Smooth yet defined sonic character seemingly bringing it all, especially for the asking price Good midrange separation and imaging for the money spent Well positioned bass focusing more on sub-bass than lower midrange Great soundstage, not the biggest but amazing for the investment Midrange clarity above all with decent treble and bass balance Comes in black or silver Comes with USBTypeC DAC/Amp if ordered Can come with a microphone if ordered Super easy to drive Comes in your choice of 3.5mm single-ended or 4.4mm balanced
Cons:
Average BL03 II detail, even for the price asked Nozzles may be on the short side of life and holding a narrow circumference Might be too small an IEM for some ears Cable hooks aggressive and hostile, maybe belligerent, even criminal
BLON BL03 II Universal IEM Redcarmoose Labs January 22, 2025
The original BLON BL03 was/is famous. I have never heard it, but often heard of it. In many ways the BLON BL03 was the gateway drug into which many learned of the joys of China made IEMs. Being $38.99, the BLON BL03 has been put on-sale for just $26.99. And while I can see how the BLON BL03 and BLON BL03 II are similar yet different from studying the graph here. From what I can tell there is a slight bass departure with the II model coming in less bass laden. Then the roughly 2.3kHz Pinna Gain was less pronounced with the original, changed to a quieter 2.3kHz on this from the old one. And while both IEMs show a boost at 4.5kHz, this takes the brightness up a few dB, especially with the BL03 II.
The only BLONs I have heard (until now) have been the BLON X Z Reviews JoJo and the BLON BL-01.
BL-01: The BLON BL-01 I reviewed back in December of 2020, giving a stelar review, especially for the going price of $22.99. Where the first noticeable thing is the buffet of lower midrange present in the BL-01! When you combine that extra bass and pushed lower mids, then relax the 5kHz, what comes out as the difference is a moody darker, yet still fun IEM experience. Though both IEMs, the BLON 03 II and the 01 have an amazingly small form factor necessitating exact fitment in placement to work. Meaning both IEMs are on such a small side, and offering only so much nozzle extension, that specific ear-tips may need to be used, and careful positioning to get the IEM angle right before the fun starts.
Today I’m taking a little of a stretch to compare the 7Hz Elua against the BL03 II.
Left to right: BLON BL03 II and 7Hz Elua
Comparisons: In comes the SIMGOT AUDIO LC7 cable in 4.4mm for both IEMs: Now part of this comparison has to do with fitment too. To where I really want to emphasize that the original cable sounds pretty good and gets you about 90% there as far as what the BL03 II is about. Yet it is slightly thin and the ear-hooks of the included cable are a little of an annoyance. There is a place you can get to when it all comes together with the included cable. Meaning the BL03 II is small, the nozzle ends are slightly on the short side of the street and then we may have to use ear-tips which includes that missing length.
All together the LC7 offers better ear-hooks and a slightly thicker note-weight of sound on the BL03 II. This and it seems to work out well on the 7Hz Elua.
The Elua v BL03 II fitment: First off, yep. Elua fits better, and it is not that the BL03 II fits bad, as when you finally cater to it’s finicky fitment issues you do arrive at the great place, and while in that place the BL03 II does fit well and seemingly will disappear from noticeability. Though take notice that if you have to remove the BL03 II for a moment, that extra effort in finding placement will take place again, if again every time you have to remove it.
BL03 II: I know I’m running all over the place on this fitment, only there is a lot to talk about. For one, maybe you find an aftermarket ear-tip that lets you get a more comfy fitment, only the sound aspect then has to be taken into account. Meaning the BL03 II is totally affected by ear-tip material and ear-tip shape, so much so that it even made me question the sonic validity of this review……….as each user experience is going to find the BL03 II sounding unique to a point. Where some ear-tips would make the BL03 II sound balanced, where others would seem to unleash a brighter midrange and upper midrange. Finally I settled (after 5 different ear-tips) on the clear NiceHCK C04 ear-tips. Now I want to emphasize that each person's ears are a little different and while fitment with the C04’s was not perfect, even in comparison to others I tried, I stuck with them because they worked and because they seemed to balance the BL03 II's sound and offer a generally good sound to the Elua.
Elua: While the Elua is 4 grams each, the BL03 is 6 grams. The BL03 II metal and the Elua plastic. While the $31.99 BL03 II offers a single 10mm Carbon DD, the Eula offers an 8mm and 10mm LCP DD for $$29.99. Now I was prepared to totally ruin the BL03 II in this comparison test, as that is how the two first appeared to me. For starters the Elua is way thicker and wider, finding placement easy with a range of ear-tips. Also the sound was easy going to where ear-tips did not proclaim such drastic differences.
If you read my review about the Elua I at one point found a crazy expensive pure silver cable to adjust the thicker lower midrange and add pace and clarity to how the Eula performed day-in and day-out. Meaning there are aspects about the BL03 II which are more my cup of tea, though fit is not always one of them. Also in a small way the LC7 is adding to this lower midrange girth and smoother Elua treble and upper midrange, still it is romantic and big sounding. The best part is despite the character change with the LC7 and Elua, the overall tonal character remains in-place. The Elua two drivers add to a stage perception. That while way louder at the same volume the BL03 II goes forward in a less lower midrange style, making points for me with more coherence and a cleaner lower midrange. While the BL03 II doesn’t quite have the Eula stage, the BL03 II has its very own remarkable stage action going on. A more forward vocal, and even a slightly brighter treble, by a fraction. All this comes down to a cleaner and almost more focused idea of playback………less riff-raff and not as much over all note-weight, but still dramatically good note-weight in the end.
Though because of these different aspects of replay, I almost hold the two IEMs as complementary? Even going so far as to suggest they would benefit two different styles of buyer here. Yep, one that asked for a clear and tight (no funny business) style of replay, and the other Elua buyer wanting HBB bass and the consequences of such a set of lows. See the thing is this BL03 II temperament can go a long way once you have done burn-in. Meaning at first listen I was not sure just how this review would turn-out? In fact I set this challenge between the two IEMs to validate (before burn-in) a Eula purchase, leaving the little BL03 II behind in the dust. To where upon a week of run-in the BL03 II opened-up and smoothed out, into becoming while still a $31.99 IEM, a darn good one at that.
Shown above with the SIMGOT AUDIO LC7 cable. Shown below with the BL03 II stock cable.
Music:
Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL Batman v Superman OST New Rules 96kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video. After playing a few preliminary tracks in the OST music sub genre I found this “New Rules” to try and get a few points across. Though to be upfront the BL03 II really kind-of finds a well rounded ability once you find ear-tips and fitment. I am slightly confused with writing this, as there is such a change with ear-tips, you are almost accessing a new and different character with each pair of ear-tips. So at least to address this issue, it means that you personally have a lot of freedom to control the tone, to where you also have many freedoms too to find IEM placement here. So with that in mind comes finding a style of middle of the road character, at least for me this was the end goal.
New Rules: The opening Timpani (Kettle Drums) find their way into becoming large and in-charge. That while more expensive ideas of playback garner a larger stage, yet for simply what it is the BL03 II does very little wrong and gets points for being an overachiever here. Probably as far as technicalities go, there would be less separation compared to some IEMs, except the timbre and naturalness is why we came. And yes the BL03 II does not let down as far as good timbre and instrument tone. At 00:51 there is a good approximation of the feeling the song is going for plus we are about to witness the biggest bass drop in Redcarmoose history, coming up. Yet at this place in time we are rewarded with well done sub-bass, as this is really sub-bass over mid-bass in ability. At just 01:00 the Cellos and Violins take and add to the adventure………….except at 01:08 there is a nice synthesizer bass wash that finds its place here, not too much or too little, but I guess alive in the way it is called for? In fact it is the basic balance that really comes off as the value here. That BLON has concentrated on getting every little piece of the puzzle included and not questionable in replay. At 01:38 the bass drop hits, and while it is clear, it is not really as dramatic as some sets. Once again the BL03 II is making the best of it, never going to any one extreme, and keeping the balance at bay. That really I could have picked any song for this homogenized level of character inside BL03 II playback to occur. This is actually a compliment even though it may not read like one?
The included cable: Whenever I do a music test like this one it is important to rely once more on the included cable, to learn if it was a cable mismatch or the actual character of the tested IEM at the center of this replay idea. To where sure the WM1A is very mid-centered in formal response and combined with the included cable there was a slight reduction of note weight, but overall the same imaging while sightly airier was found, there was still this BLO3 II containment of stage and separation, never attempting to climb from the place it was. This is both a complement and a critical factor in understanding what we get for our money here. To be sure it is good because the BL03 II does nothing wrong, except that while entertaining, it never takes chances, so far.
KMFDM Paradise Oh My Goth 44.1kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video. Trying to add to the nonchalant excitement the way the BL03 II walks, let's play some Rock and just see? So to include the feature everyone knows how ear-hooks work right? Except with the included cable you first get the IEM placement, except the included cable ear-hooks are so aggressive, they then pull the IEMs slightly out of placement needing you to both readjust the IEMs and ear-hooks. Luckily I went back to the LC7 cable. And sure it could be looked at as suspect being the LC7 cable is roughly 2X the money of the BL03, oh well……..it is what it is.
Oh My Goth: One of the really surprising things that has to do with obtaining resolution and providing an example of tune is the slight sound at 00:12. What is the sound exactly? Truly I don’t know, but the beginning of the song tells an audio short story, one of thunder, then the howl of wolfs, then maybe a lightning strike, where this high pitch sound almost sounds like a piece of paper being torn?
All of us IEM testers are a little obsessive when it comes down to replaying individual sounds. This really means we are coming-up with two different ways to enjoy music. One way is to analyze every small item, and the other way to listen is to try and simply enjoy the music. Though what would an IEM review contain if we didn’t at least try to identify the ability of a $31.99 IEM? That really is why you are reading, and yes, maybe the ability to generate a treble level, but also being able to differentiate here, the BL03 II surprisingly performs this small sound, and not only performs it but places the small sound out-front and in relief of the background. I have used this sound for years to test IEMs. Now we are really coming into the genre the BL03 II does special. Sure I said the BL03 II does most genres, sure……..but also there is a result of some being a little better than others. Here we have a nice groove and female vocals taking stage. Just the fact that nothing is left out and nothing is heard being off-timbre, or strange is what the BL03 II is about, that is where the value lies.
Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen Forza Motorsport OST Brotherhood 44.1kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video. Here this song can be used to totally outline the basic character of the BL03 II. Where we are witness to both the same ideas as with the previous song, though this number takes and goes the next step to show what the BL03 II ultimately is. At just 00:08 the beat takes hold. This OST belongs to a racing video game and the supplied soundtrack is just that to supply background sonics. Here we greet a metronome in a consistent beat. In fact both the bass throbs and the addition of piano also start-up at the 00:08 mark. Yet first let’s concentrate on this constant pace creator drum addition. Higher pitched and higher tuned IEMs can even make this sound appear as a slap. Being very unnatural as a slap the sound is a combination of a few layers, having a deeper basic undertone too. Though here we met it as a less than detailed, but tonally correct drum sound minus any slapping, which is good. In many ways this is rudimentary in how to greet this tone, though there have been other IEMs which hold the ability to split this tone into two sections, and we don’t have that. At 00:40 we have a reverse cymbal which introduces the next stage of the song. And really this part of the review goes to explain what is up. To where at this point in the song remembering other playback as somehow taking this section further apart, yet we have a composite replay, while still offering separation and delineation, things are slightly held down closer to each other, making the BL03 II the perfect example of single DD cohesiveness and brilliant tone/timbre……..just not offering the separation and enhanced itemization found regularly with Hybrids. Still the BL03 II goes and chooses what it decides to throw outwards into the outskirts of the stage……………..these funny clacking reverberated echos…….if you hear the song at 00:42 you will know exactly what sounds I’m referring to. These images of echoing are always a part of this song, though at this place and time they seem to be of focus and intrigue? It is the transient and staging ability that seems to enhance these little embellishments, that there is a whole cohesive stage taking place, and this is simply a window into the goings on.
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video. My final music test. I mean I have to give the burn-in process some credit as well as the BL03 II for responding with added thrusters in the bass department. As normally I write a whole first impression take on IEMs. Yet here I decided after listening to give 7 days of burn-in, and I’m truly glad I did. As right at 00:12 we are witnessing profound bass, but that is probably the value here, that even though the bass is full, it is really sub-bass which never interferes with the mids. The gift of tuning here is that in no way are we venturing into the BL-01 waters, we have a tighter and mid bass reduced territory, that seems to work, and works-out well due to sub-bass physicality. At 00:14 a Blade Runner synth emerges and it is not really bright, way less bright than I expected, yet fully formed and acceptable, acceptable from the goals of the song. Most of this character probably takes place to how the upper mids were imagined to be?
Build: There is one obvious vent, with another vent I’m guessing at the (hole) next to the 2Pin insert? Made from two pieces of metal the weight is 6 grams. This will most likely be (one of the) the smallest IEM you come in contact with. While the screen is well mounted behind any danger, the nozzle could be a hair longer in my eyes, though the good part is it does hold a few kinds of tips on well. Other styles of tips seem to not grab on due to the diameter size? Such a smaller circumference of diameter is also unique. Coming in silver or flat black, with a choice of 3.5mm or 4.4mm and even a choice of USBTypeC.
Packaging:
Conclusion: This was a fun review to write. Probably mostly the surprise of how much better the BLON BL03 II became after burn-in. If you believe in burn-in or not just give it a few days and see if you can hear a difference. The difference made this review, for me at least. Besides the stage getting slightly bigger, the sub-bass was introduced at a correct level, and the midrange and treble became smoother and more realistic. In testing the Elua fit better, but it could be said the BL03 II took the lead with a slightly smaller stage, but offering a more efficient playback and clarity. There is a directness to the BL03 II that just won’t stop. There is a nice balance that walks the perfect line between organic and clear, between balance and musicality. Now sure for the price the BL03 II isn’t everything, but a fair and decent value, showcasing superior pace while still holding smoothness.
Disclaimer: The BLON BL03 II IEM has had a total of 7 days of burn-in.
Disclaimer: I want to thank Kaitlyn of Linsoul for the love and the BLON BL03 II Universal IEM review sample.
Disclaimer: These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.
Equipment Used: Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman’s Firmware 4.4mm balanced Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman’s Firmware 4.4mm balanced Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03 in 4.4mm balanced Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 AudioQuest Carbon USB Samsung Phone 3.5mm HiBy R3 II DAP 4.4mm 7Hz Artemis39 Bluetooth Amplifier and DAC 4.4mm ifi Go blu Bluetooth Amplifier and DAC 4.4mm ifi hip dac 3 Amplifier and DAC 4.4mm
