The Cheapest Planar IEM! 7Hz x Crinacle Dioko. 

I was one of the 150 people who received the incorrect filters. They highs were too much before replacing. Replacing them definitely made them sound better.

Interesting choice to cover these... they are a general interest case as the whole Crin/collab thing is generating a lot of discussion/curiosity. Good onya for a clean and fair assessment on a unit that people are curious about.

As an owner of both Dioko and Aria, I have completely opposite opinion on them. Aria definitely has more forward mids which makes them sound more natural, but Aria's dip around 8kHz makes them sound way too vague and non-detailed, and the soundstage isn't that great. Dioko on the other hand has more funny V-shaped sound, but it has absolutely amazing (for IEMs) soundstage, and details retrieval is unmatched by anything in its price category. They are definitely not as boring (analytical, alright?) as Aria, plus I had less comfort issues with Dioko rather than with Aria, which just don't hold in my ears properly.

for me the comfort is stellar they rest on my ears perfectly which reduces how much pressure is in my ear, also no issue with the stock cable, soundwise I love these, haven't spent time comparing with anything yet besides a very brief swap to the timeless but for $99 I haven't found anything that really competes with these

Completely agree on the treble. ✌🏻 Midrange I can see what you’re saying, and I can see other gear outshining it. I thought the Timeless did better there, to my ear. With bass I feel similar. It was articulate, though not big or boomy. Pros and cons there like you’re saying. Bass heads would like more punch indeed. Does seem that these, like almost anything, is going to play well on some tracks but not others. Love your work. You always come off as kind, professional, and your work is just very polished.

Funny enough, I find Dioko extremely comfortable, in fact more comfortable than a lot of smaller IEMs. The default tips definitely wasn't for me but with a little experimentation I found ones that fit really well.

My take on the Dioko: lush & full sub-/mid-bass that misses speed and control // recessed lower midrange that makes the pronounced upper midrange/lower treble area stand out and somewhat shouty // well extended fatigue-free treble

What an enjoyable review! I've also got the Diokos a few days back. Funny thing: when they came, I actually thought they were faulty due to just how shouty or "bass-and-lowmid-less" they felt (This was my second IEM purchase and I unfortunately had to compare them with the CCA CRA+ that I also got at the same time, and for the uninitiated like me, the disparity in the fun factor is striking). I've listened to them extensively for a few days now and I've actually grown to like them in a way that the past me probably couldn't: I rly tried finding a scenario where these would do me best and I found it late at night just listening to music I normally enjoy with openback overears: it was thatdetail that you describe, but the soundstage too! The dryness of it has really grown on me and I'm glad I've changed my opinion enough in order not to have to go through the hassle of returning them. I gently disagree as far as the aesthetics and ergonomics go: yes, they are bulky, relatively heavy and all, but my usual issues with inears are that either they don't fit in the bud bits department (my ear tunnels are different sizes, I'm pretty sure) so they don't seal or they pinch at a specific part of the ear and make the whole thing irritating to wear (the overear loop support on the cable is pretty much nothing, I agree with you there). These became surprisingly comfortable once I'd learned how to position them, the weight also adds to the stability of the in-ear part in my case (also, maybe a silly thing to point out, but I do enjoy putting something cold and metal against my ear on a hot summer's day - we'll see how this gets in winter tho :D). Overall, I'm glad you explained what I couldn't quite put my finger on as far as the sound goes. In the end tho, I've got to say, they look as striking as they do in the propaganda for it, I don't know what you mean :D they're like jewlery to me... I love it :D gets the heads turning in Prague, that's for sure. And hey, isn't that what the mainstream inear struggle is all about?

I liked these a lot. Everyone's ears are different and what frequencies they can hear. I have no issues with the Dioko.

It's cool to see you leading the pack in terms of production value in the audiophile youtube community. I can already see other channels getting better and better. Less unscripted, camera above desk rambly reviews. Anyways, the Dioko definitely doesn't do much for me. I already bought and sold the Timeless shortly after. They're both pretty ugly and large. For your money you should get something that fits well, looks AND sounds good. There are just SO many options out there!

Great review. Now while you are on an IEM streak do the ER2XR & ER3XR (both retailing for less than 100$ now)

I have this, the S12 and the timeless as I like Planar. This is just ok. I'm not treble sensitive so that doesn't bother me but the real issue is the mid bass tuck which is too excessive and makes vocal really recessed and hollow. Sure your ears can adjust but honestly,save more money and get a timeless (which in my personal opinion is still the best of the bunch to date).

Great review, Thanks! It would be interesting to see what you think of the other filter set. Some reviews find a difference where others do not. Appears the large size has conchaquences for most though. 🙂

Seiko Turtle with a Bond NATO is freaking cool. Try passing the strap backwards so the overhang sits on the "inside" or just cut it of to make it a single pass.

It seems that Crinacle indeed does not hear high frequencies well enough especially above 10K. It's all reflected in his ranking and tuning of IEMs.

There's no mention of the " the incorrect filters" problem here... did you swap the filters or not !? I'm seriously thinking about UPGRADING from the Arya to this, and your review was basically ... get the arias instead of this. PLEASE do clarify if these IEMs are "working properly" or if they have the filter issue. Thank you

I love your channel, but I really see this one 180 deg. from you on this headphone. I usually find our tastes are very similar but not this time. The only issue I have with this set is with the bass on a couple of tracks being slightly congested. Other then that, this set competes or beats all the sets I own up to at least $300-$400. I love this set.

This could have the wrong filters.

Awesome commentary. Was looking at this IEM as a contender for next purchase under 100 bucks, definitely gave me a lot to think about. Even if the sound was to my taste, the comfort is a biggie, and probably a deal breaker for me.

Joshua, do you know about the filter issue? Have you made sure you have a proper unit?

Chocolate chip trip is one of the best test tracks I've ever heard. Really fantastic. If you don't have a big smile on your face when you listen to it you're not an Audiophile.

Thank you Josh for the honest review you have made

Thanks for stating the fitment and size, I can't stand big heavy types of IEM's.

5:50 for a second i thought u were gonna compare it to Tripowin olina 😅

Planars and single dds have been my favorites especially for the price

For me a lot of the time the physical shape and comfort of an IEM often wins out over sound quality. I will go for what's more comfortable over what sounds good because what good is sound quality if im too uncomfortable to listen to them.

Really appreciate the James Bond NATO with that Seiko diver, looks so clean

I cant wear the Aria for more than 5 minutes. The Dioko is comfy for me. God gifted you with looks. Gave you weird ears lol. Your Sony does not have the power to drive the Dioko. I would be unhappy with them too. For a person who is not a bass head, there is something missing.

"all thoughts here are my own" while being held at gunpoint

I just want to drop a comment and thank you for your honesty!

I'm glad to see people using decent condenser mics instead of shotguns or lavs. I don't really understand why reviewers like to keep the mic out of the shot.

These are a steal. For the price of dinner for 2 these are insanely good. They sound like the best dd iem ever. With clarity and natural sound. These and a fiio btr5 and you're set.

The diokos are insanely comfortable in my ears with the stock sticky tips. Looks like you might have the incorrect filter problem?

Its correct filter version?

Then again, I’ve got the S12’…and if freak’n awesomeness..for $50 more . I’ve got one of the Dioko coming ..it may go ahead or behind the Aria in my stable ..or I might just give it away if it’s truly disappointing.

Can not believe Joshua did not review the 7hz Timeless yet

"the cheapest Planar IEM on the market" .... Well, until today, when the CCA PLA13 was released. Unless it turns out that KZ/CCA again got "confused" with tech stuff and it isn't a Planar at all. But until this point, I just bought the CCA PLA13 for €62,55, which makes it even cheaper, than the Dioko. Don't know whether it's any good though, 'cause it'll take about 2 weeks to be shipped to Europe, I guess ... so we'll see. :)

Looking at the pictures I always thought they were a perfect circle, they look so odd shaped in the video.

So accurate. The treble is too high for me to handle. Overall it's towards the lean side. Completely unusable for me without eq.

The Big Advantage of using Planars is, that you can have much larger diaphragms compared to dynamic drivers because they tend to loose the control when they are getting too big. The biggest dynamic driver so far in headphones is the MDR-Z1R with 70mm and only with a lot of effort and compromises and planars easily go to 110mm So because you have more/better control about the diaphgragm, you can make it much bigger. So why exactly would you put an Planar into an IEM? This Planar is smaller than some dynamic drivers you find in IEMs like the 16mm XBA-Z5 driver. It makes no sense whatsoever. All the issues that planars solve, are not there in IEMs in the first place. Maybe we reached the point where IEM are pretty much at their peek with several options being as close to perfection as virtually possible, that companies have to come up with something new that is rather different than better to make people invest money in again.

Josh, could you help me with one? Starfield, yay or nay? Im getting IEMs soon, and everyone wowed them in reviews. And they fit my music choices- D Bowie, Nina Simone, Sting, Queen, DaftPunk, OSTs, Yosi Horikawa, but also sometimes jazz, classical or Pink Floyd and M83... You might know more about IEM industry tahn some of us, whats cooking and gettin out. Starfields are kinda old now, but not really, but also yeah, and nah that much. So, ... help?

Hi Valor, Cool review 😎. Can u review the Letshuore S12 iem? And also xduoo link 2 bal Dac too🙂

As a note, i think it would be helpful to mention which Arya/aria you're talking about

Nice video review for interessting IEM. I never know planar IEM exits lol. I have overear planars and love them. I am between his and Moondrop Kuto damn.

Brought this one so I could have a cheap, planar IEM to take to work. Have not obtained them yet so I am keenly watching this review, commenting and I will either edit or leave a reply of my experiences once I have received them. I don't usually go in on Collabs, but I wanted to try these out as I liked the HE1000V1 and kinda wanted a sample of what would await me if I got a Planar IEM, even though I generally prefer headphones. Of course, there's the timeless, but I guess if I still use the Sony 1000M4 fairly frequently despite having access to better, I figured I didn't mind trying out what I presume would be "alright" before deciding whether I want more of it. Edit: Oh dear. I kinda feel like I've made a mistake.

Is it so hard to show a frequency response graph dude

You probably got one of the first 150 that got sent out with the wrong filters that graph with a lot more treble energy. You should contact the seller and request the proper filters.

they are a bit more shouty compared to the 7hz timeless but they are 100 more for the timeless so its expected to be better

Have you tried Foam eartips? I hear people say that tames the treble a bit enough to enjoy them better if you are treble sensitive.

I think the best tips for the ariya would be spinfit cp 145. The final tips in aria makes it muddy in my opinion.

I am surprised you have never reviewed the Yamaha HPH-MT5 on your channel.

I heard a rumors of Moondrop releasing planar IEM later this year, have you heard anything about it?

Did you get the replacement filters?

is my impression or he plays with the voice mixing? some time have a tiny echo and sometime are more clean to hear and another time are a little bit beckwards

best iem for metal and rock music?

It looks like they are hooked up to a phone on your B roll, are you sure you gave them enough power?

Moondrop spring tips are good. Did you like them/try them?

Waiting for the review of truthear zero

Any plans on checking out the Stealth version of the Anandas?

Thanks for the review.

U are comparing DD with planar. They are different 😅. Planar will never have the rich tonal range/timbre of the DD. That's a fact! See planar as a planar.

It's ruby glass and much more scratch resistant.

Thank you for getting me 100$ to spent on Vinyl that I won't spent on Headphones... ;-)

i changed the filters in my diokos and saw a small difference? the treble became more controlled. also i use these dioko iems with wavelet autoeq equalized to sound like moondrop variations XD

Review the letshuoer s12. I think you’ll like that set.

It will certainly have its public.

I wonder if you got one of the ~150 spicy Diokos. What a shame they look so ugly, if they were a more neutral colour and frosted they would look cool, like frosted black or frosted white would look so good on them.

Charge your phone 😝 jk it wasn’t even in the red. I won it from Linsoul, I’m excited to try it. Not sure it’ll hold up to P1 Max or Timeless though.

Nice review. ty.

Please review its older brother, 7hz Timeless

Hey josh you sure you got the right filters? The first 150 that shipped had a wrong filter on. It's not a problem anymore and you SOULD have gotten a replacement with the correct ones

What are the stock tips on these? I want to order more pairs. Tried them on more of my iems and they generally improve the sound. Anyone?

S12 vs Dioko ?? What's better?

I dont know if i have ever heard josh not recommend the aria in an IEM video lol

Hey josh can you review the gizaudio galelio?

How many iem is he going to put his name on this year! Cool to have so much variety in the market tho

I'm really confused by this review. Not once did you mention the filter error in the first batch and whether you had those or changed the filters? Mine are awesome and don't have the treble issue you describe.

You need to review the S12.

Isn’t KZ Pr cheaper?

I would urge you to try the shuoer s12 and if you want to try an open back iem the RAPTGO HOOK-X (a bit more pricey)

i mean the size isnt the IEMs fault you even admit all planar IEMs have that issue

What is planar ?

Aaaaalllright Truthear X Crinacle ZERO next pleease :)

please review the Google Pixel Buds Pro soon 😎

Personally I hated the tips. I replaced mine with super soft ones. Also, I know burning-in is bullshit, but over time the highs is isn't as piercing as before. or maybe super soft silicones did the trick.

when audiophile build again?

Oh damn they big

well Kinera released one for 49 USD

The driver and the chamber are very small. The rest of the unit size is useless and added just for design. They could have made a much smaller IEM than Timeless, but they went for looks. Idiots!

Thanks Joshua Valour

I wonder how good it get's with EQ.

Heyyy since you are checking out all these iems, how about reviewing zeos’s collab with hifigo, the shouer z12s? I honestly don’t need more iems, I’m glad with the ones I have and would much rather spend money on speakers or headphones, but I love seeing people review them and I’d love to know your take on those.

Tool Army unite

This make me wanna buy Aria

Are they Chinese products?

Planar is nothing infront of good tuned Dynamic driver And everything is based on marketing strategies not sound quality They are focused on marketing that's why no one buys them If they focus on audio quality more than marketing then everyone will buy Thier stuff A person only finds a good pair or sounding headphones or earphones These companies ruin that by focusing on marketing They don't care about sound at all

What's the best iem for imaging and soundstage for $100?

I absolutely hate the look and I really figured it wouldn't fit well.

So this is the 100 bucks endgame for hip-hop aficionados. Not much else though. Pass.

Copied Crin's video title? haha.