Alpha and Delta have been kind enough to send me their D3 IEM for review. Retailing for 35USD on their website, these are a pretty solid option for a basshead on a budget. With an impedance of 16Ω, and a sensitivity of 92dB/mW, these are easily driven from any source. As these are budget IEMs, I will be powering them from my iPhone 6S for this review.

Accessories included in the box are some tips, an attachable cable guide, an imitation leather case, a cable clasp, and a shirt clip. The tips included are: three sizes of single dome silicone tips, one pair of triple flange tips, one pair of double flange tips, and a pair of foam tips. These accessories are certainly plenty, and the case feels quite sturdy. My only criticism here is that the case is not rigid, so the IEMs could get crushed inside it in extreme situations, but they are just 35 bucks.

The D3 is built absolutely stunningly for an IEM under 100USD. The cable is four-core braided SPC, and feels like it’ll last forever. The jack is a 3.5mm, angled a bit more than 45 degrees, with more than adequate strain relief. The y-split also has some beefy strain relief, and too feels well-constructed. The IEM housings themselves are die-cast metal, and absolutely minuscule. Seriously, these are the smaller IEMs I’ve used. The cable is non-removable, but with it being so nice, they can get away with that as far as I’m concerned. My only gripe as far as construction goes is that the chin slider does not feel nearly as premium as the rest of the package; it is quite hard to slide up and down, and it is just a thin ellipse of plastic with two holes. Fortunately, I do not personally like using chin sliders. As far as handling noise goes, there is a bit, but it is not too bad.

These IEMs are very comfortable. Getting them in is a little bit tricky, as they are difficult to adjust while wearing them, being so tiny. Once they are in, though, they are not going anywhere, and nearly disappear in my ears. As always, comfort can vary greatly from person to person.

And now, on to sound. Speaking in broad terms, these have a generally downward sloping sound: elevated bass, low tilted mids, and reduced treble. These clearly appeal to those who prioritize bass.

The bass itself is, as stated, quite elevated. This bass is huge, thumping, and throbbing. The drivers maintain decent enough control to let some enough end information through, and also provide plenty of thud. It is almost visceral on bassy tracks. This is some serious bass these are putting out. It is a bit more than I personally like, but I am certainly no basshead.

Mids are not as phenomenal as the bass. They have a significant low tilt, which can leave some vocals sounding too weighty and bloated. Instruments can sound a bit off kilter and hollow, especially high guitars. Detail is pretty decent, especially at their price. Upper mids certainly need more energy though, without a doubt. The midrange tonality is, in my opinion, these IEMs only major flaw. I will say, however, that this tilt does lend itself decently to Leonard Cohen’s voice. Out of all of my music I’ve listened to on these, his has sounded best to my ears.

The treble is a bit reduced, though not overly so. The lower treble seems to be the most reduced, then it comes up a bit for the mid to high treble, though still being below neutral. This does lead to there seeming to be a bit of a “hole” in the lower treble, which may contribute to the issues I previously mentioned with instruments. Detail is acceptable, but it lacks any real “crispness,” with most sounds up top seeming a bit too rounded off, if that makes sense.

Soundstage is alright. It has enough to never sound claustrophobic or too closed-in, but it won’t wow anyone with width. Imaging is pretty good, despite reduced high mids and treble. What is really interesting about these, however, is that the more you have them in, the more the sound grows on you. Eventually forgetting many of their flaws, and just enjoying what comes out. These are not for picking apart the music; these were made to just forget about all the details, and just jamming out.

Overall, despite their flaws, these IEMs are a ton of fun, and are a solid recommendation at their low price. It would be absolutely killer if the midrange was evened out a bit, as that is where most of the issues I have with it lie. Still, I can, and have, heartily recommend this to bass-lovers on a budget.