Sometimes it's difficult to review things that you love. All the analysis can't always portray the emotional connection you have with things. This is not about graphs or breakdowns. This is a very brief , emotive review ! If that's not your bag , please keep scrolling ! DUNU have been around in shape and form for some time now. Their excellent DK range which includes the 3001 pro and the 4001 have been rightly praised to the hilt by some of the best reviewers around. The Luna along with their equally excellent studio range ( SA3 and the SA6) have rode the hype train. The brand new ZEN is a single driver set that brings futuristic tech to the table. Whilst the 2001 straddled the lower middle price range don't sleep on this beauty. Blessed with a fantastic cable and a retro style , non resin design this little wonder is not to be dismissed. With a 13 mm beryllium driver and 3 Knowles BAs the dk2001 incooperates tech that on paper doesn't cry futurism . But hear me out , the tuning for the price belies it's brilliance. While it seems one might be getting carried away let me try and explain why I love this set so much. I bought these full priced in the summer of 2020. In the middle of lockdown and with covid running rife , I had more time than normal to digest music. It was my gateway out of an uncertain future . On first listen , I was rather non plussed. Yeah they were good but to my ears nothing special. One night I thought I paid a bit of money for these let me check them out again . Over a 4 hour period they won me over big time. What got me was the graceful way it presented my library. Whilst not having the biggest soundstage or the most extended highs I'd ever heard what got me was it did everything right. The bass was fantastic. Full lower mids , beautiful balanced upper mids. Vocals sound delightful. The highs were rich never descended in splashiness or sounding particularly dark they blended beautifully with the range. I couldn't put this set down. Dawn rose and there I was blissed out listening to Do it again by Steely Dan. Wow ! I was taken aback. No fatigue just sheer exhilaration. Ok this is not the most analytical of reviews , many far better at articulating what they hear have done that many times with the DK2001. I have many sets but few have taken me to that place like this set has. Anyway , it's 6am in London time to wrap this up. Apologies if you we're expecting a blow by blow detailed account on this iem. I just wanted share how a great iem should make you feel. As I said before there are many sets with better technicalities etc etc etc. But , if like me you want music to feel resolving and emotional and you don't want to break the bank spending 2k plus on a pair of in ear monitors you don't get much better than the DUNU DK 2001.

Hello everyone.

I would like to preface two things.

Firstly, I do not completely believe in audible “burn in” or cable changes (in regard to sound). I have not personally been able to detect any changes in sound with a different cable or hours of burn in. My review however will be based on my final impressions after 20-25 hours of burn in with the stock cable and stock tips.

Secondly, my music preferences consist of many genres ranging from Rock/Metal, Rap, J-Pop/K-Rap, and some acoustical/vocal based music. They will be listed below as examples.

Lastly, my reference over-ear headphones are the Sennheiser HD58x Jubilee. These are the first and only open-back cans I have.

Sample songs used to evaluate gear to get an idea of the type of music I listen to.

Wage War – Twenty One, The River, Low
Slipknot – Before I Forget, Duality, Psychosocial
Hoshino Gen – Koi, Continues, Sun
Mariya Takeuchi – Plastic Love, Yume No Tzusuki, September
Jakubi – Holiday, Pillow, Nobody Better
Gorillaz – Clint Eastwood, On Melancholy Hill, Ascension
Tupac – Ambitionz Az a Ridah, Changes, All Eyez on Me
Mos Def – Mathematics, Hip Hop, Ms. Fat Booty
Polkadot Stingray – Free, Mermaid, A Stinging Spica

Etc.


Overall tonality: Warm V-Shape. I like this as it's quite easy to listen to.

Fit: These fit really nicely. I often use these while sleeping as they sit flush with my ears. They are quite small.
Comfort: Easily the most comfortable IEMs I have ever used. Barely feel them and never cause unnecessary pain/fatigue.
Cable: One of my favorite cables. I love the interchangeable connectors.
Isolation: About average. I wouldn’t really take these out on walk to block outside sounds.

All critical listening was done off the Shanling UP4 (Bluetooth and USB DAC mode) and LG V30 using Flac files or Tidal premium. Casual listening was done with Spotify. This was purchased with my own money as well.

Bass: To start off, I would not call these a “bassy” set but it pulls off bass pretty well. The bass is nicely elevated but does not bleed in the mids/rest of the mix. Bass notes are not the most well defined but definitely have nice slam/texture to them. Bass guitars also impressed me. Typically for the music I listen to (rock/metal in particular), I find that electric guitars sound closer/more prominent in the mix. With these, it felt as though bass guitars were louder(?) or easier to hear. Piano keys were also nice to listen to. They have good weight to them and as though you can really feel the piano keys. Overall, the bass is not overdone but definitely boosted (relative to more neutral sets) and presented well.

Mids: The mids have a nice warmth but are not particularly forward either. This makes instruments sound natural and pretty dang good across the board. Vocals are interesting. They can either sounds really good or a little too shouty for my tastes. Most of the time vocals come across as smooth and really pleasant. It should be noted that I prefer more forward vocals.

Highs: I mentioned this in my previous review, but I do not feel that I am sensitive to sibilance/treble in general. The highs seem to be pretty present in the mix but never it’s never “too much”. Many jazz instruments including trumpets, pianos, drums, and harmonics in general have pretty good energy and presence. I think the main complaint I have is that there isn’t enough “air”.

Soundstage: One of the weaker points in my opinion. Sounds happen left, right, and center. I never really felt as though I was getting a larger “out-of-head” experience.

Imaging: A little better than the soundstage. Positional accuracy was not spectacular, but it was good.

Resolution: These are not highly a resolving set. Although they are pretty good, I would not get these if that’s what you’re after.

Genres that work well for these: Rap, Indie Rock, Pop, Jazz
Genres/songs that tend to be "busy" can sound quite congested in my experience.

Select Comparisons:


FiiO FH3/FH5

I’ll be referring to the FH5 for the most part, but this includes the cheaper FH3. Bass and mids are definitely more prominent on the FH5’s. The DK2001’s sound a little more natural to my ears though. I prefer the quality of the mids on the DK2001 but wish they were a bit more forward like on the FH5. Vocals are better on the DK2001 when they are “shouty”. Highs seem a little more resolving on the DK2001 but easier to listen to with the FH5. Soundstage/imaging are better on the FH5. Fit and comfort go to the DK2001.



Sony XBA-N3AP

Similarly to the FH3/5, the bass is more prominent (and fun) to listen to on the N3AP. Mids are easier to listen with the DK2001 but more detailed on the N3AP. Vocals are more pleasant to listen on the DK2001 but slightly smoother on the N3AP. Highs are more detailed than the N3AP but not as forward. Soundstage/imaging are better on the N3AP. Fit and comfort go to the DK2001.



Moondrop Blessing2

The Blessing2 seems to be the opposite of these. Bass is stronger/more impactful on the DK2001. Mids are more detailed on the Blessing2. Vocals sound more pleasant on the DK2001 but are more detailed with the Blessing2. Highs are more detailed on the Blessing2. Soundstage/imagining are easily better on the Blessing2. The DK2001 is far easier to listen to compared to the Blessing2. Fit and comfort go to the DK2001 hands down unless you have very large ears.



Conclusion

The DK2001 is a pretty great set. But would I personally want to pay full price for it? Yes and no. While I do like these quite a bit, I think they have minor setbacks for the price. That being said, they are on the road to becoming one of my most used IEMs. The comfort/fit alone make these just that much better.

In the interest of full disclosure, I want to thank Tom of Dunu for sending these along to me for review. At the end of the review period, they’ll be returned.

Here are some brief comments on the build and whatnot:

• Great cable quality and pouches for the IEMs. DUNU clearly cares and is putting in a good deal effort here.
• All of the IEMs are quite small. This is definitely a plus for smaller ears. However, if you have larger ears, it might feel like the IEMs are a bit loose (although I doubt they’ll actually fall out). None of them isolate particularly well.

This is the “fun” IEM out of the DUNU lineup, and it’s something of a V-shape with a steep-rise to the upper midrange and treble. It’s packing some surprises. First, the bass is in a bit of a weird spot; it seems to have slightly more quantity than the DK-3001 Pro. But it’s lacking some of that dynamic slam and texture that I would normally expect; the 3001 Pro does it better. Granted, the 3001 Pro does have more of a mid-bass emphasis, but I think that this is where some of that price difference is reflected. The 2001’s bass is still pretty decent and I don’t think most listeners would notice unless they were A/Bing.

Midrange is probably one of the better points of this IEM, especially with female vocals. Of course, this is personal preference as it occasionally slips into shout and sibilance. But the benefit of the rise to the upper frequencies is that vocals are delivered with quite the good resolution. Most definitely better than the DK-3001 Pro in this respect.

This extends to the treble region which is fairly energetic. There does seem to be a spike somewhere after 10kHz, though, and it presents itself annoyingly on some songs. A prime example is on Joe Nichol’s “Sunny and 75”. There’s an electronic, piercing sound to the left side of the stage at 0:24. With most IEMs, I find that it blends gently, subtly into the song, but on the DK-2001 it’s far more pronounced than it should be. Not unlike the DK-3001 Pro, the 2001 seems to lack sufficient air in the treble too.

Staging, as with all the DUNU IEMs, is pretty average. The DK-2001 never breaks the head-stage barrier for me. That being said, the 2001 is surprisingly technical otherwise. Imaging and layering capability are above average; and as I alluded to earlier, pure resolution is good. I find that most hybrids present issues with coherency in the timbre. And to this end, the DK-2001 is one of the better offenders. There’s still a plasticky-quality, but it’s not nearly as bad as the DK-3001 Pro’s.

Personally, I think the DK-2001 would benefit from some added bass boost. The greater emphasis on the upper frequencies can make it a fatiguing listen, and it’s a bit jarring A/Bing with more neutral IEMs. Recommended? With caution. It’s certainly not bad, and I like it in moderation, but tonality will likely be the biggest roadblock for most listeners.