Joyodio Shine Review

Joyodio Shine  ($80)

I was recently asked to review the Joyodio Shine from the brand-new audio company “Joyodio” provided to me through Linsoul. This is the first time I’ve ever received a set through Linsoul, but I was not in any way asked to say anything or skew my thoughts in any direction so… Kudos to them and respect. Of course, I am more than happy to check this set out and give my most honest impressions. The moment I heard of the Shine I was immediately impressed with how advantageous this new company is to release their first iem with four tuning dipswitches on each earphone. I will obviously try my best to explain myself but options like dip switches always add to the job of a reviewer. 

Light & Shadows

In the promotional material it states that the Shine was inspired by the concept of “light” & “shadows”. I love a good idea to build around, or a theme if you will. I like to see companies which almost provide a ‘blueprint’ into how their product was conceived. The intention was to create an earphone which could provide a warmth, like from the sun, which represents light as well as a coolness in its tonality like the dark coolness of night. This is a fine concept which could dovetail into many more iems or audio devices which rally around this fundamental premise. Great job, it’s artistic, thoughtful and it’s creative. Now, does the design and tuning actually encompasse this concept? Joyodio relates the idea of light within the shadows to the sunlight which cannot be seen or touched yet can still be felt. A tough premise, but a good one.

Before I move on, I want to thank you for checking out this review. Again, the Joyodio Shine was provided by Linsoul for a fair and honest review. I hate to say it but I have to; just because I receive a product, it will never translate to me not providing my actual thoughts and opinions. Integrity is of the utmost importance to me always and I will always share my exact views on anything that I review. Good or bad. With that said, thanks again, and without further ado…The Joyodio Shine!

Purchase tthe Joyodio Shine HERE from Linsoul

Shine Pros

-Packaging / Accessories 

-Build Quality

-Look & Design

-Four Tuning Switches with multiple listening styles

-Nice resolution

-Bass doesn’t muddy up the mix

-Speedy treble region

-Nicely detailed treble

-Fantastic first effort for a new company

Shine Cons

-Needs long Burn-in

-Some timbre issues (BA timbre) 

-Not the cleanest sounding set

-Some settings have weaker pillowy bass

-Coarse note definition (not very smooth) 

-Separation & imaging in the midrange in complicated tracks

-Coherency between drivers

-Almost too many tuning options (is this really a con?) 

Gear used

–Moondrop Dawn 4.4

–Ifi Go Blu

–Ibasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2 

–Shanling M6 Ultra 

Packaging

I suppose if you’re gonna do it, you might as well do it right. Joyodio put together a nice package with better than decent accessories for the price point. Not a game changer or anything but I do suppose that Joyodio offered more than I expected. Or better said, Joyodio offers great quality accessories for the price.

In the box

Upon receiving the Shine, I was greeted with a pretty large rectangular box. Around the box is a sleeve with a graphic of the earphones themselves as well as some verbiage. Take off the sleeve and the first thing you’ll see is a thin box with some reading material. Very important to grab the legend which shows what the switches do. Lift that out of the way and you’ll notice the Shine earphones encased in foam cutouts. Right below the earphones youll see the eartips provided with the Shine. To the left is another box which holds the case as well as the cable. There is a small metal needle tool used for the dip switches. Everything included is actually of good quality.

Carrying case

I think the case which comes with the Shine is of very nice quality, durable and of good size. The case has a deep blue colorway with an easy-to-use zipper. The material which covers the case is most likely a faux leather. To the touch it has a premium type of feel. I have received earphones many times more expensive with much worse cases provided. I don’t use a case, for those who do, you will have a nice one to tote around your iems. 

Eartips

The eartips which came with the Shine are also of good quality. I received one pair of medium KZ Starlines tips which were on the Shine upon first removing them. You also get three pairs (L, M, S) of some white, shallow fit wide-bore tips with good flange thickness. The next set is a wide bore set of three (L, M, S) tips similar to Tenmak Whirlwind tips. Literally they are the same exact tips so, these are some nice ones to keep around. I did not go with any of the included tips as I stuck with my go to KBear 07 tips. For the price they are nice additions and can easily be used for another set of earphones if you don’t use them on the Shine. 

Change it up… 

One thing I did notice when going through different tips is how much the sound will differ with different tip selection. I have a cavern of old tips that I meticulously go through on every review. Oddly enough, I seem to always go back to the KBear 07’s or the nearly identical Fiio Bass tips. However, during my hour and a half venture through my tip collection I noticed that the Shine is pretty sensitive to this as I could switch up the bass, mids, and treble to my desired sound much more so than on other sets. Now this isn’t some anomaly as many iems react in such a way but when you add in the tuning switches it starts to become a hobbyist’s playground so-to-speak. You can change things up until your heart’s content. 

Cable

The included cable is white in color and is a 2-pin, QDC style braided, 8 strand silver-plated copper cable which terminates with a 3.5 single ended jack. This is a solid cable folks. I would say it is of the same quality as a decent upgrade cable likely costing about $15 to $20. For any single ended use, I did use the included cable but for the greatest majority of my listening I used a QDC white 16 core Fedai balanced cable for use with my balanced sources. I really think that the Shine does well with more power and so to maximize the sound quality I made sure to go balanced. 

Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build 

For a first attempt within the IEM’Verse I am very impressed. The Shine is a very well-constructed iem using a shiny lightweight metal for the Faceplate while opting for a 3D-printed resin cavity for the shell body. The build is seamless and very robust in the hand. Along the backside of the Shine are the easily noticeable dip switches. Like I said earlier, there are a total of four switches on each earphone and they are very easy to move into your desired position. The Shine feels nice and lightweight but also dense enough to not feel fragile at all. The nozzles don’t extend too deeply and are of average length, capped off with a fabric tuning mesh screen.  

Design

Joyodio is off to a rockin’ start! What a cool design! The Shine that I received is a silver-on-black colorway, silver on the faceplate and the shell being semi-transparent black. The Faceplate has these almost curved lines which converge almost looking like blades of grass. Perhaps this is supposed to signify sun rays, who knows. What I do know is that it looks pretty sweet. The shape of the Shine is not unheard of or unseen but really it is a very good size for most any ear I would think. I love the uneven but wavy area where the faceplate meets the shell, it’s unorthodox but also unique.

The Shine is a terrific first attempt at breaking into the audio world and if looks were what we judged an iem by the Shine would be up there with the best. Also, compared to similarly priced iems this design does come across much more polished than many sets in the hobby. 

Internals

The Joyodio Shine is in a Hybrid setup consisting of one Dynamic Driver and two Balanced Armature Drivers. The Dynamic is what Joyodio calls a high-performance 7mm Dual Cavity / Dual Magnetic Driver. The Balanced Armatures used are ‘29689’ as well as ‘30019’. I don’t know the exact quality of the drivers but using a hybrid system has the potential to help on many fronts. We shall see. 

Fit / Isolation 

As far as fit goes, I did have to tip-roll to get a good seal. As I stated earlier, I used the KBear 07 Large sized tips and once I did that the fit was fantastic on the Shine for me. You may be completely opposite from me so obviously you may have a different outcome. Isolation is about average for an iem built mostly for casual listening. For the most part there is very minimal sound leakage as well as very minimal outside sounds distracting me while listening. To sum up; the fit isn’t bad once a seal is met, sound leakage is good, and isolation is where it should be. 

Drivability

The Shine has an 11–31-ohm rating depending on what switches you have turned on or not, and a sensitivity of 106+-3db. Honestly the Shine is fairly easy to drive to good volume but does begin to come alive with greater amping. In fact, I feel that a decently powerful source is a must to bring out the best in this set. I used a very powerful and snappy source in the Moondrop Dawn 4.4. Obviously, this means that I am running on balanced, and the Shine seemed to synergize nicely. In fact, I’d say that the Shine made nice with everything used. The IFi Go Blu brought a nice dynamism to the Shine while also ushering a hair more warmth which is nice depending on how you have your switches. 

More Juice

Using the iBasso DX240 on medium gain with a balanced cable was a nice compliment to the Shine with the DX240’s ES9038 Pro dac chip. The DX240 has an almost neutral tonality with a hint of warmth while having an energetic sound with great transients. Then switching over to the Shanling M6 Ultra I found my favorite way of enjoying the Shine. The M6 Ultra has this almost velvet sound which countered the Shine’s edginess perfectly. The M6 Ultra uses an AK4493SEQ dac chip which takes a bit of the edge off of the Shine. I also ran the M6 Ultra on medium gain using a balanced cable as well which offered a nice sense of stage and life to the Shine. 

Dongle will do

When all is said and done the Shine will do perfectly fine with at least a decent Dongle Dac but can be passable on a lesser output source as well. However, the Shine does like some more power! Now I don’t think you need a powerful DAP to get the most out of the Shine, but a good and very clean source will do wonders. Obviously attaching the Shine to the DX240 or the M6 Ultra will yield good results for myself, after all, they are fantastic sounding Daps and the Shine scales to them and reacts well to the different sound signatures native to the devices. So, to sum it up, get a decently powered source which gives good and clean power and…enjoy. 

Note: Before I dive into this sound portion, I do want to add that I did give the Shine about 100 hours of burn-in. Prior to burn-in there was a graininess to the sound or a certain coarse and jagged, almost fuzzy note definition with obvious BA timbre. Imaging was not the best; bass was pillowy and fuzzy and even slightly hollow and almost in the background. The treble was sheened out and metallic. Anyways, I do feel that the Shine made enough of an improvement for me to jot that info down in this review. In fact, every area that was an issue was helped at least to a degree. Also, tip changes and more juice do wonders as well.

Ambitious first attempt

Many sets which offer dip switches don’t usually have as many in number, and the changes which take effect aren’t always as drastic. Obviously, there are some great exceptions, but those sets are normally quite a bit more expensive too. The Shine, at $79 is slinging dB’s around with each push of the needle tool as you can add or take away fairly easily. I am more than impressed and I want to make that clear, I believe that Joyodio is obviously a very forward-thinking young company who seeks to impress. Truth is, we could use more companies like this who are willing to take chances and willing to push the envelope, so to speak.

However, to make this easier for review purposes, I am mostly going to speak in general terms and mostly to my preferred listening style and switch arrangements and I will do so as best I can. You can imagine how long this review would be if I were to discuss each and every different setting. 

Sixteen is a lot

The Shine has a ridiculous amount of possible listening styles due to the four dipswitches, which I truthfully feel is ‘Possibly’ a bit much. Now, I am very impressed. Don’t get it twisted. I think it is very impressive and quite an achievement. There are sixteen total ways of changing up the sound. For a company in its beginning stages, this is quite an impressive iem to launch as your first product. A nicely advanced and advantageous set for sure.

It could be argued that reducing the number of switches and perfecting those ‘fewer’ settings with lesser variables would have been a better move. Maybe just optimize one particular base tuning with less switches to hone and polish. I say that but in the same breath, it’s pretty cool to have so many ways to alter or to switch up the sound to your liking. Furthermore, the sound does make pretty distinct and fairly recognizable changes with every switch orientation

How do the switches work?

The Shine uses the dip switches in a typical on/off method. You can literally go from neutral & flat, to slightly warm & dynamic, and almost every sound-sig and tonal temperature in between. However, generally the sound is closer to neutral with a slight tilt towards bright. Just grab the included metal needle tool and click on or off on the switches that suit you. The switches are labeled one through four with one being the low-end, two is the Highs, three is the ultra-highs and four is full frequency regulation which basically changes the sensitivity or impedance from what I understand.

Switches cont… 

I suppose the easiest way to show you (the reader) these values for the purpose of this review is to call “1/on” and “0/off”. For instance, 1111 is all switches “on”, and 0000 is all switches “off”. Personally, I enjoy either ‘1000’ or ‘1001’ or ‘1011’ the most. Of course, I haven’t had nearly enough time with each of the sixteen different sound changes to fully describe them all or to get a good understanding of each. That is up to you. Joyodio gives us five switch alignments which they describe and have labeled themselves. These are “Pop” (1111), “Classical” (0011), “R&B/Rock” (1001), “Hifi” (0001) and “Standard” (0000). Truthfully there are a number of different combinations to run through. 

Sound Impressions

I would generally call the Shine a mostly neutral sound to warm-neutral with a hint of some bright luster depending on what switch setting you have. I’d also say the Shine has a very slight V-shape to U-shaped sound-signature. The Shine is an energetic listen with a decently sized stage and above average details.

Generally speaking, the bass is either flat, held back a touch, or it can be fairly deep and moderately authoritative depending on the switch location. In any setting the transient response is perceptively on the tighter side. The midrange is not too recessed for me and actually comes across more forward, especially female vocals which stay in the upper-mids. Treble is decently detailed for the most part and can either sound laid-back or energized and lively. There are some issues with coherency at times, with a caveat; this isn’t as apparent with all dip switch orientations, yet it is still always there. There are some other issues which I will speak about later on as well but for the most part the Shine has an uplifted sound with plenty of sharp energy. 

Bass

It’s difficult to describe the bass section when there are so many variations to describe and how the switches affect the overall rendering of the bass area with those changes. I think the bass can be pretty effective at representing the lower 3rd of the frequency but it never truly comes together for me. Almost as though it is held back or as if it takes a backseat role.

There is some very slight pillowy behavior at times with different switch alignments. In any alignment though, I’m not hearing that concrete, hard and definitive punch. Believe me though, I’ve heard much worse. Now, this is helped a bit when I bring the low-end forward (1001 or 1000) using the first dip switch. These settings seem to have a less flat or hollow effect on the bass section but never truly takes away the fuzz to bass notes. I should also note that the bass does have enough fullness to not be completely lacking. As far as coherency, to my ear the best switch alignments are ‘1000’ or ‘1001’. It helps to bring the low end more forward to offset the highs a bit and that BA timbre.

Sub-bass

The sub-bass can be felt but is moderate at best. It isn’t the deepest sub-bass rumble, but it isn’t devoid of rumbly bass either and there is decent texture to the rumble it does have. This will absolutely NOT attract bass heads who want something more fun and Bassy. The Shine simply isn’t tuned in such a way. However, when a track calls for it, the Shine can rise to the occasion. 

“Paradigm” by The Head & the Heart for instance, begins with a very sonorous and guttural bassline which most any iem can playback with some shuddering oomph. In this recording the bass is really gravelly and is very resonant and deep. Kinda like some Billie Eilish tracks. Basically any set will bring at least a little thunder. However, the Shine does so with decent authority and with very nice texture, maybe a little light, but the bass comes across cleanly. I would even go as far as to say it is mildly juddering with plenty of meat for this song. Certainly not lacking while carrying decent resolution. 

Sub-bass cont… 

“Heavy is the Ocean” by Bush is another that simply growls at you when the Shine is in the ‘1001’ arrangement. Honestly, it sounds pretty darn good. Definitely far underneath basshead territory but still very raucous & deep. In this track the loudness grows in a grungy and reverberating manner. Again, the Shine takes on this song well and is very satisfying to me. Also, the sub-bass is perceivably pretty forceful which is a requirement for this track. Of course there is still a feeling of this area being held back a bit or distant. Almost reminiscent of BA bass where fullness or quantity is concerned, yet not as compact, or punchy, or speedy in comparison. Note definition isn’t bad either, not by any means, but it never truly becomes hard edged and solid or so defined that it gives any “Wow” effect. It’s simply…there.

Mid-bass

The mid bass has okay slam, again I am relaying what I hear in the ‘1000’ settings or ‘1001’. Kick drums in the song “Billie Jean” by Weezer is a nice track to gauge how resounding a big kick drum boom can be, or for how slight or soft the impact is. On the Shine, no matter the arrangement, I don’t get that super authoritative punch. I don’t want to dissuade anyone though as there is an appropriate thud albeit it comes across slightly soft in timbre or tactile feel.

The Shine isn’t entirely at a loss though. Case in point, tracks which have very defined basslines, like “Deep Reverence” by Big Sean feat. Nipsey Hussle does well to inflict a nice bass drop and then double bassline. Or, “Pristina” by Faith No More, the Shine does have that deeper, thrumming drone to it. So, the Shine can rise to the occasion when needed. Again, not elevated enough to be considered basshead but enough to represent most genres while never encroaching on the rest of the mix.

7mm Driver

I think the 7mm driver comes across a bit differently than we would normally hear with a driver 10mm plus DD. There is a fullness that seems to not be as present on the smaller driver. I can’t blame it all on the driver size though as I have smaller drivers in my collection which hit with plenty of depth and fullness. I think it certainly doesn’t help the situation, if of course you are after a deeper low-end. I’m sure that many hobbyists will find the bass perfectly suitable, some will say it’s not enough and others will even say it’s too much. 

Not bad at all… 

When all is said and done, the bass is not bad at all. Yeah, it’s a slight bit plush and less concentrated and solid but it is pretty agile and seems to take multiple basslines or quicker bass tracks pretty good. Another thing, it is possible to render this bass almost flat if that is your thing. The versatility is a very nice addition to this price point. Also, there isn’t any great push over into the midrange which could muddy up the sound. There are some areas that could be thought of as issues, but the Shine does have some redeeming qualities as well. 

Midrange

The midrange as a whole has decent energy, perhaps it is slightly recessed but still has good presence. The Shine does also have a more lively pinna-gain. Consequently, the Shine can get a little shouty with the right tracks and per which switches are turned on or off. The midrange has average note weight and density and comes across relatively naturally albeit a little grainy. I cannot quantify or measure this to you but to my ear this is what I hear.

Details aren’t lost in the midrange either and separation isn’t too bad unless you are listening to complicated tracks or obviously lesser quality files. The midrange is fairly musical in most any switch orientation but there is slight graininess. This also depends on the recording as well. The mids aren’t the cleanest I’ve ever heard but they do have pretty good resolution with nice vibrancy. Again, like I said earlier there is a problem with coherency between the dynamic driver and the balanced armatures as there is some BA timbre which clashes a bit with the DD. I was easily able to look past this and enjoy my jams though.

Lower midrange

The lower mids have a mostly natural note weight, not too thick but also not too thin. At times there is a slight dryness but the low-mids do give the impression of a more natural sound. I would say that males have average thickness (whatever that means) and are relatively forward but don’t really stick out and grab my attention. I don’t hear that warm, full bodied and robust sound in male voices. Despite that, whether it be a baritone or tenor, males do sound nicely defined and realistic enough. For instance, “Plain to See Plainsman” by Colter Wall shows off his deep Southern voice with good energy and with a sharpness to the inflection in Colter’s vocals. Not really smooth but more knife edged and clear. It actually sounds great but don’t expect that guttural and deep resonance in a baritone. 

I’d say the Shine does male vocals pretty well in their own way. A track like “Maybe” by Lewis Capaldi with his powerful Scottish brogue which comes across slightly coarse or even crisp, and has good presence as the Shine seems to cater to such a voice. Or a song like “Wasted Time” by Vance Joy, the Shine is able to capture the soft stresses in his voice and the smoother cadence without a problem. 

Instruments

Instrumentation really takes on quite a few changes depending on the switches that you have on or off. On ‘1001’ most midrange instruments like percussion have a more robust snappiness to them like Tom’s, Kick Dums, Snares, cymbals/hi hats etc. The fundamental frequency of a cymbal strike is firm and has decent body. Strings are a little dry and somewhat thinned out but come across with pretty nice energy and detail. Remember, you can change the sound up in many ways with the dip switches and with tip changes as well. 

Upper-Midrange 

The upper midrange renders female vocals to have more of a crispness to them. For the most part females have nice liveliness and vitality. That said, depending on the track, the switch orientation, the volume and a few other variables, some females can have a hair too much of a glare to them. For instance, Megan Trainor (Stop laughing, it’s for science and only for review purposes…lol) in her new song “Sensitive” will make you want to turn the volume down at the chorus section. Just a bit too biting. This can be corrected marginally but probably not enough for some of the readers here. Using the first switch to bring up the low-end while dropping the last three to the off position is one way. Tip changes help a bit as well.  

Treble

Overall, the treble can go from pretty laid back (1000) to almost flat (0000) to really energetic and bright (0111) and everywhere in between. This goes for the entire frequency and each switch orientation makes a difference. I hear the beginnings of some sibilance, but it isn’t so extensive that it is a real problem. Additionally, depending on your dip-switch settings the treble can be a little splashy. The flipside to that is the treble area is okay detailed, snappy, and crisp.

The Shine can keep up

The treble is also adequately speedy and can keep up with complicated treble sections rather well. For instance, “Bishop School” by Yusef Lateef is literally littered with treble activity. The song plays along with rapid fire progression and a lot of it lands in the treble region. The Shine is in its element with this track as details are easily distinguished and discernable. It’s a weird freaking song but we are testing gear here. It’s almost as though, when the Shine is tested, and when good power is fed to it that it rises to the occasion. I didn’t notice timbre issues while replaying this track and all sounded decently natural. 

“Concierto de Aranjuez” by Miles Davis plays beautifully with nice body to the piano. “The Sad Skinhead” by Faust is another track that is just smeared in treble activity, if your set can keep up and separate all elements of this track then… Bravo, they are keepers. With the Shine they do pretty well, it is your brain that has to maintain focus with this track. Imaging is okay, separation is nice, and all instruments can be heard and accounted for. I can only do a track like this once or twice because it’s just too caked in commotion. 

Not bad

All in all, the treble has some issues that mostly show up in the wrong dip switch setting so be advised that you may need to play around with them…check that… you WILL need to play around with them. The treble is pretty agile and while it is a hair dry, it is able to keep up to chaotic tracks pretty nicely. Maybe not up to planar levels but good, nonetheless. Bare in mind, the treble can certainly be over ambitious and have too much glare and sheen with the right track and the right settings but once again… switch it up.

Technicalities 

Soundstage

The stage size is about average all the way around in general. Small tweaks can be made in width, height and depth with the switches but for the most part the stage stays about average in each category. In truth, I don’t need a huge stage, never have needed it. I need my music to sound appropriate to the music which is playing and so long as the stage isn’t choked, closed in, and congested, I don’t have an issue with it. I do hear decent depth on the Shine which is always nice.

Separation / Imaging 

Separation of elements within most tracks are separated pretty well except instances involving the midrange with really complicated tracks. For the most part separation isn’t a big issue. Imaging is the same but like I said earlier, the imaging was most certainly an issue upon first hearing the Shine. After extensive burn-in (100+ hrs.) the problem had begun to correct itself to an extent. I don’t see it as too big of an issue anymore except, once again, if I am playing a complicated track the mids seem to blur the mental image very slightly. Overall, most of my library is not so crazy and I don’t see separation and imaging as a huge deterrent. In fact, 85% of my library I don’t hear anything too stuffy or blurred.

Details

Details really aren’t bad at all either. The treble does well to pick up some macro and even some micro details. You can enhance this by fiddling with the switches but just watch out because other issues can arise by doing so. For the most part the Shine does perfectly fine and even a bit better than the price point normally caters to. Finger glides on guitar strings come across well, and also the subtleties in the inflections within a voice are not missed. This really depends on the track too whether the Shine is going to illuminate the minutiae within a song. Acoustic stuff there is no issue, live recordings aren’t bad either. I think most of the problems stem from switch orientation and song choice. Sorry if that is vague but ya know what… So is the definition of “details” and “technicalities”.

Comparisons

*Note: Any comparison that I complete is not a duel to the death. I really try to simply point out differences so as to explain the device which is being reviewed. I don’t always succeed at that. One more thing, I will only use quick and vague explanations to quickly point out differences because taking the time to break everything down would make this review ridiculously long and drawn out. They are already too long. So, I do hope it helps. Remember, these are only my opinions, and you know what they say about opinions. Each comparison takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how closely aligned they are, probably closer to the former. 

Truthear Hexa   ($79)

The phenom is back. That price point breaking hybrid which represents the best the $50-$100 price point has to offer in hybrid form… in my humble opinion of course. The Hexa is a delightful iem which comes with one 10mm LCP Diaphragm Dynamic Driver and three Balanced Armature Drivers. What a set! Not the most fun but it’s detailed and musical and when I’m in a listening session with the Hexa I am always smiling. This was one of those sets which I really didn’t jive with at first but grew on me. You can read my detailed review HERE. 

Low-end

The Hexa has a snappier and punchier low-end by a small margin. Possibly a quicker and better-defined bass with cleaner note edges as well. The Hexa has slightly deeper sub-bass rumble with a pinch more in quantity to the more rolled-off Shine. It is so very close though. The Shine (with switch 1 “on”) has a bit more in mid-bass levels with subtly more slam in this area. I still think the Hexa has better definition and clarity. Bass guitars have a better and fuller growl and are more realistic on the Shine while the Hexa comes across light to my ears in comparison. The low-end of the Hexa is better detailed and comes with better layering as well. 

Mids

The Shine (1001) has a more lively and more forward midrange. The Hexa is drier and more analytical. Male vocals come across more energetic and thicker in note weight on the Shine. The Hexa carries a more detailed low-mid region and is simply cleaner overall, but I think I actually like the energy and presentation of the Shine here a bit more. As far as female vocals are concerned, the Shine are more forward again. That said, the Shine also has a better chance at glare while the Hexa has better resolution with better clarity to my ears. Both sets have minimal sibilance, so that is a wash. However, details on the Hexa (Hexa’s superpower) are easier to discern. 

Treble 

Both sets offer a pretty dry treble area, and both sets perform very well to my ears for the price point. However, the Shine seems to carry a bit more energy while the Hexa stays true to form and offers better details, resolution, and clarity by the slightest of margins. I would say that both sets do well with complicated tracks and both sets are well extended past 8k. I’d give the nod to the Hexa for keeping a bit better control and coherency with the Dynamic Driver.

The Shine has a bit larger stage to my ears, but it is very close. Honestly, both sets offer a perfectly fine stage. The Hexa however has better separation and better imaging as well as a more detailed listen. Between the two the Shine may have a more fun sound with more vibrancy. The Hexa is the more technically savvy iem of the two. Coherence is easier to digest on the Hexa and timbre as well. Both sets do very well within the price point though and both are priced very well for what they offer.

Fiio FH3  ($129)

The FH3 is one of those sets that just set the audio hobby on fire with opinions. Mostly those opinions were positive but there were some detractors. There are plenty of top 10 lists under $200 which have the FH3 placed somewhere within them. The FH3 is a three Driver hybrid iem with one 10mm Beryllium Plated Dynamic Driver and two Knowles Balanced Armature Drivers. I still break out the FH3 from time to time and I have always enjoyed this set. The FH3 has a great build and is designed just as well as it is built with a very nice tuning within its price segment. 

Low-end 

The FH3 has a deeper sub-bass judder yet has less of a mid bass emphasis than the Shine…depending on switch alignment. The FH3 has the fuller sounding low-end and a tighter and more robust sound down low with less fuzzy note definition. Both the Shine and the FH3 have nice perceived speed concerning attack/decay/sustain. Timbre sounds more natural listening on the FH3 but of course that is simply my opinion.

Mids

The FH3 is more forward in the midrange with thicker weight for male vocals. In comparison, the Shine is more laid back, thinner and not as forward sounding. Females on the FH3 sound more energetic than on the Shine. The FH3 has a warmer, easier, and smoother sound with better timbre overall and more obvious coherence between drivers. The Shine is a little coarser and crispier on vocals and instruments. Of course, it should be noted that the FH3 is also priced at $60 more than the Shine. I would hope that the FH3 renders better results.

Treble

The treble on the Shine can be more pronounced and again, depending on where the switches are, the treble can be more piercing. The FH3 are nicely energetic with good body where the Shine is a hair dryer. In any switch setting the Shine has better extension while both sets offer decent to good detail retrieval. 

The FH3 has a wider stage with a bit more depth and offer a more robust sound to my ears. Be that as it may, the price gap starts to show itself a bit when comparing in my estimation. However, I am not everyone. I’m quite positive there will be a number of people who desire the sound of the Shine in the setting of their choosing. For me though, I do like the FH3 a bit more. The Shine does a commendable job but the drivers sound a bit more refined on the FH3. 

Is the Joyodio Shine worth the asking price? 

Absolutely. Without question I think the asking price is more than generous for what is offered. In fact, the more I am listening to the Shine, the more I am enjoying this set. Yes, there are issues, but name me an iem that doesn’t have issues. Those issues are also only issues to those that they are issues to. Meaning, what I consider a problem, the next person may not, and this is sometimes lost on some of us reviewers. Like I stated earlier, the world doesn’t revolve around me and while I want to depict exactly what I hear, those thoughts are also my opinions formed from my taste and understanding.

The absolute truth is, the Shine is a very well-constructed iem which gives many different variations to your listening with simple and easy flicks of some switches. I strongly believe that more power helps quite a bit as well as some good and long usage or burn in before you judge them. For what you get this is a very nice set for the price. From packaging/accessories, the fantastic build and design to the multiple tuning options and nice sound quality. For the price I would be crazy to not think the Shine isn’t worth the $70 price tag. Even more so if you absolutely love the sound of this set.

Conclusion

Well, that is it. I again want to thank Joyodio and Linsoul for providing the Shine for my honest opinion as well as a feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. Overall, this is a valiant first effort with many upsides for such a daring first attempt. I’d say Joyodio has a bright future if they keep seeking to maximize price to performance, price to build and price to accessories and doing so in a progressive & aggressive manner. As an audio enthusiast how could I not like what I’m seeing. One thing that plagues me is that in reading this review it will sound like a rebuke of the Shine. This is simply not the case. The Shine does more well than any concerns or criticisms.

Other perspectives

Please take in other thoughts of the Joyodio Shine. This set will have differing opinions and I can promise you that. So please read, listen or watch other reviews so you may get a better understanding of the sound of the Shine and how it fits your preferences. We are all different. Each one of us can have different hearing abilities, different likes and dislikes, different audio gear and the biggest thing is that we haven’t all gone down the same audio journey. So take in other accounts of the Shine and don’t simply take my word for it. I want to thank anyone who reads this review, please stay safe and take care…God Bless.