NF Audio NM2

disclaimer:  I have previously reviewed several NF Audio models and enjoyed them so was recently approached regarding one I had missed in the line-up, the NM2.   I have no financial interest in NF Audio, nor have I received any directions or guidance for this review.   I have received no compensation beyond the product for this review.    If you have an interest in NF Audio, check out their website and Facebook Page.

 

Unboxing / Packaging:

The packaging on the NF Audio models is well laid out with the outer box having the picture and name on the front and specs on the reverse.  When the inner box is pulled out it is a bookfold design with the manual and case on one side and the earpieces, tips, and cable on the other all neatly tucked into compartments that prevent things from falling out when opened.   The provided kit is fairly complete with earpieces, cable, 6.3mm adapter, case, and six (6) sets of silicone eartips.  Tips are two (2) styles in three (3) different sizes S,M,L.    The cable does have a velcro tie as well as the clamshell case having a second compartment for tips and adapters.   The case is large enough to hold the earpieces with cable attached but not large enough to also carry very many accessories so diligence is needed when selecting what else to carry with the earphones.  At the price point of the NM2+ I would have liked to see a case with a bit more room for carrying extra tips or an additional cable as well as the inclusion of some foams.

 

Build/Fit:

The NM2 has a very familiar shape as it matches the NA2 and NM2+ although the + has an aluminum version of the shell.   All have the typical inverted teardrop style with the NM2 choosing a clear blue resin construction.   Nozzles are part of the inner shell rather than being a distinct part.  They have good depth, a lip for tip retention and a metal screen over the single port opening. Face plates have the NF Logo raised in the center and a raised ridge around the outer edge that helps hide the seam.   They are well fitted to the inner shell with no excess glue or gaps and a good final polish to smooth the edge between the two.   Size is small to mid, but nozzles are fairly pronounced to allow for deeper seating.      A vent on the inner surface is  off-center over the driver and sits at about the 2 o’clock position behind the nozzle while another sits immediately in front of the QDC style connector.  Connectors are the raised bi-pin with rounded housing and are well fitted to the shell with no gaps, play, or cant.  Comfort was good for extended wear due to the moderate size and isolation is average or slightly better due to the fit of the body of the iem in the ear and the depth of the nozzles.

 

Internals:

The NM Series all are based on dual magnet 10mm dynamic drivers with dual cavity design.  In the NM2, the driver is listed as the MC2L-10 and is shared with the NA2.  The driver integrates the tuning elements (cap/resistors) into the rear of the housing and is visible in some photos and the exploded diagram.   Magnets are neodymium iron boron and provide over 1 Tesla of flux while the diaphragm is a 5 micrometer polymer composite for lightweight and speed.   Polymer composite is not as rigid as Be, Ti coated, or even carbon nano-tubes, but it is lighter weight and potentially faster than all of them.  NF chose the material to improve transient response beyond what is possible with the super still coatings.  The end result is a driver with a nominal impedance of 18Ω and a sensitivity of 108 dB/mW making it easy to drive well with most sources.   I found the NM2 did like a bit of power but its limit is low enough that it scales more qualitatively than quantitatively and those using the NM2 with a phone or tablet shouldn’t feel like they are missing anything.    I found the Cayin N3pro on low gain was plenty as was the DD hifi TC44c dongle.

 

Cable:

The provided cable is listed as 5N silver coated OFC in black casing material.   The jack is a 3.5mm in a straight metal housing with one flat side for gripping.    The NF Audio name is printed in the flat in white on the brushed silver background.  A matching 6.3mm adapter is also provided which is a nice touch as many will be used with desktop sources.  The cable itself is a 4 wire double twist from jack to coin-sytle splitter.  The splitter is black plastic and matches the cable while the chin slider is brushed aluminum and matches the jack.  Above the split, wires are 2 wire braids with earhooks and QDC style hooded bi-pin .78mm connectors.   The earhooks are a bit tight and benefit from a bit of heat from a heat gun and re-shaping to be a bit more relaxed. (If you do this remove the earpieces first to avoid heat damage to the components).   Overall the cable is about what we expect from an in-ear at this price point and was quite serviceable.

 

Sound:

Bass:

Sub-bass has a mild elevation that drops back gradually through the mid-bass.  There is good rumble with roll-off not detectable until the mid 20Hz range.   The really pleasant feature of the sub-bass though is the better than average texture and control in the extreme low end.   Mid-bass has good slam with good detail and speed  as well.   Attack is fast with a very slight sustain what gives the mid-bass good note weight without feeling thick or heavy.   The bass does add a touch of warmth and thickness to the lower-mids but bleed is kept to a minimum and overall the NM2 has a fairly well balanced low end as the first thing most will notice is the upper-mid/lower treble rather than the lows.  Its a V shape for sure but not as a deep a V as one might expect.

 

Mids:

Lower mids continue to drop back with the trough of the V at its deepest at the junction between lower and true mids.   Male vocals have good weight and enough clarity to cut through the mix but don’t have as much energy as upper voices and will remain a step behind.     Guitar growl is good with a nice sharpness and good energy despite the recess.  Strings on the other hand and acoustic guitar do fall into the recess a bit and lack the energy needed to be entirely realistic.     The NM2 is at its best with popular genres where the V can be appreciated and less well suited for orchestral or quartet pieces where mids are often the singular highlight.   There is an upper-mid push that does add back some energy and helps lift upper vocals forward in the mix.  This push can get a little hot and unforgiving of poorly recorded tracks.   I found the NM2 paired well with tube amps where I could use the tube to bring a little warmth in and tone down the bright a touch.

 

Treble:

Lower treble continues the climb of the upper-mids before falling back some in the true treble range.   This emphasis in the upper-mids and lower treble helps bring vocals forward in the mix but can at times be too much and becomes a bit shouty.   The NM2 definitely has a bright signature and the treble shy will find it a tough listen.   The true treble dips back down and avoids the range where stridency is most common (8-10kHz) range before adding back some energy in the 10-12kHz range before rolling off in the upper 14s.   This means that while it sounds bright, it doesn’t sound brittle and has some air at the top and sparkle without a tendency to get fatiguing.    Snare rattle is crisp with good attack and cymbals have good energy as well although hihat can be a bit dull.   Using the tube amp on the N3 pro helps to tame some of the lower treble push and even it out a bit for me.     The added energy above 10kHz brings some air and sparkle and gives the NM2 an open sound.

 

Soundstage / Imaging:

Stage is very similar to the NA2 with some depth but a bit more width and somewhat limited height.  Seating the orchestra is fairly straight forward as instrument separation is quite good and layering is as well with compression only becoming evident on extremely complex tracks with lots of bass overlap. There are a few places where stage shape limits imaging as movements on the periphery can be tracked but exact positions are hard to identify. Movements in the central front are more tightly defined.

 

Thoughts / Conclusion:

I have now had the pleasure of auditioning three of NF Audio’s in-ears and all have been good in their own regards.  I think my favorite of the three is the 2nd generation NM2+ which is the big brother of the NM2 and some of the tweaks made to it make it fit my preferences a bit better.   That having been said, the NM2 is a better listen with pop and bass heavy genres that need a bit more energy than we see in the NM2+.    The NM2 is a bit deeper V than the NA2 or NM2+ which gives it a distinct character of its own despite its shared components with the other two models.   The NM2 is a bit of a chameleon as well in that depending on the source it can be very bright or a bit more of a shallow V tuning.  It likes tubes and a source with a little warmth to balanced out the lower-treble that can become the focal point of its presentation quickly if paired with a bright source.    I didn’t like the pairing with the Sony WM1a for that reason and found it better with the Cayin N3 pro or AK Kann Alpha.