[Earphones] CTM Vintage Series VS2 : Rhythm and Classical!!

Spec

Driver: 2 Balanced Amature

Frequency Response: 20Hz-15.5kHz

Sensitivity: 110dB-SPL @1mW

Impedance: 20Ω @1kHz

Noise Isolation: -26dB

Package

VS-2 with cable

Silicon Earcaps S/M/L

Double-flange silicon earcap

Comply Memory-Foam ear tip

TRS converter(stereo)

Carrying Case

Cleaning Tool

VS-2 has only 3 colors combination of black, silver, and red that exactly reminds 1950s classic cars. Its exterior design is not only looking good and also expertly made for actual use. Especially, through enough groove space on the small housing-shells contacting earflaps, VS2 can easily block the external sound and be tightly placed into the ear-canals. With these advantages, it gives comfort fit with less-pain, even when the user moves roughly.

VS2 has ciem 2pin connectors so that is able to be replaced with third-party custom cables. However, a few of cables which have oversized 2pin male connectors are not compatible because the plastic 2pin female socket is designed to insert into the inwards. Bundle cable is made with flexible materials and its 3.5mm stereo plug has thin size, so can listen to any devices comfortably. And its Y-split has a simple design to adjust fitting smoothly.

VS-2’s harmonics of low-treble and extreme-highs are slightly dried and omitted, and upper treble is emphasized so that sounds like a mountain rising to the center of the fundamental frequency. As these reasons, it has an unusual harmonic structure with a clear sense of tempo in strings or percussions. With music sources which have a narrow or unstable headroom, VS2’s imaging of treble gets unclear and easily reaches peak level, especially in woman vocals’ vowels, so that users can monitor the condition of music sources more in detail.

Overall the soundstage of VS2 performs small range but is opened so that does not feel any restraint. Instruments and vocals belonging to treble and midrange are located at the center of the soundstage, and the others present around the location. Because the intentionally the treble is emphasized, stringed instruments showed the issue of having a majority in the soundstage. But still has enough performance to tell the flow of the whole sound signature.

As the middle-midrange to lower-midrange, the harmonics are expressed in more dried condition, so that the midrange is rolled off faster than the treble and shows more detailed response characteristics. Even though the sound signature is emphasized in the highs, the details of the vocals' scratching voices and the sounding instruments in the midrange are not masked and presents clearly.

VS-2’s bass rolls off quickly at the center of the emphasized harmonic and its deep-bass is little bit boosted. So, it has enough fast response characteristic for listening to bass hitting in indoors and outdoors.

'VS2' has high sensitivity and low impedance, so it can easily drive the volume and dynamic range, even if using with smartphones. However, devices with excessively strong output or week signal to noise ratio can easily be exposed to output noises. Recommend matching with a stable device that can secure headroom, especially in the treble.

When matching with third-party cables, the sound change usually takes place at the upper-high frequency. Using with cables giving the attenuation of treble harmonics or emphasizing low-bass make the treble tone more natural and smooth. Unfortunately, in balanced input environments of 2.5mm or 4.4mm, unstable phase structure occurred and midrange and bass are separated in an awkward way.

Pros

Strong durability

Extremely comfort fit

Focused on mid and treble’s harmonic

Suitable for monitoring strings and percussions’ tempo

Cons

Unclear upper-treble imaging

Excessively sensitive with device stability

Disclaimer

Hello, I am a Head-fi product reviewer named 'Bigheadfiler' in South Korea. This review may not be perfect because it is English translation by me. I appreciate your understanding. Thank you.

The 'VS-2' was offered by ‘Clear Tune Monitor’. The content of the review has been written without any restriction because the authors' freedom is respected.

Photo/review by Bigheafiler