The Ultra Cheap IEM Thread

Hi guys, I’m currently looking for a Budget IEM with a MMCX connection to connect it with a Shanling MW200. I would prefer if it’s under 50 USD but If necessary I can also go higher. I will use it for mixed purposes from Calls, YouTube, Pop music to causal gaming. The sound range should be balanced in the middle, so I don’t need a particularly strong bass or high frequency. I’m not an audio fanatic so I don’t need a super duper high sound quality which I guess won’t get at this price class anyways but I would expect a decent build quality and reliability with an acceptable sound.
Important issue with the Shanling MW200 is, that it is not possible to use IEMs that have their able connection at the bottom, so I need an IEM with top entry.

In Short:

  • IEM with MMCX connection
  • Buget preferably under 50USD but if necessary also more
    -Balanced sound in the mid range for mixed purposes incl music, YouTube, video calls
    -Only IEMs with connection at the top and not at the bottom-

Thanks in advance

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As mentioned in the other thread, the Aria is a very good set of IEMs for $80. However, they are 2 pin.

You say that the 2 pin version is not available in your country but maybe you could reach out and ask the seller.

There are also MMCX adapters to 2 pin available which are quite small and cheap.

Sticking with MMCX top entry IEMs under $50, the Tin T2 plus are good (IMO). I also liked the Tiandirenhe TD02 and the Openheart Resin, which are a little warmer and relaxed than the T2 plus.

To be honest, I aim more for the 2 pin IEMs as I prefer them, but you can find all my opinions and reviews on achoreviews.com and you can filter by IEM under 50€. There are also plenty of reviews in this thread, maybe try a search for MMCX and see what comes up.

(My apologies to the forum for the shameless self promotion of my blog, I try not to make it a habit :wink: )

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Well, the Tin HiFi T2 is still a fantastic choice, and it’s in the budget range.

The Tanchjim Tanya is the most competently tuned IEM below $40 I have ever heard. Like the slightly more expensive Moondrop SSR and SSP, the Tanya stands out from its similarly-priced competitors because of the intentional effort of its designers to make it sound coherent. I see no reason to buy any other IEM at its price point or below so long as it remains unique in this respect.

My full review is available on my blog:

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I was invited to test the HZ Sound Heart Mirror by Ann from Keep Hifi.

Product link: HZSOUND Heart-Mirror 10mm Carbon Diaphragm DD In Ear Headphone — KEEPHIFI

HZ Heart Mirror
The Heart Mirror derives its name from Buddhism, where “The pure heart is like a mirror and can illuminate all things”.

The IEM features a 10mm dynamic driver with a carbon nanometer diaphragm and powerful iron-boron magnet. It is clothed in a zinc alloy housing with a reflective finish. The connection is 2-pin 0.78mm. The sensitivity is quoted at 106dB with an impedance of 32ohms and a frequency range of 15Hz - 40kHz is specified.

Description
The Heart Mirror comes in a white box with blue and green accents. There is a full colour image of the IEMs on the front and specifications on the back. A drawer opens with a small tag and inside the box, the earpieces sit in a foam cut out above a dark grey flap below which the accessories are stored. In all the package includes:

  • Heart Mirror IEMs
  • 2-pin 4 core silver plated OFC cable
  • 3 pairs white silicone tips
  • 3 pairs black silicone tips
  • 1 pair foam tips
  • Zipped fabric case
  • Carabiner
  • Shirt clip
  • Velcro cable tie
  • 6 spare nozzle filters

This is an impressive and generous accessory set especially at the price.

The IEMs are crafted from a CNC cast zinc alloy and have a highly polished mirror finish. They are very well made, fairly compact in size and quite weighty. The 2-pin sockets are slightly recessed. There is a small circular vent on the inner surface and another at the base of the nozzle which is fairly long. Channel identification (L and R) is also marked on each earpiece.

The supplied cable is a 4-core silver plated copper type and appears to be of good quality. It has a 90° angled 3.5mm plug and an in-line microphone. There is a metal Y-split and a ring chin slider. The 2-pin plugs are plastic and have channel identification but it is very hard to read; colour coding would have been preferable.

The IEMs were used with the stock cable. I initially used the pre-fitted tips, but found them too small for my ears so changed to the medium white silicone tips which resulted in an improved fit and seal and produced a better bass response. The source was an Xduoo X20 DAP and a 100 hour burn-in period was carried out. I discovered that I needed to use an amplifier to bring out the best in the Heart Mirror as doing so improved the bass and the imaging. I used a Fiio A5 for this purpose.

First Impressions
The Heart Mirror immediately impressed me with its remarkable transparency and clarity which seemed to derive from low distortion and a lack of colouration. The tonality was brighter than neutral but displayed a very natural timbre. Detail retrieval was excellent. Bass, including sub-bass, came over with very good resolution and texture. There was no mid bass emphasis which allowed the mids to breathe, and the transition into the midrange was seamless. Treble was bright and clear with no harshness or peaks and was very extended, only occasionally flirting with sharpness. Soundstage, layering and imaging were first-rate.

Bass
The bass was neutral and and somewhat reduced in level relative to the rest of the range but the lower frequencies were reproduced cleanly with excellent texture and resolution and the extension was also notable, with sub-bass very natural.

A perfect example of this was in Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor performed by the Guildhall String Ensemble. The deep pedal notes of the organ formed an impressive foundation for the beautiful string melody and soaring violin solo and the climaxes were skilfully handled with superb depth, weight and atmosphere.

Davol is an electronic music artist hailing from Boulder, Colorado. “Another Land” is a track from his second album, “Paradox”. It begins with deep drum strikes in a reverberant acoustic accompanied by powerful bass synthesiser. On the Heart Mirror, the effect was thrilling and the fast transients added to the excitement. When the synth bass took over the bass line later in the track there was excellent differentiation in the tonality.

Pink Floyd’s “Cluster One” from “The Division Bell” begins with the sound of a crackling fire. A moody David Gilmour guitar solo is joined by Rick Wright on keyboards. The Heart Mirror portrayed the calm yet disturbing atmosphere admirably as the feeling was altered by the entry of Nick Mason’s percussion with his bass drum displaying impressive weight and impact.

Mids
The midrange was exceptionally clear and detailed and was totally free of bass bleed. There was a refreshing openness and spaciousness to the sound. Timbre was spot on with the character of instruments well rendered and vocals clear and articulate.

“Judex” from “Mors et Vita” by Gounod features a beautiful flowing melody spanning the octaves. In the version by the Halle Orchestra conducted by Maurice Handford, the brass in the introduction sounded very natural with the requisite bite and shimmer. The string melody was very expressively conveyed and the balance of the orchestra was very natural, taking the listener to the concert hall in an authentic fashion. This was perfect material for the Heart Mirror.

The Heart Mirror reproduced the prominent sax solo beautifully in the bridge of Chris Spheeris’s “First Kiss” from the album “Enchantment”. The natural timbre of the instrument was excitingly accompanied by swirling synth figuring, deep bass and bright rhythm guitar, forming an extensive tableau drawing you into the music.

Sax also features strongly in the entertaining arrangement of “It Must Be Love” by Madness, and the Heart Mirror rose to the occasion. Set to an infectious reggae beat, the sax solo cut through the dense production in great style with the vocals remaining clear and full of character and pizzicato strings adding a bit of spice to the mix.

Treble
The Heart Mirror’s treble was clean and well-extended and brighter than neutral but did not suffer from harshness or disturbing peaks. It was sometimes sharp sounding on certain material, mainly on poor recordings. There was an attractive “airy” quality and a lucid transparency which endowed the sound with an unusual level of clarity and detail.

The delicate synth melody in “Z Op. 1” from “Electromantic” by Gabor Presser received a wonderfully clear performance from the Heart Mirror. Each note was precisely delineated and possessed a crystalline quality which was perfect for the piece. The detail and separation in this track were a joy to hear and the atmosphere was faithfully reproduced.

The Age of Enlightenment Orchestra’s performance of the String Sonata No.1 by Rossini is exceptionally well recorded. The Heart Mirror’s authentic timbre and excellent transient attack ensured a satisfying rendition with the solo violin displaying clear harmonics and incisive bowing. The counterpoint was also nicely handled with an attractive urgency which drove the piece along in entertaining style.

White Sand and Thunder" is a track from multi-instrumentalist Don Harriss’s album “Shell Game”. Performed on synthesisers and electronic percussion, it bears all the trademarks of his style with a catchy melody, unusual key changes and lively rhythms. The Heart Mirror managed to separate out all these elements and reproduce the delicate percussion parts with clarity and precision. The castanet details high in the left channel were particularly well rendered.

Soundstage
Due to its excellent clarity and wide frequency range, the Heart Mirror’s soundstage was extensive in all three dimensions with very good layering, separation and imaging. The reproduction of ambience and studio reverb was particularly fine and helped to create a more authentic picture of the recording.

Davol’s “Mystic Waters” is his debut album and the title track is a calm, spacious piece featuring a guitar-like lead synth voicing over an atmospheric electronic backdrop. The staging in this work is very expansive and the Heart Mirror made the most of it with the height of the solo voice particularly well portrayed in the middle of the piece and supported by swirling electronic effects moving around the image.

Sir Henry Wood’s orchestral transcription of Debussy’s “The Engulfed Cathedral” has been superbly recorded on the Lyrita label and the performance by the LSO under Nicholas Braithwaite is exceptionally fine. The Heart Mirror presented a broad sweep, laying out the orchestra in convincing style with a believable sense of distance. Each section of the orchestra appeared in its proper place and was clearly depicted in a wonderfully ambient recording space.

Al Stewart’s superb album “The Year of the Cat” is a marvellous recording with a fabulous production courtesy of Alan Parsons (producer of “Dark Side of the Moon”). The stereo imaging in the title track came over superbly on the Heart Mirror with each instrument nicely separated and placed accurately, the reverb on the vocals clearly depicted and the layering in the guitar and sax solos convincingly presented, all of which resulted in a satisfying musical performance.

Comparisons

Tin Hifi T2+
The T2 plus has a 10mm “NanoPure Nickel-Zinc” driver, a full metal casing and MMCX interface. It follows the traditional Tin Hifi tuning of a neutral/bright profile but adds an extra bit of warmth with a mid bass lift resulting in a mild V profile. There is a balance between accuracy and musicality. The Heart Mirror displayed a cleaner tonality with reduced mid bass and a more immediate impact. In comparison, the T2 plus sounded a little “safe” and lacking in excitement. The Heart Mirror’s detail and definition was superior and the soundstage more immersive.

Smabat NCO
The NCO is an ultra compact barrel-shaped IEM with an 8mm micro driver and graphene diaphragm. It also features Smabat’s unique Maze system inspired by transmission line speakers which uses an extended path for the bass frequencies. It has a warm profile which is mildly L-shaped, copious detail and excellent imaging and a very spacious soundstage. The Heart Mirror’s neutral profile was in marked contrast and delivered more detail and “air” but the NCO possessed a more “breathy” and weighty bass. Soundstage was about equal in quality but the warmer tonality of the NCO’s mids just softened the effect a little. The Heart Mirror’s treble was more extended.

BLON BL-05s
The BL-05s, like the Heart Mirror, uses a 10mm carbon DD. An upgrade to the original BL-05, it is clothed in a bright green reminiscent of the 1950s. The bass is powerful and occasionally dominant and the treble has good detail and extension. The BL-05s displays a warmer tonality than the Heart Mirror but its transient attack is similar in impact. The mids are more recessed but still present but the timbre is not as natural. The treble is not as refined, there being a little bit of “grain”. Soundstage is impressive although imaging is not as precise as the Heart Mirror.

Conclusion
The Heart Mirror exceeded all my expectations, delivering a superb sound across the frequency spectrum and excelling in all areas. There was good extension both in bass and treble, a natural timbre, high quality staging and a clean and bright tonality with lots of detail and it was difficult to find anything to complain about. Some used to the ubiquitous V tuning which is so prevalent today might find the Heart Mirror’s sound too bright but extended listening will reward the user with an extraordinarily accomplished sound at the price. It’s laser-like accuracy does mean that poor recordings will sound poor, but that is exactly how it should be. I cannot recommend this model highly enough and urge any lover of high quality sound to purchase one for their collection.




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Has anyone tried the Moondrop Quarks yet?

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Hello everyone, was wondering if theres any good-cheap-durable iems to buy, they don’t need to sound that good to be honest, just looking for something that can be used for a couple of years without taking a lot of care of them.

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Any IEM that is abused will fail sooner or later, especially if you are dropping it on hard surfaces etc. However, I would say that a DD IEM will probably withstand more abuse than one with BA’s (just as a general rule, each model can/will be different).

Just putting them in a small case/pouch when not using them will go a long way towards extending their lifespan.

You don’t say how cheap is cheap but if I was thinking of something extremely cheap to just throw in a bag/pocket then I would probably opt for the Tanchjin Tanya. It sounds decent and is a single DD but the cable is fixed, so if you damage the cable you can’t swap it out (although a cable is more expensive than the IEMs anyway).

Another set of extremely cheap IEMs are the KZ EDX, they cost something like 5€, sound ok and have a replaceble cable.

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This is great advice from @SenyorC. You should get atleast 2 years from any iem. But you do have to take care of them and the cable to. The cables can often fail if mistreated. Best of luck.

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Thanks for the reply, very helpful does prices are really good and was what I have in mind so thanks again.

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Review - KBEAR Robin

As always, this review is also available in Spanish on my blog and on YouTube, links at the end of this post.

The KBEAR Robin was sent to me free of charge by KeepHiFi in exchange for the publication of this review. They have not requested anything specific, so, as always, my review will be as sincere and unbiased as possible, however, it is always good to keep in mind that I have received this product free of charge.

As usual, I try to refrain from posting purchase links on websites where I am just a guest but you can see the version of the review posted on my blog for a (non affiliate) purchase link from KeepHiFi.

Intro…

When KeepHiFi offered to send me the KBEAR Robin for review, they also asked if I would like to compare it to the cheaper KBEAR Lark, which they would also send out. As you may know, I already reviewed the Lark back in December last year and I found the highs to be rather disappointing, however, I later found out that there were actually two versions of the Lark (with no way to tell which is which) and one version had the “correct” highs, whereas the other (probably the one I received) had treble issues.

I mentioned this to KeepHiFi and they sent me a set of Lark also so I could revisit them and also compare them to the Robin. As I have mentioned in the past, I like to give products some burn in time and then spend at least a week with them before I post a review. The normal way to do this would probably have been to re-evaluate the Lark first and then move on to the Robin but I am not always (ever?) normal, so I have decided to review the Robin first. Once I have done this review on their own merit, I will spend some time with the new set of Larks (currently on the burn in rig) and post both my updated opinions (if they are in fact updated) and some comparisons to the Robin.

Presentation…

The presentation of the Robin is identical to that of the Lark (I don’t need to revisit them to be able to compare this part), a simple cardboard sleeve inside which a black flip top box is contained. Inside the box we find the IEMs, the cable (in my case without a mic but a version with a mic is also available), various sets of silicone tips and the usual user manual, along with a storage/carrying case that I am quite fond of (the one from the original Larks gets a lot of use).

Build and aesthetics…

The build of the IEMs is also very similar to the Lark, a clear shell with a metal faceplate, although the design has changed and is offered in both blue and black. To be honest, I liked the design on the faceplate of the Lark but I also like the difuminate coloured finish of the Robin. Obviously aesthetics is a very personal thing, so all I can say is that I like them although they are not what I would call the most beautiful IEMs I have ever seen.

The included cable is functional but does not scream quality. However, it is more than adequate for the job and does not need to be replaced unless it is something one chooses to do on a personal level. I have actually been using the cable from the Starfields as the blue cable matches the Robin quite nicely.

As far as comfort, which is obviously also personal, it is just as comfortable as other KBEAR offerings and those from other brands that opt for the same shape shell. In my case I find them comfortable and the shape is something that I am used to.

Sound…

So, on to the important part, how does this sub 50€ hybrid IEM sound?

Starting from the lowest notes, as usual, I find the sub bass to have a slight roll off to it as we dive down into the lowest notes. The sub bass is not absent, it is still noticeable and can still give a bit of rumble when the track calls for it, but I do find it to be slightly lower than the mid bass region.

Putting the Robins through the “Chameleon” work out, increasing the volume levels slightly more than my usual listening levels, there is enough sub bass there to feel the rumble, however, it does not get to the “eardrum resonating” levels that other IEMs do. In fact, I find that the subbass is very similar to the original Larks I have, nicely present but without being overdone. As I said, I haven’t tried the new set of Larks yet, so I am not going to do much comparing, but I did like the lower end and mids of the originals, and the subbass on this set is very reminiscent of those. It is certainly enough for my tastes, although I wouldn’t say it is at the level of what a bass head may want or expect.

Moving into the remaining bass frequencies, these are more present than the subbass, with a bit of an emphasis on mid bass that sometimes seems to roll over slightly into the lower mids. This is not something that stands out, in other words, I wouldn’t necessarily say that these IEMs suffer from bass bleed as such, but there are moments when the bass can just dirthy the lower end of the mids slightly. This is more apparent in songs that use overly extended electronic bass sounds, whereas with electric bass guitars it does not seem to be the case, or in the case of shorter more staccato bass hits (even if they are electronic). For example, the bass of “No Sanctuary Here” sounds great on these IEMs, even if the bass is electronic, and does not seem to interfere with the mids at all.

Moving into the mids, the tonality of instruments is very pleasurable, however, voices do come off as recessed. The vocals seem to always be one step behind the music of the song. A lot of the music I listen to is simple instrumental and vocals, and I find myself enjoying the lower mids and the overall tonality of the guitars, basses, etc. with a nice warm touch to them but do miss a little more presence when the voices come in. Now, this is not something that is terrible, far from it, but I think a little more presence in the higher mids would go a long way to giving vocals that little push to the front.

To be honest, when listening exclusively to the Robins, this is not something that is too apparent, it is more when moving from a set that has more vocal presence that is really stands out. I think that one of the tracks that most exaggerates this from my playlist is “Bombtrack” by Rage Against The Machine, where the vocals are overshadowed by the instruments.

When climbing up into the treble areas, sibilance is avoided for the most part, although “Code Cool” (the usual sibilance test) can produce a few “S” that are slightly too much but in general it is more than acceptable. The extension of the treble is also decent (one of my main gripes with most budget offerings), with a decent sensation of air for a set of IEMs in the sub 50€ price bracket. The Robin are not going to compete with other options that use better BA drivers for the high end but, again, they are better than the majority of options in their price bracket and certainly don’t suffer from the roll off that is present on so many single DD sets.

The soundstage is about on a par with what I have come to expect from IEMs in this price range, nothing spectacular but certainly not bad in comparison to many. The placement of images inside this soundstage is also acceptable, it is not milimetrical but is enough to make tracks such as “Bubbles” enjoyable.

As far as speed and dynamics, the Robins do seem to hold themselves together fairly well, except that, due to the recess of the vocals, when tracks get a little busy and complex in the low end, it can become a little overpowering and give the sensation that they are a little clustered. I feel that this is due to the recess of the vocals more than the actual lack of capability of the drivers themselves as fast moving instrumental passages do seem to be more coherent )or at least avoid that sensation).

The detail is something that also suffers due to this. When listening to simple passages, such as the intro to “All Your Love (Turned to Passion)” by Sara K., there is detail (although they are certainly not detail monsters) but a lot of details seem to get lost once things get busier.

Conclusion…

The KBEAR Robin are another set of IEMs that come in under 50€ and offer plenty of fun for their price. I wouldn’t really say that they are the best at anything but I can see that many people will enjoy them, depending on their music tastes. Personally I don’t find them exciting but at the same time, I have spent all week using them to listen to music while working and haven’t really found myself wanting to take them out.

I feel that the Robin are a set of IEMs that are great for when you are not actually focusing on them but can seem to fall when you pay too much attention to them. I find that EDM and other instrumental music is very enjoyable but the recess in vocals stops me from praising them more for my preferred genres of music.

I will certainly be spending sometime with the new set of Larks soon and will come back with some comparisons once I have done so. If you want to know how they compare, check back in for the Lark Round 2, I will try to throw some other comparisons in at the same time.

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I received a review unit of the KBEAR Robin from Wendy at KBEAR. Product link: https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005003022673499.html

Here is my review.

KBEAR Robin
In full song!
KBEAR has emerged as one of the leading manufacturers of quality and well-tuned IEMs as evidenced by the recent Believe, Lark and Neon models. The Robin is their latest release and is a hybrid 1DD + 4BA. The bass driver is a 10mm dual magnetic dynamic unit. The midrange and lower treble is handled by a KBEAR IF-K balanced armature and the high and ultra-high regions are covered by three KBEAR Hi-B BA drivers. A four-way crossover is employed.

The Robin comes in similar packaging to the Lark with a colour sleeve. The reverse has a list of specifications and a frequency graph. Removing the cover reveals a square black box with a gold KBEAR logo. Inside you will see the IEMs sitting in a foam cut-out and two black boxes with gold writing, one long box containing the accessories and another containing the case. The contents include:

  • KBEAR Robin IEMs
  • 2-pin OFC cable
  • 4 pairs of grey silicone tips (S, 2 x M, L)
  • 3 pairs of white silicone tips (S,M,L)
  • Carrying case
  • User guide

The presentation and accessories are excellent for the price and stand apart from the competition.

As expected from KBEAR, the build quality is excellent. The IEMs have a zinc alloy faceplate and a clear resin body. The faceplate has an ombre effect shading from blue to silver and an incised pattern of diamond shapes on the bottom half. There is a circular vent for the dynamic driver on the inner surface and another at the base of the nozzle which is gold in colour, fairly long and has a silver mesh. The earpieces have a bulbous inner surface which sits neatly against the ear and they do protrude slightly, but they are very comfortable and afford a good seal and isolation.

The 2-pin cable is fairly thin and has a chunky white plastic Y-split, 90° 3.5mm plug and hooded connectors. There is no chin slider. The material is 4N oxygen free copper. I found it somewhat tangly in use and not of a quality commensurate with the IEMs.

The carrying case is finished in a grey textured material with a white KBEAR logo and has a zip closure.

The Robin was tested principally with an Xduoo X20 DAP. The pre-fitted eartips were used but I changed to a KBEAR Limpid Pro 8 core silver cable instead of the stock one. A burn in time of 100 hours was allowed. During this time, the bass became tighter and more controlled and the staging expanded.

A healthy volume level was obtained from all sources including a smartphone, with no need for additional amplification, although some benefits were gained with extra power including a tighter bass.

First Impressions
The Robin displayed a rich, full, warm and spacious profile with a powerful bass, well balanced mids and a smooth yet detailed treble which was deceptively extended. Soundstage was roughly equal in all three dimensions with good imaging and there was an overriding sense of musicality. There was a little bass bleed and the low frequencies occasionally dominated on certain material.

Bass
Sub bass was impressive with a good rumble and mid bass was warm and mildly emphasised with a slight amount of bleed into the mids. Texture was nicely conveyed with the timbre of various instruments well differentiated. Due to the very good extension, ambient information was clearly depicted.

“Silent Trees” is a beautiful electronic soundscape by Kevin Kendle from his album “Winter”. A stately melody is supported by deep synth bass with delicate accents from Brian Abbott’s glissando guitar. In the central climax the Robin managed to display the weight, depth and power of the bass very impressively, evoking the latent power of nature in the depth of winter and one could imagine the bare trees silhouetted against the sky as the light faded.

The late Pete Bardens is best known for being the keyboard player in the prog-rock band Camel. In 1981 he released a single, “Sailplane” under the name OBX. The synth drums in this piece possessed a powerful slam and immediacy and the bass tones were rich and full, providing a solid backdrop for the vocals, string synth and percussive effects, with the whole piece in perfect balance.

The warm and natural timbre of the Robin’s bass came to the fore in “Playful Pizzicato”, the second movement of Britten’s “Simple Symphony”. The resonant acoustic of the Snape Maltings was captured beautifully in this classic Decca recording with the English Chamber Orchestra under the composer’s baton. The incisive impact of the plucked strings was a joy to hear and the depth of the massed double basses was notable, leaving a lasting impression.

Mids
The Robin’s midrange was very well tuned and only slightly recessed. I did not detect any unnatural “BA” timbre and KBEAR’s custom IF-K driver managed to deliver an attractive and open tonality from the bass boundary to the upper mids with a smooth and natural quality.

The timbre of the string instruments in Schubert’s String Quintet sounded very authentic in the version performed by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Karl Bohm. Violins and violas displayed a natural tonality and the pizzicato notes of the cello were nicely portrayed in a spacious manner with a real sense of “being there”. The balance of the various instruments was well judged with the musical character of the Robin very evident.

Eva Cassidy’s beautiful version of Sting’s “Fields of Gold” showed the Robin’s considerable ability with vocals. Her clear and pure voice contrasted with her bright guitar accompaniment in the superb production by Chris Biondo and the emotion of the song was conveyed admirably, reminding the listener what a sad loss her passing was.

In an unusual collaboration, Greek keyboard wizard Vangelis performed with Julian Lloyd Webber in “Un apres-midi” on his album, “Encore”. The Robin reproduced the beautiful cello melody with a natural and convincing timbre whilst Vangelis’s synthesiser accompaniment provided delicate accents and an attractive counterpoint. The whole was presented in a wide and spacious acoustic.

Treble
The treble region was clean, clear and smooth with good levels of detail and there was no evidence of peaks or harshness. It was deceptively extended and possessed an attractive airy quality reminiscent of the TRI Starsea.

Isao Tomita’s “Electronic Realisations” of classical works always feature an extensive frequency range. Greig’s “Solveig’s Song” from the album “Kosmos” is a good example. The swirling synth patches, trademark whistle samples and choral effects were dramatically presented by the Robin with a wide dynamic range. The massed string voices soared majestically yet retained delicate detail and the whole effect was testament to the meticulous production by the Japanese synth master.

Sarah Chang’s wonderful expressive reading of Vaughan Williams’s “The Lark Ascending” with the LPO conducted by Bernard Haitink produced a luminous performance through the Robin. The violin’s tonality was spot-on with good reproduction of those harmonics which define timbre. The message of the music was conveyed in a direct and emotional way with the orchestral accompaniment perfectly balanced.

“I Robot” is the title track from the album by the Alan Parsons Project. After an introduction featuring synth sequences and an offbeat percussion section, the piece builds with electric guitars and choral effects. Eventually the bright and crisp tones of a cimbalom join in and they were presented very effectively through the Robin with the highest notes clear and well-separated, even during the very dense production.

Soundstage
The Robin possessed a wide and spacious stage with an exceptional ability to bring out the atmosphere and ambience in a recording. Imaging, layering and separation were all of high quality.

The Robin revelled in the transcription of Holst’s “Moorside Suite” for strings (originally for brass band) by the Northern Sinfonia directed by David Lloyd-Jones. The separation and interplay of the different sections of the orchestra, the clarity of the counterpoint and the realistic atmosphere of the hall were all handled adeptly by the Robin resulting in an entertaining and musically satisfying performance full of life and vitality.

“First Flight” by Alasdair Fraser appears on the Narada compilation album " A Childhood Remembered". It features solo violin supported by synthesisers supported by a whole range of acoustic instruments and percussion. The rhythmic lead melody stood out clearly against the colourful and complex accompaniment and deep synth bass with a palpable sense of space and depth, producing a feeling of being wrapped in sound.

“In the Beginning”, the introduction to “Songs of Distant Earth” by Mike Oldfield, begins with a recording of Bill Anders reading from the Bible as he orbits the moon. Accompanied by synthesisers and deep bass drum, sparkling electronic effects spiral around the image. When the lead guitar enters with the main theme in “Let there be Light”, the effect was dramatic as the stage expanded and the full instrumentation was brought to bear.

Comparisons
KZ ZS10 Pro
The ZS10 Pro, like the Robin is a hybrid, 1DD + 4BA. It has a 10mm dynamic driver, two 50060 BAs and two 30095 BAs. It has a deep V profile and a bold, exciting sound with a bright treble which occasionally can be aggressive. The Robin has a shallower V profile with a much more refined treble and portrays music in a bold and sumptuous manner without trying to grab you by the lapels as the ZS10 Pro does!

CCZ Plume
Another hybrid with the same configuration, the Plume is an ambitious debut product from CCZ. The drivers are as follows: 10mm dual magnetic DD for the bass, 2 x IF-A midrange BAs and 2 HI-A BA drivers for the high frequencies. The Plume also has a V profile with powerful bass, smooth mids and a polite treble. There is some mid bass bleed and a slightly subdued nature to the upper frequencies. The soundstage is very large and spacious. In comparison the Robin is broadly similar but has a more lively treble, less bass bleed and a similar soundstage. Considering the difference in cost, the Robin comes out well here delivering at least a comparable sound at a quarter of the price.

KBEAR Lark
The Lark is a dual hybrid (1DD + 1BA). It is perhaps the first of KBEAR’s models to display the new more mature tuning style seen in their more recent designs. It has a neutral profile with a well balanced sound. Bass is solid, mids are present and open and treble bright without major failings. The Robin shares some of these qualities but adds to this a more authoritative bass, a superior soundstage and improved detail. It is certainly worth the premium over the earlier model and might be seen as a development of, or an upgrade to the Lark.

Conclusion
The Robin is an unqualified success. Blessed with a warm and natural timbre and easygoing personality it presents music in a very attractive fashion. It reproduces the character of a recording venue as well as any IEM I have heard. The key to its appeal for me is its musicality. Despite its V profile, it comes across as well balanced across the frequency range and provides musical enjoyment with every genre you can throw at it. There is some bass bleed and the bass occasionally dominates but these are minor issues. The supplied cable does not bring out the best in the Robin and I would recommend a better one, because it deserves it. I found the KBEAR Limpid Pro 8 core particularly well suited. The Robin must rank as one of the best models currently available in the $50 category. Another winner for KBEAR!




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A very late review of the CCA CSN is up on my blog:

The CCA CSN is a modern KZ-style budget hybrid, for better or worse. With more coherently tuned single dynamic driver competitors like the Tanchjim Tanya and Moondrop Quarks available at lower price points, I don’t think this kind of IEM has much appeal to anyone looking for mature sound.

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Review - Strauss & Wagner EM205

As always, this review is also available in Spanish on my blog and on YouTube, links at the end of this post.

The Straus & Wagner EM205 were sent to me free of charge by Audio46 as one of a group of reviewers selected to receive the sample. Their 2 conditions for this were that the review must be posted within 14 days of receiving the item and that the review must be first published in this thread on Head-Fi before posting elsewhere. Unfortunately the IEMs were delayed due to the shipping company (surprise surprise) and I didn’t receive them until a couple of weeks ago, a month after they were shipped.

Other than that, Audio46 made no other requests, so my opinion will follow the usual path of being as honest and unbiased as possible.

Although they weren’t specifically requested, I have posted (non-affiliate) links to the Audio46 web and this product on my blog.

Intro…

To be totally honest, I had no idea what I was receiving when I was offered the W&S EM205, I haven’t watched or read any reviews on them but I decided to take a look at the website for some specs before publishing this review and to be honest, there are more specs on the box they arrive in than on their website.

According to the box, they are a single 9mm dynamic driver set of IEMs (it doesn’t actually specify DD on the box but they certainly sound DD), with an impedance of 32 Ohms and a sensitivity of 108dB.

This should make for pretty easy IEMs to drive but for some reason, when paired with one of my phones that I use as a DAP on occasions, they did sound like they were lacking some clarity, clarity that improved (slightly, but more on that in a moment) when paired with something as simple as the Apple Dongle.

Please note that I haven’t used these IEMs connected to an amplifier like I usually do (normally the Atom in the case of IEMs) as I don’t like connecting IEMs with inline mics to amplifiers without an adapter (which I don’t have on hand at the moment) and as the cable is fixed, I couldn’t swap the cable for one without a mic.

In other words, all of my impressions have been done with the Apple Dongle, connected to an Android phone and using UAPP, with stock tips and obviously stock cable.

Presentation…

The EM205 arrive in a very simple white box with a few images in black & white, along with some details and specs (as I said, more than on their website). The packaging actually reminds me a lot of IEMs you would find on sale at stores like “Ale-Hop” (those in Spain will get the reference) or even at “Tedi” (most Europeans should get this reference). Please note that this is not a complaint, I am all for saving money on packaging and putting it into the product itself.

Inside the box we find the IEMs, a drawstring pouch for transport and a couple of extra sets of tips (3 sets in total, including the ones that come installed). There is not a lot included and I know we are talking about a $40 set of IEMs, so we shouldn’t expect much, but in comparison with other similarly priced items from other brands, the contents could be considered quite sparse.

This is obviously not an issue if the money has been invested in the quality of the IEMs and, more importantly, the sound.

Build and aesthetics…

These are a small set of IEMs, similar in form factor to things like the Tanya or E500 (shorter than the E500 but a little bit beefier than the Tanya). This makes for a comfortable set of IEMs that can be worn with the cable either up or down, although I do find that wearing them with the cable up does place the controller/mic very close to the bottom of the ear (this will obviously depend on your own ear size.

The IEM shells, while made of plastic, do seem to be well built and look like they would withstand daily routines quite easily, they don’t look like they would have any problems with being thrown in a pocket or backpack, especially when inside the included bag.

The cable itself is ok, not the best but adequate for daily use. It is a simple rubberized cable that does decide to tangle itself on occasions but is certainly not the worst cable I have received. This is good because, as I mentioned, the cable is fixed, so you won’t be swapping it without a soldering iron.

There is a microphone and small inline controller on the cable, with three buttons to control basic music control like vol +, vol -, play/pause etc. I found that the play/pause (center button) also serves as next track when pressed twice, however, I didn’t find a way of doing last track, at least while using UAPP for this review.

All in all, the build and comfort is quite satisfactory for the price of the EM205, nothing outstanding but nothing to really complain about either.

Sound…

Putting in the EM205’s and pressing play for the first time was literally like suddenly jumping back in time, to a place where a set of 30€ set of JVC or Sennheisers were great fun, back to times when IEMs where only on stages and everything else was just earbuds, independently of the fact whether they fitted inside your ear or just perched in the opening.

Now, before you assume that I am hating on these IEMs and saying that they sound like something from 15 years ago, that is not what I am saying. I am referring more to the tuning you would find in 90% of IEMs that are sold to people who don’t live in the audiophile world, a land where a set of 30€ JBL IEMs are great because they are JBL. Again, I am not hating! Those people enjoy their music probably a lot more than some (lot’s of) audiophiles and are happy with what they hear, which is the most important thing in all of this, enjoying the music.

So, without straying further from the subject, the reason I mention this is because I feel that the tuning of the EM205 is very similar to that “safe consumer” tuning that is found on many similar priced products sold en masse. That doesn’t mean that it is bad, my son, for example, would probably be very happy with them, it is just a sound signature that is not something that really appeals to me, luckily it is not as “over done” in the bass as some other items I have tried.

Starting with the subbass, there is plenty of low rumble there, in fact, listening to “Chameleon”, I got the sensation that my ears were being vacuum sealed at times. There is enough subbass to actually make you feel it inside your ears, sort of like a miniaturized dance floor in your ears.

Moving into the remaining bass frequencies, these are an extension of the subbass and can no way be thought of as lacking bass. Yes, I have tried bassier sets that were much worse, but that doesn’t stop the EM205 from having too much bass for my personal tastes. This can actually prove impressive for the first few tracks when listening to EDM but I soon get tired and feel fatigued from too much bass. Don’t get me wrong, I am not anti-bass, after all I am a bass player, but I prefer it when I don’t have to strain through the bass in order to appreciate the rest of the frequencies.

And the rest of the frequencies are there to be appreciated but they get a little overpowered by the lows. In the lower part of the mids, there is still mid bass trailing over into these frequencies, making them come across a little congested in the low mids area. This is not helped by the fact that there is a recess in the mids, making voices and mid centric instruments be pushed behind those overly present lows, fighting to actually make their presence noted. A reduction of bass via EQ does actually help bring them a little more towards the front but without EQ, they can range between slightly recessed and too far away, when talking about vocals. For example, the song “Make Noise” by Busta Rhymes and Lenny Kravitz, has vocals that are pretty recessed on a neutral set up, with the EM205 the vocals are almost absent.

Moving towards the higher mids and up into the treble, there really isn’t any noticeable boost in order to at least bring back a little of the V shaped signature (not that I am a huge fan of overly done “V”s anyway) and it sort of just continues on with the same lack of presence as in the mids. There is also not a huge amount of extension, so there isn’t much of that “air” that would maybe make things a little more “breathable”.

The good news is that sibilance is non-existent, as is any harshness, if you don’t mind the boosted lows, you can push these IEMs very loud without harshness (although you will run into some distortion and probably hearing issues if you go that loud :slight_smile: ).

The soundstage is around normal for a set of IEMs in this price range, with image positioning also around average. It is not terrible but the bass does add to the sensation of being rather narrow (for me personally).

Conclusion…

It is probably clear that I have not enjoyed the Strauss & Wagner EM205, and this review probably comes across as rather negative, which I guess it is, but it is far more related to my taste in sound than to the actual IEMs themselves. If you are someone that enjoys this kind of tuning, which many people do, it is a much better alternative to some of those supermarket offerings that will cost the same, have worse performance and even more bass.

The packaging, and IEMs, do look like they would be at home on a multi store shelf or bookshop, but I personally feel that they perform better than would be expected if you would find them in such a place. They are IEMs that a very large percentage of the general public would really enjoy, with them plugged directly into their phones with an inline mic ready for those calls.

Personally, as these earphones have a tuning that I do not enjoy, it makes it very difficult for me to focus on the good points while ignoring the things I don’t like. It’s like trying to focus on the lettuce of a 500g burger when you don’t like the taste of the meat.

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Revisiting the KBEAR Lark, a new set, does it fix the treble?

As always, this is also available in Spanish on my blog and on YouTube, links at the end of this post.

As I mentioned in my recent review of the KBEAR Robin, KeepHiFi sent me both the Robin and a new set of Lark in order to compare them between themselves and also compare the Lark against the version I received late last year that had not so great highs (I’ll explain more in a moment).

KeepHifi have not requested anything specific, so, as always, my review will be as sincere and unbiased as possible, however, it is always good to consider the fact that these products have not cost me anything.

The (non-afiliate) links to KeepHiFi and the Lark can be found in the version of this review published on my blog.

Intro…

For those that haven’t read my review of the KBEAR Robin that I published recently, here is a quick rundown of why I am revisiting the KBEAR Lark almost 9 months later.

When I originally reviewed the Lark, a review that you can read here, I mentioned that the treble area had some serious problems. I am not going to go into detail (you can read the original review for that) but it turned out that there were two different revisions of the Lark (or so it seemed), where one had issues with the treble and the other didn’t. I never got to try a different set of them so I just thought that I probably had a set with the issues.

When KeepHiFi offered to send me out another set (after mentioning my previous findings) in order to compare them with the Robin, I thought it would be good to also compare them with the original set I have, to see if I really did get a bad set.

Well, first, I can certainly say that the treble is different on these, definitely better than on the original set.

Usual review…

As the only thing that seems to be different is the treble, I am not going to go through all the usual steps of creating a full review, you can read the original review for that, I am just going to focus on the differences between these and the originals, compare them to the Robin and add a couple of comparisons to other similarly priced alternatives.

KBEAR Lark v1 vs V2…

As far as I am aware, there is absolutely no way of knowing which set is which without listening to them, or if there is, I haven’t found it.

In fact, I don’t think that it is actually a v1 and v2, it is more a case of some sets that were either assembled differently or the BA driver was different, again, this is just speculation because I have not found any details on it, just various examples from different people (including measurements). However, for the sake of simplicity, I am going to call the ones I reviewed last year the v1 and the new ones I have received v2.

In the lower ranges, the sound is as identical as you can expect, considering possible placement changes when swapping between v1 and v2, along with a different choice of tips. My opinion of the bass and the mids has not changed from my original review, the only (major!) difference is in the treble.

Let me point out that the treble on the v2 is still far from perfect, but it is also a very long way from the mess that was (is) the v1.

With the v1, I opted to use the included silicon tips as I found the foams to result in too much of a thin sound. With the v2, I have found myself using foam tips. The reason for this is that, although I prefer the bass and mids with the silicone tips, the treble is a little harsh for my tastes and after playing around with multiple tips, I find that the foams reduce it just enough to make it more comfortable. Yes, I am losing a little in the lower regions in order to tame a peak or two in the highs, but I find it to be my preference with these IEMs.

The v1 presented a peak somewhere in the middle of the sibilance range, this is much reduced on the v2 but is still quite noticeable. In fact, it is noticeable with the foam tips, with the silicone tips I find it to be rather unpleasant. There is still a touch of harshness that reminds me of the v1 but where the v2 is much improved is in the extension.

On the v1, there was a very noticeable drop off after about 12kHz, something that the v2 does not exhibit. In fact, the extension of the v2 is miles better, being an extension I would expect from a hybrid set of IEMs in the under 50€ category, actually more extended than a lot of IEMs in this range.

The treble, except for that peak, is actually rather smooth, the main problem lies in that peak. Apart from the usual sibilance tests, voices like Paul Simon on Graceland can be rather harsh when volume is increased.

I have no doubt that the v2 is much better (in the highs) than the v1 I reviewed, however, I still find the treble too harsh and it still shows that metallic timbre of the BA driver in the upper ranges.

My conclusion would be that the Lark v2 does not sound broken like the v1 did but it is still a shame that the BA is not up to the quality of the DD.

KBEAR Lark (v2) vs KBEAR Robin…

Now, this is the main reason for KeepHiFi sending me the new version of the Lark, however, there is a slight problem:

Yes, that is the nozzle of the Robin inside the tip. That is not some new crazy tuning method, it is actually the nozzle that has separated itself from the shell.

This is an issue that I have not experienced before, nor have I heard of this issue with other KBEAR units, so it is most probably an isolated incident, but let’s face it, stuff happens. All brands and models can experience some kind of issue and, to me, the most important part is how the seller/manufacturer responds to the issue.

In this case, KeepHiFi was very apologetic and was more than willing to resolve the issue by replacing the faulty pair. However, as these IEMs were sent to me free of charge, and I have already performed the listening tests necessary to both review the Robin and compare it to the Lark, I do not need them to send out a new pair.

KeepHiFi made it very clear, in my conversation with them, that they have a warranty and they will work with anyone who has issues with any of their products to resolve the situation. I really don’t think that we can expect anything more from a seller than for them to stand behind the products they sell and treat the customers fairly when something happens. They obviously are not to blame for the issue, they don’t manufacture the IEMs, but came across as being very interested in both resolving the issue and passing the information on to the manufacturer directly.

So, anyway, the sound comparison…

I am only comparing sound as everything else is the same (shape, build, etc.), the only difference is the 1DD + 1BA of the Lark vs the 1DD + 4BA of the Robin.

Now, at first I thought that the DD driver in both of these was the same, now I am not so sure. To be honest, I have absolutely no idea what driver is used in each of these, they might very well be the same just with different tuning, but I find the Lark to be more enrgetic.

In my review of the Robin, I mentioned that sometimes I found the lows to invade the mids a little when playing longer, more pronounced bass notes. After more listening, I find that it is more of the case of the DD not being quite up to the task. I don’t know where the crossover happens, in other words, I don’t know where the DD drops out and the BA kicks in, but if the DD is covering the lower mids along with the bass, the lack of speed would certainly explain the feeling I get from it.

The Lark, on the other hand, I find to be much better at resolving these same frequencies and to be more capable of staying clear when things get a little hectic in the lows (extended rumbling bass, multiple bass lines simultaneously etc.). So, what I am basically saying is that I prefer the lower range of the Lark over the Robin.

In the treble range, I find the opposite to be true. In comparison to the Lark (v2, as the v1 was just not comparable), the Robin does not have that harshness that I find in the Lark. There are still a couple of moments when some slight sibilance will raise its head but it is by no means harsh like the Lark is. The treble of the Robin is far smoother and seems much more precise, without the harshness and even the BA metallic timbre is not as apparent.

If I could, I would take the lows of the Lark with the highs of the Robin, I feel this would make for a much more balanced set.

KBEAR Lark vs Kinera BD005 Pro…

The Kinera are another set of hybrids under 50€ that I reviewed recently here. I also did a comparison of the BD005 Pro against multiple other sub 50€ offerings in that review. Therefore, I feel that a comparison of the Lark to the BD005 Pro will serve to also compare against some of the other units in that review.

First let me say that the BD005 Pro benefit from a little extra amplification, whereas the Lark will be happy running off almost anything that has a headphone jack. For this comparison, I used the Apple Dongle, which does not bring the best out of the Kinera (in my opinion) but is more than enough to run them both, probably better than the majority of phones that these will be connected to by the majority of users.

The reason I mention the source (apart from the fact that it is a break from my normal set up for testing) is that I feel that the lower regions (subbass through to low mids) are very similar on both sets when using the Apple Dongle. With a bit more amplification, such as the Atom, I feel that the BD005 Pro becomes a little more articulate and the lows to mids is a little cleaner. With the Lark, I don’t find that the extra amp really makes any difference in this respect.

The tonality of stringed instruments in the lows and mids I also find a little better on the Kinera. It is not night and day but I do feel that the Kinera seems a little more lifelike, maybe even just a little warmer.

Both sets have slightly recessed mids, maybe slightly more on the Kinera but I think that it is the fact that the bass is a little more present at times than on the Lark, making it appear more of a recess than it is. I really couldn’t say which of the two I prefer in the mids.

In the treble, neither of them are my thing. The BD005 Pro has too much treble in my opinion, however, the Lark has less treble but is harsher. At low volumes (most of my listening is at low volumes but I mean even slightly lower), I would pick the Lark as the harshness is not quite as noticeable when at low levels, however, when increasing the volume levels (not by a huge amount, just slightly over my normal listening levels), the harshness of the Lark appears and I find it more uncomfortable than the boosted treble of the Kinera.

Conclusion…

The KBEAR Lark does sound better than I said when I reviewed it back in December. As suspected, the unit I reviewed originally had issues with the treble and this new set has proved the point.

However, sounding better than the other set is not quite enough for it to sound great in my opinion. That harshness in the treble is enough to take away the enjoyment in my case. It may not be an issue for others, maybe the peak is exactly at a point that is sensitive for me, but I can only comment on what I hear personally.

Is the KBEAR Robin worth it over the Lark, which is really the whole reason for revisiting the Lark, I would say yes. I do find the low end to be a step below on the Robin in comparison to the Lark, but it is not something that makes it unpleasant enough to avoid it, at least for me. I listened to the Robin all week and at my usual listening levels, the bass was just something I noticed on tracks with heavy bass. However, the harshness on the Lark is something I notice on (almost) all music, unless I am at very low levels.

8 Likes

I have posted a review of the Moondrop Quarks in the Moondrop thread that easily fits in this thread also.

You can find it here:

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Tin HiFi T2 Evo: The Successor to the T2?

Review written by @Fc-Construct

Review unit on provided by Linsoul

Introduction

Three years ago, the Tin Audio made a splash on the budget ChiFi space with the release of the Tin T2. It holds a special place in my heart as the IEM that really got me into this hobby, having bought it off the Aliexpress spring sale before it was too widely known. What distinguished the T2 from other budget IEMs at the time was its relatively well-tuned, neutral-bright sound. With the help of a few glowing reviews, the T2 exploded in popularity and made Tin Audio (now rebranded to Tin HiFi) a recognizable name in the budget space.

But that was three years ago. The success of the T2 has seemingly prompted a shift and re-focus in the budget IEM landscape. Nowadays, the market is full of well-tuned IEMs and differentiating your product from another becomes the challenge. Faced with the new reality of a highly competitive IEM scene, Tin HiFi’s latest attempt at reclaiming their position is through the $60 Tin HiFi T2 Evo. The question is: will it make as big of an impression as the T2, or will it be another soon-to-be forgotten product?

Build

Unlike the original T2, the T2 Evo sports a single 10 mm dynamic driver. Other than that, it’s effectively the same from a build quality standpoint. It uses the same bullet-style shells as the T2, with the difference being an aesthetic blue and red marking to denote the left and right pieces respectively.

The accessories are a little different from the T2 I had, with the most notable difference being the tips. Instead of the gray, wide-bore silicon tips, the T2 Evo comes with 6 pairs of soft white SpinFit-like tips. As usual, the classic blue T2 foam tips are included. Finally, there’s a generic black velvet carrying case. As for the cable, it’s the same MMCX cable that came with the T2 but has pre-molded earhooks. I wish they included the T2 Plus’ cable instead as that one is far superior.

In terms of fit, well it fits like the original T2. Which is to say, it’s comfortable enough for me but not the most ergonomic of IEMs. The pre-molded earhooks on the cable does mean that you’re forced to wear it over-ear. If you want to wear it cable down, you’ll have to buy a separate cable without the hooks.

Sound

At first glance, the T2 Evo seems to be your bog standard neutral-bright IEM but spend a minute with it and it starts getting weird . It sounds like if you were to describe the original T2 to someone who’s never heard it before and told them to take a step further in terms of raw energy. Vocals have a strange hollowness to it, there’s an excess of upper mids/lower treble that comes off strident, and the treble has a glassy sheen to it.

Frequency response of the Tin HiFi T2 Evo. Measurement taken with an IEC-711 clone microphone. Comparisons can only be made to other measurements taken by this specific microphone. The peak at about 8-9 kHz is an artifact of the measurement system. It likely does not actually exist as depicted here.

Bass

The bass is the most unremarkable part of the T2 Evo. It’s basically flat. Unlike the original T2, it does extend down to the lowest octaves pretty easily without rolling off. However due to the lack of bass elevation, the sensation of rumble is barely there. Bass is on the punchy side and feels light, quickly flitting on to the next note without emphasis on any one in particular. The bass takes a backseat to the rest of the sound.

Mids and Treble

The lower mids of the T2 Evo are like the bass: flat. The upper mids and treble are awkward. There isn’t really an easy way to describe this without referencing the graph here. It doesn’t look good. First, the vocals. Despite the Mount Everest of a peak at 5 kHz, vocal performance is mostly fine on the T2 Evo. Honestly, vocals track quite well in the mids until the 3 kHz mark where we then run into bigger problem of the excess lower treble energy past that point. This manifests as an obvious stridency with consonants like the “S” sound and more importantly, a sort of hollowness to the sound as certain upper harmonics are emphasized to the point where it overshadows vocal timbre. This contributes to that uncanny valley feeling I get with the T2 Evo. On the surface, it sounds almost right but something’s clearly wrong. Male vocals are less affected while female vocals tip into questionable territory.

While vocals are alright, instruments are not. In particular, electric guitars have way too much bite to them to the point where it actually starts to garble the screaming notes of the lead guitar. The crack of the snare can be overly highlighted, making it pop out unnaturally in the mix. Hats and cymbals are unbalanced. The initial hit tends towards a crashing sound instead of clean, crisp notes. This leads to a metallic, glassy sort of tone. Interestingly enough, the treble of the T2 Evo it isn’t painfully sharp like I would’ve expected. While there definitely some level of sibilance, the Sss sound is certainly hot but not stabbing. Upper extension is pretty good but its contribution to the overall sound is overshadowed by the overabundance of lower treble.

Presentation

The technical performance of the T2 Evo is middling for today’s market. Imaging is average and soundstage has a bit more width than normal. There’s also a smidgen of depth but it’s so little and imaging too constrained to really take advantage of it. Thus instrument layering is limited. Separation is good in the lower frequencies but once you get to the upper mids/lower treble transition, the stridency of that 5 kHz peak can make notes clash against each other.

Resolution is in-line with other budget IEMs for the price. Clarity is pretty good, but this is mostly because of all that upper mids energy. Like most IEMs, dynamics are unremarkable. Overall, the T2 Evo’s technical performance is adequate for the budget class but doesn’t strive for anything beyond that.

Comparison to the Tin HiFi T2:

Of course, the real question is how does it compare the T2? While the T2’s MSRP is $50, you can often find it for $35 or so. From a technical standpoint, I find it a step up in every department. To be honest, the T2 hasn’t aged all that well. It’s certainly still passable but standards are creeping higher and higher each year. One thing that stands out to me is that the T2’s drivers sound like they’re of lower quality; there’s a slight sense of graininess to the music that’s absent on the T2 Evo. That said, it’s very possible that the T2 Evo and T2 share the same 10 mm DD and all of this is in my head.

From a tuning perspective, it’s a bit of a coin toss. Now that I’m looking back, the T2’s tuning admittedly has a couple of flaws. The subbass rolls off, the mids are a bit bloated and muddy, and there’s a few sharp peaks in the treble. Vocal tone would be superb if it wasn’t for the lingering bloat in the mids. With the exception of the hats/cymbals, instruments sound natural. In contrast, the T2 Evo fixes these issues but introduces a number of its own. Subbass extension is introduced and there isn’t a hint of muddiness. Peakiness is reigned in. However these are replaced with the flaws discussed above, particularly with the stridency and compromised instrument timbre. This makes the T2 Evo a sidegrade rather than an upgrade.

Should You Buy It?

No. To be clear, I don’t hate the T2 Evo. Despite all my complaints, I don’t mind its sound and would take it over quite a number other budget IEMs I’ve heard in the past. But if you want a $60 IEM, I’d suggest the Tin T2 Plus over the T2 Evo. You can read my review here but the T2 Plus essentially has a better fit and cable, a much better (if generic) tuning, and marginally better technical performance. Other alternatives would be the Etymotic ER2 (if you can find it on sale) or MoonDrop Aria.

Here is where I have something to confess. I had a small hand in tuning this IEM. Tin HiFi sent me a couple prototype samples after I inquired about some of their upcoming products. Trust me when I say that this final version of the T2 Evo is absolutely the best. The previous ones had even MORE treble, if you can believe it. And that treble was painful. To Tin HiFi’s credit, they had taken my feedback to tame the treble but weren’t able to fully reign it in before release. If they were able to squash down that 5 kHz hump by about 5 dB it’d be much easier to recommend this IEM.

But this leads us to the second problem: even if the tuning was good, the technical performance of the T2 Evo isn’t anything notable. In such a highly competitive market, adequate doesn’t exactly get you much market share. It seems like Tin HiFi will have to rely on their brand power for sales on this one. Unfortunately the answer to the question posed in the introduction is that the T2 Evo will likely be another forgettable product, an attempt from a once recognized company to bring back its former glory that stumbled at the finish line.

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Here is my latest review, the CCA NRA:

CCA NRA
I would like to thank Ann from Keep Hifi for providing this unit for review. Product link:

The NRA is the latest model from CCA, the sister company of KZ, and is the first of their earphones to feature an electret driver (also known as a magnetostatic unit), covering the high frequencies. This is complemented by a new design of 10mm dynamic driver with a triple magnet handling the bass region. Until now, IEMs featuring an electret tweeter have occupied a much higher price band so the NRA is a breakthrough product in this regard.

The NRA comes packaged in the traditional KZ/CCA packaging, a small rectangular box with a slip cover bearing a colour image of the IEMs and specifications on the reverse. Removing the slip cover, the earpieces are presented in a card cut-out. Below this is written, “3 magnetic dynamic & electrostatic earphones”. Under the card cutout you will find the detachable 2 pin cable, the spare eartips and documentation.

The earpieces are similar to the previous CSN model with an alloy faceplate emblazoned with the CCA logo and a clear resin body through which the components can be seen. They are solidly built. There are no vents on the earpieces’ inner surface but there is a small opening on the narrow tip. The 2 pin socket protrudes to accept QDC connectors. The earpieces were very comfortable and because of the short nozzles I used the largest of the supplied tips which provided a good seal and isolation.

The 2 pin cable is a new design and I think is the best yet from CCA/KZ. It is a 4 core silver plated copper type with QDC connectors. It handles well and the ear guides are very comfortable. There is a 90° 3.5mm plastic plug and a chunky plastic Y split but there is no chin slider.

The IEMs were tested using an Xduoo X20 DAP as the source and a burn-in period of 100 hours was allowed to settle down the components. Adequate volume was achieved with no need for additional amplification.

First Impressions
The first thing which struck me was the delicate, airy and ethereal nature of the treble. Bass was powerful, deep and well-textured and the mids were forward, clear and expressive. The general profile was W shaped and the stage was of average dimensions.

Bass
The bass was powerful, with good speed and a touch of warmth. Sub bass displayed some rumble but could have been more weighty, mid bass possessed a satisfying kick and there was a small amount of bass bleed.

Holst’s “Saturn” from the Planets Suite begins with harp, hushed strings and woodwind followed by a mournful descending bass line accompanied by percussion and brass. The NRA displayed an accurate bass pizzicato timbre and managed to preserve the atmosphere of the piece in the Vienna Philharmonic’s vintage Decca recording under Herbert von Karajan. Near the conclusion deep organ tones are joined by tubular bells and harp and the whole effect was very well conveyed.

"Suite Gothique” by Leon Boellmann is a large-scale romantic French organ piece and is a severe test of bass. Marie-Claire Alain’s performance explores the full range of the magnificent Cavaille-Coll instrument and the NRA rose to the occasion admirably but just fell short in conveying the full weight of the pedal notes, especially in the last four dramatic chords at the conclusion where I felt the sub bass was a little disappointing.

The pulsing bass rhythm and sound effects in “Welcome to the Machine” from “Wish you were here” by Pink Floyd came over well on the NRA providing the track with a solid foundation. It was most effective, especially when contrasted by the menacing quality of Dave Gilmour’s guitar chords.

Mids
The NRA’s midrange was a little forward but was lively and immediate. It became brighter as the frequency increased. The timbre was brighter than neutral and the forward nature of the reproduction did tend to impact on the staging.

The vocal performance of the NRA was direct and expressive with voices forward in the mix yet not unbalancing the effect. In Rosanne Cash’s “This has happened before” her voice was projected well and the acoustic guitars on each side were evenly balanced. The Dobro solo in the bridge was clear and well defined and the backing vocals were also nicely separated. This was ideal material for the NRA.

“L’heure Exquise” is a beautiful duet for cello and piano by the Venezuelan composer Reynaldo Hahn. Julian Lloyd Webber and John Lenehan delivered a beautiful meditative performance set in a reverberant acoustic. The timbre of the cello was bright and clear, highlighting the details of the bowing and the decay and overtones of the piano were very accurately portrayed. As before, simpler pieces seemed to fare better than complex and more dynamic tracks.

In Chloe Hanslip’s wonderful reading of the Violin Concerto No.1 by Jeno Hubay with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, her violin was clearly presented above the orchestra in a spacious manner. The tonality of the instrument was bright and immediate but occasionally sounded sharper than ideal and pushed the solo forward in the mix.

Treble
The NRA possessed a clean, airy and detailed treble somewhat brighter than neutral with good extension without being peaky or harsh, but occasionally did become a little over-enthusiastic, especially at high volume and sometimes there was just a hint of unnatural timbre.

The high notes of the electric harp in “Hirzel” by Andreas Vollenweider displayed a delicate and ethereal quality full of detail. The NRA’s electret tweeter demonstrated what it was capable of and it was evident how different the tonality was compared to a BA driver. The electric guitar solo later in the piece had plenty of impact and was suitably aggressive without being harsh.

The sprightly violin parts and clever counterpoint in Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmuzik” were entertainingly presented by the NRA and showcased its excellent clarity. The playing of the Vienna Philharmonic under Karl Bohm was authentically portrayed and encouraged further listening, so much so that I listened to all four movements!

Gerry Rafferty’s classic single, “Baker Street” is a great production. The lead saxophone sounded natural, the bass was well textured and vocals were clear. While all this was going on the NRA’s precise treble depicted the delicate sound of the celesta with excellent precision.

Soundstage
The NRA’s staging was roughly spherical with a reasonable dimension but not extending beyond the ears. The bright treble ensured good separation, imaging and layering. The staging did tend to compress during louder passages, however.

The interplay of the various string sections in Arvo Part’s “Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten” was expertly depicted by the NRA in the version conducted by Dennis Russell Davies on ECM. As the piece progressed and the scoring became more and more dense, all the elements remained clearly audible, allowing the complex counterpoint to be appreciated.

“The Cello’s Song” is a cinematic piece by Kostia and David Arkenstone with solo cello backed by a colourful electronic and acoustic accompaniment. The staging in this work is very wide with all manner of instruments featuring in a complex production. The NRA presented a fairly expansive interpretation but I would have liked a little more width in the staging.

Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” features a prominent part for bass drum. In the version by the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by Eiji Oue, the impact of the initial strike was very impressive with a believable decay and atmosphere. The ambience of the hall was very well rendered and added to the realism of the reproduction. The distant trumpet solo sounded very spacious with a real sense of depth of field.

Comparisons
CCA CSN
CCA’s CSN is a 1DD + 1BA hybrid and features the excellent KZ XUN DD coupled with the familiar 30095 BA. It has a mature, well balanced tuning which makes it suitable for many genres. The CSN’s bass is more authoritative with the XUN driver providing more weight in the sub bass. Its treble is not as bright as the NRA’s but still retains plenty of detail. The mids are a little more recessed and not as forward. The CSN is more relaxing to listen to.

TRN TA-1
TRN’s TA-1 is also a dual hybrid with an 8mm dual magnetic DD for the bass and, unusual at this price, a Knowles balanced armature (33518) for the treble. Its build quality is excellent. Like the NRA its general profile is W shaped but the treble is more conservatively tuned and the bass is stronger. The midrange timbre from the Knowles BA is very good and slightly preferable to that of the NRA. The staging is also a touch wider with good imaging.

KBEAR Lark
The Lark is a dual hybrid (1DD + 1BA). It has a neutral profile with a well balanced sound and a warm/neutral and mature tuning. Compared to the NRA it is more “audiophile” and natural with a neutral bass and a flatter midrange. The treble is delicate and gently contoured and is not as bright as the NRA. Timbre is very natural and open. It has a more measured presentation than the NRA and is more musical rather than technical.

Conclusion
CCA must be congratulated on bringing electret technology to the market at such a low price and achieving such a successful implementation. I did find the NRA was not forgiving of poor material and sounded at its best with simpler pieces and high quality recordings, but this was testament to its technical abilities. I found the sub bass a little shy but the remainder of the spectrum was well balanced with only the occasional bit of extra brightness in the treble and a tendency for the stage to compress at high volume. However, improved results were obtained with a warmer source. The NRA presents an alternative, entertaining and immediate sound with good technicalities. It holds its own against the competition and represents excellent value.




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Here is my review of the second of my recent acquisitions from Keep Hifi, the CCZ Emerald.

CCZ Emerald
I would like to thank Ann from Keep Hifi for providing this review unit. Product link:

The CCZ Emerald is one of a new batch of releases from CCZ, a new company on the IEM scene. It is a dual hybrid (1DD + 1BA) and enters a very crowded market. The Emerald features a dual magnetic dynamic driver for the bass and a custom balanced armature for the high frequencies. It has a 2 pin interface.

The Emerald is packaged in a small rectangular box with a colour image of the IEMs on the front and product information on the reverse. Sliding out the tray, the earpieces are displayed in a card cut out with a small branded box below, which contains the cable and spare eartips. There is also an instruction leaflet. It is a basic set but is acceptable at the price.

The IEMs have an alloy faceplate which comes in a choice of blue or green. My sample was the green one which has a kind of 1950s feel. The body of the earpieces is a tinted clear resin in a matching colour and the components can be seen through it. There is a small circular vent on the inner surface for the dynamic driver and a fin-like projection on the rear providing extra comfort. The 2 pin sockets are set flush and accept standard connectors.

The supplied cable is a 4 core 4N OFC copper type. It has a black covering and is tightly braided. There is a plastic Y split and chin slider and the 2 pin plugs are angled with standard connectors. The 3.5mm plug has a 90° plastic housing. It is rather thin and prone to tangling.

The earphones were tested using an Xduoo X20 DAP as the source. The IEMs were run for 100 hours in order to settle down the components and I must mention here that the sound changed significantly after the burn in period. The Emerald proved very easy to drive.

First Impressions
The earpieces were very comfortable and the excellent pre-fitted medium tips provided a good seal and isolation. The sound profile was well balanced and warm/neutral in tonality. The bass had good weight and was smooth in nature and the mids were open and expressive. The treble was also well tuned with good detail and there were no harsh sounds or peaks. The soundstage was very spacious. It was a natural and relaxed sound which was not too V-shaped or aggressive and was reminiscent of CCZ’s earlier model, the Plume but just a tad brighter.

Bass
The Emerald’s bass was deep, firm and well textured. Sub bass was plentiful and weighty and mid bass clean and snappy. There was very little influence of the bass on the lower midrange.

“Skyland” is the first track from Tony O’Connor’s “Windjana”, a portrayal of the Australian landscape. It begins with the sound of thunder and didgeridoo accompanied by a deep sub bass drone. This came over very impressively on the Emerald with a good rumble. Towards the end the music fades leaving the atmospheric sound of distant thunder which was very effective.

“Sursum Corda” is an early orchestral work by Elgar from 1894. In the version by the Northern Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Hickox we are treated to a wonderful sweeping string melody accompanied by bright sonorous brass and woodwind, all underpinned by timpani and organ. These provided depth and colour with a real sense of weight to the bass. There was a perfect balance between the various orchestral sections and it was a realistic portrayal of an orchestra in full flight.

A twinkly sequence reminiscent of “Tubular Bells” introduces “Tubular World” from Mike Oldfield’s “The Songs of Distant Earth”. Guitars and further layers of synth are added and then a deep bass guitar with reverb which had plenty of texture and impact. Then a very deep synth bass element joins in. The Emerald’s weighty sub bass made the most of this and it was very impressive. Towards the end of the track the sub bass voice is played on its own and it sounded very powerful.

Mids
The Emerald’s midrange was well tuned, not too recessed and very articulate. The tonality became somewhat brighter with increase in frequency. Timbre was generally natural with an attractive airy and open quality.

This was nicely demonstrated in the Piano Concerto No.2 by Shostakovich. The slow movement presents a beautiful flowing melody backed by strings with striking chord progressions. The solo instrument showed a natural timbre with character and finesse, attractively balanced with the rest of the orchestra. The recording with I Musici Montreal features the composer’s son Maxim conducting and his grandson, Dmitri Jr. at the keyboard. It is beautifully recorded and performed and the Emerald obliged with an authentic and musical rendition.

The beautiful lyrics in “In My Daughter’s Eyes”, by Martina McBride were conveyed with all the necessary feeling by the Emerald, taking us to the “Grand Ole Opry” in great style with McBride’s voice clear and well defined. Detail was excellent with breath and lip sounds clearly audible. The piano, violin and string accompaniment was nicely balanced with the vocals which were projected very effectively.

ABBA’s Benny Andersson has produced an album of solo piano, named most appropriately, “Piano”. “The Day before you Came” demonstrated the Emerald’s authentic timbre. The midrange of the piano was reproduced very naturally with rich lower notes and clear percussive attack, all set in a natural acoustic with a good representation of harmonics and decay.

Treble
The Emerald’s treble was generally smooth, clean and a little brighter than neutral. The custom BA was very well tuned and, with its fine extension, reminded me of the TRI Starsea.

Crystalline cymbals and percussion intertwine with broken piano arpeggios in a complex rhythm in “Exo Genesis” from the album “Rosetta” by Vangelis. Underpinned by sub bass rumbles, the treble elements remained clear and crisp even in the most dynamic passages and created an enchanting contrast full of colour and drama.

Mark Dwane is an electronic musician specialising in MIDI guitar and has produced a series of albums on mystical themes. “Paragons” from his album “Variants” is introduced by bright metallic guitar chords in each channel. These form a backdrop for a synth lead melody and swirling electronic effects. The clarity and immediacy of the guitar was clearly evident. There was plenty of detail on offer and the separation between the various elements was well handled.

Dave Brubeck’s classic “Take Five” features a wonderful drum solo by Joe Morello. On the Emerald, the cymbals possessed a silky and natural timbre with delicate nuances of touch and authentic decay. The tonalities of the various drums were well differentiated with the snare drums and rim shots incisive and clean. The rhythmic integrity of the piece was preserved faithfully.

Soundstage
The soundstage was perhaps the Emerald’s best feature. It was expansive in all three dimensions with very good separation, layering and imaging.

These abilities ensured excellent reproduction of classical orchestras. “The Enchanted Lake” is an impressionist piece by Anatoly Liadov dating from 1909. It begins with bass trombone, tubas and basses providing a spacious foundation against which the flowing melody is set. The atmosphere in the recording conducted by Charles Gerhardt was beautifully realised by the Emerald with the depth of stage enhanced by harp and brass on each side and delicate woodwind and strings providing the main theme. Separation, imaging and layering were of a high standard.

Andrew Heath’s brand of “lower case music” is a blend of ambient and minimalist sounds mixed with “found sounds” recorded from nature. “Long View from Knapp Hill” appears on his debut album “Arcadia” under the name Aqueous. It is a quiet piece with piano and electronic effects. On the Emerald, deep bass elements, bright keyboard notes and dimensional sounds populated all parts of the image, delivering a delicate panorama with a palpable atmosphere.

Trevor Horn’s superb production of “I am a Camera” by The Buggles came over very effectively on the Emerald. The use of reverb to convey distance worked very well and Geoffrey Downes’s atmospheric keyboard work added to the effect, especially at the conclusion with Trevor Horn’s distant vocals accompanied by deep synth chords.

Comparisons
CVJ CSK
The CSK is the latest dual hybrid from CVJ. It has a visceral and impactful bass, expressive mids, large soundstage and a smooth yet detailed treble with an expansive and powerful delivery. In comparison, the Emerald has a broadly similar profile but is more refined and detailed and sounds more natural. The balance across the frequencies is preferable with less dominant bass and a more forward midrange.

CCA CSN
CCA’s CSN is, like the Emerald, a 1DD + 1BA hybrid. The bass driver is the new KZ XUN DD which has an acoustic chamber. It is paired with a 30095 type BA. It displays a well balanced profile with excellent bass from the XUN unit and a smooth, polite treble free of harshness. The Emerald has a similar profile, but is a little brighter in the treble with better detail and is more open and airy in the mids. The bass is similar with the Emerald’s unit matching the XUN driver in depth but improving on it in texture and resolution. The soundstage is larger and imaging more precise.

KBEAR KS2
KBEAR 's KS2 is also a dual hybrid and is built from resin. The KS2 is a classic V-shaped IEM with an appealing dynamic and exciting character and a large soundstage. Its bass can reach basshead levels but does bleed into the lower midrange. The Emerald has a more balanced sound, its midrange is not as recessed and its treble does not suffer from harshness at high volume as the KS2 does. The bass is just as deep but is more controlled.

Conclusion
CCZ has really hit the target with the Emerald. In a very competitive area of the market it stands out due to its natural presentation with deep well-textured bass, open, airy mids and clear, detailed highs. Add an expansive stage with notable imaging and separation and you have the recipe for success. The Emerald is one of the best-tuned hybrids currently available in the affordable price sector, possessing a refinement challenging higher priced designs and must be deemed a success. CCZ’s future releases are awaited with anticipation.




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Nice review, and at this price, they may be this year’s stocking stuffer. I’ve given away a few KZ ZSN’s from a couple of years ago. Would you say that these would be a distinct improvement? There’s always a few kids/tweens on my list. Koss Porta-Pros were a big hit.

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