EZAUDIO D4 Review – The Bargain Miracle?
Cons — Looks unexciting; can’t fly.
As to the rating — I said before I don’t like a star system but this iem is good in absolute terms and very good relative to its cost.
INTRODUCTION
In the golden age of budget hybrids, single dynamic driver (DD) earphones getting increasingly sidelined, however unjustifiedly. But whereas many hybrids still have teething issues, DDs rely on a well-established technology and tend to produce balanced and pleasing sound signatures. And they are cheap to produce. Past DD budget favourites included the Einsear T2, DZAT DF-10, Tennmak Dulcimer, and a handful of KZ models – all characterized by their V-shapes. Well, that was two years ago and only veteran Head-Fiers will remember them. On the other hand, many mainstream companies hold on to the DD technology such as Focal and KEF, and you can drop $1000 on the Sennheiser IE800S.
EZAUDIO is a brand I have never heard of [http://www.ezaudio.cn]. I was told the usual – that the D4 “punch above their price point”. The questions are, do they really, and if so, what is the point of a good deal alone that receives admiration and catches dust thereafter. Are these cheapos good enough to actually get some use by their owner who has way more expensive models in the drawer? Let’s find out.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Brand: EZAUDIO
- Model: D4
- Drive Unit: 10 mm titanizing diaphragm dynamic driver unit
- Type: In-earImpedance: 32Ω
- Earphone sensitivity: 99dB
- Frequency range: 20 – 20000Hz
- Earphone plug: 3.5 mm
- Cable Length: 1.2 m
- Available Colors: Purple, gray
- Earphone plug type: L Type
- Remote: One button with microphone
- Price: $10.90 (at the time of the review)
- Purchase Link: NiceHCK Audiostore
The EZAUDIO D4 comes in a plain white box around a quality case, one that costs you $2–3 if ordered extra. Inside the case are the earphones, three pairs of wide-bore tips (S/M/L), and a carabiner clip. Good enough.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, HAPTIC, AND BUILD QUALITY
The piston/cylinder/barrel-shaped earpieces are made of metal and are of average quality. The nozzle has a lip to firmly secure the rubber tip. The cable attachment is reinforced by a plastic ring around the housing holding a rather flimsy strain relief. The cables attached to the earpieces appear rather thin and are plastic coated down to the splitter, and from thereon textile coated down to the 90-degree connector. There is single one-button remote on the right-hand side – and a chin slider. But does anybody care?
They fit, seal, and isolate like any other earphone with piston/cylinder/barrel-shaped earpieces.
SOURCE AND EARTIPS
I used the iPhone 5S with the largest included wide-bore tips. As always, I tested the D4 with a cross section of music that provided a broad coverage of the frequency spectrum, including naturally generated sounds such a voices and classical instruments. My playlist is still improving.
TONALITY
The EZAUDIO D4 are characterized by a slightly warm and bright, organic sound with no obvious frequency peaks and therefore no pierce or sibilance.
Sonic Strengths:
The D4’s biggest assets are its high-quality bass and its overall sound image. The bass is well controlled and well dosed, with a pleasant slam that is not overdone and just right for my ears. Sub- bass extension is good but never overwhelming. There is no bass boom at all, which one would expect in this price class.
Mids are very natural sounding, the lower mids are a tinge laid back, but they are not buried by the bass. The upper mids are more forward, which adds brightness to the sound.
Treble is clean, well extended, and very smooth, again just right and pleasant for my ears.Separation is excellent and there is very good sense of space.
Fluidity, homogeneity, resolution, layering, soundstage etc. are all good enough to justify a much higher price tag. You’d waste your time reading my nitpicking of these. Transparency and clarity are outstanding. The overall timbre is rather natural.
Sonic Weaknesses:
If there is any weakness, it lies in the lower midrange. While the D4 does not display the typical V- shape adherent to most budget DD earphones, voices could be a bit more intimate in some songs; however the listener gets somewhat compensated by the natural timbre.
SELECT COMPARISONS
NiceHCK EP35 (~$33): is built fancier but has a problematic fit for some, detachable MMCX cable, and a less extended, weaker bass at a similar instrument separation. I find the D4 fuller and more balanced and more “fun” sounding but self acclaimed “audiophiles” may prefer the EP35’s signature. The point is that this is a matter of taste but not of price difference (which lies in the build).
Hifi Walker A1 (~$50): is boomy and V-shaped and needs (easy) modding. When modded, it is the slightly better, that is the more refined sounding earphone but ootb, audiophiles may prefer the D4.
So, is the EZAUDIO D4 a “$10 miracle”? Yes. How much should it cost? Don’t know that is in the eye
of the beerholder – but why pay more for a good sound? Which Head-Fier needs them? Nobody, really, since we all have pricier hyrids! Who should not buy them? Somebody who does not like the barrel shape or the colours silver and purple. And who should buy them? Everybody else! Confused? Good!
As a matter of fact, these earphones are both very good and very interesting for somebody like me who owns >>100 pairs of earphones and headphones. The combination of good/cheap/interesting makes them attractive to many and therefore the perfect stocking stuffers for Christmas. There is zero risk in spending 10 or so bucks on them, as you won’t be disappointed sonically or ergonomically. And your D4 will certainly get a lot of use.
The D4 is an example of the frequent lack of rhyme or reason when it comes to pricing.
You can stuff yourself and some stockings only at the NiceHCK Audiostore. Go crazy, folks!
SECOND OPINION BY LOOMIS T. JOHNSON
Overhyped even by Head-Fi standards, this <$10 contender is nonetheless enjoyable and competent, if not the holy grail of budget iems. U-shaped and a bit bright, these have a midbass dominance which gives a slight incoherence and tint to the presentation and tends to draw your ears to the lowend as opposed to the whole spectrum. Subbass is particularly well-shaped for this class but not throbbing or deep, while mids are somewhat recessed, which pushes vocals back. Treble is quite detailed, if not highly extended, drums have good snap although guitars and keys can get a little grainy at higher volumes. Soundstage is about average in size, but quite enveloping and three dimensional, while stereo separation and layering are exceptional for this bracket. Similar in presentation to the Adax and E-mi C800, though the midbass emphasis on the D4 makes them a little less revealing overall. Very comfortable, with good isolation; build is credible, while the included carrying case has a very nice premium feel. Note that these are extremely tip-sensitive (the included tips are useless) and can sound tinny without proper pairing.
