Closer Examination

Right before the VULKAN was announced, DUNU released its latest and most affordable cable featuring its brilliant Q-Lock PLUS modular connector system. The DUW-02S cable costs $80 on its own and is included with the VULKAN, which is a pleasant surprise as I was expecting the less expensive Q-Lock LITE cable we saw with the FALCON PRO; instead, we have compatibility not only with 2.5, 3.5, 4.4, and 6.35 mm plugs out of the box, but also DUNU's digital plugs for direct smartphone connectivity we saw before. The cable uses 26 AWG silver-plated OCC copper in a Type 1 round litz braid configuration with four cores in total in a matte champagne-colored aluminium housings throughout and continues the tradition of DUNU cables being designed for function and form alike with no resistance to shape-forming and no microphonics during testing. The cable splitter and cinch are also low-profile, as is the memory-wire configuration even with the plastic sheathing towards the other end. The MMCX connector housings come marked "L" and "R" for the left and right channels and are slightly curved to help with the fit over the ears.


DUNU wants to evoke a feeling of raw intensity with the VULKAN, and thus the design of the IEM shells and face plates had to match. The goal was for it to look like molten rock, having been inspired by mokume-gane—as opposed to Damascus steel, which I am seeing many erroneously compare these to. The shells are black anodized CNC-milled aluminium, and the star is the face plate out of CNC-milled stainless steel that is anodized and polished to produce the shiny base layer before being textured with secondary anodic oxidation to produce the dual layer, dual texture effect.


In person the darker layer left after oxidation has a rough finish, and the polished steel layer above it is clearly felt. Photos actually make it seem cooler than it is, but the effect is undeniable, and the matte finish improves longevity, too. This also means no two sets will be identical—not even individual face plates will match up, which is in my opinion absolutely fine for this particular effect. Notice the somewhat camouflaged vent holes in the top of the face plate. The shells too get a matte finish and are easy to hold on to since they are thicker than average, with nothing of note on the side aside from the MMCX connectors off an extension milled out of the aluminium block that became these shells. The underside has another vent. L/R markings in a fancy font indicate the left/right channels, and the company name is inscribed with a note to remind you DUNU was established 20 years ago. The side profile also shows the angular positioning of the nozzle to get around the thicker shells, and these have a retaining lip at the end to keep the ear tips in place. A metal mesh on the end of the nozzle prevents contaminants from entering the acoustic chamber.


Three types of silicone tips in three sizes each come with the DUNU VULKAN, and the colored bore section perfectly fits between the shell and lip of the nozzle. I still can't tell you the exact differences between the three types of tips, except that some are longer and others have wider bore openings, of course. Do try them all out for the best-possible fit, including different sizes for both sides if your ears are not equally sized or shaped. Regardless of which tips you go with, the next step is to re-connect the cable by carefully identifying the matching channels and orienting the ear hooks around your ears when connected to the IEMs. Doing so is extremely simple since you just push the MMCX connectors back into the female receptacles, with a lock fit keeping them in place and allowing 360° rotation. Now, simply connect to the source using your preferred plug, and I did try all three using a combination of a few different balanced and single-ended sources. I know there are many who prefer using IEMs throughout, but I like to use over-ear headphones when sitting down and IEMs on the go. I paired the VULKAN with most of the tested portable DAC/amps to date and personally like the cleaner profile and handy EQ options of the Qudelix-5K as the source, in turn paired to my phone or laptop.