IKKO OH10 - Obsidian - Musical Emotion Eruptions!?

[@rolfathan]

The discussion of comfort on these with people fascinates me. I've worn them for over 8 hours and it still felt comfortable to me. I see plenty of people that can only wear them briefly, some that can't wear them for a second. EDIT: Maybe worth noting, I'm using small sized spinfits with mine. I was not a big fan of the included tips.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Very true, fit does seem to be a sticky point with them.

[@michaelknibbs]

I have just spent time with the OH10, the Moondrop Kato and the 7HZ Timeless . It did not take too long to put two IEMs back in the boxes and return them. (all the impressions below are just my opinions - subjectivity is king here). 1) The Timeless was a poor fit for me, but even when I 'ensured' the fit to ensure a good seal, I disliked the tonality. There was bass but it lacked realism, the mids were detailed but had no soul, the high end was OK but grainy. 2) The Kato was better, beautifully built and a decent sound - but came over as thinner and less emotionally involving than the OH10 Obsidian. 3) The OH10 Obsidian was a surprise. From your review and others - I was expecting bass-heavy, warm and maybe 'cloying' sound. But no. They have a bottom end that can gum-up, but mostly they are simply entertaining and very musical. At my age, I have plenty of live music experience and think piano and cello are well presented. They have plenty of detail and resolution but, unlike the other two here, they don't shove it in your face. I really like these IEMs. They fit well (heavy but I don't feel them) and sonically they remind me of my Sennheisser HD600s - a staggering achievement I think for a $200 in-ear device. I'm still re-listening to all my favorite jazz and accoustic playlists - that's a what a music reproduction device should achieve. I'm reminded how subjective this hobby is. It's nice having people like you that take the time to listen and present, but we all have different ear shapes (internal and external) and our pleasure centers are certainly wired and programmed uniquely. So, read the reviews but be prepared to find your own preferences. And please fellow readers - no hating here. There's too much of that in our world. Keep up a great channel Dave. Thanks. Btw, I'm playing them through a little FIIO BTR5 and it's clean, bright and powerful. The OH10s sound even nicer through my Schiit Asgard 3, so they really scale. I'm still grinning!!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesome. Thanks for the impressions. Thanks for the kind words. I am glad you enjoy the iKKO OH10.

[@LoneSwordsmanTheory]

Great review as always, Dave! For me, these paired perfectly with the FiiO UTWS3 & Symbio hybrid tips.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I'm glad you enjoy them

[@Weareonenation303]

People often forget about comfort when purchasing IEMs. Super high end IEMs like the Sony IER-Z1R are known for not being very comfortable IEMs despite how good the tuning and technicalities are. I wonder how the OH1 sounds like, I've heard these are mid focused.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Very good point, comfort is for something to take into consideration when purchasing an IEM.

[@deparoo]

TLDR : KATO vs OH10, which one is better? Thanks. I'm still hunting for that iem I'll be using for years to come, KATO is a contender but now OH10 is also in my consideration. I won't be able to get another iem for a very long time so I'm making sure I get the best for the price, appreciate your input Dave.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I highly recommend the Kato, wasn't a fan of the OH10. Here is a link to my Kato review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ramldHuFbp5pec0 Here is a link to my tier list: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=sharing

[@deparoo]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Thank you Dave, you're the only audiophile KZbinr that replies consistently. Glad I'm subscribed to you.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome ♥️

[@branislavcrljenica2584]

You are the only one who gave an accurate and precise description of Ikko OH10 sound signature. Everyone else is a hype "expert" who, when it comes to describing midrange frequencies, thinks that if they hear vocals at all, that "good" is enough. For the V shape sound signature, the sound is rudely justified by the female vocals, which belong to the upper middle frequency range, and completely deceitfully ignore the male vocals, which belong to the lower middle frequency range. Such fraud is characteristic of corrupt "experts" with impaired hearing. *It's* *good* *that* *we* *can* *hear* *your* *opinion,* *which* *is* *the* *only* *honest* *one.* *Dave,* *thank* *you* *for* *your* *engagement.*

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the kind and supportive words. I am very picky when it comes to mids and the OH10 just misses the mark. You're very welcome for the honest review. Thanks again for the thoughtful words. 😊

[@maspesasmasperras5554]

@@TheHonestAudiophile great review. Could you please tell me what you consider the best in ear headphones for mids? Thanks

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@maspesasmasperras5554 Empire Ears ESR and ADV M5-12D

[@maspesasmasperras5554]

@@TheHonestAudiophile great options. Would you please recommend something in the $US100-200 range?

[@KseRBanshee]

@@maspesasmasperras5554 ER2XR

[@michaelknibbs]

I forgot. As well as the audio differences subjectively, there seem to be huge differences in fit and seal here. I get a decent seal from leakage in and out. While Dave can only wear these for an hour before discomfort sets in, I can wear them for hours and even sleep in them. The weight seems to disappear once snugly fitted and the are so flat that lying on a pillow they are very comfy. People, eh ?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Very true fit and seal make a difference. My ears don't like flat sided IEM nor short nozzles. And a mixture of both are a bad combination of ingredients for ears on most occasions.

[@mahjonglegendISLAM]

Ty Dave

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you are welcome.

[@carminedesanto6746]

Love mine! Btw, I’ve loaned them to a friend who’s just getting into IEM’s…he thought the Moondrop Aria was great ..this will blow him away 🥳

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I am glad you enjoy the OH10. You are a good friend, loaning quality gear for his enjoyment.

[@carminedesanto6746]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I’m either introducing a friend to new sensations in music ..or I’m aiding and abetting 🥳

[@razetw]

Been waiting for your review! Arg so hard to choose the next purchase! Looking for a more mature iem to upgrade from a blon-03. Starfields get good reviews as a jack of all trades.. And gets bashed for being boring. Ikko oh10 are praised for their great bass and fun W shaped sound vs blons more V or rather L shaped signature... But the ikko gets dinged for the $200 price tag first and foremost because of...the other alternative iem... Legacy 3s. Their price is competitive with starfields and oh10...they likewise get rave reviews like starfields level of hype... But then I hear there's a lot of legacy 3 QC issues so you're rolling the dice on one... Not heard about the ibasso as it's an older set, might have to see what those are all about. Thanks for the rec!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome. Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing 👍

[@dasninjastix]

FiiO FH3 seems like it would be an upgrade to the BLON BL-03. Lot of praise for the overall build and the bass. I would personally like to get hold of the new Audio Flys but getting them in the United States is difficult. I will say that I have the BLONs and bought the Tripowin TC-01 to replace them instead of the TFZ No.3 (to save money) and ultimately ended up with the Etymotic ER2XR. To me I think the ER2XR, while maybe not a direct successor to the BLON, are perhaps in that ballpark. Just my two cents 😁

[@razetw]

@@dasninjastix I've seen that in forums and discussions mentioned a lot. Thanks for the input! I think I'll give starfields a shot, even though the honest audiophiles said he preferred the voyagers more. Etymos are in my bucket list still.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@dasninjastix FH3 is for sure an upgrade to the Blon. I'd take the Etymotic over the Blon.

[@huckfin1100]

Get a set of KZ zsn pro I'm still Enjoying mine !

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I'm glad you enjoy your ZSN Pro.

[@sockhopsinger]

Think any IEM creator will take up the challenge of tactile indicators so us blindies will be able to differentiate right and left on split cables? :) Regardless, ya did a great review also.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

That is a good suggestion. Thanks for the kind words, greatly appreciated 🥰

[@sockhopsinger]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I would think sighted people would benefit from tactile guides as well when plugging something in or picking them up in a hurry.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Absolutely 💯

[@spamcan9208]

Honestly, it would be a useful feature for even those of us with sight.

[@matteobregante5656]

Maybe the widebore dual flange just subdued the lower mids, have you tried with different tips?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Oh wow, there are other types of tips? I had no idea 😉 Yes I tried with l the tops I have in the office, Ludos, Final, Dekoni, RHA, Starline, JVC, etc....the ones I settled on for fit and sound were the ADV bi-flange. The midd were a dissatisfaction on every tip in some way. Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing 👍

[@mamad504]

great content. can you please compare it to the timeless? i care about timbre and soundstage the most and will use them on a phone

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Keep in mind I haven't heard the OH10 since the review so this going off memory from a long time ago. Timeless has better tone, timbre, detail retrieval, resolution, more balance and cohesion. I will take the Timeless each and every day over the OH10, not even close. BUT you will need a dongle dac/amp to get the benefits as they are a bit harder to drive and I don't know if a phone can drive them as I don't have a phone that has a headphone output. If you like tone and timbre, the Moondrop Kato is another solid option that is an upgrade in every way over the OH10.

[@spamcan9208]

I wonder if you got a bad example because this is the first review I've heard that doesn't line up with the rest. That or they aren't compatible with your ears. I got mine on black Friday sale, looking forward to trying them out.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Everyone hears differently because of many variables; ear shape and design, source gear, music preference, music quality, etc. I didn't get a bad pair as these were provided by a fellow reviewer, intoit Reviews, and he loves them. Look forward to hearing your impressions.

[@spamcan9208]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Just in case, that wasn't meant as a negative observation. I agree, there are so many variables and personal preferences that it's impossible to truly know you'll like something until you listen for yourself. I'm interested to see where I fall on the line of reviews. At least I'll know it's not me if I hear something different.

[@Dracstar]

Thanks for the honest review of these. Just got these as my first IEM (other than a KZ ZS10 Pro), and I love them! Personally I find them super comfortable, being able to wear them for 8+ hours at a time. I’ve come to the conclusion that, unless you’re listening to high fidelity music through a dedicated DAC, the cable doesn’t really matter sound-quality wise; it’s just a matter of comfort. With that in mind, how big of a difference do you think different ear tips have on IEMs? I know it’s super subjective, but I’d love to hear your perspective. If there is a perceived difference, I might get some different tips for these to elevate them to even the next level

[@Empty12345]

There's a debate if cables really affect the sound.. But eartips in the other hand do affect the sound, because of how good the seal is.

[@MuhammadAbdullah-cc9ki]

I am usin kz zs 10 pro now and thinking to get obsedians. As u used both of them, is it worth upgrading to oh 10 and how theybare different from kz zs 10 pro. Thank u

[@Dracstar]

@@MuhammadAbdullah-cc9ki OH10s are way better, but ZS10 a are great too.

[@MuhammadAbdullah-cc9ki]

@@Dracstar thanks

[@spamcan9208]

My first set of IEMs were the same, matter of fact I'm wearing them now. I ordered these and the KATO and should have them tomorrow. I realized that I like the form factor but I wanted bass and a jump up in sound quality so I won't be looking for upgrading anytime soon. That's the hope anyway lol.

[@OrganicBaseBeing]

Yeah, I bought the OH10 Obsidians a few months ago and I'm happy with how they perform but I honestly can't recommend them to anybody because they tend to rattle from the inside while walking. While walking and moving my head left to right these buds raddle like bells on Santa's sled, very interesting to say the least. I would not recommend them to anybody unless they like burning money on defective products that were given high review marks by talking heads.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the impressions.

[@wildanzuhdi5492]

Sir, is this Iem suitable for Basshead? You say about Ikko OH10 that, Bass is only thing that Better in your opinion.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

It would be pleasing for a basshead in my opinion.

[@wildanzuhdi5492]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Thankyou 🙏

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@wildanzuhdi5492 my pleasure, you're welcome 😊

[@universidadtrabajo1797]

Which one has larger soundtage. Olina or Ikoo

[@ptoktedia9011]

So in your opinion which one would you take, IT01 ot OH10?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Haven't heard either on a long time but I'd choose the IT01 as it not as peaky and aggressive.

[@nikolayberestok9076]

This or blessing 2? Thanks for your work here...

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Blessing 2 all the way for me. Better detail retrieval and resolution, along with cohesive and balanced mids.

[@luisnavarrete1602]

Vs FH3, what do you prefer?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I'd take the FH3 over the OH10 as it has more mids presence and less upper mid intensity and harshness.

[@vidalskyociosen3326]

Into it guy and this guy , are they the same person ?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

LOL! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJDPmIykgZaDq8U Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing ;)

[@imadalhaq3980]

Which one do you prefer between the er2se and 2xr ?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Are you asking me to spoil the ER2SE review? ;) I like both a lot but I prefer the ER2XR for it's fullness and naturalism even though the ER2SE has a wider soundstage it seems to be a little leaner and bright.

[@handlemonium]

I recently received pairs of the BASN Bsinger+Pro, Senfer DT6, BGVP DN1S, and Smabat NCO. I'm also planning to purchase ZS10 PROs this coming week. Would you like me to send any of them in for review?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

shoot me an email and we can discuss :)

[@PaulGreeve]

It wouldn’t be a truely honest review without a visit from your pussycat. You should do a special episode and introduce your cat to your audience. Cheers.

[@kengkhim]

Already had S12 will u suggest I get Kato or OH10?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Moondrop Kato

[@kengkhim]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Thanks.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome.

[@donniedarko86]

How do these fair against Moondrop Blessing 2's? I bought them based off everyone's praise for them, & while I do love the sound, they're super uncomfortable. Those chonky stems are too much for my ears. I'm still within the return period via amazon, so I'm considering trading them for these as people also love them & compliment the bass, something that others think the Blessing 2's lack in.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Bass is the only thing that the OH10 does better in my opinion. If you find the B2 uncomfortable I am not sure you will enjoy the OH10 as it is heavier in the ear and can put pressure on the ear hole.

[@donniedarko86]

@@TheHonestAudiophile personally the weight wasn’t an issue with the Blessing 2s, it was just the size of the stem that would have my ears aching after extended periods of use. But I can see how the weight could be an issue too.

[@nikolaygramchev]

Yes, they are a big enjoyment but not fully refined for $200.

[@nikolaygramchev]

I fully agree for the refinement but it is very strange how enjoyment comes from character of an iem. I know it will sound ridiculous but these have more character than Blessing Dusk 2 to me. What I mean is OH10 have character, JVC FDX1 have character, Jade EA1 have character... but Blessing Dusk 2 are so refined that I struggle to define their character. I know that sounds off but guess it is my character to look for a bit more focus to something that gives you enjoyment and makes it in a more differentiated way.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

We all have preferences and desires and some gear fills those and others don't.

[@artyboy1377]

I heard them at the store and the first thing I noticed was its signature bassy warmth. It's colored for sure but it has a pleasing "lounge music" sound for times when u just want to relax instead of doing critical listening. I can sense that it strains at higher volumes. Nevertheless i like them for the music I'm listening to as I'm a basshead but I wouldn't use them for jazz or more complex music. In the end I got the Campfire Audio Mammoth which are equally bassy yet it retain details in the highs and the mids were not too severely curtailed.

[@kentxx12]

You must feed the cat

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Yeah he is a vocal kitty 🐱

[@MrZedelijk]

Cat the audiophile seems to disagree with your opinion, Dave!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Nah, he was agreeing and just wanted to make sure you all heard him 😁

[@DA-jw6nm]

Dave, try something worthwhile. Listen to a singer live and then listen to that same song on a good DAC and then compare what you hear. After watching this video, I think you could learn from my idea.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I run the sound booth every week for my church, have so for the last 20 years. I hear and run live performances. There are many videos where I reference this. All of my reviews are based on what I believe is a natural, neutral and accurate reproduction of sound and whether or not the gear being reviewed is capable of reproducing such. Thanks for the comment and suggestion.

[@MannyScoot]

I picked up a pair on ebay for $150 bucks .....Brand New