PRICE: $169 (PHP. 8,000.00)

PROS:

• Unique bright neutral sound signature
• Superb detail retreival
• Great build quality
• Good unboxing experience
• Clean, neutral but well-extended and well-defined bass
• Open and clean sounding midrange
• Very energetic, detailed and well-extended treble
• Clean separation

CONS:

• Not for shout sensitive people
• Cable is thin and tangle prone
• Bass lacks impact and depth
• Lacking note weight
• Needs a bit of power to sound its best
• Not the best fit

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:

• People who want a proper neutral bright set
• People who want a lot of upper midrange and treble energy
• People who like to dissect the music that they’re listening to
• People who want a clean but well-defined bass
• People who want an older style of tuning

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR:

• People who are sensitive to shout
• People who want a more musical listening experience
• People who want something non-fatiguing
• People who want an engaging listening experience
• People who want the most refined sounding set

RECOMMENDED GENRES:

• Jazz
• Folk
• Classical
• Instrumentals
• Vocal Pop

SHORT REVIEW: 

In the grand scheme of things, the NA2+ is a set that  aged well in terms of technical ability and a surprisingly mature bright neutral sound signature that you can’t find anymore in the market today. The energy of this set is unlike anything I’ve heard, which also means that this is not for those sensitive to such energy. It’s backed up with superb technical detailings with a relatively neutral low end that makes this a set for the brave and the bright. RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS

FULL REVIEW

One of the most important thing for a pair of headphones to achieve is to be able to maintain a timeless kind of sound that people would be able to enjoy from years to come. This isn’t necessarily “future-proofing”, moreso the saying “good audio stays good”

Obviously this can’t be guaranteed as preferences change and some trends exist for the better. So what makes a pair of headphones, or in this case, in-ear monitor “timeless”? Let’s talk about one such IEM that, depending on your tastes, is still one of the most compelling, engaging and crisp sounding single DD sets you can get under $200. 

DISCLAIMER: 

The NM2+ was sent in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not paid or compensated in any way to say anything about the product.

BLAST TO THE PAST PT.1

If you’re new to the audio hobby, NF Audio may seem like a relic of the past with their (in)famous NM2 and NA2 series of in-ears. But they’re more than just those sets as they’ve been in the professional HiFi Portable Audio game since 2014. 

On top of their budget options like the NA/NM and RA series of IEMs, they’ve also dipped their toes in the high end audio market with the NE and NF series of IEMs. Today, we’re talking about the NA2+, priced at $149 and is the “music” series of in-ears that compliments the NM2 series that is the monitoring series. 

How does the NA2+ stack up in today’s very competitive but also formulaic market of somewhat predictable tuning? Let’s find out starting with the unboxing! 

UNBOXING

One of the things I love about NF Audio in general is how good their branding is. From the external packaging that perfectly showcases what you might expect from the product all the way to how the accessories and inclusions are presented in the package, NF Audio does it really well. 

Here’s a full list of the accessories:

• NA92+ IEMs
• 6 pair of eartips
• Carrying pouch
• 2 Pin cable
• Paperwork

For $150, the inclusions of the NA2+ is adequate. For a set released a couple years ago, this would’ve been a really good level of accessories. Today, there are much better (and worse) accessory inclusions for the price. 

The eartips are varied with a narrow and wide bored and the case is very compact. Neither of the eartips worked for me and I ended up using aftermarket eartips which I’ll talk more about in the fit section. The case itself is a little too small, but it’s big enough to fit the IEMs and extra eartips and is quite pocketable. 

Build & Fit

One of the best things about the NA2+ is the build quality. A full aluminum CNC shell that feels premium but very lightweight paired with a high quality 0.78 2-pin connector. While it may look like a QDC connector with it’s sleeved and protruding design, I was told that the NA2+ uses a 0.78 2-pin connector. C-Pin (or QDC cables) are compatible with the NA2+. 

It’s also very aesthetically pleasing with a distinct yet very clean motif that exudes “NF Audio” at first glance. 

What I don’t like about the NA2+ as much is the fit. Despite looking ergonomic with its generous wings and overall shape, I found myself struggling to find the right tips to get the best seal and comfort. None of the stock tips fit my ear and even my tried and tested Clarion’s weren’t the most snug. I tried other eartips like Divinus Velvet and Dunu Candy but I found it to still be a little unstable and does not seal very well. 

Long term listening sessions did not induce any fatigue and I did not experience any air pressure build up or driver flex which is always a plus for me. 

Unfortunately, the cable is not big of a plus as I found it to be a little bit too thin and cheap feeling. This isn’t the worst stock cable I’ve ever seen, but I’m really not a fan of how thin it cheap it feels. The best aspect about it is, in terms of comfort pairing, the cable compliments the weight and shape of the NA2+. The interface doesn’t feel cheap and the chin cinch stays really well. 

SOUND

Sound Signature

The NA2+ features a somewhat traditional bright neutral sound signature with a very flat and linear bass to midrange and a forward, energetic and sparkly treble presentation. For a bright neutral set, the timbre is still maintained to sound coherent without any weird changes in tonal balance. This could be due to the single DD nature, but that also goes to show the quality of the driver they used. 

Drivability

One of the most interest things about the NA2+ is how difficult it is to drive. This is more interesting when you realize that the NM2+, its monitor cousin, has a very similar frequency graph while also being considerably easier to drive. The NA2+ wants a cleaner, more neutral and more powerful source to sound its best and a warmer source will give it the much needed low end tactility that some people might find lacking

Volume

Due to its bright neutral nature, the NA2+ prefers a lower to medium listening level as cranking the volume too high will induce harshness in the upper mids to treble. High listening volumes bring out the punchiness of the sound at the cost of fatigue. 

Bass

The bass of NA2+ is by nature very clean, tight and high quality. It’s linear which means bass details and notes are very well-defined and clean while maintaining a good level of punchiness. Rumble only exists in the bassiest of tracks and is more generous in terms of midbass emphasis. It doesn’t bleed into the midrange at all but offers a decent level of warmth. An issue some people might have with the NA2+ bass is the lack of bodied impact. It’s a little too clean on some tracks and make some songs sound stale in comparisons. 

The best case scenario for the NA2+ is tracks with a lot of midbass to boot. Think  Hey Barbara by IV of Spades or Wake Up by SOS. Both tracks are very thick and punchy and matches the bass tuning of the NA2+ really well. Where it doesn’t shine as well is in R&B tracks with a low of low end thickness. The opposite is true however with a track like Blue by Amateurish. The lack of low end impact makes the track sound a little thin, especially when it comes to the guitars having more bite than impact. 

Mids

This is the part where some people might feel torn about the NA2+. One one hand, the NA2+ has such clean, crisp and detailed midrange that bring out the nuances in the midrange really well. This brings out female vocals and upper frequency instruments in a very energetic and lively way. However, it might also be too much energy for some people as the contrast from the upper mids to the upper mids is quite drastic. 15db of eargain at 4khz to be specific. Some people like this very aggressive and bright sound, but this is definitely for those with brave ears that can handle this much energy. Thankfully, I never found it to sound too shouty and was just aptly bright, but I also know I have a lot of upper midrange tolerance and that it extends into the lower to mid treble. There’s a bias towards upper frequency notes but the lower mids doesn’t sound as lean or thin sounding as I was expecting it to be. 

Playback of contralto female vocals like Laufey and Samara Joy is some of the best I’ve heard under $200. The balance of note weight and vocal forwardness and clarity is honestly insanely good when listening to vocal jazz. Jazz in general is perfect as the bass to midrange tuning compliments the often chill but very nuanced instrumentation of jazzy tracks. However, male vocals on tracks like That’s What I Like by Bruno Mars is not only severely lacking but due to the poor mixing of the track also induces harshness in the overall mix. 

Treble

Keeping from the energy established in the upper mids, the treble presentation of the NA2+ is very energetic and very sparkly. There’s a solid level of details and the extension, while not the airiest sounding that I’ve heard, extends in a very satisfying way without sounding dull or rolled off. There’s still a level of harshness and peakiness on poorly mixed tracks, but it’s generally well-contained and very refined sounding for something that came out a couple of years ago. It might not be the cleanest sounding treble in the market, but it’s a very sparkly listening experience that you almost never get to hear in today’s tamer market. 

Going back to Samara Joy, the track Can’t Get Out Of This Mood, the treble sounds very crisp and energetic without any hints of sibilance or sharpness in both the instruments and the vocals. The same cannot be said however with the track Swallow by CASIOPEA which combines the much older and much brighter late 70s mixing and the distinctively energetic treble of the entire self titled album. 

Technicalities

Technically speaking, the NA2+ is an odd balance of average techs for $150 and a superb level of detail and resolving ability. First, the stage of the NA2+ is somehow quite narrow for something that is meant to bring out the most immersive listening experience. Imaging is much better in return and presents instruments in a surprisingly holographic way despite the narrow stage. Instrument positioning is genuinely impressive and is one of the best in the price I’ve heard. Another thing I found to be impressive for the price is the detail retrieval and resolving ability which is top class for a single DD at this price point. 

COMPARISONS

vs HZSound Heart Mirror

While an odd comparison due to the price difference, I want to highlight the similarities these two sets have and why I think that the NA2+ might be a good upgrade for 2 IEMs that I will be comparing it to. Both sets feature a neutral bright sound signature with the Heart Mirror being the “flatter” sounding set and the NA2+ being the more energetic set. The increased bass in the measurements is counteracted by the increase in the upper midrange of the NA2+. Technically speaking, the NA2+ is superior but I found the Heart Mirror to be the more tonally balanced set overall. It’s a great upgrade for those looking for more energy and improved technicalities from the Heart Mirror.

vs Moondrop SSR

If the NA2+ is a good upgrade from the Heart Mirror, the SSR is an even more perfect upgrade path into the NA2+. Both sets are known to be “shouty” with really good detail and separation and the NA2+ takes everything good about the SSR and improves upon every aspect. Better separation, better details, better resolving ability and a cleaner sounding midrange. The only thing that the SSR does better is the fitting as the SSR’s tiny 6mm driver perfectly fits in my ear compared to the NA2+

vs Simgot EA1000

The EA1000 marks the evolution of bright in-ears after the popularity of frequency response graphs and following existing targets. However, that does not mean it’s predictable or too safe as the EA1000 is a more technical, more detailed and more dynamic sounding set compared to the NA2+. Tonality is also better on the EA1000 by a lot due to the tamer upper midrange and boosted bass. However, the NA2+ excels at providing a more energetic vocal presentation that the EA1000 presents in a more balanced and neutral way. This definitely ends up being a preference diff as you might prefer the extra energy of the NA2+ over the more neutral EA1000. 

vs Simgot EA500LM

Telling a similar story to the EA1000, the EA500LM also follows the recent trends of IEMs but to a more aggressive degree that is somewhat similar to what the NA2+ offers. It’s not as aggressive of course, but it’s energetic enough to be compared. On first listen, you can immediately tell the growth of in-ear driver technology as for nearly half the price, the EA500LM can output a similar level of technicalities to the NA2+ while also having better tonality. However, the NA2+ still sounds cleaner and more energetic than the NA2+ due to the more elevated upper midrange. 

vs NF Audio NM2+

While it may not look like much difference from the initial graphs, the NM2+ is the more “consumer friendly” set as it’s easier to drive and doesn’t require a beefy source to be driven properly. This also works against it as the NA2+ sounds more refined and scales better than the NM2+ which improves its technical ability by a small margin. The NA2+ also has a tamer upper midrange compared to the NM2+ which makes the NA2+ the more “musical” set while the NM2+ is the more analytical sounding set. 

CONCLUSION

In the grand scheme of things, the NA2+ is a set that aged well for those who enjoy a nice and bright listening experience. The neutral bass tuning paired with the upper midrange energy and topped off with a generous amount of treble makes this set truly one for the trebleheads. The vocal energy of this is unlike anything I’ve listened to and it’s a treat to listen to jazz and vocal pop songs. Pair that with a driver that aged pretty well and you got yourself an awesome bright neutral set for under $200.

However, I cannot in good heart say that this is the safest recommendation out there. The energy is more than what most people could handle and if you’re looking for raw technical ability, the NA2+ isn’t the set for you. 

But in today’s market filled with safely tuned and consumer oriented in-ears, it’s nice to know that a set from a couple of years ago known for having an aggressively energetic sound is still one of the most unique listening experiences you can get! 

Thank you for reading my full review on the NF Audio NA2+. If you would like to buy one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://hifigo.com/products/nf-audio-na2-iem