When the original Yume came out from SeeAudio, I was very excited to see an in-ear that nearly matched my "Antdroid Target Curve." Of course, I did do a little bit of modification to it since then, but it still closely aligns to it, with the major difference being a little lack of upper-treble extension. But FR alignment wasn't everything, as I found the Yume to have an overall mushy and rounded-transients presentation that made it sound a little sluggish and below average in technical performance for its price point, and ended up giving it a mostly average to above-average score.
Not too long later, SeeAudio came back with an updated model with the backing of famous reviewer Crinacle and his tuning consultation. The Yume Midnight had improved in extension, with a little bit of a warmer and thicker sound, and overall improved tonality, but still lacked the technical chops to make it stand out in its price range. It still presented top notch tonal balance, but its limited technical capabilities made it only a slight improvement over the original.
Now, a year or so later, the Yume 2 is in my hands thanks to a review sample provided by Linsoul. This 2nd generation model features a single dynamic driver, and 2 balanced armature drivers and retails for $199 at Linsoul.com (https://www.linsoul.com/products/seeaudio-yume-ii).
Unboxing Experience
The Yume box is a navy blue of sorts and a Yume female mascot graces the top of the box. Inside, you'll be greeted with a white SeeAudio jewelry box which houses the Yume 2 in-ears and the really nice and beautiful white braided cable. Inside the box, there are also a variety of tips and accessories.
The jewel box presentation is pretty clean. It is simple, yet elegant and the box is soft and padded and comfortable to carry. The inside has a little button tie-down to hold the cable down to, and is lined with a padded felt material which protects the aluminum housings on the Yume 2.
The cable is extremely lightweight, wonderfully simple and modern-looking, and does not tangle and maneuvers easily. There is a little bit of retained spring-memory, but I did not find it bothersome in my usage. The connectors terminate in 2-pin to the IEM, and 3.5mm to your music source.
The Yume 2 shells are aluminum metal with a polished mirror look. There is a inscribed yellow flower design at the center of each front faceplate. It is an attractive look that I think many will enjoy. The shells are also very small, light, and fit wonderfully. No pain or concerns for my ears.
Sound Impressions
The Yume 2 is a very well-balanced IEM with U-Shaped tonal balance -- slightly warm bass and mids, and an even and relaxed upper-midrange and treble, with extension in the upper range.
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The frequency response between the Yume series is quite similar across the board. The original Yume has the least mid-to-upper bass, with a more sub-bass focus, while also have the least treble extension. The Yume Midnight and Yume 2 have practically the same bass and mid-range, but differ slightly in the upper-mids, with the Yume 2 have a little more upper treble. Overall, the Yume 2 takes the best parts of both predecessors and increases the treble range making this the most well-rounded of the series.
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Tonality aside, I found the Yume 2 to have improved technical response than its predecessors. When I compare it to the competing Moondrop single dynamic driver IEM products, I find that the Yume 2 to have faster transients, and wider soundstage. It also sounds a little leaner and less intiamate than say the Moondrop Kato or the Aria.
The Yume 2 still has a very forward sound, and has a few flaws pop out when the volume is increased. The bass response is quick and agile, but does not have a lot slow decay that makes it sound natural either. It decays a little too fast for my liking.
Due to its forward sound staging, I feel like it lacks depth and separation can be a little dense at times, but for the most part, it works. It's an intimate listen, and that's alright for most things.
Final Remarks
The Yume 2 is a solid refresh for the series. It improves the tonality by taking the best of the series and adding more treble extension. The design is fresh and clean, and is very easy to wear and to look at when not in your ears. Its limited only by its bass performance being a little lacking and it being a little more on the intimate side of staging, but still an improvement in technical performance over previous generations.
This is a solid buy when comparing it to its price range competition and SeeAudio taking on Moondrop at their own tuning game and besting them perhaps for the same price point.
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Antdroid's IEM Ranking List and/or Antdroid's Headphone Ranking List
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