General
The Dunu PRS5 is the younger sibling of the PRS6 in Dunu's new PRS series, and it is priced at $159. It packs a 5-driver tribrid setup per side, a 10mm dynamic driver handling the bass and sub-bass, two midrange balanced armatures, one mid-high balanced armature, and a custom micro-planar driver for the ultra-highs. All of that is glued together with a 4-way physical and electronic crossover. Impedance is rated at 38Ω with 110dB sensitivity, so it is pretty easy to drive.
What caught my attention right away is the direction Dunu took here. Dunu has always been known for a cleaner, more technical house sound. The PRS6 continues that tradition. The PRS5 does not. It goes for a fun, bass-forward kind of tuning that I honestly did not expect from Dunu, and I mean that in a good way.
Packaging, Build and Comfort
Dunu has never disappointed when it comes to accessories, and the PRS5 is no exception. Inside the box you get:
1x semi-hard carrying case
4 pairs of Dunu S&S eartips
6 pairs of standard silicone eartips (two different variants)
Modular cable with Q-Lock Mini 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs
Cleaning tool
Acrylic standee
The carrying case is spacious and has soft padding inside, big enough to fit the IEMs together with the spare eartip cases. This is one of those cases I would actually use daily. The S&S eartips are still my go-to pick with the PRS5, they give a good seal and decent passive isolation, and I did not feel the need to do much tip rolling after that. And yes, there is an anime standee in the box too, which some will love and some will quietly keep in the drawer.
The cable is a 4-core hybrid of OCC copper and silver-plated copper. It is decent, but it is on the thinner side and has a slightly grippy surface that likes to catch on itself. A bit of memory as well. Not a deal breaker, purely nitpicking.
The shells are made entirely of resin and are on the larger side. The faceplate has a rather trippy, cosmic pattern. Personally I am not sold on it, and I much prefer the cleaner titanium faceplate of the PRS6. Comfort wise, the shell has a wing-like ridge that locks it into my concha, and I can wear it for a couple of hours without any issue. The shells are well vented, no driver flex and no pressure buildup noticed. Do take note that people with smaller ears might find it a tad big.
Gears Used for This Review
Aune S18 Evo DAC
Aune S17 Pro Amp
Burson Conductor Stellar
FiiO M33 R2R
xDuoo Link3
FiiO K17 R2R
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 PRS5 went through approximately 40-50 hours on my burn-in rig before any serious listening. Out of the box, the bass felt a little loose around the edges. After burn-in, it tightened up slightly and the treble settled into a smoother, more refined presentation.
To my ears, the PRS5 has a warm, fun sound signature with meaty lows, rich mids and a smooth, relaxed treble. It is not trying to be analytical. It is trying to be enjoyable, and it does that well. Think of it as the PRS6's more musical, more easygoing sibling.
Bass
Big, full-bodied bass with a strong sub-bass foundation. Daft Punk tracks deliver a satisfying low-end rumble that you can feel, not just hear.
Mid-bass has a good amount of punch and slam. It is not the hardest-hitting punch in this price range, but it is weighty and fun.
Bass speed is decent. On Slipknot's Duality, the double kick drums keep up fine, though the attack has a slightly rounded edge rather than a sharp, tight thump.
Texture is where the PRS5 falls slightly behind. The bass notes lean more towards quantity and warmth than fine texture and nuance.
The good news is that the bass doesn't bleed into the mids at all, even with all that quantity. Dunu kept the lower register well controlled.
This is the kind of bass response you rarely hear from Dunu, and I quite like it.
Mids
The midrange is warm, lush and natural. Timbre is spot on to my ears, nothing sounds artificial or metallic.
Vocal positioning is slightly forward. Picture the artist standing 3-4 steps in front of you, close enough to be intimate but not shouting in your face.
Male vocals are the highlight. Zhao Peng's low baritone comes through with lovely chesty weight and body, deep and resonant without being muddy. Male vocal lovers will have a good time here.
Female vocals are sweet and pleasant. Faye Wong's voice sounds smooth and natural, but when it reaches for the high notes, a little bit of air and sparkle is toned down. It does not sound as ethereal as a female vocal specialist would.
Instruments carry good note weight. Acoustic guitars lean more towards the warmth of the wooden body than the pluck of the strings, and pianos have a softer, rounded touch.
No shoutiness and no sibilance throughout my test tracks.
Treble
The treble is smooth, inoffensive and well-behaved. Treble-sensitive listeners can rest easy with this one.
The micro-planar does its job without that metallic sheen some planars are known for. Cymbals and hi-hats come through clean and natural.
Upper treble extension is gently rolled off, which takes away some of the sparkle and air at the very top.
Detail retrieval is not too lacking for the asking price. On Hans Zimmer's Why So Serious, the background layers and subtle textures are still there, they just aren't highlighted in a spotlight manner.
Micro detail is not its forte, but macro detail is well presented. Treble-heads will probably want something with more bite.
Soundstage / Imaging
Soundstage is slightly wider than average, and to my ears slightly wider than the PRS6 as well. It sounds out of head, though not quite reaching that hall like effect.
Depth is decent, it does not sound 2D-ish.
Imaging is surprisingly good for an IEM with a relaxed treble. Left-right cues on YungBlud's Zombie Live from Bludfest are easy to pinpoint, and the crowd noise is spread nicely around the head.
Instrument separation is commendable. Busy passages do not turn into a messy blob.
Driveability
FiiO M33 R2R: The R2R presentation adds a slight hint of warmth and smoothness to the note decay. The bass gets a bit thicker and the mids even more lush, a cozy pairing for long listening sessions.
xDuoo Link3: Plenty of power for the PRS5. The pairing is clean and does the job well, the noise floor is pitch black and no hissing.
Aune S18 Evo DAC + S17 Pro Amp: The cleaner, more neutral stack tightens up the bass and pulls out a little more treble definition. This is where the PRS5 sounds its most technically capable.
Burson Conductor Stellar: Bass slam gets a nice boost with better control, and the staging opens up slightly. A great match if you want even more fun.
FiiO K17 R2R: Similar to the M33 R2R, smooth and organic, but with a bit more grip and authority in the low end.
Entry level or mid range dongle will do just fine, but pairing it with a neutral or slightly brighter source helps balance out its warm tilt.
Comparison
Dunu PRS5 vs Dunu PRS6
The PRS6 sits above the PRS5 at $249. It uses a 1DD + 4BA + 1 passive MEMS setup and comes with a titanium faceplate, which looks far more elegant to my eyes. The accessory package is largely identical, case and eartips included, though the PRS6's cable feels a bit nicer in hand.
Bass: This is where the two go separate ways. The PRS5 has a much weightier, meatier bass with more sub-bass rumble and mid-bass punch. The PRS6 is leaner and flatter, focusing on control and speed over quantity.
Mids: The PRS6 places vocals further forward and with more clarity, but they come across thinner. The PRS5 has a warmer lower midrange, so male vocals have more chesty weight and a fuller, more natural timbre.
Treble: The PRS6 has a little more lower treble energy and the MEMS driver renders the top end cleaner and more precisely. The PRS5 is smoother and more relaxed.
Soundstage: The PRS6 resolves busy passages better and has sharper imaging, which is great for competitive FPS gaming. The PRS5 sounds slightly wider to my ears and more engaging.
The PRS6 is the more balanced and technical IEM, tuned with a specific use case in mind. The PRS5 is the fun one, easier to enjoy across all kinds of genres
Final Thoughts
The PRS5 is a pleasant surprise from Dunu. It walks away from the brand's usual clean and technical house sound and goes for something fun, with meaty lows, a natural and rich midrange, and a treble that never gets in the way. The male vocals are a real treat and the soundstage is slightly wider than its pricier PRS6 sibling. It is not the most resolving IEM in the sub-$200 range, and treble-heads will want more sparkle up top. But detail retrieval is not too lacking either, and the overall package with Dunu's excellent accessories makes it a very easy recommendation for the asking price. If you want a technical IEM, get the PRS6. If you want to sit back and enjoy your music, the PRS5 is the one.
Recommended? Yes! Definitely!
The Dunu PRS5 was sent over by Dunu for the purpose of this review. Big thanks to the Dunu team for the support and opportunity as always.
Head over to their store if you are interested in getting a pair:
Dunu PRS5 - Non Affiliated
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