FIRST IMPRESSIONS: AUDIOSENSE DT600, IKKO GEMS & KBEAR AURORA

I just receive these 3 pairs of promising earphones and let begin by saying the one that stick in my ears are the AUDIOSENSE DT600 (6BA, Knowles+Unknow BA)….but that wasn’t before i find the right ear tips (the KZ Starline, wich wasn’t included).

My love for Audiosense is all about their flagship T800 model, all other IEM they made didn’t impress me as much so I was very worry the DT600 will be another failure…but, fuck yeah, it isn’t the case at all! In fact, this might be a direct upgrade over the very good SEEAUDIO YUME, it have a more lively L shape signature, near neutral but with good bass slam and smooth yet revealing treble. What blow my mind is the imaging and layering capabilities, the layers have their own singular space. Sure, the bass can warm a bit the mids, but having this type of bass coming out of a balanced armature is something special. In that regard, it’s less problematic than the AQ3 bass bloom. With the DT600, the listening session is rich and immersive, you have lotta micro-details and layers to dive in yet it never feel too bright or in your face. The tonality is very versatile and offer a fresh listen of your music due to the fact it can deal with busy track with ease. Transparency is great, yet timbre isn’t thin and even a bit warm. You don’t have any sibilance issue as we can find with T800. Oh, the package include a 80ohm adapter which is mean to tame the bass and highlight treble, sue it does that but to my ears it tame whole dynamic and offer a dull bright sound. Smooth, coherent, gently analytical is the (stock) DT600 and I’m excited to listen more and share you a full detailed review soon!

KBEAR AURORA (single 10mm nano titanium DD), what to say about this….it’s a bit costy for a single DD that doesn’t blow my mind. Still, it’s Not bad.
Bright’ish but safe’ish W shape.
Bass is a bit cutted in natural extension (sub-scooped), but better controled, balanced and more textured than Tri I3Pro. It’s quite fast, punchy and thigh and doesn’t bleed on mids.
Mids are realist in tonality, a bit bright and saturated with texture-noise, so a bit rough, opposite of lush or natural, resolution is decent but transparency isn’t there. Vocal are well centered, not particularly fowards or open,just a hint recessed and lean in dynamic compared to more liverly and excited treble.
Highs are the ”crunchy” type, they feel full bodied not thin but lack sparkle and decay. Acoustic guitar and violin sound great, woodwind instrument not so much. Their a slight metallic hinge to the highs. Typical of Titanium DD?
Attack speed seem fast and tight enough to deal with busy track, but it lack air and space to be fully enjoyable.
I wonder how these compare to 70$ Kbear Diamond….will see.

Not sure i’m impress by price value, but i will know once I compare them to the Tforces Yuan Li and Aria. As well, though beautifull to look in they hands, you look kinda dumb wearing it…they are quite big an very shiiiiiiinny!

IKKO GEMS (1DD+1BA) is the latest offering from IKKO company…that seem to be obsess about refining the very same OH1 IEM forever….and this time, I hope they will just pass over this obsession and make a proper new IEM that isn’t about slight change in sound chamber and dynamic driver used. Let just say this is the crispest and more neutral of OH bunch, as well as fastest in attack, but with leaner bass too. Bright neutral to W shape with tamed bass. If mids and treble timbre were problematic for your ears, it will be the same with the GEMS wich use very same Knowles BA (33518). Yep, the treble is quite bright and can go harsh and slightly sibilant too….like all other OH iem. Its a bit thin and splashy too, percussions aren’t really enjoyable especially cymbals and hit hat. The bass doesn’t bleed on mids, but lack weight and feel a bit rolled off and overly tamed. Simply put: I struggle to keep those in my ears because i find them unpleasant and agressive. Better go with OH10 which is now on SALE for 160$, or for a more fun tuning go for OH1 which sale at a bargain 100$ price now.

OK, that’s it for today. But stay tuned, as I plan passing more time on my website than anywhere else. So please Subscribe to encourage me sharing more NO BS content!