General/Packaging/Build/Comfort
DUNU needs very little introduction in this hobby. They've been at it since 1994, starting as an OEM manufacturer before establishing themselves as a proper audio brand. Over the years they've earned a reputation for meticulous tuning, excellent build quality, and pioneering the swappable termination plug system that many brands have since adopted. Today I have their most affordable entry to date, the Titan X — a single 10mm dynamic driver IEM featuring a dual-magnetic circuit and dual-chamber design, priced at just $35 for the 3.5mm version and $37 for the Type-C DSP variant. DUNU is calling it the "Market Slayer" and after spending time with it, the name is not pure marketing fluff.
Packaging is clean and functional — nothing extravagant but very well thought out for the price. Opening the box you'll find the shells already attached to the cable and mounted with eartips, ready to use out of the box. Underneath sits the accessory package which is genuinely impressive for $35: a black velvet carrying pouch, a cleaning brush, and three types of eartips in three sizes each. The three eartip types are the DUNU Candy tips, the Atmospheric (red bore) tips, and the Balanced (gray bore) tips — the inclusion of the Candy tips alone would cost you separately. No hard case is included which is the one nitpick worth flagging.
Build quality is exceptional for this price bracket. The shells are crafted from a high-density metallic alloy in a matte gunmetal gray finish. These feel genuinely premium in the hand — solid, hefty, and not a hint of plasticky rattle anywhere. At 13g per side they are on the heavier end for IEMs, but DUNU's ergonomic shell shape distributes the weight well enough that I had no comfort issues over 2-3 hour listening sessions. Two small vents on the inner shell prevent pressure buildup and driver flex, and I had zero issues with either. The nozzle has a metal mesh filter and the 0.78mm 2-pin connection is recessed slightly into the shell, which means if you plan to swap cables you'll need a recessed-pin compatible one.
The cable is a 4-strand high-purity single-crystal copper silver-plated Litz design. For a $35 IEM this cable is outstanding — flexible, minimal microphonics, tangle-resistant, and the connector hardware looks and feels premium. Comes with a velcro cinch strap as a bonus.
Gears Used for This Review
Fiio M33 R2R
Burson Conductor Stellar IEM Out Mode
Apple Music, Tidal, foobar2k (FLAC)
Stock Candy eartips, medium
Stock cable, 3.5mm single-ended
Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone's ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far.
Sound Impression
The Titan X presents a mild V-shaped signature with a slight warm character that leans toward musical and engaging rather than analytical. The overall presentation is surprisingly coherent and natural-sounding for a single DD at this price — there's a sense of everything sitting together properly, no frequency region jumping out aggressively or feeling disconnected. Note weight is satisfying, timbre is convincingly organic, and the overall character is very easy to listen to for extended sessions. I gave the unit approximately 30 hours of burn-in before writing this and noticed a slight smoothing of the upper midrange energy over that period, though it was not dramatic.
Bass
Sub-bass has a good extension and enough body to satisfy most genres without crossing into basshead territory
When listening to Daft Punk, the sub-bass rumble is present and satisfying without bleeding into the mids
Mid-bass is where the Titan X really shines, it is punchy, textured, elastic, and fast. Listening to Slipknot's People = Shit!, every double-kick during the opening comes through with distinct definition and good speed
Metallica's Lux Aeterna is handled very well, the drums remain tight and clear even during the most demanding passages. Tip rolling noticeably changes the bass character here
The Candy tips give more sub-bass depth and texture, while the gray Balanced tips tighten the mid-bass and give it a slightly more neutral character
The bass doesn't bleed into the mids at all, which is impressive for this driver size and price.
Mids
The midrange is mature for its asking price in my opinion
Vocals sit forward and not overly intimate
Male vocals carry good chesty weight, and Zhao Peng's deep baritone comes through with full body and texture, not thin or recessed
Female vocals have clarity and presence without crossing into that shouty territory that upper-mid emphasis often brings at this price bracket, Faye Wang sounds smooth and expressive
With a very slight lift around 3kHz that gives vocals their forward presence without inducing fatigue
Treble
Lower treble is well controlled with no harsh peaks or sibilance, Hi-hat strikes are crisp without sounding splashy
Titan X keeps everything in check, upper treble extension is decent for a single DD but the air region is consciously rolled off, you won't get sparkly analytical treble here
Details are all there but they sit back rather than jumping out at you
This is the right tuning decision for a budget daily driver, but those who want that top-end shimmer and micro-detail retrieval to pop should look elsewhere or consider the EQ
Treble-sensitive listeners will find the Titan X a very comfortable and fatigue-free listen.
Soundstage / Imaging
Soundstage width is on the intimate side, music is presented fairly close to you, which actually suits the warm, intimate midrange character well. Width is adequate but not a standout
Instrument placement within the stage is accurate and well-defined
Separation during complex passages holds up well
These are not the most technical set at this price by any measure, but the imaging and layering genuinely punch above what the price suggests.
Driveability
The Titan X is very easy to drive, that said, pairing with a proper dongle like the FiiO KA15 does tighten up the bass and open the soundstage noticeably. Entry level or mid range dongle will do just fine, but a proper source will get more out of it
Comparison (Truthear x Crinacle Zero:Red)
In terms of build quality, the Titan X wins decisively. Full metal shell versus the Zero:Red's plastic housing, the Titan X feels significantly more premium and durable in hand, accessories are comparable, with the Titan X's Candy tips giving it a slight edge
Sound-wise, Zero:Red leans neutral-warm with a sub-bass boost and smooth, somewhat relaxed presentation throughout. Mids are clean, natural, and slightly warm, with very smooth upper mids and laid-back treble. It is an inoffensive, very musical set that pairs well with most genres
The Titan X is warmer in the mid-bass and more forward in the upper mids, giving it a more engaging and upfront presentation, the bass on the Titan X has notably better texture and punch
Midrange character on the Zero:Red is slightly more neutral and smoother, vocals don't sit as forward as on the Titan X but they're very natural, the Titan X has more vocal presence and intimacy but with a slight trade-off in naturalness at the top of the midrange during very energetic passages
Treble on both is smooth and non-fatiguing, though the Zero:Red is slightly more laid-back. Neither is an analytical top-end set
Soundstage is slightly wider on the Zero:Red, while the Titan X has better layering depth and imaging precision, separation is comparable between the two.
Final Thoughts
DUNU's "Market Slayer" tagline is bold but not without merit. The Titan X delivers a remarkably mature, natural, and musical sound with excellent build quality and a generous accessory package at $35. It does everything alright and several things genuinely well. It is not going to deliver analytical treble detail or a wide expansive stage, but that is a deliberate tuning choice that makes it an extremely listenable, fatigue-free daily driver.
Whether you're picking this up as a first IEM, a travel set, or a backup pair that you don't have to worry about, the Titan X is an easy recommendation
*A big thanks to HifiGo for sending this over for the purpose of this review. I thank them for their support and opportunity
Head over to their official Store if you are interested in getting one as it is currently on sale as well:
Dunu Titan X HifiGo Store - Unaffiliated
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