To be completely honest, it’s been a while since I last posted on this blog. Life has been pretty busy lately, but there’s one thing I’ve been really itching to share. If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you know I usually talk about software development and homelab setups. Today, though, I’m shifting slightly toward something that complements both and a space I’ve quietly lurked in for years: audio gear.
For years, my philosophy on earphones was super simple: keep it around the IDR 150k range. When I first got into audio, I picked up the Audio-Technica ATH-CLR100iS, and my initial thought back then was, “Wow, these vocals are insanely crisp.” Later on, I switched to the dBe WS100 for that punchy bass, and eventually settled on the Moondrop Quarks, which felt like a solid budget all-rounder. All three were bought purely because of recommendations hype in gaming gear forums.
Eventually, an Indonesian audio group called TAI (Tongkrongan Audio Indonesia) popped up, though I mostly just lurked in the background. But as I spent more time reading their threads, curiosity got the best of me, and I wanted to step things up. I ended up trying the CCA Polaris paired with a budget KZ AM01 DAC. Compared to the Quarks, the Polaris had a noticeably thicker, deeper bass response. What made it interesting was the set of physical switches on the body to tweak sound profiles though I’ve long forgotten my exact switch configuration since I sold them. At the time, that setup felt downright luxurious.
Along the way, I also picked up the Earfun Free Pro 3 TWS. That purchase was purely for practical reasons. Back when I was grinding through my college thesis, I was constantly commuting between home and Surabaya, working out of university libraries and local cafes. Wireless was king for mobility. Soundwise, it didn’t quite match the detail of the wired Polaris, but to this day, it’s still my default choice for workouts even if I often just wear one side.
Fast forward to last September: I decided to sell the Polaris and take a bigger leap by buying the NiceHCK Tears. I settled on this model after scouring TAI for days looking for a versatile all-rounder my music playlist is an absolute chaotic mess of different genres, and I also needed something solid for gaming sessions.
My first impression right after unboxing it and plugging it into my KZ AM01 DAC? Man, it was insane.
The bass hits were deep, punchy, and well-rounded. The soundstage felt surprisingly wide, instrument layering was crisp, and I could clearly hear tiny details like the vocalist taking a quick breath. That very first listening session had me going, “Ah, so this is what a decent step-up in audio feels like.” If an entry-level upgrade makes this much of a difference, I can’t even imagine what those multi-million IDR flagship IEMs sound like.
That said, it wasn’t a completely flawless experience. I ran into two minor issues:
- Stock eartips comfort: The stock eartips were pretty uncomfortable and started hurting my ears after short sessions. Luckily, after hopping back into the forum for advice, someone recommended swapping them for Harmonic Empire Sonic Galaxy Edition eartips. They turned out to be a perfect fit super comfortable without sacrificing any sound detail.
- Open-back design: My old Polaris covered my entire outer ear, giving pretty decent passive noise isolation. The NiceHCK Tears, on the other hand, don’t fully seal off the outer ear, so external noise bleeds in easily. When I’m gaming, my PC fans sound like a jet engine taking off, and that noise creeps right in if I don’t get a perfect fit with the eartips.
So yeah, those are my honest impressions given that I haven’t plunged deep enough into the audiophile rabbit hole to understand complex stuff like tonal balance, sound profiles, or technicalities. What’s next? Who knows hopefully, the audio forum recommendations don’t get too aggressive anytime soon. But for now, this setup is more than enough to keep me company during daily coding sessions and late-night gaming.