The Canon 2 is technically proficient with a hard-to-fault, but not entirely neutral, tuning.
To be honest with you, I’ve really slept on Yanyin as a company. I accepted the review unit because I like hybrid and tribrid IEMs. So, let’s see how a no-name company does, I thought.
It turns out that the Yanyin Canon 2 is a sequel to the original Canon, which looks like it was a sleeper hit in the IEM world, judging by the reviews. Ok, color me interested! It’s still not Moondrop or some other headliner, but everyone loves an underdog story!
- An easy-to-love tuning
- Very high resolution
- Spacious soundstage
- Cable keeps out of the way
- Classy carrying case
- Good fit
- Looks are a matter of taste
- No extra balanced connectors
- High sensitivity will reveal noisy outputs
After receiving the Canon 2, I was a bit miffed by the relatively pedestrian unboxing experience; however, that all changed once I plugged the IEMs in. Read on why and how that happened!
Technical Specifications
- Form: Vented shell universal hybrid IEM
- Drivers: 2 dynamic + 4 balanced armature
- Crossover: Passive electronic 3-way
- Sensitivity: 112dB/V
- Frequency Response: 5 – 25000Hz
- Impedance: 27 – 40Ohm
- Cable Entry: 2-pin, 0.78mm
Packaging
My first impression was indeed tainted by the idea that I was getting some no-name IEMs, so I wasn’t impressed by the unboxing experience at first. Now that I’ve taken a second look at the packaging, I realize it was all my bias.
The overall packaging scheme is the regular sleeved box affair that I often bemoan because getting the box out of the sleeve the first time is a pain in the hind parts. Once the sleeve is broken in, it’s a lot easier. The overall theme here is black, non-glossy cardboard.
The inner box houses a foam cutout in which the ear tip box and a brown leatherette carrying case sit. I will say that the carrying case feels and looks very elegant. It’s also large enough to house the IEMs without doing a lot of cable origami.
In the box
- Yanyin Canon 2 IEMs
- 1.2m silver-plated copper cable
- Carrying case
- Silicone ear tips (S/M/L/XL)
- DIP switch tool
- QC certificate
- Manual
Design
The Canon 2 faceplates are real eye-catchers with their neon color flake accents.
A bit too flashy for my tastes, but I wouldn’t call them garish. They fit right in a gamer or more cyberpunk aesthetic.
As for the acrylic shells, they’re well-sculpted and fit my ears perfectly. Honestly, I can’t remember getting Chinese-made IEMs with awkward-fitting shells. The nozzles are a bit on the large side; however, I never found them to cause discomfort.
The cable uses a paracord-type braid right until the splitter, where it switches to twist-type. I find the microphonics very low, and the length is perfect to go from the pants pocket to the ears.
The splitter and 3.5mm TRS jack machining are excellent.
Internals
The Yanyin Canon 2 are a hybrid 3-way design with a dynamic driver handling the lows and balanced armature modules taking care of the mids and highs. Personally, I’m a fan of dynamic driver bass in IEMs.
Acoustically, biocellulose materials resemble paper, which tends to have great acoustic qualities due to the absence of pronounced break-up peaks.
The ear shell is ported, which aids with bass sensitivity; the trade-off is a reduction in noise isolation. To further allow for bass tuning to the listeners’ taste, Yanyin has opted to use two DIP switches to change low-end attenuation.
Canon 2 Sound
I can’t rightly tell what tuning Yanyin was going for with the Canon 2, but they’ve pretty much nailed it! The sound signature is super-easy to love, and I never find the need to employ corrective EQ. With the two DIP switches, just about everyone should be able to find the low-end quantity to match their tastes.
At the OFF-OFF position, I found the general tuning to be a bit mid-centric and thin. On the other hand, full-monty ON-ON was a tad too much. Hence, I stuck to the stock OFF-ON for most of my listening. Not only did I find it more fun, but it also seemed more faithful to the recording that way.
Technicalities
Generally, I’m pretty skeptical about the technical properties of colored audio devices. Tonal colorations always bring about an effect called “tonal masking.” Peaks in the frequency response cause adjacent regions to become inaudible, and dips reverse that – making the center region hard to hear.
With the Yanyin Canon 2, I can confidently say that there is absolutely no shortage of resolution in any region of the frequency response. Although I’ve heard better treble with well-implemented electret IEM drivers, you’d pay a lot more for that.
These IEMs can also throw a pretty impressive sonic image should the recording call for it. There’s a good chance that good-quality full-size headphones will surpass them, but I’ve seen closed-backs do worse than this.
Bass
This is where the biocellulose bass driver shows its strength. The bass is bottomless down low, as expected from an IEM, and all of the lower registers are nicely delineated and clean. It’s apparent that the bass driver plays very cleanly and doesn’t overexert itself.
As expected from a dynamic driver, bass is impactful, and music comes through with the proper dynamics. In the middle DIP switch setting, the lower bass has a tasteful elevation that tapers off nicely and doesn’t bleed into the lower mids.
I am pleasantly surprised that the bass tuning is fun and insightful at the same time.
Mids
If the mids aren’t done right, then forget about the rest, is what I say. And on the Canon 2 mids are absolutely marvelous. There’s impressive resolution and a tuning that’s not always present in other IEMs I’ve tried lately.
Strings, voices, synths, woodwinds… You name it! On the Canon 2, they all have the magic that draws me to play just one more song, even if it’s already 3 a.m. With these IEMs, mids are clearly the star of the show!
It’s the superb mids that make the Canon 2 really sound high-end.
Highs
While not immediately apparent, the highs are not completely neutral on the Canon 2. It’s not that they’re hyped; it’s most likely that some resonances are to blame because the peaks are very isolated.
Subjectively the treble has the right amount of sparkle and resolution. It also contributes to the very good soundstaging found on the Canon 2. The resonant frequencies occasionally get agitated, and I can hear that some overtones get too loud.
I can confidently say that the coloration of the high frequencies doesn’t cause ear fatigue or stand in the way of music enjoyment.
Where to Buy
Conclusion
Long story short – I am very impressed with the Yanyin Canon 2! These IEMs combine very high technical prowess with a fun tuning, but not in a way that causes listening fatigue.
If you’re looking for an option in the crowded USD $300-500 range, the Canon 2 seems like a no-brainer for most listeners. The only exception may be those looking for the most neutral sound signature. Even then, the bass adjustment switches can tone down the fun for those wanting a more vanilla experience.
What makes the deal sweeter are the nice carrying case and the 1.2m cable that gets out of the way more than the longer 1.5m options found elsewhere. While some might miss the balanced connectors bundled with other IEMs, the Canon 2 is more than sensitive enough for any headphone output.
Hi! Yanyin Cannon 2 or Kiwi Ears Quintet?
Depends on your bass preference. Both IEMs are very competent and it’s up to you whether you like BA or DD bass more.