Search Results for “TRN BA5” – Music For The Masses https://www.audioreviews.org Music For The Masses Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:35:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://www.audioreviews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cropped-audioreviews.org-rd-no-bkgrd-1-32x32.png Search Results for “TRN BA5” – Music For The Masses https://www.audioreviews.org 32 32 TRN ST5 Hybrid IEM Review – I Sing the Body Electric https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-st5-review-lj/ https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-st5-review-lj/#respond Sun, 18 Sep 2022 22:27:59 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=59971 I’m hard-pressed to find a more recommendable cheapo, and ultimately the ED9 is tough to criticize.

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These TRN ST5 showed up unsolicited and unexpectedly from Linsoul, who to their everlasting credit keep sending us gear even after we post less-than-flattering opinions. The($60.00)  5-driver, hybrid ST5 seem to be an update of the all-BA TRN BA5 nd/or the 6BA/1DD TRN VX, both of which we quite liked.

Build quality is very impressive for the price, with well-machined alloy shells and a supple, microphonic-free silver-plated cable. Swappable 2.5/3/5/4/5mm plugs are a neat idea, although the connection is unreliable (I had to heatshrink the 3.5mm plug to the cable, which defeats the purpose of interchangeable plugs).

No carrying case is included. Isolation is particularly noteworthy—these block out sounds effectively even without music playing. Very efficient and easy to drive; I didn’t notice significant differences with more power. The TRN ST5 tended to be unforgiving of lower-quality files and sounded best with a more neutral source–the CX Pro dongle was a very good match, while the more energetic, colored ibasso DC-05 gave the TRN ST5 more low end oomph but a bit of unwanted stridency at the high end.

In contrast to the surprisingly bassy, U-shaped signature of its predecessors, the TRN ST5 goes for what I’d term a “Japanese” tuning—bright, with more  subdued bass, energetic, forward mids and considerable high-end extension.  With the included foams, low end has considerable midbass quantity but not much subbass depth or impact and there is audible bleed into the mids.

Changing to the included narrow-bore silicons tightens  low end but sounds a little anemic, while wide-bored hybrid tips like the Symbio W had the best combination of bass control and quantity.

Mids, as stated, are prominent, full and very detailed, while crisp, highly-resolving treble shows a lot of little nuances and sparkle but (as is characteristic of TRN) sounds a bit hot/metallic in that 10-20kHz region.  The ST5 would likely benefit from further tiprolling and a bit of micropore tape modding in order to smooth the presentation.

TRN ST5 frequency response
Frequency response as given by TRN.

In any formulation, the ST5 present a wide soundstage with modest depth but (other than a tendency to push vocals forward) good layering and accurate instrument placement.  Coherence isn’t as seamless as the BA5 or comparably-priced DD designs like the KBear Diamond or Moondrop Aria—your ears tend to drawn to the hopped-up mids—although the TRN ST5  shows more high-end information than either.

Ultimately, whether these are for you will depend upon your taste in tuning—in this weight class I prefer the bassier, less analytic BA5 as an all-rounder, while comparably-priced BQEYZ or Blon have less drive but a more natural tonality.

However, the ST5 is still a lot of earphone for the money—viscerally it looks and feels like it could cost $150-200, and it has as revealing a high-end as you’ll hear for $60, even if it lacks the ultimate refinement of pricier pieces. K-POP fans should take note.

Disclaimer: got ’em for free from Linsoul: https://www.linsoul.com/

Customize your TRN ST5 with micropore tape.

Specifications TRN ST5

  • Drivers: 1 x 10 mm beryllium-coated dual-magnetic dynamic driver, 2 x 50060 midrange balanced armature drivers, 2 x 30095 tweeter balanced armature drivers
  • Impdedance: 22 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 120 dB
  • Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
  • Cable/Connectors: 8-core high-purity silver-plated oxygen-free copper cable/ 0.78 mm, 2 pin
  • Plug: 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm, and 4.4 mm modular swappable plug terminations
  • Product Page/Purchase Link: Linsoul

Also check our reviews of the following TRN models:


TRN BA5 (1) (Durwood)
TRN BA5 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
TRN BA5 (3) (Loomis Johnson)
TRN BA8 (1) (Baskingshark)
TRN BA8 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
TRN-STM (1) (Loomis Johnson)
TRN-STM (2) (Baskingshark)
TRN-STM (3) (Durwood)
TRN T300 (1) (Baskingshark)
TRN T300 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
TRN T300 (3) (Alberto Pittaluga)
TRN V80 (Jürgen Kraus)
TRN V90 (1) (Durwood)
TRN V90 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
TRN V90S (1) (Baskingshark)
TRN V90S (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
TRN VX (1) (Loomis Johnson)
TRN VX (2) (Baskingshark)
TRN VX (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
TRN-VX modding (KopiOkaya)


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TRN V90s Review (2) – Little Red Corvette https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-v90s-review-jk/ https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-v90s-review-jk/#respond Tue, 24 Nov 2020 02:42:55 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=26341 The TRN V90S is a technically impressive earphone (for its category) loosely based on the popular TRN V90, characterized by a V-shaped sound with good dynamics and resolution and slightly unnatural timbre.

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Pros — Technically very good; very articulate bass.

Cons — Not the most organic tonality; recessed lower mids and boosted upper treble; needs aftermarket eartips.

www.audioreviews.org

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The TRN V90S is a technically impressive earphone (for its category) loosely based on the popular TRN V90, characterized by a V-shaped sound with good dynamics and resolution and slightly unnatural timbre. Bass is very well dosed, midrange is rather recessed, and the upper treble is strongly elevated.

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The original 4 BA + 1 DD TRN V90 earphone was released in the summer of 2019. It was a relatively organic sounding but very V-shaped earphone with an overly recessed lower midrange. Vocals sounded thin and distant and only JVC Spiral Dots eartips could fix the midrange somewhat. I nevertheless enjoyed some movies with the TRN V90 on a long flight from Calgary to Dublin and back. The interest in this earphone was immense, and it was the most watched review of this blog until KopiOkaya’s eartips compendium took over.

Following in quick succession was the TRN BA5, a technically better earphone at a few dollars more. But, as the name implies, if featured 5 BA drivers and sounded rather artificial to my ears. Critics liked it, I found it was a redundant model.

The TRN V90S features 5 BA + 1DD, and it does not look, feel, or sound like the original TRN V90. Upon first listening, I found it rather “meh” as it did not sound as natural as the TRN V90 or the Blon BL-05s, which is one of my few favourites of 2020. Initially, I thought the TRN V90S was another redundant multi-driver model in the $50 category. It reminds me sonically more of the TRN BA5 than of the TRN V90. But where the original TRN V90 and the TRN V90s come close is the recessed midrange, which is TOO much (or rather too little) for my taste. Nevertheless, this can be fixed with the JVC Spiral Dots eartips.

Co-blogger Kopiokaya already gave his first impressions, and Baskingshark his full review, so I tag on to these two. No need to repeat the housekeeping such as build, haptic, accessories, comfort, and fit. The earpieces sat nicely in my ears and there were no problems. The cable is as cheap as ever, and none of the eartips were large enough for my ear canals.

You find multiple reviews of all of the iems mentioned in this article here.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Driver Unit: 5 BA + 1 DD
  • Sensitivity: 108 db/mW
  • Frequency response: 20Hz – 20000Hz
  • Impedance: 22 Ω
  • Cable: 2 pin detachable
  • Tested at $50 USD
  • Purchase link: TRN Official Store
TRN V90s
TRN V90S and included accessories.

Equipment used for listening: MacBook Air, Earstudio HUD100, JVC Spiral Dots, stock cable.

The TRN V90 have a V-shaped tuning resulting in a slightly warm sound that is technically focused and lacks a bit of organics. As said, I was initially not impressed by the BA timbre above the bass. At $50, the money should be in a well-tuned single driver imo. BUT…for some reason, my ears got into the TRN V90S and I started actually using and enjoying them. The TRN V90S are a technically very capable earphones and I somewhat got used to the timbre.

The other technicalities are impressive for a budget earphone: open, wide stage at average depth, nothing crammed in there. Height is good – generally one of the biggest progresses in recent budget Chi-Fi history. Musicians are sufficiently spaced and separated from each other.

The low end is slightly boosted above neutral but speedy and very well dosed. Layering and texture are good and so is the kick – but it is never overdone. A very pleasant, natural kick with just the right punch that is well liked by my sensitive eardrums – I absolutely dig it. Great that the low end is not overcooked. It provides warmth and body, opens up the stage, and does not reduce the good midrange clarity and transparency.

The lower midrange, as in so many cases, is recessed but not as much as the original V90. Voices are on the lean side but not glassy or aggressive. Perfectly acceptable when using the JVC Spiral Dots. Without these eartips, vocals are too thin for me. That 2 kHz peak adds energy to the vocals which can sometimes be a bit nasal, but there is never any outright sharpness or shoutiness, because that peak is relatively narrow and does not extend into the 4-5 kHz region, as so often with other Chi-Fi models. But we are not far away…

Treble is well extended, too well for some. Lower treble is quite natural but upper treble is very prominent, which adds air, sparkle, and fake resolution. However, younger people with naturally better hearing at above 15KHz may perceive some sharpness. These resonant frequencies will be fatiguing for them in the long term, and harmonic overtones will have an unnatural decay.

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Here you have the glass half full, half empty situation again. Although the TRN V90S is technically probably very close to the $129 class of 2018, nobody who has tons of $50-100 earphones needs them. But if you get them on some crazy sale and would like to upgrade from the $20-30 segment, then the TRN V90S could be a candidate. Be aware that you must be upper-treble-proof, get some JVC Spiral Dots, and don’t care about the timbre that much. You get in turn a well-built and well resolving earphone with a killer bass quality.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Jürgen Kraus signature

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DISCLAIMER

The TRN V90s were sent to me unsolicited by Idon’tknowexactly. Thank you very much.

Get the TRN V90s from TRN Official Store

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About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

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TRN STM Review (3) – Oh Snap! https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-stm-review-dw/ https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-stm-review-dw/#respond Wed, 18 Nov 2020 02:23:06 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=26440 It’s normally hard to get excited over a $20 earphone once you start venturing higher in other price brackets, but the TRN STM just got me excited again to hunt down unique and just cool sounding earphones.

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IN THE BEGINNING

TRN is our on again off again significant girlfriend/boyfriend brand in the Chi-fi world. While they don’t churn out minor “upgrades” like KZ or follow a pattern such as Moondrop, they do sometimes produce a model that we can get excited about. It appears some of the models are designed to highlight certain instruments or regions of our hearing. The TRN STM is a relatively benign addition being only a 1+1 hybrid and not following the race to cram as many drivers into a shell, yet this earphone comes off as a welcome surprise in a year of unknowns. Snappy and engaging, this set feels like it was made for drummers.

TRN STM

GOODIES

  • Snares and Drums just sound so real
  • Vocals come to life
  • Variable tuning nozzle filters
TRN STM

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

  • Faceplate styling
  • Timbre
  • Tangly cable, tight ear guides
TRN STM

COMFORT / ISOLATION

Nothing offensive here, pretty standard universal custom fit offered throughout brands. Isolation is slightly above average.

TRN STM

SOUND

The honeymoon has worn off, and I still enjoy this earphone a ton. The timbre is not natural since it takes a bit for my brain to recalibrate from something more natural sounding. There is something infectious whether it be the throbbing baselines without super excessive boost, or the realistic sounding treble, It is just a fun listen. I think most of the magic lies in the abnormally boosted treble region that treble averse listeners will probably not like. The TRN STM is not a purist’s earphone, it is for people who want something that transports them there instead of bringing the music to them. An acquaintance once told me recorded music is an attempt to impart the recorded environment into our ears, but the great playback systems can transport you there instead. The raw nature of the TRN STM makes things like snares and drums pop out and sound so darn realistic albeit not perfect. Bass is tastefully boosted snappy and quick, but still brings the throbbing lower bass notes we have come to like from the earlier TRN models like the V20, V60 or the V80 and later V90 models. It steers clear of bass bleed into the vocal midrange and does not sound thin like the TRN BA5.

One of my favorite parts though is how the boosted middle treble really brings to life instruments that live in this region and give it a more holographic realism.

The midrange is not shouty, it is recessed but stage width is super wide. Depth feels close up with plenty of decay that makes it feel not so closed in. Vocals have a nice decay that lets them marinate so as not to sound flat. Timbre is jacked , but still enjoyable. There is a bit of sibilance due to the juiced up treble, but weirdly it does not bother me because it comes off clear and transparent. The 30019 BA driver appears to be a great choice instead of the overly popular cheerleader BA 30095 found everywhere else. I wonder what a model with two of these 30019’s sharing the duty would sound like.

Cymbals and have a lot of shimmer and sizzle but not tizzy or tinny sounding like on the Nicehck NX7 or KZ ZS6, this is a different kind of bright treble that I cannot quite match in my overzealous Chi-fi collection. On some recordings the treble sounded a bit blunted (electronic music), on others that are already overly energetic (Royal Blood I am thinking of you), will sound a bit overbearing for sure. I would not suggest over-driving this earphone, or the treble gets out of control and unpleasant.

TRN STM

PACKAGE CONTENTS

At this point is probably a bit late to mention they have 3 tuning filters, I stuck with the stock one. Blue is least damped for the treble while the red takes the edge off some the hot treble giving the bass a little more exposure. Gold filter was the way to go for me, but someone could always use the additional filters to easily modify the ridiculously inexpensive TRN STM. The listener could just attach them as is, or actually add/remove your own materials without affecting the cosmetics. The cable is the standard removable tangly mess, with overly springy earguides.

TRN STM

IN THE END

It’s normally hard to get excited over a $20 earphone once you start venturing higher in other price brackets, but the TRN STM just got me excited again to hunt down unique and just cool sounding earphones. While trying to write about another decent $20 safe sounding IEM KBear KS2, I was sidetracked to keep listening to the TRN STM instead. I know we told all our friends we wouldn’t go back to our ex, this time it is different. I don’t care for the almost bedazzled looking faceplate, but function over form rules on this set. For those not afraid of middle treble accentuation, or even if you are and have $20 to spend go get you some TRN STM.

SPECIFICATIONS

Driver unit: 1DD+1BA hybrid unit

Impedance: 24 ohms

Earphone sensitivity: 106dB/mW

Earphone interface: 2Pin 0.75mm

Tested at $22 USD

GRAPHS

  • Left vs Right
  • Impedance Plot
TRN STM
TRN STM

MY VERDICT

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DISCLAIMER

These showed up without any knowledge of where they came from, I am assuming directly from TRN.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

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LZ A7 Review – End Game Multi Trick Rainbow Unicorn https://www.audioreviews.org/lz-a7-review-bs/ https://www.audioreviews.org/lz-a7-review-bs/#respond Sat, 07 Nov 2020 17:58:58 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=27641 The LZ A7 has a mind boggling 10 different sound signatures (giving various shades of V shaped to U shaped to neutralish sound signatures), to provide different palettes and hues to suit different sonic preferences, moods and music genres.

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Pros

  • Extremely versatile in view of tuning nozzles/switches (to give a potential 10 tuning options that are not gimmicks).
  • Excellent fit and build.
  • Good isolation.
  • Excellent technicalities especially for imaging and soundstage.
  • Natural tonality.
  • Good timbre for a tribid containing BA/piezo drivers (except for higher treble areas).
  • 3rd party nozzles from BGVP, NiceHCK M6, LZ A5, LZ A6 mini, LZ A6, Semkarch CNT-1 also fit this set, to give even more tuning permutations!!!
  • Easy to drive, but does scale with amping.

Cons:

  • Stock ear tips are tight to remove. No foam tips provided.
  • MMCX -> I much prefer 2 pin connectors as MMCX has longevity issues sometimes.
  • Shell is not the most beautiful -> design marred by too many words.
  • Will need a tool to switch the MONITOR-POP switch (can’t be switched with a finger).
  • Diehard bassheads may need to look elsewhere as this set is not basshead in quantity even on the most bassy tuning config.
LZ A7

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The LZ A7 is a formidable multi trick rainbow unicorn that leaves most of the other one trick ponies in the dust. The adage “different strokes for different folks” can be easily fulfilled with the LZ A7. It has a mind boggling 10 different sound signatures (giving various shades of V shaped to U shaped to neutralish sound signatures), to provide different palettes and hues to suit different sonic preferences, moods and music genres. Tip rolling (and cable rolling if you ain’t a cable skeptic) can even fine tune the tuning options further, in addition to other 3rd party tuning nozzles!

The LZ A7 also has great fit, good isolation, very good technicalities (especially imaging/soundstage) and a natural tonality. To top off the magical horn on this unicorn, the timbre for acoustic instruments is one of the best for a tribrid that contains a BA/piezo (except for the higher treble frequencies).

My nitpicks with this set mostly have to do with external appearances and accessories, and I’m quite sure most folks will find a preferred tuning option with the LZ A7, other than diehead bassheads.

LZ A7

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Driver config: 7 drivers tribrid earphones: Dynamic Driver for low frequency (liquid crystal molecule coating composite diaphragm) × 1, BA for medium frequency (Knowles) × 2, BA for high frequency (Knowles) × 2 , Piezoelectric ceramic ultra-high frequency (7 layers of piezoelectric parallel) × 2
  • Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40 kHz
  • Impedance: POP mode is 15Ω; MONITOR mode is 13Ω
  • Sensitivity: 109dB/mW in POP mode @ 1 kHz; 113dB/mW in MONITOR mode @ 1kHz
  • Cable type: MMCX interface
  • Tested at $318 USD
LZ A7

ACCESSORIES

In addition to the IEM, it comes with:

  • Multiple silicone tips (from medium to narrow to wide bore) (S/M/L)
  • 8 stranded 6N single crystal silver plated copper cable
  • Plastic container for tips
  • Round semi rigid case (green)
  • Wooden storage box
  • Card pin (to flip POP-MONITOR switch)
  • 5 pairs of tuning nozzles (with a bar to store them)

The accessories are adequate for a $300ish USD set, everything is usable OOTB. The cable is well braided and usable, with a chin cinch.

Although no foam tips were included, the variety of silicone tips on offer should get a good fit for most people. I found the narrower bore ones in general boosted bass, while the wider bore ones increased the upper frequencies, but YMMV as we all have different ear anatomies. So in addition to the 10 potential tuning signatures of the LZ A7, tip rolling can also give a degree of finetuning in the sound signature, so do explore to see what suits your preferences best.

One thing to note, the stock silicone eartips are very tight, they require quite a lot of effort to remove if you put the tip beyond the nozzle lip. This may be a pain if you wanna switch nozzles on the fly (but still reusing the same tips). On the other hand, you can be sure the eartip won’t easily drop out or be left in the ear when one removes the LZ A7, which I have experienced with some other IEMs before!

Unless otherwise stated, for the rest of this review, most of it was done primarily with the MONITOR-black nozzle configuration, with the black silicone tips (green nozzle).

LZ A7
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BUILD/COMFORT

The LZ A7 is extremely well fitting, I had no comfort issues using it for longer sessions. The shells are well built, but I would have preferred lesser words on the shell, as that kinda spoilt the asthetics of the shell. Well I’ll take a good sounding set with ugly shells, over a good looking but crap sounding one any day. The LZ A7 belongs in the former category of good sound with not so good looks, but anyway, when the IEM is inside the ears, one can’t see the shell, and the sonic qualities will be of much more importance!

The LZ A7 came with a MMCX connector, and while I had no issues with the MMCX connections on this set, I generally prefer 2 pin connectors. In my experience, MMCX connectors have lesser longevity in general compared to 2 pin types, especially with frequent cable changes. They either end up loose like a windvane spinning 360 degrees and causing potential sound cut out, or they become so tight they need to be removed with tools. Well YMMV.

Experienced IEM users will automatically know which side goes into which ear, though there’s a left and right marking on the shell, but just to be doubly sure, LZ has coloured the external shell vents blue and red, which corresponds to the left and right sides respectively. (When I first started out in this hobby, I remembered it as BLUE being Left and RED being Right).

There were multiple reports of moisture build up in the nozzles of the LZ A6 and LZ A6 mini (which were the predecessors of the LZ A7). This moisture issue had caused intermittent sound cut out for some users, it was also noted in some other CHIFI like the TRN BA5. I’m glad to report that LZ has fixed this moisture issue with the LZ A7. I live in a humid and hot climate and have used the LZ A7 for many long marathon listening sessions with no issues on this front.

I didn’t find any driver flex, but this is a bit dependent on eartips used and ear anatomy, so YMMV.

LZ A7

ISOLATION

Isolation is good but not classleading. The LZ A7 is vented and will lose to some pure BA unvented sets in the isolation department.

LZ A7

DRIVABILITY/SOURCE

For the purposes of this review, I tried the LZ A7 with a Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp, Khadas Tone Board -> Fiio A3 amp, Shanling Q1 DAP, Ziku HD X9 DAP, smartphone (android) and Tempotec Sonata HD Pro.

The LZ A7 is rather easy to drive from lower powered sources. Though, amping does provide some scaling in details, soundstage and dynamics.

LZ A7

GENERAL SOUND & TUNING NOZZLES/SWITCHES

The keyword that I will use for the LZ A7 is “natural”. It is natural in tonality, rather balanced across most tuning options, and also has a very natural timbre (which we will discuss below in more detail). Some CHIFI, especially at the budget segment, like to boost the upper mids/treble to give a “fake” sense of perceived details, but the LZ A7 manages to get these details in without much effort or using this “cheat code”, even on the less upper frequency boosted tuning configs.

The biggest selling point about the LZ A7, of course, is the mindboggling 10 potential configurations in sound signature. The next few paragraphs and graphics will explain these in more detail. Do forgive me for spending some time in these areas, but I feel it will only be doing justice to this multi trick rainbow unicorn as such. In a nutshell, the tuning is changed via a 2 way switch (POP vs MONITOR switch) and 5 pairs of tuning nozzles. To complicate matters, the provided ear tips of various nozzle diameters and even aftermarket tips/foam tips and aftermarket tuning nozzles can all change the sound signature. Not to mention cable believers may also do an even higher level of fine tuning via pairing it with various aftermarket cables (please don’t report me to the police if you are a cable skeptic!).

LZ A7
This is a LZ store page graph comparing the sound signature of the POP switch (grey line) versus the Monitor switch (purple line).

The POP-MONITOR switch can be flipped with a card pin provided in the accessories. They are too small to be flipped by a finger, so the card pin is something that shouldn’t be lost, but you can use any phone SIM card pin for this purpose, or even a toothpick. The switches are not gimmicks, they do affect the 100ish Hz to 1ish KHz regions as per the above graph. The MONITOR switch increases the mid frequencies and makes the LZ A7 more neutralish/mid centric. The POP switch depresses the mids and makes the sound more V/U shaped.

As the ears take the entire frequency spectrum as a whole, the bass/treble may be perceived to be more emphasized with the POP switch on, as one may boost the volume due to the depressed mids to get the same details and clarity in the mids (when compared to the MONITOR mode). Those who prefer instrumentals and vocals and a fuller mids/note weight will probably benefit from the MONITOR switch. Whereas those that want a more V shaped consumer friendly tuning with a more boosted bass (or say if you are outdoors where bass frequencies are the first to be lost), may benefit from the POP switch.

LZ A7
On the Taobao store page, LZ has some descriptions for the various tuning nozzles (they are all based on the black stock nozzle as a baseline for increase and decrease at the 1.5 – 5 kHz regions):
Black (+0 db, aluminum): standard.
Red (-8 db, aluminum): bass boost.
Yellow (-3 db, copper): mellow vocals.
Blue (+3 db, aluminum): treble clarity.
Silver (+6 db, stainless steel): extreme technicalities.


LZ A7
LZ A7
This is a LZ store page graph showing how the 5 tuning nozzles affect the sound signature while on the POP switch.
Red line = red nozzle
Yellow line = gold nozzle
Grey line = black nozzle
Blue line = blue nozzle
Purple dotted line = silver nozzle
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This is a LZ store page graph showing how the 5 tuning nozzles affect the sound signature while on the MONITOR switch.
Red line = red nozzle
Yellow line = gold nozzle
Black line = black nozzle
Blue line = blue nozzle
Purple dotted line = silver nozzle

The above pictures show how the tuning nozzles affect the 1.5 – 5 kHz regions. Once more, they are not gimmicks and they work as advertised. Although the tuning nozzles technically don’t touch the bass frequencies per se, as the ears take the entire frequency spectrum as a whole, boosting or depressing the upper mids/lower treble area will make the ears perceive the bass to be depressed/boosted respectively (see saw effect), so there will be perceived bass changes with the various tuning nozzles on.

I find the gold/red nozzles give a more neutral tuning, the silver and blue ones boost the upper mids/lower treble the most. The black nozzle is the default tuning nozzle the LZ A7 comes with, and it probably is the most middle of the road tuning and most all rounder as such.

The LZ A7 thus can be a multi trick unicorn that has a spectrum of rainbow coloured tunings from a neutralish tuning (MONITOR-Red nozzle) to various shades of neutralish/U shape variants, all the way to the V shaped tunings. POP-Black nozzle is probably the limit of the upper mids/lower treble boost as I am treble sensitive. I found the blue and silver tuning nozzles to be quite hot in the upper mids/lower treble on POP mode, with sibilance, especially at louder volumes/poorly recorded material, so they didn’t get much airtime for me. Though they may be preferred for trebleheads, or in certain music genres (perhaps for instrumental/vocal predominant music), as they gave a better clarity and hence perceived details.

Treble is a big can of worms though, as we all have different hearing health (due to age/occupational/leisure exposure), and treble frequencies are usually the first to be lost in these conditions. Also, we may have different pinna gain due to different ear anatomies, we use different sources, different eartips, play at different volumes (Fletcher Munson curve), and even use different cables (for the cable believers), and some are by default treblehead/treble sensitive.

So do explore to see what suits your preference, I like that LZ has provided different areas for you to finetune the signature for your preferred sonic preferences, music genres, moods and hearing health, via the POP-MONITOR switch and tuning nozzles (and thru the above variables in the last paragraph). The adage “different strokes for different folks” can be easily fulfilled with the multi trick unicorn LZ A7. The good thing about tunable sets like the LZ A7, is that there is also an ideal tuning option for treble amounts for different individuals.

A bonus headache (though a good headache to have!) is that aftermarket nozzles from BGVP, the NiceHCK M6, the LZ A6 mini, LZ A6, LZ A5 and Semkarch CNT1 also fit the LZ A7! I know some of these models are out of production or soon going to be (in the case of the LZ A6 and A6 mini), so I won’t dwell too much on this area, but existing owners of those models have an even greater number of permutations to play with to get audio nirvana on the LZ A7.

LZ A7

SOUND AND TECHNICALITIES IN DETAIL

So, as detailed above, with the tuning switches and nozzles, the LZ A7 can be coloured in various shades from neutralish variants to U shaped variants all the way to V shaped, it can suit different sound signatures from something mid/vocal centric to a more technical and bright signature. Diehard bassheads will unfortunately be the only ones left out as the LZ A7 is not basshead in quantity even in the most bassy sounding config, but the bass is a quality bass nevertheless, which we will discuss later in this section.

Soundstage on the LZ A7 is very wide, with good depth and height (depth > height). Soundstage however, is affected to some extent by the POP vs MONITOR mode, as a V shaped signature in the POP mode may give a more distant mids and hence a perceived wider soundstage. A more midcentric tuning as in the MONITOR mode will compress the stage width a tinge. Soundstage is not the easiest to estimate, but I would say the smallest stage I found on the LZ A7 is on the MONITOR-gold nozzle and/or MONITOR- red nozzle mode as those are perhaps the more midcentric tunings, whereas it is wider on the POP nozzle variants.

With regards to technical performance, the LZ A7 has one of the best imaging I have heard in a midfi IEM, with a very dark background allowing instruments to be pinpointed very easily. Music never sounded congested, with a good space all around. Details and instrument separation were very good, though probably it isn’t the absolute class leader for microdetailing at the midfi segment. Complex music, fast music and music with competing instrumentation/riffs are easily handled by the LZ A7. Clarity is somewhat dependent on which tuning nozzle/switch is used, as a boosted upper mids/treble would generally give a better perceived clarity.

The LZ A7’s note weight is moderate, but may be a tinge thinner with the blue/silver nozzles on. In the area of timbre, the LZ A7 has a very natural timbre for vocals and acoustic instruments (woodwinds, brasses, stringed instruments), this was a big surprise for me, considering it contains a BA/piezo driver, and these drivers aren’t usually known for good timbre compared to single DD types. The LZ A7’s timbre won’t beat some well tuned single DD sets in this department, but it may actually be better than some budget single DD sets for timbre. Perhaps at the higher upper treble frequencies handled by piezo drivers, I did detect a bit of a metallic artificial timbre for violins on occasion, but not many tracks feature violins playing so high, so I would think for general use, this may not be so apparent, and one must really be looking out for it to truly notice it.

Across most of the tuning configs, bass on the LZ A7 is more subbass focused than midbass focused. The subbass extends deep and moves air like most well tuned DD bass sets, with a slightly slower decay than traditional BA bass. The LZ A7’s midbass is punchy, but even at the most perceived bassy config, this is not a true basshead set in terms of quantity, but the bass is a quality bass, being on the faster side, with good texturing. On the most bassy config, bass does not bleed into the mids and it gives the mids and treble a lot of space to breathe.

Mids as discussed above, are very dependent on the POP vs MONITOR switches, and the upper mids area in particular are affected by which tuning nozzle you use. Midcentric and vocal lovers would like the MONITOR switch and can fine tune the upper mids region with the various tuning nozzles, whereas V shaped lovers can opt for the POP switch. On most configurations, the mids are very detailed, layered, natural sounding and transparent, aided by the superb imaging and soundstage. I liked that the LZ A7 sounded quite musical yet detailed, but without treading into being an overly analytical set.


The LZ A7 has quite good treble extension and air and details. As per the mids, the tuning nozzles will affect the lower treble quantity to some extent. The amount of treble quantity can be controlled as such, depending if you want more sparkle and brightness, or something smoother and less fatiguing. Overall, I would say the LZ A7 has a treble generally lying on the energetic side of the spectrum, maybe except with the red tuning nozzles.

Trebleheads will probably like the blue and silver nozzles. I’m treble sensitive and I prefer the gold and red +/- black ones, with the red nozzle being the most treble light of the configs. I didn’t use the blue and silver nozzles too much, but they do have their uses for me for certain music genres eg perhaps for instrumental/vocal predominant music. The POP-black nozzle mode is probably the limit of the treble I can take (but it is very non fatiguing and smooth in MONITOR-black nozzle mode), so the black nozzle is a useful baseline to see how much treble you wanna adjust from there. On the non blue/silver nozzles, cymbals sound quite natural and not splashy, unlike some other treble steroid boosted CHIFI. Sibilance was present some times on the silver tuning nozzle especially in the POP mode, but as discussed previously, this unicorn can give a preferred treble setting for almost everyone, from trebleheads to treble sensitive brethen!

LZ A7

COMPARISONS

I did most of my comparisons versus these other sets using the Monitor-Black nozzle config.

LZ A7

Westone W30 (3BA) ($400 USD)

The Westone W30 is a warm neutralish set. Timbre is worse on the Westone W30 and notes lack an edge definition/bite on the Westone W30. The LZ A7 easily beats the Westone W30 in technicalities (in the areas of imaging, instrument separation, soundstage and details). Isolation and comfort is about on par.

The LZ A7 is a complete upgrade in almost all areas, and it is more versatile too due to the tuning configs.

LZ A7

Audiosense AQ7 (1DD + 6BA) ($498 USD)

The Audiosense AQ7 is a mild U shaped set with a subbass boost, with some dampened treble frequencies. Soundstage is a tinge smaller on the Audiosense AQ7. For technical performance, both are very good sets in this area, but imaging is a tinge better on the LZ A7. The Audiosense AQ7 wins in the area of instrument separation and details. Both have fast and clean basses without midbass bleed.

The LZ A7 is slightly better in timbre for acoustic instruments.

The Audiosense AQ7 comes with better accessories eg a Pelican like waterproof hard case, and the shells look like semi customs and are quite beautiful.

Between the 2, the Audiosense AQ7 wins in microdetails, but I would give my vote to the LZ A7 for the more natural timbre, more tuning options and cheaper price.

LZ A7

Audiosense T800 (8 BA) ($298 USD)

The Audiosense T800 is an 8 knowles BA bright V shaped set. It has a vented subwoofer that makes the BA bass on the Audiosense T800 sound pretty close to a DD bass instead of a traditional BA bass.

The Audiosense T800 has a more “fun sounding”, in your face type of sound. Even on the most bassy config in the LZ A7, the Audiosense T800 still has more sub bass quantity but Audiosense T800’s bass is not as fast or textured as the LZ A7. The LZ A7 has better imaging, instrument separation, clarity and details and soundstage than the Audiosense T800. I also found the tuning is more refined and smoother on the LZ A7, with treble extension on most tuning nozzles being better in the LZ A7.

In the area of isolation and accessories, the Audiosense T800 edges it, with the Audiosense T800 having almost 30 dB passive isolation, very impressive for a non etymotic type deep insertion IEM or custom IEM. Plus the Audiosense T800 came with the aforementioned Pelican like hard case similar to the Audiosense AQ7 discussed above. Fit is better on the LZ A7 due to the smaller shell.

The Audiosense T800 is a very source picky IEM in view of the very low 9.2 ohm impedance, and it pairs well with sources with < 1 ohm output impedance (ideally as close to zero as possible is better). The Audiosense T800’s frequency response gets skewed with inappropriate source pairing especially if the source output impedance is too high. The LZ A7 is much easier to pair with sources. So one other area to consider if you don’t have an appropriate source on hand.

The Audiosense T800 has spent much time with me on the road, it has been my daily transit and stage monitoring driver for the last 18 months due to the great isolation and good technical performance, and it was my endgame IEM for 2019. The LZ A7 has landed and has taken the new title of midfi CHIFI end game today. I will still use the Audiosense T800 for stage monitoring due to the excellent isolation, but I have to admit here that the LZ A7 here is the better set in terms of sound quality. And we haven’t even talked about the 10 tuning configs on the LZ A7 giving it more versatility.

LZ A7

TRI I3 (1 DD + 1 planar + 1 BA) ($169USD)

The TRI I3 is a U shaped set, and sounds very coherent and well balanced despite the weird mishmash of driver types. It is very smooth and non fatiguing, but has an occasional 3 kHz spike that rears its ugly head during poorly recorded material or at louder volumes (Fletcher Munson curve).

The TRI I3 is much more power hungry due to the planars in the mids requiring some juice, and it needs amping to perform optimally, unlike the LZ A7, which is easier to drive. The TRI I3 is bulkier and heavier in shell size, and may be more uncomfortable for longer listening sessions. Isolation is also poorer on the TRI I3.

The TRI I3 has poorer details, less instrument separation, poorer imaging and clarity even when amped. The TRI I3 also has a higher treble bordering on dark, and perhaps wouldn’t be a good option for trebleheads, whereas the LZ A7 has better treble extension and airiness, especially on the silver/blue tuning nozzles.

For the mids, the TRI I3 has lusher and thicker mids (when the planars are amped), but the mids ain’t as transparent as the LZ A7. Bass wise, the TRI I3 is more midbass focused, compared to the subbass focused LZ A7 (on most tuning configs), but the bass quality is not as fast on the TRI I3.

The TRI I3 is famous for having a holographic 3D soundstage at the $150 USD price bracket (when amped). The LZ A7 actually has better width and depth in soundstage, but loses a tinge to the TRI I3 in the height department.

LZ A7

TRI Starsea (1DD + 2 BA) ($129 USD)

I know it is an unfair comparison due to the almost 2 – 3 times price difference between the 2 sets, but I view the TRI Starsea as sort of a poor man’s LZ A7, with the TRI Starsea having 4 tuning options (via switches only without tuning nozzles). Other than the LZ A7 having more possible tuning sound signatures than the TRI Starsea, the LZ A7 also has better timbre, a thicker note weight and a more refined tonality. The LZ A7 also has a bigger soundstage and better instrument separation, details and imaging.

Like the Audiosense T800, the Tri Starsea is also a very source picky IEM in view of the very low 9.5 ohm impedance, and likewise pairs well with sources with < 1 ohm output impedance (close to zero is best). As per the Audiosense T800, the frequency response gets skewed with inappropriate source pairing, unlike the LZ A7 which is more source agnostic.

The LZ A7 is not 3 times better as the price would suggest, and diminishing returns are present the higher you go up in this hobby, but I would say if you can save up, it might be better to skip the TRI Starsea and just go for a higher tier upgrade in the LZ A7 in view of the more tuning options, less source pickiness and better technicalities/refinement.

LZ A7

Oriveti New Primacy (2 BA + 1 DD) ($300 USD)

The Oriveti New Primacy is a balanced, warm neutral set. The LZ A7 is faster, tighter and more textured in the bass. The Oriveti New Primacy has a smooth and somewhat veiled mids and treble, whereas the LZ A7 is more transparent in the mids, with greater treble extension and airiness and fowardness (dependent on tuning nozzle type).

The LZ A7 trumps the Oriveti New Primacy in technicalities (instrument separation, clarity, details, imaging and soundstage). The LZ A7 has better timbre for acoustic instruments. BA timbre is quite apparent in the Oriveti New Primacy for the mids and treble frequencies for acoustic instruments, with the LZ A7 sounding much more natural, maybe except in the higher treble frequencies handled by the piezos.

I also had a very bad driver flex with the Oriveti New Primacy, I gotta say it may actually be one of the worst driver flex I’ve experienced in the last 16 years of using IEMs. On inserting the Oriveti New Primacy, there’s a literal “clunk!” sound that makes me super worried something gets damaged inside each time I use it. On the other hand, I had no driver flex with the LZ A7, but YMMV, as driver flex is dependent on ear anatomy and eartips used to some extent. Driver flex aside, I also found the LZ A7 to be more comfortable for longer sessions.

LZ A7

Kinera Freya (3 BA + 1DD) ($249 USD)

The Kinera Freya is a U/V shaped set, with a beautiful hand painted shell, which is much larger in size. The Kinera Freya has better accessories too. Those external superficial areas are however the only areas where the Kinera Freya surpasses the LZ A7. In terms of sonic performance, it doesn’t hold a candle to the LZ A7. The LZ A7 is the superior IEM in the areas of technicalities, timbre and tonality and fit/comfort, and by quite a distance. The LZ A7 of course has 10 tuning configurations too, so it is more versatile. Unless you prefer looks and accessories over function, then the LZ A7 is definitely the better option.

LZ A7

Toneking Ninetails (1 DD) ($125 USD)

I know it is strange to compare the Toneking Ninetails (a single DD set) to a more expensive tribrid in the LZ A7, as the single DDs and tribrids have their different strengths and weaknesses among the different transducer types. But I decided to go ahead and compare them since the Toneking Ninetails has tuning nozzles (rear and front) to give 9 tuning signatures, 1 short of the LZ A7.

Just a bit of a background, the Ninetails is a Far Eastern “fox spirit” in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cultures, which can shapeshift to take the form of a human. So it is quite a good naming convention, as the Toneking Ninetails IEM had a rear and front tuning nozzle to give 9 different sound signatures, from neutralish to V shaped to basshead. The tuning nozzles are not gimmicks and they actually worked, and it tied in nicely with the Ninetails namesake and folklore.

The Toneking Ninetails IEM was a cult classic with good reviews among owners, but a lot of people were hesitant to purchase it due to the unconventional looking design. The Ninetails is actually quite well fitting and comfortable once you know how to wear it, but the LZ A7 is still more comfortable due to the more ergonomic and conventional profile.

The LZ A7 has better isolation and accessories. The Toneking Ninetails has actually one less tuning configs (nine) than the ten in the LZ A7, but the Toneking Ninetails can become basshead on certain configs with a jawrattling nausea inducing headache, something the LZ A7 cannot do, even on the most bassy config.

The single DD Toneking Ninetails has much weaker technicalities than the multi driver LZ A7, though the Toneking Ninetails has a better timbre for acoustic instruments, as per its single DD roots. The LZ A7 trumps the Toneking Ninetails in details, instrument separation, clarity and imaging, transients, speed and bass tightness. Though in view of the semi open backed design, the Toneking Ninetails has a slightly better soundstage (though at the expense of poorer isolation).

LZ A7

CONCLUSIONS

The LZ A7 is a formidable multi trick rainbow unicorn that leaves most of the other one trick ponies in the dust. The adage “different strokes for different folks” can be easily fulfilled with the LZ A7. It has a mind boggling 10 different sound signatures (giving various shades of V shaped to U shaped to neutralish sound signatures), to provide different palettes and hues to suit different sonic preferences, moods and music genres. Tip rolling (and cable rolling if you ain’t a cable skeptic) can even fine tune the tuning options further, in addition to other 3rd party tuning nozzles!

The LZ A7 also has great fit, good isolation, very good technicalities (especially imaging/soundstage) and a natural tonality. To top off the magical horn on this unicorn, the timbre for acoustic instruments is one of the best for a tribrid that contains a BA/piezo (except for the higher treble frequencies).

My nitpicks with this set mostly have to do with external appearances and accessories, and I’m quite sure most folks will find a preferred tuning option with the LZ A7, other than diehead bassheads.

Getting the LZ A7 is like getting 10 IEMs with 1 purchase (or even more if you explore aftermarket tuning nozzles), and it has my vote for midfi CHIFI of the year for 2020. I think that it can be an end game set for many in the midfi segment, but is there really such a thing as a mythical endgame unicorn in this hobby?

LZ A7

MY VERDICT

Starred

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DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank HIFIGO for providing this review unit. It can be gotten here (https://hifigo.com/products/lz-a7) at $318 USD.

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You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

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TRN-VX Review (3) – Technical Ecstasy https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-vx-review-jk/ https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-vx-review-jk/#respond Fri, 24 Jul 2020 15:48:18 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=19809 The TRN-VX earphone is a 6 BA +1 DD hybrid that excels by its superb build and its (in this class) unparalleled technical abilities. But it does not work right out of the box and needs a different cable and some 3M micropore tape on the nozzle to work well.

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Pros — Small shells; great ergonomics; very good technical abilities.

Cons — Tuning (glassy vocals/harshness from boosted upper midrange needed tape adjustment); design lifted from Meze; sub-standard cable; boosted upper midrange causes light note weight.

TRN-VX

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The TRN-VX earphone is a 6 BA +1 DD hybrid that excels by its superb build and its (in this class) unparalleled technical abilities. But it does not work right out of the box and needs a different cable and some 3M micropore tape on the nozzle to work well.

TRN-VX


INTRODUCTION

TRN is a relatively new company that had attracted many fans last year, mainly with the very popular 4 BA +1 DD TRN-V90 and the 5 BA TRN-BA5. You find several reviews of these two on our blog. In order to keep up with the Chi-Fi progress, TRN just released the 6 BA + 1DD, which is actually their best earphone yet in my opinion.

Two reviews of the TRN-VX exist on our blog already – as well as a video on our YouTube channel. I keep myself therefore short.

TRN-VX review I by Loomis Johnson

TRN-VX review II by Baskingshark

TRN-VX
My YouTube review of the TRN-VX earphone.

SPECIFICATIONS

Driver unit: 6 BA + 1 DD (10 mm)
Impedance: 22 Ω
Sensitivity: 107 dB/mW
Frequency range: 7 – 40000 Hz
Connectors: 2 pin
Tested at: $72
Product page:
Purchase Link: TRN Official Store

TRN-VX

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

TRN appear to have put all their money into the earpieces and the sound. The box’s content is rather sparse: apart from the two shells, there is a cable, 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S/M/L), and the usual paperwork. The cable is basic and non-descript – and it does not live up to the beautifully CnC machined aluminum earpieces. Nicely enough, TRN also included their $14 TRN-T4 8-core occ copper cable – which caused the TRN-VX to sound overly sharp. It was therefore not used in the review.

TRN-VX
TRN-VX


OCC: Ohno Continous Cast! What is it?

TRN-VX

The earpieces are rather small for hosting 7 drivers, and they are somewhat unique in comparison to your typical Chi-Fi fare. But before I gave kudos to TRN for their design, some similarities to the Rai Meze Penta became obvious. Not good. The earpieces just feel great between my fingers and the green colour is very appealing to my eyes. And they fit my ears very well – thank you Meze – and were comfortable over longer periods of time. Isolation is middle of the road. As sources I used my iphone and MacBook Air in combination with the ifi hip-dac and ifi nano bl. In terms of eartips, the largest stock tips worked well. For my listening, I used a cheap $8 8-core pure copper cable from Yinyoo as pure copper generally decreases harshness in my earphones [product link].

TRN-VX

MICROPORE TAPE MOD

This mod was suggested and tested by KopiOkaya. It is based on Head-Fier’s/Super Best Audio Friend’s James444 modding techniques, which we summarize HERE.

TRN-VX

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

My tonal preference and testing practice

My test tracks explained

The TRN-VX is a very technical earphone with a bright, V-shaped signature (ootb). The tuners elected to bring the upper midrange forward, which causes some harshness (green graph). After micropore modding, the upper midrange is reduced by 2-3 dB (red graph) which removed some harshness and glassiness from the vocals and brought them forward in the mix. My description of the tonality is with the tape mod implemented.

TRN-VX
TRN-VX
Frequency response before (green) and after 3M micropore tape modding (red). Measured by Kopiokaya with an IEC711 coupler.

The dynamic driver provides for a great bass. It is speedy, articulate, composed, and well extended. And it stays composed into the sub-bass without getting fuzzy. It is linear and therefore avoids a mid-bass hump that excavates my eardrums. Dosage is just right for the audiophile crowd but is not enough for bassheads. Well done. The bass adds a bit of warmth but the earphone stays analytical overall. Bassheads can increase the bass punch by adding Azla SednaEarfit tips (long-stemmed wide bores).

Vocals in the lower midrange as still a bit back, even with the 3M micropore tape and third-party pure copper cable. Upper midrange is still a bit on the forward side and still attenuates the lower midrange to some extent. Note weight could be a bit thicker/heavier. This yields a crisp and clear midrange and a bit of a cavernous listening sensation.

Treble is well extended, not fatiguing, adds sparkle to the whole, but has a tendency toward sibilance. I am sensitive towards treble but did not mind this one.

Timbre is also quite good, although it is not as organic as single DDs such as the Moondrop Starfield or the KBEAR Diamond. Detail resolution is very impressive. Soundstage is very wide, much wider than the competition I have tested (Tin Hifi T4, Starfield, and Diamond), with a reasonable depth. Generally, the TRN-VX beats their competition in terms of technicalities, including layering and instrument separation. I also find the modded TRN-VX less recessed than the organic TRN-V90, and much more balanced than the TRN-BA5 (all of the above have been reviewed by us HERE).

TRN-VX

WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENTLY?

I would obviously flatten the curve to get a more robust vocals department and less shrillness. I would also add a decent cable that matches the physical qualities of the earpieces. After all, buyers expect a “complete” product at this price.

TRN-VX

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The TRN-VX are a technically, ergonomically, and hapticly very good earphone and possibly outstanding in their class in these respects. But what many users will dislike about it is that sub-par cable and the company’s refusal to tune the earphone according to the western flavour (but rather add artificial hardness that needs to be compensated for by taping the nozzle). But once these kinks have been ironed out, the TRN-VX is a reasonably enjoyable earphone that currently finds some use in my collection.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Jürgen Kraus signature

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TRN-VX

DISCLAIMER

The TRN-VX earphone – including a hefty DHL bill – was received unsolicited. But we do what we can…

Get the TRN-VX from the TRN Official Store

Yinyoo 8-core pure-copper cable used in the review

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About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

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TRN-VX Review (1) – Technical Knockout https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-vx-review-lj/ https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-vx-review-lj/#comments Wed, 27 May 2020 16:57:29 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=20107 The TRN-VX is impressive overall—a comparable 14-driver unit might have cost >$500 just a few years ago

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Aside from the Trump-boosted body count, the most disconcerting aspect of the COVID lockdown is the stimulus deprivation—all of sudden we’re deprived of sports, in-person interaction, microbreweries and most other useful ways to drown out the constant drumbeat of bad news. All of which has made music and gear the more essential to anesthetize the looming sense of existential doom. 

Here our second review of the TRN-VX earphone.
…and our third review!

Ergo, my comparative joy at the unexpected arrival of the TRN-VX, a $75 14 driver hybrid from ambitious upstart TRN, who have trotted out ever more refined models since the fun-but-overheated V10/V20.  Packaging and accessories are spartan;  compact aluminum shells are well-built and comfortable, though aesthetically dull, while isolation (aside from some minor wind noise) is very good.

The TRN-VX is supposedly an enhancement of the well-received V90, and shares the same slightly warmish U-shaped tonality, with an enhanced, well-extended treble, mildly recessed mids and tight, well-articulated bass which has considerable thump and depth, albeit without the slightly overdone boominess of the V90. Note texture is lean but not anemic, and instrument placement is quite accurate across a wide, relatively low-ceilinged stage.  Compared to the recent all-BA BA5, the TRN-VX presents more high-end detail, a similarly sculpted bass and more overall refinement, while also sounding more natural and less artificially juiced than comparably-situated KZ hybrids like the ZSX or ZS10.

Some technical photos of the TRN-VX.

My quibbles with the TRN-VX are twofold. First, the low end, while musical and articulate, is less than perfectly integrated with the rest of spectrum and tends to stand out rather than blend in (the DD-less BA5 is much more seamless in this regard). Second, drums tend to sound “papery” and slightly unnatural; peers like BQEYZ BQ3 or KBEAR Diamond reproduce quick transients more accurately. As with the BA5, I suspect that some cost-cutting compromises were made in  the selection of the (30095) BA drivers.  That said, the TRN-VX, however, reveal more high-end information than I’ve heard at this pricepoint and sorts up complex instrumental passages very capably; acoustic and folk music sounds particularly good.

The TRN-VX is impressive overall—a comparable 14-driver unit might have cost >$500 just a few years ago—although I can’t help feeling that a less ambitious design with fewer, higher-end drivers might have yielded the last bit of coherence. Recommended nonetheless.

TRN-VX
TRN-VX

SPECIFICATIONS

Driver unit: 6 BA + 1 DD (10 mm)
Impedance: 22 Ω
Sensitivity: 107 dB/mW
Frequency range: 7 – 40000 Hz
Connectors: 2 pin
Tested at: $75.14
Purchase Link: TRN Official Store

TRN-VX
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FR graph by KopiOkaya using an IEC711 compliant coupler.
TRN-VX

Disclaimers—received unsolicited and free; my colleague Kopi may or may not have had some (uncompensated) input into the tuning; I had several bourbons before auditioning.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

TRN-VX

MY VERDICT

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We have reviewed most of the above mentioned earphones.

Find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

TRN-VX

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

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TRN BA5 Review- (1) Pity the Fool https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-ba5-review-dw/ https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-ba5-review-dw/#respond Sun, 12 Apr 2020 23:21:57 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=12909 Holy-graphic!

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A Sides:

  • The mid to upper BA’s do a fantastic job and no weird tonality tuning
  • Precise upper end devoid of sibilance AND pierce but exciting
  • Solid shells
  • Holographic layering

B Sides:

  • The thin and distracting bass.
TRN BA5

Intro:

The TRN BA5 is the first all BA model from TRN, and they are not as shouty as the KZ AS10 all BA, I don’t have the CA16 or BA10 from CCA and KZ to compare to. They seem to use the same or similar shell to the TFZ King Edition.

Cosmetics I don’t really comment on other than the shell molds look a bit rushed- there are grooves in the shell where perfectionists might take offense, however they do not impact fitment so that is the important thing to keep in mind. The paint is smooth just like the TRN  V90. The shell is larger than the V90 and nozzle seems longer. Here we can see the BA5 vs the V90 and the TFZ King Pro.

TRN BA5
audioreviews


audioreviews


My biggest issue is with the TRN BA5 bass drivers that seem out of phase (reversed polarity perhaps) with the rest of the drivers. It gives the bass a floating sensation or discontinuity from everything else. Vocals sound thin, specifically males. It’s either a result of too low of a tuning for the BA driver or it just has a gap in the crossover.  It’s possible this was on purpose to try and avoid mid-bass bleed which it definitely does not have.  I would love to test this by opening them up and reversing the wiring on the BA bass drivers only or trying another pair. It is such a weird sensation. I notice it is the only set I have measured that shows a phase shift in the upper bass/lower mids. There is some sub-bass pressure to them when listening to tracks with infrasonic bass going on, but it sounds like it is huffing a puffing to make it happen.

Treble takes on a heightened sense of detail/brightness for cymbal work and strings. Timbre is good, does not come across metallic at all. It is missing sibilance which is good. The signature is sort of opposite of a Harman treble where it continues to rise up towards the upper end instead of peaking early and slowly dissipating.

On the soundstage front, the TRN BA5 is more intimate sounding, everything sounds very precise, quick decay, no congestion, it seems balanced towards width and depth. The missing body in the mids subtracts from the extra treble energy that might make the soundstage feel bigger. The boosted mid treble gives it height. There is something with these that have a more 3D holographic imaging than many other sets I own, it adds a sense of spaciousness that will make other sets sound flat with their instrument layering.

TRN BA5

Outro:  

I am impressed that TRN has improved their treble with the last few offerings. I wonder how they have pulled this off.  Lately many budget offerings have greatly improved their treble BA drivers. My only gripe is the disconnected bass which is a deal breaker for me, for some this might not bother you. I wanted to like them, and they lean towards details without pierce, but fail to connect all the dots to satisfy my bass needs. If you were choosing between the KZ AS10 and the TRN BA5 however, the TRN is the clear winner to me with its smoother presentation and 3D holographic fun.

TRN BA5

MY VERDICT

almost thumbs up

Our rating scheme

Contact us!

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

TRN BA5 Review- (1) Pity the Fool 1

DISCLAIMER

Specimen was borrowed from Loomis Johnson (who had bought it himself).

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

TRN BA5 Review- (1) Pity the Fool 1

RELATED…

TRN BA5 review by Jürgen

TRN BA5 review by Loomis

TRN V90 review by Durwood

TRN V90 review by Jürgen

TRN BA5

GRAPHS

  1. TRN BA5 L & R
  2. TRN BA5 vs KZ AS10
  3. 30Hz Square wave
  4. 300Hz Square wave
  5. Impedance/phase
TRN BA5
TRN BA5
TRB BA5


TRB BA5


TRB BA5


TRB BA5


TRB BA5


TRB BA5


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KBEAR Diamond Review (1) – Diamonds Are Forever! https://www.audioreviews.org/kbear-diamond-review-jk/ https://www.audioreviews.org/kbear-diamond-review-jk/#comments Thu, 16 Jan 2020 07:01:24 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=12136 The KBEAR Diamond is a well-accessorized $79 earphone sporting a fast DLC-coated single dynamic driver that creates a seductive, accurate organic sound above its class.

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Pros — Superb tonal accuracy and balance; natural timbre; fast and deep reaching low end; complete accessories.

Cons — Changeable tuning filters would be an asset.

KBEAR Diamond

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The KBEAR Diamond is a well-accessorized $79 earphone sporting a DLC-coated single dynamic driver that creates a seductive, accurate organic sound.

KBEAR Diamond

INTRODUCTION

Trident is KBEAR and KBEAR is Trident. This relatively new company has released only a handful of iems so far, none of which was particularly great. Loomis reviewed their TriAudio T4 and I their KBEAR hi7. The KBEAR hi7 was symptomatic for the current state of the highly competitive budget Chi-Fi industry: prematurely thrown on the market with a low-quality cable that lacked a good MMCX connection, 7 generic drivers that failed to create an acceptably balanced sound, and poorly chosen eartips that didn’t work at all for me. Most of us who had spent $89 on these would have been greatly disappointed.

KBEAR Diamond i1

We clearly learnt from this (and other models) that more (drivers) does not necessarily mean better anything (but higher production cost). In fact, less is more in most aspects of life, and the $79 KBEAR Diamond is a good example of this. As you may already know, co-blogger KopiOkaya and I were asked by the manufacturer to help with the tuning of this single-dynamic-driver (DD) unit. This came also from complaints by western listeners, who found the “Asian signature” too aggressive on their ears (Asian signature refers to a boosted upper midrange that adds energy to guitars and vocals but also attenuates their density). KopiOkaya described this in great detail in this article.

KBEAR Diamond Review (1) - Diamonds Are Forever! 3

But we two were not only concerned with the sound, we also wanted to help create a complete package with a good case, cable, and fitting eartips to be released at an attractive price. This earphone should work right out of the box and not require any upgrades. We already reported about this in an article:

KBEAR Diamond
KBEAR Diamond i1

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: KBEAR
Model name: Diamond
Colour: Space grey with carbon fiber face-plate
Nominal impedance: 16 Ohm
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz
Sensitivity: 102 dB/mW
Driver diameter: 8.5mm
Diaphragm material: Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coated PET
Total Harmonic Distortion: <1%
Shell material: Aluminum alloy
Connector: 3.5mm straight jack
Tested at $79

Available at KBEAR Official Store

KBEAR Diamond

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

We tuners had no influence on the earpieces. They are made of an AL alloy and are as good a quality as you could get. Haptic is very good, the earpieces feel premium between the fingers. And the nozzles are long enough for western ears. We also tested eartips and achieved the best sound with low-cut wide bores (the ones that came with the NiceHCK M6). These are the included black set. The grey-red eartips and the foams did not work for me. The largest of the black stock tips fit my ears well and are comfortable even over longer periods, seal is average.

KBEAR Diamond
KBEAR Diamond content
KBEAR Diamond

The 8-core OFC cable is probably the most premium you find in this class: it is soft and supple and has sturdy 2-pin connectors. Good that the memory wire part is not very stiff, which makes this cable comfortable around my ears. We also made sure it harmonized with the earpieces, sound wise (another OCC cable produced a shouty sound). And we dedicated a nice quality (p)leather case to this earphone. KBEAR complete!

KBEAR Diamond

The KBEAR Diamond are well driven by my iPhone SE, but they need a bit more juice than a typical multi-BA iem. I sometimes used the Audioquest Dragonfly dac/amp, which made no significant difference in sound quality.

Kbear Diamond

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

Note: this earphone is extremely cable sensitive. If you want to access its full potential, you must use the stock cable (that was chosen entirely on sound). Also, of the included tips, use the black ones only. If you want to decrease bass, try Tennmak Whirlwind or SpinFits CP100 or CP145 eartips.

My tonal preference and testing practice

The main virtues of the KBEAR Diamond are its its organic timbre, and its good resolution (for a DD)…all of which yield a very smooth and homogenous sound. The sound is a tad on the bassy side imo (though others will demand even more bass), but the bass is reasonably articulate The extension into the sub-bass is very good, and it stays focussed right to the lowest end. This low end adds a nice depth to the sound image and does not veil the midrange. It enhances the volume of rhythm guitars and male vocals. Vocals, male and female, are very well sculptured, dense, and natural…and rather recessed.

KBEAR Diamond i1
frequency response of the KBEAR Diamond.
Frequency response, measured by KopiOkaya with an IEC711 coupler.
KBEAR Diamond
KBEAR Diamond
My own measurement.

The midrange is smooth, with a good note weight, and well resolving (for a DD), better than the 5 BA TRN BA5, for example. The Diamonds can handle busy instrumentations well. Again, this is the result of the fast DLC-coated driver. I always see the most money in the midrange and this one is very good.

KBEAR Diamond

The treble is reasonably well extended, also very well resolving, and the imaging of high notes is very accurate, without being piercing or fatiguing. No sibilance, no hardness. I listened to violin concertos with very high notes, which were crisp and clear.

KBEAR Diamond

As to the technicalities: I perceive the width of soundstage as average at best, but it is deep and the ceiling is very high. Resolution and note definition, as alluded to before, are outstanding. Timbre is exquisite. In summary, it is tonal accuracy and tonal balance that make this earphone.

KBEAR Diamond
KBEAR Diamond

COMPARISONS

My personal DD reference is the $250 JVC HA-FDX1, arguably the best single DD earphone on the market. The JVC is smoother and better resolving with a wider soundstage that has a lower ceiling. The added smoothness stems from damping inside its tuning filters. The KBEAR Diamond are a bit grittier, bassier, but they are equally organic sounding.

KBEAR Diamond

The most obvious candidate in the price range is the $109 Moondrop Starfield. This is another single DD earphone but it has a Carbon Nanotube (CNT) coating [the coating types are explained HERE]. The Diamond have a bit more note weight and play a bit more relaxed, they are warmer in the midrange and therefore not quite as clear but less prone to fatigue. The Starfield have the midrange signature of the Kanas Pro Edition: lean, clear, clean, neutral, and a bit upper midrange forward. Bass and treble responses are broadly similar between these models. Which one sounds better? Depends on your taste: crisp or smooth? But the KBEAR Diamond are cheaper and better accessoried. Although none of the two would be an upgrade over the other I am happy to be able to enjoy both. My review of the Moondrop Starfield is HERE. KopiOkaya compared the Diamond with the recently discontinued Moondrop Kanas Pro Edition in this article.

KBEAR Diamond

Another crowdpleaser and one of personal favourites because of there organic sound are the $38 Blon BL-03 with their CNT dynamic driver. The KBEAR Diamond has a faster bass and a better resolution. It is the better earphone and a true upgrade. KopiOkaya wrote down his thoughts and the Blon BL-03 vs. the Diamond in this article.

KBEAR Diamond

Sennheiser released their new flagship in-ear monitor the $600 IE 500 PRO in 2019 — and we, co-blogger Biodegraded and I, had a good look at it. The Senns have a congested low end that stems from an omitted midrange. They are tuned poorly and do not reach the imaging qualities of the KBEAR Diamond.

KBEAR Diamond

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The KBEAR Diamond is an example of how a well-thought out earphone design can work universally for both Asian and Western ears alike. It also shows what can be done with the single DD technology at a budget or mid-tear price — and that more drivers does not mean better sound. I hope that this model will be offered for a long time and not discontinued for the next short-lived superficial hype. After all, less is still more. Thank you for following KopiOkaya’s and my adventure of cutting this raw Diamond — on the blog and Head-Fi. I have enjoyed the Diamond daily for over three months now. ‘Nuff said. If you want another opinion on the KBEAR Diamond, start right here with Loomis’ analysis.

Keep on listening!

Jürgen Kraus signature
KBEAR Diamond
KBEAR Diamond

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

KBEAR Diamond

DISCLAIMER

I received two betas and two alphas of the KBEAR Diamond (and a handful of cables) unsolicited and with the request to help with the tuning. Neither KopiOkaya (the other tuner) or I received any compensation (monetary or products) or royalties. All we did was strive for an excellent product to please ourselves as potential average buyers following our many disappointments with half-baked Chi-Fi earphones. We also took this opportunity to learn in order to inform you even more qualified in the future. Last but not least am I grateful for the trust the manufacturer gave me after ripping some of their previous models apart – and for good reasons. But I don’t sugarcoat.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

KBEAR Diamond i1

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

KBEAR Diamond
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KBEAR Diamond

Related Reading

KBEAR Diamond Review by Loomis

KBEAR Diamond Review by Christophe

Modding the KBEAR Diamond (flattening the V) by Biodegraded

Photos Of The KBEAR Diamond

First Impression: KBEAR Diamond vs. Moondrop Kanas Pro Edition (KPE)

Second Impression: KBEAR Diamond vs. BLON BL-03

Tuning The KBEAR Diamond – A Killer Earphone Ready To Go!

KBEAR Diamond レビュー-ダイヤモンドは永遠に!

Chi-Fi Tuning – Why It Sounds So Damn Piercing To Western Ears? by KopiOkaya

KopiOkaya Explains The Different Driver Coatings

KBEAR hi7 Review by Jürgen Kraus

TriAudio I4 Review by Loomis Johnson

JVC HA-FDX1 Review by Jürgen Kraus

Blon BL-03 Review by Jürgen Kraus

Blon BL-03 Review by Loomis Johnson

Sennheiser IE 500 PRO Review by Jürgen Kraus & Biodegraded

Our Favourite Earphones of 2019

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KBEAR Diamond レビュー-ダイヤモンドは永遠に! https://www.audioreviews.org/kbear-diamond-i1-review-jp/ https://www.audioreviews.org/kbear-diamond-i1-review-jp/#comments Tue, 10 Dec 2019 07:01:23 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=12448 長所—優れた音質の精度、バランス、解像度。 自然な音色; ローエンドの高速かつ深達。 完全なアクセサリー。 短所:変更可能な調整フィルターは資産になります。 エグゼクティブサマリー KBEAR Diamond i1は、高速DLCコーティングされた単一のダイナミックドライバーを搭載した、アクセスしやすいミッドティアイヤホンであり、魅惑的な正確なオーガニックサウンドを作成します。 English review by Loomis Johnson Here! はじめに トライデントはKBEAR、KBEARはトライデントです。 この比較的新しい会社はほんの一握りのソムをリリースしたばかりで、特に素晴らしいものはありませんでした。 LoomisはTriAudio T4とKBEAR

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長所—優れた音質の精度、バランス、解像度。 自然な音色; ローエンドの高速かつ深達。 完全なアクセサリー。

短所:変更可能な調整フィルターは資産になります。

KBEAR Diamond i1

エグゼクティブサマリー

KBEAR Diamond i1は、高速DLCコーティングされた単一のダイナミックドライバーを搭載した、アクセスしやすいミッドティアイヤホンであり、魅惑的な正確なオーガニックサウンドを作成します。

English review by Loomis Johnson Here!

KBEAR Diamond i1

はじめに

トライデントはKBEAR、KBEARはトライデントです。 この比較的新しい会社はほんの一握りのソムをリリースしたばかりで、特に素晴らしいものはありませんでした。 LoomisはTriAudio T4とKBEAR hi7をレビューします。 KBEAR hi7は、競争の激しい予算Chi-Fi業界の現状を示しています。良好な接続を欠く低品質のケーブル、許容可能なバランスの取れたサウンドを作成できず、適切に選択されていない7つの汎用ドライバーが市場に早まって投入されました 私にとってはまったく機能しなかったイヤーチップ。 これに89ドルを費やした人は誰もが大いに失望したでしょう。

KBEAR Diamond i1
KBEAR Diamond i1

これ(および他のモデル)から、より多くの(ドライバー)がより良くないことを明確に学びました。 実際、79 KBEARのDiamond i1は、この良い例です。 既にご存知かもしれませんが、共同ブロガーのKopiOkayaと私は、このシングルドライバーユニットのチューニングを支援するように依頼されました。 これは、「アジアのサイン」が耳にあまりにも攻撃的であると感じた西洋のリスナーからの苦情から生じました(アジアのサインは、ギターとボーカルに追加するが、密度を減衰させるブーストされた中域を指します)。

KBEAR Diamond i1

ケーブル、ケーブル、フィッティングイヤーチップは魅力的な価格で発売されます。 このイヤホンはそのまま使用でき、アップグレードは不要です。 これについてはすでに記事で報告しています。

ラフダイヤモンドのカット方法。
KBEAR Diamond レビュー-ダイヤモンドは永遠に! 4
KBEAR Diamond i1

仕様

ブランド:KBEAR
モデル名:KBEAR(Diamond)i1
色:カーボンファイバーのフェースプレート付きのセージグリーン
公称インピーダンス:16オーム
周波数応答:20Hz-20KHz
感度:102 dB / mW
ドライバー直径:8.5mm
ダイアフラム素材:ダイヤモンドライクカーボン(DLC)コーティングPET
総高調波歪み:<1%
シェル素材:アルミニウム合金
コネクタ:3.5mmストレートジャック
79ドルでテスト済み

KBEAR Diamond i1
KBEAR Diamond レビュー-ダイヤモンドは永遠に! 4

物理的なものと使いやすさ

イヤホンには影響しませんでした。 彼らはAL合金で作られており、彼らが得ることができる限り良いです、そして彼らは1970年代のトヨタを連想させるような緑色のコーティングを持っています。 触覚は非常に優れており、イヤピースは指の間で高級感を感じます。 そして、ノズルは西洋の耳に十分な長さです。 そこで、私たちはそれらをテストし、ローカットのワイドボア(NiceHCK M6に付属のボア)で最高のサウンドを得ました。 ヒントとイヤーピースは私の耳によくフィットし、長期間でも快適です。シールは平均的です。 8コアのOFCケーブルは、おそらくこのクラスで最も高価なものです。柔らかくしなやかで、頑丈なコネクタとストレインリリーフを備えています。 メモリワイヤ部分があまり硬くないため、耳の周りでこのケーブルが快適になります。 そのため、イヤーピースと音が調和していることを確認しました(別のOCCケーブルが大きな音を出しました)。 そして、私たちはこのイヤホンに素晴らしい品質のレザーケースを捧げました。 KBEARが完了しました!

KBEAR Diamond レビュー-ダイヤモンドは永遠に! 4
Box content KBEAR Diamond
KBEAR Diamond i1

KBEAR Diamond i1は、私のiPhone SEによってうまく駆動されますが、通常のマルチBA IEよりも少し多くのジュースが必要です。 私は時々Audioquest Dragonfly dac / ampを使用しましたが、音質に大きな違いはありませんでした。

KBEAR Diamond i1
KBEAR Diamond レビュー-ダイヤモンドは永遠に! 4

忠誠と技術

KBEAR Diamond i1の主な長所は、その高速、オーガニックな音色、そしてその絶妙な解像度です。 DLCコーティングされたドライバーの速度のため、FR曲線は音(予測)を示す信頼できるものではありません。 低音はグラフに少し表示されますが、これはその速度によって部分的にオフセット/拡散されます。 はい、音は低音側のtaでは少しですが(他の人はさらに低音を要求しますが)、低音は明瞭で、非常に速く(DDの場合)、焦点が合っています。 サブベースへの拡張は非常に優れており、(苦い)最下端まで焦点を合わせ続けます。 リズムギターと男性ボーカルの音量を向上/追加します。 男性と女性の声は、見事に彫刻され、緻密で自然です。 そして、彼らはグラフに戻っていますが、それらはタイトな低音のために暗唱することはできません。

KBEAR Diamond i1
frequency response of the Trident Diamond.
IEC711カプラーでKopiOkayaが測定した周波数応答。
KBEAR Diamond i1

ミッドレンジは非常に明瞭で非常によく分解されており、たとえば5 BA TRN BA5よりも優れています。 トライデントは、忙しい計測を本当にうまく処理できます。 繰り返しますが、ほとんどDLCコーティングされたドライバーの結果です。 私はいつもミッドレンジで最も多くのお金を見ており、これは非常に良いです。

KBEAR Diamond i1

Head-Fiでは、私たちのチューナーが選んだ周波数応答について不満を言う人もいました。 チューニングフィルターは、赤と青の間のFRを許可しませんでした[FRグラフ]。 青はオーディオマニアにとって低音かもしれませんが、サウンドステージに深みを加え、画像にボリュームを加えます。 これにより、バランスのとれた色調が得られます。 赤いFRは、多くの人にとって弱すぎる低音を作り出します。 これは、ハイエンドから出てくるミッドレンジを維持します…コンテキスト内のFRスペクトル全体…バランスを崩して調性をスローし、フラッター画像を作成します。 ドライバーの品質は、最適なFRのチューニングと形状に大きな役割を果たしています。 10ドルのイヤホンが通常非常にV字型のFRを持っていることは驚くことではありません。 中間層の場合、FR曲線が最良の妥協点です。

KBEAR Diamond i1

したがって、高音は非常によく解像され、高音のイメージングは、穴を開けたり疲れたりすることなく、非常に正確です。 歯擦音、硬さはありません。 私は非常に高い音でバイオリン協奏曲を聴きました。

KBEAR Diamond i1

技術面について:私はサウンドステージの幅を平均的に認識していますが、深く掘り下げており、天井が非常に高くなっています。 前に示唆したように、解像度とメモの定義は傑出しています。 音色は絶妙です。 要約すると、このイヤホンを作るのは音の正確さと音のバランスです。

KBEAR Diamond i1

比較

私の参考文献は、おそらく市場で最高のシングルDDイヤホンである$ 280-380 JVC HA-FDX1です。 JVCは、より低い天井を備えたより広いサウンドステージで、よりスムーズで優れた解像度を実現します。 追加された滑らかさは、チューニングフィルターの減衰に起因します。 KBEAR Diamond i1は少しグリッティで低音ですが、同様にオーガニックなサウンドです。

KBEAR Diamond i1
KBEAR Diamond i1

オーガニックサウンドのためのもう1つの混雑者であり個人的なお気に入りの1つは、CNTダイナミックドライバーを備えた38ドルのBlon BL-03です。 KBEAR Diamond i1は低音が速く、解像度がはるかに優れています。 それはより良いイヤホンと真のアップグレードです。

KBEAR Diamond i1
Blon BL-03イヤホンの見方。 また、このブログにはLoomisの見解もあります。
KBEAR Diamond i1

Sennheiserは、今年初めに新しいフラッグシップインイヤーモニター$ 600 IE 5000 PROをリリースしました。

ゼンハイザーIE 500 PROを使用しています。
KBEAR Diamond レビュー-ダイヤモンドは永遠に! 4

ゼンハイザーは、中域が省略されていることに起因する混雑したローエンドを持っています。 ひどく調整されており、KBEAR Diamond i1の画像品質には達しません。

KBEAR Diamond i1

おわりに

KBEAR Diamond i1は、よく考え抜かれたイヤホンのデザインが、アジアの耳と西洋の耳の両方でどのように普遍的に機能するかの例です。 また、単一のDDテクノロジーを使用して予算または中途半端な価格で何ができるかを示しています。ドライバーが増えても音が良くなるわけではありません。 このモデルが長い間提供され、次の短命の表面的な誇大宣伝のために中止されないことを願っています。 結局のところ、少ないことはまだ多いです。 KopiOkayaのブログとHead-Fiでこのダイヤモンドをカットする冒険をフォローしていただきありがとうございます。

聞いてください!

KBEAR Diamond i1

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

KBEAR Diamond i1

免責事項

KBEAR Diamond i1の2つのベータバージョンと2つのアルファバージョン(および少数のケーブル)を未承諾で受け取り、チューニングの支援を求められました。 KopiOkaya(他のチューナー)も私も金銭的な補償やロイヤリティを受け取りませんでした。 私たちが行ったのは、半焼きカイファイイヤホンでの多くの失望の後、潜在的な平均的な買い手として自分自身を満足させる優れた製品を目指して努力することだけでした。 また、この機会を利用して学習することで、将来さらに資格を得ることができます。 最後になりましたが、メーカーが以前のモデルをいくつか引き裂いた後に私に与えてくれた信頼に感謝しています。それには十分な理由があります。 しかし、私はシュガーコートはしません

KBEAR Diamond i1
KBEAR Diamond i1

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post KBEAR Diamond レビュー-ダイヤモンドは永遠に! appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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TRN BA5 Review (3) – Because You Can’t Have Enough IEMs https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-ba5-review-loomis/ https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-ba5-review-loomis/#respond Sat, 07 Dec 2019 07:01:30 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=11610 If you find more accurate but less frenetic players like the T2 or the BL03 underwhelming, you’ll enjoy these.

The post TRN BA5 Review (3) – Because You Can’t Have Enough IEMs appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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TRN BA5–$50 5BA entrant from TRN, whose prior releases have been hit or miss. Packaging and accessories are as minimal as you’ll find—literally just headshells, one set of M tips and a generic, slightly microphonic cable. Shells themselves are nicely done in a matte titanium and look more premium in person than in pictures; fit is snug and, considering the prominent vents on the shells, isolation is good.

TRN BA5

Very loud and sensitive, to the extent that some hiss can be heard at dead level. The BA5 is bright, with a generally balanced signature, which is not to say ruler-flat or bass shy—compared to other all-BA designs like the B5+, bass is surprisingly punchy and impactful, with well-sculpted notes and very quick decay; these deftly balance having good midbass quantity without smearing into the midrange. Mids are nicely forward and well-etched, while well-extended treble closely resembles that of the TRN V80, which is to say energetic and highly extended, though somewhat sharp/strident, with the typical 2-4k ChiFi spike. Micro-detail is present, though these avoid the overanalytical quality of similar designs. 

TRN BA5

Like the V80, soundstage here is enveloping and has impressive width and depth (though limited height); imaging and layering are okay but not class-leading—there’s a bit of “surround-sound” effect on more complex material which makes precise instrument placement tricky. 


TRN BA5

Compared to similarly-priced hybrids, the BA5 are very coherent and well-integrated; however the timbre is somewhat hopped-up and can be artificial sounding, especially on electric instruments; these lack the smoothness of say, the Blon BL03 or BQEYZ and treble-sensitive folks should definitely avoid (foams do help smooth the presentation). If, however, you find more accurate but less frenetic players like the T2 or the BL03 underwhelming, you’ll enjoy these.

TRN BA5

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

TRN BA5

Like a high-alcohol craft beer with a little too much hops, the BA5 lacks the refinement to recommend unqualifiedly–as expected for the price point they use generic drivers, which account for the occasional harshness. That said, they reproduce bass as well as anything in their class, and I like these more than the recent KZ hybrids. Good value.

TRN BA5

Disclaimer: I got these unsolicited from Yinyoo.

TRN BA5

RELATED…

TRN BA5 review by Jürgen

TRN BA5 review by Durwood

TRN V90 review by Jürgen

TRN V90 review by Durwood

The post TRN BA5 Review (3) – Because You Can’t Have Enough IEMs appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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TRN BA5 Review (2) – Two Hearts Beat As One https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-ba5-review-jk/ https://www.audioreviews.org/trn-ba5-review-jk/#comments Sun, 24 Nov 2019 07:01:00 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=11230 A 5 BA earphone that sounds like a single DD earphone?

The post TRN BA5 Review (2) – Two Hearts Beat As One appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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Pros — Work horse and good allrounder from haptic to sound; value.

Cons — Maybe a bit less bass? Another $60-70 multi BA needed?

TRN BA5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Best of both worlds: a well-resolving 5 BA with the tuning of a dynamic driver.

TRN BA5

INTRODUCTION

The TRN BA5 is another iem tuned by co-blogger KopiOkaya (such as the TRN V90…see bottom of this review). 5 BAs, no dynamic driver for the low end in the budget segment, a risky affair. Following their highly acclaimed V90, TRN are obviously attempting to compete with the model output of Knowledge Zenith. As I always tend to wonder: why 5 whatever drivers in the budget segment instead of a single quality one. Well, KopiOkaya had to work with what he was given (and he did this 200% pro bono, as always). He presumably wondered, too, as he, in my opinion, undermined his job and tuned this earphone like a single dynamic-driver, but with the resolution of a multi-BA. Two ducks with one stone. Clever. After all, we two are single DD aficionados at heart.

TRN BA5

SPECIFICATIONS

Driver unit: 5 balanced armature (BA) each side
Impedance: 20 Ω
Sensitivity: 103 dB/mW
Frequency Range: 20-40000 Hz
Connector: 2-pin
Tested at: $65

TRN BA5

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

Box content of the TRN BA5 as shown in the photo. For some reason, there was only one pair of medium tips included…something must have gone wrong during packaging. Build as depicted: the earpieces are of CnC machined alloy, can’t be much better — they do feel really good in my hands. The design of the TRN BA5’s earpiece is similar to a recent TFZ model and I wonder who copied from whom…and speculate both copied from somebody else. The nozzles are a bit on the short side so that the earpieces have to be inserted deeply. Fit is otherwise ok, and so is comfort, isolation is only soso. Cable works but is not the sexiest around. In terms of tips, in the absence of large stock tips, JVC Spiral Dots worked best for me…but they are pricy and I am a budget guy at heart so that these did the job equally well…no sound differences found [Warning: these narrow-bore budget eartips are well made but they generate a boomy bass in most earphones…good for pure BA multis but no so much for dynamic drivers].

TRN BA5
TRN 5BA
TRN BA5

As source I used a Macbook Air with a Schiit Fulla amp and an iPhone SE with and without the Audioquest Dragonfly dac/amp.

TRN BA5

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

My tonal preference and testing practice

The TRN BA5 is a surprisingly bassy earphone. One would think the assigned BA does not dig that deep and has a fast decay. Not here provided the right tips are used. The level does not drop off into the sub-bass. And I would call the bass rather on the slow side (for a BA). Decay is almost dynamic like, maybe a bit faster. The low end is a massive brick wall (with 3% spandex like in your jeans) and I wished it was a bit more textured.

TRN BA5
frequency response TRN 5 BA
Frequency response measured with an IEC711 coupler by KopiOkaya. Hey, that thing is stretched out like a Wiener dog. A more compact horizontal scale would be preferred.
TRN BA5

Yes, the bass smears a bit into the lower midrange/male vocals, which has a positive, amplifying effect when it comes to rhythm guitars: it adds this feel of satisfaction. Without such, it can remove sparkle and clarity from the image and veil it a bit. The vocals department is actually pretty decent: voices, male and female, are well sculpted and reasonably intimate. The mids are refreshed by these moderate 2 kHz and 4.5 kHz peaks: nevertheless no sibilance or piercing, no hardness or hardness. Note weight in the midrange is also quite good. Similar with the treble: it is pretty forgiving. The tuner clearly has responded to the preferences of the western ear. Overall, I’d call the sound of the TRN BA5 robust because of their strong low end. In less bassy pieces, the clarity is excellent.

TRN BA5
TRN BA5

Playing the tips game “modding 201”: I tried the “Flip Tips” as invented by Slater, which effectively extend the nozzles, that is the distance from the nozzle’s front to the ear canal is increased. This slims down/cools the sound, adds air, and attenuates the bass — which also enhances clarity and 3-D perception. The result may appeal to the audiophile-inclined listener.

TRN BA5

Remember: tips are the way more effective and much cheaper option for changing sound than cables.

TRN BA5

Imaging of the TRN BA5 is very good, too: the stage has quite some depth and it also rather tall. Width is average. Stage can be quite crowded with complex instrumentations. Surprisingly the single dynamic-driver Trident Diamond prototype separates better in busy situations. Timbre is not as natural as a single DD in this class, such as the Blon BL-03 or the forthcoming Trident Diamond, but it beats the Blons in terms of note definition. The older brother TRN V90 has a more organic timbre but lags slightly in technical finesse, especially in the midrange. I personally don’t care that much about resolution but more for the timbre as I listen to classical music. The TRN BA5 is almost there with its timbre…yes, I listened to a piano concerto without pain…but it works best with rock, pop, edm, and similar genres. Sorry that I can’t compare the TRN BA5 to similarly priced KZ models…I have learnt to survive without repeated disappointment from unsatisfactory tuning (“thin, overenergetic, agressive mids”) and therefore have no recent model handy (apologies if I do injustice to their latest iterations).

TRN BA5

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The TRN BA5 adds another budget multi to this crowded market segment. Yes, it is a good one: does everything I want it to do: well made, well priced…a work horse that does the job well. While I am not sure that the world needs another budget multi iem, this one files under “can’t really go wrong with it”. The tuning of Kopiokaya makes the difference here, who, as a Singaporean, also understands the preference of the western ear. I used the TRN BA5 for hours on end and always had a good time. And you will, too.

Keep on listening!

TRN BA5

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

TRN BA5

DISCLAIMER

The pair of TRN BA5 was supplied unsolicited by TRN and I thank them for that.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

TRN BA5

RELATED…

TRN BA5 review by Durwood

TRN BA5 review by Loomis

TRN V90 review by Jürgen

TRN V90 review by Durwood

TRN BA5

The post TRN BA5 Review (2) – Two Hearts Beat As One appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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461 Reviews – A World Class Earphone Database https://www.audioreviews.org/earphones/ Mon, 18 Mar 2019 00:26:53 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?page_id=2745 All earphone and earbud reviews at audioreviews.org

The post 461 Reviews – A World Class Earphone Database appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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BOOKMARK THIS PAGE FOR FURTHER REFERENCE!

All Our Earphone-related Articles: here

ALL OUR REVIEWS (headphones, earphones, dacs/amps, daps, bluetooth, clean power & USB, microphones, cables/adapters, eartips, earpads, noise insulation): here

Models labelled with “*” are on our Wall of Excellence.

April additions: TRN BAX PRO ,Creative Aurvana Ace 2, CCA Rhapsody.

March additions: TRN Conch, Simgot EA1000.

February additions: Truthear X Crinacle Zero Red, Oladance OWS Sports, Simgot EA500, Sennheiser IE 600.

Does your iem not sound good? Try this.

Reviews in Alphabetical Order:

  1. 7Hz Timeless (1) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  2. 7Hz Timeless (2) (Durwood)
  3. 7Hz Timeless (3) (Loomis Johnson)
  4. Acefast T8 (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  5. Acoustic Effect TRY-01 (Baskingshark)
  6. AFUL Performer 5 (Jürgen Kraus)
  7. Akoustyx R-220 (Jürgen Kraus)
  8. Akoustyx S6 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  9. Akoustyx S6 (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  10. AME Custom Argent Hybrid Electrostatic (Jürgen Kraus)
  11. Anew X-One (Jürgen Kraus)
  12. Anker Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 (Loomis Johnson)
  13. Astrotec AM850 MK2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  14. Astrotec Vesna (Jürgen Kraus)
  15. Audbos/Tenzh P4 Pro (Loomis Johnson)
  16. Audiosense DT200 (1) (Baskingshark)
  17. Audiosense DT200 (2) (KopiOkaya)
  18. Aune Jasper (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  19. Aune Jasper (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  20. AXS Audio Professional Wireless Earbuds (Loomis Johnson)
  21. BCD X10 (Loomis Johnson)
  22. Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd (Jürgen Kraus)
  23. BGVP DM9 (Durwood)
  24. Beats Powerbeats Pro TWS (Loomis Johnson)
  25. Blon A8 Prometheus (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  26. Blon A8 Prometheus (2) (Durwood)
  27. Blon Bl-01 (1) (Baskingshark)
  28. Blon BL-01 (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  29. Blon BL-03* (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  30. Blon BL-03* (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  31. Blon BL-05 (1) (Baskingshark)
  32. BLON BL-05 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  33. Blon BL-05s (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  34. Blon BL-05s (2) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  35. Blon BL-05s (3) (Baskingshark)
  36. Blon BL-Max (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  37. Blon Mini (Baskingshark)
  38. Brainwavz Delta (Jürgen Kraus)
  39. Brainwavz Koel (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
  40. BQEYZ Autumn (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  41. BQEYZ Autumn (2) (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  42. BQEYZ KC2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  43. BQEYZ Spring 1 (1) (Durwood)
  44. BQEYZ Spring 1 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  45. BQEYZ Spring 1 (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
  46. BQEYZ Spring 2 (1) (Durwood)
  47. BQEYZ Spring 2 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  48. BQEYZ Summer (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  49. BQEYZ Summer (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  50. BQEYZ Topaz (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  51. Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 (Loomis Johnson)
  52. Campfire Audio Ara (Alberto Pittaluga)
  53. Cambridge Audio SE1 (Loomis Johnson)
  54. Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  55. Campfire Audio Honeydew (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  56. Campfire Audio Satsuma (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  57. Cat Ear Mia (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  58. Cat Ear Mia (2) (Durwood)
  59. Cat Ear Mia (3) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  60. Cayin Fantasy (Jürgen Kraus)
  61. CCA C10 (Slater)
  62. CCA C10 (Loomis Johnson)
  63. CCA C10 Pro (1) (Durwood)
  64. CCA C10 Pro (2) (Baskinghark)
  65. CCA CA16 (1) (Durwood)
  66. CCA CA16 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  67. CCA CKX (Durwood)
  68. CCA CRA+ (Durwood)
  69. CCA CX4 Wireless (Loomis Johnson)
  70. CCA Duo (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  71. CCA Duo (2) (Durwood)
  72. CCA Lyra (1) (Durwood)
  73. CCA Lyra (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  74. CCA Rhapsody (Jürgen Kraus)
  75. CCZ Plume (Baskingshark)
  76. Celest Pandamon (Jürgen Kraus)
  77. Cozoy Hera C103 (Jürgen Kraus)
  78. Creative Aurvana Ace 2 (Durwood)
  79. CVJ CS8 (Baskingshark)
  80. ddHiFi Janus1 (E2020A) (Jürgen Kraus)
  81. ddHiFi Janus2 (E2020B) (Jürgen Kraus)
  82. ddHiFi Janus3 (E2023) Jürgen Kraus
  83. Donner Dobuds One (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  84. Drop Grell TWS1X (Darin Hawbaker)
  85. Drop Grell TWS1X (2) Loomis Johnson
  86. Drop + JVC HA-FDX1* (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  87. Drop + JVC HA FDX1* (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  88. Dunu DM-380 (Jürgen Kraus)
  89. Dunu DM-480 (Baskingshark)
  90. Dunu Falcon Pro (Alberto Pittaluga)
  91. Dunu Kima (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  92. Dunu Luna (1) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  93. Dunu Luna (2) (Baskinghark)
  94. Dunu Studio SA6* (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  95. Dunu Talos (Jürgen Kraus)
  96. Dunu Vulkan (Jürgen Kraus)
  97. Dunu Zen* (1) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  98. Dunu Zen* (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  99. DZAT DR-25 (Jürgen Kraus)
  100. Earstudio HE100 (Jürgen Kraus)
  101. Earsonics AERØ (Jürgen Kraus)
  102. Earsonics ONYX (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  103. Einsear T2 (Loomis Johnson)
  104. Elevoc Clear (Loomis Johnson)
  105. Etymotic E2XR (Loomis Johnson)
  106. EZAudio D4 (Jürgen Kraus)
  107. FAAEAL Datura Pro (Baskingshark)
  108. FIIL CC2 (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  109. FIIL T1XS TWS (Loomis Johnson)
  110. FiiO FA1 (Loomis Johnson)
  111. FiiO FD1 (Jürgen Kraus)
  112. FiiO FH1s (Jürgen Kraus)
  113. Fiitii HiFi Air 2 (Durwood)
  114. Fiitii HifiDots (Durwood)
  115. Final Audio A3000* (Alberto Pittaluga)
  116. Final Audio A5000 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  117. Final Audio B3 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  118. Final Audio E3000* (Baskingshark)
  119. Final Audio E-Series Roundup (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  120. Final Audio F7200 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  121. Final Audio ZE3000 (English) (Jürgen Kraus)
  122. Final Audio ZE3000 (Japanese) (Jürgen Kraus)
  123. Geek Wold GK10 (1) (Baskingshark)
  124. Geek Wold GK10 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  125. Gravastar Sirius Pro TWS (Alberto Pittaluga)
  126. Hidizs MD4 (Durwood)
  127. Hidizs MM2 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  128. Hidizs MM2 (2) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  129. Hidizs MP145 (1) (Durwood)
  130. Hidizs MP145 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  131. Hidizs MS1 Rainbow (1) (Durwood)
  132. Hidizs MS1 Rainbow (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  133. Hidizs MS3 (1) (Durwood)
  134. Hidizs MS3 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  135. Hidizs MS5 (1) (Durwood)
  136. Hidizs MS5 (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  137. Hidizs MS5 (3) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  138. Hifi Walker A1 (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
  139. Hill Audio Altair • RA (Jürgen Kraus)
  140. Hill Audio S8 (Jürgen Kraus)
  141. Hisenior B5 (Loomis Johnson)
  142. Hisenior Okavango (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  143. HZ Sound Heart Mirror (1) (Baskingshark)
  144. HZ Sound Heart Mirror (2) (KopiOkaya)
  145. iBasso IT00 (Baskingshark)
  146. iBasso IT00/Tin Hifi T2 Plus/Moondrop Starfield comparison (Durwood)
  147. iBasso IT04 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  148. iBasso IT07 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  149. Ikko OH1 (Jürgen Kraus)
  150. Ikko OH1S (1) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  151. Ikko OH1S (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  152. IKKO OH5 Asgard (Alberto Pittaluga)
  153. Ikko OH10* (1) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  154. Ikko OH10* (2) Jürgen Kraus
  155. IKKO OH2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  156. Intime Miyabi (Alberto Pittaluga)
  157. Intime Miyabi (Italian) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  158. Intime Miyabi (Japanese) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  159. Intime Sora 2 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  160. Intime Sho DD (Alberto Pittaluga)
  161. ISN Audio Rambo (Jürgen Kraus)
  162. KBEAR Aurora (1) (Baskingshark)
  163. KBEAR Aurora (2) (Durwood)
  164. KBEAR Aurora (3) (Loomis Johnson)
  165. KBEAR Believe (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  166. KBEAR Believe (2) (Baskingshark)
  167. KBEAR Believe (3) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  168. KBEAR Believe (4) (Loomis Johnson)
  169. KBEAR Diamond in Japanese (Jürgen Kraus)
  170. KBEAR Diamond (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  171. KBEAR Diamond (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  172. KBEAR Diamond (3) (Christophe Branchereau)
  173. KBEAR Diamond modding (Biodegraded)
  174. KBEAR hi7 (Jürgen Kraus)
  175. KBEAR KB04 (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  176. KBEAR KB04 (2) (Baskingshark)
  177. KBEAR KB04 (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
  178. KBEAR KS1 (Baskingshark)
  179. KBEAR KS2 (1) J ürgen Kraus)
  180. KBEAR KS2 (2) (Baskingshark)
  181. KBEAR KS2 (3 (Loomis Johnson)
  182. KBEAR Neon (1) (Baskingshark)
  183. KBEAR Neon (2) (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  184. KBEAR Lark (Jürgen Kraus)
  185. KBEAR Qinglong (Jürgen Kraus)
  186. KBEAR Robin (Baskingshark)
  187. KBEAR Rosefinch (Jürgen Kraus)
  188. KBEAR TRI I3 Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
  189. KBEAR TRI Starsea (1) (Kopiokaya)
  190. KBEAR TRI Starsea (2) (Baskingshark)
  191. Kefine Klanar (Durwood)
  192. Kinboofi MK4 (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
  193. Kinera BD005 Pro (Baskingshark)
  194. Kinera Hodur (Alberto Piitaluga)
  195. Kinera Idun 2.0 (1) (Durwood)
  196. Kinera Idun 2.0 (2 (Loomis Johnson)
  197. Kiwi Cadenza (Durwood)
  198. Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  199. Kiwi Ears Quintet (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  200. Klipsch T5 II TWS Sport (Loomis Johnson)
  201. Knowlege Zenith AS24 (Standard Version) (Jürgen Kraus)
  202. Knowledge Zenith AS24 (Tunable Version) (Durwood)
  203. Knowledge Zenith ASF (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  204. Knowledge Zenith ASX (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  205. Knowledge Zenith ASX (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  206. Knowlege Zenith F-Fi (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  207. Knowledge Zenith ED9 (Loomis Johnson)
  208. Knowledge Zenith ED16 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  209. Knowledge Zenith ED16 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  210. Knowledge Zenith EDX (Jürgen Kraus)
  211. Knowledge Zenith ESX (Durwood)
  212. Knowledge Zenith Ling Long (Jürgen Kraus)
  213. Knowledge Zenith VXS Pro TWS (Durwood)
  214. Knowledge Zenith ZEX (1) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  215. Knowledge Zenith ZEX (2) (Durwood)
  216. Knowledge Zenith ZEX (3) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  217. Knowledge Zenith ZSN (Loomis Johnson)
  218. Knowledge Zenith ZSN Pro (Slater)
  219. Knowledge Zenith ZSN Pro X (Jürgen Kraus)
  220. Knowledge Zenith ZS4 (Loomis Johnson)
  221. Knowledge Zenith ZS7 (Loomis Johnson)
  222. Knowledge Zenith ZS10 (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
  223. Knowledge Zenith ZS10 Pro (Loomis Johnson)
  224. Knowledge Zenith ZSX Terminator (Loomis Johnson)
  225. Knowledge Zenith ZVX (Jürgen Kraus)
  226. K’s Earphone Bell-LBs (Alberto Pittaluga)
  227. K’s Earphone K300 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  228. LETSHUOER Conductor (Biodegraded)
  229. LETSHUOER DZ4 (Jürgen Kraus)
  230. LETSHUOER EJ07M (Jürgen Kraus)
  231. LETSHUOER EJ09 (Biodegraded)
  232. LETSHUOER S12 vs. 7Hz Timeless (Jürgen Kraus)
  233. Lker i8 (Jürgen Kraus)
  234. Lypertek Tevi L3 Powerplay (Loomis Johnson)
  235. LZ A2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  236. LZ A7 (Baskinghark)
  237. MEE Audio Pinnacle P2 (Loomis Johnson)
  238. Meze 12 Classics V2 (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  239. Meze RAI Penta (Kazi Mahbbub Mutakabbir)
  240. Meze RAI Solo (Jürgen Kraus)
  241. Mifo S TWS (Loomis Johnson)
  242. Moondrop Alice (1) (Durwood)
  243. Moondrop Alice (2) Loomis Johnson
  244. Moondrop Aria (1) Jürgen Kraus)
  245. Moondrop Aria (2) Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  246. Moondrop Aria SE (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  247. Moondrop x Crinacle Blessing2:Dusk (1) Jürgen Kraus)
  248. Moondrop x Crinacle Blessing2:Dusk (2) Biodegraded
  249. Moondrop CHU (1) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  250. Moondrop CHU (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  251. Moondrop CHU (3) Jürgen Kraus)
  252. Moondrop Crescent (Jürgen Kraus)
  253. Moondrop Illumination (Jürgen Kraus)
  254. Moondrop Kanas Pro (1) Biodegraded
  255. Moondrop Kanas Pro (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  256. Moondrop Kanas Pro (3) Loomis Johnson
  257. Moondrop KATO (Jürgen Kraus)
  258. Moondrop Lan (1) (Durwood)
  259. Moondrop Lan (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  260. Moondrop May (Durwood)
  261. Moondrop Quarks (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  262. Moondrop Spaceship (Jürgen Kraus)
  263. Moondrop Space Travel (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  264. Moondrop Space Travel (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  265. Moondrop SSP (Jürgen Kraus)
  266. Moondrop SSR (1) Jürgen Kraus
  267. Moondrop SSR (2) (Baskingshark)
  268. Moondrop Starfield (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  269. Moondrop Starfield (2) Loomis Johnson
  270. Moondrop Starfield (3) (Durwood)
  271. Moondrop Starfield II (1) (Durwood)
  272. Moondrop Starfield II (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  273. Moondrop Stellaris (Jürgen Kraus)
  274. Naenka LITE Pro TWS (Loomis Johnson)
  275. NF Audio NM (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  276. NF Audio NM2+ (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  277. NF Audio NM2+ (2) Loomis Johnson
  278. NiceHCK Bro (Jürgen Kraus)
  279. NiceHCK DB1 (Jürgen Kraus)
  280. NiceHCK DB3 (Jürgen Kraus)
  281. NiceHCK DT600 (Jürgen Kraus)
  282. NiceHCK EB2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  283. NiceHCK EB2S (Jürgen Kraus)
  284. NiceHCK EBX21 (Baskingshark)
  285. NiceHCK EP10 (Jürgen Kraus)
  286. NiceHCK EP35 (Jürgen Kraus)
  287. NiceHCK F1 (Jürgen Kraus)
  288. NiceHCK Lofty (Jürgen Kraus)
  289. NiceHCK HK6 (Loomis Johnson)
  290. NiceHCK M5 (Jürgen Kraus)
  291. NiceHCK M6 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  292. NiceHCK M6 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  293. NiceHCK N3 (Loomis Johnson, Jürgen Kraus)
  294. NiceHCK NX7 (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  295. NiceHCK NX7 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  296. NiceHCK NX7 Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
  297. NiceHCK NX7 MK3 (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  298. NiceHCK NX7 MK3 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  299. NiceHCK NX7 MK4 (Jürgen Kraus)
  300. NiceHCK P3 (Jürgen Kraus)
  301. NiceHCK X49 (Jürgen Kraus)
  302. Oladance OWS Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
  303. Oladance OWS Sports (Durwood)
  304. Oladance Wearable Stereo (Loomis Johnson)
  305. Oneodio OpenRock Pro (Loomis Johnson)
  306. Oriolus Isabellae (Jürgen Kraus)
  307. Oriveti OH500 (Alberta Pittaluga)
  308. Paiaudio DR2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  309. Penon Fan 2 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  310. PHB EM-023 (Jürgen Kraus)
  311. Pioneer CH3 (Jürgen Kraus)
  312. Queen of Audio Pink Lady (Jürgen Kraus)
  313. Reecho Insects Awaken (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  314. RHA CL2 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  315. Rose Mojito (Alberto Pittaluga)
  316. Rose Technics QT9 MK2S (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  317. Rose Technics QT9 MK2S (2) (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  318. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live (Loomis Johnson)
  319. Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus (Loomis Johnson)
  320. SeeAudio Bravery (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  321. SeeAudio Bravery (2) (Baskingshark)
  322. Semkarch CNT1 (Loomis Johnson)
  323. Senfer DT6 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  324. Senfer DT6 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  325. Senfer UEs/NiceHCK Bro (Loomis Johnson, Jürgen Kraus)
  326. Sennheiser CX 400BT (Loomis Johnson)
  327. Sennheiser IE 40/400/500 PRO compared (Jürgen Kraus)
  328. Sennheiser IE 40 PRO (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
  329. Sennheiser IE 200* (Jürgen Kraus)
  330. Sennheiser IE 300 (Jürgen Kraus)
  331. Sennheiser IE 400 PRO (Jürgen Kraus)
  332. Sennheiser IE 500 PRO (Jürgen Kraus, Biodegraded)
  333. Sennheiser IE 600 (Jürgen Kraus)
  334. Sennheiser IE 600 and IE 900 Counterfeits (Alberto Pittaluga)
  335. Sennheiser IE 900* (1) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  336. Sennheiser IE 900* (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  337. Sennheiser IE 900* (Deutsch) (Jürgen Kraus)
  338. Shanling ME80 (Jürgen Kraus)
  339. Shanling Sono (Durwood)
  340. Shuoer Tape (Loomis Johnson)
  341. Shozy Form 1.1 (Biodegraded)
  342. Shozy Form 1.1 vs. Form 1.4 (Jürgen Kraus)
  343. Shozy Form 1.4* (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  344. Shozy Form 1.4* (2) (Durwood)
  345. Shozy Form 1.4* (3) (Loomis Johnson)
  346. Shozy Rouge (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  347. Shozy Rouge (2) (Durwood))
  348. Shozy Rouge (3 (Jürgen Kraus)
  349. Simgot EA500 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  350. Simgot EA1000 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  351. Simgot EM2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  352. Simgot EM2 (Loomis Johnson)
  353. Smabat M0 (Durwood)
  354. Smabat M2 Pro (1) (Baskingshark)
  355. Smabat M2 Pro (M2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  356. Smabat Proto 1.0 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  357. Smabat ST-10 (Jürgen Kraus)
  358. Smabat X1 (1) (Baskingshark)
  359. Smabat X1 (2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  360. Sony MH755 (Jürgen Kraus)
  361. Sony IER-ZR (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  362. Sony WX-1000XM3 (Loomis Johnson)
  363. Soundpeats H1 (Loomis Johnson)
  364. Soundpeats Opera (Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir)
  365. Status Audio Between Pro TWS (Loomis Johnson)
  366. SuperEQ Q2 Pro ANC TWS (Loomis Johnson)
  367. Tanchjim Blues (Jürgen Kraus)
  368. Tanchjim Cora (Jürgen Kraus)
  369. Tanchjim Darling (Aberto Pittaluga)
  370. Tanchjim Ola (Loomis Johnson)
  371. Tanchjim Oxygen* (Alberto Pittaluga)
  372. Tanchjim Tanya (1) (Baskingshark)
  373. Tanchjim Tanya (2) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  374. Tangzu WAN ER (Jürgen Kraus)
  375. Tansio Mirai TSMR-6 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  376. TempoTec IM05 (Jürgen Kraus)
  377. Tennmak Dulcimer (Loomis Johnson)
  378. Tforce Yuan Li (1) (Durwood)
  379. Tforce Yuan Li (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  380. Tinaudio T1 (Jürgen Kraus)
  381. Tinaudio T2 (Jürgen Kraus)
  382. TINHIFI C2 Mech Warrior (Jürgen Kraus)
  383. TINHIFI C3 (1) (Durwood)
  384. TINHIFI C3 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  385. TINHIFI C5 (1) (Durwood)
  386. TINHIFI C5 (2) Loomis Johnson
  387. TINHIFI P1 Max (Jürgen Kraus)
  388. TINHIFI T2 DLC (Jürgen Kraus)
  389. TINHIFI T2 EVO (Jürgen Kraus)
  390. TINHIFI T2 Plus (1) Jürgen Kraus
  391. TINHIFI T2 Plus (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  392. TINHIFI T2 Plus (3) Durwood
  393. TINHIFI T4 (1) (Durwood)
  394. TINHIFI T4 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  395. TINHIFI T4 (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
  396. TINHIFI T4 Plus (Jürgen Kraus)
  397. TINHIFI T5 (Alberto Pittaluga)
  398. TINHIFI Tin Buds 3 (Loomis Johnson)
  399. Tinker TK300 (Baskingshark)
  400. ToneKing Nine Tail (Loomis Johnson)
  401. TOZO Golden X1 (Loomis Johnson)
  402. Triaudio I3 (1) (Baskingshark)
  403. Triaudio I3 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  404. Triaudio I3 Modding (KopiOkaya)
  405. Triaudio I4 (1) (KopiOkaya)
  406. Triaudio I4 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  407. Triaudio Meteor (KopiOkaya)
  408. Tripowin X HBB Olina (KopiOkaya)
  409. Tripowin Leá (Jürgen Kraus)
  410. TRN BA5 (1) (Durwood)
  411. TRN BA5 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  412. TRN BA5 (3) (Loomis Johnson)
  413. TRN BA8 (1) (Baskingshark)
  414. TRN BA8 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  415. TRN BAX PRO (Jürgen Kraus)
  416. TRN Conch (Durwood)
  417. TRN Kirin (Alberto Pittaluga)
  418. TRN ST5 (Looomis Johnson)
  419. TRN-STM (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  420. TRN-STM (2) (Baskingshark)
  421. TRN-STM (3) (Durwood)
  422. TRN T300 (1) (Baskingshark)
  423. TRN T300 (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  424. TRN T300 (3) (Alberto Pittaluga)
  425. TRN V80 (Jürgen Kraus)
  426. TRN V90 (1) (Durwood)
  427. TRN V90 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  428. TRN V90S (1) (Baskingshark)
  429. TRN V90S (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  430. TRN VX (1) (Loomis Johnson)
  431. TRN VX (2) (Baskingshark)
  432. TRN VX (3) (Jürgen Kraus)
  433. TRN-VX modding (KopiOkaya)
  434. Tronsmart Apollo (Baskingshark)
  435. Tronsmart Apollo Bold TWS ANC (Baskingshark)
  436. Truthear Hexa (Durwood)
  437. Truthear Hola (Durwood)
  438. Truthear X Crinacle Zero (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  439. Truthear X Crinacle Zero Red (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  440. Truthear X Crinacle Zero Red (2) (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  441. Unique Melody 3DT (Jürgen Kraus)
  442. Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 (Baskingshark)
  443. Venture Electronics BIE Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
  444. Venture Electronics Bonus IE (Jürgen Kraus)
  445. Venture Electronics Monk Go (Jürgen Kraus)
  446. Vision Ears Elysium* and VE8 (1) (Jürgen Kraus)
  447. Vision Ears Elysium* and VE8 (2) (Biodegraded)
  448. Vision Ears EXT (Jürgen Kraus)
  449. Vision Ears Phönix (Jürgen Kraus)
  450. Westone MACH 40 and MACH 60 (Kazi Muhbab Mutakabbir)
  451. Whizzer BS1 (Jürgen Kraus)
  452. Whizzer Kylin HE01 (1) Jürgen Kraus)
  453. Whizzer Kylin HE01 (2) (Baskingshark)
  454. Whizzer Kylin HE03AL (Jürgen Kraus)
  455. Whizzer Kylin HE03D (1) (Durwood)
  456. Whizzer Kylin HE03D (2) (Loomis Johnson)
  457. Whizzer Kylin HE10 (Jürgen Kraus)
  458. Yinyoo BK2 (Baskingshark)
  459. Yinyoo D2B4 v2 (1) (Biodegraded)
  460. Yinyoo D2B4 v2 (2) (Jürgen Kraus)
  461. Yinyoo V2 (Jürgen Kraus)

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The post 461 Reviews – A World Class Earphone Database appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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Our Raw and Corrected Frequency Response Curves https://www.audioreviews.org/graphs/ Wed, 13 Feb 2019 19:07:06 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?page_id=1356 Our combined frequency response measurements...hundreds of them.

The post Our Raw and Corrected Frequency Response Curves appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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audioreviews.org measurements database

This database is constantly updated – bookmark it for your future reference!

audioreviews.org measurements database

Raw Frequency Responses: Jürgen and Biodegraded (2 cm Tube Coupler; 1.5 cm Insertion Depth) 

Note: Biodegraded and Jürgen use the same rig and coupler [our measurement setup]. No correction is applied. The raw database is internally consistent and can be used for earphone comparisons.

  1. Anew X-One (3 modules)
  2. Acoustyx R-220
  3. AME Custom Argent Hybrid Electrostatic
  4. Alpex HSE-A2000
  5. Alpex HSE-A2000 (modded and measured by Biodegraded)
  6. B&W C5 S2
  7. Beyerdynamic Byron
  8. Blitzwolf BW ES1 (modded)
  9. Blon BL-03
  10. Boarseman CX98 (modded)
  11. Boarseman KR25D
  12. BQEYZ KC2
  13. Brainwavz Delta
  14. Brainwavz Koel 1st pair (JK) | 1st pair (Bio)2nd pair (JK) 
  15. Brainwavz B100
  16. Brainwavz B200 v1
  17. Brainwavz B400  1st pair | 2nd pair3rd pair (all by Biodegraded)
  18. Cambridge Audio SE1
  19. Cozoy Hera C103
  20. Drop + JVC HA-FXD1
  21. Dunu DM-380
  22. DZAT DR-25
  23. Earstudio HE100
  24. Einsear T2
  25. EZAudio D4
  26. Fidue A65 1st pair | 2nd pair
  27. Fidue A66
  28. FiiO FD1
  29. FiiO FH1s
  30. Final Audio E1000
  31. Focal Spark
  32. Focal Sphear
  33. Fostex TE-02
  34. Hifiman RE-400
  35. Hifiman RE-400 (measured by Biodegraded)
  36. HifiWalker A1 (ootb; measured by Biodegraded)
  37. HifiWalker A1 (modded)
  38. HifiWalker A1 (modded, measured on two different rigs)
  39. Hill Audio Altair • RA narrow-bore |wide-bore | comparison
  40. Hill Audio S8 (default filters)
  41. Hill Audio S8 (all included filters)
  42. iBasso IT01 v1 ootb |  screens removed
  43. iBasso IT01 v2
  44. iBasso IT01 v1 and v2
  45. Ikko OH1
  46. JVC HA-FM103M-B
  47. KBEAR Believe
  48. KBEAR Diamond
  49. KBEAR hi7 (Biodegraded)
  50. KBEAR hi7 (Jürgen Kraus)
  51. KBEAR KS2
  52. KBEAR TRI I3
  53. Kinboofi MK4
  54. Knowledge Zenith ASX
  55. Knowledge Zenith AS10
  56. Knowledge Zenith ATR (measured by Biodegraded)
  57. Knowledge Zenith EDR2 (different filters: silver metal and red textile)
  58. Knowledge Zenith ED3 (as is and modded)
  59. Knowledge Zenith ED3M
  60. Knowledge Zenith ED4 (as is and modded)
  61. Knowledge Zenith EDX
  62. Knowledge Zenith ZS4
  63. Knowledge Zenith ZS5 (measured by Biodegraded)
  64. Knowledge Zenith ZS6
  65. Knowledge Zenith ZSN
  66. Knowledge Zenith ZSN Pro X
  67. Knowledge Zenith ZSR (measured by Biodegraded)
  68. Knowledge Zenith ZS10 (measured by Biodegraded)
  69. Koss KSC75 [stock/Yaxi pads] (measured by Biodegraded)
  70. LG Quadbeat 3
  71. Lker i8 (as is and modded)
  72. Moondrop Crescent
  73. Moondrop Kanas Pro
  74. Moondrop Kanas Pro (measured by Biodegraded)
  75. Moondrop Starfield
  76. NAD HP20
  77. NiceHCK Bro
  78. NiceHCK DB3 (measured by Biodegraded)
  79. NiceHCK DT600
  80. NiceHCK EB3
  81. NiceHCK EP10
  82. NiceHCK EP35
  83. NiceHCK M6 (default filters)
  84. NiceHCK M6 (default filters; 5 different cables)
  85. NiceHCK M6 (all included filters)
  86. NiceHCK M6 (3rd-party “aired” filters)
  87. NiceHCK M6 (default filters and third party filters)
  88. NiceHCK NX7
  89. NiceHCK NX7 (ootb and after 70 hrs playtime)
  90. NiceHCK NX7 MK3
  91. NiceHCK NX7 PRO
  92. NiceHCK N3
  93. NiceHCK P3
  94. NiceHCK X49
  95. NF Audio NM2+
  96. Paiaudio DR2
  97. PHB EM-023
  98. Philips SHE7055WT
  99. Philips TX2
  100. Pioneer CH3
  101. Pioneer CH3 (modded)
  102. Pioneer CH3 (ootb and modded)
  103. Remax RM720i
  104. Remax RM 720i (ootb and modded)
  105. Senfer DT6
  106. Senfer UEs
  107. Sennheiser IE 40 PRO
  108. Sennheiser IE 400 PRO
  109. Sennheiser IE 500 PRO
  110. Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear
  111. Shozy Form 1.1
  112. Shozy Form 1.4
  113. Shozy Rouge
  114. Simgot EM2 narrow-bores | wide-boresboth tips
  115. Sony MH1C
  116. Sony MH755
  117. Sony XBA-C10W
  118. Soundmagic E10C
  119. Tanchjim Blues
  120. Tanchjim Cora
  121. Tennmak Dulcimer
  122. Tinaudio T1
  123. Tinaudio T2
  124. Tinaudio T2 (taped front vents)
  125. Tin Hifi T2 Plus
  126. Tin Hifi T4
  127. TRN BA5
  128. TRN-STM
  129. TRN V80 (measured by Biodegraded)
  130. TRN V90
  131. TRN V90s
  132. Ultimate Ears 900s (measured by Biodegraded)
  133. Xiaomi Piston 3
  134. Venture Electronics Bonus Edition IE
  135. VJJB K4S
  136. Yinyoo D2B4 (pre-mid March 2019 tuning)
  137. Yinyoo D2B4 (mid-March 2019 tuning) | FR vs. output impedance (measurements by Biodegraded)
  138. Yinyoo V2
  139. Zero Audio Carbo Tenore
audioreviews.org measurements database

Corrected Frequency Responses: Jürgen and Biodegraded (2 cm Tube Coupler; 1.5 cm Insertion Depth) 

Note: In this series, each raw measurement is adjusted by an empirical correction that attempts to emulate measurements from an imitation B&K IEC60318-4 system as used in the Crinacle database. This corrected database is internally NOT CONSISTENT. The degree and position of the inconsistencies are NOT PREDICTABLE . The correction is work in progress and needs improvement to increase the user’s confidence level. Right now, these corrected graphs are only useful as a qualitative/semi-quantitative approach for characterizing an earphone in a review.

  1. Anew X-One (3 modules)
  2. Beyerdynamic Soul Byrd
  3. Blon BL-03
  4. Cozoy Hera C103
  5. Earstudio HE100
  6. FiiO FD1
  7. JVC HA-FDX1
  8. KBEAR Believe
  9. KBEAR Diamond
  10. KBEAR KS2
  11. KBEAR TRI I3
  12. Knowledge Zenith ASX
  13. Knowledge Zenith EDX
  14. Knowledge Zenith ZSN Pro X
  15. Earstudio HE100
  16. Moondrop Illumination
  17. Moondrop Spaceship
  18. Moondrop SSP
  19. Moondrop SSR
  20. Moondrop Starfield
  21. NiceHCK NX7 MK3
  22. NiceHCK NX7 PRO
  23. NiceHCK X49
  24. NM Audio NF2+
  25. Queen of Audio Pink Lady
  26. Sennheiser IE40 PRO
  27. Sennheiser IE400 PRO
  28. Sennheiser IE500 PRO
  29. Shozy Form 1.1
  30. Shozy Form 1.4
  31. Shozy Rouge
  32. Sony MH755
  33. Tanchjim Blues
  34. Tin Hifi T2 Plus
  35. Tin Hifi T4
  36. TRN-STM
  37. TRN-VX
  38. TRN V90s
  39. Venture Electronics Bonus Edition IE
  40. Whizzer Kylin HE01
audioreviews.org measurements database

Raw Frequency Responses: Durwood (2.5 cm Tube Coupler; 2 cm Insertion Depth)

  1. BCD X10
  2. BQEYZ Spring 1 (small reference tips)
  3. BQEYZ Spring 1 (reference tips)
  4. BQEYZ Spring 2
  5. Cat Ear Mia
  6. CCA CA10 Pro
  7. CCA CA16
  8. Hidizs MS1 Rainbow
  9. KBEAR Diamond
  10. Shozy Form 1.4
  11. Shozy Rouge
  12. Tin Hifi T4
  13. TRN BA5
  14. TRN STM
  15. TRN V9 (small silicone stock tips)
  16. TRN V90 (stock tips)
audioreviews.org measurements database

IEC711 Coupler: KopiOkaya

  1. Audiosense DT200
  2. Blon BL-01
  3. Blon BL-03
  4. Blon BL-05
  5. Blon BL-05s
  6. Etymotic ER2XR
  7. Etymotic ER4XR
  8. FiiO FD1
  9. JVC HA-FDX1
  10. KBEAR Believe
  11. KBEAR Believe vs. Dunu Luna vs. Final Audio A8000
  12. KBEAR Diamond (Beta)
  13. KBEAR KS2
  14. KBEAR hi7
  15. KBEAR KB04
  16. KBEAR Lark
  17. LZ A7
  18. Moondrop Kanas Pro
  19. Moondrop SSR
  20. Sony MH1
  21. Sony MH755
  22. Tin Hi T2 Plus
  23. TRI I3
  24. TRI I4
  25. TRI Starsea
  26. TRN BA5
  27. TRN BA8
  28. TRN M10
  29. TRN ST1
  30. TRN V90 (three different IEC711 couplers)
  31. TRN V90s
  32. Unknown 2+1 prototype (2019-10-11)
audioreviews.org measurements database

You find over 300 earphone measurements in Crinacle’s database.

Headflux also offers a large database.

The post Our Raw and Corrected Frequency Response Curves appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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NiceHCK M6 Review (1) – Driving Like God In France https://www.audioreviews.org/nicehck-m6-review-driving-like-god-in-france/ https://www.audioreviews.org/nicehck-m6-review-driving-like-god-in-france/#respond Sun, 16 Dec 2018 11:05:24 +0000 https://www.audioreviews.org/?p=271 Pros — Beautiful imaging; great resolution and detail; smooth sound. Cons — Soft, prominent low end is not for everyone;

The post NiceHCK M6 Review (1) – Driving Like God In France appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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NiceHCK M6

Pros — Beautiful imaging; great resolution and detail; smooth sound.

Cons — Soft, prominent low end is not for everyone; filters can come loose.

NiceHCK M6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The NiceHCK M6 is a warm-sounding, somewhat low-end-heavy earphone with a V-shaped signature that nevertheless excels by its excellent midrange (voice reproduction, natural timbre), soundstage, resolution, and layering. It is quite a step above the $40–50 earphone fare I have reviewed recently.

NiceHCK M6

DISCLAIMER

I was asked by Jim NiceHCK to review this earphone and purchased it for $1. I thank Jim for our ongoing discussion, patiently accepting my criticisms and suggestions and his absolute non- interference with my work.

NiceHCK M6

It is my goal to give the reader a concise, thorough, and accurate account of the earphone – and how the earphone fits the big picture. Packaging and cable shape are of limited importance to me and will not get much attention here. In terms of visualization, I aim to focus on the relevant characteristic features of the earphone including details such as vents, lips, connectors etc. Most photos and diagrams can be enlarged by clicking on them.

NiceHCK M6

After reading my previous reviews, it should be clear that I prefer a neutral leaning tuning with a tight and dry bass – and certainly not a V-shaped flavour. The higher the price of an earphone, the flatter of a frequency response I expect with the mids moving forward and becoming successively more intimate and natural.

NiceHCK M6

As always, I tested the NiceHCK M6 over an ever growing cross section of music that provided a broad coverage of the frequency spectrum, including naturally generated sounds such a voices and classical instruments.

NiceHCK M6

Frequency response curves are now one of my standard staples of information in this price class. As to the graphs displayed here: the measuring coupler was two pieces of plastic tubing on the end of a Dayton iMM-6 microphone. No compensation or smoothing was applied. These measurements should not be directly compared to other measurements except those done on the same device, for example the ones I have posted before.

NiceHCK M6

INTRODUCTION

NiceHCK is a company that – among other things – sells “original manufacturer design” (ODM) items under their own branding. Recent NiceHCK earphone models include the EP10, EP35, EB2 earbuds, and the P3. The NiceHCK M6 is a higher-priced model and the most upscale iem I have reviewed so far. Therefore let’s explore together what makes the NiceHCK M6 better and more valuable than, let’s say, the $50 class.

NiceHCK M6

The NiceHCK M6 is a six-driver earphone (2DD + 4BA) with a four-way crossover that was designed and tuned by a “famous” (however mysterious) ODM factory in Guangdong. It appears to be technically identical with the BVGP DMG as both share the same sound description and frequency response. They come most likely from the same assembly line.

NiceHCK M6

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Product Name: Original NICEHCK M6 In Ear Metal Earphone
  • Brand: NICEHCK
  • Model: M6
  • Earphone Type: In-ear
  • Driver Unit: 4 BA + 2 DD (4 Balanced Armature + 2 Dynamic) hybrid driver unit Crossover: 4-way
  • Impedance: 17Ω
  • Earphone Sensitivity: 106 ± 2 dB/mW
  • Frequency range: 20 – 20000Hz Plug Type: 3.5mm L-shaped
  • Cable Length: 1.2m ± 3cm
  • Available Colours: Green, Gray
  • Cable Connector: MMCX Remote/Mic: No
  • Tested at: $85
 

Purchase Link: NiceHCK Audio Store

NiceHCK M6

NiceHCK M6 content

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

The content comes in a factory-sealed box that contains the standard NiceHCK earphone case will all goodies inside, packaged in a series of small plastic baggies. The content is laid out in the photo.

NiceHCK M6

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, HAPTIC, AND BUILD QUALITY

The rounded shells are made of aviation-grade aluminum in a top end “computer numerical control” (CNC) process [according to Jim NiceHCK] and feel smooth and high quality. The shells have a front vent and a back vent, and a third, square one by the connector. The braided MMCX cable is soft and flexible with an L-shaped 3.5 mm connector – and is appearance wise and haptically somewhere between the new KZ cables and the fancier third-party cables. Everything is of good quality.

NiceHCK M6

ERGONOMICS, COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT

The earpieces fit me well and were comfortable over longer periods of time. Isolation was average but the bassy tuning counteracts the low outside noise frequencies that are hard to filter out (see below).

NiceHCK M6

SOURCE AND EARTIPS

NiceHCK M6 earpieces

I listened with the iphone 5S with the audioquest dragonfly black dac/amp attached to it. Although easy to drive with the iphone alone, the M6 greatly benefitted from the dragonfly. The largest included wide-bore tips worked well for me.

NiceHCK M6

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

The NiceHCK M6 comes with three sets of filters but no manual describing the differences between them. The ones in the shells’ colour (green in my case) are the standard filters: they had to do for me – I don’t like fiddling with filters – and were used for my sound description. According to JimNiceHCK, the golden filters “improve the low frequencies” and the silver ones “improve the high frequencies”. My measurements show no difference between filters up to 1 kHz – but lots of variation between 2 and 6 kHz where the gold filters produce substantially less energy – and the silver filters slightly more – compared to the green reference filters.

NiceHCK M6 frequency response

NiceHCK M6

It has been claimed that the NiceHCK M6 sounds better with a more expensive third-party cable (one user reported a tighter bass and another a thicker bass, possibly using the same copper cable). I tried the M6 with five difference cables. If there were any sonic differences, they were minimal – and not based on differences in frequency responses as per my measurements. If an earphone does not work with the stock cable, it is not good imo.

NiceHCK M6 frequency responses with 5 filters

NiceHCK M6 frequency response with 5 different cables.

NiceHCK M6 frequency responses with reference filters

NiceHCK M6 frequency response with the green reference filters.\

NiceHCK M6 

The NiceHCK M6 is a warm sounding earphone with a V-shaped signature and a pronounced, thick low end. The frequency response is rather linear which results in an overall smooth sound. Unfortunately, the low end and midrange do not harmonize but rather work against each other.

NiceHCK M6

The sub-bass is well extended but overshadowed by a broad bass (sensu stricto) hump peaking between 60 and 90 Hz. The bass has a reasonably fast attack but a rather slow decay which can make it soupy, soft, and possibly overwhelming to some ears while not being overly impactful – and it is certainly not part of an “audiophile” tuning which I expect in this price range. To me the bass is the sonically weakest point and I wonder what the tuner did to the two DDs. The benefit of such a bass, on the other hand, is added richness to deeper male voices and a good “shield” against the low- frequency travel noise that is not filtered out by the isolation (city bus, airplane). Another advantage of the bass is when combined with a bass-weak dap such as the Shanling M0 (I perceive this player as not very bassy). The M6 introduces some life to the Shanling’s low end. It still does not make the low end any more accurate but certainly generates some fun.

NiceHCK M6

The midrange is simply great and makes up for the bass: although slightly recessed, voices have an incredibly natural timbre and richness. I have yet to hear better. The bass, however does occasionally smudge into the mids. As to the upper midrange: there is a smaller hump in the 2-4 kHz area than in most cheaper models (e.g. TRN V80, BQEYZ KZ2): this shows that the drivers have enough quality not having to rely on this excess energy that also can cause fatigue through harshness and hardness. The effect in the M6 is that there is no crowding in busy instrumentations but a good flow in these frequencies.

NiceHCK M6

The treble tags on seemlessly to the mids and they are well extended. High notes are smoothly reproduced without any sibilance or other unpleasant surprises. In “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen”, a grandiose aria from Wolfman Mozart’s opera “Die Zauberflöte”, the “Queen of the Night” hits her high notes firmly and with ease. High quality listening in the uppermost levels.

NiceHCK M6

Soundstage, sense of space, instrument separation, layering, resolution, and detail are all absolutely superb – although this depends to some degree on the bass presence. I listened to my standard dummyhead spoken-word test tracks and the accuracy of the placement of voices and background sounds was mindboggling. Choir performances and singers on the piano also sounded fantastic. Again, I have not heard an earphone that beats the M6 in this respect – but my experience with pricy current models is limited. Adding a strong bass section reduces these qualities.

NiceHCK M6

SELECT COMPARISONS

There are not many earphones in this price category I know. I feel that the M6 is unique enough not to rely on detailed comparisons. It should be very clear from my descriptions and the reviews by others whether it is for you.

NiceHCK M6

iBasso IT01 (~$100): a known bass and sub-bass canon with a generally accepted superb low-end quality that is not even remotely touched by the M6. The M6, on the other hand, smokes the iBasso in the midrange in terms of timbre and richness as well as in overall imaging and resolution. The iBasso comes with a really fancy looking cable.

NiceHCK M6 and iBasso IT01 frequency responses

Frequency responses IT01 and M6.

NiceHCK M6

Hill Audio S8 ($60): its 2 BA + 1 DD produce a V-shape and warm signature with an soft, bloated bass and a good midrange similar to the M6 but an overall slightly leaner image. The M6 is better resolving with more subtle details and its midrange is fuller, smoother, and less crowded. The S8 is not far behind the M6, sound wise. The S8’s shells are smaller and may be better fitting for some ears. If you like the S8, you will like the M6 (and the other way round).

NiceHCK M6 and Hill Audio S8 frequency responses

Frequency responses S8 and M6.

NiceHCK M6

Brainwavz B200 v1 (~$110; discontinued): this 2 BA earphone has a tight bass, not quite as well extended into the sub-bass as in the M6, a slimmer, cooler sound than M6 and S8, but it lacks the rich, natural midrange of the M6. Build is soso at best but the fit of the small earpieces is magical. Technically less competent than the M6 it may nevertheless have attracted many purists.

NiceHCK M6 and brainwavz B200 frequency responses

Frequency responses B200 v1 and M6.

NiceHCK M6

BCEYZ KC2 (~$50): this 2 + 2 hybrid has a slimmer, faster bass but is also leaner and less natural in the voice department and less smooth/shouty in the upper midrange. The M6 offers simply “more sound and soundstage” and a better resolution. The KC2, while a respectable earphone, is the least capable of this mix.

NiceHCK M6 and BQEYZ KC2 frequency responses

Frequency responses K2 and M6.

NiceHCK M6

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The NiceHCK M6 is a good, technically competent earphone that is well worth its asking price [the current asking price of $88 is ridiculously low] but it could be a killer if the tuner tightened up the rustic low end. The all-important midrange is of such a high quality that even the small recession can’t take much away from it. Nevertheless, focusing and reducing the bass would bring out even more clarity, detail, and resolution and add balance to the sound signature. I asked Jim to forward my suggestions to his “famous” ODM factory hoping for a second, alternatively tuned version as offered, for example, by Etymotic.

NiceHCK M6

Summing up, the NiceHCK M6 is like a large luxury SUV: roomy and comfortable, offering a smooth ride on a soft suspension. While some of us like this, others prefer the tighter suspension of a sports car. Nevertheless does the ride remain much slicker and more comfortable with the M6 than with a $50 SUV. The road appears to be wider and more open to the driver.

NiceHCK M6

In the end, it comes down to a matter of taste. Looking at the FR graph alone may be a deal-maker or -breaker for the informed reader.

You can get the NiceHCK M6 only here!

NiceHCK M6

UPDATE 2019-01-31:

I added these third-party filters which removed a lot of bass quantity — but it preserved the bass’s slow decay. This brought the mids forward and improved the balance immensely. The overall sound is still pretty meaty and analog.

NiceHCK M6

NiceHCK M6 with third party filters

NiceHCK M6
NiceHCK M6

Our other NiceHCK M6 review:

The post NiceHCK M6 Review (1) – Driving Like God In France appeared first on Music For The Masses.

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