EARNiNE EN120

Greetings Head-fi,

Today we are checking out EARNiNE's entry level product, the EN120.

As with the rest of the EARNiNE lineup, the EN120 is running custom built in house drivers. Just like the mid-range EN1J, it features a single full-range balanced armature (BA) driver per side. It features a stainless steel housing like the top-of-the-line EN2J, though this time in a more traditional barrel shape. I quite enjoyed the EN2J for it's insane detail output and the EN1J for it's lush, breathy mid-range. The EN120 makes for a great intro to the brand as it takes elements from both of it's stable mates and combines them into a more affordable package.

Let's take a closer look.


Disclaimer:

Thanks to Penon Audio and EARNiNE for arranging a complimentary sample of the EN120 for the purposes of review. All thoughts within are my own and do not represent EARNiNE, Penon, or any other entity, nor am I being provided any financial compensation to write this review.

The EN120 retailed for 79 USD at the time of this writing: https://penonaudio.com/earnine-en120.html?search=earnine

The EN120 on EARNiNE's site: http://earnine9.com/e9/?page_id=288

Source:

For at home use the EN120 was powered by a TEAC HA-501 desktop amp or straight out of my Asus FX53V laptop. For portable use it was paired with an LG G5, F.Audio S1, or Shanling M1, all of which brought it up to listening volume without much effort. I didn't find it particularly susceptible to hiss from any particular device, even through something like the F.Audio S1 which was designed mainly for running high impedance and difficult to drive headphones.


Personal Preferences:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. While I enjoy a variety of signatures in my headphones I generally lean towards slightly warm with elevated treble and sub-bass, an even and natural mid-range response, with reduced mid-bass. The HiFiMan RE800, Brainwavz B400, and thinksound On2 offer examples of signatures I enjoy.

Specifications:

• Sensitivity: 104 dB/mW +/- 3 dB @ 1 kHz
• Impedance: 22 ohm @ 1kHz
• requency response: 20-20 kHz

Packaging and Accessories:

The EN120's packaging is very simple and no unlike something you'd find in a retail store. It consists of a small black and blue cardboard box with a magnetically sealed front panel. The front panel shows off the EN120. The left panel outlines a few features like the use of BA drivers, a twisted cable, a noise isolating design, and the included tips. On the rear panel some of these features are elaborated upon. Flipping open the magnetically sealed panel you're greeted to a viewing window showing the EN120 itself and the 90 degree angled jack. On the inner left of the panel you find the specifications and a blown up image of how the earphone is constructed. Inside is a basic plastic tray along with the earphones and accessories. In all you get;

• EN120 earphones
• Silicone eartips (s/m/l)

And that's it. Nothing much to write about. On the plus side, the tips are the same as those included with the EN1J and EN2J. Material quality is top-tier and they work exceptionally well with the EN120's simple, barrel-shaped design.


Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The EN120 features either chromed or seriously well polished stainless steel housings with flawless fit and finish. Each component part fits together with nary a seam, the metal frills are stuck in place and fit perfectly, and even the strain relief is perfectly conformed to the shape of the housing. The cable I've already gushed about in my EN2J review. There I said;

“The cable is one of the nicest I've come across, though I wouldn't have guessed it on looks alone. At first glance it looks like those generic, overly thin braided cables found on countless budget earphones, but then you touch it. It weighs nothing. It behaves more like a piece of thread with extremely flexibility, NO memory, and almost no noise transmission. It is terminated in a compact, well-relieved 90 degree angled jack. The y-split is a compact and durable hunk of rubber. It has an effective chin cinch.”

The only difference here on the EN120 is that it is fixed to the earphone and there are no earguides. This lets you wear it over ear-or cable down with equal ease. And wear it you will because the EN120 is pretty darn comfy. It's a compact package with no sharp edges and simply nestles into you ear canals with no fuss. The included tips keep them stuck in place too, so even under heavy movement they still feel quite secure, even though they've got more weight to them than you'd expect given their size.

Many BA-only earphones are sealed, of which the EN120 is no exception. This plus the dense tips and thick housings make it great for drowning out exterior noise.


Sound:

The EN120 uses a single, full-range balanced armature. It produces a fairly neutral sound in the mids and bass, with a small lower treble bump to spice things up. This lightly boosted treble gives the EN120 a slightly bright edge. On poorly recorded tracks and those that are already heavy on the high end, the EN120 can come across a touch sizzly and uncontrolled. If you find that uncomfortable, I recommend picking up some foam tips which should help absorb those peaks. Like EARNiNE's other products, feeding it quality source material provides positive result and clears up these issues. I still recommend pairing it with a neutral to warm source though. This is a very revealing and detailed earphone, just like the EN2J, with a presentation that shows this off. The roll off in the upper treble regions is welcome as a result.

The EN120's mid-range is prominent but not set quite as far forward as on the EN1J. As with the EN1J and EN2J, there is a unique breathy quality, though it's not quite as prominent here. Female vocals exhibit mild sibilance as times and can come across a touch strident, but for the most past sound quite good. I would like them to have a bit more body, but that's where male vocals take off. They carry a more commanding presence with good weight and tonality. Texture and detail retrieval is strong without becoming overbearing or overshadowing.

Bass on the EN120 is reserved with a fairly neutral presence. Decay is quick and it handles snappy basslines with ease. As with the mid-range, texture is fantastic with grungy notes coming across as such. Nothing is smoothed over or softened. Mid-bass punch is actually fairly commanding, so while bass quantity is on the lower end, it still has a solid presence. Bass extension rolls off fairly early, as tends to be common with full-range BAs. You get hints of sub-bass, but no enough to carry tracks reliant on low frequencies.

Sound stage is where the EN120 is weakest, coming across fairly intimate. Depth and width impressions don't really extend much beyond your head, with the occasional effect thrown off on rare occasion into the distance. Imaging is very progressive and accurate and sounds are well layered. Separation starts to falter on busy tracks where elements start to blend together.


Select Comparisons:

UE600vi (discontinued): The UE600 is a classic single BA earphone that still sounds great by today's standards. While it's build quality doesn't hold a candle to the EN120, especially the cable, its design remains unique and slightly unconventional.

In terms of sound the two are somewhat similar. With a lean, light low end and prominent mids and treble, they both make for an energetic listen. The UE600 is a little more balanced as it offers up some additional gusto in the mid-bass. It also sounds larger and more spacious. The EN120 is smoother and a touch leaner with a more articulate and detailed presentation. It's imaging is also more accurate, and layering more apparent. Separation is equally good. The extra bite in the EN120's upper mids and lower treble takes away from long term listenability though, a quality which is very noticeable when swapping between the two. The EN120 also shares a breathy quality to the mid-range with it's EN1J and EN2J stable mates, which I find unique to EARNiNE's custom BAs. The UE600 obviously lacks this quality, which may or may not be a good thing to you.

Brainwavz B100 (49.50 USD): The B100 is a killer single BA earphone and was introduced with Brainwavz's new all-BA lineup last year. Unlike the EN120, it has plastic, low profile housings in the vein of Shure's SE215 and is intended to be worn over-ear only. While I find them more comfortable, that style isn't as flexible as the more generic barrel-shape of the EN120 which can be worn cable down or over-ear equally easily.

While I think the two perform similarly well, the B100 has a slight edge over the EN120 for a few reasons. First is the surprisingly good end-to-end extension. It is one of the few single BA iems I've come across that can satisfy my sub-bass needs. Both are reasonably bright earphones, but the B100 tapers off the upper mid and treble peaks that on some tracks can become overbearing on the EN120. It's treble is also slightly better controlled, though detail top to bottom is more impressive on the EN120. The B100 is the larger and more spacious sounding earphone. Imaging is slightly more precise on the EN120, but I find the B100 is better with layering and separation remaining clear where the EN120 starts to show congestion.


Final Thoughts:

The EN120 is EARNiNE's entry level model though you'd never guess it just from holding them. They feature the same amazing cable found on the flagship EN2J, but fixed in place. Their subtle yet attractive chromed stainless steel shells are imbued with flawless fit and finish and isolate effectively. While they have some decent heft to them, the rounded off shells and high quality ear tips make them a comfortable wear regardless of whether you're letting the cable hang down or loop around behind your ear. Cable noise is virtually non-existent either way too. An awesome bonus. Yes, they have a very, very basic accessory kit coming with only three pairs of ear tips, but the quality of those tips is fantastic. They also sound quite good with a breathy, textured mid-range and tons of detail everywhere. They're not for the treble sensitive though, with some upper range peaks that can cause listening fatigue.

Given the stellar build and quality sound, the EN120 would make for a great daily driver if you're looking for something with a bass light sound.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this review, head over to The Contraptionist for more like it.

- B9Scrambler


Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock - Skelethon (Album)
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (Album)
Elton John - Yellow Golden Brick Road (Album)
King Crimson - Lark's Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp - Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians (Album)
Infected Mushroom - Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack - Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac - Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy - The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco - screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt - Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bone) (Album)

Firstly I would like to thank Earnine for sending me this sample to review, they have been used for well over 100hrs.

*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings.

Gear Used: Audio Opus #2 > Earnine EN120 Small tips



Tech Specs:
Driver Unit:
Proprietary BA
Sound pressure level:
104 dB
Frequency Response:
20 Hz to 20 KHz
Impedance:
22 Ω
Cable:
Twisted cable 1.2 m
Plug
3.5mm gold-plated 3 pole L-shaped plug

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The EN120 come in a very simple small card box with a plastic tray holding the IEM's in place inside. At the bottom of the packaging, you will find the eartips, on the front there is a flap, there are some details about the IEM and specifications. Under this front flap you will also find a plastic window which shows off the IEM's inside. Overall the packaging is nothing special but for this price I really cannot complain.

The build quality is superb, the housings are polished metal and very well finished, the cable is the twisted type which is supple and feels strong. There is good strain relief on all parts, and the 3.5mm jack is angled with a metal housing too. These feel more expensive than they are, and are built to last.

Accessory wise these don't come with much, all you get is some extra silicone single flange tips, so they come with Medium pre installed, and come with some S and L tips. I would have liked them to include a pouch, but I also understand this may have raised the overall cost (and you can buy a cheap case online).



Comfort, Isolation and Cable Noise:
The EN120 is small and smooth, which means they fit really easily into most ears. The included tips are of good quality, but I also found Final tips to work very well with these; you can use these with a deep or shallow insertion depth. I found them to be light, and very comfortable for long periods of time, the cable can be used straight down, or over the ear.

Isolation is excellent, the housing is sealed and uses a single balanced armature, perfect for everyday use and also most commutes. I would even be happy using these on a flight, they really isolate very well with the right tips.

Cable noise is slightly present when used straight down, but not an issue at all. Using them with the cable behind your ears gets rid of the tiny amount of cable noise so there are no issues here at all.



Sound:
Split into the usual categories with a conclusion at the end.

Lows: The EN120 leans towards the more neutral side of sound but they are far from lacking down low. For a single balanced armature driver the lows are surprisingly full and articulate, lacking only on the absolute extension front. Being a balanced armature driver the lows hit tight and fast being able to keep up with the fastest of tracks, bass guitars are fairly prominent and easy to follow too. The lows stay well separated from the midrange not adding any added body allowing instruments in the midrange to shine. Yes these will not appeal to bass heads but those looking for a slightly warm but accurate low end should definitely give these a shot, they are certainly not lacking down low that's for sure.

Mids: The midrange leans towards a slightly drier tone but is very detailed and crisp, fine detail shines through with ease and the midrange is never recessed. Electric guitars have excellent crunch to them during heavier rock tracks, and there is good separation and air. There is no sibilance in the upper midrange with a smooth transition into the treble range. The midrange is incredibly well detailed and open for this price, and they are not too clinical or cold. They have good tonality to them without any major peaks or dips, listening to Radiohead you can hear every nuance in the midrange, all excellently separated.

Highs: Again like the lows, very good quantity and positioning, only lacking in the absolute extension department but they do not drop off too early or sound flat and muted. The highs have good clarity and are never pushed too far back in the mix, always audible and in good quality. The highs are great quality too, I find a lot of the budget offerings around to have either splashy undefined highs, or artificially boosted highs to give the feel of quality. These do neither of those, instead offering excellent layering and definition up top, you can easily distinguish between different cymbals. The initial impact is there without a painful peak, and then they extend nicely without a sharp roll-off, it is also easy to pick out where the cymbals are placed in the recording with accurate spatial cues.

The soundstage and separation are unrivaled at this price point, the width and air around instruments is superb and rivals IEM's costing over twice as much. Everything is accurate and easy to hear, yet still cohesive, simply sublime for the price.



Conclusion: I keep forgetting these only cost around $50, they simply punch way above their weight. The sound is full yet balanced with superb detail retrieval and PRAT; you really do think you are listening to a far more expensive pair of headphones when you have these in. Yes the extension on both ends is ever so slightly limited, but I can easily forget about that when the build quality and comfort are excellent, and they sound this good. Bullet For My Valentine - Tears Don't Fall is simply incredible through these, I can wholeheartedly recommend these IEM's and I look forward to new models from Earnine. Now please Earnine, start selling these in other countries, people are really missing out on some excellent budget IEM's.


Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (Superb value for money if you are looking for a precise and balanced sound)

EARNiNE EN120 Review: Wait, How Much Detail?

EARNiNE (or just Earnine, which is how I’m going to write it from now on) has a very complicated company history. Originally they were a brand started by TSST ( Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology). However TSST went bankrupt, and the end seemed nigh for the fledgling brand. Thankfully, some of the employees of Earnine managed to revive the brand and continue developing their fully-original balanced-armature designs. Now they’ve brought us the EN120, a single BA earphone. But in a market full of triple-driver IEMs and hybrids, can the EN120 compete, let alone stand out?

You can find the official EN120 page here, and the Amazon JP listing here. I don’t currently have a link for US buyers, but I’m looking for one. MSRP was originally going to be $80–$100 but has since been reduced to roughly $60.

Disclaimer: This unit was provided to me free of charge for review purposes. I am not affiliated with Earnine beyond this review. These words reflect my true, unaltered, opinion about the product. I would like to thank Tony for sending me out this sample.

Preference and Bias: Before reading a review, it is worth mentioning that there is no way for a reviewer to objectively pass judgment on the enjoy-ability of a product: such a thing is inherently subjective. Therefore, I find it necessary for you to read and understand what I take a natural liking to and how that might affect my rating of a product.

My ideal sound signature would be an extended sub-bass with a leveled, but textured, mid-bass. The mids should be slightly less pronounced than the treble, but still ahead of the bass. I prefer a more bright upper range.

Source: The EN120 was powered like so:

HTC U11 -> USB-C adapter -> earphones

or

Hidizs AP100 3.5mm out -> FiiO A5 3.5mm out -> earphones

or

HiFiMAN SuperMini -> earphones

or

PC optical out -> HiFiMe SPDIF 9018 Sabre DAC 3.5mm out -> earphones

All music was served as MP3 @320Kbps or as FLAC.

Sound Signature
Initial Impressions:

I do not have virgin ears. I’ve heard some very impressive setups and own some near-TOTL IEMs. But it’s been a very long time since I put some earphones in and immediately went: “wow”. Instead of the typical consumerist V-shaped sound signature I was expecting I got an incredibly refined, wonderfully tuned one. The treble is clear and airy without being overpowering or sharp, and the mids are well fleshed-out with precision. Bass is matched well to the mids and is subtle, yet distinctly punchy.

Listen to enough Sonion and Knowles configurations and the similarities begin to stand out. The EN120 sounds truly original to my ears, and it’s refreshing to hear.

Treble: Songs used: In One Ear, Midnight City, Outlands, Satisfy

The treble-bound instrumentation was really well fleshed out in all the songs I tested, but In One Ear really stood out to me. I generally find that “wide” sound stages spread the drums and percussion instruments way too far apart. That isn’t the case with the EN120. Each hit of cymbals and high hats had a distinct location, but said locations were located appropriately close together.

Attack and decay are both quick, but not artificial-feeling. This lends the EN120 both a quick, airy, and precise feeling.

The synths of M83’s Midnight City were clean and textured, but never sharp. Furthermore I could make them out quite well throughout the entire song, something I find single-BA IEMs tend to struggle on.

I never heard any sibilance through the EN120, even on poorly mastered tracks like Nero’s Satisfy.

Mids: Songs used: Flagpole Sitta, Jacked Up, I Am The Highway, Dreams

Flagpole Sitta sounded outstanding. Each guitar sounded distinct and textured, with a wonderful timbre. The drums, however, were the best part. They sounded clean and solid, a phenomenon I rarely get to enjoy on this song.

The instrumentation of Jacked Up was similarly impressive. The pianos were weighted impressively well and they had a hard edge to them. This indicates, as I mentioned earlier with the treble, that the EN120 has a very healthy attack and decay.

Vocals are also pretty great, though the EN120 does prefer male vocals over female ones. Intelligibility is good for both male and female though, so I can’t really complain here.

However I’m most impressed with how well Earnine managed to counteract the typical dryness that “clarity” tuned IEMs, especially of the single-BA variety, typically embody. I never found myself thinking that the mids were too thin or shrill.

Bass: Songs used: Moth, Gold Dust, In For The Kill (Skream Remix), War Pigs (Celldweller Remix)

Before I say any more I’d like to mention that I could only get an acceptable lower-register out of this IEM after I switched to really high-quality foam eartips. Using the included ones simply didn’t give me a good-enough seal.

Bass is where I feel that many people will loose the EN120. Even after getting an acceptable seal, bass is quite subtle. That being said, it is definitely present and audible, just not in the quantities that many consumers have come to expect. This is a truly “audiophile” take on bass, as there’s only enough there for you to hear the instrumentation in the lower register. That means you can entirely forget about any filthy bass drops or rumble — that’s not what the EN120 was designed for. This rendered, unfortunately, about half my test songs to be rather unimpressive. However Moth still sounded great, and the bass guitar had a notable presence. It was quite expressive and solid.

Packaging / Unboxing






I can only really levy criticism against Earnine for their packaging. The box has this oily sheen to it that makes the package feel more like it contains a cheap action-figure, not something that holds a sleek high-fidelity IEM.

Build
Construction Quality







Earnine really nailed construction on this one. The driver-housings and nozzles are machined from a well-polished reflective metal. You can find the Earnine logo emblazoned on the rear face of the housings. The braided cable is securely affixed to the housing through appropriately springy plastic stress-relief.





Speaking of cables, the EN120 has one of the most well-designed cables I’ve tested to date. No, it isn’t removable and no, it isn’t flashy. But it is sturdy, flexible, and nearly 100% free of microphonics. In terms of practicality Earnine hit this one out of the park. Furthermore the Y-splitter is nice and tough, and the chin-slider is effective.





The cable is terminated in a simple TRS 3.5mm jack. It’s also housed in polished metal and has the same effective stress relief featured on the housings. On the rear face of the jack you can find the Earnine logo as well, though it looks pressed into the metal rather than screen-printed.

Comfort

The EN120 is light and quite slim, making it very comfortable, even with the fairly standard silicone eartips that Earnine bundles. Isolation is decent, but (obviously) improves significantly when used with foam ones. Your millage may vary, but I’d say its a safe bet you’ll find the EN120 comfortable to wear even for extended periods of time.

Accessories
The EN120 doesn’t come with a lot of accessories, and frankly, doesn’t even have a simple carrying case. Inside the box you’ll find:

• 2x sets of extra silicone eartips

That’s it. But you know what, for the price, I’ll gladly give Earnine the benefit of the doubt. After all, I don’t have a single IEM of this price in my collection that can compete with it in terms of detail resolution.

Summary
The EN120, if you can buy it, is one of the best value IEMs I’ve ever encountered. If you’re willing to take an “audiophile” (read: subtle) take on bass then this is the IEM for you! Just slap some foam eartips on this bad boy and you’ll be all set. Otherwise, you’d best look elsewhere. Good job EARNiNE, and happy listening everyone!

Preamble:

Originally posted on my German audio review site, the "Kopfhörer-Lounge", here comes my review of the EARNiNE EN120, a single-BA in-ear that is using a wide-band Balanced Armature driver that was completely designed and built in-house.


Introduction:

The TSST (Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology) used to be a joint venture company active in Korea and Japan that owned the brand “EARNiNE” who used to offer two Balanced Armature in-ears, the EN1 and EN2. Both featured Balanced Armature drivers that were developed, designed and built in-house and called “WBA” (“Wide Balanced Armature”).

However, the mother company, TSST Korea, eventually went bankrupt.



Fast forward several months, according to a representative of EARNiNE, some of the employees who were involved in the BA and earphone design went to revive the EARNiNE brand, which (fortunately) worked out well.

While they kept offering the EN1 and EN2, they didn’t stop the development, and so they just recently introduced a new single-BA in-ear, also featuring a WBA driver, that was developed, designed and built in-house as well, calling it “EN120”.

Fast forward some more weeks, I now have an EN120 with me for review.

How does it sound? And how does it perform? Let’s find it out!


Before I move on with my review, I would like to thank Tony Song who graciously provided a sample of the EARNiNE EN120 free of charge for the purpose of an (as always) honest, unbiased and unpaid review without any constraints. I would also like to thank Sean from EARNiNE who was very helpful regarding my questions.


Technical Specifications:

Price (the original estimated MSRP was set to be around $80 – 100 but was lowered later on): JPY5480 in Japan; likely a little more for the international market
Driver Type: Balanced Armature
Drivers per Side: 1
Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Sensitivity: 104 dB +/-3 dB @ 1 kHz
Impedance: 22 Ohms +/- 20% @ 1 kHz


Delivery Content:

The packaging is certainly not the most impressive and rather standard for the price range.



The photos (including an exploded drawing) on the package’s outside and the information on it (in Japanese, Korean and English), as well as the magnetic front flap that unveils a plastic window with the in-ears sitting behind it, are rather nice though.



Inside, all you will find are the in-ears, three pairs of silicone tips and a manual.

While a carrying case would have been really nice, I can understand why EARNiNE decided against it since it is no standard accessory in the range of sub-$100 in-ears, however it would have certainly been a very useful accessory.


Looks, Feels, Build Quality:

The EN120 features a design that has not that much in common with the EN1 or EN2 anymore, but instead resembles the more traditional piston shape while still using aluminium housings.



The housings are made of chromed metal and shiny, however not as reflective as a mirror. What’s really nice is that the cylinder’s edges are rounded and therefore appear more premium.

An etched EARNiNE logo can be found on either shell, as well as a small side indicator (that is located at the cable’s entrance). Those side indicators are quite difficult to see in the dark, but easy to spot in daylight. Nonetheless an additional, coloured side-indicator on at least one side, just like Logitech/Ultimate Ears did with the UE900S’s cable, would have been a nice addition.

The shells and in-ears appear well-built and premium.



Despite the quite entry-level-targeted price, EARNiNE decided to go with a high quality cable for the EN120. Unlike most rather sticky, often not very flexible cables one usually finds in this price range, the EN120’s cable consists of three twisted conductors below the y-splitter and two twisted conductors per side above it – wherefore it is identical to the cables usually used in the professional and premium sector. A chin-slider is present, too.

The cable is very flexible, not sticky at all and, as already mentioned, very nice.

One can find an EARNiNE logo on the 3.5 mm plug’s metallic coating as well, however in contrast to the logos found on the shells, it is metal-injected instead of etched.

The used silicone tips are nicely soft and don’t appear like regular off-the-shelf tips.


Comfort, Isolation:

Due to the cylindrical shape and small footprint, pretty much everyone should be able to get a really good fit and seal with the EN120.

The housings’ shape also makes it possible to wear the EN120 either with the cable around the ears or, more traditionally, straight down. The first, which is also the more professional method, makes microphonics (cable noise) disappear pretty much entirely.

Not much surprisingly due to the closed shells, noise isolation is on a nicely high level.


Sound:

My main sources for listening were the iBasso DX200 and Stoner Acoustics UD125.

I only used the included silicone tips (largest size) for listening, evaluations and comparisons.

Tonality:

People searching for a typical consumer-oriented sound signature should look away immediately – because that’s what the EN120 will definitely not give them. Instead, it aims for a neutral sound signature (and by neutral, I really mean neutral and flat, as in mostly diffuse-field neutral).

Compared to an in-ear that is diffuse-field flat in the lows, such as the Etymotic ER-4S/SR, the EN120 has got around 3 dB more low-frequency quantity, which means that it has got pretty much the same amount of bass as the also quite neutral Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors and a bit less than the Etymotic ER-4XR.

Extension into the sub-bass is not lacking but as the EARNiNE is quite neutral in the lows, it will logically not have the same impact and slam as other in-ears.

The mids are neutral and flat. The presence range, unlike Etymotic’s in-ears, has no moderate lift wherefore the EN120 won’t be as critical with non-ideally mastered recordings, however just like the UERM that have a comparable midrange timbre, it will be more critical and revealing than many other in-ears that have a more forgiving, somewhat recessed presence range.

The highs are perceived to be a bit more on the brighter side – which is mainly due to a peak/overshoot between 6 and 7 kHz, which is the in-ear’s only tuning flaw. This peak does two things: 1) it accentuates male singer’s overtones, giving them a slightly leaner and airier “afterglow”/colouration, and 2) gives cymbals and ride cymbals a more direct, more metallic and somewhat sharp attack and also accentuates violins as well as some electronically generated sounds. Usually, despite it is at least 5 dB too strong, it won’t be perceived as too bothersome (as long as you are not rather treble-sensitive in general) or unpleasant, but can be a bit too sharp with some electronically generated sounds. Inserting the in-ears deeper into one’s ears should help a little though.

It doesn’t make the treble sound unpleasant but is responsible for an overall slightly more treble-driven perception of the sound.

Above that, the highs are neutral again, with a (slightly lesser) peak around 12 kHz and good extension up until 14 kHz.

- - -

So to summarise how the EN120 sounds, I would just mostly write down what I had written in my initial impressions: balanced, clear, clean, really nicely neutral sound with a somewhat bright touch around probably 6 kHz.

Resolution:

The EN120 doesn’t fully have the “character” of an inexpensive single-BA in-ear, however it does have an excellent coherency that you would expect from it.

Unlike other inexpensive single-BA in-ears that appear subjectively more mid-focussed even though they don’t lack bass and treble extension at all, the EN120 sounds more “complete” in comparison – not really like a typical inexpensive single-BA in-ear (not entirely different but you hear that it it’s not the same character).

Resolution is a good bit higher when comparing the EN120 to several other convincing single-BA in-ears in its price range. Overall, EARNiNE’s most recent single-(W)BA in-ear is, when it comes to resolution, definitely closer to the Etymotic-territory than what it is actually selling for (however it doesn’t entirely reach Etymotic’s ER•4 series models’ resolution and is a round half a class behind).

The resolution distribution is really good – no area lacks behind, the speech intelligibility is high with small details rendered nicely, good separation in the highs and a tight and quick bass.

The only things the EN120 struggles with are the very low frequencies (real sub-bass (< 40 Hz) and lower midbass (~ 60 Hz)) where the in-ear lacks some definition and details. There really is no flaw in terms of tightness and speed in the sub-bass but when a recording goes really low, the sub-bass and lower midbass sound a bit undefined and almost one-noted.

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Summarised, one could say that you get more than you pay for.

Soundstage:

The EN120 manages to sound fairly spacious and open – a cramped or small soundstage is definitely not what the single-BA in-ear from EARNiNE delivers.

Width is surprisingly nice, along with a spatial depth presentation that has got about 60% of the width’s expansion, making the soundstage overall more oval than circular to my ears.

Separation and imaging are pretty good. There is some air between and around instruments, but not that much and not with the same precision as from spatially more precise multi-BA in-ear models.



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In Comparison with other In-Ears:

Etymotic ER-4XR (>>$):

The much more expensive Etymotic features replaceable cables while both in-ears are using metal housings. The Ety is however designed to go deeper into the ear canal.

The ER-4XR has got a bit more bass than the EARNiNE – around 2 dB to be precise wherefore it carries somewhat more weight and impact in comparison.

Midrange timbre is about comparable, but the Ety is even less forgiving with bad recordings due to its more forward presence area.

Unlike the Ety, the EN120 has got an emphasis around 6 kHz which makes its highs somewhat brighter and sometimes sharper. As a result, the ER-4XR features the more even, more realistic and more authentic treble response in comparison.

The Etymotic has got the better sub-bass definition and more details in the lower bass. Speed and tightness in the midbass and upper bass are where the EARNiNE is very slightly superior.

The Ety’s midrange is a bit more detailed and layered.

The Ety has got the somewhat cleaner treble separation.

Other than the lower bass, both in-ears are quite close in terms of detail retrieval while the ER-4XR is ultimately still superior by about half a class (maybe less).

The EARNiNE has got the slightly wider soundstage while the Ety’s is deeper and more circular.

The Ety manages to create a bit more air around and between instruments while imaging and soundstage separation are overall very close.

Brainwavz B150 (≈>$):

While the EN120 can be worn both with the cables guided around the ears as well as traditionally with the cables down, the B150 is strictly designed for the former, more professional wearing method. While the EARNiNE is using metal housings, the Brainwavz’ are manufactured from plastic and don’t feature the same cable quality.

The B150 is more pronounced in the bass and warmer in the lower midrange.

The B150 is warmer in the mids.

The B150 has got the more relaxed, recessed treble and more forgiving, somewhat recessed presence range.

I would describe the Brainwavz’ treble as a bit more natural.

The B150 has got the somewhat better sub-bass definition and texture – but other than that, it is the EARNiNE that is more advanced in terms of technical quality.

The EN120 has got the tighter and faster bass while the Brainwavz’ feels more dynamic due to the somewhat softer character. Both are similar in terms of control though.

The EARNiNE is more detailed and resolving in the midrange and treble.

The Brainwavz has got the deeper soundstage while the EARNiNE’s is wider and features a somewhat more precise separation and imaging.


Conclusion:

The EARNiNE EN120 is an inexpensive single-BA in-ear with a pretty neutral tuning that is slightly leaning towards the brighter side. It is also somewhat more resolving than what you would expect in for the price it retails for, and sounds quite spacious. The premium twisted cable is another nice touch to the overall package, even though no carrying case/pouch comes included.



While the in-ear is not perfect (sub-bass definition and sub-bass details could be better and treble-sensitive people might find the 6 kHz range a bit too pronounced/sharp), it certainly offers good sound, performance and value for the price.

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I am very inclined to give the EN120 5 stars - which it would easily achieve due to its technical performance which really is quite remarkable for a single-BA in-ear in the sub-$100 range. However, the 6 kHz range can be a bit too sharp at times, and I can definitely see this exact peak being a turn-off for some people, hence I went for 4 stars instead.
To the TSST: try to tame the 6 kHz peak for successor models but keep the rest of the tuning, and you have a killer budget BA IEM with a neutral sound.