Closer Examination

The two digital plugs are just one part of the family of cables and plugs that make up DUNU's famous Q-Lock PLUS cable system. We saw a more affordable version called Q-Lock LITE on the cable that shipped with the FALCON PRO, which does not have the digital plug support of the Q-Lock PLUS family. This makes for a cable that can easily go from 2.5 mm balanced to 3.5 mm single-ended to 4.4 mm balanced or 6.35 mm single-ended (w/3.5 mm plug and adapter), or even the two digital plugs we just saw. The Q-Lock PLUS system is also patented and uses quick-switching connectors with an integrated pull-back release mechanism in the grip of the cable. White dots and arrows help with plug orientation, whereby a notch in the housing prevents incorrect installation. Note how the matte champagne and black work great across the board, and I can't tell you how good it feels to again have a wired cable straight into my phone. I still can't charge and listen at the same time, and the digital plug is still effectively a dongle, but this solution is far more elegant than a dongle.


DUNU sells a total of seven cables globally under its Q-Lock PLUS system, and the ZEN PRO has the fantastic DUNU CHORD cable by default in international markets—it ships with the DUW-03 cable in China and select Asian markets. The DUNU CHORD is a $210 cable by itself, and a slight upgrade over the DUW-03 that shipped with the ZEN globally, so I am not sure why there is this discrepancy in cables with the ZEN PRO between regions. The CHORD uses a 4-core, multi-strand conductor system with a mix of high-purity Furukawa Electric OCC copper and Neotech pure silver wires "interwoven between one another," with the cores hand-braided in a round Litz configuration to minimize phase interference and microphonics. I can attest to this being one of the best-looking and feeling cables I have ever used, with no resistance to shape forming and no microphonics during testing. The cable splitter and cinch are also low-profile, as is the eventual memory-wire configuration even with the plastic sheathing towards the other end. DUNU is using MMCX connectors with the ZEN PRO, which it calls the patented Catch-Hold® connectors at that. These are presumably more durable than the average MMCX connector, which generally takes a step back from the average 2-pin connectors for durability in my experience. The MMCX connector housings come marked "L" and "R" for the left and right channels.


This is only my second tested DUNU product, and it happens to be of a different shape. Funnily enough, I have a third, unreleased DUNU IEM of a completely different design yet again! The FALCON PRO has a teardrop shape, and the ZEN PRO adopts a lower-profile circular design. It's similar to the FiiO FD3 we saw before, and the form factor should make for a comfortable fit in most ears. The original ZEN had the same 316 stainless steel shells as the ZEN PRO, but we get a titanium-colored, anodized finish as opposed to the black. It's still quite glossy, and you now know why the included microfiber cloth is useful. Notice the ZEN PRO using coaxial magnets, which makes for a weaker magnetic field that is still strong enough on the outside. This allows for both IEMs to be picked up together, and I'd suggest not holding credit cards next to these, just in case you thought it might be fun to do.


I would not call the ZEN PRO a semi-open set of IEMs—the FALCON PRO is closer to that designation courtesy the higher ventilation, but there remain multiple vents onboard. This is especially true on the front, amid a cutout that adds some flair to these otherwise uniformly machined shells. See that fingerprint in there? I deliberately left it there to show you what would happen if you don't continually wipe these. The gray finish is probably worse in this regard than the black on the DUNU ZEN, but the glossy finish common to both is the culprit. The MMCX connector is at the end of an extension off the side and has blue or red rings for the left and right channels. A look from the side shows that the shell design has more subtle tweaks to the circular design, and calling it too simply would be a disservice. This is especially true on the inner side with contours made to fit the ear canal better. I also got to see the ECLIPSƎ driver module that goes into the ZEN PRO, and how little space is left in the shells around the driver is quite impressive—it's a highly efficient packing. We see a relatively long nozzle, which bodes well for isolation and fit if you can accommodate it, with notches to better secure ear tips in place. The nozzle diameter is average at just under 5.5 mm at the entry point, and there is a metal mesh filter on the end to prevent contamination of the acoustic chamber.


The stock ear tips all fit the nozzle on the IEMs just fine, though the foam tips are more of a struggle to get around the notch. Notice how the four types vary in overall length, but also form factor, which affects how far into the ear the nozzle goes. Seen above are all four in size M to give you a better idea, and feel free to try different types and sizes to get the best-possible fit. As mentioned before, I do wish DUNU would clarify what the various tips do.


Regardless of which of the tips you go with, the next step is to connect the cable by carefully pushing the MMCX connectors in place. I would have liked a 2-pin connector, or at least an MMCX extraction tool since it can be a bother to remove the cable for any storage or cable rolling. But these are among the best MMCX connectors I have used to date, and I have not seen any complaints about DUNU IEMs having a connector go bad over time, either. Be sure to match the channels correctly, and simply connect the connector of your choosing to the source itself. I know there are many who prefer using IEMs throughout, but I like to use over-ear headphones when sitting down and IEMs/TWS earbuds on the go. This works especially well with the digital plug accessories for easy connectivity to my phone in a manner I haven't had as an option in a long time! I've also paired the DUNU ZEN PRO with all the tested portable DAC/amps thus and personally liked the cleaner profile and handy EQ options of the Qudelix-5K as the source, in turn paired to my phone or laptop.