Just replacing your ear tips can reduce listening fatigue and add a heavy texture to your earphones. The NICEHCK R04 features a narrow bore designed to smooth out piercing highs and increase sub-bass density. These tips truly shine when matched with earphones that have bright, sharp sound signatures or short nozzles that cause a loose fit.
Tube Design with a Narrow Bore to Suppress Sibilance and Add Dense Weight
The package contents are intuitive and simple. Made from eco-friendly silicone material, the ear tips come in four sizes (SS, S, M, L) with one pair per size and color. The practical material makes them easy to clean with water and reuse if they get dirty.
Looking at the shape, they feature an elongated tube structure with a vertical nozzle orientation. The key design element is the narrow sound passage bore inside the long dome shape. This physical structure acts as the primary driver for altering the sound signature.
They strongly exhibit the typical acoustic characteristics of narrow-bore ear tips. They gently suppress harsh sibilance in the upper treble region. At the same time, they add heavy weight to the low-end and thicken the vocal lines in the midrange, completely filling the overall sound density.
Hands-On Impressions: 3-Model IEM Matching Test
AKG N5005 (High-Boost Filter): The Epitome of Flaw Correction – Recommended
The N5005 has short nozzles that make a secure fit tricky, and the high-boost filter produces intense sibilance in the 7–8kHz range. The R04’s long tube shape and narrow-bore design solve both of these shortcomings at once. First, it extends the short nozzles to secure a stable seal so the fit doesn’t slip.
It also rounds off the piercing sibilance, alleviating the sharp fatigue of the high-boost filter. Achieving a proper seal also restores the dynamic driver’s bass punch that used to leak out.
However, it is slightly disappointing that the open, airy spaciousness intended by the high-boost filter feels mildly suppressed due to the narrow bore. Conversely, for those who want to enjoy the raw, sharp treble and thrilling openness of the high-boost filter unfiltered, this smoothness might come across as a bit tame and muffled.
Softears Studio4: Compromise Between Transparency and Warmth – Average
This is a monitoring device tuned with a 4-BA driver structure for extremely flat and dry sound across all frequencies. Pairing the R04 centers the sound and adds bass depth, giving substantial body to previously flat sound.
The most noticeable aspect is that the cold 4-BA sound gains cozy warmth and thickness. When listening to male vocals or acoustic instruments, it provides a densely filled sound. However, as the sound converges inward, the device’s inherent clean and transparent resolution is somewhat dulled.
Because the staging condenses, you might feel the soundstage has narrowed slightly rather than feeling expansive and open. Users must choose whether to trade analytical sound for comfortable listening. Still, rather than critical analytical listening, putting these on for casual daily playback of jazz or heavy vocal tracks transforms them into an unexpectedly charming, emotional gear.
Sony IER-M9 (M500): Sound Shift That Changes the Purpose – Not Recommended
This device delivers deep, tightly controlled bass via a 5mm dynamic driver built for live stages. When the boosting characteristics of narrow-bore tips overlap with an already well-tuned closed shell, the texture of the sound changes significantly.
The combination of the flexible tube shape and closed shell does an exceptional job of blocking external noise and metallic harshness. On the other hand, the tightly controlled bass swells up, making the overall sound heavier. The increased bass quantity slightly masks vocals and other instrument sounds, reducing precise separation.
As a result, the sound leans toward a bass-heavy signature rather than a monitoring balance, drifting somewhat away from the device’s original purpose. However, if you are willing to let go of a bit of precision, this setup serves as an entertaining “fun sound” machine that delivers powerful punch and chewy impact backed by perfect isolation.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Significantly reduces listening fatigue by taming sharp highs and sibilance
- Long tube shape ensures a secure fit and strong seal on short-nozzle earphones
- Adds bass weight to light sounds and reinforces vocal line density
- Flexible material provides comfortable isolation without ear pressure
Cons
- Sound can become congested and muddy when matched with bass-heavy or dark earphones
- Reduces sharp edges and clarity specific to female vocals
Where to Buy and Comments
Outer diameter measurements by size may differ from the tips you currently use, so please check the detailed specifications before purchasing.
It is a lot of fun to control an awkward fit and aggressive sound with just a single pair of ear tips. They serve as a reliable partner that tames the tricky personality of demanding gear like the N5005 into something comfortable.
📸 Behind the scenes
Check out more behind-the-scenes shots on my Naver blog (Korean):
NICEHCK R04 이어팁, 쏘는 소리와 얕은 착용감을 잡아내는 조합
👉 https://blog.naver.com/PostView.naver?blogId=k5kun&logNo=224387926913