DUNU Titan 1 – Half In-ear || Full detail package || Double bang for your buck
DUNU has been around for quite a while now (earlier as an OEM) and have managed to have a recommended IEM or two in the budget price brackets. Their higher offerings, the DN1000 and DN2000 triple hybrids, wowed Head-fi and cemented DUNU as a force to be reckoned in the 200-400$ bracket. The Titan-1($115) comes barging into a very crowded and competitive price segment, that has seem a few gems prevail the hype storm. Will the Titan 1 be one of those gems we will still talk about a few years down the line?
Packaging Accessories and Build
At 115$, the packing is pure class. The thick double flap (magnetic) cardboard box, layout, and accessory list makes for a pleasing experience before the first listen.
The
accessory list is extensive and I was able to find a secure fit for my narrow ear canals in no time (small Sony-hybrid like tips). I do feel that double/tri flange tips should also be included, for a shallow fit IEM like this. Quite a few people on the Titan 1 thread have found the sweet spot with multi-flange tips (For ex. See
earfonia’s review)
The cable is half cloth half rubber. The cloth half isn’t prone to kink like the RE400 and does a pretty good job in suppressing microphonics. However, the same cannot be said for the rubber half which easily picks up mechanical noise. The best solution for this is to wear them cable-up, but this is not possible unless the channels are swapped. The 3.5mm jack is beefy and the strain relief seems sturdy enough to do the job. Time will tell if the Y spilt holds up. The strain reliefs exiting the housing are relatively thinner and inflexible. In the first month of use, I took extremely good care of them, and decided to put them to the test throughout the second month “for the greater good” (no case, buried in bags, stuffed in pockets, used as a bungee cord etc etc.. you know… the usual stuff). Happy to report that, other than a few scuff marks on the outer face, everything looks as good as new. “Excellent build” is the two month verdict.
Special mentions:
- The carry case is classy. All black, very sturdy, rubber padded inside, Anti slip base, nice click to close, maybe a touch shallower than I hoped.
- The Rubber belt-like clasp on the lower cable is a very nifty. I do not know of other IEMs that have this feature. If you do know of one, you know what I’m talking about. Quick storage and retrieval is a breeze. I think DUNU has patented this design, but I hope to see this on all IEMs.
Comfort and isolation
The colour coded metal housings are the half in-ear type. This design allows a large diaphragm to be placed nearly perpendicular to your ear canal and also allow some interesting vent designs. The Titan 1 housings are almost 1.5 cm in diameter and the angled nozzles are 0.5cm to 0.75cm in length. They fit just perfectly in my concha and anti-tragus, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few complained of discomfort. The vents are positioned in a unique way. 11 small circular vents on the inside face of the housing and one vent on the outside face just under the stem.
As you can imagine the isolation, with this level of venting, should be poor. I found that the isolation wasn’t as poor as proper open back IEMs like the Signature Acoustics O16. The Ostry KC06(which isn’t an open IEM) also offers similar levels of isolation. The Titan-1’s are not ideal or advisable for use on the go, unless you need poor isolation of course (to aid spatial awareness).
Efficiency and perceived frequency response
The Titan-1 is pretty efficient and was easily driven by my Sansa Clip, LG G2 and Geek Out 450. The Geek Out 450 sounded better rounded than the other two (not by much though), and has been used for the Sound section below.
The sub-bass rolls off below 25Hz (quiet setting). The climb from the sub-bass to mid bass feels like a gradual curve. This gradual climb only seems to dip a tiny bit around 600Hz and 1300Hz. There are slight bumps around 2200Hz and 4800Hz before I notice a small dip at 8600Hz. There is a growing emphasis through and beyond the transition from the upper mids into the treble. Except for a peak at around 12.8KHz, the treble was well behaved before it dropped off at 17.6KHz. On the whole, I was impressed at how controlled and smooth the sweep sounded compared to my other sets. Onto the real-world tests now:
Sound
Primary list of music used
Bass: The Titan 1 has the come-only-when-called-upon type of bass. This description is reserved for IEMs that deliver are able to maintain a very clean background and deliver a surprising bass kick out of no-where. This capability gets slightly weaker as we climb into the Titan 1’s midbass.
The overall decay is fast but lingers a tiny bit beyond “fast”. I suspect the housing-design/sense-of-space also has something to do with this. What this does is, deliver a dash of warmth that contributes to the organic experience. The detail retrieval is very impressive (This is something you will read over and over throughout this review). The gradual mid-bass hump could do with a little more refinement (more about this in the
RE400 comparison). This is also more apparent because of the transparency throughout the rest of the range.
Mids: There has been a mix of opinions on the extent of midrange recession. I would classify the signature as a mild V shape that is not blatantly obvious in a majority of my music. The U is quite apparent when switching from a neutral/mid-forward IEM or on tracks with some inherent midrange recession (that gets exaggerated). After two weeks of using the Titan 1, I never felt like I was missing out on detail in the midrange and only on occasion (15%) wished for more midrange emphasis. Female vocals have better presence compared to the male vocals(extend will vary depending on the recording)
Highs: The detail retrieval is astonishingly good. I have read a few reports of slight harshness/sibilance. I’ve probably lucked out with the tips, because I haven’t heard the treble cross the line. There is undoubtedly a slight treble emphasis but it only gets jarring at very high volumes. This lack of harshness contributes to the organic signature. However on the whole, it lacks some delicacy and finesse (see
RE272 comparison). The treble can be considered edgy depending on the recording and listening volume, but I did not find it fatiguing.
Stage, space and imaging
The sense of space/stage is attention grabbing in the beginning (early listening) and then settles into a very natural enveloping stage that is starkly discernible when A/Bing with other IEMs. The L/R extension is above average, but that is not the (most) impressive bit. With most IEMs the sound cues start to fill your head, and after a certain virtual distance, start to feel confined. This is different from the positioning of individual cues ion the stage. The former has more to do with the “space” the cues occupy. On the Titan 1 the sound cues begin to fill your head and then radiate beyond. This feature in particular is very impressive and sounds very natural. The lesser than average isolation is a trade-off for the excellent sense of space that the Titan 1 offers.
Comparisons: The Titanium Trifecta
HIFIMAN RE400: The RE400 needs no introduction to the Head-fi scene. This 100$ titanium pellet has a warm neutral/slightly mid-forward signature with smooth treble. The Titan 1 is bassier, slightly V shaped with more emphasised treble. Not an obvious comparison here. The Titan 1 has the edge in sub-bass presence and as a result, presents similar levels of detail in a more noticeable/obvious manner and is is more enjoyable. The story is not the same when we climb into the mid-bass. Head-to head, the Titan 1 seems woollier and less refined in comparison. The RE400 also edges the Titan 1 in details retrieval and presentation. The RE400 has a distinct hump centred in the mid-bass as opposed to the gradual hump(that extends into the lower mids). Both may not sound ideal, but I find the RE400 to be more natural in this regard. The midrange is more linear on the RE400 and is more emphasized. The level of detail is at similar levels with the RE400 sounding relatively drier. The smooth treble is a contrast from the Titan 1 which is sounds edgier and more in-your-face, in comparison. Perceived detail retrieval is higher on the Titan 1 but I think the RE400 does remarkably well(but is not as upfront about it). The soundstage and space presented by the Titan 1 is more natural and enveloping that the more conventional RE400(in this regards).
On the whole, I feel they are both technically adept and cater to slightly different audiences. I would recommend the Titan 1 over the RE400 as a transition IEM for someone wanting to venture into neutral waters(before diving head-first).
HIFIMAN RE272: This legendary, now discontinued titanium micro-driver beauty is my absolute benchmark for treble detail-retrieval and presentation. The Titan 1 reminded me of the detail retrieval and nuances the RE272 brought out in my music. They differ mainly in presentation of that detail. Both, I will say, have emphasized highs (more so on the Titan 1). Both stay clear of sibilance or harshness(at normal listening volumes). Both have similar levels of detail(RE272 is slightly ahead). The similarities however end here. The RE272 manages to serve up this detail on a smooth black granite platter, while the Titan 1 chooses an ornamental shiny platinum platter. It is very easy to get lost in all the RE272 detail. The Titan 1 however, makes you take notice of every detail but not in an annoying way.
Conclusion:
The pleasing all-rounder signature, excellent build, accessory list, and extremely competitive price is a winning formula when competing in a crowded price segment.
What DUNU has done is take a neutralish/detail-oriented IEM and add just the right amount of pizazz. While there is room for some tweaking and refinement, I think the Titan 1 will weather the hype and gain a place in the top recommendation lists for all-rounder IEMs ~100$. I am definitely looking forward to the next iteration.
I am sensitive to sharp/peaky treble and cannot stand a recessed midrange(but I always try to make sure I stay as objective as possible in my review). That said, I didn’t find myself frowning with the Titan 1 singing in my ears. Yes, the midrange is slightly recessed and the treble is a little emphasized, but they never cross the line. Some expert tuning right there. I still break out the RE400 for that beautiful midrange and the Ostry KC06 when I need to be pumped up. The RE272 is the special one. It is undoubtedly my detail and treble presentation benchmark.
I don’t particularly enjoy the Titan 1 at very low listening volumes(before sleep/studying etc.). The midrange slips just beyond my threshold and distracts me. I have the relatively midforward RE400 for that.
I would like to thank Vivian (DUNU) for giving me the opportunity to share my honest opinion on the Titan 1.
Thanks for reading. Do let me know if you have any thoughts on where I can improve my reviewing style(For ex: Not descriptive enough in XXX section).
Always remember that each reviewer will have a slightly different take on the sound. It is important to go through as many reviews as possible and build a consensus of what the IEM will sound like. You could also pick a reviewer a two who you feel has similar tastes/perception as you (from reference reviews).
Other reviews of the Titan 1 can be viewed at this link. Let us know if you have any questions regarding the Titan 1 over at the main thread. Tomscy2000 has organized the impressions and review links in the OP so that will be the best place to start.
It goes without saying that auditioning something is the best way to go. Every other option is a distant 2nd, 3rd and so on, but we need to work with what 
Il try doing a short review soon 
