Pros: Build Quality, Switch has noticeable alterations to sound, Coherent and Enjoyable tuning, Comprehensive accessories, and good cable quality

Cons: Driver Flex, Treble Technicalities, Bass extension

Driver Setup: 1 DD + 2 BA

Price: $149 (USD)

Intro

Disclaimer: This review set is a demo set graciously lent to me by Daniel at Oardio and the review is written of my own accord and all thoughts are my own. The DH3 is available for purchase from Oardio through their website should you find yourself interested in a pair.

Today we’ll be looking at the BGVP DH3, a hybrid IEM with a 2BA and 1 DD configuration. The speciality of this IEM lies in its dip switches. There are 2 on each IEM, allowing for a total of 4 possible sound signatures. The DH3 joins the ranks of many recent hybrids within the $100-200 USD price point and we shall take a look at how they fare.

Accessories and Build Quality (Score: 8.5/10)

BGVP has found stability in its packaging and accessories and never fails to impress. Gone are the days of the DM6 which only shipped with the earpieces, a cable and minimal tips. There are altogether 3 sets of Tips, all in small, medium and large sizes. These are namely the black stock ones, bass tips and vocal tips.

The included cable is an 8-core cable that is really thick, sturdy and well-braided. The cables that come with BGVP IEMs are still one of the best I’ve seen in their respective price points. Everything is so well done, and I have absolutely no complaints.

Fit (Score: 8/10)

The fit of the DH3 is pretty good, as expected of BGVP. The shells are well-rounded with curves in the right places for these to sit snugly in the ear. They are although slightly larger than average. I especially liked the Vocal Tips that came with the DH3. They are basically SpinFits and they pair perfectly with the IEMs.

Sound (Score: 8.3/10)

Various Frequency Response of the DH3 with different switch combinations

Sources Used

• Hiby R5
• Lotoo Paw S1

Albums and Tracks tested with

• Scary Pockets
• Ragtime Broadway Recording
• Jersey Boys Broadway Recording
• Carmen Fantasy by Itzhak Perlman
• Sheppard – Animals
• Grease Soundtrack
• Sam Feldt – Magnets
• Smith & Thell

Bass (Score: 8/10)

Fun, lively and enjoyable. There is enough emphasis on the bass to keep bass lovers entertained, but overall the tuning is still rather balanced. This, however, can be tweaked with the switches. One of the switches seems to be the “bass switch” and boosts the bass region by about 3db. The switches provide quite a bit of versatility to tweak the DH3 to suit your tastes. Listening to tracks from Grease soundtrack such as “You’re The One That I Want“, the basslines were lively and well-layered. Areas for improvement would be the sub-bass rumble and overall definition in the bass region.

Mids (Score: 8.5/10)

I really love the mids on the DH3. It has a good combination of warmth carried over from the bass, combined with the upper mids energy, breathing life into both male and female vocals. The entire midrange is smooth-sounding and natural, making it the region I enjoyed most in the DH3. Vocals came across sweetly and never once threatened to turn shouty or piercing. Male vocals on Scary Pockets’ cover of “If I Ain’t Got You” had a very nice soothing body. Great stuff.

Treble (Score: 7.5/10)

Treble is safe and inoffensive. However, the timbre of the treble is arguably the worst performing out of the three regions. However, this is more of a “room for improvement” rather than a direct criticism of the DH3. The safe tuning here may in fact suit people who are sibilant sensitive. This can be further tweaked using the switches, depending on your preferences. Listening to EDM tracks by Sam Feldt, the treble can sound a little lifeless and lacking in sparkle and energy. The lack of sparkle seems to give it limited height and limits the perceived soundstage.

Overall

The DH3 scores big in its overall presentation. It has an extremely pleasant and coherent tuning that suits a wide range of music. It is never aggressive in any region and is a delight to listen to. My biggest criticism would be this comes at the expense of technicalities. This is not to say the DH3 is sluggish. Instead, it delivers what is expected of it at its price point. Imaging is pretty good and enjoyable, while soundstage sounds average, with sufficient space, held back by the lack of air in the treble.

Comparison

VS Thieaudio Legacy 3 (Review here)

The two IEMs are rather similar, with both having the same driver configuration and being able to tweak their signatures with the switches. They both have their different strengths and I would attempt to discuss some of them. The Legacy 3 has the better fit of the two, with its smaller and more comfortable size. This may vary depending on your ear shape and size. The DH3 has a better switch mechanism, offering more noticeable (and useful) changes to the sound signature.

In terms of the sound, the Legacy 3 has a more versatile sound signature, with better definition in the bass region and better timbre in the treble regions. However, I find the mids (especially lower mids) on the DH3 more engaging and better presented. In terms of technicalities, they are both about on par, nothing too amazing, but very much more than enough at their price point. Otherwise, they are both great, and I would tip the balance in favour of the Legacy 3 as it seems like the more polished product and at a lower price point.

Conclusion

BGVP certainly have got a rhythm in place and have significantly improved in their IEM development. Although many people are hesitant to give them a chance after the DM6 saga, I would say the DH3 has changed my perspective. Certainly, BGVP must work on their PR and keep up their quality products to continue rebuilding consumer trust. The DH3 is great but overall seems a bit of an experimental project went right. Hopefully, this points BGVP in the right direction to more great IEMs we can look forward to.

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