Audio YouTuber, Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews, A.K.A. Hawaii Bad Boy (HBB), is back with his latest collaboration, this time partnering directly with Linsoul and ZiiGaat as a manufacturing partner. The Linsoul x HBB Jupiter is his highest-end collaboration yet, featuring a tribrid design with 11 drivers side, in a gorgeous package. At $1,599, it faces incredibly stiff competition, but does it live up — and what exactly do you get for such a high cost of entry? We have the answer, so read on to find out.
Specifications
- Current Price: $1,599 (Linsoul)
- Drivers: 4EST + 6BA + 1DD
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-80kHz
- Impedance: 20 Ohm
- Cable Interface: 3.5mm
- Sensitivity: 102dB
- Plug Type: Detachable 0.78mm 2-Pin
A Quick Introduction to Golden Ears…
Welcome back to Golden Ears! This is our semi-regular column dedicated to the world of high-end audio. In this series, we look at premium audio products that all promise a next-level listening experience. But what exactly do you get when you spend a little, or sometimes a lot, more? That’s what we aim to discover, helping you to find out just what’s worth investing in to upgrade your listening experience for music and gaming alike.
For this article in particular, we’re looking at the Linsoul x HBB Jupiter, a product that currently retails for $1,599. At this price, it exists in the flagship, halo audio market. As such, discussions of value are more subjective than ever. For many listeners, that pricing is simply out of reach, and no matter how good they are, they will seem like a terrible value. For others, passionate audiophiles with plentiful expendable income who consider audio their primary hobby, may have a different opinion.For products like this, ideas of value are very subjective; one person’s steal might be another’s exorbitance, so we’ll largely be leaving that to the side today.
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On the topic of scoring, it’s important to note a couple of things. First, while we wish we didn’t have to do it, it’s a reality in today’s search-driven publication space. Second, when dealing with “golden ears” caliber products that often cost great deals of money, we expect these products to be at least Good (7) but hopefully Great (8), Amazing (9), or even Masterpiece (10) level. Though there are certainly products that aren’t very good at every price range, a quick review of web publications shows that the score range is usually a bit tighter with these next-level listening products. Fittingly so — they should sound great!
Given that expectedly tighter score range, it’s more important than ever to explore the nuances of what sets these products apart. What is their goal? Who are they for? How are they built? What are the intricacies of their listening experience? All of these things matter more and the number matters less. We are always going to be honest and forthright in all of our content, but take the time to hear the story each product is trying to tell, and you’ll understand it that much better.
Thanks for joining us again, and enjoy the article!
Linsoul x HBB Jupiter - First Impressions and Key Features
The Jupiter is an interesting pair of IEMs on multiple fronts. First off, it’s hard to take this as anything other than the crowning flagship of HBB’s work. In his nearly hour long video, he describes the process that brought it to fruition. It was long and included many revisions to ensure that it achieved his vision for what these IEMs should be. Since nearly every one of his collaboration IEMs has been a hit, that was inspiring.
It also occupies an entirely different space than his other projects. Its nearest relative is the Letshuoer EJ07M Kinda Lava and shares some design elements (they’re both tribrids, which I’ll explain in a moment), but that IEM retails for $669. The Jupiter retails for $1,599. It’s on a whole other level in pricing and the audience it’s intended for. The hope here remains the same: that HBB would use his proven tuning ability to deliver a listening experience that’s class-leading for a wide variety of listeners. Or, as HBB often puts it: listeners who have a library like his own, encompassing classic rock, hip-hop, and even some classical.
The Jupiter uses three different driver types, and eleven drivers total per side — that’s nearly two dozen tiny speakers altogether — to create its aural experience. This configuration is composed of a dynamic driver (DD), six balanced armatures (BA), and four electrostatic drivers (EST). The dynamic driver and two of the balanced armatures cover the bass; the remaining three BAs cover the mids up to the middle-highs, while the ESTs take over straight through the highest treble.
One of the high points of each of HBB’s IEMs has been the bass response, and it doesn’t get much better than this. The 10mm dynamic driver uses a composite material and works together with two 28UAP Sonion balanced armatures through an 11dB bass shelf. That’s an elevation that is immediately audible and allows you to pick out much more detail and texture in the lows flies in the face of the typical “audiophile tuning,” many competitors embrace at this price point.
It’s fun but also controlled. The shelf stops at 300Hz and descends into the mids, which are covered by two more BAs. There’s a slight hint of warmth but nothing that detracts from the clarity of the mid-range, soundstage, or imaging.
The electrostatic drivers are the ones you’re likely least familiar with. These drivers used to be the exclusive domain of incredibly expensive over-ear headphones that required specialized amplifiers to even use. As technology has advanced, these have been able to be shrunk down and applied to in-ear monitors, albeit still expensive.
These drivers are critical to have the Jupiter to what Jupiter has to offer. ESTs specialize in the ultra-high frequencies but here they crossover with the balanced armatures around 8K, which is very audible and directly impacts the sound of instruments and audio cues and enhance the detail, resolution, and sense of space in the listening experience. ESTs add that magic “something” when tuned and incorporated correctly, and here they absolutely are.
This brings us to why there are so many drivers. After all, there are amazing IEMs that use a single balanced armature and call it a day. This has to do with amplitude. BAs and especially ESTs have much lower amplitude on their own. Doubling up on the BAs and quadrupling the ESTs allows you to hear what they’re doing all the better and plays a large part in how high resolution these IEMs sound.
Moving on to the physical qualities, the earphones are made of resin and are only available in a UIEM form. Linsoul described their ergonomic shape being comfortable for extended listening sessions and this is exactly my experience.
With so many drivers on each side, the shells are understandably large. They also have fairly large nozzles. Despite this, I actually found them quite comfortable and secure. They didn’t cause me any ear pain, even over multiple hours, which was great. As always, I recommend trying all of the tips (there are three pairs, even different sizes for each ear, to find the best fit. I went years trying the same size eartip on both ears only to one day discover I had been doing it all wrong. Don’t be me.
The faceplates are simple but very pretty. They have a black and green pattern that’s attractive but not overstated. There’s a lot to like here, and I appreciate that they don’t scream “mega expensive IEMs” to encourage thieves. They strike a good balance.
The earphones also come with a downright gorgeous cable. It’s a mix of gold and silver and appears to be a single termination version of the Linsoul Loops, which retails for $249. The marketing says it was chosen for its sonic qualities, but to be honest, I don’t hear any difference swapping cables with this set. Others might. What I do know for sure is that it is soft, easy to manage, and matches the Jupiter impeccably.
A small carrying case is also included. It’s semi-hardback and zippered for easy transport. I was able to fit a small dongle DAC in the case, so it has a little bit of room, but was pretty tight. It’s about 25% smaller than the cases Thieaudio has been including with its pairs.
Taken as a whole package, though… it just doesn’t feel like a $1,599 pair of earphones. Everything you see in the package above is what you get, all stored in a simple, small box, with a bit of protective foam. Where are the extra tips? Where’s the modular cable? Why such a tiny case? What you’re getting here, cable quality aside, doesn’t feel a whole lot different from sets that cost ten times less money.
There’s a case frequently made that it’s about sound quality. That’s where the investment should go. It’s also not at all unreasonable to expect that someone shopping for a $1,599 pair of earphones probably already has tips to use. It’s also worth noting that Thieaudio’s expensive earphones, like the Monarch MKIII and Prestige LTD, are also pretty sparse in their accessories for the price. But at least they deliver a modular cable so you can connect to your source gear. The Monarch MKIII even gives you some faceplate options. The Jupiter doesn’t offer any of that while costing hundreds of dollars more.
At the end of the day, it does what it has to. They fit well, sound good, and really don’t need the extra power of a 4.4mm balanced connection anyway. But such an expensive set should feel more premium than this unboxing experience does.
Linsoul x HBB Jupiter - Listening Impressions
At 20 ohms of impedance and a sensitivity of 102dB per milliwatt, the Jupiter isn’t hard to drive. It’s also not overly sensitive like many in-ear monitors can be, allowing you to use it with more powerful amps and not risk audible white noise. I would still recommend a modest amount of amplification to ensure they’re not starved for power, but anything a step up from the Apple headphone dongle should provide adequate volume headroom to see what these are capable of.
If you do have more powerful gear, I encourage you to use it. The added headroom of more powerful gear allows these IEMs to scale. To my ear, jumping from a basic headphone adapter to even a $50 hybrid amp makes a noticeable difference in bass and soundstage.
In the graph above, I’ve positioned the Jupiter against two of its biggest competitors, both also available from Linsoul, the Thieaudio Monarch MKIII ($999) and the Thieaudio Prestige LTD ($1,299). Both have earned wide acclaim, including from myself, and both are likely comparison points the Jupiter will be held against.
Bass: Starting with the bass, there really is no competition here: the Jupiter offers the best low-end of the three. Each set offers an excellent listening experience, but the way that the Jupiter approaches its low-end, combining the dynamic driver with two targeted balanced armatures, allows it a width and depth that adds body and realism to the listening experience. Kick drums pound and resound and bass guitars have a width and texture that buoys music and brings games to life.
Leave Out All the Rest by Linkin Park is a good example of exactly this, but you don’t need to constrain yourself to rock. Till I Collapse by Eminem has a resounding bass and kick combo that is wide and hits powerfully and with outstanding detail. Gratitude by Brandon Lake surprised with with richness of the lower register of its acoustic guitars. This is the sound of an acoustic guitar coming through a great amplifier with juiced body.
Mids: The mids are excellent and present vocals exceptionally well. Male vocals come forward but aren’t sharp or unnatural. Till I Collapse highlights how well the bass and mids co-exist. They’re clean and aren’t muddy at all. This is also true with female vocalists but they don’t come forward quite as much. Duo Lipa’s Don’t Start Now highlights the natural realism this set brings to vocalists while demonstrating that same low-mid balance.
Examining the mid-range highlights how technically capable this set is. String instruments are exceptionally well-presented and rich in detail. Its rendition of Gratitude made the acoustic guitar sound so true to life, I could have sworn I was listening through a world-class church PA. The same was of Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by Mike Dawes. The amount of detail is truly impressive, enabled by impeccable layering that reveals every little nuance and detail hiding in the track. Changing genres, My Curse by Killswitch Engage is another example where the guitars sounded crisp and incredibly revealing. You can hear every bit of gravel in the guitar tone, right down hearing each string struck in the background rhythm — overdriven and driving as it is.
This excellent performance has everything to do with the interplay between the three driver types, their high performance, and the tuning HBB has applied to make sure they’re all present and playing their role to deliver a full, true-to-life sound. You get all of the fundamentals of these instruments but also the higher order harmonics that pull back the veil and make these sound as they would in real life. As a guitar player for more than twenty years, I know how these instruments sound in real life. This is it.
Both the Monarch and Prestige do a fantastic job in these same regions. While it will come down to personal taste in some ways, I think the bass performance puts the Jupiter over the top for me. It’s closer to the Monarch MKIII in that way, but the tuning and delivery are subtly different and come forward with more authority. Basshead set — more than the others, which might be a turn off for some, but it’s truly not overdone, in my opinion. It’s tight.
Treble: The treble here is smoother than either the Monarch MKIII or Prestige LTD. The four ESTs do a good job of adding air and detail in those upper harmonics that bring those mid-instruments that extra few steps to life. Treble extension is expectedly excellent. There’s enough reach where anything in the audible spectrum is reproduced faithfully and in a way that sounds accurate. Cymbals have a very natural decay. Playing God by Polyphia is a great test track for this. Likewise, I really enjoyed how elements like hi-hats were stepped forward but never sharp or overdone with this tuning.
The smoothness is a bit of a secret weapon, though. Even at higher volumes, they’re not fatiguing. You always get “just enough” without stepping over that line, which means you can listen for extended sessions and slip away without being reminded that you’re listening to earphones.
Soundstage, and Imaging: The soundstage is fairly wide and has good depth for an immersive listening experience. I would give the edge to the Monarch MKIII over the Jupiter here but it’s still fantastic. The Worst by Polyphia creates this neat effect where guitars sometimes seem to physically move forward and then recede again — and not simple panning either. The spatial rendering here is very good and offers impressive positionality within the stage.
Gaming: While no one is buying this set for gaming, if you have a DAC at your desk, it’s certainly possible you might want to give them a try with your favorite games. They are fantastic. While they might sound slightly closer-in than the Monarch, they more than make up for this with their bass presence, positionality, and smooth treble tuning. You’ll hear your enemies before you see them with this set and be able to poise yourself for the confrontation. If you care to game with these, don’t bother with Atmos. Just plug them in and enjoy.
Overall Impressions and Final Thoughts
The Linsoul x HBB Jupiter is a wonderful sounding set. It is, in my estimation, the pinnacle of HBB’s tuning efforts so far and an excellent alternative to the usual upper-mids and treble-centric audiophile tunings that are common at this price point. At $1,599, it does feel slightly overpriced. With competitors like the Monarch MKIII coming in $600 less and Prestige LTD for $300 less, and both are objectively excellent, the $1,599 stakes a lot on its tuning. It’s a success, in my opinion, especially in the low end, but whether or not it is worth paying extra for versus apply some tweaks in EQ, that’s another matter.
Ultimately, the field that the Jupiter is competing in is full of outstanding competition and whether it’s a fit will come down to your personal tastes and library. Assuming you don’t care about the lack of accessories and simple packing, you really can’t go wrong if you enjoy a full-bodied or even powerfully bassy sound. HBB shows us again that he knows how to craft a great tuning!
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Articles may include affiliate links from which we may earn a small commission to help support the site. Authors do not earn affiliate revenue or commissions.
