Ddhifi, known for their high-quality accessories like USB, power and audio cables, USB DAC/amps, cases and stands make some high quality IEMs too. They started with the DD IEMs, their latest hybrid IEM Surface has received love all over the world. What they didn’t has under their belt was a planar based IEM and the E13P fills that void but it’s different from most of their IEMs. All of their previous IEMs were capable of using upgrade cables and sources but this even though looks like a follow-up to a Moondrop IEM (this too is made in collaboration with MoonDrop) and lacks a couple of basic things. First thing is this doesn’t have a modular cable which is kind of unacceptable at the asking price of $170. Another miss is a removable function which is bare minimum for even $50 IEMs these days but what we get is a fixed cable. Are these deal breakers? Let’s explore!!
Get one from these links:
UNBOXING AND ACCESSORIES:
Even though DDhifi makes high quality accessories, we barely get anything here. Lift the upper cover, we have the Memory (CZ120) case with a paper box aside it. Tips are placed inside the box while the IEM is placed inside the carry case. That’s it.. Nothing else except some documentation.
BUILD AND ERGONOMICS:
What we are dealing here is with a semi in-ear design and an aerospace grade aluminum shell. The biggest question here is how is the isolation? And I can confirm that it’s above average. It doesn’t offer isolation like a few fully in-ear IEMs but if you can get a good fit, E13P offers reasonable ambient noise isolation. Ergonomics are very good too even though this has a large 13mm Planar in this, it’s angular design with its longish nozzle makes things comfortable. If you are not sold on the cable down wearing style, going cable up is perfectly fine too. Even though it looks long, I was easily able to sleep sideways with these on so.. you can imagine the level of comfort.
CABLE:
I have never been more confused in my reviewing hobby of around 15 years. This cable is so much better yet kind of off putting. Let’s talk about the positives first. It has a built-in DAC, the flagship level CS43198 does the heavy lifting. We get a shielded triple core externally braided 5N OCC cable that has dedicated L/R and Remote cores. Protected by a thick layer of nylon this cable will withstand heavy yanks and rough usage without any issues. It’s not bouncy and no microphonics to worry about either. We can control music and take calls thanks to this one button controller.
Now the down side.. It’s fixed!! At both the ends, there is no way to know the actual potential of this 13mm Planar driver. We can’t change the source either.. which is sad but the good thing is this DAC is doing an excellent job too!! No need for a “pairing with sources” segment so let’s jump into SQ but let me tell you, it doesn’t do any favours when it comes to sucking the life out of the phone, my nearly 2 years old 5000mah battery phone usually does around 8-10 hrs with this (with mobile data on). So, the power draw is a bit on the higher side.
SOUND QUALITY:
This 13mm planar driver IEM is co tuned with Moondrop and that’s evident here. I have worked with a handful of planar IEMs and I can easily say that this one of the best under $300. We get a nicely balanced yet slightly W shaped signature and warmish tonality with very good rendering of the whole spectrum. Good thing is, it doesn’t suffer from typical “Planar timber”. The only gripe I have is the limited access to DSP EQ capabilities is slightly disappointing but E13P barely leaves much to be desired.
BASS:
From my experience, I can easily place the E13P above a lot of Planar IEMs from yesteryears when it comes to technical abilities and control. We get very good sub-bass depth and rumbles, mid bass is slightly fuller but it’s tight and clean with excellent resolution, definition and layered note delivery. Area of impact is dynamically controlled, it can be concentrated when needed and spreads out when not, exhibiting its technical superiority over other Planar that sound monotonous. We get excellent control over decay too, it doesn’t let the notes get unnaturally heavy yet let’s in enough weight behind the notes to offer fuller and meaty body. E13P surprisingly offers excellent Contrast of back and foreground instruments while the dynamic range is above average too. Excellent for a Planar but some DD IEMs can do slightly better than this. It barely has any issues with upper bass notes, no softness to worry about and stays cleanly clear of any type of bleeding.
MID RANGE:
This is where I feel the magic happens and not to my surprise, E13P brings its own magic to the mix. It doesn’t have grand feel to it but the first thing that caught my attention is the absolutely fantastic dynamics and texture it offers with both instruments and vocals. This kind of texture is hard to get with IEMs under $500. It’s just on a different level. Yes, vocals could have been slightly taller but both male and female vocals have superb resolution and finishing definition with right amount of energy at the peak of the notes yet has no sharpness or thinness at any point. Even Doechii and Halsey are unable to introduce fatigue. Yes, male vocals sound a bit more organic and throatier (yet not grunty) but both enjoy excellent vocal emphasis and variations in intensity. This would have been an exceptional mid-range if the vocal notes were slightly warmer instead of being neutral but this definitely helps with better clarity and transparency. Instruments are slightly more forward than the vocals and offer high quality resolution and definition with class leading back and foreground separation. It’s hard to believe that this kind of technical ability is available at under $200. It’s got the bite to keep me seated but never gets uncomfortable. There is little to no added sharpness with the upper mids either. Yes, this mid-range is more resolving than smooth so keep that in mind.
HIGHS:
Before this, I had worked on the Kiwi Ears Aether which is excellent for most part but the highs were lacking proper definition, losing resolution that process, it’s more like a mushy, foggy soup. I am happy to report that there are no such issues here. We are treated with an agile and aptly lively high end with very good extension. It has enough energy at the peaks to offer engagement without being aggressive or peaky. Yes, the energy at the upper treble region can feel slightly lacking but that’s still aptly relevant. We get very good layering and separation in any case with very good air between instruments because of their precise body. It does feel slightly flattish in the treble region when it comes to Z-axis depth, which is better with the mid-range. It does offer very good accuracy with instrument placement and the good thing is, even though it has very good timber and body with the notes, E13P never sound muffled or thick.
IMAGING AND STAGE:
13P is an excellent IEM when it comes to clarity and that can be said for the stage and imaging too. Best aspect here is the extra bit of precision it offers (without sounding dry) which adds to the amount of air between instruments, enhancing its cue placements to pin point accuracy. We do get a well expanded stage that is tall and wide with decent Z-axis depth, (yes, you can’t expect it all at this price). Most of the stage is placed out of the head, some of the vocal and mid-range notes are placed out of the head while treble notes completely originate and projected outwards. We get an evenly spread stage where no part of the stage feels cramped or hollow. Sonics are very good too, it doesn’t lack with transient effects but since the separation with the highs aren’t that clean, it can sound a bit flattish.
COMPARISON:
VS Hidizs MK12:
VS KiwiEars Aether:
KiwiEars Aether is an excellent IEM when it comes to seamless presentation but that’s a problem too. This seamlessness actually robs it off of texture and proper finishing definition, which is not a problem with the E13P. Aether is bassier in every aspect, it’s meaty, has bigger body, bigger area, heavier punch, slower decay, slightly less evolved layering while the E13P has better dynamics and contrast with cleaner, more defined notes.
Mid-range is where the difference is even more stark. Aether is thicker, smoother and fuller but E13P has much better accuracy, finishing definition and resolution. Tonally of Aether is warmer and more organic, E13P is less warm but timber is a lot more natural. Both have very good cohesion. Highs are slightly less dissimilar as both have very good extension and stage expansion bot while Aether sounds mushy and tangled without proper definition and clarity, E13P has much better layering and separation with air between instruments. Both have superb stage expansion but yes, Aether has the edge but E13P has better cue placements.
CONCLUSION:
What did you come for? Did you come looking for an enjoyable experience with convenience written all over it? Without any clutter or 2nd thoughts of impact of variables? You have come to the right place. E13P is all you need. It just offers a musical yet aptly accurate presentation that offers excellent functionality without any obvious weak points.
Did you come looking for a more expandable planar IEM? Please wait for Memory 2 maybe? Or opt for the Janus 3 maybe.
All in all, E13P is an excellent choice for on the go use where you need to be aware of incoming calls and is a perfect choice for those who aren’t exactly an audiophile but want an all-in-one experience that can be used with nearly everything that has Type C audio output capabilities with an audiophile like SQ.
That’s it, enjoy!!
