The original Champion of AudioBudget. Easily beats far more expensive earphones. The whole AudioBudget project was started by wanting to find something in the budget price range that could compete with these amazing earphones. These earphones are the perfect combination of deep and pounding bass and detailed and clear mids and highs. The loudness of these is unbelievable, even if you use a weak source. Their superiority over other earphones is based on the overall listening experience, not on a specific frequency range. The materials used with these, and the construction itself, is quite impressive for the price (even though flawed).
ROCK Zircon (RAU0501)
ø8mm Dynamic Driver
$10~$15
4.5/5.0
Pros
- Excellent sound signature for the price point. The bass is immersive and surrounding, the mids are precise and the highs are crisp and exciting.
- A decent build quality and a generous use of materials. Ceramics? Yes, please.
- The included ear tips are of such a high quality, and provide me with a perfect hassle-free seal, that I used them to test almost all of the earphones on AudioBudget.
Cons
- The mids are not audiophile-friendly, and the highs can be too edgy for some listeners.
- There have been many reports of the cable/plug joint being damaged quickly. A proper strain relief could have solved it.
Package & Accessories
Package:
Soft paperboard + soft plastic (clear)
Ear Tips - Single-Flange:
S+M+L, white (translucent), ø5mm black bores
Build & Materials
Housings:
Ceramic + plastic (glossy), ø5mm nozzles, stiff strain reliefs
Remote:
Metal, single-button
Y-Split:
Metal, no strain reliefs
Cable:
Fabric + TPE, 118cm, extra-soft, straight
Plug:
Metal, 90° angled, short, no strain relief
Comfort & Fit
The angled design, along with the superb ear tips, make a perfect seal out of the box. One of the most comfortable earphones I've ever had.
Lows / Bass
The bass is not just powerful and deep, it also doesn't muffle the mids and highs at all. This is the most enjoyable balance between lows and mids ever. These drivers handle deep bass music styles easily, like Dubstep and Trap.
Mids / Vocals
The mids are clear and precise, even though not micro-detailed. Even when the bass is kicking hard, the mids stay stable and consistent at all times. The vocals sound full and surrounding, and give you the sensation of being in front of a massive stage. The channel separation is unexpected for the specs. The vocals get bright but usually not sibilant, although a bit off-tone, not entirely accurate, which is rather typical for V-shaped sound signatures.
Highs / Treble
The highs are loud and sharp, and usually not sibilant and not painful. For some people, they are perfect for extended listening sessions. For others, the highs might be just a bit too harsh and hard to endure for long listening sessions.
Frequency Response
Published on 2016-01-16 13:05:47 (GMT)