Blon x Z Jojo IEMs – More Anime, More Bass
Blon x Z Jojo is a $49 USD pair of IEMs or in-ear monitors, with a large 10mm dynamic driver, and with a pink – violet housing. They draw inspiration from the Jojo anime, a series that has a strong focus on contrast, and which is the 13th best selling manga series of all time, according to the number of copies sold. Given the flamboyant nature of the IEMS in question today, we will be reviewing them and comparing them to other entry-level offers, including FiiO FH11 (55 USD), IKKO OH300 Lumia (49 USD), and Dunu Kima (49 USD).
Introduction
You likely already know that I, as a reviewer with an official channel, reviewing an IEM made by a collaboration between a company and another reviewer, edges a bit on unfair competition, so I will try to be as technical as possible about this IEM. Not only is it a collaboration between a reviewer and BLON, but also has manga references and is violet in color, so it is going to be a fairly strong ride. The best place to purchase your audio products from is Amazon, and as an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’d like to thank Linsoul for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion. We are not receiving any incentive for this review and Audiophile-Heaven has no affiliation with Linsoul or BLON beyond this review. This review is a description of my personal experience.
Product Link
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/3Gi0koc
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/49Q7kWZ
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3uvoF7F
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort
Blon x Z Jojo is a really shiny IEM with a violet color that will catch your eye before anything else. We’re talking about an IEM priced 50 USD, which already places it at the beginning of the entry-level range, but Blon is known to already make some really affordable IEMs, so if someone could pull off an interesting product at this price point, they sure are a likely candidate. The metallic house is made of a zinc alloy die, and we’re looking at a unit with a large 10mm dynamic driver.
The cable that Blon x Z Jojo comes with is of an excellent quality, and we have a cable that is thicker, braided, and which looks considerably better than what most IEMs in the price range come with, including FiiO FH11 or IKKO OH300 Lumia, both of which have a much thinner, although also a more flexible cable. The cable of the Blon x Z Jojo is silver and violet in color, to match the IEM, and in the package you can also find a little pouch to transport the IEMs.
The surface of the IEMs is not scratch prone, and in fact they are pretty comfortable, although they are a bit heavy, the cable has strong and long ear guides that allow the IEM to rest on the whole ear, not just on the ear canal or the inner parts. The default tips are quite good, and the angling of the bore is done in such a way that Blon x Z Jojo sits quite nicely in my ears, with no driver flex, and good comfort.
You’re looking at about 20 dB of passive noise isolation, they are closed but vented, which works well for the driver and inner construction of the Blon x Z Jojo. All in all, this is a super pleasing to use IEM, although the color choice is not my cup of tea, the violet is a bit too strong and it does look a bit like a toy, given the matte paint coat in the IEM shells. This being said, color and aesthetics are something very subjective, and you’re allowed to root for it and like it too if you want to.
Sound Quality
Starting with the source list used to drive the Blon x Z Jojo, I’ve been pairing them with FiiO Q15, FiiO K9 PRO, JDS Labs Element III MK2 Boosted, Aune S17 PRO, Hiby R3 II, Shanling UP4 2022, Audioengine D1, and even managed to pair them with the headphone output of Cyrus One Cast. Jojo is an IEM easy to drive and won’t require too much when it comes to the source. It is about twice as hard to drive as FiiO FH11 when it comes to how loud the source has to get to achieve the same loudness, but a source that can drive FH11 will be able to drive Blon x Z Jojo just well. It ends up sounding mostly natural, somewhat V-Shaped and pairing well with most sources. The sound can be described as punchy, with a fairly natural sounding midrange that has a noticeable recess in the midrange, and with a sparkly, open treble that aids the soundstage to sound as wide and holographic as possible.
Starting with the low end, we have a punchy bass that climbs as low as about 40 Hz in the lower registers. It sounds really nice and smooth at lower and medium volumes, but can struggle a bit at high volumes, becoming too textured and breaking a bit if it is turned too loud. The bass has most of the presence around 70 Hz, which makes it super punchy, and it keeps being powerful up to 100 Hz, which gives all music strong substance, and a strong bottom end. The transition to the midrange is done with a somewhat strong upper bass and low midrange.
The main midrange has a recess which brings certain voices and the presence of certain instruments and their frequencies in the second plane. This creates and helps with the feeling of soundstage, but it can slightly affect the perception of a natural midrange. If you’re usually into voices more than bass and treble, the midrange can feel slightly unnatural. This being said, it works well for female voices, and the midrange recovers strength and presence starting with the upper mids and lower treble. This makes emotional music and female voices especially enjoyable, and the same can be said for guitar solos, but death and black metal has the rhythm guitars usually presented recessed, while solo guitars are generally more forward.
The treble tends to be forward, sparkly, bright and extends well up to about 14 kHz, it is detailed and clean, with no obvious signs of a cheap Chifi tuning that struggles with the treble being too bright or too rolled off. All in all, for a V-Shaped sound that has a punchy presentation, good detail and a clean midrange, Blon x Z jojo is quite good.
Comparisons
Blon x Z Jojo vs FiiO FH11 (49 USD vs 55 USD) – While it may have been obvious from the start, this is actually the hardest comparison to make. The shape of the FH11 is better, but the cable of Jojo is better. I have better comfort with the FH11, which is more rounded, lighter and has better tips in the package. The sound of FH11 is more balanced, more natural and Jojo is a more V-Shaped IEM that has a more bass, they both have about equal extension for the bass, but Jojo just has more of it. The treble of FH11 is less bright and less sparkly, Jojo sounds more energetic, but it edges on being more fatiguing too, especially at louder volumes. The midrange of FH11 is more forward, more natural, and more even. Jojo is more detailed in the treble, while FH11 is more detailed in the midrange. Both make equally nice choices, but FH11 is usually my choice here, because I hear detail and resolution in the midrange more than in the extremities of bass and treble.
Blon x Z Jojo vs Dunu Kima (49 USD vs 99 USD) – The comfort of Dunu Kima is a bit better, it is lighter and more ergonomic, although the cables are equally nicely done. The passive noise isolation is about equal, and Dunu Kima is far more detailed than Blon x Z Jojo, but Jojo sounds more natural in the midrange, with much more bass and presence in the low end, resulting in a far more natural and balanced overall sound. Dunu Kima sounds quite harsh, and as I mentioned in my FiiO FH11 review, being more detailed isn’t necessarily better, and although technically Dunu Kima has better revealing ability and detail, Jojo is a more enjoyable IEM overall as it sounds smoother and more natural where it really matters.
Blon x Z Jojo vs IKKO OH300 Lumia (49 USD vs 49 USD) – Starting with the build quality, both are made well, but Jojo is smaller, more ergonomic and more comfortable than OH300. Both isolate about equally well from the outside noise, both have a good cable, but the cable of Jojo is a bit thicker and better made, more ergonomic and more comfortable to use. The sound is about equally detailed, with OH300 having more depth to the bass, a similar midrange in both resolution and clarity, and OH300 has a smoother treble. All in all, the midrange of OH300 does sound a bit more natural, with less of a dip in the middle, which means that OH300 is a bassier, but more mid forward IEM, while Jojo is better for those who want a more traditional sounding V-Shaped IEM.
Value and Conclusion
Blon x Z jojo is an IEM with excellent value, and while the market in the entry-level range is quite full and you really have where to pick from, I would say it is perfect for everyday listening, it is comfy enough, and if you like the color, the 49 USD spent on it will be invested towards a great little adventure. It does sound considerably better than any entry-level ripoff you can find at supermarkets, and it is reliable in the build, so I see no reason to avoid it, and in fact see it as a fully recommended choice for a new IEM.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for an IEM that sounds natural, but bassy, with a sparkly treble, and a flamboyant design / color, but with a good cable, and good ergonomics, Blon x Z Jojo is an excellent choice and an IEM that should bring you lots of fun.
Product Link
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/3Gi0koc
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/49Q7kWZ
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3uvoF7F
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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