DUNU DN-2002 Quick Review by mark2410

DUNU DN-2002 Quick Review by mark2410

Thanks to DUNU for the sample.

Brief:  DUNU makes an IEM tuned just for me.

Price:  £285 or US$380

Specification:  Type: 2 * Dynamic(10mm) + 2 * BA, Sensitivity: 106+/-2dB, Frequency Response: 10Hz-40KHz, Impedance: 10Ω, Plug Size: 3.5mm, Cord Length: 1.2m, Weight: 24g.

Accessories:  1 pair of Earhooks, 1 pair of Comply Foam eartips, 3 pairs of White Silicone eartips (S/M/L), 3 pairs of Spinfit eartips (S/M/L), 3.5mm Female to 6.5mm Male Adapter, Protective box, Shirt Clip

Build Quality:  Good.  Everything thing looks and feels good.  It is DUNU’s usual high standard but given their price while it’s very good it’s nothing exceptional or special.

Isolation:  Well, these are pretty vented, they do after all have two dynamic drivers in them.  The result of course means that they are not the world’s greatest isolators.  Now while more iso isn’t the same thing as “better” for me it would limit the places and situations I would feel comfortable using them.  Out and about is fine, on a bus is passable but Tube or flights not so much.  Still you’ll need to use your eyes when near traffic if you’re new to IEM’s.

Comfort/Fit:  They do have a bit of a weird shape but for me they worked great.  No issues at all, wearing them up I just shoved them in my ears and that was it.  I was also very, very happy to wear them for hours on end too.

Aesthetics:  These aren’t lookers, they are okay but nothing particularly special.  Now they aren’t ugly either but just meh, boring and just not interesting visually.

Sound:  I love these, love these sooooooooo very much.  They are tuned with my own personal preferences in mind and feel near perfectly matched to my own hearing curve.  Moderatly over bassy, quite middy and rather demure treble.  The bass is fast but not BA fast which is fine because BA bass can be a little soulless but here its grand, symphonically grand.  Lush, articulate and can sweep and soar gloriously yet it can give you a fairly quick punch when called upon.  It’s not the most aggressive though, every punch has a faint coating of memory foam over that granite below.  Its graceful and agile like something from Swan Lake.  No harshness, no abrasiveness nor jarring movements.  Okay so the most aggressive bass does have that aggression a tiny bit muted.  If you want TF10 GRRRRR punch you face then no.  It’s fast, it’s agile but its idea of aggressive is 2Cellos “Smooth Criminal” yeah you can tell there is aggression there but it’s still not abrasive on the ear.

Tonally too there is a certain preference to the likes of string originating bass, cello’s, double bass’s, everything get an instant veneer of coming from something natural.  I hate the term but everything sound so “organic” in origin.  This extends to its range and depth, so that while some IEM’s at this quality level opt to try and stay linear all the way down, which while I can accept the technical merits of, it always sounds a little unnatural.  These however happily, so naturally sounding, trail and decline as they reach down low.  They just sound so natural.

The mid’s are epically glorious.  The mids are seriously incredible, every vocal that comes on they instantly wash with some faintly sweet, light syrup yet creamy and light in a way that no creamy sauce could every flow so fluidly. Everything sounds wonderful.  Crap vocals sound good on these, so should you slap on some truly fantastic, world class vocals and they will just take you to another world.

The Treble too is so refined, so softly genteel and with a faint shimmering sparkle.  Like the faintest and most delicate morning frost.  Which is just perfection for my treble sensitive ears.  Soooo much detail and so tantalisingly presented.  Glorious, just glorious.

Value:  So yeah, it’s not cheap so it’s probably not super-duper great “value” but it’s an acoustical marvel.  You want this level of quality your wallets taking a pounding, it’s that simple.

Pro’s:  Incredible mid-range.  Stupendously natural sounding.  Superbly natural bass.  Faintly mesmerising treble.

Con’s:  So so Isolation.  Wallet ouch.  Will be treble light for some.