HBB’s highest tier collab IEMs deliver the sonic goods but stumble in terms of presentation and market positioning.
- A vivid yet not fatiguing tuning
- Great resolution across the band
- Precise imaging
- Punchy midbass
- Reasonably easy to drive
- The accessories are barely there
- Packaging is forgettable
- Awkward product marketing
- A bit too expensive for what they are
Jupiter is a collaboration between Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews (aka HawaiiBadBoy) and the chi-fi marketplace Linsoul. The actual manufacturing is done by one of the Linsoul in-house IEM makers, ZiiGaat who have recently started marketing IEMs under their own brand.
According to the marketing copy, the Jupiter attempts to meld together technical prowess and an enjoyable tuning so we, the listeners never have to choose between the two. It is done by using a 5-way frequency division between a dynamic bass driver, an assortment of 6 balanced armatures, and 4 modified electret drivers for the high treble.
Well, color me excited! An 11-driver package that finally has the crossover that makes sense and a custom EST driver to tickle what’s left of my high-frequency hearing? Read on and see how it turned out in real life!
One Minute Review Video
Design and Build
Let’s get the obvious out of the way, I’m okay with how the IEMs themselves are made. The shells are 3D-printed from medical acrylic and the nozzles are metal with a nice retaining lip. As for the faceplates, they’re fine. The green sparkly flakes are a bit understated when compared to what Thieaudio usually cooks up.
Now comes the tar drop in the honeypot – the presentation is quite sub-par. It’s something I’d expect to get for a pair of hundred-dollar IEMs. There are even more affordable IEMs that are better presented, like say the Simgot EA500LM.
Cable
Despite the meager accessory package, I quite like the cable. It looks like the 3.5mm-terminated version of the Linsoul Loops cable. Sporting a hybrid pure silver and copper combo, the cable at the very least looks like it’s appropriate for the level of IEMs it’s bundled with.
Ergonomics-wise I find the Jupiter cable pretty great. It has very little microphonics and the length is what I consider to be the Goldilocks happy middle – 1.2m. Should I reduce any points for the fact that it’s 3.5mm-only? Replaceable jacks expand compatibility but always increase line impedance thus reducing damping factor.
Comfort
No surprises here – an 11-driver flagship IEM will have flagship-sized earshells. The overall shape of the Jupiter earshells is well-sculpted and didn’t cause any awkward pressure even after many hours of listening. Even the cable earhooks agreed well with the shape of my anatomy.
Another point of potential discomfort is the nozzle. As is the case with most multi-way IEMs these days, it’s on the thick side therefore people with smaller ear canals might want to think twice. The supplied eartips are okay, however for the price I’d like some higher-tier options like Spinfit, not just Comply foamies and regular silicon.
Under the Hood
While certainly not the leader in driver count, HBB’s Jupiter does boast no less than 11 drivers in a 5-way crossover configuration. Due to the metal grill used to protect the nozzle, it’s hard to gauge the number of acoustic channels being used.
The sub-bass section of the Jupiter is powered by a single 10mm composite diaphragm dynamic driver. According to the frequency division graph, it’s main domain of operation is up to 50Hz where it joins up with a double Sonion 28UAP01 balanced armature array which augments the dynamic driver up to mids.
Upper-mids and lower treble are handled exclusively by unspecified balanced armature drivers and >6.5kHz is crossed over to 4 Sonion EST drivers. Allegedly these drivers have gone through some modifications making them better than factory spec.
The Jupiter driver and filter ensemble create a manageable 20 Ohm impedance with 102dB/mW efficiency and 119dB/V sensitivity. None of these numbers veer into the extremes, hence Jupiter is easy to drive from just about anything and it won’t be too susceptible to source noise.
How Do the Linsoul x HBB Jupiter Sound?
Let’s start off with some broad observations – the overall tuning of Jupiter is one of the best I’ve experienced. It’s what I’d call fairly neutral with a tasteful bass and treble boost. Unlike many of its peers, Jupiter doesn’t shy away from midbass which makes for a punchy sound signature, should the recording demand it.
In terms of technicalities Jupiter is hard to fault. There’s ample resolution across the audible band with bass and treble being standouts. Despite using a 5-way crossover, coherence is high and only falters before good single-driver IEMs.
Reaching good performance with Jupiter isn’t hard due to easy driveability. Power requirements are lax despite the complex passive filtering and lower-quality sources rarely come out as downright bad. Of course, upgrading to better-quality electronics is always rewarded with a step up in sonic spectacle.
Bass
It won’t be much of an exaggeration to call Jupiter’s bass spectacular!
Who needs some silly multi-driver bass arrays if Ziigaat can achieve bass this good with a single 10mm dynamic driver and a BA helper for upper bass? There’s oodles of finesse for more nuanced tracks and enough bang for those certified bangers.
What’s more interesting is the tuning choice to have the knee frequency of the bass shelf relatively high but without incurring any bleed into the mids. If this is indeed HBB’s handiwork, more manufacturers should listen to him.
Midrange
In comparison to the frequency extremes, there’s very little tell about the midrange on Jupiter. It’s tuned very neutral and has plenty of resolution to give me goosebumps on good vocal tracks. Nothing jumps out as thin or grating – the sound is extremely faithful to the recording.
It’s a very tuneful and introspective balanced armature midrange which can be found in other similar IEMs as well.
Treble
There’s no denying that I’m a sucker for electret treble. The Jupiter uses 4 modified Sonion drivers for upper treble where mainly overtones and room cues are and balanced armatures for treble-proper. In my opinion, high-frequency reproduction is the other highlight of the Jupiter.
Give the Jupiter a good recording and a sufficiently resolving electronics chain and they’ll impress anyone with technically capable yet never annoying treble reproduction.
Comparisons
I think the most common question regarding the Linsoul x HBB Jupiter is whether they’re the quintessential upgrade over the Thieaudio Monarch MK3. Well, you’re in luck, dear reader as I have a pair of third-edition Monarchs right here for comparison.
First, let’s get the obvious out of the way – Thieaudio presentation walks over Ziigaat’s more austere package. The Monarch MK3 have three swappable cable tips and the faceplate art is more impressive.
Sound quality is where Jupiter hit back at the Monarch MK3. Hard.
In terms of overall tuning, the Jupiter come off as more vivid and exciting sounding while the Monarch MK3 sound more organic and tame. Think ESS vs AKM sound. The Jupiter have more low end and it’s more resolving. Similar story with highs – they’re more resolving and generally display better finesse.
Where to Buy
Who Should Buy This?
In my opinion, the Jupiter is a safe buy for most folks looking for over-kilobuck IEMs. The frankly shoddy packaging shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for most enthusiasts who value sound above presentation.
Those looking to upgrade from their Monarch IEMs should keep an eye out but keep in mind that Jupiter are priced above Thieaudio’s own Prestige LTD which use a similar driver configuration.
Final Thoughts
There’s no denying that I absolutely enjoyed my time with the Linsoul x HBB Jupiter. While the ho-hum unboxing experience quickly faded away once I got to listening, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Jupiter are a product of superb engineering married with (or marred by) marketing neglect.
I wasn’t really paying attention to the community hype that HBB generated upon release but nowadays Jupiter feel like leftovers of something I’ve missed, which is a shame because they’re terrific IEMs in their own right. I think Linsoul needs to drop the price a few hundred and they’ll fly off the shelves.
IEM enthusiasts who aren’t too bothered about looks (you know who you are!) will be happy with Jupiter’s expert tuning and exquisite technical chops. Even pedestrian electronics will drive them reasonably well and let’s be honest – most will plug them into top-shelf DAPs, dongles, and amps. And will have their minds blown!
What’s in the Box?
- Jupiter IEMs
- 1.2m cable
- S-M-L silicone tips
- S-M-L foamy tips
- A pleather carrying case
Technical Specifications
- Form: IEM
- Driver: 1x 10mm composite dynamic driver, 6x balanced armature drivers, 4x custom EST drivers
- Crossover: 5-way passive
- Shell Material: Medical-grade acrylic
- Impedance (Ohm): 20 Ohm
- Sensitivity (dB/mW): 102dB/mW
- Frequency Response (Hz): 20 Hz – 80 KHz
- Removable Cable: Y
- Cable Type: 1.2m, pure silver and OCC hybrid in paracord braid
- Shell Jack: 2-pin, 0.78mm
- Source Jack: 3.5mm, Single-ended
- Weight (g): 5g