Introduction
I'm probably a little late to the party, but I felt compelled to write a review because this product is just so awesome. Also this is the first proper review I've written so please forgive me for the rough corners.

I purchased the iBasso IT01 Audiophile In-ear Monitors back in August last year. It was only my second foray into the audiophile realm, the first being my purchase of the Shanling M0. I was going for an entry-level pair of IEMs and my list was narrowed down to MEE Pinnacle PX, Final Audio E3000, and the IT01. I enjoyed all three pairs of IEMs very much, but what pulled me towards the IT01 eventually was its gorgeous cable, and how premium it felt despite its modest price tag of only $129 SGD. I hope this review does justice to the amazing job the iBasso team has done with this product.

Configuration
The IT01 packs a single dynamic driver with a multi-layered graphene diaphragm developed by iBasso themselves. It also boasts a magnetic flux density of almost 1 Tesla, which they claim will produce better detail with less harmonic distortion even at higher volumes. Here are the specifications:

- Driver: singular 10mm dynamic driver, multi-layered graphene diaphragm
- Frequency: 10Hz ~ 42kHz
- Sensitivity: 108 ± 2dB
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Noise attenuation: -26dB
- Rated Power: 10mw
- THD: <1%
- Cable: 1.2m 4-core OFC, MMCX detachable, 3.5mm gold-plated plug
- Weight: 8g (without cable)

Packaging
The IT01 comes with some high quality packaging, which again makes you wonder how it is only priced at S$129. I won't go into too much detail here as many have already done so. But TLDR, it's an unboxing experience you would expect to find in much higher price ranges. Here's the list of accessories packaged with the IT01.

- Black narrow bore silicone tips (S/Mx2/L)
- Grey narrow bore silicone tips (S/M/L)
- Grey wide bore silicone tips (S/M/L)
- Comply foam tips (M/L)
- Carrying case

Design
The IT01 comes in two colours, a red/blue option and a black option. I went for the black option as I found the red/blue option to be rather eye-catching, and I wanted something more subtle. The overall design has extremely good build quality, albeit not at the expense of aesthetics. The shells are made of translucent plastic that allows you to see the 10mm driver powering the IT01- a small detail but one that I find incredibly pleasing. It connects to the gorgeous 4-core OFC cable (which I will go into later) via a copper contact point. The nozzles are made of stainless steel, with a lip on each nozzle to ensure that ear tips can be fit on without falling off. I use my IT01 with Acoustune's AET07 ear tips, which I found to feel better in my ears as well as enhance the higher frequencies.

This stock cable provided by iBasso has got to be one of the main highlights of this product. It certainly does not look like something you would find with entry-level IEMs. In fact, (correct me if I'm wrong) these look like those upgrade cables I see hanging around my local audio cafe which cost S$200 or more. I recall being extremely excited to see such a beautifully braided cable, as I was new to this community and had never been exposed to such a cable before. The softly braided cable also offers another benefit- microphonics are virtually non-existent! At the point of purchase I did not know what microphonics were, although after getting some KZ IEMs as beaters I did find out, and was all the more thankful for this amazing cable. The cable is reinforced by a translucent bit of plastic nearer to the ears, to help with putting these on. This reinforcement is hardly noticeable, and works way better than those dreaded memory cables in my opinion- another nice touch by iBasso.

Overall, the build quality is solid and you are unlikely to run into any problems with it. However, one thing I discovered is that the IT01 is rather large compared to most other IEMs. I had no problems with it, as my ears are considered slightly larger than average. However, my friends with smaller ears had issues with the fit.

Sound
Okay, now to what you've been waiting for. If there was one word I had to pick to describe these IEMs, it would be "versatile". It handled everything I threw at it without much trouble. Maybe it's the multi-layered graphene diaphragm iBasso were going on and on about.

The IT01 offers a very nice V-shaped tuning that provides a very fun take on genres like EDM. It is quicker than your typical $99 single DD IEM, and also boasts impressive clarity at this price point. Despite it using a V-shaped tuning, the dip from 30Hz to 1kHz is a very steady and slow one (looking at the FR), which explains why there is no feeling of heavily recessed mids, despite the tuning. Even though there are peaks at 5kHz and 8kHz, the treble has never sounded harsh nor sibilant to me, something that is quite commonplace at this price point. The stage is not the widest, but it still is impressive together with its impressive imaging abilities.

The bass on this thing is its highlight. It is punchy, strong, and pacey enough so there is no sense of muddiness. Its subbass:midbass balance is just right, allowing for a very good rumble without losing its crispness. Despite the bass being enhanced, I hardly find it overpowering, mostly thanks to how well-controlled the bass is.

The mids, as shown on the FR curve, are clearly recessed. However, when I first listened to these, I found that the instrumentals were actually pretty full and satisfying, leaving me rather confused as to what was going on. I listen to quite a bit of classical music, and I had no issues with any of French Horns, Trombones, Clarinets, Cellos getting lost while listening to Atterberg or Nielsen's symphonies. I only noticed female vocals lacking a little bit of air at times, although it made up for the dryness with its level of detail.

The trebles are not as forward as your typical V-shaped tuning, as found in IEMs like FiiO F9. However, they still do provide that articulation and sparkle essential for picking up the crispness of percussion instruments say a triangle or a glockenspiel. Treble extension is impressive- now go listen to that favourite violin concerto of yours. Oh, and the way a crash decays oh this is phenomenal- check out Dr. Chesky's Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc's cymbal track.

Stuff to note
I have been listening to these with the Shanling M0, and I have to say that this is probably the best entry-level combo out there. That being said, the IT01 is quite a source sensitive pair of IEMs. When plugged in directly into my Macbook Pro, there is an audible hiss that does not disappear. Another potential issue is that listening on the lowest volume from a Macbook is already pretty loud. However, these issues can be easily resolved by purchasing an iFi iEMatch.

It also loves power, despite the low power value. Try plugging this into a Chord Hugo and you'll know what I mean.

Conclusion
This is an absolute no brainer for anyone looking for their first pair of IEMs. For its price, this is really a force of nature. To be honest, the build quality and design of the IT01 could probably justify your purchase. And yes, the cable is just... that 10/10 girl you finally managed to go out with.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this review of the iBasso IT01, and I would like to thank iBasso again for bringing me into this community, and for the past eight months of enjoyable listening. =)

P.S. the photo attached is an old photo, taken before I got my Acoustune AET07 ear tips. Attached are the stock silicone tips.