The new Dunu model appeared a little unexpectedly. While all interested with enthusiasm watched the ups and downs around the release of hybrid headphones-inserts Alpha 1 (I'll talk about them in the corresponding review), the company developed another very interesting headphones. They are called Titan 1 because of the use of a dynamic radiator with a titanium diaphragm.
Creating a well-sounded dynamic radiator is always a way of making difficult compromises. The progress of recent years has led to the fact that two of its elements no longer present problems. The development of high-precision engineering allowed us to make coils of any complexity, and the technology of extraction and purification of neodymium allowed us to make very efficient permanent magnets. Therefore, now the maximum of experiments is necessary for various materials for manufacturing the diffuser.
The diffuser of a dynamic radiator must combine two extremes: it must be light, but solid at the same time. If the weight is too high, the speed of the diaphragm will be insufficient to accurately transfer all frequencies, and an insufficiently rigid membrane can not move as a whole, which leads to tangible distortions of sound. Lightweight and at the same time a strong titanium has become almost a godsend for the creators of drivers, allowing to combine the two necessary qualities in one product.
Some manufacturers use titanium sputtering over more traditional (and not so) materials, others make diffusers from solid titanium, but somehow this metal is becoming more common.
Dunu Topsound, being one of the world's largest OEM headphone manufacturers, also produces products under its own brand. Therefore they, naturally, could not stay away from experiments in the field of sound. The use of titanium in combination with modern technology allowed them to create a very large radiator with a diffuser diameter of 13 mm, it was he who formed the basis for these headphones.
What is especially nice, the headphones turned out very inexpensive, their price in Chinese online stores is about $ 130.
Specifications
- Emitter: dynamic, with 13 mm titanium diaphragm
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Sensitivity: 90 ± 2 dB
- Frequency range: 20 Hz - 30 KHz
- Cable: symmetrical, 1.2 m
- Plug: 3.5 mm TRS, gold-plated
- Weight: 18g
Packing and delivery kit
Traditionally, Dunu has done very well on this item. A box of black cardboard with two valves on magnets and looks great and the headphones protects from external influences. To make sure that no one else used you headphones, they are sold sealed in film (a rare option).
The set of delivery is also very pleasing, except for the headphones you will receive:
- 9 pairs of nozzles with different width of the bell, allowing to vary the sound
- case
- adapter for 6.3 mm plug
- Clothes clip for clothing
In general, the traditionally excellent package delivery and packaging.
Design and comfortable wearing
Of all the possible design options for headphones Dunu chose, perhaps, the only possible for emitters of this size. Titan 1 resembles the usual headphones "tablets", but with a sound. Thus, the radiator itself is located in the auricle, and the sound ducts enter the auditory canal. This allows the headphones to provide comfortable wearing and at the same time use a large radiator. A similar form was used in the Philips Fidelio S2, by the way, I would not be surprised if it was Dunu who are the OEM manufacturer of Philips.
Headphones are made of metal, and the build quality deserves only the most excellent epithets. Everything, starting with the logos on the inside, and ending with the holes of the acoustic ventilation (yes, the headphones are open), is made flawlessly. For marking the channels, colored ring inserts are used along the outer edge of the headphones: blue for the left channel and red for the right channel.
Cable - in silicone braid, reinforced. It is moderately soft, so it hardly hardens in the frost, gets confused, the microphone effect is poorly expressed. The design of the headphone housing allows you to carry them and cable down, and BTE. The splitter and the plug are very reliable. The cable has a rubber tongue for winding - perhaps the most ingenious invention of Dunu Topsound.
Despite the metal casing, the Titan 1 is very light, it provides a very comfortable wearing, provided the baits are correctly selected. Sound insulation is not bad, even with an open design, but for very noisy conditions, headphones still will not work.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening:
- Yulong DA8 as a DAC and amplifier
- Resonessence Labs Concero HP as a DAC and Amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Fidelia as a player
- Fiio X5 and QLS QA360 as portable players
- VSonic Gr01 and HiFiMan Re600 as headphones for comparison
- High Definition Records in Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before listening to the headphones were warmed for 48 hours.
The AFC of the headphones has a slight rise in the low and high frequencies, which gives a musical sound, pleasant on hearing. Also, the headphones are very pleased with the detail, which is not characteristic of dynamic radiators.
The bass is present in very good quantities, but without excesses, in addition to working out, it pleases and deep. Of course, the Titan 1 is not the fastest headphone, but the bass is normally controlled, has a good impact and confidently keeps its place without creeping into someone else's territory.
The midrange is slightly lowered relative to LF and HF, but not so much that it affects their quality. Excellent detailing of the Titan 1 plays its role here in full, MF reveals all the nuances of the recording, it conveys emotions and features of the instruments well. Because of the details, the headphones build a very voluminous imaginary scene, which you do not even expect to hear in this price range.
The high frequencies are light and detailed. If you are sensitive to this part of the range, the headphones may appear bright, especially if your player does not control the RF, but for my taste, the "top" of Dunu was a success. They are transparent, fast, have the right nuances, give the Titan 1 sound the ease that distinguishes good headphones. By the way, if you seem that the HF in the Titan 1 lot - try other attachments from the kit, they are able to fix it.
In general, the Titan 1 genre is universal, but I especially liked them with the classic of heavy metal and rock - the elastic percussion, evil guitars and the emotional manner of the vocalist work very well for these headphones.
Compatibility
Titan 1 - headphones with a lot of potential, fully open which can only really quality sources. Low sensitivity coupled with low impedance makes them a difficult load, so buy them is only if you have a quality source for them. With smartphones and tablets, they will not play at full strength, even specialized players will not be all right for them.
Also these headphones are sensitive and to the quality of records, bad tracks are absolutely counter-indicative to them.
conclusions
Dunu Topsound came out with a very interesting and unusual model that combines an impeccable appearance, the highest quality of performance and a very good interesting sound, and an acceptable price complements these headphones. It is worth acknowledging that the experiment with the new radiators of the company was clearly a success.
UPD: Fiio EX1
On the wave of deserved success of Titan 1, the most famous manufacturer of hi-fi players Fiio decided to release these headphones under their own brand. The model, called EX1 uses the same housing with the emitter, only the wire has changed, using a cable in silicone insulation reinforced with Kevlar. The price for Fiio EX1 is approximately equal to Dunu Titan 1. I think in the future we are waiting for interesting sets from Fiio, consisting of the player and EX1.
The article is based on materials .
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