CCA Duo Review (1) – Brighter Now
The CCA Duo is a dual dynamic-driver $40 iem characterized by excellent sub-bass extension, subdued mid bass but middling technicalities, and a good wearing comfort.
PROS
- Decent tonality
- Deep digging sub-bass
- Standard quality build
- Small earpieces with good fit
CONS
- Middling technicalities
- Stock tips not for large ear canals
- Offers nothing new
In this Article
The CCA Duo were provided unsolicited by the company for my review. And I thank them for that. You can get them here.
Introduction
CCA is a sub-brand of Knowledge Zenith (“KZ”). The latter have been known to western customers since 2014, and have generated an incredible number of models since (I stopped counting at 50…which was a while ago). My co-bloggers have analyzed a few CCAs, the Duo is my first encounter with the brand.
Since KZ and their affiliate brands have been in the headlines all “storm in a teapot” lately for allegedly offering $1000 for a review, I was not one of the lucky ones, and have done this review for free – as all my previous ones, too. And because I don’t like having money, we also do not do affiliate links or even sell earphones – we remain entirely independent. The company claims that their low price stems from not handing out commissions to influencers. Here you go!
The CCA Duo is yet another dynamic driver in the budget realm with a dual magnetic cavity technology claiming to be superior over single DDs in terms of detail resolution. In the company’s own words the CCA Duo offers “unstoppable performance advantages” whereas I am unstoppable in analyzing the iem’s performance.
Specifications CCA Duo
Drivers: dual magnetic dual-cavity dynamic driver (7 mm + 7 mm) Impedance: 18 Ω ± 3 Ω Sensitivity: 106 dB/mW ± 3dB @ 1 kHz Frequency Range: 20-40,000 Hz Cable/Connector: silver plated/2pin 0.75 mm with 3.5 mm plug Tested at: $39-40 Product Page/Purchase Link: kzts.com |
Physical Things and Usability
In the box are the earpieces, a cable, 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S/M/L), one set of foam eartips, and the userguide.
The earpieces are small and light and provide very good comfort and fit for me. The cable is some kind of a KZ/CCA standard – we have seen such frequently before. And since none of the eartips fit me, I ended up using the SpinFit CP145.
Tonality and Technicalities
| Equipment used: MacBook Air with Earstudio HUD100; iPhone SE (1st gen.) with AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt | TempoTec V6 DAP | SpinFit CP145 eartips. |
You’d expect a dual dynamic driver to be bass heavy, but the CCA Duo is more on the brightish side. Call it bright-neutral or bright-slightly warm. And that’s although the pinna gain between 1 and 2 kHz has been tamed to 10 dB (earlier KZs offered 13 dB). Add the very moderate mid bass and the only slightly elevated sub bass, hear the whole mix in context, and you arrive at this perception.
The Duo’s main distinguishing feature is its subdued mid bass. Rolling tips, I got the beefiest low end with the SpinFit CP145. Paradoxically, the Duo’s sub-bass extension is excellent (with TempoTec V6 only), it is one of the deepest reaching iems I have ever tested. This low end combination could be tighter as sub-bass is naturally fuzzier than mid bass it dominates. And it could have more kick and definition. Bass lines are generally somewhat rubbery and sloppy.
But the low end brings out vocals: they are rather natural and intimate, with decent richness. Note definition and resolution are middling in the midrange, but there is decent clarity. I’d like to hear better sculptured vocals.
The rolloff in the uppermost midrange and lower treble keeps the presentation away from shoutiness. The warm fuzzy bass and the more neutral midrange result in a lack of cohesion, accentuation, and fluidity to my ears. I find the recently analyzed $25 Moondrop Space Travel TWS much better in this department.
There is lots of upper treble energy. Cymbals are surprisingly present, crisp, and nuanced, but can also be tizzy. The upper treble energy adds quite a bit of liveliness and sparkle to the sound image.
Stage is wide with average depth (owing to the lack of mid bass). Spatial cues is quite good, imaging is not bad either. Separation is also good, layering is a bit on the shallow side. Attack and overall dynamics are also pretty decent.
In comparison, the highly hyped Truthear Zero x Crinacle: RED is on the bassier side with a more subdued, less forward midrange. It has more depth and cohesion than the Duo but also less sparkle. Two different types catering to different preferences.
Concluding Remarks
The CCA Duo is a dual-dynamic driver earphone with a decent sound that has no obvious flaws, but it also does not stick out of the large body of competitors. It biggest advantage, in my opinion, is its small and light earpieces that make for a comfortable wear. The manufacturer’s claim that the CCA Duo offers unstoppable performance advantages turn out to be a marketing gimmick.
Until next time…keep on listening!
