I’ve really enjoyed all of DUNU’s recent IEM releases in the past year. I’ve been eying tribrids for a bit now and I happened to get both the THIEAUDIO Clairvoyance(thanks ANT) and the DUNU EST 112 at the same time so I’ve had quite the fun experience with tribrids so far. The 112 uses a bigger single DD, 1 BA and 2 Sonion EST drivers. This makes for a somewhat bigger(chonky) metal housing for the IEMs. Also included is the new DUW-02S cable which is a different braid vs the standard DUW-02.
Quick shoutout to Kevin from DUNU for sending the EST 112 to test and review. While I always appreciate the chance to test and review products sent in from manufacturers, it never affects the rating of my review.
Gear Used
IPhone 12 pro with headphone adapter, iFi micro iDSD Signature, Lotoo PAW S1, SMSL SU-9 feeding the SP400 amp.
Looks and fit
The 112 comes in a rather plain matte silver shell with a design etched into the faceplate. This is by far the most basic design I’ve seen from DUNU recently. The shells are fairly thick and kinda heavy but they made the nozzle/stem slightly longer than normal IEMs which makes for a deeper and secure fit. I had no real comfort issues with the 112 during long listening sessions. Though I feel that if I took these out on a walk, I might run into seal problems as the shells are heavier.
Packaging and accessories
I got a review unit that didn’t come in standard packaging so you may wanna check other reviews to see stock accessories and the unboxing presentation. I did however get a few classic DUNU tips, spinfit tips, 3 different terminated connectors and the standard blue leather DUNU pouch.
Sound(overall)
These final impressions were done off a mix of the Lotoo PAW S1 and the SMSL SU-9 connected to the SMSL SP400. These are what the EST 112 sounds like to my ears. This was also using the CP100 stock eartips from spinfit. Things like ear tip selection and DAC/amp selection will produce different results and impressions vs what my ears hear on my specific gear.
The EST 112 uses a bigger 13.5mm dynamic driver so the low end sounds fairly detailed. It’s still a little light in terms of sub bass but there is still a little punch down low. I found the mid bass had a little more of a noticeable thump and rumble. I think the low end sounds really good overall but for my personal preferences I would prefer just a bit more low end punch. Mids get a bigger focus here with a noticeable boost. While not as intense as DUNU’s ZEN/LUNA, it still can sound a hair too intense on different sources. Vocals come off crisp and detailed but it's only when things like snares or other shaper noises happen that the boost to the mids is noticeable. Treble is the weak point here. While I found the top end decently detailed, It really didn’t impress me all that much. I had figured with the two EST drivers than the treble would be a little brighter sounding. Those looking for a smoother presentation up top will enjoy the EST 112. My personal gripe with the upper treble was that I didn’t feel like I was getting the sparkle I personally look for in an Mid-Fi IEM. There wasn’t as much “air” up top either.
Soundstage/Imaging
Soundstage is about average for an IEM in this price bracket. Depth and width are about average. I get a feeling of the music being a little closer to my head and I’m neither impressed nor disappointed. Imaging was fine. I tend to not have any problems with average soundstage IEMs when it comes to imaging. Things were easy to pick out but I definitely wasn’t wowed by any means.
Cable rolling
I did try a few different cables and really didn’t notice a difference outside of using their CHORD cable with the EST 112. I did end up using the DUNU DUW-03 cable as I like the looks and heavier cable as the IEMs are more stable in my ear with that cable. The CHORD cable seems to add a bit of warmth to the EST 112 and it was fairly noticeable during testing but I can’t confirm this wasn’t just placebo. I do think the stock cable is fine though, still a little light in thickness and weight for my personal tastes. I don't really recommend a different cable unless you want something that looks different.
Stock cable
The stock cable is thin and lightweight but nicely braided. I find it a bit strange to include the DUW-02S with the EST 112 since the IEM is somewhat heavier than other IEMs. This makes the balance of the IEM feel weird when worn. It feels like the ear guide and cable don’t do much in terms of keeping the thicker shell 112 secure in my ear. That being said, I do think this a fantastic cable. Plus it’s another quick disconnect termination system which means you get a balanced cable right out of the box. They also include 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm pentaconn plugs which is fantastic iIMO. If the IEM fits your ears better and they feel secure with the stock cable, then I’d say skip replacing it with something else.
Tip rolling
While I did try some standard tips, I ended up sticking with spinfits for the rest of testing. Specifically the new CP100+ that's been recently released. The CP100 included with the EST 112 does look the same honestly but with a different color scheme on the stems vs the normal CP100. The CP145 works too but I found I liked the deeper fit of the CP100+ better overall. As with all IEMs, bore size and material can really make a difference. I found the smaller bore CP100 did well at keeping the low end thumpy while keeping the mids and highs a little less focused. The CP500 worked with a slightly strange fit but the 112 sounded a little too bright with those tips for my tastes.
IEM comparisons
THIEAUDIO Clairvoyance
The Clairvoyance does have a few more BA drivers over the 112. It also comes in a little over $200 more as well. I think the Clair sounds better than the 112 overall. The Clair has a warm-ish top end but still manages to have some sparkle and bite in the upper treble. It also has a more spacious and airy sound over the 112. The shell is smaller than the EST112 and is lighter in weight as well being all acrylic vs metal like the 112. I do think the Clair is worth it over the EST 112 but not by a lot. There is also the problem of QC on the Clairvoyance. It’s a total of 8 drives stuffed into a smaller shell. Higher chance for things to sound off or drivers not being properly matched. The EST 112 gets 90 percent of the way to the Clairvoyance so it at least gets close and for a bit less price wise.
DUNU ZEN
While the ZEN is a single DD, I still thought I would do the comparison since it’s the next step up in DUNU’s line up. The ZEN has a better low end and a huge focus on the upper mids/lower treble. The ZEN can get a little sibilant at times because of this. Staging is both wider and deeper on the ZEN as well. Both IEMs have a hard time keeping the energy up in the higher frequencies but I do think the EST 112 is my preferred tuning over the two. I do however like the stock cable and smaller shells of the ZEN. For everyday use I still rock the ZEN but for critical listening I still throw either the EST 112 or the Clairvoyance on instead. I think the ZEN will be a specific use buy over the more balanced sounding EST 112.
Amping Combinations
Lightning headphone adapter
This is an ok pairing. The EST 112 gets more than loud enough off the dongle and it sounds pretty good. I did feel that extra amping off balanced did sound a little better but I think I could get away with just the dongle and be fine.
Lotoo PAW S1
The S1 is my goto dongle for my Ipad and Iphone. I like the warm and spacious sound the S1 delivers and it paired well with the EST 112. While one can easily get away with the apple headphone dongle, I think the added flavor of the PAW S1 really adds a little life to the 112. Lows have a little extra thump, mids and highs sound ultra smooth yet retain their detail. Staging was a bit wider as well. A wonderful pairing IMO for the EST 112.
iFi micro iDSD Signature/ SMSL SP400
While the doesn't need desktop levels of power to run, it did just fine off both amps. The iFi Signature still outputs way too much power for IEMs in general but I liked that I could use their xBASS boost option to give the 112 a little more juice down low. The SP400 is what I use for final impressions since it is the closest thing to neutral without sounding lean or clinical that I own. The 112 sounded the best off the SP400 and had the most speed and detail off that amp. Do I think a desktop amp is needed for the EST 112? Absolutely not! I personally like to use IEMs at my desk more than over ear headphones so I use desktop amps a lot with my IEMs.
Amping thoughts
The EST 112 doesn't need a lot of power to run like older EST IEMs. I would say it will be a personal preference on what you think you would like to use with the 112 as I think sounds pretty good from most sources.
Overall thoughts
What do I think of the EST 112 at $489.99? I think it's fairly well tuned and minus some personal gripes with the thicker and heavier shell, I think it's a wonderful deal value wise. It sounds like a good IEM that I would expect to cost a little closer to the ZEN or Clairvoyance and it comes with an amazing cable that has the option to switch the plugs for different gear. I really don’t have anything bad to say about the 112 and It gets a full recommendation from me. I think DUNU did pretty well here, though I’m hoping for a smaller or at least lighter shell on their next tribrid. DUNU has knocked it out of the park for me personally these last few releases so I hope they can keep up the steam for future releases. Thanks for reading!
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