HIDIZS ST2 PRO Review -iegems

Hidizs ST2 Pro Nebula - Bassy and Convenient

General Information​

The key “accessory” of ST2 is, of course, the USB DAC cable. Simply put, you can think of it as an Apple dongle with built-in IEM cable. I will discuss this cable later in this review.

Sonic Performance​

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Timbre:

ST2 has a rather unique sound signature that does not align with any other IEM in my database. The best way to describe it is a bass-focused V-shaped sound signature. In other words, ST2 is unabashedly “casual.” It does not aim for a “neutral” “audiophile-approved” tuning nor does it aim for a sub-bass focused tuning so that “you can feel the bass without bass bleed.” No, this IEM embraces mid-bass and utilises a surprisingly capable dynamic driver to execute that vision. ST2 is punchy, thumpy, and unabashedly recessed and boomy.

At the same time, Hidizs shows restrain and maturity with the tuning of the other end of the spectrum. As a result, ST2’s upper midrange and treble are generally smooth with minimal sibilance or shoutiness. The benefit of this tuning choice is that you can turn the volume even louder to soak in that mid-bass boom boom.

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Percussion, Bass, and perceived dynamic:

Bass response, particularly mid-bass, is the highlight of ST2 sound signature. The frequency response of ST2 ensures that the sounds listeners commonly associate with “bass” such as kick drums and the slaps and plucks of bass guitars are highlighted over other elements in the mix. The exaggerated amount of bass is accompanied by surprisingly competent bass quality to create impactful bass line that also feels “tight” and snappy.

Stereo imaging and soundstage:

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Where ST2 really shines is in FPS gaming. ST2 is one of the rare IEMs that can convey the illusion of gunshots coming from the front of the head. Whilst ST2 does not have tack sharp positioning of sound elements, I find this IEM to be quite competent for gaming. If you are skilled, you might be able to gain competitive advantage with ST2.

USB DAC Cable​

As I mentioned, ST2 is packed with a USB DAC cable. The immediate question would be whether the cable “transparent” or it has some sorts of baked in EQ. As you can see from the frequency response measurement below, the response of ST2 remains unchanged when swapped to an analog cable. This result suggests that the USB DAC cable is “transparent.”

Regarding the DAC itself, I found the cable to sound clearer, more spacious, and more dymamic than the plain old Apple dongle. According to the official spec sheet, it seems that ESS ES9281AC PRO chip provides both DAC and amplification. The volume curve seems to be set quite aggressively, similarly to other USB DAC cables on the market, meaning this DAC gets very loud even at low volume with all of my devices, from HiBy R3II to MacBook.

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BUY NOW: HIDIZS ST2 PRO Nebula

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