Disclaimer:
Good morning, readers! Hifigo sent me the JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant, an IEM from a brand I haven’t had the chance to try yet. The model in particular is a hybrid IEM created in collaboration with a famous reviewer (whom I unfortunately don’t know that well). I was able to immediately notice that the brand has a certain care in the packaging and in the product.
In the past, I have tried several hybrid IEMs from Simgot, Hidizs, Celest, and other brands, but I am currently coming off a busy few weeks with the Hidizs MK12 Turris. It may seem like a hasty judgment, but a single good driver can surprise you more than a multi-driver.
I’m not an audiophile; I’m just a guy who likes to test out different IEMs and DACs and spends a lot of time listening to music. I fall into the audio enthusiast category.
So I’m not going to use super technical words to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.
Tech Specs:
- 3BA+1DD Hybrid IEMs.
- Tuned In Collaboration with Z Reviews.
- High-Precision DLP 3D-Printed Ear Shells.
- New Mid-range BA With Micro-Perforation Pressure Relief Design.
- 3-Way Crossover with 4-Acoustic Tubes.
- Next-Generation Dynamic Driver.
- Designer Precision CNC Milled Shell Faceplate With Nickel Metal Accents.
- Juzear x Flare Stock Cable(6N SPOCC+SCCW Cable) with Interchangeable Connectors.
- Impedance: 32Ω.
- Sensitivity: 109dB±1dB.
- Frequency Response Range: 20Hz~20kHz.
- THD+N: ≤0.8%.
- Connector Type: 0.78mm 2-Pin Connectors.
- Termination Plug: 3.5 mm + 4.4 mm.
Packaging:
The packaging of the JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant reminds me in some way of Geekwold or other brands that keep a handcrafted touch to the product. The IEMs come with protective plastic on the sides and the cable already positioned. Branded leather-like hard case containing a very nice modular cable.
- Hard case
- Nice modular Cable
- Basic but many eartips
- QC card
Accessories of decent quality, considering the overall cost of the IEM, only the eartips could be better. Luckily, Hifigo took the opportunity to send me the new Prism WideBore Eartips by Divinus.
Design/Build Quality:
The JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant presents itself as a very well-finished resin IEM; the dimensions are contained, and the faceplates have a green color with different, very attractive shades. The shapes of the shells have very good ergonomics, and excellent length of the nozzles. The shells have a single huge ventilation hole that I believe is connected to the end of the pipes of all the drivers near the nozzle. In fact, the pressure control in the ear canal is very good. The cable, despite having a color that does not totally match the green of the faceplates but is of good quality and above all modular.
Inside, we find 4 drivers per side, managed by a 3-way crossover:
- 10mm dynamic driver responsible for low frequencies
- Composite Balanced armature is responsible for medium frequencies
- Balanced armature is responsible for high frequencies
It’s a shame that almost all manufacturers opt for dark resins, and you can’t take a look at the internal structure and arrangement of the various components.
Initial sound impression:
From the start, it gave me the impression of a very well-balanced IEM, but without having dared, they remained very safe, especially on the high-frequency extension side. But on the bass side, they did a sublime job, the DD works impeccably and returns a nice rumble with nice meaty bass. Even if in terms of details we are in the average of the price range, we are, in my opinion, slightly below average from the point of view of hybrids with balanced armatures. They decided to limit a lot the presence of air and brilliance, which is not a bad choice, especially if it has to please more people, but maybe the presence of balanced armatures is thus dampened a bit. The separation of the frequencies and the various drivers that each perform certain frequencies, returning a clean and precise sound, is very well appreciated.
Comfort & Fit:
An IEM with excellent shapes, replaced the eartips with the Divinus Prism Wide Bore, and finally, we’re talking. The original cable, in my opinion, is more than enough in this case. It has good quality, and even when making comparisons, the sound is unchanged. After a few hours of listening session, I did not notice fatigue that I noticed with other IEMs with BA drivers.
Equipment used for testing:
Device:
- Mac mini
- Poco M4 Pro
Software:
- Amazon Music UHD 24bit 96kHz
DAC:
Final sound impression:
The JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant is a hybrid set that I would define as chilled. It allows a qualitative listening of a Hybrid IEM with BAs tuned in a soft but quite effective way. Although perhaps a little push on the high frequencies would still have been tolerable, they preferred to adopt a tuning that allows a calm listening in 99% of cases. A tuning that I find particularly suitable for modern genres and variations of electronic music, especially thanks to a nice full-bodied bass. It is not the most impressive hybrid on the market, especially in terms of detail retrieval, which is average. With the Divinus Velvet WideBore Eartips, the bass is much fuller, and even some details seem recovered.
By now, I use the Fosi Audio K7 as my reference DAC/AMP, which has enough power to make any IEM and even very power-hungry headphones shine.
Bass
The dynamic driver that handles the low frequencies does a good job, not having to handle all the frequencies makes its task easier, and the quality of the membrane chosen is not bad at all. The type of bass is warm and beefy. It is not super fast, but it is appreciated enough. I would say that we can define it as the typical bass coming from a DD with a lot of added fun.
Mids
The mids are not really the main protagonists of the set; in fact, I think it is more oriented towards the bass. The mids are not the most detailed, although the BAs are usually very sharp here; they are softened, and even if they do a great job, some instrumental detail is lost.
Especially because of the trebles that influence a bit those instruments that would need that bright touch and air.
Regarding the voices, they are lovely and have a touch of warmth because they keep their tone as natural as possible overall.
Treble
The balanced armature responsible for the treble has been limited on purpose to have a smooth tuning, but this involves obvious sacrifices in terms of macro and micro details, air, and brilliance. There are those who might find the highs too limited and those who will love them. The choice does not fall on the pros or cons. It is simply a soft IEM with a smooth and relaxing sound. The cymbals, in particular, are a bit dull to my ears, as well as other musical instruments that would need something more.
Soundstage and Imaging:
In terms of soundstage, the Juzear is average; you will definitely not be impressed by its spaciousness or staging ability. The sound does not develop in any particular direction. Imaging and separation are also average, but you have to take into account the price range of 99 USD. It is a truly impressive hybrid IEM if you go to see the quality/price ratio.
Comparison:
I have tried several hybrids, and the most complete and sophisticated ones in this price range are some models from Simgot, which has some very interesting and equally cheap hybrid models. Celest also makes several equally interesting models, but I haven’t received them for a while.
The market is certainly very competitive around 100 USD, since it is a figure with which one can already taste excellent audio quality.
vs Simgot EW300
Equally valid and from a more exotic configuration, Simgot has a less relaxed extension but is more satisfying in terms of details and stage. In a certain sense, I find it a more balanced IEM, but this does not mean that it is better in all aspects. In fact, on EDM tracks, I am liking the Juzear considerably more.
vs Simgot EM6L
The Simgot EM6L to date is still one of my favorite hybrid iems, even if many don’t appreciate it that much. The voices are slightly less cold, just enough to make them more natural. In terms of tuning, there is a notable similarity with the SuperMix 4, which, however, fares better in terms of airiness, details, and separation. The EM6L is slightly richer in energy and musicality.
Conclusion:
The JUZEAR x Z Reviews Defiant are a well-made IEM that still manages to keep me glued to my favorite music for several hours. The price at which they are proposed is certainly interesting given the configuration of the drivers, even if there are more exotic proposals in the same price range. Surely, if you like the bass (even if not at basshead level) and the treble kept under control, this is a particularly well-made set. I liked the construction quality itself, but I would have invested in some more quality tips.
7.5/10
Pros:
- Good resin shells
- Nice packaging
- Nice modular cable
- Smooth operator, nice tuning
- Bass response is thick
- Fatigue-free trebles
- Easy to drive
Cons:
- Tips need to be upgraded
- Super safe tuning
- Lack of air
- Not the most analytical
- Some details are missed
