Unit 05 / Review ·
KefineDelci AE
- Unit
- Bought with my own money · Shopee
- Ear tips used
- Dunu S&S · Tri Clarion
Bench score
7.6/10
- Bass
- 7.5
- Mids / Vocals
- 7.5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Detail & stage
- 6.5
- Build
- 9.0
- Value
- 7.5
Overall = mean of six sub-scores · How scoring works
The punchiest, most comfortable set I own, until the bass takes over.
The mid-bass punch is what I like most here. It’s also the catch: on some tracks the bass is more than I want. The Delci AE is the most comfortable IEM I own and the one with the most satisfying punch, and it’s also the set that made me go looking for something more balanced.
Build & fit
The Delci AE uses a single 10mm dynamic driver with a DLC and PU diaphragm, at 28 Ω, and ships with two screw-on tuning nozzles, silver and gold.
This is my most comfortable IEM. It feels premium in the hand without being heavy, and it disappears in my ears for long sessions. I use Dunu S&S tips, but my favourite pairing is Tri Clarion, because they tame the bass a little.
Nozzles. I use the silver nozzle. The gold one adds treble, and even though I’d normally welcome a bit more treble than the silver gives, the gold nozzle makes the top end sound unnatural to me. So silver it is, and everything below describes the silver nozzle.
Bass
The punch is the highlight. Kick drums hit with real impact, and I especially like how snare drums sound on this set, with a snap that makes rhythm-heavy music fun.
The problem shows up on denser rock. With prog rock and grunge such as Tool, Alice in Chains and Incubus, the bass overpowers the other instruments. Guitars and drums lose their definition, and the whole mix gets heavy. Tri Clarion tips help a little, but they don’t change the character.
Mids / Vocals
On those same tracks, the vocals sound too far back. Between the bass taking up space and the singer sitting behind the band, I lose the parts of the music I care about most in those genres. On lighter, less crowded tracks, the balance is much more forgiving.
Treble
With the silver nozzle the treble is reasonably smooth overall, but it can still be sibilant to my ears. The gold nozzle brings more energy, at the cost of a top end that doesn’t sound natural to me.
Detail & stage
This is my biggest complaint. The Delci AE lacks detail, and it’s sibilant at the same time, so I’m getting the downside of an energetic top end without the payoff. The Simgot EW200 is a useful comparison: it’s sibilant too, but it’s detailed, so the trade-off feels worth it there. Here it doesn’t.
Value
At $69–89, the Delci AE offers excellent comfort, a premium feel, real punch and some tuning flexibility from the nozzles. For the right listener that’s good value. For me, its weaknesses with prog rock and grunge are exactly why I bought the Truthear Pure.
Verdict
If comfort and punch are your priorities, and you mostly listen to music that isn’t wall-to-wall guitars, the Delci AE is easy to enjoy. If your library leans towards dense rock, look at something more balanced.