Little Dot Cu Cen Review

Sound

Little Do Cu Cen is a lively, well-balanced, and a breathy IEM with good clarity and brightness. There’s a good sense of warmth and the background blackness is quite nice. So it has strong stereo imaging together with a nicely layered and good sound-stage. It has a quite rounded presentation with nothing being aggressive or edgy. From bass to the treble, this is a very balanced and cohesive IEM. Most importantly, the bass performance is absolutely great once again after the flagship Cu KIS.

The bass is very well controlled and it actually doesn’t sound like a dynamic driver. In fact, it is even more controlled than the Cu KIS, especially in the sub-bass region. As a result, the Cu Cen has less quantity in this area and it has less sub-bass than its bigger brother. There is again nice decay and attack in the bass, but it always remains perfectly controlled. The mid-bass is great in terms of not getting into the mids, but the texture and resolution are not on the same level as the Cu KIS. Still, this is a very good IEM for pure bass performance. Quantity-wise don’t expect a big boom, this is not that type of an IEM. However, it hits authoritatively when you need it, and when the recording calls for it.

Little Dot Cu Cen

Mids are distinctive, breathy, lively, and warm as well. There’s good harmonics and a very airy type of presentation overall. The amount of air in the mid-range is not the same as the CU Kis of course, but it’s still nice and that makes the vocals and instruments to shine and pass you the feeling of a live recording. This vivid, lively, and engaging midrange presentation makes this IEM very enjoyable, not to mention it’s full-timbre. However, I think that the overall tonality is just a bit off. Yet, it still has good energy and liveliness here, especially with guitars and vocals.

The treble region has a bit more bite and energy against the Cu Kis surprisingly. Highs are still a touch warm but the amount of detail is very good. The definition of the highs is also very good and there’s nothing missing here. The positioning of the treble is also good. The extension is nice in treble and in this particular area, I liked it a bit more than the Cu Kis actually, probably because of the cable difference between the two.

Technically it’s a bit weaker than the Cu KIS when it comes to sound-stage, separation, imaging, and positioning. But presentation-wise it’s better balanced, more coherent, and brighter than the CU KIS if that’s what you want. Cu KIS is better in technicalities but I think the Cu Cen has a truer presentation.

Little Dot Cu Cen

Verdict

The Little Dot Cu Cen is a unique IEM from its design elements to its sound character. It has a very distinctive nature and the mid-range and treble performance is excellent, especially for the price that it is going right now. For this kind of a mid reproduction, you usually need to pay much more than this normally, but the Cu Cen gives that.

Other than that, the bass performance is very impressive with its great control and attack. There’s also a well-thought design with a great build quality along the way. The fit is very comfortable too. I think the Cu Cen is a very good IEM especially if you’re looking for a sweet, breathy, and lively mid-range with a bright treble. The Cu KIS might be the flagship right now, but the Little Dot Cu Cen is no slouch either. Just try it with a guitar solo and hear it for yourself!