u/DynamicdB

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 

Another week another review. We are revisiting ISN Audio and set in question is Sora. Those who have been with me for long know that I always on lookout for new brands and unique sets. I have already covered ISN earlier with EST80 one of my favorite sets (please check in my profile for the review of EST80). ISN Audio has created this set in collaboration with Effect Audio. AudioGeek India is touring this set and you know where it is leading right? Will this set woo me like EST80 or not? Please read on.

First of all, mighty thanks to AudioGeek India and ISN Audio as without their help this review wouldn’t have been possible. 

I have not been paid to do this review or was compensated in any manner. The set will revert back to brand upon completion of review tour.

My preferences for tonality & timbre are DD > Hybrids > Planars

Now that we are done with the pleasantries let us get on with the meat and potatoes of the review.

Build Quality:

Packaging is austere as usual. Its Penon thing I get it. Inside box there is nice ISN branded suede case. Inside the case is effect audio cable & two types of ear tips in 3 sizes. One shirt clip & sim ejector tool for switches. Addition of cleaning tool is great addition. IEM shells are nestled in foam cut out made just for them. 

IEM shells are resin with nice blue color. Its translucent so, you can see drivers inside. Nozzles are made up of metal, have lips to them. There is mesh/screen to them to avoid ingress of dirt & ear wax. 

Cable is made by Effect audio. It is thick 2 core UP-OCC SPC cable. It is nice to feel and looks premium. In my opinion it suits Sora. Fixtures are made up of metal and add to the look and feel of the cable. It has pre formed ear hooks.

Included suede case is hard case and at same time has soft cushion at the top of the case. Case is roomy, it can easily carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips + cleaning tool. If you remove ear tips + cleaning tool you can even fit dongle in there. Case feels like expensive watch case or jewelry case.

Overall Build Quality 5/5

Comfort:

Shells are bit on large side. So, would recommend people with small ears to demo before purchase. For my elephant ears fit was perfect. Nozzles are long and provide nice deep insertion. Lips on nozzles provide nice grip to ear tips. No slip offs. No ear pain or pressure was felt on long listening sessions.

Cable is supple and well behaved. It doesn’t get tangled. It was easy to roadie wrap it. Ear hooks behave and don’t tug on IEM shells. 

Overall comfort 5/5.

Sources:

Sora was tested on neutral sources with stock cable and stock ear tips. I think best pairings are with warm sources and neutral sources. pairing with the bright sources is not recommended unless you are extreme treble head.

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 just rumbles amazingly. It rattles your skull. Presentation elevated by nice BCD implementation. Mid bass thumps with authority, you feel air displaced by it. It’s quite physical. Nice balance between sub bass and mid bass. If you like good bass just north of neutral this is the one for you. 

Drums, kick drums, guitars of all kinds just sound impressive and authoritative. That strike on the drum face, skin and the reverberations of the drums just sound awesome. Buzz of the strings is satisfying. It feels so engaging. Bass heavy genres are joy to listen.

Overall Bass/Lows 5/5       

Mids:

Vocals are just in right amount forward in the mix. Male vocals feel great. They have note weight. There is sense of naturalness to them.  Female vocals sound equally great. They have sweetness to them. They have edge to them; this can be con for some. Still, they are not female poison level. They don’t get harsh. I love how the female vocals are here. Vocals are treat here.

Most instruments reside in the mids. there was no congestion or smearing in the instruments. No timbral or tonal oddities were felt. Clarity is excellent.

Overall mids 5/5

Treble/Highs:

Detailed treble. you may feel that treble is bit forward in the mix alongside bass. But it doesn’t overshadow others. With the treble switch on position for treble sensitive people, it can be bit much. For them treble switch turned off is recommended. For me it was not much. For me strings, crashes, cymbals didn’t get harsh or odd in tonality. You will not miss any details be it Macro or micro.

Perceived soundstage, stage is large. It is wide and tall. It is wide than tall. It is holographic. Positional cues are on point. You can easily pin point where on the stage is the instrument. It’s not most 3d holographic stage but enough to create nice large open feeling and avoid any congestion.

Treble/Highs 5/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman   

I love voice of Nina Sjhallman and currently in love with this song. You will this song making more appearances in my reviews.

Nina sounds absolutely fab. Sora reminds me why I love her voice.  The sweetness of her voice., youthfulness of it. Sora made the experience next level.

Starting drum sequence feels emphatic. Strings feel perfect. Synthesizer notes are great. Entire mix feels mesmerizing. Thank you, Sora.

 

Despacito by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

I have been fan of Daddy Yankee for a long time. When I listened to this one, I became fan of Luis Fonsi. Now his songs adorn my playlist.

Daddy Yankee has low pitched voice and sora captures it well. It feels like him. Luis Fonsi has high pitched refined voice. Sora captures it well. You can distinguish between them properly and can identify properly. Sora does justice to their vocals.

Here you have so many instruments in the mix like strings, drums, synthesizer note. None of which sounds odd or out of place. Their tone and timbre were on point. One of the best renditions of Despacito.

The Great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

One of my favorite songs. This song is unique due to throat singing. 

In this song I always look out for sub bass rumble that’s present in the entire song due to throat singing and due to strings. Sora nails it perfectly. It sounds not just perfect but creates the desired impact. For those full marks to ISN Audio. Drums are impactful. strings be it modern or traditional sound marvelous. Their buzz is on point.

This is complex song & sora didn’t struggle here. It kept instruments separated. No congestion was felt. Song has open feeling to it Sora faithfully reproduces it. This was really enjoyable rendition.

Nothing else matters by Metallica

An obligatory song from Metallica because I am fan.

Starting bass notes are on point. Crashes are natural. Guitars sound awesome. They sound natural, their strings buzz nicely. Vocals here are recessed and it is faithfully reproduced. There is sibilance in them that also is captured well. Piano notes are great. Entire mix eels awesome. 

I couldn’t find any fault in tone or timbre. It didn’t have any congestion issue in busy passages. To me this was perfect rendition of nothing else matters.

Final Conclusion:

This is my second exposure to ISN Audio. EST80 that I had covered earlier had set bar way high up. I was having doubts if Sora would be able fit those shoes. EST80 is dark compared to Sora. So, technically its like comparing apples to oranges and I don’t intend to do so. Why am I then talking about EST80 here? Because it showed me what ISN Audio is capable of. 

Now coming to Sora, you must have guessed by now what I feel about it. Yes, I am in love with it. I am mightily impressed with it. It hits all the preferences for me. Now Will I buy it? 100% Yes. Already making preparations to buy it. Will I recommend it? 200% just not to treble sensitive people. For most it’s must buy set. Keep it in your Wishlist & when on discount snag one.

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

ISN Audio x Effect Audio Sora 5/5     

Deifo Glaze

Another week another review. This week I am working with completely new brand Deifo and the set is Glaze. I had seen reviews for this set popping here there on internet. I was curious about it for some time. Luck has it their team reached out to me and offered unit to do review. If you know me, I am sucker for new brands and new sets. So, I said yes. Few days later the set landed at my door step and today I am sharing my review of it with you.

First of all, mighty thank you to Deifo for sending this set to me. Without that this review wouldn’t have been possible.

I was provided this unit free of charge but this review has no editorial control by them. They will be seeing this review at the same time as you. Again, thank you to them for that.

My preference in tonality & timbre is DD > Hybrids > Planar

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

Pros:

Mid bass

Vocals

Bright tuning treble heads rejoice

Cable

Accessories

Cons:

Bass especially sub bass

More intimate vocals would have been great.

Better clarity in mids

Bit more soundstage would have been great

Price

Build Quality:

Retail package contains two IEM shells, one 3.5 mm 0.78 mm 2 pin SPC cable, two sets of ear tips and nice hard leather carry case.

Shells are resin. Faceplate and shell both are blue in color. Faceplate has nice decals on it, while shell is translucent. You can see the driver inside easily. Nozzles are long and are of metal. They have screen or mesh to them to prevent dirt & earwax ingress. Yes, totally forgot shell has wing on it. So, for some this can be issue.

Cable is nice two core SPC one. Sadly, it is not modular would have loved to see modular one at this price point. Fixtures of the cable are metal and overall, the cable feels premium.

Ear tips are available in 2 types. One is black silicone type and another is semi translucent one. Both are available in 3 sizes.

Included leather case is roomy, can carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips easily. It is hard case so, it can protect IEMs.

Overall Build Quality 4.5/5

Comfort:

Shells fit my elephant ears well. They are medium size. So, should fit most people just the wing could be issue. Nozzles provide deep insertion and in turn passive noise isolation. Lips on the nozzles provide nice grip to the ear tips. No, ear tip slip offs.

Cable has slight bit of memory in the ear hook part. That’s the only part that doesn’t behave else rest of the cable behaves well. It can easily be rodeo wrapped. Its supple. Comfort here was non issue for me.

Overall comfort 5/5

Sources:

I have used neutral sources to test the Glaze. I feel warm sources pair well with Glaze. Brighter sources are not so good pairing with it. Everything was kept stock to reproduce these results. So, stock cable + stock ear tips + neutral sources.

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 has rumble but its weak. You can hear it but its physical feel is on lower side. Bit more sub bass rumble would have been great. Mid bass has thump and its good. But it lacks authority in punch. Its decay is quick. Bass overall here is rounded. It’s not detailed or textured.

Drums, guitars, piano notes and percussion instruments sound good but not to their fullest potential. Their presentation feels bit soft. Buzz of the strings doesn’t feel emphatic. Don’t get me wrong this might be tuning choice.

If you are neutral lover or treble head this level of bass will be ideal for you.

Overall Bass/Lows 4/5

Mids:

Vocals feel bit recessed. They are not too recessed. They have been balanced nicely to be clear and present in the mix. Bass and treble feel forward especially treble. Male vocals feel good but lack note weight. They are thin. Higher pitched male vocals fare better than deep, low-pitched ones.

Female vocals fare better than male vocals. Lacks sweetness to female vocals. there is sibilance in female and male vocals. It’s not too much but it’s there. Bit more note weight to male vocals would have been better. More intimate vocals would have been great.

Most instruments reside in the mids. Clarity is good but not the best for price point. No smearing or congestion in the mids. Separation is good.

Overall Mids 4/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is forward here compared to other frequencies. It is bright leaning. Bass heads this is not for you. Treble heads rejoice. You won’t miss any details. All macro and micro details are presented well. Is it most detailed set for price point? No. there are other sets which will give more detailed presentation. Details are not in your face. String instruments, bells, shakers feel emphasized. Cymbals and crashes feel bit metallic.

Perceived soundstage, stage is average. Its wide than tall. Its not huge. It is closer to head than away from it. Mostly it feels inside your head. It creates enough stage to avoid congestion or smearing.

Overall Treble/Highs 4/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I am Nina Shallman fan. This song is very close to my heart. So, it has to make its way into reviews.

Starting drum sequence feels bit boomy and not authentic. Bells, shakers feel prominent. Strings feel good.

Nina sounds good but her voice lacks that sweetness and intimacy. The reproduction feels good but not the best.

Ego death by Polyphia

This is the driver resolution aka speed check song for me. Honestly, Glaze passes the test but separation between instruments is not the best I have heard. There is no smearing or congestion. Still the river feels bit hurried in busiest passages.

Strings are main protagonist here and their presentation is good just it lacks buzz and rumble of sub bass. Drums feel bit subdued here. Where as cymbals crashes and synthesizer notes feel bit more pronounced. Cymbals feel bit metallic. High pitched instruments get bit harsh.

Overall acceptable reproduction.

The great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

Entire song has sub bass rumble due to throat singing and strings. Glaze doesn’t do justice to it. It fails to capture it. Sibilance is present. Drums, guitars sound good but lack emphatic feel to them. Cymbal crashes sound odd here. There is no smearing or congestion in busy passages.

Overall, the presentation is not up to my liking.

Kashmir by Marcin

This song has strings as main USP. Strings sound good but lack the rumble that should follow its primary tones. There is sub bass rumble in the song that is on lower side. Due to this you miss that constant rumble.

Overall, I can’t fault it too much. The presentation is good. Just I am spoiled by too much exposure to all the gear.

Comparison with few single DD sets under USD 100:

I have benchmarked it against Simgot EA500, 500LM, Kefine Delci & AE & DUNU Titan S1, S2.

In bass section EA500LM, Delci siblings & Titan S2 are better EA500 is lagging behind Glaze only in quantity but in quality it surpasses it.

In mids Titan S1 tops all, followed by Delci siblings & Simgot siblings. S2 is in between. Glaze stands here in the end. Vocals also feel better on Titan S1. Others follow in the same order.

Treble here Titan S2 is the safest one. Then Delci siblings and then Simgot siblings. Glyph also stands in the end here. Stage is better on Simgot EA500 then EA500LM then Delci siblings and last spot Titan siblings & Glaze.

I think I have cleared the picture well. If we bring in hybrids & Planars then picture changes completely but I don’t want to compare Apples to Oranges.

Final Conclusion:

Deifo is new entrant to the market and it’s quite heartening to see new brands trying their hands. For that Deifo gets full marks. Package is good for the price point. Build quality is on par with the price point. Yes, metal shells would have been great but hey let’s give them some slack. Tuning needs some tweaking to become standout. I am sure they must be working on something new & hopefully incorporate the findings by me and all the reviewers. I wish them all the best. I will be keeping an eye on them for sure.

Will I buy it? I think this one is not for me. It doesn’t gel well with my preferences. Also, price according to me is bit high. Will I buy it at discount? Yes, if offered at discount. This is good starter set. I may have pointed at few points but understand I am privileged to be able to test multiple sets and expect more out of everything that comes across my table. But being realistic not every set is meant for everyone. Just like that there are people out there for whom this will be perfect.

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

Deifo Glaze 4/5

Deifo Glaze

Another week another review. This week I am working with completely new brand Deifo and the set is Glaze. I had seen reviews for this set popping here there on internet. I was curious about it for some time. Luck has it their team reached out to me and offered unit to do review. If you know me, I am sucker for new brands and new sets. So, I said yes. Few days later the set landed at my door step and today I am sharing my review of it with you.

First of all, mighty thank you to Deifo for sending this set to me. Without that this review wouldn’t have been possible.

I was provided this unit free of charge but this review has no editorial control by them. They will be seeing this review at the same time as you. Again, thank you to them for that.

My preference in tonality & timbre is DD > Hybrids > Planar

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

Pros:

Mid bass

Vocals

Bright tuning treble heads rejoice

Cable

Accessories

Cons:

Bass especially sub bass

More intimate vocals would have been great.

Better clarity in mids

Bit more soundstage would have been great

Price

Build Quality:

Retail package contains two IEM shells, one 3.5 mm 0.78 mm 2 pin SPC cable, two sets of ear tips and nice hard leather carry case.

Shells are resin. Faceplate and shell both are blue in color. Faceplate has nice decals on it, while shell is translucent. You can see the driver inside easily. Nozzles are long and are of metal. They have screen or mesh to them to prevent dirt & earwax ingress. Yes, totally forgot shell has wing on it. So, for some this can be issue.

Cable is nice two core SPC one. Sadly, it is not modular would have loved to see modular one at this price point. Fixtures of the cable are metal and overall, the cable feels premium.

Ear tips are available in 2 types. One is black silicone type and another is semi translucent one. Both are available in 3 sizes.

Included leather case is roomy, can carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips easily. It is hard case so, it can protect IEMs.

Overall Build Quality 4.5/5

Comfort:

Shells fit my elephant ears well. They are medium size. So, should fit most people just the wing could be issue. Nozzles provide deep insertion and in turn passive noise isolation. Lips on the nozzles provide nice grip to the ear tips. No, ear tip slip offs.

Cable has slight bit of memory in the ear hook part. That’s the only part that doesn’t behave else rest of the cable behaves well. It can easily be rodeo wrapped. Its supple. Comfort here was non issue for me.

Overall comfort 5/5

Sources:

I have used neutral sources to test the Glaze. I feel warm sources pair well with Glaze. Brighter sources are not so good pairing with it. Everything was kept stock to reproduce these results. So, stock cable + stock ear tips + neutral sources.

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 has rumble but its weak. You can hear it but its physical feel is on lower side. Bit more sub bass rumble would have been great. Mid bass has thump and its good. But it lacks authority in punch. Its decay is quick. Bass overall here is rounded. It’s not detailed or textured.

Drums, guitars, piano notes and percussion instruments sound good but not to their fullest potential. Their presentation feels bit soft. Buzz of the strings doesn’t feel emphatic. Don’t get me wrong this might be tuning choice.

If you are neutral lover or treble head this level of bass will be ideal for you.

Overall Bass/Lows 4/5

Mids:

Vocals feel bit recessed. They are not too recessed. They have been balanced nicely to be clear and present in the mix. Bass and treble feel forward especially treble. Male vocals feel good but lack note weight. They are thin. Higher pitched male vocals fare better than deep, low-pitched ones.

Female vocals fare better than male vocals. Lacks sweetness to female vocals. there is sibilance in female and male vocals. It’s not too much but it’s there. Bit more note weight to male vocals would have been better. More intimate vocals would have been great.

Most instruments reside in the mids. Clarity is good but not the best for price point. No smearing or congestion in the mids. Separation is good.

Overall Mids 4/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is forward here compared to other frequencies. It is bright leaning. Bass heads this is not for you. Treble heads rejoice. You won’t miss any details. All macro and micro details are presented well. Is it most detailed set for price point? No. there are other sets which will give more detailed presentation. Details are not in your face. String instruments, bells, shakers feel emphasized. Cymbals and crashes feel bit metallic.

Perceived soundstage, stage is average. Its wide than tall. Its not huge. It is closer to head than away from it. Mostly it feels inside your head. It creates enough stage to avoid congestion or smearing.

Overall Treble/Highs 4/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I am Nina Shallman fan. This song is very close to my heart. So, it has to make its way into reviews.

Starting drum sequence feels bit boomy and not authentic. Bells, shakers feel prominent. Strings feel good.

Nina sounds good but her voice lacks that sweetness and intimacy. The reproduction feels good but not the best.

Ego death by Polyphia

This is the driver resolution aka speed check song for me. Honestly, Glaze passes the test but separation between instruments is not the best I have heard. There is no smearing or congestion. Still the river feels bit hurried in busiest passages.

Strings are main protagonist here and their presentation is good just it lacks buzz and rumble of sub bass. Drums feel bit subdued here. Where as cymbals crashes and synthesizer notes feel bit more pronounced. Cymbals feel bit metallic. High pitched instruments get bit harsh.

Overall acceptable reproduction.

The great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

Entire song has sub bass rumble due to throat singing and strings. Glaze doesn’t do justice to it. It fails to capture it. Sibilance is present. Drums, guitars sound good but lack emphatic feel to them. Cymbal crashes sound odd here. There is no smearing or congestion in busy passages.

Overall, the presentation is not up to my liking.

Kashmir by Marcin

This song has strings as main USP. Strings sound good but lack the rumble that should follow its primary tones. There is sub bass rumble in the song that is on lower side. Due to this you miss that constant rumble.

Overall, I can’t fault it too much. The presentation is good. Just I am spoiled by too much exposure to all the gear.

Comparison with few single DD sets under USD 100:

I have benchmarked it against Simgot EA500, 500LM, Kefine Delci & AE & DUNU Titan S1, S2.

In bass section EA500LM, Delci siblings & Titan S2 are better EA500 is lagging behind Glaze only in quantity but in quality it surpasses it.

In mids Titan S1 tops all, followed by Delci siblings & Simgot siblings. S2 is in between. Glaze stands here in the end. Vocals also feel better on Titan S1. Others follow in the same order.

Treble here Titan S2 is the safest one. Then Delci siblings and then Simgot siblings. Glyph also stands in the end here. Stage is better on Simgot EA500 then EA500LM then Delci siblings and last spot Titan siblings & Glaze.

I think I have cleared the picture well. If we bring in hybrids & Planars then picture changes completely but I don’t want to compare Apples to Oranges.

Final Conclusion:

Deifo is new entrant to the market and it’s quite heartening to see new brands trying their hands. For that Deifo gets full marks. Package is good for the price point. Build quality is on par with the price point. Yes, metal shells would have been great but hey let’s give them some slack. Tuning needs some tweaking to become standout. I am sure they must be working on something new & hopefully incorporate the findings by me and all the reviewers. I wish them all the best. I will be keeping an eye on them for sure.

Will I buy it? I think this one is not for me. It doesn’t gel well with my preferences. Also, price according to me is bit high. Will I buy it at discount? Yes, if offered at discount. This is good starter set. I may have pointed at few points but understand I am privileged to be able to test multiple sets and expect more out of everything that comes across my table. But being realistic not every set is meant for everyone. Just like that there are people out there for whom this will be perfect.

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

Deifo Glaze 4/5

Deifo Glaze

Another week another review. This week I am working with completely new brand Deifo and the set is Glaze. I had seen reviews for this set popping here there on internet. I was curious about it for some time. Luck has it their team reached out to me and offered unit to do review. If you know me, I am sucker for new brands and new sets. So, I said yes. Few days later the set landed at my door step and today I am sharing my review of it with you.

First of all, mighty thank you to Deifo for sending this set to me. Without that this review wouldn’t have been possible.

I was provided this unit free of charge but this review has no editorial control by them. They will be seeing this review at the same time as you. Again, thank you to them for that.

My preference in tonality & timbre is DD > Hybrids > Planar

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

Pros:

Mid bass

Vocals

Bright tuning treble heads rejoice

Cable

Accessories

Cons:

Bass especially sub bass

More intimate vocals would have been great.

Better clarity in mids

Bit more soundstage would have been great

Price

Build Quality:

Retail package contains two IEM shells, one 3.5 mm 0.78 mm 2 pin SPC cable, two sets of ear tips and nice hard leather carry case.

Shells are resin. Faceplate and shell both are blue in color. Faceplate has nice decals on it, while shell is translucent. You can see the driver inside easily. Nozzles are long and are of metal. They have screen or mesh to them to prevent dirt & earwax ingress. Yes, totally forgot shell has wing on it. So, for some this can be issue.

Cable is nice two core SPC one. Sadly, it is not modular would have loved to see modular one at this price point. Fixtures of the cable are metal and overall, the cable feels premium.

Ear tips are available in 2 types. One is black silicone type and another is semi translucent one. Both are available in 3 sizes.

Included leather case is roomy, can carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips easily. It is hard case so, it can protect IEMs.

Overall Build Quality 4.5/5

Comfort:

Shells fit my elephant ears well. They are medium size. So, should fit most people just the wing could be issue. Nozzles provide deep insertion and in turn passive noise isolation. Lips on the nozzles provide nice grip to the ear tips. No, ear tip slip offs.

Cable has slight bit of memory in the ear hook part. That’s the only part that doesn’t behave else rest of the cable behaves well. It can easily be rodeo wrapped. Its supple. Comfort here was non issue for me.

Overall comfort 5/5

Sources:

I have used neutral sources to test the Glaze. I feel warm sources pair well with Glaze. Brighter sources are not so good pairing with it. Everything was kept stock to reproduce these results. So, stock cable + stock ear tips + neutral sources.

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 has rumble but its weak. You can hear it but its physical feel is on lower side. Bit more sub bass rumble would have been great. Mid bass has thump and its good. But it lacks authority in punch. Its decay is quick. Bass overall here is rounded. It’s not detailed or textured.

Drums, guitars, piano notes and percussion instruments sound good but not to their fullest potential. Their presentation feels bit soft. Buzz of the strings doesn’t feel emphatic. Don’t get me wrong this might be tuning choice.

If you are neutral lover or treble head this level of bass will be ideal for you.

Overall Bass/Lows 4/5

Mids:

Vocals feel bit recessed. They are not too recessed. They have been balanced nicely to be clear and present in the mix. Bass and treble feel forward especially treble. Male vocals feel good but lack note weight. They are thin. Higher pitched male vocals fare better than deep, low-pitched ones.

Female vocals fare better than male vocals. Lacks sweetness to female vocals. there is sibilance in female and male vocals. It’s not too much but it’s there. Bit more note weight to male vocals would have been better. More intimate vocals would have been great.

Most instruments reside in the mids. Clarity is good but not the best for price point. No smearing or congestion in the mids. Separation is good.

Overall Mids 4/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is forward here compared to other frequencies. It is bright leaning. Bass heads this is not for you. Treble heads rejoice. You won’t miss any details. All macro and micro details are presented well. Is it most detailed set for price point? No. there are other sets which will give more detailed presentation. Details are not in your face. String instruments, bells, shakers feel emphasized. Cymbals and crashes feel bit metallic.

Perceived soundstage, stage is average. Its wide than tall. Its not huge. It is closer to head than away from it. Mostly it feels inside your head. It creates enough stage to avoid congestion or smearing.

Overall Treble/Highs 4/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I am Nina Shallman fan. This song is very close to my heart. So, it has to make its way into reviews.

Starting drum sequence feels bit boomy and not authentic. Bells, shakers feel prominent. Strings feel good.

Nina sounds good but her voice lacks that sweetness and intimacy. The reproduction feels good but not the best.

Ego death by Polyphia

This is the driver resolution aka speed check song for me. Honestly, Glaze passes the test but separation between instruments is not the best I have heard. There is no smearing or congestion. Still the river feels bit hurried in busiest passages.

Strings are main protagonist here and their presentation is good just it lacks buzz and rumble of sub bass. Drums feel bit subdued here. Where as cymbals crashes and synthesizer notes feel bit more pronounced. Cymbals feel bit metallic. High pitched instruments get bit harsh.

Overall acceptable reproduction.

The great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

Entire song has sub bass rumble due to throat singing and strings. Glaze doesn’t do justice to it. It fails to capture it. Sibilance is present. Drums, guitars sound good but lack emphatic feel to them. Cymbal crashes sound odd here. There is no smearing or congestion in busy passages.

Overall, the presentation is not up to my liking.

Kashmir by Marcin

This song has strings as main USP. Strings sound good but lack the rumble that should follow its primary tones. There is sub bass rumble in the song that is on lower side. Due to this you miss that constant rumble.

Overall, I can’t fault it too much. The presentation is good. Just I am spoiled by too much exposure to all the gear.

Comparison with few single DD sets under USD 100:

I have benchmarked it against Simgot EA500, 500LM, Kefine Delci & AE & DUNU Titan S1, S2.

In bass section EA500LM, Delci siblings & Titan S2 are better EA500 is lagging behind Glaze only in quantity but in quality it surpasses it.

In mids Titan S1 tops all, followed by Delci siblings & Simgot siblings. S2 is in between. Glaze stands here in the end. Vocals also feel better on Titan S1. Others follow in the same order.

Treble here Titan S2 is the safest one. Then Delci siblings and then Simgot siblings. Glyph also stands in the end here. Stage is better on Simgot EA500 then EA500LM then Delci siblings and last spot Titan siblings & Glaze.

I think I have cleared the picture well. If we bring in hybrids & Planars then picture changes completely but I don’t want to compare Apples to Oranges.

Final Conclusion:

Deifo is new entrant to the market and it’s quite heartening to see new brands trying their hands. For that Deifo gets full marks. Package is good for the price point. Build quality is on par with the price point. Yes, metal shells would have been great but hey let’s give them some slack. Tuning needs some tweaking to become standout. I am sure they must be working on something new & hopefully incorporate the findings by me and all the reviewers. I wish them all the best. I will be keeping an eye on them for sure.

Will I buy it? I think this one is not for me. It doesn’t gel well with my preferences. Also, price according to me is bit high. Will I buy it at discount? Yes, if offered at discount. This is good starter set. I may have pointed at few points but understand I am privileged to be able to test multiple sets and expect more out of everything that comes across my table. But being realistic not every set is meant for everyone. Just like that there are people out there for whom this will be perfect.

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

Deifo Glaze 4/5

Deifo Glaze

Another week another review. This week I am working with completely new brand Deifo and the set is Glaze. I had seen reviews for this set popping here there on internet. I was curious about it for some time. Luck has it their team reached out to me and offered unit to do review. If you know me, I am sucker for new brands and new sets. So, I said yes. Few days later the set landed at my door step and today I am sharing my review of it with you.

First of all, mighty thank you to Deifo for sending this set to me. Without that this review wouldn’t have been possible.

I was provided this unit free of charge but this review has no editorial control by them. They will be seeing this review at the same time as you. Again, thank you to them for that.

My preference in tonality & timbre is DD > Hybrids > Planar

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

Pros:

Mid bass

Vocals

Bright tuning treble heads rejoice

Cable

Accessories

Cons:

Bass especially sub bass

More intimate vocals would have been great.

Better clarity in mids

Bit more soundstage would have been great

Price

Build Quality:

Retail package contains two IEM shells, one 3.5 mm 0.78 mm 2 pin SPC cable, two sets of ear tips and nice hard leather carry case.

Shells are resin. Faceplate and shell both are blue in color. Faceplate has nice decals on it, while shell is translucent. You can see the driver inside easily. Nozzles are long and are of metal. They have screen or mesh to them to prevent dirt & earwax ingress. Yes, totally forgot shell has wing on it. So, for some this can be issue.

Cable is nice two core SPC one. Sadly, it is not modular would have loved to see modular one at this price point. Fixtures of the cable are metal and overall, the cable feels premium.

Ear tips are available in 2 types. One is black silicone type and another is semi translucent one. Both are available in 3 sizes.

Included leather case is roomy, can carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips easily. It is hard case so, it can protect IEMs.

Overall Build Quality 4.5/5

Comfort:

Shells fit my elephant ears well. They are medium size. So, should fit most people just the wing could be issue. Nozzles provide deep insertion and in turn passive noise isolation. Lips on the nozzles provide nice grip to the ear tips. No, ear tip slip offs.

Cable has slight bit of memory in the ear hook part. That’s the only part that doesn’t behave else rest of the cable behaves well. It can easily be rodeo wrapped. Its supple. Comfort here was non issue for me.

Overall comfort 5/5

Sources:

I have used neutral sources to test the Glaze. I feel warm sources pair well with Glaze. Brighter sources are not so good pairing with it. Everything was kept stock to reproduce these results. So, stock cable + stock ear tips + neutral sources.

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 has rumble but its weak. You can hear it but its physical feel is on lower side. Bit more sub bass rumble would have been great. Mid bass has thump and its good. But it lacks authority in punch. Its decay is quick. Bass overall here is rounded. It’s not detailed or textured.

Drums, guitars, piano notes and percussion instruments sound good but not to their fullest potential. Their presentation feels bit soft. Buzz of the strings doesn’t feel emphatic. Don’t get me wrong this might be tuning choice.

If you are neutral lover or treble head this level of bass will be ideal for you.

Overall Bass/Lows 4/5

Mids:

Vocals feel bit recessed. They are not too recessed. They have been balanced nicely to be clear and present in the mix. Bass and treble feel forward especially treble. Male vocals feel good but lack note weight. They are thin. Higher pitched male vocals fare better than deep, low-pitched ones.

Female vocals fare better than male vocals. Lacks sweetness to female vocals. there is sibilance in female and male vocals. It’s not too much but it’s there. Bit more note weight to male vocals would have been better. More intimate vocals would have been great.

Most instruments reside in the mids. Clarity is good but not the best for price point. No smearing or congestion in the mids. Separation is good.

Overall Mids 4/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is forward here compared to other frequencies. It is bright leaning. Bass heads this is not for you. Treble heads rejoice. You won’t miss any details. All macro and micro details are presented well. Is it most detailed set for price point? No. there are other sets which will give more detailed presentation. Details are not in your face. String instruments, bells, shakers feel emphasized. Cymbals and crashes feel bit metallic.

Perceived soundstage, stage is average. Its wide than tall. Its not huge. It is closer to head than away from it. Mostly it feels inside your head. It creates enough stage to avoid congestion or smearing.

Overall Treble/Highs 4/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I am Nina Shallman fan. This song is very close to my heart. So, it has to make its way into reviews.

Starting drum sequence feels bit boomy and not authentic. Bells, shakers feel prominent. Strings feel good.

Nina sounds good but her voice lacks that sweetness and intimacy. The reproduction feels good but not the best.

Ego death by Polyphia

This is the driver resolution aka speed check song for me. Honestly, Glaze passes the test but separation between instruments is not the best I have heard. There is no smearing or congestion. Still the river feels bit hurried in busiest passages.

Strings are main protagonist here and their presentation is good just it lacks buzz and rumble of sub bass. Drums feel bit subdued here. Where as cymbals crashes and synthesizer notes feel bit more pronounced. Cymbals feel bit metallic. High pitched instruments get bit harsh.

Overall acceptable reproduction.

The great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

Entire song has sub bass rumble due to throat singing and strings. Glaze doesn’t do justice to it. It fails to capture it. Sibilance is present. Drums, guitars sound good but lack emphatic feel to them. Cymbal crashes sound odd here. There is no smearing or congestion in busy passages.

Overall, the presentation is not up to my liking.

Kashmir by Marcin

This song has strings as main USP. Strings sound good but lack the rumble that should follow its primary tones. There is sub bass rumble in the song that is on lower side. Due to this you miss that constant rumble.

Overall, I can’t fault it too much. The presentation is good. Just I am spoiled by too much exposure to all the gear.

Comparison with few single DD sets under USD 100:

I have benchmarked it against Simgot EA500, 500LM, Kefine Delci & AE & DUNU Titan S1, S2.

In bass section EA500LM, Delci siblings & Titan S2 are better EA500 is lagging behind Glaze only in quantity but in quality it surpasses it.

In mids Titan S1 tops all, followed by Delci siblings & Simgot siblings. S2 is in between. Glaze stands here in the end. Vocals also feel better on Titan S1. Others follow in the same order.

Treble here Titan S2 is the safest one. Then Delci siblings and then Simgot siblings. Glyph also stands in the end here. Stage is better on Simgot EA500 then EA500LM then Delci siblings and last spot Titan siblings & Glaze.

I think I have cleared the picture well. If we bring in hybrids & Planars then picture changes completely but I don’t want to compare Apples to Oranges.

Final Conclusion:

Deifo is new entrant to the market and it’s quite heartening to see new brands trying their hands. For that Deifo gets full marks. Package is good for the price point. Build quality is on par with the price point. Yes, metal shells would have been great but hey let’s give them some slack. Tuning needs some tweaking to become standout. I am sure they must be working on something new & hopefully incorporate the findings by me and all the reviewers. I wish them all the best. I will be keeping an eye on them for sure.

Will I buy it? I think this one is not for me. It doesn’t gel well with my preferences. Also, price according to me is bit high. Will I buy it at discount? Yes, if offered at discount. This is good starter set. I may have pointed at few points but understand I am privileged to be able to test multiple sets and expect more out of everything that comes across my table. But being realistic not every set is meant for everyone. Just like that there are people out there for whom this will be perfect.

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

Deifo Glaze 4/5

Deifo Glaze

Another week another review. This week I am working with completely new brand Deifo and the set is Glaze. I had seen reviews for this set popping here there on internet. I was curious about it for some time. Luck has it their team reached out to me and offered unit to do review. If you know me, I am sucker for new brands and new sets. So, I said yes. Few days later the set landed at my door step and today I am sharing my review of it with you.

First of all, mighty thank you to Deifo for sending this set to me. Without that this review wouldn’t have been possible.

I was provided this unit free of charge but this review has no editorial control by them. They will be seeing this review at the same time as you. Again, thank you to them for that.

My preference in tonality & timbre is DD > Hybrids > Planar

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

Pros:

Mid bass

Vocals

Bright tuning treble heads rejoice

Cable

Accessories

Cons:

Bass especially sub bass

More intimate vocals would have been great.

Better clarity in mids

Bit more soundstage would have been great

Price

Build Quality:

Retail package contains two IEM shells, one 3.5 mm 0.78 mm 2 pin SPC cable, two sets of ear tips and nice hard leather carry case.

Shells are resin. Faceplate and shell both are blue in color. Faceplate has nice decals on it, while shell is translucent. You can see the driver inside easily. Nozzles are long and are of metal. They have screen or mesh to them to prevent dirt & earwax ingress. Yes, totally forgot shell has wing on it. So, for some this can be issue.

Cable is nice two core SPC one. Sadly, it is not modular would have loved to see modular one at this price point. Fixtures of the cable are metal and overall, the cable feels premium.

Ear tips are available in 2 types. One is black silicone type and another is semi translucent one. Both are available in 3 sizes.

Included leather case is roomy, can carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips easily. It is hard case so, it can protect IEMs.

Overall Build Quality 4.5/5

Comfort:

Shells fit my elephant ears well. They are medium size. So, should fit most people just the wing could be issue. Nozzles provide deep insertion and in turn passive noise isolation. Lips on the nozzles provide nice grip to the ear tips. No, ear tip slip offs.

Cable has slight bit of memory in the ear hook part. That’s the only part that doesn’t behave else rest of the cable behaves well. It can easily be rodeo wrapped. Its supple. Comfort here was non issue for me.

Overall comfort 5/5

Sources:

I have used neutral sources to test the Glaze. I feel warm sources pair well with Glaze. Brighter sources are not so good pairing with it. Everything was kept stock to reproduce these results. So, stock cable + stock ear tips + neutral sources.

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 has rumble but its weak. You can hear it but its physical feel is on lower side. Bit more sub bass rumble would have been great. Mid bass has thump and its good. But it lacks authority in punch. Its decay is quick. Bass overall here is rounded. It’s not detailed or textured.

Drums, guitars, piano notes and percussion instruments sound good but not to their fullest potential. Their presentation feels bit soft. Buzz of the strings doesn’t feel emphatic. Don’t get me wrong this might be tuning choice.

If you are neutral lover or treble head this level of bass will be ideal for you.

Overall Bass/Lows 4/5

Mids:

Vocals feel bit recessed. They are not too recessed. They have been balanced nicely to be clear and present in the mix. Bass and treble feel forward especially treble. Male vocals feel good but lack note weight. They are thin. Higher pitched male vocals fare better than deep, low-pitched ones.

Female vocals fare better than male vocals. Lacks sweetness to female vocals. there is sibilance in female and male vocals. It’s not too much but it’s there. Bit more note weight to male vocals would have been better. More intimate vocals would have been great.

Most instruments reside in the mids. Clarity is good but not the best for price point. No smearing or congestion in the mids. Separation is good.

Overall Mids 4/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is forward here compared to other frequencies. It is bright leaning. Bass heads this is not for you. Treble heads rejoice. You won’t miss any details. All macro and micro details are presented well. Is it most detailed set for price point? No. there are other sets which will give more detailed presentation. Details are not in your face. String instruments, bells, shakers feel emphasized. Cymbals and crashes feel bit metallic.

Perceived soundstage, stage is average. Its wide than tall. Its not huge. It is closer to head than away from it. Mostly it feels inside your head. It creates enough stage to avoid congestion or smearing.

Overall Treble/Highs 4/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I am Nina Shallman fan. This song is very close to my heart. So, it has to make its way into reviews.

Starting drum sequence feels bit boomy and not authentic. Bells, shakers feel prominent. Strings feel good.

Nina sounds good but her voice lacks that sweetness and intimacy. The reproduction feels good but not the best.

Ego death by Polyphia

This is the driver resolution aka speed check song for me. Honestly, Glaze passes the test but separation between instruments is not the best I have heard. There is no smearing or congestion. Still the river feels bit hurried in busiest passages.

Strings are main protagonist here and their presentation is good just it lacks buzz and rumble of sub bass. Drums feel bit subdued here. Where as cymbals crashes and synthesizer notes feel bit more pronounced. Cymbals feel bit metallic. High pitched instruments get bit harsh.

Overall acceptable reproduction.

The great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

Entire song has sub bass rumble due to throat singing and strings. Glaze doesn’t do justice to it. It fails to capture it. Sibilance is present. Drums, guitars sound good but lack emphatic feel to them. Cymbal crashes sound odd here. There is no smearing or congestion in busy passages.

Overall, the presentation is not up to my liking.

Kashmir by Marcin

This song has strings as main USP. Strings sound good but lack the rumble that should follow its primary tones. There is sub bass rumble in the song that is on lower side. Due to this you miss that constant rumble.

Overall, I can’t fault it too much. The presentation is good. Just I am spoiled by too much exposure to all the gear.

Comparison with few single DD sets under USD 100:

I have benchmarked it against Simgot EA500, 500LM, Kefine Delci & AE & DUNU Titan S1, S2.

In bass section EA500LM, Delci siblings & Titan S2 are better EA500 is lagging behind Glaze only in quantity but in quality it surpasses it.

In mids Titan S1 tops all, followed by Delci siblings & Simgot siblings. S2 is in between. Glaze stands here in the end. Vocals also feel better on Titan S1. Others follow in the same order.

Treble here Titan S2 is the safest one. Then Delci siblings and then Simgot siblings. Glyph also stands in the end here. Stage is better on Simgot EA500 then EA500LM then Delci siblings and last spot Titan siblings & Glaze.

I think I have cleared the picture well. If we bring in hybrids & Planars then picture changes completely but I don’t want to compare Apples to Oranges.

Final Conclusion:

Deifo is new entrant to the market and it’s quite heartening to see new brands trying their hands. For that Deifo gets full marks. Package is good for the price point. Build quality is on par with the price point. Yes, metal shells would have been great but hey let’s give them some slack. Tuning needs some tweaking to become standout. I am sure they must be working on something new & hopefully incorporate the findings by me and all the reviewers. I wish them all the best. I will be keeping an eye on them for sure.

Will I buy it? I think this one is not for me. It doesn’t gel well with my preferences. Also, price according to me is bit high. Will I buy it at discount? Yes, if offered at discount. This is good starter set. I may have pointed at few points but understand I am privileged to be able to test multiple sets and expect more out of everything that comes across my table. But being realistic not every set is meant for everyone. Just like that there are people out there for whom this will be perfect.

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

Deifo Glaze 4/5

Deifo Glaze

Another week another review. This week I am working with completely new brand Deifo and the set is Glaze. I had seen reviews for this set popping here there on internet. I was curious about it for some time. Luck has it their team reached out to me and offered unit to do review. If you know me, I am sucker for new brands and new sets. So, I said yes. Few days later the set landed at my door step and today I am sharing my review of it with you.

First of all, mighty thank you to Deifo for sending this set to me. Without that this review wouldn’t have been possible.

I was provided this unit free of charge but this review has no editorial control by them. They will be seeing this review at the same time as you. Again, thank you to them for that.

My preference in tonality & timbre is DD > Hybrids > Planar

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

Pros:

Mid bass

Vocals

Bright tuning treble heads rejoice

Cable

Accessories

Cons:

Bass especially sub bass

More intimate vocals would have been great.

Better clarity in mids

Bit more soundstage would have been great

Price

Build Quality:

Retail package contains two IEM shells, one 3.5 mm 0.78 mm 2 pin SPC cable, two sets of ear tips and nice hard leather carry case.

Shells are resin. Faceplate and shell both are blue in color. Faceplate has nice decals on it, while shell is translucent. You can see the driver inside easily. Nozzles are long and are of metal. They have screen or mesh to them to prevent dirt & earwax ingress. Yes, totally forgot shell has wing on it. So, for some this can be issue.

Cable is nice two core SPC one. Sadly, it is not modular would have loved to see modular one at this price point. Fixtures of the cable are metal and overall, the cable feels premium.

Ear tips are available in 2 types. One is black silicone type and another is semi translucent one. Both are available in 3 sizes.

Included leather case is roomy, can carry IEMs + Cable + ear tips easily. It is hard case so, it can protect IEMs.

Overall Build Quality 4.5/5

Comfort:

Shells fit my elephant ears well. They are medium size. So, should fit most people just the wing could be issue. Nozzles provide deep insertion and in turn passive noise isolation. Lips on the nozzles provide nice grip to the ear tips. No, ear tip slip offs.

Cable has slight bit of memory in the ear hook part. That’s the only part that doesn’t behave else rest of the cable behaves well. It can easily be rodeo wrapped. Its supple. Comfort here was non issue for me.

Overall comfort 5/5

Sources:

I have used neutral sources to test the Glaze. I feel warm sources pair well with Glaze. Brighter sources are not so good pairing with it. Everything was kept stock to reproduce these results. So, stock cable + stock ear tips + neutral sources.

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 has rumble but its weak. You can hear it but its physical feel is on lower side. Bit more sub bass rumble would have been great. Mid bass has thump and its good. But it lacks authority in punch. Its decay is quick. Bass overall here is rounded. It’s not detailed or textured.

Drums, guitars, piano notes and percussion instruments sound good but not to their fullest potential. Their presentation feels bit soft. Buzz of the strings doesn’t feel emphatic. Don’t get me wrong this might be tuning choice.

If you are neutral lover or treble head this level of bass will be ideal for you.

Overall Bass/Lows 4/5

Mids:

Vocals feel bit recessed. They are not too recessed. They have been balanced nicely to be clear and present in the mix. Bass and treble feel forward especially treble. Male vocals feel good but lack note weight. They are thin. Higher pitched male vocals fare better than deep, low-pitched ones.

Female vocals fare better than male vocals. Lacks sweetness to female vocals. there is sibilance in female and male vocals. It’s not too much but it’s there. Bit more note weight to male vocals would have been better. More intimate vocals would have been great.

Most instruments reside in the mids. Clarity is good but not the best for price point. No smearing or congestion in the mids. Separation is good.

Overall Mids 4/5

Treble/Highs:

Treble is forward here compared to other frequencies. It is bright leaning. Bass heads this is not for you. Treble heads rejoice. You won’t miss any details. All macro and micro details are presented well. Is it most detailed set for price point? No. there are other sets which will give more detailed presentation. Details are not in your face. String instruments, bells, shakers feel emphasized. Cymbals and crashes feel bit metallic.

Perceived soundstage, stage is average. Its wide than tall. Its not huge. It is closer to head than away from it. Mostly it feels inside your head. It creates enough stage to avoid congestion or smearing.

Overall Treble/Highs 4/5

Song Impressions:

Daisies by Nina Shallman

I am Nina Shallman fan. This song is very close to my heart. So, it has to make its way into reviews.

Starting drum sequence feels bit boomy and not authentic. Bells, shakers feel prominent. Strings feel good.

Nina sounds good but her voice lacks that sweetness and intimacy. The reproduction feels good but not the best.

Ego death by Polyphia

This is the driver resolution aka speed check song for me. Honestly, Glaze passes the test but separation between instruments is not the best I have heard. There is no smearing or congestion. Still the river feels bit hurried in busiest passages.

Strings are main protagonist here and their presentation is good just it lacks buzz and rumble of sub bass. Drums feel bit subdued here. Where as cymbals crashes and synthesizer notes feel bit more pronounced. Cymbals feel bit metallic. High pitched instruments get bit harsh.

Overall acceptable reproduction.

The great Chinggis Khaan by The Hu

Entire song has sub bass rumble due to throat singing and strings. Glaze doesn’t do justice to it. It fails to capture it. Sibilance is present. Drums, guitars sound good but lack emphatic feel to them. Cymbal crashes sound odd here. There is no smearing or congestion in busy passages.

Overall, the presentation is not up to my liking.

Kashmir by Marcin

This song has strings as main USP. Strings sound good but lack the rumble that should follow its primary tones. There is sub bass rumble in the song that is on lower side. Due to this you miss that constant rumble.

Overall, I can’t fault it too much. The presentation is good. Just I am spoiled by too much exposure to all the gear.

Comparison with few single DD sets under USD 100:

I have benchmarked it against Simgot EA500, 500LM, Kefine Delci & AE & DUNU Titan S1, S2.

In bass section EA500LM, Delci siblings & Titan S2 are better EA500 is lagging behind Glaze only in quantity but in quality it surpasses it.

In mids Titan S1 tops all, followed by Delci siblings & Simgot siblings. S2 is in between. Glaze stands here in the end. Vocals also feel better on Titan S1. Others follow in the same order.

Treble here Titan S2 is the safest one. Then Delci siblings and then Simgot siblings. Glyph also stands in the end here. Stage is better on Simgot EA500 then EA500LM then Delci siblings and last spot Titan siblings & Glaze.

I think I have cleared the picture well. If we bring in hybrids & Planars then picture changes completely but I don’t want to compare Apples to Oranges.

Final Conclusion:

Deifo is new entrant to the market and it’s quite heartening to see new brands trying their hands. For that Deifo gets full marks. Package is good for the price point. Build quality is on par with the price point. Yes, metal shells would have been great but hey let’s give them some slack. Tuning needs some tweaking to become standout. I am sure they must be working on something new & hopefully incorporate the findings by me and all the reviewers. I wish them all the best. I will be keeping an eye on them for sure.

Will I buy it? I think this one is not for me. It doesn’t gel well with my preferences. Also, price according to me is bit high. Will I buy it at discount? Yes, if offered at discount. This is good starter set. I may have pointed at few points but understand I am privileged to be able to test multiple sets and expect more out of everything that comes across my table. But being realistic not every set is meant for everyone. Just like that there are people out there for whom this will be perfect.

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

Deifo Glaze 4/5

Dita as brand has never let me down. My very first set from them was the Dita M. It was like a new dimension in listening had opened to me. Then came Mecha and it was next level single DD presentation. I was just wowed by it. One of the best single DD set heard by me.

Few months back I got myself prelude. Again Dita proved that they know how to tune a set. Another banger set and best part anyone can buy this one as this is budget one. If you want to have taste of what Dita provides this is great start point.

Now as I sit here at my desk with Dita Ventura in my ears. I feel like Dita has just out done themselves. If Mecha was great this is legendary period. All that was best of Mecha they refined it and addressed the drawbacks such as bass specially mid bass. This one has really nice low end and clear mids, life like vocals. Treble is just chef's kiss. It's refined, gives all that you are looking from summit Fi set. Entire presentation is just awesome. Clear natural effortless presentation.

Let me stop I am just having verbal deluse right now. My emotions are flowing. This one is real banger may be even GOAT. See you soon with full impressions. Hopefully I will be able to write something and not be lost in my aural bliss.

Dita as brand has never let me down. My very first set from them was the Dita M. It was like a new dimension in listening had opened to me. Then came Mecha and it was next level single DD presentation. I was just wowed by it. One of the best single DD set heard by me.

Few months back I got myself prelude. Again Dita proved that they know how to tune a set. Another banger set and best part anyone can buy this one as this is budget one. If you want to have taste of what Dita provides this is great start point.

Now as I sit here at my desk with Dita Ventura in my ears. I feel like Dita has just out done themselves. If Mecha was great this is legendary period. All that was best of Mecha they refined it and addressed the drawbacks such as bass specially mid bass. This one has really nice low end and clear mids, life like vocals. Treble is just chef's kiss. It's refined, gives all that you are looking from summit Fi set. Entire presentation is just awesome. Clear natural effortless presentation.

Let me stop I am just having verbal deluse right now. My emotions are flowing. This one is real banger may be even GOAT. See you soon with full impressions. Hopefully I will be able to write something and not be lost in my aural bliss.

Dita as brand has never let me down. My very first set from them was the Dita M. It was like a new dimension in listening had opened to me. Then came Mecha and it was next level single DD presentation. I was just wowed by it. One of the best single DD set heard by me.

Few months back I got myself prelude. Again Dita proved that they know how to tune a set. Another banger set and best part anyone can buy this one as this is budget one. If you want to have taste of what Dita provides this is great start point.

Now as I sit here at my desk with Dita Ventura in my ears. I feel like Dita has just out done themselves. If Mecha was great this is legendary period. All that was best of Mecha they refined it and addressed the drawbacks such as bass specially mid bass. This one has really nice low end and clear mids, life like vocals. Treble is just chef's kiss. It's refined, gives all that you are looking from summit Fi set. Entire presentation is just awesome. Clear natural effortless presentation.

Let me stop I am just having verbal deluse right now. My emotions are flowing. This one is real banger may be even GOAT. See you soon with full impressions. Hopefully I will be able to write something and not be lost in my aural bliss.

Dita as brand has never let me down. My very first set from them was the Dita M. It was like a new dimension in listening had opened to me. Then came Mecha and it was next level single DD presentation. I was just wowed by it. One of the best single DD set heard by me.

Few months back I got myself prelude. Again Dita proved that they know how to tune a set. Another banger set and best part anyone can buy this one as this is budget one. If you want to have taste of what Dita provides this is great start point.

Now as I sit here at my desk with Dita Ventura in my ears. I feel like Dita has just out done themselves. If Mecha was great this is legendary period. All that was best of Mecha they refined it and addressed the drawbacks such as bass specially mid bass. This one has really nice low end and clear mids, life like vocals. Treble is just chef's kiss. It's refined, gives all that you are looking from summit Fi set. Entire presentation is just awesome. Clear natural effortless presentation.

Let me stop I am just having verbal deluse right now. My emotions are flowing. This one is real banger may be even GOAT. See you soon with full impressions. Hopefully I will be able to write something and not be lost in my aural bliss.