INTRO

Warm and inviting with a zing is how I would describe the HIDIZS MS3. Scaled back drivers to design elements from their flagship MS5, the HIDIZS MS3 is a safe gateway to the mid-tier over $100. Inside they have installed a dual Knowles SWFK-3176 balanced armature paired with a 10.2mm dual magnetic circuit dual cavity dynamic driver for boisterous low end. With nine tuning options, the HIDIZS aims to give users a way to find the right sound signature as long as the baseline contains some resemblance of elevated bass and treble.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

As many others, the HIDIZS MS3 have aimed the tuning towards one of the Harman tuning curves in particular the 2019 version, and hit that target well with 2 of their tuning nozzles at an introductory sales price of $119 and retail price of $169. The internals drivers do not share any similarities of the MS5. We have previously reviewed hits such as the HIDIZS S9, AP80 Pro-X, while the MS5 and other IEMS are always a mixed bag of opinions.

HIDIZS seems to have improved a couple of things that bothered me with the HIDIZS MS5, mainly related to the cable ear-hooks and weight. It is still a heavier cable than most with a plastic stiffness, but the ear-hooks are less dramatic easing the pain inflicted on my ears.

The case is not nearly as lavish and has opted for a coin purse like Moondrop did with their LAN, which is great for reducing the bulk in your pocket. Instead HIDIZS focused on the same nice selection of ear-tips and nozzle filters included with the MS5. Missing is the aluminum plate for storing the filters. The filters do include an o-ring to provide some friction from unscrewing, but I still recommend occasionally checking the tightness.

The 3 sets of ear-tips do what they say, vocals tips accentuate the upper mid-range, bass tips knock down some of the treble, and the balanced take a small bite out of the upper treble and sharpness. They are not overly firm- I wish the outer portion would maintain their shape a little better, on the plus the stems are thick to keep them in place while improving bass concentration into the ear canal.

FITMENT / ISOLATION

As I test more IEM’s I am starting to realize the fitment is the number one factor in determining if the HIDIZS MS3 would be considered for a position in my rotation, then and only then does sound factor in. If I am constantly repositioning or they hurt in some way, this will determine usage. Unfortunately my fitment does not equal your fitment. It is smaller than the MS5 mainly in outward protrusion, nozzle length is good, they do wiggle a bit, but I would classify as medium sized. Isolation is stronger than average given the aluminum shell and decent coverage of filling the space.

SOUND

Pairing the HIDIZS MS3 with their AP80 Pro-X they are heavy in the bottom, easy on the top except for a thin peak in the treble knob region they feel grounded otherwise. I would characterize it as a V tuning. Nuances in the bass overpower much of the mid-range and treble, they are not bass-head, but are bass heavy if that makes sense.

Drums and bass guitars are meaty as opposed to thinner presentations from Moondrop offerings. This is pretty standard affair HIDIZS bass. It could probably use a few clicks of less bass between 250-400Hz to remove some coloration, but it might also suck some life out. Impact is forceful, with good rumble to add dimension. The dual magnetic circuit appears to offer good control.

Upper mid-range and treble are mostly impacted by the filters which tilts the balance between powerful bass and amount of treble energy. Treble is clean and well detailed given the dual Knowles balanced armature.

I gravitated towards the combination of the red filters with the balanced ear-tips. Resolving the macro dynamics, the HIDIZS MS3 also manages to deliver some micro details as needed. Because of the placement of the BA right at the exit, clarity in the treble is pronounced.

The red filters transform the HIDIZS MS3 to something different like a cousin of the other tunings, while the silver and gold filters are siblings. With the red filters you have a gentle ramp up into the lower treble peaking in the presence region. This keeps the vocals from sounding too forward. I prefer the red filter with the balanced tips.

Treble is clean and articulated well by the Knowles BA, it does have a touch of extra zing at 8-10Khz that causes cymbals to pull forward in the mix. It’s not sibilant but rather accentuates some brilliance. I chose the balanced tips to knock down the upper treble to offset this.

Staging feels tight with everything clustered-orchestra pieces feel small but even and well integrated. They are more sensitive than the Ibasso IT01 and the TinHifi T4, with the Ibasso having a darker tone and less biting bass.

The TinHifi T4 is similar to the overall signature of the HIDIZS MS3, but removes some of the coloration from the bass. Upper mid-range pinna gain is knocked down a bit in comparison to the HIDIZS MS3. The TinHifi T4 sounds tilts in the direction of V/balanced.

Comparing to another equal contender the BQEYZ Spring 2, the HIDIZS MS3 has bigger bass with more bloom and room reverberation enhancement. Not surprising the Spring series bass was like drinking a lite beer in that it tastes like beer, but lacking in flavor and refinement.

The treble on the HIDIZS MS3 brings more sizzle and definition while mid-range feels on par to the BQEYZ Spring 2. Fitment of the MS3 is larger over the Spring 2 and the cable is heavier as well with my cable preference going towards the Spring 2. Bigger is not always better.

While the HIDIZS MS3 is easily driven from the AP80 Pro-X along with a dongle or smart phone, the SMSL SU-9 with the JDS Labs amp tightens up the bass even further with more umph and control. Timbre is not as organic as single dynamic Moondrop Kato, but I do find the clarity higher most likely the result of the peaking treble.

WRAPPING UP

I think it would be wrong to primarily focus on the Harman tuning of the HIDIZS MS3 when it has another side to it. The point is the MS3 is a properly accessorized worthy mid-tier IEM. I would rather recommend someone save for these than buy a pile of $50 or under IEMs hoping to make medicore sound gains.

With the unique shell faceplate, and nice selection of ear-tips and filters offering 9 tunings (only 2 major and 7 minor), I can stand behind the recommendation of the MS3 in the price range of $100-200 with the caveat the heavy cable is too much burden on your ears and it does have a V tuning with a wee bit too much in and around 8Khz. If this does not worry you, give them a look.

Disclaimer: I cannot go on vacation without incident- hot tip, ocean waves can be stronger than knees. HIDIZS provided these free to sweep me off my feet but I own my own opinions and my actions when playing in the ocean.

SPECIFICATIONS

HIDIZS MS3 Manufacturers Product Page

Type: 1DD+2BA Hybrid 3 Drivers In-Ear Monitor
Frequency Response: 20Hz-40Khz
Hi-Res Certification
Dynamic Driver: 10.2mm dual magnetic circuit, dual cavity PEEK+PU
Balanced Armature: Knowles SWFK-31736
Replaced Sound Filters: 3 types
Shell: Aluminum with black oxide coating
Sensitivity: 112db
Impedance: 18 ohms
Cable: 0.78 2 pin removable high-purity oxygen-free copper 4-strand braided, 1.2m length
Plug: 3.5mm or optional 4.4mm when ordering
Weight: 15g includes cable.

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Comparison of Tuning Filters
• Comparison of Ear-tips

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DISCLAIMER

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Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post HIDIZS MS3 Review (1) – Nine Lives But One Life To Live appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Needs above-average volume to sound best
– Treble has metallic timbre with hints of splashiness
– Upper-treble rolls off too early
– Over-dampened treble response
– Some bloat in upper-bass, bass decay could be faster

INTRODUCTION TO TOPAZ

BQEYZ is one of the few manufacturers around (along with InTime) who has kept the piezo technology alive in IEMs, especially the budget ones. The likes of Unique Melody, FIR Audio, and Empire Ears also have similar tech inside their IEMs as part of bone-conduction drivers, but BQEYZ uses it for the treble.

Piezo treble definitely sounds unique and it’s more of a personal preference thing. I find it to be super-responsive and having a better sense of “rawness” than typical BA or dynamic driver treble, but then again, piezo drivers are prone to resonances that can be perceived as “splashiness” at times.

BQEYZ Topaz is a cut-down version of the Spring2 in a sense, and the reduced price tag should definitely appeal to those who have been willing to try Piezo on a budget. Do the Topaz scratch that particular itch, or is the novel driver setup inadequate to stand out in today’s hyper-competitive budget segment?

Please read on…

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. BQEYZ was kind enough to send me the Topaz for evaluation.

Sources used: Lotoo PAW 6000, Questyle M15.
Price, while reviewed: $76. Can be bought from Linsoul.

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

You get 6 pairs of eartips (two different types), a round carrying case, the stock cable (can be terminated into balanced during purchase), and a small cleaning tool. I really like the option of customizing termination during purchase and I hope more brands follow this.

As for the accessories themselves, the stock 4-core OCC SPC cable is very good: flexible, supple, and complements the design of the IEMs well. The stock tips, however, might need changing. I opted for Spinfit CP-100+. Your mileage may vary. The rest of it is absolutely fine for the price tag.

BUILD QUALITY

The Topaz have a two-part design: the inner side is 3D-printed translucent resin, while the face-plate is CNC anodized aluminum. There are several vents throughout the shell: one on the inner side, right in front of the driver, a pair of small vents just on top of it, and one on the face-plate that acts as a back-vent. The 2-pin connectors are recessed, which is another plus.

General build is solid, even though it is a step down from the phenomenal build of the BQEYZ Autumn, for example.

COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT

Comfort is top-notch as I felt no driver flex, and the general shape is fairly ergonomic. Isolation is below average due to the multiple vents.

SOURCE AND EARTIPS

BQEYZ Topaz can scale slightly with higher tier sources, but not so much that investing in one becomes a necessity. The stock eartips did not offer the best bass response for me so I went ahead with the Spinfit CP-100+.

DRIVER SETUP

The Topaz sport a dual driver setup with a 13mm LCP dynamic driver that handles the bass and mids, and a 9-layer piezoelectric ceramic driver on top of it that gets “excited” for the treble notes.

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

BQEYZ Topaz have a warm, bass-focused tuning with rolled-off treble. That’s the summary, so let’s delve deeper.

The bass is definitely the star of the show here. It’s got physicality, texture, and the density of snare hits are especially satisfying. There is some bass bleed into upper-bass, however. This results in “thickened” male vocals, denser snare hits and pedals, and somewhat more fleshed out female vocals (whereas they should be thinner in tone).

The mids have no shout or shrillness, though I wish guitar riffs had more definition. Acoustic guitars and keyboards sound somewhat smoothed over, and this sensation of “over-dampening” carries over into the treble.

Now, the piezo treble is one of the key differentiators between the Topaz and the rest of the competition. BQEYZ probably wanted to not offend those who are adverse of Piezo-treble and decided to play it safe. I’d say, a bit too safe at times. The upper-treble extension is non-existent, which kills the extension that piezo drivers are known for. Despite this cautious approach, some splashiness in treble is evident, even though things sound dampened overall.

Soundstage is surprisingly wide and tall, though depth is middling. Imaging is mostly left and right, with ordinal orientations being less evident. However, there is no “gaps” during stereo pans, which is a positive. General resolution is hindered somewhat by the treble roll-off and bass-forwardness, while the dynamic driver can lag behind the piezo at times.

Overall though, these scenarios are rare and in most cases the Topaz sound warm, with a rich, dense bass. Just that the treble could be more… special. A missed opportunity indeed.

SELECT COMPARISONS

vs Dunu Kima

Dunu Kima are similarly warm-tilted in tone, though they have a more pronounced upper-mid presence. As a result, the Kima sounds slightly cleaner with better clarity. The treble is also not as rolled-off on the Kima, so you get better end-to-end extension. However, I prefer the bass on the Topaz more since the sense of physicality is more evident there. Imaging is better on the Kima, while staging is wider on Topaz.

As for the rest, both are built well, but the Kima are full-metal throughout. Accessories are also better on the Kima though the BQEYZ cable is superior IMO. Between these two, I think the Topaz will suit more to those who prefer a warmer, richer presentation, while the Kima is better suited for the “laid-back without losing all the clarity” crowd.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

BQEYZ Topaz are targeted towards a niche: those who want warm, dense sound while looking for something special in the treble, courtesy of that piezo driver. It’s just a small letdown that the driver is so hindered to make the sound inoffensive that it loses most of what makes it special.

I hope BQEYZ can add in some more upper-treble in the subsequent successor to the Topaz, while utilizing a slightly faster bass driver (or reducing the bass by a bit between 300 – 500 Hz. That should take care of all my qualms and turn the Topaz into something special.

For now, the Topaz are good, just that some small improvements can make them even better.

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

The post BQEYZ Topaz Review – Piezo Promises appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Lacks macrodynamic punch and sub-bass rumble
– Notes sound smoothed over at times
– Lower-mids are somewhat recessed
– Imaging is hazy

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Elle Zhou of BQEYZ was kind enough to send me the review sample.
Sources used: Sony NW-A55, Questyle CMA-400i
Price, while reviewed: $200. Can be bought from HiFiGo

INTRODUCTION

The folks at BQEYZ are best known for their hybrid and multi-driver efforts. Their popular models such as the Summer or Spring had DD + BA + Piezo configuration. In fact, BQEYZ is one of the few manufacturers who still use Piezo drivers and has extensive know-how about this driver type.

The Autumn, being a single-dynamic offering, mark a shift in BQEYZ’s approach. Simplifying the driver count allows for easier tuning but also makes maintaining technicalities a challenge.

Do the BQEYZ Autumn pass the hurdle, or do they fall by the wayside? We’ll find out in the following.

PHYSICALS

Accessories

The BQEYZ Autumn come with 6 pairs of eartips, a 4-core silver + copper mixed cable, and the proprietary tuning magnets along side a tool to remove the magnets. A carrying case is also included which gets the job done without being flashy.

Build

General fit and finish are excellent here, with the BQEYZ Autumn having a polished aluminum shell. The shell is a two-piece design with the seam between the pieces barely noticed.

There are three vents on the inner-side of the IEMs. The nozzle is also metal. Lastly, BQEYZ has opted for 0.78mm 2-pin recessed connectors, which I personally prefer over flush or raised connectors.

Comfort and isolation

Comfort is very good but isolation is lacking due to the vents placed on the inner side of the earpiece.

Internals

BQEYZ went for a 13mm single dynamic driver here, with not much being told about the diaphragm material. Elle Zhou confirmed that they are using a 6 micro-meter ultra-thin PEN diaphragm.

The driver is housed in a dual-cavity structure which is becoming pretty standard lately.

BQYEZ Autumn Sound Analysis

Listening setup: BQEYZ Autumn with normal filter + stock cable + Radius Deep-Mount tips + Sony NW-A55

The BQEYZ Autumn have a slightly V-shaped tuning with emphasis around mid-bass and lower-treble. What makes them stand out is how relaxing the signature is, as the transients are rounded and leading edge of notes are softened out.

Bass here is mostly characterized by the mid-bass bloom that adds some extra decay to bass notes. Snare hits also get extra thickness and body as a result. This tuning works well for moderately paced tracks but leaves you wanting in fast metal tracks.

Sub-bass rumble is lacking, so sudden bass drops lack the physicality you expect. Macrodynamic punch is lacking as well, so the BQEYZ Autumn isn’t really suited for portraying the energy in tracks.

Mids are fairly well tuned. Lower mids are recessed but doesn’t sound drowned out. The recession gives a sensation of laid-back vocals that is devoid of shout or shrillness. If you don’t mind midrange recession, the Autumn won’t be disappointing. However, for those seeking more forward or energetic vocals – this ain’t it.

Then comes the treble, and here we have perhaps the only tonal oddity of the Autumn. The 5kHz peak is quite prominent and makes leading edge of cymbal hits sound a bit brittle. This presence region emphasis is needed to keep the Autumn from sounding overly dark but this also leads to over-crispness at times.

Upper-treble is well extended with resonances being heard well until 15kHz. The airiness is kept in check though so it doesn’t lead to fatigue.

Before getting into technicalities, let’s talk about the filters. The filters only increase or decrease the amount of bass but due to how we perceive sound, this change in bass markedly alters the presentation.

The normal filter is the one I found the most balanced, with the bass filter making things too bassy and the treble filter making the 5kHz peak even more prominent.

When it comes to staging, I found the stage width to be quite good. Everything is well separated, and the Autumn don’t sound cramped. However, stage depth is limited.

Imaging is also average with positional cues often being hazy. The saving grace here is the reproduction of microdynamics that allows you to delineate between instruments playing at differing volumes.

Finally, resolved detail is above average for a single dynamic IEM but the Autumn will be bested by a number of multi-BA or hybrid offerings in this range.

Compared to Final E4000

Final E4000 have been one of my default recommendations for a single dynamic driver IEM under USD $200.

In terms of build, the Final are no slouch with a similarly solid aluminium shell. Final went for a barrel shape and mmcx connectors but both IEMs are at equal playing field here.

Comfort and Isolation wise I think E4000 wins as they block more noise than the Autumn. Accessories are about par on both.

As for the sound, E4000 have a similarly bass-boosted, warm tuning but Final has even less emphasis in lower treble. This results in a tad darker tuning than the Autumn. Another noticeable change is the staging and imaging where the E4000 sound more expansive and accurate respectively.

Resolved detail is a bit better on the Autumn due to better upper treble extension. Macrodynamic punch is better on the E4000 meanwhile. Mids are also more engaging on the Final IEMs.

One advantage of the BQEYZ Autumn is the filter system that isn’t available on the E4000 at all. So if you want to change the tuning on the fly the Autumn will be better suited. E4000 are also more difficult to power, requiring better amping.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

BQEYZ have tuned the Autumn fairly well. They didn’t just try to copy-paste an existing target curve and instead went for their own flavor of sound which is rarer to see these days. I do wish that the Autumn were a bit better in terms of technicalities, esp the imaging department. BQEYZ’s previous offerings were better in this regard so this one is a backward step. 

Other than that, the Autumn are a solid pair of single dynamic IEMs, and on sale price they warrant a closer look.

MY VERDICT

4/5

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The post BQEYZ Autumn Review (2) – Incremental Improvements appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Relatively high impedance…benefits from amplification.

Executive Summary

Introduction

BQEYZ made themselves a name back in 2018 with one of the first neutrally tuned budget iems, the $30 2DD +2BA BQEYZ KC2, at a time when budget meant V-shaped. The KC2 is still available and has a dedicated following.

The company continued a class higher with the $139 1DD +1BA +1 EST BQEYZ Spring 1, which had wonderful vocals but a somewhat pillowy bass. The subsequent 1DD +1BA +1 EST $169 BQEYZ Spring 2 improved the bass somewhat. All of the above were metal built.

The subsequent $129 1DD +1BA +1EST BQEYZ Summer deviated with its translucent resin shells and finally featured the desired punchy bass.

We have collectively analyzed all of the above to the hilt, including Durwood’s study of the effect of nozzle mesh on the Spring 1’s frequency response.

The latest BQEYZ model is named “Autumn” after the third season of the year, hence “Tre Stagioni” (three seasons). With their BQEYZ Autumn, the company reverts to metal shells being essentially identical in shape to the Summer’s.

New is the driver configuration which is a single DD. BQEYZ also offer maximum sonic flexibility by including three sets of magnetic tuning vents at the font of the shells. Each of these pucks constitutes a different front vent with its very own bass response.

It is an interesting approach contrary to the JVC FDX1, the perceived bass response of which is dosed by screw-on nozzles containing different filters. Although these alter the JVC’s upper midrange response, the effect is only heard at the low end, as the human ear registers the whole frequency spectrum in context.

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the 2 earpieces, the cable, 3 pairs of tuning pucks in a holder, the magnetic tuner pole, 2 sets of eartips (S/M/L), a brush, and a carrying case. The three tuning pucks (“bass”, “normal”, “treble”) are actually the inner earphone vents (also called front vents). They come in different openings: the smaller the bassier. We describe the relevant physical principles in this article.

The metal pucks are inserted and removed with the included magnetic pole. This takes as long as a tire change during a Formula 1 race. The magnetic fit guarantees minimal wear and tear even when swapped frequently. Very handy.

The earpieces are made of CNC machined metal and are built very well. The overall haptic of shells and cable is great. BQEYZ have addressed the criticism of the BQEYZ Summer’s resin shells.

Fit and comfort are very good, isolation is rather poor for my ears. The cable has silver-coated copper and high-purity copper strands. It is loosely braided with minimal contact area between the strands for minimum interference. I find the cable rather pliable and light – it has no microphonics.

2 sets of eartips (S/M/L) are included, one wide bore and the other narrow bore. Note that the nozzle diameter exceeds the usual 4.5 mm so that many third-party eartips will not fit. You may try the SpinFit CP500 or any Azla SednaEarfit models if going for third-party tips.

Tonality and Technicalities

A universally valid assessment of the BQEYZ Autumn is difficult as tonality and technicalities depend on the interplay of several factors: magnetic tuning puck + eartips + source (in any combination). This versatility allows to you pretty much to create your own favourite sound.

Considering its 46 Ω impedance, the Autumn benefits from amplification, although it works surprisingly well with my iPhone SE (1st gen.). For example, the powerful Apogee Groove produces a much cleaner and better defined image than the weaker AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt.

Using the JitterBug FMJ with the Apogee Groove makes quite a difference in that it ads definition to the image. The difference is actually considerable.

With the wide-bore stock tips, the “bass” vents generate more…yes…bass…which drowns the vocals out somewhat — and the “normal” vents bring voices more into the foreground without sacrificing bass impact. But this latter combination may be bassier than the combination of “bass” vents and JVC Spiral Dots.

I played with the stock eartips but got the best results with the JVC Spiral Dots that disperse some of the mid-bass and produce the tightest possible low end. Bass generally digs deep but the vocals move into the foreground with the JVCs. Signature becomes brighter but notes also cleaner and more articulate.

I also experimented with the vents, and the normal ones yielded the best result (in combination with the Spiral Dots). The bass vents “overthicken” the low end, move the vocals back and therefore remove intimacy and detail.

My favourite combination therefore is the normal vents with the JVC Spiral Dots.

So, how does the BQEYZ Autumn sound, actually (with “normal” puck and Spiral Dots)? It has the classic slightly warm single-dynamic driver sound with a rather crisp attack adding some edge.

The low end is on the tight side, it is well extended and remains focused to the lowest frequencies. There is no mid-bass hump as emphasis is on the lower frequencies, just above sub-bass. Drum kicks in the mid bass are not as pronounced as they could be but they are nevertheless hard as a rock – and dry.

Lower midrange is standalone without bass bleed. Male and female voices are somewhat recessed, of medium note weight, energetic, and natural. There is no shoutiness but we are getting there, although that 5 kHz peak is not irritating to my ears.

Midrange temperature is a bit cooler than in the bass region but still not quite neutral. Midrange resolution is very good, everything clean and clear there. Note definition is very good.

Lower treble rolls of substantially. Cymbals are a bit back and don’t have the best definition – but they are still ok. Resolution is better in the midrange than in the treble region.

Stage is average in width, height and depth. Spatial cues is very good. Attack is sharp and crisp without being aggressive. The dynamic driver is rather nimble. Stage positioning and separation are also good. Timbre is good.

I am a bit short in my sonic description as it mostly applies to this very particular setup.

BQEYZ Autumn compared

The dynamic-driver competition in the $200 region is tight. The Tanchjim Oxygen (which I don’t know) and the JVC HA-FDX1 are standard staples on our Wall of Excellence (also count the 1+1 IKKO OH10 in). The Moondrop KATO is arguably the company’s best dynamic-driver offer.

To disappoint you, it is impossible to tell which is the best of the lot as they are very close in terms of (sound) quality. But they differ quite a bit in ergonomics.

For example, the IKKO OH10 is very heavy in one’s ear, and so – but to a lesser extent – is the KATO. The Oxygen have short nozzles that may not fit everyone and the JVCs have a weird shape altogether that may not be the most comfortable for many either. In this respect, I prefer the Autumn’s compact shells.

But what I can say is that the Autumn sound more refined than the brighter $139 BQEYZ Summer, particularly in the midrange. The JVCs are not as crisp as the Autumn, they are smoother, dampened, with more rounded notes – but not as deep. The Autumn are rougher around the edges, more dynamic/energetic, and they have more midrange body and a much better sub-bass extension.

The Moondrop KATO are brighter than the Autumn (in my setup), with a wider but shallower stage. They have a smoother bass and vocals are not quite as intimate. They also have more sparkle with more air in the midrange. And they are more prone to shoutiness. How graphs can deceive us. Voices are a bit thicker and more rounded in the KATO. Treble resolution is similar between the two.

As I tend to say (well I stole it from Alberto): pick your poison!

Concluding Remarks

The BQEYZ Autumn are well built and good sounding single-dynamic driver earphones that fit their price category well – and that can prevail against their tough competition.

Whilst it is difficult to rank the large crowd of $200 single-dynamic drivers, the Autumn stick out in two aspects: comfort/fit and sonic versatility through the included tuning front vents. They are, in my opinion, the best offering in BQEYZ’s 3 season series.

Tre stagioni? Quattro stagioni! Now we are ready for “inverno”. No, that’s not what you think*…learn Italian…

Until next time…keep on listening!

*Italian: winter

The post BQEYZ Autumn Review (1) – Tre Stagioni appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The BQEYZ Autumn remidies all previous issues and is the best and most mature sounding iem of the series. In fact it is a very good and enjoyable single DD iem. And it is flexible, sonically, as you can adjust the bass response with the three included front vents.

Before you read my Autumn review, you have the opportunity to check out the Autumn’s physical features. Is the nozzle length right for you, will the shell fit your ears well? Sound quality is only one aspect of an iem’s functionality. And the best iem is the one we use most. Don’t you agree?

Specifications

Images

Get the BQEYZ Autumn from aliexpress.

The post PhotoGraphed: BQEYZ Autumn vs. BQEYZ Summer appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Lately there seems to be an overwhelming desire for budget brands to break into the mid-tier market. There was not a lot of room to wow and differentiate in the budget class and now it seems we are seeing the same happen in what I consider the mid-tier $100-200.

While there is a whole wide range of offerings way upwards of that price range, they are more dangerous to your wallet as it starts reaching bragging rights and earning style points. Those I consider niche products.

The KBEAR Aurora was released an eternity ago in terms of fast fashion IEM’s and the only reason this comes to me now is a color refresh. One of our past reviewers Baskingshark had his go at them. We have some pretty strong $200ish contenders with recent hits such as the 7Hz Timeless now being challenged by the less expensive LETSHUOER S12, and the brilliant Moondrop Kato at $190.

Before that, people were singing the praises of the Drop JVC HA-FDX1 which runs between $200-250. The great thing is that all 3 of those have completely different strengths and tunings. So with value out the window, the KBear Aurora has to stand on it’s own and hope it doesn’t get lost in the sea of choices. I realize these have been out for 6 months and have already been forgotten. Just another NFAudio NM2+ perhaps, but in a better way.

Disclaimer: These were sent gratis via Keephifi and I hadn’t realized they were already released 5-6 months ago. Warm fuzzies were not exchanged until right now while I thank them for sending a pair to check out. I did not pimp my soul to promote these.

GOOD TRAITS

• Good universal fit and solid construction
• Good accessories
• Full sounding bass
• Perfectly sized carrying case
• No sibilance which should be standard for anything trying to sell for over $70. A low bar to clear in my opinion.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• Low value
• Treble lacking in resolution and extension

PACKAGE CONTENTS

As with most Earphones over the $100 mark, the KBEAR Aurora comes packed into an easy open larger package that failed to keep the ears in place during shipment. I don’t typically care, but these are metal earphones so bouncing around in packaging is not a good thing given they can easily leave marks on the housings given the sharp edges on the faceplate.

The matte antique bronze color is definitely classier looking than the gaudy 1980’s neon chrome fingerprint magnet trend of the blue/chrome color. I think they should have released it solely in the matte brown first.

The braided gray snake skin looking cable is highly flexible and microphonic free. I notice the 2 pin connectors fit semi loose into the plugs however. The chrome/blue version sported a blue colored cable of the same style.

Two different sets of eartips, S/M/L of a standard widebore with a normal thickness stem, and 5 sizes of the main set that includes a widebore thick stem the same length of the outer tip.

SOUND

Right away it is easy to pick up the eastern style midrange boost that presents as a very in your face forward vocal. Snares are snappy as they should be. This hot upper midrange is preceded by the medium blend boosted bass that barely tickles the seismic region while going full bore into midbass territory with snappy and articulated fullness. Feels perfectly damped and well balanced with rest of the frequency range if you prefer stew over soup.

The treble on the KBEAR Aurora is the least noticeable asset. Inoffensive, bland and just one of those jobs you have to do but don’t put much effort to complete. The problem with this style of tuning is the upper midrange is so over-powering the treble doesn’t really get a chance to showcase what it can do.

For me the treble gives me the sensation of having stayed too long at the discotheque and consumed too many adult beverages. It is not particularly well defined. This was the same problem I had with the recently reviewed Whizzer Kylin HE03D. I have been ruined by the precision and air of the 7Hz Timeless and the control of the luscious Moondrop Kato.

TECHNICALITIES

The KBEAR Aurora sounds expansive, but lacks in depth. Clarity is only average with some cloudiness in the treble mucking things up. No real issues with the timbre until you get past the lower treble, it’s a single driver tuned in a typical +10db pinna gain in the upper midrange. It is driven easily by a smart phone, and has medium isolation.

COMPARISONS

Earlier there were hints at maybe a NFAudio NM2+ ($159) clone because to my poor memory I thought they were tuned similarly. Upon a review, the NFAudio NM2+ is a really hot intense listen, the Kbear gives my ears a break in comparison. Bass is very similar with the KBEAR Aurora recognizing lower extension is important.

The treble is still a bit chewed up sounding on the Aurora, but the NFAudio has so much upper treble my ears just give up looking for the upper end extension. Point goes to Kbear. Width and spacing sound more balanced on the Kbear Aurora. Fitment and isolation are similar.

The BQEYZ Spring 2 ($169) is another good comparison given the price bracket. The BQEYZ suffers from the droning bass tendencies again showing the KBEAR bass is tuned to be midbass centric as well with subbass only having a minor supporting role. Switching back and forth the BQEYZ Spring 2 can actually sound tiring due to this. Vocals sound smoother and treble is cleaner on the BQEYZ Spring 2, but the KBEAR Aurora seems to present more width in the staging aspect although lacking some treble resolution and extension.

When this was previously released the Moondrop Kato ($189) was just on the horizon, but now it’s available for only $20 more than the KBEAR Aurora. The Moondrop kato is more delicate sounding with a much lighter presentation than the Aurora.

The lower midrange/midbass boost give the KBEAR Aurora a more intimate smaller room presentation, but the treble lacks the resolution and clarity of the Kato. The Moondrop Kato has better resolution, more depth and a lighter airy feeling in comparison as if listening in a concert hall. Width feels comparable.

FINAL REMARKS

The color refresh of the KBEAR Aurora is much more elegant than the original shiny launch color scheme, however other brands have encroached on the pricing territory. It is a capable sounding IEM, I just have trouble recommending it based on value and a cloudy treble region. On the plus it is not a screamer or ear-piercer with most of the focus on the low to middle region, with good build and an above average accessory package.

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• KBEAR Aurora vs NFAudio NM2+ vs BQEYZ Spring2

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

The post KBEAR Aurora (Review 2) – Elegant Color Remix appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Instead of first impressions, we offer completely flavour-neutral optical treatments before following up with our exhaustive reviews of the products’ performances.

Current Photography

1. BQEYZ Autumn vs. BEQYZ Summer (Jürgen Kraus)
2. Hidizs MM2 (Jürgen Kraus)
3. IKKO OH2 vs. IKKO OH1S (Jürgen Kraus)

Vintage Photography (prior to March 2022)

1. AME Custom Argent Hybrid Electrostatic (Jürgen Kraus)
2. Anew X-One (Jürgen Kraus)
3. Blon BL-05 Beta (Jürgen Kraus)
4. Blon BL-05 Beta (Jürgen Kraus)
5. Blon BL-05 MKI & MKII (Jürgen Kraus)
6. BQEYZ Spring 1 (Jürgen Kraus)
7. BQEYZ Spring 2 (Durwood)
8. CCA CA16 (Durwood)
9. Drop + JVC HA-FXD1 (Jürgen Kraus)
10. Fidue A65/A66 (Jürgen Kraus)
11. FiiO FD1 (Jürgen Kraus)
12. FiiO FHs1 (Jürgen Kraus)
13. Hill Audio Altair • RA (Jürgen Kraus)
14. iBasso IT01 V2 (Jürgen Kraus)
15. Hilidac Atom Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
16. Ikko OH1 (Jürgen Kraus)
17. KBEAR Believe (Jürgen Kraus)
18. KBEAR Diamond (Jürgen Kraus)
19. KBEAR hi7 (Jürgen Kraus)
20. KBEAR KB04 (Jürgen Kraus)
21. KBEAR Lark (Jürgen Kraus)
22. Kinboofi MK4 (Jürgen Kraus)
23. KZ ASX (Jürgen Kraus)
24. KZ ZSN Pro (Slater)
25. Moondrop Crescent (Jürgen Kraus)
26. Moondrop Illumination (Jürgen Kraus)
27. Moondrop Kanas Pro Edition (Jürgen Kraus)
28. Moondrop SSP (Jürgen Kraus)
29. Moondrop SSR (Jürgen Kraus)
30. Moondrop Starfield (Jürgen Kraus)
31. NiceHCK Blocc 5N Litz UPOCC OCC Copper Earphone Cable
32. NiceHCK Litz 4N Pure Silver Earphone Cable (Jürgen Kraus)
33. NiceHCK NX7 (Jürgen Kraus)
34. NiceHCK NX7 Pro (Jürgen Kraus)
35. Queen of Audio Pink Lady (Jürgen Kraus)
36. Revonext QT5 (Slater)
37. SeeAudio Yume (Jürgen Kraus)
38. Senfer DT6 (Slater)
39. Sennheiser IE 300
40. Sennheiser IE 500 PRO
41. Shozy Form 1.1 and Shozy Form 1.4
42. Shozy Form 1.4 (Jürgen Kraus)
43. Shozy Rouge (Jürgen Kraus)
44. Simgot EM2 (Jürgen Kraus)
45. Simgot EN700 Pro (Slater)
46. Smabat ST-10 (Jürgen Kraus)
47. Tin Hifi T2 Plus (Jürgen Kraus)
48. Tin-Hifi T4 (Jürgen Kraus)
49. TRN-STM (Jürgen Kraus)
50. TRN V90 (Jürgen Kraus
51. TRN-VX (Jürgen Kraus)
52. Whizzer Kylin HE01 (Jürgen Kraus)

The post Photography appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Lately there seems to be more and more flat driver tech infiltrating the in ear headphone market. Flat drivers differ in how they produce sound in comparison to dynamic drivers. Flat diaphragm driver like planars rely on the bending characteristics of the material itself to produce sound waves, whereas in direct opposite the dynamic driver tries to maintain it’s shape through various geometries and materials to stiffen it up so that it can act as a piston and minimize bending waves. These two concepts are transverse (planar bending) and longitudinal waves (dynamic piston).

This year I had considered the PMV PP flat planar but then 7hz exploded onto the scene with the 7Hz Timeless 14.2mm flat planar IEM with much fanfare. I succumbed to the temptation and bought a pair to see if this hype was warranted. By now this is probably the 101^th review of these, so I took my time to get on board. 7Hz Timeless dazzles with it’s resolving sub-bass infused Harman tuning or U signature, with analytic grace.

Disclaimer: I had some Amazon gift cards burning a hole in my pocket so I purchased during the 11.11 weekend sale from Hifigo on Amazon. We buy our own stuff sometimes believe it or not.

GOOD TRAITS

• Generous eartip selection
• Clarity, Resolution
• Above average isolation
• Lightweight

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• Bass is tuned very low, the transient speed does not match
• Not the prettiest of the bunch
• Channel matching throughout the treble
• Needs more than a smart phone to shine.
• Missing holographic elements

PHYSICAL / PACKAGE

The shape is interesting, the flat round faceplate hides a rather simple shell. The flatness and grooves provide a simple and painless way to insert them into your ears. With rounded shells, I find myself fiddling and losing my grip sometimes.

An unassuming silver twist detachable cable with a simple earhook comes with the 7Hz Timeless. It coils well, and does a good job of avoiding microphonics. They took my favorite qualities except for one, the mmcx connection. Cable snobs will find it boring looking.

The carrying box seems overly large and heavy, looks awesome sitting on my desk and could be used as a defense mechanism in a pinch by chucking at ones head. Surprisingly it doesn’t appear much larger than the Moondrop Kato case and will definitely allow you to know if you forgot to put it into your pocket.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

• Detachable MMCX Silver cable
• Metal carrying case
• 3 sets of S/M/L eartips -Medium Bore, Small Bore, Bowl shaped medium bore with carrying cases

SOUND

Tested with LG G8, Sony NW-A55 and Liquid Spark DAC+JDS Labs Atom

First the very noticeable sub-bass is front and center and the fact it goes so low and is boosted causes some speed issue for me given the rest of the quick and precise nature of the 7hz Timeless. The lift in the bottom end really lets upright bass and bass drums fill your head with extreme lows, but not in the basshead ear tickling ways. Since the slight boost is pushed so low, there is no bass bleed into the lower midrange.

Velvety smooth vocals complement the rise into the upper midrange, there is excellent darkness that allows the midrange to feel the space or environment of the recording. Horns and present flare and sharpness that provides realism, these are not for relaxed listening but instead for enjoying the nuances of the music and deep listening sessions.

Acoustic guitar plucks are rendered with such resolution as to not get lost in the macro details. Snares, cymbals crash through with sharp well defined precision. Sibilance is non-existent unless purposely in the recording, and there is plenty of airiness to make these a lively set.

TECHNICALITIES

Resolution and transparency is outstanding for the 7Hz Timeless. Width and depth are equally balanced and height information comes through as well. It is really hard to find any faults other than they need some power to extract their full potential. On the sensitivity topic, the LG G8 did just ok but I found myself at the higher volume range.

The Sony NW-A55 was a better fit so this is probably one of the bigger shortcomings given IEM’s are normally geared for mobile use. Given their extreme analytic qualities, I find longer listening sessions can be fatiguing because the 7Hz Timeless really demands your attention.

COMPARISONS

Shozy Form 1.4 ($180) vs 7Hz Timeless ($180-$220)

Warmer bass, damped treble, thicker vocals is what stands out when swapping to the Shozy Form 1.4, my go to IEM these days. It offers a more relaxed presentation for nights when I want to wind down. The 7Hz Timeless instead offers a thinner lower midrange with deeper bass registers and more sparkle and more cymbal shimmer. The Timeless invites a more critical listening experience due to the flat soundstage. The Shozy Form 1.4 shell feels more premium, and might add a subliminal cue despite being near the same price bracket.

BQEYZ Spring 2 ($140-170)

Presence region is enhanced on the 7Hz Timeless, just more shimmer and air compared the BQEYZ Spring 2. The Spring 2 sounds warmer with fuller vocals due to the higher frequency bass hump veering towards midbass, it lacks the control of the Timeless as well. The treble enhancement on the 7Hz Timeless gives the appearance of more resolution and clarity but both are solid performers. Transient speed is quicker on the Timeless.

Moondrop Kato ($190)

7Hz Timeless has a flatter soundstage and a U shaped signature vs VSDF signature on the Kato. Bass on the Kato has a 2 channel stereo large tower vibe while the Timeless is rocking a 2 channel system with an audible subwoofer. The Moondrop Kato is more forward and brighter, while the Timeless has an enhanced cymbal linger. Weight is also a factor, both the cable and shell of the Moondrop Kato offer a more premium feel due to the heft factor, but it is also more noticeable compared to the lighter and nimble 7Hz Timeless. The cable on the Kato is approaching lamp cord thickness boundaries. The eartips on Moondrop Kato are superior and have that Alza Xelastec stickiness feel, while the Timeless offers a generous pick of off the shelf tips. Read up on Jurgen Kraus’s detailed review of the Moondrop Kato for more info.

WRAP UP

Given the many glowing reviews for the 7Hz Timeless I have to agree the praise is real for available planer IEM options despite it’s flat sounding 2D staging. Another purchase I whole heartily feel was “worth it” and “nice to have”. For those that enjoy squeezing out extra resolution from the first and last octaves or U shaped signature, put these on your short list.

Finally a planar IEM that we have been waiting and hoping for. In comparison to value, there are better options if non-planar IEM’s are factored in, such as the Moondrop Kato that provides better technical abilities and an overall whole premium package. By the time this is published another planar follows very closely in the footsteps of the 7Hz Timeless, so they did something right.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• 7Hz Timeless vs Moondrop Kato
• 7Hz Timeless vs BQEYZ Spring 2

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

They can be purchased at various sellers. Mine were purchased specifically from Hifigo on Amazon here.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

The post 7Hz Timeless Review (2) – Planar Power! appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Gear of the Year: 2021 marks the blog’s third year and the second with 8 contributors. We collectively published almost 200 articles, mainly product reviews, but also technical information. Apart from receiving review units from manufacturers and sellers, we also purchased a lot…and we borrowed from audiophile friends and colleagues.

We are a heterogeneous bunch not pressed into templates by commercialism. Each of us enjoys maximum freedom. None of us gets paid. And it is this variety that makes this blog interesting. Two of us, Baskingshark and Kazi, have been drafted to also write for Headphonesty, which gives them more exposure and also access to very interesting gear.

Our main focus has traditionally been on earphones – we have reviewed almost 300 – but particularly DACs and amps also caught our attention this year.

As at the end of the previous years, we list our our personal favourites of 2021 – the portable audio we personally enjoyed most. There are no rules, we just tell you what we like. After all, the gear we use most is our best. And we attached some of this gear to our newly created Wall of Excellence, which averages all our opinions.

Enjoy this read and we wish you a happy and successful 2023!

We thank

Most of our reviews would have not been possible without our 2021 cooperating partners. We thank:

ADV, Allo, Apos Audio, Astell & Kern, AudioQuest, Azla, Blon, BQEYZ, Burson Audio, Campfire Audio, Cayin, CCA, Dekoni, Dunu, ddHiFi, EarMen, Easy Earphones, Fiil, Helm Audio, Hidizs, HifiGo, ifi Audio, IKKO Audio, KBEAR/TRI Audio, Keephifi, Khadas, Knowledge Zenith, Meze, Moondrop, Musicteck, NiceHCK, OneOdio, Penon Official Store, Pergear, Sennheiser, Shanling, Shenzhenaudio, Smabat, Snake Oil Sound, SpinFit, Tempotec, Tin Hifi, TRN Official Store, Unique Melody, Venture Electronics, Whizzer Official Store, Yaotiger Hifi Audio Store. Don’tkillusifweforgotyoujustsendusanotandwefixit. 

For the companies: you can check for your products/yourself in the search field on the right-hand side.

We also thank the private sources that supplied us with loaners.

And here we go…that’s what we enjoyed in 2021…

Alberto Pittaluga…Bologna, ITALY

I’ve come accross quite a few interesting pieces of gear in 2021, mixed / hidden amongst piles of shameful crap. Nothing new, is it ? I’ll try to make a succint list of the most significant stuff I auditioned here. Most of these devices are also now part of my operative audio gear.

IEMS

Dunu ZEN (discountinued, was $ 699,00) : beyond spectacular microdynamics, resolution, layering and technicalities in general. A masterpiece.

iBasso IT07 ($899) : the sole real “direct upgrade” to Ikko OH10 I encountered as of yet. Same presentation, twice the refinement, at more than four times the price.

Oriolus Isabellae ($ 599) : somewhat “more V-shaped” alternative to Zen, delivering very similar technical prowess.

Ikko OH1S ($143) : a potential new join into the our World of Excellence roster as a sub-200$ allrounder

Headphones

Final Sonorous-II  (€ 300) : arguably by far the best neutral-tuned closebacks in their price category, staging and imaging easily compete with many lower tier openback alternatives.

Sennheiser HD600 (€ 310) : not a novelty for anybody but me, I’m sure. Quite simply: I got my first HD600 pair in 2021 and that’s why I’m listing it here. I presume no one needs a description. Do you?

Earbuds

Rose Mojito ($259) : superbly neutral-tuned high end earbuds with strong bilateral extention, beyond spectacular mids and vivid, refined highs in a fully holographic stage, with plenty of resolution and dynamics.

K’s Earphone Bell-LBS (€ 59,25) : mid centric buds delivering superbly organic vocals – both male and female – and very good trebles

K’s Earphone K300 (€ 28,59) : unreal sub-bass extension for an earbud, they deliver a very nice V shaped presentation while drawing an incredibly sizeable 3D stage. Presentation remembers a bit Ikko OH10, but in earbud form.

DAC/AMPs

Ifi Micro iDSD Signature (€ 749) : top sub-$1K mobile dac-amp. Very high quality DAC reconstruction paired with superbly transparent amping stage with power to spare for the most demanding planars and power deflation options to optimise low impedance IEM biasing. Truly a full step ahead of the competitors’ pack.

DAPs

Cowon Plenue 2 MK-I (€ 835) : hopped on this recently when I found a impossible to turndown openbox deal. Starting from my direct experience proving that there’s pretty much no game between proprietary-OS DAPs vs commercial-OS (read Android) DAPs, the former being in by far better position to achieve superior output sound quality, Plenue 2 represents a great companion to my QP1R offering a different / alternative optimal pairing opportunity for a few of my preferred IEM drivers.

DAC/AMP Dongles

This year’s experience proved to me that exclusively higher-tier (and price) dongles are able to deliver sound qualities worth the comparison with battery-equipped alternatives. Simply put: pretty much nothing until an Apogee Groove ($200) is really worth the price difference compared to the super-cheap Apple Dongle ($9), and even on the Groove some caveats apply (power needs, amp stage competibility).  That said, I really had pick one device “in the midfield” I’d pick the :

Questyle M12 ($139,99): while still not worth an inclusion on our Wall of Excellence, yet M12 runs circles around pretty much all similar or lower priced competitors I assessed in terms of extension, note weight, clarity and technicalities.

Biodegraded…Vancouver, CANADA

Doesn’t have anything to report this year.

Durwood…Chicago, USA

Shozy Form 1.4 has still been my go to earphone due to it’s warm inviting nature, great technical abilities and it feels great in my ears.

7Hz Timeless is another good buy late in the year for me, it’s a little more sub-bass plus analytical counterpart to the Shozy that has nudged the BQEYZ Spring 2 out of the way. A more detailed review is coming.

I rediscovered the Senfer UES for a quick throw around set, was hoping the Senfer DT9 was a slight improvement, but alas the Senfer UES sticks around instead. Sony MH755 is also perfect for quick on the go usage where I don’t need the universal fit in-ears.

Tempotec impressed me enough to consider the Sonata E35 for when good phone DAP’s are finally dead. Other than that, dongles are not my thing, and I have issues with some of Sony’s GUI decisions on the NW-A55 mainly related to playlist creation and long text support.

Lastly, the Questyle CMA Twelve would be an awesome DAC/amp combo to have, but my needs are more mobile. Perhaps when life slows down, but there are other bucket list items such as the Burson Playmate 2, RebelAmp, the Ruebert Neve RNHP, or RME ADI-2 that look interesting as well. Maybe someone will loan me one in 2022?

Jürgen Kraus…Calgary, CANADA

Earphones have traditionally been our main trade and there’s not many that stuck with me this year. First and foremost, I was impressed by the immersive and engaging sound of the single DD Dunu Zen that further excel in microdynamics. They are still very popular within our team.

Moondrop finally got it right with their tuning in the smooth and very pleasant sounding Moondrop KATO single dynamic driver. This model is generally well received. The JVC HA-FDX1 are still my standard iems for equipment testing, and an honourable mention goes to the Unique Melody 3DT for the clean implementation of 3 (!) dynamic drivers.

Another iem that fascinated me is the Japanese Final E5000. On the market since 2018, and very source demanding, this iem can produce a bass texture beyond belief. I have become a bit of a Final fanboy, as their products are unpretentious and natural sounding…and they fit my ears very well. I also purchased the Final E1000, E3000, and A3000…which get a lot of usage. No surprise that our Wall of Excellence is decorated like a Christmas tree by quite a few of these Japanese earphones and headphones.

Expanding my horizon into other devices, the Sony NW-A55 is a user-friendly digital audio player with great sonic characteristics and signature-altering 3rd party firmware options. But, most of all, it updates its music library within a minute or two. For the ultimate portable enjoyment, I discovered the Questyle QP1R dap...sounds simply amazing with the Final E5000. Found the dap on Canuck Audio Mart.

Dongles, battery-less headphone DAC/amps that turn any cheap phone into a decent music player, were big in 2021. Around since 2016, the market caught on to these devices. But out of the mass of dongles tested, the 2019 AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt was the most musical to my ears. I also like the AudioQuest DragonFly Red and the EarMen Eagle (replacing the EarMen Sparrow which I sent to Biodegraded). For earphone testing (and bigger cans), I still use the excellent Earstudio HUD100.

For my full-sized headphone needs with my notebook, I discovered the powerful Apogee Groove, a current-hungry dongle DAC/amp that has been around since 2015. I am even portable around the house. As to headphones themselves, I am still happy with the Sennheiser HD 600 and HD 25, but also with the Koss Porta Pro.

For my desktop setup, I identified the EarMen Tradutto as being a fantastic DAC in combination with the Burson Funk amp. Currently testing the Tradutto with my big stereo system.

In summary, I learnt a lot in 2021…

My Take Home this Year

• The latest is barely the greatest…many old brooms get better into the corners
• Influencers are not always right (…to say it nicely)
• Measurements are overrated
• Timbre (degree of naturalness of sound) is underrated
• Source is super important and also underrated
• Group pressure through hype may become a sobering experience
• That groomed YouTube stuff is boring

Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir…Munich, GERMANY

This year was very educational for me when it came to audiophilia. I got the chance to try out truly summit-fi setups and realized how good a system can sound. This also resulted in a sense of yearning where you keep comparing the gears you own with the ones you cannot own, at least not yet. Nonetheless, without further ado.

Headphones: The one headphone that has stuck with me throughout the year is the Hifiman Susvara. They won’t flatter anyone with the build quality but when paired with the right amp they sound astonishing. One of the most natural sounding headphones out there with exceptional timbre. A must listen.

Honorable mention goes to the Final D8000. Supreme bass that’s pretty much unmatched. On the budget side, I really liked the Final Sonorous-III. They are underrated and under-appreciated.

IEMs: When it comes to in-ear monitors, I have a hard time picking any single one of them as all of them fall short in one area or another. Nonetheless, the one IEM I’ve used the most throughout the year is the Dunu Zen. There is something truly addicting about their sound that makes me come back to them time and again.

However, the Zen is not the best IEM that I have heard throughout the year. That would probably be the Sony IER-Z1R or the 64Audio U12t. In the relatively budget realm, the 7Hz Timeless took me by surprise with their planar speed and excellent bass slam.

Source: Instead of going with separate sections for amps, DACs and such, I will just consolidate them into one.

Best desktop amp I’ve tried: Accuphase E380. One of those rare speaker amps that sound great with headphones.

Best portable amp I’ve tried: Cayin C9. It is the only review loaner in the past year that I have wanted to buy with my own money. I probably will, soon, budget permitting.

Best DAP: Lotoo PAW 6000, even though it can’t power difficult loads.

Best dongle: L&P W2. The only dongle that I found to be good enough to replace some DAPs.

Best DAC: Holo May L2. The price is extremely high but so is the sound quality. Exceptionally natural and neutral tuning. Another must listen.

And that’s a wrap. Have a great Christmas, and see you on the other side!

KopiOkaya…SINGAPORE

Too many lists…I focus on eartips…

Best EARTIPS of 2021

Most versatile eartips: SpinFit CP-100+
Best budget eartips: Audiosense S400
Best eartips for bass: FAudio “Instrument” Premium Silicone Earphone Tips
Best eartips for vocal: Azla SednaEarFit Crystal (Standard)
Best eartips for treble: BGVP S01
Best eartips for soundstage: Whizzer Easytips SS20
Most comfortable eartips: EarrBond New Hybrid Design

Loomis Johnson…Chicago, USA

Gear of the Year (and other Favorite Things)

SMSL SU-9 DAC/Preamp—one of those pieces that makes you seriously question why anyone would spend more. A seriously good DAC which is even better as digital preamp.

Hidisz S3 Pro DAC/Dongle—lacks the juice to power challenging loads, but has an uncanny knack for enlivening and improving more efficient phones. Very refined, with impeccable bass control.

Cambridge Melomania TWS—ancient by TWS standards, and its rivals have more features and tech, but this may still be the best-sounding TWS you can buy.

Shozy Rouge IEM—like a really hot girl you get smitten by the beauty before you even delve into the substance. Properly driven, however, these sound just as good as they look, with estimable staging and clarity.

The Beatles, “Get Back” Documentary—as probably the only person on earth who hasn’t seen Lord of the Rings I was gobsmacked by how brilliant this film looked and sounded. The real surprise for me, however, was how natural  a musician John was—unburdened by technique, but soulful and  exploratory.  Poor George invokes your pity—a good writer forced to compete with two great ones– while Ringo wins the award for Best Attitude.

Bob Dylan, “Desolation Row”—I always found the lyrics impenetrable and a bit sophomoric, but the Spanish-influenced lead guitar part is incredible, with scarcely a phrase repeated throughout the full 11 minutes. I’d always assumed it was Mike Bloomfield, but it’s actually the harmonica virtuoso Charlie McCoy, who also plays the trumpet part of “Rainy Day Women”.

Reds, Pinks and Purples, “Uncommon Weather” In hope of finding something genuinely fresh I dutifully listened to the most-touted 2021 releases before fixating on this one, which (predictably) sounds exactly like 80s Flying Nun and Sarah bands.

And This Was The Previous Year:

The post Gear Of The Year 2021 – Our Personal Favourites appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The 2DD/BA/piezo GK10 is a warm (cf dark-sounding) V-shaped piece with emphasis on the voluminous but somewhat sluggish midbass, recessed mids and a grainy but  reasonably detailed treble. There’s adequate separation between instruments, but imaging is confusing—the performers seem to be randomly placed in a scrum towards the middle of the stage.

Drums lack some snap and the highest frequencies seem to be veiled by the big low end. For all that, the GK10 is a pleasant enough listen—there’s no harsh edges or sharp peaks, and tonality is fairly analogue-sounding.  However, it’s difficult to hear just what all those drivers are doing—these lack the quick transients and high-end transparency of  other budget piezos like the NX-7 or BQEYZ Spring. Okay overall, but the more revealing KBEAR KB04 or a TRN STM are much better for much less. 

Specifications

• 1 balanced armature for high frequency
• 2 piezoelectric ceramic for ultra-high frequency
• 7mm graphene diaphragm dynamic for middle frequency
• 8mm dome titanium diaphragm dynamic for bass
• Panel: stable wood
• Shell material: ABS+PC
• Impedance: 8Ω
• Sensitivity: 106dB
• Frequency response range: 20-30kHz
• Cable material: 8-strand silver-plated
• Connector: 2pin 0.78mm
• Cable length: 1.2m

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Hifigo kindly provided this set to Durwood for no charge, for everyone else they can be found on Amazon on Hifigo’s store page.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

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

The post Geek Wold GK10 Review (2) – Another Opinion appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Geek Wold GK10 is currently being hyped like no other, I actually jumped on these when I saw piezo hybrid prior to seeing any hype. Air and sparkle can be fun so they seemed interesting enough especially at their price tag.

You don’t see too many piezo hybrids sub $70 (Nicehck NX7 is the most inexpensive I know) this particular IEM is a 2DD, 1BA and 2 piezo hybrid. The titanium dynamic driver handles the bass, graphene (coated?) handles the mids, BA the lower treble and the ceramic piezo the upper treble.

The promoters set my expectations high, but is the Geek Wold GK10 a main act or the opening act? I suggest having a read through our past reviews of the Nicehck NX7 and BQEYZ Spring 2 to familiarize with what other acts might be competing for the top spot in the piezo hybrids.

Since the Olympics just wrapped up, I equate the Geek Wold GK10 to a long distance track runner with short legs, working real hard to keep up with the more majestic stride of the smoother runner.

It’s fun to watch but ultimately not going to end up on the podium. The reference here though is a $170 IEM to a <$50 IEM so it needs to be taken in context. Now that the real expectations are set, please have a look.

GEEK WOLD GK10 SPECIFICATIONS

• 1 balanced armature for high frequency
• 2 piezoelectric ceramic for ultra-high frequency
• 7mm graphene diaphragm dynamic for middle frequency
• 8mm dome titanium diaphragm dynamic for bass
• Panel: stable wood
• Shell material: ABS+PC
• Impedance: 8Ω
• Sensitivity: 106dB
• Frequency response range: 20-30kHz
• Cable material: 8-strand silver-plated
• Connector: 2pin 0.78mm
• Cable length: 1.2m

OUT OF THE BOX CONFESSIONS

Some of these are hard to classify as a pro or a con, so you get to decide.

• Connectors were hard to push in, made a creaking sound when I finally used enough force to insert the 2 pin. Afterwards there didn’t seem to be any issue removing and reinserting.
• Shells are on the lighter thinner plastic side, reminds me of some of TRN’s budget models IM series. It sacrifices premium build feel for a more practical lightweight disappears in your ears concept.
• Eartips, I had to go up a size from my usual medium and then the midbass nature makes an appearance.
• 6 ohms on the box, 8ohm listed on the web. Measurement below confirms 6 ohm if not closer to 5 ohm. High output impedance sources beware.
• The wood faceplate is unique as a snowflake and yes they are heart shaped. Love at first sight? The wood faceplate is offest, I did a double take thinking the faceplates had come off in shipment.
• The cable is of the tight twisted variety it is not afraid to show it’s kinky side.
• They stay put in my ears, but isolation is average.

PROS

• Unique wood faceplate
• Stays in my ear YMMV
• Smooth piezo tweeter implementation

CONS

• Low Impedance makes it susceptible to cable impedance and source output impedance
• Average isolation
• Bass tuning is centered high and wide
• Left vs Right level differences

GEEK WOLD GK10 PACKAGE CONTENTS

• Removable 2 pin cable
• 2 sets of eartips S/M/L
• Carrying Pouch

THE IMPORTANT SOUND STUFF

Equipment Sources LG V30 / Liquid Spark + JDS Labs Atom

The Geek Wold GK10 is a V shaped signature with bright treble and peaky bass centered in the midbass region. It roughly outlines the Harman curve expect for a few peaks in the response. I have seen the controversy about graphs and perceptions…more on that in a bit. I can only comment on the set received.

The bass has a quick decay but at the same time boomy and thick sounding. Lower registers drop quickly off only to come in later with a slight lack of control, be prepared for all vocals to sound boxy. But wait you say, my set doesn’t sound like that so yours must be defective? The plausible idea is that there is glue covering the vent hole altering the tuning giving them a unit to unit inconsistency.

The other possibility is something I have come across now twice recently, using certain sized tips the shell prevents deep penetration to get that seal needed for proper bass reproduction. What you end up with is a loose seal that helps mask the peakiness of the bass hump. The same result can be achieved by sticking something between the stem of the eartip and nozzle so that it “leaks”.

If comparing the other piezo hybrids, the Nicehck NX7 wins hands down with it’s sub-centric non-bleeding bass, while the BQEYZ Spring 2 comes in second only due to less quantity of the wide hump.

There is a third possibility, consider the fact the hump covers the whole lower octaves similar to trekking up a very long gradual hill to only realize later how tall that hill actually gets. Our brains work very well in relative terms, not so much in absolutes, in others words this rise can be masked.

Mids on the Geek Wold GK10 are pushed into the background with rockiness in the waters presenting some audible grain consistent with IEM’s in this price bracket. Females and male vocalists sound rather chesty as expected with such a midbass hump. I am also picking up some ever slight edginess as we move into the upper mids. The BQEYZ Spring 2 excel in the midrange over the Nicehck NX7 and the Geek Wold GK10 coming in third.

The upper mids and treble come in hot and heavy giving the old noggin a lot to process. They are lively and energetic with a peak near 5khz. Snares are soft and cymbals have no real wincing impact that can easily occur with the Nicehck NX7 leaving just the splash at the end-think shhh instead of catshhh.

The BQEYZ Spring 2 is cleaner and more cohesive. It’s easy to see the treble is the star of the show since it is not offensive. Many IEM’s in this price bracket have trouble controlling treble to extent that it is either piercing or subdued. It’s a tough call here, I prefer the BQEYZ Spring 2, but others might decide the softer presentation of the Geek Wold GK10 might be preferred. The Nicehck NX7 looses terribly unless you want to chase away a wild pack of wolves.

TECHNICALITIES

The Geek Wold GK 10 presents a wide stage with medium depth with only vocals sitting in the background. Separation of instruments is acceptable but easily bested by the 3 times as expensive BQEYZ Spring 2. I get the feeling there might be no crossover in these relying solely on driver overlap and natural roll off of the drivers.

I pick up smearing throughout the midrange so this is perhaps the reason. I might be mistaken but I did not find any literature that mentions a crossover division of frequencies. Geek Wold might want to mention that if it exists. If you didn’t want to spring for the Spring 2, this is an alternative with a recessed midrange in comparison.

Soundstage does present nice width and height with only a minor dip in depth through the mids. The piezo super tweeter adds some ambiance to give some air, but not to the level of the BQEYZ Spring 1 or 2.

OUTRO

The Geek Wold GK10 will enjoy the 15 minutes of fame until the next shiny toy comes out, there is currently no one else offering a hybrid with a ceramic piezo super tweeter at this price range. I have to be realistic, it is not a giant killer or something that can compete in higher price brackets.

Enjoy it for what it is, a sub $50 hybrid and pretty to look at less smooth Harmon tuned IEM heavy on the midbass. After some brain burn re-calibration, I have to let my hearing adjust back to my daily favorite, the Shozy Form 1.4.

GRAPHS

• Geek Wold GK10 Left vs Right
• Geek Wold GK10 vs BQEYZ Spring 2 vs Nicehck NX7
• Geek Wold GK10 Impedance Plot

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DISCLAIMER

Hifigo kindly provided this set for no charge, for everyone else they can be found on Amazon on Hifigo’s store page. No affliate kickbacks, I pinky promise.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

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Cons — Bass could be tighter; non-descript looks and haptic.

Executive Summary

The BQEYZ Summer is a marginally warm, nimble, mid-centric earphone with well-dosed dynamics across the frequency spectrum that results in an easily digestible, appealing sonic signature with a good sense of ease.

Introduction

BQEYZ had taken the Chi-Fi world back in 2018 with their $50 BQEYZ KC2, one of the few budget releases at the time with a near-neutral bass, which I described as “arid”. This model is still popular today.

The company stepped one up with with their $139 Spring model back in 2019. I remember “unboxing” it at Calgary airport on my way to Rio de Janeiro. It featured a fantastic midrange but my personal overall enjoyment was somewhat marred by a bass, that had transformed itself from “arid” to slow and “wooly”.

Some owners fiddled with the nozzle screens (they took them off, bluntly), which sent the upper midrange screaming while the bass remained the same…as documented by co-blogger Durwood in this article. This fix did not work.

BQEYZ followed up with the Spring 2, which I did not audition, however co-bloggers Loomis and Durwood analyzed both “Springs”, and they still reported a slow bass in the “2” [here].

Most recently, BQEYZ replaced their Spring line with the lower-priced $129 “Summer” model that still carries the Springs’ 3-driver tradition including a piezo tweeter. And – spoiler alert – the bass is now fixed, but the new PU+ LCP [“Liquid Crystal Polymer”] adds a completely different and very appealing sonic lightness to the Summer which somewhat corresponds to the actual season of this name.

I find the BQEYZ Summer a very pleasant listen that is hard to compare to anything in the $50 to $200 price range. In other words, it is somewhat sonically unique in as much as its appearance is rather generic. Yes, gone is the metal flavour of that Chi-Fi era, the current trend is resin.

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

Tonality and Technicalities

Equipment used: MacBook Air + Earstudio HUD100 (bypass filter); iPhone SE (1st gen.) & AudioQuest DragonFly Red; black stock tips.

The BQEYZ Summer comes with two sets of tips, the blue “bassier” ones, and the black “neutral” ones. I prefer the black ones as they bring out the midrange better. But I could not get meaningful measurements with the black tips owing to their thin membrane. The graph shown here likely exaggerates that 9 kHz spike. I also added a measurement with my standard tips I use for all measurements for reasons of consistency.

Measurements repeated with JK's Standard Eartips

[collapse]

In a nutshell: the Summer is a homogeneous sounding, slightly warm earphone with well-measured dynamics across the frequency spectrum and excellent vocals reproduction that lead to my listening enjoyment, despite a few technical shortcomings.

Yes, although the Summer does not have much in common with the BQEYZ Spring (don’t know the Spring 2), it preserves it excellent vocals reproduction. The money is clearly in the midrange, characterized by well sculptured, full, well composed, and natural voices. Great note definition. Not a hint of shoutiness, but this also means some lack of energy in some situations, the usual tradeoff. Very appealing, overall.

BQEYZ addressed the slow, wooly bass in their Spring models and sped it up a bit. It is well extended into the sub-bass, still not the tightest or best textured one, could have some more kick, but it is also not in the way of the vocals anymore and molds well around the midrange. Bass is not boomy and not too punchy in any way, and both low end and midrange receive a glaze of smoothness and pleasantry from the well-dosed (macro)dynamics and relatively realistic transients (of the BA drivers) that make for a very appealing, delightful and fatigue-free listening over longer periods. Great iems to “chill” with.

Nothing scratches or pierces…and this includes the treble despite the weird 8-10 kHz peak in the frequency response graphs. I don’t hear it (but it is not a coupler resonances either). The steep drop in the upper treble may explain the occasional lack of air and sheen in busy passages. The treble is a bit of a mixed bag, sonically. Cymbals are somewhat elegantly reserved and could be crisper, considering the piezo at work whereas the highest octaves, let’s say of a violin are well imaged, never grainy, but also not particularly smooth.

Timbre is ok for a hybrid, but other technicalities are only average: the stage can be crowded with many musicians and does not allow much space between them. Separation and layering are, however, pretty good with fewer musicians at work. Microdynamics (“the little things”), midrange resolution/clarity, and note definition are also average. Stage is wide and tall, not the deepest but spatial cues is good.

In summary, the value of the BQEYZ Summer is in its smoothness, homogeneity, and composition.

In comparison to the elegantly modest Summer, the BQEYZ Spring 1 was much thicker at the low end [as said, I don’t know the Spring 2]. The $80 single DD Whizzer Kylin HE01 is more fun and exuberant, and the $80 Moondrop Aria (which inherits the Spring’s metal shell type) is tighter in the bass and more articulate in the midrange but also a bit peakier in the treble and with a less expansive but deeper stage, and therefore not as smooth and easy as the Summer.

The BQEYZ was kindly provided by BQEYZ and I thank them for that. Get the Summer from BQEYZ Official Store. Here our generic standard disclaimer.

Concluding Remarks

After having tested so many earphones, the BQEYZ Summer is one of a kind, something new to my ears, one of the most “chilled” listens I have experienced [I credit Thomas Smallman for this attribute]. I am really enjoying these earphones for their lightness and pleasantries in every respect.

As Frank Sinatra sang back in 1960: “Nice ‘N’ Easy does it!”

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Nozzle mesh screens sometimes look like a decorative piece or something just to keep the ear juice out. They can create problems though when they wick up too much moisture or modders decide to remove them completely. Below you can see up close images of various nozzle mesh screens serving a vital function – to dampen unwanted resonances. The screen openings themselves (number of holes + diameter of holes) can also factor into the tuning of the earphone, but this was not included as part of this investigation. Below are samples of certain earphones where nozzle screens were discussed in more than passing on certain forums, as well as a popular modder tool otherwise known by the name of micropore tape or paper tape.

KZ ZS3

It was quite the rage to remove these screens and I see why. Mine was actually two plastic screens stuck together. Was this a mistake or on purpose?

SONY MH755

Reviewed here. Modders like to remove the foam plug, but do not remove the black mesh screen. It tames the peaks at 2.8kHz and 5.3khz giving it almost a textbook Harman curve. Very much important noted by certain modders like Slater.

BQEYZ SPRING 1

Our takes on the Spring 1 here. Modders claimed by removing the screen it would get rid of the woolly bass. I removed mine and the quality of the bass did not change, but treble peaks were turned up giving the illusion of improved bass. The bass was just masked by the extra treble punch. Again, I do not recommend removing unless there wasn’t enough upper midrange in the stock tuning. I have heard that other BQEYZ models employ tuning filters directly on the BA units, so this might explain why the screen only has a minor impact.

MOONDROP KANAS PRO

We covered the KPE exhaustively here. Notorious for clogging with moisture in high humidity areas or sweaty ears, Moondrop eventually started selling replacement nozzle screens and included them in subsequent models like the Starfield. They have an interesting arrangement of a small rectangular area with extra damping coverage. Similar to using a partial piece of micropore tape. Again removing it introduces peakiness. Not recommended.

MICROPORE TAPE (3M NEXCARE PAPER TAPE)

Micropore tape has a very irregular pattern. Not much to say about it other than it doesn’t seem to target any specific frequency. All the other filters are uniform and tend to dampen certain frequencies. Useful as a butter knife, not a scalpel.

SUMMARY

So personally, I do not recommend removing nozzle mesh screens unless planning to replace or mod with something else. There might be exceptions such as pure balanced armature IEM’s that utilize resistance damper filter plugs on the end of the balanced armature itself. Therefore the nozzle screen is not like putting a screen door on a submarine, most appear to be used as resistive dampers to tame the frequency response. I’m not suggesting it is wrong to remove the filters, but be aware of the consequences. If there are other earphone modding materials you would like to see up close and personal, leave a comment below or feel free to get in touch with us and we will see what we can do to expand this article.

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DISCLAIMER

Sometimes I stare blankly at walls.

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About my measurements.

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

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CCA has not impressed me (or some of my other com-padres) so far based on my limited samplings of the CCA CA16 (jumbled) and CCA C10 Pro (remix), but that finally changed with the CCA CKX. First impressions are always important and once the CCA CKX is plucked from the box the heftiness in such a tiny package will put a grin on your face. Sound is very familiar and improves upon the C10 Pro with a less aggressive midrange rise giving listeners a better balanced signature with tighter bass control, improved clarity throughout the midrange treble transition all in a solid compact form factor. A surprising feat for a $69 hybrid 6+1 configuration.

THE PACKAGE

The cable included with the CCA CKX is similar to the KZ ZSN pink color, not the smaller diameter KZ ZSN other color if anyone remembers the cable difference history of budget offerings. The eartips are white starlines instead of the typical black, so anyone familiar with what has been coined as “starlines” is an acceptable tip, firm and grips well. What had me grinning was the earphone though, the metal shell feels very sturdy and polished in the unassuming matte styling which I thoroughly enjoy. It feels heavier than other metal styled contenders such as the TRN V90 or the BQEYZ Spring 2, however the size is tiny comparatively. People who desire a smaller IEM should definitely consider the CCA CKX because I couldn’t find anything in my collection of universals that are the same sizing. Isolation is average for me since it does not fill my ear as much, but the lower provide helps with wind noise.

SOUND

CCA CKX boasts boosted powerful bass with controlled seismic capabilities maybe ever slightly dull. If I were to describe it in paint sheen I would give it an eggshell maybe satin rating. It can sound overly thick on electronic and pop music, but it provides throbbing basslines enough for those that don’t want to be considered bassheads. It sounds less bass peaky than the CCA C10 Pro leaning on thump over midbass bump. As we follow the basslines into the lower mids on the CCA CKX there is some coloration making things sound full if not a little thick. Upper mids sound snappy as if someone turned up the contrast knob, beware of poorly recorded tracks- clipped vocals will be exposed as scratchiness. Some smoothing would tame this a bit, but perhaps this is the allure of the CCA CKX and the use of the less common 30017 BA driver which was also used in the TRN STM. The CCA CKX follows the trend for IEMS tuned using a Harman curve ditching the scooped out middle treble region aka presence region and instead letting this area shine. This can go good or bad depending how much they let loose on the popular 30095 BA driver. When utilized, an IEM can sound very energetic and lively which the CCA CKX has achieved. One of my previous budget favorites the TRN V90 is overshadowed easily by the slightly smoother yet still edgy CCA CKX, there is a cost difference of course. Comparing the CCA C10 Pro, they are similar in this area but the CCA CKX does take it up ever so slightly due ot less peaky upper midrange allowing other areas to balance it out.

TECHNICALITIES

Timbre on the CCA CKX is a bit plasticy. Instrument separation is good we loose some definition in the treble, I sort of wonder what it would sound like if the extra 30095 BA in the nozzle were eliminated. Perhaps it would clean up this area of weakness. Coherency otherwise is good for a multiple driver hybrid, I think the treble is the only area that feels a little busy with cymbals sounding too splashy and washed out. CCA CKX staging is wide, depth is shallow since it is forward sounding, but layering is nice and even. Powered easily from a portable phone or DAP, amplification not needed but always appreciated. My Sony A55 powered it just fine as did my LG V30.

FIN

Well done, the CCA CKX is very mature and unassuming which is something to be appreciated for those tired of larger shaped universals. The sound signature is very familiar, bassy and energetic without sounding too recessed more V signature tuned to western ears. Value-wise they are plopped into the right pricing bracket. The size of the CCA CKX packed into a solid shell with a medium midrange rise achieve a nice to have recommendation from me.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Various eartips -Starline (blue), Widebore Silicone (pink), Foam (green)
• CCA CKX vs CCA C10 Pro
• Impedance Plot

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DISCLAIMER

CCA let me save some of my hard earned newspaper delivery funds by providing this set to me. Get it from Amazon, Aliexpress or any other option.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

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Packaging and accessories are first-rate, with numerous fitting wings and tips and a cleverly-designed (if oversized) charging case. Pairing the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro with my phone was easy and 8hr battery life is excellent. The earbuds themselves are nicely built but big and bulky—they extend out from your ears garishly—and proper fit requires rotating clockwise after insertion, which does provide for good seal and isolation, although comfort is so-so. Call, play and volume are controlled by very small buttons on the top of each bud.  As others have commented, the buttons are initially frustrating to locate and use, but I grew to appreciate their design and found them less fiddly than the touch control panels on most TWS sets.

Somewhat atypically, the $149 Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro sport a hybrid BA/dynamic array which OOTB present a slightly warm, V-shaped signature with meaty note texture, a decided midbass bias and a very wide soundstage.  Downloading the Soundcore app gives you the option to change the default sound setting to either a personalized EQ profile (which you form by listening to test tones on the app) or to one of a dozen or so preset EQs ostensibly created by Grammy-winning producers and which range from flat/balanced to bass-heavy/hip-hoppy. I dutifully tried creating my own profile but found it less engaging than most of the presets (which I guess is why I’ll never be a Grammy-winning producer). The app is actually very inventive and fun to play with.

In any setting, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro nails the technicalities—bass is punchy but well controlled, instruments are well-separated and accurately placed and stereo imaging is really exceptional. Tonality is pretty good, not great—notes have a lot of body, voices are reproduced clearly and there’s a notable lack of tizziness or sharpness at the high end. Compared to the Galaxy Buds Plus, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are less detailed, but also less clinical and much richer and more engaging. However the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro can sound a tad bloated and over-colored–these lack the unforced, natural timbre of the Cambridge Melomania—as with the Galaxy Buds you do not lose the sensation that you’re listening to digitally-processed sound. 

Comparisons to comparably-priced wired IEMs like the Shozy Form 1.4 or BQEYZ Spring II further highlight the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro’s limitations—the Shozy and BQEYZ are significantly more resolving at the high end and truer to the source overall, although the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro actually has tighter bass than either. That said, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are well-suited to outdoor/gym use—they’re loud, expansive-sounding, great for podcasts and also play well with lower-quality files.

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are not optimized for critical listening by finicky audiophiles, and purely for sound quality I rate them a tier under the Cambridge and about on a par with the Klipsch T5.  However, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are certainly feature-rich and good for how most people will use them. I see these discounted to $110 or so, which esp. compared to mainstream competitors from Sony, Sennheiser, etc., registers as good value. Recommended.

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DISCLAIMER

Bought it myself.

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About my measurements.

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RELATED…

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Having had a good experience with the Shozy Rouge, and hearing good things about the Shozy Form 1.4 from our resident lunatic, I took a chance on the Form 1.4 during the holiday sales as it hit the ~$150 price tag. I try to refrain from reading others reviews so not to taint my own opinion, but occasionally something catches my eye like the rest of us. The Shozy Form 1.4 seemed to get pretty glowing reviews and I see why. While the majority seemed to lean toward the 1.1 due to value, I can appreciate Jurgen’s take saying the extra cost is justified to keep it from becoming just another IEM in the drawer. The Shozy Form 1.4 is a warm and forgiving yet resolving mid tier IEM that works well with a wide range of genres catapulting this to my deserted island pick.

THE UGLY

To get the negatives out of the way real quick, the cable gets a little kinky, and the tips make the bass too tubby, so unless you have extra tips at your disposal there are likely to be some extra accessory costs involved. I like the Alza Sedna Light Short tips personally and the cable is just a nuisance during the unwinding/winding process.

THE SUPERFICIAL

It is a beautifully crafted 3D printed coated resin shell, the shape fits my ears better than the Shozy Rouge, and I can wear them for hours. Combined with the Sedna tips, I don’t even have to continually adjust them to keep the seal. The case is large and roomy so they do not get crushed, but it is also too large to fit in your pants pocket. It is more of a coat or backpack sized case.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

THE GOOD …EVERYTHING ELSE?

Bass is thick and quick, never dull or flat. It’s boosted for sure in the midbass region with a slow taper in the lowest of lows. I hesitate to say it bleeds because it does not interfere, but rather just makes the bottom mids sound full and warm with good weight. It never sounds stressed or pushed to the limits, and has good decay. Very luscious. Classical music sounds thunderous, everything else sounds groovy. The percussion of the piano is drawn out easily with the Shozy Form 1.4.

Male vocals sound authoritative and female vocals have some extra weight given to them. There is a sense of air in the vocals giving it good dimensional qualities. A gentle rise towards the lower treble that allows the listener to get absorbed and enjoy the music, no offending peaks everything is nicely balanced, brass and wind instruments backup the singer and don’t steal the show. While the Shozy Form 1.4 are warm sounding, they are definitely not dark sounding.

The top end comes alive nicely with cymbals and strings giving it the lively dynamics needed to elevate the listening experience. It lacks the hyper detail of overdone treble machines like the Nicehck NX7, but it also avoids any sense of sibilance. The Shozy Form 1.4 does all this with resolution and clarity a tick below an Etymotic ER4XR, but the staging has more depth to it. Never congested, good instrument spacing and works well at low and higher volumes. Hard to believe this is a hybrid when considering the timbre is very close to highly regarded dynamic driver IEM’s and coherence is excellent. Tonality is great there are no weird crossover points, nothing sucked out too much (valleys), and no overwhelming peaks despite a resonance anomaly measured using my crude setup.

COMPARISONS

BQEYZ Spring 2 ($169)
It is a similar sounding earphone, but the bass is boosted upwards a few ticks and not as controlled with the attack and decay that the Shozy Form 1.4 comes equipped with. The bass has been the weak point of the Spring series. The clarity in the lower treble is also better on the Shozy Form 1.4, and fitment is more comfortable with a lighter weight which equates to longer listening sessions.

Moondrop Kanas Pro ($170ish out of production)
Again the bass on the Shozy Form 1.4 takes the cake with better attack and decay, while the Kanas Pro is a little lazy on the refinement. The Kanas Pro has extra energy in the treble and a valley that I don’t particularly care for that gives the tonality a little sharper edge, but at the same time sounding a little muted in comparison to the Shozy Form 1.4.

TinHifi T4 ($89)
A weird one to compare but another favorite of mine and something of good value that many might have. The bass control is not as good on the TinHifi T4. Upper mid-range/lower treble is a bit more aggressive than the Shozy Form 1.4 but still fairly tame in typical pinna gain. The Shozy Form 1.4 still comes off as clearly in another league plus the fitment is just so much better.

HAPPY ENDINGS

Concern about the “warm” description hoping it wasn’t also too dark or washed out sounding is forgotten once listening commences. What we have here is a set with good clarity and resolution, excellent bass attack and decay that plays well with a variety of genres. Leans towards Rock, Pop, electronic, big band, blues but also can add thunderous sounding bass to classical. Highly recommended and favored like a comfortable worn in pair of jeans or a pair of warm wool socks in the winter. Deserted island rank.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Impedance Plot
• 30Hz square wave
• 300Hz square wave

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DISCLAIMER

I succumbed to the holiday sales and bought them from Hifigo.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

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Gear of the Year: Just in time for Christmas we list our our personal favourites of 2020 – the portable audio we personally enjoyed most. Note, these are not necessarily the best, but the ones we…you got it. Therefore, these are highly personal, subjective listings. Please be aware we don’t offer reviews for everything we like/we list here (yet).

That Christmas tree on the right is a carryover from last year. It stood in the lobby of the Windsor hotel at the Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro…and it should be a symbolism for looking forward to travelling again. Viva Brazil!

Most of our reviews would have not been possible without our 2020 cooperating partners. We thank:

Acoustic Effect, ADV, Akoustyx, Apos Audio, Azla, Bill Barraugh/Audiotiers, Blon, Cozoy, CVJ, ddHifi, Dekoni, Dunu, EarMen, Earstudio, Hifigo, iBasso, ifi Audio, KBEAR, Keephifi, Moondrop, NiceHCK, Opa Audio Store, Sennheiser, Shenzhenaudio, Shozy, Smabat, Tempotec, Tronsmart, TRN, Vision Ears, V-Moda, Wooeasy Earphones Store, Yaxi, Don’tkillusifweforgotyoujustsendusanotandwefixit. 

For the companies: you can check for your products/yourself in the search field on the right-hand side.

Note: we do not make any money (or getting compensated by products) through the gear we review. No affiliate links, trackers etc. We keep the conflict-of-interest potential as low as possible by attempting to stay at arm’s length.

As to the popularity of our reviews with you, the reader: our top-viewed BLOG POSTS for 2020 were (click to go to the respective article):

1. Simplified Guide To Silicone Eartips (~13,000 views in early Dec 2020)
2. Tin Hifi T2 Plus Review
3. Blon Bl-03 Review
4. KZ ZSN Pro Review
5. Blon Bl-05 Beta Photography
6. Tempotec Sonata HD Pro Review
7. Moondrop SSR Review
8. Drop JVC HA-FDX1 Review
9. Apple Audio Adapter Review
10. Earphones Of The Year 2019
11. Sennheiser IE 500 PRO Review
12. Reversing Starlines Eartips
13. TRN V90 Review
14. Moondrop Starfield Review
15. Sony MH755 Review

Total Number of Blog Posts in 2020: 186

Facebook Group (est. 2020-01-01)| https://www.facebook.com/groups/audioreviews: >5200 members

YouTube subscriptions | https://www.youtube.com/c/audioreviews: 660

Our most-watched YouTube Video of 2020:

And yes, this blog grew and grew and grew in 2020. We are now 8 reviewers on 3 continents. Below are our personal favourites of 2020…

Baskingshark…Singapore

My 2020 favourites in the following categories are:

Earphones

$300 – 500 USD:
LZ A7. Provides a mind boggling 10 tuning configs (or more with aftermarket tuning nozzles). It has excellent technicalities, good fit, good isolation, and the best part that surprised me is that the LZ A7 has very natural timbre for a BA/piezo containing tribid (other than the higher treble frequencies handled by the piezo). Most folks would find an ideal sound signature with it, maybe except diehard bassheads. 

$200 – 300 USD:
Audiosense T800. It has good technicalities, is “fun sounding” and excellent isolation nearing 30 dB. Even though it contains a BA bass, it sounds like a DD bass due to a vented subwoofer. The T800 may be a bit on the bright side, so it isn’t the best option for treble sensitive folks, but you can use knowles filters, warm sources or eartips to tame the treble.

@ $100 – 200 USD:
TRI I3. Smooth, balanced, grand and coherent despite the weird 1 planar + 1 BA + 1 DD config. It needs amping though, the planars handling the mids are quite power hungry. It has one of the best soundstages at the $100ish region when amped, with sweet planar mids. Treble is safe, bordering on darkish, so maybe not for trebleheads.

KBEAR BElieve. “Bearly believable” for a full beryllium set at this price? The KBEAR BElieve sports a smooth and refined U shaped tuning, great technical chops in the mids and treble areas for a single DD. It has good timbre for acoustic instruments but is very hard to drive, as per the 98 dB sensitivity. It sounds muddy, congested and slow in the bass with a low powered source, but scales beautifully when optimally amped, so those that don’t intend to get an amp best look elsewhere. With power, the KBEAR BElieve does hit about 70% of the technical performance of the famed DUNU LUNA, at 10% of the price! 

@ Sub $100 USD:
HZSound Heart Mirror. Nice mirror like shells, as per its namesake, it is a neutralish bright set, excellent timbre for acoustic instruments. I like how it manages to get a forward upper mids without going into harsh or shouty territory, a very fine line to balance. The Heart Mirror has good transients and speed on the driver. Note weight is thin and soundstage is not the best though, and it needs amping to shine, sounds meh from a smartphone. Good set for vocal lovers and timbre lovers, but maybe not so all rounded due to the lack of bass, but it takes to EQ in the bass like a champ.

Favourite earbud for the year:
SMABAT ST105 Black Gold. Neutralish set with subbass and upper mids boost. If you have always looked down on earbuds for not having subbass, think again. The SMABAT ST10S Black Gold has the best subass quantity and extension I’ve ever heard in a bud. It has excellent technicalities, is MMCX
detachable and can be worn over ears or cable down. It needs amping though, as per the 150 ohm impedance. Not to be mixed up with the SMABAT ST10S Black Silver, which is tuned differently (and has lower impedance).

Best lucky bag/Fukubukuro/Mystery bag:
Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 – it is extremely exciting to see whether u get a beryllium vs “noble metal” driver. Or a working versus wonky mmcx. Even newer batches of the Urbanfun have been reported to have QC problems in the audio forums.The Urbanfun can be summed up in this statement by Forrest Gump: “My Mom Always Said Life Was Like A Box Of Urbanfuns. You Never Know What You’re Gonna Get.”

Best price to peformance joke IEM of the year:
TRN golden ears $14,750.00 USD IEM paired with $3400 USD xiaofan ortiz “king of the gods” cable. Mere mortals cannot hope to use these gear if not you’ll be struck down by lightning! I hope the Bellsing BAs inside are also made of gold!

Biodegraded…Vancouver, Canada

Sorry, from me you get stuff that mostly hasn’t been reviewed. In no particular order; and most aren’t new this year.

Digital transports:
Pi2Design Pi2AES (+ Raspberry Pi)
For streaming (via wifi or Ethernet cable) digital music from your computer, you could go cheap and crap like a Chromecast or Airport, brutally expensive like an all-in-one streamer from Naim or PS Audio, or this $US 149 HAT for a Raspberry Pi which will produce excellent quality AES or S/PDIF digital audio to feed into your audiophile DAC. DIY aesthetic & philosophy, audiophile quality, fantastic convenience once you figure out how to set it up (variety of OS solutions, some better than others).

Amps/Preamps:
Ifi Audio Zen Phono RIAA phono preamp
$US 149 for excellent resolution and transients and the ability to work with a wide range of cartridges. Might benefit from an improved power supply such as Ifi’s own iPower, but my jury remains out on that. Audioreviews summary here.

Amp accessories:
GE JAN 5670W vacuum tube
Cheap and widely available true new-old-stock military-surplus tube that works really well as a 6DJ8/6922 preamp tube substitute (great in the Schiit Vali 2).  Nice tight lows, smooth but detailed mids, sparkly highs. 6922 to 5670 adapter required to translate the I/O pin pattern so nothing blows up.

Headphone accessories:
Yaxi pads for Porta Pro / KSC75 / PX-100
Tastefully boost bass and treble while (on the Kosses) lowering the prominent 5kHz peak. And they’re comfortable! Audioreviews summary here.

IEMs:
Drop/JVC HA-FDX1
Champion single-dynamic earphone with great DD timbre and almost BA-fast transients. Slightly boosted in the uppermost mids, heavy in the ears, intermittent availability, but huge bang-for-buck. Audioreviews summaries here and here (note that Loomis isn’t their greatest fan).

Headphones:
Fostex T50RP Mk3 with cheap angled pads and other mods
Closed or semi-open (depending on how much you stuff the cups) planar magnetic phones that with a little effort (see eg here for ideas) can be made both neutral and extended while retaining deep bass and technicalities. Need amp power to perform.

Players:
USB Audio Player Pro
Gets better with every update. Neutron is more configurable, but unnecessarily so. Put this on your Android phone, plug in a USB DAC/amp, and enjoy great lossless sound quality on the go. Equalizer plugins available. Android only though.

Durwood…Chicago, USA

CCA this year might as well been a lump of coal, it’s only two letters shy of selling your soul. If you want to talk to your boring Uncle Bob, (no offense Bob’s of the world) get yourself an iBasso IT00 or Tin Hifi T2 Plus you knob. Your uncle Bob is the guy who has lots of interesting things to say, but leaves you wondering what did you just listen to today. My only favorites this year were TRN STM who is the punk that your family doesn’t like to talk about and the Shozy Rouge as your killer looking date that likes to party but not shout. Waiting to see if Shozy Form 1.4 is in good form, only thing I decided to buy during the holiday sales storm. BQEYZ Spring 2 was a nice lively upgrade to the BQEYZ Spring 1, but fix that bass man, maybe take some lessons from the Nicehck NX7 Daniel son. Some of my friends from last year are still good folks to have around, Sony MH755, BLON BL03 for sleeping, and TinHifi T4 (I just wish you would hang in my ear longer than a few minutes of sound). Simgot EN700 is a carry over as well. I like a mild V if you can see.

Jürgen Kraus…Calgary, Canada

Blon BL-05s: These are very articulate playing single DDs also appeal to me through their hideous colour. Probably my most used items of the year (together with the JVCs and Shozy Form 1.4 below). Following the footsteps of the popular Blon Bl-03 – the Blon Bl-05s disappeared fast in the big black hole of anti-hype. And for a good reason: they look like the Bl-05, smell like the Bl-05, measure like the Bl-05, but the Bl-05 had been thrown on the market prematurely, and they sucked. The more distinguished audience may have realized that Bl-05 and Bl-05s have different drivers and sound completely different.

Drop JVC HA-FDX01: Hailed as arguably the best single DD on the market until Dunu Luna and Final Audio A8000 took over, this labour of love was originally only available 665 times….which has extended to above 2000 by now while the price dropped to $200. Carryover from 2019. Still my best earphones because of their organic timbre and great resolution.

TRI I3: Planar magnetic. Something totally different. Big and bold sounding yet soothing. Nothing offensive, nothing dull.

Sennheiser IE 400 PRO ($349): The best of their PRO series. Classic Sennheiser quality midrange. Super ergonomics. Nobody will dislike this one.

Shozy Form 1.4 ($199): The Shozy team somehow got their tuning 100% right. The Form 1.4 simply sound appealing to my ears…warm and fuzzy.

Guilty Pleasure: I pull the $70 FiiO FD1 out for the road: nice’n’punchy.

Vision Ears Elysium in the Endgame category. At 2500 EUR hand made by elfs and some Rhine mermaids in Cologne, out of reach for longer than a week (borrowed). Produce vocals better than real life but also melts credit cards. Cymbals as crisp as Swedish bread…

Perversions and Subversions: the Moondrop Spaceship at $20 beats the Moondrop SSR and SSP…less accurate but the better “junk food” for my ears. Moondrop have a history of undercutting their own mid-tier earphones with their budget offerings…we remember the $30 Crescent and the $180 KPE.

Inasmile Cable Protector: Discovery of the year. 20 cents that protect my fraying Apple cables from total breakage.

I still use the Koss PortaPro headphones with Yaxi earpads for video conferencing and listening when I need comfort around my ears. Also great are the Koss KSC75. Grab all of them when you can, they are affordable standard staples. And my standard full-sized cans are still the Sennheiser HD 600.

Tempotec Sonata HD Pro dac/amp dongle ($40): comes at the price of an adapter – but with all possible adapters to connect this little rascal to anything, including iPhones. Good enough to drive any iem. The very best dongles are the $199 EarMen Sparrow run on their balanced output, and the $120 Earstudio HUD100. In terms of larger portable dacs/amps (with integrated battery), I like the $199 ifi Audio Nano BL, the $149 ifi Audio hip-dac, and the $249 EarMen TR-amp. And I don’t think I need a bigger desktop amp.

Question mark of the year: The KBEAR Believe with their Japan sourced Beryllium drivers were too cheap to be true…which was underlined by some competing cheater Be-less Beryllium earphones and doubt seeded by the Dunu competitor. Hey, but the Luna have that Chi-Fi peak…

Personal Disappointment of the year: the continuing Chi-Fi peak between 2 and 4 kHz that kills western eardrums…TRN are leading the charge…the TRN BA8 cuts steel like butter.

Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir…Munich, Germany

I’ve tried and reviewed more stuff this year than ever, and part of it (actually, most of it) is due to the awful home-arrest that we’ve all succumbed too. Hope things get normal soon, sigh.

IEMs: 

Final E500 ($20): This otherwise “cheap/beater” IEM does one thing better than *anything* under $100 – binaural tracks and gaming. At least it did so until its brethren VR3000 came out, but I’m yet to hear that and that’s got a 4x price tag attached to it. People call the Sony MH755 the best value IEMs, for me it’s the Final E500.

Dunu Studio SA6 ($550): This is a great all-rounder IEM. Great bass for an all-BA IEM, the lower-mids are full and organic whereas upper-mids tread the fine line between forwardness and shoutiness. The treble has good amount of sparkle and air. Great design and accessory pack. Really, hard to pick a fault.

Honorable mentions: Final E5000, Samsung Galaxy Buds, Moondrop Blessing 2, Sony IER-M9, Final FI-BA-SS, Dunu Luna

Headphones:

Koss PortaPro X + Yaxi Pads ($40): Just buy one. Don’t be stingy. Thank me later. 

Sennheiser HD650 ($300): The once and forever king. The HD6XX esp is a no-brainer. Scales better than any headphone I’ve tried.

Honorable Mentions: Hifiman Sundara, Focal Clear, Final D8000

DAPs:

Sony NW-A55 ($200): If your primary need is to run efficient IEMs, look no further. Great ergonomics, actually usable UI, good display, fantastic battery life, and then there’s the MrWalkman mod to turn it even more awesome. The only “budget” DAP I recommend. 

Questyle QP1R ($600): Questyle made the QP1R 6 years ago. It’s still one of the best DAPs out there when it comes to overall dynamics.

Honorable mentions: Cowon Plenue V, iBasso DX160, Sony ZX300

Desktop sources:

YULONG Canary II ($230): One of the best budget all-in-ones I’ve come across. Criminally underrated too which is a royal shame.

Questyle CMA-400i ($800): The all-in-one system I ended up with after countless trials and tribulations. Perfectly aligned to my tastes.

Honorable Mentions: iFi Zen Can, Headamp GSX-Mini

And that’s a wrap. Hopefully 2021 brings us better times.

KopiOkaya…Singapore

This year there are 8 of us, thus there are more choices for our readers to choose from.

This year also marked the year of COVID-19…. Meaning, people are staying home longer and more often, thus they can listen to their gears on desktop systems other than portable music players and phones. Fortunately, desktop gears are much better and more affordable now.

Desktop DACs:

Denafrips Ares II (US$700): I don’t own one but my friend do. If you like natural, organic sound with a huge, deep, tall soundstage and don’t mind its higher price tag, look no further… This is it! 

Topping E30 (US$130): A nice warm-neutral DAC. It doesn’t sound as natural, as organic or has a huge soundstage like the Ares II but it offers great audio at an affordable price.

Note: Extremely sensitive to the quality of power supply used. Make sure you power it with something decent like the iFi iPower X.

Desktop Amps:

Yulong Canary II (US$250): This is actually a DAC/Amp with a Class A amplification stage. It posseses a warm-neutral sound signature with lots of low-end drive thanks to the Class A topography. Very good value and performance consider this is both a DAC and an amp! 

Topping L30 (US$140): My current reference amp… If you have noticed, so far I don’t have any balanced amp in my list. When I tune earphones, I never tune them in balanced, simply because if it sounds good in single-ended, it should sound even better in balanced… Well, this is usually the case! The L30 is great (for me) because it has a gain REDUCTION switch for IEMs with high sensitivity… Not many headphone amps have such feature. This is a very neutral, clean and transparent amp that doesn’t colour the sound of the source. That’s all I ask for when tuning earphones.

Portable DAC-Amps:

FiiO BTR5 / Shanling UP4 / EarStudio ES100 MK2 / Qudelix 5K (US$120 or less): I don’t want to decide which is better. To me, each has its pros and cons but my point is… acceptable Bluetooth quality listening is finally here! Almost everybody owns a smartphone these days, so why not use it as a music player? Some of you despise this idea but c’mon… A TOTL DAP still runs slower than my $150 Android phone operating on Android 10.

Earphones:

Etymotic ER4XR (US$350): My reference for tuning hybrid earphones. If you are familiar with Etys you should know their earphones have a near-neutral Diffuse Field Target tuning. The “XR” version has slightly more bass. 

Etymotic ER2XR (US$100): Similar to the ER4XR except this uses a single dynamic instead of balanced armature, thus my reference when I tune dynamic earphones. The ER2XR has more natural timbre and punchier bass than ER4XR. You can forget about Moondrop SSR/SSP if you plan to buy one. This is better.

Note: Etymotic earphones are to be worn deep inside the ear canals touching the bone… #Etyheads call “deep insertion”. This can cause discomfort to first time Etymotic users but you will get used to it eventually… I used to hate it but I am OK with it now.

Headphones:

Singapore is too damn warm for headphones, unless using air-conditioning while listening to music… Sorry, I am too cheap for that. Electricity is expensive here.

Loomis Johnson…Chicago, USA

TRN STM–$20 wunderkind is not, as Durwood aptly states, a purist’s earphone, and it veers towards sounding over-pixilated and artificial. However, it has that certain toe-tapping rightness that keeps me reaching for it over much pricier “audiophile-tuned” pieces. Did I mention it’s $20?

KBEAR Diamond—you can spend a lot more and get a bigger stage or a richer timbre, but this smooth, highly-resolving single DD is awfully refined for the price, with class-leading coherence and premium aesthetics and build.

Cambridge Melomania TWS—they don’t have ANC, EQ customizability or the bells and whistles of their Apple/Samsung peers, and microphone is sub-standard. However, they sound damn good for wireless buds—and are surprisingly good value at <$99. 9 hour battery life a plus.

Honorable Mentions: Shozy Rouge, Shuoer Tape.

Slater…Cincinnati, USA

Slater is short for “See Ya Later”…and you will see him later…

And This Was The Previous Year:

The post Gear Of The Year – Our Personal 2020 Favourites appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Many have posited that the Shuoer Tape was named as an homage to the recordings of the infamous “Golden Shower” incident alleged in the Steele Dossier. However, we at audioreviews.org have been unable to verify this rumor, and as responsible journalists must report that the American premier, Donald Trump Jr., has vociferously denied these lurid allegations, as well as any and all other accusations of groping, raping, fraud, and nepotism. Yet  we must also express our outrage that Mr. Trump Jr. was unfairly deprived of reelection merely because a majority of the ill-informed, mongrelized American public voted for his opponent, the demented pedophile Joseph Biden, Jr. We appeal to our leaders to revamp our electoral system to prevent such injustice from ever recurring.

The $129 Shuoer Tape arrives in a round bright orange box, which looks better suited to a jack-in-the-box; accessories include generic silicon tips, and, atypically, a 2.5mm MMCX cable with 3.5mm and phone jack adapters. The round metal carrying case is aesthetically pleasing but undersized and nearly impossible to unscrew (better suited to weed?). Blocky metal headshells look much better in person than in pictures and are very solidly built. Despite its odd, ovoid shape, the Shuoer Tape fit me well and and provides for good seal and fairly good isolation, despite intrusion of some wind noise. Long-term comfort is only fair, however, as their considerable heft becomes noticeable. The Shuoer Tape were easily driven with just my mobile, and I actually preferred them unamped

The Shuoer Tape distinguishes itself from the morass of price peers with its novel electret/dynamic array, which  is ostensibly intended to recreate the quick transients and extended HF of true “electrostatics” [magnetostatics in reality]]. From my experience with big electrostatic speakers like Martin Logan and Acoustat, the Shuoer Tape does quite a credible job in eliminating the inherent phasing and audible discontinuity problems of conventional designs.

The Shuoer Tape presents a neutral-to very slightly bright tonality and a surprisingly conventional V-shaped signature (I’d expected to these to be more balanced).  Soundstage is wide, but low-ceilinged and instrument placement is accurate and there’s adequate air between the performers. Low end is presented mainly as tight, sculpted subbass, and some midbass impact is missing—these will not appeal to EDM or rap fans, though I found its quantity to be sufficient. 

Mids are very clear but quite recessed, with a conspicuous dip in the lower mids and boost in the 3-4k region, which gives male vocalists a sense of being a bit behind the mike.  High end stars here, deftly pulling off the trick of being well-extended without sounding analytical. The Tape lacks the hyper-detail of hybrids like the NiceHCK NX7, but are also wholly free of the latter’s artificial sharpness and/or tizziness and are wholly non-fatiguing.  Note texture is leaner than comparably-priced single dynamics like the BQEYZ Spring and Moondrop Kanas Pro, though the Tape is more coherent and has better overall clarity than either, perhaps due to its tighter, more attenuated bass. 

The Shuoer Tape is very uncolored and refined sounding overall—horns, synths and electric keyboards in particular are recreated very accurately. They are also quite laid-back, without the artificially-juiced tonality of, say, KZ hybrids. However, they do lack a bit of sizzle at the high end, which makes them better-suited for acoustic jazz or small-scale classical than for denser, more uptempo genres.

Overall, I rate the Shuoer Tape a notch under some recent faves like the Shozy Rouge, which are a more exciting listen and better balanced through the spectrum, though the Tape nails the technicalities and is certainly worthy foray into new driver technology. Recommended, if not worshipped.

Non-disclaimer—I bought these on Drop.

SPECIFICATIONS

Drivers: Low-voltage electrostatic dynamic driver
Impedance: 18 Ω
Sensitivity: 104 dB/mW
Frequency Range: 20 – 30,000 Hz
Cable/Connector: MMCX
Tested at: $129

MY VERDICT

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The post Shuoer Tape Review – A Magnetostatic For These Troubled Times appeared first on Music For The Masses.