DUNU Studio SA6 Unboxing & Quick Review:- Bold & Beautiful!!

DUNU Top-Sound, commonly known as DUNU is a HiFi audio brand based in China. They specialize in high-resolution earphones and cables. DUNU has released many highly acclaimed IEMs in the community with different driver configurations such as multi-driver hybrids, Single DD, and more. Later last year they released their plans for Multi-BA IEMs with two different earphone models, the Studio SA3 and the Studio SA6. The Studio SA3 was an entry-level offering with, as the name suggests, a triple BA set up on each side. It was released in June 2020 and grabbed good attention for its beautiful looks and smooth quality. But today we are not here for the SA3, we are here for the SA6, a high-tier superior performer with six BA drivers on each side. I grabbed a unit for myself last month, today I am gonna share my unboxing and initial impressions for the DUNU’s high-tier multi-BA IEM. So, let’s begin.

DUNU SA6:-

The DUNU SA6 is a multi-BA pair of high-resolution in-ear monitors with six Balanced Armature units equipped inside hand-crafted earpieces. The earpieces are said to be completely hand-made and each earpiece feature unique solid stabilized wooden faceplates. It has a price tag of 549.99$, you can check out more details on our store here.

Packaging & Accessories:-

Unlike the bigger packaging of hybrid driver “DK” series IEMs from DUNU, the Studio SA6 comes in compact colorful packaging. It comes with a high-purity silver-plated cable with DUNU’s traditional quick switch modular plug design. The package includes 3.5mm SE, 2.5mm Bal, and 4.4mm Bal termination plugs. It’s just good to see DUNU including high-quality modular cables with the IEMs. The unboxing experience is compact and full of accessories. You can also check out my unboxing video on my Youtube channel below.

Package Contents:-

>One pair DUNU SA6 IEMs.

>One modular high-purity silver-plated cable.

>3.5mm termination plug.

>2.5mm termination plug.

>4.4mm termination plug.

>3.5mm-6.35mm adapter.

>Cleaning brush.

>Four pairs of white silicone tips.

>Three pairs of Grey silicone tips.

>Four pairs of blue silicone tips.

>One zipper carry case.

Design & Build Quality:-

The earpieces in DUNU SA6 are well-built and give a premium, rich look. They are made up of soft to touch acrylic resin material with a solid stabilized wooden faceplate. It’s really good to see the unique texture on the faceplate providing a unique look to each and every single unit of the pair. The inner cavity of the earpieces is transparent. One can easily see the neat and precise placement of driver units inside the cavity. The earpieces features slightly recessed 2-pin connectors on the top that allows for a secure connection between the cable and the earpieces.

On the back, we have a switch that is said to provide a different sound experience when turned on which we will discuss later in the Sound section. I also appreciate DUNU’s quick switch modular cables, they allow support for any different sources straight out of the box, you want balance you got it, you want SE, you got it too. The cable isn’t as heavy as it might look from the images. In terms of design and build quality, I find the DUNU Studio SA6 a top-notch pair. Other accessories such as the carry case, ear tips are also of pretty good quality.

Ear-Tip Rolling & Fit:-

The earpieces have a universal fit design providing a comfortable fit to my medium-sized ears. The earpieces sit firmly into my ears, a super-comfy experience with good environmental noise isolation. I tried all the tips included in the package and found the Medium-sized grey tips to be the perfect fit for my ears. I also tried the SA6 with Spin Fit CP100 and Final Audio Type-E tips. The CP100 fit was not perfect for me but the Final Audio Type-E provided a very comfortable fit with enhanced lower-end slams.

Driving The DUNU Studio SA6:-

The DUNU Studio SA6 can be powered very easily. I ran it off my smartphone without any trouble. I also drove the pair with HiBy R3 Pro Saber, xDuoo XD-05 Bal, iBasso DX160, and xDuoo MT-602. It drove well off these sources at lower volume levels.

With Huawei Mate 40 Porsche RS:-

I used a generic Type-C to 3.5mm connector with this combo. The pair drove well off at about 60% volume only. It sounds pretty solid with good extensions and staging. Instrument detailing is also good. One can easily enjoy high-resolution music on the go with the SA6.

With Hi-res Player(HiBy R3 Pro Saber & iBasso DX160):-

I just never had to go above 40/100 volume on high-res players such as the R3 Pro Saber and DX160(I don’t listen very loud). The pair shows improved staging width and depth. It also sounds cleaner as compared to the smartphone combo.

With XD05-Bal:-

The XD-05 Balanced is a very powerful device. The SA6 is loud even at 10% volume knob on the XD05 Bal. It doesn’t scale much here though, sound quality is similar to that with the Hi-res players.

With MT-602:-

In this combo, again I didn’t have to push the volume too much. The pair sounded thick and lush in this combo with a clean background. Extensions are similar to that of the Hi-res player pairing.

In my opinion, the DUNU Studio SA6 is a very easy-to-drive pair. You can enjoy it with your smartphones easily but using a hi-res player is recommended for better audio decoding resulting in cleaner output.

Sound Quality:-

The DUNU Studio SA6 is a fairly neutral-sounding pair of in-ear monitors with a slight U-Shaped sound signature. Upon putting them into your ears you will be greeted with brilliant transparency and detailing of musical instruments. The lower end is thick, adding weight to the instruments, the sub-bass is a bit shy though. Mid-frequencies sound airy and well-detailed. The treble-frequencies are smooth, transparent, and show no signs of sibilance. The output with the Studio SA6 is very smooth, nothing gets harsh or sibilant even at loud volume levels. Instrument detailing and placement is also superbly good with the pair.

Change With Tuning Switch:-

Both the earpieces in DUNU Studio SA6 feature a tuning switch on the back. It is said to add “atmospheric immersion” when turned on. In my experience with the pair, I felt the output gets a bit warmer and slightly thicker in the lower end, other than that I don’t find any more changes with this switch.

Lower End Response:-

The DUNU Studio SA6 has a typical BA bass response. The bass slams are impactful, thick, and adds weight to the output. It actually feels rich with its powerful bass response. The lower end is tightly controlled within its region providing excellent clean output. Though sub-bass is slightly shy with the pair, deep extended slams make up for it. The pair provides a good listen for EDM, Hip-hop music.

Mid-Frequency Response:-

With tightly controlled bass, the mid-frequencies are clean, transparent, and show no signs of muddiness. It shows the accurate tonality of instruments and vocals. It actually makes listening to live recordings, acoustic music a pure bliss to listen to with its natural tonality and precise instrument placement. The pair produces natural-sounding vocals with a touch of warm musicality. I love listening to Damien Rice, Nirvana, Taylor Swift, RHCP, and other similar artists with the Studio SA6.

Treble-Response:-

The Studio SA6 produces a lively, well-detailed treble response. It is transparent and shows good extensions with instruments such as Piano’s, Violins, Electric Guitars, and more. It works flawlessly and complements complex tracks with good instrument clarity. The treble frequencies are very smooth, they provide an excellent relaxing listening experience.

Soundstage & Imaging:-

One thing where I just can’t praise the SA6 enough is its imaging. The instrument detailing and placement is so precise and well-presented that the pair shows excellent imaging. In terms of soundstage, the Studio SA6 has an adequately wide sound stage with forwarded presentation. It doesn’t feel lacking for any of the genres that I tested the pair with(Binaural, Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, Vocal, Live, and more).

Final Verdict:-

I loved the DUNU’s take on multi-BA driver IEMs. The Studio SA6 is a brilliant-sounding pair of IEMs with high-resolution clarity and natural tonality. It's imaging and timbre are unmatchable for its price range, an excellent performer if you ask me. If you are looking to buy an IEM around the 500-600$ price range, I would recommend the Studio SA6 eyes closed!!!