Acho Reviews (in English & Spanish)

[SenyorC]

Letshuoer S12

These IEMs are a set that I was very interested in trying out and while I was in Miami, Antdroid very kindly loaned them to me. I got to spend a day or so with them, with a very positive first impression, and was about to create a mini review for them when Letshuoer reached out to me, offering to send them to me for review. I was obviously very happy to do a full review of them and a few weeks later, here we are.

Therefore, these IEMs have been sent to me by Letshuoer in order to review them and give my detailed impressions on them. They have not made any specific requests (although I will share a non-affiliate link to them on my blog here) and my review will aim to be, as always, as honest and unbiased as possible, although you should always consider the fact that these IEMs did not cost me anything.

Intro…

There has been quite a surge of planar magnetic IEMs lately, gaining quite a lot of popularity due to them having improved a lot since previous releases. Two of the most popular have proven to be the Timeless and the S12, the set I have here today.

I did get to try out the Timeless while away and published a mini review of them that you can find here. In that mini review, I compared them quite a bit to the S12, as I had tried them side by side for a day or two, and I mentioned that the comparison probably didn’t make much sense due to the fact that I didn’t actually publish the mini review of the S12. I just mentioned above the reason for not publishing the mini review and I am very happy I have got the chance to test these IEMs over a longer period so that I can share more detailed impressions.

I also mentioned in all of the mini reviews (unless I forgot to mention it in any of them) that when I spend a more extended time with a set of IEMs (or headphones), my opinions may change over that period. I may grow used to some of the things I find strange at first and learn to like them more than I do over a short period, but it can also go the other way, I may start noticing things that I didn’t at first and which make the IEMs not as pleasant for me.

In this case, my impressions from the short period I spent with them have not changed much, if anything, I like them even more than I did over the short period I spent with them. I said in the 7Hz Timeless mini review that personally I preferred the S12 (although both are great sets of IEMs) and although I haven’t had a chance to spend a longer period with the Timeless, I still maintain my decision.

Anyway, enough chit chat and let’s get on with the important stuff.

Presentation…

The packaging of the S12 is simple, with a basic white box and an image of the product on the cover. Inside there is nothing out of the ordinary either, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come with everything that a set of IEMs should.

Inside the box we get the IEMs, multiple sets of tips (3x sets of foam in their own hard case and two types of silicone, 3 sets of each type), a nice compact carrying case that is smaller that what is usually included but is still big enough for the S12 to fit without issues, and a cable.

You can choose which cable you would like including when placing an order for the S12 (via the official page), choosing between 3.5mm and 4.4mm terminations, with an option of silver or nebula grey for the IEMs also. In my case, I went for the 4.4mm cable and the cable is of very good quality, although it is a little thick for my personal tastes. While it is not what I would pick personally, the cable has actually grown on me a lot over the past week as far as comfort, and there is no denying it is a great looking cable.

So, everything you need is included in the package, I cannot complain at all in this sense.

Build and aesthetics…

The build quality is good, there are no apparent issues that I can spot, and everything in the package seems well manufactured, including cable, IEMs and tips.

As far as aesthetics, these are quite simple. The shells are fully metal and are finished in a simple, no frills, silver colour (in my case). Obviously aesthetics are just as personal as comfort but they don’t strike me as anything that should offend the vast majority of people.

I just mentioned above that the cable is a great looking cable, so again, I have no complaints.

As far as comfort, I find them very comfortable, fitting my ears perfectly and although I would prefer a slightly lighter weight cable, it has also grown on me (possibly aesthetics taking a part in this). For tips, I had been using Xelastec tips for a lot of my listening time but I decided to try out the spring tips that are included with the Moondrop Chu (review of the Chu coming soon) and I have found that I not only find them to have great sound but to also be extremely comfortable without the hassle of the Xelastecs.

As I just said, comfort is as personal as aesthetics (or even more so), so everyone is going to be different, but I find these more comfortable than the Timeless and also less “attention seeking” with regards to aesthetics.

Sound…

Just a reminder that all tracks mentioned in this section are clickable links that will allow you to open the song in the streaming service of your choice, allowing a direct reference of the song I am talking about.

Here is where I fell in love with the S12. Anyone who has followed my headphone reviews will probably already know that I am a planar magnetic lover, and in the case of IEMs, it seems to be that I am of a similar fashion. I have had the Audeze iSine for quite some time now and I like them, except for the fact that they need a ton of equalisation in order for them to have a decent tuning. The S12 does not have that issue. The tuning out of the box is great, in my opinion of course, and I have found that they are probably the most pleasurable set of IEMs for long listening sessions that I have spent time with so far.

Moving through the usual sound categories, starting with subbass as always, there is no roll off here, at least not that I can hear. Putting the S12 through my usual subbass workout which is “Chameleon”, there is plenty of presence to give me the sub rumble that this track presents, without them seeming to lose control at any point. There are many sets of IEMs that can get that low end rumble with this track but once the subbass starts to mix with the midbass, things can get a little hazy. That is not the case with the S12, they keep things nice and collected, offering a great presentation of this track which is better than the vast majority (almost all, especially at this price) of IEMs that I have tried.

Moving into the midbass, if we look at the graph of the S12 vs my target preference, there is a little more than I request.

(all my IEM measurements can be found and compared on achoreviews.squig.link)

However, targets are just a rough guidance and we shouldn’t get fixated on things adhering to targets too much, as sometimes a deviation can actually sound better, depending on how that is presented and controlled by the IEMs in question.

In the case of the S12, the midbass is extremely well controlled, making things sound precise and clear, even when a track is busy in these areas. Even activating the XBass boost on the Gryphon, where bass becomes overpowering for me personally (depending on the track of course), they still keep control and definition of the notes.

Tracks like “No Sanctuary Here”, which have a strong bass presence but need cleanliness to sound their best, sound clear and, well, great on the S12. More “old school” songs, such as things like “Whole Lotta Love”, benefit quite a bit from the additional presence of the midbass, making the bass guitar of John Paul Jones become a little more present but without it sounding out of balance with the rest. The live performances by Clarke, Miller and Wooten (which is unfortunately not available on streaming services, at least as far as I know) are nicely presented with the separation of the 3 bass guitars being quite easy.

Moving into the mids, there is no bleed, no muddyness, just a nice clean transition. There is also no recess in the mids, keeping them from losing space to the midabass. The slap/pluck of “Elephants on Ice Skates” comes across as well balanced, without it being overpowering in the lower notes and without it losing in the mids to the brass section.

Listening to some of my favourite styles of music, such as acoustic and simple vocal/instrumental tracks, the mids are smooth, without anything sounding harsh or out of place. There is the usual hint of “coldness” that this kind of music can portray on planar magnetic drivers, which may sound a little different if you are used to dynamics but it is something that I have grown to enjoy from infinite hours spent with planar headphones.

A listen to “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes”, which can be a little harsh on the higher mids and lower treble on many sets, still presents a little harshness to Paul Simon’s voice if volume is pushed but in general it is again well balanced and is not painful (unless pushed way above my usual listening levels). “Don’t You Worry Child”, another track that can easily become harsh to my ears, is much better than I expected and is quite listenable.

Hip hop, which is something that can suffer quite a bit in regards to vocals when the midbass is boosted and the higher mids are not overly present to compensate, actually sounds as it should. Or at least it sounds like I expect it to sound after many decades of listening on many speaker set ups and other headphones. As an example, “Make Noise” by Busta Rhymes and Lenny Kravitz, has the vocals quite recessed in the mix, which can either totally disappear or become boosted, depending on the system, seem to have the same presence as I have heard on many monitor and live set ups.

Moving into the treble, there is a nice extension and plenty of “air” to make it thoroughly enjoyable for me. As a sibilance test, using “Code Cool” as usual, there is a slight hint of sibilance on a few of the “S” by Patricia Barber, but certainly not enough to make the track painful or difficult to listen to. This is something that can be the case on many sets of IEMs and headphones, with her voice either being harsh and sibilant, or subdued and pushed back. Again, I would say that the S12 do a great job of keeping it where it should be.

While the detail of these IEMs is very good, I do feel that detrail retrieval may not be the strongest point of the S12. I only listened to the Timeless for a day or so, although I got the possibility to test them side by side with the S12, but I got the feeling that as far as detail retrieval, the Timeless did have the slight edge here. Neither sets are going to compete with something like the Helios (a set of IEMs that is 5 times the price) but both are very good, not just for this price bracket.

At no point do I get the sensation that details are missing, they are all there, just maybe not as apparent as they are on some other sets. Listening to the intro of “All Your Love Turned to Passion”, there are some details in the left channel from the acoustic guitar that can be extremely impressive when a set of headphones presents them well. In the case of the S12, the details are there but they are not something that stand out and make you say “wow”, something that does happen on certain planar magnetic headphones like the higher end Hifimans, but this is obviously not even a comparison that can (or should) be made.

Soundstage is also good for a set of IEMs but without being outstanding. I really don’t find many IEMs to have a large sensation of space in this regard and the S12 are no exception. I would say they are on the higher side of average but not something that give the impression of having a huge amount of space for images to spread out. For example, “La Luna”, which is a binaural recording, does give a nice surrounding sensation but it is slightly closer than on open back headphones (which is again, not a very fair comparison).

The placement of images is very good however, with pretty good precision inside the soundstage that the S12 do have to work with. As I just mentioned, “La Luna” is easily placed around you, and also things like “Strange Fruit” show nice placement of the different layers of vocals.

Conclusion…

Well, I guess I have made it pretty clear that I like the S12, I don’t think there is any doubt about that. When I made the series of mini reviews, I got to spend some time comparing the Timeless and the S12 (I mentioned the comparison quite a bit in the TImeless mini review here), two sets that compete pretty closely with one and another, and I mentioned that I personally preferred the S12, at least after a day or two of use. I also mentioned that more time with a set sometimes makes me like (or dislike) something more and with the S12, I have grown to like it even more, making me very happy to use it as my daily IEM. I obviously haven’t had more time with the Timeless since then, but if I had picked the S12 out of the two based on the time I spent with them both, then I would have absolutely no regrets.

I read Antdroids review of the S12 and he said something that completely clicked with me and that I agree with 100%. I am paraphrasing from memory here but he said something along the lines of “ The S12 are like the Hifiman HE400se, they are maybe not the most detailed option and don’t have the fastest of planar speeds, but there is a decent amount for the price and the tonality makes up for it ” (or something along those lines ). I couldn’t agree more. The HE400se are a set of headphones that I just like, they are by no means the best performing headphones that I have but the overall sound is just pleasurable and is something that I can enjoy for hours of simple music listening. I feel the S12 are the same, I have come to not expect them to surprise me with things I didn’t know existed, but I have no doubt that they always perform well, no matter the track, and are a pleasure to listen to.

I was also surprised to find that they work really well with the iFi Go Blu. Due to expectations, I thought that the Go Blu would not be able to drive these IEMs well, but I was mistaken. Using the balanced output, it performs very well and has become a very portable set up that I am more than happy to use all day while away from my usual set ups, meaning I don’t need to rely on the Gryphon for portable power with these IEMs. I think this is probably more of a praise towards the Go Blu than the S12, however, it is something that has made me very happy.

If I needed to resume this (very long) review into a TLDR, it would be “A set of IEMs that I enjoy immensely and while not the highest performers out there, a perfect solution for my EDC”.

As always, this review can also be found in Spanish both on my blog (here) and YouTube (here)

[ttorbic]

Thanks for the excellent review, as always
I use the S12 at work when I want to block out external sound and listen to EDM or jazz. With Final E tips, I get an excellent seal and very good passive noise isolation.
It’s a great set - good build, good QC, good SQ!

[Rcayn]

Try to get your hands on the Raptgo Hook X

[SenyorC]

I would certainly like to.

[SenyorC]

Moondrop Chu

The Moondrop Chu have been sent to me by HifiGo in exchange for my review. The only request has been the usual inclusion of (non-affiliate) links to the product via there store, which you can find by visiting the version published on my blog. Therefore, my review will aim to be as honest and free of bias as possible, although you should always consider the fact that it hasn’t cost me anything.

Intro…

It has been a while since I last posted a review of a sub 50€, a price range that I have always liked to focus on here. The Moondrop Chu is not only less than 50€, it is less than half of that, coming in at around 20€.

I have always been a bit of a Moondrop fan, enjoying most of their IEMs and still using the Aria as my main bluetooth IEMs (connected to an MW200), therefore I am always happy to try out new models from them and if they are models that come in this cheap, even more so.

If any of you follow the budget IEM sector, you may have already seen the Chu get quite a bit of praise, at least from the majority of users, so let’s see if they get more praise (or not) from myself.

Presentation…

This is a set of 20€ IEMs, therefore anything more than the IEMs, a cheap cable and a couple of silicone tips is probably already a bonus.

In the case of the Chu, the cable is fixed, which is a let down for many but it needn’t always be a bad thing (more on that in a second). We also get, as expected, 3 sets of silicone tips. However, the tips included are not normal generic cheap silicone that end up in a big box of tips (in my case at least), they are Moondrop Spring tips which actually cost over 12€ for a set of three sizes like the ones included.

We also get a small felt pouch for storage, which while not exactly a high class case, it still does its job and keeps them free of dust, dirt and scratches while not in use. Finally, apart from the usual documentation, we get a set of rubber ear hooks (which I will discuss with the cable in a moment) and a wooden decoration piece which has the anime girl engraved on it (I have no idea what this is to be used for, but anyways, it is included).

All of this is presented in a simple black box with a transparent cover that shows the same anime girl and the IEMs sitting in their respective cut outs.

Build and aesthetics…

Starting with the IEMs, they are not the usual shape commonly found on IEMs, nor are they the small button type found on things like the Quarks, they are sort of in between. The shape is actually just a small oval that the (fixed) cable comes out of near the top front, angling slightly downwards. The decoration is black with a gold leaf type symbol (well, it looks like a leaf when the IEMs are held upside down), which is not exactly stunning but doesn’t look too bad. The IEM shells are metal and look as though they are well assembled, although only time will tell in this regard (Moondrop don’t always have the best rep for paint durability).

The cable, as I said, is fixed and I said that this is not always a bad idea. The thing with fixed cables is that it stops worries about which cable to buy, will I notice an upgrade, etc. Here, you get what you are given, for better or for worse. In the case of the Chu, the cable is not actually bad, especially if we consider the price point. It is a simple rubber coated not braided cable, it’s not microphonic, it’s not a bad length and, well, it just works. As with most people, I do prefer a detachable cable but at least this cable is decent enough to not hate it.

Finally the tips, I think they are great. I hadn’t actually tried these tips before (I’m not sure how long they have been available) and was genuinely impressed when I used them on the Chu. I also tried them on the S12 (as I mentioned in my S12 review) and found them to be great, enough for them to be my tips of choice for those IEMs.

With the Chu, I find that I use a medium set (they seem to be slightly smaller than other brand tips) as I get a seal quite deep inside my ear (due to the shape and size of the Chu), while on the S12, the large set works better for me. Another win as 1 set of tips has served 2 IEMs. Many times I only end up using one, or none, of the included tips and the others end up lost in a big box of tips somewhere.

Before wrapping up this section, I just want to mention fit and comfort. There are rubber ear hooks included with the Chu, something that I very rarely use as I prefer not to have the preformed hook over my ears. However, in the case of the Chu, I found that the cable had the habit of springing off my ears so I gave the hooks a try and they work very well. The cable does pop out of the hook sometimes when removing them but that is a minor gripe and overall I must say that I find the Moondrop Chu to be very comfortable in my ears. The deepish fit allows me to lay on my side (something that I usually use the Quarks for but will probably replace them with the Chu) and the tips are just very comfortable.

Sound…

That was quite a lengthy build and aesthetics section for a set of 20€ IEMs, so lets get on with the most important part, the sound.

In the subbass there is quite an impressive extension. It is not the most rumble you are going to find in a set of IEMs but it has enough to do it’s job and present those low notes with enough authority to find them enjoyable. In comparison to the Quarks, I find the subbass to be easier to appreciate, even though measurements show that it is not really that different down in those regions, but it is the midbass that makes it seem more likeable (to me).

The thing that I like about the midbass is the fact that there is no midbass bump like there is on the Quarks, or on many other budget models (all the ones I have tried) from the brand. In fact, I think the Chu is the closest tuning to my preference target that I have heard from them. The lower end is actually tuned similar to the Dusk, although at a slightly reduced level of presence.

Here is a graph of the Chu compared to my personal preference target:

(all of my measurements can be found and compared on achoreviews.squig.link)

This obviously puts the Chu off to a good start as far as its tuning in the lower ranges, giving me the impression of being clean and well balanced.

Taking some songs from my test track list, things like “Long After You’re Gone” are presented very well in the mid bass range, or “No Sanctuary Here”, which is more midbass focused, has plenty of clean and articulate bass, without giving the feeling that it is lacking (at least to me).

There are obviously some tracks that can benefit from a little bit more of a midbass presence than found on the Chu, such as “Jack Of Speed”, but I found that the Gryphon (or Go Blu) gave me that little bit extra when needed and that the Chu take it quite well.

Moving into the mids, they are well balanced and I have no complaints throughout the whole range. Vocals are present, instruments are easily separated and in general they do a pretty good job for a set of 20€ IEMs.

My first, and possibly only major, complaint comes when we hit the 5kHz mark. AS I have said plenty of times in the past, I seem to have a bit of sensitivity to 5kHz peaks and that is where the main peak in the upper ranges is on the Moondrop Chu. This can make certain instruments come across to me as harsh. There are certain upper guitar notes, percussion hits, and other things that just have too much presence in that region and can make me wince a little, depending on the track.

This is something that I think affects me more than others, as everyone’s a little more sensitive to different things, so it probably won’t even be an issue for most people, but for me it does detract a little from the enjoyability of these IEMs, especially over longer listening sessions as I can find them tiring.

The upper treble has a decent extension to it, with a nice sensation of air and I really can’t complain much about these higher ranges. It is not the smoothest of treble’s but it is acceptable, especially if we go back to considering the price.

Details are not the greatest but are acceptable. Background details can be a little hazy, seeming to be a little out of focus at times, but again, we are talking about a set of IEMs at 20€, at this price I feel they are adequate, although not amazing.

Soundstage is about on a par for a set of IEMs in this realm, with enough space and enough imaging to appreciate things like binaural recordings, but don’t expect a huge space outside your head.

Conclusion…

The Moondrop Chu are a very good set of IEMs for their price. As far as sound, my only real complaint is that 5kHz peak that I mentioned, but as I also said, this probably affects me much more than it does other people. Other than that, I find that the sound is very good for the price bracket that these sit in.

In fact, on a sound level, these could easily be placed much higher, although I think that things like detachable cables would start to be a little more important if we start scaling the price ranges.

The contents included are also satisfactory for the price, except for the tips, which are worth the purchase almost by themselves. Maybe this is actually a good marketing move by Moondrop, they have a set of cheap IEMs with good sound that is receiving praise and will get many people to try them who may not have considered Moondrop in the past. At the same time, they include a set of tips that they sell separately for more than half the price of these IEMs, which are very good tips (in my opinion) and this may increase the sales of those tips by quite a bit also.

Whichever way we look at it, there is no way I can say that the Moondrop Chu are not worth their price, they are more than worthy. At a price of 20€, I don’t see them as anything other than a win.

As always, this review is also available in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews

[SenyorC]

TRI TK-2

The Tri TK-2 has been very kindly loaned to me as part of a European Tour which was organized for this unit. To be totally honest, I wasn’t even part of the tour, however, my fellow reviewer Cqtek, of hiendportable.com, spoke with the organizers and arranged for me to get to try out this device while it is in Spain. I am very grateful to both Cqtek for sorting this out, as I am towards the organizers of the tour for letting him include me.

As I have had no contact with the actual organizers, I have obviously not received any requests from them, so I will leave the two links that Cqtek published in his review in the version of this review posted on my blog.

I will also leave this link to the review of the TK-2 by Cqtek (available in English and Spanish) here: https://hiendportable.com/tri-tk-2-english-review/

Obviously, all of this means that I will aim to be, as always, unbiased and honest in my review, but it is always good to factor in that it hasn’t cost me anything to try out this device.

Presentation…

I honestly know absolutely nothing about this device. Before I received it, I hadn’t even seen pictures, so I can’t say of the packaging and contents are any different due to it being a tour unit, but my guess is that it is the retail packaging and contents.

The TH-2 arrives inside a black rectangular box, showing an image and logo on the front, with plenty of specs on the back. I was surprised at some of the stated specs (as I said, I knew nothing about this device) and also learned that it is in fact a collaboration between TRI and KAEI. The reading of the box actually made my interest grow before opening it.

Anyways, inside the box we get the TK-2, a short USB-C to USB-C cable with 90º connectors (always appreciated!), a longer USB-A to USB-C cable, a couple of rubber rings to attach it to another device, a USB-C to Lightning adapter and a microfiber cloth. I have never been so happy to receive a microfiber cloth with a device, but more on that in a moment.

So, a simple presentation with not a huge amount of contents but certainly enough to enjoy the product out of the box.

Build and aesthetics…

Let me start by saying that the aesthetics are beautiful, until you touch the device. This is the biggest fingerprint magnet I have ever had in my hands, this being the reason for me being extremely happy to receive the microfiber cloth I just mentioned. Just to take a few photos of the TK-2, I must have cleaned it 30 times, and there are still fingerprints in the photos

However, when it is clean, it does look amazing. The top is a black glass finish with the Tri logo in a mirrored finish, as are the sides and bottom. The volume wheel and connector surrounds are in a gold colour and they just all work well together. As I always say, aesthetics are a very personal thing, and I am not usually one for gold, but it does work well with the aesthetics of the device.

Along the top there are 5 status lights that indicate the Hz of the signal, along the front we get a 2.5, 4.4 and 3.5mm outputs, along with the volume wheel. At the back of the unit there are two USB-C ports (one for charge and one for data) which are slightly recessed, along with a line out/phones out selector, and the rest of the unit is just one big flawless mirror, with nicely bevelled corners and in gener, a very good build quality.

I will say though that this device is big and heavy. It is not the biggest (or heaviest) portable device I have used, I think that still belongs to the Diablo, but it is bigger than the Gryphon, in width, depth, length and weight.

I would certainly class the TK-2 as transportable rather than portable, I don’t think you would want this in your pocket along with whatever source you are using, in fact, unless you are wearing cargo pants, I doubt you could even fit it in your pocket.

So, it is big, heavy and a fingerprint magnet… but I love it

Functionality…

There really isn’t much to explain here, you connect whatever your source is to the USB-C port on the back, you connect your headphones of choice on the front, you turn it on and you listen.

The TK-2 is a fairly powerful unit, in fact, it’s a very powerful unit if we consider it portable, using a class A/B amplifier that can push 1250mw @32Ohms. This is obviously not on par with something like the Diablo (which is just crazy) but is more than the Gryphon puts out.

It is also not terrible on battery life. The specs claim 9 hours and I haven’t really managed to deplete it, even when running it almost all day at the office (around 6 or 7 hours of listening), so I guess it is true. It will obviously depend on what headphones you are using and what levels you listen at, I have mainly been using easy to drive headphones and my listening levels are not high.

There really isn’t much more that I can say about the functionality, its simple, it works, and it works well. It supports all kinds of PCM and also native & DOP DSD up to 256. So it should cover most of your files, unless you are someone into MQA.

Sound…

My dreaded section of any DAC or amp review, how does it sound?

Well, it sounds good but… it doesn’t pair well with everything. I’ll get to why in just a moment.

When I first got the device, I was obviously at my office and the headphones I had on hand were the HD6XX, which have been living here recently. As you may already know, based on previous comments, the HD6XX can go from excellent to terrible depending on my mood. Well, I must have been in a good mood as I plugged them in to the TK-2, opened Foobar and just enjoyed music for the rest of the day. I listened to a lot of blues, jazz, instrumental and acoustic music and I really couldn’t have asked for enjoyment. I really enjoyed things like the Cooltrane Quartet, Nick Cage and the Bad Seeds, B.B.King, Clapton, Genevive Leclerc and many other bands and artists. With the HD6XX, it reminded me quite a bit of the Asgard 3 when I am in a good mood

I was a bit surprised to find that to reach my usual listening levels with the HD6XX, I was above 50% on the volume knob but a bit of investigation informed me that the unit automatically switches to high gain when going above 60% and I must say that the difference between 55% and 65% is fairly large and there is a little bit of a digital click when it happens but I only actually did this for tests as I never needed to go that high for my usual listening (and I dropped the volume on the PC before managing to hit the gain change over). A little thing to mention is that 60% is actually where you would expect 75% to be on the knob, so when I was thinking I was above 50% for my usual listening levels, I was actually probably around 40%.

I also noticed no channel imbalance at low levels, although I did notice that the first 10% of the volume wheel doesn’t produce any sound at all. This is actually not a bad thing as you hit silence quite a bit before you hit the “off” part of the knob, avoiding accidental disconnects when reducing the volume.

So, my next test was to move away from the dynamic drivers and 300 Ohms of the HD6XX and try something planar. As I still have the Edition XS and the Arya v3 in my office from when I recently reviewed the CMA15, my first choice was the Edition XS (only because the box was on top of the other one). I only had balanced cables on hand so I proceeded to connect the Edition XS to the 4.4mm output of the TK-2.

My first surprise came when I realised I needed the same level on the dial to achieve similar listening levels as with the HD6XX. This is just an estimate as I did not measure the volume but usually I do find that I need a little more power with the HD6XX than the Edition XS.

I proceeded to listen for a while and there was something about the headphones that just didn’t sound right. The usual clarity and separation of the low end was not as good as I am used to with these headphones. It sounded a little congested and even a little bloated on occasions, while on other occasions it just sounded like there was something missing. As I didn’t have an unbalanced cable on hand, I couldn’t A/B with the Atom, which is usually a quick reference point for me, so I decided to swap headphones instead.

I unplugged the Edition XS and moved over to the Arya V3, again running balanced from the 4.4mm output. The Arya sounded much better, cleaner in the low end, but still did not sound as good as they usually do. There was still a hint of that bloated sensation with certain tracks and the detail in the low end just wasn’t as separated as it usually is. Now, the Edition XS are not headphones that I listen to everyday, I mean, they are great headphones, but when I get chance to pick something up for pleasure, it is usually the Arya (not always, but a lot of the time), so I know the sound of these headphones pretty well, especially with my test tracks, songs that I have listened to thousands of times.

Listening to “The Room” by Ostura, a track which can get quite busy in the lower mids and midbass, I found that these low notes of the guitar and bass were not as easy to separate as they usually are but still sounded decent. I moved back to the Edition XS and there it was, the same track became less defined in the low end and again exhibited a bit of bloat in certain parts of the tracks.

Later in the day I moved on to the DT1990 Pro, a set of headphones that are very rarely affected by the source and sure enough, they sounded just like they always do.

The next day, I brought in the Gryphon in order to A/B it with the TK-2 and sure enough, with the two Hifiman headphones, the bottom end just sounded cleaner and better represented on the Gryphon. At first I was thinking that maybe the TK-2 didn’t have enough current to keep up with the planars but I then skimmed the review by Cqtek, who presents measurements of sources, and there was my answer, the TK-2 has an output impedance of 20 Ohms when using balanced. This doesn’t play well with the Arya (35 Ohms) and even less with the Edition XS (18 Ohms), which seems to have been causing the issues that I was experiencing.

Then I decided to move on to IEMs, starting off with a cheap set of IEMs that I had just finished reviewing, the Moondrop Chu. Now, the Chu aren’t exactly a set of IEMs that I would choose to determine the qualities of an amp and DAC but they happened to be on my desk and also happen to be 18 Ohms.

With the Chu, which I had just recently reviewed so I had them fresh in my mind, I really didn’t notice any difference that I could put my finger on. At least nothing that stood out that couldn’t be attributed to my expectations now that I had looked at the output impedance (one of the reasons that I try to avoid reading anything about a product before reviewing, if possible).

So, I moved to the Letshuoer S12, another set of IEMs that I have fresh in my mind as I have been using them a lot lately. These are planar IEMs and have an impedance of 14.8 Ohms. Once again, from the balanced output, I noticed what seemed like bloat on a lot of music and while the low end didn’t sound as congested as it did on the Arya, they were certainly not as clean as I expect them to be after using them on many other devices.

Moving through a few other IEMs, I didn’t really notice any issues with any of the ones that I use the most, which are actually all dynamic drivers for the bass. I do have a few hybrids, such as the Dusk, that I use regularly, but they all use DD for bass. The few IEMs that I do have that use BA’s for the low end are not models that I use enough to be able to make a sensible comparison without spending much more time with the IEMs and the TK-2. Yes, I could probably A/B the quickly against other set ups, but I feel that expectation bias would interfere a lot in such short comparisons.

Conclusion…

The Tri TK-2 is a very interesting piece of equipment. It has a lot of good things going on and a few not so good things also.

As far as build and aesthetics, absolutely no complaints. Yes, it is heavy, large and you will need to clean it each time you touch anything more than the volume wheel, but when it is clean, it looks great. It is well built and honestly looks like something of high quality. A quick search online brough back results starting at just over 250€, which is not exactly cheap for a portable DAC/Amp, but is a lot cheaper than things like the Gryphon that come in at around 600€. Admittedly the Gryphon has everything you could wish for and a bit more, whereas the TK-2 is a simple DAC/Amp, but I still expected a price that was a little higher based on the spec and build.

As far as functionality, it is pretty basic, it is, as I just said, a simple DAC/Amp. The major benefits are the power ratings, the A/B class amp and the ESS DAC chips, which obviously offer far more performance than something like a dongle set up.

As far as sound, well it seems to depend on what you are planning on using it with. With dynamic driver headphones, it sounds very nice, very reminiscent of the Asgard in some ways, with that slight smoothness to the sound. With planar magnetic headphones, at least the ones that I tried, it doesn’t do so well. The same can be said for planar magnetic IEMs, or at least the S12. That 20 Ohms output impedance doesn’t work well with them.

With DD IEMs, it also works well, with no real issues at all, even with low impedance IEMs (or at least the ones that I tried didn’t seem to suffer). I did sometimes get the impression that the bass was a little bloated but I am going to chalk that up to my expectation bias after finding out the output impedance.

For example, with the HD6XX, I think the TK-2 would be something that would make 95% of people happy with the sound and performance, with a great sounding system that comes in at around 500€ for the whole set, and allows you to move around freely from the sofa, to the office to the front porch.

Personally I wouldn’t choose this over the portable set ups I already have, the Go Blu and the Gryphon, but even the tiny Go Blu is already nearly the price of the TK-2, so it really isn’t a fair comparison.

(As always, this review is also available in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

[SenyorC]

Tin Hifi T1S

The Tin Hifi T1s have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. They have not made any specific requests but I will leave a (non-affiliate) link to the T1S via their webstore on my blog, as usual in these cases.

I will do my best to be as sincere and unbiased as possible in this review but it is always worth considering the fact that these IEMs have not cost me anything.

Intro…

I have owned a few Tin Hifi IEMs over the years, with the T2 being one of my first sets back when I started in the realms of IEMs, something that seems like a long long time ago, seeing how many models have been and gone since then.

I have also reviewed a couple of Tin IEMs on Acho Reviews, one of which were the Tin T1 Plus, back in 2020. This set is the T1S and I believe they are an an updated version of the the Plus, although I have done my best to not really know anything about them (as usual, when possible).

I do know that they use a Beryllium plated dynamic driver (according to the spec) and that they come in at less than 20€, placing them firmly inside the sub 50€ category I like to point out.

Presentation…

I got a little smile when opening the T1S as it is basically the same presentation as the T1 Plus, in fact, when sliding the box out from the cardboard sleeve that shows the model and the spec of the T1S, the box actually says T1 Plus on it.

Basically it is a no frills presentation, containing the usual IEMs, cable, a few sets of silicone tips and the warranty card. Nothing special but nothing to complain about at the price.

Actually, after recording the video for this review, while taking photos, I noticed that it is not only the box that has T1 Plus on it, the shells of the IEMs also say T1 Plus on them. So I guess that they are using up what they have in stock left over from the T1 Plus. I have no idea if at some point the T1S will start to have its own name on the shells, I suppose it depends on how much stock they have left and how many T1S are sold.

Build & Aesthetics…

The T1S are available in 4 colours. In my case I received the black which is the only set that features a semi transparent faceplate, with small silver speckles on them. They are completely made of plastic and are (obviously!) the same size and shape as the previous T1+.

This means that they are very comfortable and also very lightweight. They are amongst the lightest sets of IEMs that I have (as are the T1S). There is no discomfort or fatigue from them over long periods, due to the ergonomics (which fit me well, but obviously everyone is different) and the lightness.

The cable is also quite thin and light, and although it does get prone to a little tangling, is not terrible. Nothings special but again, nothing to complain about at the price, it gets the job done. They have also stuck with the use of 2 Pin connectors, something that I personally appreciate.

Sound…

Before commenting on sound, let’s take a quick look at the graph comparing the T1+ to the new T1S:

(all measurements are available on achoreviews.squig.link)

You can see that there isn’t a lot of change between the tuning of the two, however, I will say that the small tweaks have been for the better. Now, it is not a night and day difference between the two, but I do find the newer T1S to just be more cohesive overall.

Starting off with sub bass, there is a roll off as we get down into the lowest notes, with even less presence than on the previous set, however, it still gives enough rumble for things to be pleasant enough in the bottom frequency range.

I don’t think these are going to be the pick of those that want a huge rumbling low end, but the boost of the midbass is enough to give the impression of them having quite a presence down low. This gives a warmth and smoothness to electric bass guitars and other instruments sharing the same sonic space, and while it is a little too much for my personal preference, it is by no means offensive nor overpowering.

The midbass boost does roll over into the mids and while it may seem like there is some bleed on the lower end of the mids, it doesn’t really sound too bad, it gives a nice warmth to the lower ranges of vocals, adding a bit of smoothness to male and female vocals.

There is a dip as we get to the middle of the mid section, although it is less pronounced than on the T1+, with the climb towards 3kHz starting a little earlier than on the previous version. This actually makes them sound less V shaped in my opinion (although it is still really a V shaped tuning overall), giving them a little more clarity in the upper ranges of vocals and presence of the notes found in the higher mids.

As we climb into the hr ranges, there isn’t much extension up there, I don’t think anyone is going to consider these “airy” or “extended”. The upper treble does remind me of the typical upper treble found on so many budget IEMs with single dynamic drivers.

The soundstage is pretty much average for a set of IEMs, with nothing spectacular going on. Images are easily located but they are not pinpoint images, more of a general placement that works for things like binaural and panned stereo images, without any real placement of background details.

Speaking of details, they are also nothing extraordinary, although I do feel that they are a step up from the T1+ in this regard. There is nothing that is going to jump out and make you say “wow, I didn’t know that existed”, but at the same time, they don’t make you feel like your music is missing anything.

Conclusion…

I feel that the T1S are more similar to the T1+ than not. There have been some tweaks and these are for the better, in general they are a better set of IEMs, although I don’t think there is anything amazing about them.

When I reviewed the T1+, I said they were more focused on the casual listener than anyone looking to focus on details, and I feel that the T1S are in the same category. They are a set of IEMs with a fairly safe tuning, with a pleasant overall sound that shouldn’t really offend anyone. I can’t see them polarizing opinions.

They are very comfortable (for me) and very lightweight, so if you are looking for a budget set of easy listening IEMs for daily use, then I think you can do a lot worse than the T2S, there is no doubt that they are worth their price tag.

As always, this review is available in Spanish both on achoreviews.com and on youtube.com/achoreviews

[SenyorC]

TRI Meteor

The Tri Meteor have been loaned to me as part of a European tour that has been organized by KBear. As with the TK-2 that I recently reviewed, I was not actually part of the tour but Cqtek, from Hiendportable.com, very kindly spoke with the organizers who allowed him to send the Meteor (and the TK-2) to me while they are here in Spain.

I am obviously very grateful to Cqtek and the organizers for this opportunity. They have not requested anything from me (I haven’t even had any contact with the organizers), therefore I will include the links that Cqtek included in his review (which, as usual, I have not yet read yet, except for the first paragraph to see the links) in the version published on my blog.

This means that I will do my best to be as honest and impartial as possible but you you should always consider the fact that it has not cost me anything to try out these IEMs.

Here you can find the review by Cqtek: TRI Meteor English Review - Hi End Portable

Intro…

I have not tried a set of Tri IEMs before and I really didn’t know what to expect. Reading the first paragraph of Cqteks review, I found out that these are a hybrid set of IEMs, featuring a DD and a BA, and that the cable that came with them is actually the Grace-S cable. That is the limit of what I know about these IEMs going into the review.

Well, that and the price of them, after a quick search online, seeming to come in around 100 to 120€, with the cable costing almost the same.

I am glad that his review mentioned that it was and aftermarket cable, as I obviously didn’t get to open them, so I couldn’t know what was included. My first thought was “wow, this is the cable they include??”.

I also want to mention that I have only spent a week with both the TK-2 and the Meteor IEMs, it has also turned out to be quite a busy week, spending quite a bit of time with the TK-2, so I have not spent quite as much time with them as I would usually like to. I still got plenty of time to listen to them but haven’t really had much time to do any direct comparisons with other models or play around with more sources.

My review is based exclusively on using them with the Gryphon and the Go Blu. I didn’t even test them with the TK-2 as I didn’t feel that using a set of unknown IEMs with an unknown source would be the most productive use of time as far as creating a review.

Presentation…

As I said, I didn’t get to open these so I can’t vouch that everything included is actually what is included with a retail set, but I believe it is, with the addition of the Grace-S cable.

The IEMs were shipped to me inside a semi rigid case with the Tri logo, with the Grace-S cable attached. I think that this case (and obviously the cable) are the only things that are not included in the usual package, due to there being another case inside the actual box.

The box is rather large and the contents are fairly impressive for a set of 100€ IEMs. Inside the box there are 5 sets of coloured silicone tips, plus another 3 sets in a bag, a brown (faux) leather carrying case, a single ended cable, a microfiber cloth and a little brush for cleaning purposes.

I didn’t actually use anything that was inside the box (I stuck with the Grace-S cable and my own tips), but the contents are certainly enough to not have any complaints at this price.

Build and aesthetics…

Let’s start with the cable. It’s a rather chunky one. It is good looking and uses good hardware, however, it is heavy and is on the thick side for my personal tastes. I like well built cables but I mentioned in the S12 review that the included (balanced) cable was a little big for me, this one is much bigger. Therefore, I have no complaints about the cable from a functional or build point of view, but it is not a cable I would choose personally.

The IEMs are quite a generic shape, reminding me of things like Thieaudio, although maybe a little bigger. I have no issues as far as comfort, although the nozzle is a little chunky, but the right tips (I ended up using the Crystal’s) help with a slightly deeper fit and while they are not the most comfortable IEMs I have ever worn, they are not bad and I can wear them for extended periods.

As far as build, they seem to be well built and don’t have any glaring issues that jump out at me. The aesthetics are also quite pleasant, with a black tinted, transparent shell, and a black faceplate sporting the logo in silver along with some silver swirls.

I can’t say there is anything that makes me very passionate about them, good or bad, so I have no complaints.

Sound…

The first thing that stood out to me about the Meteor is the smoothness of their sound. They have a warmish tone to them without actually sounding dark or too blunt, something that I do find with a lot of IEMs with a low end focus.

Before getting to the usual sound categories, let’s take a quick look at the graph in comparison to my personal preference…

(all measurements of IEMs are available on achoreviews.squig.link)

Now it’s not difficult to see that the low end is quite a bit above my usual preferences in this zone, all the way from the subbass up through the midbass. If I was to just look at the graph of these IEMs, I would probably immediately think “no thanks” and move on. However, even though the low end is boosted, it doesn’t come across as the center of attention and it is kept very clean and articulate.

The subbass extends low and with authority, giving “Chameleon” all the bass it needs, but it still sounds articulate. While the low end rumble is no doubt there, it doesn’t overpower the rest of the bass frequencies.

In fact, the remaining bass frequencies, in other words the midbass, is also rather boosted, but as with the subbass, it still manages to not take over the whole sound signature. The dynamic driver does a very good job of keeping things clean and coherent. Listening to “I Fink U Freaky”, expected the bottom end to take the rest of the frequencies hostage with such a bass boost but it is not the case. Even with “When the party’s over”, the parts where the bass comes in strong, Billie’s vocals are still clear in the mix.

Moving into the mids, I was surprised that they keep a clarity that I really didn’t expect. Now, clarity shouldn’t be confused with “detailed”, as I feel that the mids are not really that detailed, in fact, I feel that the whole sound is general is rather smooth, throughout the whole range.

Vocals have a smoothness to them that, while not as detailed as I enjoy from many other sets, make for a very pleasurable listen. From “I Concentrate on You” to “Strange Fruit”, female vocals have a nice warmth and body to them, without becoming dull. Male vocals are just as smooth, although listening to “Hallelujah” and “These Bones”, they did give me an impression of taking just a step backwards in comparison to female vocals, but still, they are very pleasurable.

The higher ranges continue with the smoothness, without any specific sharp peaks or even sibilance, proven by the usual “Code Cool” test. The extension is maybe not the greatest but I feel that the general sound signature also adds to the sensation of roll off in this regard.

As I mentioned a moment ago, details are not the strong point of the Meteor, they don’t present you with tiny nuances, especially with regards to background details, but that really doesn’t seem to be the vibe they are going for anyway.

Soundstage does seem to be on the higher side of average, not exactly huge but still more than the majority of IEMs, with image placement that is very well done. Maybe this gives a sensation of being better due to the fact that I am not searching for the placement of all the tiny details, just the larger images in general. “La Luna” is a very pleasurable experience with the Meteor.

Conclusion…

The Meteor are quite far from my preferred tuning for a set of IEMs, yet they are a very pleasurable set of IEMs. I found that I was very happy to listen to a lot of my preferred music genres while doing other things, they didn’t make me focus on the music and dissect it, they made me enjoy listening to music as I went about my day to day.

They actually remind me quite a bit of a set of Sony speakers that I have had for a long time and have given me many hours of joy (although they have not been out of storage for quite some time now). They are not something I turn to when I want to “experience” the music, they are miles behind other speakers that I use, but they are something that always brings a smile to my face when they just fill the room with great BGM.

The Meteor have left me with a similar sensation, they are not a set of IEMs that I would usually turn to but I have not found myself not enjoying the music at any time while using them.

As always, this review is also available in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews

[SenyorC]

CCA CRA+

The CCA CRA+ have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. As usual, they have not requested anything specific but I will leave a non-affiliate link to the CCA CRA+ via their webstore on my blog.

This means that I will be as honest and unbiased as possible, as I always am, but it is always good to take into consideration that these IEMs have not cost me anything.

Intro…

As you probably already know, CCA are a brand owned by KZ. I have not been paying any attention to KZ lately, since the whole “non working driver” fiasco. Not because I specifically have anything against them, it is just that there are so many IEMs available on the market that I have no need for drama. In fact, the last set of KZ IEMs I was sent were the DQ6s (which I did a very brief impression video of) and the ZES which I didn’t even review (you really didn’t miss much there).

However, not long ago I reviewed the CCA CRA, the predecessor of the model I have here today, and I said that “what if the best KZ IEMs are not KZ?”. So, when Linsoul asked if I wanted to try the CRA+, I was more than happy to give them a listen and I am actually quite glad I did.

According to the publicity, they are an upgraded model with completely new drivers and while I take this with a grain of salt, there are noticeable differences between the original and the plus.

Presentation…

There is absolutely no difference in presentation between the original CRA and the CRA+, the same box, the same contents except for the cable ( in this case I have received the version with microphone) and generally the exact same everything. So, if you really want to know more about the white box, you can check my review of the original CRA.

Build and aesthetics…

The publicity jargon also says luxury appearance, which I guess means they are gold coloured. The originals were available in Black (actually a dark grey metal colour) and White, whereas the new CRA+ are only available in Gold.

That is literally the only difference I have been able to spot between the two.

Personally, I am not a fan of gold but I am not going to complain about it, these IEMs come in at around 27€ (at the time of publishing this review) and aesthetics are not something I worry about too much at this price, although I will say that the original CRA comes in under 14€, so these cost almost double the older model.

Sound…

So, we have established that so far there are very few (if any) differences between the two models, but in the sound category is where things start to stand out. Before I get into it, let me mention that my listening has been done almost exclusively with the Gryphon (with no EQ) and using both the stock cable and tips from the original CRA. My choice of tips and cable was to keep it consistent between the two, that doesn’t mean that different tips won’t react differently on each model, just that I haven’t tip rolled.

As a quick recap of the original, I said that they had a lot of bass, more than I would choose, but that it is very good quality bass and that although I wouldn’t use them all the time, that I liked them. In fact, they (the CRA) have actually been in my box of reference IEMs since then.

Well, the CRA+ seems to have kept the qualities of the original and changed the tuning slightly, making them more enjoyable (for me personally) than the originals.

Let’s take a quick look at the graph of the two:

(all measurements can be seen and compared on achoreviews.squig.link)

So, starting off at the bottom, there is quite a difference in the subbass quantity of the two, with the newer model having much less. Putting them through my usual “Chameleon” test by Trentemoller, this makes itself quite apparent. However, I will say that I don’t find myself missing any subbass in this song with the CRA+. There is still plenty there and is still above what I would usually choose in this region, it is just not as spectacular in the ultra lows as the original CRA is.

The CRA also did a good job of controlling this low end and the CRA+ keeps things just as well defined as the original. I can’t say that it is the most defined and clean subbass I have heard but it is still quite a way above other options, especially in such a low price bracket.

Moving into the midbass, there is slightly more presence on paper with the Plus, hower, it is more of the fact that the focus is moved from the subbass of the original to the midbass on the newer version, putting more emphasis on this range and seeming like it is more present than it actually is.

In this range, the midbass punch is very impressive, even without factoring in cost, with notes presenting themselves with authority and definition. This can make songs that have plenty happening in the midbass region come across more impressively on this new set. Personally this is not something that I enjoy, I mean, I like a little boost in the midbass on certain genres (such as classic rock etc), but I feel that the CRA+ is a little overdone in this area. Again, that is just a personal preference and I feel that it is something that will be very impressive for those that enjoy it.

The mids are very similar between the two, however, on the Plus there is a little more presence in the 2k range and that peak at 5k, as we start to reach into the higher frequencies, has been tamed quite a bit. This is something that pleases me, as I am not a fan of the 5k being above everything around it, but at the same time I feel that a little more in the 3kHz zone (rather than just the 2kHz bump) would have worked better to bring vocals a little more forward and avoid a little of the darker smoothness that has resulted from the actual tuning.

I am actually nitpicking here, it is really not bad and I prefer the tuning to many other sets that are much more expensive, however, there is always room for improvement

As far as detail, this is still an impressive set for the money, sounding very well controlled and offering details that are usually not as apparent on IEMs with this kind of tuning. It is not detailed to a level that will be mind blowing but it is more than adequate for the price range that it sits in, in fact, it would embarrass some options that go for 3 or 4 times the price.

Soundstage comes across to me as being around average, much the same as the original CRA, with good image placement inside the space that it works with. You can easily identify images and while it may not have all the details that I am used to hearing, it is not something that I would point out as being bad, far from it.

Conclusion…

I don’t think I can say that the CRA+ are not as good, or better, than the original CRA. When I first tried (and reviewed) the original CRA, I said that they were possibly the best KZ IEM to date, even if they are not officially KZ. In the case of the CRA+, I feel that most of my opinions regarding the originals can easily be referenced to these also.

Would I say that they are better than the originals, well it depends. For me personally, I prefer the higher mids of the CRA+, whereas I prefer the low end of the CRA, which takes a bit of emphasis away from the midbass and puts the focus on the subbass. Both of them are very good for the price and I think the preference will come down to the personal taste of each individual.

The new model is more expensive, but it is still way inside the bracket of what I would consider a cheap set of IEMs, therefore I don’t think that the price will be a deciding factor for the majority. The included accessories are also identical, so no points added or deducted there. I would say that, basically, it comes down to whether you prefer your slam to happen in the subbass or midbass regions.

(as usual, this review is available in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

[SenyorC]

Thanks to Letshuoer, who are kindly collaborating with Acho Reviews, you can win a set of one of my favourite IEMs, the Letshuoer S12.

To participate, see here: LETSHUOER X Acho Reviews Giveaway – letshuoer

[SenyorC]

The Dunu Vulkan have been sent to me by Dunu in exchange for the publication of this review. They have not requested anything other than I post my review within 2 weeks of receiving the IEMs, therefore, as always, I will do my best to be as unbiased and honest as possible.

Intro…

My experience with Dunu IEMs has been rather small, in fact, until now I have only had the chance to try out the Titan S, a budget set of IEMs that I like quite a bit.

The Vulkan is their latest release which comes in at around 350€, meaning that it is by no means a budget set but is still a long way from the price of many of their upper tier models.

Dunu is no stranger in the IEM world, with many models that have received a lot of praise, along with their cables which, in my opinion, have one of the best modular systems in the game. As I just said, I haven’t tried any of their higher priced IEMs but based on my experience with the Titan S, and all that I have read about other models, I came into this with quite high expectations.

I know there are a couple of reviews out there already of the Vulkan, which I have not read or watched as I knew that I would be receiving a set for review, so I have done my usual process of trying to know as little about these IEMs as possible. I have visited their website, just to get a general overview of what these IEMs contain (and the price), but that is the limit of my knowledge.

The Vulkan are hybrid set of IEMs which feature 2x dynamic drivers, one being an 8mm Cross-Linked Polyethylene Structural Foam Cell Dome with soft surround and the other an 8mm Nanocrystalline Titanium-Coated Diaphragm, along with 4x Knowles balanced armature drivers, two for the Mid-Highs and the other a dual supertweeter.

Now, my knowledge of what all that means with regards to sound and performance is not exactly a lot, so I didn’t know what to expect in terms of sound. What I found, well… I’ll get to that shortly.

Presentation…

The presentation of the Vulkan is nothing short of excellent. Arriving in a box with a flip up lid, inside a cardboard sleeve with brand & model on the front and various specs on the back, the contents are more than one could wish for, even when not talking about a strictly budget set.

Upon opening the box, we find a beautiful set of IEMs with their cable that is just as nice (more on those in build & aesthetics below). Lifting up the top layer we discover the three interchangeable modules for the cable, a plastic tray with 6 sets of tips (two types with an S,M,L of each) and another smaller box containing more accessories.

Inside the accessories box there is a large and good quality carrying/storage case which contains another 3 sets of tips of different sizes, a microfiber cleaning cloth, a small cleaning tool, a 3.5mm to 6.35mm TRS adapter and an airplane adapter.

To be honest, I have no idea why the airplane adapter is included as I am someone who flies quite a lot and it has been decades since I needed one, but it is there in case you do.

The rest of the accessories are of great quality (well, I guess the airplane adapter is also, not that I have any way of testing it) and there is absolutely nothing I can complain about as far as presentation, contents or the quality of what is included.

I don’t appoint scores to things I review (except on Head-Fi where it is obligatory) but if I did, the presentation and contents would get top score from me.

Build & Aesthetics…

No matter where I start here, the answer is going to be the same… excellent.

As I need to start somewhere, let’s start with the cable. I already said that Dunu have what I feel is the best IEM modular cable system in the game and the included cable just confirms it. Coming with three interchangeable connectors (plus the 3.5 to 6.35 adapter), 2.5mm + 3.5mm + 4.4mm, you are covered for almost any amp or DAP you would like to use. The connectors are of high quality, as is the connection point.

The cable itself matches my personal preferences well, being lightweight and not too thick, while still refraining from tangling and giving the impression of being very well built. As I have mentioned before, I am not the biggest fan of MMCX connectors but in this case, I will more than forgive them as the connectors are of good quality, they seem like they will last a long time, and to be honest, I really can’t see me wanting to swap the cable for any reason. If I need to change amps, just change the connector at the other end.

As far as the IEMs, they are beautiful. I can say that these are probably the best looking IEMs I have had in my possession. Apart from the build quality, which seems great, the looks are just as good. With a black metal shell sporting a dark metal grey faceplate with a Damascus steel design, they are fancy enough to look special yet discreet enough to not scream “look at me!”.

For comfort, I did find that I struggled to get the left shell to sit comfortably in my ear at first, but after a lot of tip rolling (there are plenty included and I tried a few more that I have on hand), I finally got a very comfortable fit that also seemed to bring out the best in sound from the IEMs.

Again, if I had to score these in this section, they would score just as highly as in the first section.

Sound…

(as always, all tracks mentioned in this review are clickable links that allow you to open the track in the streaming service of your choice).

Before moving on, let me say that I have tried these with multiple sources and I have tip rolled quite a bit. However, in order to stay consistent in my reviews, my sound impressions are based on using them with the iFi Gryphon, no EQ enabled, and the stock red core tips (size M).

As usual, I spent about 4 or 5 days using these almost exclusively before doing any detailed listening or comparisons, and although I did take measurements before getting to my final listening tests, I really didn’t take much notice of the measurements until now.

However, as always, here is a graph of the Dunu Vulkan in comparison to my personal preference target:

(all measurements of the IEMs I review can be found and compared on achoreviews.squig.link)

It is easy to see that the overall frequency response of these IEMs is very close to my preference, a little more elevated in the bass regions that I usually request but the curve is still very similar. As always, preference curves are just an approximation of personal taste, sometimes things that are way off my target are still enjoyable (to me) and sometimes things that are close still don’t seem perfect to me (nothing ever is ).

Following my usual review format and starting off with the subbass, there is no roll off to be heard. The extension is good, the presence is good, and I really enjoy this low end. I can’t say that the subbass isn’t great, being very close to my preferences, however, when playing tracks that really make the low end work out, such as the usual “Chameleon”, it does seem that the driver(s) is almost at its limit.

I am not saying that it doesn’t keep, it does a great job of presenting “Chameleon”, which is no easy feat, as it does with other subbass heavy tracks (although not quite to the same level of subbass craziness) like “Bury a Friend” or “Royals”. I didn’t actually come across any well recorded tracks that the Vulkan couldn’t cope with (bad recordings are, well, bad of course).

What I am referring to is that, if you are a certified basshead and need more subbass that the Vulkan offers, I am not sure that adding in more subbass by means of EQ is a good idea. I tried the XBass boost of the Gryphon with the above tracks and, while it was still acceptable, it lost a lot of cleanliness and coherency in the lowest ranges.

Moving into the midbass regions, again we are very close to what I like. In fact, although the actual levels may be slightly above what I would say I like, the curve follows my preferred curve almost exactly, balancing the low end just the way I like it. I much prefer that a set of IEMs increases the presence more as the notes get lower. This just feels much more natural to me, avoiding excessive midbass that can add warmth unnecessarily (even though that warmth does work well with some genres) and instead moving the focus more and more towards the low end as and when it is needed. When a track doesn’t have anything below, let’s say 60Hz, then the additional subbass will not have a negative impact, it will just not play what isn’t there, but when a track with 35Hz presence appears, the IEMs will make it known and not hide it behind a midbass bump.

I find that the Vulkan reproduces bass guitars with authority but without any additional warmth, just the clean tone, as can be heard in the lower notes of the bass guitar in “Elephants On Ice Skates”. Other synthetic bass tracks, such as “Still D.R.E.” or “Get Lucky”, sound just as clean in the midbass section, with good speed and definition, giving a very clean overall presentation in these ranges.

As we move into the mids, the transition is very clean with absolutely no sense of bloat or loss of control in the lower mids. Although I am a fan of the bass frequencies on the Vulkan, I do feel that the mids are the center of attention of this set. Vocals are pushed forwards slightly, although not excessively, just enough to place the light on the vocals a little more.

Some of my most listened acoustic + vocal tracks sound very clean and the voice is certainly the center of attention. As the main peak of the higher mids is at the 3kHz mark (I for one am very happy to not have a peak at 5kHz!), this gives the mids that extra bit of presence but also keeps the harshness in check… mostly.

I say “mostly” because there are many tracks that are recorded with an extra presence in the 3kHz mark already, such as “Crazy”, where this gives Daniela’s voice a little push forwards on most systems, when it coincides with that extra peak of 3kHz on things like the Vulkan, it can come across a little harsh.

When strictly talking male vocals, such as “These Bones”, I find them to be very well balanced and presented, without any unexpected harshness. Adding some female vocals into the acapella mix, such as in the case of “Hallelujah”, I do notice these as a little more “shouty”, with a little more harshness than before…

Moving into the higher ranges, there is a little bit of sibilance happening to those “S” in the “Code Cool” test. They are not the worst, far from it, but they are a little too hot for my taste. These are easily tamed with a very minor EQ tweak (they really aren’t that exaggerated) but, as always, my impressions are based upon not using EQ.

The extension of the upper ranges is not bad and apart from the excessive energy around the 6kHz to 8kHz mark, it is acceptable. I wouldn’t say that the treble is great on the Vulcan, I feel that it could be refined a little more, but it is not terrible and is listenable.

As far as details go, the Vulkan are not a set of IEMs that wow you with tiny details that are found in the background, however, it does do a good job of presenting details in the instruments themselves. As an example, a track that I like to use to evaluate such performance is “All Your Love Turned To Passion”, more specifically the intro of the song. During the intro there is an acoustic guitar that is located in the left channel, with a lot of details happening in the reverb of the room, especially upon striking the body of the guitar. In the case of the Vulkan, then actual playing of the guitar itself is very well presented, with good details in the actual pluck of the strings, however, the reverb and decay in the background is actually quite absent in comparison to other much more detailed sets.

Another thing that I find very impressive on the Vulkan is the sense of openness and space that is created in the sound stage. I am someone who finds 90% of IEMs to be much of a muchness in this regard, with the remaining 10% being divided 80/20 in favour of sets that are pretty bad and very few that are actually good and above average.

The Vulkan is in the group of the very few IEMs that I find above average. There is a nice sense of space, well above average, in which the images are well placed and give me a very enjoyable overall feel. Due to the slight lack in the presence of background details, I can’t say that the imaging has pinpoint precision as there is not enough detail to reach this conclusion, but I must say that the overall imaging is very good.

Binaural recordings, such as “La Luna”, are enjoyable on many sets that are not exactly excellent as far as soundstage and imaging, but with the Vulkan, even recordings that are recorded in a simpler stereo imaging layout are still impressive. “Strange Fruit” has a sense of space between the vocal layers that makes for a very enjoyable experience, as do many other similar songs. Live recordings, such “Hotel California” and many others that I have listened to this week that are not on my usual test list, give a very nice sensation of being spread out, managing to recreate that stage presence that very few IEMs actually do.

Compared to the Letshouer S12…

I don’t usually make many comparisons in my reviews, as I always follow the same review layout, using the same test tracks for detailed listening, which allows comparisons of set just by reading (or watching) my impressions of each set individually.

However, as the Vulkan have come in strong, I feel that I should leave at least some brief impressions against a couple of my preferred sets, the first being the S12, which are a set of IEMs that I grab regularly for “easy listening”.

As far as tuning, the S12 have more warmth in the low end due to having more presence in the midbass range. This lends itself well to easy listening, especially when listening to songs that have a focus on acoustic instruments and other non-bass centric tracks.

I find that the Vulkan sounds more neutral in the lower ranges, without that extra warmth that the S12 provides, however, in the upper ranges I find the S12 to be smoother and more relaxed with a lot of my preferred vocal+acoustic music, a style that I listen to a lot.

As far as details, neither set is spectacular in this regard, both lack a certain amount of the smaller details, focusing on the main presentation rather than what is happening in the background.

I am a big fan of the S12 but I feel that the Vulkan, while being a different presentation, also has a lot going for it in this regard. Depending on music choice I would be drawn to one or the other.

Compared to the Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk…

The other IEM that I would like to make a brief comparison with is the Dusk. I have had the Dusk for quite some time now and it is still my preferred set when listening to modern pop. By modern pop, I am referring to the usual pop music that has been released in the last 10 years or so, such as “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa or other similarly recorded and mastered tracks.

I feel that the Dusk does very well with this kind of music and I feel that the Vulkan also works well in this regard, until we reach those upper ranges. My main issue with the Dusk is the treble, which is acceptable but not great, something that is also my impression of the Vulkan. The main difference between the two sets is that the Dusk has its upper presence slightly higher than the Vulkan, above the 8kHz mark, and I find that to come across as much smoother in this regard, with less sibilance in the typical “Code Cool” test. It (the Dusk) is still on the “hot” side in this regard but I do find it slightly tamer than the Vulkan.

With regards to detail, I find that the Dusk has the edge here, or at least in the upper ranges. It could be the difference in that upper frequency boost, which gives a false sensation of detail on the Dusk in comparison, but I do feel that I can appreciate details in the background easier on the Dusk than on the Vulkans. However, the details in other ranges, specifically how instruments are played (in the realm of acoustic guitars etc.), the Vulkan possibly edges out the Dusk here, giving a better overall sensation of the instruments.

Where there is no doubt that the Vulkan is superior is in terms of soundstage and imaging. I find there to be much more space and the presentation to be much better in this regard, making a lot of my music far more enjoyable. I would still say the Dusk has the edge for the modern pop side of things but other than that and the 6-8kHz hotness, the Vulkan has so many things going for it that I would rather have it than the Dusk in my collection (having both is even better ).

Conclusion…

This has turned into quite a long review but when I feel something is doing something different, it deserves attention, especially if that “difference” is being done well. That is the case with the Vulkan.

There can be absolutely no complaints as far as presentation and included goodies, the build and looks are amazing and the whole package is just, well, great.

In the sound department, it is different enough to stand out from the crowd but at the same time, not so different as to be bizarre and polarizing. As with anything, I am sure there will be people who like the Vulkan and those that don’t, there is no escaping that, but I am firmly in the camp of “likes”.

Yes, there are things that could be improved (in my personal opinion of course), such as a little reduction to that hotness in the treble region and maybe a little more detail, but then maybe we would lose part of what makes the Vulkan different from other IEMs, even in the same Dunu line up.

I am very grateful to Dunu for sending this out as it is always refreshing to spend time with a product that brings something a little different to the table. In the case of the Vulkan, that is something that is deserving of far more praise than complaints.

As always, this review can be found in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com & www.youtube.com/achorevews

[SenyorC]

The winner of the Letshuoer S12 has been announced, check www.achoreviews.com for details.

[SenyorC]

TRN TA1 Max

The TRN TA1 Max have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review, they have not made any specific requests, therefore I will do my usual best to be as unbiased as possible in this review, although you should always consider the fact that I have not had to spend any of my own money on these IEMs.

As always, I will leave a non-affiliate link to the TA1 Max via Linsoul on my blog, as it is the least I can do.

Intro…

Lately I have had quite a few new revisions of older models come across my desk, such as the T1S and the CRA+, just to name a few. Today’s set is also a set that I reviewed some time ago and has been revamped into a new release.

I will do some brief comparisons between the original TA1 and the new TA1 Max as I go along but, to be honest, apart from some brief listens this week to compare, it has been quite a while since I spent time with the originals.

Once thing I will say in favour of TRN is that the new model keeps almost the same price as the original, around 35€, which not only keeps them well inside my favoured sub 50€ category, but also means that they have introduced the upgrades without increasing the price.

Presentation…

The IEMs arrive in a fairly simple box with an image of them on the cover. Inside the box we find the IEMs in their cutouts located at the top, with a hard shell, round, storage/travel case below, sporting the TRN logo on the lid.

Inside the travel case we find the cable and attached to the bottom of the foam holding the IEMs, there is a box containing the remaining accessories, these being 2 different types of tips, with 3 sizes of each included.

This is not a lot of content but is enough to be able to enjoy the IEMs straight out of the packet, with the hard storage case being a nice touch.

Build & Aesthetics…

The TA1 Max are the same shape and style as the original TA1, round with a small cylindrical shape offset to the top which holds the connector for the cable. They are slightly larger in size than the originals, not by a huge amount but certainly enough to be noticeable. Personally I find them to be comfortable but that is going to depend on each person and their anatomy.

One thing that has changed quite a bit in comparison to the original TA1 is the looks. While the shape is still the same and the colour is also very similar (slightly more matte on the Max), gone is the anime art (on the Japanese version of the originals, or plane silver on the regular version) and has been replaced with an X type design that has cutouts and a grille below.

They do state that these are a “Half Open Balanced Pressure Relief Cover” and the vents are in fact functional, giving them an open back look and feel.

I actually like the aesthetics, preferring them over the originals, and feel that they have put some thought and originality into the design.

Sound…

Let’s do the usual and show a graph of the TA1 Max vs the original TA1, plus my personal preference target, just as a reference point before we start.

(all measurements of IEMs I review can be found and compared on achoreviews.squig.link)

I am going to go through my usual steps but straight away we can see that the overall curve is very similar to the original, with a few tweaks.

Starting off with the subbass, I really can’t hear any lack here but I must say that it is difficult to actually focus on the subbass due to the rather large midbass boost. If I actually pplay subbass tones, then maybe I could start passing comments but test tones are not really something I listen to. Therefore, let’s just say that I don’t think that people will complain about any lack of subbass on these IEMs.

Moving up into the midbass, here is where the low end is dominated by a strong focus on these frequencies. Now, as most of you probably know already (if you follow my reviews), I am not someone who likes an excessive amount of bass and yes, I find the amount to be excessive on the TA1 Max.

However, I must also say that the control over these midrange frequencies is impressive. With such an elevated frequency response in this area, it is very easy for a set of IEMs to lose control and become undefined and muddy in the low end, even carrying the excess through into the lower mids. The TA1 Max do a very good job of avoiding this problem.

There are certain tracks where I find the bass to be overwhelming, such as “No Sanctuary Here” (and quite a few more), but at the same time, it does let me distinguish between the notes and while the midbass is definitely the center of attention, it does still let other frequencies through. I feel that many people will find the pressure of the midbass slam very impressive but personally I find it tiring.

In the mids, there is a clear drop in the center but again, they surprisingly keep the mids present, and do so without overdoing the boost at the higher end of the mids. The higher mids follow a similar tuning to the original TA1’s but they have smoothened them out a little. Even the peak at almost 5kHz is not offensive to me, I don’t notice any harshness, and I am quite sensitive to those specific frequencies.

The higher ranges are also quite calm and collected. There are no annoying peaks, at least to my ears, and sibilance is kept in check without being overly dull. I would still say that the upper ranges are a little behind the lower ranges, with the bass being the center of attention, but they are surprisingly present, I expected much worse.

The soundstage is also not bad, on the higher end of average for a set of IEMs, although they do not sound as “open” as the aesthetics may lead one to believe. While the image placement isn’t going to win any awards for being the most precise, it is also by no means bad. Things are where they should be and details can be easily identified in the background. In fact, while these are also not the most detailed of IEMs, they are not bad in this regards either. I wouldn’t say you are going to be blown away by things you have never heard before but they certainly don’t come across as one dimensional and lacking.

Conclusion…

Sadly for the TA1 Max, they are a sound signature that I am not a fan of, meaning that they weren’t off to a very good start. However, they have still surprised me by managing to keep an overall presence and clarity to the rest of the frequencies, they are not just a wall of bass.

If you are someone who likes having a lot of slam in the midbass range, then I certainly think that you should give these a listen as they are quite impressive, especially with regards to how they create such a sensation of moving air in those ranges without really taking over the rest of the spectrum. Yes, these are on the bassy/warm side, which is to be expected, but they still present you with plenty of coherency in the rest of the music.

Personally, I just don’t get on with this tuning but I know that and my personal tastes aren’t something that can lead me to say that these are not good IEMs, as they are.

As always, this review can be found in Spanish both on my blog (www.achoreviews.com) and on YouTube (www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

[SenyorC]

Tangzu Shimin Li

The Tangzu Shimin Li have been sent to me by HifiGo in exchange for the publication of this review. HifiGo have not made any specific requests or comments, therefore, as usual, I will attempt to be as unbiased as possible in my review but you should always consider the fact that these IEMs have not cost me anything.

As always, I will leave a non-afiliate link to the Shimin Li via HifiGo on my blog, as I feel it is the least I can do when somebody is kind enough to send a product in for review. You can find the purchase link by visiting the version of this review published on my blog here.

Edit: Hifigo have reached out to me and requested that I include the actual purchase link in this review. You can purchase the Shimin Li via HifiGo here: TANGZU SHIMIN LI Single Dynamic Driver In-Ear Monitors — HiFiGo

Intro…

In the later part of last year, I reviewed a set of IEMs called Yuan Li, by a company called T-Force. I really enjoyed those IEMs and still do, being one of my favourite sets around 100€ and actually getting more ear time than many other sets that I have reviewed. In fact, they still live in my case of 6 pairs of IEMs that are available to quick grab and I also use them for comparisons a fair bit.

Why am I mentioning the Yuan Li? Well, the Yuan Li was called “Trilogy Part I”, something that was shown quite clearly on the box. Fast forward som 9 months and here we are with the “Trilogy Part II”, although it is a little confusing I must say, as the brand has now changed from T-Force to Tangzu, the price has dropped from just over 100€ to just over 30€ and the whole package is quite a bit different.

When something is from the same series, specifically called a trilogy, then it is only normal that comparisons be drawn between them. However, in this case, while I still want to compare them, and will be doing so, it is difficult to do a direct comparison when they are in such vastly different brackets.

Anyhow, let’s take a look at the Shimin Li on its own merits as see what they offer in this ultra-budget IEM category.

Presentation…

It is no surprise that the presentation of the Shimin Li has been cut down when the overall package has had such a price cut but that doesn’t mean that it is bad, it is still good for its new price bracket.

Inside a box that is quite reminiscent of the Yuan Li, with traditional chinese artwork decorating the exterior, we find the IEMs, a cable, and quite a large selection of tips (7 pairs in total).

Ok, there is no carrying case and a lot of the additional paperwork has been reduced, but honestly, I have absolutely no issue with the contents. As I always say with IEMs in this price bracket, I would rather them spend the money on the IEMs themselves than a bunch of accessories that I may or may not (probably not) use.

Build and accessories…

The aesthetics of the Shimin Li have also changed a lot in comparison to part 1 of the trilogy. My understanding is that they are available in both gold and silver, with me having received the gold version.

Personally I am not a fan of gold coloured anything to be honest, it is just something that I don’t like, which is unlucky for the Shimin Li as there are probably people out there that love it. The finish is a mirrored gold which does attract a lot of fingerprints and I can imagine being quite delicate if you don’t place the IEMs correctly when transporting them.

The shape of the IEMs is actually quite unique and I must say that I don’t dislike the shape, I find it very comfortable and the overall look with the honeycomb style part is a nice original touch. I think that if they were in another colour, I would probably be saying how great they look, whereas gold (to me) makes them look cheaper rather than more expensive.

As far as build quality, they are all metal and seem to be well assembled. As with anything, only time will tell if this is the case or not but at first glance, I don’t see any build issues. The only thing that I see as being a possible issue is the mirrored finish that I already mentioned.

The included cable is also a little unique, I don’t remember having had a cable quite like it. It is sort of a matte rubbery plastic finish, which is nicely woven and has decent hardware at the TRS end, although the IEM end does have plastic connectors that don’t really scream quality. The connections are 2 pin, which I like, and although at first look and touch of the cable, I wouldn’t say I loved it, it is actually not a bad cable. It doesn’t tangle too much, it is not too thick or thin (in my opinion of course) and all in all it does its job without causing any issues.

Sound…

Let me preface this by saying that I tried the included tips but in the end opted for Spring tips as I found they balanced the sound better and gave me a better seal and fit. As tips are very personal, you may find that a set of the included stock tips work better for you but my following opinions are based on using the Spring tips (powered by the iFi Gryphon as usual).

Although this is not exactly an updated version of anything, like a fair few of the the IEMs I have reviewed lately, it is the second in a series so I think that a comparison graph is in order between the Yuan Li and the Shimin Li. That and the fact that it is quite interesting to see how similarly these measure:

(all my measurements can be found and compared on achoreviews.squig.link)

As you can see, the tuning is very similar between the two and although they are slightly different, they are very reminiscent of each other. However, since I took this measurement, I was discussing it with a couple of other reviewers and it seems that my measurement of the Yuan Li does not match the retail version of those IEMs. In fact, the measurement matches what was originally a pre-release version of the Yuan Li, which was later modified when released for retail.

Now, the Yuan Li I received was not a pre-release model, it was sent to me by a store that had them in stock months after the official release. Therefore, I have no idea why I may have received a version with that tuning but that is what I have (and I like it) and wanted to include this in this review. I will actually go back and add a note to the original Yuan Li also with this info.

The main thing that this affects is that when I am comparing the new Shimin Li to the Yuan Li, I am actually comparing it to the Yuan Li that I have, which is not necessarily the Yuan Li you will find on sale.

But anyways, back to the review…

Starting off with the subbass, there is enough to make me happy. These are not IEMs that are really focused in the subbass area, they don’t rumble and produce a huge amount of subbass, but they don’t sound rolled off or anaemic either. My usual “Chameleon” test comes across with a nice amount of subbass and while it is maybe not a “wow” experience like it is on many other sets, I don’t have any complaints.

Moving into the midbass zone, there is a little more emphasis here than in the subbass category but again, it doesn’t come across as being overdone. There is enough midbass to enjoy a little extra warmth in the low end but at the same time, it doesn’t place too much of the focus on these lower notes. With tracks like “No Sanctuary Here”, the low notes are present enough to be impressive whereas with things like “Give Me One Reason”, there is not too much as to make the electric guitar seem bloated in the low ranges.

In fact, the whole low end of the Shimin Li is very very similar to the low end of the Yuan Li, which I believe to be the same on both tunings of the Yuan Li, something that I really don’t have much to complain about.

Moving into the mids, there is a slight recess in the middle of these frequencies but the presence around 2kHz does its job of bringing back the presence of vocals and other instruments in the higher mids.

I do feel that the additional presence in this 2kHz area is a little overdone, making it come across a little harsher in these frequencies than I would prefer but it is not too bad and it does do a good job of counterattacking that extra presence in the mid bass. I find that female voices especially show this extra presence, even more so when they are already a little harsh themselves, such as Beth in “Don’t You Worry Child” or Alicia Keys in “No One (Acoustic)”. The higher mids of female vocals are really what I would claim to be the weaker point of the Shimin Li tuning.

In addition to this 2kKz presence, there is another peak slightly higher up in the spectrum but it is actually not as high, or as present, as on the Yuan Li that I have. This means that the Shimin Li avoids the dreaded 5kHz peak that I fear so much, but at the same time, it does add even more to the sensation of the 2kHz being just a little too hot.

Moving into the treble areas, it does seem to roll off quite early, which leaves the sensation of a lack of air and breathing space, but at the same time, this does avoid sibilance quite well. I would like it to extend a bit more in these upper ranges, having a little more openness, but to be fair, the vast majority of budget single dynamic driver IEMs suffer from the same thing in these regions. The ones that don’t are more of an exception than a regular occurance.

One thing that I do find to be quite a step down in comparison to their previous model is the soundstage. I actually found the Yuan Li to be a little above average in this regard, whereas the Shimin Li is a lot less spread out. It is not terrible but things are a lot closer on this new model, with image placement that is acceptable but by no means spectacular.

Finally, details. As with soundstage, I feel that the Shimin Li is not quite up to the performance of part 1, or at least the part 1 that I have here. I would not say that these IEMs are a set that will impress those looking for appreciation of the minute details of recordings. With the reduced soundstage and a reduction in the reproduction of the smaller details, songs like “Strange Fruit” can become a little one dimensional, taking away from the experience of these kinds of recordings. Even with more separated recordings, such as “La Luna”, you just don’t get the sensation of the instruments surrounding you like you do on other sets.

Conclusion…

There is a common saying that second parts are never good, and while I don’t agree totally, I do agree that in this case, the second part is not as good as the first. It is possible that I personally expected more due to how much I enjoy the first part of the trilogy, meaning that I was already starting with an expectation bias that wouldn’t have been the case if it was an IEM that I had never heard of.

However, while this second chapter may not be as good as the first, or at least not the first chapter that I enjoy, they have done something that I feel makes this a lot better, which is drop the price. If they had kept the price around the same as the original, then I would certainly say skip this but as they have reduced the price by almost 75%, they deserve to be recognized for they have done, and that is put out an extreme budget set of IEMs with some things that it does very well.

I know I said that the aesthetics are not my thing, but that is just as personal as the fit (which is very comfortable for me by the way), so that is something that people don’t really need a reviewer to comment on, although I do it anyway

That leaves the sound and to be fair, I do enjoy this tuning. Yes it is a little hot around 2kHz but I much prefer that than a 5kHz peak and in general, the tuning is very similar to the Yuan Li I have in my possession, a set of IEMs that I really like.

There is a lack of detail and soundstage in comparison to the Yuan Li, but again, it is not really a fair comparison when looking at the price brackets. If we compare it to other sets around the same price, yes there are some that are subjectively better, but there are also a lot that are subjectively worse.

I’m looking forward to finding out what they will surprise us with in the third part of the trilogy.

(As usual, this review can also be found in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

[SenyorC]

Seek Real Audio Airship

The Seek Real Audio Airship have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. As usual, they have not made any requests or comments and I will do my best to be unbiased in this review. Saying that, it is always good to consider the fact that I have not had to purchase these IEMs with my own money.

I will leave a non-affiliate link to the Airship via Linsoul on my blog, something that I always do in these cases.

Intro…

Let me start off by saying I have absolutely no idea who Seek Real Audio are. When I received these IEMs from Linsoul, I had seen the name a couple of times on forums but I really hadn’t paid any attention. They arrived in a box with a couple of other things that Linsoul sent me and it was pure coincidence that I picked them up first.

I did a quick search of the brand online and other than recent comments and a few reviews, I really didn’t find much. As usual, I refrained from reading any of the reviews as I try to keep any expectations (good or bad) at a minimum, when possible of course.

So, basically, when I started listening to the Airship, the only thing I knew was that they are available on Linsoul for $179 and that they feature a single 10mm CNT driver. That’s obviously not much info, which is actually just the way I like it, at least before I get to listen to them for a while and form some first impressions.

Since then I have obviously put them on the measuring rig, otherwise I wouldn’t be including a graph in this review, but other than that, I still have basically no information about these IEMs or the company itself.

Presentation…

The presentation and contents of the Airship is nothing to complain about. Ok, there is nothing unexpected inside the box but at the same time, the accessories that are included cover the necessities and are of good quality.

The box is inside a cardboard sleeve that shows a spaceship beaming people up, with the phrase “we can hear more possibilities” shown in the top corner. The artwork is lighthearted and original, it is not what I would call “elegant” but at the same time, it at least avoids some of the artwork found on many sets lately.

Upon opening the box, things do look a bit more elegant, with the IEMs sitting in a soft foam cutout, with a nice (faux) leather storage case below. The case is nice and large, without being huge, sporting a good quality finish in black.

Also in the box we get the cable, which I will mention in a moment, a set of foam tips, 3 sets of silicone tips, spare filters for the nozzle, the usual warranty card and other paperwork.

While I think that they could have included more tips, it is also true that usually people will only use one set out of the box, or maybe not even that, as many people will like aftermarket tips of their choice. Personally I found that the medium silicone tips included fit and worked well for me.

Build & Aesthetics…

The shape of the Airship is similar to that of IEMs like the Aune Jasper, although smaller. The nozzle is also not very long, which could prove to be a fit issue for some people. In my case, I find that they fit me perfectly and are probably one of the most comfortable IEMs that I have worn in a long time. The size is small enough to actually fit inside my ear, without anything sticking out, and the nozzle, with the stock medium tips, is exactly the correct length for them to seal perfectly and be very comfortable. Obviously this is going to be different for everone.

The aesthetics are simple but not boring, with a few geometrical shapes and lines that break up what would otherwise be a simple oval. For some reason, the aesthetics remind me of something I am used to seeing from Fiio, just in a different shape.

The build quality also seems to be decent. They are completely metal shells which are very light weight, meaning that (combined with the comfort) I can just forget that I am wearing them.

The included cable is simple but again it of decent quality, with metal hardware (except for the 2.Pin connectors) that are finished in a colour that matches the IEMs. It is a non-braided cable, with a white interior covered by a clear rubber finish. Based on the overall gunmetal grey finish, I would personally have gone with a grey coloured cable rather than the white but that is just a comment rather than a complaint. It is not a spectacular cable but it is more than adequate and swapping it would be a personal choice rather than a necessity.

Sound…

(Note: As always, tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open them in the streaming platform of your choice for reference).

My usual process for testing IEMs (or headphones) is that I just used them for 4 or 5 days almost exclusively (while at work), listening to all kinds of music, as my tastes change a lot depending on my mood. After that period, I will spend various hours listening only to my test tracks (which can be found here by the way) and form my detailed impressions, doing any comparisons at the same time.

In the case of the Airship, I took them to the office as usual and when I hit play, it just so happened that my test track list was playing. I must say that I was instantly impressed by the Airship and I actually spent all morning listening to my test tracks.

But I am getting ahead of myself, so lets start, as usual, with a graph of the Airship in comparison to my personal preference target:

(all my measurements can be found and compared on achoreviews.squig.link)

I have said it before but I am going to repeat it again… My target curve is really only as a guidance and sometimes things that follow the curve may still not be enjoyable to me and other things that deviate from the curve will actually be pleasurable. The latter is the case with the Airship.

Starting from the lowest notes, as I always do, the subbass of the Airship is present in both quality and quantity. I know that I say that I am not a fan of overly present bass, although the mid bass is usually where I suffer, if the set does keeps the subbass clean and articulate, then I enjoy it. I have used the Airship for quite a bit of hip hop and have obviously also put it through the usual “Chameleon” test, finding that the subbass response is very good, not quite excellent but certainly above many other sets in a similar price bracket, managing to keep things clear and concise while still offering a large presence in the rumbling frequencies.

Moving into the midbass, this may be where I am most impressed by the Airship. It is not the tuning that impresses me, as it is quite a bit above the presence I like and enjoy in this region, it is the way it deals with this additional presence. While there are many IEMs that are slightly over my preferred quantity in the midbass region, giving a warmth to the low end of guitars and basses that I actually like for some genres, there are many more that are way too much for my tastes. This is something that I actually find tiring and I find myself literally having to either switch music, reduce the bass, or even just give up on the IEMs.

Looking at the graph, I would place the Airship in the category of “way overdone for my tastes”, yet I don’t find it to be the case when listening to them. This is one of those cases where the graph doesn’t always relate to the experience. Yes, there is quite a bit more midbass that I would prefer, of that I have no doubt, but it doesn’t come across as tiring or make me want to take the IEMs out.

There is a clarity and definition to the midbass notes, as with the subbass, that is very impressive in my opinion, making the majority of my music enjoyable, even with the extra bass. For example, “No Sanctuary Here” by Marian Herzog feat Chris Jones, is a track that needs a decent amount of midbass to sound impressive but at the same time is easily overdone and drowns out the rest of the frequencies, the Airship give it (more than) enough quantity to be impressive yet do not make the bass take control more than it should.

I find that the Airship goes from doing a great job of presenting EDM, such as “Sun is Shining”, without being overly bassy, to reproducing “Elephants on Ice Skates” with authority but without bloat. If I had to complain, it would probably be more related to the pluck of the bass guitar in “Elephants on Ice Skates” than the bass notes themselves, but that is higher up in the range.

Moving into the mids, there is not really a bass bleed as such but there are times when certain notes seem to carry over just a little too much. This is not a regular occurence but on certain tracks that are busy around the 200Hz to 300Hz mark, it can overshadow the mids a little, due to the slight dip around the 500Hz mark.

As we move up to the higher end of the mids, there is a nice smooth slope that reaches up to the 2.5kHz mark, keeping it’s presence up until another peak just below the 5kHz mark. Now, I have said many times that I am sensitive to peaks at 5kHz but as with the bass, I do not find it to be irritating on the Airship. It’s true that it isn’t really a sole peak at 5k, more of a general presence between 2kHz and 5kHz, and this may be the reason for it not affecting me as much as it does on so many other sets, but I find the upper mids and their transition into the lower treble to be quite smooth and without giving the sensation of being harsh.

A lot of the music I listen to has female vocals and I find that the Airship do a great job of keeping voices present but without adding any harshness or pushing them too far forward. Even with female voices that are often too harsh on many sets, such as Beth in “Don’t You Worry Child”, still remain fairly smooth and do not become shouty and, well, irritating (at least no more than usual )

Climbing up to the higher end of the frequency range, there is a good extension and a nice sensation of air and breathing space. Many single dynamic driver IEMs suffer from lack of extension in the upper ranges, especially in the lower price categories, the Airship is actually a set that is above average in this regard.

Sibilance is also kept in check, without it being eliminated, meaning that sibilant recordings will still show up but the usual “Code Cool” test does keep Patricia Barber within the range that I feel is normal for her vocals in this song.

Soundstage is also above average for a set of IEMs. Ok, it is not a huge space around you, like the sensation you will get from certain open back headphones, but it does create a nice space around you, with a good image placement and good details to go along with it.

Listening to live performances, such as “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay” or “Free Fallin’”, the Airship give you a nice sensation of space on stage, making them a pleasure to listen to. The same goes for tracks like “Strange Fruit”, where the layers of vocals are clearly identified and easily appreciated. The same goes for “I Concentrate On You”, where the vocals are the center of attention yet the details in the background are still clear, giving the track the effect that it deserves.

Conclusion…

I think that if you have made it this far, I don’t really need to say that the Airship are a good set of IEMs, not just for their price but in general. I have really enjoyed listening to them and would have no issues using them as my daily drivers. Do they replace my beloved S12, which are at a similar price tag, I have to be honest and say that I could probably be just as happy with the Airship for my general daily listening as I am with the S12. They are actually tuned very similarly and I do feel that the Airship have actually got more detail than the S12.

There is no doubt that I think that the Airship are worth their price tag and the only thing that I would be worried about when recommending them is fit. For me personally they fit fine, I find them extremely comfortable, but everyone is different.

I am going to leave it here as I feel I have made my opinion quite clear. As I mentioned in a previous review, I have a case that holds 6 sets of IEMs that are my usual go to sets and I think that I need to clear a space in it to award it to the Airship.

(As always, this review can also be found in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

[SenyorC]

Blon Fat Girl

The Blon Fat Girl have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. They have not requested that I say or do anything specific, however it is always worth considering the fact that these IEMs have not cost me anything, no matter how unbiased I try to be.

As always, I will leave a (non-affiliate) link to these IEMs via Linsoul on my blog, as it’s the least I can do.

Intro…

I really can’t start this review any other way than with the name of the IEMs. I haven’t read any reviews or comments about these IEMs but I am guessing that this is something that has already been commented on by many, all I am going to say is that I don’t think the name is a very good choice, no matter how much you want it to be remembered. Yes, there are probably a lot worse names out there but still, I’m sure Blon could have come up with something better. Let’s just call them FG.

I just said that I haven’t read anything about these, which is true, but I do remember them being launched recently as an ultra budget set, coming in at around 10€, which is probably within the top 5 of the cheapest IEMs I have ever reviewed.

So let’s see if they are any good for such an extremely cheap price.

Presentation…

There is not a lot to say in this section, I mean, what can you expect for this price?

A simple box containing the IEMs with their fixed cable and a couple of spare tips. That is it, but again, we can’t ask for more.

Build and aesthetics…

The build of these is actually not bad. It’s not stellar (did I mention 10€?) but it is completely made of metal and the attached cable is not the worst you can get, even in higher price brackets.

The size and shape are going for a smaller bullet type style, similar to something like the Quarks or the Tanya, but a little bit bigger then either of those. They are sort of reminiscent of the Koss KEB90 but without the angled nozzle.

As far as comfort, they are not bad either. They aren’t small enough to disappear inside the ear but aren’t overly large either, so I really don’t have too much to complain about at this price.

Sound…

Before getting into my opinion of the sound, let’s look at a graph of the FG compared to my personal preference target. Also, at the same time let’s add the BL03, Blon’s most successful model, to the graph.

(all IEM measurements can be found on achoreviews.squig.link)

Ok, now, for those of you that know what to look at on a graph, I don’t think that you will be surprised at what is coming. For those that prefer my subjective findings…

There is an elevated bass range that is something that I don’t personally care for. Usually I would break this section down into subbass and midbass but I feel that there is no real need here because the IEMs don’t do a great job of distinguishing between them.

Looking at the graph, you can see that there really isn’t much difference in the bass zone between the FG and BL03, in fact, the BL03 has slightly more. However, the big difference is in the quality of the bass. The whole low end just seems to merge into a large… I’m actually looking for a word to best describe this here… maybe “blob” would be a valid description.

There is just an overall lack of definition and clarity in the bass section, making things feel congested.

As we move into the mids, we have the opposite problem. Instead of a large blob, we have a large hole. There is a space in the center of the tuning which is where the mids should be, and they are just not there. I can’t say the mids sound bad, in fact, I played some simple mid focused tests and the mids aren’t terrible, but bring back anything that has lows or highs (we are getting to the highs!) and the mids just fade away into the shadows.

And the highs. The highs are over elevated and not elevated enough, all at the same time. There is a mismatch of frequencies happening in the upper ranges that can really create a weird sensation with instruments in these frequencies. There are peaks, including a fairly large one at my dreaded 5kHz range, which just present a treble that sounds… again searching for words… wonky?

Sound stage and image placement is very difficult to judge, well, actually it’s quite easy to judge negatively, as the mass of bass, lack of mids and random treble, all contribute to things not sounding like they should nor where they should.

Details… Well, I imagine you can guess.

Conclusion…

Blon really made a name for themselves with the BL03, a set of IEMs that was loved by a lot of people. I don’t mind the BL03 even though they are not something I highly praise as I preferred the BL05s, but that is a personal opinion. Since then they have released quite a few models, some quite “off the wall”, but none have really had the success of their first model.

I’m afraid that I can not relate anything from the FG to the BL03. While I may not have been the biggest fan of the tuning of the BL03, it’s performance is fairly decent, whereas I have struggled to not be more negative in this review towards the FG.

I really don’t like leaving negative reviews, as I feel that this hobby is so subjective that somebody is always going to like things that I don’t. That might also be the case with the FG, who knows, but there are just so many good alternatives out there, even at the same price (and sometimes even cheaper), that I really can’t see the point in owning these IEMs.

(As always, this review is also available in Spanish on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

[SenyorC]

The 7Hz x Crinacle: Salnotes Dioko have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. The only request that I received was that these IEMs were placed at the top of the queue of the other items they have sent me. Other than that, no specific requests have been made and I will do my best to be as impartial as I always try to be, always remind you that these IEMs have not cost me anything.

The link to the Dioko via Linsoul can be found by visiting the version of this review published on my blog.

Intro…

When Crinacle announced the 7Hz x Crinacle: Salnotes Dioko, which I am just going to call Dioko or 7Hz Dioko from now on, I was interested in giving them a listen. This is one of the few cases where I actually reached out to Linsoul asking about them (usually they send me whatever they feel like sending) and was happy to hear that they would send them to me.

I have reviewed a few of the Crinacle collaborations in the past, although they were mainly mini-reviews, and I also did the same with the 7Hz Timeless, a set of IEMs that I really enjoyed, even though I ended up preferring the S12. So, when I heard that the Dioko were a budget set of planar IEMs, I was certainly interested.

I have put the Dioko through my usual review procedure, giving them around 120 hours on the burn in rig, 5 days of daily use and 4 or 5 hours of detailed listening (using my usual test tracks) and comparisons. I have used the Gryphon, as usual, for the detailed listening but I did use the Modi 3+ & Atom for a lot of my listening time at my desk this week.

Presentation…

The presentation is different to what I was expecting for a budget set of planar IEMs, with a price that is below 100€ at the time of publishing this review. They may not hit the extreme budget category but I do believe that they are the cheapest set of planar IEMs available at the moment, so I was expecting a watered down version of the Timeless presentation.

The first thing I found upon opening the box was that the storage case is the size of the actual box, with all the contents inside it. I was actually expecting a simple leather or plastic version of the Timeless case but what is included is actually a very nice storage case, with a moulded interior and a soft finish, covered in faux leather with a red and black theme. I can’t say I am overly ecstatic about the aesthetics of the case but it is not horrible and the build is the same as similar cases that I have seen available for anywhere between 18€ and 35€ online, so definitely not a cheap tacky case.

We obviously also get the IEMs and the cable, sitting in the moulded case interior, along with 7 sets of coloured silicone tips and a basic user manual.

Except for the case, there is nothing really out of the norm included, however, the case certainly does leave a good impression.

Build and aesthetics…

I already mentioned the case, so let’s focus on the IEMs and the cable.

Starting off with the cable, it is actually quite nice, in my opinion of course. A nicely braided cable in a two tone brown finish, it is fairly nice to the touch and does not seem to tangle or misbehave in general. I don’t feel that the aesthetics of the cable really match the IEMs but I actually like the cable aesthetics.

With regards to the IEMs, they have a similar fit to the Timeless or Eternal, where the main part of the shell sits outside the ear, although they have opted for a slightly smaller size that is oval rather than round, something that I find more comfortable.

The build is plastic but I don’t see any specific faults that should cause issues, although only time will tell, as always.

So that leaves the aesthetics which, I’m afraid, are not really my thing. The faceplate is made of what resembles a magnifying glass with a purple tint to it. This does give the sensation of it changing colour depending on the way the light hits it but I am just not a fan. The positive thing is that I can’t see them when they are in my ears, so listening to them takes away from looking at them . I will also say that I was surprised that the finish doesn’t show fingerprints, which I expected the glass type finish to do, so that is a positive.

Sound…

Note: All tracks mentioned in this review are clickable links that will open the track in your preferred streaming service, in order to reference the song.

As usual, here is a graph of the frequency response in comparison to my personal preference target:

(all my IEM measurements can be found and compared here: achoreviews.squig.link)

I really like what 7Hz and Crinacle have done in the subbass (and mid bass) realm. I know I am someone who looks for slightly less bass than the majority, so keep that in mind, but I find that the tuning of the Dioko makes for a very clean low end, something that Crinacle seems to focus on and something that I like.

There is enough subbass for when rumble is needed but that stays out of the way of the rest of the frequencies. The subbass is clean and articulate and while I would say that it is not the most detailed of bass in general (there isn’t usually a lot of subbass detail anyway, more just a rumbling effect) it does present things nicely and keeps up with fast paced subbass hits.

The midbass keeps the same kind of presentation. It is less present than on many other sets (including 7Hz’s own Timeless) and this may not be to the favour of many bass lovers, but I do like it. There are some genres, such as classic rock (things like “Whole Lotta Love” being an example), where a little more midbass would work in favour of the music but for many other genres I find that it works very well, again, keeping it clean and articulate with a decent speed. Personally I am a fan of the whole low end of the Dioko, at least as far as tuning goes, but I can see others wanting a little more warmth in these lower ranges. It really is quite a polite low end.

Moving into the mids, there is no need to mention that the transition is very clean, as is to be expected from the tuning. This can leave some of the lower guitar notes seeming a little hollow (not due to the clean transition but due to the lower midbass presence which often rolls over into the lower mids) but the midrange is very well balanced, maintaining a very clean presence until it starts to climb just before the 1kHz mark.

This does gives the Dioko a sensation of being very neutral all the way up to where the upper mids start. The lower end of vocals are present, as are instruments, all coming across as clean and as articulate as the lower frequencies do. This can make certain male vocals seem a little lacking in warmth, such as Leonard Cohen in “What Happens To The Heart”, especially when used to so many other sets that do have more going on in the lower mids (and midbass) frequencies.

However, in the case of female vocals, I don’t find this to be the case, seeming to come across as very neutral. The lower notes of Nellie McKay’s “I concentrate on You” are as clean as I would expect them to be from studio monitors.

As we reach the higher end of the mids, the presence region seems to not quite make it far enough, peaking around 2kHz and staying flat until around 4kHz. Now, this is not actually a negative, due to the neutrality of the frequencies up to this point. As there is no low end bump, nor central mids recess, to compensated for, the fact that the upper mids are not pushed forwards as much as we usually find on other sets works in favour of the Dioko. It helps not push the vocals too far forwards, while avoiding becoming too harsh at the same time. Trying just a quick touch of EQ to bring the 3kHz up to my usual preference target quickly made things more shouty and harsh.

The negative to this is that the higher ranges of instruments do not sound as natural as they should. I find pianos and the higher end of acoustic instruments to be well balanced but not quite correct as far as their tonality.

The higher ranges are well extended, with a nice sensation of air and space. There is a slight hint of sibilance on songs that are very borderline in this regard (such as “Code Cool”) but for the majority of tracks, this is not an issue.

As the Dioko are a very neutral tuned set of IEMs, this works in favour of space between instruments and layers, even if the soundstage is not huge. In fact, I would say that the soundstage is around average for a set of IEMs, however, due to the clarity, it works in their favour and does make things seem a little more spacious.

The biggest negative, which is really not a negative but more of a “not quite good enough”, is the subject of details. I mentioned in my review of the S12 that I don’t find them to be the most detailed of IEMs, however, the Dioko comes across as even less detailed in this regard. The intro of “All Your Love Turned To Passion” is something that I like to hear when assessing how a set of IEMs deals with those small background details and decays, and the Dioko just doesn’t quite do it. The initial strike of the guitar and the notes themselves are fine, but thre is no real decay or detail as the sound fades into the room.

Vs Letshuoer S12…

Before you say it, yes I know that the Dioko is a much cheaper alternative and this doesn’t make it a very fair comparison but… as both are planar IEMs and I find the S12 to be very similar to the Timeless, I feel that a (brief) comparison is in order. It would probably have more sense to compare the Timeless, which is the Dioko’s bigger brother, but I don’t own that IEM and I personally preferred the S12 anyway.

So, as far as tuning goes, they are different. Mainly in the bass regions, where the S12 has that warmer midbass presence while the Dioko focuses on the cleanliness and neutrality of the low end moving into the mids.

As a general preference, I actually prefer the tuning of the Dioko in this regard. However, when a set of IEMs has a slightly more present midbass which is still clean and articulate, I find it very pleasant, and that is the case with the S12.

The mids on the Dioko are also more neutral, approaching the presence of vocals in a different way. Listening to some of my favourite vocal focused tracks, I must say that I prefer vocals with the S12 approach (especially male vocals) but I have no issue with the Dioko either, it is just different.

As far as details, I have to say that I find the S12 to be superior in this regard, even if I have said that I don’t find the S12 extremely detailed.

I really feel that the Dioko and S12 (also the Timeless) have some similarities but are very different IEMs, approaching the presentation of music in different ways.

Conclusion…

I could probably spend a lot of time comparing the Dioko to many other sets around and below the 100€ mark, but honestly I think it has created it’s own space and while it may be competing for sales in this bracket, it is not actually competing at the same game.

Many sets around this price are focused on getting a general flavour that is pleasant for as many people as possible and there is nothing wrong with that, however, the Dioko seems to bring its own flavour to the table, which is something different yet well done at the same time.

I don’t think that the Dioko is ground breaking in terms of planar IEMs, in other words, I don’t think it is trying to compete with some of the more expensive planar IEMs, rather it is offering a planar variant at a very affordable price range. Let’s face it, planars are in fashion at the moment and 7Hz, along with Crinacle, have proved that you can (finally) get good planar performance for less than 100€.

(As with all my reviews, this is also available in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

[SenyorC]

7Hz Salnotes Zero

The 7Hz Salnotes Zero have been sent to mby Linsoul in exchange for the publication of this review. They have not requested anything specific and I will, as always, aim to be as unbiased as possible. However, you should always consider the fact that these IEMs have not cost me anything.

You can find a non-affiliate link to the Zero by visiting the version of this review published on my blog.

Intro…

When I received the Zero, they were not yet on sale and I had no idea what the price was. Since then, they have become available on Linosul at a price of less than 20€, placing them firmly inside the sub 50€ bracket that I consider ultra-budget orientated.

7Hz are a brand that have made quite a name for themselves recently, with the 7Hz Timeless, a breakthrough in the planar IEM market, and the recent Dioko (in collaboration with Crinacle), amongst a couple of other models. The Zero I believe is their attempt at entering this ultra-budget IEM market with a single dynamic driver set of IEMs.

Presentation…

As is to be expected for less than 20€, the presentation is rather basic. Arriving in a plain box that a plastic covered tray slides out of, these are very reminiscent of some of the KZ presentations.

Inside the box we get the IEMs, the cable, the user manual and the same collection of multicoloured tips that were included with the Dioko that I reviewed recently.

I really can’t see any reason to complain here, as I would much rather IEMs in this price range have as much budget put towards the actual IEMs as possible.

Build and aesthetics…

The Zero are available in various colour options, these being black, blue and white. The version I have received are the blue ones, a colour that I would actually refer to as “smurf blue”.

I have to say that I have not had a set of IEMs come across my desk in this colour, so bonus points for originality, even if I do find them to look a bit like a toy (especially with the red tips that they arrive with).

The build is a combination of a plastic shell along with a metal faceplate. The shape is also original, with the use of plenty of straight lines, forming a shape that I really wouldn’t know what to call. This may mean that for some people with smaller ears, the square corners may result in some discomfort but I haven’t personally noticed any.

To be honest, I am not quite sure what to say about build quality. As I said, they do look a bit like toys and there is a clear seam where the shells are fixed together but at the same time, I really can spot anything that shouts “this is going to break”.

The included cable is nice enough, although a little stiff. It does refrain from tangling though and in general does its job, so I don’t have any complaints either. Yes, the cable included with the Dioko was much nicer (at 5 times the price) but this is still far better than many other cables included with ultra budget sets.

At the end of the day, aesthetics are very personal and while I am not a huge fan, I am also not going to put too much into how a set of 20€ IEMs look.

Sound…

(Note: As always, tracks mentioned are clickable links that will open the referenced track in the streaming service of your choice)

This is the category that is “make or break” for an ultra-budget set of IEMs in my opinion. I mean, sound is obviously the most important part of any IEM (maybe along with comfort) but in this price range, if something manages to sound good, it is 99% of teh way there (in my opinion of course).

So, here is the usual graph comparing them to my personal preference target:

I have said it before but I will say it again, my target is just a guide, I don’t always like things that are very close to it and I don’t always dislike things that aren’t. Saying that, on paper, we are off to a good start with the Zero tuning.

Starting off with the subbass frequencies, there is enough for my tastes, giving a nice sensation of rumble when the track calls for it, such as in the case of my usual test track, “Chameleon”. They also stay fairly clean and articulated in these lower ranges, without giving a sensation of muddying up the low end.

I am not sure if these IEMs were developed after the Crinacle collaboration but I must say that the bass in general is very reminiscent (in quantity) of the Dioko, something that I find very positive.

Midbass is more of the same story, not overly done and staying out of the way of the lower mids. This makes for a very clean bass region in general, allowing me to appreciate what is going on in the low ranges, even in complex songs. Ok, the speed may not be up to that of certain planar models, or other dynamic drivers in higher categories, but is is still pretty good, better than a lot of models I have heard coming in at many times the price of the Zero.

As with the low end of the Dioko, this tuning may sometimes give the impression that the lower notes of guitars are missing a little bit of body, maybe the guitar of Johnny Cash in “Hurt” being a good example, yet I would much rather take this presentation over something that is too bloated.

The mids are very well balanced and follow my preferences almost exactly. This, in my opinion, gives just the right amount of presence and balance to vocals and instruments located in these frequencies. There is no huge dip in the mids, nor is there a huge spike at the top of the mids that is needed to compensate for any lack of lower midrange. The presence between 2kHz and 4kHz is almost perfect (again, in my opinion), starting to roll off before we hit 5kHz, a range that I am very sensitive to.

This is actually something that I equalized the Dioko to while I was testing it and it resulted in things becoming rather harsh in this area, that does not seem to be the case with the Zero. In the track “Don’t You Worry Child” by Beth, her voice can become very harsh and almost unlistenable on many set that have too much in the higher mids, in the case of the Zero, she is still harsh (the recording is harsh itself) yet listenable.

Moving into the upper ranges is where I find the issue with the Zero. There is plenty of extension and feeling of air, yet there is also a spike that does make these upper ranges a little brutal on occasions. This peak does not actually create too much sibilance as “Code Cool” is a little hot but not painful (which can certainly be the case), yet there is a bit of a metallic shine to the upper range, making it not feel natural.

My guess is that 7Hz have used this extra presence in the upper ranges to make the Zero seem like it has more details than it actually does. This is something that many brands have done with various models to give that impression of detail. This is something that can make a set of IEMs sound very impressive during the initial listening phase, yet can be fatiguing on longer listening sessions.

My take on this is that the Zero don’t really have a huge amount of detail. I mean, they are not bad, certainly more than acceptable for the price range that they sit in, but they are not as detailed as that upper range peak would like you to think. To be honest, this does give the sensation that they extend much better in the treble than other dynamic driver sets, yet they really don’t, it is more of an illusion created by that peak.

Soundstage is not bad but is another thing that is conditioned a little by that upper peak. That sensation of more air does sometimes add to the sensation of more space, yet when isolating certain instruments and sounds (such as in “Bubbles”), the soundstage is actually around average for a set of IEMs.

Conclusion…

Everything was going so well with the Zero until that upper peak. Now, that does not mean that they are a bad set of IEMs, far from it, they are a great set of IEMs for their price (and could could probably compete with sets priced quite a bit higher), I think it is more of me finding so many good things about the tuning that the one error, or maybe that is not the correct word, let’s say that one “choice”, is something that was probably more of a let down due to everything else being so surprisingly good.

Obviously this can be corrected (again, maybe corrected is not the right term) with a little eq, but I actually feel that maybe it is simpler than that and it can be corrected with a filter that just tames those highest ranges a little. When I get a chance (I have quite a list of backlogged items) I will certainly try a couple of things because I feel that these IEMs are almost perfect as far as tuning in their price bracket.

Again, please do not take this as a negative review, the 7Hz Salnotes Zero do almost everything much better than can be expected for their price.

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As always, you can find this review in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews
My IEM FR measurements are available on achoreviews.squig.link and my IEM isolation measurements can be found on achoreviews.squig.link/isolation

[SenyorC]

KBEAR Little Q

The KBEAR Little Q have been sent to me by KeepHifi in exchange for the publication of this review. They have never requested anything specific and I will do my best to be as unbiased as possible, always reminding you that these IEMs did not cost me anything.

You can find a non-affiliate link to KBEAR Little Q via KeepHifi by visiting the version of this review published on my blog.

Intro…

I have reviewed quite a few of these small bullet style IEMs but I have to say that I think the Little Q are the smallest of all of them. When I first opened the package, I was very surprised at how tiny these IEMs really are.

Coming in at around 15€, these are another set that are competing for the ultra budget category but do they do anything that so many other models don’t?

Presentation…

The presentation of the Little Q is about as basic as you can get, with a white box that contains the IEMs and a few set of spare silicone tips.

Not a lot to really talk about here but as I have repeated many times, in this price range I don’t want to see a lot of accessories.

Build & aesthetics…

I already mentioned how tiny these are, so again, there is not really much to say. They opt for an elongated cylinder type shape, very similar to the shape used by Final Audio on their E series, yet slightly smaller.

They are available with or without a microphone, with a 1€ difference, in black grey and blue. As KeepHifi asked which version I would like, I opted for the blue version with a microphone and I am glad I did. As these are so small and compact, they are a perfect candidate to store in a pocket or even a small container on a keyring, allowing you to always have a set of IEMs (with mic) available.

The build quality is all plastic (at least I think its plastic) yet is is well constructed and the finish is very well done. There is the KBEAR logo down one side in black and the back of the IEMs has a small honeycomb design printed on in white (something that could also be reminiscent of the Final Audio logo on the back of their IEMs).

Even though I say that aesthetics are not really something I care about in these price ranges, I am actually quite fond of them and they are very comfortable, even when laying on my side.

Sound…

So, the important part, sound. Let’s start off as usual with the graph of the Little Q compared to my personal preference target:

Ok, maybe we are not off to a great start here, as far as my personal preferences go, but all is not lost!

Down at the lowest frequencies, the Little Q are pretty elevated, giving quite a bit of presence to those lower notes. Now, if you remember (for those of you that follow my reviews), I recently reviewed the Blon FG which had less presence down low than the Little Q and I said it was not good. Well, the Little Q has something that saves it, it’s this thing called definition. Even though there is a fair amount of elevation in the lowest ranges, it doesn’t fall apart and become a huge… “blob” I think was the word I used.

This goes for the midbass too, which is also way above my preferences in this area but, as it actually has some clarity and definition, I don’t hate it. In fact, I actually find it kind of fun. I think those that like a lot of bass and are looking for something that is very cheap will have no problems with the low end of the Little Q.

I am not saying that it is amazing in the low end, nor that it is as clear and defined as higher range IEMs, I am saying that it is surprisingly good for the price and I find it enjoyable, which is quite a compliment from me for something with this amount of bass.

As we move into the mids, the tuning is again very similar to the FG, yet the Little Q actually performs rather well in these frequencies. Yes, there is a noticeable dip in the center of the mids but at least it stays defined, even if it does lean towards (or rather point towards) the warm side of things.

I found acoustic music to be quite enjoyable and while I wouldn’t pick these as my reference IEMs, “Crazy” by Daniela Andrade had nice warmth and clarity in the mid range, as did Caro Emerald in “Back It Up”. Vocals were easily appreciated and overall fun to listen to.

A lot of this presence is due to the boost as we get up to the 2500Hz range. This climb is actually quite smooth and does a decent job of making sure vocals get the spotlight they deserve. Voices certainly don’t get pushed up front, there is too much going on in the lower ranges for that to happen, but there is enough presence to be pleasant.

There is another peak around 6kHz before they upper ranges start to roll off and this is something that does help brighten things up a little but can be a little hot on certain tracks, along with some presence of sibilance, especially when elevating the volume level.

Soundstage is not huge, as is to be expected with such a deep fitting set, but it is not terrible either, with image placement that helps make things seem a bit better distributed.

Isolation…

This is something that I haven’t really mentioned much in reviews over the years but I have been working on putting together a collection of isolation measurements of the IEMs I have reviewed. The photo above is the isolation measurement of the Little Q but you can compare it with other isolation measurements by visiting achoreviews.squig.link/isolation (its the same address as my FR measurements but with /isolation on the end).

Conclusion…

The KBEAR Little Q are a set of IEMs that I have grown quite fond of while trying them out. They are not highly detailed, nor are they going to win any awards for amazing sound, yet they are a pleasant listen that work great as a cheap “out and about” set.

Due to the size of them, plus the fact that they have a mic, they are a great option to store in a tiny case that can be easily kept in a pocket or even on a keyring. This means that you have a set of IEMs that you can pull out at any time and plug them straight into your phone (if you have a headphone jack of course, if not, you can add an Apple dongle for another 10€), enjoy some music and make some calls, without worrying about them being damaged or lost.

They might not be the best isolating IEMs (although that will depend on the tips used of course) but as they have that elevation in the lower ranges, they should also work pretty well in noisy environments.

All I can say is that, for 15€, I think the Little Q are more than worthy of their price tag.

(As always, this review is also available in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

[astr0]

Hey man, I need help. I have a pair of Tin T2 PLUS and I love them. The problem is, I recently lost the filter on one of them. I also lost the little piece of foam inside the tube. Completely naked

Right now, one of the two is naked. Could you make a measurement of the tin t2 plus without filter and foam so I can equalize them to the original tuning? I also have foam and filters recommended by rikuGoku but I thought that would be a bore to try, eq is easier.

Thank you so much in advance.