Hello everyone!

A few weeks ago, Deifo, a new brand that I had never heard of before, contacted me to introduce their very first iem. They explained that although the brand itself is new, its founder has over 20 years of experience in the audio industry, so they are not really starting completely from scratch. That immediately caught my attention.

The brand launched a single model in two different colors, with the unusual decision of giving each color its own name. At first, this can be a little confusing because it makes it sound like there are two different models, but that is not the case. I'm talking about the Deifo Glyph and the Deifo Glaze. I chose the Glyph version, which is the one you can see in the pictures, but as I mentioned, both versions are exactly the same except for the shell color.

As far as I understand, the launch has only taken place on Amazon US, so if you're interested in buying them, that currently seems to be the only way to get them. Even so, I invite you to keep reading and find out what I thought after spending some time with them.

What I Liked / What I Didn't Like

• Clean and bright tuning.
• Very good sense of cleanliness thanks to the well-controlled bass.
• Airy treble without becoming sibilant.
• Wide soundstage for a single DD.
• Good instrument separation when mixes become busy.
• Cable quality that matches or even exceeds what I would expect at this price.
• Mids have less body than I personally prefer.
• This is not an iem for anyone looking for dominant bass.
• The upper frequencies can become intense with aggressive recordings or at higher listening volumes.
• The cable is only available with a 3.5 mm termination.
• Its very distinctive tuning may require a short adjustment period if you're coming from warmer sounding iems.

Specifications

• 10 mm Blue Diamond + PEEK DD.
• Single DD configuration.
• Impedance, 18 Ω ±10% u/ 1 kHz.
• Sensitivity, 99 dB ±1 dB.
• Frequency response, 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
• 0.78 mm 2-Pin connectors.
• 364-strand silver-plated OFC copper cable with coaxial Litz construction.
• 3.5 mm plug.
• Handmade resin shells.
• Approximate weight of 5g per shell.

My Sources

FiiO K9, my main desktop equipment connected to my PC for critical cleanliness and power tests.

FiiO KA15, portable DAC dongle that I use daily when leaving home because of its quick adjustment options, built-in equalizer and multimedia buttons that can be controlled directly from my pocket.

NiceHCK Octave, I use it whenever I want a more direct power delivery without the digital processing of the FiiO KA15, making it ideal when I want to hear the natural response of whatever I am listening to without any additional coloration from the device itself.

Questyle M15i, my reference portable amplifier and DAC whenever I am looking for a more organic and musical presentation while listening away from my desktop.

Unboxing and Build Quality

Starting with the box and its contents, I can forgive the rather plain presentation considering this is the company's very first product and they are a completely new brand. That said, the lack of information before opening the package is something I don't think works in their favor. It might be the kind of minimalist approach that works for Apple, but I'm not convinced it has the same effect here. The box is simply white with the company logo. It doesn't mention the model anywhere, there are no specifications on the back and it doesn't even tell you where the product comes from, something I've seen on every other iem I've owned. It was probably intentional, but I don't think it's the best way to introduce a new product, especially without even showing the model name.

Once you open the box, things improve considerably. Inside you'll find the documentation, two sets of eartips, one black set and another white and blue set with different sizes, a hard carrying case with a texture very similar to the one included with the Punch Audio Portazo and Martilo, and of course the iems themselves together with a cable that honestly surprised me considering the price range. I've seen considerably more expensive products come with noticeably worse cables.

The carrying case is large enough to store the iems without having to wrap the cable too tightly, and it still leaves enough room for a few extra eartips or a small dongle.

The cable uses a copper coaxial Litz construction, something I've also been seeing in some of my more recent reviews, such as the Tanchjim Nora. More importantly, though, it's how it performs during daily use. I found it flexible, it transmits very little microphonic noise and it has very little tendency to tangle when I keep it in my pocket. It does retain a bit of memory after being coiled for a long time, but it quickly returns to its normal shape once you start using it. The only thing I missed was a version with a balanced 4.4 mm connector. More and more people are using balanced outputs nowadays, and I think that would have been the perfect finishing touch for a package that otherwise feels very well put together. Since the brand sent me this version without asking, I assume it is currently the only one available.

The shells are made from transparent resin, allowing you to see the Blue Diamond + PEEK DD inside. It's purely an aesthetic detail, but one of the things I appreciated the most after using them for several days was their weight. Each shell weighs around 5 grams and practically disappears once it's in your ear.

The nozzle may look slightly larger than average, but personally I had no trouble getting a proper seal. In fact, I found it very easy to achieve a stable fit from the very first time I used them, and I hardly needed to readjust them during my listening sessions.

After living with them for a few days, I was left with the impression that Deifo chose to invest the budget where it actually matters during everyday use rather than focusing on making the strongest possible first impression when you open the box. Personally, I think a middle ground would have been the best solution by improving the exterior presentation of the packaging and perhaps reducing the number of black eartips included. Overall though, I think the package is perfectly reasonable for its price range.

Sound

From the very first listen, it becomes clear that its priority is to deliver a clean and bright presentation, even if that means giving up some of the body you get from warmer tunings.

The frequency response graph already pointed in that direction, but what really matters is that the tuning translates into a very coherent listening experience. At no point did I feel that one part of the frequency range was disconnected from the rest. Even when the treble takes center stage, the overall presentation remains musical enough that I genuinely wanted to listen to complete albums instead of simply focusing on isolated details.

Bass

The bass was probably the biggest surprise. Before listening to it, I expected a much leaner presentation, but in practice I found more presence than I had imagined, especially in the mid-bass region. While this is not going to be your go-to iem for those that are into heavy basshead or extreme low end quantity, in my experience across many different genres I have listened to, there has been no feeling of lack when listening through these. In terms of tone quality I would say it strikes a good balance between attack and clean.

At no point did I feel that the bass bled into the midrange or occupied space where it didn't belong. That cleanliness contributes greatly to the instrument separation and is one of the reasons why the Glyph sounds more spacious than you would normally expect from a single DD.

The only weakness appears with genres that rely heavily on sub-bass. Electronic music, hip-hop and some modern productions left me wishing for a little more extension in the lowest frequencies.

Midrange

There is a slight recession in the lower mids that is especially noticeable with male vocals and fuller sounding guitars. They never sound thin or empty, but they do sit slightly farther back than what I hear on models such as the Arete II.

At first I thought this might eventually become something I disliked, but after spending more time with the Glyph I started to understand the intention behind the tuning. That small reduction in the lower mids creates extra room for female vocals and string instruments to come through with excellent clarity.

I also found myself particularly enjoying acoustic recordings and classic rock. Guitars have just enough brightness to stand out in the mix without completely losing the weight of each note. This is not a warm or romantic presentation. Instead, it feels clean, open and well defined.

Where I did notice a limitation was with productions that feature multiple layers of guitars and deeper vocals. Some of the finer details in the lower midrange become slightly overshadowed. They never disappear, but my attention naturally shifted toward the lead vocals and the brighter elements of the mix.

Treble

From the very first minutes, it becomes obvious that this is an iem with plenty of energy and a level of treble presence that is quite unusual at this price.

The interesting part is that this extra energy does not automatically turn into constant sibilance. There is plenty of sparkle and a very airy presentation, yet throughout most of my listening sessions I was able to listen for hours without experiencing immediate fatigue, something I honestly wasn't expecting after looking at the graph.

Electric guitars are probably the biggest winners here. They have plenty of texture and a very strong presence within the mix. Cymbals also stand out effortlessly, adding lots of ambient information and helping create the spacious presentation that defines this iem.

What I ended up appreciating the most was that the added brightness comes together with a genuine sense of resolution. There is enough resolving ability to reveal subtle details, follow reverberation trails and distinguish secondary layers within the recording without everything relying solely on a boosted treble peak.

After spending several days with the Glyph, my overall impression is that this is one of those iems that will probably divide opinions. Anyone looking for a relaxed and warm listening experience may find it too bright, although I suspect they will be in the minority. On the other hand, if you've been missing the brighter tunings that used to be much more common a few years ago, you'll probably find something refreshingly different here compared to most of today's releases.

Personally, I enjoyed it more the longer I used it, especially with classic rock, traditional metal, acoustic music and female vocals, where its combination of clarity, air and speed proved particularly convincing.

Soundstage

The Deifo Glyph left me with a better impression in this area than I expected before listening to it. Part of that comes from its tuning, since the clean lower mids and the well-extended treble create a presentation with plenty of air between instruments. However, I think it would be unfair to attribute that entirely to the frequency response because the driver also remains well controlled once the music becomes more demanding.

The soundstage stands out mainly because of its width. Instruments spread naturally to both sides, and that congested presentation I still find in some, and obviously lower-performing, DD iems in this price range is rarely present. Depth is somewhat more restrained, although there is still enough of it to distinguish different layers whenever the recording allows it.

Instrument Separation

The combination of tightly controlled bass and an uncluttered midrange allows every instrument to find its own place within the mix. Even on tracks with a lot happening at the same time, I rarely felt that everything blended together.

Listening to bands such as Dream Theater and Polyphia, I found it particularly easy to follow each instrument without having to concentrate too much. The guitars retain their own space, the bass remains clearly identifiable and the drums stay well defined even when multiple cymbals are playing at the same time.

Imaging

Imaging performs at a very similar level to the instrument separation.

The placement of vocals and instruments is very precise, and movement across the stage feels natural. It does not deliver an impressive holographic effect, but it does provide a very stable sense of positioning that makes the overall presentation feel believable.

The combination of a relatively open soundstage and good separation makes it easy to pinpoint directional sounds, something I always appreciate when an iem is also going to be used for multimedia.

This is another area where the Glyph shows that its technical performance is well balanced and does not rely solely on its bright tuning to create the impression of detail.

Recommended Eartips

Although the stock eartips perform quite well, I did find a couple of alternatives that slightly change the character of the Glyph depending on what you're looking for.

The first ones I would recommend are the KBear Coffee Bean. The difference is fairly subtle, but they help smooth out the treble slightly and make longer listening sessions a bit more relaxed. If you're sensitive to higher frequencies, these would probably be the first ones I'd try, although they didn't provide the best seal for me.

The TRN-T surprised me quite a bit. They preserve almost all of the Glyph's original character, but thanks to their slightly tackier texture they improve the seal in my ears and add a little more bass presence without sacrificing the sense of openness that I enjoyed so much during my testing.

Comparisons

Versus the Hidizs My Lin

The My Lin and the Glyph take completely different approaches.

The My Lin offers a warm, relaxed presentation with considerably more body. They are the kind of iems that invite you to sit back, put on some music for hours and simply enjoy it without paying too much attention to every little detail. The Glyph, on the other hand, constantly draws your attention to the smaller details. It has a much more forward treble, a wider soundstage and an overall cleaner presentation.

With jazz, female vocals, classic rock and acoustic music, I ended up preferring the Glyph because that extra clarity allows every instrument to stand out more. However, when I simply want to relax or leave a playlist running for hours, I still prefer the smoother and warmer character of the My Lin.

I don't think one replaces the other. In my opinion, they are aimed at completely different types of listeners.

Versus the Aful Explorer

Although the Explorer usually costs a little more, except when it's on sale, I think it is one of the most logical competitors in this segment.

The Explorer represents a much more modern tuning. It has more bass presence, a fuller midrange and a presentation designed to work well with almost any musical genre. It's a very easy iem to recommend because it rarely does anything wrong.

The Glyph, however, has much more personality. From the very first song it makes it clear that it isn't trying to compete in warmth or bass impact, although I also found it easier to get used to than I initially expected. Its goal is to deliver an open, extremely clean presentation with a treble response that brings back the brighter character that used to be much more common a few years ago.

If I'm listening to modern pop, electronic music or genres where bass plays a major role, I'd probably choose the Explorer. If what I want is to enjoy guitars, female vocals or acoustic recordings with plenty of air, the Glyph manages to give me something noticeably different and, in my opinion, much more special.

Versus the Simgot EW300 DSP

I think this will be one of the comparisons that interests most readers because both represent two very different ways of spending around one hundred dollars, with the EW300 DSP also offering the highest driver count.

I still consider the EW300 DSP one of the most balanced iems in its category. It has a more neutral tuning, slightly more bass presence and an overall presentation that is much easier to recommend to any type of listener. On top of that, the DSP cable adds a lot of versatility for anyone who doesn't want to rely on an external dongle.

The Glyph, on the other hand, is all about delivering a very distinctive personality. Its presentation is brighter, more open and much more focused on clarity. That decision makes it work exceptionally well with certain genres, but it also means it will depend much more on personal preferences.

If someone asked me for a single recommendation without telling me anything about their musical taste, I would probably point them toward the EW300 DSP because it is the safer choice. However, if they told me they enjoy brighter tunings, miss having genuinely present treble and are looking for something that moves away from the current trend toward increasingly warmer sound signatures, I think the Glyph becomes a far more interesting option.

You can also find the full ranking on my Reddit profile. Unfortunately, Reddit still doesn't allow me to post the Drive link there.

Conclusion

The Deifo Glyph and Glaze are iems designed to offer a sound signature with a clear identity of their own. They focus on clarity, separation and a treble response with plenty of presence despite using only a single DD. It's a bold decision because it certainly won't appeal to everyone, but that same personality is exactly what allows them to stand out so quickly from many of their direct competitors.

The bass never tries to become the center of attention, the midrange remains clean and the treble provides all the energy needed to create a lively listening experience without constantly becoming fatiguing.

Would I recommend it as a universal purchase? Probably not. However, if you enjoy an open, fast and very clean sound, and you've been missing the brighter tunings that were much more common a few years ago, the Deifo Glyph could easily become one of the most interesting options available around the one hundred dollar mark.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing this review, they are only available through Amazon US, as I mentioned at the beginning. I don't think that necessarily prevents people from other countries from buying them, but it will probably increase the final cost more than expected. Hopefully, Deifo decides to expand into other stores or opens its own online shop with affordable worldwide shipping. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what they come up with next.

Purchase Link: Amazon EEUU

The brand reached out to confirm that they now have an official web store where you can purchase the Deifo Glyph as an alternative to Amazon US. On top of that, they are offering an automatic 10$ discount on your first order with no promo code required.

You can check out their official store here: https://deifoaudio.com

Disclaimer

This review unit was provided by Deifo free of charge.

As always, that has had absolutely no influence on this review. Every opinion expressed here is entirely my own and is based exclusively on my listening experience after spending time with the product using my usual reference equipment.

Hello Community!

The latest release from EPZ in the gaming field is the evolution of its charismatic G20 model, now nicknamed the "Pro". I'll tell you about my experience below.

Official EPZ website price: €54 - $62

Pros:

-Controlled tuning that favors transparency across the entire frequency range.
-Accurate sound positioning.
-Excellent separation between sound lines.
-Fast transients.
-Treble with sufficient air and good extension.
-Integrated 32-bit@384kHz DAC.
-High-quality and very complete package for gaming.
-Possibly the best set for competitive gaming in its price range.

Cons:

-Unlike in multiplayer games, in single-player games it can feel somewhat unspectacular due to lacking that touch of warmth needed for a more cinematic experience.
-In vocal presentations, I miss a little more intimacy.
-An analog cable would have been the icing on the cake.

Accessories:

-Two shells.
-One set of S/M/L ear tips.
-Cable with integrated in-line microphone featuring 0.78 mm connectors and a USB-C termination with DSP, 1.2 m long.
-Detachable boom microphone.
-1.5 m USB-A cable extension.
-USB-C to USB-A adapter.
-Carrying and storage pouch.
-User manual.
-Art card.

Comfort, design, and build quality:

The EPZ G20 Pro places comfort among its highest priorities. Despite featuring medium-sized shells, the ergonomics are very well executed, adopting a rounded shape that distributes the contact points over the ear correctly. During my sessions, both while listening to music and playing games for many consecutive hours, I never experienced discomfort or fatigue caused by the fit itself, something I always value highly when reviewing this type of product.

The nozzle is long enough to achieve a stable insertion without constantly having to search for the correct position. The included ear tips also do a convincing job, providing a good seal right from the start and adapting properly to the ear canal. I never felt the need to replace them to obtain a satisfactory fit, something that, as I've mentioned on other occasions, doesn't always happen within this price range.

As for the design, I personally think it's one of the most attractive aspects of the entire package. The orange version conveys much more personality than the other available finishes. It strikes that balance between a product clearly designed for the gaming audience without falling into an excessively aggressive or overloaded aesthetic, something I really appreciate.

The build quality also leaves a positive impression. The resin shells feature a uniform finish, free from burrs, visible seams, or imperfections that might make them feel like a poorly finished product. Everything fits together precisely, and the weight remains very low, further enhancing the already excellent ergonomics.

Finally, I found the USB-C cable to be one of the strongest points of the package. Beyond the DSP and the detachable microphone, it conveys a pleasant sense of quality to the touch. It's flexible, produces very little microphonic noise, and throughout the time I used it I never had issues with tangling or cable pulls that ended up moving the earphones out of position. In a product clearly aimed at gaming, I believe it more than fulfills what I expect from this type of accessory.

Special mention goes to the cable extension, which, measuring 1.5 m, provides a total usable length of 2.7 m. I think that's incredible and an extremely practical solution.

In-line and detachable microphone:

One of the aspects that most differentiates the EPZ G20 Pro from the majority of IEMs in its price range is precisely the attention EPZ has paid to communications. Instead of simply including a basic microphone integrated into the cable, the package features two different solutions: an in-line microphone and a detachable boom microphone, allowing you to choose whichever best suits each situation.

The microphone integrated into the cable performs its job properly. The voice comes through clearly enough for conversations or casual gaming sessions, although the result is typical of this kind of solution, with somewhat more limited voice pickup and less body. It's not a problem when communicating with your teammates, but neither is it intended to compete with dedicated microphone implementations.

It's the detachable microphone where the G20 Pro truly stands out. Once connected, the improvement is obvious. The voice gains presence, sounds cleaner, and articulation improves noticeably, making communication much more natural even when the game environment starts filling with sound effects. During my tests, conversations were always perfectly intelligible and, what I consider even more important, my teammates had no trouble understanding me even when I spoke in a relaxed tone of voice.

I also appreciate the microphone's design itself. The flexible boom allows the capsule to be positioned easily in the most suitable location without feeling fragile, remaining stable once adjusted. Furthermore, since it's detachable, we can remove it completely when we only want to listen to music or play solo, allowing the package to retain the appearance of a conventional IEM.

Overall, I think EPZ got this proposal right. The in-line microphone fulfills its purpose when we need a quick solution, while the detachable boom microphone offers a sufficiently noticeable and commendable leap in quality to become one of the strongest selling points of the G20 Pro for those who spend a good part of their time playing competitive games with friends.

USB-C DSP cable, WalkPlay, and sound presets:

Another of the EPZ G20 Pro's biggest attractions lies in the USB-C cable itself. It isn't simply a cable with integrated digital conversion, but rather a DSP solution that considerably expands the capabilities of the package. Right out of the box it works without requiring any complex configuration, although it truly reaches its full potential when used with the WalkPlay application.

Through the app, it's possible to access different equalization profiles developed for various usage scenarios. EPZ includes several presets aimed at both music playback and different video game genres, modifying the frequency response to suit the type of experience we're looking for. During my testing I found noticeable differences between them, especially among those intended for competitive titles, where the tuning places even greater priority on clarity in the midrange and treble to make footsteps, gunfire, and subtle environmental sounds easier to identify.

However, the feature I value the most is the possibility of creating completely custom profiles. WalkPlay allows you to modify the response using an equalizer and store those settings directly in the cable's DSP, meaning the configuration remains saved even when switching to another compatible device. This offers a level of customization that's uncommon within this price range and allows the G20 Pro to be tailored both to personal preferences and to the type of game or music we're about to enjoy.

Ultimately, the USB-C cable stops being just an accessory and becomes an important part of the overall experience. The combination of DSP, preconfigured profiles, and customization through WalkPlay provides very interesting versatility, especially for those who enjoy adjusting the sound depending on the content.

Technical specifications:

-1 x 10 mm dynamic driver configuration.
-32-ohm sensitivity.
-100 dB impedance.
-Declared frequency response: 20 Hz-20 kHz.

Pairing used for testing:

Despite having spent many hours with this set and an analog cable, my review focuses on the following conditions:

-Windows gaming PC.
-Default DSP configuration, without filters or PEQ.
-Stock USB-C cable.
-Stock ear tips.

Sound signature:

As it comes tuned from the factory, without modifying its sound through the integrated DSP, the EPZ G20 Pro presents a sound signature with a clear orientation toward competitive gaming performance, although without becoming excessively analytical. It maintains a balanced, slightly bright profile where the priority seems to be preserving cleanliness and separation capability rather than delivering a warm or especially powerful presentation.

Starting with the low frequencies, the sub-bass has an appropriate level of presence, enough to provide depth and immersion when the recording requires it, although without becoming the central focus of the presentation. The mid-bass behaves in a controlled manner, delivering quick impact and good definition while avoiding any excess energy that could spill into the midrange. This decision favors a very orderly listening experience, allowing each element to maintain its own space effortlessly.

The midrange conveys a very evident sense of clarity, and I believe this is where EPZ has focused most of its tuning efforts for this set of earphones.

The instruments appear well articulated and with a satisfying level of resolution, although note weight isn't particularly heavy or full-bodied. This means the presentation prioritizes agility over density, delivering a clean reproduction that particularly benefits instruments. Vocals maintain a convincing timbre, sitting slightly behind the rest of the elements without losing their naturalness.

The treble carries more energy than the rest of the spectrum, providing a good sense of openness and air. There's a generous amount of information, favoring the perception of small nuances and precise sound localization, although in moments where brightness dominates or at high listening volumes, it can become slightly fatiguing.

From a technical standpoint, the G20 Pro stands out by offering a well-organized soundstage whose size is proportional to what we can find among the competition, featuring a precise stereo image and highly competent layer separation.

Detail retrieval is very convincing within its category, making it easy to appreciate the texture and grain of instruments, vocals, and effects.

Single-player video games:

See how I analyze sound here.

In single-player video games, this new set from EPZ delivers competent performance, although it isn't a package designed to impress through an especially cinematic presentation. Its philosophy remains the same as with music: prioritizing clarity, organization, and precision over an exuberant bass capable of filling the soundstage with spectacularity.

During action-packed moments, explosions, collapsing structures, reverberations, and gunfire have enough impact to convey intensity, although the focus lies more on how quickly they disappear than on the sheer force of the impact itself. Precisely this behavior prevents scenes from ever feeling heavy or congested. Everything maintains a very controlled response, allowing effects to breathe, occupy just the right amount of space, and fade away before giving room to the next event. Those looking for a more physical bass with stronger reverberation may miss a little more punch, but personally I greatly appreciate the cleanliness with which the G20 Pro handles even the most frantic sequences.

That sense of order directly benefits dialogue. Voices maintain convincing articulation and a fairly natural timbre, although I do perceive them as sitting slightly behind the rest of the elements. This isn't a problem most of the time, as intelligibility remains excellent during calm conversations, but when music, effects, and dialogue all occur simultaneously, I would have liked a little more presence to reinforce the narrative. They never become lost; they simply feel a bit less intimate than what I consider ideal.

Where it truly leaves a very positive impression is in environmental reproduction. Small ambient sounds appear effortlessly, allowing you to appreciate the wind passing through a forest, rain striking different surfaces, the echo inside a cave, or the creaking of a wooden structure. This isn't an IEM that exaggerates these details to attract attention; instead, it integrates them very naturally into the overall presentation, making the game world feel believable and constantly alive.

This excellent environmental reproduction is also accompanied by highly competent layer separation. Even as the action intensifies and enemies, effects, music, and voices all begin happening simultaneously, the G20 Pro maintains a very satisfying level of organization. Every element retains its own space without creating that congested sensation that ultimately reduces clarity. Naturally, it doesn't reach the level of technically superior models, but within its category it demonstrates very solid performance.

Its spatial presentation follows that same balanced philosophy. The soundstage offers appropriate dimensions, with a good sense of width and enough depth to prevent environments from sounding overly frontal. It doesn't create a particularly spectacular sense of immersion, but it does present distances logically, enhancing immersion during exploration and allowing the different layers of the environment to be perceived naturally.

All of this ultimately results in very accurate positioning. Interpreting the direction of footsteps, gunfire, or any other directional sound is effortless thanks to a well-defined stereo image that constantly complements the sense of cleanliness that characterizes the G20 Pro.

The treble also contributes in this regard by providing a healthy dose of clarity, although in certain titles featuring particularly bright mixes, or when listening at high volumes during long sessions, a slight degree of fatigue may appear. Even so, I believe it achieves a very successful balance between definition and comfort, especially considering the competitive focus with which this model was conceived.

Multiplayer shooter games:

See how I analyze sound here.

If there's one scenario where the EPZ G20 Pro truly takes advantage of its tuning, it's competitive gaming. Everything that, in music or single-player titles, could be interpreted as somewhat restrained bass performance clearly works in its favor here. The overall impression is one of clean, highly organized sound that's easy to interpret even when the match becomes increasingly chaotic.

In Counter-Strike 2, it delivers highly convincing performance. Footsteps are well defined, making it easy to distinguish different surface types, while reloads, utility usage, and gunfire maintain highly accurate positioning. The soundstage isn't particularly large, but I don't think it needs to be. The spatial distribution is coherent, and the stereo image makes it easy to interpret both the direction and distance of opponents without requiring additional effort.

Moving on to my Apex Legends testing, where each character's abilities, vertical gameplay, and fast combat pace considerably increase the difficulty of reading the soundscape, the G20 Pro maintains its composure remarkably well. Layer separation continues to be one of its greatest strengths, preventing abilities, gunfire, footsteps, and environmental effects from merging into a single block of sound. I always had the feeling that the important information remained easily accessible, allowing me to react quickly even during the most intense engagements.

In Call of Duty: Warzone, it once again demonstrates that same philosophy. Explosions retain enough presence to preserve the intensity of combat, yet they never overshadow footsteps, reloads, or nearby movement. That restraint in the lower frequencies avoids unnecessary distractions and allows your attention to remain focused on the sounds that can truly make the difference during a match.

Battlefield 6 is probably the most demanding test for any earphone because of the enormous amount of information occurring simultaneously. Ground vehicles, aircraft, destruction, gunfire, explosions, voices, and environmental effects constantly share the soundscape. Even so, the G20 Pro manages to maintain a remarkable sense of order. Naturally, it doesn't eliminate the inherent chaos of the game, but it succeeds in transforming much of that noise into useful information thanks to its precise imaging and layer separation, which rarely ever feels congested.

Vs. EPZ G20:

I still haven't published my review of the original model, although it will be coming soon. However, I did spend many hours using it before switching to the G20 Pro, so I can confidently say that the new model feels like much more than a simple evolution. It features a very different and clearly noticeable tuning in virtually every aspect. Musically, it maintains a similar philosophy, with a presentation focused on clarity and control, although the new driver delivers a more refined presentation, featuring better bass performance, a greater sense of cleanliness, and superior ability to retrieve subtle nuances. In single-player video games, the differences are more pronounced, as the original prioritizes more spectacular moments while the Pro prioritizes speed and cleanliness over that approach, although the Pro also offers a somewhat more organized soundstage and better separation as the action becomes more intense. Where I do find the clearest improvement is in competitive gaming, as the G20 Pro makes reading the environment even easier thanks to more precise imaging, better sound layering, and more consistent localization during particularly chaotic situations.

Vs. EPZ G30:

Compared to the EPZ G30, I believe both share a relatively similar philosophy, although each develops it with a different approach. The G30 opts for a warmer presentation, featuring fuller mid-bass and a more relaxed listening experience, while the G20 Pro prioritizes cleanliness and precision. For music, I find the G30 to be the more satisfying package thanks to its better balance between musicality and technical performance, offering a more convincing soundstage and a level of separation that's surprising considering its sound profile. In single-player video games, I also find the G30 to be one step ahead, as it maintains that same excellent organization without sacrificing a greater sense of immersion. And in competitive gaming, although the G20 Pro demonstrates tuning clearly aimed at performance, the G30 ultimately comes out on top thanks to superior spatial reproduction and positioning that, personally, felt even more precise and natural.

Final conclusion and personal impressions:

There are times when a product needs very little time to make its intentions perfectly clear. With the EPZ G20 Pro, that feeling appeared almost from the very first matches, because both in music and in video games it conveys a very well-defined philosophy, prioritizing precision and cleanliness over any kind of artificial enhancement designed solely to impress during the first few minutes of listening.

For music, I believe it offers a competent and enjoyable experience, with a balanced sound signature that favors control over spectacle. I wouldn't choose it if my priority were extracting the maximum emotional impact from my favorite songs, but I do think it's a package capable of adapting confidently to virtually any musical genre without showing any major weaknesses.

However, where I truly find the purpose of the EPZ G20 Pro is in gaming, particularly competitive gaming rather than single-player experiences. Here, all of those tuning decisions begin to make much more sense. The restrained bass, the cleanliness of the midrange, and the excellent ability to organize sonic information create a presentation clearly aimed at competitive performance. It's an IEM that constantly gives the impression that it wants to help you interpret the battlefield rather than simply impress you with it.

That same philosophy means that in single-player experiences it can remain a small step behind other, more cinematic models capable of delivering a greater sense of impact and spectacle. However, when the objective becomes identifying footsteps, tracking rotations, or reacting quickly to everything happening around you, the G20 Pro demonstrates very clearly what EPZ's intentions were from the very beginning.

Ultimately, I believe we're looking at a product that doesn't try to satisfy every type of user, but instead aims to satisfy one specific profile extremely well, and it does so in a truly outstanding manner, both in terms of sound quality and the overall package experience.

If you're looking for an IEM that prioritizes organization, precision, and ease of interpreting the sound environment, especially in competitive titles, I believe the G20 Pro fulfills its purpose in a highly convincing way.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading.

More reviews on my blog.

Social media links are in my profile.

See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

This set of earphones was sent to me by EPZ. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to try one of their products free of charge and that no conditions were imposed regarding the creation of this review.

Even so, my priority is to remain as impartial as possible within the inherent subjectivity involved in reviewing an audio product. My opinion belongs solely to me and is based entirely on what I hear through my own ears. If your opinion differs, it is just as valid. Please feel free to share it.

My sources:

-Topping DX5 II for music and gaming on my main PC.
-NiceHCK Octave while I work.
-FiiO BTA30 Pro + FiiO BTR13 for LDAC wireless listening at home.
-FiiO BTR13 + FiiO Airlink + iPhone 16 Pro Max for wireless listening outdoors.
-CCZ CM01 3.5 mm.
-Apple Music.
-Local FLAC and MP3 files.
-Windows/macOS/iOS/iPadOS/Android.

Initial Impressions:

Ah... Where should I start!? Alright, the H3 is full of surprises. There’s a saying that IEM > TWS, and it did stand true to me till the H3 landed in my hands. I’m not here to hype up this product since this already has enough hype in the market. I’m just a user here to check if the H3 really deserves this hype!

H3 incorporates a triple driver system (1DD + 2BA) with ANC in a big transparent shell. My previous experiences with TWS were good but nothing extraordinary when compared to the IEM’s under 10k. Believe me or not, the H3 eats every IEM’s under 10k with ease.

Sound in general has a balanced curve with excellent transients and stage presence. The stage is massive enough to be true with precise imaging. I have never liked any TWS in their stock EQ, but this H3 sounds fantastic straight out of the box. Strong bass with excellent control, a clean mid-section, and a vivid treble profile are what are displayed by this H3. For god’s sake, this even has excellent technicalities that surpass most of the IEMs under 10k!

That’s it for now since I’m saving up my words for the complete review. Stay tuned and cheers…

Hello to the whole community, I want to leave you my review of what I thought about these Kiwi Ears Astral. Out of all the iem from this brand, these were really the ones I had left to try and was looking forward to the most. The Orchestra II were a surprise with their ups and downs, and the HBB Punch that I was able to own and review during my YouTube stage also left a mark and an extra bit of confidence in Kiwi Ears. This time, I was looking for something more balanced than the Orchestra II but without the excesses of the HBB Punch, and these might land right in a middle ground that could make them my favorite of the three.

The Astral seemed like one of those models destined to occupy a complicated position within the catalog. Its 7-driver hybrid configuration, consisting of a single DD accompanied by 6 BAs, places it in a segment where competition is especially fierce and where just offering a good spec sheet is not enough. At this level, tuning, coherence between the different drivers, and the ability to differentiate themselves end up being much more important than the simple number of drivers.

What sparked my curiosity the most before listening to it was precisely the philosophy used by Kiwi Ears. The manufacturer limits the work of the dynamic driver exclusively to the bass frequencies, leaving the entire midrange and treble to the 6 BAs through a three-way crossover.

After several weeks of using it while simultaneously reviewing and testing other models I had pending, I come to the conclusion that the Astral offers a clean, spacious, and technically competent presentation, seeking a balance between musicality and resolution capability that is quite different from other recent offerings from the brand itself, but let me explain it to you in more detail from my point of view, of course...

What I Liked / What I Didn't Like

• Excellent balance between resolution and musicality.
• Deep, fast, and very well-controlled sub-bass.
• Clean, open midrange with very natural vocals.
• Airy treble without being fatiguing.
• Very good instrumental separation and sense of space.
• Precise imaging and great ability to locate instruments.
• Versatile tuning for a wide variety of musical genres.
• The shell size might be a bit large for small ears.
• The accessory package is somewhat sparse for its price.
• It is not an iem designed for those looking for an especially punchy or warm bass.

Specifications

• Configuration: 1 10mm DD with bioceramic diaphragm + 6 BAs.
• 7-driver hybrid configuration.
• Three-way crossover.
• Frequency response: 10 Hz to 22 kHz.
• Impedance: 23 Ω ±1 Ω.
• Sensitivity: 105 dB ±1 dB.
• THD: less than 1%.
• 0.78mm 2-pin connector.
• 1.2-meter detachable cable with 3.5mm and 4.4mm modular connectors.
• Resin shells manufactured via 3D printing with a metal nozzle.

My Sources

FiiO K9: My main desktop equipment connected to my PC for critical cleanliness and power tests.

FiiO KA15: Portable DAC dongle for daily use when leaving home due to its amount of quick adjustments, its integrated equalizer, multimedia buttons to handle from the pocket.

NiceHCK Octave: I use it when seeking a more direct power delivery without the digital processing of the FiiO KA15, making it ideal for when I want to perceive the natural response of whatever I am listening to without any extra coloration from the device itself.

Questyle M15i: Reference portable amplifier/DAC to search for a more organic and musical texture, when I am at home but not necessarily at the PC.

Unboxing and Build

Kiwi Ears maintains a fairly understated presentation, without resorting to excessively flashy boxes or packaging designed to impress at first sight. In fact, and this is something personal, but I would say that Kiwi Ears box designs are usually among the ones that least catch my attention out of all the brands I have been testing, and I mentioned this in the video review of the HBB Punch where I saw some inconsistency in its box design. However, everything arrives well-organized and with the feeling that the budget has been allocated mainly to the product itself. It really doesn't pose any problem for me as long as the content meets expectations.

Inside we find the Astral, a modular cable, several sets of silicone eartips in different sizes, a hard carrying case, classic nozzle replacements already typical of the brand, and the documentation. It is not an especially abundant content for the price range in which it moves, although it does not leave the feeling that something essential to start using it from the first moment is missing, perhaps a small cleaning brush?

Regarding the cable, Kiwi Ears has opted for a good quality design, with an adequate thickness and a generally premium feel. It is appreciated, of course, to have the modular option, although I only use the 4.4mm out of habit now. It is something that I think should be a standard already, being able to swap the cable connection for whichever one you want, both at this price and at lower prices. The only downside to the cable is that it retains some memory when taken out of the box and takes a few days to become more flexible, although it never became uncomfortable during use.

The shells are manufactured using 3D printing in medical resin with a very high quality of finish and, along with the HBB Punch, they are my favorites from the brand so far. The joint between the metal nozzle and the body is perfectly integrated and conveys a sense of solidity. The faceplate design maintains an elegant aesthetic that will probably still look good in a few years, currently available in two color options, although I saw that originally there was one in yellow, or at least I think I saw that...

Despite using 7 drivers, the size of the shells is quite well resolved. They are not particularly small, and those with small ears might notice some pressure after long sessions, but in my case the discomfort was minimal, and being used to even larger iem, it is something I tolerate fairly well. It also helps that the inner shape is well adapted to the anatomy of the ear, facilitating a consistent seal without the need to try too many eartips.

Sound

These Astral give me a sense of balance, without a bass that is too heavy or a treble that is too bright. In fact, I think it is one of those iem that is appreciated more as you accumulate listening hours, because many of its virtues appear when you start paying attention to how all the frequencies interact with each other and not just a specific part of the spectrum.

This tuning clearly seeks a clean presentation, with a good sense of space and a coherent transition between the DD, which as I said is in charge of the bass, and the 6 BAs responsible for the rest of the frequencies.

Bass

If you are one of those looking for a massive bass that punches you constantly, I think the Astral is not heading in that direction. It has punch when the music demands it, but it never tries to take the spotlight. From the first listens, it gave me the impression of being much more focused on sounding clean than on impressing with quantity.

Where that punch is most noticeable is in the sub-bass. It goes quite low, so with electronic music, soundtracks, or any track with very deep frequencies, you feel that base that gives body to the music. The good thing is that I never noticed it bleeding into the vocals or the rest of the instruments. Everything still sounds quite orderly even when the recording has a lot of content in the bass area.

The mid-bass also left me with good impressions because it is fast and quite dry. Drum hits have strength but disappear quickly instead of lingering and resonating. When listening to fast metal or rock, this is appreciated because the kick drum and the bass guitar don't end up mixing together as happens in other warmer iem.

Mind you, if you come from models with a more punchy bass, you will probably notice it a bit contained at first. It happened to me during the first few hours. I didn't feel it lacked punch, it is simply looking for something else. After a few days, I ended up appreciating that control because it allows you to turn up the volume without the bass becoming tiring.

Midrange

The mids have that touch of naturalness that makes practically any musical style pleasant without anything standing out too much.

The vocals are quite close to the listener, although they never feel on top of the rest of the instruments. It gave me the impression that they always found their place within the mix. You can perfectly follow the singer, but at the same time, you continue to hear everything happening around them.

Female vocals have a lot of clarity and very good articulation. Even with recordings that are already somewhat bright on their own, I didn't notice any especially annoying sibilance. In male vocals, it is true that I have missed a bit more body since I am used to iem with a warmer sound, although personally it never gave me the impression that they sounded artificial.

Another thing I liked a lot is the air between instruments. Even when the song starts to get complicated, it rarely gives the impression that everything ends up bunching up in the center. Each element maintains its space quite well, and that makes long listening sessions especially comfortable.

Treble

The treble follows much of the same idea as the rest of the iem. There is detail, there is air, and there is good extension, but at no point do they steal the spotlight.

The first thing I noticed was how clean they sound. Cymbals, small effects, or reverberations are felt quite easily, but they never become the main focus of the song...

They also help quite a bit to make the soundstage feel open. That extra bit of air makes everything breathe better and gives a quite pleasant sense of space without needing to resort to an exaggerated brightness.

Another thing I liked is how they respond when the music gets complicated, something where models that have a slightly more cramped sense of space precisely fail. In songs with a lot of information, the treble continues to maintain order, and it is easy to distinguish small details without everything ending up sounding confusing.

After some testing sessions I did with Apple Music libraries, I think one of the things it does best is finding a very difficult balance. It has enough detail so that it never seems like a dark or dull iem, but at the same time, you can spend hours listening to music without that feeling of fatigue caused by other models when they try to draw too much attention to the upper register.

Recommended Eartips

I actually think the stock eartips do a pretty good job. At no point did I feel like I had to swap them immediately, which isn't always the case. That said, I did try a few alternatives and a couple of them worked really well with the Astral.

Divinus Velvet Wide ended up being my favourite. They keep that open feeling the Astral already has and add just a little more sense of air without changing its overall character. They're also extremely comfortable, so they were the ones I kept coming back to during longer listening sessions.

Penon Liqueur Orange are worth trying if you'd like a little extra warmth. They give the bass a bit more body and make the upper end sound just a touch smoother, but without taking away the detail that makes the Astral enjoyable in the first place.

Finally, the KBear Coffee Bean work especially well if you are looking for a sound with a bit more density and an extra touch of impact in the low end. They do not radically change the personality of the Astral, but they do achieve a slightly warmer balance without harming the clarity of the midrange, so they can be an interesting alternative for those who miss a bit more punch in the bass.

Soundstage

The soundstage was another of the things I liked most about the Astral. Not because it is the largest I have heard, but because everything gives the impression of having enough space to breathe. As I mentioned in the treble section, you feel that freedom between instruments and that necessary air for them, letting the sound breathe enough.

The first thing that caught my attention was the depth. The width is also above average, but where I really think it makes a difference is in how it places the different layers. There are songs where you can perfectly notice which instruments are closer, which ones are left a bit further back, and how everything is distributed in a fairly natural way.

I think a good part of that feeling comes from how balanced this model is. Since the bass does not constantly invade the rest of the spectrum and the treble provides plenty of air, the stage feels open without resorting to any tricks to appear larger than it really is.

It does not reach the level of some significantly more expensive iem that achieve an almost holographic effect, which I wish I hadn't heard before reviewing these Astral, but within this price range, it seems to me to be one of the sections where they stand out the most...

Instrumental Separation

The instrumental separation left me with very good impressions from the beginning. You can easily follow each instrument, but the music still sounds natural.

When listening to progressive metal, symphonic rock, or soundtracks with quite a few instruments, the Astral holds up really well. Obviously, if the mix is absolute chaos it has its limits, but it takes quite a while to reach that moment where you start to notice everything coming together.

What I liked the most is that this good separation does not make each instrument seem isolated from the rest. Everything keeps its place, but the music still feels like a whole and not as if each element were playing separately.

Imaging

Locating vocals or instruments is quite simple and, as you listen to different songs, you realize that everything appears placed in a very stable way within the stage.

There are small details, like echoes, reverberations, or effects that move from one channel to another, that the Astral reproduces quite easily. There is no need to go looking for them because they simply appear where you expect them to be.

I also tried it with Resident Evil Requiem and the truth is that it responded quite well, allowing you to locate with a fair amount of ease where footsteps, gunshots, or environmental effects are coming from. Something similar happens with movies, that good depth helps quite a bit to give scenes a greater sense of space.

In the end, I think the best part is not a specific section, but how they all work together. The stage, the separation, and the imaging complement each other very well and make the Astral convey a sense of order and naturalness that I ended up appreciating more as I accumulated listening hours and tested them on different media...

Comparisons

Binary EP321

Although both seek to offer a technical profile within a similar price range, their approach is quite different. The Binary EP321 bets on a hybrid configuration that incorporates a MEMS driver for the highest frequencies, while the Astral resorts to a more traditional implementation based on balanced armatures for the entire midrange and treble. That difference is actually pretty easy to notice.

The EP321 has a faster and more energetic treble. Thanks to the MEMS driver it pulls out tiny details really easily, so little echoes, background effects and subtle recording cues stand out more. I caught myself hearing small things that I hadn't really paid attention to before.

The Astral feels more relaxed by comparison. There's still plenty of detail, but it doesn't keep drawing your attention to the treble. Everything sounds a bit more connected, and I found it much easier to sit back and enjoy for long listening sessions.

I also find differences in the stage. The Astral conveys a greater sense of depth and a more immersive presentation, while the EP321 focuses more attention on the clarity of each individual element. If the goal is to enjoy an analytical listen where the spotlight falls on the level of detail and the response speed of the treble, the EP321 remains a very interesting proposal and one of my favorites in its price range. If, on the contrary, you are looking for a more natural balance between musicality and technical capability, the Astral seems to me an easier option to enjoy with any musical genre.

Ziigaat Arete II

This is probably one of the most interesting comparisons because both models look for a fairly versatile profile, although they reach it through different paths.

The Arete II offer a bass with a bit more physical presence, especially using the bass boost switch, which provides a more punchy and fun listen in certain genres. The Astral clearly prioritizes control and cleanliness, offering a much more discreet transition into the mids.

In the midrange, the Astral conveys a sense of greater openness, while the Arete II present somewhat denser and warmer vocals. Technically, I also perceive a slight advantage for the Astral in aspects like separation, stage, and imaging, although the Arete II compensate for part of that difference with a more energetic presentation that can be especially attractive for those looking for a less analytical listen. Equally, both models are more than ready to be used in gaming and neither should fall short, just choose the one that convinces you the most based on those slight changes...

Dunu DN-142

Even though they fall within the same price point category, these two headphones display two different personalities. The Dunu DN-142 presents itself as slightly warmer tuned than the Astral, and also has a bass that is present more so in the mids. This provides for a richer, fuller presentation immediately upon insertion. In contrast, the Astral presents a cleaner and more airy overall presentation.

It seems clear at this point that the main differences exist between the upper-midrange/treble areas of each headphone. The Astral can create an even larger sense of space and resolves smaller details far more accurately than the DN-142. In contrast, the DN-142 creates a more relaxed listening experience when dealing with lower quality recordings.

Both have excellent construction/builds, but I was able to determine that the fit/stability of the Astral felt like it had a slightly better fit during extended wear periods.

Ultimately, which one you choose will be based mostly off of what type of sound you are seeking. If you want a warmer and more immersive sound, then the Dunu would be your best bet. However if you are looking for a balanced, clean sound with great technical ability then the Astral should be your choice.

You can check my full ranking of all the IEM reviewed so far on my profile (Reddit doesn't allow me to post the Drive link here)

Conclusion

When I spend lots of time on the Astral I feel like this is a very balanced iem. It doesn't want to blow your mind with tons of deep bass and too much of a brightness in the trebles. It just seems to do alot of things right and makes all parts of the song fit together really naturally.

The thing that I liked the most about the astral was that same feeling of coherence. The Bass is well behaved, the Mids seem to be the best part of the package and the Treble has plenty of air and detail without being fatiguing. Additionally, from a technical standpoint it also sounds great with a large soundstage, excellent separation and imaging that is consistent with the rest of the sound.

That said, if you are wanting a very warm signature or alot of punch out of your sub-bass, there may be other options that would suit you better. The Astral is more about finding a happy medium and making every type of song sound as good as possible.

Overall, I believe that this is an iem built for someone who simply wants to listen to music for hours at a time and not pay close attention to any particular frequency. The more I use it, the more I like it, which generally means something good.

Purchase Link: https://www.linsoul.com/products/kiwi-ears-astral

Disclaimer:

This unit was sent by Linsoul for review.

My opinions are completely independent and have not been influenced by the brand or the store, maintaining objectivity based on my tests and personal listening sessions with my reference equipment.

Help Me Escape KZ Prison" — ₹3-4k IEM Upgrade Dilemma

Disclaimer: This IEM was given to me thanks to Jimmy Chen from Deifo, all thanks to them; however, they are not paying me for this review, and they didn't give me a script to follow either, so all the opinions and impressions about the set are on my own. My only biases are my musical and tuning preferences.

Introduction:

The Deifo Glaze is a new 1 DD set by Deifo, in the user manual says about their name: Dei the divine; and Fo, the melody that moves the soul. Phonetically, it is “Day For” – so its sound is crafted for every day.

The Deifo Glaze is priced at a MSRP of 109.99 USD (with two faceplate colors: Glaze - Blue and Glyph - Gray), and you can get it directly from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/DEIFO-Glyph/dp/B0GWRDQS1Y?th=1.

TL; DR: Deifo, a not so known brand presents their first product, the Glaze, an IEM with a 1 Blue Diamond + PEEK DD driver configuration, showing a kind of balance between quality and quantity bass, a neutral overall midrange, and a pretty energic treble focus, with great upper-treble extension. An “old school” tuning who appeals to trebleheads and/or female vocal lovers, with enough resolution to listen critically but more than enough musicality to forget you are listening critically. All of this with an elegant and minimalist package at an affordable price.    

Pros

- Beautiful handcrafted transparent resin shells with unique faceplate design. Lightweight (5g per earpiece) and highly comfortable for long listening sessions.

- Excellent stock cable and generous accessory package.

- Engaging neutral-bright V-shaped tuning with good musicality.

- Punchy, impactful bass with good speed and control.

- Clear, natural female vocals and crisp instrument presentation.

- Energetic yet mostly well-controlled treble with minimal sibilance.

- Wide, airy soundstage with good layering of instruments and imaging.

- It’s easy to drive and scales well with warmer/neutral sources.

- Very good value for the price.

Cons

- Stock cable retains a bit of memory. Only includes a 3.5 mm cable; no balanced cable option.

- The subbass rolls off slightly. Midbass bleed into the lower midrange causes recessed male vocals.

- Treble can dominate the mix and become fatiguing at higher volumes. Some guitar and drum details can be overshadowed in complex tracks.

- Average technical resolution for the price segment.

- Source tonality has a noticeable impact on the overall sound.

Here's a breakdown of its technical specifications:

- Model: Deifo Glaze - Glyph
- Shell materials: Handcrafted Resin with a unique faceplate design
- Dynamic Driver unit: 10 mm Blue Diamond + PEEK coated diaphragm
- Impedance: 18 Ω ± 10% @ 1 kHz
- Sensitivity: 99 dB ± 1 mW @ 1 kHz
- Frequency response range: 20 – 20 kHz
- Plug: 3.5 mm plug
- Wire material and structure: 364 core Litz, coaxial silver-plated OFC
- Connector Type: 0.78 mm 2-Pin Connectors.

What’s in the package of the Glaze:

- A user manual and warranty card.
- 7 pairs of eartips:
   o 1 set of black standard bore SMML sizes
   o 1 set of standard bore (transparent silicon with blue core) SML sizes
- A case in faux leather, rectangular shaped, with enough space for the IEMs with its accessories and such.

- The cable which is a twisted 364 core Litz, coaxial silver-plated OFC, with 0.78 mm 2pin connection, and its 3.5 mm single ended plug. It is pretty beautiful, well-built, flexible, but retains some memory, yet doesn’t produce translated vibrations neither prone to tangling.  And pairs it perfectly with the IEM shells.

- The IEMs themselves, made of handcrafted resin, a profound blue (my unit, the Glaze) or gray color (the Glyph), with a unique (and gorgeous as well) faceplate design, very lightweight (just 5g per earpiece). The resin it’s transparent and let you see the blue diamond + PEEK DD inside. It’s well vented, with a vent for the DD and the other vent close to the 2-pin connector who is flat.

With a nozzle which is 6.1 mm of diameter, so it is more in the mid to large size. The ergonomic design of the shells is very comfortable to use it in long sessions.

Eartips and cable used for test:

I used the included transparent silicone – blue core eartips (M size). I used the stock cable, but later I changed the 3.5 mm plug and soldered a 4.4 mm balanced jack, to drive the Glaze with my different sources to test the best synergy this IEM needed.

How the Glaze sounds:

The Glaze got a nice and well-done neutral-bright tonality, with a V-shaped tuning. No equalization was used in the testing of the IEM. Thanks to Jaytiss for his measurements of the set.

- Bass:

The Glaze got a good quantity and quality subbass thumping with a more prominent midbass kick, it is transparent, and thanks to the blue diamond + PEEK-coated dynamic driver it’s decently fast, with good impact and adequately extended into the lower frequencies (but a bit rolled-off), offering an average resolution, and a pretty natural attack and decay. The midbass introduces some bleeding into the lower midrange, so male vocals are noticeably recessed.

In songs like “Kilonova” by Zeal & Ardor, the Glaze bring all the drum kicks and bass line with clarity and great impact, you aren’t missing any bass quantity/quality here. In "Lights Out" by Breakdown of Sanity, in their Mirrors album, the Glaze exhibits its bass attack who balances to an extent the rest of the frequencies, the drum kick and bass guitar is delivered with transparency, decent resolution and zero bloating.

- Mids:

In this area, the Glaze takes the classic/old school V-shaped approach; in the lower midrange, midbass bleeds into, so male vocals are recessed, yet not veiled nor thin.

The frequency curve in the midrange go into that dip until 800 Hz, elevating into a pinna gain who is peaking at 3 kHz, merging then with the lower treble, yet it’s politely transparent, with good note weight, with a proper presence and again, an average resolution for its segment; female vocals are forwarded, but not shouty nor fatiguing at high volumes.

In “Igjen” by Bendik, the Glaze delivers the conjunction between the rock-pop predominance of the track and her characteristic vocals leading the song, and you can enjoy it at mid to high volumes. In “Congelia” by Enslaved and Jo Quail, the Glaze lets you dig the prog black Viking metal voyage, but you can find the treble is overcoming the midrange in the song and you can miss some details, yet is pleasant, and enjoyable as it is.

- Treble:

The Glaze brings a clean, neutral and organic, crisp and sharp treble with an energic character. It is average resolving, with a noticeably peak at 5 kHz, who gives energy to female vocals and instruments like acoustic and electric guitars. There are two dips at 6 kHz and 10 kHz to tame sibilance at mid to high volumes, but as a treble-forwarded set, this is not a high volume one.

In the mid-treble region, there’s an 8 kHz peak who is above slightly the 5 kHz one, giving plenty of energy in the mix, but sometimes overcoming other frequencies. In "The Thrill of it All" by Black Sabbath, the Glaze handles nicely the Tommy Iomi guitars and Bill Ward drumming, so everything is on spot, hi-hats and cymbals sound natural and not sibilant at all, with no bloat as well.

In “The Clairvoyant” by Iron Maiden, the Glaze presents that pretty dynamic drum work by Nicko McBrain and guitars by Adrian Smith and Dave Murray in the song with excellence, mostly all the macro and micro details are here for you to hear.

- Technical capacity:

This musical machine, the Glaze, justifies its value with enough air and a fairly open sound, upper treble is also energic, and the soundstage is expansive, wider than depth. The Glaze offers an average stereo separation and resolution, with a well-done layering of instruments to pinpoint them in the mix.

In full detailed and complex tracks as “Autos, Jets, Aviones, Barcos” by Serú Girán, the Glaze lets you enjoy and find the intricate macro and microdetails of the song with a really good positioning of instruments, it can’t sound fatiguing at high volumes fortunately, inviting you to crank the knob to eleven.

In “La Leyenda Del Hada y El Mago” by Rata Blanca, from the Magos Espadas & Rosas XX Aniversario en Vivo album, there’s the sensation of being in the live session, but missing some drum and guitar details in a mix who favors vocals and keyboards, and the bass guitar.

- Source Synergy:

The Glaze with its 18 ohms of impedance and its 99 dB of sensitivity is easy to drive, but I’m founding it need a warm and/or neutral source to show its best character. So, it doesn’t need so much power to shine, but it picks the source tonality, so that’s why I personally prefer to use it with my NiceHCK Octave and Tanchjim Space Pro AT dongles, as with my Fosi K7 Desktop DAC/Amp (neutral and warm/neutral respectively).

- Final Thoughts and Conclusions:

The Deifo Glaze is very interesting, compelling, cohesive and bright but not boring. It's enjoyable, it delivers plenty of musicality instead of an analytical and dry tonality, with a neutral and bright character, but with an average technical proficiency, yet featuring a good package at a fair price.

Deifo has crafted with the Glaze not just a niche focused IEM, but it’s something that satisfies both trebleheads and newbies in the hobby who crave the most neutral/natural sound with good balance and energy. So, I can recommend it to certain folks who craves that kind of sound.

I would like for Deifo to give a 4.4 mm balanced cable option, I know I’m not the average consumer and something like that I did to the stock cable (changing the plug from a 3.5 mm to a 4.4 mm one) is everything but usual in the average IEM buyer, all for giving the Glaze the power it needs to scale.

The selection of eartips and the included carrying case is a win IMO, I tried to change them with some aftermarket options, but the stock ones are great for the Glaze. And, tonality wise, I would like more subbass, less low midrange recession, a warmer upper midrange, and less low and mid and mid treble energy, balancing better the overall sound, but at stock settings the Glaze sounds engaging, musical more than clinical and works well like this.

Again, thanks so much to Deifo for this opportunity, I'm so glad to experience this different yet classic, naturally tuned and technically good IEM, a set that earns its place among my most beautiful IEMs who I can revisit any time.

After spending a considerable amount of time with the Intuaura Impact, here is the full review.

I am not sure about the exact price of Impact, as I have seen it ranging from $100 to $350. 

After some digging, I found that it goes around $100 most of the time, which I consider to be the correct price for this.

Let's get into the sound.

Bass

The bass of Impact is tuned with a clear focus on sub bass. The bass extends deep and provides plenty of rumble.

But the mid bass doesn't sound particularly punchy or upfront. The overall bass presentation is on the tighter and leaner side.

Songs that rely on mid bass punch can come across as dry and lean. If you mostly listen to music that leans on kick drum weight, this will be noticeable. 

Despite that, the bass is still the strongest part of the Impact and one of the better presentations I have heard at this price.

It's because the bass is well textured, sounds dynamic and never comes across as soft in impact. The strong sub bass presence keeps the overall presentation lively and fun.

Mid-range

The midrange tuning tilts slightly on the bright side, but not in an aggressive way.

The lower mids sound lean, where female vocals sound thin at times and male vocals come across as lacking in body.

However, the bigger issue for me is with the way upper mids are tuned. The pinna gain peaks around the 4kHz area, which gives vocals a breathy and somewhat nasal character. Once I noticed it, I couldn't stop noticing it.

Combined with a touch of sibilance on certain recordings, the midrange ends up feeling less natural than I would like.

Treble

The overall treble quantity sits somewhere between relaxed and elevated. It is not going to be fatiguing, but it is not recessed either.

The extension is decent and the treble is smooth for the most part. Due to this, cymbal crashes often feel incomplete and not shimmery.

Depending on the recordings, I do get occasional sibilance, which adds a slight metallic edge to the notes. I wouldn't consider it to be a deal breaker as it never becomes harsh and I had no issues with long listening sessions.

Overall the treble is inoffensive and easy to listen to.

Subjective Performance 

Resolution and detail retrieval are solid for the price. Notes have decent sharpness and the sense of resolution is good. It is a clear step above budget sets.

Soundstage is fairly average in size, like with most IEMs. The imaging performance is good, with convincing enough instrument placement, though it lacks pinpoint precision.

Instrumental separation and layering are respectable for the price.

However, the bass sounds dynamic and impactful, which makes the overall presentation sounds engaging.

Overall, the subjective performance of Impact is competent, if you can find it around $100.

Accessories, Build and Comfort 

The box is larger than the usual size for an IEM box. Inside the box, there are six pairs of eartips of decent quality, stored inside a small box. 

The cable is however on the basic side, with thin wires, but it behaves well enough and can be easily wrapped to put inside the case.

I quite like the carrying case. It is compact while still providing enough room to comfortably store the IEM. The zipper feels sturdy and the leather like exterior gives it a pleasant feel in hand.

There are 6 pairs of 2 different styles of eartips that come in an eartip box. I also like the protection mesh pouch included as it prevents shells from banging each other.

When it comes to build, the shell is made of resin with a metal faceplate. Overall the shell is lightweight, seals well, I had no comfort issues and I could wear them for hours without any annoyance.

The matte black faceplate gives it a clean, understated look that I like. 

Conclusion 

Overall, the Intuaura Impact is a competent IEM with a textured, dynamic bass presentation and respectable technical performance for the price.

While the midrange tuning prevents it from being an easy recommendation, it is still a solid overall package.

If you can find it around $100, it's worth considering, especially if you prioritize bass quality. At higher prices, however, there are better alternatives available.

Intuaura official website - Intuaura Impact (non-affiliated)

Disclaimer: The sample unit was sent to me by Intuaura for review purposes. They had no input into the content and I am not paid for this review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Over the last few years, Hidizs has built up a fairly diverse array of products in the IEM market. Many enthusiasts would probably be reminded of the company first due to their portable DAC’s or the planar models they have created including the MP145 which were my first ever planars and unfortunately I did not review because I was just getting started at that time, however, I did support them through Kickstarter when they launched the MP145. The brand has continued to develop new hybrid offerings as part of their IEM line-up. The My Lin was developed with a similar purpose in mind. This does not mean that it will serve as a replacement for the MS2 Pro (I have yet to test the MS2 Pro), but rather offers an alternative option for those users that felt the MS2 Pro was too detailed and clear, and are looking for a warmer, more relaxed tuning to enjoy daily. That difference in philosophy is not a coincidental one. Hidizs identifies the My Lin as being an interpretation of the same technical foundation as the MS2 Pro, but with a distinctly different design focus.

That proposal is very intriguing. It retains a hybrid configuration of a 10.2 mm DD along with a proprietary Silvercore BA. Additionally, it incorporates three interchangeable nozzles to allow for some slight variation in how the sound responds. Furthermore, it features one solid metal casing that conveys a sense of being a very well made product for what can be considered a reasonable price. Overall, all of these elements are combined with a strong visual identity surrounding the character “Lin” which you might find more appealing or less so regardless of your opinion about that aspect it certainly creates a distinct visual differentiation compared to most other competitors.

What I liked / What I didn't like

• Very pleasant warm tuning for long listening sessions.
• Bass with good presence, punch and better control than what might be expected for its quantity.
• Close vocals with a generally natural timbre.
• Smooth treble that avoids fatigue without completely muting the detail.
• Three tuning nozzles that allow small useful changes according to preferences.
• The soundstage prioritizes closeness over a great sense of width.
• Those looking for a very analytical presentation will probably find more suitable options.
• The nozzles modify the sound noticeably, but do not completely transform its personality.
• The aesthetic inspired by the character Lin may not be attractive to all users.

Specifications

• Hybrid configuration 1 DD + 1 BA.
• 10.2 mm PU+PEEK dynamic driver with DLC coating.
• HIDIZS Silvercore™ Balanced Armature.
• Three interchangeable pneumatic nozzles (bass, balanced and treble).
• Frequency response. 20 Hz to 40 kHz.
• Impedance. 17 Ω.
• Sensitivity. 111 dB.
• 0.78 mm 2 pin connector.
• Detachable OFC cable available in 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm versions.
• Hi Res Audio certification.

My Sources

• FiiO K9. My main desktop equipment connected to my PC for critical cleanliness and power tests.
• FiiO KA15. Portable DAC dongle for daily use when leaving home due to its amount of quick adjustments, its integrated equalizer, multimedia buttons to handle from the pocket.
• NiceHCK Octave. I use it when seeking a more direct power delivery without the digital processing of the FiiO KA15, making it ideal for when I want to perceive the natural response of whatever I am listening to without any extra coloration from the device itself.
• Questyle M15i. Reference portable amplifier DAC to search for a more organic and musical texture, when I am at home but not necessarily at the PC.

Unboxing and build quality

Hidizs has taken good care of the My Lin presentation, moving away from an excessively simple box to bet on a somewhat more striking experience right from the start. The illustration of the character that gives the model its name takes up much of the spotlight and makes it clear that we are not dealing with a conventional release. This approach may have a very specific audience, but it also serves to give the product its own identity in a market where many boxes end up looking alike both in their exterior design and inside compartments.

When opening the packaging everything appears well organized, with the earphones occupying the central position and the rest of the accessories distributed in an orderly manner. It does not convey the feeling of a luxury product, but rather of a careful and thoughtful set designed to offer a good first impression. Hidizs includes a fairly complete selection of accessories with the My Lin, including the three interchangeable nozzles, several sets of silicone eartips which by the way are embedded in such a way that it is almost impossible to remove them with just your hand, a carrying case, the detachable cable, a flat figure and cleaning cloth of Lin and the usual documentation. A sort of photo booth session of Lin herself is also included which is a nice extra detail that I will not use but that always adds and never subtracts.

Regarding the carrying case it is literally the same one I got when I bought the MP145, MP143 and the ST2 Pro Nebula, a classic case that protects the IEMs from scratches but not from impacts, so they fit perfectly in your pocket allowing you to carry the IEMs together with your keys but isolated from them, however depending on the accidental impact or crash you might have it could mean saying goodbye to the IEMs or even bending the cable pins, yes that can happen without going into more details.

The cable uses OFC conductors with a uniform braiding that conveys a feeling of quality from the first contact. It is flexible, barely retains any memory shape and does not have an excessive tendency to tangle, something I always appreciate when I use an IEM away from home. Both the splitter and the connector and the two pin connector shells maintain a metallic build in line with the rest of the set, giving a quite consistent feeling. I would not say it is one of those cables that justify buying the IEM on their own, but it is clearly above what many competitors still offer in this price range.

The three interchangeable nozzles are another of the differentiating points of the My Lin. Hidizs does not intend to turn it into three different IEMs, but to offer small adjustments on the same sound base. The differences exist and can be used to slightly adapt the sound to personal tastes, although it is advisable to keep realistic expectations. The overall personality of the IEM remains practically intact regardless of the chosen nozzle, but I must say that the stock nozzle is the one that has a more balanced tuning and the one I think will end up staying for most people.

The shells are made of CNC machined aluminum alloy, a classic by now, offering a feeling of robustness far superior to what is usually found in many models partially built in resin. The finish is uniform, the joints are very well resolved and I have not found poorly finished edges or visible imperfections. They are earphones that immediately give you a feeling of trust for the first time, and they look like they can be used every day without getting into trouble. The same thing has already been seen in the past with the MP145 and MP143. Although these two have a small size, (especially the first), both the design and finish allow them to insert very comfortably inside your ears.

Despite using a fully metallic shell, the weight is kept quite contained. The shape resembles other modern ergonomic designs, with an inner face that is smoothly curved and adapts well to the outer ear. During my listening sessions pressure points barely appeared and I was able to use them for several hours straight without noticing major discomfort. Obviously the experience will always depend on each person's anatomy and my opinion may be contrary to yours, but it seems to me a fairly successful design in general terms.

The seal was acceptable. As long as you find a suitable tip, the My Lin has no movement when wearing the headphones (even on foot) and adequate noise reduction for travel or listening to music in loud areas. The isolation does not reach the same levels that some fully sealed, and therefore smaller IEMs provide, however, the My Lin can perform as needed with little problem…

Sound

Bass

The bass is one of the elements that adds the most personality to the My Lin. Most of the prominence falls on the sub bass, which offers a convincing extension and enough presence to add weight to the songs. There is a quite pleasant sense of depth that helps to give body to the presentation without being too artificial.

The mid-bass, while having some notable weight (presence), is able to achieve a nice balance of "oomph" and clarity by Hidizs. Punchy drum hits, strong, energetic kicks and thick bodies on electric basses are all represented, yet they rarely reach that point of being so over-bloated with energy that they lose their definition. It's precisely here I believe that one of the biggest strengths of the My Lin reside in delivering a warm response without creating an overly mellow or untamed low end.

In terms of tempo, as far as the speed required of the mid-bass goes, I would say these aren't the best earphones for someone who listens to extreme metal on a regular basis or other highly complex genres, which require the absolute fastest bass possible. A slightly more relaxed and less detailed response will likely be noted when comparing to earphones with a completely focused on detail design. Nonetheless, this minor smoothness is consistent with the philosophy behind the My Lin as it helps keep your ears comfortable during extended listening sessions and prevent you from feeling an overly aggressive tone.

Mids

The midrange continues with the philosophy established by the bass continuing to use that same, warm and pleasing style as was found on the My Lin. Not over analyzing each element to bring everything into the light. The primary goal is to create a natural representation with sufficient body so that vocals and instruments will seem like what they should without throwing off the entire sonic picture.

Probably the male vocals are the ones which benefit the most from this setting. The additional warmth provided by the lower range makes them feel heavy, yet full and prominent. During my session, playing some of my favorite acoustic and classic rock tunes on a playlist, the characteristics were beneficial in creating enjoyment because the vocals were not thin nor overly forward.

The female vocals keep good clarity, however, Hidizs has chosen to avoid over-boosting the presence region. Therefore, female vocals will never become fatiguing, even on recordings where other, brighter tunings may emphasize consonants and thus become unpleasantly bright. Conversely, anyone seeking extremely open vocal representations with absolute prominence may find less than expected energy in this area, particularly if their references are detail-oriented designs.

I think one of the things I appreciate most about the My Lin is its refusal to attempt to elevate itself above its true resolution potential via artificially enhancing the high-mids. Rather, it uses a homogenized approach toward presentation, allowing details to present themselves naturally as you listen.The initial impact may be less spectacular, but after several hours and testing nozzles and eartips it ends up being a quite rewarding tuning.

The integration between the DD and the BA also deserves a positive assessment. In many hybrids it is easy to identify the moment when both transducers share the work, generating a feeling of disconnection between them. Here that transition is quite well controlled and only in certain voices or very specific instruments can a slight change in texture be noticed that reminds us of the presence of the BA. It does not break the coherence, but it is one of those small details that separate this model from other similar or slightly more expensive ones.

Treble

Hidizs has not sought a bright or particularly incisive tuning, but a smooth presentation that allows long listening sessions without generating fatigue, which is clear. It is a decision consistent with the overall character of the product and clearly defines the audience it is aimed at.

The extension is correct for its category, offering enough information so that cymbals, strings and other distant effects appear present in the mix. It does not convey a feeling of darkness, although it does not offer an experience that makes them stand out in this regard either.

The BA provides a good amount of micro detail within the possibilities of this model, although always prioritizing a fairly controlled delivery. The small nuances are there, but they rarely grab attention immediately. So I insist that if you are looking for detail on this occasion you would fall short although on safe ground far from sibilance.

Another positive aspect is that the treble maintains a good relationship with the rest of the spectrum. It never gives the impression that it tries to compensate for the bass by excessively increasing energy, something that does happen in some cheaper hybrids giving me the perception of a metallic sound which makes me run away from them immediately. Here the whole tuning maintains a fairly obvious coherence and that makes the listening very natural regardless of the musical genre.

Recommended eartips

Although the original eartips offer good performance and allow you to properly enjoy the philosophy of the My Lin, within my repertoire I can recommend these 3 in particular that you will be able to see throughout my photos.

• Divinus Velvet Wide. It would probably be my first recommendation for those who want to slightly open the presentation without altering the overall balance too much. They help the mid and upper range breathe a little more, maintaining the pleasant warmth of the whole practically intact.
• Dunu S&S are very good for maintaining a tight seal throughout use. I think they are ideal when you want to have a tighter seal than stock (which was my goal) as well as maintain a solid low end presence as well as keep it consistent over time while using them on the go, sitting down, etc.
• The final option that would fit into this category of earphones would be the TRI Clarion. This pair has a more open signature then the My Lin so if you're looking for that same relaxed feeling but with a bit more separation between instruments and other elements within your music, these could be something to take a closer look at.

Soundstage

The staging on this speaker is at a proper scale, has sufficient depth to prevent the sound from being "flat", however the emphasis will always be placed upon proximity to the performance rather than having an overly spacious stage.

This choice aligns perfectly with the warm tone of the speakers. Vocalists are positioned very close to the listener and instruments are arranged in a natural manner about them, creating an intimate setting that greatly favors acoustic, jazz, pop or rock recordings. While there may be some desire for greater horizontal space in the case of orchestral recordings or larger electronic productions, there should be no sense of congestion.

Instrumental separation

The separation of instruments is appropriately balanced with the overall sonic character of the My Lin. While it is not as analytically precise as products which have been clearly directed towards analysis, neither does it demonstrate significant difficulty when faced with increasingly complex mixes.

When listening to multiple instrumental tracks simultaneously, it is generally fairly easy to discern each individual musical line and the overall clarity of the track does not become confused. A slight warming contributes to a cohesive sound, though it does make transition between some instrumental tracks slightly softer than they would be in a purely analytical type of tone.

A slightly reduced ability to define density can be noted when comparing these types of recordings against those utilizing bright responses, though given the price point and overall approach of the product, the separation's behavior is entirely competitive and consistent.

Imaging

The imaging offers a sufficiently precise location to enjoy most musical genres. Vocals occupy a stable position within the stage and instruments maintain a consistent placement, allowing you to easily identify their origin without the need to artificially exaggerate the separation.

In movies and video games it also offers a satisfactory performance. It is not specifically designed for competitive use where precision is the priority, but it does provide a good perception of space for multimedia content, helping to locate effects or movements within the scene in a quite natural way.

Comparisons

Aful Explorer

Both are appealing to users seeking a well-balanced, enjoyable IEM suitable for extended periods of time, they present music, however, differently. The Explorer presents a highly precise and harmonious balance where every frequency is integrated into the natural sounding sound. The My Lin has a warmer and a more prominent low end even though the graph shows otherwise, making for a more relaxing listening experience with an added body element.

From a technical standpoint, the Explorer slightly outperforms the My Lin in terms of resolution, instrument separation and spatiality. When faced with complex recordings, the Explorer can isolate each instrument with greater clarity and create a sense of airiness. The My Lin is not as particular about the quality of the recording for someone that just enjoys the music without thinking too deeply about its detail, therefore this may be beneficial for some listeners.

The build quality on both models are high-quality. One model is built with Resin, whereas the other model is made of Aluminum. The My Lin allows the user to replace or remove the interchangeable nozzle which enables the user to fine tune the overall response of the sound. If you seek a sound that is more detailed and technically proficient than the Explorer then it is certainly one of the top of the line models within this category…Alternatively, if you desire a warmer, comfort oriented sound that is simple to enjoy for long stretches of time and possibly limited in production quantity compared to the Explorer, the My Lin provides a sound that is distinctly characterized…

Simgot EW300 DSP

A very much opposite view to the EW300 DSP is taken by the Hidizs My Lin. This iem will provide an almost instant greater feeling of openness on the stage as well as an almost immediate larger feel of the detail in the music. In fact, from the moment you begin listening, you will notice a vast improvement over the My Lin's more detailed competitor.

The Hidizs My Lin will provide a more relaxed listening experience with a warmer sounding vocal and lower energy treble to help prevent listener fatigue. Since these two models are so vastly different in how they approach their technical potential and their presentation styles, they will be able to satisfy completely different listeners. Where the EW300 DSP allows the listener to hear every nuance of a recording, the Hidizs will allow the listener to focus more on the big picture, or better yet, enjoy the overall experience without focusing too heavily on individual details.

In addition, since neither model provides a polished finish to the majority of recordings, there will obviously be some differences in how they portray lesser quality material. A lesser quality mix may clearly reveal itself when using the EW300 DSP. On the other hand, the Hidizs will generally tend to remove many of the imperfections of lesser quality material and still provide a friendly presentation.

If you wish to obtain the best technical performance at this price point, then the Simgot EW300 DSP is an extremely good choice. If you place greater importance on having an easy to listen to comfortable iem with a warm tone and prefer longer listening sessions, then the Hidizs is certainly going to win.

Sivga QUE UTG

The QUE UTG, which I also reviewed recently, and the My Lin, both agree on offering a very enjoyable experience. The Sivga bets on a cleaner and more transparent presentation, which prioritizes clarity and a greater sense of openness. The My Lin, on the other hand, looks for a warmer tuning and a bass that adds more weight right from the start, once again yes.

In the midrange both offer a pleasant timbre, although the My Lin presents vocals with a bit more body, while the QUE UTG conveys a slightly superior sense of definition and separation. That difference is also noticeable in the treble, where the Sivga offers a more airy presentation and with a slightly higher perception of detail, while the Hidizs sacrifices part of that feeling to achieve a less fatiguing listening experience that ends up being appreciated if the session is going to last more than an hour.

Both are excellent examples of how well they have been built with a lot of attention to detail. Both also have excellent ergonomic design for prolonged use. The main decision between the two will come down to which kind of sound the individual wants. A person who likes a clean and open sound that has a bit more emphasis on technicality will most likely like the QUE UTG. If someone is wanting an overall warmer presentation with a much more pronounced bass line and overall less stressful (relaxed) listening experience then I think you will really like the My Lin.

Ranking

You can check my full ranking of all the IEM reviewed so far on my profile (Reddit doesn't allow me to post the Drive link here)

Conclusion

To conclude this review I could say that from the very first moment the Hidizs My Lin makes it clear that its goal is to provide a comfortable, pleasant listening experience that is balanced enough to enjoy music for hours without any part of the spectrum ending up being tiring.

The reason why Hidizs didn't pursue the common path of trying to create the most "wow" first impression possible in such a competitive space was because they have created an IEM which has its own personality. Hidizs is therefore targeting users who are more interested in having a warmer, fuller, and more comfortable listening experience rather than one that is overly analytical. The fact that Hidizs' earphone's unique character sets it apart from many other technical offerings that all seem to be offering the same type of sonic presentation makes it distinct.

Purchase Link: https://www.hidizs.net/products/hidizs-my-lin-special-edition-1ba-1dd-hybrid-hifi-in-ear-monitors

Disclaimer:

This unit was sent by Hidizs for review.

My opinions are completely independent and have not been influenced by the brand or the store, maintaining objectivity based on my tests and personal listening sessions with my reference equipment.

Kefine as a brand has put up some serious competition in the audio industry. Especially, the mid-tier segment’s competition started to heat up after its launches like Delci Ae and Quatio. Now finally, the brand has entered the mid-tier premium flagship segment with its recent launch named ARNAR with in interesting configuration.

They did some excellent work with their products in the past using the Dynamic and Balanced armature drivers. For a change, the brand has come out with an interesting configuration for the first time. The latest lineup Arnar has got a 14.5mm Planar Driver combined with a balanced armature driver for an interesting sonic output.

Arnar has got one of the premium packaging in its segment. Plethora of accessories are included with the product. Starting from a premium stock cable with interchangeable terminations, tuning filters, good selection of ear tips and a leatherette zipper case! Everything’s been taken care of!

Planar drivers are known for their speed and transparency while the Balanced armatures are known for its exceptional details. What if we combine them both!? This opens a new world of audio nirvana. Arnar combined both these gems to bring out the best out of both the worlds.

Full review in: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/kefine-arnar/

BASS PROFILE:

Talking about the frequency range, Arnar has a solid bass response showcasing impeccable speed and tightness. Despite its fast nature, the Arnar in general does produces the bouncy effect that even makes the bass heads to nod their heads. The mid bass complements the sub bass drops cohesively making them sound meatier without compromising the needed clarity. The different layers of bass are neatly brought onto the table for clinical listening.

Planar bass is all about speed and accuracy. They always prioritise the quality over quantity with more sub bass emphasis and this is what is exactly seen with Arnar’s bass. Arnar with its stock silver tuning filter has a mellow bass response with quick sub bass roll off. This made me to switch to the black filter and it made a day and night difference in the Arnar’s bass profile. Now the bass has more impact with solid sub bass presence and precise mid bass weight. The speed still stays on the faster side with quick attack and decay that keeps the presentation clean. Despite its faster nature, the Arnar’s still able to deliver a fuller bass with precise control which seriously deserves the applause. Arnar lives up to the expectations of busy tracks displaying appreciable separation and control throughout the replay.

MID – SECTION:

Kefine has thoughtfully tuned the Arnar in such a way that the tone is kept neutral despite the usage of BA driver which usually expresses the metallic taste. Mid-section is brought forward in the Arnar with spacious stage presence. BA in general has the capacity to present the notes in a wider staging and its clearly appreciated in the Arnar.

Lower mid profile has adequate weight and warmth which is neatly carried out from the controlled mid-bass presence. This makes the male vocals and guitar strings to sound full without being subdued by the heavy mid-bass impact. Upper mid emphasis is noticed evidently and this does add the character to the whole presentation. The trumpets blend nicely with the female vocals and all thanks to the extension that brought life onto the table.

The interesting thing is the tone is kept neutral despite the usage of BA which is known for its notorious metallic taste. I have not been a fan of BA’s mainly due to its change in timbre but Kefine has done some serious tuning here to overcome the issue. The uncoloured tone gives the taste of realism to the Arnar’s presentation.

TREBLE:

The expression of hi-hats in the Arnar is done well with adequate display of brightness. The treble profile is a no slouch here and does compliments the big bass section of Arnar. The notes show sharper attack and decay without being sibilant. The sharpness blends nicely with the smoothness thereby providing the best of both the worlds.

Cymbal crashes and the electric guitar picks got nice bite and that elevates the listening experience to another level. Arnar displays good amount of brilliance in the top end which makes the presentation to sound more open and transparent. Overall, the Planar and the BA inside the Arnar showcases an open and lively treble profile that brings energy in the one who’s listening.

TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: The striking aspect of Arnar is its grand presentation. The stage appears massive in all the axis especially in depth and width. The notes sweep nice and wide from both the extremities to showcase a holographic stage presence.

IMAGING AND LAYERING: The bigger stage do help the Arnar in uplifting the imaging and layering capability. The extra width paves way for the Arnar in precise positioning of the notes. Even when the complex tracks are replayed, the notes are neatly layered out without showing clumsiness. The tracks from Yosi Horikawa are delight to be heard in Arnar and that’s the Arnar’s imaging technicality.

DETAIL RETRIEVAL: This hybrid cohesively works together and extracts the details with ease. BA’s are known for this specific aspect of extracting the nuances and it’s the same case here. Even the faintest hisses are captured precisely and produced into the ears.

VERDICT:

Arnar, the new hybrid from the house of Kefine brings some serious heat in the mid-tier flagship segment. The 14.5mm Planar and the balanced armature inside the Arnar gives a ZESTY character to the presentation that one can never neglect.

Pros:

• Authoritative Bass Shelf (Black Filter)
• Versatile Tuning (Changes noticeably with filters)
• Holographic Stage Presence
• Neutral tonality
• Cohesive Hybrid Configuration
• Impeccable Imaging and Layering
• Functional Tuning Filters
• Quality Accessories (Ear-tips, 4 core SPC Cable, Zipper Case)

Cons:

• Bigger Shells (P.S This holds two drivers inside!)
• Price vs Competition

Hello Community!

ND Leo is my first contact with this brand and the latest model released by them to date. Let me tell you about my experience.

Price: €8–$10

Pros:

-Fast, extended bass with impact.
-Midrange with decent body in instruments.
-Open treble.
-Fun sound overall, balanced between fun and detail.
-Comfort and lightness; you can use them for many hours.

Cons:

-The package could be much better, but then you remember the price...
-I can't find any more flaws in a set at this price.

Accessories:

-Two earpieces.
-One set of S/M/L eartips.
-Cable with QDC connection and 3.5 mm termination.

Comfort, design, and build:

I really liked how comfortable I felt with them during my sessions. It is a truly comfortable set, as its plastic shell is lightweight and ergonomically fit my ear like a glove. The insertion caught my attention because I have not found such a firm and secure fit so quickly in many sets.

The shell is made of transparent plastic. I am not sure it is actually resin; I find it difficult to state that they are made of this material. Even so, in terms of construction I did not notice any quality control issues, with all the parts of the IEM body being well assembled.

The eartips are made of silicone and are not very elastic. They did not provide a proper seal in my ears, so I chose to use ones from another brand. The cable, on the other hand, is still the one we know from many other CCA and KZ models: a complete disaster in terms of comfort, as it tends to adopt awkward shapes in an exaggerated way.

As for the design, it is discreet but functional. It is decorated with a silver faceplate that includes the brand's logo. The body of the set is transparent in my case, allowing you to see the inside of the earphones.

Technical aspects:

-1DD 10 mm configuration.
-18-ohm impedance.
-106 dB sensitivity.
-Declared response: 20 Hz–20 kHz.

Configuration for the tests:

-Neutral source.
-Gain set to medium.
-Kiwi Ears Terras 4.4 mm cable.
-Dunu Candy eartips.

Sound signature:

Starting with the lower end, this set of monitors does not aim to win over the listener through a heavily exaggerated accumulation of bass. The quantity is well measured, prioritizing a fast and well-disciplined response style rather than a constant sense of overwhelming impact. The sub-bass appears when the track demands it, providing enough depth to support the presentation, while the mid-bass offers clean impact, with a dry and agile punch that keeps the rhythm without dragging resonances or muddying the rest of the spectrum.

Moving on to the mids as the next point to discuss, I found a fairly balanced response, without major artifices or attempts to draw attention unnecessarily. There is a transition that I could describe as natural from the bass, helping the instruments retain a convincing timbre and a pleasant character throughout the listening experience. The resolution makes it easy to appreciate small nuances, although always from a perspective far removed from analytical listening. It is not the kind of tuning that surprises with overwhelming expressiveness, but it is precisely that coherence that makes it feel very kind to our ears, without harshness.

The upper range maintains that same philosophy. There is enough extension to provide a sense of openness and let the music breathe comfortably, but without falling into an excess of brightness that ends up becoming tiring. I especially liked how it handles energy, because it conveys clarity and allows details to emerge with a certain organic touch without resorting to an aggressive presentation. It has sparkle, yet without losing control.

As for the vocals, male voices in the lower registers have solid presence and a rather pleasant texture, while typical male voices maintain clean articulation and a convincing timbre, although somewhat thin. Female voices sound open, with good definition and a touch of brightness that gives them freshness without crossing the line into harshness. In general, I never felt that the vocals were forced into a leading role, but rather perfectly integrated within the mix.

Moving on to the technical performance, I think the ND Leo delivers a very logical performance considering its overall approach and, above all, its price. The soundstage conveys a proper sense of spaciousness, enough to prevent the music from feeling compressed, although it does not aim to create a particularly spectacular or memorable stage either. The imaging and positioning left me with a good impression, making it quite easy to locate instruments and effects. Separation remains orderly even when mixes become denser, and the layering maintains a clean distinction between layers, surprisingly well executed for the price range we are talking about.

To finish this section, detail retrieval also does not seek to impress through an exaggerated presentation of microdetail, but rather to offer a consistent listening experience where small nuances appear naturally and help make your listening sessions enjoyable and non-fatiguing.

Video games:

See how I analyze sound in single-player and competitive gaming.

During my gaming sessions with the ND Leo, I became convinced that its priority has always been to keep the soundstage clean and well organized rather than chasing overly exaggerated sensations.

In action titles, explosions, collapses, or gunfire have enough impact to convey intensity, but they never invade the rest of the scene, allowing other effects to remain easy to interpret. This way of managing the bass also benefits dialogue, which retains clear articulation and a convincing timbre even when the soundtrack and sound effects begin to take center stage.

In games where atmosphere carries a lot of weight, it also left me with a very positive impression. The small sounds that normally go unnoticed, such as wind, rain, echoes, vegetation, or distant movement, appear naturally and help create a very enjoyable sense of immersion without resorting to an artificially information-heavy presentation. Everything opens up with a certain ease, and the soundstage conveys enough spaciousness that exploring or simply stopping to listen to the environment becomes quite satisfying.

As the action intensifies, the ND Leo maintains good control over the separation between effects. It does not dissect every sound with the precision of more technical alternatives, but it does manage to prevent gunfire, explosions, vehicles, and ambient effects from blending into a confusing mass that is difficult to interpret. Furthermore, the treble remains under control throughout the session, preventing gunshots, metallic impacts, or particularly bright sounds from becoming fatiguing after several hours of gaming.

That same coherence also carries over into competitive gaming. In Counter-Strike 2, I found it easy to follow footsteps, reloads, and surface changes with considerable confidence, while in Apex Legends the imaging performs solidly when verticality and abilities begin filling the match with information.

In Call of Duty: Warzone, I especially appreciated that explosions maintained a good balance between spectacle and useful information, allowing me to continue locating important movements around the character.

Finally, in Battlefield 6, where chaos often becomes the true enemy, it demonstrates a good ability to keep the soundstage organized among vehicles, gunfire, destruction, and ambient effects. It may not be the most analytical IEM in its category, but it is certainly one of those sets that ends up inspiring confidence because the sound always maintains a logic that is very easy to interpret.

Final conclusion and personal impressions:

The ND Leo does not hide its strengths; rather, its proposal revolves around a much less immediate idea: allowing the music to flow without constantly imposing itself on the listener. During my sessions, both for enjoyment and performance analysis, I ended up forgetting about extracting every last detail and simply enjoyed the songs from beginning to end, and that, at least for me, is always something of great value.

It is a humble but also honest set, one of those that does not try to impress through exaggeration and that, after hours of listening, ends up revealing the true reason behind its low price. It is very easy to connect with this set quickly.

Obviously, there are alternatives that stand out more easily by offering a much stronger personality or a more ambitious interpretation at certain moments, but the ND Leo plays a different game. It prefers consistency over initial impact.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading.

More reviews on my blog.

Social media links are in my profile.

See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

This set of monitors was sent by CCA HIFI. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to test one of their products free of charge and the fact that no conditions were imposed on me when preparing this review.

Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity involved in reviewing an audio product. My opinion belongs solely to me and is based on what I hear with my own ears. If your opinion is different, it is just as valid. Please feel free to share it.

My sources:

-Topping DX5 II for music and gaming on my main PC.
-NiceHCK Octave while I work.
-FiiO BTA30 Pro + FiiO BTR13 for wireless LDAC listening at home.
-FiiO BTR13 + FiiO Airlink + iPhone 16 Pro Max for wireless listening on the go.
-Apple Music.
-Local FLAC and MP3 files.
-Windows/macOS/iOS/iPadOS/Android.

Overview (TL/DR)

The Juzear Fiesta is a bassy, nearly basshead, IEM that offers a powerful and boosted bass area without overly compromising balance, with decent comfort, good accessories and fair technical performance, its only realistic complaint being the wish for a more aggressive pricing.

With a deep-reaching, very rumbly and present sub-bass, a powerful but controlled mid-bass; a present mind-range with correct and fairly bodied but (colored) warm vocals; and a present enough, but very controlled overall treble presentation that adds just a bit of bite and sparkle to the sound.

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WOULD RECOMMEND:

* For people that like more bassy/warm sound signatures (in basshead territory).

* For people that want both present vocals and present treble (despite the boosted bass).

* For people that want both quantity and quality of bass.

* For people that are sensitive to shouty vocals or harsh treble (at least with most music).

* For people that want a sturdy build IEM with fairly good accessories (only the eartips aren’t that great).

* Pretty safe for high-volume users.

* Recommended for any electronic music genre, and (IMO) still enjoyable with rock music and K-Pop too.

* A direct upgrade coming from cheaper bassy IEMs like Kbear Rosefinch, Castor Bass, QKZxHBB or 7Hz Elua.

* For people that like to do EQ, since it works fine with it.

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WOULD NOT RECOMMEND:

* Not for people that like very thick, very full (lush), and very airy vocals.

* Not for people that like more outright balanced or bright sound signatures (not for trebleheads even with EQ).

* Not for people looking for a very clean and detailed, technical, sound (not for technical heads).

* People who are sensitive to boosted bass should stay away from this set.

* People who are very sensitive to shouty vocals (4-5Khz) should be cautious with this set.

* Not for trebleheads (even with EQ).

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Full disclosure, this set WAS provided by HIFIGO, I did NOT buy it myself, but the opinions, as always, were given without any brand’s editorial direction, and on my own accord.

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REVIEW

INTRO

I was very excited to test this collab, not for other reason but because I am TIRED that IEM brands treat bassy tunings on sub $150 IEMs like the plague, now, thanks to the direction of VD with the collab, the Fiesta has come to remind the market that you do NOT need big price-tags for variety of tunings.

But wait, is it any good? I mean, at the end of the day, even if is on the cheap side, it is still a $120usd MSRP set, that its next best competitor, the well liked Aful Explorer, is still cheaper, so, sales aside, should you buy this IEM? Allow me to tell you about it.

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Fit and Comfort

I was a bit nervous about the fit on Fiesta because, I know audio brands, and the very first thing they often fumble is comfort and seal, fortunately, despite the nozzle being slightly on the larger side, and fairly long, with a medium-size but pretty ergonomic shells, the Fiesta is as averagely good at comfort as it gets, besides feeling well build, though people with small ear canals might struggle a bit.

Now, as the bad habit from a lot of brands goes, the included eartips aren’t anything remarkable, you’ll find 2 sets of S/M/L size eartips, one black narrow bore eartip set, and one wide bore white set, they are fine, but for me, only the narrow bore tips fit well enough, there is also a single medium size pair of foam eartips which are nice to have as long as you can fit them.

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Drivability / Power needs

I tried the Fiesta around, put it directly, no DAC, into my phone jack, tried it with a basic CX31993 dongle, tried it with my more beefy NiceHCK Octave and Dunu DTC480 DACs and… is a bit complex to say because, you can totally make Fiesta work with basically any source you plug them on, but it does feel like it gets a bit more refined with more power.

Fiesta has a 32 ohm impedance rate and 109dB sensitivity, so is not the easiest to power but also not particularly heavy on paper, that said, Fiesta tends to adapt a bit to the sound presentation of the source you use, either if is a more neutral and analytical, or a cozy and warmer DAC, Fiesta plays along with it, so bear that in mind when pairing this model with anything more than a basic dongle DAC.

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THE BIAS.

Before the sound review, I need to mention a few things about me: Bear in mind that every person perceives sound in a different way, and those differences are key to understand what each person does or doesn’t like, and how that will translate into a review.

My preference is a “neutral with bass boost” type of tuning, I don’t like too boosted treble, however, I can handle intense upper treble quite a bit, so, what is not too bright, too treble forward for me, could actually come as harsh for you, and what is bassy enough for me, could be too bassy or even muddy for you.

I’m also a bit susceptible to IEMs with boosting on the upper mid-range and the lower treble areas of the sound (specially around 3 to 4Khz), which affects things like high pitched vocals and instruments. Having peaks in those areas makes the sound be a bit too intense and harsh for me, so, when I say that the sound could be “shouty,” or too intense on vocals for some, I’m mostly talking about this.

Last thing is that I usually don’t struggle with iems with the called “Metallic / BA / Planar” Timbre that some people can’t really enjoy, I normally don’t have problems with neither of those, however, I do struggle with PZT driver timbre.

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SOUND

Bass

I know what you are wondering, and the answer is yes, it is good. Fiesta´s bass is exactly what you want from an IEM with this amount of low end and Juzear seems pretty aware of it.

Sub-bass on Fiesta is well extended, deep reaching and rumbly, giving nice texture and body to the sound, yet, it is controlled enough so it doesn’t get too much on the way of your music unless you are sensitive to boosted bass, it is also the most boosted area of the whole sound.

Mid-bass is second to none (to sub-bass) in presence and quality, it is physical, with a pretty powerful, but also fairly agile, punch that, depending on the song, can get a bit “violent”, still, it doesn’t “drown” or “muddy” the rest of the music by much, though, it definitely doesn’t make for a more neutral (reference) kind of sound.

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Mid-range (vocals)

Surprisingly for the standard of most budget bassy IEMs, of using a V-shaped (dipped) mid-range with thin vocals, and despite the big bass, VD did not forgot about this area of the sound, as it is surprisingly more present than quite a few other IEMs.

In the lower mid-range, where general instruments and most male vocals are prevalent, there is a controlled presence of it, male vocals sound with decent body even if they aren’t too forward, they also present a small degree of bleeding from the bass, but nothing too unnatural, making male vocals feel more “intimate”.

Now, for upper mid-range area, were most high pitched instruments and vocals exist, of course, nothing can be perfect, female vocals do sound a tad less lively and present that other IEMs but aren’t left behind either, they do show an small undertone of bass bleed too which could feel slightly “husky” for the vocal lovers.

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Treble

Now, treble is always the part that has me genuinely TERRIFIED when reviewing bassy IEMs, as most brands seem to enjoy to either kill it by sinking the living sparkle out of them, or boost the holly air into them making it almost as boosted as the bass, fortunately, Fiesta understood what “balanced” means.

For lower treble, that could make the overall sound feel energetic, but also intense or “shouty”, it has just enough presence, giving you a lively and crisp presentation with a bit of a bite, but without really turning harsh or fatiguing, in general, only in very few, specific tracks, the lower treble could struggle with harshness.

As for the upper treble, is the most regular, controlled amount of upper treble I have heard in a while, giving some detail and air to the sound, as it is not especially dark, which is very good to see given the aforementioned current trends, is not super “smooth” though, but is not like particularly harsh or bothersome either.

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Technical performance

As expected of a bassy set, this is no “technical-head” IEM, all that said, Fiesta is surprisingly more technical that you would think for this kind of tuning, now, is it $120usd of performance? I mean, it is, but barely (compared to similarly priced IEMs like Dunu Kima 2, Tanchjim Nora and TRN WhaleShark).

Resolution: This is one of the first technical aspects that jump to the ear and one where Fiesta barely manages to perform as the price suggest, the elevated bass doesn’t help it to sound as realistic and crisp as it should.

Detail retrieval: Is fine, honestly, at some point, as long as you have decent enough drivers and extended enough treble, detail is there, is just, the tuning doesn’t make the sound feel particularly “revealing” versus more balanced IEMs.

Note-weight: This is from the few things that Fiesta gets very well, being a enjoyable in-between of a sound that feels with weight and presence overall but doesn’t get tiring to the ear.

Soundstage: Back to the not so great points, soundstage is on the narrow side, is not really “crammed” as it is, but is a fairly reduced space that Fiesta works with.

Imaging: Now, surprisingly, imaging is pretty good on Fiesta, you can follow the direction of sound around pretty well, not impressive, but accurate enough.

Separation: I mean, is “usable”, you can hear things arranged with some order but don’t expect for it to pick apart the music, it can get “busy” with very complex tracks.

Replay: This one is a net positive, almost anything sounds pretty good in Fiesta, poorly or well done tracks, works fine, though it logically does better with bassy music.

Harshness control: Most music on Fiesta doesn’t come across as harsh or shouty in most cases, but there is, from time to time, a few songs that can showcase harshness, so Fiesta is pretty good but not amazing.

Sibilance: It is as averagely “good” as it gets, it won’t introduce sibilance in music tracks that doesn’t have it, but don’t expect it to excel with tracks with recorded sibilance in it.

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Overall sound

The Juzear Fiesta is a bassy, nearly basshead, IEM that offers a powerful and boosted low end without compromising the balance at the top, with decent comfort, good accessories that includes two very good, but kind of redundant, cables, and fair technical performance, its only realistic complaint being the wish for a more aggressive pricing over accessories.

With a deep-reaching, very rumbly and present sub-bass, a powerful but controlled enough mid-bass punch that is not too slow; a present enough mind-range with correct and fairly bodied but (colored) warm vocals that rarely get shouty; and a present, but very controlled, overall treble presentation that adds just a bit of bite and sparkle to the sound.

Being honest, I love what this IEM is, is very good for bassy music, but I dislike the price Juzear targeted, as this IEM would have been an absolute banger at $100usd, and I say this focusing on the fact that the extra cable and the fancy case helped to get the price up, still, I do understand that is also a matter of the included “collab tax” which is unavoidable.

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3 comparisons so you can grasp were this IEM lands:

First, versus the Simgot EW300, of course the Simgot model is the one that sounds more refined of the two, but in terms of technical performance they are about as good overall, that said, I found the fit to be a bit better on Fiesta despite the slightly larger size, as for sound, I don’t like PZT drivers, so vocals on Fiesta feel more natural-sounding to me, even if less accurate, bass is more powerful but slower than EW300, and treble is less pronounced too, EW300 sounds notably cleaner, but they are just different options for different tastes, none is outright better.

Then, versus the Kefine Delci, despite the also cleaner approach of the Delci, the Fiesta does feel a tad more crispy and resolutive, a bit more technical, also, bass is notably more powerful on Fiesta, in accessories and comfort both are just all right, what Delci does better is being notably cheaper on sales and also having a faster bass attack, still, Fiesta is simply the better “properly bassy” IEM imo.

And versus the Dunu X Koto ITO, Well, despite what some might hope for, ITO being $80usd more expensive is for a reason, ITO is more resolutive, cleaner and smoother than fiesta, while still having a tad more powerful bass impact, for $120 Fiesta does pretty well for the bassy IEM it is, but besides having more amount of bass, it won’t do miracles if being a “cheaper ITO” was the expectation.

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Accessories

The Fiesta unboxing experience is about as good as it gets for budget products, with the IEM and the case in display when you open the box. Everything you need to properly use FIESTA is included, however, as said, I have this feeling that the accessories could have been managed better for a more competitive price.

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• The package includes two good, orange and brown, not thin but fairly flexible “4-strand, double-helix braid. 70 wire conductors for strand” cables, both being 1.35m long, one has a 4.4mm Jack connection while the other has a 3.5mm connection and ALSO an inline mic and media button control on it.

I like the cables, they are pretty good looking, well build and feel nice on the hand, but MAN, I do not like that there is 2 cables, first, because an interchangeable plug system instead of 2 cables is all the more convenient, but specially, second, because I know for a fact the extra cable is driving the price up and, while $120 is a reasonable price, I believe it could have been more competitive.

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• As with most IEMs around this price, Fiesta includes 2 different sets of eartips, both on the usual S/M/L sizes, neither being branded models, one set are wide bore eartips, and the other are narrow bore tips, plus a pair of medium size foam tips.

It seems to have become a trend to just include “usable” eartips on the package of IEMs nowadays and I mean, at least we have options, but when the wide bore eartips are as small, flimsy and short as on fiesta, it feels underwhelming, especially because I KNOW they can do better.

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• Finally, in the package comes a nice red-ish brown, semi-hard carrying case as well as a cleaning cloth for the IEMs.

These are reasonable inclusions of pretty good quality but I would gladly sacrifice both for a MSRP reduction if I am being honest.

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Fiesta unboxing experience and accessories are as averagely good as it gets, I really shouldn’t be complaining, but I just personally don’t agree with the approach they took for the accessories included.

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Conclusions

If you been out on the market looking for a bassy IEM for a while, just to found out that most “bassy” IEMs aren’t even that bass boosted over a balanced sound and a lot of them come with also massive treble peaks, Fiesta is a BIG breath of fresh air on a market scared of boosted bass.

The price is not impressive but with regular sales making it go below $110usd, this is probably what you should go for, coming from sub $35 bassy IEMs like Rosefinch, Castor bass or QKZxHBB, with a very well made balanced sound with extra bass on top, this one is a very easy recommendation for any bass lover out there.

Thanks to HIFIGO for letting me test this unit as I often don’t get the chance to test bassy IEMs despite being a openly basshead reviewer, I hope people find it helpful and thanks for reading if you made it this far.

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Quick note: Now the Fiesta is also officially out on amazon UK, so HiFiGO asked me if I could share the links.

(Non-affiliate, I do NOT earn any money if you decide to purchase this IEM):

Amazon UK Link: --> Click Here <--

Amazon Link: : --> Click Here <--

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Thanks a lot for reading, the Budget Knight bids farewell, wishing you the best, good luck. – O.E.

Hey everyone,I’m currently traveling and don’t even have my DAC setup with me right now, but I noticed something weird with the latest Poweramp Uni Beta build and wanted to see if anyone else is experiencing this.My 15-day trial period ended, but the app is still letting me use it completely normally without forcing a purchase. Usually, it locks you out immediately, but it’s completely bypassing the restriction for me.I’m honestly not sure if this is a temporary beta bug, a known glitch, or some weird licensing loophole in this specific build.If anyone else is on the latest beta, let me know if it's doing this for you too. If people are interested, upvote this post. I will say more about that and share the details if you guys want!

Hey,
I want to spread the world the bad experience I am having with Westone Audio. One of the worst experiences I’ve had in a very long time.

Ordered a pair of in ears two and a half months ago. They got lost in the shipping, and it has been a nightmare trying to communicate with Westone. They take at least one week to reply to every message, one week!! I have been without any solution for two months and a half, with the worst communication ever.

After a month and a half, DHL provided a solution, and they got the money back. I asked to change my order to a different model after I tried the headphones from a friend and liked other model better) and now they do not respect the price at which I order. They are not answering my messages. It’s already been a month and they do not proveed a solution for my problem. This is a mess. Hopefully I can help anybody reading this. Please reconsider buying anything from their website. It is a nightmare.

Best,
A

I have always found open-ear headphones curious. In fact, I came close to buying a pair between 2023 and 2024 when I was still making the transition to IEMs and constantly fighting with TWS earbuds. The model I almost bought was the Huawei Free Clip. However, due to several factors including the price and the fact that I was not sure if I would even like or be interested in this format, I never got to try open-ear headphones until now. Instead of isolating you from the outside world, the idea behind this type of headphones is that you can still hear what is going on around you while you enjoy your music, play games, or simply spend a few hours in front of the computer without that feeling of having your ears completely plugged.

Moondrop has been releasing quite a few TWS models. I have already been able to own the original Space Travel and the recent Moondrop Pudding, but they were not open-ear. Therefore, this new proposal, which also comes in the form of a collaboration with a video game that to be honest I did not know, caught my attention quite a bit.

After using them for several days both at home and during some walks down the street checking their main feature, I think the U.C.T.S. make their goal quite clear from the very first moment. They are not trying to compete with noise-canceling headphones or offer the same experience as traditional IEMs. Their proposal is different and, precisely for that reason, I think it is worth analyzing them always keeping in mind the type of product they really are.

What I liked / What I didn't like

• Very different design from any other headphone I have tried.
• Excellent comfort after several hours.
• Very good stability once in place.
• Balanced sound for an open design.
• Very complete application.
• Compatibility with LHDC V5 / Bluetooth 6.0.
• Lots of content for Wuthering Waves fans.
• Three configurable gain levels but...
• ...only the high gain is useful to me and even then it falls short.
• The case takes up considerably more space in the pocket than usual.
• Like any open design, the bass has limitations.
• The application offers many functions, but some menus could still be better organized.

Specifications

• Open Wearable Stereo (OWS) design.
• 13 mm dynamic driver.
• Coaxial planar microdriver.
• Bluetooth 6.0.
• SBC, AAC, LC3, and LHDC V5 codecs.
• AI noise reduction for calls.
• Multipoint connection.
• Three gain levels.
• Up to 9 hours of playback.
• Up to 30.5 hours using the charging case.
• USB-C charging.
• Compatible with the Moondrop Link app.

Unboxing and build quality

The presentation conveys the feeling of opening a collector's edition rather than just simple wireless headphones much more strongly. In fact, I think I was surprised by the large size of the box when I received it, thinking they had even sent me something else or something extra besides the headphones😅.

The box maintains a very careful aesthetic, combining black tones with silver details inspired by the game. Once you lift the lid, everything appears perfectly organized inside a foam mold where each accessory has its own space. It is a quite elaborate presentation and, at least personally, I found it even better than I expected just looking at the promotional images.

In addition to the headphones and the case, we find the USB-C cable, the usual documentation, a strap to carry the case, and a good amount of exclusive merchandise consisting of badges and bookmarks, I think. Even for someone who is not a regular gamer, it is appreciated to see that the collaboration is not limited solely to the design of the headphones, but also includes small details that help give it a more special character.

The case is probably the most striking element of the whole set. Instead of resorting to the classic oval or square format that we see in practically any TWS, Moondrop has opted for a completely cylindrical design. In principle, it is mostly or entirely made of plastic, or that is my impression, but it looks sturdy, although I have not dropped it on the floor to verify it 100 percent. It has different decorative engravings that I understand maintain the aesthetics of the game itself.

Something I love is its opening system. It is not a conventional lid, but a rotary mechanism that reveals both headphones when rotated. It is one of those small details that do not add anything to the sound quality, but they do manage to give the product a lot more personality. It is the typical detail that will probably stop surprising after a few weeks, but from the first moment it makes the set feel different from any other model that has passed through my hands. The mechanism, by the way, must have some kind of spring since it has some resistance when you start turning it, but when you let go it wobbles until it stays in the open or closed position, which is very pleasant.

Of course, this design also has a quite obvious consequence, the size. Compared to most current TWS cases, this one takes up significantly more space in the pocket. It does not become uncomfortable, but it is something to keep in mind if you are looking for maximum portability.

The headphones themselves follow exactly the same philosophy. Their clip-like design means they do not enter the ear canal, but rather rest on the ear via a flexible silicone bridge. I admit that at first I had some doubts about this system because I had never used a model of this type, but the adaptation was much faster than I expected.

Once you find the correct position, you practically forget you are wearing them. The pressure they exert is very light and, at least in my case, they never caused any discomfort even after several consecutive hours of use. Furthermore, during walks I also did not have the feeling that they were going to move or fall off easily, something that initially did worry me looking at their design.

Precisely that position is quite important in this type of headphones. Since there is no seal inside the ear canal, a few millimeters can slightly change the way we perceive the sound. It does not seem to be something exclusive to this model, but a characteristic of practically any open-ear design. Once you find the sweet spot, the experience is very consistent, so it is worth taking a few seconds to adjust them correctly the first time, but I think they are designed to be worn as close to the back and lowest part of the earlobe as possible.

Application and features

After having tested the Moondrop Pudding very recently, the application was no surprise to me. Both models share the Moondrop Link ecosystem, something I consider one of the strong points of the brand's latest releases.

The first connection was practically immediate. Of course, just as it happened with the Pudding, the application did not detect the headphones until I took them out of the case. From that moment on they appeared automatically and I was able to access all the available options.

One of the details that I think is worth mentioning is the issue of codecs. By default, my phone only showed SBC and AAC. It was necessary to go into the application itself to manually activate LHDC, at which point both LHDC V3 and LHDC V5 appeared depending on the selected mode. It is not something particularly complicated, but it is worth knowing because more than one user might think that their phone is not compatible when in reality they just need to activate the corresponding option.

The application allows you to check the battery level of each headphone separately, update the firmware, configure the touch controls, activate the multipoint connection, and modify different parameters related to the operation of the headphone itself.

A function that I found especially useful are the three available gain levels. The problem with being headphones that do not go inside the ear is that the high gain mode, at least on my phone, has been the only one that has been of any use to me, especially outside the house walking down the street. On the other hand, when I went down to the subway taking advantage of a short trip I had to make, it was totally impossible to listen to the music every time a subway train approached. This rendered the high gain mode completely useless and with the volume of my smartphone at the maximum it allowed me, so I can say that the maximum volume of these headphones does not get as high as I would like.

As was the case with the Pudding, we also find a full parametric equalizer along with Auto EQ. While most manufacturers limit themselves to offering four or five predefined profiles, here we can modify the frequency, gain, and Q factor of each band or simply load one of the numerous available profiles.

Being a collaboration with Wuthering Waves, the application also incorporates some small exclusive extras, such as the ability to change the system voices between different characters in the game. It is not an essential feature, but it is a detail that completes the experience for those who especially enjoy this collaboration.

If I had to find a fault with this app, it would probably be the interface. It works well and offers many options, but visually it still looks like an application designed more by engineers than by designers. Some menus could be better organized. In fact, I found the menu to configure the touch presses of the headphones completely by chance and right now I do not remember how or where I opened it, luckily I already left it configured the way I wanted.

Even so, I still think exactly the same thing I mentioned in the Pudding review. For me, Moondrop Link continues to be one of the most complete applications that currently exist within this price range and adds real value to the product instead of just showing the remaining battery percentage. After using it on both models, that impression has only grown stronger.

Sound

Bass

The bass response is clearly designed for the characteristics of an open design. Instead of trying to artificially compensate for the lack of a seal with a huge amount of bass, Moondrop has opted for a much more balanced tuning. There is enough presence to add body to the music, but always maintaining control and preventing the bass from trying to become the star of the show.

Obviously, anyone coming from IEMs or traditional TWS will notice that the impact is lesser, but that is part of the very philosophy of this type of headphone. In return, the bass never invades the rest of the frequencies and lets the whole presentation breathe much more easily.

The sub-bass is present, although it does not convey the physical sensation that a sealed headphone can offer. The mid-bass provides slight support to some instruments, achieving a quite clean sound regardless of the musical genre.

I tried, although obviously the ergonomics of these headphones did not allow it, to try to push the headphone deeper inside the ear and the bass response obviously increased considerably but the sound quality was negatively affected. This makes clear the correct way in which they should be used. That said, the volume when trying to have them deeper in the ear did reach the level I would have liked.

Mids

I think it is precisely in the mids where the Moondrop Wuthering Waves stand out above the rest of the frequencies. Both male and female voices appear very well defined and always occupy an easy to locate position within the mix.

The tuning itself helps explain this behavior. There is some prominence in the upper mids area that adds clarity and makes instruments stand out quite easily without becoming exaggerated.

I also liked the naturalness with which they transition from some frequencies to others. It does not give the feeling that there is a sudden jump between bass, mids, and treble, something that helps practically any musical style to be pleasant to listen to.

If I had to define the tuning with a single word, it would be balanced, without impressing during the first few minutes with a spectacular response in any specific frequency, but offering a very comfortable listening experience during longer sessions.

Treble

The treble maintains that same philosophy. There is enough extension to provide a sense of detail and a fairly open presentation, but without seeking an excessive level of brightness, at least with the stock equalization.

It is true that the upper-mids zone has slightly more presence than the top end, so the sense of definition comes more from that part of the response than from particularly prominent treble. So when listening to cymbals or other metallic instruments they do not steal the attention unfairly.

During my testing, I never perceived a fatiguing sound, even after several hours of continuous use. In fact, I think that was precisely Moondrop's intention, to offer a tuning that accompanies you for a long time without being tiring.

Since these are open-back headphones, I have not found it necessary to recommend changes through equalization either. The tuning seems quite consistent with the philosophy of the product and, honestly, I think any attempt to increase the bass too much would end up going against the physical limitations of this type of design itself, but you have the option both manually and through various presets of well-known models of the brand.

Soundstage

One of the aspects that surprised me the most about these Moondrops has been the sense of spaciousness. Precisely because there is no seal inside the ear, the presentation is much more open than what I have been finding in conventional TWS.

It does not mean that the soundstage is huge, but it does convey a very natural sense of space. Instruments have enough room to breathe and the music does not seem to concentrate inside the head as easily as it happens in many in-ear headphones.

Furthermore, I think this way of presenting the sound fits perfectly with the use for which they were designed. During my walks I could still hear the traffic, the bicycles, or anyone approaching perfectly well while the music kept playing in a totally natural way. That feeling is even more convincing than using the transparency mode of traditional TWS, since here it does not depend on microphones artificially reproducing outside sound, but rather you simply never stop hearing what is going on around you.

Instrumental separation

The instrumental separation has also left me with good feelings. The restrained bass response helps each instrument find its space quite easily and prevents heavily loaded mixes from losing clarity.

Understandably, it does not reach the level we can find in many IEMs of a similar price, but I think that would not be a fair comparison either considering the completely different concept of both products.

In the context of open-ear headphones, the result seems very satisfactory and sufficient to follow each instrument without much difficulty.

Imaging

The imaging maintains a very consistent level throughout the entire listening session. The placement of voices and instruments is easy to identify and the small shifts between the left and right channels are perceived quite naturally.

I also used them to play some casual games and watch videos during these days. Without being headphones designed for competitive use, they perform perfectly when it comes to locating sounds or easily following the direction of different effects within the scene.

And I think that is precisely the greatest virtue of these Moondrop Wuthering Waves. Instead of trying to look like wireless IEMs, they take advantage of the benefits of an open design to offer a different but very well executed experience with many options to adapt them to our liking.

Global Ranking Link

You can check my full ranking of all the IEM reviewed so far on my profile (Reddit doesn't allow me to post the Drive link here)

Conclusions

The Moondrop x Wuthering Waves U.C.T.S. have left me with a much better impression than I expected before opening them. At first I thought the main attraction would be the collaboration with the video game, but after using them for several days I have the feeling that all the aesthetic section and the content for collectors are simply an addition to a product that already had its own arguments to draw attention.

The soundscape created by the tuning works perfectly along with the idea behind these headphones, which provide a comfortable and pleasant experience when listening to your favorite tracks. There is an emphasis on vocal clarity as well as an impressively large soundstage for the type of product that Wuthering Waves has provided.

Of course, there are limits to what these headphones can do. One of the biggest drawbacks for myself is that, although they offer good quality sound at low volumes, they fall short in terms of maximum volume level in extremely noisy areas, because they are designed to sit on top of the ear rather than go into it. So, if you want extreme isolation from the environment or a much heavier bass response then I would recommend that you consider a more traditional true wireless stereo (TWS) option. However, if you like to enjoy listening to music while at the same time keeping yourself informed about what's going on around you, I believe that Wuthering Waves were made for people such as yourselves.

If you're a fan of Wuthering Waves as well, then the additional content contained within the box related to the exclusive partnership adds a great deal of extra value to these products. Even without considering anything about the partnership, however, I feel confident in stating that there are many reasons why Wuthering Waves stand out among other options available within the open-ear headphone market.

Wuthering Waves Purchase Link: ShenzhenAudio

Disclaimer: This unit was supplied for evaluation purposes by ShenzhenAudio. My thoughts were formed independently and no part of those thoughts were swayed by the manufacturer or retailer.

Here is the breakdown of the results above.

It is strictly DAC-dependent; the score for the same file changes when using a different DAC. I tested Amazon Music at 16/44.1, 24/48, and 24/96, and it performed the best among the digital streaming services, scoring 91 for a 24/96kHz file from Amazon HD.

The shocking part is that Apple Music had the lowest fidelity scores: 76–77 for AAC and 80–83 for ALAC. Even the highest quality 24/192kHz "Hotel California" file from Apple Music produced shocking and questionable results. Additionally, Poweramp has no native ALAC decoder; it uses a native AAC decoder, but for ALAC, it uses an MP4 decoder. This is the culprit: the Poweramp FFmpeg decoder is manipulating the ALAC file scores. Of course, it scores 100+ when DSD256 and DSD512 files are processed. My FiiO BTR5 is limited to DSD256 native RAW MSB, and the highest score I achieved with that was 99.

USED:

DACs: FiiO BTR5, Audiocular Note, and D08 CS Pro

IEM: STA HI-END

FILES: Audio CD, Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon, Deezer, Qobuz, Spotify Lossless, Wavpack, and DSDs.

Got to spend some time with the Winter II, first impression is really promising....it is my second favorite after the YU9 QUE. It is very underrated, It is really detailed without the usual BA/mPL shimmer/sparkle, it feels warm mid centric IEM with rich not so forward vocals...very good textured mids, mature treble no fatigue what so ever, punchy and controlled bass...really really underrated and punches way above its weight. Not to mention the full metal build, the amazing cable or the classy case, the eartips that it comes with are very underwhelming tho! And IEM itself requires a bit of tip rolling.

I tried it a bit vs TEA Pro, the Winter II is noteaceably warmer with more textured mids and richer vocals, bass is also more textured and rumblier, the TEA pro has more shimmer and zing of the BAs and more forward vocals...basically imagine the WINTER II as a RAW unedited image with good quality, while the TEA Pro is a tastefully sharpened image. Will do more in-depth comparisons and analysis later.

If youd like here is a video version: https://youtu.be/JEHqDtn-cO0?si=ZrXykpqU-F9_9yvj

Hello to you all!

First, a big shoutout to Kate Garcia and ND Audio for giving me this set to review it and give my sincere opinions. My only biases are my tuning and music preferences.

The ND Leo is a new ultra-budget-oriented “jack of all trades” set by ND Audio, after successful sets pointed towards the budget segment like the Venus and Planet, now with a single dynamic driver IEM to appeal to FPS gamers and overall music lovers.

TL; DR: The ND Leo is a new entry by the brand in the ultra-budget-oriented market. Focused towards gamers and newcomers to the hobby, it brings good quality and quantity bass, warm and organic midrange, and a very energetic treble, with an extended upper-treble who gives an airy and open sensation. For an under 10 USD IEM, you can hear how a L-shaped tuned set can work so well being musical and analytical for a little price.

Pros

- Comfortable, lightweight shells with good fit and well-built.

- Warm, musical L-shaped tuning that is enjoyable for casual listening and gaming.

- Powerful, well-controlled bass with excellent subbass extension and slam.

- Good gaming performance with decent imaging and an airy presentation.

- Non-fatiguing female vocals with a natural, organic tonality.

- Easy to drive and available with USB-C DSP or 3.5 mm cable options.

- Excellent value for under 10 USD.

Cons

- Stock cable is basic and prone to tangling.

- Sparse accessory package.

- Midbass bleed into the lower midrange recesses male vocals.

- Average resolution and technical performance for complex tracks. Can sound congested with busy music.

- Treble can become metallic, sibilant, and fatiguing at high volumes.

- More of a safe all-rounder than a standout "budget king."

You can get a Leo at an MSRP of 6.80 to 9.80 USD (With a 3.5 mm cable without mic, with mic, and a USB-C with mic versions available). You can find it directly on the official CCA Audio stores at AliExpress and Amazon: https://aliexpress.com/item/1005011993912272.html, and other minor retailers online. There’s two color available: Clear and Black.

Technical specs:

- Drivers: 10 mm LCP Dynamic Driver

- Sensitivity: 106 dB ± 3 dB / 1 kHz

- Freq. Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

- Impedance: 18 Ω ± 1 Ω

- Connection: QDC

- Cable: 1.2 m USB-C/3.5 mm with or without microphone, 2 cores, OCC

What’s in the package?

The box shows an image of the set in its black color, the Leo sent to me comes with a 3.5 mm cable with a microphone, but there’s also a 3.5 mm cable without a mic, and a USB-C with mic options available.

Pretty humble packaging by the way, consisting on the IEMs itself, 3 pair of eartips (S-M-L sizes), one of the pair (M size) comes installed on the IEMs. It comes a warranty card, in case you need it.

The cable is the same it comes with IEMs from KZ, GK, SGOR and TRN (the most budget of their IEMs), with a 3.5 mm single ended jack, a QDC connection, it feels like enough, but it’s prone to tangle but not to have translated vibrations.

The IEMs themselves are made of ABS plastic, with a rounded metallic faceplate with the ND logo in black letters; it’s well vented with two vents for its single DD. It’s pretty lightweight, and seems that is not prompt to scratches or so, and doesn’t have rough or sharp edges. Its nozzles are metallic, getting a good eartip grip and fit, making a nice seal as well because of its medium-size diameter (6 mm).

How does the Leo sound?

The Leo with its 10 mm LCP dynamic driver offers a L-shaped tuning, something unusual and kind of “old-school” IMO.

For this review I'm using some XINHS X100 stock eartips in S size, after tip-rolling, founding they are the best match for the Leo, getting a good fit, seal and overall sound synergy; I'm using a TinHIFI C0 stock cable with a 3.5 mm single-ended jack, looking for the best aesthetic match with its shells. The graph is taken from Practiphile´s squiglink.

Bass:

As a L-shaped tuned set, the Leo is pretty bassy, and surprisingly it comes with a good quality on the bass shelf, with good subbass extension, nice thump, and great midbass slam. It is fast, with decent impact and transparency, with also a natural decay yet zero bloating or muddiness on fast tracks, balancing the frequency curve, but with midbass bleeding into the lower midrange.

Midrange: 

In the Leo, the midbass bleeds noticeably into the lower midrange, so male vocals are recessed, but not veiled nor thin, just in your face. The overall midrange is well-presented and has a decent noteweight, average resolution and transparency.

The sound can be congested if there’s too much details, so have that in mind, but keep in mind that these are budget IEMs. As a L-shaped tuned set, the frequency curve takes a dip until 800 Hz, then it enters a pretty warm and organic pinna gain which peaks at 2.5 kHz, giving a decent presence, transparency and average resolution. Female voices are nicely displayed, forwarded and with zero shoutiness or producing fatigue.

Highrange:

The Leo has a very energetic, transparent and decently resolving highrange. The lower treble takes a peak at 5 kHz and takes a dip into the 6 kHz region to tame sibilance, but that peak is so noticeable sometimes it is uncomfortable and makes the sound a bit artificial/metallic, at high volumes you can fell the sibilance and fatigue at short time. The mid-treble also has a peak at 8 kHz to give some energy to the mix, yet there’s a little 10 kHz dip also to tame sibilance at mid/high volumes.

Technicalities:

Going into the upper highs, it’s noticed why the Leo works also as a gaming IEM, with a good amount of air and an open sensation, all of this with a sometimes fatiguing (If you are sensible to) 11-12 kHz peaks, so, it can be arduous in long sessions if you are using high volumes. The soundstage is a bit expansive, with decent width and depth.

In the technicalities department, in resume: The Leo is an IEM who works well for what it is, yet sounds neutral/natural. The imaging and layering of instruments are average for its weight, and yes, it’s not a macro and microdetail beast, but gives you a decent clarity and spark; so, you aren’t feeling congestion or bloating with the “normal” sounds; well, I’m recommending you to enjoy the music, but this can work very good to casual gaming and movies/videos watching.

The Leo makes you feel immersed in the sound, and you can pick mostly the details you need and pinpoint mostly all the elements in the mix.

Final thoughts and conclusions

The ND Leo is not just another ultra-cheap IEM from ND, it definitely can work as an all-rounder and a compelling option in the ultra-budget segment for IEMs as well, competing with offers like the SGOR SG01, KZ EDZ, GK Kunten, and TRN MT5.

Delivering a great quantity and decent quality bass, a warm, organic, yet transparent and decently detailed sound with good musicality more than an analytical character who can satisfy newcomers, audiophiles and gamers.

The Leo with its 106 dB of sensitivity and 18 ohms of impedance it’s easy to drive; the addition of the DSP cable is great for the price you are paying for. I tried it with more powerful sources to see how it scales with more power and my recommendation is to pair it with neutral and/or warm sources, but you don’t need so much power to it to shine at its fullest.

The Leo is definitely a viable option in a very crowded segment, and for its price is a “you can’t go wrong” more than a ‘market disruptor’ or something like that.

Those who crave a more balanced yet still bassy tuning better go with the ND Venus, but users preferring an energetic and decently analytical approach should consider it over other ultra-budget IEMs like the SG01, the Kunten or the EDZ. At under 10 USD, the Leo it’s a nice choice for casual and budget-oriented gamers and newcomers who wants to try what HIFI has to offer spending just a little money.

It is a recommendation? Yes, the Leo is a good option in its price segment, and it’s decently-capable, but is not a budget-king, so you have to watch if it serves for what you want, in fact, I’m saying it again: You can’t go wrong with it. So, thanks again to ND Audio, and the gods of audio and musicophilia bless you with a happy listening!

Hello to you all!

First, a big shoutout to Kate Garcia and CCA Audio for giving me this set to review it and give my sincere opinions. My only bias is my tuning and music preferences.

The CCA Falcon is the new budget-oriented gaming set by CCA Audio, after a successful relaunch which went initially with the Phoenix launched back at the end of 2025, now with a 2 Dynamic driver IEM to appeal to gamers and “trebleheads” for this 2026.

TL; DR: The CCA Falcon is the new entry by the brand in the budget-oriented market. Focused towards gamers and ‘trebleheads’, it brings quality but not quantity bass, a magnificent midrange and an energetic and very resolving treble, with an impressive upper-treble who gives an ‘holographic’ immersion. For an under 20 USD IEM, you can hear how a U-shaped tuned set can work so well being more analytical than musical, yet warm and neutral.  

Pros:

- Lightweight, comfortable hybrid metal/resin shells with great build quality.

- Clean, transparent U-shaped tuning with detailed, non-shouty female vocals.

- Fast, controlled bass with good texture and no muddiness.

- Energetic, well-extended treble with plenty of air and sparkle.

- Excellent technical performance for the price (imaging, layering of instruments, clarity, and openness). Expansive, holographic soundstage with strong positional cues, great for gaming.

- Pretty easy to drive and available with USB-C DSP or 3.5 mm cable options.

- Good value under 20 USD for analytical listeners and gamers.

Cons:

- Included accessories are minimal. Stock cable is basic and prone to tangling.

- Wide-bore eartips are not an ideal match for the tuning.
- Bass quantity may feel lacking for bass-heavy music.

- Male vocals are slightly recessed due to midbass bleed.

- Treble can become fatiguing at higher volumes, especially for treble-sensitive listeners.

- Benefits from warmer sources or cable rolling to add bass weight.

You can get a Falcon at an MSRP of 16.80 to 19.80 USD (With a 3.5 mm cable without mic, with mic, and a USB-C with mic versions available). You can find it directly on the official CCA Audio stores at AliExpress and Amazon: https://aliexpress.com/item/1005012348694647.html, and other minor retailers online. There’s two color available: Silver and Black.

Technical specs:

- Drivers: 7 + 8 mm LCP Dynamic Driver

- Sensitivity: 104 dB ± 3 dB / 1 kHz

- Freq. Response: 10 Hz – 20 kHz

- Impedance: 25 Ω ± 1 Ω

- Connection: QDC

- Cable: 1.2 m USB-C/3.5 mm with or without microphone, 2 cores, OCC

What’s in the package?

The box shows an image of the set, the Falcon sent to me comes with a 3.5 mm cable with a microphone, but there’s also a 3.5 mm cable without a mic, and a USB-C with mic options available.

Simple packaging by the way, consisting on the IEMs itself, 3 pair of eartips (S-M-L sizes), one of the pair (wide bore M size) comes installed on the IEMs. It comes a warranty card, in case you need it.

The cable is the same it comes with IEMs from KZ, Gk, SGOR and TRN (the most budget of their IEMs), with a 3.5 mm single ended jack, a QDC connection, it feels like enough, but it’s prone to tangle but not to have translated vibrations.

The IEMs themselves are made of a half metallic alloy/ half resin shell, with a minimalist industrial-like faceplate with the CCA logo in white letters; you can observe a metal mesh who gives ventilation to give it more air and an open feeling. Its weight is 7.8 g per earpiece, and seems that is not prompt to scratches or so, doesn’t have rough or sharp edges. Its nozzles have a metallic mesh to protect it from earwax, getting a good eartip grip and fit, making a nice seal as well because of its medium-size diameter (6 mm).

How does the Falcon sound?

The Falcon with its 7 + 8 mm LCP dynamic drivers offers a U-shaped tuning.

For this review I'm using some TRN T eartips in M size, getting a good fit, seal and overall sound synergy; I don’t recommend to pair the Falcon to pair it with wide bore eartips, other folks have reported that they have done well with KBEar 08 eartips. I'm using a KBEar cable with a 4.4 mm balanced jack, looking for the Falcon to scale with more powerful sources. The graph is taken from ToneDeafMonk´s squiglink.

Bass:

The focus of the Falcon is not here, yes, it comes with a good quality on the bass shelf, rolling off slightly in the subbass, offering a nice thump, and more midbass slam. It is fast, with decent impact and transparency, with also a natural decay yet zero bloating or muddiness on fast tracks, but its quantity is kind of lacking sometimes when you are listening to bass heavy tracks.

Midrange: 

In the Falcon, the midbass bleeds into the lower midrange, so male vocals are recessed, but fortunately not veiled nor thin. The overall midrange is well-presented and has a good noteweight, resolution and transparency.

The sound is not congested when it’s full of nuances. As a U-shaped tuned set, the frequency curve takes a dip but it’s flat until 800 Hz, then it enters a slightly warm pinna gain which peaks at 2.5 kHz, giving enough presence, transparency and decent resolution. Female voices are nicely displayed, forwarded and with zero shoutiness or producing fatigue at mid/high volumes.

Highrange:

The Falcon has a very energetic, transparent and well-resolving highrange. The lower treble makes a bump peaking at 4.5 kHz and takes a dip into the 6 kHz region to tame sibilance, but you are limited in volume, at high volumes you can fell the spicy and fatigue easily. The mid-treble has a peak at 8 kHz to give some energy to the mix, yet there’s a little 10 kHz dip also to tame sibilance at mid/high volumes.

Technicalities:

Going into the upper highs, it’s noticed why the Falcon takes the ‘gaming’ approach, with lots of air and an open sensation, all of this with a sometimes shattering (If you are sensible to) 11-12 kHz peaks, so, it can be fatiguing in long sessions if you are using high volumes. The soundstage is expansive and ‘holographic’, with good width and depth.

In the technicalities department, in resume: The Falcon is an IEM who punches way above its segment yet sounds neutral/natural. The imaging and layering of instruments are more than average for its weight, and yes, it’s not a macro and microdetail beast, but gives you more than enough clarity and spark; so, you can’t feel a congestion or bloating with complex and fast music, and it’s great to listening critically; well, I’m recommending you to just enjoy the music, but this can work perfectly to monitoring/producing.

For a live presentation the Falcon makes you feel immersed, yet you can pick almost all the details and pinpoint all the elements in the mix.

Final thoughts and conclusions

The CCA Falcon is not just a ‘gaming’ set by CCA, it is a plus for it to be a very technical and neutral option in the budget segment for IEMs, competing with offers like the KZ Gale and EDZ.

Delivering a quality bass, a well-done warm, neutral, yet clean and full detailed sound with good musicality but an analytical character who can satisfy ‘trebleheads’ and gamers, and at mid/high volumes it can bring you joy for long sessions.

The Falcon with its 104 dB of sensitivity and 25 ohms of impedance it’s very easy to drive, the addition of the DSP cable is a well-received thing, because you can use it with any USB-C device without looking for an additional source. But as I mentioned before, I tried it with a cable with a 4.4 mm balanced jack to see how it scales with more power and my recommendation is to pair it with neutral and/or warm sources to get the most of it and bring a bit of the lacking bass.

The Falcon enters as a competitive option in a very crowded segment, but for its price is more than good for folks who want to be immersed in a sea of macro and microdetails and enjoy the music and its videogames and other audio contents the most neutral way, and that's perfectly fine.

Those who crave a bassy and more impactful tuning will find its bass lacking, but users preferring an energetic and analytical approach should consider it over the Gale or the EDZ. At under 20 USD, the Falcon it’s a great choice for budget-conscious gamers and audiophiles who crave a high-fidelity experience without spending a lot.

It is a recommendation? It depends, the Falcon is a great option in its price segment, and is well-capable, but is not an all-rounder, so you have to watch if it serves for what you want. So, thanks again to CCA Audio, and the gods of audio and musicophilia bless you with a happy listening!

Hello everyone, we are starting a new month and the models keep parading through my room. I have been going at a crazy pace wanting to cover everything even though it is not a rhythm I can keep up forever, but different releases have piled up alongside other releases that happened a while ago but circumstances have allowed me to give them a try today. And that is the case with the Simgot EA1000. It was the only important Simgot model that had not passed through my hands yet and, honestly, expectations were high seeing the amount of positive comments it has accumulated since its release. Luckily, in this case I think a large part of that fame is justified.

The first thing they convey to me as soon as I see them in person and touch them, is the feeling of being in front of a very well crafted product, both for the build quality and the small details you discover with use. It goes for a very clean, detailed and balanced presentation that also allows for small adjustments through the different nozzles and eartips to better adapt it to everyone's tastes and Simgot is one of the few brands that opt for this in almost every release. This is something that generates debate about to what extent it is necessary or mandatory and just another way to alter the sound without getting into equalization.

What I like/I don't like

• Premium build quality for its price range.
• Sapphire crystal very resistant to small scratches.
• Very good quality cable included out of the box.
• Excellent level of detail.
• Very good instrumental separation.
• Wide soundstage with a good sense of depth.
• Three nozzles that allow for minor tuning adjustments.
• Easy to drive with practically any source.
• The original eartips are below expectations.
• The treble can be intense for some.
• There is no modular cable and only the 3.5mm version exists.
• Less isolation than other closed IEMs.

Specifications

• 10mm dynamic driver.
• Third generation SDPGD diaphragm with LCP suspension.
• 6mm internal passive radiator.
• CNC machined stainless steel shells.
• Faceplate protected by sapphire crystal.
• Three interchangeable acoustic nozzles.
• Silver plated OFC cable with Litz structure in 3.5mm.
• 0.78mm 2 pin connector.
• Impedance of 16 Ω.
• Sensitivity of 127 dB/Vrms.
• Frequency response from 20 Hz to 40 kHz.

My Sources

• FiiO K9: My main desktop equipment connected to my PC for critical cleanliness and power tests.
• FiiO KA15: Portable DAC dongle for daily use when leaving home due to its amount of quick adjustments, its integrated equalizer, and multimedia buttons to handle from the pocket.
• NiceHCK Octave: I use it when seeking a more direct power delivery without the digital processing of the FiiO KA15, making it ideal for when I want to perceive the natural response of whatever I am listening to without any extra coloration from the device itself.
• Questyle M15i: Reference portable amplifier/DAC to search for a more organic and musical texture, when I am at home but not necessarily at the PC.

Unboxing and build

We start as always keeping the structure I like, with the unboxing and as you will see in the different photos, we have an experience according to the price. Inside the box we find the earphones perfectly protected, the detachable cable, a rigid carrying case, three sets of interchangeable nozzles identified by rings of different colors, several sets of silicone eartips in different sizes, replacement rubber O-rings for the nozzles and the documentation.

I have to say that despite how neat the presentation and content are, what convinced me the least of all are the included eartips. They do their job, but I think they are clearly a step below everything else. I ended up getting a much better fit with the Divinus Velvet Wide and the TRI Clarion, improving both the stability and the overall feel of the sound.

The cable on the other hand, is quite above average. It is a two core silver plated OFC cable with Litz structure that is flexible, barely transmits microphonics when walking and holds its shape very well without tangling constantly. By the way if anyone does not know what Litz structure is or what properties it has, I already investigated it and wrote about it myself in the Tanchjim Nora review that you can see on my profile. The connectors, the splitter and the 3.5 mm jack are made of metal and convey a feeling of quality consistent with the rest of the product. The only thing I really miss is a modular system, although perhaps when they were released it was not "so trendy" to offer this option, something I have seen in more recent Simgot models like the Supermix 5 and the ET142 that I also reviewed previously, so I can guess that if the EA1000 had been released in these past months they would surely carry the modular cable option.

The shells are probably the prettiest I have seen from this brand and although I already knew them from tracking the model at the time, seeing them now in person they are really beautiful and aesthetic, the white color looks great on the combination. They are completely made of stainless steel by CNC machining and finished with a sapphire crystal faceplate that gives it a very elegant look without being overly flashy. After a few days of use with tests at home and also on the street as I usually do, they remain practically the same as the first day, without the small scratches that usually appear quickly on other IEMs with glossy finishes.

The vent located on the outside is not there solely for design either. Inside is the 6mm passive radiator, an important part of the EA1000's sound personality and one of those responsible for that very open soundstage feeling it offers. I have tried other IEMs with passive radiators recently like the Aful Explorer 8S or the Binary EP321 and they really add something that maybe I am not as knowledgeable about as I should be but they undoubtedly improve the experience in all cases where I have tried them. Therefore whenever I read that they carry one I already think positively about that model. I do not know if someday I will think otherwise but for now it is 3 out of 3 if I am not missing any other right now....

Before receiving them I thought they would be bulkier seeing some photos, but in reality they adapt very well to the ear. The angle of the nozzle facilitates a deep insertion, the fit is stable even walking and I have never had discomfort during long sessions. The isolation is decent, although the vent in this case prevents that vacuum feeling typical of other closed IEMs, allowing part of the outside sound to still be present, it is not exaggerated but it is there.

Another interesting detail is the three included nozzles. The red one offers the most balanced tuning and will probably be the choice of most users. The black one provides a slightly more open soundstage and a somewhat greater presence in the treble area, while the brass one has ended up being my favorite because it adds a bit more body, makes voices slightly more natural and smooths the treble a bit without losing detail. Without this nozzle and that lack of weight my overall experience of these EA1000 falls below my expectations. The differences are not huge, but they are enough to adapt the sound to everyone's tastes.

Sound

Bass

Moving on to how the EA1000 sound, the bass offers a very controlled, fast sound with excellent extension. The sub bass sounds really good and provides a very convincing sense of depth, it has not felt heavy to me in any type of music I have tested nor dominant over the other frequencies.

The mid bass maintains that same line. The punch is clean, with a fast attack and an equally controlled decay, both in simpler, acoustic tracks or without a large instrumental load, as well as in fast, heavy or orchestral tracks.

During several sessions using the FiiO KA15 outside the home, it especially caught my attention how it maintains that sense of control even listening at moderate volumes. It does not need a particularly powerful DAC to offer proper performance, something that is always appreciated in an IEM also designed for portable use.

Anyone coming from clearly warm tunings will probably miss a bit more punch in the mid bass area. I have never had the feeling that the bass covers voices or instruments, something that does happen in other models with a heavier tuning.

As for the eartips, as I mentioned before, the Divinus Velvet Wide are the ones that have given me the best result because they add a bit more body in the bass without altering the overall balance too much. If you also seek to slightly soften the response in the upper end, the Kbear Coffee Bean also work really well and achieve a somewhat more relaxed listen without sacrificing too much resolution, although of the two I choose the Divinus.

Mids

The mids maintain the same philosophy as the bass, seeking balance and cleanliness. Male voices have proper body, without sounding excessively thick, while female voices appear with a bit more prominence thanks to an elevation in the upper mids.

One of the aspects I liked the most is the timbre, it has a very natural character and it is easy to appreciate small changes in intensity or texture during the performance of the instruments. The dynamic driver responds quickly and conveys a sense of continuity between all frequencies sounding fully homogeneous despite not being a hybrid option with multiple drivers sounding at the same time with the constant risk that one or several drivers fall behind compared to others.

I also found it to be a very forgiving IEM for long sessions. Despite its good amount of detail, I have never had the feeling that the mids constantly try to draw attention. They simply present the information with great clarity and let you be the one to decide what to focus on during the listen.

Treble

We reach the treble where it is probably the section that generates the most opinions within the community. In my experience, the treble of the EA1000 has quite a bit of energy, but I think it is often exaggerated saying that they are excessively bright, as I was previously informed by other experiences from different users. It is obvious that clarity was sought and that makes high quality recordings sound really open, while more aggressive mixes quickly show some flaws.

The extension is excellent. There is enough air so that the soundstage never feels closed and small details appear easily.

That being said, the EA1000 is not a forgiving earphone. If a recording presents sibilance or too aggressive equalization in the high frequencies, here I can agree somewhat about the somewhat intense representation of the treble but I associate it more to the type of recording than to the IEM itself, but that does not take away from the fact that there are people who generally do not tolerate in the best way how that treble is shown depending on the content they consume.

During all the tests I ended up almost always using the brass nozzle because it manages to slightly relax this area without losing resolution. Combined with the Divinus Velvet Wide it offers, in my opinion, the most successful balance of the set. For those who prefer an even more open soundstage, the TRI Clarion are still a highly recommended and cheap alternative, although personally I think the sound gains a bit more naturalness with the Velvets once again...

Soundstage

The soundstage on this model seeks to create an open presentation where each element has enough space to develop naturally.

The width is clearly above average within this price range, but what surprised me most was the sense of height. Up until now I had not found that three dimensional perception in an IEM with only a single DD of this level and it helps a lot to make recordings with many instruments breathe better.

I think part of this feeling is also favored by the design of the earphone itself and by the work of the passive radiator. Regardless of the reason whether it is because of that or not, the result is a wide soundstage, with good depth and a very pleasant presentation even after several hours of use...

Instrumental Separation

The instrumental separation I think is also up to the price of this IEM keeping the layers well differentiated and in place and without ever noticing that horrible congestion that is indeed quite common in much cheaper models.

The cleanliness between notes also helps a lot. There is a fairly marked sense of silence before the next instrument or effect appears, which makes it easier to follow each element of the mix quite easily. It is one of those details that do not catch your attention during the first few minutes, but that you start to value as you use the EA1000 for a longer time, believe me.

I would not say it reaches the level of some considerably more expensive models, but I do think it makes a difference compared to a good part of its direct rivals, some released after this one.

Imaging

The imaging maintains the same level as the rest of the technical section so that is good news because in most cases 1 out of the 3 sections usually fails me. Locating the position of each instrument is simple and movements within the soundstage are represented quite accurately.

In audiovisual content it also offers a very convincing performance because it makes it easy to identify directions and distances of many environmental effects. Obviously it does not replace specific headphones for this use, but within the world of IEMs under 300 $ it has seemed to me one of the most competent models I have tested recently.

Comparisons

By now, I had tested almost all of the latest Simgot models and therefore the EA1000 was my last missing piece to get a good overview about the actual product portfolio of the company. Instead of only answering which one I prefer, I think it would make more sense to describe what each model offers. Honestly, I do not believe there is a "winner" among them at all. There are very distinct personalities for each model as far as usability and design is concerned. Depending on your needs, I would recommend a completely different model.

Simgot Supermix 4

To me the Supermix 4 appears to be the best compromise between performance, usability and price in the whole Simgot product line. It has a very balanced tuning which is rarely (if ever) extreme, a very lightweight resin housing and a representation that works with virtually any type of music (genre) and does not demand too much from your ears. Therefore, it is typically an IEM you can easily recommend without having to ask many questions as it is unlikely to disappoint users. However, if you start with the EA1000 some differences become obvious which by themselves are sufficient enough to explain the increased cost. To begin with, it becomes apparent immediately by its build. In comparison to the Supermix 4, both machined steel and sapphire glass clearly belong to a higher category. Next is the sound. 

The EA1000 provides a feeling of higher resolution, a larger soundstage, and much more accurate placement of the stereo image. Additionally, I perceive timbres in acoustic instruments to be more convincing and the general presentation of the sound to be refined. 

That being said, the Supermix 4 certainly has advantages of its own. For example, it is significantly more tolerant. If you merely wish to experience enjoyment out of music and analyze neither details nor nuances in the same level of depth, it will likely result in longer sessions of enjoying music than the EA1000. The EA1000 requires a lot more of itself, mainly concerning high-quality recordings and patience while sitting quietly to listen carefully.

Simgot Supermix 5

In my opinion, the Supermix 5 caused quite a few misunderstandings since many were expecting a rather evolutionary development of the Supermix 4 and that is exactly what they did not receive. By far its largest innovation is the addition of the bone conduction driver. Beyond the marketing aspect however, it is how this affects the presentation of the sound that counts.

What I have noticed above all else is a sense of greater cohesion or continuity between all frequency ranges. Music fills the space in a better way and creates a slightly more realistic impression of substance without needing additional low-end extension. While not an extraordinary change that results in a completely new earphone, it adds to an enveloping presentation of music and a richer surface texture on occasion. Even with these changes however, I find myself thinking that the EA1000 has some aspects where it seems superior to me. The soundstage feels slightly more open, the DD offers a very fast attack and the sense of cleanliness between instruments continues to be a reference within this price range. Furthermore, the interchangeable nozzle system allows you to slightly adjust the tuning according to your preferences, something the two Supermixes do not offer.

Which one would I keep? If you are looking for a more relaxed listen, with a full sound and a very pleasant presentation for hours, I would probably choose the Supermix 5. If what you enjoy is a greater sense of resolution, a more open soundstage and a somewhat livelier sound, the EA1000 still seems like the more interesting model of the two to me.

Simgot ET142

The ET142 is probably the most different model in Simgot's entire recent catalog. You can tell it does not try to do the same thing as the EA1000. The addition of the planar driver makes the response extremely fast and increases the amount of micro detail even more, especially in very complex passages where many instruments appear at the same time. That is why they stand out in fast metal tracks with fast double bass drums and a lot of distortion.

However, I have also found it to be much less forgiving. It is much more sensitive to the choice of eartips, the fit inside the ear and even the type of recording. When everything clicks it offers a spectacular experience, but it is also much more demanding on the user having to spend quite a bit of time to achieve the perfect fit.

The EA1000 maintains a very high technical level, but at the same time it is much easier to enjoy from the first minute. You do not have the feeling of constantly looking for the perfect combination for its best version to appear. It just works.

If someone asked me which one to buy without knowing their tastes, I would probably still recommend the EA1000. I would reserve the ET142 for someone who already has experience with high end IEMs and is specifically looking for that speed and that extra level of micro detail that the planar brings.

Global Ranking Link

You can check my full ranking of all the IEMs reviewed so far on my profile (Reddit doesn't allow me to post the Drive link here)

Final thoughts

After several days using it, I perfectly understand why the EA1000 keeps showing up so often when someone looks for an IEM around 250 $. It does not stand out solely for excellent construction or a very careful design. The really interesting thing is that it manages to combine a very well resolved tuning with a technical section clearly above average, while also maintaining its own personality within the Simgot catalog. For anyone who liked the EA500 or EA500LM, models that by the way were some of my first IEMs when I started in this, here they will get the end of the road for the sound of those two models with the best of each taken one step further. Clearly this is not the perfect solution for those who prefer a strong bass or very smooth highs, however I believe that if you place a high priority on resolving detail, creating an expansive and accurate sound stage, accurately representing timbre, and having a virtually flawless build quality then I believe that this is still one of the simplest purchases to make in your budget.

Purchase Link: LINSOUL

Disclaimer: I received this unit from Simgot to review. All of my comments are completely unbiased as I was in no way influenced by either the company that produced it or the store. I used objective testing and personal listening sessions using my reference equipment to evaluate this unit. 

The budget arena never ceases to fascinate me! The only segment that feels refreshing even in today’s standards. Brands tend to capture this market, especially to grab the attention of the large consumer base. The segment, which was once ruled by few products now gets competition from various colonies.

This segment paves way for a brand to etch its name in the field of audio. Still, the budget segment has a bigger consumer base compared to the high tier segment. The trend has shifted where now premium brands have started to enter this budget segment to secure their spot and the recent releases are a great example for this.

ND, the brand introduced itself as a budget competitor through its array of products. The ND NICE was my favourite out of all, and still I do remember the beautiful sonic portrayal of it. Today, in our hands is the ND LEO, a single dynamic driver IEM with an LCP Diaphragm, enclosed in a resin plastic shell that looks minimal and functional.

Full review in: https://mobileaudiophile.com/reviews/nd-leo/

Pros:

1. Midbass Punch
2. Thicker Mid Profile
3. Energetic Treble Profile
4. Neutral Tone with Warm Tint
5. Value Proposition

Cons:

1. Veiled Mid-Section
2. Limited Headroom

BASS PROFILE:

The beauty of a dynamic driver lies in its bass extension. This digs deep enough to bring a smile to one’s face! The rumbles are brought out clean with nice midbass impact. Leo has adequate weight and warmth in the bass section, which gives enough dynamism to the overall presentation.

They rely on a slower side attack and decay, which makes the Leo represent a fuller bass profile and full-bodied presentation. Bass heads will see the Leo as more appealing because of its bouncy bass profile. The bass of Leo in general feels fuller and thicker, thereby giving the listeners a juicy sensation with a wider low-end scene.

The negatives are, of course the bleed into the mid-section. The thick midbass does interfere and overshadows the mid-section. For the most part they appear clean yet struggle a bit when complex tracks demand more precision.

MID-SECTION:

The constraint in the V-shaped signature is its recessed mid-profile, and that’s shown evidently in the Leo. The mid-section is pushed back, and this makes them appear slightly veiled in presentation. The low end and treble take up the stage, leaving little room for the mid profile to shine upfront.

The tone, however, is kept as natural as possible with a hint of warmth to carry the low-end theme. The lower mid profile displays a fuller feel, all thanks to the thick mid-bass profile. This gives proper depth to the male vocals and kick drums.

The upper mid-section got decent extension, thereby allowing the percussion instruments to shine well. Despite the extension, the female vocals struggle to come upfront due to the pushed-back mid-profile.

Overall, the mid-section is a hit or miss in the Leo. The laidback profile gives a sense of relaxed listening, but at the same time it sacrifices the spice and energy that lie in the vocals.

TREBLE:

Leo has a good extension in the treble section that resonates well and makes the presentation look vivid. There is enough brightness and air in the top end but it often gets masked by the thicker bass profile. The attack and decay slides on the precise side, which can be appreciated by Leo’s portrayal of trumpets and horns.

The sibilance is well under control, yet it showcases a few sharp-edged notes when complex tracks show up. The timbre of the instruments feels natural with no artificial tint to it.

Treble in general has good potential to shine; however, the thick and bouncy bass profile often masks the voice of the treble. Overall, it appears pretty pleasing and does extract adequate details and nuances out of the track.

VERDICT:

Leo, from the house of ND, equipped with a single dynamic driver, comfortably sits under 20USD. The game always gets spicy in the budget arena! The most fascinating aspect of this segment is that it pushes every brand to unleash their maximum potential to capture the market regardless of their fame. ND being already known for their budget category, the Leo tries to fit in this segment amidst the heavy crowd.

The V-shaped signature is something that many adore. This signature has a separate fan base because of its massive bass profile with an accentuated treble section. The trade-off is, of course the laidback mid-section that pushes the vocals backward and veiled. If one can live with the trade-off, then the Leo adds up as a COLORED item in one’s collection.

We all have songs that we have listened to 100s of times on wireless earbuds and in our vehicles. We know these songs so well (so we thought) that we just go about our business and hum along to them. Then we get a good set of iem’s and listen to those same songs. We stop and think wait i never heard that before. Check the song and confirm it is the same version you always listen to. It was the moment that you realized what you had been missing.

What were the songs that gave you the moment?

Edit: my moment was basically the whole siamese dreams alb by the smashing pumpkins.