PULA Audio is a name I’ve seen around in the community for quite some time, and I’ve had the chance to try out some of their products. Until now, their entry-level product, the Unicrom, priced at a very competitive $79.99, is my first review for the brand. The name is quite interesting, as “Uni” represents the brand’s single-driver philosophy, while “Crom” is inspired by the silent god in the Conan the Barbarian franchise, representing inner power. In essence, the IEM is designed around a single dynamic driver, with a 10 mm beryllium-coated dynamic driver, a wood faceplate, and a detachable cable included in the $79.99 asking price, clearly aiming to compete in the crowded sub-$100 IEM market.
Pula Unicrom Review
Personally, I love warm sounds, whether it’s a speaker system, headphones, or IEMs. But that doesn’t mean I love the earth-shattering bass like the bass heads. I like it warm bass with balanced midrange & airy, extended treble. And what I’m finding is that for the last 5-6 months, the trending is back again, that warm musical-tuned IEMs trend, which was absent for the last almost two years. Pula Unicrom features a 10 mm beryllium-plated diaphragm with a very ‘woolly’ and organic kinda sound. Yes, this is warm-sounding but not ‘bass-heavy,’ which can make the midrange unclear. It has moderately clear mids with a fine-tuned treble section, which misses a bit of air in my opinion.
DISCLAIMER
[Pula Audio] was kind enough to send me the Pula Unicrom to review. I am not affiliated with Pula Audio, and of course, I was not asked for any copy-checking before publishing. All opinions shared in this ‘Pula Unicrom review’ are my subjective thoughts.
One thing more: The review is based on my personal experience and what I hear using different sources. Your experience may vary because of personal preference and physical differences like the shape and depth of the ear canal.
For your personal purchase, checkout [Pula Audio] for their fantastic products and promotions (non-affiliated link).
GEAR USED
● DAP: Cowon Planue R2, Cayin N3 Ultra, Hiby RS2, Hiby R4, Snowsky Echo Mini, F.Audio M20.
● DAC/AMP: xDuoo MT-604, Fosi Audio GR40, Hiby FD5, KAEI Design TAP2, ifi Hip DAC 2, xDuoo XD-05 Plus (with MUSES 8820 OP-Amp), Cayin RU6, Cayin RU7, iBasso DC04 Pro, Dunu DTC 480, Fosi Audio DS-1, Celest CD-10, Celest CD-20, Hiby FC05, Hiby FD03, Moondrop Dawn Pro.
● Smart Device: Poco X3, Xiaomi MiPad 5.
● Files: Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, local Hi-Res FLAC & DSD files.
AUDIO TESTING PREFERENCES
I desperately love the music from the 60s to the 90s era. Music was alive then. The genre I love most is ROCK ‘N ROLL. Though Jazz, Blues, Metal, Disco, and Pop are also my favorite genres. I have a collection of albums with high dynamic range recording. Most of the time, I test audio gear with those albums to understand the sonic capability of the specific gear. If you have a Tidal subscription, you may click here to get the playlist.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
● Driver: 10mm Beryllium-Plated DD
● Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
● Impedance: 32Ω
● Sensitivity: 107 dB
● Cable: Silver-Plated Copper cable (interchangeable)
● Pin Type: 2pin, 0.78mm
● Cable Length: 1.2m
● Plug Type: 3.5mm & 4.4mm
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
● Pula Unicrom IEMs
● Interchangeable Silver-Plated Copper cable
● 3.5mm & 4.4mm plugs
● tips
● Leather carrying/storage case
● User Manual
UNBOXING EXPERIENCE
For 80 bucks, the unboxing experience is more like ’boutique’ than what you usually get for this price bracket. And the addition of that premium-looking green magnetic leatherette carrying case is a very smart move from Pula Audio. But I’m really surprised to see an interchangeable stock cable with the Unicrom. I’m surprised because there are a lot of IEMs out there, and even with double the price of Unicrom, they are missing it! The whole unboxing experience is really fantastic. Thanks, Pula Audio.
BUILD & DESIGN
Pula nailed the ‘light but tough’ balance here, believe me. The well-built shells are made of medical-grade resin, which is smooth and very lightweight. But they won’t let you feel any ‘cheaply built’ feeling. The most gorgeous thing is the stabilized maple wood faceplate. They are real wood, and every single IEM is unique, which is cool. To manage the back pressure from the DD, they’ve integrated a two-vent system- one near the 2-pin connector and another one on the inner shell. This is brilliant. The stock cable is well built and almost microphonic-free, but a tangle monster! The tips are made of medical-grade silicon, though they are a bit on the stiffer side!
FIT & COMFORT
From an ergonomic point of view, the Unicrom is a winner when it comes to fit & comfort, and for me, it’s really a top-tier IEM in this section. It’s a semi-custom-shaped IEM that just ‘slots’ into the ear. Because of their lightweight and medium-sized nozzles, they feel comfortable. And with the double air-vent system, you will feel no pressure inside your ears, which is a salvation for a marathoner like me. Surprisingly, the isolation is good enough even with ‘two vents. ‘But if you have very small ears, you might find the wing on the shell a bit intrusive. But the stock cable is a tangle monster, while the supplied tips are really stiff.
SOUND IMPRESSIONS
The Pula Unicrom sounds very natural, and it has that ‘timber’ that only a good DD can provide. The total sound signature is the warm-balanced type and has mild V-shaped tuning. It’s an engaging, musical set that works for almost everything from lo-fi to classic rock. But it lacks the ultimate resolution, and for that, lovers of classical music may miss the details they always seek.
Here is the frequency graph :
Let’s dive deep…
SUB-BASS
If you are a bass lover, you already examined the bass elevation in the frequency graph, right? A frequency graph is not always the right way to judge the sound. But here it is visible, as it is audible when you listen to it! The Pula Unicrom can deliver real deep sub-bass, but it’s not all over the place. That means it stays within the lower region without overwhelming the mids. The sub-bass has a very quality rumble and has good extension. You can really feel the low-end vibration, though there is no bone conduction driver. But it’s not like a skull-crushing basshead type of thing.
MID-BASS
You already know that the Unicrom has a beryllium-coated dynamic driver. And these types of drivers tend to deliver super punchy mid-bass. And here it is not an exception. The mid-bass produced by this IEM is punchy, tight, and relatively fast. Kick drums have a satisfying thump that feels very natural and realistic. It is not muddy at all; rather, it adds a nice sense of rhythm and energy to the music. But sometimes it bleeds into the lower mids. And for that, it can occasionally make the lower registers of guitars a bit thick on bass-heavy tracks.
VOCALS
A slightly recessed presentation of vocals due to a V-shaped sound signature. But the timber seems natural and has a human feel to it.
MALE
I personally love the male vocals reproduction of Pula Unicrom. They are rich and have a good sense of body and warmth. It sounds natural and has the meaty presentation that makes any male vocal musical & enjoyable. But sometimes in some tracks, especially the bass-heavy ones, it sounds a bit overly warm. But you can tweak the ear tips to solve it. And the laid-back presentation of male vocals may not be everyone’s cup of tea!
FEMALE
What is the highlight of the midrange? ‘Female vocals,’ for sure! Due to the upper-mid lift, they have a bit more energy and ‘bite.’ They sound very lively, with a good sense of sparkle, but not disturbing. And it will make you feel that it’s not on your face; rather, it’s a ‘front-row’ kind of presentation. But there is a pull in the upper mids, which can make some higher-pitched singers sound a bit shouty at higher volumes.
INSTRUMENTS SEPARATION
The very first time I listened to the Unicrom, I fell in love with the instrument separation of this IEM, considering the price point. For a single DD, this is actually impressive. You can clearly pick out where the different guitars are in the mix, and that is really fantastic. Maybe due to the beryllium diaphragm, things don’t get mushed together even in busy tracks. But the layering is just average, and that prevents the instruments from having some good gaps between each other.
TREBLE
Is the treble spicy? Nah! Is the treble smooth? Hell, yeah! This is the bottom line of my expression about the treble of this IEM. Let me explain it a little. It has enough detail to keep things interesting while it stays smooth and non-fatiguing. In one word, you can say it’s ‘safe.’ This is perfect for people like me who are sensitive to treble. But there is a problem! It lacks some air and sparkle. If you are a treble-head, you may find it a bit dark or rolled off. But rolling tips may help to achieve some spice in it.
SOUNDSTAGE
This is where the Unicrom falls short of the competitors. Though I didn’t expect a holographic soundstage from an $80 IEM, it could be better. The width is decent, not excellent or exceptional. It will give you a good sense of horizontal space and doesn’t feel like the music is trapped inside your ears. It’s a plus point, though. But it lacks depth and height. The stage feels more like a flat rectangle in front of your face. It’s more of an ‘in-studio’ feel than a ‘concert hall’ feeling. Even rolling wide-bore ear tips can’t help!
TECHNICALITIES
Dynamics: Overall, quite good. Transitions from soft to loud are well-handled, which lends the music a good sense of dynamics and energy.
Speed: Excellent for a dynamic driver. The beryllium plating really helps with the transients, ensuring that the notes begin and end exactly as they should.
Analytics (Detail Retrieval): Decent, though nothing spectacular. It does show the macro-level detail, though it fails to show the micro details, such as the sound of a singer’s lips moving, the lingering sound of a bell, etc.
SOURCES
With 32 ohms and a 101dB sensitivity, these IEMs are relatively easy to drive. They sound fine out of any basic dongle DAC, though they can sound a bit flat. A little bit of power, and wah, they will shine. But it’s not like powering them up with a high-end desktop DAC-amp. Decent DACs like the Moondrop Dawn Pro, Dunu DTC 480, Fosi Audio DS-1, or Celest CD-10 can do a fantastic job to bring out the most out of them. You may also try some entry-level DAPs like Snowsky Echo Mini, Disc, or F.Audio M20. Anything from a bright (not overly bright like the Questyle M15) to a neutral source is good enough. But beware of any warmer sources like the iFi HIP DAC, as they will make the Unicrom overly warm, and you may lose the ultimate enjoyment!
CABLE & TIP ROLLING
The stock cable is very practical and of good quality. The best thing about this is the modular terminal system. That makes it a versatile cable. And you really don’t need to buy an extra cable for this IEM. The supplied tips are also of good quality, but they are not matched well with these earphones. In my testing period, I found that the silicon tips make the overall tune warmer, and the shine on the upper mids and treble section didn’t show up. Using TANGZU Tang Sancai Noble and Softears UC ear tips, which have steel nozzles, can make a big difference.
As I mentioned earlier in the male vocal & treble section, the tip rolling can help. Yes, it can. Using the aforesaid tips can bring out a bit of texture and solve the problem of overly warm male vocals. And it can also bring some ‘shine’ in the treble section. I surely will encourage you to try any of these ear tips with Unicrom.
FINAL THOUGHTS
First of all, do you love warm-tuned IEMs over bright and analytical ones? If the answer is YES, then the Pula Unicrom can be your thing. And also, if you are a treble-sensitive person, this IEM can serve you well. Keep in mind that it’s an $80-priced IEM, and you shouldn’t expect much. But the accessories are exceptional for the price. The inclusion of an interchangeable cable and leather carrying case is an ‘A+’ thing. With very tasteful deep low end and punchy mid-bass, it is capable of providing good vocals and smooth treble. But it also has some downfalls, especially when it comes to soundstage. The stage is only somewhat horizontal without any enjoyable depth or height. And the vocals are a bit recessed, too.
But if you are comfortable enough with those shortcomings, why not give it a try?
WHATEVER YOU’RE THINKIN’ OF BUYING—DAC, DAP, IEM, HEADPHONE, AMP, WHATEVER—JUST MAKE SURE YOU GIVE IT A DEMO RUN FIRST. TRY IT OUT, LISTEN TO IT WITH YOUR OWN TRACKS. SERIOUSLY, ONE QUICK AUDITION CAN SAVE YOU A BUNCH OF MONEY AND REGRET LATER ON.
You are welcome to read other reviews by SONIC MANTRA.
