Review on CCA CA4 IEM Earphones: HiFi Stereo Bass DJ Monitor with Noise Isolation, Removable 2pins Connector, and Mic - Black by Tim Evans

The CCA CA4 is the latest IEM from Clear Concept Audio, a subsidiary of KZ (Knowledge Zenith). It replaces the CCA C04 and, like the previous model, is a dual driver IEM (1DD + 1BA). The dynamic driver is a new design with two magnets and a field strength of 1 Tesla, the same as in the new KZ ZSN Pro and ZS10 Pro. The balanced anchor is a familiar 30095 block that has been extensively modified. Packaging and accessories are the same as the C10 and C16 and include a cable, a set of three Starline tips and documentation, all presented in a neat little white box with an IEM image on the front and 'second generation hybrid headphones' will. written on it. Some technical data are printed on the back. The CA4 features an elegant zinc alloy faceplate with the CCA logo and the words "Hybrid Technology". There is a small hole at the base of the earcup and another hole is located on the inner surface of the earcup. There's no channel identifier on the headphones, which has led to some confusion as to how the cables should be connected. New design detachable cable, the same as the 3SN mentioned above. It has a transparent plastic socket with pins located on the IEM body. The cable itself is similar to that of the C10 and C16. It has a very long section between the Y connector and the headphones, making it a little prone to tangling. The plug is a rectangular plastic plug with a diameter of 3.5 mm. The headphones were left on for 72 hours prior to testing and contained white and pink noise traces, sliding tones, and other traces of audio processing. Then I used a Hifi Walker H2 DAP with a Fiio A5 amplifier for evaluation. The CA4 has been tested with the included cable and the Starline medium attachments pre-installed, resulting in a very comfortable fit. Tightness and insulation were above average. Sensitivity was good, with reasonable volume achieved on a variety of devices, including the Moto G3 smartphone. On first listening I found the bass very powerful and dominating the overall presentation. However, after 24 hours of recording, the tone changed. I have to say that the burning process changed the sound of the CA4 more than any other IEM I've tested. After another longer break-in period, the overall balance is much more even, with slightly increased bass, a slightly more forward midrange, and highs that are crisp and detailed with good extension. The overall profile can be described as W-shaped. The timbre of the instruments was very natural, with "analog" warmth in the lower registers. Bass The bass was very well extended, had good power and transient attack. The deep bass deepened with a satisfying growl, and the decay was natural and didn't drop off too quickly. The recorded atmosphere was captured very well and the character of the recording areas was preserved very well. The intro to "Out There" from Frank Steiner Jr.'s "Momentum" was a perfect example of this, with powerful drum beats and delightfully deep sub-bass accompaniment. "Valley of the Giants" by Mars Lasar also impresses with bass drums and other percussions that perfectly underline the atmospheric soundtrack. The orchestral bass drum in "Greenwich" from Hubert Clifford's "Kentish Suite" impressed with its natural decay and beautiful timbre. The mid-bass wasn't clipped and didn't seep into the mids, but simply gave an extra boost in that frequency range. This profile gave a lot of detail and the separation and layering was very good. As a result, the vocals stood out well against the backing of the accompaniment, and the lyrics were clear and well articulated. The simpler recordings showed good intimacy, as in Eva Cassidy's "Fields of Gold" where every detail of her voice could be appreciated and the emotion of the song was conveyed perfectly. The guitar accompaniment was bright and clear. The timbre of the orchestra is well reproduced, the type of the different instruments is easy to distinguish. The beautiful cor anglais solo in Sibelius's opera The Swan of Tuonela was a good example, where the solo instrument sings clearly against a background of dour string chords and bass drums. Vanessa May's violin solo on Vangelis' "Roxanne's Veil" was very impressive, as her instrument featured a natural woody tone and was the perfect backdrop for the Greek keyboard master's atmospheric synth swabs. good detailing and expansion. Robert Carty's "Sunrise Serenade" from his album "Silent Dreams" is very detailed and the complex percussion elements are very well separated. The soundstage and atmosphere in this track was particularly remarkable. The subtle percussion by Michael Giles on King Crimson's "Moonchild" was detailed, clear and atmospheric, and the cymbals gave off a beautiful airy glow. Soundstage The soundstage of the CA4 was excellent and extensive. I've noticed that other headphones with extended bass response have a good soundstage. which seems to indicate that most of this spatial information is contained at lower frequencies. The impressive flute solo in Stuart Mitchell's 'Mausoleum at Halicarnassus' was a testament to this, as it seemed to float above the orchestral accompaniment in a very attractive way and the timpani hits had plenty of air and a long natural decay towards the end. The atmosphere of the shooting location was beautifully reproduced. The reverberation of Peter White's acoustic guitar solo on Al Stewart's "On the Border" was very convincing and added to the authenticity and realism of the record. The C10 has a balanced sound with slightly warm bass, natural mids and smooth highs that still retain detail and airiness, resulting in a relaxing sound. The C16, on the other hand, has a very clean, almost clinical, precise rendition that is very indicative of the quality of the recording. It has a bright raised top with excellent detail. It plays "warts and all" music. The CA4 is different again, with a much more "genre-friendly" entertainment sound. It is similar in style to its cousin, the KZ ZS7, with strong bass and high treble, and vivid, colorful and energetic reproduction. It doesn't have the separation and detail of the ZS7, but this model does have two additional BAs to cover the mids. The CA4's sound is also similar to the Revonext QT5, which uses the same 30095 rack unit but has a more forward midrange and "flattens" its soundstage when the volume is high or the music gets complex. For a more basic 1DD+1BA, the CA4 performed very well, especially considering its lower price, and I consider it the most accomplished dual driver hybrid I've heard. The 30095 driver tuning has come a long way since it was implemented in previous KZ ZST, ES3, ZS10 and ZS4 models and this latest iteration is the best. I can't wait for the next model from CCA!