Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci Review
Intro
Hello, this review is covering the latest collaboration effort between the audio brand Dunu and the YouTube personality Timmy Vangtan from Gizaudio named the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci. The DaVinci is a six-driver hybrid iem consisting of two dynamic drivers and four balanced armature drivers. I was able to purchase this set from HiFiGo for right around $300 recently and I have had quite a lot of time with them since. Usually I complete my intro prior to my review but figured… why not and also, this set has been too enthralling to wait. At any rate, as I said the DaVinci is the love child of Timmy Vangtan and the good people of Dunu Audio. I have always enjoyed Timmy’s content over at Gizaudio and thus far he has really done a great job of helping to bring to market some very well-tuned and well timed iems. I have nothing but good words about the guy and nothing but respect over all of my Dunu past purchases. So, naturally this seemed like the perfect set to blind buy. By the way, I don’t condone anyone blind buying anything. That’s just me. I’ve been blind buying for years and sometimes it works, and sometimes my blind buys are horrible disasters. You are supposed to live and learn. I got nothin. Anyways, up to this point I’ve had a very nice time getting to know the DaVinci and I’m prepared to tell you all what I think. But first, a little bit about Dunu Audio…
Dunu
This is a brand that I’ve known about for years and mostly haven’t ever been able to afford. Three kids will do that. Anyways, Dunu has been at the forefront of innovation, and they’ve been involved with many “top in class” sets n just about any price point they decide to venture into. They’ve had a number of successful and even legendary iems and audio devices throughout the years and are basically highly regarded in the Audio community. Again, many of which I’ve never had the pleasure of hearing, just reading about and wishing. Now, I have reviewed a few of their sets and each time I’ve been happy with the end result. I suppose if you see a review from me then that means I like it, as I only review products that I actually enjoy, or that at least some sect of the community would enjoy. Better said, someone has to actually “potentially” enjoy any product that I review, as it’s a giant waste of time if they don’t. In total I’ve only reviewed three products from this brand, those being the Dunu Kima (Kima Review), the Dunu Kima Classic (Kima Classic Review), and the Dunu Alpha (Alpha Review). Each set has its place in my collection, and each are good buys against the field within their relative price points. Certainly, a brand I’d love to explore more of.
Competition
No doubt about it, the one looming issue surrounding the meteoric rise of the DaVinci is the fact that there is a vast amount of very well crafted iems which can be found within the same general price point. It’s a loaded ocean of fantastic sets friends, and the DaVinci is in an uphill swim. I will try to answer the question of whether the DaVinci is worth the asking price of $300? It’s a fair question and one that isn’t easy to answer. Anyways, I am more than ready to dive into this one folks. Without further ado, the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci everyone…
Purchase Links:
DaVinci Pros
-Build Quality is great
-C’mon, this design & aesthetic is off the charts! Gorgeous!
-Loaded with accessories which actually fit the price
-That modular cable is DOPE, one of my favorites.
-Great fit for me (I hope it is for you too), ergonomically gifted
-Very cohesive across the mix
-Big and full macro-dynamics
-Lean-lush and rich note weight
-Wonderful low-end. Deep, dense, rounded, sublime
-Smooth, forward, and effortlessly musical midrange
-Also a smooth treble region, good extension, non-offensive
-Imaging is very easy to discern
-Stage is pretty large in all ways. Wide, tall, deep but closer to the listener.
DaVinci Cons
-Bass will be too much for some
-Detail retrieval is only average
-Separation isn’t going to win any awards
-Smoothness buffs down the contoured definition (to a slight degree)
-Treble may not be as brilliant and emphasized as some may want
-Analytical or neutral lovers may not be perfectly happy
Gear used for testing
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Packaging / Accessories
Box
The DaVinci arrived at my home in a good sized slightly rectangular cardboard box fitted with a very stylish and appropriate sleeve. The sleeve is very ornate in a very “DaVinci-esque” design. That DaVinci themed tannish brown with the darker pencil writing which spells out… “DaVinci” … of course. You’ll notice in slightly lighter hue, in the background is one of Leonardo DaVinci’s sketches. It’s a beautiful and completely awesome design that is so different from anything else. Now I’m not huge into boxes and all that, but I can truly appreciate a company who gives a damn to do a good job. On the back of the sleeve is simply some specs and a bunch of boring stuff. I’m actually impressed by the simplicity of this theme. Just a great job Dunu, or Timmy, or whoever decided upon this final design theme, well done!
Unboxing
So, take off the sleeve and you’ll be met with a dark brown box with Dunu across the middle. Take the top off the box and the DaVinci earphones will be sitting beautiful and snug in some foam cut-outs. Pull off that layer and you will see the big carrying case. Take out the carrying case and open it up and you’ll find the tips, the modular cable, the cable adapters, cleaning tool, 3.5 to 6.35 adapter, and the eartips. All of those items are in baggies and wrapped nicely. This is a very good unboxing. Not because of how elaborate it all is because trust me… I’ve seen better for cheaper. It’s not about that. Why this is a good unboxing is because of the quality of the accessories. This is something that people should complain about more. Rarely do I get eartips that actually fit the tuning and are of good quality with sets that I buy. Also rarely is the cable even close to as nice as this one is. Thirdly, the carrying case is a very nice addition too. I’ll explain each of these further in a minute, but I am impressed with Dunu. They know what the fanbase wants and they know how to keep hobbyists coming back. This was good to see.
Eartips
Dunu Topsound provides 10 pairs and three different sets, or types, of eartips with the DaVinci. The first set of three (S, M, L) are narrow bore long silicone tips with a round flange. These are shaped almost like a ball and are a deeper fit which generally seal very well. Great to have when you need them. The flange is more firm, not loose and the stem is also firm. The 2nd set of three (S, M, L) is Dunu’s “Candy Tips” which are also a narrow bore tip, yet the fit is shallower than the first set of tips. The flange is a bit looser and a hair flimsier. The third set of four (S, M, L, XL) is Dunu’s wildly popular “Dunu S&S tips”. These are some fantastic tips and are wonderful to have in your collection when you need them. I had gone back & forth over the S&S tips and the Penon Liqueur tips for many days. The S&S tips open up the upper-mids & lower treble a hair and the Liqueur tips seem to bring a crispness to the sound with some added oomph in the low-end. Of course, you may have a completely different experience just based on the anatomy of your ears. So, you’ll see most pics have the Penon tips and I think I’ll stick with those for a while. Nevertheless, all eartips provided are of awesome quality and each set is a great addition to a collection.
Carrying Case
The case that comes provided in the packaging of the DaVinci is really an awesome case for storing and transporting your precious DaVinci’s. Finally, this is a case that I will actually use. In fact, I have been using it every day. I simply throw them into my backpack and off to the office. So, the carrying case is roughly about four inches in length, over an inch deep and about three inches wide. It’s a good size for me. Made out of some very stiff and durable material and overlaid with tan colored fabric. You’ll notice a black zipper which actually works (believe it or not). Dunu imprinted “Dunu” in the center as well. It’s a nice case. The size is really nice folks, I can fit the DaVinci’s as well as a some eartips etc. Perhaps it’s a hint too thin but it’ll get the job done.
Cable
Its name is “Leo”. I suppose that’s about as fitting a name as I’ve ever heard. I don’t know if Leonardo referred to himself as Leo but, I don’t think he minds. To be 100% honest… this is one of the best cables I’ve received with any set at this price point. Dunu Topsound went all-out to provide the perfect aesthetically pleasing color matched cable. It’s beautiful against the color of the DaVinci. Dunu states that Leo is made of four strands of pure single-crystal-copper and plated with silver. We call these cables “SPC’ (silver plated copper) cables, and I think they made a perfect choice tonality-wise. It’s a 2-pin recessed style connection. By the way, that recessed female 2-pin connection is VERY recessed. Thankfully I don’t ever want to swap cables but if I did, I’d have to come up with a cable that can fit that deeply. Excellent cable though. Leo comes with a Litz style braiding and is what I would call a “fatty”. I love fat cables. It’s a dope one folks.
Modular connection
However, my next favorite aspect of this cable is the fact that it’s a modular style cable. Meaning, you can swap out jacks from 3.5 single ended and 4.4 balanced. Dunu actually patented this system and named it the Q-Lock system. At any rate, the locking mechanism is wonderful. All you have to do is line up the plugs and push the jack in as far as it can go. You then have to line up the female threads of the jack and the male threads of the cable and screw it on tight. It’s very well done and subtly satisfying to put on. Plus, it looks pretty dope too. Dunu knows what we like. I really do have to explore more from this brand folks. Something about them just oozes quality and the modular jacks are just one example of that.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality
Now we get to the build quality of the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci. How is it built? Does it feel cheap, chinsy or burdened by glue anywhere along the seams etc. The answer is a very quick and very direct… No! This set is built like it was made by DaVinci himself. Okay that’s going a bit far, but I really am impressed by Dunu’s willingness to always craft iems that seem like they’re a step above all others. The DaVinci appears to be fully 3D printed using resin as the base material though the faceplates are made using stabilized five-leaf maple wood which is absolutely gorgeous and also, no two are the same which is pretty cool. This set is built very well, but we’ve seen all resin sets as low as $30. So, nothing special there but when in hand it’s fairly obvious that Dunu crafted a very durable set and a very nice set to look at. Certainly, it has a premium feel to it. Now, the DaVinci are a large set of earphones which makes sense due to the huge number of drivers held within. So small ear hobbyists may want to take that into consideration. They take on a usual iem shape of an iem with an ergonomic fit. The nozzles are right around 6mm in width and so most tips will fit just fine. On the back of the DaVinci is one larger vent and none that I can see anywhere else. One thing I should mention is that the recessed 2-pin is much deeper than most sets. This may make swapping cables a bit more difficult. However, I cannot fault Dunu at all. The build is really nice folks.
Design
I’ve already spoken of the stabilized wood, but I haven’t spoken of just how gorgeous these faceplates are. I can see the grains of the wood which are so unique and utterly attractive on a set of earphones. What a nice choice! The Shells are almost transparent black and so if you put the DaVinci up to the light you can almost make out some drivers. The entire appearance is about as elegant and bold as an iem can be folks. I absolutely love the fact that no two sets will have the same exact grain structure of the wood and no two sets will look the same. It’s kind of a shot in the dark of yours will have that grainy appearance and nice mixture of colors. My set has browns, tans, as well as some orange color too. Couple that with the fat brown cable and you have yourself one of the best looking iems within the price point.
Internals
Like I said earlier, the DaVinci is a six-driver hybrid iem which houses two dynamic drivers, one being a 10mm Bio cellulose dome DD which covers the sub-bass, and the other is an 8mm Bio cellulose dome DD which covers the mid-bass region. The midrange is covered by a customized composite dual balanced armature array while they went with one BA to cover the highs and one more to cover the ultra-highs. Dunu also used a five-way channel sound guidance coupled with an electronic five-way crossover to dole out each drivers’ responsibilities. I think it’s very obvious that Dunu used quality drivers. I love that they went with two DDs to control the bass region as that is one of my favorite aspects of this set.
Fit
I’ve already covered the fit momentarily, but the DaVinci truly fit my ears like they grew there. It’s perfect. Especially with the Penon Liqueur eartips. Truly a wonderfully ergonomic build for my ears. Now, I have zero idea how they will fit you. I’m assuming that most folks won’t have any issues with the fit of this set, but you never know. They are big and so that is one thing to keep in mind.
Drivability
The Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci is not a difficult set to drive. Rated at a 35-ohm impedance and a sensitivity of 109 dbs makes the DaVinci easy to drive even from low powered sources. The bonus is that it sounds very nice on lower powered sources, which isn’t always the case. That said, without question this set will show itself off with better sources and more output power from your source devices. I’ll get to that in a minute. Right now, I’ll go through some mobile sources that I’ve used pretty regularly at my work and at home while conducting critical listening.
Mobile Listening
One device which never gets too far from me is the IFi Go Blu. It’s a little powerhouse of a Bluetooth dac/amp and it pairs extremely well with the DaVinci. The tonalities combine wonderfully. However, I cannot help but love the EPZ TP50 with this set and to a lighter degree the Aful SnowyNight. The TP50 simply has this neutral sounding dynamism that reacts perfectly with the DaVinci’s warm and rich sound. The SnowyNight is much the same. I listened the majority of the time on 4.4 balanced with all sources and it was very evident that the DaVinci increases in sonic ability with the ability and power of my sources. It doesn’t have to be 4.4 either so please don’t get me wrong. The DaVinci simply seems to enjoy more output. The whole spectrum seems to just tighten up a bit. The bass has cleaner lines, the mids sound more in control too. I used many dongle dacs of varying tonalities and most definitely the TP50 and SnowyNight won my affection paired with this set.
More juice
This is a rare case for me (OK not that rare) but the DaVinci quite literally sounds awesome with all three of my more powerful mobile devices. I purposefully purchased source devices which are slightly different as far as tuning is concerned and it’s good to see a set playing well with each. I generally use the iBasso DX240 with the modular Amp8 MK2 attached, the Fiio Q15 and the Shanling M6 Ultra. Each has slightly different approaches tonality wise. The M6 Ultra being slightly warmer but so resolving. The DX240 has those analytically gifted and wonderful ESS dac chips and the Q15 sounds like the DaVinci was created for it. Just wonderful pairings that I cannot choose which I like better. One take away that I’m pretty firm on is that more output does seem to help the sound come across more polished. Of course, these are marginal up ticks in fidelity. The greatest improvement will always come from the actual sonic ability of your source. Obviously the Fiio Q15 is going to outshine the EPZ TP50… Basically.
What do you need?
In my opinion I really feel you’d be okay with a decent Dongle Dac. I’m sure anyone who is able to purchase the DaVinci will very likely also have a decent source device. However, you can find some great dongle dacs under $60 anymore that will pair well and give you an awesome listening experience with the DaVinci. Like I said, I used many different sources. Much more than I listed above. For instance, I used the Simgot Dew4x for hours one day and I was in sonic bliss for quite some time. So, a decent Dongle Dac should suffice but if you can give the DaVinci a better source it’ll reward you.
Sound Impressions
Note: I should preface this entire section with a few things worth mentioning. First, I did burn-in the DaVinci for about three full days. If I’m being honest, I don’t think I heard any changes. I simply did it to get it out of the way. I could be wrong though. Problem is, when I first listened to the DaVinci it was a quick casual listen and it sounded freaking awesome. So, do you need to burn it in? Probably not. It’s always better to listen-in anyways. Next, all of my critical listening is done using flac or better files stored in my devices. Lastly, I primarily use UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) as my music player downloaded onto my devices. I also use Hiby Player from time to time and Poweramp as well.
What does it sound like?
The Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci comes across as warm/neutral to my ears with what I would call a buttery U-shaped tuning. Definitely the mids aren’t as recessed as some sets on the market within the price range. This set does come from the mind of Timmy after all. Always the mids will be the Rockstar of the spectrum. Of course, the bass has a few things to say about that. Anyways, definitely a warm U-shaped sound that keeps a nice dynamic balance and an easy-going nature to it.
However, don’t let easy-going fool you. That doesn’t mean this set isn’t fun or dynamic either and no that isn’t a contradiction. It simply isn’t overly emphasized up top and so naturally you won’t have that ultra strident brightness or vibrant energy. You’ll hear fantastic cohesion throughout while at the same moment coming across as very engaging prioritizing musicality first. Transients move at a natural pace with a rich note weight but also a very transparent and clean sound. Only that clean sound maneuvers through a smoother and more lush setting. Like gliding through butter. Okay that was a little too much, but I’m sure you get the gist of it. There’s weight to the sound, a certain roundness too. The DaVinci maintains a clean replay and does so with good density. Timbre is nice as well, maybe not perfectly natural but not even close to off-putting. It’s actually darn nice.
Subjective gripes
Now, does the DaVinci have its shortcomings? Well, define shortcomings. The DaVinci certainly has some “subjective gripes” that some folks may have. Maybe it isn’t perfectly aligned with everyone’s preferences all the time…naturally. However, I find this set to be one of the more charming sounding sets in the price point.
Condensed Sound Between the 20’s
Pint-sized low-end
The low-end is very well extended with a very solid and rigid note body down low. The bass hits pretty heavy but also keeps the midrange relatively clean and not left veiled from any overbearing intrusion from the bass region. This is a heavy bass, wide in presence, but also fairly clean per the quantity or emphasis down low. There is texture to the sound in this region, yet it may be too much for some folks. I still wouldn’t refer to the low-end as “basshead”.
Pint-sized midrange
The mids are actually quite clean, forward in presence and carry a lean-lush note weight that just sounds natural to me. You do get some carry over from the low-end which does provide just enough warmth in my opinion. The upper-mids are a bit more forward and vibrant but the lower-midrange sounds unsullied, robust, and well defined. This is a slightly warm midrange which is full in body all the while the transient attack through release is not slow. It’s just a very nice midrange, musical, melodious and great for vocalists. It may not be perfectly defined and crystalline, but also… It was never tuned to be that.
Pint-sized treble
The treble is easy going, no surprising peaks and no shrillness. Extension is nice into the upper treble is very good too. This treble also has body and even some crunch from time to time. However, if I were to call the treble on the DaVinci anything, I’d call it “smooth”. I suppose I’d call it non-offensive as well but too many incorrect takeaways can result in simply saying that. The treble is nice and well controlled.
Technical stuff…Pint-sized
Technically the DaVinci was not tuned to be a detail king. It wasn’t tuned to delineate and separate every instrument with razor precision. Details are great in the macro sense and pretty nice at times in the micro. I never hear anything I’d refer to as stuffy or congested but you won’t hear airy separation. Imaging is great. So no, the DaVinci isn’t the picture of technical integrity. Rather, Dunu went for engaging and charismatically tuneful. Also, the stage is above average in my opinion, layering is nice too but more on all of this later.
Bass Region
The Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci uses two dynamic drivers to handle the low-end and the end result is nothing short of spectacular. There is so much raw and visceral texture and body to the sound. I feel that Dunu really nailed it with a bass I’d consider to be fun, but also refined for what it is. This is a bigger bass folks. So do keep that in mind. This isn’t some marginally boosted set with pillowy undertones. No sir. The low-end on the DaVinci has that hard edged note outline and a full and wide attack which decays pretty rapidly for what it is… in my opinion. Of course you have to take into account the emphasis here. The DaVinci isn’t going to decay like a set which has a more analytical tuning. For instance, the Simgot EA1000 has that pointed attack and swift decay. It’s fast. The DaVinci is more earthy (if that makes sense) and atmospheric. That said, there is still good definition of low-end notes, and the bass isn’t as one-noted as I thought it was going to be.
Bass Cont…
There’s some nuance with this low-end along with some great tactile feel and solidity of bass notes. Bass guitars can fully grumble and drone in the deep depths and kick drums have a booming hollow thud when a track calls for it. For instance, listening to “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects I was pleased to hear the thunderous kick drums which begin this track. The hollow and cavernous “BOOM” is met first with that initial wet & tacky edge. It’s wonderful. The DaVinci is very satisfying in that sense. However, for a bigger bass the thing which stands out is the texture of each note (depending on the track of course). There’s some acuteness, some focus on each note. It isn’t some blurry mishmash of bassy sound. I love how Dunu implements these two DD’s. It’s very nice to my ears. Not for everyone… but nice.
Sub-bass
The lowest of lows gets… well… low. Or deep, however you want to say it. Extension is plainly obvious. Listening to “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard, or even “Groove” by Ashley Monroe, I hear a deep and grumblin-rumblin’ bass that has that kinetic and haptic guttural vibration. It’s as tight a reverb as you can get while still seeming somewhat atmospheric and bulbous. Again, not basshead. This sub-bass is tuned with other frequencies in mind and many genres in mind. Take the track “Mancey” by Andrew Bird. This song gets so very low with that meaty resonance. You can feel how thick the bass is on this track and you can sense its authority. The bassline is the foundation of that song in my opinion and it’s very nice to hear. So yes, the sub-bass has depth and plays very well off of the mid-bass. I do feel that sometimes it overcrowds a bit, but that’s to be expected. However, the sub-bass is there to add some gravity and grit to that low end, and I feel it does very well against most any set (at least that I’ve heard) within its price point. Feed this set some power and it seems that the sub-bass muscle starts to tighten. All in all, I love the tuning of this fun and satisfying sub-bass and I’m very happy that I have the DaVinci in my collection.
Mid-bass
The mid bass has that heavy muscle mass. But the kind of heavy muscle without the trapped fat. Even with its more pregnant bump in this region the mid-bass is finely tailored to maneuver around even slightly more complicated bass lines with good agility. If you want boom and if you want slam, but you don’t want bloated, muddy or a bass that layers the rest of the mix in a clouded veil, then I’ve got the set for you. Basically, along with that boom & slam there’s also some evident finesse in the transient in & out shift ability of this set. This is about as large of a bass you can have with it still coming across clean and not disruptive to other frequencies… to a fault that is. In fact, Dunu tuned the DaVinci with just the right amount of warmth spilling over into the midrange. Not a bass tuck, but definitely a nice downhill curve into the mids just before about 300hz. So, it’s a clean bass but not an analytical and thin bass. There’re different versions of clean folks. The track “2040” by Lil Durk & Lil Baby features one of those compacted initial bass drops which begs for everyone’s attention. The DaVinci does not disappoint at all as it replays that drop with a straight-up rotund thump as though it was made just for that moment. The DaVinci has a sonorous bellow in its tank whenever a track calls for it and just as easy it can jitter & jive around most any fast bass passage. Which is rare for a slightly larger bass. It almost reminds me of the Hiby Zeta in that sense. Big, buff, and heavy but it still has some finesse.
Downsides to the Bass Region
With every good thing there are always some negatives. In the case of the DaVinci there are a few of them. Obviously, there will be many hobbyists who flat out detest this many bass. However, I say that but in the same breath I don’t even consider the DaVinci basshead. It’s just meaty and mean. Still, not everyone wants that much. Shoot, there are times I don’t want this much convexity of the bass region. Yes, it’s clean, yes, it’s well defined, but it does add warmth to the mix. Not everyone wants that. I went through a period of what I would call “neutral love”, where any bass past a 5db bass shelf was beginning to be too much. So, I get it. Of course, at the moment I’ve been relishing the foundation that a good bass region can give my music. Still, I understand. Not anything is for everyone. I suppose the low-end can get a hair too muddy on heavy bass tracks too. Of course, who’s listening to a heavy bass track wanting to tone down the bass? Seems like it defeats the purpose but… whatever. Anyways, there are some downsides in the quantity. I find it much harder to fault this bigger bass quality. It’s a quality low-end friend.
Midrange
One thing which seems to define a Timmy Vangtan iem is the way the midrange comes across. Basically, vocals matter in a Timmy set. Coincidentally, vocals are a huge part of my library. Now there’s never just one way to tune for a “vocalist midrange”, and based on the different tunings of Timmy’s collaborations, I’d say he’s trying out all of them. I own the Galileo which came out some time last year and I love that neutral forward midrange, smooth throughout. Well, the DaVinci takes that smoothness and suave clean sound and takes it up a notch, or two. Because now there’s some meat to the bones of each note. There’s body in this range that comes across more like “full-bodied” rather than lean. The midrange is warmer and heftier to the left and slightly more vibrant to the right, but there’s always that pervasive and wonderful tunefulness encased in subtle warmth, which melts into the entirety of the midrange. Now, separation isn’t perfect, details won’t blow your mind (not bad either) and transients aren’t lightning fast (also not slow) and not super airy. However, the DaVinci hangs all of its hats on the best thing a set should be lauded for… its musicality. It’s musical, emotionally charged and symphonic in its overtones. The tonality and timbre, the tunefulness, the effortless projection of midrange notes lathered in just enough warmth, vibrance and weight. Friends… It’s just nice.
Oversell?
I don’t want to oversell this set, and this is not a hype piece, I don’t do that. I’m simply speaking glowing language on something worth glowing over. Of course, this is only one person’s opinion. Still, the mids are quite possibly the centerpiece of the tuning. If the bass is the foundation, then the midrange is the trophy on top. That said, you still have to enjoy the tuning as a whole and I realize that not everyone will think such glowing thoughts. Okay, I wanted to get that out of the way. Moving on…
Lower-midrange
The lower midrange takes just a titch of that plumped-up & full-bodied warmth from the low-end, but in just the right amount for me at the moment. The low-mids are more forward than most sets too. They aren’t recessed and pushed into the background, but instead seem as though they’re set on a pedestal. Certainly more-so than what many sets are tuned to. Not so forward that they’re boxy or hollow but rather males sound authoritative while carrying a very nice presence. Take the Chris Stapleton track “Tennessee Whiskey”. The DaVinci takes his wonderfully gruff and raspy vocals, and instead of doubling down on that rasp creating a knife edged scratch, it rather smooths those rougher edges making his vocals sound closer at hand and very melodious. His voice has mass and comes across decently textured. It’s very nice and this is only one example. Another is the lead singers voice from The Paper Kites in the track “Till the Flame Turns Blue”. Usually, the vocals on this track almost sound blended-in with the rest of the Melody, but instead they come across just a hair more front and center. Yet at the same time they are clean on the DaVinci. Instruments in this region yield the same results.
Upper-Midrange
The upper-mids are the place where most female vocals reside. Female vocalists on the DaVinci come across as forward, but not obnoxiously so. There’s a present vibrance and shimmer to this region aided by the gradual pinna rise which never seems to crest over into glare or shout. Not for me anyways. I know some are extremely sensitive to that. At any rate, females are generally well bodied with some very slight additional vibrance, yet always smooth. The track “I Forgive You” by Sia (off her latest album) is absolutely phenomenal with the DaVinci in my ears. Granted, many sets can replay her amazing voice, but she just hits differently with DaVinci. The DaVinci has this way of pulling every last morsel of emotion out of this song. She is forward in the sound field, edgy but not scratchy and grainy. Her voice sounds authentic, it has depth to it and the details in her voice are all captured in milky hi-res. The DaVinci simply provides a very nice way to listen to vocalists. I love the weight of female voices with this set. A much different track is “The Architect” by Kacey Musgraves. Her voice is simply sweet, shimmery at the edges and also… somewhat forward. There’s a certain luminance surrounding Kacey’s vocals which seems to project this euphonic and engaging quality. She isn’t belting anything out or singing her heart out. This track is all about contemplative and ruminant sweetness and the DaVinci captures that nicely. Honestly, it’s the tone and timbre along with the structure to each note, the body, the emphasis, it’s all there, and to sum it up I’d say that Gizaudio and Dunu have nailed this midrange.
Instruments
I’m at a point in my reviewing life where I’ve realized that trying to describe instruments for each set is a daunting task to say the least. Every track presents them differently and I don’t want to simply blanket speak on every instrument. Speaking on them needs and deserves context and context takes forever to explain at times. Nevertheless, for this review I will simply speak in overarching generalities. Take piano for instance, “generally” the piano on the DaVinci is full in body, resounding at times too. Some may want a hair more luminous gloss in its harmonics on the DaVinci at times, but I honestly feel this set sounds great for piano. Percussion also has that fullness to the extent that percussion can sound full. Perhaps cymbals aren’t quite as snappy and sharp on attack as some would like, but also, secondary harmonics don’t even try to sound splashy, and they still have a well-endowed crash to them. Snares pang with realism to my ears. Strings have depth, good harmonics, just enough bite. Violin can sound silvery, edgy or harmonious without going off the rails and sounding coarse or bright. Woodwind instruments seem to have just enough brilliance and are nicely canorous. Honestly, just think of your favorite instrument and then think of that instrument’s sound with subtle warmth. Think of it with moist and wetted notes, but less vibrant peppy energy. Picture it with great rhythm, cadence, and realistic note weight. Then picture in your mind some pretty darn good depth to that sound. I should’ve started this section with that.
Downsides to the Midrange
I honestly could have kept going on this midrange and trust me I wanted to, but I am trying hard to keep my word count down. Be that as it may, as nice as I feel the midrange is, someone else will totally disagree with me. This is a fact. Someone will detest the warmth. They will hate that details aren’t being illuminated to the surface with ease. Some people will hate that each instrument and voice doesn’t sound as though air is actively moving between them. There will be plenty of folks who just don’t want something that isn’t bright, neutral or analytical. When coming up with “downsides” I try to put myself in their shoes as best I can. I don’t always succeed at this but like every iem I’ve ever listened to and reviewed, the DaVinci will rub some folks the wrong way. For the record… I think this midrange is freaking awesome and Timmy, Dunu, Gizaudio… Well done.
Treble Region
Now we get to the treble region, and I’m all for it. No this isn’t some ultra-colored and brilliance-laden treble that shines a light on every last detail that can be squeezed out of every last track. It isn’t that. What this treble is… is a treble that fits. It isn’t some overly emphasized treble that seeks resolution in any way it can get it, even if it’s forced. It isn’t that. This is an easy treble, slightly emphasized and smooth. I’d say it’s boosted enough to offset the bass region just enough. Dunu made sure to give this area just enough levity, adding just enough air to not come across as a veiled mess (as a whole). In doing so I feel that the midrange has a chance to flourish without coming across as thin or more artificial sounding. The DaVinci’s treble keeps its composure at all times, it’s nicely contoured yet has a smoother demeanor. Macro resolution and details come through more readily over micro details, but micro details are still present on many tracks which aren’t more complicated or congested.
Supporting role?
The way I see it is that the treble region is one of those which plays that supporting role in the frequency cast. Certainly not as energetically colored as some would like. I happen to think that Dunu did exactly what they had to do for this treble region to fit the overall character of this set. I suppose they could’ve added a hint more air and brilliance to the mix or added a bit more energy to the sound, but that would throw off other areas of the DaVinci’s sound profile which would be a tragedy in my humble opinion. Also, the treble is actually kind of talented on this set. For what it is anyways. I still hear some good bite and crispness when called upon and extension into the upper treble is actually quite good. Like I said earlier, the secondary harmonics of something like cymbals is not splashy to my ears and I definitely don’t hear a ton of treble tizz and artificial timbre, no sibilance either. It’s a nice treble and is tuned well. Tuned to uplift the whole spectrum just enough without losing the character and charm of the midrange.
Downsides to the Treble Region
Looking at the issues up top, the first one that will push people away from this set is the toned-down highs. The DaVinci doesn’t have that bright, crunchy, and airy treble like so many enjoy. It’s still relatively lifted though, and I would never call this treble region dark, and I don’t feel it’s too warm either. Just not ultra-airy and beaming with effulgent brightness. Also, this isn’t the most detailed treble region as well.
Technicalities
Soundstage
When looking at the soundstage of any iem I hesitate even including it into the “Technicalities” portion of my review. Just because a set has some grand soundstage doesn’t make it a good one. In my opinion it doesn’t hurt and does add to the overall listening experience. In the same breath, I’ve heard so many smaller stages that sound amazing. What makes a good stage is the spatial cues and how clean the layering is in the sound field. However, I must say that the DaVinci actually has a good-sized stage. It’s a bit more forward, but the sound field is very large in width, tall and deep. Intimate as in it’s close to the listener though. It doesn’t sound like the band is too far in front of me. That said, layering in this space has been good every time I listen to the DaVinci. There are moments of some blending happening on congested tracks, but layering is quite good the majority of the time in my opinion. At the end of the day, I feel that the stage is a winner in my eyes.
Separation / Imaging
This is one area where this tuning may seem to lack a bit. You don’t have that ultra peppy and agile thin lined, analytically tuned and thinly weighted type sound here. Again, this is thicker, musical, emotional, closer to the listener. For what the DaVinci is… It’s great. Now I don’t have a clue what “average” is but that’s what I’m going to call the DaVinci’s ability to separate elements within a psycho-acoustically rendered stage. Not bad by any stretch and some tracks will be much better than others. Bass heavy tracks won’t separate as well as some masking will occur, and complicated tracks will also sometimes trip up the DaVinci as well. Imaging on the other hand sounds wonderful. I have never had an issue spotting where an instrument is and the depth plays a part in that as I hear definite layering happening in some tracks too. Left to right is great and so is front to back.
Detail Retrieval
I would call the DaVinci about average. Again, what’s “average”? I don’t know what else I’d call it. The DaVinci thrives in the macro details with a superbly clean sound, but the micro details can sometimes get mashed in with that thicker note weight. Sometimes they can be masked over as well. However, not even one moment of my listening did I wish to have better detail retrieval. Never once. That would completely neuter what makes this set so special. Why in the world would I strip the DaVinci of this wonderfully musical and gorgeous sound so that I can hear finger scrapes on a guitar string a “little bit” better. I wouldn’t. Sometimes I think we put way too much stock in some of these technicalities’ folks. But that’s just me. Also, the DaVinci really isn’t bad at all in this discipline. I hear decent detail retrieval. The track you are listening to will mostly determine how well your set will resolve those subtleties in your music.
Is it worth the asking price?
The $300 question. Is the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci worth the $299 that Dunu and HiFiGo is asking? I can only truly answer this question for myself folks. I couldn’t possibly know how YOU feel about the tuning. Anyways, for me, without even hesitating a second I’d say absolutely this set is worth that money. If you can afford it. Now, there are less expensive sets which stack up nicely. The CCA Hydro (Hydro Review) is one which comes to mind. At any rate, this set is an absolute gem, and I couldn’t say no to this question. I’d be lying to myself. The only caveat is that it sits within a loaded price bracket filled with amazing iems that will also bring enormous amounts of joy to anyone willing to pony up the money to own them. However, there aren’t any that do exactly what the DaVinci does. I really do feel that this set is a unicorn where it’s at and I emphatically declare the $299 a bargain for what the DaVinci will give to those who enjoy this style of tuning.
Not for everyone
On the flipside, there will be those who wouldn’t spend $50 on this tuning. It’s just the truth. Not everyone wants this thickly weighted and musical sound. So many folks enjoy the thin, analytical, neutral clean or even brightly tuned sets with copious amounts of treble and lean bass. We are all so different so please hear me when I say that I’m answering this question for me and I don’t know where you stand on this. First you have to actually be able to afford it. That’s first. Second, you really need to want something that puts melodious musicality and mellifluous harmony on a pedestal. Warm vocals, forward vocals, laid back treble, non-offensive, rich notes, holographic style stage, and you also have to not really care a whole lot about micro-details. If you check those boxes, then maybe I can speak on your behalf. It’s worth the change people.
The Why…
I’ve already answered this about fifty times in this review. I must’ve said the words “note weight” “rich” and “musical” about fifty each as well. It kind of felt like I was on repeat in every section to be totally honest. I suppose I could have worse problems. Anywhoo, the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci is absolutely stunning folks. I didn’t get across in the “Design” portion of this review just how I feel about this stabilized maple wood and how nice it is to see the grain of these faceplates. The character of each earphone is off the charts. The build is done in a pristine manner and looks more premium than most iems under $1k. The drivers used are obviously beasts too. Oh my, that cable! The cable is so perfect aesthetically that I wouldn’t even dream of changing it. At least not now. Those browns, oranges and muted reds on the earphones paired with whatever color the cable is just works friends. It’s one of the coolest modular cables I own, and I could be happier with it. Suits this set wonderfully. However, it’s all about the sound when money is involved in this hobby and the DaVinci just so happens to thrive in this regard. Wonderfully musical, as engaging an iem as I’ve had under $500 and it’s also fun too. It’s a guilty pleasure meets maturity. Yes, it lacks in some areas but also… who cares? Don’t answer that, there’s plenty of you who care. The point is that there’s a good reason as to why this set is worth that money, you’d need to drop to own it and I feel great about recommending the DaVinci. Yes, it’s worth the $299!
Ratings (0-10)
Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci ratings below, that would be $250-$350 multi-driver hybrid iems. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $250-$350 US by rid iems is a smaller scope of iems but it’s also extremely competitive, though it’s not out of the question to see a Rating above a “9.0” for example. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.
Aesthetic
–Build Quality: 9.7 Built premium.
–Look: 9.9 Just take my money, beautiful!
–Fit/Comfort: 9.1 Fit and comfort is great for me.
–Accessories: 9.9 Dunu always ranks high here.
–Overall: 9.7🔥🔥
Sound Rating
–Timbre: 9.3 Warm, engaging, never metallic.
–Bass: 9.6 Big, authoritative, clean, defined.
–Midrange: 9.7 Forward, musical, rich, enthralling.
–Treble: 7.9 Perfect for this tuning, not for treble heads.
–Technicalities: 7.6 Technically fine, not great, but fine.
–Musicality: 9.9 Musicality is the DaVinci’s superpower.
–Overall: 9.0🔥🔥🔥
Ratings Summary:
There are so many ways I could go here. However, I’ll stick to the game plan and explain why I feel the ratings above make sense for prospective consumers. I rated the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci against multi-driver hybrid iems ranging from $250 to $350 US. There’s a pretty good number of great sets in this range. I should also add that I haven’t heard many of them, but I’ve heard a lot. I own many of them too. However, please take this as a grain of salt. These ratings are only an opinion of one man. Also, ratings are not a good way to explain anything. There’s so much nuance that needs to be considered. I gave the DaVinci an overall “Sound” score of “9.0”! Friends, to me the sound should be a “9.7” at least! However, when you rate in individual categories, this is what you get. A skewed look at a set that should only be rated as a whole. Also skewed by the fact that I haven’t heard every set and also skewed by the fact that we all have different ideas about what represents a “9.0” for example. To some this set will be a “5.0”. No joke. There is that much change from person to person. So please, I beg that you just jump past this section or that you take it solely as a grain of salt. We got a deal? Okay, carry on.
Explain Yourself!
Every review it’s the bass which will always garner the most anger from the peanut gallery. Always. Why on earth would I give the DaVinci a huge and lofty score of “9.6”? Because it’s so meaty and deep and guttural but also so ductile, so clean, so well defined, and so well separated from the rest of the mix. It’s wonderful. In fact, a “9.6” is low. I went back and forth on this one folks. Think of this though, I gave the Simgot EA1000 a “9.6” as well in its review. Totally different styles of bass. Totally different. It’s not what the bass is exactly but much more how it fits into the overall tuning and even more than that. The DaVinci provides me with this visceral, satisfied reaction and joyful feeling when I’m listening. As does the EA1000. Both bass regions simply fit perfectly the “style” of tuning that each respective brand was going for. Also, if it wasn’t for the DaVinci’s ability to image the stage and the depth of the stage then I would’ve given it a “6.0” in “Technicalities”. I won’t argue the “Midrange”. That I won’t budge on and also… it should’ve been a “9.9”. I bent my will to the imaginary detractors that are in my head at all times when writing and gave it a “9.7” …lol. Facts! A “9.3” in timbre is correct to me and against the other sets that I’ve heard as well but that’s another one where one person may give the DaVinci a much lower score. It’s all in the ears and hearts of the beholder.
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review of the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci I must first thank all of you who clicked on this link. Thank you! You may feel this is just words on a page but to this reviewer and my partners at Mobileaudiophile.com it means everything. Thank you for supporting us by simply clicking a link and reading. Thank you. You will always be why I and my partners do this. It’s to strike up conversation and share our passion with the Audioverse and hopefully help you as well. Nothing makes me happier in this hobby than when I hear one of you say that you love something that I rec’cd. I wouldn’t recommend anything that didn’t bring me pure sonic joy and so that is a very good feeling. Anyways, thanks again.
This has been fun
This has been a blast. I love reviewing things that I find joy in. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s awesome going through the whole process. The DaVinci has been that folks. I doubt he will ever see this but Timmy, if you are reading… Well done man! Dunu… Well done! Now, let’s see you refine this tuning even further and blow up the plus $500 segment of the audio game. Anyways, without question I recommend the DaVinci.
Other perspectives
Please, if you have read this far will you also click links on any of my fellow reviewers’ websites and read their DaVinci reviews please. Watch their videos too. Listen to other perspectives. I don’t want you to get this wrong and I know you don’t. I have gone far to one side of the aisle in this review, and I can promise you that not everyone will do so. That’s a promise. We are so ridiculously different folks. Please take in other opinions and I hope you can piece together a good idea of what this set actually sounds like so that you either find joy in spending $300 or save yourself from spending $300. I know a handful of fellas right off the top of my head who won’t like this set. They don’t need to listen, I already know. We are different. There are also so many variables to consider. With that, I think I’m done. I hope each and every one of you is doing well. Take good care, stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!
