Meze LIRIC ($2000): Closed back & an isodynamic hybrid, but is it good?



LIRIC

Intro: As part of yet another excellent tour, Andy Kong sent a LIRIC for a nice extended time with which to listen. A top-notch gent, who truly values honest enumeration of opinions, we continue to be lucky to have him as an asset to the community. I also believe this is why he is sought as a representative to so many fine companies as well. I have 14 days with the unit, which is just enough time to provide an honest evaluation of the Meze product.

Having previously reviewed the original Empyrean, which remains one of my all-time favorite headphones; the LIRIC has big shoes to fill in as an understudy to the flagship. Meze continues to innovate, and this collaboration includes Rinaro, which has produced quality products since WW2. On history alone, you could spend a fair word or seven, so that will be infiltrated throughout the review, as necessary.

I again thank Andy for the faith in these feeble words. It truly is a treat.


Specs:

OVERVIEW

Driver Type: Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array® MZ4
Operating Principle: Closed
Ear Coupling: Circumaural
Frequency Response: 4-92,000 Hz
Impedance: 30 Ω
Nominal SPL: 100 dB (1 mW / 1 kHz)
Maximum SPL: > 130 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <0.15%
Weight: 391 g


MZ4 DRIVER SPECIFICATIONS

Geometrical Shape: Ovoid
Size: 92mm x 63mm
Driver Weight: 71 g
Casing: Fibreglass reinforced polymer
Diaphragm Type: Rinaro Isoplanar® MZ4
Active Area: 3507 mm2
Diaphragm Weight: 0.08 g
Acoustic Mass: 6.5 kg/m4
Lower Frequency Limit: 4 Hz
Upper-Frequency Limit: 92,000 Hz



In The Box (and a really cool one at that...):

Display box

Case: Hard EVA pouch with velvet lining
• Two cables included:
- 1.5m soft TPE cable with 3.5mm jack
- 3m soft TPE cable with 3.5mm jack
• Adapters:
- 6.3mm jack adapter
- Airplane jack adapter
• Cables pouch
- Warranty period: 2 years


Gear Used/Compared:

Kennerton Rögnir ($3700)
Audeze LCD3 ($2200)
Kennerton Magni ($799)
CFA Cascade ($799)

MBP/Burson Funk
MBP/Stingxer SA1
MBP/iFi Pro iCAN/iDSD
Shanling M6 Pro


Songs:

Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews
Tommy Emmanuel
David Bowie
R.E.M.



Unboxing:

The Meze experience has always been of a premium variety and the LIRIC is no different. Coming in a large padded box, inside a form-fitting cardboard box, which is inside yet another cardboard box; the Meze is well protected.

The all-black case comes replete with a padded top laden with the LIRIC logo. With an “overbite” on the lid, the box fits together snuggly. Opening the lid, the underside of the top portion has a thick soft foam pad in black, which protects and holds in place the traveling case. Held open by two salmon colored ribbons, the likeness to a jewelry box does not go unnoticed. The bottom has a form fitting soft foam cutout to hold and protect the traveling case. Snug fitting as well, the case will not move.

Taking the thinner traveling case out, I marveled at how thin it actually is comparatively. With a horseshoe crab-like look to it, the feel is yet again premium. The double-sided zipper is protected by a leather form fitting strip, making for a near sealed affair. Unzipping the case, the inside is covered in soft suede, again in black (a subtle theme throughout), which is also form fitting with the headphone and cables only able to go in one way. This keeps the case thin and the headphones well protected.

Under the headphone in a cutout area is the well apportioned manual, complete with imagery in glossy color.

The cables also come in a nice leather drawstring bag, but because it is so good looking; I did not cinch the straps. Those cable pouches fit under a crosshatched stretch of elastic in their own area. Overall, the premium quality of fit and protection meet the Meze standards to me.



Build/form/fit:

When one purchases a Meze item, one expects flawless construction no matter the price of the unit. From the $69 Neo11 to the $3000 Empyrean, the expectation is the same. And for the most part, the LIRIC fits the bill.

Starting with the cable, the 4.4bal version is of 8-braid silver variety and very premium. Wound semi-tightly, there are absolutely no microphonics, and the lay is perfect. A bit shorter than I would like is the only flaw. The other cables of copper variety are surrounded by TPE black plastic and the familiar copper color of many Meze varieties. Soft and supple, they do seem a bit more institutional than premium. But all cables function well. For my review, I utilized all, but spent approximately 90% of the time using the 4.4bal cable.

Made of lightweight aluminum, magnesium, plastic and spring steel the LIRIC runs the gamut of materials and the Meze expertise of each. The magnesium frame for the cup is quite good and without much look could easily be confused for the plastic of the backs. The plastic is of high quality with a texture to it, which is used for handling purposes, and to keep the unit looking pristine. No fingerprints were had at any time. The adjustable shafts of the cup are of a copper colored aluminum and showed no wear with use so far. Tight of adjusting, once you find your optimal placement; the unit stayed there. The one part I would change is the headband, though. I have never really liked single piece headbands preferring to have some sort of frame above as support. That said, I fully get why Meze did this, and trust the implementation of the leather headband. With pleated venting there is good fit, with no heat buildup. Adjusting was easy, and I actually preferred the unit to sit higher on the sides of my head. This gave me a very good fit and isolation, with no pressure below my ears such as I have had on some headphones. Even distribution of the weight (which is light anyway) allowed me extended listening times, except for the ear cup size.

The cups are of oblong shape and a bit small for my slightly larger than average lobes. This was the Achilles of long-term listening to me, especially on my left side as I have carried an earring since high school. The extra band and slightly larger pads would dissuade me from this pressure, I do believe.

The LIRIC upholds the typical Meze tradition of a quality build, good to excellent fit and a functionality that could be considered industry standard. That said, the mixing of materials, especially the plastic (mostly the plastic) does seem to lie at a level below the price. I do like the overall look, though.



Technology:

From the website: “Rinaro originated in the USSR (today’s Ukraine) during the Cold War, as part of a state-funded acoustic technology research program. With government backing and access to advanced testing facilities, the team was able to focus all of its efforts on planar magnetics. A field they have continued to innovate in for the last 30 years, since the collapse of the USSR. In the last decade, Rinaro have expanded their capabilities and capacity with the development of state-of-the-art R&D and manufacturing facilities in Ukraine and Poland. The new facilities have been a driving force in the creation of the revolutionary Isodynamic Hybrid Array technology found in Meze Audio EMPYREAN, ELITE and LIRIC headphones.”

Utilizing two differing shapes for the drivers in a headphone is hard enough, but Rinaro has become a world expert in the technology. The switchback coil voices the low end while the spiral handles the mids, placed directly over the ear canal. This institution of placement shortens the time those mids need to get inside your ear. This also enhances soundstage a bit, acting like a near-holographic effect some IEM’s have. The inside grill as well as the placing of the magnets enhances the sound as well, with the grill acting to spread the sound further, mimicking and implementing soundstage nicely. Finish this with a vent hole, allowing the unit to breathe one could almost call this a semi-closed back headphone; but not really. Combined all of this makes for yet more technological advancement from Meze, utilizing existing technology; but with the expertise of a world-renowned company in Rinaro.

Further developing of the ar pad Air Flow (EAF) system, also by Rinaro; allows for the use of thinner ear cups by providing venting to not only the outside, but also through vent holes to the ear pads themselves. This allows for the cavity areas of the ear cup and pads to be used as acoustic chambers, which thus affords smaller ear cups. The result of all of this is the MZ4 isodynamic hybrid driver of the LIRIC utilizing Phase-XTM (pending), which improves ambience and spatial sound imaging and the aforementioned other changes.



Sound:

Summary:

I said in my Rai Penta review that I do believe Meze missed an opportunity to do for IEM’s what the Empyrean had done for headphones. I did like the Rai Penta but thought they could have done more to it. Since then Meze has been on a bender of development and inspiration. I find this good to see. Filling in the niche at the $2k price is another laudable but very tough task. This falls squarely into some excellent open and closed back headphones such as the LCD3, and ZMF Eikon, as well as the HiFiMan HE6se & Arya, along with the Beyerdynamic T5 & Sennheiser HD820; which some still consider the standard at this price.

I will start by saying the LIRIC is a very fine headphone. It is a Meze after all. Musically sound, artistically detailed; the LIRIC comes across as a headphone that does not want to offend. And that could be its greatest and weakest points. Detail is strong with succinct clarity without being antiseptic or clinical. It is not lush either. A happy medium seems to have been reached using the Rinaro driver and earcup/pad set up. Bass is solid if not deep reaching. I would not call it bass shy either. Mids are solid if set back a bit. Vocal treatment of both male & female is good, but not great. And up top, the treble note holds is all together without too much sparkle. I would call the LIRIC unoffending overall.

Moar:

The bass is tight and fast, with very good speedy decay; without being too cutoff or succinct. I would have preferred a bit more, but the sound is solid regardless, without bleed (one would hope so...) into the mids. I find on my iFi Pro duo that I push the Xbass all the way up to counter the lack. I do lose a bit of clarity as a result, but it fits my style better. Leave it neutral and you appreciate how all the sounds work together.

David Bowie’s voice on Space Oddity solidify my feeling of the mids, which are quite good without being dramatic. Some mids overly-promote themselves as the center of attention like a diva would. Not here. Subdued would be an insult to me, but more akin to polite and not wanting to show off. Female vocals come across as better with more vibrancy, and I take this as a result of the routing of sound directly into the canal like the dual-shaped drivers do. There is nothing offending here yet again, but not overly inspiring either. Call it on the warmer side of neutral without promoting it.



Treble plays without too much sparkle or gratiness and as a result, the overall timbre is good. I can happily live without the over-push of the high notes some current models promote in this range, such as some mentioned above. I do find it lacking in inspiration though. Passionate would be a more apt description of the upper end and overall sound character.

Some might find this lacking emotion or boring, but I would call it evenhanded without offending. Soundstage is quite good for a closed-back and layering & separation are above average as a result. Running through the excellent Singxer SA-1, there is a certain lilt to the sound, which benefits the LIRIC quite nicely. Run a warmer signatured DAC/Amp such as the iFi Pro duo mentioned, and the LIRIC feels warm and on the lusher side of life. Not bad in my mind. Call it multiple characters, fitting the mold of the non-offending.


Comparison:

Meze LIRIC ($2000) v Kennerton Rögnir ($3700):

The Rögnir instantly feels more detailed and energetic. Running the XLR cable, the Singxer has a hard time keeping up. Switching to either the Burson Funk or iFi duo simply makes the Rögnir sing (truth be told, so does the Singxer, but without the power). Bass seems lighter, but has a much better feel to it, and the mids are simply sublime. The Meze does feel richer and warmer in signature using this path, but the vibrancy with which the Kennerton promotes the sound is simply intoxicating. Had I heard the Meze first, I would have been quite satisfied walking out the store with it (after paying...duh), but going directly to the Kennerton, it would be a no contest purchase of the Rögnir, and I would wish the Meze good luck.

Different prices, different approaches. I own only one of these and will do so for the far future.



Meze LIRIC ($2000) v Audeze LCD3 ($2200):

My first major headphone, TOTL purchase, the LCD3, to quote PinkyPowers, “satiates my desires for a flagship headphone.” I do not care if the Empyrean might be better. I do not care if the HD820 or LCD5 might sound better. The LCD3 is my apex for open backed headphones and as such is still the staff with which I judge all comers. It takes a fair amount of power to drive, but I do not care. It is the open back version to my closed Rögnir. I have indeed reached my “end game” (I hate that term; I prefer satiation point). How then might I compare such a fine open back to the LIRIC? Well, most new versions of the LCD3 are right smack in the same price bracket, that’s how.

As such, the LCD3 sounds voluminous as a result, with better bass depth and feel. Mids do sound a bit too far forward comparatively, but the detail wrought from within is right up there with the best I have heard or prefer might be the better term. Getting past my lust for the LCD3, the LIRIC does compete well with the overall qualities with a very solid fully functional sound that does not offend. The LIRIC can hold its own here, but to me is not equal. Joe Walsh’s sublime guitar work on the live version of Hotel California simply melts me through the LCD3. I respect it through the LIRIC. There is the difference.


Meze LIRIC ($2000) v Kennerton Magni ($799):

The Magni (v2) was a sale purchase after reading some excellent reviews. Considered a “B-stock” purchase, I did not know there was a V3 coming out, which made the driver board of wood instead of plastic. I was a bit miffed but listened again. I was happy. Over the last several months I have culled many excellent headphones from my herd. Some that were extraordinary. But after hearing the Rögnir on tour, I knew I had met my end. One would think that the Magni would go as well, except that upon arrival I listened for three solid weeks falling further behind in reviews. It was worth it, and that listening solidified its place in my lineup. Extremely luscious bass without being drippy, and a wonderful treatment to the mids makes this a very vibrant signatured closed-back. One in which the Meze may wish to aspire.

That said, the warmth treatment from the LIRIC cannot be matched completely by the Kennerton and that can be chalked up as a win for the Meze. But for half the price, the Magni is a magnificent headphone indeed.


Meze LIRIC ($2000) v CFA Cascade ($799):

Included here because the bass treatment is so damn fine, I liken this to the purchase of the Magni. Many have come and gone, but the Cascade stays for its portability and sheer fun factor. The fit is darn near horrible, but it is foldable.

Sound wise, the bass is superb if a bit overbearing. Laying down that gauntlet, the Cascade lends itself to a connection from bass to mids, which is still hard to fathom. How can such bass quantity not simply squash the mids?! Well, the guitar work of Tommy Emmanuel says it can. On Guitar Boogie (Live) he lays down a line, which comes across as clear and crisp with very good detail. There is a fun factor here that the LIRIC simply cannot match. The LIRIC does sound better overall (and should), but factor in why we listen sometimes, and the Cascade is normally the one I still reach for when a pick me up raucous good time is needed. Inspiration if you will. Think of the scene from The Breakfast Club where Emilio Estevez breaks the glass to the music, and that’s it. Period. The LIRIC would be the one providing the cool counter to that raucous good time and that is all right as well.



Finale:

The above-mentioned headphones in comparison is an odd bunch. They are the chosen ones of mine, which I have purchased on my own and kept. As such, my sample may be few but diverse. I have had the pleasure and honor of hearing many of the best produced, period. The Empyrean at the time was close to being a purchase of mine I liked it so much. Others have come and tried to best the Empyrean, but I still consider it one of the best produced headphones out there. A VERY worthy secondhand purchase for those who do not need to have the “latest, greatest” models. Not everyone needs the latest or “best.” What you need is what you like and sounds the best to you. Hence my collection above. Every time I think of selling the Cascade, I pull it out again and give a listen. This quickly quells the thought yet again.

And herein lies my issue with the LIRIC. I am not sure if it is trying to be a mini-Elite or mini-Empyrean. Or hold its own merits. Listening to that same Tommy Emmanuel song, the clarity and detail are in fact better than the Cascade and Magni, and it should be. But is it better than a secondhand Empyrean? I’m not sure. Yes, the Empyrean is an open back while the LIRIC fills the needed niche from Meze for a TOTL closed back. And please do not get me wrong...it is good. Quite good at what it does. Soundstage is right up there with the best closed backs I have heard. That richness of sound emanating from within is sometimes ethereal in nature and quite wonderful in its richness. But when you could have an Empyrean for the same price, even if used; how do you decide?

The LIRIC is good, but some will find it on the more boring side of life, and I think they miss the point of where it is supposed to lie. To me it is supposed to fill in the TOTL closed back as a very worthy alternative to the overly bright & overly vibrant TOTL’s out there from other manufacturers. If that is your pleasure, then fine. But if you prefer a more mature sounding TOTL closed back, then the LIRIC is worth a listen, even against a used Empyrean.

I again thank Andy & Meze for the wonderful tour, without which I probably would not have heard the inspiration for a flagship closed back from Meze. I value that very highly.

Earsonics Onyx ($562): A well-kept secret no more.

ONYX direct link



Intro: The Onyx is Earsonic’s new addition to the lineup. A well-kept secret, little is known about it, until now. I thank Earsonics for the faith in my abilities, and the sample. This is a production unit, and I will provide an honest evaluation of the unit to the best of my abilities. At the time of publication, I know not the price nor configuration, hence the comparison to many at differing prices below. I think that is fair, especially after my first listen, which came across as good and towards the higher end of the spectrum (just a guess).


Specs:



In The Box:

Onyx IEM
Silver braided cable
6 sets of tips: 2-foam (s, m); 2-silicon (m, l); 2-silicon double flange (s, l)
Cleaning brush
Warranty card
Personalized builder card



Gear Used/Compared:

Lime Ears Pneuma ($2100)
Empire Ears Hero ($1349)
Campfire Audio Dorado 2020 ($999)
Campfire Audio Vega 2020 ($699)
Earsonics Corsa ($450)

MBP/Burson Funk
MBP/iFi Pro iCAN/iDSD
Shanling M6 Pro


Songs:

Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews
Tommy Emmanuel
David Bowie
R.E.M.



Unboxing:

Coming in what I am getting used to as the matte black box of Earsonics, which is not bad by the way; the Onyx fits the subdued nature of the brand. Lifting the front flap, the box opens clamshell-style. Presented with the Onyx, silver cable and larger rectangular case, the look is simple and a bit ominous. Like seeing the shadow of an all-black Mustang Cobra. Muscular in presentation, but it is the parts unknown and unseen, which cause pause and respect. The accessories box is on the right, which houses the tips and cleaning tool.

Inside the case you will find the signature card of the builder, which I do consider a nice touch. Simple, straightforward and black save the cable.


Build/Fit/Finish:

The shell is of familiar shape for those who pay attention or own Earsonics models. The familiar three-piece shell has a flat “stamped” logo on the faceplate, which continues the uneven thickness of the piece, which I indeed like. The back end of the faceplate is also where the two vent slots are, which help the bass note breathe. The inner shell has the trademark “swept seashell” lines to it, which I do like as well. The nozzle is angled for a good fit, too aiding in the overall fit.

The silver cable is of four-braid variety, tight and even. Splitting inside a simple aluminum Y-splitter replete with logo, the then two-strand cable includes a clear harder plastic cinch. Ending in a 2-pin configuration without an ear guide, the cable is wound tightly and evenly. This is a quality cable build as well as the overall unit.

Fit is a bit on the large size, but even with my preferred foam tips, the fit is good, but does stick out a bit. The nob on the inside of the inner shell does not bother my concha too much and longer listening sessions are quite good, comfort-wise.



Sound:

Summary:

Fresh from my Corsa review along with a couple of headphones, I was expecting a solid hit; since I liked the Corsa. In talking with @B9Scrambler, who reviewed the Grace, he also appreciated the tuning of the Corsa and very much liked the Grace. Considering it worthy of the TOTL status, we imagined where the Onyx would fit. Having only heard the Corsa, I cannot fathom where this one lies. But based upon the sound, I would put it into the upper echelon of IEM’s.

Providing a solid bass, but not overwhelming, the lows come out strong when needed, and accepting of a backup role when called upon. On Alex Fox’s Love Is In The Air, you understand both aspects of the lows, as the melding of sound with the guitar and staccato syncopation of maracas and applause fit perfectly together. Mids are a bit less forward than the Corsa, which is not bad either. With a frontal attack of distinct clarity and detail, you are met with a very nice combination of detail and speed. The sound is not analytical or dry by any means and the timbre presents a sensation-based experience across the spectrum. Treble note is good and a bit extended; but not pushy or overly grating for my tastes. The signature melding of the three main points is good without any stepping on toes had.

Moar:

When presented with such a project, you immediately think about what is inside or what the cost might be. When I pushed for more details, Thibault did not bite. All is being kept under wraps and that is all right in my book. For what I hear is quite pleasing and on the richer, warmer side than not. This is also quite refreshing, because I have to evaluate what Road & Track calls the “price-independent rating.” As in no matter what the cost is, which model would you like?

Going through a unit, which is more analytical (Burson Funk) the Onyx cooperates and provides a clean, clear, crisp sound; without being dry or thin. The bass is taut, but not too deep reaching here. On David Bowie’s Conversation Piece, a recording from Ziggy Stardust, you quickly realize that back then bass was not very prominent in recordings. But nonetheless, it is pretty fast in decay, with no bleed into the mids. On this particular song, I would not call it boomy or reaching too deep. As another song might go deep, so will the Onyx, mirroring the recording nicely. Decay is still faster than attack, lending me to believe there is a dynamic driver with good tuning inside.



Mids come across as nearly vibrant and with a slight richness to it, which is quite nice. On Sant Tois, the female vocal is sublime coming in as nearly sensuous. I really like the song, and the treatment given by the Onyx. The female vocals might be a bit thin for some, but they are so sublime in nature, that you do not miss it. Add in the bass of the song as the song reaches the halfway point, and you get a good kick along with the foundation. Male vocals, such as the aforementioned David Bowie come across with a bit of warmth. I am finding this to be somewhat of an Earsonics trend; living on the richer, warmer side of life; even if only a bit.

Moving up the sound signature, there is a nice bit of sparkle to the treble, but without being too punchy or biting. Brian Setzer’s Smash Up On Highway One is a good example of how the upper end is treated. Using Qobuz, there is a bit of a withdrawn treble note, but I do believe this is to counter the song while providing a warmth to it. there is definitely a good push on the Burson, and an even warmer touch to the song on the rich, warm Shanling M6 Pro. I do not mind this at all, and switching to silicon tips, opens the treble note with very good vibrant tonality.

Soundstage comes across as a bit higher and wider than deep, and separation does suffer a bit as a result with my preferred foam tips. Switching to the double flange silicon tips evened that out, without losing the solid bass line. This yet again represents an IEM where you can tailor the sound with the tip of your choice. Layering is still very good as witnessed on the Take Five version from the Kenichi Tsunodo big Band. This is a fabulous rendition of the classic jazz song. As a result of the tinkering above, the Onyx does play nicely across many genre and can be somewhat tailored to your tastes with the tip of your choice.



Comparison:

*Not knowing the price, I compared the Onyx with all from the mid-tier Corsa to the totl Pneuma for reference. the price is now listed above as are specs.


Earsonics Onyx v Lime Ears Pneuma ($2100):

The Pneuma is a guest on my house for a good listening time. Having fully appreciated the other Lime Ears offerings I have reviewed such as the Aether, I had high hopes for the Pneuma. And my hopes were met admirably. The Pneuma is a stellar multi-driver version of a TOTL from a well-respected manufacturer. Detail retrieval is at the top of the class. Bass can be adjusted by a switch on the back, and mids are simply sublime, even if a bit too far forward for my tastes. If it were a quick listen and decision, this would be easy, the Lime Ears product would come home with me and I would be satisfied. But at this price, longer listens are needed. And here, the subtleness of tonality in the Onyx plays catch up nicely. Where the Pneuma (that really is a pain to type...) comes across as bright and vibrant up top, the Onyx comes across with a much subtler detail note.

Based upon longer listens, the fit of the Pneuma comes into play as well. It is large, and even with the silicon shaped foam tips makes for a somewhat tedious listen after a longer session. Switching to pure silicon tips does tend to make a difference. Both of these are quite good, and very different.



Earsonics Onyx v Empire Ears Hero ($1349):

The next level down, I pulled out on Founder’s Edition Hero. After having heard this on tour, I purchased a model from a very nice gent secondhand. I do not regret it, except for the hot treble. Using the new W9+ dynamic driver, this may be a Legend X-lite, but not so with the sound. Excellent detail and that deep, and I mean deep reaching bass are superb. Had EE turned the treble down a bit, this might be the perfect IEM for me. Nonetheless, it still gets a fair amount of listening beside for reviews. Fit is better than the Lime Ears above, but still falls behind the onyx. And even with Comply’s I can listen for a good long time. The only thing that suffers to me are the mids. They are still vibrant and rich, but suffer a bit trying to catch up to that booming low end and sparkly top end. Never fear, for Natalie Merchant on Peppery Man sounds as sensuous as ever.

The Onyx and Hero would be a tough decision and may need a longer trial period than some stores would be willing to offer. Smooth, richer tonality of the Onyx, versus superb bass, sparkly treble and a tone, which is more niche oriented.


Earsonics Onyx v Campfire Audio Dorado 2020 ($999):

The Dorado 2020 is the bassy unit of the CFA line below the trio at the top. As such is can be the forgotten one. The Vega below has deeper bass, and those about have “better” technicals. But to me, the Dorado is the unsung hero in the CFA lineup for it combines all of the best attributes at an very decent price. Compared to the Onyx, it does suffer in clarity as well as having the mids pushed too far forward for my tastes. But the bass makes entry worth it to me such as on Jesse Clarke’s Number 5, which is deep reaching and plays perfectly with the guitar and violin work of the song. The Onyx cannot match that vibrancy, but counters with a smoothness, which the CFA cannot. Other than the Solaris 2020, the Dorado 2020 would be my choice in the lineup (OK, or the Ara/Andromeda...).


Earsonics Onyx v Campfire Audio Vega 2020 ($699):

Moving “down” the line, the Vega is the undisputed bass king of the CFA line. Upon first iteration, many marveled at the thunderous bass emitting from it. I liked it a lot but ended up with the EE Legend X instead. Moving forward to 2020, the bass has been tamed a bit, but without losing that deep rumbling reach. What has improved are the other notes within. Treble note does sound a bit thin, especially with female vocals and instruments, which reach that level, but it is better than the past tuning to me. Mids are quite good for the tuning but do tend to suffer a bit. The Vega 2020 is simply a raucous good time, which picks you up with every note. If you cannot raise your level of spunk listening to the Vega, then you may need to seek help. Compared to the Onyx they are pretty much diametrically opposite. Smooth textured notes of the Onyx, versus thunderous bass and the fun factor of the Vega. Your choice. I really like both.


Earsonics Onyx v Earsonics Corsa ($450):

The Corsa came my way and after a thorough listen, I appreciated the tuning. In talking with others that had more experience with the Earsonics lineup, they passed along that the tuning was quite good across the board and they appreciated the efforts put forth. The Corsa is a solid entry at this price, with very good mids, which while a bit too far forward to me are clear and detailed. Bass is adequate, but not thumping. Treble provides good sparkle without becoming harsh or intolerant. If you like good, solid mids with very good detail, then the Corsa is worth a listen.

Comparatively, the Onyx presents a more laidback signature without as much mid push. Detail is still very good as well, and with better bass; it is not a leap to assume the Onyx has replaced the Grace as the flagship model for Earsonics. It is equally probable that it slots between the Grace and Corsa. Either way, it is still quite good, and my choice of the two here.



Finale:

Pulling out an “old friend,” the EarMen TR-Amp while playing Space Oddity from David Bowie, I realize the strengths of the Onyx. Purposing a full richness of sound, without being too warm; the Onyx provides a nicely laid-back signature, but without the boring or dullness often associated with a laid-back signature. The TR-Amp is a warmer sounding DAC/Amp and still one of my all-time favorite portables/desktop units. There is sufficient detail to warrant consideration amongst the finer flagships but not enough to be considered too articulate or analytical. A warmth of the mid-section permeates the sound as well. Some will find this odd, until their ears acclimatize to it, but I find it quite good.

I am still not sure where the Onyx fits on the scale and will of course update the review as information comes forth. But for now, suffice to state that the Onyx to me definitely fits above the Corsa lending me to believe it either fills a gap or goes above the Grace. No bother, for it is good in both places and should be considered as worthy of a longer listen if you care for the French vision of listening pleasures. To date, I surely do.

Apos Caspian ($499): An International Effort Brings Cooperation To Sound

Apos Caspian

Intro: As part of the continuing efforts from @Barra and AudioTiers, the Apos was sent as a review sample. Once done, the unit will be sent to another reviewer as part of an agreement with AudioTiers. What follows are my words, and my words alone. The unit is on loan, so care will be given to the unit then sent along to the next lucky participant.

More: The Apos Caspian is a conglomeration between Sandu Vitalie of Soundnews.net, Apos and Valentin Kazanzhi of Kennerton fame. The driver is Kennerton’s, using a custom 50mm graphene-coated composite dynamic drivers that are mechanically decoupled from the wooden housing. The cups are Oak and remind me of my Rognir in Bog Oak. Future models according to Vitalie may come in a variety of wood cup choices, much like Kennerton models. A fully open back headphone, using 3-pin mini-XLR connections were of his choosing as well. The total package is marketed as usable for your desktop prime system and your portable dongle/Smartphone system as well. As such, I will test this across many platforms as well as relying upon Vitalie’s review for the technical aspects.

I have included a variety of open and closed back headphones in this review as I feel the price point warrants this. Plus, I am in the process of culling my herd and the Mr. Speakers Aeon Flow Open has left my stable...


Specs:

• Driver: Graphene-coated multilayered composite
• Driver unit: 50mm
• Frequency response: 5-45,000Hz
• Sensitivity: 115dB
• Impedance: 33Ω
• Maximum input power: 500mW
• Ear cup outer material: Natural sheepskin leather
• Ear cup inner material: Acoustic memory foam
• Thickness of pads: 1” (27mm)
• External dimensions of pads: 4.5” x 3.4” (115mm x 88mm)
• Height and width of ear pad opening: 3” x 1.7” (77mm x 45mm)
• Grille material: aluminum alloy
• Headband materials: stainless steel, natural leather outer lining, bio-leather inner lining, polyurethane foam insert
• Yoke material: stainless steel
• Weight: 13.3oz (378g)

In The Box:

• Apos Caspian headphone
• Leather carrying bag
• Stock headphone cable (single-ended 6.35mm termination)
• *Apos Flow mini-XLR to XLR cable included as well

Gear Compared/Used:

Sivga Phoenix ($255)
Sendy Aiva ($599)
Thinksound ov21 ($349)
Final Audio Sonorous III ($399)

MacBook Pro/XDuoo XA-10
Shanling Audio M6 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max/EarMen Sparrow
MacBook Pro/iFi Pro iDSD/iCAN


Songs:

Reckoner, Avalon-Peter Frampton
Lazeez-Acoustic Alchemy
Shake-Jesse Cook
The Peppery Man-Natalie Merchant
Number 5-Jesse Cook
Lewis & Clark-Tommy Emmanuel
Guitar Boogie-Tommy Emmanuel
Hotel California-The Eagles
Smash Up On Highway One-Brian Setzer
Evil Ways-Santana
Smooth-Santana


Unboxing:

Following Kennerton’s model, the box is subdued cardboard but of dark green with more verbiage on the faces as well. The back lists the virtues of what is handmade and some of the features such as driver size (and make) along with the nature of the aluminum grille.

The inner sleeve (like Kennerton again) carries much information including the reasoning, name, sound, & look of the Caspian. I do appreciate this aspect from company’s so that one learns much of the reasoning, though and passion behind the ware. Using sustainable practices and the ability for longevity also lies at the heart of the headphone, and Apos espouses the use of non-endangered wood for the cups and longevity of stainless steel (non-rusting). All aspects of the headphone speak of quality and good thought from Apos.

The eco-leather case is one of typical Kennerton again. One of slightly oversized zippered “purse,” with a good-sized top section where the cable and/or adaptor can be kept. Sliding the headphone into the open cavern is of easy affair and you need not “close down” the headphone, thus losing your adjustment like many headphones and cases. This provides less wear and tear to the adjusting mechanism as well. A shoulder strap also allows the user to carry the headphone like a shoulder bag. There is enough room for your DAP or Dongle as you may, thus making the whole case at least semi-portable.



Fit/Finish/Build:

The Caspian is of sturdy build without being hefty. Not as large a unit as Kennerton models, the Apos is an over ear matching closely the size of the Sendy Aiva and Thinksound ov21. The dark Oak looks stunning and reminds me of the Bog Oak on my Rögnir. Since I am the second user after Bill, the unit does show a few marks on the sliders, which could be due to a thinner powder coating. There is a slight rotational aspect to the slider inside the housing, which gives a decent fore/aft movement on my head.

The yoke is thin stainless steel, with divets used as adjusting points, which go into the headband. There is good give to the headband, which affords solid fit on many sizes of heads, and with a good grip. I did not find too much pressure to the fit as the soft native leather pads are quite giving. Almost like memory foam, the pads conform to the shape of your head nicely. Add in good padding to the underside of the headband and you have a good fit. A mix of plastic, stainless steel and wood makes for a good-looking unit, even if the finish/build is not perfect. It seems the plastic covers over the yoke slot do not match perfectly but do snap together (and have two screws) for a good fit.

A large black grill with the “A” logo graces each side, making the Oak cups seem smaller. This is the result of having an open back design; you don’t have much surrounding the grill. That said, the dark Oak looks quite nice adding to the black grill. The oval shaped cups complimenting the round grill nicely. The pads have the typical lip, which slides into the slot keeping the pads in place. They can somewhat easily rotate within that slot, allowing another fine-tuning adjustment.

The included cable follows Kennerton’s route as well as it is thick and covered in braided material. The stock cable comes with mini-XLR and a 6.35mm jack, of good build and length. It does curl a good bit, a factor of being wound fairly tightly. I would imagine over time it would lay better. Little to no microphonics are had as well.

If you were to hand the Caspian to someone and ask the price of the unit, you would most likely get the price listed above due to the elegant look and quality materials. I would not disagree with this assessment.



Technicals:

Using a Kennerton-derived 50mm composite graphene driver, the Caspian is detached from the housing, thus reducing vibrations. The thin membrane makes for quick reactions to voltage swings, and thus is easy to drive across different sources. Graphene is stronger than steel, and with that quick moving membrane can deliver very quick sounds as well as shorter decay making it move very efficiently with the magnets.

The voice coil is lightweight aluminum (CCAW) covered with a thin layer of copper increasing conductivity as well. Combine this with a powerful magnet, and you have a highly efficient driver unit that is also easy to drive. Sensitivity is quite high for something of this nature at 115dB per 1mW of power making what might be construed as something where background noise could possibly permeate the sound, but we shall see.


Sound:

Summary:

As an open back one would expect a wide soundstage and good air between notes. This is mostly true, but the sound lies on the warmer side of life, just. There is a certain naturalness to the sound, which can come across as muddling to some, but I chalk this up as just the signature of a certain amount of richness. This is certainly not neutral, nor is it analytical either.

Bass comes on when needed and is source dependent to me as through the XDuoo XA-10, which is analytically neutral bass is short but not thin. A rich crispness pervades my senses on Lazeez from Acoustic Alchemy with this set up, which is not bad. The mids comes across as organic and natural as well, with a somewhat (to me) rolled off treble. There is a bit of a spike, but not enough to bother me and enough to emphasize the upper reaches of the sound signature. There also seems to be an intimacy to the signature, which some might construe as veiled. I may not call it that, but this adds to the warmth of the signature.



Moar:

A certain richness pervades the bass region of sound as evidenced on Tommy Emmanuel’s Lewis & Clark; which is a fantastic acoustic guitar song to use as a gauge. Not deep reaching by any means, but there when needed and of sufficient quality to hold down the line. There is little bleed into the mids as a result. There is that richness, which seems to meld the lower mids to the bass qualities nicely. Upon listening to the Rögnir, there was a wonderful synergy of organic naturalness to the sound, which just brought out the emotion of whatever I listened to. That is somewhat present in the Caspian and one can easily hear the “family” resemblance. But they are indeed not the same.

Those emotive responses of the mids come across as organic in sound, but not the most realistic. There is definitely warmth and richness here, but this seems to be at the expense of a clarity-driven mid sound to me. The Eagles live version of Hotel California comes across as passionate, but almost flat to me. I get the warmth, but to me there seems to be too much and at the expense of detail. An example of that would be Brian Setzer’s Smash Up On Highway One, a thoroughly vibrant, engaging song. On the Caspian it lacks that vibrant tonality, which to me is what makes the song fabulous and the want to raise the volume. Not so with the Caspian.

Cymbal hits and upper end notes in the treble region come across as leaving me wanting better clarity and definition. Mind you there is plenty of the emotive response here, but again at the downfall of clarity. I do enjoy the sound up top, but even I wish for better definition and a certain amount of push up top compared to some.

There is no denying that the soundstage is that of an open back headphone. Coming across as decently wide (but not cavernous), along with good depth and height to match, there is good air to the definition of layering & separation. Adele’s Easy On Me comes across with a passionate plea of a sound, but lacks true depth to me. It is good but lacks that visceral experience I expect when listening to Adele. I Drink Wine comes across as a soulsy song, with good reach and a beat to it, which makes one tap their feet as she sings that soul searching song. Good stuff.


Sources:

Apos Flow XLR balanced ($159): I found this pairing the best, especially when paired with my iFi Pro duo listed above. To me this changed the whole character. The iFi products are known as rich and full of warmth. Adding the Apos balanced cable makes for one fine set up. To me, this opened the mids up nicely, losing that “veiled” characteristic of which I speak. There is even an extra bit of sparkle up top. If this were my headphone, the Apos Flow would be a no-brainer addition to the case; especially at the price. Yes, much of this character change has to do with the ifi DAC/Amp in which it is fed from, but the Apos duo makes for a very good pairing.

iPhone 13 Pro Max/EarMen Eagle: Keeping with the semi-affordable price with the Eagle, this trio shows the Caspian can indeed be used with a Smartphone and dongle. Coming across with a bit more crispness to the sound due to the Eagle, the Caspian provided another example of what a solid sound source can do for the unit. This would be quite an acceptable trio to me.

MacBook Pro/XDuoo XA-10: XDuoo has produced some knockout items from the X10Tii transport to the TA-30 immensely powered tube amplifier. The XA-10 is another hit, but on the digital front. Cleanly running to a fault, this was not the best combination as witnessed by the other remarks here. I did appreciate the sound, but when paired, the Caspian came across as somewhat dry and veiled in the mid-section. Based upon my evidence with the other sources, this is probably the XA-10 in the chain. I am by no means saying the XA-10 is not good for it is, but not the best pairing here.



Comparisons:

Apos Caspian ($499) v Sivga Phoenix ($255):

The Phoenix represents Sivga’s foray into the affordable open back market and follows the success of the Sendy Aiva (see below). At half the price, the Phoenix is stunning in looks, but many thought it had a “fake” aura to it, which seemed industrial. For the price and whom Sivga was aiming for, the Phoenix met all comers head on. And did well in my book along with others. Not as rich in tonality as the Caspian and with more forward mids, the Phoenix sounds more open. It has better clarity to me, but the two are oriented towards differing tastes. Detail retrieval is about the same, and the Phoenix has a bit deeper reach of bass; with better control as well. The Caspian comes across with more rumble but is less controlled. The Caspian does come across as thicker in sound, and with more naturalness, but clarity goes to the Phoenix.


Apos Caspian ($499) v Sendy Aiva ($599):

A much more detailed unit than the Phoenix, I fell for the Aiva at first look. And after listening I still appreciated the sound emanating from within. Coming with a 4.4bal cable and adapter the Aiva is a multi-use open back headphone. With much more of the bling looks than the Caspian, the sound comes across as a direct competitor. Sendy/Sivga seem to have a love/hate with no between relationship among many reviewers. Count me among those who really appreciate the sound along with the gorgeous looks as well.

Warmer and richer, much like the Caspian, the Aiva reaches deeper and with better control as well down low. Mids are slightly behind the rest, and a bit thin when compared to the Caspian, though. Much the same treatment up top as the Caspian, the Aiva sounds sumptuous in presentation, especially with the balanced option and a less veiled sound as well. But the Caspian comes across as natural and sumptuous as well. So, this comes down to looks and a fit, which is slightly better on the Caspian.


Apos Caspian ($499) v Thinksound ov21 ($349):

I am a fan of Thinksound. Period. So, when the ov21 went up on Kickstarter, I jumped. Used to the fine, deep reaching bass of the on2, and an absolutely fun sound, I anticipated the same from the ov21, much like the in20 has. But the ov21 comes across as a much more refined version of the house sound, without the deep reaching bass normally had. While I am a bit disappointed in that aspect, one cannot deny that there is much better clarity on the ov21 than the previous models. This is not a bad unit for their first closed back headphone, and when you throw in the use of reclaimed materials and Eastman’s expertise in making the wood for the faceplate you still have a winner in my book.

But if we talk about sound, the Caspian wins. More natural in sound, and with that bit of rumble, the Apos comes across with a more emotive response. But the ov21 is still a very fine unit in my opinion.


Apos Caspian ($499) v Final Audio Sonorous III ($399):

The Final Sonorous VIII is known to be one of the best closed back headphones out there. Coming across the III secondhand, I took a plunge and do not regret it. Providing excellent clarity and detail, the Sonorous III is an underappreciated gem to me. Atypical shape makes it hard to find a decent case, though. Providing good reach down low, with airy, sumptuous mids, the Sonorous III give way to excellent detail up top as well. To me it has better treatment up top than the Caspian but does lack a bit in the musicality or rich naturalness to the Caspian. It is something I can live with though, for the rest of it is quite good. The Caspian falls behind the Sonorous III to me in presentation as the III comes across as quite accurate as well. A good choice at this price for a closed back in my estimation.



Finale:

When someone cares enough about their hobby to make an impression by making their interpretation of what a good headphone should sound like, I appreciate it. I really do. The time and effort needed to do this, let alone get other company’s on board is a huge undertaking. Throw in all of the models and prototypes and meeting and such; and you get a massive investment from the start. This takes guts. And money. And commitment. I applaud this all around. But the downside is that the product produced will have the flavors chosen by the inventor. That can certainly be good and bad. Here with the Apos Caspian it is mostly good.

The looks are subdued and gorgeous. The build quality mimics those of one of the major investors, Kennerton. And that is a good thing in my book. Entering the insanely tough sub-$750 headphone market is a tall task and one in which all three parties took seriously. Throw on the Apos Flow cable, and you hit right at the $750 price, which makes this one in which to consider in my humble opinion.

I applaud Mr. Vitalie, Apos & Kennerton for the conglomerate mixing to produce the Caspian. It indeed takes guts to follow through with a dream such as this. While the Caspian may not suit all of my tastes, it is a pretty decent headphone, nonetheless. As stated above, pair it with the Apos Flow and you have a pretty nice set up. I finish this by listening to Lenny from Stevie Ray Vaughan, and that is all right in my book.

I again thank @Barra and Apos for the loan of the Caspian. The next lucky participant will be in for a decent treat.

KZ x Crinacle CRN, ZEX Pro ($36-$49): A new twist on KZ tuning.



Jeff from KZ approached me about reviewing the ZEX Pro for them. I will also be receiving a couple of other models as part of an agreement as well. In the time it took to send the model and receive it, he contacted me to let me know the model came about in conjunction with reviewer Crinacle, hence the name change. He assured me both models are tuned the same and are identical.

Even though this is a review sample, it is understood that the model may be asked back for at any time, but until then is mine to keep, but not sell. All measurements below are listed on the website and all links below were provided to me by Jeff. I thank both him and KZ for the opportunity to review the ZEX Pro.


Amazon

USA：https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MTFPV4P

DE：https://www.amazon.de/dp/B09NNG6DJ6

JP：https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B09NNG9BFS

website：https://www.kztws.com/products/zexproxcrinclecrn


Specs:

Model：KZ X Crinacle CRN (ZEX Pro)
Impedance：25Ω
Sensitivity：104dB
Frequenc：20-40000Hz
Plug Type：3.5mm
Pin Type：0.75mm
Cable：Silver-plated double flat cable
Cable Length：120mm
Earphone Type：In-ear


In The Box:

KZ x Crinacle ZEX Pro
Extra tips
Silver-plated flat cable
No Case (STILL!!!)



Gear used:

Shanling M6 Pro
Cayin N6ii E01
MBP/XDuoo XA-10


Songlist:

Eagles-Hotel Cali Live 1999
Brian Setzer
Joey Alexander-Warna album and others
Mark Knopfler-Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes
Santana w/ Mana- Corazon Espinado
twenty one pilots Christmas
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Big Head Todd & The Monsters-Beautiful World
Mark Knopfler-Down The Road Wherever
Elton John-yep, still good, still cool


Unboxing:

In typical understated KZ fashion, the box is small and straightforward. Removing the clear cover, you find the unit, cable and tips. This has become KZ’s de rigor for unboxing. Simple, straightforward and easy. And still...no case.



Technicals:

Running a 30095 balanced armature, 10mm dynamic driver and a 6.8mm electret magnetostatic unit, the ZEX Pro is a true tribrid. Running the trio drivers in order to make a more balanced sound, instead of the typical high-end oriented KZ “house sound” is no small feat, and to do so, Crinacle was brought in to tune the critter. Marketed as “what used to be the realm of high end,” the KZ markets itself as an all-arounder, for a smooth balanced sound. This might sound suspiciously like a certain curve, and you would be “mostly” correct. More on that later. Suffice to say that the KZ does offer a balanced smooth signature, which does indeed depart from recent KZ models.


Build/fit/finish:

In typical KZ fashion (there it is again...) the build is quite good, and fit is of high quality as well. Using medical grade resin for the shell, there is an aviation grade Zinc faceplate bound expertly to the shell. The only downside to the shape is the overly larger knob, which does hinder fit after longer sessions. I find that the knob is bothersome to say the least. I might ask KZ to stop marketing this as “after using several thousand ear models in order to maximize comfort,” as I seem not to be the only one who has fit issues. This is of course not limited to KZ shells. Plus, KZ continues to use the less than industry standard of 0.75mm 2-pin connectors for the cable, so forget about switching with the more normal sized 0.78mm. So be it, since this is an affordable unit.

The cable is of four flat-braided silver-plated strands, which split into two at the Y-splitter. It lays nicely, and does not tangle, but the over ear guide reminds me of the old spectacles, which Anthropologists would wear when examining something. The guides, which seem to wrap all the way around. Too long for my tastes. I have never had an issue with KZ builds or cables, and do not here, only the fit is a bit off to me for my averaged sized ears.



Sound:

Summary:

KZ is known for “energetic” high end sounds. Some might call them a tad too bright for the tuning. Charged with making a more neutral (and more mainstream) sound is tough when your bread and butter lies with that energetic sound, which many do like. Of all the numerous KZ’s I have heard, the ZEX Pro is the most neutral and least offending of all. It does come across as nearly neutral, with adequate bass and mids, which come across as fairly clean, but not all that inspiring. Mind you this is not bad, just not as energetic as we are used to from KZ. Treble notes reach fairly high but seem to be hindered like a dog on a leash. They want to go further, faster, but the owner holds them back lest they get so far ahead the owner might have to break a sweat to catch up. Again, this is not bad, just different. Overall, the soundstage is adequately wide and high, but a bit shallow in depth for me. Crinacle was charged with making the ZEX Pro more mainstream, without offending, and I do think he has succeeded. But at what cost?

Moar:

As mentioned above, the overall tonality is not bad, just not all that exciting. I can admit that when I pony up for a KZ listen, I expect it to be a bit hot for my tastes with polite bass. Here though, that bass comes across as a solid foundational aspect of the tuning. A nice change, but it is not overwhelming. As such, it does not bleed into the mids like some KZ have in the past. Allowing those mids to come across on their (mostly) own, they are solid, but again uninspiring. Tommy Emmanuel’s live Guitar Boogie is quite a good song with which to judge mids and acoustic treatment. I get a bit of resonating here (yes, it is a live song), that comes across as hindering the overall pleasure of the song, but not too offensively. Each strum is heard in concert with the others where on similar IEM’s they might be held separately allowing the user to gauge when each string is struck. Call it going for the overall sound, instead of individual treatment.

Up top, there is no denying this is a toned-down version of the traditional KZ “house sound” in the treble note. I find myself actually questioning whether this really is a KZ due to that taming of the shrew. Please take that as you may, for I am not the best judge of sound up top except for harshness. And the ZEX Pro is not harsh. Not in the least.

Soundstage as mentioned is fairly wide and tall, but a bit lacking in depth to me. There is nothing extraordinary here, but nothing offending either. Thus, instrumentation, layering & separation all follow suit without being extraordinary. On Jesse Cook’s really cool rendition of Number 5, bass does come across as strong, and there is good placement, but layering is only average. Mind you, this does not bother me for the song is so, so good. But the cymbal hits sound artificial here, lending an air of computer-generated sound to the acoustic mix. Not the best, not the worst, just there.

Natalie Merchant’s sublime vocals on The Peppery Man are to die for as is the song, but I am left with a want, a desire for more here as her voice normally cuts to my soul. On the Crin, it falls short, but again is not offensive. Take that as you may, but to me female vocals sound a bit thin in comparison to others at this price. Again, not bad but not inspiring like it should be.


Finale:

I will admit that this was surprise appearance at my door, while waiting others from Jeff & KZ. I do not mind, for a gift such as this is still welcomed into my abode for the listen and review. Some may think, “well...it’s FREE, you should be grateful regardless!” And of course, I am, but the surprise of getting an unexpected guest in the house still makes a smile across my face.

And in using the KZ x Crin ZEX Pro, I can put a smile across my face for it is not really as bad as I make it out to be above. It is a most definite departure from the “normal” KZ tuning, which caught me by surprise to say the least. But it lacks inspiration as well. It does all mostly well, but not inspiring. This would definitely be called the “jack of all trades.” But Jack has no speciality either. Learned in much, but expert in none, this Jack lacks the inspiration of the other KZ models, which do come across as bright or overly heightened bass levels. But that is the point to many of them. You either liked them or you didn’t. I do not fault those who like the sort of tuning from other KZ models, and those KZ models can pretty much be singled out for the “driver war” and other such innovations, which all companies jumped onto. That alone shows the might of a company, which can transform a whole industry by inserting 1-2 models into our consciousness. That was KZ’s motis operandi and with this model they went so far to the left, that one hopes the vehicle of development has full-on 4wd. That isn’t a bad thing, for they again seek to develop a path on which we did not know we needed to take. But with the Crin-tuned ZEX Pro, it fears that off-road lest it get its feet wet or dirty and is perfectly happy toeing the line of inoffensive mediocrity. A mainstream IEM, when there was a real chance to develop a truly different IEM. Mind you, at this price, many, many will gobble it up for the name alone. And if that was one of the goals, then one cannot fault either too much.

I thank Jeff and KZ for the KZ x Crin ZEX Pro sample. It does take a certain amount of faith to stray from their tried and true path. I applaud that effort and do look forward to what comes down the line from KZ.

Cheers.

Earsonics Corsa ($450): Built like a tank, and with sound to match.



Corsa

Corsa Shop

Intro: Thibault, from Earsonics contacted me to see if I was interested in a review of the Corsa. Having just read B9Scrambler’s review of the unit I was intrigued. I said yes, and 2½ short weeks later I had a Corsa in hand. I reread The Contraptionist’s review to get a better handle on the company and the unit. It is understood that the unit is mine to keep but may be asked back for at any time. As such, the unit is not to be sold for profit, as that yet remains cheap, lowdown and uncool. What follows is an honest impression of the Corsa and how it sounds to me, and me only. Used across many platforms and compared to comparable wares, I do think this is a very valid review and comparison.

Earsonics is a French company founded by Franck Lopez in 2005. Catering to both professional and enthusiast IEM markets, they currently offer a variety of universal and custom-fit earphones, which feature both hybrid and pure armature setups (courtesy of The Contraptionist’s introduction).


Specs:

SPECIFICATIONS:

Sensibility: 119 dB/mW
Fréquence response: 10 Hz -20 kHz
DCR: 31 ohms
Drivers: 3 BA drivers with 3-way impédance corrector crossover


IN THE BOX:

CORSA with 4C HI-RES cable
4 Comply tips (various sizes)
8 silicon tips
 (various sizes)
Cleaning tool
Carrying box
User manual



Gear used/compared:

Dunu SA6 ($499)
Fearless S6 Rui ($479)
Noble Savant II ($499)

Shanling M6 Pro
Cayin N6ii E01
MBP/XDuoo XA-10


Songlist:

Eagles-Hotel Cali Live 1999
Brian Setzer
Joey Alexander-Warna album and others
Mark Knopfler-Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes
Santana w/ Mana- Corazon Espinado
twenty one pilots Christmas
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Big Head Todd & The Monsters-Beautiful World
Mark Knopfler-Down The Road Wherever
Elton John-yep, still good, still cool


Unboxing:

Coming in a plain black box, expectations were that the inside would be a bit more exciting on one hand but thinking simplicity rocks on the other hand. Opening the lid on the front, the top opens like a hood. Inside you find a printed note from company founder and CEO Franck Lopez, written in French. Popping that up, you get the small zippered case with the cable tucked neatly inside, except for the bit, which connects to the IEM’s.

Those metal-shelled IEM’s are tucked into individual round cutouts, with the cable running in their own groove around the top. Not uncommon, but nonetheless still a nice-looking feature. Taking the right ¼ of the box is the accessories box, complete with three different types (shapes) of tips (single flange common silicon, double flange silicon & foam; all in two sizes and packed in three bags). You also get a white cleaning brush, which is a nice departure from the typical black (that can fall and quickly become lost).

Under the medium foam protection and ¼ cardboard case you find the “handcrafted by” (Carine Cot) and the warranty card again in French.

Simple, subtle and all right in my book.

Add in that the Corsa comes with a plethora of tips ranging from two foam sizes to two set of single flange and two sets of double flange tips, and you have a well apportioned kit. The double flange even has a long center shaft for positive connection with the nozzle. This is indeed the longest shaft I have seen on a set of tips, and it does hold onto the nozzle well.



Technicals:

Made with three proprietary BA’s, the Corsa holds true to the “made in France” mantra, with the 3D-acrylic compartment or “heart” structure made in well, France. A metal jacket rounds out the unit looking every bit a clamshell pattern on the inside, and a melted candle seal reminiscent of days of yore on the faceplate. A nice change from the “inlaid” or acrylic painted patterns to me. Mind you I really like stabilized, inlays and patterns; but this just seems right with the “ES” logo embossed in that “melted wax.” While not all of the above is about the technical aspect it does tie the whole together showing Earsonic’s commitment to the overall unit when it comes to technology.


Build/Fit/Finish:

A metal three-piece shell gives the Corsa a higher-end look, and the burnished bronze color adds to the “luxury” segment look. A long pressed in nozzle is of good diameter and tips take a good amount of force to mount. Not a bad thing in my mind. The inner shell has curves much like you would see on a clamshell and is screwed (with a glued lip) to the faceplate. The nozzle has a filter covering it to keep unwanted items out as well.

That faceplate varies of different thicknesses depending upon where it is in relation to the ear placement. Something I have not seen much of before. I do like the look. At the back of the faceplate (thicker end) there are two “slots,” which act as vents for the unit. If you look inside, you can see the mechanicals, much like you would on a furnace cover. There is also a slight detent on the main shell, to accommodate the insertion of the 0.78mm 2-pin cable, which is inset into the thicker portion of the faceplate. This is a fairly complicated design to a shell, amongst the most I have seen, but not without thought, care and design engineering for proper functioning of the unit.

There is even what would be akin to a melted wax “seal” bearing the “es” logo on the faceplate, much like letters of old. The 2-pin cable is a bit hard to insert for my tastes, and care is warranted when inserting the cable. Grip and feel across the board is very good, and not slippery as you might expect with the burnished color treatment.

The cable is a 4C 4-wire wrap in silver. Reminiscent of a good, solid Litz cable, it plays very well in use. A longer than normal over ear guide is soft and pliable, making this one of the best fitments I have witnessed of late. It lays excellently around my ear. A well protected right angle 3.5mm jack of lightweight aluminum is followed by the same aluminum Y-splitter and 2-pin ends. Light in feel, use and touch. Quality while being usable and softer of character. With protection where needed the cable works well, as does the fit of the unit in-ear.

While the unit is cold due to the metal, fit in my average-sized ear is good, with a modicum showing outside my ear. This does not stick out nearly as much as some, but it is not flush either. Good to excellent fit, without bother and the angle of the nozzle helps with a proper listening environment as well as fit. Nothing to worry about here.

The only downside here is the case. While it is of good quality, it is a bit too small for something of this price. Small size is good for in-pocket, but bad for not smashing the tips of choice. I also have to wind the cable tighter than I prefer for the Corsa to fit inside. Another ¼” thickness and ½” in diameter would have made a world of difference.



Sound:

Summary:

The Corsa presents itself as a highly detailed triple balanced armature IEM, with good spatial representation and emphasis on the mids to higher range rather than the low end. This does not mean the lows are missing or unsatisfactory for when I listened to the Corsa, my focus indeed went towards the very good detail retrieval, and a cohesiveness with the mids; which makes for a crisper sound than not. Bass while not as deep as I might like is certainly present to keep things under control. The acoustic bass on David Grisman’s Chili Dawg comes across as the foundational aspect it is. Supporting but setting the tone, without encumbering the whole signature with an overexuberance of bass. A thoroughly satisfying sound emanates from the Corsa, with energy aplomb.

Moar:

Tip choice play a big part in how the sound will be represented with the Corsa. And yes, of course this happens with many, but to me it is more pronounced here than many of what I have had of late.

My preferred were the smaller (which was odd for me...) foam tips as this allowed a slightly “less neutral” sound to come through with a bit deeper reach of bass. This is my preferred choice, and I would keep it that way save I switched to the double flange for a listen. As stated above, this is the first time I have actually liked double flange tips in use. I am not sure what the synergy here is in order to accommodate my tastes, but whatever it worked. The bass was brought back to a support mechanism, but details flourished with the double flange. If you are going for detail and that crispier sound, then this might be your best bet.

Anyway, back to the foams and bass. A certain richness pervaded my senses with the foam tips and the low end, but not like an SA6 or Legend X mind you. No, this is a fruitful sound that still represents the sounds below the beltline well. On Grisman’s O’banion’s Wake, that bass guitar holds the show together as you might find in a fine Irish Pub on a Saturday night after a funeral. Drinks flow, talk and song permeate the air, and it is a right jolly good time as memories flow. This representation is accurate and realistic to me, which lends to the tuning being spot on.

Carrying this song into the mandolin and mids, Grisman reaches high with the strumming as violin plays the lower end of the mids with authority, but not authoritarian. This is such a fine song for judging the qualities that I ran the song over three times to make sure I caught all of the nuances. Coming through the XDuoo XA-10, the sound comes clean and slightly dry, but the tuning of the Corsa negates that quite nicely bringing the listener into the fold as Natalie Merchant’s hauntingly vivacious vocals engulf my ears on The Peppery Man, but not before Dawg Daze finishes. This is a raucous song, with much to disseminate and like. Piercing highs from the guitar work allow you to see the upper folds of the treble notes reach and it is very, very good. Piercing only in reach, quality with excess for sure.

Merchant’s voice to me is very underappreciated, and almost forgotten from the 10,000 Maniac days. That was such a fine group, that we tended to take her voice for granted. It is good to hear her music again. Natalie’s voice here reaches that upper end with succinct S’s, again piercing the top end, but not wincingly. More like an emotive sound. The song digs deep with the help of her accompanying male entourage and you get the feeling of sitting on a front porch in northern Mississippi on a hot steamy evening, drinking anything cool to take your mind off of the oppressing heat. The Corsa allows the song to come through with that near visceral experience and so far, all are working together presentably.

Kenichi Tsunoda’s Big Band version of the seminal Take Five allows me to experience a nice 3D aspect to the sound. Big band can come across as wide and overpowering in many situations, but that is the nature of the sound. Here though, the spatial representation is still broad, but deep as well with a good height presence. I get the feeling of a nicely filled out medium sized venue and that is right for the purposes. Layering as a result is good with instrumentation quite nice as well. While the detail retrieval will not break any new grounds, the sound comes across as firm, and with solidity, I would not call it thick as in too much density even though that is there. That solidity of which I speak makes that detailed sound, which is there come across all the better; but not analytically clean like some of the class leading ones in this price. Crisp, but not as crisp as the class leading IEM’s. But this bodes well for the overall tonality, which exudes that emotive sound of which I mentioned above. Calling it a mature sound would not be unfair.



Comparisons:

Earsonics Corsa ($450) v Dunu SA6 ($499):

Since the SA6 came out, I have rated it as either at my top or near the top of recommendations for this price. Completely enthralled with tuning, including the fine-tuning switches, the SA6 comes loaded as is so there is no need for another cable. Using that unique jack switching connections allows you to run balanced or single end at the change of a jack. Pretty cool, but how is the sound comparatively?

The SA6 runs deeper with better reach, but not overly bass heavy. Mids to me are a bit forward and cleaner as well. Where the Corsa promotes that emotive response to me, the SA6 comes across as a raucous good time. That semi-boosted mid-section might not be for everyone with the SA6, but you can tailor the signature somewhat with the switch. If you prefer a more mature sound, then the Corsa might suit your bill. If you prefer deeper reach with a more mainstream tuning, which boosts those mids a bit as well then, the SA6 might fit the bill. I close by going back and forth on The Eagles live MTV version of Hotel California, just one of the absolute greatest songs ever, especially in person.


Earsonics Corsa ($450) v Fearless S6 Rui ($479):

When I first reviewed the S6, it was the then flagship of the new Fearless line. Since then, they have blown completely up in price and scale. This is a line with which to be reckoned. The S6 has the most bass quantity of any listed here, with some definite reverb as well. On Hotel California, it hits hard and wide. The mids seem to be spread out more than the others as well. I liken this to a quite wide soundstage. Clarity is as good as the SA6, but I still get a feeling of a somewhat “smashed” signature. More like intimate, or hourglass shape. Don Henley’s voice is dead center, and close in. The instruments seem to stretch for miles, either side; giving a somewhat odd signature to the listener. I do still like it but acclimating to it takes a song or two.

To me it is obvious that Fearless wanted to focus on the vocal presentation and as such is the best of the lot here. If you want to get over that (to me) hourglass signature, this is still a very good bet. Prefer a smoother signature? Then there are worse choices than the Corsa.


Earsonics Corsa ($450) v Noble Savant II ($499):

The Savant II comes across as the more neutral tuned Noble, with a bit more emphasis down low. I do not regret this purchase, but it does not get enough listening time from me. Running a bit deeper than the Corsa, the Savant comes across as detailed and well thought out and is probably the closest to the Corsa of any here. I find the near neutral maturity of the Corsa signature to suit my current tastes more. The Savant does not bother me in any way whatsoever, but it lacks that reach out and grab you of some listed here. That could be its biggest strength and biggest panacea all rolled together. It does all quite well but does not do any one thing extraordinarily; hence it may be looked past for a more vibrant signature or something, which could be construed as “more fun.” If I had to choose, the newer Corsa would be my choice here, but that is not the fault of the Savant.



Finale:

When first approached, it was a nice surprise to hear from Earsonics. I had not expected the contact, so other than reading a singular review I had no expectations let alone prior experience with the marque. After researching a bit, I came away impressed that a company could continue to have the staying power they do. This is a trying time for pretty much any company, let alone a company, which portends to a hobby such as ours. So, to continue the way they have is a testament to their commitment.

The Corsa comes across as a mature, solid tuning for a mid-priced IEM. One, which can hold its own in this crowded priced market not for its merits, but for what it doesn’t do: swim in the mainstream of boosted bass, boosted mids and a sparkly tune up top, which seems to fit some far off “curve.” Going a slightly different route, while still providing a solid tune is its trick. That to me is a very laudable approach and just may pull some of the consumers from that mainstream curve tuning, which really isn’t for all. Well done, Earsonics.

I again thank Thibault and Earsonics for the review sample and wish the company well on its future endeavors. From what I hear, the Grace is a worthy addition into the top tier market as well and might be worthy of a look at that price. Good options to have all around.

Questyle M12 ($139): Questyle enters the portable market



M12

TTVJ

Intro: Todd The Vinyl Junkie runs an excellent shop. I have never set an actual foot into the shop, but through his review tours, I have had pricy to some of the best gear out there. I have also spent some of my hard-earned on the gear after the auditions. The service he provides is a very valuable one, and one in which other shops now aspire to mimic. But to me, he was the first or near the first in the last 10-15 years to share his shops wares, even at the ultra-expensive realm. To call his tours a boon to our hobby would be like saying Leo Messi is a pretty decent Futbol player. I am ever thankful for the loan of the M12 and have auditioned some of Questyle’s finest goods. I still have the QP2R and value the purity of its sound among all of my other DAP’s. It is for that reason, that I believe I can provide an open and honest review of the M12. For if it does not meet the lofty Questyle standards to me, then it may not hold its place within the lineup.

I thank Todd again for the loan and upon completion the unit will be sent back to him.


Specs:

Material: CNC machined aluminum
Color: Black / Silver
Size: 51[L] X 16.5[W] X 8.1[D] (mm)

Operating System Required:
Android phone and pad: Android 5.0 and above
PC: Win10 1803 and above
Apple cellphone: iOS (You need to buy an OTG cable for Lightning to Type-C.)
Apple computer: Mac OS

DAC Capability of M12:
PCM: 32kHz – 384kHz (16/24/32Bit)
DSD: DSD64(1Bit 2.8MHz) , DSD128(1Bit 5.6MHz), DSD256(1Bit 11.2MHz)

Output Power:
Built-in smart detection circuit will automatically self-adjust the output power to fit different
impedance of headphones.
RL=16Ω，Po=46.11mW;
RL=32Ω，Po=26.71mW;
RL=300Ω，Po=12.26mW;
When the detected impedance is less than 70Ω, M12 will self-adjust to low gain output.
When it is more than 70Ω, M12 will self-adjust to high gain output.
When it is more than 600Ω, M12 will automatically switch to 2Vrms line out.

Frequency Response: ±0.1dB(20Hz-20kHz)
THD+N: 0.0003%
DAC: ESS flagship USB DAC chip ES9281AC


In The Box:

Questyle M12
USB-C to USB-C cable
USB-C to USB cable
Instruction card



Gear Used:

iPhone XS Max

Campfire Audio Dorado
Thinksound in20
Campfire Audio Vega


Songs:

Acoustic Alchemy
Tommy Emmanuel & David Grisman
Jesse Cook
Big Head Todd & The Monsters
Bonnie Raitt


Unboxing:

In traditional Questyle humbleness, the box is not much. It is inside the box that is of interest. The nicety here is that the box is small as it should be so there is little excess packaging. Slide the inner box out, take the instruction sheet off and there it is, protected in a soft foam cutout. Remove the cutout and protected below are the two USB cables.


Technology:

First and foremost, this is a Questyle. So, you would expect top end quality on the insides. And you would be correct. The ESS ES9281AC DAC chip was a combined Questyle ESS two-year process that can process PCM up to 32 bit, DSD 256 & MQA (now Master). The auto impedance detection switches gain between low and high depending upon the impedance of whatever headphone/IEM you are using. Run a high impedance headphone and gain is on high. Most IEM’s run on low gain so you won’t blow your ears. LED color concurs with whatever data is being transmitted. PCM is Green, DSD Red and MQA (Master) Magenta.

Running anywhere from 12.26 mW to 46.11mW, the M12 is not the most powerful portable headphone amp, but it is meant to be one of the best sounding, quality-wise. That is the true genius of pretty much any Questyle product. They may not be the most powerful (the desktops have plenty, trust me), but focus on providing the best quality sound.

As mentioned above: When the detected impedance is less than 70Ω, M12 will self-adjust to low gain output. When it is more than 70Ω, M12 will self-adjust to high gain output. When it is more than 600Ω, M12 will automatically switch to 2Vrms line out. That last option is an insane amount of power, so one hopes Questyle has done their homework (they have).



Sound:

Over the years, I have been privy to some wonderful dongles/portable Amp/DAC’s meant to be meant mostly for your smartphone. Some have been extremely powerful without much control. Some have focused on portability or the DAC aspect since at the time many smartphone DAC’s were considered inferior to the portable audio market. Now though, many smartphone manufacturers have taken sound into consideration by utilizing quality sound chips and more powerful internal amps. As such, manufacturers need to up their game, ensuring the dongle/DAC/amp is better than stock. Since smartphone manufacturers were behind the schedule so to speak, raising the bar is not that bad; but when you think that companies such as Apple, Samsung & LG are behind the better smartphones do smaller companies really stand a chance? Based upon my previous experience and the M12, yes.

Since the audio manufacturers are focusing on sound quality, they can fine tune their wares to meet the demanding needs of audiophile hobbyists. But the real gain could be from those users who don’t understand that they can get better sound from their phones with minimal additional charge. Especially when compared to what most smartphones cost these days.



Summary:

The M12 follows Questyle’s typical cleaner sound, emulating what some would call “crystalline” in quality; but less so. This does of course cost 10x less than the budget offering in desktops from Questyle. Coming through the CFA Dorado, the bass is tight and rich, with excellent reach. Mids seem a bit forward to me, but other than that solid. Treble has excellent reach, without becoming tedious. Acoustic Alchemy’s Lazeez is sublime in presentation across the spectrum, with excellent width of stage. Height and depth are amongst the best of the dongle crowd I have heard. Questyle works their magic here, giving a near-holography to the sound signature. I am impressed with the rich nature of sound, that also comes across as melodic and emotive. Not syrupy, but rich in tone and full sounding. Granted, the Dorado plays a large part of this, but that makes the M12 all the more impressive.

More:

Some dongle/DAC/amps focus on power without providing the necessary increase in audio quality, to me. When a company such as Questyle realizes that a trend has become more mainstream and throws their weight into the category; others should take note. Power without control is not good. Control without power isn’t either. A mix of both is needed, and to me sound should take preference over power. As stated earlier, many smartphones come with quite good DAC’s now. In fact, many on social media scoff at items such as this, promoting their smartphones as better than even expensive DAP’s. Well, that is their right and if that makes them happy, good on them. But turning on the M12 makes one realize that it is so much more than power, which is needed. Taking two years to develop a chip with one of the giants in the industry is serious business and worth a thoughtful look.

I really won’t break this down like a normal review, but post what I hear. First and foremost, to me is the rich tonality pervading my senses. Enveloping that sound is a richness wrought from Tidal Master and the Dorado/Vega/in20. Making a circling of sound, the sphere of what I heave soundstage-wise is quite good. From the sound you also get very good layering & separation, with placement of the instruments true to the recording. Depth of the stage is very, very good as well. I find that sphere to be larger than my head, so the outer limits are grand in proportion but not so cavernous to lose definition and detail. Clarity of note is exemplary to me, amongst the best if not the best in this category of accessory.


“Other”:

Thrown in here are some items, which do not fit into a normal category.

Battery drain from this is amongst the higher of the ones I have tried. Even in pause mode, it draws power from what I can tell. That can be a factor if you use your smartphone a lot for business or other items. Getting a full day out of a phone, which you normally could will be nie on impossible using the M12. This could be a deal breaker for those who work on the go and may not have adequate access to recharging options. While traveling this weekend, I have to take that into consideration and switched to TWS BT buds on the plane. At the airports, I was able to use the M12 in conjunction with an adapter so I could charge my phone as well. But, said phone did not charge as quickly due to the competing drain of the M12. To me this is not that much of a hinderance, but to those on the go or with limited access...

Another reviewer mentioned the lack of “wow factor.” To me (even though I mention it here...) this is a non-factor. I really do not care what it looks like, only how the unit functions and fits into my daily use. With regard to that, it was superb. Fitting into my pocket without fuss, the M12 functioned without fuss.

Accessories can seem limited, especially to someone who runs an iPhone. During my time I used the excellent DDHiFi TC05i cable. A small case/carrying pouch would be appreciated, but that is not a deal breaker.


Finale:

I am struck by the level of detail and clarity of sound wrought from the M12. It is a superb example of Questyle’s craftmanship trickling down to the mass-produced product. While not on par with the desktop amps, but not meant to be; when a company invests heavily in the R&D, over two years such as they did; you should take notice. To me, it hits all the right buttons and spots with regard to the “needs” and functions of a portable dongle. Plenty powerful save for those, which really should not be driven off your smartphone or laptop; the M12 puts sound first on the quality list and delivers. More expensive? Sure, but at what point does one draw the line? If you are happy with the lesser priced models within this segment, fine and dandy. But if you crave something akin to your portable DAP or desktop set up, then the M12 delivers. This is one model, which allows you to enjoy the music for the better and reminds you of not only how far we have come, but how your desire to listen makes you nearly forget about your better-quality system for a bit. And using this throughout the day will give you plenty-o-smiles to drive your day towards coming back to your home system. That is the point to me. Well done yet again, Questyle.

I once again thank TTVJ for providing the loaner sample. This is a fine example and should be on your list if you are serious about making your smartphone better on the sound front. This is a good unit.

Cheers and good listening.

IKKO Zerda ITM01 ($59): A three-way for your pleasure.

Zerda ITM01

Disclaimer: After reviewing the IKKO OH1s, Rebecca contacted me about reviewing the Zerda (called that throughout for ease of use). I agreed, and a unit was sent to me. The following is my honest words after approximately 6 weeks of use from my iPhone and MBP. Having had several others, including to me the class leading EarMen products, it would be good to judge the Zerda against what I consider the standards. It is also understood that the unit is mine to keep, but not flip, as that still remains uncool to this day. The unit may be asked back for or forwarded to another at the request of IKKO. Until then, the unit is mine to keep. I do thank Rebecca for the unit.

One does not need to be a fanboy (I really don't appreciate the use of this term for either platform...) of either iOS or Android to appreciate the Zerda, for it works equally well on both platforms (as do most produced items today).


Specs:

Specifications:

1. Decoding rate
PCM: 32bit/384kHz
DSD: Dop128

2. SNR: 118dB @ 32Ω (A-Weighting)
3. Frequency response: 20Hz - 40kHz (-0.5db)
4. Output impedance: <0.8Ω
5. Adaptation impedance: adaptive 16 ohm-600 ohm
6. Output level:2V @ 32Ω (125mW @ 32Ω)
7. Green LED: music, Blue LED: video, Purple LED: gaming


In The Box:

ITM01 * 1
TYPE-C cable *1
USB A cable *1
iOS Lightning cable * 1


Comparisons:

EarMen Eagle $129
EarMen Sparrow $199


Gear Used:

iPhone 13 Pro Max
MacBook Pro

Campfire Audio Dorado
BGVP DH5
cat. ear Hitam


Songs Used:

BHT & TM
Alex Fox
Tommy Emmanuel
Jesse Cook
Peter Frampton


Unboxing:

Coming in a nice hard plastic case, the unit sits encased in medium cush foam, complete with a cutout for the unit (and thumb hole to take out) and a curved area, which holds the cable of choice. Since I am an Apple user, I opted for the lightning connection, but a USB-A was also included. Lifting out the unit, the long USB-A/proprietary connecting cable was wrapped below along with an instruction manual. Since the Zerda has no battery, it is a dongle/DAC/Amp only, there is no need for a charging cable. The USB-A was easily registered through a commonly found USB-C adapter for my MBP, and in both instances, it was plug-n-play.

I will note that on my iPhone XS Max (which I had at the beginning), I had to put the lightning cable in “upside down” for it to register. On the 13 Pro Max, I did not.

That’s it. That’s the packaging. You do get all the necessary information on the back of the case from the insert, which is used as the “sleeve” for the container, so you do get the pertinent information regarding what chipset is used, etc.



Technicals:

Using the newer ESS ES9298 Pro DAC chip, the Sabre input comes across well. Many ESS chips are on the warmer side of life, and this would be no different. Known for excellent detail, with a rich warmer sound, the 9298 is no different. But this does not mean it is sloppy, or slushy. No, the sound comes across as quite detailed.

You also get three modes of operation, with the signature tailored specifically for each mode; gaming, music or video. This is the first portable iteration of such changing of circuitry of which I know. There could well be more, but I know not of any at this price or use. A long press switches mode effortlessly and can also be used across all three platforms. I found it fun to do so playing music or a movie; essentially tailoring the sound to my tastes. Be VERY cautious when changing though. Moving from blue to purple (video to gaming), the source is rightly paused as the increased volume level is potentially deafening. I did find the blue setting of movies to be too much for music. A push across the spectrum made the music become not only louder at each level, but it became a near jumbled mess. For less complex songs, this would work, but stick to the green setting for music. Each level from music to video to gaming not only raised the volume from the previous, but also raised the potential volume ceiling. For gaming, I would recommend some seriously high ohm headphones as a result.

Supporting PCM up to 16Bit/384kHz and DSD up to DoP128, the Zerda does a fine job for its intended sources. I immediately appreciated the sound emanating from within, when I plugged the unit in.


Build/Function:

The Zerda comes in at 58mm x 22mm x 11mm and weighs a svelte amount of grammage. Not given, it does feel fairly light, but with the cable attached, does tend to weigh the unit down. Laid on the table, it is fine, but when you pocket the item, be careful for you may indeed pull the magnetic attach point from the unit. This did not happen to me, but. Could very well do so. I will note that the attaching magnetic force seems to have a “click,” allowing a secure connection but do be careful.

Build is typical of dongle/DAC’s as the plastic parts fit together well and without fault. The controls operate smoothly and without fault. One click up or down on the volume equaled the same on my phone without the Zerda attached. Nice to see.

As stated above, the unit functions easily and is indeed plug and play. Switching between modes is easy, and again caution is warranted when going between modes with the volume. Switching to movie to watch the Seattle v Green Bay football game (#GoPackGO), was seamless save for the silent switch. More on the sound in the next section, but seamless operation is all one can ask of a portable dongle/DAC.



Sound:

Summary:

The unit functions smoothly and without fuss, adding a bit of bass to the sound. And contrary to the other review posted, the signature lies a bit closer to warm than neutral to me. That could be the richness pervading as the added bass as well. For music, the control is easy and provides a clarity on par with others in this price, but it is not spectacularly different than a normal current Smartphone. There is a difference, with added detail and soundstage depending upon the mode chosen. Calculating sound differences in something of this ilk is so hard, but differences can be had. The added bass “boost” (not really that much) can show itself as richness and a warmth to the signature, but that could be a false “benefit.”

Overall the Zerda functions well, providing a boost across the spectrum, but not overly boosted to where the signature becomes muddy and cloddy. Plus, as you cycle through you get the requisite volume increase, which works for the intended “media.”

More:

Many of today’s dongle/DAC’s promote a “stylized” signature for the benefit of being different. That is, they either add or subtract from a solid near-neutral sound to tailor the sound. This can give them good PR, but I have found it not to work on all models. By adding something, you are essentially stating that your product needs artificial reinforcement to separate it from the crowd. The Zerda is not of that ilk, thankfully.

While it does have to me a slight tilt towards a rich, warmer signature; it is close to near neutral. I find the push in the upper mids to benefit the signature for a richer amount of detail. Clarity is slightly above average, but the detail wrought from the innards of the Zerda make it near the top of this device range to me. Not overly boosted at all, but a boost across the spectrum as mentioned above allows the Zerda to exert an almost forceful approach, but one without being too boisterous.

Add in that you can go across all three modes when listening to music, and this can make for a raucous sound indeed. Again, caution is needed when going from movie to gaming. In fact, if you are listening to music, and switching between the two, your music should pause. Mine did while on Tidal thankfully. The other review does mention that it is a good idea to pause the music or application and lower the volume when going between modes. I would second this. At minimum, lower the volume.

The ESS chipset does its job, allowing for an enhancing of the stock sound across your mobile device. Yes, I know many will now argue that their CXfG235T Smartphone has a better chipset and this isn’t needed. But I would also posit that those looking for this type of device are in possession of a less than TOTL Smartphone. I can even hear a slight difference on my iPhone 13 Pro Max, so there. I can’t really say it is better, but different with the boost.



Comparison:

IKKO ITM01 Zerda ($59) v EarMen Eagle ($129):

Neither of these is really a fair comparison, as at minimum the price is 2x the Zerda. But valid, for it shows how far these darn devices have come. The Eagle is a phenomenal unit, with sound pretty much unmatched to me at the price. Using an ESS chip as well, you get a clarity nearly unheard-of at this price. But it lacks volume control and three mode operation. So, in that regard, the Zerda ups the ante. Pure sound desired? Eagle. Options desired? Zerda.


IKKO ITM01 Zerda ($59) v EarMen Sparrow ($199):

Hands down, this is my favorite all-time dongle/DAC. Coming with a 2.5mm balanced port as well as the 3.5mm, you are not left wanting when using your balanced cables on your favorite IEM/headphone’s. That cannot be underestimated. Plus, throw in the ability to use other cable connections such as the excellent DDHiFi connection ones and you have a unit, which is hard to beat. But it comes at what many would consider a steep price. You will have to justify the added price over sound, and again this comes down to pure sound and a balanced connection, versus options in mode and volume control. I would take the Sparrow, only knowing I have heard it and can use it across many platforms. Had I not heard it, the Zerda would be hard to beat.



Finale:

Shorter than normal (many will say, thank goodness!!!), but defined pretty much as it lays; the Zerda is what I would call the next iteration of dongle/DAC’s, which can function across platforms and source options. Having its own volume control and the ability to change source or mode on the fly (with caution again) gives this a healthy start against some lofty competition. You do realize that to get a very good dongle/DAC you should spend a bit of coin. But how much is up to you, and I would recommend a listen to the Zerda (either model) for it may just satiate your need in the ultra-portable market and make you forget about much more expensive options. This is a very fine device and should be worthy of a long look if you are in the market.

I again thank Rebecca and IKKO for the review sample. It is a good unit. Very good.

IKKO OH1S ($199): DOES THE ‘S’ STAND FOR SUPER?​

My apologies, it looks as if my review was removed…so I am posting it again.


Ikko: Does the ‘S’ stand for Super?
Pros:
Solid Ikko build
Solid Ikko sound
Good bass
Good vocals
Good looking

Cons:
Case
Oblong nozzle (to me)
Fit of tips (make SURE they are connected…)
Tough price point? See below comparisons

Ikko OH1S ($199): Does the ‘S’ stand for Super?

Ikko OH1S

Intro: Ikko contacted me after finding my OH-1 review. Through conversation, a review unit was to be send my way. Rebecca stated that I would probably like the updated version based upon my previous liking of the OH1. I have no financial obligation in the OH1S, nor should it be sold for profit (still uncool). It is understood that the unit may be asked back for at any time. Until then, the unit is mine to keep and use. I added many comparisons below, since the price point seems to be the hot bed at the moment.

Rebecca asked that the unit be burned in for a minimum of 50 hours. The new carbon nano driver needed that time to fully break in. You can make of that what you want, but I have always felt the user appreciates what the unit sounds like six months to a year down the road, not directly out of the box. Hence, I burn in all units, regardless.


Specs:

1DD+1BA Hybrid Driver—32Ω 10mm Deposited Carbon Nano Dynamic Coil + Knowles 33518-unit hybrid driver makes the three-frequency balanced, the in-ear headphones use resin and aviation-grade aluminum alloy as the sound cavity to achieve the physical frequency division effect.


In The Box:

• OH1S-2 driver unit
• Detachable MMCX Cable—-OH1S upgrade cable is composed of 127um high-purity single crystal copper silver-plated magnetic core
• 6 sizes of silicone eartips
• 3 sizes of sponge (I-planet)
• storage box
• LOGO brooch
• Instruction manual

Gear Used/Compared:

CFA Honeydew ($249)
CFA Satsuma ($199)
Thieaudio Legacy 4 ($195)
BQEYZ Spring 2 ($165)
DDHiFi Janus-E2020A ($199)
DDHiFi Janus-E2020B ($199)

Cayin N6ii (E01 motherboard)
MacBook Pro
Shanling M6 Pro
HiBy R3 Pro Saber


Songs:

Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews


Technicals:

Adopting SVAS Technology—IKKO in-ear monitor uses Separating Vector Acoustics System technology, the precisely designed cavity structure makes the sound volume, reflection and diffusion angles, and the unit performance is displayed to the greatest extent in a limited space. This seems to be the de rigor of the day, making the cavity acoustically similar to a listening room. Many manufacturers do this, and I approve of this methodology.

Utilizing 1DD+1BA Hybrid Driver, the 32Ω 10mm Deposited Carbon Nano Dynamic Coil plus the Knowles 33518-unit hybrid driver makes balance the three frequencies (low, mid, high) according to Ikko. Made using resin and aviation-grade aluminum alloy in the sound cavity to achieve the physical frequency dividing effect. The shape can minimize mutual interference between the sound generating units and make the sound purer and more transparent.

Unboxing:

Coming in a sleeved outer paperboard box decorated with colorful images based around a cityscape, it is reminiscent of the recent Anime images of some manufacturers, but better to me. Labeled as part of their “Gem” series, the back has an exploded view of the unit, and some of the specs in a few different languages. Tastefully done.

Sliding the sleeve off you are met with another paperboard box, laden with more pictures on the front and the same nomenclature on the back. The difference here is that a thicker box slides out of one long side, while the other opens like a normal box. That inner thicker cardboard box (well done by the way) has a side lid, so you can pull on that the “extricate” the inner box from that secondary paperboard box. That inner box has a nice gold sticker stating, “Ikko Design,” and it clasps magnetically with a satisfying click.

Opening the lid, you are met with an MMR-type presentation, complete with exploded view of the OH1S, attachment of the cables and how to insert the MMCX cable. Each unit has a label, the left states “Gem Texture” and the right “Transparent Twin.” Also inset between the OH1S IEM’s is a lapel pin, which is a nice addition. Remove that insert, and after removing the instruction manual envelope, you are met with a pleather case, not unlike the wallets you used to purchase as a kid on vacation out west (USofA). Tucked between the tips and the woven case is the slim box for the cable. Next to that is thin plastic tip holder, with all on display. In total there are 18 tips, including three sets of Ikko’s own proprietary foam tips. All of the silicon tips are oblong in shape to match the oblong nozzle, a first for me.

A word of warning regarding the tips: MAKE SURE they click onto the nozzle area to seat them fully. Otherwise they may come off in your ear. I found out the hard way with the smaller foam tips…we shall simply leave it at that.

Build/Fit/Function:

The OH1S comes with 1DD+1BA Hybrid Driver, a 32Ω 10mm Deposited Carbon Nano Dynamic Coil plus a Knowles 33518-unit hybrid driver. Using resin and aviation-grade aluminum alloy as the sound cavity in the shell to achieve the physical frequency division effect, Ikko calls this Separating Vector Acoustics System technology, designing the cavity structure precisely, much like you would orient your speakers in the listening room. More manufacturers are taking the shell cavity seriously as a means to either tailor sound or ensure proper acoustics. I appreciate the time spent in R&D with this regard and can see it expanding in the future.

Made of three pieces, which is unusual other than the nozzle, the OH1S shell combines the inner part and nozzle (with a vent hole in the inside); a middle acrylic section in purple (for mine) and the faceplate in black, and “textured” like ripples or scales on the back of a Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The nozzle is oblong in shape as well, which is a unique one to me. The screen comes off as well, so be careful when using different tips. Extra screens are included in case you lose one. As mentioned above, you will want to ensure the tips are properly placed, especially the foam ones, with an audible “click.”

Fit in my average sized ears is nie-on flush, without pressure in my canal. Using a tip too large can cause a bit of discomfort, and the seal of the foam tips is among the worst I have had but do aid in deepening the bass response. For a proper seal and excellent fit, the large oblong silicon tips work. The cable lies over the ear, with a stiffness I am not used to of late, but it does not bother me like older Unique Melody cables used to. With really long ear guide sleeves, and a permanent soft bend you get good fit, even with glasses. The shape can be tailored a bit. The four-wire-in-two-strands is also amongst the stiffer cables I have used of late. Above the Y-splitter, the OCC silver plated wire looks to be of two strands, but three colors. A blue tint fades to copper along with the silver strand. The blue reminds me of heated copper, so I do believe it is for the visual aspect. Some microphonics is promoted due to the stiffness, but not much. Quality metal cinch strap, Y-splitter and jack in a dark copper color makes for a good-looking cable, by not drawing attention to itself. A reinforced sheath surrounds the MMCX connection, making for a solid fit.

Other than isolation, which I am blaming on the oblong nozzle, the fit, finish and build are excellent, if a bit economical.

Sound:

Summary:

From the previous iteration of the OH1, I liked the tight bass control, but wished for a bit more. Taut bass would be apt. The OH1S indeed gave me my wishes. While still tight in control, there is no bleed into the mids, but this does not mean a separation. All is tied together well, and there is very good separation of note. The thinness of sound, which came from the OH1 (not a bad thin sound) carries over, but with a bit more weight of each note. Distinct sounds emanate from within and placement of each instrument gives the illusion of spacing. Not the best, but not the worst. Switching to my Cayin N6ii E01, the sound jumped up quite a bit in quality. Source dependent, I would feed a good source into the OH1S to get the best out of it. Vocals come across as slightly lifted, especially male. Van Morrison’s strong vocal presence can be a bit biting on some IEM’s, but on the OH1S, the sound is succinct and detailed. Mids carry a bit less weight than the vocal presence does, making for a slight V-shape to me, what with the good but not painful treble extension. Nicely tuned, but not a “wow moment” of transformation. Sometimes (and in this case) that is a good thing.

More detail:

I mentioned how the OH1 was good with details, but a bit thin. I rate this due to the lack of a thumping quality of bass. While the OH1S does not have a thumping quality to its bass, it does have more than the previous iteration. The carbon nano technology makes for very fast decay as well, which could help to explain its lack of pure oomph. A slower decay would allow the low end to linger, and hence at least give the illusion of more depth. Tight control is also helped by the carbon technology, and spatial presence of the acoustic chamber. I do not mind the low-end treatment, for it does not bleed into the mids, which is a good thing in this case.

Electric guitar work such as Peter Frampton on Reckoner affords good depth to the mids as an example. The support guitar gives that depth needed to aid in placing the instruments properly. This in turn leads to good depth of soundstage. Allowing the instruments to flow through the soundstage, the mids are clear and fairly crisp. Not the detail monster such as the Cayin Fantasy or Moondrop Blessing2, but good, nonetheless. I go back to what I said in the summary, the OH1S does not offend in sound, but neither does it thrill. By that, I mean the mids promote a smoothness to them, which can come across as boring, but it isn’t. Wish You Were Here from the Pink Floyd tribute album shows that there is nothing boring here. Joe Satriani’s solo is divine in nature, and worth a listen regardless of listening pleasure. Rik Emmett’s vocals sound like a Guns-N-Roses version, but better without the edge. I like this version and think it does justice to Pink Floyd nicely.

Satriani’s solo can move into the treble range when he gets going, as can cymbal clashes. Not offending me at all, there is a sufficient push to make up a bit of the smooth texture laid down by the mids. Not in a disconnected way but tied together well. Sometimes an over-compensation is had leading to a disconnect. Here, the tie leads to smooth transitions, without stepping on those lower notes. Cymbal clashes sound slightly robotic and dissonant, but not like some I have had of late. Th whole is greater than the sum with the OH1S.

A good judge of soundstage that I used to use is closing my eyes and placing my hands at what I would consider an estimate of reach in all three dimensions. I used this on the OH1S and found a nicely shaped cube extending a bit past my ears, but not quite as high. Almost cubic to me, and of good shape. Placing of instruments was easy, especially with the black background without hiss between notes. Shane Hennessy’s Rain Dance is an extraordinary song for the listening but works extremely well for gauging placement and stage as well. His incredible talents of strumming and using the guitar as a percussive instrument allow you to gauge very well placement and layering besides stage. A very complex guitar song with which to start, that complexity lends itself to excellent spatial representation. If an IEM (or headphone for that matter) lacks in any direction, it is heard in a squishing of the sound. On the OH1S there is none. I find the song wonderful on most listening devices, and here as well.

Comparisons:

Ikko OH1S ($199) v CFA Honeydew ($249):

The CFA Honeydew came my way by private audition, and it was good. Many lamented it as a “rehash” of something else. So what. Most manufacturers fine tune their wares, and CFA is allowed that as well. Capitalizing on their excellent bass heritage, the Honeydew trounces the Ikko in that department. Moving towards the middle spectrum, the Honeydew presents very good details, and it is easy to hear the heritage of the Andromeda in it. I would rate the Honeydew as distinct and detailed, where the OH1S is smooth and detailed. There is also more push up top, but not as much as the Satsuma. If I had to choose one of these two new CFA models, it would be the Honeydew. As for the two listed here? If you prefer a bit better defining sound, melded together, the Ikko would fit the bill. If you prefer better bass, with more distinct details, the Honeydew would fit.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v CFA Satsuma ($199):

Same price. The toughest segment to me as well. The $200usd price is a cage match of excellent to very good offerings. But This gives the user many, many good options. Both listed here are good but for different reasons. While the Satsuma adds more detail than the Honeydew (closer to the Andromeda), it provides less bass. The Satsuma is an excellent detail monitor to me, and clearly (cleanly?) wins in that department. If you want a smoother signature, then the OH1S would be your choice. Bass is about the same, with the mid-bass push of the OH1S versus the deeper reach of sub-bass on the Satsuma (but not like the Honeydew). If you want excellent technical skills, the Satsuma is the choice. A smoother character (to me), then the OH1S is the choice.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v Thieaudio Legacy 4 ($195):

When Thieaudio first came about, it meant business. Drawing some of the best engineers out there, the Legacy line comes across as business. The L4 is an excellent monitor with gorgeous looks. Much more mid-forward in signature as well, the L4 provides the listener with deeper reach of bass as well as wonderfully toned mids and treble. More push up top as well, these two actually complement each other quite nicely. If you like smooth, the Ikko wins hands down. If you like a richness of tone and excellent details, the Thieaudio would be the choice. I often go back to the L4 to remember how good it really is. Smooth versus vibrant. Take your choice.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v BQEYZ Spring 2 ($165):

I really liked the Spring2 when it came out and will compare it to the Summer in an upcoming review. I called the Spring2 one of my recommendations at the price, and that still holds true. The rich tonality emanating from within aid in a very smooth, laid-back, but not boring signature. Think of comfort food, and that would be the Spring2. Just an excellent all-arounder to me. Better bass push, but with a bit of bleed into the mids, and enough up top to give that “fresh day” feeling. That bleed of bass into the mids aids in presenting the rich tone of which I speak. Warmth and grace, the Spring2 is still one of my favorites. V-shaped? Maybe, but I do not care. The Spring2 would be even more laid back than the OH1S, going further into that comfort zone. Want a bit liltier sound? The OH1S would be the choice. Richness that is of goodness? The Spring2.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v DDHiFi Janus-E2020A ($199):

The original Janus was and is an interesting tune. A bit smaller of sound stage, but offering good detail, it dovetails nicely into this segment. Good bass extension adds to its flavor of semi-tightly controlled mids, and a rolled treble that while not as smooth or rich as the Spring2 is nonetheless, a good listening experience. Take note, though. DDHiFi has retuned the Janus based upon our listening experience and offerings. Two very different critters. Of all the offerings here, the Janus E2020A is most like the Ikko, but with better bass, and a bit more veiled mids. Not bad mind you, but quite close.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v DDHiFi Janus-E2020B ($199):

Completely redesigned to make it a bit more premium, the Janus E2020B comes across as more V-shaped than the A-version. Deeper reach of bass, with a smidgen of bleed makes for a pleasant, crisp tone when combined with the better reach up top in the treble region. This is a breath of fresh air when compared to the A-version, and with the OH1S. If you want smooth laid back, then the OH1S is still the choice, but the E2020B has hit the sweet spot to me with their tuning, even if it is oriented towards “consumer version.” Smaller soundstage may put you off, but like the A-version and smoother OH1S is to comfort food, the B-version may be to an energy drink after a good workout, or before. I really like the E2020B if you cannot tell, and a review is forthcoming. Mind you, the OH1S is still quite good as well and it is nice to have choices.

Finale:

When I first heard the OH1, everyone said, “you need to listen to the OH10 if you like the OH1!!!” Well, no I didn’t, even if I really liked the OH1. That was enough for me for I liked what I heard in the OH1, even if it was a bit bass shy. The OH1S is a “redesigned” model with new innards, making for essentially a new model. But I would call it an evolution rather than a revolution. Taking the good parts of the OH1 such as the clarity of detail and smoothing the edges to make it a bit well…less edgy…makes for a smooth transition to the OH1S. Smooth and rich, but not muddy. Warm, but not warmth overall. A nice laid-back texture emits from within the designed cavity of the shells, and it comes across as pretty good. Going back and forth I can note the differences and similarities, but I’m not sure which one I prefer. I do think I prefer the open expansive nature of the OH1S more than the OH1, but I can clearly appreciate the heritage of the OH1 coming through. It is still one of my favorites.

The OH1S is good. Quite good, but its signature will surely turn some off. I mentioned how it doesn’t have that “wow effect,” like some. And this will hurt it when comparing to others. Some may find this boring, or lacking, but I would kindly ask them to audition it under the right circumstances, such as the end of a long day with a single malt in hand. It is then you hopefully enjoy Jeff Beck’s Brush With The Blues as I did.

I thank Ikko for providing the OH1S to me and hope that you all enjoyed this journey through my word salad verbiage. The OH1S is good enough to take a look, and be in consideration at this price point, which as mentioned is wrought full of choices.

Cheers.

Tronsmart Onyx Prime ($69.99): Can this TWS compete against the big boys?



Onyx Prime

Amazon

Intro:

I was lucky enough to be chosen as a participant in the Tronsmart Onyx Prime review program. As such, I was given the unit for free, under the guise of writing an open and honest review. It is implied that the unit is mine to keep but may be asked back for at any time. It is also understood that I will not flip the unit once I am done; as that ever remains low down and dirty, irresponsible and totally uncool. I have also participated in the Tronsmart BT speaker review as well. I appreciated the unit, even with a couple of shortcomings. My daughter now has the unit and is satisfied with the performance.

What follows are my own words without provocation from Tronsmart or any other input, save my own.

Specs:

1. Chip:Qualcomm QCC3040
2. Bluetooth Version:5.2
3. Audio Decoding:aptX Adaptive, aptX, SBC, AAC
4. Bluetooth Compatibility:AVRCP v1.5, A2DP v1.3, HFP v1.7
5. Transmission Distance: Over 10m/33ft
6. Driver:Hybrid Dual Drivers(Balanced Armature & Dynamic)
7. Playtime:40 Hours
8. Battery Capacity:Earbuds:50 mAh; Charging Case:500 mAh
9. Input:5V/400mA Max
10. Charging Time:Earbud: About 2 Hours;Charging Case: About 2 Hours
11. Charging Port:Type-C
12. Dimension:70 x 48.3 x 30.4mm/2.75 x 1.9 x 1.20 inches
13. Weight:55.1g/ 1.94oz

In The Box:

• 1 x Onyx Prime
• 1 x User Manual
• 1 x Type-C Cable
• 2 x Extra Pairs of Eartips & Ear Hooks

Gear Used/Compared:

iPhone 13 Pro Max
MacBook Pro

1More ComfortBuds Pro ($79)
1More ColorBuds 2 ($79)
Fiil T1X ($55)
Bomaker Sifi II ($50)



Songs Used:

BHT & TM
Alex Fox
Tommy Emmanuel
Jesse Cook
Peter Frampton


Unboxing:

Coming in a brightly colored orange and white box, you get a feeling of fun upon first impression. I will state that the box is large, overly large. In this day and age, companies should be minimizing packaging while still promoting their products. The box is very informative with life-size picture of the TWS buds and case on the front and the technology on the back. The flapped side shows and exploded diagram of the unit, which is quite informative along with box contents. The last side (opposite the flap) shows off the three usages with color pictures.

Opening the flap, you get a larger than life exploded diagram on the flaps along with a clear plastic protecting cover over the unit, case and tips along with the different sized ear hooks. Removing the plastic tray, which holds the above-mentioned items, you find the instruction manual, a desiccant pack and a box, which contains a very nice USB-C charging cord. Standard fare for all, and well protected, but still large. A nicely presented packaging show, nonetheless.



Fit/Finish/Build:

As per typical of this price, the unit is made of plastic. Made of three or four pieces fit together well, there is a slot behind the nozzle, which holds the ear hook in place. This is the first TWS of which I have kept the ear hook on without it bothering me. The unit is on the larger size, and the outer panel, which drops down looks like a solar panel to me. The inside has four copper connecting points, which is how the unit charges inside the case. This is a nice idea and could possibly have charging benefits.

The nozzle has a nice lip, which while thin is of sufficient size to keep the tips in place, but not be too large of a diameter. Putting on some used Comply T-series I have; I could listen for a good 2-3 hours without bother. Using the included silicon tips, I could go longer, but the sizes provided did not give me adequate isolation; even in the largest offered size. I will state that the build/finish is a bit below this price point to me, but not inexcusable by any means.

As mentioned, the best fit comes with Comply’s, and I do wish more manufacturers would follow Sony’s lead of making foams, which can also stay on when the unit is charging. I find it quite annoying that in order to use foam tips, I either have to go to a smaller size, or remove them every time I put the unit in the case.

Overall build, fit & finish would be average to slightly above average to me.



Technology, etc:

• 【Hybrid Dual Driver】: Featured with a powerful dynamic driver and meticulously tuned balanced armature driver, Tronsmart Onyx Prime Wireless Earbuds deliver detailed high-end audio with an expansive frequency range(10Hz-25kHz). Natural, resonant bass and mids integrate with clear melodious treble through precise tuning and a seamless crossover.
• 【Qualcomm QCC3040】: Cutting-edge Qualcomm QCC3040 with aptX Adaptive codec presents a high-resolution auditory feast with acoustic tuning. Besides, cVc 8.0 call noise cancellation aims to offer you a best-sounding conversation over FaceTime, Google Hangouts and Zoom in unprecedented clarity.
• 【Bluetooth 5.2 & Low-latency Game Mode】: The upgraded version of 5.2 Bluetooth technology makes signal transmission faster and stronger, shortening the waiting time of connected devices, onyx prime's unique low-latency technology, so that the game screen and sound can be truly synchronized, let your gaming experience is more enjoyable
• 【IPX4 Waterproof & Wide compatibility】: Onyx PRIME waterproof coefficient is IPX4, waterproof and anti-sweat, suitable for exercise, etc. Wide compatibility, support Apple or oppo/Huawei/Samsung and other Android phones, laptops, etc.
• 【40 Hours Playtime】: A single charge of wireless headphones guarantees 7 hours of playtime, up to 40 hours of playtime with charging case. Made of ergonomics design with optional eartips and ear hooks, wireless earbuds are suitable for jog or commute as well as a long-haul flight.

Marketed as a dual driver, the BA is mounted right in the nozzle to gain full benefit of being close to the listeners ear. The bass unit (DD) sits in a cavity behind, but melds well together. Since the BA unit is so close to the listening experience it is first and forefront in the occurrence. As such, this pushes the mids and treble notes to the front.



Functions:

When one purchases a TWS bud, how it is used is as important as how it sounds to me. Lack of easy functionality can ruin a thoroughly enjoyable experience and having a steep learning curve of the functions is tantamount to looking like a dolt in public situations, which demand your control. The Onyx Prime is fairly intuitive, with one touch on the right as volume increase and one on the left as volume decrease. Double tapping pauses and plays on either. Tapping and holding for a second (or two) starts the track over on the left and moves to the next on the right. A nice easy feature.

Calls are answered or ended with two taps when incoming and rejected by holding like you would for rewind/fast forward. Easy to use and understand. Tapping three times enters or exits gaming mode, which expands the soundstage to me when used in audio mode. Again, with low latency, the sound and placing of necessary gaming items is accurate and precise. While certainly not a gaming headset, it will work for that game of Retro Bowl or Clash Royale on your commute into work.

Call quality is good as you would expect, with active technology noise reduction. In a conversation with our son, he said I did sound a bit distant, and muted, but not bad. That is of course in comparison to the excellent call qualities of the iPhone 13 Pro Max as it is.



Sound:

Summary:

Marketed as a fun alternative, but still an audiophile one to boot; there is no hiding behind the fact that the mids are pushed forward. This gives a certain vibrancy to the note, coming from that BA in the nozzle as well. That said, the notes are not so far forward to cover the rest. Bass is fairly taut but a bit slow in response, lending a certain amount of warmth and richness to the signature. Treble sounds good, but not great. Cymbal clashes sound a bit analytical and less than realistic. Not bad mind you, but not on par with others. That fun signature does lend itself to getting your juices flowing, such as in a workout segment, though.

Isolation even with the largest silicon tips is below average to me and would be an annoyance in noisy situations. I would certainly opt for foam tips as mentioned above, but not if I were riding a bike in traffic. There, I would tolerate the noise for safety’s sake. Call quality is good, with minimal distraction, and the “gaming” mode provides fairly low latency keeping its head in the game so to speak. Adding to the fun sound, vocals come across as fairly clean and crisp, which helps across all platforms.



More:

It really is a different beast when reviewing TWS items. You can judge for good audio quality such as the more expensive Sony’s or M&D’s but when you hit the sub-$100 market there are plenty of discrepancies to keep you busy judging whether the unit is actually good, bad or indifferent. The Onyx Prime comes across as a fairly decent example that lacks some of the frills available in its peers. There is no noise cancelation, which makes traveling with them interesting as you would need foam tips (to me) in order to isolate the sound. Having traveled extensively this fall, noise cancelation is a must to me, and others such as the much more expensive Sony’s M&D’s & B&W’s all come with top class noise cancelling technology. So, in that regard, the Onyx Prime falls behind. That said, two of the models I compare below also fail that note, but those came about before noise cancelling technology became “needed.”

Based purely on the audio merits, the sound is pretty decent. Bass while not as strong as others comes across as competent with a bit of low-end gruff. On Big Head Todd’s Bittersweet, the bass guitar follows the sound as it should, but lacks that visceral feeling of others to me. As a foundational aspect though, it is just fine.

The mids are a conundrum to me. With little bleed of the bass into the mids, they take the front of the stage in the signature. This can be good for it provides good detail and decent enough clarity; but it can also highlight a bit of overemphasis, which can lead to near sibilance or grating in vocal presentation. Todd’s voice is so superb you want it to sing all day, but on the aforementioned song, it can come across as a bit strident. Guitar work comes across presented cleanly, though.

Up top, the treble note adds to that conundrum of the mids. Cymbal clashes sound a bit artificial here, and this can give a falsity to the sound, but in overall consideration is not really that bad. I pick a bit here. That stridency can give a sort of lift to the top here, helping promote that fun part of the signature. On Jesse Cook’s fabulous acoustic Shake, the song alone makes me want to take up Spanish dancing lessons. On the Onyx Prime I pretty much feel the same way as that push up top adds to the experience without much bother.

That lack of isolation tends to hinder separation as well as layering, since the outside sound competes for attention. But, using Comply T-series foam tips, there is a decent effort at the two. For an audiophile branded TWS, it is laudable. I would call it on par with the others at this price. Soundstage is decently wide, tall and only a bit too shallow for my tastes. This presentation gives you an up-front feel, but without too much depth.



App use:

While using the easy app, there are 8 preset EQ’s, which can easily change the character of the Onyx. None are completely offensive, but some are better to me such as the “Deep Bass” and “Orignal,” while the “Rock” and “Vocal” sound quite a bit off to me. “3D” does add a bit of depth to that soundstage, which I said was lacking, so there is that as well. Updating to Firmware version 2.2.5 was easy to download and install using the app until the “rebooting you device” aspect, which did take a bit. Other than that it was fine. I could not tell a difference in sound after the update.



Comparisons:

Tronsmart Onyx Prime ($70) v 1More ComfortBuds Pro ($79):

This was the first pair I tried when I traveled, and I liked them very much. With excellent noise canceling qualities that do not hinder the audio quality these quickly became my favorites to use on the plane. Until I tried the Sony’s...but that is another story. The CB Pro offers the guttural bass that the CB2 lack, and it is on par with some very fine IEM’s in my estimation. These should be a very big selling point of this TWS, and I highly recommend a listen if you like very good noise canceling as well as deep, rich bass. This does tend to bleed a bit into the mids, which are more withdrawn than the Onyx, but still quite good. Cymbal “realness” is about the same in both, as in lacking; but this should not hinder your choice. Limitations pretty much abound in any TWS below $100.

Of the two, this is an easy choice for me due to the additional bass and noise canceling ability. The ComfortBud Pro wins handily, even with a bit of a learning curve and connectivity, which took a bit. That said, the above should not stop you from trying the Onyx Prime for it does provide good quality.


Tronsmart Onyx Prime ($70) v 1More ColorBuds 2 ($79):

Very mid-centric in sound, the ColorBuds 2 are almost too bright for my taste. They fit very well, and all but disappear in my ear, with the best fit of any here. Lacking the deep guttural bass, the CB2 focuses on clarity, which they have in a copious amount. Make sure you have the right tip mounted for isolation, as a lack of seal can play with the sound. Pushing the unit into my ear deeper does result in better bass quality and quantity; but one should not need to do that as often as I had to with the CB2.

That said, these are a fine TWS bud, with better clarity than the Onyx can hope for. If you want details galore, the CB2 is the choice amongst these two. Engaging as well, but I would give the overall nod to the Onyx Prime for my tastes.



Tronsmart Onyx Prime ($70) v Fiil T1X ($55):

The last two are purchases I made at the recommendation of Scarbir, who to me is the undisputed king of TWS reviews. While he may focus on those models, which are more economical (less than $150), his reviews are spot on to me and I feel the same as he does on both of these. The T1X was a co-purchase with the Sifi II, and I do not regret either. As they are both a couple of years old, neither has the noise canceling of the two 1More branded TWS buds.

No matter, for I purchased these for the audio quality, and feel the T1X is still a solid purchase. With better bass depth and grunt, the T1X provides for a better foundation to me. Along with that, there is a bit of bleed into the mids, which also sit behind those in the Onyx. That artificiality of cymbal hit is present as well. But the treble note to me comes across as ever so smooth. Easy to use function-wise as well, I still really like the T1X. This would come down to whether you like better bass, and a very solid “audiophile” sound, or less bass, and a more forward mid-based “audiophile” sound. Solid choices, both.


Tronsmart Onyx Prime ($70) v Bomaker Sifi II ($50):

Of the Fiil & Bomaker, I do believe the Sifi II provides me with a better audiophile sound, but with a bit less bass. Mids almost on par with the more forward Onyx, but presented better, this is still one fine TWS bud. Other than being a real PITA to get out of the case, connection is easy and fit/use is the best of those here. I do hear that the original Sifi supposedly sound better, but I am thoroughly satisfied with the Sifi II for its wonderful melodic signature, that provides just enough bass to keep a solid foundation, and the best vocals this side of a much more expensive TWS bud. Better 3D presentation as well make this an easy recommendation for those who want an audiophile-grade TWS. Mind you it is almost as fun as the Onyx signature as well. Lacking noise cancelation here does hinder its use, but the isolation with silicon tips is much better than the Tronsmart. If the Bomaker had more bass quantity, it would be considered a giant killer. As is, it is a very solid choice to me.



Finale:

I have on hand an excellent selection of TWS buds with which to review and listen. As such, I have quickly become as spoiled about them as I am about IEM’s or headphones. This is not necessarily a bad thing for not only do I find my preferences, but also can gauge those on hand against what cometh my way. And the Tronsmart Onyx Prime came at a very good time. Having spent a good portion of the fall in air travel, I auditioned many TWS buds on planes and through airports. Most are very good, with some extraordinary ones as well (reviews coming).

This also highlights my own personal purchases here and what technologies have trickled down since then as well. The Onyx Prime seems to bridge that gap between audiophile and all-purpose TWS pretty well. Even without noise cancelation technology, it sounds pretty good. A more forward mid-section than I prefer, and a lack of deep-reaching bass hinder my overall satisfaction with it, but quite possibly not yours. If you like a solid mid-section, with easy to use controls and a fun sounding blend to your TWS bud; then you could do much worse than the Onyx Prime. This would be a good pair for the gym bag to keep you going on those extra sets you know you should do after the holidays, which might be motivation enough.

I thank Tronsmart for the inclusion in the Onyx Prime review tour, this is a pretty decent TWS bud they have here and might be worth a listen if you espouse to the virtues set forth above.

Cheers.

DDHiFi Janus 2, E2020B ($199): Retuned, with better sound.

*Better late than never, I post this while revisiting the Janus2, which I still really, REALLY like.



Janus2

Intro: After the Janus E2020A made the rounds, DDHiFi asked for and received tuning recommendations. While I enjoyed the tuning, something seemed off. Moving to a more “consumer-oriented” tuning, the E2020B comes across with changes, which might make it better. I thank DDHiFi for the support and sending of the unit. It is understood that the unit may be asked back for at any time, but until then, it is mine to keep; but not sell. That’s still really, really uncool to do.

*George hangs stuff from trees, I use stone blocks cut from our historic quarry...



Specs:

• Type: IEM
• Style: Dynamic Driver
• Driver: 1x Dynamic, 10mm (new)
• Socket: MMCX + 2-Pin (0.78mm)
• Cable: octo-core silver-plated OFC + copper OCC
• Shell: acrylic + 316L steel
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Impedance: 12 ohms
• Sensitivity: 105dB/mW
• Cable length: 120 cm (Effect Audio designed/built)

In The Box:

Janus 2 (E2020B)
Upgraded MMCX cable, 3.5mm se
C80A earphone case (different color)
C10A magnetic cable clip (matches case as before)
MMCX dust cover plugs x10
3 sets silicone bass tips
3 sets silicone treble tips

Gear Used/Compared:

CFA Honeydew ($249)
CFA Satsuma ($199)
Thieaudio Legacy 4 ($195)
BQEYZ Spring 2 ($165)
DDHiFi Janus-E2020A ($199)

Cayin N6ii (E01 motherboard)
MacBook Pro
Shanling M6 Pro
HiBy R3 Pro Saber


Songs:

Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews



Unboxing:

I unabashedly love the unboxing experience of DDHiFi products. Originally coming in small bamboo boxes, the company went towards a more environmental route with recycled cardboard boxes. I applaud this push, and while I miss the bamboo boxes, don’t regret the switch.

The Janus-B comes in an elongated rectangular box, with a lift off lid. Remove the lid and you will find the new colored goldish-bronze carrying case on one side and a same sized box labeled “Janus.” Inside that box you will find the Janus-B set in a foam protective square. The cable and accessories come within the new case. A full set of accessories comes with the Janus-B including two different styles of tips, one for treble oriented sound, and one for more bass orientation. Also included are 10 small plastic plugs to be used for the MMCX side of the Janus if you choose to use a 2-pin 0.78mm cable. This came with the original Janus as well, which gives a nice touch and can keep dust out of the earphone itself. A very competent owner’s manual is also included, complete with pictures. DDHiFi has had this right from the beginning, so it is nice to see this pattern continue. The new color is certainly unexpected, and an almost brazen attempt at one-upmanship to the competition. So far with everything that DDHiFi has done, they have the good to back it up.



Technology:

Listening to the users and reviewers of the Janus-A, DDHiFi didn’t just tweak the new one, they redesigned it. I will admit I liked the Janus-A, but felt it was lacking in a bit of tonality. The Janus-B “corrects” this by using a new 10mm dynamic driver and redesigned acoustic chamber. A faster driver to boot, the rear of the cavity is now two chambers, cutting down on the resonance of that driver. Think of it this way. Sometimes resonance is good, for it gives good depth and a 3-dimensionality to the bass. But the downside is that it can be slow to respond and allow a certain muddiness of sound to pervade your listening pleasure. The new one does not, and I can admit the bass is faster in responding and with better control while reaching a bit deeper.

A nice trick from the old one is gone as well. Instead of using PCB to connect the wiring to the driver, which not only looked cool but allowed a quick response across the sound spectrum, the new one uses regular old wiring. But that wiring was developed in conjunction with custom cable maker, Effect Audio. I can remember a meme from not too long ago that made fun of users who spend too much on cables, only to be bound by merely 10 cents of inside wiring connecting the crossover, driver and cable. It makes sense, and Effect is quite good at cables, so I suspect the connecting wires inside the Janus-B is as well. Again, DDHiFi fixes a problem we may not know we had. They certainly did not have to but jumped ahead yet again. While the wiring may not offer the exact same “precision” as the PCB, it works nonetheless, and we should expect the same level of performance. Add in a new venting system with a ring set around the short nozzle of the ear side shell and you can understand how the bass is richer, deeper and with better control.

The cable is new as well, made of silver-plated OCC also by Effect Audio. The aftermarket Air cable of the previous version was a really fine cable in its own right, but some may not have liked the color (No big deal to me...). The new one looks more mainstream while providing quality sound. There is a bit of microphonics involved, but not like many of today.



Build/Fit/Finish:

I could write this in one sentence stating that the build of the Janus-B is exactly like all of their adapters and wires, as in as good as it gets. But there is more to it than that. I did find the look to be a bit less premium than the Janus-A, until I listened. Made of two halves, one is a clear plastic material and the other of steel. Fit is very much like an ear bud, but as per the original can be worn either up or down. I will state that when wearing down, there was much sou8nd leakage from the outside on the Janus-A. Not so with the B, as isolation is much, much better. Not sealed, but using the included bass tips, very adequate.

Still using both MMCX and 2-pin of standard 0.78mm, you still get versatility. There are no ear guides on the cable so wearing the bud up like and IEM is a trick in placing the wire properly. I will also add that when worn up, the fit is a smidge better for me, with a deeper reach of bass than down. But when worn down, the fit and sound is much better than from the Janus-A. Whatever voodoo was done here, I approve.

The polished steel shell does draw fingerprints, but to be honest, it is lying inside your ear most of the time, so who cares. Combine that with the still easy to grab back shell and you get an IEM/ear bud, which is quite easy to handle. The case may be a new color as well, but is the familiar open clipped top, complete with magnets. Why change a good thing? The cable clip also still has a magnet for roping in the cable. When not in use, as in when I’m listening, I close the clip, and allow the magical magnetic forces to grab onto it, staying put on the case. It is rather fun to try the other side, so you can make the case magically walk away from you...oh to be kids again...I would rate the Janus-B easily as good as the Janus-A, if not better.



Sound:

Summary:

If I had to sum up the new tuning on the Janus-B, it would be more “consumer-oriented,” but in a good way. While there is more bass emphasis, both in reach and quality specifically quality. While there can be a bit of rumble, this would not be quantified as a bass-oriented ear bud. Hence the quality. Better speed and response are definitive differences, and this helps tighten up the signature across the board as there is little to no bleed in my less than stellar hearing. The treble is still thankfully distinct and present in sufficient detail. The mids to me are also pushed a small bit forward or maybe it has better presence than the old, which was very good in its own right. Treble as mentioned does not become tiresome, rounding out a thorough upgrade to the sound, of which I approve; even if it may be more consumer oriented.



More:

Sometimes going with a new signature is good, sometimes bad. Sometimes this is driven by marketing or consumer response. Any way you look at it, this can be a bit risky. Taking a tried and true model, and “upgrading it” can have devastating consequences if done wrong. Going from the Janus-A to the Janus-B has been a positive move in my estimation. I did like the Janus-A for reasons other than it was simply different from most of that time (last year...). But the Janus-B simply doesn’t fall into the “mee too” signature to accommodate market fluctuations. The change is a result of customer feedback for the better.

The new driver is faster in response, which tightens up the bass making for a tauter, less intrusive bass. While not necessarily more in quantity as I mentioned, the bass response is better in that decay, hence you get less intrusion into the mids. Sometimes bleed into the mids is good for it can lend a certain richness to the signature. Not here. It is not needed. Allowing the notes to speak for themselves, the bass plays in quality over quantity, adding in rumble when needed. On Reckoner, I find the bass quantity just right. The rumble, which is present complements the guitar work of Frampton nicely, but does not intrude. A well behaved bass is all I could ask for here, and a nice change from the lifted sub-bass of some lately. It has been mentioned among some peers that the new signature norm is one of lifted sub-bass instead of the near neutral with composure. I would agree and some reviews of IEM’s, which tend towards neutral are called “thin” in response when a better description would be “neutral.” I like a bass signature, but appreciate and respect neutral, or reference. I do think it is important to clarify both with the way tuning seems to be going. The Janus-B in response is neither neutral nor sub bass lifted or heavy. A nice balance of richness pervades my senses.



The balance carries over into the mids as a result. It can be rightly said that here the B “falls behind” the A in mid response. Not as frontal, or pushed forward, the B does fall a bit behind the A as a result. To me (and others) timbre is better though. So, the tradeoff is a less prominent mid-section, but added musicality. On Wish You Were Here from the Pink Floyd tribute album, Joe Satriani’s wonderful guitar licks do seem a bit less prominent on the Janus-B, but it is not bad mind you. Call it a compromise in working together.

The treble on the Janus-B is to my liking, even if it can be a bit frontal. Those who have better hearing than I may not appreciate this, but the air between notes is better on the new version to me. Call it competent and slightly lifted in comparison, but with slightly better detail. I do not find this offensive.

A fault I had with the Janus-A, if you want to call it that, is the soundstage. Smaller than I thought it should be, the Janus-B “corrects” this, with better depth and height. As a result, instrumentation & separation are aided, giving a certain spaciousness to the sound, but without being what I would call thin. Certainly not molasses thick, but the richness of the mids helps to fill the spatial awareness in the soundstage. Shane Hennessy’s Raindance is a cacophony of guitar plucks, plinks, and strikes; which comes across with excellent spaciousness on the Janus-B. A very complicated track once it gets going, I find the Janus-B holds its composure well during those sections. Nicely done and nicely presented.



Comparisons:

Just by the sheer number of comparisons listed below, you can see there is incredibly tough competition for the Janus-B. I would even venture this may be the toughest market segment out there...


DDHiFi Janus-B ($199) v CFA Honeydew ($249):

The reincarnation of the two CFA models has been met with outright hate by some. And love by others. I really, REALLY wish the hate would stop. It is almost like certain reviewers have an agenda against CFA. If you do not like them, stop listening to them.

Marketed as the “bassier” of the two, the Honeydew is a wonderful addition to the CFA line up, and from my review note that bass can bleed into the mids a bit, but this is where that is a complimentary action. Detail and clarity are still very good, and the lineage from the Andromeda can clearly be heard. If we were to gauge these two on clarity alone (even with the added bass note), the Honeydew would win out. Add in that additional bass and it may be a runaway. But, the Janus-B is a worthy competitor for it has better soundstage to me (which is a surprise), and I like the treble treatment better on the B. I could not pick a winner, nor should I for each has their own merits.


DDHiFi Janus-B ($199) v CFA Satsuma ($199):

Where the Honeydew shines in richness and bass, the Satsuma wins out in details. It does seem odd that the less expensive model may in fact have the better detail response, but that is what I hear. And this hearkens to what some have referred to as thin. The Satsuma is nothing like that. Excellent detail highlights a thoroughly pleasant signature, with an expansive stage. Less bass than the Janus-B for sure, but also more air between notes. If you prefer a slightly richer signature, then the Janus-B might be the better choice. If you want an affordable detail-oriented IEM patterned after the Andromeda, there are far worse choices than the Satsuma.


DDHiFi Janus-B ($199) v Thieaudio Legacy 4 ($195):

The Legacy 4 continued the excellent success of the Thieaudio lineup. Think of Thieaudio as an all-star rock band, who took stars from other bands and formed a super group, like Asia of old. That one did not work out, but the Thieaudio line has. The Legacy 4 is one of my top picks at this price as a result. A bit less bass than I would like, but good nonetheless, the Legacy 4 makes up for that in its richness of signature. The Legacy 4 is more mid-centric to me as well. As a result, it does not have the sheer width of soundstage the Janus-B has. But that midcentric sound comes across with excellent detail. This also leads into a treble note, which is too bright for my liking. The treble note is excellent in response and detailed, but there is a bit too much for my liking, especially when compared to the Janus-B. These two are very different in character and should be looked at individually rather than competitors.


DDHiFi Janus-B ($199) v BQEYZ Spring 2 ($165):

Another favorite of mine at this price, the Spring 2 was a very pleasant surprise. With a richness, that belied its character to me, it really does feel like that first fine, warm Spring day. Bass is equally taut in the Spring 2, but mids again are lifted. Not as much as the Legacy 4 thankfully, and the treble note is much more akin to the Janus-B. In other words, not strident or pulsating. Of the models compared here, to me these two are closest in signature (others may hear something completely different). Equally spacious in stage as well the Spring 2 really is a fine unit for the price, and one that could be looked at equally in comparison to the Janus-B.


DDHiFi Janus-B ($199) v DDHiFi Janus-E2020A ($199):

The comparison everyone wants...new v old. Improved v old. Well, the Janus-A had its merits in mid presentation and detail response. Especially when complemented by the Air balanced cable. I like it still, but find it lacking in bass response. A really cool design in shell cannot make up for the lack of bass response to me. The Janus-B has better reach down low and is tighter and tauter. If you want a model, which leans towards a detailed warmth, that represents the musicality of the song, then the Janus-A would indeed be a good fit. If you prefer a more spacious soundstage and better, faster bass response along with that timbre mentioned above, the Janus-B is a “clear winner” and step forward. That “thinness” mentioned as a response to tuning might be called upon here for the Janus-A, but it is not thin, just not as prominent a sound signature as the Janus-B. If I had to choose though, the Janus-B to me is the better choice.



Finale:

To me, DDHiFi has yet to put a foot wrong. Some might find the Janus-A not to their liking, but so what. It is different tuning, because that’s what DDHiFi does. Different. As mentioned in my very first review of their wares, DDHiFi finds solutions to problems we may not even know exist. And those solutions are stellar in creation, build, and usage. I have yet to find flaw in any of their wares, which says something about how they approach business. It is said that if you work for Lamborghini, that you sign strict confidentiality contracts, extending even to your use of social media. There is a reason that Lamborghini’s are so sought in in the luxury car market, the brand is as much the sell as the actual car.

I liken this to DDHiFi and their wares. While they may only produce accessories, adapters, cables, and the Janus-B; the approach is the same. You work for us, our goal is to provide the best product no matter if it is a $10 magnetic strap, and adapter or the $199 Janus-B. This is our passion as much as producing amongst the best cars on the planet is to Lamborghini. Different price points, but the approach holds true. Provide the customer with the best possible unit we can and if they like it, good. If it is not for them, we cannot fault how we presented and built the product.

The Janus-B is pretty much an entirely new unit, and I like it more than the Janus-A, which I also liked. If I had to choose one, it would be the B 8 days a week. Please, keep up the excellent work, DDHiFi.

Many, many thanks to Lily and DDHiFi again for the support offered me by their wares. They are excellent and the customer service is as well.

Cheers.

BGVP DH5 ($84.99): Does the affordable BGVP follow it's older siblings?

DH5



Intro: The unit was provided as part of a US tour. As such, the unit will be forwarded once my time is up. As the first recipient, I burned the unit in for over 100hrs. After an initial listen, the unit was left alone for a long weekend. What follows is my honest assessment (yes, really) of the unit. I will state that I have read some initial impressions from the Asian sector. Some are satisfied, others are disappointed. Since I have reviewed several BGVP units, I can gauge the progress of this against those. I will also state that I am a fan of the brand and considered it at the forefront of the Chinese injection into the mainstream market, but with a western tune so to speak.

*You will note the other two reviews below are from the Far East contingent of the tour. As such, one may rightly (or wrongly) posit that the musical tastes may differ between groups. As such, what other may dislike, some will like and vice versa. There has been a bit of diametrically opposing views on several items of late, and this difference of tastes MAY play into the reviews. I posit that the warranted tastes of the differing markets could in fact make this difference in review marks. As reviewers we owe it to the readers (you) to note our preferred signature tastes along with whom the item may or may not be good for. As such, I have adjusted my "style" (or lack thereof) to note for whom the item may be good for and who may not like it. I do feel we should all do this as opposed to simply stating "good," "bad," etc. Please take these considerations into play as you read the varying views.

Cheers.



Specs:

Impedance: 19 ohm.
Sensitivity: 119dB/mW.
Standard 2-pin 0.78mm connectors.
Frequency response range: 10Hz-40kHz.
THD+N: ≤0.5%.
Rated power: 8mW.
Cable: 6N OCC silver-plated


In The Box:

BGVP DH5
Zippered soft case, square
Vocal ear tips (s, m, l)
Bass ear tips, (s, m, l x2)
Memory foam tips
Instruction manual


Gear Used/Compared:

BQEYZ Summer ($129)
Thinksound in20 ($89)
Thieaudio Legacy 2 ($99)
VE BIE Pro ($69)

HiBy R3 Pro Sabre
EarMen Eagle/MBP
IKKO Zerda (ITM01)/MBP


Songs:

Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews



Unboxing:

The DH5 comes in a nice smaller black boxed package, complete with a colorful, ornate sleeve. De rigor for the day is an anime character on some, but the BGVP is laden with organic shapes, which mimic the stabilized wood and swirls below the main lettering. Kind of illusionary, but I like the subtlety of the box.

Opening the box, you are met with the typical choice of tips in silicon and a nice addition; a set of foam tips on the top. Between the tips and the square case, the IEM’s are mounted in individual inserts, protected well. The case holds the cable inside nicely. This is a typical unboxing, and nothing comes across as spectacular, but understated.



Build/Fit/Finish:

I have yet to run into a BGVP product that is below par in the build factor as well as fit. The telling sign here is the incorporated “wood flecks,” which differ from the now de rigor stabilized wood. Don’t get me wrong, stabilized wood is fabulously beautiful, but a departure from that is appreciated sometimes. The faceplate has a certain 1970’s wallpaper look to it, from a hip San Francisco Haight-Ashbury hill home. Subtle, but cool.

The 3D-printed German resin of the shell is top quality and one does not promote where your resin comes from unless it is meant to show quality. And it does. With an almost custom look to it, the black shell comes across as sublime, not garish. Fit is good, but again the knob does hit my concha as well as having a longer nozzle. Foam tips work well, but silicon’s might give a better fit, for less irritation.

The 2-pin connection works without fuss, and the over ear guide lays nicely with my glasses as well as not pinching like some. The cable is of two-wire wind, but with ½ colors of copper and silver, giving a candy cane look to it. Not overly tight or loose, it lays well with zero microphonics. Silver colored Y-splitter, cable cinch, and jack seem almost out of place, giving the DH5 a cheaper look to me. I would have opted for a rose gold color to it. Even if that is the choice of iPhones of late. No worry though, the overall fit and look are what you should expect at this price and above. Done well it is.



Technicals:

Coming with five drivers (1-DD, 4-BA’s), the DH5 is considered a hybrid. The new 10mm single dynamic driver promotes a dual sound cavity, which is said to reduce distortion while enhance a cleaner, faster decay with the Beryllium coating. Fast decay leads towards a tight bass response, sometimes with a more analytical sound, while slower decay lends towards a rich, warm signature. The bass is definitely fast.

The four balanced armatures come in two packages of dual BA’s, for different sound frequencies. The upper mids are handled by an RAF 32873 Knowles unit, which promotes a crisper, solid sound. The upper frequencies come through the second-generation BGVP 30042 Phoenix in-house drivers, promoting a natural extension with good density, but also transparency. To me this means there is good weight to the notes, but not at the expense of a realistic tone. Keeping with an almost now traditional sound tube for each set of drivers, the DH5 does come across as somewhat bright, but without too much bother. It would be nice to see BGVP incorporate what many other manufacturers are doing with a “sound chamber” where all comes together nicely, much like your listening room at home. Nonetheless, the triple tube technology plays well in my ears.

Coupled with a triple crossover to manage all of that, and you might expect a fairly antiseptic sound to come through. Thankfully, BGVP has kept to their historical richer side of the signature.



Sound:

Summary:

Still a fairly new feature to me, this is a way of garnering my take on the individual unit so if you read this and skip to comparisons it will not hurt my feelings. That said, more detail is wrought from the longer version.

The DH5 promotes itself as a smooth signatured-sound and I would agree. But there is an upper-mid push to me, which keeps it from being a boringly smooth signature. That upper mid push does lend a bit of artificiality to percussive instruments in that range such as maracas or others of that genre. Not bad mind you, but I can hear it. This does not distract from my liking, though. Bass is taught and quick as evidenced on Acoustic Alchemy’s Lazeez, which is a fast-energetic song. Not the lightning quick of much Spanish guitar work, but sufficiently speedy to where you can note if a driver cannot keep up. The DD does keep time well, without bleed into the mids. Piano staccato comes across nicely realistic as a result when you transition. I find the signature pleasantly taut with enough energy to keep your interest. here is also a slight lift at about 10kHz, which to me comes across as a certain brightness to counter the smoothness everywhere else. Not really a bother, and to many this is the sweet spot for any lifting of sound in the treble region.

More:

Sometimes when you have a hybrid, the dual drivers tend to try and outcompete each other. DD’s are typically used for the bass while the BA’s are used for mids and high tones. In doing so, there are many out there that espouse the virtues of “new drivers” or “better drivers” or “ultra-coated drivers” at the expense of a more synergistic approach. This usually comes at the expense of too much bass or not enough and the DD to me suffers that wrath more often than the other way. There is a fine line between over competing within the shell and that synergy of working in concert together. The DH5 does a very nice job of the synergistic side, without diminishing either.

The more I listen to the DH5, the easier it is to understand the three-way drivers working together to make for a thoroughly enjoyable package. To me, nothing oversteps boundaries, while also providing the necessities of a quite tolerable sound. Bass comes across as fairly taut and strong, with little bleed into the mids, making for not only distinct tones but clearly defined limitations as well. This is not a bass-thumping unit nor was it meant to be.

Those mids are controlled by the RAF Knowles dual unit with aplomb (one of my favorite words ever since it was used to describe my 1996 Jetta GLX...man what a car), with plenty of space between the notes helping set forth a decently wide soundstage as well. Succinct of tone, there is an almost staccato-like precision to the sounds emanating from those Knowles drivers. Male vocals come across without clouds, and detail is well within a reasonable effort for this price. Running through my iPhone 13 Pro Max and the IKKO Zerda ITM01, Deep Reiver Blues from Tommy Emmanuel & Jason Isbell just makes me want to tap my toes. Blending into the in-house Phoenix (fitting...) BA’s up top, the higher note of acoustic guitar and vocals sing sweetly from within. Treble neither reaches too high (to me), nor is it sibilant in nature or grating. Shake from Jesse Cook, another current favorite I play over and over highlights this “just enough” reach up top. The tambourine comes across cleanly, if a slight bit overexuberant, but his solo acoustic work is superb. Through in that intoxicating Violin solo in the middle of the song and I am easily lost in song through the trio mentioned above.

If this is what BGVP has become, then they have succeeded yet again. And yes, I am already a fan having reviewed several others, but that necessitates a finer-toothed comb look into the guts of the DH5. Clean, clear and crisp the DH5 provides me with what I want, when I want: to listen and not worry about whether this song or that song is accurate of reproduction. Sometimes to feel the music is all you need.

Plus, as mentioned, the soundstage is fairly deep with excellent height. Width accommodates as well making for a larger soundstage without feeling too cavernous. The result is very good separation of note, lending to good clarity and detail. Placing of instruments is accurate as a result, but not distinct to the point of being analytical. I would not call the signature warm, but there is a certain richness to the tonality that pervades some songs.



Comparisons:

BGVP DH5 ($89) v BQEYZ Summer ($129):

Following on the footsteps of one of my current favorites, the Spring; the Summer comes across as a bit more melodic and laid back than the Spring. Against the DH5 it can seem almost boring, but it certainly isn’t. There is a bit cleaner treble response in the Summer, but the signature is more of a V-shape than the DH5, and that extra push of the treble does not come across as well to me.

Mind you the Summer is still good, and on the aforementioned Shake gives a different vibrancy to the sound than the DH5, with a deeper reach of bass; but that comes at the expense of synergy to me. The bass bleeds into the mids, which are slightly covered as a result. The Summer would be good for that late evening listen where the DH5 is the pick-me-up needed before a busy meeting-filled day. Or classroom lessons-galore experience in my case.


BGVP DH5 ($89) v Thinksound in20 ($89):

I am a huge unadulterated fan of Thinksound and wish everyone had a chance to hear the ON2. An absolute gem in on-ear closed-back headphones. I am lucky to have a pair. Lamenting the loss of the company, when this came across as a pre-purchase, I jumped. It will not be everyone’s cup of stereo, but I am a fan. Providing a much darker and warmer signature, the bass is as intoxicating to me as it gets this side of my Hero and Legend X (and yes, I desperately want a Legend EVO), surpassing the DH5. But this comes at the expense of a more even overall signature. This is definitely not for those who want a more linear approach. But I still love the in20, nonetheless.


BGVP DH5 ($89) v Thieaudio Legacy 2 ($99):

Following on the excellent Legacy 4, the Legacy 2 continues the Thieaudio tradition of providing the listener with a thoroughly engaging sound. I am impressed with the synergy of bass, mids and treble. There is enough bass to satisfy your needs and the treble comes across a detailed with enough crispness as well. The mids are a bit too smooth for this unit to me, though. On the tribute song Wish You Were Here, Satriani’s guitar work is splendid, but the vocals seem a bit flat in comparison to both the DH5 and Legacy 4. This is certainly not a knock against the L2, but rather that some do this aspect better. I do still like the L2 very much, though.


BGVP DH5 ($89) v VE BIE Pro ($69):

The BIE Pro was a purchase to defend the integrity of the VE brand. I have been a fan since the original Monk and own probably 10 iterations of the Monk. In talking with Lee (a very good conversationist) we talked about many things, but privy to our conversation. Of note though was my liking of the Bonus IE and BIE Pro. Meant to promote his vision of an affordable bullet-shaped IEM, which promotes superb bass, the BIE Pro does indeed to that. But, it also provides very good tone across the board. Much harder to drive than the others, the BIE Pro needs some juice to shine. Put plenty of power through the Pro and it shines. When we talk about ear-to-ear grins there are not many that come close. If you can tolerate mids, which fall behind but are still quite tolerable; purchase it for the bass. For a more even tone across the board, the DH5 does win out here, though.



Finale:

When offered the chance to review a BGVP model among others (more items on the way), I jumped in knowing I already liked the marque. That can be good and bad. Some will say that since there is already a positive vibe for the manufacturer, the end result may not reflect a true natural production of word. Well, yes that can be; but I posit that because of that history, there is a certain level of trust for the marque and that the dissecting is of a much more strenuous nature as a result. Having had such good luck, the anticipatory set is high. Anything below previous experience would of course be judged of its own merit; but also, could be disappointing. I am here to state that the DH5 does indeed fill in nicely a missing niche in the BGVP line up and for that it should be applauded on its sound merits. Having to fill the shoes of a DM7 or other model comes with that double-edge of success/failure.

Plus, making a more affordable model than previous marks can have some thinking that the company may have run out of ideas. This is neither the case nor merited for using an in-house new BA as well as the trusted maker Knowles shows BGVP is serious in their desire to compete at the forefront of the sub-$100 market. And largely the DH5 does. I wish it had a bit more bass, and a bit stronger treble dissection of sound (funny that I say that with my deficiencies up top...). But those are minor quibbles in an overall pleasing unit. The DH5 can and does fit well into the insanely packet sub-$100 market. And by insane, I mean literally cutthroat insanity. This seems to be the jumping on point of many coming into this hobby of ours and the product had better be good to excellent in order to not get trampled.

The DH5 is a very fine unit, that can hold the moniker of the BGVP brand on its own merits and at that sink or swim price point. And it does so with enough going for it, to make many happy. To me while not perfect, it is a perfectly acceptable alternative to many of those of which it competes against. And as such is a recommended listen to me.

I thank BGVP for sending the unit out on loan and it will be off to the next lucky person tomorrow in the post. BGVP continues to impress me. Well done.

Kinera Nanna 2.0 ($949): A flagship worthy of inclusion?

4.25 stars

Imperial Nanna


Audio46

Intro: Coming off a few tours of late, I find myself realizing how lucky I am. Some of the gear, which has come across my palette of late has been flat out fantastic. Some pretty good. But you get the sense that when an audio company, whether it be manufacturer or seller, sends their wares out you can be assured they will be pretty good. Some of late I almost lament that I cannot purchase for I do not “need” them, only mere want. I am thankful for Audio46 sending the unit out on tour, otherwise I probably would not have had the chance to audition this.

As for Kinera, it seems they have struggled to compete by changing their IEM's and "house sound" with every model, never settling long enough, even when users/reviewers were pleased with said signature. The iDun was quite acceptable to me, but Kinera went and changed it for the worse. Some of the later offerings were just plain bad. I won't sugarcoat it. They were awful of tune and of sound. But the Imperial Nanna 2.0 seems to put Kinera back on the map of acceptability and works on muscling into the forefront. Details are really quite good, with appropriate bass thump and presence, without bloom. It seems that Kinera may finally be settling onto something here...



Specs:

• Four Driver Hybrid Setup, including one 7mm Dynamic Driver, one Balanced Armature Driver and two Electrostatic Drivers.
• Impedance:- 60 ohms
• Sensitivity:- 110dB at 0.3mW
• Frequency Response:- 5Hz-50kHz
• 2-Pin 0.78mm 6N OCC with silver plated

In The Box:

• Nanna 2.0 IEM
• Tips: 5 sets-Final E, 6 sets-silicon, 2 sets-foam (Comply-like)
• Cable: 6N OCC& OCC, silver plated
• User Manual
• Cleaning tool
• 4.4bal to 2.5bal adapter, 4.4bal to 3.5se adapter
• Magnetic (p)leather case

Gear Used/Compared:

Empire Ears Hero ($1349)
Fir Audio VxV ($999)
Cayin Fantasy ($799)
Dunu SA6 ($549)

Shanling M6 Pro
Cayin N6ii (E01 mother board)
MacBook Pro/XDuoo XA-10


Songs:

Peter Frampton
Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews


Unboxing:

Kinera has always gone their own way with regard to the unboxing experience. Settling quite often on a sextagonal-shaped case, the lidded case is large. One would associate this with premium. The front hints at some color schemes (actually mirroring my Dunu SA6...), with gold lettering, while the back is complete with highlights (in well seen light gray I might add...other companies should take note...) of the unit, a “frequency graph,” specs, box inclusion and included associations with other manufacturers such as Sonion and Final.

Taking off the lid, you are met with a three-piece sextagonal history manual. It is like opening a Tetris piece, but does not quite fit down into the box, over the foam inserts. On that, you can read the history of the name and about the technology used within the Nanna. Inside the lower section you have a soft foam insert, which has corresponding cut outs for the pleather case, IEM’s, tips, cleaning tool, and adapters. An interesting take on the unboxing and box, but that is how Kinera rolls.

With a name patterned after the Norse god who lost her husband, Nanna sacrificed herself, coming back as a scarlet mountain in the Nordic skyline, blazingly looking up under the north lights waiting for Baldr’s return. One can rightly assume this is the origin of the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the northern lights. Interesting history, so the Imperial Nanna 2.0 better sound good.



Technicals:

Using a four-driver hybrid setup, including one 7mm Dynamic Driver, one Balanced Armature Driver and two Electrostatic Drivers, the Nanna follows the path of the mountain; hiding herself in the darkest parts of the mountains. To me this equates well to the darker, rich sound emanating from within the Imperial Nanna, yet again following her mythological heritage. The Sonion EST65DA01 is a dual paired micro driver electrostat super tweeter responsible for the treble. Using this dizygotic cartridge pair for low symmetric distortion, which allows the extension of the highs. It works.

The mids are handled by the Sonion 26A008/5 BA, which is claimed to be similar to a Knowles branded mid BA. Promoting high resolution characteristics and a touch more warmth than the Knowles, the Sonion does its job giving good clarity and warmth at the same time. The lows are handled by an in-house 7mm custom dynamic driver made with a PU composite high polymer set up. According to Kinera, the high amount of polymer yields better tension, giving better bass response. This makes sense as the better held the dynamic driver is in place, the less it inhibits the sound radiating from it. Put this all together and you get what Kinera hopes is a pleasing overall experience.


Build/Fit/Finish:

Acrylic shells are the norm now, along with 3D printed shells. Some look good and work, others have not, and those companies should really be ashamed of their QC. Kinera is not one of those. From the off, Kinera’s build quality has been top notch. It continues here as one would hope with a flagship. Made of a single shell, with ornate faceplate, the Imperial version (or Mount Imperial) looks fine in the dark black shell, with a single vent hole out the back. The coloration of the faceplate is tasteful, sparkly and yet not garish at all. The Mount nomenclature is the actual name for the coloration, hence some misunderstanding out there with regard to naming and such. Hence, the “official name” is the Kinera Mount Imperial Nanna 2.0. I shall continue with either Nanna 2.0 or N2.

The nozzle is longer than some and took a good bit of effort to mount the foam tips or silicon for that matter. I’d rather it be a bit harder than not, as one model of late I actually got the tip stuck in my ear for a good five minutes...That larger bore of nozzle does hinder a bit of comfort when using foam tips, but after the foam “complies” with the shape of my ear, I could listen in near-effortless fashion for a good bit of time. The N2 does stick out from my ear more than I would like.

The cable is an OCC silver-plated copper as mentioned above, and of 2-strand only.



Sound:

Summary:

*About 3 of the last four IEM's I have reviewed have had bass bloom, which hindered overall sound quality, even if I did like them. The Nanna presents this bass “bleed” well. Mids are a bit too far forward for my taste, but I am in my first 20 min of listening, so take that as you may...and the treble presentation is indeed a breath of fresh air. Extension and detail without sibilance or gratiness. Kinera hit the sweet spot up top.

Up front, I am impressed with the tuning of the Nanna 2.0. Some note this is a smoothed version of the original, with a bit less bite or vibrancy up top. Extension is quite good up top, but without being bitey or grating. Extension lends to a very good sense of space and air, and thus soundstage. Peter Frampton’s Georgia On My Mind is a case in point where you get an expansive sound as the piano seems to come from one far end and the other instruments the opposite side. Not disconnected but tied together nicely with an excellent sense of space. Mids come across as clean and clear with a bit of a push in the lower mids to me. This can tend to override those excellent treble notes a bit by pushing them to the side or back a bit; but this isn’t the case. Bass, rather sub-bass is strong as witnessed by another Frampton song from the album Frampton Forgets The Words, Avalon. The thump of bass drum is real and something I have not heard from another at this level in a good bit. Tied together, even with a bit of bass bloom into those already forward lower mids plays nicely making for a richness, which comes across as smooth rather than too thick. Just as others have described. Warm and rich, but with detail this is the best tuning yet for a Kinera in my opinion.

More:

As mentioned, the bass comes across as near-thumpy, but with good control, not great. But that bit of looseness, a faster attack than decay, aids in presenting that smooth sound, setting the foundation for a thoroughly satisfying sound. Play a bass rich song, and you get good control. Dave Matthew’s Dodo is known for its beginning bass note as the song fades in. On some IEM’s this can come across as almost distorted, or robotic. Not here as the electric notes build to that foundation of which I speak. That bleed into the lower mids while giving a smooth signature can come across as a bit confuddling. Not the cleanest of presentation here, but comparatively well to the others in this category. I would call it a bit of depth or soul or feeling. Instead of just being present and accounted for, the bass note sets its signature for you. I appreciate that in this tuning.

Others have mentioned that the mids come across as frontal or near frontal in attack, but not in a bad way. I would tend to agree mostly. I do find that brighter songs, such as when a guitar is going through its licks, the sound can be a bit overwhelming. I liken this to my tendency to not tolerate bright forward signatures. Plus, this is not nearly as frontal as some of late (mentioned below). On Bittersweet (Live) from BHT&TM, Todd’s vocals are simply sumptuous. Toned perfectly to me and presented with that bit of vibrancy mentioned, but not hindering my pleasure. His vocal presentation is strong and taut, but deep and rich at the same time. The N2 vocal presentation represents that quite well. Only occasionally does one hear a hint of sibilance, and to me that comes from the recording and his vocals (yes those are upper notes but come across here to me).

Speaking of that upper end, the treble notes come across with that extension, which can often lead to sibilance and harshness of presentation. Not so here, as that extension is presented cleanly and without sibilance (except for the aforementioned vocals, above). Cymbal hits sound striking and real. No artificiality such as others here have. This extension leads to an expanding of space, which to me nullifies that somewhat overly bright tendency. Again, this is only to me, YMMV. This is among the better treble notes I have heard and as sensitive as I am if I can tolerate it, then it is really pretty good.

Soundstage is expansive in all three directions, but not so overly great as to give no tie to all the notes. All is tied together and the N2 has among the best soundstage I have heard of late. It really is grand. This leads to excellent instrumentation & layering as each note can be easily separated without being disjointed. Placing of instruments while grand also give very good spatial representation, lending to excellent detail. Clarity is thus quite good as well. I am amazed as how many I have heard of late are all quite good at the above-mentioned items, but the Kinera could be the best I have heard in quite some time.



Comparison:

Kinera Nanna 2.0 ($949) v Empire Ears Hero ($1349):

Empire Ears models are legendary for their bass reproduction, and I personally consider them the best out there for sheer quantity coupled with quality. The Hero uses the new W9+, in duality of course. There is no denying the Hero has spectacular bass, trouncing the Nanna 2.0 in depth and presentation. But once we get into the mids, it gets interesting. While both promote crisp vocal treatment, the Hero has a tendency to “overpromote” those mid tones. I agree with Ryan Soo who called them overly bright, too much so. I agree, even though I purchased one. On less mid-prominent songs though, the Hero is a fantastic unit. As clean, clear and crisp as it gets.

This overly bright signature does carry into the treble range, further deteriorating what to me is a superb sound. Mind you with the right genre, as in less techno, EDM, etc. the Hero is superb. On guitar works such as Frampton’s Reckoner (quickly becoming a favorite album, you need to listen to it), his work is of the sort you might find in a Fantasy song around the movie Avatar. Such is his sublime playing, that you cannot do anything but enjoy it. On the Hero, it is fantastic. On the Nanna 2.0 it is smoother, but still wonderful. This would come down to whether you want orgasmic bass, with mids, which can be too much; or a smoother overall presentation, with very good control. Both are worth a look if the budget affords.


Kinera Nanna 2.0 ($949) v Fir Audio VxV ($999):

The VxV came on the heels of the excellent quartet of the Fir M-series. I was already smitten with the M5. So much so, that I almost purchased and M3 or M4 (quite acceptable to me it would have been). But then the VxV came along, and I thought, “holy buckets, this is the ‘affordable’ model?!” I really think they missed a point by not making that opaque outline glow in the dark. That would have been bitch’n. Anyway, the VxV sent me down the road to what exactly a TOTL must have or provide to the listener in order for their appetite to be satiated. Excellent bass, wonderful vocals and treble, which does not grate or bite too much. If I had the “need” for another, of the five Fir mentioned above, it would be the VxV that comes home and lays with me. It provides 75% of the M5 at 35% of the cost. And to me this is what makes a TOTL special, truly special.

Comparatively, the Nanna 2.0 is again a bit smoother, with good extension. The VxV can also hit the high end, and with a bit better control, but the soundstage on the Kinera is actually better, allowing for a bit more space between the notes making up for that “lack of control.” The VxV is a bit more clinical of note (not analytical or dry, but precise), where the Kinera is deeper, smoother and more laid back. Both are pretty much remarkable in their own characteristics and to “choose” a winner would be like choosing a BMW M5 over an Audi RS6. I’d be happy with either.


Kinera Nanna 2.0 ($949) v Cayin Fantasy ($799):

The Fantasy came and went about a month ago. It was quite stunning in look, and to me it still backed that up with good, solid sound. A bit too much up high, and a bit weak down low, it matches the Hero in detail presentation. This is a very precise IEM in tonality. If you desire or need accuracy of sound, including placement, then the Fantasy would be the choice. But that smooth signature of the Kinera keeps growing on me, even at the difference of price. Mind you, the Fantasy to me is a very, very good offering, providing quality of soundstage, placement, airiness and overall sound, but it falls behind the Kinera in my overall ranking, due to the smooth texture of sound, which fits my listening more. As per usual, your mileage may vary.


Kinera Nanna 2.0 ($949) v Dunu SA6 ($549):

Not really a fair fight due to the price, but the SA6 as mentioned in other reviews is an excellent example, which furthered Dunu’s technology. I love the interchangeable jacks and it makes for an easy solution if you desire excellent sound. I still find the presentation of the SA6 stunning. To think that a model, which is essentially mid-fi can come with a tunable sound (flick the switch on the side), and multiple jacks is astounding. Not quite the sub bass as the Kinera, and clean, non-analytical sound from the mids; the SA6 still provides me with excellent listening. There is an upper mid push, which can taint the overall quality, bringing the mids further forward than the Nanna 2.0 even. The treble thankfully does not suffer, but that mid sound is too far forward to me on most songs. Lifted and pushed, it colors and otherwise very good sound. Turning the switch off does help alleviate this a bit, but you lose the sumptuousness of the bass presentation as a result. A fair trade, and still one of the benchmarks (to me) at this price, but otherwise falling behind the Nanna 2.0.


Finale:

I will admit that based upon the last few examples from Kinera I thought, 1. They are still struggling to find their “identity,” and 2. Would this be yet another higher-end product from Kinera with high hopes dashed? My hope was neither and that this would be a good product.

Kinera “settled” for a western-based signature on the Imperial Mount Nanna 2.0, with a warmth to it, complementing the smooth richness of texture and laid-back signature. It is no secret that I prefer this signature, with gobs of bass as well. The Nanna 2.0 hit all of those marks, except for the gobs of bass. It has very, very good bass with sufficient thump on songs to make its place well known. It also presents an open and airy, but not light signature, which promotes this sound even further. The highs are brilliant in transition from the mids and presentation. Not too high, not too low, but with excellent extension aiding this end. The mids are pushed a bit too far forward for me, but only slightly. Especially when compared to something like I did above with the Hero or SA6. In fact, if I could transfer the mids from the Nanna 2.0 into the Hero, it would be spot on perfect for me.

The transition continues from the sub bass to the mids, with that bit of bloom I talked about earlier, but this helps to keep the signature smooth with good texture and depth. Not muddy, bit depth of texture. Think Lake Superior water quality versus the Missouri River and that while being an overexaggerating response, gets the point across. Those first 20 minutes of listening turned into a frantic week of trying to squeeze as much listening time into the Kinera as possible. Sometimes I do so begrudgingly to garner a full impact upon the sound. Here it was for pure pleasure and the verbiage scribed here. This is one damn fine unit, and I really hope Kinera has hit its stride with this one. I’m pleading with you: don’t change it. Leave it alone. Walk away and grab a beer or scotch or something. The job is done with this one. Move on to another model.

I finish this written garble listening to Frampton’s Reckoner again and again. Such sweet guitar work and the support that reminds you this song would be just as home in a Jason Bourne movie as he gets away once again, as much as “just a song.” I thank Audio46 for yet another stellar audition in something I most likely would not have had the chance. And to @Kinera: leave the Mount Imperial Nanna 2.0 alone!!! Let it sell itself, and it will.

Kennerton Rögnir ($3367, current conversion): This one Octopus stole my very essence...



Rögnir

Intro: Andy Kong contacted me to see if I was interested in participating in a tour of the Kennerton Rögnir. Having a V2 version of the Magni made it a no-brainer to me. Upon purchasing the Magni, it quickly became my favorite headphone, regardless of price. It just fit my listening style of robust, but not overpowering bass, laidback signature, and a rich, warm detailed sound. The Magni is fantastic and from what I have read (yes, I did), the Rögnir is spectacular.

I will start by saying that upon first listen, I was taken in, held and not let go. The Rögnir is spectacular from the off. I had been warned by @Wiljen who gave the Kennerton his first ever 5-star rating on HeadFi. That says something if you know his very rigorous standards. Even though I am now thoroughly in love with the Rögnir, I will provide as honest a review of it as possible. It is not perfect overall, but to me those shortcomings can be overlooked once you listen. To qualify that, I had/have the same “concerns” with my Magni, and still love it. Kennerton has it going for them, and this one is one to be reckoned with.

I thank Andy for the inclusion, and at the conclusion of my time, the unit will be shipped to Las for the SoCal CanJam. I am very lucky, indeed.



Specs:



In The Box:

Custom (wood) Rögnir
Custom Litz cable 2x mini-xlr connectors to XLR jack
4-pin balanced XLR to 6.35mm TRS adapter
Standard cable 2-xlr to 6.35 jack
Eco-leather zip case (like other Kennerton’s)


Gear Used/Compared:

Kennerton Magni V2 ($835)
Audeze LCD3 ($1995)
Focal Radiance ($1299)
Sendy Peacock ($1499)

Shanling M6 Pro
MBP/ifi Pro iDSD/iCAN
Cayin N6ii mk2


Songlist:

Alex Fox
Dave Matthews
Joey Alexander-Warna album and others
Mark Knopfler-Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes
Santana w/ Mana- Corazon Espinado
twenty one pilots
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Big Head Todd & The Monsters-Beautiful World
Mark Knopfler-Down The Road Wherever
Elton John-yep, still good, still cool


Unboxing:

My father-in-law was a Tool and Die maker for the AT&T plant in Lee’s Summit, MO from the very first day the plant opened to the very last. He worked the first shift and the last. The only one who did that. As such he was in charge of making, modifying and ensuring that the machinery worked, regardless of how it was done. Fashioning some one-of-a-kind fixes to problems that most of us could barely imagine, he was a true craftsman in every sense of the word. Some of his handmade tools are my most cherished tools, along with those from my father.

As a true craftsman, you are given certain leeway’s in order to accomplish the task. The fix may not be perfect looking, but functional for the task at hand, and there in lies the true appreciation for what he crafted. While the item may look unfinished or even a bit crude, we were talking about the inside of a major factory where functionality ruled over form every day. Period. To me therein lies the true beauty of a Kennerton. While it may not look or feel perfect in every aspect, such as perfectly matched halves or how they fit; but you simply cannot question the quality of what comes out. Especially when they go to task with close to 2000-year-old wood, which is the best form of recycling I know. Much like the hand-formed Ferrari’s of old where the builder apprenticed for years before being allowed a hammer to form that 365GTB fender, Kennerton speaks of old-world craftmanship where the end product is the goal. Yes, the Ferrari form is perfect as well, and the Kennerton’s are very, very close, and I liken their form to my father-in-law’s presence of function-first. The looks of the Rögnir are the icing on the cake. Or in this case the Karelian Birch.



Coming in what could be described as an industrial box, the inner case of the Kennerton protects well the contents inside. You need not worry, for again the looks shy away those who might look for flash. Inside the box you have the Eco-leather case, much like other Kennerton’s, but this comes with a different patterned inside and a stitched on Kennerton logo. Opening the case, you get to the Rögnir and the included cables. Yes, plural for you get a “standard” mini-xlr to 6.35mm jack and the superb mini-xlr to XLR balanced cable. I will admit that I did not use the standard cable but once to ensure it worked. It did.

Also included is a 4-pin male XLR to 6.35mm jack adapter as well. I utilized the XLR cable as is for the majority of my listening through my iFi Pro duo. Taking the Rögnir out you get to the good stuff detailed below.



Build/Fit/Finish:

One of the things I really appreciate about Kennerton is the use of not necessarily exotic wood (I am against that...), but the use of readily available wood, which may not be of the norm for wooden cupped headphones. The walnut version is simply gorgeous. It does help that much of my woodworking decades ago in high school was using walnut, cherry or white/red oak. But I have always had a soft spot for walnut. My father preferred Northern Michigan Cherry for much of his work, and that is gorgeous as well. But this particular Kennerton is of Karelian Birch (Betula pendula) with blue tints. Not perfect of cut nor finish, the handmade aspect comes through perfectly. In researching this wood you can find it among other things as Fabergé eggs from Peter The Great (Russian tie) and look at it genetically and epigenetically for the development of patterned wood (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21954616/). This makes sense as we move forward in headphone design, with the now de rigor of stabilized wood, which uses an epoxy of reclaimed/recycled wood. Kennerton’s approach is to not necessarily mimic or mirror that but give us the tie to old world wood. When you consider one of the most highly sought-after choices for the cups of Kennerton models is 2000-year-old Bog Oak, you understand and appreciate how they proceed with an earth-bound environmental aspect. Plus, that Bog Oak is gorgeous as well. So is this model with the Karelian Birch. The blue tints add the right amount of highlighting and the “flaws” are allowed to show, much like the Octopus on one side. This model does use Stabilized Karelian Birch, giving the blue dye a place to shine. To me though, this is not the typical “free flow” of most stabilized wood patterns such as on my UM 3DT (which is also gorgeous), but simply used to enhance the wood for longevity. Founder Valentin Kazanzhi knows what he is doing with engineering and the choice of woods, so I trust his judgement. Of late as well, the choice of wood enhances certain sounds from the signature as well. A harder cup and frame will give a tighter response, making for (to me) a more “analytical” or sharp tonality, but still very nice. Softer or more forgiving woods enhances the low end as per many manufacturers state. I do not doubt their word.

As mentioned in the unboxing, the Rögnir is handmade, and as such not of “perfect” form. This does not hinder the function in the least. I know many who would spend this amount want a perfect looking unit as well (and I have on hand three examples from a company, which are stellar in which to look and function as well...), but hearkening back to the old Ford GT, Ken did not give a darn how it looked other than the aerodynamics. How it functioned would win races. And they did. Here, that “less than perfect” look is no bother, for it gives that old-world craftsmanship look to it and I appreciate that more than a perfect look. At least for the Kennerton’s.



You can see the polished swirl marks of the poly coating but know that is a result of the coating being worked into each part, ensuring that longevity again. Flaws in the wood, such as the namesake of this article the Octopus, are allowed to show for it does not hinder sound inside. Slight burling shows through on the top half of the outside cups, adding an ocean front (or Lake Superior for me) look to it, and you can imagine the clouds along Lake Baikal or Superior easily. As per usual of Kennerton, the fit of cups is very good, allowing for top/bottom swiveling for a very good fit on my head. Due to the new headband shape as well, there is a certain amount of fore/aft movement, which allows the unit to fit over your ears very well. Several types of earpads were included such as perforated leather and other fitting, but I stuck mostly to the original included pads, for they provided me the most bass and best fit.

The inside headband strap moves easily on metal bands, affording you a near-perfect fit with minimal movement. There is some, but we are taking about a unit, which weighs in at almost 1lb (414g). That strap is padded as well, giving excellent feel and the right amount of cushioning. Over Labor Day weekend, I wore the unit continuously for 6 hours one day and seven the next without issue. Slight adjustments were needed, but that was due to the heat. It was 97 degrees F, and we do not have AC. No bother, the music kept me engaged.

The interesting stitching/grommets on the top band keep the headband covered in case the inside band slides all the way up if your fit pushed that inside band all the way up. An interesting stretch fabric, but I like it anyway.

The included custom Litz cable is the one I would use permanently, changing only to another source with the included adapter. It is a balanced XLR, so an adapter from XLR to 4.4bal would take you a long way. Mind you the “normal” cable is very good as well. That fabric on the XLR cable though, gives you good feel without microphonics, and the length is just about perfect, if a bit too long. It lays well no matter even if it is a bit heavy.

While those cups are not perfect, they are gorgeous at which to look, and the blue tinted dye does not distract too much from the overall headphone. I prefer understated and would most likely go with the Bog Oak or one of the Walnut finishes, but the Karelian Birch is fabulous at which to look.



Technicals:

Much of Kennerton’s expertise on previous models such as the Odin have carried on as upgrades in various headphones, and they are done well. While Kennerton has a very good appreciation in the audiophile market, I do still think it is undervalued when going against its competition. To me, they are right up there with the best, and their technical innovations may not be groundbreaking, but improve upon already worthy designs and implementations.

The Rögnir uses the following three design aspects/changes for its driver:

1. 80mm corrugated Polyimide membrane
2. Semicircular magnet array
3. Carbon fiber casing

Andy Kong, Ecoustics contribution: https://www.ecoustics.com/articles/kennerton-rognir-headphone-technology/

I will also link an excellent thesis on the technology behind the Rögnir, from Andy as well as post it on my blog for your perusal.

An 80mm membrane driver is on the larger size, but when you consider planar technology, that is a near normal size. I have another inhouse (compared below), which has an 88mm driver. With planar’s you can get away with that due to the membrane technology, which while taking up more space, is still smaller than other types of drivers, generally speaking.

With a design, which minimizes the internal structure, Kennerton found a way to reduce reflection and resonance; the killers of good sound signatures. A polyamide diaphragm, which is thinner than a human hair helps keep speed up in sound as well. While the Rögnir does need a good source of power to drive it (approximately 20-25% more volume input on my Shanling M6 Pro compared to the Cayin N6ii, E01), combine all of this wonderful technology and you get a closed back headphone, which could easily be mistaken as an open back. I can honestly state that this is the closest a headphone has come to sounding like an open back, that isn’t. In talking with a peer, we were both amazed at how this is achieved. Jesse Cook’s Toca Orilla sounds precise, accurate, vibrant, and spacious. Think of a concert at the Hollywood Bowl and you would get the idea. Open and airy but placed extremely accurately.

The included cables are numerous with the test kit. Standard is the XLR terminated to 6.35mm jack, which is a fine cable in its own right. Opt for the 4.4bal cable, and the sound rachets up a bit due to that balanced signature. Opt one rung higher (or more?) for the XLR to XLR and you get a cable, which can compete with many of the best cables around. I will admit that about 60% of my time was spent with the XLR-XLR, and the other 40% XLR-4.4bal. If I had to choose one, it would be the XLR-XLR. Construction is Litz construction with oxygen free copper (my favored sound). Woven with a soft fabric around it, the cables minimize microphonics. That said, the standard 6.35mm cable did have more than I like. And, to quibble a bit, the XLR-XLR is a heavy cable. Up there with the best heavy Focal cables. That said, it is long enough to lay well. In fact, it may be too long for some situations, so it is best to be careful where you let the cable lie. Never had an issue, but that could be I was holding and using someone else’s $3500 headphone and $500 cable...

The kit came with numerous pad options, but I admit I stuck with the stock for the whole test. I did try the others for fit and had no issues. But, after talking to @Wiljen about the pads, he suggested I would like the original ones the most. He was right, and we do share similar tastes in sound based upon pad choice. I will state that to me the stock pads have a bit of an odd shape and could use a bit more support (memory foam?) inside. To me the pads squished a bit too much. That said I never had an issue with the pads bottoming out on my head. The feel of the headphone on my cranial matter was superb. This is not a light headphone either, so to fit as well as it did was a nice surprise. I had no movement upon my head either with a hat (which I wear a lot) or bare.



Sound:

Summary: As stated the Rögnir’s sound is as close as I have experienced to an open back headphone from a closed back. To get this level of openness and airiness between the notes and have a closed back design is incredible. A testament to the engineers in Russia who are behind this. Sometimes with an open back you get too much air and space between notes for my taste. Some Focal models while sounding quite good are too lilty or whispy as a result. Thankfully my LCD3 is not that manner and the Rögnir compares extremely well to the Audeze in terms of getting it right. Bass is taut and reaches deep when needed. Mind you this is not Cascade level of bass, but more akin to what we call the Audeze bass. Almost transparently appearing when needed. But the Rögnir has more bass presence across the sound signature. What I mean by that is the bass is always there, not hiding like that Audeze bass mentioned above. On bass heavy songs such as Alex Fox’s live To The Gypsies, the bass is spot on perfect. Mids and vocals come across with a cleanliness meant for God-level IEM’s. Many are on the same price line, and could compare evenly, such as the Fir Audio M5, which to me is amongst the best mid treatment around. Your opinion may differ of course, but to me both are world class, and I would be thoroughly satiated with both as my only units. Treble treatment is rounded off just a bit, but not to the detriment of the overall character. Vocals are sublime in their spectacular nature. Natalie Woods sounds sublime in my ears, and her sensuous sounding voice is a true treat in the Rögnir.

Moar:

To say that I like the Rögnir would be like saying that Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are pretty decent quarterbacks. Or that Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo are decent Futbol players. They are and I do. I am seriously contemplating vacating pretty much all headphones I own to purchase a pair.

Bass is treated with aplomb. Not thunderous and deep reaching, but enough so to make you appreciate and respect how the Kennerton lays down that line. Even though the model sent (you have two choices for sound signature) was of the bass variety, the Rögnir falls a bit short for my tastes. That said, sub bass is quite good and reaches low enough to earn my respect. As stated, this is more about the whole of the signature, not one emphasis playing better than another. Texture of that bass makes up for the lack of deep reach. And as we move into the mid-bass territory, I find that the tonality is so sweet that the timbre is simply superb. It’s almost like having that deep lying #6 (defensive mid for those not attune to soccer positions) who goes about their business without fanfare. But when called upon, they boss the midfield like no other. Much respect across the league is garnered as a result of their play. The mid-bass speaks for itself, but without being overly emphasized.

The level of control across the spectrum holds into the wonderful mids and thankfully without bleed. The way the Kennerton controls the sound is all but beyond reproach. This is one fantastic unit. Much the way a Viola has a bit deeper sound and texture, the Rögnir takes control of the mids allowing those sounds including vocal treatment to come across as natural and full. Not thick mind you, but full and rich. To me it is here that the richness, which pervades the Rögnir’s character shines. Alex Fox’s Guitar On Fire comes across sweetly, but with a verve associated like my analogies above. Rich, warmer, textured to allow you to see right into the music without coloration. This is a mid-treatment as it should be. As the final point of emphasis, and a moment of “we told you so” without bragging, female vocals are slightly lifted to me, but done so in a manner that simply adds to the signature. An “ooooohhh, myyyyy” moment.



At the top, the treble to me is ever so slightly rounded off, but there is an emphasis that makes you pay attention to it for the sound is good. At times, on brighter songs, it is a bit too much, but only ever so much. And if I can tolerate that you should be fine. Baila Bailaora signifies this of which I speak. Wonderful in note, but the staccato notes of vocal and percussive treatment can be a bit bitey. Mind you this is near-nitpickery to me. But true. Even with those “deficiencies,” the Kennerton is not strident or do I hear any sibilance, which can happen with tuning such as this. The coverage afforded allows for a true, natural tonality to pervade the senses, which to me counters any potential upper end problems. This is a very fine tuning, and even with the slightly pushed treble, still tracks and listens very well.

Soundstage belies the fact it is a closed back headphone. To get this kind of expansive sound emanating from a closed back is astounding. Were you to get a person, even a learned audio-type to listen without telling them; they would swear the headphone is an open back model. Or those who might posit a deceiving, would recognize the truly remarkable treatment in all three dimensions afforded by the tune. To me here, the depth is what makes for that expansive tone. Sometimes you get a headphone, which is wide and tall but forgotten is the depth. To me that is a shame and can promote a thin, less dense sound. Not here. That depth aides in promoting excellent width and height without being like an open stadium. No, it is presented as a whole of the parts, and separation, layering & instrumentation as a result are superb. Layers are clearly defined, and placement is as well. Call it the “just right” method of promoting a full, rich tone, that has superb timbre to boot. Sometimes with overly expansive stages, speed is sacrificed to allow that cavernous size. Again, not here. Speed of attack and decay are nearly perfect, almost giving the impression of being too quick, which could lead to a thin, analytical type of sound. Far from it, the Kennerton promotes a rich, vibrant tone, which comes across as speedy in the right direction, without those negatives mentioned.



Source:

I write this part while listening to my Shanling M6 Pro through the 4.4bal cable. While not my favorite source of the test, it is extremely well behaved, nonetheless. Vibrancy tends to overcome the warmer, darker sound of the Shanling (which I do love). Paired here making almost a Ying/Yang relationship as even though the Rögnir is rich, vibrant and on the warm side, it pales to the house sound of the Shanling. So, the Kennerton brings the Shanling back towards a “more normal” sound, without giving up its soul of richness. Alex Fox’s Historia De Un Amor makes for an apt song. The bass line is sublime and deep, but alone the Shanling could sound almost muddy on lesser headphones and IEM’s. Not here, the Kennerton brings out that vibrant, richness of song exquisitely.

But by far my favorite offering was any DAP/MBP through the ifi Pro iCAN/iDSD duo. With the ability to add dBs at a click and add holography (not really needed) and the XBass feature allowed me to tune perfectly matching my preferred signature. This just goes to show that while the Kennerton does work and play well nicely; it works better the better the source. End game is not taken lightly here, in either source or headphone.


Comparisons:

Kennerton Rögnir ($3400) v Kennerton Magni V2 ($835):

Going from the Rögnir to the Magni might seem far-fetched, but it clearly shows the dedication of the Kennerton family. The Rognir point blank is one of the if not the best headphones I have had the honor of hearing. That said, it was the Magni, which stole me away to start. Upon purchase (V2) of the Magni, I listened for about three weeks straight. I loved the treatment of the bass, I loved the richness of character, and I loved the look. I was sold on Kennerton as a brand. Backed by many positive reviews, I really think it is but a matter of time before they are thought of in the same regard as Audeze, ZMF & the Focal Utopia. The Rögnir really must be listened to. But you will not sell yourself short with the “budget model” Magni.


Kennerton Rögnir ($3400) v Audeze LCD3 ($1995):

To me, this is the baseline for open-backed headphones. Yes, there are more expensive ones. Yes, there are probably “better” sounding open backs; but the LCD3 satiates my personal needs for an open-back, hence it is my standard. And as such, to be compared to a closed back might seem a bit off. That is until you hear how much the Rögnir sounds like an open-back. The LCD3 has that typifying Audeze richness of bass, reaching lower than it has a right to, and so does the Rögnir without sounding completely like a basshead headphone. The LCD3 sounds expansive in stage. So does the Rögnir. So on the surface, it seems ludicrous, but delving in with a hard listen and the comparison is completely valid to me.


Kennerton Rögnir ($3400) v Focal Radiance ($1299):

On the surface, this one may seem odd as well, but the Radiance was a very nice surprise to me. I really enjoyed its open sound as well, mimicking much more expensive open backs. Good depth of bass, very musical mids, and a hint of treble push, which allow that expansiveness to shine, the Radiance is a very nice surprise, and well worthy of its place in its price point. This addition was more for fun, but a pleasant surprise indeed.


Kennerton Rögnir ($3400) v Sendy Peacock ($1499):

The two here share a richness of signature, which I prefer as my favored choice. The Peacock is actually warmer of tonality and to me that is all right. Bass reaches well into the sub bass level, while mids come across as slightly lifted, but not intrusive to me. Both treble notes provided me with reduced stress levels of listening. By that I mean they were laid back, but without being flat or boring. Adding just enough to the top end to give a nice feeling of end to end performance, the treble treatment of the Peacock comes across as inviting, but neither intrusive nor that exciting. Which when taken as a whole, isn’t that bad to me. The Rögnir on the other hand is many steps up all around.



Finale:

This could be the following and I’d be done with it: Buy one at your earliest convenience. Period.

Sendy Audio Peacock ($1499): Strutting feathers, but is that enough?

5-stars for the build, 4-stars for the sound, which should avg out to 4.5-stars. Dropped 0.25-stars for the rich, laid-back signature, which some will not like. Hence 4.25-stars for the rating. This is a very good unit to me, and personally it gets a 4.5-stars for my rating.

Peacock

Musicteck



Intro: I have and own the excellent Sendy Aiva. I have reviewed the Sivga Phoenix and the Sivga SV021. Upon asking about a demo Peacock, Collin and Sendy sent me a one for review purposes. I have this for what we will call medium-term duration. At the end, my review will be posted on HeadFi, my blog, and various Facebook audio sites. Marketed as a rich, warm sounding open back, with a large planar magnetic unit, the Peacock sits squarely at the top of the Sivga/Sendy food chain. Defined by price and technology, the Peacock utilizes the same stunning looks of all the models, and new technology with the size of the driver.

Upon finishing my review, the unit will be sent back according to our agreement. I stand to gain nothing by promoting this model, and as such will give an open and honest review. What follows are the ramblings of an amateur audiophile, who likes to put words to pen. I will do my best to explain the technology, but you should review from the Sendy and Musicteck sites along with peruse other reviews for a more thorough answer. I thank Sendy for the loan of the unit.



Specs:

Style: Open back
Transducer type: Planar magnetic
Transducer size: 88mm
Frequency response: 20Hz-40kHz
Sensitivity: 103dB +/- 3dB
Impedance: 50ohm, +/-15%
Cable length: 2m
Connector: 4.4bal
Weight: 578g


Included items:

Peacock headphone
8-core 6N OCC Copper cable 8-wire, 4.4bal jack
4.4bal to 6.35mm adapter
4.4bal to XLR adapter
Hemp accessories bag
Molded leather case



Gear Used/Compared:

Audeze LCD3 ($2100)

Shanling M6 Pro
MBP/EarMen TR-AMP
MBP/iFi Zen CAN
Cayin N6ii mk2


Songlist:

Alex Fox
Dave Matthews
Joey Alexander-Warna album and others
Mark Knopfler-Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes
Santana w/ Mana- Corazon Espinado
twenty one pilots
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Big Head Todd & The Monsters-Beautiful World
Mark Knopfler-Down The Road Wherever
Elton John-yep, still good, still cool
Tidal MQA


Unboxing:

Open the tan outlined box, and you are met with the hard headphone case. I won't say what it looks like, because it is such a good case. following the typical Sendy/Sivga pattern, but larger to accommodate those huge 88mm drivers, it is a really nice case.

Packed in a hemp pouch is the cable and two adapters: 4.4bal to 6.35mm & 4.4bal to XLR. I have always liked Sendy cables for how good looking they are and the performance they give; which favors my sound; and this one complete with carved wooden slider makes no exception. From unboxing to use, the Peacock promotes elegance and humbleness. I like both aspect.



Technology:

Quad-former technology is one of the highlights of the Peacock. That promotes double magnets, and double coils on the diaphragms (two on each side). This supposedly allows the diaphragm to act more quickly, giving better response to the tones from within. Combined with a high internal damping of the diaphragm (which took two years to design and build), and you get a rich realistic sound emanating from the Peacock.

The driver housing is aircraft quality aluminum, and each hole promotes proper response by their precise placing, to further enhance the realism of sound. Sendy does not hide from the fact that the Peacock provides the listener with a warmer richness of sound than some may like or expect from an open back at this price. I appreciate their desire to put forth the signature without hiding it.

Adding in a thick gold-stitched goatskin headband, and you get a quality unit with good fit.



Fit/Finish/Build:

One cannot question the build quality of any Sendy/Sivga model, for they are impeccable. Some have noted that the wood looks “too plasticky to be real.” That would be incorrect, for it is the craftmanship of the Sendy models, which to me have raised the bar of what we expect. Exquisite looks combined with first class craftsmanship makes this a trademark Sendy/Sivga product. Even the gold accent under the black “peacock” feathers catches on to me after a while. At first glance, it was garish, but after a bit, you get a slightly subdued look of excellence. That said, I would prefer a bit more understating of the design, but that’s just me.

The wood cups are cut, then carved (I am assuming lathed first), then finished precisely to blend together with the gold accents of the back cover/grill along with the ring, which helps to hold the diaphragm and driver in place on the other side. Precise craftsmanship makes this all seem machined, but the Peacock is hand built to the highest tolerances.

The headband also has an inner cushion made of the same goat skinned leather as the earcups. All are plush and soft, without being too squishy. Fit as a result is plush, but sufficiently snug enough to afford the unit from not bouncing around on your head. Ear cup pressure is sufficient enough to also provide the right fit without being too tight or too loose. I do wish for a bit tighter fit, but the unit does not move when wearing the unit. As a result of all the plush softness, the Peacock can be worn for long periods of time without tiring.

Stitching is even given preferential treatment, with its gold embroidery. But like the grill, it is not too much. The metal parts seem to be powder coated for duration, and so far, have taken the abuse offered of three weeks of hard usage. The gold also matches the copper color of the cable as well (gold & copper). That cable is what has become to me the typical Sendy/Sivga color pattern and weave. But this time the cable of 8-core, 6N OCC is 8-wire, and a bit (slightly) looser of weave. Four each of copper color and four of sheathed brown add to the elegance coming from the overall package. But, to me the cable is a bit too long. It lays nicely, but I did find for best usage, I had to drape a good bit of it across my lap, with the rest hanging down. Due to the mini-XLR connectors though, the weight of the cable was distributed well. Coming in the now mostly standard 4.4bal, the unit also comes with two adapters including a 4.4bal to XLR; a nice addition and hopefully others will catch on. Combine that with the hand carved Y-splitter and cinch strap, and the cable is complete. Smooth of touch, but not slippery of feel, the quality follows suit to the cable and headphone.

The Peacock comes across as a TOTL should. It fits, it is gorgeous at which to look, and the build is as expected of a flagship. In other words, the Peacock can hold its own against those markers from the other makers well.



Sound:

Summary: Going into this, I knew that the Peacock would have a warm, rich signature, which may not be to the liking of some. This thoughtfulness up front helped me gain an understanding going in. I like warmth in signature as well as a rich emotive sound emanating from whatever headphone I am listening to. And the Peacock does not disappoint. This is a V-shaped signature, which will turn off many (see previous Sivga iterations for the “discomfort” those units have caused some in their reviews. But when presented this way, you can go in expecting that darker signature and meet it with a good mix of genre, which will suit that sound. Spanish guitar work sounds deep, rich and bassy. Blues are to die for on this. Male vocals are sublime in presentation, while female vocals do sound a bit jaded or dark sue to that extra bit of rich character. Mids, as is the case with many Sendy/Sivga models may well be the star, coming across as precise, if not completely accurate due to the richer tonality. You are enveloped in warmth, and there is a bit of bass bleed, but it does not hinder the overall listening experience. Treble is tuned to be a bit forward, matching the bass; but the sounds from upon high are not too bright, thankfully. This is indeed a rich sound signature, but to me this is not a one trick pony.

More:

With an 88mm planar driver, there is no dispelling that the unit is big. Combine all of that technology and you could rightly expect an expansive sound. You would be correct as the soundstage comes across as wide, deep and fairly high. For an open back, this is probably slightly above the middle-rated stages, but not so expansive that separation is decided by miles. Nothing sounds so distant in the Peacock to leave you feeling vacant. All levels tie together nicely. That said, the character is one of richness, and a laid back sound, which you may or may not like.

Bass comes out as more on the pleasant side, than deep reaching. Mind you it is there in sufficient quantities and qualities to show fit, but this is not a basshead model. Fairly deep of reach, it is the quality of the bass that shines here. With a certain richness of sound, you expect attack to be faster than decay, giving that sense of delay and a rich, warmer tonality. This is true here, but never does the decay sound too slow or molasses-like. I would use the descriptor of tight or taut to describe the quality of the bass, adding in that there is little bleed into the mids. There is a bit, but this further aids in the richness of sound signature, without overshowing the mids.



Since this comes across as a V-shaped headphone, the mids are a bit withdrawn, but slightly lifted to me. On Bonnie Raitt’s classic Nick Of Time, her lilting voice sounds sumptuous and sensuous. This treatment plays nicely with the rich bass character, but without sounding muddy or slow in response. The sound is definitely warmer, but not so syrupy that you get bogged down. Laid back, definitely but with enough character to not be overly boring.

To me, the treble treatment falls a bit behind the bass, which gives us a leaning-V. I can clearly hear the cymbal crashes, but they do not take center stage up top. Pat Benatar is an excellent choice for gauging the treatment up top, and here on songs such as Hell Is For Children, her sumptuous voice comes across with distinct purpose, and fortitude; but does so without being overly bright. Again, laid back comes to mind. I do wish for a bit more (better?) treble treatment, which would give a bit more excitement up top, but taken as a whole, this amount works and plays well together (something I never got in school...).

Taken as a whole, the Peacock does provide the listener with a rich, warmer sound; which may not be for everyone but to me that laid-back character works well across many genre.

Even with the fairly wide soundstage and the rich tonality, the separation of instruments and layering are quite good, allowing the layers to play towards that slant of warm texture. The instruments are allowed to play nicely across the width as well, but there is a bit more present in the middle of the stage. This is not necessarily a confuddling of too much going on there, just my take on how the stage tends to compress a bit those instruments, which normally reside in the middle. In other words, you could consider this as an anchor of the soundstage, allowing the others to spread out as needed, and done so nicely.



Comparison:

Sendy Audio Peacock ($1499) v Audeze LCD3 ($2100):

This may seem a bit off base in comparison, but when you promote yourself you should strive for moments above your level. See how far your flagship can go in other words. The LCD3 is my go-to reference (and favorite) for open backs, and I shant part with mine most likely for a good long time. As such, I can gauge it critically for what it does well and does less than well. Its bass is sublime in Audeze flair and character. I have not heard many with bass treatment such as this save maybe the HEDDphone and closed Kennerton Rögnir. But the rumble of an Audeze bass is legendary, and I do love the LCD3 for that. The Peacock cannot match that, nor is it tuned as such’ so this would not be taken as a loss.

The mids to me are where the LCD3 shines. Such treatment is a revelation to hear and feel. Natural, honest, as intended, and organic in sound, the mids come across with a level had by few again. But here, the slightly laid back but lifted sound from the Peacock compares well. Mind you that richness of character shows through on the Peacock, which shows less detail than the LCD3. As a result, the clarity is better on the LCD3 (as it should, but again for comparative purpose not too shabby of the Peacock). There is simply more energy up top on the LCD3 as well, and the Peacock cannot (nor is it meant to) compete up there. The tuning of the Peacock goes against that with the rich texture, but that is the way it sounds.

Even though the detail of the LCD3 shines, the Peacock can hold its head up with confidence, due to the rich texture described above. Those that prefer a certain rich, warm tonality might prefer the Peacock. But as stated, this really is not a fair comparison, so look to reviews f similarly priced headphones for more comparisons.



Finale:

Sivga/Sendy has gone through much of late. Sivga has come out with a number of affordable headphones, which are quite polarizing. I did have a good discussion on HeadFi with a gent who did not rate the SV021 as highly as me. This showed to me that civil discourse could indeed happen when two reviewers have opposing opinions. I appreciated his take, even though I preferred the sound more than he. I would gander that some of the same will be true (unfortunately) with the Peacock. Some of the big reviewers have come out with high marks for it, and I can agree with them. I can also note that due to the sound signature of the Peacock, some will not like it. Me? I prefer a darker, warmer, richer texture to the notes that permeate my ear. Therefore, I do indeed like the Peacock. From the fairly deep bass note to the warm, coddling mids; the Peacock comes across as another example of that after work, single malt in hand (and possibly a cigar) listen with which you can unwind. In this day and age of go-go-go and self-care needed to make a day seem ordinary (are there really any now?...) or at least give you that retreat from reality and a certain level of enjoyment we all need.

Call the Peacock a self-medication for sanity, for it can calm your edginess of a day and commute with jazz to die for, bluegrass to keep you lifted and blues to get to your inner-core self. And after all, isn’t that why we listen? To steal away a certain moment of our time, for sanity's sake. For that, I can recommend the Peacock for it did give me notice to ponder larger items than my day to day renderings of time. And for that, it was good.

Ikko OH1S ($199): Does the ‘S’ stand for Super?

Ikko OH1S



Intro: Ikko contacted me after finding my OH-1 review. Through conversation, a review unit was to be send my way. Rebecca stated that I would probably like the updated version based upon my previous liking of the OH1. I have no financial obligation in the OH1S, nor should it be sold for profit (still uncool). It is understood that the unit may be asked back for at any time. Until then, the unit is mine to keep and use. I added many comparisons below, since the price point seems to be the hot bed at the moment.

Rebecca asked that the unit be burned in for a minimum of 50 hours. The new carbon nano driver needed that time to fully break in. You can make of that what you want, but I have always felt the user appreciates what the unit sounds like six months to a year down the road, not directly out of the box. Hence, I burn in all units, regardless.


Specs:

1DD+1BA Hybrid Driver—32Ω 10mm Deposited Carbon Nano Dynamic Coil + Knowles 33518-unit hybrid driver makes the three-frequency balanced, the in-ear headphones use resin and aviation-grade aluminum alloy as the sound cavity to achieve the physical frequency division effect.


In The Box:

• OH1S-2 driver unit
• Detachable MMCX Cable—-OH1S upgrade cable is composed of 127um high-purity single crystal copper silver-plated magnetic core
• 6 sizes of silicone eartips
• 3 sizes of sponge (I-planet)
• storage box
• LOGO brooch
• Instruction manual

Gear Used/Compared:

CFA Honeydew ($249)
CFA Satsuma ($199)
Thieaudio Legacy 4 ($195)
BQEYZ Spring 2 ($165)
DDHiFi Janus-E2020A ($199)
DDHiFi Janus-E2020B ($199)

Cayin N6ii (E01 motherboard)
MacBook Pro
Shanling M6 Pro
HiBy R3 Pro Saber


Songs:

Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews


Technicals:

Adopting SVAS Technology—IKKO in-ear monitor uses Separating Vector Acoustics System technology, the precisely designed cavity structure makes the sound volume, reflection and diffusion angles, and the unit performance is displayed to the greatest extent in a limited space. This seems to be the de rigor of the day, making the cavity acoustically similar to a listening room. Many manufacturers do this, and I approve of this methodology.

Utilizing 1DD+1BA Hybrid Driver, the 32Ω 10mm Deposited Carbon Nano Dynamic Coil plus the Knowles 33518-unit hybrid driver makes balance the three frequencies (low, mid, high) according to Ikko. Made using resin and aviation-grade aluminum alloy in the sound cavity to achieve the physical frequency dividing effect. The shape can minimize mutual interference between the sound generating units and make the sound purer and more transparent.



Unboxing:

Coming in a sleeved outer paperboard box decorated with colorful images based around a cityscape, it is reminiscent of the recent Anime images of some manufacturers, but better to me. Labeled as part of their “Gem” series, the back has an exploded view of the unit, and some of the specs in a few different languages. Tastefully done.

Sliding the sleeve off you are met with another paperboard box, laden with more pictures on the front and the same nomenclature on the back. The difference here is that a thicker box slides out of one long side, while the other opens like a normal box. That inner thicker cardboard box (well done by the way) has a side lid, so you can pull on that the “extricate” the inner box from that secondary paperboard box. That inner box has a nice gold sticker stating, “Ikko Design,” and it clasps magnetically with a satisfying click.

Opening the lid, you are met with an MMR-type presentation, complete with exploded view of the OH1S, attachment of the cables and how to insert the MMCX cable. Each unit has a label, the left states “Gem Texture” and the right “Transparent Twin.” Also inset between the OH1S IEM’s is a lapel pin, which is a nice addition. Remove that insert, and after removing the instruction manual envelope, you are met with a pleather case, not unlike the wallets you used to purchase as a kid on vacation out west (USofA). Tucked between the tips and the woven case is the slim box for the cable. Next to that is thin plastic tip holder, with all on display. In total there are 18 tips, including three sets of Ikko’s own proprietary foam tips. All of the silicon tips are oblong in shape to match the oblong nozzle, a first for me.

A word of warning regarding the tips: MAKE SURE they click onto the nozzle area to seat them fully. Otherwise they may come off in your ear. I found out the hard way with the smaller foam tips...we shall simply leave it at that.



Build/Fit/Function:

The OH1S comes with 1DD+1BA Hybrid Driver, a 32Ω 10mm Deposited Carbon Nano Dynamic Coil plus a Knowles 33518-unit hybrid driver. Using resin and aviation-grade aluminum alloy as the sound cavity in the shell to achieve the physical frequency division effect, Ikko calls this Separating Vector Acoustics System technology, designing the cavity structure precisely, much like you would orient your speakers in the listening room. More manufacturers are taking the shell cavity seriously as a means to either tailor sound or ensure proper acoustics. I appreciate the time spent in R&D with this regard and can see it expanding in the future.

Made of three pieces, which is unusual other than the nozzle, the OH1S shell combines the inner part and nozzle (with a vent hole in the inside); a middle acrylic section in purple (for mine) and the faceplate in black, and “textured” like ripples or scales on the back of a Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The nozzle is oblong in shape as well, which is a unique one to me. The screen comes off as well, so be careful when using different tips. Extra screens are included in case you lose one. As mentioned above, you will want to ensure the tips are properly placed, especially the foam ones, with an audible “click.”

Fit in my average sized ears is nie-on flush, without pressure in my canal. Using a tip too large can cause a bit of discomfort, and the seal of the foam tips is among the worst I have had but do aid in deepening the bass response. For a proper seal and excellent fit, the large oblong silicon tips work. The cable lies over the ear, with a stiffness I am not used to of late, but it does not bother me like older Unique Melody cables used to. With really long ear guide sleeves, and a permanent soft bend you get good fit, even with glasses. The shape can be tailored a bit. The four-wire-in-two-strands is also amongst the stiffer cables I have used of late. Above the Y-splitter, the OCC silver plated wire looks to be of two strands, but three colors. A blue tint fades to copper along with the silver strand. The blue reminds me of heated copper, so I do believe it is for the visual aspect. Some microphonics is promoted due to the stiffness, but not much. Quality metal cinch strap, Y-splitter and jack in a dark copper color makes for a good-looking cable, by not drawing attention to itself. A reinforced sheath surrounds the MMCX connection, making for a solid fit.

Other than isolation, which I am blaming on the oblong nozzle, the fit, finish and build are excellent, if a bit economical.



Sound:

Summary:

From the previous iteration of the OH1, I liked the tight bass control, but wished for a bit more. Taut bass would be apt. The OH1S indeed gave me my wishes. While still tight in control, there is no bleed into the mids, but this does not mean a separation. All is tied together well, and there is very good separation of note. The thinness of sound, which came from the OH1 (not a bad thin sound) carries over, but with a bit more weight of each note. Distinct sounds emanate from within and placement of each instrument gives the illusion of spacing. Not the best, but not the worst. Switching to my Cayin N6ii E01, the sound jumped up quite a bit in quality. Source dependent, I would feed a good source into the OH1S to get the best out of it. Vocals come across as slightly lifted, especially male. Van Morrison’s strong vocal presence can be a bit biting on some IEM’s, but on the OH1S, the sound is succinct and detailed. Mids carry a bit less weight than the vocal presence does, making for a slight V-shape to me, what with the good but not painful treble extension. Nicely tuned, but not a “wow moment” of transformation. Sometimes (and in this case) that is a good thing.

More detail:

I mentioned how the OH1 was good with details, but a bit thin. I rate this due to the lack of a thumping quality of bass. While the OH1S does not have a thumping quality to its bass, it does have more than the previous iteration. The carbon nano technology makes for very fast decay as well, which could help to explain its lack of pure oomph. A slower decay would allow the low end to linger, and hence at least give the illusion of more depth. Tight control is also helped by the carbon technology, and spatial presence of the acoustic chamber. I do not mind the low-end treatment, for it does not bleed into the mids, which is a good thing in this case.

Electric guitar work such as Peter Frampton on Reckoner affords good depth to the mids as an example. The support guitar gives that depth needed to aid in placing the instruments properly. This in turn leads to good depth of soundstage. Allowing the instruments to flow through the soundstage, the mids are clear and fairly crisp. Not the detail monster such as the Cayin Fantasy or Moondrop Blessing2, but good, nonetheless. I go back to what I said in the summary, the OH1S does not offend in sound, but neither does it thrill. By that, I mean the mids promote a smoothness to them, which can come across as boring, but it isn’t. Wish You Were Here from the Pink Floyd tribute album shows that there is nothing boring here. Joe Satriani’s solo is divine in nature, and worth a listen regardless of listening pleasure. Rik Emmett’s vocals sound like a Guns-N-Roses version, but better without the edge. I like this version and think it does justice to Pink Floyd nicely.

Satriani’s solo can move into the treble range when he gets going, as can cymbal clashes. Not offending me at all, there is a sufficient push to make up a bit of the smooth texture laid down by the mids. Not in a disconnected way but tied together well. Sometimes an over-compensation is had leading to a disconnect. Here, the tie leads to smooth transitions, without stepping on those lower notes. Cymbal clashes sound slightly robotic and dissonant, but not like some I have had of late. Th whole is greater than the sum with the OH1S.

A good judge of soundstage that I used to use is closing my eyes and placing my hands at what I would consider an estimate of reach in all three dimensions. I used this on the OH1S and found a nicely shaped cube extending a bit past my ears, but not quite as high. Almost cubic to me, and of good shape. Placing of instruments was easy, especially with the black background without hiss between notes. Shane Hennessy’s Rain Dance is an extraordinary song for the listening but works extremely well for gauging placement and stage as well. His incredible talents of strumming and using the guitar as a percussive instrument allow you to gauge very well placement and layering besides stage. A very complex guitar song with which to start, that complexity lends itself to excellent spatial representation. If an IEM (or headphone for that matter) lacks in any direction, it is heard in a squishing of the sound. On the OH1S there is none. I find the song wonderful on most listening devices, and here as well.



Comparisons:

Ikko OH1S ($199) v CFA Honeydew ($249):

The CFA Honeydew came my way by private audition, and it was good. Many lamented it as a “rehash” of something else. So what. Most manufacturers fine tune their wares, and CFA is allowed that as well. Capitalizing on their excellent bass heritage, the Honeydew trounces the Ikko in that department. Moving towards the middle spectrum, the Honeydew presents very good details, and it is easy to hear the heritage of the Andromeda in it. I would rate the Honeydew as distinct and detailed, where the OH1S is smooth and detailed. There is also more push up top, but not as much as the Satsuma. If I had to choose one of these two new CFA models, it would be the Honeydew. As for the two listed here? If you prefer a bit better defining sound, melded together, the Ikko would fit the bill. If you prefer better bass, with more distinct details, the Honeydew would fit.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v CFA Satsuma ($199):

Same price. The toughest segment to me as well. The $200usd price is a cage match of excellent to very good offerings. But This gives the user many, many good options. Both listed here are good but for different reasons. While the Satsuma adds more detail than the Honeydew (closer to the Andromeda), it provides less bass. The Satsuma is an excellent detail monitor to me, and clearly (cleanly?) wins in that department. If you want a smoother signature, then the OH1S would be your choice. Bass is about the same, with the mid-bass push of the OH1S versus the deeper reach of sub-bass on the Satsuma (but not like the Honeydew). If you want excellent technical skills, the Satsuma is the choice. A smoother character (to me), then the OH1S is the choice.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v Thieaudio Legacy 4 ($195):

When Thieaudio first came about, it meant business. Drawing some of the best engineers out there, the Legacy line comes across as business. The L4 is an excellent monitor with gorgeous looks. Much more mid-forward in signature as well, the L4 provides the listener with deeper reach of bass as well as wonderfully toned mids and treble. More push up top as well, these two actually complement each other quite nicely. If you like smooth, the Ikko wins hands down. If you like a richness of tone and excellent details, the Thieaudio would be the choice. I often go back to the L4 to remember how good it really is. Smooth versus vibrant. Take your choice.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v BQEYZ Spring 2 ($165):

I really liked the Spring2 when it came out and will compare it to the Summer in an upcoming review. I called the Spring2 one of my recommendations at the price, and that still holds true. The rich tonality emanating from within aid in a very smooth, laid-back, but not boring signature. Think of comfort food, and that would be the Spring2. Just an excellent all-arounder to me. Better bass push, but with a bit of bleed into the mids, and enough up top to give that “fresh day” feeling. That bleed of bass into the mids aids in presenting the rich tone of which I speak. Warmth and grace, the Spring2 is still one of my favorites. V-shaped? Maybe, but I do not care. The Spring2 would be even more laid back than the OH1S, going further into that comfort zone. Want a bit liltier sound? The OH1S would be the choice. Richness that is of goodness? The Spring2.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v DDHiFi Janus-E2020A ($199):

The original Janus was and is an interesting tune. A bit smaller of sound stage, but offering good detail, it dovetails nicely into this segment. Good bass extension adds to its flavor of semi-tightly controlled mids, and a rolled treble that while not as smooth or rich as the Spring2 is nonetheless, a good listening experience. Take note, though. DDHiFi has retuned the Janus based upon our listening experience and offerings. Two very different critters. Of all the offerings here, the Janus E2020A is most like the Ikko, but with better bass, and a bit more veiled mids. Not bad mind you, but quite close.


Ikko OH1S ($199) v DDHiFi Janus-E2020B ($199):

Completely redesigned to make it a bit more premium, the Janus E2020B comes across as more V-shaped than the A-version. Deeper reach of bass, with a smidgen of bleed makes for a pleasant, crisp tone when combined with the better reach up top in the treble region. This is a breath of fresh air when compared to the A-version, and with the OH1S. If you want smooth laid back, then the OH1S is still the choice, but the E2020B has hit the sweet spot to me with their tuning, even if it is oriented towards “consumer version.” Smaller soundstage may put you off, but like the A-version and smoother OH1S is to comfort food, the B-version may be to an energy drink after a good workout, or before. I really like the E2020B if you cannot tell, and a review is forthcoming. Mind you, the OH1S is still quite good as well and it is nice to have choices.



Finale:

When I first heard the OH1, everyone said, “you need to listen to the OH10 if you like the OH1!!!” Well, no I didn’t, even if I really liked the OH1. That was enough for me for I liked what I heard in the OH1, even if it was a bit bass shy. The OH1S is a “redesigned” model with new innards, making for essentially a new model. But I would call it an evolution rather than a revolution. Taking the good parts of the OH1 such as the clarity of detail and smoothing the edges to make it a bit well...less edgy...makes for a smooth transition to the OH1S. Smooth and rich, but not muddy. Warm, but not warmth overall. A nice laid-back texture emits from within the designed cavity of the shells, and it comes across as pretty good. Going back and forth I can note the differences and similarities, but I’m not sure which one I prefer. I do think I prefer the open expansive nature of the OH1S more than the OH1, but I can clearly appreciate the heritage of the OH1 coming through. It is still one of my favorites.

The OH1S is good. Quite good, but its signature will surely turn some off. I mentioned how it doesn’t have that “wow effect,” like some. And this will hurt it when comparing to others. Some may find this boring, or lacking, but I would kindly ask them to audition it under the right circumstances, such as the end of a long day with a single malt in hand. It is then you hopefully enjoy Jeff Beck’s Brush With The Blues as I did.

I thank Ikko for providing the OH1S to me and hope that you all enjoyed this journey through my word salad verbiage. The OH1S is good enough to take a look, and be in consideration at this price point, which as mentioned is wrought full of choices.

Cheers.

Sivga SV021 ($149): Do the goods back the looks?

4.25 stars

SV021



Intro: Coming off the Phoenix review, I saw many who really liked it, and some who were lukewarm to it. I liked the Phoenix but did not think it went far enough to separate it from the crowd. Collin contacted me about reviewing the SV021, their affordable closed back headphone made of Rosewood. I accepted the gracious offer and perused some of the initial reviews, which were out but not that detailed. Upon arrival, I opened the box to this gorgeous unit, and craftmanship, which is impeccable. After listening to ensure all was good, I placed the unit on continuous play for a minimum of 75hrs as others in my queue (and moving daughter-unit to college) took precedence.

It is understood that the unit may be asked back for at any time or sent to another reviewer. Until then, the unit is mine to keep, but not sell as that is STILL really uncool.

*The SV021 is now also available in black stained Rosewood, with black cups. More mainstream in color, the two choices complement each other nicely.




Specs:

Driver: 50mm Moving-coil
Impedance: 32 +/-15% ohm
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
Sensitivity: 105dB+/-3dB
Weight: 275g


In The Box:

SV021 unit
2.5mm dual to 3.5mm tan braided cable
Hemp carrying bag
Instruction manual
3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter



Gear Used/Compared:

Thinksound ON2 ($130, discontinued)
Final Audio Sonorous III ($299ish)
Kennerton Magni V2 ($650)

Cayin N6ii (E01 motherboard)
MacBook Pro/EarMen Sparrow
Shanling M6 Pro


Songs:

Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews


Unboxing:

Coming in a black textured/patterned box much like the Sendy Aiva, the SV021 has a white outlined image of the unit on the front and specifications in various languages on the back and the slogan, “created with craftsman spirit.” Lifting the lid off you are met with a thin soft foam cutout placed over the unit. Remove that and you find a cutout soft foam insert, which houses the SV021, cable, hemp carrying bag, and adapter. That’s it. Not bad, but I would invest in a $20 case to carry the unit, for on beauty alone it is worth it.



Technicals:

Utilizing a 50mm in-house derived driver with an ultra-thin polycarbonate diaphragm and fiber, the SV021 is not groundbreaking by any means. Set in a plastic cup, which can be accessed by rotating the earcup off, it seems quite normal.

Using a 3mm thick magnet made of Nd-Fe-B, the pull of it is strong enough to drive the 50mm unit well. Speed is helped by a copper clad aluminum wire, ensuring high sensitivity as well as good dynamic performance and speed of driver.



Build/Fit/Finish:

As mentioned in my Phoenix review, other manufacturers could take lessons from Sivga/Sendy on build quality. The Rosewood on the SV021 is impeccable in quality and finish. With a thick poly coat over it, there does seem to be a “fakeness” to it mentioned by some, but all one need do is look at it, and you realize the unit is superbly built. Etched on the outside of the earcup is the SIVGA logo. Some come with white accenting, others with burned in black. Mine came in black, and that is all right, due to the understated nature of it.

With 2.5 mono jacks on the bottom in gold accent, the tan cable ends in 3.5mm se, but an included 6.35mm se jack can be used. The yokes are in burnished silver-gray, and darn near scratch proof. Adjusting is easy with detents making for easy adjustment. The unit stays put as well. Soft tan pleather graces the headband and earcups giving a luxury car-like elegance. I was not sure if I would like it in pictures, but upon having the unit in hand, it is flat gorgeous and would match several high-end autos if placed inside for your listening pleasure. Those tan earcups are soft and sensuous in feel, compressing the right amount for my head. An excellent seal is the result, but it is not completely air-tight, rather mostly. And that is OK. Taking the unit off with music playing, I clapped the earcups together and could barely hear any sound emanating from within. And this was at a good volume as well. Each yoke is labeled “L” or “R” for ease of use as you could easily switch the equally balanced unit build-wise. Other than some slight mismatching on the seam sewing of the headband, the overall feel and look is of impeccable quality. As I said, Sivga has their craftsmanship down pat.

Fit with those cushy earcups is quite good, giving the right amount of grip for my head. In rather violent shaking, the unit did not move wither side to side or fore/aft. Compression is just right as a result for me. I will add that the pads can get a bit warm in hot weather, but most closed cell pleather/leather cups do to me. Overall quality makes this one of the best if not the best at its price.



Sound:

Summary:

Many times, as a reviewer our time is at a premium. Especially if this is a hobby, which it is to the vast majority. That said, if you keep organized you can give initial impressions and then burn the unit in while other units are being reviewed. I always burn units in, whether called for or not. It is my philosophy that users want to hear how the unit sounds in a year’s time as well as brand new, should there be any change. Many manufacturers advocate burning their units in. Some do not. Sivga made no such charge, but after an initial listen the unit was put onto my Shanling M0 for 75+hrs straight of music. Personally, I did not hear much change, and would be averse to stating any changes did happen based upon my shortcomings. That said, the initial listen was favorable as was the burned in listening.

Bass to me is just about right, with adequate push down below. Speed is not quite as fast as I would have thought, but we are talking about a sub-$150 unit not oriented towards bass. As such there is a bit of bloom to it, and this can render a bit onto the mids. Not nearly as withdrawn to me as some find it, but that bleed into the mids does hinder my enjoyment just a bit. Guitar work such as on Dave Matthew’s Black And Blue Birds sounds wonderful, even if his voice is a bit too far forward. There is the bloom of bass, but it is countered by the treble push, which some have noted is too hot at certain frequencies. I tend not to EQ anything in or out, and do not find it too bad with my high frequency aversion tendency. Soundstage is wide and high but lacks a bit in depth. Not thin of depth by any means to me, but less deep than wide and high. That height gives a good spatial area for the notes to linger, giving a warmth to those notes, which is a laid-back treat.



More:

As stated above, once really should devote more time to a unit, even if upon first impression it is not favorable. One of my least favorite IEM’s ever was downright horrible to me. But of good faith, I listened diligently and fulfilled the obligations necessary to promote who it might be good for. And this was an IEM, which was seeing good acclaim from many. Not me.

That bass note is not as taut as I would like, but it does reach to good depth. That lack of tight nature coincidentally also highlights a bit of thinness to that bass to me. It does not have the girth, which to me should correspond to that depth. I’m not sure what it is, but while I like the bass, it could present a bit richer, warmer signature to be fully satisfying to me. On complex auditions it can cover a bit of the mids as well, hinting on that bleed into the mids. Attack is fairly rapid, but the lingering decay aspect colors what could be a very good bass. It is enjoyable, nonetheless. Tightening up the bass speed would make the bass a bit more coherent to me and make that lingering into the mids less intrusive. At least that’s my take.



Digging deep into Nirvana’s live version of About A Girl, Curt’s vocals are sublime and pastoral. Cutting through the accompanying instruments as well his vocals define the good points of the mids to me in that male vocal genre. A bit thick in presentation, this counters that bit of thinness of the bass. Almost fighting for control, the end is still a pleasantry of sound melding. It really is pretty decent for a sub-$150 headphone, even if others promote much better detail retrieval. The SV021 is not bad by any means, it simply isn’t class leading in clarity if that is what you are looking for. A review mentions how it is a bit veiled in presentation. I can hear this but personally I do not think it hinders the sound. At least in my interpretation. That warmth pervades here as a result. A bit of laid-back nature if you will.

Moving up top, the treble is known for a couple of peaks, which are grating to some. Either due to my losses or my preference for a lifted but not too far forward treble note make this adequate to me and does not hinder my listening pleasure in the least. Not grating, too bitey or screeching to me, the treble could use a bit more push up top to separate away from the mids more. This might stretch the space of notes giving better spatial representation as well. On twenty-one pilots Isle Of Flightless Birds, a very bright song to begin with, the treble note comes out as crisp and a bit too hot. So, there is that ability to stretch notes up, but the song to me is a very hot recording on that end. I have never been able to turn that song up volume-wise as much as I would like on most every IEM or headphone unfortunately.



As mentioned above, soundstage is wide and high, but lacks a bit of depth. The aforementioned twenty-one pilots song is an excellent judge of stage. Keyboard floating between sides and with Tyler’s vocals slightly left of center, the support instruments space out well across the stage. This is a fabulous song for judging such items as airiness and stage as well as complexity. For the SV021, it does an admirable job, but could use a bit of help with the detail department. In fact, if I had to point out the limiting factor of the SV021 it would be the ability to present notes cleanly. This is not a bad thing, as the IEM I just finished “suffered” the same “fault,” but I still liked it very much. On a song such as Drunken Soldier, by The Dave Matthews Band, that lack of clarity actually plays well into the song. You imagine yourself on the deck of a pirate ship as fighting is going on everywhere whence you jump across to those darn British ships.



Comparisons:

Sivga SV021 ($199) v Thinksound ON2 ($130, discontinued):

A certain Canadian reviewer and I share a certain affinity with Thinksound. Based in Canada helps his count, but for me (and he) the sound is what drives us. Purchased after reading his review, I picked up the ON2 for a song. I am truly sad that it is discontinued for if you could only afford one portable on-ear that mimics a closed-back and love a bassy, saucy sound, the Thinksound would be it. I lament that I do not get to listen often enough and each time I scribe about it, vow to listen more. Bass that might make the Legend X or CFA Cascade blush and adequate enough detail highlight this gem. It’s major shortcomings (but not to me) are that it is an on-ear (better seal then most closed-backs) and it lacks that succinct detail retrieval. Not meant to be the best at details, the ON2 is a raucous, fantastically good listen. If it came down to that, the Thinksound would trounce the Sivga. But if you want better detail retrieval, with a bit less bass, and less forward vocals, the SV021 might be the better choice.

No matter, find a used ON2, purchase it and use it on the commutes in the morning. You will be like a Wall Street Tycoon after your morning listen.



Sivga SV021 ($199) v Final Audio Sonorous III ($299ish):

Following on the heels of the excellent Sonorous viii, the iii is the “budget model” with similar tuning. From what I hear, the Sonorous viii is a wonderful sounding headphone, which has taken many by storm. The Sonorous iii was a used purchase to fill a niche in which I had a need. The sound definitely comes across as near class leading at the price point, even at full retail. A good, clean reach of bass sets the foundation and the mids to me are simply sumptuous. Rich in tonality, but not syrupy or thick. Full bodied with the right amount of depth to make it a wonderful listen. Treble presents itself as a bit far forward for my tastes and a bit lifted, but not in an artificial manner. Very good for guitar work and orchestral songs, the Sonorous iii plays nicely with Alex Fox. Throw in male vocals, and you get equally good tone. Dave Matthews Black And Blue Bird is a wonderful love song with the right weight and clarity. When the cymbal hits come in, they are true and succinct. With the SV021, there is a small sense of artificiality with this song, but not enough to worry me.

You might think this an unfair comparison what with the price discrepancy, but to me it puts more credence at how well the SV021 can perform.



Sivga SV021 ($199) v Kennerton Magni V2 ($650):

Even though this is V2 of the Magni, I fell for it upon first listen. To me this is the target at this price, and rightly so. Gorgeous of look (but not quite the flawless construction of the Sivga) and a wonderfully deep, rich bass. Vocals can come across as slightly subdued or withdrawn; which you might even call a bit muddled. But it is not. That “muddling” is simply the whole of the unit working together as a cohesive unit. There is a reason that Kennerton headphones are gaining a near cult-like following and to me the Magni sets the low end closed-back standard. This is also the reason that the company LSA uses the Kennerton guts as their template. Less expensive of price, but equally adept, it is a wonder that Kennerton allows this. No matter, I do believe it is because they see the benefit of having good sound for all. Much appreciated, it is.



Finale:

Finishing this up while Van Morrison plays in my ear is quite a treat. His voice is so powerful, that the wrong listening unit can become quite painful. A bright IEM or headphone might immediately turn you off. And yes, I will admit that there are a couple of spikes in the SV021 sound signature. But they do not bother me like some others I have on hand. Vocals are a bit withdrawn as a result, but to me this lends to the overall appealing laid back tonality present. Is it flawless like the construction? No. Should it be for the meager price offered? Maybe, but I think that is an unreasonable standard with which to set. When looking for a headphone and listening, you should orient your search on the music in which you listen mostly, then tailor to that. If the headphone then sounds good with your favored genre, you have met your marker. If it also sounds good in the other music in which you listen, that is indeed a bonus.

But this holds true as well: should you be looking for something so specific as to only favor your preferred genre? To me, no. If you do, then you may have too much disposable income. And to me, here is where the SV021 can cross those lines. Rich of sound, even with the peaks, but not necessarily tied to one genre. Does it work best for something such as mellower listening? Sure. Does it perform best for say EDM or classical? Probably not, but it will certainly suffice, especially when you combine the price and superb build. Again, my first impression of the color combination was of a car interior. But in hand, it really is quite gorgeous. Plus, I have just been told you can now purchase this model in black (see pictures). Stained black Rosewood is all right, but to me you hide the character of the wood itself by doing so. That said, if you prefer a more subtle look, then indeed the black is the best choice. This does seem weird to me as I usually prefer more subdued looks. No matter, I still like the SV021.

Finally, there have been a couple of reviews, which seemed to pan the SV021, and do so quickly. To me doing so might be their modus operandi, but you really need to be informed on all fronts to make your decision. I like the SV021, they do not. This is how it should be, but the reviews must be of a thorough nature. I have had items, which I really, really did not like, but I still went through the motions, promoting the item for who MIGHT like it. And I think that is the way it should be. You may indeed make your impressions early after a couple of hours, and they may not change (as I mentioned). But to dismiss it after that short time is shorting your obligations as a reviewer and one, we need to take seriously. I like the SV021 for its laid-back nature, potent and placeable bass, even if it is not as taut or deep as I would like. Mids are good, but not great. They portray the sound adequately, but do not shine. If you prefer a shining set of mids, look elsewhere. If you want a thoroughly competent, rich, warm signature that presents itself as laid back, for an affordable price and with gorgeous looks and build; then the SV021 may be one at which to look.

I thank Sivga for the review sample, I do like the SV021 for what it presents: that richness of sound, coupled with a laid-back signature and gorgeous looks, which I like. That’s it in a nutshell. That’s why I like it.

Cyrus Audio ONE HD ($1499): A multi-versed masterpiece​

AmericaHiFi Cyrus ONE HD

Intro: AmericaHiFi is an authorized North American reseller for Cyrus Audio components and put out a call for reviewers on Head-Fi. I was one of the lucky six chosen (congrats to all!). All that was asked is for an honest review and to use the Cyrus ONE HD in as many configurations as possible. I was able to include my Linn Sondek Axis turntable as part of the review, which was a nice change from DAP’s. Upon completion, the unit will be carefully repacked and sent on to the next lucky participant.

To say this is a versatile unit would be an understatement. This can essentially replace your home amp set up, except for the video aspect. Used at the office, or in a dedicated listening center, this could very well be the perfect unit. The One HD is capable of powering front speakers (2 x 100W, but I did not try this), and includes a large toroidal transformer to power a class AB headphone amplifier (up to 700mA output, so plenty) as part of the package. With the ability to hook up your turntable (convertor in unit), as well as speakers and other goodies; the unit is indeed diverse.

Specs:

INPUTS
· Asynchronous USB 2.0 input – up to 32/192 signals, and DSD 64 and DSD 128
· Optical Toslink digital input – up to 24/192 signals
· Coaxial SPDIF digital input – up to 24/192 signals
· RCA input to built-in MM phono stage
· aptX® HD compatible Bluetooth audio
· 3 x line level inputs – including AV integration option

SPECIFICATION
· Pre outputs – connect to additional power amplifiers
· High power, high voltage class AB headphone amplifier
· Bi-wire compatible speaker binding posts
· User upgradeable firmware
· Bluetooth control app
· Cyrus 4th generation Hybrid Class D amplifier
· Outputs 2 x 100W (into 6 Ω at 0.1% THD+N)
· SID – Speaker Impedance Detection
· Linear power supply


Headphone specification:

SNR 128dBA
1300V/us Slew Rate
700mA max output current (per channel)
2x 1W max output power
Recommended headphone impedance 16 – 1200 Ohm

WEIGHTS AND DIMS
· Dimensions (H X W X D) – 85 x 220 x 390mm
· Weight – 5.6kg


Technical info:

FEATURES:

Bluetooth Enabled – aptX®HD:

aptX® HD compatible Bluetooth enables you to stream better than CD quality music from your phone/tablet or computer via a wireless Bluetooth connection, providing maximum flexibility without the need for a home network or any complicated set up. This allows everyone in the family to enjoy their music from their portable devices quickly and easily.

High-power Amplifier:

2 x 100W gives class-leading power output that will drive most loudspeakers regardless of their size. All that power enables Cyrus ONE HD to present your music with a huge dynamic range, giving 3D detail and bags of energy without the need to buy big, bulky, inefficient amplifier boxes.

MM Phono Stage:

Cyrus ONE HD features a built-in phono stage that is compatible with all Moving Magnet cartridges and requires no adjustment or extra set up, enabling you to play all your favourite vinyl from most turntables.

Digital and analogue inputs:

Asynchronous USB, optical and SPDIF inputs enable you to connect your PC, TV, Games Console, CD player, indeed virtually any source, directly to the Cyrus ONE HD. Four analogue inputs include RCA terminals for a turntable and an AV input that can be set to fixed gain in order to integrate with a separate AV amplifier.

Class AB Headphone Amplifier:

Uniquely, when headphones are connected, the large toroidal transformer is switched to power just the headphone section. These huge reserves of power result in a high power, high voltage class AB headphone amplifier that will drive almost all headphones with ease. The resulting musical performance is on a par with most standalone headphone amplifiers.

Speaker Impedance Adjustment:

SID – Speaker Impedance Detection automatically matches the amplifier’s output response to the electrical load of the loudspeakers. This means that matching Cyrus ONE HD to any brand of loudspeaker has suddenly been made so much easier.



In The Box:

Cyrus ONE HD unit
Power unit
Instruction manual

• Comparisons/Gear used:
• 
  
• MacBook Pro
• Shanling M6 Pro
• Cayin N6ii (E01 motherboard)
• 
  
• Cayin C9 ($2200)
• iFi iDSD/iCAN ($2200 each)
• XDuoo TA-30 ($710)
• Teac UD-05 ($1699)
• 
  
• Audeze LCD-3
• ZMF Eikon
• Kennerton Magni (V2)
• Empire Ears Hero (PW Helix Initiale cable)
• Empire Ears Legend X (Eletech Socrates cable)

DDHiFi adapters as needed
Linn Sondek Axis turntable


Unboxing:

I opened the big box to find a smaller box inside. Opening that I was met with form fitting Styrofoam (in plastic protection), which held the unit firmly in place. The unit is fairly big, and fairly heavy. When looking at how well it was protected, I expected a larger unit. Overly protecting a unit is a good thing.


Controls:

Back: As listed above, there are a plethora of input options on the back, from USB connectivity to MM turntable to APEX BT. I mainly focused on the USB and RCA SPDIF options for testing through my MBP and Shanling/Cayin DAP’s mentioned above.

Front: Dominating the glossy front are two very large knobs (too big to me). The left one controls the inputs, clicking near-silently through your options. The right knob controls the volume, and as @Dramlin excellently tested, each “click” is not equivalent to an LCD light “step” on the dial. While I appreciate the incremental adjustment ability, not having the LED’s move in an equivalent manner leads you to much turning of the knob. Also mentioned is how there is only a memory for the input device, not the volume. Adding in a memory for volume would be appreciated or at the least a lowering should you turn the unit off with extreme volume levels.

Under the knobs are the on/off button to the left and a single 6.35mm headphone jack on the right. I found that using adapters put the cables in the way of the knob, so this area also needs a bit of work. Plus, offering a 4.4bal jack might have been an option, but not knowing the necessary internal changes needed, I was OK with the single jack. Plus, it sounded so good that I did not miss the balanced option.

With a small footprint, the ONE HD will take up little space on your desk or shelf. It is rather deep, but I find this to be OK, as it means the cables could be closer to the back of a shelf, as opposed to running onto the shelf.


Build:

Top notch, with no visible flaws, as one would expect.


Usability:

With the ability to run all of your device options, it used to be that something suffered. Either the sound of a device, or some part was an afterthought or used a cheaper component. Staring with (to me) the excellent iFi duo of iDSD Pro and iCAN, this rapidly changed to utilizing quality connections options across the spectrum. There are hook ups I shall most likely never use on my iFi duo, but I am glad they are included, nonetheless. The Cyrus takes that back a bit and all of the connections are from the most popular and most likely will be used in the homeowners set up. It is as simple as switching using the left knob and you can quickly move to BT from your Smartphone through speakers or headphones. Most companies have this option now, which is appreciated. Ideally a remote would be included, which would run both input and volume controls. Something with which to think.


Internals:

I shall leave that to those better versed than I in such things.


Connectivity/Source:

As stated above, I used the ONE HD mainly with my MBP and the two DAP’s listed. I shall provide cross-sectional sound musings throughout.

Summary:

The ONE HD comes across as clean and clear, with enough air between notes to provide a spacious listening environment. Near neutral, without coloring the sound or making the quality antiseptic, or without body, the ONE HD presents an open cleanliness to the sound, which is refreshing. Separation is very good as a result, which can sometimes lead to a thinning quality of sound. Not here. While not holographic, the soundstage fills in wonderfully with precision and accuracy towards placement and harmonics. What I hear is true, clean and detailed. Hooking up a less than neutral DAP, such as the Shanling M6 Pro or the Cayin N6ii E01 shows the source sound through cleanly. That warm, richness of each source is not culled going through the Cyrus. If the source is rich, the sound emanating from within is rich as well. Don’t take this as the ONE HD is colored at all, but because it is near-neutral, allows that character of the presentation to come through, and cleanly.

More:

First and foremost, I used the MBP/USB connection, while streaming Tidal. Using all manners of headphones and IEM’s, I found the sound quite stunning; on par with many of the best I have heard of late such as the Teac UD-505 and my iFi duo. As mentioned above, the ONE HD provides stunning clarity to your music, with I will add a tinge of bass push. Nothing like an added bass, but the tuning to me while near-neutral adds some rich texture to the low-end. And the speed of this is good. Not such a fast decay that the sound becomes analytical, but that richness is afforded the stage.

The mids are quite good, as is the overall character. I find it hard to differentiate individual sections here and will not separate them out much. There is ample air between notes, which also affords the sound to come through with a clean detailed presentation. Vocals such as Adele are superb. Aretha Franklin is sublime in her rich character tone, with a bit of that low-down gut, which makes for a wonderful listen. Throwing on Billie Holiday after that and you really have to just sit back and enjoy. One of if not the finest voice the western world has ever known, her vocals sublimely slip through the ONE HD to your gray matter. The world stops for those brief instances and you simply enjoy.
With not equalization settings, you are left to your own devices; literally. And much like I do not miss the extras on the E01 motherboard inside the N6ii, I do not miss the tinkering here. Switching to the EE Legend X/Eletech Socrates, from the Hero/PW combination, I am rewarded with deeper reach of bass and a less forward treble. The ability of the Cyrus to cross listening devices is very, very good. Switching to Bluetooth on my iPhone XS Max and Damian Marley’s Looks Are Deceiving gives bass that is divine. While it does not have the clarity of other sources, the ability for that quick BT listen is well worth it.

Alex Fox through Tidal and the Audeze LCD3’s sound superb. Succinct guitar strokes highlight a vibrant tonality, which comes across as clean and full of detailed clarity as most high dollar amps I have heard. This is not meant to put color into your sound, but rather let you experience the sound directly from the source. Hence my previous verbiage regarding the sound from the Shanling & Cayin DAP’s. Sometimes coloring your sound (or EQing to your tastes) is good, but when you already may have a colored sound DAP such as those I list, then it is refreshing to hear that come through perfectly. This is one fine unit.

Moving to a closed-back unit such as my ZMF Eikon reveals yet again what can happen when you send a clean, clear stream of bits and bite through electrical current. Having more bass than the Atticus, the Eikon is a wonderful complement to the LCD3. Providing excellent separation and bass response provides me with a good judge of the differences between the LCD3. A bit harder to drive, I had to push the volume up one LED to match the volume (seat of the pants). What I found was a bit more intimate than the Audeze, but that is to be expected due to the closed-back nature. I will add that with each finger pluck of the strings, I received an excellent sense of placement and depth from this combination.

It seems whatever the listening device, the sound comes across as it is meant to be. The EE Legend X provides that deep rich bass note. The EE Hero does as well with more push of the treble. And the full-sized headphones are exactly as expected. Sublime in presentation.




Comparisons:

Cyrus Audio ONE HD ($1499) v Cayin C9 ($2200):

In house as well, the C9 is most likely the finest portable amp IO have tested. That includes my vaunted iFi micro Black Label. Superbly defined with either a push of tube-like sound, or not; the C9 is powerful and a true masterpiece. Costing roughly ½ again what the ONE HD does, the user will need to decide how they want to proceed. I know that given the option and funds, the C9 would go with me everywhere. If we talk about versatility, then hands down the Cyrus wins. But it is meant to, what with all of the connectivity options. If we look strictly at sound, the C9 can definitely hold its own with the ability to full in/out balanced through the 4.4bal connections. I was stunned by how good it is to be honest. A dream amp for me, it would be, and it would replace all of my others.


Cyrus Audio ONE HD ($1499) v iFi iDSD/iCAN ($2200 each):

When I tested both iFi models a few years ago, I ended up purchasing the iDSD because of its superior DAC capabilities. It has sufficient power for me as well, driving everything I could throw at it. And do so with a warmth & richness I crave. Coming upon a used iCAN, I jumped to complete my system. This is my pinnacle, with all of the connectivity options of the ONE HD except for phono. And strictly speaking, the iFi duo is meant for headphones and IEM’s. The Bass Boost+ and 3D options are wonderful as well, adding in bass to the Cayin Fantasy when I auditioned that not too long ago. This is one powerful, rich, vibrant set up.

If you want a richness to your sound, with the on the fly options to change filters and the bass/3D then the iFi is the way to go, even singularly. It is a warm sound, which will not appeal to all, but fits my bill perfectly. If on the other hand, you want all of that connectivity without the adjustments, and a near neutral sound, which will give you what you desire from your source. Had I not already had the iFi duo, I would seriously consider purchasing the ONE HD as my all-in-one go-to amp, even without all of the adjustability’s.


Cyrus Audio ONE HD ($1499) v XDuoo TA-30 ($710):

The TA-30 came my way after a fellow reviewer loaned his. I contacted my vendor almost immediately and purchased one. I do not regret it, even with the iFi duo above. The XDuoo is insanely powerful and provides all the options I would need for connectivity, except phono. I did change tubes upon my friend’s recommendation and when I need a kick on from other items, the TA-30 is often my choice to rejuvenate my listening. At roughly ½ the price, it is an excellent “bargain” even if it does not have all of the connecting options of the Cyrus. But it does, except for a couple.

Not as clean as the Cyrus, nonetheless, the TA-30 is very vibrant in tone. Not overly bright, but with the ability to change the tone simply by changing tubes, it is more versatile in that regard. And did I mention it is insanely powerful? I do not know a headphone on the planet that it cannot drive and drive well. Coming with only an 6.35mm jack as well as the Cyrus is no bother as well.


Cyrus Audio ONE HD ($1499) v Teac UD-05 ($1699):

On another tour, the Teac came my way, and I did not regret it. From my finale: “Lately, I have shied away from actually coming out and saying, “GO BUY THIS!” Because, it really should be your choice, and your alone. I can tell you what I like and what I do not like, which can help but short of listening you are pressed to read the reviews. And here, I can tell you that if you value detail, clarity and a good air of note between then the Teac might just be a good fit for you. While some might balk at the cost, others may just say that this is an excellent value for it can run in my home system (as a pre-amp) and desktop, easily hooking up my portable DAP from the commute as well. That “value” of services cannot be underestimated, nor should it be overlooked.”

In other words, you could justify this unit for its multi-dimensional use (just like the Cyrus) and abilities. From memory, the airiness between notes is a bit better with the Teac, but slightly colored. If you do not mind that, the Teac is an excellent unit (another reviewer I respect VERY much has an older model), if you prefer a cleaner “less-colored,” parenthetically speaking; then the Cyrus is an excellent choice here.

Phono stage: Time constraints kept me from this aspect, one in which I was looking forward to very much.


Finale:

Two weeks is a good long time to audition a unit. Unfortunately, “things” got in my way and I was only able to dedicate about 25 hours to the unit. I wish I had spent longer nights auditioning the unit, but even with that “short” 25 hours, I figured out the positives of the ONE HD. It did not take long for me to come and appreciate its cleanliness and lack of coloration (I have used that a lot, but it works…). Its ability to play across many sources and do so easily. Its ability to play powerful notes when called upon and be used across your home system, including vinyl (!) without hindering the source is a true positive. This is an excellent unit, even with the quirks mentioned above regarding the too large volume knobs, lack of volume memory and numerous rotations needed upon the volume wheel. At least with that last aspect, the volume does continue to raise or lower with each click.

The Cyrus ONE HD is an excellent unit, and one in which you can literally throw all your eggs into one basket, except video. That can be accommodated by hooking it up as a pre-amp and through speakers. But, to use this in a dedicated listening room or your office (that would be nice…) shows off the true merits and uses of the Cyrus. This is the unit, which allows you to separate yourself from the daily chores, in its own realm and across many devices at once. Had I not already purchased others; I might have come home with one due to its versatility. And that is about the highest praise I can give it.

I thank AmericaHiFi and Robert for the inclusion on this fantastic tour. The ONE HD is a superb unit and carries on (from what I hear) the excellent sensory options and listening’s of their other products. Best of luck to Cyrus and please continue making such fine devices as the ONE HD.

Khadas Tone2: ($199): Like a Konigsegg, only smaller

Tone2



Intro: Afforded the opportunity to review the Tone2, I jumped and politely said yes. Intrigued by the multitude of abilities of this little DAC, I noted the good reviews of the critter and waited my turn. The unit belongs to @Wiljen, and I am grateful for the loan. I have numerous DAC’s with which to compare the Tone2 and hope to provide some insight into its functions and capabilities. I have never heard the original Tone product, so I was looking forward to this. Upon completion, the unit will be sent back to Will.

Company highlights:

Khadas Technology Co., Ltd. is the company that owns the brand "Khadas", it was founded on 2020-07-01. We mainly focus on developing, manufacturing and marketing Amlogic and Rockchip single board computers (SBCs) for the open source community and streaming media player industry. Lately we've also added audio products like the Tone2 Pro Hi-Fi DAC and Khadas balanced RCA connectors to our line-up.

Our parent company, Shenzhen Wesion Technology Co., Ltd. founded on 2014-11-05, handles OEM/ODM product design, software and hardware development, as well as final product manufacturing and delivery to the point of use or sale. If the client wishes, they can carry out industrial design for both the internal PCBA support structure, as well as the external product enclosure.

The Tone 1 was a DIY DAC, which received much acclaim. Several audio compatriots have the Tone 1 and claim it to be amongst the best sounding budget DAC’s they own. I do not doubt them one bit. Khadas took a more polished approach with the Tone 2, building all together from the ground up in a svelte Northern-European style to me. The curves whisper Swedish efficiency to me just like a Koenigsegg. As primarily a tuner at first, Koenigsegg has grown into one of the very best ultra-super cars out there. While the Tone 2 might not fit that bill, going inhouse with the build assures quality control and the ability to tailor some of the finer points from within. Plus, it continues to show that Khadas is serious about their price to performance/feature point, which keeps them competitive in the market. I am impressed.



I will also state that I had a dickens of a time figuring out how to change filters, settings etc. based upon the diagram. While the diagram does show how to do so, the orientation had me pushing and pulling on the knob 90-degrees off from whence it needed to be done...Once I watched the video below though, all was good. Well, as good as it could be, and I do find it less than intuitive in usage. Feature-wise it is good. Finagling away is cumbersome to me.

Features video (watch them for proper operation):






Specs:

Tone2 Pro is our second generation Tone Board from Khadas that incorporates a variety of user feedback from our first-gen product, the Tone1. ESS ES9038Q2M DAC has been paired with four powerful OPA1612 operational amplifiers, and three buffer amplifiers. This 3-stage amplification pathway enables Tone2 Pro to drive a wide-range of demanding audiophile-grade headphones with impedances of up to 150 ohms.

The latest addition to file format support is MQA decoding. The onboard XMOS XU216 processor enables bit-perfect, hardware-native, USB class II, asynchronous "unfolding" of MQA data for both web streaming and local high fidelity audio playback, enabling future-proof "original master quality" audio reproduction just as the artist intended, but at reasonable file sizes and streaming bandwidth requirements.




Highlights:

DAC + Headphone Amplifier - Tone2 Pro combines the ESS ES9038Q2M with x4 OPA1612 operational amplifiers that deliver superior audio quality.

High Performance - Up to 32bit 384KHz sample rate, bit-perfect DSD512, and -118dB THD+N (line-out).

Hardware MQA Decoding - XMOS XU216 processor for full MQA decoding, enabling next-gen "original master quality" web streaming and audio playback.

Balanced RCA - Next-generation "balanced RCA line-out" with 3-pin output, sets a new interface standard for the Hi-Fi industry.

Linear Power Supply - Tone2 Pro has a second USB-C (I2S) port that supports 5V linear power supplies for ultra clean signal-to-noise ratios.

Interesting info: Tone2 Pro is our second-generation Tone Board from Khadas that incorporates a variety of user feedback from our first-gen product, the Tone1. ESS ES9038Q2M DAC has been paired with four powerful OPA1612 operational amplifiers, and three buffer amplifiers. This 3-stage amplification pathway enables Tone2 Pro to drive a wide-range of demanding audiophile-grade headphones with impedances of up to 150 ohms.


In the box:

• x1 Tone2 Pro
• x1 USB-C Cable (Type-C to C)
• x1 Instruction Manual
• x1 Warranty Card

Gear used/compared:

MacBook Pro
Cayin N6ii

EarMen Sparrow
ifi xDSD

*Used for comparative purposes in their own right:

Moondrop Blessing 2
Moondrop S8
FiR Audio 5x5
Empire Ears Hero
ApeSonics Purple Rain
Whizzer Kylin HE01

Kennerton Magni
Sivga Phoenix
Sendy Aiva
Verum Audio Verum1
Final Audio Sonorous 3


Songlist:

Joey Alexander-Warna album and others
Mark Knopfler-Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes
Santana w/ Mana- Corazon Espinado
twenty one pilots album, Trench
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Big Head Todd & The Monsters-Beautiful World
Mark Knopfler-Down The Road Wherever
Elton John-yep, still good, still cool
Alex Fox
Big Head Todd & The Monsters
Tidal MQA


Unboxing:

Coming in a square short white rectangular box, you could easily mistake this for a Hallmark box of cards due to the build of the box alone. The box is superbly built and thick. The back should have given me a good impression of what was to come due to the color coordinated features and instructions, but I missed that. It is well laid out and each feature is well placed and written. The front has a picture of the Tone 2...in life size. To say this is diminutive would be like saying a Red Hot is a small candy. It is, and so is the Tone 2.



Inside is another thick paperboard “sleeve,” which holds the manuals and I would highly recommend learning the differences. I still refer to it while changing features. I will add that this sleeve pays homage to the original but having a color print of the motherboard. A nice touch to their history. Keep that manual handy, for you will need it based upon all of the technical features involved. Below that is the unit itself and a narrow rectangular case, which houses the USB type-C to type-C cable of good length. I have the exquisite DDHiFi C-to-C cables on hand, so I used those instead.


Technicals:

The Tone 2 Pro implements ESS9038Q2M DAC chip paired with a USB decoder and 3 stage integrated amplifier, along with four OPA1612 OPAMPs. Each of the two headphone outputs (3.5se, 4.4bal) having separate amplifier circuits. The CMOS XU216 USB chip lies inside the Tone 2 Pro, which supports full MQA decoding. Even though Khadas has instituted a thermal pad to dissipate heat through the device’s metal shell to keep the chip cool, I found the device to run quite warm. So that means the heat transfer did work. Mind you this isn’t tube-hot, but a bit different, nonetheless.

Bluetooth will use the Qualcomm aptX, when implemented.

Speaking of the manual, it does provide several key illustrations, which are useful in using the Tone 2 properly. Keep it handy.



Build/Functionality:

The anodized red looks stunning, like a perfect complement to your laptop/desktop. Angular with swooping edges and angular geometric patterns, the Tone 2 has taken geometry to an artistic audio level. I’m not exactly sure what all the shapes could mean, like the horizontal slot running just above the ½-way line ending short of the “control knob.” Regardless, the shape has that modern touch, and even though I am left-handed, using it was fairly easy. This is designed for a right-handed person though...

Keeping up with the excellent build, all connections are tight and professional looking/feeling, adding to the premium feel. Add in the rubber bottom and you have a unit, which is functional and efficient of build. Placement of each functional unit such as connectivity or headphone jack is logically laid out.

The rotating/toggling knob on the top is the control center, much like you would find in most of the latest cars. This controls all, and it would be worth your time to spend an evening or two just acquainting yourself with how it works, and the different sounds wrought from the device. For my use, I had the Tone 2 Pro hooked to my MBP or the small XDuoo MT-602, to gauge the DAC only. While the T2P does provide its own amp, that is not the true highlight to me. The best aspect of the T2P is the DAC itself, which continues the tradition of sound/price for Khadas. The T2P is double the price, but with the included amp section and other features you realize why.

I won’t go through all of the functions but included the diagrams below for a guide on what is capable in this wee device. I did spend an evening or two and even in my depressed state of paucity understood the functions to a certain degree. It did take me watching the video to fully comprehend the features, and thus cancel out my random push/pulls/gasps/yells simply in returning to the volume setting.



Double pushing the round knob allows the user to move between functions. On some devices you must make a concerted, exaggerated effort to get the item to switch when instituted like this. Not here. Easy to push, and quick to change functions, I appreciated the solidity and quality of the knob. Plus, once you realize that it does not take much force (hardly any), you alleviate the fear of ripping the knob off...something in which I admit I thought might happen. Once “inside” each sub-menu, you then either rotate the knob clockwise, or counterclockwise. A nice feature to have this is, going both ways so you can quickly go between say low and high gain.

On something such as filter options, this gives the user the ability to quickly A/B two filters and see what they like for each song. Again, using the color menu allows you to see the name of the effected filter change. I will admit that ears more versed than mine would be able to discern differences better. For me, I switched to a filter, which sounded good and left it there. The RBG ring is hard to see in light conditions, but more easily seen in low light or evening/night settings. So, while this gives a good indication, I’m not sure what the benefit is, and would have liked something such as what Chord does with the Hugo/Mojo. Plus, that looks cool.

I will also note that low & high gain worked well, and with a larger increase in volume than I thought would occur. I currently have the Moondrop duo of the Blessing2 & S8 in house, and both to me are amongst the harder to drive IEM’s of late. Switching to high gain on the T2P worked well (not that low gain was a slouch), giving me that extra punch on Tidal’s MQA of Alex Fox’s live version of Guitar’s On Fire. Excellent sound and one that needs the extra kick of volume just because.




Sound:

Summary (new to me...but why not...):

As stated above, I used the T2P as a dedicated DAC on my MBP and in concert with the MT-602. First used as a DAC, then while writing the 602 review, the T2P came across as mostly neutral with excellent detail and clarity for the price. This will not (and shouldn’t) function on the same level as my iFi Pro iDSD. But for its purposes, the detail, which was wrought from the music emanating came across as clean and detailed. Not overly crisp, but not soggy, I would call this distinct. A fine DAC, which when paired with a quality amp such as the venerable EarMen TR-AMP would make some much higher priced duos recoil with slight fear.

Bass comes across as fairly taut and defining with more than I thought, and not as much overlord into the mids. Not quite the grunt power of the iFi products (not much does), I liken this to the refreshing taut push down below of the Questyle CMA twelve master, but not costing that price. No, it does not function at that “punch way above its price,” but rather provides me with the same sort of surprised feeling of a tight, clean and crisp response down below. I always want more bass, but if you have heard the CMA 12M, you understand that sometimes the quality of that low sound (and across the spectrum) is worth well more than adding a muddied sound for the sake of punch. Call this ever-so-slightly warm, but more a detail response, which does not cloud the mids.

The mids sound a bit subdued, but not veiled. I find defining these sound characteristics hard, but still try to relate it to what I can and do know. Slightly behind the rest, the vocals are still clean and represent what is engineered if a bit thin, lacking that fullness of a higher-end DAC. I do not mind for this is still a very fine rendition of the sound. Instruments, which present itself here come across as clean and nearly full, lacking a bit in the edge department. A bit more bite to the sound here would have rendered the sound as full-fronted and vibrant. I do not mind this at all, and that distinct sound of which I spoke in the summary above still comes across, but not quite like others. Call this nitpicking, for this really is a wonderfully sounding device.

Finishing up top with the treble tendencies, the filter choice can play into the hands of what you want out of the sound. On Marieta by Ibrahim Ferrer, that distinctness of sound comes across as clarity-driven and clean; just not like those multi-hundred dollar DAC’s that everyone wants/slaves over/lusts after/promotes. This is good sound up top, and does not offend me like some of another company that shall remain nameless. Suffice to say, I appreciate that this is not a grating, cringe-worthy sound up top, and applaud the treatment while listeing to Chan Chan from the Buena Vista Social Club. Sensuous and delivering a sound, which matches that sensuous nature with emotion, the T2P gives me just what I desire here; passion.

The sound also comes across as wider of soundstage than I had though, but depth suffers a bit. I am nitpicking again, and instrumentation is perfectly placed and discernible from the music pouring forth regardless. The trumpet solo on Chan Chan is wonderfully light and (again) distinct. Followed by the guitar solo, you clearly hear the artist sitting stage left playing the guitar on his knee. Layering as a result is good as well. This is a very good rendition of the music for the price, and one could easily live with this for both portable use (commuting) and desktop use at work.




Amp:

This section will be short. As mentioned, driving the Moondrop duo was best done on high gain, and I could easily tax my ears with music too loud, but for harder to drive units, another amp would not be your worst choice. Using the T2P as a dedicated DAC to me is getting the best use out of it.


Comparisons:

Khadas Tone 2 Pro ($199) v EarMen Sparrow ($199):

When I first received the Sparrow, I note its small size, realizing this was the way of the future when dealing with DAC dongles. Running almost twice the price of others of the same ilk, the Sparrow had better perform. And it did. And it does. With fewer “controls” (as in none), the Sparrow automatically changes when bitrate is sampled. Having only a 3.5se and a (much more) powerful 2.5bal headphone jack, you are at the mercy of your volume control and the engineers from EarMen. And that’s all right, for they do know what they are doing.

The Sparrow promotes more in the mid-section to me, and with a bit more warmth. I would also add that the bass response makes its presence felt a bit more in the mids as well. Treble is pushed forward, too; giving the listener a thoroughly engaging sound and one which begs to be turned up. While you are at the mercy of what source you are using for controllability and amp features, if you want a simple, straightforward, excellent sound DAC, then to me there is not a finer offering than the Sparrow for the price. The Tone 2 Pro offers much more flexibility and many more features with which to play, but sound wise, the Sparrow tops it in terms of detail, but only slightly.

This comes down to whether you want the flexibility of the T2P, or the simplicity of plug-n-play and forget sound of the Sparrow. Both are really god for what they provide the listener.


Khadas Tone 2 Pro ($199) v iFi xDSD ($399):

Not really a fair comparison here, as the iFi truly is a monster in terms of DAC’s and with an amp, which could very well put some dedicated portable “amps” to shame as well. Showing its age, the iFi does give the user the ability to hook up much like the T2P, though. Add in XBass and 3D+ features and you get the toys, which the T2P does not have. You can also BT at the current time, which means you can use it with your smartphone for an increased listening pleasure (one hopes...).

Sound though is of a warmer and richer variety, especially when you throw the switches so to speak. I would not call one better but merely different. You want features, which are easier to use, and POWER, then the iFi is the choice. If you want excellent sound and a DAC, which is really good; get the T2P and add a competent amp.




Finale:

I have not heard the original Tone but trust the judgement of those who have. They state that for the price it was (and is) one of the best budget DAC’s out there and many still use it. A kind of cult following ensued, which I do hope carries over with the Tone 2 Pro. We often are charged with defining “the best” or “sounds the greatest,” but to me that misses the point; especially here. Another reviewer, Ryan states in his excellent review how the T2P isn’t meant to be the best across all levels, and it cannot be. But to rather compete at its level giving the user a taste of excellent sound for the price (https://everydaylistening.net/2021/03/23/khadas-tone-2-pro-review/). I agree.

The Tone 2 Pro is not meant to be the best, nor sound the greatest. It is meant to provide a versatile, innovative update to one of their timely products; which happens to sound great for the price as well. And when taken in that niche, the Tone 2 succeeds. It does sound really quite good and packed with features makes this a certain success, while putting other manufacturers on notice about a possible direction that could take place in the portable DAC market.

I thank the anonymous donor for the loan of the Tone 2 Pro, and begrudgingly send it back to them dreaming of the sound pleasures, which filtered from all which were hooked to it. The Tone 2 Pro is a very good device.

Cayin C9 ($1999): Tube sound from magic insides. 4.75 stars



Cayin C9

Intro: As part of the North American C9 tour, my turn came about while I was prepping for a working vacation. No better use for the C9 than in real world situations such as this. While I did not fly, I did have to accommodate the large box for my time would be up during that working vacation. No bother, I had another in house in the same situation as well.

The C9 follows to me on the heels of the quite good Fantasy tour. Coming with mixed reviews, the Fantasy was appreciated for the long-term vision Cayin was putting out to stay competitive in this market. I do believe some of the criticism comes about due to the full-on peloton of offerings at this price right now. My review showed that as well. The C9 was just about the polar opposite. With no marketed competition save for the more “equitably-priced” iFi Black Label, the C9 goes into Chord2 levels pricewise. Another reviewer compared those so I will not. I shall focus almost exclusively on the aspects of the C9 and compare to the BL.


Specs:

Other important info:

• Fully balanced, fully discrete, 4-channels high-fidelity headphone amplifier delivers up to 4,100mW (at 16Ω) or 2600mW (at 32Ω) per channel.
• Select between Vacuum Tube and Solid State timber on both balanced and single-end inputs.
• The tube timber circuit is designed around a pair of KORG Nutube vacuum tubes.
• Switch between Pure Class A and Class AB amplification modes.
• Dual input mode: regular LINE input mode and PRE-amp input mode (or known as pure power amplifier mode).
• Supports 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL for both input and output, the amplifier will also optimize BAL to SE or vice versa.
• 4-channels ALPS potentiometer with a pair of stereo electronic volume.
• Removable battery module with 4x user replaceable Sony18650 rechargeable lithium batteries.

In The Box:

C9 portable headphone amplifier
C9 battery module (mounted)
Rear panel glass protector
Single-ended portable interconnect (CS-35C35, 3.5se to 3.5se)
Balance portable interconnect (CS-44C44, 4.4bal to 4.4bal)
USB Type-C charging cable
Backup screws for battery module
T6 screwdriver
User manual



Gear used/compared:

LCD-3
Empire Ears Legend X (Eletech Socrates cable)

Shanling M6 Pro
Cayin N6ii (E01 motherboard)

Songs:

Alex Fox
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Elton John
Twenty one pilots
Santana
Buena Vista Social Club
Jeff Beck
Pink Floyd


Unboxing:

The Cayin unboxing of items has become an event of sorts. Coming in larger well-protected boxes, the items of choice come not only safeguarded from bumps and bruises but with room aplenty for all of the accoutrements. The same of course holds for the C9. Mimicking the unboxing of an Empire Ears item, what with the “jewelry drawers” sliding out, you get the sense of care and commitment to the process. A well protected unit usually also comes with excellent build as a result.

Sliding the sleeve off the box just like with the Fantasy, you are met with a hard-cardboard box, including clamshell-type of flaps on two sides. While the Fantasy had an overlap on the top, the C9 does not. Pulling the top up, you are met with the C9 in a hard foam insert only. It is large and pushed deeply into the insert. It takes a good bit of careful force to extract the C9 as a result. No matter, I’d rather have it over protected than under.

Pulling the side flap down, you are met with one slide drawer as opposed to the two found in the Fantasy. The sheer size of the C9 means that ½ the depth of the case is used for the unit, including protection. Sliding the drawer out using the attached ribbon, you are met with an envelope-type paperboard, which contains the user’s manual and protects the contents below. HiRes stickers and an extra back glass screen protector is included as well. Under the envelope, you will find the 3.5-3.5 and 4.4-4.4 connecting cables as well as the charging cord, the T6 screwdriver, and extra screws WHEN you lose one. I have come to appreciate the included Cayin charging cables as some of the best around for sturdiness and use. Of a good length as well, you should have no problem.



Build/Finish:

Typically, Cayin products are very well built. This would not be an exception to that rule. The C9, especially for the price comes across as well as those high dollar desktop units, which cost as much or several times more. Black is the color of choice here, and frankly it would have been all right with me had it been hot pink or chartreuse. Utilizing an all glass back for heat dissipation as well as looks, the C9 is a stunning move forward in the plain black box. Since others were to follow, I kept the already mounted screen protector on, and it shows heavy wear. Once can assume that not using the screen protector would not yield such scratches. Also, you will want to purchase protective feet, as there aren’t any, so the unit sits on that glass back whether it has the screen protector or not.

A metal shell covers the rest, complete with a cutout of sorts on the top at the front. Application-wise for the volume pot, the inset looks clean and functional with the volume dial shows only marginally above the surface. Set back on either side of that inset are oblong holes, with glass inserts showing off the Korg NUTUBES inside. Looking like cat eyes, the green of the functioning Nutube looks pretty cool. Switch to solid state and the lights go away. I will cover the Korg “tubes” under the technical section, for there is much to discuss.

The front is dominated by two things: the in and out connectivity and the volume wheel. Along the top are finely tactile “toggles” for switching from (left to right) Amp to Line Pre-Amp; High and Low Gain; Timbre-Solid State or Nutube; and Class-A or Class-AB. Dead center with two toggles each side is the volume pot. Under that “row” are from left to right: the two inputs, 3.5se and 4.4bal; the power button (too tiny for me); and the two outputs, 4.4bal and 3.5se. Labels are clear and easy to read, something some desktop gear I have reviewed of late, should take note of.



The back seems absolutely barren compared to the packed functionality of the front. To the bottom right is the battery indicator, with four reddish-orange lights indication approximately 25% each. The last one will blink when charging is needed, or “death” is impending. Centered is the USB-C charging outlet. On each side is a single T6 screw for removing the battery packet. Cayin believes a couple of things about their batteries. For one, sound may deteriorate a bit as charge disseminates. I fully believe what their engineers propose here, I have no reason not to. And second, rechargeable batteries lose their power over time (think of your Smartphone and after about 2-3 years you are lucky to have 82-87% of the intended “full” capacity at 100% charge. So this makes sense, and the batteries can be replaced with a common Li battery as a result. Marcus’s Headfonics review of the C9 goes into a bit of detail regarding this and the choice of using Sony’s Murata VTC6 as an excellent one. He also mentions the battery quality and sound characteristics as well, so check that out (page 1) for more information on battery and the choice (https://headfonics.com/cayin-c9-review/). I was able to get a bit longer than the listed 5.5hrs on the tube timbre. This could be that the unit is fully broken in as well.

I do know that Cayin makes a case for the C9 as well as Miter or Dignis I believe. The Cayin case is $99, but when you spend this much, that does not seem inordinate to me.




Technicals:

To me Cayin has had a penchant for technology for quite some time. Witness their DAP’s and how they continue to fight for a spot with the “big boys” so to speak. As such, innovation comes as a result and this in turn leads to new products. The C9 is no different, but the technology used is not new, simply the implementation. And yes, Cayin has some proprietary material within that goes a long way towards bettering this product.

Using Toshiba’s 2SK209 JFET semiconductors (quad set) discrete and buffered amplification set up, the end result to me provides a typical richness of sound of which Cayin is known. Utilizing both Class-A and Class-AB in such a device draws its own issues, but with the Cayin N6ii, specifically the development of the E01 motherboard has given those engineers the practice needed for the C9. That warmth and rich signature is what I absolutely love about the E01 and the N6ii and do not even miss the balanced connectivity. In fact, that will be my baseline for testing the 3.5se source use here.



The Korg Nutube technology is fairly new (used in the N8), and I personally read about it a couple of years ago (I think). I am a bonafide tube-sound lover and when I heard Cayin was doing this, I became just a bit more intrigued. As Wiljen stated in his excellent C9 review (https://audiofool.reviews/2021/05/21/cayin-c9/) , the Nutube 6P1 “tubes” act similar to the actual 12ax7 tubes used in many tube amplifiers. Utilizing a Direct Heated Triode (DHT) and utilizing neon fluorescence for display purposes (licensed under Noritake Itron of Japan for Korg), you get that tube glow, and sound but with a miniscule amount of power compared to “real” tubes, which aids in battery life. As Will states, consider this a modern vacuum tube with improved power handling and decreased microphonics. Heat dissipation is also better since it is an enclosed circuit. But the unit does get fairly warm, so this would be another good for the foot idea-help dissipate heat. A new take on an old technology, even if I do enjoy “pinging” a good tube amp. I am also in the boat of loving a good tube-like sound, so knowing this beforehand may help to understand how I feel about what Cayin has done here.



Sound:

Summary: I will unabashedly state that over my two weeks, I used the C9 for all manners of testing from the economical IEM’s to a comparison with a similarly priced desktop DAC/Amp. From the first listen, I was taken. Using the Shanling M6 Pro (sacrilege!!!!) most of the time during the early moments for its 4.4bal connection, I was treated to a thoroughly envisioning time of full-bodied richness and warmth. Mind you not Legend X warmth, but that richness pervaded all comers. I would label this as a bit dark of signature, but not hindering if that makes sense. I have probably put close to 75 hours on the unit as a result. Mostly on Nutube and Class-A as my preferred signatory response.

This will be broken into four sections giving reference to all options available tuning-wise. You should find a preference as a result. I will note that mine differed from the two excellent reviews referenced above, which bodes well for those looking. While we three have similar tastes, coming to different conclusions about what the LIKED best is a good thing. Each will be treated separately.




Solid-State/Class-A:

Running pure solid state gives a detailed vibrancy to the signature even with what Cayin calls the “low efficient” mode. A bit harder to push the Legend X than the Nutube, and to me a bit thinner of sound. That vibrant signature comes across as extremely clean but with a bit less energetic sound. This is not meant for reference tuning, but a more laid-back signatory. I found this to be good with uplifting songs such as Los Lonely Boys Heaven. But if energy is needed, a switch of tone was called for. With a fairly liquid treble note, and (to me) mids-push, this choice would be excellent for vocal presentations, or possibly string music. This is of course countered by the Class-A’s warmer signature.


Solid-State/Class-B:

If you want more energy and intensity, then this probably has the most of the four. Los Lonely Boys comes across like you are dead center of two excellent concert monitors listening live. An aggressive tone is the result, with more push of the bass down low, and sparkle up top. The pairing with a warmer, richer IEM or headphone would benefit from this set up and easily adds vitality to the sound. While this has less warmth (leaning towards cold), do not think of this as analytical but rather purity. Coming out as the cleanest of signatures through the Legend X says that it can take a dark, warmer, rich IEM and tame it a bit. But not in a bad way. This is also the closest to the E01 motherboard in punchiness, which seems a bit odd to me as I love the iteration in the N6ii, but less so here. Not that this is bad mind you, just a bit different. If vibrancy and a sparkling personality is your flavor, then this would be the choice of the four, to me.


Nutube/Class-A:

It should make sense that this is my favored signature here for it provides the listener (me) with the closest iteration of a true tube sound. The laidback nature of Class-A coupled with the tubelike sound of the Nutube provides me with a sound very similar to my iFi Pro set up. A certain sweetness permeates my cranial matter as I enjoy this. You get less bass response, but that is all right, for the mids sound sumptuous in response. This is like playing with your fine tube amp through floor speakers when no one else is home. Euphoria saturates you to the cellular level. One could consider the treble response as polite, but it isn’t. I would call it as softer response around the edges. That edginess is gone and replaced by a melodic flowing of note. As another reviewer mentions, this is tailor-made for those types of voice similar to crooners, such as Harry Connick Jr or Frank. Sumptuous.


Nutube/Class-AB:

Adding vibrancy to a tube sound may seem like blasphemy or sacrilegious, but here it is not. For that added vibrancy of the AB you get more (and better) bass response, with the mids pushed more forward than even Solid-State/AB to me. The softening of the treble edge still remains, but the Class-AB tries to accommodate this by providing an excellent platform for the rest to shine upon. Another reviewer (both posted here) states that this combination provides most likely the most detail and euphony. This is an energetic tube-like sound, which could very well be the best of both solid state and tube sound. The density of tube sound comes back with the Class-AB, which was lost a bit in the Class-A. This actually presents a dichotomy to me as I prefer the lush rich, warmth of tube sound the most, except here where I favor the Nutube/Class-A combination.



Source:

Using the Shanling M6 Pro (Turbo DAC, which is both Class A and AB; it’s a Shanling thing) for its 4.4bal connectivity, I could happily sell all other wares, except for my workout set up and be very, very happy. Tidal through the duo sounds sublime and full. Yes, I know Tidal “Master” has replaced MQA, but I like the bit of added richness Tidal provides to the signature. Both the Legend X and LCD3 shine on this set up and this makes me happy.

Using the Cayin N6ii with the E01 motherboard may seem a bit redundant, but for the four options on the C9. Utilizing the 3.5se connectivity (but both balanced and unbalanced headphone/IEM’s) I found the pairing to be quite complementary. The excellent rich tonality of the N6ii worked effortlessly with the vibrancy to richness of tone emanating from the C9. This allowed me to tailor each song as needed or each artist.

The C9 showed its mettle across some pretty fine DAP’s and could easily hook into a desktop set up as well.


Comparison:

Cayin C9 ($2000) v iFi Black Label ($599):

One would think this is a completely unfair comparison due to the price. Those people would be only partially correct. The BL provides massive amounts of power (but uncontrolled sometimes) for the price and includes iFi signatories such as Bass Boost and 3D+. this was the first quality headphone amp I purchased and for a reason. I could tailor to specific signatures using the settings listed above and the IEM-match switch, which accommodated various impedance IEM’s. A transportable amp, which came ahead of many others, the BL is a marvel of technology and can back it up beyond the gobs of abundant power. Good sound can be tailored using the Bass Boost and 3D+ yes, but the overall signature to me belies that richness, which pervades most iFi products. I fell for it upon review, and shortly purchased one after.

But as good as the BL is, you are limited by IEM connectivity, with no balanced option. That said, you have more connectivity options source-wise than the C9, moving it nicely into the desktop realm. There are more than enough positives to make the case for the BL, even sound-wise, but the C9 is simply superb, with on the fly (easier to use) options to tailor that sound quality, on a frame, which is more accommodating to usage. You decide, both are fabulous.



Finale:

At some point you must decide a level at which you should stop. What that level is, will be completely up to you. But I challenge you to add up all you have spent on audio goods in the portable demesne (those who are new are excused, and immune so far...). Tally every DAP, every DAC, every amp you have purchased over the years. My guess is that you have spent significantly more than the price of the C9 (I know I am guilty as all get out) or you are fast approaching that level. Now, I do not fault, in fact I applaud those who are satisfied with a more economical outlook in our hobby and are completely happy. In fact, I would be a bit (quite a bit) jealous of your self-control and appreciate that satisfying outlook. You will go far in life and much left over for you to thrive upon in your older years.

But for those who have spent more, much, much more; you may just be a target for the C9 (and others, please do not take this as a slight to anyone; it isn’t). For you see sometimes a device comes along that allows you to reach that level of satiation and you are content; much the way those who value economy over price (again applauded). I reached that level in IEM and DAP with significantly different purchases. I have heard “better” of each, but those better ones do not fit my tastes preferences of said purchases. The C9 is one of those devices that comes along and knocks you silly with a reorientation of what you feel is the appropriate level. A reorganizing of your cranial matter into semi-competent thought processes of needs tied to satisfaction. You hear it. You cannot believe something such as this can sound so delicious. You cannot understand why at this price you are re-evaluating what you have in order to quantify the C9.

It is indeed expensive. More than most would ever spend, and for good reason. This is a larger purchase. But if you tally all of your purchases in this segment and realize you have spent more, this may just be the device, which realigns those purchases into sales. Sales, which can fund the one device, which will satisfy the needs across those previous purchases. Even if you squirrel away a purchase of lower price for your everyday needs, the C9 could still very well replace and replace with exemplary sound qualities the other equipment sold and you will be satisfied. You will be thoroughly satisfied I say, and it will be all right. It will be all right for your journey has taken to this point where you can sell, without regret, those lower priced items (which may be quite fine and good) with the C9, and call it a net gain, or net even in the end.

Do I wax poetically too much about the C9? Maybe, but it is of such versatility that this can be justified. With the ability to run four sound options and two types of hook ups, you have pretty much all the versatility you need. It does lack those added connectivity options, but that will be all right for the sound signature is so good you will be fine. Just fine.

I again thank Cayin and Andy Kong for the inclusion in the C9 tour. It is a fabulous unit, which while expensive can function across many levels. On to the next lucky person it goes.

VE Bonus IE ($20): Pt. 1: A Dynamic Duo from the Clan.

From the website: The Bonus IE is our second-generation IEM that we created to make a statement in the highly competitive budget sector. With the BIE, we set out to provide an IEM that offers great price-to-performance as much as the Monk Plus. It’s our personal take on how a proper IEM should sound like and how you need not pay a ridiculous amount to join the Hi-Fi world. In addition, we wanted to create an EDC IEM that is durable and reliable.

BIE

BIE Pro

Intro: In perusing Facebook on the VEClan site, I came across some disparaging remarks about Lee and the company’s offerings. Since I was a fan from the beginning of the Monk (still the best $5 spent audio-wise short of well...nothing) I quickly stated I was going to purchase one and review it. I will admit that I have been away from the offerings of VE while other items have called my attention.

Through long PM conversations, I already knew Lee was a man of serious conviction and could come across a bit gruff to some. No matter, because he was defending his work and how he approached it all. The bottom line is that it is Venture Electronics belief that all should be able to afford and listen to fine portable audio wares. No one should be separated from this pleasure. I agreed so much that over the years, I have purchased many Monk’s and distributed them to students in my homeroom class as well as fellow teachers and TA’s. The Monk sounds like a $5 top product should, provide good sound and lead into something else while keeping the listener engaged. I know many fellow audio enthusiasts who still use theirs and purchase a ready supply as needed.

Through conversations regarding the BIE Pro, Lee let on that other items would be included (all unexpected to me!). In fact, he sent the Bonus IE, the Odyssey HD, a couple of adapters (4.4 to 2.5 and 2.5 to 4.4, all balanced). It was a nice surprise and will discuss the Bonus IE first. No matter, I like both and both are worth of their own verbiage. The BIE Pro can compete with many of the other affordable Chinese offerings and should be considered in that price. The same goes for the Bonus IE.

I purchased this item with no discount other than the items mentioned above as add-ins. This has no bearing whatsoever on my review, and what I present will be an honest interpretation of each model separately. I thank Lee for the prompt service and additional material. We have talked often upon their arrival adding in necessary information as needed.

*All testing for both was done using Comply foam tips, to give a better seal, affording me to tailor the sound. The included tips are just fine, but I prefer Comply’s.

Cheers.


Specs:

Bonus IE:

Impedance: 32 Ohms
Headphone sensitivity:115db
Frequency range: 17-22000Hz
Size (diameter of shell):12mm
Driver: 10mm Dynamic Driver (N52+)
Shell: Aluminum Alloy - matte finish
Interface: 3.5mm
Cable Length: 1.2m
Cable: 99.99% OFC 4x32x0.06mm
Headphone plug type: straight PLUG
Whether with Mic and remote: Optional


BIE Pro:

Much of the same with an SLQ cable and MMCX connectivity

In The Box:

IEM-Cable attached
Case
4 sets (s, m, l, xl) silicon tips


Gear Used/Compared:

CCA CSE ($15)
Apesonic Rain ($44)
NiceHCK X49 ($11)
CCA CA2 ($12)
Kinera BD005 Pro ($49)
BIE or BIE Pro depending ($20 & $69)

MBP
HiBy R3 Pro Sabre
XDuoo XA-10
EarMen Eagle
iFi Zen CAN/DAC


Songs:

Alex Fox
Pink Floyd
Buena Vista Social Club
Elton John
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Shane Hennessy
Jeff Beck
Dave Matthews


Unboxing:

The units came in their own square soft case, protected well. Additional tips are included.



Technicals:

The Bonus IE is the second iteration of an IEM from VE and uses the N52+ Magnetic bio-composite diaphragm 10.3mm dynamic driver. While many manufacturers are utilizing smaller DD’s such as 6mm to 9mm, the VE unit continues with what used to be the standard. Even with the bullet shaped housing, you can still fit a larger driver, hence the size of this one. For the price, the cable is attached, and there are some microphonics associated with the unit. For the price, the driver works and is sized to provide a solid foundation.


Fit/Finish/Build:

The pictures on the VWE website do justice to the Bonus IE (BIE from now on). Sleek of shape and with a good fit, the BIE sends all the right vibes. Formed from two halves the matte silver finished metallic shell fits together well and looks the part. A nice grate over the nozzle also prevents ear junk from falling in. A vent hole directly on the back allows the DD to breathe. Carefully placing my fingers over the holes and without adding pressure, thus inserting the unit further into my ear canal, I could sense a difference. Less bass was present when the vent hole was covered.

The cable is a plain two strand plastic sheathed OFC wire. A Y-splitter with a plastic cinch strap takes care of the top, while a straight 3.5se jack the bottom. I get a sense of a good 3.5mm interconnect cable, and that is all right in my book. No harm, no foul. Fit of the BIE is good as well, allowing deep insertion, even with the bullet shape. It does stick out a bit, but I never had a problem with the unit shifting positions with either silicon or Comply’s. Is this what you would expect from a $20 bullet-shaped IEM? Yes, and that is enough.




Sound:

Synopsis:

From the first iteration of the Monk, I became a fan of the VE sound. Robust, rich and full of bass; the Monk sounded better than it had a right to. Many do not like it, but that is all right. It cost $5 and is an easy toss-in for the gym bag, commuter bag, travel bag for when you forget your others. Or an excellent loaner to those who do not understand us. Once they listen, they ask questions. And that is when you know we have them hooked. I used to give a Monk to every student in my homeroom class at the end of the year. It was worth it. So from that humble, but boisterous beginning; Wild Lee was born and set the portable audio world on fire. Knowing full well that you must innovate or die, Lee and his engineer kept up with the hits, specifically the Zen. Many balked at the cost, until they heard them. Well, on the heels of that success came the BIE and BIE Pro amongst others. I will admit that I lost track as reviews took precedence and it was by chance, I came across a “disagreement” about the sound. For the price many espoused, you get exactly what you pay for. A solid foundation, which oozes bass character, but not without forgetting the treble note and mids. Not the most coherent, but not meant to be, the BIE follows in direct ascendance from its grandfather. Providing more of a sound than it has a right to, the bass comes across as sumptuous and full bodied. Guitar work is distinct, if not the cleanest and vocals are melancholic to vibrant depending upon the star who is singing. The BIE was meant for Billie Eilish and Dave Matthews but plays equally as well with Alex Fox and Big Head Todd & The Monsters.

In-depth:

In talking to a colleague, we both agree that the BIE sounds just like a VE should...better than it has a right to, in all honesty. And that is such a positive that it seems to get lost in the $5 Monk stigma from yore, which is a shame. Lee has produced what is to me fabulous bass, complete with a deep reach and what I will call a “blossom” into the mids. I would not call it bloom or bleed, for it seems to aid in the signature leading into the mids. To me a somewhat classic V-shape lends itself to hard rock where you want that deep hard-hitting bass that sounds superb, especially where you need to separate and isolate yourself from the surroundings. Deep, rich and full of vibrancy, Pink Floyd’s Great Gig In The Sky is to die for...I think the whole planet is in love with that solo. I know I am. Follow that with Comfortably Numb, and you are indeed in $20 heaven.

While the bass does cross over into the mids, they hold their own, especially when it comes to vocals. Roger Waters sounds just like he should, raspy, vibrant and almost piercing with that lower guttural sound. The purity of his voice, while also being guttural is presented in good form from the BIE. Falling a bit behind the rest of the signature, I do wish for a more even sense from all of this. But that V-shape does lend itself well to this signature, without worrying too much about the mids, which could be described as polite and not wanting to intrude.

Thankfully treble does not reach too high to counter the lows of the bass. Tamed or held back a bit, I find it pleasing with good cymbal response, if a bit withdrawn. Mind you this suits me with my treble intolerances. Plus, I would not consider this too little up top for those who also value a good note with air and clarity from that upper region. Call it the sum of the parts working better together than the individual parts. If you dissect too much you may be disappointed, so don’t; just enjoy the overall texture and signature.



Soundstage is of average to good width, and adequate height. A bit shallow to me (genre dependent), this characteristic lends itself to a frontal presence, which is pleasing, and you do not miss that depth with songs, which promote depth. Think of being front row in a bar concert. You don’t care what is behind you, for you only care of what is right in front of you. And that is enough to me. Separation suffers a bit, but not enough to bother me. Running a single dynamic driver has its limits at this price, and it is thoroughly acceptable. Alex Fox’s disco version of Guitar On Fire is a perfect case. One does not go to a dance club for the clarity and superb sound. One goes to dance and move. And here when thought of that way, the BIE is true and honest. A perfect example of what a rocking $20 sound should be. Do others of the two and three letter variety best the BIE in clarity? Yes, but you do not miss it for the involvement of them can be quite lacking. Not here. You are dropped into a full-on concert no matter the genre, and as a result layering is sufficient enough to allow you to float between levels. Instruments meld together again making the whole greater than the sum. And for this I am all in for that summary of sound.


Comparisons:

VE Bonus IE ($20) v CCA CSE ($15):

Contacted by a vendor, I agreed to take on the CCA CSE for it is affordable and comes with a single DD and single BA. I for one am happy to see companies such as CCA going simple and working on simple designs instead of the multi-driver conglomerates. I find the CSE thoroughly pleasing with excellent bass reach and very good note up top. Competing very well with the BIE, with better air between the notes, the CSE should be considered in this price range. But I found one part to be a bit of a concern to me: there is a tinny sound to the upper mids, which to me should be tuned out. If not for that I would rate the CSE on par with the BIE; but since that particular sound is quite intrusive to me, the BIE gets my vote here.


VE Bonus IE ($20) v Apesonic Rain ($44):

Similar of bass reach and warmth, the Rain (& purple cable) aim for that V-shaped signature but with a richness that not many have in this range. With better air as well, the Rain is more midcentric. Call it a V-shaped-midcentric sound. Those mids to me come across as vibrant, but a bit pinched and forward. Countering good bass, the mids try and overshadow the treble and bass, almost ruining what could be a very good tuned unit. If you prefer a midcentric vocal forward signature, the Rain is good for that. Coherency is a bit better as well, but for sheer fun factor, the BIE trumps the Rain.


VE Bonus IE ($20) v NiceHCK X49 ($11):

When offered the X49, I looked at the price and had some consternation. But knowing the respect Mr. Nicehck’s had across the board, I waited. And after reviewing the mini-bullet shaped IEM, I understood what the respect was for. Providing a thoroughly pleasant signature at a very affordable price follows what Lee has done at VE. I will never fault that of anyone. I called the X49 one of my favorite budget IEM’s of all-time. For $11 you cannot go wrong, much like with the $5 Monk. With regard to the BIE, it is like VE took the X49 and said, OK this is what we can do to complement that at $20. The X49 has very good coherency for the price, but due to its diminutive size cannot match the BIE for sheer bass. It isn’t meant to nor should it be thought of that way. It is an excellent economical IEM, which should be kept close at hand for those quick listening times or for when you forget your normal commuters. That said, the BIE will now also accompany my go-bag everywhere as well. Both should be included in your go-bags and listened to often.


VE Bonus IE ($20) v CCA CA2 ($12):

Coming from another vendor, the CA2 is a single DD meant for one thing...bass. Promoted as a

“heavy-bass earphone,” the CA2 certainly rings true to that. I find its level of bass quite intoxicating, especially for the price. Not the most coherent, but not meant to be; the CA2 is a pretty amazing IEM for $12. Not quite on par overall as the X49 or BIE, but if you desire bass first and can stand a bit of mid-pinched compression, the CA2 is quite good. That said, it suffers that same tinny tonality of the CSE, which limits my like of it. Plus, I really, REALLY wish the “letter conglomerate” would find a better cable. This cable is used across multiple platforms & multiple IEM’s, and it still tangles far too much. Get your stuff together and make a cable, which does not tangle such as this...oh and include a case!!!


VE Bonus IE ($20) v Kinera BD005 Pro ($49):

I have heard many Kinera models, and it seems they are constantly searching for their niche in the market. Subject to some issues, they produce(d) many value-oriented IEM’s as well as some more expensive models. I liked many of them when taken in isolation. But, when it comes to the BD005 Pro, it seems Kinera has hit that niche. Providing an almost antithetical Far East sound, which is warm, rich and with as pleasant amount of bass one could be forgiven when thinking this could be from a US manufacturer, or Euro sound. Such is the richness of texture presented in the BD005P. I find it thoroughly satisfying when Alex Fox comes along with his superb guitar solos. That warmth makes me think of a Spanish beach and all is well. The BIE has better bass reach, but a bit less control. Mids are a bit better controlled in the Kinera, and there is a pinch of over-sparkle in the BD as well. Not grating, but close. If you prefer a richness of sound, with a bit less bass and a warmth of sound, which gives you the warm & fuzzies, the Kinera would work. The BIE is for that more immersive time and bass when you go full in.


VE Bonus IE ($20) v BIE or BIE Pro depending ($20 & $69):

On second thought, kept separate because I want to keep each distinct...


Finale:

This was a wonderful surprise. When Lee mentioned to me, he was sending some other items (all in another review, except the BIE Pro), I had no idea to booty he would include. He’s serious about improving the brand and the items within. If you have checked out his videos (a very nice addition to what he does) he has laid out much. I for one am eagerly anticipating the future for VE because of this and because of the Bonus IE (properly named here, because it deserves to be named that way). The Bonus IE has monstrous bass. So much so, that even my EE Legend X and Hero have applauded in respect. That says a lot, and I am willing to bet late at night the trio gets together so the more expensive bass units extraordinaire can pass along tidbits to the younger, more affordable unit.

We look to our listening devices to gain pleasure. We look to our listening devices to get away. We look to our listening devices for encouragement and compassion. We look to our listening devices to keep our sanity, or to while the hours away on a long ride or commute. We do this because it provides us solace and peace going into a tough day. Other times we use it to unwind or wind up as the case may be. We do all of the above because we can. And the ultimate expression of the above is that it makes us happy and content. And if our listening can make us content, then that is enough. And the Bonus IE makes me happy. Very, very happy. It is a superb example of what an IEM can sound like for $20usd. To say it has vaulted to the top of my list at the sub-$50 IEM range is a very mild understatement. If you like massive bass, than can be a bit overwhelming to those who are not of the bass heavy persuasion, then you owe it to yourself, your significant other and your dog (dogs are cool, and dogs are the best) to run to your keyboard and purchase the Bonus IE. You may only listen to it occasionally, but it will indeed put a smile on your face and make you happy it did.

I thank Lee for including the Bonus IE in my purchase of the BIE Pro (review forthcoming). He asked me to start here with this review, and after listening to both he need not have worried. The Bonus IE can and does stand on its own.