HZ SOUND HEART MIRROR PRO : Return to the Heart

I was not present when the hype for Heart Mirror on 2020 was rife for having a distinct sound that no other IEMs in its price range could match. I won't be making any comparisons since I haven't been able to try the Heart Mirror, and I will treat this review as it should be. The Heart Mirror Pro is definitely more expensive than its predecessor, will it be impressive for its price? Let's find out!

DISCLAIMER:

• I am not affiliated with HZSound and received no monetary compensation during or after this review. This unit is provided by KEEPHIFI in exchange for  an honest and unbiased review.

• I am not a professional reviewer and would only coin simple terms for most beginners, and experts in the hobby to understand.

• Words taken from this review should be taken with a grain of salt. However, I can assure you that my findings won't differ a few miles from yours and will discuss what I have heard using my audio gears.

PACKAGING:

The packaging is a sleeved box, with the sleeve showing the inclusions and specifications of the unit. It also has some QR codes that will redirect you to their social media sites. Inside the box, I was astonished by the number of inclusions provided by HZSound for this specific unit:

• Heart Mirror PRO IEM
• 4-core high purity OFC SPC modular cable with three terminations (3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm)
• A mic-in SPC cable with 3.5mm termination plug.
• 9 pairs of various eartips
• A black coloured, faux-leather case
• A hanging clip (for the case I suppose)
• Instruction manual.

BUILD QUALITY:

The shell of the HM Pro is identical to that of its predecessor, made from the same material, with a 10mm CNT dynamic driver inside. It uses a 2-pin connector that is tucked in within the shell for durability. The HM Pro comes with a high-quality modular cable for flexibility.

SOUND:

The HM Pro is very easy to drive, it has an impedance rating of 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 110 dB. Your smartphones will have no trouble driving this pair. It works wonderfully if you also have a dedicated DAP or dongle. The HM Pro has a somewhat warm presentation with a focus on the lower frequencies and a balanced treble on the side.

LOWS:

The bass has a midbass focus rather than a subbass one. The sub-bass does not fall that deep, can barely be felt, and does not exert much impact for some bassheads to adore. The midbass has a soft, thumpy impact. The basslines on "The Chain" - Fleetwood Mac sound impactful, but sound very dull on bass-intensive tracks like "Islands" - The xx. The attack is quick, but the decay is kind of slow. The best track to test this is Das Spiegel by The Chemical Brothers, where every sound has seemingly been designed to appear from nowhere and end just as abruptly. The HM Pro appears to struggle when bombarded with rapid-fire transitions of various sounds. This pair has noticeable midbass bleed, so keep that in mind.

MIDS:

Mids are laid-back and warm to the ears. The vocals are much thicker, more energetic, and have a luxurious presentation. Instruments don't have that much impact on me and have average attack and speed. The upper midrange can have a shrill, uncomfortable sound on some tracks; the vocals on "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" by Tame Impala and that splash cymbal crash sound are so harsh to the ears that I cannot bear to hear them. Overall, the midrange can still be enjoyable for casual listening.

TREBLE:

The treble is average. Its brilliance is somewhat lacking in air, but it is not offensive to the ears. I find the treble on the HM Pro to be somewhat limited; it's as if I seek out more treble energy but not too much that it would sound too hot for my ears. Its detail is average and sometimes has difficulty picking up micro-details. Nevertheless, the treble plays this safe for this pair.

SOUNDSTAGE AND IMAGING:

Somehow, the HM Pro has average stage, it has enough height and width to create a somehow roomy soundstage for vocal and instrument separation. Imaging is good and sounds can still be distinguished within the soundstage, it can somehow handle busy tracks but struggles picking up some micro-details, and some busy tracks may sound blurry and chaotic on the HM Pro.

Pros:

• Warm to balanced sound signature
• Includes a modular cable which offers more flexibility
• A great deal of inclusions; like an extra cable with microphones
• Good for casual, fun listening
• Good tonality

Cons:

• Might be a nitpick, shell is almost similar to its predecessor; might consider the black one if you want something different
• Average technicalities
• Might be  expensive because of the inclusions; paying for the sound? Hell nah
• Not for critical listening

To summarize this review, the inclusions on the HM Pro are superb; it even has a carrying case and two cables in one packaging; one of which is even modular, which is great. For the sound, the HM Pro sounds lackluster for $80; there are definitely better options to consider within that price range, but if you like warm-sounding IEMs that aren't overly warm and come with a lot of accessories, or if you are only a casual-listener who wants to listen and just have fun with the sound of the IEM the HM Pro is definitely worth a try.