In a blink of an eye we are heading towards the 3rd quarter of the year 2025 and Hidizs has gotten me worried for their unusual silence but in this silence, they are concocting something special, something huge, something that might redefine single dynamic driver setup in earphones, the all new Hidizs MK12 Turris and it’s is named after the immortal jellyfish, the Turritopsis. It is a world’s first 91% magnesium dome dynamic driver inside the limited confines of earphones. The magnesium dome driver is usually found on high end headphones from the likes of Focal, Final Audio and some others but I have never heard of this implementation in earphones, thus I am intrigued for this release indeed. Hidizs has contacted us for an honest review and an early look into the all new MK12 Turris and we are grateful for this opportunity. Will the Turris set a new standard in dynamic driver earphones with this new innovative magnesium driver? We shall tackle this question right here.
P/S : Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish is a jellyfish that doesn’t die from old age and they have the capability to ‘reborn’ themselves by resetting their age all the way back to juvenile state, giving them the nickname ‘immortal jellyfish’.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the new Hidizs MK12 Turris taken from their site;
The Hidizs MK12 Turris can be purchased at their official store soon but will be available on Kickstarter for early birds buyers.
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging here is good and probably the nicest packaging coming from Hidizs. It comes in a rather big rectangular box with a professional way of presenting their product without any funky, anime theme. Inside we are greeted with the Turris earphones head, beneath we will find 9 pairs of earphones in various sizes, bore sizes and softness that will give users to fine tune their fit. Underneath the eartips we will find a Hidizs branded soft pouch, the cable with user selectable choices of 3.5mm or 4.4mm balanced, some paperworks and a plastic box encasing their signature pneumatic pressure tuning nozzles in red (bass), silver (treble) and gold (balanced).
Design
The design here is Hidizs continuation of the marine life theme that now takes inspiration from the immortal jellyfish, Turritopsis and they have a rather alien looking faceplate that is CNC milled from aluminum alloy with an integrated machined cavity. The shell here is rather large and heavy to encase the 12mm magnesium driver alongside some breathing space for the dynamic driver to perform to its best. It is available in 3 colour schemes in silver, blue and black which is the one with me now. Design wise it isn’t too fancy but it has a good finish with the paint baked in well that I feel is resistant to chipping as I have put it into use for a month now. Fit is good but those with small ears might find these a little big but it is okay for my ears and it feels ergonomically designed.
Driving the MK12 Turris is Hidizs self developed 12mm 91% M shaped magnesium dome dynamic driver and it is the first implementation in an IEM form. They feature a 1.5 Tesla external magnetic circuit that is up to 80% more efficient and almost 70% increase in magnet volume compared to other dynamic drivers.
Magnesium dome drivers have advantages like a lighter yet more rigid diaphragm and they are only 0.03mm thick which is 20 to 30% thinner when compared to other traditional diaphragm while able to accomplish 10 kHz to 45 kHz frequency range for a wider, airier sound. The quality of the drivers of the Turris surely can be felt as they are able to handle loud volumes with no distortion showcasing a solid driver quality.
The front nozzle is Hidizs signature pneumatic pressure tuning nozzle and the whole nozzle is replaceable instead of just the nozzle tip. The Turris nozzles actually do have an impact especially with the red nozzle that gives a more bassy and fun experience while the gold gives the most balanced presentation and silver provides a slightly more intense treble. This review will be done by using just the gold nozzle as I do find it is the most balanced and it is the default tuning for the Turris.
The connectors are the standard flush 2 pin 0.78mm and they have a good tight fit. There are a total of 9 pairs and they have 3 different pairs of different bore sizes and hardness that gives users more sound tuning to play with.
Cable here is a rather thin silver plated oxygen free copper that is soft and pliable suitable for an everyday carry. Users can select either the 3.5mm single ended or the 4.4mm balanced cable. Cable here is quite basic looking although it has a decent balanced sound.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO Q7
Moondrop MIAD01
Questyle M15
Qudelix T71
Hiby FC6
Hidizs S9 Pro
Hidizs S8 Pro
Aune S7 Pro
Dunu Luna
Tigerism Dark Magician Revised
Intime Sho DD
BQEYZ Frost
Intime Miyabi
Letshuoer EJ09
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The tone of the Turris is quite balanced with their neutral warm tone and they do possess a mild W shaped tuning that is thick, lush and inviting. They have a Harman 2019 sound tuning with a twist of an elevated bass and a slightly more forward midrange. The soundscape here is huge as they possess a wide frequency range that sounded full and immersive. Technicalities here are great with a clean, clear yet highly detailed overall sound that gives a true high fidelity sound. The sound here is best described as organic and they are a velvety smooth, inoffensive sounding set that is well suited for a wide range of genres.
Soundstage
The soundstage here is one of the main strengths of the Turris as they are able to give a wide soundstage and probably one of the widest in this price range alongside a good height that gives an unique out of head sound experience. Their spaciousness also provides ample air especially in the lower region and they are holographically accurate with their placements. The Turris is also a very well vented IEM as it sounds open and airy without any driver flex present.
Separation and Timbre
Separation is superb as typical of a well tuned single dynamic driver and they sounded balanced across all frequencies and possessed a wide dynamic range that is fully immersive. Their left to right separation has a great stereo sound that possesses no crosstalk issues and they do sound better in balanced mode increasing their dynamic range quite significantly. They have a natural, organic timbre that is breathy and inoffensively smooth along with an accurate dynamic sound signature that gives a lush, intimate sound profile that is highly enjoyable.
Drivability
Rated at only 32 ohms with a 111 db sensitivity, they are relatively easily driven and a simple setup like a dongle is able to provide ample volume but their scalability here is great and they have a huge potential to sound better when they are amped properly. I do find that a clean source alongside a matching, strong amplification does give the Turris a deeper, dynamic and impactful overall sound, thus giving a more enjoyable sound signature. Their sensitivity is relatively low that makes the Turris not prone to pick up noise and they are a forgiving type of IEM that is not picky with the files selection that is great for casual listening but not really suited for monitoring purposes.
The Bass (Low)
The bass on the Turris is indeed my favourite part of these IEM as they are mostly neutral but have a healthy dose of mid bass lift that gives some authority when called upon. Bass here is thick, dynamic and they are well textured without any bloat or bleed present while having a good amount of details alongside decent clarity though isn’t as clinical for their thickish bass. The pace here isn’t a fast decay bass that has a tight slam but they aren’t too sluggish and they have a slow roll off that also contributes to their airiness in the low end. They are able to give a superb extension and they dive deep with a great amount of air present. Bass amount here is slightly strong but insufficient for serious bassheads as the bass here is relatively correct in amount albeit a little strong. Sub-bass here dives deep and has a good amount of rumble that pairs well with the mid bass lift and I do find the mid bass amount trumps the sub-bass by a small margin. The bass here resolves very well and they are a vibrant bass that gives music more soul for a more enjoyable overall presentation of these IEM.
The Mids
The midrange here is a forward midrange that has a warm sound signature that is thick, intimate and lush alongside a vibrant lower mids coming from the lower region. There isn’t any major spike at the upper mids that gives the Turris a rather balanced tone that isn’t too bright nor dark but the amount of brilliance is a little low for genres like metal. Details here are great but mostly on the macro details alongside an average micro details retrieval capabilities. The overall mids is spacious and wide with accurate placements of sound while uniquely able to sound intimate due to their forwarded midrange that prevents some sound from sounding too distant. There is some colouration present here that gives a vivid midrange that resolves well but a rather mediocre transparency albeit still relatively accurate. Vocals perform well especially with male vocals as they depth and intimacy gives a sweet sound but female vocals does lack a top end brilliance marginally. Instruments sound superb for their wide, spacious and deep midrange.
The Highs
The high range here has a neutral to almost flat sound that has a mild lift with a good extended high that has a good amount of air. The overall highs have their presence and their presentation is smooth, inoffensive and somewhat polite that is suitable for an extended listening with practically zero fatigue but on the other hand, treble heads might yearn for a stronger high range. The highs here do possess great details retrieving capabilities and they sound clear with every high nuance presented in a clean manner. Sparkle here has good presence but preferentially, I do prefer a more energetic with a slightly piercy sparkle. Crispness in the high range decay is good and they have a natural timbre that has no plastic or metalic hint present. The high range resolves vividly and they are great in their transparency here as they present the high range just as the music intended. Treble here is spot on as they are balanced with a mild intensity to them for a clearer overall sound without being dull.
Comparisons
VS Dunu Luna (USD 1699)
One of the first implementations of a pure beryllium driver by the giants Dunu, Luna is their flagship product and comes in a premium price. It has a luxurious packaging with a titanium alloy build that is solid yet lightweight. The sound presentation here is a neutral reference but at times I do find them to be a little polite but their accuracy and speed is undeniably good.
The high range on the Luna has a slightly bigger presence with livelier sparkle and they are crisper while the Turris has smoother, airer highs. Details on the Luna are better alongside better clarity but the Turris does have better extension here with better timbre.
Midranges on the Turris sounded thicker and warmer having a lusher overall sound while the Luna sounded clearer with a touch more brilliance in their upper midrange. Resolution on the Turris is slightly better but has a mild colouration as opposed to the colourless, clinical mids of the Luna.
Bass quantity on the Turris does have the edge of being stronger and more authoritative than the rather flat bass of the Luna. Sub-bass is also more present on the Turris but in terms of clarity, the Luna sounded cleaner and tighter.
Soundstage on both are great but surprisingly the Turris does sound a tad wider and airier.
VS Tigerism Dark Magician Revised (USD799)
The now legendary Dark Magician by Tigerism or formally known as MIM Audio is a single carbon nanotube dynamic driver that has a solid balanced sound with a wide frequency range that has all the essence of a flagship dynamic. Side by side, the Turris does sound quite similar in their tone but having a more forward sound alongside a wider soundstage. Both are warm, thick and smooth sounding sets that showcase great quality dynamic drivers tuning. Build quality goes to the Turris for their solid body albeit being heavier. With the higher price, the Dark Magician does come in a better package with a high quality shielded cable.
High regions on both have the same presentation of being smooth, inoffensive and extended with great amounts of air but sparkle on the Dark Magician seems a tad livelier and crisper. Details and clarity is on par with each other but the Dark Magician does have better energy that makes them sound faster marginally.
Midrange on both are warm but the Turris sounded more forward with a more resolving mids while the Dark Magician does hace a more balanced mids with better upper mids that gives them slightly more brilliance and better transparency as they have less colouration present. Macro details on both are similar but the micro details on Dark Magician have better presence.
Bass quantity on the Turris is bigger and has a better slam but both have similar extensions. Sub-bass does go to the Turris again for their depth with a cleaner, stronger rumble but all these are marginal. Details and clarity on both are on par with each other here but texture sounds slightly better on the Dark Magician alongside a more natural bass response.
Soundstage on both is similar as they both possess a wide and tall soundstage that is airy.
VS Intime Sho DD (USD300)
The sub flagship of the boutique Japan brand Intime, Sho DD is a single dynamic VST driver with help of a ceramic piezoelectric driver to give an uber energetic set that is highly enjoyable and they are still one of my favorites in single dynamic driver setting. Yes there is a ceramic piezoelectric driver but the overall sound is mostly done by the dynamic driver. They cost a little more than the Turris and they come in a rather simple packaging that looks like a budget item. Fit of the Sho DD is simple with their bullet style and they are built pretty decently with resin back with a titanium alloy nozzle. Soundwise, the Sho DD has a mild V shaped tuning that is highly energetic yet being well controlled with superb overall clarity.
Bass amounts on both are similar but the presentations are different with both as the Sho DD is tighter with a bigger mid-bass lift and they are more agile. The Turris has a more dynamic bass as they are meatier and sound more organic. Sub-bass of the Turris dives deeper while the Sho DD has a cleaner rumble.
Midrange on the Sho DD does sound recessed but mostly due to the boosted low and high range and the Turris has the better presence with their forwarded midrange. Details and clarity does sound better on the Sho DD and they do possess better brilliance on the upper mids but the smoothness of the Turris is better and more forgiving. The Turris is more resolving but the Sho DD has better transparency with less colouration.
Highs on the Sho DD have the edge with the help of their ceramic piezoelectric driver and they are sharper, sparklier and have more energy but the smoothness present on the Turris is more suitable for a fatigue free experience. Details on both are similar but clarity on the Sho DD is clearer and cleaner. Treble on the Sho DD has a bigger intensity while the Turris has a more natural, relaxed treble.
Soundstage on the Turris does sound wider and taller alongside better air especially in the lower region.
Synergy
For synergy, the Turris matches easily with any source for their smooth overall sound that is quite balanced overall. Personally I would prefer the matching with bright source from the likes of Sabre chipset will do the job well. For those who want to preserve the thick, warm sound of the Turris, AKM and Cirrus Logic do match them well. Scalability of the Turris is great and they have a huge potential to sound better with stronger, cleaner source that increases their technicalities like a more solid lows and cleaner highs. They even scale well with my desktop device which brings a bigger sound that pushes the Turris even further.
Good pairing
Hidizs S8PRO, Hidizs S9PRO, FiiO Q7, FiiO BTR7, Qudelix T71, Moondrop MIAD01, EPZ TP35, Questyle M15
Not so good pairing
Hiby FC6, Dunu DTC100, BQEYZ Lin, Hidizs Nebula Cable
Who Is It For?
The Hidizs MK12 Turris is an easy recommendation for those who want to experience the pinnacle of dynamic drivers in an IEM form without breaking the bank. They are suited for those who listen casually and for those who want a smooth overall sound that is inoffensive yet highly technical. They are not really suited for monitoring purposes for their forward sound that has some coloration but suitable for critical listening for their high fidelity sound. Their immersive sound and huge, accurate soundstage makes it well suited for movies and gaming. Recommended genres range from EDM, Hip-hop, Jazz, Pop all the way to metal but aren’t very suited for female vocals for their low upper mids brilliance.
Final words
The Hidizs MK12 Turris has certainly caught me by surprise for their flagship dynamic sound and being a dynamic driver fan that has collected a wide range of single dynamic driver IEM over the years, the Turris has a special spot within my collections although being priced one of the lowest of the bunch. They are able to trade blows with IEMs priced way above their price range and they indeed have their own unique huge sound presentation with their 91% magnesium M shaped dome that is usually found in full sized headphones. Yes there are some caveats like being too smooth or polite and the looks aren’t for everyone but it is just nitpicking at this point as nothing is perfect and the Turris is one that is almost there. It’s a world’s first implementation in IEM and they are redefining single dynamic driver sound all at a respectable low price. A salute to Hidizs and I believe the Turris will be immortal in their sound.
I would rate this product a solid 4 and a half stars for their sound quality in their price range.
Pros
- Great sound quality value
- Solid, robust build with good fit
- Premium packaging with good tuning nozzles
- Mature, warm W shaped tuning
- Wide frequency range
- Huge soundstage
- Organic, breathy timbre
- Excellent musicality
- Deep, textured, organic bass
- Sub-bass is deep and accurate
- Great overall clarity and details
- Intimate, thick mids with a lush sound
- Smooth, extended high range
- Fatigue free
- Balanced treble intensity
- Good transparency, great resolution
- Has great potential with amplification
Cons
- Micro details isn’t the best
- High range a little polite
- Upper mids brilliance can be better
- Not revealing enough for monitoring
- Design isn’t for me (subjective)
- Not for treble heads
- Soft pouch and thin cable (nitpick)
- Shell is slightly big and heavy (nitpick)