with respect to the writhing pull and tug dynamics in the bass line in Deadmau5’s “Seeya,” as well as the separation between the simultaneous bass notes and kick drum hits in that song. A third benefit to the D90SE was that it seemed to enable louder listening volumes without the soundstage collapsing in on itself than possible with other devices.

A NOTE ON DEVICE COMPARISONS:​

While I attempted to conduct a listening comparison between the Topping D90SE and my personal Topping D30 Pro unit, doing so in a manner I consider valid would have required more precise volume matching than I could reliably produce given the effects of my body’s position and posture on measured SPL in my listening environment. Even if I were able to discern the correct volume settings on my monitors to volume match the D90SE and the D30 Pro, the process of leaving my listening position to go up to the television, unplug the TOSLINK and XLR cables from one device, plug them back into the other, adjust the volume knobs on the rear faces of each monitor precisely, and then return to my exact same previous seated listening position would require a greater delay between impressions than I feel comfortable with given the limits of my auditory memory.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Topping D90SE is likely overkill for my needs given my modest speaker setup. That said, I have enjoyed my time with the D90SE and was sorry to see it go. If you are looking for absolute transparency and peace of mind with respect to objective measurements, the D90SE is a great option.

The Topping D90SE can be purchased below:

TOPPING D90SE DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) — Apos Audio

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Meze Audio Advar is an in-ear monitor (IEM) using a single 10.2 mm dynamic driver. The Advar retails for $699. I received the Advar through a review tour organized by Meze Audio. I had the Advar for a little more than a week before writing my review. I am responsible for shipping costs to the next reviewer on the tour, and I am not being otherwise compensated for writing this review.
I previously published brief impressions of the Advar here.

SOURCES:​

I evaluated the Meze Audio Advar with the Hidizs S9, the Xumee dongle, and the Qudelix 5K.

MUSIC:​

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:
XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Meze Audio Advar comes in a tall square black box. In addition to the IEMs and a removable MMCX cable, the package includes a rigid zippered clamshell carry case, an MMCX removal tool, a cleaning tool, a user manual, and 5 pairs (SS, S, M, L, LL sizes) of Final Audio Type-E eartips.
The manual indicates that these tips improve the bass performance and “reduce harsh tones in the high-frequency range,” a claim which is supported by my objective measurements of various eartips in use with the Advar. I recommend sticking with these tips if possible.

The carry case is luxurious, with a metal stamp embossed with the Meze Audio logo on the top face. The case has two large mesh pockets on the interior of each half and a fabric loop on the spine for use with a carabiner.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The design language of the Meze Audio Advar will be familiar to anyone who has seen any of Meze Audio’s higher-end products. It is a mix of matte gold and polished black that screams “premium.” The form factor is more stylized than ergonomic, but the earpieces are small enough that this does not compromise comfort.

There is a circular vent at the bottom of the shallow funnel-shaped faceplate and another at the base of the nozzle. The nozzles have large lips to secure eartips.

The included cable uses a quad-braid below the Y-split and a double-helix braid on each strand above the Y-split. There is strain relief above the 3.5mm jack and both above and below the Y-split. The 3.5mm jack and Y-split hardware are dark chrome with white detailing. The cable has pre-formed earguides. The use of MMCX is noteworthy, as most manufacturers have moved to 2-pin connectors, which seem to enjoy better long-term durability.

USABILITY CONCERNS:​

Covering the circular vent at the base of the Meze Audio Advar’s nozzle negatively affects bass response. This is an issue with certain aftermarket eartips with long stems, such as the Azla SednaEarFitLight.
In addition, it is possible for the diaphragm of the Advar’s dynamic driver to pop out of place during insertion into the ear canal, which compromises the Advar’s bass response. If this occurs, one has to pop the diaphragm back into place by pushing the Advar deeper into the ear canal, ideally with large or double-flange eartips. This was also an issue with the Dunu Luna, albeit to a lesser extent, and is likely related to just how thin the diaphragm on the Advar is. This thinness is important to the Advar’s technical performance, but manufacturers ought to work to mitigate this issue in future high-end single dynamic driver designs.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Meze Audio Advar is intended to be worn cable-up. It has a moderate insertion depth. Comfort for long-term wear is average. Secureness of fit is above average, and isolation is excellent. The included cable is not very microphonic.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements are conducted with a Dayton iMM-6 microphone using a vinyl tubing coupler and a calibrated USB sound interface. The measurements use a compensation file derived from relating my raw measurements to published measurements from Crinacle and Antdroid. These measurements should not be directly compared to IEC-compliant measurements, particularly above 6 kHz.
Please note that the substantial elevation around 7 kHz is the combination of an actual lower treble peak with the resonance peak created by the coupler.
I will be receiving an IEC-711-compliant microphone soon, but I will no longer have the Advar in my possession by the time it arrives.

SOUND:​

The Meze Audio Advar has a bass-heavy tuning offset by a lower-treble emphasis.
Though the bass is most elevated in the sub-bass region, there is a tremendous amount of slam and impact in addition to rumble. This has the potential to be fatiguing but is a good fit for most of the music I listen to. Bass articulation is very good for a dynamic driver, and the presentation is fittingly kinetic. There is very good note weight and bass texture. Bass detail leaves a little to be desired. The bass does not bleed so much as overshadow the lower midrange.
The Advar has moderate pinna gain compensation centered between 2–3 kHz. Vocal intelligibility is generally good, but I would like more separation between vocals and midrange instrumentation. Male vocals have body but could use a little more grit, and I would prefer slightly more presence and midrange clarity overall. In general, though, the tuning works for hard rock and heavy metal. Downtuned and distorted electric guitars have an appropriate degree of bite without taking on the attributes of buzzsaws. Female vocals are vibrant without coming across as strident. Female vocals tiptoe to the edge of sibilance but do not cross over into it. The Advar has a very natural timbre.
The Advar has a distinct lower treble peak which has the effect of counterbalancing the strong sub-bass elevation. The treble presentation is engaging but can be harsh depending on the track. Upper treble extension is moderate. Transient delivery is clear and not too splashy or diffuse. Detail retrieval is adequate but inferior to peers at this price point that specialize in this attribute, such as the Moondrop S8. Soundstage width is above average, but instrument separation and imaging are average.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The Meze Audio Advar is surprisingly easy to drive. I did not notice hiss with any of my sources.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Meze Audio Advar is an IEM that begs to be played loudly. Anyone familiar with the Meze Audio house sound should have a good sense of what the Advar brings to the table. If you’re looking for a fun and physical IEM at the $700 mark, the Advar is a great choice if you can get over the design quirks.