iBasso IT00 Review – White Knight
Pros:
Great price to performance ratio.
All rounder for most music genres.
Good build, light, comfortable, with above average isolation.
Good timbre, organic and coherent tuning, melding bass/mids/treble well.
Airy treble without fatigue.
Excellent and clear vocals.
Fast bass that doesn’t encroach into mids.
Cons:
Driver flex. MMCX connectors a bit tight.
Technicalities are above average for a single DD set, but may lose to some multi BA/hybrids in this area.
Tangly stock cable.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The IBasso IT00 has superb price to performance ratio, featuring a very coherent tonality, a fast and accurate bass without bass bloat, transparent mids, excellent vocals, with an airy treble that is not fatiguing or sibilant.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver type: Dynamic Driver 10 mm, (Multi layered graphene diaphragm incorporated in a unique dual Helmholtz resonators driver)
- Frequency response: 10 Hz – 35 kHz
- Sensitivity: 106 +/- 2 dB
- Impedance: 16 ohm
- Cable type: MMCX
- Tested at $69 USD
ACCESSORIES
Other than the IEM it comes with:
- 3.5mm MMCX detachable high purity OFC cable – the cable is servicable sound wise, although it is on the thinner side and occasionally tangles.
- Semi rigid carrying case.
- Silicone eartips of various sizes (10 pairs) – I found the wider bore tips to increase treble, whereas the narrow bore ones boosted bass. The IT00 is very tip sensitive, so it is best to spend the initial few minutes to tiproll and see what suits your preference sound wise.
- A pair of spare nozzle filters – this can be modded by adding foam/micropore to the nozzle/tubing if you wish, or just kept as a spare pair.
The iBasso IT00 is well accessorized, everything is usable OOTB. There’s no real need to mess around with mods or spend money on aftermarket tips/cables unlike certain other CHIFI (cough cough, such as a certain hyped set that espouses belief and oppoty and letting music burn).
BUILD/COMFORT
The iBasso IT00 is very well fitting, and is light and comfortable. I can wear it for hours without any issues.
The MMCX connectors on the iBasso IT00 are a bit stiff during cable changing, not the worst I’ve encountered, but as per all MMCX IEMs, I would recommended to minimize cable rolling once you have found an ideal cable for it, as they tend to have lesser longevity than 2 pin connections in my experience.
The iBasso IT00 does have some driver flex.
Driver flex is usually due to a too tight seal, and is partially related to the tips we use and/or our ear anatomy. So YMMV. FWIW, I found a few ways to mitigate driver flex on the IT00:
1) Use foam tips instead of silicone tips, works sometimes for me. Probably cause the foam is porous and lets air escape thru the foams rather than going into the IEM shell.
2) Sometimes using another silicone tip that has lesser isolation/seal may reduce driver flex, though at the expense of isolation. Try a variety of different ear tips and sizes if you can, some tips give more driver flex than others.
3) Try opening your mouth and/or pulling down the earlobe before inserting the IEM, this opens the ear canal a bit for more space to insert the eartip, and hopefully some air can escape during insertion with the bigger diameter of the ear canal.
4) Insert the ear tip slowly or at an angle, and do not insert too deeply initially, and slowly make fine adjustments to push it in.
ISOLATION:
Isolation on the iBasso IT00 is above average, it passed my subway commute isolation test without much issues, though it might lose to some unvented pure BA sets in isolation.
DRIVABILITY:
I tested the IT00 with a Samsung Note 5 smartphone, a Tempotec Sonata HD Pro dongle, Shanling Q1 DAP and a Khadas Tone Board -> Fiio A3 amp.
The iBasso IT00 is pretty drivable from lower powered sources like smartphones, and amping isn’t truly mandatory, though there is some scaling of dynamics, soundstage and details with good amping.
The iBasso IT00 doesn’t distort at louder volumes, so one might be tempted to overly boost the music, which may not be safe for longer listening sessions!
SOUND & TECHNICALITIES
The iBasso IT00 has a very coherent and organic U shaped, warmish tuning, with an airy, yet non fatiguing treble. I really love the tonality on this set, it has no harshness/troughs throughout the bass/mids/treble frequencies, and coherently blends all these frequencies. Some CHIFI get hot in the upper mids/treble, or end up being too bassy with midbass bleed/bloat, especially with higher volumes (Fletcher Munson curve). Whereas the iBasso IT00 manages to walk the fine line between having a good tonality, yet being musical and engaging at the same time, without fatigue or compromising any part of the frequency spectrum. Other budget CHIFI may excel at certain frequencies but are weak at others, but the iBasso IT00 doesn’t have any real weaknesses in tonality from the bass to the treble, and extends quite well at both ends to boot.
Timbre is very natural and well done for acoustic instruments and vocals, in keeping with its dynamic driver roots. In fact this set shines at vocals and will be good set for vocal lovers.
The iBasso IT00 has above average soundstage width, but soundstage is not the widest at this price range. Depth is on the shallower side, yet I did not find the music to be overly congested.
With regards to the rest of the technicalities, it is above average compared to other DD gear at the sub $100 mark, but it might lose to some multi BA/hybrids in imaging, instrument separation and details, which is an expected limitation of a single DD transducer at this price bracket. Nevertheless, the iBasso IT00 is no slouch in the technicalities department, although if one is looking for an analytical IEM for critical listening, then it might be best to look elsewhere. The iBasso IT00 is really a set that lets one sit back and chill and get lost in the music without being OCD about microdetailing or whether a certain ghost note is heard.
On this point, I would argue that it is much easier to find a technically proficient multi driver monstrosity CHIFI at sub $100 than something with excellent tonality like the iBasso IT00. A few of these multi BA/hybrid sets at this price point may excel at technicalities, but have crossover/coherency and timbre issues, so different strokes for different folks.
The iBasso IT00 is quite an allrounder for most music genres, it sounded natural with rock, EDM, jazz, acoustic and pop and especially vocals. Though perhaps classical purists might want something more neutralish and analytical. I don’t listen to metal so I’m not sure if metalheads will like this set, but the bass (which we will describe below) is on the faster side, and I think that might aid somewhat for the metal genre. Though possibly something with a pure BA bass may suit metal better in terms of bass speed.
Bass
Bass on the iBasso IT00 descends quite linearly from midbass to subbass and the subbass is weighty. This subbass heft adds to the warmth, but don’t be expecting a subwoofer like subbass. Bass quantities are north of neutral, but not at basshead levels. The iBasso IT00’s bass has minimal midbass bleed and doesn’t intrude into the mids at all or impinge on the vocals, which is a common offence seen in some other budget CHIFI.
Bass is punchy yet natural, with speed on the faster side for a DD set. The bass is a tinge less textured than I would have preferred, but that’s just nitpicking.
Mids
Mids are slightly recessed, but are still very transparent and detailed. Guitars sound very natural. Vocal timbre is a highlight on this set, and vocal lovers will dig this set for voices being forward yet without being overbearing, but still managing to sound very natural.
I liked that iBasso IT00 does not have the usual CHIFI overly boosted/sawtooth upper mids, so this set is very non fatiguing despite the clear vocals.
Treble
Treble wise, the iBasso IT00 is on the slightly brighter side and the treble extends well and is airy, yet smooth and not fatiguing, with no sibilance. Cymbals are not splashy or artificial sounding and sound quite natural. I’m treble sensitive and didn’t find much harshness here in the treble, I liked how it balanced a tightrope of having good treble extension yet without being harsh.
Having said that, when talking about treble frequencies in IEMs, I find that it is a big can of worms. Cause some have different hearing health (due to age or occupational/leisure exposure), some are treble sensitive/trebleheads, some are using different sources/tips, some are playing the music at different volumes (Fletcher Munson curve), so I think tuners have a very large population to cater for when tuning the treble. Nevertheless, I’m in my mid 30s, and I’ve tried a few different tips/sources/volumes and so far have not experienced fatigue whatsoever even with marathon listening sessions on the iBasso IT00.
COMPARISONS
I decided to only compare only single DD sets in the budget segment here as multi BA/hybrids have their own strengths and weaknesses among the different transducer types, so it would be more fair to compare similar driver setups. Suffice to say, the iBasso IT00 trumps a lot of my more expensive single DD sets such as (in alphabetical order), the BLON Cardinal, Semkarch SKC CNT1 (before firesale prices), Sennheiser IE80S, Shure SE215, TFZ No. 3, TFZ Tequila, Toneking Ninetails, and some cheaper ones too such as the BLON BL-03, BLON BL-05, Cambridge Audio SE1, MEE Audio M6 and Sony MH755.
For the sake of time, I picked out a few commonly owned/hyped single DD sets to compare here:
1) Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 ($69 USD)
The Urbanfun is an excellent set. Coincidentally, I bought a secondhand Urbanfun from a local shop on the same day I got the iBasso IT00. It was previously retailing at $39 USD at launch, but the price seems to have jumped to $60 – 69 USD now after it got hyped to the moon (admittedly the hype is legit if you got a working Urbanfun with a beryllium driver).
The problem about the Urbanfun, (credit to and quoting headfier lgcubana [and Forrest Gump]) can be summarized as such:
“My mom always said life was like a box of Urbanfuns. You never know what you’re gonna get.” That’s the big chocolate stomping mega elephant in the room, one doesn’t know if you are gonna get a “noble metal” driver or legit beryllium driver, or whether there are gonna be MMCX issues with it. These QC issues are still being reported on audio forums up till recently even with so-called newer batches. So it is literally playing russian roulette in seeing whether a working set comes in the mail or you get a dud, not to mention the different driver materials, which some have found to affect the sound signature. Partly why I bought a second hand set instead of a first hand one was so I could check out the MMCX connectors and do some listening prior to purchase.
I’m not 100% sure which Urbanfun driver I got, but it came in a black box with a monkey logo, so it is probably one of the older batches. Compared to the IT00, my Urbanfun is more V shaped, and it has more boosted upper mids with deeper subbass extension. The Urbanfun also has better bass texturing and rumble close to basshead levels. The basshead in me really liked the Urbanfun, and these two IEMs are complimentary sets for me, with the Urbanfun bringing more bass to the table but having less treble airiness. Lower mids are thicker on the IT00 with the Urbanfun being a bit too recessed in the lower mids for my liking.
Technicalities wise they are close, with both being above average for a single DD set, but they both won’t beat some multi BA gear in the similar price bracket in technicalities. The Urbanfun edges out the iBasso IT00 in timbre and perhaps has a taller and deeper soundstage, whereas the iBasso IT00 has slightly better clarity and instrument separation. Imaging is about on par. Tonally, I prefer the iBasso IT00 for the less depressed lower mids and airier treble.
However, due to the QC problems and doubt about driver type, I can’t in good conscience recommend the Urbanfun universally. Perhaps if you are feeling lucky, you can take a punt on the Urbanfun, but at least you get a known quantity and quality (and good service too from iBasso) if you pick the iBasso IT00. In terms of music genre suitability, I also think the IT00 is more all rounded due to the tonality, whereas the Urbanfun that I got was more basshead with a rolled off treble (which suits me, but some folks may prefer a bass of less quantity or more treble airiness).
2) BLON BL-03 ($25 USD)
Now, I really like the BL-03 and it is a very special landmark CHIFI showing what a sub $30 USD CHIFI can do, but the IT00 is really in a higher league compared to the BL-03.
The BL-03 is excellent in timbre and tonality, but it is poor in fit, has a midbass bloat and the bass can’t keep up with fast or complex bass movements. BL-03 isn’t the best in isolation/technicalities also. The BL-03 also gets shouty in upper mids with higher volumes (Fletcher Munson curve), and the upper treble is a bit dull for me. All these factors hold it back from being a “giant killer” for me, but YMMV.
The iBasso IT00 has better tonality without being shouty in the upper mids even with higher volumes, and the bass of the iBasso IT00 is of better quality and speed. The IT00 also extends better in treble and subbass and iBasso IT00 has better technicalities in almost all departments. The BL-03 though has better instrumental timbre.
Anyway, BL-03 is actually not a sub $30 IEM if one factors in aftermarket tips and/or cables (which majority of folks need due to the poor fit with the overly short nozzles and stiff stock cables). After factoring these aftermarket tips/cables, top up about $20 USD and you can get the iBasso IT00, which I think is the superior IEM here.
3) TFZ NO. 3 ($109 USD)
The TFZ No. 3 is more V shaped and gets shouty in the upper mids with louder volumes. The No. 3 is a bona fide basshead IEM and has more bass quantity and extension than the iBasso IT00, but the No. 3’s bass is pretty bloated and uncontrolled when compared to the iBasso IT00’s faster and tighter bass.
TFZ No. 3 has a poorer instrument timbre and thinner lower mids. TFZ No. 3 also has a more claustrophobic soundstage, with notes sounding quite compressed in the TFZ No. 3. Instrument separation and clarity are better on the iBasso IT00. Cymbals sound less natural and more splashy on the No. 3 compared to the iBasso IT00.
No contest here, even though the TFZ No. 3 is more expensive, the iBasso IT00 is the better IEM.
4) KBEAR Diamond ($79 USD)
The Diamond is a more V shaped IEM and as such has more recessed lower mids than the iBasso IT00. Timbre is better on the Diamond, but it has a narrower soundstage than the iBasso IT00 (though Diamond’s depth and height of soundstage is slightly larger than on the iBasso IT00). Clarity and instrument separation are slightly better on the iBasso IT00 at the mids, but the Diamond may have a slightly boosted lower treble. There’s a midbass hump on the Diamond unlike the linearly descending bass of the iBasso IT00, with slight midbass bleed on the Diamond. The bass does encroach into the lower mids on the Diamond unlike the iBasso IT00.
Mids and vocals lovers will probably find the iBasso IT00 to be a better option in terms of tonality, but the Diamond is more fun sounding.
CONCLUSIONS
The White Knight iBasso IT00 is an excellent sub $100 single DD set, featuring a great price to performance ratio, being an all rounder for most music genres and boasting an organic and coherent tuning. The iBasso IT00 blends the treble/mids/bass frequencies well, and provides an airy treble without fatigue, meshing excellent and clear vocals, and delivering a fast bass that doesn’t encroach into mids.
It is no slouch in the technicalities department too, especially when compared with other similarly priced single DD competitors, though pure multi BA/hybrids at this price range may trump it in these areas. As detailed above, it is very easy to find a technically proficient CHIFI at this price bracket, but much harder to find one that excels at tonality and timbre, yet threading a fine line of not compromising any part of the frequency spectrum.
Other than some driver flex and tight MMCX connectors, the build is impeccable. Sound wise, the iBasso IT00 is in my top 3 sub $100 single DD sets for the great tonality it brings to the table (my other 2 being a legit beryllium driver Urbanfun YBF-ISS014 and KBEAR Diamond) and the iBasso IT00 is a solid single DD set I would recommend without reservations.
MY VERDICT
You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.
DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank Paul from iBasso for providing this review sample in exchange for an honest opinion. My views are my own. It can be gotten here at: http://www.ibasso.com/cp_xq_dy.php?id=10790
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
