CCA CRA+ Review – Golden Boy

INTRO

There always has to be a new budget offerings and the CCA CRA+ is the latest from CCA. The original CCA CRA made a splash in the budget arena, unfortunately I did not experience that particular model. This one comes in with a minor price increase and given what I have seen from other reviews, the CRA+ is a more typical tuning in the Chi-fi scene offering enhanced bass with a mild upper midrange pinna gain with a not so tame treble presence that adds a slight zing, wrapped in a familiar shell shape accented in gold all for the price of $28.

GOOD TRAITS

• Universal Fitment-familiar shell
• Tuning profile is mild pinna gain sparkly treble
• Non-overpowering bass
• Detachable cable

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

• Resolution
• Tighten up the bass

FITMENT / ISOLATION

Fitment and Isolation of the CCA CRA+ is universal with above average isolation, I find the angle of the nozzle to not agree with my right ear which tends to be more finicky than my left. Nozzle size is also above average but not extra large. There is a sharp lip to keep the ear tip in place. The shell shape dates all the way back to the introduction of the KZ ZSN and has been used in countless models from TRN, KZ, CCA and others since.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Priced between $20-$28 depending on the store, the CCA CRA+ come in the typical white box with the typical KZ starline tips, and the standard non twisted silver plated straight cable. The cable has a plastic feeling that causes friction when untangling, but microphonics are on the low side. Tangling is still a thing that happens I don’t know if it is any less frustrating than the twisted cables that were offered as part of the standard budget IEMs from the likes of TRN, KZ and CCA, but it is less pliable.

SOUND

Tested with my LG G8 and SMSL DO100 and SMSL HO100.

We find the typical enhanced bass profile centered around 60-80hz on the CCA CRA+. Bass tones come off punchy with a dry muted finish on some tracks while droning on in more modern music that colors up the lower midrange. Vocals are enhanced by the upper midrange pinna gain up to a point between just enough to make it interesting but not enough to cause any shoutiness.

Treble sounds like someone dialed up the treble knob in the 8-10khz range to make it zing on cymbals with a Tiss sound, but not with any sibilance. EDM bathes itself in the sparkle as does pop and rock music. Jazz and Classical just sound enhanced, perhaps not for purists. Overall it is a balanced throughout the entire frequency spectrum.

TECHNICAL MERITS

The CCA CRA+ have medium sensitivity. Timbre is pretty good, I feel the depth and width are balanced well without feeling closed in and they feel rather spacious. Imaging seems to do a good job as well, I was expecting some congestion but no real issues there either. It’s not super resolving but sometimes you just want some comfort food and that is ok.

FINAL REMARKS

There is always going to be a budget category and for those that have moved on, the CCA CRA+ are probably not on your radar. For all those others either looking for a first buy, or someone who likes to collect, the CCA CRA+ is good choice if you wanted some minor bass enhanced, mild pinna gain, treble knob boosted sounding IEMs.

The color design and nozzle angle is not something I gravitate towards, but these are two personally individual areas that are hard to fault them for. I give these my “if my friend needed a set of IEMs, I would give them these to start” recommendation.

Authors note: I royally missed the boat and incorrectly though the original CCA CRA was the NRA. The CCA NRA was the model with the electret driver, not the CRA. What a n00b I was to completely miss that, but thanks to our fellow readers they caught my mistake. Thank you dedicated peeps my error has been corrected.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Silicone vs foam
• Impedance Plot

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DISCLAIMER

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Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.