Disclaimer:
Good morning readers, It’s been a while since I’ve put my hands on an Earbuds model but finally Nicehck decided to send me to test their Nicehck B80 Earbuds with 14.8mm drivers with PU topological diaphragm. I had already tried some Earbuds models by Nicehck in the past, VE Monk and RY4S. The difficulty in reviewing these models is high due to the ear placement, angle, and sealing, which make the sound vary a lot, making the reviews very personal.
I’m not an audiophile; I’m just a guy that likes to test out different IEMs and DACs and spends a lot of time listening to music.
So I’m not going to use super technical words to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.
Tech Specs:
- Impedance: 20Ω
- Sensitivity: 114dB/mW
- Driver unit: 14.8mm Dynamic Topology Bio Diaphram
- Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Cable material: OFC + Silver Plated OFC
- 3.5mm or 4.4mm
- Diaphragm: PU TopologyBio Diaphragm
Packaging:
The packaging of the Nicehck B80 is particularly well-finished for the type of earbuds that I have tried in the past. I was used to the plastic bag with the earbuds inside and little else. These arrive in an anime-inspired box, very well-finished and sturdy; inside we find:
- Gadget-inspired cardboard
- Nicehck branded hard case
- Earbuds with excellent 4.4mm balanced cable
- 2 types of sponges
- Manual and warranty
A particularly rich package for the type of product, but it should be noted that the price is not particularly low, and they could have included more sponges of varying densities or colors.
Design/Build Quality:
Aesthetically, the design is always the same; the Nicehck B80 confirms the rule with the classic shells, even if the shiny black color gives a touch of extra class, especially because the same color continues on the cable that seems to be of excellent quality. They are very light and comfortable; the internal driver reaches 14.8mm and the assembly seems to be of good quality. Needless to say, in terms of color or design, it is very classic; these are not IEMs where sometimes the design is imaginative or futuristic.
Initial sound impression:
As in the introduction, reviewing this type of earbud is difficult because the perceived sound quality depends entirely on how they sit in the ear. Angle and sealing depend on the shape of your ears. But what I can tell you is that right away the quality of the details seemed superior to other models I have. The feeling is of an openback headphone and even the reproduction of the bass, although obviously not very low in frequency, is very pleasant. Pushing them into the ear, you feel how this driver is totally capable of recreating the low frequencies but due to the lack of hermetic sealing, they are dispersed. Like many of these models, they do very well on the medium frequencies with a decent extension in the highs. I would say that its tone is a natural warm a little bright.
Comfort & Fit:
There are not many options; there are definitely higher-quality sponges or the famous silicone rings or silicone covers that I don’t have at the moment. The sound regarding the earbuds depends on the positioning you manage to obtain. Obviously, if pushed too far inside, they can create discomfort due to the pressure of the shells in the ear. The situation is very subjective. I can tolerate them for a few hours without problems.
Equipment used for testing:
Device:
- OSX
- Poco M4 Pro
Software:
- Amazon Music UHD
DAC:
- EPZ TP35
- Creative Soundblaster G8
- Fosi SK02
- Muse Hifi M4
- Fiio KA11
- Fiio KA17
- Fosi DS2
- Simgot DEW4X
- EPZ TP50
- Creative SoundBlaster X5
- Fosi Audio K7 (Best option to test the driver capabilities)
Final sound impression:
After a week of testing, I can tell you that in a certain sense it feels like having openback headphones in your ears, but with a slightly weak bass response, in a certain sense that resembles some Hifiman that I have tried. Using my Fosi K7, I also tried to play with the equalizer and if you want, you can play with it a bit. In terms of bass, it cannot handle the maximum but an honest +6 on the bass can be obtained. No problem if you want to make it brighter; personally, it is not bad at all if you raise the treble, at least in my case where the low frequencies manage to have enough body. With a +2 in the treble and +3 in the bass, you get a warm and harmonious sound that is the envy of several IEMs. Perhaps a little too warm on the mids that have a very light nasal note that can be partially made to disappear by raising the treble further. Overall, it is an earbud with a particularly detailed sound and a fairly elaborate soundstage.
Bass
The 14.8mm driver is very capable of recreating low frequencies and you notice it by pressing them into your ears. The presence of the bass is particularly marked considering that there is no sealing. Obviously the extension is what it is but in terms of bass, it is still satisfactory. But do not buy them if you are looking for extreme bass; for that, you need an IEM. But for an Earbuds you can feel that the driver is trying to move a lot of air and give a fairly satisfying bass sensation.
Mids
The mids are a bit warm and nasal; let’s say that the nasality is noticeable but not too evident and can be further reduced by working on the treble. The bass warms up the tone, making the voices natural but not too much. Overall, I find the tone of these earbuds much more coherent than others I’ve tried. In any case, it is only noticeable on some tracks and not on all.
Treble
Delicate and careful extension of the treble that makes everything very soft but at the same time detailed and with a discrete presence of macro and micro details. There is no real lack; I find them perfect.
Soundstage and Imaging:
The soundstage for an earbud is perhaps slightly above average but generally it is quite flat and goes just a little beyond the auricle. The layering is good and the image is also quite clear in almost all circumstances. In bass-heavy tracks, there is a bit of bleeding and loss of detail. For the type of earbuds we are still at an excellent level.
Conclusion:
As for the price of 40 USD, let’s say that not everyone would be willing to spend that amount on an earbud. You definitely have to find someone looking for this product but I can tell you that the quality of the drivers comes at a price. Even if the shells are always the same, the drivers make up the majority of the cost of a similar product. An excellent earbud with a warm natural and silky sound.
Obviously it’s been many months, maybe a year now, that I haven’t taken earbuds into consideration since the final quality is inferior to the performance of IEMs and since I don’t need to hear external noise, I have abandoned them. The Nicehck B80 surprised me positively since they have a good ability to reproduce even low frequencies, which is very difficult for this type of shell.
8.2/10
Pros:
- Good build quality
- Very good packaging
- Nice 4.4mm cable (nice quality)
- Warm-bright signature , mid-focused
- Good mids and trebles
- 14.8mm PU TologyBio DD
Cons:
- Non-removable cable
- Not for Bassheads
- Not the most comfortable
- No isolation at all
- Ear shape/positioning: sealing dependent
