See Audio is another new competitor in the ever-growing Chi-Fi market. I initially saw this brand at Tao Bao and immediately got interested since they claim that some of their personnel are ex QDC employees. QDC is, after all, one of the best IEM and CIEM manufacturers in China. 

Now that they have finally made their international debut, I am very excited to check out their entry-level offering, the See Audio Yume. This IEM has incredible looks and aims to give consumers a taste of their high-end offerings. Its name is also quite fitting since Yume means dream in Japanese. 

However, the real question here is whether or not the Yume can live up to its name and sound as good as it looks. Join us as we find out how well the See Audio Yume stacks up with the rest of the competition. 

Disclaimer

This review was made possible by both Linsoul and See Audio through the SEA Review Tour. We are not affiliated with any of the brands. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

See Audio Yume Review

Packaging and Unboxing Experience

See Audio adapts the trend of using anime characters for their box art. As a fan of anime, I always enjoy seeing IEM brands experimenting with this kind of art. See Audio takes it up a notch by designing original characters which are used for their promotional materials. 

The box isn’t only gorgeous at the front. At the back, it also gives you a frequency response graph of the Yume. This is always great since you are getting the official graph from the manufacturer, which can certainly help you understand how the Yume sounds even before you listen to it. 

Once you get inside the box, you are greeted by two sets of great-looking stickers, a calling card, and an instruction manual. Underneath those are the IEM shells, the cable, the ear tips, and the carry case. 

I love how much personality the Yume’s packaging has. The included stickers are based on the anime character that was used for the box art. There are also some chibi stickers that just show how much effort See Audio put in designing this character. 

Accessories

In terms of accessories, the See Audio Yume has everything you would ever need. You get four silicone ear tips, four foam tips, and a carry case. 

This is one of the only few IEMs that offer XS-sized ear tips. It is also the only IEM that I have encountered that offers four sets of foam ear tips. 

The only real complaint that I have is that the ear tips are quite generic. They are certainly usable. However, I would advise purchasing aftermarket ear tips such as the Azla Xelastec ear tips. 

The Yume’s tin can carry case isn’t anything special. It is very similar to the BGVP DM8’s case and possibly to other IEM cases as well. However, I did appreciate that See Audio tried putting in some personality to the case. 

There is an engraved bunny ears logo on the cover of the case. This is pretty consistent with the Yume’s branding and certainly makes the case a bit special. 

The only thing missing here is a cleaning tool. But overall, the Yume comes with great accessories for its price point. 

Included Accessories: 

• 4 Sets of Silicone Ear Tips
• 4 Sets of Foam Ear Tips
• Tin Can Case 
• 2 sets of Stickers
• Stock Cable

Design and Build Quality

IEM Shells

The See Audio Yume has got to be one of the most beautiful IEMs in this price range. You get a gorgeous-looking faceplate as well as a see-through body that reveals the internals of the IEMs. 

The Yume’s faceplates have a green sparkle finish that can slightly change depending on the angle you look at it or depending on the lighting. Also, each faceplate shows a different logo, one for See Audio’s logo and one for the Yume’s logo.  

Overall, I can’t get over how well the Yume looks. It perfectly combines simplicity and style. And in a lot of ways, you are getting something that can rival the look of entry-level CIEMs. 

The build quality of the Yume is just as good as its looks. They feel incredibly sturdy, and I am very confident that they will last even if you do not take care of them. I do not feel any gaps in the shell, and I do not see any points of failure. 

The only critique that I have with the Yume’s build quality is the plastic nozzles. This isn’t the first IEM that I have tried with plastic nozzles. And based on my experience, I haven’t broken any of them. 

However, the plastic nozzles look out of place. It brings the premium look of the Yume down a notch. 

I would have preferred if See Audio made the nozzles a part of the main body or if they have just used a different and more sturdy material. But in terms of usability and ear tip compatibility. I did not have any issues. 

In terms of fit, the Yume was very comfortable. It adopts a CIEM style design which gives a snug fit. I did not encounter any pressure points even when using the Yume for more than two hours. 

Overall, See Audio has nailed the design, build quality, and comfort of the Yume. And with that, the Yume is already off to a good start. But, of course, we will still have to see how well the Yume sounds. 

Cable

The Yume comes with a 5N OCC stock cable. Both the feel and the build quality are very good. The cables do not tangle, and metal parts are used in the 2-pin and 3.5mm connectors. 

However, in terms of its looks, it doesn’t look anything special. It looks very similar to some of the stock cables of IEMs that we have reviewed in the past. I personally do not think it compliments Yume’s gorgeous look. 

But at the end of the day, it is the usability of the cable that matters. And in that regard, the stock cable is high-quality and did not have any major flaws. 

Power Requirements 

The See Audio is a very efficient pair. Anything from a dongle to a high-quality DAC/Amp or DAP will be able to run it. 

Having good efficiency is very important, especially since the Yume will most likely be purchased by beginners trying to get into the hobby. So if you are just starting out and do not have a high-quality source, then you should still be able to enjoy the Yume. 

Sound Quality

Tested with: Fiio M11, iFi Nano iDSD Black Label, Earmen Eagle

Presentation

One of the things that are immediately noticeable with the Yume is its excellent tuning. See Audio claims in their marketing that the Yume has been tuned by professionals based on the Harman Target Tuning. And the result is a very pleasing listening experience. 

With its three-driver hybrid configuration (1 DD + 2 BA), the Yume is able to produce clean bass, clear and detailed mids, and perfectly controlled highs. 

The mids, in particular, are tuned very well. Instruments and vocals are fairly detailed without being too exaggerated. And overall, the Yume is able to have a natural and realistic sound. 

However, the Yume isn’t without its flaws. The two major issues that I have with the Yume are its bass response and its technical capabilities. We will talk more about these in my detailed breakdown of the individual frequencies. 

But in a nutshell, the Yume sounds thin and lacks power. It is apparent that the Yume fails to add weight and definition to the lower frequencies. 

As for its technical performance, the Yume is just average. It isn’t the most resolving IEMs and will certainly not be able to pick up all the small details, particularly in the high frequencies. And in most complex tracks such as orchestral pieces, the Yume fails to highlight the individual instruments. 

Despite these flaws, the Yume still offers plenty of great things to the table. And its overall performance is pretty much competitive with its competitors. 

Bass

The See Audio Yume has excellent control in the lower frequencies. Bass notes are clean and do not bleed into the mids. Also, having less bass allows the mid frequencies to shine through. In a way, this is what See Audio thinks of as accurate-sounding bass. 

In the context of the mix, the way the bass frequencies are tuned makes a lot of sense. However, when compared to other IEMs in its price range, the bass is far from accurate sounding. 

The bass region isn’t usually a concern of mine since I usually do not listen to bass-heavy music. However, it becomes a problem when the Yume fails to reproduce the proper punch of crucial instruments such as the bass drum. 

This was quite odd, especially when you consider that the Yume is using a dynamic driver for the bass frequencies. However, its overall performance is more similar to BA drivers. 

For casual listening, this shouldn’t be a problem. However, when you are mixing instruments such as the kick drum or bass guitar, you will have some issues. I personally encountered this while mixing the kick drum in a live band. 

Mids

The mids are arguably the See Audio Yume’s best trait. Its tuning is perfect, and everything sounds just about right. It puts more emphasis on the upper mids, which makes female vocals sound very good.

Male vocals may sound a bit thin at times. But overall, both male and female vocals are very enjoyable to listen to on the Yume. 

The positioning of the mids in the mix is perfect. They manage to be forward and upfront without sounding too exaggerated. 

Also, you won’t find any harsh peaks on the Yume. Even with tracks that have peaky female vocals, the Yume maintains its perfect control and manages to still give an enjoyable listening experience. 

Highs 

The highs on the Yume have a decent amount of exposure. There is enough treble to complete the overall sound, but it is controlled very well to prevent your ears from bleeding. 

But with that said, this is where the Yume’s technical limitations start to show. Elements such as hi-hats and crash cymbals have a decent amount of detail but will pale in comparison to higher-end IEMs that have better treble responses. 

Also, the clarity and detail in this region start to get lost when listening to more complex tracks with lots of elements in the treble region.  However, I wouldn’t fault the Yume too much since this is a common characteristic of other IEMs in this price range. 

Imaging and Soundstage  

Imaging and soundstage on the Yume are quite average. It does a good job of giving a sense of space and separation. However, it didn’t offer something that was too different from the rest of its competitors. 

Its limited soundstage and imaging may largely be due to its lackluster technical performance in the higher-frequencies. Orchestras and other more complex pieces do not sound very satisfying to listen to on the Yume. 

Again, the Yume’s imaging and soundstage performance aren’t bad. It’s just not that special in the grand scheme of things. 

Comparisons 

Ikko OH10 Obsidian 

The Ikko OH10 Obsidian is a completely different IEM. It has different drivers, a different shell design, and a different tuning. However, it is an IEM that does a lot of things better than the Yume. 

The OH10 only has 2 drivers (1 DD + 1 BA). However, it seems to be utilizing them better than the Yume. The bass is more detailed and punchier, the mids are thicker and more satisfying to listen to, the highs have more clarity, and the soundstage is wider. 

The Yume is, however, better at controlling the highs and certainly has a more natural sound. However, it loses out in a lot of aspects to the OH10. If you like an IEM with a wider soundstage and better bass, the OH10 is certainly the way to go. 

Verdict 

The See Audio Yume nails a lot of things. Its design and build quality are absolutely gorgeous, and its tuning is done very well. The overall package is also very appealing since you are getting tons of accessories. However, the Yume isn’t a perfect IEM. 

Its bass response isn’t the best, and its technical performance, especially in the upper frequencies, is lacking. And in this regard, there are plenty of competitors who offer what the Yume lacks. 

But for those who enjoy the Harman Target tuning and want a natural sounding IEM that perfectly controls sibilance, the Yume is still a great choice. And, of course, the overall package that the Yume offers is great for entry-level users. 

The Yume certainly shows that See Audio has the potential to make great sounding IEMs. I cannot wait to see what kind of new products See Audio comes up with in the future. 

Specifications 

• Liquid Silicone Diaphragm Dynamic Driver Unit.
• Two custom-tuned BA drivers.
• Low-Frequency Filter Conversion(L.F.C.) Technology.
• Tuned by professionals following the 2020 Harman Target Curve.
• High-quality 5N OCC cable.
• Impedance: 32Ω.
• Sensitivity: 106dB.
• Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHz.
• THD+N: <2%.
• 2-pin 0.78mm Connectors.
• Termination Plug: 3.5mm.

Albums Used For Testing 

• Milet – Who I am 
• Babymetal – Legend Metal Galaxy 
• Mamamoo – Travel
• Periphery- Periphery 3 and 4
• Blackpink – The Album 
• Final Fantasy VII Acoustic Arrangements 
• Square Enix Jazz- Final Fantasy VII At Billboard Live Tokyo
• Sawano Hiroyuki – Best of Vocal Works
• Yorushika – Plagiarism 
• Intervals – Circadian

Aubrey Aragon

Aubrey has been a longtime fan of music. She plays arcade music games such as Pump It Up and Dance Dance Revolution. She also loves different genres such as KPOP. Ever since she discovered IEMs and Headphones, her love and appreciation for music have been taken to the next level. And as a writer, she wishes to share her audiophile journey with you.

Favorite IEM: Moondrop SSP, KBear Believe, Noble Katana