u/ChemicalAd4776

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Disclaimer - I was loaned this iem as a part of a review tour by Sushiifi and DUNU. However, I'm NOT affiliated with dunu and hence it will not impinge on freedom to criticize the iem. All my opinions are my own.

INTRODUCTION

• The DUNU SA6 mk2 was launched in April 2023 at $579.99

· The SA6 stands for studio armature 6 , signifying the driver configuration.

• The DUNU SA6 MK2 utilizes a 3-way crossover specialised network design housing 6 balanced armatures - 2 Sonion balanced armatures for bass , and 4 Knowles balanced armatures for mid range and treble.

BUILD AND COMFORT

• The semi custom shells are lightweight but the shells are chonkers when it comes to the width. They will stick out from your ear quite a bit. It has an "Immersion switch" a.k.a bass boost switch on each shell that you can toggle with your fingers without the need of a tool. The switches are placed in an ergonomic spot so that you can switch them on/off on the go without removing the iem from your ear.

• The acrylic resin shell is "Hand poured" and capped by a "High grade stabilized wood faceplate" . Dunu claimed that the wood grain pattern is different for each shell making your specific iem "unique to you". I personally don't like this colour.

• The SA6 is comfortable to wear but there's a catch , slight pressure build up was an issue to me. It seems that the iem drivers are vented to the inside space of the shell and not connecting to an outlet on the shell.

ACCESSORIES

• The cable is the hulk pro mini which is a single crystal copper core wire featuring "Q lock plus" swappable 3.5mm, and 4.4mm right-angle termination jacks.

• Dunu generously provides 11 pairs of eartips which includes 3 pairs of dunu candy tips, 4 pairs of Dunu S&S tips and 3 pairs of standard balanced silicone tips and 1 pair of memory foam tips.

• A puck shaped leather carrying case, a cleaning brush for removing ear wax , a user manual, and paperwork are included in the box.

SONIC PERFORMANCE

Note : all the notes are with the bass boost switch on. When compared to the off mode ( 6 db shelf) , the boost is a modest 1 - 2 db (8 db shelf)

SOUNDSTAGE, DETAILS, AND LAYERING

• The soundstage is moderate to actually wide with real depth. Some instruments/sounds are placed further away than others. They feel like they're about half a foot away from your pinna. This width is not consistent and depends on that particular song.

• Detail retrieval is good in general but it's similar or average when compared to peers in the $500 range. The top pro is superior in this regard especially when it comes to micro details.

• Instrument separation and layering is good but not spectacular. You can pick up where an instrument is playing and separate that sound from the song.

BASS

• The SA6 mk2 has tasty amounts of sub-bass rumble with bass boost on. The dunu candy tips further accentuates this . The sub bass does not muddy the other frequencies but lends to an overall warm sound signature.

• The mid-bass is punchy with good amount of slam. Bass texture is perceptible while the attack and decay are the right duration without bloom or bloat.

• The bass is rather good but don't expect it to sound like a Dynamic driver. It's still the characteristic BA bass.

MIDS

• The mids are tinted warm , this is an unapologetically warm iem. This iem is studio in name only , not in practice.

• String instruments are clean but with a smooth edge.

• Woodwind and brass instruments sound well bodied and rich.

• Male vocals have that extra oomph provided by the warmth. Not accurate but fun.

• Female vocals in the lower register sound comforting and lush.

• I have to say that sometimes the vocals feel too far away or distant. It loses that intimacy that some songs require. This doesn't not occur in most songs but it does occur now and then.

TREBLE

• Cymbals sound smooth without sibilance. There's one issue as a result of the wide soundstage, sometimes cymbals are pushed far away due to which they may sound washed out or muffled or low res.

• Female vocals with a higher frequency pitch are handled reasonably well. There is no vocal sibilance to speak of. Even in the upper register, they sound breathy and lush. The trailing resonance notes are perceptible.

• Snare drums and string instruments have that initial crisp note .

• The mk2 has good treble extension and presence in the air region. Details are not forced on you but are easy to find if you look for them. It's like a high resolution picture taken on your phone , you have to zoom in to find the details.

• The transient response is clean and tight. There is no reverb or artifacts. The BAs are fast and resolving.

CONCLUSION

• The SA6 mk2 is 3 years old now and I think Dunu went a little too safe with the tuning on these. Yes they sound warm and comforting but does it have the staying power in 2026 ? The last 3 years feel like a decade of progress. The Dunu 242 has better mids and equally if not more detailed bass at $350. Is the Dunu SA6 mk2 worth the $500 in big 2026 ? I'm not convinced but I won't take away the fact that this iem is competent. Good sound stays good and that's all that matters.

EARTIPS USED: Dunu S&S , Dunu Candy and Sancai balanced.

Tracks used -

- Killshot by Eminem

- GDFR by flo rida

- Another one bites the dust by queen

- Toxic by britney spears

- Winter , four seasons by vivaldi

- Mexico by vitamin string quartet

- When I'm down by Chris Cornell

- Show me how to live by Audioslave

- Angel of the morning by Juice newton

- Monomyth by Animals as leaders

- Fuel by Metallica

- Novocaine by Amber rubarth

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Disclaimer - I was loaned this iem as a part of a review tour by Sushiifi and DUNU. However , I'm NOT affiliated with dunu and hence it will not impinge on freedom to criticize the iem. All my opinions are my own.

INTRODUCTION

- The DUNU DN 242 is an 8 driver tribrid iem priced at around $350.

- Driver configuration is 2 DD + 4 BA + 2 MP with a 5 way crossover , the name of the iem is derived from driver configuration like how german cars were named according to engine displacement in the yesteryears.

BUILD And COMFORT

- The iem is wrapped in a silhouette of resin and capped with a glossy, lava like faceplate. There is a gold bevel-like frame to give it a more classy and sophisticated look.

- The iem itself is quite thick but weighs a svelte 6.5g each. They fit perfectly to the contours of my pinna. Don't worry about them sticking out , they look pleasant to the eyes

ACCESSORIES

- Cable is a silver plated OCC copper cable with modular termination.

- Dunu generously provides 10 pairs of eartips which includes 3 pairs of dunu candy tips, 4 pairs of Dunu S&S tips and 3 pairs of standard silicone tips.

- A black cleaning brush , 3 thematic Nezha (Warrior God) cards , a hard fabric carrying case , user manual and paperwork.

SONIC PERFORMANCE

SOUNDSTAGE, DETAILS AND LAYERING

- Evaluating the dunu for soundstage was strange. It is definitely dependent on that perticular track. Well recorded binaural tracks sound like you're in the room while older songs without remastering come across as claustrophobic.

- Detail retrieval is above average. The 242 can give you the " I've never heard that sound before " moments. I have to say that it can come uncomfortably close to the top pro in this criteria (85-90%)

- Instrument separation and layering is also quite track dependent. But in general, you can easily pick up where an instrument is playing and separate that sounds from the song.

BASS

- The 242 has a good amount of sub bass rumble but it's not overbearing on the rest of the frequencies. I would also not say it is a basshead iem in any way. The sub bass has good extension without colouring the iem warm.

- The mid bass is punchy and plosive. You can hear those kick drums like small explosions in your ear. The driver moves sufficient amounts of air that is easily perceptible. The attack and decay is the right duration without bloom or bloat.

MIDS

- The best part of this iem is the mids. It is absolutely immaculate.

- String instruments sound accurate with the correct timbre.

- Woodwind and brass instruments have that ethereal feel.

- Male vocals are awesome. One of the best in the sub $500 class. You can hear chris cornell whispering melancholic in your ears with these.

- Female vocals are almost perfect with a caveat. The 242 with the wrong eartips can have vocal sibilance on certain tracks . Get the right eartips to fit in your ear as deeply as possible to remove length modal resonance.

TREBLE

- Many of my peers find the 242 a little hot in the upper treble (The dreaded air region) I do agree that it can come across as bright in certain tracks , especially at loud volumes.

- As I said before , find an eartip that brings the nozzle as close as possible to your eardrum to reduce the treble spice.

- Cymbals can come across rather prominent in certain genres. They can be distracting at times.

- Female vocals with a higher frequency pitch can cause some sibilance but it's not harsh in any way.

- Snare drums and string instruments have that initial snap which requires well controlled treble. 242 has that in spades.

- The transient response is clean and tight. Not as good as iems with estats but still pretty good.

CONCLUSION

- The Dunu 242 was a pleasant surprise. If the upper treble region had more polish, I would be super tempted to put it above the Top pro in the sub 500 segment but top pro has superior treble extension and quality. I hope Dunu fixes this small chink in the fortress with mems or estat driver or even high frequency BAs .

EARTIP USED - Sancai wide bore gave me a good seal and eliminated the length mode resonance.

​

Disclaimer - I was loaned this iem as a part of a review tour by Sushiifi and DUNU. However , I'm not affiliated with dunu and hence it will not impinge on freedom to criticize the iem. All my opinions are my own.

INTRODUCTION

- The DUNU DN 242 is an 8 driver tribrid iem priced at around $350.

- Driver configuration is 2 DD + 4 BA + 2 MP with a 5 way crossover , the name of the iem is derived from driver configuration like how german cars were named according to engine displacement in the yesteryears.

BUILD And COMFORT

- The iem is wrapped in a silhouette of resin and capped with a glossy, lava like faceplate. There is a gold bevel-like frame to give it a more classy and sophisticated look.

- The iem itself is quite thick but weighs a svelte 6.5g each. They fit perfectly to the contours of my pinna. Don't worry about them sticking out , they look pleasant to the eyes

ACCESSORIES

- Cable is a silver plated OCC copper cable with modular termination.

- Dunu generously provides 10 pairs of eartips which includes 3 pairs of dunu candy tips, 4 pairs of Dunu S&S tips and 3 pairs of standard silicone tips.

- A black cleaning brush , 3 thematic Nezha (Warrior God) cards , a hard fabric carrying case , user manual and paperwork.

SONIC PERFORMANCE

SOUNDSTAGE, DETAILS AND LAYERING

- Evaluating the dunu for soundstage was strange. It is definitely dependent on that perticular track. Well recorded binaural tracks sound like you're in the room while older songs without remastering come across as claustrophobic.

- Detail retrieval is above average. The 242 can give you the " I've never heard that sound before " moments. I have to say that it can come uncomfortably close to the top pro in this criteria (85-90%)

- Instrument separation and layering is also quite track dependent. But in general, you can easily pick up where an instrument is playing and separate that sounds from the song.

BASS

- The 242 has a good amount of sub bass rumble but it's not overbearing on the rest of the frequencies. I would also not say it is a basshead iem in any way. The sub bass has good extension without colouring the iem warm.

- The mid bass is punchy and plosive. You can hear those kick drums like small explosions in your ear. The driver moves sufficient amounts of air that is easily perceptible. The attack and decay is the right duration without bloom or bloat.

MIDS

- The best part of this iem is the mids. It is absolutely immaculate.

- String instruments sound accurate with the correct timbre.

- Woodwind and brass instruments have that ethereal feel.

- Male vocals are awesome. One of the best in the sub $500 class. You can hear chris cornell whispering melancholic in your ears with these.

- Female vocals are almost perfect with a caveat. The 242 with the wrong eartips can have vocal sibilance on certain tracks . Get the right eartips to fit in your ear as deeply as possible to remove length modal resonance.

TREBLE

- Many of my peers find the 242 a little hot in the upper treble (The dreaded air region) I do agree that it can come across as bright in certain tracks , especially at loud volumes.

- As I said before , find an eartip that brings the nozzle as close as possible to your eardrum to reduce the treble spice.

- Cymbals can come across rather prominent in certain genres. They can be distracting at times.

- Female vocals with a higher frequency pitch can cause some sibilance but it's not harsh in any way.

- Snare drums and string instruments have that initial snap which requires well controlled treble. 242 has that in spades.

- The transient response is clean and tight. Not as good as iems with estats but still pretty good.

CONCLUSION

- The Dunu 242 was a pleasant surprise. If the upper treble region had more polish, I would be super tempted to put it above the Top pro in the sub 500 segment but top pro has superior treble extension and quality. I hope Dunu fixes this small chink in the fortress with mems or estat driver or even high frequency BAs .

EARTIP USED - Sancai wide bore gave me a good seal and eliminated the length mode resonance.

Pros -

- punchy bass that's surprisingly tactile and well extended. Hip pop and pop beats sound really nice. Belle has good amounts of sub bass with a mid bass bump.

- Treble is well controlled with very less amount of sibilance. Treble sensitive ears can rejoice.

- moderately wide soundstage with above average instrument separation and Imaging.

- Iem shell is super light and tiny , it can fit in most ears.

- Good stock cable for the price point.

Cons -

- Vocals are track dependent, Male and female vocals can sound amazing to veiled and muffled depending on track.

- There is no treble extension or air at all. Treble heads can forget about this iem.

- Surprisingly hard to drive compared to other iems. It needs a minimum of 60mw to sound adequate with some headroom.

- It is average in detail retrieval. You will enjoy music but you won't hear something you've never heard before.

- You can make it sound low res and shouty with the wrong eartips and at high enough volume but it is a pleasant listen in general.

- Bass can sometimes overwhelm vocals depending on the track.

CONCLUSION : The belle is a good iem for bassheads and Hip Hop enthusiasts. It has an inoffensive treble and good male vocals. Check it out if you are sensitive to treble and like a bumping baseline.

Pros -

- punchy bass that's surprisingly tactile and well extended. Hip pop and pop beats sound really nice. Belle has good amounts of sub bass with a mid bass bump.

- Treble is well controlled with very less amount of sibilance. Treble sensitive ears can rejoice.

- moderately wide soundstage with above average instrument separation and Imaging.

- Iem shell is super light and tiny , it can fit in most ears.

- Good stock cable for the price point.

Cons -

- Vocals are track dependent, Male and female vocals can sound amazing to veiled and muffled depending on track.

- There is no treble extension or air at all. Treble heads can forget about this iem.

- Surprisingly hard to drive compared to other iems. It needs a minimum of 60mw to sound adequate with some headroom.

- It is average in detail retrieval. You will enjoy music but you won't hear something you've never heard before.

- You can make it sound low res and shouty with the wrong eartips and at high enough volume but it is a pleasant listen in general.

- Bass can sometimes overwhelm vocals depending on the track.

CONCLUSION : The belle is a good iem for bassheads and Hip Hop enthusiasts. It has an inoffensive treble and good male vocals. Check it out if you are sensitive to treble and like a bumping baseline.

My overview of Top pro

Pro-

- Amazing detail retrieval

- good treble resolution with no audible sibilance

- good bass quantity

- soundstage is wide in terms of iems

- top notch instrument separation

- easy to drive

Cons -

- you need a source with higher than usual output impedance to hear the top pro at its best. Tldr - warm source is preferred

- sound change with tip rolling is perceptible, stick to short stem tips to get a deep insertion to avoid resonance that causes fatigue. I found that Dunu SS made it sound more energetic while Sancai noble made it sound more balanced.

- the build is resin and doesn't feel premium at all

- thick nozzle is not for the small ears

- Bass has good quantity but lacks the last bit of texture and sometimes minute amounts of bloom can be heard.

- treble can be a killer if you pair it with a transparent source with say Dunu SS tips. You have to balance the source and tips carefully to your preference.

- if you're using a transparent source , it can be incredibly harsh on poorly produced old music. You will hear all the flaws.