Whizzer HE01 Review

Sound performance

My main sources were: EarMen Eagle / FiiO M3 Pro / ddHifi TC35i. Trusted sources from trusted brands that I used extensively for the past weeks.

As usual, files were played from either Qobuz / Spotify or my own music library. Some tracks will be highlighted, just so you can try them home too!

Overall signature

So, how does it sound? 

Once hooked up to my FiiO M3 Pro, first impressions are very good. The soundstage is wide and you’re immediately immersed deep into your music, even at low volume. The sound pressure is impressive, and you can feel the bass rumbles coming up from the deepest levels, right into your ears.

There are no sibilants, nor harshness in the sound, and resolution is above the direct competition. It’s a v-shaped signature, with recessed mediums and – logically – some emphasis around 100Hz and 8kHz, but that didn’t bother me nonetheless. It’s a fun IEM, one that gives you the morning kick you need to fight the filthy crowd, surrounding you in the subway.

Layering is great, even for a single-driver IEM, but that makes the tone-down mediums even more apparent. Bass is solid, same for trebles but I think I’d prefer a slightly more emphasis on the mids. Still, voices remained clear all the time, and let it be Billie Eilish’s rough synths, or Katie Melua’s soft guitars, everything sounded delightful on the HE01.

Of course, this is much more palpable on a good DAC like the EarMen TR-AMP or a DAP like iBasso’s DX160, which were able to push even further. Everything sounds sharper, and you’d be bewildered to hear how the HE01 achieved to retrieve many micro details, previously hidden deep under layers of sounds. Impressive!

Tonality

Highs: rise and shine. As I said, the HE01 favours the highs and lows. But, Whizzer provides a nice setup here and treble never sounded offensive at any given volume. If the 8kHz bump is clear that was not an issue for me and I was not bothered by any harshness, nor sibilants.

Good test-track : Through and Through – Leaving Laurel

Mediums: a bit recessed. Excellent soundstage and clean mids make for a very pleasant experience. ddHiFi made an excellent job in this regard: voices are sharp, the soundstage is wide, and even paired with the small TC25i, the Janus achieve unveiled a lot of hidden micro-details.

Good test-trackValkyrie – Varien

Bass: clean, fast and well-rounded. With a large diameter driver, the HE01 was able to give me some nice kicks and rumbles. It works all the time, whatever the source, and if the TC35i already gave, the Eagle really enhanced the final render. Very nice!

Good test-track : Sacrifice – Sara Landry

Sensitivity / Hiss 

Impedance is low, sensitivity is high so yes, you can drive those IEM’s with anything, even your smartphone. As usual, the better the source, the be better the sound, so you may hook a good DAP or a good DAC, to get the best of it.

There is some hiss with badly grounded sources, but most of the time I didn’t get any issue. Once you’ve launched your music, all of that annoying buzz will immediately disappear. Hurray!

Associations

Whizzer HE01 + ddHifi TC35i: teen titans go. Of all the bundle you could make with the Whizzer, this is by far the tiniest and lightest you could pick. What’s even more surprising is how well they sound together, even if they remain outclassed by the Eagle or Sparrow. Still, if you just need a good setup, easy to carry on the go, this is a very clever choice.

Whizzer HE01 + EarMen Sparrow: parfait. There isn’t much to be said here: it’s a terrific combination, sound and ergonomic wise. The Sparrow is able to unveil a lot of details on the Janus and the soundstage widens by quite a nice margin. And with the help of the TC28i, I was able to connect everything neatly to my iPhone. The to-go combo.

Whizzer HE01 + FiiO Q5S-TC: powerhouse. If you want to raise your game, the new Q5S is a good contender for that. In addition to power, this new DAC also gives you Bluetooth connection so that you can pair your phone wirelessly and separate your audio gear from your phone. It’s obviously not as simple to carry than the Sparrow or TC25i, but if you want the extra punch, without breaking the bank, this is my recommendation.

Comparisons 

Want to compare with other ears? Voilà:

iBasso IT00: the IT00 and HE01 both use a single dynamic driver, but when iBasso uses a DLC driver, Whizzer chose its own “Bright” 10.2mm. Both IEM shares a clean, inoffensive sound, and if the IT00 favors the high-mids, the HE01 is more prone to the bass. 

TinHifi T2 Plus: compared to the HE01, the T2 Plus seems even more v-shaped. On my usual techno tracklist, the T2 Plus sounded a lot more engaging, but on the long run, I think I might prefer the tamed HE01, instead of the wild T2 Plus. Or raise the bar and take the T4.

Shanling AE3: I really like the AE3. Comfort-wise, it’s as good as the HE01 and the blue faceplate is simply dazzling. Overall, it outperforms the HE01 with stronger lows and razor-sharp highs, yet both IEM were strangely close in terms of layering. Which is pretty impressive if you take account of the HE01 price.

Conclusion

For $79, the Whizzer HE01 appears to be a real contender, even compared to the higher-tier models. The sole driver achieves some impressive feats and, paired with a good DAC, those IEM gave me a very nice experience overall.

Comfort is top-tier, lows and highs are surprisingly refined, with lots of details – even at low volume – and my only drawback came from the mids, which were a bit tuned down. Again, for the price, it’s hard to be picky and under $100, those are some of the best models you could get at the moment. A very nice surprise!