I received the BLON BL-05s for review last week from Sunny of Better Audio US via Amazon.com. Here is my review:
After the major success of the BL-03, BLON followed it with the first iteration of the BL-05 with a “second generation” CNT diaphragm dynamic driver. Possessing a different sound profile from the earlier model, it received a mixed reception. Now we have an updated model, the BL-05s, which features a “Third Generation” dynamic driver and is clothed in a fetching shade of green.
The BL-05s comes packaged in the now-familiar long white box with a clear lid emblazoned with the bizarre BLON acronym, “Belief-Letmusicburn-Oppoty-Nevergiveup”. Inside the IEMs are displayed in a plastic tray above a plain white oblong box containing the cable and accessories.
The contents include:
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BL-05s IEMs
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2 pin cable
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Cloth storage bag
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2 pairs high profile tips (M, L)
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3 pairs low profile tips (S, M, L)
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Information leaflet
The IEMs are made of metal and finished in a bright jade green colour with gold accents. They have a kind of 1950s look and are certainly very striking in appearance. The 2 pin sockets have a narrow rake and there is a small pinhole vent on the underside near the base of the nozzle. Channel identification is provided in the centre of the gold circle in the centre of the faceplate. The medium size of the high profile tips was pre-fitted.
The 2 pin cable is black and consists of a thin 4 core braided material with hooded plastic connectors. The angled 3.5mm plug is also made of black plastic and there is no chin slider. The cable is very prone to tangling.
Testing was done using an Xduoo X20 DAP as the primary source. A CD player and Huawei smartphone were also used. Adequate volume was achieved with all sources with no need for extra amplification. The poor quality stock cable and tips were replaced with a Senlee hybrid cable and JVC Spiral Dot tips. Thus equipped, a comfortable fit and good seal were obtained. A burn-in period of 100 hours was carried out.
First Impressions
Early auditioning revealed a very expansive soundstage with accurate positioning and imaging. The general profile was a mild V or L shape. Bass was deep with a sub-bass emphasis, mids were only slightly recessed with a natural timbre slightly brighter than the '03 and the treble was well-detailed and extended. The BL-05s combined the best features of the '03 and original '05.
Bass
Unlike the BL-03, which has a mid-bass focus, the emphasis was more on the sub-bass which was somewhat elevated above the rest of the range and sometimes became dominant. The transition to the mid-bass and lower mids, however, was even and smooth with no bass bleed.
The introduction to “Skyland” from “Windjana” by the late, great Tony O’Connor begins with bass synths and the sound of thunder. The O5s produced a satisfying rumble here and this generally did not overwhelm the accompanying didgeridoo, guitar and percussion instruments. With all this going on and an expressive woodwind solo on top, the bass retained focus and detail and was nicely balanced with the rest of the production.
The Guildhall String Ensemble’s performance of Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor demonstrated the weighty bass of the BL-05s. The lowest pedal notes of the organ were deep, well-textured and airy, producing a believable atmosphere and forming a perfect foundation for the lead string melody. The bass continuo was also very well handled with an authentic tonality and good separation.
“Harmony of the Spheres” by Neil Ardley is based on the Pythagorean concept that each planet produces a musical tone in its orbit. In “Soft Stillness and the Night” we hear the full harmony with the lowest notes represented by Pluto (248 years orbit) and the highest by Mercury (88 days orbit). The BL-05s managed to reproduce the bass parts very clearly and with impressive extension and depth.
Mids
Like the original BL-03, the new model displayed a natural timbre but sometimes displayed a little extra brightness in the upper range. The lack of bass bleed allowed the mids to breathe, improving the soundstage and generating more midrange detail. The stereo imaging was exceptionally wide and deep.
Reynaldo Hahn’s beautiful “A Chloris” written in 1913 took us back to the baroque era. It was the perfect piece to display the midrange timbre of the BL-05s. As the graceful melody dovetailed with Bach’s bass line, the rich woody tones of Julian Lloyd Webber’s cello blended wonderfully with John Lenehan’s sensitive piano accompaniment. The accurate reproduction of harmonics allowed the character of the cello and the natural decay of the piano notes within a believable acoustic to be fully appreciated.
Wally Badarou (“Kiss of the Spider Woman”) was perhaps the first musician of black heritage to produce a new age album and he succeeded admirably with “Words of a Mountain”. In “Feet of Fouta” he combines a host of percussion sounds with inventive keyboard voicing and a South African style rhythm. Everything hung together perfectly on the BL-05s with imaginative interplay between the various instrumental sounds and the whole effect was very entertaining and foot-tapping.
Vocals also benefited from the transparent midrange delivery and Linda Ronstadt’s “Adios” sounded great. The character and emotion of her exceptionally clear solo vocal was preserved perfectly and, set against the backing vocals and superb arrangement with imaginative key changes, produced a very enjoyable result.
Treble
The high frequencies on the BL-05s were a significant improvement on the previous models, being brighter, more extended and providing more detail than the '03 and addressing the somewhat uneven performance of the '05.
“Reunion” by Richard Burmer from his second album, “Bhakti Point” begins with an arpeggiated rhythm supported by assorted electronic percussion and effects which moved around the stage in a very effective fashion. A simple melody plays over this which is then followed by a more lyrical theme in the climax to the bridge, and accompanied by a staccato Emulator flute sample. The high frequency sounds here were reproduced with extreme clarity and excellent separation and had an attractive crystalline quality.
Michael Giles’s delicate percussion work in “Moonchild” by King Crimson brought the track to life. With a rhythm alternating between left and right and set against trippy-hippy vocals and avant-garde guitar and mellotron, the shimmering metallic cymbal tones in the central instrumental break produced a real psychedelic and hypnotic effect totally redolent of the era.
Chloe Hanslip’s wonderful reading of Jeno Hubay’s Violin Concerto No.2 with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra was very impressive on the BL-05s. The clear and expressive solo soared above the imaginative scoring to great effect and was perfectly balanced with the accompaniment. The harmonics on the highest notes were nicely portrayed and were testament to the excellent treble extension.
Soundstage
The BL-05s impressed with a wide, deep and spacious stage. Separation and instrumental positioning were notable, with stereo imaging being particularly effective.
The brooding atmosphere in Sibelius’s “The Swan of Tuonela” performed by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra under Osmo Vanska was captured very well with the menacing bass drum rolls at the beginning evoking distant thunder and the beautiful and haunting cor anglais solo clearly presented over the supporting orchestral backing. The dynamic shifts in the climax were very well handled and the orchestra was laid out in a very believable way with a good sense of depth.
The introduction to “High Hopes” from Pink Floyd’s “Division Bell” features distant bells and piano on opposite sides of the image. A bee flies across the stage before a bass guitar comes in followed by Dave Gilmour’s dramatic vocals. All this was presented in a large and spacious acoustic which suited the material perfectly and maintained the feeling of the song.
“Carlsbad” by David Lanz and Paul Speer from the album “Desert Vision” begins with a bass drone courtesy of guest artist Jonn Serrie. Joined by woodwind from Georg Deuter, Lanz’s main piano theme and Speer’s guitar presented a dramatic sound picture of the American South West. Delicate crystalline percussion elements enhanced the production which filled the soundstage from edge to edge with an attractive ambience.
Conclusion
With the BL-05s, BLON have managed to combine the best features of their previous models whilst addressing some of the shortcomings. It is not perfect; the powerful bass occasionally dominates the presentation and there is a slight sharpness in the upper mids and lower treble from time to time but overall, I consider this to be the best model so far from the company. The mid-bass bloat of the BL-03 has gone, and the treble has more detail and extension. Being based on the original BL-05, the awkward fit of the BL-03 is history, but the cable and tips remain so and it is recommended that these be changed for the best result. The somewhat uneven upper register of the BL-05 has been addressed with only the occasional peak showing up.
The design will, no doubt, divide opinion but it is certainly a bold choice and stands out from the crowd. The BL-05s certainly takes its place among the best of the recent batch of single DD models and is in some ways a combination of the Tin T2 plus which is more neutral/bright and the Smabat NCO with its superb breathy bass and natural presentation. Perhaps with their next model the minor issues I encountered could be addressed and we will have the earphone of our “Driams”.
