Review: Hum Dolores – Studio

Empire Ears – Phantom (5BA – 1799$)

The Phantom is one of those monitors that many people just love. While it has some similarities with the Dolores, overall they differ clearly. Both models want to achieve a balanced sound. Phantom puts quite a bit more weight in the sound, whereas Dolores aims for a clearer signature.

The Empire monitor puts its focus on the lower end frequencies and sounds much warmer in comparison to the Dolores. However, one of Phantom’s biggest shortcomings lies in the upper midrange, where it can sound a little closd in. The Dolores does not have that, it sounds more open and airy.

Phantom, as well as Dolores have a wonderful imaging, but the stage on the HUM stretches a bit wider than the EE’s. Dolores has a more forward and bright treble, this is an area where the Phantom can sound a bit veiled.

HUM Dolores

Faudio – Symphony (7BA – 1650$)

Symphony is one of the nicest discoveries for me in the recent months. It features a very refined tonal balance and accuracy. It does sport more body and emotion than the Dolores. Bass of Symphony is higher rendered and weightier. Dolores has an airier presentation and creates a bigger stage than the Symphony.

Mids are more emotional and fuller on Symphony, whereas Dolores gives the instruments more room to breathe. Treble is easier to listen to on the Faudio than on Dolores, who pushes a brighter signature.

JH Audio – Lola (2DD/6BA – 1745$)

Lola is Jerry Harvey’s only hybrid monitor for now. Lola has a tendency to sound dark with a treble that gets lost in the action. It is quite a notch fuller than Dolores and brings more emotion to the table. Bass goes deep with more rumble on Lola than on Dolores. The HUM monitor is going for a lighter reference presentation, while the JH Audio IEM wants to portray everything as organic as possible.

The dual dynamic mid drivers of Lola are producing one of the nicest midranges I have come across in the past years, and to me they are more natural than on the Dolores. Don’t forget though, that both monitors have a very different goal signature and are made for two different things.

Lola’s treble falls short in energy and sparkle and does get overshadowed by the prominent lower mids and bass. For the HUM it’s quite the opposite. Treble stands out bright and proud in front of the rest of the spectrum.

HUM Dolores

Conclusion:

In its segment, Dolores presents the crowd with something different – a studio reference sound and a rather unique design. I’m sure there are many people who are after exactly that and who will find the Dolores pleasant.

To me, Dolores is a great example of a great craftmanship and of engineers that think outside the box. The people of HUM did go the extra mile to realize what they were after with Dolores. Dolores is best coupled with a warm source or a lush tube amplifier, something that puts in the needed weight and calms down the treble’s energy.