Juzear been around for a while now, but honestly, they didn’t really catch much attention for a long time. Ever since they dropped the 41t, I’ve been kinda curious to check out their IEMs. Finally, thanks to Hifigo, I got my hands on their latest one – the Dragonfly 81t.
I’ve been using it as my daily driver for a good few days now, swapping tips, cables, and trying it with different sources just to see how far it can go. After messing around with it for a bit, I finally sat down to put together this review. Hopefully, I managed to cover everything from top to bottom. If you’re interested in all the details, I’d say stick around and check out the full review.
Disclaimer
First, big thanks to Hifigo for sending me the Dragonfly 81T for review. They provided this unit to the Sonic Mantra team so we could test it and share our honest thoughts. I always try my best to get the most out of any product, and for this one, I tested it with many sources and accessories. That’s why it took me a bit longer to finish this review.
If you’re planning to get the Dragonfly 81T, you can order it directly from Hifigo’s website, which is a great place for audiophiles to find all kinds of hi-fi audio gear. For buyers in Bangladesh, you can also get it easily through Geek Mart BD without any hassle.
Build Quality and Design
The build quality of the Juzear Dragonfly 81T feels solid and well-done. It’s made from 3D-printed, skin-friendly resin that doesn’t feel cheap in any way. The resin feels smooth but sturdy, giving the IEM a premium touch for its price point.
The metal nozzle adds to that sense of quality. It’s sturdy, and the ear tips fit securely without slipping off easily. I’ve tried different tips, and the grip always felt reliable, which is important for long listening sessions. The overall finish on the shells feels clean, with no rough edges or uneven seams.
The faceplates looks beautiful. The CNC-milled stabilized wood panels with the silver trim really catch the eye. It has this handcrafted, artistic look, and it definitely feels like Juzear put effort into making these look unique.
Fit and Comfort
The full resin build of the Dragonfly 81T makes it very lightweight, so once you wear it, you barely feel it in your ears. The inside of the shell has a smooth finish, which prevents any pressure points, even during long listening sessions. I personally used it for 3-4 hours straight without feeling any discomfort or pain in my ears.
The cable is also lightweight and doesn’t create any pressure or require constant adjustment. The IEM sits securely in the ear, so there’s no need to keep fixing its position. The shell size is medium, and I believe it should fit most ears comfortably. I had no issues with the fit, and for me, it was an A+ in comfort.
Additionally, the venting is well-designed, which prevents pressure buildup inside the ear canal. This gives the IEM an open and comfortable feel while listening. Overall, I have no complaints about its fit or comfort—it works perfectly for long sessions.
Cable
The Juzear Dragonfly 81T comes with a really nice stock cable that looks and feels premium. It’s an 18AWG multi-core cable made from 6N silver-plated oxygen-free copper (OFC). The cable uses 0.78mm 2-pin connectors and features an interchangeable termination system, which includes both 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced plugs.
The termination design is quite similar to Dunu’s Q-Lock Lite, with an L-shape that feels very secure and portable-friendly. I’ve used this cable with different devices, and it pairs well without feeling bulky or awkward.
The cable is soft, tangle-free, and doesn’t have any microphonics during use. It doesn’t hold memory, so it’s easy to manage even after long listening sessions. For my daily use, I never felt the need to swap the cable out. But if you have a higher-end copper cable lying around, it might be worth trying just to see if it enhances the warmth a bit more.
Tips
TipsThe Dragonfly 81T comes with three types of tips – two pairs of foam, three pairs of regular silicone tips, and three pairs of their proprietary tips. These proprietary tips feel and look a bit like SpinFit CP145, with a flexible stem that helps with fit and comfort. I found the sound and comfort to be pretty good with these, but after some testing, I actually got better results using Final E black and Final E clear tips.
Since I already had those in my collection, I decided to experiment, and the sound opened up more with better bass control and a smoother treble. If you have Final E tips or anything similar, I’d recommend giving them a shot. But honestly, even with the stock proprietary tips, the performance is solid – it’s just that little extra fine-tuning that makes a difference.
Carrying pouch
The Dragonfly 81T comes with a hard-shell carrying pouch, which is decent enough to keep the IEM safe. It’s compact, not too big, and can easily fit in your pocket or bag without any trouble. Honestly, I don’t have any complaints about it. It does the job just fine, and I think it’s good enough for regular use.
Source compatibility
I’ve tested the Dragonfly 81T with a variety of sources, each with different sound signatures. During testing, I noticed that pairing it with bright, analytical, digital, or neutral bright sources didn’t give the best results. The treble can get a bit sharp, and the bass loses some body and warmth, making the overall sound feel thin and less engaging.
other hand, when paired with warm, analog-sounding, or neutral-warm sources, the performance improves significantly. The bass gains better texture and weight, while the treble smooths out, creating a more balanced and enjoyable experience.
Some of the best pairings I found were with:ONIX Alpha XL 1, iFi hip-dac 2, Cayin N3 Ultra,
These sources added warmth and depth to the sound, bringing out the best in the Dragonfly 81T. If you have a warmer source, I’d highly recommend using it to get the most out of this IEM.
Testing Source
- Sony wm1a
- Questyle qp2r
- Cowon Plenue R2
- Astell & kern SP1000M
- Cayin N3 Ultra
- Ibasso DX180
- Hiby R3 iiI
- basso DC Elite
- Cayin ru7
- Questyle M15
- ONIX Alpha Xl 1
- KAEI-TAP2 ( AMP )
- Shanling H5
- IFI Hip DAC V2
- Xduoo xd05 basic
- Fiio btr7
- IFI Go Blue
- Ddhifi TC44 PRO E2
- Dunu DTC 480
- Fosi audio ds1
- Kinera CD20 And CD10
- Epz Tp35
- Epz Tp20 pro
- Moondrop Dawn Pro
- Bqeyz Lin
- NICEHCK tc3
The Sound Performance
Sub-bass
The JUZEAR Dragonfly 81T gives a smooth sub-bass, tending toward control and finesse over raw physicality. On “Falling in Love (DTS)” by Cigarettes After Sex, the sub-bass emerges with a soft, deep rumble sitting just beneath the surface, imbuing the song with weight without overpowering the rest of the mix. Layering is delicate, and the sub-bass lingers, adding texture to the song’s atmosphere.
But in bass-heavy tracks like hip-hop or EDM, the JUZEAR Dragonfly 81T holds back a little. Where the sub-bass extends quite well and stays tight, it doesn’t deliver the kind of physical slam some genres call for. Tracks that live and die by thick, pounding basslines—like “Every Breath You Take” by Sting—bring this into sharp relief. The bass guitar is clear, and the low-end presence is palpable, but it’s just not imbuing the full-body slam that rocks the room.
One of the strengths of the sub-bass is its separation. Even when the bass swells, it stays in its lane, never bleeding into the mid-bass or obscuring vocals and guitars, making tracks with delicate arrangements sound cleaner and more open. On “Falling in Love,” Greg Gonzalez’s voice remains intimate and undisturbed, floating over the deep pulse of the bassline.
The JUZEAR Dragonfly 81T feels like it was tuned for subtlety, not aggression. If you like clean, articulate sub-bass with good control and no excess, it performs beautifully. But if you’re looking for chest-thumping, head-nodding bass, it might not offer all the physicality you’re after.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass on the JUZEAR Dragonfly 81T is probably the strongest part of its bass response; it is tight, punchy, and delivers impactful hits without sounding bloated. On “One” by Metallica, the double kick drums come through with great speed and precision, cutting cleanly through the mix. There’s no lag—every hit feels distinct, keeping up with the rapid-fire drumming. The bass guitar follows closely behind, adding weight to the track but never muddying the guitars or snare.
In “Can’t Stop” by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea’s bassline feels alive – fast and energetic with a solid thump. The mid-bass attack is quick, matching the song’s groove while keeping the overall sound transparent. You can hear how the slap bass punches through without overpowering Anthony Kiedis’ vocals or Chad Smith’s crisp hi-hats.
The separation between instruments is clear; even in busy sections, the JUZEAR Dragonfly 81T does a nice job of keeping the bassline separated from the lower mids to avoid bleed. This clarity allows the mid-range guitars and vocals to shine without losing the driving force of the bass.
The mid-bass has just the right amount of warmth to give body to rock tracks without softening the edges. It’s controlled but still delivers the physical impact you expect from fast, aggressive music.
Mid-Range
The JUZEAR Dragonfly 81T does well with male vocals in terms of clarity and natural tonality, though it does come off a tad dry and light. This comes from sub-bass being a bit restrained, and with deeper/heavier vocals, some of this fullness gets lost. It sounds very nice on Michael Bublé’s songs, for example, “Call Me Irresponsible”; his rich, full voice shines through well—although you do feel that an extra something in warmth is not there. Not much, maybe, but if you know the sound of his tone, you will note it. The vocal texture is there, but the physical body behind it feels a little light.
This is even more noticeable with Leonard Cohen’s music. On tracks like “You Want It Darker,” his gravelly, heavy voice carries less body than expected. The detail is still impressive—every breath and rasp is clear—but the underlying weight feels slightly pulled back. This isn’t always a problem, but if you enjoy listening for that rich vocal presence, it might feel a little thin at times.
On the other hand, female vocals are reproduced beautifully. On the JUZEAR Dragonfly 81T, Marianna Leporace’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” sounds absolutely clear. Her voice sits forward in the mix, with lots of air and emotional detail; it feels rather personal. Not a hint of sharpness or sibilance, just an all-around smooth and controlled delivery. The same with Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness.” The delicate layers in her voice feel vibrant and textured, and the Dragonfly does a nice job of capturing the breathy, haunting nature of her singing without it getting out of control. Female vocals almost hit the point of being a little too energetic but stay just on the right side of bright.
Separation between vocals and instruments is great; even on such busy tracks with layered arrangements, like those including string sections or heavy percussion, the vocals stand out. This makes it so much more enjoyable to listen to since no detail in a mix gets masked by it.
One thing to note—pairing the JUZEAR Dragonfly 81T with warmer sources can help fill out that missing weight in male vocals and sub-bass. Using a hip-dac 2, Cowon Plenue R2, or ONIX Alpha XL1 gives the sound a fuller, more rounded character. On these sources, the sub-bass digs deeper, and Bublé and Cohen’s voices feel richer and more anchored in the mix.
The Treble
The Dragonfly 81T has a slightly energetic treble, but it’s well in control, so it’s fun without being edgy. It’s in a sweet spot—pushing just enough to feel lively but not so much that it becomes sharp or fatiguing. Personally, I prefer airy and detailed treble, and this IEM does that well. The treble extends nicely, adding a sense of openness to tracks.
Listening to “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck, the cymbals are shining with clarity, and each brushstroke is articulate. The subtle crackle of the snare and the lingering decay of the ride cymbal really show off the Dragonfly’s ability to keep treble elements separate without mushing them together. There’s a crispness to the hi-hats that lends the entire track an extra layer of energy that sounds natural.
On “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd, the acoustic guitar strings sound detailed and lifelike. Every pluck and slide has texture, and the light, airy quality only adds to the song’s atmosphere. The treble lets the guitar harmonics breathe to achieve that spaciousness so characteristic of Floyd.
Treble never feels harsh, and with bright or analytical sources, it can sometimes be a hair too forward; this may not be to everybody’s taste on poorly recorded material, where treble can be perceived as thin or even strident. But well-mastered songs are accorded a crisp and polished top end by the Dragonfly 81T, where strings and high-end details are accorded their due without airs or graces.
If you like bright but smooth treble, this IEM strikes a good balance. It brings out subtle details without pushing too hard, keeping things engaging but not uncomfortable.
Technical Performance
The Dragonfly 81T doesn’t try to impress with a big soundstage but nails the important things. It is more about precision than space. It feels sharp in how it handles small details and quick sounds, and the separation between instruments is really clean. Imaging is spot on—you can tell exactly where things are coming from, even if the overall space feels closer to your head.
When I listened to “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck, the saxophone stayed right in the center, while the piano and drums sat clearly apart. Each little brush on the snare was easy to hear, and the cymbals did not overlap with anything else. It’s as if each had its own spot and didn’t move around.
On “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd, the acoustic guitars sounded up front, and the soft synths floated in the background. It’s not a big space, but it sounds like everything is where it ought to be. The way the guitars pan across gives it some air without making the whole track feel stretched.
It’s not trying to be huge or epic, but that’s okay. Sometimes, a large soundstage can be somewhat blurred. The 81T keeps things tight and orderly, so even though the space might feel a bit smaller, the music stays clear and stratified. Feels like everything just fits.
Final Thoughts
For $239, I think the Dragonfly 81T performs well considering sound quality, the contents of the box, and build quality; it feels rounded. What has impressed me most is how this pairs with devices like the Cayin N3 Ultra, the hip-dac 2, and ONIX Alpha XL1—these pairings really brought the best out in this IEM.
With these pairings, the bass feels soft but controlled, in great quality and quantity. It doesn’t overwhelm but remains ever-present, bringing depth to tracks without muddying the midrange. Vocals and instruments breathe naturally with clear, smooth mids that let them live.
Treble performance is impressive: clean, extended, and refined without introducing harshness or fatigue. Technically, the Dragonfly 81T holds its ground with great imaging and separation, even on busy tracks. Overall, for the price, it feels like a well-crafted IEM that performs beyond expectations when paired with the right gear.
