ToneKing Nine Tail (Nine Ways) Review – Natural

ToneKing Nine Tail—very natural sounding single dynamic really impresses with an expansive presentation and excellent overall coherence. Very solidly built; metal shells are heavy and unusual teardrop shape makes fit tricky, though comfort is quite good while isolation is slightly above average.

For my skewed tastes, these are tuned almost perfectly–tonality is slightly warm, with a rich note texture; signature is generally balanced, with some emphasis on the deep impactful low end. Very open/uncongested with a lot of air between instruments; stage has limited height and depth but beyond-your-head width; imaging is credible if not class leading.

Subass is near-basshead level and well defined, with considerable rumble, albeit without bleed; midbass likewise has a lot of body and control; acoustic bass is particularly well-rendered. Mids are fullbodied, but not aggressive or artificially boosted, there’s a live-in-performance feel to horns and reeds—these are great for jazz generally. Treble is not as extended or hyper-detailed as some of the multi-BA players—there’s a slight sweetening at the extremes—but these are also steer clear of the clinical, digital quality of many budget contenders. (Note that the various filters will enhance treble response, although the basic warm/balanced signature is generally preserved).

In general, these ToneKing Nine Tail are a marked upgrade from the once-formidable (ToneKing) TK12—less exhausting, with a more forgiving, natural presentation; the IT01 is likewise livelier but has less midrange presence and clarity than the Nine Tail, with a less linear, coherent presentation. The comparably-priced Simgot EM2 [my review here] are more “audiophile tuned” and revealing, with more treble-focus and detailed but significantly less bass thump and overall pace. A genuine keeper.

Non-Disclaimer: I bought these.