iKKo is a company that is relatively silent, and its godly iKKO Asgard Oh5 model has been flying under the radar since its release / received few reviews up to this day till our iKKo Asgard Oh5 Review. I took my change and took a blind shot at it. Thanks to Hifigo and iKKo. Read its review below.

Pros__

Balanced and relaxed

Acceptable technicalities

Tuning is easy to adjust with only eartips

Cons__

Acceptable at technicalities unless DAC powered

4.4. connection turn into a harsh creature 

The cable is robust and not that flexible

The Sound

Its timbre is slightly warm. The majority of my experience with it has been pleasant. Layering is average, clarity is two steps above average (four if hollow tips are used), instrument separation is two steps above average (four if hollow tips are used), and other minor technical details are also fine.

Acceptable doesn’t mean mediocre, considering the balanced tone of iKKo Asgard Oh5. It sounds like a gentleman who is waiting for his chance to shine.

Bass

Due to its neutrality, bass is never more than what you are listening to. Boominess is a foreign concept to it, but whether you forgive it for the record picker and bass projector nature is entirely up to you. Midbass is covering the most basses up and you should read the details there. 

Mid

I have never seen that much variability in mids before. Eartips, connector types, and sources result in different mids. And since we’re talking about eartips, I’ve found that the usual double-bore eartips work best in terms of comfort and sound quality.

Enough talk aside, I am hearing a liquid type of musical flow. This is because of the lithium-magnesium diaphragm handling capacity. Despite not receiving monitor style extraction, FUN is properly emphasized in iKKo Asgard Oh5 tuning. And quite convincing in great recordings like Limehouse Blues from Jazz at the Pawnshop or Bohemian Rhapsody from Live at Wembley (no need to fill in the rest of the technical aspects).

Female vocals are so sweet, clear, and sibilance free. Great texturing applies to male and female vocals at the same time. Hearing a fluid sound that is not bogged down by bass in Diana Krall’s performance is so welcome. East of The Sun trial is checked.

Treble 

You don’t get a treble happy performance. Period. Even in SE mode, this is not like the UM Mest Mk II or some older single BA. Cymbals or crashes don’t disturb you. And, while the sax solo reaches to the upper registers while the player is blowing his tune, it is smartly distanced from the listener (you) to eliminate listening fatigue. Pop treble is also very well controlled. Some can call it “treble shy” but I rather not use that term.

Dongle__

The same level of balanced playback continued, but the distance between L and R ear speakers widened up. I am happy because its layering capacity increased by a great margin.

It’s basses gained a solid persona after getting the signal filtered through the Dual CS43198 of (review pending) Truthear Shio. And got a healthy shot of vividness in I Can’t Turn You Loose / Groove Me and other live stage tracks. Not getting unrealistically wide is both Oh5 and Truthear Shio’s job. Shio’s power is responsible for the significant increase in other technical aspects by releasing Ikko Asgard’s potential. Thanks.

iKKo Asgard Oh5 Review

Verdict

When the DAC volume is pushed up, the sound characteristics is not only well-balanced but also possess a great deal of vibrancy and detail. The bass is smooth and snappy, the midrange is clear and direct, and the highs have a bit of sparkle and are very clear. The soundstage is expansive and open, with clear distinction between the various instruments and vocal phrases. This earphone has a good sound quality overall, despite the fact that the treble might be a little reserved at times. The idea of being “balanced” is one that we hear rather frequently. Additionally, having a sound that is balanced might result in sound characteristics that are monotonous. Even though we haven’t looked at any other iKKOs in the past, we can confidently say that this one is a winner. It was only via the use of the SE connection and a high-quality dongle of the latest generation that the song was brought to life in a consistent manner with the Blues Brothers. Thanks to iKKo and Hifigo for the unit. Take a look to see their various products besides iems. The link is here if you like to have a taste: https://hifigo.com/products/ikko-asgard-oh5