The NICEHCK Yuandao Tears is a single dynamic driver IEM by NICEHCK, with Yuandao being their Chinese brand name. The Tears IEM is very light and compact, with plastic shells and a thin simplistic cable. The driver is a 10mm dual-cavity, dual-magnet design.
The Tears IEM is available in several cable variants: standard with an angled 3.5mm jack, standard 3.5 mm with microphone, and USB-C with microphone.
Colour options are black with red accents or white with gold.
NICEHCK TEARS SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver: 10mm dynamic single driver
- Dual-Magnet Dual-Chamber tech
- Impedance: 20 Ohms @ 1 kHz
- Sensitivity: 127 dB/Vrms @ 1 kHz
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Silver plated OFC (oxygen-free copper) cable
- 0.78mm 2-Pin connector
- 3.5 mm termination plug
- Plug Type: 3.5 mm or Type-C Plug (Optional)
- Optimal microphone on cable
Current price and availability:
- AliExpress: NICEHCK Tears
- Amazon: NICEHCK Tears
Disclaimer: We were sent the Tears in exchange for an unbiased review.
LISTENING IMPRESSIONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
På Nye Eventyr by Maridalen
It is a very balanced presentation. The bass is tight and not particularly rich, though it is present enough. The saxophone timbre is nice and sweet. The sound is airy and the imaging is quite good.
Sujet Tabou by Renaudin and Cahours
It sounds very snappy and fast, with a well-balanced presentation that is neither bass-heavy nor overly bright.
Eye of the Day by Marta del Grandi
Again it is nicely balanced. The vocals are sweet and detailed.
Teardrop by Massive Attack
The bass drum in the intro is impressively tight and nicely rich. Soundstage and imaging are also impressive, and the vocals are sweet and nuanced.
Murmurations by Vega Trails
The standing bass is very nicely balanced. It has plenty of detail and extension but is not overwhelming, as it can be with other earphones. The percussion is snappy. It sounds very immersive and neutral in a natural way.
Outlaws by Bill Frisell
The bass and guitar sound natural and detailed. The light percussion has a very airy feel to it.
Impedans by Erlend Apneseth Trio
The Tears IEM handles this track like a champ. Snappy and crisp, well balanced and spacious.
How Deep by John Scofield
Very nice. Quite smooth and detailed, natural and well balanced.
The Hidden Camera by Photek
Impressive bass control on this quite challenging track. The percussion can be a bit sharp and overly dry with some earphones, but the Tears handles it very nicely.
Spontaneous Compositorius by Thomas Agergard
The saxophone timbre is very nice. The bass is present but pleasingly restrained and not at all overwhelming, as it can be with some earphones. The bright percussion is clean enough for the price and not overly sharp or aggressively crisp.
Re-Melt by Tord Gustavsen Trio
Snappy percussion and a nice timbre on the piano. The bass is modest in quantity but good in quality. The soundstage is open and wide.
The Sun Always Shines on TV MTV Unplugged by a-ha
The vocals sound good and the instruments are very well balanced. The vocals are present and in focus, but not excessively so.
Sunrise by Norah Jones
Again, great vocals and a well balanced delivery.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
Nice vocals and piano timbre. The substantial bass is very well handled for an IEM at this price.
Young Vivaldi by Modo Antiquo
Nice string timbre. Very neutral, neither overly warm nor too crisp.
Summer 3 Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter
This track can often sound a bit too dark or muddy with some earphones, but the Tears handles it very nicely. Neutral and detailed.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound Signature
The NICEHCK Yuandao Tears has a very neutral and well-balanced sound signature that does not appear to favour any part of the frequency spectrum over another.
Treble
The treble is reasonably detailed with a very nice, well-balanced presence. It is neither too laid back nor too aggressive.
Midrange
The midrange has a very nice presence, and vocals and midrange instruments get the attention they deserve. It is neither recessed nor pushed overly forward – just very nicely balanced.
Bass
This is not a bass-heavy earphone. The bass has good quality and a nice, well-balanced presence but bass-heads might want something more thumpy.
Soundstage and Imaging
The soundstage feels relatively large and open, and the imaging is very decent considering the price.
Detail, Dynamics, and Timbre
For the price, the detail level is very impressive. Dynamics are also excellent. The Tears manages to sound both neutral and natural, and the overall timbre of instruments is very pleasing.
COMPARISONS
Associated equipment:
- Amplifier: Topping A90
- DAC: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
KIWI EARS BELLE vs TEARS
The Kiwi Ears Belle is, like the Tears, a 10mm single dynamic driver IEM. It is built from resin with a metal decorative faceplate, and the cable is more premium looking. They are relatively similar in sound but there are some differences.
In short, the Belle has more and better bass and is a touch more detailed, while the Tears has smoother and often more natural mids. Both are excellent budget options.
You can read my full comparison review here:
Kiwi Ears Belle vs NICEHCK Tears
I’ve also written several other comparison reviews with the Belle, which you can find here.
- Kiwi Ears: Belle
- Linsoul: Kiwi Ears Belle
- Amazon: Kiwi Ears Belle
AMPLIFICATION
The NICEHCK Tears is exceptionally easy to drive and works well straight out of my Poco F5 phone. Ultra-small USB dongles such as the Letshuoer DT01 Pro and Jade/FiiO JA11 perform excellently
The Kiwi Ears Allegro Mini is also a good option and especially if you want a 90 degree USB-C DAC.
In conclusion, the Tears is not demanding on the source and does not scale much.
CONCLUSION
The NICEHCK Tears is a light and simplistic-looking IEM with a very impressive sound. Do not let the modest plastic build fool you – the Tears IEM sounds excellent.
The sound is very well balanced, neutral in a natural-sounding way. There’s a smooth and beautiful midrange alongside a nicely balanced bass and treble. I have no hesitation recommending the Tears IEM.
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