Sound Review by Hoshi星
Disclaimer: Ikko has graciously provided us with this sample unit in exchange for an honest review. The views discussed below are a reflection of Project A3's thoughts surrounding the product. The sample has been run-in for at least 50 hours prior to reviewing in order to achieve an accurate representation of the product.

TL;DR |
Not Recommended if you like: |
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Recommended if you like: |
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Introduction:
Ikko is a company that had entered the scene in the last year or so with the Meteor OH1, a well-received, entry-level offering that was pleasing to pretty much anyone that got their hands on it. Today Ikko is at-bat again this time with a step-up model, the OH10. With similar but upgraded aesthetics, a new configuration and a bump in the price at $189. We will look into the OH10 on the value proposition and performance it offers in today's review.
Pros | Cons |
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Specification:
- Balanced Armature: Knowles 33518
- Dynamic driver: 10mm polymer composite titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic driver
- Sensitivity:106dB
- Frequency range:20Hz-40kHZ
- Impedance:18ohm
- Cable length:1.2m
- Connector;2-pin 0.78mm
- Cable type:4 strands of 8 high-purity oxygen-free copper-plated 5n silver-plated
Gear Used & Tracklist:
Shanling M0 | FiiO Q1 Mk II | Hiby R6 | Zorloo ZuperDAC | Massdrop x Cavalli CTHGenres | Artist | Songs |
Live Recordings | Diana Krall | Desperado (Live) |
Natalia Lafourcade | Soledad y El Mar | |
Case Lang Veirs | Atomic Number | |
Depeche Mode | Question of Lust (Live 1998) | |
Instrumentals | Max Richter | On the Nature of Daylight |
Santa Esmeralda | Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood | |
Nils Frahm | Toilet Brushes (Live) | |
Jazz | Bill Evans | A Waltz for Debbie |
Chet Baker | I'm a Fool to Want You | |
Sons of Kemet | Your Queen is Harriet Tubman | |
Ryo Fukui | Scenery | |
Rock | Avenged Sevenfold | Nightmare |
The Stooges | Down On The Street | |
Avenged Sevenfold | Unbound (The Wild Ride) | |
Guns N’ Roses | Sweet Child O’ Mine | |
Ozzy Osbourne | Crazy Train | |
Green Day | 21 Guns | |
Classical | Niccolò Paganini | La Campanella (From Violin Concerto No.2 In B Minor) |
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | The Year 1812 Solemn Overture | |
David Arnold | Independence Day | |
Pop | Hu Yang-Lin (胡楊林) | Perfume is poisonous (香水有毒) |
Fish Leong (梁靜茹) | Love Song (情歌) | |
Western Pop | Anamanaguchi | MEOW |
Iamamiwhoami | Chasing Kites | |
Algiers | Dispossession | |
New Order | Bizzare Love Triangle (Extended Mix) | |
Marian Hill | Breathe Into Me | |
Tyler, The Creator | EARFQUAKE | |
Tones and I | Never Seen the Rain | |
Red Hot Chili Peppers | Around the World | |
ACG | Saori Hayami | オレンジミント (Orange Mint) |
RADWIMPS | 前前前世 (Zenzenzenzense) | |
RADWIMPS | スパークル(Sparkle) | |
DAOKO | Cinderella Step | |
Kana Hanazawa | 恋愛サーキュレーション (Renai Circulation) |

Unboxing:
The OH10 comes in a sturdy box, with anime type art that may not appeal to all audiences but is not something so overt that it would throw off someone who wasn't into that kind of art. It's pleasing and simple and at the very least adds character to the packaging. There was nothing grand about the contents of the box, a cute little Ikko logo pin plus the usual fare that is to be expected at this price point and coupled with it was a nice feeling but unstructured leather pouch which is good for mobility but doesn't do anything for protection.
Scalability:
Primarily designed as a mobile device, the OH10 is easily powered by most devices and while some higher quality sources seemingly add more control this is very minor and generally, the OH10 doesn't greatly benefit from higher-end amplification. On the flip side, this means that pretty much almost any device can be used to plug the OH10 into and enjoy its full sound.

Fit:
The fit of the OH10 is something I struggled with, while not uncomfortable in any sense, the shape lends itself to a shallow fit because of the rather shallow nozzle and the wide shell made it so that the fit for me personally was shallower than I would like, thus making me prefer tips that were on the longer side to compensate for it.
That coupled with the weight of the OH10 meant that at times falling out of my ear was possible. Those who like their IEMs to fit like this should be rather pleased though and outside of that personal issue, there was nothing else I could think of regarding the fit.
That coupled with the weight of the OH10 meant that at times falling out of my ear was possible. Those who like their IEMs to fit like this should be rather pleased though and outside of that personal issue, there was nothing else I could think of regarding the fit.

Sound Signature | |
Engaging and Fun | The OH10 presents an engaging sound signature, with the tuning skewed towards a V-shape with a bump in the upper mids in what used to be called a J-Style tuning. Thus there is an ample amount of bass provided coupled with boosted treble frequencies and a relatively more relaxed mid-range but has just a bit of a little boost. It's a crowd-pleasing tuning that doesn't skew too much in the way of either spectrum so that it attracts the most number of people, though some say this could be a rather safe choice, at this price range people prefer something all around as a general use item versus something targeted and niche, and this play into the OH10 very well. |
Lows | |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Green Day - 21 Guns
Green Day - 21 Guns
The OH10 allowed the drum slam on the hook of 21 Guns to give the reverberative impression, providing a full sense of impact on the bass drum hits as well as the bass line, without totally overpowering the guitar riff and vocals. It is impactful without being muddy.
Mids | |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Kana Hanazawa - Renai Circulation
RADWIMPS - Sparkle
Kana Hanazawa - Renai Circulation
RADWIMPS - Sparkle
Using both these songs to contrast the vocals, you can tell the larger emphasis on the higher-pitched voice of female vocals giving them a slight forwardness that is almost reminiscent of something like my Polaris V1, however, there is a slight of dissonance with the mids that I feel could be bridged better. However, the clarity and transparency still shine through on both songs, so I tend to look past it.
Highs | |
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Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
DAOKO - Cinderella Step
DAOKO - Cinderella Step
This song enters with tizzy cymbal crashes and synths, both highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the treble presentation. The beginning highlights the sparkle and energy of the treble fully showing how it isn't one that is a dark tuning, however, there is just the mildest sibilance at the very end of the cymbal crashes not enough to be disconcerting and splashy treble will be at it's most uncomfortable for treble sensitive folk. But at the same time, you can fully appreciate the air and crispness of the OH10 with the song.
Soundstage | |
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Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Depeche Mode - A Question of Lust
Depeche Mode - A Question of Lust
In A Question of Lust, the complex and layered instrumentation of the live version shines, as with many live recordings where the bass doesn't endlessly reverberate against itself the OH10 doesn't end up congested and let's the inherent technical capability of the IEM shine, it also isn't prone to the aforementioned con due to the fact that it's a relatively complex but somewhat relaxed song.
Separation | |
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Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
Here we have a "dirtier" recording a track that has a bunch of different segments from a relatively simpler start but tends to slightly ramp up as the song goes, especially towards the guitar solo portion.
Here as long as volumes are reasonable the Ikko performs well with the guitars and shouty vocals of the song more complementary over fighting over each other while the bass drum and bass line play the sidelines supporting the entire exchange.
Musicality | |
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Cons |
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Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Saori Hayami - Orange Mint
Saori Hayami - Orange Mint
Here is a mostly synth fueled J-Pop track the Ikko performs capably and musicality shines and the bass beat serves as the backbone of the song with just enough impact to keep things moving along, and the tuning really shows with the vocals cutting through most of the mids, as shown by the upper mids favored tuning. The tones and chimes that go along aren't lost due to the fact that the Ikko has sufficient clarity to bring to the table, and this allows the fun pop song to shine well.
Comparison Chart | ||||
How we compare: We chose other similarly priced earphones or similar offerings from the same brand that Project A3 has reviewed in the past, to ensure that we remain as impartial as possible in our comparisons. | ||||
Ikko OH10 | NS5 Mk-II (Natural) | Tipsy Dunmer Pro | ||
Suggested Retail Price | $199 | $199 | $189 | |
Driver Configuration | 1BA+1DD Hybrid | 1 DD | 2BA+1DD Hybrid | |
Scalability | Source improvements give slight improvements in control of the low end. | Source improvements give a better bass response. | Source improvements lead to tighter treble control | |
Fitting | Shallow fit with heavy shells. | Standard length nozzle with a somewhat flat main shell | Basic UIEM shape that is semi molded around the ear shapes | |
Comfort | Comfortable but prone to falling out of the ears. Also heavy. | Light, unobtrusive, low profile shell. Preferable for those who listen in their sleep. | Light shell, higher profile than others but no obvious discomfort. | |
Sound Signature | Slightly W-shape with emphasis on upper mids. (J-Style tuning) | "Balanced" with an emphasis on the midrange | Conservative V-shaped tuning. | |
Lows | Smooth, unobtrusive, but still boosted particularly the sub-bass. More reserved midbass. | Reserved but still present, just enough to give depth but not basshead at all. There is a bass enhanced version available. | Slightly above neutral, with a good slam and a boost along the midbass. | |
Mids | Upper mids are favored, lending to more intimate and forward female vocals. Clean overall. | The shining aspect of the NS 5 MK II, great reproduction, lively mids that engage the listener, vocals and instruments shine through. | Reserved among the three, plays a supporting role to the energetic bass and treble. | |
Highs | Mildy energetic, and clear. Upper treble has a roll off likely to prevent being overtly tizzy. | With good air and sparkle, not as forward as the mids but adds to the pleasant signature as well as the sense of clarity. | Boost in the treble gives energy that might turn some people off, but all in all balances out well enough. | |
Soundstage | Good width but depth not outstanding. Spatial recognition is good. | Good width, okay depth. Nothing particularly notable. | Notably wide as well as deep. | |
Separation | Good separation in most tracks due to clarity. Can get congested once the volume gets increased. | Clean and clear, the NS5 has very impressive separation with very little problems when it comes to discerning track elements. | The relaxed mids lend to a natural presentation that is capable and accurate as long as the other frequencies don’t overpower it. | |
Remarks | J-Shaped tuning tries to give the best all around performance trying to sacrifice as little as possible. Jack of all trades. | The most balanced of the three, providing those who are after one of the best mid-treble combinations at the price bracket. | Classic V-shaped tuning that provides good energy and a fun listen. |

Conclusion:
The Ikko OK10 presents a capable option in the price bracket, if not an outstanding one. It shows good sonic performance in most aspects relative to the price range, without notably achieving the same. But with a cohesive tuning direction, an attractive design, decently premium feel, and mostly solid build, there is the foundation for a good value option that anyone looking for a high-performance do-it-all IEM would be happy to own. There is a lot to like about the OH10, the clarity you get especially stands out, and not a lot to dislike either. And it is only their second offering you understand why Ikko might fill in the rest of their IEM roster in time, but for now, they still execute well and I would have no reservations recommending the OH10 Obsidian to anyone who is looking for what it provides.
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*All ratings are accurate as of date of publication. Changes in price, newer models may affect Project A3's views on the performance and value of the reviewed product.
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