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Expert Earphones and Headphones Reviews

DUNU DK-3001 Hybrid Quad Driver Earphone Review – Hybrid Theory

Posted on July 31, 2017 by Oscar

DUNU DK-3001 Hybrid Quad Driver IEM Review

The Dunu DK-3001 is a detailed and well balanced IEM, lending it’s hand to all genres and never becoming congested or peaky. A technical achiever that is also a lot of fun to listen to.

Pros:

Overall balanced and detailed sound
Layering
Soundstage

Cons:

Ergonomics
Treble may be borderline bright to some

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories

The Dunu DK-3001 are an interesting looking IEM, and very difficult to describe so it’s best to look at the pictures. The stainless housing is low key in black, with Dunu laser etched onto the outside.

The DK-3001 feel very well built, the stainless housing feels tough, the cables have very good strain relief and these use standard MMCX connectors so changing cables out is easy. I cannot find fault with the build, althought the MMCX connectors are extemly tight when first out of the box.

Accessory wise, if you have bought Dunu before, you know they include a ton of extras, these are no exception. They come with a hard plastic case, cable clip, flight adaptor, 3.5mm to 6.3mm adaptor, 2.5mm TRRS balanced spare cable, a pair of Comply foam tips in M, Spinfit tips in SS, S, M and L, and two different types of silicone tips in S, M and L.

Everything you need to get a good fit, and having a balanced cable is a big plus in my opinion, there is nothing missing with these.

Comfort, Isolation and Cable Noise

Well the housing of the DK-3001 is subject to some comfort issues, as they are not the most ergonomic IEMs out there. However I did find these to be more comfortable than the Dunu DN-2002. There are some sharp edges on the housing that can cause some discomfort over prolonged periods of time for some people, but once I got a good fit I found them to be quite comfortable. On a personal note I dislike memory wire, so getting a good upgrade cable could be useful for some.

Isolation is fairly average as these are vented, they don’t block out much outside noise so are not the best for very noisy environments, but general commuting and use will be fine.

Cable noise is not an issue with these.

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Sound

Bass

The bass on these is dynamic and full, it is quick and nimble when needed yet comes out in full when called for. Bass guitar lines are superbly controlled and easy to follow, kick drums hit with punch and authority, but all in line with the rest of the sound. The bass is not dominating in any way, it is well behaved but extremely articulate and well layered. They extend right down into the sub-bass with ease, acoustic guitars have very real body and the bass never gets in the way of the mids.

Midrange

The midrange is well detailed, the bass does not create additional warmth which allows the midrange to shine. I find the midrange to be quite smooth without huge peaks or dips, these is however slightly more presence in the upper mids. The don’t however suffer from sibilance in the upper mids, and what is excellent is the amount of fine detail that can be extracted from the mids.

Treble

The treble is crisp and clear, it has some added sparkle and presence and could be borderline bright for treble sensitive people. I find them to have excellent definition, extension and presence. The treble is not laid back, it is there allowing you to hear and distinguish every cymbal tap.

Soundstage

The soundstage is quite wide and airy, these is plenty of space between instruments and the soundstage is accurate and not artificial sounding. Instrument separation is excellent, with everything being easy to pick out, even in fast and technical tracks.

Conclusion

The Dunu DK-3001 is a very well done hybrid IEM, the bass is dynamic and punchy, with excellent and realistic body. The midrange is well layered and very detailed, with and hint of smoothness to it. The highs are always present, yet not fatiguing. These work well with all genres, the bass is fun and energetic in EDM, and rock comes across with detail and layering. Jazz has a very natural tone, and they just take all genres in their stride, however their ability to control heavy metal is truly impressive.

DUNU DN-2002 Quad Hybrid Driver Earphone Review

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Oscar

DUNU DN-2002 Earphone Review

With the DUNU DN-2002, they have made a very coherent sounding IEM, that impresses with its clarity, natural tone and larger than normal soundstage.

Pros:

Resolution
Extension on both ends

Cons

Comfort (size and weight)
Cable is not easy to remove

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories

The DN-2002 are and odd looking IEM, it is easier to see in the pictures than to describe them. They don’t look bad, but they are quite big as they have managed to get 2 dynamic drivers, and 2 balanced armatures into them.

Build quality is excellent as with the rest of the Dunu line, the housing is metal, the cable is detachable and feels well built with good strain relief. These will last a long time.

Accessories again are plentiful, Dunu are well known for including a wide array of accessories and these are no exception. You get some ear-hooks that should help them stay in your ear and relieve some of the weight, you get a pack of various Spinfit tips, a pack or regular silicone tips, and a pair of Comply tips. Also included is a jack adaptor and a cable clip, all the accessories are held in a neat hard plastic case.

Comfort and Isolation

The DUNU DN-2002 are metal and heavy with all those drivers inside, I personally have small ears and they are not the best fitting for me. They stick out quite far and do not have the most secure fit. If you have slightly larger ears I can see these fitting fine, but once I have a good seal they fit fine.
They can be worn with the cable straight down, or over the ear.

Isolation is perfectly fine for on the go use, but do not block out as much as fully sealed models.

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Sound

Bass

The bass on the DN-2002 is well placed with effortless extension right down to the sub-bass. The dynamic drivers are working well here giving the sound a natural tone. What I like with these is that they don’t suffer from a mid bass hump, the bass is linear and the sub-bass response is very impressive.

Mids

The DUNU DN-2002 has crystal clear mids with no bleed from the bass, they are very transparent and true to the source. Another thing that stands out in the mids is the separation and layering, you can easily pick apart the recording and hear all the details.

Treble

The treble is smooth with great extension, these never become bright or strident but the detail is there. No real issues with the treble, it is present and very well controlled and detailed without grain or splashiness.

Soundstage

One of the standout features of the DN-2002, it is very wide and expansive with excellent placement and air around each instrument. The separation and imaging is all so precise.

Conclusion

The DUNU DN-2002 offer a very coherent sound, everything is there and well balanced. They are not neutral, but natural and balanced sounding. The extension on both ends, and the expansive soundstage are what will grab you first, but listen closer and the resolution of the sound will impress too. Now if only they were a little smaller.

DUNU TITAN 1 Earphones – Expert Review and Video

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Tony

DUNU TITAN 1 Review

The DUNU Titan 1 is also featured in our Best in-ear headphones to buy in 2015 – Expert Reviews

Introduction

The DUNU TITAN 1 earphone is a lightweight and stylish medium priced IEM with some innovative design features. The DUNU brand appeared about three years ago with a small range of IEMs that instantly impressed. Cleverly built housings and a compelling grip on balanced yet engaging sound instantly caught our attention. DUNU have actually been building earphones and acoustic equipment for other brands since 1994, which goes a long way to explaining this Chinese manufacturers depth of knowledge and design skill. TITAN 1 are a great example of this new brands dedication to moving earphone design forward. Containing a 13mm Titanium coated driver with an angled nozzle surrounded by innovatively placed venting – which may well be the first design of its kind. We’re expecting to see similar designs in the future, as we’ll confirm later on in this review the results for an earphone at this price are sonically spectacular.

Build quality

From the moment you touch the metal driver housing it becomes apparent that the TITAN 1 has been engineered incredibly well. In terms of a sturdy build metal is a no brainer but if implemented badly an earphone can either be far too heavy – leading to fit problems – or if too thin, actually less durable than plastic. DUNU have this balance just right. The shiny and beautifully finished conical earpieces are ringed by metallic red and blue markers for left and right. With high quality 2 ply silicone tips on the nozzle side and well though out strain relief on the other, it’s very hard to pick any fault with practicality or looks here. The top portion of the cable has a soft rubberised coating which is not particularly microphonic when moving around. The Y splitter is attractive and practical with more metal and a wonderfully clever toggle (should you wish to wear them cable up) that caps the splitter like a bottle top when out of use. The remainder of the cable has a very tight nylon weave cover leading to a small and handy cable tidy and eventually a metal capped gold plated right angle jack unit. The strain relief here and at the Y slitter looks and feels sturdy without becoming obstructive.

Fit and Isolation

Fit, as always, is very much down to the users ears. Having said that, the conical housings and angled nozzle sat inside the ear snugly, feeling comfortable and anchored whilst protruding very little. I would not be surprised if this were the case for the vast majority of users. The angled nozzle prevents you from rotating the housings in the ear but the lengthy strain relief means the cable is happy curving round over the top of the ear or dangling down. Unfortunately the clever venting (we will get round to talking about how impressive that is later) does mean there is a little more leakage of sound, in and out, than traditionally expected. We found the supplied silicone ear tips provide an excellent seal and are comfortable too.

Sound

The TITAN 1 has a balanced type EQ which doesn’t purposely favour top or bottom end. There is a sense of the typical gentle smile curve with lightly recessed mids, a bit of bass punch and thump and some lovely air and silver to the top end.

Lows

Despite giving the feel that they can reach really low this isn’t overplayed, bass roll off is really well managed. Bass is deep but textured and subtle, there really isn’t much flab to speak of. Free of mud and cardboard tones as they transition to the lower mids, it’s all clean and well defined at the bottom. It’s a good balance which compliments contemporary music whilst gently stroking acoustic instruments and older dynamic recordings.

Mids

The mids are simply superb. Vocals and instruments in this region feel realistic and natural, there’s warmth but it’s handled with care. The outcome is a really pleasant and engaging vibe that defines the characteristics of this quick and nimble earphone.

Highs

There is plenty of energy in the highs but it rolls off comfortably, you couldn’t really describe the TITAN 1 as bright but that Titanium driver is performing a bit of magic here. There’s good air and space and just enough metallic brightness to deliver a fresh realistic feel with a bit more fine detail than you would normally expect from a dynamic driver.

Soundstage, Imaging and Separation

Soundstage is surprisingly wide and a bit further back than most in ears. This gives a bit of an upside down U shape to the image adding a taller broader scale than expected.

Sound Conclusions

The TITAN 1 have weight and authority but also enough bright power to sound refreshing and airy. Imaging better than more expensive earphones, they could still have a darker background and better detail retrieval but the combination of the Titanium driver and the completely individual venting system seems to be performing a minor sonic miracle. This venting is the subject of much discussion online, some believe the sound escaping here is vibrating the surface of the outer ear mirroring the way the ear receives normal room sound. The superb EQ and natural yet fun presentation prevents you from noticing the finer shortcomings. Sound-wise they conjure an exciting, easy going and vibrant presentation which is hard to criticise.

Accessories and Packaging

Packaged in a sturdy and attractive box, DUNU include some interesting information about themselves and their manufacturing ideas. Accessories are generous with three pairs of narrow bored silicone ear tips with red cores and three pairs of wide bored tips with blue cores and three pairs of what look like Sony hybrid tip clones. There’s also a 3.5mm to 6.3mm jack adaptor, a useful shirt clip and a smart hard case to keep it all in.

Conclusion

The TITAN 1 are shockingly good for their price. They’re a superb example of how far medium priced headphones can be pushed by an innovative manufacturer with big ideas. Although they don’t scale the heady heights of today’s crop of high end IEMs, they more than hold their own in the under £100 category. With their good looks, a beautifully implemented Titanium driver and totally individual take on venting, the TITAN 1 finds a natural, exciting and fluid sound which may make them the very best buy for anyone shopping at this price point.

The DUNU Titan 1 is also featured in our Best in-ear headphones to buy in 2015 – Expert Reviews

Best in-ear headphones to buy in 2015 – Expert Reviews – See more at: http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/reviews/best-in-ear-headphones-2015-review-2015/#sthash.SkMK3Ygf.dpuf

Price: £89.99

Best headphones for bass to buy in 2015 – Expert Reviews

Posted on February 13, 2015 by John

Best Headphones For Bass

Are you looking for headphones with powerful bass? Would you consider yourself a bit of a basshead? Thanks to headphones with emphasised bass like Beats by Dre we’ve noticed that a popular requirement for new headphones is big bass.

Often powerful bass response in headphones comes at the cost of clarity, so we’ve reviewed some models that handle strong bass – well defined, big, punchy bass! With this in mind we’ve compiled a list of our 10 best headphones for bass from the selection that we often recommend to our customers.

The list is in price order (low to high) so there is something for everybody with in-ear headphones and earphones, full size, portable and IEMs all covered.

Scroll down and read our expert reviews of the best bass headphones available in the UK.

Best headphones or bass under £50

1. DUNU DN-22M Detonator

This entry level in-ear is the bassiest we have heard! Not only do they have big bass, top end clarity and build quality is great for a sub-£40 earphone.

2. FOSTEX TH-5BB

Fostex have been in the audio business for a long time, and it shows with their entry level headphone. For under £50 you will struggle to find a full size headphone with as much good quality bass and build.

Best headphones or bass under £100

3. SOUNDMAGIC P30S

If in-ears aren’t for you then the P30S is the best for the price. Portable, comfortable, great isolation and most importantly – they’ve got that bass!

4. FIDUE A71

These dual driver IEM’s go low. Very low! They have a mini sub-woofer as well as a smaller dynamic driver inside each earpiece – supplying not only great bass but lots of detail too.

5. DUNU Titan 1

Our Full Review, including video unboxing

These beauties are one of our favourites! For under £100 you get extremely sturdy build quality, amazing sound – bass, detail, soundstage, separation and energy. They have it all.

Best headphones or bass under £200

6. RHA T10 / T10i

Built like a tank, the RHA T10 is built to last. They come supplied with a filter system which gives you 3 levels of sound – bass, bassier and blow your head off!

7. BEYERDYNAMIC Custom One Pro

Beyerdynamic are best known for their studio headphones – The Custom One Pro has studio build quality but can be used with portable devices. They have superb isolation and most importantly great sound! With the 3 bass port settings on each earcup you can customise your sound to suit your music.

Best headphones or bass over £200

8. AUDIOFLY AF140

The AF140 gives you three drivers inside each earphone housing – one 9mm dynamic driver for the low end power and two balanced armature drivers for crystal clear detail. The resulting sound has punchy bass and lots of energy.

9. PIONEER SE-MX9

Our Full Review,

These are real Beats beaters. Not only do they have lots of bass, it’s good quality bass. It goes as low as you like with no distortion. That’s not all – unlike their competitors they also have great detail and separation.

10. AUROSONICS ASG 1.5

Finally, the ASG-1.5 delivers a full-bodied, warm, organic sound with an incredible and articulate bass response that is captivating and powerful. Each housing holds a 14.2mm dynamic driver and the build quality is what you would expect and more from a high end IEM.

DUNU Titan 1 Earphone Review

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Tony

DUNU Titan 1 Review – Probing Deep Space

Pros

Good solid stainless steel construction
Good quality metal 90 degree jack
Sounds crisp, fun and wide
Branded pocket sized hard case

Cons

Can be worn down only, not over ear.

Hifiheadphone Verdict

An ideal solution for fans of the wide sound of open-backed headphones, but who require more isolation. The bass is tight and solid, providing thumping drive when needed. Details are excellent for a half open in ear headphone.

Intro

Prolific in-ear maker Dunu-Topsound is back with more bad news for other manufacturers; the Titan 1. Perhaps taking inspiration from several similar designs which give a wider sound through porting, the Dunu Titan 1 headphones come with eartips which seal, and to great effect!

Key Features

Eleven holes on each capsule housing allow any internal sound reflections to escape, making the audio feel clear, light and fast. A titanium coated diaphragm greatly improves treble on this open style in ear while a range of eartips provide a decent seal to give you deep insightful bass, plus the branded hard case will provide protection while also being a practical pocket size.

First Impressions

DUNU’s designs are varied, and this one is a first for me – the impression when holding them is of luxury bathroom equipment. Maybe it’s the solid stainless steel construction, or the smattering of tiny holes in the housing making it look like a shower head. They could have named this model ‘Triton 1’. But there is nothing wet about these earphones, they just scream excellence.

Sound Quality

The Titan 1 seals very well in the ear, due to the design there’s a limit to how deep in the ears the Titan 1 can be inserted. Bass is very well balanced and puts a weighty feel under everything, the midrange is clear and cohesive and treble is crisp and clean without causing problems with sibilance. There does appear to be a gap or dip between the low-mid and bass regions; this is not a problem where clarity in the midrange is concerned but might be missed by some.

Soundstage is greatly enhanced by the design. One theory is that the energy coming through the holes in the housing (not through the eartip) is felt by the concha, or bowl of the ear. Just as in real life, when sound energy is focused by the ear into the ear canal, it creates a light sensation on that part of the ear which the Titan 1 design mimics with great success.

Summary

Yet another triumph from DUNU-Topsound – the Titan 1 gives a very convincing spacious presentation while also isolating the wearer from outside noise. They have a fun sound signature which has a slight bass enhancement, without losing the detail or sparkle in your music tracks, so they never seem to lose their balance.

Score 9/10

10 Best Headphone Christmas Gifts 2014 – Under £250

Posted on November 28, 2014 by John

With Christmas coming, we thought it would be a good idea to suggest what we think are the best headphone gift ideas our site has to offer. Here is a rundown of our favourite headphones, earphones, portable players (DAP), amps and DAC’s that 2014 has to offer.

SoundMAGIC ES20 – £24.95

Coming in under £30, the ES20 punches well above its weight. The build quality is superb with braided cables and tough speaker housing. The sound quality will blow you away – fun and punchy with great detail!

Similar Items – Fidue A31s £19.99 | DUNU DN12 £29.99

Shure SE112 – £42.99

Shure are famous for their high end IEMs, but their lower priced earphones follow Shure’s high standards. The SE112’s build quality is very solid and comfortable. The sound is rich with plenty of power and smooth detail – these earphones will sound great with whatever you throw at them. There is also the Shure SE112M+ for those who will use them with a smartphone.

Similar Item – SoundMAGIC E10S £39.99

SoundMAGIC P30S – £69.99

SoundMAGIC’s new portable on ear, the P30S, not only sounds great but it can work with any smartphone out there – thanks to their compatibility switch you can manually set the headphones to work with your phone. The P30S is extremely comfortable and folds up nicely for easy storage. The sound is fun and punchy with plenty of detail and great bass!

Similar Items – Sennheiser PX100-IIi £44.95 | SoundMAGIC P21S £49

Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear – £89.99

For the asking price, the Momentum In-Ear is incredible value; giving great sound as well as swish styling and all in a very rugged and classy looking case. They are available in versions compatible with Apple devices as well as Android, so you needn’t be cutting down your choice of handsets with the Momentum In-Ear.

Similar Items – Beyerdynamic MMX102iE £79.99 | RHA MA750i £89.95

FiiO X1 – £99.99

Now that high quality audio is becoming more commonly available, it is time to upgrade your music player. The FiiO X1 supports very high audio (up to 192kHz/24bit) and will play most formats (APE/AAC/FLAC/ALAC/WMA/WAV/MP3) – most devices like mobile phones and more basic players can’t handle the higher quality and different audio formats. There is enough power to drive some of the more demanding headphones and the sound is crystal clear and very well balanced. The X1 will hold one micro SD card – with this you can have up to 128GB of storage.

Dunu DN-2000 Review – High Quality Hybrid

Posted on October 16, 2014 by John

Verdict

It’s easy to get a bit weighed down amongst all the extra bits and attachments that are included with the Dunu DN-2000, but they are all worth trying for greater comfort and a more ‘bespoke’ sound. The hybrid driver arrangement really works to deliver a very engaging and detailed presentation which never strays into harsh territory, and the case is certainly something we’d like to see included with premium IEMs more in the future.

Pros

Exceptionally sweet sound

Plenty of accessories

Options to tailor the frequency response

Options to alter fit

Good solid case

Cons

Tuning rings can be lost

Casing can cause discomfort if earfins not used

If you’ve heard some of Dunu’s entry-level earphones such as the DN-12 Trident you might be curious about how the in-ear Dunu flagship, the DN-2000 measures up. Dunu’s in-ear offerings are as numerous as they are interesting, but the current cherry on the top, the DN-2000, takes the cake.