TONALITY: 7/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8/10
TIMBRE: 7/10
IMAGING: 8/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 7.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 6.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 7/10
SOUND VALUE: 8/10


INTRO

Oriveti is a Chinese earphones company founded in 2015.
I've review and adore their flagship balanced basshead IEM call OH700VB.
Today I will review their entry level IEM call OD100.
Priced only 70$, the OD100 is a single dynamic driver IEM promising high sound value and using a 9.2mm DLC (diamond-like-coated) dynamic driver.
Let see in this review if this is an IEM that can truely compete in most unforgiving price range of them all: sub-100$ hypertrophy chifi IEMs market.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The construction of OD100 is all made of high grade CNC milled metal which is polished and glossy, very smooth in hands, small in size and seems tremendously sturdy for long time durability.
The 2pin connector feel sturdy but their are slightly recessed and has oval shape which will create mini gap with some cable.
The Nozzle is short and since the desgin is thinked for around hear, i find the fit a bit problematic and prompt of falling from my ears.



The included cable is a 4 cores silver plated cable of good quality. It's well built and feel sturdy, it's above average cable for a 70$ IEM.

Rest of accessories are minimal, but again of good quality. The carrying case is very good, it's solid and thick and has enough space for 2 cables and some extra IEMs. This is a very welcome accessory. Other one are 8 pairs of eartips including 3 pairs of memory foams. Again, very good.








SOUND IMPRESSIONS


The tonality of OD100 can be summarized as balanced V shape to bright neutral with slight mid bass boost and a main focus on treble, it’s near analytical and highly resolved with boosted presence of instruments that are loud. It isn’t suggested for those that are sensitive to lower treble and female vocal loudness since this is quite forward, upper treble too is upfront and quite impressive in extension past 10khz, which is something very rare in the sub-100$ price range.

The bass isn’t for basshead at all, it has a warmish punch to it that feels mellow, not hard hitting nor very high. The bass line presence is more boosted than their body which is a bit thin but it’s well textured and their this much needed attack bite for double bass or electric bass that add a sense of energy to the bassist playing while not offering proper rumble or dense resonance release of infra bass.
This makes bass line definition brighter than kick drum which is more about physical presence, about gentle ‘’oomph’’ hitting without the best separation with lower mids.
Due to the whole treble being more upfront of bass and mids, the drum dynamic is understated and a bit distant while its percussions feel detached and more upfront as if we have 2 different drummers in different positions of the stage.
When I say mid bass is boosted, it’s in the sub bass lead too, which means we can have a good slam especially with modern pop music that uses digital instruments, the issue is mostly for acoustic music. So, this is a niche bass, not a versatile and natural one.Don’t expect hard clean thump nor a perfect definition.
All in all, this isn’t bad bass per se, but sub bass is rolled off and lacks natural release and the dynamic feel overly damped in attack.

The mid range is bright and transparent, open sounding but leaner in dynamic than the rest of the spectrum, apart from upper mids which are quite boosted and favor female vocals in terms of immediacy and loudness. This can cause fatigue and some sibilance too, depending on source matching, this is problematic with neutral bright source like Xduoo X20 while with a warm dongle like Penon Tail the sibilance isn’t invasive but vocals are still very upfront.
The piano on the other hand feels a bit recessed and thin and light in note weight, yet its resolution is good, tone wise it lacks a bit of low harmonic fullness and sound dry to crisp depending on pitch range.
For saxophone, we have the same treatment as female vocalists. Due to the lack of low harmonic, it can feel a bit over centered and compressed, as well, it can be borderline shouty when the saxophonist goes loud and high pitch.
Timbre wise, it’s not the most natural and tends to lack warmth to glue together texture details and air vibrancy.
All in all, I'm not a fan of this mid range which is the main qualm for me with this IEM. I've heard way worse but upper mids emphasis is too much and sense of fullness isn’t there. Male vocalists are more favored in presence brightness and can feel too hot at times, we miss the baritone lush deep tone as well.

Now for the treble it’s both the highlight and ‘’sword of Damocles’’ of OD100, in the sense it’s what impress the most in term of technical prowess and high resolution achievement, but it’s the type of highs that can go unbalanced when it come to percussions, putting it too forwards to the point of distracting the listener from main instrument.
For example, in a jazz trio i'll be able to track double bass line and percussions more easily than kick drum and piano, it’s its saxo, it will feel a bit better balanced in loudness and dynamic, but the extremely snappy, sparkly and speedy percussions will still force my focus to follow their rhythm section to the detriment of full harmonious composition.
Nonetheless, the wow effect is there and the treble head will be impressive for sure. The highs are airy, it has a lot of shimmer, it’s cleanest part of the spectrum and has a sharp attack with boosted brilliance.
When it comes to instruments like violin, presence is notably more favored than harmonic density, it’s edgy in attack which can deal with fast playing yet it’s not a lush tone and can feel a bit grainy.
For acoustic guitar, harps or Kora instrument of Ballaké Sissoko, this kind of treble is magnifying crispness of instrument presence, permit sharp attack lead with an airy sparkly release but it can feel a bit thin and overly metallic too, depending of your musical appreciation this can go from wow to What appreciation.
This means that OD100 is generous in micro details too, thus the near analytical musicality I perceive.
All in all, this isn't the best treble in terms of balance but in terms of performance It's good for it's price.

The Soundstage isn’t bad but nothing really impressive, it’s deeper and taller than wider so it can feel a bit in your head.

The Imaging is quite good for the price, but not very realistic so it’s not suggested for monitoring purposes when it comes to mixing but for stage musicians like female vocalist, saxophonist or classical guitarist it can be a good entry level choice.



COMPARISONS



VS SIMGOT EA500LM

The LM is crisper, more transparent and open sounding as well as leaning more to smooth U shape signature, which make the OD100 sound brighter balanced V shape.

LM bass offer wider slam with more sub bass resonance and extension, it’s more mellow in mid bass punch which is warmer and more rounded with OD100. Bass separation is better layered with LM, bass lines are more textured and less ‘’one toned’’.

Mids are more recessed and less crisp with the OD100, female vocals are more upfront and prompt to shouting and sibilance, their presence is less open and transparent, texture grain is more boosted with OD100. LM mids are a bit thinner and colder.

Treble is notably superior with LM both in micro details retrieval and attack control, which is more snappy, speedy. It extended further so it’s more sparkly and airy. OD100 is more edgy and crunchy in attack, treble is brighter but dryer and rolls off faster. It gets congested faster too.

Soundstage is notably wider and deeper with LM.

Imaging is from another league: more accurate and clean, positioning is sharper and layering more transparent.

All in all, Simgot EA500 is from another league in terms of technical performance and offers a more cohesive and balanced musicality too, which extends further both in bass and treble.

VS Whizzer HE01

HE01 is basically a warmer-darker V shape version of OD100, with more open and natural musicality.

Bass punch is similar but has more sub bass extension and release which is thicker and less compressed, more vibrant and wider in headroom too, thus the slightly warmer tonality.

Then mids are notably smoother yet vocal presence opens up more, embraces the listener with more grandeur, female vocals are less aggressive and shouty and has lusher thicker timbre. Note weight is greater too with HE01 as well as timbre is ultimately more pleasant and less boosted in presence brightness.

Treble is less edgy, less crisp and clean with the HE01, definition of percussion feels more hazy and violin lacks proper attack edge, so overall highs are darker and more colored, sound info are greater with OD100.

Soundstage is wider and taller with HE01, while slightly deeper with OD100.

Imaging of both these IEM is average, so on par here.

Overall performance is similar here but the tonality is better balanced, more musical and natural with the HE01. OD100 sounds a bit more technical and is less warm and bassy-rumbly than HE01.

CONCLUSION

Coming from Oriverti OH700VB, listening to OD100 is quite a shift in terms of musicality which is brighter and less lush and bassy.

Here I'm not talking about the technical performance of 8x pricier OH700VB but the tonal balance which is notably smoother and even if more bass, it feels more mid centric too, and for me both bass and mids are the Achilles heel of OD100.

It doesn't trigger fun even if slightly V shape, nor impress with details retrieval even if pumped up in brightness.

Those OD100 are certainly not for upper mids sensitive listeners which will find high pitch instrument and vocal release too aggressive, then it might be a good choice for treble head but the quality isn’t really there since it’s a bit splashy.

While not plain bad, OD100 is an IEM that struggle to compete in extremely prolific sub-100$ price range, so for me it’s:

Half recommended!


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PS: I want to thanks Oriveti for sending me this review sample.

You can order the OD100 for 70$ from official Amazon store here (non-affiliated link): https://www.amazon.com/ORIVETI-OD100-Detachable-Ear-Headphones/dp/B0CK5WB42G

TONALITY: 8.8/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.5/10
TIMBRE: 9/10
IMAGING: 7.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 9.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
ACCESSORIES: 9.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.5/10

INTRO

Soundrhyme is a chinese audio company from Xiamen, China, that begin working as OEM maker in 2017 then founded Soundrhyme official in 2019.
Like alot of other chinese company working as OEM in audio, they earn experience working for other and then go on their own with the experience they earn.

Unlike alot of chifi companies that get unnoticed, SR already has a solid fan base, thanks to their cost effect hybrid 1DD+4BA SR5, then apart their entry level SR1, it seem every of their release get positive reception.

In my case, it was the 1DD+6BA SR7 that trigger great interest in this company that don’t tune IEM with Harman target as reference, which is a blessing for me that prefer warm or sweet mids that don’t create shouty fatigue. The SR7 was a big love story and something still extremely competitive one year after it’s launch.

Them based on graph balance, I’ve selected the DTE500 to review because i’m a big fan of tribrid using sonion EST and well, the graph seem to promess lush bassy sweetness.

Priced 460$, the DTE500 is a 1DD+2BA (sonion for mids, knowles for highs)+2 sonion electrostat (EST), this price alone worth to trigger our attention since it’s among cheapest tribrid of this type.

Now let see in this review if it deliver a mix of musicality and technical performance that should make curious our wallet.



CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The DTE500 are pure candies for they eyes, and every time i share pics of those i get wow effect comments. The housing is average to big size depending your ears size, it’s made of skin friendly medical grade resin plastic that is very smooth and their a glossy finish over eyes catching sparkly gold leaves. This is a IEM that feel like kilobucks in eyes and hands and the smooth CIEM organic shape permit a high level of isolation.

Why? Because it’s fully sealed. Which mean their no proper venting too for pressure release, this can cause rare instance of driver flex squeaky noise, but it doesn’t affect negatively the sound experience once it’s insert. Yet, it’s something to be noted for those sensitive about that.



The top has a 2pin connector that isn’t recessed, so be cautious to don’t bent the pin. I don’t struggle slipping them into female connector and insertion isn’t too loose nor too tight.

The nozzle is average long with an organic ear canal like shape, it’s large too and has 3 tubed holes, this mean you should be aware ti not block any with too small ear tips nozzle. It’s more thinked for shallow fit than very deep fit.

All in all, excellent construction and personally, the benefit oof high isolation surpass negativity of intermittent driver flex for me.



Now, when it come to the cable, we are well spoit with a 3in1 modular, It’s a single crystal copper plated thick silver cable, the material is full of 48 cores in each core. 6 strands 0.06X7 0.1X1 coaxial twisted Litz structure weave, the skin uses transparent and environmental protection TPU material, visible real material. The quality feel excellent and the signal transmission is clean and crisp, which benefit warm tonality of DTE500.



In term of packaging, we are spoil again with a very generous amount of goods. It come not with one but 2 high quality case. One in metal that feel invincible and will be perfect for survivalist wanting to stay audiophile in upcoming apocalypse, and a second one more elegant, made of leather and spacious enough.
Then we have 2 pairs of memory foams tips and 3 pairs of wide bore silicone eartips. Oddly enough, no short wide bore eartips, which is the one I find more appropriate for an IEM with big nozzle.

All in all, very positive construction and accessories impressions.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



The DTE500 balance can be perceived as bassy mid centric to smooth neutral with sub bass boost, it has a colorful buttery character to it, free of harsh edge or texture abrasiveness.

The overall timbre is buttery, liquid and organic, very smooth and rarely if ever sharpened or boosted in noise info. We are into sonion balanced armature sweetness, well filter-damped and very sweet to their ears, not bity or sketchy.

The bass is warm, dense and mellow in impact yet meaty in potent weight. It has good rumble sustain that adds a sense of vibrancy to slam release as well as cello stroke, which can go grunty with softened distortion stridency.
It’s not what i would call a fast and thigh bass, and it shine more with slow music genre like soul, R&B, pop and rap than fast rock or jazz with complex rhythm section where kick drum need fast edge to it’s attack, which will be lacking with the DTE500 softed thumping and creamy bass line.
Yet, it doesn’t mean it blurs the mid range with its inherent warmth release, thanks to tribrid configuration, the mids are layered upon this wide chunky lush bass response.
Cello lover will be in for alot of joy, since the restitution is natural and magnify in lush density, you will never confound cello with violin with the DTE500.
I find this bass to pair very well with soul, r&B and pop due to big rumbly slam with pleasant colorful timbre.
Overall bass can be summarized as dark in definition, tactile in density, right in tone but creamed in texture details, it favor bass line before kick presence, which isn’t very clean nor easily readable.



The mids are the best part of the show for me, instruments and vocals are sweet like honey without being too sticky. The layering is open yet embraces you intimately, making the DTE500 mid centric and focused on acoustic instruments like piano, saxo, cello and violin but without the upper mids bite and abrasiveness.
But let’s begin with female vocals, those are magnificently smooth, lush and natural with a wide and full presence free of any sibilance, harshness or shoutyness, these aren’t plain loud and screamy yet forward due to wide and well layered delivery.
Breathy vocals will never lack air, while soprano will never pierce your ear drum, it’s pure delicacy that captivate and immerse for long listening pleasure free of fatigue or tone over brightening that can affect cohesion of an enveloping liquid musicality.
Piano lover will be in heaven with the DTE500 since the tone is full and rendering don’t have sudden high pitch note loudness that will unsettled the listener, it’s fast and laid back playin that favor color naturalness without adding much edge or texture info to note, each stroke release wide note with a lush sustain to it that blossom in air and keep it’s layering. In jazz trio, pianist will be focus but not in a monitoring way, more like if you were sit back of piano and get spoil with fullness of instrument resonance, united way so you don’t pick up too much finger or string noise nor the infamous Glenn Gould weirdo singing.
These are very sweet mids for sure, with a wide presence that is sirupy not papery or plasticy at all, BA timbre hater will be very happy: the sonion BA is sugared.
Then the note weight is heavy but don’t have edgy tapping to it, it’s no analytical mid range here, it’s intimate and immersive, as well I would not suggest those to Harman target lover cause pina gain and upper mids boost will feel to low and I guess they will be deaf feeling.



And now the smooth near dark treble which is sparkly and brilliant too, and organically balanced, is something unique in my audio journey which means it’s hard to describe too. It’s like trying to explain the form delimitation of an impressionistic painting. It’s there, it’s rich and far from dull, the extension passes the 10khz bar and even has air but it’s not a bright and crunchy treble, it doesn't boost texture grain nor micro details, even bad recording will be forgiven with the DTE500 gentle highs.
It means it’s colored too, and thickens with extra lower harmonics.
The violin flow without abrasive bite in attack lead, it’s liquid and dense, smooth in presence loudness but wide and holographic, it never feel recessed or off tone but super fast playin of Hilary Hann will be harder to read since each note will not have proper clean silence between them, it’s glued with euphonic warmth.
The 2 EST seem to focus on percussion rendering and this adds an extra dimension to the sound, it’s crisp and speedy this time yet doesn't feel detached due to intimate presentation as a whole and not too loud ultra highs. This adds a sense of well needed immediacy to jazz, pop and R&B by sharpening the presence of a percussions line which is easy to track. Those have this appealing natural brilliance and metallic snap too, which only EST or very good DD can offer.
This mean the acoustic guitar too sound fabulous, and that when you go bass less music like with folk singer songwriter, the result will be mesmerizing, the vocalist will have focused presence with wide lush natural timbre and it’s guitar playing will be clean, airy and sparkly, not lacking in fundamental note nor in inherent crispness of it’s string pulling and release.
To my ears, this is a very refined treble, a bit like adding EST to Final E5000 IEM, it’s non fatiguing yet captivating, and the fact it’s not analytical keep a part of mystery to your music that you want to get lost in, as well, EST deliver delicate vividity, not a trebly in your face snapping and sparkling, it’s anti splashing in fact and ultimately very sane for your hearing health.

With the right eartips, soundstage can go quite wide and tall, but never really deep, it’s like an intimate cocoon you wanna hide in, the center stage isn’t recessed and you’r in the middle of it which explain it’s not far away and hall like sounding. It’s a stereo tapestry that is well stretched and doesn't scoop frontal projections which embrace you.

Then, if we are in warm territory, it means it’s no monitor IEM accuracy but all this driver's permit an impressively open and holographic macro dynamic with good layering that avoids muddyness. If I can be esoteric, I'll say the soul (tone) of instruments are better layered than their edgy presence, but ultimately, it’s quite hard to properly position instruments since you melt into them.



Side notes:

At 17ohm of impedance and 112db of sensitivity, DTE500 are easy to drive but a bit source picky, they will not like alot of impedance gain yet need good power to wake up EST drivers too. This happen with all tribrid with EST i own (7), they shine with humble Xduoo X20 which has lower than 1ohm of impedance and no bass boost, with Penon Tail or Xduoo XD05plus it can go too warm and bassy for ex.

Then the ear tips are very important, since the nozzle is thick and have 3 hole you need a proper wide bore to open up soundstage otherwise their will be interference between soundwave which compress and mess up imaging and spatiality.

Then, cables will inflict too but the stock one is good enough, you can still scale up with something like Simgot LC7 (dont pass 100$ bar for cable upgrade since it's conter intuitive).


COMPARISONS



VS KINERA URD (2DD+1BA+2EST-650$)

The Urd is more U shaped and less mids centric and punchy.

The bass has less slam and chunk to it, it’s thinner and more resonant, less warm and thick in rumble.

The mids are again thinner, a notch bright and their more upper mids push, the definition is more edgy and sense of transparency and openness is higher. It seems more recessed too, more compressed in presence of instrument, less lush and natural in timbre, less vocal centric and lighter in note weight of piano too.

The treble is cleaner, thinner and dryer with the Urd, it’s less energetically snappy, more tamed in dynamic, less full in rendering. Brilliance and sparkle are more lively with the DTE500.

The soundstage is wider with DTE500, but not as tall and deep as the airier Urd.

Imaging isn’t masterful with both of these, even if more transparent in layering, Urd feel like a flat sheet with extra bass boost and upper mids push, it isn't as tactile and well articulate in sound layer wich feel on same level, percussions are easier to pinpoint with the DTE500 and mids and bass is fuller and more realistically articulate than the Urd.

All in all, unless bass warmth traumatize you, the DTE500 is superior both tonally and technically, the odd choice of using only one BA for mids and low-mid treble show the limitation of macro dynamic rendering which ultimately play big part of musical experience, this make me say: DTE500 is perfect upgrade from priciest Urd if you want as smooth overall balance with lusher mids, more natural and impactful bass and snappier treble.

VS LETSHUOER EJ07M (1DD+2BA+4EST-660$)

The OJ07M is more neutral, transparently bright and crisper and more airy sparkly.

Everything sounds cleaner as well as thinner with EJ07M, and clarity is notably higher.

The bass is less chunky and has thinner mid bass to lower mids transition, it’s more mature but can deliver a good amount of rumble when asked for which is less opaque and lush than DTE500 slower, warmer and darker bass.

Mids are crisper and more open, it’s monitor level in terms of edgy clarity, upper mids are brighter and timbre for vocals isn’t as sweet and natural, male vocals are notably thinner and overall mids seem a bit more recessed and compressed in the middle of stage.

Treble is notably more vivid and sparkly, it’s snappier and extracts a greater amount of sound info, it has more air and whole percussion range is well resolved while DTE500 will add warmth to it which makes highs a bit thicker and less sharp in definition.

Soundstage is notably wider with the DTE500, while notably deeper and cleaner-airier with EJ07M.

Imaging is a league ahead with the EJ07M, no competition here.
All in all, these 2 should marry together since they complement each other so well, i can see myself living with only these 2 IEMs ... .if i was forced to. Simply put, EJ07M is the technical beast while DTE500 the musical beauty.


CONCLUSION



While no end game in term of technicalities, it might be for some in term of musicality since the DTE500 excell to deliver a rich immersive and fun musical experience with natural timbre, inviting male and female vocal, smooth fatigue free overal balance and even crispness on top.

Yet, we are spoil with tonal goodness with the DTE500, but you need to lover lower mids and overall warm tonality, when I say no end game in performance, I mean it's not a technical sounding tribrid but it certainly not underwhelming in this department too! The holographic effortless layering that surround listener will sure impress, and the EST treble while not boosted to please treble heads and pierce the one of other, is something highly fascinating that add this technical superiority, mixed with an overal relaxed and warm tonality from dynamic and balanced armature drivers.

As an audiophile with more than 10 years of critical listening experience, I learn that lot of IEM are tuned like monitor and don't magnify musical experience for the soul but the brain, this ultimately push me further from music and being able to reconnect with my very wide variety of music with the DTE500 is a true blessing.

If you are an harman tuning lover, stay away of those, but for anybody else that seek ultimate musical experience in sub-500$ price range, this is a good bet because it's the cheapest tribrid with EST and one of the best too in term of lush natural balance.

Very Highly recommended (unless you want clean analytical sound and consider warmth as mud)





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PS: I want to thanks Penon for sending me this review sample after i manifest my interest to test them. Unlike many SEO obsess audio store that use affiliated program to redeem their reviewers, Penon don't do this and this is why I collab with them: i refuse all affiliated programs and despise them.


You can order the Soundrhyme DTE500 for 459$ here: https://penonaudio.com/sound-rhyme-dte500.html

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 9/10
TIMBRE: 9/10
IMAGING: 9/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8.2/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
ACCESSORIES: 7.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 7.5/10 (higher is the price, lower is sound benefit return)


INTRO

Hifiman is a well known audio company from China that specialize in planar headphones and make a wide range of other products including DAP, DAC-AMPs, IEMs, Dynamic and even electrostatic headphones.
It's been a long time since I've been a fan of their headphones. My first real crush began with the competitively priced Hifiman Sundara that I still consider among the finest sub-500$ planar headphones.
Then, if you read my last review of HE1000 V3, you’ll understand it detrone Sundara and anything else in terms of extremely addictive musicality with excellent technical chops too, in a non analytical or resolution boosted way.
Today I will review something exotic from Hifiman, the full size closed back planar Audivina.
Priced 2000$ (but available at lower price if you search well), the Audivina is a reference grade closed back planar headphone using latest Stealth technology, and as stated by Hifiman it is thinking for studio use, and promise great soundstage and pristine imaging for this very purpose, within an overall neutral tuning.

Let's see in this review if this means you can’t enjoy the musicality of Audivina out of a studio purpose.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The construction of Audivina is sumptuous and Hifiman connoisseurs will recognize some parts used for other of their flagship headphones like the metal headband of HE1000.The material is a mix of metal, plastic and wood.This is what captivates the attention, the big wooden cups that are made of solid yet not too weighty willow wood. The wood pattern and color are delectable and the finish is smooth with light varnish.




The metal headband holder feels sturdy and has good flexibility and the shape produces a smooth clamping force that isn’t hurtful. The real leather headband has holes in it to avoid getting how you barely feel it on your head, yet it is holded with a piece of plastic that can be a matter of worry if you hit it hard on something.
The ear cups are very big and this is a blessing for me because my closed back is often too small for my slightly big ears, so this is true universally around ears closed back.




The ears cushions are very thick and made of memory foam that isn’t too soft or hard, it’s extremely comfortable for long listening sessions and micro perforation seems to avoid getting too warm like it often happens with leather cushions pads.
These cups are fully swivable too, so it can shape your head precisely.

The cup holder seems made of plastic, but I'm not certain, it can be metal too since it’s very hard and feels sturdy.



Only part of the headphones I find a bit questionable is the plastic around the wooden ear cups. This time I'm certain it’s plastic and it feels light and a bit cheap, it doesn’t favor the overall aesthetic too and there is a slight gap between cups that I find odd. I nitpick here, but with expensive headphones we expect perfection and it’s not exactly the case here.
Finally, we have a 2x3.5mm female connector for the cable, under the cup. The jack is made of black plastic, I would expect gold plated metal here or something more prime. Again, I push my nitpicking to its limit.



The included cables are alright and it’s nice to get 3 of them to cover all need, but don’t expect end game cabless either. It’s basic cable quality but not bad to the point I feel the urge to upgrade. We have 1x 3 meter long XLR cable, 1x3 meter long 6.35mm cable and 1x1.5m 3.5mm cable.It’s not stated the type of cable material, but i guess it’s high purity copper, sound transmission wise the do the job, as well it’s an improvement over other Hifiman cable included with Ananda, Sundara etc, because they are flexible and smooth. Nonetheless, I don't use 3m long cable and I wish there was a 4.4mm balanced+XLR adapter instead of 3m long XLR.



The unboxing is very minimalist and I'm one of those that like it this way. Package is eco-friendly and comes in a box that can be recycled. Everything is highly fit in it and apart from the 3 cables, we have a very nice headphones carrying case that is small enough and sturdy enough to really protect those precious Audivina. I wish this high quality case was included with HE1000 too.
All in all accessories are varied and generous enough but the consumers who are very demanding in terms of packaging presentation will be underwhelmed in that regard.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS


(Source used are all 1W@32ohm and above apart the Fiio KA17 which is 650mW)

Let’s begin by stating Hifiman don’t hide the fact this closed back planar are thinked for studio use, and in that regard they not only excel but offer an accessible enough musicality too, which is bright but smooth enough for long listening session, which is a plus for both monitoring and laid back listening pleasure.

Then, unlike most of Hifiman headphones, those are closed back, the plus are extra isolation but i can’t say it’s the most intense in that aspect, the con is about spatial openness, it doesn’t go out of you head in a very expensive way, it’s intimate and focus on center stage first and foremost. If the sub bass was too boosted, there will be bass cons too, but it’s not the case here.

So as expected, the Audivina offers a neutral tonality, which is lean but not dull sounding or lacking dynamic heft. In fact, I feel a ‘’flat’’ W shape signature here in terms of liveliness. It’s gently bright with slight mid bass boost, great low mids and overall mids focus, soft lower treble and then extra highs sharpness to add proper edge to definition, so you can track more easily the instrument. But all this is so well balanced that it feels very linear in balance without going overly tamed in any frequency region.

I remember when I first put this on my head, I was certain to get a very bright signature we often found with monitor headphones that force the resolution and boost instrument presence before anything else…this can extract too much timbre noise and grain which isn’t the case with Audivina. So my conclusion was that it’s thinked to listen to your mix to judge overall balance and fine tune final mastering, not to analyze the mix in an overly critical way. Audivina shows you the mix as it should sound, it doesn't magnify its imperfection to the point it will ruin musical pleasure. Yet, don’t expect a fun sounding or lush guilty pleasure with those, don’t get me wrong it’s not unpleasant tonaly, the musicality is mature and neutral without going clinical or too cold that’s all. In fact, a big plus with planar driver is the capacity to handle extreme EQ’ing, so when I want fun, i just either switch the bass boost of my Xduoo XD05 plus or boost it with Hiby Music player EQ, then you can get head crushing headphones experience if it’s your will!

So the bass is textured, well defined in presence, punchy but not rumbly or boosted in sub bass, this is a good choice because with closed back it could have created resonance that blur the fine clarity. Even if neutral, it’s not a boring bass that lacks dynamic since we have a gentle mid bass boost and no intense high bass lower mids scoop that will cancel the weight of impact and natural fullness of tone for double bass and cello as well as tom and kick drum.
The kick drum is well defined in presence, has weighty dynamic and a natural tone, it’s textured but not unbalanced in color, we have both tactile and ‘’visual’’ rendering, it’s easy to find it in the mix but it will not distract you from mid range.
Bass line has similar rendering, but it’s not boosted in rumble release and don’t move a lot of air as noted before, the tone is again spot on, vibrancy or grunt will be there when needed, but for let say trap rap thick infra bass release it will be a bit tamed.
For jazz double bass, the harmonic are natural but the extension will not sustain very long, it’s not the most transparent sub bass i’ve heard too yet timbre and tone are perhaps the most natural of all planar i’ve heard, it’s like being in small room with other musician so it would be strange to hear clean crisp bass in a real acoustic unplugged environment.
The cello sound wonderfully natural too without being overcook or unbalance in harmonic, that’s the thing with Audivina: harmonic are full and to be soo you can’t scoop anything in frequency range, if you boost too much treble or bass, this will make the fundamental recessed in harmonic mix which isn’t the case at all with Audivina and this is utterly refreshing and even needed, not only for studio, but for purist audiophile seeking reference musicality too.
So, we sure have more quality than quantity bass wise, it flows in the mix without any hard edge and it has enough bite for electric bass attack lead and texture without going too boosted in the treble presence of any instrument. It’s sure not a dark bass too, but quantity wise it will lack for the basshead and those seeking engaging musicality like me, i would not listen to bass heavy music with this in term of musical pleasure, IDM, rap, Drum & Bass etc will all lack slam and rumble, I think it’s evident the Audivina isn’t thinked for this music style, but personally i do find a lot of musicality for jazz, rock, classical and even indie music.

The mid range is the star of the show for me, but not in a spectacular manner, it’s not even forced upon the listener with a upper mids presence boost, these aren’t bright nor dark mids, we are in lukewarm mature territory here where everything flows naturally and nothing is missing. It’s full bodied and transparent, the tone is again spot on for all instruments from piano to sax to male and female vocal. It might feel lean, but not lifeless, cold or very tamed in dynamic, this will be the case for those used to very boosted pina gain and upper mids, the treble head will think the mids are recessed while it’s the opposite since the Audivina are mid centric headphones first and foremost but the IEM and HP market scoop all mid range but it’s upper range most of the time which can lead to craving for louder mids energy out of studio usage.
I’m one of the rare reviewer that don’t enjoy high upper mids boost and find it fatiguing and tonaly wrong, so the Audivina is a welcome healing refreshment to my ears, when Arianna Savall goes into highest range it doesn’t pierce my ear drum with violent pinna gain, it’s smooth and tone and timbre is natural, slightly lush as it should, yet with perfect intelligibility of each words which mean it sound as recorded and unless the record have obvious sibilance (which is important to spot when mixing), it will not boost it at all. This is the main surprise for me since when i review monitor IEM, it’s often quite shouty and sibilant, an example of this would be Sony 7506 which are way brighter, more unidimensional in spatiality and plain bright in presence in an unpleasant way compared to more natural and refined sounding Audivina.
Both male and female vocals are full in timbre, wide in presence, well centered in the stage and never overshadowed by bass or highs even if not aggressive in energy. They aren’t overly loud and can feel lean to those addicted to upper mids shout, but for me they are near perfect since nothing dominates their harmonic, it’s round and sweet, doesn’t create fatigue and will sound good with all types of mix. I rediscover Serge Gainsbourg music with Audivina, since it always sound boxy with IEMs and Headphones I use in the past, now it was it’s natural voice i can fully appreciate within a clean and open mix, this underline that the tonality is versatile and show the music as it is, without putting in or taking off anything in balance, this underline how poor are modern mixing too, especially for pop music with over tweaked vocals.
The Audivina are refined delicacy that worth being tasted finely and with patience, the wow effect isn’t about too much salt or sugar, it isn’t fast food, it’s all about subilities of the music you listen too and record quality play bigger role than with mass tuned headphones, again, this is no surprise for a Headphones thinked for studio use, but the the fact i can find it truly musical is a surprise to me nonetheless.
All in all, mid range is smooth yet effortlessly resolved with pristine layering delivered in an intimate way so you can truly appreciate the body of your music.

When it comes to the treble, the balance is exemplary and while it's slightly boosted it will never distract the listener with overly forward percussion or micro details nor create fatigue or harsh rendering in loud attack of violin or guitar.
It’s a full sounding treble without hard spike, it doesn’t sound thin nor overly metallic or brilliant but we have the sparkle and extension offered in a lean extension which doesn’t add a lot of air to the mix.
It’s slightly polished in attack edge to avoid scratchy annoyance, yet it doesn't like attack bite for most instruments apart perhaps electric guitar which feel a bit too mellow in dynamic loudness and foggy in texture. But that’s ultimate nit picking and it’s based on one Autoryno album.
All instruments in high pitch range can cohabit without over dominating anyone, violin, guitar and accordion were rendered in smooth layering that doesn’t favor presence of any instrument without feeling it lack texture or tone nuance.
Sure, if i go from Arya to Audivina, i will feel it lack a bit of treble extension crispness, brilliance and air, but this will affect the intimate focus with mids and whole instrument presence and harmonic range, this clean brilliance decay is something i can enjoy but don’t find lacking for the Audivina musicality which is extremely captivating in it’s own right.
In fact, crispness is there but not overly boosted, both harpsichord and acoustic guitar as attack lead bite but a fast sparkle release, it's not reflected in resonance as if the wood cup in fact tame resonance. Guitar sound full, not thin nor overly metallic or dry, it's superbly life like without a clinical restitution due to overly boosted upper treble.
So, indeed, we have a slight mid treble boost that add a well balanced attack edge and bite when needed, should it be for violin stroke or string pulling.
As expected with planar driver, the attack speed is fast and effortless in control, this permit highly articulated macro dynamic that can deal with fastest and varied music style.
The Audivina will not miss anything in term of attack timing readibility, yet it will not force vivid micro details on the listener, overall treble being rather smooth in term of plenty of sound info it deliver, this mean it's the type of headphones that grow on you in the long run, certain mix revealing how well recorder they are only with this Audivina.
To my ears, it's among most refined treble from any hifiman headphones i've tested, it's fatigue freee yet highly captivating when you enter active critical listening.

The Soundstage is an highlight if you take in account those are fully closed back, but if compared to open back it's less impressive, in fact I expected wider and deeper presentation due to product description, this might have overly raise my expectation. Simply put: these aren't Sennheiser HD820 and first reason is because center stage isn't recessed nor thin. It's an open and intimate spatiality, very similar to what you'll get with deskope monitor speakers well placed at each side of you, then had a center third speaker too at about 30cm from your head. You in the middle of music with the Audivina but not lost in it, your in first row of small concert hall or studio.

The imaging is quite impressive though, positioning is excellent, even voice doubling can be easily pull apart, instruments don't have widest space between them but the layering is superb. It's as easy to track bass line than main instrument, as well nothing will blur or over shadow other instrument with too loud presence boost, everything is treated at same level with high sens of accuracy.






COMPARISONS




VS HIFIMAN HE1000 V3

The Audivina is notably more technical and neutral sounding than the more laid back and natural sounding HE1KS. It’s near dead flat, yet with little extra upper mids and ultra highs boost.
It’s certainly more appropriate for monitoring music than enjoying it in an immersive way, the rendering is colder and more ”cerebral”, you an observer of the music while with HE1K V3 your swimming into the middle of lush layering.
The bass is cleaner, faster and leaner with the Audivina, bassline and kick separation is better and less thicken by warmth, overall bass is thinner but has more fine details in terms of texture as well as attack edge. HE1KS bass is chunkier, more vibrant and dense in rumble sustain, more weighty but darker in definition and slip into lower mid range more, adding sound layers density to each other. Dynamic impact is greater with HE1KS too, tone is lusher, more juicy, vibrant, it’s more physical and tactile, less flat and dry than Audivina.

The mid range is brighter, cleaner, more resolved and transparent with Audivina, for those seeking pure high fidelity experience, it’s certainly the one to choose. But this mean dynamic is flatter and makes the vocal feel less forwards as well as less widened in warmed presence. Note weight is lighter, but edgier in stroke lead definition.
HE1K V3 has more lower mids fullness, presence and warmth, vocal and instrument are more bodied and forward yet less sharp in upper mids so smoother, creamier, more colorful than hyper-realistically textured. The attack sustain-release of Audivina is longer and extract more sound info of natural resonance recorded even if for ex piano notes don’t fall as heavily, i'll be able to know more easily if the pianist presses sustain pedal with Audivina due to crisper center stage. Its evident HE1K offers a more mid centric sound experience.

Then the treble is sharper, snappier and sparklier with Audivina but again in a leaner way that doesn’t deliver as tactile percussion and guitar dynamic. It’s more speedy and controlled in attack, the percussions are easier to follow in busy track due to crisper attack edge and cleaner air when mid range instruments take the lead.
Lower treble is more abrasive with the Audivina, which will benefit electric guitar presence that is creamier with HE1K but denser and more vibrant in fundamental. This made the treble of HE1KS less thin and dry sounding but less generous in micro details too.
The Soundstage is way wider and taller with the HE1KS, sense of depth is different though because your part of center stage while with Audivina your more like in small studio room with centered monitor speakers, for ex, HE1000S remind me my big Magnepan MG02A planar speaker which embrace my whole sound perception scale.
While the imaging feel more holographic and effortless in the of sound layers projection in space and dynamic with HE1KS, the imaging is more accurate and precise with the Audivina, it’s way easier to separate bass line, kick drum, mid range and high range instrument even if not as spacious and this is mostly due to less bass warmth that blur silence between instrument and more edgy upper mids that boost presence clarity of each instrument while keeping it’s transparency to be able to spot the positioning in both X and Y axis.

All in all, with Audivina I need to force my mind to find music immersive and musical while the HE1000 Stealth embraces me right away and makes me close to my fav singer, pianist or saxophonist. It’s more colored and less neutral and technical than Audivina but unless you want to monitor your music, I don’t think anybody will say Audivina is superior in tonality, cohesion and musical presentation.

VS HIFIMAN ARYA ORGANIC

The Arya are notably bassier and more U shaped in balance, they are brighter too and more open and sparkly sounding than linear smoother more reference sounding Audivina.

The sub bass is more boosted, it offers a bigger and wider slam which is warmer too than the more defined mid bass of Audivina. Audivina sub bass seem roll off compared to more rumbly Arya, it doesn't attract attention too and stay in the back while for bassy music the Arya can be borderline basshead from a purist point of view. Arya bass is more resonant and prompt to warm the mids, it’s less textured and not as fast in control, not as tight. Bass lines of Audivina are less edgy and dominant, more natural in tone and better separated from the kick drum.

Mids are brighter and more open, it’s more excited and boosted in upper mids which make the dynamic less lean than Audivina but less well balanced too, more prompt to slight shortness-sibilance so vocal are way smoother, fuller and more natural with the Audivina even if less boosted in presence brightness. Male vocals are more natural and less recessed and thin with Audivina too.
Audivina has more lower mids and overall mid range fullness, presence is wider and less compressed as well as less recessed when big bass occurs. Timbre and tone of all instruments feel more realist and life-like too with Audivina, free of low or highs coloring.
Its evident mids are more recessed and thin with Arya when we play acoustic music with real instruments, center stage take second stage more when low and highs take the lead than Audivina less U shaped balance.

Then like it’s name promise, the highs are more open and airy with the Arya, it’s more sparkly and brilliant too so acoustic guitar have more edge to attack as well as crisp sustain release, Arya percussions are more upfront and can dominate mids like the bass, it’s thinner but clearer in presence, more boosted in micro details, it add more attack bite to all instrument too which confirm the Audivina isn’t analytical monitor headphones, but a fine final mixing one. Audivine is more balanced and has leaner treble, fuller and less thin, acoustic guitar has greater lower harmonic presence too, yet I wonder why it feels less extended in highs, perhaps to focus more on mid range.

The Soundstage is intensely wider, taller and deeper with Arya, it feels a bit hollow compared to more intimate and focused spatiality of Audivina.

Imaging is great with both but more realistic with the Audivina especially for the whole mid range which have less tamed center stage dynamic, Arya favors some instruments over others, either low or high pitch one so for proper monitoring the Audivina is clearly the one to choose.

All in all, i find technicalities of both in same league apart the soundstage size which is more about acoustic implementation and open back design of the Arya, for tonal balance the Audivina are better balanced as well as less fatiguing for long listening at medium to high volume, i prefer vocal tone too, while i wish the bass dig as deep as the Arya but not in as boomy way.


VS SENNHEISER HD820 (from memories of 6 month usage, not direct A-B comparo)

Firstly, I've never liked the HD820 timbre which is dry and thin, unlike the more natural and dense timbre of the Audivina.

We can say HD820 is neutral too, but brighter and thinner and not as mid centric which have more scooped lower mids that affect rightness of tone in favor of presence clarity boost.

The bass is more textured and transparent and doesn't naturally slip into mids like the lusher bass of Audivina. It’s dryer and thinner, and we don't have as much weight on impact like the Audivina. Bass lines are more vibrant and full with the Audivana, not as resonant and wonky.

The mids have brighter timbre and greater sense of air and transparency, it’s more open sounding and a bit like Arya in that regard, piano sound more recessed and vocal are more prompt to sibilance, i find them way more artificial, edgy and prompt to sibilance than sweeter Audivina, it’s biggest HD820 flaw with thin bass, in fact, everything sound thin and overly forced in upper mids with HD820. Audivina mid range is lusher, more focused, more intimate, it has more tone color and density as well as note weight, it’s more soft in upper mids and the definition edge isn’t grainy.

Then the treble is notably more sparkly and airy with HD820, its less lean and delicate and refined than smoother les spiky sounding Audivina, attack control is better too with Audivina, we don’t have this cymbals crash harmonic distortion in release as well natural resonance of sparkle isn’t as boosted and ultimately it’s more realist and well balanced to my ears.

Soundstage is the no1 highlight of HD820, this is due to both acoustic tech and tuning choice, it’s hall like and instruments are put in concert stages where you aren’t part of music like the more intimate Audivina, you're a spectator far away in rows.

This means that while Audivina is less wide and deep in spatiality, the center stage where main instruments belong is more focused too, but the sound layers don’t have as much separation space so it’s harder to pinpoint them in an analytical way. The music mix is more realistic, less forced into a ‘’cinematic’’ rendering but overall I would conclude HD820 is superior in this department.

All in all, tonaly the Audivina is way better balanced and surprisingly more musical and versatile even if neutrality tuned. In terms of technicalities, planar can’t be beat by the HD820 DD even if the fake clarity is pushed to the max as well as the imaging capacity is clearer, cleaner, and airier. I would say that HD820 will please more those seeking the biggest soundstage in closed-back format, but be aware that it’s a thin sound headphones too!


CONCLUSION


The Hifiman Audivina positively surprised me with their musicality that isn’t as niche or clinical as expected. Being familiar with monitoring IEM, I was thinking to get a either too bright or too lean tonality and it’s not at all what we get here since we are in what i call ‘’lukewarm’’ territory, everything is balanced and refined, sure it’s a mature reference tonality we get but with a rich natural timbre that doesn’t warm or darken instrument presence definition which are very well images.

So, instead of being too niche sounding headphones, it’s a versatile neutrality we get, that favors realism of instrument tone and timbre as well as readability of positioning in a mid centric focused rendering that doesn't distract you with too much bass or treble.
Sure, the soundstage isn’t as mind blowing as full open back headphones like HE1000 or Arya, but it’s on par with Sundara and surely among most spacious spatiality just sitting behind the Sennheiser HD820, which is my benchmark for big soundstage for closed back headphones.

All in all, while these headphones will lack a bit of fun factor for a lot of audiophile, I feel Hifiman upon it’s game in term of tuning balance with the Audivina, it’s a neutral sounding headphones with a pinch of appealing lushness and extra crispness on top without the upper mids grain or harshness we can find with other models of their offering.

Before the Audivina, I concluded Hifiman offered 2 types of sound signature, bright U shape and warm W shape. Now I changed my mind and it made me even more curious about other sound flavors this company can offer.

Highly recommended (for those who know why they buy these headphones)



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PS: I want to thanks Hifiman for sending me this review sample. I don't participate to affiliated program nor gain nothing to write positive reviews. All audio gear are collected for futur comparisons purpose.

You can order the Hifiman Audivina for 2000$ here (check as well the open box crazy deals!): https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/audivina.html

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES 9.2/10
TIMBRE: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 9/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 10/10

INTRO

BGVP is an IEM company based in China, they were established in 2015 and has launched a wide amount of IEM since then, always earning more audio engineering experience. They seem to focus on hybrid and tribrid IEM and have a ''high sound value'' approach. In the past, IEM like DM7 earn good praise.
The last IEM i've tested from them is the BGVP DM9 which is among most competitively priced 9 drivers tribrid and offer excellent technical performance with their 1DD+4BA+4EST implementation. Yet, it was a bright analytical sounding set and not the most versatile in term of musicality.

Today i will review their latest offering, the BGVP DMA.

Priced 300$, the DMA is a tribrid, or as BGVP call it, an Hybrid with Bone conduction drivers. It have 1x 10mm nickel plated dynamic driver for bass, 1x Sonion 2300 balanced armature for mid-lower treble, 1xKnowles RAD for highs and 2x(dual) sonion bone conduction vibration driver for lower to upper mids (atmosphere as they say).

The bone conduction driver is different than the one that are round and flat like in UM Mest serie or BQEYZ Wind and Winter, it's based on balanced armature technology. You can see its vibration frequency curve here:


As a big fan of bone conduction potential (when used in hybrid, tribrid or quat config), I contact BGVP to test those IEM that represent a big revolution in term of accessibility since the only other tribrid of this type cost 1000$ and is call UM Mext.

I guess the scoring and Pros and Cons is a bit of spoiler, yet let see in this review if the tonality is pleasant and cohesive enough and the technical performance truely competitive at it's mid tier price range.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The construction is mostly OK, it's made of half resin plastic with a metal back plate that has semi-venting in the back. I didn't choose the color which is ''pink salmon'' and not as appealing to my eyes than the blue version. I know from experience that back plate can be prompt to unglue or pop up so I hope this one will hold the Canadian climate. Overall built is more impressive inside than outside I feel and it's overall main con of this IEM for me.
It use a MMCX connector which is very thight and i never encounter sound cutting or too loose swiveling with those, which is a plus.
The nozzle is quite thick, it's long enough too for deep fit which is suggested for bone conduction contact with the skin.
Comfort wise, these are light and even if the back plate have sharp side it doesn't go in contact with the ears so i find them very comfortable.



The included cable is of excellent quality and very welcome. It's a modular cable, a 4 strands silver plated single crystal copper cable that is thick and sturdy. If i can be nit picky, i would have love a 2.5mm balanced plug included with it since their just 3.5se and 4.4bal. Yet, it's a good cable that don't make the upgrading urgent.



The packaging come in a small compact box fullfill with goodies. It include the excellent cable, 6 pairs of silicone ear tips in 2 model and 1 pair of memory foam. The carrying case iss very nice too and large enough to fit more than 1 IEM pair. ALl in all, this is very satisfying.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Ok, let’s begin by stating that if it wasn’t for bone conduction driver, I would consider DMA plain V shape but since their a whole mids bump that brighten presence bypassing ‘’rule of air transmission’’ with bone conduction driver I perceive it as well balanced bassy W shape, gently bright way, but this will depend the source matching you do since BC is very transparent to source and a hint sharp, perhaps brightest BC I’ve heard.
It doesn't feel out of place though, it’s very cohesive and not too in your head, less so than other BC tribrid like UM Mext (but I will need direct comparison). What I can firmly confirm against 3x pricier Mext is that bass performance including speed, control and layering, are superior with DMA.

So a W shape with plenty of upper mids and a treble that is crunchy but not very sparkly, vocal are incredibly clear and well layered, this is main advantage of sonion bone conduction which cover vocal range, this mean you get bright and very intelligible vocal without the pinna gain fatigue too.

But the first thing that hooked my attention was the bass quantity and quality.


This is the kind of magical bass where we have both thump and deep rumble, and not in a warm, boomy way since it doesn’t lift or mix with lower mids.
Its vast, resonant but well controlled in its sustain-release, it’s not loose or sloppy, as well the BC add a bit of attack edge improving texture and definition.
It’s near the basshead but doesn't fatigue with too much sound pressure due to the back venting tube. It’s transparent, not meaty, juicy and opaque too and very versatile because we have the dynamic impact that is weighty and the bass line is clean and easy to follow even in busy tracks due to excellent layering helped by BC driver.

Sub bass is just slightly more elevated than mid bass but as noted, not in a muddy or sloppy way. I'm extremely impressed by this exotic bass, and I tend to be a warm and chunky bass lover, here it’s sure not thin, but it isn't very tactile or vibrant with excited air particule too.
The Double bass release is deep and realist, it’s not warmed nor compressed in vibrancy or grunt. It flows freely. We are in bass quality meet bass quantity here, so rap and big beat sound fabulous due to excellent layering, but as said, it’s super versatile...this kinda bass should be a guilty pleasure if it was coming from a single DD IEM I feel.

The acoustic kick drum has a well defined presence and slightly less heavy punch than digital slam with wider dynamic heft, when bass line occurs in this instance, it can dominate the kick, while for toms it sounds fabulous with a natural resonance and good texturing.

All in all, this is a versatile bass response but I find it even more enjoyable with electronic and heavy beat music, though with jazz it’s excellent too, for classical, I tend to enjoy a bit more lower mids thickness and coloring, lusher warmer cello presentation.


Then the mids are something special due to bone conduction transmission, its bright and forwards yet not shouty or fatiguing, its gently bright with superb resolution. Readability of instruments are top notch while intelligibility of vocals are excellent. That's something that always impresses me with BC, how it suddenly makes it super easy to track vocals and improve word spelling in whatever language. I tend to use UM Mext for movies because of this, yet it doesn’t sound as clean, fun and crisp as DMA so I don’t use it often for music (the bass issue again).
Mids are centered and patched above bass and treble without stealing the show or taming their dynamic.
Vocal while clear aren’t very lush nor the widest, as say, its centered and very well layered. Timbre is plain neutral, their no bass coloring or extra lush warmth going on, that’s again the magic of BC. It’s fully textured, not thin to force transparency since even if very upfront the 3D space has plenty of sound layers floating behind and around the main instrument or vocal. Male vocals have the same treatment, so some people might miss extra warmth or thickness from bass or lower mids boost but it’s certainly not recessed and there is no harmonic gap in vocal range.
So, it's clear DMA are vocal specialists first and foremost, even bad mixes I've made in the past with vocals that were supposed to be hard to perceive clearly were suddenly clean, upfront and easy to understand.
BC really feel like having a pair of ears in your head that can perceive more clearly mids info that should be swallow by the bass or too boosted in loudness otherwise, which isn't the case, but the BA add a bit of extra upper mids bite too, this isn’t in pina gain region, more where sibilance could occur, their none here but it dont smoothen this part so if recording have sibilance it will not heal it.
Piano too is very clear, especially in attack speed and control, so it's easy to follow complex playing but it dont have alot of note weight, resonance release is very well resolved too.
Saxo is better, since it's similar to vocal range, it's upfront and very rich in texture without going shouty even at loud passages.
This isn’t the most open sounding super clean mid range since the middle stage is upfront, near in your head while bass is wide in the back and treble in stereo at each side, it’s intimate and enveloping.
And now for BAs upper mids and treble, this is well done again. I do think the DMA is a bit sensitive to source output impedance and this is why I use Questyle QP2R DAP and Xduoo X20 for this review.

The highs are speedy and snappy, a hint crunchy and not very sparkly but we have minimal brilliance to percussion still, these are good BAs.
I don’t struggle to follow percussion even with a busy track, it seems it's what it extract the best in terms of micro details because as well resolved it can be, it’s not an analytical IEM and the treble doesn't extend up to 20 HZ in a boosted way.
Yet, there is something...is it a BC spike adding this snap sharpness to BA? Can’t tell right now really but it’s a refined treble in term of tribrid balance...it have nothing to do with a GeekWold GK100 for ex, it don’t pick up noise artifact you don’t want yet you don’t feel details are lacking or air isn’t opening up spatiality enough.

It feel the BC is sharper and cleaner sounding than BA that always lack a bit of snap sharpness and clean definition to my ears, I can say this for 64 audio U12T or Aroma Thunder too, BA don’t produce clean transient response nor alot of natural brilliance or resonance release in higher range and the DMA is no exception.

The acoustic guitar sounds gently bright and well resolved, it has a good attack lead bite, textured timbre and a fast release that has proper sound info instead of harmonic distortion, but the fine sparkly brilliance is a bit lacking airy release.

This makes the harpsichord sound a bit dry and lacking this metallic natural release too, but unlike a lot of other IEM it’s not distant or lacking in dynamic weight. So I can enjoy it even if tone wise it’s not fully there.

All in all, the highs are fast i attack, thick in timbre, a hint polished in definition edge like it happens with most BA, and this affects the natural sparkle that some percussion and instrument should produce. But it’s not a dark or dull treble even if I wish there were more micro details capacity, for this, we would need extra EST drivers and well, a consequent price jump too, for this treble head purpose the BGVP DM9 is a better bet.

The soundstage is surely the hardest part of audio experience to describe with this IEM, it’s holographic and 3D in an intimate way, it sticks around your head and doesn't open up far away from it. You have excellent channel separation in high range that has a bit of fake air in stereo perception then the mids tend to be in front and in your head and the bass a bit behind it adding a sense of depth without a perfectly clean background.

The imaging is another highlight, very revealing and precise with pristine layering that avoid the pumped up bass to mix with mid range, thanks to bone conduction help. You never struggle to track the instruments or bass line, for percussions it's very good too but not as sharply define.


Side Note

At 17ohm of impedance and 106db of sensitivity, the DMA aren't really hard to drive but still a bit source picky because of how revealing they sound, ill suggest source with not too high output impedance and a clean noise floor to get the best of them.

They are ear tips sensitive too, but the included wide bore do the job to open up spatiality and preserve natural balance.

Cable wise, since it's MMCX, i don't have alot of them so I stick with original one which doesn't had distortion or mess up tonal balance.



COMPARISONS



VS BQEYZ WINTER (1DD+1BC-240$)

The Winter is brighter and more neutral, it feels like a monitor IEM and less W shape and dynamic sounding than DMA.

The bass is quite a bummer with WInter, it's more boomy yet way less boosted, its brighter, less transparent and more rolled off in sub bass, their no proper rumble unlike DMA, definition is inferior too and feel less rounded, energy is more in mid bass but not as thumpy as DMA.

Mids are louder and brighter, female vocals are more prompt to shouting and fatigue as well as sibilance, presence is more boosted and timbre lack lower harmonic fullness more than DMA which have less fatiguing yet clearer and more upfront overall mids.

Treble is brighter and more airy, guitars have more sparkle release and wider restitution than DMA, overall highs are more natural and the bone conduction adds a presence edge and snap that the DMA is lacking a bit.

Soundstage is wider and deeper with the Winter.

Imaging is notably superior in layering capacity with the DMA, bass don't get lost in the mix nor the mids mask as much sound info.

All in all, I find both tonality and technicalities superior with DMA, as well, it’s more dynamic, fun and versatile sounding.

VS UM Mest MK3 (1DD+4BA+4EST+1 wide range BC-2K$)

The MK3 is more neutral, cleaner and crisper sounding and as expected notably superior in technical performance, yet less bassy and fun sounding as well as leaner in mids and bass, making it sound a bit treble centric sometimes.

The bass is leaner, more textured and better resolved in presence, it has more mid bass focus so kick drums have more energy while sub bass lines are leaner and not as dominant in the mix.

The mids are richer in presence, better defined, cleaner and in a busy track it can deal with more instruments going loud together, vocals aren't as forwards which underline to DMA being more vocal boosted with its BC. I do think if you have an headache the loud in your head vocal of DMA can be too much, while with more technical neutral MK3 it isn’t.

Treble is really from another league with MK3, it's sharper, cleaner, way more snappy and sparkly and digs a greater amount of micro details in an effortless way, DMA feels a bit excited in attack with percussions, not as cleanly defined.

Soundstage is this time slightly wider with DMA, while it's notably deeper with MK3.

Imaging is a big win for MK3, not competition here…

All in all, DMA complements this IEM due to its more bassy, energetic and dynamic musicality but as expected it can’t compete in terms of technical performance with my end game IEM Mest MK3.


CONCLUSION




The BGVP DMA is something I was waiting for along time which is a truely affordable tribrid with bone conduction that offer incredible sound value and a well tuned musicality that isn't too austere or analytical. It's in fact a balanced fun and bassy tonality with incredible mid range resolution and an open otherwordly holographic spatiality that is sure to immerse and captivate the listener for long time pleasure.

Unfortunately, i didn't have on hands both BQEYZ Wind and UM Mext which i loan to a musician friend, but i'm confident the DMA is superior in technicalies of both, at least in bass separation, round impact and attack speed, the treble is more extended and detailed than the Wind and mids are more fowards than the Mext.

It's rare I give 5stars, this only happen when i'm shock about sound performance to price ratio and the DMA is one of those rare beast.

If you want to introduce yourself to bone conduction flavored tribrid musicality, I think the DMA is safest bet, then you'll be able to know if you wanna climb up to end game bone conduction IEM like the Unique Melody Mest MK3 which is more neutral and resolved.

All in all, apart the construction design, BGVP achieve a tour de force with the DMA and it's very highly RECOMMENDED from me!

--------------------------------



PS: I want to thanks BGVP for sending me this review sample after i manifest my intense curiosity about them. As always, I don't participate to affiliated program, don't make any $ and don't even resell 99% of the IEM I review (which is evident with the comparisons pic I share)

You can order the BGVP DMA for 299$ from official Ali Express store here:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006226645207.html

TONALITY: 8.8/10
TECHNICALITIES: 9/10
TIMBRE: 8.8/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8/10
IMAGING: 8.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 9/10

INTRO

Not much to say about Night Oblivion company, it's a very mysteriou ''One-Man'' high end IEM maker from China. The Butastur is a special project lead by tuning collaborator American Spirit which have a vision to offer TOTL IEM at affordable price for audiophiloe that don't earn 1M a year.
This is something I tremondesly respect and have big resonance with my personal sound value quest that I pursue for 10 years now.
The Butastur isn't an X Collab for hype like HBB and Crin do, it's way more serious and mature than that and will appeal the audiophile that are connoisseur of tone and timbre rightness, not only those that listen to J pop or Aerosmith.

If you want full info of this project, give a read here:
https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/night-oblivion-discussions/39359

Priced 600$, the Night Oblivion Butastur use 10 high end balanced armature, use 3 way crossover and have 2 switch for a total of 4 tuning balance choice.

It use a 110db air-pressure balancing vent system to avoid hearing fatigue and damage too, as well as pressure built up.

All this is very promsing, but it does put the bar high too in term of expectation so let see in this review if Butastur do achieve it's goal of offering high sound value to all of us, non rich humble people.

But look at this specs if you want to salivate in expectation like me before putting these in my ears!
Specification

Brand: Night Oblivion Audio

Model: Butastur

Driver configuration:

2 Sonion for low frequency

2 Knowles for mid-low frequency

4 Knowles for mid-high frequency

2 Knowles for ultra-high frequency



CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The Butastur is made of 3D printed resin, the shell is quite small for a 10BA too. The finish is smooth and the shape is ergonomicThe 2pin female connector on top of body isn’t recessed or secured which mean connecting 2pin cable can be a bit clumsy, so be cautious to aligned well when connecting since it can be a bit risky to bend the pins.The nozzle is short but thick, its not thinked for deep fit but shallow fit.At the side of housing we have the 2 tuning switch and a venting port above it, which mean their some sound leakage but it’s not loud, passive Isolation I quite good though so I can so this being use on stage.



About those 2 switch, its the same used with most IEM, Im not sure to approve the design since we need a tool to turn it, while I find the switch of Oriveti OH700VB too long, I think just adding 1 or 2mm length would permit to turn the swithc with our nail, which will be a blessing when on the go.
The small size and smooth medical grade plastic finish make the Butastur very comfotable.



Then the cable quality is quite incredible and perhaps the best i've never seen included with any IEMs at any price range.
Firstly, just the fact it's a modular is a big plus to me, having all 2.5mm and 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm single ended plug permit ultimate versatility of use, which is mandatory with me since I own alot of diversify dac-amp, daps and dongle.
It's a 4 shares OCC braided modular cable using single 6n crystal copper litz material. The shares are thick, smooth and flexible. The plug hold well. It feel very sturdy and well built. In term of signal transmission, it keep it lean and dont boost anything, dont had brightness, noise or warmth bump. Butastur are sensitive to cable so depending of your need, this one should be enough.
You can in fact order it now, for 50$, here: https://penonaudio.com/Night-Oblivion-Butastur-IEM-Cable.html



In term of packaging, it's minimalist in presentation and i'm ok with that because what i care about is the accessories number and quality. In that regard, its very good. As noted the cable is a Big Plus, then we have 9 pairs of ear tips in different model and a nice carrying case. all good but I don't use stock ear tips and wonder why their no short wide bore since im not a fan of double flanged wide bore.




SOUND IMPRESSIONS



While their 2 switch that offer 4 tuning choice, it’s not night and day difference and you know you listen to the same IEM, with just a hint extra warmth or treble sharpness to spice up your overall warm neutral tonality.

Yes warm neutral with slight bass boost, since we need this boost for this lower mids density but we can say it’s a balanced L shape with natural balance that tend to favor mid range presence and fullness. It’s a smooth and relaxed musicality that aim for naturalness and lushness of vocal and instrument and use the bass part for extra weight in dynamic rendering. It’s a safe tuning too, not an energic WoW effect machine.

‘’Jack of all trade, master of none’’ then? Not really, since it excell in timbre and mids as well as an holographic intimacy with effortless organic sound layering. Simply put: this isn’t an IEM that sound technical, and you’ll be hard pressed to find the 10 BA role in there since they all act in a liquid cohesion. Nothing really feel detached, yet, you can extract all instrument you feel like to, that’s the magic of this IEM, but the spell might not work for everyone since it’s maturely tuned too, even if sligthly bassy I would never consider Oblivion as fun sounding.

The Oblivion are not for: basshead, treble head, those who love their bright instrument to jump in their face, those who need clean air and sparkle on top, those who dislike switch choice anxiety.

The Oblivion might please: those who dislike harsh BA timbre, those who love mid centric IEM, those who love piano-vocal-saxo sweet way, those who want to get immerse for long time in their music without getting hearing fatigue, those who dislike bright and thin presence representation fo their instrument or vocal, those who listen variend music style and seek for a versatile tonality, those who love lively imaging that isnt static or monitoring like.

So back to the switch:
1up1down will be warmest-darkest rendering, but it doesn’t mean it go dull or overly dark, the excellent layering is preserve mostly and I don’t struggle to find percussions because of this.
2UP is most lively and dynamic rendering, we get some upper treble boost from 6khz and above, we got sharper percussions, we got that hazy warmth that stick macro dynamic togheter when bass occur too.
1Down2up is cleanest crispiest rendering but the bass act a bit leaner way, the punch is less tactil while bass line a clearer, its perhaps most plain neutral choice.
2Down is leanest tuning choice, mids are clean but thinner, it’s my least favorite switch choice so ill avoid my mind to absord impressions of this one.

At they end, 2up or 1up2down are only switch I use, which make me conclude 1 switch would be enough. Or none. Since again: this is quite subtle.

Oblivion mean ‘’the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening. ‘’, we can say its about getting lost in music without any sound imbalance that will make us aware we listen to an IEM. I think its a very well choosen word for this IEM musicality. Think about IEM like Final E4000 or 64audio U18T kind of natural tonal balance with lush bass and mids, it’s like a cocoon we hide in and can forget the time pass, depending of the mood your in, youll be able to focus on different aspect of song and discover it’s richness in a contemplative way that you are part off, it’s the type of IEM that can give me the envy to look at right or left seeking an instrument presence that cuddle my ears, while the vocal are always near me, in front of me, non shouty way.



The bass is more about dense tactility than edgy resolution with over textured presence, it got punch but don’t fatigue you with hard thumping, it’s the opposite of a thin resonant bass presentation.
Whatever the switch choice, their will be hint of warmth in bass response, and since it’s balanced armature we do have limitation in flexibility of transient response which will be only problematic for sub bass extension, like the double bass attack release that will feel shorten and not very clean.
The low end favor tone and timbre sweetness, it colored to avoid harsh texture bite or unwanted grain.
The kick drum is round and weighty, but not sharply define since it feel a bit creamy.
The cello is lush, dense, not very vibrant but fully bodied and extremly addictive since it’s superbly layered and you can follow it’s line easily, their no edgy peak, all is buttery here. Unlike with IEM that lack bass or lower mids, the cello can't be confound with violin since its not thin nor too boosted in texture, it's among best tone-timbre I heard from a multi-BA IEM for this instrument.

We have zero unwanted invasive resonance from bass impact, the slam have limited headroom and is thick, it’s a bit opaque and the separation with mids is not sharp or very clean, it do embrace the lower nmid range by the back but never veil whole mid range.
While round, the punch is hazy in edge, this isn’t the most impressive bass performance or tuning I’ve heard for sure, and we have the common sub bass roll off that explain this lack of flexibility.
It seem it’s tune to sweeten mids and add lower harmonic so the tone and timbre feel natural, and my guess is that the small housing for 10BAs inflict on proper spacing of kick and bass line.
For me, the bass is most colored part of spectrum, and while not boomy, we know its a BA woofer. The rendering is mellow and forgiving, with the no1 switch up, you get extre note weight and impact but nothing head banging since it'S all fatigue free here from low to highs.
So, it does excell with instrumental like classical and jazz, and the layering capacity is very good, i just wish slam headroom was a bit wider and midbass punch better define. This qualm is more about dynamic rendering than any tonal issue.

The mid range is the highlight of the show here, it’s so rich and captivating that depending of track you listen to, you’ll often find yourself feeling your right in the middle of your music.
And what is incredible, it’s that nothing is forced at the listener, everything flow smoothly with effortless layering and rich but never edgy resolution.
This is anti shouty mids but I would not call them plain dark, lean or dull at all, while you can get lost in music easily due to lack of spike that will trigger psychoacoustic ‘’defense reaction’’, the 10BAs subtle technical prowess permit a very articulate macro dynamic that extract all instrument presence softly.

The piano sound marvelous, rich and full in tone, not too edgy in definition yet tactile and weight in note impact, the BA speed is there without hard hitting loudness, its musical before being technical yet enough resolved if you want to monitor different instrument in classical or jazz track. Only perhaps the fine details of release pedal can be warm when bass occur since it’s not what I would call cleanest crispest mid range due to dense multi layering when it come to complex music with lot of instruments.

Then both male and female vocal are beautifull, intimate yet not widen or opaquely textured to the point it will mask other instrument, it’s forward with a rounded presence that permit it’s layering to be well articulated with other, timbre is among most natural I’ve heard from a balanced armature, lush, velvety, breathy without overly boosted texture.

The saxophone are very similar, it’s polished without going dark, superbly layered and slightly densify with low harmonic, it’s not thin sounding plasticky saxo like a lot of multi BA that are too bright or bass light. Natural timbre then? Absolutely!

To some extend, I would call mids as ‘’romantic monitor’’ in the sens it’s easy to track instrument even if presence is smoothed a bit and not very abrasive in texture.
It’s evident the tuner of these give a lot of care to acoustic instrument because these shine with classical and jazz as well as all range of vocal.

Then the treble is a bit like the bass for me, it’s very good but whatever the number used, we have some BA compromise especially in term of crisp sparkle and brilliance, as well, it’s not very open sounding and will not add extra air a lot to spatiality.

Their some instance I find the percussions over focused, it happen with no2 switch up, not really with both up or not at all with no1switch up. Yet this mean it’s not a boring or lifeless or too lean treble too, it’s lively and very very generous with soud info, though not in the way plain treble or analytical head will think. As well, it's never splashy or trebly, i just go intensely nit picking here, within the 10 BAs used, their perhaps one more edgy than the rest, but it doesn't affect timbre cohesion nor balance.

Firstly, apart the sparkle, it’s near perfect treble to me, in the sens I don’t feel percussions or instrument are ‘’half cook’’, even with EST this can happen that it sound overly metallic and thin, lacking the air withint the release which is natural with these, just a bit scooped and warmed in release especially crash cybals and highly vibrating instrument.

In fact, their 2 Butastur to my ears: the one with slight bass warmth that blur noise floor and the one without which goes cleaner, more neutral and more resolved. This explain why I enjoy more these with instrumental or bass light music than electronic, pop, soul, R&B and Rap.
But overall treble is smoothly balanced still, rather safe from lower to upper highs.

Back to percussions, hit hats can sound very good, snappy and tight and full, not fuzzy, then the tabla too is super round and natural, well controlled, very well layered. Complex percussions with multiple layering are effortlessly extracted and fast in attack without going piercing. It’s not super spacious and I miss a bit of stereo wideness. But it’s rare I find myself being impress by percussions timbre, which is the case here.
Even if I complaint about slight lack of brilliance, it’s not a real concern for the acoustic guitar unless you want it’s metallic string super textured and resonant. Here it’s well balanced and full sounding, it don’t lack low harmonic yet don’t dominate or blur the body of instrument, sure the string pulling isn’t sharpess but timbre, tone and balance is excellent as well as layering of instrument in folk or rock song.
For harpsichord, we would need more metallic brilliance, but unlike a lot of IEM, this instrument don’t sound distant nor plain wonky, just lacking this sharp brilliance.

All in all, its a safe, mature and refined treble that extend in a lean way, doesnt sound thin or BA metallic and can extract micro details effortlessly without forcing the listener to look at it. It's not analytical, don't extend up to 20khz in a boosted way nor add alot of air on top.


The Soundstage is only downside of this IEM I can nitpick, it does sound a bit stock in your head with minimal stereo openess. It’s very focus on center stage presentation. Its taller than wider and deeper. It’s not airy nor crisp. By some miracle it avoid to be muddy in macro dynamic and layering, but I would never suggest those to big soundstage lover.

Oddly enough, the imaging is very good even if not boosted in definition edge of instrument. This is due to excellent layering of each instrument that are fully extracted and positioned in an effortless way. This positioning is better with bass switch OFF, as well, it's not very edgy or brighten in definition in presence so lazy ears might struggle more. I would never say it's best IEM imaging i've heard though.




SIDE NOTE

At 30ohm of impedance and 107db of sensitivity, the Butastur benefit of clean powerfull source but don't need crazy amping, a min of 100mW@32ohm would be suggested. I find it to sound cleaner with low impedance source, but again, it's not the most sensitive and will not get bass distortion or hissing with source that have lower than 2ohm of impedance. Ill suggest lower than 1ohm though.

Then, they are capricious about ear tips, since the nozzle is wide and have 4 holes in it, it need a wide bore to don't compress it's loudness release and permit a more open spatiality which is much needed.

Then the stock cable is excellent and don't force the consumer for urgent upgrade, yet, I can't hide the fact it pair extremely well with Simgot LC7 cable, this was quite a revealation how it clean spatiality, deepen soundstage, slightly improve imaging and resolution while keeping core dynamic balance. This and stock Butastur a my 2 fav cable to use for this IEM, and I own about 50 good cables.



COMPARISONS



VS Penon Turbo (5BAs+4switch-550$)

Even without big bass boost ON, the Turbo is bassier, its more U shape too with greater focus on sub bass boost and less round and controlled impact than more neutral to L shape sounding Butastur.
So, it’s warmer too, the bass move more air, have wider slam headroom and darker overall resolution. In fact, Butastur sub bass feel roll off in release even before this comparison, so Turbo sure offer more rumble and fun overall, bass line are better layered and extract too, less lean and prompt to be over shdow with mids and treble multi layering. Butastur has rounder mid bass and better kick and bass line layering, in leaner way.

The the mids are warmer and lusher with Turbo, smoother too and presence feel more wide open, less centered and compressed in middle stage. Resolution is superior with Butastur as well as transparency, layering and proper definition of instrument. Vocal are a bit more edgy and prompt to minimal sibilance with the Butastur, so while mids are darker with the Turbo, tone is thicker and more natural with greater lower mids coloring. Overall mids are more laid back, have more note weight and density with Turbo.

Treble is brighter and more generous with sound info micro details with Butastur, percussions are better resolved and faster and more controlled in attack. Instrument gain extra definition edge in macro resolution too. So, Turbo is overall darker and more colored with warmth.

Soundstage is where the Turbo is undoubtly superior in out of your head, wide and tall spatiality, making Butastur feel quite intimate and close to your head.

Imaging is clearly superior with Butastur even of sound layering is more spacious with Turbo here the fact it use 2 times less BA’s sure limit it’s resolution and imaging sharpness potential. The Butastur is good enough to be use as monitor IEM, I would never say this for Turbo.

All in all, the Butastur sound more technical and less fun than Turbo, but it’s technical performance is superior in everything but soundstage size, which is surely due to a too small housing used to properly implement 10BAs…


VS BGVP DM9 (1DD+4BAs+4EST-650$)

The DM9 are more W shape, analytical and agressively crisp.

The bass has more sub bass extension and rumble, wider headroom, less mid bass roundness, it feel more flexible and less one tone than Butastur BA woofer too, thanks for dynamic driver.

Mids are sharper, edgier, brighter and crisper, it’s more open sounding and airy. Vocal and instrument are more transparent and thinner too. Presence is wider again less compressed in middle stage. Presence is more boosted too. Butastur have more natural and dense mids, less textured, lusher, more upfront too without going as loud in upper mids.

Treble is notably crispe, more sparkly, brilliant and airy with DM9, underlining again that BA can’t produce proper sparkle. Yet, highs are more cohesive and balanced with Butastur and don’t distract as much when it come to percussions, it’s fuller leaner sounding, thicker and it’s less spicy than DM9. Its less clean and airy on top too as well as less extended, percussions aren’t as sharply snappy, don’t release natural resonance as much nor have well define clean attack.

Soundstage is again superior with DM9, now wider, taller and deeper. Cleaner too.

Imaging is about on par but the Butastur feel more neutral.

All in all, apart both bass and treble extension as well as soundstage, Butastur is superior on technical performance and tonal balance is more natural and cohesive.

VS Kinera Skuld (5BAs-500$)

Skuld are notably more mid centric with both bass and treble being more roll off.

The bass is thinner, have less impact and near zero sub bass body compared to lusher, chunkier and more impactfull one of Butastur, the separation is less bleedy, kick drum is a bit more texture but not as dense and its harder to feel it’s note weight. It can feel a bit detached too, not as cohesive and balanced as the Butastur, in other word it feel distant in the mix but more boosted in texture presence.

The mids are more forwards and bright but less bodied, it seem all about female vocal which are better resolve and more focused, more plain upfront than slightly leaner darker mids of the Butastur. Vocal presence is wider too and a bit more open, surely because upper mids are more boosted and lower mids leaner. Female vocal captivate me more with the Skuld, even if I have no choice but focus on them. To note, male vocal are thinner even if brighter with the Skuld too.

The treble of Butastur dig slightly more sound info, which translate in fuller music restitution as well as more numerous amount of sound layer, Skuld seem to lost some sound info in the mix, like percussions of other range in very busy music but it’s not that much darker, in fact highs are more edgy and dynamic, but guitar will not have as much brillance. Both these IEM don’t blow my mind with their treble and Butastur being leaner and more refined, it attrack less attention and feel evern more understated than Skuld even if we have more micro details, you must give listening effort to find them. Lower treble is more boosted and brighter with Skuld and while for Butastur its the bass the can cream highs sharpness, for Skuld its upper mids, vocal, saxo that will shadow some details.

Soundstage of both these IEM isnt impressive, so I would say on par here.

Imaging is better with Butastur due to super multi layering of each instrument, but for vocal staging I will go Skuld.

All in all, their no doubt Butastur is super in both tonal balance and technical performance, Skuld is more nichely tuned and only suggested for female vocal enjoyment which is more focus and lively than Butastur.


CONCLUSION



In 600$ price bracket, it’s near impossible to find an IEM using 10 high end balanced armature, for this you’ll need to climb up to something like 64audio U12T that offer similar performance with a more U shape tonal balance as well as bigger soundstage.

Just in term of plain price value, the Butastur is incredible, but as if it wasn’t enough it deliver a mature, smooth and gently bassy tonality that is very versatile for wide range of music as well as fatigue free for long listening session.

If you’r afraid of thin mids or bad BA timbre, don’t be with the Butastur which is all about naturalness of tone and balance, free of distracting unbalance spike.

With the right ear tips, source and cable, the Butastur can deliver TOTL audio experience which is holographic, warm, highly captivating in number of effortless sound layers that surround the listener in a cozzy intimacy.

The switch permit to use the Butastur as monitor or fun relaxed listening IEM that can go, add that to it's versatile tonality and you'r in for long term value that will grow more and more on you.


All in all, the Butastur is a fabulous IEM and one of my fav discovery of 2023, which is a year i've heard 64audio U12t and U18T too, which I don't feel like keeping, unlike the Butastur.

Yet, my overwhelming enthusiasm is subjective and I feel some people need more unbalanced tonality with more agressive treble, bass or mids, this mean the Butastur will mostly appeal those that are fan of Final E4000, 64audio U18T, Aroma Thunder smooth but rich slightly bassy tonality that don't overly favor bass or highs to the detriment of mids presence and fullness.

For those the Butastur are:

Very Highly recommended!!!







-------------------------------------


PS: I want to thanks Penon for sending me this review sample after I manifest them my intense curiosity about Butastur. As always, this is my subjectivist point of view which can't be biased. As well, i'm not participating to any form of affiliation program or $ earning tactic with Penon or any audio companies.

You can order the Night Oblivion butastur for 599$ here:
https://penonaudio.com/Night-Oblivion-Butastur.html

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNCALITIES: 8.2/10
TIMBRE: 8.8/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
IMAGING: 7.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8.8/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.2/10
ACCESSORIES: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 7.5/10


INTRO

Oriveti is an IEM company from Hong Kong that specialize in hybrid, multi-BA and single dynamic drivers earphones since 2015.
Their IEMs get good feedback on Headfi and it seem they offer a diversify type of musicality, yet never forget the bass should in the mix.

Today I will review their latest hybrid flagship, the OH700VB.

Priced 699$, the OH700VB is a 1DD+6 knowles BA's hybrid with One single switch for ''variable bass'' thus the VB model.

It promise a natural and balanced musicality.

Since these are at the top of mid tier price bracket, we can expect competitive technical performance as well as as stated a balanced sound, let see in this review if Oriveti deliver good sound value enough.

CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The construction of OH700VB is made of high grade resin plastic with a metal nozzle and wooden face plate.
The nozzle is very big yet not very long, so it's thinked for shallow fit and people with very small ear canal might have issue (I don't).
The housing is chunky and quite big too, but very light, it have an ergonomic shape and very smooth finish that i find personal very comfortable.
At the side their a venting hole, so we have some sound leakage and isolation while OK isn't extreme.
Then their the switch which is positioned on back of housing and have a long but quite loose design, this is a con in term of design since you can trigger the switch easily if you move the IEM in or out of your ears. As well, as a canadian with hardcore winter, the switch can get stock and trigger in a toque or hood. Its nitpicking since it only happen one time that i trigger it by error, at they end i would just put it at the side under the venting hole and perhaps make it harder to pull.

All in all, i find the IEM very beautiful and comfortable.



The included cable is fabulouse too, and this is very welcome. Its a 8 wires braided modular cable that include 3 plugs type: 2.5mm and 4.4mm balanced, 3.5mm single ended. I don't know why but lately we rarely got a 2.5mm plug included with modular cable which is a bit problematic for those audiophile with multiple DAP or dongles source like me. I'm happy to enjoy the OH700VB with Questyle QP2R which have a 2.5mm balanced output. The cable is very flexible and smooth and plugs hold steadily, it look great and non recessed 2pin connector permit wide use with different IEM including those with recessed 2pin female connector.



While i'm insensitive to packaging box and presentation, which is quite well done for OH700VB, im demanding in term of accessories quality and we are well served in that regard. As noted, the cable is excellent and very practical.
We have a good variety of 8 pair of 3 model of eartips, including memory foams and wide bore. The black wide bore are the more adequate for nozzle size and soundstage openess for my need.
As well, we have a great quality leather carrying case, its unique and in that regard it's exciting to own.
Then we have the little cleaning tool.

All in all, nice packaging and accessories, worthy of it's price tag.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS



The OH700VB might use 7 drivers, but it’s not at all a ‘’technical’’ sounding IEM, it’s a fun and laid back one that aim for a smooth yet bassy balance. For audiophile purist, these will be consider basshead IEM, while for basshead, It might be consider warm neutral.

To my ears, I consider the tonality as warm bassy U to L shape with thick lean lush mids and dark but full sounding treble. It’s not a crisp U shape à la Harman, but it’s sub bass dominant that offer plenty of slam without going hard thumpy way. Everything is lush with the OH700VB even the bass.

Some can wonder why Oriveti doesn’t boost resolution with so much BA’s, one thing sure, it’s nt to add air or sparkle they use those balanced armature, it’s to permit an holographic effortless sound layering that is vast in presence layer, surround the listener and immerse it in a cozzy way.

Then we have this big switch, in all honnesty, I expect greater impact on bass response so don’t bet on a 10db extra bass boost since when the switch is UP you get this slightly cleaner U shape presentation where it’s all about sub bass and more mellow mid bass punch, then when the switch is up it gain in mid bass punch, slam get thicker and warmer, rumble more vibrant and excited, we are more into guilty pleasure and this extra warmth thicken male vocal too, add low harmonc density, yet blur a little bit more separation of bass and mids.

The bass is more sub boomy than mid bass thumpy, it’s not very fast and the sub bass is very boosted, surely about 10db, but depending of switch choice it can go from mellow organic boom to wide vibrant slam that never create ear fatigue due to too much mid bass impact. It’s the kind of bass I call ‘’pillowy’’ in the sens if feel creamy and warm in resolution but has enough tactility and weight for chill headbanging.
This isn’t a thin bass, nor a very textured one, the presence of bass line and kick drum are a bit dark and bass line will tend to be better extracted.
The rumble can be very joyfull: vibrant in sustain, lush in presence and wide but not resonant in headroom.
The transition into mid range will be thick and warm with extra boost, a bit cleaner with stock tuning.
Yet, don’t expect an edgy definition of kick, toms or even double bass. We are into colored guilty pleasure where physicality of tone is more focus, it’s a meaty bass that benefit slow beat heavy music like pop, soul, R&B and rap more than fast rock, for jazz it can be good too but not in a referene way, it will be a laid back rendering where youll struggle to follow double bass line.
When it come to solo instrument like cello, it can be very rewarding, the thickness and lushness favor this instrument which gain in vibrancy and tone color, but don’t have a lot of attack bite, the lead of attack is creamy which make it even more intimate and cozzy to listen too yet can deliver the euphonic grunt when needed.
Fans of warm bass with wide headroom slam will love these, but those that need sharp definition of low range instruments will find it too dark.
In simple words, switch UP=balanced sub bass boost, mellow organic punch, liquid texture with good transparency, well controlled and soft bass line.
Switch down: Warm sub bass with extra ‘’oomph’’, vibrant euphonic rumble, more opaque mids transiton.

The mids are one of main highlight to my romantic ears, they are warm, lush and lean but not very recessed. The timbre is quite natural for multi BA, it’s velvety and thick. The instrument definition has polished edge.
The piano tone is natural and while the note have weight, it’s polisthed in definition, we can’t see delimitation of note nor the attack sustain and release articulation since attack lead is warmed and release blossom in warmth which don’t permit clean natural resonance to blossom in they air with gradual loudness atenuation which make it hard to understand which pedal the pianist press.

The mids benefit mostly wind instruments and vocal, which don’t need as sharp attack lead.
Male vocal are fully bodied with well extracted presence and lush timbre, while female vocal can be a bit more transparent and loud, still very lush and pleasant, with more airy presence.

The OH700Vb are vocalist maestro in a colorfull and musical way, it’s nt about bright presence boost and insane texture info here, we are not in monitoring approach at all.
It’s luscious and gourmand mid range that focus on vocal fullness with a good balance of low and high harmonic, the listener isn’t far from it’s singer yet don’t get agressed by a too in your face upper mids boost screamy presence, it’s all smooth with just a minimal dynamic edge bump to feel it’s alive, and the immersivity get magnify even more due to this holographic warm tapestry of sound layers floating in vast and thick macro dynamic soundscape.

Saxophone sound sublime, again with wide stretched presence, since no instrument sound compressed or thin.

The violin too have a lush rendering free of abrasive edge or harshness, we have minimal attack bit which avoid the rendering to go too blend.

The OH700VB are master of timbre and a vocal specialist too, mids are very natural and dense in rendering, well layered in an organic whole that isn’t heterogeneous. It’s not cleanest or crispest mid range, but musicality and immersivity are very rewarding.


Then the treble is the most understated part of audio spectrum and we can just call it: well balanced. It doesn’t attract attention nor deliver high amount of micro details, yet when the listener focus on percussions they are very realist, fully boldied, with a hint of snappy crunchy that don’t go loud, splashy or trebly at all.
It’s a rather lean treble with just a slight extra energy that permit to render snare drum dynamic well without going shouty.
Guitar sound full, don’t lack low harmonic which are in fact coloring the timbre with density, the attack release isn’t very brilliant or spakly, a bit scooped in extension in fact but the presence is bodied and pleasant.
So, yes, even if OH700VB use 6 balanced armature, it’s not a technical or analytical set at all, upper treble isn’t adding air, it’s more the bass that stretch spatiality as well as spacious hologaphic layering.
I do feel it lack a bit of sharp attack snap that will permit better readibility of each instrument definition, I’m never satisfy with level of sparkle BA can deliver and Oriveti is no exception, yet the soundsignature doesn’t aim for this and in that regard the treble is refined in balance, a bit like it is for Final E4000 or E5000 balance.

The Soundstage is quite impressive, very tall and wide, it can go deep when bass don’t add fog to noise floor. It’s surrounding you in a immersive way where you feel in middle of the band, or with 2 speakers stereo way and one in front of you at slightly lower volume. You are melting into the music with OH700VB, your not a passive contemplator.

Imaging while not plain bad isn’t favor by soundsignature choice which isn’t crisp, nor neutral and do have warmth going in. Yet the 7 drivers permit well articulated if not edgy layering, it will be easier to pull off all sound layers with slow music.

SIDE NOTES

At 12ohm with a sensitivity of 113db+3DB/MW and rather high distortion rate of 1%, the OH700VB are a bit capricious to drive and will go distorted with source that have too high output impedance, so I suggest lower than 0.5ohm impedance for those, a clean source in whatever flavor will do good. My Ibasso DX90 have very low impedance but slightly V shape tonality so I get a more vivid and brighten presentation with hint of extra punch, clean way, while for Xduoo X20 which have 0.1ohm, it’s more neutral L shape, with timbre that is boosted in transparency, both are very good matching.

Then, these are sensitive to eartips too, because they have very wide and big nozzle I suggest short wide bore than will not block any of 3 nozzle hole. Soundstage will greatly open with the right ear tips, layering too will be better articulare, bass will add less warmth as well.

Then for cable, I don’t find those particularly sensitive, so the stock one is enough. But I did enjoy the Simgot LC7 a lot with them, which permit improve a bit overal clarity, it certainly don’t add extra bass or warmth.



COMPARISONS



VS KINERA NORN (1DD+4BAs)

Norn is brighter, more V shape yet less bassy.
Bass is opposite of the OH700VB, it’s all about mid bass fast textured punch with notable sub bass roll off which make the OH700VB feel notably bigger and rumblier in slam, as well as thicker and warmer in tone.
Mids are way more aggressive, bright, textured and more prompt to shoutyness and sibilance with the Norn, It’s more compressed and centered which make the OH700VB more open sounding, smoother and lusher in vocal and mids, it have more bodied male vocal too and a more holographic spatiality.
Timbre of Norn is more grain, fuzzy and prompt of BA harshness while OH700VB feel buttery smooth.
Treble has greater boost too with the Norn, it’s more crunchy for electric guitar and violin attack lead, strangely, the layering is inferior and treble is more compressed, thinner, more fuzzy. It sound rougher, cheaper, more excited and less linear and natural in balance than less energic yet better articulate treble of OH700VB which put less forwards the percussions, but have fuller definition of them in the background.
Soundstage is way bigger, wider, taller and deeper with OH700VB, cant compare here.
Imaging is about on par since both aren’t cleanest in sound layering, yet, due to more spacious stage it’s less muddy in macro dynamic with OH700VB so I can dig more freely in soundscape.

All in all, I can’t find any place where the NorN feel superior, and that even if signature of OH700VB is warmer and darker.

VS SOUNDRHYME SR7 (1DD+6BAs+2 tuning switch)

OH700VB is warmer and more U shape, smoother and more laid back, with less BA timbre presence.

The bass slam in a more mellow vibrant way, with wider hazier headroom while SR7 feel balanced warmish W shape with more mid bass focus, it punch harder and tighter so i feel bass is faster too.
OH700VB offer greater rumble, thicker and has more ‘’omph’’ than round thumping. Bass line are more tactile with OH while presence is more boosted with SR7 (especially with treble boost ON)

Mids are lusher and thicker with the OH700, both male and female vocal are smoother and moe colored. SR7 have cleaner, hint brighter and more intimate and centered mids.


Soundstage is notably wider and taller with OH700, mids are lusher darker, bit more fowards and energic with SR7, same for treble, apart a slight peak with OH700VB that boost snare presence i can pick up more sound info with SR7 that have more textured timbre and less bass warmth.


I tremondesly enjoy both, OH700VB being more laid back with longer and more vibrant rumble, tone and timbre are a bit more even too, while SR7 sound a bit better balanced and more resolving but not as open, more in your face in dynamic.

The sound value win goes easily to SR7 though.

CONCLUSION



The Oriveti OH700VB are master of musicality and achieve their goal of ''balanced natural sound'' experience gloriously.

Sure, since they aren't the most technicaly competent IEM, the sound benefit in term of high fidelity resolution, attack control and imaging isn't the greatest, but I could say this with 75% of 500-1000$ i've tested in the past too. And i've hear way way worst in term of tonal balance, so it's to the audiophile to put it's priority, for me it's musicality and timbre as well as immersive dynamisc that don't pull out of my music but in the middle of it and in that regard the OH700VB is a champ.

If you like lush bassy musicality that can go from open yet full sounding U shape to warmer thumpier chunky V shape, the OH700VB is a safe bet. This switch might not add 10db radical basshead boost, but it does thicken vocal and add this euphoric ''oomph'' for beat driven music.

As a lush female vocal fan as well as dense rumbly bass lover, the OH700VB hit my sweet spot and is highly recommended for laid back music lover that dont feel guilty to share some reslution sharpness for extra warmth naturalness.

Highly recommended (for non budegt audiophile!)


-------------------------------------


PS: I want to thanks Oriveti for sending me this review sample. As always, i'm not participating to affiliated program that will make me earn $ for sharing a positive review. And I will never do.


You can order the OH700VB for 699$ here:
https://www.oriveti.com/product-pag...d-hifi-iem-with-mini-switch-on-the-faceplates

TONALITY: 8.2/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.8/10
TIMBRE: 8.2/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8/10
IMAGING: 9/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.5/10

Intro

SuperTFZ is another IEM branch of TFZ company. I’m not sure to understand the reason of this side branding. From company description, it’s aiming stage musician and monitoring IEM, but the Force1 I’ve review is a basshead V shape which I don’t find appropriate for this purpose.
One thing sure, TFZ is a IEM company from China that specialize in dynamic driver technology for about 10 years, and this show even with very bassy Force1 that impress me with it’s speedy attack and high resolution.

Today I will review their flagship IEM call SuperTFZ Crown.

Priced 220$, the Crown is a single Dynamic driver IEM with dual impendance switch offering different dynamic loudness balance. The DD used is a special one and is describe as follow:

‘’Ultra /ow distortion, pure audio quality

The Crown flagship adopts a newly developed Tesla dynamic driver, with ceramic suspended edges and a blue film dome, as well as a strong magnetic flux of N52 magnet, ensuring that it always operates at ultra- /ow distortion levels. Whether it is total harmonic distortion, transient distortion, or phase distortion, it is controlled at a remarkable level, and the sound is clean, clear, and pleasant to hear, pure and durable.

Ceramic suspended edge+ blue film dome architecture, flagship level acoustic driver

CROWN adopts a new generation of acoustic technology, equipped with a ceramic suspended edge and blue film dome structure, a 12mm dual magnetic circuit Tesla magnetic pack, and a CCAW voice coil. The blue film dome adopts physical vacuum DC magnetron sputtering technology, which has the characteristics of high rigidity and light weight, making high- frequency beautiful and smooth.

The 12mm oversized dynamic unit can provide better large dynamic performance, as well as strong /ow- frequency volume and texture.

It is also effortless in achieving high- definition resolution, not only achieving reference level stage monitoring performance, but also in music appreciation.’’

All of this is certainly promising in term of performance sound value, but let see how it sound in this review.

CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The craftmanship of the Crown is very impressive yet the design will not be for everyone in term of look. I'm not sure to understand the need to show electrical compenent since it might make it more vulnerable to shock impact. As well, the metal lining will be hard to clean and do collect dust easily.
Nonetheless, the built is very good. Housing is all made of thick glossy metal, i love the crown logo carved in housing too.
The 2pin connector aren't recessed but feel well embeded in metal body and quite durable, it mean any cable apart QDC 2pin will work.
The shape dont have spiky angle and is ergonomic, as well the nozzle is long enough for versatile deep or shallow fit.



The included cable is a modular of decent quality. Its a 4 core silver plated cable and im happy it include 3 plugs type (2.5mm and 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm single ended). It's not an end game cable and worth being upgrade if you want to exploit full potential of the Crown. I enjoy the ISN S4 cable as well as Penon Quattro cable and Simgot LC7 more than stck cable which brighten tonality a bit too much to my taste.



The packaging was elegant and number of accessories is good enough. We have 3 different model of eartips. The very welcome modular cable, a nice carrying case and cleaning too....as well as switch too that I loose. All in all, we have good price value accessories.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS




Let’s begin by saying that the only other SuperTFZ IEM I’ve tested is the Force1, which is an intense basshead banger with hard V shape bright balance...so I was expecting at least a quite bassy IEM with the Crown which….
Isn’t the case at all.
It’s a mature and neutral sounding one, with impressive technical performance, but not something I would call fun sounding for sure. So I was a bit s underwhelmed first by the dynamic heft it deliver, I was seeking the bass engagement to finaly conclude: this IEM is quite well tuned and can go from near monitor neutrality to a lush and warm one that is fatigue free and immersive in the long run.

Yes, the Crown have to sound flavor due to the switch that offer 2 impedance level: 20ohm when ON and 68ohm when OFF.

ON is the bright neutral, it’s more edgy in definition and lively and energic in dynamism.
OFF is warm neutral, it’s less clean, more hazy and organic as a whole, thicker and lusher in timbre (more euphonic), less sharp and darker in treble with more sub bass warmth.

The tonality of both is neutral with slight sub bass boost, warm mellow mids bass impact, gently forwards upper mids and upper treble, all balanced in a way nothing really dominate the spectrum. I find the dynamic too lean to be consider U shape even if sub bass and lower treble has greater boost in balance, mids don’t feel recessed enough to be called so. Simply put, upper mids and treble dominate the balance without making it sound too bright, especially with switch OFF that warm it up.

I find the Crown to shine with instrumental music like classical and jazz, folk and indie, not so much with electronic, rap, soul and R&B even if the female vocal in those track will sound very good.

The bass sit behind mids and treble and don’t attrack a lot of attention, yet it’s linear, deep and well controled.
I will focus on ON switch here since it go warmer, darker, thicker and a notch bassier with the impedance at 68ohm, it trade lushness and note weight for clean separation and texture presence of On switch.
To some extend, this is monito like bass presentation, apart the slight warmth we have on kick drum, which just have minimal punch, barely appreciable at normal volume. This is the main nitpick, because the bass is clean and well define and both double bass and electric bass soud full and realistic, it’s not an euphonic mellow boom like with OFF switch.
The sub bass line have natural sustain with well define presence, not too grainy or textured, while not plain thin it will not deliver a lot of grunt or rumble vibrancy, it will extend in a dense airy way, natural in decay, not amplify with unwanted resonance. So, monitoring for bassist will be easier than for drummer unless it’s all toms and percussions since the tom has this natural resonance release too, impressive in realism and openess.
As note, it’s certainly not a basshead nor a headbanger IEM, their no ‘’oomph’’ nor hard thumping here, the rhythm section are rather flat in dynamic but don’t feel distant or plain dull, just...mature, and refined in their balance.
Quality bass which isn’t rolled off nor plain anemic.

Now the mid range is quite impressive in fact and that even if it’s not the fullest or most forwards, most energy come from upper mids but we have enough low harmonic to get natural and rich restitution of a wide range of instrument from female vocal, to saxophone, to piano and so on.
It’s a versatile, clean and open mid range with effortless resolution that doesn’t go too edgy or polished, the ON switch here pull off the macro warmth that darken definition edge. Those sensitive to pinna gain above 8db might find higher pitch instrument a bit too energic or loud since it’s most dynamic part of tuning balance here, but their near zero sibilance unless the track is invade by it, in that regard, you’ll need to go OFF switch to tame the loudness and make it more buttery upper mids wise.
The transparency is quite good too, which permit good tracking of instrument. I don’t struggle to position piano and saxo as well as double bass and percussions in a jazz track, just the kick drum unless recorded in dominative way.
The saxo have a boosted presence which is well define and centered in middle stage, it’s not stretched so some might find it a bit compressed but it don’t affect the tone or concentrate the texture. The attack is fast and agile with energic attack lead and loud but well controlled release, this mean it can deal with very fast saxophonist without going messy.
To be honest, I’m tremendously impress by mid range naturalness as well as the sweet vocal presentation since both male and female vocal are well extract and on front seat, with wide envelopping presence that isn’t shouty nor screamy, this make me conclude that the Crown are vocal specialist and quite a superio one in sub-300$ price range.


Switch OFF note: Mids become lusher and darker, imaging goes one dimension and instrument mix togheter their presence and are harder ton position. Presence seem wider but we can’t perceive the delimitation of definition which is more foggy. Timbre goes thicker euphonic way. Attack weight seem heavier yet hit in a more mellow and diffuse way so fast note will mix togheter. Overall mids feel more forwards but not in an energic way, its due to extra lower mids body, so piano note sustain are more bodied, we can say it goes a bit more mid centric, warm way.

Now the treble too is very refined. It’s well balanced enough so you don’t get distract by too much analytical micro details but this doesn’t mean you will struggle to follow the percussions since the resolution is quite crisp here, free of trebly spike so it does offer minimal sparkle and brilliance but not in a very loud way.
In other word, it’s a lean treble with extra upper mids crunch for proper attack lead bite and an extension that isn’t rolled off or dark, which underline the high quality of dynamic driver used.
I know an IEM can extend above 10khz when we have this natural resonance of percussions or acoustic guitar release, I mean the one that is recorded, and the Crown will not boost it to the point of going shrill or splashy, it’s the listener ears curiosity that will find it in proper recording. This was already note with piano note release, it’s the same with percussion, it’s clean, slightly thicken in sutstain with extra crunch from upper mids and very richly resolved without going too upfront.
So we have both spakle and bite as well as good attack control.
Female vocal are more upfront and bright than male vocal, presence is boosted but balanced, their no unwanted texture grain. Sibilance occur but onl with low impedance ON, which mean it become sensitive to amping gain. With low impedance OFF, it become smoother but leaner too. Again, sibilance is rare, not invasive and proper source matching will solve this but I don’t think Crown is appropriate for those very sensitive to upper mids boost.
The resolution of treble is very impressive, it extract great amount of sound info including subtle micro details in background, it’s the type of IEM that will make discover new micro details in you music unless you’ve heard kilobuck IEM like Unique Melody Mest MK3.

Switch OFF tame treble sharpness and make resolution a bit more hazy and sirupy. It's a bit darker treble wise, and we have less sparkle and air on top.

The Soundstage is average wide and tall but quite deep and open and airy. It’s a bit hall like.

The imaging is quite good and I can see people using those IEM for monitoring drum, vocal, saxophone and even percussions. Since the layering is transparent and spatiality is open, positioning is realist and well resolved.



COMPARISONS



VS SIMGOT EA1000 (1DD+PR-220$)

Overall balance feel more V to W shape, crisper and bassier.

The dynamic is more lively, thumpy, rumbly and holographic.

The bass is thicker, rounder, faster and better controlled. It a bit less lean in sub bass extension, but punch notably harder, kick is better define and textured too, separation has less warmth.

Mids are brighter and edgier, more open and transparent, better resolved, cleaner and less lean, while the Crown offer a bit more natural and dense timbre, male vocal are more forward while female vocal are smoother with wider presence, attack edge is more softed.

Treble is way more snappy and speedy, percussions definition aren’t as colored with sustain crunch and warmth, we have greater amount of micro details, more air, brilliance and sparkle, while for the Crown their a bit more texture crunch which can benefit electric guitar or saxophone texture, overall treble is less spiky and leaner too.

Soundstage is just a notch wider with the Crown, whil notably taller and deeper with Simgot.

Imaging is sharper with Simgot, crisper and more open and spacious in multi layering.

All in all, technical performance of EA1000 are from another league here, while for tonality it’s brighter and more energic as well as a bit more spiky, Crown win for vocal and timbre naturalness, making it feel more mid centric than less neutral EA1000.


VS FINAL A4000 (1DD-160$)

A4000 is slightly brighter and more V shape.

Bass is warmer and more boomy, it’s thicker and have more slam. The sub bass is more rolled off and not as well textured and layering since sub and mid bass punch mix up their energy for extra slam. Overall quality is better with the Crown, leaner, deeper and cleaner and while drum kick isnt as punchy, it’s better resolved.

Mids are more recessed and dull with the EA4000, female vocal are darker, less open in presence, quite unpleasant, more prompt to sibilance and odlly balanced in harmonic unlike fuller, more forwards and natural vocal of Crown.

Treble is less sparkly and snappy, percussions are foggy and half cook with the EA4000, it lack air and sens of openess too which make overal macro dynamic more muddy too.

Soundstage is wider, taller and deeper with Crown.

Imaging is notably superior too.

All in all, this time its the Crown that feel from another league both in technical performance and tonal balance. It’s very last time I listen to those A4000!

CONCLUSION




The SuperTFZ Crown take me by surprise and show a more mature aspect of this IEM company I wasn’t aware off.
TFZ show with the Crown that they can tune well an IEM in a refined way that doesn't loose it's balance by pushing resolution higher, as well, the impedance switch is a very welcome idea for those that need smoother more laid back musicality, this can be use when you want to take a break from more energic dynamic of lower impedance and easier to drive ON switch.

The Crown offer very competitive technical performance even by today standard, but if you seek for fun bassy tonality, better choose other IEM from its vast catalogue like the Force1 which will make your brain shake with it's intense slam.

All in all, this IEM is a good choice for stage musician that want to be able to enjoy music out of stage in a more relaxed way.




-----------------------------------------------------


PS: I want to thanks Penon for sending me this review sample. I don't participate to Affiliated program nor get any $ compesation for the IEMs I review (and collect for comparisons purpose)

You can order the Crown for 219$ here:
https://penonaudio.com/TFZ-CROWN.html

TONALITY: 7/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.2/10
TIMBRE: 7/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
IMAGING: 8.2/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.2/10
ACCESSORIES: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 6.5/10

INTRO

Sivga is a well know audio company from China, which specialize in Headphones using dynamic and planar driver. Lately they begin to release earphones as well, like the hybrid 1DD+1BA SW001.
Today I will review their first planar IEM call Nightingale.
Priced 280$, the Nightingale use an ''home made'' 14.5mm planar driver with ultra-thin diaphragm that promise crisp and immersive sound.

Let see in this review if this mid tier planar earphones can deliver potent sound value for it's asking price.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The construction is mostly plastic with the exception of wooden back plate with metal ring and the metal nozzle. The design is mature and elegant, and the body is quite light.
The 2pin connector are protuberant, so perhaps at risk of damage if you don't take care of it.
The nozzle isn't very long so it's not think for deep fit.
Overall construction doesn't feel the most sturdy....and oddly enough, ive discover we can unscrew the nozzle, which open door for modding or nozzle swapping if you feel experimental.


The included cable is of good quality, its a thick 4 cores braided cable. It come with 4.4mm balanced plug. It's not stated the details of cores wires type of number.



When it come to packaging, it's minimalist but well done. We have a solid carrying case of good quality, the cable and 6 pairs of ear tips. Those eartips choice are a bit questionnable though since the hole is way too small to permit open sound transmission of planar driver, so i suggest you to use wide bore eartips like the KBear KB07 if you seek big soundstage potential.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS




The overall tonality of Nightingale is rather niche and I consider it specialize for instrumental music more than bass heavy stuffs because its very very bass light.
I would call it crisp neutral with mids and upper treble emphasis. These are very sparkly and airy sounding IEM. For those who love brilliance and shimmer, they will be amaze, but for those that enjoy lush thick mids or round rumbly bass, it’s certaily a risky bet.

So, neutral, with bass that is warm with lower mid range and just a slight mid bass boost, then the mids are gently brigth with good resolution and attack edge, but master of the show is the treble.

Highlight of the nightingale is: open spatiality, boosted sens of transparency, mid range instrument fowardness and vividly crisp treble.

The bass have notable sub bass roll off and mellow mid bass punch with warmed definition.
Bass line are rather clean and can be perceive with some effort but they are dry, lean and more distant than rest of music. The presence is a hint boosted and it feel more textured than kick drum.
This kick drum isn’t very well define nor resolve,their this hazy delimitation to it that mix up in lower mids.
The drum set will feel a bit unbalanced because the percussions will be sharper and more fowards than kick,toms and even snare.
Separation with mids isn’t very clean, which is a bit odd cause from upper mids to upper treble the Sivga sound super crisp.
Note weight are on the thin and light side, it’s not hard thumpy bass nor rumbly and vibrant, in fact....i haven’t heard this bass flavor in my whole audiophile life but nearest i can find is surely with Tinhifi P1plus i will compare later.
At they end we can say it’s lean neutral bass that can deliver well resolve bass line, especially electric bass. But we can say its the achille’s heel of Nightingale too.

The mids are quite nice: open, transparent and well bodied with hint of warmth.
It seem specialize for female vocal, which are fowards but not too bright or shouty. Sibilance is very rare, but some upper pitch soprano can sound louder, as well, it can reveal edgy details in texture depending of very vocal, i find it a bit imprevisible in that regard.
Macro resolution is quite good and as said it’s open, crisp and airy, but i feel i can be cleaner in background if it wasn’t from this lower mids warmth.
Piano sound quite lovely too, not heaviest nor lightest in note weight and the timbre is realist and layering with other instrument is good, we have this well resolve natural resonance too, yet instrument like saxophone will sound louder since it’s more dependant of upper mids.
This saxophone is hit or miss and can feel a bit compressed in middle of stage, its not wide and lush in presence, its effortless in texture but slightly unbalanced in harmony,slightly boxy overall.
So, this is hard for me to find in what specific music style these shine, jazz dont cut it due to lack of proper macro dynamic and bass, classical do cut it and is where i feel these excell at. Instrumental like folk with acoustic guitar or harp is good too, yet this is more about treble so let’s go there now.

The treble is what will create main wow effect here since it’s vividly open and crisp,offer lot of sparkle and quite good amount of microdetails.
It's airy and brilliant and add a sens of openess to spatiality.
It's the kind of treble that can pick up fine detail of cymbals release and it does sharply extract percussions and put them fowards.
Its fast and shappy, and cleanest part of audio spectrum.
It's not a thick nor a lean treble response, i find it spiky and not the best in balance since i can get distracted by upfront percussion which are super shinny.
Since it's spiky, some percussion will be more boosted than other, snare is less loud than metallic instrument.
Acoustic guitar and harp sound open and brilliant, but thin too.


The Soundstage is one of highlight of the Nightingale, it's wide open and quite deep when their no vocal. It's airy and 3D, but not very realist due to over emphasis of percussion that add extra stereo dimension that can feel artificial.

Imaging is OK, but again, not very realist, as well, when their vocal it will dominate presence of other instrument. Bass instrument are difficult to pin point too.




COMPARISONS




VS TINHIFI P1plus

Firstly, the P1plus is notably harder to drive. Then it’s more neutral, leaner and better balanced. Macro resolution is superior as well as spatiality is cleaner, but more intimate.

The bass is leaner, deeper and more textured and well define. Kick drum isn’t as warm and hazy and it feel more speedy in attack, bass line are more vibrant and dense, though not rumbly at all too. Separation with mids is edgier and dont bleed on lower mids as much.

The mids are more natural yet a notch brighter as a whole, texture richness is fully restitute and transparency don’t have a mix of blur and edge as the Sivga. Female vocal aren’t as fowards, overall mids feel leaner and even lighter in note weight than Sivga. Saxophone and vocal are smoother in uppermids and more natural and harmonious in tone with wider presence than more upfront and compressed presentation of Sivga.

Treble is a bit similar though better balanced and less prompt to slight treblyness with P1plus,percussions are quite sparkly, snappy and fowards but in a smoother W shape way than spikier Sivga which is sharper but less full in treble, thinner and more prompt to extract metallic sound and instruments. It feel a bit more airy and stretched in stereo rendering too with Sivga.

Soundstage is wider and taller with Sivga, while deeper and cleaner with P1plus.

Imaging is notably superior with P1plus, its not just about higher pitch sound positioning and definition of each instrument is easier to pinpoint due to higher sens of transparency in layering readibility.

All in all, the P1plus feel like an upgraded Nightingale for less than half the price, but is harder to drive,even leaner in dynamic and quite a hell to use because of poor fit.

VS HIDIZS MP145

The MP145 are notably more dynamic sounding in bass and mids, as well the soundstage is wider, taller and deeper. But no1 thing that hit me is the bass, it’s more punchy and rumbly, more boosted. So tonal balance feelmore Ushape and bassy, mids are hint brighter and more edgy and treble is better balanced yet a bit more crunchy and less plain brilliant than Sivga.

The sub bass is notably more boosted and deeper, with thicker more vibrant and resonant rumble, mid bass impact have more punch but kick is a bit darker, more scooped in presence than Sivga, we have thumping ‘’omph’’ with MP145,while a mellow but chunkier mid bass punchiness with Sivga. MP145 separation with mids have less warm transition too.

Mids are more lively and lush with MP145, they are thicker and less lean and distant as a whole, attack is edgier thus definition seem better rounded. Its more spacious and open,texture is a bit more grainy and less transparent. Timbre is more liquid with the Sivga, resolution is crisper, vocal presence more compressed and intimate, note weight lighter.

Treble is quite different and not as sparkly and crisp with MP145, which is crunchier, this will benefit violin attack as well as instrument like electric guitar while for the Sivga its more shiny and benefit acoustic guitar and harp which have more sparkle and longer and cleaner resonance,its not as fully bodied and lower harmonic vibration will not densify acoustic guitar like it do for MP145.

Soundstage is gigantic with MP145, quite unbeatable in that regard but Sivga do well still, yet it feelmore closed and intimate, its mostly upper treble that add sens of air and deepness wideness, for tallness and holographic rendering MP145 is superior, you feelmore in middle of vast soundscape your part of with those while everything feel a bit static and over centered with the Sivga apart this extra stereo channel stretching with highs frequencies, mostly percussions, electric guitar and harp.

Imaging is about on par, but due to more vaste soundscape it’s easier to travel in sound layers with MP145.

All in all, treble performance feel superior with Nightingale and overall resolution cleaner but the tuning is way less versatile and macrodynamic is lacking variance of amplitude in bass and mids. The MP145 is both more fun and better tuned and don’t suffer timbre texture imbalance though the texture is a bit harsher.

CONCLUSION



The Sivga Nightingale are very niche sounding IEM that is everything but versatile. It's not a fun or bassy musicality and will mostly please vocal lover and those seeking a neutral tonality with lot of treble air and sparkle.

While technical performance are good enough, the tonal balance feel a bit off and affect naturalness of lot of instruments from violin to saxophon and piano, yet not the female vocal which shine with those.

At near 229$, this is a hard one to recommend due to very competitive planar IEM market.
I think it can please elder people with hearing lost in higher frequencies range above 10khz. Or those that need vast airy soundstage to get lost in.





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PS: I want to thanks Sivga for sending me this review sample. I don't participate to any affiliated program nor have any $ incencitive that can bias my subjective judgement.

You can order the Nightingale for 229$ here: https://www.amazon.com/SIVGA-Nightingale-Magnetic-Monitor-Earphones/dp/B0CHRZHNFF

TONALITY: 7.8/10
TECHNICALITIES: 9.2/10
TIMBRE: 7.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.2/10
IMAGIN: 9/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
ACCESSORIES: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.8/10


INTRO

2023 is the Simgot return year and let say the praise is everywhere apart perhaps from affiliated reviewers with personal interest in promoting different audio products they are closely connected too.
This undoubtable success begin with the EA500, then go next level in sound value with EW200, then go warmer a bit moe underwhelming technical performance wise with EM6L….

Then all this experience with their unique approach to Harman tuning target pay off and they release their flagship IEM, the EA1000.

Priced 220$, the EA1000 use 1x 10mm dynamic driver in tandem with 6mm passive radiator.



This isn’t a normal DD, so I add all the info here:

SDPGD™ Technology: EA1000 incorporates sputter deposition purple-Gold diaphragm technology, which is a specialized diaphragm manufacturing process resulting in a diaphragm with high rigidity, lightweight properties, and a beautiful purple gold color.

DMDC™ Dynamic Driver: It employs the second-generation DMDC™ dual magnetic and dual chamber technology, optimized for enhanced magnetic flux and improved control, providing a wider frequency range, exceptional dynamic range, and precise high-frequency performance.

1DD+1PR Architecture: Combining a 10mm full-range dynamic driver with a 6mm lightweight composite diaphragm for a more responsive full range of drivers and helps maintain stability and driveability.

Replaceable Acoustic Nozzles: With a threaded removable and interchangeable sound nozzle design, EA1000 offers three sets of meticulously tuned sound tubes, including options with brass and stainless steel materials, catering to diverse sound preferences and expanding product adaptability.


Simply put, as conter intuitive it can seem: the EA1000 is an upgraded EA2000 for 100$ less.

Let see in this review if it can be consider as a new benchmark dynamic driver IEM under 300$.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



Construction wise, the EA1000 is practically a EA2000 in smaller size and with a 2pin connector instead of MMCX. This 2pin choice will have pros and cons since it’s more prompt from falling and disconnecting due to heavy housing size, which happen to me 2 times and I was very lucky to don’t loose one piece when it fall inside my coat. As well, with MMCX we can swivel the IEM to ou fitting need, which cannot be done with 2pin. Anyhow, the fit is good as well as comfort, it’s just the disconnection issue that can happen when 2pins get a bit bented, which you can solve by realigning the pins yourself.So, like EA2000, the construction is examplary, craftmanship is high grade with lot of care to details, I don’t find any imperfection like. My only qualms is about half recessed 2pin connector that make some cable to don’t fit well and don’t offer same secure fit as fully recessed pins.
Metal used is thick and heavy, it offer good isolation and few noise leakage since venting is on front of housing.



The included cable is of excellent quality but come in single ended 3.5mm plug. It’s a high purity Silver plated OFC litz cable that offer very clean signal transmission and preserve the dynamic rendering without damp or gain warmth.



In term of accessories, it come in minimalist package and include this cable, a very nice quality case and 6 pairs of silicone eartips (that it seem ive lost so its not in the pic sorry!)




SOUND IMPRESSIONS




The EA1000 is extremely similar to it’s big brother EA2000, but with a more balanced tuning as well as 3 tuning nozzle that make me wonder the marketing strategy behind it since well….unless your an hardcore treble head, their no way anybody will conclude the 100$ pricier EA2000 is superior both tonaly and technicaly.

Yet don’t expect a warm and relaxed musicality with these technical beast since we are into W shape meet harman target territory, vivid and dynamic way. But it isn’t a trebly or shouty fest neither, unlike it’s bigger sibling.

I think it’s evident now that Simgot know how to push technical performance bundaries of single dynamic driver with praised IEM like the EW200 and EA500, their audio engineer sure are sensitive about resolution of imaging and the effect of transient speed of the drivers on it.

With the EA serie, they get the help of extra passive radiator transductor to control and clean up acoustic resonance of sound projection, and improve macro dynamic rendering.

Tonality wise, I would call it balanced W shape to vivid bright neutral. This isn’t a basshead IEM and the PR (passive radiator) don’t boost anything, it tend to add edge and roundness to attack and clean the bass resonance that would blur the kick or make sub bass boomy and too diffuse. It add a sens of control to dynamic.

But their another thing to underline with the EA1K, it’s the 3 tuning nozzle included with it. 2 have foam filter in it to damp dynamic loudness spike off upper mids and treble, while the gold nozzle seem to be made of copper and don’t have any damping filter apart nozzle mesh.
It’s the one my review will be based on since other 2 do interfer negatively on plain technical performance by adding a bit of hazyness in the air, which stole sparkle and micro details as well as proper layering articulation. It damp everything in a lean macro dynamic way, affecting the 3D spatiality of musicality.

The black nozzle is the warmest one with smootest but most lean upper mids and mid range instruments and vocal, the bass is warmer and overall balance more U shape and less vivid. Bass is is thickest and more dominate part yet the punch is mellow while slam is wide and foggy.

Black nozzle is similar but with sharper mids and treble, still it’s not airy nor very crisp. It's the brighter of the bunch.

And now the gold nozzle I review today is most balanced I feel.
EA1000 is one of those few IEM that isn’t ridiculous to show it’s Hiresolution certification since it’s among most resolved earphones I’ve ever heard and the level of micro details seem infinite. After 500 IEMs testing, I use the cliché sentence ‘’I hear things in my music I’ve never hear before’’ once a year and in 2023 it would be for EA1000 in single dynamic driver realm. Sometime it feel like this IEM use electrostatic driver to deal with upper treble because percussions are so effortlessly resolved and cleanly extracted in their own layers space.

But let begin with the BASS: fast, thight, round and texture with clean linear vibrant extension. While not basshead, it’s not bass light, you feel the thump and the punch and kick drum have this definition edge that improve macro dynamic and tactile separation. Add this tractility to a clean separation with mids and yes, your into ‘’Bass-Fi’’ territory where flexibility of bass meet high resolution of it’s presence.
The attack is speedy and very well controlled with few to no bass warmth intrusion, yet it’s not a cold sounding or thin bass at all, we have both punch and rumble here, well balanced, rounded and controlled way.
Kick drum isn’t drowned in sub bass boost and can cohabit with bass line in a well layered way where each bass and kick are textured and feel natural in density. In other word, while not guilty pleasure warm due to too much high bass-lower mids boost, the bass isn’t just about sub boom and don’t feel overly U shape. When the track have dynamic heft in bass region, it’s fully restitute in impact weight as well as vibrant and very rich rumble sustain-release.
Bassist will love the EA1000, as well as drummer, and this is sure another confirmation we are into Bass-Fi terrritory which the passive radiatorr filter improve for sure by cleaning unwanted resonance and pushing it out of the shell, adding this natural grunt inherent to electric bass line or cello.
Let’s not be shy and tell it loud: EA1000 offer best bass performance I’ve heard under 300$ (and surely above), period.

Then the mids is where I feel it will be hit or miss depending of you tonal and timbre preference, mid range is most mysterious and subjective frequencies range for audiophile when it comne to emotional response, and we aren’t in warm or lush territory here since the EA1000 bet on crisply high resolution, definition edge and layering transparency. It’s clean and near analytical sounding, it’s bright but not shouty or sibilant, it’s sharp but not very unbalance in texture info even if yes it’s boosted, unless you use Red nozzle that warm a bit edge loudness of attack release but still, it’s not smoothest mid range out there.
The presence of each instrument is clean and well define in delimitation, it don’t feel compressed and open up widely while keeping macro readibility very well resolve and transparent.
Note weight hit fast but don’t have extra weight to it, piano have natural attack resonance that will get hidden in warmer or less clean and well resolve IEM.
Some might find the vocal a bit thin, I’m one of those and female vocal aren’t the most pleasant to my ears, they are quite ‘’gently’’ bright and their too much texture boosted sometime, it’s not shouty and rather lean unless soprano that goes very loud.
We are in wht I would call ‘’mature mid range’’, it’shigh fidelity in restitution, fine details are plenty, separation of instrument while not the widest in space have clean separation as said.
For those that like rich hyper realist texturing of instrument that don’t go harsh, screamy or euphonic, this will be like lifting an unwanted blur from your mid range, but for romantic listener that need lower mids coloring the fullness of instrument will be trade of with this very presence richness boost.
I do think EA1000 can be even good for monitoring purpose, it’s that competent in term of high definition and controlled attack that avoid resonance blur and muddy macro dynamic.
Yes, I wish the mids were as lush and thick as the bass rendering, but this is pure tonal preference I guess since we have techinical crisp mid range that will make jealous lot of pricier IEM.

Then with the bass, the treble is the other master of the show that can’t let indifferent nobody. We aren’t in harman purist target that goes down after 10khz here, and this explain why we can perceive the EA1000 as W since it’s highs are vividly extended yet well balanced too, it’s not too spiky in fact only spike might be after 10khz where it add air, brilliance and sparkle release.
For me, only excellent DD or ESTs can deliver sparkle properly, and EA1000 is a good example.
Begining with percussions, it’s ultra crisp and snappy, with this metallic brilliance this isn’t possible to mimic with fake tuning trick, it’s due to proper highs covering.
Snap, clap, snare and percussions all have this clean sharp edge to it that permit extra positioning accuracy that add sens of openess and air on top.
Whatever the speed, the EA1000 DD can deal with it, ive try prodigious drummer with the EA1000 that is super diversify and speedy with cymbals and their no error or limitation in timing, it’s all crisp on top of the track and easy to follow, it add extra excitmenet, add this with bass and your in for very captivating musicality.
As well, this isn’t all-in wide range treble covering since it doesn’t boost background hiss of bad track that much, it’s not a trebly or violently analytical IEM like GeekWold GK100 for example.
Acoustic guitar aren’t boosted in body but in crispness, which make it very appealing and improve definition of attack. Electric guitar feel a bit more thin, presence is very well done and not shouty, very well layered but density of instrument distortion isn’t boosted. Clean and super well define it is, but here perhaps some extra crunch and euphony will be benificial.
Then one of most challenging instrument to restitute, the harpsichord, do mostly well but lack proper note weight which underline again a lower mids scoop somewhere. It don’t feel as distant as with a lot of other IEM, but still, it don’t work.
Harps do better, so pulled string instrument tend to sound more dynamic in attack overall, since violin stroke isn’t as authoritative in lead attack and slightly thin timbre is less prroblematic for guitar and harp than saxophone, vocal and even violin.
Nonetheless, I’m very far into critical nit picking here, and could have just write: it’s super crisp, transparent, airy and sparkly and effortlessly reveal micro details without sounding agressively bright.
While vivid, it’s overal delicate for most instrument apart percussions.
And to get this attack control and clean clarity at this price is sure something to celebrate!

The Soundstage is just above average wide, and notably above average deep. Center stage is a bit recessed due to this deepness too, you’re not in middle of music in an intimate way with EA100, more like 3 rows from the scene. It add concet like presentation to your music.

Which certainly benefit imaging capacity. Another highlight of these marvelous IEM. We have both the transperent layering that benefit macro resolution readibility as well as spacious instrument separation.





Side Note:
The tuning filter do inflict on tonal balance slightly and it’s not like a tuning switch that can add 5 or 10db of bass, it mostly damp treble and upper mids with the black filter that have foam sponge in nozzle as seen in pic, but this will affect macro dynamic crispness too, thicken bass and mids a bit, yet not make it dark or super smooth sounding.

Since the EA1000 are both easy to drive and very revealing, it don’t benefit from big amping but a clean and dynamic source, this IEM can reveal noisy noise floor too.

Eatips have great effect as well, but stock one are good enough, smaller nozzle will put forwards upper trreble while wide bore can put forward upper mids and bass, yet open up soundstage too.

When an IEM is sensitive to source, it tend to be sensitive to cable, stock one is good enough but you might want to upgrade to LC7 for modular plugs advantage as well as the reason Ill underline here:



Stock cable VS LC7

Ok I’ve AB these 2 cable intensely, with some tracks signal transmission difference wasn’t that evident in fact, then with ‘’Devilled’’ from Gwilym Simcock ultra speed and prodigious drum, sax and piano trio I can conclude this:

Dynamic is leaner and more controlled with the LC7, while stock cable have louder attack peak so cymbals can be slightly more splashy, upper mids more aggressive but definition is a bit edgier too, making the overall tonal balance hint more lively and aggressive.
Stereo and center stage positioning is more even in distribution with the LC7, at first I find stock cable to be better in steeo channeling until I feel center stage was lacking and everything sound right or left apart bass.
Bass is more dynamic, chunkier and more euphonic, less transparent and well layered with the stock cable, the rumble is more excited so sub bass line will tend to add it’s sustain in front of kick drum, mixing and adding it’s energy while with LC7 its leaner and deeper in extension that go behind a flatter punch, its cleane and more textured too.
Mids are wider in presence, more transparent, more centered and better layered with the LC7, clarity is less foggy and sound layers easier to extract. Upper mids are more energic with stock cable and can make some vocal poping out moe, but not opening up in they air, it’s moe shouty overall.
Treble is a notch crisper, while it’s crunchier with the stock cable, again, dynamic spike is less excited with the LC7, micro details can be perceive further in blacker background too, suggesting a cleaner noise floor than stock cable.

All in all, the LC7 is more neutral in signal transmission and I feel it interfer less with high fidelity of music reproduction. It don’t color bass with euphony, nor boost or tame it’s dynamic. Some pure silver cable I have try tame bass impact and weight, it’s not the case here. It doesn’t boost the treble nor darken it. Imaging can be greatly improve again other cable like stock one of NightOblivion Butastur. Cable seem to really interfert with proper stereo channel separation and the LC7 is a master in that regard.

COMPARISONS



VS SIMGOT EA500

While excellent, EA500 offe a very similar sound experience and balance but can’t compete with technical performance like resolution and both bass and treble response of the EA1000.
The bass is more speedy and controlled, better define in mid bass punch and more linear and deep in sub bass extension which feel boomy and warm and morre one tone with the EA500, overall low range is cleaner, less boomy, riche rin fine details of texture and edgier in separation with EA1000.
Then the mids are more transparent and crisp with EA1000, so they might feel a notch thicker with EA500 due to this extra subtle bass warmth we can get in lower mids, this mean resolution is a bit more hazy too and not as clean in separation, we have more upper mids loudness so vocal feel brighter and more upfront, a bit more euphonic and opaque in texture.
Treble is more vivid, brilliant, sparkly and airy with the EA1000, it’s more snappy for fast percussions which are better detailed and edgier in proper definition and timing speed. Natural resonance is longer and better resolve.
Soundstage is very similar in wideness but we can dig deeper in EA1000 soundscape.
This mean Imaging is notably superior, with crisper positioning and more transparent sound layering.

All in all, EA1000 is logical upgrade to EA500 in term of technical performance and offer very similar tonality with higher resolution, better attack control and more high fidelity imaging.


VS SONICMEMORY SM2

Another excellent single DD, the SM2 is slightly more V shape with warmer bass and upper mids, which make the EA1000 feel more W shape and crisp neutral with bass boost.

The bass is more excited and can feel faster yet less well controlled with the SM2 since resolution is warmer, but the punch is more thumpy. Sub bass is notably more rolled off and muddy for proper bass line layering unlike EA1000 cleaner and more textured and define bass response that have more vibrant and deep rumble yet feel less forced and boosted since the driver is more stable in transient.

Mids are a bit thicker again with SM2, quite similar to EA500 in fact, it have more lower mids meat and lusher presentation but not as wide and well define presence nor as highly resolve center stage. EA1000 have edgier mids, timbre isn’t as pleasantly colored and offer hyper realist resolution and way more micro details and texture info.

The treble extend further with the EA1000, its way crisper and more brilliant, we can feel half the percussions are presented with SM2 while we can pin point each of them with EA1000, sustain release of attack is notably cleaner and more controlled too. Overall treble response is from another league here.

All in all, the EA1000 is globally superior in technical performance yet offer a colder and brighter tonality so for plain female vocal love I would go SM2, while for all the rest it would be EA1000.

VS Moondrop KATO

Now from all those 3 the Kato are the most undewhelming technicaly wise when I compare it to EA1000 macro resolution feel super hazy, layering seem one dimension, bass lack punch and overall musicality has this crunchy brightness to it that affect texture negatively with strange euphony.

This euphony make the mids slightly thicker yet unlike EA500 and SM2, it’s more scratchy than smooth in texture mix.

The bass feel more U shape yet leaner in dynamic and more hazy in sub bass extension, gently boomy I would say with inferior separation, less clean and well extracted bass line, less attack edge and roundness, kick drum feel half cooked in dynamic rendering while fully rounded, meaty and textured with EA1000.

The mids of Kato are darker and more hazy in macro rendering, vocal are more focused but leane, hint lusher but in a brightish way, definition lack the edge of EA1000, mid range instrrument mix togheter more easily with the Kato too. I’m not a fan of vocal of both.

Treble is thicker and darker, more crunchy and notably less clean, sparkly and detailed than airier crisper EA1000, it sound very cheap and not refined, super hazy in micro details and attack sustain-release, it’s just a shame to compare this freq section with the Kato.

Soundstage is wider, airier and deepe with the EA1000. Slightly taller but overall more compressed and in your head with Kato.

All in all, Kato is just ridiculously inferior in technical performance….but again for those seeking more colored niche tonality that seem to ‘’excell’’ in one thing only-vocal, Kato might be it….though even a Tangzu Waner is has good in that very department…



CONCLUSION



The Simgot EA1000 are simply mind blowing in term of technical performance and offer effortlessly high and clean resolution that we could expect from way pricier IEM. It's in fact even cleaner and less distorted in transient than FInal A8000, this is how insanely capable is the dynamic driver in there.

Not only that, but the passive radiator solve one of main issue of other Simgot offering which was the bass performance and control, here it's fast, full bodied, rich in texture, both punchy and rumbly with great elasticity, yet not boosted at guilty pleasure level to keep it well balanced and separated from other frequencies.

To say i'm impress by technical performance of EA1000 is an understatement. And the good news is that it's notably better tuned than pricier EA2000 which is brighter and more spiky W shape tonality.

Sure, it doesn't mean it will charm my ears or everyone in term of mid range especially, which is something I nte and hope will help people make the right choice for their personal tonality and timbre appreciation.

All in all, Simgot EA1000 is among best IEM I,ve tested in 2023 and for this reason it's:

Very HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!







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PS: I want to thanks Simgot for sending me this review sample. I'm not affiliated to this company and have zero personal benefit to write a positive review.

You can order the EA1000 for 220$ here: https://penonaudio.com/SIMGOT-EA1000 .html

TONALITY: 7.8/10
TECHNICALITIES: 7.5/10
TIMBRE: 8.2/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 7.5/10
IMAGING: 7/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 7/10

INTRO

Kinera don't need lenghty presentation, it's an IEM company from China that has been around for about 10 years.
They specialize in hybrid IEM of all price range but what demark them for other IEM company is the great care to IEM design which are hand painted and very artsy.
Today I will review the Kinera Freya 2.0 which is suppose to be an upgrade in term of tonal balance compared to older Freya.

Priced 269$, the Freya is a hybrid IEM using 1x7mm dynamic driver for lows and 3BAs for mids and highs (knowles and custom).

Let see in this review if the Freya 2.0 is not just good looking but good sounding too.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The construction is all made of high grade resin plastic that is thick and feel ultra sturdy. The design is very beautifull and hand painted mean each pair are unique. Sure, the glossy sparkly decorative pattern doesn't exactly match my virility but i have nothing against magnifiing my feminin side either.

The housing is transparent too, so you can admire internal as well as confirm the drivers are indeed tubed properly.

The nozzle is rather big and not very long so it's not adequate fo deep fit, as seen their 4 holes so be aware to not block any of them with too small ear tips nozzle like the one included from Final audio (strange choice).

2pin connector aren't recessed so it mean its versatile for alot of 2pin cable yet that you most be cautious to don't bent the 2pin when connecting it and be sure its well allignated with female 2pin.



The included cable is good enough, it's a all copper modular cable with 3.5mm and 4.4mm plug. It warm a bit the sound so it's not the one i use the most with this already warmish IEM.



The packaging is splendid like always with Kinera presentation is of great important and each unboxing experience is unique.
Accessories are generous, apart the cable we have 5 set of Final eartips, 3 set of balanced silicone eartips and 3 set of vocal silicone ear tips.
We have a very beautifull carying case. and a cleaning tool.

All in all, accessories and construction are very good.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS



The tonality of Freya 2 seem aimed for pop and follow a quite common V to U shape ground where we have boosted and warm mid bass, slight sub bass roll off, gently lifted upper mids and bright lean treble that have hint of crunch and texture extra grain but notable roll off and lack of sparkle and air after 10khz.

Yes, we are in bassy punchy warm territory with energic mids and treble that are safe enough to avoid harsh shoutyness but not buttery smooth either.

The bass is all about chunky warm round punch that favor weight and density of impact over wide resonant slam or cleanly balanced well controlled extension. It’s not a bass with big enveloping head room and it’s quite opaque and euphonic in texture.
The sub bass extension is rolled off and compressed, which make the ‘’OOOOOOMPH’’ lack a couple of O in it’s rumble release. Bass line are hit or miss, depending of type of kick used and the fundamental of it’s impact which can mix up and had it’s dynamic push, in this case it will warm and even make muddy bass line, while if in recording sub bass is louder it will overshawod acoustic kick drum.
The double bass can sound a bit boomy in attack, followed by a thin and dry extension.
This is why I feel the Freya are tuned for pop, since it struggle with acoustic recording as well as loudness differentiation of acoustic instrument in live environement.
But their exception, since the bass coloring tonality is beneficial for niche instrument like the cello ,which sound wide and lush in presence, vibrant and quite charming.
It’s more about elasticity and transient speed of bass that it’s lacking, which affect negatively whole technical performance of the Freya.
With R&B, Soul and Rap, the guilty pleasure is rewarding, but in R&B we often have big sub bass line and I don’t find them juicy, dense and tactile enough.
It really feel Freya search it’s own identity in term of bass presentation, hesitate between big sub or mid bass boost and compromise both while magnifying sens of round impact in a lush but imprevisible way. Their more quantity than quality, it’s neither super rumbly or tight hard punchy, it boom in a round warm way and complement the V shape dynamic smoothly, without any awe.

The mid range is gently bright with a hint of lushness and warmth, it’s not thin nor lean, we have good amount of upper mids energy that put forwards female vocal more than male vocal, yet avoid problematic shoutyness or sibilance, but I can’t promise that listener with pinna gain sensitivity do safest bet with the Freya.
It’s not buttery smooth and I sometime encounter suddenly loud peak in soprano female vocal.
A sign it’s not 100% lush is the fact saxophone doesn’t sound very pleasant with the Freya, the presence is brighten and compressed, it doesn’t blossom naturaly in they air and feel shooted by BA in a unilateral way. Timbre is dry and quite boosted in texture too, which doesn’t happen with female vocal nor piano.
The piano sound quite good especially in lower range, but has a warm definition edge so it’s hard to pin point each note in fast passage. Note weight is well felt though, and timbre is dense and pleasant.
The sound layering is good enough to perceive ‘’idea’’ of other instrument but fail to keep it’s readibility and articulation with fast busy track like all jazz-rock albums from Elephant 9 sound hazy and abstract with bass and percussion dominating macro dynamic.
In other words, the mid range doesn’t sound very open nor crisp, do have bass warrm sticked in the background and goes hazier and hazier more you add instrument into it, especially energic instrument.

As for the treble, their not a lot to write about. It’s safely bright and boost texture of high pitch sound and instrument, we have few spike in upper mids and the freqency zone that extract main percussions like the snare and clap are louder and snappier than cymbals.
It’s a bit dry too in timbre, in the sens their no sparkle or brilliance to be found and highs lack natural extension.
Those aren’t thin sounding though, nor trebly or very harsh. We have enough crunchyness for minimal abrasivity in attack lead of violin or electric guitar.
This isn’t cleanest or most refined treble, definition of percussions is a bit euphonic and noisy.
Acoustic guitar feel a bit scooped-damped in string pulling attack snap as well as densify in body and blurred-dryed in release.
Again, the Freya 2 don’t excell with whatever real acoustic instrument I throw at it, I can go on with clavichord and harp but will underline even more lack of brilliance, sparkle and harmony coherency.
Let’s just say those are ‘’master of none, jack of all trade’’ highs and you will not be impress by the resolution it deliver as well as number of micro details it can extract.

Soundstage is rather intimate, wider and taller than deeper and it can go depth-less when bass occur.

Imaging is OK at best when their no bass and it's all instrumental...but center stage instrument like piano will feel more recessed than percussion....so it's not realistic and i would never suggest those for monitoring.


Side Notes:

Even if it's an hybrid, the Kinera 2.0 do need a bit of power to open up since it have rather low sensitivity of 105db and 20ohm of impedance. But it's capricious about amping due to BA sensitivity to impedance gain, so be cautious about that. I would say they need a minimum of 50mW or even 100mW.

Then the ear tips choice is very important, as noted, Final eatips nozzle is to small and will compress and mess up the sound, it will block some hole of the nozzle too. Worst ear tips for this IEM. It seem to had sibilance too. I just don't get the choice of adding these but with small nozzle Final E tips are great so it worth keeping them! Their wider bore that are more adequate included. But i suggest short wide bore or Penon Fan2 blue wide bore ear tips (the one i use the most)



COMPARISONS



VS PENON DOME (1DD+3BAs-350$)

The Dome is warmer, lusher, smoother, more balanced and clean sounding as well as just slightly bassier, with notably greater bass performance.
It’s evident all drivers used are superior here, both in attack control and timbre micro distortion. The 2 sonion BA dealing with mid range deliver lusher and more natural mids, with more realistic and less rough tone and wider better rounded presence of each instrument. Upper mids are more butter and liquid in edge, it melt like honey in the ears and offer way more musical female vocal as well as fuller bodied male vocal.
The DD too is next level compared to Freya, it extend deeper with greater headroom slam free of problematic resonance so sub is thicker as well as kick drum and mid bass more rounded and bodied, attack speed is faster and more controled and layered is cleaner, so the bass is more separate with mids. Freya sound quite boomy and muddy compared to Dome even if it doesn’t rumble as much and offer as fun and muscular impact.
The treble of both these IEM is a bit dark, but again, Dome is more refined and better balanced though it lack air too as well as sparkle we don’t have texture or tone imbalance and the snare isn’t jumpin at you as much. It follow more evenlyn the tuning target it aim, which is notably more versatile.
The soundstage is notably wider and taller but about same depth.
Imaging is a bit cleaner and while resolution is less bright and can feel smoother, transparency is superior and layering separation don’t mix their energy togheter as much, so with some effort the listener can find more instrument positioning than with Freya that will go too messy in busy music.

All in all I think it’s evident whoe the winner is here. Tonality is more natural and balanced as well as smoother and more immersive with Dome and technical performance even if not magnify with treble boost are superior in attack control, macro dynamic rendering, bass extension and sound layering articulation and readibility.

VS HIDIZS MS5 (1DD-4knowles BA-400$)

Ok, it’s evident the MS5 is more technical as well as more bassy.
Tonality is more vivid, bright and W shape.
Bass have thinner and wide slam with more rumble resonance, it’s less muddy and better layered and overall cleaner but less tactile and chunky so even more U shape than warmer U shape of Freya2.
Mids are thinner, shoutier, dryer, brighter and more sibilant with the MS5, it sound more open and airy and it’s better resolve but timbre is plain wrong, while thicker and less spiky in texture with the Freya2.
Treble is notably more extended, snappier, cleaner and airier with MS5, percussions are upfront and more unbalanced but add extra micro details which is higher with MS5 but overall balance is more wonky to out of wack.
Soundstage is wider, taller and deeper with the MS5, bit hall like with recessed front stage while moe intimate and hazy with Freya2.
Imaging while non realistic is crisper and overall clearer for instrument separation, sure the percussions aren’t suppose to be in front of singer but it’s how life goes with MS5!

All in all, tonality is notably better balanced with Freya2 while technical performance is superior with MS5.


CONCLUSION



The Kinera Freya 2.0 are fun and lush sounding hybrid that don't excell at anything but deliver pleasant vocal and have a unique artsy look which Cynthia should be pround of.

It's a bit of a step down from QOA Aviation both in term of tonality and technicalities, which make me a bit dubious to suggest them.

For these, i would say the consumer should be giving lot of credit to the design work to find proper value in it's buy.

Kinera wasn't very inspire for this release I feel, and it's one more to add in overcrownded ChiFi IEM market. But at least it exist like a piece of art you can admire, again, this should be in top priority for this buy. If not, go for QOA Gimlet which certainly offer greater sound value.

Half-recommended!

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PS: I want to thanks Kinera for sending me this review sample. As always, i don't participate to affiliation program, don't have adds sponsors on my site nor favor any companies I collab with. Those are just my subjective audio impressions.

You can order the Kinera Freya 2.0 directly from official store here:
https://www.kineraaudio.com/product/kinera-freya-2-0

TONALITY: 9.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.5/10
TIMBRE: 9/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
IMAGING: 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8/10
ACCESSORIES: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.2/10


INTRO

Letshuoer don’t need a lenghty presentation, this China based earphones company has been around for near 10 years now.
We can say their best seller and most praised IEM is the S12 planar IEM that still is very popular nowadays even with growing planar IEM offering.

Today it’s the following of S12 legacy that I will review, which is the new S15 planar.

The S15 is priced 330$ and use thid generation 14.8mm planar driver in tandem with a 6mm passive filter module to permit a better contoled transient response and acoustic resonance.



Letshuoer has gain experience with passive radiator when they create the 3DD+1PR DZ4 IEM and push this tech further with R-Sonic patent. Planar IEM often have unwanted euphonic resonance and harmonic distortion, the R-Sonic filter module should improve this.

Let see in this review if the S15 is a planar that will stand apart in over crownded planar IEMs offering.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES

The construction of S15 is made of of 3D printed plastic front housing with a CNC precision carved back metal plate. The design will be hit or miss in term of aesthetic but I find them good looking enough.
The front cavity housing has a smooth non slippy finish. Housing is quite light and while it don’t feel cheap, it don’t feel extremely sturdy or luxurious too.
The nozzle is rather short so it’s not thinked for deep insertion. It’s slightly angled and the fit is very comfortable.
2Pin connector are fully embeded in the housing, connection isn neither too loose or too tight.



The packaging is very well done and contain a very practical box that act like an IEM drawer chest. I like this creative idea a lot.




Then we are spoil with an excellent modular cable that I adore. It’s a 216 strands silver plated monocrystal copper cable which is braided and look very sturdy, it’s flexible and smooth and don’t create microphonic. One aspect I love a lot about this modular cable is the changeable L shape plug that come in 3.5mm single ended as well as 2.5mm and 4.4mm balanced. A cable like this worth about 50-100$, so this sure participate to the price jump for S15.




Other accessories are the nice round and screwable carrying case and 6 pairs of ear tips in 2 model. I would have like even more ear tips because the short wide bore isn’t the perfect choice, this model has a bumpy nozzle end that don’t permit the sound to fully open unlike more common short wide bore ear tips that I suggest using. Personaly, my fav ear tips is the Penon Fan2 blue wide bore for this very IEM.
All in all, while I’m not particularly impress by the construction and accessories we get for 330$, at least we have an excellent modular cable that add some extra value to the package.



SOUND IMPRESSIONS



(souce used: Tempotec V6 (crisper treble and cleaner, thighter bass, hint thinner mids), Hiby R6pro 2 (leaner dynamic, lighter bass), Questyle M15 (underpowered), Penon Tail (warmer, bassier, chunkier), Hifiman EF600 (wider taller spatiality, heavier note weight, lusher more fowards vocal), Questyle QP2R (underpowered), Xduoo XD05plus (more euphonic, can handle bass boost gloriously, bigger soundstage))



The S15 offer a smooth, bassy and lush tonality that I would call warm neutral with mid bass boost, or softed W shape with mellow punchy bass.
Those are bassy, thats for sure, but not basshead and when it come to mids and treble its among most buttery smooth treble with delicate crispness complementing the top, that in some degree, inflict on very wide and tall soundstage.

Highly immersive as well as lively in macro dynamic, the S15 are balanced sounding and let nothing behind while forcing nothing towards the listener too. Their no spike here, just bump in term of slight bass, mids and treble boost.

The special planar driver in tandem with a passive radiator driver and big sound chamber sure benefit the S15 musicality, which is effortless in sound layering, underlining a fast and clean transient speed that again isn’t forced or excited. Everything flow naturaly, organically, evenly.

While safely tuned, the authoritative bass as well as weighty and dynamic mids wake up the listener, without aggressing him with high pinna gain or upper mids brightness it’s able to extract body and tone of vocal or instruments presence in a tactile and captivating way. The presence is wide of those vocal and embrace the listener, it’s not thin and among most natural vocals you can get from a planar IEM.

Yes smooth neutral with lush mid bass boost, plenty of lower mids that sometime make me consider the S15 as mid centric, and a rich and soft treble, delicate with pinch of brilliance, no harsh grainy or fuzyness and a laid back dynamic that will more likely be fatigue free for most listener yet perhaps problematic for older audiophile with limited hearing range.

We aren’t in harman target territory, nor in any similar musicality to any other planar IEM. If I seek in my mind, first IEM that S15 make me think of is Final E5000, less basshead version with rounder, better layered and less loose slam. I think this tell a lot about how refined is the cozzy balance of the S15.



The bass is fast, round, chunky and tight. We have both hard thumping punch and vibrant sustain-release and rumble, free of boomy resonance. The tone is rich and warm, clean in it’s color, free of euphonic distortion and not very boosted in texturre edge, it’s more physical than cerebral.
This isn’t a 10db bass boost or above kind of basshead bass and headroom of the slam is control, it don’t bleed or dominate the spectrum and will only slip into lower mids naturally to feed fundamental harmonic.
It doesn’t feel detached like too U shape tuned IEM where we have boom without substance, this make it versatile for wide amount of music from jazz to classical to electronic and pop, the thump will be there well balanced but well carved in physical presence too. It’s not fatiguing too, sound pressure being rather low. The passive radiator seem to absorb extra resonance pressure and thicken the sustain-release of impact, very beautifully, juicy way like some will say since we are in sweet bass territory, anti dry and thin, anti distorted and sloppy.
Yet, don’t expect edgy definition, since this is polished bass.
The kick drum isn’t bright here, yet should it be electronic or acoustic kick the dynamic layering is very good with bass line as if we have 2DD dealing with low end.
I do think their just a slight sub bass roll off to avoid this resonance sustain.
Instrument like cello sound magnificent, fully bodied, lush and dense in timbre, smooth but vibrant in texture. Unlike some harman tuned IEM, I can’t mislead cello for violin since lower harmonic are feeding properly chord pitch.
As well, while volontarly smooth and warm in presence, the bass layering is very good and don’t mud macro dynamic, it do thicken it with extra layers in background but mids and treble build up upon it as if the S15 was a multi driver hybrid with 2BAs….and 2DD...ok, it begin to make a lot!

And now oh the mids those sweet highly addictive mids certainly mesmerize me and explain my overwhelming enthusiasm about S15. To say I wasn’t expecting that is an understatement, since it’s very first time I’m truly enamored about planar timbre when it come to mids, and that in a near neutral way, so without big compromise in term of bass warmth that will darken the resolution since in fact those are high fidelity mids for me, unforced or boosted in clarity, that will be the job of listener to dig in rich mid range and enjoy what he want in term of micro details, which aren’t fowarded at all and even smoothed.
Let’s begin by the female vocal which are the most enjoyable I’ve ever heard with any planar and notably smoother than Tangzu Zetian Wu and Raptgo Hook X HBB which offer very pleasant vocal.
Those vocal are upfront, wide and enveloping in presence release and lush, full of natural low harmonic breath, full of air color and richness. It’s vibrant more than loud, it’s free of any sibilance, any loud pinna gain or upper mids imbalance, yet dynamism is there, it doesn’t feel static and lifeless at all.
Like the female vocal, mae vocal have their own layering space, never sound thin and don’t suffer from timbre texture imbalance, they are lush too.
The saxophone sound superbly realist, wide open and dense in presence, not lipsy shoutyness nor thin rendering, texture is slightly softed yet velvety, not plain liquid, like the vocal it’s dense with clean air that vibrate within the pithc as it should. It don’t feel that saxophone pass thrue a mic, it feel it’s with you in the same room, not far away so fullness of air embrace you.
The whole mid range is extremely rich in sound info in a impressionistic yet not too hazy way, definition of each instrument is in their tone color band air density before the texture grain, it sound like open sound system mixing naturaly it’s soundwave and thickening it, without treble know turn to max up or down, just well balanced.
I can rave about the mid range sweetness and richness of S15 all day since it’s what make me go back to them so often, everytime Elina Duni or Arianna Savall voice come to my ears it’s pure bliss with great emotional reach, in that regard it’s a similar experience to my fav planar headphones, the Hifiman HE1000 V3.
When we go tone and timbre as well as note weight, the upgrade from S12 is sky high here, yet, with smoother treble.

This treble might be where some audiophile feel underwhelmed, especially treble head or sparkle lover.
Until now, their only one planar IEM I truly consider sparkly and it’s the Tinhifi P1plus, for this, we need clean airy tonality with very extended (and boosted) upper treble pass 10khz, while not fully roll off in upper highs, the S15 is sure slightly dark, yet it’s super transparent to source so if paired with ultra crisp and clean sounding DAP like the Tempotec V6, you can have ‘’digital sparkle’’, so this planar can produce some, it’s just tamed on top.
This isn’t an analytical treble, nor a thin one, even less so a scratchy one, it’s full sounding and a hint creamy, the attack lead have authority without feeling very edgy or abrasive, micro details can be found in the background but aren’t force at you. Think about a well amped Final E5000 with better sound layering for proper holographic positioning and your not far from S15 highs.
The treble isn’t too polish either, it’s not plain liquid so we will feel macro dynamic is all glued togheter, the snare have proper edge and impact but percussions are softed in brilliance and attack sharpness, they are round not traingle in sustain-release.
Splash cymbals release is natural but not boosted in loudness, so it avoid splashy harshness.
Instrument like violin or saxophone sound wonderfully bodied and natural in timbre with a tactile attack lead and wide presence, it’s not compressed nor shouty.
Even acoustic guitar sound good, which confirm the versatility of highs balance, we have a sens of fullness and enough minimal brilliance for proper attack bit, the release don’t have boosted echo. It’s more with instrument like harpsichord that I feel it lack a bit of crispness, but it’s again evident that note weight is effortleslly natural with S15 too as well as rightness of tone that don’t scoop fundamental of chord since this instrument don’t sound recessed, lean or dry like it do with so so much IEMs.
All in all, I find the treble very refined and perfectly balanced within rest of frequency, it’s smooth without being dull or lifeless too, which is a tour de force in it’s own right.

The Soundstage is quite impressive too, though not the end word of open spatiality like Hidizs MP145 or Raptgo Hook X HBB. Well amped the S15 sure sound out of your head and above average in term of wideness and tallness, but not very deep, clean or airy.

This mean imaging isn’t mind blowing too, the sound layering is great and permit an holographic macro dynamic the listener can travel in, but it feel a bit foggy in back ground when bass occur or mid range instrment like vocal take the lead the wide presence will blur definition edge of other instrument in similar range. With instrumental musical like classical, the imaging improve, so this isn’t very previsible yet I would never ever suggest the S15 for monitoring purpose.





Side Note:

At 30ohm of impedance and 105db of sensitivity, the S15 aren’t hardest planar IEM to drive yet will tremendously scale up with higher amping power. This will mostly translate in dynamic rendering which will gain in note weight and sound layering articulation, the bass too will extend deeper and rounder. It can sound moe flat and distant with dongle or DAP that offer less than 200mW@32ohm of amping power.
But the S15 is transpaent to source too and I was positively surprise by an unexpected pairing with the Tempotec V6 that I consider bass light, since bass isn’t lacking with the S15 the V6 clean lower mids warmth and deepen soundstage, it add sens of air and sparkle on top to, so a clean source is suggested to get all technical goodness of S15, clean and powerfull because V6 offer 610mW-4Vrms balanced output. Pairing S15 with Hiby R6pro2 wasn’t as engaging and dynamic feel compressed and lean.

The ear tips choice is very important too, I suggest wide bore ear tips and my fav is the Penon Fan2 blue wide bore ear tips, it fully open spatiality and avoid dynamic to go mixed up or compressed.

In term of cable, the stock one is excellent and don’t justify urgent upgrade so I haven’t play this game further, I mean, I do feel it had just a slight warmth and boost to mid bass but nothing intense. Lately I pair them with new Simgot LC7 excellent cable and bass is a bit more edgy and clean and treble a tiny bit crisper, mids aren’t as lush though, leaner and more transparent I would say. At they end, I prefer stock cable in term of pairing.


COMPARISONS

VS LETSHUOER S12 (1x 14.8mm planar-110$)

Oddly enough even if I find the S15 notably better in balance, they are slightly bassier than S12 which offer a brighter V shape with more proeminent upper mids edgyness.
What hit first is how more open and articulate in macro dynamic is the S15, when I go from S12 to S15, the spatiality stretch a lot in wideness as well as a sens of 3D holographic musicality.
And that in a smoother, more laid back and immersive way, S12 is overall less W shape in the sens mid range is more lean and recessed, yet brighter and can go louder in vocal without being as near the listener, so singer feel screamy and even sibilant, their sudden loudness peak that surprise negatively my ears which never happen with S15 lusher and thicker mid range.
But let’s begin with the bass, this is where it’s evident S15 is superior in both tone naturalness and fullness and attack speed and control. While less bassy, the S12 is more boomy and the kick is brighter, more grainy, less round, bass is thinner especially in sub bass extension which cut up faster, we have less rumble and bass line are all about bright texture. Transient speed is more excited and loose, not as elastic is the planar driver too, S15 bass feel like we have a whole DD that cover this spectrum, roundness is tactile and impact is more felt, less sloppy in its boom even if juicier in timbre, this mean bass is more transparent in layering too, less sticked to a bright whole like the S12 that sound more unidimensional.
I’ve never been a big fan of S12 mids and thats the opposite for S15, I adore them in term of planar rendering, firstly the layering is more spacious and transparent, since timbre is less boosted and dirty in texture grain, S15 timbre is more natural and buttery, female vocal are bit leaner yet more forward on the stage, nearer the listener while less excited in upper mids loudness so when soprano go high pitch it don’t pierce my ears like with S12 more scratchy mids as well as more compressed in presence. S12 mids are more edgy, thinner, sibilant, shoutier and compressed in imaging, ultimately they are less refined in balance as well as half cook in tone for more instruments, so less versatile too. Note weight is heavier for instrument like piano, toms, clavichord with S15 too, underlining a superior macro dynamic articulation and lower harmonic distortion.
Now S12 teble is sure brighter as well as more excited in attack, less well controled and balanced, percussions can dominate the mix more and are more prompt to splashy release. Again, more edgy are the highs yet less brilliant even if S15 offer sparkle in delicate way I feel treble extend furter and add more air while S12 had more crunch than snap to attack and have a more distorted sustain-release. S15 treble is still darker and not as aggressive and spiky, but we can dig for sound info that S12 will blur with micro distortion and noise, so at they end we have a cleaner treble with S15 even if mid range dominate more the scene, which is normal, we aren’t suppose to have a percussionist in front of singer.
S12 clarity is more boosted, snare and drum are more edgy in definition, less smoothen, more adequate for treble head or those that want the micro details upfront, to the cost of ruining mid range focus, fullness and naturalness. From violin to saxophone to acoustic guitar, the S15 might lack a bit of attack lead energy but offer fuller and more natural tone for all instrument. It’s truly a master of tone.
Soundstage wise, S15 is way wider and taller and S12 feel stock in your head, less open and holographic.
Imaging of both isn’t monitor level, but sound layering has vaster space to dig in, its more realist too and positioning is less compressed making it easier to read the stage where your put in the middle with S15 while you in front of wall of sound with S12.

All in all, this is among wordiest comparison have done...but S15 is way more natural in balance, and even if more bassy its more mid centric, lusher and while less boosted in treble to achieve fake high resolution, S15 offer superior performance from less distorted attack, more extended bass and treble, to higher sens of transparency, less noisy timbre or background, but warmer and smoother balance might lack treble vividness for some, not me since I find laid back treble very refined.


VS HIDIZS MP145 (1x14.5mm planar-160$)

MP145 is among my fav planar IEM right now and soundstage wise they are still unbeatable even if S15 is very close center stage where mids belong are more upfront so sens of depth isn’t as pushed as well upper treble being more smoothen MP145 is more airy and sparkly.
Both these IEM are bassy and well balanced within their own signature but MP145 is evidently more U shape and a hint more boosted in sub bass boost.
The bass is quite different, it have wide more resonant slam, it’s less round and thick as S15, but separation is wider with MP145, lower mids more scooped and mid bass is thinner too, not as tactile in roundness nor as weighty in punch, it’s again underlining more overall U shape balance and while sub bass is more resonant and wide, it’s thinner too, less vibrant and less elastic and meaty.
The mids or MP145 are more recessed, thinner, brighter, a bit similar to S12 in fact but more open. Timbre has this planar dry grain that isn’t present with S15, vocal are notably more bodied and natural sounding and presence embrace listener without this upper mids push imbalance, we have more fundamental harmonic to glue togheter whole tone or chord of vocal and instrument. S15 is more mid centric yet smoother in brighness mean resolution isn’t as boosted as well as texture grain in presence.
MP145 mids are crisper, edgier and more prompt to slight harshness or sibilance from upper mids, vocal and natural timbre lover will prefer S15 without a doubt.
And now the treble which impress me with MP145 is notably more boosted and spiky, it’s more snappy and airy too, as well as sparkly. Micro details as well as percussions are more forwards and bright in extraction, while we need to dig and find it in the back of crowded center stage with the S15. Treble head will certainly prefer MP145 since wow effect is there when it come to fast edgy snappy percussions and crisp airy restitution of harp or acoustic guitar which are sharply define.

The Soundstage is slightly wider and taller with MP145 and way deeper too, In that regard, it’s still the king of open airy spatiality.

Imaging is superior with the MP145 too, we have more space between instrument and layers, transparency of bass line permit better layering with kick drum, positioning definition is edgier and better perceive too. I’m a bit surprise.

All in all, the S15 is like a more mid centric and warmer version of MP145 with darker and safer treble, balance is more organic as a whole and technical performance wise, their thing that S15 win like less excited attack control but MP145 sound more technical and analytical and since imaging is better ill give it to them even if tonaly wise I find the S15 more natural and cohesive, and never making me find instrument sound a bit wonky like it can happen with MP145.


VS RAPTGOP HOOK X HBB (1planar+1piezo-260$)

I’ll be more concise with this comparison because the Hook X HBB is sold out, which is quite a shame because it’s only hybrid planar around here and an excellent that pass test of time for me and still beat near all other single planar IEM out there.

Overall tuning feel more U shape bass wise with the Hook and just a notch bright and more W shape and term of sub bass, upper mids and upper treble spike.

I feel it use same planar driver as the S12 and MP145 since timbre texture has this subtle extra noisy grainy sheen they all have, its more evident in scratchyness of breath release as if the diaphragm was made of sand paper. But thats super subtle, yet, its part of the ‘’brightness perception’’ too.

Then sub bass is more boosted and have longer sustain in rumble with the Hook, it’s more boomy overall, similar to MP145 but thicker and bass line can dominate more the mix than S15 rounder juicier bass.

Mids is where S15 prevail, they are less recessed, vocal are again way more natural, fuller in presence and less aggressive in pinna gain and upper mids brightness, the harmonic ‘’hole’’ I perceive in MP145 is there, though not as paper thin. Definition of instrument is brighter, less lush and liquid, less hazy too, more open and sharply carved in soundscape. Male vocal are thinner too. Overall timbre feel harsher. Resolution is higher and imaging as well as layering is more readable with better contouring.

Treble is more airy, snappy and bright with the Hook. It have more attack bite and more air. Its more boosted and extended and detailed. Percussions are fully extract while more delicate and dark with the S15.

Soundstage is slight wider and taller and notably deeper with the Hook.

Imaging is notably better too, less hazy, sharper in positioning and more vivid in sound layers separation.

All in all, tonality is quite different and conclusion is similar to MP145 here, the S15 is more mid centric and smoother in balance, more laid back and fatigue free for long listening yet less noisy and bright in timbre too. I would tend to conclude S15 is superior in everything but treble extension and speed as well as soundstage size and imaging. What a shame the Hook is now discountinued!



CONCLUSION



When I’m too wordy in sound impressions and comparaisons, it often mean I adore the IEM I review. This is the case with Letshuoer S15 and let say it: even if I’ve tested S12, DZ4, EJ07M and EJ09, in term of musicality these are by far my favorite.

The S15 are the most natural sounding planar IEM I’ve ever heard and deliver lushest and most beautifulland smooth female vocal too. They aren’t tuned to sound technical or blow the mind of listener with analytical micro details boost, but to deliver a cohesive effortless balance of whole frequency range without putting in shadow low, mids or treble, nor over boosted any part so it will dominate whole spectrum.

Letshuoer has retune the S15 after listener feedback of first version and they do well, they achieve a musicality that sit between mature and fun which is highly immersive for long hours of pleasure without problematic aggressive treble peak that would create hearing fatigue.

Not only this is a most have for vocal lover seeking the perfect planar IEM for this task, but bass lover too will be in heaven due to meaty low end that can produce vibrant juicy rumble when asked for.

Sure, the price isn’t as competitive as it’s little brother S12, so in term of pure sound benefit you pay the extra money for something else since unlike S12, you will not need to mod the S15 to get appealing mids without upper mids harshness or sibilance.

All in all, the S15 is among my favorite IEMs of 2023 so it’s certainly HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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PS: I want to thanks Letshuoer for sending me this review sample. I don't participate to affiliated program nor get any money with adds or official sponsoring from this company. As always, those are my independant minded subjective audio impressions.

You can order the Letshuoer S15 for 329$ directly from official Letshuoer website here:
https://letshuoer.net/products/lets...ve-filtering-module-hifi-wired-in-ear-monitor

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.2/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 7.5/10
TIMBRE: 9/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
ACCESSORIES: 10/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.2/10

Penon don’t need lenghty introduction, they are the oldest and more experienced ‘’chifi’’ seller, but not only since they even sale western brand like IMR Acoustic.
Let just say Penon are different and truly passionate about audio product to the point of tuning and manufacturing their own IEMs under Penon and ISN companies.

Ive review tremendous amount of their IEMs, loving about 90% of them. Musicality is their aim first and foremost, whatever number of drivers or tech they use. In that regard: they are big Winner to me.

But I’m already too lenghty, today I will review their latest hybrid offering call the Penon Globe.

Priced 350$, the Dome is an hybrid IEM using 1x 10mm PET diaphragm for low, 2 Sonion balanced armature for mids and 1 knowles BA for highs.

I do think it’s purpose is to replace or upgrade the well received Penon Globe.

Let see in this review if Penon hit the ‘’sweet spot of musicality and tonal balance’’ with good enough technical performance again and if it should be put on your buy list for christmass!


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES

The Dome construction is quite good and similar to the Globe apart different face plate and a metal nozzle.
The material for housing is medical grade resin which is smoother and slippy, thick and durable. One of my fav material for IEM and whole iem feel molded in one piece, not with a cheaply sticken back plate waiting to pop out.
2Pin connector aren’t recessed and placed on slightly curved top of Dome, which can make the connection a bit anxiogenic in the sens the pin can bent if you aren’t accurate enough in alignment of the pins.
Housing size is average, a bit chunky but not very big overall and ergonomic ‘’ear print like’’ shape is very comfy and versatile for both shallow and deep fit.



As always with Penon IEMs it come in minimalist package with maximalist accessories.
As I like.
We have the excellent Penon carrying case which is big enough for 3 cable and 4-5iems, yet more compact that other offering I own. This is my fav carrying case.
Then a very nice cable, 8 strand silver plated that feel very sturdy and benefit the warm tonality of Dome. You can choose it in 3.5mm singled ended or 2.5mm -4.4mm balanced.
Then you have the leather cable pouch and cable holder.
9 pairs of well choosen silicon eartips in 3 models.
And a cleaning too and cable clip.
As always, quite irreprochable accessories wise.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS


If you have heard IEM like ISN H50, Neo5 or even Penon Globe, you will be in familiar cozzy ground with the lush balanced V shape tonality of the Dome.
The Dome is very bassy, gently warm and near mid centric since mid range is lush, thick and fullied bodied due to good amount of lower mid range warmth and density.
Yet, it’s too balanced to be called basshead and the hybrid configuration bypass mudyness of such tonal balance, thanks to the 3 balanced armature that permit good layering articulation and separation.
The Dome are all sweetness, smooth and round as a whole, organic in cohesion, as natural in timbre as it can get with BAs and very lively in macro dynamic without going into fatiguing or spiky brightness territory.

This isn’t a technical or analytical sounding set that blow your mind with boosted clarity and crazy amount of micro details. And while not very airy or sparkly on top, the soundstage is impressively wide and tall avoiding unidimensional spatiality that lack instruments definition and tactility and instead offer immersive holographic musical readibility.

Like I often say with Penon IEMs, bass and vocal lover are spoil as well as those audiophile that can’t find their musical pleasure and emotional response reach in Harman target tuned earphones that invade nowadays Chifi market.

The bass seem to be the most boosted part of spectrum here and do dominate audio spectrum without mixing in a messy way. Instead it act like a dense bass shelf for mids to built on, which densify timbre by adding lower harmonic fullness and warmth to vocal and instrument. Instead of muddying them, it darken the edgyness of definition and stretch the instrument presence in hazy 3D wideness.
Yes the Dome offer a colored sound that we can call buttery, velvety since both texture of dynamicdriver and balanced armature mix togheter organicaly, adding colorful richness to the mids and bass instead of texture micro details and grain.
The sub bass is thick, with an elastic rumble sustain that don’t create unwanted resonance, it extract meaty bass line in body more than forced presence brighness. Synth bass will be lush and roundly layered above the kick drum, while cello will be lush and vibrant and double bass will gain extra weight instead of long airy clean extension.
The slam isn’t loose here, and even offer hard warm thumping, it hit big and loud with great sens of tactility. It especially do well with R&B, funk, soul, rap and electronic. Artist like Kaytranada or Ravyn Lenae shine with the Dome.
While well layered, the bass separation isn’t clean nor edgy, we don’t have lower mid range scoop that widen separation with mids here so the warm do embrace and darken mid range.
Are we in guilty pleasure territory? Well I guess we are, but for those that hate thin dry bass, this is a big plus and I’m one of those people. As well, I find the bass performance quite versatile since double bass in jazz band don’t sound boomy, it underline the eleasticity of attack and release.

The mid range is lush, thick and hint dark. We don’t have intense upper mids boost that foward presence agressively and can fatigue the listener with shoutyness, yet it’s far from lean in dynamic so upper mids are dynamic too and well rounded within mids package.
With the Dome you are near the instrument, so it’s not recessed mids and center stage don’t feel lifeless and far away, but this mean it’s not crisp open mids too, nor very transparent and higly resolve.
If you seek monitor IEM, the Dome is the opposite of that since it favor tone fullness before presence brightness and imaging readibility isn’t sharpen.
Woodwind instrument and vocal sound better and more fully restitute than piano and violin which are more affected in definition edge polishing than saxophone wich don’t need as much lead attack bite and accuracy.
The saxophone sound marvelously lush, dense and rich in presence, the air is tactile and delimitate the sirupy presence, it never feel compressed or thin, nor can distract the listener with over boosted texture details that make the woodwind blowing lipsy and wetty.
As for piano, it’s far from bad since the balanced armature permit fast rendering of every note which have good impact weight but warmed definition edge and short and colored resonance release, I do struggle to know if pianist press the sustain pedal.
I don’t think I would suggest the Dome for symphony or classical music, apart if solo cello which sound highly musical and full. Definition of each instrument isn’t sharp and clean enough to properly discernate them in soundscape and violin attack is softed in mids and lower treble, which make it even harder to grab.
But this doesn’t mean it sound bad at all, in fact, violin are sweet and lush sounding, free of sibilance or harsh metallic bowing, yet, unless in very high pitch the presence will be hard to delimitate as said.
When it come to timbre, don’t be afraid about balanced armature infamous ‘’metallic sheen’’ since their none here and unless you listen at max volume to the point of making BA struggle with vibration, you will not heard micro distortion grain. I’ve try multiple source and only thing I can pick up is slight brightness in vocal breath release but it might be due to slight treble boost around 8khz.

All in all, I love the mid range colorful flavor of the Dome which isn’t too salted with upper mids, yet got lot of lower mids sweetness.


And now the understated treble. Firstly, the Dome are certainly not aim for treble head as well as those brilliance and sparkle lover. While I don’t like unbalanced highs that force you to put in front stage the high pitch instrument and bombard you with percussions fowardness, I do enjoy crisp airy one as well as refined sparkle resonance that blossom in the air.
Here, highs are a bit dark, they are anti-trebly and rolled off pass 10khz, yet it’s not plain dull and we have a bit of spice for extra snap with certain instrument like acoustic guitar don’t feel too scooped in attack lead and have enough metallic bite, but the release will not be long nor very clean or sparkly.
This kind of darkish treble avoid the lack of energy with this extra snap to some percussions and instrument, like wood block, snare and high pitch cymbal.
Splash cymbal aren’t splashy nor shrill, but the release is thicken and a bit hazy.
Since I don’t graph my IEM, I can’t say which exact treble section I feel have a slight sudden bump, but as noted, some instrument range will feel louder in highest harmonic, this include piano too and violin as say before, so this peculiar mid treble boost add energy to macro dynamic and barely make me consider the Dome as W shape in balance.
What I mean with that is piano feel leaner in mid range and 7th octave note jump more in my face.
Apart this the treble feel linear in balance, full and not thin nor lacking in fullness of instrument restitution.
The level of micro details isn’t plenty so don’t expect a statement like ‘’I heard things ive never heard before’’ with the Dome.
It’s organic as a whole in balance with rest of spectrum, highs don’t boost texture noise and is permissive of bad recording since it damp background hissing of old blues recording like Skip James or Billie Holidays which I can focus on their voice better and don’t get annoy with extra background hiss and noise,
Overall this is a safe treble here that is well balanced and complemented beautifully the tonality sweetness.

The soundstage is quite impressive and quite an improvement from the Globe in the sens its very wide and tall with right ear tips and when their no big bass occuring the depth is good too. You’r in the middle of spatiality surrounded by instrument that aren’t too far yet have good multi layering.

But the warm tonality don’t favor imaging precision and bassy music will get bass opacity in background that stole proper separation definition of instrument by adding sound particule in the clean air between them. In that regard, Dome isn’t impressive and lack sharp definition of each instrument positioning as well as proper clean space between sound layers.

SIDE NOTE

At 19ohm of impedance and 107db of sensitivity, the Dome aren’t exactly what I would call neither hard to drive or very sensitive to source impedance gain.
Yet ill suggest a source with at least 100mw@32ohm of power and an impedance output lower than 2ohm to be sure it will not excited or unbalance drivers.
These benefit from clean crisp source due to there warm nature, so not a good bet for super warm or euphonic dongle or source ill say.
Ear tips wise the one included are good enough and offer open and dynamic sound.
Cable too is good enough, I will never use an all copper cable with Dome for ex.

COMPARISONS

VS Kinera Freya 2.0 (DD+3BA-270$)

The Dome is warmer, lusher, smoother, more balanced and clean sounding as well as just slightly bassier, with notably greater bass performance.
It’s evident all drivers used are superior here, both in attack control and timbre micro distortion. The 2 sonion BA dealing with mid range deliver lusher and more natural mids, with more realistic and less rough tone and wider better rounded presence of each instrument. Upper mids are more butter and liquid in edge, it melt like honey in the ears and offer way more musical female vocal as well as fuller bodied male vocal.
The DD too is next level compared to Freya, it extend deeper with greater headroom slam free of problematic resonance so sub is thicker as well as kick drum and mid bass more rounded and bodied, attack speed is faster and more controled and layered is cleaner, so the bass is more separate with mids. Freya sound quite boomy and muddy compared to Dome even if it doesn’t rumble as much and offer as fun and muscular impact.
The treble of both these IEM is a bit dark, but again, Dome is more refined and better balanced though it lack air too as well as sparkle we don’t have texture or tone imbalance and the snare isn’t jumpin at you as much. It follow more evenlyn the tuning target it aim, which is notably more versatile.
The soundstage is notably wider and taller but about same depth.
Imaging is a bit cleaner and while resolution is less bright and can feel smoother, transparency is superior and layering separation don’t mix their energy togheter as much, so with some effort the listener can find more instrument positioning than with Freya that will go too messy in busy music.

All in all I think it’s evident whoe the winner is here. Tonality is more natural and balanced as well as smoother and more immersive with Dome and technical performance even if not magnify with treble boost are superior in attack control, macro dynamic rendering, bass extension and sound layering articulation and readibility.

VS HIDIZS MS5 (1DD+4BA-400$)

The MS5 are brighter and more U shape.
The timbre is thinner and less natural.
The bass is cleaner, less dynamic, thinner and feel detached and less cohesive with whole spectrum. Dome have rounder and rumblier slam, chunkier warmer timbre, more bass bleed and strangely, it feel positive here since it thicken mids.
Mids are more recessed, shouty, thin and dry with the MS5, vocal sound wonky and I tend to lower volume to endure or bypass them. Transparency, sens of openess is higher with MS5.
So treble is more boosted, instrument presence more edgy, percussions more forwards, again all in a more artificial, dry and thin way.
Soundstage is wider and taller with the Dome, deeper with the MS5 due to more recessed center stage to magnify sens of holography.
Imaging is sharper with the MS5, instrument don’t mix togheter in sirupy macro rendering….but accuracy of this imaging is questionnable since percussions dance all around in a distracting way and bass lack tactile low end so….yes, more techical sounding still is the MS5.

All in all, tonaly wise MS5 is quite a disaster compared to lusher, more cohesive tuning of Dome. Technicalities are on par but boosted to the bone with MS5 so Dome which is darker overall sound less impressive in clarity and imaging.

CONCLUSION



The Penon Dome is all about lush and bassy musicality, it’s not a technical sounding set nor a monitoring one.

It’s purpose is to make musicality alive, engaging and fun, dynamic weighty and full, natural and dense in timbre and it use hybrid configuration to avoid it being plain guilty pleasure.

The Dome is the answer to those that find mids either too bright-shouty, thin or recessed and favor tone sweetness above presence of instrument with boosted fake clarity.

You can get lost in these easily, immerse for long listening laid back tonality with proper bass slam and vibrant rumble, it’s near basshead yet too well balanced to be called so. If you know what you buying. Which I hope my review help a bit to do so!

To my ears, it’s highly recommended even if no end game in term of technical performance.

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PS: I want to thanks Penon forr sending me this review sample. As always, I have no direct affiliation nor any self-interest bias in my subjective audio impressions.

You can order the Dome from official Penon store, they are on Black Friday sale right now for 314.10$ instead of 350$ normal price:
https://penon-official.com/product/penon-dome/

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.2/10
TIMBRE: 8.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8/10
IMAGING: 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8/10
ACCESSORIES: 7.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.2/10



INTRO

Kefine is a new earphones company from China that act as a budget minded IEM maker wanting to push sound value bundaries for the benefit of consumers.
Today I will review their very first IEM release call: Kefine Klanar.
The Klanar is priced 120$ and use a 14.5mm planar driver with a N55 magnet.

Let see in this review if the Klanar can join the podium of good affordable planar IEMs which begin to be a crowdy market, especially with this ''renowned 14.5mm planar driver, celebrated for its versatility and ability to excel across various music genres.''.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES


The construction is all made of metal, the design is minimalist and doesn't captivate the eyes. It's elegant but blend too.
The black metal housing is smooth and have a triangular shap without any sharp edge. Nozzle is angled and average long for versatile fit. 2pin connectors is solidly embeded in metal housing and overall durability seem good at least in term of shock proof.



The accessories are minimal and of basic quality as expected with this price range. We have a cheap carrying case. We have 7 pair of basic silicone eartips.
But we have a decent quality cable too, which is a 4 cores braided cable using OFC litz wire in brown and silver-plated copper litz wire in black. As well, you can choose either 3.5mm single ended plug or 4.4mm balanced plug, which is a big plus. Nothing to complaint here for 100$ IEM package.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS


After having tested more than 12 planar IEMs, it's hard for me to be surprise or impress by their technicalities, yet the tonal balance is a real struggle with most of them, 7HZ Dioko and KZ PR2 being the worst, then Dunu Talos being most overpriced, then Tangzu Zeitan WU being among most underwhelming technicaly wise yet most charming tonaly wise and this is where we are with the Klanar: tonality eveness. Female vocal glory. Mid range sweet spot. Bassy, yet not hard basshead way.

You enter the Klanar like in a cozzy home, it's familiar, it's the neighboor of Letshuoer S12, Hidizs MP145 and Tangzu WU which all sound rather similar, yet aren't 100% the same.

We are into warmish V shape territory where bass and mids captivate the audience then a hint of extra upper treble air and sparkle cocoon an overall lush macro rendering.

These are tuned for the masses, they shine with pop and vocal centric music, more so than jazz or classical yet it's not plain bad for this style too. Even rock don't sound bad. I'll be hard pressed sayin a peculiar music style sound underwhelming with those.
If your all about bass and vocal: you'll love those.

As an R&B, Soul and even rap lover as well as intensely addicted to lush female vocal, the Klanar sure hit a sweet spot for me, with great emotional response alot of planar IEM fail to deliver. But my main music style is jazz and classical too. While not as impressive for this music genre, at least the piano is rendered beautifuly and it's another big plus.


When it come to bass, i know i simplify the tonality as V shape but here we are at the intersection of mid and sub bass boost, its the slam that get extra weight, presence and energy more so than the kick drum.
We have more ''oomph'' than hard thumping punch and the overall bass roundness is a bit warmed and do thicken lower mids with warmth too.
It's not a clean well sharpened and separated bass, its thick, tactile and physical.
As well, the vibrant rumble can go in near basshead territory, its a thick slightly compressed in energy rumble that can extract bass line very well, even fast one, but it's more about abstract presence definition that textured one, the layering is good but the resolution of this bass line aren't magnify nor crisply delimitate.
Then the kick presence is indeed more articulate but with a more mellow dynamic, it's not hefty punch nor plain lean in impact, just mellow and lacking a bit of bite like for double bass that we struggle to find the string pulling debut.
Strangely, the cello don't sound very lush and full, it's even thin, it might be due to specific treble boost that focus more on higher harmonic than lower fundamental which would be warmed if well, the cello was hit and all in dynamic loudness.
This kind of juicy dynamic bass response i sure appealing for simple bassy music, but i've try electronic too and unless acid techno or super fast kick centric music, it was rather pleasant. While more quantity than quality, we most not forget were talking about planar bass here and in that regard it's very good, its not too euphonic or boomy.

The mids are surely my favorite aspect of those Klanar, which was unexpected because planar struggle to deliver lush and natural mids and it's mostly what we got here. Especially for vocal and piano lover. There something imprevisible with the Klanar dynamic that tend to favor certain attack release, so the bowed instrument like violin or cello aren't as full bodied in presence than vocal, saxo or piano. In that regard, it's quite similar to balanced armature niche transient delivery.
So back to vocal, it's all about female vocal really, which are fowards, dense, wide in presence, breathy to lush in timbre and captivate the listener right away to the cost of puting in oblivion background instrument if they lack dynamic heft, if it's bass less music female vocal loudness will sure dominate rest of spectrum. These aren't shouty and sibilance will rarely be a problem unless extremely present in the recording.
The piano is presented with good note weight that is felt with a slightly dense sustain and impressive release naturalness that blossom in the air. It's not thin sounding nor distant and fundamentals lower harmonic are present enough.
While not veiled, their hint of warmth going on that stole sharpness of definition in macro resolution, it's not clearest nor cleanest mid range out their and could feel unidimentional to some due to lack of deepness of center stage.

Now when it come to the treble it's mostly safe apart lower treble boost and avoid plain dullness or darkness with slight upper treble boost that tend to add snap and energy to snare drum but the percussion aren't put fowards.
The highs stay in the back of mid range and don't stole the show nor extract unheard micro details of your track, the attack speed is fast and controlled, cymbals aren't splashy and a bit smoothed in release loudness.
As noted, snare is more snappy and sharp in it's dynamic attack than upper register cymbals which can feel a bit half cooked and not as full in body as non metallic percussion.
Both electric and acoustic guitar sound realistic and offer enough sparkle, the strings pulling lack a bit of definition sharpness and is softed, this make the presentation a bit laid back, opposite of agressive or shouty.
All in all, their not alot to say about treble, it doesn't go messy or muddy thanks to fast sounds layering of planar driver, we have minimal sparkle and brilliance so the top feel open and airy enough without being vividly resolved. Everything feel smoothly balanced and act as a whole, we don't have acward micro details or texture artefacts poping out like with 7HZ Dioko. Perfect example of ''jack of all trade, master of none'' treble performance.

The Soundstage sound open enough, epecially in wideness and it's tall enough to not feel stock in your head or compressed. It isn't very deep nor clean. We can say it's average without being bad.

The imaging isn't an highlight of Klanar, while sound layering avoid going muddy it's hard to discern the singularity of each instrument and the positioning is a bit hazy in definition so I would not suggest those for monitoring.

Side notes:

Like all planar, these benefit from proper amping which will open up spatiality and add macro dynamic livelyness. I suggest a minimum of 200mw@32ohm.
The included eartips are OK, i tend to near always use wide bore ear tips with planar unless nozzle is small, the Klanar is no exception and can go muddy if you use eartips with too small nozzle hole.


COMPARAISONS



VS LETSHUOER S12

The Klanar is warmer and more U shape yet with more extended and sparkly upper treble so we can consider it more W shape as a whole too.
The S12 feel like a brighter balanced V shape, with less boosted sub bass and more rounded mid bass that make the punch feel faster and tighter than mellower thumping of Klanar which offer more rumble sustain and slam boom when trigering this exact sub meet mid bass region. Overall bass is cleaner and more controlled with S12, yet more rolled off in sub bass which is more boosted in bass line texture presence.
Mids are lusher and wider in presence with the Klanar, they arent as shouty and bright as more energic S12 which feel more compressed in layering delivery, yet this make female vocal or saxophone a bit more upfront too. Note definition is more softed and warm with Klanar, but note weight seem heavier. While darker, overal mid range sound more open and enveloping with Klanar, while its more in your face with S12. Timbre is less grainy too, so while resolution is more boosted with S12, the layering is more compressed in macror dynamic.
Then the treble is very similar apart lower treble being smoother and less prompt to sibilance with the Klanar and upper treble is snappier, cymbals have more brilliance and are easie to pin point, S12 can be more splashy while crash cymbals are more damped in attack release with Klanar.
Soundstage is notably wider and most of the time deeper too with Klanar.
Imaging being more holographic and vast in spacing with the Klanar, i find it easier to position instrument even if no end word in that department it's more articulate in macro dynamic and layering is notablye less muddy.

All in all, at they end, these 2 feel in same league and at first listen of Klanar i think about S12 similarity, so i do feel both use very same planar driver but Klanar acoustic chamber is bigger and overall tuning is more balance and immersive, and well, bassier too, making me even more puzzle about those people satin S12 is basshead since i don't even consider tha notably rumblier Klanar basshead. So, if you seek for a warmer, bassier yet sparklier and less shouty S12, i do think the Klanar is a good bet!


VS HIDIZS MP145

Ok, now those 2 are even more similar than with S12, but the MP145 has 3 tuning nozzle, red one feel darker, bassier and more laid back. Yet, with balanced tuning nozzle tonality feel more dynamic W shape, about as bass but with more sub bass headroom.

Both these are near basshead U shape with extra upper treble sparkle and air, the MP145 is most open and airy of the 2, its a bit less warm and thick in mid range but less lean overall. Here, the Klanar is more laid back for sure.

The bass is a hitn heavier in slam and cleaner with the MP145, the rumble sustain is longer and wider in natural vibrancy and resonance, it feel more chunky and compressed in boom with the Klanar. We have more bass bleed that thicken and embrace lower mids with Klanar too, affect dynamic layering articulation.

Mids are more open, clean and crisp with the MP145, its a hint lusher and thicker with the Klanar and female vocal are more pushed fowards. I find timbre more natural and less dryish with the Klanar yet upper mids a bit louder so for people sensitive to pinna gain ill go MP145.

Treble is even more airy and brilliant with MP145, its more refined, sharper in definition, offer greater amount of micro details and percussions are fully restitute and more snappy and fowards with MP145. Klanar has darker highs, more softed in attack bite and more damped in natural resonance release and sparkle.

Soundstage is notably taller, wider and deeper with the MP145.

Imaging offer greater articulation and separation of sound layering in both X and Y axis. That plus sharper resolution and less bleedy bass sure permit superior positionning, clean and better define way.

All in all, while I say S12 feel in same league technicaly, the MP145 is a hint superior to warmer lusher Klanar. For plain female vocal, i do prefer the Klanar but for all the rest from imaging to bass quality to treble refinement and sparkle, the MP145 still hold its ground.

CONCLUSION



In all honnesty, I was expecting way worst from a first planar IEM release from an unknown company and i'm positively surprise by both bass performance and mid range sweetness of these Klanar.

Yet, this still feel like more of the same in term of offering and it's hard to clearly state these are better buy than Letshuoer S12, Tangzu Zetian Wu or even Tinhifi Panda since it's just a matter of more or less boost or damping in certain frequency. All of these IEMs isn't something i would call cleanly resolved nor extremely impressive in technical performance and the Klanar is no exception.

But it might be the sweet spot your seeking too, since it's well balanced and offer a laid back bassy and lush tonality that is very versatile for multiple music style from rock to pop to soul and even rap. In that regard, their no doubt it's a good buy as well as a safe one.

Recommended!





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PS: I want to thanks Sivga for sending me this review sample. They aren't even aware i've publish this review yet. As always, i'm free of any affiliation program bias or anything that can affect my integrity since I make zero $ with this review as well as all other I've made before.


You can order the Kefine Klanar for 119$ at this store but it's available on Aliexpress and other store too:
https://audio46.com/products/kefine-klanar

TONALITY: 6.5/10
TECHNICALTIES: 8/10
TIMBRE: 8.5/10
IMAGING: 8/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7/10
ACCESSORIES: 8/10
SOUND VALUE: 6.5/10

TANCHJIM is an experienced IEM compny from China, similar to Moondrop due to their obsession with Harman target.
In fact, it has been founded by an audio engineer that left Moondrop.
This company is mostly known and respected for one IEM: the Tanchjim Oxygen, which i've never try.
Today I will review my third Tanchjim IEM, the Kara.
Priced 180$, the Kara is an hybrid using 1DD+4BAs drivers and promising ''smooth ultra-high frequency response, fantastic lower-end punch, and clear, lively midrange response. Kara achieves a balanced profile in the sound response.''

Let see in this review if Tanchjim hit the sweet musicality target or at least offer competitive performance for it's price.

CONSTRUCTION & ACCESSORIES



The construction of Kara is rather unique and will be hate or love affair in term of both aesthetic and comfort. Personly, i find the design quite ugly and cheap looking due mostly to the 3D printed cloudy looking plastic back plate.
The nozzle is very big and long and dont have nozzle lip to hold steadily the ear tips, it seem thinked for deep fit but the size of nozzle will be problematic for smaller ear canal.
Overall design isn't the most comfortable.




In term of accessories, it's rather minimal. You have an OK but non impressive litx oxygen free copper cable that come in 3.5mm single ended plug. A nice looking carrying case and 6 pairs of silicone ear tips.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Ok, this wasn't an easy listening for me since i've been mislead by all those reviewers hyping the mid range of these...which I found so dull, lean, lifeless and boring it drive me depress after 5min of listen.

First and foremost: the Kara isn't mid centric at all and have whole lower mid range tamed to the bone. Then we have hint of sub bass warmth and smooth but centric upper mids bump.

Yes, we are into harman territory, warm wannabe lush but fail to way.

The texture of vocal are boosted in a breathy yet dryish way, their no low harmonic lushness going on here, it make the projection quite lean and not exactly distant due to good presence focus but far from wide in presence release. I can't enjoy my female singer with these even if it's not as shouty as other harman IEM like Aria or Snow.

So, for those that need good macro dynamic liveliness: stay away of the Kara. It's maturely tuned, very safe and smooth, it's grandpa musicality.

And talking about Moondrop Snow, it's quite similar but with less pinna gain shout and hint warmer bass response.

I know that writing this review all grumpy mode way will earn me nothing but a blacklisting from Tanchjim, and i'm more than OK with this since i'm done with Harman bore. But I will try to be mature enough for a maturely tuned IEM.

Saying the tonality is harman tuned mean nothing, and it's not your typical Harman take either since here upper mids aren't boosted too the sky, so overall balance feel like a lean U shape with rolled off upper treble. We can say warm neutral too, with very slight bass boost that belong in sub and mid bass transition.

The BASS offer slight punch and tight sub bass that feel compressed in density and release, it don't rumble alot and will boost and compress bass line in a questionnable way that is uneven in term of musical cohesion yet add a sens of ''oomph'' and dynamic in the back in a thick wobbly way.
Then we have smoothly define kick drum, surprisingly presence is well rounded but feel tiny and a bit distant. It do produce minimal mellow punch and don't get lost in sub bass warmth completly. You will never headbang with the Kara, it's too dull for this so both basshead and bass lover should stay away of those.
This is very polite bass response with an emphasis on bass line extraction, warm way. It's a ''jack of all trade master of none'' kind of very boring bass with safe slam, safe bass line rendering, very safe kick drum punch. It's lean as a spleen and lack proper texture edge to be at least engaging in a cerebral way.

Then this mid range. Lean, blend and dull, yet with a natural timbre that isn't thin nor affected by balanced armature roughness. Timbre is the highlight of the Kara and what surely impress some reviewers but the dynamic is so dead flat that everything feel distant even if it isn't.
Overall presentation is clean and open with flat center stage that feel very static in dynamic, any instrument or vocal will be well resolve in presence enough, dense in natural timbre but sticked on this stage with sound layers that struggle to project towards the listener. Sax sound boxy, vocal sound boxy, but in a lush way! Thats the troubling part of this mid range: i cant appreciate tone and timbre but they never reach me, i'm an observer of colorful image that feel protected behind a glass.
It's dead safe. And surely the Tanchjim with lower pinna gain ever, so in that regard, it's a bit extremist and will get a hate/love reception, the love being very niche I feel, surely people with hyperacusis issue or something.
The definition edge is softed, note weight is mellow, natural resonance is scooped to avoid unwanted resonance issue, its so well behave that listener need alot of ''brain burn in'' effort to make it engaging.
Piano feel miniaturized and overly colored with warmth, its near texture less. Violin and female vocal do better, but again it will not blossom in they air and stay sticked in soundscape as if it was shy to play too loud.
Anyway, I guess it's the best part of Kara, or the worst. Very hard to tell.

So I would say Treble is the most focused part of the audio spectrum even if quite roll off after 10khz. It does lack air, sparkle, brilliance and attack edge and snap but it's smooth and clean.
This is something special in it's own right, we can follow percussions which are less damped in natural resonance and more dynamic than mids. So, Tanchjim are in fact treble centric, darkish way.
It's quite full too and dont tend to lost alot of sound info in them mix, apart fine micro details.
Lower treble is smoother than mid treble wich add just a minimum of crunchyness so percussions splash can be lively enough. Yet, overall definition edge is softed, especially in lead attack of percussions.
Highs are a bit dry and dull still, electric guitar sound wonky, clavicord lack sparkle and overall highs lack air, brilliance and extension pass 10khz.

Soundstage is average wide and lack deepness. Nothing to write about here.

Imaging is decent in term of sound layers projection which doesn't go muddy, yet positioning lack clear definition edge for proper separation.



SIDE NOTE

At 27ohm of impedance and 115db of sensitivity, the Kara shouldn't be that hard to drive but it is. To wake up the dynamic of these you need quite alot of amping in fact, at least 200mW I would say. They don't seem that sensitive to source otherwise.

Then eartips, well, the nozzle is long and thick, so i guess its thinked for rather deep fit, which is conter intuitive with such thick nozzle...so I suggest small short wide bore which is the ear tips that make the sound the more open for me.


COMPARISONS


VS SIMGOT EM6L (1DD+4BA)

Simply put: the EM6L are what the Kara should sound if well tuned. Those are more mid centric, but more W shape in overall dynamic too.
EM6L are a hint brighter due to higher upper mids boost so female vocal jump at your more yet have fuller wider presence with slightly more textured timbre. Mids are less lean, less compressed in presence so instrument aren't as boxy too, bass warmth thicken more the timbre and offer more note weight. Piano has both presence and note weight as well as less softed attack edge so bot lead attack and release are more natural, less creamy and more open.
Kara mids are more distant, leaner in dynamic, more foggy in restitution, more colored too with unatural warmth that don't come from lower mid range but bass resonance warmth it seem.

The bass is more boosted with EM6L, offer more rumble sustain, it's less dry and thin and a hint warmer in mid bass punch, which make kick drum definition less edgy but less boxy too. The sub bass line seem compressed with Kara, and sound one tone too, it's notably more vibrant and open with the EM6L which offer both better bass performance and bigger boost.

Then the treble is darker but cleaner with Kara due to more open and recessed center stage where belong mind range instrument. Percussions are more controlled and better separated with Kara. EM6L can go splashy or blurry in macro dynamic more easily. Both these IEMs dont offer impressive treble and EM6L don't lack as much air and sparkle.

Soundstage is notably wider and taller with EM6L, slightly deeper with Kara.

Imaging is a notch better with Kara due to more transparent layering and less in your face mid range. But both these IEM are just average in that regard.

All in all, im not really afound of any of those 2 but it's clear i love way way more the musicality and macro dynamic heft of EM6L. It's way more lively and mids aren't as lean and dull, bass is rounder offer more slam and rumble, vocal-piano-saxo are more upfront and wide in presence and treble while not as refined and safely smoothen as Kara, add more openess to the spatiality. Going from EM6L to Kara is very troubling since you feel you need to crank up the volume to make those mids lively enough yet: it will not work. The issue isn't just about pinna gain balance here, it's about whole drivers configuration issue and this wide lower mid range scoop.

VS ISN NEO5 (1DD+4 knowles BAs-290$)

I want to compare the Kara to similar priced IEMs like Penon Fan2 or cheaper ISN H30, alas I loan them to a friend. So I'll go with 100$ pricier Neo5 due to similar drivers configuration. And low upper mids pinna gain!

Again the Neo5 feel more W shape in dynamic since whatever IEM I try it sound suddenly more lively than leaner more blend Kara.

But let begin by the bass, the Neo5 are way bassier and near basshead level, it pack more punch and have a more speedy and open bass presentation. Rumble more, move more air and mid bass hit way harder too. It dominate more the mix too and bleed more into mids than cleaner leaner Kara.

Mids are more upfront but it's more evident with bass less music. Solo piano is way more enjoyable with Neo5, each note blossom in a wider way, offer more natural resonance, are fuller in harmonic and drop harder in note weight. It don't feel as compressed in center stage too, and dynamic is less lean. Vocal direction is towards you and embrace listener more with their wide presence but it's not as smooth and natural in timbre, biggest highlight of Kara i feel. Mids are a hint thinner but more textured with the NEo5, it feel more creamy and lush yet boxy way with the Kara.

Treble is darker but cleaner again, more organic with Kara while its more detailed and crunchy with the Neo5, electric guitar feel less blunted, percussions have more splash or decay release, as well we have more air on top and more holographic layering.

The Soundstage is way wider, taller and deeper with the Neo5.

Imaging of both is rather bad but due to leaner more monitor like rendering of Kara, it permit better positioning, you pull out of music to observ it's darkish rendering better while with Neo5 your in middle of it.

All in all, Neo5 is notably more fun and engaging, offer more articulate macro dynamic, deeperr rumblier bass, more fowards near as thick mids and livelier treble....which is near polar opposite of Kara even if graph wise apart bass boost they are very similar the dynamic isn't at all.


CONCLUSION



I think it's evident i don't like the Kara and found it's musicality non engaging and supremely dull....yet, it doesn't mean it's plain bad IEM, just not competitive in it's price range and offering a quite niche tonality that will please god know who.

In fact this review was complete month ago, i struggle to find the motivation to publish it because Kara is one of few IEM i just can't endure, which is strange because it's non offensive in it's nature, but for me the mid range sound plain dead, bass lack definition and punch, and treble is roll off, dry and boring.

Personaly, it's the last IEM i will review ever from Tanchjim. I've done the same with Moondrop. These company just have a ''musicality target'' that lead me completly indifferent and far away from my music.

So, nope. I can't suggest the Kara to anybody because I can't lie and just can't find potential listener for those...perhaps people that seek a warmer darker Moondrop Blessing 2? I don't know, i hate those IEM too..

OK! Thanks for reading this anthipatic review!



------


PS: tx to Basking Shark for helping me getting those Kara. No need to help me more with Tanchjim, im done.

You can order the Tanchjim Kara for 180$ here or on Ali express etc:
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/tanchjim-kara-1dd-4ba-in-ear-headphone

TONALITY: 8.2/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.2/10
TIMBRE: 8.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 8/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 8/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.2/10

YanYin is a rather new audio company from China, I think it's been around for about 3 years.
They get on the audiophile map with hybrid IEM like the Alladin and first Canon or tribrid like the Moonlight.
Today I will review their latest offering, the Canon2, which is the the follow up of first Canon.

Like the first version, it's an hybrid using 1 biological dynamic driver and 4 (unstated) balanced armature.

Priced 380$, the Canon2 enter a very competitive sub-500$ market where we expect consequent sound benefit, let see in this review if this IEM stand apart from rest of IEMs offering.



CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The beautifull design of Canon2 is sure a looker, a glossy sparkly one due to it's shinny backplate colorful design thast show different shade of colors depending of reflection of light.

The construction is all made of thick medical grade resin plastic that feel smooth on hands and isn't prompt to easy scratching which promise long durability. Well, their one metal part and it's the nozzle, so this is only concern in term of potential damage.

The 2pin connector is flat on top of body, i prefer slightly recessed connector for more easy connection but this one look sturdy and have no gap around it.

Then you have the 2 mini switch at the side of shell, again its well embeded in body without gap, but you need a tool to change switch position which can be annoyin on the go. In fact, while walking i seek for small sharp rock on the ground when i want to change the switch, yes, that my survivalist nomad solution.

As for the shell size, its a bit bulky and not really thinked for deep insertion, yet I don't think it's too big for people with small ears.

The included cable is nice enough. It's a 4-strand graphene single crystal copper silver-plated Cable that come in 3.5mm single ended or 2.5mm or 4.4mm balanced depending the choice you make. It doesn't feel like prime high end cable due to rather basic plug but it's a flexible, soft and light cable that don't add weight to the fit.



For the box presentation, it's elegant and minimalist. You have this nice cable, a good quality leather carrying case, 3 pairs of silicone eartips. If i want to be nit picky, i would say more ear tips would have been welcome.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS



The Canon2 is a smooth and gently lush sounding IEM, with an organic cohesion that goes from warm bassy U shape to mellow crispy U shape. The tuning switch here don't inflict greatly on tonal balance and feel a bit unecessary. I mean, like most IEM with switch it play with dynamic driver impedance that boost the bass and mid bass at different level without adding much well felt punch.
2 switch up or 1 up 2down are both warm and bassy U shape with slightly darker mids than both switch down or 1down2up.
Switch ONE inflict way more on sound balance than the 2 which just add or stole a hint of teble air and edge.
Cleaner crisper and most lean U shape tuning is both switch down. So we can say one switch would have been enough and switch 2 is near plain decorative.

For this review, I will focus on 2 switch up and down for bass department, then for mids and treble, it will be mostly 2 switch down since it's cleaner in term of resolution.

The Canon2 are among those harman target chifi interpretation, it's a safe, smooth and polished tonality, with rather organic and natural timbre, it's not spoil with thin mids especially with bass boost that add lower mids warmth. Yet, it's not an highly exciting, engaging or dynamic musicality, but after the ultimately boring Tanchjim Kara, these feel bassy and fowards enough in mid range which has an higher pinna gain, yet, isn't shouty.



With bass boost we are less into classic harman territory and barely into mellow warm V shape, but the slam is too gentle and sub bass focused for calling it punchy V shape. For this we would surely need a second dynamic driver to go all in mid bass boost instead of impendance boost that tend to boost a vibrant, dense boom and had rumble sustain.
Whatever the switch you choose, the sub bass is put fowards and better extracted and layered than kick drum. It's thick sub bass, it's warm and juicy, not very edgy or speedy. It's rather opaque too and don't have a lean extension with boost on, so for acoustic music it's better 2 switch down, we have slightly more texture and overall less warmed bass line release which can be negative for acoustic double bass.
Don't expect basshead fun, it's a rather smooth and organic bass presentation and with 2 switch UP, I can get most fun with soul and r&B but big beat with complex percussions isn't suggest, nor speedy thumpy track, it's more enjoyable with slow music with digital sub bass and boom.
The cello sound pleasant, has a natural timbre enough but is very polished so it's hard to perceive the string stroke or pulling. It's a bit dull and solo bach sonata didn't captivate my attention nor trigger any emotion in me.
Kick drum are dark and a bit flat, for fast rock it will lack hard edgy definition and listener will struggle to follow drummer in any music style that is speedy.
All in all, safe lush bass, non offensive and laid back, the sub bass can be charming but it lack a bit of elasticity, presene and proper well define separation (especially with bass boost)

The mids are for me highlight of the show even if I would not call the Canon2 mid centric because they are too lean and a bit thin too, yet not in a dry way.
They are sirupy and relaxed, the upper mids isn't very loud so it's rather fatigue free. We don't have alot of presence texture boost so fine definition of each instrument is a bit softed in edge and darken in attack lead. Yet overall mid have this natural tone and timbre, liquid way since it's near texture less.
The female vocal shine more than male vocal, it's most fowards ''instrument'' with violin, its a hint breahty and its sibilance free. It's not shouty too. Presence is well centered and even with bass boost the mids will not go plain muddy, but they will be darken and less clean than with 2 switch down that make them pop up more, making them feel louder too.
Piano is a bit light in note weight and lean in dynamic but not too recessed, tone is realist but texture thickness is lacking for proper separation of each note hit, we don't have alot of natural resonance too so it's hard to discern which pedal is pressed or not.
Saxophone feel a bit thin and compressed in center stage, but it's transparent and well layered.
We can say the Canon2 are female vocal specialist, but don't expect monitor level of imaging with them due to smoothen upper mids bite.

And now the treble might be very refined and well balanced with rest of spectrum but it's a bit dark and lean, it's not very sparkly nor very snappy. Again, very safe, too safe I would say and not enough extended. This isn't the kind of IEM that will reveal new micro details yet it's not lacking either.
Percussions are rarely snappy and stay in the back, the lead clang of attack is softed so it affect the pace readibility. With cymbals crash, we will hear more a soft splash that leading hit of it's release.
Same goes for acoustic guitar, it lack bite as well as lower harmonic for bodied presentation so it sound light and soft, not very lively and like with harp and clavichord, it lack long brilliant sparkle release for proper airyness of higher pitch note with metallic string.
In fact, i can't find which instrument benefit from this polite yet sometime gently bright treble, I would say violin which rarely need sparkle is one of well restitute instrument, its transparent, textured enough and can deal with fast phrasing well enough.
Anyway, these aren't for treble head. The treble is neutral mostly but smoothen in dangerous texture or attack spike.

The Soundstage feel open enough, it's average wide, not very tall and have good deepness that can be affect by bass resonance with bass boost.

Imaging is average due to softed definition sharpness, we dont have lot of clean space between instrument for accurate instrument tracking yet the sound layering is effortless and avoid muddy macro dynamic.


COMPARISONS



VS SOUNDRHYME SR7 (1DD+6BAs-380$)

SR7 is an hybrid with 2 switch too, again its mostly about bass boost but this time it can go legit basshead because the tuning is more V shape and mid bass boost more focused. Overall dynamic feel more W shape and lively, as well as more open and holographic than flatter Canon2.

The bass hit harder and have more brighten sub bass line, yet not as deep and warm rumble, it pack a rounder punch and kick drum isn't as recessed. Canon2 feel more mellow in punch even with extra bass boost, whole bass is darker and less textured, bass line have less presence texture and attack edge yet are thicker and more sustain in rumble vibrance.

The mids are more liquid and lean with Canon2, vocal jump more at you with SR7 and are a hint brighter in presence, definition of instrument is better articulate and the stage feel more open too, we have more upper mids bit too than smoother leaner Canon2. Mids are a hint thicker with SR7 too, especially with bass boost.

The treble is notably darker with Canon2, its evident that with 2 more BAs the SR7 extract more sound info and offer a better macro dynamic experience, percussions aren't half cooked like with Canon2 and sound layers are less homogeneous and lean. Yet, the balance is more refined and less prompt to fatigue with softer treble of Canon2, SR7 is mroe crunchy and excited in highs attack.

Soundstage is notably wider, deeper and taller with the SR7.

Imaging is superior with SR7 too, due to less darken delimitation of instrument definition and more open sound layering.

All in all, SR7 is bassier, punchier, more engaging in term of dynamic and for tonal balance, I do prefer the mid bass boost but it's less smooth and refined, less mature tuned than Canon2. Technical performance is superior in everything but upper treble attack control. Yet, we have treble excitment here at least.

VS HIDIZS MS5 (1DD+4BAs-400$)

We have slightly similar balance here, both of these are U shape but MS5 is brigther and has more scooped mid range yet a bit more mid bass punch.

The tonal balance is notably more wonky and less cohesive with MS5, we do feel the mix of different driver more and bass feel a bit detached with its clean boom, it's faster in attack, rounder, but a bit thinner in sub bass which is again thicker with Canon2, yet the separation isn't as good...or detached!

Mids are quite horrifious with the MS5 so in that regard Canon2 is a big step up, its lusher, smoother fuller sounding and has more note weight. Timbre is less dry, more natural, instrument and vocal has wider presence and female vocal are sumptuous compared to shouty dryish one of MS5.

Then the treble feel detached too, and more boxy with the MS5, it's more agressive in micro details and percussions are more upfront but their more unwanted resonance, its more splashy, less snappy than Canon2. Highs are more realist and full sounding, less spiky and distracting than rougher MS5.

Soundstage is similar in wideness and tallness, but deeper with MS5 due to more recessed center stage.

Imaging is more boosted in presence brightness with MS5 so it's easier to pin point instrument, yet it's not realistic at all and mess up with percussions positioning.

All in all, its evident Canon2 is notably superior in both tonal balance and technical performance....it can't even compete. Even if darker tuned.



CONCLUSION



The Yanyin Canon2 is a very refined sounding earphones with an multi persona richness that can go from neutral to bassy and warm U shape.

Canon2 is safely tuned, offer a smooth laidback musicality that will appeal both fan of pop and instrumental due to good macro resolution that feel effortless. It's not an IEM that offer audacious and energic musicality that can benefit more agressive music genre likie rock or Drum&Bass, but it's one of those IEM you can get lost in for hours without feeling fatigued too.

While i would not suggest those to treble head or hard mid bass punch seeker, i feel the Canon2 is the solution for the fan of Harman target that find vocal and upper mids to loud with offering from the like of Moondrop.


This is the very first IEM I test from YanYin and I certainly feel it's a chifi company that worth to be follow, the tuning cohesion is very impressive for such an hybrid.

If you seek for a ''Jack of all trade, master of none'' IEM that captivate in the long run, Canon2 sure worth the bet.

Recommended!








----------------------------------------

PS: I want to thanks YanYin for sending me this review sample. As always, i'm not affiliated with any distributor or audio companies and those are my 100% honest subjective audio impressions.

You can order the Canon2 for 380$ here: https://www.linsoul.com/products/yanyin-canon-ii

TONALITY: 9.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 9.2/10
TIMBRE: 9.6/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 9.8/10
IMAGING: 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.5/10

INTRO

Hifiman don't need a lenghty introduction. It's an audio company founded in 2005 by Fang Bian, then named Hifiman in 2007. Their first planar headphones was the HE5 launched in 2009, then they evolve alot and create a wide variety of headphones, yet they seem to favor planar open back above dynamic driver or closed back headphones.



But Hifiman is a touch everything, and my personal story begin with their DAP in fact, the HM601 to be precise. It was a warm, bassy and very powerful sounding DAP with an construction that will make us laugh today. While DAP was an important part of their offering and R&D in the past, it seem nowadays they give greater focus to Headphones and DAC-AMP making. As well as some IEM like the very pleasant Svanar and even TWS IEMs like Svanar Wireless that push sound bundaries further with their implementation of R2R DAC-AMP in TWS shell.

In the past i've review a good amount of their Headphones which include the Ananda, Deva, Sundara and Arya to name a few. I always had a sweet spot for the Sundara musicality, the best Hifiman planar in term of high sound value in my opinion.

Today I will review their higher end headphones, the HE1000 Stealth.

Priced 1400$, the HE1000 Stealth use newest magnet with rounded shape that permit lower distortion and soundwave interference. They are double side at each side of the big planar diaphragm and offer a stable transient response.
This model is not to be counfound with older HE1000 V1 and V2, nor the HE1000se, which is pricier at 2000$.

I've tested a couple of TOTL headphone including Sennheiser HD820, Grado GS1000e, Arya Organic and Audivina, but never I've been as much impress by the musicality they deliver than with this HE1000 Stealth.

I will try to explain why in this review, while keeping my critical sound impressions sharp.

CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES




The construction of these is sumptuous and mostly made of metal and wood with few plastic part. It's quite gigantic but you barely feel them on your head and the clamping force is very smooth.
What caught the eyes is certainly the oversized cups wich you will be familiar with since its extremely similar to Arya and Ananda.



Those cups are made of CNC miled metal with a smooth hand polished finish. The grill is made of metal too and it's thick one, not light alluminium prompt to vibration that could create unwanted distortion (like the Grado grill).
Their a filter mesh to avoid any dust entering this grill too.
Then we have the piece of thick wood, it's very eye appealing and pleasant to touch when we position the cups.



Then we have the real leather headband with a brushed metal holder with an angular shape i'm not the biggest fan in term of aesthetic but it's responsible for clamping force which is light and I hope it will not loosen more since we can't headbang or move our head down too fast with HE1000 Stealth, their a risk the headphones fall. Anyway, these headphones are thinked for sedantary use since it's fully open back and leak alot, i mean ALOT of sound. In fact, i often use the HE1000 as deskop speaker since it can play louder than my laptop. Without any distortion.



Now these weight half a kilogram, as said, I can wear these for hours and hours without feeling anyn discomfort nor neck fatigue. The leather head band is hard to even feel (unless your bald I guess). It's most comfortable headphones I own but certainly not something I will use in a coffeshop or workplace. Let say the comfort upgrade is sky high compared to the Sundara I own that have harder clamping force, smaller cup and can swivel left right like the HE1K.



Under those big cups you have 3.5mmm jack, it permit easy upgrade of the cables. It made of metal and i like the bump that permit fast blind finding of the jacks so you can plug cable easily even when wearing the hadphones.



Sure, those 3 cables included are quite practical and not plain bad, but they are 3 meters long and the shorter one is made of nylon fabric that tend to keep the bent and isn't very flexible, i would have prefer same material as to other.
We have a very welcome balanced XLR cable with a plug that screen quality and have gold plated pins. It's 3 meter. Soundwise its more than OK and i dont feel an urgence to upgrade the XLR cable, yet i will most certainly order new 3.5mm braided cable sooner than later.



The packaging is extremely minimalist and well, eco friendly since the box is recyclable and even the protective foam have second life as an Headphones stand. I respect this for sure, yet i dont think it honor the elegant beauty of HE1000. The nice carrying case included with way cheaper Ananda Nano is something I feel would have been more appropriate with a flagship headphones of thise price range. But we have generous amount of basic cable as stated. Strangely no 3.5mm single ended is a bit puzzling too. All in all, while the construction of Headphones is great, i find accessories a bit underwhelming in quality. I could had say I don't care as a reviewer, but i put myself in the skin of a consumer that pay 1400$ for those, in that regard the packagin experience isn't impressive. You don't feel like a spoiled prince.



SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Let's begin by stating what source I test this headphones with.
Main obsessive pairing was with Hifiman EF600 as a DAC-AMP as well as a standalone amp paired with Hiby R6proII and Ibasso DX90. Then I try with SMSL SU9+R6proII and while it was cleaner and crisper on top, the dynamic was lifeless and ultra lean, bass was punch less and weight less, everything was suddenly about treble and transparency. I pair it with Xduoo XD05plus too and it was a rather potent match but the less refined in term of timbre, resolution and dynamic control wich is a bit too excite (opposite of SH9 in that regard), yet it confirm the HE1K can handle bass boost like a champ without distortion inherent to it's driver.

While this sound impression is mostly based on EF600 DAC-AMP pairing, diversify test I do confirm these are source transparent as well as scaling up with power output. I suggest an amp with good dynamic gain as well as at least 1W@32ohm. I'm not certain to understand why the SMSL SH9 lack so much dynamic heft, yet, ill say: avoid pairing those with a THX AAA amplifier, these aren't suppose to sound clinical at all.

OK, now time to dive into the sound rendering of these marvelous planar headphones. Expect a wordy because i've listen to these non stop for at least 100H and don't plan to stop any soon even if they stole the show of all my other Hifiman headphones which are Arya Organic, Audivina, Ananda Nano and Sundara.

When I receive these, I was certain they are 2000$ Headphones and i'm pleasantly surprise to see they sell in fact for 1400$, making them adequate in term of sound value. I mean, this is subjective but let say I always consider Sennheiser HD820 over priced, I don't for the HE1K Stealth.

I remember clearly the first moment with these, I was outside under bright sun and hook them to portable dac-amp Xduoo XD05plus, expecting mediocre performance...and dynamic heft, which wasn't the case at all. I was worry of slightly recessed mids like the first Arya I got since im a mid range lover that need them meaty and natural and let say i was spoil like no other here since i get both round thick punch and fowards lush female vocal of Jorja Smith, here vocal presence was wide thick smooth and enveloping, extremely natural and life like as if she was at 30cm of my face, I drown into here voice yet can shake my head on the beat too which was delivered in an holographic way, i got goosebump everywhere then make some kind of grunt eargasm yealing and barely fall from my chair. Then, since these are open back, i head a squirrel yealing at me and chase him so i can fully enjoy Jorja without distraction.

This was my first impressions, and from there: it just scale up infinately and i'm far from being done discovering new tone subtilities and spatial cue with them.

Because when I hook them up to Hifiman EF600, vocal presence stretch even more as well as headroom goes gigantic in a way your part of the soundscape, not in a concert hall way where you seated back in the row, for this, Arya is more appropriate.

So I would call the tonality as mid centric to warm balanced W shape. Sub bass isn't roll off but a hint less boosted than mid bass and lower mids, mids are fowards and offer main focus of whole musicality and the treble is fully extended in a lean way, not an agressive way yet it's far from sounding dark.
We can just say it offer a natural effortless balance too, fully cohesive that doesn't left anything behind so depending of you attention focus, their something for everyone bass, mids and treble wise.
It's perhaps the only headphones i would call: Jack of all trades, master of everything...but perhaps i'm overly enthusiast here so let's dig in more critical sound impressions.

The sub bass is leaner than mid bass here, yet dig very deep in a well controlled way with slightly densify and warmed sustaain and clean well layered release that permit both bass line and kick drum to cohabit in harmony.

These pack some weighty and authoritative punch when asked for, and it's a well rounded one, not a fast thin boom like the Arya. I love how the presence is lush yet colorful in texture subtilities. I love my bass meaty and it's what we get with the benefit of planar for proper layering even if transition into lower mid range is liquid and not sharply define.
The kick drum doesnt feel flat at all, its round and thumpy with a natural presentation, in the track Influxius by Aki Rissanen we never struggle finding the kick drum presence even if it's softed a bit in presence definition edge. So, nope, its not edgy ultra clean bass presentation here, it's a physical an tactile bass that doesn't goes muddy even in fast busy track we will feel the fast hitting drum, yet perhaps not be able to monitor it with clinical precision.
Tone fullness is favor before definition sharpness and texture is buttery, velvety, free of distracting micro details or grain that can affect musicality of a bass line or density of kick drum.

The cello sound marvelously full and natural, it's vibrant in it's release and soft in it's attack, the presence is wide and enveloping not compressed or just about dry imagie of the sound, it trrigger lot of emotional response which can be kill with a rendering that will over boost the texture of bow stroke. This texture isn't hearable in real life, and think about how non amoplify cello should sound and blossom is natural air and it's how it sound. I never mix violin with cello with the HE1000s, Anja Lechner cello has a vast, dense, rich and transparent presentation perfectly layered from other instrument, and this can deliver the vibrant abrasive grunt with long airy release when asked for too. Just magnificent.
Then the double bass is another pure pleasure to enjoy, Dave Holland bass line are vibrant and dense in debut attack then gently extend in a linear release that still move air as it should, i'm again very impress by how well layered is it's instrument in this tabla, saxo and double bass trio. It's evident hes the main focus of the tracks and we don't miss anything of it's fully bodied presence.

For electric bass, it's not as bodied and seem to magnify the attack speed which is super controled, the separation is again very easy to read and we don't miss anything, perhaps some will ask for more grunt and texture but it's not dark at all nor one tone warm, as well, as noted above it doesn't mud the kick drum which can deliver its proper dynamic heft too.
When we go to pure sub bass rumble, the HE1000s underline hes not a basshead headphones but an open back that don't boost sub bass resonance loudness, so I would not suggest those for Drum&bass or Trap Rap. For ex, I would not listen alot to IAMDDB cause the slam don't boom enough nor the rumble resonate enough, the bass of HE1000 is too well controlled to offer loud rumble release.



I've been quite wordy about the low range yet for me the star of the show is the luscious mid range of these. When an headphone can deliver full bodied presentation with natural timbre for both piano and female vocal, I know i'm into mid centric territory that doesn't forget their fundamentals harmonic hidden in lower mid range.
Because here, lower mids are plenty, and upper mids too, non shouty or overly agressive way.

I tend to call open mids when center stage is recessed and upper mids presence is boosted, this will be more appropriate for the Arya whil here it's holographic, wide near IMAX like mid range with energic and beefy dynamic. Nothing sound thin with the HE1000, nothing lack note weight, nothing sound dull or lifeless, everything from piano, to saxophone, to male and femal vocal are natural and meaty in tone, non compressed in their image, and lush in their colorfull timbre. We listen to tone, not texture here, our ears are their to listen to music, not to do audio mastering, yet we are into this miraculous audiophile realm where technicalities is on par with naturalness of tonality.
With harman tuned headphones or IEM, i often feel the piano is distant, lack roundness and note weight and is too boosted in texture grain which make it sound uneven as if the piano strings were rusted. This is an instrument I struggle alot to enjoy with most audio gear I own and I own alot. It's my favorite instrument and the one I play, acoustic piano is very complex to restitute because the finger hit the keyboard then the hammer hit the 1-2 or 3 string, then the strings release their vibrancy thrue harmonic table then this sound resonate in they air in different way depending of pedal pressed by pianist and well, room acoustic and size.

So, if treble is too boosted, it can pick up lotta noise artefact we don't want to hear in whole note release process, when their not enough, it can make the rendering blurry and abstract, or affect natural resonance clarity and sound info.
With the HE1000 Stealth, the piano is heavenly restitute in all it's tone, timbre and note weight glory, in an effortless and non offensive way. Thei no sudden high pitch peak, nor overly warmed lower register, the natural release is there too and blossom in the air widely. It's among most tactile piano presentation I've head and well, solo piano have a magnify sens of grandeur as if you where a minuscule being hide in immense piano where each note surround you from every direction in dense singular layerings. Those note hit without edgy brightness to definition, its smoothly rounded and dense in it's release that envelope the listener with colorful resonance highlining tone color with air vibrancy. It's not the type of presentation that magnify sharpness of attack speed, it weighty and mellow as well as close to the listener.

The female vocal push this lushness enjoyment to next level since I feel woodwind and vocal shine even more with the HE1000. The presence is foward and very wide, it stretch in whole headroomand embrace the listener smoothly without shouty agressivity, it's both relaxed in loudness peak and dynamic towards you. It's not dull nor recessed at all and the timbre is sweet, velvety and very dense, yet keeping enough transparency to permit proper layering with background instruments. No lipsy singing here, nor boosted details that can lead to sibilance. Whatever the range of singer I listen too, from Agnes Obel breathy vocal to soprano like Arianna Savall, I enjoy pure intimate bliss which captivate the attention and trigger high level of emotional response. Goosebumps guarantee.



When it come the the treble, it's organically balanced with rest of spectrum without any overcooked part. It have enough spice for sure and don't lack air nor minimal sparkle. Smoothly crisp with effortless attack speed and control, the highs mix in soundscape and are there to be find by the listener, it's not analytical nor vividly snappy.
It seem the highs have be tuned to don't distract from mid range instrument, especially vocal.
Does this mean acoustic guitar sound dull, dark or dry? Not at all, it's fully bodied with extra density from lower fundamental harmonic that rounded each note and we do have intricate micro details of string texture as well as crisp snap that do sparkle but not with long airy decay.
With singer songwriter playing guitar, the vocal dominate as it should yet i don't struggle to follow each line of guitar playing, which are cleanly layered.

Then for percussions, it's similar, but do underline how capable are these headphones to deliver speedy attack when needed. Complex jazz drummer with wide variety of percussions is crisply restitute and nothing get lost in the mix or can't keep with macro dynamic pace, hits hats and cymbals stay in the back as it should, and don't distract the listener unless he want too, since when you focus on them you can certainly be mesmerize by the agility and accuracy of the rendering. This treble don't lack energy, the snare is authoritative, bright and weighty, but it's not inflicting excited dynamic nervosity or screamy presence neither.

A quite hard instrument to restitute due to it's non harmonic noise artefact that is part of it's flavor is the electric guitar, and again, HE1000 show how versatile he can perform by delivering life like presentation of this instrument, without the feeling guitarist use a defective amplifier with noisy gain boost. Its not compressed or thin, dense with soft yet rich distortion and wide presence, whatever number of electric guitar it will be well layered. Just incredible.

Without being dark at all, the highs aren't vividly boosted, it's smooth and well rounded within a vast macro dynamic. If the track is clean, percussions will be restitute fastly and fully, theyr will have a tactile contour and never sound half cook or thin, nor too boosted in texture grain. I do admit I would love a bit more sparkle and air, especially for acoustic guitar which is fully bodied with lower harmonic but don't release a long brilliance. At the same time, perhaps this would affect the mid range lushness and focus.
All in all, this is an extremely refined treble that isn't agressive or harsh for long listening session.


The soundstage is another highlight with the HE1000 Stealth, the headroom is so huge that it feel like experiencing an Imax movie, in the sens it's holographic too, not like looking at small instrument within a gigangtic hall since here it's the wideness and tallness that are stretched to their max. The you are the depth, as a listener placed in the soundscape. It's this kind of 360 degree musicality that can make sound poping in the back of your head. It's not a unidirectional spatiality but if you like greater sens of freedom in term of airy spatiality, Arya should be the one, due to a more recessed center stage.

The imaging isn't bad at all due to speedy sound layering projection that only good planar can achieve, so it avoid macro resolution muddyness and your able to dig into sound layers to find instrument behind. But I would never say HE1000 is master of imaging, definition edge is a bit softed to avoid unpleasant loudness peak so the separation isn't the cleanest horizontaly, as well, since you part of the music it make it harder to precisely track instrument. You'll be able to extract everything you want, but it will not be done for you because in real life soundwave does mix togheter, including low harmonic that densify the macro dynamic, if you scoop lower mids, you can clean the air but to the cost of taking of the soul of instruments too.
And headphones with crazy accurate imaging is for monitoring purpose, not to enjoy music and here we have best of both world.




SIDE NOTES

As expected with a low sensitivity of 93DB, the HE1K will scale up with amping power greatly. Yet, 1W@32ohm is a good begining and my pairing with Xduoo XD05plus was very pleasant, sure it wasn't as open and multi layered as with Hifiman EF600 that deliver crazy 5.2W@32ohm at high gain, but bass didn't distort or struggle to extend and macroi dynamic was lively. As well, it was interesting to use bass boost with these and transform them in near end game basshead planar, again, without distortion.

This mean the HE1K are heaven to EQ and can handle anything.

Yet the pairing need to be carefully choosen, I don't consider EF600 my end game choice since it's not cleanest DAC-AMP out there and how it color the sound is similar to tonal balance boost of HE1K (mid to lower mids warmth and heft).
My best pairing in term of clean clarity was the SMSL SH9 with Questyle QP2R or Hiby R6pro, yet, the ultra lean dynamic with sub bass roll off was making the HE1K sound very dull and clinical, so it was the worst in term of dynamic heft even if 2W@32ohm at high gain. I would avoid THX AAA amplifier with those planar.

Again, sound leakage is literally insane with those, so even your wife, husband, GF or BF will be super annoy if you are near them. My cats don't like me when I listen to those and change room. It's as loud inside than outside the cups. Better find a bunker for proper listening. I know that in my old appartment in Montreal, we have ''cardboard'' wall and my neighboor were always grumpy ladies that hate music and love silence, i couldn't listen to those pass 9pm I feel.

Cable upgrade or downgrade do exist with those, I try my Meze 2.5mm cable with XLR adapter and it was sounding brighter, leaner, it really trick my mind for an instance and suddenly was more similar to Arya. This is why i conclude stock XLR cable is good enough and you should give great care to the upgrade cable you choose. If i find a great upgrade cable, i will update this review with some impressions and comparison against stock cable.



COMPARISONS





VS HIFIMAN ARYA ORGANIC

The Arya are brighter, crisper and more U shape in overall balance. HE1K is warmer, more mid centric and smoother-thicker in balance. Arya sound more technical and less colored.

The bass boom faster and cleaner but is thinner, more resonance and less creamy with Arya, their less mid bass body and weight than HE1K, kick drum are less rounded but bass line are clearer and more agile. HE1K slip and thicken lower mid range more too.

The mids are leaner, slightly more recessed, brighter and more transparent with Arya, it sound more open and offer edgier definition of instrument. HE1K is lusher, offer wider more fowards vocal and mid range instrument presence, this presence is more creamy, less prompt to sibilance or texture dryness. Timbre is more natural and smooth. Piano and overall instrument have heavier not weight and more tactile body. Arya mids are more resolved and airy, less sitcken togheter with lower harmonic warmth.

Treble is quite similar, but Arya have cleaner airier presentation which permit more precise tracking of percussions, we have a hint more brilliance and sparkle but slightly thinner highs. Lower treble is more boosted and extract greater texture info than more buttery HE1K. Sens of speed is more magnify with the Arya as well.

Spatiality is notably wider and taller with HE1K but not as depth and clean as Arya, which isn't as intimate in holographic headroom. With HE1K your in middle of music scene, sometime very near instrument or vocal while for Arya you not far from stage, like in second row with clean vision.

Imaging is superior-edgier-crisper with the Arya, when vocal occur with HE1K it can affect readibility of whole scene due to extra focus of the mid range. Monitoring is easier and more accurate with Arya due to cleaner separation and edgier definition of them.

All in all, if you are timbre and tone lover and favor mid range instrument and vocal fullness and wideness as well as note weight and smooth balance, the HE1000 Stealth is the one to choose, if your more into high fidelity clarity and effortlesly analytical sound, the Arya Organic is an easy suggestion. Personaly, the HE1K trigger way more emotional response and musical immersivity to me and warmer tonality make it more versatile, while Arya shine with instrumental music mostly and less so with vocal, but even that will depend since the presence from upper mids is quite fowarded, just not as softed and a bit more desubstantialize in lower mids and fundamental harmonic.



VS HIFIMAN AUDIVINA

The Audivina is notably more technical and neutral sounding than more laid back and natural sounding HE1KS. It's near dead flat, yet with little extra upper mids and ultra highs boost.

It's certainly more appropriate for monitoring music than enjoying it in a immersive way, the rendering is colder and more ''cerebral'', you an observer of the music while with HE1KS your swimming into the middle of lush layering.

The bass is cleaner, faster and leaner with the Audivina, bass line and kick separation is better and less thicken by warmth, overall bass is thinner but have more fine details in term of texture as well as attack edge. HE1KS bass is chunkier, more vibrant and dense in rumble sustain, more weighty but darker in definition and slip into lower mid range more, adding sound layers density to each other. Dynamic impact is greater with HE1KS too, tone is lusher, more juicy vibrant, it's more physical and tactile, less flat and dry than Audivina.

The mid range is brighter, cleaner, more resolved and transparent with Audivina, for those seeking pure high fidelity experience, it's certainly the one to choose. But this mean dynamic is flatter and make the vocal feel less fowards as well as less widen in warmed presence. Note weight is lighter, but edgier in stroke lead definition.
HE1KS has more lower mids fullness, presence and warmth, vocal and instrument are more bodied and foward yet less sharp in upper mids so smoother, creamier, more colorfull than hyper-realisticaly textured. The attack sustain-release of Audivina is longer and extract more sound info of natural resonance recorded even if for ex piano note don't fall as heavily, ill be able to know more easily if the pianist press sustain pedal with Audivina due to crisper center stage. Its evident HE1K offer a more mid centric sound experience.

Then the treble is sharper, snappier and sparklier with Audivina but again in a leaner way that doesn't deliver as tactile percussion and guitar dynamic. It's more speedy and controlled in attack, the percussions are easier to follow in busy track due to crisper attack edge and cleaner air when mid range instrument take the lead.
Lower treble is more abrasive with the Audivina, which will benefit electric guitar presence that is creamier with HE1K but denser and more vibrant in fundamental. This made treble of HE1KS less thin and dry sounding but less generous in micro details too.


The Soundstage is way wider and taller with the HE1KS, sens of depth is different though because your part of center stage while with Audivina your more like in small studio room with centered monitor speakers, for ex, HE1000S remind me my big Magnepan MG02A planar speaker which embrace my whole sound perception scale.

While the imaging feel more holographic and effortless in the of sound layers projection in space and dynamic with HE1KS, the imaging is more accurate and precise with the Audivina, it's way easier to separate bass line, kick drum, mid range and high range instrument even if not as spacious and this is mostly due to less bass warmth that blur silence between instrument and more edgy upper mids that boost presence clarity of each instrument while keeping it's transparency to be able to spot the positioning in both X and Y axis.

All in all, with Audivina I need to force my mind to find music immersive and musical while the HE1000 Stealth embrace me in right away and make me close to my fav singer, pianist or saxophonist. It's more colored and less neutral and technical than Audivina but unless you want to monitor your music, I don't think anybody will say Audivina is superior in tonality cohesion and musicality presentation.


CONCLUSION



If you follow me on my Eric Lab (No Borders Audiophile) facebook profile, you've seen me raving about the HE1000 V3 near everyday. This is because i can't stop listening to those and it barely never happen with Headphones because i'm mostly an IEMs guy.

In fact, last big Hifiman crush i have was with Sundara, and in all honesty, this is direct upgrade to this very tonal balance if you seek bigger headroom, superior technicalities and similar timbre but in a lest rough and even more natural manner.

I even tell everybody that i finaly found my Headphones end game, i mean, in humanly affordable price range since the Susvara might be more musical, but if its just all technical upgrade with very different tonality, it might not work for my very end game quest....which is the balance between musicality and technicality, effortless way.

And I feel this is what HE1000 V3 offer.

If you think Planar can't sound natural, think again.
If you think mid range goes muddy when we have extra lower mids warmth, think again.
If you think you've been closest to your favorite vocalist, think again since no other headphones trigger as mkuch goosebumps on me and the V3 is certainly a vocal specialist, yet it's versatile and laid back enough for great variety of music style.

It's the type of headphones i would call ''Jack of all trade, master of tone, timbre and dynamic'', and as an audiophile that don't understand the nowaday mid-range ideology which is influence by harman target and is just about thin presence boost, i found this the perfect solution for me that need full mid range restitution including the fundamental of harmony.

The piano is another big highlight of these and it's my favorite instrument with saxophone and female vocal.

Yes, the HE1000 V3 is the very best headphones i've tested yet and unless your a basshead or treble head, I highly suggest those to you.

Very Highly recommended!!!!!!!


-----------------------------




PS: I want to thanks Hifiman for sending me this review sample. As always, i don't participate to any affiliate program, don't publish adds of Hifiman on my website, and never make read my reviews before publishing. These are my honest thoughs, only biased by my subjective hearing.

You can order the HE1000 V3 at official Hifiman store, and i suggest you to keep an eye open for open box deal too:
https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/he1000-stealth-magnet-version.html

TONALITY: 9/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.5/10
TIMBRE: 9/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
IMAGING: 8/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 9/10

INTRO

BQEYZ is an audio company from China that have about 10 years of audio engineering experience. They've release mostly hybrid IEM from ultra budget one like KB100 to tribrid like Spring2 and lately they've begin to explore bone conduction hybrid with the Winter.
Today I will review the BQEYZ Wind which is their second attempt at bone conduction hybrid.
The WInd use a 10mm LCP dynamic driver and a 10mm coil bone conduction driver that was self developed by them.
Unlike alot of unserious chifi companies, BQEYZ patent their own driver and invest alot of time into research and devlopment, this explain why they release 1 or 2 IEMs a year unlike those mass production chifi maker.
BQEYZ are a visionarry company that don't follow any tread and pursue their own audio engineering quest, don't expect harman tuning from them, nor to look above the shoulders or audio gurus or other competitor, they follow their own path, and this is one of the reason why I respect them.

The Wind is first IEM release of 4 IEM model inspire by weather element.

Let's see in this review if the Wind worth our consideration or will just be one more chifi IEM passing like a breeze.

CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The craftmanship of the Wind is exemplary, its all made of CNC machined metal and have great caring about details. It's a complex yet sturdy housing construction. It's true semi open back with a grill.
Front part of housing have the bone conduction driver that need to be in contact with your skin, the shape is small and ergonomic enough to permit a secure fit. While not the best in termof isolation, the unique bone conduction transmission tend to make you less aware of outside noise.

The 2pin connector is only part I feel BQEYZ can improve, their a slight gap around connector that might loosen with time or collect dust.



The included cable is a 4 strand braided silver plated litz copper cable of excellent quality. The strands are thick and smooth, soft and flexible and promise good comfort and don't create any microphonic. As well, you can choose it in 3 plug type: single ended 3.5 or 2.5 and 4.4 balanced.



The packaging is elegant and minimal but accessories are generous. We have this excellent cable. 10 pairs of eartips including one pair of memory foam tips. The carrying case is basic in term of quality and a bit too small for my taste. All in all, construction and accessories are very good.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Firstly, their no other IEM that sound like the Wind and if you aren't familiar wiht bone conduction, this could be either underwhelming or overwhelming depending of your psychoacoustic awareness. For me, it's an utterly fascinating and engaging listening experience that feel effortless in holographic musicality that fully immerse me in whole mid range like not other IEMs ever did.

Unlike the BQEYZ Winter that cover treble section with its BC or UM Mext that cover wide range up to 7khz and add alot of presence definition and texture, the Wind BC cover sub bass to upper mids smoothly, organicly, and add lower mids delicacy as well as infra bass density to an overall darkish tonality.

This is a very atypical take and the graph shared by BQEYZ don't translate at all what you will perceive in term of tonal balance, in fact, I don't even think they add the bone conduction vibrations measurement to it.

So we can say warm to dark neutral sound with slight bass, lower and upper mids boost then a flat treble that begin to roll off after 10khz, so don't expect ultra crisp, analytical or snappy highs with the WInd, it's smooth and macro dynamic is organic as a whole, the 2 drivers mixing togheter like a impressionist painting mix it's colors.

The BASS is so unique and offer such a flexibility of attack and effortless layering that it will be main hate or love affaire for consumers here, in the sens the presence isn't very textured yet the tone pop up magically, the ''oomph'' is round and vibrant even in ultra busy track, the sub bass dig very deep and can deliver new dynamic tactility like speed shifting in bass line or when bass line sliding change tone you suddenly are super aware of it.
It feel like your head and mind become your body in a room with proper sub woofer, it's very hard to describe because frequency lower than 200hz aren't bright or full of micro details, this come from treble section which is tamed here. So, while the bass isn't edgy and super thight in presence definition, it's the fundemantal lower harmony that can be perceive, which is about dense round tone release that often get lot in the mix under noisy texture.
Her it's all juicy, bodied and multi layered in a mellow dynamic.
Yes, mellow. These Wind aren't basshead and just slightly bassy, I mean, when the bass is super boosted in a track it will deliver the dynamism, but never in a loud or fatiguing way, you'll feel the hit or boom in middle of spatiality, 3D way, you can barely touch it if you want since it's so tactile and densify with extra weight.
I can feel the dynamic driver mid bass punch mixing with extra bone conduction vibrant density, it improve the layering with bass line, both having their diversify dynamic presentation cohabiting togheter. Kick drum is round and lush, texturing is subtle but natural, it's presence is embossed with lower mids warmth and the lead attack have this well felt assise. It's an excellent fully bodied reproduction of this instrument.
And the cello is another bliss to enjoy, the level of richness here is magnify in both tone, timbre and presence. All the subtilities of this instrument are reproduce in it's whole range without any lower harmonic by passing as it often happen with non bone conduction IEMs. The melodic line are wide and envelopping the listener, entering it's head and opening out of it, vibrancy of air is perceivable, you can't mix cello with violin with the Wind, the soul of cello is fully extract with a clean lush presence and bodied but not overly warmed tone, the bow hit are extracted without harshness of sudden volume boost too.
Hard to restitute lower range percussions like toms and some congas are superbly restitue too, fully opening in natural resonance without the acoustic distortion issue inherent to air resonance, so the rythm line is very articulated in macro and micro dynamic.
The for double bass, it gain extra density in it's extension as if air release get creamier a bit which improve layering but affect a bit natural transparency that should be thinner i feel.

If I praise that much the bass, be ready for even more wow effect with the mid range, which make me conclude the Wind is rather mid centric, at least, bone conduction wise.
In fact, as strange as it can seem, the Wind is near analytical for whole mid range, then become darker from lower treble and up.
It's extremely rare than IEMs extract sound info in lower mid range and it's what we get here, this is very exotic and more you listen to it more you are blown away by level of sound info it extract, sometime it can even be too much for recording thaty over abuse voice doubling since you can perceive it all. Yes, you suddenly have absolute hearing for the mid range, effortless way.This mean whatever number of instruments playing in similar mid range, it will not mix togheter and darken each other, it will flow organically in highly readable sound layering.
When I play Goldberg Variation conterpoint interpretation by String Quartet, i can't believe how easy it was to follow each individual phrasing that interlock melodic line. This was near too much for my mind since those composition can be interpret in multiple way by the listener, here I have full freedom to lisen to each instrument phrasing precisely, with a natural full tone, not a thin brighten one, it was both highly technical and musical, unforced way. You aren't forced to perceive this that clearly, yet, it's there, calmly.
Because at they end, the mids pop in and out of your head in a rather lean and innoffesive way, the upper mids aren't boosted in loudness so when you go listen an harman tuned IEM after the WInd, female feel super shouty and fatiguing.
And those female vocal are wonderfull for sure and always well layered and upfronted softly. The presence embrace you and inteligibility of each word is clean in articulation, this is another aspect that make you perceive harmonic distortion and euphony more with non bone conduction IEM too. So, if you find important to follow lyric of your singer precisely, the Wind is a great answer. From Snoh Aaleegra, to Elina Duri to Arianna Savall to Baby Rose, I always have an intimate and exclusive momentum with the sweet vocals. Even with track that go easily muddy like Fight Club from Baby Rose, the vocal didnt get veiled by dominating bass line nor the presence was too thin or raspy, it was sticked above rest of macro dynamic with a clean precise bass line that don't throw air resonance above the mids.
Same goes for male vocal, which are fully bodied, don't get muddy and have clean fowards presence with excellent transparency.
Their alot of instrument and even percussion that are within 600hz to 4khz section, and this is where the WInd will make your heard things you've never heard. Not only back vocal doubling but new sound layers too like synth pads layers that will fully blossom and float in vast soundscape, or some tabla percussions in lower mid range you don't even know exist, or snare drum fine details, or this obscure woodwind instrument in brass ensemble that wasn't as loud than other, all what is hidden in mid range is gently reveal and it has been problematic for one or 2 songs that I can perceive layers compression unfolding, like same vocal track that should mix with main one but is too easily perceivable.
To comple this wordy mid range covering, i'll end with my favorite instrument: the acoustic piano. The Wind will amaze piano lover with how smooth yet richly and full detailed the presentation is. It's never recessed, we have felt note weight, the presence is fullfill with all harmonic in a natural unforced way and when pianist play damping or sustain pedal, you can perceive the note stop or extra release very easily.
Their no doub that the Wind offer one of most mesmerizing mid range of all sub-300$ IEMs i've test. Holographic, intimate, multi layered and so natural yet never lacking subtilities in timbre. Just sublime.

When it come to treble, the word ''Sfumato'' come to my mind. It's full of contrast, yet a hint hazy and dark. While we don't feel a bone conduction imbalance like the Winter, it tend to cream bass and mids with extra info that blur a bit upperr treble starting around 6khz and then when it go pass 10khz, their a roll off happening that stole air, sparkle and brilliance.
These aren't for treble head even if curious ears addicted to micro details will be please with rich rendering of the Wind.
I'm not certain up to which treble section the bone conduction driver cover, but I have instance of intense micro details that were sharp and cymbals clang are crisper than the sizzle for example.
So the percussions aren't all treat on same resolution level which make some get lost in the mix more easily since above 6khz it seem attack edge goes blurred-softed and it's harder to appreciate fast snappy cymbals, while the snare is notably cleaner and snappier that upper range percussions.
The guitar is hit or miss too, it's full bodied and rich in low and mid harmonic, but when it play higher octave that need cleaner decay and sparklier release it feel foggy a bit.
I would say the Wind is a specialist of violin, saxophone, soprano female vocal and even the very hard to restiture harpsichord which sound full and not thin and distant but lack just a bit of extra air release.
But it isn't for classical guitar nor harp and full range of percussions due to the fact the DD lack extension and the BC put a sheet of sound info that damp attack release including sparkle.
Safe and refined treble for long listening pleasure, not for those that love their highs very boosted, spiky, super snappy or sparkly.

The Soundstage is near impossible to describe, so the over abused word Holographic come to help yet imagine a multi layered spatiality where your in middle of the stage but you are the stage too since music come and go in and out of your head. You have a very wide first macro image that surround you in a U shaped way then center stage is your head, these 2 spatial plans do mix togheter and dont feel 2D but 3D. So its a very circular presentation with an intense immersivity appeal.

The imaging would be better with more treble for sharper definition of separation in stereo direction, but while macro resolution feel thick and slightly homogeneous as a whole, the sound layering is excellent and permit easy separation of mid and low range instrument. Not in a monitor like manneer but about those dense soundwave projection that dont go muddy even if rather warmed in presence. It's not a realistic positioning, its about seing the sound layers flow around you, their color dominating the texture edge.



SIDE NOTES

It's unclear what the sensitive specs are and for impedance, it's stated as 33ohm to 100ohm. Anyway, even before seeking for the specs it was evident the Wind need proper amping. I would suggest a minimum of 100mW@32ohm. The Wind do scale up with source and will not distort with high impedance load, I get incredible result with Hifiman EF600 (5.2W@32ohm)

In term of eartips, the one included are OK and i tend to use wide bore eartips so even with shallow fit the bone conduction drivers is in contact with my skin.

This is important to get the housing in contact with temporal bone, closer it will be, more evenly boosted will be bass and mid range.


COMPARISONS



VS BQEYZ WINTER (1DD+BC-240$)

The winter are brighter and a hint more W shape in their balance so we have edgier mid bass, upper mids and upper treble. Wind feel more warm neutral, more organic in balance and darker on top, less crisp and airy than more analytical WInter.

The bass is more rolled off in sub bass with the Winter, the bass line are not as well layered and articulation isn't as agile and feel sometime compressed in dynamic, strugling more with natural bass extension. Texture presence of those bass line is more boosted with winter yet infra bass ''oomph'' can't be extract in busy music properly unlike Wind that use bone conduction to freely extract sub tone. Strangely, Wind isn't as hard hitting, but do offer better kick drum layering, effortless mellow way.

Mids are brighter and more shouty with Winter, it make us feel female vocal are more upfront but they are just louder through air while fuller, smoother, wider in presence and cleaner with the Wind. Timbre is more natural and less rough with the Wind, the mid range layering is better and can extract more subtilities like multi vocal used for the mix are effortlessly magnify with the Wind, violin quartet of similar range playing toghter too are better layered. Definition is less edgy, lower mids is more boosted in your head and add liquid warmth to sound enveloppe while it's the opposite with WInter, the BC boost presence but make timbre thinner, dryer, brighter. WInd is notably more mid centric than Winter.

Then the treble is more lively and extended with Winter, it extract more micro details and offer edgier-snappier attack. It add a bit of metallic sheen to percussions which sound a bit more artificial than darker rounder one of the WInd. Highs are more airy and open with the Winter, the Wind keep them in the back.

Soundstage is wider and taller with the Wind but notably deeper with the Winter.

Imaging is sharper with Winter, you struggle way less to position percussions properly yet bass line in busy music will be easier to pin point with the WInd, as well as mid range instrument. Nonetheless, WInd is more laid back and not as good for accurate monitoring purpose.

All in all, the Winter might be more treble centric and technical sounding but ultimately it never trigger any emotional response in me, unlike the more mid centric Wind, which is smoother and less fatiguing for long immersive listen, and offer superior bass performance too.

VS UNIQUE MELODY MEXT (1DD-4BA-1 wide range bone conduction-1000$)

OK, this is quite interesting and mind puzzling unfair comparison here, yet not bass wise since the Wind seem superior in that regard, less prompt to unwanted resonance and better rounded, cleaner in punch, in a smoother less boomy way.

But technical superiority stop there, yet timbre and tone wise the Wind is more natural to my ears, more cohesive and less prompt to artificial mix of texture details which is notably more boosted with the sharper sounding Mext.

Suddenly, the WInd feel L shape in balance, with leaner but thicker mids and darker treble, the Mext is notably crisper as well as more lively sounding, less laidback.

The bass is achille's heel of Mext and the DD resonance blur more the roundness of kick impact, which is more tactile and well layered with the Wind even if not as boosted in texture. Mid bass has proper note weight and sub is less boomy.

Mids are more open and clean with the Mext, they are brighter too and less polished in upper mids, vocal are leaner and more creamy, fully in lower mids with the Wind, but imaging isn't as edgy and well define in separation. Ultimately, the breathy or contralto and baritone vocal sound lusher and smoother with the Wind. Woodwind instrument too has more natural tone, less pushed presence, wider yet not as boosted in trasnparency presence.

The treble is notably more vivid, airy and detailed with the Mext, attack is more snappy and edgy, faster and more controlled. Highs are more textured and have more definition bite. Attack edge is more blurred with the Wind and mid range will stole the show and left behind percussions more. Wind is more permissive of bad recording and will not extract unwanted noise artefact unlike the more analytical Mext.

The soundstage is slightly wider with Wind, but taller and deeper with the Mext.

Imaging is notably better with the Mext, positioning is next level precise and overal darker imaging of Wind can't offer as holographic and sharp instrument separation in both X and Y axis.

Well, it was predictable that a 4x pricier IEM would at least offer superior technical performance but once the wow effect has pass, i feel tone and timbre of Wind is more natural and I tend to enjoy it's warmer tonality longer. The Mext extract so much details and texture noise that it can kill the musicality for me, it's the opposite with the Wind that don't force me into high resolution listening.

CONCLUSION




After having listen to about 500 IEMs in my audiophile journey, it's rare I get surprise with a novel type of musicality that I've never heard before. I can say it happen once or so a year and after the UM Mest MK3, it's only IEM that achieve exactly that: delivering me an immersive effortless mid centric holographic musicality like no other.

BQEYZ stand apart in chifi audio realm, and open new acoustic doors with their devlopment of bone conduction driver that are implemented differently. The fact sub bass and whole mid range is magnify by the mix of DD dynamic and BC resolution is a fascinating approach to a new type of musicality.

If like me you feel too often that mid range instrument are half cook, too thin or too blurry or too bright and boosted in presence, the Wind will be a revelation since it's both full tone and smooth presence that are put fowards in an effortless macro rendering.

Im extremely impress by the refreshing musicality of the Wind and highly suggest it to those that can't take more of harman target tuning or too V or too U or too trebly tuning and seek for a lush mid centric tonality that is both exotic and cozzy to listen too.

Very highly recommended!!



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PS: I want to thanks BQEYZ for sending me this review sample. Ive no self benefit involved with this company and as always I don't participate to any affiliated program and these are my 100% honest subjective audio impressions.


You can order the Wind for 240$ here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006042191996.html

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.5/10
TIMBRE: 9/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 8/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.8/10 (due to tuning variety)

INTRO

Penon don't need lenghty introduction since they have been around for more than 10 years now. Due to this great contact and experience they produce IEMs under Penon and ISN brand.
I've review alot of Penon IEMs and never find any of them plain bad, though Vortex and Fan1 aren't my fav, i've been extremely impress by the Serial, Fan2 and lately the 10th Anniversary tribrid.

Today I will review their latest flagship offering call Penon Turbo.

The Turbo is a multi BAs IEM with 4 switch. It use 2 open Sonion woofer BA for bass, 2 knowles BAs for mids and 2 sonion BA for treble.

Whats unique about the Switch here is that their 3 for low-mid-treble ''boost'' and 1 independant switch for ''Super bass boost'', so this open door for a great variety of tuning balance including a real basshead one with 18db bass boost. Yes with these IEM you can go from 6db near neutral bass boost to big boom 18db and this is the main thing that make them both unique and appealing for potential consumers.

Let's see in this review how this translate into musicality and sound performance.

CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES





The Turbo has a unique looking housing that make me think of seashell due to backplate made of nacre like material. It's very glossy and shine and sure attire the attention like a jewelry would do. I like the green color.
Housing is made of high grade resin plastic that feel very sturdy yet is quite light too. It's soft and very comfortable due to an ergonomic shapre with long enough nozzle.
The 2pin connector are solidly embeded and cover with resin plastic so their no gap around it to be found and it feel very durable.

As always with Penon, the included cable is of excellent quality. It's the typical 8 shares 19 cores OCC & silver-plated Mixed Braided IEM cable we found included with most of their IEMs from Serial to 10th to Turbo. It's a very flexible and well made cable and you can choose it in 2.5mm, 4.4mm or 3.5mm plug.



Again Penon spoil the consumer with great amount of good quality accessories. The case is among my fav right now due to portable yet big enough size for multiple cable and IEMs and accessories fitting. We have 9 pairs of silicone eartips. A little leather pouch for ear tips or cable. Cleaning too and cable holder clamp. Oh, as well as little metal tool for tuning switch....that I loose (sorry!).

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Let's begin by saying the Penon Turbo has 4 tuning switch with up to 14 tuning choice, but it's really mostly about the bass boost and slight treble change. In fact, those switch play with impedance of BAs so let's give a look to the product descrition of those switch mode here:

''The 3-switch system modes
020 standard mode, vocal is the best.
100 is low frequency enhanced (low frequency will enhance a little, if you still feel that the low frequency is not enough, then turn on the super bass boost switch.)
003 is high frequency enhanced.
The other modes are mixed mode.
0-000 is invalid.
1-switch system
Independent 1-switch is super bass boost switch, can be used with 3-switch at the same time, can also be used independently.
When used independently, it is low-frequency super boost mode, and with 3-switch, the low-frequency performance can be further enhanced in the corresponding mode of 3-switch.
3+1 switch system
Make sure that at least one of the 3-switch or 1-switch is turned on which is in normal mode.
In any mode, you can turn on the super bass boost switch. to enhance the low frequency, which is equivalent to 100, 020, 003 mode, on the basis of its own effect, a separate increase in the low frequency performance.
The super bass boost switch can also be used independently, i.e. in 000 mode, the super bass boost switch is turned on. It's pure bass boost mode.
The rest is mixed mode and can be used in combination. The independent super bass boost switch, turn on to enhance the bass, turn off is not enhanced, can be enhanced on the basis of the sound of 100, 020, 003 mode. It can also be used independently, i.e. 000 mode + independently enhanced 1-switch.'



Ok, it's rare i include a graph but this time it's legit so you can see better how the switch inflict on sound. It's ALL about bass and lower mids boost or damp here, yet their impedance playing with to overall dynamic sens too, this can't be properly measure but this inflict a bit on dynamic gain of treble indeed. But at they end, it's the bass warmth and dominancy that will either thicken mids or make treble gain higher due to more treble centric balance.
Warmer bassier tuning is 000+1 or 100+1, when its just bass boost swith ON and nothing else, it suddenly sound like super bassy L shape with slightly detached bass boom that dominate the mix, with lean mids and treble. I prefer 100+1 which has more organic and lusher balance.
Then 100+0 is most balanced and sweet tuning to my ears, its a bassy warm V shape to smooth W shape with slightly dark treble, it's very cohesive and my review will be based on this. To my ears its most mid centric tuning too, since we have plenty of lower mids.
020+0 is second most mid centric, with more upper mids focus so it sound more open and less thick, mid instrument presence is better focus and dont feel thin.
003+0 is most gently bright U shape tuning, mids presence focus is cleaner and a hint brighter as well as treble is a hint edgier, snappier, it's my least fav tuning with 000+1.

The thing to note is this: these can go from smooth near neutral sounding with slight bass boost to plain basshead with 18db bass boost. No tuning sound dull or wonky, yet the consequent tuning change will be about bass and lower mids warmth that change mid range behavior. Then you can mix 1 and 2 and 3 (etc) and even add super bass boost to that, it will change the macro dynamic rendering a bit, most mid centric will be 1 and 2 up, while brighter just 3 up.

Again, overall tuning is warm W shape with rolled off upper treble to me, very dynamic and lively yet smooth and unspiky in balance, it go either sub or mid bass +lower mids boost, gentle upper mids boost and around 10khz boost. It's this type of IEM that don't let anything behind yet has greater focus on bass and mids than treble which is darker-leaner, so real balance letter would be something like this: V\ . A V for bass and mids boost then a straight line that go down to about 12khz. So one thing certain it's not a plain bright nor ultra crisp W shape, it's not a sparkly or airy sound IEM and can go from gently bright from plain warm and dark set.



Some might expect a technical sounding set due to 6BAs used, but it isn't that exactly, it's not analytical nor neutral, yet it's effortless in it's technical performance and can deal with busy track. It's better in macro dynamic than micro details of fine definition and separation of whole soundscape. The balance is thicken as a whole and attack edge is smoothen, so it's not a sharp sounding and instrument presence isn't brighten alot with upper mids, it's more colorfull than textured in tone.

The BASS is really the star of the show here and surely among the best i've heard in term of dynamic, elasticity, note weight, slam and well rounded presence for a multi-BA. Yes, even better than 64audio U12T which lack punch. It most be noted that it use 2 sonion ''open BA'' for bass part, this explain why its both dynamic and well layered in term of sub and mid bass, but not very textured cause of this open design that widen presence in a warm slightly euphonic way.
The switch either had gain to one or 2 BA, when Bass boost is ON, it add extra sub-mid bass boost, but not an edgy one, a fast boom that can go warm and resonant if we add switch 1 ON too. The real basshead joy is 100+1 to me, we have a vast slam that dominate the mix but dont mess up too much with mid range which is lush and thick, vocal are in fact very beautifull this way so for rap and soul it's a nice laid back basshead choice.

Whatever switch choice this is thick round bass that is fast in attack and dark in texture, it's not edgy in definition or separation, kick drum are a hint warm but weighty and tactile. Bass line and kick can be well separated but not in a detached way, it's about 2 sound layer sticken togheter and not mixing their dynamic togheter.
The sub extension isn't linear, and depending of switch choice it can have extra resonance that widen bass headroom.
The double bass isn't clean and well resolve, it feel amped and warmed, not acoustic and extension is vibrant but blurred with resonance and attack bite and texture is lacking.
Cello is better, it's dense, lush and quite natural, it's not thin nor too boosted in presence so we can think it's a violin.
Electric bass too is quite good, it seem those BA like this vibrant grunt that wasn't beneficial for double bass, it's how bass is projected here and it do very good for this instrument which is easy to follow and can go fast and still keep it's dynamic and tactile presence. Synth bass line too are well extract and have similar presentation.
And what's very impressive is that when listening to rock we can track both electric bass and kick drum round beefy presence, this add an engaging dynamic.
Then for plain digital instrument slam often found in trap rap, electronic, R&B, soul etc, this is with this more simple music style that the ON bass boost switch is very fun to use, since we can go plain brain shaking basshead fun. The Turbo are in hurry to deliver big slam, and it doesn't go muddy because of multi-BA use that permit proper macro sound layering so while whole bass boom dominate the show it don't create distortion or swallow mids and vocal. I mean, don't expected balanced bass response with 18db boost, for this go 100+0 which is the bass I described here mostly. And it offer 10db boost that slip naturaly into lower mids, we don't have plain lower mids scooping here, Turbo is anti-Harman even when it try to go this way with 003+0 switch choice. Nothing sound thin with Turbo.


While bass might dominate the show fully boosted way, when your into balanced bassy tuning choice the mid range is most appealing part of it's audio spectrum, in fact, I hesitate calling Turbo mid centric since bass is a bit too boosted in 100+0 mode but it's not far from it.

Those are full mid range with plenty of lower mids and note weight, natural lush tone and focused yet smoothen presence. Those that favor tone and timbre before presence definition will fall in love with this intimate innoffenssive but captivating mids.

I know i'm into real mids when Piano sound right tonaly and it's what we get, well felt note weight, dense and soft definition of each note in a tactile way that is embossed with natural warmth sustain that don't blur readibility of solo pianist playing due to fast attack, powerful dynamic and fully restitute tone harmony. It's not an edgy, brighten and boosted in texture presence presentation of piano, it's not thin, not boosted in resonance or higher harmonic balance, it flow gently and calmly near the listener, not in a recessed lean way like alot of too V or U shape balance. Presence will get brighter if you select switch 3 which add just a hint of extra definition edge in lower treble for finer detailing.

But first and foremost, it's the vocal that the Turbo cocoon. Both male and female vocal are full bodied, lush in timbre and smooth but never dull in dynamic. The presence is widen in center stage and near the listener, in a non shouty way, it's not jumping ast you when singer go loud, it's always stable in its intimate proximity without texture imbalance or wonky behavior. Your be hard pressed to find any BA timbre within those dense velvety vocals.

Same goes for all type of woodwinds instrument from saxophone, to basson and trumpet. The projection is wide and dense with colorfull air, free of unplesante bite or texturing details, it's not too liquid either especialy when you dont add extra lower harmonic density with extra bass switchs.

Yes, we are into smooth and even a hint dark mid range territory, but not dark because it's recessed, nor muddy since the multi BAs permit an organic effortless sound layering. It's because fullness of each instrument benefit tone before boosted clarity from upper mids presence gain and fowardness, which is rather safe. We don't have sibilance nor shoutyness going one, it's laid back and immerse the listener without sudden treble peak.


Now if bass and mids impress me that much, it mean treble will have some kind of trade off. Here it's about a well rounded macro dynamic balance that keep the highs lean and smooth, but full sounding and caress by bass warmth when bass switch is ON.
Without this extra bass hazyness, the treble become sharper and airier a bit, but never achieve intense brilliance and sparkle, which in fact never or very rarely happen with balanced armature, for sparkle you better bet on dynamic drivers or EST.
The 2 sonion BA used for treble do extract a good amount of sound info, but never pass 10khz it seem, so it's a permissive treble it will not extract background hiss or micro details that feel out of place, it stay within an organic laid back balance.

The percussions are presented fastly but not in a way it go fowards of the whole mix, it stay in the back and can be found if needed, their resonance is softed as well as metallic brilliance, they don't sound thin too. Still, for once ill say...i miss metallic timbre of BA! Yes, they are a bit dry and lacking in natural decay as well as well felt snap.

When we go in lower treble region, this is lusher than brighter, the violin sound even, full and dense, the tone is very enjoyable and far from thin or just about presence texture delimitation.

The acoustic guitar has similar treatment, we have a bit of lower harmonic dominancy that densify the projection but stole sharpness of lead attack and warm the release of brilliant sparkle.

Harp is the only instrument i find a bit problematic with the Turbo, this time it do sound thin and even distant, depending of register, as well it's a bit hard to really see the attack lead which seem overly softed. It's not trebly at least, but i wouldn't suggest Turbo for this very niche instrument. For ex, with harpist singer Arianna Savall, her voice is notably more focus, widen in presence and more frontal, harp which are suppose to be part of an holographic airy macro presentation is leaner and more recessed, struggle to open with the music and seem left out. When it's lower register harp it go more upfront though.

Simply put the treble is safe here, it's fast and impressive in layering but ''anti-splashy'' for cymbals wich will have a tamed splash release and very polished in edge and spike as well as a bit rolled off after 10khz.


The Soundstage is intimate and holographic, it doesn't sound in your head and have a good balance between wideness-tallness and deepness. With bass ON, it can goo wider but less deep while with switch 3 ON it gain in deepness. Nonetheless, these aren't gigantic in term of spatiality and quite average I would say.

The Imaging isn't an higlight of the Turbo. While the sound layering is quite good and we are able to pull off instrument in Y axis quite easily, the separation between instrument isn't very wide nor very clean, especially when we go for Bassy tuning we will have air vibration warmth affecting silence between instruments.


Side Notes:

At 16ohm of impedance and slightly low 103db of sensitivity, the Turbo aren't hard to drive at all but will benefit of a source that have both low output impedance and powerfull amping of at least 100mW to permit fully waken up dynamic response.

Eartips are very important with those, don't use something with small nozzle hole since it will compress spatiality and make bass muddy. The wide bore eartips included are good enough, but short wide bore or Fan2 blue eartips is even better for fully open soundstage and more articulate sound layering.

In term of cable, i find the Turbo a bit sensitive and included one add extra warmth to an already warm sounding IEM so I'll suggest a good silver plated cable like the Hakugei or TACables White Peony. The ISN S4 is good too, but i prefer modular cable for versatility.



COMPARISONS



VS PENON 10th (2DD+2BA+2EST-500$)

Both of these are W shape in their own right but 10th is a crisper more open one while Turbo is warmer in balance.
Soundstage is notably wider-taller and deeper as well as more holographic and less blurry in macro dynamic with 10th.
Bass is less boomy and energic in slam, more extended and elastic as well as better articulate in (sub) bass line rendering, more textured and overall leaner. Kick drum are less chunky as well as overall mid bass and rumble don't resonate as loud. We have more mid bass to lower mid range thickness with the Turbo too, while separation is cleaner with 10th. Overall performance is superior with 10th but not as speedy and thumpy.
Mids are thinner, more boosted in presence and more transparent and clean with the 10th, it feel a bit more recessed and its notably less natural and fowards in vocal reproduction. Turbo is more mid centric, lush and thick, smootherr too yet not as crisp and detailed.
Treble is faster, airier and more snappy and brilliant with 10th, drum rolling is more edgy and less euphonic in fast sustain-release, percussions feel a bit thinner but crisper in definition and thighter in control. Overall Turbo treble is leaner and smoother, more bodied and more organic in balance, percussion attract less your attention than vocal or saxophone for ex, which will cover macro resolution more with Turbo.
Soundstage is way bigger deeper cleaner with 10th as noted so imaging has more space for proper separation in both X and Y axis, silence between instrument is cleaner and wider and transparency of mids permit better sound layering too, the EST highs are more precise and clear too.

All in all, Turbo is more fun, warmer, darker and mid centric while 10th is more technical, crisper and holographic, i do prefer vocal and mids timbre of Turbo yet not bass or treble quality.


VS KINERA SKULD (5BAs-550$)

Skuld are slightly brighter and notably more mid centric as well as less bassy.

The sub bass is near non existent and way more rolled off than beefier bass response of Turbo which offer better bass line presence, more dynamic punch and more bass info like kick drum and bass line can exist while for Skuld it will be lacking punch and just have presence brightness for bass line.

Their less lower mids warmth yet it isnt lacking with Skuld, which boost whole mid range in both presence and body while for Turbo presence is less brighten and smoother so vocal aren't as risky for hearing fatigue in term of pinna gain yet the resolution is darker, vocal are less lean with Skuld and all in foward especially for female vocal wich are more engaging and still lush and thick enough while it's even thicker with Turbo but more balanced with rest of spectrum.

Treble is a notch brighter-spikier with the Skuld, both snare and percussions have more energy but aren't as well layered and feel half cooked, as if some sound info get lost in the mix while Turbo deliver fuller treble, again smoother way, we dont have sudden percussions sharpness like we do with Skuld and everything seem better balanced as a whole in macro dynamic.

Soundstage is wider with the Turbo, slightly taller and deeper with Skuld.

Imaging is betterr with Turbo but nothing to write about really.

All in all, Turbo is superior in both tonal balance cohesion and technical performance like sound layering, soundstage. Its fuller sounding too as well as more dynamic in bass and less nichely mid centric tuned.


CONCLUSION



Their no other IEM like the Turbo on the planet audiophile and this is already a big win in it's own right.

The fact we finally have an IEM that can go from gently bright neutral to plain basshead banger is truely incredible, because we talk about a multi BAs earphones here that surely deliver among most exciting bass experience of them all.

But it's not just bass too, since those are near mid centric sounding IEM, so we are into best of ''multiverse'' IEM here where you can either make the bass or vocal dominate the mix, and without BA or thin timbre, another big plus imo.

As well, the tonal balance is lush and smooth, mostly safe unless you go full bass boom mode, then, well, logically with 18db bass boost it will dominate the mix, but again, in a technicaly competent manneer.

With IEM like the Turbo that can deliver multiple sound flavor, I always feel I havent review enough of the diversity it offer, but if I rave so much about 4 main tuning i've analyze, it certainly mean all of them are good. This tuning diversity raise the sound value of those too and certainly merit extra praise for this.

Highly Recommended.


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PS: I want to thanks Penon for sending me this review unit. I don't participate to any affiliated program and i'm 100% independant minded in term of subjective audio impressions. As always. And this will never change. I'm a reviewer, not a promoter.


You can order the Turbo for 550$ here: https://penonaudio.com/penon-turbo.html

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8/10
TIMBRE: 8.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 9/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 8/10

INTRO

Queen of Audio is a IEMs company from China loosely connected to Kinera. It has been founded in 2019 by 2 sisters Yu.
Their goal seem to offer earphones that are very appealing to they eyes, so they give great care to the design as well as it's artistic embelishment.
Most of their IEMs release are hybrid with the exception of single driver IEM like QOA Gimlet which was the last IEM I review from this company, and a very good one that worth consideration.

Today I will review their latest hybrid earphones release, the QOA Aviation.

Priced 199$, the Aviation is an hybrid universal custom in ear using 1x 8mm custom dynamic drivers+3 knowles balanced armature. All drivers are tubed, and it seem it's a crossover free IEM.

QOA promise a smooth, full rich sound with ''good mid-frequency density'' and ''moderate energy distribution''.

Let see in this review if this IEM offer a singular musicality that worth the consideration.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



Last IEM ive tested from QOA was a rather fancy looking Pink Lady, so I was expecting another beautiful cratfmanship by this company and it's exactly what I get. I mean, their 2 design model and I receive this one randomly, it's a sober elegant looking IEM that can reveal its beauty subtilities with different light effect. It can go from powdered grey and black to grey and dark blue, which mystify the eye for sure while not being over the top in term of fashion affirmation.

The housing is all made of smooth high grade resin plastic that seem molded in one piece because their no lining of front and back part nor glue visible. The back is opaque while the front is semi transparent so you can observ the drivers inside the shell.
2pin connector are just slightly recessed, which is a good choice for stable and easy connectivity. It seem solidly embeded to housing and don't have any visible gap or loose part.

Overall shape is ergonimic, smooth and easy of fit. It's thinked for shallow fit, not deep one. Isolation is good enough. It's the type of IEM we can forget we wear due to light housing and organic shape.



The cable included is of excellent quality. Its a modular 4 strands, 5N oxygen free litz copper cable. It have 2 interchangeable plugs, one 4.4mm balanced and one 3.5mm. I would appreciate a 2.5mm balanced too, but nowadays it's rare we have DAP or dongle using this balanced jack. Their 2 version of this cable, other one is purple and even more beautiful than this one.




The packaging come in a beautifuly decorated box that isn't too big. It included a unique looking carrying case of great quality with enough space for 2 cable and couple of IEMs. As seen, the ear tips come in a little plastic case, which is appreciated. It include 6 pairs of silicone eartips in 4 models shape. Those eartips are logical choice for the Aviation nozzle and don't necessitate recurse to third party one, yet 3 models come only in one size, which is a bit puzzling.
All in all, the packaging and accessories scream quality, and it's enough for me to conclude this is adequate for it's price tag.



SOUND IMPRESSIONS



My story with Queen Of Audio is a bumpy ride, it begin with the Freya which hypnotize me with their incredible eye catching artsy design but not with their sound, then go to budget Gimlet that I find excellent both tonaly and technicaly yet so crually underatted by Chifi community....and now, these Aviation which I have no idea of how they will sound but see I graph that mislead me thinking these will be bright W shape.

Which they aren't. The Aviation is all about Mid Range lover and i'm certainly the right guy for this kind of target.

Vocal, saxophone, piano and all mid range centric instrument is what hook our attention for sure, and not in a shouty or dry fowards presence way. It's smooth, enveloping, lush and creamy mid range here, these aren't neutral yet sound natural, these aren't bass head, yet are very bassy, these aren't treble head yet have some air and sparkle on top.

One thing sure too: these aren't harman target and i'm relieve to don't endure another gimmicky tuning of this over exploited balance.



Overall balance is warm W shape to mid centric L shape with extra bass warmth that thicken lower harmonic of instrument and vocal. I do think the ideal musicality that QOA chase here is natural and lush, laid back but dynamic, it's not using the 3 BAs to blow your mind with micro details or treble focus, yet, it's not an IEM i find plain dark or technicaly underwhelming.

Yet, the BASS is the achille heel when it come to this technical performance. It seem it's there to solely thicken and warmth mid timbre. This is a unique approach with pros and cons. In the sens, it will add note weight and widen presence without using texture brigthness to do so, it feed the lower mids with protein too, that permit male and female vocal to blossom full bodied way.
But all positive side is mostly with instrumental music, or simply pop bassy music, not fast complex rock or jazz with crazy bass line and kick drum speed.
I mean, the bass is quite boosted and offer a thick warm slam that swallow kick drum presence and offer bodied yet colored bass line that feel a bit loose and dark too. This do better with cello that gain lushness and fullness in presentation, and never feel recessed while for anything that hit this appealing tone warmth goes into lack of proper definition we will expect from a mid tier IEM. As well, this punch has a ''pillowy'' feel, its not hard punching with energic presence added to dynamic heft.
The bass is the guilty pleasure part of Aviation, which will be hit or miss dependingof music genre you listen to.
Anything that don't need clean edgy attack lead definition will be appealing, including synth bass line, cello, bassoon etc, but when it goes acoustic drum with double bass things will get less accurate and clear.
Nonetheless, due to hybrid drivers configuration, we aren't into muddy fest here, just a thick macro dynamic transition that are richly layered, and not analytical or high fidelity at all in lower region.

The mid range is heavenly, it's center of the show and fully extract from macro dynamic with a focus on vocal, fowards lush way. Woodwinds instrument too are sublime, which is logical because it's similar to vocal in term of presence projection.
Mids are the first thing that charm me listening to Aviation, and then keep me hooked for hours and hours because my playlist have lot of female vocal and im sensitive to both shoutyness and sibilance now, as well as thin annoying timbre. Which the Aviation are free off, both male and female vocal are full bodied and smootly projected foward with a wide velvety presence coherent in timbre naturalness, free of displeasant texture spike boost, just a hint breathy and boosted in lower harmonic, adding density to their intimate presentation that feel very very near the listener.
So, if you wish to be at 30cm of Agnes Obel face or any of your favorite singer, this is it.
The dual Knowles balanced armature used for mid range are excellent and dominant in the mix, and the fact it's achieved with a low fatigue free pinna gain is a tour de force in it's own right.
The piano restitution too is marvelous, it's not clinical or lacking in note weight, each note are round and authoritative in presence, dense and a hint warm in timbre, wide in attack sustain-release with vibrant air. It's captivating, effortless way, with natural tone but softed presence grain, so it isn't sharply define in each stroke, it's tactile with great sens of proximity. The piano fundamental will be more highlight than higher harmonic in chord, and embrace the definition with an appealing (and guilty?) warmth.
Then like the vocal, saxophone is very sweet with polished texture that will not monitor the mouth mouvement or blow micro details, which in fact are artefact I rarely want to hear unless part of saxophonist expressivity.
And for violin, I can't say it deliver and edgy attack that will benefit fast playing of Hilary Hahn, but when she goes mid range lush playing we are in for delactable presentaton with widen presence, smooth dynamic and organic timbre. Not dry or metallic violin tone here, its colorfull and tamed in agressive spike.
At they end, it all come to how you consider natural and pleasant your mid range, but one thing certain is that Aviation focus on mid range is all about lower mids and buttery upper mids that favor a colorful natural tone over brighten texture presence.


When bass and mids take first seats, it's rare treble is the focus of the show and the Aviation is no exception about this. This is logical if it use dual BA for mids and only one for whole treble section.
So while slightly dark as well as lacking air and sparkle on top, treble isn't plain dull and doesn't lack dynamism as well as tactile fullness, just don't expect tremendous amount of micro details nor edgy definition of each percussions in soundscape.
The acoustic guitar do lack a bit of sparkle, the attack lead lack snap and decay, its boosted in lower harmonic body so notn thin sounding but when guitar use metallic string we will not even know it with this kind of lush treble.
Lower treble is buttery while mid treble have hint of minimal crunch that permit percussion to sound lively enough, sustain vibrancy is there more than the decay release.
Its a very safe treble that don't create fatigue and is on par with a gently lively macro dynamic.
I find it both refined and understated, not harsh nor spiky, the highs doesn't attract your attention but permit to deliver smooth instrument texture free of grain or artefact, and a permissive resolution for bad recording prompt to have boosted background hiss with more analytical or treble extended IEMs.

The Soundstage is quite impressive in both wideness and tallness and act as a big wall of holographic sound surrounding the listener, but doesn't have lot of crisp depth to it, so you can't travel upfront, your drown in rich soundscape.

The imaging isn't impressive though, it's dark im micro dynamic and proper instrument positioning is hard, mids range and center stage will darken both bass and treble instrument separation, so overall macro resolution is too opaque for proper positioning accuracy.


SIDE NOTES

Surprisingly, the Aviation seem to scale up with a little of amping power, so I would suggest a minimum of 100mW@32ohm. It's impedance is of 39ohm, while it's sensitivity is rather high at 118db, so a powerfull source with low output impedance will make them shine in term of clean lively rumbly dynamic.

The included eartips are good enough, while for the cable i tend to prefer silver plated one to improve the imaging sharpness a bit as well as treble air.



COMPARISONS



VS PENON FAN2 (2DD+2BAs-280$)

The Fan2 sound more neutral and technical, crisper and cleaner.
The bass is tighter, more mid bass centric and edgier in punch definition, not as warm and rumbly, nor as thick as Aviation but better separated and faster in attack.
Mids are more open and airy, more transparent and hint leaner and more compressed in presence, which is more centered and not as lush in vocal presentation, colder we can say but offering clearer resolution too.
Treble is snappier and sparklier-airier but dryer too, we have more micro details as well as more extension pas 10khz than darker thicker Aviation. Macro dynamic is less smoothed and more vivid with Fan2.
Spatiality is notably wider and taller with Aviation, but not as clean and deep as Fan2.
Imaging is more precise in positioning and sound layering is more transparent with Fan2.

All in all, technical performance go to Fan2 here, especialy in imaging and clean clarity, but timbre wise Aviation is lusher and vocal are therefore more present and enveloping, and to my ears, more musical and trigering greater emotional response.

VS TANCHJIM KARA (1DD+4BAs-180$)

The Kara are more U shape in balance, more mature and neutralish too.
The overal macro dynamic is notably leaner and duller too.
Bass doesnt hit as hard, it's more mellow and more focus on sub bass extension in a leaner, less thick in rumble way. Kick drum is notably less round and punchy, and tend to disappear both in presence and tactility more.
Mids are dryer, colder, leaner and notably thinner with Kara, it feel more recessed and lacking note weight as well as having more compressed presence. Their less bass warmth as well as more scooped lower mids that make male vocal even more uneven compared to lusher, thicker more fowards and warmer mids of Aviation.
Treble is a bit more open and clean with Kara, but dryer, thinner and less crunchy, so its even more softed in edge and safer than already very safe Aviation. Yet Kara dig more sound info and
Soundstage is again way wider taller with Aviation, just a hint deeper with Kara due to moe recessed center stage.
Imaging is better with Kara but not very impressive, just more transparent in layering and treble have more air and cleaner-crisper macro resolution.

All in all, the Kara feel mids less compared to Aviation that have fuller mid range and not as scooped lower mids, when it come to technical performance, if we pull off the bass warmth it woul be on par but due to warmer tonality Kara has upper hands in term of imaging, transparency and micro details. Anyway, i can't enjoy music with Kara. So who's the guilty pleasure then?



CONCLUSION




The QOA Aviation is an highly immersive and musical IEM to my ears and will certainly charm the audio enthusiast that are listening to alot of vocalist.

This is a mid centric sounding earphone with great emphasis on lower mid range, delivering thick dense and wide vocal, as well as chunky mid bass slam. It's not a technical or clinical sounding IEM, and I would not suggest these to treble head as well as neutral head because it's very colored musicality.

The Aviation offer a refreshing tuning that favor an holographic macro dynamic over analytical micro details and don't follow the Harman target trend which can be perceive as thin or shouty mid range for some.

For those people seeking an engaging warm musicality, this hybrid is Recommended.







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PS: I want to thanks QOA for sending me this review sample. I'm not affiliated to this company and these are my unbiased subjective audio impressions and opinion.


You can order the QOA Aviation for 199$ here (non affiliated link):
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/1005005929747521.html

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.8/10
TIMBRE: 8/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 9.5/10
IMAGING: 8.8/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 9/10



INTRO

Hidizs has been around for a long time, at first they were specializing in digital audio player and portable DAC-AMP but then begin to make their hand son IEMs of all type from single DD to hybrid to multi BAs.
Their latest release, the MS3 hybrid IEM, earn quite good praise including by me for plain technical performance sound value.
But I always had an hard time to appreciate tonal balance of Hidizs IEMs I've tested.
Will this change with their newest release call MP145?
I do hope so!
With a MSRP of 199$ that go 110$ for early birds Kickstarters deal, the MP145 is a planar IEM using a large 14.5mm planar driver and having a special acoustic design, inspired by whale shape but taking advantage of it's size potential too, in term of acoustic chamber.

Last year was overwhelming with chifi planar IEMs release, while in 2023, the MP145 come as an exotic offering. Let see if this IEM is just a looker or can deliver a sound value and musicality that worth our hard earned money.



CONSTRUCTION-ACCESSORIES




The MP145 design is loosely inspired by whale tails for the overall shape and texture lining and rorqual pleat for the 2 wide venting hole that act as semi-open back.

And they are ''whalegantissimo''! Very big and chunky housing, biggest one in term of planar, 7HZ Dioko being close second. Yet, they are lighter than those Dioko....and so so better sounding but thats for sound impressions part.

The design is very eye catchy, so you can't be an undercover agent walking on the street with those, it will attract some attention surely. To my eye, they are beautifull and teh cratmanship is very impressive, their no other IEM on this planat with similar design and it's a plus. If it wasn't for oversized size i would say they would look very elegant, but in the hands they do.




The built is 100% made of alluminium alloy that seem of very good quality and not easy to scratch too, which is a big plus (no scratch to be found after more than 1 month of intense abuse).
While the back has sharp edge that magnify precision of carved lining and shape, the front has an ergonomic organic shape that is smooth and quite comfortable even for long listening session.

But this is from somebody with big ears, so for very small ears I would be concern about size for a fit free of unwated ears pressure.

The nozzle is average long but quite big and thick too, another aspect that could be problematic, but this time for small ears canal. These aren't thinked for deep fit too.

The 2pin connector are thightly embeded in the housing, its not recessed and feel extremely sturdy, with fine cratmanship free of imperfection like loose space around connector.


Now when it come to the included cable, i was impress by the good quality of it as well as the choice for 4.4mm balanced plug. Its a 4 strand silver plated single crystal copper cable that doesn't add or stole anything to sound rendering, so it's all good.



When it come to packaging, it's minimal and elegant. We 9 pairs of 3 different silicone eartips models. We have 3 sound filters nozzle. And a carrying pouch. Sure a proper carrying case would have been nicer, but it's quite nit picking and will depend your personal need.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Since I wasn't biggest fan of all other IEMs from Hidizs, let say i was a bit worry to find the MP145 underwhelming, I mean, tuning planar isn't easiest thing and they were begining to earn experience with hybrid that permit the MS3 to achieve a more coherent balance....so why going planar?

I don't know, but let say the positive surprise of very first listen was near overwhelming and quite a big shock. Now I want Hidizs to just make planar IEMs!

Very first thing that wow the listener is the gigantic soundstage, which is clean, ultra open and holographic and notlacking in wideness, tallness and even depth. So it does confirm something i've conclude with my 10 years of more than 300 IEMs testing: housing size does matter when it come to spatiality. And since this housing is near as big as a whale, it deliver a ''whale-gantic'' soundstage.

Then, it's how deep the bass dig and rumble that hook me. Then how smooth yet clear and open are the mids. Then, how extended, snappy and sparkly is the treble, which is a big surprise since it's rare to have sparklewith Planar, 2 other example are Tinhifi P1plus and to a less extend, Tangzu Zetian Heyday.

So i'm happy to say it's not a pure harman tuning balance we have. It's not about bright shouty presence boost here, in fact, upper mids are smoothen.

But we have 3 tuning choice. Treble and balanced are near identical apart slightly less bass boom and hint cleaner sharper treble for Grey nozzle. The Bass (red) one is more consequent in change, its darker, warmer and hint bassier, bass is thicker and not as well separated, mids feel thicker in macro dynamic, less airy and more laid back.
For this review I will focus on Balanced Gold nozzle, which is the best sounding and more coherent tuning to my ears.
Overall balance of those 3 go from warm (red nozzle) to smooth (gold nozzle) and bright (silver nozzle) U shape.

What the MP145 don't deliver: hard mid bass punch with fowards kick presence, agressively bright mids, thick and dark mids (well ok Red nozzle deliver that), very dynamic mids, neutral tonality, treble head tonality (ok, treble nozzle isn't far from that), dark treble...

What it deliver: wide mellow slam, deep resonant rumble, enormous soundstage, transparent and smooth mids, versatile tonality, U shape balance, crisp snappy and fast treble, excellnt layering, lush vocals,


These aren't bass light IEM and deliver well felt slam that have dominant sub bass boost but don't sound thin nor dull boomy. For those use to U shape IEMs, they will find the MP145 to have enough mid bass punch, while those that are all about V shape basshead IEMs will find it lack a bit of it.
To me, it's evident the kick drum take second seat when bass line happen, but the layering is well done and transparent, just not hefty in multi dynamic so we have this wide speedy slam that open in space and stay in back of other instrument, thanks to fast transient attack of planar driver that act a bit like hybrid DD+BA here in term of extra layering capacity.
But this slam isn't thin boom as said, its not like those Moondrop with sudden boost that begin late in 200hz section, we have air density and rumble vibrancy, and the hit is well felt, more so than well define.
It's quality meet quantity here, and among best bass performance I have heard with a planar, among cleanest, most extended and less euphonic one too.
Fast slamwith plenty of headroom, subtle texture edge, that can go brightish to warmish tone depending of the source.
If your a rumble lover, your in for alot of pleasure due to long effortless sustain-release.
The transition into lower mid range is natural, without sudden scooping that can affect tonality fullness.
With the Red nozzle filter, the bass will go warmer and thicker and embrace lower mids in a darker, less define in separation way wich will make macro dynamic a hint more muddy.

The Mids are open, lush and clean. They are smooth enough, non shouty nor sibilant. The lower mids aren't extremely boosted nor lacking, so we have slight thicknest and warmth going on in timbre, adding a sens of breathyness to female vocal and fullness to male vocal.
This is very unique and versatile mid range, male vocal are fowards enough without being plain dominant in the mix, female vocal are slightly more fowards, but still smooth yet nothing sound dull here.
Piano note have impressive natural resonance within a clean soundscape, it's note attack is fast and well felt but not hard hitting or very edgy in definition.
Saxophone offer open presence dense with textured air, presentation is neutral we can say with good transparency to permit a vast amount of instrument layering and commandable imaging. With artist like Sons of Kemet, bassoon and sax offer impressively readable layering.
I wouldn't say the MP145 are mid centric at all, nor the most natural in term of timbre, but it's among the best for a planar.
Definition edge is slightly softed here, explaining this lushness that meet gentle brightness kind of timbre. We don't have noisy planar tone, nor ultra bright one. With MP145 your in middle of vast mid range and center stage, yet you don't get lost in a muddy or overly homogenous macro dynamic.

The treble is the star of the show with the sub bass and extend far above 10khz, we have proper sparkle, snap and air for a planar, it's not the sharpest cleanest brilliance but it's there way more than with multi BA or hybrid, similar to DD, not as sharp in sparkle and clean in release as EST.
It's really a mix of texture crunchyness and airy sparkle release, which do well for acoustic guitat because it sound both full and crisp.
Its one of this rare treble that do good for both electric and acoustic guitar, electric guitar is rich in natural fuzzyness, dense distortion texture and a offer a wide bodied presence without screamy or shouty dynamic. MP145 are near perfect for rock, metal and jazz, only if this kick drum was a bit more hard punchy, but it isn't and as we know supreme perfection don't exist even in 10 times pricer IEMs.
But this isn't all, the percussions are very fast and controlled in attack as well as fowards enough. It's super easy to follow them and their separation is excellent, their timbre is full and when they need the metallic rendering, they get it. The natural decay is well presented and realist, not scooped, linear in release.
So we have the abrasive bit and the sparkle, the crunchy snap and the air, what to ask more? Perhaps even sharper and cleaner extension like the Tinhifi P1plus?
And now for infamously hard to render instrument: the clavichord. Firstly, separation of low and higher note playing is very well done, but the frequencies range of this instrument is very peculiar and have harmonic that go up to 4.6Khz with its fundamental in 770hz, so like the piano, the presentation is a bit dry and lean but full sounding enough, yet, it sound a bit distant compared to other instruments.
Nonetheless, after Tinhifi P1plus, it's most sparkly, extended and airy treble I've heard from a planar and it's more snappy than Tangzu Zetian Wu.

The soundstage literallty drive me euphoric. Their no doubt it's biggest headroom I get from a planar IEM, it's huge in all direction, but wideness is very stretched and feel like it go 1 meter at each side of your head, then tallness is impressive but half as long, then deepness is half wideness lenght too, all this doesn't give a hall or tunnel like presentation where you'll find yourself far from instrument since they come to you and float in this soundscape with an holographic layering.

This layering is what make the imaging appealing and intricate too. Even with busy track, it will keep up in multi layered macro dynamic. Layering in Y axis is easier to read than sharpe separation in X axis for less loud or dynamic instrument. Percussions too will be easier to pin point with precision.




SIDE NOTE:

The MP145 do benefit from good amount of amping like all planar, but they aren't hardest one to drive. At 30ohm of impedance and 104db of sensitivity, ill suggest a minimum of 100mW, but for achieving best technical performance it would be 200mW@32ohm and up, cleaner it will be, better attack control and soundstage depth will be. When well amped, the soundstage open up even more but since its so huge, even the Audirect Atom 2 can drive them OK and will not make bass distort, but a phone will not be enough and this very pairing don't do justic to technical performance of MP145. For crisp ultra open musicality, Moondrop Dawn 4.4 is good, for warm and slightly more mid centric musicality, Penon Tail is good too. Even the iFi Go Pod drive them well at 120mW gain.

The included wide bore eartips are good choice yet if you wanna open up the sound even more, the short wide bore as well as Fan2 blue ear tips are great choice.

Cable doesn't inflict alot on dynamic or timbre of MP145 and the stock one is good enough, especially in 4.4mm balanced format.


COMPARISONS



VS DUNU TALOS (1Planar-2Bas-200$)

Simply put: the Talos are among worst planar have ever heard so it's no surprise it sound so bad compared to MP145, and that in pure planar mode, which is better than hybrid mode, which is just plain unlistenable shouty trebly fest.

So, tonality is more bright neutral and lean with all main focus in uppermids with the Talos, its notably more agressive in lower treble as well as more shouty and fatiguing at high volume than bassier more U shape tuned MP145.

The bass is lean, anemic and dynamic less with hint of mid bass punch neutral way, notably less deep than MP145 which seem a basshead IEM compared to Talos. Kick drum is drier and clearer with Talos but not as round and heavy in not weight, Sub bass is more scooped, bass line are harder to feel and hear. MP145 offer wider and bigger slam, with deeper more vibrant and realist rumble and overall more lively dynamic.

The mids are warmer and smoother with the MP145, we have more low mids too, so vocal are fuller bodied and lusher while Talos is all about upper mids, its thin and shouty, female vocal timbre is grainy and spiky and induce way more sibilance. Instrument presence is more centered and compressed, while wider and more holographic with MP145. While shoutier, the dynamic isn't very energic with Talos, we have lighter note weight but edgier definition, it's this edge loudness that jump at us so at they end treble eat the mids here way more than MP145.

Then the treble isn't as full sounding as MP145 and keep hidden some part of percussions in favor of other sharper more brilliant one, so Talos is more spiky and have extra fake air that make us perceive cleaner and simplify highs rendering. Highs are thinner, this include high pitch instrument like violin that sound metallic and thin, percussion dont open up in sustain-release, so some of them feel more snappy but in an artificial way, the MP145 treble dig more sound info, is more wide open and freely layered, less trebly and have more natural resonance.

Soundstage is intensely wider and taller and deeper, Talos is very compressed and centered and unidimentional in comparison.

Imaging is edgier and more monitor like with Talos, but not as open in sound layering so it's flat monitoring, due to less mids warmth, positioning is sharper in this area.

All in all, Talos sound plain wrong compared to lusher balance of MP145. Technicalities are a bit similar, but unlike MP145, the technical potential is kill due to bad tonal balance and acoustic implementation of planar driver which sound very compressed in spatiality, lean in dynamic and dull and cold and shouty in tonality with a bright planar timbre to add to this. Well, i can add that even if MP145 housing is 2 times bigger, its notably more comfy than Talos too.


VS LETSHUOER S12 (1x14.8mm planar-150$)

Ok, now thats a more serious fight. Soundstage isn't lacking like with Talos so its less disconcerting to compare those too.

But it's not very similar in tonality, the S12 offer a brighter V shape which is in fact a hint less bassy in term of wide slam, its less extended and boosted in sub bass the the rumble feel scooped but the midbass punch is rounder and more energic, as well as more textured in presence, it feel thighter and faster but not as transparent and well layered.

Mids are more upfront and bright, we have more upper mids bite and presence texture, less transparency and less wide in presencethan MP145, which have breathy lusher female vocal, less promptto sibilance or too loud gain. Mids are more wide open and hint leaner with MP145, layering is better and we have less macro euphony going on that affect busy trrack, which can go saturated a bit with S12. S12 definition has less soffted edge, violin has more bite for attack, piano note a sharply define but not as weight, we can say mids are more intimate and clear but more condensed in center too.

Treble don't extend as far with S12, it have more lower treble energy, grain, texture and bite, so electric guitar sound fuller and more upfront but percussion can get lost in the mix, treble isn't as snappy and way less sparkly, airy and open than crisper U shape balance of MP145. This time it's S12 that sound crunchier and thicker in term of treble, but this affect negatively high pitch instrument tone which is overly boosted in brightness and grain, less lush and smooth than MP145, its more fatiguing too.

Soundstage is notably wider, slightly taller and intensely deeper with MP145.

Imaging is cleaner and less compress in macro dynamic as well as more transparent and better layered with MP145.

All in all, I prefer MP145 lusher U shape balance as well as more natural and smooth timbre. Like with Talos, technical performance are similar but too compressed, and it underline the benefit of big housing as well as open back venting for planar driver to permit better macro dynamic rendering. This time, its S12 that is way more comfy, its smaller and as a perfect ergonomic shape, you don't look like a weirdo wearing those too.


VS RAPTGO HOOK X HBB (1planar+1piezo hybrid-260$)

Ok, I will not compare the MP145 to all planar I own, but feel the obligation to compare it to the very best one.
HBB feel slightly warmer and more W shape as well as even more holographic due to extra layering of upper treble from piezo.

The bass is thicker, more euphony and deliver heavier mid bass punch, the rumble sustain is shorter and less extended, bassline are more favorize with MP145 and bass is more transparent with less warmth bleed than HBB, is have wider resonance head room and more mellow mid bass punch. HBB bass is more tactile and round.

Mids are again thicker yet a hint more fowards in upper mids so female vocal are more upfront and bright. Male vocal are near identical, just a hint thinner and leaner with the MP145. Overall mids feel more open and airy with MP145, but leaner in center stage, its smoother, less prompt to pinna gain fatigue even if HBB isn't very intense in that regard. Mids are more transparent and cleaner and better layered with MP145, we have less bass bleed that darken definition crispness.

Treble is airier, sparklier and more delicate with the MP145. HBB have more crunchy attack, brighter tone, it's more abrasive in texture but i would not say it extract more micro details, the snappy attack is more dynamic and high pitch instrument or percussions more 3D, but more spiky too, i find highs more refined and balanced with the MP145 but not as catchy, again, the top is cleaner with MP145.

Soundstage is slightly taller with Hook X HBB but notably deeper and a hint wider with MP145, not night and day difference like with Talos and HBB have way bigger spatiality than S12.

Imaging is moe accurate with MP145, this is due to cleaner macro resolution and less euphonic mids, sound layering is superior in high frequency with HBB.

All in all, i would say technical performance of the Planar is superior with MP145, but mid treble is faster and snappier with HBB, tonality is more dynamic and punchy. I can't choose a clear winner here since I love both intensely.


CONCLUSION


Sometime, when you expect nothing, it's when you get everything.

This is what happen for me with MP145. I was very sceptikal about capacity of Hidizs to properly tune a bassy planar IEM as well as making it sound different enough of rest of planar offering that was flooding the market in 2022.

Since i own 10 other planar, i was worry it would be a sidegrade that will take dust and it's the opposite that happen, since those MP145 ''stole'' alot of listening time and is now one of my fav with Raptgo Hook X HBB, Tangzu Zetian Wu and Tinhifi P1plus.

It's really one of those IEM that nail both fun engaging dynamic musicality with impressive technicalities of well tuned planar.

And the standout being its over sized soundstage make it unique in planar realm since only other one with impressive soundstage is the 7HZ Dioko which is less well balanced, have inferior technicalities, thinner harsher timbre and wonky thin bass.

At early birds price, the Dioko was ultimate sound value bargain, but even at now 140$ price it's among the best money can get.

Very Highly Recommended!







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PS: I want to thanks Hidizs for sending me this review sample. I want to thanks them for accepting my critical impressions that weren't always positive in the past. As always, those are my independant minded subjective audio impressions, free of $ making affiliation (i refuse affiliated program with all audio companies and dealers and this will never ever change)

You can order the Hidizs MP145 on kickstarter (their about 40 left for 140$) here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/project...en-ultra-large-planar-hifi-iems-9-sound-types