Sound impressions: Lows
Horizon Doom Basic has a well-balanced W-shaped sound signature with a bit more emphasis on the lows. Horizon Doom Basic has a wonderful bass response and the presence of low-ends is significant throughout the music. The bass quantity is abundant to have it full-bodied and thick, yet very well controlled with the resonance. The bass quantity is strong to a basshead level but without the bloated boominess. I also like the tone of the bass as it’s gently dark and has a mature, lush nuance.
The reverbs are highlighted to the appropriate amount that allows the bass to sound breathable but not loosened or mushy. Lows have the clarity and hardness to keep a neat presentation. I should also mention its performance on the ultra lows. The Horizon Doom Basic’s proprietary dynamic driver does an excellent job playing ultra lows, not just bass extension but also clarity.
There’s a difference between blurry vibrations and clear vibrations. Basic maintains a clear and dense bass response down to the ultra lows, nicely fetching the texture and tonal details. Overall, Basic’s low range brings out strong and large bass that would satisfy bassheads but with excellent control and clarity.
Sound impression: Mids
For a single dynamic driver, especially when the bass is tuned strongly, the vocals would often sound questionable – in timbre, texture, or just overall feeling. Let’s first talk about the timbre of the vocals. What I appreciate from Horizon Doom Basic is that the mid-range doesn’t get subdued either in position or tone. Mid-range takes a slight step forward from the lows and keeps a cool, airy tone. Vocals are more linear in presentation but still full enough in body to harmonize with the thick bass.
Next is the texture. Single dynamic drivers often struggle when it comes to retrieving density and texture for the vocals. For example, single dynamics may sound too grainy or too smoothened out. Though for Basic, vocals have a smooth yet resolving texture, letting the grains shine while keeping a smooth enough surface. Horizon Doom Basic has a very stable timbre and control, keeping a consistent tone throughout the range. I couldn’t find any sibilance or sudden shifts in tone, which tells how nicely these earphones are tuned.
Sound impressions: Highs / Soundstage
One of the strengths of using a dynamic driver is the natural flow of the sound. It’s relatively easy to produce strong treble strikes, and the way trebles decay is what truly determines the quality of the sound. Horizon Doom Basic has its strength in producing a treble that is lively and breathable. I can feel the natural movements of trebles being drawn out, from the strike to gradual decay. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean the trebles sound loosened or slow in speed.
Some many IEMs have snappy trebles that feel like they’re chopped up which sounds fast but also artificial. Those don’t have the feeling of ambiance or resonance in trebles. Would it make sense if I say Basic’s treble feels more aero-dynamic? Basic can also throw fast straight balls like other IEMs, yet it also knows how to throw curve balls. This is a similar feeling to 64 Audio Tia Fourte where the trebles are actively resonating within the housing to create a lively, expandable headroom.
Another strength of Basic is that the trebles are highly resolving while not fatiguing the ears. Trebles are clear, crisp, and open-ended. The tone is silvery and lush. Yet since Basic has a well-controlled, breathable treble, these sparkling details don’t get easily fatiguing. The treble’s technical performance is outstanding, and I don’t consider it any less than other flagship IEMs that are topped with multiple sets of electrostatic tweeters. Lastly, the headroom is considerably large. It doesn’t feel too wide sideways, yet still very roomy. Instead, the scale and horizontal size of the staging feel grand and vast.
Compared to JVC FW10000
The JVC FW10000 is slightly airier in tone and staging. The brightness is pretty much the same as Basic but the JVC has a stronger sense of open-field, open-ended presentation for the upper headroom. The vocal clarity is similar or marginally better on FW10000. It highlights the texture details more blatant to make the texture grains pop out. Because of this, the vocals are a bit drier and thinner than Basic. The trebles on FW10000 are crispier and sharper in tone but don’t pierce the ears due to the organic texture.
Meanwhile, Horizon Doom Basic has a fuller-bodied sound with more sub-bass. The overall sound is deeper in depth and has thicker low-ends. Basic has more of a mellow, smoother, and musical tone than FW10000. In general, Basic has a bass performance such as bass extension, fullness, and sub-bass quantity. However, this is due to the tuning difference, not because one of them is superior to another.
In exchange for reducing the bass presence, FW10000 achieves finer treble texture, a more linear sound tuning, a cleaner tone, and an open-field staging. If you want a pleasantly linear sound that aims for analytical pleasures, the FW10000 would be a fit. Meanwhile, if you want more musical tuning that also stays technical, the Basic would serve you well.
Compared to HIFIMAN Svanar (Review link)
The overall sound signature itself is interestingly similar but there are still noticeable differences. Svanar is a bit warmer in tone and has a black background tone. Basic has a cooler, airier vocal timbre with a white background tone. Mids are just about the same in thickness for both IEMs, yet the vocals from Basic are a tad higher in resolution. The vocal texture feels relatively drier on Svanar while Basic feels to hold more moisture and texture details within the vocals. I wouldn’t say the differences are significant. Though, in the end, Basic is superior in vocal resolution. Treble extension is also slightly superior on Basic as the trebles feel a bit more expansive.
However, the overall “neatness” of the sound is better on Svanar. The sound feels more orderly and tucked in nicely with each other. We always try to stick with the stock cable for our tests, so note that this comparison was done with the stock cables. I’m aware that Svanar changes significantly to upgrade cables, so pairing Svanar with a better-quality cable would likely make this comparison a lot different.
Another thing to consider is the usability, which Svanar does better. The ergonomic shape of Svanar just makes the earpieces snuck in tight to the ears. The weight of the earpieces and cable is much lighter, so that’s another thing to consider when you grab either IEM.
Fellow 1DD enthusiasts, gather up
After some long listening and comparing with other flagship IEMs, my final thoughts towards the Basic is that Horizon Doom’s goal of pursuing excellence using a single driver was a success. While the brand itself may be new, things soon got obvious as I listened to these, that the level and quality of the sound are not those of an amateur or mediocre. As a 1DD enthusiast, I’ll be keeping my eyes on this brand from now on.
There are many renowned single dynamic IEM makers from Japan such as JVC, Final Audio, and Technics, what Basic offers makes Horizon Doom worthwhile to put up to the same tier as those (or even higher depending on your taste and preference). Basic desires highly natural and accurate sound topped with powerful dynamics, the result being a fine combination of strong energy and delicacy. The highly resolving airiness from the vocals also adds to one of Basic’s meticulous charms. The Basic should surely be on your testing list if you’re interested in single DD IEMs, and especially even more in case you’re looking for a natural and highly resolving IEM that is perfectly fatigue-free.
