ZiiGaat has been having a wild ride recently. With a seemingly endless stream of iems coming from them, the brand seems to be attracting both appreciation and criticism.
And while the “release fatigue” felt in the community, ZiiGaat has also been acting as a platform for reviewers to express their sound preferences.
When I received the Odyssey2, I had no idea what to expect. The original Odyssey has been one of our favourite iems under 250. And just like good movies, iem sequels always carry some risk.
The first thing you notice about Odyssey2 is the new metallic shell. It makes the iems feel sturdier more luxurious. It's definitely a plus for something you want to use on the go. Odyssey2 is a collaboration with Crin’s Hangout and the metal shell takes inspiration from the wildly elusive CrinEar Meta. The shape is very similar but Odyssey2 shell is bigger. This gives me a better fit, ymmv.
Some of you might be tired of hearing the word “Meta”, and I would understand that. The buzz surrounding the Meta tuning and its alleged superiority can be either exciting or exhausting. For the guy behind this keyboard, it can be both.
And while it may feel like a new concept, the Meta tuning is nothing new. You can argue that it is an evolution based on historically successful iems. I will offer here that the first “Meta” iem was the 64 Audio U12t, later followed by the Monarch2. These two iems changed the landscape and their success shares a smiliar foundation. Both U12t and Monarch2 are good to excellent at everything, yet are probably not the leader in any single category. The special sauce with both is the lush, warm mid-range. The human ear/brain apparatus has evolved to prioritise mids. From a (simplistic) evolutionary point of view, this happened because human voices (language) gave our species a clear advantage to survive and thrive.
Interestingly, the more modern “Meta” tuning has lost some of that lush character. The main criticism has been that it can be boring and not engaging enough.
And while talking about tuning, let’s take a look at the graph:
Yes, Odyssey2 is yet another ZiiGaat release and yet another take on the Meta tuning.
So why am I writing this article? Because Odyssey2 is good.
The first thing that struck me when listening to Odyssey2 is the energy. It’s a dynamic, engaging iem that grabs your attention. But it does that without having any egregious tuning “shenanigans”.
Bass is full, punchy and has reasonably good texture. It’s the kind of bass I want to see (hear) on a reference set. Odyssey2 has more bass than the original Odyssey but it’s also higher quality. It’s very solid.
The mid range is again a bit more forward than the first opus. Male vocals carry more weight and sound a bit more natural to my ears. There isn’t really much warmth or coloration, it just sounds “right”. Male and female vocals have more body and texture to them. Same goes with guitars and other string instruments.
Treble is probably where Odyssey2 differs the most from the OG. Ody2 has more lower treble energy than its predecessor. And while I don’t find it bright, the treble energy might sit on the edge for some people. Eartips are of course there to correct the course. Eartips are often the most overlooked accessory when it comes to iems. Seriously guys, tip roll before swapping cables, the dividends are usually higher.
The treble extension is decent and treble quality is very good for the price. This said, this is also where Odyssey2 shows its limitations. That’s not a criticism, more on that later.
Is Odyssey2 just a better iem than the original? Not obvious.
The original Odyssey is smoother and more relaxed sound. Because it is less forward, Odyssey stage also feels more spacious at times. It’s a very good iem and I can see some people preferring it to the second iteration.
The other immediate comparison is the CrinEar Meta. Once again, I found Odyssey2 bass punchier, more fleshed out and slightly more textured. Mids are also slightly more forward and has more lower treble energy. Where Meta takes the cake is upper treble. Meta upper treble has more texture, detail and extension.
I also compared Odyssey2 to one of my favourite iems under 300: Dunu x GizAudio Davinci. Davnci is clearly bassier, thicker and warmer. Davinci still manages to be detailed and engaging with excellent smooth treble. I would probably pick one or the other depending on the mood.
In case all of the above is not clear enough, Odyssey2 is excellent for the price. Other than the slightly lacking treble extension, it hits almost all the spots I want from a reference iem. It is probably unfair to criticize the treble given the price. I am only doing that because the rest is very good.
Odyssey2 is going to be one of the easiest recommendations for a reference iem under 300. The addition of the metal shell only adds to what is already an excellent value proposition.
