Introduction
Hakugei is recognized as a manufacturer of superior cables. yet, having experienced the Hifi-Show firsthand. Seeing that they have in-ear monitors was a pleasant surprise. My current pair is a prototype, so it could end up looking different from the final product. (Photo credit: Michael Stanislawski) Seeing the finished product, I was blown away! I could not believe how awesome they look and sound!.
Disclaimers
This is a prototype Unit. Provided By Sir Kent Aldriann Alfonso and Hakugei Themselves. In exchange for my honest feedback and impressions I am not being paid to write this review. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
- I received the Hakugei-Starry Night free-of-charge for the purpose of this review. This in no way affects my review of the product.
- Let's accept that we all have different viewpoints and interests, and then have fun together in this shared pastime.
Test Tracks and Review Setup
Response to audio sources
It has been a real pleasure using it since it allows its true sound to shine through so easily. I also find that as I give the pair more juice, the better the sound quality gets because I feel like I am giving it more juice, rather than less.
Sound Signature
The overall sound for this pair is quite pleasant. Although it's not very engrossing, it does have a neutral to mild-U tone. Since this is a prototype pair, the overall sound may change or be enhanced in the future. However, I'm quite pleased with the overall sound because it suits my personal tastes well. I tend to listen to a wide variety of music, including classical, jazz, rock, and electronic dance music (EDM). And these in ears are able to keep up just fine with all of them.
Bass
The bass is solid, but not overpowering or harsh. Rather, the bass is well balanced with the rest of the frequency spectrum. And while it doesn't have the lowest sub-bass frequencies ever, it does cover the basics quite nicely. Having owned other in-ear monitors, I can say that I'm quite impressed with the level of bass that the Hakugei-Starry Night provides without becoming overwhelming or overly distorting the sound signature.
Mids
of clarity , which helps a bit, but not that much. Mid bass has great warmth and body to the sound, which is very satisfying for me, and the higher mid range provides a solid midrange sound. Violin sounds pretty good with this pair, but it's not overpowering, just well-balanced. it still retains the emotion of a violin. It does have some very warm tones in its treble that really help the sound, and its not overly harsh or muffled. Vocals have a nice warmth to them that has a slight brightening effect that is very pleasant to listen too. Overall the mid range is quite good on this pair and provides solid performance.
Treble
at higher volumes it can sound metallic and has a hint of being to peaky/screechy and harsh. however i feel that this is only at high volumes, as it doesn't sound this bad at the right levels. It has a nice brightness to it and adds a bit of a sparkle to my listening experience, though at times I wish that it were a bit more refined and smoothed out just a bit. It really comes down to personal taste; some people may enjoy the rough edge that this pair has whereas others may prefer a more polished sound. All in all the treble is pretty good but a bit more refinement in the top end would be welcome.
Tech Side
Anime References
When I think of this in ears, the anime Mirai Nikki immediately comes to mind. The primary reason is that the anime mentions the prototype diary. This in ear prototype has a high-quality sound and lots of room for improvement while still maintaining its distinctive tone. years from now, much like Yuno has been doing with her diaries. I hope that we see these In Ears continue to get better so that one day it can become as popular as Yuno Gasai from Mirai Nikki.