KZ ZS10 Pro 2 Review: Old KZ, New Sound!​

PRICE: $45​

PROS:​

• Faithful improvement of the KZ House sound
• Versatile tuning (from bright u-shaped to neutral bright)
• Very clean bass presentation
• Open and airy sounding vocals
• Sparkly, detailed treble
• Good technicalities for the price
• Comfortable fitting

CONS:​

• Can sound quite hot
• Lean, dry sounding vocals
• Distinctly metallic timbre
• Poor accessories

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People who like the old KZ sound
• Trebleheads
• People who want versatile tuning
• People who like clean, open and snappy sounding vocals

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• Treble sensitive people
• Bassheads
• People who want a natural sounding timbre
• People who want bodied vocals

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• Classical
• Vocal Pop
• Instrumentals

SHORT REVIEW:​

Just like the ZSN Pro 2 released a few months ago, the ZS10 Pro 2 is a faithful improvement to the legacy of the old ZS10 series cemented in Chi-Fi by keeping fun and bright sound while sounding considerably more refined than the previous sets. It’s not an everyone-everywhere set as these cater to those who love the old KZ sound, but it’s very good at reviving an old series with a new and improved sound! RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS!

FULL REVIEW​

Many talk about the house sound of a brand defining who their IEMs are for. Some brands stick to this mentality much more than others, while others choose to completely deviate from this mindset. But when you’ve released so many IEMs over the years that you’ve developed different house sounds, how do you choose to revive your older sets to fit modern sound standards?

DISCLAIMER:​

The ZS10 Pro 2 was sent over by KZ in exchange for my honest thought. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be of my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

THE ZS10 CRAZE!​

If you started your audio journey in in-ears, you’re most likely well aware of who KZ is and familiar with their IEMs, particularly the ZS series of IEMs. Praises were sung with the release of the ZS10 series for providing a multi-BA hybrid IEM for cheap back in the day. So when KZ announced the updates to their IEMs with the ZS10 Pro 2 being one of them, many were quite excited to see what they’ve done to improve the tried and tested formula. So strap in and let’s talk about it starting with the unboxing experience!

UNBOXING​

The unboxing experience of the ZS10 Pro 2 is basically like every other KZ IEM with the IEM illustration up front and a straight-forward layout.

Here is the full list of accessories:

• KZ ZS10 Pro 2 IEMs
• QDC 3.5mm Cable
• 3 Pairs of eartips (1 pair of foam eartips, 2 pairs of silicone tips)
• Tuning fork
• Paperwork

BUILD & FIT:​

One of the weirdest changes they made to the ZS10 Pro 2 is the drivers. The ZS10 name came from the fact that there were a total of 10 drivers with the package. 1 Dynamic Driver and 4 balanced armature drivers. But the ZS10 Pro 2 cuts off 2 balanced armatures and has now become a 1DD + 2BA hybrid.



This is for the better, however, as the balanced armatures that they used are the same ones that are featured on their recent hit, the CCA Rhapsody. This new 31736 is admittedly a MASSIVE improvement compared to the aging and arguably screechy 30095 and 50060. We’ll talk more about the sound later, but the use of the 31736 is an audible improvement from the older ZS10 IEMs, despite featuring fewer drivers. Maybe KZ has finally realized that more drivers doesn’t mean better sound.



What they kept consistent is the aesthetics. The ZS10 has kept the metal faceplate with a zig-zag lightning pattern since the first ZS10 Pro. Unlike the old ZS10 Pros, the Pro 2’s grills have grills that make the ZS10 Pro 2 semi-open back. Whether you think that open backs matter or not, it’s a cool aesthetic piece that makes the ZS10 Pro 2 closer to the very first ZS10 where you can somewhat see the internals from the faceplate.

Fit-wise, it’s your usual KZ shape which is either very comfortable or slightly comfortable. I’ve never really given KZ the praise for the comfort in their IEMs, but they deserve it on many of their “normal” IEMs (looking at you, Rhapsody, and Hydro). Build quality is also your usual KZ build which means, just like the fit, is perfectly fine overall.

SOUND:​

NOTE: As the ZS10 Pro 2 has 5 official sound signatures, I’ll be talking about the default (UUUU) configuration and comparing it to the other tuning modes in their respective section.

Sound Signature:​

The ZS10 Pro 2 keeps the fundamental DNA of the ZS10 Pro with a bright v-shaped sound signature but cleans it up to modern tuning standards. This means a cleaner, tighter, and faster bass, cleaner and leaner mids, and a sparkly, bright but smoother treble. This genuinely sounds like a modern revival of their old KZ sound and I am all for it! However, they also retained the rather metallic sounding treble that was also present in the older ZS10 Pros, but you could say that’s a part of the listening experience with this series.

Drivability:​

The ZS10 Pro 2 has an impedance of 25-28 ohms and a sensitivity of 108dB, which means this thing is VERY easy to drive. Using your smartphone will be more than enough in terms of volume and enjoyment, but using a better source improves the transient smoothness and giving better technical detailing to the sound. Recent KZ IEMs have been quite the scaler, and I’d like to attribute it to the 31736 BAs, but that would be speculating.

Bass​

The bass of the ZS10 Pro 2 is lean, clean and surprisingly tight for a series that was known for being a little bloated in the midbass. The ZS10 Pro 2 completely shifts the bass to basically be a very clean yet deep and engaging bass. It goes surprisingly deep too as the overall presentation leans to subbass over midbass, which means rumble is king! This also means that the midbass is a little thin and lacks punch and texture which I found quite disappointing, but understandable considering the tuning philosophy they’ve wanted for the ZS10 Pro 2. This is definitely not for bass heads, but has more than enough low-end energy to be present when it calls for it.

Listening to Liz by Remi Wolf presented the bass in a rather clean, deep and well-defined way but lacks the midbass texture that I usually look for in this track. However, the deeper rumble in the bass feels quite satisfyingly clean to listen to as it kept the midrange uncolored from any warmth or bleed from the bass. This ensured that the instruments in the lower mids still sounded quite clean despite the boosted subbass.

Mids​

The mids of the ZS10 Pro 2 is alright. Nothing fantastic but nothing terrible as well. The lower mids are a little lean and thin due to the emphasis in the upper mids which makes the male vocals and lower octave instruments sound a little stale. It doesn’t sound pulled back or distant but it lacks nuance and note weight on most tracks that I throw it at. The upper mids are forward and very clean sounding. The forwardness doesn’t sound honky or unnatural, but it does have a brighter and metallic tinge to it that makes the vocal sound extra airy and bright compared to the rest of the mix. It might come across a little shouty for some people who are sensitive to a little bit of shout, but it’s not overly forward and peaks a little later to make it sound more balanced overall.

This is present on upper vocal focused genres like vocal pop and could be a little problematic if you like listening to tracks that are a little shouty in the mix like Adele’s tracks.

Treble​

The hallmark of the ZS series is the bright, snappy and sharp treble that brings out high-frequency nuance at the cost of timbre. The said is true even for the ZS10 Pro 2 which leads me to believe that this really just is the ZS zing. The overall presentation is quite bright and hot, but I never found that it sounded peaky or grainy. It genuinely surprised me how smooth it sounded for how ridiculously bright and metallic sounding the treble was. Obviously, treble sensitives beware as these are quite hot and can get quite fatiguing over long listening periods. It is quite airy and resolving which is always a nice thing to hear as a trelehead.

Listening to Samara Joy’s Linger Awhile is wonderful on these as the combination of the somewhat smoother treble mixing and Samara’s darker, warmer tone fits perfectly with the ZS10 Pro 2’s leaner and more analytical sound.

Technicalities​

The name of the game for the ZS10 Pro 2 is detail and resolution. While the previous set just threw a lot of treble at you and hoped for the best, the ZS10 Pro 2 throws a lot of treble at you but sounds quite resolving. Separation and layering are pretty decent, but not fantastic for the price. The same goes for the imaging and the stage isn’t very expansive and the instruments are more 2 dimensional.

REAL WORLD USAGE:​

Casual Use:​

I’ll be real, I really didn’t like the ZS10 Pro 2 for casual use. While it does fit comfortably, the sound signature isn’t really something I’d want to listen to for long listening sessions like working or binge-watching shows. I have to tick the volume more than I usually like to get a comfortable long listening session which is not enjoyable, especially in films.

Gaming Use:​

The same goes for gaming as there’s not enough low-end to be able to make games sound fun and engaging. While the separation might be great, the treble energy is way too much for most games that I’ve played which sucked because the treble was almost just perfect for competitive games like Valorant, only ruined by the lack of low-end to compliment.

VS OTHER VARIANTS​

DDDD (0000) - This is the brightest and most bass shy tuning mode and is almost akin to Etymotics without the midbass to balance out the vocal forwardness and a significant treble boost. This is perfect for trebleheads and vocal heads and nobody else as it emphasizes the brightness and sharpness quite significantly from the all up tuning, but surprisingly still has a full-sounding midrange which I did not expect coming from a set like this.



UDDD (1000) - A slight boost in the subbass which makes the overall sound a little fuller, but not enough to properly contrast from the all down setting



UUDD (1100) - A very clean boost to the sub-bass that adds a considerable amount of depth to the overall sound while still keeping the lean and analytical sound of the all-down setting. Probably my favorite setting as it kicks the bass up enough to not make it sound booming and giving the lower midrange the MUCH needed note weight.


UUUD (1110) - Basically all up, see review above


DDDU (0001) - Basically DDDD

COMPARISONS​

vs ND Nice​

The ND Nice is basically what the old ZS10 Pro sounded like, which simply means the ZS10 Pro 2 is just better in every single way. From bass dynamics to treble smoothness, the ZS10 Pro 2 is just better. The bass of the Nice is thicker and balances the brightness better, but is much slower and sloppier sounding

vs KZ ZSN Pro 2​

The ZS10 Pro 2 is basically the more technical and more refined sounding ZSN Pro since the start. Better drivers and better tuning overall makes the ZS10 Pro 2 the worth while upgrade if you’re coming from the ZSN Pro 2 or just the ZSN Pro

vs CCA Rhapsody​

These two sets achieve completely different things while keeping the KZ house sound. The ZS10 Pro 2 harks back to the old KZ sound but is improved while the Rhapsody is modern KZ/CCA. The Rhapsody sounds more fun, musical and engaging but less technical and clean than the ZS10 Pro 2.

vs CCA Pianist​

Just like the ZS10 Pro 2, the Pianist has a 1DD + 2BA configuration and is tuned to be bright neutral. The main difference is that the Pianist sounds considerably rougher, sharper, and more sibilant compared to the ZS10 Pro 2 which sounds more refined. The ZS10 Pro 2 also has a better midrange presentation overall due to the scoop being less deep compared to the Pianist.

vs Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4​

Another bright neutral set at the $40 range, the Z4 has a more natural sounding timbre with better dynamics and vocal tone compared to the ZS10 Pro 2, but the ZS10 Pro 2 sounds more technical, resolving, detailed and cleaner overall.

vs Simgot EW200​

Compared to the legendary Simgot EW200, the EW200 still has a more dynamic, more engaging and more dynamic listening experience. Oddly, the treble of the ZS10 Pro 2 sounds more refined with a smoother but still bright and hot treble presentation. Technicalities is still better on the EW200 overall, particularly dynamics and stage.

CONCLUSION​

There are 2 sides to how you may view the ZS10 Pro 2. On one end, you might think this is an outdated set from the moment it was released. Lean, bass-shy paired with a thin and dry midrange with a very bright and forward treble are things that people might criticize it for.

But after having talked to many people about their preferences and the stuff that they liked, it would be foolish for me to say that the ZS10 Pro 2 is outright bad. This is a bright neutral IEM with a LOT of treble and upper vocal energy with enough bass to compliment without being intrusive. And in a way, it’s the perfect sequel to the ZS10 Pro series of IEMs. Gone are the bloated and muddy bass with a shrill and edgy treble, the ZS10 Pro 2 cleans everything up and sounds like the modern rendition of the ZS10 series. This goes to show that KZ, as much as they release, are actually improving and innovating their sets to modern standards while keeping the fundamental DNA intact.

Thank you for reading my review on the KZ ZS10 Pro 2! If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://www.kztws.com/products/kz-zs10-pro-2

CCA Hydro Review: A Taste of The Top!​

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: ​

PRICE: $120​

PROS:​

• The most technical CCA/KZ IEM
• Comes with a surprisingly premium cable (add $10)
• Good coherency
• Punchy but clean bass
• Open, clean mids
• Sparkly, well-detailed treble
• Good technical ability
• Tuning switches can drastically change your listening experience and fit your preferences (from basshead to somewhat diffused field)
• Good scaling ability

CONS:​

• Comfort (shell too big)
• Slightly metallic-sounding timbre
• Lacks bass tactility
• Might be too bright for some

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People who love the Rhapsody, Castor Bass and Trio
• People who want the most technical sounding CCA/KZ
• People who want a high driver count hybrid with good coherency
• People who want a refined version of the Harman bass boost
• People who want a fun yet detailed set

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• People who want natural timbre
• People who want a very tactile sounding bass
• People who want a smaller sized IEM
• People who don’t like tuning switches
• People who hate midbass tuck

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• Most genres (very versatile IEM overall)

SHORT REVIEW:​

CCA have their most refined and most technical IEM with the Hydro by far. The level of maturity while keeping the KZ’s fun and snappy sound is impressive and goes to show the work they did in this IEM. Very technical sounding with a refined version of their Harman Bass-Boost makes this a genuinely fun set. And while I do think that it struggles to stand out in the tough $100 market, it lives up to being CCA’s true flagship IEM. RECOMMENDED!

FULL REVIEW:​

When David was pitted against Goliath, everyone thought that David had no chance. He was just a man after all and Goliath is a giant. But against all odds, David beat Goliath and proved everyone wrong. But what happens when David becomes Goliath? What happens when the giant slayer becomes the Giant? What happens when a company known for great value in-ear monitors comes out with a $130 flagship in-ear?

DISCLAIMER: The KZ Hydro was sent over by KZ in exchange for my honest impressions. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

STEPPING UP, STEPPING OUT!​

KZ and CCA are often attributed to the best value in-ear monitors that you can buy in the market. They’ve been providing some of the best budget IEMs for years and non-audiophiles are probably aware of one or two of their IEMs.

What they’re not known for are flagship in-ear monitors. Particularly, anything more expensive than $100. Sure, there are sets that go beyond $100 like the AS24, but that’s the exception and not the rule. So when I found out that CCA is coming out with a $130 IEM, my interest was piqued and I wanted to know exactly what set this apart from the other CCA IEMs? Let’s find out!

UNBOXING​

The unboxing experience of the CCA Hydro is basically the same as other KZ/CCA sets. The difference is that this is closer to the unboxing of the CCA Rhapsody with a black box and a paper print of the details of the IEM. I guess we gotta save costs.

Here are the inclusions:

• CCA Hydro IEMs
• 784-core cable
• KZ Starline Eartips
• Tuning stick
• Manual

To keep it short, the tips are fine and the inclusion of the manual and tuning stick is necessary

BUILD & FIT​

This is where the Hydro starts to justify its $130 price tag. Starting with the internals, the Hydro features 2 Dynamic Drivers and a whopping 8 Balanced Armature Drivers. The DDs are their patented XUN-7 and the balanced armatures are their 31736 that were found on the CCA Rhapsody a few months back.



Aesthetically, it fits the other CCA sets. Really nice-looking faceplate that is ruined by the typography. Please CCA, just go back to not putting stupid fonts on your IEMs. Do what you guys are doing with the ZSN or ZS10 where it’s clean and minimal.



Anyways, aesthetics aside, the fit is also quite reminiscent of the Rhapsody. Big, chunky, and hurts your ears after a few hours of wear. It’s to be expected considering this has SO many drivers packed into it, but still something to consider. Stability is VERY good and the seal is also fantastic. However, it unfortunately has air pressure build-up like the Rhapsody which means if you’re sensitive to feeling like your ears are being choked, then this will not be comfy. Otherwise, very stable and well-sealing set.



But arguably the most shocking aspect of the Hydro is the fact that it comes with a good cable. No seriously, I know I’ve expressed my satisfaction with the stock KZ/CCA cable but this is actually a different cable. This is a 8-strand 784 core beefy cable that feels quite premium and heavy.. This means adding $10 on top of the $120 price tag, making this a whopping $130 with the upgrade cable. But it’s worth it to distinguish this from the normal budget CCA set.

SOUND​

NOTE: As the Rhapsody has 5 official tuning modes, I will be describing the sound of the stock (ALL UP) configuration and compare the other tunings in their respective sections:

Sound Signature:​

The Hydro’s sound signature is the modern iteration of the KZ V, which is basically a Harman Bass-boost that they started with the Castor Bass Enhanced. This means big but tucked bass that minimizes bloat and midbass bleed, clean, open but somewhat recessed midrange and a forward, sparkly and snappy treble with good air extension. This is by far the more refined iteration of the sound signature and it should for $130, but still suffers slightly from a little bit of incoherency between the slower bass and snappier treble, but that’s to be expected from hybrid in-ears.

Drivability​

With an impedance of 15-20 ohms and sensitivity of 102dB, the Hydro’s are expectedly easy to drive. It’s harder to drive compared to their other, more budget-oriented sets which also allows the Hydro to be quite the scaler. On lower-powered sources, it sounds adequate and enjoyable. But throwing this into a more powerful and warmer source will give it the much-needed tactility and shift the treble to sound smoother and cleaner.

Bass​

As a Harman bass-boost set, the Hydro presents bass in one of the cleanest yet most engaging ways that I’ve heard in any KZ IEM. It’s fast, it’s snappy but completely unintrusive to the midrange and still retains a solid sense of impact and punchiness. It’s not as big as the graph might make it look like and sounds more balanced with slight emphasis around the 80hz region over the 20hz region. This gives it more punch and less rumble which is both good and bad as too much subbass have the tendency to mask over the midbass when pushed too far. My problem lies with the overall tactility and the fact that it is tucked. The bass of the Hydro isn’t the most tactile bass in the sense that bass guitar riffs and kick drums may sound well-defined, but don’t have that extra oomph or texture on the attack of each note. The tuck is more of a personal preference, but the switches do actually shift the tuck quite a bit and this comment only applies to the UUUU, DDUU, and DDUU configurations. But in the stock configuration, it affects the body of the lower mids which I’ll be talking about later.

Listening to D’Anglo tracks, you get a very immersive sense of bass that goes quite deep but isn’t quite as textured. It’s smooth but to a respectable degree, nothing too problematic but I would’ve either preferred a deeper bass or a more tactile midbass.

Mids​

To be expected from a Harman-bass boost set, the midbass tuck is quite evident with male vocals sounding quite thin and occasionally distant on certain tracks. It doesn’t sound as recessed compared to other IEMs that do the Harman tuck, but it’s definitely not the most bodied or natural-sounding male vocal presentation that I’ve heard. Female vocals fair MUCH better and sound absolutely lovely where they’re rendered with such energy and nuance that is often a highlight for KZ/CCA IEMs. The Hydro probably does this the best out of all the KZ/CCA IEMs that I’ve heard so far. This carries over to instruments with bass guitars still retaining a good body and note weight, but lacking tactility as mentioned earlier. Air instruments sound absolutely fantastic, particularly flutes and trumpets. I will say though that the transition from bass to lower mids doesn’t feel so drastic that I’d be able to tell where the bass ended and the lower mids started.

I found instrumental and orchestral tracks to really fit the Hydro’s midrange. Listening to Diving In by Vincent Diamante, the combination of the deep drums, the flutes, and the trumpets provide such a harmonious listening experience on the hydro that I was genuinely surprised by how nuanced the mids of the hydro were in the upper frequencies. The trumpets sang and the flutes followed beautifully in the climax starting at 00:30 where the ensemble comes into form. Such a beautiful listening experience!

Treble​

The treble of the Hydro is surprisingly smooth despite being as bright as it is. It’s no EM6L smooth, but it’s damn smooth, especially for a CCA IEM. The level of refinement brought to the treble here is genuinely impressive as it sounds very energetic and lively while keeping it free from harshness or edginess. It might come across as a little too bright for some, don’t get me wrong. It’s no treble-sensitive sets, but that’s something you can expect from KZ/CCA IEMs. But this is the most refined that I’ve heard their treble sounded. My only gripe is that the metallic timbre here is quite noticeable, especially in the all-up configuration where they tuck the bass earlier which loses the midbass to contrast the treble. Nonetheless, it’s a very snappy yet refined-sounding treble.

Listening to Game of Love by Daft Punk, the cymbals sound absolutely lovely and compliments the basslines and synths very nicely. It’s definitely on the hotter side when you crank the volume to balance out the mids, but it sounds very satisfying hearing the splash of each hit.

Technicalities​

This is, by far, the most technical-sounding CCA IEM that I’ve heard. Solid separation and layering ability, decently immersive staging and imaging, and crisp and pretty good transients and resolving ability. Probably the worst aspect about the Hydro is the dynamics as I find it sorely lacking, especially in the low frequencies. Bass nuances aren’t the most well-defined and don’t really provide that tactile sensation that I look for.

REAL WORLD USAGE​

Casual Use​

Media consumption is fantastic on the Hydro. The combination of big bass and energetic treble makes watching movies absolutely fantastic here. It’s extremely immersive and I never feel like I miss out on anything. My problem is comfort. I cannot watch an entire movie without needing to take these off and give my ears a break. At the very least, these have great passive noise canceling that blocks off the majority of the sounds while commuting or in a noisy place and would be a great alternative to active noise canceling buds in my experience. It also has superb stability, so you won’t find these popping out of your ears while you walk

Gaming Use​

Like the Rhapsody, Castor, and Trio before, the tuning of the Hydro perfectly fits gaming mediums, both competitive and immersive. Competitive games want a lot of bass, but clean enough to not sound muddy. It also wants a shoutier set to bring out the upper-frequency details without being too harsh. The Hydro does that absolutely perfect and I genuinely loved using this for competitive gaming. Immersive gaming is also fantastic as playing games like Sky: The Children of Light (which is where the Vincent Diamante song came from) with the slow and relaxed moments followed by big set pieces are perfectly rendered on the Hydro. It’s a fantastic gaming set and I highly recommend it for that.

VS OTHER TUNING MODES​

DDDD (0000)

• This mode is basically the untucked version, a more v-shaped version of the KZ Harman bass boost. The bass is admittedly on the muddier side, but it smoothens the treble in turn. It takes a hit on overall cleanliness and separation ability as the bass tends to bleed into the midrange.

UDDD (1000)

• This pushes the bass up very slightly from the all-DDDD configuration. Not that big of a change in my opinion, but it slowly starts being a basshead set

UUDD (1100)

• Basically the basshead setting for the Hydro. VERY deep and engaging bass that is honestly perfect for hip-hop and other bass-heavy genres. If I was a basshead, this would be my favorite tuning. Otherwise, it’s quite muddy and bloated sounding.

DDUD (0010)

• Closer to the UUUU configuration but takes the bass slightly down, similar to the UDDD configuration but in reverse. Not that big of a difference from the all-up

DDUU (00110)

• The treblehead setting, aka almost my favorite setting. Due to the tuck in the lower mids, I didn’t enjoy this setting as much. The treble sounding a little bit metallic also made the midrange sound a little thin and stale. But this was the most sparkly and energetic tuning and fit the classical/instrumental/orchestral genres the best.

UUUD (1110)

• Arguably the best setting that balances the bass energy from the DDDD setting with the energetic DDUU setting. Basically the most balanced setting out of all the tuning modes.

COMPARISONS​

vs CCA Rhapsody​

In short, the direct upgrade to the Rhapsody. Better, more refined bass, cleaner mids, cleaner treble, better technicalities. The bass sounds a little deeper and more engaging on the Rhapsody, but is quite sloppy and lacks definition. The only thing they have in common is the balanced armatures as well as that ridiculously massive shell that also has air pressure build-up

vs CCA Trio​

Oddly, I actually find the CCA Trio to be better tuned than the Hydro. The bass is a little bit cleaner while having more body in the midbass and the mids generally don’t sound as recessed. However, the Hydro is considerably more technical and refined sound, especially in the treble region compared to the Trio.

vs KZ Castor Bass​

Basically the same comments as Rhapsody, but CONSIDERABLY more technical and more refined sounding. Oddly, the shell of the Castor Bass is more comfortable to wear than the Hydro

vs Celest Phoenixcall​

Two jam-packed sets in terms of driver count but varies in presentation. The Phoenixcall has a more bodied, richer, and more natural-sounding vocal presentation (odd I know) compared to the Hydro, but the Hydro is better extended on both ends with a snappier overall sound. Technicalities have to go to the Phoenixcall, particularly in how much cleaner the separation is on the Phoenixcall. The Phoenixcall also has less of a metallic tinge to the treble region compared to the Hydro.

vs Simgot EM6L​

The EM6L sounds considerably smoother than the Hydro, but both suffer from a lack of luster in bass texturing and a slightly metallic-sounding treble. Timbre is slightly better on the EM6L. Technicalities are similar on the EM6L, but with slightly cleaner separation on the EM6L

vs Simgot EA500LM​

The EA500LM sounds considerably more natural than the Hydro despite being quite bright on its own. Dynamics are also considerably better on the EA500LM and the overall coherency is better. The EA500LM sounds more technical than the Hydro overall but maintains a similar resolving ability with the Hydro.

CONCLUSION​

In a vacuum, the Hydro is a fantastic IEM. Very engaging and punchy bass, open and clean sounding mids, sparkly and detailed treble, and a respectable level of technicalities. In fact, I’d even go as to claim that the Hydro IS the best CCA/KZ IEM that follows their modern tuning standards TO DATE. If you liked their previous Harman Bass-Boost set, I can guarantee that the Hydro is the best of the best with that kind of tuning. The fun yet clean overall sound makes it such a good performer in the entirity of KZ/CCA’s catalogue.

Unfortunately, it landed itself in a very awkward price range. You have sets like the Celest Phoenixcall being all weird but quite technical and the Simgot EM6L and EA500LM redefining how good IEMs could be around the $100 price range. Even for its barebones price of $120, I struggle to find anything that makes the Hydro stand out. And that’s my biggest gripe about it. Not that it’s a bad IEM, far from it. But CCA played it so safe with the Hydro, pairing their “flagship” IEM with accessories that literally come with their $5 IEMs, barring that cable. KZ/CCA has always been known for great value, and the Hydro, despite its very refined tuning and technical ability, lands itself in a very safe spot that doesn’t make it stand out in any way compared to other non-KZ/CCA sets. For $130, you start expecting more than just a well-tuned and technical-sounding IEM. If it’s not the listening experience being unique, it’s the package that it comes with. And that’s where I believe the Hydro falls short.

Regardless, I have to give CCA the props for creating basically their ultimate Harman Bass-Boost IEM. The most refined, cleanest, and most technical CCA IEM that I’ve heard by far. This outcompetes every single KZ/CCA IEM that has been released that follows this kind of tuning and if they keep this up and slowly trim the price, CCA might just have something that can spark a budget revolution like they did years ago. And I think that’s worth mentioning as it really lives up to its flagship nature in that sense.

Thank you for reading my review of the CCA Hydro. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://www.kztws.com/products/cca-hydro

HiBy x F.Audio Project Ace Review: ACE IN THE HOLE?​

PRICE: $249​

PROS:​

• Unique aesthetics
• Good quality inclusions
• Uses the best kind of modular cable system
• Easy to drive, very good scaling
• AMAZING bass to midrange tone and timbre
• Superb technical ability
• Amazing low end texture and note weight
• Warm yet naturally sounding lower midrange

CONS:​

• Odd ergonomics
• A little sharp and edgy on the treble

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People who want a proper dynamic listening experience
• People who want a very technical sounding set for the price
• People who want a linear but very engaging bass-to-midrange presentation
• People who can stand a little bit of treble spice and sharpness
• People who like a very textured-sounding low end

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• Treble sensitive
• Timbre heads
• Fit-sensitive people
• People who want the cleanest sound signature
• People who want something airier

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• R&B
• Soul
• Funk
• Pop

SHORT REVIEW:​

Seemingly coming out from nowhere, F.Audio and HiBy has just created arguably one of the best lower midrange Single DD IEM in the market today. Unique presentation, superb dynamic sound and stellar technicalities are just some of the things this little blue dorrito has accomplished. Unfortunately, its Achilles heel of a treble may make or break your experience with this set due to the sharp and edgy mid treble that is followed by a dip that gives the impression of sounding choked. Nonetheless, the Project Ace is definitely something to look out for if you’re a Dynamic Driver lover like me. RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS!

FULL REVIEW​

Collaboration IEMs. Sometimes they revolutionize the market and how competitive the offerings are, sometimes they are complete flops and the collaborators would actively try to erase its existence. Most of the time, these collaborations are between a content creator and a brand. Sometimes it could even be a distributor and a brand.

But in rare cases, two brands will decide to collaborate to create something with the use of each other’s expertise. Think Elysian and Effect Audio with the Gaia. Or Nightjar and Symphonium Meteor. A common theme between the two companies is one handles the acoustics and the other handles the aesthetics or the cable.

But what in the world are HiBy and F.Audio doing to make an IEM together? HiBy, known for their music player app and DAC/AMPs, and F.Audio, known for their TOTL in-ears making an IEM together? What exactly is the Project Ace? And why does it look like a blue Dorito? Well, we’ll answer all of this in today’s comprehensive review of the HiBy x F.Audio Project Ace.

DISCLAIMER: This product was sent over by HiBy in exchange for my honest thoughts. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be of my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

THE FIRST PROJECT​

Two seemingly contrasting brands, F.Audio and HiBy have set out to create something very unique with the Project Ace, not only in appearance but in sound. Both of these companies have had years under their belt, HiBy in particular have dabbled in many different product categories from music players, applications, dongle DACs, and even in-ears. F.Audio is no different as they have been known to release very unique TOTL in-ears that were founded by a music producer in the name of Ken Lee. So what can this $249 in-ear monitor made with the power of two experienced companies offer?

UNBOXING:​

The first thing that you’ll notice with the unboxing of the Project Ace is the fact that this resembles their Yvain quite a lot. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I just thought it was interesting that they’d use a similar presentation to their previous set.

Anyway, digging into the unboxing itself we’re met with the usual lore of the IEM in a piece of paper and the IEMs sitting on their lovely throne along with the accessories strewn around.

Here is the full list of accessories:

• Project Ace IEMs
• 3.5mm & 4.4mm 4-pin lock adaptors
• Litz 4 strand cable
• 6 pairs of eartips (3 silicone, 3 foams)
• Storage bag
• Cleaning brush
• Paperwork

One motif you’ll see quite frequently with Project Ace is the usage of this very beautiful shade of blue. You can find this on the IEMs themselves as well as the case and I just love this shade of blue. It’s a midnight-like blue that is very easy on the eyes and a pain in the ass to photoshoot. But still very lovely.


The case that the Project Ace comes in is quite nice with a very spacious internal that comes with a divider to split your accessories (or IEMs) into separate pieces. It’s a very well-built case, but not particularly pocketable at all. It’s great to store your IEMs in your home and maybe inside your bag, but you won’t catch me trying to put this big square in my pocket. My only nitpick is that maybe, just maybe, a pentagon case would’ve fit the aesthetics of the IEMs a little bit better.



As for the rest of the accessories, you get a basic cleaning tool as well as a tip case with a couple of tips inside. They provide 2 kinds of eartips. Silicone and Foams. I will mention very soon why this addition, while found in their older sets, is essential to the Project Ace if you can stand using foam eartips.

Build & Fit​

Now, let’s talk about the most interesting part of the Project Ace so far. The build & fit. And yes, I mention fit too because it’s equally as interesting, albeit not in a good way.

But first, let’s talk internals. The Project Ace features a 12mm Berylium Plated Diaphram with a Magnesium and Lithium alloy dome Dynamic Driver housed in a T6063 aluminum alloy CNC processed shell and a 0.78 2-pin connector.



Blue dorito. That is what I’ve called the Project Ace for the longest time and for good reason. Look at the thing. It’s a pentagonal faceplate of a blue variety. And I know a dorito only has 3 sides, but still doesn’t that remind you of chips? Piatos maybe (to the Filipinos out there) but whatever it may be, it’s a very interesting shape.



Unfortunately, this has the effect of not being the most ergonomic IEM. The shape doesn’t really do much for comfort as the inner shell is VERY thick and the nozzle is quite long. This means the stock silicone tips were very ineffective at providing a good seal and a comfortable fit. Only by using small, stubby eartips like the Zhu Bamboo, Sancai Widebore, or even TRN T tips do you get a properly good seal. Obviously, the Clarion’s made this the best fitting IEM ever, but that just showcases the inconsistency this has in terms of fitting.

Admittedly, however, it is quite comfortable in long listening sessions when you get the right tips. I never felt pressure in or around my ears whatsoever which deserves a bit of praise considering the kind of shape they went for and using the correct tips give this just the right amount of stability and seal to make it quite comfy.



Where I want to hype the Project Ace more is with the cable At first glance, it might seem like your basic 4-strand Litz cable. But look closer and deeper, you’ll see that the Project Ace has a trick up its sleeve.



That’s right, it’s the best kind of modular system. Instead of using the rudimentary plug-and-unplug method, the Project Ace’s cable features a screw lock mechanism. This reminds me of the Q Lock of Dunu’s Hulk Pro Mini which I also loved. But this is much much cheaper, at least compared to the IEM that you have to get that kind of cable. I cannot stress how much I love this modular system so much and I really hope they sell this cable separately. The Yvain also features a similar modular system, but the cable itself was worse in quality.

SOUND​

PREFACE: Tip-Roll is key​

Before I talk about the sound, I just want to emphasize the importance of tip-rolling the Project Ace. In my initial listen, I found that the treble sounded a little bit grainy and sharp with the bass sounding quite strong and incisive. I loved how it sounded, but I also knew that people might not find it too appealing. That was until I popped the foams onto these and found how much it smoothens out the overall sound. The treble peak is considerably smoother and the bass is tamer. This had the added effect of making the midrange even better than when using silicone eartips. So if you plan to get the Project Ace, consider tip rolling. This review was done with Silicone eartips as my ears do not like foams, but please consider using the foam eartips

Sound Signature​

The Project Ace is this somewhat weird flavor of neutral. It’s not flat neutral where it sounds dry, lean and analytical. But it’s also not the natural sound with heavy focus on timbre while keeping it very engaging. It’s like a mixture of that, which ends up making the Project Ace both natural and analytical sounding. Bass is VERY well done with amazing texture and note definition, the mids are well-bodied with a lot of nuance and character and the treble is a little spicy but quite resolving.

Source Pairing​

The Project Ace are not only easy to drive, they are VERY easy to drive. Using an inefficient/noisy source will bring out noise in this IEM. Using your smartphone is more than enough to get an enjoyable listen out of this. However, using a better source improves upon its dynamic presentation and smoothens out the treble. That makes the Project Ace solid for both low-powered and high-quality sources.

Bass:​

One of the first things that stood out to me with the Project Ace is the bass. And while I do have my expectations for a midrange single DD to have good bass quality by default (otherwise it gets eaten by the EA1000, Falcon Ultra, or Winter), the Project Ace blew my mind by not only having a very tight and clean bass but also a very textured and rich sounding bass. The 12mm dynamic driver truly does wonders as it balances both quality and quantity in the perfect way. It’s not big woofy bass, mind you. It’s generous, clean yet engaging, and punchy.

Listening to Send It by D’Angelo has been one of the best listening experiences I’ve had so far. As soon as the first bass riff plays, you’re transported to groovyland with how rich the bass guitars are rendered on the Project Ace. The texture in every strum is so good. The kickdrums are also felt but non-intrusive. You get enveloped in this sense of warmth without drowning you in it and it’s absolutely amazing.

Mids:​

This perfectly translates into the midrange where the tonal balance between male and female vocals is perfect. This translates to the rest of the ensemble having this perfect harmony of really good note weight while having a crisp and clear definition that never sounded recessed or unnatural. Male vocals and low-frequency instruments in particular sound absolutely amazing on these and perfectly transition into the upper mids in such a silky smooth manner. The upper mids are admittedly thicker than what the recent trends in audio have been providing, but I’d say this makes vocals sound more organic and natural to the ears.

I want to use D’Angelo again, but I would like to use a different artist for the midrange. Daniel Cesar’s 2017 album, Freudian sounds perfect on the Project Ace, full stop. From Get You’s slow and sensual basslines paired with Daniel’s smooth vocals and hard-hitting percussive all the way to We Find Love and its rich pianos and harmonies, the Project Ace is able to render it with such grace with one critique that I’ll be mentioning in the next section. But if we’re talking about the mids and bass, the Project Ace is genuinely a perfect IEM for R&B and Soul genres.

Treble:​

And here we are to the part of the Project Ace that I wanted to love so badly, but just couldn’t. The treble is quite detailed with good sparkle and incisiveness. And as a treblehead, I honestly could appreciate the amount of sparkle and brightness that the Project Ace provides. It’s also very detailed with a lot of nuances. However, it’s quite uneven and causes a somewhat grainy and occasionally sharp and unnatural tone to the mix. This is particularly evident in the trailing highs of vocals and percussive instruments. It isn’t helped with the air region being deliberately rolled off to compliment the rich low frequencies as the contrast from the massive peak in the mid-treble to the sudden dip to the upper treble gives a somewhat low-res sound due to the graininess and sudden shift in energy.

The best song I can describe this is Atomic by Blonde. That song is my test track when it comes to treble timbre and splashiness due to how aggressively the percussive instruments were mixed into that track. And it could not have been splashier on the Project Ace. Granted, it didn’t sound overly harsh like some other hybrid sets I’ve heard on this track. But to have an almost perfect tuning to only reach this kind of treble kind of bummed me out. At the very least the detail retrieval here is still very good and competent for the price.

Technicalities:​

The technical ability of the Project Ace is superb. Not only is it good for a single DD, but it’s also really good for the price. The only IEMs that can match Project Ace’s technicalities are the top-of-the-class IEMs for the price which include the Falcon Ultra, EA1000, and BQEYZ Winter. Separation and layering are very clean although out despite the warmer low end and edgy upper frequencies. Imaging and stage are very immersive, although not entirely holographic as these are still in-ear. And I’ve talked about the texture enough to mention it again, but it’s fantastic. The only thing I really hear it struggles with is resolution and refinement due to the edginess and splashiness up top. Otherwise, very technical set!

REAL WORLD USAGE​

Casual Use:​

Unfortunately, due to the shape and fitting of the Project Ace, I found them to not be the most stellar for media consumption. Long-term comfort is great as it never digs into your ear, but it’s quite unstable especially if you move around. The tuning, while great for general media consumption might bring out unintended harshness in the higher frequencies. Dialogue however is very full and never distant on these and the superb technical ability makes even the busiest and most action-packed scenes with dialogue quite audible.

Gaming Use:​

Gaming fairs better on the Project Ace as the tuning compliments competitive games like Valorant really compliments the specific sounds you’d want to hear really well. Immersive games are much closer to movies and the harshness can both be a great and a bad thing depending on what kind of game you play. On more immersive games with a lot of environmental sounds, that peak benefits the overall sound as it brings out the micro nuances in the sound design. Bigger set pieces with sharper sound will be painful, unfortunately. But overall, great set for gaming!

COMPARISONS​

VS Simgot EA1000​

Arguably the best Single DD (technically) IEM I’ve heard under $500, the Project Ace gets surprisingly close to competing against the EA1000. The bass and lower mids sound more natural on the Project Ace due to the flatter response. However, the EA1000 still edges the Project Ace overall due to the generally better-tuned, more technical nature of the EA1000. The bass on the EA1000 is still more tactile and tighter sounding than the Project Ace’s and the treble sounds CONSIDERABLY smoother, despite being brighter than the Project Ace. Accessories are better on the Project Ace through and offer a more complete package that even includes a modular cable.

vs Simgot EA2000​

Now you might be wondering why I’m comparing a $319 IEM with a $249 IEM. That’s because genetically, they are very similar. Deep, tactile bass with ridiculously bright treble peaks that ruin the overall timbre. The main difference would be the EA2000 bass still sounds more tactile and richer with the treble peak sounding just a little bit smoother while the Project Ace sounds considerably more natural in the bass to midrange. Technicalities still go to the EA2000 with just how clean the separation is for how bright it sounds and the dynamics of the bass. But not too shabby comparing the two together as they still feature very similar characteristics.

vs Dunu Falcon Ultra Ti​

Compared to the Falcon Ultra Titanium Edition, the Project Ace has a cleaner, tighter, and more tactile bass response while the Falcon Ultra Ti is smoother and more natural sounding overall. The treble sounds CONSIDERABLY cleaner on the Falcon Ultra Ti, but the technicalities would have to go to the Project Ace for having a cleaner separation and layering while having more holographic imaging and stage compared to the Falcon Ultra.

vs Letshuoer D13​

Just like the EA2000 comparison, why the hell am I comparing a $129 which can be bought for only $89 IEM being compared with a $249 IEM? And just like the EA2000, they have very similar DNAs. Essentially, the D13 is a worse Project Ace in every way but retains the bass tactility and tightness that makes it one of the best IEMs if you want quality and quantity. The Project Ace improves upon this but also keeps that awkward peak in the mid-treble that dips down to give a somewhat “low res” sound.

CONCLUSION:​

This Project Ace was a complete curveball from what I expected it to be. Not to diss them but HiBy has not had a good track record for IEMs in the past. They’ve made interesting IEMs like the HiBy Zeta and to an extent, the HiBy Yvain, but they’ve also made something as atrocious as the Crystal 6. But the Project Ace brings a near-perfect tuning to what would have been otherwise just a meme of an IEM.

Whatever F.Audio and HiBy did to this IEM, they did well. It has some of the best bass and midrange balance I’ve heard in any IEM, it’s very technically capable, especially considering the price and it offers an aesthetically unique presentation that makes it stand out from the market.

It’s not perfect, however. The treble would be a big turn-off to people who are sensitive to peaks or who want perfect timbre. The fit isn’t the most stellar and might cause discomfort for some.

But I can’t lie, this is probably HiBy’s best IEM to date. Not only in value but in sound. Imperfections aside, this is a very technical, very tactile and very rich-sounding IEM with a unique presentation to boot. Maybe F.Audio and HiBy should do more collabs next time, yeah?

Thank you for reading my full review on the HiBy x F.Audio Project Ace! If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-x-faudio-project-ace

Watch full review here: ​

Zhulinniao QingLuan Z4 Review: BEST VALUE UNDER $50??​

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: ​

PRICE: $40​

PROS:​

• Comes with a LOT of accessories
• Bamboo Eartips
• Superb build quality
• Interchangeable nozzles (for modding capabilities)
• Clean, bright neutral sound
• Good technicalities for the price
• Crisp and nuanced vocals
• Smooth yet detailed treble

CONS:​

• Not the best fitting
• Other nozzle doesn’t sound that good
• Not the most dynamic-sounding set
• Can get a little hot on some tracks

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:​

• Trebleheads
• Neutralheads
• People who want a vocal centric set that isn’t grainy or edgy
• People who want a VERY well built IEM
• People who want a complete package

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR:​

• Bassheads
• People who want a set that fits like a glove (personal)
• People who want a more dynamic sound
• Shout sensitive/treble sensitive people
• People who want a more subtle design

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• Jazz
• Instrumental
• Classic
• Vocal-Pop

SHORT REVIEW:​

Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4 is a solid bright-neutral set that packs a treasure trove of accessories with it. While it may lack a bit of dynamics, might come across too bright sounding and not fit that well, the overall package and how smooth it sounds for being bright neutral is very impressive for $40. Well built, well accessorized and a bright neutral sound make this an absolutely must have for vocal lovers who want a complete package. RECOMMENDED!

FULL REVIEW​

Every once in a while, you get a brand that is known for weird and interesting IEMs creating such a conventionally good IEM that it makes you question whether they have the capability of creating a masterpiece. That is me with Zhulinniao. From all the reviews that I’ve seen of their previous products, I have not seen a single one that was positive besides one. And that is today’s topic of discussion. Let’s talk about the Zhulinniao QingLuan Z4

PROUDLY CHINESE!​

Zhulinniao is unsurprisingly a Chinese brand that offers in-ear monitors and pretty awesome eartips. As I’ve mentioned, their previous releases have not been very stellar in the market and they’re more known for the Bamboo or the Zhu Rythme tips. But this $40 Z4 seems to have captured the hearts of some and I’m here to find out whether it’s worth your hard-earned $40 or not. Let’s start with the unboxing.

UNBOXING:​

Don’t let the somewhat boring-looking exterior fool you, what’s packed into this $40 set is a plethora of accessories that rival $100 sets. This is only matched by the qually ridiculous TRN Conch as that set also features a plethora of accessories.



Here is a full list of the inclusions:

• Zhulinniao Z4 IEMs
• 3.5mm Cable
• 9 pairs of eartips
  • 3 Vocal
  • 3 Balanced
  • 3 Bamboo
• Tuning Nozzles
• Carrying Case
• Paperowrk

Boy, where do we begin? The case included is a pretty normal-looking case but is quite spacious on the inside. It reminds me a lot of the KBEar/HZSound Case that I so dearly love and I appreciate them adding a net inside to place your little accessories. I put the extra nozzles in there as it’s secure enough in my opinion.



Where the Z4 really shines, however, are the eartips. You have basic normal and slightly wider bored eartips, but then you have 3 pairs of their patented Zhu Rythme or “Bamboo” eartips. These cost $10 per pack and are a very good pair of eartip. It reminds me of the Springtips mixed in with the S&S and Azla Sednafit. They are tapered and they are VERY grippy. They feel really good and using them IEMs with longer nozzles is an absolute treat. Unfortunately, it does not fit the Qingluan Z4 at all which was truly a shame.

BUILD & FIT​

The Z4 features a single 5th Generation DLC Dynamic Driver housed in an aluminum housing, detachable nozzles, and a 0.78 2-pin connector



Let’s take a moment to appreciate this $40 set is one of the most premium feeling IEMs I’ve held under $100. Seriously, the craftmanship on this IEM is unlike anything I’ve seen before. Brushed, somewhat textured metal paired with an intricate faceplate AND interchangeable nozzles for $40 is insane.



Unfortunately, the fit is not as good. I didn’t like how short and stubby the fit of the Z4 was, especially when using the patented Bamboo eartips. It just wouldn’t seal properly, and the only eartips that I found to work right with the Z4 were, surprise surprise, the S&S. Other tips just slip off, have no seal, or are just uncomfortable.



The cable is somewhat basic and reminds me of the kind of cables that Simgot and Moondrop use for their IEMs. It’s not necessarily a bad cable as I still think it’s quite functional and comfortable, but does not match the expressive aesthetics that the IEMs themselves have. Still, decent and usable cable that I’d be happy to use with other IEMs.

SOUND​

NOTE: Because the Z4 features tuning nozzles, I will be reviewing the Z4 with the stock nozzles and comparing it later to the red ring nozzle.

Sound Signature​

The Z4 has a bright neutral sound signature that borders sounding a bit U-Shaped with clean, tame bass with good enough weight for it to not sound like a dry piece of crap and a LOT of energy in the upper regions. Very airy, sparkly, bright and energetic are just some adjectives I’d honor the Z4.

Drivability:​

With an impedance of 32ohms and sensitivity of 108dB, you kind of expect this IEM to be quite easy to drive. Paired with the brighter tuning, this set sounds pretty good on even lower-powered devices. However, where this truly shines is when you throw some power. It smoothens the top end, makes the lower frequencies fuller and vocals overall sound more dynamic and rich despite the energy. Basically, it scales really well and I recommend getting a good source to pair with this.

Bass:​

The bass of the Z4 is clean, tight and mature sounding. It doesn’t boost it unnecessarily, but exists when you need it to exist. I will admit, however, that it is quite bass why. Not necessarily rolled off as the subbass is still quite prominent in bass centric tracks, but definitely not the focus of the sound at all. Texture is not the most prominent, but note definition is quite good.

Listening to any kind of bassy tracks, whether it’d be HipHop, Funk or Pop will not get you grooving. But you’ll get to appreciate each note with a sense of maturity and elegance. Listening to something like Do I Wanna Know by Arctic Monkey’s won’t make you stomp on the ground, but it’ll make you appreciate the nuance of the bass notes quite well.

Mids:​

The midrange of the Z4 is open, crisp and nuanced with both male and female vocals getting a lot of love. Instruments sound rich but sparkly. I particularly love lighter instruments like flutes, violins in the higher frequencies due to how clean and crisp they sound without any harshness. I will admit that this is not for the shout sensitives as there is a LOT of upper midrange to lower treble energy which affects female vocals, air instruments and percussive instruments. However, if you’re a vocal lover like me, this thing truly sings.

I especially love female vocals on the lower registers like Samara Joy, Laufey and Diana Krall. This is because the lower mids sounds so clean that the usually chesty sounding vocals sounds open and crisp. Especially in the case of Samara Joy’s Linger Awhile, the entire album perfectly matches the neutral bright sound of the Z4.

Treble:​

Hot and smooth. Those are the two words I would describe the treble of the Z4. Hot because the energy that the Z4 has in the treble region is honestly treblehead levels, but it’s surprisingly smooth and sibilance free. I expected a thin, edgy sound to the Z4 knowing the past of Zhulinniao. But damn, the treble of this thing is addicting. It’s not the airiest sounding treble I’ve heard, nor is it the most detailed. It straddles the perfect balance of detail and smooth so perfectly. However, I would not in any way recommend this to treble-sensitive people at all.

Anything Jazz just sounds fantastic on the Z4. Throw some Esperanza Spalding or some Samara Joy and hear those cymbals sparkle without any unnecessary bite. Samara’s vocals also sound so energetic and crisp with the Z4, so much so I’m more than willing to say this is probably the best set to listen to specifically Samara Joy under $50. But I digress, it’s just so crisp and smooth.

Technicalities:​

This is where it gets tricky. In terms of resolving ability and refinement, the Z4 is great. However, I feel like the Z4 is somewhat limited by the driver not being capable of having the cleanest separation and layering in the top end and tactility bass. I think that’s a perfectly fine compromise, especially at $40 and I still think that this is exceptional for $40. But when you’re competing with the likes of the EW200 at the same price point, it’s hard to just have pretty good technicalities especially when you’re going for a bright neutral sound. Nonetheless, it’s a very capable set at $40.

REAL WORLD USAGE:​

Casual Use​

As a casual use IEM, I found the Z4s to be satisfactory. Nothing too fantastic, but it looks and feels good to the touch. One thing I do whenever I’m just going about my day and I have nothing else going on, I take my IEM out and just stare at it. And it just so happens that the Z4 has a textured shell that I love to rub my finger against. It’s so satisfying to both touch and look at. However, I really don’t enjoy walking around with these as they often feel like they’re about to slip out. They’re quite stable with the S&S, but I still don’t feel confident in the fit. Plus, brigther IEMs are usually not my go to for media consumption or commutes.

Gaming Use​

This is where I was surprised with the Z4 as it offered the perfect balance of being just vocal forward enough to bring out the higher frequency noises while still not sounding harsh or peaky on really loud setpieces. Obviously, that bass is the mood killer as I prefer a bit of midbass when I game due to footsteps often being in that lower midrange section, but the upper mids are just perfectly tuned to games like Valorant. Immersive or narrative games are also pretty good due to the vocal energy being just perfect for dialogue or small nuances like in Firewatch, but not so much in big set pieces from action-oriented games.

VS RED RING NOZZLE​

I’ll be honest, on first listen the Red nozzle sounded kind of good to my ears. The vocal energy was so vibrant and sparkly that whatever I was listening to sounded so crisp. However, longer listening sessions made me realize how much it messes with the timbre, especially with how much the upper midrange masks the lower midrange and bass. So unless you’re listening to specifically upper mids focused genres, the stock nozzle will sound better all the time.

COMPARISONS​

vs Simgot EW200​

Compared to the Simgot EW200, the EW200 is better in terms of technicalities and detail, but is also more fatiguing and a little bit edgier in the treble. I also find the timbre of the Z4 to be just a tad bit better for specifically Samara Joy, but the bass dynamics and quantity makes the EW200 a considerably more fun IEM overall. The difference lies between the inclusions. The EW200 pales in comparison to the treasure trove that the Z4 offers. But sound wise, they’re quite on par overall but the EW200 edges the Z4 in fun and techs.

vs TRN Conch​

Compared to the OG value god, the Conch has a considerably less refined sound despite also sporting a single DLC dynamic driver. The Conch is edgier, more sibilant and less technically capable sounding overall. The only thing they have in common is a very rich set of accessories and a very good build quality. But I would take the TRN Conch

vs Tanchjim One​

Compared to the Tanchjim One, the Z4 has an overall cleaner and more open sound while the One is more fun and vibrant sounding. You get more low end impact and body with the One and you get more upper frequency energy with the Z4. Technicalities are better on the Z4 by a bit, but not by a big amount. The big difference, just like the EW200, is inclusions.

vs HZSound Heart Mirror​

Compared to my baby love, the Heart Mirror, the Z4 offers a more refined sound but lacking the body that the Heart Mirror has to balance the treble energy. Technicalities are similar between the two and depending on what you listen to, the Heart Mirror might sound better but so can the Z4. The Heart Mirror sounds better on soprano and mezzo soprano vocals like Caity Gyorgy or Norah Jones while the Z4 sounds better on Laufey or Samara Joy. Still, both fantastic sets and will all depend on whether you want something with a little bit more spice or a little bit more accessories (and refinement)

vs CCA Pianist​

Compared to the CCA Pianist, boths sets are vocal forward sets with subbass focus. The difference lies with the CCA Pianist having a ridiculously recessed midrange and a very distinct BA timbre that affects the overall timbre that the IEM has. The Z4 sounds considerably more natural while still providing a very similar level of technicalities compared to the Pianist. The Pianist does have a wider headstage thanks to the more open mids, but at the cost of lower midrange emphasis and body.

vs CCA Duo​

Compared to the Duo, the Duo has a better tonal balance on both low mids and upper mids compared to the Z4, but the Z4 has a more refined and smoother overall sound with a tilt to the bright side. The body is better on the Duo but the Z4 has a cleaner-sounding upper midrange.

CONCLUSION​

The Zhulliniao Qingluan Z4 is a fantastic first experience for me with the Zhulinniao brand. Such a clean-sounding bright-neutral IEM that fits my tastes, especially in jazzy or instrumental genres while offering a very delicious amount of accessories that only 1 IEM can compete against (in all the IEMs I’ve tried). It’s crazy how Zhulliniao was able to provide this much while also providing a very crisp and clean sound, unlike the other set that has a lot of accessories.

However, it is not perfect. The fit is not very good and it doesn’t really separate itself from the competition. There have been other vocal-centric sets that sound absolutely wonderful like the CCA Polaris, KZ D-Fi and my love the Heart Mirror that are all still very competent. The Z4 doesn’t really try to put itself out there sound wise, instead opting to provide a more complete experience than other sets. And for that I have full respect on Zhulliniao and will actively look forward to their upcoming sets.

Thank you for reading my review on the Zhulinniao Qingluan Z4. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805582634689.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt

Tangzu x HBB Xuan NV Review: BEST TUNED BUDGET HBB IEM!​

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: ​

PRICE: $79 (PHP. 3,940)​

PROS:​

• Superb, natural timbre
• Clean but rich-sounding bass
• Great midrange note weight
• Safe and fatigue-free treble
• Good separation for a warm tuned IEM
• Solid set of accessories for the price
• Good comfort
• Beautiful aesthetics (bias)

CONS:​

• Source sensitive (wants more power)
• Not the most tactile bass presentation
• Upper mids may lack a bit of energy
• Not the most detailed, airy or technical set
• Meh cable

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:​

• Fans of HBB tuning but want something clean and warm
• People who want a non-fatiguing set
• People who want natural sounding timbre
• People who want a good looking and fitting IEM
• People who want a full-package set

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR:​

• People who want the most the most technical-sounding set
• People who want the best value sound for the price
• People who want a more energetic and airy sound
• People who want a more tactile sound
• People who want a proper basshead set

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• R&B
• Soul
• Rock

SHORT REVIEW:​

The Xuan NV is by far the best tuned budget HBB set for those who are looking for a neutral-warm sound. It brings a harmonious balance of musicality and neutrality in one beautiful red package. While not the most technical sounding set, lacking a bit of low end texture and top end energy, it makes up for being well-accessorized with superb tone and timbre.

FULL REVIEW​

One of the benefits of collaboration IEMs between brands and reviewers is that you get a rather consistent level of sound to expect based on the reviewer’s preferences. And when a reviewer has developed such a distinct taste, you’ll know exactly where that kind of sound would fit your own preferences.

HBB or Hawaii Bad Boy is one of the biggest creators to bring his sound to the masses with his numerous collabs that, due to the frequency of release, has the most successful collabs in the market today. While not every release is perfect, you’ll find a unit that will fit exactly your preferences.

But how can you define a reviewer’s preference with one definitive set? Well, let’s talk about the Tangzu x HBB Xuan NV.

DISCLAIMER:
The Xuan NV was sent over by Tangzu in exchange for my honest thoughts. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be of my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

THE SECOND RODEO​

While HBB has had multiple collabs with other companies, the Xuan NV only marks 1 out of the 2 times Tangzu and HBB have collaborated. The first is the highly successful planar-magnetic IEM called the Heyday. You may or may not have heard of it before, but I still think it’s one of the best-tuned planars to date. With this knowledge in mind, the Xuan NV raised hopes and hyped me up knowing how Tangzu was able to balance HBBs sound and my own bright-leaning preferences. So how does the Xuan NV fair compare not only to his own collabs but also the other sets that have littered the very competitive price range?

UNBOXING:​

As you may expect from Tangzu, the presentation of their products are top-notch. A beautiful artwork that is not your usual waifu and instead a very tasteful art that deserves to be hung up in an art gallery. It’s just so beautiful and the artists deserve all recognition for their work.



Beyond that, we get a rather straightforward and clean layout of the IEM itself and the accessories. Although I will admit that mine came with the IEMs deep inside their foam thrones, which was a little sad but that realistically doesn’t matter.



Here’s a full list of the inclusions:

• 1 pair of Tangzu Xuan NV
• 1 cable
• Pleather button case
• 6 pairs of Tang Sancai (3 pairs of Balanced, 3 pairs of Wide)

When we talk about value, Tangzu has always kind of been at the fore front due to their accessory offerings. FuDu came with the Tang Sancai Balanced and Divinus, and now the Xuan NV comes with 2 pairs of their Sancai. And that is an insane deal for how much a 3 pack of Sancai cost. You’re essentially buying a $50 IEM (spoiler alert hehe) with $30 dollars worth of eartips with the Sancai.



Outside of the Sancai, it also comes with a rather basic button pleather case that will protect your IEMs from scratches but not pressure from getting sat or crushed. It’s an alright case, but I expected better for the price considering what other bands could offer.

BUILD & FIT​

I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t biased with the color choice of Tangzu with the blood-like Red on gold and black accents. It’s literally my favorite color and the way that Tangzu executed the aesthetics of the Xuan NV is just absolutely perfect. Plus, the butterfly motif that they used on the packaging makes its way here with a rather genius idea of being able to put the set side by side to make the image of a buttery fly.



As fo the quality of the build itself, it’s made from resin so don’t expect it to be as beefy as your full metal IEMs. But to give credit where it’s due, the resin that Tangzu used is quite impressive as it doesn’t feel ridiculously cheap like their Wan’er and reminds me a little bit of the $109 Kiwi Ears Quartet. At least to say, it’s a tough resin feel that doesn’t feel like it’d break if you accidentally dropped or even stepped on it. Don’t do that to your IEMs, though.



As for fit, the Xuan NV fits like a damn glove in your ears. Just like their Wan’er which was a superb fitting IEM, the Xuan NV is a very comfortable and stable IEM to wear even for long listening sessions. I had 0 issues listening to this thing for actual hours on end as I didn’t experience any fatigue or pains. This also does not have any air pressure build-up or driver flex thanks to its dual vent that relieves the pressure. Pair that up with the Tang Sancai tips and you have the recipe for one of the most comfortable IEMs to wear for the price. It is on the larger side so sleeping with this isn’t really something I’d recommend unless you have gigantic ears.



Unfortunately, the cable is nowhere near as magical as the IEMs themselves. It’s a very similar cable to the ones they used for their previous sets under $100 which is really not my favorite cable. It’s a very grippy and tangle-prone cable that feels quite cheap, especially on the jack side. I don’t think it’s a horrible cable and no one should use it, I just wouldn’t use it myself due to how icky it feels, especially in the long term. It also has the tendency to irritate my sensitive skin more than other cables that I’ve tried, so I’m personally cable-rolling this to maybe something with 4.4mm in the near future. But comfort is not the only reason why I’d get a 4.4mm for these bad boys:

SOUND​

Sound Signature:​

The Tangzu x HBB Xuan NV has a warm neutral that borders being slightly U-shaped. As a 2DD IEM, the timbre of this thins is immaculate. It’s very soothing, rich and relaxed which is a hallmark of HB sets, but this arguably does the timbre the best out of all his budget offerings.

Source Pairing:​

And this is where the Xuan NV might become a turn-off for some. The Xuan NV is quite hard to drive for an IEM. With an impedance of 8.5 and a sensitivity of 95db, this will eat up power like no other. Using this on a low-powered device will not bring out the full sound and using a dongle DAC with at least 2Vrms is recommended to really make the Xuan NV sing. The benefit of this is that the Xuan NV is a scaling monster. Throw this one a powerful source and the sound will improve exponentially. I also prefer pairing this with more neutral sources or brighter sources that will improve its upper frequency extension

Volume Levels:​

Topping DX1 - 11 o-clock

Bass​

The biggest aspect of the Xuan NV that I was genuinely surprised with on first listening was how clean the bass sounds. Often, you find HBBs set to exude warmth and the cost of low end clarity and timbre, often sounding a little too warm or too thick that it masks the rest of the midrange. Not the Xuan NV. The bass on these genuinely sounds so rich while keeping a very smooth, clean, and unintrusive bass that just shies from being too warm.

Listening to usually bass-shy tracks like Toto’s IV album gives a much needed richness that balances the older, brighter mixing with Xuan NV’s relaxed and clean low end presentation. It honestly feels like Tangzu and HBB tuned these to fit older pop and rock tracks that need rich but clean low end.

Where the Xuan NV will vary depending on your source is tactility. The low end of the Xuan NV admittedly feels a little too smooth to my liking due to the subbass emphasis over midbass. This means that the tactility of bass instruments may feel a little too subdued in the name of cleanliness. This isn’t outright a bad thing as this has the intended effect of keeping the midrange sounding natural and rich without any bass bleed, but I just prefer a little bit more texture than what the Xuan NV offers. That is unless you throw this on a source that can emphasize the low end while keeping the rest of the frequencies untouched, which was the case when I plugged this into the Topping DX1. The combination of the power and its emphasis on giving the low end some texture truly made the Xuan NV sing unlike anything else. This is both a pro and con to my eyes (or ears in this case) as depending on your source, you might have a completely different listening experience to me.

Listening to something like D’Angelo’s Untitled (How It Feels) feels like heaven on the Xuan NV, but just barely has enough texture to sound exactly the way I want. It has a realistic balance of thickness and cleanliness that I honestly haven’t heard in an HBB IEM ever and I am absolutely all for it. Especially once the first verse starts and that slow and soothing bass line plays, the Xuan NV is able to play that bass with such finesse and richness, unlike anything. I just wished it was a little bit more tactile/

Mids​

By presenting the bass in a clean but rich way, the mids of the Xuan NV are one of the sweetest and smoothest sounding mids that I’ve heard in a set at this price. Instead of focusing on the minute details in vocals and instruments, it focuses on providing a very rich, balanced, and soothing sound that makes everything sound like it’s glazed in a very thin layer of honey that keeps getting redipped in every lick. Weird analogy, but that’s just how silky smooth the midrange of the Xuan NV is. Instruments and vocals have a very satisfying amount of body without any bloat from the bass. It might come across as a little thick for those who prefer a leaner midrange, but perfect for those who are sick of IEMs nowadays sounding either too thick or too thin in the midrange.

Daniel Caesar’s vocals on Freudian were absolutely perfect, particularly in Get You where his usually thick and rich vocals sound cleanly thick on the Xuan NV. Vocal layering is also superb as his harmonies in this track are laid out in such a clean way.

Due to this focus on cleanliness, however, you may find the upper mids lacking a little bit in terms of sparkle and energy. This is partially due to the upper mids and treble presentation along with the focus on the low end but this is not a set that I’d personally pick up if I’m listening to female vocals. The thickness admittedly gives upper-frequency vocals a slightly husky and thick mask that might come across as lacking much-needed vocal energy on certain tracks. Its focus on the low end also affects upper-frequency vocals and instrument transients where it’s quite smooth on the Xuan NV compared to other vocal-centric sets. It’s not necessarily outright dull or overly smoothened as it still has a satisfying amount of energy, but it’s not a sparkly set either.

Laufey is probably the perfect example in this situation with her mezzo-soprano vocals not really pairing well with the Xuan NV’s thicker overall sound. However, I will give credit where it’s due as compared to other warmer sets, the Xuan NV does Laufey’s vocals the best due to how clean the lower midrange was presented. Where Laufey’s vocals lacked on the Xuan NV is the upper frequencies where her vocals lacked the sparkle to balance out her thicker vocals. Listening to a track like California and Me with a very orchestral instrumentation, the low-end sounds clean and rich but the upper frequencies can sound a little too smooth.

Treble​

This is the aspect of the Xuan NV that, as a treblehead, made me both wish there was more of but at the same time, respected that it didn’t. The treble of the Xuan NV is simply inoffensive. No unnecessary peaks or emphasis which gives the treble a very safe sound that is perfect for long listening sessions. This has the effect of making it both one of the best sets for most people, but also limits it to being a relaxed set. Treble energy is undoubtedly soft and doesn’t provide sufficient energy for upper-frequency instruments and vocals to make them truly sparkle. It’s not dull per se, but if you’re used to sets with a lot of energy, the Xuan NV might come across lacking lacking a little bit. Extension isn’t also the most fantastic as airiness is quite audibly tamed to give way for the lower frequencies to shine (ironically). It’s not choked or low-res sounding by any means, but definitely not the most resolving set for the price.

This, however, makes it perfect for older tracks with a brighter-leaning mix like the aforementioned Toto IV or Earth Wind and Fire’s Best Of Vol.1. I never experienced any harshness or edginess in the mix which made it such a smooth and soothing listen overall. Cymbals never crashed too hard and vocals never sounded overly sharp. But most importantly, nothing felt uneven. It’s such a smooth treble that I honestly could listen to music for hours on end without getting any fatigue.

However, throwing this into jazzy tracks like Samara Joy’s Linger A While, Laufey’s Bewitched or Diana Krall’s discography, you’ll start to hear where the Xuan NV falls short due to the lack of upper-frequency energy to make their vocals truly sparkle. Pair that with the rather tame upper midrange energy and that leaves the Xuan NV not being the most ideal set for listening to female vocals.

Technicalities:​

The Xuan NV is not the end-all-be-all for technical sets, which is to be expected when you consider its tuning philosophy. Warm sets, especially in the budget, don’t usually offer top-notch technicalities and resolving ability due to limitations on the driver as well as tuning. It doesn’t mean this sounds cheap by any means, but it’s not for those seeking a very technical sound.

I will say that I am impressed with how this set does bass depth. Due to the clean, sub bass-focused low end, there is a somewhat expansive feeling of depth of field effect on low-frequency instruments that make them sound quite wide.

Separation and layering were also surprisingly impressive for being a warm set. It’s not exceptional, but it separates and layers instruments better than other warm-leaning sets in the price, including HBB’s own collabs which I’ll talk about very soon.

REAL WORLD USAGE:​

Casual Use:​

One of the benefits of a warmer sounding IEM is that it gives a deeper and more immersive listening experience on casual use, whether that’d be watching YouTube videos and Music Videos or even watching movies. The Xuan NV perfectly captures that balance by providing a deep sense of warmth without the muddiness to make vocals sound dull or sunken. It’s also perfect for clips that are a little too bright as it softens the upper frequencies really nice. Commutes are also fantastic on the Xuan NV thanks to the warmer tone, but it’s not going to block out lower frequency noise as well as pure basshead sets. Where I’m not as crazy on about the Xuan NV is the cable being really disappointing. I really do not like the texture of the cable and it caused a bit of discomfort over some time. I’d recommend cable rolling for comfort purposes. Also, it’s harder to drive so using this with your phone might make it sound a little soft or lacking.

Gaming Use:​

This is honestly where the Xuan NV shines. I’ve talked about using IEMs for gaming before and my favorite IEMs to use for Valorant specifically were warmer IEMs with shout tendencies. And while the Xuan NV doesn’t have shout tendencies, it has the warmth to bring out footsteps and low frequency sounds up without muddying up the mix. The upper mids being a little bit helps a lot in bringing the higher frequency sounds to be audible without harshness. Object separation and imaging where unfortunately not the best, but that’s to be expected for a warmer budget IEM. Regardless, this is honestly a fantastic gaming set that I’m more that willing to recommend for gamers who want an edge in their audio game

COMPARISONS​

vs BLON x HBB Z300​

Compared to HBB’s all metal collab with BLON, the Z300 offers a much warmer but oddly brigther sound compared to the Xuan NV. The Z300 has a rather odd peak somewhere in the mid treble that kind of makes it a little undesirable to listen to on higher volumes, but the bass is considerably thicker and more tactile on the Z300 compared to the Xuan NV. Technicalities on the two are quite similar, but the NV edges the Z300 out in terms of separation and layering thanks to a much cleaner low end.

vs TRI x HBB Kai​

Another darker sounding HBB set, the Kai offers a more tactile and richer low end presentation at the cost of a natural timbre that the Xuan NV offers. The Kai’s bass is one of the most tactile and textured bass I’ve heard in any HBB collab, but suffers from a rather abysmal treble roll off that the Xuan NV thankfully balances out with a flatter overall sound profile. Technicalities are also similar on the two, but the Xuan NV edges the Kai in separation and layering once again.

vs QKZ x HBB​

HBB’s cheapest collab to date, the first iteration of the QKZ x HBB was one of the most beloved Warm - Basshead set when it came out and is still one of the best budget basshead sets you can get. The Xuan NV is essentially a slightly tweaked but direct upgrade to the sound of the QKZ x HBB. Better timbre, cleaner but just as engaging of a bass presentation, better vocals, better resolving ability. Overall just a better IEM and a perfect upgrade for the QKZ x HBB

vs Truthear x Crinacle Zero: Red​

Compared to the Zero Red, the Xuan NV takes on a very similar goal but diverts by focusing on the warmer, smoother and more relaxed sound but still keeping superb timbre all around. This is arguably the closest comparison that the Xuan NV will get because the Zero Red is not only sonically similar in tone and timbre, but also in aesthetics. It all comes down to whether you want a larger shell and a more “neutral” sound or a smaller shell with a “warmer” sound. Regardless, both are honestly solid competitors between each other and the only real difference is the amount of accessories that the Xuan NV offers compared to the Red. The Xuan NV offers 6 pairs of Sancai, after all.

vs QKZ x HBB Hades​

I’ll be real, this a no competition for me. Hades is just pure bass and nothing else while the Xuan NV is more balanced and smooth. If you’re a diehard basshead, Hades is for you. If you’re literally anyone else, get the Xuan NV

vs Truthear Hexa​

Arguably the closest in terms of graph, the Hexa provides a similar neutral sound with superb timbre, but edges the Xuan NV in terms of techical ability. The Xuan NV on the other hand provides a more natural, smoother and more soothing tone to the Hexa that some might find sounding a little too sterile. Both sets are great choices, but the decision lies on whether you want a warmer sound or a more neutral sound

CONCLUSION​

While not the most revolutionary HBB collab set, the Xuan NV offers something that no other HBB collab has had so far in the budget. Warm sound without messing up the timbre. Great vocal weight and balance, natural sounding instruments and a very safe and inoffensive tuning that would be perfect for those who just want to relax and listen for hours on end.

Obviously, this is not for bright or technical lovers. This is a very relaxed set and it does not bring out the fine details in the music you listen to. It’s also not the most resolving set, so don’t expect this to punch above its price bracket in terms of fidelity. However, for what it’s trying to be, it’s one of the best-tuned HBB set that aims for a balance of musicality and neutrality.

Thank you for reading my review on the Tangzu x HBB Xuan NV. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://www.linsoul.com/products/tangzu-xuannv

HiBy W3 II Review: CONVENIENCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE!​

WATCH REVIEW HERE:

PRICE: $49​

PROS:​

• Very practical “audiophile” device
• Compact, lightweight design
• Cool graffiti aesthetic
• Comes with a shirt clip
• Intuitive controls
• HiBy Blue compatibility
• Hi-Res Codecs (LDAC< aptX/HD, UAT)
• Can be used as a wired DAC
• Stable, low-latency Bluetooth connection
• Solid battery life
• Inline controls
• Come with a mic
• NFC Pairing
• Neutral, uncolored sound
• More than enough power for most IEMs

CONS:​

• No balanced output
• Front panel is a scratch and fingerprint magnet
• Wired is limited to 16bit/48khz decoding
• Not the most premium feeling device

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People who want a practical solution to their audiophile needs
• People who want a convenient device to pair with their favorite wired IEMs
• People who want an audio device that can double as a call/meeting device
• People who want a largely uncompromised listening experience for a Bluetooth device
• People who want a device that’s capable of doing Hi-Res Wireless Decoding
• People who want a sustainable Bluetooth device
• People who want a long-lasting Bluetooth DAC/AMP
• People who commute a lot/move around a lot

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• People who want a LOT of driving power
• People who want the highest fidelity sound for the price
• People who need balanced output
• People who want something more premium feeling

AT A GLANCE:​

“The HiBy W3 II changed my perspective on music listening as it is the most practical “audiophile” device I’ve ever owned. It provides the Hi-Res capabilities of outputting more than enough power for most IEMs, decoding both standard and Hi-Res codecs, and providing a largely uncompromised listening experience with the convenience of having a shirt clip, stable connection, an in-line microphone, and a solid battery life. I seriously could not think of a more perfect device for audiophiles seeking convenience without compromise.” HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!




Thank you for reading my review. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-w3-ii

@HiByMusic

Two Weeks in Heaven: My Experience with the HiBy R8 II​

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: ​

PRICE: $1,999​

PROS:​

• Extremely well-engineered piece of tech
• TOTL build & aesthetics
• Alcantara fabric is VERY premium
• Great screen quality for a DAP
• Very responsive and stable UI
• AMAZING Battery life for how much the DAP does
• Feature-rich
• Versatile device
• Darwin-MPA is an improvement from the standard R2R
• Dedicated Tube-like OPAMPS
• Great for media consumption
• Solid power output on 4.4mm
• Turbo Mode for extra power and crispness
• Smooth, analogue-like sound without massive compromise on technologies
• Hi-Res wireless support
• System-Wide Bit Perfect Audio
• HiBy suite works flawlessly with the DAP
• Great storage size and expansion
• 8gb RAM is more than enough for audio and slight multitasking operations

CONS:​

• Might be too thick or too heavy
• SE might be too low-powered for some
• Alcantara fabric is a dust magnet and might not age well
• Gets VERY hot on turbo mode and 4.4mm
• 4 hours to fully charge from 0 to 100%

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People looking for an overall TOTL music listening experience
• People looking for a powerful, feature-rich, and versatile music player
• People looking for an analog-like sound without compromising on technicalities or distortion
• People who want a well-built premium looking and feeling device

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T:​

• People who want a lightweight music player
• People who want something less boujee and more lowkey in terms of aesthetics
• People who want more power in SE/3.5mm
• People who want an easier-to-maintain device

AT A GLANCE:​

Bringing the flagship listening experience to the absolute highest order, the HiBy R8 II is genuinely one of the most impressive device that I’ve held and used. Powered by their brand new Darwin-MPA and sipping from a 12000mAh battery, the DAP is more than just a music player. Quite frankly, this lives up to its name of the “portable concert hall” as the experience from the build all the way to the listening experience is luxury. This is fundamentally a rich flex, however. The features, while revolutionary and ground-breaking on some aspects, are way beyond what a normal music enjoyer might want. This is a dedicated device for hardened audiophiles who really care about their listening experience and want to squeeze out everything you could in an audio device. And if you care that much, you deserve to have a taste of the top, and the R8 II delivers exactly that.

Thank you for reading my review on the HiBy R8 II. Big thanks to Joseph Yeung of HiBy for giving me and my fellow reviewers the opportunity to review the HiBy R8 II. If you would like to order one (to which I’d say good on you), consider using the non-affiliated link below:

If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

PHOTOS GALLERY: https://store.hiby.com/products/hiby-r8-ii

CCA Trio Review: Effectively The Best.​

PRICE: $49​

PROS:​

• Ergonomic and comfortable fitting
• Variety on the tuning switches
• Well-balanced Harman bass-boost sound signature
• Thick but clean and smooth bass
• Clean, open midrange
• Clean, open treble
• Good technicalities compared to its predecessor

CONS:​

• Occasional sibilance
• Midbass tuck on UUUU might sound too lean for some people
• Not the most dynamic-sounding set

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:​

• People who want one of the best tuned budget Harman set
• People who want a clean but engaging sound
• People who want an improvement from the Rhapsody

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR:​

• People who hate midbass tucks
• People who are treble sensitive
• People who want a more dynamic sounding set

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• Pop
• Rock
• Soul

SHORT REVIEW:​

Arguably one of their best consumer tuned release today, the Trio embodies the famous Harman sound signature that has ravaged the market but does so in a way that replicates more expensive sets. A distinct tuck in the midbass and upper midrange energy while using 3DDs made the Trio arguably one of the best sets to get if you liked pure Harman. It’s not the most technical or most dynamic in the market and still has a long way from competing with the giants, but this is by far their best iteration of Harman by far. RECOMMENDED

FULL REVIEW:​

KZ and fam have been pushing the boundary of how good audio can be in the budget realm. Rhapsody is marked as their latest trend of following the Harman 2019 target and thanks to its success, you can almost hear the cash being made from them capitalizing on this. So how does their second entry fair into the KZ pandemonium? Let’s talk about the CCA Trio!

DISCLAIMER: The Trio’s were sent over by CCA in exchange for my honest impressions. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be of my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

MAKE IT CCA, MAKE IT HARMAN PT.2​

Their second release into the Harman-infused era, the Trio at first glance would seem like the upgrade to the Duo. But due to its radically different design and the Trio’s release being months after Duo, the former takes on their later sound trends that we’ll be discussing later. So now, one should ask whether the Trio being released so close to the Rhapsody is worth the money or is another sidegrade.

UNBOXING​

The unboxing experience of the Trio is very similar to other KZ/CCA sets with the box showcasing the illustration of the IEM and the inclusions being your usual KZ cable, Starline eartips and some paperwork. What makes the Trio special is that it comes in the special Chinese New Year outer packaging and a free voucher. Yay!

BUILD & FIT​

Talking about the internals, the Trio features 3 8mm Dynamic Drivers. Not much information outside of that, but it’s interesting that they created a special 3D-printed slot just for the drivers which is not usually a very KZ/CCA move.



This is probably one of the biggest changes on the Rhapsody that I genuinely appreciate they did. The fit of the Trio is considerably better than the Rhapsody both in how it fits and how it seals.



The Trio features your usual aluminum faceplate and resin inner shell that we’ve seen in their sets before, but the Trio has a somewhat smaller profile that doesn’t completely fill up your ear like the Rhapsody did. I genuinely found the Trio to be a very comfortable set to use over long listening sessions without much fatigue in the ear (minus the cable). It’s very stable with a good seal, although not as good as Rhapsody, and it just looks and feels nice.

I’m not a big fan of the Trio on the faceplate and I feel like putting it on the shell would’ve been more tasteful, but I could just erase that myself. I’ll choose not to, for now.

SOUND​

NOTE: As the Trio features tuning switches, I’ll be talking about the sound of the stock configuration of UUUU (all up) and comparing it to the other modes in their respective section.

Sound Signature:​

The CCA Trio features a U-shaped sound signature with big but well-controlled bass, slightly tucked and open mids, and a forward, energetic but generously presented treble. It has just a very slight metallic tinge in the upper frequencies, but nothing that stands out too much.

Source Pairing and Drivability:​

The Trio is about average to slightly harder to drive compared to the usual sets I’ve tried. It’s not necessarily a tank in terms of how much power it needs, but using a dongle DAC does improve its sound quality, particularly dynamics and smoothening the top end.

Ideal Listening Volume:

Bass:​

The bass of the Trio is big, bouncy and deep. A similar story to the Rhapsody, it makes the music feel alive. Just not at the level of the Rhapsody. Nonetheless, it’s a very fun bass presentation that gives a lot of low-end instruments body and weight while not breaching and bleeding into the midrange which bass tuck lovers would absolutely love. If you look at the FR graph of the Trio, you can actually see how cleanly it tucks down at 200hz which is something you never see in this price range besides the DSP IEMs and the venerable Zero (we won’t mention its younger brothers as the way they do it isn’t as good as Trio)

Notable tracks that do really well with the Trio is Heart Don’t Stand a Chance which excels with big bassy sets. Especially with how well-defined that bass is, the track sounded real meaty and thick on the Trio without really intruding into .Paak’s vocals, for better or worse, made the mids sound quite clean.

Probably my gripe about the bass here is, well, it’s not quite the tightest or most well-defined kind of bass. Now sure, you can argue that for this price range, it’s not really a con more than it is a nitpick. But as someone who wants budget gear to get better, I want to mention these things. The bass can sound a little sloppy at times with the attack on notes sounding a little soft and puffy sounding. The track Wake Up by SOS is a prime example of this as the bass in this track is big but a little bit loose. It does better than its older sibling, the Rhapsody. But it still lags compared to some of the more refined DD sets in the price range like the Simgot EW200.

Mids:​

Giving credit where credit is due, the mids of the Trio are genuinely clean and open-sounding. It’s not going to break any records for its price as there are sets that balance out the midrange just a little bit better than the Trio, but the Trio being able to tuck at 200hz is a feat on its own. This has the effect of making the lower mids sound clean and open while having a big bass.

A track like Show You The Way by Thundercat is the perfect track to showcase this as this track has a lot of low-end energy that could potentially bleed and color the midrange. On the Trio, the vocals are largely untouched and there’s this sense of clarity and openness in vocals.

What makes it even better is that the upper mids are just as equally as well balanced as it doesn’t overemphasize the vocals like other Harman-inspired sets. A track like Through The Fire by Chakra Khan, even in the last chorus where she goes really high up, it never gets harsh or sharp. However, there are certain parts where there’s a slightly grainy quality that I’ll be expounding upon in the treble section.

My only nitpick about the mids is that it occasionally lacks character. It’s very clean and open-sounding, but there’s just not a lot of character. The lower mids don’t have that texture or engagement that I usually look for (but that’s probably just me not liking a tuck at 200hz that much) and the upper mids are forward, clean but generally safe without really bringing anything out. This is a good thing for most people, but I do prefer a little bit of spice in my vocals.

Treble:​

Admittedly, the treble of the Trio is pretty good for its price. It’s generally inoffensive but can still provide a good amount of air and clarity. It brings out percussive and soprano vocals quite nicely with a really good amount of energy without really sounding overly bright or harsh.

Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain is a great example of how nicely done the treble of the Trio is. It’s borderline getting too hot, but the overall presentation of the percussive instruments as well as the banjo guitar-sounding instruments is just perfect and presents them with a surprisingly nice timbre.

However, there are definitely some instances of sibilance on certain tracks. Between The Sheets is a track that showcases this treble roughness, but is a generally great track to listen to in the Trio. It’s just that in certain passages, especially when there are S and T sounds some roughness is present.

The air is pretty good, but nothing spectacular. You won’t expect vocals and instruments to sound airy and floaty, but it’s a generous amount of air that those sensitive to treble won’t find harsh and trebleheads such as myself would find adequate.

Technicalities:​

The technicalities of the Trio are surprisingly decent for its price.

Starting with the dynamics, it was definitely something that I both loved and hated about the Trio. In the context of the Rhapsody/Castor Bass style tuning, this is definitely a step up. However, it’s still not quite at the level of pure Dynamic sets, even the likes of the EW200, in terms of dynamic contrast.

Headstage was definitely where I was most surprised as I didn’t expect it to sound that wide. It’s not out of your head, but respectable enough to separate itself from most sets in its price range. This also applies to the imaging that, while not holographic, allows me to pinpoint some instruments better than some IEMs in this price range.

Separation and layering are still unfortunately not the cleanest or most accurate, but it’s respectable for its price. It separates simple tracks really well, but clearly struggles on more complex tracks.

OTHER TUNING VARIATIONS​

DDDD

• This configuration is the opposite to the all up (duh) as it instead puts the emphasis on the low end while still keeping a U-Shaped sound. The treble hotness is tamed here which is the ideal configuration for those who found the treble of the all up to be too hot

UDDD

• This configuration boosts the bass further from the DDDD configuration which starts bleeding into the midrange, but further tames the treble region. Mids are less open sounding and it starts sounding like a basshead set

UUDD

• Simply, turn the trio into a basshead set. Mids are now drowned in the bass but is a more focused bass-centric set with still decent amount of detail

DDUD

• Tames the bass slighly from the UUUU configuration. Brings out the upper mids and treble slightly up, but oddly isn’t as sibilant sounding as the UUUU.

DDUU

• The brigthest, thinnest and coldest sounding configuration. Better suited for trebleheads because the tendency to be too hot is most evident here

REAL WORLD USAGE:​

Casual Use:​

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t use the Trio more while doing menial tasks than I wanted to. The Trio’s entire package from how it fits to how it's tuned just makes it perfect for long wearing and listening periods. The tuning is honestly perfect for any kind of media thanks to the generous bass boost allowing for some content to sound more lively, vocals having a good body and clarity and the treble being generally fatigue-free. I genuinely loved using the Trio for casual use

Gaming Use:​

Just like its younger brothers, the gaming performance of the Trio is superb. Big bass to bring out immersion, clean mids to make sure there’s no smearing and the mids sound open, and a generous upper mids to treble to bring out the micro-nuances. Another solid gaming set from CCA, which since the release of the Castor-Bass has become my default gaming IEM and recommendation.

COMPARISON:​

VS CCA Rhapsody​

• The older brother that continued what KZ has started, this is basically another step up from the formula. Improved dynamics, improve midrange timbre, better details and better separation. Heck, even the fit was improved as the Trio is considerably smaller than the Rhapsody and no longer has air pressure build-up. Overall, it’s just another improvement from a similar cloth

VS KZ Castor Bass​

• Like the Rhapsody was to the Castor, the Trio is almost twice the step up from the Castor Bass. It improves basically everything the Castor had better than the Rhapsody did, but the Trio does tame the bass energy a little bit more compared to the Castor. But as whole, the Trio is two steps up from the

VS Simgot EW200​

• The fight is much closer here compared to the Rhapsody before, but the fundamental difference is still present. The EW200 is a more dynamic, brighter and more coherent set compared to the Trio’s more fun, engaging and forgiving sound. EW200 is still ahead in terms of overall clarity, detail and separation, but the Trio doesn’t lag behind, especially in headstage and overall fun factor.

VS Truthear Zero: RED​

• This is by far the closest comparison I can make with the Red in this price range so far. It’s still drastic to call it a “direct competitor”. But where the Trio added 1 more dynamic driver to the Zero Red, it also added more fun. The Zero has a darker, warmer, and more relaxed sound compared to the Trio’s more fun sound, but both sets take the boosted bass, clean mids and inoffensive top-end. Where the two divert is how much each end is boosted. The Zero has a less generous boost and a more linear midrange while also smoothening up the top end to be less “fatiguing” and more relaxed. This has the effect of the Zero sounding potentially more boring but also more neutral.

VS Binary x Gizaudio Chopin​

• Like the Chopin was to the Variations, the Trio is to the Chopin. Both sets follow an eerily similar Harman-infused sound with extra midbass, a slightly deeper tuck, and a sharp elevation directly in the ear gain. The difference is that, fundamentally, Chopin is still a more refined-sounding set compared to the Trio. Bass sounds deeper and more engaging on the Chopin while it sounds more single-noted on the Trio. The Trio lacks the technical chops and dynamic energy that Chopin has which, for almost 5x the price is almost to be expected.

CONCLUSION​

One could argue that the Rhapsody should’ve been given a little more time in the oven to become Trio, but we all know how KZ works. They’d rather make small incremental upgrades on pre-existing concepts rather than put all their eggs in one basket. The meme about KZ just making a pro version of their recently released set is justified when you look at their release patterns.

However, I genuinely think that the Trio is a massive step up from those that came before it. It’s considerably more refined, more balanced, and more technical than ever. Heck, even if I’m not a fan of this tuning, I’d confidently say this is probably the best KZ out in the market if you’re looking for something fun and well-tuned. It’s not perfect, no IEM is. But this is probably the best you can get if you just want something that you’d enjoy in any listening session. And for that, I’ll give credit where credit is due and congratulate CCA for further improving the status quo.

Thank you for reading my review on the CCA Trio! If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below:
https://www.kztws.com/products/cca-trio-legendary-3dd-iem

If you have any questions, you may contact me on my Facebook page or at my email: obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music!

QKZ x HBB Hades Review: HELLISHLY BASSY​

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE:

PRICE: $49 (PHP. 2,700.00)​

PROS:​

• Unique packaging
• Volume scaler
• INSANELY Deep, Rumbly and Headshaking bass
• Clean and smooth treble to crank up volume without harshness
• Comfortable fitting

CONS:​

• Too much bass for most genres
• Not impressive for low volume listening
• Poor technical ability
• Very niche tuning suited only for bass heads
• Lackluster accessories

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:​

• Bassheads
• HBB Fans who want even more bass from his sets
• People who want display piece box
• People who want a gold-colored metal coin of HBB’s logo

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR​

• Anyone who doesn’t want their music to be drowned in bass
• People who want a more complete unboxing experience
• People who want better quality accessories

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• HipHop
• EDM
• Retro Pop with bright mixes

SHORT REVIEW​

Hellishly basshead is the best way to describe the QKZ x HBB Hades. It provides such an absurd amount of bass into such a small in-ear that you start to wonder if they had magically plugged a 15-inch subwoofer into this thing. This is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for those who want a balanced listening experience. This is for hardcore bassheads, and you better prepare your ears for basshead journey you’re about to embark on.

FULL REVIEW:​

One of the most important aspects of choosing a reviewer to listen to is their preferences. After all, we buy audio gear to listen to music. And if the music of the reviewer that you follow doesn’t align with yours, then your findings would be quite different from theirs.

This then lands us on HBB or BGGAR or however, you call him. He’s a reviewer known for listening to a lot of HipHop and Rock and his sets speak for themselves. I’ve tried more HBB collabs than I can count and it has given me a good idea of what kind of IEM HBB likes and who it's for.

So now, what happens when HBB curates an IEM that speaks to the purest bassheads that throw everything but bass out the window? Let’s talk about the $49 QKZ x HBB Hades.

DISCLAIMER: The QKZ x HBB Hades was sent over by Linsoul in exchange for my honest thoughts. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

THIRD TIMES THE CHARM​

QKZ is known for two things; offering the most bottom-of-the-barrel IEM with the AK6 or providing us with the cheapest HBB collabs in the market. The Hades marks as their 3rd run-in with the QKZ x HBB being the first and the Khan being the second. The QKZ x HBB in particular was quite well received for being a very well-done warm IEM for the price while the Khan was a response to the DD craze of yesteryears. So now, let’s find out what the Hades offers and how HBB created one of the craziest basshead sets in the budget realm.

UNBOXING:​

One of the most stand out things about the Hades is its unboxing experience. Never have I seen a box this unique with its comic-inspired aesthetics and an odd amount of badges, including an “HBB HiRes logo”. I wouldn’t say that it’s the most fitting box for what the Hades does, but it’s definitely very unique compared to other IEM boxes.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t really carry over to the inclusions barring one thing. It comes with the following:

• QKZ x HBB Hades IEMs
• 4-core cable terminated to 3.5mm
• Plastic protective case
• 3 sets of eartips
• A gold coin

The accessories are admittedly lacking for the size of the box. Its larger than average presentation would make you think that this would be TRN Conch levels of accessories, but it’s much closer to their budget offerings more than anything. The case is just a glossy version of the same, cheap plastic case that they use on the AK6. The eartips are pretty nice and are actually a very unique shape, but only come in 3 pairs and offer no other choices like widebores or foam tips which I’ve found to be essential inclusions in today’s market.



Where QKZ diverts is with the inclusion of a golden coin. It’s not gold (obviously) but it really makes you think whether QKZ and HBB were thinking that the Hades would be a goldmine for bassheads (see what I did there?). Anyways, it’s an interesting inclusion that could have arguably been put into better accessories. But hey, it’s cool!

BUILD & FIT​

The QKZ x HBB features dual 9mm LCP Diaphragm Dynamic Drivers housed in a resin shell.



The first thing that stood out to me when I first saw pictures of the Hades was the fact that it used a 2-Pin connector rather than a QDC. This is a first for QKZ as all their past releases have all used QDC connectors which I am not very fond of. So them opting for a 2-pin option is a breath of fresh air.

I will say though that my initial connection was not the smoothest. It didn’t have ridges that the pins could fall into so I had to align it perfectly before pushing, otherwise, I’d break the pins (or the IEM itself).

Another thing that stood out was its general aesthetics. It had this nice, purple color in photos and I thought it’d look absolutely stunning IRL. And while I do still think it's pretty (partially because it’s purple), I think it doesn’t look as good as in the photos. The gold-colored internals don’t really compliment the specific shade of purple. The inner shell is nicely shaded a dark brown with HBBs logo on the side.

As for fit, I was genuinely surprised with how well this fits. 2 9mm DDs usually means massive boi like it was for the Zeros, but the Hades keeps it large enough to be snug in my ears. The ear tips also paired really well with the Hades, although using a wider bored tip helped it sonically.

Seal is absolutely fantastic. I use this for commuting and it was able to filter out the big, loud sounds while completely blocking voices. This has largely to do with the tuning being so bass-heavy that it blocks out the low-frequency noises really well, but the fit is just so snug and seal so good that it aided in making this a really good monitoring/noise canceling set.

Long-term fit can get a little bit painful, but it’s honestly a good trade-off for the fit and seal.

SOUND​

Sound Signature:​

Hardbass. That’s honestly the best way I can explain the signature of the Hades as this completely breaks one’s perception on basshead IEMs. Traditionally, it’s a very big V-Shape with emphasis on the bass and upper mids while dipping the mids and upper treble. Expect a VERY colored sound from this.

Source Pairing & Drivability:​

WIth an impedance of 16ohms and sensitivity of 95db, you’d expect this to be a crazy hard to drive set. But in reality, it’s just slightly harder to drive than your usual IEM and it’ll depend on how loud this would get on your preference in the bass. I personally don’t like too much bass in my IEMs, so I listened to these on lower volume levels at the start. But remembering my experience with the Legato, I knew I needed to crank these bad boys up to 11 and it was MUCH better for it. So if you can, get as much volume as you can with these. As for sources, these sound good out of basically anything you plug it on, but these will scale with better sources.

Ideal Listening Levels:​

9:30 on Topping DX1

Bass​

As one might expect, the bass on the Hades is ridiculously big. This is not for the faint of heart as the bass is so big and woofy that it WILL overpower everything else in the mix. And if you’re a basshead, this is an absolute dream. That also means that this is the furthest thing from a neutral bass presentation. If you’re not a basshead, you’d probably find the Hades muddy, bloated, and sloppy which is by design and a limitation of the price. You’re a long way from the Scarlet Minis of the world, so I think it’s okay to really lean into the big dumb bass aspect of the sound. But just know this is pure, dirty bass and it doesn’t try to be anything else

Since it’s HBB we’re talking about, obviously, I had to listen to the stuff he listens to. Particularly, Big Boy’s Kill Jill and Pact Like Sardines In a Crushd Tin Box and, as expected, they sound absolutely amazing on these. Kill Jill in particular was quite the headshaker as it was absurdly bassy that it felt like my entire body was shaking. Pact Like Sardines wasn’t as good as it muddied up the midrange and it was not pleasing to listen to, but still reached deep down in the bass to make your head go woof. There are just so many songs that I loved listening to with the Hades, so instead of explaining, here’s a list of every single track I absolutely bopped to the Hades:

1. Zombie - Qveen Herby
2. Earfquake - Tyler the Creator
3. Off the Grid - Ye
4. SZA - The Weekend
5. TALK!TALK - ena mori
6. Sierra Leone - Frank Ocean

And many more… It’s just so fun to listen to.

However, one thing I noticed about basshead IEMs is that you REALLY need a lot of volume to make them sing. I mentioned earlier that I started my Hades journey on lower listening volumes and I was quite disappointed as the bass didn’t feel like it reached deep enough. But a rule of thumb when listening to basshead IEMs (that don’t have a sharp treble to contrast) is to really crank the volume as high as your ears can handle. That’s where bass-head sets really shine in my experience

Mids​

I think it should be given that for a set with this much bass, the mids would not be the focus of the sound. To briefly describe it, the mids of the Hades are colored due to the amount of warmth in the low end and the vocals sound very mushy, muddy, and distant. The upper mids fair slightly better, but it’s there mostly to contrast the bass so as to not sunken the mids too much. This is no mid-centric set and timbre-heads won’t enjoy this at all, but I’d argue that it really isn’t the focus and that’s the trade-off to having a ridiculous amount of bass.

That is, with a few exceptions. Older rock/pop songs often have brighter-leaning mixes that perfectly complement the Hades’ absurdly overemphasized bass. The song that plays really well to this is the song “Heartaches by The Number” by Guy Mitchell. If you have the Hades, I encourage you to listen to this song with it and compare it with a “normally” tuned IEM. Earth. Wind & Fire’s September and Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams are also two songs that play really well to Hades’ bass due to their dry and bright mixing. This makes the midrange sound more bodied and fuller when it usually sounds dry and lifeless.

Treble​

One of the things that I’ve grown to realize in basshead sets, especially with my realization about the volume, is that the treble should never be overemphasized. One of my biggest turn-offs in “bassy” sets is when the treble is overemphasized and ends up sounding harsh over long listening sessions. The Hades, thankfully, mitigates that and keeps the treble present without overstaying its welcome.

Don’t get me wrong, you’re not getting a lot of detail out of this. With that much bass, the treble is just there to make sure the IEM doesn’t sound broken. On brighter mixed songs like the previously mentioned song Heartaches By The Number, the treble is present and sounds quite pleasing due to how overemphasized it is compared to the bass. But in most songs with a more balanced mix, you’re getting basic detail and extension without extra spice or sparkle.

Technicalities:​

If you’re expecting technicalities on a basshead set, then you’re kidding yourself. These throw so much bass at you that separation and layering, imaging, and stage are all basically thrown out the window. Well, maybe a little bit of stage depth is still maintained due to how emphasized the low end on these are, but beyond that it’s not a very technical set. This is a tradeoff for basshead sets, even in the top end. And I don’t mean “bassy” sets like the Z1R. I mean basshead sets like the Fatfreq series of basshead IEMs. Those IEMs, while considerably more technical sounding than the Hades, aren’t known for their technical ability with maybe the exception of the Maestro SE (but at $2000 it honestly has to be).

REAL WORLD USAGE​

Casual Use:​

For desk use, I wouldn’t really recommend the Hades due to how much bass it has for most content that you consume. It’s hard to understand dialogue and some videos with how much bass this thing has. However, where the Hades shines is when commuting out and you’re surrounded with a lot of loud noises. The bass somewhat masks that noise and acts as a sort of noise canceller, at least on the lower frequency sounds. This makes the Hades sound a little bit more balanced and its impeccable seal and fitting make it a genuinely solid commuter set

Gaming Use:​

I was expecting worse in regards to the Hades’ gaming performance, but the combination of that bass and the upper mids make it somewhat usable in more immersive games that include big action set pieces and make the overall experience quite fun. Competitive gaming isn’t as good, however, due to the bass essentially making any busy moment unintelligible.

COMPARISONS​

KBEar KW1​

Two seemingly contrasting sets with a LOT in common. KW1 features a wooden shell and a bullet style form while the Hades is your traditional in-ear with a splash of purple. However, both sets are absolutely bass monsters. Where they differ is how they balance that bass into the mix.

The KW1 takes a more linear approach with a nice, steep slow and gentle drop to the upper mids and treble. This makes the overall sound more cohesive and more lush, making it a more focused basshead set. The Hades on the other hand balances the ridiculous amount of bass with extra upper midrange focus to somewhat give a more open staging. However, I also found that the timbre of the KW1 just sounds a tad bit more natural due to the gentle glide down compared to the Hades’ mountain range. But still, those 2DDs do a lot of heavy lifting in providing a richer, deeper and thicker bass compared to the KW1. But honestly, for half the price of the Hades, the KW1 is not a bad set if you’re looking for a proper budget basshead set. And if you have the KW1 already, the Hades would be a pretty good upgrade with its detachable cable and deeper bass presentation

VS QKZ x HBB​

Compared to the OG collab, the QKZ x HBB has a more balanced overall sound that honestly fits HBBs profile better. It’s not as fun or as engaging, but it’s a considerably more balanced and more well-rounded kind of sound. For most people, you’re still better off getting the OG collab. However, the Hades does feature 2 pin instead of QDC and the faceplate doesn’t look like a 13 year old kid designed it. It also had considerably more accessories compared to the QKZ x HBB which makes it a better accessorized set.

VS 7hz Legato​

The set that begun my journey on finding the real meaning of 2DDs, the Legato does some things better while also doing some things worse. First, let me point out that both these sets are volume scalers. The KW1 was also a volume scaler, but the Legato in particular REALLY wants you to crank up the volume to get the most out of those 2DDs. On equal footing, the bass of the Legato sounded deeper, richer and more nuanced than the Hades.

However, the Legato features a rather odd peak somewhere in the mid to upper treble that makes it a double edged sword to crank the volume up. There’s a big chance you’d come across a little bit of harshness or sibilance in this region which I found to be quite problematic, considering how good of a basshead set this is. The Hades, while not having as nuanced of a bass presentation and generally sounding more woofy is able to be cranked to a much higher volume than the Legato.

VS Truthear x Crinacle Zero​

If you’re wondering why I chose the OG over the Red, that’s because the OG Zero has much more in common with the Hades than the Red does. Zero was a textbook Harman bass boost set that tucks down at 200. But I’ll be honest, the similarities between the two ends in their configuration and their shape because the bass of the Hades is quite considerably more compared to the Zero. The Zero does the bass boost in a cleaner, more “audiophile” way where it provides a deep and rich bass without coloring the midrange (which comes at the cost of sounding a little thin).

The Hades is pure bass no strings attached. You’re not getting clean mids good detail or general balance. You’re getting bass. And if you don’t like that and just want a bass boost without coloration, you’re better off with other sets just like the Zero

VS Kiwi Ears Quartet​

Another 2DD set, but this time add 2 BAs! Just like the Zero, the Quartet tries to find that balance of bass boost and unintrusive mids. The difference is that the Quartet has a more lush, smoother low end that is more akin to the Hades in lower volumes. The Quartet, however, has a nasty peak in the mid to upper treble that makes it nearly impossible to throw that much volume into it. The Hades is still a more focused basshead set, the the Quartet has a better balance and worse coherency throughout.

CONCLUSION​

As a treblehead, I was expecting to absolutely hate the Hades. It’s a dummy bass set and my ears will yearn for detail. But I was pleasantly surprised. Throwing this into my usual playlist, I didn’t enjoy it much. But listening to my guilty pleasure songs with heaps of bass or older tracks with no bass, these perform surprisingly well.

But let’s be real, this is a niche set. This isn’t your all-rounder balanced set that’ll fit all genres. As HBB puts, this is a HipHop set. Does it sound clean? No. Is there any semblance of balance in the tuning? Absolutely not. But is it an absolutely fun to listen to, turn your brain off and just let it rumble kind of set? Indeed it is. Just maybe next time, take that coin and slot it for some better accessories, yeah?

Thank you for readiing my review on the QKZ x HBB Hades. Big thanks to Linsoul for sending the Hades in exchange for my honest thoughts. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://www.linsoul.com/products/qkz-x-hbb-hades
If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

Yanyin Canon II Review: It Takes II To Tango​

Watch full review here: ​

$379 (PHP 21,000.00)

PROS:​

• Beautiful shell
• Very snug fit and seal
• Very comfortable
• Thick, rich, and nuanced bass with great texture
• Organic sounding mids with good note weight and definition
• Well-extended treble with good microdetail
• Technicalities punch above its price

CONS:​

• Lackluster inclusions
• Not the widest/most immersive stage
• Occasional roughness in the treble
• Tuning switches has minimal changes

WHO THIS SET IS FOR​

• People who want a thick, rich and nuanced bass
• People who want a neutral bass boost set
• People who want a snug fitting and good sealing set
• People who want a technically competent, warm sounding set

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR​

• Hardcore timbreheads
• People who want a smooth, natural sounding treble
• People don’t like tuning switches
• People who want more accessories

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• HipHop
• R&B
• Pop
• Funk

SHORT REVIEW:​

The Yanyin Canon II completely redefined my idea of what I liked in IEMs. It provides such a rich, deep and nuanced bass while keeping a harmonious balance on the midrange and treble. Never has a set captivated me this much, and it truly is a feat considering its $379 asking price. It’s not perfect, as the treble might come across a little gritty and a lack of accessories. But all is well considering how good this thing sounds as a whole. RECOMMENDED!

FULL REVIEW​

Every once in a while, you get to try something that makes you rethink your preferences. As a treblehead, I tout myself for enjoying clean, crisp, and transparent sound that’ll bring out all the detail in the music that I listen to.

But what happens when a seemingly unassuming set arrives at my doorstep and shatters my perception of what I think I like? And what makes it so damn good, despite its completely opposite approach to what I like? Let’s talk about the $379 Yanyin Canon II.

DISCLAIMER: The Yanyin Canon II was sent to me in exchange for my honest thoughts. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

PREPARE THE CANON, TOO!​

Prior to the Canon II, I was not familiar with Yanyin. I was aware that they made the original Canon (as it would be weird to call the first product in a lineup with a 2) as well as HBBs collaboration with them named the Mahina. Both were rather boutique sets but very well-received by the community.

In fairness, they are quite a new brand in the grand scale of Chi-Fi. But that doesn’t mean they’re inexperienced. They consist of enthusiast audiophiles with the goal of delivering top-tier audio performance without breaking the bank. In this review, you’ll see why Yanyin is a brand you might want to start paying attention to in the upcoming years as they’ve begun to show their potential with the Canon II.

Unboxing and Inclusions​

The Canon II admittedly does not come exactly in the prettiest box. It’s a very simple black box with very difficult-to-understand text so you’ll have to make the effort of reading the text.



But opening the box, you’re met with a rather pretty postcard of the Canon 2 that covers the goodies.



Here’s a full list of the inclusions:
(4x) Eartips SML
(1x) Pleather Pouch
(1x) 3.5mm Cable
(2x) Yanyin Canon II IEMs
(1x) Tuning Switch

The Canon II is definitely not going to be winning any awards in regards to its inclusions, but they are welcome nonetheless. The eartips aren’t the best earips to pair with the Canon II, but they are functional enough to be used in a pinch or when you have literally nothing else.



The carrying pouch on the other hand is quite nice. It feels very premium with its faux leather finish, velvet internals and big enough webbing to fit the case of eartips and maybe a small DAC. It’s nothing too special, but it’s once again very welcome.



I can’t help but feel like more inclusions would’ve definitely made the Canon II a more desirable set to get for the price of $379. You have companies giving high-quality modular cables, premium ear tips and cases for under $100, so the only reason I can assume that Yanyin was not able to was that they put all their focus into providing a pair of fundamentally good in-ears

BUILD & FIT​

Before we talk about the beauty that is the Canon II on the outside, let’s talk about its internals; The Yanyin Canon II features a hybrid driver configuration of 1DD and 4BAs. However, that 1DD is special as it’s not your usual DLC LCP, or Beryllium diaphragm. This uses bio. diaphragm. In simple terms, this basically means it’s paper, but many sets in the past have featured this bio-diaphragm and all of them feature a rich, deep, and thick bass. Think the Sony MDR R10 with its textured bass. That should give you an idea of what the Canon II might be.



But moving to externals, the Canon 2 is your usual resin-made IEM with a very beautiful looking green and black colorway that honestly makes it look like a starry space filled with green-colored celestial bodies.



As the trend goes for many ChiFi sets today, the Canon 2 features 2 dip switches. I’ll talk more in-depth about what they do, but having only 2 was definitely a breath of fresh air for me as I don’t have to fiddle around with different configurations that might just end up having little to no changes whatsoever.



But probably the best thing about the Canon II’s exterior is its fit. This thing fits so snugly in my ears that I ended up using this for commutes more than I wanted to. It was such a stable fit in my ear and didn’t induce any air pressure build-up meaning this was arguably the best-fitting IEM I’ve tried since the AFUL Performer IEMs. Seriously, this was an absolute treat to wear from the moment I put it in all the way to the 8th hour of my listening session.

SOUND​

NOTE: As the Yanyin Canon II features tuning switches, I will be describing the sound on the stock configuration which is the all-up (II). I’ll be comparing the other modes in its own section

Sound Signature​

The Yanin Canon II features a warm neutral sound signature with extra low-end emphasis, somewhat warm and rich mids, and a neutral mid to top end. There’s a very slight sharpness in the upper frequencies that might come across as a little unnatural sounding, but it was kept to a minimum thanks to the emphasis on the low-end

Drivability and Source Pairing​

Despite the 27/40ohm and 112db sensitivity rating of the Canon II, I HIGHLY recommend pairing this with a cleaner and more powerful source. I found that on cheaper sources, the bass can often sound mushy and smoothened out, but even something like the old ZIshan U1 with the AK4493 chip made the Canon II sing like it has never done before. Also, using a better source will allow the Canon II to sound pretty good on low listening sessions which was an absolutely treat for me.

Bass​

I’m not kidding when I say this, this is probably the best bass I’ve heard in any set under $1000 that I’ve personally heard. There may be some voodoo magic happening here but the bass of the Canon II is just so rich, thick, and texture while keeping it clean enough to not intrude on the midrange. It’s almost crazy how a 300hz tuck would sound this good, considering I usually prefer a more linear bass presentation. But the Canon II showed it had a lot of tricks up its sleeve just from the bass alone.

I especially loved listening to Bruno Mars’ songs on the Canon II. Chunky has never sounded more chunky than on the Canon II. The bass guitar from the first verse exuded such texture and nuance that I have not heard in an IEM anywhere else. It walked the fine line between being boomy and being tight and I LOVE IT. No set has ever sounded just dirty enough to make it sound heaps fun while hiding a tie and a suit under its party clothes.

Another track is Get On the Floor by Michael Jackson. This is a track I love to listen to when testing the bass quality and quantity balance of sets. And boy, this is by far the best set to do it out of all sets I’ve spent a considerable amount of time on. Each slap and pluck is so nuanced and textured that you might even think this was tuned specifically to make this track sound good.

Mids​

When you have that much focus on the bass, you’d expect the midrange to be somewhat sacrificed. Not on the Canon II. At least, if you’re not into thin and lean-sounding vocals. The overall midrange presentation of the Canon II exudes richness and nuance in both vocals and instruments. I would say that lower mids have a slightly more defined emphasis compared to the upper mids, but the upper mids are just as nuanced and rich sounding as the lower mids without pushing itself to be the star of the show.

Going back to Bruno Mars, That’s What I like sounded absolutely amazing on the Canon II. Bruno’s Vocals along with the accompanying instrumentation had near perfect harmony. I also want to note the bass on this track on the Canon II is absolutely fantastic, but we’re done fawning over that. The mids are so well balanced on Bruno Mars’ vocals and just goes to show how you can get a pretty meaty low end without sacrificing midrange clarity and nuance.

However, I should note that this is not the most open-sounding midrange. Due to the warmth and somewhat tamer upper midrange presentation, it ends up putting a lot of instruments in front of you more than around you which is a respectable trade-off for having such a rich presentation. But this does mean you’re not getting a very immersive or out-of-your-head listening experience with this Canon II.

Treble​

This is arguably the Canon II’s Achilles heel as despite providing a respectable amount of treble emphasis and extension, it suffers from something many hybrids struggle with which is finding that balance of sparkly and tight treble with good microdetails and a smooth treble to compliment the low end. Due to the somewhat looser nature of the Canon II’s bass, the treble tries its best to slow down. But the treble still pushes ahead very slightly when it comes to the attack of electric guitars and the following reverb sounds slightly disjointed. It’s not that big of a problem, especially if you’re in it for the bass. But it’s something you should take note of when purchasing this and expecting perfect timbre.

Tambalan by UDD is a great example of how good the treble of the Canon II can be, but also where it might fall short. This song has very well-defined percussive hits that complement the rich and nuanced bass. While sounding quite crisp and detailed in most instances, the chorus really brings out the somewhat incoherent nature of the Canon II that puts the percussive over the bass. Again, not necessarily a deal-breaker per se but timbre heads beware.

Technicalities​

Now this genuinely surprised me. Warm/bassy IEMs usually compromise technicalities for musicality. But not Canon II.

Despite its warmth, it stays resolving with good separation, layering, and imaging capabilities. I’ll talk more about the imaging capabilities in the gaming section, but damn these are surprisingly capable. You could tell they really refined the drivers on the Canon II due to how musical-leaning its tuning is for how well instruments are separated and layered. And don’t get me started on dynamics.

That Bio-film diaphragm may just be magic because for the amount of bass this has, it never sounded muddy and every note just sounded too snappy and well-defined while having a thickness that usually comes across just as muddy.

But like I said previously, this isn’t the most out-of-your-head listing experience which is to be expected for IEMs. But the Canon II in particular doesn’t try to do that with its tuning either as it’s more linear and pushes detail more than inducing a more expansive head-stage.

VARIANTS​

Up Down (10) - Balances the bassier and fun nature of the 11 configurations with the tightness and sub bass focus of the 00 configuration

Down Down (00) - Pushes the midbass down and makes this a more vocal-oriented set. I thought I’d like this configuration more, but it emphasized the roughness in the treble which I didn’t like as much.

Down Up (01) - Very similar to the 10 configuration but slightly louder.

REAL WORLD USAGE​

Casual Use​

While desktop use was great and I had a lot of fun watching YouTube videos and movies, commutes were where the Canon 2 really stood out. Its very snug-fitting shell, great seal, and warmer-leaning sound signature guarantee that for from the start of your commute til the end, you’ll have an amazing time. And for the days I had these, these absolutely amazing and blocked off a lot of fundamental noise while slightly blocking out the smaller noises like low engine rumbles, high-pitched sounds and the like. I was able to enjoy both music and visual media on the Canon II and it was just an amazing experience that I didn’t expect an almost $400 would be able to do, considering many sets here are more music-focused than anything.

Gaming Use​

Gaming is another segment that the Canon II excels in due to its tuning. I found that many games NEED extra low-end emphasis to bring out smaller, low-frequency sounds like footsteps and ruffling that might not be present in leaner sets. This means that games like Valorant and Escape from Tarkov were an absolute treat on the Canon II. However, the trade-off with the stage makes it barely out of my top reccs for gaming IEMs. Especially for the price, I still think you can get cheaper sets catered to gaming better than the Canon II. But if you’re going on double duty with music and games, the Canon II won’t disappoint.

COMPARISONS​

Before I talk about comparisons, I just want to say that this price range is a wild west right now. Not a lot of competent sets here, so I might end up comparing the Canon II to stuff either more expensive or cheaper than the Canon II. Just a heads up!

VS AFUL Performer 8​

Probably the closest comparison I can think of against the Canon II, the Performer 8 has a more linear sound presentation with extra treble spice compared to the Canon II. Where I was genuinely surprised was with how both sets achieved a very impressive bass presentation while doing it differently.

The Performer 8 is tight, it’s clean but it goes very deep and has a very distinct low-end kick that gives a lot of life to the music you listen to while keeping the mids sounding neutral thanks to its somewhat eargain-cut tuning.

The Canon II on the other hand boosts that bass to a borderline boomy level, but just under it to provide a very fun but still well-done presentation.

And funnily enough, both sets suffer from top-end sharpness and edginess that might contrast the slower low end. The incoherency isn’t as bad on the Performer 8, but it pushes the treble a little too much to the point of it sounding borderline sibilant. This is a problem that the Performer 5 had but to a lesser degree.

But in the end, I’d personally choose the Canon II as it balances out the overall sound better than the Performer 8 despite the Performer 8 sound just a tad bit more “neutral” and cleaner than the Canon II

VS Simgot EA2000​

A complete contrast to the warm neutral tuning of the Canon II, the EA2000 is bold, bright and brash. It throws a lot of treble energy onto you with enough bass to taste. I would say both sets are complimentary and it’ll end up depending on your preferences, but the EA2000 exhibits a level of coherency despite the insanely overly emphasized treble with an equally as snappy low end with a lot of texture, tightness and cleanliness.

The EA2000 has a cleaner bass presentation with a more nuanced texture and detail (probably thanks to the PR) but is fundamentally borked by the upper mids and treble being overly emphasized compared to the Canon II’s generally more balanced sound.

Both sets are great, but timbre heads or treble sensitive would probably be better off with Canon II

VS Softears Studio 4​

Another contrasting set in configuration and tuning, the Studio 4 has one of the most neutral tuning I’ve heard in any IEM. Seriously, tuning-wise the Studio 4 is probably the best IEM that I’ve tried and that’s insane.

But that just means that it doesn’t have the same kick and fun that the Canon II has. While the Studio 4 aims for neutrality and proper monitoring prowess, the Canon II is what you’d use to enjoy your mix by adding a little bit more low-end and top-end spice.

Surprisingly, both sets have similar technical abilities. The Studio 4 dampens a lot of the sharper transients while the Canon II’s low end balances out the emphasis in the top end.

Very complimentary sets and two that you should consider if you wanted a formal and party in-ear duo.

VS Letshuoer S15​

From hybrid to planar, the S15 features a warmer, more natural-sounding tuning compared to the Canon II. This also means that the S15 ends up being a more chill listening experience compared to the Canon II’s fun and energetic sound.

Where the two fundamentally differ is how coherent the overall sound it. Despite being a planar set, the S15 captures this perfect balance of speed and musicality that no other planars have achieved before. This means that it isn’t as sparkly as other planars do, but it puts it ahead in terms of tightness and resolving ability compared to the Canon II.

Where the Canon II leaps ahead, however, is just how much more enjoyable the Canon II is when listening to more energetic genres. The S15 follows a very similar philosophy to the Studio 4, but takes a warmer, more midcentric approach that makes it a considerably more linear-sounding IEM compared to the Canon II.

Once again, another complimentary set and two that ride the fine line of too fun and too boring.

CONCLUSIONS:​

In my impressions video, I called the Canon II one of the best to do bass under $500, maybe even $1000. And I stand by that. The Canon II’s bass is the perfect blend of musicality and tightness that no other IEM has achieved under $1000 that I’ve tried.

And the fact that it does that while keeping the mids and treble generally well balanced and compliments the bass is an insane feat, even if the $379 for a 1DD + 4BA might seem a little steep. It’s worth every single penny in my opinion.

But it’s not perfect. No IEM is, but the Canon II still suffers from hybrid issues with the treble just being a tad bit faster than the decay of the bass. This is common for a lot of hybrids, even at higher price ranges, so in a way I understand the limitation of this form. But that just goes to show that even the best has its downfall. And the Canon II is the closest I can get to the perfect definition of fun.

Thank you so much for reading my review of the Yanyin Canon II. Big thanks to Joseph Yeung and Yanyin Technology for sending over the Canon II for review. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://www.linsoul.com/products/yanyin-canon-ii

If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

PRICE: $79​

PROS:​

• Very small and ergonomic
• Well-built
• Lightweight
• Dedicated volume rockers
• Good quality Type-C Cable
• Gain Switch
• LED indicators
• Sufficient power for in-ears
• Minimal power draw
• Minimal heat generation
• Clean, neutral sound with good extension
• Solid pairing with brighter leaning IEMs
• Comes included with a type c to type a adaptor

CONS:​

• No up or down indicator on volume knobs
• No instructions for the gain and LED on manual
• LED is inconveniently placed
• Not the most technical sounding source
• Bad pairing with smoother IEMs
• Not enough power for hard to drive headphones

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People looking for a small, lightweight but powerful DAC
• People looking for a DAC with dedicated volume rockers
• People looking for a DAC with a gain switch
• People looking for a smooth but neutral sounding DAC
• People who want a DAC for brighter-leaning IEMs

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR​

• People who want the most powerful DAC for the price
• People who want a technical sounding DAC
• People who want a more feature-rich DAC
• People who want a DAC to emphasize details and technicalities
• People who want a convenient visualization of the LED

SHORT REVIEW:​

The DEW4X marks as a solid CS DAC that does everything you need and nothing you don’t. It’s very compact, well-built and has enough power to drive basically any IEM. It’s also perfect for those who are looking for a neutral-sounding source that smoothens the top end. It’s not the most technical nor the most transient sounding source, but this makes it an even more perfect pair for Simgot’s IEMs. RECOMMENDED!

FULL REVIEW:​

A hallmark for a great brand means diversifying product offerings to capture a larger market. In audio, this means that besides their transducer-based products like IEMs and headphones, a brand would also like to offer other products like sources, cables and other products.

Simgot, a brand many of you know for their earphones, has also dipped their toes in sources prior. Their DEW series is their source lineup that has not really taken the hearts like their IEMs have. But this only means that the fruit is ripe for picking if they so choose to compete in the source market. So, let’s talk about their latest entry to their DEW series, the DEW4X

DISCLAIMER: This product was sent over by Simgot in exchange for my honest impressions. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

THE SOURCE THAT CAN DEW IT ALL!​

Priced at $79, the DEW4X plays it safe by offering the ever-so-popular CS43198 found in many of the dongles coming out recently. This means that it REALLY has to stand out with specific features in order to be competitive in today’s increasingly saturated source market. So what does the DEW4X offer?

SPECS:​

DAC Chip: CS43189 x 2
Input/s: USB Type-C
Output: 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm Balanced
Output Load:10ohms - 600ohms
SNR: 3.5mm (125db @ 32ohms) / 4.4mm (130db @ 32ohms)\
Distortion: 3.5mm (0.0005%@32ohms) / 4.4mm (0.0003%@32ohms)
Output Power: (RL = 32ohms, THD: N+<1%) 70mw x 2 3.5mm / 150mw x 2 4.4mm Balanced)
Frequency Range: 20hz - 40khz

UNBOXING:​

The DEW4X comes in a small, shiny box with a rather distinct looking X in front. Some of you may be reminded of a recently renamed social media site that you may or may not be happy with. Nonetheless, it’s quite an interesting comparison.

Opening the box, you’re met with the DAC in its foam throne along with the rest of the accessories.

Here is a full list of the accessories:

• (1x) Simgot DEW4X
• (1x) Type C to Type C Cable
• (1x) Type A to Type C adaptor
• Paperwork

I never really expected dongle DACs to come with more than what you need, so I really don’t have much to comment on with the inclusions. The included cable, however, I’d like to talk about as it feels quite nice and sturdy. The adapter is also a nice but certainly required addition.

BUILD QUALITY AND INTERFACE:​

There’s not a lot of information about the material of the DEW4X, but all I can say is that this thing feels surprisingly premium for how small and inexpensive it is. It has a full aluminum material with what seems to be a matte black finish,



It is absolutely tiny with dimensions of 41.7 x 24.2 x 12.0mm. This ensures that this will fit in even your small IEM pouch, although it is on the thicker side so be wary of that when shoving it with your IEMs.



A similar X that we found on the front of the box is seen on the top of the DEW4X. You can find the 4.4mm and 3.5mm jacks up front with the buttons on the left when the logo is top-facing and the jack in front. Below, you can find a rather odd print of the name of the DAC along with the decoding parameters and the tried and tested HiFi certification. Truly a HiFi product! And at the very back, we can find the Type-C input.



There’s also a VERY tiny hole near the type-c connector, but this is largely unusable and inconvenient.



My very small nitpick about the interface of the DEW4X is that the buttons have no indicator to know which lowers the volume or which increases it. This means awkward fiddling in the dark or even in light. It would’ve been nice if they had embossed it to have a tactile feel of which is + and which is -. Otherwise, I love the form factor of the DEW4X! It’s so small and pocketable which allows it to be very easy to transport and use as your daily source.

USAGE:​

To somewhat centralize my review of this DAC, I’d like to introduce a couple of new parameters when reviewing sources. These include compatibility, features, sound,heat dissipation and battery drain. Sound will encompass the power output as well as the sound presentation. Let’s get started!

Ease of Use​

At first glance, the DEW4X may seem like a very simple device that you just plug and play. However, if you have 0 knowledge about other DACs that feature the same chip as the DEW4X, you might completely miss the LED indicator and the volume rockers that also act as the gain switch.

The only things mentioned in the manual were the UAC setting as well as basic setup which are most likely the first thing someone would do upon getting the DAC. This had the effect of me not knowing there was a gain switch and how many volume steps there are until the last few days of my write-up.

If a complete newbie sets up the DEW4X without knowing about the LED and especially the gain control, they’d probably be using only half the power of the DAC and not knowing if they’re decoding the right files or not.

COMPATIBILITY:​

I personally had no issues with compatibility with the DEW4X. All devices tested worked, including my Huawei phone which is often finicky with certain DACs. Here’s a full list of the devices I tested the DEW4X on:

• Huawei Nova 7 SE
• HiBy R3 II
• HiBy R6 III
• HiBy M300
• My PC

Features:​

Below you can find the full feature-set of the DEW4X

• Dual CS43198 Chips
• UAC 1.0
• PCM 384kHz/32 Bit
• DSD 256

A rather basic set of features, but nothing that I’m not grateful for. There’s really no need for extra gimmicks if you can just put out good sound!

It does feature dedicated volume rockers and an LED indicator that can only be seen through the jack or the very small hole near the type-c connector. The LED indicator can indicate the type of file being played (although it is not stated in the manual) if you’ve reached the highest/lowest volume and whether you’re in low or high gain. None of the LED functionality and even the gain modes are mentioned in the manual but are found on the website at the very bottom of the fine print.

Heat Dissipation​

After 30 minutes of continuous play, I’m happy to state that the heat generated from the DAC is very minimal and is just naturally warm. I have no worries when touching the DAC after long listening sessions.

Battery Drain​

After 30 minutes of continuous play, I went from 100% to 96%. This means 4% per 30 minutes on average which is quite impressive. I was expecting around at least 6-8% already ticked down, especially with the power output of the DEW4X.

SOUND​

Power Output:​

The DEW4X features a total of 31 ticks on its dedicated volume rocker. As for drivability, this was capable of driving easy IEMs with no hitches or issues as the volume goes low enough while being able to drive lower sensitivity IEMs like the KZ PR3 with a comfortable listening level of 23 ticks out of 29 on 3.5mm mode while going 18 ticks on the Letshuoer S15 on 4.4mm. This is quite impressive, especially considering the 98db of sensitivity from the PR3 that’ll surely get most sources chugging for power.

NOISE​

I did not experience any audible noise when paired with sensitive IEMs like the Letshuoer D13. All BA sets like the HiBy Yvain also proved no problem when it comes to potential noise when using more sensitive transducers.

Sound Presentation:​

The DEW4X has a generally neutral presentation with a slight emphasis on both the low end and high end without pushing the vocals too much. It gives the midrange a nice, open but articulate transparent presentation that doesn’t color the sound of the IEM much. It emphasizes extending and boosting both ends while smoothening potential peaks. This however comes at the cost of transient ability and a few dynamics, making these perfect for fast or bright-sounding sets that might come across as a little too snappy or edgy sounding. It doesn’t overly smoothen transients, but it’s distinct enough to notice when using it on sets like the KZ PR3 or their own Simgot EA500LM

As for its technical ability, it doesn’t provide an overly analytical sonic presentation so separation and layering aren’t mind-blowingly exceptional. It is, however, very clean with how it separates instruments as there’s no added grit, grain, or roughness in instruments that some less refined sources showcase.

Pairings:​

I’ve already stated the PR3 and EA500LM as the solid pairings with the DEW4X which should give you the idea that this is a source that would be nicely paired with brighter leaning transducers. It smoothens the top enough gracefully without making it sound dull or dark as it keeps the fundamental nuances. The boost in the low end also makes the bass region sound more alive and rich, but doesn’t meddle the midbass all that much so it stays clean.



Where this isn’t as nice to pair with is darker, already smooth transducers. Something like the Tripowin Kailua or the Letshuoer S15 prefers a slightly brighter source due to their lush and smooth sonic presentation. The S15 fairs a little better thanks to its planar nature, but I personally preferred a brighter leaning source for that still.



When using full-sized headphones like the Philipps SHP9500, it stretches all the way to 29 on some tracks and 26 on most on low gain and peaking at 25 on most tracks in high gain. It’s not necessarily lacking in terms of volume, but the headroom might be a little uncomfy fort some people.

COMPARISONS:​

Vs Hidizs XO ($99)​

The XO is a rather peculiar DAC featuring dual ES9219C chips, RGB and different filter mods all with the change of a button. I personally prefer the form factor of the XO due to its slimmer, albeit larger design. Flatness and long is often more pocketable than small and stubby.

As for features, the XO is ahead in some regards and behind in others. For example, RGB and digital filters. Do you need them? No. But are they cool? Absolutely. The DEW4X takes a more conservative but more functional approach with dedicated volume rockers. The XO also features MQA, but that is a dying/dead tech that the DEW4X would rather not have anything to do with.

As for other features, XO boasts more like independent crystal oscillators which the DEW4X doesn’t explicitly state.

As for sound, the XO features a brighter, more transparent sound with more defined transients and dynamics compared to the DEW4X’s smoother but well-balanced sound. I’d say that if you wanted something that brought details out better, the XO would be a better choice. However, sets with a brighter leaning tuning would prefer the DEW4X’s smoother sound.

CONCLUSION​

I’ll admit, the DEW4X exceeded my expectations as a dongle DAC. Despite being so small, it packs a lot of power and sounds very clean while at it. There was little to no noise and the sound quality is quite smooth but still well-extended. It’s not the most technical-sounding source, but I don’t think that it tries to be. It’s a comfortable, smooth, and versatile DAC for most if not all of your IEMs.

It’s definitely not for those who are looking for something to power their full-sized headphones, however, as even on the SHP9500 it starts to lack a bit of headroom. The inconvenient position of the LED and the lack of instructions about it is also quite odd as I really feel like they could’ve implemented the LED better.

Nonetheless, it’s a powerful enough DAC with a smooth enough sound to make it a great entry into Simgot’s source game this 2024.

Thank you for checking out my full review of the Simgot DEW4X. Big thanks Simgot for sending over the unit in exchange for my honest thoughts. If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below: https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-dew4x

If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: ​

SIMGOT EA500LM Review: Make It Fun, Make It Different!​

PRICE: $89​

PROS:​

• Premium Build
• Comfortable Fit
• Tuning Nozzles for moddability
• Fun, bright sound signature
• Solid bass depth
• Energetic vocals
• Sparkly, well-extended treble
• Superb separation and layering
• Very resolving for the price

CONS:​

• Scratch prone shell
• Inclusions might be lacking compared to the competition
• Not the most stable fit
• Not an “upgrade” from the EA500’s sound
• Midbass might be too lean for some
• Might come across too bright and shouty

WHO THIS SET IT FOR:​

• People who are looking to upgrade from the EW200
• People who like the U-Shaped bright Simgot sound
• People who want an insanely resolving and technically capable set
• Trebleheads
• People who want a very energetic and nuanced upper midrange

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR:​

• Treble sensitives
• People looking for an upgrade for the EA500
• People who want a thick, weighty midrange
• People who want a set they can just throw around without running the aesthetics
• People who don’t want gimmicky tuning options

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• Vocal-pop
• Jazz
• Instrumental

SHORT REVIEW:​

The EA500LM marks a strong start for Simgot thanks to its superb technical ability that surpasses its predecessors and honestly many in its price range. It’s not quite the EA500 upgrade that people, including me, have been hoping for. Instead, this progresses the bright and fun sound that Simgot has cemented in the past few months and I’m all for it! Just remember, Simgot ain’t for treble sensitives. RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS!

FULL REVIEW:​

2023 was undoubtedly Simgot’s year. From budget bangers to lower midrange hits, they had it in the bag by creating some of the stand-out sets of the year. But the new year means they have to keep that energy if they want to stay competitive in this ever-shifting market. So what do they have in store?

Well, a lot. If you’ve seen the leaks of Simgot’s 2024 release, you know they won’t be sitting pretty this year. From sources to TOTLs, they’ve got it all planned. Today, we’ll be talking about their update to arguably their most famous and the set that got people talking about Simgot. Let’s talk about the Simgot EA500LM!

DISCLAIMER: This product was sent over by Simgot in exchange for my honest impressions. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

THE YEAR OF THE SIMGOT​

2023 should be synonymous with Simgot absolutely dominating the market. EW200, EM6L, EA1000 and EA500 all blew up and put Simgot in a spot they’ve never been before. And it’s all thanks to the EA500’s entry early in 2023 that got people talking. It was a fantastic set, one of my favorites even a year after it’s been out. So when I saw the teasers for the upcoming Simgot sets and saw the EA500LM, you bet I jumped from my seat in excitement.

But that could only mean that the EA500LM has an extremely high bar to surpass. So now the question I am to answer is whether its existence is justified, especially being priced $10 more than the OG. Does it deserve to exist? What does it offer that the OG doesn’t? And does it live up to the EA500 name? Let’s find out!

UNBOXING​

Part fantastic and part disappointing. The Simgot EA500LM comes in arguably one of, if not, the most beautiful box that I’ve seen an IEM live in. Such intricate, space-themed designs with a chromatic, pearlescent finish that looks more like an art piece that you’d find in a gallery than from a box of a pair of earphones.


The rest is large the same in terms of Simgot affairs. Graphs at the back, clean sides. Nothing special besides that beautiful front.



The unboxing experience itself is also very Simgot with the same slide to the left mechanic, IEM sitting up top on their foam throne and the accessories found below and below the IEM. Don’t forget the Blaise Pascal quote! Always motivational, dear sir.

Here’s a full list of the inclusions:

• 1x SIMGOT EA500 LM IEM
• 1x Detachable Cable
• 3 Pairs Interchangable Nozzles
• 3x Pair of Silicon Eartips

Now I have to talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, this is $89 worth of earphones and it only comes with a single SML set, their basic (but good) pleather case and that’s it? One part justified due to their advancement in the sound department, one part disappointed because so many companies nowadays strive for the full package and Simgot’s out here giving the bare minimum.



But again, don’t get me wrong, the accessories are adequate. The tips are 07 style, a little bit more narrow than the KBEar/NiceHCK variants but probably for the better. The pleather case can literally fit the DEW4X inside along with its cable, so you literally have the full package with that case. And that’s it. That’s all that came.



Overall, they could’ve provided more stuff. A cleaning tool to wipe your greasy fingerprints, foam tips for treble sensitives, and maybe even more varied silicone tips for those who want a bassier or more treble-centric sound. Nonetheless, it’s better than having none.

BUILD & FIT​

Simgot touts, no, flexes their new tech in the EA500LM so much that it’s literally in the name. But what exactly did they do differently with the Simgot EA500LM? Let’s first talk about that LM at the end.

IEM:​

The EA500LM features their latest, high-end second-generation Lithium-Magnesium Dome Diaphragm along with their second-generation Dual-Magnetic & Dual-Cavity Dynamic Driver. Simgot doesn’t shy away from hyper-long names for their tech, but sometimes it’s purely justified like in the case of the EA1000. Anyways, let’s talk about that Lithium-Magnesium



Reading up Simgot’s official promotional material for the EA500LM, they describe the LM as a dome diaphragm [that], “combines a flexible suspension system, offering both lightness and stiffness.”. They flex that this is lighter than pure beryllium but mimics its acoustic properties. In non-marketing terms, it means that it might sound like what a beryllium driver would. And whether that matters to you or not, doesn’t matter. Because they are so proud of their lithium-magnesium dome diaphragm that it’s literally in the name.



But moving unto its externals, the EA500LM is more familiar with the IEM itself being an almost perfect replica of the EA500 in shape. It’s the same rounded, smooth-edged, and flowing design that it genuinely some of the prettiest I’ve seen.

This time however, it features a darker color with a gun metal coloration with the LM logo featured on the left ear. They are REALLY proud of that LM, I wonder if it would mean anything for the sound?


Build quality is also exactly the same. It’s your full metal, sturdy and high quality build with tuning nozzles. This time around, it comes with 3 nozzles, 1 gold nozzle-red ring pre-applied and the other two akin to the red ring and black ring of the EA500. Very premium feeling, can’t deny that. But I really wish they’d opted for a matte option coming into the second coming of the EA500. You can’t deny that its achilles heel is its scratch and fingerprint prone-quality.


As for fit, again, it shares a similar story with the EA500 which means it’s good if you find good tips. I found that the stock tips were fine, but I always opt for Final E tips when running Simgot IEMs in terms of fit and sound. It’s just better that way. I didn’t experience any pressure build up inside or outside the ear and stability was so-so, but good enough for walking about. Seal was also just about alright, nothing that’ll make you cut out the world but enough to block the essentials.

Cable:

As for the cable, they took the EM6L cable, changed it from QDC to 2-pin and called it a day. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good cable and the colorway fits darker IEMs. But it’s your usual, somewhat thin 2-strand cable with the main difference being the interface made out of metal instead of plastic compared to the EM6L. It’s a functional cable, nothing fancy but does everything right. It’s not the cable you’d flex your EA500LM with, that’s saved for something that enhances the looks better. And that’s just not the stock cable.

Overall, it’s a very familiar experience with the only difference being the slightly different coloration and aesthetics of both the cables. It’s good, but don’t expect top-tier inclusions. That’s not why you buy Simgot IEMs, after all.

SOUND:​

And speaking of why you’d buy a Simgot IEM, let’s talk about the sound of the EA500LM. As the EA500LM features 3 different tuning nozzles, I’ll talk about the stock gold nozzle red ring first and compare it to the other nozzles later on.

Sound Signature:​

A shift from the OG, the EA500LM features a U-shaped sound signature with emphasis on the treble. Bass is present and rumbles when it calls for, but has a distinct lack of midbass energy compared to its predecessor. The mids are clean, open, and free from unnecessary coloration but might end up sounding thinner on certain mixes due to the upper midrange emphasis. Treble is still the highlight and is very sparkly, airy, and crisp.

Timbre is on the thinner and brighter side but is still impeccably natural sounding for a bright-leaning IEM.

Drivability:​

The EA500LM is expectedly quite easy to drive with its 21ohm impedance and sensitivity of 123-125db based on the nozzle. This means that using this out of a smartphone can get loud enough to enjoy. However, it greatly decreases the potential of the EA500LM as it scales VERY well with sources. Less clean sources might overemphasize the upper mids to treble region and decrease the dynamics drastically, so at least a dongle DAC is recommended

LISTENING LEVELS​

35-40/100 on HiBy R3 II

Bass​

This is either the biggest improvement or biggest downgrade on the EA500LM, depending on what your preferences on bass are. The bass of the EA500LM is well extended, deep reaching but clean without bloat or bleed It’s the Simgot way of doing bass, and many love that kind of bass. The sub-bass emphasis gives enough fun while the tamer mid to upper bass is present without overly emphasizing this region.

Think of tracks like Send It by D’Angelo. That bassline accompanying the entire sound is present with good note definition without intruding on the silky vocals or instruments in the mix. It’s placed generously without sounding overly boosted.

However, what I loved about the EA500 was the thick and meaty midbass which the EA500LM lacks. Using the same track, the distinct thicker texture of the bass guitar just isn’t as rich and nuanced as I’d like. Don’t get me wrong, the texture is fantastic, especially for what it emphasizes. But it’s just not quite as weighty as I prefer it to be.

But again, this has the effect of making sure the midrange sounds clean and open to which, let’s talk about it!

Mids​

The mids of Simgot IEMs have always been this somewhat debated topic whether the more open but thinner presentation is for the better or worse. The overall midrange presentation is undoubtedly on the thinner side on the EA500LM, but it still gives vocals a decent sense of note weight and presence which means that the mids aren’t overly recessed. However, lower mids are on the more distant level that might come across just a little bit recessed on certain mixes.

YeYe’s はみ出て!, on top of being an amazing track to test the bass on and I really should’ve used this as an example as well, has a rather well-bodied midrange that pairs really well with the EA500LM. I absolutely adored the thicker mix that allowed the EA500LM to really excel on this track. YeYe’s vocals are especially nice on the EA500LM as it adds a much-needed sparkle and crispness that the mix doesn’t usually provide.

But on a track like Dreams by Fleetwood Mac, the EA500LM starts to rear its fangs a little bit as the mids can sound a little stale, leaving the vocals sounding a little bit thin and over-emphasizing the upper midrange instruments. It just means that the EA500LM brings open a more energetic and nuanced upper midrange at the cost of lower midrange weight and nuance.

The upper mids are generous, at least to say. They bring out upper-frequency instruments nicely like on Fleetwood’s Dreams and the attack-decay is almost perfect. It’s snappy but lingers on long enough to sound natural compared to hybrid sets. It can definitely be a little shouty depending on your tolerance to shout, but I didn’t find it shouty despite the contrast in the lower mids. However, it was definitely getting there and pushing the volume just a tad bit can start getting a little hot.

Treble:​

The highlight of the EA series of IEM, the EA500LM keeps up the energy and keeps the treble real sparkly and bright. Microdetails are superb, especially when it comes to the intricate details in percussive instruments or higher frequency strings and air instruments. Undoubtedly one of the best treble presentations under $100, but a risky one at that. This is a set that’s not for treble-sensitives, but let’s be real Simgot really isn’t a brand for treble-sensitives from the get-go. It’s very sparkly with really good airiness and crispness on every note, but the lower mids not having enough emphasis may puts the treble a little too far up for comfort in certain mixes.

I LOVED the treble of the EA500LM. Absolutely. Listening to a track like Game of Love by Daft Punk and hearing those percussive instruments as well as the small details in the guitar was an absolute treat that you don’t usually find in sets around this price. The amount of treble energy is just perfect for the entire album, honestly.

But like I said, thinner/dry mixes might push this to uncomfortable levels. Fantasy by Earth, Wind & Fire comes to mind as the treble emphasis on that track is almost ludicrous that the LM breaches harshness territory. However, this is more of a fringe case for those who listen to bright-leaning mixes because even in that same track, the treble is so clean and well-controlled that the harshness only comes in when I push the volumes to uncomfortable levels to compensate for the bass. Otherwise, the instruments in this track sound wonderful on the EA500LM

Technicalities:​

And this is where the EA lineup continues the trend of insanely technical sets on a budget. The LM’s technical ability is even better than the OG due to the cleaner midrange and smoother treble. This allows for separation and layering to be more crisp, especially in the treble and the head stage to be more expansive due to the mids being tuned to be more open. Imaging is probably the least fantastic thing about its technical ability, but most IEMs don’t do imaging that well anyway. It’s adequately good but plays to complement the superb separation and layering.

Let’s talk about dynamics real quick as, despite being clearly an improvement from the EA500’s slower driver, the EA500LM also feels like a slight downgrade as the midbass emphasis also gets taken away. It’s not overly smoothened, on the contrary even. But the emphasis to note weight was just lessened so midbass sounds less dynamic and rich sounding and more tight and snappy. This, however, translates better to the treble as the response is snappier and more controlled. Okay, I know I’m comparing it already to the EA500 but this was really the best way I could describe the dynamics of the LM. It’s very snappy but natural but I really would like a little bit more richness and contrast.

COMPARED TO OTHER TUNING NOZZLES:​

VS Red Ring, Silver Nozzle​

The Red ring, silver nozzle is based on the Harman 2019 target which tilts the balance slightly to be a little warmer and closer to how the OG EA500 sounded, but not quite as bodied or weighty as the EA500 on its own red ring. I’ll be real however when I say that the difference between the Red Rings is very small and is more of a small tweak to the tilt ever so slightly. Like seriously, it’s almost a QC difference between the two.

Vs Black Ring, Silver Nozzle​

This is where the difference is most evident as the upper mids are emphasized considerably more and the bass even tigther. Treble and shout sensitives, close you ears as these take the already bright EA500LM and make them even brighter sounding. These also make the upper mids a little bit more congested and takes a slight hit in separation and layering ability. I really enjoyed how these sound in this nozzle, however, as this turns the EA500LM into a fully-fledged balls-to-the-wall bright set. I still prefer the tamer, warmer sound of the Gold Nozzle but these are definitely a close second as these shift the sound to be a certified bright boi.

REAL WORLD USAGE​

Casual Use:​

Despite being all metal, the EA500LM is an insanely comfortable IEM to wear for casual use. From browsing to binging, the EA500LM served me well in terms of comfort. It was also stable enough to move about and the seal was adequate enough to block out sounds without making me completely deaf to my surroundings, which is always a win in my book. The thing I’m more concerned about that left me not wanting to use this more is the finish. I usually use IEMs that would be fine when scratched due to their finish and the LM just scares me every time I use it. The cable also scares me a little bit as my EA500’s ear hooks have gone yellow after a year and I just know that that’ll do the same. But nonetheless, it’s a fantastic experience in terms of sound production and comfort that I’ve come to expect from Simgot IEMs.

Gaming Use:​

Now gaming was a slightly different story. The OG EA500 was fantastic for gaming due to the midbass emphasis bringing out lower midrange sounds like footsteps and ruffles while the upper mids to treble brought out the tiny details nicely. The LM shifts the balance more to a more song-first, game-later style due to the sub bass emphasis and smoother upper mids. I found that shoutier IEMs fare better on FPS games like Valorant, to which the EA500LM tames it down and cleans up the mix. I didn’t like it for Valorant nearly as much as the OG due to the lack of midbass, but it did it well enough not to sound overly thin thanks to the clean treble presentation. I never found skins like Prime or Cryostasis to sound piercing which is nice.

COMPARISONS​

Vs Simgot EA500​

Let’s stop beating around the bush here and finally compare it to the EA500. Many of you may know I shill the EA500 completely due to it being basically the reincarnation of the Heart Mirror. Linear, midbass centric slightly warm but bright sound that gives me so much joy every time I listen to it.

The LM, in contrast, is “better” for those who found the EA500LM lacking subbass and being too bright. Well, the latter might be debatable depending on how you found the mids and treble of the LM. But regardless, I cannot deny that the EA500LM is a technically better IEM compared to the EA500.

However, I also can’t shake the feeling that the EA500LM feels more like an upgraded EW200 rather than EA500 pt.2.

To give a short explanation of what separates the EW series from EA, the EW is more u-shaped, fun-sounding series while EA falls closer to a bright-neutral kind of sound catered to trebleheads.

Its DNA feels closer to the EW series of IEMs that the EA, and I honestly think it would’ve probably fit the EW moniker than the EA. At the same time, I also found vocals to sound more natural on the EA500 than the EA500LM, a similar quality to the EW200 where the mids had the tendency to sound a little bit pulled back.

The midbass punch and texture are sorely lacking compared to the OG EA500 and even the EA1000 while the mids are closer to the EW200 in presentation. The treble is still definitely EA, but it does things more like an EW.

Anyway, I’m rambling at this point. The LM is made for those who want a better extended EA500 but not those who want an improvement from the EA500 sound. A side grade, maybe. But it’s fundamentally a different flavor from the OG

Vs Simgot EW200​

A more fitting comparison, the EW200 is a step down from the EA500LM in my opinion. EA500LM has better bass dynamics, cleaner mids, and especially cleaner treble. Technicalities are also overall better than the EW200, so it’s almost the perfect upgrade for those who loved the EW200. There’s really not much to say besides the fact that I genuinely think that the EA500LM is worth twice the price of the EW200 if you’re looking for a proper upgrade while keeping a similar sound to the EW200.

Vs Simgot EM6L​

One of the most highly requested comparisons, the EM6L seems to occupy a very similar sound to the EA500LM. However, their presentation is quite different from each other. The EM6L is a smoother overall sound with a softer bass presentation and a generally smoother upper mids to treble presentation.

Essentially, the EM6L is a tamer version of the usual Simgot house sound that even the likes of the EA500LM occupy. However, the EA500LM has a more technical and dynamic presentation that makes music sound more alive and nuanced compared to the EM6L. So the choice now ends up between wanting a more dynamic and more sparkly kind of sound or a smoother, more balanced sound.

Vs Muse HiFi The East 6​

While it might seem unfair at first, the East 6 is essentially the polar opposite to the EA500LM in every way. The midbass focused, upper midrange forward and treble tame East 6 contrasts the brighter, more extended EA500LM. However, the EA500LM essentially highlights the East 6’s biggest flaw of sounding nearly half the price of the EA500LM. Details are sorely smoothened out on the East 6 compared to the EA500LM, the sound is faster and snappier but still keeps a very organic sound.

The East 6 essentially lives to be the treble-sensitives option for Simgot IEMs. Those who like that vocal-centric, rich, and well-balanced sound without the crazy treble. But if you’re looking for the more technical set, the EA500LM is better nearly 10-fold.

Vs Simgot EA1000​

And finally, let’s compare it to its bigger sibling. The EA1000 was being compared to the EA500LM which I thought was funny as the EA500LM was nearly 3 times cheaper than the EA1000. But the burning question now is whether the EA1000 3 times better than the EA500LM. To which I say, probably not. But the EA1000 also follows the EA DNA better than the EA500LM, so again it would be a different kind of sound that you’d expect from both sets. The bass is meatier, and more textured but tighter than the EA500LM and is just more technically capable on the EA1000 overall.

CONCLUSIONS:​

I asked early in this review the question of whether the existence of the EA500LM is justified. To which, I say yes with a whole heart. The EA500LM marks as another solid release from Simgot that continues to push the boundaries of how good sound can get for the budget. Them flexing the LM is definitely not just a marketing ploy as there is a clear technical improvement from the EA500.

However, I also noted that the DNA of the EA500LM falls closer to the EW200. Fundamentally, the EA500LM follows a more fun, bright centric u-shaped sound that makes music sound more engaging but also less neutral compared to its predecessor The EA500 was closer to a more neutral tune to my ears compared to the EA500LM due to the subbass and treble emphasis of the latter. And this isn’t a bad thing, don’t get me wrong. The trajectory of Simgot IEMs in the past few releases has been moving away from the neutral bright sets like the EW100P and EA500 and moving to a more fun, engaging, and energetic U-shaped like the EW200 and EM6L. And I understand that this is honestly for the better. The demographic for neutral bright is admittedly much smaller than those who prefer a more fun sound. But as someone who loved the EA500 for following a more neutral, somewhat DF tuning, it does hurt my heart to see the beloved EA500LM follow a more generally likable tuning.

The EA500LM is a fundamentally good IEM with solid technical chops and a bright-leaning sound that trebleheads like me would love. Is it perfect? No. Inclusions could be better and I honestly wish that they offered different color/finish options. The midbass also feels a little bit lacking and puts lower mids a little bit on the thinner side, but I know people enjoy the more open-sounding midrange as a cause of that. But it shows that Simgot isn’t slowing down this 2024 with its awesome releases!

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE:

Thank you for checking out my full review of the Simgot EA500LM Big thanks Simgot for sending this over in exchange for my honest thoughts. If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below: https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-ea500-lm

If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

CCA Rhapsody Review: THE NEW HYBRID BENCHMARK?

Price: $50​

PROS:​

• Refined-sounding hybrid for CCA
• Fun, engaging sound that makes music sound alive
• Tuning switches
• Very good seal
• Good tonal balance
• Deep reaching, rumbly bass
• Clean mids with decent note weight

CONS:​

• Might be too large for smaller ears
• Not the most technical set
• Not for trebleheads/detail heads
• Slight incoherency on the bass
• Barebones inclusions
• Not the most dynamic bass presentation

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• Harman-lovers
• People looking to upgrade from the Castor Bass
• Bassheads
• People looking for a fun, engaging set
• People with larger than average ears
• People with high tolerance to air pressure build up

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• Trebleheads/detailheads
• Timbreheads
• People with small ears
• People with low tolerance for air pressure build up
• People who want an abundance of inclusions

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• HipHop
• Rock
• Pop

SHORT REVIEW:​

The Rhapsody is potentially the new standard for CCA hybrids coming into 2024 with its big, hefty bass, clean mids, and tame treble that makes this a solid all-rounder set for anyone looking for a fun listening experience. It isn’t the most technical or coherent sounding set with a slower, less dynamic-sounding bass and a larger-than-average fit that might be uncomfortable for some. Regardless, you cannot deny that the CCA has made a solid hybrid! RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS.

FULL REVIEW:​

CCA has always been an interesting case in the KZ family. Is it their premium division? Is it their hybrid division? What is the purpose of CCA’s existence when KZ exists in a similar market? Well, the more I looked at the sets that come out from CCA, the more evident it is that they seem to pioneer the tech and concepts that KZ will eventually adopt.

Think CCA CXS, an IEM that first featured the weird open shell design that ended with the creation of the KZ ZVX. Or the CCA CRA’s tuning philosophy that ended up as the KZ EDA Balanced. Now I have no 100% proof of this claim, but it really seems that way when you look into their products and the subsequent KZs coming afterwards

Today, we’ll talk about one such IEM due to just how well executed the overall package is. Let’s talk about the CCA Rhapsody!

DISCLAIMER: This product was sent over by CCA in exchange for my honest impressions. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be of my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

A CLEARLY CONCEPT AUDIO BRAND​

CCA is well known for being KZ’s sister brand and also featuring some of the most well-received sets in the past like the C10, CRA, and today’s set, the Rhapsody. While it might not be as clear as to what exactly separates CCA and KZ’s philosophy, you may speculate as to the reasons. Regardless, it’s hard to deny that CCA has released critically acclaimed sets.

What is clear, however, is that the Rhapsody seems to spice up the market with it’s 2DD + 4BA set-up (with proper tubing between the drivers this time) and a price tag of just shy of $50. So, how well can it capture the market?

UNBOXING:​

The unboxing of the CCA Rhapsody is surprisingly slightly varied from the usual KZ-style products. Instead of the usual whitebox with the illustration of the IEM up front, the Rhapsody comes in a pure black box that has the specifications and illustration printed on the side and CCA up front. That’s how you know this is a unique (or on the contrary, possibly) set.

The inclusions are as follows:

• 1 pair of KZ Rhapsody
• 1 3.5mm Cable
• 3 sets of eartips
• Paperwork

The eartips are your usual KZ Starline that may or may not work, but it does improve seal and boosts the bass at the cost of stage. Unfortunately, no foam tips here which might have actually helped a little bit with the fit which I’ll talk more about later.

BUILD & FIT​

The CCA Rhapsody features 2 Dynamic Drivers and 4 Balanced Armatures in a resin shell and metal faceplate with an interface of 0.75mm QDC. Like many KZ sets, the Rhapsody features 4 tuning switches per side with a potential of 16 different tuning modes with 5 advertised by CCA themselves.



The build itself is your standard CCA/KZ set with a pretty durable feeling resin shell and metallic faceplate. It feels sturdy, but nothing too special or fancy in how it feels. I’ll be honest, I don’t like the faceplate design that much. I do not like the Rhapsody font and the somewhat folded design looks a little odd when paired with that massive vent. Obviously, it’s a taste thing but regardless, I’m not a big fan



Speaking of big, this is, by far, the chunkiest KZ I’ve ever worn. Seriously, the fit was so snug and tight in my ear I almost thought I was wearing some $300 hybrid that also hurt my ears due to the number of drivers jammed into it requiring a larger shell. As expected, people will smaller ears will absolutely abhor the Rhapsody. This thing is so massive that this was my first KZ in a while that actually caused problems for long-term comfort.



However, I do want to address the seal as this is probably the part of the Rhapsody that separates it from the rest of the hybrid lineups. The seal on this is insanely good. But at the cost of air pressure build up. And if you’ve been following my reviewers for a while, you know IEMs that have air pressure build up are essentially unusable to me. Thankfully, the Rhapsody isn’t the most air-sucking IEM that I’ve tried and tiprolling to the tried and tested Tangzu Sancai actually helped this to not have as crazy of air pressure build up.



As expected, stability is solid on the Rhapsody due to its size and shape. I had 0 problems wearing this for long periods and it falling out due to my ears starting to sweat up. It’s a very snug and stable fit that, again, comes at the cost of discomfort as it adds a lot of pressure unto my antihelix.



Overall, it’s a decently built, larger than average CCA set with a VERY snug fit, seal and isolation at the cost of long term comfort and air pressure build up. It can be remedied quite well through tip-rolling and the stability is one of the best I’ve tried in any CCA sets. I’m not a fan of the aesthetics, but that’s just me.

SOUND​

NOTE: As the Rhapsody features 4 tuning switches per side, I’ll be talking about the tuning configuration that it came stock in and compare the other configurations later.

Sound Signature​

The Rhapsody features a rather steep U-Shaped sound signature with subbass emphasis, recessed lower mids, forward upper mids and elevated but smooth treble. As a KZ hybrid, the coherency in this set is actually insane. While the bass might still lag a little bit behind the mids and treble, there’s barely any metallic timbre and the higher frequencies don’t sound much faster than the lower frequencies.

Drivability:​

With an impedance of 15-20ohms and sensitivity of 102db, the Rhapsody is quite easy to drive with a smartphone. Its tuning also makes it sound quite good, even through a smartphone. Your experience with the Rhapsody will be improved when using at least a dongle DAC, but I’d say it’s not necessary at all. I will say that pairing this with a more dynamic sounding DAC would improve its low end nuances better and bringing out the details better too.

Bass:​

On my first impressions, I said that the Rhapsody sounded alive. And this was the reason for that finding. The bass on the Rhapsody is big, boomy and ready to party. It has a subbass over midbass emphasis, but it’s elevated to the point where the subbass and midbass starts to balance out into a perfect storm. It is massive, it is booming and certainly for bassheads. However, I will say that texturing and bass nuances.

Right away, I HAD to listen to Childish Gambino’s Me and Your Mama at the 1:37 mark and feel that rumble and boy, was I not disappointed. The depth and rumble of this is out of the charts and absolutely addicting. However, texturing as mentioned was lacking on a track like Send It by D’Angelo.

Mids:​

What’s not so undeniably fun is its midrange. I will preface this however by saying that the Rhapsody’s lower midrange presentation is quite better than other midbass tucked sets in the market. There’s still a decent amount of body and note weight, but still lacks for my tastes and can sound quite recessed in busier mixes. Female vocals fair better, however, as the cleaner and open lower mids leave the upper frequencies with a rather crisp and nuanced vocal presentation.

Instruments are expectedly on the thinner side, particularly in the lower frequencies. There’s almost this clear divide when the bass ends and the lower mids start as instruments lose their hefitness quite quick. It’s note entirely cold sounding, however, as the balance between the lower mids and upper mids are quite well done and smooth in the mix.

Get Lucky by Daft Funk sounds very fun and energetic, but Pharell’s vocals as well as some of the backing pianos often lacks emphasis in the mix due to the deep, elevated bass presentation. Still, this was a very fun track to listen to on the Rhapsody despite that. The low end emphasis made the music sound so alive and engaging. Orchestral tracks, however, don’t fair as well. Something like Tohpati’s True Love. Despite not really having much low end, the guitar reverberations loses some nuances in the acoustic guitars.

Treble:​

The treble of the Rhapsody is generous and forgiving. There’s no unneeded overemphasis on the treble but still keeps a decent amount of clarity and energy to give life to higher frequency notes. I didn’t find any harshness or sibilance whatsoever and I’d even go to say that this would be a pretty good IEM for those who are sensitive to treble. There are instances of it getting a little hot, particularly on more poorly mixed tracks and when cranking the volume too high. But as a whole, it’s quite inoffensive. However, it does lack a little bit of that sparkle for my own personal tastes. You probably already know how much I love my spicy treble and for better or worse, the Rhapsody keeps sparkle at a normal level.

Can’t Hide Love by Earth, Wind and Fire is a very good track to showcase the smoother treble presentation of the Rhapsody. From the intro to the end, the cymbals in this track never got grating or sibilant and offered a really nice amount of clarity, although admittedly has its finer details masked in the rather bombastic bass presentation that I found to perfectly suit this older track. Older tracks seem to be tuned with less bass in mind, so a bigger bass set like the Rhapsody was able to nicely present both the low end and the top end.

Technicalities:​

This is where the Rhapsody takes a chill-pill and takes the energy a notch down. It takes a more musical than technical approach with the stage offering pretty good depth, decent separation and layering and pretty good imaging.

Stage is more catered to providing a rather immersive experience than something more expansive, but the depth is quite well done and music feels extra full.

Separation is less than stellar, but it’s still able to present instruments in a rather clean and smooth manner without much congestion until more complex tracks. The bass definitely attributes to the less capable separation ability.

Imaging is quite good, and I’ll talk more about in the gaming section. But for music, I absolutely loved how this was able to present instruments in a rather expansive level. Left and right as well as front and back was quite impressive, although nothing that is too mindblowing. I can pinpoint instruments quite accurately, but once agains struggles on more complex tracks.

REAL WORLD USAGE:​

Casual Use:​

On one end, I think the Rhapsody is pretty good for casual browsing and consumign content. The tuning is very engaging and fun when watching movies, shows and the tuning allows for most content to never get grating or hard to hear thanks to its easy drivability and balanced tuning. However, fit is certainly a big issue on longer sessions as it seriously gets painful. It’s been a while since an IEM has done that to me, but it’s honestly expected due to its 6 driver per side configuration

Gaming Use:​

Gaming is fantastic on these. The subbass over midbass emphasis allows low end sounds to pass through without sounding muddy or congested and the balance with the upper mids allow higher frequency sounds to shine without harshness. I absolutely loved this for gaming, but unfortunately the fit rears its ugly head once again. I have to take more breaks when gaming with the Rhapsody than the usual IEM which is not a good thing when I wanna keep immersive, but at least reminds me to take breaks every once in a while.

DIFFERENT TUNING MODES:​

Let’s do a quick comparison between the different tuning modes that are advertised by CCA


0000 - The “Basic” graph as CCA stated, but oddly was not the basic graph for me as it came in all up mode. This is essentially boosts the bass up which breaches into the midbass and can occasionally sound a little bit on the bloated side.


1000 - The Bass +1 mode, which boosts the bass even more. This is makes the bass even more boomy, but oddly not as much on the rumble end. Rumble still seems quite similar but the midbass sounds a little bit more overcooked



1100 - The Bass +2 mode, even more bass! But this time, with extra rumble. This is the basshead setting and I did not linger on this mode for too long for the sake of my eardrums. It sounds very fun though



0010 - The Mid & High + 1 mode, which tames the sub bass but boosts the midbass without really changing the upper mids or treble that much. It shifts the balance to be less boomy and slightly clear



0011 - The Mid & High +2 mode, which is my favorite tuning as it’s the least bassy. Subbass does take a significant hit and it becomes considerably cleaner but less engaging. Still, I loved this setting the most because it’s the least bassy mode.

COMPARISONS​

Vs KZ Castor Bass Enhanced​

The reason why this is my first comparison is because the Rhapsody is essentially the upgraded version of the Castor Bass in every single way, minus maybe the build as they’re very similar in that regard.

The bass is tighter and cleaner on the Rhapsody, lower mids aren’t as sunken or thin, upper mids aren’t as shouty and the treble is better extended and more resolving. Even the fit is better, although more on the stability side as the Castor is still more comfortable than the Rhapsody due to its smaller shape.

Vs Simgot EW200​

The EW200 has a better overall timbre and technical ability than the Rhapsody, but the Rhapsody brings in a considerably bigger and more engaging overall sound. It’s less natural sounding than the EW200, but also less fatiguing than the brighter and potentially hotter upper mids to treble of the EW200. Technicalities are ahead on the EW200 by quite a margin which surprised me as the EW200 is cheaper, but it does feature a very high quality driver.

Vs Truthear x Crinacle Zero: RED​

Against it’s fellow 2DD (but not hybrid) brethren, the two have a similar transient response, that being on the smoother side with focus on a smoother and more lush listening experience. However, timbre and coherency is better on the red as unlike the Rhapsody which is a little bit slower on the bass and a tad bit faster on the treble, the Red just sounds slow and sloppy althroughout which gives it a lush and analogue sound. The Rhapsody is also considerably more fun and engaging sounding than the Red, even with the included impedance adaptor. Technicalities are slightly ahead on the Castor, but the overall presentation is smoother on the Red.

Vs Truthear Hexa​

The Hexa falls under a similar light to the Red with it focused more on providing a smoother, more coherent and more natural sound presentation compared to the Rhapsody. However, unlike the red, the Hexa is more technical sounding than the Rhapsody. The Rhapsody is still more fun than the Hexa, however.

CONCLUSION​

If it was not yet clear, I genuinely think that the Rhapsody is a fantastic IEM. Hell, I’d even say that the Rhapsody is one of if not the best-sounding hybrid that KZ has ever made. The balance of booming, lush bass and smooth upper midrange gives it a well-rounded sound.

While I do find some gripes with the bass tuck, bass lacking nuance and being just a tad bit slower than the rest of the frequency, its sparkle somewhat lacking for my tastes, and it generally not-so-stellar technical ability it is almost hard not to recommend this to most people who want a fun, engaging and well-tuned set.

Thank you for checking out my full review of the CCA Big thanks to CCA for sending this over for my honest impressions. If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below: https://www.kztws.com/products/cca-rhapsody

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: CCA Rhapsody Review Video


If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

TRN Conch Review: THE VALUE KING!​

PRICE: $35​

PROS:​

• Insanely packed inclusions
• TRN-T tips included
• Very premium build quality for the price
• Modular cable included
• Balanced, well-rounded sound
• Tuning nozzles that actually change the sound

CONS:​

• Unrefined overall sound
• Somewhat lack luster dynamics and texturing
• Occasional sibilance on brighter tracks
• Average technicalities for the price
• Fingerprint magnet shell

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People who want a full package IEM set
• People who want a well built and premium feeling IEM
• People who want a well-rounded sounding IEM
• People who want a modular stock cable

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• Treble sensitive people
• People who are scared to scratch their IEMs
• People who want a technical-focused set
• People who want a refined sounding set

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• Pop
• Jazz
• Classical
• Acoustic

SHORT REVIEW:​

TRN presents their best value set to date featuring a plethora of accessories like a modular cable, TRN-T tips and a very premium build to name a few. It’s absolutely insane how they were able to pull this off for just $35. Alas, some sacrifices were made, particularly in the audio front. It’s neither the most technical nor the best tuned, but it is decent enough to make this an absolutely solid set to recommend to beginners. RECOMMENDED!

FULL REVIEW​

Chifi has reached that level of saturation in the budget segment that you can almost never go wrong picking anything that has come out in the past year. With this, competition is extremely tight and you start to wonder how companies can top what seems to be the golden age of Chi-Fi. If your set sounds just as good as another, how can you make yourself unique? Well, one brand has come out with probably the riskiest but most indulgent solution yet. Join me as I review TRN’s latest budget release that is potentially the best value set you can get today, the TRN Conch.

DISCLAIMER: The TRN Conch was lent to me by a friend to review. I will ensure to share my 100% honest opinions on the product itself. My thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

TRN MY FRIEND​

Now, many of you are probably familiar with TRN as the brand that came up with one of the most revolutionary ultra budget set, the TRN MT1. At least I did when I started this dreaded audio journey. Since then, I’ve been quite familiar with their in-ear monitors ranging from their budget successor to the MT1, the MT1 Max and their more “expensive” releases like the TRN Xuanwu. Least to say, my opinion on TRN products haven’t always been positive with my complaints mostly due to how “rushed” some of their releases sounded. However, the Conch definitely stands to change my perception at least for this particular release. Without further ado, let’s finally take a good look at the TRN Conch.

UNBOXING:​

The TRN Conch is packed in a simple black box of medium size with the Conch placed bang center with an interesting circular pattern that, I can only assume, represents the Conch shape that the IEM has. The word Conch can also be found up up top as well as some basic descriptions of the IEM below.

Behind the box, you can find a rather empty space only broken up with the contact details found printed at the very bottom.


Sliding the paper sleeve out of the box reveals the plain cardboard house that the IEMs and its abundant accessories reside in. Flipping the magnetic cover on the side reveals the Conch sitting atop a cardboard and foam cutout as well as the metal TRN carrying case, cable and the removable nozzles.

Removing the Conch and the foam holders reveal the eartips inside of their plastic pouches.


Here’s a full list of the accessories:

• 1 pair of TRN Conch
• 1 Metal carrying Case
• 1 Modular Cable
• 3 Interchangeable plugs (2.5, 3.5, 4.4)
• 2 Interchangeable nozzles (with 1 plugged into the IEM)
• 7 Pairs of eartips (3 TRN T of S,M,L, 3 Basic Silicone Tips of S,M,L and 1 pair Foam eartips)

Right off the bat, I think it’s worth mentioning just how absolutely decked the Conch is with its inclusions for $35. You might think that the inclusions with the Conch have to be substandard for its asking price, but you’d be surprised to know that they’re all good quality. Not only do you get a full pack of TRN T tips, you also get a good quality modular cable, good quality earpieces and interchangeable nozzles. That’s on top of including their metal carrying pouch which makes you wonder how TRN is earning anything from including this much in their package.



Alas, the TRN-T tips provide a solid pairing with the Conch and that metal case is spacious enough to actually protect your IEMs unlike most carrying cases in the market today. The balanced silicone eartips were unfortunately not for me as the silicones could not properly seal in my ear and foams genuinely hurt my ears. But that does not take away from the fact that they basically have it all for everyone to see which eartips they preferred.



Overall, I think it’s no surprise that the Conch provides the BEST accessory list in its price range. Nowhere will you find a product this well accessorized without sacrificing much elsewhere. And you’ll see very soon that they really did not sacrifice on other aspects of the IEM just to flex that they have the most and best accessories for the price.

BUILD & FIT​

The TRN Conch struck my eyes during their 12.12 promotion sale as they announced the Conch along with a couple new products like the Orca and MT4 Pro. The Conch was especially interesting due to what seemed to be a full metal build and tuning nozzles. Little did I know, my mind would further be blown upon finding out its SRP of $35.

Talking about its technical specifications first, the Conch features a single 10mm DLC dynamic driver housed in a liquid metal cavity and uses a 0.75 2 pin QDC connector.



It’s a step up from smaller IEMs like the Moondrop SSR with an all metal glossy finish that is both a beauty and a hazard due to how fast this gets riddled with fingerprints and, if you’re careless, scratches. You can also see why this was called the “Conch” as its overall shape is akin to a circular conch shell found in your local seashores.

Moving unto its physical features, you can find some printing atop the Conch’s faceplate contained in the circular protrusion which is shaped around with a fatter piece that leads to the QDC connector.



There are no vents to be found on the sides of the IEM, instead features a golden vent with the L R indicator printed at the very center.



The overall shape of the inner shell is a “universal” shape which means it features no discernable wings that dig into your ear for stability. Instead, it features a rather flat inner shell design which is disturbed by the rather larger nozzle base with extends very slightly from the inner shell before tapering to the nozzle. You can also find a pressure vent on this nozzle base.



The nozzle itself is detachable and is made of what seems to be a lightweight metal, but I could not properly identify as it has a rather brushed finish that makes it seem both plasticky due to its weight but also sturdy due to its finish. It’s a rather standard looking nozzle with an o-ring on the screw side indicating which tuning nozzle you’re using.

Comfort wise, the Conch are expectedly comfortable due to its universal shape that allows it to sit in your ear without pressure in your ear. Long listening sessions also proved to be very comfortable thanks to the thoughtful earhook design and respectably sized nozzle allowing for a stress-free listening experience.



Seal and Occlusion are just about average due to its more lose and comfortable design which leaves some areas lacking proper seal, but not so much to the point of a bass leak. If you experience such, consider tip-rolling as it is still supposed to seal. Due to this, the occlusion effect is minimized and there is no driver flex or ear pressure build up which was superb and made my experience with the Conch all the better.

Stability is average to below average due to the universal design which meant small movements may cause the IEM to move around and potentially pop out. With the proper tips, this is mitigated and I found that the TRN-T tips best complimented the Conch in terms of comfort.



Moving unto the cable, it’s a rather impressive 4-core silver plated and oxygen free copper modular cable that features 2.5mm balanced, 3.5mm single ended and 4.4mm balanced which is an absolute treat for the price. Whatever source you might have, the Conch probably has the plug for you.

The cable itself has a copper and brown finish which is a tried and tested color configuration for not only stock but after market cables. I find them to be quite attractive to look at and fits the Conch’s rather plain and reflective design.



The cable itself is soft and supple. It is neither too heavy nor too lightweight or cheap feeling. Each strand exudes with confidence without compromise. It’s not memory prone which makes it a very behaved cable when being stored in its case, but also when just placing it down on a table. This makes it a treat when doing photography as I am able to manipulate the cable to whatever shape without it moving about. It also does not irritate my sensitive face which is a big plus in my book.

The interface of the cable are also pretty good for what it is. The jack is easily the most impressive aspects due to its rather robust and sturdy modular design that is admittedly on the longer side. The modular aspect is held together through a basic plug without any locking mechanism which is definitely a cause for concern for the long term as there’s a chance that the modularity might come loose and cause for unwanted disconnections. At the very least, the materials used are quite premium which could at least tire some of your woes about its longevity.



The chin cinch and y-split are made from a basic plastic material with the cinch being of a rounded shape with a moderate amount of effectivity at cinching on your chin. It’s not the best that I’ve found, but it’s at the very least sufficient enough to keep it there when sitting still.

The earhook design is sufficient and comfortable. It did not cause for any discomfort over long listening periods and compliments the shape of the IEM.

Overall, the Conch retains its high value with the cable and IEM proving to be of superb quality. The metal shell exudes a premium feel without compromising comfort thanks to its universal design and the modular cable is both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

SOUND​

With the phenomenal presentation that the Conch provided in the previous sections, can it keep up in the sound department?

Before I start talking about the sound, I would like to state that the testing was done on the red ring nozzle as I found this to be the best nozzle out of the bunch

Sound Signature​

The TRN Conch has a U-Shaped sound signature with extra warmth in the low end and sparkle up top. There’s a slight metallic tinge in the upper frequencies with overall vocal timbre being generally organic

Source Pairing and Drivability:​

The Conch are relatively easy to drive despite having 30ohms of impedance.The 114db sensitivity allows the Conch to still sound decent with lowered powered sources, however I highly advice running the Conch through at least a dongle DAC as when used straight from a smartphone, the Conch has the tendency to sound rather dead and stale.

A warmer source like the Zishan U1 is a perfect pairing with the Conch as it adds extra layer of low end energy that the Conch would do better off with.

There’s also minimal audible noise floor which is great for less efficient sources.

Bass​

The Conch’s bass is generally quite smooth with a solid contrast between the midbass and the subbass. It’s not a bass monster by any means, but it’s quite smooth and clean. On well mixed tracks, the bass never sounded muddy or bloated. However, I found that it lacked that extra umph and punch that my library usually enjoys.

Listening to bassier R&B tracks like Show You The Way by Thundercat felt like it lacked the extra punchiness in the kickdrum and bass. It’s not missing, mind you, but it just felt like it was lacking that extra energy to get you moving.

Where the Conch falls flat is, well, the bass definition. The bass texture was audibly lacking heftiness and nuance that I usually look for which could be attributed to a quality of the Conch that I will be talking about in the upcoming chapters. Again, it’s not absent and due to the less aggressive bass tuning, it doesn’t sound muddied up in the mix. However, it was being overshadowed with the rest of the mix which makes bassier instruments sound rather stale.

Overall, the bass region is quite linear in presentation which will leave bassheads wanting for more but those like me who like a leaner bass response punching the air in joy. I just wish it had more texture and punch.

Mids​

This transitions us into the midrange which is, in all fairness, quite impressive with how the instruments are being presented in the mix. There’s no distinct recession as most of the mix sounds quite linear with male vocals providing a similar amount of energy as female vocals. This means that you wouldn’t feel like you’d be missing out on any vocal and instrumental cue.

However, the comments I made about the bass lacking definition still applies here as male vocals have the tendency to be on the leaner side with more emphasis on making vocals sound open rather than bodied. There is still a decent amount of body, but it definitely borders sounding quite dry and lifeless. Notes are still generally well defined, but there’s this odd quality that vocals tend to sound compressed together which i’ll be talking more about in the technicalities section

Fuji Kaze’s Kiri Ga Naikara is a prime example as his vocals is borderline dry sounding with just enough body to give his vocals some weight.

Female vocals fair better as the sparkle in the upper mids is more that sufficient to give life and body to vocals without getting shouty or unnaturally forward. Chakra Khan’s Through The Fire sound wonderful thanks to the combination of Chakra’s warmer vocal color and clean midrange presentation of the Conch.

Instruments generally follow the same pattern with lower frequency instruments often lacking proper note weight with upper midrange instruments being presented quite well. Synths are especially satisfying like in the track Wake Up by SOS.

Overall, the mids are quite linear which leaves you not missing out on much. Both male and vocals are presented very well, albeit male vocals tend to lack a little bit of authority and body and borders sounding too thin. This line, however is perfect for those who want an uncolored vocal presentation.

Treble​

This is the part of the Conch where I feel quite divided as I enjoy a brighter treble tuning more than the average person, but the Conch presented treble in a rather rough and edgy way.

The transition from the upper mids to lower treble is very well done. I did not encounter and harshness or peaks in that region which allows for higher female vocals and air instruments to sound quite satisfying.

Where it starts to get quite troubling, however, is the mid treble to upper treble region. There’s this distinct spike that masks the rest of the treble and douses the overall mix with this rough, grainy treble presentation riddled with sibilance and harshness. This alone almost ruined my listening experience with the Conch and felt like the rest of the mix was underwhelmingly dull sounding due to the overemphasis of this region.

The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, a famously brighter leaning track, has a distinct sharpness to the mix that is especially prominent with the Conch and stabs in your ear, even if The Chain is a well mixed song.

The overall treble region is quite the mixed bag. The lower treble transition was beautiful and presented instruments and higher female vocals with a solid sense of brightness and forwardness. However, that roughness in the mid to upper treble nearly killed the rest of the frequencies due to the grittiness and sibilance.

Technicalities​

The Conch has, surprisingly, a decent level of technical ability. Nothing that punches above its price, but respectable for what it’s worth.

Starting with its dynamic ability, the Conch unfortunately lags behind on this regard. Potentially due to the overemphasized treble, its dynamics are on the flatter side with note contrast being on the softer side.

The resolution is quite decent for its price, but again nothing too spectacular. Notes presented aren’t as well defined which causes certain notes to sound a little flatter and more linear with the rest of the mix.

Headstage is decently expansive, albeit wider than tall. Imaging is not holographic in any way, but it can pan left to right quite well.

Separation and Layering is probably the aspect that really popped out to me upon listening to the Conch as having come from the EW200, I was expecting a very similar presentation to its separation and layering. Unfortunately, there was a more audible congestion in the entire mix that left more complex sounding more clumped up together.

Overall, the Conch offers a respectable technical ability for its price that is neither impressive nor disappointing. Honestly, there’s not much to say about the Conch’s technical ability that others in this price range haven’t done before.

REAL WORLD USAGE:​

The Conch are quite the performer for casual use mainly due to its comfort. It was so comfortable to wear for long periods of time that I find that I’d forget I was wearing it on certain occasions.

However, the tuning might definitely turn some people off as any sibilance from a video will be absolutely emphasized with the Conch. This will force you to lower the volume which, in certain scenarios where you’re watching a film with a huge dynamic range, might be a detriment as you wouldn’t be able to hear the more nuanced sound cues.

I also found the Conch to not be as stellar for gaming due to the same reason as I find myself cranking the volume to hear softer cues like footsteps and gunshots to which that treble peak will definitely not help with my slowly deteriorating ear health.

The less engaging bass presentation might also be lacking for more immersive games, but it does make up for having a rather linear presentation that makes the entire mix quite flat. It, unfortunately suffers from the similar dynamic issue in films.

COMPARISONS:​

Vs Other Tuning Modes​

Finally, let’s compare the different tuning nozzles of the TRN Conch. I will be talking about them in comparison to the Red Nozzle


Starting with the Black nozzle, also called the “reference” nozzle, this is your run of the mill v-shaped tuning with a lot of upper mids emphasis that is borderline shouty and an even thinner bass to lower midrange. This is more akin to a Harman-neutral sound with extra upper midrange emphasis. I actually found the treble to be more bearable in this mode, but sacrifices the rest of the frequencies.



The Blue nozzle is essentially the black nozzle but with an even more forward upper midrange which masks the treble but skews the tuning to overall be shoutier

Vs Simgot EW200​

Probably the comparison that makes the most sense, the EW200 fills a very similar market to as the Conch of a well built, brighter leaning set.

All in all, the EW200 is still the better IEM in terms of sound quality as the sound is overall more refined. The bass is more tactile, vocals are fuller and more nuanced and treble is smoother yet more detailed than the Conch.

Realistically, the only thing the Conch beats the EW200 on is the accessory department by a big margin. The EW200 was criticized by not really having a lot of accessories to which the Conch is a stark contrast with its abundance of such.

Overall, the Conch is a step down from the EW200 in terms of sound quality and a massive step up in terms of accessories. If you wanted to have a complete accessory setup and can live with an IEM that is decent for its price, the Conch is a perfectly justifiable purchase

Vs KZ D-Fi​

Comparing this to an older KZ set with a similar all metal shell like the Conch around a similar price range, the D-Fi features a more varied neutral DF to Harman DF style tuning with a focus on musicality.

The D-Fi has a generally smoother tonal balance over the Conch, but the Conch features a more adept dynamic and transient ability allowing music to sound more energetic and lively. The technicalities are also generally above the D-Fi in almost every single way.

However, my personal tastes still fall to the D-Fi for its more musical sound allowing for a generally more euphonic listen compared to the Conch. The Conch is objectively the better IEM in terms of driver quality and the aforementioned accessories, but I still personally prefer the D-Fi in terms of tuning.

Vs Moondrop Chu 2​

The Moondrop Chu 2 is another all metal single DD, priced a little lower at $20 and has a more v-shaped sound signature compared to the Conch.

The Chu 2 is a more dynamic and fun sounding IEM compared to the Conch, whereas the Conch edges the Chu 2 in terms of technical ability and detail and a more “neutral” sound.

Between the two, it becomes purely a preference decision as the Chu 2’s more v-shaped tuning allows it to have solid versatility on most genres but lack the edge that some might prefer on the Conch’s leaner and brighter sound profile.

Vs HZSound Heart Mirror​

And of course, we have to compare it to my reference full metal single DD reference set, the Heart Mirror.

As expected, the Heart Mirror is an even more analytical sounding set with more focus on providing a neutral bright listening profile. Oddly enough, I found the Conch to sound thinner and harsher than the Heart Mirror which I really did not expect, considering the Heart Mirror’s reputation to be on the harsher side.

Bass emphasis is unsurprisingly more emphasized on the Conch, but what is more surprising is that note weight feels just a tad bit heavier on the Heart Mirror. It could be the overemphasized mid treble region of the Conch, but the edgier treble presentation of the Conch made me feel like it was more fatiguing over longer listening sessions.

The Heart Mirror is still a step above the Conch in terms of technicalities, particularly with how surprisingly more dynamic and resolving the Heart Mirror sounds compared to the Conch. The Heart Mirror also gets less congested than the Conch, particularly in the mid to treble region.

Overall, the Conch is a more balanced and well-rounded set compared to the Heart Mirror. However, the Heart Mirror is still better in terms of technicalities and personal tuning preference.

CONCLUSION:​

The Conch showed itself to be quite the jam-packed IEM from the unboxing to the listening impressions. It’s second to none in accessory offerings for the price and the sound, while not the best in class, is respectable for the price.

The Conch is now the new benchmark for accessory offerings in budget IEMs as it did not compromise in the quality of the IEM itself, despite my comments about its sound.

However, that doesn’t mean that the Conch cannot be improved further. Fine tuning on the treble region will definitely help the Conch to sound more fitting to its marketing material to be a “relaxing” listen as those treble spikes did not relax me one bit.

Besides that, the Conch is a well-made, well-accessorized in-ear monitor with a respectable enough sound for most people to enjoy. What really guaranteed that this is an IEM I’d recommend is its tuning versatility not only stock but what it could potentially be due to the tuning nozzles. And at $35, it’s a wonderful IEM for people starting in the hobby or a DIYer looking for their next Frankenstein monster of an IEM.

SOURCES USED:​

• HiBy R3 II
• HiBy M300
• HiBy R6 III
• Zishan U1
• VE Avani
• Non-hifi Smartphone
• Hidizs XO

TRACKS USED:​

Tracks used are a mixture of lossy streamed from Spotify, YouTube Music, etc and lossless (as well as Hi-Res and DSD) from my local files
Spotify Playlist:

ACCESSORIES USED:​

Tips:​

• TRN-T
• Final E
• Foam tips
• Stock balanced eartips
• Tangzu Sancai
• TRI Clarion

Cable​

• Stock cable in 3.5mm, 2.5mm and 4.4mm

Thank you for checking out my full review of the TRN Conch. If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...om[/EMAIL] Enjoy music and have a great day!

Celest Plutus Beast Review: THE BEAST AWAKENS!​

​

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE:

PRICE: $89​

PROS:​

• Beautiful aesthetics
• Fun, engaging sound
• Deep, textured bass
• Engaging, forward mids
• Fatigue-free treble

CONS:​

• Not the most natural timbre
• Might come across too shouty
• Shape might be a hit or miss
• Not the most detailed or technical sounding set
• Mids might be too recessed on certain mixes

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People who like a deep, rich, and textured bass
• People who enjoy Celest’s interesting tuning philosophy
• People who want a beautiful looking IEM
• Treble sensitives

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• Shout-sensitive people
• People who want a bright, sparkly set
• People who want technical set
• People who want a natural timbre

RECOMMENDED GENRES:​

• HipHop
• R&B
• Funk

SHORT REVIEW:​

Sporting a unique tribrid set-up, the Plutus Beast provides a deep and rich bass presentation with an energetic, engaging, and forward upper midrange with an inoffensive and relaxed treble to top it all off. It might come across as a little shouty and the treble just a little too tame and dull on some tracks, but the bass energy reigns supreme which is impressive considering this doesn’t have a DD. Beware timbreheads and shoutlets, however. RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS!

CELEST, THE BOLD ONES​

When I think about a brand that has been providing some of the most unique IEMs in recent times, I always mention Celest first as they have been going absolutely nuts with their IEMs. From the brand that brought the “revolutionary” SPD, they’ve come out with a brand new release that has got to be one of the most peculiar names and driver configurations in the market. It was certainly a head-turner, but can it do more than just turn heads? Let’s talk about the Celest Plutus Beast!

DISCLAIMER: This product was sent over by HiFiGo and managed by Neil Clark of Practiphile. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be of my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

THE ORIGINS OF THE BEAST​

Working under the same company under Kinera and QoA, Celest has been making waves in the market due to its patented SPD drivers and, quite frankly, insane driver configurations. Starting with their release of the SPD back in 2021, they’ve been on quite a roll refining and improving their drivers, but also not being afraid to try unorthodox tuning styles and driver configuration.

The Celest Phoenixcall was a tribrid featuring a single dynamic driver, 2 balanced armatures, and 2 microplanars aka their patented “SPD” drivers. All for $129. Now, they’ve come up with an even more peculiar driver configuration on the Plutus Beast. This thing features 1 Balanced Armature, 1 SPD, and 1 Bone Conduction. All for $89!

This will be my 3rd IEM from Celest, and if anything, I know for a fact that I’m always in for a surprise when testing out their products.

UNBOXING:​

Before I talk about the unboxing, the name Plutus Beast has to be talked about. What seems to be a rather odd and potentially cringy naming scheme is actually based on Chinese Mythology of one of the five auspicious mythical creatures named Pi Xiu which, in English, is called the Plutus Beast.

Without explaining the entire lore of the Beast, it is a beast with a tiger body and dragon head and tail that patrols the heavens and safeguards the celestial realm from all kinds of bad things.

You have to appreciate Celest for putting in the effort in the lore of their IEMs. From their first IEM and even their gaming cables, all have well-written and thought-out stories to tell with their products. You literally never see that in any other brands (with certain exceptions) which goes to show how much Celest cares about the experience they provide their customers.



Anyways, the experience itself is quite straight forward unlike the Phoenixcall. The box is covered in a paper sleeve with a rather clean front of the box with the Plutus Beast name, the driver configuration, and an awesome lava-like print in the background.

The back of the box contains the lore of the Plutus Beast as well as the specifications, accessories, and other details.



Removing the sleeve reveals Chinese characters printed on the box. Removing the top then finally reveals the Plutus Beast sitting on their foam throne with the golden brown carrying pouch found below.

Here is a full list of the accessories:

• A pair of Celest Plutus Beast IEMs
• 6 Eartips
  • Celest 221 Vocal Eartips x 3 (SML)
  • Celest 608 Balanced Eaertips x 3 (SML)
  • 5n Copper Silver Plated Cable @ 3.5mm (with option for 4.4mm)
• Storage Case
• User Manual

For how much the Plutus Beast cost, I’m quite satisfied with the included accessories. The ear tips are still the usual Celest ear tips that came with the Pandamon which I absolutely dislike, but might work for you. I ended up using the tried and tested ear tips that complement both the Phoenix and the Plutus perfectly due to their shape, the Tangzu Sancai. Honorable mentions are the TRN T tips and KBEar07s



The carrying pouch, contrary to its aesthetics, is actually different from the one that came with the Phoenixcall. I initially thought it was the same until I looked closer and found that the Phoenixcall case is just a tad bit larger and more macaroon-shaped compared to the traditional circular shape of the Plutus. It’s a rather small, circular carrying pouch with webbing on the inside. Very pocketable but not the most sit-resistant case.



Also, the metal bookmark comes back once again with a rather beautiful dragon-headed Lion in the image of the Plutus Beast itself. Absolutely beautiful and is a treat for those who enjoy having collectibles with their IEMs.



Overall, a solid set of accessories for the price. I will always have my gripes with the wide-bore ear tips that the Celest products provide, but I know some people like them. I don’t.

A cleaning tool would’ve been a nice inclusion of some foam tips, but it’s a pretty solid set of accessories nonetheless.

BUILD & FIT​

Let’s finally unleash the beasts! These beauties house a peculiar driver configuration of a single 10mm Bone Conduction driver to handle the lows, a single balanced armature for the highs, and a full range second generation SPD all housed in a 3D printed Resin cavity from Heygears.



The first thing that anyone can (arguably) judge an IEM for is its aesthetics. And damn you have to admit the Plutus Beast looks like a beauty in photos. The design is apparently hand-painted to exhibit the noble, luxurious, and divine character that the Beast embodies.

They did a fine job with the faceplate of the Plutus Beast. I will say that I would’ve liked a little bit more design above the Celest logo, but that’s just me wanting a perfectly balanced and filled faceplate. Otherwise, it’s such a pretty IEM to look at.

The shape is akin to the Celest Phoenixcall to a perfect t. Besides the nozzle of the Plutus Beast has a metal mesh, they are virtually identical.

This means the fit is also exactly the same. This may or may not be a good thing as the shape that those two have are quite unique with a somewhat teardrop-style shape. It fit my ears absolutely perfectly, but I had to make sure I was using the right ear tips.

And that’s where the problem of this nozzle design lies. Getting ear tips to fit without slipping is hell. The most compatible ear tip for this shape is the aforementioned Tangzu Sancai and I ended up using the same tips that I used for the Phoenixcall on the Plutus Beast. And guess what, due to the widening of the ear tip due to the thicker nozzle of the Phoenixcall, the Sancai fit like a glove unto the nozzle of the Plutus Beast. I tried other tips like the KBEar07, New Bees and even TRI Clarions to no avail. Just goes to show how good the Tangzu Sancai is for certain IEMs.

So essentially, the Plutus Beast is a carbon copy in terms of the physical qualities of the Phoenixcall but diverts aesthetically. This means that depending on your ear shape, this will either fit like a glove or not fit. It’s an odd shape but a shape that is very effective when it fits. It’s also super comfortable for long listening sessions and has no driver flex or air pressure build-up.


Whether you prefer the clear shell where you can see the tubes and drivers from the Phoenixcall or the art piece that the Plutus Beast is all up to you.

However, it should be noted that having a good fit on the Plutus Beast is even more important than the Phoenixcall as the bone conduction requires you to be in contact with the shell as much as you can to get the most out of the bone conduction driver.

Where the two divert is the cable. The cable that the Plutus Beast comes with is a 5N Silver Plated 4 Core copper cable terminated to 3.5mm or 4.4mm and a connector of 0.78mm 2 pin.

It’s a rather basic looking and feeling cable which is in stark contrast to the colorful bubblegum color of the Phoenixcall. Nonetheless, it’s a pretty good cable. It’s thin and lightweight and the material does not irritate my sensitive skin.

It’s a little tangle-prone and the material worries me as it reminds me of the kinds of cables that stiffen up badly over time, but I cannot confirm or deny that.

The interfaces are pretty good being made out of an aluminum alloy. It’s not heavy-weight premium alloy, but a functional and sturdy-feeling interface. The chin cinch isn’t the best or most effective, but it works most of the time if you have it tucked tightly under your chin.

Overall, the build of the Plutus Beast is adequate enough for the price. It’s a resin build, so don’t expect this to feel premium to touch as only a few resin IEMs I’ve tried feel really premium to hold. Comfort will be a hit or miss and tip rolling is very important to get the best fit and seal on these which, due to it’s bone conduction nature, is even more important than the Phoenixcall. The cables are adequate and fit the shells aesthetically and comfort-wise.

SOUND​

Celest IEMs are like a box of chocolates, you never kind of tuning you’ll get. This is why I was quite excited to listen to these as soon as they arrived, and boy did they surprise me!

Sound Signature:​

The Plutus Beast has a V-shaped sound signature with boosted low-end and upper-midrange energy. It’s a rather steep sounding v-shaped that makes vocals occasionally hollow and upper mids borderline shouty. This is contrasted with the rather rolled-off upper treble making the overall sound on the warmer and darker side with an emphasis on the upper mids.

Drivability:​

With an impedance of 8ohms (yes, 8) and sensitivity of 108db, you can expect these to be very easy to drive. However, I found myself cranking the volume on these by quite a lot due to the subdued treble and bass focus. You can listen to these at lower volumes, but I found them to be quite dull and dead-sounding.

This also translates to sources. A lower-powered source will drive this decently but might come across as a little stale and dry-sounding. With proper amping, you can bring out the bass nuances while also smoothening the upper midrange. So despite its low impedance, I highly recommend listening to these with at least a dongle DAC or something more powerful to get the most out of its sound.

Bass:​

This is the highlight of the Plutus Beast. With the Beast featuring a bone conduction driver, you can only expect the bass of these to go deep. And deep it goes. These provide an impressively deep bass presentation with solid nuance and texture without any boominess or mud. There is a very healthy balance of midbass and subbass with the subbass going deep enough to provide deep rumble and midbass to give richness, texture, and punchiness to the mix.

Jacob Colier’s Hideaway sounded absolutely wonderful on the Plutus Beast. You could both feel and hear the deep bass in that track that does not intrude with the detailed guitar strumming.

My only nitpick would be that the overall bass presentation just feels like it lacks a little bit of naturalness with the decay. I couldn’t put my finger on it initially until I compared it to the Letshuoer D13 which has one of the best bass presentations I’ve heard in the budget range. The perfect speed with amazing texture.

The Plutus Beast exhibited a bass presentation almost too tight for what it was trying to do. It goes deep, it’s nuanced and clean, but decay’s just a little too fast for my tastes. It doesn’t sound entirely natural.

I’ll go more in-depth with the comparison later, but the quality bass of the Plutus Beast is fantastic with solid depth and nuance, but decay’s too fast to sound natural to my ears.

Mids:​

The mids of the Plutus Beast is, expectedly, on the recessed side. On simpler and less bass tracks, it can sound a little bit midcentric in a sense due to the nice amount of body and in the lower mids. But on busier tracks and tracks with a lot of upper midrange energy, the mids can start to sound pulled back and very distant.

I was pleasantly surprised with how good the note weight was on these. I never found these to sound dry (with proper amping). Instruments and vocals in the lower midrange sound full and rich with liveliness.

The upper mids are very nuanced with a lot of detail and richness. It presents instruments and vocals in the upper mids with more energy and intimacy which ends up throwing the mix upfront.

Them Changes by Thundercat is a perfect example with the bass guitars having such a thick and rich sound that perfectly compliments Thundercat’s vocals. Each bass note can be heard and felt which makes the overall mix sound alive in the Plutus Beast.

However, the upper mids are where the Plutus beast might start to cause some problems for some people. It’s undoubtedly forward and borderline shouty. Now I’m all for shout. I enjoy a little bit of shout every once in a while. You might even call me a shout-head. But the contrast between the lower mids to the upper mids is too drastic and messes up the overall timbre over the midrange to put too much emphasis on the upper mids and not enough on the lower mids on certain mixes.

However the Illusionist Shakes the Dice by Lie and a Chameleon is a perfect example of this with Cham’s vocals and the electric guitars being so forward that it ends up masking some details of the guitars in the lower mids.

Overall, the Plutus Beast is not the IEM to go to if you want to have the most natural-sounding midrange. There’s a good amount of nuance, but it might come across as unnatural or too forward sounding. On simpler mixes, the mids are nicely bodied with good note weight and nuance. But throw too much energy in the upper mids and you’ll be entering shout city that’ll mask the rest of the mids.

Treble:
And this is the part that really made me cry upon listening to the Plutus Beast, both in a good and bad way.

The treble of the Plutus Beast is quite rolled off with microdetails lacking but keeps the treble energy tame and relaxed. This is perfect for treble-sensitive people, but I unfortunately love a lot of treble and this was the first thing that I scoffed at when listening to the Plutus Beast.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the treble presentation of this is bad. The tamer treble brings out the bass more based on my experience which allows the texture and nuance in the lower frequencies to shine. However, I also found the upper midrange energy to contrast the rolled-off treble so much that it brought the vocals out too forward without the treble to contrast.

This is most evident when listening to a track like The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons by Lie and a Chameleon where the drumset just sounds so dulled out with each hit sound so soft.

But I can at least appreciate this in the sense that those people sensitive treble would find these wonderful. The energy is very well maintained without spikes and dips in clarity, so there’s no edginess. I also didn’t notice any metallic timbre which is always a plus considering this has a balanced armature. That goes to show that the way each driver was tuned here was tuned with intention and not just thrown in.

Overall, it’s a treble presentation I’m personally not fond of with its focus on having a smoother and more relaxed presentation. But it does allow the lower frequencies to shine and make it perfect for treble-sensitive people.

Technicalities:​

Before I talk about the usual stuff, I just want to talk about dynamics for a second as I think it would be fitting to talk about in this section as it is often dictated by the quality of the driver itself.

As mentioned in the bass section, the bass of the Plutus Beast is on the faster side which means the dynamics just feels ever so slightly too smoothened out. The dynamic range is solid for what it is and better than some hybrids in this price range but feels lacking in really going deep between notes.

As for the usual stuff, the stage isn’t the widest and is quite average. Not too wide, but not overly compressed. There’s still a solid sense of depth, especially in the bass region giving it a somewhat more expansive feel.

Separation and Layering is surprising as instruments never sound congested, although the upper mids forced some of the instruments to sound a little too distant on certain mixes which might give the impression of good separation without the fundamentals. But most of the time, even in more complex tracks, instruments and well separated with good layering which surprised me.

Imaging isn’t the most fantastic with decent enough 2D left and right panning but not much for front and back as well as up and down imaging. It’s to be expected, especially for in-ears. But I thought it should still be mentioned.

REAL WORLD USAGE:​

Casual Use:​

The Plutus Beast is quite a nice IEM to use for casual browsing due to its very snug and comfortable fit allowing me to wear this for hours on and. Its tuning is also surprisingly good for just watching videos as the upper midrange emphasis makes some harder-to-listen dialogue sound pretty audible.

Gaming:​

Gaming on these is neither terrible nor good. I can crank up the volume pretty high on these which makes them solid for games where I really wanna hear the nuances, but the treble being as subdued also causes some sounds to sound absolutely dull, especially on more environmental tracks. The depth of these adds points to its overall viability as a gaming set, however, and I really enjoyed gaming on these as a whole.

COMPARISON:​

Vs Letshuoer D13​

This might be an odd and left-field type of comparison, but hear me out. These are two bass focused sets with overemphasized upper mids and ridiculously rolled of treble to contrast.

The difference? D13 proves that dynamic drivers are still superior in providing a more natural presentation on the bass. This was one of the things that irked me about the Plutus as I liked its tuning more than the D13, but the D13’s bass was considerably more natural sounding than the Plutus Beast.

The attack, sustain, and decay were perfectly done on the D13 without crumbs left over. The Plutus left me wanting more due to how tight the bass decayed which made the overall bass presentation too clean.

However, tonality is definitely ahead on the Plutus Beast. The upper mid and mid-treble emphasis is better done on Plutus, although both are shouty. The D13 has such an awkward and weird-sounding vocal presentation that sounds shouty and nasally that the Plutus Beast doesn’t have to the same degree.

Vs Celest Phoenixcall​

Compared to its older sibling, the Plutus Beast is a considerably different sounding IEM to the Phoenixcall. While the Phoenixcall exhibits this weird v-shaped sound with midbass and mid-treble emphasis, the Plutus Beast takes the opposite approach and puts its energy in the subbass and upper mids.

Honestly, there’s not a lot to compare with these two as they’re completely different. The bass of the Plutus is better extended and nuanced than the Phoenixcall, but the Phoenixcall has considerably better detail retrieval and resolving ability. The two sets end up ironically being the yin and yang twins of the Celest lineup due to their complimentary sounds which, if you wanted a completely different sound from the Phoenixcall, then the Plutus beast would be a perfect complimentary set.

Vs Celest Pandamon​

The first of the second generation SPD, the Pandamon is and has been my reference neutral set due to how good the timbre of this thing is.

When I saw the graphs of the Plutus Beast, I initially thought that it would be a reincarnation of the Pandamon.

But boy, was I wrong. The Plutus Beast was a complete departure from the Pandamon’s neutral tuning as it brought the energy on both the bass and upper mids up. It essentially took the Pandamon’s sound and tweaked it to have a more fun, engaging and energetic sound.

Pandamon still sits ahead in terms of timbre as the Plutus suffers from an overcooked upper mids, but the Plutus is considerably more fun sounding than the Pandamon which makes it better for more genres.

CONCLUSION:​

Celest, you never fail to surprise me. The Plutus Beast is a beast in its driver configuration and making it work. The beautiful shells contrast the aggressive sound signature that brings out such a deep and nuanced bass and forward upper midrange to provide such an engaging and energetic sound. However, it’s definitely not the most natural or detailed-sounding set due to the somewhat overcooked upper midrange and poor treble extension making the treble region sound a little bit dead. I also took a small issue with the fact that BC bass couldn’t really compare to the more natural decay of DD bass, but it’s a personal nitpick, and surely people will appreciate how tight and rich the bass of the Plutus Beast is as I genuinely think it does.

As I’ve expected Celest to try something weird in their releases, I was pleasantly happy to see what the Plutus Beast became. It’s unique in almost every single way, but I’m not going to deny that it still needs refinement. Lowering the upper mids just a bit and adding a little bit more air would’ve done these very nicely. I can at least appreciate their improvements in their SPD as the full-range SPD did a pretty decent job keeping coherency in the three drivers that Celest used.

Keep surprising us Celest, and deepen the lore even more!

Thank you for checking out my full review of the Celest Plutus Beast. Big thanks to HiFiGo for sending over the Plutus Beast and for Neil Clark for managing the tour. If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below:
HiFiGo Web：https://hifigo.com/products/kinera-celest-plutus-beast
Amazon JP：https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0CR63TMB2/kinera+celest+plutus+beast/
Amazon US：https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CR5QNDD9/kinera+celest+plutus+beast/
Aliexpress：
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006408658667.html


If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: ​

PRICE: $25​

PROS:​

• Comfortable, lightweight fit
• Smooth, laid back and musical sound
• Analogue-like vocal and instrument presentation
• Fatigue-free treble
• Good coherency and timbre

CONS:​

• Cheap build quality
• Needs tip-rolling
• Subpar technicalities
• Shout tendency
• Rolled-off treble might sound too dark

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:​

• People who like a laid back, musical IEM
• People who like an analogue-like sound
• People who like forward upper mids
• Treble sensitives

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:​

• People looking for a technical focused set
• People who want a premium build
• People who want a neutral tuned set
• Trebleheads

RECOMMENDED GENRES: ​

• Hip-hop
• Disco
• Rock

SHORT REVIEW: ​

KBEar shows a Flash of hope with its warm, laid-back tuning that is surprisingly coherent and analogue-like in sound. Its focus on musicality makes it a very solid chill set for long listening sessions. It however fails to be competitive with the ever-evolving market due to its subpar technical ability and cheap build, but it’s at least a step in the right direction. RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS


KBEar has undoubtedly been on the low as of recent. Whether you like it or not, one of the pioneers of Chi-fi have fallen from grace with many of their recent releases. However, they still stand strong and attempt different tuning styles and concepts and seeing which sticks. So, how does their last release in 2023 write their story for 2024?


DISCLAIMER: KBEar Flash was sent to me in exchange for my honest impressions. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity. I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be of my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the fact beforehand.


Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.


SOURCES USED:

• HiBy Digital M300
• HiBy R6 III
• Zishan U1
• Non-HiFi Smartphone
• VE Avani

TRACKS USED:


A mixture of lossy, lossless and Hi-Res files will be used to give a general overview of the different formats in which the gear will be used.


Docs file explaining each track and what to look for: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oMa7GPLaqtpnnoR9tixvWI4aK-7tXMyTEZCJAVkIZx0/edit


Spotify Playlist:


PREFERENCES:


I currently prefer a lot of R&B, Indie, Funk and Adult Contemporary. However, I am very flexible with the music that I listen to and always try to look for the best genres for the gear. I am also a self proclaimed treble head but loves warmer lower mids


ACCESSORIES USED:


Tips:

• Stock Tips
• KBEar07
• TRI Clarion
• Tangzu Sancai

Cable:

• Stock Cable

SPECIFICATION SHEET


Driver Size and Setup: 1DD + 1BA


Impedance: 32ohms


Sensitivity: 108db


Frequency Range: 20hz - 20khz


Build: Aluminum Alloy + PC


Cable Length: 120cm/200cm


Cable Material: 4N OFC Silver Plated


Termination: 3.5mm


Interface: 0.75 QDC





KBEar Flash is KBEar’s latest and last release for 2023. Calling back to their hybrid days, this $24 in-ear monitor seems to be a return to form for KBEar which I will be taking a very in depth look in this review.

UNBOXING EXPERIENCE: ​

The Flash’s box is KBEar’s usual medium sized box with line-art of the in ears up front and the usual specifications on the back


Opening the box shows the familiar presentation of a plastic cover protecting the IEMs sitting in a paper-foam cutout with the cable, tips and paperwork found under the box.


Here’s a full list of the accessories:

• 1 pair of KBEar Flash in-ears
• 6 pairs of eartips
• 1 0.75 QDC 1.2m 3.5mm cable
• Warranty and Manual paperwork

I will admit, I’ve been quite spoiled with the likes of the Tangzu Wan’er providing quite decent eartips with their package which made my tip rolling experience with the Flash quite disappointing. It’s your usual duo of narrow and wide bore eartips made with a rather cheap material that is both thin and stiff which causes discomfort and seal issues to my ears. The narrow bored eartips fair better, but still irritates my ears.


I found myself tip-rolling into the TRI Clarion’s for both sonic and comfort as well as the Tangzu Sancai for providing a better overall balance in the sound while still providing good comfort. KBEar’s own 07 tips are also a solid pairing with the Flash which makes me wonder why they never include their tried and tested 07s with their IEMs.


I would also nitpick on the inclusions, but rarely do you see $25 in-ears that give more than what the Flash offers. However, there is a much larger issue that I found with the Flash’s presentation

BUILD & FIT​

The KBEar Flash is, unfortunately, a ridiculously cheap feeling. Don’t be fooled by it’s metallic exterior as the inner plastic shell has a very thin and cheap feeling material that immediately came out to me the moment I held them in my hands.





The aesthetics are quite clean but tasteful on the Flash. The embossed Flash as well as the printed KBEar logo does add a nice look to the IEM. It’s not winning any beauty contests, but it doesn’t look hideous.





They also sport a QDC connection which is definitely a step down from even the TFZ connector that the Pecker used and will surely throw some people who prefer a sturdier connection. Pair this with the cheap feeling of the IEM and you’ll feel quite paranoid with the longevity of the Flash.


However, the Flash does redeem itself by sporting a very comfortable and well fitting shell that sit very nicely in my ear. It has a somewhat aggressive wing that digs into your ear quite snuggly. This left me wearing the Flash for longer than I thought I would and even brought it into gaming which I will be mentioning soon.





The cable itself is also nothing to write home about and is your basic thin black 4-core cable terminated into 3.5mm. However, I think it is important to mention a rather interesting addition that KBEar offered with the Flash.


Most IEM cables are only 1.2m long as this is usually the comfortable length for portable use as the cable is neither too long nor too short. The KBEar Flash, on the other hand, offers a 200cm/2m variant for some odd reason. Upon asking the rep, he told me that there was a big demand for 200cm cables domestically on their aftermarket cables which led them to add a 200cm option to their cheapest release.


As someone who likes to use in-ears on my desk, I thought this was a wonderful addition as more often times than not, I’d find myself tugging on the cable as my source is located quite the distance in front of me. This makes 120cm not long enough for comfortable usage, but 200cm allows me to move around more and even tuck the cable where I may not tug it. As far as I know, this is also the first IEM to offer 200cm cables, so props to KBEar for noticing the trends as this will allow for a potentially untapped market to be in KBEar’s hands. All that’s left is improving the quality of the cable itself.

SOUND: ​

Sound Signature:





The KBEar Flash has a warm V-Shaped sound signature with extra emphasis on midbass and upper mids.


Drivability:


The KBEar Flash is expectedly easy to drive with an impedance of 32ohms and sensitivity of 108db. Using a smartphone is more than enough to power the Flash at an acceptable level, but at least dongle dac improves midrange coherency and smoothens out the treble while also giving it just a little bit more dynamics.


It has very minimal noise floor even with noisier sources, but there’s still the occasional hiss from very sensitive sources.


As for ideal sources, the Flash prefers a more neutral or brighter leaning source to bring out the details while also taming the bass a tad bit. This doesn’t change the sound signature, mind you. This only improves what the IEM already provides.


Ideal Listening Volume: 50-75%


Bass:


As per KBEar’s usual tuning, the bass is elevated with an almost equal distinction between the subbass and midbass. There’s a lot of body, a lot of kick and punch, and a lot of rumble that bleeds into the midrange.


It really shows its fangs the more volume you throw at it as the bass dynamics pops out and due to the somewhat subdued treble allows for the bass to pop out without added harshness. Lower listening volumes were unfortunately not very impressive as it lost the punchiness that it touted.


Bass heavy tracks are lovely on these as it sounds rich and surprisingly well nuanced. It’s not the tigthest presentation, but it’s able to bring out the intricacies of bass instruments quite well for how it presents bass as a whole.


A track like Hey Barbara by IV of Spades has a prominent bass lick througout the song to which the Flash was able to do justice with enough body to keep each strum real punchy but not so much that it overwhelms the rest of the track. However, it certainly bleeds into the midrange and colors the vocalists.


Mids:


Speaking of the mids, they are definitely recessed in the mix. Male vocals are colored with an extra layer of warmth and some instruments get subdued due to the bass and upper midrange emphasis. However, it does push the instruments far back enough to give a sense of stage width which give it a somewhat more expansive sound. Upper mids are quite forward and potentially shouty, but I never found it to breach my personal tolerance.


A quality that I noticed with the Flash is due to the Warmth and forward upper midrange, it has an almost analogue-like quality that still brings out good nuance in vocals without sounding thin or digital sounding which is common in hybrid sets.


It perfectly compliment tracks with a traditionally more dry sounding mix like Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain or Earth Wind & Fire’s Let’s Groove. The later track having a surprisingly smooth and satisfying listen due to the brighter mix complimenting well the warmer, almost analog-like quality of the midrange.


Treble:


The treble of the Flash is what I can only describe as a dark and smooth yet tinged with a slight brightness in certain regions.


The first thing that really came to me when listening to these for the first time was the somewhat choked and rolled of upper treble region of the Flash. It’s definitely tuned with smoothness in mind, but I’d argue that it overdoes the inoffensiveness and makes the overall tuning too dark.


Regardless, the overall presentation is surprisingly good for being dark. Being a treblehead, I quite enjoyed the smoother and more relaxed presentation that doesn’t totally compromise on detail. Don’t get me wrong, these are far from being a detailed set. But you can hear that BA doing its job of bringing some detail without the cost of sibilance. I was genuinely impressed with the BA implementation of the Flash as their previous set, the Pecker, was riddled with timbre issues with that BA just shouting in your ear. The Flash thankfully has none of that.


Human Bloom’s Capillary keeps the rather snappy and incisive cymbals up top without being pushed far or out from the mix even in the chorus where the bass starts to take over. The vocals in the song also provided good detail without cooking it too much to affect the timbre


Technicalities:


As expected, the technicalities of the Flash are less than stellar due to its focus on musicality rather than technicalities. Not a bad thing mind you, but it does leave certain aspects that left me craving for more.


Separation and layering were one of those things on more complex tracks, there’s definitely some melding of instruments and vocals that distinctly makes the mix a little bit more congested.


As mentioned previously, the stage is quite good. The tuning allows for certain instruments to be pushed back to give the impression of a wider-sounding stage and that bass does a surprisingly good job providing a rather deep-sounding stage.


Imaging is not very stellar when listening to music, but as I’ll mention soon, it does well in other use cases.

REAL WORLD USAGE: ​

Casual Use:


The Flash are decent for casual use. The fit of the IEM (as long as you tip-roll) is pretty damn good and they’re lightweight which allows for a comfortable wear for longer periods. The cable is definitely a nuisance the longer you spend time with the Flash as it is very tangle prone and makes me worry for its longevity. The L-plug definitely helps with more portable solutions, but the material itself is not my favorite.


Gaming Use:


This is where I found the Flash to really shine. I really enjoyed using the Flash for gaming, particularly Valorant not only due to its comfort but also its tuning allows me to hear footsteps and gunshots more than most of the stuff I’ve tried around this price range.


COMPARISONS:


Vs KBEar Pecker ($35)


The Flash is, in almost every single way, a better Pecker minus the somewhat nerfed build and connector.


They have very similar ergonomics, although as mentioned the Pecker has a more sturdy build with the resin feeling thicker and the TFZ connector, while more obscure, feels more sturdy than QDC.


Where they completely split is in the sound. The Pecker was an absolute mess of an IEM with horrible incoherencies and a very borked tuning.


The Flash, in contrast, is more natural sounding. Despite using the same configuration, the Flash has a more coherent overall sound, cleaner bass and MUCH better midrange timbre as well as a cleaner treble.


Overall, a step in the right direction (even if it may be back from where they were from) for KBEar’s hybrid


Vs KZ Krila ($19)


Another Hybrid that had bad timbre issues, but this time with a more standard, Harman DF style of tuning. It becomes a matter of tastes between the Krila and the Flash with the more treble-centric individuals leaning towards Krila.


Flash is certainly the warmer, smoother option between the two. The upper midrange are pushed up a little earlier than the Krila which will definitely be a make or break for people who prefer a 2k or 3k ear gain. However, the Flash is definitely more tame in the treble region and is overall more coherent.


Details is no contest between the two as the leaner and brighter presentation of Krila brings out more nuance in the mix compared to the Flash.


But again, it becomes a fight of preferences as the Flash offers a more musical listen compared to the more analytical Krila.

CONCLUSION:​

KBEar is back! Well, back to where they started with their tradition V-shaped sets. Unlike their recent sets, the Flash strikes a more nostalgic overall sound to KBEar’s tuning with the warmer, more musical tuning while adding the complimentary BA to still give a little bit of detail.


In the Flash’s case, however, the BA doesn’t screech in your ear like their previous releases which is an absolute treat. The DD used in the Pecker was also quite impressive, although definitely needs a little bit of fine tuning to tighten up the overall presentation to avoid the distinct coloration and bleed from the mids.


But overall, the KBEar Flash is a rather hopeful step in the right direction for KBEar as it tackles those who like a warmer, smoother but still decently nuanced tuning. The addition of a 200cm cable also allows KBEar to tackle a niche market as I have not found other brands offering 200cm stock cables.


So what do you have in store for us in 2024? We’ll soon find out. But until then, I can at least be happy to see a Flash of hope for a better year for the brand.


Thank you for checking out my full review of the KBEar Flash. Big thanks KBEar If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802957935078.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt


If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com


Enjoy music and have a great day!

PRICE: $18

PROS:

• Solid fitting
• Versatile tuning modes
• Punchy, textured but nuanced bass
• Energetic vocal presentation
• Fatigue free treble presentation

CONS:

• Wonky overall tuning
• Borderline shouty
• Poor treble extension
• Below-average technical performance
• Odd midrange timbre

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:

• People who want a unique listening experience
• People who want an upper vocal presentation
• People who want a rich, textured but clean bass
• People who want a good fitting set
• People who want versatile tuning modes

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR

• People who want a natural tuning
• People who want a tasteful aesthetic
• People who want well-extended treble
• People who want good technical capabilities

RECOMMENDED GENRES:

• Hiphop
• R&B
• Pop

SHORT REVIEW:
The ND DD3 is by and large a unique-sounding IEM that doesn’t try to conform to the tuning that its budget contemporaries achieve. It sports funky aesthetics and a good fit with the tried and tested tuning switches that many have done this past year, What sets the DD3 apart is its rather peculiar tuning. Unless you’re specifically looking for a weird IEM to try, the DD3 will come across as an oddity in the budget war.

Thank you for checking out my full review of the ND DD3 Big thanks ND If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005765843468.html?channel=twinner

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE:

If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

ND Nice: Nicely Nostalgic!

PRICE: $26

PROS:

• Sleek aesthetics
• Solid build
• Fun, energetic sound
• Dynamic, textured bass
• Sparkly treble
• Good air extension

CONS:

• Not very snugly fitting
• Midbass is a little bloated
• Metallic timbre
• Treble can get a little spicy
• Occasional sibilance

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:

• People who like a nostalgic hybrid sound
• People who like a fun, spicy sound
• People who like a clean, minimalist aesthetic

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:

• People who want a neutral tuning
• People who want a refined, hybrid sound
• People who want a technical sounding set

RECOMMENDED GENRES:

• Pop
• R&B
• EDM
• Slow Rock

SHORT REVIEW:
The ND Nice calls back to the good ol’ days with a distinct hybrid sound akin to the hybrids of yesteryears. What it has over the older sets is a more refined bass with good punch and texture and less bloat than its predecessors. However, it could be argued that it doesn’t follow the “modern” tuning standards that many have set in the last few years. Regardless, it is quite a nostalgic-sounding set that some of you might enjoy.

Thank you for checking out my full review of the ND Nice Big thanks ND for sending over the Nice for my honest thoughts. If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005819114305.html?channel=twinner

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE:


If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Enjoy music and have a great day!

Come with me as I share my honest impression of the Celest Wyvern Pro, Celest’s second entry into the “gaming” cable market, and their first to pair it with an IEM. With a potentially big market to tackle, how does Celest execute this concept at a low price of $25? Let’s find out!


PROS:

• Very good value for the price
• Abundant set of inclusions
• Very unique presentation for the price
• Insanely comfortable CIEM-like fitting
• Well-rounded sound profile
• Good sounding boom-mic

CONS:

• Larger than average size might be too big for some
• Boom mic might be too heavy
• Cable quality is a little cheap
• Compatbility issues with the mic

Celest is back at it again in the gaming mic market, this time pairing with a pretty IEM to boot. The Wyvern, specifically the Pro variant is a rather interesting entry to the market in the fact that it proved itself more than just a gaming set with its fun but tastefully balanced tuning.

The stigma that gaming peripherals are mostly just marketing ploy to sell cheaply made, poor performing equipment is nowhere to be seen in the Wyvern Pro thanks to its sophisticatedly tasteful presentation of the great reptile known as the Wyvern in its aesthetics with what seems to be the tooth or bone of the mighty Wyvern.

But aesthetics be damned because really, the star of the build of the Wyvern is the fit. Very rare do you find a CIEM style fitting in an IEM at this price and sound this good. This made me think that I was wearing Kinera’s higher-end UIEM sets with how superb the fitting of the Wyvern is.

That doesn’t mean that sound is where they sacrificed because the Wyvern Pro boasts a well-balanced tuning with extra emphasis on the bass and upper mids which falls closer to a slight v-shaped sound. It’s not overly recessed, but there’s definitely an audible dip in the lower mids where male vocals can sound a little bit more sunken compared to the rich and impactful low-end and contrastingly energetic vocal and instrument presentation.

Technicalities is pretty decent for how much it costs which is quite important for gaming as you don’t want sounds to get congested while trying to figure out where things are coming from.

But obviously, the reason why you’d get the Pro over the base is that boom mic. With such a low asking price, you may expect the quality of the mic to be poor to which I’m proud to say that the mic quality is actually pretty good. It’s clear enough that my teammates can hear my comms. However, it’s ergonomics that might be problematic for some. It definitely drags down on your ears and causes one side to be strained over longer listening periods. I also found some issues with some devices, particularly DACs, when the microphone wouldn’t be read or would be very noisy. Smartphones are generally well-optimized from what I’ve triedw

The fitting of the Wyvern helps a lot to keep the mic up, but you definitely feel the weight after a few hours of usage. It’s not unbearably uncomfortable, but it should remind you to take breaks once in a while.

But with such a new market, Celest’s continued efforts to push how good this concept can get with the Wyvern Pro. Not only did they provide a pretty good microphone, they also created a well-fitting and good-sounding earpiece to pair. I want to honestly make more content while using the Wyvern Pro due to how good that mic is, so you might see me do a different kind of review for the Wyvern Pro very soon. But all in all, this is a well-executed unique pair of IEMs that you should consider.

Thank you for reading my honest impressions on the Celest Wyvern Pro. Big thanks to Kinera for sending this over for my honest thoughts. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://www.linsoul.com/products/kinera-celest-wyvern-pro

If you have any questions or concerns, message me on my Facebook page or my email at obodioreviews@gmail.com

Come with me as I share my honest impressions on the Binary x Gizaudio Chopin. This is Gizaudio’s second collaboration set and is priced at $199. Considering the success that Timmy’s first collaboration got, it leaves the Chopin with a high bar to surpass. So let’s find out if it does exactly that!

PROS:

• Fun, U-Shaped sound signature
• Deep, impactful bass
• Clean, open mids
• Sparkly and energetic treble without fatigue
• Good vocal and instrument positioning

CONS:

• Lower mids sound thin and distant
• Distinct metallic timbre
• Congestion in the upper midrange to lower treble
• Poor fit
• Cheap build

Knowing Timmy’s (Gizaudio) tastes in his IEMs, I was expecting the Galileo to have that signature hard hitting but clean bass, open mids and sparkly treble to which I unfortunately did not experience as he aimed the Galileo to follow a more neutral sounding set.

Almost a year later, we are then introduced to the Chopin. Named after another famous figure in the arts (I know Galileo was based on a detective show in Japan), the Chopin is exactly what I imagine Timmy’s preference to sound like.

Bass hits hard and goes deep but doesn’t intrude into the midrange to keep it clean and that treble is quite sparkly and incisive. The bass especially is quite satisfying as I found myself mindlessly listening to music when Lose Yourself to Dance by Daft Punk came in and broke my focus while I worked with how punchy the bass sounded.

Its separation and imaging are also quite commendable as vocals are well placed in the sound field around the instruments. It’s no speaker quality, but it sounds considerably wider than your usual in-ears with a good sense of where the instruments are placed.

Two IEMs that remind me of the Chopin are the Variations and the AFUL Performer 5. One in a good way and one in a bad way.

Compared to the Variations, Chopin has a much more organic sound in the midrange as there is a better balance between the lower mids to the upper mids that give it a more organic sound. It’s no timbre-master by any means, but it fits my preferences much closer.

Where I’m not so fond of on the Chopin is the upper midrange timbre. This is where the P5 comparison came in as it both has a metallic upper midrange to treble that gives it a somewhat rough and congested sound. It’s not as bad as the P5 and I would argue that it does what the RLC of the AFUL series of IEMs better, but it really shines on vocals and percussives when each hit and S sounds unnatural.

Some call the Chopin to be a budget Variations to which, I’d honestly say this is a better Variation in terms of tuning. It keeps the deep, punchy bass while having a better midrange note weight. It, unfortunately, suffers from having a somewhat rough, metallic upper mids to treble timbre that also affects the separation in this region to sound a little congested. Regardless, this is much closer to what I had envisioned Timmy’s preference in IEMs sound like and I quite enjoy it!

Thank you for reading my impressions on the Binary Chopin. Big thanks to HiFiGo for sending over the Chopin for me and my fellow reviewers to share our thoughts on. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://hifigo.com/products/gizaudio-binary-chopin

If you have any questions or concerns, message me on my facebook page or my email at obodioreviews@gmail.com