Consumers and also enthusiasts deep into the hobby are getting better offerings day by day where they are getting more performance for the money that they are paying, but every now and then, there are a few sets in this silly little hobby of portable audiophilia that cross a certain comfortable threshold in price, where the actual specs on paper raise more eyebrows than its actual sonic performance, and this is also where the Nightjar Acoustics Singularity with a single dynamic driver comes with a reasonable price tag of US$1300, the same Nightjar that collaborated with Symphonium Audio and produced a stunning little set called the Meteor. 

Now, I don’t believe in driver counts trumping over tunings, but I certainly was skeptical of this $1300 single DD IEM being praised so much, so much so, that I asked my boss who’s another audio nut to loan me his Singularity for a few days, and so I did. That’s it for the preamble. This has not been supplied by any retailer, nor any audio group of reviewers. This is a personally owned unit.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

I didn’t get the full set, just the IEMs, cable, the carry case, and the warranty card. The cable is the Nightjar Vanguard 2W which is modular and that’s a nice thing, but it is so tangly that I just used two cable ties to have the IEMs secured. The shells are metal, and are heavy; which may raise a few eyebrows on weight management, but I had the Singularity for extensive periods and except for slight discomfort, there was nothing that would make me seek workarounds.

The highlight for me was the little treasure chest of a case with just that adorable logo of Nightjar Acoustics, and unboxing the IEMs for the first time felt like Santa Claus decided to take a summer-ish detour at my place. 

That’s all for everything except for the sound, and here comes the sound.

LOWS

Tipper: Gulch

The Nightjar Singularity is not an IEM that I can use on my typical track list so I had to think outside the confines for this one. r/audiophile led me to find the album Forward Escape by Tipper and went with Gulch and the Singularity got to brass tacks without wasting a second and I was stupefied with the punch and slam that this was having. 

Apart from the humongous bass quantity that it was showing with each hit, not once did the Singularity even remotely come close to sounding muddy. Rest of the elements in this track had excellent separation and no haze over the detail which makes me think twice over typecasting an IEM just because it measures a certain way on the FR.

Daft Punk: Veridis Quo

The Nightjar Singularity establishes on the first foot with the tonality being warm, which meant that the pitched up keys in the intro of this track were coming off warmer than usual while being a minor key. 

Once the beats come in, the Singularity shows beautiful restraint in not overwhelming the entire tone of sound. Note weight of the beats is quite thick while not crowding over the synths, and the attack and decay of the Singularity was snappy enough to remind me of another IEM, the Final A8000.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

The Singularity here shows a minuscule stutter that shows up in its otherwise regal performance by having the perceived stage shrink in height but keeping that aside, Commerford's bass in this realm sounds like the fiercest lion of the savannah with how it roars even with the rest of the elements: the attack is crisp, decay is shockingly fast and the decay just evaporates before someone might smell it to be sluggish. 

I really have to appreciate the Singularity with not forgetting to overlook on the rest of the elements where along with Commerford, Wilk's drums, De La Rocha's vocals, and especially the aggression in the tone of Morello's guitars through the breakdown where the Singularity presents it with no compromise‌, and noting so with its hardware being limited to just a single dynamic driver.

Kanye West: Devil in a New Dress

The Singularity was polished enough to let me briefly hyper fixate upon the slight audible grain & pop that shows up while the beats go on driving the force that this track has, where the drums in a way felt electric but the cymbals cut right through the mix. 

Before Rick Ross' prodigal verse comes up, there's a brief electric guitar section and when the beats come back in, the Singularity maintains a clear distinction between the elements and when Ross starts spitting his bars off; the Singularity lets the beats tuck right under Rick's vocals while the cymbals continue to be the exact filler that this part needed, making the entire listening experience be as cohesive as it can get.

MIDS

Muddy Waters: My Home is in the Delta

I thought on an album where "less is more", the Singularity would struggle to pace through the little nitty grittys. This IEM just delivered the exact opposite. From the album Folk Singer, the Singularity, except for an excess quantity and energy in the kicks towards the end of the track, everything else was more of an experience than a listen. 

Muddy Waters' haunting vocals and the modulations that he does throughout; from the vibrato through the lower registers to the reverberation that his vocals have when he wails "don't say I don't love you"; from the perfectly indulged metallic timbre on the slide to the guitar having enough detail to pick up even the grazing of the pick; like I said, everything here through the Singularity is an experience.

Tool: Lateralus

Once again, the prowess of the Singularity makes this track an experience rather than a listen. Starting from the intro where the bubbling drums feel ever so uneasy and bouncy at the same time, where the guitars come off warmer than usual, but it is not a deterrent because once the rest of the elements of the track come in, except for the timbre on the drums & guitars on which I simply cannot put a finger on yet, it was an auditory spectacle- I become a boy who just heard the cold start of a Harley in a winter. 

Be it the bass which is potent but non intrusive, the cymbals which are sparkly but not shouty, be it the vocals around which the instruments unite and the imaging is just so accurate, and despite the chaos in a masterful control amidst the elements, the Singularity excels in separation and nail every single hit through Carey's final rudiment right before the wah-ing bass which is so polished starts the breakdown.

Steely Dan: Gaucho

The Singularity once again excels to impress me while having an "on-paper" tuning which prima facie doesn't make sense. The presentation definitely would have benefited more from a wider stage but still for an IEM it does alright. 

I was having a hard time not noticing how quickly the decay cut off on the growling bass that the track had, and how the tonality has moved out from the nitpicks. The piano here tangos with the bass as to not suffocate the vocals and the backing choir and there is an audible distinction between the both except for moments where they intentionally camouflaged, and there is no skimping on detail.

HIGHS

Arne Domnérus: Antiphone Blues (with Gustaf Sjökvist)

From the legendary jazz album Antiphone Blues, the same named track has just two elements: a saxophone and a church organ, which was recorded in a church and for the gear to be doing justice to a phenomenal job with the details that make this piece THE PIECE, it has to nail timbre, resonance and tonality right and the Singularity delivers. 

Domnérus' sax does not come off overly honky or shouty by any means, rather it has an accurately perceived brassy timbre with an incredible resonance because of the way it bounces off the stone walls of the church being recorded in. It just immersed me in the listening while not once did it make me forget the equally resonant organ keys of Gustaf Sjökvist while being so tonally accurate that the key shift to a B flat major did not come as warmer than it should. The immersion with Singularity was so strong that I did not choose to play something else for an hour.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

Four members, one masterpiece: this is an elegant yet simple track, and the simplicities have the complexion within them. I expected the Singularity to behave in a rash, undignified manner, yet it surprised me. Except for once again, a tad of an excess in the bass quantity of this IEM through here, the grip that it otherwise had on the rest of the elements seemed detailed, but it was true. 

First, the textures of the cymbals being appropriately sparkly without being fatiguing, the timbre on the horns being just rightfully brassy without pierce, the resonance of the floor and hi-toms during the solo as the channels split yet the imaging stayed intact, note weight on the pianos: everything was rationed by the Singularity in ways only a few barebones IEMs would do not for namesake.

Carmen Gomes: Unchain My Heart

When your audio gear can make you forget that you are supposed to assess how it sounds with the music that you are playing, it makes you quickly sit comfortably and just listen; then the gear has won and the Singularity proved it through this track from her legendary one mic recording album "Don't You Cry." 

First was the drums in this track, where the timbre on the snare was not dry at all; perfectly resonant and just had the amount of rasp from the brush; the cymbals were just so inexplicably crisp where I am at a loss of adjectives, the guitar just at abeyance to not drown out that double bass. The cherry on top is Carmen Gomes' sensual and lush vocal textures exuding in a way that I was reminded of what it means to be an audiophile; using music to listen to equipment; not the other way around- the Singularity did just that, and it’s enough.

CONCLUDING NOTES

There comes a time, in a person’s life; where he is just about to settle into a life of modest comfort and a proper respectable baseline set; and he’s just about to ride off into the sunset of chasing with the other shoe that has fallen onto his floor, and he slides the foot in, wiggles into the shoe, and realises that it’s a size too small for him, and once again he has to relegate everything else. He has to go out, grind, run, do whatever it takes to get another pair where his feet can slide in and that’s it. 

Just when I had thought that I am in a comfortable spot with what I want in terms of my personal belongings in portable audio, the Nightjar Acoustics Singularity is exactly that moment where the descended pair of shoes just don’t fit. I resent myself for even willing to try this IEM, because I had just rebuilt myself from being ruined by the likes of the Crinear Reference and the Elysian Apostle 2026; and here comes the Singularity straddling in like a boxer who knows that whoever comes in front of him is getting slept before he even feels fatigue; and just treated me like a withered old man knocking me out with a gust of wind. 

I rue the entire time I spent underestimating this IEM just by looking at the spec sheet, and viewing every praise made for this IEM with a lens of skepticism, but I think the silver lining is that, my skepticism let me seek this spectacle out, try it for myself and then thank my morbid curiosity for pushing myself to try it, cause I didn’t think these levels of performance were sonically comprehensible, and with this my curiosity killed my skeptic cat, and Nightjar Acoustics, you owe me one life out of the eight for this slayed cat.

Will I buy it new? Blind buy.
Will I buy it used? Blind buy.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips and Burson V7 Vivid Op-Amps, via USB-C. Recreationally used with the Venture Electronics Abigail Pro and TRN Blackpearl dongle DAC amps.

But honestly, the Singularity doesn’t need a lot of power to run, just have a clean measuring source with an added bonus for a balanced port and that’s it.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

AZLA Mithryl: Showcases the transients of the Singularity at its absolute best, cleanest midbass slam I have heard till date, widest stage possible for this IEM, beautiful textured highs, detail is at its absolute best.

Divinus Velvet Narrow Bores: everything that the Mithryl does, but to a lesser degree, and there was something missing in the vocals- felt a bit too flat.

AZLA Origin: perceived stage shrunk in terms of width and height, treble felt a bit too safe, mid bass had a very faint bleed, vocals felt slightly recessed.

Divinus Velvet Wide Bores: neuters this IEM to a good degree, but a good thing if one feels the bass might be a bit too overpowering (but at that point just EQ it).

KBear Coffees: just because it is possible doesn’t mean it’s good- vocal textures ruined, mid bass felt pillowy, sub-bass got out of hand, treble is nothing to write home about in terms of textures.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Steely Dan: Gaucho
• Carmen Gomes: Unchain My Heart
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush, Veridis Quo
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked, Gulch
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Arne Domnérus: Antiphone Blues (with Gustaf Sjökvist)
• Muddy Waters: My Home is in the Delta
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

After listening to Crinear Reference at an audio show, I was completely blown away by how natural the vocals sounded to me.

It was very close to how I prefer vocals to sound, similar to my preferred EQ target (based on JM1), and it just hits the sweet spot for me.

Then during my regular graph sniffing sessions, I accidentally stumbled upon EPZ 550 on Earphones Archive's Squig Link, which is tuned very close to Reference throughout the mid range and has a bit more treble energy, like I prefer.

Then I checked some reviews and some people said it is tuned very similar to Reference and that it sounds more technical and all.

I also like the purple colorway, which is my favorite color. Because of all that, I just ended up buying it and I love it!!

It is great at 4 things - fit & comfort, vocals, treble and subjective qualities.

It is small and contoured shaped and fits snugly. Despite being a full BA IEM, it didn't cause any pressure issues as it is properly vented.

The vocals just hit that right spot for me. It is neutral, but is on the brighter side and it works extremely well for female vocals.

And the treble is bright without being peaky. In one word, there is no masking happening. Like, one frequency is not overwhelming another frequency. But it does lack that last bit of air, as the treble is tuned to be down sloping into the air region.

At last, when it come to the subjective qualities, it is great at imaging. It is pinpoint accurate and feels tactile.

Instrumental separation and layering are also excellent and it is very resolving. I am constantly hearing things which I have never noticed before.

Now the only con is there is not much bass. Since it's a full BA IEM with very reserved bass, the bass impact is missing.

The bass got a tactile quality to it, it hits without much weight behind it. However, the bass quality is good. It is sharp and textured.

Overall, it is a vocal focused IEM done right and I would consider this as an endgame for me..... at least for now.

Yu9 Que Review

Wanted to share my thoughts on the Yu9 Que.
Review is not sponsored. I bought it with my own money.

I also maintain a list of all the audio products I have used and what works for me and why in the link in my profile. I cover over 150 audio products with short summaries, ratings, and my own personal rankings. Nothing is paywalled, sponsored, or has affiliate links. You can click the link in my profile to access it.

Score
Yu9 Que: 6.0 / 10

Overall Sound
Que is an IEM with excellent bass trapped inside a tuning and shell that did not work for me. The stage is decent for an IEM, but I did not hear the massive stage people claimed. It sounded medium to me and not bigger than Arete 2, Astral, or Top Pro.

The main issue was the upper half of the tuning. I heard problem areas around 1300 Hz, 3200 Hz, and 6700 Hz. Vocals could sound pushed, treble had splash, and sibilance kept showing up even after EQ.

Some tracks sounded fantastic. Others were hard to listen to. Example tracks that sounded hard to listen to were Chasing Cars, Set Fire to the Rain, It’s my life, what I want, beautiful things.

Some tracks that worked great were rain dance, the greatest, the weekend, remember the time.

Bass
Bass is star of the show. It has real punch and weight. On the right track, Que sounds fun, powerful, and impressive.
Bass has enough body for music, and low-end effects in games have proper impact. This is easily the best part of the IEM. With the right track, it really shines never overwhelming the mix.

Mids / Treble
Mids and treble are where Que lost me. Vocals could sound pushed back a bit in a way but still sibilant and sharp. The 6700 Hz area was especially rough for my ears. I tried EQ, but I could not remove the sibilance without making the rest of the sound worse. Que needed too much work and still did not settle for me. The tuning changes continued to impact timbre for me to the point where it didn’t sound correct.

Gaming
Gaming was better than music, but I still would not pick Que for competitive play. Directional cues were usable, and the airy presentation helped, but busy fights felt crowded. Footsteps, gunfire, background noise, and effects were harder to split apart than on Arete 2, Astral, or Top Pro.
For casual gaming, it works. For competitive gaming, I would pass as bass would overpower most of the important cues in a multi party fire fight. 1 v 1 was fine though.

Comparisons
Kiwi Ears Astral
Astral is also energetic, but it worked better for me overall.
It has more controlled bass, better stage, and fewer tracks that completely fell apart for my ears. Straight up I prefer it over Que. Bass is comparable. Timbre is much better on Astral.

Fresh Reviews Arete 2
Arete 2 has less bass impact, but I trust it much more for gaming. Directionality is cleaner, separation is easier to follow, and treble is smoother. This is typically my gaming pick.

Xenns Mangird Top Pro
Top Pro gives me the detail and separation Que seems to chase with treble. It is cleaner, more natural, better controlled, and works across far more music and games. This is what I use most of the time so of course I am biased.

QC / Fit
Comfort was mediocre to terrible for me. The shells pushed on the back of my ears and caused pain. The nozzles are also pretty long. There are no filters, so the sound feels very direct at mid to high volume.

The cable felt cheap, closer to something I would expect from a much cheaper IEM.

The rest of the package is complete and looks nice.

Final Thoughts
Yu9 Que was a highly anticipated IEM for me and people kept calling it a giant killer. Sadly it did not work for me. At this price range I try to focus on enjoying things for what they are so I sent it back. Hopefully someone else will have a better time with it than I did.

First off im in love with the green aesthetic pairing it with tripown zonie and a strap

Anyhow, here are my first impressions on BQEYZ NI, it has great accessories for 50 usd IEM (nice cable, swappable termination, cleaning tool, case)...As for sound this feels like a planar with dd timbre, it has great technical performrance, seperation, harmonics and treble extension, with fast tactile midbass, while avoiding the metallic timbre that usually comes with cheaper or older gen of planars...but it also comes with all characterstics of planar tuning like the rather tamed and pushed back subbass...vocals also takes a bit of back seat but not lacking...this type of tuning puts great emphasize on rythym and lead guitars and air...i loved listening to Fallujah with these...but it also performs well with metal,rock across the board...breaking benjamin, LINKIN PARK, also surprising seperation for metalcore things like Polaris really solid distinct harmonics n transients n nice treble extension, also surprisingly precise for gaming

But again this doesnt have an authoritative subbass...so if your library is mostly hip hop or so not the iem for you...n if you are a vocal forward guy also not the iem for you...i believe the CADENZA II would be the complementary IEM to the NI...it has tucked midbass but rumbly subbass and forward clean vocals...but NI wins in the technical performrance and seperation

For my library i love this a lot, it is unique not a lot of IEMS have this sound (i guess you could argue COZOY D1, but the midbass on NI is much more thumby and has waaaayyy better details across the frequency), n ofc the overall package...any how hope you find these impressions helpful, n if you like to hear me yab instead of reading here is a video

https://youtu.be/YQI91QQ9FPc?si=nCvIcwBYw\\_8IZQKT

Pros: Nice Cohesive Sound
Great use of the bone conduction driver
Punchy Bass, Clear mids and non-fatiguing treble
Pretty Shells

Cons: only a 3.5 option
shells are a chonk for some
Out of production

Drivers:
Bass: 10mm bio-cellulose composite diaphragm
Midrange: 2x BA.
Treble; 2x BA.
11mm Bone conduction driver

Sensitivity: 104 dB
Impedance: 16 Ω
Frequency range: 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz

Earphone connector: 0.78
Termination: 3.5mm

Every once in a while friends will lay their hands on some incredible gear and be kind enough to drop it off for me to try and pen down my thoughts. This time it is Saurabh and Abhishek who have conspired to get the Apevoix Grit. Now, I am fairly limited in my knowledge of brands and manufacturers, but this was a new one entirely. And research was largely pointless. Yes this is Chifi without doubt and they have only 2 products. The Grit, which is a single DD, 4 BA, and one Bone Conduction, and the Nebula which is a Single DD, 8 BA hybrid.
This piece of work is the Grit, a chonky boy with a lovely faceplate and the dreaded lip behind the nozzles but some calisthenics are needed to get it to sit comfortably in a way the bone conductors can do their thing.
But first things first, the Grit turned up in a Pelican type bright red box, with the IEMs nestled in foam and the cable underneath. The cable is a decent cable but ends in a 3.5mm jack. Now this isn’t a deal breaker since the set is fairly easy to drive but I just like the robustness of a 4.4. At $199 when it was still available, I think in the current milieu of IEMs, it is fair to expect a modular connection or at least an option of a 4.4. But given that the $249 Nebula also has only a 3.5, I think Apevoix believes people will cable roll anyway. The shells themselves are smooth and seem to have a slight audible twang when tapped. This could be the driver implementation. The faceplates are a gorgeous polished acrylic over a design that's mostly grey with specks of gold. Overall just very pretty.
Fit and ease of use. This is a big IEM given all the tech inside it, the 6 drivers and a 4 way crossover and all that, and as with all bone conduction drivers, getting a smaller eartip to get the shells to have a reasonable contact with the pinna is imperative.
Let’s also put it out there that my experience with bone conducting IEMs is limited to the BQEYZ Wind so it’s always an interesting experience.
The usual sources abound. VE Devastator Pro Max, Prime Stack, AP80, M33. The other learning from the Wind is to look at smaller eartips to almost force a contact of the shell with the pinna to take full advantage of the bone conduction.

Bass
Just off the bat, the Grit proves that Apevoix got some stuff right with some incredible wizardry with the Bone Conduction driver. Working in tandem with the 10mm dynamic driver, the bass is textured, weighty, and makes its presence very well felt without overpowering anything but the bass frequency.
Sub-bass is deep, rumbling and the bone conduction at least feels like it’s taking those low end frequencies all over the skull . On Angel by Massive Attack, Islands by The XX and Doing It Right by Daft Punk, the sub-bass forms a persian carpet level of texture on the floor on which the rest of the tracks are built. The low furniture in this make believe Grit room are the kicks and bass of XXZ by Rush and Lingus and What about Me by Snarky Puppy. The dynamic driver in this case I think is responsible for punchy tight kicks and bass guitar. The Grit manages to delineate every note in complex tracks with incredible bassists like Geddy Lee and Michael League and have the music come across as utterly enjoyable. There is also significant control that Apevoix has managed to exert onto the delivery of the bass. One of the biggest pet peeves I have about bassy sets is the thin red line between an authoritative bass and one that spills all over.

Mids
The BAs that deliver the mids also are superbly tuned. The vocals both male and female, are warm and intimate sounding without being in your face. Playing God by Polyphia which a fantastic track to test BA timbre and clarity in the midrange delivery, sounds engaging and the insane guitar work that is Tim Henson going mental over that hybrid guitar from hell sounds bang on and not out of place or harsh to the ears despite the very aggressive mastering that have beaten other BA sets. Male vocals have a decent body and benefit from what I think is the bone conduction driver working across the entire frequency range. This may not be scientifically proven but if I use the Dunu S&S tips to move the shells further OUT of my ear I don’t hear the same weight in the vocals or in fact in the entire midrange or treble. They all feel a little lacking. This leads me to think that the bone conduction implementation is some Gandalf level sorcery.
Female vocals are engaging without being harsh or sibilant unless the track demands it. Massive Attack has its female vocals stress on the ‘s’s but this set reproduces them with minimal auditory discomfort.

Treble
The treble is represented well but with control. There is some roll off at the top which makes this set non-fatiguing for long sessions. There is air and shimmer but the implementation here is one of control and order without complete chaos in the high frequencies. This makes for great detail retrieval with little or no harshness or sibilance or my wince when the treble touches a raw nerve in my ear.

Stage and Imaging
The staging is wide and deep and all around the head. I do believe this too is due to just the way the bone conduction driver deals with the bass with a gentle lingering that gives a sense of space and reverb. It does not sound hollow and cavernous however, and within the concert hall like stage, imaging and instrument separation are spot on with busy tracks as well. My usual suspects of Milan by Karsh Kale, Got a Match by Chick Corea Electrik Band and Dance of Eternity by Dream Theater came across beautifully with clearly layered sounds - these 3 tracks are all instrumentals with some crazy virtuoso playing and complex passages that challenge most setups to reproduce.

Final words
It’s a shame this set is no longer in production at least on the company’s website and it’s nice that they have a new one up and given how good this is the Apevoix Nebula promises to be a lot of pleasurable listening. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys an easy listening natural sounding set with good technicalities, organic timbre and a fun bass that does not overpower. Again a perfect bone conduction implementation where it is not a gimmick. Plus I would buy it for the red box, if nothing else.

Pros: 

• Noticeable sound upgrade over the original Space 1 with stronger, cleaner bass delivery.
• Fantastic "Tube Mode" and online DSP presets in the companion app for easy sound customization.
• Smooth, refined treble presentation that avoids digital glare without masking micro-details.
• Drove demanding IEMs like the Penon FAN4 and Jomo Audio Koyo with solid authority.

Cons: 

• Exterior chassis design and dimensions are completely unchanged from the Space 1.
• Certain competitor dongles in the $90–$100 bracket offer higher raw milliwatt output on paper.

Welcome back, audiophiles! It’s me, your boy Joe, back again with another review! Today we are looking at the long-awaited second generation of a popular dongle DAC on the market: the Tanchjim Space II (retailing around $87 USD). Keeping the exact same sleek, windowed CNC aluminum chassis as the original Space 1, the Space II brings an upgraded Dual CS43131 architecture, Tanchjim's proprietary "Clean Bridge" USB interface, and a powerful interactive DSP app ecosystem. Let's see how much of an upgrade this little dongle really is!

Disclaimer

As always, all thoughts, sound impressions, and gear synergy notes are entirely my own with zero biases whatsoever. Huge thanks to Tanchjim for providing a unit for review. 

Product Link (Non Affiliated) : https://tanchjim.com/en/products/dac/space-ii/

Pricing & Specifications

• Price: ~$87 USD
• DAC Architecture: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 with Tanchjim "Clean Bridge" USB Input Chipset
• Decoding: Up to 32-bit / 384kHz PCM & Native DSD256
• Outputs: 3.5mm Single-Ended (2Vrms) + 4.4mm Balanced (4Vrms / 235mW @ 32Ω) with CTIA Mic Pass-Through
• Dimensions & Weight: 42.2 × 21.5 × 11.9 mm | 15.1 grams

Design, Build & App Experience

• Form Factor & Build: In terms of exterior build and dimensions, the Space II is identical to the original Space 1. You get that same CNC aluminum housing with the transparent polymer circuit window and stepped volume buttons. It remains a remarkably compact (15.1g) and durable everyday portable choice.
• The Tanchjim App & Tube Mode: The companion app is extremely useful for customizing the DAC to your exact sonic tastes. It unlocks official target curves, community EQ profiles, and distinct digital filter modes.
• The Standout "Tube Mode": In its stock configuration, the Space II delivers a clean, transparent, neutral-to-warmish presentation. But once you toggle Tube Mode in the app, it introduces a very nice, lush, analog warmth that rounds out sharp note edges without making the sound muddy. It was easily my favorite setting for relaxed listening!
• Dedicated OLA II Synergy: I also tested Tanchjim’s official recommended DSP preset for the Tanchjim OLA II, and the results were fantastic. It nicely tamed the OLA II's upper treble spice while elevating vocal presence even further.

Drivability & Gear Synergy

While some competing dongles in this price tier push slightly higher raw output numbers on paper, the Space II’s rated 235mW @ 32Ω (4Vrms Balanced) is no slouch. In real-world testing, I had zero issues running a wide range of gear:

• Tanchjim OLA II: Ran effortlessly with pristine clarity.
• Aoter Argentum & Jomo Audio Koyo: Scaled beautifully off the 4.4mm balanced output with an ultra-quiet, pitch-black background.
• Penon FAN4: Even notoriously power-hungry sets like the FAN4 ran surprisingly well off the 4.4mm output, retaining good low-end control and open mids.

Sound Impressions (Upgrades over Space 1)

Compared to the original Space 1, the Space II is a noticeable sonic step forward.

• Bass: The low-end delivery is very strong, punchy, and articulate, carrying great sub-bass depth and cleaner mid-bass dynamics.
• Mids: Uncolored, transparent, and resolving in stock form, transforming into a rich, warm, and musical presentation under Tube Mode.
• Treble: It doesn't meddle with or roll off treble details; instead, it gently smoothens the highest transients, completely stripping away fatiguing digital glare while keeping air and micro-details intact.

Overall Impressions

Rating: 4.5 / 5

The Tanchjim Space II is an exceptional, well-rounded portable package for the price. While raw output power chasers might point to bulkier competitors with higher wattage, the Space II counters with phenomenal power efficiency, ultra-compact ergonomics, UAC 1.0 gaming support, and a genuinely useful DSP/Tube mode app ecosystem. For clean, customizable sound on the go, it is an easy recommendation!

TSMR Onyx

Another week another review. As mentioned in my earlier post about TSMR Onyx. This is a completely new brand for me. Onyx is the first ever exposure to it. AudioGeek India has conducted review tour with TSMR and If you know me, you know where this is going. Long story short here I am with the review of Onyx. What do I feel about the brand & Onyx? Please read on to know more.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India & to TSMR as without their help this eview wouldn’t have been possible.

I was not paid or compensated in any manner for this review. The review unit would move to brand upon completion of review.

Now that all pleasantries have been exchanged let’s get on with the meat & potatoes of this review.

Pros:

Nice thumpy bass

Forward vocals

Smooth safe tuned treble

Good accessories with modular cable

Good value for money

Cons:

Female vocals

Bit more of sub bass needed

Bit more soundstage would be nice

Needs power to unlock its true potential

Build Quality:

What you get in the box? Weel, you get two IEM shell, one modular cable with 2 plugs, 2 sets of ear tips, cleaning tool and last but not the least nice hard leather case.

IEM shells are resin. Faceplate is shiny glossy while shell is semi-transparent. They have long nozzles and are part of the shell. Nozzles have lips to them. Nozzles do not have any screen or mesh to prevent ingress of dirt or ear wax. Sound tubes are visible.

Cable is 4 core cable exact composition is unknown. It is thick one and is modular in my opinion this is positive. Cable feels premium and above price point.

Inclusion of 2 set of ear tips in all sizes is great and the cleaning tool is added bonus. But the show stealer is the hard leather case. It is nice looking and has enough space to carry IEMs + Cable + Dongle inside it.

Overall Build Quality 4.5/5 (0.5 cut for no screen on nozzles)

Comfort:

Shells are medium sized so fitting should not be issue. Shells provide nice passive isolation. Fit is excellent for my elephant ears. Lips on the nozzle provide good grip to the ear tips. No ear tip slip offs. No ear pain or pressure felt in long listening session.

Cable is supple and behaves nicely. It is easy to rodeo wrap it. Pre formed ear hooks don’t tug on the shells.

Overall comfort 5/5

Sources:

I tested Onyx with stock cable+ stock ear tips+ neutral sources to keep my findings reproducible. I preferred neutral sources and bright sources with Onyx. Warm and dark sources make it bit too much warm for my taste.

Music Genre Used for this Review:

Hip-hop/EDM/Rap/Rock both classic and hard/Bollywood Music/Pop/Jazz/Regional music etc.

https://music.apple.com/in/playlist/test-tracks/pl.u-8aAVXG6ivz8gyxX?ls

General Sound Impressions:

Bass/Lows:

Subbass rumble but its intensity is on lower side. It is audible don’t get me wrong just bit less physical. Mid bass thumps it is very physical. So, mid bass over sub bass. Mid bass feels prominent in the mix.

Drums, kick drums, guitar strings feel good and have nice rumble to them. Just it’s not too physical. Thud of drums is on other hand is very physical. Piano notes sound good. For price point bass is good. Bass decay is fast.

Overall Bass/Lows 4/5

Mids:

Vocals are bit forward. They don’t get overshadowed by bass & treble. Male vocals are good and close to natural. There is note weight to them but are not thick. Female vocals feel nice. They don’t have edge to them. They lack sweetness to them that make female vocals magical. Again, its preference thing. Your mileage might vary. Overall vocals are forward and bit intimate.

Most instruments reside in the mids. No oddities were in timbre. No congestion or smearing was felt. Clarity is good. Bit more sweetness to female vocals would have been great and more intimate vocals.

Overall Mids 4/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is tuned very safe here. It is neither bright nor dark. Its right in between. You get all macro & micro details. You won’t miss them. It won’t highlight them. They are not in your face. This is not most detailed set for the price point. Yet it doesn’t feel like something is left out.

Perceived soundstage is average. It’s not vast. It is wide more than tall. It creates enough stage for instruments to avoid congestion. It’s not 3d holographic I’s more 2d. positional cues are on point. More or less the stage is intimate. For price point it is adequate.

Treble/High 4/5

Song Impressions:

To correlate my findings in the sound impressions with songs I listen, I have chosen few of them.

Ego Death by Ployphia

One of my favorite tracks. It is my driver speed check aka resolution tes. If the drivers are not speedy then this song can get bit congested and smearing can happen. Glad to report that Onyx passes the test.

Drums feel impactful. Strings feel good just lack bit of rumble to them. Don’t get me wrong they have enough rumble. Just that for my preference it’s on low side. Guitars feel really good. I was having blast enjoying the song. A good reproduction.

Sada kalo Prem

This one is for female vocals check. Singer Niharika Nath has nice voice and she sounds so delicate and intimate.

On Onyx this delicateness and intimateness in her voice is not captured that well. You are left wanting. Male vocals sound good no issues there.

Background instruments such as strings, piano notes sound good. No issues with them. Organ sounds good. Overall nice reproduction minus the Niharika’s voice.

When the levee breaks by Led Zeppelin

Starting iconic drums sequence bit underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong it is not the worst that I have heard but also not the best. For price point the presentation is commensurate.

Shakers, mouth organs and strings feel nice close to natural. Cymbals feel good not too splashy or metallic. Vocals feel bit forward than usual.

Entire song was enjoyable other than points raised above; it was good reproduction.

My Sacrifice by Creed

One from my adolescence days Creed. I was and still am fan of them. This is one of their song that I like.

Here the drums and guitars especially bass guitars are the main players both feel bit on dull side due to lack of the sub bass. Vocals of the lead singer feel forward and centered.

Even with the above short comings the presentation was good, I was able to enjoy it to the max. whatever short comings I am putting out might be specific to me. Your mileage might vary.

Final Conclusion:

This is my first ever contact with TSMR. Onyx has surprised me why? Well for its price point I was not expecting the performance I got from it. I was pleasantly surprised. I felt satisfied with time I spent with it. I could listen to this set for long time as it doesn’t fatigue me. It tickles few of my preferences. I went through lot of songs and it was amazing experience.

Is it perfect set for me? No, but it is set that makes me happy and satisfied. Will I buy it? Yes. Will I recommend it? Yes, 100%. Just remember no set is perfect & this one is also not. But if it matches your preferences then just get it. This one is not my 100% preference set but yet it has found its place in my recommendation & in my cart. This is great EDC set no doubt about it.

Thank you for enduring with me till the end. Now go grab yourself a cup of coffee & let’s get high on safe high i.e. Music.

TSMR Onyx 4/5

Hehe funny face

NiceHCK NK1 Ultra

Intro

Let me start by saying it's a dongle DAC.

It's tiny.

I mean, you could definitely lose it in your pocket, and I'm not talking about JNCOs.

But I guess the real question, and the whole reason I took this review on, is because it's about $30 USD.

Not all of us can afford a $200 DAC that's sharp and doesn't really fit in your pocket but looks great as a stack.

Nah, we really can't!

This is for pure on the go audio enjoyment at a great price. Without the stress of maybe having something else stolen, broken, or lost.

I mean, look at the stats.

Tech

DAC Chip: CX31993

Decoding: Up to 32-bit/384kHz

AMP Chip: Dedicated SGM8262 op-amp

Output Power: 122 mW at 32Ω

Dynamic Range: 115 dB

Cable: Silver-plated OCC copper

Port: 3.5mm

The Test

So I wanted to test this with some of my older IEMs, so I started with the Dunu DN-142s, the one that started it all!

And something much harder to actually drive: the Kiwi Ears Aether, full-planar IEMs (Review coming soon).

The Dunu

Honestly, these drive perfectly with the NK1 Ultra.

There is no crackle.

The noise floor is so low you can throw a torch and count to 50 before you hear the splash.

And the dynamics play perfectly.

I jumped on Audible and played Demon Mart, which I highly recommend if you like weird and fun horror comedy.

There's very, very quiet moments and some really loud demons trying to get out of the beer cooler at midnight and completely destroy the candy aisle moments.

So I figured it would be a fun way to test the dongle's dynamics.

And let me tell you:

They played well.

But here's the deal.

It's 3/4ths of the way up with my Samsung S10+, but that's with the 142s, which are very easy to drive.

The Kiwi Ears Aether

With the Kiwi Ears Aether, the mids are still just as crisp and clear as they always are.

I mean, it's a really large planar for an IEM, which are always notoriously difficult to drive.

But at 85% volume, they get almost too loud.

For this test, I listened to Limit to Your Love by James Blake and the Safety Third podcast.

And it handled both incredibly well!

Crisp and clear.

No struggle.

And plenty of volume left on the table!

At $30 USD, the NiceHCK NK1 Ultra is a win and should be in everyone's little bag of awesome!

Or at least that's what I think!

So it's your turn.

Maybe grab one and you tell me what you think?

I’ve noticed a low rumble/noise coming from my Diablo that disappears when I ground it by touching the source.

The Diablo is the only IEM in my setup that does this. When it’s connected, there’s a very low (Bassy) hiss/rumble that can be noticeable and sometimes bothers me. However, as soon as I touch/ground the source, the noise disappears completely.

It happens with every source I’ve tried so far, mainly my FiiO K5 Pro and a few USB-C dongles.

I’ve also already tried replacing the cable, but the problem remained, so I don’t think the cable is the cause.

Has anyone else experienced something similar with the Diablo? Is this likely a grounding/ground-loop issue?

Also, would a USB audio power isolator potentially help with this, or would that not address the problem? Since the K5pro is conected to the outlet I don't know if it would help.

Hey guys, looking to upgrade my current CIEMS (anthem five E2’s, i know they’re not great don’t bully me)

I’ve recently tested some iems, including the hiswnior mega5est, 64 audio u4s and u6t, and just can’t make a decision. I ABSOLUTELY need CIEM, i have very small ear canals and just can’t fit universals comfortably. I was going to purchase the mega5est and they told me my first bend was too small to create the custom variant.

I’m now between the u4s and u6t. As you can probably tell from my current iems, i’m no audiophile. I’m jjsy looking for a great CIEM, that i can use while gaming, youtube, music, and movies. I’d prefer a good soundstage, imaging, and details. and based on iemranking.com it seems to be the u4s, im just not too sure and if anybody has experience with these two iems. please let me know! Thanks!

Wanted to share my thoughts on the Juzear Defiant Gamefidelity Edition.

Review is not sponsored. I bought it with my own money.

Closest comparisons for me are Xenns Mangird Top Pro, Kiwi Ears Astral, and Fresh Reviews Arete 2.

I also maintain a list of all the audio products I have used and what works for me and why in the link in my profile. I cover over 150 audio products with short summaries, ratings, and my own personal rankings. Nothing is paywalled, sponsored, or has affiliate links. You can click the link in my profile to access it.

Short version:

The Defiant Gamefidelity feels like a baby Top Pro / Astral.

Same general direction: clean separation, decent stage, and smooth treble. It does have less bass and slightly less clarity (or dare I say resolution) compared to Top Pro, Astral or Arete 2.

The surprise is how easy it is to live with and the package is excellent for around 100$. Usually cheaper on discounts (I think I got mine for like 85$).

My rating: 8/10

Price / Package

Juzear Defiant Gamefidelity Edition

Typical price: around $100

The package is one of the main reasons to buy this. You get a nice pocket case which also has space for extra pair of tips or a dongle DAC. The blue shells look great and fit me really well. They are also now vented unlike initial versions. The cable is a highlight with an inline mic and changeable termination of 3.5 mm and USB-C. There is a pack of tips that I didn't use since the default tips worked really well for me which was a pleasant surprise as well.

Score

Juzear Defiant Gamefidelity Edition

8/10 overall
8/10 for gaming
8/10 for music

Overall Sound

The easiest way to describe Defiant is:

Top Pro / Astral direction, but smaller and cheaper with slightly less bass.

Bass is lower than both. Detail is quite comparable to Astral or Arete 2 which are triple the price. Overall tuning brings about clarity and separation that I like. It has enough clarity, enough bass, and enough separation to sound more expensive than the price suggests.

Bass

Bass is not huge but is well textured and maintained. I believe if you want more bass you get a Fiesta (though I have not tried it myself). Astral bass is star of the show. Top Pro has better texture. Arete 2 has a bass switch which can become very enjoyable. For me, bass sits somewhere between Arete 2 without the bass switch and Top Pro.

Defiant gives enough bass for music without making vocals muddy. For a 100$ set the presentation is quite good for my tastes.

Gaming / Mids / Treble presentation

Gaming is better than I expected. Bass never comes in the way. The main advantage is separation. In busy fights, footsteps, reloads, shields, gunfire, and background noise are easier to follow than most things I have tried in this price range (I am looking at you Aful Explorer which was a very difficult IEM to game on). I think if your budget is a 100$ and you want something for competitive gaming, this just fits the bill perfectly. Games I tested include Black Ops 7, BF6, a couple of story games like Last of Us 2 and Resident Evil Requiem. Definitely a cheaper option than most headphones I have tried and also other gaming focused IEMs.

The best part is that the treble does not annoy me. I am sensitive around 2–4K and 6–10K, and Defiant stayed smooth for me. Usually I have peaks in IEMs around 3K so tunings like JM-1 don't work for me. Similarly, I get a peak around 6-7K which can be quite painful but surprisingly defiant didn't have it. This means vocals in music also remain sufficiently in the center of the mix. It reminded me a bit like Sennheiser HD 505 with its vocal presentation.

Comparisons

Xenns Mangird Top Pro

Top Pro is one of the best IEMs I own. It offers more detail, better bass, more air, better separation, more natural sound.

Defiant gives a smaller taste of that style for much less money.

Kiwi Ears Astral

Astral is bigger, bassier, brighter, and more exciting. Bigger issue for me was comfort of Astral.

Defiant is calmer, smoother, and easier for long sessions.

Fresh Reviews Arete 2

Arete 2 is still the better pure gaming IEM for me.

Defiant is somewhere between the default and bassy tunings of Arete 2. Technically it does not match Arete 2 in gaming performance.

QC / Fit

No QC issues with my unit.

Shells look great, cable is nice, and comfort was fine for me.

Fit is personal with IEMs, so your experience may vary.

Final Thoughts

Defiant Gamefidelity is an IEM I recommend a lot and also see it recommended a lot simply because the value dimension is insane. Thankfully, Juzear has fixed some of the QC issues and upgraded the package a bit. I think Juzear is also coming up with its own versions of tunings compared to the Z reviews collab. They already have Fiesta which is the bassier set, the Nebula which apparently gives more refined sound at 30$ more and Light Shuttle which is double the price. I would need to test against them to make a conclusion of value.

Having said that you can't go wrong with Defiant as is. With discounts and sales at around 85$ the value is hard to beat. I remember r/dracomies doing a video where he pit defiant against a ton of IEMs and for like 3-5 mins kept saying how Defiant is better than all of them.

I completely understand where he was coming from so if your preferences align with that then might be time to hit Hifigo store, Ali Express store or Amazon for your set. I would buy from them so you are assured of solving any QC issues (if you have them). I know quite a few people bought this set and are having a good time with it.

Pros: What a bass!
Excellent mids and treble reproduction with no bass bleed
Super comfortable
Fantastic Staging and Imaging
Great Cable
Comes with Velvet tips

Cons: Hard to find one except my peeve about that one song by Snarky Puppy

I remember a trip where I spent the better part of the bird watching trek looking for a nightjar. Which is a specimen of a bird, if you haven't seen one. The Singularity from Nightjar Acoustics is another such fine specimen of engineering that thanks to Nightjar and Audio Geek India, I have a chance to try out and wax eloquent, so much gratitude. However, my impression is mine and your mileage may vary.
The review unit arrived in its fairly robust pouch with the iems in their little mesh bag and a fairly nice cable with a 4.4 termination. The shells are solid aluminium and black with a single brass ring jazzing up the face. The IEM is small enough to be super comfy for long sessions and after some of the hybrids that seem to rule the roost nowadays it’s a welcome change to my ears. There’s a lot of technicalities that Nightjar has thrown into this set. The proprietary Timbre + single DD with 43 ohms of impedance, the LoFlex system of pressure relief to reduce driver flex in bass heavy IEMs and allow for hours of listening, and the CAthedral which allows for the incredible staging, intricacy and imaging. The cable is OCC and supple and tangle free enough to use easily.
The IEMs come with Divinus Velvet tips and most of the review was done with those and the Dunu Candy.
Sources - VE Prime Stack, Fangsound Prometheus, Hidizs AP80 Pro Max, M33. Tidal and local flac files

TLDR what is that bass?!!! And how does everything sound perfect?!!

Bass
This is a basshead IEM. I could end this review right here and walk away and almost everything that I want to say would be covered. The Sub-bass envelopes you and decays out slowly lending its weight to not just the adjacent mid-bass and lower midrange but to the entire song. On “Tilted” by Cristine and the Queens, the synth bass that forms the foundation of the song has a decay that I had never heard on any other IEM with such clarity. The mid-bass feels slightly less prominent when compared to the sub but by itself has great texture, weight and punchiness. On “Tom Sawyer” by Rush, Geddy Lee’s bass and Neil Peart’s drums, which pretty much form the backbone of every Rush song (including but not limited to YYZ) are spot on with no bloat or excessive decay. The bass notes are clean and the kicks hold their own respective importance with no interference from any other instruments or even each other. There was an issue though with some Snarky Puppy tracks (“What about Me”) where the intro has a really intricate bass line by Michael League which I suspect is either sent through a processor or has a synth playing those notes an octave lower. This is the one edge case where I feel the resolution of the Singularity left me wanting just a little more.

Mids
To be very honest while the bass is incredible on this set, where this really really stands out is in the way it treats the rest of the track. The midrange is rich, lush and intricate all at the same time. Vocals and instruments are perfectly reproduced. Guitars, and horns (all over Snarky Puppy this time around) have a natural timbre. I honestly am beginning to believe that no matter how many drivers we manage to pack into an IEM, or how like a dynamic driver we tune a planar (yes Astralis, you!) - a well implemented dynamic driver is a treat to the ears. On Rosanna by Toto, the shuffle on the hi-hats and snare lie in the mids as do all the vocals, Steve Lukather’s solo and Steve Porcaro’s keyboards. And each is clear, uncluttered and every single note is separately heard and how! Female vocals also shine on this set. “Sowa” by Fatoumata Diawara, “Don’t know Why” by Norah Jones and “Sub-city” by Tracy Chapman did not have an ounce of shoutiness or sibilance. The last time I heard something this good was the Softears Twilight and then this broke the pedestal that the Twilight sat on.

Treble
The Singularity manages to deliver detail with no harsh treble. Or better put it doesn’t falsely push the treble forward to pretend to be detailed. It just is able to resolve all the intricacies of the track. Jazz Fusion and Progressive Rock/Metal and Orchestral music benefit most greatly in this region with all the nitty-gritties of the music coming through with none of the spice. It’s like a perfectly cooked dish with all the herbs and spices in perfect harmony with no zing of a wayward red hot chilli pepper. The perfect biryani (iykyk). “Ocean” by John Butler trio pushes any system to its maximum with his incredible guitar work and it sounds like a dream on the Singularity. And this is without any sub-bass or significant bass rhythm holding the track up, at least the intro bits. This track also tests the dynamics and the singularity performs with the confidence of the teacher’s pet. Yes I really like this IEM

Staging and Imaging
The reverb and staging is impressive with their technology speaking for itself. The staging is wide and holographic with impeccable imaging and layering. The usual suspects of Hotel California, Bubbles, Big Country and Africa went past the Timbre+ driver and passed with flying colours.

It’s hard to find anything wrong with this IEM and well, to be fair at $1300, there had better not be anything substantially wrong with it. It’s comfortable, sounds incredible and has a bass implementation that puts most other IEMs to shame. I haven’t heard to duality and my time with the E1000 was limited but I wouldn’t mind dying on this hill.

NiceHCK Tears

Intro

The NiceHCK Tears is one of those special-category IEMs. They're made to be as cheap as possible to get your foot in the door, and many of us as audiophiles completely ignore them because, at this price range, we assume that at best they're just good enough for our kids.

So they fade into relative obscurity. The budget crowd will swear by them while we look over and laugh and go, “Plebs.”

I mean, I don't. But you may.

I've tested far too many IEMs at this point to judge a book by its price tag.

As a matter of fact, to this day my favorite hat is this Cabela's pink camo hat that I got just for walking in the door. Can't beat a free hat.

Or, in this case, a $30 DSP IEM.

Let's look at the tech stuff.

Tech

Driver

10 mm single dynamic driver

Dual-magnet / dual-magnetic-circuit design

Dual-chamber

PET diaphragm

20 Ω impedance

127 dB/Vrms sensitivity

20 Hz–20 kHz rated frequency response

THD listed at ≤1% at 94 dB / 1 kHz

So you look at that and say, “Wow, that's all kind of basic.”

But then you open the app.

God, I love a well-made app.

This one is honestly a little bare-bones, and you know what?

That's okay.

It has the equalizer, sound settings, and two special EQ modes: Legendary Diffusion and Game Mode. That's it.

But let me be the first, or the 13th depending on how long you've been considering this specific set, to say that's really all you need.

It provides everything a budding audiophile could need from a budget set.

As a matter of fact, I sent these with my wife to work for the week, and she started messing with the EQ. After a little explanation from me, she told me she thought the app was intuitive and that she'd actually found her sound.

By “found her sound,” she pretty much copycatted her Simgot tuning.

And that's actually the beauty of having DSP built into the cable. She doesn't need another device in her pocket just to get the tuning she wants.

But let's move on to the...

Audio Test

Bass

The bass is very good and surprisingly resolving, especially considering the price range.

The “wub wub wub” in Limit to Your Love is crystal clear without becoming too muddy.

Mids

The mids are slightly forward, which completely stops them from getting pushed out by this bass-heavy IEM.

They stay pleasant whether you're listening to something fast like Everlong by Foo Fighters or something more vocal-focused like Beautiful Crazy by Luke Combs.

Beautiful Crazy stays right in that sweet spot. It never gets crowded, and Luke Combs' vocal fry comes through beautifully.

Even more complex songs like Dopamine by Sum 41 stay fun and bright without the mids becoming congested.

Treble

The treble is very good in general.

It never gets muddy or piercing, and it avoids becoming excessively bright or harsh.

All in all, the treble is great. There's enough energy to keep things exciting without making it uncomfortable to listen to.

Soundstage and Imaging

Believe it or not, this set has an amazing soundstage, especially when you consider that it's less than $30.

You get excellent left-to-right separation, a good 3D holographic soundstage, and although the vocals are always right in your face, the rest of the instruments can be pinpointed with a level of accuracy that I'd never expect in the $30 range.

The imaging is particularly impressive for something at this price. Instruments have their own positions within the stage rather than everything simply being thrown into one big wall of sound.

Overall

I'd go as far as saying that, with the app turned on, the tuning is very nice for a basic V-shaped style tuning.

It's fun, punchy, and bright.

It's also a great starting point for someone who wants to dabble with this type of sound without breaking the bank.

For less than $30, the NiceHCK Tears is seriously impressive.

In Closing

Well, I can honestly say these are perfect for a first IEM for anyone looking to dabble without breaking the bank but still wanting an actual premium sound.

You won't be disappointed with this set. Not even a little.

I mean, even the cable wrap holder and pouch are a premium pleather. The whole set punches way above its price range.

And the fact that it's a DSP device means fewer things to keep in your pocket.

Am I saying it'll beat the AFUL P7 or EPZ P40?

No.

Am I saying it'll make your music a magical rainbow of awesome?

Also no.

But am I saying it will get you through your day and be a positive asset in your audio harem of greatness?

Yes.

At least in my opinion.

Disclosure: this was sent to me by Nicehck for purpose of this review, they didn't pay me to say nice things, this is also part one of two in the NiceHCK saga part 2 will be posted shortly!

Dekoni Ensemble Review

Intro

It’s actually kind of rare for something to be truly revolutionary, especially when it comes to cables.

Around a hundred years ago, somebody basically said, “Copper is pretty good. It can send a signal from point A to point B.”

And everyone went, “Yup. That works. We’re good.”

Then, about 20 years ago, someone said, “Hey, let’s make audio cables so you can change them between different terminations just in case you have multiple sources.”

They made modular cables!

But apparently the solution was: let’s use tiny, fragile little pins.

And those pins work!

Hell, I’m not even hating on them. But we all know they have a fundamental problem.

They break over time.

They wear out.

They get loose.

Especially if you’re constantly swapping them out for different terminations.

Every time you change them for every source you may have, you’re breaking them down little by little until eventually, they die.

And what do you do?

You buy another cable and throw the old one away.

That sucks, right?

Well, Dekoni apparently woke up one day and said:

“Nah. Not today, Satan.”

So they did something that initially seemed kind of weird to me.

They split the cable in half.

Like, literally in half.

Look at the pictures. They cut it right under where the chin slider usually is, right at the Y-split.

Basically, the modular connection sits around mid-chest.

For me, anyway. It may sit a little lower or higher for you.

And my initial thought was:

“Oh, cool. That’s actually a much better place for a connection.”

Because let’s be real about where cables get abused.

Right at the port!

Right?

Every cable I’ve ever had eventually breaks at the termination.

Constant pocket rubbing.

Laying down with the source pushed against your chest.

Pivoting in your pocket.

All that constant movement and stress.

Six months later, it’s a frayed mess!

Dekoni’s solution is surprisingly simple.

Move the modular connection somewhere that isn’t constantly getting tortured.

And after actually living with the Ensemble, I think they may have been onto something truly spectacular.

Disclosure

These cables were sent to me by Jack Rabbit Media for the purpose of this review. They did not pay me for this review or ask me to change my opinions.

Everything you’re about to hear is my honest opinion, and that’s exactly what it is: my opinion.

Pros

• The presplit sections are ridiculously easy to swap. You can actually do it with one hand.

• They look really good.

• The comfort is unlike any other cable I’ve used.

Cons

• The post-split section, meaning the portion that runs up toward your ears, is noticeably shorter than I would prefer. On me, it basically hangs around where my beard ends, so around nipple height.

I’d personally like that section to be a little longer. End of sternum would make these a 10 out of 10.

Like, only cable I ever use, full partnership, please make me the spokesman for your cables kind of 10 out of 10.

• The impedance is slightly higher than most cables because of the unique setup. In practice, this means you may need to turn your volume up a click or two to reach the same listening level.

It’s negligible, but I think it’s worth mentioning.

Honestly, that’s about all I’ve got.

And I had to actively be petty and look for things to put in this section.

The World’s First Best Modular Cable

Every single modular cable I’ve ever used has had the same basic problem.

They give you multiple terminations, and eventually you pick one and leave it there.

I almost never change them.

Why?

Because it’s a pain.

You have to unscrew the thing slowly and carefully, pull the pins away from their port, and make sure you don’t twist anything or accidentally break your cable. You have to line it up, by gauging a tiny notch that honestly I'm to blind to even start to see! It is rough!

Then you’re constantly checking the screw to make sure it hasn’t started backing out.

With others, you’re checking the connector to make sure everything is still seated properly.

And somehow, no matter what you do, something eventually becomes loose.

So now you’re hyper-vigilant like some kind of audio super cop, checking it every 15 minutes.

“Is it loose?”

“No.”

“Better check again.”

The Dekoni Ensemble completely fixes all of that.

Instead of using four tiny, fragile pins as the modular connection, Dekoni uses a 3.5mm connection right in the middle of the cable. Like seriously right at the Y split where most companies are putting a neck strap they dropped in a break. 

And that connection is universal across the Ensemble system.

That’s the important part.

You don’t have to buy an entirely new cable every time you want to change how you’re using it.

You just swap the section for the appropriate one for your source.

And it’s so easy that you can actually do it with one hand.

I say that because I can and have!

When asked what I needed to fully test this new revolutionary cable.  I asked Jack Rabbit to send me a 2-pin upper receiver, an MMCX upper receiver, and USB-C, 3.5mm, and 4.4mm terminations.

And let me tell you something.

I actually use them. It's special. It's something that you didn't know you needed but now that you have it you'll sit there wondering why Dekoni was the first to implement this, I mean all the tech has been there since the beginning of audio!

To be honest I switch between my 4.4mm and USB-C terminations constantly depending on what I’m doing and whether I want to carry a DAC around with me.

Today, for example, I was painting my bathroom.

And I was able to throw on my favorite IEMs, connect the USB-C termination, and just let Amazon Music do its thing while I painted.

That’s the kind of convenience I didn’t realize I wanted until I had it.

It wasn’t a, “Let me stop and unscrew this thing.”

It wasn’t a, “Let me pull this thing apart slowly, being as careful and delicate as I possibly can.”

No.

It legitimately took me four seconds to swap from the 4.4mm to the USB-C.

And I don’t think I can have it any other way ever again.

Here’s the Tech Stuff

Pre-Split Options

• 3.5mm

• 4.4mm

• 6.35mm

• 4-pin XLR

• USB-C

Post-Split Options

• 3.5mm

• HD600

• 2-pin

• 4-pin Mini XLR

• MMCX

• 3-pin Mini XLR

• ATHM series

Materials

Dekoni offers the Ensemble with different cable constructions, including:

• Silver-plated copper braided

• PCUHD copper twist

• Nylon jacket

I received the silver-plated copper version with the nylon jacket.

And honestly?

The nylon jacket is probably the most supple cable I’ve ever seen, let alone actually used.

It just disappears.

It doesn’t fight you.

It’s never tangled.

It doesn’t constantly twist itself into some weird shape.

Hell, if they make it in other colors, I have a new favorite accessory.

Also, somehow, it has such low microphonics that I was sitting there slapping it the other day trying to get it to make noise.

Guess what?

It didn’t. At all!

How cool is that?

Dekoni, please make it in purple!!!

And then there’s the silver-plated copper.

The texture and feel of this thing honestly makes me kind of sad.

Yes, I said sad.

I’m sad that I’ve spent so much of my life using other cables.

It really feels that well made.

That comfortable.

To the point that everything about the Ensemble feels deliberate. And that's really great!

And that’s something that makes this cable sexy.

It Actually Saved My BASN

This is actually one of the reasons I wanted to review the Ensemble in the first place.

Those of you who read my reviews know I hated the BASN cable so much that I actually refused to use them outside of the review.

I promised I’d review them again once I got a new cable if I found one that made an actual difference.

And guess what?

That review is coming soon!

I mean, I knew the Ensemble could potentially solve that problem.

But you never really know.

I had high hopes.

It really was the only chance the BASN MMCX had with me.

And honestly?

The Ensemble performed even better than I expected.

The comfort of this cable made them worth it.

Hell, even my wife likes them now.

And most of you know how much she loves her Simgot.

That’s one of the coolest parts of cables and accessories in general.

Sometimes they can actually save the day.

Conclusion

The Dekoni Ensemble fundamentally changed the way I see the importance of a cable.

Not because I suddenly think cables are magic.

Not because I think swapping a cable is going to transform your IEM into something completely different.

But because this is actually solving a problem.

It’s making a modular cable system more convenient, more durable, easier to use, and honestly just more fun and enjoyable to live with.

And that’s really cool, isn’t it?

After using it every day, I think I’m going to have a hard time going back to any other cable.

And I’m willing to bet it just might do the same thing for you.

That is, if you give it a chance.

Non-affiliated link:

https://dekoniaudio.com/pages/cable-ensemble

Well that is best way i could represent this is through my spaghetti presentation...so hope yo find it helpful

PS: these are not hard rules to stick by...just a guide...so values displayed here should be shifted to your liking, but the abstract concepts still stands, this is how i would grade/value IEMs according to my preferences

Also there is a video version if youd like to check that out along with the hi res PDF notes:

https://youtu.be/XvCPkYLOX9I?si=5sztGxOz88CjYQ7Q

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nOSEruoYJi1mVUJSbRxj2qdni_BwLDMD/view?usp=drive_link

Dita Ventura A Musical Marvel

Another week another review. Today I am back with my favorite Single DD Maestro brand i.e. Dita and product of today’s discourse is Ventura. It’s a single DD summit Fi set. As usual such summit Fi sets come to me via AudioGeek India and I am very much lucky to be associated with them. What do I feel about this set? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and Dita as without their help this review wouldn’t be possible.

I was not paid or compensated in any manner for this review. Upon completion of this review unit will revert back to brand.

My preferences for Tone & Timbre are DD > Hybrid > Planar

Now that all pleasantries have been exchanged let’s get on with meat & potatoes of the review.

Pros:

Detailed musical tuning

Textured & nuanced bass

Mids

Both Male & Female vocals

Smooth Treble

Soundstage

Build Quality

Cons:

Not for bass-heads

Male vocals could have bit more note weight

Price subjective con

Build Quality:

P.S. please note I have not received retail package. I have received only IEMs + cable. My impressions are based on it only.

Shells are big and bit of odd shaped. They are made up of Titanium. Nozzles are long and have lips to them. There is screen/mesh to prevent ingress of dirt & ear wax. Shells have weight to them. They are well vented.

Cable is 142 strand copper cable. This one is Dita special cable that Dita provides with all their hi end models. It is thick with premium looking fixtures. It feels equally premium as shells.

Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Comfort is paramount factor. If IEMs don’t fit properly all the tuning of this world are wasted. Shells are on large side hence people with small ears please demo before purchase. They fit well inmy elephant ears. Nozzles provide deep insertion and in turn stable fit. Lips on the nozzles pevent ear tips slipp offs.

Cable is managable. It is bit stiff but not like rope. It has inherent memory but still rodeo wrapping it was easy. Pre fromed ear hooks don’t tug on IEM shells.

Overall Comfort 5/5

Sources:

I have used neutral sources + stock cable + Divinus wide bore ear tips for this review. I preferred neutral sources & warm sources with Ventura. Pairing with bright sources was not optimal.

Music Genre Used for this Review:

Hip-hop/EDM/Rap/Rock both classic and hard/Bollywood Music/Pop/Jazz/Regional music etc.

https://music.apple.com/in/playlist/test-tracks/pl.u-8aAVXG6ivz8gyxX?ls

General Sound Impressions:

Bass/Lows:

Sub bass on Ventura is great. Its neither too much nor too little. It’s just perfect for my taste. It gives nice rumble and has backing physicality. Yet, it doesn’t over power things. Mid bass is thumpy and is nice physical. Again, its neither too much nor too little. It’s just perfect. For me both sub bass & mid bass are near perfect. It is nice textured & nuanced bass.

Drums, Kick drums sound excellent. You can distinctly make out the instrument being played. Guitars, bass guitars are straight heavenly. The strings buzz and rumble nicely without being too sharp. It gives natural feel to these instruments. Same with the percussion instruments they sound natural.

Mind you this is not bass head level bass. But most people will enjoy the detailed nuanced bass on Ventura.

Overall Bass/lows 5/5

Mids:

Mids have always been the USP of the Dita. Ventura is no exception. it is master class in the mids tuning. Vocals are beautiful natural and just enough forward to create nice intimate vocals. male vocals sound natural. Be it low pitched or high-pitched vocals all sound excellent. Female vocals sound better than male vocals. they are few notches above them. Natural and intimate. Sweetness of the female vocals is maintained to the fullest. I was hooked so much that I went through all the female centric songs from my playlist. Female vocals don’t get harsh or shrill. They are perfect. So, if you love female vocal centric songs this is one for you.

Most instruments reside in the mid. Here again Dita shows its strength in tuning and true capabilities or the driver used here. No smearing or congestion is there. No off timbre. instruments sound as they should.

One of the best mids performance I have heard in last few years. Dita again proves they know their craft.

Overall Mids 5/5

Treble:

Treble can be truly make or break section for most sets. As this is where even if you had best bass performance and great mids performance it still can tip the scales. For Ventura it maintains its five stars performance. one of the best treble performances in the single DD set heard till date. I think this will be difficult to overcome. Probably Dita itself will overcome it.

Why? Nice detailed yet smooth treble. its detailed it covers all macro & micro details perfectly. You won’t miss any of those. At the same time Ventura won’t paste them in your face. They are presented well without becoming too forward. Its’ nice detailed set.

Perceived sound stage, stage is holographic. Positional cues on point. The out of head feeling is bang on. Everything is placed nicely around you. stage is wide and tall. This one is competing with HPs at this point.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I love voice of Nina Shallman. This one is my favorite from her stable.

Starting drum + kick drums sequence is nailed perfectly. It feels authentic. Piano notes, guitars notes are on point and feel natural. Bells and shakers are sounding natural.

Nina sounds phenomenal. Just mesmerizing. It was a perfect playback for me. Couldn’t stop myself from listening to her on loop. It was pleasure to listen.

Perfect by Ed Sheeran

This one is modern day classic for me. Ed just sounds ethereal. He sounds so realistic. Ventura makes listening to him a pleasure. His voice peculiarities are captured perfectly.

Be it drums, guitar strings all instruments just sound sublime. They all gel well. Entire mix sounds excellent. One of the best renditions of this song heard by me.

My Sacrifice By creed

I am creed fan being born in that era. This was one of the bands. I grew up with it so, its closer to heart.

Lead singer Scott Stapp feels natural and his voice stand out properly in the mix. His baritone voice is just amazing and Ventura brings it out perfectly.

Drums, strings feel authentic. They have perfect impact. Strings rumbles, drums hit hard. cymbals don’t feel splashy or odd in timbre. Really nice reproduction.

Nothing gonna change my love by George Benson.

Another gem from my child hood. I miss the MTV dearly. It was instrumental in my discovery of so many songs and genres.

George Benson sounds so natural. mellow, smooth on the Ventura. You get lost in his vocals if you are tired and feeling down just listen to this song on set like Ventura. It will lift your mood. Ventura captures the mood of the song perfectly.

Be it drums, cymbals, guitar, synthesizer notes are perfect. They just sound so near erect and gel well in the mix. This one brought back so many memories for me. Thank you, Dita Ventura, for the journey back to memory lane.

Final Conclusion:

I think by now everyone is clear what I feel about the Dita Ventura. I am warning you, I am biased towards Dita as I own and love Project M, Activo Q1and Prelude. So, there is clear bias towards them. Keep this in mind while reading my review.

Final verdict will I buy it? Yes, if I had 4.5k USD lying. Will I buy it discounted? Yes, 200%. Will I recommend it? Do I have to spell this out? Yes, resounding Yes.

Who should buy this one? Single DD lovers, neutral and balanced lovers. Even the treble heads can consider this. Who should avoid this? Bass heads. I think I have cleared the picture in details.

Thank you for enduring with me till the end. Now go grab a cup of coffee and let’s get high on safe high i.e. Music.

Dita Ventura A Musical Marvel 5/5.

Honestly its been fire. using in as a daily driver (I bring in everywhere) no issues. Love the cable, Case and the IEMs (obviously).

Personally found it pretty balanced. bass and treble lovely complements each other without sacrificing much from tonalities and voice from singers. the design was spectacular I still admire the IEM shell from time to time. Took some time to get used to the IEM shape but after like learning how to properly position it, was able to push out 8 hours of constant music with barely any discomfort.

Overall rating are a 9.5 out of 10. Of course tried out the Tea Pro but found it the treble a little lacking and I personally love green so went for this instead which honestly no regrets.

My set up:
DAC: DH80S
IEMs: XENNS Mangird Tea Pro SE (Balanced cable)
Ear Tip: Dunu Candy ear tips

Would like to thank the hangout staff for helping me find my desired sound.

Pros: 

• Outstanding vocal clarity and midrange transparency that makes singers pop out effortlessly.
• Fast, punchy dynamic driver delivering a well-controlled, engaging bassline.
• Very lightweight and comfortable ergonomic bullet shell design.
• Impressive treble air and micro-details for the price.
• Stock cable is well-behaved and features a functional chin slider.

Cons: 

• Uses Tanchjim's proprietary extended 2-pin connector design, limiting aftermarket cable options.
• Treble has a touch of spice/brightness that may not suit extreme treble-sensitive listeners or bassheads.

Welcome back, audiophiles! It’s me, your boy Joe, back again with another review! Today we are looking at the Tanchjim OLA II (retailing around $57 USD). Moving away from the purely single-dynamic driver setup of the original OLA, Tanchjim upgraded this sequel into a hybrid with a DD and a BA. Let's see how this updated budget contender performs!

Disclaimer​

As always, all thoughts, user impressions, and sonic evaluations are entirely my own with zero biases whatsoever. Huge thanks to Tanchjim for sending me the OLA 2 and the Tanchjim Space 2 for review (Space 2 will come soon!)

Pricing & Technical Specifications​

• Driver Configuration: 1DD + 1BA Hybrid
• Impedance: 30 Ω ±10%
• Sensitivity: 121 dB/Vrms
• Connector Type: Recessed 0.78mm 2-Pin (Proprietary Tanchjim extended sleeve)
• Cable: Silver-Plated Litz twisted-braid cable (Available in 3.5mm SE, 4.4mm BAL, or Type-C DSP)

Design, Build, and Fit​

• Shell & Comfort: The OLA II has a pretty cool design with an aluminum faceplate and a transparent polycarbonate inner cavity. It is very light and remarkably comfy to wear, sitting naturally inside the concha without ear fatigue. I was able to wear this during long sessions.
• The Stock Cable & Connector Quirk: The cable itself is decent as it behaves well, isn't microphonic, and comes equipped with a functional chin slider. However, it uses Tanchjim’s proprietary deep-socket style with long protruding 2-pin connectors. Standard aftermarket 2-pin cables with flat plugs will either stick out awkwardly or struggle to seat properly, making cable rolling a bit annoying.
• Accessories: Came with a good set of eartips and a pretty nice pouch that fits the iems and enough space for a dongle or so as well. Neat package but to be honest I have seen more accessories for similar price ranges.

Sound Impressions​

The Tanchjim OLA II is a solid good all-rounder that adheres closely to the transparent Tanchjim house sound, layered with a slightly energetic, bright top-end overlay.

• Bass: The bass is punchy with good low ends and rumble. I havent tried the OLA 1 so I cant compare them. It provides good mid-bass weight and body that keeps rhythm sections engaging without muddling the higher frequencies.
• Mids & Vocals: The midrange is ultra-clean, transparent, and uncolored. Vocals are definitely the star of the show here as both male and female vocals pop forward with exceptional clarity and crisp separation.
• Treble: The highs carry great air, agility, and micro-detail resolution. It has a tad of extra spice/sparkle at the top ends. While bright-leaning signatures aren't necessarily my personal daily preference (as a basshead), detail hunters and vocal lovers will appreciate the sheer transparency.

Song Impressions​

• "Me and My Broken Heart" by Rixton: The vocals pop out like "whoa!". Vocal lovers will absolutely love how upfront, clear, and textured the singing is. The bass hits with good control, and the midrange remains exceptionally clean. At the very top, the cymbal splashes carry a touch of spice, but overall, it delivers a very lively and engaging presentation.
• "Baby" by Maître Gims: The low end feels enveloping and is executed really well, providing solid sub-bass support for the track's bouncy rhythm. The midrange is ultra-clean, allowing Maître Gims’ vocals to pop out with immense clarity and zero muddiness from backing synths.

Overall Impressions​

Rating: 4 / 5
The Tanchjim OLA II is a capable, highly resolving budget hybrid that makes huge strides over its predecessor in bass body and detail retrieval. It is extremely lightweight, very comfortable, and serves as an absolute dream for vocal lovers and fans of clean, bright-leaning signatures. While the proprietary connector pin shape makes cable swapping frustrating and the treble spice might not suit extreme treble-sensitive listeners, it stands as a fantastic all-rounder under $60!

TL;DR

The Moondrop Chu 3 is a decent $25 IEM, but it feels more like a sidegrade than an upgrade over the Chu 2. It trades some of the Chu 2’s sub-bass and shoutiness for a much more mid-bass heavy presentation, slightly less piercing upper treble and somewhat more natural vocals but retains the same general tuning style. For some reason, the nozzle is not removable on the chu 3 despite still being brass. If you already own the Chu 2, I’d skip this one and save for something like the OP.22 or Truthear Pure.

Context

This iem was kindly sent to me by Shenzhen Audio for review, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I generally prefer iems that are non sibilant with relaxed upper treble and upper mids and raised lower mids that add body to the sound (kinda the opposite of harman ie 2019).

Eartips Tested With

Audiocular flexfit, Audiocular atmos, roseselsa qt superbowl, kbear kb07, zisin tips, coffee tips and stock tips.

Sources Used

Audiocular Spark, Fiio Retro Nano, Macbook Port, Fosi K5 Pro.

Design, Build, & Comfort

• Aesthetics & Build: The iems are fully made of metal with a brass nozzle just like the previous chu 2 but for some reason moondrop decided not to make this one removable, this is a major bummer since these nozzles are known to get oxidized in humid environments. So if you're from a humid area always store these in a case with silica gel when not in use. The shells feel very durable and high quality just like the previous ones. These now come in a new silver colour that looks clean, there is a moondrop branding on the right earpiece and a single stripe on the left. Build quality is very good overall, it’s built much better than other sub $30 iems.
  
• Fit, Comfort and Isolation: Fit has always been a strong aspect of the chu series and the chu 3 has the exact same fit as chu 1 and 2, comfort is excellent and the shells just disappear in your ears. The shell barely sticks out of my ears even with L size stock eartips so this could be a great iem for sleeping, cable is very light as well. They are very comfortable to wear for hours and hours, no complaints here. Isolation is average.
  
• Cable & Accessories: The chu 3 comes with a single strand 2 pin cable splits into 2. The cable has a right angled termination and is available in 3.5 mm only. It also comes with 3 sets of generic eartips, a soft carry case and a cable tie. The cable feels just fine, it’s better behaved than stuff like the 7hz zero 2’s cable but it’s definitely worse feeling than the tangzu waner 2 and truthear gate’s cables, the cable has no chin slider either. Overall the accessories are fine but I would've loved to see a nicer braided cable and more eartip options especially considering how much value competitors like the tangzu waner 2 red lion provides (bring back the spring tips for chu please!).
  

The Sound

The Moondrop Chu 3 has a single dynamic driver configuration that's supposedly tuned to the jm-1 according to moondrop’s marking materials but in actuality it’s not really jm1.

• Bass (20 hz to 300 hz): The chu 3 has a TON of  mid bass, it slams hard with a lot of weight. Bass instruments like kickdrums and bass guitars have nice punch and texturing to them but it’s not as tactile/snappy/fast as I would like (still great for $25) so it’s definitely slow bass. The sub bass shelf has been lowered compared to the chu 2 so it doesnt rumble as hard but still has good extension and physicality, definitely prefer the more mid bass forward bass presentation of the chu 3 over the chu 2. The bass on this reminds me a lot of the Kiwi Ears Belle. I still think the chu 3 just has way too much bass quantity just like its predecessor, even though the bass shape is different. Moondrop needs to chill with the bass levels on their budget stuff but I understand the chu series being most people’s first iem and them wanting tons and tons of bass coming from consumer stuff.
• Mids & Low Treble (300 hz to 6000 hz): This is where Moondrop's marketing seems misleading. While Moondrop describes the Chu 3 as being tuned to JM-1, its lower midrange recession and elevated 1–2 kHz region make it much closer to the older meta style tunings than an actual JM-1 presentation. The midrange is very similar to the chu 2’s midrange but with comparatively restrained 3k to 6k. The lower midrange scoop does balance the mid bass boost and keeps the mid range instruments well separated without sounding muddy, vocals are a bit too forward due to the elevated 1-2k region just like the chu 2. I was particularly excited to see an actual JM-1-style tuning at this price, so this is probably my biggest disappointment with the Chu 3.
• Mid Treble (6000 hz to 10000 hz): Treble is always the worst part about single DDs for me and the chu 3 is no exception, the characteristic single dd 10k dip makes treble instruments like cymbals sound slightly blunt while emphasizing the upper overtones due to the 13k peak which adds a bit of sizzle. If you want a good treble presentation I think it’s worth spending $10 more for the op.22 which solves all of the problems I had with the chu 3.
• Upper Treble (10000 hz to 20000 hz): The familiar upper treble behavior (13k peak) I often encounter with single DD sets is present here as well which I'm not a fan of but it is significantly dampened compared to chu 2. While still not ideal it’s definitely an improvement over the chu 2, reminds me of salnotes zero 2. This will cause some people to perceive it as less exciting and sparkly compared to its predecessor tho.
• Subjective Technical Performance: Mid bass is more on the thumpy side with not a lot of speed or tactility, the lower mids scoop keeps the midrange mostly clean and well separated while preventing bass bleed. Pretty much what I would expect given its tuning. Characteristic single dd 10k dip hurts treble detail and brings out the most offensive qualities with the 13k peak.
  

Comparisons

Compared to some other popular budget iems:

• Truthear Hola: Arguably the best budget iem from 2023, less V shaped compared to the chu 3. Much more reasonable bass levels and less aggressive vocals. Both have the same treble issues.
• 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Zero 2: My favorite $25 iem, way more sub bassy than the chu 3 and doesn’t have as much of the usual upper treble zing for a single dd. Cable, build and comfort are worse than chu 3.
• Tanchjim Bunny Dsp: On the default present it is extremely basslet, colder and brighter midrange with an even more brutal upper treble spike. But the best part of the iem is that you can eq it to sound however you want.
• OoopusX OP.22: The best sub $50 iem, follows an actually modern neutral target (still not jm1) while not having any of the treble issues like single dd sets, not to mention the bass dial. Comfort is much worse than the chu 3. 
• Tangzu Waner 2 Red Lion: Way more mid bassy while the waner 2 is more sub bassy, chu 3 has a more natural pinna unlike the waner 2s which shift the pinna backwards a little, it makes them wayy too vocal forward. Red Lion is built worse but has much nicer accessories tho.
• Truthear Pure: Better mid bass tactility, much more warmer and richer mid range and doesnt have any of the treble issues
• Truthear Hexa: much much less mid bassy but still has better attack, comparatively more natural midrange, has a sharper mid treble peak but smoother upper treble.
• Kiwi Ears Belle: Similar bass shape but with much more aggressive vocals, doesn’t have quite as much upper treble zing, worse build but better cable.
  

Who should buy this?

1. People that want a full metal shell that’s comfortable to wear even for small ears.
2. People that want a mid bass heavy thumpy iem.
3. People coming from mass market consumer stuff like wireless headphones, tws etc..
   

Who should avoid this?

1. People that are sensitive to upper treble like me.
2. People that want a more balanced approach to bass.
3. People who live in humid areas

Conclusion

Most sub $50 iems tend to be tuned very similar to each other, usually some variant of harman ie 2019 or ief 2020 and the chu 3 is no different, it’s a slight variation of the chu 2 sound signature that takes 1 step forward (less shouty vocals) and takes 2 steps backwards (non removable nozzle, price increase in most regions). If you already have a chu 2, there is no reason to upgrade to the chu 3, i would encourage you to save up a bit more and get the op.22 or even better, the truthear pure or hexa.

Test Configuration & Specs

• Source Equipment: Samsung Galaxy S23 and ORIVETI Twin Revive.
• Musical Genres: Pop, Rock, Electronic, and Experimental.
• Driver Configuration: Single dynamic driver system per side (1 DD).
• Average Price: US$ 99.99.

Transparency note: This unit was Provided through a partnership with ORIVETI at a 50% discount. This review reflects solely my honest opinion of the product. The brand had no interference or control over this content, ensuring the integrity of the review for you and the market.

Sound Impressions (According to ITU-R BS.2399-0 Methodology)

1. General Signature & Transparency

The ORIVETI bleqk DYNABIRD features a well-executed V-shaped sound signature. Its technical foundation provides strong Transparency across the spectrum; it sustains high frequencies efficiently without masking the finer, minimum details of the music, allowing for clean resolution without artificial veils.

2. Dynamics

• Attack: Exceptional speed and precision. The transient response is highly agile the notes hit rapidly and cease immediately, avoiding any acoustic congestion or sluggish decay. It delivers a great sense of dynamic explosion and crisp energy.
• Punch: This is the biggest highlight of the monitor. The physical punch is prominent, tactile, and highly authoritative, providing a satisfying, visceral slam in the mid-bass region.

3. Timbre

• Bass: Remarkable low-end authority (Bass Strength). It delivers deep, high-quality sub-bass extension (Bass Depth), capable of reaching and cleanly sustaining frequencies below 40Hz without any distortion. The bass is heavily present and textured, yet entirely free of Bass Bleed into the higher registers.
• Mid-range: Despite the V-shaped profile, the midrange is highly coherent. Vocals remain organic, natural, and intimate (intime), avoiding any severe recession or shouty behaviors. Both male and female vocals sound realistic, well-separated, and entirely non-fatiguing.
• Treble: Well-extended and highly articulate (Brilliance). The treble safely resolves micro-details and sustains high-frequency energy without introducing piercing peaks, harshness, or sibilance, making it highly safe for long listening sessions.
• Test Tracks: "Time" (Hans Zimmer) — demonstrating flawless sub-bass depth, expansion, and sustained control below 40Hz without distortion.

4. Spatiality

• Spatial Extent: The soundstage presentation is thoroughly complete and spacious, displaying great dimensions in both width (Width) and depth (Depth), escaping any compressed internal feel.
• Localisability: Pinpoint accuracy. The panning of instruments and spatial effects is rendered flawlessly, keeping individual elements well-isolated from each other.
• Test Tracks: "Chocolate Chip Trip" (TOOL) — where the imaging tracks the exact rotational movement of the drum kit panning completely around the listener's head.

Unboxing, Ergonomics, and Accessories

• Included Accessories: A high-quality stock cable with a 3.5mm termination, 3 pairs of "Bullet" style silicone eartips, 4 pairs of "Bowl" style silicone eartips, and a compact, rigid protective carrying case.
• Acoustic Leakage: Standard passive isolation for an unvented/sealed ergonomic shell, directly dependent on achieving a proper acoustic seal.
• Comfort & Fit: Acceptable but highly subject to individual ear anatomy. The shell shape might feel tricky for some users; using the smallest included eartips is recommended to secure an optimal, deeper fit and maximize stability during longer sessions.

Pros and Cons

• Pros:
  • Visceral Bass & Dynamics: Outstanding bass texturing, clean sub-bass extension, and a fast, highly tactile punch.
  • Premium Unboxing Experience: Beautiful packaging presentation, complete with a great cable, rigid case, and a generous selection of two distinct eartip profiles.
  • Effortless Amplification: Extremely easy to drive, delivering full dynamic extension directly from standard smartphone sources.
• Cons:
  • Polarizing Ergonomics: The physical shell shape is highly tip-dependent and may feel only "okay" or slightly awkward for certain ear types.
  • Niche V-Shaped Profile: Due to its clear bass and treble boost, neutral-heads and purists looking for a flat response should skip this model.

Conclusion

The ORIVETI bleqk DYNABIRD proves that its manufacturer deserves far more global and local visibility in the highly competitive 100-dollar bracket, where the same few brands are constantly repeated. For those who enjoy a beautifully executed, technical V-shaped signature, the DYNABIRD is an excellent choice, successfully avoiding the common pitfalls of muddy bass or piercing trebles. Backed by a premium, complete unboxing experience and high-quality accessories, it stands out as a hidden gem that delivers substantial musical engagement, provided you spend some time finding the right eartips for your fit.

Note: This is my personal analysis after detailed immersion testing, so feel free to leave suggestions for improvements, accessories, or tracks to test next. If you are interested, check the link in my BIO for a spreadsheet I created with recommendations for IEMs, Headphones, DACs, DAPs, etc. I am not sponsored, but buying through my affiliate links helps me bring more products for review!