IKKO OH2 - A Small But Terrible Competitor

Pros :

• Comfortable to wear due to it's small capsule-like form factor
• Balanced Tuning
• Good accessories and unboxing experience
• Easy to drive, however might be a bit demanding compared to other IEMs
• Excellent imaging

Cons :

• Lacking soundstage

This is the first unit from Ikko that I managed to purchase at a bargained price from a friend so I don't know any background from this brand. However I did a short research about the company and Ikko is a fairly young company started in 2019 and has been selected for the Japan VGP Awards numerous times. This is a personal and honest review and is not a paid review.

The Ikko OH2 Opal is a 32 Ohm dynamic driver MMCX IEM with an oval nozzle (which is definitely a first for me) which purpose serves to offer long-term listening and decreased pressure on the ears to make it more comfortable. Compared to other IEMs I used like the CCA CA10 and Tri Meteor, the OH2 Opal is very small and light. Wearing it is very comfortable and sits well in my ears. I have nothing more to say about the IEM, let us now review the packaging and sound of the IEM.

Be aware though, OH2 is not for everybody and it might not exactly fit your ears due to the length and shape of the nozzle.

/ packaging /

The box is very artistic and colorful, the moment I saw the box I felt attracted to the design with different patterns and colors surrounding the box. Package includes
the IEM itself. I got a gold colored OH2. 6 pairs of Ikko's uniquely shaped silicone eartips, 3 memory foam tips, MMCX Cable, and a leather pouch. Inside the leather pouch you can see a packet with tweezers and nozzles. I believe this will be used once you find yourself replacing the nozzles. I won't be able to use this anytime soon.

/ sound /

Sources Used:
LG V50
Zishan U1 (Foobar 2000)

Tracks Used:
Pop - Light Switch, Bad Habits, Blinding Lights, Hello My Love
R&B - Heartbreak Hotel, We Belong Together, Miss Independent
Soul - You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman, Sexual Healing, Back to Black
J-Pop - Sangenshoku , Ame wo Ameku, Omokage , Kuraberarekko
Rock - Summer of '69, Sweet Child of Mine, Seven Nation Army
Alternative - Feel Good Inc. , Level of Concern
EDM - Lose Yourself To Dance, Bangarang

BASS :
The bass is not overbearing or lacking. The bass is balanced with a bit of punch on the mid-bass which is prominent on the lower end. The lower end has a balanced representation while not sounding lacking to the ears and overpowering other frequencies. The attack-decay is fast and quick. Prompting to the memory foams provided on the package can reveal more energy on the bass especially on the sub-bass region.

Rating : 3/5 (Silicone Tips) 5/5 (Memory Foam Tips)

MIDS :
The mids have good presentation. It is very clean, vocal texture is rich and whole, it doesn't sound metallic and unnatural
Rating : 4/5 (Silicone Tips/Memory Foam Tips)

HIGHS :
Rejoice to listeners who are treble sensitive! The OH2's highs are soft and pleasant. No peaks or harshness observed while listening to these pair. It might be lacking or may sound muted to those looking for detailed and crispy highs. Nevertheless, the OH2s still deserve my praise for long and worthwhile listening.
Rating : 4/5 (Silicone Tips/Memory Foam Tips)

Soundstage and Imaging:
The OH2s soundstage has average width, nothing less than that to make it sound congested. The OH2 does not offer wide enough soundstage to experience an immersive listening experience. For the imaging, despite the lack of soundstage, timbre is presentable and distinguishable. Prompting to foam
tips shows good results than silicone tips but changes are only minimal.

Rating : 3/5 (Silicone Tips) 3.5/5 (Memory Foam Tips)

Personal TIP: I recommend the memory foam tips for better results.

FINAL SCORE

The Ikko Opal OH2 is personally one of the most comfortable pair I used due to its small form factor and oval shaped nozzles. I can listen to these pair for longer periods without experiencing fatigue and pressure. Alongside this is the balanced tuning of the IEM which makes it more comfortable without boasting any strenghts. It has good timbre and solid resolution. A good all-around IEM for those who are looking for balanced sounding pair. It is still an easy to drive IEM despite demanding more volume compared to other IEMs. Normally, IEMs can be driven with a phone with 10-30 levels of volume. The OH2 demands up to 50 levels of volume which is till quite easy to drive on your smartphones.