From A Galaxy Near At Hand

Ratings

Pros

• Warm, dense sound with powerful, extended bass, adequate mids and smooth highs.
• Great level of ergonomics.
• Good level of construction.
• Remarkable cable quality.
• Acceptable set of tips.

Cons

• Colour may be bold for some.
• Soft treble, muted and slightly dark timbre.
• Not a very detailed set.

Purchase Link

https://www.linsoul.com/products/blon-x-z-reviews-jojo

Link to the Store

https://www.linsoul.com/

Introduction

To talk about BLON is to talk about its successful BL-03 model. Founded in 2014, it continues to seek to improve that model. To do so, it has not hesitated to collaborate with the various successful reviewers of the moment. If recently WGZBLON collaborated with the reviewer HawaiiBadBoy of «Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews», to create the Z300, now it is the turn of Zeos Pantera of Z Reviews, one of the main reviewers of audio products on Youtube. BLON x Z Reviews aims to make professional IEMS affordable for everyone. Jojo is an upgraded version of the popular BLON BL05S monitors. They offer improved sound quality, durability and a stylish design. The Jojo incorporates a high-resolution dynamic transducer with a highly responsive composite diaphragm, offering low distortion and a balanced sound signature with powerful bass. Constructed from die-cast zinc alloy and 18-carat real gold-plated sheet metal, the Jojo sports a luxurious and durable metallic purple casing. The removable four-strand, oxygen-free silver-plated aluminium cable ensures noise-free audio transmission, and its 0.78mm 2-pin connector allows for easy replacement with other cables. Acoustically tuned according to Z Reviews’ experience, the Jojo has a balanced sound signature with an emphasis on powerful bass. With high-quality bass response and excellent detail retrieval, the Jojo is a high-performance IEM perfect for music lovers and musicians on stage. After this «copied» introduction, let’s see what I think of them.

Specifications

• Driver Type: 10mm dynamic driver with composite diaphragm
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
• Sensitivity: 106dB/Vrms@1KHz
• Impedance: 32Ω@1KHz
• Colour: Purple (Metallic).
• Capsule Material: Zinc alloy die-cast + gold foil (18-carat real gold plated).
• Jack Connector: SE 3.5mm gold plated.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm.
• Cable: Four strands of silver-plated aluminium wire.
• Cable Length: 1.2m±5%.

Packaging

The Blon Jojo come in a small box of purple and blue tones, measuring 103x75x39mm. On the main side there is a drawing of the capsules on the background of their well-known slogan. Above are the brand icons and the Zeos Pantera icon. Below is the model name and a description of the model. On one side are the specifications and on the back is an about Z Reviews and the brand itself. After lifting the cardboard sleeve you can see both capsules encased in a white foam mould lined with cardboard of the same colour. On the back of the box, the famous Blon slogan once again stands out. Underneath the mould is the classic fabric pouch with the Blon logo and the rest of the accessories. In a nutshell:

• The two Blon x Z Jojo capsules.
• One 4-strand cable with 0.78mm interface and gold-plated 3.5mm SE connector.
• Three pairs of grey silicone tips, sizes SxMxL.
• Three pairs of white silicone tips, narrow channel, sizes SxMxL.
• Three pairs of white silicone tips, wide channel, sizes SxMxL.

The case is quite small, the three sets of silicone tips and the storage pouch are appreciated. I always prefer a zippered case, but there are even other competing models that don’t even come with a cloth pouch. The cable is, in my opinion, quite good for the price of the set. It’s true that I don’t like the Blon connection type, because it’s not the most common, but I don’t think it’s necessary to change the cable for another one, because of the quality of the current one. Although, it is true that the most compromising factor of the whole set is the colour: too much purple, very similar to the anime that matches in name with the model, more «Bizarre Adventure».

Construction and Design

Except for the purple colour, the slightly more textured paint, the Z Reviews logo and the model name written on the capsules, the Jojo is the same as the BL-05. It’s a classic, oval spiral design, with an all-metal, rounded body. The parts are somewhat stubby and their weight is noticeable. The external face has a part, in the shape of a magnifying glass, of golden colour, where you can read «JOJO», in its interior, where the lens of this magnifying glass would be located, you can see the logo of Z Reviews in a capsule and the logo of the brand in the other one. This internal part has the same colour as the rest of the capsule. The entire magnifying glass face is two separate pieces, which protrude from the body of the capsule.
At the end of the spiral, the connectors for the 0.78 two-pin cables are located. The shape is customised and the same as the BL-03, but, due to its popularity, it is not difficult to find compatible cables. Both connectors are embedded in a rectangular piece of translucent plastic.
The capsules are made up of two parts, outer and inner. The division can be clearly seen, with no fault visible at the junction. The nozzles are located on the inner, narrower edge of the oval, forming a fairly open angle with respect to the base of the capsules. Their length, at the shortest part, is approximately 5 mm. These mouthpieces have a narrower groove of 4.6 mm, while the wider part, base and outer ring, measures 5.6 mm. The filter protecting the orifice is also made of metal, with a fairly tightly woven mesh. Near the base of the mouthpieces, on the inner side of the capsules, there is a hole.
The cable is made up of 4 strands. Two are purple and two are silver, both with black speckles. The plug is 3.5mm, gold plated. The connector is a straight, smooth, metallic cylinder with a mirror effect. The splitter piece is similar, but smaller. The pin is a metal ring with the same finish. The two-pin connectors are completely enclosed in a slightly angled, black plastic sleeve. They are marked with the channel letter on the outside near the edge. The cable leading to the sleeve is protected by a semi-rigid transparent plastic sheath, which gives it the over-ear shape.
The shape of the capsules is familiar and I can only criticise the colour. I still think that the cable is of very good quality for the price and the problem is also the colour, which is not to my liking. Others may love it, but it’s not my style, I would have preferred something less flashy.

Adjustment and Ergonomics

With the right tips, the ergonomics of the Jojos are superior. Their weight is noticeable in the hands. However, in the ears, this feature is less appreciated, because the fit is simple and quick. The oval and spiral outer shape ensures an excellent fit for the cable. The inner part, also oval and very rounded, ensures a very pleasant contact with the pinna. Its size is not small, but personally, I have not found it difficult to fit. It does not protrude too much, nor does it rub against the outer parts of the ear. The angle of the mouthpiece is well thought out and the silicone tips fit well in the ear canal. The only problem is that they are a bit short, providing a shallow fit. Despite this, the fit is quite good and durable. No readjustment is necessary and the sound is not position dependent. Due to their good fit, they move very little, can be used for everyday wear and also for gentle exercise. As a result, the isolation is remarkable.
After having used other IEMS, the return to the Jojo proves to me that their ergonomics are excellent, they fit me very well, the fit is very durable and the integration with my ears is superior. Excellent. With the cable improved to the BL-05 model, the discomfort that that one gave me, the comfort is better than then.

Sound

Profile

The BLON x Zeos Jojo have a warm tuning, with controlled and sustained mid-highs, while the treble is soft and not too pronounced. The emphasis is on the sub-bass and mid-bass barrier, which gives it a noticeable and wide low end. The mids are not sunken and the rapid but moderate rise towards the upper-mids adds a certain level of clarity, liveliness and balance, but without overcoming the mark of a warm and calm sound in the treble.

Bass

The bass is characterised by a dark, sensory, slightly rubbery, forceful and subtly rough tone. In the very low-frequency pure tone test, the sensory character of the low tones is outstanding. The nature of the reproduction is accurate and realistic, more felt than heard, and there is no coloured sound ripple. Such reproduction is accompanied by a dark timbre that envelops the LFOs with an appealing realism. The 40Hz tones are represented with vigour, forcefulness, a good level of speed, but also with a point of gumminess that rounds out their punch, prolongs it, limiting its dryness, adding juiciness and some hint of extended texture. Not that I can say that the bass is thick, but it is somewhat more corporeal, dense, ample, elastic and moist. Despite all that, it recovers well and the level of rubberiness and elasticity allows it to round the notes and disappear without too much aftertaste, lingering long enough in the atmosphere to demonstrate volume, pressure, energy and that dark character that accompanies it throughout its journey. I wouldn’t call it a skilled, technical bass, but its execution is fast and efficient enough to define the sub-bass without becoming diffuse. On the contrary, the Jojo’s are able to draw sub-bass lines with enough rigour not to mix them up, allowing both the bass drums and the sub-bass lines to be differentiated from each other, clearly discernible from the rest of the bass notes and also from the rest of the frequencies. Despite generating a volumetric bass, the Jojo’s take care of the mids and vocals. It is inevitable to feel the sensory power of the low end, that mixture of rubbery and dark energy, which in turn is able to be executed with realism and without losing composure in those complex, overlapping and unfiltered bass situations. It is in these situations that the Jojo’s are very capable of defining the low tones, aided by their dark timbre and elastic capacity, to draw a well controlled bass, well composed, forceful, corporeal, layered, even defined despite the roundness of their execution. As a whole, the bass is very enjoyable, far from being abominable or diffuse, although its power, volume, energy and quantity is high, but without reaching an oppressive level. Certainly, the Jojo could be on that level of IEMS suitable for bass lovers.

Mids

Dark, dense, mellow and warm in origin, the first half of the middle section is characterised by this and by an evident corporeal feel. There is a clear underlying physical component, both in the male vocals and the instruments. However, the result is not as hazy or diffuse as one might expect. The clear roundness of the bass is not as pronounced in the central range, but rather there is a gain in definition, more concrete edges, raising the resolution, explicitness and descriptiveness. The result is still not transparent, clear or luminous. But there is a more perspicuous separation that helps to distance the elements from each other and to draw them in a more defined and evident way. Despite this, his technical skill remains superficial. He does not tend to crowd the details, but he is obtuse when it comes to depicting detail in the background, even if there is the necessary space to recreate it. In this sense, the Jojos are better able to render foreground detail, while those in the background are not shown at all.
Despite the uniformity of the frequency response of the central range, the voices are not in the foreground, neither the male nor the female voices. Although there is a relative level of closeness, even prominence, if the song requires it. The former come across as denser and fuller, while the latter feel a little more nuanced, with a certain lack of brightness that pushes them towards the light and more showy details. However, of course, they are soft and free of sibilance, perhaps a little too much so. That is why, on many occasions, both instruments and voices lack harmonics and natural details. The representation of the mid-highs is quite controlled. There is only one point of clarity, but thanks to the higher degree of resolution, a sense of separation and transparency is achieved, which is necessary to avoid a more noticeable and prevailing darkness and warmth. However, there is a lack of sparkle and vibrancy to express a higher level of detail, as well as more extended and realistic harmonics. Again, BLON goes for a warm, calm, smooth and nuanced tuning, which has a tendency to omit micro detail, eschewing a more technical profile in the interest of offering a more musical, confident sound, far removed from any analytical feel.

Treble

The upper zone is represented as a controlled decrease. While the peak is at the beginning, the rest of the range has a tendency to gradually soften. Although the disappearance of the treble is prevented by a very smooth descent, both the extension and the energy level feel limited. Even so, the behaviour is not unrealistic; it is a relatively muted brightness, but overall, they manage to express the range with a certain nuanced realism. It’s not an opaque or alibied high end, perhaps that sparkle in the second half is real and not an artifice of the microphone, something that might explain that point of extension and air that can be observed in the ambience. Be that as it may, the treble is not enough to complete the rest of the range in its harmonic extension and definition, but it does represent the upper range with relative assurance and suitably calm aptitude, in order to maintain musical realism.

Soundstage, Separation

The Jojo’s are able to recreate a good sense of volume that has a tendency to expand their sound. Thanks, too, to their level of depth, the impression of openness is broadened, elevated, gaining in height and extending almost beyond the front 180 degrees. The sense of laterality is noticeable and the scene expands a little further, but without quite encircling the head. Even so, the scene appears slightly volatile and gauzy, helped by a good level of separation and the presence of distance between the elements. But, contrary to what one might think, that distance is not always filled with the detail that should appear there, being only competent at representing the macro and medium elements, without reproducing the micro detail or those found in the background.
The imaging is more than adequate and the elements can be placed with some ease on stage, thanks to the level of separation that prevents the music from being completely dense, too uniform or too cohesive. In truth, perhaps one of the Jojo’s strengths, despite its warmth and energy level, it doesn’t come across as completely opaque, over-conjunctive or completely homogenous, which helps to make its stage more expansive.

Comparisons

BLON x HBB Z300

There are times when it seems that the enemy is at home. BLON has shortly released two IEMS with similar tuning, each seconded by a famous reviewer, the current BLON x Z Jojo vs BLON x HBB Z300. The Jojo costs $49 and the Z300 $40. The differences in construction are based on the shape of the capsules. The more traditional semi-custom capsule design of the Z300 rivals in comfort with the classic BLON shape of the Jojo. Clearly the Z300’s shape may be more ergonomic for many enthusiasts, but the level of fit I get with the Jojo is superior. Both have good cables, but the Jojo’s are thicker. Except for the colour, which I would have liked to have been able to choose on the Jojo, the Jojo is better. But, in the end, I prefer the design of the Z300s.
In terms of frequency response, the similarities are obvious, from 800Hz to 7kHz the graph is almost identical, while the differences in the rest of the range are not very big either. The Jojo’s have a more prominent mid-bass and more body in the first few bars of the midrange. The first half of the treble is more present in the Z300s, while there is more air in the Jojo. In terms of efficiency level and regardless of what the specs say, the Jojo’s sound louder at the same volume level.
In my opinion, the Jojo’s present a wider, denser and more complex sound. That extra bass is felt and brings a wider volume to the soundstage, expanding it and giving a feeling of a bigger wall of sound. The sense of fullness I get with the Jojo’s is higher. I also find a little more clarity and separation in their approach, with the midrange presentation being a little more delayed in the Z300s.
There is a point of dryness in the bass of the Z300s, they are a little more compact and a little more restrained. The Jojo’s have more energy, more extension, a little more gumminess, presence and roughness. They are also a little slower, but the punch and power will be to the taste of the BassHeads over the slightly more subdued and slightly more technical Z300s.
In the mid-range, the Jojo’s are denser, with the first half of the mid-range more present, closer and lusher. The Z300s are somewhat more relaxed at this point, also thinner and more distant, something that is clearly noticeable in the male vocals, which are fuller and more prominent in the Jojo. Also the instrumentation is more evident in the Jojo. There may be a little more sparkle in the mid-highs of the Z300s, but the Jojo is more explicit, transparent and detached. The Z300s persist in that sense of smoothness that cohesively ties their sound together, offering a slightly more distant, less defined sound with a less obvious bottom end. In my opinion the Jojo’s are more descriptive and offer a superior analytical point.
I think the Z300s are a little better in the treble although there is more air in the Jojo. The Jojo’s sound is a bit more muted in the high end, while the first hit is more evident and a bit more natural in the Z300s.
I still think micro detail is better on the Z300s while separation, more defined background, transparency, scene size, volume, expansive feel, depth, even image positioning, the Jojo’s are superior.

Conclusion

WGZBLON continues to seek the support of major audio reviewers to expand its catalogue. Building on the familiar BL-05 base, BLON switches to a striking purple «Bizarre Adventure» colour scheme not suitable for squeamish users. But beyond this anime reference, the Jojo’s have the classic Zeos Pantera touch, something along the lines of «give me some more db’s in the low end, please». The more recent counterpart reference, the HBB Z300 is somewhat more controlled, but also somewhat less transparent. The Jojo’s have widened and extended the low end a step further, improving presence in the low-mids and still gaining a point of transparency, separation, resolution and a hint of air. But overall, these are IEMS with boosted bass, smooth on the upper end, mellow, warm, very comfortable to wear, with a long-lasting fit (if your morphology allows it) and a slightly dark, dense, yet deep, energetic and relatively expansive sound signature. Those looking for brightness, detail, analytical edge and light will have to look elsewhere. But for those who like a quiet profile up top and powerful down low, not to mention midrange, the BLON x Z Jojo is a great alternative for $49.

Sources Used During the Analysis

• Tempotec BHD Pro.
• Tempotec V6.
• Aune X8 XVIII Magic DAC + EarMen ST-Amp.
• Aune M1p.
• Burson Audio Playmate II.
• Hidizs AP80 PRO-X Red Copper LE.