Disclaimer
This IEM was sent to me by NICEHCK for an honest evaluation; I am receiving no compensation. My goal is a sincere and objective analysis, easy to understand for both beginners and experts.
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Introduction
The Tears' proposal was bold: a budget IEM with a more refined sound due to acoustic work rarely seen in entry-level gear.
Simply put, it features a "labyrinth" inside the shell to control acoustics and direct sound, plus vents positioned for pressure relief and bass optimization. Aligned with this, the use of the DSP cable with customization would make it the perfect IEM to jump both feet into audiophilia and gaming.
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Setup
* Android Phone
* NiceHck App
* Stock Tips
* He Sonic Tips
* Tidal
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Construction and Design
For its $30 (approx. R$ 190 with taxes), it delivers an interesting quality of accessories.
A good set of eartips and a DSP cable with a mic, very similar to the IgniteX kit. There are 4 sizes of good quality silicone, and although the shell shape isn't my favorite, the silicone quality helped achieve a very good fit.
The cable seems like quality, but it's a rubberized wire similar to conventional earphones.
The plastic shell has a black and red design with a more "gamer" vibe. I'm not a fan of this style, but it feels well-measured — it's a pretty IEM.
**Point of attention:** The microphone picks up wind and ambient noise, and the sound comes out quite muffled, but it serves for basics.
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Soundstage and Imaging
Where the Tears shines
The big trump card. For its price range, the soundstage is bizarrely wide. It sounds detailed, clean, and realistic.
Sensation:
The extension is large enough to create an illusion of objects actually falling around you in tracks like "Bubbles" by Yosi Horikawa.
Presentation:
It doesn't sound like a distant audience, but has a more intimate immersion, as if you were at a concert, positioned on stage next to the band.
**Caveat:** This spatiality depends a lot on "air". When the music gets too crowded at high volumes, the air turns into a mass that swallows definition.
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Sound Signature (Balanced EQ Mode)
Bass — The "Pillow Bass"
For me, the biggest Achilles' heel.
It has the famous "pillow bass", meaning a sub-bass that is tame and lacks real body. It has presence and vibrates in your head, but without physical texture.
It's a muffled, "fluffy" bass that occupies space but lacks firmness.
In tracks like "Limit to Your Love", the sub sits there, providing a base, but without authority.
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Mids — The Bipolarity
The Tears has two distinct personalities depending on vocals or tuning direction.
Female Vocals (Gal Costa, Adele):
They shine. Natural, detailed, with clear breathing texture. Piano sounds fantastic and very musical.
Male Vocals (Radiohead, Kurt Cobain):
They suffer. Nasal or slightly muffled, lacking definition and naturalness. Sometimes they feel artificially forward.
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Treble — Sand and Glass
Drum cymbals have a very fast decay: they hit, vibrate, and vanish.
The timbre tends to be metallic, like "hitting a steel plate" or glass.
Texture:
Grainy ("sand-like") and prone to sibilance.
At high volumes, the IEM becomes shouty and fatiguing.
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DSP Test (App Modes)
It has a simple app with predefined modes:
* Balanced (evaluated above)
* Pop
* Rock
Also includes:
* Gamer
* Legendary Diffusion
(Not covered to keep the review concise.)
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Rock Mode
Transforms the sound into a "wall of sound".
* Increases impact and energy
* Fixes nasal male vocals
* Improves definition
Downside:
* Kills micro-detail
* Reduces instrument separation
* Treble becomes harsh ("sand in a bottle")
Verdict:
Good for raw energy, but not worth the trade-off for me.
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Pop Mode
Feels like a club/nightclub simulation.
* Bass becomes more fun and punchy
* Vocals (e.g., The Weeknd) get smoother
* Slight reduction in sibilance
Downside:
Treble gains a strange "aluminum foil" texture.
Still, enjoyable in some tracks.
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Conclusion
The NiceHCK Tears is a $30 IEM with a soundstage of much more expensive earphones, but with a timbre that didn't fully convince me.
It shines in:
* Acoustic music
* Piano-heavy tracks
* Female vocals
But struggles with:
* Rock
* EDM
(due to pillow bass and metallic treble)
For gaming, it's an excellent option thanks to its presentation and impressive soundstage.
The DSP cannot fix the physical limitations of the driver, but it's a fun and flexible addition.
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Buy Link
[If you want to get one, buy here (currently around $21 — very interesting deal).](https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c2RMDZQ7)
