A Casual's Review of the ND Planet IEMs

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Disclaimer: This review reflects my personal preferences and limited audio experience, not expert analysis. The Planet was provided to me by ND Audio but opinions remain my own.

Pros

  • Price to performance-wise, it’s very good
  • Average bass and sub-bass performance
  • Clarity and instrument separation is average
  • There’s a bit of sparkle to the treble but it doesn’t get sibilant or shouty

Cons

  • Very light, Feels like it will break if you accidentally drop it.
  • The blue color seems to be a sort of “wrap”, in some parts it looks a bit messy.
  • Soundstage feels narrow
  • Mids are also ever so slightly recessed and bass bleeds into it

General Product Details

Package Inclusions

  • IEM shells & cable
  • 3 pairs of generic silicon eartips in S, M, and L sizes

Technical Specifications

  • Drive unit: 12mm Dynamic Driver
  • Sensitivity: 112 db
  • Interface type: 0.78mm
  • Frequency response: 20-40K Hz
  • Impedance: 32Ω
  • Cable: Four-strand braid 120±5cm
The IEM Shells
  • There are 2 different colors of the ND-Planet - transparent black with a red spherical driver or transparent white with a blue spherical driver.
  • On the underside of the shell is a small branding mark as well as an indicator if the shell is for right or left.
  • The shells are made of plastic, making it very lightweight. The transparent nature of the shells reveal the internal components clearly. A small vent hole can be seen on the driver and shell for pressure release.
  • The nozzle is also made of plastic and has a small lip . The lip is covered with a metal mesh.
  • The earpieces are super light, weighing in at just around 4.4g!
 
The Cable
  • When purchasing the ND Planet you can choose between 3.5mm and USB C, and then have another option if you want with or without a microphone. I have the 3.5mm with microphone option but am unable to test out the mic since my phone does not have a headphone jack.
  • The cable has 2 thin strands that are braided and terminates with a straight 3.5mm jack. It seems to be of similar quality to the ND NX2 cable, but the NX2 has an angled 3.5mm jack.
  • The earhooks have a plastic wrap around them to keep their shapes and these terminate with QDC connectors.
  • The cables weigh about 12.3g so you hardly feel like they’re there.

Subjective Review

Sources

  • PC + ifi nano iDSD Le
  • Xiaomi 13T + Letshuoer DT03
  • Snowsky Echo Mini DAP

Songs

  • Asticassia - Takahashi Ohmama
  • The Witch From Mercury - Takahashi Ohmama
  • Otonoke - Creepy Nuts
  • Tomorrow and Tomorrow - Masayoshi Soken
  • Answers - Masayoshi Soken
  • Close in the Distance - Masayoshi Soken
  • Wasted Nights - ONE OK ROCK
  • Falling (Feat. Taka) - Jin, Taka
  • Hatena - Penguin Research
  • Something Comforting - Porter Robinson
  • Shelter - Porter Robinson, Madeon
  • Hello - Adele
General Usage Impressions
  • The eartips that come out of the box are not the best, and don’t give me a good fit. so I replaced them with my favorite Spinfit CP100.
  • The cables were also annoying to use, as they tend to want to move in different ways because of its own memory. I replaced it with Moondrop MC1 for 3.5mm and NiceHCK JIALAI JLY2 4.4mm cable.
  • The R and L on the cables are hard to see, I wish they painted the right side red instead so it’s clear which side goes where.
Sound Impressions
  • Bass: There’s a good amount of bass and some sub-bass rumble, but for songs like Close in the Distance and Close in the Distance both by Masayoshi Soken, as well as Falling by Jin and Taka, the bass can bleed into the mids and can sometimes overpower the vocals.
  • Mids: The mids sound recessed, especially for male vocals. Female vocals sound slightly so but sound clear.
  • Treble: Detail and instrument retrieval in the treble sounds average as well. It doesn’t sound sibilant, though there is a hint of sparkle but mostly should be inoffensive even to those who are treble sensitive.
  • Technicalities: Soundstage feels narrow, average at best. Imaging is and accuracy are both average, and I can also say the same about the details.
  • Tonality: The ND Planet sounds like a “relaxed” V-shape, which I like more than the regular V-shape since most of them sound too sibilant or too bassy for me. Notes feel warm and thick thick without being overwhelming.
  • Gaming: I played Overwatch 2 with the ND Planet. While the soundstage isn’t wide, the Planet works pretty well and provides clear imaging and directionality for voices, footsteps, and gunfire.
Final Thoughts
For the price, the ND Planet offers a fun kind of tuning for both casuals and audiophiles alike. Though it’s not without its flaws, the price makes it hard to complain. With a few personal touch and upgrades - a different cable and new eartips - it becomes a capable daily driver, whether you’re chilling with music or competitively gaming.

You can purchase the ND Audio Planet via these links:
PH Prices can range from 700 PHP to 1000 PHP. Standard price is 17 USD