{"id":656,"date":"2020-10-22T14:26:25","date_gmt":"2020-10-22T14:26:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/?p=656"},"modified":"2020-10-22T14:46:04","modified_gmt":"2020-10-22T14:46:04","slug":"simphonio-dragon-3-dynamic-driver-audiophile-hifi-earbuds-earphone-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/?p=656&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Simphonio Dragon 3 Dynamic Driver Audiophile HiFi Earbuds Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Simphonio (formerly Sunrise Audio) is not a new player in the earphone market. It is a small Chinese company founded by some engineers and audiophiles, who are experts in earphone design and tuning. Their SW Dragon and SW Dragon II earbuds were quite popular choices, and their higher end earbud from last year, the Dragon 2+ was greeted with wide acclaim. I have read Nathan\u2019s very positive review on Headfonia about the Dragon 2+, and I got interested in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Checking out the Simphonio homepage I found that a new flagship is in the works. The previews on their Asian store were very enthusiastic about the Dragon 3, so I took a deep breath, pushed the trigger \u2013 ordered the Dragon 3 for the introductory price of 450 USD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dragon 3 can be purchased here:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/justearbud.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/justearbud.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/penonaudio.com\/simphonio-dragon-3.html\">https:\/\/penonaudio.com\/simphonio-dragon-3.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This review will show if I am happy with that decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Specification<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Driver:<\/strong>&nbsp;15.8mm Dynamic Neodymium magnet<br><strong>Frequency Response<\/strong>\uff1a20-25000 Hz<br><strong>Impedance:&nbsp;<\/strong>150\u03a9<br><strong>Output Sound Pressure Level<\/strong>\uff1a108\u00b13dB\/mW<br><strong>Maximum Input Power<\/strong>\uff1a3mW<br><strong>Cable:<\/strong>&nbsp;1.3 meter 6N OCC 8 cores<br><strong>Weight:<\/strong>&nbsp;14g<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The specification is very similar to those of the Dragon 2+, but there are some key differences. Impedance has been elevated from 16 \u03a9 to 150\u03a9, and the cable is of much better quality OCC 8 cores instead of the original 6N OFC cable. Output Sound Pressure Level is slightly lower at 108dB (from 110dB of Dragon 2+).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Unboxing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dragon 3 arrived in a very elegant dark brown box, which was covered with an opalescent plastic shell. The box is wrapped in a paper ring showing front and side view photos of the Dragon 3 and specification on the back, while the company logo and product logo are printed onto the plastic cover. Really nice, elegant design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The interior of the box is of orange color \u2013 nice contrast to the brown box, and a small reference to the Sunrise Audio roots. The earbud is contained in a light brown colored leather pouch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-1 wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_1s-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"661\" data-full-url=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_1s.jpg\" data-link=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/?attachment_id=661\" class=\"wp-image-661\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_1s-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_1s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_1s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_1s-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_1s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_2s-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"662\" data-full-url=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_2s.jpg\" data-link=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/?attachment_id=662\" class=\"wp-image-662\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_2s-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_2s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_2s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_2s-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_2s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_3s-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"663\" data-full-url=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_3s.jpg\" data-link=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/?attachment_id=663\" class=\"wp-image-663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_3s-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_3s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_3s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_3s-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_3s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_4s-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"664\" data-full-url=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_4s.jpg\" data-link=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/?attachment_id=664\" class=\"wp-image-664\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_4s-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_4s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_4s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_4s-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_4s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Accessories<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The accessories are packed into a small paper box. The following things are included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>A 2,5\u201d balanced (TRRS) female to 3,5\u201d single ended (TRS) male adapter cable using the same wire as the earbud itself. The female plug is cubical, what is very nice, but not so ergonomic.<\/li><li>1-1 pair of full and donut foam cushions<\/li><li>Plastic ring (to ensure a fixed fit in case somebody does not want to use any of the foam covers). The foam cushions are of high quality \u2013 Hiegi or Hiegi like material and thickness, and the donut foam cushion has a wide bore.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_5s-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-665\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_5s-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_5s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_5s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_5s-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_5s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Tech Inside<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Case, Driver Configuration, Design, Finishing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dragon 3 is built around a standard Yuin style case. It is a good choice, since it has much more ergonomic form than the other, widely used MX500 cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The case is plastic with a soft metallic shine. It has a very nice velvety touch, and feels robust in the hands. The material choice may seem interesting for some in case of a higher end product, but a plastic case is lighter, and may also have acoustic benefits (lower resonance) \u2013 for example also the Periodic Audio Be uses plastic case for the same reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dragon 3 has a new, 150 \u03a9 15.8mm Dynamic driver. The sensitivity is a little lower 108dB vs. 110dB (Dragon 2+), but it is still a quite sensitive earphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Cable<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First the bad news: the cable is not removable. There are long chats in several earphone oriented forums about the quality, usability, reliability of the recently used removable cable connection types (mmcx and 2 pin). There is no consensus yet on this topic, but one thing is sure: in case the fixed cable is broken, also the earphone becomes unusable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All the other aspects of the cable are great. It is a wonderful, blue colored braided balanced cable, with audiophile quality 6N 8 core OCC lead. The cable is quite slim and thickly braided \u2013 it has a very nice rubbery touch, and it is not prone to tangling. I did not encounter any cable noise using the Dragon 3. The cable strain relief is chrome (quite heavy), and there is no chin slider used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plug is a chrome plated 2,5\u201d balanced jack with gold plated contact, Simphonio engraved. The quality of the cable is on par with high end aftermarket balanced cables like the Oriveti Affinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_6s-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_6s-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_6s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_6s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_6s-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_6s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Comfort and fit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Case<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Yuin style cases are famous for their high level of comfort, and it is true also in case of the Dragon 3. Everybody who tried liked the fit and comfort of the Dragon 3 except for one of my friends, who has a very small place behind the tragus. The Dragon 3 smoothed into my ear, so I could listen to music hours long without noticing that the earbud is in my ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Cushions<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>From the included cushions I have settled with the donut version. Thanks to its wide bore I could reach the best bass response without ruining the quality and quantity of the midrange and treble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Isolation, noise leakage<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Isolation is quite good, but just against classic earbud standards. Thanks to the shallow insertion some noise can get through the ear channel. The other handicap of the classic earbud design is noise leakage, and the Dragon 3 is no exception. However most of the time, at low to moderate volume it is not distracting for others nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Sounds impressions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All listening was done through the following chain: Lenovo ThinkPad (Foobar 2000 \u2013 ASIO drivers) \u2013 K\u00e1csa Audio KCO-U-Ag USB cable \u2013 iFi Audio iPurifier 3 \u2013 Chord Mojo<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I first listened to the earbud I was disappointed \u2013 the sound was blooming with blurred bass and harsh highs. I followed the instructions of Tuan (one of the founders): the Dragon 3 needs minimum 50 hours of burn in listening to favored music at moderate volume in maximum 8 hours bursts. Fortunately it worked. The sound changed considerably in the first 10 hours of listening (bass tightened up, midrange cleaned up, harsh highs have been tamed, soundstage became larger with more focus). Later on the changes were more and more subtle. The result was worth the efforts. Based on the listening the Dragon 3 was tuned to have a balanced, slightly U-shaped sound. The below impressions reflect listening with the Chord Mojo as a source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_7s-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_7s-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_7s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_7s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_7s-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_7s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Bass<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With the right source (later about that in detail) the Dragon 3\u2019s bass response is fantastic from a classic earbud, and great in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dragon 3 can go deep \u2013 I listened to ascending frequency, generated sines waves, and I could hear something starting from 25Hz, and hear the signal well from around 30Hz. In practice it means that there is very controlled sub bass with no\/minimal rumble in The Angel \u2013 Massive Attack, and James Blake \u2013 Limit to your love (from around 1 min). It is a great feature, because at listening to the latter song most earbuds (and many IEM-s) collapse \u2013 the subbass part completely disappears, or just a blob of sound can be heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have to admit one thing \u2013 this earbud needs volume. The bass response at low level listening is just good, but at higher volume levels it becomes great \u2013 I became accustomed to listening at higher volume than before, because it\u2019s worth&nbsp;\ud83d\ude42 Another option to be able to listen at lower volume without compromises to bass quantity and quality is to use a source or an amplifier with a good quality extra bass option, like the iFi XDSD or xCan \u2013 the Dragon 3 responds well to good analog domain EQ, quantity rises without distortion. Perspective is important. Limits of earbud design cannot be avoided completely \u2013 the Dragon 3 could not achieve the sub bass reach, fullness, strength of my Aiaiai TMA-1, Sennheiser HD650 or a higher level IEM with elevated bass (for example IE800) in Uni Sub \u2013 Alva Noto, Rain \u2013 Madonna, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In exchange the bass is tight, detailed, with great texture and layering \u2013 it never bleeds into the mids, and can be easily followed even in complex songs. Midbass is represented with nice slam, resolving very naturally and realistically \u2013 all the small resonances, nuances and licks can be heard. The bass riff starting at 1:31 in Talk Talk\u2019s Happiness is easy is very enjoyable, and the whole resonance of the bass can be heard at 2:48. Some other highlights of great acoustic and electric bass representation to be mentioned:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Marcus Miller \u2013 Redemption<\/li><li>Laura Marling \u2013 Soothing<\/li><li>Dobie Gray \u2013 Drift away<\/li><li>Daft Punk \u2013 Get Lucky<\/li><li>Moodymann \u2013 Downtown<\/li><li>Musica Nuda \u2013 Come together<\/li><li>Orlando Cachaito Lopez \u2013 Tumbao Number 5.<\/li><li>Bruce Cockburn \u2013 Rise and fall<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Mids<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Mids were always the strength of Sunrise Audio\/Simphonio products, and fortunately it did not change with the Dragon 3 \u2013 its midrange is extremely clean, detailed, dynamic and realistic. Both male and female voices are represented true to life, intelligibility is excellent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Examples for great quality female voice reproduction: the chorus of live and synthetic female voices in Canaan \u2013 Holly Herndon from her great album Proto, Angelique \u2013 Xeno &amp; Oaklander, Karen O &amp; Danger Mouse \u2013 Ministry, Rome wasn\u2019t built in a day \u2013 Morcheeba, Nothing breaks like a heart \u2013 Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson, Jamila Woods \u2013 BASQUIAT, Alice Phoebe Lou \u2013 Walking in the garden,<\/li><li>and male voice reproduction: Circuit de Yeux \u2013 Brainshift, Prince \u2013 Noon Rendezvous, Depeche Mode \u2013 Personal Jesus, Johnny Cash \u2013 Personal Jesus, James Taylor \u2013 Line em up, Leonard Cohen \u2013 Tower of a song, Nirvana \u2013 The Man who sold the world, The Beach boys \u2013 In my room,<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But for me the real highlight of the show is representation of all types of guitars, and other stringed instruments. Some great examples for realistic playback of guitars:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Bill Frisell \u2013 Pipeline<\/li><li>Liquid Tension Experiment \u2013 Acid rain<\/li><li>Black Sabbath \u2013 Wicked world<\/li><li>Fleetwood Mac \u2013 The chain,<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>the Dragon 3 also has the speed, details and dynamics to make listening to metal music a really enjoyable experience, a good example is Metallica \u2013 Enter sandman, Master of puppets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some songs that sounded great containing other string instruments, piano, brass instruments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Yo-Yo Ma \u2013 Cockeye\u2019s theme from Once upon a time in America (Cello)<\/li><li>Cimbi\u00f3zis \u2013 Act 1. (Cymbalo)<\/li><li>Santa Diver \u2013 Stormy weather (violin, violin with effects sounding like electric guitar)<\/li><li>Guillame Perret \u2013 Walk (Saxophone)<\/li><li>Kamasi Washington \u2013 Fists of fury (Piano)<\/li><li>Hiromi \u2013 Move (Piano)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dragon 3 represents synthesizer sounds, primarily analog synthesizer sounds with beautiful timbre, rhythmic precision and dynamics (\u201ebite\u201d). This is the primary reason I liked a lot listening to progressive electronic music on the Dragon 3 \u2013 music like Hollywood burns \u2013 Bazaar of the damned, and some of my recent favorite albums: Floating Points \u2013 Elaenia, Dritte Raum \u2013 Klubraum, Daft Punk \u2013 Tron OST, Caterina Barbieri \u2013 Ecstatic computation, Thom Yorke \u2013 Anima, Paula Temple \u2013 Edge of everything, Skee Mask \u2013 Compro, Biodub \u2013 Mirage EP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Treble<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The treble is well extended, very detailed, enough sparkling and airy. Simphonio voiced the highs perfectly \u2013 open sounding, natural and detailed without getting too much. I am very sensitive to piercing highs, but only with some definitely brigth sources and some songs found the Dragon 3\u2019s highs becoming hot. Following the burnin I did not face any harshness, sibilance issues when I paired the Dragon 3 with the Mojo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First Aid Kit \u2013 My silver lining can easily become hot on sibilance prone earphones \u2013 not the case here. The same can be said about the Celtic Woman rendition of Over the rainbow. The synth pads in Unfold from Gabor Lazar cut through the air like sharp blades with mesmerizing dynamics and impact. The clocks in Pink Floyd \u2013 Time sound realistic, detailed and live without becoming piercing (what I experienced many times on other earphones).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Soundstage, timbre, dynamics, genres<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a common view that classic earbuds have good to great sound staging capabilities. With some exceptions (primarily budget earbuds of non-earbud specialist brands) this statement is true. The Dragon 3 goes beyond that, and creates a fantastic soundstage \u2013 its wideness and depth are huge, somewhere I read the expression cavernous \u2013 how true to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The level of instrument separation is fantastic \u2013 the individual instruments can be localized very precisely in the soundstage, and the Dragon 3 depicts very realistically the movement of sound \u2013 where and how did the sound appear in space, and what is the direction and speed it travels towards or around the listener, how it dissolves. The transient response is great, the Dragon 3 has the speed required for such realistic depiction of sound. Dez Williams \u2013 Familiar Circumstances is a very good example of it. From 3:37 a huge soundcloud descends onto and around the listener, and at the same time the analog synthesizer sounds bounce around with strong bite. It is also worth to note the song Masse from the great new album (Echo) of Brandt Brauer Frick. The instruments (Cello, Piano, Electric piano, Harps, Trombone, Horns, Violin, Percussions, Drums, Xylophone) timbre is very realistic; they are easily identified and are thrown far away from each following the mix accurately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fantastic feature of the Dragon 3 that the sound is very natural and cohesive \u2013 the listener can decide any time to enjoy the music as a whole or focus on just one or more instruments. There is also a nice video clip for this song&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/masse.video\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/masse.video\/<\/a>&nbsp;that makes it possible to select any of the instruments to play solo. I would also suggest to listen to the new track called LesAlpx from Floating Points and the complete Dark Side of the Moon album from Pink Floyd to test how nicely the earbud represents complex arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the end is really the beginning from The Comet is coming shows how realistically can the Dragon 3 represent diverse timbre of unique instruments in a song. Listening to Bach: \u201cEvolutionary\u201d Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565\u2032 played by Cameron Carpenter shows how true to life this earbud can relive huge dynamic changes and space in classic organ works. In the complex arrangement of 15 steps from Radiohead and Max Roach\u2019s Onomatopoeia all parallel flowing themes can be followed and enjoyed. I almost forgot to mention one of my favorite songs (also for testing): Happiness is easy by Talk Talk. All the drums, guitar, piano, singing, child chorus, etc. sound very dynamic, like listening to live music. Other prime example of the dynamic capabilities of Dragon 3: China Hok-man Yim: Poem of Chinese drum \u2013 all the drums and percussion instruments can be heard during intense dynamic changes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-spotify wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Poem Of Chinese Drum\" width=\"300\" height=\"380\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"encrypted-media\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/track\/4RaUQtDq09wwhlndTYSfga?si=PhdA3282RjmwRG8bAhO5xg\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Music with many distorted sounding instruments (for exaple Rage against the machine \u2013 Killing in the name of, Rammstein \u2013 Puppe) does not fall apart, but sounds a bit hollow. I have heard much better, more aggressive renditions of these (type of) songs.<br>Note: These findings were valid only with the Mojo. With the Ibasso DC01 also these genres are great on the Dragon 3. Details see below in the update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Matchability, scalability<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color\"><strong>Efficiency<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dragon 3 is rated at 150\u03a9 and 108dB SPL. It needs grunt from the amplifier to show all of its inner strengths, fantastic dynamic and resolving capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color\"><strong>Synergy<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>All listening was done through the following chain: Lenovo Thinkpad (Foobar 2000 \u2013 ASIO drivers) \u2013 K\u00e1csa Audio KCO-U-Ag USB cable \u2013 iFi Audio iPurifier 3 \u2013 DAC<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_8-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_8-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_8-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5><strong>Shanling M0<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>First I tried to use it on low gain \u2013 the results were suboptimal. The sound was balanced, but very intimate (almost in the head feeling). Dynamics was restricted, the sound became very polite, hollow describes it best. Changing to high gain had beneficial effects: soundstage became larger, dynamics were much better; the sound was more alive with stronger and tighter bass. These were the good news \u2013 on the other hand the treble became harsh \u2013 the M0 lost its grip here. Now it was listenable, but far from desired. The softness of the M0 pulled back the Dragon 3 considerably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5><strong>iFi xDSD<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>I did all my listening with the Measure filter setting selected. Listening through the xDSD I immediately noticed the more fleshed out midrange (Rain \u2013 Madonna). The BurrBrown chipset is famous for its warmish delivery, that is intact here. This was beneficial for male voices, but I felt, that female voices became a bit more muscular than in real life. Midrange body gain and the strong, controlled bass was a welcome effect. With the XBass+ turned on even some sub bass rumble could be achieved in Angel \u2013 Massive Attack. Soundstage was quite wide and deep, instruments were placed correctly in space, with air around them. Dynamics were good, but not class leading \u2013 the combo sounded like listening to a well mastered recording, with limited liveliness. It is a very listenable combination. Thanks for the test xDSD to Peter Gy\u00f6rfi (Pixel Kft. Hungary).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5><strong>Chord Mojo<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>This pairing was magical. The soundstage is huge, and the sound is effortless, airy with fantastic dynamics and very natural, realistic timbre. My sound impressions are detailed above. After listening to this combo for more than a month I came to the conclusion that the Mojo\u2019s perfect bass grip, open midrange \/ airy voices \/ realistic decay and smooth highs strengthen each other with the detailed, nicely textured, layered bass, crystal clear midrange, huge soundstage and extended, very detailed highs of the Dragon 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Select Comparisons<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tracks used for the comparison:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Happiness is easy \u2013 Talk Talk,<\/li><li>Angel \u2013 Massive Attack,<\/li><li>Familiar Circumstances \u2013 Dez Williams.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color\"><strong>HE 150 Pro \u2013 the low end fighter<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It is a very popular 30 USD earbud, that is cone formed, and is made from metal. It is pretty wide, so in a smaller ear (like mine) it is moderately comfortable with foam cushions on. The braided cable nothing special \u2013 did not encounter microphonic problems, but it is easily getting tangled. Sensitivity is: 103dB, and Impedance rating is: 150\u03a9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Highlight of the earbud is the bass response. The bass is elevated, it has stronger bass than the Dragon 3 with proper sub bass rumble, and it is tight and nicely textured with Hiegi donut cushions. Bass does not bleed into the mids. Beyond the bass it is quite balanced, with natural and nicely detailed midrange, and a bit edgy highs. The soundstage is wide, depth is OK. The quality of bass is sensational, not just for the price, and as a whole it offers a nice hifi sound. The Dragon 3 plays in a different league in compliance with the more than 10x price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color\"><strong>Shozy BK balanced \u2013 liquid soul<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-670\" width=\"401\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_9.jpg 259w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_9-80x60.jpg 80w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It was my reference earbud until now, but I still like it a lot. It uses a 14,2mm diameter Japan imported NOS driver (according to rumors a Docomo driver) in a Yuin style case. The cable is non removable, densely braided with high quality leads (8-core imported single crystal copper, a core containing 26pcs 0.06occ). It is very similar also in touch and diameter to the cable of the Dragon 3.<br>The Shozy BK is very nice sounding earbud with slightly elevated, detailed, nicely textured tight bass, organic mids and detailed treble. Subbase is just present, and midbass has nice slam. Soundstage is not huge, but avoids becoming intimate sounding. Midrange reproduction has very realistic timbre, with nice body to the notes, and enjoyable clarity. Treble is a bit recessed due to the roll-off at high frequencies. As a result the sound of the BK is less airy and much less dynamic than the Dragon 3. Due to the slight warmth of the midrange it is smoother, more of an easy listening earbud. The greatest advantage of the Dragon 3 over the BK is their fantastic imaging capabilities, and immediate, lively sound. For around 180 USD, the BK is still a great choice, but not in the same league as the Dragon 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color\"><strong>Sennheiser IE800 \u2013 high end bassy IEM with soul<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I could listen briefly to the IE800. My impressions: Realistic, detailed, tight bass with strong sub bass presence and real slam, without bleeding into the midrange. Realistic, nicely detailed, full sounding midrange and a bit metallic treble (affecting mostly the drums and percussions). The soundstage was smaller; I felt it sounded a bit \u2019in da head\u2019. Beyond that the sound was very organic, enjoyable. A liked a lot the powerful but controlled bass, but preferred the Dragon 3 because of its imaging and lively sound presentation. Both earphones are equally great with their strength and weaknesses, and just personal preference is the deciding factor between them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color\"><strong>Sennheiser HD650 \u2013 a tale of David and Goliath<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_10s-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_10s-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_10s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_10s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_10s-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_10s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The same is true to the HD650. I have read in Vietnamese forums, that the sound of the Dragon 3 is very close to the legendary HD650. I wanted to check these rumors, and fortunately my colleague G\u00f6mbi helped me out, brought his HD650 into our office for a brief listening session. The results were interesting: the HD650 had a much stronger, high quality bass with great sub bass extension and rumble, and nice realistic midbass slam. The midrange had much fuller (warmer) body that was in some songs a desirable change.<br>However the soundstage of the Dragon 3 was much bigger, and while the imaging was on par, the presentation was much airier, more organic, more effortless and lively to my ears. Midrange detail, treble extension and detail was equally good on these ear\/headphones. If somebody prefers more bass and more full-bodied midrange, should go for the HD650. If these are not so important factors for you, then the Dragon 3 has its charm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>Verdict<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dragon 3 is a fantastic piece of audio kit. With a matching source like the Mojo (enhanced, tight bass, airy midrange, and extended, detailed but slightly tamed treble) it offers a very realistic, natural, live sound with exemplary dynamics. The sound representation of the Dragon 3 stays true to \/ can authentically reproduce the sound of the original venue, performer, musical instrument and equipment used for recording and mixing. If somebody can live with the just slightly elevated, but fantastic, elastic bass, and his\/her genre preference meets the ones below, for them the Dragon 3 can serve up huge aural enjoyment almost everywhere. I think it is the new reference among earbuds. Highly recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-text-color\"><strong>*UPDATE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the finishing of the review I received the Periodic Audio Be and the Ibasso DC01. Following burning in the Be I compared it with the Dragon 3, and I prefer the Dragon 3 over the Be. The bass of the Be is stronger, but the Dragon 3 has more realistic, elastic bass, midrange is clearer, and the Dragon 3&#8217;s highs do not become metallic, are extended but remain always very natural. Soundstage size is similar but imaging is more realistic on the Dragon3. It is enough to listen to the Musica Nuda rendition of Come together, to feel the difference. I found that on the daily use I have chosen the Dragon 3 over the Be. And then the Ibasso DC01 &#8211; it is a fantastic balanced DAC, and great pairing with Dragon 3. You lose some of the airiness of the Mojo, but the soundstage remains huge, and most of the imaging qualities of the Dragon 3 &#8211; Mojo pairing remain intact. I do not know if it is the result of the balanced amp, the AKM 4493 DAC or both, but it is fantastic. Two of my concerns with the Dragon3 &#8211; Mojo duo has been handled with the use of the DC01.The strong and detailed subbass presence of the DC01 makes the Dragon3 sounding really nice with subbass heavy electronic music, and the added warmth eliminates my note about the missing bite in Killing in the name of, or similar music. The Dragon 3 paired with the 50 USD DC01 is a fabulous pairing to listen to music from all genres. I showed this pairing to one of my friends (Tam\u00e1s) having such headphones and earphones like Sennheiser IE800, Sennheiser HD800, Massdrop X Fostex TR-X00, etc, and his jaws were dropped (same as mine \ud83d\ude42 . The Dragon 3 combined with the Ibasso DC01 is a reasonably priced, high end mobile listening solution. Based on these findings I change the rating to 5 stars.<\/p>\n<div class=\"lets-review-block__wrap lets-review-block__wrap-10 lr-cf lets-review-wrap-656 lets-review--center lets-review-skin-1 lets-review-design-1 lets-review-ani-1 lets-review-score-type-3 lets-review-type-2 lets-review-score-type__icon conclusion__off\" data-design=\"1\" data-score-type=\"3\" data-skin=\"1\"><div class=\"lets-review-block lets-review-block__crits lets-review-unseen\"><div class=\"lets-review-block__crit\" data-score=\"96\" data-crit=\"0\"><div class=\"score-overlay-wrap score-overlay-wrap__icon\" style=\"color: #f8d92f;\"><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><div class=\"score-overlay\" style=\"width:4%\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block lets-review-block__proscons lets-review-block__pad\"><div class=\"lets-review-block__pros\"><div class=\"proscons__title lets-review-block__title lr-font-h\" style=\"\">Pros<\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block__procon lets-review-block__pro\">Elastic, tight, detailed bass reaching deep; Dynamic, live, airy sound with very realistic timbre; Crystal clear, very detailed mids; Sparkling, airy highs without sibilance, harshness<\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block__procon lets-review-block__pro\">Huge soundstage, fantastic instrument separation, realistic decay; Suitable for most of the musical genres<\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block__procon lets-review-block__pro\">High quality balanced cable; Very comfortable fit<\/div><\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block__cons\"><div class=\"proscons__title lets-review-block__title lr-font-h\" style=\"\">Cons<\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block__procon lets-review-block__con\">Proudly priced<\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block__procon lets-review-block__con\">Non removable cable; People with extra small ears may find it incomfortable<\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block__procon lets-review-block__con\">Bass could be stronger with more sub bass quantity and rumble (for some)<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lets-review-block lets-review-block__final-score lets-review-block__final-score-type-3 lets-review-block__pad score-level-9\"><div class=\"score__wrap lr-all-c\" style=\"background:#f8d92f; color: #fff\"><div class=\"score-overlay-wrap score-overlay-wrap__icon\"><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><i class=\"valenti-i-star2\"><\/i><div class=\"score-overlay\" style=\"width:4%\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"score\">4.8<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"http:\/\/schema.org\/\",\n\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t\t\t\"name\": \"Simphonio Dragon 3 Dynamic Driver Audiophile HiFi Earbuds Review\",\"image\": [\n\t\t\t\t\"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_0s-125x125.jpg\"\n\t\t\t],\"review\": {\n\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Review\",\n\t\t\t\t\"reviewRating\": {\n\t\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Rating\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\"worstRating\": \"0\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\"ratingValue\": \"4.8\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\"bestRating\": \"5\"\n\t\t\t\t},\n\t\t\t\t\"author\": {\n\t\t\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\"name\": \"lacas\"\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t}}<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction Simphonio (formerly Sunrise Audio) is not a new player in the earphone market. It is a small Chinese company founded by some engineers and audiophiles, who are experts in earphone design and tuning. Their SW Dragon and SW Dragon II earbuds were quite popular choices, and their higher end earbud from last year, the Dragon 2+ was greeted with wide acclaim. I have read Nathan\u2019s very positive review on Headfonia about the Dragon 2+, and I got interested in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":660,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[387,369,361],"tags":[333,405,409,407,406,408],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SimphonioD3_0s.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=656"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":673,"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/656\/revisions\/673"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.futureware.hu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}