Pros — Better comfort and ergonomics than BLON BL-03
– Good build quality
– Generally well-tuned; non-fatiguing tonality with plenty of technical chops
– Great imaging and instrument separation
– Scales well with higher-tier sources
– Good price-to-performance ratio

Cons — Shallow nozzle
– Awful, unusable accessories
– That Color
– Upper-midrange glare
– Sub-bass lacks extension and rumble

INTRODUCTION

Many assumed BLON as being a one-hit wonder, and rightly so.

The BL-03 was so unlike their previous releases and the successor BL-05 being completely outta whack in comparison made it seem like BLON accidentally struck the pot of gold and now were digging through their entire backyard in supreme desperation with hopes of another miracle.

The BL-05S was released without much fanfare. Frankly, I initially assumed they were just releasing the BL-05 with a new (and gaudy) paintjob, but the promotional materials suggested a completely new and retuned driver. BLON apparently has figured out the issues with the BL-05 and fixed them all, while royally messing up the color palette.

Yup, I’m being a bit too hung over that color scheme. Let’s just get on with the review, shall we?

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. WooEasy Store was kind enough to send the BL-05S as a review unit. Disclaimer.

Sources used: Questyle QP1R, YuLong Canary, Cowon Plenue V, LG G7

Price (while reviewed): $45

A version of this BLON BL-05S review was previously published on my 10Hz Tech blog. Check it out HERE.

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

IN THE BOX…

Horrible tips, useless cable, a janky pouch… completely worthless. If you’ve owned a BLON IEM in the past you likely got some third-party tips and/or cables. Make good use of them. Otherwise get ready to spend $15 extra on a pair of tips and an aftermarket cable.
1/5

APPEARANCE, HAPTIC, AND BUILD QUALITY

The BLON BL-05S is made of the same Kirsite alloy as the BL-05 and BL-03 before it. The actual design mirrors that of the BL-05 with a gold-insert on the back and a vent on the inner side. The connector is again 2-pin. The dimensions have changed though and the BLON BL-05S is slightly more bulbous, likely to accommodate the new driver.

However, it’s really hard to get past that color. It’s probably called Mint Green or something and everyone I’ve shown this to have had negative to mixed reactions. It takes a brave soul to wear these outside while commuting — that’s all I’m gonna say about this. BLON really needs to offer a different color option (as they’ve done with the BL-03 which now comes in purple) since a number of potential buyers will immediately discard it due to the color. It’s so bad that you almost forget the tacky gold-insert at the back. Ah well…
4/5

ERGONOMICS, COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT

BLON BL-05S has better ergonomics than the BL-03 but falls slightly short of the BL-05 due to the slightly thicker shell that presses against the ears and doesn’t provide as flush a fit. The nozzle is still short so you’d need tips with longer stem (e.g. Spinfit, Final E-type etc.) for a flush fit and tight seal. Driver vent has been improved over the older models, albeit there can be some pressure build-up from time to time (nothing too problematic). Isolation is average but you can get better results with foam tips.
4/5

TECH INSIDE

BLON BL-05S has an all new 3rd gen Carbon Nanotube (CNT) driver apparently. BLON also advertised the BL-05 similarly but that was a massive letdown. Fortunately this time the claims check out. The driver has faster transients and sound more controlled as a result. Detail retrieval has had a generational leap as well. There is apparently a new (thicker) CCAW voice coil as well.

The general sound signature is similar to that of the BL-03 but with one important change: the mid-bass has been dialed down slightly and sub-bass extension has been reduced to some degree. This subtle modification makes noticeable change to the signature compared to the BL-03 and the BL-05S is more of a technical listen with some of the BL-03’s warmth but lacks the analogue lushness of the predecessor. In return, you get a boost in technicalities, as we shall explore in the following.

The following impressions were made with the Acoustune AET-07 tips and an aftermarket cable ($10 SPC one from AliExpress). Source was Cowon Plenue V, LG G7 and Yulong Canary for the most part.

Lows: The lows are no longer as prominent as they were in the BL-03 and BL-05. BLON BL-05S goes the other direction with a leaner bass-response. The mid-bass is pretty well tuned and doesn’t bleed into lower-mids or congest the upper-bass. There is some emphasis at the start of the sub-bass region (~60Hz) but sub-bass starts dropping off around 40Hz and by 30Hz you just faintly hear it.

Sub-bass rumble is absent, as is evident on Siamese Youth’s Nariyeh Thanei. Bass is fairly textured though not the most textured in the price bracket (Final E3000 does that best). Bass decay is faster than typical DD though that’s partly due to the rolled-off sub-bass and toned down mid-bass. Transition of bass notes in fast flowing bass sections is adequate, not as precise as some BA drivers or dynamic driver setups with stiffer diaphragms (e.g. DLC/Beryllium). Snare hits were good, but not as authoritative or satisfying as I like them.

Overall, good bass response, but not great.
4/5

Mids: The BLON BL-03 made the mid-range its bread and butter. Subsequently the BL-05 made the mid-range its biggest point of contention. BLON BL-05S tries to address the issues of the BL-05 rather than refining on the warm nature of the BL-03. The midrange here has some warmth, but it’s quite minimal compared to the BL-03.

Lower mids are not thin neither full rather borders on neutral in terms of note-weight. Tip and fit might change this perception slightly. Upper-mids do get that typical peak around 2.5/2KHz but surprisingly doesn’t sound as shouty as the previous BL-05 despite having a similar level of boost. BL-03 avoided this largely due to the bass that would mask the upper-mids to some extent. BL-05S tames the bass down by a few notches and has similar upper-mid boost, but somehow avoids shoutiness in most cases. Damien Rice’s Elephant should get shouty but it surprisingly didn’t. It bordered on shoutiness on Natalia Imbruglia’s Torn but that’s about it. To my ears, it didn’t cross the threshold with the usual tracks. There was no sibilance. String instruments had a nice bite to them without being strident. Macrodynamics were superior to most IEMs in the range with subtle gradation in instrument/vocal volumes being evident.

Resolved details in the mid frequencies is above average, especially for a single-DD setup. Midrange timbre was not the most natural truth be told, there is some coloration which I like to call “upper-mid shine”. Everything has a tinge of brightness added due to the upper-mid boost, but it’s something you get used to quickly and not detrimental or destructive to my ears.
4.5/5

Treble: The BLON BL-05S doesn’t try to mess with the treble too much. It’s a safe-ish tuning with no extra peak between 4 — 10KHz. The upper frequencies are dipped post 4Khz but not rolled-off which helps the treble maintain its presence throughout without being a pain-point. It peaks around 12/13KHz to add some air into the mix and then drops off.

Cymbal strikes and hi-hats had a satisfying crispness to them. In Lamb of God’s Ruin from the 2:30 marks onwards there is a great solo section with hard-hitting drums accompanying the riffs. Cymbal hits/hi-hats weren’t splashy, and crush cymbals didn’t sound smeared at all. Even in faster drum sections I didn’t feel congestion.

I really can’t complain much about the treble here, even more so when I look at the price tag. Separation of notes isn’t the strongest in the treble area but this is a common theme across all single-DD IEMs in the price bracket so it’s mostly an expected weakness.
4/5

Soundstage: Soundstage is wider than average, and definitely the widest among all BLON models until now. BLON BL-05S also has a surprisingly tall stage for such a small shell so color me surprised. Soundstage depth isn’t class leading however.
4/5

Imaging: Now, I wasn’t expecting the BLON BL-05S to have such excellent imaging. It really caught me off-guard. Instrument separation and layering is top notch, better than certain $100 models *cough* Tin T4 *cough* Moondrop Starfield *cough*.

The only time where the imaging suffers is when something is happening at the back of your head (common weakness with most IEMs). Cardinal/Ordinal imaging was mostly spot on (as defined by the mix). Left-right separation was impressive as well, and if you can pair the BL-05S with a balanced cable to connect with portable sources you are in for a treat.
4.5/5

Bang-for-Buck: This is a bit difficult to ascertain in case of the BLON BL-05S.

Firstly the price goes ~$60 with extra cables and tips (unless you already got some around). It’s playing with some established IEMs in the range i.e. Final E2000/E3000, Tin T2 Plus, iBasso IT00, and their own BL-03 and the other numerous hybrids that gets released at an alarming frequency.

The BL-05S does cut a little niche for it. It’s got the technical chops without going overboard with the details ala Tin T4. A single-dynamic is also more coherent overall than multi-BA or hybrids. The paintjob is a divisive point though this is something I’d judge based solely on sound quality.
4/5

Source and Amping: The BLON BL-05S is fairly easy to drive and will get loud out of most portable gear. However, it does scale surprisingly well for such a budget IEM. I got the best performance when connected to Yulong Canary and frankly I didn’t expect such improvement over, say, the LG G7. That being said, I don’t encourage buying a dedicated source just to run these IEMs. Source should never be the most expensive item in a chain, or at least for the most part (Electrostats are another story).

However, if you own a nice desktop amp or two try plugging in the BL-05S into them, especially if they offer a fully balanced architecture. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Also pairing with slightly warm sources is recommended.

SELECT COMPARISONS

vs BLON BL-03 ($25): The BLON BL-05S has better fit/comfort vs the BL-03 and both share horrible accessories. Sigh.

In terms of sound, BL-03 is considerably warmer and bassier with a more lush midrange tonality whereas the BLON BL-05S lowers the warmth and focuses a bit more on clarity. Treble is also slightly more emphasized on the BL-05S and has more upper-treble reach. On the other hand the bass on the BL-03 hits harder even though it’s not the cleanest of bass responses. Soundstage, imaging is considerably better on the BL-05S, so is instrument separation and dynamics.

The BLON BL-05S is more of a complementary IEM to the BL-03 than an outright replacement, though I haven’t used the BL-03 once since getting the BL-05S so there’s that.

vs BLON BL-05 ($35): The BLON BL-05S is better in every single aspect. No contest.

vs Final E3000 ($50): The Final E3000 has far better accessories and are also more comfortable.

In terms of sound, the E3000 has a more laid back sound with more recessed upper-treble. It has a very soothing tonality that may sound too dark upon first listen but it does have a decent treble response. The bass is slightly better on the E3000 due to more thump and better texturing, though they also suffer from similar roll-off issues. The midrange is a toss-up though I prefer the E3000 more for vocals. String instruments and distortion guitars fare better on the BLON BL-05S.

Treble is similar in terms of detail retrieval on both, though the BL-05S has more pronounced lower treble. If you’re very treble-averse or just want something completely fatigue-free no matter what you throw at it: try the Final E3000. Otherwise BLON BL-05S will be more genre agnostic.

Instrument separation/layering/dynamics were slightly better on the Final E3000, however, and same applies to soundstage/imaging. Overall resolution though was in BLON BL-05S’ favor. In short: I like both of these IEMs and would gladly own both of them for a combined $100 instead of spending that on something mediocre like, say, the Moondrop Starfield (reviewed here) which both the BL-05S and Final E3000 beats with aplomb.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The BLON BL-05S is not without its issues. The accessories are a disgrace at this point. The bass lacks sub-bass rumble and lacks extension. The midrange may get a bit shouty for very sensitive people. The treble meanwhile isn’t the most resolving out there and would likely lose to some multi-BA offerings in terms of sheer resolution. As an aside — the model name causes confusion with the old one. To top it all: the color scheme is fashion-suicide and I had to shed part of my dignity as I went outside wearing them in the metro just to check isolation. sigh

As an overall package though, sonically, the BL-05S is hard to beat. It handled every genre well, had good staging and great imaging/instrument separation, and can still be retrofitted under $60 with a nice pair of tips and a decent cable.

The BL-05S is the second BLON earphone that I can recommend without reservation. It’s earned that medal.

MY VERDICT

Overall Rating: 4.25/5

Recommended

Contact us!

You find an INDEX of all our earphone reviews HERE.

DISCLAIMER

WooEasy Store was kind enough to send the BL-05S as a review unit.

Can be purchased from WooEasy Store.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.