]]>
]]>
Video from Dan's Audio Reviews
]]>The sub-bass has decent rumble with a good extension that reaches pretty deep. The mid-bass is controlled, having sufficient impact. The bass also sounds clean and articulate, with drums and bass guitars having an average impact with decent rumble and vibration. The bass region possesses a good amount of warmth, but not too exaggerated. The bass does not at all bleed into the other frequencies.
The mids sound neutral with a tad bit warm. The timbre on this iem sounds realistic thus having a light note weight. Vocals sound clean and clinical, with good details and good articulation. The male vocals do not have that authoritative and mellow sound that is pleasant, but they do sound clean. The instruments sound detailed, with pianos and guitars sounding clean and with not much added colour.
The highs sound a tad bit forward and personally, bright. The treble is brimming with energy, making tracks sound more lively and energetic. The highs have a realistic representation which plays the exact sound that is being recorded in the studio. Due to this, poorly recorded tracks will suffer and be exposed. Cymbal crashes and electric guitars do sound harsh sometimes.
The soundstage is decent with the depth being pretty average, the width decent and the height being a tad above average, making the soundstage like a private room, but with a taller ceiling. The imaging is great with the instruments being in their correct positions. The sound separation is good as I was able to distinguish all the different sounds and instruments in tracks.
The NM2 is for people that like to analyse music tracks as it has a good detail retrieval with a clean and clinical experience due to it not having much colour added. For $99usd this is pretty good value for money, being tuned for professional music producers or listeners but there are quite a few competition out there for general listening.
Where to buy: https://keephifi.com/products/nf-audio-nm2
]]>The bass is overall recessed, with it having an average impact on the punch and not much rumble. The sub-bass is rumbly, giving it thunder. The mid-bass has an average impact, being able to show the drums in tracks. The extension of the sub-bass does not go very far, and the decay is quick. The bass region does not sound warm, and does not have that saturated bass which sounds rich and pleasant. The bass does not bleed over to the other frequencies.
The mids are forward with it possessing a hint of warmth and is well-textured. The vocals have that rich and luscious ambience. Male vocals sounds mellow and has that "throaty" feeling. The female vocals sound soothing with it shining in tracks. The note weight is on the lighter sided. The piano and guitars sound pleasing to the ears.
The highs are forward and sound sparkly. The treble sounds clean and with high clarity. The treble extension is decent and the decay is alright, being at a comfortable speed. The female vocals at the higher octaves are not sibilant and do not sound harsh. The cymbal crashes and electric guitars are also not harsh on this iem.
The soundstage is pretty average with the width being about 180 degrees and the depth being 3m and the height being 3m as well. It is pretty intimate. The imaging is decent as the instruments are in their respective positions. The sound separation is decent as the instruments can be distinguished, although it might get crowded on busy tracks.
Its price is pretty competitive at $26usd. This earbud has good sounding vocals and a mid-centric tuning. This earbud is very value for money and I would definitely recommend it. Definitely not for bassheads, but if you do love treble and mids then do get this this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HSnbWwnhvI&t=1315s
NBBA: NO BS BUDGET AUDIOPHILE (CHIFI SEEKERS)
Writen by ErIk Ikomori.
]]>CCZ is a company dedicated to making portable audio products. It was started in October 2020 and according to them, they have team members from all aspects of the Chinese headphone industry with over two decades of technical experience in acoustics. So far they have released 4 IEMs; the Plume, the Coffee Bean, the Emerald, and the Melody. The Melody is equipped with a classic budget configuration which is a dual driver hybrid, and currently retails for 22 USD. The Melody was provided to me for free by CCZ in exchange for this review.
The Melody comes in a small, white sleeved box that is identical to the Coffee Bean. Upon removing the sleeve you will find the Melody inserted in a soft, foamlike material. Below it is a smaller box that contains the spare eartips with CCZ's "patented" design, the cable, and an instruction manual.
The shells are made of plastic with a glossy and shiny surface. Unlike the Coffee Bean which has a curved faceplate and has a large vent, the Melody has a flat faceplate and has no vent. On the side near the female 2 pin connectors there is the CCZ logo. At the other side of the shell there is that rubber fin that CCZ introduced which helps improve the overall fit, and below it are two small vents. The nozzles are made of metal, equipped with a mesh filter and a lip to hold eartips in place.
*The lows are strong and vivacious. There is a considerable amount of boost in the subbass, both in the impact and the decay. Depth is good as well. Subbass is also a bit forward but it is superseded by the midbass. The midbass is boomy, sounds thicker than average and bleeds into the mids quite often.
*Overall, the lows of the Melody reminds me of the Coffee Bean. Possibly because CCZ used the exact same dynamic driver in both of them, and just like the Coffee Bean, the Melody is also plagued by the midbass bleed.
*The mids are presented in a marginally relaxed manner. Vocals have an elevated thickness. Male vocals are slightly more forward than female ones, with the latter lacking a bit in terms of liveliness. Vocals, as well as the instruments also has some tendency to sound boxy at times.
*Overall, the mids can sometimes sound blurry due to the interference of the midbass. Female vocals are hindered the most so the use of eartips with a wider bore is recommended.
*The highs are sparkly and well-extended. Overtones are sufficiently defined but can get drowned out sometimes. Treble reach and the accompanying decay is slightly above average, providing a tiny bit more air in between instruments. Despite the sparkly nature of the highs, sibilance nor aggressiveness was never perceived.
*Overall, even though the lows still have the bigger presence, the highs of the Melody is still able to showcase itself decently, and in a way that it does not induce fatigue even in long listening sessions.
The Melody has a below average size of soundstage. The expansion is bigger in the width than the depth. Imaging has good accuracy and clarity, but the layering and separation of the instruments suffers quite a bit due to the bloated midbass, and naturally because of this, there is a fair amount of congestion in each track.
CCZ Melody (1 DD + 1 BA, 22 USD) vs. CCZ Coffee Bean (1 DD, 20 USD)
I was not surprised that when I listened to both of them side by side, the lows sound exactly the same. It could be because they are using the same dual magnetic dynamic driver. Transitioning to the mids, this is where they start to show differences. The Melody still has recessed mids, but slightly more upfront when compared to the mids of the Coffee Bean. The Melody also has better transparency in the vocals and has a more natural tonality. As for the highs, it is expected that the Melody will perform better due to the additional balanced armature driver. The Melody has more reach in the treble and has a longer decay. In terms of the soundstage, the Melody has more width, while the height are just the same. Imaging is also slightly clearer in the Melody. All other technicalities such as the instrument separation and layering are just identical.
The Coffee Bean was a decent IEM in its price point at the time of its release, and now with the Melody, CCZ managed to make some improvements in the sound, specifically in the technicalities, without increasing the price that much. The Coffee Bean is still a good choice for someone who wants a warm and smooth signature, and the Melody does not stray too far from that but considering the improvements, the Melody is the better option.
Writen by Adrian Yambao.
]]>Good Day! Here are my comments and a comprehensive evaluation of the CCZ Emerald - a relatively new IEM and one of three IEMs produced by CCZ, a relatively new company.
>KeepHiFi Sandy Ccz provided me with this review sample in return for my honest opinion and views on the Emerald. Rest assured that this review will be as devoid of bias/es as possible.
>The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
>No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
>Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.
【Burn-in time】: 5 hours per day, 3 days.
>Hidizs AP80
>Not-By-VE Avani Realtek Dongle
>Samsung Galaxy S3 (WM1811 DAC)
>Non-HiFi smartphone (realme 5i)
>Local Files via Foobar and Roon, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.
【Sound signature:】
>Balanced-warm. Big, controlled lows most of the time. Vocals can sound intimate on vocal-oriented tracks, Average soundstage.
【Lows:】
Lows are present and elevated. It is thumpy and has a normal decay, not too fast nor too slow. Levels of midbass and sub-bass are both equal to my ears. Overall, the lows exhibit a controlled yet fun presentation for its asking price. Bassheads may enjoy this IEM on bass-heavy and EDM tracks.
【Mids:】
Mids are warm and may suffer slight recession depending on the source paired with it due to some slight mid-bass bleed. Lower mids are thick and have decent clarity. Upper mids are slightly elevated compared to the lower mids and can sound intimate on vocal-oriented tracks. It also exhibits decent clarity with no presence of harshness and sibilance. Overall, the mids are pretty good and have a compelling presentation under 20USD due to its lush and smooth character.
【Highs:】
Highs are also extended, although not by much as compared to comparable IEMs in this price range. Treble-heads may be disappointed by the absence of treble energy, but most ears will be satisfied. Average detail retrieval, you can fairly easy to catch the small nuances on tracks. Overall, the treble on this IEM settled for the safer side without being too rolled off.
【Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:】
The soundstage is average, wider than deep. Separation is also average; it can suffer a little bit of congestion on very busy tracks. Imaging is also accurate and good for most tracks such as pop, acoustic rock and EDM.
【Comparison/s: Vs the KZ ZEX】
>Both IEMs perform really good-even toe-to-toe when compared. The KZ ZEX sounds more “fun” and energetic compared to the CCZ Emerald. The bass on the ZEX is also punchier compared to the Emerald. The mids on the CCZ Emerald are much more forward compared to the ZEX. Treble on the ZEX is also much more extended and can suffer some instances of sibilance to sibilant-prone tracks in return. The Emerald on the other hand has a decent extension on the treble without getting hot or sibilant. The separation is also better on the CCZ Emerald by a fairly small margin. The ZEX sounded a little bit congested when compared overall.
【Pros:】
>An All-rounder-sound
>Despite being an all-rounder, its presentation is somewhat different compared to the IEMs within its asking price (20usd or under)
>Smooth mids presentation
>Decent packaging and accessories, particularly the ear tips.
>Lightweight fit and feel, reminded me of the Final E1000 in terms of fit and feel.
>Fatigue-free listening experience.
>Very easy to be driven properly.
【Cons:】
-Intimate vocals (subjective)
-Lack of treble energy for treble heads (subjective)
-Slight mid-bass bleed
-Aside from those stated, nothing really bad for its asking price (23USD)
【Verdict:】
The CCZ Emerald is one of the “best” IEMs I can recommend for IEMs within the 20-25USD price range. It pretty much hit all the characteristics of a decent IEM that is an all-rounder and can please most ears in terms of fit, comfort, isolation, and sound quality despite the company being new to this world full of IEMs being released almost every day. This IEM is already a good starting point for the company to improve its sound as time goes on.
Thank you for reading!
Writen by Aura-Fi
The Plume is the first IEM and the current flagship from the newcomer CCZ. It is a hybrid IEM with 10mm dynamic driver and 4BA wrapped in a premium golden colored shell. The 4BA (2 of each) are custom designed by CCZ and referred to as CCZ-IF-A (intermediate frequency) and CCZ-HI-A (high frequency). As their initial introduction to consumers, the overall impression of the package is very premium but at the same time, the cost is over $200usd so it does warrant a complete package that not only looks premium, ships with premium accessories, and most of all, has a sound that matches the price tag.
From the brush strokes and gold lettering on the outer box down to the accessories found in the leather case, it has a premium feel at every level. The outer box slides off revealing an inner matte black box which opens to a velvet-like tray containing the stunning golden shells and ear tip collection. Underneath the tray, there is a handsome leather case, the 6N OCC cable, CCZ tips, 2X 2.5mm adapters, cleaning cloth and brush.
The cable is specified as a 2 core 6N OCC crystal copper but it is sleeved in a dark brown fabric. The feel is soft and the twisted dual cores also contributes to the overall soft and flexible feel. The cable is terminated 2.5mm with a chrome and carbon fiber connector. The split is matching chrome and carbon fiber with a working black ball chin slider. The chin slider slides easily but does remain in place aided by the fabric sleeving. The black, partially covered 2pin 0.78mm connectors fit flush to the partially raised 2pin connection on the shell. Additionally, there are 2 adapters to convert the 2.5mm to 4.4mm and 3.5mm.
The included tip set includes 3 pairs of the CCZ designed “patent” tips which feature an extra ring or tube at the top of the tip and 5 pairs of KBEAR 07 tips.
To round out the abundant collection of accessories, there is a handsome storage case, cleaning cloth, and cleaning brush.
Figure 1. Take note of the two vent holes on the inside face
The golden shells are comfortable but on the larger size. For me personally, I don’t have any discomfort in short sessions, but in longer sessions, I can start to feel it. Additionally, there is a bit of weight to the shells so if your previous IEM is a lightweight resin or plastic, these will feel heavier. For me the wing helps keep the shell in my ear and the weight was not noticeable to me. Also worth noting, there are two vents on the inside face so avoid pushing the shells too far in which may block airflow to the vents.
Figure 2. FR Graph of the CCZ Plume
Generally, the CCZ Plume is a very likeable warm V-shape. Perhaps too warm and thick for those seeking a balanced hybrid tuning. It tends to sound more like a sub bass focused DD than a hybrid with such a rich and weighty low end and non-fatiguing upper end. While the BA timbre is somewhat natural on the Plume, the cost is detail and it could use a bit more sharpness to the upper range which would have made detail fans a bit happier. While easy to drive, the Plume does like a little bit more power to tighten up the low range and using a warm source is simply going to emphasize the boosted bass. CCZ was right in choosing wide bore tips for the same reason, no need to add any more emphasis to the bass. For me, the volume scaling is an interesting balancing act on the Plume. At a lower volume combined with some more power, the bass is less thick but mids are more recessed. Turning the volume wheel up will bring the mids forward with more detail, but more boosted bass comes along as well. I do suggest playing with the volume as the drivers will awaken at higher volume and will let you know when you have gone too far with some lower treble fatigue. While the Plume exudes a premium look, getting it dialed in with a more neutral source, open tips, and volume level will leave you thinking the premium look comes with a side of high maintenance when balancing the adjustments.
With a 10mm custom DD, the Plume tuning went heavy on the bass. The tuning is a very likeable bass heavy sound which will appeal to some listeners and others will prefer a cleaner lower range at this price point. As I mentioned earlier, using a more neutral source, especially one with some power, will help tighten the bass a bit but there is a bit more quantity than quality here. For bass fans, this is a very generous helping of bass and will hit hard and go deep on your favorite bass led tracks. For listeners looking for more detail and texture, this driver is not particularly fast or tight. I would say it is not overly boomy and remains controlled but not quite fast enough to match the detail of the 4BAs or perhaps the expectation of detail at its price range. Again, if the bass is too boomy, try a more neutral source. Additionally, the very wide stage helps with this level of bass from completely overpowering the mids and treble.
With the tuning and level of bass on the Plume, there is quite a bit of bleed into the mids. The overall warmth runs from the bass and straight into the mids. With the level of bass and slightly recessed mids, this bass to mids transition is not as clean as I hoped. Again, this set will really appeal to bass fans and fans of a very weighty mid-range. The vocals are also weighty and full-bodied even if there is a bit of recession. I can certainly see where a full-bodied female vocal will appeal to many people on the Plume and the male vocals can take on a very thick sound which is a bit too deep. These are certainly not thin, shouty mids but could use more contribution from the upper range. If you prefer cleaner mids and more clarity, consider EQ’ing the bass down a bit and use a neutral source. Less of a problem if your music selection does not include bass heavy tracks as well. In that case, the V-shaped tuning will offer some recession in the mids and I preferred to play with the volume to bring the Plume to life. At lower volumes, vocals can be a bit more recessed and slightly dull so click your volume + button a couple times and listen for the mids to come forward a bit and come to life. Even when the track has a relatively low bass level and the mids are more forward, the level of detail and resolution is average at best. Again, this is a bass lovers tuning versus a price expectations problem. While CCZ could have sharpened the sound on the BAs to force more detail in the mid-range, the Plume leans more towards an easy going, relaxed presentation so detail lovers may want to go elsewhere, but this will be fine with fans of non-fatiguing long sessions with their favorite tracks.
Heading out of the mids, the rise into the lower treble is smooth and not too much gain, around 9db at 2.5khz. The mid to treble transition follows along with the relaxed presentation but for me, another small peak at 5k will be the lower treble focus area. Especially upping the volume a bit, the 5k peak will let you know when you gone too far. Beyond the 5K area, it drops off and, in my opinion, the higher frequency sounds are a bit hard to hear especially with bass in the track. The combination of lower level and heavy bass will make the pianos and even snare drums sound a bit dark, a bit blunted, a bit too fuzzy. Again, this will be great for fans of a non-fatiguing treble but for treble-heads, this will leave them wanting more upper treble to stand against the bass. As far as a very likeable tuning, the Plume nailed it as they could have simply gone with a sharper V-shape and boosted the treble to stand with the bass, but it would have been too fatiguing and potentially forced more BA timbre.
The other group who are really going to enjoy the Plume are fans of a wide stage. To be honest, with that much bass, it would have been a muddy mess with a small stage as the bass would have crushed the mids. Pushing instruments out wide, bass low, and height on the vocals and treble, there is an abundance of space allowing for good separation and layering. More so than I assumed would be possible from my first few minutes listening to the Plume. For the Plume, this is essential with the bass bleed into the mids, there isn’t the clarity and imaging that you would get out of a tighter/faster dynamic driver. The size of the stage is helpful, but especially for bass heavy tracks, the imaging is still going to be challenging. Another area where that neutral source with a bit of power is going to help bring a bit more clarity. Overall, the stage offers some wow moments as there should be in a set of this price.
I will say 7.5 out of 10 is the middle ground between listeners who prefer heavy bass and those who prefer less bass. The score will really depend on your preferences, if you prefer more bass, it is more like an 8, but if you prefer less bass, it is closer to a 7. For bass fans, non-fatiguing treble fans, this is certainly a set that is right up your alley. For everyone else, there are expectations, especially on the technicalities, which may not be met with such a bass-heavy, warm tuning. Ultimately the scoring comes down to price, value, and expectations calculation so I call it a 7.5 out of 10 but I wanted to be clear that the Plume is going to be better suited to those seeking its warm and bass-heavy sound. For those people who are looking to take a step up in sound quality from the sub-$100, understand the signature and strengths of the Plume so as to meet your expectations.
At first glance when I got the package, it´s pro. The packaging is really nice looking.
Everything matte black, cool and sleek. You can tell the box has a luxury thought behind it.
When you open it, there they are. Pearly, shiny great looking earbuds. Lifting the block holding the earbuds a smaller box is inside with the braided cable waiting for you to plug them in and go to town. The quality of the box is better than some of the"couple of hundred bucks-earphones" I´ve tried. This has some serious thought behind it. My wife looked at me when I was opening it and said, I looked like a kid on christmas and I felt like one too.
Sound quality:
As an omnivore of music, my music mood can change from day to day, hour to hour.
During my first time the earphones got to me I was listening to a lot of Logic, Chance the Rapper, Masego and that kind of style. Let me tell you, these earphones are amazing for this kind of music. A deep kick bass that fills in the HipHop genre without any problems. The treble in brands I've tried can be a bit on the high pitch side and almost hurt. But they power through it like nothing. And the voices are crisp and clear.
Going over to Electro and trying music like Knife Party and Daft Punk, the earphones follow through with the same power as before. Clean sound all over and no overdrive or clipping at any frequency. Classic Rock with bands like Guns 'n' Roses, Iron Maiden and Metallica where I have found lower priced earphones almost hurting your ears with the cymbals and hi-hat these are ok, but just that. If you are looking for earphones on a budget these are not for the rockers in my opinion. Any other music they work like a charm and even better depending on the mastering of the songs, but rock-wise, there are earphones that provide more bang for the buck.
As I went through my day and the music was playing in my ears a special song came on.
Beastie Boys - Sure Shot. I immediately thought; wait, what would the original with Karl Denson sound like? I was not disappointed. The flute that I have found can put some speakers to shame, don't have anything on these earphones. No problem at all. One of the cleanest playthroughs I´ve heard. I had to put on my Jazz-playlist and I started swinging away. Many hours went on with Jazz and Funk in my ears.
Summary:
The look of these are really nice. They are sleek, sit well around the ears, and the cable is awesome. The 3,5mm connection is straight and sturdy so you know it won't break at slightest pressure. The feel of the earphones are awesome, they have a weight to them but they are not heavy and uncomfortable. And with the range of plastic buds to choose from in the original package I can guarantee you will find some to fit you just right. All in all the build of the earphones are great. Rarely have I seen such robust earphones in this beautiful "skin".
I can get more technical with this but it's no fun to read in a review. In my opinion as the proprietor of about twenty ear- and headphones ranging between the prices of $30-$400 andlistening to music of all kinds I can do a scoresheet for you of what I think these scores are in this price range.
Genre -Stars on a scale of 5
Rock/Metal:2/5
Pop : 3/5
HipHop / R'n'B : 4/5
Electro : 4/5
Reggae : 4/5
Jazz : 5/5
]]>