The beautiful packaging of Ikko’s Obsidian OH10 IEMs makes them immediately mysterious and intriguing. Sitting at $199, the OH10 have received quite a lot of praise for their sound, looks, and comfort. Let’s see if they live up to their reputation and take an in depth look.

What’s in the Box

• Ikko Obsidian OH10 IEMs
• 6 sets of ear tips, 3 white and 3 black
• Leather carrying pouch
• Ikko decorative pin

Look and Feel

As their ethereal packaging suggests, the OH10 have quite an otherworldly look. Their polished, metal outside is eye-catching, and its unique texture and curves giving it an oddly natural look. Their flatter shaped, curved body makes these fit about as close to custom as you can get for a universal IEM. 

Design

The OH10 are a hybrid IEM, sporting a 10mm dynamic driver and a balanced driver. Their internal platinum coating is meant to improve sound quality while their outer titanium coating is meant to prevent scratching. They use a silver-plated OFC cable with 2-pin 0.78mm connections and a 3.5mm termination. 

These have a frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz and an impedance of 18Ohms

Sound Signature 

The OH10’s sound is less focused on vigorous cutting or boosting and instead on extreme punch and definition. Paired with their relatively wide soundstage and considerable instrument separation, the attack of drums, string plucks, and piano hammers are noticeably extenuated, creating a satisfying sensation of impact. Their more neutral sound makes them attractive for those listening across a wide array of genres. I found them just as accommodating of modern dance beats as I did of 70s folk music and orchestral arrangements. The OH10 seem to follow equal parts the go-to versatile earbud sound of the moment and the time-enduring audiophile cleanliness many know and love.

Lows

These have a low end with some noticeable beef to it. Their sub response is very clean and never muddying, striking a level that’s enough to create some cinematic impact without overwhelming the mix. The rest of their low end response is very pointed and hard hitting, and those who are looking for extra defined drums will certainly have their needs met with these. I tried the booming production of "Prosper" by CIFIKA, and found the OH10 had no problem conveying the rumble of its sub-heavy bass and slamming kicks. Overall, the low end felt satisfying and plentiful and was one of their standout qualities. 

Mids 

The OH10 have a fairly neutral mid range, their high mids cut selectively enough to feel tamed but not hollow or lacking. They boost the more textural areas of the spectrum to add some crackle to percussion, breathiness to vocals, and clarify various details. Their low mids are a bit less forward, giving them an average level of warmth. Listening to Parcel’s "Older," the endearing guitar chords felt pure and tastefully sharpened. As the song continued, I found the vocal translation was tight and forward without any unwanted resonance. 

Highs

When it comes to their high end response, the OH10 feel bright but gentle. There is no sense of grit or shrillness in the high response, but definitely a clear boost with a noticeable shimmering quality. These might not be best suited for someone looking for a darker IEM, but they do seem to have a crowd-pleasing high end that, while on the brighter side, is far form polarizing.

Overall

The OH10 are hard to pass up for their price, performing at a standard that meets and often exceeds expectations. If you want a balanced, neutral sound, these ensure nothing is overly cut or boosted. Those looking for some sort of extremity, whether it be intense bass or soaring highs, may not be meant for this one. But many buyers scared of getting an IEM with any glaring attributes that could rub them the wrong way should definitely consider the even-keeled OH10.

You can get a deal on Ikko's OH10 Obsidian at Audio46 for $149 here.