SeeAudio x Z Review Rinko: Not the Typical SeeAudio Signature

August 28, 2023

Pros

Solid yet lightweight build, great fit
Great accessories (Render tips, decent cable and case, cardboard stand)
Fun bass with decent quality
Very engaging and forward female vocals
Treble is bright and sparkly
Decent treble extension and air
Accurate imaging

Cons

Bass bleed
Recessed, scooped midrange
Treble can be slightly sibilant and harsh sometimes
Female vocals can be shouty and veil sometimes
Thin note weight and density at lower midrange
Male vocals sound distant and dry
Narrow soundstage

Disclaimer
Huge thanks to HiFiGo for providing the opportunity for me to review the Seeaudio Rinko. I really do appreciate it. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own, and are not influenced in any way.

Price(MSRP)

$99.99

Source(s)

Jcally JM6 Pro
Truthear Shio

Ear tips

Dunu S&S

Packaging

Comes with a decent amount of accessories

IEM.

Attached to 1 pair of Render silicone memory foam ear tips (M sized)

Hard case.

Clamshell type opening mechanism
Also comes with a button-up strap in the case itself, to button up to cables

The cable must be thin enough to be buttoned up though.

1 Rinko Badge
Premium selection of ear tips.

2 pairs of Render silicone memory foam ear tips (S, L)

Silver-plated 6N OFC cable

Quality is decent, soft but tangles a little bit sometimes.

Build Quality

Plasticky, lightweight shell with matte finish but doesn't feel cheap at all.

Fit

Nozzle width and length is quite average.
Fit is really good for me. Managed to fit in pretty deep while feeling very comfortable wearing it.

Tonality

V shaped.

Bass

Quite balanced between the sub bass and mid bass, both are pretty monstrous in quantity.
Impactful, punchy, and comes with decent definition and texture.
Speed is decent enough to keep up with most busy tracks, and decay is a little bit on the slower side.
However, sub bass extension is quite average, a little less deep and rumbly compared to something like an OH10 but still overall very sufficient.
Quantity of bass is huge, may even be sufficient for some bass heads!
However, despite its huge quantity, it isn't completely bleeding into the midrange, but there is still some bleed.

Midrange

Midrange is quite recessed, making it quite scooped after the initial bleed.
Male vocals are lacking in body, sounding a bit too distant and thin.
Female vocals on the other hand, is very forward and energetic, but is slightly veiled and shouty to my liking.
Instruments and timbre is on the cold and thin side. Not the most natural midrange presentation but is decently acceptable for a V shaped signature.
Overall note weight and density on the lower midrange are thin but gets fuller and thicker as it gets higher.

Treble

Treble is bright and sparkly.
Initially, I expected the lower treble to be sibilant which extends from the aggressive upper midrange, but the sibilance is much lower than expected. There will still be sibilance but not super offensive.
Not the smoothest treble as it comes with some mild peaks throughout the treble.
Treble extension is also decent which adds a little airiness to it.
Details are alright in the treble, doesn't reveal micro details too much but acceptable.

Technicalities

Resolution

Resolution and detail retrieval are decent. Nothing outstanding but doesn't fall too short either.

Soundstage

Soundstage is okay in terms of depth and height but it is rather narrow and intimate in terms of width.

Imaging

Imaging and accuracy is surprisingly spot on, I am able to tell where the instruments and vocals very well.
One of the rare case which it has a 3D holographic presentation to me in this price range, which allows me to pinpoint sound with ease.
Gaming:

Apex Legends: Gunshots and footsteps can actually be heard very clearly in terms of direction and distance.

Separation

Separation and layering is only average.
Instruments and vocals are does not have a very clean separation among each other but they don't sound too congested either.

Conclusion

Based on my impression of Seeaudio IEMs in general, their tuning is usually midrange focused. Therefore, I'm really surprised to see such a V-shaped, bassy take from them.
Surprisingly, I enjoyed the Rinko quite a bit during my listening sessions, even though I did not have a high expectation from the Rinko.
As a conclusion, I think the Seeaudio Rinko is just another V-shaped IEM, but with actually pretty impressive bass and really energetic upper midrange without too much sibilance, but again, other aspects such as timbre and midrange is completely screwed.
However, if you're looking for a more midrange focused and neutral signature, with the most natural timbre for the price, I suggest looking for something else.

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