CVJ CSN: Competent, Satisfactory and Notably

Greetings mates and welcome to my IEM review blog and I'll do a comprehensive review about this particular IEM from CVJ, The CVJ CSN

This is my fourth CVJ product review and you are already familiar here in this blog on how I have a positive reviews on their products as how their tuning were quite unique compare to its budget range contemporaries who were the still almost the same v-shape tuning. All of their line-up products are distinguishable on one another when it comes to tuning from the neutralish-bright sound sig of a CS8 to an almost flat sound sig of CVJ mirror.

This is CVJ CSN, It has a hybrid set-up of 5 balance armatures to handle the mids and highs and a 10mm mono dynamic driver on each side. This set cost around US$ 45 up to $48.

The packaging box of CVJ CSN is a small rectangular shape that is identical to the latest packaging box of  CVJ Mirror and CVJ CSE ( The  older batches of CSN has that wooden jewelry box-style packaging which is one of my favourite in entry-level segment.) The contents are the pair of IEMs itself, a two (2) pairs of silicone eartips ( small and large), a dark brown velvet pouch, The black stock 4 core cable that you usually found on all CVJ's IEM with a 3.5mm termination jack, a vecro strap organizer and some paperworks like warranty card and instruction manual.

The CVJ CSN shell is made of CNC-milled aluminium for durability with a matte-like finished paint job, It has a recessed 2-pin connector which is the best connector in my opinion as it is very stable and proven to be more sturdy. The overall design of the IEM housing is very natural and well- design as it ergonomically  fits very well in my ear contours and its nozzle insertion in my lug holes fits snugly. It has also decent sound isolation from external noise source.

Scalability wise, CVJ CSN is a low impedance device that can be driven by decent source like smartphones, tablets, DAPs and Laptops/PC but it will be can benefited on better hifi DAC/Amps for more fuller dynamic range.

The sound signature of CVJ CSN has a balanced, mild U-shape tonality that leaning towards neutrality as it has a slight emphasis on lows, more unmalleable nature of mids and slight lift on highs.

I'll pointing out the sound characteristics of each part of audio spectrum of CVJ CSN.

LOWS/BASS:

The bass quality is tight, incisive and organic as it has that dynamic driver that provide better transients and fast decay. It has a decent presence of rumble as it penetrate well in the sub bass region. It has also a good midbass texture as bass guitar has that sustaining growl, and resonating full-bodied fret and the bass kicks has a good thudding. This is not a basshead's bass but it is quality bass that some audiophiles wants.

MIDS

The mids has a slightly recessed presentation on this one but it is still delivers a transparent and clean with a good amount of details. The vocals quality of both gender has a good texture and vivaciousness especially on high range female vocals as it is more affront, borderline aggressive nature and that well-define clarity on its timbre while the male has more smoother and organic presentation. The percussions, rhythm instruments and woodwinds has a good presence details, natural and articulateness. The plucking of guitars are lively and resonating especially on acoustic and lead guitars. The sound of a piano has that rich, full bodied and tangible mellowness. This is indeed has good sound characteristic on the mids frequency.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

I describe the treble of CVJ CSN has that bright and sparkle with a decent airy extension. Since it was driven by a pair of tweeter BAs, it has that hint of metallic timbre which might perceived it as unnatural and peaky especially on the upper mids. Good thing that sibilance is very minimal to none in this set as it still deliver a clean and decent resolving on micro-details. The crashing sound of cymbals strikes are decent enough but I still want more shimmer and vivid as it has still lack of extension range in my hearing perception.

SOUNDSTAGE AND IMAGING:

The width of soundstage is above average, with a decent depth and height, It has an adequate sense of separation of each instruments along with vocals. The imaging performs admirely as you pinpoint the spatial cues on panning of instruments' and vocalist's placement and positioning point, And there is no overlapping and smudging on a each segment on layering of instruments.

As I end my review here, There are a lot of contemporaries of CVJ CSN that shares the almost the same built,  design and driver set-up cues but the tuning are just mediocre and unpolished, And this is where CVJ CSN separate themselves to their entry-level competitors which is their impeccable matured and balance tuning on their specific products. They know the basic fundamentals on catering and diversifying their products on different set of audio enthusiast consumers.

SPECIFICATIONS:

MODEL: CVJ CSN

SENSITIVITY：108dB

CABLE LENGTH：1.25m

IMPEDANCE：22Ω

PLUG TYPE：3.5mm

FREQUENCY RANGE RESPONSE: 20Hz - 40 kHz

TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION：0.2%

DRIVER CONFIGURATON: 1 DDs and 5 BAs

PIN TYPE: 0.75mm 2-pin connector

PROS:

- Its shell casing is made of metal to ensure durability

- Fast, dynamic sounding bass quality

- Clean and sufficient resolution

- One of the few neutral-leaning sound

with its price range

- Mids and treble has that transparent and   evocative feel.

- energetic with lots of details and clarity as it give on first impression

CONS:

- The included stock black cable is not reasonable for its price range as some of its competitors offers better stock cable.

-Hoping for more shimmering and airiness on treble.

-Bare bones accessories included its packaging box.

Some Tracks Tested:( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *

Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **

Mountain - Mississippi Queen *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*

Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *

New Order - Blue Monday *

The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *

The Madness- Buggy Trousers *

Metallica - One **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

X-Japan - X *

Mozart - Lacrimosa *

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*

Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *

P.S.

I am not affliated to CVJ nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Again, I would like to give thanks to Janet Hu and her CVJ Team for this providing this unit, I truly appreciate on her generosity towards me and other reviewers.

Interested on CVJ products? Just go to e-commerce site and their social media account.

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