Nicehck DB2 Sound Review
Intro
Hello everyone, I have with me today one of the latest budget offerings from the audio brand Nicehck, the Nicehck DB2. The DB2 is a two-driver hybrid iem consisting of one dynamic driver and one balanced armature driver and coming in at the ultra-budget price of only $22. I want to thank HiFiGo for providing the DB2 for a review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com.
The Nicehck DB2 comes from an audio brand that has had an up and down existence. Perhaps they are bringing themselves out of the weeds and into the ears of us audio fans with a few of their latest entries into the market and those latest sets may begin to change the fortunes of this brand. Nicehck has had some huge successes, and I don’t want that to go unsaid, but I think we can all agree that they haven’t exactly been on the lips of audio enthusiasts of late. However, I am happy to announce that the DB2 is a special budget set and I’m also very happy to report my findings. The Nicehck DB2…
Non-Affiliated Purchasing links
Disclaimer:
I received the Nicehck DB2 from HiFiGo as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. HiFiGo has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to HiFiGo and thanks for reading.
DB2 Pros
-Build Quality for the price
-Gorgeous faceplates, each color is nice
-Many eartips included, a very nice assortment
-Great carrying pouch
-Fit & comfort
-Plump, bulbous, fun, & dense bass region
-Nice midrange note weight
-Non-fatiguing treble with decent extension
DB2 Cons
-Bass may be too much for some folks
-Treble could use a bit more brilliance
-For $22 I don’t think you can find many cons that make sense
Gear used for testing
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Packaging / Accesories
Quick unboxing
The Nicehck DB2 comes packaged in a larger box with a waifu on the cover I typical Chi-fi fashion. In the box includes more tips than I’m used to for such a low cost with six in total. However, the awesome thing is that they added five pairs of KBear 07 (look alike) tips. Awesome. They also provide a few narrow bore tips. On top of that you get a decent cable for the price which is copper colored and braided. I used a 4.4 balanced cable much of the time, but the included cable is just fine. Nicehck also provides a very nice carrying pouch with a snap shut opening and is made of faux leather. How’s that for a quick rundown.
Eartips
like I said, Nicehck provides eight pairs of eartips in the package. The best part, they are all very good and usable tips. This is not something I’m used to. They give you five pairs of KBear 07 type tips, from large down to extra small. I love 07’s and so this was a great surprise. In fact, the tips alone are half the cost of the $22 it takes to purchase this set. The other kind of tips are more of a narrow bore dark gray tip. Both types are very useful and will be used at some point in my collection. I used the 07-type large sized tips for all listening impressions.
Carrying bag
Nicehck opted to not include a hard carrying case and instead went with a carrying pouch instead. The pouch is way nicer than it should be. It is a black faux leather (feels like leather) pouch with a snap shut top and is really a good-looking bag. I actually use it often and I never used cases of any sort. It’s just nice looking and handy. At any rate, it’s a nice addition.
Cable
The cable offered is what one should expect. It is a 3.5 single-ended copper-colored 2-pin OFC cable that is very light, thin and pliable. I found this cable to have no microphonics whatsoever and for the purposes of simply listening to music it works just fine. However, for my listening I used a balanced Youkamoo SPC cable which paired much better aesthetically. For all intents and purposes, the included cable will serve your listening needs nicely but I do believe that the DB2 slightly scales with a touch more power and so a balanced cable helps in that regard for me.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build/Design
The build is constructed of a transparent resin/plastic material on the shell and an absolutely gorgeous faceplate area. They also added a nice contrasting aluminum trim around the faceplate and a brass nozzle. They’re nice touches. The build quality is actually just fine for the price. Nothing which will blow your mind but very well constructed for a $22 iem. The DB2 comes in three colorways (Purple, Light Blue, Black) and each are seriously dope looking. I feel my light blue color is the sickest though. The swirls on the faceplates are very imaginative and a cool look for such a low cost. Bravo Nicehck!
Internals
Nicehck opted for a hybrid configuration of one single 10mm Titanium Plated Graphene dynamic driver as well as a balanced armature for the highs. I don’t have a ton to say about the Internals other than the drivers seem to actually be good quality drivers believe it or not. I sense no distortions that are out of the ordinary and they are well controlled for the price.
Fit / Comfort
I find the comfort to be about average of any budget earphone. The shape is reminiscent of many sets in the price point. I get a good fit so long as I add tips which actually seal in my ears. I don’t have much to report here, the fit is just fine, and the comfort is about the same… It’s fine.
Drivability
The DB2 is rated at roughly 16 ohms and a sensitivity of 107 db’s. This means that it’s pretty easy to drive folks. Truly, I had no issue with any source device I used. I even got to good fidelity using my iPad. Listening with the Fiio UTWS5 was easy-peasy as well. The UTWS5 is rated at about 50 mW per 16 ohms. That’s good for a wireless adapter playing sensitive iems and the DB2 had more than enough headroom. In all reality you shouldn’t have any issues whatsoever, whether you use a solid source device like a good dongle dac, dap etc. or if you simply use a phone. I will say that there is some scaling with added juice to a very slight degree but there is most certainly a cap to that. Also, I think that “scaling” had a whole lot more to do with the fact that I was using better sources. Out of all my sources I felt the Fiio Q15 was the best pairing with its clean neutral playback. As far as my dongle dacs I really loved the Aful SnowyNight using 4.4 balanced. Really a great pairing. At the end of the day, if you have a decent Dongle Dac it’ll be fine. I’m sure if what you have is your phone or something similar, you’ll be good to go too.
Sound Impressions
The Nicehck DB2 was another budget surprise to these ears. I really wasn’t expecting much folks. I feel like I say this more and more as brands are really listening to the community it seems. Friends, the DB2 costs a mere $23! Now, I know that is a lot for a lot of people but obviously in the Audio game that is dirt cheap. I’ve already spoken about the great job Nicehck did with the unboxing, look, and build. However, the thing which trumps all of those bright spots is the sound. The DB2 definitely comes across with more of a V-shaped sound signature. It has a beefed-up low end with a fairly steep rise in the pinna area. The DB2 also has a somewhat pronounced treble region and some decent extension.
Pint Sized Sound Between the 20’s
Listening to the DB2 I find it has an emphasized sub-bass with slightly less of a lift in the mid-bass area. The DB2 doesn’t have the most solid note edge in the bass as it comes across slightly soft to my ears. It’s fun, it has some decent density too but the DB2 does lack some texture. Not as defined as some sets in the price point. Still, it isn’t overcooked and over exaggerated, it doesn’t muddy the frequency to a fault and is big enough in boom to make your head bob. The mids on this set have a recession, as with any V-shaped iem. However, it isn’t so attenuated that it kills the midrange. They also don’t have the most warm and weighted note weight to my ears. Good for the price but it probably wouldn’t be my go-to for vocals. Not bad by any stretch but competition is fierce nowadays. One huge benefit to the midrange is the smooth delivery and non-offensive sound in this region. The treble follows suit with the midrange in that it isn’t the most energized, but it does fit the overall tuning. There are hints of brilliance but by-and-large this is a sibilance free and easy going treble which most definitely is on the smoother side.
Bass Region
Sub-bass
I find the low-end to be nicely boosted. The DB2 has some good rumble and can resonate pretty deep as this is a set with good extension into the sub-bass. Very nice for a $23 ultra-budget iem. I find a fairly condensed note edge with sub-bass notes as the sound is dense enough and bulbous enough to carry most hip-hop tracks. Listening to “2040”by Lil Durk came with a very deep and authoritative bass drop with the DB2 in my ears. “Groove”by Ray Wylie Hubbard is a dirty blues jam with a grungy bass riff that plays very well in the DB2. Another track is “Mancey” by Andrew Bird which features a sonorous and full bass guitar which serves as the foundation to the track. I couldn’t be happier with how unapologetically resonant the deep-toned riff hits my ears with the DB2. Definitely a fun set but at the same time the bass is very well maintained for something as cheap as this. It isn’t a sloppy sub-bass folks.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass follows suit with the sub-bass and has very good impact. Again, this set is meant for a fun listen and does so pretty well. However, it also does well in presenting a nice timbre in this region, well, in all regions. The DB2’s mid-bass isn’t the most defined, but it does have good solidity and decent density to the note body. It certainly isn’t hollow or weak… at all. The texture isn’t bad either. Despite that, the mid bass is just fine. This set is what you think it is for $23. Slightly one-noted, a hair blurry, a hammer wrapped in a fuzzy sock type bass note. But fun. Bass guitars have that growling fullness. Most kick drums come with a nice and cavernous boom although they sometimes lack that tacky note edge that I love. They lack the “snap” to a degree. Like “Move Along” by All American Rejects. In this track the kick drums are deafening at loud volumes. The DB2 has that meaty substance and haptic feel to them but the actual point of contact, or leading a ledge of attack is a hair on the soft side. Not bad at all but I just want you to be aware.
Downsides to the Bass Region
There are a few issues some may have. I’d first say that the bass may be a bit much for some folks. On the other hand, it may not exactly be enough for real bassheads. The bass only has decent definition for the price and can come across a hint wooly. Transient attack through sustain is on the more atmospheric side of things. As in, it isn’t the fastest or most swift. You won’t hear fantastic separation either. There’s also a little lack of texture to the sound as well. However, with all that said, the low-end does perfectly fine for the price. This is an emphasized bass region that is meant for fun. It’s meant to boom. To be totally honest with you all, I don’t mind this set at all. It fits some of my library and makes my head bin and my feet move. Great for workouts, casual listening and for those who dig a bigger bass and don’t need that ultra tight and condensed note body. Overall, not bad at all.
Midrange
Lower-midrange
The lower-midrange does have a recession to a degree and there is some added warmth provided from the bass section. Males tend to have a certain fullness within their vocals, and they aren’t the most energetic or airy. The stage is a hint more congested in this region, but it still comes across with good enough presence. I find this with lower register vocalists like Avi Kaplan or Josh Turner. Their voices use some of the bass energy which gives them some warmth and note body with a richness that is nice to hear. The sound isn’t veiled ‘per se’, yet it still has a smooth demeanor. This warmth changes a bit with higher pitch singers like Noah Kahan in “Bury Me”. His voice does have some edge to it and a bit more air around his vocals. Perhaps a bit leaner too, more transparent, and less congested. The point is, not everything in the low-mids is less energetic and lacking air. Actually, for the most… part males come across very well. The lower midrange isn’t bad at all for a V-shaped set.
Upper-Midrange
This brings us to the upper-mids where females & males have a bit more vibrance. Instruments aren’t as stacked together or compressed. There is actually a pretty steep pinna rise which adds some vivacious energy and possibly even some shoutiness on tracks that exude such a thing. I will say, for a $23 V-shaped hybrid iem there’s actually decent separation. Obviously not technical beast territory. But still decent. However, female vocalists actually have a very nice presence in the mix. They’re more forward and have that subtle shimmer to them. Caitlyn Smith sings “High” off her latest album, and the DB2 actually sounds great. Her vocals quite literally run from svelte, soft, whispery, even breathy at times to bold and ballad style throughout the chorus. Her voice never scorched my brain which can happen on some lesser sets. To add to that, instruments weren’t piled on top of eachother. There was some separation there. I find females do pretty well apart from some occasional shout.
More about the mids
Folks, this set is $23. I think I’ve established that. For $23 you can do much worse, please believe me on that. However, this is a midrange which does take a slight backseat. Yet not in a way that it feels attenuated or too pushed back in the sound field. After a while I was really enjoying myself listening with the DB2.
Downsides to the Midrange
Of course, there are downsides to a $23 V-shaped iem within the midrange. That goes without saying. No this isn’t the midrange lover’s dream. Certainly, there is a huge swath of hobbyists who enjoy a more mid forward and mid-highlighted sound. Me being one of them. Details are not as easy to come by and separation of elements on the stage won’t blow your mind either. Still, for what it is the DB2 represents this region just fine. It’s smooth over crisp, musical over technical, and atmospheric over clean lined and swift. I do also hear some shout in the right tracks but that is not the norm. Now, I also don’t hear any sibilance at all, Imaging is actually decent (albeit depth isn’t perfect) and the timbre leans organic.
Treble Region
Listening with the DB2 treble region there’s a few things that are apparent. For one, the treble is certainly non-offensive. There’s a big dip from 3.5k to about 8k which takes some of the sharpness off. However, with that you also lose some of the bite, or the treble punch. You lose some of the brilliance, the luster and the outward presence of the treble. That said, the DB2 does have some extension past 10k that is pretty noticeable, and I don’t hear any splashiness of cymbals etc. Two, you’ll also notice that this isn’t the most detail proficient treble on planet earth. Of course, I wouldn’t call them deficient at detail retrieval either. They just don’t specialize in it. The treble is smoothed over and less precise making it easier in the ears but less pinpoint and resolute. I don’t think this is an issue though. The DB2 wasn’t tuned to be pinpoint and precise. You’d think an extra BA covering the highs would boost presence but that is never always the case. Nevertheless, as far as the treble goes, I feel that it is nicely emphasized for what it is. It certainly isn’t over burdening my ears with spiky & peak filled treble glare. In the same breath, I also don’t feel the treble is boring and bland. As a whole the treble is simply easy on the ears and fits the overall tuning pretty well.
Not bad
There are some pretty good qualities to the highs on this $23 iem too. It’s hard trying not to undersell a set while at the same time not overselling in a review. Words are weird that way. The treble is good for what it is, or for what it was made to be. So, while the treble isn’t a treble head’s best dream, it also isn’t terrible. On top of that, I don’t hear any sibilance on this set which kind of offers some purpose to the big dip. Now, I don’t think Nicehck had to go so deep with it, but also… I didn’t tune this set and I don’t know what challenges they had. I would certainly like a bit more energy up top though. Of course I like a slightly brighter treble (within reason). I do feel it affects the overall macro-dynamics of the DB2 to a slight degree. Of course, a lot goes into the loaded term “macro-dynamics”. Anyways, I would also say that I don’t hear a huge amount of BA timbre. I really don’t hear that metallic sound at the note edge that you’ll sometimes get from balanced armature drivers. Really it comes across a bit more organic than not.
Downsides to the Treble Region
The only issues that I’ve heard which may or may not align with your preferences is the slight lack in brilliance. The DB2 really doesn’t have that treble glow, the uplifted and airy levity. I could also say that detail retrieval isn’t the best I’ve heard in the price point. Still, I honestly feel that for $23 you can’t go wrong if the issues I listed aren’t issues to you. Like I said, there’s no sibilance, no real BA timbre, good extension, and the treble is pretty much non-offensive. Not bad folks.
Technicalities
Soundstage
The soundstage is about average across the board I’d say. There is obviously no quantitative way to present this other than informing you what I hear with my ears. I don’t hear anything especially wide, open, or expansive. More of a plane of sound in front of me. There is the slightest bit of depth which comes across on a few better recorded tracks but I’d say for the most part the soundstage is average. However, average is not a knock against the DB2, it’s average. The stage replays the same as most budget iems within its price point. Not bad at all. You don’t hear anything ultra congested unless you are listening to very congested tracks.
Separation / Imaging
Listening with the Nicehck DB2 I find that it does better with certain genres as far as separation of instrumentation is concerned. I would again say it is right around average for its price point. Perhaps a hair above average actually. Like I said, it does depend on the genre to a small degree and much more depends on the track you are listening to. Less congested tracks will sound very well separated and relatively spaced out for a v-shaped ultra-budget iem. I suppose this is where I remind you all to please try to keep expectations in check. It is a budget pair of iems. Ultra-budget actually. However, amongst the rest of the ultra-budget sets, the DB2 does well. Obviously, bass heavy tracks will sound a bit more mashed together and not as separated. Imaging is actually very good. I find that I can easily place all instruments and vocals. Nothing is floating around in the sound field; nothing seems out of place. The DB2 has really great control in that respect. In my opinion they are far above average in imaging.
Detail Retrieval
Again, temper your expectations. There are a lot of attributes which go against good detail retrieval. You have a v-shaped ultra-budget iem with a bigger bass section, recessed midrange and a more laid-back treble. The DB2 does not have the fastest transient response and the stage is not an open and airy experience, generally speaking. All of these truths about the DB2 work in concert to make this set… less clear and defined. With that said, it isn’t nearly as bad as this reads. I’ve said it a million times in my reviews that reviewers seem to speak in absolutes and so any deviation from “this set is amazing!” … Reads like… “this set sucks”. It doesn’t suck. This makes it more difficult to get across to readers. Out of 100 I’d give the detail retrieval a 67. That makes sense. Not perfect, there are many that are better and this should be expected. However, I wouldn’t change much about it. I would never want to lose the musicality of this set over some minor details. Also, who buys the Nicehck DB2 for detail retrieval in the first place? You buy this set for its ability to playback fun and/or emotionally driven music.
Is it worth the asking price?
Yes… the answer to this question is a fast and decisive yes. The Nicehck DB2 is a phenomenal set for $23. Trust me on that folks. I certainly recommend this set at the price point. If you are after a musical first iem with no horribly egregious downsides, a dope design and you simply cannot spend over $25…then you’ll love this iem. I won’t even add in the “The Why…” section that I always have. It’s an easy answer for me. Of course there are some killer sets in the price point, no doubt about that. However, for what you get in the unboxing, the tips alone are almost the price of this set! You get a nice faux leather carrying bag, a fantastic build and again, one of the better designed iems you can buy for $25. Easy rec!
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 Nicehck DB2 ratings below, that would be $15-$25 iems of any driver configuration. 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. $15-$25 US is a pretty large scope of iems and so seeing a “9” (for example) should be a special thing. 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: 9.8 Built exceptionally well for $23.
–Look: 9.7 Very nice and unique design
–Accessories: 9.6 For $23 this is a great unboxing.
–Overall: 9.7🔥🔥
Sound Rating
–Timbre: 8.8 Timbre isn’t bad at all for a $23 hybrid.
–Bass: 9.2 Fun, deep, authoritative bass.
–Midrange: 7.4 Musical, easy in the ears.
–Treble: 7.3 Non-Offensive, smooth.
–Technicalities: 6.8 Just above average for the price point.
–Musicality: 9.0 Musicality 1st iem.
–Overall: 8.2🔥🔥
Ratings Summary:
Looking at the ratings above, I measured and weighed the Nicehck DB2 against any and all iems between $15 and $25. I would’ve gone higher, but it just doesn’t make sense to me. Most folks shopping under $25 likely don’t have the funds to bump it up much higher. Also, there are a slew of good iems around this price. A Lot better than one might think. Anyways, I feel the ratings are pretty cut and dry, nothing jumps out at me as questionable. Well, I suppose the “Bass” may pose some differing opinions. I gave the bass a “9.2” which is very high against the competition. The reason is because for the price, quantity, and control, it’s pretty darn nice. I could certainly see some people not agreeing with that. Those who like a tighter and more defined bass will probably not completely agree. I think everything else is about right, in my opinion. Of course, I haven’t heard every iem in this range ($15 to $25), so take that into account. That said, I have a huge stockpile of ultra-budget sets in this range, and it was easy to complete this section because of that.
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review of the Nicehck DB2, I want to thank the good folks over at HiFiGo for sending this set to me for review. I have actually really enjoyed the sound and the overall aesthetic. I really feel that the DB2 does a good job of competing against most any other fun, bassy, and more musical iems in its price point. It’s an easy rec for me. That said, I do hope you have a chance to peruse the HiFiGo online storefront at some point as there really is a huge amount of audio products. I actually have purchased many iems from HiFiGo myself.
Other perspectives
I do want to implore you to check out other reviews that are out there in the ether regarding the Nicehck DB2. It is only a benefit for you to hear every perspective that you can so that you can make an informed decision. We all have different lieks & dislikes, music libraries, gear, hearing abilities and so on. There are so many ways that we all differ, and this hobby happens to be the most subjective of them all. So, after you read my review, go check out some more. With that, I think I’m done. Please take good care of you and yours, stay as safe as possible and always…God Bless!
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