ddHiFi Janus3 Review – Brand’s Best IEM
ddHiFi Janus3 is the third generation of the famous Janus single-dynamic driver IEMs which is jointly developed and tuned by ddHiFi and Moondrop. The pair houses a new-generation 10mm high-performance dynamic driver with a lithium-magnesium dome composite diaphragm. It has a comfortable, lightweight ergonomic shape that fits perfectly for both simple straight-down wearing and around-the-ear wearing patterns. It comes with a high-purity OCC copper cable with interchangeable cables including 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs in the package.
ddHiFi Janus3 in-ear monitors have a comfortable lightweight and ergonomic design. Each earpiece weighs just 5.5 grams. It has an aluminum alloy front cavity attached to a lightweight high-strength polycarbonate material rear cavity.
The front cavity of the Janus3 is sealed and fixed with the driver unit. The driver unit, which sports a dedicated rear cavity, mainly relies on the space and structure of the front cavity for tuning. The CNC aluminum alloy unibody molding process allows precise machining dimensions down to 0.03mm, ensuring high consistency in the frequency response curve for each pair of Janus3 earphones.
ddHiFi Janus3 comes with a high-purity OCC copper stock cable. This cable has MMCX connectors along with a swappable termination plug system. Users can easily switch between the 3.5 mm and 4.4mm termination options that are included in the package. They can also buy lightning and Type-C connectors separately.
What’s in the box
Features
- Premium Single-Dynamic Driver IEMs.
- 10mm high-performance Dynamic Driver With Lithimum-Magnesium Dome Composite Diaphragm.
- CNC Machined Unibody Aluminum-Alloy Front-Cavity Structure.
- High-Quality Polycarbonate Material Rear-Cavity.
- Comfortable & Ergonomic Form Factor.
- Suitable For Both Straight-Down & Around-the-Ear Wearing.
- Medical-Grade Silicone Ear Tips.
- High-quality OCC Copper Cable With Interchangeable Plugs(3.5mm+4.4mm).
Specs
- Impedance: 14Ω±15%.
- Sensitivity: 122dB.
- Frequency Response: 5Hz-58kHz.
- Effective Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz.
- Connector Type: MMCX.
- Termination Plugs:3.5mm+4.4mm.
- Price: $129
I would like to thank ddHiFi for providing me with the review sample of Janus3.
Sound
Lows
The bass of the Janus3 is dominated by the sub-bass region, which extends deep and rumbles with authority. The sub-bass has decent impact, texture, and decay, creating an engaging yet controlled sense of impact.
The mid-bass is less prominent but still present enough to provide some warmth, body, and punch to the sound. The bass is not very fast or tight, but rather smooth and organic. It does not bleed into the midrange or overpower the other frequencies.
Specifically, bass lines in funk and rock music are extremely well-textured. I will discuss this further in the review, but the Janus3 is simply fantastic at playing back-string instruments, highlighting infectious strumming, or plucking techniques that never fail to amaze me.
The Janus3 is not a bassy IEM by any means, and listeners more used to V-shaped IEMs may find its bass quantity lacking. But the Janus3 excels at delivering detailed and satisfying bass, whilst adding some warmth to the overall sound.
Mids
The midrange of the Janus3 is the highlight of its sound signature, as it showcases its warm mid-centric tuning. The midrange is rich, smooth, and natural, with very good clarity and resolution.
The lower mids are slightly recessed but still have enough presence to give some weight and fullness to male vocals and instruments. The upper mids are more forward but not harsh or shouty, giving female vocals and instruments more sweetness and emotion, however, female vocals do not have the same level of resolution as the male vocals.
However, the real stand out is the sheer texture and resolving capabilities of the Janus3 with string instruments like guitars. I often found myself finding new guitar tracks in complex arrangements that I’ve been listening to for years.
Throughout my testing, I constantly got distracted because I just could not stop listening to blues, rock, and funk tracks. The Janus3 presented their string instruments in a way that I could just not get enough of.
Treble
The treble of the Janus3 is relaxed and smooth, with no signs of sibilance or harshness. It has enough sparkle and air to keep the sound from sounding dull or dark, but it does not have much extension or detail.
The treble is not very energetic or lively, but rather laid-back and easy-going. It complements the warm midrange and the strong sub-bass, creating a coherent and musical sound.
Instruments in the upper treble, such as cymbals, have an average level of resolution but also have a more recessed presentation when compared to the sound of snare drums. The treble is not the best for analytical or critical listening, but it is suitable for long and fatigue-free listening.
Imaging
The imaging of the Janus3 is good, with a clear and accurate placement of instruments and vocals within the soundstage. The soundstage is not very wide or spacious, but rather intimate and cozy.
The depth and height are decent, but not exceptional. The separation and layering are also good, but not outstanding. The Janus3 does not have a very holographic or immersive sound, but rather a smooth and intimate one.
With a desktop setup such as the SMSL DO300EX that gives it enough swing, the Janus3 can sound pretty expansive. It achieves a stronger sense of resolution.
Sum-Up
The ddHiFi Janus3 offers a smooth and musical sound with warm mid-centric tuning. It has a strong sub-bass presence, a lush midrange, and a relaxed treble. It is not a perfectly neutral IEM, but rather one that emphasizes vocal emotion and enjoyment over accuracy and detail.
It is also important to highlight its very good playback of string instruments like bass and electric guitars. It does so with texture and resolution that I rarely see even in other pricier IEMS.
It suits listeners who like a warm, smooth, and natural sound with good bass impact and vocal emotion. It is not suitable for listeners who prefer a more balanced, detailed, or analytical sound with more treble presence and extension.
The Janus3 doesn’t try to please everyone, choosing to focus on a specific tonality, and executing it very well. If your personal tastes happen to fall within the capabilities of the Janus3, I have no problem recommending it.