NiceHCK Climbs One Step Higher

Ratings

Pros

• Great soundstage, huge midrange, musical, smooth, subtly warm, three-dimensional and highly enjoyable.
  Bass weight.
• Ability to layer, separate and place elements, generating an accurate image.
• Very good level of detail and resolution, capable of revealing hidden elements when paired with good sources.
• Outstanding construction, titanium capsules and matte finish.
• Very good level of ergonomics.
• Cable is up to the task, with three interchangeable pins and a screw-on system.

Cons

• The mouthpieces are somewhat short.
• Although the sound is different between the grey and gold mouthpieces, the FR does not change much. The blue mouthpiece does not gain bass, but reduces the upper midrange, losing the resolution of the other mouthpieces.
• The treble can be soft for those who like more presence in the upper range.

Purchase Link

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005006690882384.html

Link to the Store

https://es.aliexpress.com/store/1825606

Introduction

By now, I’m sure many portable audio enthusiasts are familiar with the AliExpress shop NiceHCK. No doubt, it has been offering its services for the platform for many years and is highly valued by buyers. It is a well-earned reputation. It is also true that for years it has been selling its own branded products, such as earbuds, IEMS and cables. He has even ventured into top-of-the-range earbuds and IEMS, such as the model we will review in this article. This is the NiceHCK Himalaya, a titanium alloy IEMS with a dual magnetic dynamic driver with a 10mm diaphragm and 22µm CNT double film. As magnets it uses a dual circuit consisting of the duo N52+N45. The capsule has a CNC-machined double cavity made of pure titanium alloy, both on the outer and inner sides. In addition, it has a nozzle-replaceable filter system, consisting of three pairs that provide differences in the high-midrange onwards. As usual, NiceHCK usually includes good cables in their reference models and the Himalaya is accompanied by a high-purity silver-plated OFC two-stranded conductor that incorporates a replaceable pin system (4.4mm BAL, 3.5mm SE and 2.5mm BAL). The connection interface is the secure 2Pin 0.78mm. In this review we will go into more details of this new flagship model from NiceHCK.

Specifications

• Driver Type: Dual magnetic dynamic with a 10mm diaphragm with 22µm double CNT film.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-28kHz.
• Sensitivity: 110dB/mW.
• Impedance: 22Ω.
• Jack Connector: interchangeable 4.4mm BAL, 3.5mm SE and 2.5mm BAL.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm.
• Cable Conductor Type: two strands OFC high purity silver plated.
• Capsule Material: Aviation grade titanium alloy.
• Replaceable Mouthpiece System: Gold balanced style filter, blue low-frequency style filter, grey high-frequency style filter.

Packaging

NiceHCK Himalaya come in a relatively large white box. There is only lettering all over the box. Its dimensions are 208x153x80mm. On the main side you can read the model name in large black letters. At the top there is a description of the model and at the bottom only the logo of the brand. On the back side you can read the specifications, brand data and also the date of manufacture of the product. There is not much else on the outside. After removing the cardboard, you see a black box that has a texture of interwoven threads with the brand logo in the centre in silver. On the side edge is the model name and that flap peels off to open the box. The interior consists of a first layer with a dense black mould, on which the two capsules rest, each protected by transparent plastic. A strip of fabric at the top of the mould allows access to the second layer containing the rest of the accessories, all of which are encased in another black foam mould. There is a black leatherette case with a zip that contains the cable and a transparent box that houses the silicone tips. In summary, the complete contents are as follows:

• The two NiceHCK Himalaya capsules.
• One cable with 2Pin 0.78mm connection and interchangeable plugs.
• Three 4.4mm BAL, 3.5mm SE and 2.5mm BAL plugs.
• Three pairs of screw-in filters.
• Magnetic tape to secure the cable.
• A black leatherette zipped case.
• One cleaning brush.
• Four pairs of transparent silicone tips model NiceHCK 07 sizes SxMxLxXL.
• Three pairs of blue silicone tips model NiceHCK 08 sizes SxMxL.
• One warranty certificate card.
• User’s guide.

The package is large, but NiceHCK is used to include the best of their catalogue, such as a large cable with screw-on pins, their best tips in multiple sizes and an excellent zippered case. The only thing missing is a plate for screwing in unused tips, which are relegated to being stored in a zip pouch.

Construction and Design

NiceHCK maintains the premium-level design of its previous top-of-the-line dynamic driver IEMS, Lofty and Topguy, but ups the ante by improving the material of manufacture. The capsules are constructed from aviation-grade titanium alloy. They are machined on a 5-axis CNC machine. They have a matte finish that sets them apart from previous models in the series. They are undoubtedly heavy, even heavier than the Lofty, although this is not a negative. As it usually happens with other similar IEMS, the great ergonomics save the weight. The shape of the external face is of African continent, but thinner in its lower vertex. Its curves are very rounded and, on this occasion, the outer face is completely smooth on the surface. Only the name of the brand can be read near the apex of the right capsule and the name of the model on the left. On the inner side, the Himalaya have all the corners and rounded edges to fit perfectly in all the nooks and crannies of our ears. There are a couple of holes, one located at the foot of the mouthpieces, the other on the edge, next to the 2Pin 0.78mm connectors. Next to it, there is a gold-coloured ink mole inside which is the letter that identifies the channel. The mouthpiece is the classic H-profile mouthpiece, protected by a perforated metal grille. The largest diameter of the mouthpiece is 6mm and its total length is 3.5mm. In this model, the mouthpieces are interchangeable and there are three different models: the gold filter has a balanced style and its inner diameter is 3.5mm. The blue filter has a low-frequency boosting style and has an inner diameter of 2.2mm. Finally, the grey filter enhances the high frequencies and has an inner diameter of 3.8mm.
The cable consists of two coiled strands. The conductor is plated with high purity silver and you can see through the transparent coating that there are two types of wires: silver and blue. It has an interchangeable pin system. The three pins are mounted on grey cylindrical sleeves with matching textured capsules. Each plug has a different connector, the brand name followed by a triangle/arrow and a thread. The connection is made by means of 4 gold-plated pins and is secured by means of a cylindrical nut with a triangular pattern on its surface. The female part of the cable has a white mole that must be aligned with the arrow behind the marking to join the two parts more easily. The splitter is a smooth metal cylinder of the same design and the pin is a disc with a large hole in it. This diameter is larger than the thickness of the two wires and slips more than necessary, so the adjustment function is not very effective as it is too weak. The sleeves of the 0.78mm gold-plated 2Pin connectors are metal cylinders that match the rest of the cable parts, but have two red or blue rings to differentiate the channel. There are rigid transparent plastic ear guides.
As I mentioned, NiceHCK still relies on the shape designed for its IEMS top of the range dynamic driver saga, but has taken a step forward by using the unique material of titanium. The weight is increased, but the entire surface has been kept clean to showcase the exquisiteness of its manufacture. This time it has opted for a cable that has no textile covering, but has included one of the best methods of pin exchange that includes a screw lock, which makes it much more resistant to any tugging. Not much is specified about the conductor of the cable, other than that it is OFC plated in high purity silver. But it certainly looks like a pretty good cable.

Adjustment and Ergonomics

The design is repeated, the fit and ergonomics are repeated. Only the weight is increased and the connection is made with a lighter cable.
The fit is trivial and simple. The lower apex fits very well, as do the curves of the inner face. It is possible that the upper indentation of the inner face may rest too much on the lower branch of the antihelix due to its weight. This may cause some discomfort on long listens in more sensitive ears. Personally, I feel this contact, but its rounded curves make it not very annoying. The fit is very good and they do not move once in place. The cable is lighter than in the past, but the capsules are heavier. I don’t feel any discomfort from the cable on the ear and, although the weight is higher, thanks to the good fit, it doesn’t have a negative influence.
It is worth mentioning the high degree of isolation, even though the insertion does not go from shallow to medium.
In conclusion, it is clear that NiceHCK keeps the mould of this saga of models and I think it is a successful design and although the weight of the capsules is not negligible, it has lightened the set with a lighter cable, despite the thickness it has.

Sound

Profile

I still think NiceHCK doesn’t stray too far from a reference profile that was already present in their previous high-end models with a single dynamic driver, like those Lofty. Back then, I already commented that I found that profile somewhat classic, based on a smooth V-tuning, with a greater predominance of upper midranges. This time, the Himalayas are like a redefinition of that tuning, but again with improved materials: a new diaphragm and a titanium capsule. But they have also added three tuning mouthpieces to distance themselves from the Lofty and the Topguy. Without a doubt, the filter I find most interesting is the blue filter, basically because of the difference in profile it generates, smoothing out some treble and balancing the whole frequency response to a flatter line. In this case, there is a collateral effect because the treble is also reduced to the same extent and you lose that more descriptive and analytical feeling that is more present with the gold and grey filters. With that gold filter, the profile is more like a W with more emphasis on the central peak. Whereas the Lofty’s were V-only, Himalaya adds more treble extension and a subtly smoother, more homogeneous profile. The blue filter drops a few dB’s from 2kHz onwards, for those looking for a slightly less splashy and fatiguing sound, gaining a little more warmth and presence in the low end. For the record, the bass hardly changes at all, but the upper midranges and onwards are calmed down. The grey filters release a little more energy and precision in that same upper area to gain precision, a little more sensitivity, greater cleanliness, transparency and clarity. It is clear that this grey filter allows the Himalaya’s sound to flow with all its quality, although the sound becomes a little more splashy, also more abrupt and raw, even, subtly metallic. The gold filter comes in to polish those sharper edges of the grey filter and also rounds out the bass, adding texture and musicality to the whole. This review is mainly based on the use of the gold filters.
Finally, the NiceHCK Himalaya are an easy-to-move IEMS.

Bass

The grey filter makes the bass duller, drier, smoother and also a little thinner. With the gold filter the bass gains weight and punch, texture and, more importantly, life and realism. It is not a dark or very sensory bass. It’s not overly big either, but it has power, weight and punch, indicating a good level of energy. Without being a bassist’s IEMS, its profile is somewhat above neutral. A bass lover like me would not choose them as the first choice for my electronic music enjoyment. However, they are totally valid for a large majority thanks to their qualities. As I say, I am impressed by the weight it has, each hit generates a feeling of power and density. It is quite fast and efficient, it recovers quite well leaving little aftertaste. It doesn’t linger in the environment and maybe that’s why the feeling of heavy impact that each bass drum hit offers stands out. Its sonority is medium, mixing a light, subtly dark sensory capability with a more focused tone at the centre point. In this way, the resulting timbre is almost neutral, realistic, not too dark, but juicy enough and with just the right amount of sub-bass to balance the sonority and avoid unnecessary colouring. Much of this is evident in the very low frequency pure tone test. The Himalaya performs the lower LFOs in a mixed way, offering a low, slightly audible, low undulatory sensation without much sensory punch. As the frequencies go up, this undulatory behaviour is lost, but it approaches a less dark sonority that is closer to a more neutral tone, losing that dark and sensory sensation that is pleasant when the sub-bass is higher. In fact, the test is remarkable, but without being superior on my personal scale.
However, the translation to actual performance is better. The Himalaya are slick, dynamic, very effective, offering just enough texture to enrich the bass and make it more raw and realistic. On the other hand, there is something surprising about the behaviour of the bass. When prominence is required, they are there, offering that weight and strength. But when the vocals come on stage, they are able to stay a step behind them, offering an uncommon and very pleasant respect. This is something that is felt more with the female voices.
In the final test of dirty, raw and unfiltered bass, the Himalaya exemplify a complex sonic reality, but executed in a highly resolute manner. They are skilled enough to make these tricky situations work out in the best way, but also in the most natural way. There is no hint of imprecision, no ambiguity, the execution is close to perfection. The Himalaya are able to discern all the low frequency notes at just the right point, with just enough space, being very adept at separating bass drums, layers and bass lines, even when these are dirty and unfiltered. Simply delicious.

Mids

Again, I start with the grey filter. The feeling of cleanliness and transparency is very high. The midranges are very close, as if you could touch them, they are splashy and three-dimensional. But there is a point of unreality and a subtly metallic one. The gold filter smoothes out the rough edges, rounds out the sound, makes it real and natural. It loses that splashy, expansive and defined feeling. But you gain musicality and authenticity. My fear was that with the gold filter you might lose resolution. But, fortunately, this level of resolution in the Himalaya is a reference. It is clear that NiceHCK have achieved a technically superior driver, but they have also managed to tune it so that it doesn’t sound too harsh, explicit or abrupt. I have to admit that these Himalaya should be paired with descriptive sources. It doesn’t matter how powerful they are, it matters that they are naturally detailed. That way, the level of information will be higher. And the central range will be the star of the game. I can’t say that sound is analytical, should I call it analytical-analogue? Any pun you can think of to explain a sound that is very open, airy, clean and transparent, at the same time explicit, detailed, very, very resolving and tremendously informative would be accurate. It could also be considered a cliché to say that I could feel details I didn’t know about in songs I’ve heard a thousand times. But, so it has turned out. And this is not easy after my entire collection of IEMS.
Another big fear of mine was the classic NiceHCK tuning. But I have to say that the treble control helps to section out the sibilance and keeps it at a point where it is appreciated in a more organic and realistic way. The sibilance is there and the Himalaya is a testament to that, but with a sweet spot. Another plus point has been to fatten up the first half of the midrange, both to add a hint of warmth and a point of physicality and body to this range. Thus, the male voices have a deep, dense and full base, as well as an almost excellent prominence. It is true that they are not in the foreground, but they are very close. And I repeat again the ability of the bass to give up its presence in their favour. But this is explained by the Himalayas’ outstanding layering ability. The quality of the midrange is achieved because of it. It is not a forced spatiality, but a realistic one. A truly vast stage, very well placed, sorted, distributed, spaced and layered. This is the way in which both instruments and voices are positioned and get their unique space. This is how the prominence of each of the elements is relevant, without any hollowness. I think that this ability improves the tuning by providing a point of balance and homogeneity of presence, although it is the female voices and those instruments whose fundamental is above 1kHz who gain the favour of being closer to the listener. This is usually the case when the upper midranges are excited. But here is the difference from when it is done in a forced way, to gain clarity, luminosity and transparency, but without foreseeing the collateral damage that this generates. In the Himalaya there is no such damage. Is there excitation in the second half of the midranges? Sure there is. But I wish many could solve tuning in this way. The vast majority of what is achieved in this way is positive. But I stress again that much of the success lies in how a single high quality dynamic driver can resolve this situation. And, in the midrange, special mention should be made of that word, dynamic. Not only is there informative detail and great resolution in the centre range, dynamics is another great skill, not to mention transient capability.

Treble

NiceHCK has gone a step further in the treble. It has gained in extension and with it, in realism. It persists in its initial punch and in its fast decay immediately afterwards. But, the control zone recovers from 8khz to add quality harmonics. Now, the profile is closer to a W and that enhances the final result. But the idea of smoothness, of energy limitation, of a search for musicality and long, more pleasurable listens persists. It is clear that the peak at 5kHz can be negative in this aspect. But the quality of the ensemble overcomes this crisis. So there is this rise and fall that does not represent the entire treble range correctly, but it solves many undesirable situations. It is not crisp, but it feels relatively pleasant, smoothly natural, without losing the subtle brightness of the high notes, but without them being fully represented, both harmonically and in energy. Although there is not an excessive amount of air either, the benefit of the treble zone is entirely at the service of the midrange. In this way, it is an upper range that advances in its complementary state to subtly gain in prominence and extension. That’s the extra step.

Soundstage, Separation

The scene is another of the strengths of these IEMS. As I have discussed in previous sections, the Himalaya has a great capacity for layering, creating distance between elements and placing them precisely in space. This is not a volatile or overly gaseous scene, but rather a more concise one, despite its large size. The scene easily overhangs and envelops the head, but also in height. The lateral sensation is excellent, but even rear elements can be perceived with ease. All in all, the scene feels distinctly three-dimensional. There is also good depth, but the feeling is more semi-spherical as the three axes have similar distances.
Although it is not purely an analytical sound, but has a certain warmth and a point of softness, it has a high level of detail, being easy to find micro-detail, and is even adept at revealing other hidden nuances. So you can see that they have a high level of resolution and not just detail. Among the best dynamic drivers in its price class.

Comparisons

Simgot EA1000 Red Filter

Currently, the NiceHCK Himalaya is priced at over $330, while the Simgot EA1000 is $100 less and is one of the great models in this segment. With a dynamic driver and a passive radiator, the Simgot’s construction is excellent, although they are not made of titanium. There are similarities between the two, a similar cable, although the EA1000s do not have interchangeable plugs and only feature a 3.5mm SE connection. Both feature three tuning mouthpieces and an outstanding set of packaging and accessories. It’s worth noting that both models are heavy and ergonomically the EA1000s are smaller and have a slightly freer fit, while the Himalayas are more locked in and fixed. That feeling of freedom may tip the balance in favour of the EA1000. But the Himalaya can be very comfortable as they fit very snugly.
The EA1000s are somewhat more sensitive at the same volume.
Arguably, the big difference between the two models is in the treble. The control zone, that initial drop, is hardly noticeable in the EA1000. It is a more homogeneous tuning, with a more gradual descent, as well as a greater extension into the air zone. Thus, the high notes are clearly more pronounced in the EA1000s, while the Himalaya are distinctly softer.
Musically speaking, the bass of both models is very good. I could even say that in the pure tone test there is a similar behaviour. But I think the EA1000s have a less undulating, subtly darker and somewhat more natural character. They also seem to have a little more presence.
In the midrange area, several characteristics come together that give the Himalaya the edge: its stage level, its smoothness and musicality. The wider soundstage and more relaxed sound make the NiceHCK midranges a superior pleasure. The EA1000s are splendid, but they are more explicit, closer, but somewhat more splashy and vivid. That makes them feel flatter, lacking that greater sense of depth and space in all directions that the Himalaya does. The EA1000s have that more analytical profile that can be very useful and intense for short listens. But the NiceHCKs stick with you for hours. The midrange greatness of the Himalaya lives up to its scene.
Anyone could choose any model and be happy with them. But if you’re looking for a little more musical refinement, a bigger soundstage and greater smoothness, the Himalaya are the clear choice. While the Simgot EA1000s are a little more demanding on our ears as they are more splashy and vivid.

Conclusion

I can’t get it out of my head that NiceHCK have had a fixed idea in this saga of top of the range IEMS with a single dynamic driver (Lofty, Topguy and now Himalaya). But, in the end they have managed to find their most excellent product. I have always commented that this is a classic tuning, which has varied from a soft V to a W with emphasis on its centre peak, where the treble has always been smooth. They have succeeded in keeping that smoothness, but with more extension. They have also improved the weight and impact of the bass. But it’s the combination of the big soundstage and the deliciously musical midrange that is really superior. True, the NiceHCK Himalaya are not cheap, but they are constructed of titanium, their cable is up to the brand’s standards, with three interchangeable plugs and a screw-on system that separates them from the competition. In addition, they have included three sets of mouthpieces to change the sound. I think NiceHCK deserves the recognition to be among the greats in this price range.

Sources Used During the Analysis

• Aune M1p.
• Hidizs S8 Pro Robin.
• EPZ TP50.
• Burson Audio Playmate 2.
• Aune X8 XVIII Magic DAC + EarMen ST-Amp.