TL;DR

The Juzear Nebula is a great execution of a V shaped sound signature without the thin midrange and punishing upper mids and mid treble usually associated with it. If you’re someone looking for a great all rounder iem around $120 or an alternative to the defiant without the qc issues, this is a very strong option to consider.

Context

This iem was kindly sent to me by the HifiGo for review, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I generally prefer iems that are non sibilant with relaxed upper treble and upper mids and raised lower mids that add body to the sound (kinda the opposite of harman ie 2019).

Eartips Tested With
Audiocular flexfit, Audiocular atmos, roseselsa qt superbowl, stock narrow and wide bore, kbear kb07, zisin tips and coffee tips.

Sources Used
Audiocular Spark, Fiio Retro Nano, Macbook Port, Fosi K5 Pro.

Design, Build, & Comfort

• Aesthetics & Build: The nebula seems to be made out of hollow resin with metal nozzles. The faceplates have a “nebula inspired” design which plays with the light, looks different at different angles. It looks a lot like the epz p40, personally I find this a bit too flashy but a lot of people seem to like it. There is a vent on the side which is built into the shell (common complaint with the defiant), there is no driver flex and the nozzles seem well glued in. Fixes all of the issues people had with the defiant.
• Comfort & Cable: This is a fairly large iem with large nozzles so it’s a no go for people with small ears, it’s a semi custom shell so it fits me very well, isolation is surprisingly strong as well. It comes with a very nice 2 wire braided cable similar to juzear’s other iems like the nimbus, fiesta and defiant. There is a swappable termination mechanism which has a screw to hold on to securely while still being short. The nebula comes with 2 sets of ear tips, a generic narrow bore and shorter wide bore tips. I wish it came with a hardshell carry case instead of a pouch tho, it’s hard to put the iems inside the pouch and even the cheaper defiant comes with a hardshell case.

The Sound

The Juzear x Koto Nebula has a tribrid 1 DD + 3 BA + 1 Micro Planar driver configuration tuned to a V shaped sound signature by kajikaji.

• Bass (20 hz to 300 hz): The nebula is a V shaped iem imo, which means elevated bass (more quantity than i’d prefer) but the bass on nebula is fantastic, it’s the ideal bass shape for me even if its a bit too much in quantity. The mid bass hits super hard with a lot of mass while still sounding super tight, none of that loose pillow like bass which a lot of bass boosted sets sound like. The sub bass is well extended with very good texture, bass guitars sound great. The filled in 200 hz and almost linear rise from 300 hz to 20hz compared to harman makes bass instruments so much more true to life and filled in. Kickdrums hit with good body and definition rather than a detached subwoofer style thud.​​ The filled in mid bass and lower mids mean it wont sound as “clean” and separated as other popular harman sets but i much prefer the nebula’s approach to bass/
• Mids (300 hz to 6000 hz): The lower midrange remains nicely filled in providing a much needed warmth and body to the sound. It helps to fully reproduce the fundamental frequencies of male vocals, acoustic guitars and piano instead of thinning them out and over emphasizing the upper overtones like harman does. There is a gentle pinna rise from 1k which peaks at around 3.1k to my ears. The ear gain is definitely on the relaxed side which makes female vocals sound way less forward than harman sets. The rich lower mids combined with relaxed upper mids gives it a “syrupy” characteristic to vocals which I love, reminds me a lot of the pure tho the nebula is a bit more exciting. If you’re used to shouty and nasal sounding female vocals this might sound low res to you. Since there is no mid bass/lower mids tuck the midrange blends very well with the bass, although at the cost of some contrast and instrument separation. I would’ve liked to see a bit less 2k to make vocals sound nearer but this is still a very solid execution.
• Mid & Upper Treble (6000 hz to 20000 hz): The nebula has the right amount of mid treble for me. It sounds crisp and provides adequate shimmer to hi hats, cymbals and snare drums without getting fatiguing. Mid treble generally sounds smooth without any obvious peaks or dips but the same can’t be said about the upper treble, there is a noticeable 13k peak. A lot of iems do this to add “detail” but it just ends up adding a zingy and wispy characteristic to the sound, especially when coupled with the slightly relaxed mid treble it only brings out the harsh overtones of treble instruments. I had to eq this down. There is no added sibilance as well.
• Subjective Technical Performance: The nebula has very good mid bass slam while still being tight, sub bass is well textured and extended. Very solid imaging as well, and the 13k peak for resolution haha.

 

Comparisons

Compared to some other popular iems around $100:

• Aful Explorer: One of the most popular iems in the price range, the explorer is a much smaller and more comfortable shell, that's also wayy darker than the nebula with recessed vocals and upper treble roll off. Nebula is a lot more exciting sounding that will probably be preferred by more people. Nebula has a better cable as well but doesnt come with a hardshell case.
• Truthear Pure: The nebula has way more bass with a more comfortable shell, i prefer the pure’s midrange more than the nebula but i usually like warmpoo iems with non peaky upper treble. 
• Truthear Hexa: I prefer the nebula’s warmer mid bass and much much better bass dynamics, mid treble is way less peaky on the nebula. Better comfort and cable on the nebula as well.
• Aful MagicOne: Much better bass presentation on the nebula, warmer mid range and smoother mid treble. Magicone has better upper treble and comfort imo, also isolates better.
• Simgot Supermix 4: Nebula has better mid bass punch and a more true to life mid range but it doesn't sound as clean and technical as the supermix 4 due to the comparative more relaxed mid treble and filler lower mids. Nebula has a better cable

Who Should Buy This?

• People looking warm V shaped iem.
• People who enjoy a bass boost but not basshead levels.
• People liked the defiant but were scared of the qc issues.
• People who want a relaxed, syrupy male and female vocal presentation.

Who Should Avoid This?

• People who enjoy harman tuned iems.
• People with small ears.
• People sensitive to upper treble spikes.

After going through the motions of one of the community favourites from Simgot in the SuperMix 4, I have the chance to opine on another community favourite; once again from Simgot, in the EW300 (non DSP), which has been lent by u/Own-Customer-4866 received from the brand. So, for this, I thank him and Simgot for making the EW300 review possible. I had to get this as I was receiving requests from my Discord server and the local communities on WhatsApp.

I have received only the IEMs and the cable, and thus I won’t be able to comment on the packaging; however, my friend has his EW300 review made where he got the full set , so one can check that out.

I can still comment on the fit and finish and the comfort on the EW300, and once again; this is a reasonably sized IEM with comfortable shells. The finish is chrome, with an X and O embossed on the faceplates. There also seems to be a Torx screw on the faceplate, which means one might access its innards without complications. The cable is another thing I like about it, as it’s made well, doesn’t tangle, and most importantly, supports the heavy shells of the EW300 without fuss. I had no pressure buildup issues on the EW300 because of the vents (?) in the nozzle area.

Anyway, enough rambling here; here’s the sound of the EW300 to my ears.

LOWS

In tracks with deep, hard-hitting bass hits with ‌surprising polish and separation, like Tipper’s Gulch from the album Forward Escape, the EW300 immediately informs that this is an IEM that takes transients seriously, and is going to have a potent shade of V in terms of sound. There is an unmistakable presence of a lot of sub-bass, with the mid-bass following suit, and the EW300’s grip over the sub-bass makes the hits in this track come off with a potency that on first glance will appear to be that of a basshead’s delight.
This doesn’t diminish the EW300, at least through this track, showing off a surprisingly good separation, where the fuzz like elements are not overshadowed by the gob smacking bass.

In tracks where the bass lines camouflage around complex drum arrangements like Rush’s Limelight and The Spirit of Radio, the first nitpick that I have is in how the perceived stage was, which felt shallow and minorly claustrophobic, which affected the separation between the drums and the bass- and this effect didn’t carry out like notes overlapping of one over the other, but where the instruments would have more breathing room with space. 

Transients on the EW300 through these tracks continued to be fantastic, where especially Geddy’s bass lines showed no sign of stagnation or lingering, thanks to the EW300’s fast decay and a very snappy attack. Peart’s drums had a decent impact, but the resonance on the toms and the snare was affected because of the shallow perception of the stage; although the kicks showed the established transients in a clear light.

The EW300 could have improvised upon the imaging, as Geddy’s vocals felt faintly pushed back than usual, which let the instruments come before the vocals, and there were inconsistencies with its note weight. Overall, not a poor start for the EW300 at all.

MIDS

In tracks set in peculiar keys and unorthodox snare setups like First It Giveth from Queens of the Stone Age, the EW300 improves‌ the separation up a notch, with the cymbals and the guitars being easily distinguishable from one another and that is important, because both of the aforementioned elements can be perceived as fused at a first glance, but not with the EW300. Then come the rapid firing strokes of the snare, where the tonality unfortunately is warped. There’s something off about it, and I don’t want to hold the timbre responsible as I feel it’s too early to call on that. 

Guitars have a lot of energy coming through in hot, and bordering on being faintly fatiguing, but the same cannot be said for the cymbals. Josh Homme’s vocals don’t feel as pushed back as I had expected to be, and the imaging now feels improved, with the cymbals being right by the vocals and not have its emphasis stolen through the chorus.
In tracks where the vocals play second fiddle to the instrumentals like Tool’s Lateralus, the EW300 does a brilliant job with the crescendo-ing drums in the intro, while not forgetting to emphasise on the guitars, but once the bass and the vocals come in, the drums come into the foray with a touch of excess in its presence, but doesn’t overpower anything else. 

I was happy to note that the vocals finally don’t feel as pushed back as how it felt in a previous track, and Maynard carries a satisfying level of note weight, and that’s another good thing about the EW300- it doesn’t forget to keep up with the consistency. Once the breakdown of the track arrives after Danny’s busiest rudiment, the resonance of the drums and the detail with which the EW300 presents it with was incredibly satisfying. Guitars once again border on being fatiguing and shouty, but cymbals retain their textures, weight and restraint on shoutiness.

HIGHS

In tracks which demand great to excellent technical grasp over the perceived stage, tonality and timbre, like Arne Domnerus’ Almighty God with Gustaf Sjokvist, from the legendary album Antiphone Blues; the lack of width in the perceived stage is the first thing that hurts this track on the EW300: the manner in which Arne’s sax juxtaposes with Gustaf’s organ keys needs a lot of space to breathe and extend with the resonance that both instruments have as they bounce off the walls of the church in which it was recorded and the EW300 loses the resonance by quite a good margin.

Timbre on the saxophone is accurately brassy with a slight honk when it rises in the registers but there was no pierce in the sax, and likewise, the organ keys have their timbre intact, although I would have wanted a whisker’s length of brightness here. 

In a quartet setup recorded in true stereo, and a recording from an era which still outclasses pieces released decades later- Dave Brubeck’s Take Five from the prodigal album Time Out, the EW300 has the lack of the perceived stage’s width hurting the presentation as the instruments felt congested in their setup; and thus affecting the resonance that the floor toms and the snare has in this track; but the EW300 doesn’t ruin it completely. In fact, through the timbre of the horns, the double bass right at abeyance and not overexerting itself, the pianos bouncing off playfully with no drop in the perceived note weight and being balanced in its tonality surprised me again.

Through the solo, when it’s only the double bass, the drums and the piano; the EW300 lets the drums and the piano precede over the double bass and that is where the resonance of the toms and the snare finally starts shining. Safe to say, that the EW300 once again didn’t let the horns pierce through, nor did the shimmery cymbals in textures get sibilant.

Finally, in Patricia Barber’s Icarus, which is my test track to test the restraint in sibilance, the EW300 demands a lot of eartip rolling to get the sibilance in check, because it doesn’t put up a fight against it. The way Patricia enunciates her Cs and Ss in this track, the EW300 doesn’t hold back on the sibilance with the Tanchjim T300 APBs which were the best suit in my book, but it was far less exaggerated compared to other eartips. 

Timbre through the percussion is rightfully woody, the bass in this track didn’t let me forget it with its equal emphasis alongside the guitars and the pianos, the cymbals not being shouty by any means and their textures preserved, the real moment comes in Patricia’s single note sustain where there was no pierce observed, and the lush textures of her voice were just rightfully preserved.

COMPARISONS

Truthear Pure

Comparing it with the segment champion, the Truthear Pure reveals how close budget sets are to top-tier performance, even if the Pure ultimately retains its crown. The EW300 comes impressively close in pure transient speed and sub-bass grip, delivering a well executed slam where the decay shows up just so right. However, the Pure handles it with a different flavour by itself: a faint slack in decay while the attack remained planted, but the quantity is lesser than the EW300 which may not overwhelm the listener.

Where the Pure truly pulls away is in its midrange and treble presentation. The Pure delivers lush, true-to-life vocals and just a ridiculous polish throughout the entirety of the midrange and the highs with an effortless sense of stage space. The EW300, on the other hand, struggles with a shallower, slightly claustrophobic soundstage that can affect complex, busy compositions. Furthermore, while the Pure keeps its treble extension smooth and non-fatiguing, the EW300’s upper-mids can border on being hot and shouty, requiring eartip rolling to keep sibilance in check.

Truthear Hexa

The Truthear Hexa remains the unbothered old guard of the sub-$100 segment. Where the EW300 leans into a fun, aggressive V-shape with potent sub-bass slam, snappy attack, and fast decay, the Hexa takes a far more analytical, grounded approach. On certain tracks where the authority in the lows is demanded, the Hexa’s bass leans noticeably leaner compared to the EW300’s sub-bass impact, but it compensates with immaculate texture, allowing for a granular analysis.

In terms of technicalities, the Hexa edges out the EW300 in treble refinement. The Hexa soars through peaks and vocal oscillations without an ounce of sibilance or harshness, whereas the EW300’s guitars can push hot and demand eartips + EQ to tame sibilance. But ultimately ‌, preference leads to the better pick; both of them are competent in their own regard.

Pula Unicrom

The EW300 handily outperforms the Pula Unicrom in low-end discipline and transient execution. The Unicrom had one of the weakest showings in the lows, delivering an incoherent, mushy bass presentation while the EW300 is the complete opposite here: its grip over sub-bass is tight and precise, ensuring that heavy bass hits come off with surprising polish and separation without muddying up the rest of the mix.

The Unicrom recovers some ground in the midrange with a pleasantly warm tonality and surprisingly smooth treble. However, both IEMs share a common constraint: a cramped, claustrophobic soundstage. Where the EW300 easily wins out is its far superior transient speed, snappy decay, and better instrument isolation, avoiding the Unicrom's muddy low-end trap.

Tanchjim Fission

The EW300 delivers a much more straightforward and unified tuning than the overcomplicated Tanchjim Fission. The Fission gets bogged down by its multi-nozzle configuration: the copper/gold nozzles leave the bass feeling lean, dry, and sterile, while the titanium nozzle swings to the opposite extreme, making the bass undesirably boomy and causing upper-mid peaks to become noticeably piercing. The EW300 skips all that gadgetry and delivers a cohesive V-shaped signature, offering a better slam, snappier transients, and better vocal presence than the Fission’s leaner nozzles.

While the Fission holds a slight edge over the EW300 in pure micro-detail retrieval and instrument separation when configured right, its dry, clinical presentation and tendency toward upper-mid shoutiness make it a frustrating listen. The EW300 is simply more enjoyable and less pretentious, even if its shallow stage width holds it back from better technicalities.

Tanchjim Nora

The Tanchjim Nora suffers from a noticeably lower note weight across vocals, cymbals, and guitars, making the overall presentation feel dry and hollow. On lean-pitched vocal tracks, the Nora’s lack of body can quickly turn fatiguing, while its bass delivery lacks crispness and punch.

The EW300 provides a far more satisfying and complete listen than the Nora. The EW300 brings heavy, well-textured sub-bass note weight, fast transient attack, and far better vocal authority. While the EW300 can border on hot in the upper-mids on guitar-heavy tracks, it never sounds as thin, dry, or uninspired as the Nora.

Tanchjim Ola 2

Both the EW300 and the Tanchjim Ola 2 share a common Achilles' heel: a shallow perceived stage depth that threatens to blemish an otherwise solid presentation. On the Ola 2, this manifests as noticeable mid-bass bloat and congestion during busy tracks, while the EW300 handles this limitation much better; despite its narrow stage, its tight grip over the sub-bass and snappier decay keep the low end from bleeding into the lower mids to a good extent.

In the midrange, the Ola 2 offers a slightly more centered vocal placement with natural note weight, whereas the EW300 can occasionally push vocals back behind aggressive instrumentals or sound a touch inconsistent in vocal note weight. Still, the EW300 easily edges out the Ola 2 in pure transient speed, dynamic slam, and treble texture, making the Ola 2 feel a bit wobbly and constrained by comparison.

CONCLUDING NOTES

The Simgot EW300 is an undeniably fun, high-energy earphone that delivers plenty of punch without losing its composure, and this is what surprised me, because its predecessor, the EW200 was simply, borderline unreasonable because the brightness was high enough to induce hearing damage. Comparing that to the EW300 feels like Simgot took it personally and decided to break every single backboard with the criticism and feedback, and I just look at how well the EW300 feels.

That being said, it isn't flawless, no audio gear can be. The problems I had with its perceived stage, sibilance and fatigue that can come off quite strong depending upon your tracks of choice, the bass that can get a little out of hand when you may not be in the mood for it can totally blemish what otherwise, is still a wonderful attempt from Simgot, to release something that caters to just the concept of fun. EW300 is just a little party done two ways, and I am happy to recommend it. It isn’t boring, it isn’t dry, it isn’t too analytical- it’s fun. Period.

Will I buy it new? Absolutely.
Will I buy it used? Absolutely.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the xDuoo Link3 on low gain, the Shanling M9 Plus DAP, and the Venture Electronics Abigail Pro dongle DAC Amp.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

Tanchjim T300 APB: Showcases the transients of the EW300 at its absolute best, hard hitting lows, best stage possible for this IEM, most restrained sibilant highs with no loss of vocal textures, tonality is not as V as other eartips might make it to be.

Tangzu Sancai Balanced: everything that the T-300 APB does, but to a lesser degree, and there was something missing in the textures overall- elements like floor toms and cymbals felt faintly smeared, warmth corresponds to what the graph showed, upper mids could get faintly hot.

Divinus/Eloit Velvet Standard: significantly increased the warmth, stage shrinks further, transients tighten up but the quantity increases too resulting in a boomy bass, mids felt more recessed, gets concerningly sibilant.

ZiSin liquid silicones: textures on the lows felt wonky along with some irregularity in the perceived decay, stage was unaltered, vocal textures felt enjoyable, mildly sibilant.

ZhuAudio Bamboo: perceived stage was held intact in terms of depth and height, treble felt too recessed, lows felt anemic, vocals felt concerningly smoothened out.

KBear 08: just ruined the IEM.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Steely Dan: Gaucho
• Carmen Gomes: Unchain My Heart
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush, Veridis Quo
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked, Gulch
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Arne Domnérus: Antiphone Blues (with Gustaf Sjökvist)
• Muddy Waters: My Home is in the Delta
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

[removed]

When members of my community server on Discord as well as local groups over on Facebook and WhatsApp started requesting me for a review on one of Simgot’s takes on Harman target tuned IEMs, I had to stave off the growing demand and also finish a steady backlog of reviews I was working on, and when I finally had time, I reached out to Simgot, and asked if one heartthrob of this community could be sent out for my take on it, they said yes, and here you have it, my take on the Simgot SuperMix 4. So, thank you Simgot for promptly sending over the SuperMix 4 for review.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

So, Simgot has a nice graphic of the internals of the SuperMix 4 on the cover and technical specifications on the rear, and sliding the cover off gives way to a leaf-like lid, and underneath that lies the shells. Below the foam padding of the shells, a box named “accessories” was there, which had the carry case and the cable; and underneath the padding was a box labelled “eartips”, which had three generic pairs of eartips provided. Simgot honestly, could do better on the accessories front right there.

The cable holds a bit of memory and comes in 3.5mm, and either a separate 4.4mm option or a modular termination would have been better, but the IEMs themselves were comfortable. There’s appropriate venting, and despite wearing them for extended periods, I didn’t experience any fatigue, but the Supermix4 definitely could have used a beefier cable.

Now, here’s the sound of the SuperMix 4.

LOWS

In tracks with a camouflaging bass line with a mathematical drum work like Rush's Limelight and The Spirit of Radio, the SuperMix 4 needed extensive tip rolling and after finally settling on the KBear 07, the SuperMix 4 didn't instantly awe me, and I had to give it time; but once I was fairly acquainted: I could see why this set was appreciated- both notes from the bass line and the drums demonstrated a seemingly well executed transient response but the decay being cut off too soon on the drums adversely affected the perception of the otherwise wonderful resonance that the drums have. Another nitpick for me was when the guitar solo came in, the bass felt a bit overcrowded by the drums, and then extended to the vocals as well.

In tracks with potent bass drops like Tipper's Gulch and Mariscos, the problem that I observed with the transients on the SuperMix 4 was observed clearer: the attack comes in with a steady pace but the rapidly cut off decay does not really let the hits land with a pronounced impact, where the separation of the hits with the rest of the elements seems to be a consolation. Although, especially in Gulch, the click and ping like hits which preceded the actual bass hits came off quite hollow.

MIDS

In tracks set in peculiar keys with an unearthly snare setup like Queens of the Stone Age's First It Giveth, the SuperMix 4 clearly lacks the bite and the aggressiveness of the rapid firing snares, although the separation in its notes is great. My other qualm here is that the bass has lost its edge, which is why this track felt just flat. SuperMix 4 however, has a redemption curve with how good the imaging is: where the cymbals and vocals are just planted with enough emphasis to have the lasting impression be cohesive.

In tracks where vocals play a supplementing act to the instruments, like Tool's Lateralus, the SuperMix 4 does a decent job. Again, the bass is noticeably flatter in terms of impact, which dampens my mood across the way the toms come off, although rest of the elements like cymbals, vocals and guitars have great separation and fantastic imaging. Another problem with me and the SuperMix 4 is how inconsistent the cymbals are, where the rides and crashes have a full, meatiest shimmer perception, but the hi-hats are just hollow and I cannot determine the note weight on them. Momentarily, the vocals came off thin, but the tonality remained intact.

HIGHS

In atmospheric, regally composed tracks which demand a good chunk of technical competence like Arne Domnérus' Almighty God, the SuperMix 4 has the perceived stage going wide enough to let the sax and organ keys breathe, but the timbre on the sax isn't as brassy as it should have been, and it is slightly over-emphasized over the organ keys. Along with that, a faint bump in the sparkle of the organ keys really wouldn't have hurt. Although the organ keys are relaxed, the sax comes in honky and slightly fatiguing.

There are a few things done right and done wrong by the SuperMix 4 in tracks like Dave Brubeck's Take Five. Cymbals could have used more note weight, but textures are preserved: the kick consistently lacks a more pronounced impact, but the transients are reasonable. The toms and snare have their resonance preserved but could have used more body. The horns continued to be honky, but detail retrieval and timbre especially were done very right by the SuperMix 4.

COMPARISONS

EPZ P40

Where the SuperMix 4 delivers a lean, fast, and disciplined bass presentation that requires careful tip-rolling to settle, the EPZ P40 belts out a far heavier, sub-bass-dominant low end that hits with massive quantity while maintaining precise attack and decay. The P40 offers a warmer, fuller vocal presence compared to the occasionally thin vocal rendition on the SuperMix 4. 

However, the SuperMix 4 is safer and far less fatiguing up top comparatively; while the P40 can lean overly hot and present noticeable upper-range sibilance, the SuperMix 4 avoids harsh peaks. What also happens is that the P40 squeezes in significantly more detail than the SuperMix 4, and that impeccable juggle of quality with quantity in the lows of the P40, makes me recommend this over the SuperMix 4. Not to mention, aftermarket eartips (three sets), a nice carry case, and a modular cable.

EPZ P50

Compared to the SuperMix 4's tight transient response and rapid decay control, the EPZ P50 takes a much softer, more laid-back approach to low-end hits. Through the highs, the P50 effectively smooths out harshness, but it sacrifices instrument crispness, and finer detail retrieval minorly. The SuperMix 4 felt noticeably more agile and technically capable, excelling at keeping instruments distinctly separated across a wide soundstage, but also came off considerably leaner than the P50, with a wonkier grip on tonality and timbre.

Juzear x KOTO Nebula

Both the SuperMix 4 and the Juzear Nebula focus on a disciplined, well-controlled bass presentation with fast transients rather than overwhelming low-end quantity. Both IEMs project an impressively wide soundstage with sharp instrument isolation and precise center-stage vocal placement. 

However, the Nebula provides better consistency in upper-frequency note weight: where the SuperMix 4 suffers from an inconsistent balance of note weight regarding parts of instruments (full rides/crashes vs. hollow hi-hats), the Nebula keeps treble peaks smooth, refined, and uniform without trading off note weight. Also, the Nebula keeps sibilance and fatigue far more in check than the SuperMix 4.

Letshuoer Astralis

The Letshuoer Astralis provides a richer, more atmospheric presentation than the SuperMix 4, building its sound on a weightier low-end foundation that gives vocals a meatier, more authoritative presence. The Astralis also maintains better-integrated note weight in the upper frequencies, ensuring cymbals match the thickness of central vocals. The SuperMix 4 counters with a leaner, faster low end and a wider soundstage, though its low-end impact feels noticeably flatter by comparison.

Letshuoer S12 Ultra

The S12 Ultra edges ahead of the SuperMix 4 in top-end refinement, matches the SuperMix 4 in detail retrieval, and completely sibilance-free highs. Both IEMs present a leaner bass footprint, but the S12 Ultra maintains smoother texture control across central instruments without sacrificing air. But the SuperMix 4 is a class of its own comparatively in transients and imaging.

Additionally, the S12 Ultra offers a superior accessory package, including a modular cable and a dedicated dongle DAC, whereas the SuperMix 4 feels somewhat basic in its stock packaging and accessories.

Tanchjim Fola

The Tanchjim Fola shares a lean midrange perception with the SuperMix 4, but it distinguishes itself with exceptional treble smoothness. Where the SuperMix 4 can occasionally come off honky and slightly fatiguing on saxophone and horn sections, the Fola handles upper-mid transitions smoothly without losing technical cleanliness. The Fola also holds an edge in versatility thanks to its modular nozzle tuning system.

CrinEar Daybreak

The CrinEar Daybreak aims for an aggressive, cohesive sound presentation, but it struggles with transient precision. Fast drum work and rapid bass hits can fumble on the Daybreak, whereas the SuperMix 4 handles complex attack phases and instrument separation seamlessly.

CONCLUDING NOTES

What strikes me most about the SuperMix 4 isn't just how Simgot engineered it, it’s just how it got some fundamentals right, with a driver count that heavy, and in a price segment loaded with tough hitting competitors. And, although there have been sets in my possession which have offered considerably more than what the SuperMix 4 has, my discussions with the local communities, as well as newbies who heard this IEM for the first time in my local meetups, made me tone down the dislike meter once and acknowledge that through all of its shortcomings, it it still a set that will work so well for a select few of the population, and I hope Simgot keeps this set around for a little while.

I think Simgot pushed themselves quite a bit in the matter of transients, instrument separation and imaging, which brings the SuperMix 4 in my de facto recommendation of IEMs that do gaming on a fantastic level as well- because those are some of the most important things that needs to be executed to a fault in gaming; but in the pursuit of that, the dry timbre, the inconsistent management of sibilance and fatigue, and the wonky tonality got in its way; and coupled with accessories that clearly could use a level up, I think Simgot once again got the right size of the boot, and it’s just a matter of lacing the said boot.

Will I buy it new? Yes for music and gaming. Not outright for music. Problem is, it sounds dated for music, and current Harman offerings are better at the same price.
Will I buy it used? Absolutely yes, recent price hikes especially in the indian market make it a choice much better at lower tiers.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the xDuoo Link3 on low gain, the Shanling M9 Plus DAP, and the Venture Electronics Abigail Pro dongle DAC Amp.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

Acoustune AET07: Showcases the transients of the SuperMix 4 at its absolute best, no improvement in bass quantity but crispest transients possible, widest stage possible for this IEM, most restraint shown in sibilance through the highs with no loss of vocal textures, tonality comes off slightly more balanced than what the graph showed.

KBear 07: everything that the AET07 does, but to a lesser degree, because clones.

Final E: textures on the lows felt wonky along with some irregularity in the perceived decay, mid-bass felt overly boomy, stage was unaltered, vocal textures felt enjoyable, highs felt a bit too rolled off.

Dunu S&S: just ruined the IEM. Obliterated the finer textures in the lows, vocal quality went up for a toss, highs had no grip over themselves.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Steely Dan: Gaucho
• Carmen Gomes: Unchain My Heart
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush, Veridis Quo
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked, Gulch
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Arne Domnérus: Antiphone Blues (with Gustaf Sjökvist)
• Muddy Waters: My Home is in the Delta
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

So I’m a sucker for a tube. (Yup I just wrote that)

The warmth that they infuse outweighs the loss of detail and that mild sandpapering of the sharp edges that the tubes can do to music appeals to my analog organic sensibilities. 

So I went on a tube acquiring quest. Started with M5 Ultra, the Gremlin, Onix Beta, and tried its cousin the Shanling UA7 and searched high and low for an Ibasso Nunchaku, but alas. And then the M6 double came out and I honestly had to control the impulse to pull the trigger till the m3ultra came out. 

So now I have it. 

The Muse Hifi M3 Ultra is an ultraportable tube amp that somehow manages to fit 2 JAN6418s into something the size of a matchbox from my childhood days. The dac features a single ES9028q2m chip and an amplifier that feeds into the tubes to push out about 480 mW through its 4.4 and about 460 through the 3.5mm output. All this in a very impressive form factor. Unlike the M5 Ultra there is no internal battery, or bluetooth, or a solid state option. It simply is a tube dac and nothing else. The packaging as well is simple. The device sits in a foam with a sturdy c-to-c cable. 

There are volume buttons on the side which (and I’m not the only person who feels this) are loose and can make a small rattle when the unit is gently shaken. For a minute there is a fear that the vibration sensitive tubes may be pulling a number. They aren’t. And they sit very securely even though exposed to the elements. The m5 ultra had a metal screen to protect the tubes and catch dust and grime, here the tubes are out there for all to see and touch. The good thing is it doesn’t get scorchingly hot. This also means take heed - glass can break if not used with a little care. The elder siblings do come with a leather case but I think at ~$110 Musehifi decided to not really push the accessories department too hard.

The tubes are lit by small leds to give them a lush orange glow and this is nerdy but the tubes are too small and do not produce enough heat to glow like incandescent bulbs. It was not needed but it is a nice touch. The other bit of nerdiness is that these have a reported fairly high output impedance but I’m sure at this point of having used them how much of a real difference that makes with my gear. 

I’ve used them with a laptop, android phone and Arya Stealth and IE600 predominantly and my impressions are from these two and a comparison with a Gremlin with Mullard tubes. Yes it is ridiculously unfair, but it is what it is. 

Rather than break down each aspect of the bass, mids, and treble, the M3 manages to drape a thin shawl over the entire music. That provides warmth and smoothens out any sharp edges. Like moss that grows over jagged rocks on a ravine, like a gentle stream that makes the rocks smooth over millenia. Okay I should stop. The bass is pushed up to be warm but not dark. The lower mids benefit from that tonal change with vocals and instruments gaining a little weight. The treble feels a little more controlled but on the IE600 and the Arya, details were not lost or smothered by the tube-y-ness of the presentation.

I did feel that there was a reduction in staging but I also think any tube somehow adds that feeling of warmth and intimacy that takes some of the airiness of even the open back planar down a notch. I didn’t feel any huge alterations in the sound from an impedance matching perspective that didn’t feel like these were just the tubes doing their thing. Whether this is because of the hybrid nature of the circuit (though details are not available in the vast ocean of the internet) or somehow the rule of 8ths doesn't always apply, unless it does. 

The M3 Ultra isn't for technical listening and it is meant for a long relaxing session and to be honest it hit home with the IE600 adding that touch of warmth and not interfering with the detail reproduction. 

Plus it does not run hot.

And it doesn't burn a hole in your pocket (see what I did there?)

But to be fair it doesn’t hold a candle to the Gremlin. (Okay I’m done!)

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.

Long-term owner review • first published review • self-purchased

Review at a glance

Product: AFUL Performer 5+2 / Performer 7

Category: 7-driver tribrid IEM

Ownership: Self-purchased

Price paid: €239

Purchase date: 16 September 2025

Listening time: Approx. 100 hours

Main sources: FiiO M21; Moondrop Dawn Pro 2 + smartphone

Connection: 4.4 mm balanced

Tips: SpinFit W1

Playback: Poweramp

Music files: Local lossless audio for critical listening

EQ: Optional AutoEQ; core review based on stock tuning

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Would I buy it again?: Yes

Disclosure

I purchased the AFUL Performer 5+2 myself for €239 on 16 September 2025. This unit was not supplied by a retailer. Nobody has paid for, reviewed or approved this article. Technical specifications were checked against AFUL’s published product information.

Language / AI note: All listening impressions, comparisons, ratings and conclusions are my own. I write my original listening notes and review in German. AI is used only to translate my German notes and review into English.

Reviewer perspective

This is my first published long-form audio review. Writing reviews publicly is new for me; spending a lot of time with music and audio gear is not. I know plenty of people whose headphone world more or less starts with AirPods or other Bluetooth models. That is not a criticism — ANC, microphones and wireless convenience are genuinely useful. I just want to make the other side easier to understand too: what changes when the priority shifts from convenience to sound and you try a good wired IEM with a sensible source.

I also do not want this to become a budget-only project. My plan is to use the same reference tracks, the same disclosure standards and the same basic method from affordable gear through premium and high-end products. A higher price should not buy an easier review; it should need a better explanation of what the extra money actually gives you.

Why that matters here

The Performer 5+2 is a good example of why personal hi-fi does not have to mean a complicated desktop stack. I use it happily from a small Moondrop Dawn Pro 2 connected to a phone; the FiiO M21 is useful, but it is not required just to make this IEM sound good.

A year with the Performer 5+2

The Performer 5+2 has been in my rotation since September 2025, so these are not launch-week impressions. I have roughly 100 hours on it across hip-hop, rock, electronic music, pop, soul and classical recordings. After that amount of time, the things I liked early on still hold up. My main criticism has also stayed very simple: I would like a little more bass.

What it is

AFUL uses two dynamic drivers, four balanced armatures and one micro-planar driver per side. Seven drivers sounds impressive on a spec sheet, but I care more about whether they behave like one earphone. To my ears they do. The tuning is roughly warm-neutral, with real sub-bass reach, clean mids and an open top end. That balance is a big reason the 5+2 works across so much of my library.

Specifications

Driver configuration: 2 dynamic drivers + 4 balanced armatures + 1 micro-planar driver per side

Impedance: 15 Ω ±20%

Sensitivity: 109 dB @ 1 kHz

Frequency response: 10 Hz–35 kHz

Connector: 0.78 mm 2-pin

Cable: 1.2 m; 8-braid, 144-core silver-plated copper

Termination: 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm selected at purchase; not modular

Specification note: the technical values above are taken from AFUL's published information as recorded in my review master.

Packaging and box contents

The unboxing is neat, but it is not trying to feel like jewellery packaging. The green-blue artwork matches the faceplates, the earpieces and accessories are well protected, and everything needed to start listening is there. At €239, I am perfectly happy with a practical box rather than a bulky presentation piece.

In the box

AFUL Performer 5+2 left and right earpieces

1.2 m stock 8-braid, 144-core silver-plated copper cable

0.78 mm 2-pin connectors; my cable terminates in 4.4 mm balanced

Round AFUL carrying case

Three families of silicone ear tips in S / M / L — nine pairs in total

Basic documentation / packaging inserts

There are no foam tips, no cleaning tool and no modular plug system. The round case is light, sturdy and useful rather than luxurious. Nine pairs of silicone tips sounds generous, although the three sets are fairly similar. I ended up on SpinFit W1 and have not felt much need to change since.

Build, cable and fit

The shells are surprisingly manageable for a seven-driver design and the finish still looks good after almost a year of normal use. I do not have small ears, and with SpinFit W1 the fit is secure and genuinely comfortable for long sessions. No pressure points, no shell hotspots — they are simply easy for me to wear.

The stock cable is one of my favourite parts of the package. It is an 8-braid, 144-core silver-plated copper cable, and mine has the fixed 4.4 mm balanced plug. It feels substantial without becoming stiff, falls naturally and stays quiet when I move around. I have owned the IEM for almost a year and still have no reason to replace the cable. I would like a modular 3.5/4.4 mm plug, but that is about convenience, not cable quality.

Listening setup

Primary DAP: FiiO M21

Phone chain: Moondrop Dawn Pro 2 connected to smartphone

Cable: Stock 4.4 mm balanced

Tips: SpinFit W1

Playback: Poweramp

Music files: Local lossless files for critical listening

EQ: Stock tuning for core evaluation; AutoEQ used optionally

Volume: Moderate listening level

Sound

Overall balance

The 5+2 sounds coherent. I get enough low-end lift for modern music, clear mids and enough treble extension to keep things open. It is neither a basshead set nor a dark, deliberately relaxed one. What I like is that I can move from Drake to Vivaldi without feeling that the tuning only really works for one side of my library.

Bass

Bass is close to my taste, but I still want a little more of it. Sub-bass reaches deep and gives a clear rumble without taking over the mix. The lowest notes feel a little rounded and softer-edged to me rather than dry or brutally hard. Mid-bass punch is moderate and, more importantly, stays cleanly separated from the mids. Kicks have definition and vocals do not get covered by the low end. With hip-hop and electronic music I sometimes want a bit more physical weight. Not a different tuning. Just a little more.

Midrange

The mids are clean rather than thick or especially lush. Male vocals, guitars and piano still have enough body, while female vocals and strings come through clearly. I would not call the 5+2 a romantic vocal specialist. It is more of an all-rounder that keeps voices easy to follow without pushing them in front of everything else.

Treble

A lot of the 5+2's open character comes from the top end. There is good extension and enough air to follow cymbal decay, room cues and smaller production details. At my normal listening levels I do not find it generally sibilant, but this is not a dark IEM that hides a bright master. If a recording is sharp, you can still hear that. I prefer that to smoothing everything over.

Stage, imaging, separation and detail

The stage is not huge. I hear it as medium-wide with useful depth. What impresses me more is how well the 5+2 keeps things in place. Imaging is precise, separation is strong for the price and layers stay readable when a track gets busy. It pulls out small details without making me feel that I have to analyse the music instead of listening to it.

Dynamics and transients

Fast material suits the 5+2. B.O.B. and Vivaldi's Summer III: Presto can get messy quickly on a slower set, but the AFUL keeps individual events easy to follow. Big dynamic swings also come through well. The only thing I miss is that last bit of physical bass hit when a track really asks for it.

EQ and source behaviour

Most of this review is about the stock tuning. For critical listening I use Poweramp and local lossless files. I sometimes use AutoEQ on the FiiO M21 or phone chain, and when I change anything it is usually just a small lift down low. I do not think the 5+2 needs EQ to make sense. It also does not need an expensive DAP. The Dawn Pro 2 from a phone is already a perfectly sensible way into this kind of setup.

My fixed 12-track reference playlist

These twelve tracks are my fixed reference set for future IEM, DAC and DAP reviews. They are not an audiophile demo playlist built for show; they come from the music I actually listen to. Keeping the same songs should also make later comparisons more useful, especially when the products move into higher price ranges.

Drake — Nonstop • Scorpion

Test focus: sub-bass rumble, 808 control, kick/vocal separation

This is the clearest example of my one tuning wish. The recurring 808 reaches low and has proper rumble, but the AFUL keeps it under control. Kicks stay separate from Drake's voice. I like it, but this is also the track where I most often think: give me just a little more weight.

Kendrick Lamar — DNA. • DAMN.

Test focus: attack, dynamic contrast, separation in dense modern production

The mix changes density and intensity quickly. The AFUL keeps its shape through those shifts, and the vocal stays clear without the bass turning vague.

OutKast — B.O.B. • Stankonia

Test focus: speed, transients, layering and congestion resistance

This track is fast and crowded on purpose. The 5+2 keeps up. It sounds busy because B.O.B. is busy, not because the IEM turns everything into one layer.

Lana Del Rey — West Coast • Ultraviolence

Test focus: female vocals, atmosphere, bass-to-mid transition

The bass carries the atmosphere without swallowing Lana's voice. Her vocal stays clearly outlined, and the extra air up top helps the production breathe without making it feel thin.

Led Zeppelin — When the Levee Breaks • Led Zeppelin IV

Test focus: drum body, decay, room size and dynamics

Bonham's drums need size, decay and room around them, not just impact. The 5+2 gives them convincing weight and leaves enough space around the kit to hear the recording breathe. It cannot create the scale of an open-back headphone, and I would not expect it to.

Led Zeppelin — Dazed and Confused • Led Zeppelin

Test focus: guitar texture, psychedelic layering, stage depth

The darker, psychedelic layers are a good test of separation and guitar texture. The AFUL stays clear through the middle without trying to fake detail by simply making the track brighter.

Vivaldi / Mutter / Karajan — Winter I. Allegro non molto • The Four Seasons

Test focus: string attack, treble behaviour, orchestral separation

Fast violin attacks can become unpleasant very quickly if an IEM gets the upper range wrong. Here they have enough bite and air to sound alive, while still staying comfortable for me at normal volume. This is an energetic presentation, not a softened one.

Vivaldi / Mutter / Karajan — Summer III. Presto • The Four Seasons

Test focus: transient stress test, speed and complex layering

This is my stress test. As the orchestra accelerates and more layers arrive, separation and speed matter more than having the widest possible stage. The 5+2 stays impressively easy to follow.

Depeche Mode — Enjoy the Silence • Violator

Test focus: synth layering, centre imaging, treble cleanliness

The synth layers stay distinct and the vocal remains firmly centred. There is enough air to keep the electronic textures open without making them brittle.

Michael Jackson — Billie Jean • Thriller

Test focus: bass timing, kick, percussion and tonal balance

That bass line needs timing and grip more than sheer quantity. The AFUL keeps the groove tight, and the percussion sits cleanly around the vocal.

Santana — Soul Sacrifice • Santana

Test focus: live percussion, guitar texture, venue space and dynamics

This recording can turn into a wall of percussion and guitar. The 5+2 keeps enough space between the parts that I can follow the performance, not just the energy of it.

Joe Cocker — With a Little Help from My Friends • With a Little Help from My Friends

Test focus: raspy male vocal texture, upper mids, live-rock density

Cocker's rough vocal is a useful check for upper-mid aggression. The 5+2 keeps the rasp and intensity intact without sanding it down, but it does not need extra brightness to make the voice sound detailed either.

Comparisons from my own collection

7Hz Legato

The Legato is my obvious bass reference. It gives me much more bass quantity and a much stronger subwoofer-like effect. The 5+2 is the one I choose when I want the whole recording to stay in better proportion. This is also a good reminder that “more bass” and “better bass for every track” are not the same thing.

KEFINE Klean SV

The Klean SV is my lower-price checkpoint. It matters because a good review at €239 should also explain what the extra money buys over a much cheaper IEM, not just compare against more expensive gear. My current impression is that the AFUL becomes more convincing as arrangements get dense, especially in separation and layering. I will keep using this comparison in future reviews rather than pretending the cheaper set becomes irrelevant.

KZ ZS10 Pro 2

The KZ is another useful budget hybrid reference. It can sound lively and detailed, which makes it a good reality check against the idea that spending more automatically wins. The 5+2 is the more coherent long-session listen for me and stays better organised when several things happen at once.

XENNS Mangird Tea Pro

The Tea Pro is the most important step-up comparison in my current IEM collection. It is the set I use when I want to ask a harder question: what does spending more actually buy? My current impression is a richer, more immersive presentation from the Tea Pro, while the AFUL stays cleaner and lighter on its feet. I do not see that as a simple winner-and-loser comparison. The 5+2 is still remarkably complete for the €239 I paid.

AKG K702

The K702 is not a direct competitor. I keep it in the chain as an open-back spatial reference. It gives me a broader, airier frame; the AFUL gives me far more isolation and low-end weight. The useful question is not which one wins, but whether the 5+2 keeps positions and layers believable inside the naturally smaller IEM space.

What I would change

A little more bass. That is still the main change I would make. I do not want to turn the 5+2 into a Legato-style basshead IEM because its balance is exactly why I use it so often. I would just add a touch more low-end authority for hip-hop and electronic music. After that, a modular cable plug would be nice. The bass matters more to me.

For someone coming from AirPods or mainstream Bluetooth

If your current reference is AirPods or another good TWS set, I would not describe the 5+2 as “the same thing, only better”. It is a different trade. You give up wireless freedom, ANC, built-in microphones and some everyday convenience. In return, the listening experience becomes more focused: instruments separate more cleanly, bass texture is easier to hear, small details stand out more naturally and dense recordings stay better organised.

The nice part is that the jump does not need a complicated stack. A phone, a competent USB DAC and the IEM are enough. A dedicated DAP can come later if you actually want one.

Who this is for

Listeners who want a versatile wired IEM with real sub-bass, strong separation, a good stock cable and long-session comfort. Bassheads who want maximum physical impact may still want more low-end or a small EQ lift.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

Versatile warm-neutral balance with genuine sub-bass extension

Very good imaging, separation and layering for the price

Comfortable fit for my ears over long sessions

Excellent stock cable

Strong value at the €239 I paid

Trade-offs

I would personally like a little more bass quantity and physical authority

Carrying case is practical rather than premium

Fixed 3.5/4.4 mm termination instead of a modular plug

Energetic top end means bright recordings are not disguised

Value and verdict

At the €239 I paid, the Performer 5+2 still makes a lot of sense to me after almost a year. It is comfortable, well made, comes with a cable I genuinely like and moves from Drake and OutKast to Vivaldi, Led Zeppelin and Santana without feeling out of place.

4.5 / 5

Would I buy it again at €239? Yes.

SteveListens  |  Personal Audio Review  |  Germany

Wanted to share my long-term thoughts on the Hifiman Arya Stealth.

Review is not sponsored. I bought it with my own money.

For context, my Hifiman journey went:

Edition XV → Arya Stealth → HE1000 Stealth → Arya Unveiled → HE1000 Unveiled

I also auditioned Sundara, Edition XS, Ananda Stealth, Ananda Nano, Arya Organic, HE1000 SE, Susvara, Susvara Unveiled and Shangri La Jr and some more I am forgetting.

I also maintain a list of all the audio products I have used and what works for me and why in the link in my profile. I cover over 150 audio products with short summaries, ratings, and my own personal rankings in case you are interested. Nothing is paywalled or sponsored or has affiliate links etc. My Rankings List

Short version:

Best value open-back gaming headphone I have used: Arya Stealth
Best overall open-back headphone I own: HE1000 Unveiled
Best cheaper gaming planar package: ROG Kithara
Best warmer / safe Hifiman: Edition XV
My Arya Stealth rating: 9.5/10

Prices

Hifiman Arya Stealth

MSRP: $599
Typical discounted price: around $450–549

ASUS ROG Kithara

MSRP: $299
Typical discounted price: around $225

At current discounted pricing, Arya Stealth is roughly double the price of Kithara. Kithara is the better gaming package because it has a mic, accessories, multiple cables, pad swaps , included dongle DAC and strong performance for the price. Arya Stealth is the better headphone. You can read my ROG Kithara Review.

Score

Hifiman Arya Stealth

9.5/10 overall
9.5/10 for gaming
9.0/10 for music
S+ tier

Overall Sound

Arya Stealth is a spacious, technical, open-back planar with excellent imaging, separation, detail retrieval and treble extension.

The main strengths are:

• Expansive stage
• Precise imaging
• Strong separation
• Excellent detail retrieval
• Linear sub bass extension
• Lots of air

It is not warm, thick or forgiving.

Stock tuning can sound sharp and dry, especially if you are sensitive to treble. Coming from vocal-forward headphones like HD 600 / HD 650 / HD 6XX can also be jarring because Arya Stealth presents vocals further back and spreads the image wider. The sound is more around you than in your head.

After spending some time with it, the improvement in sound quality becomes clear: bigger stage, sharper imaging, better instrument separation and clearer details.

Bass

Bass is fantastic on this headphone for my preference. It has linear bass extension and also takes bass EQ very well.

What works:

• Sub-bass reaches low
• Mid-bass stays controlled
• Bass does not bleed into the mids
• Low-end effects do not cover gaming cues
• You can add bass without the sound falling apart

It is not a basshead headphone but has the technical ability to take more low-end if you want it. For music, that gives you room to add impact.

For gaming, explosions and environmental bass stay controlled instead of smearing footsteps or distant cues.

Treble / Pads / Tuning

Treble is both the strength and the risk. Arya Stealth has excellent extension and air. That helps with detail, space and positional accuracy. The issue is sharpness. For my ears, the 8K area can get spicy and long sessions can become fatiguing stock. Having said that this was noticeably less an issue for me compared to Edition XS, Ananda Stealth, Ananda Nano, Arya Organic, HE1000 Stealth and HE1000 SE.

Ways to tame it:

• EQ
• Pad swapping
• R2R or tube source

I use Dekoni Elite Velour pads.

For me, they:

• Bring vocals forward just enough that music becomes very enjoyable improving mids
• Reduce 8K sharpness
• Improve comfort significantly
• Zero fatigue for me without any EQ

Trade-off:

• Slightly less stage
• Slightly less air
• Slightly softer technical edge

For my use, the trade-off is worth it.

UnheardLab also has Arya Stealth pad-rolling measurements / squig comparisons for people who want to see how different pads affect the tuning before buying blindly. Unheardlab pad measurements

Gaming

Gaming is the main reason Arya Stealth stayed with me.

It is excellent for:

• Footsteps
• Distance cues
• Directional awareness
• Verticality
• Reloads
• Doors
• Shields
• Gunfire
• Busy fights

Compared to Aune AR5000 and Sennheiser HD 505, Arya Stealth gives a bigger and more holographic presentation. Stage, imaging and separation perception is better. Compared to ROG Kithara, the clarity was better.

Value vs ROG Kithara

ROG Kithara at around $225-299

Pros:

• Much cheaper
• Built-in mic
• Better accessories
• Easier gaming setup
• Better build quality
• Strong open-back planar gaming value

Arya Stealth at around $450-599

Pros:

• Bigger stage
• Better imaging
• Better separation
• More air
• Better detail retrieval and clarity
• Better music performance

If someone wants a simple gaming headset, Kithara makes more sense. If someone wants the better headphone, Arya Stealth is clearly ahead.

Hifiman / Related Lineup Comparison

Arya Stealth
Pros: best value gaming headphone in the Hifiman lineup for my use.
Cons: stock treble can be sharp and may need pads or EQ.

Arya Organic
Pros: better bass response and more musical than Arya Stealth.
Cons: too sibilant for my ears and couldn't stand it past 15 minute mark (tried thrice).

HE1000 Stealth
Pros: perceived higher detail and resolution
Cons: personally I found it sibilant and the detail retrieval was just extra treble (I achieved the same by adding more treble to Arya Stealth. I even swapped to dekoni pads and sibilance didn't go away so I returned them. Gave me a headache at 1 hour mark (tried twice).

Arya Unveiled
Pros: fuller, more immersive and more musical than Arya Stealth. Vocals are amazing on it.
Cons: less airy and less resolving than HE1000 Unveiled. There were two tracks that caused shout (Snow Patrol Run and Chasing Cars) so I upgraded to HE1000 Unveiled.

HE1000 SE
Pros: very technical, airy and resolving.
Cons: brighter tuning makes it risky for my treble sensitivity. It was generally a pleasant listen but still had sibilance on some of my favorite tracks.

HE1000 Unveiled
Pros: bigger, more refined, more resolving and more complete than Arya Stealth. I couldn't find a single track that didn't work for me on it.
Cons: much more expensive and less practical as a value recommendation.

Comfort / Build / QC

Comfort is amazing with Dekoni Elite Velour pads. It is a large open-back desktop headphone. It leaks sound, does not isolate, and is not portable.

Build is typical Hifiman. It feels fine in normal use, but I would still handle it carefully. I did not face any QC issues with my unit.

Common Hifiman concerns people mention:

• Driver imbalance
• Driver failure
• Build consistency
• Pad wear
• Long-term durability anxiety

My unit has been fine, but I would still buy from somewhere with a good return policy.

Final Thoughts

Arya Stealth is still one of my highest-rated headphones.

It is not perfect. Stock treble can be sharp, and the presentation can feel strange if you are coming from vocal-forward headphones like HD 600. But with the right tuning or pads, it delivers outstanding stage, imaging, separation and detail retrieval at its current discounted price. For pure sound, I prefer HE1000 Unveiled. For warmer listening, Edition XV is the safer recommendation. For a cheaper gaming-focused package, ROG Kithara is excellent value.

For open-back planar gaming performance, Arya Stealth remains one of the easiest recommendations I can make and if you have the budget, pair it with a R2R source :).

Hisenior Cano Cristales $400 Pros: Authoritative Sub-Bass
Beautiful shells when they catch the light
Good unboxing and accessories
Midrange Boost makes for entertaining listening to almost all genres

Cons: Can be sibilant to some treblets (!)
That BA timbre creeps in on some voices
I don't care too much but staging and imaging could be better

Drivers 2DDs+4BAs(Custom Co-design Bellsing 28Useries- 800Hz-3Khz Specific Working Range)+4Knowles (SWFK)
Configuration 2Low +4Mids+4Highs
Tuning 3Ways(Passive)/ Triple-Bores
Freq Response 10Hz-40Khz
Sensitivity 113dB/mW
Impedance 15Ω
Isolation -20db
THD Distortion 0.5%±0.1%
Cable 3in1 Modular Cable(4.4/3.5/2.5mm)

So there’s this river in Colombia that turns every colour of the rainbow (at least the pink, blue, red, orange, yellow, green end) a few months in the year due the growth of a plant called Rhyncholacis and a blue algae. Interestingly there’s a bunch of silly musical references that one can make with this river. It arises from a mountain range called Serrania de la … wait for it Macarena. It's also a tributary of a river that forms part of the Orinoco Basin (Enya face!!!)

That bit of fun info out the way, the Hisenior Cano Cristales is an interesting thing that came by my way via a generous friend for trial and review and appears to be the third in the list of fat bottomed IEMs to come my way after the Dunu Davinci and Simgot EM10.
Now the IEM itself is beautiful. Semitransparent purple resin with a stained wood faceplate which in turn is purple, blue and gold. Each piece again, like nature and the river itself is unique. The set being a multidriver hybrid is a largish set which makes it hard for me to wear it for a long time but it comes with a nicely sized metal nozzle with a mesh and a hole for pressure relief with a small metal grommet around it. I tried it with Velvet standard, Velvet wide bore. Sancai and Candy, S&S tips. S & S and Sancai gave me the best fit. Note I have a small pinna with a cavernous ear canal.
The box comes with the iems, a Manatee case with a magnetic and button closure, modular cable with 2.5, 3.5, and 4.4 terminations. It also comes with like a dozen pairs of silicone tips (bass (why??), balanced and soft balanced and finally 2 pairs of foam tips.
The set is a multidriver with 2 DD and 8 BA split into 2 arrays of 4 each for mids and highs. This leads to a solid authoritative low end with a warm overall signature but preserved details and energy. Best of all worlds? Maybe let's see.


Bass
This is undoubtedly a bass head IEM. The Sub-bass rumble fills one's ears and yet has control and decay and does not bloat or spread beyond the limits of the frequency band. There is a little midbass muddiness in tracks like Angel (Massive Attack) and Doing It Right (Daft Punk) but on Makeba by Jain, the subbass, bass, and kicks work in unison to create a solid foundation for Jain’s voice and synths.
On Didi, the live version, the bass kicking in at 35 seconds, brought a smile to my face and got me grooving remembering the first time this song turned up on MTV India. On Wanna be Startin’ Somethin’ by Michael Jackson, the bass notes that form the entire groove are pleasing to hear and at the same time authoritative enough to get the head bopping. The bass does not bloat or bleed and is thoroughly enjoyable across genres. If a track has been mastered well and the source is neutral the IEM seems to know how much to throw in on the low end. Daft Punk in particular, their entire repertoire, has been such fun!
Mids
The mids are similar to the other Hisenior offerings (for eg Mega5est). They are natural, slightly pushed forward. They take advantage of the low end so the lower mids have weight but are not overpowered. There is a slight shoutiness that creeps in on Take Me to Church when Hozier belts it out, but this seems to both ear tip and volume dependent. Separation of voices and instruments is excellent on wider bore eartips with every voice on Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon and Helplessly Hoping (both the CSNY original and my beloved Girl Named Tom) is clearly enunciated. Female vocals have a natural timbre and are melodious without being fatiguing or shouty.
Guitars, synths and organs sound natural and slightly boosted on tracks like Lingus by Snarky Puppy.

Highs
There’s a slight sibilance that can creep in with some (not all tracks) that again can be sorted out with tip rolling or even source rolling. On Dreams by Fleetwood Mac, every component sounds perfect except for the crash which raises an eyebrow when it first gets into the track on the intro and then before and in the middle of every chorus. Don Henley’s vocals on Hotel California is surprisingly not too shabby in the sibilance department. Snares and claps on Holler by the Spice Girls are also borderline painfully sharp. I’m beginning to believe this is a BA problem rather than a treble issue. The BA implementation lacks air and shimmer but does give out the details as they are meant to.
Staging
This leads to a slightly contracted stage. More a room than a hall or hangar. Definitely not in your face, small box, TVA torture type situation but definitely not like Simgot EM10. The imaging also could be better, both on Bubbles and Hotel California while the general direction of the instruments was fairly clear, their exact placement could be better.

This is the IEM I think the Dunu Davinci wanted to be but ended up being the bloated bass monster instead. The details the Cano Cristales reproduces while also doing full justice and more to the bass makes it a clear choice for me. The Davinci takes a more laid back approach to the entire spectrum focussing on the low end and being safe in the treble and slightly messy in between. Between EM10 and this, I think it would boil down to fit and personal preference. I would pick this since I don't game and don’t care as much about imaging as I do about the treble and that piezo worries me slightly. This set could do with tip rolling and EQ to get the sound signature where most people would find it engaging and fun and thoroughly enjoyable.

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.

$54.99 USD / EUR 50 | Wired | 10mm MACCD dynamic driver | 3.5mm and 4.4mm interchangeable plug OR 3.5mm with mic and USB-C at around $59.99 / EUR54.50

> 📌 The Quick Read covers the full verdict in about two minutes. Stop after Who Is This For? for the gist. Specs, accessories, measurements and the sound breakdown follow below for those who want the detail.

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⚡ QUICK READ · Everything you need to know in ~2 minutes

TL;DR

> The Juzear Nimbus is a single dynamic driver at around USD55 with three interchangeable nozzles. The low end is the same on all three, noticeably elevated with medium impact. Everything from around 1kHz up changes with the nozzle. White is the balanced default, black is the most relaxed and scales the best with volume, and red is the most vocal forward. The basic character is on the natural side and the nozzle swap makes the set compatible with many genres. The build is metal with glass faceplates and does not feel like a USD55 IEM. I do see its limitations on bass heavy genres where an impactful bass is needed.

At a Glance

✓ Suits You If

• You want one set which can shift its emphasis instead of one fixed signature
• You have a mixed library across pop, jazz, rock and vocal centric genres, and bassy genres like EDM, rap and hip-hop with caveats
• You listen at mid to higher volume
• You want a metal build and an interchangeable plug at this price

✗ Skip It If

• You are a bass head who needs a deep and impactful bass
• You want a wide and deep soundstage
• You listen mostly on low volume, since the bass needs volume to show impact

Main Strengths & Weaknesses

Main strength

The three nozzles make a clear difference in the music presentation, ranging from a relaxed leaning replay over to more vocal and treble presence. That gives three usable tunings from one shell and makes the Nimbus compatible with many music genres.

Main weakness

The bass needs higher volume to really show impact and its depth stays limited. On very high volume it starts to increasingly drone and affects the rest of the mix, while the overall impact barely increases. Soundstage is about average, and the red nozzles get shouty for me above mid volume.

Who Is This For?

The Nimbus makes the most sense if you:

• Want the most even balance of the three, which is the white nozzles
• Have a vocal focused library, where the red nozzles come in
• Are sensitive for shout and want the black nozzles as the safe option
• Want long fatigue free listening sessions, again the black nozzles
• Care about build quality and connector flexibility at the budget end

👆 That's the core verdict. Everything below goes deeper into specs, accessories, measurements and sound.

How the Juzear Nimbus ended up in my ears

Mostly because at that price point, I found the build and design interesting paired with three different nozzles. But would they have impact and if so, are they actually useable?

Making an IEM versatile with different tuning filters or nozzles is not a new concept and other manufacturers have released sets comparable in this price region like Simgot, Tanchjim and Hidizs to name a few.

I am not always happy with the type of versatility as they can be quite exaggerated in different ways. So, usually I would end up using only the preinstalled nozzle instead of swapping.

A bit different in case of the Nimbus where the tuning nozzles reach from natural, relaxed leaning to very vocal forward. Two of the nozzles are enjoyable to me, the white and the black ones. Let's have a closer look in the sound impressions part and if you are a bit into graph sniffing, welcome to read my frequency response measurements part, too.

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Key Specs

Driver Setup	1x 10mm MACCD composite diaphragm dynamic driver, TPEE suspension, N52 neodymium magnet
Impedance	32 Ω
Sensitivity	108 dB ±1 dB SPL/mW
Frequency Response	20 Hz to 20 kHz
THD+N	≤ 0.8%
Isolation	26 dB
Cable	Four-strand single-crystal copper silver-plated, two-wire twisted, with interchangeable 3.5mm and 4.4mm plug
Connector	0.78mm 2-pin
Shell	CNC machined zinc alloy with multi-layer electroplating, blue laser colour glass faceplate
Nozzle	Metal, three interchangeable filter types in white, red and black. Nozzle 5.2mm wide, 6.2mm at the lip, measured with my own caliper
Weight	9.2 g per side
Price	$54.99 USD / EUR 50 for the 3.5mm and 4.4mm version I received. The 3.5mm with mic plus USB-C version is $59.99 or around EUR54.50
Where to Buy, not affiliated	hifigo.com/products/juzear-poise-series-nimbus · AliExpress 3.5mm and 4.4mm: aliexpress.com/item/1005012898042561.html · AliExpress 3.5mm mic and USB-C: aliexpress.com/item/1005012898663425.html · amazon.com/dp/B0H73CL5YC · amazon.co.jp/dp/B0HBQCY8PY · amazon.com.au/dp/B0HBQQ9TJ4 · amazon.co.uk/dp/B0H7BJT7VX · amazon.de/dp/B0HBQXVW46

Note. The Nimbus comes in two versions. Mine is the 3.5mm and 4.4mm interchangeable plug version. The other one ships with a 3.5mm mic cable and a USB-C dongle built around the CX31993 chip for calls, gaming and computer use.

Accessories & Cable

In the box: the IEMs, the cable with its interchangeable plug, three pairs of nozzles, nine pairs of eartips, a light blue spring pouch and paperwork with the instructions and the QC card. The unboxing experience is very good in this price bracket.

Cable	Two-wire twisted, feels good and is ok in handling, though it is slightly memory prone. The plug is changeable between 3.5mm unbalanced and 4.4mm balanced on my version. Depending on whether you listen on your mobile device or at home, the USB-C version might be a good option instead
Eartips	Nine pairs in total, narrow and wide bore
Case	A light blue spring pouch. It does a basic protection and is pocketable
Other	Three pairs of interchangeable nozzles, instructions and a QC card

The highlight for me are the compact metal shells with their blue glass faceplates and the three different nozzle types, which have different filters and adjust the sound mostly in the mids to presence region.

Build Quality, Fit & Comfort

Fit & Comfort

The shells have noticeable weight and are about smaller than medium size. They sit secure in my mid-sized ears and fit very well thanks to the compact and rounded shell design. Even after several hours of wearing, my ears do not feel fatigued and there is no pressure build up as the shells are vented. The metal nozzles took my usual Divinus Velvet wide bore in size L without any issue and the seal was easy to get.

Build & Design

The shells and nozzles are made of metal and feel very solid in hand, and heavier than the usual resin shells. The blue glass faceplates feel very smooth and are reflective. The build feels premium and not like a USD55 IEM, and I still see IEMs much higher priced which have glued on nozzles or a cheaper build.

Cable

Covered in the table above. The short version is that it is good for the money, the plug swap works cleanly, and the only complaint is that it holds a bit of memory.

Mic Quality

Inline Mic	N/A on my version. There is no mic on the 3.5mm and 4.4mm cable, so I cannot say anything about the mic on the other version. That one ships with a 3.5mm mic cable and a USB-C DAC

> 💼 Personal note. I spent most of my time swapping between the white and the black nozzles rather than settling on one. The swap is quick enough and the difference is clear enough that it became part of how I used the set. On days where I could not take much treble and forward vocals I would go with the black nozzles. On other days I really enjoyed the white nozzles which highlight vocals better.

Long-Session Comfort

The best listening volume on the Nimbus with the black nozzles was slightly over mid volume to higher volume, without any listening fatigue but with better dynamics the higher I went. With the white nozzles the volume varied between mid and slightly higher volume. With the red nozzles I felt that anything more than mid volume will fatigue my ears on longer sessions.

Sources, Tips & Setup

Sources were the Questyle Sigma Pro and the Hiby R4 Evangelion edition, streaming from Qobuz and Spotify at the highest available quality, using the stock cable with the 4.4mm plug. Eartips were the Divinus Velvet wide bore in size L throughout. The Nimbus is easy to drive and needs no extra dongle or amp, though it does want a bit of volume to open up.

This review is based on more than 30 hours of listening.

Frequency Response Measurements

Method

For my IEM measurements I use my own 711 clone coupler. Measurements were done with stock ear tips on all sets. The measurements are attached as images.

The red graph shows the red nozzles, the blue graph shows the black nozzles, the white graph shows the white nozzles and the yellow line is the Harman IE 2019 target.

What the graph shows

The sub-bass partially aligns with the Harman target but then deviates from around 60Hz to around 1kHz. That means the Nimbus has more mid-bass emphasis than the Harman target, and slightly less energy at around 600Hz to 1kHz which lets vocals and instruments sound cleaner. The graph actually suggests more power in the low end than I hear, which surprised me.

From around 1kHz up until around 2.5kHz the red nozzles have a very similar response compared to Harman, but then the red nozzles slope downward. The red nozzles have the most elevated ear gain of the three and the most treble, so they are the ones which get shouty for me on higher volume, but they stay less shouty than the Harman curve.

The black nozzles follow the same as the red nozzles below 1kHz. From 1kHz on the black nozzles have less energy compared to Harman and then deviate substantially. Similar with the white nozzles but slightly different to the black ones. From 1.5kHz on the white nozzles deviate from Harman substantially and are energy wise between the black and the red ones.

For additional detail and air the Nimbus has an elevated 10 to 14kHz region on all three nozzles. The red ones carry the most energy of the three in the 4 to 10kHz area, and again at 14kHz they have more energy than the other two.

Depending on where you look on the graph the difference is at its highest around 4dB between the red and the black nozzles. Otherwise it is always somewhere between 1 and 2dB between each nozzle. That is not a lot on paper but it sits in the region which controls vocal energy and detail, and that is why three nozzles sharing the same low end can sound this different.

Sound Impressions

Overall Character

The Nimbus is threefold in a way. Three different sound signatures depending on the nozzle being used. They all share an identical frequency response from 20Hz up to around 1kHz, where they diverge into distinct vocal emphasis, presence region and mid-treble.

By default the Nimbus comes with the white nozzles installed. These carry slightly forward vocals, a mostly controlled bass with medium impact and some nice energy in the treble with reasonable detail retrieval. To my ears they have the best balance between bass, mids and presence region, with excitement that is well dosed. The black nozzles have the most relaxed sound signature with the perception of the most bass impact, as the rest of the frequencies are giving the bass more space, and of the three they scale the best with volume. Different on the red nozzles. The vocals are very much in front drawing the attention. The rest of the mix scales with the vocals, meaning I cannot really crank up this set that much as it gets shouty on higher volume.

Bass

Since the low end on all three nozzles is the same, this section refers to all three without mentioning it explicitly.

Bass is noticeably elevated with medium impact. The sub-bass on Key Glock's "Dough" is fine and stays controlled, but could reach deeper with more impact in my opinion. On A$AP Rocky's "Fkin' Problems" the sub-bass feels more impactful without droning too much or overshadowing the rest of the track.

It requires high volume to let the sub-bass have a better impact, and it has almost a BA like behaviour with a quick decay which does not linger long, with a rather controlled and shallow than deep rumble. But even volume scaling has its limit. The bass on very high volume, which is barely listenable for extended time, starts to increasingly drone affecting the rest of the mix, where the overall impact barely increases.

Mid-bass slam on Kaleida's "Think" does its job but will not blow anyone's mind, which is fine if you do not like an emphasized bass presentation and have it more as part of the whole performance. On Emika's "My Heart Bleeds Melody" a similar picture forms on this EDM track. The mid-bass has noticeable impact but will not bother with an overwhelming performance, but its punch feels good enough to make this track work for me.

The gist of the Nimbus bass is that it is on most tracks well audible but not heavily emphasized, leaving plenty of space to instruments and vocals without disappearing, but it needs higher volume to really show impact and its limited depth.

Midrange & Vocals

Lower mids are mostly relaxed and just slightly scooped out from around 600Hz to 1kHz when compared to the Harman 2019 target. The result is slightly thinner mids and upper mids, which are even more emphasized when using the white and red nozzles. The red nozzles push that the furthest. Their extra energy sits in the upper mids and presence region, which puts vocals right in front and is also where the shout comes from for me. The black nozzles are the other way around and are a recommendation for listeners who are sensitive for shout. As there is only very slight bass bleed, the mids stay pretty clean and clear, which results in good vocal replay for male and female voices. Overall the mids are well implemented, not sounding too dry but neither are they overly thickened. Especially on higher volume the clarity and separation between bass and mids become very visible. On Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing", front man Mark Knopfler's vocals are just a little bit more front than mid centered and sound pleasant with good texture and emphasis. The controlled bass and mids have an impact on the treble, too.

Treble

The treble region has a noticeable elevation but does not sound overly energetic, actually slightly relaxed on the black nozzles with the occasional push of certain regions. The result is a relaxed leaning tonality with a bit unevenly distributed treble elevation. That can come across on some tracks as artificial, but is to my ears enjoyable on most tracks as it brings excitement and details without getting overly aggressive.

Both red and white nozzles have more details to present and slightly more treble energy, which sounds to me more natural and exciting and less uneven on these two nozzles. The 4 to 10kHz area is where that difference sits. Eg on R.E.M.'s "Drive" strings sound more pleasant, more life-like and detailed with the white nozzles when compared to the black ones. Same goes for sharper electric guitars. They carry a slight nice edge. Some more sparkle on instruments with a better extended treble. That is very much highlighted on The Doors' "Riders on the Storm", where the rain and the keys have good plasticity and detail. The difference to the black nozzles is clearly audible and I like it.

The red nozzles are in most cases too much for me though, and what makes them too much sits below the treble rather than in it. So they are less a treble head option than their extra energy suggests.

Tip rolling can change the sound here as on any other set, and with nine pairs in the box there is enough to try. I did try the narrow bore tips but not long enough to give proper feedback on them.

Staging & Imaging

Soundstage is about average on the Nimbus. Good is the separation and layering, so even on busy tracks it sounds relatively clear, where instruments have enough space to come through. Thanks to the well controlled bass and good mids, the detail retrieval feels solid. Spatial information is good but not very wide or deep.

Depending on the nozzle, layering, separation and imaging can slightly vary, as the presence region and treble add more space between the instruments, where the black sounds as if it plays in the smallest room. On John Coltrane's "Mr. P.C. (2020 Remaster)" the sax in my left ear sounds really good with the white nozzles and the room seems to be bigger than on the black ones, where the drums and bass are clearly further away in the back.

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Final Verdict

Looking at the whole set, the value of the Juzear Nimbus sits in the choice rather than in any single one of the three tunings. On its own none of the nozzles are reinventing the wheel at USD55. But together they make the Nimbus a versatile set which covers most of my library on different listening days.

A thing to consider is the bass on all three nozzles. Whatever they change further up, they do not add sub-bass depth or mid-bass impact, so a bass heavy library is the one case where I would consider other options.

Build, fit and the package are a no brainer for me. Metal shells, glass faceplates, a cable with an interchangeable plug, nine pairs of tips with a pocketable pouch are for USD55 very good value and a recommendation.

✅ Juzear Nimbus can be recommended if you

• Listen at mid to higher volume across a mixed library
• Want a metal build and an interchangeable plug at this price
• Are happy to swap nozzles rather than settle on one signature

❌ Consider other options if

• You need a deep and impactful bass, since no nozzle changes the low end
• You are chasing maximum treble air and detail retrieval
• You want a wide and deep soundstage

Disclosure

This review sample was provided by HiFiGo. No payment was received and HiFiGo had no influence over this review. No affiliate links are included in this review.

Thank you for reading. If you find this review format useful or think something was missing, please let me know. Much appreciated.

So KZ apparently released the Sheen as the successor to the Castor, and from what I’ve seen the shell design is honestly way nicer this time. Feels like a proper step up visually.

Has anyone here actually tried both? Curious how they compare sound-wise, not just looks. Is the Sheen a clear upgrade or more of a sidegrade with a facelift? From what I can tell from the pictures the 2DDs are now in a parallel config instead of the stacked from the Castor.

Problem is there’s barely any independent reviews out yet. I could only really find one, a Japanese review that included a short sound sample, but that’s about it. No bigger channels or the usual IEM reviewers have covered it so far, at least not that I could find.

https://youtu.be/K-9tY43RIsc?is=eONTxo-lC5oYvvWA

Would appreciate any impressions if you’ve got either (or both) in hand and maybe some measurements would be very nice.