Raptgo Hook-X – Review
Raptgo’s new Hook-X In-Ear Monitor is quite the unique product. From its hardware to its aesthetics, the Hook-X is somewhat of an oddball. I’ve never had experience with Raptgo’s IEMs before, but I’m intrigued. At $239, the Hook-X has a lot of competition in the IEM market if it wants to stand out. I’m excited to see what this has to offer.
What’s in the Box
- RAPTGO HOOK.X Earphones
- 0.78 2pin OCC Silver Plated Coaxial Shielded Wire + 2.5mm/3.5mm/4.4mm Plugs
- Earphones Bag*
- Headphone Silicone Sleeves (S M L)
- Warranty Card And Instructions
Look and Feel
The Hook-X looks like something out of the future. With its sleek design, neon trim, and open backplate, the Hook-X is a very clean looking design. in terms of comfort, the hook-X feels fantastic, with the housing fitting incredibly well in your ear. The included ear tips assure that you get your preferred sound and fit right out of the box. The included carrying case is both secure and compact, assuring the safety of your product. Overall, I was pleased by this aesthetically.
Design
Under the hood is where the Hook-X really shines. The Hook-X is the first IEM design to utilize both a Planar Magnetic and Piezoelectric driver. Through exhaustive testing and engineering, Raptgo was able to combine these into one IEM, which is especially impressive considering how IEMs with one of these driver types are already a relatively new frontier. Through extensive tuning, the Hook-X is able to achieve a symbiosis between the two driver types and bring out the best in both. This is assisted by the Hook-X’s open back design, another rarity for IEMs. All of these factors make this one of the most unique IEM designs I’ve ever seen.
The Raptgo Hook-X has a frequency response of 20 Hz – 40 kHz and an impedance of 15 Ohms.
Soundstage
The soundstage on the Hook-X is as unique as its design. It has that open-back width and space combined with the closeness and, surprisingly enough, isolation of IEMs. I was very surprised with how much external noise is blocked despite the open-back design. The soundstage is wide, well separated yet still contiguous, and spacious. I feel immersed in the sound whenever I listen to these, especially in songs with long, washy reverbs.
Lows
The low range on the Hook-X is able to adapt to whatever genre you listen to. While it is slightly accentuated, it does so tastefully and does a great job of warming up the sound that fits my personal preference very well. In addition, the bass is really responsive and can turn on a dime.
Mids
The mid range has some slight tuning that helps bring out elements like vocals and other lead parts. It does a good job of balancing power with restraint. The Hook-X speaks softly but carries a big stick in a lot of aspects of its presentation, and the mids are no exception. If you listen to aggressively mixed music, then the Hook-X will match its aggression. If you’re listening to delicate music, then it’ll treat it with care.
Highs
The extended high frequency response does very well on the Hook-X. The highs are extremely detailed and do a nice job of cutting through the warm lows to balance out the sound. The planarmagnetic drivers combined with the open-back design make the highs luscious yet focused. I mentioned reverb earlier, but the details on reverb tails are insanely high on the Hook-X. Songs like King Krule’s La Lune have a shine to them that’s brought out especially well on these.
Overall
The Hook-X is one of the most interesting IEMs I’ve ever used. While the tuning might not be for everybody, you can’t deny the technical achievements of this IEM. I personally love the way it sounds, the sound character is very fun and is as unique as its design. I loved listening on these and am sad that I don’t own a pair. If you want a unique listening experience and want to spice up the tracks you’ve listened to hundreds of times, then the Hook-X is for you. I can’t wait to see more IEMs adopt some of the technological improvements from these.
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You can buy the Raptgo Hook-X at Audio46
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