Preamble for the sound impressions before we start:
I’ve used PW Audio Illicit for a fairer sound presentation and for a 4.4mm balanced output that most people would use for the H16 with their DAPs. However, the impressions were also considered how the sound would be with the stock cable, and these thoughts were also counted into the review.
The PW Audio Illicit retails for about $129 (999HKD) which is a cable that offers a very balanced, non-colored sound, well representing the H16’s sound. Hence exceptionally, I’ve decided to use a custom cable for the H16 review as it accurately represents the H16’s abilities and fairer competition with the other IEMs that come with 4.4mm output with a custom-grade cable.
Sound Impressions – DD is Essential for the Bass? The Master Thinks Differently.
M16 has a balanced w-shaped sound signature that gently highlights all three frequency ranges. The lows are tuned nicely, bringing out large-scale bass with good thickness and meatiness to it. While the bass is tightly controlled for an agile and accurate response, the texture itself is on the softer/smoother side, creating a creamy timbre with butter-smooth dynamics and grooves. The bass quantity is adequately elevated from flat, sitting right between flat and V-shaped. I would say it’s slightly “v-shaped”, the neutral bass quantity that could handle the general and most genres and ears.
M16 provides a spot-on “thud” for the bass, yet it doesn’t drop heavy or necessarily strong or weak. If a large, aggressive bass slam is a key point for your IEM decision, or if you’re a basshead, M16’s bass slam may not be sufficient. However, M16’s intensity in its bass slam would be sufficient if not ideal for the general earphone geeks.
The bass has a neutral-warm brightness with impressive ultra-low extension, bringing out the deep, dark rumbles with good clarity and body. At least for the bass extension and full-bodied feeling, well, I’d say the M16 won’t let you miss much on a dynamic driver or a bone conductor driver.
If the clarity of the bass is your concern, or if you’re worried about the common full-BA stereotype where the bass would simply produce a big lump of thud and booming, that isn’t the case for the M16. The bass leverages a surprising level of natural and cohesive presentation across the low range, hence not providing a thick, full-bodied bass presence.
M16 has mastered replicating a dynamic driver’s natural dynamics and reverbs only using BA drivers – with the addition of the benefits of the BA drivers, such as its adequately tacky, agile, and crisp bass control. Like a nice piece of fried chicken with juicy, tender meat that has the perfect crisp. The aggressive, clean growls and vibrations that M16 creates would be an eye-opener for those who haven’t tried a “proper full-BA” IEM and what sort of bass it could offer.
Sound Impressions – Vocals, the Soul Captivator
Have you heard of those multi-BAs that definitely have thick vocals but just sound like a veiled, big lump? Well, that isn’t the case for the M16. Hercules M16 has full-bodied vocals that fulfill the scale and size that a flagship IEM should have, meanwhile meticulously adjusting their tuning knobs for M16 to have “wholesome” vocals, having consistent mid-range homogenous and consistent, while portraying high separation and resolution. It’s slightly thicker than the ones that I would call neutral-thick, yet still within the neutral-ish range that covers nicely for feminine songs and female vocals that require thinner vocal layers.
What differentiates M16 is the clarity and resolution it reveals for the vocals. Many if not most companies are sticking with multi-hybrid or even quadbrid drivers for bringing out even richer and lusher presentations for the vocals and upper frequencies, as the “general BA driver sound” is considered boring, or the sound is too much as expected, or imply simply being too fed up… with M16 being a strong exception. I consider the M16’s specialness in its unique charms and lush timbre to be at the same level as those flashy multi-hybrid TOTL earphones, if not even charming if the M16 would captivate your particular sound preference.
The vocals exude deep sweetness and creamy lushness throughout the spectrum and show a very stable flow and consistency in both texture and tone. But the point is that this “sweetness” or tasteful tone isn’t portrayed through coloration or distorted timbre. It has a very interesting mixture of reference-like tone and fun combined, which I’d call M16 a reference monitor that involves great musical enjoyment and liveliness. The upper mids are also seamlessly done, causing no spike sibilance or dips, and escalate towards the trebles with a touch of airiness.
Sound Impressions – Wait, M16 wasn’t using electrostatics..?!
Summarizing M16’s treble in a simple short sentence would be “clear and non-fatiguing”. The M16 achieves refined and well-extended ultra-high responses, yet it doesn’t get shouty or too thin in the body. I’ve described M16s sound as a smooth sounder that also keeps the crisp and tight presentation, and the same applies to the trebles.
Nowadays electrostatics are almost considered a fundamental component that needs to be included for a flagship IEM. Yet, those who would know would know – BA tweeters have their strength and with the right tuning skill and techniques, BA drivers can perform and sound just as good as EST drivers – or even better depending on the brand’s tuning ability.
The M16 archives the same level of detail as modern flagship IEMs – and when it comes to the consistency of the sonic texture and timbre, I would even extend the appreciation that it even exceeds the general tribrids’s EST drivers. This leads to the M16 unveiling and finalizing its final charm – the pleasantness coming from the perfect consistency that applies to the entire spectrum – from the very lows to ultra-highs.
The highs are gently simmered down in quantity and brightness, while providing the micro details as we would wish, hence leading to a very comfortable treble that doesn’t fatigue the ears after long listening, without sacrificing the treble details either.
Next Page: Comparisons with SoftEars Enigma / AME Raven