Review: Oriveti OH300 – Fresh Air

Sound

The new Oriveti IEMs are certainly assertive when it comes to sound, but each have their own character with different routes. We will publish the OH500’s review soon, so for now let’s focus on the OH300 and see if it’s up to its task.

As a whole, the OH300 sounds very resolving, clear and crisp. It doesn’t quite sound like other hybrid universal IEMs. It has a well balanced spectrum with good cohesiveness, together with good technicalities for the price. It’s also quite energetic, pacy and mostly linear. It is a natural monitor and I find it quite reference sounding in many areas.

The sound was tested with the Sony WM1A.

Bass

The new Oriveti OH300’s bass is not a big one but it has good balance. It easily goes deep -which is impressive for the price- and the bass overall is apparent in every type of genre. However, it doesn’t necessarily sound like a hybrid earphone depending on the genre. Even though the subbass area is quite apparent, it still sounds like a BA monitor. Not 100%, but if I told you that this IEM has a full BA setup, you probably wouldn’t object.

Oriveti OH300

That doesn’t mean it’s an Etymotic IEM of course, but I expected more quantity in the bass department. You still have that “air” thanks to the dynamic driver, but the bass quantity is not something to be called as “big”. The layering is quite successful however, which is one of the strong parts of the IEM. The bass is quite fast for a hybrid, which is awesome. The focus is slightly on the subbass area, but the midbass is also emhasized very well. Lows are well separated from mids, and they come from the middle of the stage with good magnitude.

I think the OH300’s bass is suitable for most genres, from Pop, RnB, Hip Hop to Jazz, Vocal and Instrumental. That makes this IEM very versatile, thanks to this very well balanced bass response. However, you sometimes feel that the subbass is just a little too much with some recordings, and that is the only flaw that I could find. Bass extension is quite good. It’s not supremely tight and it can feel a little loose from time to time, but to me that’s acceptable for the price.

Mids

This part is very impressive from the OH300. The tonality is spot on and quite comparable to my studio reference speakers. The instruments sound very natural and crisp, vocals sound clean and the transparency level is absolutely great. I honestly doubt if one can expect more from this price.

It is also shows good dynamics, especially when it comes to instrumental presentation. I think this crisp and lively approach will appeal to many audiophiles who are looking for an IEM in this price range. Jazz tracks especially are very pleasing to listen to, and I especially loved its clean vocals.  Timbre is very realistic and like I stated above, the tonality is quite strong. This IEM definitely works wonders for mids and I appreciate this tuning success from Oriveti, considering the IEMs retail price.

Vocals overall are slightly elevated in the spectrum but it still has good balance and consistency in there. The resolution in this area is wonderful and transparency is top notch. Upper mids are free of harshness despite being a little lifted.

Oriveti OH300

Treble

The treble presentation is once again crisp and energetic, but free of harshness. The positioning of the treble is very ideal and extension is quite nice. The IEM copes with fast tracks very well and I haven’t heard any sticking treble. It’s well articulated. The treble section is also separated from the mids cleanly.

Highs have good range, space and extension. They’re sharp (in a good way) and fast, they have good resolution and accentuation. The treble is quite emphasized but it’s not piercing or fatiguing in any way. The extension could’ve been more but I don’t think it’s fair to say that for the price.

Technical Comments

The sound stage of the OH300 is not particularly impressive, but it has a fairly good magnitude. The depth of the stage is more impressive in that regard, when compared to width. However the imaging part is really strong and impressive. You hear great separation, a very dark background and good transparency with quality recordings.

So the OH300 is wonderful in terms of resolution, transparency and stereo image. But, it also has a great tonality and I’m simply delighted. The timbre is very close to my JBL studio monitors, which is great and not easy to find among IEMs, let alone this price range.

Comparisons

vs. Shozy BG

The BG is a wonderful IEM for the price just as the OH300. Both fit quite well but the BG is a little bit better since it sits more flush and provides more isolation. Sound-wise the OH300 has much better bass response with a bigger range. Its mids are slightly better as well, with better tonality. They have similar treble quality in terms of technical success, but I think the OH300 has slightly better extension. However, the BG presents a wider sound stage. They’re both supreme IEMs in their respective prices, but I would go with the OH300.

vs. FiiO FA7

The FA7 is a nice IEM from FiiO with good qualities. First of all the FA7 has a perfect fit with its new 3D printed shell and semi-custom design. They both have a good build quality. For the sound, the FA7 is a full BA monitor and it’s very warm and lush compared to the OH300. The OH300 has a great bass compared to FA7, and it has much more clarity when compared on other frequencies. The FA7 has a wider sound stage but its depth is not so good against the OH300. The OH300 also have more transparency and it has a better stereo image. All in all it’s all for the Oriveti.

Oriveti OH300

vs. iBasso IT04

This is a very close match up between the two. The IT04 is a great universal IEM. It again has a semi-custom shell with wonderful fit and isolation. However the OH300 is built better in my opinion, and appearance-wise it’s also one step ahead with it’s aesthetics. When it comes to sound, they both perform airy and crisp. The bass on the IT04 leans more on the midbass side, whilst the OH300 has a deeper bass with more emphasis on subbass. They’re both good in terms of lows but I think the IT04 is a little more refined in there.

They both have crisp and transparent mids, but the tonality side goes to the OH300. It’s simply remarkable for tonality so the IT04 is not quite up there. They both have similar resolution and separation. They’re very well balanced monitors. The sound stage however is wider and deeper with the IT04. Although it’s not a huge difference, it can be a deciding factor for you. Overall the OH300 is very very close to the IT04 with a smaller price, but you can go with the iBasso for its great fit and bigger sound stage.

If you would like to know about other comparisons, let us know in the comments section.

Conclusion

Most hybrid IEMs mostly have a V-shaped sound to me. But the OH300 puts a different aspect to the table and proves that hybrid IEMs can also sound very balanced and coherent. Not many IEMs have managed to achieve that, so I think this new model from Oriveti is very successful. The tuning is masterful except that subbass focus, which can become a little too much with wrong source pairings, but to me that’s acceptable.

Most importantly, Oriveti presents the IEM in a perfect package for the money. It feels like I’ve purchased something that costs double the price. Another aspect is the premium looking, slick design language that feels great in the hand. Everything in this IEM smacks of quality. Therefore, it enters to our Best Universal IEM Recommendations. This resulted in the removal of the previous New Primacy model.

The new flagship OH500 will also be here very soon so be on the lookout!

Oriveti OH300