In this article, I review the Clavelon Delta IEM. The Delta features a custom high-magnetic titanium dynamic driver and cyberpunk-inspired triangular aluminium alloy shells. It’s priced at $99.

Disclaimer: This sample was provided by Linsoul for an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own, based on my experience with the product.

Clavelon Delta

Specifications

Sensitivity: 119dB @1KHz
Impedance: 18Ω ±15%
Distortion: ≤0.25% @1KHz
Frequency Response: 10Hz-28KHz

Design

The Clavelon Delta’s aluminium alloy shells are inspired by a futuristic, cyberpunk ethos. Their triangular shape and minimalist aesthetic may seem simple at first glance, but a closer look reveals an intricate, detailed design and high-quality construction.

There’s a single small pinhole vent at the bottom edge of the ‘triangle’. The nozzles have a good lip to hold eartips securely and a protective mesh to protect the internals from ear wax and dust. Internally, the Delta has high-magnetic titanium dynamic drivers.

The Delta is reasonably comfortable for my ears, though I occasionally feel the need to relieve pressure on the anti-tragus after an hour or so; it just takes a second to reseat the IEMs and I’m good to continue listening after that. The passive noise isolation is about average.

The included silver-plated OFC cable is twisted and has a smooth TPU sheath. It looks fairly low-key but feels premium, handles well and has minimum microphonics.

Sound

Gear used for testing includes the FiiO KA17, iBasso DX180 and SMSL RAW-MDA1. The Delta is nice and responsive, so it can be used with any source and even straight out of a smartphone.

The Clavelon Delta has a reasonably common U-shaped sound signature. It has good balance across the board between the bass, midrange and treble. What sets the Delta apart is its natural timbre and solid technical performance. It doesn’t push to stand out in any specific area but instead presents music with a relaxed confidence. This understated yet capable approach makes it easy to appreciate its overall sound quality.

Bass

Delta has a nice balance of mid-bass and sub-bass without leaning too far in either direction. Sure, it doesn’t have a thundering sub-bass rumble yet it never feels lacking either, as it provides ample depth and authority.

The mid-bass has a slight boost, but it remains well-controlled with no hint of boominess. Attack and decay on kick drums feels just right, balancing impact with definition and speed. The added warmth and body give the lower mids fullness, without any noticeable bleeding or muddiness.

Midrange

The midrange is fairly neutral but maintains good note weight. Vocals and instruments sound natural and uncoloured. One thing that stands out about Delta’s mids is the excellent level of clarity in the absence of shoutiness. Male vocals are articulate yet powerful and female vocals are bright but never shrill.

Treble

I think the treble tuning is Delta’s secret sauce. It’s smooth, detailed and airy. It’s polite enough to let you focus on the midrange yet it’s instrumental in providing excellent clarity and definition from top to bottom while maintaining a pleasing tonal balance. It might not be the most incisive or upfront treble but it has excellent extension and a natural timbre.

Soundstage & Technicalities

This is where the Delta truly stands out. Its timbre feels accurate, and the soundstage is well-proportioned in width, depth, and height, with a stable centre image. For a $100 IEM, the resolution is impressive, and its instrument separation and control create a convincing 3D holographic stage with precise placement.

Comparisons

Letshuoer S08 ($99)

The S08 (review here) has a single planar driver. It has a warmer, thicker sound signature. There’s more meat on the S08’s bass bones, making it more suitable for bassheads. That means there are also thicker mids with some bass bleed too, so S08 doesn’t sound as transparent in the lower mids. Add to that the S08’s tamer treble (except for that large 9kHz peak) and you get a darker overall tonality with some occasional treble bite. S08 has a fun tuning, compared to the Delta’s more serious tone.

AFUL Explorer ($119)

The Explorer (review here) has a 1DD+2BA driver configuration. Thanks to its boosted bass and relaxed upper mids, it has a warmer tonality. The Explorer has more sub-bass presence and a thicker mid-bass, but the quality of the Delta’s bass is superior in speed and definition.

An attenuated upper-midrange gives the Explorer less presence and vibrance, offset by an airier treble. In comparison, the Delta brings vocals forward and with greater clarity. Both have a good soundstage but the Delta sounds more spacious and organized.

Verdict

The Clavelon Delta is a class IEM with audio quality on par with other models in its price range. Its tight bass, excellent midrange clarity and detailed, airy treble are all complimented by excellent technical performance. If it weren’t for the comfort issues, I’d heartily recommend this IEM but I think it’s something’s an area that the Delta can improve on. Having said that, I can’t wait to see what Clavelon delivers next.