NiceHCK EB2 Review – The Sennheiser Killer

The NiceHCK EB2 earbuds offer a slightly warm sound signature with excellent clarity, wide & tall but not so deep soundstage, very good resolution & detail and a focused but somewhat light bass with little sub-bass (owing to the physical limitations of an earbud in exchange for convenience: easy fit & comfort), a slightly recessed but realistic sounding midrange and well-extended treble. It provides a relaxed listening at low to medium volumes but the sound can get a bit thin and tinny at higher levels.

I purchased the EB2 from Jim NiceHCK for $0.10 for this review.

I have to admit that I am presently catching up on low-priced earbuds. More than 10 years ago, I exclusively used (the first-generation) Apple buds included with my white ipod shuffle (the one that looked like pack of Wrigley’s Spearmint gum).

I loved them and when I lost them on the bus a couple of years later, I replaced them with the $30 Sennheiser MX-560, which offered an even better sound… whereas Apple introduced a second generation of lower-quality buds prior to their earpods.

These Senns have been my reference buds ever since but disappeared in the drawer when I started getting into earphones, first the V-Moda Vibe and Sennheiser CX-300B-MkII Precision until I dove in the world of Chifi starting with earlier KZ models.

The EB2 come in a small white box that acts as a shell for the sturdy case. Inside the case, there is a generous serving of foams, a shirt clip, and the buds themselves.

The black grille is allegedly made of ceramics and the silver back of the housings as well as the colour-coded strain reliefs are made of light metal. The cable appears to have just the right viscosity, it does not feel rubbery and contains a handy chin slider. Overall build is just fine.

Well, earbuds are earbuds and these fit like all my other earbuds. Same with comfort and isolation but you don’t get earbuds because of their great isolation. The cross sectional area of the grille is the same as of my Sennheiser MX-560.

I listened to the EB2 without foams unless indicated otherwise using the iPhone 5S and the Shanling M0 player. As always, I tested the EB2 across a section of music that broadly covers the frequency spectrum, including natural sounds generated by voices and orchestral instruments…and all that for many hours.

The sound of the EB2 can be characterized in few simple words. It offers – as I perceive it – the typical earbud sound with a wide but somewhat flat soundstage (it is quite tall in this case), good clarity (in this case excellent) and a somewhat light bass with an even lighter sub-bass. Add a great resolution and layering to the EB2.

Yes, the bass is a bit lean yet tight and focused. Using the donut foams adds body to the bass (and overall sound) but they also remove some control. Mids are slightly recessed yet voices are reproduced realistically but could be a bit richer and intimate in some situations. Treble is well extended and harmonizes with the overall sound. There is no pierce or sibilance and I listened to music fatigue-free for hours.

The EB2 sound best at low to medium volumes where they deliver a relaxed sonic image which greatly benefits from a good recording quality. At higher volumes the upper midrange can get a bit congested/shouty and the overall sound may become tinny and lack dynamics.

What reads like the EB2’s shortcomings appears to be typical for (?low-priced) earbuds in my experience and observed to different extents on all my other models. I attribute this to the combination of two physical constraints inherent to earbuds: lack of a perfect seal (partially depending on individual ear shape) owing to a generally suboptimal orientation within the ear and a relatively small driver.

That’s where an earbud is generally inferior to a headphone with its much bigger driver or to an earphone with well sealing tips. Nevertheless, the NiceHCK EB2 is by far the best earbud I have ever listened to.

Sennheiser MX-560 (~$30, discontinued): the EB2 are simply better sounding and more musical on all fronts to my big surprise. The Senns, my previous earbud reference, sound tinnier, are harder to driver and cannot compete in terms of richness of sound, resolution, details etc. Respect, NiceHCK.

Headroom MS16 (~$10): the MS16 were hyped a while ago on Audiobudget and are miles behind the Sennheiser MX-560, which are way behind the EB2. Nothing more than yet another good value for the drawer.

Apple Earpods (~$30): tinny sounding and highly inferior to the EB2 but they are great for phone calls and have stellar ergonomics. The EB2 lacks a microphone which would add essential earbud functionality.

VE Monk Plus (~$5): Sennheiser lookalike and good enough for listening to FM radio but no competitor to the EB2. I gave one of my two pairs to a friend who failed to find another friend to give it to…

The NiceHCK EB2 earbuds fully met my expectations and even surprised me as they outclass my discontinued/hard to get Sennheiser earbuds in their price range while completely trashing my $10 bud suite. But they still don’t offer sonic miracles: just like with their German buddies [pun intended!], the EB2’s sound is limited by physical constraints.

The EB2 imo cover special listening niches, be it for people who cannot stand rubber or foam tips drilled deep into their ear canals or for others who need to be aware of their surroundings during listening. I will use these earbuds with pleasure for watching moving pictures on my ipad or for classical music before switching the light off at night hoping that my wife is not ripping my head off if they bleed too much.

You can get the NiceHCK EB2 only HERE.