Price: 23€ (BL-03), 35€ (BL-05)
Where to buy: https://aliexpi.com/hzp7 (BL-03), https://aliexpi.com/w7pn (BL-05)
Specifications:
BL-03:
Impedance: 32Ω
Sensitivity: 102db
Frequency response: 20-20000Hz
Driver unit: 10mm “Nanotube Carbon Membrane” Dynamic Driver
BL-05:
Impedance: 32Ω
Sensitivity: 108db
Frequency response: 20-20000Hz
Driver unit: 10mm “Nanotube Carbon Membrane” Dynamic Driver
Thanks to AK Audio for providing these review samples.
Unboxing and first impressions
Both models share a hilarious acronym, well flaunted in the front of the boxes: Believe Letmusicburn Oppoty Nevergiveup. I immediately fell in love with this nonsense brand name. However, the unboxing experience is nothing crazy: the plastics are cheap and the accessories are not the best. The IEMs themselves, in both cases, are very well-built, though. I don’t love the cables, even if they have their job done. I don’t even appreciate the ear tips, their shape is strange and they don’t isolate like they need. AK Audio sent us some foam tips – really nice ones – and two upgrade cables (a silver one and a copper one), so I got rid of the stock cables and tips and I improved the fit of both. More about sound later. The stock fit of the BL-03 is not bad, but they are really small and they don’t isolate well – due to the smaller than average nozzle. The BL-05 are an improvement, but I find it still a shallow fit without using foams.
Sound
My sources: FiiO M7 (standalone; to XDUOO XP-2 via Bluetooth; to XP-2 via line-out; to TOPPING NX4 via line-out), Dodocool DA106 (mainly to XDUOO XP-2 via line-out); Mi MIX 2 to XP-2 (via Bluetooth and USB) and NX4 (USB), to Zorloo ZuperDAC-S, to Audirect Whistle; MacBook Pro 2012 to Focusrite 2i2; MacBook Pro 2012 to iFi Zen DAC;
My music: Jon Hopkins, “Singularity”; Billie Eilish, “When do we fall asleep, where do we go?”; Coldplay, “Ghost stories”; Bon Iver (Discography); Jack Garratt, “Phase”; Jamie Cullum, “Taller”; Sia, “Colour the small one”; The Bloody Beetroots & Jet, “The great electronic swindle”; Jacob Collier, “In my room” and “Djesse (Vol.1)”; John Coltrane, “Giant steps”; Lauv, (Discography), Oh Wonder (Discography), Radiohead (Discography), a lot of Mozart, ecc..
My files: MP3, M4A, FLAC, ALAC, few DSDs (Pink Floyd), MQA (TIDAL).
BL-03
Sound-wise, the foam tips make an important difference. Even though the fit has improved, the sound became more tamed. I think the best choice would be a triple-flange silicon pair of ear tips (which I don’t have), because the double-flanged pair I put on them is the best sounding of all, but they’d need to be longer and more stable; I’ve only achieved that with the foams.
The BL-03 are v-shaped, with a strong bottom range, a recessed midrange and a relaxed treble. Even though the sub-bass is really impressive, I find the mid-bass a bit too bloated: maybe the dynamic driver needs bigger vents here. However, it is a pleasant low range, thanks to the “carbon diaphragm” dynamic driver. I don’t dislike the midrange, vocals are still clear and spacious; however, I’d rather mid-centric earphones with a firmer focus on that range and a flatter response. I’m sensitive to treble, so I honestly appreciate the relaxed high range; in terms of fidelity, I think something like the Tin HiFi T2 would be better, because of the brighter highs.
Both the soundstage and the surround imaging are better than average, and for the price I can’t but be impressed. I’d say the perceived stage is deeper than larger, but considering how hard it is to achieve a sense of space for IEMs, this model is a great performer. I find that vocals are something to improve, because they sound like they come from behind you, and a little far. That’s not noticeable like on the KBEAR Diamond, which have a dip that’s too much accentuated on the midrange, but I feel that’s a point that can get better on the next iteration.
BL-05
They are not the aforementioned “next iteration”. However, they are somehow better than the BL-03. Fit-wise, they are noticeably better: more stable, more isolating. Their design is more common for IEMs and it reminds me of some AKG models. Sound-wise, there are some differences and some similarities. First thing first: the bass is not bloated like on the other model and it is quicker. It’s less impactful, but I like more neutral tunings; also, the sub-bass is still there and it is one of the better capabilities of this brands’ earphones. The midrange is not so different, I’d rather when it’s even more forward. However, vocals sound decent (yet still a bit laid back), and that’s also thanks to a better high range. Treble, in fact, has been tuned differently and it sounds more forward. It is not crazy good in my opinion, but really decent: this driver sometimes seems to struggle to manage all the frequencies. I think that’s why they wanted to put a piezoelectric tweeter. They didn’t – and I think that’s a wise choice, it is not a simple driver to tune – but they equalized the high range differently to the 03, while using (I suppose) the same dynamic driver. It’s not piercing, but it sounds sometimes kind of unnatural and non-linear; I’ve been disturbed by sibilance a couple of times. The 05 are perfect with foam tips in terms of comfort and stability; however, I noticed the same issue of the other model: the sound, already lacking sharpness, becomes even more muffled. I’m talking about small details, because both these models are really good sounding and well built, but there are a lot of competitors right now and I have to be specific to address people on the right model for them. Finishing with the headroom, I find it better here on the BL-05 – probably due to the accentuated treble -: it is really embracing, not crazy wide nor deep, but believable. The imaging is average – on par with the other model, but this one costs a little more.
To summarize, the BL-03 are more organic and bassy, with a relaxed treble, while the BL-05 are closer to neutral but the high range is kind of artificial. My choice would be the 05 because my personal taste and needs are having the most neutral tuning possible and the V shape of the frequency response of the BL-03 is more accentuated to my ears.
Something good about the midrange of both models is that, when it comes to live monitoring, vocals sound really natural and the smallness of the buds helps with the comfort on the long run. I made a professional singer audition a lot of my in ear monitors (without saying anything about the prices) and she choose the BL-03 with double flange tips over AudioSense T800, BGVP DM6, Simgot EM1, YinYoo Topaz and a lot of other models. Only the UfoEar Ufo-112 won over the Oppoty – and that made me think that musicians like organic sounding earphones even though they aren’t neutral: I chose the Ufo myself as the best model I’ve tried last year. The 112 cost 10 times the BLONs. Well, that’s a lot to beat an earphone.
Comparisons
Tin Audio T2: I find this is the model by Tin Hifi with the most neutral tuning and with a comparable price to the BLONs. I will never choose the T2 just for a matter of comfort: they are so bad in terms of stability and fit. However, their tuning is fantastic and for some reason even better than the T4 (and surely better than the T3). BL-03 are more organic and way bassier, more comfortable, but the midrange and the high range are just not at the same level. The perfect earphone for this price range would be a BL-05 with just their bass, while providing mids and treble like the T2. Overall, the BL-03 would satisfy the most people, so that would be my general recommendation.
KZ ZS7: I don’t generally recommend KZ, but I think this is one of their good models. Fun tuning, Andromeda shape: a looker with a rare easiness of listening. Everyhting is forward there: that means dynamics are limited – and that’s where both BLON models are better. However, I feel the tuning is not so different to the 03, with a powerful bass, a dip in the midrange and a relaxed treble. The latter is better on the ZS7 (surely more solid) thanks to the dedicated BA – that’s better than the 05, too. Comfort-wise, it is similar to the 05, with a less ergonomic fit and a bigger body. I would recommend these KZ honestly, they are one of the few models of the brand that I find ready to go, out of the box. But we are talking about completely different technologies, and it is hearable that the ZS7 are hybrids. I personally prefer the only-dynamic sound of the BLONs.
Conclusions
I could keep on comparing the BLONs to other earphones, but I don’t even know where to start. If they are so hyped and famous, it’s also because of their uniqueness. They aren’t easy to compare. I feel they push above their price range – and they could, by providing better accessories, because the build quality is impressive! The easiest recommendation is going for the BL-03 – but they will be replaced by the MK2 soon – because of the more mature tuning. Their only true disadvantage is the oomph on the bass: that’s just not quick enough, so you wouldn’t be comfortable with drum’n’bass or similar genres. That’s better on the BL-05, but their treble needs another driver, or a better one, for managing the tuning they provided. In the end, there isn’t a perfect model, but they are perfect if you want to mod your earphones: tips make a great difference on them and you can improve their already-good-sound even more.