The 64 Audio Nio has arrived at Minidisc with some big expectations.
While this 9 driver hybrid earphone is now the cheapest entry point into 64 Audio’s
universal lineup, the price of the Nio still puts it against top end hybrid competitors
like the Sony IER-Z1R and the Empire Ears Hero.
And of course a lot of people will be comparing the Nio to 64 Audio’s own U12T.
So how does it stack up?
Well if this was all about looks and design, then perhaps we could call the Nio a winner,
pack up and go home.
The genuine Abalone Shell faceplate of the Nio makes the earphone a real looker, with
an iridescence that really displays well under light.
Now course, looks are in the eye of the beholder, but I won’t blame you for being drawn to
the Nio’s beauty like I was.
Like the rest of 64 Audio’s earphones, comfort is also a strong suit of the Nio, with a well
balanced metal shell that doesn’t feel heavy or large in the ears compared to models like
the Sony IER-Z1R.
And of course, the Nio comes with 64’s proprietary Apex modules, which act as pressure relief
valves as well as tuning modules for the Nio.
Now we’ll get into how these modules change the sound of the Nio later in this review,
but we want to emphasise that the pressure relief feature of the Apex modules is not
just a gimmick: 64 Audio earphones genuinely do feel better to wear for long periods of
time, reducing the kind of ‘locked-in’ feeling you get with most IEMs.
The cable included with the Nio is not particularly exciting and we do feel that the build quality
of the standard 64 Audio cables is an area of weakness compared to other brands.
Now the thin cable is at least lightweight and unobtrusive for on-stage use - but it's
a little lacklustre.
For initial orders of the Nio 64 Audio is including a premium silver plated copper cable
that is more like what competitors are offering at this price point.
Now let’s talk about the sound.
The Nio is a 9 driver design based on the custom N8, with 1 dynamic driver and 8BA drivers.
You can definitely hear the dynamic driver in the Nio at work, giving the Nio a rounded,
wet bass note that delivers more of a fun bass thump than the Sony IER-Z1R and an overall
poppier sound, but not quite as high energy and aggressive as the Empire Ears Hero.
There is more emphasis on lower midrange than upper midrange on the Nio, meaning that you
get a throaty sound with male vocalists but female vocals can sound a bit muted and recessed.
Now the pulled back upper midrange of the Nio isn't always a bad thing.
To me, it makes it a perfect earphone for hotter recordings.
For example if you listen to a lot of K-Pop, anisong, or Charli XCX this may be the perfect
earphone for you because the Nio sounds fun without getting harsh.
For other genres though, the recessed upper midrange can sometimes make the Nio sound
a bit dull and closed in compared to the U12t or Z1R.
As mentioned before, the Nio comes with 3 sets of Apex modules: the M20, M15 and MX,
or M10.
The M15 module offers 15 decibels of isolation and comes fitted by default out of the box,
and we think that they offer the most balanced tuning.
The higher isolation M20 module makes the Nio sound even more mellow, while the M10
module starts to make the Nio sound a little raw and dry without really filling in the
upper mids where it’s needed most.
Now after comparing the U12T and the Nio, it does make sense that the U12T costs more.
The all BA setup on the U12 offers all that midrange detail that the Nio lacks, and bass
is faster and tighter, while still offering substantial sub-bass impact compared to most
BA earphones.
It’s more of a technical, resolving sound with a wider soundstage, whereas the Nio is
more mellow, rounded off and fun.
Now I think personally that both are great all rounder earphones, with the U12t tilting
towards critical listening and the Nio shining when you want to kick back - or maybe just
get up and dance.
The Empire Ears Hero is a worthy alternative as well, if you want a v-shaped signature
with some thunderous bass and high frequency spice - but more on that in a later video!
Let us know what you think - pop into our store and have a listen to the Nio, or you
can order online at Mindisc.com.au.
This is Lachlan for MInidiscTV, and we’ll see you next time!