Firstly I would like to thank Wendy from KBear for sending me this sample to review.
Disclaimer: there have been a few reports of different drivers being used in the F1, mine have the TENHZ 29898 BA driver.
*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings
Gear Used:
Audio Opus #2 / Yulong DA10 > F1
Tech Specs:
Impedance: 22Ω±10%
Earphone sensitivity: 105±2db
Frequency response range:20Hz-20KHz
Plug Type: 3.5mm L Plug
Cable Length: 1.2m±5cm
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33013184490.html
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The F1 come in a very compact box that is pretty minimilist, but for the price I don’t expect anything more. The front has a picture of the IEM’s, the back has the specs, slide the outer sleeve off and you’ll find the F1 held in a foam insert. To be honest the packaging looks pretty good for the price, and easily up to the job of protecting them during shipping.
Build quality is really good, the F1 are made of resin with a metal nozzle and MMCX connectors. They feel solid in your hand, the cable is well built but the section between the y-splitter and the MMCX connectors really long with no chin slider. Strain relief is fine and I can’t really fault the build of the F1.
Accessory wise you get 2 sets of tips, red core S, M and L silicone tips and S, M and L KZ type star tips. All you need but a small pouch would have been nice.
Comfort and Isolation:
The F1 have quite an angular shape, but when in your ear none of these edges really come into contact with your ear. This means once you have found the right tips (Spinfit CP-100 fit well) they are very comfortable due to their lightweight design and comfortable cable.
Isolation is really good, the solid resin housing does a good job at blocking out noise, they also sound a bit better with slightly deeper insertion.
Sound:
Lows: The F1 use a single BA driver, and as is expected the low end is tight and leans more towards a neutral and accurate sound. There is good body down low, and kicks have good impact but the extension is a little limited when it comes to the sub-bass presence. The lows are there and these are not a dry and boring IEM, the quality of the low end is good but they do distort a little at high volumes. Again don’t expect miracles from this single driver at this price range when it comes to the low end, but they are pleasant and fill out the sound nicely.
Mids: This is where single BA designs come into their own, and the F1 is no different. They have a way of bringing out fine detail with ease, yet have a natural and linear presentation. The lows are well controlled and don’t bleed into the lower midrange, both male and female vocals sound great and guitars sound natural yet powerful when called for. The layering is really impressive in the midrange, with good separation. If you enjoy a good midrange the F1 really deliver for the price and they never get lost in the mix.
Highs: The highs are also a highlight of the F1, whilst not the most resolving earphones in the world they do have good presence and tonality up top. There is enough energy and extension to maintain a good balanced across the frequecy range, yet they are not pushed forwards to give a sense of false detail retrieval. Lucikly they also steer clear of being too metallic, but they do roll off a little early.
Soundstaging isn’t great, there is limited width and height. However separation is pretty good with plenty of space between instruments, the midrange has excellent layering too.
Conclusion:
Well sadly due to a few different drivers being used (according to KBear they should have a custom bellsing BA driver) there are conflicting opinions. With the TENHZ 29898 driver, these little F1’s are actually very good value for money. They are solidly built, comfortable and have a well implemented single BA driver. Extension is a little limited on each end, but there is good linearity and detail across the board with a slightly mid centric sound signature.
Sound Perfection Rating: 8/10 (Great looks, build, comfort and nice overall sound)