VJJB N-30 REVIEW :
SOUND: 7/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7.5/10
VALUE: 7.5/10
THE PLUS:
- Clear fowards mids and vocal
- no sibilance in upper mids
THE SO-SO:
- Average imaging
- Dry treble
- Not so well controled bass
- cable is neither mmcx or 2pin
I have a soft spot for VJJB earphones, a nostalgic one about chifi old days where this brand represent one of the few trustable budget friendly audio company to buy from. Unlike less serious company, VJJB was offering very affordable earphones that was professionally tuned and have great craftmenship for the little price.
VJJB K4, for example, are excellent sounding single dynamic earphones with a very appealing wooden housing. As well, they are among the first to have introduce dual dynamic drivers earphones that actually sound balanced and properly tuned.
Yes, VJJB have good audio engineer in their team even if I guess they aren’t pay alot to do their job because otherwise how could they sell their earphones so cheap?
Now, VJJB decide to be very audacious with a new hybrid earphones call N-30. Not only the housing design is from another world or even galaxy and stand appart from any other iem I ever seen, but they use a dual dynamic driver plus one balanced armature implementation too with a pretty complex looking crossover that promise serious tuning work.
Priced around 22$, this ultra budget friendly earphones promess incredible price value, but what about the sound, did VJJB know how to tune 3 drivers properly or will it be transient response mess like alot of other chifi earphones??
Let’s see in this review if such a cheaply priced earphones can actually be an interesting choice for budget audiophile.
You can buy the VVJB N30 at lowest price (20$ish) from AK AUDIO STORE.
DISCLAIMER: I personally ask AK Audio store for a review sample of these ovni earphones because they intrigue me alot. I’m a fan of VJJB (and Ak audio store too!) but will keep my full independance for this review . As always: NO BS.
SPECS & INFO :
Model Number: VJJB-N30
Drivers: 6mm*2 8mm*2
Impedance: 20 Ohm
Sensitivity: 96dB
Maximum power: 15mW
Frequency range: 20Hz-24000Hz
Length :1.2m
Plug: 3.5MM gold-plated
ACCESSORIES, CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN :
UNBOXING is very nice for such a tiny priced iem and proove that VJJB is a serious brand and not just another knockoff chifi manufacturer. The white suqare box is quite beautifull and make you wonderif its really a 30$ iem in there. For accessories you have a generous amount of silicone eartips (5 pairs) and even a memory foam tips pair. You have the official VJJB earphones pouch too and an instruction manual of great quality that is unfortunately all write in chinese (but who read manual for earphones anyway?).
CONSTRUCTION is on par of its price and quite similar to KZ products in term of material used, wich mean : all plastic. All pieces all well put togheter and do not feel particularly cheap, just not high end, wich is normal for 30$. Housing is quite big and have a particular rounded shape that is quite chunky.
Only thing i’m not very happy about construction is the proprietary cable connection it use wich is NOT MMCX and make changeable cable features quite vain. The cable is of average quality with an annoying ear hook that tend to not stay properly around my ears.
DESIGN is audacious to say the least and come most certainly from a sci-fi enthusiast that is obsess by futuristic spaceship. To my eyes, they look quite good but it will sure not please to everyone. In term of comfort, the angled nozzle even if not very long offer a good fit.
ISOLATION is quite good and sound leakage keep to minimal as the N30 have not a back vented housing.
SOUND :
Out of the box and without any burn in, first impressions was rather underwhelming with the N30, bass lack control, mids was agressively fowards and there were a hint of dryness in treble that was very unpleasant to my ears, so I throw them away and forget about them for some days.
After I let them burn in for only 20 hours and find the right eartips, my more objective impressions was this time quite positive and I learn to discover the great potential of these entry level iem : the sound was W shape with serious emphasis on bass, mids was extremely clear even if a little thin and treble deliver quite a great amount of details without sounding too harsh.
Then I wonder about it’s price and look back at N30 with more relativity and conclude : these are pretty pretty good for 20$!
SOUNDSTAGE isn’t the biggest but still have an above average widness and do not feel stock in your head, as well, their a good sens of deepnest for its price range.
IMAGING without having a razor sharp clarity can manage to give proper instrument separation, but without lot of space between instrument, just enough for realistic instrument placement. To note that when vocal occur, instruments take back seat and became less accurately layered.
BASS dig quite deep and I’m impress by the thumping, weight lower end that even have some rumble to it. Without being supremely U shape of basshead monster, the N30 will sure satisfy bass lover that need that bass slam to satisfy their fun musicality. We have quite an important emphasis in lower end that give sub bass a thick and fowards presence. Mid bass have smooth punch and avoid to be to polite and lack energy even if its not a very detailed timbre and feel less thick and rounded than sub bass. This mid bass presentation avoid unwanted bass bleeding so the mid range is keeped clean.
MID RANGE is what surprise me the most with the N30, its fowards and very clear and do not sound too bright or grainy, quite the opposite in fact as it have hint of dryness. Vocal take front seat even with bass heavy track (if it’s recorded in that way), it avoid upper mids sibilance wich make them sound a little thin and lacking in body, but still, timbre without being thick have good amount of details. Male vocal will have a little more body due to great bass extension but as we have no sibilance, its very pleasant to listen to female too. Instrument like violin or piano will lack proper attack and grip to sound realist and lively, but again, for its price, N30 offer above average clarity and balance in mid range.
TREBLE is emphased in lower and mid high region, but the N30 are really about bass and mids wich will not satisfy treble head or serious audiophile searching for critical listening earphones. Highs aren’t sparkly and do not have lot of decay, we can even say upper region is a little dark here.
AMPING isn’t a most, but at 96db sensitivity for 20ohm impendance, an enough powerfull DAP or portable amp is suggested to push N30 at their full potential.
SUB BASS : 7/10
MID BASS : 7.5/10
MID RANGE : 8/10
TREBLE : 6.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE : 7.5/10
IMAGING : 7.5/10
TIMBRE : 7/10
ATTACK-DECAY : 6.5/10
COMPARISONS:
VS CCA C10 (30$):
The C10 are well tuned multi hybrid drivers IEM that receive quite good reception among audio enthusiast. With its thick, soft U shaped soundsignature, it sure is an important contender in sub-50$ budget earphones world, let’s see how it compare with an hybrid earphones that only have one balanced armature instead of 3 like the C10.
SOUNDSTAGE is seriously wider and more holographic-around your head with the C10, while the VJJB have a little more deepnest but in a more intimate spaciality.
IMAGING is better as well with C10 due to a richer sound field, here, the VJJB feel quite fowards and opaque in layering where bass sit back of mid range wall.
BASS is more prononced with VJJB that have quite intense bump in lower mid bass that make it sound quite punchy and little boomy compared to more linear bass of C10 that have a better sub bass resolution and body. Still, the C10 sound a little too gentle in mid bass punch even if timbre is thicker than VJJB.
MID RANGE is more upper mids fowarded, brighter and slightly dryier with VJJB. C10 offer a more balanced and detailed mid range without sounding harsh at all. Vocal sound a little artificial and coloured with VJJB compared to thicker, fuller and wider rendered one of C10. Overall mid range sound thinner with VJJB even if level of clarity is quite high.
TREBLE is more delicate with the VJJB, not far from sounding liquid it soundn light, transparent and a little dryish. C10 feel thicker, richer, more opaque and relaxed in comparaison. We have details in lower and mid treble but less highs sparkle with C10 that mix thicker and more spacious sounds, this make percussions more realist and weighty but less brilliant than VJJB. VJJB have upper highs peak that show micro details more easily. For treble head, VJJB is sure the choice to make.
All in all, we have here 2 different sounding beasts here and none of them sound bad. The C10 is little more refined in its tuning and warmer while the VJJB is more fun sounding and energic.
VS FINAL AUDIO E1000 (30$):
Another budget king and a personal favorite of mine, the E1000 is a single micro dynamic driver priced at a ridiculous 30$ price from one of the best japanese audio company call Final Audio Design. Let’s see if something this small can compete with the VJJB giant spaceship.
SOUNDSTAGE is a little wider with E1000, while the VJJB sound taller and deeper and have little more out of your head impression.
IMAGING is more accurate, clearer than VJJB. E1000 sound more natural and instrument separation is more realist in placement too.
BASS is more emphased with the VJJB and have heavier punch, it sound immature and more V shape compared to the more balanced E1000 wich dig as low with richer timbre and more controled mid bass emphasis that move less air and feel less boomy. Still, for basshead VJJB is sure the best choice with its weightier, thicker bass reponse.
MID RANGE have warm lushness, thick rich timbre and a beautifull sens of fullness with the E1000, while the VJJB sound more fowards and brighter as well as more coloured and artificial. Vocal have more presence and a wider presentation with E1000 and feel more transparent too, the VJJB have intimate and centered mid range with more upper mid range emphasis.
TREBLE have upper highs fowarded with the VJJB so it feel more extended than E1000 wich begin to roll of around 15khz, just at begining of upper treble. This make the VJJB more sparkly and sometime better with decay for classical guitar or harpsichord, but due to inferior lower and mid treble these instrument will still sound less lively and dynamic than E1000. This delicate, sharp and thin sounding treble make the VJJB a less refined and mature sounding earphones than the exceptional E1000.
All in all, if your a kid that listen to pop and rap, go with the VJJB, if your a budget audiophile: jump on the E1000.
CONCLUSION :
VJJB is a very competent chinese audio company that deserve more praise for their budget earphones. Always staying in the very affordable sub 50$ price range, VJJB are sure a leader when it come to value and product presentation.
The N30 are another winner in term of overall value and sound, it’s a well tuned U shaped sounding earphones that offer impressively clear and vivid mid range without sounding too bright or agressive. With a smooted upper treble, the N30 will please bass lover as much as vocal fan.
All in all, if you search for a unique looking earphones at a bargain price and don’t really care about changeable (non-mmcx or 2pin) cable dilema, I think that the N30 offer a very fun and potent sound with well balanced tuning that never sound boring.
No Borders Audiophile 