Fit and Comfort

I am quite glad things in the UK improved to where I could get a haircut prior to taking this photo, which shows the Ikko OH10 earbud in my left ear. I would say I have averagely sized ears, albeit with smaller-than-average ear canals. So I had no problem fitting the fairly ergonomic earbuds comfortably with the shell resting against the concha and antihelix of the outer ear, and the M-sized ear tips with the wider bores fit me fine. Foam ear tips would have been better for a more secure fit and improved comfort, but the fewer vents here do make for better isolation anyway. I have mixed feeling about the memory retention in the cable owing to the sheathing and construction, however. The in-built loops work nicely in going around the ear helix and down the back to get out of the way. However, you end up with a one-size-fits-all-but-not-really approach that most likely leaves some room between the ear and cable.

This can take some tension from the cable off the ears, but means your ears take the brunt of the weight of these heavy earbuds. I have seen a few customers and fellow media colleagues state that the weight was not a big deal for them, but more complained about ear fatigue over time. Count me in among the latter, having caught myself adjusting them after around an hour of listening every time. The stock cable and ear tips are also part of the package chosen by Ikko for their more budget-friendly OH1, which is much lighter, so I am curious if the upgraded cable would help here. Replacing ear tips will go a long way if you face this issue too, and I recommend trying out different ear tips from companies such as SpinFit if you prefer silicone. I will say also that the earbuds are longer than on most IEMs, so the weight distribution is over a larger body, which may help. But a proper fit is the best way to get around the weight of these, and any potential ear fatigue.

Audio Performance

Audio Hardware

Ikko uses a hybrid dual-driver system for the OH10, which means these IEMs have a Knowles 33518 balanced armature driver for the midrange and high frequencies, and a separate 10 mm polymer titanium diaphragm dynamic driver for the lows and bass. This type of hybrid driver system is by no means unique to Ikko and indeed something fairly common in IEMs that cost far less, too. The dynamic drivers are 10 mm in size, which by itself does not mean much, but I was still surprised that Ikko did not go with larger drivers given the footprint of the shells.

Driving the hardware is extremely easy. With a rated impedance of just 18 Ω, no aftermarket amps are required. DACs will always go a decent way in the audio experience, however, and a portable DAC/amp might well be part of your collection if you are considering IEMs and other audio solutions in the $150+ price range. Also, the lack of a 3.5 mm audio jack for most phones these days is another reason to consider a DAC/amp that takes digital input and provides a 3.5 mm jack on the other end, since you will have to use an adapter anyway. This is why I paired these with the FiiO E17 and the Creative SXFI Amp, with the latter more out of curiosity on how the soundstage would be affected. If not on the go, space is less of an issue, but the 1.2 m cable might be a potential handicap if connecting to a PC as the audio source. Ikko also rates the signal sensitivity at 106 dB and a frequency response of 20 Hz to 40 KHz, but good luck making use of that range!

Audio Quality

I will preface this section by saying that I do not have a lot of wired IEM experience, with my general preference wireless TWS earbuds and neckband earphones for the convenience on the move. The few wired IEMs I have listened to have generally been more expensive than the Ikko OH10, although there have of course been OEM earphones in the past, which are practically thrown at you for free. So judge the following impressions with that in mind, as well as my general preference for a V-shaped sound signature emphasizing elevated bass and treble with a recessed midrange. I also generally prefer instrumental music over vocals, which complements the V-shaped profile.

That said, these things are something else! I wish I had not been aware of the cost before listening to these since everything thus far really did shout $$$ at me, which the listening impressions only add to. The soundstage was the biggest surprise. Going in, I expected clear channel separation, but had generally lower expectations for this stereo setup. I came out feeling that the Creative SXFI Amp was not a good pairing, for SXFI at least, with a wider soundstage than these well-isolating IEMs would have made you believe. There is plenty of clarity too, and SXFI muddies things somewhat while expanding the soundstage further. The lack of a dedicated profile might be part of it, but I preferred the standalone experience.

With the FiiO E17 paired with my laptop and phone at various times, things were really nice. So nice in fact that the aforementioned ear fatigue happened more often than I would have liked owing to the long music listening sessions I was having with these. It prompted me to get some aftermarket ear tips as soon as possible, but more on that separately. If I had to describe the Ikko OH10s in one word, it would be punchy! The 10 mm dynamic drivers are bassy with a capital B, so much so that the sound signature seems to be right up V-MODA's alley. It is a good thing then that there are fewer vents here, since you can crank up the volume for a booming bass without worrying too much about whether your neighbors will be bothered. The lower frequency range in particular gets emphasized more so than the mid-bass or common ground towards the midrange itself, which I can see being a touch annoying for some bass lovers, though. The decay into the midrange happens fairly uniformly, which makes for a cleaner separation of the bass from the vocals.

Speaking of vocals, things are about as neutral as I'd expect here. The lower midrange might get some leftover warmth from the lows, but the Knowles 33518 BA drivers have been in a couple of other audio solutions I have listened to, so I kinda knew what to expect here. This is also where the soundstage clarity and width come in, and instruments basically sound how the creator intended them to. This is not a complaint by any means, but those preferring a warmer tone for vocals may want to tweak the EQ settings.

The balanced armature drivers affect the treble in a similar way, with the best way I can describe it being a cozy blanket over the highs. I personally prefer a more airy treble range since I am somewhat sensitive to more lively highs. Female vocals coming off the midrange can thus sound better than male vocals here because of the recessed midrange proper, but there is no doubt that the bass and lower midrange are what Ikko tuned the OH10s for. String instruments hold their own in the highs, however, so that brought me back in for the entire range I prefer. Lastly, I will mention that while the FiiO E17 helps the trained ear, the vast majority of end users will be completely satisfied with the integrated DAC/amps of most modern mobile phones and laptops. The bass won't be as punchy necessarily, but I hardly noticed a difference in the rest of the frequency response.