Introduction: Penon Audio is a Hong Kong company that has not only sold products on their own site at competitive prices for quite some time but they have also started to produce the their own line of products. They started with the BS1 Experience Earbud and followed up with several custom cables, and now they've recently updated their BS1 Experience earbud to the BS1 Official which is a step up in build, performance and price to the Experience.

There are currently two versions for the Penon BS1 Official, a standard with 3.5mm jack ($99 USD) and the one I have now which is the 2.5mm jack ($109 USD) or balanced plug, which I'll be reviewing. Please note I'll sometimes call the BS1 Official as just BS1 throughout the review. You can purchase the BS1 Official at the Penon website HERE or locally if your retailer has them in stock. I would like to thank Penon Audio for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.



Specifications:
Sensitivity: 120dB
Impedance: 32Ω
Driver: 15mm Dynamic Driver
Frequency Response: 14Hz - 28kHz
Cable: 8 Core 19 Strands Copper & Silver-Plated Mixed Cable
Plug: 2.5mm Straight Copper Gold-Plated Plug
Cable Length: 1.2m

32Ω is becoming a popular impedance in ear gear these days, likely from a viewpoint of being able to provide a better audio experience that is still relatively easy to drive. At a sensitivity of 120db, the BS1 Official is able to provide a good (and relatively loud) listening experience even on mobile phones (like my low output XZ Premium) and portable gaming gear.



Unboxing: The BS1 Official came in a simple and compact box with the Penon branding in the front and the model type on the side. Behind the box is the specifications and description of the earbud, and inside you'll find the beautiful circular wooden case that holds the BS1 Official.



Under the case is the soft carrying case that holds 2 packs of various foam covers for the earbuds, a metal shirt clip and a Penon branded cable wrap (in green!) Inside the wooden case lies the Penon BS1 Official.



The BS1 Official cable is one of those rare nicely braided 8 core types that are flexible.

Cable: The first upgrade given to the Official vs the Experience is the 8 core hybrid cable, made of 19 strands of copper and silver plated (copper) wire. The braids on the cable are nice and uniform, no wire is out of sync with the whole. The wires are coated in transparent TPU and they dont feel sticky or overly smooth. There's enough looseness so that the overall feeling of the cable is relatively soft and flexible though there is a certain amount of sponge like spring when they're first taken out of the case. Overall the cable looks good and pricey, feels supple and strong too.





Metal alloy, carbon fiber sheath design, gold plated copper plug.

Build/Design: The plug is a Penon branded screw on metal alloy jacket with a black carbon fiber strip design. It terminates in a gold plated copper 2.5mm plug that's smooth, looks good and feels sturdy. There is a rigid transparent strain relief at the opposite end of the plug.



Black carbon fiber splitter, alloy slider

The splitter is made of an alloy metal with "Bs1" branded on the upper metal part and the middle of the splitter is wrapped in a strip of black carbon fiber. The slider is made of the same alloy material and has dampeners inside so it does not slide around loosely, it has enough grip to keep it's position and still slide along the wire without much effort.



Made of metal, but it rocks!



Air holes, wires, that UFO shell design

The other half of the upgrade from the BS1 Experience is the metal shell used on the Official, it has 3 small bass port holes near the cable stem side, a metal mesh driver cover and metal cable stems. Everything here feels solid, smooth and inspires confidence in it's build. The 15mm driver is a bit easier for me to fit in my ears with the donut foams and feels most comfortable (and stable) when the wire is looped over my ear like an IEM with the bud hanging in my ear. In this config I can move around while maintaining a good enough seal to enjoy listening and still let some loud ambient sounds enter my ear. The bud is low profile enough to be comfortable in a sleeping position and light enough to feel unobtrusive with normal use.



Sound Stuff: When I first tried the BS1, I felt like it was a good balanced earbud from the get go, it had good soundstage and clarity and made me feel good listening to music. Later on though, I tried using the donut foams more than the stock full cover foams which resulted in better performance and fit, but knowing that it's a dynamic driver, I let them play music for over 150 hours so they can stretch out a bit, then tried listening and comparing them to my other earbud, the HiFi Boy Dream after. Being a balanced plug, I was able to use it on my WM1a (with a 4.4mm adapter) and my R6 directly, and with another adapter for 3.5mm, I was also able to test it on my Zishan Z1, phone and Nintendo Switch for driveability tests.

Bass: The BS1 has a good amount of sub-bass, and songs with slam hits well enough to be felt. Bass extension is moderately deep and it keeps drum driven songs like Way Down Deep sound lovely with a bass decay that's a little fast and yet gives a good rumble. The BS1 is able to resolve and separate dissonant sounds with good control and speed, songs like The Day the World Went Away and Lithium sound natural and fun. Overall, the BS1's bass warmth adds smoothness and body with the music you play and presents the bass frequency with a good amount of accuracy and clarity that sounds good and engaging.



Mids: The BS1 commands a good amount of ability here with the clarity and detail it presents to the listener. On female vocals, there is a bit of forwardness with the upper mid area that gives them a slight advantage in presence and intimacy vs male vocals as if Norah Jones is serenading you by your ear. This does not mean male vocals or the lower mids are ignored, neutrally placed, there is a thickness to the body that prevents them from sounding dry or hollow. Separation is good here and lets you listen to instruments, voices and sounds without straining to hear one over the other. The overall warmth and thickness lends to a smooth experience but it's not too thick that it sounds unnatural.

Highs: There is a natural extension with the treble of the BS1 that has good clarity, some sparkle and a great amount of air. The guitars and bagpipes on It's a Long Way to the Top scream into the BS1 and it delivers them in a full bodied and energetic manner with no sibilance or harshness, while orchestral music and violins from Vanessa Mae in particular, practically sing with emotion on the BS1. Separation is good here too as music sounds uncompressed and smooth aided by the air and warmth that the BS1 offers.

Soundstage: Has very good width and depth that extends naturally around the listener, this lends to an airy atmosphere that makes listening to classical, orchestral, stringed instruments and acoustic performances sound realistic and accurately placed.



Comparisions:
Penon BS1 Official vs HiFi Boy Dream
(Both are using donut foams and volume matched to 90db)
Both the BS1 Official and Deam have relatively balanced tonalities, but the BS1 has more sub-bass quantity and extension than the Dream which has a faster sub-bass decay vs the smoother texture of the BS1. The mid bass of the BS1 is fuller and has a bigger slam then the Dream. Both do not bleed into the mids.

Lower and higher mids have more body on the BS1 and male vocals sound better because of it than on the Dream. Female vocals are more forward and intimate with the Dream but the thicker body of the BS1 lends a more sweeter taste, and though there is clarity and transparency in both, the Dream edges the BS1 in both by a little bit.

Though both are able to control sibilance and harshness greatly, treble highs are presented with more body and smoothness with the BS1 than on the Dream. On the other hand, the Dream is more crisp and sparkly in that regard than the BS1.

In stage, the BS1 and Dream has similar and natural expansion but the Dream has less vertical depth than the BS1. Detail retrieval, layering and separation is again similar on both though the BS1 has a bit more ability to retrieve detail.



Conclusion: From the classy wood case, packaged accessories, it's solid and smooth built shell, to the braided 8 ore balanced cable, the BS1 Official is a great balanced sounding earbud for all kinds of music (Though I confess to suddenly listening more to classical and orchestral music thanks to this). It has an overall smooth and full bodied sound that still carries good and palpable bass, vocal beauty, clarity, very good levels of detail retrieval and a resounding treble. The wide soundstage and air are icings on this delicious cake.

Note on cable: an 8 core cable on a bare earbud can be hard to keep in your ear and can be a bit too heavy for some. The solution I had for my ear structure, is to place the earbud stem 45 degrees up place the cable wire on my ear and hang them down from there like wearing In-Ear Monitors. Other options you may consider is ear hooks.

Pros: Good packaged accessories, great build quality, amazing cable, choice of 2.5mm and 3.5mm, relatively easy to drive

Cons: Cable a little bit springy

Nitpicks: I really wish there were ear hooks included in the package.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6 and Zishan Z1(for comparison) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: Campfire Audio doesn't need much of an introduction as it's already a well known and respected audio company, but did you know that Campfire Audio started with Ken Ball and ALO Audio, creating amps, hand building fine cables, growing and improving their craft then eventually creating Campfire Audio and getting much acclaim and success from their varied line of IEMs through the years from 2015. However, in 2018, big changes were set in motion, first with the release of that really spiffy Cascade headphone, and then the amazing stainless Comet (review is HERE) and it's literally big brother in body and sound, the Atlas. All three were a shift in Campfire's general product line, in the materials used in making them and the results are apparent in the happy faces of their owners. However, something else was brewing while we thought it was safe to open our wallets, Campfire Audio had a wildcard revealed when they made the Andromeda S, a spin on their classic IEM with stainless steel as the new material and a change in one of the balanced armatures, promising more bling and bang for your ears to love. But before I forget that I'm not reviewing that, I'd like to reinforce the notion that, yes, today I'll be reviewing Campfire's top of the heap IEM, Atlas.

For now, just a short trivia of sorts, Campfire Audio has been giving names to their IEMs from celestial objects/bodies, and while some are pretty obvious in their naming, like the Comet, Andromeda, Polaris, Vega etc, the Atlas doesn't really mentally summon an image of a celestial body. Instead, one would think of an ancient titan that holds the universe on it's shoulders, an idea that easily dwarfs out other imagery. But to be scientifically correct, Atlas (it's modern designation) is a member of the Pleiades open star cluster (M45) and is also known as the Taurus constellation, with a designation of 27 Tauri Aa1. Geek mode off.

I'd like to thank Ken Ball and the crew of Campfire Audio for the chance to review the Atlas in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the Campfire Audio Atlas at the Campfire Audio website or locally if you have an official retailer for Campfire Audio products.



Specification:
Driver: 10mm Single full range dynamic driver
Diaphragm: Plasma enhanced Chemical Vapor Depostion (C.V.D.) Amorphous Diamond Like Carbon (A.D.L.C.) Diaphragm.
Sensitivity: 105 dB SPL/mW
Frequency Response: 5Hz–20 kHz
Impedance: 19Ω @ 1kHz
Material: Stainless steel body
Connectors: Beryllium / Copper MMCX
Cable Material: Pure Silver Litz
Cable Length: 1.2M (4 feet)
Plug: 3.5mm Gold plated

For something some considered big and made with exoticly hard materials, the Atlas is easy to drive with and push to loud volumes with even the most decent of sources my Sony XZ Premiums 3.5mm jack. The Atlas, like most good ear gear, scales to the source you provide and will sound better as you feed it better gear/music.



Unboxing: As always, Campfire Audio packaging is as compact as could be made with a rectangular USA Made “French Paper Company” Paper box, very little space is wasted and yet the design is simple, interesting and for me, effective. The blue motif Atlas infographic sheet is in front and wraps a good portion to the right side. The base paper has stars speckled all around and at the bottom, the montage of a mountain with a starscape above it with the Campfire Audio brand in the middle of that scene.



Contents:
1 Campfire Audio black leather case
1 Campfire Audio pure Silver Litz cable with Beryllium Copper MMCX and 3.5mm stereo plug
1 Pair Campfire Audio Atlas IEM
1 Pair IEM pouch
1 Set of Final Audio tips (xs/s/m/l/xl)
1 Set Campfire Audio Marshmallow tips (s/m/l)
1 Set silicon tips (s/m/l)
1 Campfire Audio lapel pin
1 Cleaning tool
1 Warranty card



Cable: The Atlas comes with a pure Silver cable made inhouse by Campfire Audio, a clear departure from their usual cable, this bewitching Silver Litz cable is made with the Audiophile comes with the usual Beryllium MMCX connectors and a standard 3.5mm gold plated plug. "The pure silver conductors provide additional resolution and refinement to an already exceptional sound. This cable is also wound with a twist that reduces tangling and microphonics improving your daily experience with Atlas." (From the Campfire Audio Atlas page.) And I have to say, the Atlas does sound better with it, along with the cable that does have a smaller amount of microphonics and from trying to use it on the move, proves to be quite tangle resistant. The cable is also pretty soft and flexible, yet gives a good feeling of durability backed by Campfire Audios experience in making cables.



The basic design materials are the same as the other Campfire Audio cables, a 90 degree transparent 3.5mm gold plated plug with the CA logo, the flat metal bead cable splitter, the plastic chin adjuster and the Beryllium MMCX connectors with colored dots for Left Right identification. The Silver Atlas cable is twisted vs braided, drawing more of a similarity with the pure copper cable that came with the Comet than the SPC Litz that came with the Andromeda, this does help avoid tangling and looks just as good as previous constructions.



Build/Design/Fit: Very much like the Comet before this, the Atlas is shaped quite similarly as the Comet and is made from drop forged stainless steel, made from 3 major pieces (Nozzle, main shell and back shell) the seams are not totally invisible but they do work with the symmetry of the Atlas' shape and design, having been CNC machined and polished does create a more fluid looking design. It's a quite bigger and heavier than the Comet, building the Atlas around the 10mm ADLC driver would naturally require a wider design quite the opposite of the single vented balanced armature construction of the Comet. There is a small pinhole sized vent at the back of the Atlas to reduce back pressure and help with the bass much like speaker bass reflex systems, something the Atlas does quite well (see sound analysis below)



Some have said the weight is a bit uncomfortable especially with long use, though I personally find it quite alright and once the Atlas is inserted well, it stays in me ear like it wasnt there and can last for the better part of the day and night. (As a background, I confess to actually eating my Spinach and other veggies when I was a kid). Whether it's looped on the ear or left hanging, both modes are fine with me with the Atlas, but over the ear is a bit familiar and does help reduce the perceived weight of the Atlas, especially when one eventually uses 3rd party or upgrade cables that weigh more than the lighter silver stock cable.



Fit, seal and comfort is quite tip dependent on all designs that utilize a tube like design (since most parts do not even touch the ear for support and assistance with sealing, unlike IEMs with universal fit shaped shells) and with the Atlas, I found that the easiest fit, seal and comfort is the Marshmallow tips that come stock on it, next would be the Final Audio tips and even the stock silicone tips are good enough for use though I find myself using the smallest tips in all types. For 3rd party tips, the best fit seal and comfort I found was with JVC Spiral dots, followed by Acoustune AET06 and lastly with Symbio W tips. As noted in most feedback from Atlas users, incorrect insertion can cause driver flex to cut out the audio due to pressure building against the driver diaphragm, there are times this does happen but can be adjusted to prevent from happening (Inserting the Atlas while lifting your upper ear and opening your mouth usually helps in this). Other than the Marshmallow (or Comply) tips being squished before insertion and letting it expand and seal, short tips helps minimize the pressure build up (Spiral dots, small tips).



The Atlas nozzle tip is like the Comet, strong, prominent, grilled and secure. None of the tips I used were easy to take off (and some, to put on) so that should alleviate any fears of tips left in people's ears. And like the Comet, the beautifully hand buffed body can be quite an OC person's nightmare (oh no, a smudge!!!) but that smooth mirror finish stainless steel frame also lends to an easy clean and quite a sturdy build.



The Atlas 10mm driver is one of the highlights of it's design, it's bigger than the Vega's 8.5mm and shares the same material design for the diaphragm, an Amorphous Diamond-Like Carbon (ADLC) that's a hybrid of non crystalline diamond and graphite carbon, a low density and high rigidity material. The more rigid the diaphragm, the more it can provide a bigger range of frequency responses at lower distortion and the lighter/less dense the material is, the easier it is to move and respond, increasing the fidelity of the sound it generates. The Atlas diaphragm achieves this and it shows in how it performs.



Sound Analysis: Back when I first heard the Atlas, I was overwhelmed by the quality and strength of it's bass, a bass that does not overrun the mids or takes away from it, allowing the vocals and instruments presented to stand on its own with detail and presence while the treble brings air and crisp without the harshness or sibilance from reaching too high. It was quite amazing and behind the scenes I've always thought that it sounded like good table speakers were plugged into my ears. Given that imagery, For this review, I only started listening intently with the Atlas after over 400+ hours of music playback, I mixed and matched different tips but used the stock Final Audio tips for sound analysis and various DAPs and DACs but mostly with the WM1a.



Bass: The Atlas' bass is arguably one of it's best aspects that will entrance your ears with its ludicrously large and competent speaker type feeling and sound. Sub- bass wise, listening to Jeremy Soule's Dragonborn, you can visualize large drums being slammed to the beat with the skin membranes vibrating to each strike and the reverberations going way down deep, slowly fading, the notes quite resonant and audible till the last note dies. Its speed is far from languid but neither would it be called fast as the lingering vibrations sound almost natural with a bit of flair for the instrument used. In general, the sub-bass is a little slow in decay and yet can easily resolve without distortion or overlapping near continuous grungy bass riffs and the reverb from it like the one on The Day The World Went Away where if the decay is too slow, it will overlap into a mess, and bad distortion control and resolution will make this song quite annoying to listen to. There is an organic level or crunch to the Lithiums bass guitar, which leaves one with an impression of realism, an unembellished bass sound that is clean and detailed.

The bass on the Atlas is just as great, with a weighty punch following a good attack, the amount of air that the 10mm diaphragm pushes is quite amazing and yet doesn't feel overwhelming like on first listen. The refinement of sound shows in its ability to present detail, layers and texture. Creep by Stone Temple Pilots exposes just how the Atlas' bass is quite balanced and unboosted, the full elements of bass, control and overall quality is quite wonderful, like a free standing speaker in your ear, pulling out the bass in a track and presenting it in a pleasant and palpable way that your ears will say domo arigato gozaimasu (thank you very much) while weeping silently in pleasure. For the sake of not going overboard and writing every song with a even a hint of bass and describing how the Atlas makes it sound good ad nauseum, I'll end the bass section saying the Atlas is quite likely, THE top of the line when it comes to bass, if you love bass and you like the rest of the sound section, you can't go wrong here.



Mids: Mids are life, or so I tell myself every time I have a chance to review gear with a beautiful mid frequency and the Atlas is no exception, the transition between the bass and mids is smooth and even with the humongous power of the bass, none of it bleeds or impedes the mids, yet its influence shows in the warmth exhibited in every note played. As some people have mentioned, that the Atlas is a the lovechild of the Andromeda and the Vega, I would handily say it may be just that. Though the bass is better than the Vega, the mids are not as detailed as the Andromeda, still they do both present the mids as beautiful and musical, providing a goodly amount of resolution and detail but falling quite short of being usable for surgical dissection of music.

Balance is the equation with the Atlas as the lower and upper mids are relatively just a bit above neutral placement and benefit from equal portions of thickness and clarity, as again with Dragonborn, the Atlas is able to convey an organic and natural sound that are easily presented as both an individual sound and yet coherent with the whole, instruments, male vocals and female vocals sing and chant throughout the track, channeling emotion and energy throughout the song, I almost feel like marching off to my imminent doom against a dragon. Pandemic by Devin Townsend is a wall of complicated sound, a testament to the ability of the Atlas to resolve in time, separate and layer elements of a track, you can hear instruments, effect, female and male voices from the near cacophony of continuous sound, making the experience quite enjoyable and musical. Though the Atlas' bass is the obvious highlight, the mids are definitely not far behind with every song you throw at it sounding good, detailed, capable and quite importantly, musical.



Treble: The Atlas being on top of the Campfire Audio lineup means only one thing, it can't go 2 out of 3 against the others in their stable and truth be told, its treble is not something that's lazily tweeting it's tunes. Balanced precariously between air, crisp and glare, the Atlas inherits the Andromeda's highs and dishes out a combination of crisp clarity and bodied control, the delicate harmonics on Deeply Disturbed sound natural, reaching a point where it COULD turn harsh, but instead gently trails off just a little bit faster than normal, like the cymbal crashes on A Question of Lust (Live) the initial hit registers in the expected position and fades out without much linger, a level of tuning that can give you the best of both worlds with extended highs and precise control. ALA.NI and her song Cherry Blossom is a sibilance nightmare for badly controlled and overly boosted treble gear, recorded with so much potential for sibilance, the Atlas reaches near the harsh tip of the "S" and rounds what would have been a sharp edge into a more listenable tone, you get most of the grit and sparkle without the subsequent bleeding of your eardrums at the minimal cost of not being the best of the best.

In terms of air, space, layer and extension, Kill em All from good ole Metallica in their era of near wall to wall sound gives the high hats their due, sounding clear and present as cymbals crash all around, harmonics splash unhindered and the guitars, drums and vocals nearly scream into your soul with all the power thrash and metal can muster, and yet, they never sound harsh or crowded, managing a good deal of space and a comfortable sound that adds to the energy and musicality the Atlas can present.



Soundstage: The Atlas soundstage would lean towards inheriting the Vega side as opposed to the Andromeda which roughly translates to the stage being wide from side to side but not as much as the Andromeda which is known for its wonderfully wide stage, however the front and back distance is able to go quite deeper, allowing for the placement of instruments, vocals and sounds to be articulate in layering and imaging, this is hinted with the amount of air and separation the Atlas is able to display and what better way to test this out is with songs that have a lot of different sound sources playing at the same time like Pandemic, each sound has it's own layer that is comfortably spaced, and thus does not ever sound congested and adds to the overall feeling of musicality as opposed to a maddening rush of near incoherent sound.



Conclusion and Final Thoughts: The Campfire Audio Atlas, is probably the best there is in its class, anything better will likely sound radically different and most likely cost a lot more. Priced above both Vega and Andromeda in the lineup, it's an easy upgrade if you love both and want both at the same time, with some caveats. Far from being perfect, if you desire the kind of sound that only dynamic drivers can deliver and still want the best of what a balanced signature can offer in the shell of the Atlas, then this is your ticket to ride. But for the rest willing to go beyond single dynamics, those seeking different sound signatures and wanting more detail than what the Atlas can deliver, there are always others options.

Standing on its own merits, the Atlas is quite a balanced and musically adept IEM. It's ability to draw out the best bass in every track and present it to the listener as demanded by the music is quite incredible, setting the stage for the mids which is admirably eloquent in detail and smooth in presentation. That, coupled with a treble adorned with a healthy sprinkling of sparkle, lots of crisp and air, blending into a wide stage and accompanied by an accomplished level of layering and separation, all to bring you closer to the TOTL sound (Top Of The Line) border of no dynamic driver land, where beyond lies the shells of IEMs filled with balanced armature drivers. See below for the TLDR pros and cons.








Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: DEATHIFI (or DEAT HiFi as I'd like to think) is a new Chinese brand that recently launched their debut IEM, DEAT Small. I would like to thank DEAT HiFi and Penon for providing me with a review sample in exchange for an honest review. You can buy the DEAT Small at Penon or locally if your retailer has them in stock.

Specification:
Brand: DEAT
Model: SMALL
Driver: 5.8mm custom micro-dynamic driver
Impedance:16Ω
Frequency response range: 15~28000Hz
Sensitivity: 112dB
Cable length: 1.2M
Material: aviation aluminum

The DEAT Small is very easy to drive with it's 16Ω impedance and is easily heard even with low output phones having 112db of sensitivity. The version I have is the one without a microphone, but the current ones have a control microphone which would make it perfect for taking in calls as well as listening to music.







Unboxing: DEAT HiFi Small came in a nice small plastic box that can double as storage for the IEM in addition to the accompanying soft cloth pouch. Only the essentials and a few cards came with the Small, and is for me, an efficient, minimalist and very reusable type of packaging.

1x Plastic snap lid box
1x Soft cloth pouch
1x Shirt clip
3x Silicone tips
1x Pair of DEAT Small
1x QC Pass card
1x Warranty/Info card



Cable: The cable on the Small is made of single crystal copper that's relatively soft and flexible, wrapped in TPU which adds a lot in durability, water and oil resistance but also a bit of microphonics (if you plan on exercising with the Small, use the included shirt clip). The Y-split is made of a smooth metal cylinder and has a plastic cinch for adjusting the cable. The 3.5mm plug is straight and made of the same material as the Y-split, there is a barely visible brand on it.



Build/Design: The Small is of a minimalist design befitting it's name, just a small cylinder of aluminum with a bass port at the back and a screened tip with the shell permanently attached to the cable via strain relief nubs. The diaphragm is made of PEEK + PU composite and is only 5.8mm in size, so yeah, tiny. The size and simplicity of the Small allows it to be easily worn and taken out of the ear, though you will not find any left or right markings on the shell, the strain relief nub on the shell is color coded for this, black is Left and clear is Right. There is a bit of driver flex that can happen (you can sometimes hear it when you insert the Small), best to pull your ear up before inserting to minimize or eliminate the flexing. Comfort wise, it's light and very tip dependent for isolation and fit, but with the right size, it can stay in for hours without fatigue and block out ambient sound quite well.



Sound Analysis: The first time I tried the Small, I heard a balanced presentation with good warmth and near equal mids and highs. I looked back on my notes and realized I was listening to modern pop tracks when I tested it (yeah, loudness war), so after a few hundred hours of music and listening, I'd like to present my in-depth analysis of the the DEAT HiFi Small. Note that I used the stock tips on the Small and set the volume to 85db using a dedicated sound level meter (see at end) so it's pretty loud.

Bass: The Small has a good amount of sub-bass with a little above average extension that you hear in the drums of Way Down Deep. The good slam coupled with a moderately warm and thick tone that feels and sounds natural gives this track a good bass sound. The decay of the Small is of average speed and can give your ears a good rumble as you listen through it with tracks like Lithium, the bass guitars sound nice and crunchy and resolves clearly. Bass impact on the Small is a little bit above average in weight and will satisfy those who don't like strong bass but still want to feel a good punch in the ear.

Mids: The lower mids of the Small have a little bit of recession and a good amount of warmth that gives the male vocals a smooth presentation. Upper mids have a little more forwardness along with some of the warmth and smoothness of the lower mids and this gives female vocals some intimacy and a bit of an organic sound. There is average amount of detail retrieval and a little above average separation.



Treble: There is good transition with the mids to the treble on the Small as well as an overall average amount of extension that has a peak at around 7khz. It's where you'll hear the acoustic guitar strings resonate with You Were Meant For Me and reach a good height that sounds clear and harshness free. There is some crispness to the notes being played here as well as some air that helps give clarity and space. Note that there is a little bit of sibilance on very prone songs when the volume is turned up loud.

Soundstage: There is a good level of stage on the Small, the horizontal width is a little above average with most sounds and vocals coming from outside the ear canal and can reach more than a few inches outside of my head. There is less vertical depth but amounts to an average size that can reach around an inch or so above my head. Separation is pretty good in general with an average level of imaging accuracy and amount of detail retrieval.



Conclusion: The DEAT HiFi Small is a compact IEM that has pretty good bass, smooth mids, safe treble highs and a better than average soundstage for big fun. The Small sounds pretty good with orchestral music with it's relatively wide stage, as well as live recorded music. But in addition to that, the tuning favors modern music (like your typical Maroon 5 or David Guetta etc) where it's musicality can be better appreciated.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6 and Zishan Z1(for comparison) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 85.X db of volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Rose Technics is a company that first gained fame with their Rose Masya earbuds and from then they started making more diverse products for the audiophile community like the North Forest, a dynamic driver driven IEM released around January that's aimed at the budget audiophile. Let's explore this intriguing forest with a review but before that, I would like to thank Penon and Rose Technics for this review unit.



Specification:
Driver: titanium metal rare-earth magnet steel dynamic driver
Earphone cable material: 128 shares 4n oxygen-free copper+ anti-pull bullet-proof wire
Earphone shell: aeronautical magnesium-aluminum alloy
Frequency response range: 14 ~ 23000hz
Sensitivity: 105db
Impendence: 18ohm



The Rose North Forest comes in a sturdy black cardboard box that's covered by a slip off sleeve. Inside are the IEM's with fitted medium tips, and in the tray is 2 more pairs of silicone tips (Small and Large) as well as a double flange tip (white silicone), under the tray is space for the cable and nothing else.



The North Forest is a single dynamic driver driven IEM house in an small aluminum case with plastic internal fittings, the simple design allows for easy fitting as a conventional earbud (wires dangling) or over the ear. In either position, the light design of the IEM helps in providing comfort while wearing it. The wire near the IEM has good strain relief and has the L and R markings for each IEM's position, the cable is non-removable and comes in a no microphone model and one with a mic, this sample has no microphone and has a slightly rubbery wire, it has a tendency to retain some curves but generally is resistant to tangling. Though there is no chin strap, the splitter is plastic covered in silver aluminum and looks nice. The plug has a rose branding and is similarly made of aluminum, it is very thin so it'll fit through most phone or DAP cases with no issue. Overall, the build is good and sturdy and will likely last a long time.





Bass: The sub-bass of the North Forest extends rather well to give a good amount of bass rumble that is clearly felt but is not along the levels of the Ibasso IT01 in terms of reach and quantity, the mid bass has enough punch to make it's presence known and possesses a good amount of body. North Forest has good decay enough for good resolution of complex bass tones and has enough speed to sound complimentary to the music and helps it to be engaging.

Mids: There is a good amount of body with the North Forest, male vocals sound meaty with a good enough separation that the voices are not overwhelmed by the bass. Female vocals sound warm and smooth with a bit of intimacy but is treated nearly equally the same as male vocals as they occupy a neutral positioning. There may not be a lot of transparency in this area and there is a lack of crispness or definition but vocals come out clean and mixed with music provides a good and emotive progression.

Highs: Are naturally extended without sounding sibilant or harsh as they sound like they belong in the song, some high pitch sounds may surprise you on higher volumes but are not piercing. One thing to note is the dip in the 10khz area that prevents cymbal crashes to bloom and may sound rolled off. There is body and a good amount of clarity in the treble area that is not fatiguing and fun to listen to.



Soundstage: For something that's small, there is a moderate amount of stage for the music to play around that sounds natural, with decent width and some depth that prevents it from feeling congested (St. James), resolution overall is good enough to track instruments and voices and 3d positioning is fairly accurate.

Driveability/Useability: This can easily be driven by the weakest phone in my arsenal and still sound better than certain stock earphones, but it doesn't scale much with the source (better players will push the North Forest to sound better, but not to a great degree). Considering the build, this can easily be seen as gym, exercise IEMs, sweat doesn't seem to bother the cables much, it's light and easy to insert and remove with no fear of a piece falling out (ohhh, two jabs in one paragraph!)

Conclusion: The Rose North Forest is a surprising IEM and shows just how far good tuning can get you at this budget range as it sounds musical where headbanging doesn't seem like a bad idea when listening to heavy rock or just thinking about your ex while listening to Adele, it's not gonna topple mid range IEM's at any time with more detailed, technical and revealing listening, but the fun you can get out of this is considerable and at an incredible value IEM at $24.90 USD, it sounds better than some IEMs in the market that are above it's price tag.





Pros: Affordable, easily pocketable, sturdy, sounds great, looks nice, very easy to drive, good fit and isolation (with the right sized tips.)

Cons: L/R markings are hard to see (could have marked one and left the other blank for a tactile solution, or made both shell logos face forward for easy identification of left and right), cable is a bit rubbery/springy

Nitpicks: Removable cables or easily replaceable cables, it's a shame since they sound real good but if the cables break, it might be hard to replace the cables.



Original Review appears in AudioBuko @ Blogspot

Introduction: Auglamour is the brand of Shenzhen Bushengsheng Technology Co., Ltd. which started in 2015 developing equipment like Hi-Fi headphones and decoding amps. I've been quietly interested in the past year or so in how they sound considering the rather premium and sturdy looking build they use for their products. And now I'm getting the full experience of one by reviewing their latest budget IEM, the Auglamour F200.

I would like to thank Auglamour and Penon for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the Auglamour F200 at the Penon store or locally if your retailer has them in stock.



Specification:
Driver: 10mm Graphene diaphragm actuator dynamic driver
Product Material: MIM zinc magnesium alloy
Sensitivity: 105±2dB/Mw
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20,000Hz
Impedance: 24Ω
Cable: 1.2m
Plug: 3.5mm

As generally expected in the budget range, the F200 performs quite well on mobile devices like my Xperia and does scale up with better sources. Loudness is pretty good with the 105db sensitivity and is still easily driven at 24Ω of impedance. The microphone has good sensitivity for calls and your voice can be heard well on the other side.





Unboxing: The Auglamour F200 box is a little more minimalist than normal and is made of sturdy cardboard. It has a lot of information you can browse around the box about the contents, the company and the IEM. Inside, the box contains the following:

1x pair of silicone ear hooks
3x pairs of silicone eartips (S, M, L)
Shirt clip
Zippered semi-hard case
Auglamour F200 IEM
An information booklet/user manual

Overall the package is modestly generous, the case is a nice and useful touch for storage of the IEM and it's accessories. The ear hooks I feel aren't necessary though, as the F200 does fine hanging like an earbud. Turning it up and looping the wire over the ear pulls the microphone further away from your mouth, not important if you really want it that way, and wont be using the F200 for calls. The rest of the accessories are pretty much standard fare.



Cable: The Auglamour F200 cable is a screw thread core copper wire coated by a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) jacket for better durability. The standard 3.5mm gold plated plug is protected by a metallic shell and has a simple rubberized plastic strain relief that's flexible and extends by around half an inch. The Y-split is the same metal material as the plug and is a simple bar with no strain relief but does hold tightly to the cable. On the right cable line, there is a single button microphone module with the microphone hole on the opposite side of the button. There is only one switch under the button even if it has two dimples which may have suggested a volume up/down switch. Pressing the button once will Play/Pause the music, pressing twice in quick succession will skip to the next track and pressing and holding the button down will start the Google Assistant or Siri. There is no chin slider (most likely due to the microphone) but I found that the fit of the F200 is good enough to keep the IEM securely in my ears. There is also a little bit of microphonics with the cable roughly moving around but it's pretty manageable and not very distracting.



Build/Design: The F200 shell are made of a Zinc Magnesium alloy that is designed to look like brushed metal, the texture is smooth and feels strong in my hand. Inside the shell beats a 10mm Graphine diaphram, on the outer facing shell, the Auglamour logo is beautifully engraved into the shell and treated with a weathered style. The inner side of the shell has the words "FEAT F200" and is made of the same Zinc Magnesium material, the nozzle is efficiently angled to fit comfortably in most ears, at the end of the prominent nozzle is a deeply grooved tip lip. The nozzle is protected by a copper/gold metal screen to help prevent incursions from earwax, dust and/or debris. The overall design is almost like that of an earbud, especially with the stem guide at the end of the shell, but instead of a the typical earbud diaphragm cover, there is an IEM type nozzle that guides the sound directly into your ear. This ensures better isolation with the right tip and a better fit for most ears. Near the nozzle (and before the diaphragm) is a port which acts like an exhaust to prevent driver flex when inserting the F200. And thanks to Alex Twister's (a fellow reviewer) similar experience with another IEM, I realized that covering this port with tape or even a bit of blu-tack will increase the bass impact of the F200, with the only drawback is possible flexing of the diaphragm when inserted directly, without lifting the tips of your ears before insertion of the F200. The F200 is easy to insert and remove into the ear and with the right tip, and I can comfortably wear the F200 for a long time.



Sound Analysis: When I first heard the Auglamour F200, I had mentioned that it was a warm and balanced sounding IEM, with a slight advantage in the mids. But like most initial impressions, it can either benefit from in-depth analysis or change as the excitement wanes and the the more analytical side takes over. The F200 went through 200+ hours of use with critical and not-so critical listening in between, before being subjected to this review. Note that I have used the Symbio W tips to assess the sound of the F200.

Bass: The F200's sub-bass has a good level of extension that Way Down Deep's pounding reaches a good depth and the subsequent propagation has good quantity. The rumbles feels good and lingers naturally through an average level of decay. Bass impact is on the average side where you can feel the impact and hits your ear with with some weight. Though the overall bass is enjoyable, smooth and doesn't overwhelm, it will not satisfy the typical basshead.

Mids: The lower mids where male vocals reside are placed in a more neutral position and benefit from a good level of thickness that leads to an enjoyable sounding presence; September's vocals sound engaging and bodied for example without sounding overly done. On the upper mids, there's a bit of forwardness that gives female vocals a bit of intimacy, combined with some warmth, Sarah's voice on Do What You Have to Do gives a near emotive performance. Separation is a bit above average as voices and instruments do not blend into each other, remaining relatively distinct and still harmonious. Detail retrieval and clarity is on the average for an IEM in this price range.



Treble: The F200's treble is tuned in a safe manner where the extension is average and with a more relaxed and smooth tonality. There is a bit of sparkle especially with acoustic guitar strings and a general sense of airiness and clarity can be heard. There is however, a dip in the 7-8khz region where cymbal crashes occur and makes them sound a bit recessed. Overall, the treble sounds nice and compliments the over all tonality of the F200 by injecting a bit of excitement and energy to the musical flow.

Soundstage: There is an adequate stage with the F200 where the horizontal width is larger than the vertical depth. Sounds generally come from the threshold of the ear canal and extends a few inches outward. The height tops out at around my forehead and an inch or two from my nose and about an inch from the back of my head. Expansion sounds natural overall. Layering is on the average side where sounds, vocals and/or instruments can sound close to each other on busy tracks but never sound congested or compressed. Spatial imaging is pretty accurate.



Conclusion: There is no doubt in my mind that the Auglamour F200 is a good commuter friendly budget beater. It features a relatively balanced sound that has a focus on great sounding mids, a reactively beautiful bass and safe yet entertaining highs. The benefit of having basic in-line controls for your music via mobile phone and the ability to receive calls without taking your device out is a convenience you'll appreciate on your daily travels. At it's price, the F200 comes with a few essentials some overlook in the budget segment while still looking quite premium, durable and yes, sounding quite good.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: Kinera is an audio company that has been around for quite some time, producing eye catching products from the most recent Seed to the well known BD005 (there are more I know), teased a month earlier, the triple hybrid Idun is their latest addition to their growing collection of IEMs. Idun in Norse Mythology (who is also known as Idunn or Iduna) is the goddess of spring or renewal and the keeper of the golden apples of immortality. And as some have stated before, this is a bit lofty in terms of naming hierarchy, from the Kinera Seed to a deity, but I get what Kinera is aiming for with the Idun and maybe this is what it will take to revitalize Kinera as a serious contender for your audiophile money.

The Idun I have is the limited edition version, and while a regular version will be released soon after, both limited and regular will have the same configuration, internal parts, cables and tuning so this review will still hold for the regular version. The only difference with the regular is the face plate design and shell color, possibly more and/or different accessories as well as the spiffy packaging box, all for $139 USD. I would like to thank Kinera for the Idun which was provided as a sample for an honest and unbiased review.


Borrowed from the Kinera Telegram group

Specifications:
Sensitivity: 112 +/- 2db
Impedance: 32Ω
Configuration: Hybrid
1 Dynamic Driver @ 7mm
1 Mid Frequency BA
1 High Frequency BA
Cable: Hybrid
4 Core Copper
4 Core Silver
Interface: 2-Pin 0.78mm
Length: 1.2m
Plug Type: Straight 3.5mm Gold Plated

By the above graph, there is a small scoop in the 500-800Hz and a rise in the 2,000-3,000 Hz frequency which may hint at a V or U shaped signature but we'll see later in the Sound Stuff section if this holds true. The Idun can be driven rather easily and loud enough with it's 112 sensitivity (give or take 2 decibels) and at 32Ω, the Idun is within threshold for mobile use (remember those old iPod earphones? They were 32Ω! ) Though from a bit of experience and literature I've read through the years, at around 32Ω (generally from 25Ω upwards) some ear gear may need better powered sources to give it's best performance.


Artsy


And Not So Artsy

Unboxing: The Idun came in an aluminum and plastic case that contained the 3 pairs of standard silicone tips and 3 pairs of colored core hybrid tips, the cable and the Idun IEMs. The case is a nice container for the Idun as it's spacious and feels able to protect the contents from knocks and scratches which is a welcome change from the typical zippered rigid pouches. The tip selection is a bit underwhelming (thanks to Ibasso's stellar tip selection in the IT01) though the two types of tips are both good for variety and fit, something like foam and/or double flanges would help round up fitting the IEM in most ears. Also, as this isn't the complete retail package, Kinera has a chance to add or keep the existing accessories for their retail release, I'll update this section when the time comes



Cable: The hybrid 8 core copper and silver cable is a very pleasant surprise and though the construction is a bit loose (No strain relief at the plug or interface plugs) it seems sturdy on my copy as I've already removed, re-attached and used the cable on different IEMs and DAPs. The cable is light at 22 grams, very flexible and is covered by an almost matte texture jacket that is not sticky. I've wondered how Kinera could afford to put this type of cable on the Idun at this price range but that's a mystery for another time. The 2-pin interface plug is (I believe) the same one on the Seed, a metallic screw on cover and plastic core with the pins made of gold plated copper with a red and blue ring to easily identify left and right plugs. The flat oblong cable splitter and bead like chin adjuster is made of matte plastic that is unbranded (which may or may not carry branding like the Seed on the regular release.) The 3.5mm jack is again, similar to the Seed cable jack, a metal jacket with the Kinera branding and gold plated plug. Note that there is a light plastic sleeve at the opposite end of the jack which covers part of the the wire and provides a bit of rigidity at the jack end.



The Idun limited edition IEMs have stabilized wood face plates that are tinted like the color of a ripe apple skin, and you can easily tell it's wood with all the grain and ring details that is unique with each set. This is my first IEM with a stabilized wood plate and they look really gorgeous (specially under the right lighting conditions) though the standard edition will have a beautiful look all their own once it's released, you can check Kinera's sample pictures on Facebook HERE.





The smooth smokey translucent underside of the Idun is similar to the Kinera H3 shell where it's a near custom fit design that's very comfortable to wear and with no part poking painfully in my ear. It's comfortable enough for me to actually sleep with it in my ear or wear it for long periods of time. There is a single exhaust hole near the rear side of the IEM and internally, you can see that the wires used we're either SPC or silver. The nozzle tip has a good sized lip that helps keep various tips in place on the IEM and not in your ear (if properly attached), there are two sound holes for the 3 drivers inside and it's not protected by a screen so be careful with having stuff go in. The 2-pin receptacle in the shell is two halves of a circle and in my experience, is better at retaining it's grip through time than a single cut receptacle.



Sound Stuff: The first time I tried the Idun, the mids were practically screaming "I am here! Notice me!" while the bass took a bit of a back seat in the awe department as the treble took second place; clear and present mids, sparkly highs, and good fast bass is what I'd describe it. Overall it sounded pretty good with a rather balanced tonality that seemed eager to show you every detail in the song without your ears bleeding in the process, and that's always a plus. To satisfy the believers, I've used (sometimes read as burned in) the Idun for 150+ hours on various music and evaluate them using Symbio W tips as I find them pretty balanced in it's all around enhancement of sound.

Bass: Sub-Bass extension on the Idun is pretty good with a little above average depth that can be felt and heard well, the moderately quick decay helps clear up the bass and present a good resolution of tracks like The Day the World Went Away/Lithium and still give a nice amount of rumble. Mid bass is good and clear with a moderate punch that sounds natural and satisfying with tracks like A Foggy Day/My Curse. Overall, the Bass of the Idun has speed and good control that prevent's the bass from muddying the mids and has enough bass reach, impact and rumble to please listeners who aren't too fond of strong bass presence.



Mids: Like I mentioned earlier, the mids are the main attraction on the Idun (for me), and at the same time, the most responsive frequency to the source of the IEM. On balanced to neutral DAPs like the R6, male vocals are neutrally placed, sound good and meaty with strong presence on rock/classic rock tracks and on tracks like Photograph, there is a warmth and body that gives Ed's voice a more intimate measure. On Dap's like the Zishan Z1 and my Huawei P9, male vocals can sound a bit less thick that they sound average to sometimes thin (on the iPod Touch 4th gen, it's almost really thin). Female vocals have a slight forwardness and enough warmth to sound intimate and natural with tracks from the likes of Adele or Sia, maidens with thicker vocals naturally sound even better on the Idun.

Instruments sound good and crisp on the Idun, layering and separation here lends to really good transparency in any track played. This clarity can make you feel that the mids are a bit more forward as they have a higher than average reach, and resist congestion to deliver a well spaced and engaging experience.



Highs: There is air and clarity with the treble of the Idun, and a good amount of extension that makes instruments sound natural, specially cymbals which bloom in their sound without sounding harsh in the process. This control extends to sibilance as there is no distraction on even the most sibilance prone songs. Strings, whistles, harmonics are crisp and sparkly in this area and provide an energetic accent to the music. With the R6 (and devices that have similarly high output impedance) on the Idun, the BAs shift a bit forward and can induce a little bit of sibilance while harsh highs are still controlled.

Soundstage: The Idun has a wide and natural sounding stage that is horizontally wider than it is vertically deep, this reduces congestion by a good degree. Positioning of sounds, instruments and voices is accurate; overall, the Idun's soundstage is pretty good.



Comparisons
HiFi Boy OS V3 vs Kinera Idun
(Both are using their stock cable and Symbio W tips)
The V3 and Idun have similar tonalities and hybrid configurations but vary in reach and quantity. Bass extension on the V3 is nearly the same with an advantage with the V3 being a bit deeper but also a little slower in decay that lets rumbles last a bit longer and with more feeling. Trade-off is that the Idun has better clarity, and separation specially factoring in the faster decay that lets the bass stand clear of the mids. The V3 bass hits harder than the Idun at nearly the same speed with the Idun still being faster and a little bit more natural sounding.

The V3 has an overall more restrained mid section than the Idun, where the Idun's tonally reaches higher and with more clarity than the V3, it can make the Idun sound almost more forward though the V3 has a more forward position vs the Idun's. The V3 has a bit more warmth and thickness than the Idun but there is more crispness on the Idun, and though both are able to retrieve a good amount detail, the separation and clarity on the Idun lends to a more spacious listening experience and a more intimate presentation on the V3.

Kinera's Idun has higher reaching treble areas with a bit more air and separation which gives it more sparkle and clarity than the V3 which has a more restrained treble area which will benefit very treble sensitive people. Both are able to retrieve a good amount of detail and can aid in providing an energetic listening session. Sibilance and harshness control is similar thought he V3 is naturally better due to the more restrained treble area.

Soundstage is horizontally wider on the Idun but vertically deeper on the V3. Both have accurate positioning and are good at reducing sound compression with the Idun a little bit better in layering.

Ibasso IT01 vs Kinera Idun
(IT01 is using the ALO Copper Litz and Spiral Dots tips, my stock IT01 is being re-terminated)
The IT01 has a bit more difference in tone and ability than the V3 and Idun, for one, the IT01 being a large single DD, it can dish out more bass with deeper sub-bass extension and a slower decay for that sweet lingering rumble than the Idun, even with that, the IT01 isn't that far behind in articulation of details or bass clarity vs the Idun. Mid bass still finds the IT01 punching harder than the Idun though both are good at controlling the bass for accurate presentation and so it doesn't bleed into the mids, there is a bit more control with the Idun.

With the mids, both the Idun and IT01 have a neutral positioning of vocals and sound with the IT01 being a tiny bit recessed with male vocals and a bit more neutral forward for females vs the Idun. The Idun has less restrained reach for the mids and offers a bit more clarity and detail retrieval than the IT01, crispness is similar with the Idun edging the IT01 by a fair bit.

Highs on both the Idun and IT01 reach further up (higher than the V3 at least) with the Idun edging the IT01 by a bit more. The IT01 displays more control with regards to sibilance and harshness though both are able to portray sounds in this area as naturally as possible (ex. cymbal crashes bloom out vs cut off.) The Idun has more sparkle and crisp, and a little more clarity than the IT01 though both are able to provide a lot of excitement.

Soundstage on both are good and wide, though the IT01 edges the Idun on horizontal width while the Idun edges the IT01 on vertical depth and their difference is rather small. Both are able to accurately place the locations of instruments, voices and sound though the Idun edges the IT01 in layering and air by a fair bit.



Conclusion: The Idun is a comfortable, good looking and moderately balanced IEM that provides a good amount of bass, satisfying mids, crisp highs, and have a good level of staging and transparency at a good price, there's little to not like (unless you're really a basshead or anything above moderately rolled off highs annoys you.) This is definitely a positive departure from the Seed and H3 in terms of sound, quality and overall value.

Additional Notes: The Idun though easy to drive, scales well with adequately powered devices and may sound thin with under powered ones, while devices with high output impedance (of around 10 ohms or higher) can induce very slight sibilance. Nozzle tips also help better shape the sound of the Idun, with the Acoustune AET-07 being the best for my ears with "Sound focusing on wide-range clarity" and (compared to Symbio W tips which enhance overall frequencies nearly equally) bump up the bass without sacrificing the mids and enhancing the staging and clarity.

Pros: Balanced sounding, good clarity and detail, good fit, very nice cable, beautiful design, scales well.

Cons: Could have a bit more warmth specially in the mids and a bit more bass impact.

Nitpicks: Cable could have strain relief for better durability, more tips, balanced cable option.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6 and Zishan Z1(for comparison) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: Tin Audio is a Chinese IEM company that's becoming a familiar name in the audio realms. They currently have 3 IEM's in their line and I'll be reviewing their T1 dynamic driver driven IEM for today. I'd like to thank Tin Audio and Penon for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can purchase the Tin Audio T1 HERE or locally if your retailer has them in stock.



Specifications:
Sensitivity:102dB
Impedance: 16Ω
Driver: 12.5mm Dynamic Driver
Frequency Response: 18-25000Hz
Plug: 3.5mm
Cable: 1.3m TPU coated

The 16Ω impedance means that even the least powerful mobile phone will be able to drive the Tin Audio T1 to good performance and relatively loud enough at 102dB that even my XZP is able to pump out satisfying levels of sound. But like in most things that generate sound, a better source can provide better driver performance.



Unboxing: The T1 came in a white carton box that has the Tin Audio branding in front and a QR code on the back. Inside that box is the blue Tin Audio branded box that's made of thick cardboard, it opens like a book and closes in tight with a simple fitted inner block at the cover. The first thing you'll see once it's open is the instructions manual covering the IEMs themselves.



Under the manual and seated in a foam tray is the IEM and cable splitter on full display with a bit of wire showing. It's symmetrically positioned and artsy in a way, under the foam tray is the rest of the cable, plug, extra silicone tips (there's a total of 6 pairs), with one pair already attached on the T1.



Build/Design: The cable is a TPU coated wire that is typical at this price range and has a slightly springy nature, though it can coil easily for storage, it has a tendency to straighten out. It has strain reliefs at the ends of the IEM and plug and feels rather strong and supple overall. The plug is a nicely designed unmarked full body metal plug with a 3.5mm 4 band gold plated jack. The Y-splitter is made of solid metal and designed with a tight spiral on both sides, the 3 button (volume up, play/pause, volume down) microphone and controller is similarly jacketed as the plug and feels sturdy, it is pleasantly responsive to button presses.



The IEM itself has non-removable cables and a solid disk like shape made entirely of metal. It feels sturdy and looks pretty with the same tight spiral design like the splitter and has a nice heft to it. Still, it's something that isn't too heavy to use or fatiguing to wear. The nozzle is cleanly cut with a tip lip and a metal screen at the end to prevent ear wax and other debris from falling into the T1. The tip lip is deeply grooved so most tips I've tried didn't come off easily (and were a bit hard to remove). The fit can be a bit confusing at first if you've used other IEM's before since the design is meant to have the cables dangle from the IEM directly down, though you can curl it over your ear too but the control area would be a bit too high at the side of the head for that to be practical for use (but if you won't use the controls, then that's perfectly fine), even with that design, the T1 stays comfortably in place in my ear and doesn't threaten to fall off anytime with the stock tips.



Sound Stuff: Previously when I first tried it, I could almost immediately say that this is gonna be more of a daily beater for commutes than most, the nice balanced sound was unobtrusive and has enough interesting bits to keep one listening. But as the in use hours piled up, (aka burn in) to around 140 hours, there's a bit more nuance on this not so little driver that I didn't realize on the first day. This review utilized all of my DAPs and DAC/Amps but the biggest surprise is when I used it on my laptop directly (a Lenovo Ideapad 100) and Deezer, with that, lets go the sound analysis.

Bass: The T1 produces a good amount of sub-bass that reaches rather deep which is almost expected with it's 12.5mm diaphragm. The rumble is playful, letting you hear and feel the note's decay into the next parts of the song like Way Down Deep. Bass decay and clarity is average, though the overall bass impact is a bit on the light side, it's still present and felt, and gives a sense of musicality in how it's rendered. There is a level of warmth with the T1 that lends to a smooth texture and good feeling with the music.

Mids: Are one of the things that draw me to an eargear, and the T1 does pretty well here. With a good amount of body and warmth in the lower mids, it gives male vocals good presence and thickness. Instruments here gain a good amount of reverb, songs like Lithium or any song that has stringed sustains, distortion and general vibration will sound really good. Female vocals and the upper mids are the same as the lower-mids wherein their position is neutral and natural sounding but the warmth and body from the lower mids also give women like Heart a more felt performance with songs like Alone. Overall there is a nice amount of clarity and transparency in the mids so music sounds nice, smooth and pleasant.

Highs: There is a light amount of extension and a decent amount of air in the treble region which gives the T1 a bit of an energy boost when the song calls for it. There may not be enough crisp in the notes to give the T1 sparkle in this region but there is enough clarity and detail retrieval to keep things interesting. Snares, cymbals and even screeching violins will play nice with your ears with a touch of warmth and there is no sibilance or harshness to be found here.

Soundstage: The stage is decently wide though not as deep, which can lead to a bit of congestion with complicated music but a bit of headspace to distance them from your ear. The imaging of the T1 is generally accurate.



Conclusion: The Tin Audio T1 does not want you to think it's meant for the high end audiophile in both price tag and performance but the fact that it's pretty good on mobile devices, laptops and budget DAPs means that it's forgiving for casual listening and a good experience for beginning hobbyists. This should be good for most people looking for a smooth and easy listening earpiece that can last them a long while and still look good, be functional for daily communication and sound good for their music needs.

The T1 scales a bit with better gear but seems to be better suited for warm sources, and since most phones, laptops, PCs and budget DAPs are warm in nature, they would be the best sources for the T1 as it helps with providing a bit more bass impact and additional body. Using an Acoustune AET-07 also adds a bit more impact and still opens the stage a bit on the mid and upper frequencies.

Pros: Solid metal construction, pretty design, useful and functional controls, smooth and easy listening, fun mids, a lot of reverb, good price for what you get.

Cons: Could use a bit more bass impact

Nitpicks: A cloth carry pouch would have been nice, replacing the 3 pairs of silicone tips to 1-2 pairs of foam and one pair of double flange tips might have increased ear fitting compatibility without increasing overall cost.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6 and Zishan Z1(for comparison) and various other stuff like DAC/Amps, my laptop and a phone (for checking driveability and synergy) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: Meze Audio, is a company that is well known, even in the Asian markets that are far from their native land of Baia Mare, Romania. It is here, amongst the scenic and medieval touched landscape that Antonio Meze, through his love for music, started Meze Audio in 2009. Starting small and gaining experience through the years, they were able to break through in 2015 with their 99 Classics which garnered them much accolades, awards and a lot of smiling happy customers. Following the success of their headphones, they came out with the Meze 11 Neo and 12 classics, like miniature versions of their 99 Neo and 99 classics, they were developed in house, and designed with their own aesthetic of timelessness, functionality, ergonomics and of course a flair for style while maintaining a high standard for quality and a sound that should be vivid and immersive.

Today, I'll be reviewing the Meze Audio 12 Classics (in gunmetal). and I'd like to thank Doina Ferrent and the people of Meze Audio for the chance to review the 12 Classics in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the Meze Audio 12 Classics at the Meze Audio website or locally if you have an official retailer for Meze Audio products.



Specification:
Driver: 8mm Dynamic, Copper-clad Aluminum voice coil
Diaphragm: Titanium coated Mylar
Sensitivity: 101dB (+/- 3db)
Frequency Response: 16Hz - 24KHz
Impedance: 16Ohm
Total harmonic distortion: < 0.5%
Material: Wood and Aluminum
Cable Material: 7N OFC cable
Cable Length: 1.2m
Plug: 3.5mm gold-plated jack

The 12 Classics are quite easy to drive thanks to its low impedance and can get to loud volumes with its sensitivity. Real world usage on my Xperia XZ Premium is able to drive it to 95db at max volume, which isn't the loudest but adequate enough to silence most ambient noise. The nice thing about the 12 Classics is that it can scale depending on the source, in particular, it can sound a lot better with more power provided, sounding more musical and articulate with better sources and still sound fun and entertaining with just a phone as a source.





Unboxing: The Meze 12 Classics arrives in a nice sturdy white box as seen above and has all the info necessary for an informed purchase if perused at say a store. It has a nice complimentary aesthetic for me and though it's not as minimalist as I'd like, the choice they made was a statement of how they view their products, that being worth the effort and flair and it shows with how the inner layout is made in homage to the Meze Audio logo which also mimics the front cover photo.



Inside are the basic necessities for Meze 12 Classics as well as some goodies:
1 x Meze 12 Classics
1 x Cable clip
1 x Carrying Case
1 x 3 sets of silicone ear-tips (S, M, L)
1 x Set of double flange tips
1 x Set of Comply foam ear tips
1 x Booklet
1 x Circular Meze Audio sticker
1 x Rectangular Meze Audio sticker

The tip selection is standard but the double flange and real Comply tips are a great addition to insure comfort and fit in almost any ear geometry. The clip can be a necessity as I'll explain later and the carrying case can be a godsend if you do not have your own case to use, though the case in itself is pretty awesome it's sturdy and quite compact. I'm not sure if the stickers are a recent addition but I think they are really a nice touch, it gives you the opportunity to show your love for Meze by using it on your favorite things, the refrigerator, a diary, laptops etc..



Cable/Build/Design: The Meze 12 Classics has a non-removable cable that looks reinforced for durability and made of 7N Oxygen Free Copper (OFC), the jacket is a bit on the thick side, this adds to a bit of stiffness and microphonics of the cable but also prevents kinks and tangling. There is adequate strain relief in all places where to expect it (after the plug, before and after splitter and mic, before the drivers), a standard mobile case friendly straight gold plated plug adorns the connection end of the 12 Classics which the cable leads to a nice metallic Y-split with the Meze Audio branding, on the right cable, there is a microphone and button module for mobile use. The microphone has been tested with calls on cellular and internet calls and is quite clear with good and clear sound pickup. The overall build of the cable system inspires confidence in its resilience.



The driver shells of the 12 Classic are a nice mix of aluminum and wood, which is unique for each set, mine has already displayed it's characteristics in that one is lighter than the other. In hand they feel solid and textured but not rough or overly smooth. There is a small embossed letter L and R on the respective side of the strain relief of each shell and an additional dot on the left side, which incidentally isn't really necessary as you can just feel or look at the microphone module and know that side is the right.



There are two vents on the 12 Classics, one at the bottom for diaphragm venting and one near the front/nozzle is for insertion venting (to avoid driver flex). The front vent can be covered by a small piece of Blu Tack (or something similar) so there will be no air escaping the front side, this usually increases the bass of most IEMs with similar vents. The nozzle has a prominent tip lip made of Aluminum that holds any tip used securely. There is a fine mesh cover on the nozzle to prevent naturally occurring cerumen to enter the shell. The strain relief here is thick and flexible, giving it a good level of protection from accidental pulls and general manhandling. Aesthetic wise, the 12 Classics are easy on the eyes, look classy and seem to impart a feeling of inviting warmth and stability.



Sound Analysis: When I first listened to the 12 Classics, it felt like a spacious and enjoyable tuning though bass felt a bit fast and controlled, it didn't overwhelm me with bass, or very forwarded mids and a bright treble, it also felt that the upper mids were a little recessed compared to the mids which struck me as odd. Still it was a fun listen and the lightness of the overall tuning gave me an easy listening vibe. Considering the belief that dynamics need clocked usage for it to reach its best performance, I used the Meze 12 Classics with music for over 200 hours before doing my review. I used Symbio W tips for listening and various sources (calibrated to 85db) though most was done using the Sony WM1a to compare and find the sound of the 12 Classics.

Bass: First off, the Meze 12 Classics are not bass head IEMs, now that is out of the way, with an 8mm dynamic driver, the Meze 12 Classics is able to push out a good amount of bass. The sub-bass is of average reach and is controlled with a faster than average decay which lets Dragonborn's battle drums slam and reach a decent depth before resounding enthusiastically into the next notes, this does reflect well for its responsiveness and ability to resolve details. Bass has good impact, owing to a boost in this part of the frequency, giving the 12 Classics an above average punch that is felt well with Acid Rain's bass slams and bass guitars have that nice grungy crunch, giving Lithium an effervescent quality (aka lively). Overall, the 12 Classics has good bass texture, blending smoothly with the warmth, attack and decay of the music.



Mids: The mids for me can be a make or break situation considering I really like this frequency range, and it's fortunate (for me) that the Meze 12 Classics has good mids that are near balanced in tonality with a leaning towards a little more thickness with a touch of warmth for that rather organic smoothness. This is apparent with Dream a Little Dream of Me (Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong) where the music has a good amount of thickness that defines their voices well just as the instruments sound distinct and harmonious. This also displays how balanced the mids are with both voices being on the same level and are a little forward in overall placement.

There is ample space and detail retrieval in the 12 Classics for it to sound clear and uncompressed, Pandemic sounds good with every instrument and voice identifiable and don't meld incoherently with one another in this otherwise wall of sound of a song. Pianos in Do What You have to Do sound a little on the light side in this range and give some crisp as the offset while guitars and synths positively respond on this frequency. Alive's (Pearl Jam) rhythm guitar sound smooth with a grungy bite while the lead has a bit of crisp to its note. Clair Marlo's Till They take my Heart Away is particularly nice for me with the synths sounding crisp, the bass guitars strumming a good beat and sounding melodious while her voice wrapped in a warmth and smoothness sings emotively.



Treble: The Meze 12 has an above average reach for the treble, providing a good amount of air and some sparkle, Silent Lucidity's harmonics sound particularly crisp and clear, inviting with a semblance of brightness that does not induce harshness or fatigue. Hit the Lights' cymbal crashes and high hats arrive well and nicely detailed, sounding quite natural. The 12 Classics provide a needed clarity and separation to avoid congestion as the sounds in Hit the Lights can overlap and merge on gear that has poor tuning and ability. Sibilance is well controlled here and without sounding rolled off or cut off too early, an overall good sounding area for the 12 Classics.

Soundstage: Left and right staging has very good width, moving outward in a natural way, going up to around 4 inches away in distance for some sounds and on most songs a little out of the ear. Front and back staging distance is on the average size, while up and down depth is a little above average. Instrument separation and layering is pretty good as it prevents you from feeling or hearing any congestion in the music no matter how busy it gets. Imaging is accurate for positioning of source sounds.



Conclusion: The Meze 12 Classics is one of the good all arounder IEMs out in the market, it has an overall balanced and organic sound that's fatigue and harshness free, perfect for chilling through your daily routine. With a fast and punctuating bass, smooth and detailed mids, a crisp, airy treble framed in a stage that is both layered and spacious, the Meze 12 Classic is an enjoyable listen for many genres that don't overly rely on very strong bass presence. The overall physical attributes of the 12 Classic are also worth noting, built with sturdy cables and provided with a good control microphone that compliments the well built aluminum and classy wooden shell, a merging of both modern and organic aesthetics.

One other thing to note is the vent a little after the nozzle, if you accidentally smother it with a foam tip or intentionally cover it with some Blu Tack, the bass on the Meze 12 Classic will become stronger, able to hit harder and have more quantity, at this level, the mids are not overwhelmed by the bass but you can say that it could possibly satisfy a basshead. Mids and treble, clarity, separation and layering are largely unaffected though the stage feels a bit smaller overall. Covering the vents can introduce a bit of driver flex which is usually not damaging to the IEMs so use proper insertion methods to avoid this in case you want the basshead version of the Meze 12 Classics.





Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: The iBasso IT01 doesn't need much of an introduction considering it's been out around November 2017 and has since created quite a flow of interest (and likely mass purchasing) that we didn't get it locally till around February. For transparency, this iBasso IT01 was personally bought from a local seller for my review. And though a few months have passed by since it came into the scene I'd like to add my two cents into the pool of IT01 reviews.

Specs: The iBasso site has the full description but the TLDR highlights are a near 1 Tesla magnet, dual cavity Helmholtz resonators, 5um multilayer Graphene diaphram and a hand woven 4N high purity OFC cable. (also, see above)



Unboxing: The IT01 came in a nice vacuum sealed box which was more compact than some of the other IEM boxes I've had before. The front box sleeve has the iBasso logo as well as the model and a few other words.



The back sleeve has a TON of information in various languages, basically the specs and the technologies used in the IEM.



Inside the sleeve is hard magnetically latched box where an envelope hangs with documentations inside. In the box itself is foam padding protecting the IT01 and a padded aluminum carrying case, which holds the cable and extra tips.



The box contents, as you can see above, contain the warranty card and manual (came in the envelope), the beautiful copper cable is inside the case and that the IT01 comes with a tip attached (which I'll be using most times for the review) but in addition, the package has 2 sizes of foam tips and an amazing 9 pairs of silicone tips (with the basic S/M/L samples) of varying bore sizes and tube thickness!



Cable: Much was said about how the cables were worth the price of entry for this IEM, and I would agree on that, just look at that beauty! Quality materials, workmanship and design went into this simple yet beautiful cable specimen of iBasso. A transparent gold plated MMCX connector, branded aluminum jacket and gold plated 3.5mm jack, an aluminum splitter tube and an aluminum adjuster round it up. The cable itself is soft and loosely braided and feels light so it doesn't tug on your ears when worn and isn't easy to tangle.



Build and Fit: The IEM itself has a nice metal nozzle for that extra sturdiness and grip when replacing tips, it's covered by a fine mesh for the fine music it'll sing into your ear. The front shell has iBasso Audio IT01 as the only marking on it.



The shell of the IT01 is quite comfortable to wear for long hours with the universal fit design, the nozzle length is just right for my ear with the stock tips providing good isolation while the MMCX connectors are gold plated and look good and sturdy.



Sound Stuff:
The first time I tried the IT01 with the stock cable and default attached tips, it was a very obvious V shape where the Bass felt large and strong, the mids were (obviously) slightly recessed and the highs neutrally placed but has a moderately good reach. After over 250 hours of use, there are changes that make the IT01 a really good and fun IEM for the price.

Lows: The bass has refined after prolonged use, providing a cleaner bass sound (from ootb) with average to good bass separation. Sub-bass has remained deep with impressive extension accompanied by good round bass punches. The IT01 has good rumble and bass quantity with relatively good decay speeds (faster than out of the box though). Bass control on the lower ends are a bit loose compared to the more controlled mid bass. overall, the bass is responsive and dynamic enough to sound good and give energy when needed.

Mids: The mids on the IT01 is slightly recessed but is not very noticeable even if it takes a slight back seat to the other frequencies. Instruments and vocals are clear and presents good detail with some natural texture and definition. Female and male vocals sound have about the same level of warmth and intimacy though male vocals seem to benefit more from it's tuning.



Highs: Sound unboosted yet have good reach lending a smooth sound progression from the mids and sharp highs that are neither harsh or sibilant. There is some detail and sparkle though briliance is lessened by a noticable dip at 10kHz where cymbal crashes are lowered (weaker sounding) and controlled with a gentle sound curve and decay that provides for a natural sound reproduction.

Soundstage: The IT01 has a relatively wide soundstage with a bit of air to help the overall feeling of width and depth. Imaging is accurate and sounds naturally placed while detail presentation is pretty decent.



Cable Rolling: Being the greedy consumer that I am, I want it all! Neutral to forward placed mids and shiny highs with good thumpy bass to cap it off. Knowing how my Effect Audio Thor II affects an IEM, I tried it on the IT01 and boy was I happy! The IT01 responds with cable changes, Bass decay speed sped up, mid clarity increased as well as placing the vocals on a more neutral position and raising the treble extension. Now I know the Thor II is a poor example of what to use to improve on the IT01 as it's way more expensive than the IEM itself, but it is very likely (based on the advantages gained on an SPC Litz) that using a decently good SPC cable will provide for sonic improvements that help better the mids and highs on the IT01.



Conclusions: I was impressed the first time I tried the IT01 and that hasn't really changed, this is one really good IEM for the price I paid for and that includes the whole package of a great cable and a lot of useful accessories. It has great responsive bass and impact thanks to those Helmholtz resonators, good sounding, warmth laden mids and pretty good highs with good enough extension for some air and sparkle. Soundstage is wide enough, with accurate imaging and as a whole, its a musical IEM that makes listening to different genres fun and engaging without tiring your ears off with a comfortable fit and sound that will pull you back for more.

Pros: Good price, great fit and construction, amazing stock cable, great and versatile sound, responsive bass, good highs, cable rolling responsive and a good range of accessories.

Cons: The manual is inadequate, since they did include information on tip selection; pages used for several graphs could have been used to educate the owner, of how the tips that was included could improve/shape the sound.

Nitpicks: The cable is so beautiful, it's a pity it only came in 3.5mm, maybe reducing the other accessories and/or increasing the price a bit more could have yielded a 2.5mm stock connection and a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter.

Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6 (for comparison) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of safe hearing and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher.

Test tracks used:
A Different Way - Lauv
A Foggy Day - Van Morrison
A Question of Lust - Depeche Mode (Live 1988)
Alive - Pearl Jam
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Cheap Thrills - Sia
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
Come Round Soon - Sara Bareilles
Country Road - James Taylor
Deeply Disturbed - Infected Mushroom
Discover Tokyo - Shuta Hasunuma
Do what you have to do - Sarah McLachlan
Dream a Little Dream of Me - Ella Fitzgerald
Get Lucky - Daft Punk
Hail to the King - Avenged Sevenfold
Ignorance - Paramore
Is This Love - Bob Marley
It's a Long Way To the Top - AC/DC
Lithium - Nirvana
Marian Hill - Breathe Into Me
My Curse - Killswitch Engage
One Day - Matishyahu
Photograph - Ed Sheeran
Pull Me Under - Dream Factory
Send My Love - Adele
September - Earth Wind and Fire
So Far Away - Martin Garrix
Staying Alive - Bee Gees
Sugar - Maroon 5
Sunday Morning - No Doubt
The Day The World Went Away - Nine Inch Nails
Way Down Deep - Jennifer Warnes

Introduction: Audirect is a Chinese company that has engaged in the development of Hi-Fi products for quite some time, and they have been busy recently making their third generation product after the Whistle, a USB portable Hi-Fi DAC called the Beam. The Beam is aimed as an audiophile solution for the disappearing audio jack on mobile phones and can also double duty as your computer audio upgrade. The Beam I have is the Grey (Graphite) one and they also come in Gold.

I would like to thank Audirect for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the Audirect Beam at the Audirect's online store, the Penon website or locally if your retailer has them in stock.







Specifications/Unboxing: "Using the critically acclaimed ESS patented 32-bit HyperStream® DAC architecture and Time Domain Jitter Eliminator, the ES9118 delivers up to 125dB SNR and –114dB THD+N, a performance level that will satisfy the most demanding audio enthusiasts."

Output Power: -114dB TND+N, 2Vrms into 600Ω
-108dB THD+N, 49mW into 32Ω
up to 1.1Vrms
Frequency response: 20-30000Hz (-0.15dB)
Distortion: 0.0004%
Signal to Noise ratio: +125dB SNR, +120dB DNR
PCM sampling frequency: PCM 16-32bit, 32-384KHz
DSD specification: DoP64, DoP128, Native DSD64/128/256
D/A conversion chip: ES9118 SABRE HiFi SoC
Amplifier chip: ES9118
Internal resistance: <1Ω
Input port: USB-C
Output port: 3.5mm
Length x Width x Height: 52x14x6mm
Net weight: 12g

You can also download their Windows driver from the product page HERE if you need it, personally on Windows 10, there was no need for me to download the driver but your mileage may vary. The Beam is totally dependent on what the device it's connected to can play, with regards to file compatibility, but if your phone/computer/DAP is capable of playing DSD files and the app you use can course it through, you can get full DSD reproduction on the Beam (you'll see this when the DSD LED lights up instead of the PCM like the image below).

Unboxing isn't very complicated, you get the nice little cardboard box with the Audirect Beam displayed in front through a clear plastic cover with information printed around it as seen above. Opening it reveals the dongle and a separate box where the 3 cables are placed along with the manual. No fuss, just like the Beam.





Cable: The Beam comes with 3 cables for general (modern) use, a USB C to USB C for most modern phones and DAPs to the dongle, a USB C to Lightning adapter for those modern iPhones, iPod Touch and iPads, and a USB C to USB A for computer use. Construction of the cables is nicely done with braided wires protected by strain sheaths and sturdy gold plated connectors at each end. They're flexible enough to be pliable in use but strong enough not to stretch or break easily. An adapter for USB C to Micro USB could have made the package more universal, but considering the target market of the BEAM, both people who are looking for a portable upgrade for their computer/phone audio and those with modern phones lacking the 3.5mm audio jack, this is more than adequate in terms of cables and actually a bit more than some DAC/amps I've seen recently.







Build/Design: The Beam case is made of a lightweight metallic material that is smooth in texture with a bit of an angular edge that is not sharp or piercing. The color on mine is called grey but I would consider it more of a Graphite color as it has a tendency to look a bit lighter or darker depending on the light angle, just like pencil lead. Still, it's rather eye catching but simple in design. There are two LED ports indicating the bit-rate of the song being played, DSD is when the file format plays in DOP mode, and PCM is for everything else. The LED's are colored white and are small enough not to be considered a factor in power drain as they are just bright enough to be easily seen. There is a dial like switch on the left side for controlling the volume and you can press that lever inward to play/pause the music. There are 4 screws on the back as part of the construction and likely makes it easier to repair in case of trouble (but I don't suggest you fix it in case something goes wrong), and at the opposite ends are the USB-C port (top) and the 3.5mm (bottom) output plug.

Overall the construction feels solid but light and the fact that it's pretty small at around the width of an AA battery while being a little bit taller and (almost exactly) 3 SD cards stacked on top each other thick, it's easily portable. The control switch is a nice feature that's intuitive and doesn't take up a lot of space, keeping the whole dongle streamlined and rather clutter free.





Sound Analysis: Initially when I tried the Beam on multiple sources (phones, DAPs and my laptop) I felt that it was something like Mids > Bass > Treble in terms of attention provided in the frequency areas. But in addition to that, it had the technical ability to provide good detail and present a nice level of stage while sound pretty engaging. I always treat my review items to long usage times before finishing the review, just to see if anything breaks and such, so after over 250 hours of use, I'm ready to write down my findings.

Bass: The Beam is able to present a better than average extended sub-bass with a neutral level of quantity, which ties in with a faster than average decay. This contributes to a more energetic presentation of the bass and a rather tight level of control. Bass impact and body is along the neutral side where bass hits aren't boosted (but are neither bass anemic) and sound closer to the original recording with neutral bass gear. Overall the bass is responsive and sounds smooth, lively and not exaggerated.



Mids: As usual, good mids are my happy pill and the Beam is able to provide a rather great level of mid frequency detail and separation. There is a little bit of forwardness to the lower mids with male vocals sounding a little above neutral with thickness that prevents them from sounding thin or hollow and gives them good presence. The upper mids are presented in a bit more forward manner and again, a little above neutral thickness, which gives a good level of intimacy to female vocals. Overall, the tone of the mids is near neutral but has enough warmth and dynamic energy to convey emotions across the middle frequency effectively and with life.

Treble: There is a little boost in the treble region which gives the Beam a more stronger treble presence. The Beam presents an average extension in the treble region, but combined with the boost and available reach, they contribute to the sense of air the Beam can provide as well as a little brighter perception of notes. The level of clarity and crispness is affected by the boost, which gives those ear gear with 'almost' crispy highs, a push to be crisp but this can also cause brighter gear to sound a little more brighter. Sibilance and harshness is not normally induced on the Beam on listenable levels, however, very high volumes (around 95+db) with sibilance prone music and brighter ear gear can reveal some light to noticeable sibilance. Treble is accurate and responsive overall with a good amount of air, excitement and smoothness.

Soundstage: The presented stage of the beam is of a good horizontal width and almost as good in vertical depth that sounds natural in it's spread. It can provide a good open feeling that is scaled up (or down) depending on your ear gear. Imaging is a bit above average in accuracy while the ability to space layers is pretty good.



Conclusion: Audirect's Beam is a great portable DAC, it's small yet packs a big punch in terms of sonic and technical ability. It presents a near neutral sound signature to get as close to how the music was intended to be and yet does not sound clinical or boring. It provides a detailed and engaging mid range, a natural sounding bass with a crisp and energetic treble which can synergize with bass heavy gear as well as those with a relatively recessed mid frequency and relaxed treble regions for a fun and engaging listening session. Cable accessories are of very good quality and perfect for modern use, but if you happen to use sources with micro USB ports, you'll need to get an extra cable for that.



Sound comparisons were made using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1 volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: The Fragrant Zither (TFZ) is a familiar name in audio circles having started back in 2015 with their eye catching designs and colors with the Series 1 to 5 and followed by their newer Exclusive series, King, Galaxy and their flagship, The Secret Garden. I'll be reviewing their Series 4 (Blue) today.

I would like to thank The Fragrant Zither (TFZ) and Penon for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the TFZ Series 4 at the Penon Store or locally if your retailer has them in stock.



Specification:
Driver: 12mm dual magnetic circuit Graphene
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
Frequency response: 5-40kHz
Impedance: 16Ω
Connectors: 2-pin 0.78mm
Lowest power: 8MW
Cable length: 1.2M
Plug: 3.5mm

Even with a big driver, the low 16Ω impedance of the Series 4 allows it to be easily used on mobile phones and with the 108dB sensitivity, achieve a loud volume of approximately 99dB at max volume on my Xperia XZ Premium. Sound quality does scale when using better sources up to the level indicated in this review using my WM1a.





Unboxing: The Series 4 came in a charcoal black rectangular box made of hard cardboard with branding and information written in silver. Removing the top cover shows the level of dedication to presentation that TFZ gives it's products with a stiff card (with foam behind the area where the IEMs sit) protecting the inner contents and showing the company catchphrase for the Series 4. Under that lies the IEM, embedded in a plastic tray and a separate box underneath it that contains the accessories included.



TFZ Series 4 earphones
3x pairs of wide bore silicone tips
3x pairs of narrow bore silicone tips
1x pair of foam tips
A soft carrying pouch
A Silver plated Copper 0.78mm 2-pin cable
A velcro cable tie (fastened on the cable)
A shirt clip
User manual & warranty card (Which I completely forgot to shoot, but yes, it's comes with the package)

Overall the packaging is thorough and generous with the tips being as useful as the pouch and are all of good quality through and through.



Cable: The Silver plated Copper (SPC) cable is a mere 13 grams in weight, pretty light overall as well as quite flexible and smooth in texture. The cable is nicely braided and feels sturdy as you can stretch it a little bit due to the balanced braiding which aids in it's strength and flexibility. The 0.78 mm two pin connectors are simple transparent plastic pieces with a rather hard to see L and R letter mold to identify left and right. Those blocks hold the gold plated pins together and have an ear guide sheath acting as both strain relief and ear guide. The Y-splitter is a pendant type that sports the TFZ lettering and is made of blue translucent plastic.



The plugs are made of the same translucent material as the splitter and have a blue metallic plate on opposite ends that show the TFZ branding and website. There is a nice semi-flexible strain relief extending from the plug body and a nice looking gold plated 3.5mm plug. Overall the cable design is made to attract attention and impress, to which it does with the workmanship and aesthetics, though some may find this a little too much, your mileage may vary.





Build/Design: The Series 4 is a good fitting IEM that coupled with it's lightness can easily be worn for long periods of time and even sleeping with them in your ear. The metal like faceplate is quite near mirror like shiny and prone to fingerprints and it's where the Series 4 branding is printed on. The shell is a nice near transparent blue acrylic that is smooth and rather solid. There's a vent on the inner side near the nozzle and another on the faceplate. One helps with preventing driver flex when inserting and the other is the bass exhaust which is very likely one of the contributors for the Series 4's good bass dynamics. The nozzle is short but is slightly extended by an angled area from the base of the shell, there is a nice and prominent tip lip that allows for easy insertion of tips and provides a good secure tip connection. There is a metallic screen in the nozzle to prevent debris from falling into the Series 4. The 0.78 2-pin connector is embossed and surrounded by a clear acrylic block, insertion is easy and removal is moderately tight but not that hard to unplug. Dangling the Series 4 by the ear guide and bobbing it does not disconnect the connector to the IEM which is a good sign that it wont fall off easily.





Sound Analysis: Being the first TFZ IEM I'm reviewing doesn't mean it's the first I heard from the company, the S1 and S2 were particularly famous in the local audio scene with bass that was for the most part, a pretty good deal for the price and the rest on par for what you pay. Moving forward to the Series 4, I can't help but say that the bass is definitely better in quality and something that TFZ is really good at with tuning. So after running the Series 4 through several genres of music at over 200 hours, I'm ready to dive in and see how good this is. Note that the Series 4 was reviewed with the stock tips that came attached, it's quite comfortable and about as open as Symbio W,

Bass: There's a very good level of sub-bass extension on the Series 4 that gives Way Down Deep's pounding drums a deep feeling that rumbles pleasantly and with a good natural sounding linger or sustain for guitars like on Lithium, which sound smooth with a hint of crunchiness. Bass impact on the Series 4 is above average with a good punch that is a bit tightly controlled, rendering the bass line beats on Cheap Thrills palpable, punctuating and a bit quick. Bass on the Series 4 seems to be a something TFZ has mostly mastered, displaying a tuning that is almost the right amount of bass strength, quantity, control, decay and quality that will sound engaging, relaxing and playful though it won't be enough for true blooded bass-heads.



Mids: The Mids on the Series 4 is pretty darn good, there's a very good amount of detail retrieval with good layering and above average separation that gives the mids an understated greatness. The lower mids are a little bit forward with good clarity and average thickness, mostly thanks to the good amount of control with the bass. Male singers have a nice presence on the Series 4 giving Bohemian Rhapsody a good and clear presentation of the song. It's the upper mids that really shine on the Series 4 though, there's a boost that moves the upper mids forward giving it a bit more presence, air and results in a more intimate female vocal performance from the likes of Sarah McLachlan and Norah Jones; this incidentally also presents guitar strings in a crisp and clear manner. Some have mentioned that there's some shoutiness here but listening to my sources and with Jewel's songs, I hear none of it as there's pretty good control that results in an overall smooth mid-range performance.

Treble: There is a little above average extension with the Series 4 that sounds natural in reach, a treble presented with good energy and air but also controlled well enough that harshness and sibilance do not occur. Details are on the average side, the same as clarity which does give a bit of crisp and some sparkle to the music, lending a bit of fun into the highs. Overall there is a sense of natural tone, smoothness and control that gives a good non fatiguing performance.

Soundstage: There is a good level of stage with the Series 4 where the horizontal width is generally the same as the vertical depth. Sounds come from outside the ear canal and extends around 3-4 inches around the head. The front back of the head stage reaches around an inch. Overall there is a natural expansion of sound and a good feeling of space. Congestion isn't very apparent but can sound a bit close to each other on busy tracks. Imaging though not pinpoint accurate, is generally accurate.



Conclusion: The TFZ Series 4 is a good all rounder IEM that has great ability with bass, a good level of presentation with mids, specially with female vocals and really nice non fatiguing treble. There's a balance in the frequencies, and embellishments were applied to give a good listening experience in all genres but also found that the Series 4 does really well with Jazz music from the likes of Clair Marlo (Till They Take My Heart Away), Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, and the usual suspects like Norah Jones. There's a nice emotive way the music is rendered that is relaxing, enjoyable and engaging. Couple the sound with a good and eye catching design a a quite generous and very usable accessory set, the Series 4 is a sensible buy for someone looking for a good all rounder at this budget range.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: ANEW is, well, a new Chinese audio company that just recently started making IEMs, and this product rather surprised me with it's sound on first hear, the ANEW U1, a single dynamic with a carbon nanotube diaphragm that techwise was not entirely new but rare enough that it is interesting to note. So today, I'll be reviewing the ANEW U1 in white (it's only color so far) and I'd like to thank ANEW and Penon for the chance to review the ANEW U1 in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the ANEW U1 at the Penon website or locally if your local retailer carries it.



Specification:
Driver: 10mm Dynamic driver
Diaphragm: Carbon nanotube
Sensitivity: 108 ± 1dB
Frequency Response: 20-20khz
Impedance: 32Ω
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): < 0.2%
Material: Acrylic
Connectors: MMCX
Cable Material: Silver plated high purity single crystal Copper (SPC)
Cable Length: 1.2 meters
Plug: Gold plated 3.5mm





Unboxing: The ANEW U1 has a simple white box made of sturdy cardboard that is moderately in size, inside you'll find the U1 drivers connected to the MMCX cable in a displayed format that shows off the faceplate and beautiful cable. Along with the cable and IEM, there is a small pouch of tips, 2 duplicated sets of 3 sized tips (S/M/L) that has an unextended length and a rather wide bore, as you can see, one is semi transparent and the other is white to match the U and a double flange tip for more options on fit. As far as packed accessories go, it's a little above the average in terms of necessary tips (the Hibiki SE had 3 pairs of tips and a pouch) though I'm sure there will be others who'd want more.



Cable: The cable is definitely a looker, made of high purity single crystal copper plated in silver, it matches the overall white and light aesthetic of the U1. The velcro strap holding the cable is branded with the ANEW name, same as the plug and Y-split, but that's not what makes the whole thing beautiful. The silvery cable is nicely braided, loose enough that it is flexible with a chain like design, it looks like silver jewelry, the chromed metal plug feels strong and holds the cable with a short clear rubber strain relief, the slightly extended (makes connecting to recessed plugs and phones with cases easy) 3.5mm single end jack is gold plated.



The Y-split is a metal bead with a black middle section where the branding is placed, its a nice minimalist design for me that bucks the trend of using carbon fiber designs on plugs and splitters. The chin slider is made of clear rubber, it does it job and it does it well, cool eh? The mmcx connectors are also metallic with a color band of blue for left and red for right, makes easy identification of which goes where, the ear guide acts as a strain relief while guiding the wire around my ear, the simplicity of an mmcx connector means you don't need to think if you're plugging it in with the wrong polarity, just align, push, snap, and you're done. Overall, the cable is something that raises the value of the package, the braid and cable material prevents any microphonics with both beauty, quality and what seems to me, durability. This alone makes me forgive the U1 for it's rather spartan accessory set.



Build/Design: The ANEW U1 went for a mono white acrylic shell without any fancy face plate design or eye catching carbon fiber design, the white reminds me of piano keys, and is uniform throughout the shell same as the texture which is smooth all around. The ANEW logo is on the faceplate made from a shiny metallic looking paint that is underneath a thin layer of acrylic, ensuring that it will never rub off. The 3 things that break the overall smoothness and uniformity of the shell is firstly, the MMCX plug which feels sturdy and flush with the shell.



The second is the metal nozzle that has a prominent tip lip to ensure any tip stays in place, there is a fine dotted hole grill on the nozzle and would seem to prevent almost anything other than sound to get in and out.



The last is the rather large vent with fine dotted holes atop the ANEW logo encircled by a color to denote left (blue circle) and right (red circle). This helps vent the rigid yet flexible CNT diaphragm of the U1, which I believe is one of the reasons for its very good bass performance.



Overall it's a universal fit design that works, not too big, not heavy, but lacking a vent just after the nozzle does induce a bit of driver flex which can be heard if inserted incorrectly (pulling your ear up and back to straighten the ear canal and at times also opening your mouth helps too) but once inside, it'll stay there and can be easily forgotten for hours on end, you can even sleep on them (and don't have to worry about destroying the connectors since it's MMCX, it'll just disconnect instead of destroying the connection housing or breaking a pin and leaving it inside.



Sound Analysis: Earlier impressions of the Anew U1 was that of a nicely engineered sound with an emphasis on bass, I have thought at the back of my head that the bass on the U1 is truly big and strong, just within the realms of bass head territory. And yet, the mids and treble were not added as an afterthought, it stood out to me as something more advanced bass loving audiophiles might want. And as usual for bass boosted products using dynamics, I've since experienced in most dynamic driven products that it does get better (less overwhelming, more controlled and more agile) as you put more usage time into it. Considering too that the diaphragm is made from carbon nanotubes, there are high expectations on the Anew U1, so after over 200 hours of use, I prepared the U1 for review, using the largest (white) stock tips, a variety of sources (but mostly with the WM1a) and volume matched to 90db to test its capabilities.

Bass: Right from the onset, Dragonborn's war drums resound with good impact, the 10mm carbon nanotubes elastic yet rigid drivers giving it a good amount of bass that fills my ears with a hit that is felt rather strongly, then rumbling deeply with an extension that has very good reach. On Lose Yourself to Dance, the bass shows it's true colors, the intro hits me with a strongly weighted and yet smoothly controlled slam, coupled with a rumbly sound underneath the main attack, clear and detailed to stand alongside the different sounds generated in the this song, it doesn't overwhelm the listener or bleed into the mids. Decay is a little above average in speed, being both able to give a good lingering rumble yet also quite resolving to give The Day The World Went Away guitar reverb and harmonics a clearly sounding intro riff that does not trip on it's own sound. The grungy crunch of of Lithiums bass guitars resound beautifully and energetically in the chorus, blending a smooth, detailed and overall very good bass into a fun musical experience that got my head bobbing around to the beat of the song, definitely one of the main draws of the Anew U1.



Mids: Skipping the "mids is life" monologue I sometimes do, the Anew U1 has a rather interesting mid frequency presentation, the lower mids are a little forward, lifting male vocals up and giving them better representation, which is the same level of forwardness of the upper mids/female vocals. The notes here have a good amount of body, an above average level of thickness which gives more power to each note played, Clair Marlo's Till They Take My Hear Away offers a sweet level of vocals that mixes a good amount of body with the details of her sweet sounding voice that results in a smooth and quite emotive performance. Not to be outdone, Sam Smith's Too Good at Goodbyes reaches into his vocal prowess to deliver a husky touching song that is given strength with the body provided by the U1.

Granted that body isn't the most important part of the mid section, the U1 is also able to deliver a good amount of detail and space it out so each instrument, sound and vocalization is clear and delivered without sound squished together, Pandemic's mid section is littered with sounds, drums, guitars and vocals playing all at the same time and the U1 is able to deliver them without sounding congested or compressed, though there is not a lot of micro detail, you can pick a sound and identify it within the cacophony that is this song. While not the the first thing you'll notice, the mids on the U1 are impressive in their own right and deliver a good amount of clarity, detail and power to my ear, it's quite a pleasant combination.



Treble: There is a good level of extension to the U1's treble section, it provides a good airy presentation that give space and clarity to the harmonics and sounds that reach this area. Kill Em All (Deluxe/Remastered) gives an energetic performance with so much high hats, cymbals and other smashing sounds that are nicely separated, presented without harshness and give shine to the music. Silent Lucidity's harmonics delicately dances in the treble area with crisp and some sparkle, the U1 has good control that prevents sibilance to occur though I'm sure some who are treble sensitive may feel that it's bright and if pushed to the upper registers (100db and higher) sibilance prone songs can start to reach the point of sibilance but stops short of being a harsh jab into your ear. A Question of Lust (101 Live) shows good control of the 7-8k region where cymbal crashes occur where the U1 does not roll off the frequency, but presents it in a clear but controlled smash that blooms outward a bit before decaying into the next hit, sounding quite natural in it's execution. The overall treble of the U1 has good extension, space and clarity that keeps the music exciting.

Soundstage: The U1 has an above average soundstage with a good amount of width that's around 3 inches away from the ear, this stage sounds natural (vs a forced distancing) and has a similar but shorter range from front to back and the up and down (depth/height) giving a fishbowl shape to the soundstage. Giving ample space for orchestral music like Ameriques (1929 revised version by Chou Wen-chung) to play around the stage and sound good and clear. As evident in the mids with songs like Pandemic and Hit the Lights, separation and layering are quite good and gives a nice sense of space as well as a defined notion of what the sound is and where it's coming from granting the U1 an accurate (though not in a laser focused way) imaging of sound.



Comparisons: Each IEM was volume matched to 90db via a dedicated sound meter and to even out the playing field (whether you believe in tips change the sound or not) I used Symbio W tips on all the items for comparison as they fit on all test units easily and have the same material and diameter of bore for a fair comparison. Buyers may hear differently when using the stock tips, but I believe this is the most fair way to compare them and let the user decide on how to shape the sound (using tips, cables and their source signature).

iBasso IT01 and ANEW U1
Bass: The U1 and IT01 has very similar extension, with the U1 edging it by a tiny bit more in depth. U1 has more impact weight than IT01, quantity is the same, IT01 has a little bit slower decay, both have good rumble, bass texture is again similar with the IT01 being a little bit more smoother, both do not bleed into the mids.

Mids: U1 has more forward lower mids and a little bit more forward upper mids than IT01, IT01 has a thicker, bodied midrange, U1 has more clarity and details, both do not sound hollow or tinny, separation and layering is similar, range is similar as well.

Treble: U1 has more extension, both have similar air, sparkle and clarity, both have good control over sibilance and harshness, cymbal crashes are more natural expanding on U1 than IT01, decay is faster on IT01. resolution is the same.

Soundstage: The IT01 has a wider left/right soundstage, and U1 has a more up and down height and depth as well as front and back space than the it01. Accuracy on both is on par.



Shozy Hibiki SE and ANEW U1
Bass: The U1 has a little bit more extension than the Hibiki SE, The U1 has a has a little more impact weight than the Hibiki SE, the Hibiki SE has more bass quantity than the U1, the U1 has a little bit more faster decay, both have good rumble, bass texture is similar but the U1 has more smoothness, both do not bleed into the mids.

Mids: U1 and Hibiki has a similar level of forwardness in the lower mids, upper mids, the hibiki se is a little more forward. The Hibiki SE has little more thickness, bodied midrange, and the U1 has a little more clarity, both have a similar range in detail presentation and retrieval. Both do not sound hollow or tinny, layering and range is similar in both with the U1 a little bit more spacious in separation.

Treble: The U1 has more extension, both have a similar air with the U1 leading a little bit than the Hibiki SE. There is a bit more sparkle and a little bit more detail with the U1, both have good control over sibilance and harshness though cymbal crashes (7-8kHz) on the Hibiki SE little rolled off, and decay faster, the U1 sounds more natural in this area. Resolution is a little bit better on the U1.

Soundstage: the Hibiki SE has a wider left/right soundstage, and U1 has a more up and down height and depth as well as front and back space than the it01. Accuracy on both is on par.



Conclusion: The ANEW U1 is so much more than an alternative in this price bracket, on sound alone, the balance of the frequencies are very good; a strong, articulate and engaging bass, clear, spacious and forward mids, and nicely extended and crisp highs coupled with a good amount of detail retrieval, separation and layering, and you have the makings of a satisfying IEM that is more compelling than the rest, something that both a basshead and those that aren't can actually enjoy! A good build and a wonderful cable with effective tips rounds out the package that one can easily dismiss as spartan, until you hear the U1 at least, then you'll just easily forget about that little concern.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), Sony A35, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: Campfire Audio is a well known audio company that produces great IEMs (and now a headphone too) and has gained even more fame with their recent 3 big ear turners, the Cascade, Comet and Atlas. Of course we're not talking about those now (I could probably review the Comet at least at a later time, if my budget allows it) as you can see with the first picture and the obvious title, we're talking about the mean green machine known as the Andromeda.

I've had the Andromeda for a long time but have skipped reviewing them because a lot of people have done so before. And yet as each new Campfire Audio product comes to light, I feel the urge to tell the world that the Andromeda is still here, it's still relevant and still pretty in green. Please note that I won't be as exhaustive as I normally am since a lot of the nitty gritty details have been tackled awhile back.

Specifications:
10Hz–28 kHz Frequency Response
115 dB SPL/mW Sensitivity
12.8 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedance
Dual High Frequency Balanced Armature Drivers + T.A.E.C.
Single Mid Frequency Balanced Armature Driver
Dual Low Frequency Balanced Armature Drivers
Beryllium / Copper MMCX Connections
Machined Aluminum Shell
Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber™ (T.A.E.C.)



Unboxing: One of the things I love with Campfire Audio is their minimalist boxes, everything fits in a compact space that's pretty and functional (and recyclable) though the material isn't the sturdiest, the cardboard holds up well through handling and age.



Package Details:
Andromeda In-Ear Monitor
CA SPC Litz cable
Genuine Leather case
3 Pairs of Comply foam earphone tips
3 Pairs of silicone earphone tips
3 Pairs of Spinfit earphone tips
Earphone clearing tool
Small CA branded pin
Owners Manual



Build/Fit/Design: The Andromeda follows the shell design of the Orion, Polaris and Jupiter where the shell is CNC'd into the sturdy industrial/angular shape you see in the picture. The thing with the shell, some people cannot fit it comfortably due to differences in ear shape and size though it fits me like a glove and for that it gets my thumbs up on fit and comfort, with the right tip, the Andromeda can sit in my ears for hours on end. On a parallel note, it annoys me to a certain degree that the look and color was copied by a certain IEM company and is nearly constantly mistaken for the K.O. even if the Andromeda uses a Beryllium MMCX connector and the other one is a 0.75mm 2 pin connector. Still, for me, it's a good and memorable design and yeah, the color is just perfect (Yes, I love green) as it both looks and feels good in hand and in my ear.



Cable: The included cable is the much lauded Campfire Audio clear SPC Litz cable, with a 3.5mm L-plug with the Campfire Audio logo on the top, a metallic Y-splitter with a plastic chin adjuster and terminating in a Beryllium MMCX jack. The cable itself is thin, light and very flexible, this was the first time I've ever experienced such flexibility and simple beauty in a cable.



Sound Stuff: When my wallet was ready for a good IEM, I sampled a lot with varying prices, brands and designs and in the end my ears decided on the Andromeda. Out of the box it was exactly what I wanted paired with my WM1a, easy to drive, a bit of warmth, nice bass, good mids and pretty highs! After a long, long time of listening to these babies, the following is what I've been hearing using the stock cable and the WM1a on v2.0 firmware. Note that due to the low sensitivity, the Andromeda can demonstrate a low hiss, though this has not been the case for me with my DAPs or phones.

Lows: The Andromeda presents a good amount of sub-bass, extension and great bass separation. Low rumbles sound natural and smooth with moderate impact and fast decay, this leads to an overall clear bass resolution. Mid Bass has a good amount of body and delivers a balanced slam that's neither aggressive or weak, coupled with a warmth that makes for a great musical experience.

Mids: The mids on the Andromeda is one of it's strengths as vocals and instruments are neutrally placed and presented in a very clear and detailed manner where layering of instruments and vocals are easily identified in a wide open space. Even with all that clarity, there is a lot of body and smoothness in it's rendition giving sweet life to both male and female vocals in whatever genre you play.

Highs: are one of the other strengths that the Andromeda packs, there is a great amount of extension and airiness that doesn't lead into harshness or sibilance as there is great control in this area. The body of the treble is full on with each note being crisp, detailed, smooth and well separated. The highs effectively convey the emotional energy needed for each track without being fatiguing.

Soundstage: is probably the best known feature (here) of the Andromeda with a generously wide soundstage that gives you a realistic and natural feeling of width and depth on each track that is both spatially accurate and positionally correct.



Conclusion: So easy to love, the Andromeda captured my ears and heart then and it still does today. It is in my book, a compelling choice for audiophiles that want a piece of the high end without gutting your wallet (too badly) bonded with a sound signature that will please nearly anyone that doesn't require enormous amounts of bass in every song with its warmth, detail, clarity, technical proficiency and large soundstage. The Andromeda is my winner.

Pros: Warmth that doesnt overwhelm, great overall clarity and detail, sparkly and airy highs, great soundstage and layer separation. Great build quality, fit is comfortable (though some may disagree, experiment with tips), accessory package and cable is good. It's Green.

Cons: Maybe a bit more bass kick wouldn't hurt, no option to choose what termination (2.5mm, 3.5mm, 4.4mm) comes with it, at flagship levels, I believe that it should be a valid option.

Nitpicks: None comes to mind.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6 (for comparison) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of safe hearing and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. Original post is found on my blog, audiobuko @ blogspot.

Introduction: Sunrise was the original name of the Chinese company now known as Simphonio who produced several earbuds aside from the Charm like the AS Feeling II, SW Dragon II and migrated to the Simphonio brand with the Dragon II+ as their current main TOTL earbud. I would like to thank Penon Audio and Sunrise/Simphonio for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can purchase the Sunrise AS Charm 3 HERE or locally if your retailer has them in stock.

The Charm (which I'll call the AS Charm 3 throughout this review) was one of the few Titanium diaphragm earbuds at the time of it's release back as early as 2012 (which I could be wrong since there's not much historical info about it's initial release) and marketed for mobile use.



Specification:
Sensitivity: 110dB±3dB
Impedance: 30Ω
Driver: 14mm Titanium diaphragm
Frequency: 15Hz-25KHz
Cable length: 1.2m
Plug: 3.5mm gold-plated

It uses an Acoustimass Housing System and claims "extreme midrange", "treble performance", "quick bass" and "wide soundstage", thing's I'll be tackling later on in the review. One thing that I'd like to note is the Charm's compatibility with mobile sources, at 30Ω and 107-113dB sensitivity, it does play well on phones with weaker max volumes (like most Xperia models) up to a satisfying level but scales and performs a lot better with more powerful sources like dedicated players and DAC/Amps.



Unboxing: The Charm came in a small origami like transparent plastic box that has a lot of info, graphics and a QR code from the internal carton. It opens up like a door to reveal the buds, wire and other accessories.



The package contains a very nice felt like foldable pouch (which is actually useful for holding the buds and the other accessories), a warranty brochure, the Charm earbuds, 4 pairs of foam tips, 4 pairs of rubber rings (and one pair already on the ear bud) and a shirt clip.



Build/Design: The Charm has a simple hard rubber coated 3.5mm jack that is mobile phone case friendly. The bi-color (blue and white) flat wire that extends from the jack may be thin (and well, flat) but they do feel sturdy and not stretchy with an almost matte feel to them, some may like it, some won't but they work and will likely serve you for quite a long awhile. The wires reach into the hard rubber splitter that is angular in design to help remove any ideas of monotony to the whole.



The Charm's best physical feature is the very sturdy build of the shell, it's made of a strong and light metal that is connected to the nicely branded arm made of the same material via pivot point, this gives the Charm a bit of swing and acts as a strain relief so the woven wires cant get yanked out of the shell. The shell has a vent at the back and bottom part and the outer shell is guarded by a rubber ring (which allows it to be used with or without foam pads as they do help in keeping the Charm in my ear. In front is the fine steel mesh protecting the titanium diaphragm. They feel comfortable enough to wear due to the 14mm sized diaphragm and stays in well enough for casual walks with the combination of foam covers and it's light weight.



Sound Stuff: So initially I said the Charm was a relatively midcentric earbud with bass following close and treble neutrally placed in terms of frequency presence. A few things changed a bit from my initial listen after running the Charm's titanium diaphragm through 150+ hours of music (aka burn in/usage).

Bass: The Charm has a decent amount of sub-bass quantity and moderate depth so drums from Way Down Deep sound alright with the notes reaching down well but is tighter than average, trading some body for more detail. There is moderate bass impact that is fast and felt with the Charm that is easily satisfying with Cheap Thrills's bass beats. Bass decay is fast, inline with the Titanium diaphragm which gives a more energetic resolution of the music.

Mids: Are easily the best part of the Charm, there is a good amount of warmth and body in the lower mids that gives male vocals a little bit of a forward position and an intimate sound that's smooth. Female vocals on the upper mids are similarly forward as the lower mids with a good amount of body and warmth that sounds sweet and likewise intimate. Instruments in general sound good in the mids but the speed of the Charm lends well to a crunchy rendition from guitars in this level, the level of clarity and crunch can easily be heard with Highway Song from Blackfoot as each pluck of the guitar sounds raw and almost 'live' in presentation. There is an overall average amount of detail retrieval and clarity with the Charm and presents a rather musical midrange.



Highs: The Charm has a moderate amount of air and a good amount of clarity with a natural sounding reach that does not sound rolled off. There is a crisp nature to the strings and notes here that is helped by the good amount of air that also adds a bit of sparkle and energy to the overall presentation. There is no sibilance or harshness found with the Charm.

Soundstage: The Charm has a good amount of width and depth that sounds natural in it's expansion, with instruments, vocals and sounds are spaced well and are positioned rather accurately. There is no sound of congestion or compression.



Conclusion: The Sunrise AS Charm 3 is a source flexible good little earbud that provides good bass and highs as well as great mids that sound musical and energetic. Most of the time, music sounded just really good with old school rock music, but it also sounded great with 80's synth pop, metal, trance, grunge, acoustic and classical. It can play well on your phone and scale up with DAPs and Amps.

The AS Charm 3 does (kinda) live up to it's claim of
✓ "quick bass"
✓ "treble performance" and
✓ (not so) "Extreme midrange"

People looking for a sturdy earbud as a daily driver that can take abuse would do well with the Charm 3. Also the shell seems to be modder friendly (for rewiring/swapping drivers) as the driver sits on top of the shell and is held together with some glue and the rubber rings.

Things to note though, there seems to be a limit to the power/volume you can send the Charm before the sound starts to distort, don't worry though as they are pretty near the max volumes and on high gain of most DAPs and Amps.



Pros: Look and design, durability (of shell), good overall sound quality and musicality.

Cons: It's a bit dated.

Nitpicks: Price, at that range these days, you could find something better in sound quality but not the same in build quality and materials as this so it's still a bit of a neutral point.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6 and Zishan Z1(for comparison) and various other stuff like DAC/Amps, my laptop and a phone (for checking driveability and synergy) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: BQEYZ is a relatively new company to the audio scene that's come to light recently. Though as I discovered, they have a pretty experienced development team that handles their products and that they seem to favor a certain style in terms of driver configuration, this is evident with their latest release, the KB100 (red and black version) which I'll be reviewing today.

I'd like to thank BQEYZ and Penon for chance to review this KB100 in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the BQEYZ KB100 at Penon website or locally if your local retailer has them in stock.



Specification:
Driver: 2 Dynamic and 1 Balanced Armature
Sensitivity: 105dB
Frequency Response: 7-40,000Hz
Impedance: 15Ω
Material: Aluminum Shell
Connectors: 2-Pin @ 0.78mm
Cable Length: 1.2mm
Plug: 3.5mm Gold plated

The KB100 is quite easy to drive at 15Ω, it does well even on my phone, a notoriously weak volumed Xperia, it can get to a nice and easy listening volume at 11/15 thanks to the good level of sensitivity, max volume is very loud. Using better sources will scale the KB100 fairly well.





Unboxing: I like things in a minimalist manner for my audio gear packaging, it stems from an old mentality that less spent on the packaging, the more spent on the product quality, which is why I am fairly happy at the compact box that the BQEYZ 100 came in. Just a simple square box that has minimal markings. Just the branding up top and specs at the back. Inside is a nicely presented product with nearly everything up front, the iem, part of the cable & the silicone tips, below that is the rest of the cable and a manual, a very basic package.



Cable: The cable is a relatively soft, slightly springy but feels strong, not stretchy and the braid it utilizes practically eliminates microphonics and feels comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The plug is a a 90 degree bent type that has an aluminum jacket for durability and an adequate strain relief extending at a right angle from the plug. The splitter is also covered by aluminum and branded with BQEYZ, there is a rather solid rubber tube as a strain relief at the bottom part and no strain relief at the top end.



The chin slider is a small oblong block made of clear acrylic, it's simple, effective and functional when needed and nondescript when not. The connectors are solid black plastic bodied 2-pin connector with gold plated pins, their size is made for use with custom iems as they are rather slim, which perfectly fits the IEM recessed slot.



Build/Design: The KB100 shell is made from smooth 2 toned aluminum, one black faceplate and inner shell body in red. The black faceplate has a silver trimmed outline as well as shallowly engraved L and R markings with the brand and model inside a carved depression in the middle on each side of the plate.



On the red part of the shell, the sides are smooth and flatly bean shaped to help conform to most ears (in some of the meets I've attended with it, I noticed some people with rather small ears may feel the pin side to be hitting their inner lobe which can be a little uncomfortable, some adjustment of the position or using a longer tip helps alleviate it,) inner side part in red is smooth and has no holes or any design elements. The inner side has 2 holes a bit further away from the nozzle which is the driver exhaust for the dynamic drivers or the nozzle vent or both, which I think is more likely since I have never encountered any driver flex with the KB100 and there is no sound distortion normally associated a closed back dynamic.



The nozzle is made from a black smooth material, there is no tip lip but as BQEYZ mentioned, (I paraphrased their response) that the nozzle diameter will be larger if they added a tip lip and the silicone tips would increase in size by a little bit which can cause discomfort in wearing (for some users), also, the tips they used were made with good quality to avoid any slippage of tips. So far, the stock tips in my use and review have never accidentally been left inside my ear, Symbios and other good tips like Acoustune tips, JVC Spiral Dots, Comply and Campfire marshmallow tips stay in place very well too.



Sound Analysis: Unlike most of my reviews, I did not have an impression post for the BQEYZ KB100 though I have teased and let others test it in the meets I've attended since I got it, it's actually a good IEM out of the box, having a configuration like a 3 way speaker, there are 2 dynamic drivers and 1 balanced armature that acts like a tweeter. A pretty sweet setup that is a bit different to the typical 1 dd and 2 ba design, this from the onset gave me a good amount of bass that was a little bit rough around the edges on very bassy tracks, the mids were good and a little forward, a tuning I particularly like, that has adequate details and clarity and a treble that well, I considered a safe tone for sensitive ears. Giving the drivers a bit of a run through, I let the KB100 play music for over 200 hours before starting my review, using the stock tips and most of the time the WM1A to figure out the sound of the KB100.

Bass: With Dragonborn, the sub-bass of the KB100 is presented with an above average quantity and extension, letting the war drums in the intro reach a good depth and reverberate with good reach and rumble which reflects with a little slower than average speed of decay. Though its decay is a bit slow, the KB100 is able to resolve the grindy reverberations in The Day The World Went Away quite well, giving bass guitars a less crunchy sound and instead a little more smoothness in return in songs like Lithium. The bass in Lose Yourself to Dance is able to deliver a moderately weighty hit that feels smooth and full, giving bass heavy songs a nice steady and felt cadence to the beat of the music. Overall the bass of the KB100 takes a bigger share of the attention, it is articulate, relatively detailed, able to avoid any bleed and still it can deliver a full bodied bass experience, filled with good bass impact and satisfying rumbles and good vibration.

Mids: Opening with Pandemic's wall of sound and chaotic beats, the KB100 is able to adequately separate and layer the sounds into each place that keeps the sound uncluttered. Something to note with regards to this area, lesser gear will still sound good and separated, though not as spacious as better players and daps which will definitely sound more spacious and be easier to distinguish individual sound. Regardless of gear, there is a good amount of clarity in the mids, the lower area is in a slightly forward position giving lower mid sounds, instruments and vocals a bit more presence, whereas the upper mids is a tiny bit more forward than the lower mids, giving female vocals a bit more intimacy and immediacy to the instruments. The whole of the mids are quite well bodied, something one can never say is thin or hollow thanks to the warmth imparted to its tonality. Overall the mids are not an afterthought, and though the bass will undoubtedly get more attention, the mids are gonna show you a good time with its detail, clarity and good timbre.



Treble: Hit The Lights raising intro of cymbal and hat hits sound nicely executed, there is a naturalness to the decay it presents, neither fast or slow, it hits, expands then dies out without even reaching the point of peakiness or harshness. Treble reach is good enough to provide some air though it's smoothness seems to restrict sparkle as can be heard with Till They Take My Heart Away's usually twinkling highs. This aspect of smoothness does make it easier to listen for long times without being fatigued and it's bodied enough so that the harmonics are not thin or piercing. Overall, the treble is safe for those who are sensitive to that frequency range while still detailed and extended enough to satisfy those who want something more open and a smoothness that gives a rather relaxed treble without being rolled off.

Soundstage: There is ample amounts of space with the KB100 to enjoy orchestral types of music like Symphony No.3 In E Flat, Op.55 -"Eroica" : 1. Allegro con brio, the range is around 2.5 inches away from the ears wide, though on average depending on how the song is engineered, voices sound just within the entrance of the ear canal for most songs, that's why the the sense of depth forward/back and up/down is of a similar range but sounds deeper, this depth helps provide a more layered/spaced out sound to avoid congestion on even the most complicated tracks. Imaging is generally accurate to be able to place instruments, like in Do It Again (Shirley Horn) there's a trumpet that plays just a little below the ear and a bit behind it.



Comparison: Using the WM1a and giving both Symbio W tips to even out their sound, I compared the KB100 with the closest competitor I have on hand by using a switcher and volume matching them to 85dB.

Kinera Seed vs BQEYZ KB100
Bass: The KB100 has more sub-bass reach than the Seed, which is evident in songs like Way Down Deep though their bass decay is similar in speed. This song also shows that the sub bass quantity is more apparent with the KB100 with each beat of the drums delivering a fuller experience, though the difference isn't miles apart, it is quite noticeable. The KB100 has a stronger bass hit than the Seed, the impact is more blunt and fast vs the slower and less heavier hit of the Seed in songs like Cheap Thrills. Overall, the KB100 is able to deliver a more pronounced and upbeat bass experience while the Seed is more on the relaxed side of the sound spectrum.

Mids: The KB100 is able to render the mids in a more clear and spacious manner than the the Seed, having more space in between the instruments, complicated songs like Poltergeist are presented in a more open and uncluttered way. There is more warmth and smoothness with the KB100 while the Seed has more reach. Both have similar forwardness in the lower midrange and the Seed has a little more forwardness in the upper mids giving female vocals a little more intimacy. Instruments have more body and weight to pianos and guitars with the KB100 and there is a little more presence with the upper mids of the Seed. Overall, The KB100 has a more vibrant and emotive midrange while the Seed has a more brighter and more neutral toned midrange.



Treble: The Seed has more treble extension and more air and sparkle than the KB100, however there is more smoothness and body with the KB100 which leads to a more fatigue free experience. Treble resolution is a little bit better with the KB100 and cymbal crashes as well as high frequency harmonics are rendered in a more natural manner. Overall the Seed may cater more to those who like a brighter and airy high frequency region while the KB100 is more for those that want a smooth and longer listening experience.

Soundstage: The KB100 has a wider soundstage than the Seed in all axis points, while separation and layering is also similarly better with the KB100. Accuracy is on par with each other being able to place instruments and sounds in the correct location. There is less definition with the Seed than with the KB100.



Conclusion: The BQEYZ KB100 quite a refreshing IEM in this price range, with a driver configuration that is uncommon, balanced yet engaging signature thanks to it's rather strong bass presence, a clear and entertaining midrange and treble that is well controlled, it's an overall sound that is (for me) worth more than the price of admission. Along with the sound, the KB100 is made with an Aluminum shell which aside from feeling good in the hand, looks premium. Another is how the detachable 2-pin connection is designed, the IEM sockets are recessed by a short distance, lending the 2-pin plugs some resilience and protection from accidentally bending and breaking. Granted that the whole package is rather plain and the cable looks average, the KB100 itself is a gem and you have the satisfaction of knowing the money you paid went into the development of this little gem.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: Astrotec is a Chinese company that produces IEMs and earbuds and is more known or their Lyra series earbuds though their new Delphinus 5 may change that. What I'll be reviewing now is their new budget line IEM called the NG30 which comes in only one color (grey).

I would like to thank Astrotec for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can buy the Astrotec NG30 at their AliExpress Store or locally if your retailer has them in stock.





Specification:
Driver: 10mm dynamic driver
Sensitivity: 110dB/1mw (S.P.L. at 1KHz)
Input: 3 mW
Max Input: 12 mW
Frequency response: 8-27kHz
Impedance: 16Ω
Cable length: 1.2M specially developed cable
Plug: 3.5mm Stereo Gold Plated Plug

The NG30 is easy to drive with it's nominally low 16Ω impedance and gets good and loud even with my Xperia and old iPhone. Sound quality does scale up with sources, up to the level indicated in this review using my WM1a.



Unboxing: The Astrotech NG30 hard cardboard box is relatively small but not compact. It opens like a book with the magnetic latch and the IEM is protected further by a matte plastic shield. Underneath it is the IEM in a foam slab and the rest of the accessories are under that foam.



The accessories that come with the NG30 is a little average, a QC pass card, manual, 3 pairs of silicone eartips and 1 pair of foam ones plus the handy carrying pouch cover the standard contents, a pair of ear hooks for wearing over the ear is added for those who might need or want it, personally letting the NG30 is just fine.



Cable/Build/Design: The cable is nice and flexible though it can retain a little bit of shape/curves after unrolling, it's also a little microphonic, however the design does lend to a relatively smooth texture and feels strong against accidental tugs and pulls. Overall cable design looks nice and resists tangling well. The 3.5mm jack is metallic and thin enough to be used on phones with cases, the strain relief is stiff rubber and will very likely do it's job well. The metal shelled y-splitter and chin slider are cylindrical tubes that look nice and functional. The NG30 has non removable cables and thus has a nice solid strain relief at the shell. The overall sturdiness of the design does lend a feeling of durability.

The IEM shell is metallic, with no bumps, color bands/dots or lettering to indicate left and right, instead the NG30 relies on the red triangle shape at the end of the shell pointing to where the shell should face (point forward) and works pretty well, if you're tactile sensitive enough, you can feel the shape's indentation with your fingers in the dark and identify it that way. The tube shape lends to an easy fit into most ears and is quite light for the material used and the driver/magnet inside, the tip has a nice tip lip that keeps tips securely on the NG30. The nozzle itself is protected by a fine mesh, under the nozzle along the cable entrance are 2 tiny holes, one before the diaphragm to prevent driver flexing during use and insertion and another for venting the back pressure of the driver. The overall design is sound and works for the sound achieved and similarly encourages a feeling of durability.



Sound Analysis: When I initially tried the NG30, I thought it was very close to my ideal signature of music with good felt bass, a bit forward mids and nice treble. That was done using the Symbio W tips (which I realized does make the sound a bit more open, less restrained), considering the stock tips are not bad and at the level of the NG30, some may not have access to Symbio W tips I decided to do this review using the stock tips and after running the NG30 through 200+ hours of music. Just note that depending on the tip used, there may be sonic differences in your experience.

Bass: The NG30 has an above average sub-bass extension that propagates naturally with Way Down Deep's drum beats and has a nice lingering rumble here. This ties in with a very slightly slow speed of decay, giving most music a nice little linger in the sub-bass that doesn't negatively impact bass resolution. Lose Yourself to Dance sounded good and fun with a nicely felt bass impact that's a little bit above average in weight and well controlled. For non bass-heads, this will be a very likely satisfying bass experience as it can give good bass reproduction, quantity, and impact that is felt but overall does not overwhelm or take center stage.



Mids: The lower mids on the NG30 is quite entertaining, there is some forwardness on the lower mids that helps give them presence and the bass gives them adequate warmth and avoids sounding hollow and yet not full and thick. Bohemian Rhapsody's vocals sound a bit close to my ears and can be rather emotive. The upper mids are more forward than the lower mids and gives female vocals a nice and intimate feeling. There is an average amount of thickness and clarity with the vocals overall here with similar retrieval of details. Separation is pretty nice as the music does not sound congested on moderately busy tracks.

Treble: The treble is a little laid back on the NG30 with just enough extension to sound pleasant but quite safe. There's a lack of crisp and sparkle but there is no sibilance or harshness present. Details are on the average side and can still present a good enjoyable experience overall with some space and a natural tone especially with cymbal crashes.

Soundstage: There is an above average stage to the NG30, where the horizontal width is larger than the height but the way it's tuned allows it to avoid sounding congested or compressed. There is enough space for the music to play with clarity and fun. Imaging is on the average in accuracy.



Conclusion: The Astrotec NG30 a good sounding IEM with a nicely balanced tuning, and ability to please most people with how the music is presented. And though this will not be satisfying bass-heads anywhere, there is enough good bass and sub-bass reverb to sound great on dance tracks that rely on good fun bass. All the while it provides good mids that have presence and can be emotive on more soulful tracks, but won't be fatiguing or harsh for those sensitive to bright trebles. For the money, the NG30 is a good choice for people who like a wide range of musical genre's but have mild sensitivities to strongly presented treble.




Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: For the first time on AudioBuko, we have Oriolus in the house, a company that is no stranger to the audiophile world. Oriolus is a brand of Cyras Co., Ltd. Japan, which began operations in 2015, and started making audio products like hybrid IEM designs and then later on, producing some of the more rare and interesting portable amps in the market, analog type portable amplifiers. Going through their lineup of amps like the BA-10 OAK and the NuTube VFD powered NT-1, their latest amp, the BA300S, is the most portable and least complicated amp to date. Made with a 4.4mm balanced input and output as well as having similar sizes to the ZX300, WM1A and WM1Z, it's pretty obvious that the target market are Sony DAP users. Now Sony players are not known for having the biggest power output compared to other DAPs in their class, but they sound amazing, and that creates a situation where users may need that magical touch so those hard to drive headphones can sing well, enter the BA300S with its hope of answering those wishes.

I'd like to thank Oriolus Japan for the discount on the BA300S so I can review the Oriolus BA300S in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can get more information at the Oriolus Japan website where it's listed at $415 USD and it's where you can get more information that I might not have covered at the time of this review.



Specification:
Tube Type: Dual 6N16B Type Vacuum Tubes
Gain: + 3dB Maximum Output
Power: 350mW (320HM)
Signal to Noise Ratio: -111dB
THD + N: 0.02%
Frequency Range: 10Hz-50KHz (+/- 0.5dB)
Net weight: 165g
Size: 120 x 57 x 16.5mm



Paraphrased from the manual, (those in parenthesis, are my own words):
BA300s uses two micro-tubes for amplification, Current-Mode Operational Amplifiers (they are flexible analog type amplifiers) with extended output and 4.4mm balanced input and output (can also accept 3.5mm single end and 2.5mm inputs). Superior power management ensures the performance of the whole amplifier. The amplifier does not set the volume control (all volume controls and effects are done from the source). The gain of the whole amplifier is +3dB, which improves the output amplitude of most front ends. The signal is amplified by micro-tubes, and the output is rich, satisfying the different sound experience of the user. Built-in lithium polymer rechargeable battery charges to full in 3 hours, with a battery life of 7 hours.

From my tests, the BA300S pushes out 3dB more from your current gear which proves the tech specs claim (You can CLICK THIS to see my setup). And using the Focal Elear and the WM1a at half max volume, the BA300S does a last a little over 7 hours of use, your mileage may vary.



Unboxing: The Oriolus BA300S came in a nice box, with a cardboard sleeve like cover for the internal hard cardboard box. There are pieces of branding and information on the outside of the box while the inside black box has a nice Oriolus branding on the center cover and Raosound Studio at the bottom right.



What's inside:
1. 4.4mm signal cable
2. Micro USB charging cable.
3. Velcro (not in the package, instead there is a sticky gel pad)
4. Warranty card.
5. The manual



Note: There was an additional 2 interconnects in the same style as the stock 4.4mm to 4.4mm (middle of pic) interconnect jacks, one is a 4.4mm to 2.5mm interconnect )bottom) and the other is a 4.4mm to 3.5mm jack (top).

Accessories are subject to change without notice. (and this explains the above information).

The extra accessories are, likely a sign of things one can pay for in extra to the package, as you can see the box was meant for one 4.4mm to 4.4mm interconnect but can allow unbalanced input or balanced from a 2.5mm source.



The sticky pad is quite effective in attaching both the BA300S to any player with any surface (even the WM1A/Z with its textured back) and is like silly putty, it can stretch when being peeled off but returns to that pad like shape. It can accumulate dirt, dust from use, either use a tape to take the dirt and stuff from one side (and do the same for the reverse side) or wash it, it's reusable and does a pretty good job of isolating the heat from both devices and wont bleed into each other.



Build/Design: The BS300S' matte black rectangular casing is made from sturdy CNC'd Aluminum which was likely chosen due to weight, ease of sourcing, cost and to make heat absorption and dissipation easier (Aluminum has a thermal conductivity of 237W/(mK), which is over half of the much more expensive and heavier Copper at 401W/(mK) and is more conductive than another popular material, stainless steel at 16.3W/(mK)). This means that you will feel the warmth that the BA300S' generate when in use, vacuum tubes generate a bit more heat than digital amps so you might be a bit surprised at how warm it gets, it's natural and it won't burn your hand, promise. Just make sure you it's not covered in leather or some other heat restricting material so it can dissipate the heat normally.



There are indents on the top and bottom part of the amp, one on each side to help guide those stacking bands (or plain old rubber bands). On the back are some information about the device including the model name.



At the bottom is the micro usb port for charging and a very small led that turns solid red when charging.



On the top of the the BA300S are two 4.4mm balanced plug ports ringed in Gold, too subtly carved on top of each port with IN and OUT. In the middle is a switch with a clear plastic lever that lights a solid red when flicked to the on position, the On and Off indicator is also subtly carved on the top and bottom part of the lever. Also note that when the battery is insufficient or getting low, the red led blinks fast.



On front, near the bottom, is the Oriolus brand carved into the cover and painted over for subtle branding, and the most visible and in my opinion, beautiful part of the amp (at least when you allow it to be seen) is the viewing window that shows both tubes and is also houses an led indicator. When you turn the amp on, the indicator led lights red, meaning the tubes are powerered and warming up; when the indicator led turns blue, the tubes are sufficiently warmed up and you can make out the orange glow of the tubes.



On a side note, it might have been nicer if the indicator leds did not shine directly onto the tubes, because the blue light makes it harder to see the soft orange glow of the vacuum tubes which can be mesmerizing to look at. The tubes are dual 6N16B type vacuum tubes, y'know, just in case you were wondering.



Sound Analysis: During my initial impression of the Oriolus BA300S I inadvertently called it Pandora's Amp, mostly because when I first listened to it, it's like the music that I knew, the music that I loved and cherished with my favorite combo (Campfire Andromeda/Focal Elear) suddenly was JUST better, and internally I felt there is no turning back. I had to scramble a bit to take down notes as to what changed, writing in my usual near-unreadable script. The more I listened, the more I realized that this is no ordinary amp, a device that on the base end, magnifies the source; The BA300S does not just amplify the music, it enhances the listening experience, the tubes in the process amplification, giving a portion of the stereotypical "tube amp" sound to the output you hear, making it quite a unique listening experience. So enough waxing poetic, letting the amp run itself through 200+ hours of use before doing the review proper, I let it sufficiently heat up with use before doing the review which was mostly done on the Sony WM1a, though I have used the Sony A35, Hiby R6, and Audirect Beam to corroborate the improvements provided by the BA300S. Headgear used included the Focal Elear, Campfire Audio Andromeda and Atlas.



Note that there is a slight hum (natural on amps like this, which is actually pretty low in comparison as some source shave noted) that is more apparent on sensitive IEMs like the Andromeda and cellular calls/sms give that interference sound if it's very near the amp. Beyond the noise numbers, real world effects of the hum are not as annoying as one would think (it's not a hissy fit which I hate) giving me the pleasure of hearing the Andro sound like this is worth the minor inconvenience (we do listen for pleasure here) and cans like the Elear will render it forgettable. The improvements mentioned below will be in comparison to the source at 85dB and with the amp at the same level of sound output.

Bass: In Dragonborn, there is more bass quantity that's quite palpable, it doesn't go overboard or become overwhelming and bass impact is greater with each it of the war drums, it's quite satisfying, there is a little more rumble linger in each instrument and is reflective of the slightly slower speed of decay. Lithium's bass guitar crunches through the music with a bit more realism and resolves well and sounds pretty natural. Way Down Deep shows a little more deepness to the reach of it's drums, more sense of depth and evidently displays a bit more linger. Overall, there is a little more sub-bass extension, more rumble, some more texture, impact, warmth and smoothness.

Mids: Pandemic's mids are more spacious, it gains some distance between the instruments and sounds more spacious. There is also a bit of a nudge in the forwardness of the mids with equal amounts given to both the upper and lower mid section of the frequency. There is a small amount of thickness added to the notes and a vibrancy that makes the area more present and more emotive when called for.



Treble: Has the least amount of boosting done by the BA300S but it does so in a manner that is still evident, Hit The Lights, there is more shimmer and sparkle with the hats and cymbals played in this track, the sense of air is enhanced to give more space. In Question Of Lust, treble reach is raised a bit and there is more presence in the cymbal crashes area, giving a better sounding expansion to the sound it delivers then decays smoothly. Overall the changes here are not as much as with the 2 other frequency ranges but they do add more to the pot and help give a better listening experience with space, shimmer, sparkle and smoothness!

Soundstage: There is a bigger stage granted when using the BA300S, almost an inch for the outer reaches of the ear in distance and a slightly less additional amount of space granted in he other axis of front/back, up and down. This additional space does give a better overall sense of depth, height, width and with the right recording, frontal and back space can be perceived as bigger as well.



Conclusion: The Oriolus BA300S is quite a marvel, a portable tube amplifier that can provide additional power to drive most headphones and an enhancement to the sound that is quite frankly near magical. The vibrancy BA300S adds to the music is the special ingredient to the whole as most amps can add the same boosts in the frequencies and stage, but the sense of extra life, energy, warmth and emotions you hear with the BA300S is unique to tube powered ones, and the Oriolus BA300S delivers it all in an uncomplex and sleek portable form with enough power to last up 7 hours. The BA300S is able to use both single and balanced sources so nearly any music source will benefit from this amp though the obvious brand that it targets for synergy is Sony, other manufacturers, especially those whose tonality is near neutral will quite enjoy the flavor this amp will bring to the table. The simplicity of having no separate volume knob and only one switch to bother with is pretty brilliant.



Sound testing was done mostly using a Sony WM1a and the BA300s volume matched to 85.X db and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter. More information about my methodology will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: Brainwavz Audio is a well known audio company that produces IEMs, headphones and audio accessories and have been doing so since 2008 giving them time and effort towards becoming an established name in the industry. They currently have quite a few entries in the budget IEM department but what I'll be reviewing today is one of their best sellers and yet, one of their oldest design as well, the Brainwavz Audio Delta.

I would like to thank Brainwavz Audio for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can purchase the Brainwavz Delta on their official website or locally if your retailer has them in stock.



Specification:
Driver: 8mm Dynamic
Sensitivity: 100dB at 1 mW
Frequency response: 20-20kHz
Impedance: 16Ω
Rated input power: 20 mW
Cable length: 1.3 m Y-Cord, Copper
Plug: 3.5 mm, Gold plated

The Brainwavz Delta packs a modest 8mm dynamic driver that's easy to drive at 16Ω, not that it's surprising since it is targeted towards mobile phone users with the built-in microphone and call button. The max volume on my Xperia gets the Delta pretty loud but not to the point of being unlistenable, given that most other phones will be able to power and drive the Delta up to very loud volumes. The Delta does scales moderately with the source though it sounds pretty good even on a budget mobile smartphones. Note that if you buy from their website, there is a 24 month warranty for it.



Unboxing: The Delta comes in a nice sturdy little cardboard box with a hook hole, it's pretty compact and has near zero waste in space. Details and information are found around the box (above Specification). Inside, you will find the following:

Brainwavz Audio Earphone
Earphone Hard Case
3x Sets of Silicone Ear Tips (S M L)
Set of Comply Foam Tips T-400
Shirt Clip
Velcro Cable Tie
Instruction Manual
Warranty Card

The overall package is pretty generous, the hard case alone is a neat container that has ample space for your Delta and then some. The 3 pairs of silicone tips that come with the Delta are soft, wide and comfortable, add a fresh pair of Comply foam tips and you have an assortment of tips for fitting most ears. Overall this accessory set is a winner.





Cable/Build/Design: The cable of the Delta is a bit on the rubbery side though it also makes it pretty tough. There is a little bit of microphonics to the cable, so if you plan on using the Delta in a more sporty fashion, you might want to use the included shirt clip to help reduce the effects. The gold plated 3.5mm is at 45 degree angle and and made of rigid rubber with an adequate strain relief at it's end. The Y-splitter is made of the same material and also has a strain relief at the plug side, there is a chin adjuster that's basically a thin bar. The microphone unit is made of a more solid plastic and houses a single button for accepting calls and activating voice control. The microphone is sensitive and clear for calls with no issue on the voice quality on the receiving end whether its a mobile call or an internet call.

The Delta shells are made of a strong metal housing that is ergonomic and feels smooth, there are no visible vents and this does equate to a bit of driver flex when inserting them inappropriately in one's ear. There is a good strain relief at the bottom of the Delta, and there is a fine mesh at the nozzle end that helps prevent dirt, debris and earwax to enter the IEM. The tip lip is prominent and all the tips I've used on it stay securely on the Delta. There is are visible left and right markings on the shell and the end cap of the Delta carries the logo.



Sound Analysis: The first time I tried the Brainwavz Delta, I knew it was good especially considering the asking price, and though it all sounded good on the 3 base parameters of bass, mids and treble, there are nuances with the Delta that could either show where the corners were cut or other hidden gems of the design. One thing to note is that these are one of the few IEMs that comes with a very good set of tips, where the stock tips were nearly as wide as JVC Spiral Dots, and almost as comfortable if a bit on the stubby side. So in this review, I stuck with the stock tips and did my review after running music through it for over 200+ hours and listening to various devices but mostly with my WM1a as the main testing device.

Bass: There's an above average level of sub-bass extension with the Delta, it gives drum slams from Way Down Deep, a good feeling in your ear as it reaches the lower depths of your hearing and feeling. The decay is average in speed, but it feels and sounds natural in resolution which gives it a nice rumble, this is in comparison to the a bit faster decay when I first tried it. Lose Yourself to Dance shows a good amount of control and quantity of the bass as the constant bass slam does not sound dissonant or out of proportion to the song but enhances the song well. The bass slam is on the above average side when the seal is good, it is satisfying and engaging, like the bass riffs in Lithium that sounds on the crunchy side as the strings sound clear and the rumble feels full of energy. Overall, the bass of the Delta feels and sounds good, in terms of impact, resolution, speed and control, and though this isn't the main focus of the Delta, it's one part of the sound that is easily lovable.



Mids: On the lower mids of the Delta, there is a little bit of forwardness with a little above average thickness and warmth in the tone to make male vocals in Photograph and Bohemian Rhapsody sound near emotive. On the upper mids, female vocals and instruments are a little more forward than the lower mids which presents Diana Krall with The Look of Love in a more intimate fashion. There is a bit more clarity on the upper mids as it loses some of the lower mid thickness coupled with a more airy upper mids. Overall the detail retrieval and clarity of mids are on the average side and though separation is not spacious, the Delta avoids being congested even with busy tracks and keeps individual sounds distinct but melodious, giving a good performance that is quite pleasant and never harsh.

Treble: There is a little above average extension to the treble that sounds good to the ear for the airiness and reach it provides, the harmonics from Silent Lucidity's acoustic guitar string impart a bit of crisp, a little bit of sparkle into the song and has quite a good level of clarity. Hit the Lights has a lot of treble and they sounded natural and clear, even the cymbal crashes sounded pretty good and close to what you'd expect them to sound, playing well with the music and never being swallowed by the rest of the frequencies or harsh. There is a bit of brightness that adds to the overall airiness and a bit of sibilance on very prone songs like Come Round Soon and Silent Lucidity. Overall the treble is good with details and separation and provides an energy to the music that is not fatiguing or harsh.

Soundstage: The Brainwavz Delta's soundstage is wider than it is taller with a natural expansion in sound, though it would be more on the average size, Symphony No. 3 In A Minor, Op. 56, MWV N 18 - "Scottish" : 1. Andante con moto - Allegro un poco agitato - Assai animato - Andante come prima (Berliner Philharmonic) sounded nice with the instruments playing at the levels they should but could benefit from a bit more width though it is adequate as is and it's not intimate or compressed. The layering is more on the average side as exemplified by the mids, the sounds are rather distinct and separated but could benefit from more space in between notes. Imaging is good and accurate enough.



Conclusion: The Brainwavz Delta despite it's age, is one of their best sellers for good reason, with the price of admission, you get an all around mobile friendly IEM that has good thumpy bass, a lightly forwarded mid-range that has good details, a nice and light treble, adequate stage, a durable yet trendy build and a good selection of accessories that come with the package. The Delta plays well with almost any genre, specially the popular music of this time that seems skewed to benefit V shaped sound signatures. If you want an IEM you can use for calls and listen to tunes on the go or on trips, this is definitely a good choice and worth your consideration.





Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1(for comparison), Audirect Beam (for computer convenience) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)

Introduction: HiFi Boy is a relatively new audio company based in China, where their first venture in audio gear manufacturing was the OS V3, which I reviewed previously and it turned out to be a great hybrid IEM. Now their second product is the HiFi Boy Dream earbud which is in my hands right now thanks to Penon Audio and HiFi Boy. You can purchase it at Penon HERE if you wish. Now lets see if the Dream lives up to it's name.



Unboxing: The HiFi Boy Dream came in a vacuum sealed box that looks like the OS V3 packaging with the Dream pictures and data all around it via a slide off cardboard sleeve that covers the magnet latched box.



On the side, variations of the Dream color options can be found, there's Silver, Rose Gold, Coffee (the one I have) and Gold. The handy Penon cable organizer is always a welcome addition to the package.



Specification:
Driver: 16mm Dynamic Driver
Impedance: 32Ω
Sensitivity: 100db
Frequency Response: 15Hz-23Kz
Cable Length: 1.2m
Plug: 3.5mm
Wire: 5NOFC



Packaging Contents: is the same as the OS V3, where a 3.5mm to 6.5mm adapter and an airplane adapter comes with the HiFi Boy branded hard pouch.



Inside the hard pouch is a small resealable pouch with 2 pairs of donut foam and the HiFi Boy Dream itself with a pair of donut foams already installed.



Build and Fit: The Dream plug is made of plastic that looks like resin, it's solid but also slightly flexible specially with the strain relief area. The plug is capped by a metal sheath that carries the Dream name and has a gold plated 3.5mm plug.



The splitter and chin adjuster is made of the same resin like plastic of the plug and looks simple, functional but at the same time, has it's own insect in amber kind of allure. The cable looks good with the shell and feels smooth, flexible and doesn't have a lot of springiness to it.



The huge 16mm dynamic driver earbuds are housed in a brown aluminum shell and covered with a metallic screen, framed by a plastic rim attaching them together. There are 3 vent holes on each shell and a small L/R indicator that will both always face front, which helps identify which is left and right. With it's size and my ears, the best way this could ever fit me well enough for testing was with thicker donut foams and hung on ear like an IEM. But once it's in place, barring any sudden movement the Dream held in place with some seal.



Sound Stuff:
The Dream is not my first earbud, but I was a bit taken back when I first tried it, there was a quality that I couldn't put my finger on when I tried it on my R6, was it midcentric? It sounded like it, but at the same time the highs got my notice with a certain nostalgia, then the bass was present but not in your face. I knew it was good, but it took a bit of time to figure out what made me like it.

Lows: The Dream has a good amount of bass that is moderately felt with adequate extension and rumble that sounds natural and a touch warm (if fitted correctly with a good enough seal, otherwise, bass may sound a bit curtailed or pulled back.) Mid bass has a good enough body with light impact to help bring the overall bass experience up to a relaxing but fun sounding experience with it's pretty fast decay speed. Overall bass performance is well detailed clear and sounds authentic which smoothly flows into the mids and music altogether. On a balanced to neutral player, the bass impact might be found lacking.

Mids: Oh the mids! I sincerely profess to love them and the Dream gives me that and then some, with a good amount of body that sounds 'just right' (neither thin or thick) and natural for both male and female vocals. Mids sound goodly detailed and clear, and separation is pretty good. But on complicated tracks with several effects and or instruments and vocals, layering may sound a bit on top of each other. Upper mids favor the female vocals a bit more than males on the lower mids as they seem a bit more forward and a bit more appealing. Overall the sound in this area are crisp and clear with no distortion and present an enjoyable experience to the listener.

Highs: There is a good amount of clarity that helps in making each note sound crisp while retrieving a good amount of detail. There is a good amount of extension that lends a bit of airiness to the treble and provides for some sparkle and separation. Overall, the Dream's treble area sound pretty and sparkly with good reach without sounding sibilant or harsh that adds an almost natural feel to the music.

Soundstage: The Dream has a modestly wide soundstage that has more width than it's lightly compressed depth (which is noticeable with complicated tracks in terms of layering) and lends to a feeling of spaciousness to move around the music. Imaging is accurate and is at par with most good modern ear gear.



Source Scaling: On the WM1a, the Dream sounds the best, the bass is boosted a little bit and given a bit more warmth while giving the mids and highs all the room they can play with. Though my warmer phone does give a bit more bass impact, it lowers the mids a little bit and gives the treble a bit less room to play. So if you want a bit more bass, warm players will really help the Dream achieve a more satisfying sound. I also found that most 80's music (pop and rock) lend well to the Dream, giving me a feeling that I've heard this before on my dad's rig when I was growing up (a Fischer amp and Sansui speakers.)

Conclusions: The HiFi Boy Dream is an awakening of sorts for me, as I have few neutral ear gear and none in the earbud department, as such, this is an eye opener that these relatively affordable earbuds can deliver great sound, detail that is balanced enough that it can be used for critical listening and still deliver a fun (nostalgic for me) experience for hours on end.

Pros: Sounds balanced, good detail and clarity, has ok bass, has good mids and highs, relatively easy to drive, feels sturdy and can likely take a few hard knocks without trouble.

Cons: Could stand to have a bit more bass impact, accessories could have included ear hooks instead of the adapter plugs.

Nitpicks: Can be a bit fiddly to fit. Could have had removable cables (for cable rolling and easy replacement of termination)





Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6, Zishan Z1 (for comparison) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of safe hearing and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher.

Introduction: Shozy is a familiar name in the realm of audiophiles and has been operating as an audio company for quite some time with products ranging from DAPs to earbuds and IEMs. Quite recently, they have been busy ramping up production with the Hibiki MKII and the mysterious Pentacle 5BA. However, I'm not reviewing those now (yet, maybe or not), instead I'm here with the IEM collab of Shozy and AAW, the Hibiki Special Edition (blue model) and I'm going on a little audio journey with you in finding out more about this understated gem.

I would like to thank Shozy for providing me with a review sample in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. You can purchase the Shozy x AAW Hibiki Special Edition from the Shozy website, Penon or locally if your retailer has them in stock.



Specification:
Driver: 10mm ultra-thin layer Titanium diaphragm with Neodymium magnet
Frequency response: 20Hz-23000Hz
Connector: 2-pin 0.78mm
Plug: 3.5mm

The Hibiki SE was pretty much meant to be versatile enough to be useful on mobile devices, with it's microphone and control bar on the included cable, it is in fact easy to drive and functional for calls and music control. And even on my weak output Xperia, it provides enough volume to please my needy ears. Like most things audio, it does benefit from better sources and scales up or down depending on the source. Btw, the specification was taken from the literature found in the Hibiki SE packaging and manual even if it can contradict current online information. I'll attach a pic of the entry about the Titanium diaphragm at the very end of the review.



Unboxing: The Hibiki SE came in a black box with a very tightly fitted white cardboard sleeve (as seen above) that has the picture of the first wave of Hibiki SE, the one with the purple tinged wood faceplate. Take note that when I say tightly fitted, it's really flush with the box, if you wish to preserve the sleeve, insert a thin ruler to separate the box and the sleeve and loosen it's hold on all sides then slide the box out.



The internal box is made of hard cardboard and is opened like a door with a magnetic clasp to keep it closed. What you see above is all you'll get: A black velvety carrying pouch, the manual, 3 sets of tips with the medium already fitted on the Hibiki SE, the cable and the Hibiki SE itself in a nicely presented box.



Cable: The Hibiki SE cable is a black TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) coated 26 AWG Ethos black high-purity copper cable with a 3 button control mic on the right ear cable. The cable is a marvel to hold as it has a rather smooth texture and the cable itself is soft and flexible, it can be compared to the ALO Litz black jacket microphone laden copper cable Campfire Audio uses on the Polaris and Comet. The Litz cable is more flexible and thinner but for the price, the Hibiki SE cable is nearly as good and the robustness of the jacket lends to a sense of strength and durability.



The 3.5mm gold plated TRRS jack is of the 90 degree bend variety coated with rigid plastic and topped by an oval metallic plate. The plate is unmarked and Shozy could have had their branding on that plate for more brand recognition as the cable is really a good one, though this also means if you know how to engrave metal or know someone who does, you can put your own name on it as an ownership mark.



The Hibiki SE's cable splitter is cut flat on one side and is made of the same rigid plastic as the plug, the flat surface again is another opportunity for branding but as is, it's bare and pretty simple. What does look very interesting is Shozy's take on the chin adjuster/slider, One side of the slider is cut open so you can insert the other cable to get the traditional chin adjuster, and you can easily split them apart so you can take off the IEM and put it back on with the adjuster in the same place you left it, pretty brilliant in my opinion.



The control mic module on the Hibiki SE cable is a pretty little thing, made of semi transparent crystal like plastic and clearly marked, it's big enough to easily feel and small enough not to be a bother in your everyday listening. On the manual, the volume keys function as normal but the play/pause button is built for several uses. Pressing once will do as intended, like playing or pausing your current player, pressing it for a long time will call Siri or the Google assistant, pressing it twice in quick succession will skip to the next track. On the native player app and Hiby player, triple pressing the play button shifts to the previous track on the player, however, on Android and using Deezer (on Oreo at least) triple pressing the button does not shift back to the previous track.



Build/Design: The main draw with regards to the design on the first release Hibiki SE is the very pretty purple stabilized wood faceplate, but on the second release, Shozy decided to use a blue tinted stabilized wood plate and it's still very attractive to me. Beyond the gorgeous faceplate, and the chrome lining holding it to the shell, the IEM body is made of opaque brownish plastic that feels very solid, there is one tiny hole just after the driver diaphragm and between the nozzle which should prevent driver flex upon insertion of the Hibiki SE.



The Hibiki SE nozzle has an adequate tip lip that keeps tips secure and is protected by a perforated metal grill which should stop most things like dirt and ear wax from entering it. The nozzle itself is one solid piece attached to the shell body which should give the Hibiki SE a more durable construction with no breaking points around the nozzle. As most people point out, the Hibiki (SE and regular) use a recessed 2 pin connector like most high tier 2 pin IEMs do. The deeply plugged pins help alleviate my usual fear of broken pins via bent wire from accidents and whatnot, definitely a good thing to have. Overall the dimensions of the Hibiki SE is a bit on the thick side, and can easily protrude from shallow ears, my ears being big flappers, I can actually lie down with them in my ear with just a tiny bit of discomfort. But with regular use, the way it's shaped and designed, I can wear it for hours without any discomfort.



Sound Analysis: When I first tried the Hibiki SE, I figured it to be (at the time) a very bassy IEM that could even be more bass heavy than the Ibasso IT01. I felt that I couldn't handle that much bass from the Hibiki SE for a long listening session (I'm not a bass head, sorry) but at the same time, the bass never bled into the mids nor did it overpower them. The mids felt neutrally placed and a little thick yet distinct, with the treble sounding a bit restrained (rolled off to some) with some air and little to no sparkle. A relatively safe tuning for bass heads and treble sensitive people.

After 200 (and then some) hours of listening and playing music through it, I'm ready to let you know what my ears hear. The Hibiki SE was tested with the stock cable and Symbio W tips and various sources but mostly with the Sony WM1a and Hiby R6.

Bass: There is a great amount of full sounding sub-bass on the Hibiki SE with a generous depth that lets you feel the bass and subsequent rumble like you're in a club with Tiesto Playing Secrets in front of you with the speakers blasting the beat into your soul. Letting the Hibiki SE loosen up pays off with it's speed of decay being just a little faster than average, allowing for a good linger with the drum beats on Way Down Deep and bass guitar reverb on Lithium. The Hibiki SE also gives the mid bass a responsive and lively bass sound that resolves well while hitting your eardrums with satisfyingly good slams.



Mids: The mids on the Hibiki SE has a level of warmth that lends an above neutral thickness to the lower mids, this translates to a smooth and fun sounding Ed Sheeran wistfully crooning Photograph in your ear. The upper mids is a bit of a contrast with the neutrally placed lower mids as Sarah McLachlan sounds a bit more forward, more intimate and a bit more emotive as she ponders achingly in Do What You Have to Do. Overall, the mids on the Hibiki SE have a good amount of detail, reach and clarity to please most non-heavily critical audiophiles.

Treble: There is an above average treble reach on the Hibiki SE with a little bit more height on the upper treble regions. This gives a sense of air and some sparkle that the intro guitars on Matisyahu's One Day become almost alive. There is a good amount of detail and precision here, which is sibilance and harshness free, giving the listener an entertaining and smooth listening session.

Soundstage: There is a good amount of horizontal sound space where vocals generally sound a bit outside the ear and instruments can sound as far as a few inches further away, left and right. There is a bit less vertical space though, which doesn't congest the layers of instruments but doesn't give a lot of space in between them and there is about the same distance for front and back. The Hibiki SE overall, provides enough accuracy and layering to enjoy orchestral and classical music.



Comparison: Shozy Hibiki SE vs Ibasso IT01

The Hibiki SE has more bass impact than the IT01 though the shape of it is more rounded, circular vs the more pointed shaped impact of the IT01, while in speed, the Hibiki SE is a bit faster in decay and has less sub-bass than the IT01.

Hibiki SE male vocals are neutrally placed but a little bit more forward than the IT01 and has more thickness overall, while female vocals though more forward than the male vocals, are less forward than the IT01. Detail retrieval are a little bit better on the Hibiki SE though separation is also a little bit better on the IT01.

The treble section for both are very similar in both reach and height, but there is tonally a bit more thickness with the Hibiki Se and a little less sparkle than the IT01. The horizontal soundstage of the Hibiki SE and IT01 is similar, with a bit of an edge with the IT01 specially when added to the taller height of the IT01's vertical stage which is similar to it's front and back reach.



Conclusion: The Hibiki SE is an understated gem, it can double duty as a bass-head's good friend and still be good for other genre's and sources with it's fun sonic capabilities. Having good warmth, enjoyable mids, smooth sound, great bass, the pretty faceplate, sturdy build quality and just beautiful cable help elevate your listening experience while satisfying your ears with beautiful music.

Having tried the Hibiki SE on several sources, including online gaming via Playstation 4 controller, I can safely say it's good and engaging for action games in addition to your typical music sources.



Sound testing was done using a Sony WM1a (Primarily), a Hiby R6 and Zishan Z1(for comparison) and a phone (for checking driveability) volume matched to 90.X db of max volume for safe hearing below 8 hours of use and calibrated using a 1kh tone on a dedicated DB Meter, all sources patched through a switcher. More information will be available on the About Me page (once I find the time to write it up.)


(Reading the manual has it's perks)