7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Dioko HiFi 14.6mm Planar Diaphragm Driver in Ear Earphone IEMs with CNC Aviation-Grade Aluminum Case, Detachable 4-Core Litz OCC Copper Cable for Audiophile Musician Studio

I don't often take the time to review my Amazon purchases (thank you to those of you who do), but I felt this product and the audio community deserves my contribution. I have never written a review of a piece of audio equipment before but have read thousands. Hi-fi is not my profession or field of study. It is a pursuit that has added a certain quality to my life over the years. What follows is my personal opinions and observations of these IEMs.TL;TR: It is a stand-out product, a definite must-buy at this price. Plan to use EQ, for sure.I have been seriously into hi-fi since I was a teenager. I bought my first pair of so-called audiophile speakers, a set of Snell K3s, back in 1989. I have had the good fortune to own quite a lot of higher-end equipment since. My living situation recently changed and I no longer have the space and privacy for large loud speakers and the heavy equipment to make them go. I am a late comer to the world of headphones (excepting the usual mass market/ANC/Best Buy stuff). I have been using a pair of Beyerdynamics DT 770 Pro Xs for the last few months. Great value for the money. I recently added a Chord Mojo 2 DAC/AMP. Yes, it is as good as they say.My only experience with planar drivers was a brief love affair with some mid-level Magepans in the early 1990s. I have had a real curiosity to listen to planar headphones. I have also had a curiosity to try IEMs. I did not know what to expect, so I limited my financial risk and bought these 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Diokos. I also sprang for the +$16 cable package deal including the Tripowin Zonie. I won't repeat all of the unboxing stuff you've already read and watched elsewhere. Suffice it to say, the carrying case is more than I would expect at this price point. The construction is very solid and appears to be aluminum and glass. The overall aesthetic is... uhhh... how shall we say a product that looks like it should be named "Pharrell x Queen Elizabeth II". What is up with the whole purple-rapper-antique-cameo look? It mystifies me. I try not to look at myself in the mirror when I have them on. The silver braided cable just adds another level of weird retro-bling. Audiophiledom is, if anything, function over fashion. I have made bigger sacrifices in the elusive pursuit of sonic perfection.I installed the new cables and let them break in a bit... watched some movies and let them play music for a few of days by themselves. At this point, I would estimate they have 200 hours of break in time.The Good:The sound stage is wide, the image is precise. The detail is very high. The Mojo 2 has a feature called crossfeed which allows the listener to blend a little of one channel into the other in order to simulate actual loudspeakers where each ear is hearing each speaker. I thought it was a gimic until I learned to like it. It allows me to bring the sound stage into a more coherent whole on the 770s. The image on the Diokos doesn't require it at all. In fact, with each click up of the crossfeed button, I can hear the sound stage getting incrementally more constrained. The presentation is extremely unified and detailed.Going through the usual tracks I have been using to demo speakers for the last 35 years, I have actually noticed details I have never noticed before. I can't emphasize to you enough my pleasure at the surprise of finding new sounds on a track I have critically listened to >1000 times. That was worth my $100 right there. The 200Hz-2000Hz range seems like the real sweet spot for these IEMs. I have never enjoyed listening to the piano as much as I have with these. Listening to Alice Sandra Ott play Debussy gave me chills. I can distinguish Billie Eilish's inhalations between her nose and her mouth. I can hear the sounds of the snow crunching underneath the horses' hooves at the beginning of Roger Waters "Too Much Rope". Some more than others, but I am enjoying getting to know each of my well-known tracks all over again.For what it's worth, they are very comfortable on my ears using the installed purplish-clear tips. Six more sets of tips are included, so I am sure you'll find something that works for you. They are not heavy-feeling on my ears like I thought they would be. I can wear them for hours and forget they are there. Your mileage will vary.The not so good:The sound stage is not deep. I have been enjoying the detail and precision along the x and y axis, but the z axis is largely absent. I am a headphone novice, but I would assume that, like with loudspeakers, sound stage depth comes at a high $$ price.The sound as the recording engineer intended will likely sound bright and harsh to you. I would guess it's in the 6KHz-12KHz range - it is too much for my comfort. Additionally the sub-bass (~<150Hz) is underwhelming. Long story short, in order to fully enjoy and appreciate the potential from these IEMS, I need to use EQ. I have never in my life advocated for the use of EQ under any circumstances until now. I could understand how this could be a deal breaker for a potential buyer. That being said, I have been very satisfied with the Mojo 2's EQ functionality vis-a-vis these IEMs.They are not warm sounding. If your preference is a nice, mellow, warm sound, these are not for you. The are precise verging on clinical. I knew, to some extent, what I was getting myself into with planars. I could see how someone might be disappointed if they were coming from some Powerbeats 3 expecting the same but better somehow. Planars are an entirely different animal.Conclusions:In my opinion, these are a fantastic way to experience planars without risking much money. The detail is exquisite. The midrange and sound stage alone are worth the price of admission. If you are on the fence, jump. I have spent money on some very questionable upgrades looking for better sound. I can say in all honesty, this is the single best sound-value-per-dollar purchase I have ever made.The real risk to be aware of here is that this $100 might end up costing you a whole lot more money down the road. I spent a few hours with the DT 770 Pro Xs last night and realized they don't do it for me like they used to. My ears are craving a better image with more precision and detail mow. This little planar experiment has changed my preferences altogether, but I am happy to have learned something new. I suppose that is the path of the audiophile. If you buy a pair, I hope you enjoy them as much as I am.

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT:While I take issue with certain aspects of its tuning, from a technical standpoint, the 7Hz Salnotes Dioko is better than any other IEM that I can think of at the $100 dollar price point. For me, the biggest issue with the Dioko is the shallow and insecure fit. My recommendation comes with a warning that buyers should prepare to tip-roll extensively.SOURCES:I have used the D13 with the following sources:Qudelix 5KHidizs S9E1DA 9038DPACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko comes in a white cardboard box. The packaging features pictures of the Dioko and lists 7Hz's corporate address on the back of the box. There is also a large sticker on the side of the box highlighting the collaboration between 7Hz and Crinacle.Inside the cardboard box is a large zippered carry case which takes up the entire volume of the box. The exterior of the carry case is covered in black synthetic leather and has a red "7" emblazoned across the top lid. The stitching is also red. "SAL♪NOTES" is inlaid in gold text near the bottom of the lid. The bottom of the case is lined with felt and features dedicated cutouts for the IEM housings and cable. The case also has a large mesh pocket on the top lid for storing accessories. The case is exceptional in terms of build quality, especially for the price point. However, the sheer size is excessive and requires the use of a sling or backpack if you intend to bring it with you on your commute.In addition to the IEMs and detachable 2-pin cable, the Dioko includes seven pairs of silicone eartips in several varieties. The dark grey pair with red cores feels similar to AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal eartips. This pair aggravates my ears less than other non-foam eartips. The red, blue, and orange pairs are squatter and more conical in shape and feature wider nozzles. The light blue and yellow eartips are more round with narrower nozzles. The pink pair is also round but with wider nozzles than the other round eartips. The Dioko includes a product information card and a user manual written in English and Chinese.BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko has large aluminum housings with purple tempered glass faceplates. The faceplates have an ovular cross-section. "SAL♪NOTES DIOKO" is printed in white at the bottom of each faceplate. There is one circular vent at the base of the nozzle and three more in a line along the outer circumference of the inner housing. "L" and "R" indicators are printed in white on the inner faces of the housings. The nozzles have metal and paper nozzle covers and extruded lips to secure eartips.The included 2-pin cable is wrapped in a quad-braid below the Y-split and double-helix patterns above the Y-split. The wire used in the cable's construction punches above the Dioko's price point.The cable uses gunmetal aluminum hardware. The cable jack has a straight form factor. "SAL♪NOTES" is printed in white along the length of the jack housing. There is strain relief above the jack housing but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed earguides without memory wire and a metal chin-adjustment choker. The 2-pin connectors fit flush with the surface of the IEM housing body. The curved 2-pin housings have faintly raised "L" and "R" markings. The cable is moderately microphonic.COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a very shallow insertion depth. I found the Dioko to be very comfortable. However, secureness of fit is very poor and the housings required frequent readjustment. I had to use the Dioko with the largest Misodiko foam tips I own in order to minimize the housings' tendency to migrate out of my ear canals. Isolation is also quite poor.SOUND:The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko features a sub-bass boost concentrated entirely below 200 Hz, a midrange tuned to Crinacle's IEF Netural target, and an extended treble response with a distinct lower treble peak at 8 kHz as well as a noticeable upper treble boost.The Dioko's bass is fast, cleanly articulated, and adequately textured, but lacking in sustain and impact. As a result, the bass is somewhat limp in its delivery. There is also less rumble than the Dioko's frequency response plot would suggest. On the other hand, bass detail retrieval is very good.The Dioko's lower midrange is slightly recessed and the overall midrange timbre is on the thin side. I would prefer if male vocals had a bit more body and warmth. The Dioko's pinna gain region is correctly centered for my preferences, between 2.5 and 3 kHz. There is less pinna gain than I generally prefer, but it works well with the Dioko's overall tuning. There is not as much separation between vocals and midrange instrumentation as the average Harman-ish IEM, but neither do vocals overshadow midrange instrumentation, as is often the case with such tunings. Vocal intelligibility for both male and female vocals is still excellent despite the restrained amount of pinna gain. The presence region is just emphasized enough to deliver an impressive amount of midrange clarity without straying into harshness or sibilance. Aggressive male vocals could use a bit more bite, but I am happy with the level of presence overall.Like a lot of other planar-magnetic IEMs released in the last year, the Dioko has a prominent lower treble peak around 8 kHz. While this peak generally did not bother me, this is not an IEM for the treble-sensitive. Overall detail retrieval is excellent. The Dioko's treble transient delivery is also more realistic than the significantly more expensive Raptgo Hook-X. Upper treble extension is spectacular for the price point, but this region is overemphasized relative to the rest of the Dioko's frequency response. This creates an artificial-sounding sheen over the rest of the sonic presentation. The Dioko's soundstage extends just slightly outside of the head. Imaging is very good, and instrument separation is excellent.AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:The 7Hz Salnotes Dioko needs a moderately powerful source to achieve usable volume levels. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.