Hisoundaudio Golden Crystals Quick Review

Hisoundaudio Golden Crystals Quick Review

Thanks to Frogbeats for the sample and Thanks to Advanced Headphones www.advancedheadphones.co.uk for the sample (AMP3’s sister site)

(both sent me a pair)

Brief: Think the opposite of neutral or natural

Price: £120

Specification: Impedance 16 Ohm Cable Length 124cm Sensitivity 110dB Frequency Range 15 - 23,000 Hz Driver 5mm dynamic driver

Accessories: 2 Sets of Bi Flanges, 3 Sets of Triple Flanges, 3 Silicone Ear Tips (S/M/L), 5 Sets of Hybrids, Leather Box

Build Quality: Hmm, seem good, good looking cable and the buds look well put together.

Isolation: Very good. As good as the better armature stuff.

Comfort/Fit: Excellent, the things are stupid tiny. I did prefer complys on them as silicon tips gave a me a little venting issues but nothing major.

Aesthetics: Cable is bland bit the buds look impressively shiny. Not that they will be seen as they disappear into your ears.

Sound: A series of contradictions that I can’t decide what to make of. The bass is mostly all push and doesn’t really want to go low and hold a note yet I love its cleanliness and tight control. The mids are vacant and distant yet detailed and open and airy. The highs lack any edge but shimmer with stupid abundance yet decay too fast. On paper they do a ton of things wrong but god damn it they have nailed their colours to the wall and run with it. They are the most unnatural and unneutral things ever but I can’t help liking them and I don’t know why. I shouldn’t. These have really gone with a flavour and the closest I can think of is like a warmer and dynamic version of the TF10 which also does so much wrong but yet sounds amazing. These aren’t on the same level but do so much of the same and if you like the flavour these offer then there is little like them. I find myself really enjoying it but I know it’s not something I could take all day every day, it’s too dramatic and dynamic. Fun though in spades.

Value: I can’t decide, if you want the best sound for your money then this probably isn’t it but it’s unlike anything else. Also unlike most things it straddles the middle ground between the Dual BA that sit around this price that isolate but don’t have the bass for many and the dynamics that have the bass but don’t isolate enough. This is a weird V shaped slab of drama and excitement that you’ll either love, hate or dither between the two like I am. On paper it’s all wrong but it works.

Pro’s: Great isolation, Dramatic and interesting sound signature.

Con’s: Overly dramatic and peculiar sound signature.