Will this sequel make a good saga?
Received it some days ago, amazingly fast delivery. Box is smaller and cute, NO spring tips (HUGE mistake I will talk later) and a pouch which is just ok because is too small and thin, Truthear ones are much better, a user manual which is actually good and a mini post waifu card.
Honestly at first I was quite hesitant after knowing it will be V shaped but I couldn’t believe it and because I loved Chu shell comfort and the new cable looked good, plus the filter system I gave it a try.
It is V shaped? Yes.
Comfort is similar to Chu, shell is the same or at least almost the same except the nozzle which is now wider. That’s a trade off for better life span. Now the fit security is really good, something that Chu failed to achieve. Perfect for side sleepers.
Cable is really good, not as good material as SSR but it’s mushier. 0 tangling.
The new filter system is an amazing step forward in budget, wow, just wow. It’s is perfect as sleeping bud because now absolutely 0 worries of clogging. It just unscrews easily + it’s more covered than other ones ( I wonder if this boosted the bass?)
Now with the important part, the sound:
As said is a bright V shape signature, it reminds me of the good ol’ days that got me started in this hobby even I don’t persue that anymore.
How does compare to Chu?
Bass is more present and have more texture and body. Slightly upgrade in resolution. Bloated if you use stock tips*.
Mids are fuller, slightly edge in resolution too.
Highs-treble are really similar, it retains the sparkle of the original, same resolution.
Soundstage about the same, imaging might be a touch better. Overall and slightly upgrade in technicality but (to my taste) a downgrade in tunning. Specially because the way I enjoy it is NOT with STOCK tips! This is a huge flaw, with stock tips bass is enhanced and the bass starts to bloat BUT with Spring Tips, Spinfit cp100 and Kbear Dumpling tips it sounds really good. So it’s a huge mistake leaving out Spring tips, most of us wouldn’t mind spend 3/5$ more for that. Now it is a bright Aria, not a Chu-Spaceship line.
How does compare to rivals in the price bracket?
I was waiting to my Hola’s to arrive but they will take time so I can compare now and then edit. VS 7hz Zero, Tangzu Wan’er, Tanchjim Zero, Tanchjim Zero DSP, Moondrop Quarks, Kbear Dumpling, QKZ VK4 (v1-v2), Blon BL03… I would say that as an overall package are the best because they have the best comfort, cable and filter system. Just in sound terms? Good but not budget killer performance, some things are better some worse. It destroys Quarks, Blon’s, VK4 and Dumpling but with the others there’s trade offs, Tanchjim Zero has better tunning and vocals but worse resolution, Tanch zero DSP worse stock tunning but eq option, 7hz is more balanced but more blunted overall, Wan’er has the perfect signature to use it outside etc
But if it’s best in class might be Budget Killer as they said right? Well… No. Comparing to my beloved SSR is just worse sonically at everything, worse tuning and technicalities. So no, it is great for the price but that’s it. If they had released it next year maybe they could had bring a better driver and becoming a budget killer but they decided to rush it as they are lately doing with their releases…
To sum up, I think it’s good but flawed with the huge mistake of changing the tuning. Chu formed a cult around it so changing the sound signature but keeping the name is rather stupid and a lot of fans will get pissed. Specially because as I said doesn’t include Spring Tips and with the stock ones I wouldn’t take it over OG Chu… If it wasn’t for the big physical upgrade it would be a L. Then there’s big brains that comment “oh but if you wanted a better Chu get a Lan”. In first place Lan should had been a better SSR not a Chu, second it is twice the price so it’s not Chu range… And third literally this is ‘Chu II’ and what people wanted was just better build, some a bit more/better bass, that’s it. The bass enhancement should had been as in Lan, not making it a V shape. By doing these 2 moves they messed up the legacy of both beloved iems, SSR and Chu.
So a love hate relationship here, the product is good, I enjoy it as a sleeping bud but could had being better.