Dunu DN-16 "Hepheas"

Pros

• Extremely fun bass oriented sound signature
• Impacting sub bass
• Treble and mids are surprisingly prominent
• Despite the bass boost the DN-16 still manage to have a fairly balanced sound signature
• Build is amazing on these IEM
• Loads of accessories

Cons

• Mids are occasionally shadowed and veiled by
• Speed of treble seems to be a struggle and tends to grain up

General Overview

The target audience of the Dunu DN-16 “Hephaes” is the mainstream consumer base or more specifically, those who prefer the Beats sound signature. They sound best when used with bass reliant genres. The first thing I noticed about the DN-16’s  was the amazing looks and the surprising weight of the IEM. Upon putting them on, the first thing I noticed was the overwhelming bass presence utilizing a patented Power Bass System.

Build

The build of the DN-16 is definitely among the best I have seen in the $100 range. The first thing I noticed about the DN-16 is the distinct weight they had. According to Dunu the housing is made out of titanium, which give the DN-16 a real solid build and quality feel. Of course, the aesthetics are a nice touch as well.

Accessories

Dunu has always been amazing accessory wise and the DN-16 does not disappoint coming with an array of accessories I only find in the $200+ range. (add list of accessories)

Overall Sound

Bass is the name of the game with the DN-16. Upon plugging them in they take any trace of sub-bass in the track and expresses it as a prominent THUMP. On first impressions I would have said the DN-16’s sound signature was fairly similar to the Beats sound signature seeing how they both emphasize bass and tend to color the mids, but now I think they’re completely different in the sense that the DN-16 focus on sub-bass rather then bass quantity? Though the effect on the midrange and treble is rather apparent.

Treble

Treble is definitely the weakest link in the DN-16’s sound and is best used with genres that don’t place too much emphasis on treble.  I found the treble lacking the smooth fluent sound of other headphones near its price range and generally sound sandy or grainy with most of the tracks I used them with. The response speed of the DN-16’s treble tends to struggle with fast tracks and meld into a mass of harsh rasps.

Mids

Immediately after plugging in the DN-16’s I noticed a distinct veil where the mids were distorted because of the emphasis applied to the bass. After at least 50 hours of use, the DN-16 was really hit or miss when it came to the midrange. With half of the tracks I used with the DN-16, I found that they had clear, but coloured, mids that are backed by the pounding bass of the IEM. With other tracks, the mids and vocals were in a constant power struggle with the bass for forward presentation. This made the midrange and bass appear to originate from the same source and plain and made the sound feel flat and rather stuffed up. Overall the mids are fairly well presented and, more often then not, provide a fairly pleasant experience to the listener but when used with the wrong tracks, everything becomes a jumbled mess.

Bass

Bass was the name of the game for the DN-16 and it would be an understatement if I said the basshead side of me was amused. If bass quantity were the most important aspect in an IEM, the DN-16 would beat the competition with ease., I think the only way you can get better bass quantity is by attaching a subwoofer to your head. I found the DN-16 really excelled with most mainstream genres that really depend on bass such as trance, hip hop or pop but tends to struggle with acoustic bass because the bass decay tends to distort the reproduction of a bass guitar.

Soundstage and Overall Presentation

The soundstage of the DN-16 was rather typical when compared to other IEM’s in its price range but I found the frequency response would continuously disrupt the presentation of the DN-16. Continuing on the issue that I touched upon on the midrange section, I found the occasional power struggle between the bass to give the IEM a really flat sound.

Final Thoughts

The Dunu DN-16 “Hepheas” was a really fun experience and it was a rather nice retreat from the usual audiophile signature that I’m used to reviewing. The DN-16 were designed for use with mainstream genres and its tuning reflects that. The DN-16 tend to target mainstream consumers rather then the critical listeners who care about neutrality therefore I don’t find it in the same league as other neutral IEM such as the Hifiman RE-0 or the Shure SE 215, as they target different audiences. When compared with similar IEM such as the Beats Tour, the DN-16 becomes a real competitor. 

Announcing the Aurisonics ASG-1S

So something really special just arrived today! The new Aurisonics ASG-1S signature series! These are the same as the ASG-1 except they have polished shells and chrome plates.

If everyone remembers a while back it was announced that Aurisonics would be creating 10 limited run ASG-1S that are handmade and tuned by Dale, this is no longer the case. They are now a regular product of Aurisonics and will cost $499.99. 

Apparently, mine are the first ones created (so serial number 0001) and is missing the otterbox. I would like to inform everyone that these DO NOT sound like the ASG-1. They have, what Dale calls, "signature series tuning". 

For anyone who wants to use these pictures, you are free to do so as long as I am given credit for taking the pictures

Aurisonics AS-2 Prototype Review

Copyright 2012 Aurisonics, Inc.

Introduction

A few months ago I decided to get myself a pair of Custom In-Ear Monitors. This was before I joined Headphones for Dummies and before I knew jr.kong. I decided to buy the AS-1's as I liked the ideas behind them very much, but Dale Lott of Aurisonics surprised me and gave me a sneak preview before anyone else of what would come. The AS-2's I received are considered prototypes. I will go back and forth between calling them prototypes and regular AS-2's as I see fit due to what I know has changed or not since I received my pair. But please understand that they are very much indeed prototypes, as they were in my possession before the official release and also has one added and one missing component.

Pros

• Stellar audio reproduction
• Custom molded for a perfect fit based on ear impressions
• With a perfect fit you hardly notice wearing them
• Many different options for customization ensure you have a personalized product tailored to your aesthetic pleasure

Cons

• Price doesn't scream, "throw me around and don't worry about losing me"
• Added price of audiologist appointment or time to do it yourself with provided impressions kit
• Bad impressions will give a bad fit and hurt your ears
• Some hiss does exist when around items with strong RF signals or an electromagnetic field near the source when using them. It's not always, it's not even consistent, but it does happen, it comes with the territory of balanced armatures. It's nothing that would cause anyone to complain that they are unusable. It's hardly noticeable, but if you're trying to hear it you'll hear it at some point.

A Small Warning

This product was developed mainly for those people in the music profession. That is not a bad thing, but it is definitely something to remember as some other companies make products meant for consumers that are used by artists, but these have even more power and care taken to them and are stated to be for professional use only. I feel it is important to inform everyone that you should always listen at safe levels which is the case with all products, but especially ones that were not designed for consumers.

Features Breakdown

In this section I am going to break down what I think of all the features that appeared on the main page for Aurisonics when they announced the features and where the AS-2's would be launched.

• 15mm Dynamic Driver
• Next Generation Dual Tweeters
• The AS-2's feature three sound components, one 15mm Dynamic Driver and two "Next Generation" Balanced Armature tweeters. The combination of which is spectacular to behold. 
• Adjustable Bass Porting - For those of you who love your bass, and it's easy to see why with the AS-2's, this port will allow you to adjust the bass levels, but please be advised to practice extreme caution as these are made for music professionals, not for consumers. I wouldn't be surprised if you can rattle your head so much with the AS-2's that you hurt yourself. I've definitely pushed the AS-2's a bit hard on the bass and they never disappoint, but I still advise extreme caution in doing such things.
• "Hyper-Coating" Comfort Tips - This is the feature I have yet to receive. I will be sending in my AS-2's for this treatment to be done. From what I understand it is a special compound developed that will help cling to your ear canal from your body heat and help the AS-2's stay in even better. I have had no problems without this, but I am curious to see what it can add to my experience and will report back later.
• Recessed Connectors - Aimed at allowing for more durability and longevity of your In-Ear Monitors, the recessed connectors may be seen as a plus or a minus depending on your needs and if you want aftermarket replacement cables, as not all of them support recessed connectors.

Looks

Obviously as you can tell, the AS-2 Prototypes I own are quite flashy. This specific model has the polished shell exterior and a Chrome plated front panel. These are both separate options for when one orders the AS-2's. If one does not choose these options, the AS-2's will look a bit like the ASG-1's that jr.kong reviewed previously. They would have a frosted shell and a frosted plate. Options like the ones on my AS-2's will run you $1200.

Comfort

The comfort level of the AS-2's is a positive thing. Since they are custom made to impressions I sent in, they hardly feel like I am wearing anything at all. I have had many listening sessions that lasted only a few minutes, and many more than turned out to be hours. This is good for those of you that are musicians and for those that are not. The ability to not notice any fatigue or discomfort from a pair of headphones, or in this case In-Ear Monitors, is important and welcomed. Music professionals should have no fears about being able to use this on stage during a long set, or just for long mixing or listening sessions.

Accessories & Packaging

Similar to all other Aurisonics In-Ear Monitors, the AS-2's come with a Otterbox. Custom molded In-Ear Monitors come with the Otterbox 2000 to be precise.

Besides that, the AS-2's came with a little satchel to store the AS-2's in and a tool to clean up the area that the sound comes from, since it will build up with ear wax and need to be cleaned off every once in a while. All in all, nothing too great, but not lacking. I would have loved to see an included microfiber cloth to wipe off finger prints from the chrome panels on the AS-2's after insertion to my ears, but being that they do not need much more maintenance than that, a case to keep them safe and a portable case for on the go along with the cleaner tool was more than adequate. After talking with Aurisonics they are including a polishing cloth with plated versions of the AS-2.

Sound

The overall sound signature of the AS-2's is flat. Each of the three normal divisions of the frequencies are equally balanced with each other and this makes for a fun experience. The important thing about the AS-2's is that no matter how much I have tried boosting any single part of the highs, mids, or bass the overall sound from the rest of them is still superb and unaffected. Each section is well contained and little to no leakage between them means if you like it more bass heavy, go right ahead, you will still hear everything crystal clear. A song by Bassnectar called "Ping Pong" samples a ping pong ball bouncing around. The 3D imaging is amazing on the AS-2's, but if you turn up the bass levels you will still hear the clearness of the ball bouncing around like it was a leaky faucet dripping a drop of water in an otherwise silent room.

Treble

This is the area in which those two tweeters come into play. The highs are interesting on the AS-2's. It's this part of the AS-2's that I guess one would think the tweeters are standalone and separate from the 15mm dynamic driver in them, but to my understanding this is not the case. The balanced armatures in the AS-2 seem to compliment the dynamic driver to ensure that you are not just able to hear the highs, but also hear them well and enjoy them equally. Listening to music with really high notes hit by a vocalist is spine chilling. It's a great feeling to have something that hits hard as needed in the bass and still delivers like this in the treble space.

Midrange

The midrange of the AS-2's are lush. They are warm and inviting to you as a listener. I find the midrange to be perfectly tuned for the other frequencies to complement them. Similar to the treble, the midrange is quite airy making the two seamlessly co-exist in a unity of spaciousness and yet similar sound qualities. The midrange is airy and textured. It really makes you feel like you are there as you hear the pluck of the guitar in front of you. the tweeters used for treble levels mean the midrange is not overpowering the trebles at all. The midrange feels like so much of the rest of the AS-2's, which is a product that you can tell took some hard work and care to make and perfect.

Lows/Bass

It's something I have been talking throughout lots of sections of the review and rightfully so. It's amazing how the 15mm driver inside this In-Ear Monitor performs so well with all the frequencies and realize that it also handles the bass at the very same time. The bass is crisp and clean. In the past with my headphones that I have had that were considered Basshead headphones, with great bass, I never had anything like these. On tracks I previously thought were mastered poorly because it's bass did not produce much rumble or have much depth to it. With the AS-2's, the bass still does not lack it's clarity and texture when testing with those tracks. The bass goes well below my previous headphones, the Denon AH-D2000's that have quite a history of Basshead territory in the audio hobbyist community. I highly recommend anyone worried about finding something that'll give them that bass craving they have but fear losing the rest of the frequencies or even just think it'll be too heavy. It's a bit hard to get a handle of, but I can't think of any other way than to say, the AS-2's will perform as close to how the master engineer for the song intended it to sound. If the song is meant to have light bass, that's how the AS-2's play it. Yet at the same time, if the next song calls for lots and lots of bass, it'll deliver that as well, nice and clean, without any change of settings. In actuality, that's how every headphone or In Ear Monitor should be, but I have never found one that does on such a consistent basis until the AS-2's came along.

Soundstage and other qualities

This is one of those things that one feels the AS-2's were made for. I got the AS-2's while I was going through finals at school and used them at first while studying. I was in the library one day and the track I listened to had a sample of someone clapping very far away. I instantly started looking to my right and their was not anyone their for about 20 feet, yet I could have sworn the clap came from that first person. I listened to the track again and realized it was something in the music, but it definitely made me know I had something special. I have been enjoying very much the use of live music recordings to see how large the soundstage really is. I've pushed it to where using stadium concert recordings you'd swear you were actually there. You can tell exactly where the band is positioned and if a member has moved around on stage. You can hear the slight nuances of the fans and figure out exactly where the microphone must have been if you look at a map of the stadium it was recorded in. The instrument separation is unreal sometimes in how well you can just try to only listen to the pianist or any other instrument and just completely get lost in only hearing that instrument as it's perfectly clear and is not being blurred by any of the other instruments during the song. 

To EQ or Not to EQ

For the AS-2's, the need to EQ like with the ASG-1's reviewed previously on the blog is not existent. I have tried it and it does not do the job like it should. The balance of the AS-2's already is amazing. The use of equalizers is meant to fix or account for the sound qualities of a less capable headphone. An equalizer for bass boost would look to help give that extra attention to the bass frequencies since they are not getting enough power to the headphone or are not as efficient at playing those frequencies as it is with other frequencies. The AS-2's do not have that. Every section of the frequencies that make up the spectrum that humans can hear is accounted for and level with each other.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

The customer experience provided by Aurisonics is a treat to encounter. They are responsive and will work with you. This product is a gem to behold. Within moments of use it is obvious the amount of work and dedication that went into developing it and the things it is capable of are astonishing. If you are able to afford the price and are looking for a custom In-Ear Monitor, you won't go wrong no matter who you are. Whether you are a Basshead, love the sound of amazing vocals, or just enjoy music with no preference for anything to be particularly strong in any which way, the Aurisonics AS-2's are something to consider as they have lots to offer for anyone with a love of music.

MSRP: $799 for base model (No aesthetic options included)

Technical Data

* 8Hz - 25kHz frequency response
* 34ohm +/- 10% impedance @1kHz
* Sensitivity 123dB @ 1mW
* 15mm dynamic driver
* Dual next generation tweeters


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Update: Better pictures coming soon

New URL!

We are officially a blog with our own domain name. Like it? So do we. jrkong and I hope you see that we are committed to bringing you the best content possible. New reviews should be coming out on a regular basis. We wanted to have the new URL working before we posted the next review.

Happy listening,
Ken

Tips & Tricks: Coiling your cables

Part of the new content that will be brought to the site are added bonuses for our readers that come to the site directly or follower our site. These are not going to be reviews of products, but tips and tricks for all things audio. The first one is a video I like that explains how to coil your cords. If you keep running through earbuds or headphones because of a bad cord, or just want to unwind your cables neatly without tangle after storing them in a bag or something, take a look. Once you get used to coiling your cables like this, you will be frustrated less with knots in your cables and get to enjoying the music you love even quicker. The twist tie idea in the video is useful if you dont use a little pouch for earbuds,  but the over-under technique has been used by music professionals for years and can be used for all types of cables, not just ones for audio.

Also, in the future, we may be the ones making the videos or whatever other content we share in tips and tricks postings.

Some of you may have already noticed

As the title suggests, some of the changes you are going to see on the site are already in full effect. From now on both writers, jr.kong and myself, will be adding in labels to our reviews. This is to help all our readers find relevant information to a post.

If you click the label at the bottom of a post you will be able to see all posts with that same label. This should provide an easy way to find information about that same company or that model and if it was talked about before or in another review. We sincerely hope you take advantage of this change to our posts, as we move forward and try to provide the best content possible.

Also, we are now going to be having all posts be directly linked by our twitter account (@Headphones4D) and in the coming weeks hope to each have a personal account where we will directly respond to questions from you, our readers.

We hope you like the coming changes and if you have any suggestions of what you would like to see, please leave us a comment and we'll be sure to take a look at them and take them into account as we move forward.

Official Announcement For A New Contributor

I would like to introduce myself to the readers of this wonderful blog. My name is Ken and I am joining jrkong as another author and part editor to this blog. jrkong has already mentioned previously that new things would be coming to the site, and many of you may have already noticed my name in the contributors section a few days ago. My name appeared ahead of this announcement to help talk with companies about getting their products available for review. Together with jrkong this blog should have more content being delivered on a regular basis.

jrkong and I have been talking constantly for the last month about what else we can do, and we hope the changes are welcomed. We look forward to seeing and hearing your reaction as well as providing the best content we can to our readers.