Image 1 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Image 2 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Image 3 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Image 4 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Image 5 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Image 6 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Image 7 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Image 8 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?
Image 9 — Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?

Kefine Loric Review - Worth the Hype?

Pros:

- Bass quantity is good, with reasonable slam and clarity for the price
- Sub-bass lift is present but kept in check, doesn't spill into the mids
- Midrange is warm and easy to listen to, with natural instrument timbre
- Minimal bass bleed helps keep separation and imaging reasonably clear
- Treble is smooth and non-fatiguing rather than harsh
- Imaging and soundstage are decent, nothing congested
- Build quality is a relative strength compared to similarly priced sets
- Comfortable enough for longer listening sessions
- Overall a fun, easygoing tuning that prioritizes listenability

Cons:

- Mid-bass rolls off quickly and slam softens somewhat as a result
- Bass and vocals can sound a bit veiled/recessed when the mix gets busy
- Male vocals lean thin; female vocals could use more air/sparkle
- Separation loosens up on denser, more complex tracks
- Treble is fairly reserved, so cymbals and hi-hats sit further back
- Upper registers sound a touch subdued due to the warm tuning
- Detail retrieval is average - subtler background elements aren't always easy to pick out
- Cosmetic : paint may chip off with use

Thanks to Collin Yang from Kefine for sending me this unit for review, all opinions and impressions are my own and not influenced by anyone.

Friendly Note : if you are reading this review for an idea of buying the product, this is my note to you, my opinion towards a gear when reviewing it is unbiased but hearing experience is subjective to individual and different from person to person. So, please consider this as an introduction or just an opinion of how the iem sounds in general and look to try the product before you buy it.

Thank you, let’s get into the review now.

My pairing setup is a tanchjim space 2 Dac amp + iphone 16e and a Snowsky Echo mini DAP. Eartips are Kbear coffee.

Overview​

Kefine is a company that’s getting a lot of attention and traction in this market recently and it’s no surprise because they keep making banger products one after another starting with Kefine Klanar and now the Loric. Kefine loric is Kefine’s cheapest offering so far which is priced at around 29$ ( 3.5mm no mic variant ). Let’s see how good it is in the very oversaturated price point of the market ( 20-30$ )

Bass​

The bass of Kefine Loric is not only of good quantity but quality as well. It has decent slam and adequate clarity to it, it’s not the most detailed or best textured bass out there but it sure is not a muddy or bloated blob. The low end tuning is a little tilted towards sub-bass but it’s not dominant over the mid bass. Sub-bass lift is mindful without being too much so that it doesn’t muddy the overall bass presentation or mids region. The Mid-bass is punchy and impactful but lacks control because of its quick roll off and the slam is a bit on the softer side. Loric is not at all a bass shy iem neither a bass bloated iem, it’s skillfully tuned to sound fun and also clean to an extent. It’s not an empowering bass, but an appreciable one.
Beat It by Michael Jackson is a track with an iconic bass line that is very rhythmic and groovy to listen to. The bass notes from the beginning of the track sound quite prominent, the drum case hits sound very full bodied with a visceral thud to it. It holds its place down while not overwhelming the other instruments providing a good bass attack and normal decay. Due to Loric being a warm tuned iem, the bass hits do sound a little recessed when surrounded with instruments - like under a veil, you feel the thud and slam to it but the sharpness / detail is not there. That being said, Loric is not for detail chasers, it sounds fun and that’s about it.

Mids​

The midrange of Loric is warm and engaging to listen to. The vocals sound average but clear. The male vocals sound a little thin and female vocals have a tad bit less air to be called something like “crispy” or “sparkly” but gets the job done without dulling or hollowing their presence too much. The instruments have natural timbre. Thanks to the absence of bass bleed into the midrange, the separation and imaging capability is decent enough to listen to without getting too disappointed.

Bohemain Rhapsody by Queen is a magnificent cornucopia of sorts when it comes to music having a Capella, Ballad, Opera, Rock, Coda and what not. Truly a masterpiece when it comes to a blend of vocals, instruments and their cohesiveness. While listening to Bohemian Rhapsody on loric, the first thing that i immediately spotted is Freddie’s vocals lacking the full bodied presence, it’s not completely hollow or lifeless but just a little thin sounding presentation. The Operatic section however sounds very forward and powerful unlike Freddie’s solo vocals. The instruments sound very groovy, the layering and cohesiveness is very engaging to listen to. The imaging is good but when it comes to separation - this powerhouse of a track sounds like it got a little soupy in between, which means that the Loric cannot handle complex tracks with lot of things going in the background cleanly enough to cut through. Technicalities are just about good for the price and thats about it.

​Treble​

The treble region of loric is a bit reserved. It’s not dull or boring but can’t be classified as something bright or energetic either. It just exists on the plane in between both and definitely isn’t the best of both worlds - but as i said, it’s not boring and it’s quite relaxing to listen to. Held back presentation but not to a level where it feels like recessed. Instruments like Cymbal and hi-hats don’t have enough presence. Female vocals that are airy and reach the high registers will not sound lively because of the held back presentation but the warmth makes them sound lush.

Deep in a Dream by Marlene VerPlanck is a track that i generally listen to understand how an iem / headphone performs in the upper mids and treble region. Marlene VerPlanck’s vocals in this track feel very intimately closer to ears as if she is whispering into our ears and her shift between low notes and high notes with flawless diction and incredible range is just an absolute treat to listen to.
On loric however, Marlene’s lower register “I dim all the lights / I sink in my chair“ part sounds a little too warm and the high notes “Then from the ceiling / Sweet music comes stealing…..” part sounds a little less crisp because her voice is subdued by the warm tuning. Nevertheless, her vocals are not at all recessed or lifeless, just a little soft.

Technicalities​

Imaging : Good enough to place instruments and vocals in their respective places without having much trouble
Sound Stage : Decent, nothing special to talk about - spacious enough to not sound congested
Separation : Separation is competent for the price.
Detail retrieval : Clear downside, logic has trouble retrieving subtle background sounds or elements. They sound too faint to understand and sometimes completely get buried in the mixes.

Build - Comfort - Fit​

The Kefine Loric is a PU + Titanium composite dynamic driver with a N52 + N42 dual magnet architecture and a dual chamber acoustic design. Loric’s shell is very lightweight and translucent. Faceplate is built with premium zinc alloy. Loric is quite comfortable in the ears and doesn’t cause any discomfort, the nozzles are average size and dont feel like poking our ears.

Technical specifications :

Cable: Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin silver-plated copper cable available in standard 3.5mm, 3.5mm with a microphone, or a USB-C DSP variant.

Impedance: 20 Ω

Sensitivity: 107 dB

Box content :

Detachable 2-Pin Cable x1

Eartips(S/M/L) x6

Carrying Pouch x1

User Manual x1

QC Card x1

Comparison​

GK Kunten

Gk kunten has better bass delivery compared to the kefine Loric, it’s punchy and doesnt roll off as quick as loric. Rest all elements (mids, treble, technicalities) are better on the Loric including the build and packaging. I know the price difference is much but Kunten punches way above its price so i compared it with loric.

Sound wise - Loric ,

Build wise - Loric ,

Packaging wise - Loric ,

Affordability wise - Gk Kunten

Tangzu Waner SG 2

Cult favourite waner 2 has very less bass compared to Loric, but the upper mids however sound better and energetic on the waner sg2. Vocals are better on Tangzu waner sg2. String Instruments, hi hats and cymbals sound better on waner sg2. Drums sound better and fun on Kefine Loric. But on the whole, kefine loric sounds more refined compared to Waner sg2. Packaging wise, Tangzu Waner 2 gets the win. But build wise i would still say Loric is better. Only minus point for Loric would be the paint which seems to chip off very easily

Sound wise - Loric,

Build wise - Loric,

packaging wise - Waner sg2 ( artistic touch and the sancai tips ofc ),

Affordability - both are very close to each other in price, pick whichever is your sound preference is

Tanchjim Bunny Gaming Edition

Tanchjim’s newest budget launch and a reiteration of the well loved “Bunny” for gaming. It’s around the same cost as Loric and comes with an upgraded DMT-5 driver which is already their latest advanced driver. I have the DSP version at the time of comparison, the Bunny Gaming DSP is a perfect opposite to loric as Loric is a warm bassy fun sounding iem and Bunny Gaming DSP version is an analytical and clean sounding gaming iem that’s more technically capable. The tuning ideologies are very different - loric is non fatiguing and bassy sounding iem that’s comfortable for long listening sessions and bunny is a bright leaning iem that has very good detail retrieval and separation capabilities for its gaming needs. The bass is very lighter on Bunny G and upper mids and treble sound shouty and sibilant but clarity is top notch h compared to loric. The tides shift in Bunny G’s favour with the DSP, where you can EQ it the way you like. Bunny G is built like a twig when put infront of kefine loric. The 3.5mm version of Loric i have doesnt have mic where as the Bunny G DSP version has a mic.

Sound wise - Bunny G DSP (EQ Required),

Build wise - Kefine Loric,

Versatility wise - Bunny G DSP,

Comfort - Kefine Loric,

Affordability - Both are close, pick one which you like.

Final Thoughts​

The approach with Loric is pretty clear - it’s just like any other safe tuned Iem with an inoffensive treble department in the sub 30$ price range. It doesn’t standout with neither impressive technicalities nor impressive packaging / accessories and honestly? It doesn’t have to. As far as the sound is concerned, Kefine Loric is a very comfortable and fun sounding iem with slight setback in treble and technical advantages. It’s simply for those who are in for the tuning and not the technicalities.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 22 days ago

Simgot's 69$ Tribid. How does it do today?

Overview​

Simgot needs no introduction in the ChiFi space. This review is about Simgot's EW300, which consists of 1 Composite Dynamic Driver, 1 Planar Driver and 1 Piezoelectric Ceramic Driver ( 1DD + 1Planar + 1PZCD ) making it the most affordable Tribrid in the market right now.

This unit was provided to me by the brand for review purposes and all my opinions and impressions are my own and not influenced by anyone else. Thank you Betty from Simgot for sending me this unit for review.

Note : The IEM comes with 2 pair of nozzles in total and the nozzle i am using for review is standard nozzle, the sound via other nozzle will be reviewed in a separate section. My source pairing or setup is quite simple - Simgot EW300 + Tanchjim Space 2 DAC + Kb ear coffee eartips and also some listening with the Fosi Sk02 desktop DAC AMP. That’s all, let’s get into the review.

Pros: ~ Impressive detail retrieval for the price
~ Fun and energetic sound signature without crossing into harshness
~ Comfortable ergonomic fit for longer listening sessions
~ Swappable nozzles and tuning foams offer genuine versatility
~ Treble extension is open and airy without sibilance
~ Above average soundstage with good imaging and separation

Cons: ~ Unnatural timbre on instruments and vocals
~ Mid-bass lacks body and sustain - slam falls short
~ Midrange sounds thin at low volumes
~ Cable is tangly and average for the price
~ Mirror finish is a fingerprint magnet

Sound Profile and Performance​

The EW300 is a mild ‘V’ shape tuned IEM with a sub-bass prominent lower region, lean midrange and a slightly bright treble region. Observations and review primarily based on the Standard Silver Nozzle.

Lows

The lower region of EW300 is not quite what you call a “Power house”, the sub-bass is deep and has a quivering presence to it. The Mid-bass however falls short when it comes to the overall body as the sustain is poor. Thankfully, it’s not a muddled mess or a slob - there’s clarity to it with good separation and imaging.

Here goes the proper example of my above statement with a track - Hotel California ( 1994 MTV Live ) by Eagles is a very well known track from Hell Freezes Over album. The prominent kick drum primarily sits in the mid-bass range for its acoustic attack and punch, while its deep body resonance extends downward into sub-bass. The rumbly after effect of the initial kick drum is very satisfying and where as the attack of the Kick drum where the snap of the beater hitting the drumhead is not that impactful or deep and does not compliment or support the throbbing sub-bass at the tail end well.

Mids

Ew300’s midrange is very cohesively articulate sounding with a clean and clear presentation without any muddiness from bass region. But the timbre of instruments and vocals is unnatural. Male vocals are decent but not as authoritative as they should sound. Female vocals on the other hand sound comparatively better, they sit in a middle ground without leaning towards either sounding hollow or sounding shouty / sibilant. I wouldn’t say that this is a “Thin Midrange” but sounds very thin in low volumes, needs a little juice to sound powerful.

In the track - The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, Vocals sit clearly in the mix without any harshness or sibilance - but in the more demanding upper registers there’s slight bites or fatigues if listened on high volume. Male and female vocals are distinguishable and separated enough to follow individually. Instruments tell a more compelling story. The acoustic guitar in the left channel comes through with full body, prominent presence and real bite to it - fingerpicked and distinct, exactly as it should be. The electric guitar on the right holds its own with the right grit and edge without overpowering anything, sitting well within the mix. There’s a noticeable metallic timbre to the acoustic guitar that adds a slight edge to the string texture - not distracting, just present. When everything kicks in together the EW300 gets a little congested but never loses the plot - you can still pick out what’s happening in the background even as the arrangement gets busier. Lindsey Buckingham’s Electric Guitar sounds aggressive with almost punk like outro riff closure to the track sounds enthralling with a proper backing of energy and bite to it.

Treble

The Treble of the EW300 is honestly the best part about it. It’s tuned in a way to sound energetic without tipping off into the sibilance territory, talk about sweet spot!. Hi-hats and cymbals sound shimmery and sparkly while maintaining the clarity and composure to not sound washed away or noisy.

In the track - Money For Nothing by Dire Straits, the synth intro sits right at the edge of brightness - compelling and present, though a little more push and it would start crossing into uncomfortable territory. Mark Knopfler’s electric guitar comes through with the right bite and cut, sharp enough to feel alive without losing composure. Hi-hats and cymbals have good shimmer and presence, sitting naturally in the mix without getting muddled or buried. There is a moment of sibilance early in the track - just before the guitar solo kicks in, a brief flash that reminds you the EW300 treble is a not a slack and not entirely forgiving. The treble extension feels open rather than rolled off, giving the presentation an airy quality that keeps things from feeling closed in. Exciting and energetic, with just enough edge to keep you honest.

Technicalities​

Imaging : Imaging of EW300 is fairly precise. Instruments, vocals, panning effects and backing layers are easy to follow and pin point their position well.

Separation : The separation is not class leading, but it’s certainly not a slack off either. Even in busy tracks - EW300 handles itself well and stays composed without overshadowing any subtle elements in between.

Soundstage : The soundstage is above average. Every element holds its own place without crossing into one another’s territory, it’s a studio level width of staging, feels like you are in a studio listening to music rather than in a auditorium or concert. But thankfully, nothing sounds or feels claustrophobic.

Detail Retrieval : For the price, this is top notch. The clarity and open sounding nature of the EW300 already makes it a good IEM and the detail retrieval is one notch above, It’s impressive.

Nozzles and Foam​

The EW300 comes with 2 nozzle options, one is the silver and other is the gold nozzle. Silver nozzle is brighter and more open sounding compared to the Gold nozzle. Gold nozzle is warm and bassy and very reserved in the upper frequencies. For someone who wants a relaxed listen and doesn’t mind a little blow to the details can use the gold nozzle. For someone looking for a little sparkle and energetic mids and treble, silver nozzle does the job well.
The cherry on the top is the inclusion of low density foams. Imagine finding Gold nozzle too laid back like recessed or veiled and the Silver nozzle tad bit bright? That’s where these foams come in, the difference after using them is not day and night of course but it is still pretty noticeable to keen listeners. I personally did not need to use any foam as i was not bothered by the sound signature of the Ew300, but i still used 2 foams for review purpose. With just a single foam i couldn’t make out any difference but after using 2 foams i could notice the shift in the upper mids and treble. Again, the difference is not by miles, but it helps to those who want to use the silver nozzle but want a little less energetic sound signature. The bass gets more boomy but feels slightly like a slob and sounds like there’s a veil over the sound.

Comparisons​

Truthear Pure vs Simgot EW300
Pure has less bass presence but more pronounced bass attack. Bass notes have good body and slam, while sub-bass rumble is stronger on the EW300. Male vocals sound very similar on both. Female vocals have a touch more brightness on the EW300. The Pure is more reserved in the upper frequencies, while the EW300 sounds slightly brighter and more energetic. Both reproduce hi-hats and cymbals well, with EW300 leaning brighter. Technically, the Pure has better imaging, separation, and a wider soundstage while detail retrieval is similar between the two. Comfort-wise, EW300 is the easier fit for your ears; the Pure has a slightly larger shell with a longer nozzle, which may not be as comfortable for everyone. If you’re after a neutral presentation go with the Pure. If you prefer a bassy, brighter and more energetic sound, the EW300 is the better choice.

NF Acous NM20 vs Simgot EW300
The NM20, unlike the EW300, is a bright-leaning IEM with no reserve in the treble. The bass has better texture than the EW300 but the sheer quantity of bass is higher on the EW300. Male vocals sound better on the EW300 with more weight and body. Female vocals sound better on the NM20 due to its brighter presentation, although they can be a little sibilant. Timbre-wise, the NM20 sounds more natural, unlike the EW300 which can sound a tad metallic and unnatural. Comfort wise, both have similarly sized shells, but the NM20 is lighter, making it better suited for longer listening sessions. If you’re after something analytical or for monitoring style listening, the NM20 is the better choice. If you want something more casual listening with a bit more bass quantity, the EW300 is your pick.

Dunu Kima 2 vs Simgot EW300
Dunu Kima 2, another neutral IEM in this comparison like the Pure. The Kima 2 is less bassy compared to the EW300 and has a slightly narrower soundstage. However, Kima 2 has better bass attack and body. Timbre-wise, the Kima 2 sounds natural. In fact when it was launched, it was known for its timbre and tonality in the 100 - 150$ price range. So naturally, its timbre sounds more accurate and natural. The EW300 on the other hand, sounds more open due to its wider soundstage and tuning, which is neither neutral nor held back. The mids sound lush on both Kima 2 and EW300, but EW300 is slightly brighter which makes the vocals pop a little more. Male vocals on the EW300 sound thick and full-bodied. Female vocals sound airy and sharp. On Kima 2, female vocals are a little less bright and mid-range feels slightly recessed. The details are all there, but they feel a bit veiled. which brings me back to that the EW300 sounding more open point. Comfort-wise, both are comfortable but ergonomically, EW300 is the better fit. Kima 2 offers a great overall package though, with a nice cable and Superb ear tips. If you’re after a bang for the buck neutral IEM, the Kima 2 makes perfect sense. But if you want a wider soundstage and better detail retrieval, the EW300 is the clear choice.

Build - Comfort - Technical Specifications​

The shell of Simgot EW300 is CNC machined high-density aluminium alloy with a mirror polished finish which is solid, premium feeling and genuinely good looking. The tradeoff is that the glossy surface picks up fingerprints almost immediately and is prone to minor scratches with daily use, so handle with care. Despite the all metal construction it sits comfortably in the ear and the ergonomics keep it secure in ears without creating any pressure points even during longer sessions. The nozzles are reasonably sized and don't cause any discomfort during extended wear. The cable is Simgot's standard offering, similar to the EA500LM - decent quality but tangly, nothing exceptional.

Box Contents :

  • Simgot EW300 IEM
  • 3.5mm single ended cable
  • Silicone eartips — S/M/L, 3 pairs
  • 2 swappable nozzles — Silver and Gold
  • 4 tuning foams
  • 6 silicone O-rings
  • Zippered synthetic leather pouch
  • User manual and warranty card

Technical Specifications :

  • Driver : 10mm Dynamic Driver + 6mm Planar Driver + Piezoelectric Ceramic Driver (1DD + 1Planar + 1PZT Tribrid)
  • Impedance : 28Ω
  • Sensitivity : 121dB (Silver) / 119dB (Gold)
  • Frequency Response : 8Hz – 40kHz
  • Connector : 0.78mm 2-pin detachable
  • Termination : 3.5mm single ended
  • Weight : ~9g per side

Final Thoughts​

The under 100$ IEM market is quite competitive and Simgot EW300 does not stand out in particular, there’s always something better out there in different aspects. But, what it offers is a cohesive sound with a Tribrid setup that thrives with technicalities while sounding fun and fits comfortable in the ear for longer listening sessions at just 69$ ( launch price, the current price may vary ). Simgot has done a good job with this budget tribrid offering. Except for the unnatural timbre, i find EW300 to be a very good iem.

Personal / Subjective note : it’s a very fun sounding iem, but a little outdated - plenty of iems that perform better or similar to this. It’s a good iem, just not that special anymore.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 1 month ago
▲ 30 r/EverymanAudio+1 crossposts

Simgot's 69$ Tribid. Here's what's right and wrong

Overview​

Simgot needs no introduction in the ChiFi space. This review is about Simgot's EW300, which consists of 1 Composite Dynamic Driver, 1 Planar Driver and 1 Piezoelectric Ceramic Driver ( 1DD + 1Planar + 1PZCD ) making it the most affordable Tribrid in the market right now.

This unit was provided to me by the brand for review purposes and all my opinions and impressions are my own and not influenced by anyone else. Thank you Betty from Simgot for sending me this unit for review.

Note : The IEM comes with 2 pair of nozzles in total and the nozzle i am using for review is standard nozzle, the sound via other nozzle will be reviewed in a separate section. My source pairing or setup is quite simple - Simgot EW300 + Tanchjim Space 2 DAC + Kb ear coffee eartips and also some listening with the Fosi Sk02 desktop DAC AMP. That’s all, let’s get into the review.

Pros: ~ Impressive detail retrieval for the price
~ Fun and energetic sound signature without crossing into harshness
~ Comfortable ergonomic fit for longer listening sessions
~ Swappable nozzles and tuning foams offer genuine versatility
~ Treble extension is open and airy without sibilance
~ Above average soundstage with good imaging and separation

Cons: ~ Unnatural timbre on instruments and vocals
~ Mid-bass lacks body and sustain - slam falls short
~ Midrange sounds thin at low volumes
~ Cable is tangly and average for the price
~ Mirror finish is a fingerprint magnet

Sound Profile and Performance​

The EW300 is a mild ‘V’ shape tuned IEM with a sub-bass prominent lower region, lean midrange and a slightly bright treble region. Observations and review primarily based on the Standard Silver Nozzle.

Lows

The lower region of EW300 is not quite what you call a “Power house”, the sub-bass is deep and has a quivering presence to it. The Mid-bass however falls short when it comes to the overall body as the sustain is poor. Thankfully, it’s not a muddled mess or a slob - there’s clarity to it with good separation and imaging.

Here goes the proper example of my above statement with a track - Hotel California ( 1994 MTV Live ) by Eagles is a very well known track from Hell Freezes Over album. The prominent kick drum primarily sits in the mid-bass range for its acoustic attack and punch, while its deep body resonance extends downward into sub-bass. The rumbly after effect of the initial kick drum is very satisfying and where as the attack of the Kick drum where the snap of the beater hitting the drumhead is not that impactful or deep and does not compliment or support the throbbing sub-bass at the tail end well.

Mids

Ew300’s midrange is very cohesively articulate sounding with a clean and clear presentation without any muddiness from bass region. But the timbre of instruments and vocals is unnatural. Male vocals are decent but not as authoritative as they should sound. Female vocals on the other hand sound comparatively better, they sit in a middle ground without leaning towards either sounding hollow or sounding shouty / sibilant. I wouldn’t say that this is a “Thin Midrange” but sounds very thin in low volumes, needs a little juice to sound powerful.

In the track - The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, Vocals sit clearly in the mix without any harshness or sibilance - but in the more demanding upper registers there’s slight bites or fatigues if listened on high volume. Male and female vocals are distinguishable and separated enough to follow individually. Instruments tell a more compelling story. The acoustic guitar in the left channel comes through with full body, prominent presence and real bite to it - fingerpicked and distinct, exactly as it should be. The electric guitar on the right holds its own with the right grit and edge without overpowering anything, sitting well within the mix. There’s a noticeable metallic timbre to the acoustic guitar that adds a slight edge to the string texture - not distracting, just present. When everything kicks in together the EW300 gets a little congested but never loses the plot - you can still pick out what’s happening in the background even as the arrangement gets busier. Lindsey Buckingham’s Electric Guitar sounds aggressive with almost punk like outro riff closure to the track sounds enthralling with a proper backing of energy and bite to it.

Treble

The Treble of the EW300 is honestly the best part about it. It’s tuned in a way to sound energetic without tipping off into the sibilance territory, talk about sweet spot!. Hi-hats and cymbals sound shimmery and sparkly while maintaining the clarity and composure to not sound washed away or noisy.

In the track - Money For Nothing by Dire Straits, the synth intro sits right at the edge of brightness - compelling and present, though a little more push and it would start crossing into uncomfortable territory. Mark Knopfler’s electric guitar comes through with the right bite and cut, sharp enough to feel alive without losing composure. Hi-hats and cymbals have good shimmer and presence, sitting naturally in the mix without getting muddled or buried. There is a moment of sibilance early in the track - just before the guitar solo kicks in, a brief flash that reminds you the EW300 treble is a not a slack and not entirely forgiving. The treble extension feels open rather than rolled off, giving the presentation an airy quality that keeps things from feeling closed in. Exciting and energetic, with just enough edge to keep you honest.

Technicalities​

Imaging : Imaging of EW300 is fairly precise. Instruments, vocals, panning effects and backing layers are easy to follow and pin point their position well.

Separation : The separation is not class leading, but it’s certainly not a slack off either. Even in busy tracks - EW300 handles itself well and stays composed without overshadowing any subtle elements in between.

Soundstage : The soundstage is above average. Every element holds its own place without crossing into one another’s territory, it’s a studio level width of staging, feels like you are in a studio listening to music rather than in a auditorium or concert. But thankfully, nothing sounds or feels claustrophobic.

Detail Retrieval : For the price, this is top notch. The clarity and open sounding nature of the EW300 already makes it a good IEM and the detail retrieval is one notch above, It’s impressive.

Nozzles and Foam​

The EW300 comes with 2 nozzle options, one is the silver and other is the gold nozzle. Silver nozzle is brighter and more open sounding compared to the Gold nozzle. Gold nozzle is warm and bassy and very reserved in the upper frequencies. For someone who wants a relaxed listen and doesn’t mind a little blow to the details can use the gold nozzle. For someone looking for a little sparkle and energetic mids and treble, silver nozzle does the job well.
The cherry on the top is the inclusion of low density foams. Imagine finding Gold nozzle too laid back like recessed or veiled and the Silver nozzle tad bit bright? That’s where these foams come in, the difference after using them is not day and night of course but it is still pretty noticeable to keen listeners. I personally did not need to use any foam as i was not bothered by the sound signature of the Ew300, but i still used 2 foams for review purpose. With just a single foam i couldn’t make out any difference but after using 2 foams i could notice the shift in the upper mids and treble. Again, the difference is not by miles, but it helps to those who want to use the silver nozzle but want a little less energetic sound signature. The bass gets more boomy but feels slightly like a slob and sounds like there’s a veil over the sound.

Comparisons​

Truthear Pure vs Simgot EW300
Pure has less bass presence but more pronounced bass attack. Bass notes have good body and slam, while sub-bass rumble is stronger on the EW300. Male vocals sound very similar on both. Female vocals have a touch more brightness on the EW300. The Pure is more reserved in the upper frequencies, while the EW300 sounds slightly brighter and more energetic. Both reproduce hi-hats and cymbals well, with EW300 leaning brighter. Technically, the Pure has better imaging, separation, and a wider soundstage while detail retrieval is similar between the two. Comfort-wise, EW300 is the easier fit for your ears; the Pure has a slightly larger shell with a longer nozzle, which may not be as comfortable for everyone. If you’re after a neutral presentation go with the Pure. If you prefer a bassy, brighter and more energetic sound, the EW300 is the better choice.

NF Acous NM20 vs Simgot EW300
The NM20, unlike the EW300, is a bright-leaning IEM with no reserve in the treble. The bass has better texture than the EW300 but the sheer quantity of bass is higher on the EW300. Male vocals sound better on the EW300 with more weight and body. Female vocals sound better on the NM20 due to its brighter presentation, although they can be a little sibilant. Timbre-wise, the NM20 sounds more natural, unlike the EW300 which can sound a tad metallic and unnatural. Comfort wise, both have similarly sized shells, but the NM20 is lighter, making it better suited for longer listening sessions. If you’re after something analytical or for monitoring style listening, the NM20 is the better choice. If you want something more casual listening with a bit more bass quantity, the EW300 is your pick.

Dunu Kima 2 vs Simgot EW300
Dunu Kima 2, another neutral IEM in this comparison like the Pure. The Kima 2 is less bassy compared to the EW300 and has a slightly narrower soundstage. However, Kima 2 has better bass attack and body. Timbre-wise, the Kima 2 sounds natural. In fact when it was launched, it was known for its timbre and tonality in the 100 - 150$ price range. So naturally, its timbre sounds more accurate and natural. The EW300 on the other hand, sounds more open due to its wider soundstage and tuning, which is neither neutral nor held back. The mids sound lush on both Kima 2 and EW300, but EW300 is slightly brighter which makes the vocals pop a little more. Male vocals on the EW300 sound thick and full-bodied. Female vocals sound airy and sharp. On Kima 2, female vocals are a little less bright and mid-range feels slightly recessed. The details are all there, but they feel a bit veiled. which brings me back to that the EW300 sounding more open point. Comfort-wise, both are comfortable but ergonomically, EW300 is the better fit. Kima 2 offers a great overall package though, with a nice cable and Superb ear tips. If you’re after a bang for the buck neutral IEM, the Kima 2 makes perfect sense. But if you want a wider soundstage and better detail retrieval, the EW300 is the clear choice.

Build - Comfort - Technical Specifications​

The shell of Simgot EW300 is CNC machined high-density aluminium alloy with a mirror polished finish which is solid, premium feeling and genuinely good looking. The tradeoff is that the glossy surface picks up fingerprints almost immediately and is prone to minor scratches with daily use, so handle with care. Despite the all metal construction it sits comfortably in the ear and the ergonomics keep it secure in ears without creating any pressure points even during longer sessions. The nozzles are reasonably sized and don't cause any discomfort during extended wear. The cable is Simgot's standard offering, similar to the EA500LM - decent quality but tangly, nothing exceptional.

Box Contents :

  • Simgot EW300 IEM
  • 3.5mm single ended cable
  • Silicone eartips — S/M/L, 3 pairs
  • 2 swappable nozzles — Silver and Gold
  • 4 tuning foams
  • 6 silicone O-rings
  • Zippered synthetic leather pouch
  • User manual and warranty card

Technical Specifications :

  • Driver : 10mm Dynamic Driver + 6mm Planar Driver + Piezoelectric Ceramic Driver (1DD + 1Planar + 1PZT Tribrid)
  • Impedance : 28Ω
  • Sensitivity : 121dB (Silver) / 119dB (Gold)
  • Frequency Response : 8Hz – 40kHz
  • Connector : 0.78mm 2-pin detachable
  • Termination : 3.5mm single ended
  • Weight : ~9g per side

Final Thoughts​

The under 100$ IEM market is quite competitive and Simgot EW300 does not stand out in particular, there’s always something better out there in different aspects. But, what it offers is a cohesive sound with a Tribrid setup that thrives with technicalities while sounding fun and fits comfortable in the ear for longer listening sessions at just 69$ ( launch price, the current price may vary ). Simgot has done a good job with this budget tribrid offering. Except for the unnatural timbre, i find EW300 to be a very good iem.

Personal / Subjective note : it’s a very fun sounding iem, but a little outdated - plenty of iems that perform better or similar to this. It’s a good iem, just not that special anymore.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 1 month ago

Simgot's Tribid at 69$. Here's what they got right and wrong

Overview​

Simgot needs no introduction in the ChiFi space. This review is about Simgot's EW300, which consists of 1 Composite Dynamic Driver, 1 Planar Driver and 1 Piezoelectric Ceramic Driver ( 1DD + 1Planar + 1PZCD ) making it the most affordable Tribrid in the market right now.

This unit was provided to me by the brand for review purposes and all my opinions and impressions are my own and not influenced by anyone else. Thank you Betty from Simgot for sending me this unit for review.

Note : The IEM comes with 2 pair of nozzles in total and the nozzle i am using for review is standard nozzle, the sound via other nozzle will be reviewed in a separate section. My source pairing or setup is quite simple - Simgot EW300 + Tanchjim Space 2 DAC + Kb ear coffee eartips and also some listening with the Fosi Sk02 desktop DAC AMP. That’s all, let’s get into the review.

Pros: ~ Impressive detail retrieval for the price
~ Fun and energetic sound signature without crossing into harshness
~ Comfortable ergonomic fit for longer listening sessions
~ Swappable nozzles and tuning foams offer genuine versatility
~ Treble extension is open and airy without sibilance
~ Above average soundstage with good imaging and separation

Cons: ~ Unnatural timbre on instruments and vocals
~ Mid-bass lacks body and sustain - slam falls short
~ Midrange sounds thin at low volumes
~ Cable is tangly and average for the price
~ Mirror finish is a fingerprint magnet

Sound Profile and Performance​

The EW300 is a mild ‘V’ shape tuned IEM with a sub-bass prominent lower region, lean midrange and a slightly bright treble region. Observations and review primarily based on the Standard Silver Nozzle.

Lows

The lower region of EW300 is not quite what you call a “Power house”, the sub-bass is deep and has a quivering presence to it. The Mid-bass however falls short when it comes to the overall body as the sustain is poor. Thankfully, it’s not a muddled mess or a slob - there’s clarity to it with good separation and imaging.

Here goes the proper example of my above statement with a track - Hotel California ( 1994 MTV Live ) by Eagles is a very well known track from Hell Freezes Over album. The prominent kick drum primarily sits in the mid-bass range for its acoustic attack and punch, while its deep body resonance extends downward into sub-bass. The rumbly after effect of the initial kick drum is very satisfying and where as the attack of the Kick drum where the snap of the beater hitting the drumhead is not that impactful or deep and does not compliment or support the throbbing sub-bass at the tail end well.

Mids

Ew300’s midrange is very cohesively articulate sounding with a clean and clear presentation without any muddiness from bass region. But the timbre of instruments and vocals is unnatural. Male vocals are decent but not as authoritative as they should sound. Female vocals on the other hand sound comparatively better, they sit in a middle ground without leaning towards either sounding hollow or sounding shouty / sibilant. I wouldn’t say that this is a “Thin Midrange” but sounds very thin in low volumes, needs a little juice to sound powerful.

In the track - The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, Vocals sit clearly in the mix without any harshness or sibilance - but in the more demanding upper registers there’s slight bites or fatigues if listened on high volume. Male and female vocals are distinguishable and separated enough to follow individually. Instruments tell a more compelling story. The acoustic guitar in the left channel comes through with full body, prominent presence and real bite to it - fingerpicked and distinct, exactly as it should be. The electric guitar on the right holds its own with the right grit and edge without overpowering anything, sitting well within the mix. There’s a noticeable metallic timbre to the acoustic guitar that adds a slight edge to the string texture - not distracting, just present. When everything kicks in together the EW300 gets a little congested but never loses the plot - you can still pick out what’s happening in the background even as the arrangement gets busier. Lindsey Buckingham’s Electric Guitar sounds aggressive with almost punk like outro riff closure to the track sounds enthralling with a proper backing of energy and bite to it.

Treble

The Treble of the EW300 is honestly the best part about it. It’s tuned in a way to sound energetic without tipping off into the sibilance territory, talk about sweet spot!. Hi-hats and cymbals sound shimmery and sparkly while maintaining the clarity and composure to not sound washed away or noisy.

In the track - Money For Nothing by Dire Straits, the synth intro sits right at the edge of brightness - compelling and present, though a little more push and it would start crossing into uncomfortable territory. Mark Knopfler’s electric guitar comes through with the right bite and cut, sharp enough to feel alive without losing composure. Hi-hats and cymbals have good shimmer and presence, sitting naturally in the mix without getting muddled or buried. There is a moment of sibilance early in the track - just before the guitar solo kicks in, a brief flash that reminds you the EW300 treble is a not a slack and not entirely forgiving. The treble extension feels open rather than rolled off, giving the presentation an airy quality that keeps things from feeling closed in. Exciting and energetic, with just enough edge to keep you honest.

Technicalities​

Imaging : Imaging of EW300 is fairly precise. Instruments, vocals, panning effects and backing layers are easy to follow and pin point their position well.

Separation : The separation is not class leading, but it’s certainly not a slack off either. Even in busy tracks - EW300 handles itself well and stays composed without overshadowing any subtle elements in between.

Soundstage : The soundstage is above average. Every element holds its own place without crossing into one another’s territory, it’s a studio level width of staging, feels like you are in a studio listening to music rather than in a auditorium or concert. But thankfully, nothing sounds or feels claustrophobic.

Detail Retrieval : For the price, this is top notch. The clarity and open sounding nature of the EW300 already makes it a good IEM and the detail retrieval is one notch above, It’s impressive.

Nozzles and Foam​

The EW300 comes with 2 nozzle options, one is the silver and other is the gold nozzle. Silver nozzle is brighter and more open sounding compared to the Gold nozzle. Gold nozzle is warm and bassy and very reserved in the upper frequencies. For someone who wants a relaxed listen and doesn’t mind a little blow to the details can use the gold nozzle. For someone looking for a little sparkle and energetic mids and treble, silver nozzle does the job well.
The cherry on the top is the inclusion of low density foams. Imagine finding Gold nozzle too laid back like recessed or veiled and the Silver nozzle tad bit bright? That’s where these foams come in, the difference after using them is not day and night of course but it is still pretty noticeable to keen listeners. I personally did not need to use any foam as i was not bothered by the sound signature of the Ew300, but i still used 2 foams for review purpose. With just a single foam i couldn’t make out any difference but after using 2 foams i could notice the shift in the upper mids and treble. Again, the difference is not by miles, but it helps to those who want to use the silver nozzle but want a little less energetic sound signature. The bass gets more boomy but feels slightly like a slob and sounds like there’s a veil over the sound.

Comparisons​

Truthear Pure vs Simgot EW300
Pure has less bass presence but more pronounced bass attack. Bass notes have good body and slam, while sub-bass rumble is stronger on the EW300. Male vocals sound very similar on both. Female vocals have a touch more brightness on the EW300. The Pure is more reserved in the upper frequencies, while the EW300 sounds slightly brighter and more energetic. Both reproduce hi-hats and cymbals well, with EW300 leaning brighter. Technically, the Pure has better imaging, separation, and a wider soundstage while detail retrieval is similar between the two. Comfort-wise, EW300 is the easier fit for your ears; the Pure has a slightly larger shell with a longer nozzle, which may not be as comfortable for everyone. If you’re after a neutral presentation go with the Pure. If you prefer a bassy, brighter and more energetic sound, the EW300 is the better choice.

NF Acous NM20 vs Simgot EW300
The NM20, unlike the EW300, is a bright-leaning IEM with no reserve in the treble. The bass has better texture than the EW300 but the sheer quantity of bass is higher on the EW300. Male vocals sound better on the EW300 with more weight and body. Female vocals sound better on the NM20 due to its brighter presentation, although they can be a little sibilant. Timbre-wise, the NM20 sounds more natural, unlike the EW300 which can sound a tad metallic and unnatural. Comfort wise, both have similarly sized shells, but the NM20 is lighter, making it better suited for longer listening sessions. If you’re after something analytical or for monitoring style listening, the NM20 is the better choice. If you want something more casual listening with a bit more bass quantity, the EW300 is your pick.

Dunu Kima 2 vs Simgot EW300
Dunu Kima 2, another neutral IEM in this comparison like the Pure. The Kima 2 is less bassy compared to the EW300 and has a slightly narrower soundstage. However, Kima 2 has better bass attack and body. Timbre-wise, the Kima 2 sounds natural. In fact when it was launched, it was known for its timbre and tonality in the 100 - 150$ price range. So naturally, its timbre sounds more accurate and natural. The EW300 on the other hand, sounds more open due to its wider soundstage and tuning, which is neither neutral nor held back. The mids sound lush on both Kima 2 and EW300, but EW300 is slightly brighter which makes the vocals pop a little more. Male vocals on the EW300 sound thick and full-bodied. Female vocals sound airy and sharp. On Kima 2, female vocals are a little less bright and mid-range feels slightly recessed. The details are all there, but they feel a bit veiled. which brings me back to that the EW300 sounding more open point. Comfort-wise, both are comfortable but ergonomically, EW300 is the better fit. Kima 2 offers a great overall package though, with a nice cable and Superb ear tips. If you’re after a bang for the buck neutral IEM, the Kima 2 makes perfect sense. But if you want a wider soundstage and better detail retrieval, the EW300 is the clear choice.

Build - Comfort - Technical Specifications​

The shell of Simgot EW300 is CNC machined high-density aluminium alloy with a mirror polished finish which is solid, premium feeling and genuinely good looking. The tradeoff is that the glossy surface picks up fingerprints almost immediately and is prone to minor scratches with daily use, so handle with care. Despite the all metal construction it sits comfortably in the ear and the ergonomics keep it secure in ears without creating any pressure points even during longer sessions. The nozzles are reasonably sized and don't cause any discomfort during extended wear. The cable is Simgot's standard offering, similar to the EA500LM - decent quality but tangly, nothing exceptional.

Box Contents :

  • Simgot EW300 IEM
  • 3.5mm single ended cable
  • Silicone eartips — S/M/L, 3 pairs
  • 2 swappable nozzles — Silver and Gold
  • 4 tuning foams
  • 6 silicone O-rings
  • Zippered synthetic leather pouch
  • User manual and warranty card

Technical Specifications :

  • Driver : 10mm Dynamic Driver + 6mm Planar Driver + Piezoelectric Ceramic Driver (1DD + 1Planar + 1PZT Tribrid)
  • Impedance : 28Ω
  • Sensitivity : 121dB (Silver) / 119dB (Gold)
  • Frequency Response : 8Hz – 40kHz
  • Connector : 0.78mm 2-pin detachable
  • Termination : 3.5mm single ended
  • Weight : ~9g per side

Final Thoughts​

The under 100$ IEM market is quite competitive and Simgot EW300 does not stand out in particular, there’s always something better out there in different aspects. But, what it offers is a cohesive sound with a Tribrid setup that thrives with technicalities while sounding fun and fits comfortable in the ear for longer listening sessions at just 69$ ( launch price, the current price may vary ). Simgot has done a good job with this budget tribrid offering. Except for the unnatural timbre, i find EW300 to be a very good iem.

Personal / Subjective note : it’s a very fun sounding iem, but a little outdated - plenty of iems that perform better or similar to this. It’s a good iem, just not that special anymore.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 1 month ago

SoundPeats H3 Review - Fun TWS, not so functional app support.

Soundpeats H3 Review

Hello everyone, this review is about SoundPeats H3 a TWS with a Hybrid driver setup (1DD + 2BA ).

Pros: ~ Good bass texture
~ Male vocals sound rich
~ Low latency for Gaming
~ Good Microphone Performance over calls
~ Battery life is commendable

Cons: ~ Peats Audio app sign up is required to unlock even basic features
~ Very inconvenient and Inconsistent App performance, buggy and laggy
~ The earbuds will not be comfortable for someone with small ears as the earbuds are a bit chunky
~ ANC modes do not work
~ No in ear detection feature
( basically most cons are app based ones and the App sucks. )

Disclaimer : This unit was sent to me for review purposes by SoundPeats and all impressions or opinions are mine and not influenced by anyone else. Thank you Icy from SoundPeats for sending me the unit.

Overview​

SOUNDPEATS has been building wireless audio gear since 2010, and the H3 marks one of their pricier plays yet in the TWS space, launched in September 2025 at $129.99, whether that price tag holds up the worth is what this review sets out to answer.

Build - Comfort - Battery​

The H3 uses a metal mesh grille over the driver ports with an anodised aluminium sound nozzle, set into a semi-transparent shell with metallic accents. Touch controls handle playback and mode-switching. The case charges via Type-C, takes about 2 hours for a full charge, and the earbuds themselves top up in roughly 1 hour. IPX5 water resistance is backed by a nano-coating for sweat and splash exposure. The earbud is shaped similarly to an IEM shell which is a bit larger than your average TWS and noticeably chunky. Comfort is good because of light weight but the fit is not that great, it stays in ear without falling over but it will be a little uncomfortable for someone with small ears. The claimed Battery standby time is 7hr playback + 37hour with case. After days of testing, the battery i got with the LDAC is around 5 hours 55 minutes and around 6 hours 40 minutes on AAC. Tested on my android and ios devices. With ANC on, the battery was around 6 hours 15 minutes without LDAC. And 5 hours 45 minutes on AAC. The spec sheet read is - Battery Capacity: 35*2 mAH (Earbuds) 400mAH (Case).

Sound Profile and Performance​

First things first, I will first talk about H3’s sound out of the box and then separately talk about the EQ and then the technicalities.

I almost liked the sound of H3 right off the box, it’s a V shaped tuning with deep sub-bass rumble and average mid-bass with not so good slam or thump to it. The mids sound slightly recessed and treble is safe and inoffensive. The Staging is average - thankfully it’s not too congested that it sounds like it’s in my face. The EQ profile i liked using was HiFi and the default Classic, they are similar with minor tweaks. Switching in between the EQ modes is slow and sometimes do not work. I tried the 9 band EQ for a while but i do not know much about EQ’ing and the PEQ is kind of inconsistent too, sometimes its applying quick, sometimes there’s delay or doesn’t apply at all. To bring out the potential of the H3, you need a little EQ. But I am going to be honest, I am an IEM Guy who believes in the stock sound of a product being its character, meddling with tunings and making it sound to your liking is handy and cool maybe, but it just doesn’t feel original to me. And before I start talking about it sectional sound performance ( bass, mids , treble ) i would like to point out that for something that has an option to completely change the way it sounds - talking about its bass mids and treble feels a little silly to me. But i will still do it and it will entirely be based on stock sound - Classic ( because everyone can use different EQ’s and personalise this - and me reviewing this product with my own EQ is just very subjective and doesn’t make any justice to the product. )
Note : The “HiFi” preset sounds more open and sub-bass is a little more controlled and no change in mids and treble by a mile.

Bass :​

The bass on the H3 is the most confident part of its presentation. Sub-bass has good depth and rumble but what it has in presence it lacks in control, it’s not excessive or bloated but it doesn’t hit with the kind of authority or power that would make it truly satisfying. The mid-bass is present with good attack and slam which makes the listening experience groovy and engaging. Thankfully, there’s minimal bass bleed into the mids and keeps the low end clean and composed without muddying the rest of the presentation.

Mids :​

The midrange follows the H3’s mild V shaped character - present but not pushed forward. Male vocals come through with good body and weight, the lower mids carry enough presence. Female vocals are decent but fall slightly short of sharpness and definition - they sound good but lack the crispness that would make them truly stand out. Instruments come through clearly but with a conservative upper frequency presentation that costs them some character - guitars miss that sizzling string texture, the kind of edge that makes the listening lively and energizing. But not every instrument suffers for it - Piano and Acoustic guitar in particular come through with a full bodied, rich and naturally weighted presentation, instruments that don’t rely on brightness or edge to sound good and the H3 obliges them well.

Treble :​

The treble on the H3 plays it safe and for the most part it works - no spikes, no harshness, no fatigue. Hi-hats and cymbals have decent resonance and presence, sitting naturally within the mix without drawing attention to themselves. The safe tuning does come at a cost though, the conservativeness in the upper frequencies is what holds back both the instruments and the female vocals from reaching their ceiling. Inoffensive but not exciting.

Technicalities​

Imaging : The imaging is good and the placement of instruments and vocals are easily distinguishable without much effort.

Detail retrieval : Inconsistent, there is clarity but it’s buried, the subtle background nuances and details are a little feint sounding sometimes.

Soundstage : The Soundstage is more of a studio type setting rather than an auditorium, everything holds its place intimately without too much space to move around but adequate spaciousness to sound free.

Separation : The Separation is good but not exceptional, you can differentiate everything decently well. H3 is quite cohesive but instruments feel a little close to each other than general but stays clear in terms of clarity aspect.

SoundPeats App and Features​

What do we look for when we pick a pair of wired earphones or headphones? Yes, How do they sound and how comfortable they are and rest all is just not that important. But when we move to the wireless category of Bluetooth with TWS and wireless headphones there are quite a lot of accompaniments we look at. Those accompaniments are the features that will be equally looked at on par with sound when it comes to buying a truly wireless earphones (tws) or headphones. Let’s see what side dishes are you getting along the sound when you buy the SoundPeats H3

First thing to note is that you cannot do anything without signing up for the app. I understand that signing in with an account helps us save and retain the settings and EQ profiles we have set up across multiple devices, but an account requirement even for the basic features is not a good start to the usability - yeah, this is just a nitpick. Lets get into what the App actually offers -

First thing I tried is the EQ option, it has Presets, Adaptive EQ and Custom Sound modes. Coming to the Presets, i do not particularly like anything in that but if i have to pick something, it would be the HiFi and Classic presets which are decent compared to the rest of the presets. The Adaptive EQ mode on the other hand is a test based EQ that consists of a Smart Hearing Test where it makes you listen to many frequencies (hz)and sound levels (db) and asks you to click on “Heard” if you hear that frequency. it’s a scientific test which tests our hearing ability. The app says that it will intelligently compensate for us based on the hearing test we took. Then there’s this Custom Sound mode which has the 10 band parametric EQ option for you to meddle with and get a preferred sound out of the H3. Now let’s see the other app features and the spec sheet parts.

  • ANC / Normal / Transparency - three listening modes switchable directly from the app
  • Dual-Device Connection - connect to two devices at once
  • Gesture Controls - remap touch controls to your preference
  • Prompt Sound Guide - adjust voice prompt settings
  • Game Mode - low latency toggle which is quite a good option to have.
  • Disable Touch Control - turns off touch controls entirely to avoid accidental inputs
  • Find Earbuds - locates your earbuds feature, which is a pretty handy option.
  • Fit Test - checks how well the earbuds are sealing in your ears which helps improve bass and audio performance in general.

Technical specifications​

  • Driver : 12mm Dynamic Driver (PU + Wool composite) × 1 + Balanced Armature × 2
  • Bluetooth : V5.4
  • Bluetooth Profiles : HSP / HFP / A2DP / AVRCP
  • Codecs : SBC / AAC / LDAC / aptX / aptX Adaptive / aptX Lossless (LDAC disabled by default, needs to be enabled via PeatsAudio app)
  • Frequency Response : 20Hz – 40kHz
  • ANC : AI Adaptive ANC (-55dB)
  • Call Noise Cancellation : 6-Mic AI with cVc 8.0
  • Water Resistance : IPX5
  • Charging Time : Earbuds 1H / Case 2H
  • Fast Charging : 10 minutes = 2 hours playback
  • Playback : 7H earbud + 37H total with case

The Noise Cancellation in calls work decently, I wouldn’t say the microphone is the best there is but i compared it to my AirPods 2 pro and the result is very similar to each other in terms of voice clarity

The Noise reduction is pretty good as well, I only have AirPods to compare with it and AirPods have better Noise cancellation/ reduction (of-course, they are industry leading in ANC department). SoundPeats H3 is quite good in cancelling out fan or air cooler or Environmental noises in general but the noises of vehicles or machineries still get in your ears, there are multiple modes in Noise reduction mode such as Adaptive Noise Cancellation, Indoor Noise Cancellation, Outdoor Noise Cancellation, Traffic Mode.
But I do not like the fact that they don't make much difference or any difference at all. I do not know if it’s the app that's buggy or lagging or it’s just a useless name sake set of modes given. ( I tried on my android as well, so i can say it’s not my device issue ).

Final Thoughts​

SoundPeats H3 is a fun sounding TWS earbuds that is a good buy for 130$, I like how it sounds, the sound out of the box is quite fun and the option of experimenting with EQ is a plus. I do not at all like the app. From the compulsory signup process to the comedic function, everything’s either too slow or too bugged to work. I like the battery backup and charge up is quick as well. And decent microphone quality. This is not a fancy pair of earbuds with AI but a good sounding product. My suggestion to SoundPeats is to work on the app to make it functional

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 1 month ago

SoundPeats H3 - Fun sound, Bad app.

Soundpeats H3 Review

Hello everyone, this review is about SoundPeats H3 a TWS with a Hybrid driver setup (1DD + 2BA ).

Pros: ~ Good bass texture
~ Male vocals sound rich
~ Low latency for Gaming
~ Good Microphone Performance over calls
~ Battery life is commendable

Cons: ~ Peats Audio app sign up is required to unlock even basic features
~ Very inconvenient and Inconsistent App performance, buggy and laggy
~ The earbuds will not be comfortable for someone with small ears as the earbuds are a bit chunky
~ ANC modes do not work
~ No in ear detection feature
( basically most cons are app based ones and the App sucks. )

Disclaimer : This unit was sent to me for review purposes by SoundPeats and all impressions or opinions are mine and not influenced by anyone else. Thank you Icy from SoundPeats for sending me the unit.

Overview​

SOUNDPEATS has been building wireless audio gear since 2010, and the H3 marks one of their pricier plays yet in the TWS space, launched in September 2025 at $129.99, whether that price tag holds up the worth is what this review sets out to answer.

Build - Comfort - Battery​

The H3 uses a metal mesh grille over the driver ports with an anodised aluminium sound nozzle, set into a semi-transparent shell with metallic accents. Touch controls handle playback and mode-switching. The case charges via Type-C, takes about 2 hours for a full charge, and the earbuds themselves top up in roughly 1 hour. IPX5 water resistance is backed by a nano-coating for sweat and splash exposure. The earbud is shaped similarly to an IEM shell which is a bit larger than your average TWS and noticeably chunky. Comfort is good because of light weight but the fit is not that great, it stays in ear without falling over but it will be a little uncomfortable for someone with small ears. The claimed Battery standby time is 7hr playback + 37hour with case. After days of testing, the battery i got with the LDAC is around 5 hours 55 minutes and around 6 hours 40 minutes on AAC. Tested on my android and ios devices. With ANC on, the battery was around 6 hours 15 minutes without LDAC. And 5 hours 45 minutes on AAC. The spec sheet read is - Battery Capacity: 35*2 mAH (Earbuds) 400mAH (Case).

Sound Profile and Performance​

First things first, I will first talk about H3’s sound out of the box and then separately talk about the EQ and then the technicalities.

I almost liked the sound of H3 right off the box, it’s a V shaped tuning with deep sub-bass rumble and average mid-bass with not so good slam or thump to it. The mids sound slightly recessed and treble is safe and inoffensive. The Staging is average - thankfully it’s not too congested that it sounds like it’s in my face. The EQ profile i liked using was HiFi and the default Classic, they are similar with minor tweaks. Switching in between the EQ modes is slow and sometimes do not work. I tried the 9 band EQ for a while but i do not know much about EQ’ing and the PEQ is kind of inconsistent too, sometimes its applying quick, sometimes there’s delay or doesn’t apply at all. To bring out the potential of the H3, you need a little EQ. But I am going to be honest, I am an IEM Guy who believes in the stock sound of a product being its character, meddling with tunings and making it sound to your liking is handy and cool maybe, but it just doesn’t feel original to me. And before I start talking about it sectional sound performance ( bass, mids , treble ) i would like to point out that for something that has an option to completely change the way it sounds - talking about its bass mids and treble feels a little silly to me. But i will still do it and it will entirely be based on stock sound - Classic ( because everyone can use different EQ’s and personalise this - and me reviewing this product with my own EQ is just very subjective and doesn’t make any justice to the product. )
Note : The “HiFi” preset sounds more open and sub-bass is a little more controlled and no change in mids and treble by a mile.

Bass :​

The bass on the H3 is the most confident part of its presentation. Sub-bass has good depth and rumble but what it has in presence it lacks in control, it’s not excessive or bloated but it doesn’t hit with the kind of authority or power that would make it truly satisfying. The mid-bass is present with good attack and slam which makes the listening experience groovy and engaging. Thankfully, there’s minimal bass bleed into the mids and keeps the low end clean and composed without muddying the rest of the presentation.

Mids :​

The midrange follows the H3’s mild V shaped character - present but not pushed forward. Male vocals come through with good body and weight, the lower mids carry enough presence. Female vocals are decent but fall slightly short of sharpness and definition - they sound good but lack the crispness that would make them truly stand out. Instruments come through clearly but with a conservative upper frequency presentation that costs them some character - guitars miss that sizzling string texture, the kind of edge that makes the listening lively and energising. But not every instrument suffers for it - Piano and Acoustic guitar in particular come through with a full bodied, rich and naturally weighted presentation, instruments that don’t rely on brightness or edge to sound good and the H3 obliges them well.

Treble :​

The treble on the H3 plays it safe and for the most part it works - no spikes, no harshness, no fatigue. Hi-hats and cymbals have decent resonance and presence, sitting naturally within the mix without drawing attention to themselves. The safe tuning does come at a cost though, the conservativeness in the upper frequencies is what holds back both the instruments and the female vocals from reaching their ceiling. Inoffensive but not exciting.

Technicalities​

Imaging : The imaging is good and the placement of instruments and vocals are easily distinguishable without much effort.

Detail retrieval : Inconsistent, there is clarity but it’s buried, the subtle background nuances and details are a little feint sounding sometimes.

Soundstage : The Soundstage is more of a studio type setting rather than an auditorium, everything holds its place intimately without too much space to move around but adequate spaciousness to sound free.

Separation : The Separation is good but not exceptional, you can differentiate everything decently well. H3 is quite cohesive but instruments feel a little close to each other than general but stays clear in terms of clarity aspect.

SoundPeats App and Features​

What do we look for when we pick a pair of wired earphones or headphones? Yes, How do they sound and how comfortable they are and rest all is just not that important. But when we move to the wireless category of Bluetooth with TWS and wireless headphones there are quite a lot of accompaniments we look at. Those accompaniments are the features that will be equally looked at on par with sound when it comes to buying a truly wireless earphones (tws) or headphones. Let’s see what side dishes are you getting along the sound when you buy the SoundPeats H3

First thing to note is that you cannot do anything without signing up for the app. I understand that signing in with an account helps us save and retain the settings and EQ profiles we have set up across multiple devices, but an account requirement even for the basic features is not a good start to the usability - yeah, this is just a nitpick. Lets get into what the App actually offers -

First thing I tried is the EQ option, it has Presets, Adaptive EQ and Custom Sound modes. Coming to the Presets, i do not particularly like anything in that but if i have to pick something, it would be the HiFi and Classic presets which are decent compared to the rest of the presets. The Adaptive EQ mode on the other hand is a test based EQ that consists of a Smart Hearing Test where it makes you listen to many frequencies (hz)and sound levels (db) and asks you to click on “Heard” if you hear that frequency. it’s a scientific test which tests our hearing ability. The app says that it will intelligently compensate for us based on the hearing test we took. Then there’s this Custom Sound mode which has the 10 band parametric EQ option for you to meddle with and get a preferred sound out of the H3. Now let’s see the other app features and the spec sheet parts.

  • ANC / Normal / Transparency - three listening modes switchable directly from the app
  • Dual-Device Connection - connect to two devices at once
  • Gesture Controls - remap touch controls to your preference
  • Prompt Sound Guide - adjust voice prompt settings
  • Game Mode - low latency toggle which is quite a good option to have.
  • Disable Touch Control - turns off touch controls entirely to avoid accidental inputs
  • Find Earbuds - locates your earbuds feature, which is a pretty handy option.
  • Fit Test - checks how well the earbuds are sealing in your ears which helps improve bass and audio performance in general.

Technical specifications​

  • Driver : 12mm Dynamic Driver (PU + Wool composite) × 1 + Balanced Armature × 2
  • Bluetooth : V5.4
  • Bluetooth Profiles : HSP / HFP / A2DP / AVRCP
  • Codecs : SBC / AAC / LDAC / aptX / aptX Adaptive / aptX Lossless (LDAC disabled by default, needs to be enabled via PeatsAudio app)
  • Frequency Response : 20Hz – 40kHz
  • ANC : AI Adaptive ANC (-55dB)
  • Call Noise Cancellation : 6-Mic AI with cVc 8.0
  • Water Resistance : IPX5
  • Charging Time : Earbuds 1H / Case 2H
  • Fast Charging : 10 minutes = 2 hours playback
  • Playback : 7H earbud + 37H total with case

The Noise Cancellation in calls work decently, I wouldn’t say the microphone is the best there is but i compared it to my AirPods 2 pro and the result is very similar to each other in terms of voice clarity

The Noise reduction is pretty good as well, I only have AirPods to compare with it and AirPods have better Noise cancellation/ reduction (of-course, they are industry leading in ANC department). SoundPeats H3 is quite good in cancelling out fan or air cooler or Environmental noises in general but the noises of vehicles or machineries still get in your ears, there are multiple modes in Noise reduction mode such as Adaptive Noise Cancellation, Indoor Noise Cancellation, Outdoor Noise Cancellation, Traffic Mode.
But I do not like the fact that they don't make much difference or any difference at all. I do not know if it’s the app that's buggy or lagging or it’s just a useless name sake set of modes given. ( I tried on my android as well, so i can say it’s not my device issue ).

Final Thoughts​

SoundPeats H3 is a fun sounding TWS earbuds that is a good buy for 130$, I like how it sounds, the sound out of the box is quite fun and the option of experimenting with EQ is a plus. I do not at all like the app. From the compulsory signup process to the comedic function, everything’s either too slow or too bugged to work. I like the battery backup and charge up is quick as well. And decent microphone quality. This is not a fancy pair of earbuds with AI but a good sounding product. My suggestion to SoundPeats is to work on the app to make it functional.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 1 month ago

SoundPeats H3 - Fun tws, bad app.

Soundpeats H3 Review

Hello everyone, this review is about SoundPeats H3 a TWS with a Hybrid driver setup (1DD + 2BA ).

Pros: ~ Good bass texture
~ Male vocals sound rich
~ Low latency for Gaming
~ Good Microphone Performance over calls
~ Battery life is commendable

Cons: ~ Peats Audio app sign up is required to unlock even basic features
~ Very inconvenient and Inconsistent App performance, buggy and laggy
~ The earbuds will not be comfortable for someone with small ears as the earbuds are a bit chunky
~ ANC modes do not work
~ No in ear detection feature
( basically most cons are app based ones and the App sucks. )

Disclaimer : This unit was sent to me for review purposes by SoundPeats and all impressions or opinions are mine and not influenced by anyone else. Thank you Icy from SoundPeats for sending me the unit.

Overview​

SOUNDPEATS has been building wireless audio gear since 2010, and the H3 marks one of their pricier plays yet in the TWS space, launched in September 2025 at $129.99, whether that price tag holds up the worth is what this review sets out to answer.

Build - Comfort - Battery​

The H3 uses a metal mesh grille over the driver ports with an anodised aluminium sound nozzle, set into a semi-transparent shell with metallic accents. Touch controls handle playback and mode-switching. The case charges via Type-C, takes about 2 hours for a full charge, and the earbuds themselves top up in roughly 1 hour. IPX5 water resistance is backed by a nano-coating for sweat and splash exposure. The earbud is shaped similarly to an IEM shell which is a bit larger than your average TWS and noticeably chunky. Comfort is good because of light weight but the fit is not that great, it stays in ear without falling over but it will be a little uncomfortable for someone with small ears. The claimed Battery standby time is 7hr playback + 37hour with case. After days of testing, the battery i got with the LDAC is around 5 hours 55 minutes and around 6 hours 40 minutes on AAC. Tested on my android and ios devices. With ANC on, the battery was around 6 hours 15 minutes without LDAC. And 5 hours 45 minutes on AAC. The spec sheet read is - Battery Capacity: 35*2 mAH (Earbuds) 400mAH (Case).

Sound Profile and Performance​

First things first, I will first talk about H3’s sound out of the box and then separately talk about the EQ and then the technicalities.

I almost liked the sound of H3 right off the box, it’s a V shaped tuning with deep sub-bass rumble and average mid-bass with not so good slam or thump to it. The mids sound slightly recessed and treble is safe and inoffensive. The Staging is average - thankfully it’s not too congested that it sounds like it’s in my face. The EQ profile i liked using was HiFi and the default Classic, they are similar with minor tweaks. Switching in between the EQ modes is slow and sometimes do not work. I tried the 9 band EQ for a while but i do not know much about EQ’ing and the PEQ is kind of inconsistent too, sometimes its applying quick, sometimes there’s delay or doesn’t apply at all. To bring out the potential of the H3, you need a little EQ. But I am going to be honest, I am an IEM Guy who believes in the stock sound of a product being its character, meddling with tunings and making it sound to your liking is handy and cool maybe, but it just doesn’t feel original to me. And before I start talking about it sectional sound performance ( bass, mids , treble ) i would like to point out that for something that has an option to completely change the way it sounds - talking about its bass mids and treble feels a little silly to me. But i will still do it and it will entirely be based on stock sound - Classic ( because everyone can use different EQ’s and personalise this - and me reviewing this product with my own EQ is just very subjective and doesn’t make any justice to the product. )
Note : The “HiFi” preset sounds more open and sub-bass is a little more controlled and no change in mids and treble by a mile.

Bass :​

The bass on the H3 is the most confident part of its presentation. Sub-bass has good depth and rumble but what it has in presence it lacks in control, it’s not excessive or bloated but it doesn’t hit with the kind of authority or power that would make it truly satisfying. The mid-bass is present with good attack and slam which makes the listening experience groovy and engaging. Thankfully, there’s minimal bass bleed into the mids and keeps the low end clean and composed without muddying the rest of the presentation.

Mids :​

The midrange follows the H3’s mild V shaped character - present but not pushed forward. Male vocals come through with good body and weight, the lower mids carry enough presence. Female vocals are decent but fall slightly short of sharpness and definition - they sound good but lack the crispness that would make them truly stand out. Instruments come through clearly but with a conservative upper frequency presentation that costs them some character - guitars miss that sizzling string texture, the kind of edge that makes the listening lively and energising. But not every instrument suffers for it - Piano and Acoustic guitar in particular come through with a full bodied, rich and naturally weighted presentation, instruments that don’t rely on brightness or edge to sound good and the H3 obliges them well.

Treble :​

The treble on the H3 plays it safe and for the most part it works - no spikes, no harshness, no fatigue. Hi-hats and cymbals have decent resonance and presence, sitting naturally within the mix without drawing attention to themselves. The safe tuning does come at a cost though, the conservativeness in the upper frequencies is what holds back both the instruments and the female vocals from reaching their ceiling. Inoffensive but not exciting.

Technicalities​

Imaging : The imaging is good and the placement of instruments and vocals are easily distinguishable without much effort.

Detail retrieval : Inconsistent, there is clarity but it’s buried, the subtle background nuances and details are a little feint sounding sometimes.

Soundstage : The Soundstage is more of a studio type setting rather than an auditorium, everything holds its place intimately without too much space to move around but adequate spaciousness to sound free.

Separation : The Separation is good but not exceptional, you can differentiate everything decently well. H3 is quite cohesive but instruments feel a little close to each other than general but stays clear in terms of clarity aspect.

SoundPeats App and Features​

What do we look for when we pick a pair of wired earphones or headphones? Yes, How do they sound and how comfortable they are and rest all is just not that important. But when we move to the wireless category of Bluetooth with TWS and wireless headphones there are quite a lot of accompaniments we look at. Those accompaniments are the features that will be equally looked at on par with sound when it comes to buying a truly wireless earphones (tws) or headphones. Let’s see what side dishes are you getting along the sound when you buy the SoundPeats H3

First thing to note is that you cannot do anything without signing up for the app. I understand that signing in with an account helps us save and retain the settings and EQ profiles we have set up across multiple devices, but an account requirement even for the basic features is not a good start to the usability - yeah, this is just a nitpick. Lets get into what the App actually offers -

First thing I tried is the EQ option, it has Presets, Adaptive EQ and Custom Sound modes. Coming to the Presets, i do not particularly like anything in that but if i have to pick something, it would be the HiFi and Classic presets which are decent compared to the rest of the presets. The Adaptive EQ mode on the other hand is a test based EQ that consists of a Smart Hearing Test where it makes you listen to many frequencies (hz)and sound levels (db) and asks you to click on “Heard” if you hear that frequency. it’s a scientific test which tests our hearing ability. The app says that it will intelligently compensate for us based on the hearing test we took. Then there’s this Custom Sound mode which has the 10 band parametric EQ option for you to meddle with and get a preferred sound out of the H3. Now let’s see the other app features and the spec sheet parts.

  • ANC / Normal / Transparency - three listening modes switchable directly from the app
  • Dual-Device Connection - connect to two devices at once
  • Gesture Controls - remap touch controls to your preference
  • Prompt Sound Guide - adjust voice prompt settings
  • Game Mode - low latency toggle which is quite a good option to have.
  • Disable Touch Control - turns off touch controls entirely to avoid accidental inputs
  • Find Earbuds - locates your earbuds feature, which is a pretty handy option.
  • Fit Test - checks how well the earbuds are sealing in your ears which helps improve bass and audio performance in general.

Technical specifications​

  • Driver : 12mm Dynamic Driver (PU + Wool composite) × 1 + Balanced Armature × 2
  • Bluetooth : V5.4
  • Bluetooth Profiles : HSP / HFP / A2DP / AVRCP
  • Codecs : SBC / AAC / LDAC / aptX / aptX Adaptive / aptX Lossless (LDAC disabled by default, needs to be enabled via PeatsAudio app)
  • Frequency Response : 20Hz – 40kHz
  • ANC : AI Adaptive ANC (-55dB)
  • Call Noise Cancellation : 6-Mic AI with cVc 8.0
  • Water Resistance : IPX5
  • Charging Time : Earbuds 1H / Case 2H
  • Fast Charging : 10 minutes = 2 hours playback
  • Playback : 7H earbud + 37H total with case

The Noise Cancellation in calls work decently, I wouldn’t say the microphone is the best there is but i compared it to my AirPods 2 pro and the result is very similar to each other in terms of voice clarity

The Noise reduction is pretty good as well, I only have AirPods to compare with it and AirPods have better Noise cancellation/ reduction (of-course, they are industry leading in ANC department). SoundPeats H3 is quite good in cancelling out fan or air cooler or Environmental noises in general but the noises of vehicles or machineries still get in your ears, there are multiple modes in Noise reduction mode such as Adaptive Noise Cancellation, Indoor Noise Cancellation, Outdoor Noise Cancellation, Traffic Mode.
But I do not like the fact that they don't make much difference or any difference at all. I do not know if it’s the app thats buggy or lagging or it’s just a useless name sake set of modes given. ( I tried on my android as well, so i can say it’s not my device issue ).

Final Thoughts​

SoundPeats H3 is a fun sounding TWS earbuds that is a good buy for 130$, I like how it sounds, the sound out of the box is quite fun and the option of experimenting with EQ is a plus. I do not at all like the app. From the compulsory signup process to the comedic function, everything’s either too slow or too bugged to work. I like the battery backup and charge up is quick as well. And decent microphone quality. This is not a fancy pair of earbuds with AI but a good sounding product. My suggestion to SoundPeats is to work on the app to make it functional.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 1 month ago

SoundPeats H3 - A fun sounding tws with an app support that sucks

Soundpeats H3 Review

Hello everyone, this review is about SoundPeats H3 a TWS with a Hybrid driver setup (1DD + 2BA ).

Pros: ~ Good bass texture
~ Male vocals sound rich
~ Low latency for Gaming
~ Good Microphone Performance over calls
~ Battery life is commendable

Cons: ~ Peats Audio app sign up is required to unlock even basic features
~ Very inconvenient and Inconsistent App performance, buggy and laggy
~ The earbuds will not be comfortable for someone with small ears as the earbuds are a bit chunky
~ ANC modes do not work
~ No in ear detection feature
( basically most cons are app based ones and the App sucks. )

Disclaimer : This unit was sent to me for review purposes by SoundPeats and all impressions or opinions are mine and not influenced by anyone else. Thank you Icy from SoundPeats for sending me the unit.

Overview​

SOUNDPEATS has been building wireless audio gear since 2010, and the H3 marks one of their pricier plays yet in the TWS space, launched in September 2025 at $129.99, whether that price tag holds up the worth is what this review sets out to answer.

Build - Comfort - Battery​

The H3 uses a metal mesh grille over the driver ports with an anodised aluminium sound nozzle, set into a semi-transparent shell with metallic accents. Touch controls handle playback and mode-switching. The case charges via Type-C, takes about 2 hours for a full charge, and the earbuds themselves top up in roughly 1 hour. IPX5 water resistance is backed by a nano-coating for sweat and splash exposure. The earbud is shaped similarly to an IEM shell which is a bit larger than your average TWS and noticeably chunky. Comfort is good because of light weight but the fit is not that great, it stays in ear without falling over but it will be a little uncomfortable for someone with small ears. The claimed Battery standby time is 7hr playback + 37hour with case. After days of testing, the battery i got with the LDAC is around 5 hours 55 minutes and around 6 hours 40 minutes on AAC. Tested on my android and ios devices. With ANC on, the battery was around 6 hours 15 minutes without LDAC. And 5 hours 45 minutes on AAC. The spec sheet read is - Battery Capacity: 35*2 mAH (Earbuds) 400mAH (Case).

Sound Profile and Performance​

First things first, I will first talk about H3’s sound out of the box and then separately talk about the EQ and then the technicalities.

I almost liked the sound of H3 right off the box, it’s a V shaped tuning with deep sub-bass rumble and average mid-bass with not so good slam or thump to it. The mids sound slightly recessed and treble is safe and inoffensive. The Staging is average - thankfully it’s not too congested that it sounds like it’s in my face. The EQ profile i liked using was HiFi and the default Classic, they are similar with minor tweaks. Switching in between the EQ modes is slow and sometimes do not work. I tried the 9 band EQ for a while but i do not know much about EQ’ing and the PEQ is kind of inconsistent too, sometimes its applying quick, sometimes there’s delay or doesn’t apply at all. To bring out the potential of the H3, you need a little EQ. But I am going to be honest, I am an IEM Guy who believes in the stock sound of a product being its character, meddling with tunings and making it sound to your liking is handy and cool maybe, but it just doesn’t feel original to me. And before I start talking about it sectional sound performance ( bass, mids , treble ) i would like to point out that for something that has an option to completely change the way it sounds - talking about its bass mids and treble feels a little silly to me. But i will still do it and it will entirely be based on stock sound - Classic ( because everyone can use different EQ’s and personalise this - and me reviewing this product with my own EQ is just very subjective and doesn’t make any justice to the product. )
Note : The “HiFi” preset sounds more open and sub-bass is a little more controlled and no change in mids and treble by a mile.

Bass :​

The bass on the H3 is the most confident part of its presentation. Sub-bass has good depth and rumble but what it has in presence it lacks in control, it’s not excessive or bloated but it doesn’t hit with the kind of authority or power that would make it truly satisfying. The mid-bass is present with good attack and slam which makes the listening experience groovy and engaging. Thankfully, there’s minimal bass bleed into the mids and keeps the low end clean and composed without muddying the rest of the presentation.

Mids :​

The midrange follows the H3’s mild V shaped character - present but not pushed forward. Male vocals come through with good body and weight, the lower mids carry enough presence. Female vocals are decent but fall slightly short of sharpness and definition - they sound good but lack the crispness that would make them truly stand out. Instruments come through clearly but with a conservative upper frequency presentation that costs them some character - guitars miss that sizzling string texture, the kind of edge that makes the listening lively and energising. But not every instrument suffers for it - Piano and Acoustic guitar in particular come through with a full bodied, rich and naturally weighted presentation, instruments that don’t rely on brightness or edge to sound good and the H3 obliges them well.

Treble :​

The treble on the H3 plays it safe and for the most part it works - no spikes, no harshness, no fatigue. Hi-hats and cymbals have decent resonance and presence, sitting naturally within the mix without drawing attention to themselves. The safe tuning does come at a cost though, the conservativeness in the upper frequencies is what holds back both the instruments and the female vocals from reaching their ceiling. Inoffensive but not exciting.

Technicalities​

Imaging : The imaging is good and the placement of instruments and vocals are easily distinguishable without much effort.

Detail retrieval : Inconsistent, there is clarity but it’s buried, the subtle background nuances and details are a little feint sounding sometimes.

Soundstage : The Soundstage is more of a studio type setting rather than an auditorium, everything holds its place intimately without too much space to move around but adequate spaciousness to sound free.

Separation : The Separation is good but not exceptional, you can differentiate everything decently well. H3 is quite cohesive but instruments feel a little close to each other than general but stays clear in terms of clarity aspect.

SoundPeats App and Features​

What do we look for when we pick a pair of wired earphones or headphones? Yes, How do they sound and how comfortable they are and rest all is just not that important. But when we move to the wireless category of Bluetooth with TWS and wireless headphones there are quite a lot of accompaniments we look at. Those accompaniments are the features that will be equally looked at on par with sound when it comes to buying a truly wireless earphones (tws) or headphones. Let’s see what side dishes are you getting along the sound when you buy the SoundPeats H3

First thing to note is that you cannot do anything without signing up for the app. I understand that signing in with an account helps us save and retain the settings and EQ profiles we have set up across multiple devices, but an account requirement even for the basic features is not a good start to the usability - yeah, this is just a nitpick. Lets get into what the App actually offers -

First thing I tried is the EQ option, it has Presets, Adaptive EQ and Custom Sound modes. Coming to the Presets, i do not particularly like anything in that but if i have to pick something, it would be the HiFi and Classic presets which are decent compared to the rest of the presets. The Adaptive EQ mode on the other hand is a test based EQ that consists of a Smart Hearing Test where it makes you listen to many frequencies (hz)and sound levels (db) and asks you to click on “Heard” if you hear that frequency. it’s a scientific test which tests our hearing ability. The app says that it will intelligently compensate for us based on the hearing test we took. Then there’s this Custom Sound mode which has the 10 band parametric EQ option for you to meddle with and get a preferred sound out of the H3. Now let’s see the other app features and the spec sheet parts.

  • ANC / Normal / Transparency - three listening modes switchable directly from the app
  • Dual-Device Connection - connect to two devices at once
  • Gesture Controls - remap touch controls to your preference
  • Prompt Sound Guide - adjust voice prompt settings
  • Game Mode - low latency toggle which is quite a good option to have.
  • Disable Touch Control - turns off touch controls entirely to avoid accidental inputs
  • Find Earbuds - locates your earbuds feature, which is a pretty handy option.
  • Fit Test - checks how well the earbuds are sealing in your ears which helps improve bass and audio performance in general.

Technical specifications​

  • Driver : 12mm Dynamic Driver (PU + Wool composite) × 1 + Balanced Armature × 2
  • Bluetooth : V5.4
  • Bluetooth Profiles : HSP / HFP / A2DP / AVRCP
  • Codecs : SBC / AAC / LDAC / aptX / aptX Adaptive / aptX Lossless (LDAC disabled by default, needs to be enabled via PeatsAudio app)
  • Frequency Response : 20Hz – 40kHz
  • ANC : AI Adaptive ANC (-55dB)
  • Call Noise Cancellation : 6-Mic AI with cVc 8.0
  • Water Resistance : IPX5
  • Charging Time : Earbuds 1H / Case 2H
  • Fast Charging : 10 minutes = 2 hours playback
  • Playback : 7H earbud + 37H total with case

The Noise Cancellation in calls work decently, I wouldn’t say the microphone is the best there is but i compared it to my AirPods 2 pro and the result is very similar to each other in terms of voice clarity

The Noise reduction is pretty good as well, I only have AirPods to compare with it and AirPods have better Noise cancellation/ reduction (of-course, they are industry leading in ANC department). SoundPeats H3 is quite good in cancelling out fan or air cooler or Environmental noises in general but the noises of vehicles or machineries still get in your ears, there are multiple modes in Noise reduction mode such as Adaptive Noise Cancellation, Indoor Noise Cancellation, Outdoor Noise Cancellation, Traffic Mode.
But I do not like the fact that they don't make much difference or any difference at all. I do not know if it’s the app thats buggy or lagging or it’s just a useless name sake set of modes given. ( I tried on my android as well, so i can say it’s not my device issue ).

Final Thoughts​

SoundPeats H3 is a fun sounding TWS earbuds that is a good buy for 130$, I like how it sounds, the sound out of the box is quite fun and the option of experimenting with EQ is a plus. I do not at all like the app. From the compulsory signup process to the comedic function, everything’s either too slow or too bugged to work. I like the battery backup and charge up is quick as well. And decent microphone quality. This is not a fancy pair of earbuds with AI but a good sounding product. My suggestion to SoundPeats is to work on the app to make it functional.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 1 month ago

SoundPeats H3 Review - Sounds fun, App sucks.

Soundpeats H3 Review

Hello everyone, this review is about SoundPeats H3 a TWS with a Hybrid driver setup (1DD + 2BA ).

Pros: ~ Good bass texture
~ Male vocals sound rich
~ Low latency for Gaming
~ Good Microphone Performance over calls
~ Battery life is commendable

Cons: ~ Peats Audio app sign up is required to unlock even basic features
~ Very inconvenient and Inconsistent App performance, buggy and laggy
~ The earbuds will not be comfortable for someone with small ears as the earbuds are a bit chunky
~ ANC modes do not work
~ No in ear detection feature
( basically most cons are app based ones and the App sucks. )

Disclaimer : This unit was sent to me for review purposes by SoundPeats and all impressions or opinions are mine and not influenced by anyone else. Thank you Icy from SoundPeats for sending me the unit.

Overview​

SOUNDPEATS has been building wireless audio gear since 2010, and the H3 marks one of their pricier plays yet in the TWS space, launched in September 2025 at $129.99, whether that price tag holds up the worth is what this review sets out to answer.

Build - Comfort - Battery​

The H3 uses a metal mesh grille over the driver ports with an anodised aluminium sound nozzle, set into a semi-transparent shell with metallic accents. Touch controls handle playback and mode-switching. The case charges via Type-C, takes about 2 hours for a full charge, and the earbuds themselves top up in roughly 1 hour. IPX5 water resistance is backed by a nano-coating for sweat and splash exposure. The earbud is shaped similarly to an IEM shell which is a bit larger than your average TWS and noticeably chunky. Comfort is good because of light weight but the fit is not that great, it stays in ear without falling over but it will be a little uncomfortable for someone with small ears. The claimed Battery standby time is 7hr playback + 37hour with case. After days of testing, the battery i got with the LDAC is around 5 hours 55 minutes and around 6 hours 40 minutes on AAC. Tested on my android and ios devices. With ANC on, the battery was around 6 hours 15 minutes without LDAC. And 5 hours 45 minutes on AAC. The spec sheet read is - Battery Capacity: 35*2 mAH (Earbuds) 400mAH (Case).

Sound Profile and Performance​

First things first, I will first talk about H3’s sound out of the box and then separately talk about the EQ and then the technicalities.

I almost liked the sound of H3 right off the box, it’s a V shaped tuning with deep sub-bass rumble and average mid-bass with not so good slam or thump to it. The mids sound slightly recessed and treble is safe and inoffensive. The Staging is average - thankfully it’s not too congested that it sounds like it’s in my face. The EQ profile i liked using was HiFi and the default Classic, they are similar with minor tweaks. Switching in between the EQ modes is slow and sometimes do not work. I tried the 9 band EQ for a while but i do not know much about EQ’ing and the PEQ is kind of inconsistent too, sometimes its applying quick, sometimes there’s delay or doesn’t apply at all. To bring out the potential of the H3, you need a little EQ. But I am going to be honest, I am an IEM Guy who believes in the stock sound of a product being its character, meddling with tunings and making it sound to your liking is handy and cool maybe, but it just doesn’t feel original to me. And before I start talking about it sectional sound performance ( bass, mids , treble ) i would like to point out that for something that has an option to completely change the way it sounds - talking about its bass mids and treble feels a little silly to me. But i will still do it and it will entirely be based on stock sound - Classic ( because everyone can use different EQ’s and personalise this - and me reviewing this product with my own EQ is just very subjective and doesn’t make any justice to the product. )
Note : The “HiFi” preset sounds more open and sub-bass is a little more controlled and no change in mids and treble by a mile.

Bass :​

The bass on the H3 is the most confident part of its presentation. Sub-bass has good depth and rumble but what it has in presence it lacks in control, it’s not excessive or bloated but it doesn’t hit with the kind of authority or power that would make it truly satisfying. The mid-bass is present with good attack and slam which makes the listening experience groovy and engaging. Thankfully, there’s minimal bass bleed into the mids and keeps the low end clean and composed without muddying the rest of the presentation.

Mids :​

The midrange follows the H3’s mild V shaped character - present but not pushed forward. Male vocals come through with good body and weight, the lower mids carry enough presence. Female vocals are decent but fall slightly short of sharpness and definition - they sound good but lack the crispness that would make them truly stand out. Instruments come through clearly but with a conservative upper frequency presentation that costs them some character - guitars miss that sizzling string texture, the kind of edge that makes the listening lively and energising. But not every instrument suffers for it - Piano and Acoustic guitar in particular come through with a full bodied, rich and naturally weighted presentation, instruments that don’t rely on brightness or edge to sound good and the H3 obliges them well.

Treble :​

The treble on the H3 plays it safe and for the most part it works - no spikes, no harshness, no fatigue. Hi-hats and cymbals have decent resonance and presence, sitting naturally within the mix without drawing attention to themselves. The safe tuning does come at a cost though, the conservativeness in the upper frequencies is what holds back both the instruments and the female vocals from reaching their ceiling. Inoffensive but not exciting.

Technicalities​

Imaging : The imaging is good and the placement of instruments and vocals are easily distinguishable without much effort.

Detail retrieval : Inconsistent, there is clarity but it’s buried, the subtle background nuances and details are a little feint sounding sometimes.

Soundstage : The Soundstage is more of a studio type setting rather than an auditorium, everything holds its place intimately without too much space to move around but adequate spaciousness to sound free.

Separation : The Separation is good but not exceptional, you can differentiate everything decently well. H3 is quite cohesive but instruments feel a little close to each other than general but stays clear in terms of clarity aspect.

SoundPeats App and Features​

What do we look for when we pick a pair of wired earphones or headphones? Yes, How do they sound and how comfortable they are and rest all is just not that important. But when we move to the wireless category of Bluetooth with TWS and wireless headphones there are quite a lot of accompaniments we look at. Those accompaniments are the features that will be equally looked at on par with sound when it comes to buying a truly wireless earphones (tws) or headphones. Let’s see what side dishes are you getting along the sound when you buy the SoundPeats H3

First thing to note is that you cannot do anything without signing up for the app. I understand that signing in with an account helps us save and retain the settings and EQ profiles we have set up across multiple devices, but an account requirement even for the basic features is not a good start to the usability - yeah, this is just a nitpick. Lets get into what the App actually offers -

First thing I tried is the EQ option, it has Presets, Adaptive EQ and Custom Sound modes. Coming to the Presets, i do not particularly like anything in that but if i have to pick something, it would be the HiFi and Classic presets which are decent compared to the rest of the presets. The Adaptive EQ mode on the other hand is a test based EQ that consists of a Smart Hearing Test where it makes you listen to many frequencies (hz)and sound levels (db) and asks you to click on “Heard” if you hear that frequency. it’s a scientific test which tests our hearing ability. The app says that it will intelligently compensate for us based on the hearing test we took. Then there’s this Custom Sound mode which has the 10 band parametric EQ option for you to meddle with and get a preferred sound out of the H3. Now let’s see the other app features and the spec sheet parts.

  • ANC / Normal / Transparency - three listening modes switchable directly from the app
  • Dual-Device Connection - connect to two devices at once
  • Gesture Controls - remap touch controls to your preference
  • Prompt Sound Guide - adjust voice prompt settings
  • Game Mode - low latency toggle which is quite a good option to have.
  • Disable Touch Control - turns off touch controls entirely to avoid accidental inputs
  • Find Earbuds - locates your earbuds feature, which is a pretty handy option.
  • Fit Test - checks how well the earbuds are sealing in your ears which helps improve bass and audio performance in general.

Technical specifications​

  • Driver : 12mm Dynamic Driver (PU + Wool composite) × 1 + Balanced Armature × 2
  • Bluetooth : V5.4
  • Bluetooth Profiles : HSP / HFP / A2DP / AVRCP
  • Codecs : SBC / AAC / LDAC / aptX / aptX Adaptive / aptX Lossless (LDAC disabled by default, needs to be enabled via PeatsAudio app)
  • Frequency Response : 20Hz – 40kHz
  • ANC : AI Adaptive ANC (-55dB)
  • Call Noise Cancellation : 6-Mic AI with cVc 8.0
  • Water Resistance : IPX5
  • Charging Time : Earbuds 1H / Case 2H
  • Fast Charging : 10 minutes = 2 hours playback
  • Playback : 7H earbud + 37H total with case

The Noise Cancellation in calls work decently, I wouldn’t say the microphone is the best there is but i compared it to my AirPods 2 pro and the result is very similar to each other in terms of voice clarity

The Noise reduction is pretty good as well, I only have AirPods to compare with it and AirPods have better Noise cancellation/ reduction (of-course, they are industry leading in ANC department). SoundPeats H3 is quite good in cancelling out fan or air cooler or Environmental noises in general but the noises of vehicles or machineries still get in your ears, there are multiple modes in Noise reduction mode such as Adaptive Noise Cancellation, Indoor Noise Cancellation, Outdoor Noise Cancellation, Traffic Mode.
But I do not like the fact that they don't make much difference or any difference at all. I do not know if it’s the app thats buggy or lagging or it’s just a useless name sake set of modes given. ( I tried on my android as well, so i can say it’s not my device issue ).

Final Thoughts​

SoundPeats H3 is a fun sounding TWS earbuds that is a good buy for 130$, I like how it sounds, the sound out of the box is quite fun and the option of experimenting with EQ is a plus. I do not at all like the app. From the compulsory signup process to the comedic function, everything’s either too slow or too bugged to work. I like the battery backup and charge up is quick as well. And decent microphone quality. This is not a fancy pair of earbuds with AI but a good sounding product. My suggestion to SoundPeats is to work on the app to make it functional.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 1 month ago
▲ 45 r/iems

MAIL CALL from Harmonic Empire!

Thank you HE audio for sending me the unit to review.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago
▲ 11 r/EverymanAudio+1 crossposts

Tanchjim Space 2 - Review

Tanchjim Space 2 - Compact - Convenient - Clean

Pros: ~ Sounds Clean
~ Very pocket friendly
~ Dual DAC operating modes - Class AB / Class H
~ Mic passthrough and adjustable microphone gain setting
~ DAC DRE ( Dynamic Range Enhancement ) Optimization
~ Dedicated Game EQ profiles for various games and in game sound enhancements for fps games

Cons: ~ Not Powerful enough for the price, there are far cheaper DACs that offer more power
~ The type C cable interconnect cable should have been a better quality
~ Although having so many features, this is not a value for money (should rather opt for space pro to have better power and value for what you pay)
~ App is only compatible with Android. (come on Tanchjim, its 2026)

Overview​

Tanchjim needs no lengthy introduction in the ChiFi space - they’ve been making well regarded IEMs and audio gear for a while now. The Space 2 is the successor to their popular Space dongle DAC, arriving with meaningful upgrades and a feature set that makes it worth talking about. With a price tag of around 90$ - lets see if it’s worth paying that much.

This unit was sent to me by Tanchjim for review purposes, thanks to Isabel from Tanchjim for sending me this unit. All opinions and impressions are mine and not influenced by anyone else.

Build and Technical Specifications​

The Space 2 is remarkably small and sits in your pocket without you ever noticing it’s there. Hence, Compact. The metal shell feels solid and premium for something this light, nothing about it feels cheap or plasticky despite the size. At just 15.1 grams it barely registers in your hand yet feels well put together. The physical volume buttons on the body work exactly as they should, responsive but a little stiff. Both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs are present on the same unit. No need to carry multiple dongles for different terminations. Supports 10 band EQ DSP tuning and app supports community custom EQ profiles to use freely. Hence, Convenient.
It comes in three colors namely black, blue and grey - all identical in performance. Overall the build communicates quality without excess. Small, light, metal and purposeful. the type c to type c interconnect cable however is not as sturdy as the rest of the build, it's good but not exceptional.

Technical Specifications :

  • DAC Chip : Dual CS43131
  • Output Power (4.4mm) : 230mW @ 32Ω
  • Output Power (3.5mm) : 105mW @ 16Ω
  • Max Decoding : 32-bit / 768kHz PCM, DSD256
  • Dynamic Range : 132.5dB
  • THD+N : 0.00017%
  • Signal to Noise Distortion ( SINAD): 116dB
  • Size : 4.2 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm
  • Weight : 15.1g
  • Outputs : 3.5mm + 4.4mm
  • Microphone Support : No
  • Volume Control : Physical independent buttons
  • DSP Support : Android and Windows only

Sound and Performance​

The Tanchjim Space 2 consists of Dual CS43131 DAC chips which are known for their High Dynamic range ( upto 130dBA) and lower harmonic distortion ( as low as -108 dB to -115 dB ). The Space 2 is transparent and analytical - it doesn't add warmth or color. What goes in comes out clearly. Hence, Clean. It delivers good power dynamics and it doesn’t get too hot ( just a little warm ). I was able to drive all my IEMs easily - but none of them are hard to drive except for the ‘Alpha Omega RA’ a tribrid with a 7 driver setup. For most IEMs use case scenarios, Space 2 gives out more than enough power required ( 235mw ). It is a little bright sounding DAC and the most evident thing I observed in my listening session was the Bass, it got more punchy and has more body to it where subbass and midbass were equally benefitted. Mids and treble were normal. In conclusion, although the power is not humongous compared to its peers at this price range, the sound improvisation as in the dynamics are not a lackluster at all.

Features​

The Space 2 is a very feature packed DAC with a clean app control but the problem here is that it’s only android compatible. Thankfully, I have an android lying around. Let’s dive in and see what are the fun features that the space 2 and Tanchjim app offer us.

Class Operation Modes

The Class Operation modes - Class H and Class AB didn't make much difference, there was no change that I could observe. So, I cannot talk anything about them.

Microphone

The space 2 supports inline mic passthrough via 3.5mm and also has an adjustable gain feature in Tanchjim app.

Online Sound Effect Community ( EQ )​

This is the EQ section where the options are Current device ( useful if you pair it with Tanchjim Products ) EQ Forum, which is the online community forum alongside Tanchjim official sound presets ( Default Sound, Natural Mode, Theatre Mode, Ambient Mode, Classical Mode, Pop Mode, Instrument Mode, OST Mode). A lot of options added - the last time I used the app there were only Default, Balanced, Natural ( and 2 more which i forgot ) and there is a custom sound section where you can EQ your IEMS with a 10 Band Parametric EQ. There’s also a set of official presets from Space 2 which are Tube mode, Vinyl sound mode, Vinyl sound mode. ( I tried these with the Ola 2 and my observations are as follows )

Tube Mode - Slightly warmer sounding than normal and other EQ profiles.
CD Sound Mode - A little recessed sounding profile, probably just a nostalgic add on i suppose.
Vinyl Sound Mode - I did not find much difference between this and the Tube Modes.

Game EQ :​

Tanchjim has this cool Game EQ feature with a bunch of presets and profiles in it. There are some game specific sound profiles like FPS games and MMORPG and other Genre games as well. Not just for mobile, for PC and also Nintendo switch. Which is very handy to have and it doesn’t just end there, there are 2 other options - “Tactical” and “Virtual”. Tactical is for specially for FPS games where it offers some enhancement presets such as -

  • Step Sound Enhancement : makes the sound pop out a little, not too much enhancement or upgrade
  • Step Sound Direction Enhance : just a sharpness here too, no increase in separation or clarity by a mile, just a slight touch.
  • Gunshot Ear Dampening : muffles the bullet shots a little, does not make them sound recessed or directionless, a good add on.
  • Gunshot Direction Enhance : did not make a difference, not worth noticing.
  • Impact Sense Enhance : just boosts the overall sound to a little bright signature and nothing else.

Virtual has a 5.1 surround and 7.1 surround modes with sub-modes or options being Large space, Standard space, Small space. But for me, they did not work at all - i tried while normal music listening and also gaming, they did not even activate I guess. So the options were just empty clicks for me.
In conclusion, these Enhancement Profiles are okay, not game changing level of significance but they work, cannot say same about the Virtual though.

Final Thoughts​

Sound wise, I have no problems with Space 2. Features are quite good too. But the price - the idea of getting a 235mw of power at 90$ is not sitting right with me, yes - the game EQ features, the community EQ and features are cool and all but there are far better options at that price with plenty more power and different chips, plenty of cheaper DAC options are there with more power output as well. I understand they priced it this way because it essentially offers almost everything the pro does and the space pro is just 10$ higher with more power and a different chip. Space pro is a better choice. I would have easily recommended space 2 to everybody if it was cheaper, maybe around 60-65 dollars would have been fair. If you wanna drive IEMs and do not care about saving the pocket, this is a good buy. Putting price aside, I think Tanchjim has done a great job with this build and integration of app features. But value as an entirety is a far reach for space 2 as getting this at 90$ is not worth it in my honest opinion, This is a very good DAC - just not a very good pricing.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago

Tanchjim Space 2 - Review

Tanchjim Space 2 - Compact - Convenient - Clean

Pros: ~ Sounds Clean
~ Very pocket friendly
~ Dual DAC operating modes - Class AB / Class H
~ Mic passthrough and adjustable microphone gain setting
~ DAC DRE ( Dynamic Range Enhancement ) Optimization
~ Dedicated Game EQ profiles for various games and in game sound enhancements for fps games

Cons: ~ Not Powerful enough for the price, there are far cheaper DACs that offer more power
~ The type C cable interconnect cable should have been a better quality
~ Although having so many features, this is not a value for money (should rather opt for space pro to have better power and value for what you pay)
~ App is only compatible with Android. (come on Tanchjim, its 2026)

Overview​

Tanchjim needs no lengthy introduction in the ChiFi space - they’ve been making well regarded IEMs and audio gear for a while now. The Space 2 is the successor to their popular Space dongle DAC, arriving with meaningful upgrades and a feature set that makes it worth talking about. With a price tag of around 90$ - lets see if it’s worth paying that much.

This unit was sent to me by Tanchjim for review purposes, thanks to Isabel from Tanchjim for sending me this unit. All opinions and impressions are mine and not influenced by anyone else.

Build and Technical Specifications​

The Space 2 is remarkably small and sits in your pocket without you ever noticing it’s there. Hence, Compact. The metal shell feels solid and premium for something this light, nothing about it feels cheap or plasticky despite the size. At just 15.1 grams it barely registers in your hand yet feels well put together. The physical volume buttons on the body work exactly as they should, responsive but a little stiff. Both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs are present on the same unit. No need to carry multiple dongles for different terminations. Supports 10 band EQ DSP tuning and app supports community custom EQ profiles to use freely. Hence, Convenient.
It comes in three colors namely black, blue and grey - all identical in performance. Overall the build communicates quality without excess. Small, light, metal and purposeful. the type c to type c interconnect cable however is not as sturdy as the rest of the build, it's good but not exceptional.

Technical Specifications :

  • DAC Chip : Dual CS43131
  • Output Power (4.4mm) : 230mW @ 32Ω
  • Output Power (3.5mm) : 105mW @ 16Ω
  • Max Decoding : 32-bit / 768kHz PCM, DSD256
  • Dynamic Range : 132.5dB
  • THD+N : 0.00017%
  • Signal to Noise Distortion ( SINAD): 116dB
  • Size : 4.2 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm
  • Weight : 15.1g
  • Outputs : 3.5mm + 4.4mm
  • Microphone Support : No
  • Volume Control : Physical independent buttons
  • DSP Support : Android and Windows only

Sound and Performance​

The Tanchjim Space 2 consists of Dual CS43131 DAC chips which are known for their High Dynamic range ( upto 130dBA) and lower harmonic distortion ( as low as -108 dB to -115 dB ). The Space 2 is transparent and analytical - it doesn't add warmth or color. What goes in comes out clearly. Hence, Clean. It delivers good power dynamics and it doesn’t get too hot ( just a little warm ). I was able to drive all my IEMs easily - but none of them are hard to drive except for the ‘Alpha Omega RA’ a tribrid with a 7 driver setup. For most IEMs use case scenarios, Space 2 gives out more than enough power required ( 235mw ). It is a little bright sounding DAC and the most evident thing I observed in my listening session was the Bass, it got more punchy and has more body to it where subbass and midbass were equally benefitted. Mids and treble were normal. In conclusion, although the power is not humongous compared to its peers at this price range, the sound improvisation as in the dynamics are not a lackluster at all.

Features​

The Space 2 is a very feature packed DAC with a clean app control but the problem here is that it’s only android compatible. Thankfully, I have an android lying around. Let’s dive in and see what are the fun features that the space 2 and Tanchjim app offer us.

Class Operation Modes

The Class Operation modes - Class H and Class AB didn't make much difference, there was no change that I could observe. So, I cannot talk anything about them.

Microphone

The space 2 supports inline mic passthrough via 3.5mm and also has an adjustable gain feature in Tanchjim app.

Online Sound Effect Community ( EQ )​

This is the EQ section where the options are Current device ( useful if you pair it with Tanchjim Products ) EQ Forum, which is the online community forum alongside Tanchjim official sound presets ( Default Sound, Natural Mode, Theatre Mode, Ambient Mode, Classical Mode, Pop Mode, Instrument Mode, OST Mode). A lot of options added - the last time I used the app there were only Default, Balanced, Natural ( and 2 more which i forgot ) and there is a custom sound section where you can EQ your IEMS with a 10 Band Parametric EQ. There’s also a set of official presets from Space 2 which are Tube mode, Vinyl sound mode, Vinyl sound mode. ( I tried these with the Ola 2 and my observations are as follows )

Tube Mode - Slightly warmer sounding than normal and other EQ profiles.
CD Sound Mode - A little recessed sounding profile, probably just a nostalgic add on i suppose.
Vinyl Sound Mode - I did not find much difference between this and the Tube Modes.

Game EQ :​

Tanchjim has this cool Game EQ feature with a bunch of presets and profiles in it. There are some game specific sound profiles like FPS games and MMORPG and other Genre games as well. Not just for mobile, for PC and also Nintendo switch. Which is very handy to have and it doesn’t just end there, there are 2 other options - “Tactical” and “Virtual”. Tactical is for specially for FPS games where it offers some enhancement presets such as -

  • Step Sound Enhancement : makes the sound pop out a little, not too much enhancement or upgrade
  • Step Sound Direction Enhance : just a sharpness here too, no increase in separation or clarity by a mile, just a slight touch.
  • Gunshot Ear Dampening : muffles the bullet shots a little, does not make them sound recessed or directionless, a good add on.
  • Gunshot Direction Enhance : did not make a difference, not worth noticing.
  • Impact Sense Enhance : just boosts the overall sound to a little bright signature and nothing else.

Virtual has a 5.1 surround and 7.1 surround modes with sub-modes or options being Large space, Standard space, Small space. But for me, they did not work at all - i tried while normal music listening and also gaming, they did not even activate I guess. So the options were just empty clicks for me.
In conclusion, these Enhancement Profiles are okay, not game changing level of significance but they work, cannot say same about the Virtual though.

Final Thoughts​

Sound wise, I have no problems with Space 2. Features are quite good too. But the price - the idea of getting a 235mw of power at 90$ is not sitting right with me, yes - the game EQ features, the community EQ and features are cool and all but there are far better options at that price with plenty more power and different chips, plenty of cheaper DAC options are there with more power output as well. I understand they priced it this way because it essentially offers almost everything the pro does and the space pro is just 10$ higher with more power and a different chip. Space pro is a better choice. I would have easily recommended space 2 to everybody if it was cheaper, maybe around 60-65 dollars would have been fair. If you wanna drive IEMs and do not care about saving the pocket, this is a good buy. Putting price aside, I think Tanchjim has done a great job with this build and integration of app features. But value as an entirety is a far reach for space 2 as getting this at 90$ is not worth it in my honest opinion, This is a very good DAC - just not a very good pricing.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago

Tanchjim Space 2 - Review

Tanchjim Space 2 - Compact - Convenient - Clean

Pros: ~ Sounds Clean
~ Very pocket friendly
~ Dual DAC operating modes - Class AB / Class H
~ Mic passthrough and adjustable microphone gain setting
~ DAC DRE ( Dynamic Range Enhancement ) Optimization
~ Dedicated Game EQ profiles for various games and in game sound enhancements for fps games

Cons: ~ Not Powerful enough for the price, there are far cheaper DACs that offer more power
~ The type C cable interconnect cable should have been a better quality
~ Although having so many features, this is not a value for money (should rather opt for space pro to have better power and value for what you pay)
~ App is only compatible with Android. (come on Tanchjim, its 2026)

Overview​

Tanchjim needs no lengthy introduction in the ChiFi space - they’ve been making well regarded IEMs and audio gear for a while now. The Space 2 is the successor to their popular Space dongle DAC, arriving with meaningful upgrades and a feature set that makes it worth talking about. With a price tag of around 90$ - lets see if it’s worth paying that much.

This unit was sent to me by Tanchjim for review purposes, thanks to Isabel from Tanchjim for sending me this unit. All opinions and impressions are mine and not influenced by anyone else.

Build and Technical Specifications​

The Space 2 is remarkably small and sits in your pocket without you ever noticing it’s there. Hence, Compact. The metal shell feels solid and premium for something this light, nothing about it feels cheap or plasticky despite the size. At just 15.1 grams it barely registers in your hand yet feels well put together. The physical volume buttons on the body work exactly as they should, responsive but a little stiff. Both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs are present on the same unit. No need to carry multiple dongles for different terminations. Supports 10 band EQ DSP tuning and app supports community custom EQ profiles to use freely. Hence, Convenient.
It comes in three colors namely black, blue and grey - all identical in performance. Overall the build communicates quality without excess. Small, light, metal and purposeful. the type c to type c interconnect cable however is not as sturdy as the rest of the build, it's good but not exceptional.

Technical Specifications :

  • DAC Chip : Dual CS43131
  • Output Power (4.4mm) : 230mW @ 32Ω
  • Output Power (3.5mm) : 105mW @ 16Ω
  • Max Decoding : 32-bit / 768kHz PCM, DSD256
  • Dynamic Range : 132.5dB
  • THD+N : 0.00017%
  • Signal to Noise Distortion ( SINAD): 116dB
  • Size : 4.2 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm
  • Weight : 15.1g
  • Outputs : 3.5mm + 4.4mm
  • Microphone Support : No
  • Volume Control : Physical independent buttons
  • DSP Support : Android and Windows only

Sound and Performance​

The Tanchjim Space 2 consists of Dual CS43131 DAC chips which are known for their High Dynamic range ( upto 130dBA) and lower harmonic distortion ( as low as -108 dB to -115 dB ). The Space 2 is transparent and analytical - it doesn't add warmth or color. What goes in comes out clearly. Hence, Clean. It delivers good power dynamics and it doesn’t get too hot ( just a little warm ). I was able to drive all my IEMs easily - but none of them are hard to drive except for the ‘Alpha Omega RA’ a tribrid with a 7 driver setup. For most IEMs use case scenarios, Space 2 gives out more than enough power required ( 235mw ). It is a little bright sounding DAC and the most evident thing I observed in my listening session was the Bass, it got more punchy and has more body to it where subbass and midbass were equally benefitted. Mids and treble were normal. In conclusion, although the power is not humongous compared to its peers at this price range, the sound improvisation as in the dynamics are not a lackluster at all.

Features​

The Space 2 is a very feature packed DAC with a clean app control but the problem here is that it’s only android compatible. Thankfully, I have an android lying around. Let’s dive in and see what are the fun features that the space 2 and Tanchjim app offer us.

Class Operation Modes

The Class Operation modes - Class H and Class AB didn't make much difference, there was no change that I could observe. So, I cannot talk anything about them.

Microphone

The space 2 supports inline mic passthrough via 3.5mm and also has an adjustable gain feature in Tanchjim app.

Online Sound Effect Community ( EQ )​

This is the EQ section where the options are Current device ( useful if you pair it with Tanchjim Products ) EQ Forum, which is the online community forum alongside Tanchjim official sound presets ( Default Sound, Natural Mode, Theatre Mode, Ambient Mode, Classical Mode, Pop Mode, Instrument Mode, OST Mode). A lot of options added - the last time I used the app there were only Default, Balanced, Natural ( and 2 more which i forgot ) and there is a custom sound section where you can EQ your IEMS with a 10 Band Parametric EQ. There’s also a set of official presets from Space 2 which are Tube mode, Vinyl sound mode, Vinyl sound mode. ( I tried these with the Ola 2 and my observations are as follows )

Tube Mode - Slightly warmer sounding than normal and other EQ profiles.
CD Sound Mode - A little recessed sounding profile, probably just a nostalgic add on i suppose.
Vinyl Sound Mode - I did not find much difference between this and the Tube Modes.

Game EQ :​

Tanchjim has this cool Game EQ feature with a bunch of presets and profiles in it. There are some game specific sound profiles like FPS games and MMORPG and other Genre games as well. Not just for mobile, for PC and also Nintendo switch. Which is very handy to have and it doesn’t just end there, there are 2 other options - “Tactical” and “Virtual”. Tactical is for specially for FPS games where it offers some enhancement presets such as -

  • Step Sound Enhancement : makes the sound pop out a little, not too much enhancement or upgrade
  • Step Sound Direction Enhance : just a sharpness here too, no increase in separation or clarity by a mile, just a slight touch.
  • Gunshot Ear Dampening : muffles the bullet shots a little, does not make them sound recessed or directionless, a good add on.
  • Gunshot Direction Enhance : did not make a difference, not worth noticing.
  • Impact Sense Enhance : just boosts the overall sound to a little bright signature and nothing else.

Virtual has a 5.1 surround and 7.1 surround modes with sub-modes or options being Large space, Standard space, Small space. But for me, they did not work at all - i tried while normal music listening and also gaming, they did not even activate I guess. So the options were just empty clicks for me.
In conclusion, these Enhancement Profiles are okay, not game changing level of significance but they work, cannot say same about the Virtual though.

Final Thoughts​

Sound wise, I have no problems with Space 2. Features are quite good too. But the price - the idea of getting a 235mw of power at 90$ is not sitting right with me, yes - the game EQ features, the community EQ and features are cool and all but there are far better options at that price with plenty more power and different chips, plenty of cheaper DAC options are there with more power output as well. I understand they priced it this way because it essentially offers almost everything the pro does and the space pro is just 10$ higher with more power and a different chip. Space pro is a better choice. I would have easily recommended space 2 to everybody if it was cheaper, maybe around 60-65 dollars would have been fair. If you wanna drive IEMs and do not care about saving the pocket, this is a good buy. Putting price aside, I think Tanchjim has done a great job with this build and integration of app features. But value as an entirety is a far reach for space 2 as getting this at 90$ is not worth it in my honest opinion, This is a very good DAC - just not a very good pricing.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago

Tanchjim Space 2 - Review

Tanchjim Space 2 - Compact - Convenient - Clean

Pros: ~ Sounds Clean
~ Very pocket friendly
~ Dual DAC operating modes - Class AB / Class H
~ Mic passthrough and adjustable microphone gain setting
~ DAC DRE ( Dynamic Range Enhancement ) Optimization
~ Dedicated Game EQ profiles for various games and in game sound enhancements for fps games

Cons: ~ Not Powerful enough for the price, there are far cheaper DACs that offer more power
~ The type C cable interconnect cable should have been a better quality
~ Although having so many features, this is not a value for money (should rather opt for space pro to have better power and value for what you pay)
~ App is only compatible with Android. (come on Tanchjim, its 2026)

Overview​

Tanchjim needs no lengthy introduction in the ChiFi space - they’ve been making well regarded IEMs and audio gear for a while now. The Space 2 is the successor to their popular Space dongle DAC, arriving with meaningful upgrades and a feature set that makes it worth talking about. With a price tag of around 90$ - lets see if it’s worth paying that much.

This unit was sent to me by Tanchjim for review purposes, thanks to Isabel from Tanchjim for sending me this unit. All opinions and impressions are mine and not influenced by anyone else.

Build and Technical Specifications​

The Space 2 is remarkably small and sits in your pocket without you ever noticing it’s there. Hence, Compact. The metal shell feels solid and premium for something this light, nothing about it feels cheap or plasticky despite the size. At just 15.1 grams it barely registers in your hand yet feels well put together. The physical volume buttons on the body work exactly as they should, responsive but a little stiff. Both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs are present on the same unit. No need to carry multiple dongles for different terminations. Supports 10 band EQ DSP tuning and app supports community custom EQ profiles to use freely. Hence, Convenient.
It comes in three colors namely black, blue and grey - all identical in performance. Overall the build communicates quality without excess. Small, light, metal and purposeful. the type c to type c interconnect cable however is not as sturdy as the rest of the build, it's good but not exceptional.

Technical Specifications :

  • DAC Chip : Dual CS43131
  • Output Power (4.4mm) : 230mW @ 32Ω
  • Output Power (3.5mm) : 105mW @ 16Ω
  • Max Decoding : 32-bit / 768kHz PCM, DSD256
  • Dynamic Range : 132.5dB
  • THD+N : 0.00017%
  • Signal to Noise Distortion ( SINAD): 116dB
  • Size : 4.2 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm
  • Weight : 15.1g
  • Outputs : 3.5mm + 4.4mm
  • Microphone Support : No
  • Volume Control : Physical independent buttons
  • DSP Support : Android and Windows only

Sound and Performance​

The Tanchjim Space 2 consists of Dual CS43131 DAC chips which are known for their High Dynamic range ( upto 130dBA) and lower harmonic distortion ( as low as -108 dB to -115 dB ). The Space 2 is transparent and analytical - it doesn't add warmth or color. What goes in comes out clearly. Hence, Clean. It delivers good power dynamics and it doesn’t get too hot ( just a little warm ). I was able to drive all my IEMs easily - but none of them are hard to drive except for the ‘Alpha Omega RA’ a tribrid with a 7 driver setup. For most IEMs use case scenarios, Space 2 gives out more than enough power required ( 235mw ). It is a little bright sounding DAC and the most evident thing I observed in my listening session was the Bass, it got more punchy and has more body to it where subbass and midbass were equally benefitted. Mids and treble were normal. In conclusion, although the power is not humongous compared to its peers at this price range, the sound improvisation as in the dynamics are not a lackluster at all.

Features​

The Space 2 is a very feature packed DAC with a clean app control but the problem here is that it’s only android compatible. Thankfully, I have an android lying around. Let’s dive in and see what are the fun features that the space 2 and Tanchjim app offer us.

Class Operation Modes

The Class Operation modes - Class H and Class AB didn't make much difference, there was no change that I could observe. So, I cannot talk anything about them.

Microphone

The space 2 supports inline mic passthrough via 3.5mm and also has an adjustable gain feature in Tanchjim app.

Online Sound Effect Community ( EQ )​

This is the EQ section where the options are Current device ( useful if you pair it with Tanchjim Products ) EQ Forum, which is the online community forum alongside Tanchjim official sound presets ( Default Sound, Natural Mode, Theatre Mode, Ambient Mode, Classical Mode, Pop Mode, Instrument Mode, OST Mode). A lot of options added - the last time I used the app there were only Default, Balanced, Natural ( and 2 more which i forgot ) and there is a custom sound section where you can EQ your IEMS with a 10 Band Parametric EQ. There’s also a set of official presets from Space 2 which are Tube mode, Vinyl sound mode, Vinyl sound mode. ( I tried these with the Ola 2 and my observations are as follows )

Tube Mode - Slightly warmer sounding than normal and other EQ profiles.
CD Sound Mode - A little recessed sounding profile, probably just a nostalgic add on i suppose.
Vinyl Sound Mode - I did not find much difference between this and the Tube Modes.

Game EQ :​

Tanchjim has this cool Game EQ feature with a bunch of presets and profiles in it. There are some game specific sound profiles like FPS games and MMORPG and other Genre games as well. Not just for mobile, for PC and also Nintendo switch. Which is very handy to have and it doesn’t just end there, there are 2 other options - “Tactical” and “Virtual”. Tactical is for specially for FPS games where it offers some enhancement presets such as -

  • Step Sound Enhancement : makes the sound pop out a little, not too much enhancement or upgrade
  • Step Sound Direction Enhance : just a sharpness here too, no increase in separation or clarity by a mile, just a slight touch.
  • Gunshot Ear Dampening : muffles the bullet shots a little, does not make them sound recessed or directionless, a good add on.
  • Gunshot Direction Enhance : did not make a difference, not worth noticing.
  • Impact Sense Enhance : just boosts the overall sound to a little bright signature and nothing else.

Virtual has a 5.1 surround and 7.1 surround modes with sub-modes or options being Large space, Standard space, Small space. But for me, they did not work at all - i tried while normal music listening and also gaming, they did not even activate I guess. So the options were just empty clicks for me.
In conclusion, these Enhancement Profiles are okay, not game changing level of significance but they work, cannot say same about the Virtual though.

Final Thoughts​

Sound wise, I have no problems with Space 2. Features are quite good too. But the price - the idea of getting a 235mw of power at 90$ is not sitting right with me, yes - the game EQ features, the community EQ and features are cool and all but there are far better options at that price with plenty more power and different chips, plenty of cheaper DAC options are there with more power output as well. I understand they priced it this way because it essentially offers almost everything the pro does and the space pro is just 10$ higher with more power and a different chip. Space pro is a better choice. I would have easily recommended space 2 to everybody if it was cheaper, maybe around 60-65 dollars would have been fair. If you wanna drive IEMs and do not care about saving the pocket, this is a good buy. Putting price aside, I think Tanchjim has done a great job with this build and integration of app features. But value as an entirety is a far reach for space 2 as getting this at 90$ is not worth it in my honest opinion, This is a very good DAC - just not a very good pricing.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago

Tanchjim Space 2 Review

Tanchjim Space 2 - Compact - Convenient - Clean

Pros: ~ Sounds Clean
~ Very pocket friendly
~ Dual DAC operating modes - Class AB / Class H
~ Mic passthrough and adjustable microphone gain setting
~ DAC DRE ( Dynamic Range Enhancement ) Optimization
~ Dedicated Game EQ profiles for various games and in game sound enhancements for fps games

Cons: ~ Not Powerful enough for the price, there are far cheaper DACs that offer more power
~ The type C cable interconnect cable should have been a better quality
~ Although having so many features, this is not a value for money (should rather opt for space pro to have better power and value for what you pay)
~ App is only compatible with Android. (come on Tanchjim, its 2026)

Overview​

Tanchjim needs no lengthy introduction in the ChiFi space - they’ve been making well regarded IEMs and audio gear for a while now. The Space 2 is the successor to their popular Space dongle DAC, arriving with meaningful upgrades and a feature set that makes it worth talking about. With a price tag of around 90$ - lets see if it’s worth paying that much.

This unit was sent to me by Tanchjim for review purposes, thanks to Isabel from Tanchjim for sending me this unit. All opinions and impressions are mine and not influenced by anyone else.

Build and Technical Specifications​

The Space 2 is remarkably small and sits in your pocket without you ever noticing it’s there. Hence, Compact. The metal shell feels solid and premium for something this light, nothing about it feels cheap or plasticky despite the size. At just 15.1 grams it barely registers in your hand yet feels well put together. The physical volume buttons on the body work exactly as they should, responsive but a little stiff. Both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs are present on the same unit. No need to carry multiple dongles for different terminations. Supports 10 band EQ DSP tuning and app supports community custom EQ profiles to use freely. Hence, Convenient.
It comes in three colors namely black, blue and grey - all identical in performance. Overall the build communicates quality without excess. Small, light, metal and purposeful. the type c to type c interconnect cable however is not as sturdy as the rest of the build, it's good but not exceptional.

Technical Specifications :

  • DAC Chip : Dual CS43131
  • Output Power (4.4mm) : 230mW @ 32Ω
  • Output Power (3.5mm) : 105mW @ 16Ω
  • Max Decoding : 32-bit / 768kHz PCM, DSD256
  • Dynamic Range : 132.5dB
  • THD+N : 0.00017%
  • Signal to Noise Distortion ( SINAD): 116dB
  • Size : 4.2 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm
  • Weight : 15.1g
  • Outputs : 3.5mm + 4.4mm
  • Microphone Support : No
  • Volume Control : Physical independent buttons
  • DSP Support : Android and Windows only

Sound and Performance​

The Tanchjim Space 2 consists of Dual CS43131 DAC chips which are known for their High Dynamic range ( upto 130dBA) and lower harmonic distortion ( as low as -108 dB to -115 dB ). The Space 2 is transparent and analytical - it doesn't add warmth or color. What goes in comes out clearly. Hence, Clean. It delivers good power dynamics and it doesn’t get too hot ( just a little warm ). I was able to drive all my IEMs easily - but none of them are hard to drive except for the ‘Alpha Omega RA’ a tribrid with a 7 driver setup. For most IEMs use case scenarios, Space 2 gives out more than enough power required ( 235mw ). It is a little bright sounding DAC and the most evident thing I observed in my listening session was the Bass, it got more punchy and has more body to it where subbass and midbass were equally benefitted. Mids and treble were normal. In conclusion, although the power is not humongous compared to its peers at this price range, the sound improvisation as in the dynamics are not a lackluster at all.

Features​

The Space 2 is a very feature packed DAC with a clean app control but the problem here is that it’s only android compatible. Thankfully, I have an android lying around. Let’s dive in and see what are the fun features that the space 2 and Tanchjim app offer us.

Class Operation Modes

The Class Operation modes - Class H and Class AB didn't make much difference, there was no change that I could observe. So, I cannot talk anything about them.

Microphone

The space 2 supports inline mic passthrough via 3.5mm and also has an adjustable gain feature in Tanchjim app.

Online Sound Effect Community ( EQ )​

This is the EQ section where the options are Current device ( useful if you pair it with Tanchjim Products ) EQ Forum, which is the online community forum alongside Tanchjim official sound presets ( Default Sound, Natural Mode, Theatre Mode, Ambient Mode, Classical Mode, Pop Mode, Instrument Mode, OST Mode). A lot of options added - the last time I used the app there were only Default, Balanced, Natural ( and 2 more which i forgot ) and there is a custom sound section where you can EQ your IEMS with a 10 Band Parametric EQ. There’s also a set of official presets from Space 2 which are Tube mode, Vinyl sound mode, Vinyl sound mode. ( I tried these with the Ola 2 and my observations are as follows )

Tube Mode - Slightly warmer sounding than normal and other EQ profiles.
CD Sound Mode - A little recessed sounding profile, probably just a nostalgic add on i suppose.
Vinyl Sound Mode - I did not find much difference between this and the Tube Modes.

Game EQ :​

Tanchjim has this cool Game EQ feature with a bunch of presets and profiles in it. There are some game specific sound profiles like FPS games and MMORPG and other Genre games as well. Not just for mobile, for PC and also Nintendo switch. Which is very handy to have and it doesn’t just end there, there are 2 other options - “Tactical” and “Virtual”. Tactical is for specially for FPS games where it offers some enhancement presets such as -

  • Step Sound Enhancement : makes the sound pop out a little, not too much enhancement or upgrade
  • Step Sound Direction Enhance : just a sharpness here too, no increase in separation or clarity by a mile, just a slight touch.
  • Gunshot Ear Dampening : muffles the bullet shots a little, does not make them sound recessed or directionless, a good add on.
  • Gunshot Direction Enhance : did not make a difference, not worth noticing.
  • Impact Sense Enhance : just boosts the overall sound to a little bright signature and nothing else.

Virtual has a 5.1 surround and 7.1 surround modes with sub-modes or options being Large space, Standard space, Small space. But for me, they did not work at all - i tried while normal music listening and also gaming, they did not even activate I guess. So the options were just empty clicks for me.
In conclusion, these Enhancement Profiles are okay, not game changing level of significance but they work, cannot say same about the Virtual though.

Final Thoughts​

Sound wise, I have no problems with Space 2. Features are quite good too. But the price - the idea of getting a 235mw of power at 90$ is not sitting right with me, yes - the game EQ features, the community EQ and features are cool and all but there are far better options at that price with plenty more power and different chips, plenty of cheaper DAC options are there with more power output as well. I understand they priced it this way because it essentially offers almost everything the pro does and the space pro is just 10$ higher with more power and a different chip. Space pro is a better choice. I would have easily recommended space 2 to everybody if it was cheaper, maybe around 60-65 dollars would have been fair. If you wanna drive IEMs and do not care about saving the pocket, this is a good buy. Putting price aside, I think Tanchjim has done a great job with this build and integration of app features. But value as an entirety is a far reach for space 2 as getting this at 90$ is not worth it in my honest opinion, This is a very good DAC - just not a very good pricing.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago

Tanchjim Space 2 Review

Tanchjim Space 2 - Compact - Convenient - Clean

Pros: ~ Sounds Clean
~ Very pocket friendly
~ Dual DAC operating modes - Class AB / Class H
~ Mic passthrough and adjustable microphone gain setting
~ DAC DRE ( Dynamic Range Enhancement ) Optimization
~ Dedicated Game EQ profiles for various games and in game sound enhancements for fps games

Cons: ~ Not Powerful enough for the price, there are far cheaper DACs that offer more power
~ The type C cable interconnect cable should have been a better quality
~ Although having so many features, this is not a value for money (should rather opt for space pro to have better power and value for what you pay)
~ App is only compatible with Android. (come on Tanchjim, its 2026)

Overview​

Tanchjim needs no lengthy introduction in the ChiFi space - they’ve been making well regarded IEMs and audio gear for a while now. The Space 2 is the successor to their popular Space dongle DAC, arriving with meaningful upgrades and a feature set that makes it worth talking about. With a price tag of around 90$ - lets see if it’s worth paying that much.

This unit was sent to me by Tanchjim for review purposes, thanks to Isabel from Tanchjim for sending me this unit. All opinions and impressions are mine and not influenced by anyone else.

Build and Technical Specifications​

The Space 2 is remarkably small and sits in your pocket without you ever noticing it’s there. Hence, Compact. The metal shell feels solid and premium for something this light, nothing about it feels cheap or plasticky despite the size. At just 15.1 grams it barely registers in your hand yet feels well put together. The physical volume buttons on the body work exactly as they should, responsive but a little stiff. Both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs are present on the same unit. No need to carry multiple dongles for different terminations. Supports 10 band EQ DSP tuning and app supports community custom EQ profiles to use freely. Hence, Convenient.
It comes in three colors namely black, blue and grey - all identical in performance. Overall the build communicates quality without excess. Small, light, metal and purposeful. the type c to type c interconnect cable however is not as sturdy as the rest of the build, it's good but not exceptional.

Technical Specifications :

  • DAC Chip : Dual CS43131
  • Output Power (4.4mm) : 230mW @ 32Ω
  • Output Power (3.5mm) : 105mW @ 16Ω
  • Max Decoding : 32-bit / 768kHz PCM, DSD256
  • Dynamic Range : 132.5dB
  • THD+N : 0.00017%
  • Signal to Noise Distortion ( SINAD): 116dB
  • Size : 4.2 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm
  • Weight : 15.1g
  • Outputs : 3.5mm + 4.4mm
  • Microphone Support : No
  • Volume Control : Physical independent buttons
  • DSP Support : Android and Windows only

Sound and Performance​

The Tanchjim Space 2 consists of Dual CS43131 DAC chips which are known for their High Dynamic range ( upto 130dBA) and lower harmonic distortion ( as low as -108 dB to -115 dB ). The Space 2 is transparent and analytical - it doesn't add warmth or color. What goes in comes out clearly. Hence, Clean. It delivers good power dynamics and it doesn’t get too hot ( just a little warm ). I was able to drive all my IEMs easily - but none of them are hard to drive except for the ‘Alpha Omega RA’ a tribrid with a 7 driver setup. For most IEMs use case scenarios, Space 2 gives out more than enough power required ( 235mw ). It is a little bright sounding DAC and the most evident thing I observed in my listening session was the Bass, it got more punchy and has more body to it where subbass and midbass were equally benefitted. Mids and treble were normal. In conclusion, although the power is not humongous compared to its peers at this price range, the sound improvisation as in the dynamics are not a lackluster at all.

Features​

The Space 2 is a very feature packed DAC with a clean app control but the problem here is that it’s only android compatible. Thankfully, I have an android lying around. Let’s dive in and see what are the fun features that the space 2 and Tanchjim app offer us.

Class Operation Modes

The Class Operation modes - Class H and Class AB didn't make much difference, there was no change that I could observe. So, I cannot talk anything about them.

Microphone

The space 2 supports inline mic passthrough via 3.5mm and also has an adjustable gain feature in Tanchjim app.

Online Sound Effect Community ( EQ )​

This is the EQ section where the options are Current device ( useful if you pair it with Tanchjim Products ) EQ Forum, which is the online community forum alongside Tanchjim official sound presets ( Default Sound, Natural Mode, Theatre Mode, Ambient Mode, Classical Mode, Pop Mode, Instrument Mode, OST Mode). A lot of options added - the last time I used the app there were only Default, Balanced, Natural ( and 2 more which i forgot ) and there is a custom sound section where you can EQ your IEMS with a 10 Band Parametric EQ. There’s also a set of official presets from Space 2 which are Tube mode, Vinyl sound mode, Vinyl sound mode. ( I tried these with the Ola 2 and my observations are as follows )

Tube Mode - Slightly warmer sounding than normal and other EQ profiles.
CD Sound Mode - A little recessed sounding profile, probably just a nostalgic add on i suppose.
Vinyl Sound Mode - I did not find much difference between this and the Tube Modes.

Game EQ :​

Tanchjim has this cool Game EQ feature with a bunch of presets and profiles in it. There are some game specific sound profiles like FPS games and MMORPG and other Genre games as well. Not just for mobile, for PC and also Nintendo switch. Which is very handy to have and it doesn’t just end there, there are 2 other options - “Tactical” and “Virtual”. Tactical is for specially for FPS games where it offers some enhancement presets such as -

  • Step Sound Enhancement : makes the sound pop out a little, not too much enhancement or upgrade
  • Step Sound Direction Enhance : just a sharpness here too, no increase in separation or clarity by a mile, just a slight touch.
  • Gunshot Ear Dampening : muffles the bullet shots a little, does not make them sound recessed or directionless, a good add on.
  • Gunshot Direction Enhance : did not make a difference, not worth noticing.
  • Impact Sense Enhance : just boosts the overall sound to a little bright signature and nothing else.

Virtual has a 5.1 surround and 7.1 surround modes with sub-modes or options being Large space, Standard space, Small space. But for me, they did not work at all - i tried while normal music listening and also gaming, they did not even activate I guess. So the options were just empty clicks for me.
In conclusion, these Enhancement Profiles are okay, not game changing level of significance but they work, cannot say same about the Virtual though.

Final Thoughts​

Sound wise, I have no problems with Space 2. Features are quite good too. But the price - the idea of getting a 235mw of power at 90$ is not sitting right with me, yes - the game EQ features, the community EQ and features are cool and all but there are far better options at that price with plenty more power and different chips, plenty of cheaper DAC options are there with more power output as well. I understand they priced it this way because it essentially offers almost everything the pro does and the space pro is just 10$ higher with more power and a different chip. Space pro is a better choice. I would have easily recommended space 2 to everybody if it was cheaper, maybe around 60-65 dollars would have been fair. If you wanna drive IEMs and do not care about saving the pocket, this is a good buy. Putting price aside, I think Tanchjim has done a great job with this build and integration of app features. But value as an entirety is a far reach for space 2 as getting this at 90$ is not worth it in my honest opinion, This is a very good DAC - just not a very good pricing.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago

Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji Review - Budget Banger

Pros: ~ Punchy Bass
~ Cohesive Mids
~ value for money as package for just 15$, the box is very cool.
~ the collectible card is a nice touch ( subjective )

Cons: I did not find any cons and I know I cant ask for more at this price but the cable is too flimsy and cheap similar to KZ offerings ( nitpicking )

Overview​

Hello Everyone, this review is going to be about Harmonic Empire’s Cai Wenji, Harmonic Empire is a sub-brand born out of Tangzu Audio in 2025. The Cai Wenji is their entry level offering, priced at around 15$, built around a single 10mm PEEK and PU composite dynamic driver.

This unit was provided to me by Harmonic Empire for review purposes. All impressions and opinions are my own. Thank you Sophie and Harmonic Empire for sending me the unit.

Note : You can find and “Build - Fit - Technical Specifications” and a fun “ Nerd’s corner “ sections at the end. Sound comes First, so let’s get going. I used Sonic eartips and Tanchjim Space 2 DACfor the review

Sound Profile and Performance​

The Cai Wenji presents a mild U-shaped sound signature that prioritizes clarity, balance and everyday listenability without leaning too far in any direction. Nothing fights for attention, nothing feels missing and the technicalities hold up well enough to make you forget what this costs. Budget IEMs are getting surprisingly good and the Cai Wenji is a good example of exactly that.

Lows :​

The bass on the Cai Wenji is well balanced between sub-bass and mid-bass, neither dominates the other and both contribute equally to the low end foundation. The sub-bass has a slight edge in presence, giving the low end a satisfying depth without tipping into bloat or excess. What stands out most is the control - there’s no bleed into the mids, no muddiness and no excess warmth clouding the rest of the presentation. The bass hits with good texture and definition, rhythmic and composed rather than loose or aggressive.
In tracks like,

  • Massive Attack — Angel
  • GoGo Penguin — Raven
  • Muse — Mercy

The slow burning sub-bass in Angel builds gradually and the Cai Wenji tracks it with good depth and control - the bass grows without losing definition or bleeding into the mids, the sub-bass presence giving it enough weight to feel physical without overwhelming. Raven‘s rapid double bass blowout is where the mid-bass speed and texture get tested - the Cai Wenji keeps up with GoGo Penguin’s fast twitching bassline cleanly, each note articulate and distinct as it dances around the piano and drums. Mercy’s bass guitar rumble comes through with satisfying punch and body. The mid-bass hits with enough impact to feel exciting without losing composure or control. A clean, composed and genre versatile low end performance.

Mids :​

The midrange on the Cai Wenji follows a mild U-shaped presentation - vocals sit slightly back in the mix rather than being pushed aggressively forward, but nothing about the mids feels hollow, recessed or lacking. There’s good crispness and body to vocals and instruments across the board, the slight step back creating space and dimension rather than distance. Male vocals carry moderate weight and presence. Female vocals are clearer and airier, sitting naturally with good definition and edge. Instruments come through with natural timbre and clarity. Guitars, pianos and strings all holding their character without sounding colored or processed.
In tracks like,

  • Paul Robeson - Old Man River
  • Adrianne Lenker - Sadness As A Gift
  • Pearl Jam - Dark Matter

Paul Robeson’s baritone in Old Man River comes through with proper depth and resonance - each phrase carrying weight and authority, the Cai Wenji giving his voice the full body and chesty presence the recording demands without thickening or coloring it unnaturally. Adrianne Lenker’s raw, intimate vocals in Sadness As A Gift sit naturally and openly - the recording’s warmth is preserved, with her voice sounding with good dynamic expression and airy presence in the upper registers. Dark Matter by Pearl Jam tests the Cai Wenji’s midrange cohesion across a busy rock arrangement - vocals sit clearly within the mix, guitars and percussion holding their own space without collapsing into each other. The presentation stays composed and musical even as the arrangement gets demanding.

​Treble :​

The treble on the Cai Wenji is one of its more pleasant qualities - inoffensively sparkly and airy, carrying enough energy to feel exciting without crossing into harshness or fatigue. Cymbals and hi-hats have good presence and character, sitting with enough shimmer and definition to feel alive. There are no hints of sibilance anywhere in the upper frequencies - the tuning finds that sweet spot where brightness and comfort coexist without compromising either. Extended enough to feel open, controlled enough to feel safe.
In tracks like,

  • Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance
  • Greg Spero - Under Earth: Expansion
  • Toto - Rosanna

The hi-hat and cymbal work in Buffalo Stance comes through with good presence and transient energy - forward enough to feel crisp and defined without any harshness or edge. Under Earth: Expansion‘s cymbal stick definition is where the Cai Wenji’s treble character shows most clearly - each strike landing with detail and clarity, the stick on cymbal texture coming through with satisfying precision. The subtle ghost notes in Rosanna are audible and well resolved -subtle, delicate and clearly placed within the mix, a detail that budget IEMs at this price often smoothen over entirely. The treble is exciting and energetic, it simply does its job with composure and pleasantness.

Technicalities :​

Imaging - imaging is good enough to place instruments and vocals precisely without any struggle.

Soundstage - The soundstage is average in terms of width but it’s not cramped and doesn’t sound like “in my face” level of closeness. It’s average just because there is nothing special about it. It’s not holographic but the stereo effect is existent.

Detail Retrieval - Detail Retrieval is very good without any drawbacks in subtle nuances of elements in busy tracks. No sign of recession either while retaining the background details whether it might be faint instruments or whispering vocals

Separation - The separation is good, I wouldn’t say it’s punching way above its price but the separation is quite good for the budget range its in.

Comparisons :​

Tangzu Waner SG 2 :

The Budget favourite and quite famous “Tangzu Waner SG 2” is very identical in sound to the Cai wenji with minor differences. The Bass of Cai wenji is more impactful and present. Neither of them are shouty or sibilant. Both have a vocal forward presentation with good treble extension where the Waner SG2 is more sparkly and presents instruments energetically without tipping into Sibilance and staying composed.

Sound - Cai wenji has more bass presence and Waner SG 2 has energetic treble extension. Mids sound the same. So a choice between both would be a preference of the buyer. No difference is technicalities either.

Build and comfort - Cai wenji is built very sturdy and transparent. However tangzu waner sg2 is built better. But when its comes to comfort, Cai wenji fits better and feels more comfortable in ears.

Package and accessories - Well, Tangzu is known for its package offering with the waner series. The Cai Wenji is not bad either with its collectible card and Harmonic Empire Sonic eartips and that too at 15$ retail price. But the Tangzu waner offers much more such as a cool looking microfibre cloth and IEM carry pouch and a very good looking box ( if you like the boxes or a collector ).

Overall - If you like bass go with Cai Wenji and if you like energetic treble go with Tangu waner. Just minor differences. And not to forget HE is an extension of Tangzu brand.

Build - Comfort - Technical Specifications​

The Cai Wenji’s shell is lightweight transparent polycarbonate resin. The transparent finish gives it a clean, distinctive look that showcases the internal acoustic structure underneath, setting it apart from the usual opaque shells at this price. The ergonomic cavity design sits naturally in the ear without creating pressure or fatigue, making it comfortable for long sessions without any adjustment needed. The fit is not a hard try as the shell is not that big and the nozzle is average sized too thankfully. Cai Wenji drivability is effortless which is not special as almost every IEM in this range is easy to drive.

Box content :​

  • Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji IEM
  • Silver plated OFC cable — 3.5mm with mic
  • Sonic eartips — 3 pairs
  • Collectible transparent character card
  • User manual
  • A cute key chain ( a gift, not for consumers )

Technical Specifications :​

  • Driver type : 10mm PEEK + PU composite dynamic driver
  • Impedance : 16Ω ±20% @ 1kHz
  • Sensitivity : 114dB ±3dB @ 1kHz
  • THD : ≤3% @ 100Hz — 5000Hz
  • Frequency response : 20Hz — 20kHz
  • Cable length : 1.2m ±5%
  • Connector : 0.78mm 2-pin detachable
  • Termination : 3.5mm / Type C with mic

Final Thoughts​

The Cai Wenji doesn’t ask you to manage your expectations - it simply delivers and lets you recalibrate them. At $15 the sound holds its own and might even surprise you with its capability as the only compromise was premium build and package but not a premium sound. The bass is controlled, the mids are well done, the treble is pleasant and the technicalities don’t embarrass the package. That’s not a small thing at this price. Harmonic empire has got everything right with this as they keenly focused on sound but did not let go of presentation of anything else.

Nerd’s corner :
Fun facts time, the IEM is Named after the legendary Chinese poet and musician Cai Wenji from the Eastern Han dynasty. Her life was defined by the chaos of war, a 12-year captivity by the Xiongnu nomads, and her rare feat of reconstructing hundreds of lost classical texts from memory
Here is a poem by her.

'Poem of Sorrow and Anger'
(by Cai Yan / Cai Wenji)

處所多霜雪,胡風春夏起。
My dwelling is often covered by frost and snow,
The foreign winds bring again spring and summer;

翩翩吹我衣,蕭蕭入我耳。
They gently blow into my robes,
And chillingly shrill into my ear;

感時念父母,哀嘆無窮已。
Emotions stirred, I think of my parents,
Whilst I draw a long sigh of endless sorrows.

有客從外來,聞之常歡喜。
Whenever guests visit from afar,
I would often make joy of their tidings;

迎問其消息,輒復非鄉里。
I lost no time in throwing eager questions,
Only to find that the guests were not from my home town.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago

Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji Review - Budget Banger

Pros: ~ Punchy Bass
~ Cohesive Mids
~ value for money as package for just 15$, the box is very cool.
~ the collectible card is a nice touch ( subjective )

Cons: I did not find any cons and I know I cant ask for more at this price but the cable is too flimsy and cheap similar to KZ offerings ( nitpicking )

Overview​

Hello Everyone, this review is going to be about Harmonic Empire’s Cai Wenji, Harmonic Empire is a sub-brand born out of Tangzu Audio in 2025. The Cai Wenji is their entry level offering, priced at around 15$, built around a single 10mm PEEK and PU composite dynamic driver.

This unit was provided to me by Harmonic Empire for review purposes. All impressions and opinions are my own. Thank you Sophie and Harmonic Empire for sending me the unit.

Note : You can find and “Build - Fit - Technical Specifications” and a fun “ Nerd’s corner “ sections at the end. Sound comes First, so let’s get going. I used Sonic eartips and Tanchjim Space 2 DACfor the review

Sound Profile and Performance​

The Cai Wenji presents a mild U-shaped sound signature that prioritizes clarity, balance and everyday listenability without leaning too far in any direction. Nothing fights for attention, nothing feels missing and the technicalities hold up well enough to make you forget what this costs. Budget IEMs are getting surprisingly good and the Cai Wenji is a good example of exactly that.

Lows :​

The bass on the Cai Wenji is well balanced between sub-bass and mid-bass, neither dominates the other and both contribute equally to the low end foundation. The sub-bass has a slight edge in presence, giving the low end a satisfying depth without tipping into bloat or excess. What stands out most is the control - there’s no bleed into the mids, no muddiness and no excess warmth clouding the rest of the presentation. The bass hits with good texture and definition, rhythmic and composed rather than loose or aggressive.
In tracks like,

  • Massive Attack — Angel
  • GoGo Penguin — Raven
  • Muse — Mercy

The slow burning sub-bass in Angel builds gradually and the Cai Wenji tracks it with good depth and control - the bass grows without losing definition or bleeding into the mids, the sub-bass presence giving it enough weight to feel physical without overwhelming. Raven‘s rapid double bass blowout is where the mid-bass speed and texture get tested - the Cai Wenji keeps up with GoGo Penguin’s fast twitching bassline cleanly, each note articulate and distinct as it dances around the piano and drums. Mercy’s bass guitar rumble comes through with satisfying punch and body. The mid-bass hits with enough impact to feel exciting without losing composure or control. A clean, composed and genre versatile low end performance.

Mids :​

The midrange on the Cai Wenji follows a mild U-shaped presentation - vocals sit slightly back in the mix rather than being pushed aggressively forward, but nothing about the mids feels hollow, recessed or lacking. There’s good crispness and body to vocals and instruments across the board, the slight step back creating space and dimension rather than distance. Male vocals carry moderate weight and presence. Female vocals are clearer and airier, sitting naturally with good definition and edge. Instruments come through with natural timbre and clarity. Guitars, pianos and strings all holding their character without sounding colored or processed.
In tracks like,

  • Paul Robeson - Old Man River
  • Adrianne Lenker - Sadness As A Gift
  • Pearl Jam - Dark Matter

Paul Robeson’s baritone in Old Man River comes through with proper depth and resonance - each phrase carrying weight and authority, the Cai Wenji giving his voice the full body and chesty presence the recording demands without thickening or coloring it unnaturally. Adrianne Lenker’s raw, intimate vocals in Sadness As A Gift sit naturally and openly - the recording’s warmth is preserved, with her voice sounding with good dynamic expression and airy presence in the upper registers. Dark Matter by Pearl Jam tests the Cai Wenji’s midrange cohesion across a busy rock arrangement - vocals sit clearly within the mix, guitars and percussion holding their own space without collapsing into each other. The presentation stays composed and musical even as the arrangement gets demanding.

​Treble :​

The treble on the Cai Wenji is one of its more pleasant qualities - inoffensively sparkly and airy, carrying enough energy to feel exciting without crossing into harshness or fatigue. Cymbals and hi-hats have good presence and character, sitting with enough shimmer and definition to feel alive. There are no hints of sibilance anywhere in the upper frequencies - the tuning finds that sweet spot where brightness and comfort coexist without compromising either. Extended enough to feel open, controlled enough to feel safe.
In tracks like,

  • Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance
  • Greg Spero - Under Earth: Expansion
  • Toto - Rosanna

The hi-hat and cymbal work in Buffalo Stance comes through with good presence and transient energy - forward enough to feel crisp and defined without any harshness or edge. Under Earth: Expansion‘s cymbal stick definition is where the Cai Wenji’s treble character shows most clearly - each strike landing with detail and clarity, the stick on cymbal texture coming through with satisfying precision. The subtle ghost notes in Rosanna are audible and well resolved -subtle, delicate and clearly placed within the mix, a detail that budget IEMs at this price often smoothen over entirely. The treble is exciting and energetic, it simply does its job with composure and pleasantness.

Technicalities :​

Imaging - imaging is good enough to place instruments and vocals precisely without any struggle.

Soundstage - The soundstage is average in terms of width but it’s not cramped and doesn’t sound like “in my face” level of closeness. It’s average just because there is nothing special about it. It’s not holographic but the stereo effect is existent.

Detail Retrieval - Detail Retrieval is very good without any drawbacks in subtle nuances of elements in busy tracks. No sign of recession either while retaining the background details whether it might be faint instruments or whispering vocals

Separation - The separation is good, I wouldn’t say it’s punching way above its price but the separation is quite good for the budget range its in.

Comparisons :​

Tangzu Waner SG 2 :

The Budget favourite and quite famous “Tangzu Waner SG 2” is very identical in sound to the Cai wenji with minor differences. The Bass of Cai wenji is more impactful and present. Neither of them are shouty or sibilant. Both have a vocal forward presentation with good treble extension where the Waner SG2 is more sparkly and presents instruments energetically without tipping into Sibilance and staying composed.

Sound - Cai wenji has more bass presence and Waner SG 2 has energetic treble extension. Mids sound the same. So a choice between both would be a preference of the buyer. No difference is technicalities either.

Build and comfort - Cai wenji is built very sturdy and transparent. However tangzu waner sg2 is built better. But when its comes to comfort, Cai wenji fits better and feels more comfortable in ears.

Package and accessories - Well, Tangzu is known for its package offering with the waner series. The Cai Wenji is not bad either with its collectible card and Harmonic Empire Sonic eartips and that too at 15$ retail price. But the Tangzu waner offers much more such as a cool looking microfibre cloth and IEM carry pouch and a very good looking box ( if you like the boxes or a collector ).

Overall - If you like bass go with Cai Wenji and if you like energetic treble go with Tangu waner. Just minor differences. And not to forget HE is an extension of Tangzu brand.

Build - Comfort - Technical Specifications​

The Cai Wenji’s shell is lightweight transparent polycarbonate resin. The transparent finish gives it a clean, distinctive look that showcases the internal acoustic structure underneath, setting it apart from the usual opaque shells at this price. The ergonomic cavity design sits naturally in the ear without creating pressure or fatigue, making it comfortable for long sessions without any adjustment needed. The fit is not a hard try as the shell is not that big and the nozzle is average sized too thankfully. Cai Wenji drivability is effortless which is not special as almost every IEM in this range is easy to drive.

Box content :​

  • Harmonic Empire Cai Wenji IEM
  • Silver plated OFC cable — 3.5mm with mic
  • Sonic eartips — 3 pairs
  • Collectible transparent character card
  • User manual
  • A cute key chain ( a gift, not for consumers )

Technical Specifications :​

  • Driver type : 10mm PEEK + PU composite dynamic driver
  • Impedance : 16Ω ±20% @ 1kHz
  • Sensitivity : 114dB ±3dB @ 1kHz
  • THD : ≤3% @ 100Hz — 5000Hz
  • Frequency response : 20Hz — 20kHz
  • Cable length : 1.2m ±5%
  • Connector : 0.78mm 2-pin detachable
  • Termination : 3.5mm / Type C with mic

Final Thoughts​

The Cai Wenji doesn’t ask you to manage your expectations - it simply delivers and lets you recalibrate them. At $15 the sound holds its own and might even surprise you with its capability as the only compromise was premium build and package but not a premium sound. The bass is controlled, the mids are well done, the treble is pleasant and the technicalities don’t embarrass the package. That’s not a small thing at this price. Harmonic empire has got everything right with this as they keenly focused on sound but did not let go of presentation of anything else.

Nerd’s corner :
Fun facts time, the IEM is Named after the legendary Chinese poet and musician Cai Wenji from the Eastern Han dynasty. Her life was defined by the chaos of war, a 12-year captivity by the Xiongnu nomads, and her rare feat of reconstructing hundreds of lost classical texts from memory
Here is a poem by her.

'Poem of Sorrow and Anger'
(by Cai Yan / Cai Wenji)

處所多霜雪,胡風春夏起。
My dwelling is often covered by frost and snow,
The foreign winds bring again spring and summer;

翩翩吹我衣,蕭蕭入我耳。
They gently blow into my robes,
And chillingly shrill into my ear;

感時念父母,哀嘆無窮已。
Emotions stirred, I think of my parents,
Whilst I draw a long sigh of endless sorrows.

有客從外來,聞之常歡喜。
Whenever guests visit from afar,
I would often make joy of their tidings;

迎問其消息,輒復非鄉里。
I lost no time in throwing eager questions,
Only to find that the guests were not from my home town.

u/Own-Customer-4866 — 2 months ago