Introduction
Hello everyone!!! NiceHCK DB2 here. It is a 23 USD ultra-budget IEM and at the time of this writing hifigo 28.3 sale is happening and the DB2 is priced just at 19.5 USD. This IEM comes in 3 colors with design variations that are extremely attractive at first glance. Fortunately, it is not just the looks that are impressive but the sound as well. This IEM comes in Purple, Blue, and Black with or without an in-line Mic. I was sent the blue variation from hifigo – I loved the faceplate design and the transparent shell disclosing the internal drivers that go well with the faceplate. For 23 USD, you get a good-quality pouch. You get 5 sizes of NiceHCK 07 tips – very similar to Kbear07 tips which I have already owned. This IEM is very tip sensitive to my ears and I did not like them much with most of the tips except for Spinfit CP100. Even W1 did not suit them well. This made me think that no tips are an upgrade over the other. It should rightly match the sound characteristics of an IEM and your ears at the same time. The cable is Copper and is OK for the price. It does not come with a cinch/ slider and the downside is the IEM comes off the ear easily especially while lying down. I listened using stock cable as well as the Xinhs Graphene cable with 4.4mm termination for my balanced sources. This IEM is easy to drive, and I noticed some differences between the two cables in terms of overall technicalities say resolution and dynamics. I preferred the upgraded cable over the stock cable for most of my listening. This IEM has the potential and I see upgrading the stock cable is a must here.
And, finally, thanks to Lvy from hifigo for arranging this review sample, and I greatly appreciate the gesture.
At the time of this writing, I have spent close to 100 to 120 hours. I was sent this sample a while ago, however, I could not schedule this review earlier due to the circumstances within our MBA group. So, I got to spend more time with this IEM which lead me to realize how good sounding this IEM is, considering such a low price point. The drivers have opened over time in a mesmerizing way, and I feel this needs a significant burn-in/ listening time before a proper judgment. So, without further ado let’s dive into the specifications and ultimately my take with a few short comparisons. The IEM has already been reviewed at MBA by Chris Love. You may click/tap on his name to check his take on DB2. As always, to the best of my intentions and abilities, here we go.
Specifications
➢ Driver: 10mm Titanium Plated Graphene Dynamic + 1BA
➢ Impedance: 16 Ohms
➢ Sensitivity: 107 dB/mW
➢ Colour: Blue/ Purple/ Black
➢ Plug type: 3.5mm
➢ Frequency Range: 20 – 20000Hz
➢ Connector: Detachable 2-pin 0.78mm
➢ Cable material: High Purity OFC
➢ Shell Material: PC + Aluminum Alloy
Disclaimer:
➢ The review is my own based on extensive and critical listening and was not influenced by any written or video review.
➢ The review is subject to unit variance and my personal listening preferences.
➢ The review is subject to the gears I used for testing – DAC/ DAP/ Tips/ quality of the track
➢ Last but not least, I have no affiliation with the supplier of the IEM.
Gears/ Audio used for testing:
➢ S24 Ultra
➢ HPZ x ddHIFI 3.5mm
➢ Hidizs SD2 3.5mm
➢ Tempotec V6
➢ Cayin RU7
➢ Topping NX7 Amp paired with the above 2.
➢ Spotify premium
Test Tracks:
This is a representative sample of my favorites – An inclusive list and not exhaustive. There are a lot more.
➢ Here We Divide – Dead Letters Circus
➢ Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
➢ Make My Move – Oliver Micheal
➢ Astronaut In The Ocean – Alok Remix
➢ Code Name Vivaldi – The Piano Guys
➢ Shout – Tears For Fears
➢ Sandusky – Uncle Tupelo
➢ Cornflake Girl – Tori Amos
➢ Ice House – Ray Montford
➢ Dandelions – Ruth B
➢ Champion – Bishop Briggs
➢ Psychofreak – Camila Cabello
➢ Can You Hear The Music – Ludwig Goransson
➢ Beat – Tingvall Trio
➢ Strict Machine – Goldfrapp
➢ Fountain – Iamamiwhoami
➢ You Broke Me First – Tate McRae
➢ Titanium – Sia
➢ You Need To Calm Down – Taylor Swift
➢ Vachindha Megham – A R Rahman
➢ Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon
➢ Rihaayi De – A R Rahman
➢ Megham Karukatha – Anirudh Ravichandran
➢ Udi – Sanjay Leela Bhansali
➢ Danga Maari Oodhari – Harris Jayaraj
➢ Nan Pogiren (James Vasanthan)
➢ Naatu Naatu (RRR) – Keeravani
➢ Kurchi Madathapetti (S S Thaman)
➢ Agar Tum Saath Ho (A R Rahman)
➢ Caribbean Blue – Enya
➢ Roygbiv – Boards of Canada
➢ Electric love – Borns
➢ Take Five – The Dave Brubeck Quartet
➢ Rapid As Wildfire – Genshin Impact
➢ Battlefield 4 Warsaw theme – Rami
➢ At The Speed Of Force – Junkie XL
➢ Back In Black – AC/DC
➢ Becoming Insane – Infected Mushroom
➢ Chain Reaction – Cloud Cult
➢ Hot Girl Bummer – Blackbear
➢ Memories Of Dust – Nier Automata
➢ Ona/ 1154 – Plini
➢ Stress – Pain Of Salvation
➢ Love Is Gone – Slander
➢ You Don’t Own Me – Saygrace
➢ Angel Of Death – Slayer
➢ Somebody I used to know (Gotye, Kimbra)
➢ Leave Them All Behind – 2001 Remaster (Ride)
➢ Unity – Royksopp
➢ Unfinished sympathy – Massive Attack
Driveability/ Scalability
Nicehck DB2 is a very easy-to-drive IEM. From the HPZ dongle to SD2 to RU7 and V6, DB2 maintained a good synergy with all of them. I received the SD2 yesterday and spent only a day listening to it. The Amp section of SD2 is solid compared to the comparable HPZ dongle and the IEM sounded quite well in terms of loudness at a lesser volume on the SD2. However, both the 3.5mm DACs drove the IEM to its best with a lot of headroom left in terms of volume levels. Most of my listening was done through Aful Snowy Night and Tempotec V6. All are neutral-sounding DACs in my possession and selection of the two is merely a choice more than anything else.
With SN, the IEM behaved in a way that it was intended to and there is clean transparency. The bass levels are already boosted on this IEM and are not overly boosted with SN. It maintained the same level of transparency with details like that of Tempotec V6. With RU7, I listen to more details, but the same clean transparency is maintained. Note weight is a little more with RU7. It was hard to distinguish between the V6 and SN compared to RU7 for this IEM. But if I had to select the most transparent among the three for this IEM, it would be Tempotec V6. But it is at a negligible level to me. All the 3 sources are great, regardless.
The Sound Impressions:
Bass:
Nicehck DB2 has a strong sub-bass presence. Quantity is more and so is the rumble. I would say the quality is not lacking either. It goes deep with an excellent and satisfying rumble and a nice texture. At the very rarest of times, it can sound a bit over the top but very negligible and I don’t notice it anymore over time – A well-controlled sub-bass that is very impactful and not overwhelming at the same time.
Mid-bass is equally impactful and has an excellent body and fullness to it. It sounds authoritative, fun, and solid with a nice thump when the track calls for it. The bass is resolving enough for the most part – The details in the bass region are good. The bass notes execution and decay are slightly on the slower side of things initially but have improved over time and I don’t see this as an issue now. I find them sound solid now. The bleed into the lower mids is well controlled here and DB2 sounds adequately clean in that regard with good separation. There is still warmth that flows into the lower mids making it a warm sounding IEM in general but the control this IEM exercises is excellent. Overall, the bass on the DB2 is tuned in a way that satisfies anyone, particularly the bass heads, and NiceHCK did an excellent job in that regard. Considering the price point, I have more than enjoyed the bass performance here, and I didn’t find them overwhelming at all.
Overall, the bass is a colorful, fun, impactful, and impressive performance at the price point that comes when it is called for and unleashes what it has to offer.
Sample test tracks – Jiya Jale (A R Rahman), Teenage Lullaby (Ooyy), Garden (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs), Barbie Girl (Aqua).
Mids:
There is a controlled warmth to the overall tone of the IEM. As a result, the bleeding into the lower mids appears minimal to me. The lower and mids are slightly recessed but not too much of a V here. The instrumentation sounds leaner at times with a decent note weight and thanks to solid mid-bass presence, the note weight appears weighty to me as well. One balances out the other and I don’t find the note weight is lacking much, to be honest, and sounds crispier. But still, some may perceive it to be thin-sounding in general. Instrumentation has an excellent depth on stage, unexpected at this price point, with an excellent tonality and BA timbre on occasions but is not off-putting in any way. Tonality sounds natural. Instrumentation in the midrange is very resolving. For the price, I don’t expect Nicehck DB2 to be a technically amazing IEM but DB2 does what I don’t even expect here. Leading instruments appear to be much more resolving compared to the background instruments. Again, the layering and note weight contribute to it to an extent. Overall, listening to instrumentation is very enjoyable for the most part due to the presence of solid depth, nice overall tonality, good resolution, and crispy texture. There is some harshness noticed when listening to the instrumentation in a way the upper mids transition to the lower treble is tuned here. It has to do with the volume levels. Upper mids at lower volume levels are generally smooth-sounding and not aggressive at all. But listening to Bass at higher volumes can be daunting in certain tracks. That’s the only issue I noticed. Otherwise, upper mids are manageable.
The vocals do not sound laid-back or very forward either. But they stand out from the mix with a very good clarity. The layering does a good job of segregating the vocals from the instrumentation. Male vocals have good clarity, and warmth and do not sound dry. Does not sound lean and have good energy to them. Female vocals are very energetic in their presentation at times but again not to an unnatural elevation. I don’t say shouty, but the presentation is aggressive, depending on the track, and volume levels play an important role here as well. Female vocals possess very good clarity.
Overall, a very good mid-range for a V-shaped IEM that is done well for the most part. Clarity in the vocals is excellent considering the price point.
Sample test tracks – Assassin’s Creed III Main Theme (Lorne Balfe), Tattoo (Loreen), Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Tears For Fears), Wild Ones (Flo Rida, Sia).
Treble:
Treble follows the same rule for the upper mids. It has an aggressive presentation at louder volume levels. Otherwise, a very open and detailed treble performance that is rather inoffensive for the most part but still has very good energy. I was quite astonished by the treble performance here considering the price point. Lower the volume levels and you are in for a treat. The airiness and detail in the treble notes are excellent. Resolution at times could have been slightly better. But for the price point, I have to consider what I am hearing to be excellent. Extends well. I am super impressed with the treble performance here considering the price point. Just optimize the right volume levels. Treble-sensitive listeners may need to audition the set before the purchase – The lower volume levels are still safe.
Overall, the treble sounds outstanding and sounds just right for my tastes.
Sample test tracks – Neruppu Da (Santhosh Narayan), Shark Tank (Freccero)
Technicalities:
Soundstage has opened after a significant burn-in and it is for the better. It is spacious in a massive way and wide with very good details and creates a feeling of sound portraying outside. Stage depth and height are great. Resolution and layering are excellent for the price and burn-in has a good effect on these two. Transient response is amazing as well, again thanks to burn-in. Imaging is again very good and tracing the audible trail isn’t an issue and is quite accurate. It has to do with the precise and crispy nature of the sound. Overall, impressive technicalities at the price point. I couldn’t believe what I was listening to at the given price point. However, given the kind of sound I’m listening to, I still wish the resolution could have been a tad better in some tracks, but I consider this a nitpick because I am taking out-of-sense here ignoring the price point.
Overall, brilliant technicalities and I’m blown away considering the price point.
Sample test tracks – Into The Mystic (Van Morrison), Vikram – Title Track (Anirudh Ravichandran), Bubbles (Yosi Horikawa), Naatu Naatu (RRR)
Comparisons:
Apart from the Nicehck DB2, I have only 2 similarly tuned warm-sounding bassy IEMs that could be worth comparing against. One is the Blon Bl03, and the other is the QKZ x HBB. Other budget IEMs are not bass-heavy and are not worth bringing here. I will keep the comparison as short as possible because I feel the need to compare against DB2 is needless in the first place considering how good this sounds for the price being offered. But again, I still did it for the sake of making my review as comprehensive as possible. And I know the result how it is going to be. Anyways, please read on:
NiceHCK DB2 vs Blon Bl03 & QKZ x HBB
➢ NiceHCK DB2 – Paired with Xinhs Graphene 4.4mm and CP100 tips (1 DD/ 1 BA)
➢ Blon Bl03 – Paired with Kinera Leyding 4.4mm and Azla Sedna Standard wide bore (Black/ white) tips (1 DD)
➢ QKZ x HBB – Paired with QKZ Max cable 4.4mm and Azla Sedna Earfit Light tips (1 DD)
Build and Fit:
The build quality of the Bl03 stands out as it is a complete metal build compared to the other two. Bl03 stands out in a reverse direction when it comes to fit as many would have already known the kind of fit Bl03 is known for. So, for the uninitiated and newbies who do not know/ forgot/ completely didn’t care that there is an IEM called Bl03 which holds a legendary status in some of the minds still, the IEM has a pathetic fit that includes me. CP100 used to be good but until I found the Azla Sedna standard tips, the fit wasn’t great. Standard tips changed everything. The fit of the other 2 IEMs is good and provides a decent seal with many tips.
Sound:
Tempotec V6 was used for comparison.
➢ Nicehck DB2 has better resolution, speed, and dynamics in the bass region compared to Bl03 and QKZ – QKZ comes second here. Sub-bass depth and texture are better on DB2 overall. Mid-bass, I’m inclined towards DB2 again – I find the bass bleed lesser, crispier note weight makes it an even more defined bass performance not at the cost of the fullness of Mid-bass. Dynamics are again good here compared to the other two. Bl03 can sound a little boomy at times compared to the other two.
➢ In terms of tonality alone, DB2 falls a little behind both Bl03 and QKZ as it is an unfair comparison to be honest due to the slight BA timbre on Nicehck DB2 and other 2 being inherently safe from it. Bl03 tops here.
➢ Instrumentation is crispier with a decent note weight on the DB2 compared to the other two as the bass separation was done right with the DB2 with less bleed into the lower mids. Dynamics and detail retrieval are better with DB2. As the other technicalities contribute while listening to instrumentation, I enjoyed listening to DB2 over the two. Bl03 comes second.
➢ Vocals have clarity on Nicehck DB2 over Bl03 but are very close. DB2 sounds slightly forward and the clarity is exceptional here. While I prefer the male vocals on DB2 over QKZ, female vocals sound delicious on QKZ, but only marginally better over DB2.
➢ Treble lacks the detail and clarity the DB2 offers when compared against Bl03 and QKZ. Bass dominates with QKZ and the warmth flows through the treble as well. Here the difference with QKZ is contrast. Bl03 treble is better compared to QKZ being less warm but isn’t as detailed, or airier as the DB2. A slight lack of dexterity in executing the treble notes is visible in the Bl03 lacking detail as a result. Warmth blankets the QKZ treble. QKZ is the darkest sounding of all.
➢ Simply put, technicalities are way better on the DB2 compared to the other two – most impactful are the dynamic transient response, layering, stage, and imaging which further leads to better resolution and details. Height is good on all 3 but perceived better on the DB2. Imaging is too fuzzy on Bl03. Both QKZ and Bl03 lack the stage depth.
In conclusion, I will pick the Nicehck DB2 over the Bl03 and QKZ blindfolded. DB2 performs way above and beyond its price point.
Pros & Cons:
Pros:
➢ Sub-bass depth, texture, and rumble
➢ Solid, authoritative bass performance that can satisfy a bass head
➢ Clean and clear mid-range/ vocals
➢ Crispy instrumentation, detailed and good resolution at the price point
➢ Natural tone for the most part
➢ A fun, musical and an engaging listen
➢ Commendable treble performance
➢ Great overall technicalities at price point
➢ Excellent stage, layering, and transient response for the price
➢ Gorgeous faceplate design
➢ Good accessories at the price point
➢ Good fit
➢ Easier to drive
Cons:
➢ BA timbre at times
➢ Slightly recessed midrange – Can be thin-sounding
➢ A no-go louder volume territory – upper mids and treble can sound harsh
➢ Resolution could be better at times (nitpick – I’m expecting a lot for the price which doesn’t make much sense)
➢ Tip sensitive
➢ Cable doesn’t come with a cinch/ slider
Conclusion:
At the price point, NiceHCK DB2 is an excellent all-round IEM in general and for the bass heads particularly. The bass is so well done here with excellent dynamics. It is a fun, musical, V-sounding IEM, not at the cost of clarity and details. This is another IEM that has grown on me over time instead of love at first or a second listen. That has to do with the technicalities, say soundstage, resolution, and layering that were not so good/ mediocre at the beginning. Burn-in has an unimaginable effect here and opened the drivers I didn’t expect them to be. The mids are not completely sacrificed at the cost of an impactful bass response. Vocals maintain excellent clarity and stand out from the mix. At lower volumes, the upper mids have an inoffensive energy with a detailed presentation. The treble performance is top-notch at the price point. Listening at higher volumes is a no-go here as upper mids and treble can sound harsh. The technicalities are the icing on the cake and play a significant role in the overall sound quality. Give it more time than usual and then some. A no-brainer and a steal for the price.
