CCA HM20: Resonating Impact

CCA or Clear Concept Audio is one of the most recognisable audio brands in the entry-level segment and they are also known to be a sister brand of Knowledge Zenith also known as KZ. Like its sister brand, CCA is also releasing new products on a monthly basis from ultra-budget single DD sets to more pricey multi-driver hybrid sets.

I have done a lot of reviews of CCA products and if you have time to read them, here are some of their previous models:

■ CCA CA10

■ CCA Lyra

■ CCA CA16 PRO

■ CCA CRA

For over a year, I didn't review any CCA product until this model was sent to me a few days ago. This is CCA HM20, this is CCA's one of the latest multi driver sets and it is a hybrid one just like some of their more pricey models. This particular model was actually released last year in the fourth quarter and I'm a bit late on posting a review article of this one but I will still publish it anyway.

CCA HM20's  internals consist of a 1 dynamic driver and 7 balanced armature drivers on each side of the channel. The dynamic driver is a latest generation of XUN dynamic driver on which both CCA and KZ claim that it delivers a very clear and solid bass with less distortion as it vibrates very responsive due to newly-improved stronger magnetic diaphragm on its dual cavity design. It also has 3 dual BA drivers at the form of customised 50024 balanced armatures that handle the midrange to upper mids and another single, customised 30019 balanced armature driver to deal with higher frequencies. These drivers are encapsulated in a 3D printed structure with three way acoustic tubes and its power output are also regulated by a small electronic frequency divider to deliver smooth, precise and well-segmented frequency parts. Its outer shells are made of composite materials composed of zinc alloy on its face plate with mosaic honeycomb designs and an acrylic plastic on its cavity base. Like its previous models and its KZ cousins, it retains a QDC-type connector which CCA/KZ thinks is the easiest and the most convenient type of connector for their products since they implemented it since 2018.

The shells of HM20 are quite large but its fitting are quite ergonomically as its contours rests well on my lug holes without issues. It offers a decent passive noise isolation that it manages to block some external noises from the outside to give a more clear sound.

As expected, the product packaging of CCA HM20 is typically a spartan one like most entry-level CCA and KZ products which include a meagre amount of accessories. It is packed in a small white coloured box with a product picture at the front and some specifications and company address at the back.

Here are some of the contents inside the packaging box

■ Pair of CCA HM20 IEMs.

■ A parallel white 4-core OFC silver plated copper wirings with an L-shaped 3.5mm termination plug cable.

■ 3 pairs of ear tips in different sizes.

■ Instruction manual.

HM20 is an easy to drive set that even multi-media devices with decent power output will amplify this one properly. It only need some slight adjustment of volume level to deliver a dynamic and sufficient acoustic intensity level.

As for tonal profile, Like its previous models, CCA HM20 has a typical CCA/KZ in-house sound which is a V-shaped sound signature. It has a prominent bass, a recessed and distant midrange and elevated upper-mids to presence treble.

Here are some of my observations on its sound characteristics from each frequency spectrum of CCA HM20

LOWS/BASS:

This set is absolutely a very bassy one as it obviously hits really hard, slamming and with solid haptic on it but it is a boomy one that will affect the quality of other frequencies. This kind of bass will bring joy and a smiling face to bass-heads out there for sure.

Sub bass has a good presence in the overall bass region as it has rumble and reverberation as instruments like synthesisers, low toned guitar and drum machines from specific tracks with genres like old school hip-hop and synth-pop.

Mid bass has a good texture that it gives a very well-bodied sound on bass guitars, bass-baritones, violas and bass kicks though it's a bit more exaggerated in my opinion in some cases due to its boomy nature. Slapping in bass guitars does give a heavy and resonant sound while bass-baritone vocals have that guttural and thick voice that gives a sense of authority. Viola sounds have that dark, warm and "stately" sound to give a sense of stern and stony vibe especially on tragic or other dramatic turns of events in some orchestral opera. Then on bass kick drum, it has this thunderous and strong pounding sound that you will enjoy especially on John Bonham bass kicks on "When The Levee Breaks".

MIDRANGE:

The midrange is really recessed on this one as I felt the less prominent presentation of instruments and some vocals especially female ones. But it has an ample warmth, decent cleanliness and consistency that will affect the quality of vocals on both male and female. I start with male vocal types, baritones have this steely, fuller and darker quality. And then, a rather strong (but not that deep and heavy), brassy and ringy sound on a tenor voice, especially those lyrical ones like Placido Domingo who was one of the famed "Three Tenors" and Andrea Bocelli. Modern ones like Justin Timberlake, Freddie Mercury and Prince who were known to reach tenor range do have this warm, agile and dazzling sound on their timbre quality. As for female vocals, it seems that contralto fares better on this set on how it has dark, smokey and deep sound like Toni Braxton, Lady Gaga and Tracy Chapman. Mezzo-sopranos and sopranos seem a bit odd in most cases as they sound either too smooth, distant or inadequate sheen with a peculiarity on its timbre (probably the quality of balanced armature).  In my ideal mezzo-soprano vocal, it should have this fiery and velvety quality, and as for sopranos, energetic and silvery are one my criteria but HM20's  playback on those particular vocals are rather underwhelming.

Regarding instruments, percussion and brass sounds more prominent on HM20. Percussions like toms, snares and timpanis do have this sharp, hard and booming sound from them, while the pianos sound more on a warmer and denser tone. Brasses like trumpets and trombones sound really rounded, a tad sonorous with that ample metallic intensity that usually exhibit in live performances like orchestra, marching band or live concert. Strings like acoustic guitar sound more balanced on its overtones rather than being lingering and crisp, And violins  have these sweet and lustrous sound characteristics. Then on woodwinds, flutes sound mellow and rich rather than airy and ethereal and saxophones sound dark and warmer in contrast of being expressive and reedy.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

The treble of this one seems to be smoother with sufficient brilliance just to give enough detail and clarity due to some emphasis on the upper mids then a gradual steep within the brilliance treble area. And there are some occasional bizarre situations that I also encountered on this set that it replays some tracks in the upper mids with too much elevation and peaky (I noticed this one on some Annie Lennox and Alison Krauss tracks and also some brass and woodwind instruments). This is quite impressive for a CCA set that sibilance is well-controlled and it isn't harsh at all compared to its previous models.

Cymbals strikes have an undulating sparkle  with a good amount of sizzle but they sound rather coarse as it doesn't have the sparkle and glistening that I really want on a cymbal, but it has good air extension which compensates its unpolished sound.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

The Sound/Speaker stage of this one has an average to above average sound field width, decent height ceiling and a rather immersive depth to give a rather intimate and decent head room.

The imaging presentation is rather a two-dimensional stereo panning as I was able to locate the positions of instruments and vocals. Separation has a decent gap and spacing of each element while on the layering aspect, its specific frequencies and dynamics tone has its own characteristics which is good for multi-instrumental tracks.

Coherency of drivers is somewhat a mixed bag as the dynamic driver seems to overpowered the other frequencies from other BA drivers due to its intrinsically boomy sound but despite those blemishes, the dynamic drivers performs pretty well with its faster transient response and attack.

On its resolution capability, CCA HM20 has a solid macro-dynamics but micro-detail retrieval isn't particularly remarkable given its duller definition on exhibiting subtleties and nuances on a track. Its tonal colour is rather warmer with some slight BA timbre on its tonal profile.

PEER COMPARISON:

KZ AS16 PRO

◆ Compared to its CCA cousin, AS16 PRO has an all-balanced armature driver set-up with a total of 8 pieces on both sides of the channel and the shell sizes are alike. They have very similar packaging and even inclusions which are quite barely basic compared to other competitors which has better cables and more ear tips.

◆ As for tonality, AS16 PRO has a more mild-U sound signature with punchy bass, a smoother and more textured midrange, more forward vocals and smoother, more refined treble register but compared to HM20 it has a lack of treble air.

◆ Technicalities are almost indistinguishable on both sets at first glance but when I do some critical listening on both sets, separation and layering of AS16 PRO is rather mundane as HM20 is somehow an improvement that it fares better in orchestras and other complex musical movie scores. Coherency is better on AS16 PRO on how it delivers a more cohesive and homogenous sound of its BAs. AS16 PRO has a lesser BA timbre.

As I conclude my review on CCA HM20, CCA still sticks to their principle that they will always deliver a fun, engaging and rather conventional tuning on their products which avid music lovers will always adhere to. However, for more seasoned audio enthusiasts, they will see the HM20 as another set with just uninspiring tonality with decent technical capabilities.

Do I still recommend CCA HM20? For a bassheads and casual type of listeners, it's certainly alright.

CCA HM20 is still available on LINSOUL, you can check the non-affiliated link HERE.

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: CCA HM20

IMPEDANCE: 22Ω

SENSITIVITY: 105dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:  20Hz – 40KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M

PIN TYPE: QDC-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (7U) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS

PROS:

△ Good quality composite shell.

△ Another Bass for Bass God set.

△ Deep, impactful and solid bass

△ Decently textured midrange

△ Smooth and non-offensive tuning.

△ Less sibilant compare to other CCA products with the same drivers set-up.

△ Surprisingly, it has good layering and separation.

CONS:

▽ Again, like almost all CCA and KZ products, very frugal on inclusions.

▽ Overbearing bass response that affects the other frequencies and the quality of resolution.

▽ Recessed and subdued midrange.

▽ Odd upper mids response in some testing tracks that I'm familiar with (probably the quality of BAs used). From time to time, it is either too relaxed or too elevated in my hearing.

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 *'*

The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**

Suzanne Vega – Luka **

Lauren Christy – Steep *

Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *

Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*

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 send my gratitude to LINSOUL especially to MS. KAREENA TANG for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

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