r/InEarHifi

Hello Community!

I want to introduce you to a dongle DAC from the brand CCZ. It is the CM01 model and, honestly, it surprised me in a good way. Let’s see why.

Price: 16€-19$

Link

Technical aspects:

-MAX97220 amplifier chip.

-CX31993 DAC chip.

-3.5mm SE input.

-63mw u/32 ohms output power.

-Maximum sampling 32b@384khz.

-124dB signal-to-noise ratio.

--95dB harmonic distortion.

Package contents:

-Dongle DAC.

-USB-A to USB-C adapter

Compatibility:

-Windows & MacOS.

-Android, IOS, iPadOS.

-No native APP.

-Not compatible with Walkplay.

-No DSP function.

Construction, design and quality of life (QoL):

CM01 seems to me like a dongle DAC that enters more through the eyes because of its striking design than because of the comfort it could offer. That transparent window exposing the inside, its white cable in contrast with the black and the golden USB-C connection give CCZ’s dongle quite a striking touch.

It is well designed for daily use and yes, it is comfortable: the cable is strongly braided and covered with a translucent plastic that sits at the perfect point between rigidity and elasticity.

At the construction quality level, it surprised me. I have quite a few dongle DACs from more renowned brands at the same or even higher price that have not taken such good care of these parameters.

The connections are firmly secured and the body, where the earphones connect, made from some kind of lightweight metallic alloy, feels robust and reliable.

Overall, I can say that after almost daily use for a couple of weeks, it has more than delivered in terms of comfort and I can bet a beer that, because of the level of construction it offers, it can turn out to be something very durable.

The feeling it gives me in hand, to the touch, is that it is not something that feels cheap but rather closer to something that sits slightly above its price.

Personally, the inclusion of a USB-A adapter is a success for those people who do not have more modern connections and, the lack of compatibility with DSP or WalkPlay, personally, I do not care at all, it is not something I use but I must leave it stated so that those interested know the information.

Sound quality and power:

CCZ CM01 and I matched on the first try, just a few minutes after starting to analyze the sound it delivers. I have to be honest, but also get as close as possible to objectivity despite being delighted with it.

It is not one of those devices that try to exaggerate bass or make everything sound more spectacular artificially. Instead, it feels clean and pleasant, like a simple and very evident improvement over the typical audio of many phones or conventional Jack connections. The music sounds clearer, with better instrument separation and a slightly more open feeling.

Something I liked a lot is that it has quite a natural sound, in a certain way slightly, but very slightly warm and rounded in the high frequencies, but without hiding its technical capabilities or showing resolution and detail.

I have spent a long time listening to music or playing videogames without noticing fatigue or that metallic touch that some cheap dongles have, even ones with higher monetary value. In addition, in normal use it feels clean, without weird noises or annoying interference, which is exactly what I expect from something designed to carry around every day.

About the power, which is 63mw, I think it performs too well for the size it has and for what the competition offers. With the IEMs and over-ear headphones I usually use, I have never felt that it falls short or that I have to push it too much. Obviously, do not plug in something 300 ohms because it is not going to lift the volume. With my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, 80 ohms, the achieved volume was insufficient for me but, with Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, I could savor all its splendor without complications.

Final conclusion and personal ratings:

Everything works very comfortably with the CCZ CM01 and without complications: connect, play music and forget about it.

One aspect I really like is that it does not heat up nor give sensations of forcing the machinery to offer high listening volume.

Overall, I see it as one of those easy-to-recommend dongles because it does not try to impress with weird things. It simply does its job well, sounds clean and is comfortable to use day to day, which in the end is the most important thing in a device like this, without neglecting construction quality and, of course, giving a convincing sense of reliability and durability.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading.

More reviews on my blog.

Social media on my profile.

See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:

This set of monitors has been sent by KeepHifi. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to test one of their products free of charge and that no conditions were imposed when preparing this analysis.

Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity involved in analyzing an audio product. My opinion belongs only to me and I develop it around the perception of my ears. If you have a different one, it is equally valid. Please, feel free to share it.

Equipment used:

-PC Windows.

-MacBook Air M4.

-iPhone 16 Pro Max.

-Dunu 142.

-Simgot EA1000.

-Twistura Woodnote.

-Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro.

-Audio-Technica ATH-M50x.

Use this site for Indians Perspective :

https://judge.me/reviews/stores/theaudiostore/products/earacoustic-sta-hi-end-series-iem

Hello Community!

The new release from GK is called Streak. Will it be another market breaker? I’ll tell you below.

Price: €20-$22

Link

Pros:
-Good depth in the bass
-Pleasant tonality across the entire spectrum.
-Technically very competent for its price.
-Warm, pleasant sound, easy to enjoy.
-The treble is sufficient and controlled, no fatigue at all.

Cons:
-Mids are somewhat recessed.
-It may seem somewhat dark for many people.
-The stock accessories could be greatly improved.

Accessories:
-Two shells.
-A set of ear tips in SML sizes.
-Cable with QDC 0.78mm connection and 3.5mm termination.

Comfort, design and build quality:
The truth is that in this aspect there are more negative points than positive ones, but then, for the umpteenth time, I remind myself of the value of the product and I understand many things although, little by little, the industry is growing in the added value of higher quality products in this price range.

The cable is annoying and both sitting at my desk and walking around, the cable takes uncomfortable positions, with the latter situation, being in movement, suffering some pulling that caused adjustments issues in my ear.

On the other hand, the ear tips, although they achieved a correct seal and fit, are still of questionable quality. As with the Kunten, the accessories do not do justice to the well-tuned sound.

The good news about all this is that it is a set that I believe deserves to be upgraded with higher quality accessories. GK has cables and tips available, which I have not yet received due to an error in the warehouses, however, I will try to receive them.

As for ergonomics, they are medium-large sized shells, with a classic oval shape that does not create pressure points and I can assure that I have spent several 6-hour sessions with this set in my ears.

The insertion into the ear canal is deep but not exaggerated. Once the appropriate ear tip size is chosen, the fit is very firm. As I said above, the in-ear comfort would improve with softer and more elastic materials.

In terms of construction, it is nothing out of this world: a resin body according to the manufacturer, although to me it seems like plastic, which allows you to see the interior of the IEM, and a faceplate that the brand advertises as CNC-machined metal and which honestly, I struggle to recognize as that material. It is correctly finished, without edges or impurities, and the nozzle has a paper filter with micro holes.

Aesthetically it is minimalistic, not very flashy, but that matters the least.

Technical aspects:
-1DD+1MP configuration.
-32 ohms impedance.
-111dB sensitivity.
-Declared response 20hz-40khz.

Pairing for the tests:
-Warm/neutral source.
-Gain set to low.
-Stock ear tips.
-Stock 3.5mm cable.

Sound signature:
The low end has quite a lot of presence and it becomes noticeable quickly. The bass comes in with weight, with a warm and wide but smooth punch, generating a sensation of a full and fluid foundation. It adds energy without becoming too brute. The sub-bass also has a certain elasticity that makes it feel more immersive and physical depending on the genre. It is not the driest nor the most disciplined bass in the world, but honestly I think that is part of its charm, because it never gives me a cold or boring sensation.

The mids follow a fairly relaxed line and coherent with the rest of the signature. The instrumentation has a smooth and pleasant tone, with considerably acceptable thickness which leads us to a presentation that feels comfortable since it is not aggressive at all or too forward although in a certain way, they are somewhat behind in the stage. The vocals are not constantly pushed forward searching for unnecessary protagonism; instead they appear integrated within the mix, showing naturalness.

I do notice that in busy songs some elements could have much more separation or definition, but the Streak normally prefers to maintain a fluid presentation rather than sounding analytical. To this day and after several weeks, I still debate with myself whether that is favorable or a disadvantage considering the driver configuration chosen for the set.

Up top, in the treble, is where it surprised me the most for the price. I expected the typical somewhat messy and uncontrolled treble from some budget IEMs, but here I found an example of liveliness and space. There is brightness, there is sparkle and enough energy for small details to appear gracefully, although without entering too much into sharp territory. I do appreciate this, even though I prefer more strength up top most of the time.

The frequencies and even small textures have presence and help the music breathe better. Evidently it does not reach the level of refinement of more expensive models, but I also do not feel that it tries to pretend to be something it is not. It has a fairly clear way of presenting treble, always maintaining a light and dynamic sensation.

With deep male vocals I perceive quite a lot of body and a very pleasant warm texture, somewhat recessed for my taste and not entirely the timbre with which I could say they are completely natural. However, normal male vocals do maintain good balance and naturalness, although at times they can feel slightly soft. In female vocals I find quite a lot of freshness and energy, bringing emotion and air without becoming excessively intense.

On a technical level, it seems more competent to me than I expected considering its price. The soundstage does not try to create a gigantic scene, but it does achieve enough width for the music to breathe comfortably. The imaging responds quite well and allows me to locate sounds easily, especially in tracks with good production while the layering also leaves good impressions because the main layers rarely overlap chaotically, although when the mix becomes too complex it is noticeable that it prioritizes musicality over absolute precision.

Finishing with detail retrieval, it maintains a similar line: it does not chase obsessive microdetail nor does it seek to analyze every minimal nuance, but even so it manages to retrieve enough information for the experience to feel rich, dynamic and very enjoyable for hours.

Single player videogames:
Always seeking the most cinematic experience possible, tested in narrative and action-intensive titles. Check my blog to see the specific games and the audio analysis conditions in videogames.

In this field, this set has a fairly entertaining way of getting you into the match without feeling excessively cinematic. In action scenes I notice hits, explosions, reverberations and rumbles with quite a lot of presence. I do not feel it is a dry sound, but rather wider and with a certain vibration that makes scenes feel intense and dynamic.

Dialogues remain clear most of the time, with voices close to naturalness and easy to follow even when the game begins filling the scene with effects. For my taste, somewhat behind, but nothing dramatic or that ruins the experience.

However, where I liked it the most was in immersion: small environmental sounds, distant echoes, wind or residual footsteps constantly appear in the background, making the game world feel more alive without the need to force details and while feeling great and sweet listening comfort.

Layer separation works better than I expected for an IEM in this range. When there are several simultaneous effects I can still distinguish gunshots, music and voices without everything ending up converted into a confusing mass.

The stage has enough width, so in that aspect nothing can be reproached: the accuracy of the representation of the scale of the worlds where I tested the Streak was reasonably sufficient.

In addition, I really appreciate that the sibilance is relatively controlled; sharp effects such as glass, gunshots, metallic hits or certain voices do not end up tiring me quickly.

Positioning also leaves good impressions because the sounds maintain fairly coherent and easy to identify directions.

Multiplayer videogames:
Always seeking the most analytical possible experience of the stage, tested in competitive shooter titles. Check my blog to see the specific shooter games and the audio analysis conditions in videogames.

In competitive multiplayer, it left me with a curious sensation: it is not a set that analyzes the environment and captures every sound element and places it clinically, but even so it maintains a fairly competent spatial reading.

In Counter-Strike 2 I can identify footsteps and lateral positions with enough precision to react quickly, although in extremely busy scenarios the soundstage becomes somewhat more compact.

In Apex Legends it feels especially fun because the bass adds energy to abilities, explosions and movements without completely destroying the clarity of the environment.

In Call of Duty: Warzone the performance is fairly solid thanks to good spatial coherence, allowing me to distinguish directions and distances in a relatively natural way.

Where I felt most comfortable was in Battlefield 6, because it manages general chaos quite well, separating gunfire, vehicles and ambience with relative and sufficient order so as not to easily lose important information during matches.

Final conclusion and personal evaluations:
With GK Streak something curious happened to me: at first we did not connect well but the more time I used it, the less desire I had to analyze it and the more I ended up simply enjoying it. It has a very clear personality and, instead of chasing that obsession of sounding ultra technical or excessively precise, it bets on a much more relaxed, dynamic and easygoing experience for hours.

What I value the most is the coherence of its character. It has energy, space and enough liveliness to always maintain a dynamic sensation, but without losing that warm and comfortable character that allows me to use it for hours without ending up fatigued. I never felt that it sought unnatural protagonism, instead it conveys a fluid and very easy to enjoy sensation, something that over time ends up having enormous merit.

I also like that it maintains a certain lightness even when the sound gains intensity. There is a constant sensation of width and air that helps everything breathe better, providing immersion without the need to exaggerate details or force technicalities.

Evidently, in especially complex situations it could offer a somewhat cleaner or stricter reading, but honestly, I think prioritizing musicality and comfort was the right decision for a set with this philosophy. Besides, dear readers, we are talking about a €20/$ set.

For me, it is very directed at those who seek an entertaining, comfortable sound that can appeal to the masses. On the other hand, those who prefer an extremely clinical presentation or focused solely on precision probably will not connect the same way with its proposal.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading.
More reviews on my blog.
Social media on my profile.
See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:
This set of monitors has been sent by GK. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to test one of their products at no cost and that no conditions have been imposed when creating this analysis.

Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity involved in analyzing an audio product. My opinion belongs only to me and I develop it around the perception of my ears. If you have a different one, it is equally valid. Please feel free to share it.

My sources:
-FiiO K11 for music and videogames on the main PC.
-FiiO KA13 while I work.
-FiiO BTA30 Pro + FiiO BTR13 for LDAC wireless listening at home.
-FiiO BTR13 + FiiO BT11 + Iphone 16 Pro Max for wireless listening on the street.
-FiiO KA11.
-FiiO Jiezi 3.5mm/4.4mm
-Shanling M0 Pro 3.5mm/4.4mm.
-Tri TK3.
-Apple Music.
-Local FLAC and MP3 files.

Any inputs that help to me.

Before buying this.

Previous IEMs are : Tangzu Waner SG, 7hz Elua ultra, BLON BL03

2 BA = 2 Tunings - Ooopus Op x 22 Review 

Youtube Review: https://youtu.be/S_Njmz2pegc?si=OnU5cUfxn6XaFGDf

Price: $39

Disclaimer: I bought these iem and will be sharing my own honest thoughts. I was very curious that this was called the “Mini Hexa” with a bass boost tuning knob. 

Specs:

Driver Configuration: 1x10 mm DD, 1x8 mm DD, 2 BA
Cable: 3.5mm  QDC
Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHz 
Impedance: 22Ω 
Sensitivity: 124dB

Unboxing Experience - 

Packaging & Accessories 

 Decent but nothing outstanding for the price. There are 2 types of eartips, one is a typical rubber eartips and the other is a stickier silicone type of eartips. The cable is a qdc connector which for the price is quite unacceptable but it works fine. 

Build quality - The shell is made of a polycarbonate plastic, so it’s very lightweight, but feels sturdier compared to resin shell iems. 

Design-wise, it has a clean matte black finish look with a very unique mech design that looks futuristic or like gamer peripherals

but The highlight here is the tuning knob on the faceplate. where the open dot is for the neutral tuning while the solid orange dot means it's on bass boost mode. 
It has a locking mechanism feel when switching modes, so you won’t accidentally change it and it’s smooth enough that you can actually adjust it while wearing the IEMs.

And unlike most tuning switches, this one actually makes a noticeable difference.

Comfort - Comfort is honestly one of its strong points.

Because it’s very light, it fits nicely in the ear which works great for long listening sessions.

However, the shell is slightly large since it has 4 drivers, so if you have smaller ears, this might not give a comfortable fit.

 

Sound - 

Bass - Starting with the bass this is easily the highlight.

In normal mode, the bass is more controlled, slightly above neutral, with good extension and a clean presentation.

for the bass mode, and you get a significant boost—around 5 to 7 dB—which makes it much more punchy, heavier, and more fun. () but for me it lacks that rumble of a subwoofer despite that huge increase in the subbass

It adds a lot of impact for genres like EDM, hip-hop, and pop, but it can slightly bleed into the mids depending on the track.

Midrange/Vocals -  The midrange is warm and natural.

Male vocals sound full and rich, while female vocals are smooth and non-fatiguing.

It’s not the most forward or energetic midrange, it leans more towards a relaxed presentation but it sounds cohesive and musical overall.

In bass mode, the mids can get slightly thicker or warmer in the low end, but still very listenable.

When using the neutral mode, the upper midrange is very interesting where it has 2 sides of the coin here. The 3-4khz is something that deviates from the neutral tuning which gives forwardness that gives instruments like hi-hats and cymbals sound crisp and gives a better sense of width but this also means that it also highlights sibilance, where I used this to monitor my voice and hearing that it was sibilant which i tried to fix with eq, not knowing that it sounds normal with my phone speakers or other iems like the truthear reds for example. 

The bass mode alleviates this a little bit because of the emphasis in the bass which reduces the perception in the upper midrange to presence region.

Overall the vocals lacks dynamic and fun which leans towards the inoffensive and relaxed tuning with a caveat in the upper end which can work with or against the song depending on how it was mixed. 

Treble - Treble is very interesting where there are The dual Balanced Armatures handle the higher frequencies giving it enough resolution and detail without sounding harsh in cymbals. This may come off as a neutral to dark-neutral since it lacks extension in the air region above 10k, where there is a continous roll off pass 4khz as the upper frequency goes higher. This is a safe tuning set that is good for those that are sensitive to treble since it comes of as smooth and round. 

Technicalities:

For technical performance, it’s solid for the price.

Soundstage is average not super wide, but it has decent width and depth.

Imaging is accurate for casual gaming and music listening.

Separation is good, though not class-leading, and detail retrieval leans more towards smoothness rather than sharp resolution. 

Overall, it’s more about musicality than technical performance. Micro details are prioritized over macro details 

Conclusion -   So overall, the OOOPUS X22 is a very interesting budget IEM.

It’s not perfect the accessories and build are pretty basic—but the sound quality and tuning versatility really make it stand out.

At this price, getting essentially two sound signatures in one is a big advantage.

If you’re just starting out or want a fun and flexible IEM, this is definitely worth checking out.

Thank you for reading my review!!! And hope that I helped you learn about this iem so that you could make an informative decision before buying it. And see you at the next review, CIAO!

Hello Community!

NiceHCK is well known by everyone for its accessories, some of which are among my favorites, such as the C04 ear tips which are my reference liquid silicone tips or the Icy Moon cable that serves as an upgrade for low-cost IEMs that are worth upgrading.

Today I bring the NiceHCK Fall cable and I tell you my experience with it in the last week.

Price: $60–€55

Link

Aspects to take into account:

-I do not believe in the capabilities of a cable to modify the sound unless they carry electronics, resistors or capacitors.
-My tendency in recent times is to prefer thin cables for mobility and semi-rigid ones for desktop use.

Pros:

-Excellent construction, quality materials used.
-Robust, presumably durable.
-Slides well inside and outside clothing.
-Does not tangle.
-Well-fitted connections.
-I would choose it as a main desktop cable: it slides well over the mouse pad and does not adopt uncomfortable positions.

Cons:

-It is a thick cable, in movement it can dislodge the monitors from your ears.
-Simple packaging.
-I think there was an option for it to be modular and with a 4.4mm connection included.

How is it built?

Well, Fall is manufactured using pure monocrystalline copper wire, a very common and efficient material in this type of products of an accessible range for everyone.

This cable has a thickness of 18.6 AWG (American Wire Gauge), which is a standardized American scale, which means that the thickness of each wire is approximately 1mm and it is a measure widely used in High Fidelity audio equipment.

The connections of the 0.78mm pins and the Jack 3.5/4.4mm connectors are made of monocrystalline copper and gold-plated, favoring the conductivity of the current.

The cable itself is covered with a plastic of considerable thickness, soft, without feeling sticky, made up of four firmly braided cores.

Package and quality of life (QoL):

The NiceHCK Fall is presented in a plastic bag closed by a hermetic clip. The presentation of the product is somewhat austere, which leads me to have the idea that everything was invested in offering a high-quality product. And so it is.

Look, I am a person with a high physical activity, that is, I walk a lot and I practice a lot of sport both outdoors and indoors. I am always accompanied by some wired audio equipment, so take these words as my own experience and not as a rule for you.

For this type of situations, I have always preferred thin cables but with a certain construction quality (the Icy Moon model from this brand is perfect for me) because they do not tangle and do not bother. The problem I find in thick cables like Fall is that in the end they end up producing pulls and taking the monitors out of my ears but, I have good news, the fit that the hooks make behind your ears exerts a light but effective pressure that I have not felt the need to keep adjusting the monitors constantly, so I state bluntly that it will keep your IEMs well firm. Nevertheless, I still prefer other types of thinner thicknesses; being a thick cable is not comfortable when you are going out for a run.

That it is semi-rigid helps so that tangles do not exist and the swinging inside or outside clothing is fluid, sliding efficiently. By the way, I have not felt microphonics at any time.
But for what I truly think I will use and have been using this cable, is for my desktop sessions, where I work, play video games or simply do other tasks.

Its robust character and that slight memory that can be applied to it, makes the cable not tangle in itself and remain stable during all my sessions, without bothering, doing its job.

I think the layer of soft, non-sticky plastic coating is a success, which slides gracefully over the surfaces of my desk, whether it is the wood of the table or the mouse pad of my desk.

On the other hand, the slider does a correct job: it moves easily along the cable and maintains the desired position firmly.

Final conclusion and personal evaluations:

I consider that it is an excellent desktop cable or for sedentary-type activities, with well-chosen materials to ensure correct operation and high durability. If it is your case, go ahead, it is a great option; once you have it in your hand you feel its quality everywhere.
Even so, I would have liked both jack connection options to be available in a single package.

If you have made it this far, thank you for reading.
More reviews on my blog.
Social networks on my profile.
See you in the next review!

Disclaimer:
This cable has been sent by NiceHCK. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to be able to test one of their products at no cost and that no condition has been imposed when making this analysis.

Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity involved in analyzing an audio product. My opinion belongs only to me and I develop it around the perception of my ears. If you have a different one, it is equally valid. Please feel free to share it.

So, I'm looking at the Twistura Delta.

Hello Community!

It’s time to talk to you about my experiences with one of those Kiwi Ears monitors that most often go unnoticed for being caught between two worlds: Quartet.

Price: €95-$110

Link

Pros:

-Fun, energetic and addictive sound.
-Bass with physical rumble and good slam.
-The mids do not lag far behind.
-I never stopped feeling the vocals were well articulated.
-You will not feel listening fatigue.
-Four different sound profiles through switches.
-Competent technical capabilities.

Cons:

-The resolution of the general tonality is simply average, it does not stand out.
-You may feel like you are missing treble.
-You may overlook the details in songs.

Accessories:

-Two shells.
-Three sets of ear tips in SML sizes.
-Switch pin.
-Cable with 0.78mm termination and 3.5mm connection.
-User manual.
-Carrying and storage case.

Comfort, design and construction:

In terms of construction, this Kiwi Ears model presents a set made of resin, properly finished and with a front plate in a colorful purple that catches eyes.

The ergonomics are simply correct and I appreciate not having suffered pressure points that caused pain in my ears, but, be careful, the shells are medium-large in size and may not fit everyone well. Even so, the shape of the IEM avoids edges with softly rounded curves.

The insertion into the ear canal was correct, helped by the stock black ear tips with red bore, which secured the monitors pleasantly, achieving a perfect seal thanks to their sufficient elasticity, avoiding leaks and sound entry.

The cable, a house trademark and one we can find in both lower end and higher end models, is thin, with a cheaper appearance that does not align with what is expected from a set at this price. Nevertheless, it fulfills its function of not bothering, not tangling and, above all, not producing pulls while I was moving. If you have read me more times, over time I have leaned more toward thin cables: they are more comfortable for my daily life.

Technical aspects:

-2DD+2BA configuration.
-32 ohms impedance.
-110dB sensitivity.
-Declared response 20hz-20khz.

Pairing for the tests:

-Switch position 1-1.
-Warm/neutral source.
-Gain set to medium.
-Stock black ear tips with red bore.
-Stock 3.5mm cable.

What do the switches do?

Well, my preference for this set was the 1-1 configuration, where bass and treble are slightly more elevated. Vocals sit somewhat further back than in other configurations.

1-0: darker configuration, where warmth grows and the body of lows and mids increases.
0-1: more general clarity in mids and vocals, which step forward. More sense of openness.
0-0: the mids are the absolute protagonists but the general character is not as energetic.

Sound signature:

Starting, as always, with the lowest frequency range, I find a very gratifying sensation, both in enveloping nature and raw punch. Let me explain a bit better: it does not seek to crush your head, but it does have a very measured forcefulness, where liveliness is noticeable, proper texture and, something I appreciate quite a lot, a very clean foundation.

The mid-bass makes itself known, but more with control than invasiveness over other frequencies. When called upon, it responds with great impact, fast, precise, never oriented toward something purely analytical, but feeling satisfactorily addictive, never falling into boredom.

It is an area quite focused on accompanying, with firmness, with very well-thought-out musicality but without being carried away by a pedantic or extremely pleasing sound.

The midrange also shows the personality of these Quartet, where and, against any preconceived idea I had about this IEM set, there is a clarity that stands out for its finesse and a very natural instrumental presentation. It does not sound muted and provides a slight approach toward the analytical where the elements breathe and flow easily. The presence is adequate, without pushing the mids into overly frontal territory, showing itself coherent, revealing the intention of the track but without intimacy, with space that allows layers to flow and separate.

Focusing on the highest area of the graph, the energy is present, but I want to make clear that these Quartet are tuned not to sound aggressive. There is brightness, but I perceive a clear orientation toward offering more space and definition than toward rescuing details.

I definitely like them because they maintain that spark of emotion and openness that does not turn your sessions into something fatiguing or annoying, but, things as they are: it is not a very revealing set. Nor do I want to be misunderstood, I was able to enjoy the treble, they are not shy but rather their value lies in lightness, freshness and a certain relaxed elegance.

Moving into the realm of vocals, the construction of very deep male vocals is solid, with quite a lot of emotional weight and articulation, with a timbre very close to what we can classify as natural, without artificial thickening. Normal male vocals also reach those levels of being appreciated as natural, balanced, close, with proper weight and, regarding female vocals, they shine with good intensity, preserving a register with its own identity.

Technically, the Quartet are competent, where the success of the tuning lies in the order of the stage which, from my perception, neither seeks nor achieves immense size, but is spacious enough so that you do not feel trapped in a box. There is separation and a good distribution from which to perceive a sufficiently close placement of the sound elements and that no layer overlaps another drastically or competes for your attention. In overly complex mixes you may lose orientation a little, but the general and dominant experience has been one of receiving clean, airy and satisfactorily transparent listening.

Recovering details, it is not a marvel, but, as I said above, it is quite far from the aggressiveness and absolutely invasive revelation of information. It is something much more progressive, in a subtle way, perfect for more immersive, relaxing moments, without stopping feeling the music.

Single-player videogames:

Always seeking the most cinematic experience possible, tested in narrative and intensive action titles. Check my blog to see the specific games and the audio analysis conditions in videogames.

Putting this set to the test with action games, the performance result obtained is highly satisfactory. The most impactful scenes are sonically represented with all the emotion and forcefulness required where explosions, hits, gunshots and collapses show all their splendor in a clean and effective way.

In matters of immersion, the flavor is bittersweet. Sweet because depending on whether the residual sound elements reside in the midrange area of the graph, they will be well positioned, without getting lost in space but, the finer and more delicate ones, those that almost always go unnoticed such as creaks, birdsong or noises when stepping on dry leaves, were not represented with all the depth and sufficient texture to envelop you in an experience. Of course, it is not dramatic but, understand me, they remain in the background.

Continuing with dialogues, the sensation was one of complete satisfaction. I really like this set for voices of any kind due to its naturalness, presentation and timbre. In loaded moments where conversation lines can get lost among the sound mass, I never stopped receiving their presence.

On the other hand, we are completely safe from annoying sibilance with Quartet. I play a lot of RPGs where crystallized spells and metallic blows abound. I did not feel a cut in terms of enjoyment of the highest frequencies, since they are well separated, but I was able to continue my sessions without discomfort and without having to lower the listening volume at any moment.

As for the soundstage, it is not something expansive. It is in a middle ground in terms of scale representation. I could say it is quite correct and its performance in more open or more closed games was always gratifying. In these types of games size does not matter so much but rather how it positions distances and this set of monitors does a worthy job when it comes to showing correct depth and horizontality of both static and dynamic sounds.

To finish, in totally chaotic moments where many sound layers are found at once, it was able to untangle them efficiently in most cases. Only when many explosions, screams, gunshots and environmental sound came together could I perceive that it struggled a bit but, I cannot say that I felt an illogical sound mass.

Final conclusions and personal assessment:

Ultimately, the Kiwi Ears Quartet left me with the experience of being a deeply enjoyable set, designed more to connect with music, gaming or the sound experience from pleasure than from constant analysis. Its sound has that balance so difficult between fun, naturalness and comfort, achieving that your listening feels alive, dynamic and emotionally rewarding without demanding attention or exhausting you. They do not seek to dazzle you with exaggerations but rather to build an honest sensation, with lots of character, where sustained enjoyment prevails.

Its greatest strength lies in how it manages to sound full, expressive and musical without losing composure. It has punch, it has energy, it has clarity, but above all it has a very marked capacity to make you want to keep listening. It is a sound that envelops easily, that transmits emotion in vocals, forcefulness in intense tracks and a general sensation of cleanliness that favors both immersion and relaxation.

There is maturity in its proposal since it knows how to entertain without becoming strident, knows how to offer freshness without falling into coldness, and knows how to maintain interest without needing to be aggressive.

Where it perhaps reveals its philosophy more clearly is that it does not intend to turn every listen into a meticulous dissection nor into an obsessive search for what is hidden. Its approach seems much more oriented toward the global experience, toward letting you feel the work with fluidity and satisfaction before putting every small nuance under a microscope.

Those who pursue an experience more oriented toward hyper-observation, the constant search for microdetail or a more incisive and extreme sensation will probably find here a proposal less aligned with their expectations.

Personally, Quartet seems to me an IEM with a very clear identity: it knows how to enjoy itself and it knows how to make you enjoy. It does not try to be the most spectacular nor the most technical. Its success lies in offering an emotionally satisfying, balanced and tremendously easy to love sound experience.

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Disclaimer:

This monitor set has been sent by Linsoul. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to be able to try one of their products at no cost and that no condition has been imposed when it came to preparing this analysis.

Despite this, my priority is to be as impartial as possible within the subjectivity that analyzing an audio product entails. My opinion belongs only to me and I develop it around the perception of my ears. If you have a different one, it is equally valid. Please, feel free to share it.

My sources:

-FiiO K11 for music and videogames on the main PC.
-FiiO KA13 while I work.
-FiiO BTA30 Pro + FiiO BTR13 for wireless LDAC listening at home.
-FiiO BTR13 + FiiO BT11 + Iphone 16 Pro Max for wireless listening on the street.
-FiiO KA11.
-FiiO Jiezi 3.5mm/4.4mm
-Shanling M0 Pro 3.5mm/4.4mm.
-Tri TK3.
-Apple Music.
-Local FLAC and MP3 files.