Headphone Review Dunu Titan 3: Is there a limit to perfection?
Hi, Giktayms! When the not yet well-known Taiwanese company Dunu launched the Titan 1, many were skeptical about it. Still, Chinese headphones are also inexpensive - as a rule, this is a “bell”, which indicates not very high-quality sound and cheap materials. This time everything happened the other way around: the name Titan 1 was not just a figment of the imagination of marketers, headphones got this name due to the use of a dynamic emitter with a titanium diaphragm. Which, by the way, is the result of its own development and its own production, which is almost not met today. Although the first “titans” were not without drawbacks such as poor sound insulation and high weight, they gained popularity rapidly due to detailed sound, reasonable price and convenient form factor. And since there was still room to grow, it was decided not to stop at what had been accomplished in Dunu.
Later, an improved model Titan 1es (with which we incidentally met earlier ) appeared with a larger dynamic driver, a plastic case, due to which the manufacturer solved the problem with more weight and improved sound insulation, but today we will not talk about it. Another alternative to the first generation of "titans" was the Titan 3 model with a closed acoustic design and a replaceable cable, which the owners of the first version lacked. Although Dunu assigned her a rather high number, in fact Titan 3 can be called “not Titan 1 on steroids”, but a completely separate model, although the manufacturer’s brand sound, which was sometimes too bright, did not disappear. At the same time, there are a number of changes - let's talk about them.
When the first listeners connected Titan 1 to their audio players, opinions immediately appeared on the forums that they finally had budget headphones that could compete with flagship models of famous brands. The gadget was soon noticed by FiiO and created the FiiO EX1 model, inspired by the very first “titans”, providing Dunu with a kind of promotion service. And so, by the time this review was written, Titan 3 was once again storming the market with the same detailed high-frequency range that is inherent in Asian countries.
To make the picture of the technical characteristics of Titan 3 more visual, we consider them immediately in comparison with Titan 1es.
The Titan 3 uses a smaller radiator (the same can be found in the Titan 1, by the way), while the frequency range of the model is much wider, and the sensitivity - a little higher. Headphones have a closed acoustic design, and due to this, the difference in sound is noticeable immediately. But despite this, the “troika” has “proximity” to the first model, even if it is almost impossible to make closed headphones sound like open ones. Learn more about the sound capabilities of Titan 3 talk in the relevant section.
Even when Dunu only declared himself, the manufacturer paid special attention to the box, because they meet, as they say, according to their clothes. In the case of the Titan 3, too, they didn’t bother: an interesting box made of thick black cardboard, a magnetic cover under which you can see headphones through a small window, and a photo of Max Barsky on the inner liner, suggesting which music should be preferred for listening. With your permission, we ignore this recommendation (although it looks cool and impressive, there are no questions).
Included with the headphones put so many accessories that it is difficult to even remember what is not here. And 6 pairs of silicone nozzles of different sizes, and an adapter of 6.3 mm, if you decide to be “very bad”, and a clip for attaching a cable to clothes - there was even a plastic box where you can store both headphones and ear pads. But that's not all: in addition, the manufacturer has put special tips that are put on the headphone case so that the latter sit better in the auricle. The decision is correct, because everyone's ears are different, although according to personal feelings it takes some time to get used to it.
Dunu Titan 3 can not be called budget - this can not be said either by the box or by bundling, everything is done at a premium level. What is even nicer, this is not the case when the manufacturer has devoted more time to the package than the design and sound capabilities of the headphones.
The form factor of the new “titans” has remained unchanged in comparison with the Titan 1 - these are also in-ear headphones with a sound guide, but this is where the similarity ends. First of all, the material used has changed: the Titan 3 cases are made of stainless steel, due to which the weight of the headphones, albeit slightly, has increased, but the specular gloss of the metal is so bright that the photo cannot fully convey it.
In addition, due to the closed acoustic design, there was only one hole left on the side facing the auricle (the first “titans” had as many as 11). Well, one of the main innovations that the owners of Dunu Titan 1 had been waiting for were interchangeable cables that use MMCX-type connectors.
The form factor used made it possible to place a large enough emitter without sacrificing comfort and sound insulation, which became an order of magnitude better in the Titan 3. Headphones sit firmly in the ears, problems can arise, probably, only with small auricles - here even smaller smaller ear cushions will not save . In other cases, the landing is trouble-free, the headphones do not fall out during jogging and other active sports.
As for the cable, here it is quite simple, without silver plating, leather braid and other things. It is covered with black silicone and does not cause any problems - it does not get tangled (well, did everyone have this?), Has a convenient “tail” for winding and a minimal microphone effect. The latter can be eliminated altogether due to the clip for attaching the cable to clothes - if properly placed, there will be no friction noise about clothes. However, if you wish, you can always replace the bundled cable is not a more interesting solution, MMCX in this regard, well untie the hands.
The quality of the assembly of headphones is difficult to find fault. Despite the fact that the brand is Taiwanese, attention is paid to every little thing. So that in general everything was “beautiful, all that is missing is memory foam nozzles, but also with complete ear cushions in headphones comfortably. In addition, the "pumped" nozzles could not make it so that Titan 3 can be safely listen to in the subway. But more about that in another part of the review.
It is necessary to immediately say honestly - we did not expect such high-quality sound from these headphones. Of course, the impression was not the same as if they cost 2-3 thousand rubles, but here the situation is different - Titan 3 can be safely put on a par with models of famous brands, which will cost 20 thousand rubles and even higher. Moreover, this is one of the few cases where the headphones “warmed up” notin the microwave on the nightstand, but directly in the ears, because they didn’t want to take them out for several hours.
Titan 3 really turned out to be close to the first model, as stated by the manufacturer, but at the same time offering a special sound. We can say that this version turned out to be even more universal and unpretentious to the genres, therefore Max Barsky from the cover, and The Weeknd, and AC / DC will “enter” with such headphones with a bang. The device offers a balanced sound pitch and surprisingly realistic mids. Well, not to be unfounded, here are a few measurements of the Titan 3, including the frequency response.
Separately, I want to note the bass - here he does not “shoot” the skull so that from listening to hip-hop tracks it seems that he worked all day with a perforator. Low frequencies, though saturated, but without going over, they can be conveniently controlled by interchangeable ear cushions and fit. I want a balance - they used just silicone ear cushions; decided to make a hardcore - forward for more nozzles on the body. Closed acoustic design has a positive effect on the sound insulation of the “titans”, but there is still something to work on - on the plane, for example, with such headphones it can be uncomfortable.
From another model of Dunu headphones - DN-2000J, the Titan 3 was transmitted, perhaps, excessive sensitivity to the sound source. Connecting an iPhone or tablet to these headphones is not the best idea, although the sound will not disappoint you either. However, they are fully disclosed with high-quality sources, especially if the latter correctly control the high-frequency range. Therefore, we tested the Titan 3 with Astell & Kern AK70.
Of course, the evaluation of the sound of headphones with a specific player is more subjective. But not to mention that with the AK70 Titan 3 demonstrated the ability of top headphones from well-known manufacturers, is also impossible. In order not to be disappointed, it is very important to use recordings in high quality - .mp3 with the last Max Korzh album is best left on the iPhone.
Many waited for Dunu Titan 3 to become just an improved version of Titan 1, but in fact it turned out to be a completely independent model, which, of course, is a worthy successor to the manufacturer’s headphone family. In its price category (about 7 thousand rubles), Titan 3 can fight very many, and even some famous competitors will not show a finger, will be left behind, although they will breathe in the back of their heads. It can not but rejoice that one more producer is developing on the market with his own labor, able to offer Hi-Res sound for reasonable money.
Read also our article: “ For every budget: DUNU budget headphones ”
Later, an improved model Titan 1es (with which we incidentally met earlier ) appeared with a larger dynamic driver, a plastic case, due to which the manufacturer solved the problem with more weight and improved sound insulation, but today we will not talk about it. Another alternative to the first generation of "titans" was the Titan 3 model with a closed acoustic design and a replaceable cable, which the owners of the first version lacked. Although Dunu assigned her a rather high number, in fact Titan 3 can be called “not Titan 1 on steroids”, but a completely separate model, although the manufacturer’s brand sound, which was sometimes too bright, did not disappear. At the same time, there are a number of changes - let's talk about them.
When the first listeners connected Titan 1 to their audio players, opinions immediately appeared on the forums that they finally had budget headphones that could compete with flagship models of famous brands. The gadget was soon noticed by FiiO and created the FiiO EX1 model, inspired by the very first “titans”, providing Dunu with a kind of promotion service. And so, by the time this review was written, Titan 3 was once again storming the market with the same detailed high-frequency range that is inherent in Asian countries.
Specifications
To make the picture of the technical characteristics of Titan 3 more visual, we consider them immediately in comparison with Titan 1es.
| Dunu titan 1es
| Dunu titan 3
| |
| Headphone Type
| Intra channel
| Intra channel
|
| Driver
| Dynamic, 14 mm, titanium diaphragm
| Dynamic, 13 mm with titanium coated diaphragm
|
| frequency range
| 20 - 20 000 Hz
| 10 - 40,000 Hz
|
| Impedance
| 16 ohm
| 16 ohm
|
| Sensitivity
| 102 ± 2 dB
| 110 ± 2 dB
|
| Cable
| 1.2 m
| 1.2 m, interchangeable
|
| Plug
| 3.5 mm, angular, gold plated
| 3.5 mm, angular, gold plated
|
The Titan 3 uses a smaller radiator (the same can be found in the Titan 1, by the way), while the frequency range of the model is much wider, and the sensitivity - a little higher. Headphones have a closed acoustic design, and due to this, the difference in sound is noticeable immediately. But despite this, the “troika” has “proximity” to the first model, even if it is almost impossible to make closed headphones sound like open ones. Learn more about the sound capabilities of Titan 3 talk in the relevant section.
Contents of delivery
Even when Dunu only declared himself, the manufacturer paid special attention to the box, because they meet, as they say, according to their clothes. In the case of the Titan 3, too, they didn’t bother: an interesting box made of thick black cardboard, a magnetic cover under which you can see headphones through a small window, and a photo of Max Barsky on the inner liner, suggesting which music should be preferred for listening. With your permission, we ignore this recommendation (although it looks cool and impressive, there are no questions).
Included with the headphones put so many accessories that it is difficult to even remember what is not here. And 6 pairs of silicone nozzles of different sizes, and an adapter of 6.3 mm, if you decide to be “very bad”, and a clip for attaching a cable to clothes - there was even a plastic box where you can store both headphones and ear pads. But that's not all: in addition, the manufacturer has put special tips that are put on the headphone case so that the latter sit better in the auricle. The decision is correct, because everyone's ears are different, although according to personal feelings it takes some time to get used to it.
Dunu Titan 3 can not be called budget - this can not be said either by the box or by bundling, everything is done at a premium level. What is even nicer, this is not the case when the manufacturer has devoted more time to the package than the design and sound capabilities of the headphones.
Design
The form factor of the new “titans” has remained unchanged in comparison with the Titan 1 - these are also in-ear headphones with a sound guide, but this is where the similarity ends. First of all, the material used has changed: the Titan 3 cases are made of stainless steel, due to which the weight of the headphones, albeit slightly, has increased, but the specular gloss of the metal is so bright that the photo cannot fully convey it.
In addition, due to the closed acoustic design, there was only one hole left on the side facing the auricle (the first “titans” had as many as 11). Well, one of the main innovations that the owners of Dunu Titan 1 had been waiting for were interchangeable cables that use MMCX-type connectors.
The form factor used made it possible to place a large enough emitter without sacrificing comfort and sound insulation, which became an order of magnitude better in the Titan 3. Headphones sit firmly in the ears, problems can arise, probably, only with small auricles - here even smaller smaller ear cushions will not save . In other cases, the landing is trouble-free, the headphones do not fall out during jogging and other active sports.
As for the cable, here it is quite simple, without silver plating, leather braid and other things. It is covered with black silicone and does not cause any problems - it does not get tangled (well, did everyone have this?), Has a convenient “tail” for winding and a minimal microphone effect. The latter can be eliminated altogether due to the clip for attaching the cable to clothes - if properly placed, there will be no friction noise about clothes. However, if you wish, you can always replace the bundled cable is not a more interesting solution, MMCX in this regard, well untie the hands.
The quality of the assembly of headphones is difficult to find fault. Despite the fact that the brand is Taiwanese, attention is paid to every little thing. So that in general everything was “beautiful, all that is missing is memory foam nozzles, but also with complete ear cushions in headphones comfortably. In addition, the "pumped" nozzles could not make it so that Titan 3 can be safely listen to in the subway. But more about that in another part of the review.
Sound
It is necessary to immediately say honestly - we did not expect such high-quality sound from these headphones. Of course, the impression was not the same as if they cost 2-3 thousand rubles, but here the situation is different - Titan 3 can be safely put on a par with models of famous brands, which will cost 20 thousand rubles and even higher. Moreover, this is one of the few cases where the headphones “warmed up” not
Titan 3 really turned out to be close to the first model, as stated by the manufacturer, but at the same time offering a special sound. We can say that this version turned out to be even more universal and unpretentious to the genres, therefore Max Barsky from the cover, and The Weeknd, and AC / DC will “enter” with such headphones with a bang. The device offers a balanced sound pitch and surprisingly realistic mids. Well, not to be unfounded, here are a few measurements of the Titan 3, including the frequency response.
Separately, I want to note the bass - here he does not “shoot” the skull so that from listening to hip-hop tracks it seems that he worked all day with a perforator. Low frequencies, though saturated, but without going over, they can be conveniently controlled by interchangeable ear cushions and fit. I want a balance - they used just silicone ear cushions; decided to make a hardcore - forward for more nozzles on the body. Closed acoustic design has a positive effect on the sound insulation of the “titans”, but there is still something to work on - on the plane, for example, with such headphones it can be uncomfortable.
From another model of Dunu headphones - DN-2000J, the Titan 3 was transmitted, perhaps, excessive sensitivity to the sound source. Connecting an iPhone or tablet to these headphones is not the best idea, although the sound will not disappoint you either. However, they are fully disclosed with high-quality sources, especially if the latter correctly control the high-frequency range. Therefore, we tested the Titan 3 with Astell & Kern AK70.
Of course, the evaluation of the sound of headphones with a specific player is more subjective. But not to mention that with the AK70 Titan 3 demonstrated the ability of top headphones from well-known manufacturers, is also impossible. In order not to be disappointed, it is very important to use recordings in high quality - .mp3 with the last Max Korzh album is best left on the iPhone.
Not an upgrade, but evolution
Many waited for Dunu Titan 3 to become just an improved version of Titan 1, but in fact it turned out to be a completely independent model, which, of course, is a worthy successor to the manufacturer’s headphone family. In its price category (about 7 thousand rubles), Titan 3 can fight very many, and even some famous competitors will not show a finger, will be left behind, although they will breathe in the back of their heads. It can not but rejoice that one more producer is developing on the market with his own labor, able to offer Hi-Res sound for reasonable money.
Read also our article: “ For every budget: DUNU budget headphones ”
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