Blon Max

When Memories Start To Fade

NOTES

The Blon Max at the writing of this review, is the newest member of the Blon family. A tight family it is as the Max shares much of its sonic pedigree with the famous Blon 03.

The Blon Max has an interesting shape to be sure and the oblong housing contains a compliment of two dynamic drivers. There is a 10mm Carbon driver and a 6mm composite driver for the upper frequencies. The Max throws out a moderate V-shapped signature with pronounced mid-bass and sub-bass emphasis. The tuning can be said to be very easy on the ears or what some would call inoffensive. Upper mids and treble fall somewhat behind the bass in output as well and as such the Max is not for treble heads.. Out of the box the Blon did not impress being overly bassy and lacking clarity. Tip and cable rolling went a long way in bringing things back into perspective and while the Max could never be called balanced, it was a definite improvement. The Max is also best when paired with a neutral or even slightly colder source to sound its best.

The Blon Max is easy to drive, but does scale with better sources. Still it is imho very reminiscent of the Blon 03 with better technicalities when care is taken to get the best setup for it to shine. This is really, a Blon for Blon lovers.

SPECS

- Dual Dynamic Driver Configuration, 1x10mm & 1x6mm

- 10mm Carbon Diaphragm DD+6mm Composite Diaphragm DD.

- Impedance: 32Ω.

- Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHz.

- Sensitivity: 115dB.

- Standard 0.78mm Connectors.

- 3.5mm Termination Plug.

EQUIPMENT

Topping a50s Headphone Amplifier

SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK2 DAC

TempoTec E44 , Apogee Groove & Shanling UA2 Dongles

Eartips: Final Audio E (2020 Version)

Cable: Stock Cable 3.5mm SE, NiceHCK LitzPS Silver

Sources: Flac Files From my Personal Collection / Apple Music

BUILD, QUALITY & FIT

Build quality is very good with the metal shells being very well put together. The included accessories are adequate with the cable being a definite upgrade over past Blon iems. The included tips are classic Blon and didn't get a second look from me. Retail presentation was stark if not functional and was basically pretty plain jane. The shells are an unusual oblong shape and fairly heavy to boot. Fit for me was not an issue but I can see some people with smaller ears may have difficulties.

Blon has made it a habit to bring unusual designs to market. The proof of any earphone though is in the sound.

:SOUND:

BASS:

Out of the box with stock tips and cable, the bass was found to be ample in quantity but underwhelming in quality. Some well needed tip and cable rolling resulted in a bass that was actually good. Sub-bass output is quite pleasing and full with pleasing rumble. Control and detail were good, but what was lacking at times was impact with some notes not having that bite. Still the Max is definitely an improvement in the low frequencies over the 03 with a tighter and more controlled nature. There is a measure of mid-bass bleed but it is not overbearing and is fairly well managed. Overall the Blon Max offers bass that is very pleasing and one of the better in this regard at it's price.

MIDRANGE

Midrange is notable for being just slightly recessed yet smooth with good balance. The midrange on the Blon Max will surely not offend most listeners and even has a degree of lushness that is pleasing. On the other side of the coin, the mids lack absolute detail and bite with transients that could have been sharper. Anita Baker's "Been So Long" sounded very engaging but as I listened further there was found an apparent lack of energy to her voice. "Protection" by Massive Attack again was very listenable if lacking a measure of energy in the vocals. Still another positive to mention is separation and layering which was good if not class leading. Timbre was heard to be good and was another plus.

Treble

Treble is presented in a balanced fashion with no overemphasis. This will be a negative for "Treble-Heads", but with respect to technicalities the Blon Max is actually quite competent and definitely an improvement over the 03. Treble extension is actually good and air and sparkle are only there when called for, although in moderate quantities. The treble, much like the midrange, will not offend, and in fact possesses enough detail while not being overembellished like many of its peers.

IMAGING & SOUNDSTAGE

The Blon Max is balanced in this regard with width being good followed by moderate depth and height. It all comes together nicely though as the dimensions seem quite realistic in proportion and scale.

VERSUS

- Blon 03

This comparison can be summed up pretty quickly. The Blon Max is a more technically adept Blon 03. All this while retaining many aspects of the Blon 03's sound. The Max has a more coherent and proficient sound that imho renders the Blon 03 a retiree.

- Reecho SG01

The Reecho SG01 tops the Blon Max on almost ever point except for a modest win in timbre. Bass, midrange and treble are all wins for the SG01 on all the other metrics.

- KZ ZEX

The Knowledge Zenith ZEX offers an overall more "mature" tuning with better clarity and detail. While not digging as deep into the bass as the Blon Max, the bass of the ZEX has better speed and impact yes the Max fights back with a meatier low end. In the midrange the ZEX offers a more organic sound falling behind the Max somewhat in the timbre department. Treble is interesting in that while the ZEX has a stronger output in this part of the frequency range with slightly better detail, they are both smooth operators and will not offend.

CONCLUSION

The Blon Max is an evolutionary and not revolutionary product, irrespective of its looks and driver compliment. It offers a pleasing sound that many will find comfortable and enjoyable. For those who want something more though , there are other options out there.

The Max is a faithful servant in the sonic house of Blon and does not stray too far from its roots. A more technical Blon 03 without going to far outside of the boundaries. This can be both a blessing and a curse.

If you are someone who loves the Blon 03 and that house sound that it ushered in, then the Max will offer you more to love. If you want to explore more of what is out there sonically than there are a number of imho better alternatives.

Where to Buy

www.keephifi.com