NF Audio NE4 Review: Ultimate winner

NF Audio NE4 Review

My first impression of the NF Audio NE4 ‘Evolution’ was just WOW! They are very well-built IEMs, and on top of that, they offer different faceplates for tuning instead of nozzles or filters. Those faceplates contain different cross-over designs inside to produce different sound profiles, and they really work very well. I was blown away by the sound stage and clarity, even with the ‘Pop face plate,’ which tends to reduce stage & separation a bit!

They pair very well with all of my sources and the music genres I love. Specially well-recorded live performances come to life with this IEM. They fit well in the ear with the perfect ear tips, though they are comparatively bulky and carry a good weight. The supplied cable is a low-profile one that doesn’t match well (in terms of look) with the IEMs, and the stock ear tips are on par with fit & seal. As usual, I shuffled them and will cover them later in this review.

DISCLAIMER

NF Audio was kind enough to send me the NE4 to review. I am not affiliated with NF Audio and of course, I was not asked for any copy-checking before publishing. All opinions shared in this ‘NF Audio NE4 Evolution 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 due to personal preference and physical differences like the shape & depth of the ear canal.

For your personal purchase, checkout GEEK MART or NF AUDIO for their fantastic products and promotions (non-affiliated link).

GEAR USED

●   DAP: Cowon Planue R2, Cayin N3 Ultra, Tempo Tac V3
●   DAC: ifi Hip DAC 2, Cayin RU7, iBasso DC 04 Pro, Dunu DTC 480, Fosi Audio DS-1, Celest CD-10, Celest CD-20, Hidizs SD8 Pro Robin, Moondrop Dawn Pro.
●   Smartphone: Poco X3
●   Files: Spotify & local Hi-Res FLAC & DSD files.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Driver: 4 Knowles balanced armature
Sound insulation: 25dB
Distortion: <1%
Frequency response:
9-20kHz -Pop faceplate (red)
18-22kHz- Reference faceplate (black)
20-30kHz- Transparent faceplate (blue)
15-25kHz- Explore faceplate (clear)
Sensitivity:
104dB/mW -Pop faceplate (red)
108dB/mW – Reference faceplate (black)
110dB/mW – Transparent faceplate (blue)
110dB/mW – Explore faceplate (clear)
Impedance:
6Ω -Pop faceplate (red)
10Ω – Reference faceplate (black)
22Ω – Transparent faceplate (blue)
17Ω – Explore faceplate (clear)
Cable: 5N silver-plated OFC
Connector: 2pin 0.78mm

BOX CONTAINS

●  NE4 Evolution
●  3 pairs of replaceable faceplates
●  5N silver-plated OFC cable
●  6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter
●  3 pairs of balanced silicone ear tips
●  4 pairs of atmosphere silicone ear tips
●  3 pairs of screws
●  Allen wrench
●  MD style leather case
●  Official papers

UNBOXING EXPERIENCE

NF Audio NE4 Evolution comes in a fairly large box. Open it up, and you will be greeted with a little booklet with the faceplate literature in it, and along with it, there is another booklet containing every technical detail about the earphone. A book-like folded foam box contains the IEM and other faceplates in three different cut-outs. Under that box you will find the ear tips holder, carrying case, and the tool pack.

It’s like a treasure box that you will open and unfold one by one to have your precious NE4 Evolution. This is nice & elegant at the same time.

BUILT QUALITY & DESIGN

The NF Audio NE4 Evolution is designed with a mix of aluminum and steel. They look really nice. If you take a good look, you will find the detailed design with thoughtful branding in the shell. The shells are smooth and have good weight. Faceplates are also made with proper care and thoughtful design detail.

The stock cable is a litz structure good quality 5N OFC copper one, but its low profile design doesn’t look well when you attach it to the bulky IEMs. Though it fits well in the secure QDC connectors on the shell. Supplied ear tips are made from soft silicone and are comfortable. But they are on par with NE4, rather third-party tips fit & seal well!

The main drawback in design is changing/attaching the faceplates, which is a must to enjoy the different tones, but it’s a challenging one. The screw-unscrew system is hectic due to its size, and the given wrench is too tiny. However, I didn’t face this challenge much, as I have a good collection of tools in my possession.

FIT & COMFORT

Though the NE4 is bulky in size, due to its ergonomic design, it fits well with good comfort. One with medium or large ear size can enjoy music with it for some hours. But in longer listening sessions, it can be fatiguing due to its weight. And if you have a comparatively small ear, it surely will challenge you!

The nozzle is a shorter size. This is the reason why it is hard to get a good fit with stock ear tips. I find that ear tips with a relatively large stem & umbrella help to overcome the fit issue. You should experiment with your tips collection.

The supplied cable is soft and has a low-profile design. It is a quiet cable in terms of microphonics. and didn’t create any extra pressure over the ear. And also, it didn’t tangle much.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS

NE4 Evolution’s sound profile is polymorphic, as it has different faceplates with different cross-overs to produce identical sounds. It is a unique one if you compare it with other IEMs that have tuning nozzles/filters. NF Audio is engineered very well and the implementation is effective as each faceplate gives a unique tune that is audible. Let’s go a bit deeper-

1. Pop Plate (Red)

It emphasizes bass with a rich, full body in it. This plate adds warmth and power to bass frequencies by boosting the low end. While the bass is dominant here, it produces a slightly recessed midrange with a relaxing treble without any sibilance. Vocals have weight and warmth, while treble is tamed and not that extended but has some good air & spark. It has fewer details and separation is not top-notch, while soundstage is not as wide as the other faceplates.

This faceplate is good for bass-heavy genres like pop, hip-hop, EDM, etc.

2. Reference Plate (Black)

This faceplate produces a very balanced and natural signature with fantastic clarity across the whole frequency level. The bass is clean & has punch with a very detailed midrange. The vocals, both male & female, come out smooth but with a rich texture. The Treble has a slight lift with good air & sparkle. The soundstage is wider here with a sense of openness.

It is most suitable for genres like classical, jazz, rock, etc.

3. Transparent Plate (Blue)

A bit brighter than the previous two ‘stock faceplates,’ this is designed for precision to deliver highly detailed sound. It mostly emphasizes upper frequencies. You will feel the bass slightly leaning and has clarity more than it has power. midrange is produced with more details and has a clear separation between instruments, while vocals are crisp. Treble is elevated & well-pronounced with good clarity.

This plate is for analytical listening, and instrumental tracks will give you utter satisfaction.

4. Explore Plate (Clear)

You can really explore the true details with this faceplate. It is the most musical of all the faceplates that are sold separately. The treble is well-extended with perfect brightness and air. This tuning totally focuses more on a fun and engaging listening experience. The bass region is not too emphasized but rather has good body & control. And the midrange is full of life with crispy details and awesome instrument separation. The soundstage also feels huge and wide open.

People who love engaging and musical tuning will love this in no time.

I went in the opposite direction while enjoying NE4. While listening to bass heave tracks, I use Black/Blue faceplates, and for treble heavy tracks, the Red one was my choice. But my personal go-to one is the EXPLORE plate. I really enjoyed the engaging musical sound it offers.

Here is the frequency graphs of all four faceplates (courtesy of Prime Audio Reviews):

Now lets jump to the details –

SUB-BASS

The NF Audio NE4 offers a sub-bass that is controlled. It shows the original characters of the sub-bass of BA drivers, which is clean, clear, & precise with minimal bleeding. The 4BA set-up of NE4 holds and delivers the sub-bass relatively well.

If you want a sub-bass with a huge rumble and body, you should use the ‘pop plate,’ which has the most identical character in the bass region among all the plates. It has more sub-bass volume and warmth. Other plates have a sub-bass presentation with less body & texture, while the explore plate sits in the middle ground with control & good texture.

The sub-bass in NE4 shows good power and authority but doesn’t bleed into the mid-frequency. So it stays clean and bold. In bass-heavy tracks, it shows its true ability to deliver textured sub-bass, not only with the pop plate but also with reference, transparent, & explore plates. But this quality & quantity may not satisfy bass lovers.

MID-BASS

This is something outstanding in the NF Audio NE4. Mid-bass stays clean and controlled, favoring clarity over exaggerated punch. It varies depending on the tuning faceplate, though.

In the pop plate, the mid-bass has a good thump and body but lacks some texture and speed. It provides the warmest mid-bass with fullness among all the plates. In reference & explore plate it has some good texture while the speed is fast & enjoyable. It is precise and doesn’t overwhelm the upper mids, so the vocal stays clean.

The transparent plate has the most speed in mid-bass, while it presents texture in a fantastic way. You will enjoy genres like heavy metal and progressive rock with this faceplate, where speed in mid-bass is required for a good listening experience.

MALE VOCALS

The NF Audio NE4 presents male vocals in an articulated, detailed manner which is generally rich in tonal presence. But the quality of presentation varies with the different faceplates. Each one brings its own character, which significantly molds how it is rendered.

Male vocals are delivered with a good touch of warmth and emotion with the pop faceplate due to its mid-bass emphasis. It has a meaty presentation but it’s a bit laid back, which may not feel interesting to some listeners. With reference and transparent faceplates, it sounds a bit thin with very good texture in it. I find that they lack a bit of emotion here, as I love good warmth in male vocals. And reference faceplate leans more to the dead neutral side, while the transparent plate presents it with clarity & precision.

Explore faceplate takes it to another level by producing a very good micro detail. Every nuance is audible with fantastic texture. It has perfect warmth with perfect clarity that brings out the true emotion of the vocal. Critical and analytical listeners will enjoy the reference & transparent plate, while listeners like me, who love to hear male vocals with emotion, will stick with the explore plate.

FEMALE VOCALS

The NE4 is a versatile IEM when it comes to female vocal presentation. As usual, the based on which faceplate you are using.

Female vocal lovers will love the reference & transparent faceplates as they provide female vocals with power. It shows good texture with clarity and transparency and has a fantastic spark. The explore plate produces the most detailed female vocals with a crispy texture. Here, the reference face plate shows a more balanced presentation with richness in texture, while the transparent plate leans towards clarity, detail, and a good hint of brightness. That brightness in a transparent plate can create some fatigue for sensitive listeners.

But the pop faceplate delivers rather a warm & lush presentation. Female vocals have warmth & weight with good body & texture, giving them a fuller sound. It can be a trade-off of vocal details, making it less suitable for crispy & analytical listeners.

It shows BA timber in both male & female vocals if you pair it with bright/ bright-neutral sources and with silver cables.

TREBLE

NE4 has a true-to-life treble performance, which is versatile due to its appealing choice of interchangeable faceplates. Each plate produces a detailed and clear treble that enriches the listening experience.

Treble details are present fantastically in the explorer faceplate. They have so much to offer to treble heads with fantastic extension & air. The treble region is slightly elevated here but stays smooth and precise to give you a ‘hi-res’ experience. The transparent faceplate offers a more analytical type of treble presentation with super clarity and extension, which can create fatigue for treble-sensitive listeners.

Reference faceplate has the safest treble presentation, though it doesn’t miss the air but delivers less extension. On the other hand, the pop faceplate has a higher treble peak than the reference one, but due to warm tuning, it misses the ‘air’ to enjoy and feels a bit warm. I found that the pop plate delivers an uneven treble, which is sharp but not enjoyable.

INSTRUMENTS SEPARATION

NF Audio NE4 is a very strong IEM when it comes to instrument separation. It has this strength due to its all-BA setup, which is tuned very well and even has the unique offer of different faceplates with different crossovers.

With the transparent faceplate, it is more than awesome due to its ultimate clarity and analytical presentation. Due to its less prominent low end, it reveals finer details and enhances the perception of space. The reference faceplate creates a natural and balanced sound environment, which is ideal for critical listening. The airy soundstage makes it easy to locate and distinguish instruments even in complex arrangements.

The pop faceplate has a separation, which is ‘on par’ you can say. It is slightly reduced due to the boosted bass and warmth that can sometimes blur the separation. It makes bass-heavy instruments sound fuller but less distinctly positioned. The Explore faceplate is my winner with a balanced presentation between analytical and immersive. It maintains a high level of detail & clarity with excellent instrument layering. Explore plate has a slight enhancement in 3-D imaging that brings out subtle background layers without compromising the primary instruments.

SOUNDSTAGE

Soundstage is another strength of NE4. It’s spacious wide and well-rounded. Never feel congested or ‘on your face’ with any of the faceplates. Every crossover design is here to provide a very good soundstage with is different from each other, but each is enjoyable.

With the reference faceplate, you will have a balanced and immersive soundstage. It has a lifelike spatial depth and creates a sense of presence and air around instruments with a moderately wide but realistic soundscape. The transparent faceplate takes the stage to its most open and layered version. It enhances detail and separation and will give you a “live” feeling of the soundscape. Due to its reduced bass emphasis, the space seems more expensive but potentially less full-bodied.

With a stronger bass emphasis and warmer tuning, the pop faceplate delivers a denser, more intimate soundstage. But it can still maintain a clean imaging quality, focusing more on forward depth than lateral width. The explore faceplate has more balanced characteristics than transparent & reference plates. It has slightly enhanced bass & midrange than the transparent faceplate but can maintain a similar spatial openness. It offers a more rounded and immersive listening experience.

TECHNICALITIES

The NE4 Evolution showcases an impressive range of analytical, technical, and dynamic sound qualities through its unique cross-over design faceplates. Among all the plates, the transparent plate is engineered for the most analytical and technical performance. It produces an exceptionally clean and transparent sound with superb detail retrieval and soothes the critical listeners’ desire. The reference faceplate has a good balance between technicalities and warmth. It has a natural tune with analytical performance as the midrange and treble are enhanced & lively here.

The dynamic and energetic sound is delivered by the pop faceplate with a good touch of warmth. This plate sacrifices some analytical clarity due to its warm tuning, but it brings life to bass-heavy tracks by producing lively ultra-low frequencies. And the explore faceplate sits in between all the plates the NE4 offers. It has balanced analytical details, clarity, a sense of space, and a touch of warmth. It’s like a very well-balanced recipe of steak, where the salt, pepper, butter, & garlic are well proportionate with a juicy, medium-rare presentation. I love the explore faceplate as much as I love this kind of steak.

POWER & SYNERGY

Some say it’s an easy-to-drive IEM, some say it’s not! I will go with the second opinion; it’s really not an ‘easy’ IEM when it comes to driving power. You can easily drive directly from the 3.5mm SE jack of your smartphone but the sound you will hear is not the original potential of NE4. It starts to open up and shine when you start to give it some extra juice. But it’s not super power hungry; rather, it scales up well with good sources.

Talking about the source, it’s a 4BA driver set-up with analytics, clarity, and detailed sound in mind. So, any bright source can easily ruin your day unless you are a treble head, mind it. A well-balanced or warm-neutral source is recommended to enjoy the NE4 to its full potential. But if you are a treble head, plug it with your favorite bright sources and you are good to go. As a warm head, I enjoyed it with my ifi Hip DAC 2, Cayin RU7, iBasso DC04 Pro, Celest CD 10, Celest CD 20 & my favorite Dunu DTC480.

So, give the NE4 Evolution a bit power to unfold its true strength and unleash it’s sound capabilities. And pair it with your favorite source to enjoy the way you want it but a balanced source is recommended.

CABLE & TIP ROLLING

As I mentioned earlier, it has a comparatively short nozzle with a bulky size. So, your selection of ear tips is very important here, especially for fit & seal. In my testing, I found that, if it does not seal well, you will miss the ‘true sound’ of NE4, believe me! If you push it way too far inside your ear, you will only hear upper frequencies without any hint of warmth, but if it doesn’t fit & seal well, the lower frequencies will take over the place. This is tricky, like the fit of AFUL MagicOne.

Some reviewers gave a bit of a negative review about the sound quality of NE4, I think & believe, due to this fit & seal issue. Don’t settle for less; explore your ear tips collection wisely. In my test, I found that tips with large umbrellas or large stems work very well with it. I settled for Penon Liqueur (black), as it gave me the ultimate fit, seal & comfort with a perfect all-rounder sound delivery.

I didn’t use the supplied cable that much, though I don’t hate it but don’t love it either. The low-profile structure of the stock cable is good for everyday use, but it really doesn’t look robust, from my point of view. I found a good match with NiceHCK MixPP & Dunu Lyre Mini; both are high-purity OCC cables and are able to deliver balanced sound without any colorization. They have a good nature of taming any shout, especially in upper mids.

RECOMMENDED FOR

1. Critical listeners & audiophiles
2. Lovers of analytical sound
3. Who seeking a customizable sound profile
4. Musicians & audio professionals
5. Who value high-build quality
6. Fans of versatile all-rounders

NOT FOR

1. Bass heads
2. Listeners sensitive to high frequencies
3. Who doesn’t like analytical sound
4. Listeners uninterested in tuning adjustments
5. Budget-conscious audiophiles

FINAL THOUGHTS

With the price tag of $750, this is not a budget IEM. And if you add the explore faceplate to your cart, the price will rise close to kilo-buk. So, this is a serious thing for audiophiles seeking budget-friendly IEMs. But what you will have is, four IEMs in one package where all of them sound different and unique. From casual audiophiles to audio professionals, the NE4 will do its best to unleash the sound you are craving for. Other than the pop faceplate, each one is superbly well-capable to soothe your audiophile needs.

Whether you are a bass lover, treble lover, analytical listener, musician, audio editor, or audio gear reviewer, the versatile nature of the NF Audio NE4 will give you a refined, adaptable audio experience.

For more reviews on audio gear, click here