HIDIZS MY LIN: Expressive Sound As It Is

I have this upcoming unit from HIDIZS which I received a few weeks ago, and now I finally have time to unbox this one. I actually tested this particular model last year and it was in a prototype stage that I’ve tried before and HIDIZS took some feedback from its testers around the world in which certain frequency sections should be adjusted to achieve its cohesiveness and refine its overall tuning.

This is HIDIZS MY LIN, and it is their latest entry-level model that was marketed as a  special edition and it somehow follows the MS2 PRO design language but with slight variation and also its transducer set-up. Like the MS2 PRO, its driver configuration is consisting of a dynamic driver responsible for bass and midrange, and a balanced armature driver that solely handles the treble part in which the former has a dual-cavity structure with strong dual-magnetic circuitry in a diameter size of 10.2mm with a composite diaphragm composed of two types of polymer materials, PEEK (Polyether ether ketone) and PU (Polyurethane) known for their lightweight, tensile strength, and chemical resistance, and then glazed with DLC coating to add more durability and corrosion resistance, along with custom-specified balanced armature driver that serves a tweeter.

The driver was then encased in a solid chrome-treated zinc alloy shell structure with an irregular polygon outline similar to the previous MS2 PRO with a carbon fibre faceplate that adds more visual design. Like all HIDIZS models, it still utilises bi-pin connector and an interchangeable tuning filter nozzle which is their signature feature that allows you to choose three types of tuning profile that is suitable to your listening preference.

As for its wearability, this set offers a comfortable fitting, while it seems that it's a bit weighty into my lugholes, I was able to wear it for a long listening session. With a proper pairing of eartips, I was able to have a good passive noise isolation that was able to block unwanted external noises from the outside.

On its product packaging, The MY LIN packaging box is quite large as it has a printed illustration design of their mascot, Lin on its front part as if she is the embodiment of this product core philosophy on both product presentation and tuning, and then on its back part, there are some fine print of its basic specification in different languages along with the company’s address and contact information. The contents inside are well-organised with compartmentalised sections for earphones and other accessories.

The MY LIN's packaging box contains a lot of inclusions inside and here are the following contents:

• A pair of MY LIN  transducer earpieces with red ring “Charm” tuning filter nozzles.
• High Purity Oxygen-Free Silver-Plated Copper Stock cable with 3.5mm single-ended plug
• 3x pairs of black-coloured silicone bass eartips in different standard sizes
• 3x pairs of white-coloured silicone balanced eartips in different standard sizes
• Pneumatic Sound Tuning Filters case
• Pair of white ring “Crystal Clear” tuning filter nozzles
• Pair of black ring “Midnight Black” tuning filter nozzles
• PU-leather storage pouch
• Paperwork like user manual and warranty card
• MY LIN goodies like acrylic stands, stickers and cleaning cloth.

This IEM is pretty sensitive in terms of power amplification requirement that it can be driven with standard gain output either from headphone jack or basic headphone amp dongles as it will deliver a wide range and dynamic sound.

The HIDIZS sound profile is known for its fun, engaging and lively characteristic which is quite coloured and this model seems to inherit its tonal aspect. And since it has interchangeable tuning nozzles, it offers different tonal flavours and all of them veer towards U to V-shaped sound signatures. (Although it depends on the eartip pairing)

Tracks Tested:

• The Cranberries - You And Me
• Enya - Only Time
• Michael Jackson - Will You Be There
• Sophie B. Hawkins - As I Lay Me Down

RED RING TUNING NOZZLES:

This setting has a U-shaped sound signature with a warmish-balanced tonality with a tinge of brightness on it.

• It has a balanced bass response with deep and reverberating sub bass presence and an ample mid bass texture that delivers punchy and impactful sound that gives a resonant and weighty sound on the bass guitars and a pounding and sonorous sound on kick bass drum.
• While the midrange is quite a bit recessed in my liking, it has balanced tonality with a full-bodied sound as it has a sufficient warmth and energy, for a smooth and rich sounding male vocals, an animated and vivid female vocals, and then a clear, shimmering and punchy sounding instruments.
• Guitars have a crisp and sustaining sound, pianos sound rich, vibrant and sweet, synth strings sound shimmering and lingering that adds more ambience.
• On female vocals particularly on mezzo-soprano vocals like Sophie B. Hawkins and Dolores O’ Riordan as they sound more coppery and expressive.
• The treble region on this one is strikingly elevated as it gives a more gleam and brilliance along with a sense of spaciousness due to good air extension on its brilliance treble section without strident sound

BLACK RING TUNING NOZZLES:

It still has a U-shaped sound profile but it has the warmest tuning among the three as I noticed it has a reduced upper mids up to presence section on the treble region as it highlights more emphasis on the low frequency region.

• The bass response is more pronounced as it has a fuller, warmer and punchier sound while maintaining that rumbly sub bass depth albeit it has some slight mid bass bleed that smears a bit across the midrange region.
• Bass kick drums sound more thunderous and fuller, while the bass guitars sound more sombre and duller.
• As I mentioned a while ago, with less emphasis on the upper mids section, it dampens a bit that it sound less energetic and compared to the Red Ring Nozzle setting but it doesn't sound lethargic at all as it has that sense liveliness although you will noticed a smoother, warmer and plush sound on male vocals as I noticed on Michael Jackson’s vocal quality and his voice was categorised into dramatic up to lyric of tenor type of vocals.
• Guitars and synth strings sound a bit more buttery warmer, percussive sections like snares and toms have punchy, warm and resonant sound.
• It has a bit smoother treble response that makes its more tolerable to treble-sensitive folks out there without worrying any instances of piercing, tinny and sharpness albeit lessens the sparkle a bit that affects the sound of cymbals and hi-hats as they sound undulating, lustrous and a bit mellow.

WHITE RING TUNING NOZZLES:

This one has the brightest tonality among three as its tuning profile is somewhat a contrasting parallel with Black Ring Nozzle’s tonal signature, and I noticed that it has more energetic and shimmering sound due to elevated upper mids and then on presence section up to its brilliance section on its treble region.

• It seems that it retains the punchiness and rumbling on its bass response although I also noticed it sounds a bit more tighter and incisive as it also affects that sound of the bass guitars and bass kick drums as they sound more sustaining and resonant respectively.
• The tuning of the midrange is more energetic and lively with an adequate warmth on both its vocal and instrumental texture that makes the former sound more pronounced and forward while the latter has a clearer and crisper presentation.
• On the string sections like guitars sound more brighter, crisp with more sustaining sound, while snare drums have bright, sharp and resonant sound, and then on female vocals particularly on mezzo-sopranos sound more lilting, a bit brassy and fiery as I observed it on my testing tracks.
• The treble response of this one is definitely on the brighter side as it sounds more expansive and also pretty airy, as its elevated upper-mids and presence section gives more clarity and definition that adds more sharper attack on instruments and keen vocal articulation albeit it should be noted this type of tuning might be bothersome to some treble-sensitive out there as it might sound a bit jangling, shrill-y and tinny sound.
• The cymbals sound more brilliant and bright, while the hi-hats have a crisp, sizzling and snappy tone on its distinctive chick-y sound.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

For an entry-level set with a hybrid driver configuration, this one has competent technical capabilities that somehow impresses me as to how it presents its perceived soundstage, driver performance and resolution capabilities.

• On its perceived soundstage dimensions, it has a fairly spacious sound field as it has an above-average lateral span, good height ceiling reach and immersive depth as I was able to gauge its distance from front to rear as if I was in its centre point position.
• In regards to its stereo imaging, it presents a concave-like stereo presentation with a well-defined layering and separation on vocals and instruments within its soundscape that it is capable of playing some of the most complex tracks from well-produced studio tracks with depth layering, jazz and philharmonic orchestra recordings without any issues.
• The cohesiveness of its hybrid driver set-up is excellent that it doesn't have any phasing issues as its dynamic driver delivers a fast transient response with bass attack and decay while its balanced armature driver delivers a clear and detailed sound quality without any distortion.
• As for its resolution capabilities, it has firm macrodynamics as it able to highlight a degree of volume dynamics from its quietest level up to its loudest part on the chorale lines and instrumental passage, while it on its microdynamics, it has a pretty sharp definition on retrieving fine details, nuances and other subtleties from an audio track like notational attacks, vocal delays and instrumental reverb tails.

PEER COMPARISONS:

HIDIZS MS2 PRO

• A preceding model of MY LIN and it also, it has a hybrid driver configuration.
• On its driver set-up, It has almost the same dynamic driver with similar composite material on its diaphragm and a custom-build BA driver that HIDIZS dubbed it as “Silvercore” and they are housed in a solid zinc alloy shell chassis.
• For an entry-level set, its product packaging is well-packed with accessories.
• Since this is also a HIDIZS product, it has a detachable tuning filter nozzle, on this tonal comparison, I will compare it on its “balanced” tuning setting.
• Compared to MY LIN, this one has a less sub bass presence but it still has a punchiness on its bass response, a recessed midrange but it has a balanced tuning as it has an ample warmth and energy although the MY LIN has a bit  clearer and lively sound, and then it has a less brighter treble with just a modest airy extension.
• When it comes to technical aspects, it is pretty similar with the MY LIN, from soundstage size down to its microdynamics which also has a sharp detail definition.

EPZ K1

• An old entry-level model from EPZ and like the MY LIN, it also has a hybrid driver configuration.
• It has a similar driver array with the MY LIN as it also has a single dynamic driver paired with a single “custom” balanced armature, and they are encapsulated in a resin shell chassis.
• While its product packaging has a similar quantity of contents inside of its packaging box, its stock cable is rather mediocre compared to MY LIN's.
• Since it doesn't have special features like detachable nozzles nor tuning switches, it only offers one sound profile
• This set has a U-shaped sound signature, and if it is compared with MY LIN's “balanced” sound profile, this one has a similar tactility and punchiness, while its midrange which is quite recessed, it has an ample warmth and energy, and its treble response was also a tuned a bit bright with sufficient sparkle and good airy extension.
• As for its overall technicalities, it has a moderately roomy soundstage size, a fairly layered soundscape and good resolution capabilities.

TANGZU FU DU VERSE I

• An entry-level hybrid driver IEM from TANGZU.
• Its driver set-up consists of one dynamic driver and two balanced armature drivers that are encapsulated in a composite shell structure.
• This one is also well-packed with accessories inside of its packaging as it includes premium eartips like from Divinus and also from their own Sancai eartips.
• Unlike the MY LIN, this IEM does not have any special features like detachable tuning nozzles or even tuning switches.
• It has a U-shaped signature with a balanced-warmish tonality as it has similar punchiness on its bass response but it has less sub bass depth compared to MY LIN, a warmer and less energetic midrange presentation, and smoother but less airy and sparkly treble response.
• Technicality-wise, this one has an intimate soundstage presentation, a linear two-dimensional stereo imaging and a solid macrodynamics.

In this product assessment, there will be some raised questions about this IEM model and one of them will be what are its major improvements over the previous MS2 PRO. If you read my comparison between them, MY LIN has its edges in terms of tuning refinement like better and punchier mid bass, a tad cleaner and clearer midrange with rich sound male vocals, a vivid and expressive female vocals and then well-bodied and sweet sounding instruments and less glaring and smoother treble response with an improved airy extension. But if you ask if it is an upgrade over the MS2 PRO, I don't think it is it to be honest, it’s more of slight improvement and its overall technical performance is just a minimal in terms of improvement as you won't notice its drastic change.

But if you are looking for a fresh IEM that offers a fun, engaging and lively sound profile with competent technical performance at a reasonable price point, this one is a good choice that I can recommend without batting an eyelid.

HIDIZS MY LIN will be available in a few days, and if you are interested in purchasing this product, I just put up a link below as HIDIZS offer 30% off for first 100 buyers.

LINK:

https://www.hidizs.net/products/hidizs-my-lin-special-edition-1ba-1dd-hybrid-hifi-in-ear-monitors

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: HIDIZS MY LIN

IMPEDANCE: 17Ω

SENSITIVITY: 111dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.2m

PIN TYPE: TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR

PLUG TYPE:  3.5mm,

DRIVER UNIT(S):  (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER, (1) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVER

PROS:

● Solid build quality on its shell chassis.

● That carbon fibre faceplate on its shell adds a more luxurious and sophisticated feel to its overall aesthetics.

● For an entry-level set, it is fully-packed with accessories inside of its packaging box.

● Good quality stock cable for an entry-level model, kudos to HIDIZS on this one.

● Inclusion of MY LIN goodies (standee,sticker and cleaning cloth. 

● Easy to drive due to its high sensitivity and low impedance rating.

● A fun, engaging and lively sound that makes it more enjoyable to listen

● Deep rumbling presence and punchy bass quality, almost realistic tone on bass instruments, especially the bass kick drum and bass guitars. (Red Ring Nozzle)

● Full, warm and impactful bass response. (Black Ring Nozzle)

● A smooth, plush  and warm midrange presentation. (Black Ring Nozzle)

● Female singing vocals sound clear, captivating and expressive. (White Ring Nozzle)

● Smooth and lustrous treble response. (Red Ring Nozzle)

● Bright, sparkling and airy treble response. (Red Ring and White Ring Nozzles)

● Fairly competent technical capabilities; from a moderately roomy soundstage up to a resolving resolution capabilities.

CONS:

● Absolutely too coloured sounding for neutralheads.

● Recessed midrange presentation.

● Wishing for a newer model of an IEM storage case. (Either a hardbound PU-leather or metal)

● A bit lacking of shimmer on female vocals, less crisp and a bit warmer sound on strings especially on guitars. (Black Ring Nozzle)

● Treble air extension is somewhat limited. (Black Ring Nozzle)

● Instances of piercing, shrilly and tinny sound (White Ring Nozzle)

● If I compare it to the previous MS2 PRO, when it comes to overall technical performance, I can’t differentiate its noticeable improvement, from a perceived soundstage size up to its resolution capabilities.

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*

Type O Negative - Black No.1 *

Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **

Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *

Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to HIDIZS 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 the HIDIZS REP for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.