REVIEW: Dunu DN-1000
Hybrids? Yes, Hybrids! They seem to be the new fashion
nowadays, both in the universal and Custom IEM markets. The idea of taking the
best part of each type of drivers, dynamic and balanced armature, and mixing
them together in one package looks tempting, but also dangerous. Tune it good
and you'd get a marvelous sounding product, but get it wrong and pay the consequences.
Now, Dunu, a company that has always managed to amaze
with an incredible build quality and a warm and smooth dynamic sound, dare to
take part in the challenge with their new DN-1000 model, featuring the
well-known Dual BA driver, the Knowles TWFK, together with a Dunu house dynamic
driver. What's the result of this combination? In short, it's sonically amazing!
Specs:
Drivers: 10mm dynamic + Knowles Dual Balanced Armature
TWFK-30095-000
Frequency Response: 16Hz~22KHz
Noise Attenuation: 26db
Weight: 26g
Plug Size: Gold-plated 3.5mm Stereo plug
Impedance: 10Ω
Sensitivity: 98+2dB
Cord Length: 1.2 m
MSRP: U$D 215.
Build Quality & Design:
Like every Dunu product, build quality is top-notch
with a classy design, putting great attention to detail. The cable is exactly
the same used on the lower DN-23 Landmine model, thick, very soft and
not-tangle prone. Microphonics are really low, even when worn straight-down.
Like with every model there's the "Dunu patented" attached cable
wrap, which is very helpful. The 45º 3.5 plug is well relieved, and the aluminum
alloy Y-split is very solid. The strain relief at the entry of the housings is
quite short though, about 5mm.
As for the housings, they're made of stainless steel. Not
only they're quite heavy, both on hand and mainly when fit on the ears, but
also quite large (see below section).
Accessories:
As usual, Dunu don't dissapoint when it comes to the accessories
pack, not only in quantity but in quality and variety as well.
The pack includes:
3 pairs of single narrow bore eartips in S, M, and L
size.
3 pairs of single wide bore eartips in S, M, and L
size.
1 pair of Bi-Flange.
3 pair of foam tips in 3 colors, all of same size.
1 pair of memory-foam tips (very similar to Comply
Foam)
6 pairs of rings in 3 different lengths (2 pairs of
each). The purpose of these rings is to adjust the fit of the eartips, and so slightly
affecting the sound reproduction. (A larger quantity of each ring would be
nicer.)
1 pair of ear guides
1 soft PU carrying pouch (PU)
1 metal hard carrying case
Shirt clip
Airplane adapter
3.5mm to 6.25mm adapter
Cleaning cloth
Fit, Comfort & Isolation:
Like any other in-ear phone, the DN-1000 are very tip
dependant. The housing shape is quite simple, and so, quite easy to fit, and
the included rings help even further to get a better and secure fit. Even so,
the earpieces are on the heavy side, not unlike other Dunu IEMs, so the extra
weight is really felt on the ears. What is more, the housings are also large
for the smaller ears. Wearing them 'over-the-ear' seems a must (with or without
the ear guides), and surprisingly fixes everything, and even provides a better
insertion for a noticeable better sound reproduction. The strong cable helps a
lot holding the heavy housing from falling off, but there's still need to
re-adjust them from time to time as it is not difficult to lose the seal.
Despite the shallower insertion, isolation is very good
with the fully sealed design, and no driver flex was noticed.
Sound:
This is the main part of the review, and the most
important for every audio gear.
Dunu's house sound usually leans towards to either the
warm and smooth, or bassy signatures. Even their single balanced armature based
IEMs were more mid-centered with rolled-off highs and lows. Knowing this, I had
my worries about the result of the DN-1000 tuning. Why? It's simple. For their
first hybrid earphone, Dunu chose one of the best (and of my favorites) Dual BA
driver on the market, the TWFK, which is known by its extreme brightness with amazing
hyper detail and ultra high speed, but light on the low-end. Add to that a
Dunu's dynamic driver, which can be quite bass heavy and slow in speed, and the
result could be either a horrible V-shaped sound, too bassy and trebly with recessed
mids - if done wrong - , or a beautiful full and well balanced sound, challenging
the top-tier products - if done right. Fortunately, I'm glad to say that it's
the latter case. The configuration is the same as the older and much pricier
AKG K3003 model and the newer Astrotec AX-60, and while I don't know how those
two sound, one thing is clear, these new Dunu DN-1000 are a top-tier product,
at least among universal IEMs.
The impressions are based on using the clear white
stock tips with the blue rings. While the rings mainly help to get a better
fit, they also have some effect on the sound, especially in the bass and/or
treble positioning. Not a huge difference to dedicate a special section to each
ring, but worth mentioning. Personally I opted for the blue ones as they offer
a best balanced sound from low to highs.
Bass: The Dynamic driver.
The low end is always full and rich, which is a
characteristic strength of Dunu's dynamic drivers. It's a big and surrounding
bass that never gets to point of being overwhelming. They compete very well
against similar priced (and even pricier) dynamic IEMs in tightness, precision,
and overall speed and detail. While they can't match the 'pure' multi-BA
drivers in micro detail and ultra speed, they have the more natural feeling and
realistic attack and decay that dynamic drivers usually offer. Layering is
great and extension is more than enough. Quantity wise, both mid and sub bass
are evenly presented, and quality wise they're way far ahead from the previous
models, including even the previous flagship, the DN-19 Tai Chi.
My favorite part is that the DN-1000 dynamic driver is
not only limited to offer a great and coherent bass response, but also warms up
the midrange giving it a fuller and more musical tone.
Mids & Highs: The Balanced Armature Twins, the
lovely TWFK.
There's no doubt who is in charge of the midrange and
treble here. I've always liked the Knowles TWFK driver’s sound, from the first time
I listened to the Brainwavz B2, and later on to the Rock It R-50.
The midrange is very clean and transparent, slightly
prominent and perfectly well balanced with the rest of the frequencies. Expectedly,
the clarity and detail are at their best. Compared to the cooler mids of the
'pure' TWFK, like the B2, and even the R-50, the DN-1000 mids are slighlty smoother
and more liquid. They might sound a tad less aggressive, but have more body
with a more silky texture and natural timbre. They sound as effortless and
articulated as a TWFK driver can sound, but are much more engaging and
realistic.
Vocals
are truly impressive with an incredible level of detail that's possible to hear
clearly every single word, be it from the main singers or backgrounds. They're fuller
and more forward than the R-50 or B2 with a much nicer hint of warmth and
sweetness. Even though the detail and air are slighlty ahead of the more vocal focused RE-400, they aren't as beautiful as the
Hifiman's silky vocals, and the DN-1000 are also less forgiving and more prone
to sibilance because the TWFK brighter nature. At the end of the day it's more
a matter of taste as both the DN-1000 and RE-400 are great perfomers when it
comes to midrange reproduction.
The
treble it's where these dual Knowles BA drivers always shine. Like other TWFK
based IEMs they're very bright, crispy and sparkly with plenty of energy and
incredible extension. Instrument separation is excellent and they're nicely
layered, highly resolving and very airy. As expected, they aren't sibilance
free and won't forget to show their more aggressive nature either. Foam tips
could help a bit in this regard, though.
Now, changing to the darker and wider bore tips, the
sound presentation also changes. Personally, I couldn't get a right fit with
the provided stock tips, so I used similar shaped wide bore eartips, like the AudioFly
and Auvio tips.
Not surprisingly, the resulting sound is sharper and more
lively and energetic, with a very slightly U-shaped response. The bass is
deeper and slightly more powerful, but loses some of its warmth. Midrange feels
colder and not as thick, being less suited for vocals. Treble is the most
affected, being much more similar to the Fischer Audio DBA-02, Brainwavz B2 and
Rock-It R-50. It is brighter and more peaky and prone to
sibilance. Even so, extension remains the same. It kind of reminds me of the
CNT based ATH-CKN70, but fuller and more well-rounded.
Soundstage
is very large with excelent sense of space and distance. Not only it has the BA
TWFK width and depth, but with the addition of the dynamic driver the sound is
much more enveloping and three-dimensional. It's very impressive for a IEM and
has that incredible ‘out of the head’ feel on it, not easily found on the
in-ear market (especially on the 'sealed' ones).
"To 'Hybrid' or 'Not to Hybrid', that's the
question..."
So, how does the DN-1000 compare to a 'pure' TWFK-based
IEM? One the one hand, they do have more natural and 'better' bass, and also
offer a much fuller and richer overall sound making it better suited for almost
every music genre. On the other hand, the low-end loses the amazing ultra-speed
and detail that these BA drivers have. And while it's barely noticed, there's
the inevitable slight incoherence issue of hybrid BA + dynamic configuration.
Even so, that shouldn't be a reason to ignore the DN-1000, as the sound is more
enjoyable.
Value:
With the DN-1000 release, Dunu have finally shown that
they're not a company that can make a product that matches the top-tier market
in just build quality and well-accessorized pack, but most importantly in
Sound. Implementing the Knowles TWFK dual drivers with their dynamic one, they
have achieved a very beautiful balanced sound. Sure, there's no perfect
product, but this one is getting 'close to perfection', at least in sound
matters, and makes an excellent buy for the asking price.