ND NSK: Another Hidden Gem?

Oi! Welcome to my another IEM review article and what we have here is a product from an obscure brand, ND Audio.

As I snooping around in some audio channel in Discord, I have chatted with this fellow and ask me if I could give some impression on this particular product. Without batting an eyelid, I momentarily obliged on it as I want to test some ultra-budget range and also to add some review content too.

What we have here is a ND NSK. It’s a single Dynamic Driver IEM. It is currently available at under $10/£7 in some e-commerce sites. The interesting part of this IEM was its Dynamic Driver has a dual magnet driver with a composite materials made of silicon and bio cellulose (a paper-like material) diaphragm. As we all know that bio cellulose diaphragm was used to some popular ear gear like old iPod earphone and Sony headphones that they sound towards more being warmish with just not so well-defined treble quality but due to some additional layer of silicon, it will probably to have at least an improvement on its treble.

These DDs are encapsulated in an acrylic shell with 4 vent holes (3 on the top part in between the seams of faceplate and cavity base and 1 in the part where dynamic driver is situated). It uses a QDC-type connector to fasten with its cable to termination plug.

Another thing that I actually impressed was the included stock cable. For me this is the best stock cable in under $10/£7 range as it has a thick 4-core, 100 strands high purity SPC cable with a L-shape 3.5mm termination plug. The cable itself speaks for its quality value that it doesn’t even need to buy another upgraded cable.

Fitting-wise, it is decent enough that it is manageable to wear them for a long listening session but they are not the most ergonomic nor the slinkiest in my lug holes. Otherwise, it has a sufficient comfort but not my ideal when in comes to cosiness. It is advisable to find better ear tips if you are looking for better sealing and stability.

The tonality of the ND NSK is more on a mild V-shape sound signature that it has a more emphasis on bass and treble then a tad notch on a midrange on its frequency response spectrum.

Good thing on this set is that this thing are ease to drive that it needs only a sufficient power to drive these IEMs to sound more fuller and a good dynamics from decent sources such as smartphones, laptop and tablets.

BASS/LOWS:

The bass is the prominent one within its frequency spectrum. It has a punchy and sufficient thump that defines the quality of the bass aspect of NSK. It has a sufficient depth on its sub bass that at least you will feel a decent rumble on it.

Mid bass has an ample texture that it gives an enough body on bass kicks, bass guitars and bass-baritone. Bass kick has a thudding and a bit soft in my liking, a less weighty and yet sustaining sound of bass guitar and somehow, an agreeable depth range of bass-baritone vocals. Bass bleeds is very miniscule to zero to heard of as it is well-controlled.

In general, the bass quality is enough to have presence in overall audio frequency spectrum that if some certain tracks demands a bass response, The ND NSK will deliver it.

MIDRANGE:

As I said before, The NSK is a mild V-shape sounding, so you will expect a tad recession on its midrange spectrum. But the good thing is doesn’t trade-off the quality of vocals and the compromise of the resolution tone of the instruments. It remains to be sound more natural, a tad of warmth and satiny.

 

Both male and female vocals are benefited on the sufficient texture on this one as it a more pleasant tonality in all type of voices in both gender. Due to that added sprinkle of warmness, Male vocals has an ample deep while female vocals has that sweet and soothing quality but when it comes clarity and ambience, they are just average.

 

Instruments of all types seems to be more in organic sounding with a decent warm to add up its texture. Acoustic guitars has this buttery and warm sound, Piano tone is more on a dark and a bit rounded in my liking, brass instruments such as tubas and trombone is somehow brassy and solid sounding as intended and lastly, the snare drums strikes has this precise and an ample hard hitting to make it more prominent.

 

Overall, As a midcentric like me, I give it a passing mark as it has a sufficient not to sound lean and weak despite of the recession.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

A brief description on this one, smooth delivery, a more natural shimmer presentation not too bright nor dull and just a sufficient airiness.

 

In regards of sibilance and harshness on upper mids and lower treble region, at least I hardly heard them. The cymbals seems performing well enough but not my ideal when it comes to a more scintillating and extension as I want on a cymbal sound and other high frequency sounding instruments.

 

As expected, it defines more on the prominence of macro details rather than micro details as it is a limitation of a dynamic driver but micro details performs enough to do some retrieval on it. Resolving on such fundamentals on notes and chords is an average.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

To be fair, it has a well-proportion sound stage dimension, an above average on width, a sufficient height reach and a sense of depth to be have a sense of being immersive.

 

Separation and layering seems decent at all as it give at least an ample spacing and distance of each placement of instruments and singer(s). But take note, there are some complex instrumental tracks that it has this congest and fuzzy feeling that some instruments are trying to overlapping on one another. Stereo spatial spanning is a more on two-dimensional approach rather than a holographic.

 

Coherency of such driver is at least very cohesive and precise that it still gives some sense of organic sound. It has fast response on how it delivers from tone to harmonics. Timbre is more on natural with some warmth on it to add some texture on lows and mids.

To wrap up my review here, it seems that ultra-budget range segment still has some hidden gems to be yet discovered like this set. Although it has still some rough edges and need further polish and refinement, ND NSK compelling offer was its affordability and a decent tuning that will please to most people who are musically-inclined and audio enthusiast alike.

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: ND NSK

IMPEDANCE: 17Ω

SENSITIVITY: 109dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 20KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M

PIN TYPE: QDC-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm 

DRIVER UNITS: (3) DYNAMIC DRIVERS

PROS:

·         Warm and smooth sounding one.

·        A sturdy and well-built shells.

·        Good quality stock cable which is the best in ultra-budget range in my opinion.

·        Above average soundstage.

 

 CONS:

 

·        QDC-type 2 pin connector (you should aware my aversion on this type of connector to all my review).

·        Finicky fitting

·         Imaging needs more refinement.

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

Alison Krauss- A Living Prayer *

Debbie Gibson- Foolish Beat *'*

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks *'*

Santana - Europa *

Europe - Final Countdown *

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Barry White - Never, Never Ever Give You Up

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Agent Steel - Bleed for the Godz*

Metallica- Fade to Black **

Camouflage - The Great Commandment *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean *

Bad Manners - Just a Feeling *

Riot- Warrior *

Mariah Carey- Love Takes Time *

Layla Kaylif - Shakespeare in Love *

Stone Temple Pilots - Plush *

David Bowie - Heroes **

Prince - When the Doves Cry *

Exodus - Metal Command *

Marduk - Blond Beast *

P. Diddy - Last Night *

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony- The Crossroads*