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HiSoundAudio Wooduo 2

HiSoundAudio Wooduo 2 Review

HiSoundAudio Wooduo 2
Added Oct 2012

Details: Wooden flat-cable earphone from HiSound
MSRP: $129 (manufacturer’s page)
Current Price: $99 from ebay.com / $80 from amazon.com$99 from mp4nation.net
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: 16Ω | Sens: 110 dB | Freq: 16-23k Hz | Cable: 4.1′ I-plug
Nozzle Size: 5mm | Preferred tips: stock single-flanges, Comply T400
Wear Style: Straight down or over-the-ear

Accessories (4/5) – Single-flange (3 sizes), double-flange (3 sizes) and triple-flange silicone tips, hard shell carrying case, and shirt clip
Build Quality (4/5) – The Wooduo 2 utilizes wood and metal housings with flat cables. Everything is very well put together and the cables seem sturdy and are tangle-resistant, though the strain reliefs are a bit stiff for my liking and no cable cinch is present
Isolation (3/5) – Good for a dynamic-driver design
Microphonics (3.5/5) – Bothersome when worn cable-down; better when worn cable-up
Comfort (4/5) – The housings are fairly small and fit comfortably but the flat cable a little stiff and, combined with the lack of a cable cinch, can make over-the-ear wear difficult

Sound (8/10) – The Wooduo 2 is a bass-heavy earphone that manages to retain solid all-around performance by keeping its low end in check and maintaining good clarity and treble presence. Bass impact is excellent and depth is very good – on-par with pricier sets such as the JVC HA-FX500 and FutureSonics Atrio MG7. Listeners who find heavy bass fatiguing will want to stay away but it’s doubtful that even die-hard bassheads will find the Wooduo 2 lacking in low-end presence. Sets such as HiSound’s own Crystal and the VSonic GR06, which are not exactly bass-light, are absolutely trampled by the Wooduo’s visceral, domineering bass. At the same time, while the Wooduo is among the bassier IEMs I’ve heard, its the low end remains surprisingly controlled and clean. It does lack some tightness and detail when compared to an armature-based set such as the Rock-It Sounds R-30 or the higher-end VSonic GR07 but not when pitted against other bass monsters, especially ones in its price bracket.

The midrange of the Wooduo is not as recessed as one might expect from such a bassy earphone – only a little more so than that of the VSonic GR02 Bass Edition. Midrange clarity is very good and the detail level is again respectable, though not as good as with HiSound’s more balanced-sounding Crystal model. Some loss of refinement is expected with this much bass and the Wooduo handles complexity well for an earphone with the sound signature equivalent of a steamroller.

The treble of the Wooduo is more emphasized that the midrange, likely in an attempt to balance out the heavy low end. There is a good amount of sparkle and the Wooduo doesn’t sound as dark as the Atrio earphones or the many other bass-heavy sets with severely recessed treble. The top end of the Wooduo 2 is crisp and well-defined – not in the least bit smeared – and the treble emphasis results in a bit of added clarity compared to sets such as the Rock-It R-30 and HiSound Crystal. The treble does sound a little edgy and can be harsh, especially at higher volumes, but lacks the sibilance-inducing peak of the VSonic GR02 Bass Edition. Extension at the top is good as well, surpassing the GR02 BE slightly.

The soundstage of the Wooduo 2 is above average in size and boasts good air and impressive instrument separation. There are sets with better 3D imaging, such as the Thinksound MS01 and VSonic GR06, but the Wooduo 2 still has good width and decent depth–better, for example, than HiSound’s Crystal model. Interestingly, the sensitivity of the Wooduo is higher as well – the Crystal requires quite a bit more power to reach the same listening level.

THL Recommended Badge 2014Value (8/10) – The HiSoundAudio Wooduo 2 is a dream earphone for the bass lover, combining a very deep and powerful low end with good midrange clarity and crisp, if slightly hard-edged treble. Its brute, visceral sound makes it a great signature upgrade for something like a MEElec M9 or JVC FX1X. In addition, the form factor is small and lightweight, and though I am not a fan of the flat cable, it does feel sturdy and resist tangling. Overall, the Wooduo 2 a solid alternative to HiSound’s excellent Crystal model for bass fans in search of a good all-rounder.

Pros: Great bass impact and depth; good clarity
Cons: Treble is a bit edgy; will be too bassy for some; over-the-ear wear can be a challenge with flat cable

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ABOUT AUTHOR

ljokerl

ljokerl

Living in the fast-paced city of Los Angeles, ljokerl has been using portable audio gear to deal with lengthy commutes for the better part of a decade. He spends much of his time listening to music and occasionally writes portable audio reviews across several enthusiast sites, focusing mostly on in-ear earphones.

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65 Responses

  1. I don’t know if this thread is still on going or not but I’ll try. Since my last post I went through 5 pairs of wd 2 (very poor quality ) , 2 pairs of fx 750 and 850, Future Sonic G10, Alpha&Delta AD1 Aurisonic Forte . The most similar deep bass like wd2 maybe even a little more so have only G10 out of the whole bunch but they lack the mids and crisp highs of wd2 . WD2’s sound is very addictive, that’s why I bought so many pairs of them and they brake so fast. I badly need an alternative of a higher quality wd2 . Please, Joker did you happen to come across something similar in all this time? The key feature is no amp needed and relatively compact.

  2. Similar to the FR301 in the sense that both are bass-heavy IEMs with v-shaped response but the Wooduo is much more focused on deep bass and has very little mid-bass bloat, whereas the FR301 has a huge mid-bass hump and plenty of bloat. FR301 is also harsher and more sibilant. The Wooduo, while not smooth by any means, is flatter through the mids and highs, which gives it better overall clarity and fidelity.

    That said, “fat” bass usually refers to mid-bass, which means the Wooduo2 and VB probably won’t do. They’re pretty lean, with the emphasis being on sub-bass rather than mid-bass. Not sure about the FX3X. I do have the new XX Elation (HA-FR100X) which are alright, but I think the biggest improvement from the FR301 is smoother, more refined treble. The bass isn’t too different, and overall I don’t think they’re worth the upgrade.

    The fattest bass I’ve heard in that price range is between the NHT SuperBuds and Beats by Dre Tour 2.0. In both cases you’re trading off some of that sharp, harsh treble of the FR301 for very smooth, but less clear, sound.

  3. How good are these compared to the JVC FR301?
    I currently have these and I’m looking for an upgrade, would you recommend wooduo2, FX3X, hippo VB or anything else?
    I’m looking for a deep, fat bass, while keeping all the sounds decent price range: sub £75.

  4. No experience with the XB90EX but I’d choose the Wooduo2 over the vPulse every time. While it’s more harsh, the clarity and soundstage are just plain better.

  5. Hello Joker- been a huge fan of your headphone reviews for a long time. 🙂

    Just wondering, if you had a gun to your head which of these would you choose for Deep Bass quality, and clarity of mids and highs?
    Velodyne vPulse
    Wooduo 2
    Sony XB90EX

    Thanks.

  6. Really would not recommend these, did not even hold 1 year… have not been useing mine everyday leftside cable have a tear or something. Buy something else for that amount of money!
    But the sound was great… i would like more pinch inthe bass

  7. The Wooduo2 would definitely be an interesting addition, it’ll give you a more unique, sub-bass focused take on bass-heavy sound than the EPH-100 with brighter highs as well.

  8. Thank you for detailed answer. I think I need more different sound, that’s why it wont’t be EPH-100. I don’t like Beats in principle. Maybe I venture to buy UBSOUND Fighter. But most likely it will be HiSoundAudio Wooduo 2. I can’t listen to all of these variants. In my country I only can order these rare earphones from another country.

  9. I think you can add a bassier earphone to that collection and still maintain good variety. Three different directions you can go. The first is a straight-up Piston 2 upgrade – maintain high overall sound quality and just try to get a little more bass. Around $100-150 my choice for this would be the Yamaha EPH-100 – its bass is deeper but not more mid-bassy than a Piston 2. I wouldn’t really call it a basshead earphone but it has very good overall sound quality, among the best enhanced-bass earphones in this price bracket.

    Another way is something with a sub-bass focus, like this Wooduo 2 or the Velodyne vPulse. These have boosted deep bass but not too much mid-bass, so they don’t sound very bloated. The Wooduo2 is actually quite clear through the mids and treble.

    And the third is what I consider a conventional (mainstream/consumer) basshead set. These tend to have more mid-bass boost and sound more impactful than even the Piston 2, and is what the average consumer thinks of when they think enhanced-bass headphones. Couple of sets from this category: UBSOUND Fighter, NHT SuperBuds, Beats Tour 2.0. I actually think the Beats are the best of the bunch here, but also the priciest. Superbuds are the best value, but again these are very bassy and warm-sounding earphones, and some clarity and crispness ends up sacrificed.

  10. Hi, Joker! I’d like to thank you for you big job. I often use you advices. I’ve got Dunu DN-1000, Vsonic GR-01 and Xiaomi Piston 2. I’d like to buy another one with basshead sound signature. I need deep bass, but also clear middle and treble as it possible. I think Xiaomi Piston 2 is quite good, but I need more bass. How do you think are there some models with this signature which have much different sound from those I have? Or there is no sense to look for something another?

  11. The NHTs will be what the Beats in-ears have always strived to be – unashamed bass monsters, but smooth and generally inoffensive. You’ll experience something of a clarity drop coming from the brighter, less mid-bassy Wooduo, though. Not much you can do about that – getting rid of the treble emphasis and raising mid-bass quantity always has that effect.

    Hope you find something that suits you better!

  12. Excellent! Many thanks for the reply. I missed your NHT SuperBuds review so have read that and will now look at ordering those next. I’ll skip on the Beats purely out of principle.

    I guess it’s hard to put into words exactly the sound that I’m after so the MA750’s I guess are still on the cards for me. I’ll try the NHT’s next as they’re the cheaper option in comparison. Thanks again!

  13. Yes, these are focused on sub-bass rather than mid-bass. Most other enhanced-bass earphones have the opposite focus, or a balance of both. The MA750 is warm and has good bass impact but I wouldn’t quite call it a basshead earphone. It’s just warm and impactful. I like it a lot, but ultimately it depends on what you’re looking for. If it’s just a warm, relatively smooth-sounding earphone with good (but not basshead-level) bass, the MA750 is a good one. If you’re looking for something that takes the Wooduo’s large bass quantity and just shifts it higher into the mid-bass region, and also has smoother treble, you have things like the NHT SuperBuds (https://theheadphonelist.com/headphone_review/nht-superbuds/) and the Beats Tour 2.0.

  14. I ended up purchasing these off Amazon and waited over a month for it to arrive to Australia after reading your review. Thanks!

    However, I do find the highs to be a bit too bright (as you noted in the review: moreso at higher volumes). I also find the mid-bass to be a touch lacklustre (I assume is a slight sacrifice for having such low sub-bass extension).

    How would you compare these to RHA MA750i? I’m looking at changing to them to get back some of that mid-bass.

  15. Bought these once and not to satisfied with them because the low are fine but the high becomes so muddy and not that clear on the sound and the bass aint enough 😛

    Do you have any other tip?? tried ie 80 and think to buy one but do you have another with more bass and clearity on the high end?

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