Pros:
Lots of customization accessories like 3 pairs of tuning nozzles, 3 pairs of different tips.
Extremely good build quality.
Perfect for big ears
Great Kickstarter price
Flagship driver technology
Accessories make it an allrounder
Light driver- very fast response (planar like)
Cons:
I prefer a hard case to a pouch
Thin flimsy cable
Hidizs MK12 Turris review
I am an audiophile from sunny South Africa. I was very exited when Hidizs afforded me the chance to review their up-and-coming MK12 Turris. I have reviewed Hidizs products before and their MS1 Galaxy is still in my gym bag and I use it weekly. I received the unit in turn for my honest opinion. The package arrived in less than two weeks and the service from Hidizs is always top notch.
Unboxing:
The MK12 Turris comes in a sturdy cardboard medium sized box and at the price you get a lot of accessories. The olive-green box features a photo of the head shell in front and specs on the back. When you lift the lid of you are greeted by the two beautiful head shells in a foam layer. The inside is also divided into three layers of foam inserts. In the second layer you find your three pairs of ear tips with each pair marked clearly with Bass, Balanced and Vocal. When you get to the bottom layer you find the leather carrying pouch and your cable. All in all, I am very happy with packaging at the price.
Look and Build:
Aesthetics and build quality are very important to me when looking for an IEM. Hidizs uses a lot of sea life for their designs like the wale tail on the MP145 and the MK12 Turris was inspired by a jellyfish. To me the scale effect is awesome and reminds me more of armor scales than a jelly fish. My unit came in black and out of all the colors I like the black the most. The shells are metal alloy and I have a very big bias to metal vs resin. So, for build quality the MK12 Turris scores top points with me. I have big ears and the big shells fit my ears perfectly. The shells are also a unique shape and I praise Hidizs for their individuality. The cable is not my preference as I like a big and bulky cable because I am a big guy. Not many companies release their IEM with big cables so this is just a nitpick and personal preference from me. I would have liked a modular cable. The tips are silicon and I love the fact that there is a choice for different preferences. I would love a sturdy carrying case more than the leatherlike carrying pouch. Even at the regular recommended retail price of $199 I think this a bargain.
Specs:
Driver: 12mm dynamic driver with a 91% pure magnesium diaphragm.
Frequency Response: 10Hz – 45kHz.
Impedance: 32Ω.
Sensitivity: 111dB.
Tuning: Three types of pneumatic sound tuning filters: High-Frequency, Balanced, and Low-Frequency.
Cable: 2 strands of high-purity oxygen-free copper, 1.2m length.
Connectors: 2-pin 0.78mm gold-plated (earphone side), 3.5mm SE or 4.4mm BAL (cable side).
Materials: CNC-machined aluminum alloy (capsule), magnesium alloy (diaphragm).
Weight: Approximately 19g without cable.
Connectivity:
The MK12 Turris comes in with option of 3.5mm or 4.4mm balanced termination. My unit came in 4.4mm balanced which afforded me the chance to connect it to all my Dac/amps like the EPZ TP35 and Fosi Audio DS1. I listened to the MK12 Turris the most with my Astel AK240 with a 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter. It is really up to your personal preference which termination you select. So, if you are someone who listens with your phone then you will obviously choose the 3.5mm termination. I also hooked it up to my laptop via EPZ TP50 Dac/amp but listening from Dap was my most used preference
Sound:
I evaluated the sound based on the different nozzles and their corresponding ear tips.
- Bass- Red Nozzle-Bass tips
- Mids- Golden Nozzle- Vocal tips
- Treble- Silver nozzle- Treble tips
On all the three configurations I tried it never once seemed that the bass was boosted or cut but rather that the mids and treble were cut or boosted
- The bass surprised me and not in the way you think. Before I started the portable audio hobby, I had a few stereo setups and what I learned was that 12-inch sub goes deeper than a 10-inch sub but a 10-inch sub is faster and punchier. What we need to take into account with the driver of the MK12 Turris is that it is very light and that gives the bass such a smooth punchy sound. With the bass configuration the treble and mids are toned down a bit. On songs I listen to for fast punchy bass like Elysium- Clap Codex the MK12 Turris blew me away. Slower bass like Get Low- Lil Jon & The East Side Boys that 12mm driver rumbled really nicely. I also found that by giving the MK12 Turris some decent power with a balanced connection that there is more control over the driver as I tested a 3.5mm connection with another cable I had. Not once did it sound like the fake bass some drivers produce when they over extent because there is not enough power to control them.
- With the focus on balanced I experimented with some Jazz and listened to one of my favorite albums Somethin’ Else- Cannonball Adderley and oh when Autumn Leaves started it produced such a beautiful balanced sound with nothing out of place. This is by far the sound I enjoyed the most from all the nozzle and tips combinations I tried. The trumpet almost gave me goosebumps. Vocals are not very forward on this one so if you are a vocal lover then try the next combination on the list. I found that on many Dire Straights songs I tried like six blade nice the guitar sounded so nice but Mark Knopfler’s voice was a little less prominent. On Comme un-Tango- Vincent Belanger all the instruments blended so well into their own space with a huge holographic image but also with each other. This configuration is perfect for met for classical stuff to. My suggestion, use this combination for all your non vocal audiophile music and classical.
- Obviously with the vocal combination we are not going to be listening to SQ Competition bass and drum. I like female vocals that are little bit deeper than the Sopranos vocals. Sara K Is one of my go-to for female vocalists as the music accompanying her voice is always recorded in good quality. On I Can’t Stand the Rain her voice floated in its very big open own space. I also found the MK12 Turris extremely soothing with blues music with male vocals. Meanest Blues in Town- Bjorn Berge really did sound the meanest blues in town with Bjorn’s voice thundering over the guitar. On the song You Cause as Much Sorrow- Sinead O’Connor her voice is very soft and it really takes an IEM tuned for vocals to really make her voice come forward and shine. I don’t know why the producer hid her voice away so much. The MK12 Turris lifted Sinead out of her seat and it now sounded as if she was singing closer to the mic. I also wanted to see how high up in the vocals I could take the MK12 Turris so, I laid the test of Freddy Mercury- Barcelona to the MK12 Turris and it was the best I have heard this beautiful song. Hearing one of the best ever voices on this configuration is mesmerizing. `
The soundstage on all the combinations I tried is very wide and very deep. It does not sound boxed in and very expansive as in beyond your ears wide. I also tried the MK12 Turris with a MP145 4.4mm Balanced replacement cable and not did it only look better which is a plus because I don’t like the stock cable. Is it a dealbreaker? Hell no, just my personal preference and as can be seen in my reviews, I dislike most stock cables. I also did not have to use the MP145 cable with the chin slider.
Because I like to play around with cables and ear tips and I am always looking to upgrade the sound, I hooked up the MK12 Turris to my EPC TP35 Dac/amp and the $499 Limited edition Effect Audio Code24c cable. For tips I chose the Hidizs Sea Anemone tips. This combination is how I will listen to the Mk12 Turris from now on. I have been looking for a while for an IEM that would suit the Code 24c cable as anyone who owns or have used it will tell you it is a beast of a bulky cable and it needs a big IEM to keep from falling out of your ears. Also, the Golden Balanced Nozzle is the sweet spot for me. With this combination the EPZ TP35 turns the background completely black and the Code 24c just blow that good sound right up a notch. The sound is up there with my Oriveti ob700vb. There is a planar like sound to string instruments that has me hooked. The magnesium material the driver uses are normally used in flagship drivers and a very big up to Hidizs for using tech like that at a bargain price.
Conclusion:
At the price Hidizs really outdid themselves on the MK12 Turris. If you are looking for a good allrounder which the tuning nozzles and tips make possible the MK12 Turris is for you. Even at the regular $199-00 price I still think it is a great buy. I have the Hidizs MS1 Galaxy in my gym bag and I use it every week. It seems that Hidizs has produced another product I will be using in my personal life away from reviewing. The MK12 Turris ticked all the boxes for me and will be living with me for a long time. I hope Hidizs brings out those Sea Anemone tips out in all black.
Kickstarter link
Audio Geeek 
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