Five Better Than One?

Ratings

Pros

• Warm, smooth, cohesive, deep and musical sound.
• Bass with good presence, darkness and sensory character.
• Excellent ergonomics, the capsules are very comfortable and light.

Cons

• Dark profile, with little brightness.
• Technically mediocre.
• Driver flex.
• The capsules are a magnet for fingerprints.
• Insufficient accessories for the price range, only 1 set of tips, not even a storage bag.

Purchase Link

https://www.linsoul.com/products/ziigaat-cinno

Link to the Store

https://www.linsoul.com/

Introduction

I must admit that headphone brands from China are like flowers in spring: there are many, many different ones, and a new one is appearing all the time. ZiiGaat seems to be one of them. However, they have been developing OEM and ODM products for numerous global audio brands for more than a decade. Their passion for audio has led them to found their own brand. The name ZiiGaat is an acronym derived from their core values: Zero-in on Ideas, Innovate, Grow and Achieve All Together. They express their desire to collaborate with the audiophile community, listen to their suggestions and work together. Their vision is to be the world’s leading brand in collaborative audio solutions. As for the product to be discussed in this review, the ZiiGaat Cinno is a hybrid IEMS with a 10mm liquid crystal polymer dynamic driver for powerful bass and four balanced armature drivers for optimal audio quality, meticulously tuned for a balanced tonal signature, and designed with a tiny, ergonomic shape for comfortable and extended listening sessions. The sub-bass and bass are powerful, the midrange is slightly warm and the treble is perfectly matched to the response of the human pinna. The Cinno is tuned according to the most optimal balanced tonal signature, which is suitable for both audiophile and professional stage use. As stated on their packaging, the Cinno belong to the ZiiPluse series. Actually, the description of the brand is complete and I am only left with the rest of the questions in this review. Let’s get to it.

Specifications

• Driver Type: 10mm dynamic driver with LCP diaphragm + 2 BA drivers for midrange and treble + 2 BA drivers for treble.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz + 20kHz.
• Sensitivity: 107dB(at 1KHz/mW)
• THD: <0.5% (@1kHz).
• Impedance: 32Ω
• Nominal power: 5mW.
• Maximum power: 10mW.
• Jack Connector: SE 3.5mm
• Capsule Connection Type: Detachable 2Pin 0.78mm.
• Price: 99$ USD.

Packaging

The ZiiGaat Cinno case is small and black, measuring 116x83x33mm. On the main side, at the top, there is the brand logo, at the bottom left is the name of the model and a small description, all in white letters. In the centre, on the right, there is a semicircle with various fluid colours. On the back side, at the top, are all the icons of the certifications it meets. The lower half repeats the name and description of the model, while at the bottom are the brand’s marks. In the centre, the coloured semicircle on a grid is also repeated. Throughout the packaging are capsules of different colours and sizes, like rain falling diagonally. After removing the outer cardboard, a completely black and smooth box appears. Under the lid you can see the two capsules embedded in a foam base lined with black cardboard. Underneath are a pair of transparent zip bags containing the rest of the accessories. In summary, the complete contents are as follows:

• The two ZiiGaat Cinno capsules.
• Three pairs of black silicone tips, sizes SxMxL.
• One two-strand cable with gold-plated 3.5mm SE connector and 2Pin 0.78mm interface.
• One warranty card.

Nothing else, no carrying bag, let alone any accessories for storing the IEMS. In my opinion, the basic packaging should consist of a set of tips and an accessory for storing the set. If we look at the fact that this product costs 99$ USD, the contents are clearly insufficient. In fact, the tips are quite generic and only one set is included. On the other hand, the cable does not seem to be of poor quality, but it is not specified anywhere what materials have been used for the construction of the conductor.

Construction and Design

According to the brand itself: «One of the Cinno’s goals was to achieve a sound signature and physical design that would be comfortable and enjoyable even in the longest listening sessions. The Cinno’s housing is tiny in relation to the configuration of its drivers.» Indeed it is. The capsules are constructed of dark grey polished resin. There are two distinct parts, the outer face and the inner face. The outer side is flat and shows the brand logo in black. The shape of this face has a tendency to resemble a right triangle, but with very rounded corners, so much so that even the sides are also slightly curved. The inner face is smooth and slopes gently downwards towards the nozzles. It has no shape or apex to fit into the pinna, as its size is small and it protrudes only minimally from it. All edges are very rounded, and the thickness is on the thin side. The 2Pin 0.78mm interface is fully integrated into the capsules and does not protrude at all. Next to it there is a hole. There is another hole at the base of the mouthpieces. These nozzles are also integrated with the capsule. They are on a wider circular base, their central part is narrower and the crown is wider, but their step is slightly progressive and irregular, they are not perfect cylinders, but there is a rounded irregularity. The height of the mouthpiece could be up to 5mm. The centre diameter is 5.5mm, while the crown is 6.3mm. The design is solid and robust despite its ultra-light weight. They are relatively small and it is true that for their small size it is difficult to accommodate so many drivers, even though they are not very thick. They must have made good use of the space inside.
The cable has two strands coated with slightly translucent PVC. The inner conductor appears to have a dark turquoise blue coating. The sleeve of the gold-plated SE 3.5mm connector is a black metal cylinder, which has 3 grooves around it, one near the connector, two at the cable outlet. This exit is protected by a rubber sleeve which is tapered in two diameters. The splitter piece is another, smaller, black metal cylinder of the same style, with two grooves near the cable entry and exit. The pin is a metal ring with two holes inside, they are somewhat large and the wires slide through them more than usual, so their adjustment function is minor, sometimes insufficient. The gold-plated 0.78mm pin sleeves are still two black, metallic cylinders. The two grooves are close to the cable entry, while the cylinder becomes conical from them. The cable has an over-ear guide made of a transparent plastic coating. Hard to see, but at the base of the 2Pin connection interface, on the upper short side, there is a blue dot to indicate the left channel and a red dot to indicate the right side.
As the brand itself says, in the construction and design, comfort, lightness and a small size that favours ergonomics and a long-lasting continuous use have been the priority. Despite this, as I said, the capsules look solid and with a simple but quality finish. Although, when you look a little closer, there are small details and finishes that seem a little fragile, such as the nozzle grilles. Worst of all, the glossy surface is a magnet for fingerprints and the slightly stiff cable.

Adjustment and Ergonomics

The Cinno’s soft shapes, light weight and small size are a great success in terms of comfort and excellent fit. The mouthpieces are not very long, but have good projection. But, being relatively wide, the insertion varies between shallow and medium, depending on the tips that can be used. As usual, I have used my large foam-filled tips and the fit is immediate, very occlusive. The capsules fit very well in the pinna and once seated they do not rotate or move. As they are not very thick, they do not stick out too much, which helps when wearing them outside the home. These capsules are ideal for daily or sports use thanks to their ergonomics, small size and light weight.

Sound

Profile

The ZiiGaat Cinno’s profile is warm, slightly dark, enhanced in the sub-bass, but fairly balanced throughout its frequency range. It is relatively flat from 100Hz to almost 10kHz, moving in a 6dB range, giving an idea of the homogeneity of its profile. It is clear that its foundation is a powerful lower range, warm, full-bodied midrange, a good level of physicality and fullness. The upper-midrange is subtly emancipated, just enough to add a necessary point of transparency and clarity. Beyond that, the treble is extended, slightly flattened, controlled, shaded, but in continuous and gentle descent, to give the sound the necessary harmonics, a very light brightness, with a lot of smoothness and control. The result is a sound that is powerful at its base, but more explicit than one might think when looking at its FR. The midrange is very full, relatively bleed-free and with a lot of personality. The highs have some sparkle with a moderate presence and energy level, as well as a fairly accomplished extension, though admittedly the whole has a dark edge to it.

Bass

The Cinno’s bass has that dark, sensory feel that is attractive for a low end. The lower range feels deep and slightly perceptible, but it also comes together with some more audible behaviour that counteracts the good bass performance. This is apparent in the pure tone test. While the more extreme LFOs are reproduced in a dark and sensory way, a very slight parallel vibration appears that detracts from the naturalness during the execution of those very low notes. On the one hand, there is a physical, deep and dark bass, but on the other hand, a certain colouring that prevents it from being perfect. Fortunately, this behaviour does not always affect the performance of the actual music and the subtle vibration that colours the sound is almost always deactivated.
There is a slight pleasant boomy feel to the hit, which prevents it from being completely dry or tight. Likewise, the texture shows up in a similar vein. It is not very rough, but there is texture at the lower end, something that gives it a particular sonority coupled with the sensory focus of the sub-bass. The bass is relatively large and voluminous. In contrast, the perception of air movement or energy is not as high as it might seem. It gives the impression that both volume and energy are spread throughout the range. Although it is also possible that the more sub-bass oriented tuning relieves the pressure and releases the energy.
In the reproduction of dirty, complex, unfiltered bass, I found that sense of duality that is felt in the pure tone test. Not that I’m claiming that the Cinno suffers in these complex situations, but its performance is something particular, something that takes it away from a bass with a more canonical behaviour.
Finally, on a technical level, it doesn’t seem to be the most effective, nor the most decisive. Its hit, slightly rubbery, prevents a quicker recovery. Nor does it seem to be the most skilful when it comes to moving in fast passages, losing some precision in this aspect.

Mids

It is clear that the midrange is warm, but there is also a certain darkness combined with a slight lack of brightness. This situation produces a sense of dryness, dullness and nuance in the male voices, feeling somewhat muffled. However, they feel well integrated with the instruments and their blend prevents them from taking centre stage. There is flesh and depth to the lower voices and they feel like they rise from the background. There is a certain level of exuberance in that aspect, especially in that physical part of their base. On the other hand, they feel more limited in the harmonic section, remaining somewhat incomplete and shaded. It is clear that there is no trace of sibilance, but their pattern is too rounded. Something similar happens with the detail. The sound is rather compact and the drivers don’t seem to work very airy. Layer generation is not very efficient and background details are barely perceptible. This generates a two-dimensional midrange, there is a deeper area and then a midrange section, where the bulk of the sound is concentrated, both vocals and instruments. The female voices also do not escape this duller warm feeling and a certain lack of sparkle and brightness that might be necessary at times, especially to gain detail and a better finish to the timbre. The level of transparency is just right. The manufacturer claims to have generated a slight peak at 3kHz to add precision and detail. However, in my opinion, it is only sufficient in both these areas. It does not have enough light to gain clarity, nor the precision needed to recreate audible micro detail.
On the other hand, there are always some genres that lend themselves to sounding more pleasing with this safe tuning. If you are looking for a good central presence, while maintaining a certain distance, a meaty, full-bodied sound and a certain level of physicality, the Cinno can be ideal. But as soon as you demand a certain technical performance from them, you will find their limitations.

Treble

The treble is very securely tuned. As mentioned, there is a good extension that prevents them from sounding incomplete. On the other hand, the level of energy, sparkle and brilliance is low. It is a shaded high end, with a limited edge. The high notes feel moderately thick, as in the other frequency ranges. This prevents them from sounding more individualised. The result is a compact, smooth and soft treble. Finally, the airy feel is also low, which helps to make the sound feel somewhat opaque, dark and homogeneous.

Soundstage, Separation

The scene is shown with better depth than width. But I still perceive a sense of depth at a double distance. The bass starts from the background to come closer, while the instrumentation and vocals are in a medium range that can get closer depending on the music. It is never overwhelming, nor completely in the foreground, but forms a more or less thick and dense layer, which does not manage to stratify, nor separate too much. In this sense, the sound is cohesive, without too much three-dimensionality. Nor is there a gaseous or volatile scene, but I wouldn’t say it’s a compact or congested sound. There is a sense of lack of air and projection in the notes. Detail does not flow and separation is limited by the cohesion and thickness of the notes. Similarly, the level of transparency is medium and the background is not very discernible. The level of resolution and accuracy of the whole is below what one would expect for its price and hybrid construction. Honestly, on the technical side I was expecting a more resolute, descriptive and informative set. But the Cinno is designed to be smooth, pleasant and musical, rather than technical or detailed.
The image is adequate, the provenance of the elements is discernible, though the whole is somewhat diffuse and toned down.

Comparisons

Conclusion

The ZiiGaat Cinno is a hybrid IEMS with 1DD+4BA that is very compact, light, ergonomic and very comfortable. It’s very sparing on accessories and that could be forgiven if the implementation of all the drivers had been a little more technical, in my humble opinion of course. The Cinno’s have been tuned in a warm-decreasing way, where the main emphasis is on the sub-bass. However, my question is whether 5 drivers (1DD+4BA) are necessary to achieve a limited level of resolution like the Cinno’s offer. I have always believed that the use of BA drivers improves the technical performance, as well as offering a more specialised tuning, since their frequency range is narrower, the conjugation of several of them can make it easier to find the desired tuning. In this case, it is clear that the manufacturer has sought such a smooth, warm, homogeneous, cohesive and musical tuning. But it has also fallen into the pitfalls of such tuning, resulting in a sound with average resolution, nuanced and unexplicit detail, and a darker, more opaque profile. I miss more light, more separation, more air, more resolution and a little more sparkle. However, despite all this, I can’t help but comment that I have enjoyed listening to the Cinno when my listening has not been critical. Maybe that’s what they are, IEMS for everyday use, without too many pretensions other than a quiet enjoyment of the music. On the other hand, my collection is too extensive to ignore other contenders in the same price range that I would choose over the Cinno, even with a similar profile. And many of them only use a single dynamic driver.

Sources Used During the Analysis

• Tempotec March III.
• Tempotec V3.
• Burson Audio Playmate 2.
• Aune X8 XVIII Magic DAC + EarMen ST-Amp.