ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023) Review
ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023) Review
Introduction:
ddHiFi (DD Electronics Technology Co.Ltd.) is a very productive company that is specialized in development and production of audio equipments and accessories including Storage/Protective cases, USB DAC/Amplifier Dongles, various type of Adaptors, Cables and In-Ear Monitors.
The Janus 3 (aka E2023) is the successor of the previous Janus 1 (E2020A) and Janus 2 (E2020B) In-Ear Monitors that are known with there unique design and multi connector interface. The new Janus 3 features a brand new 10mm Dynamic Driver with a Lithium-Magnesium Dome Composite Diaphragm that was tuned in collaboration with Moondrop, which is locate inside a very lightweight and unique looking monitor shell. The Janus 3 has a detachable cable with MMCX connector interface and Interchangeable headphone plug design.
Disclaimer:
I would like to thank ddHiFi for providing me Janus 3 (E2023) In-Ear Monitor sample for review purposes. I am not affiliated with ddHiFi beyond this review and these words reflect my true, unaltered opinions about the product.
Price & Availability:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 is available for $129.99 USD. More information’s can be found under the link below;
Package & Accessories:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 came inside a rectangular box with the Janus 3 branding on the top.
Inside of the box of the Janus 3 are the following Items/Accessories:
- 1 x pair of ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023) In-Ear Monitors
- 1 x ddHiFi Detachable Cable with MMCX connector and Swappable Pug Design
- 2 x Swappable Headphone plugs (1x 3.5mm SE & 1x 4.4mm Balanced)
- 3 x pairs of ddHiFi ST35 Medical-Grade Silicone Ear Tips
- 1 x ddHiFi Earphone Storage Case
- 1 x Manual/Warranty Card
Design & Build Quality:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023) comes with a capsule shaped monitor design, but that is now smaller and also more lightweight compared to its predecessors (Janus 1 & Janus 2). The monitors do have a pretty esthetic look and unique appearance, which does show a combination of high-quality CNC machined aluminum alloy front cavity in silver color, attached to a lightweight high-strength transparent polycarbonate rear cavity with a nice greenish tint.
The front cavity of the Janus 3 is sealed and fixed with the driver unit, which is a 10mm Dynamic Driver with a Lithium-Magnesium Dome Composite Diaphragm that is tuned in collaboration with Moondrop. The driver unit, which sports a dedicated rear cavity, mainly relies on the space and structure of the front cavity for tuning.
The diaphragm of a 10mm Dynamic Driver unit is the key in terms of sound performance and the dome material is the key fore the core. Both lithium and magnesium have a lower density compared beryllium, resulting in value of 1.85 g/cm³. This alloy material provides both high rigidity and is more lightweight.
The CNC aluminum alloy unibody molding process allows precise machining dimensions down to 0.03mm, ensuring high consistency in the frequency response curve for each pair of Janus3 earphones. The rear cavity’s structural space is used to connect the speaker vent and the earphone socket.
The high-strength polycarbonate material is used as the rear cavity, which greatly reduces the weight compared with metal, ensuring that the earphones’ centre of gravity is inward facing.
Each monitor sports L/R Markings and the ddHiFi branding on the surface of the front cavity.
On the front of the monitor shell is the sound nozzle that has an angled profile, which is another design difference from the past models that helps to increase the fit and comfort of the monitors. Each nozzle sports a metal mesh on the top in order to avoid the insertion of small particles’ like dust and earwax that could damage the driver over time, since it is closely installed behind de nozzle.
A protrusion on the top of both monitors hosts as an air vent. This vent is dedicated for the dynamic driver to move more comfortably.
At the bottom of the monitors is a similar protrusion where you will find the MMCX (Micro Miniature Coaxial) connector interface, which offers a relative tight and secure connection.
The ddHiFi Janus 3 comes with a high-purity OCC copper wire cable that has a tangle free smooth insulation.
The MMCX connectors of do have a metal housing with a silver finish that do have L/R markings on their surface.
The cable of the Janus 3 features a modular headphone plug design with 1x 4.4mm Balanced and 1x 3.5mm Single-Ended termination plugs that are included inside the box.
The modular plugs do have a strait profile design and do sport the ddHiFi brand logo on the top.
ddHiFi offers a bunch of other cables such like with USB-Type-C and Lightning connectors that do feature a build-in DAC and a Microphone as well, which are sold separately.
ddHiFi company is known for the quality of materials used and the care and high quality standards and the Janus 3 can be shown as a very good example of these. The material and workmanship used are visually at a very satisfying level.
Comfort & Passive Isolation:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023) is a pretty small and lightweight (each earpiece weighs just 5.5g) In-Ear Monitor, which has a comfortable shape that fits great in to my ears with a medium sized concha. The passive noise isolation is on an efficient level that is good enough for the use in relative noisy environments such like a bus or train.
Specifications:
- Model : Janus 3 (aka E2023)
- Shell Material : Polycarbonate Material Rear-Cavity + Aluminum-Alloy Front-Cavity
- Driver Type : 10mm Dynamic Driver with Lithium-Magnesium Dome Composite Diaphragm
- Impedance : 14Ω±15% (@1kHz)
- Freq. Resp. : 5 Hz – 58 kHz
- Sensitivity : 122dB/Vrms (@1kHz)
- Cable Material: Detachable OCC wire with shielding layer
- Connector : MMCX
- Plugs : 3.5mm SE + 4.4mm Balanced Interchangeable Plugs
- Weight : 5.5grams (excl. the cable)
Drivability & Pairing:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 is a pretty easy to power IEM with an impedance of 14Ω and a sensitivity about 122dB/Vrms (@1kHz). These values makes it to an ideal IEM for the use with source such like a USB DAC/Amplifier in form of a dongle that do have in general a relative weak amplification circuit.
Equipment’s used for this review:
- Earphones : ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023), ddHiFi Janus 2 (E2020B)
- DAP/DAC/Amplifier : ddHiFi TC44 Pro, FiiO M11 Plus ESS
Albums & Tracks used for this review:
- Adele – My Little Love (Tidal)
- Randy Crawford – On Day I Will Fly Away (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Hayley Westenra – Odyssey Album (Dezzer HiFi)
- Dionne Warwick – Walk On By (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Sarah McLachlan – Angel (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Sertap Erener – Aşk (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Edith Piaf – Non Je Ne Regrette Rien (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Diana Krall – So Wonderful (DSF)
- Aretha Franklin – I Say A Little Payer (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Sonya Yoncheva – (Giuseppe Verdi) II Trovatore, ActI (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- George Michael – Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- David Bowie – Heroes (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Elton John – Rocket Man ((Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Barry White – Just The Way You Are (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Isaac Hayes – Walk On By (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Sting – Englishman in New York – (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- B. King – Riding With The King (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- Dave Gahan – Kingdom (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Muse – Hysteria (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Rush – YYZ (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Red Hot Chili Peppers – Nobody Weird Like Me (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Bro Safari, UFO! – Drama (Deezer HiFi)
- Armin Van Buuren – Vini Vici (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Daft Punk – Doin’ it Right (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Jo Blankenburg – Meraki (Spotify)
- Lorde – Royals (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Massive Attack – Angel (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
- Toutant – Rebirth (Deezer HiFi)
- Gogo Penguin – Raven (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Gogo Penguin – Murmuration (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Portishead – It Could Be Sweet (Spotify)
- Max Richter – On the Nature of Daylight (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Charly Antolini – Duwadjuwandadu (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Ferit Odman – Look, Stop & Listen (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Chopin – Nocturn No. 20 In C-Sharp Minor (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Fazıl Say – Nazım Oratoryosu (Live) (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Vivaldi – Le QuarttroStagioni “The Four Season” (Deezer HiFi)
- Otto Liebert& Luna Negra – The River (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
- Lunatic Soul – The Passage (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Deftones – My Own Summer (Shove it) (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Metallica – Sad but True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
- Opeth – Windowpane (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Tidal Hi-Fi)
- Rush’s – Leave That Thing Alone (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
- Slayer – Angel of Death (Spotify)
- Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
- Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles (Spotify)
The Sound:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 is a Single Dynamic Driver IEM that delivers a balanced sound with a slight emphasis on the lower and upper frequencies. The bass is deep and powerful, the midrange is clear and detailed, and the treble is smooth yet crisp. The soundstage is wide and realistic, creating a sense of space and depth in the sound. This overall sound profile makes the Janus 3 pretty suitable for various genres of music, such as rock, pop, jazz, classical, metal, country and folk.
The ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023) review has been written after a burn-in process of approx. 80 hours. I have used the stock ST35 Silicon Ear Tips and the Stock OCC Wire cable that are included inside the package. The main sound sources are the ddHiFi TC44 Pro and FiiO M11 Plus ESS.
Bass:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023) offers a pretty powerful yet controlled overall bass response with good level of depth, extension and impact. The subbass region offers a decent level of depth and extension, while it does not sound overwhelming or overpowering to my ears. The subbass is maybe not on basshead level for a good reason, while it has enough rumble when I have listen to songs like Bro Safari, UFO’s “Drama”, Lorde’s “Royals”, Daft Punk’s “Doin’ it Right” and of course Massive Attack’s epic song “Angle”.
The midbass region delivers a solid amount of punch and slam, while it is well separated from the rest of the sound spectrum. The grade of layering and the level of control in this area are pretty decent, especially with respect of such a well priced single Dynamic Driver IEM. The speed and tightness of the bass that is created by the 10mm dia. Lithium-Magnesium Dome Composite Diaphragm Dynamic Driver is quite solid. The bass sounds in general pretty texture and the grade of resolution is on an adequate level for a product at this price range, when I have listen to instruments like a bass and electro guitar or different kind of percussions.
Midrange:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 shows a pretty balanced and neutral midrange tuning that is able to produce a decent amount of air and a good sense of clarity and resolution, while it has a slight emphasis on the upper midrange register. The midrange tuning seems to follow the Harman target response, which differentiates the Janus 3 (E2023) with its predecessors the Janus 1 (E2020A) as well as the Janus 2 (E2020B).
The lower midrange region of the Janus 3 is slightly less emphasized compared to the upper midrange, for example while listen to male vocals such like B.B. King, Dave Gahan and Barry White or to some instruments such as cellos and bass guitars, but still maintains a good level of clarity and detail.
The upper midrange region on the other hand is more prominent and energetic, giving the Janus 3 a transparent and airy atmosphere. Vocals such like Adel, Sertap Erener and Diana Krall or instruments such as violins, flutes and pianos are reproduced in a pretty lively and realistic manner. This sound profile makes the Janus 3 to an ideal choice for various genres of music that require clarity and detail, especially those that do feature vocals and acoustic instruments.
Treble:
The Janus 3 from ddHiFi delivers a treble performance that is generally neutral and balanced, with a subtle boost in the lower treble range. The treble region does not sound harsh or sibilant, even when instruments produce high levels of distortion. The transition from the upper midrange to the treble are do sound in general smooth and controlled.
This lower treble tuning adds the presentation of the Janus 3 a decent sense of clarity and definition. The lower treble register of the Janus 3 is slightly recessed compared to upper midrange register, but still maintains a good level of clarity and detail retrieval while listen to violins, clarinets, trumpets or saxophones. This area shows a good sense of authority and extension.
The upper treble register is not as highlighted as the lower treble register. It sounds relative smooth while it offers an efficient amount of information, brightness and sparkle while listen to percussions such as cymbals and hi-hats in songs in metal and jazz genres. The Janus 3 has a natural and smooth sound in this area, with a moderate level of extension and a good amount of airiness and sparkle.
Soundstage & Imaging:
The soundstage of the ddHiFi Janus 3 is fairly spacious and airy, creating a relative realistic and immersive atmosphere. The instruments and vocals are well separated and placed in the soundstage, which has a sufficient sense of width and depth, while the height of the stage is moderate, but not too limiting.
Comparison:
ddHiFi Janus 3 (E2023) versus ddHiFi Janus 2 (E2020B):
The Janus 3 (E2023) and the Janus 2 (E2020B) do share a similar design in form of a capsule that looks pretty unique compared to other IEM’s on the market. However, the Janus 3 is now lighter, smaller and more comfortable as well. The Janus 3 doesn’t comes with a dual connector feature that the Janus 1 and Janus 2 has, but I do prefer the smaller monitor shape of the Janus 3 with its angled nozzle design that offers a better fit/comfort and the new stock cable that comes with Interchangeable headphone plugs.
When it comes to the sound I can say that they are quite different. The Janus 2 has a brighter tonality with focal point in the upper treble register that is missing fullness and impact in the lows that are show in a fairly neutral a linear manner. The Janus 3 on the other side shows a tuning that is derivate from the Harman target response, which is a result of the collaboration with Moondrop.
The Janus 3 (E2023) has a higher bass performance than the Janus 2 (E2020B). The Janus 3 has the ability to produce a deeper and more powerful bass response, while both are pretty equal in terms speed and control. The subbass region of the Janus 3 shows a higher sense of depth, extension and rumble. The difference in the midbass region is not that high, but the Janus 3 has again the upper hand in terms body and impact.
The midrange of the Janus 3 is produced in a slightly clearer and more detailed manner than does of the Janus 2. The lower midrange of the Janus 2 shows a bit more fullness while listen to male voices or violas and trombones. The upper midrange is where the difference of the tuning is more audible. The Janus 3 shows more presence in this area resulting in a higher level of clarity and resolution. Female voices, violins, flutes and pianos are produced in a livelier, more detailed and realistic manner when I do switch to the Janus 3.
The lower treble region of the Janus 2 has more presence than those of the Janus 3. It has a peak around the 5 – 6 kHz region that sounds smoother with the Janus 3. The Janus 2 sounds slightly brighter and crisper in the treble region, but is also more prone for sibilance and sharpness. The Janus 3 offers a better sense of authority and smoothness that I do prefer over the tuning of the Janus 2. The upper treble region of both IEM’s sounds quite similar and offers a sufficient sense of airiness and sparkle.
Both IEM’s do offer a relative specious and expansive soundstage atmosphere. The performance in terms of separation is fairly similar, but the Janus 3 offers a slightly betters sense of air between the instruments. The Janus 3 has the slightly edge when it comes to the depth and height of the stage, wile the wideness of both IEM’s is on a sufficient level.
Conclusion:
The ddHiFi Janus 3 is a sleek and comfortable IEM that boasts a new 10mm dynamic driver with a lithium-magnesium dome composite diaphragm, tuned in collaboration with Moondrop that shows a very enjoyable implementation of the Harman Target Response. The Janus 3 is also more compact and lightweight than its predecessors, and comes with a pure OCC copper wire cable that has a modular headphone plug system. All in all, I can say that I really like the new sound profile of the new Janus 3 with its powerful subbass response, clear and detailed midrange, and the smooth yet crisp treble presentation.
Pros & Cons:
- + Good implementation of the Harman Target Response
- + Subbass Depth and Extension
- + Clarity & Macro Detail of the Midrange
- + Smooth yet Crisp Treble Response
- + Ergonomic Design
- + ST35 Silicone Ear Tips
- + Good Cable with Modular Headphone Plug Design
- – Not the best choice for those who prefer a relative neutral or analytical sound signature
- – It is missing just a bit more presence in the lower midrange
- – No Dual Socket that was available with the Janus 1 & Janus 2 (not a real con for me)
Thank you for the Read!
