ROCK Zircon Sport (RAU0510)

ø8mm Dynamic Driver

$15~$20
4.0/5.0

The sports variant of the Champion of AudioBudget: ROCK Zircon. Soundwise, these earphones are identical to the original Zircon. However, Zircon Sport's design makes them much less universal when it comes to comfort. I, for once, couldn't get them in my ears properly at all. I had to hold them with my hands to hear them. They might fit you though, but for this sole comfort issue they lost a point.

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.
  • A questionable design choice. Either they fit you well, or they don't fit at all.
  • There have been many reports of the cable/plug joint being damaged quickly. A proper strain relief could have solved it.

Package & Accessories

Package:

Hard paperboard

Ear Tips - Single-Flange:

S+M+L, white (translucent), ø5mm black bores

Build & Materials

Housings:

Ceramic + metal + plastic (glossy), ø5mm nozzles, stiff strain reliefs, pre-shaped ear loops

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

These earphones aren't as universal as the original ROCK Zircon. They might fit some, but they didn't fit me at all, I couldn't put them inside firmly and couldn't get a seal.

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 2016-05-17 20:07:44 (GMT)
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