CCA LYRA: Inspired By The Cosmos

Oi! And welcome to my another IEM review article. This product review that I will assess is from CCA. I reviewed a lot of products from them and somehow I have some good experience and am a bit surprised at their progress both in tuning capability and choice of newer drivers that they are implementing.

Let's cut short the introduction about the CCA as we are all aware their connection with Chi-Fi's most dominant force, Knowledge Zenith or also known as KZ. I'll be hastily introducing their new product and what we have here right now is their introductory model from their new series line up, The Constellation series.

This is CCA Lyra, the first model from their Constellation series. It has a single Dynamic driver and KZ claims that it's an improvement over their previous 10mm dynamic drivers with their patented composite diaphragm. This newer 10mm dynamic drivers offers better less distortion rate and consistent vibration frequency to deliver more dynamic sounding.

The DD transducers are housed in a polycarbonate plastic shell with an unspecified metal alloy supporting frame on its faceplate. In my opinion, this is one of the most aesthetically pleasing IEM in under $20 price as it reminds of a chandelier with Swarovski crystals which are very elegant and classy looking. The cavity base of Lyra is akin to a UIEM's design cues as it has a protruding fin to provide better fitting stability in the pinna part and it has a brass nozzle of good quality. It has two vent holes, one in the bottom area between the contact point of plastic and metal alloy and the other one is near the placement of the transducer. Like most CCA and its sister, KZ, CCA Lyra uses a QDC-type 2-pin connector which I still have some qualms about.

On a facet on how it fits and rests on my lug holes, I find it very comfortable as it snug well without any wobbling nor feeling strain. It also connects on providing a good passive sound isolation due to its better sealing into my lug holes.

As usual, Like most CCA products in this budget-level range has a very bare bone packaging from box to contents inside. There is nothing special about it.

These are the contents that you can find inside the box.

• A pair of CCA Lyra IEMs

• A parallel, flat 4-core stock cable with a L-shape 3.5mm termination plug (with mic version).

• Extra ear tips of different standard sizes. (small and large)

• Instruction manual.

CCA Lyra is very responsible when it comes to amplification and scaling from any power source. It can be easily driven even with decent power output like smartphones and other multimedia devices.

The general tonality of CCA Lyra is more of a v-shaped sound signature as it has more elevated bass and treble with scoop mids. These are the usual "in-house" sound signatures of CCA products but there are some deviations on its tuning to sound it more balanced.

I'll be pointing out some points about its sound characteristics to its overall sound spectrum.

LOWS/BASS:

This is one of the most refined and definitive bass responses that I've heard from a CCA product. It has this good amount of thud, precise slam and ample depth reach. It is well-segregated as I can point out the part of sub bass and the midbass.

It has an essential sub bass quality that it can produce a good rumble if a bass focus track demands it. The mid bass has substantial texture to a more rounded and solid sound especially on bass guitars, bass kicks and bass-baritone vocals. Bass guitars have that weight and resonant sound every fingered string either slapping, fretless and other bass guitar fingered string techniques. Drum kicks has good pounding and fuller sound to add a lively sound. Bass-baritone has a sufficient deep and guttural sound due to a substantial note texture. Another good thing on bass quality of CCA Lyra that  bass bleeding is kept under control in any tracks that it deliver a cleaner and solid bass quality.

This kind of bass quality will be at least more acceptable to bass heads who wants more bass quality and it will probably make those adherent bass heads on exploring on others sound signature which are more balanced sounding.

MIDRANGE:

This is the most prevalent characteristic of CCA's tuning on its overall tuning and it is the less emphasis and scooped on midrange. As usual it has a recess mids but there are some noticeable improvements like an ample texture on the lower mids to give a more robust deep and resonant male voice on any vocal types but female vocals aren't that well-pronounced, less forward, lack of energetic and air and a bit dull especially on mezzo to soprano type of vocals which I can't hear any sense of infos about the quality of vocals.

As for instruments, Snare drum and brass like horns and trumpet has more dominant on this one as it gives a more penetrating and yet shuffling sound on snare drums while it gives a warmer and intense sound on trumpets and with added metallic tinge on horns. On the string instruments, it gives a warm and less crisp sound on guitars and a bit of a thin and austere sound from a violin. And lastly, the piano tone is more a warm and lustrous.

Overall, this is not a refined and a homogenous midrange that I really want as it has a bit subdued on details and clarity that I find it scanty.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

Treble quality on CCA Lyra is somewhat acceptable as it really manages to reduce those upper mid to brilliance treble peaks a bit that might cause some strident and discordant sound. CCA seems to really trying to improve their tuning on this part of frequency range on how it has more smoother delivery compared to their previous tuning but there are some issues that you should take note on this as I will explain it later on the technicalities part of this assessment. I do occasionally encounter some hint of sibilance but to be fair it is still fairly controlled.

Treble extension is barely average as it takes a sudden dip off response on the end of the frequency spectrum which also influences the quality of sizzle on the cymbals, lack of air and loses some harmonics. The only thing to put on show is the sound of hi-hats which really sounds natural and instinctive.

This is indeed the shortcoming that I noticed in CCA Lyra and it was the deficiencies of treble facet in both quality and quantity.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

As for its soundstage, it does really have a very average-size dimension on its sound field. The width is more just an average expansion even though it was a major component on the overall soundstage  proportion to give a more broader sense. It also has decent depth and above average height it makes the sense of headroom more of a "natural" sense as it also stay on limits on perceived spatiality on the head neither wide nor too narrow.

Imaging isn't that impressive the fact that it has a similar performance like almost entry-level DDs out there as they do almost the same linear stereo panning. Pinpointing some placement of instruments and singer(s) aren't that consistent and a tad spontaneous. Separation is just decent as it has just enough gap to all the components of a track and layering seems doesn't arrange very well in order, the fact there are some instances of overwhelming of each section of instrument tonal range that causes inconsistencies to the overall sonic spectrum.

Driver coherency is very good as expected to a newly developed dynamic driver that performs very well with faster transient and consistently having lesser distortion.

As for resolution capability, CCA Lyra is more concentrated on the macrodynamics as it presents more solid and general element of track to make it more musical rather than being analytical and technical. Micro-details doesn't fare well here as subtleties and nicety have less definition.

This makes the general overview of its technicalities as mediocre one.

PEER COMPARISONS:

ND NSK

• Both of them are very similar in tuning and capabilities. They are also at almost the same price range. Aesthetics-wise, Lyra has a more elegant look that ND NSK looks like cheaper and plain. ND NSK has better stock cable though.

• They are both in V-shape tuning but the bass region of Lyra is better well, segmented that you determine between sub bass and mid bass, ND NSK still has better body and clarity on mids. I still give ND NSK on treble as I rarely encounter sibilance and also has better treble quality with more smoother and airy.

• Technicalities goes to ND NSK again,why? It has above average soundstage width, better imaging and separation that its layering seems to be more organize and decent definition  within each respective dynamic frequency section. Lyra sounds a bit congested especially in more complex tracks.

KZ ESX

• Like its KZ cousin, they share both similarities from tuning to inclusions. Lyra has more of an elegance of a neo-classical look while KZ ESX has more of an aesthetic of a post-modernist art namely cubism.

• Despite that they are both V-shape. ESX bass is more punchy and has an impact that certainly reaches to its deepest end of bass spectrum,as for its mids and treble, I still prefer the overall quality on ESX due to more texture on female vocals and smoother treble registry given that It has smoother response and less sibilant.

• Technicality is even much better on ESX due to a wider soundstage though imaging, separation and layering are similar. Coherency is a bit better on KZ ESX due to faster transients.

BLON-03

• Aesthetically-wise and fitting, no contest. CCA Lyra has better looking shell and is more ergonomically fitting to wear. BLON 03 won't even stand a chance.

• Both have V-shaped sound signatures, bass bleeds on BLON 03 still an issue to me as it ruined the midrange and even the treble while CCA Lyra has a well-controlled mid bass. Mids are both recessed and kinda similar. The only redeeming factor for BLON 03 is a more natural and accurate timbre. The rest will be on CCA Lyra's court.

• Technicalities of both IEMs are similar both have average (I even thought that BLON has even a narrower soundstage). Almost the same imaging, separation and layering capabilities but in coherency, CCA Lyra has better cohesive driver performance, a contrast of slower and sloppier transients execution of BLON-03.

To conclude my review here, CCA Lyra is another evolution of CCA's maturity in tuning on how they keep improving their usual "in-house" V-shaped sound signature by doing some tweaking on tuning or adding some improvements on their hardware like better materials on its transducer. The big question is to whom the CCA Lyra will be offered to despite of existing budget-level competitors like their KZ cousins sharing the same tonality and pricing too in that particular segment. The best possible answers will be its suave and sophisticated look and as for the musicality aspect, it will be its fun and lively sounding that will be more versatile and pleasant to have an enjoyable listening experience.

CCA Lyra is available in two colour choices, White which is a clearer diamond-like finish and Blue one on which it has more akin to a blue sapphire colourway. Its current price is around £11.00/US$13.50 in all e-commerce sites.

Check out also my other reviews on previous CCA  products.

• CCA CA10 

• CCA CA16 PRO

• CCA CRA

SPECIFICATIONS:

MODEL: CCA LYRA

IMPEDANCE: 28Ω

SENSITIVITY: 113dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:  20Hz – 40KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M

PIN TYPE: QDC-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.75mm)

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER

PROS:

• A decent balanced sounding set.

• Good bass haptic and a detailed one too.

• Eye-pleasing and exquisitely designed shells.

• A UIEM-style protruding fin that will provide a better stable fitting.(Subjective).

• Amplifies well even on decent power sources.

CONS:

• As usual, packaging and its inclusions is way too basic and spartan.

• Needs some refinement on mids.

• Subpar treble air.

• Average soundstage 

• Imaging, separation and layering capability are way too bog-standard  and it will be problematic especially to more complex instrumental tracks and orchestral scores that it will present in a more congested and disorganize manner. 

• QDC-type 2-pin connector.(Yes, yes....I already mention this one many times on every KZ and CCA reviews)

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 - Motorbreath **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *

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 *

Exciter - Violence and Force *

Diana Krall - Stop This World **

Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*

Lucretia my Reflection – The Sisters of Mercy **

Suzanne Vega – Luka **

 

P.S.

I am not affiliated to CCA 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.

 

 Once again, I would like to thank Tyvan Lam for providing this review unit, I truly appreciate on his generosity towards me and other reviewers.

If you are interested on this product, you can check it in link below:

s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oolkJNx