One Dot Audio – ODA Dolphin D100 Review
The ODA Dolphin D100 is equipped with a 10mm dynamic driver with a specially tuned cavity for a better audio response.
The design of the D100 has a drop-shaped aviation-grade aluminum alloy metal shell with grey paint along with a sea-shell faceplate that has a unique design. They are quite light in weight and feel very solid in hand. Comfort is amazing and they are great even for long listening sessions.
Inside the box we are welcomed with a premium feel of a flagship product that impressed me, to be honest. The faceplate has a rare gem look along with the high-quality leather case for display upon unboxing.
The aluminum shell design worked for me on the Dolphin D100 in terms of comfort and ergonomics. Its fit feels completely natural, and the housing shape never gets in your way. The earpiece sits in your concha and is supported fairly well, secure enough not to move around too much.
The cable included is a 1.2 meter, 4 core OCC cable with 2-pin 0.78mm metal connectors and a 3.5mm plug that has a grey-white theme matching the earphones. The cable is soft and handles very nice in hand. It’s one of the best stock cables that I have seen in this price range. Changeable plugs would have been nice though.
What’s in the box
Inside the box, we will find 6 pairs of ear tips with wide bore and double flange types in 3 different sizes, and an OCC 4 core cable that has a grey-white color that matches the in-ear theme. The cable has a 3.5mm termination and a metal Y-splitter. Overall, they are packaged quite well and feel premium for the price.
- Dolphin D100 Earphones
- 2-Pin 0.78mm to 3.5mm 1.2 meter Cable
- 6 Pairs of Eartips
- Cleaning brush
- Leather Storage Case
Specs
- Drivers: Single 10mm dynamic driver
- Sensitivity: 112dB SPL/mW
- Impedance: 16 Ω
- Frequency response: 20-20000Hz
- Noise isolation: 26Db
- Plug: 3.5mm
- Connectors: 2Pin (0.78Pin)
- Cable: 4-strand silver-plated copper
- Shell: Aviation aluminum alloy
- Faceplate: Sea shell
- Price: $199
I would like to thank One Dot Audio for providing me with the review sample of Dolphin D100.
Sound
I would describe the sound of the Dolphin D100 as warm, and energetic that has great bass response along with adequate details embedded into their performance. This is a V-shaped sound signature, with an emphasis on the bass and treble regions, and a recessed midrange.
Lows
The bass of the D100 is powerful, deep, and punchy. It has a good impact and rumble, especially in the sub-bass region, but it can also bleed into the midrange and cause some muddiness and congestion. It does a great job of controlling the bass reproduction, managing to reproduce a clean, distortion-free, and agile bass.
The D100 reproduces one of the cleanest basses I’ve heard in this price bracket. It is fast, snappy, and powerful at the same time. You can throw natural percussions or synth bass lines at it, without fearing how it’ll handle them.
The Dolphin D100 can satisfy your basshead needs while maintaining a respectable amount of control for superior clarity.
Mids
The midrange is clean, articulate, and airy. The midbass has good weight and stringed instruments, male vocals have a realistic body. The midrange is neither forward, nor recessed.
The instrument and the vocal texture feel accurate, and the midrange timbre feels natural. The upper midrange of the D100 is balanced. It feels spacious, articulate, and expansive, whilst staying well below the hot areas.
The D100 handles splashy and shouty instruments with ease, thanks to its polite but detailed upper midrange tuning. That being said, the D100 does feel airy and also sounds organic.
Highs
The D100’s highs can be described as balanced and polite. There is a good amount of top-end extension and detail. I like the tuning of this part, there is just the right amount of treble density, neither too much nor too little.
The resolution of the highs is also quite good. This is a tuning that will satisfy both treble lovers and audiophiles with treble sensitivity, so I found this region particularly well done.
The D100 performed well in tracks I use to intentionally look for sibilance and it can ride the fine line between resolution and sibilance perfectly.
Technicalities
ODA – One Dot Audio successfully crafted a monitor that can stay polite and detailed at the same time. It has great imaging, precise instrument separation, and a wide stage with adequate depth.
Summary
I was pleasantly surprised by the One Dot Audio Dolphin D100. It seems like a jack-of-all-trades IEM that can execute an exciting, energetic sound signature while maintaining an impressive level of detail retrieval and imaging.
Combining unique design, very good sound performance, and good accessories, the Dolphin D100 is surprisingly competitive and well worth the asking price.