Come with me as I share my honest impressions on the Binary x Gizaudio Chopin. This is Gizaudio’s second collaboration set and is priced at $199. Considering the success that Timmy’s first collaboration got, it leaves the Chopin with a high bar to surpass. So let’s find out if it does exactly that!
PROS:
- Fun, U-Shaped sound signature
- Deep, impactful bass
- Clean, open mids
- Sparkly and energetic treble without fatigue
- Good vocal and instrument positioning
CONS:
- Lower mids sound thin and distant
- Distinct metallic timbre
- Congestion in the upper midrange to lower treble
- Poor fit
- Cheap build
Knowing Timmy’s (Gizaudio) tastes in his IEMs, I was expecting the Galileo to have that signature hard hitting but clean bass, open mids and sparkly treble to which I unfortunately did not experience as he aimed the Galileo to follow a more neutral sounding set.
Almost a year later, we are then introduced to the Chopin. Named after another famous figure in the arts (I know Galileo was based on a detective show in Japan), the Chopin is exactly what I imagine Timmy’s preference to sound like.
Bass hits hard and goes deep but doesn’t intrude into the midrange to keep it clean and that treble is quite sparkly and incisive. The bass especially is quite satisfying as I found myself mindlessly listening to music when Lose Yourself to Dance by Daft Punk came in and broke my focus while I worked with how punchy the bass sounded.
Its separation and imaging are also quite commendable as vocals are well placed in the sound field around the instruments. It’s no speaker quality, but it sounds considerably wider than your usual in-ears with a good sense of where the instruments are placed.
Two IEMs that remind me of the Chopin are the Variations and the AFUL Performer 5. One in a good way and one in a bad way.
Compared to the Variations, Chopin has a much more organic sound in the midrange as there is a better balance between the lower mids to the upper mids that give it a more organic sound. It’s no timbre-master by any means, but it fits my preferences much closer.
Where I’m not so fond of on the Chopin is the upper midrange timbre. This is where the P5 comparison came in as it both has a metallic upper midrange to treble that gives it a somewhat rough and congested sound. It’s not as bad as the P5 and I would argue that it does what the RLC of the AFUL series of IEMs better, but it really shines on vocals and percussives when each hit and S sounds unnatural.
Some call the Chopin to be a budget Variations to which, I’d honestly say this is a better Variation in terms of tuning. It keeps the deep, punchy bass while having a better midrange note weight. It, unfortunately, suffers from having a somewhat rough, metallic upper mids to treble timbre that also affects the separation in this region to sound a little congested. Regardless, this is much closer to what I had envisioned Timmy’s preference in IEMs sound like and I quite enjoy it!
Thank you for reading my impressions on the Binary Chopin. Big thanks to HiFiGo for sending over the Chopin for me and my fellow reviewers to share our thoughts on. I If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://hifigo.com/products/gizaudio-binary-chopin
If you have any questions or concerns, message me on my facebook page or my email at obodioreviews@gmail.com
