Aful Performer 5+2 VS NiceHCK Rockies
IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side
Aful Performer 5+2 and NiceHCK Rockies use 2DD+4BA+1Planar and 1DD+2BA+2EST driver setups respectively. Aful Performer 5+2 costs $229 while NiceHCK Rockies costs $499. NiceHCK Rockies is $270 more expensive. NiceHCK Rockies holds a slight 0.4-point edge in reviewer scores (7.7 vs 8.1). NiceHCK Rockies carries a user score of 9. NiceHCK Rockies has better bass with a 0.6-point edge, NiceHCK Rockies has better mids with a 0.7-point edge, NiceHCK Rockies has better treble with a 0.7-point edge, NiceHCK Rockies has slightly better soundstage with a 0.4-point edge and Aful Performer 5+2 has slightly better imaging with a 0.4-point edge.
Insights
| Metric | Aful Performer 5+2 | NiceHCK Rockies |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | 8 | 8.6 |
| Mids | 8 | 8.7 |
| Treble | 7.6 | 8.3 |
| Details | 7.6 | 7.5 |
| Soundstage | 7.8 | 8.2 |
| Imaging | 7.9 | 7.5 |
| Dynamics | 7.6 | 7.4 |
| Tonality | 7.6 | 8.5 |
| Technicalities | 7.5 | 8.7 |
Aful Performer 5+2 Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
NiceHCK Rockies Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
Aful Performer 5+2 Details
Driver Configuration: 2DD+4BA+1Planar
Tuning Type: Neutral with bass boost
Brand: AFUL Top AFUL IEMs
Price (Msrp): $229
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NiceHCK Rockies Details
Driver Configuration: 1DD+2BA+2EST
Tuning Type: Neutral with sub-bass boost
Brand: NiceHCK Top NiceHCK IEMs
Price (Msrp): $499
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Aful Performer 5+2 User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score: n/a
Based on 0 user reviews
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NiceHCK Rockies User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score:
Based on 2 user reviews
9Outstanding
Aful Performer 5+2 Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
7.5Gaming Grade
ANiceHCK Rockies Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
8.4Gaming Grade
A+Aful Performer 5+2 Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
A- Well-executed tonal character. No major flaws with good technical control. Smooth presentation works with multiple genres.
Average Technical Grade
A- Competent technical presentation. Handles separation and detail well in most tracks, with modest soundstage and acceptable imaging capabilities.
NiceHCK Rockies Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
S-- Refined execution with coherent frequency integration. Natural timbre reproduction and engaging presentation. Strong versatility.
Average Technical Grade
S-- Excellent clarity and detail. Precise imaging and expansive soundstage. Manages complex passages with minimal smearing and good transient speed.
Aful Performer 5+2 Reviews
8.5
* score normalized
8.5
Reviewer Score
My kind of neutral, improves a lot on my favorites. Jaytiss Youtube Channel
8*
* score normalized
Overall it is sounding more visceral and incisive than the Performer 5.Super* Review original ranking
Super* Review Youtube Channel
7.5
Reviewer Score
A detailed, engaging all-rounder that's exciting without being shouty or harsh. Smooth, neutral tuning with a bass boost, excellent bass quality, clean mids, forward vocals, and sparkly, incisive treble. Great detail. I wouldn’t change a thing.Gizaudio Axel original ranking
Gizaudio Axel Youtube Channel
7
Reviewer Score
check links for more info: Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
6.5
Reviewer Score
Clean, balanced, neutral sound with good layering and tech. Relaxing vocals, but lacks power and last bit of vocal extension. Bass has good controll, but lacks impact. Has sizzly planar timbre in the treble. Safe but forgettable. Jays Audio Youtube Channel
IEMRanking AI
2025-09-07
7.7
Reviewer Score
The AFUL Performer 5+2 (also listed as “Performer 7”) uses a 2DD+4BA+1 micro planar driver array and AFUL’s LC-network crossover plus a 3D-printed acoustic tube system, aiming for clean band splits without smearing. The shell also integrates a high-damping air-pressure balance system, a design AFUL has used across its line. Official listings put MSRP around $229 and outline the same core tech features.
Tonally it trends neutral with a sub-bass lift: bass has solid depth and texture, mids stay relatively linear, and the presence/treble region adds energy without veering into sharpness on most chains. Multiple reviews characterize it as warm-neutral with bass boost or slightly V-shaped depending on perspective, which matches listening notes about a lively but controlled upper end. Sensitivity and load are portable-friendly (≈109 dB, 15 Ω), so it reaches performance without demanding amplification.
Technicalities are competitive for the class: imaging is tidy with good instrument separation, micro-detail retrieval is above average, and soundstage is moderate (more width than depth). Build and comfort are typical resin-shell fare; some users note occasional lower-treble bite depending on tips and recordings, so treble-sensitive listeners may wish to pair accordingly. Overall value is strong at its price, especially if a clean, bass-supported neutral curve is the priority.
NiceHCK Rockies Reviews
Jaytiss
2025-09-03
9.4
Reviewer Score
Trebble so nice. Feels faultless and amazing. Jaytiss Youtube Channel
NiceHCK Rockies lands in the ~$500 bracket with a 1DD+2BA+2EST setup and a surprisingly premium package. The hollow resin shell feels solid, with a metal nozzle, slightly recessed 2-pin, good isolation, and comfy fit. The swappable-termination cable is thick, pliant, and lays flat—no chin slider out of the box, but easy to add—and the excellent case and tip kit push the accessories into “above class” territory.
Tonally, Rockies goes for tight, controlled bass and a natural midrange, capped by upper-treble that’s sparkly yet refined—detailed without getting shouty or brittle. The graph reads largely flat with a tasteful treble lift, translating to a clean, clear presentation that stays engaging rather than fatiguing. It comes across as an “instant classic” tuning: lively, airy, but still grounded.
Compared with brand siblings (DB2 too upper-midsy; F1 Pro/NX8 fine but not special), Rockies feels like the step up. Versus peers, it splits the difference: more air and delicacy than RSV MK2 (which is bassier/darker), less sizzle than sets that chase treble for effect, and broadly similar endgame vibes to “good” units of Mega5-EST—variance there being the rub. Net: a high-value pick at its price, worthy of a Gold Star—not a universal “benchmark,” but a sweet, natural, clear listen that many will prefer, especially with the standout accessories.
Drew / Audionotions
2025-09-09
8.5
Reviewer Score
My favorite take on the JM1 meta so far. Bass tuning is well done with adequate weight and punch - it's not standout but it will do the job. Silky smoooooth and rich mids with very good clarity. Treble that leans slightly bright but is never sharp. Very good transient response, especially with things like plucking sounds and the like. Renders strings very well. Some people might find the treble a bit forward but I don't personally find this to be an issue, except on certain tracks. It's an IEM that is hard to fault and one that will handle anything you throw at it well. Very suitable as a one-and-done IEM. Previously Owned
Jays Audio
2025-08-28
8.5
Reviewer Score
Balanced, clean, airy, with a slight treble emphasis, good EST implementation, great overall package and accesories at the price. Similar to TOP PRO but with ESTs and not as vocal centric. Easy rec if you want something balanced and airy. Jays Audio Youtube Channel
The NiceHCK Rockies have a balanced tuning with standout treble extension from its ESTs. Vocals are tamer with a cut in the upper mids, trading sparkle-forward presence for a smoother, airier presentation; staging feels more open because bass and vocals sit slightly back, while cymbal decay lingers with a pleasing airiness. Technical performance is very good for the price—punching above many $500–$600 peers—and the unboxing/accessories package adds to the overall value.
Low end is grounded and tidy rather than slammy; texture and separation are solid, but this isn’t for bassheads or those wanting vocal-forward excitement (sets like Top Pro or Volare cover that better). The Rockies excel with rock/metal/indie/classical where the extra air, layering, and controlled upper energy shine; they scale best at mid volumes, and tip rolling should avoid options that over-boost or dull the treble—the stock tips already hit a sweet spot. Net: a confident recommendation at ~$500–$600 for listeners prioritizing treble quality, detail, and spaciousness, with the main trade-off being a more restrained bass and laid-back vocal emphasis.
Tim Tuned
2025-07-16
8.5
Reviewer Score
The Mega5EST but a slight bit more technical and bright Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
Super* Review
2025-09-13
6*
* score normalized
The NiceHCK Rockies is a $500 tribrid (1DD+2BA+2EST) tuned almost identically to the Mega 5 EST but with slightly less bass and a touch more lower treble, yielding tighter bass and clearer separation at the cost of a drier, slightly brittle tone; build is solid, though the stiff, slider-less cable and average fit detract. Overall it’s good, but the warmer Mega 5 EST is preferred, and the Rockies lands at 3/5.Super* Review original ranking
Super* Review Youtube Channel
NiceHCK Rockies lands as a $500 tribrid (1DD+2BA+2EST) that mirrors the Mega5-EST’s tuning with subtle tweaks. The unboxing is generous—three styles of tips (including AET07-style and tacky “medical” silicone), a large puck case, and a swappable 3.5/4.4 screw-lock plug. Build feels premium with a real pietersite stone faceplate; fit is comfortable but shell geometry is generic, so stability depends on tips. The stock cable looks nice but is stiff and, notably, has no chin slider.
Sonically, Rockies follows a tilted diffuse-field / “new meta” balance with slightly less bass and a touch more lower-treble than Mega5-EST—on the order of ~1 dB each way. That shift tightens the low end and improves separation/imaging, making the set feel more technical; however, it also trims warmth and depth, leaving the presentation a bit dry/brittle at times. Bass quality is clean and controlled rather than showy; treble reads clear without obvious harshness on the 711 rig readout, though it can edge lean.
Against peers, Mega5-EST stays the easier, warmer listen with slightly “thuddier” bass, while DUNU’s Brain Dance is the pick for maximum excitement and staging (more clinical up top). Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk (analog use) offers stronger imaging and notably satisfying bass execution at a lower price. Rockies ends up a very good, balanced all-rounder that some will prefer over Mega5-EST for its tidier bass and clarity, but the trade for brightness and dryness is real—final verdict: 3/5.
IEMRanking AI
2025-07-19
7.5
Reviewer Score
The NiceHCK Rockies is a five-driver tribrid using 1DD + 2 Knowles BA + 2 Sonion EST in a resin shell with Pietersite stone faceplates. Specs list a detachable 0.78 mm 2-pin cable with swappable 3.5/4.4 mm plug, 9.8 Ω impedance and 121 dB/Vrms sensitivity, indicating easy driveability from portable sources.
Early third-party coverage characterizes the tuning as neutral with a sub-bass lift and smooth, controlled treble, with 5128 measurements available via Crinacle’s public database and a review on Hangout’s channel. These impressions emphasize strong imaging and detail without obvious harshness when recordings are clean.
At an MSRP of $499 (with a short launch price of $469), value hinges on preference for an energetic, U/neutral-with-bass presentation; listeners sensitive to upper energy may find mids a touch lean on certain material, as some impressions note. In short, Rockies trades a warm mid focus for sub-bass reach, treble resolution, and a stable stage that suits modern pop, electronic, and large-scale orchestral.
Aful Performer 5+2 User Reviews
"This is an example review"
Pros
- Example pro 1
- Example pro 2
Cons
- Example con 1
- Example con 2
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You need to be signed in to write your own reviewNiceHCK Rockies User Reviews
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You need to be signed in to write your own reviewA lively rendition of the diffuse field tuning that tilts slightly upward for additional clarity. Tastefully bass-boosted DD, clear and clean BA mids with slightly recessed vocals, and standout EST treble presence make an engaging JM-1 all-rounder.
Pros
Lively, unique take on neutral with bass boost. Excellent detail.Cons
An ever so slight increase in bass shelf could provide more dynamicism.Lively tribrid with engaging low end and airy detail that still sounds cohesive. Strong technical performance for the price without losing musicality.