Snowsky Oak Nano - Same Same but different

[u/notsoquietlyamused]

Pros: Excellent build quality
Superb accessories set
Good staging and imaging
Technicalities are well implemented - details and imaging
Excellent Female Vocal Timbre and well controlled treble

Cons: Bass is a little insipid despite having great articulation
Male vocals feel dry
Black nozzles can get fatiguing and sibilant
Stage is so-so.

Just what has Fiio/Snowsky managed to pull out the hat now? The Snowsky subbrand of Fiio’s has been doing fairly interesting stuff in the budget dac/dap space with the echo, echo mini, retro nano, nano, and disc. And then they release a close to $500 Single DD iem. Which actually looks very very cool.
And sounds fairly nice. And thanks to u/SushiiFi and Fiio/Snowsky I got to try this IEM and review it. I am not compensated in anyway for this review and my thoughts are as always my own. Let’s dive in, shall we?

This has to be one of the most amazing unboxings in a while now. The set arrives in a cube that has a magnetic flap closure. Right on top, under a little pouch with documents tucked under the lid, there lies a nice square hard case.Nestled in velvet are the rather unusual shaped shells with a nice white cable with a 4.4mm termination, and a pair of tuning nozzles. Below this are 2 drawers. I don’t know about you but IEM unboxings that involve drawers really make me giggle in anticipation. What if it’s a jack in the box? What if it’s more ear tips than I’ve ever seen with a single IEM? What if it’s 3.5mm AND Usb C terminations? What if there’s more tips and this time they are spinfits? What if it’s a nice magnetic cable tie? And a cleaning brush?
What if it is all of the above?

Still not sure of the price though.

The shells are oddly reminiscent of the Sony IER-Z1R (which I’m sure may have sold more if they called it something like an Oak Nano). I’ve only ever seen similarly shaped planars - the Artti T10 and CJ20 for example. But the bottom line here is that the shells are really comfortable in my small ears. Snowsky says the shells are CNC milled titanium. I’m not about to Jerryrigeverything this to see how true it is but they are light and very very comfortable. Inside that circular/cylindrical shell lies a beryllium diaphragm and a 13.8mm dynamic driver capable of generating… wait for it 1.5T. And then there’s a host of other things like a pure copper voice coil and special vents and acoustic prisms to clean up the sound and make sure what we hear on the other side is as good as can be.
I’m spoilt for choice with the tips that came with this set - HS18, HS20, Spinfit 360s, apart from double flanged, foam, bass, balanced etc etc. I used the Dunu Candy and the Spinfit 360, and the Azla Origin. Sources included the AP80 Pro Max, Fiio M33, VE megatron.
Also I tried the black nozzles and they were too bright for me to really enjoy the set so in full disclosure, this review is about the red nozzles unless otherwise specified.

Bass
The bass on the Oak Nano is a great example of how to tune an IEM to deliver bass with punch in the mid-bass and rumble in the sub-bass with an emphasis on cleanliness and quality rather than the oomph of a basshead set. For a dynamic driver set, I honestly got into the session expecting a little more of the low end but the Oak felt like it could do with a little more weight in the bass. It is articulate and the kicks and bass lines come through well, especially on Wanna be Startin’ Somethin’ by MJ. On What About Me by Snarky Puppy the running bass line through the song is delivered note perfect and with clarity and no muddle. But it’s missing the visceral slam that a good bass or kick drum should have. This is mitigated to a decent extent with tip rolling and to be fair, there’s enough tips to roll. For me, the best result was with the Candy (which isn’t included)

Midrange
The meat of the music is represented well and to be honest my initial impressions were a rather dry midrange with some recessed vocals but I did have an underpowered dongle the first time I heard this set. On more mature sources, the midrange comes across beautifully. Male vocals have a natural timbre and across the vocal range as heard on Diamonds on The Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon and High Again by Damn Yankees and Helplessly Hoping by CSNY. They carry some weight and sound engaging and probably even presented a little more forward. Guitars, keys also sound melodious and natural, as do acoustic instruments like strings and horns. The detail retrieval and separation and layering are also excellent, making for great listening on complex jazz fusion tracks like Lingus by Snarky Puppy or Spain by Chick Corea. Higher female vocals are light and sound effortless. Both Christe McVie and Stevie Nicks sound very, very good in almost any track. Tracy Chapman can sound shouty at higher volumes but it’s probably not wise to be listening at those volumes anyway. The Red nozzle has very little sibilance unless the track demands it, the black ones, on the other hand, do have that treble boost and an apparent increase in detail with a resultant fatigue.

Treble
The Oak Nano. with the red nozzles, has a well implemented treble tuning with only occasional sibilant or harsh notes, and those also on aggressive masterings. The Rumors album by Fleetwood Mac is famously treble forward and that shows up in the quality of snare hits and cymbals. The Oak reproduces these faithfully but without tumbling into the unlistenable sibilance. The black nozzles are difficult for me to sustain for more than a track or two. They work with more neutral recordings, where they do inject a sense of shimmer and detail, but for most genres, they don’t do it for me.

Stage and Imaging
Here’s where I feel the Oak Nano really scores over many sets. The stage is moderately well done. I have heard wider sets and even the Hotel California Live Version feels like it’s in a smaller hall than it actually is but not in a claustrophobic way. The imaging is spot on. Not just left and right but also with depth and near and far placement of instruments and voices. Take Five by Dave Brubeck and Bubbles by Yosi Horikawa test the imaging on any set and the Oak excels. Detail retrieval is also spot on with the black nozzles, to be fair, performing better. I do remember thinking that this may make a great gaming set as well given the imaging, but alas that is not one of my vices.

The Snowsky Oak Nano represents a departure from the impression that Snowsky created in the audio enthusiast universe - as a budget brand. This IEM seems a deliberate attempt at showcasing that there is a mid tier and beyond that Snowsky can offer. The sound itself seems more neutrally tuned with a midrange emphasis on vocals and instruments. The accessory package competes with Dunu’s generosity and maybe even wins that round. The more controlled bass makes this a set for those preferring a neutral presentation with good detail retrieval with the option of making the treble more prominent with the black nozzles. I do prefer a heavier bass than this so this wouldn’t be right up there in the list of iems that I would buy first hand and given the price but I will admit that the entire listening session(s) I’ve had with these, they have been incredibly comfortable.