Dunu x GizAudio Da Vinci - Measurements & Official Discussion

[Resolve]

This is the place to discuss all things to do with the Dunu x GizAudio Da Vinci.

DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci 2DD+4BA Hybrid In-Ear EarphonesDaVinci

Timmy was kind enough to have one sent over for review. Here’s the video:

Dunu x GizAudio Da Vinci - This new trend in IEMs is great

Yes… this is my happy face.

Here are the measurements done on the B&K 5128, and for IEMs I’m leaning towards prioritizing this system since we regularly find the bass to be not quite right in 711 measurement results due to acoustic impedance differences. For over-ears, GRAS and 4128 systems are totally fine even though they don’t have a humanlike ear canal.

Raw

Calibrated

It’s a solid response overall, especially for the mids. I think the bass is maybe a bit much for my taste, and I wish the treble were a bit more even throughout the mid treble. But this is one of the better tunings at its price point if you’re looking for an IEM with a solid bass boost.

It’s nice to see the trend of companies aiming for population average based tuning targets, and while I wouldn’t say the Da Vinci nails that, being a bit thick in the bass, it comes quite close. IEMs are finally getting good.

Funtack Mod (covering the bass port)

If you find the bass to be too strong, you can cover the bass port on the back with putty - I imagine you could achieve a similar effect with tape, but I didn’t try that yet. This gives it a more neutral presentation, making the mids shine. The only downside is you notice that upper treble peak a bit more.

Impedance curve

Running this from a high output impedance source will meaningfully impact the FR, in a very V-shaped way. I do not recommend doing that.

Harmonic distortion profile, 105dB @1khz

Distortion products should be well below the audible threshold. Elevated third and fifth presence is common among BA driver IEMs.

Comparisons

Notes:

• Chonky nozzle, around 6mm across.
• Shell is on the thicker side, but I find it more comfortable than the Dusk.
• Cable is really nice, modular design.
• Tip rolling didn’t change much with this IEM, not nearly as much as it does with the Megafest.
• Subjective qualities are good, but the increased bass presence makes it come across not as hard hitting for its attack and sense of impact compared to the Dusk Default DSP.

At $300, this is probably the IEM I’d get, but I’d also still recommend the Dusk Default DSP over it, if you can spend a bit more and you know you’ll use it with the DSP cable. If you’d never use that, then the Da Vinci is better than the Dusk IMO.

[Robert_Hendricks]

Hey Andrew! I’m in the market for a new IEM but I’m stuck between the Hype4 and the DaVinci. I was wondering, which one would you recommend based on the fact that I EQ (which I always do)? Like would there be any noticeable difference?

[Resolve]

If you EQ it really comes down more to other factors, like fit, insertion style and so on. And that’s a highly personal thing, so it’s difficult to really judge that.

I can see a case for the Hype 4, where all I’d really do is reduce the upper treble. With the Da Vinci I’d make a couple of other adjustments in the mid treble, but maybe you wouldn’t. So it’s hard to say.

[Robert_Hendricks]

That’s exactly what I was thinking in reference to the Hype4. In my mind less EQ needed=less of a headache to deal with lol. Thanks man

[listen_r]

I’ve posted my written review of the DaVinci on our site!

[nanduss]

Hello Andrew! I’m looking for a new IEM to be paired with Ibasso dx180, looking for a warm signature with good details and soundstage. Short listed Dunu Da Vinci and Nicehck Himalaya. Can you recommend one ?

[Resolve]

I haven’t tried the other one so I can’t really comment on that.

[SleepyRhythms]

I’d go with DaVinci. People have commented about Hype 4 having “hollow” bass and spicy treble. The former has been described as quite organic and that’s more my thing but maybe you’d prefer something energetic. Just my two cents.

[Nightjar]

How’s that Distortion?
I’m a bit confused on the graph. I think you measured all the way up to 105db?
How come you measured up that high and not at 80db , 94, and 105db? Or something similar?
Legit question. Don’t know if I’m missing something.

Is the DaVinci good on the upper mids and treble, or does it sound like most IEMs like rubbing two pieces of styrofoam together?
My Alba is better than the Kato in that regard and timbre sounds more natural.
Is the DaVinci better than the Alba in that regard as well?
Btw I EQ all my headphones and IEMs with Roon

Thanks so much

[Nightjar]

Any answer on the distortion measurements?

Do you have measurements at something more ‘ reasonable like 95db?
No offense. Legit question as I’m not sure what to look at from that graph.

Cheers

[Resolve]

It’s not really audible with music at 105dB… so it wouldn’t be at 95dB.

[Nightjar]

Ok thanks man.

I think someone said you have ‘ issues’ with IEMs and most of them sounding too shrill to you ?
I have large ear canals taking XL tips most of the time.
Kato is too pillowy soft with bass and attack and Alba is much better which I have but still I need to EQ.
I would like ultimately to have an IEM that has good timbre and doesn’t sound shrill without EQ
I might try the DaVinci from its meta tuning.

Thanks for you guys doing what you do to improve a target curve for IEMs. Cheers

BTW I’m 55 and can still hear to 16khz. So it’s a surprise to me that all these IEMs I’ve tried I can’t listen to without EQ.
Alba
Kato
Cadenza
Crinacle Red

[Resolve]

I only have issues with IEMs that either have length mode issues around 6khz or IEMs that follow the older Harman IE meta. ‘New Meta’ IEMs don’t have any of these problems for me.

[Nightjar]

Is the transient attack good on the DaVinci?
Good dynamics?

Not all pillowy soft like the Kato?

Thank you

[Resolve]

That’s really a subjective question that only you can answer after hearing them. One person’s softness is another person’s dynamics. For example, I never felt like the Kato was pillowy soft at all.

[Nightjar]

Interesting. ‘ pillowy’ is how Precog described it and it was spot on my impression as well.( Does he not post here anymore?)

I guess all our ear canals are so different hence the difficulty in having a good Target for IEMs.

Good on you guys helping in that endeavor.

Is Harman still keeping their work close to their chest or being more team players and sharing research?

[Resolve]

Precog still writes for us yeah. As for Harman, I spoke with Dr. Olive at a recent CanJam and he seemed to indicate it’s less about what they want from a research perspective and more that his current efforts (and what he has made public) are out of his own interest in the subject. So as far as they’re concerned the research is finished, but his most recent listening tests showed that the Harman IE target may need to be adjusted.

[Nightjar]

Research is done?
Uh, heck yeah it needs to be adjusted. Lol.

Welp, I guess you guys are , our only hope then.

I mean I think the oddest thing to me are these extreme deviations in the measurements such as Davinici’s 14khz super peak. No speaker measurement would have that and be considered not glaringly over the top neither would an over ear headphone measurement.

Does that make sense?
It deviates around +10db from its average freq response curve. How would that be ok in any measurement? And it’s Q isn’t small either.
In speakers if you had a peak and Q like that with only 2-3 dbs it would indeed be audible and off kilter for the rest of the freq response. 10db would be ( what were they thinking )

Btw, thanks for taking the time to ‘ educate me’ on some stuff I don’t know.

Cheers

[Argha]

Fun fact, I find Da Vinci’s bass pillowy. After my review ( Which I delayed a lot because of how uninteresting the IEM was for me ), I gave that IEM to another reviewer who already purchased a later version of the IEM

and he told me that, those two IEMs sound different in the bass. It was not marginal nor was it variance I guess. So what I think is that they might’ve corrected it in a silent revision Although! I am just sharing another persons experience not mine

[Resolve]

Well it’ll be quite different from person to person, given HRTF effects need to be assumed, and IEMs tend to be more peaky at the eardrums of individuals. But if you think about it, you’re not measuring speakers at the drum reference point, but you are with headphones and IEMs. So you’re bound to see the consequences of ear interactions when you shift the reference point like that. Add to that the fact that the physical ear is also interacting with the device being worn and it’s a way more complicated situation to make sense of.