Oriveti OD200 Review – Smooth, Sonorous

Comparisons –

Oriveti OH300 ($299): The OD200 comes in at a lower price point as opposed to their 3-driver hybrid. The tuning is broadly similar but with a few key differences that give the OH300 a more engaging W-shaped sound. Chiefly, the OH300 has more of a deep and sub-bass focus that gives its bass a lot more energy and slam. The OD200 is smoother and warmer, it has less kick and slam. Besides this, the OD200 has similar note control and definition, its tuning is just more mid-bassy and relaxed. The midrange is also cleaner and clearer on the OH300. It has a bit more upper-mid presence but a similar amount of pinna gain overall.

The OH300 also peaks around 2kHz which gives it a bit more vocal bias. It has greater clarity and definition. The OD200 is one step more laid-back, a bit fuller and also smoother. It has a bit more vocal size and sounds a touch more natural to my ears. The OH300 has a brighter treble. It is slightly thinner but has better extension. The OD200 actually retrieves almost as much detail in the lower-treble but the OH300 has an advantage when it comes to background and fine detail where it has noticeably more information. The OH300 has a slghtly larger stage with sharper imaging.

Shouer S12 ($109): The OD200 competes not only with single-DD earphones but also earphones with a more novel driver type such as the S12. The S12 delivers a slightly less even sound but still one with sound balance. It has more sub-bass presence but lacks the same pressurisation of the OD200. The OD200 is warmer and fuller, the S12 has a bit more contrast and energy to its bass with bolder notes. The S12 is a touch bassier overall, though its mid-bass is a bit cleaner, the OD200 delivers a more controlled and defined low-end with quicker decay and higher definition. The midrange is more even-handed on the OD200. The S12 is a bit more tonally transparent but also has reduced vocal size making it sound a touch strained by comparison.

Still, it has excellent resolution, layering and separation, technically outperforming the OD200. The same story applies to the treble. The S12 is far more aggressive here. Of note, the mid-treble is considerably brighter which is in stark contrast to the OD200. The Oriveti has a more natural note presentation. It has greater body and texture. The S12 is thinner and tizzier but has noticeably more fine and background detail that the OD200 smooths over. Both offer similar stage dimensions, the OD200 has slightly better imaging due to its more even handed tuning but the S12 has a big advantage on separation.

Moondrop KATO ($199): The KATO provides a similar style of overall balance with a bit more top-end presence. It has noticeably better separation due to its higher contrast and more neutrally toned sound. Sub-bass is more in focus on the KATO, delivering greater weight and slam. It has a cleaner mid-bass so overall the low end sounds a bit snappier and more concise. With that said, the OD200 has bigger, plumper and warmer notes that some may enjoy. It actually decays a bit faster, but the enlarged note size means separation is still worse. The midrange is a step more laid-back on the OD200 and has a fuller, warmer expression.

It is also a bit more articulate meaning vocals still have comparable definition if a huskier, richer voicing. The KATO is once again tonally cleaner and has noticeably better separation. It layers better and has superior extension. Technically, the two are roughly on par in terms of transient response, the main difference is tuning. The OD200 has a touch more crispness to its lower-treble which gives it a bit more fine detail while the KATO has better extension and a more balanced mid-treble giving it more air and atmosphere. The KATO has a larger stage and sharper imaging while the OD200 benefits from a bit more depth and a generally low fatigue sound that is easier on the ears during longer sessions.

Thieaudio Elixir ($209): Another single DD, the Elixir offers a cleaner tonality whilst also offering a darker mid-treble for those sensitive to fatigue. Its bass tuning has greater sub-bass balance and a balanced presence. The OD200 has more warmth and fullness to its sound but also greater note definition and decay speed. The Elixir still separates slightly better but lacks the same responsiveness. It also doesn’t have a huge sub-bass advantage to my ears despite the tuning, both are a little more light-footed with the Elixir just having a bolder note presentation. The midrange is cleaner and clearer on the Elixir too. It is a touch more forward but not overbearingly so.

The OD200 is fuller, a bit warmer and denser. Both earphones are articulate, the Elixir slightly more so. The Elixir has slightly more resolving power as well. The Elixir has a more present lower-treble and it sustains more evenly. This gives it a more forward detail presentation but also greater fine detail retrieval. Its instruments are a touch more forward but are still presented with a natural body and texture. The OD200 exemplifies the latter a bit more but rolls off sooner, sounding more obviously dark and contrasted. The Elixir has a bit more openness but still reduced air overall. The Elixir has a slightly larger stage and better layering.  

Verdict –

The OD200 is an interesting one overall and a product that has notably more niche appeal than most competitors. This is not a bad thing as variety speaks to the subjective nature of the hobby. Though the OD200 lacks the versatility of something like the KATO, it provides a similar style of midrange voicing with enhanced coherence and a total lack of fatiguing properties. Those wanting something that sounds lush with a clean black background yet maintains a natural voicing will not find many options such as this. It’s refreshing as most with a similar style tend to over-emphasize bass, the OD200 is quite atypical in that regard. Add to that a gorgeous and superbly ergonomic design, excellent modular cable and tuning nozzles, and you get a unique yet desirable package so long as this is to your preference. Though still nicely balanced, the downside to this style of sound is the lack of sub-bass slam and mid-treble detail. The OD200 doesn’t separate as well as a more contrasted earphone nor does it have impressive dynamic range. It specialises rather in the frequencies inbetween, focusing on responsiveness, richness and outstanding long-term listenability.

The OD200 is available from Oriveti (International) for $199 USD at the time of writing. I am not affiliated with Oriveti and receive no earnings from purchases made through these links.

Track List – 

Billie Eilish – dont smile at me

Bob Seger – Night Moves

Courtney Barnett – Rae Street

Cream – Wheels of Fire

Dire Straits – Communique

Dirty Loops – Next To You

Eagles – Hotel California

Elton John – Honky Chateau

Fleetwood Mac – Rumours

H.E.R – I Used To Know Her

Jasen – BYE

John Mayer – Continuum

Kanye West – Ye

Missy Higgins – The Sound of White

Radiohead – OK Computer

TALA – ain’t leavin` without you

The Beatles – Abbey Road

The weeknd – After Hours

Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride