Shozy Black Hole Review – Captivating, Unconventional

Comparisons –

GAudio Nair (759 CHF): The Nair provides a highly linear sound and similarly strong build quality with custom Satin Audio cable in the box. Both have a similar sonic balance despite measuring far differently. The Black Hole is a touch more upper-mid forward and the Nair generally sounds more linear. The Black Hole has a bit more sub-bass pressure and a slightly bolder note structure while the Nair has a hint more mid-bass warmth but less extension. The quantity is similar on both, the Nair has higher definition while the Black Hole has more texture and stronger dynamics. Through the midrange, both are surprisingly similar in presentation too, and both have a clear yet natural voicing.

The Nair has a bit more smoothness, body and density, enabling a more accurate timbre. The Black Hole is slightly thinner and cooler but also delivers higher clarity and much better layering. The treble actually sounds a bit more forward on the Nair despite the Black Hole measuring brighter here. The Black Hole has a slightly smoother transient response but also a slightly crisper tuning, the Nair being more linear with a bit more body. Both have similar detail retrieval and clean, darker backgrounds. The Nair has a bit more middle-treble while the Black Hole has slightly better extension at the very top. The Black Hole has a much larger soundstage and its positioning is similarly precise. The Nair has slightly more stable imaging and similarly strong separation due to its more even tuning.

Oriveti O800 ($799): The O800 has a smooth voicing signature to Oriveti and is a very technically competent IEM. The O800 has a more robust and powerful voicing with more body in general. Its bass is slightly more forward and fuller with moderate mid-bass emphasis. It has greater heft and punch. The Black Hole has slightly better extension and sub-bass slam while, being quicker decaying, the O800 manages a more textured and defined mid-bass despite having more bass quantity. Mids are naturally voiced and forward on both, the O800 is slightly more vocal forward but has greater body and a smoother articulation that ensures it never comes across as peaky or intense.

The Black Hole has higher definition and clarity and both are well-extended through the upper-midrange. The O800 sounds bigger and more powerful with a more full-bodied whilst maintaining a neutral tone, in turn, it doesn’t suffer from the same issues with timbre as the Black Hole can. The treble is a touch more laid-back on the O800 and a bit more balanced on the Black Hole. Despite this, the O800 has slightly better fine detail retrieval that is emphasized with its slightly crisper tuning. Both have good contrast with clean, dark backgrounds, the O800 has similarly strong extension but also slightly more sparkle at the very top. The Black Hole has a much larger stage and better layering though the O800 is no slouch here either, delivering more stable imaging.

NXEars Opera ($799): The Opera is a warmer sounding earphone also with a focus on soundstage. The Opera has similar tonal balance but a bit more fullness and warmth in the bass that draws a bit more attention. The Black Hole has better extension with slightly more slam and pressure. It also has a more linear and cleaner tuning. On the flipside, the Opera has much quicker attack and decay that balances out its fuller tuning. In turn, it is slightly more defined and has slightly better timing while the Black Hole benefits from greater texture and dynamics. The midrange is forward on both, the Opera has a much fuller and smoother voicing with much higher coherence. It provides a foil to the Black Hole’s clean, clear and wide open tuning.

The Opera does sound a little roomy and boxy at times but has a smoother articulation and more complete note structure. As such, I found both to be about on par in terms of timbral accuracy, the main difference being with regards to tone. The Opera has a slightly crisper lower-treble. It has a touch more fine detail retrieval here and a slightly cleaner transient response. Neither have huge air or sparkle above. The Black Hole has a much larger stage, both are equally strongly layered. The Opera has sharper, more multi-dimensional imaging while the Black Hole has better separation especially with its cleaner tuning.

Astrotec Phoenix ($799): The Phoenix has a hugely engaging signature. I personally find it more balanced with some alcohol swab covering the nozzle which balances out the high-end. The Phoenix has a much bigger bass with greater emphasis and a fuller, bolder note structure. It isn’t as fast but has excellent control with greater texture and superior depth and dynamics. The Black Hole meanwhile, is much cleaner with a more natural voicing, higher separation and greater mid-bass definition. The Phoenix has a large lower-mid dip to aid bass separation, albeit its greater bass emphasis means it comes across as more full-bodied and warmer than the Black Hole. The Black Hole has a more linear tuning, its voicing is slightly more natural and it also sounds more consistent between tracks.

The Black Hole is also cleaner with greater extension and vocal size. The Phoenix sounds a bit more strained with more upper-mid bias and quicker climb to emphasis, it also sounds a bit raspier due to its more aggressive treble on top. On the contrary, this is balanced out to some degree by its greater body and warmth so it remains an enjoyable listen, simply one that is more coloured than the Shozy. The treble is thinner and crisper on the Phoenix. However, it also has a much cleaner transient response, delivering far superior fine detail retrieval and a more convincing sparkle and extension at the very top, the Shozy being smoother and more textured. The Phoenix has a smaller soundstage and less defined layers. The Black Hole also has better separation.

Fiio EM5 ($299): A comparison I felt apt despite the vast difference in price and form, the EM5 is a technically impressive premium earbud that some may consider comparable in use case. I will be using my preferred VE Monk+ foams on the EM5 for this comparison that I feel provide the most balanced sound. The EM5 is a warmer and more coherent sound, also more laid-back up top. The EM5 has good bass extension but cannot best the sealing Black Hole. The EM5 has a bigger and warmer bass with more mid-bass emphasis. The Black Hole is cleaner and more linear, it has a harder-hitting sub-bass and is much tighter in general. The EM5 has slightly longer decay with more textured notes that said. The EM5 is more laid-back through the midrange and is more coloured by its bass, being warmer and fuller.

The EM5 has slightly better layering and a bit more depth due to its even more open form factor. Meanwhile, the Black Hole sounds a lot more revealing and immediate, with higher note definition and substantially better upper-midrange extension. The EM5 is quite a bit smoother, another contributor to its more coherent presentation. The Black Hole definitely has the more resolving and balanced treble response, an area where earbuds do struggle. The EM5 has a thinner lower-treble, it is crisp but still a little laid-back and not the most detailed, especially coming directly from listening to this crop of $800 IEMs. The Black Hole has noticeably better extension and headroom so it has more background detail and a more detailed presentation overall. So, though the EM5 still has some advantage to space, most notable depth and layering, the Black Hole has much sharper imaging aided by better separation – I will call this a successful union between IEM and earbud characteristics.

Verdict –

There are more than a few earphones around this price with trick designs and alluring features. Even then, the Black Hole stands apart for its one of a kind form factor and Shozy’s prudent execution of said open design. Nonetheless, it would be a lie to call this earphone versatile or widely appealing as it simply is not balanced or linear in the conventional sense nor does its non-isolating design make it ideal for portable use. So, in many senses, consider the Black Hole to be the pinnacle of earbud design, retaining the comfort of zero wearing pressure and spatial awareness of an open design whilst introducing the fit stability, bass extension and resolution of a good IEM. That is something you won’t find replicated elsewhere even at a vastly higher price. In and of itself, I also find the Black Hole a very outstanding package in many regards, again, if not the most versatile one. In particular, its laid-back bass and cool tone mean its presentation doesn’t flatter all genres equally. That said, this is not a fatiguing or overly wonky sounding in-ear and one with world class space and layering. The Black Hole is a paragon of openness and sits essentially uncontested if you dislike the wearing pressure of conventional in-ears but still want a focused sound with spotlight on vocals and huge, expansive soundstage presentation.

The Black Hole is available on HiFiGO (International) for $799 USD at the time of writing. I am not affiliated with Shozy or HiFiGO and receive no earnings from purchases through this link.

Track List –

Beck – Mellow Gold

Bob Segar – Night Moves

Brb. – Sorry That I Love You

Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit

Crush – NAPPA

Dire Straits – Communique

Dirty Loops – Next To You

Eagles – Hell Freezes Over

Elton John – Honky Chateau

Eric Clapton – Unplugged

Joji – Sanctuary

Nirvana – Nevermind

Pixies – Doolittle

Post Malone – beerbongs & bentleys

Radiohead – OK Computer

Rich Brain – The Sailor

Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride