NX8

Hey! So NiceHCK sent over the NX8 TI and I wanna tell you about it before it’s gone. Like logistically, it’s limited edition and I don’t want to drag my feet here. The NiceHCK NX8 TI is a purportedly improved version of its intergalactic predecessor the NX8 (Google it), and I just so happen to have both on hand. They both rock the same 8 driver tribrid configuration with 1 DD for bass, 6BA’s for midrange and treble, and 1PZT for the highest frequencies. However, NiceHCK aimed to improve this version by swapping the DD with a titanium coated version and tweaking the PZT driver. So the question to be answered today is: Did they manage to do so? Well, yeah they basically did. I always liked the NX8 but the somewhat smoother treble kept me from picking it up or recommending it more often. In my opinion NiceHCK absolutely achieved what they set out to with the TI, extending the frequency response respectably on both ends of the spectrum. The end result is a nicely resolved, slightly bass-boosted neutral sound signature. The question then becomes “Does that make it worth double the price of the original?” Because at $399 retail, that’s no small consideration. And as is usually the case with IEMs, that’s shits subjective. But I’m gonna tell you why I like this one better than it’s spacey little bro and then we’ll decide. Let’s go. # Look and feel Upon opening the barn-door on the box, we’re greeted by the case and our shiny new earphones. Since we’re going “Titanium” here, NiceHCK sought it fit to dress the set up with a matte, titanium-alloy faceplace. The set seems to be going for a more grounded aesthetic than the NX8, and will likely appeal more to folks that thought the original was a bit too “out there”. The feather-like etching lends the set a touch of elegance befitting the price range. It’s compact form factor is pretty surprising for an 8 driver tribrid, but they fit within the profile of my ear better than most sets regardless of driver count. I have large ears, but I feel most would be surprised by how small it is. The og NX8 pulled off the same trick. In this price range we’re expecting a certain level of quality in the accouterments included with our IEM, and NiceHCK makes a hck’n nice showing here. The case you met a moment ago is a fairly roomy, black, circular, pleather thing. Cool enough, standard and acceptable, but the real magic is living in that little pancake of an accessories box. In there you’ll find some paperwork, a suspicious number of small plastic baggies, and a somewhat unassuming grey cable. The cable looks fairly plain with a uniform opaque grey coloring, but it honestly it does a hell of a job as a cable. It has a nice weight without being overly chunky, keeps very little memory and isn’t prone to tangling. It has one functioning cinch, and matches the sets more subdued aesthetic/vibe. And then the baggies. There’s a little brush (love that), two gold nozzles that make the set slightly brighter so I stopped using them, extra mesh screens, and then something I’ve never seen in an unboxing before. A freaking plastic collar to convert your socketed 2 pin cable into a flat one!!! This is amazing. This is a revelation. This is two stupid little pieces of plastic that reverse the absolute sin of including a socketed 2 pin with a set equipped for a flat 2 pin. And even better, they included 2 sets. I immediately put the other collars on my Orchestra 2. The Glacier is getting some as soon as I find them retail. The structural liability of using a socketed 2 pin is completely mitigated with these, and I wish more companies would do this. Some thought went into that inclusion and I appreciate it greatly. Probably my biggest audio pet peeve has a cure. And last but not least we have a bevy of eartips to choose from here. 4 different sets of quality tips to choose from, with my favorite being the C04 Liquid silicone tips. The NiceHCK 07, 08, and stock eartips are also included, all solid tips in their own right. The 08’s pick up more bass if you like, and the 07’s are a solid balanced tip. Humble suggestion to NiceHCK- brand these tips better. They’re very solid but I tend to forget their names. How about we ditch “C04” and go with the “NiceHCK Jellies” or “Liquitones” Idk. Something. Email me. # Sound impressions We got a bass-boosted neutral set here. Not a basshead set, just a tasteful boost to the sub and mid bass for a fuller, deeper sound. Not as analytical as NiceHCK’s flagship, the Rockies, but the NX8 TI is honestly pretty close to my ideal for a “fun” sound signature. Also very close to Aful’s house sound, giving us a lot to compare to. The purported improvements to the original are multilayered here, and we’ll be starting with the most obvious to me. **Bass** Sooo in terms of rumble-to-slam ratio, we’ve hit a nice balance here. We get an elevated subbass shelf to bring a nice sense of depth and immersion, but at no point does that detract from a pretty rambunctious mid bass slam and high bass snap. It’s a very impactful low end that’s going to satisfy a very large cross-section of folks, myself included. I’d categorize the subbass as being more spacious than boxy, with a deep rumble that lends more of a “live music” quality to the sound. It’s not like IEMs can put the bass in your chest, so you need a little extra sumthin sumthin when you’re kicking back for some casual listening. The midbass is quicker and snappier than the original recipe, with better separation between sub and mid bass. This seems to be the most notable improvement to come from our driver overhaul, our new TI-coated DD. It has a fun, bouncy quality that adds to the liveliness of the set. Usually you have to make a call between rumble and slam when considering a bass boosted set, but honestly the entire low end is playing in such harmony here that neither outshines the other. The way I like it. **Mids** The BA midsection keeps vocals well in line with the rest of the sound, clear and free of any distracting vocal sibilance. The slight bass boost lends depth to male vocals and synergizes with the midsection rather than bleeding into it. Female vocals sound neither shouty nor recessed, giving us a clear vocal presentation across the board that maintains as a fixture across genres and artists. **Treble** I don’t have too many sets with PZT drivers, but I’ve noticed that they seem to have a pretty quick transient response across the board. It makes for a well controlled, if somewhat dry treble that sounds more characteristic of EST treble without quite the same extension. So, like, budget EST’s if you will. This actually works pretty well in practice, albeit it will sound a bit smooth if you’re used to EST or high-end BA treble. It’s a noticeable improvement over the PZT in the original NX8, but this is mostly due to an increase in volume more than a very significant technical improvement. Either way, I find the treble much more satisfying and lively in the NX8 TI than in the original without ever becoming overly bright or uncomfortable. # Techs and Comparisons We have a fairly wide and deep soundstage with precise imaging and a natural timbre. Nothing too distracting or weird, though its’s clear that you’re listening to a multi-driver set. The mids, highs, and lows are well seperated and the set shows off a lot of dynamic range contrasted against a very low noise flood. The techs help give the set a fun sound without giving it an overly colored tuning, so I feel the multi-driver setup is bell justified here. The set graphs really similarly to the Aful house sound so- Vs Aful P5- NX8 TI has better controlled but smoother treble, deeper rumble. Vs Aful P5+2- NX8 TI has very similar low end with lots of slam and rumble, and once again a better controlled yet smoother treble. Vs Aful Dawn X- Dawn X has superior, everything, but fans of midbass slam may balk at this Kilobuck. It has a softer kick to the midbass, but much better extended treble and clearer vocals. It’s not a fair fight but the graphs are too similar not to mention. NX8TI does feel like a baby Dawn X sometimes just due to the general shape of its FR curve. # End thoughts So, is it worth the extra 200 bones? If you’re really into that graph with a quick, smooth high-frequency response, it might be. I’m much more inclined to pick it up than I am the P7, and fans of that sound who find the set just a touch bright at times would really appreciate what the the TI brings to the table. It’s just a little more relaxed and inviting. A very solid all-rounder. In my case, I have them living on my FiiO UTWS hooks for now because they fit nicely and don’t suffer too much when connected via LDAC. Plus their compact form factor plays well with the case. Bluetooth is heresy, I know, but there are some moments in life where cutting the cable is just too convenient. It’s nice to have a comfy, crankable set on hand for a workout. I feel like I found the missing link in Afuls lineup in a lot of ways, solid proof that NiceHCK has its game-face on. I’m interested to see what kind of alchemy they can whip up next. I’ll be around if you have any questions about it, and as always, thanks for reading.

Hey! So NiceHCK sent over the NX8 TI and I wanna tell you about it before it’s gone. Like logistically, it’s limited edition and I don’t want to drag my feet here. The NiceHCK NX8 TI is a purportedly improved version of its intergalactic predecessor the NX8 (Google it), and I just so happen to have both on hand. They both rock the same 8 driver tribrid configuration with 1 DD for bass, 6BA’s for midrange and treble, and 1PZT for the highest frequencies. However, NiceHCK aimed to improve this version by swapping the DD with a titanium coated version and tweaking the PZT driver. So the question to be answered today is: Did they manage to do so? Well, yeah they basically did. I always liked the NX8 but the somewhat smoother treble kept me from picking it up or recommending it more often. In my opinion NiceHCK absolutely achieved what they set out to with the TI, extending the frequency response respectably on both ends of the spectrum. The end result is a nicely resolved, slightly bass-boosted neutral sound signature. The question then becomes “Does that make it worth double the price of the original?” Because at $399 retail, that’s no small consideration. And as is usually the case with IEMs, that’s shits subjective. But I’m gonna tell you why I like this one better than it’s spacey little bro and then we’ll decide. Let’s go. # Look and feel Upon opening the barn-door on the box, we’re greeted by the case and our shiny new earphones. Since we’re going “Titanium” here, NiceHCK sought it fit to dress the set up with a matte, titanium-alloy faceplace. The set seems to be going for a more grounded aesthetic than the NX8, and will likely appeal more to folks that thought the original was a bit too “out there”. The feather-like etching lends the set a touch of elegance befitting the price range. It’s compact form factor is pretty surprising for an 8 driver tribrid, but they fit within the profile of my ear better than most sets regardless of driver count. I have large ears, but I feel most would be surprised by how small it is. The og NX8 pulled off the same trick. In this price range we’re expecting a certain level of quality in the accouterments included with our IEM, and NiceHCK makes a hck’n nice showing here. The case you met a moment ago is a fairly roomy, black, circular, pleather thing. Cool enough, standard and acceptable, but the real magic is living in that little pancake of an accessories box. In there you’ll find some paperwork, a suspicious number of small plastic baggies, and a somewhat unassuming grey cable. The cable looks fairly plain with a uniform opaque grey coloring, but it honestly it does a hell of a job as a cable. It has a nice weight without being overly chunky, keeps very little memory and isn’t prone to tangling. It has one functioning cinch, and matches the sets more subdued aesthetic/vibe. And then the baggies. There’s a little brush (love that), two gold nozzles that make the set slightly brighter so I stopped using them, extra mesh screens, and then something I’ve never seen in an unboxing before. A freaking plastic collar to convert your socketed 2 pin cable into a flat one!!! This is amazing. This is a revelation. This is two stupid little pieces of plastic that reverse the absolute sin of including a socketed 2 pin with a set equipped for a flat 2 pin. And even better, they included 2 sets. I immediately put the other collars on my Orchestra 2. The Glacier is getting some as soon as I find them retail. The structural liability of using a socketed 2 pin is completely mitigated with these, and I wish more companies would do this. Some thought went into that inclusion and I appreciate it greatly. Probably my biggest audio pet peeve has a cure. And last but not least we have a bevy of eartips to choose from here. 4 different sets of quality tips to choose from, with my favorite being the C04 Liquid silicone tips. The NiceHCK 07, 08, and stock eartips are also included, all solid tips in their own right. The 08’s pick up more bass if you like, and the 07’s are a solid balanced tip. Humble suggestion to NiceHCK- brand these tips better. They’re very solid but I tend to forget their names. How about we ditch “C04” and go with the “NiceHCK Jellies” or “Liquitones” Idk. Something. Email me. # Sound impressions We got a bass-boosted neutral set here. Not a basshead set, just a tasteful boost to the sub and mid bass for a fuller, deeper sound. Not as analytical as NiceHCK’s flagship, the Rockies, but the NX8 TI is honestly pretty close to my ideal for a “fun” sound signature. Also very close to Aful’s house sound, giving us a lot to compare to. The purported improvements to the original are multilayered here, and we’ll be starting with the most obvious to me. **Bass** Sooo in terms of rumble-to-slam ratio, we’ve hit a nice balance here. We get an elevated subbass shelf to bring a nice sense of depth and immersion, but at no point does that detract from a pretty rambunctious mid bass slam and high bass snap. It’s a very impactful low end that’s going to satisfy a very large cross-section of folks, myself included. I’d categorize the subbass as being more spacious than boxy, with a deep rumble that lends more of a “live music” quality to the sound. It’s not like IEMs can put the bass in your chest, so you need a little extra sumthin sumthin when you’re kicking back for some casual listening. The midbass is quicker and snappier than the original recipe, with better separation between sub and mid bass. This seems to be the most notable improvement to come from our driver overhaul, our new TI-coated DD. It has a fun, bouncy quality that adds to the liveliness of the set. Usually you have to make a call between rumble and slam when considering a bass boosted set, but honestly the entire low end is playing in such harmony here that neither outshines the other. The way I like it. **Mids** The BA midsection keeps vocals well in line with the rest of the sound, clear and free of any distracting vocal sibilance. The slight bass boost lends depth to male vocals and synergizes with the midsection rather than bleeding into it. Female vocals sound neither shouty nor recessed, giving us a clear vocal presentation across the board that maintains as a fixture across genres and artists. **Treble** I don’t have too many sets with PZT drivers, but I’ve noticed that they seem to have a pretty quick transient response across the board. It makes for a well controlled, if somewhat dry treble that sounds more characteristic of EST treble without quite the same extension. So, like, budget EST’s if you will. This actually works pretty well in practice, albeit it will sound a bit smooth if you’re used to EST or high-end BA treble. It’s a noticeable improvement over the PZT in the original NX8, but this is mostly due to an increase in volume more than a very significant technical improvement. Either way, I find the treble much more satisfying and lively in the NX8 TI than in the original without ever becoming overly bright or uncomfortable. # Techs and Comparisons We have a fairly wide and deep soundstage with precise imaging and a natural timbre. Nothing too distracting or weird, though its’s clear that you’re listening to a multi-driver set. The mids, highs, and lows are well seperated and the set shows off a lot of dynamic range contrasted against a very low noise flood. The techs help give the set a fun sound without giving it an overly colored tuning, so I feel the multi-driver setup is bell justified here. The set graphs really similarly to the Aful house sound so- Vs Aful P5- NX8 TI has better controlled but smoother treble, deeper rumble. Vs Aful P5+2- NX8 TI has very similar low end with lots of slam and rumble, and once again a better controlled yet smoother treble. Vs Aful Dawn X- Dawn X has superior, everything, but fans of midbass slam may balk at this Kilobuck. It has a softer kick to the midbass, but much better extended treble and clearer vocals. It’s not a fair fight but the graphs are too similar not to mention. NX8TI does feel like a baby Dawn X sometimes just due to the general shape of its FR curve. # End thoughts So, is it worth the extra 200 bones? If you’re really into that graph with a quick, smooth high-frequency response, it might be. I’m much more inclined to pick it up than I am the P7, and fans of that sound who find the set just a touch bright at times would really appreciate what the the TI brings to the table. It’s just a little more relaxed and inviting. A very solid all-rounder. In my case, I have them living on my FiiO UTWS hooks for now because they fit nicely and don’t suffer too much when connected via LDAC. Plus their compact form factor plays well with the case. Bluetooth is heresy, I know, but there are some moments in life where cutting the cable is just too convenient. It’s nice to have a comfy, crankable set on hand for a workout. I feel like I found the missing link in Afuls lineup in a lot of ways, solid proof that NiceHCK has its game-face on. I’m interested to see what kind of alchemy they can whip up next. I’ll be around if you have any questions about it, and as always, thanks for reading.

Great review and lighting! I also got my own set after trying them at Canjam! Really loved how they sound, especially with how the vocals and instruments synergize with each other 😚 https://preview.redd.it/pht2ifze415h1.jpeg?width=2304&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5fb40041c500240e618b2d07c92bdbce63d9701a

First of all, I love each pair of earbuds in them. 1. Nicehck NX8 This is a pair of earbuds with a very balanced sound and warm sound, although the extreme high frequency is slightly less extensible, but it has a very comfortable fit, and I can wear it all day. It is mainly used to listen to popular music. 2. TRUTHEAR NOVA, also a very well-balanced earbud, with a tuning curve that matches the Harman 2019 very well, the only drawback for me is that the cavity of the headphones is too large, which will be a little uncomfortable to wear for a long time. 3. AKG N5005, I'm a huge fan of AKG, I like its sound separation, although the midrange vocals are a little far away, but this is one of my favorite earbuds, I usually like to wear it to listen to some classical and jazz music. 4. AKG K3003i, one of AKG's most classic earbuds, the sound is also very balanced, sorry I only had it recently, I haven't had time to taste it yet. 5. QDC FOLK, QDC folk tuning style earbuds, its high and low frequencies are relatively average, but it has a very comfortable mid-range vocal, this is my favorite vocal earbuds. 6. QDC V3 II, QDC three-moving iron unit earbuds, this is the beginning of my start playing wired headphones, although limited by the characteristics of the moving iron unit, his low-frequency volume is relatively small, and the malleability of high-frequency is also average. I usually use it with the QDC TWX Bluetooth adapter, so this is the pair of earbuds I usually wear the most. 7. NF AUDIO NM+, this is a more monitor-style earbud, three-band balanced, but it may be a bit too exciting for me personally, so I usually use it less. 8. TRUTHEAR GATE & TANCHJIM BUNNY, These two pairs of earbuds are definitely the most cost-effective earbuds in the $15 level, the sound is very balanced, I have recommended these two pairs of earbuds to many friends, and they all like them very much.

IEM Outright! They offer better sound to value and only need a 1000 rupee dongle to power most of them. Can’t tell you exactly what to buy but here are a few neutral iems to get you started from - Binary Chopin, Truthear pure + dunu ss ear tips, Truthear hexa, Crinear Daybreak, Nicehck Nx8. (Sound demos on YouTube)

Sometimes different DAC and eartips can make sound better than investing into new IEM. Today i tried Nicehck Octave which uses good ESS9039 chip but sounds bad although it costs 100$ and some way cheaper dongles are better.