If driver flex is usually an issue for you, Obsidian is free of it, and that is true about hiss too, as it has zero hiss. Overall, the IEMs isolate fairly from the outside noise, but not quite as well as Etymotic or other smaller, deeper fitting IEMS. Speaking of fit, Obsidian, they are a shallower type of IEM. shouted at. Pairs well with smooth sources. I like the OH10 for its energy - there is nothing polite about its signature, and that is exactly what you want The midrange on the Gems are a gem. This is not intended to be a pun, the midrange is very rich. All instruments plying these frequencies are richly delivered. Spectrogram is super clean and is not showing weird driver behavior. You can also see their hot zones better; the treble appears sharper and more present in some areas.

Resolution and detail retrieval is actually pretty good. But again, it will not compete when comparing to planar IEMs in this price range. Details Many, well distinct and pleasant – both on the highmids and trebles and on the bass. Definitely amongst the best parts of the product.Driveability OH1S are relatively easy to drive in terms of power, with some caveats in terms of quality: avoid bright and/or lean note weight sources. IEMs: 64Audio A18s, A12t, & N8, MMR Thummim, CA Andromeda 2020 & SuperMoon, ThieAudio Prestige, Monarch (OG) and Monarch Mk2, Subtonic Storm, AKG N5005, Oriolus Szalayi, SoftEars Twilight, Dunu EST 112, Penon Serial, Letshuoer EJ07M (Resin) and S12, Ikko OH10, Etymotic ER4XR & ER3XR, Technics EAH-TZ700, Fearless Audio Provence, Sony XBA-N3, TRI OG i3 & Meteor, HifiBoy OS V3, Tin OG P1 & T3+, Hidizs MD4, CCA C10, BQEYZ KC2, TRN M10, etc Bass is not "amazing" its ok for what you expect.. You can feel that it is boosted, but it doesn't appear harsh or boomy. In my opinion it has a good level of bass, but it just isn't "special", its just higher. The bass is also significantly shadowed and muted by that sibilance at 3.6-3.7KHz, you will get way better and fuller sounding bass with the filter applied. The upper mids might be a little too glaring for some, but I find them to synergize very well with such tuning. Despite their diminutive stature, the Gems deliver the impression of a remarkably spacious soundstage for a pair of IEMs at this price point. Likely due to their clear and articulate nature, instrument separation and spatial location are well conveyed. The Gems tend towards a leaner and more analytical presentation, especially when compared to the Obsidian.

As compared to the DM6, the OH10 has greater sub-bass extension, clearer midrange and crispier treble. Cheers! Thankfully, there are a few stand-out manufacturers with a focus more on quality than quantity. IKKO is one such company that has captured my attention. With only a few available IEM models, each IKKO release is something different. None are carbon copies of other IEMs, and all stand on their own with unique sound signatures and construction. The OH1S displayed an unusually transparent and detailed sound with excellent definition. The bass was firm, well-textured and deep, mids were neutral and expressive and treble was clean, bright and extended. There was a very large, airy and spacious soundstage and the profile was linear tending towards a mild W shape. Music was presented in an exciting fashion with superb dynamic range, fast transients and a lively immediacy. The timbre was very natural and there was an overall feeling of refinement and the coherence between the two drivers was seamless. I did find the OH1S unforgiving of poor recordings and that it performed at its best with high quality material. It was also very revealing of the source and I found the neutral profile of my Xduoo X20 a perfect match for the OH1S, preserving its inherent properties. for certain genres. Stage dimension is above average, except for depth which I feel is quite shallow.

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There are a few outstanding performers within the first couple of price tiers and very many average ones. Like A WHOLE LOT of them, with new mediocre options appearing weekly in an unending flow. Frankly, it’s hard to get too excited anymore about cheap but flawed models, although some folks seem to have inexhaustible enthusiasm for them. Cable rolling does not change the signature much but it does improve the note weight depending on the cable material used As usual with high-performance IEMs, you can spot two very small holes in their bodies, one will move excessive air pressure behind its dynamic driver to the outside world, while the other will normalize the air pressure between your ear-canal and the IEMs themselves, for a more comfortable fit long term. While, they indeed are slightly heavier to usual IEMs, their perfect size and shape seriously improved comfort, I’m using them for several hours now and they still don’t bother me at all. Their body is smaller to usual multi-driver IEMs and their body is not pressing against my concha, again improving comfort in long listening sessions. The Aztects [sic] fashioned flat sheets of Obsidian into scrying mirrors, and ancient peoples created arrowheads and axes with magical properties. A strongly protective stone, Obsidian forms a shield against negativity, providing a grounding cord from the base chakra to the center of the earth. If you want one of the most natural sounding IEMS, one of the most live sounding IEMs and one of the most detailed / clean IEMs in the sub 500 USD price range, then IKKO will totally deliver with their OH10, and should make you happy for a long time to come.

The Gems were sent to me by IkkoAudio for review. You can buy the ITM01 here: https://www.ikkoaudio.com/ Now, who will not like this? I guess those who prefer a meatier bass response will not like OH1s, the bass on this little gem is lean, the dosage is just right and responds when it's called for. Nothing more, nothing less. The bass response is far bigger in the OH10, and the entire sound seems shifted down in register. The Tea are brighter and more forward sounding, with a more prominent midrange, while the OH10 have a far less in-your-face, smoother, and deeper sound profile.

Sound & Specs

Does very well in the bass and technicalities department but not so much in the midrange and the treble. The treble was clean, clear and detailed, exhibiting good extension and being free from harshness or sibilance. It was a little brighter than neutral with an attractive airy quality and remained smooth even during energetic passages. Only occasionally on certain material there was a little extra brightness. Highs Once properly fitted, OH1S’ 8KHz peak is far from delivering negative results as one may be scared of upon seeing it on its graph. Trebles are well extended, vivid, airy, quite but not overly dry (similarly to the rest of the presentation), and again, once the right housing fit is achieved no shouts nor screeches will come out. Well done. Overall, I’ve recorded a super-fun and wildly engaging sound signature, they have one of the lowest THD I’ve recorded so far, a fast driver recovery, a clean spectrogram and a smooth waterfall.