Firstly I would like to thank Dunu for selecting me to review one of their products, and I know some of you will not read this review as you think it is biased, but I assure you I will write as honest a review I can.
These IEM’s have had at least 50 hours of burn in before this review
Gear used in this review:
IPod Classic 7G 160 GB – Dunu Tridents
No EQ used.
Specifications:
§ Transducers/Drivers: Dynamic, 6.8mm
§ Frequency range: 10 ~ 20000Hz
§ DC resistance: 16ohms
§ Sensitivity: 95 ± 2dB at 1Khz/mW
§ Cable Length: 1.2m
§ Connector: 3.5mm gold plated
§ Dimensions (packaging): 203 x 149 x 44mm
§ Net weight: 22g
§ Gross weight: 165.4g
Style: Straight down or over the ear.
Price: $40
Packaging and Build Quality:
The packaging closely resembles that of monster’s turbine series, but it is a very quality touch for a IEM of this price. On the front it shows a picture of the product along with the brand name and website, on the side it shows you some of the features and on the back it has specifications in 2 different languages, along with a description of the product. Out of this outer sleeve slides a sleek all black box with a red D symbol in the middle, this folds open to the side, using magnets to hold it closed, to reveal the Tridents, laid in a velvet coated plastic tray, with the pleather carry bag below. Underneath this tray are 2 zip lock bags with the extra silicone tips and warranty card. Overall a very classy packaging job from Dunu.
The build quality of these is astounding, full metal housing feels very solid, the strain reliefs are just perfect, the y-split is very simple with a great slider, and the gold plated angled jack feels very sturdy and of high quality. The cable has some memory effect and could be a bit thicker, but feels like it should hold up well over time. I also like how Dunu uses colours to distinguish right and left (red-right, blue-left).
Accessories:
These come with a handy pleather carry pouch, which I use often, although I do prefer a hard clam shell case. They include 7 pairs of silicone tips, 3 wide nozzle tips, 3 narrow nozzle tips and a pair of medium bi-flanges. Integrated into the cable is Dunu’s patented cable wrap, which is very useful when you want to keep the cable from tangling, but sticks out a lot when not in use.
Micro phonics and Driver flex:
If worn down the micro phonics are quite bad, but if worn over ear like I do they don’t cause a problem. There is no driver flex as the housing is vented.
Comfort and Isolation:
The weight of these can cause problems getting a good seal, it took me quite a while to get a proper seal, I use them over ear with the bi-flanges and they are fine now, but can cause some discomfort after an hour or two. The fit on these can be a bit hit and miss, some will have problems, some won’t, but the shape of the housing allows for them to be used with all size of ears.
As the housing is vented only just above isolation is achieved, but it is more than enough for public transport or normal listening.
Sound:
I guess many of you skipped to this section so here we are:
Lows:
The lows on these are great for the price, good quality, deep, punchy, never boomy, but not very fast and lags in some faster paced songs. The bass gives this IEM a warm signature, very full sounding, and only slightly bleeds into the mids. Overall good quality bass in a satisfactory quantity.
Mids:
This is the part of the spectrum that these are slightly lacking in, these have a very mild V shaped frequency response which means that the mids are slightly recessed, not terribly but I would prefer them to be a little bit more forward. Male vocals sound too far back for my liking, guitars lose some crunch and impact as well, female vocals actually sound fine though, and no sibilance can be detected. Very smooth, slightly laid back mids, but not very detailed.
Highs:
These sound clean in the highs, never bright but also not laid back, good extension with slight roll off at the top. The only problem is that the highs have none of the sparkle that I like, they just sound a bit dull, the highs are there and can be heard clearly, but lack real detail.
Soundstage, Instrument Separation and Imaging:
I am very impressed by the soundstage of these IEM’s, i have had a few out of head experiences with these, the left right separation is also brilliant. Instrument separation is clear, although it gets a bit congested in faster tracks.
Overall:
These present a nicely balanced sound, with slight emphasis on the bass, the tonal balance is perfect, they sound very natural, but lack real detail, and sparkle in the highs. but I really can’t complain about anything at this price, they are not detail monsters, but they are by no means muddy, they offer a very smooth non fatiguing sound good for most genres, but in lively music they become a little congested, and I don’t find myself getting as involved as I like in hardcore dance music or heavy metal.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for a budget IEM that has a fairly balanced sound look no further, these represent great value for money, but if you prefer a more aggressive sound these may not be for you. Comfort may be a problem for some but I hear that Comply T400 tips work well on these.
I fully recommend this product.
Tracks used:
Funeral For A Friend – Bend Your Arms To Look Like Wings (apple lossless)
Bauhaus – Terror Couple Killed Colonel (apple lossless)
Black Uhuru – Utterance (apple lossless)
The Cure – Lovesong (apple lossless)
Eat Static – Survivors (apple lossless)
Eminem – When I’m Gone (apple lossless)
A Hero A Fake – Swallowed By The Sea (320kbps mp3)
Johnny Cash – I Walk The Line (320kbps mp3)
Lady Gaga – Starstruck (320kbps mp3)
Lights – Saviour (320kbps mp3)
The Prodigy – Voodoo People (Pendulum Mix) (apple lossless)
Paramore – Misery Business (320kbps mp3)
The Scene Aesthetic – Beauty In The Breakdown (320kbps mp3)
Vivaldi – Spring-Allegro (apple lossless)
Hope you enjoyed
Oscar