Dunu Vulkan is the last iem from a true professional brand who isn’t seen around like other personal audio brands. But as a general rule of the thumb, when they speak you listen. Maybe they haven’t gathered much attention since the Titan S model but every model has great technicalities and looks for their prices.
Box, Cable and Dunu Vulkan
Box is somewhat sizeable and black with elegant looks. Within the box there are many items, most notably 3 pieces of mini xlr adapters. This gives the user a high versatility. Cable is braided and somehow tight (near the edge of being loosely) and the start of the cable is a female 4 pin mini xlr for future adapter changes. Looks shiny, strong. Y split and chin guard pieces aren’t forgotten.
Vulkan, having ECLIPSE drivers inspired structural foam cell as DD, start with a female mmcx connector and the rest is the charismatic and very comfortable fitting 5 axis CNC block which contains 4BA (Knowles) and 2DD (Coaxial) within..
Backplate is shaped in damascus steel which is a very rare sight. The other was Campfire Damascus. And while there is a seperate venting hole, there is a tiny venting grill on the backplate as well. Dunu patented Enhanced Low Frequency Control (ASIC) module is hidden behind that grill as well. By the way it was used in Zen, Zen Pro, Dk4001 and EST 112 models too.
Sound
Time of big V came. Meet the Dunu Vulkan and it’s somehow big drivers shaped in damascus steel texture. A bare iem is waiting for you with many accessories that will be covered later in its review. You have to choose the adapter and eartips. I chose red bored usual eartips and the 3.5mm adapter. Source is dx300. But the volume isn’t 40/100. It’s at 55/100 to let is show its true potential and it certainly entered a new dimension after 40/100. Soundstage gained 3d improvement, bass started growing beneath when necessary and trebles gained piercing highs. I am not talking about the boost in clarity!I had an impressed face even with smooth jazz.
Every parameters is so fine in the Limehouse Blues. Despite it’s frequency graph telling me of a huge bass, low end frequencies are portrayed in delicacy. If only vibrato was capable of ethereal extensions but man, this is what you have..Other extensions are smooth for the drivers it have (unlike p1 MAX which was smooth as well)
With Centipede, I guess the sleeping giant will wake up..after the radio quality intro speech, basses are giving me a big smile even though they aren’t stomach shaking. (For the shaking potential, lemme start Mercy feat Arcturians. After starting, its bass potential is showing itself even before the bass drop. I am feeling slight tactile feedback. But the bassdrop didn’t change it much as I expected.
Excellent at Playing God – Polyphia. Everything is nicely packed up and the drummer isn’t causing earthquakes. Even the slightest tonality change is easy to hear. Guitar strings material is in my ears. The bossa nova part and the difference in tune is easy to hear.
One of the iems that power is doing wonders on. A well mannered beast so you aren’t hearing same basses at dubstep and smooth jazz.
Gaming
Not my cup of tea in FPS if I seek FUN. Gunshots don’t have air pressure in the ear. However, positioning and background details are top notch! You can hear empty bullet cases dropping down on the carpet(you can perceive the material the item is touching) that is happening 1 floors higher. And if you have necessary perks and follow the minimap on the screen, you can be a true assassin with this on your ear.
Amping and Mini XLR 4.4 Plug rolling
Amping is obviously helping you to get the best of this. Its nearly mandotory. 4.4 plug being balanced, is producing the same results unless your amp is not neutral. It is in my case. Slam in bass, clarity, soundstage etc. are among the first to be improved.
Dunu Vulkan Review Conclusions
Do yourselves a favor and get this Vulkan as a present of your years of hard work to find the good sound. Or have a taste of how a mid tier iem sound like. Or have an iem with great show off value. I feel almost nobody but trebleheads will be disappointed. And if they do, high power is a cure 😉 Thanks to HifiGO and Dunu for making this nonbiased review possible.
