Something different. I bought a Riutbag online R15.2 (an earlier version of this latest one:R15.4) ...- in 2016 - and also recently the Riutbag Crush (lightweight) and Sling (jogging etc).
The difference with this bag is the zips are against your back for better security- good for audiophiles and camera heads etc.
This is my first time backing a Kickstarter campaign. So it is something i have tried and found useful and durable.
The IT01x is a side grade and an upgrade from IT01s/IT00 in that it shares similarities of both but exceeds them in overall performance (and fit/comfort).
The IT01s and IT01x are close in some ways such as nice full bodied low end, a certain refinement, medium soundstage.
The IT01s shares the fullness of IT00 esp in the lows, the IT01s is more refined, a bit laid back, bass medium fast, forward vocals and a more spherical stage than IT00 height and width stage.
The IT01x is more transparent, still full bodied but more controlled, a satisfying low end and active mid range, separation is better, it approaches reference tuning (IT01s is more warm), a bit more linear with some slight coloring (less than IT00, IT01s), technical.
In contrast to my earlier guessing - the IT01x is closer in general signature to IT04 than IT07.
It would be an upgrade over the IT00, as for the IT01s I think it is overall taking into account fit, comfort, inner components and improved DD driver etc. But in some ways it is also a side grade as ones taste may lean towards the comparatively warmer (though not excessively) IT01s rather than the more airy, transparent, technical and more linear IT01x.
I find myself that i will use the IT01x more than i used the IT00 or IT01s.
AliExpress link(Discount
code NGOSHAWK, of which I receive no benefit, this is simply a courtesy
from Whizzer; in other words, a benefit to you)
Intro:
Whizzer contacted me through Instagram to see if I wanted to review the
HE01. Having had and reviewed the Kylin HE03, which I liked very much, I
agreed. We set up a discounted price, that was amenable to me and
roughly two short weeks later the unit arrived. Not bad. I had and have
read some of the other HE01 reviews, and most sounded fairly positive to
positive. Many also commented on the gorgeous looks, similar to your
Grandmother’s older jewelry. That’s all right in my book as I liked the
look and knew the fit would be similar to the HE01. Using the new BRIGHT
dynamic driver, Whizzer continued to move forward with this new model.
The
model is mine to keep but not sell (still really uncool). Other than
the unit for a discounted price, I have no incentive regarding anything
other than an honest review. The link was asked for by Whizzer
(standard) and the discount code provided is a discount provided by
Whizzer. I receive no financial gain from the discount code.
*As
per all of my reviews, the unit was opened, checked fully for
functionality then placed on a unit (Shanling M0) for over 75 hours
playing random music. It is my belief that the user wants to know what
the unit may sound like after approximately 6 months of use. Any
differences are noted in the sound aspect, if I am able to discern any.
Sometimes I do. Sometimes I do not.
Specs:
Driver: 4th gen BRIGHT series 10.2mm dynamic driver
Impedance: 18Ω
Earphone sensitivity: 112dB/mW
Frequency range: 14-40000Hz
Interface: 3.5mm Gilded
Cable Length: 1.2m±3cm
Earphone interface: 2Pin 0.78mm connector
Cable: 5N OFC oxygen-free copper
Gear Compared/Used:
Thinksound in20+ ($99) CCA CKX ($79) Whizzer Kylin HE03 ($160) BQEYZ Spring 2 ($69)
HiBy R3 Pro EarMen Sparrow/MBP
Songlist:
Dave Matthews Joey Alexander-Warna album and others Mark Knopfler-Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes Santana w/ Mana- Corazon Espinado twenty one pilots Tedeschi Trucks Band Big Head Todd & The Monsters-Beautiful World Mark Knopfler-Down The Road Wherever Elton John-yep, still good, still cool Tidal MQA (don’t care…) playlist
In The Box:
Whizzer Kylin HE01 5N OFC copper cable 2 sets of tips (s, m, l of each): reference & vocal Aluminum lidded round case Cleaning brush Owner’s manual
Unboxing:
The HE01 comes in a
book-type opening black box tucked into the proverbial black sleeve. And
as per the latest flavors, the lettering is a subtle black glossy print
as well. I don’t mind this if the verbiage is readable, but when it
isn’t; what’s the point? There is a nice copper tinge to the lettering,
but it is all but unreadable under most circumstances. The inside box is
of a nice textured flavor, with “Kylin” writing in script.
Opening
the cover, you are met with a “secret pocket,” which houses the manual.
On the main side are the IEM’s tucked into protective dugouts, replete
with curved lines of a large size, which mimics the shape of the driver.
I do like the presentation. Simple, direct, yet subtle. Pulling the IEM
form out, you have the case of bendable aluminum (?) on one side and a
rectangular box housing the cable and brush. Nicely protected in form
fitting hard foam. Inside the case are two round paperboard “slides,”
which house the tips. My first thought was of HeadPie and his View
Master collection (amazing it is, too). Keep the tips in the case and
you still have plenty of room. Take them out and you could fairly easily
fit a Shanling M0 or equivalent DAP in with the HE01’s. Nice to see
this happening more and more.
A nice box presentation, which fits Whizzer from my experience. Nothing too extravagant nor too simplistic.
Technicals:
Coming with the 4th
generation BRIGHT 10.2mm dynamic driver, virtues include a composite
diaphragm and a 1.2 Tesla magnet. The driver itself is combined with a
copper ring, said to improve sound density and possibly transparency,
creating a cleaner and mellow listening atmosphere (some verbiage here
taken from Headfonia’s excellent review, https://www.headfonia.com/whizzer-he01-review/2/).
Many dynamic driver units of today stick to either 8mm or 10mm, so
size-wise this is a bit larger, yet still fits into a smaller sized
shell. Nicely done.
Build/Fit/Finish:
As per my Whizzer
Kylin HE03, the build is very good. Set above typical entry ChiFi the
HE03 was, and it had sound to back that build. I would say that even
though the HE01 is an acrylic shell, the build might be raised a bit
from its big brother. I still really like the HE03 and listen when I can
(foreshadowing).
Made of the typical three pieces, the faceplate
has that rose gold (love it or hate it, I don’t care) ring, which can
be felt over the main shell. The inlaid “W” logo looks like a pearl with
etched monogram in it. That main shell is of typical teardrop shape and
leads nicely to a slightly angled forward-facing nozzle of good girth.
The whole nozzle is in rose gold as well and has a VERY solid lip. One
that may be hard for other tips to fit. I used the stock tips, and had
little problem placing on/taking off the tips. A vent hole directly on
the “backside,” which is at the top of the “W” allows for breathing
of the driver, and you can clearly see that driver through the clear
shell. Call it your grandma’s jewelry, I don’t care; I like the look.
In-ear
fit is very good, and I had no trouble getting an excellent seal with
the stock large-sized “reference” tips. The unit also fit near-flush
inside my ear. To say that it is one of the most comfortable IEM’s of
late would be an understatement. Combined with the subtle, soft bend of
the ear guide and the fit is all-day-long comfortable. Combined with a
raised and shielded 2-pin 0.78mm connector and you do not get any
pressure on the top of your ear; where rubbing against glasses might
exacerbate a pinching. Nope. Nothing there.
A note about that
2-pin connector though. I found the right jack came loose twice before I
realized there is a very subtle “click” when fully engaged. Maybe not a
click, but a harder push seals over a slight increase in size of the
connection point. Either way, once my foggy brain caught on to that I
had no trouble at all.
The rose gold cable is of 5N OFC copper
variety, and it does lend a nice warmth to the sound. Tightly woven
four-strand much like jewelry of old highlights a subtle cable with only
a minimal amount of stickiness. The dark gray y-splitter and cable
guide add to the classic old school look. Add in a large, but not too
large jack on the business end of the 3.5mm se variety and the whole
unit exudes quality. Subtle “HE01” lettering highlights on the
y-splitter as well; with “Kylin” script on the jack. The presentation is
quite good and fitting of a higher priced model.
To sum up:
short of the feel of the ring at the faceplate/shell junction and the
brain fart at the 2-pin connection; the HE01 is built to very high
standards. I am glad the quality of build from the Far East is catching
up to the rest of the world. This shows through here.
Sound:
Summary (TLDR):
The
Whizzer HE03 came across as a very pleasant sound back in the day when
much of what came out of ChFi was a screeching mess. I do not fault
those who like a brighter signature, and if that is their pref, good on
them. The HE03 came across as mature, detailed and with a good
foundation of bass that supported, not overran the sound from within.
The HE01 raises that sound again making a mature detailed sound with a
bit more bass than the HE03 at its core. Solid sub-bass
provides the relationship link to warm and thorough mids, with detailed
vocal support. Robert Plant’s aging voice on Bones Of Saints
sounds every bit of his 72 years old. But not droll or dull and
lifeless. No, it sounds thoroughly engaging with only a hint of lower
mid bleed into the nether regions. On top of that, a sparkly
stridentless sound emits from above. Treble is tight and clean, adding
in a crisp nature that I also find pleasant and not grating. I do sense a
bit of complexity issues, but that could stem from a single dynamic
driver trying to run the whole show. Not bad mind you, just not as
controlled as hybrid or all-BA units can give. A thoroughly fun sound,
which can wear the Whizzer badge well.
Detail:
As stated, bass comes across as reaching and fairly taut. The bass guitar on Jeff Beck’s seminal Brush With The Blues
is soulful and forlorn of sound. Deep, rich and down low and dirty,
that guitar work is of legendary status. The live version of this song
would be worn to bits were it vinyl. String pluck and each push of the
bass drum and bass guitar can be felt. Not heart pounding like the Hero
or Legend X, but like it is meant to be: solid, foundational and present
in enough quantity to keep you engaged and lower your head from side to
side as you soulfully swing with the song. Repeat the song, you know
you want to. I did. Raise the volume, too. Goosebumps.
This is
the reason I love dynamic drivers. Balanced armatures are so very good
and catching up to DD’s down low; but they still cannot match that
soulful sound, which emanates from Blue’s songs. Period.
The acoustic guitar of Shane Hennessy on Rain Dance sounds sublime, and to me highlight the mids.
Strumming along, there is enough air between the notes to give you a
good sense of space. This song alone is one that plays on the senses,
and I first heard it on Woodsong’s Old Time Radio Hour, where
he was simply phenomenal. I am still looking for a decent live version
of that. But the album version allows you to judge where the notes are
coming from. Near the back to seems. The reverb across the stage add to
that sense of spaciousness as well. Roadie Man from the
Pretenders highlights the treatment of female vocals as well as snare
hits & cymbal hits. Realistic and vibrant with a bit of soul, her
voice sounds as good as ever. Snare hit and cymbals also fit the bill
with a realism that plays nicely across the board.
Adding to that connectivity, on Pat Benatar’s Love Is A Battlefield,
I played this because her voice is saucy, sensuous and just plain dirty
(in a really, really good way). Neil’s distinct fret hits giver
excellent detail adding to the support of her voice in the treble
region. She has such an excellent formally trained voice; we can sit
back and marvel at the treatment here. Not quite as distinct as the
others here in the comparison, the HE01 nonetheless still plays enough
to keep the energy going and your interest. While this may not be the
best for rock music, the strength of the Whizzer shows up across
multi-genre.
Going back to Shane Hennessy, his works highlight the vibrant nature of the soundstage.
Width is good, but not overly wide. You do get excellent spatial
recognition here, though. Add in a higher than deeper stage and you get
that layering effect of good air between each
note. While a single dynamic driver simply cannot give ultimate
definition across the whole of the three dimensions (unless you spend
$$$$), the Whizzer gives its all in the fight for respectability.
As
mentioned indirectly above, spatial definition is good due to all of
the aforementioned items. I liked the HE03 quite a lot, so I am
impressed with the maturation of the HE01 from big brother. Improvements
in dynamic driver technology most definitely show through with the
HE01.
Comparisons:
Whizzer HE01 ($79) v Thinksound in20+ ($99):
The
new offering (review forthcoming) from the once defunct company is a
hearing for sore ears from this reviewer. I am thoroughly in love with
my ON2 from Thinksound, so when this showed up as a Kickstarter, I
jumped. I am not sad that I did, either. Running a single 8mm dynamic
driver the force unit is smaller, and the shell is made from sustainable
wood. With an included mic, the in20+ can be worn over ear, but for me
the best and easiest was down, much like the CFA Atlas or an earbud.
Also, harder to drive, the in20+ comes across with a darker, warmer
signature. I prefer that, but do not hesitate to like something with an
open and more vibrant signature, such as the HE01.
Here, bass
hits harder on the in20+, as I would expect even with the diminutive
size of the driver. Known for hard hitting, but fun sounding bass the
in20+ does not hesitate. Reach is deeper, and I can definitely feel it.
As a result, that does bleed over into the lower mids when called upon,
but not to the detriment to me. If you prefer a more open and airier
noted signature, you should opt for the Whizzer. The in20+ is
near-classic V-shaped, but mids are not forgotten, just not the point of
reference here. Treble is politely rolled off with no sibilance or
grating. If you can live with a bit of bleed and that deep reach of the
bass, then the in20+ is a fine choice. Yet another Thinksound I love.
Whizzer HE01 ($79) v CCA CKX ($79):
On
loan from another reviewer, the CKX surprised me (review forthcoming)
as did the CS16. While I like the CCA iterations the most of the three
KZ in-house brands, they are not my favorite. They do sound quite good
and brought a level of maturity to ChiFi of old, when it was much
needed. But they did not lose that spunky ChiFi treble-based sound. They
simply made it more listenable to me.
Open and airy would
describe the CKX nicely. The plunk of Hennessy’s guitar promotes a level
of distinctness in the CKX, which belies offerings of yore. There is
very good distinction between guitar plucks and the feeling of an open,
crisp sound is promoted as such. I am impressed with this latest
offering from CCA, and it can certainly go toe to toe with the Whizzer
due to the balance armature architecture. I would say that there is even
a better definition of the sound here than through the Whizzer. But, it
simply cannot match the Whizzer down low. If you value clarity, then
the choice would be the CCA. If you appreciate that single dynamic
driver and what it can do, then the Whizzer would be a worthy choice
here.
I like both and since they are oriented differently, cannot really choose a “favorite.”
Whizzer HE01 ($79) v Whizzer Kylin HE03 ($160):
I
will admit that the HE03 does not get the listening privilege from me
that is deserves. One of my favorites from days gone by, it still
performs really well. A gorgeous cable and build quality of fine jewelry
(see how I did that?…) it has the sound to back it up. While it does
not quite have the bass reach of the little one, it does present a
warmer and richer sound signature. Again, I do not mind this. I will say
that to me the airiness of the HE01 is quite good even when comparing
the bloodline, here. I would say that maturity of years has paid off and
yesterday’s sub-$200 is not the sub-$100 market. Amazing for all of us!
Whizzer HE01 ($79) v BQEYZ Spring 2 ($69):
With
a gorgeous look, and a cable, which might look at home on your much
more expensive IEM’s, there isn’t a whole lot to dislike on the Spring2.
One of my hits from early 2020; it fits nicely with the other wares
from BQEYZ. I do have the Summer unit inbound and my hope it that the
sound is as good or better than the Spring2. Of all the offerings here,
the Spring2 has the furthest forward mids, making it much less V-shaped
than the others. As a result, I find it brighter than the others as
well. While it does not have the bass reach of the HE01, it does provide
enough for a very good foundation. Clarity is easily as good as the
Whizzer, and nearly on par with the CCA offering. Not quite as warm as
the older Whizzer, the Spring2 still provides a rich warmth to the sound
but think of it as that spring blanket instead of the thick winter
blanket.
I would be hard pressed to choose here, but if you value
bass and an open sound, the HE01 fits the bill. If you want a slightly
darker, richer signature the Spring 2 is a breath of well, you get it.
finale:
I will admit to the
peculiarity of how the Whizzer came to me. It was only after talking to
other reviewers that they received the same form of contact. The
shipping time was a scant short of two weeks, so not bad in this day of
shipping eccentricities. During the time, I did read Prime Audio’s
review, which came out as positive as did Heafonia’s. I trust both
reviewers and their judgements at the top of whom I look to, and if they
gave positive notes, then I had my hopes up. Also, I thoroughly liked
the Whizzer HE03, so that bode well, too.
And I can say that the
HE01 lives up to what the others say. For ½ the price of the original
HE03, you get a better bass response, without losing much in the clarity
department. While not the cleanest or crispest, but not meant to be;
Whizzer has shown that you do not need multi-driver units to succeed.
The saying KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) most certainly applies here, and
I can say that Whizzer has pulled it off.
I thank
Whizzer-Official for making contact with me, and for the discounted
price. If you feel the need or urge for another, please use the discount
code listed above, of which I receive no benefit.
