Review on 🎧 Refined Sound: Stunningly Polished Diaphragm Earphones with Detachable Headphone by Katie Parker

BL-01 is the latest model from BLON, which despite the somewhat confusing nomenclature is sold as the successor to the BL-03. Like its predecessor, it features a single 10mm dynamic driver, but the cone material is now 'biofiber' rather than carbon nanotubes like the BL-03 and BL-05S. It comes in a small white rectangular box, similar to those used by KZ, CCA, etc., with a headphone line pattern on the front and the brand name WGZ BLON, with "Music and dreams, let the music burn" written below it, now spelled correctly ! Unfortunately we lost "Vera", "Oppots" and "Nevergivap" which made the acronym BLON so memorable! Below is the model number BL-01, and the specifications in Chinese and English are on the back of the box. Pair of gray silicone tips.* Two pairs of conical silicone tips.* Cloth pouch with canvas finish. The headphones are made from the same Kirsite zinc alloy as the original '03 and come in two finishes: silver or metallic. They are bean or kidney shaped with some outline on the front and "WGZBLON-L" or "-R" in the middle, with "BL-01" in smaller type below. They are well made but quite heavy. The clear plastic 2-pin connector sticks out a bit, and the silver mesh head is quite short. The cable included in the kit is black with a tight braid. This is a 4 core 6N purity oxygen free copper wire. Shielded 2-pin connectors with a diameter of 0.78 mm are made of black plastic. It is available with or without a built-in microphone. The rectangular 3.5 mm plug is made of black plastic and there is no slider on the chin. I replaced the supplied cable with a silver one and after some experimentation settled on the Sony MH755 large tips. A good fit, like the BL-03, was difficult to achieve. Smooth liners are heavy and have uneven weight distribution, leading to some instability, and the tips are very short, making tip selection more problematic. I got an acceptable fit with the interchangeable tips and cord mentioned above, but it could have been better. BL-01 has been tested with Xduoo X20 DAP. Impressions on online forums showed that the BL-01 benefited from the boost, so I connected my Fiio A5 to the line out and a 100 hour burn was complete. First Impression The BL-01 presented a similar profile to other BLON models, with strong, well-structured bass and a bit more recessed mids, but in this case with a brighter high end. There was some bass bleeding. The lower mids, while warmer than neutral, had good timbre, while the upper mids were a little brighter. Initially, the high frequencies showed good extension and a reasonable level of detail, but they lacked refinement and had some "grit". After changing the tips this has been improved. The overall profile was now a combination of the low and low mids of the BL-03 with some characteristics of the high mids and highs of the BL-05. Midrange rolloff has been reduced. The soundstage was adequately sized, but the depth was slightly less than the width. I found the BL-01 more difficult to drive than expected and the amp proved useful. After cauterization there were marked improvements. The bass offered plenty of depth and texture with that warm tone seen in other BLONs, resulting in the "vintage" or "analog" tone the brand is known for. The focus was between the subwoofer and mid-bass, giving that region a good punch and a little extra warmth. The lower bass had a decent amount of boom, while the middle bass was a bit more forward. The timbre was quite natural, the cellos and basses had a woody vinyl tone. There was a bit of bass leakage which lent a friendly flair to the lower mids, but with the tip change this eased and the bass was tighter. Some material was dominated by mid-bass. Mids With a bit more warmth from the bass, the lower mids were very similar to the BL-03 with excellent tone and "pleasant" quality. There was a pleasing fullness here, which, although a little tinged with bass bleeds, was inviting with the warm and welcoming sound of the cellos. The rest of the range was pushed forward with reduced depth and the vocals exhibited a slightly brighter tone typical of strings, brass and woodwinds. The mids gradually brightened as they approached the high frequency limit where a soft peak sometimes rose. Treble The BL-03's treble was softly profiled and light. The next model, the BL-05, was tuned with brighter tonality and better detail, but suffered from some bumps and spikes, while the next iteration, the BL-05S, corrected this with improved extension and spike-free clarity. The BL-01's high frequencies fall somewhere between these profiles, perhaps with slightly less resolution than the BL-05. The lower highs were fairly detailed, but became more assertive at times, and as frequency increased, brightness gradually increased, giving the impression of more detail, but at times this resulted in somewhat thin or gritty tonality and some "grain". " was present. The expansion was good, small details were clearly audible, but the timbre wasn't as natural as the bass and mids. I would have liked a little more "air" and smoothness. Soundstage The BL-01's soundstage was medium wide , with reasonable height but reduced depth due to the mids being slightly front-loaded.Layering was also average, with the exception of the bass, which lacked definition.Separation was a bit disappointing and the image was good across the spectrum, but perspective has been flattened and details merged when upscaling or in complex settings Comparison BLON BL-03 (purple version) Configuration: TRN 16 Core SPC, Helix Dots (L) 03 demonstrated an overall warm profile with reasonable lower bass and noticeable mid-bass with some Leakage Mids were pulled back but had a natural timbre and were very easy to hear Low mids w aren toned with bass influences, resulting in some hidden detail. The upper mids were a bit brighter and the presence area could have been brighter. The high frequencies were soft and somewhat lacking in detail with smooth transients and dropping off fairly early. The sound stage was average in all three dimensions and I would have liked a little more "air". BLON BL-05S Configuration: Hifi Hear 16-Core Hybrid Cable, Spiral Dots (L). and expansion at a good price. There was more immediacy here and the mid-bass was more linear, freeing up the lower mids and resulting in a more open response. The mids were very natural in perspective, not as prominent as the 01s but not recessed either, and were detailed with good separation and reproduction. The tone and timbre were not as smooth or "analog" as the 03, but clean, precise and more consistent than the 01. The highs dominated in a natural progression, with the mids ending with a gradual rise to mid-highs and well Expansion and detailing and a lot of "air". The soundstage was very expansive with excellent width, excellent depth retained in loaded tracks and good treble imaging. Note. The key to these results was the tight and secure fit of the BL-05S. I struggled to get such a secure fit with the 01 and 03 due to the shiny low traction surfaces, very short tips and unusual weight distribution that led to unreliability. Positioned on this basis as an update of the original 03, the 01 can be considered a success, with better detail and less midrange rolloff, while retaining much of the natural timbre of its predecessor. However, the resolution could be improved, there is a lack of sophistication and, as with the BL-03, the emphasis on the mids colors the sound. The new biofiber cone did not have the same immediacy as the previous CNT unit, resulting in a slight reduction in transient speed. BL-01 is a moody beast that needs pampering. In stock form and powered by a smartphone, it's no different. It takes work to get the most out of it, and getting a good fit is important. With spare tips and a good cable, powered by a high quality DAP and equipped with additional amplification, it is able to deliver good performance compared to its very reasonable price. However, replacement cables and cable lugs and additional reinforcements increase the costs. However, the BL-01 equipped in this way plays music in a very interesting way. Feed it with quality material and it will reward you with musical and animated sound.