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Topping Hane IEM Review

Rate this IEM:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 16 8.1%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 45 22.8%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 136 69.0%

  • Total voters
    197
Why is that a good thing?
I’m not the guy you asked, but low sensitivity - less noise from the source. And I’ve got more sources that are noisy with typical IEMs than sources that would struggle driving a volt into 80 ohms. Hair-trigger volume knobs can also be an obnoxiously common issue. Still plenty sensitive for my needs volume-wise, since I’m not looking for a case of tinnitus.
 
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Ordered right away from SHENZHENAUDIO.

They are listed as...

Arpegear Hane 10mm Dynamic Driver In-Ear Headphone.

Many thanks.

:):):):)
 
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This. My ear canals are probably too narrow, since all the IEMs I have tried simply don’t fit into them. If I force push them in, it simply hurts.
Same here to some degree, but, is it actually necessary to stick them into in a literal sense? There should be a guideline showing via a diagram what the word of 'put in' means. Those famous Etymotics go deep by design, but that cannot be true with standard eartips of like 10 to 13+mm diameter.

I came to the solution to kind of, mildly, lubricating the silicone with some saliva ... shame on me :rolleyes: Then it sits just upfront front of the narrowing part of the ear canal like 1mm deep max. The cirumference of the silicone holds it pressing against the inner skin of the pinna. Seal is perfect.
 
This is a review, listening tests and detailed measurements of the Topping Hane IEM. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $129.
View attachment 417032
I like the minimalistic "bling" of the Hane. It was also very comfortable to wear for me with the include silicone tips (two different sets are provided). A differentiating feature over some of its competitors is four dip switches to tailor the bass and treble response. As usual, they are tiny and difficult to toggle. Topping has wisely included one of those "sim tools" to aid in this which made the job easier.

The nozzles are on the larger side but I was relieved that it was not much of a chore to slide the tips over them. On some IEMs, it is a multi-minute struggle.

The cable is soft and supple and a bit longer than most IEMs which I appreciated. I find the typical cord to be a few inches too short to give me enough freedom while listening at desk. Hane's cord was just the right length.

If you are not familiar with my headphone/IEM measurements, please watch this tutorial first:


Topping Hane IEM Measurements
The IEM is shipped with all dip switches set to off. It was challenging to toggle the switches without disturbing the seal of the IEM in my GRAS 45CA fixture. So I only tried the few options that got me the closest to our target:
View attachment 417033

At first, I thought there was something wrong with the IEM as toggling the bass increase caused a large drop in level. It was then that I realized that it is "boosting" bass by reducing the energy above that region. So I recalibrated the levels by increasing the volume on the headphone amp to get the same reference at 425 Hz. This means that you lose fair bit of sensitivity which you will see at the end of this section and reflected in the labels at top right. From here on, normal testing commenced with the switch 2 set to on:
View attachment 417034
As you see, Hane essentially hugs our target curve. Where it deviates is not material as the curve is not that precise and at any rate, music production lacks any standards. I don't expect to need EQ but here is the deviation from target:
View attachment 417036

As you see, it is pretty flat below 10 kHz.

I was worried that distortion would be increased due to attenuation caused by SW 2 but such a worry was unwarranted as Hane turned in superbly low distortion numbers:
View attachment 417037
As you see, the blue line essentially hugs the zero line producing a SINAD of 84 dB where our hearing is most sensitive. Distortion in this measurement is mathematically derived from a noisy measurement (relative to electronics) so likely won't get any better than this. Even at 114 dBSPL, Hane is cruising with no obvious signs of break up.

Here is the absolute graph:
View attachment 417038

I expect clean group delay from IEMs due to lack of pinna interactions and that is what we get:
View attachment 417039
The messy region from 100 to 200 Hz is likely due to rocking mode of the IEM. You can see that slight kink in the frequency response. It is a common thing and nothing of worry.

Impedance is not flat, likely due to turning on SW2:
View attachment 417040

Sensitivity as noted, is quite low, actually matching the average full size headphone than an IEM!
View attachment 417041

So best to use a headphone amplifier to drive it. I used my everyday RME ADI-2 Pro. Comfortable listening was at -25 dB and loud was around -19 or so.

Topping Hane Listening Tests
My first track that is a female vocal with light instrumentation had the familiar neutrality but with a delightful springing of bass that you don't normally think is there due to most speakers not going that low. I cycled then to my spatial track and I was surprised that there was good instrument separation. Sound stage was behind my ears a bit so different than headphone sound.

I then proceeded to listen to my full range and bass heavy tracks. Hane produced a level of fidelity that at times was jaw dropping. The bass is deep and so smooth. The highs linger in the air so nicely. I wondered how many people have a million dollar (speaker) system yet have never experienced what is possible with a well implemented IEM such as Hane. The clarity in bass and overall balanced response is heart meltingly good.

I felt no need to mess with the switches or EQ.

Conclusions
We have been gifted audio research that has led to some incredibly good sounding IEMs that are frankly, transformative. IEMs exist at less than half the price of Hane which get us there but Hane justifies its added cost in customizability and more reserved look. It also has class leading low distortion.

If you are sitting on the sidelines of IEM revaluation, I implore you to try excellent offerings such as Hane. Even if you decide you don't like IEMs in your ear, you owe it to yourself to experience once, the level of fidelity that music playback can bring.

It is my pleasure to recommend Topping Hane IEM.
------------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

Here are some thoughts about the EQ.
`Please report your findings, positive or negative!

Notes about the EQ design:
  • The average L/R is used to calculate the score.
  • The resolution is 12 points per octave interpolated from the raw data (provided by @amirm)
  • A Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize the EQ.
  • The EQ Score is designed to MAXIMIZE the Score WHILE fitting the Harman target curve (and other constrains) with a fixed complexity.
    This will avoid weird results if one only optimizes for the Score, start your journey here or there.
    There is a presentation by S. Olive here.
    It will probably flatten the Error regression doing so, the tonal balance should be therefore more neutral.
  • The EQs are starting point and may require tuning (certainly at LF and maybe at HF).
  • The range around and above 10kHz is usually not EQed unless smooth enough to do so.
  • I am using PEQ (PK) as from my experience the definition is more consistent across different DSP/platform implementations than shelves.
  • With some HP/amp combo, the boosts and preamp gain (loss of Dynamic range) need to be carefully considered to avoid issues with, amongst other things, too low a Max SPL or damaging your device. You have beed warned.
  • Not all units of the same product are made equal. The EQ is based on the measurements of a single unit. YMMV with regard to the very unit you are trying this EQ on.
  • I sometimes use variations of the Harman curve for some reasons. See rational here and here
  • NOTE: the score then calculated is not comparable to the scores derived from the default Harman target curve if not otherwise noted.
  • Occluding IE devices generally must have very good fitting/seal in the user's ear canal for best performance.
    please spend a few minutes to pick up the best ear tip... Be sure to perform this step otherwise the FR/Score/EQ presented here are just worthless.
  • 1. more bass = better seal
    2. More isolation from the outside world = better fit
    3. Comfort

Good L/R match.

I have generated one EQ, the APO config file is attached.

Score no EQ: 84.7%
Score 1: 96.4%
Score 2 (HF): 96.3% (to illustrate that what'a happening above 10k does not influence the score)

Code:
Topping Hane Harman EQ
December292024-212552

Preamp: -2.00 dB 

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 321.9 Hz Gain -1.30 dB Q 0.27
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 643.3 Hz Gain 3.12 dB Q 1.10
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 4871.1 Hz Gain -3.03 dB Q 4.20
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 6196.9 Hz Gain 3.64 dB Q 1.37

Topping Hane Harman Full EQ
December292024-212156

Preamp: -2.20 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 343.6 Hz Gain -1.36 dB Q 0.27
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 638.8 Hz Gain 3.12 dB Q 1.10
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 4900.1 Hz Gain -3.53 dB Q 3.15
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 6173.4 Hz Gain 4.29 dB Q 1.28
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 12626.9 Hz Gain -7.03 dB Q 5.04

Topping Hane Dashboard.png
 

Attachments

  • Topping Hane Harman Full EQ.txt
    316 bytes · Views: 19
  • Topping Hane Harman EQ.txt
    260 bytes · Views: 23
Am I the only one who thinks toggles are a feature worth at least half the asking price and some sensitivity loss?
Personally, I'd rather change this via PEQ rather than fiddle with DIP switches as it is likely I'd want to play some with EQ anyway for most IEMs with DIP switches.

Anyway, seems like @JohnYang1997 was right in the post linked below. Looks like a well executed IEM!
 
Just to note @amirm . This isnt listed by retailers as "Topping Hane"- Topping have elected to use a sub brand- "Arpegear"

So you will get better search results / sale searches for "Arpegear Hane"

Havent seen any of the usual suspects dropping the price below $129 yet
 
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I'm skipping Hane because I own Truthear Hexa in a similar price range and I'm not convinced Hane is an upgrade.

Personally, I'd rather change this via PEQ rather than fiddle with DIP switches as it is likely I'd want to play some with EQ anyway for most IEMs with DIP switches.
Maybe not dogmatically. It would be a good habit to test the switches as they are a potential point of failure, that's why it's prudent to verify their correct function at least.
 
For folks with small ear canals, I think the $10 (or less if you don't want the mic) Sony MDR-EX15 may be worth trying. They're pretty small and have Harman like tuning but with way more mid bass. While I mostly keep them as a backup headphone to have for calls, games etc , with Oratory1990's EQ I like them for music as well. Without EQ the mid bass is just too much at times.

See the measurements
 
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Here are some thoughts about the EQ.
`Please report your findings, positive or negative!

Notes about the EQ design:
  • The average L/R is used to calculate the score.
  • The resolution is 12 points per octave interpolated from the raw data (provided by @amirm)
  • A Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize the EQ.
  • The EQ Score is designed to MAXIMIZE the Score WHILE fitting the Harman target curve (and other constrains) with a fixed complexity.
    This will avoid weird results if one only optimizes for the Score, start your journey here or there.
    There is a presentation by S. Olive here.
    It will probably flatten the Error regression doing so, the tonal balance should be therefore more neutral.
  • The EQs are starting point and may require tuning (certainly at LF and maybe at HF).
  • The range around and above 10kHz is usually not EQed unless smooth enough to do so.
  • I am using PEQ (PK) as from my experience the definition is more consistent across different DSP/platform implementations than shelves.
  • With some HP/amp combo, the boosts and preamp gain (loss of Dynamic range) need to be carefully considered to avoid issues with, amongst other things, too low a Max SPL or damaging your device. You have beed warned.
  • Not all units of the same product are made equal. The EQ is based on the measurements of a single unit. YMMV with regard to the very unit you are trying this EQ on.
  • I sometimes use variations of the Harman curve for some reasons. See rational here and here
  • NOTE: the score then calculated is not comparable to the scores derived from the default Harman target curve if not otherwise noted.
  • Occluding IE devices generally must have very good fitting/seal in the user's ear canal for best performance.
    please spend a few minutes to pick up the best ear tip... Be sure to perform this step otherwise the FR/Score/EQ presented here are just worthless.
  • 1. more bass = better seal
    2. More isolation from the outside world = better fit
    3. Comfort

Good L/R match.

I have generated one EQ, the APO config file is attached.

Score no EQ: 84.7%
Score 1: 96.4%
Score 2 (HF): 96.3% (to illustrate that what'a happening above 10k does not influence the score)

Code:
Topping Hane Harman EQ
December292024-212552

Preamp: -2.00 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 321.9 Hz Gain -1.30 dB Q 0.27
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 643.3 Hz Gain 3.12 dB Q 1.10
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 4871.1 Hz Gain -3.03 dB Q 4.20
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 6196.9 Hz Gain 3.64 dB Q 1.37

Topping Hane Harman Full EQ
December292024-212156

Preamp: -2.20 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 343.6 Hz Gain -1.36 dB Q 0.27
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 638.8 Hz Gain 3.12 dB Q 1.10
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 4900.1 Hz Gain -3.53 dB Q 3.15
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 6173.4 Hz Gain 4.29 dB Q 1.28
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 12626.9 Hz Gain -7.03 dB Q 5.04

View attachment 417194
Which of the dip switch settings is this based on please? I am assuming the Switch 2 "on/ up" that Amir seemed to do most testing with- seems to hit harman bass closest.
 
The class-leading low sensitivity kinda crosses it off for me (I'm spoiled by my Periodic Be's) but YMMV. Likely not a prob out of a desktop amp but may limit it when directly plugged into some portable devices. Low sensitivind any means either higher volume setting, which means less battery life, or a self-powered amp or dongle, which means another battery to keep track of, and contending with another device to carry around and possibly lose. I want to keep my portable "system" down to a phone and pair of IEMs (and a "$9 phone dongle" that I can 'shrug off' easily if it gets lost.)
 
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IEMs which need amplification don't deserve a recommendation, it's a no-go per definition.
What part of IEM spells no amplification. Just curious. My phone calls for a dongle anyway.
 
IMO Hane can replace your Zero, Zero 2, Chu, and Tamchjin at the same time:) Ofc depending on the fit.

Am I the only one who thinks toggles are a feature worth at least half the asking price and some sensitivity loss?
Those toggles are tiny though. I find it easier busting out a different pair of iems tbh. Packed together those 4 iems are still cheaper than the Hane…not that I can’t afford it - I’ve had the Susvara in my collection before - merely an observation:)
If I were starting over I’d probably look differently at the Hane, but I already own what I own and feel silly getting rid of iems that are so brilliant.
 
Yeah I don't really get those who are complaining that these IEMs are a no-go because of the "low" sensitivity. For IEMs, sure it's low compared to many others. But in the grand scheme of things, it's nowhere near low enough that it requires a powerful amplifier. Even the Apple USB-C dongle is more than enough to still power it. 115dB at max output on the dongle!

Screenshot 2024-12-30 at 02.55.34.png
 
Same here to some degree, but, is it actually necessary to stick them into in a literal sense? There should be a guideline showing via a diagram what the word of 'put in' means. Those famous Etymotics go deep by design, but that cannot be true with standard eartips of like 10 to 13+mm diameter.

I came to the solution to kind of, mildly, lubricating the silicone with some saliva ... shame on me :rolleyes: Then it sits just upfront front of the narrowing part of the ear canal like 1mm deep max. The cirumference of the silicone holds it pressing against the inner skin of the pinna. Seal is perfect.
I use the memory foam tips-roll them to compress, slather them w/ saliva and insert-they expand and are very soft and comfortable. The seal is sublime.
 
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