Coming Back With A Bang!

It’s been a while I haven’t heard from BASN and for those who have never heard of them, they are a Santa Monica, USA based company with audio products manufactured in China focusing mostly on IEMs and some studio microphone products that cater to musicians and audiophiles alike. Previously we have gotten the chance to review one of their products, the Metallen and honestly, it is an overlooked hybrid IEM that has solid build quality. This time they are back with a special edition of their flagship BMaster IEM, the BMasterX, equipped with 1 dynamic driver with 3 balanced armatures and 2 piezoelectric drivers with a highly competitive price of USD149. This might be a hidden gem that we would love to explore and how will the performance match in this packed arena of portable audio? We shall find out here

Firstly, a huge thanks to Perry from BASN for providing the BMasterX sample in exchange for a review. We are not affiliated nor taken any monetary exchange for these products and the review is an honest take which is an opinionated view.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the BASN BMasterX taken from their website ;

Product Specification :

Driver Type: 1DD + 3BA + 2PZT

Impedance: 20Ω ±10%

Connector: Gold-plated MMCX

Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz

Cable Jack: Gold-plated 3.5mm

Sensitivity: 107±1db

Cable Length: 4.9 Ft

L&R Channel Balance Sensitivity: ≤2db

Max Input Power: 20mW

THD(Total Harmonic Distortion): ≤1.5%

The BASN BMasterX can be purchased at their official store.

https://www.basnaudio.com/collections/bmaster-x

Packaging & Accessories

The BMasterX comes in a simple white packaging with their product on the front and the specifications alongside their company information printed on the back. Nothing really special here with the packaging design but that’s not really important to me. Upon unboxing we are greeted with the IEM head with a black magnetic PU leather hard case that houses all the high quality accessories and they are packed to the teeth. The accessories includes 7 pairs of eartip where 4 liquid silicone rubber (1 presinstalled), 3 foam eartips all in various sizes, a high quality 4 core modular cable with 3.5mm and 4.4mm head, a shirt clip, a cleaning brush, a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter and some paperworks.

Design

Now on to the design and they are a unique, fun design that has a fun, distinctive look. The faceplate is made from aluminum alloy with a gooey, flow that has a texture with different colours. They are available in orange/black, black/silver, black/grey and the ones with me now are the blue/silver variations. The rest of the body is cast from clear resin that feels solid and well made but the finishing isn’t the best as the yellowy glue can be seen thru the clear shell. Overall the build is good and their design is original that is different from the others. Fit here is great with the usual medium sized CIEM shape that is ergonomic.

The main selling point of the BMasterX is what lies underneath as they are a special type of tribrid combo of 1 dynamic driver with 3 balanced armatures and 2 piezoelectric drivers that acts as the tweeter. The dynamic driver role is for the whole bass reproduction while a dual balanced armature for the midrange, a single balanced armatures for the highs and the dual piezoelectric tweeters for the ultra highs. The BMasterX is a 3 way crossover type of tuning as they have a total of bores heading to the nozzle. The dual piezoelectric is situated at the back of the faceplate and there is a branch of bore converging into the dynamic driver bore with a damper placed at the start of the bore. Not much information for the drivers specifications but they do sound high quality for their robust, natural sound.

The front nozzle is metal based fitted with metal mesh to prevent moisture and dust entering. Nozzle size is normal with a maximum of 5.5mm diameter with a medium length.

There are only 1 vent hole with 1 pin hole situated below the MMCX connector in charge of the dynamic driver vents and no driver flex is present which is great.

The included case is actually superb as they are a PU leather hard that have a velvet innards and they have more than adequate space to store the IEM. It has a magnetic latch with strong magnetism and feels well made.

The connectors used here are the standard MMCX connection that seems to be of a high quality one as they are slightly tight and don’t swivel easily. Cable here is a 4 core silver plated oxygen free copper cable that has a 4 core braiding with a clear TPU sleeve and has a blue string inside possibly added for durability. The parts are made from metal and they have a screw in modular termination with 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm single ended that is highly practical with a low profile fit. The overall cable looks, feels and sounds like a higher end cable indeed.

Gears Used for Comparisons

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The tone of the BMasterX is a neutral balanced set with a mild bright tonal balance that has an emphasis on the bass and high region with a nicely forward mids that isn’t recessed or overpowered from the other frequencies. Though being equipped with 2 piezoelectric tweeters that are infamous for being spiky and intrusive, it is safe to say that the BMasterX highs are relatively smooth and inoffensive. The technicalities here are above average for their asking price and they have superb overall clarity with full details across the whole spectrum with no hollowness. The tuning here has a mix of being clinical yet fun and highly energetic alongside good overall accuracy.

Soundstage

The soundstage here is average as they are a more forward sound tuned IEM that projects in a straight direction with minimal diffuse field but possesses decent immersion. Soundstage width and height is good but isn’t as wide as some IEMs along this range. Headroom is good with an airy extension on both ends that gives a medium sized headroom with no boxy feels. Sound placements here are great with a good 3D holographic soundstage that is accurate making them suitable for live music, gaming and movies as well.

Separation and Timbre

Separation is good and they are well tuned tribrid that all the drivers seem to work harmoniously although still isn’t as good as a single dynamic driver, they do not have weird and hollow cohesion problems. Frequency range width is superb and they extend well especially on the high range. The left to right separation has a full stereo sound that possesses no crosstalk issues and sounds great with balanced or unbalanced outputs. They have an energetic, rich and breathy timbre that sounds natural with no balanced armature timbre. High range timbre is piercy but in a good way that is strong yet inoffensively smooth.

Drivability

Rated at 20 ohms with a 107 db sensitivity, they are an easily driven IEM but they do need a louder volume than usual to reach normal loudness as others. A simple dongle will be sufficient for them and a higher output source does give better texture but rather insignificant. Their scalability here is average and they sound mostly the same with whichever source which makes them great for casual everyday usage. Being rated at 107db sensitivity, they aren’t too prone to pick up noise or hiss but a clean source will benefit by creating a blacker background. Their transparency here is good and they do show the music naturally without any major alterations but they tend to show flaws in bad recordings as they are quite a revealing set.

The Bass (Low)

The bass on the BMasterX is a boosted bass that is authoritative contributing a big part of energy in the overall presentation. It has a decent mid-bass lift that isn’t overpowering nor having any bleed but it does lack texture by a small margin. The bass has a meaty, slow roll off decay and it possesses a true dynamic bass that handles complicated tracks with ease. Though being boosted, the bass is quite natural and has an organic sound that adds a dash of soulful funness to listen to that is derived from a well implemented dynamic driver bass. Details and clarity here is great with good imaging alongside a well textured bass with no muddiness. Impact here is good with a boomy slam and works great especially with EDM tracks and they are able to resolve well with a clean bass that has great extension to give the low region a touch of airiness. The sub-bass amount is slightly strong to complement the mid-bass lift producing a full sounding low end that is energy packed. Sub-bass depth is good and they have a clean rumble that is suited for a wide range of users including some light bassheads. Purists might find the bass a tad strong but it manages to stay relatively natural and accurate.

The Mids

The midrange here is a slightly forward midrange that has mild warmth with an intimate sound signature that is highly musical that blends the boosted lows. The mids here are quite balanced towards without any major emphasis and the whole midrange transition well from the low to the upper mids that also brings a good brilliance for a livelier vocals. Details here are above average as usual of a balanced armature sound and they have a good amount of clarity that is free of any haziness. The macro details here trumps the micro ones albeit still quite good in retrieving micro details. The midrange has a great ability to resolve sound vividly with a dash of colouration that gives a lush midrange that is enjoyable and they aren’t the type of mids that are sterile or lifeless. Transparency here quite good although having some colouration, they are still an accurate sounding midrange that doesn’t alter much of the original recording. Vocals here are well balanced in terms of depth and brilliance which makes male or female vocals shine alongside their warm lush sound but I do find the midrange here matches more towards a female vocals for the smooth yet energetic upper midrange. Instruments mostly perform decently with good accuracy from strings to pianos to drum snares, all does sound correct without any unnatural timbre.

The Highs

The high range here is a mildly boosted type of highs with a small amount of peak that extends from 10khz all the way to 15khz region and they are smooth and mostly inoffensive while having a decent bite that possess a great amount of energy. Details and clarity here is actually superb with a strong yet clean sparkle and a crisp decay giving a lively, fun overall high range. Though being rather smooth, the high range actually doesn’t suit treble sensitive users as they tend to sound spicy at times as expected from a piezoelectric tweeters but I do find that they have no sibilance issues even at loud volume, more towards a borderline sibilant sound with great control. The highs do extend very well with a slow roll off and that gives the high range a healthy amount of airiness that make music livelier. The high range timbre is actually great with an accurate piercing sound that is natural with no weird, unnatural metallic sheen. Treble here is rather balanced but leaning more towards the intense side marginally and that gives the BMasterX some extra overall clarity without being too aggressive but certainly not for those who are looking for a laid-back sound signature.

Comparisons

VS Kiwi Ears Septet (USD269)

The Kiwi Ears Septet is a beast of an IEM with 1 dynamic with 4 balanced armatures, 1 micro planar and a single piezoelectric driver setup tuned in a 5 way crossover with an open back design. They are a well balanced pair of IEM that has a boosted high range with a superb implementation of a piezoelectric tweeter unique tuning that produces a smooth, bold yet highly technical sound signature that makes them a solid contender in their price range. They do cost slightly more than the BMasterX partly due to the extra drivers but the BMasterX PU leather case does seem more practical. Both have a similar neutral bright tone with the Septet having a stronger amount of high range and do need some extra power to sound their best.

The high range on both is very similar with a strong, piercing high range but the BMasterX is more forgiving albeit having dual piezoelectric tweeters. The details and clarity does sound better on the Septet with a crisper sparkle and a tad better in their extension that gives more air. Treble on the Septet is more intense but both sets are able to sound relatively smooth.

Midranges on the Septet sounded slightly thicker while the BMasterX sounds warmer but they do have more emphasis on the lower region compared to the Septet. Space in the mids on the Septet does have more space and air but details and clarity on both are similar. Vocals on BMasterX are sweeter and lusher while the Septet has better transparency with less coloration. Both resolve vividly but the Septet does sound better in terms of accuracy.

Bass quantity on the BMasterX is greater as they are boosted lows with a bigger mid bass lift that gives more thump and meat into the bass while the Septet bass is more accurate with a more natural amount. Sub-bass amounts on both are similar but the Septet seems to possess more air. Pace on the bass of the Septet seems a tad faster with a slower roll off that makes the overall bass have a good presence.

The soundstage on the Septet is wider and taller with better air due to their open back design. Headroom is also slightly better on the Septet but both sets have no boxy feel.

Verdict:  Septet for a bigger, more open sound with better design and build. BMasterX for a better value with almost similar performance.

VS Moji Monica Lostland (USD499)

The rarely mentioned, Moji Monica Lostland, a boutique brand with a boutique IEM that houses a single dynamic driver, 2 balanced armatures and a piezoelectric driver. They are a V shaped sound that have a boosted high and lows with an immaculate build quality alongside a premium unboxing experience. Without a doubt the BMasterX has the better value but the build and finishing of the Lostland does have the upper hand.

High regions on both have their similarities of a piezoelectric high range that is strong and piercy but the Lostland does have the volume with more aggression that isn’t as smooth as the BMasterX. Details do sound a tad clearer on the Lostland but clarity on both is on par with each other. Extensions on both are also similar with a tad more air present on the Lostland. Treble on the Lostland has greater intensity and might be a little too aggressive on certain records.

Midrange on the BMasterX has a more forward approach than the slightly recessed midrange of the Lostland. Both have a similar amount of body alongside similar clarity but details seem to be slightly better on the Lostland. Lostland seems to have better resolving capabilities but transparency does sound better on the BMasterX. Lostland has a more female vocals oriented sound while BMasterX has a more rounded vocals.

Bass quantity on the Lostland has a bigger mid-bass lift with a tighter slam that possesses more energy alongside a stronger sub-bass rumble but depth on both are similar. The BMasterX bass seems more natural and accurate. Details and clarity here is slightly better on Lostland. Extension and air on the BMasterX does sound better.

The soundstage on Lostland is wider and taller marginally with similar headroom.

Verdict: BMasterX for their amazing value while the Lostland is more of a premium boutique product.

Synergy

For synergy, it mostly comes down to preferences as the BMasterX is easy to pair but for me personally I would love to balance out the BMasterX by pairing it with a warm source or a neutral source to preserve the piezoelectric tweeters high range. A bright source will also match the BMasterX but some will find the treble a little too intense but at times when I am feeling adventurous, the extra energy on the high range does hit the spot. On the scalability side, the BMasterX doesn’t really scale up much and they are relatively easy to drive even with a simple dongle setup, they will sound great. The BMasterX is actually a slightly revealing set of IEM that show flaws in bad recordings but isn’t to a monitoring IEM level albeit still doable. The genres that suit the BMasterX will be vast from modern songs like EDM, pop, rock to classicals, jazz and even metal but on some high pitched tracks like Jpop or some heavy metal, they tend to sound a little too spicy.

Good pairing

FiiO BTR7, FiiO KA5, Qudelix T71, Moondrop MIAD01, Questyle M15, 7HZ Artemis39, Hiby FC6

Not so good pairing

FiiO Q7, IFI Diablo, EPZ TP35, FiiO KA5

Who Is It For?

The BASN BMasterX is a great recommendation for those who love a strong yet inoffensive high range that has the perks of a piezoelectric energetic high range alongside superb overall details and clarity. It has a distinct sparkly, piercy high range of a piezoelectric sound and pairing it with a hybrid setup, the BMasterX is an immersive fan that has good technicalities that are worthy of their asking price. They are not for those who are looking for a laid-back sound signature and not for heavy bassheads as their bass is more towards an accurate amount. They are a suitable set of IEM for gaming but for movies I do find that their intimate soundstage may lack 3D spatial awareness although accurate. For studio and professional usage they are usable but aren’t a reference neutral sound signature that focuses on pin point accuracy.

Final words

While BASN has been relatively flying under the radar, the BMasterX is probably the product that might have rocketed their name into the fighting contention in the sub USD150 arena. The BMasterX has impressed me and they perform beyond my expectations for their amazing tribrid implementation by managing to tame the infamous piercy piezoelectric sound and blending them with the 3 balanced armatures and dynamic driver with great cohesion. Fun, energetic and lush is what I would describe the BMasterX. Their caveats are actually minor like the yellow glue usage seen through the clear resin and the intimate soundstage but other than that, the BMasterX possess a superb value that has top shelf quality accessories like a high quality modular cable, nice liquid silicone rubber eartips, foam eartips and a handy PU leather case. A sincere and amazing job nonetheless.

I would rate this product a solid 4 and a half stars for their sound quality in their price range.

Pros

• Good build, nicely designed with an ergonomic shell and unique faceplate
• Premium high quality modular cable and solid PU leather case
• Great cohesion with good tonal balance
• Relatively neutral tuning with a fun, musical sound
• Superb overall clarity and details
• Decent soundstage and headroom
• Natural, organic, rich timbre
• Authoritative, deep bass
• Strong yet controlled sub-bass
• Slightly thick, lush, warm mids
• Good sparkle and crisp high range
• Well controlled, extended piezoelectric high range
• Good transparency and resolution
• Easily driven
• Value for money

Cons

• Intimate soundstage (nit-pick)
• Treble might get piercy with bright source
• Mild midrange coloration (nit-pick)
• Bass texturing can be improved
• Internal yellow-ish glue may be a sight for sore eyes (nit-pick)