Dunu Titan S2 Review
Introduction
Dunu Titan was an extremely popular entry-level option for people who wanted a solid earphone which delivered on some good bass while not sacrificing too much detail and expansiveness of their music. It enjoyed some solid reviews and has been in the market for a long time. Nowadays in the earphone industry, we are getting more and more configurations at lower and lower prices making the price point for a single dynamic driver earphone more competitive and perhaps less desirable. In response, Dunu have re-vamped the Titan with this second version, keeping the same driver setup with some new construction in an effort to keep up. Was this a success or will the successor flop in this new age of endless drivers?
Picture sourced from https://www.dunu-topsound.com/product-page/titan-s2
Unboxing Experience
One of the first wins from Dunu is the amazing accessories and cable that comes with this earphone. The box starts out very simply but quickly opens up and reveals the multitude of eartips that can help you find the perfect fit and isolation. The earphones themselves are very well presented and are finished in a shiny chrome along with a red highlight for the diaphragm. They are slightly on the heavy side and could make a fatiguing listen if kept in the ears for longer than a couple of hours at a time depending on the fit you get.
The cable is definitely the highlight of these earphones. At a sub $100 price point, you are getting a really interesting braided earphone end followed by a thick cloth fibre termination end resulting in a cable that is relatively tangle-free and comfortable to use. Not only that, this cable has a change-able termination plug such that you can use this with both a 3.5mm or a balanced 4.4mm plug which is really rare at this price. You also get a really solid carrying case with the Dunu branding. Overall, the unboxing experience was really enjoyable.
Listening Experience
The Dunu Titan S2 is a single dynamic driver earphone. It utilizes what they’re terming a ‘Dual-Magnetic Circuit Dual-Chamber High Performance Dynamic Driver’. As I pointed out before, earphones with multiple different drivers are becoming the norm, allowing the manufacturer to tune and control different aspects of the sound frequencies according to what the driver types do best. Dynamic drivers tend to be the simplest driver type, often used to emphasize the low to medium end of the sound spectrum and they are not as accurate as balanced armatures for the treble.
That being said, the Dunu Titan S2 manages to present a unique sound signature which is deeply engaging. The bass is clearly the highlight of this earphone, but details aren’t hidden away. The soundstage is reasonable, not too wide but nothing to be considered narrow either.
Bass
As expected, the dynamic driver helps deliver some thumping bass in the low end. The earphone presents tracks in a bass-forward manner, showing some restraint in the bass decay so that the listener won’t get too fatigued. Rock tracks will hit hard and satisfy any bass-head’s cravings while not appearing muddy. It sounds alive and energetic, one of the best representations of bass under the $100 mark.
Mids
While the bass steals the show, the vocals come through just as easily on the Titan S2. Male vocals especially take centre stage accompanied by the hard hitting bass notes. They flow out smoothly, taking precedence over most other instruments. The tuning of this IEM ensures an intimate relationship with vocalists.
Meanwhile, instruments envelop the vocalist relatively closely. Individual notes are pretty clear and concise.
Treble, Imaging and Soundstage
Possible one of the weakest points of this earphone thanks to the dominance of it’s bass. High notes do not have the shimmer and sparkle that you might want from a more balanced IEM. Cymbals don’t quite get enough love and sibilance is not an issue with this earphone.
That being said, this earphone does have a decent soundstage and tracks with an emphasis on representing this can be felt all the way to the back of the IEM. Imaging isn’t the strongest but is not bad either. Instruments can be tracked if you pay extra attention and even in busy tracks they do not get very messy.
Conclusions & Comparisons
Overall, the Dunu Titan S2 is a very worth competitor in the sub $100 market right now. Starting with a strong unboxing experience with plenty of eartips and a really solid wire, the standout bass performance as well as decent technicalities make this earphone a really fun listen and easy recommendation for anyone wanting to try a Dunu earphone.
Head-to-heads:
- Truthear Hexa ($69): The Dunu Titan S2 has a clear edge in accessories and bass performance. Meanwhile, the Hexa are a much more balanced earphone which will make a more relaxing and better analytical listening experience. I’d consider these different enough to warrant a buy.