C12 is the latest flagship hybrid design from CCA (Clear Concept Audio) and IEM with 6 drivers (1DD + 5BA). The dynamic driver is 10mm in diameter and is an evolution of the device featured in CA4, a dual magnet design with a field strength of 1 Tesla. The balanced armature includes two sets of a new dual mid-high design known in Knowles style as DWEK. They are combined with the famous 30095 driver, which covers the highest frequencies. The C12 comes in a black box the same size as regular CCA/KZ packaging with a silver IEM outline on the front. If you slide the box, you will see in-ear headphones in a foam padding. The words "12 Hybrid Technology Headphones" are printed below. Under this foam tray you will find a detachable cable, a set of three Starline tips and documentation. A set of simple medium-diameter soft silicone tips are pre-installed on the headphones. The case is very similar to the CA4 case, the bezels are brushed metal with gold accents. In the center is the CCA logo with an indentation filled with gold. On the edge of the earphones you will see the inscription "12 hybrid technologies". The resin base is finished in a smoky gray that blends well with the bezels. There are two ventilation openings on the inner surface of the earphones. The detachable cable is identical to the cable that comes with the CA4. It has a clear plastic connector (known as "Type C") with contacts covered by a plastic shield. You can still use other cables that plug into the protruding connectors on the IEM. The cable itself is braided copper and has a very long section between the thick Y-connector and the headphone, causing it to get a little tangled. The connector is a standard 3.5mm rectangular plastic TRS connector. It would be nice to see a premium cable with a flagship model and please CCA can we have a chin slider? The earbuds were left on for over 72 hours before the test and contained traces of white and pink noise that slipped. Sounds and other audio tracks. After that I used Hifi Walker H2 DAP with Fiio A5 amplifier and Sony NWZ-A15 for evaluation. The included Starline medium spade lugs were used, but I replaced the cable with TRN 16-wire silver-plated cable. (See below) The C12 delivered a crisp, clean sound profile with a powerful bass foundation, open mids and extended highs. The detail was excellent and the separation was very good. The soundstage was three-dimensional and spacious. Bass Bass was well controlled and had good length, and the lowest frequencies were processed cleanly and with good texture. Messine's "Desseins Eternels" by Louis Thiry has some extremely low organ tones and the C12 passed the ordeal with flying colors, reaching the low 30Hz while maintaining good tone and resolution. In 1989 Canadian electronic music duo Francois Kiraly and Charles Crevier released a beautiful space music album Calypso. "Castaway" is a mournful tune, backed by deep bass synth patches on the C12's HA, they had depth and punch, complementing the strings and flute tones perfectly. David Essex's Rock On benefits from superb production by Jeff Wayne (War of the Worlds). An outstanding deep bass guitar forms the basis of this track, beautifully reproduced by the C12 with an engaging growl. Brass and drums remained clean and sharp with good stereo imaging. Mids The mids were perfectly balanced with bass and treble without suffering from bass bleeding or being drowned out. It showed the typical CCA tonality with good clarity, detail and resolution. There was a slight increase to the top end with high frequencies, giving that range a "shine" and pushing the vocals into the mix a bit. Enya's song "Echoes in Rain" from her album "Dark Sky Island" was a good example of this, in which the lyrics are clearly pronounced even with a very powerful bass accompaniment and the character of Enya's voice is perfectly preserved. MIDI guitarist Mark Duane has reworked his first album Monuments of Mars in his latest opus, Martian Apparitions. Known for its audiophile standard recordings, this certainly applies here as well. On "Galaxis Chaos" the crisp, clean lead synthesis line stood out clearly against the background of the powerful accompaniment, resulting in a very engaging performance. The classical music also did well, with Bax's "Tintagel" featuring the orchestra in flight. with snarling brass interjections in a dramatic introduction, followed by a beautifully articulated main theme in the strings against a swinging woodwind accompaniment. Treble The treble had good extension and timbre. The separation was above average, allowing subtle details to shine through. In John Ireland's "Downland Suite" minuet, played by an English string orchestra, the main melody was very detailed with a clear distinction between the various instruments. The live accompaniment showed excellent rhythm and the counterpoint was easy to follow. "Petite Fleur" by Deuter from the album The title track "Land of Enchantment" is reminiscent of a music box. uitar and synthesized background and showed a well reproduced atmosphere. The high synthesizer tones towards the end were clear and clean in tone. The drums and percussion from Linton Kwesi Johnson's "Man Free" fit beautifully into the production. Sly Dunbar's playing was exemplary here, pairing beautifully with Robbie Shakespeare's bass, and the hi-hats on the instrumental break were exceptionally clean and sharp. Jean-Michel Jarre's "First Rendezvous" made a strong impression in that regard, with an opening deep synth hum, menacing echoes and well-defined layers of various string synths. The stereo imaging of this track was superb as the electronic effects moved across the stage in a fun way and the dynamic ending to the track was powerfully presented. The beautiful flute solo in Stuart Mitchell's "Mausoleum of Halicarnassus" from his "Suite of the Seven Wonders" floated delicately over the orchestral accompaniment. Breath sounds were clearly audible, and the atmosphere of the recording location added to the atmosphere, especially towards the end of the track where the natural decay of the timpani could be heard in the distance. Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" takes you authentically into the studio, with performers in natural acoustics. Saxophone solo and bass in the middle, drums on the left and piano on the right. Joe Morello's amazing drum solo pairs beautifully with the wonderful metallic sound of the cymbals and the beautifully differentiated timbre of the various drums. Conclusion CCA seems to be raising the bar with each subsequent release. After the impressively detailed C16 and the precise "warts and all" sound of the A10, the C12 adds a powerful bass foundation to the detail and precision of previous models. Boasting an impressive soundstage with excellent layering and separation, it has a broadly neutral signature with an attractive high-end brilliance, and I consider it CCA's most successful IEM to date. Its closest competitor is the new KZ ZSX, which uses the same components but in a different skin and configuration. The ZSX has deeper sub-bass performance, a warmer overall tone, and a huge soundstage, but doesn't show the same precision or detail as the C12. This makes for a more relaxed listening experience, while the C12 emphasizes detail and has a sharper transitional character. Both are excellent IEMs and choosing between them largely comes down to sound performance. Note. A comparison between the ZSX and the C12 was made using the standard cable and attachments on both models to provide the most accurate estimate possible.
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