RAPTGO LEAF D01 IEMs – Nature Is Music

RAPTGO LEAF D01 IEMs – Nature Is Music

RAPTGO Leaf D01 is an 129 USD Semi-Open IEM / In-Ear Monitor sold & fulfilled by Linsoul, with detachable cable, and dynamic drivers. It will be compared to other IEMS including HeartField Acoustic Deer (169 USD), IKKO OH1S GEMs (143 USD), and KBEar Aurora (169 USD). 

 

Introduction

RAPTGO is a relatively new name, even for Linsoul, having appeared recently, but having made a lasting impression for audiophiles and music lovers from all over the world. Their previous model, Hook-X has been a pleasure to listen to, but the company doesn’t represent their products directly, being a brand that only Linsoul carries right now. You can always rely on Linsoul to bring you fun with their products, to make the purchase experience easy, and if you’re not comfortable with purchasing directly from them, they are also available on Amazon, where you can easily find all their products, but take advantage of the outstanding warranty and support Amazon offers. Funny story, but I recently ordered a Speaker cable from Amazon, and I actually did not go with the Amazon Basics version, as that’s made of Tin / Aluminium covered in Copper, but ordered a pure copper one instead. I don’t think I’ll cover it in full writing, but I may mention how it went in a different review. 

It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Linsoul or Raptgo, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I’d like to thank Linsoul for providing the sample for this review. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in RAPTGO Leaf D01 IEMs find their next music companion. 

 

Product Link

You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/3GEbrZY

If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3VHTw8T

And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3jN3use

 

Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort

Starting with the build quality, the new LEAF is quite similar to what we’ve seen with the HOOK-X, a really well made IEM with a metallic shell. They manage to stay fairly light despite the superb build quality, and they have detachable cable, which is OFC or Oxygen Free Copper, and has a Nylon Braiding sheathing. The cable connects to the IEMs with 0.78mm 2-Pin connectors. 

The IEMs have a 5-Axis Aluminum shell, and they are based on a new generation LCP Dynamic Driver. They have a high sensitivity of 110 dB / mW, and an average impedance of 32 OHMs. The IEMs are single ended and work with every smartphone and source I have around the house. The design is semi open, so Leaf D01 does not isolate very well from the outside noise and leaks a bit. 

The silicone tips are of a good quality, they do not create any issues while I’m wearing the Leaf D01, and the IEMs are generally super comfortable and pleasing to wear. I like the industrial design of the IEMs with the metallic shells, and I noticed no issues I can talk about. There is no driver flex since there’s a lot of venting both on the outside and there’s ventilation on the inside as well. 

The package is nice, and given the average impedance, Leaf D01 does not need any special source, they will not hiss with most sources, and they will be drivable from basically any source including smartphones. To be more precise, they will not hiss even with HIFIMAN EF400, even if it is turned to half volume, with no music playing. 

 

Sound Quality

I managed to pair RAPTGO LEAF D01 with multiple sources, including HIDIZS S09 PRO Balanced, Mechen M30, IKKO Zerda ITM02, HIDIZS AP80 PRO-X, Shanling UP5, and Hiby RS2. All of those can drive RAPTGO LEAF D01 quite well, and I noticed that the IEMs prefer a smoother, bassier, heavier sounding source over a brighter one. 

The general sound of RAPGO LEAF D01 can be described as sharp, precise and clean. They don’t have a large amount of bass, but the bass they have is natural and clean. They can handle more bass if you’re willing to EQ them, and the phase actually seems to improve with some extra bass, so sources with an analogic Bass Boost would result in a more pleasing listening experience. An entry-level source I just discovered that could be handy for most listeners is Fosi Audio K5 PRO, which has a Bass / Treble Slider and has been one of the sources I used for most of today’s review. With it, you can fine tune the bass and treble easily, to add more low end where it is needed, and I found that to improve the sound of LEAF D01 quite a bit. 

Speaking of sound, they have a generally shouty sound, and they are analytical, but can be fatiguing at times. The bass is very neutral, with little emphasis on warmth, and unless you have a bit of bass boost, you’re likely to yearn for a more low end, hence my recommendation to check out sources with a bit of bass boost. Since they are named the Leaf D01, I could say you’d expect a pretty snappy and light sound. 

The midrange of LEAF D01 is where they play best, with a light and snappy sound. The signature is generally lightweight, with a rather strong upper midrange emphasis and no lower midrange emphasis. This creates a very bright tuning for violins, pianos and guitars, opening them up and giving LEAF D01 a sensation of width, although the depth is not very strong. The upper midrange bears great detail, and they are super bright, kind of like HIFIMAN RE800 is, in fact having a somewhat more mild, more educated, but similar tuning. I notice a really pleasing tuning for acoustic music, and acoustic guitars bear the right amount of bite and metallic tinge for strings, but male voices can be a bit bright and shouty in return. This means that Rap, Rock and Metal can sound quite shouty and aggressive, overly bright and fatiguing, classical music plays perfectly clean, clear and super transparent, and the lower the amount of information in the higher registers and the lower the amount of cymbals your music has, the better LEAF D01 will play it. If you have music other IEMs struggle to play naturally because they can’t quite reach enough upper midrnage energy, LEAF D01 will surely have enough.

This is a thing that transfers to the treble too, with both the lower treble and the upper treble having a rather strong uplift. The resolution and detail are pretty good, especially considering that those cost around 130 USD. Unfortunately for LEAF D01 but fortunately for you, the sound I return to daily is the KLH Model Five, which sound perfectly natural and more detailed, so I can tell you that if you’re new to audio, you’ll find LEAF D01 to be quite bright and energetic in the upper treble to the point of fatigue. They are not forgiving, but for bands like Haggard, they play much above their price point, easily conveying the complex songs rather well.

 

Comparisons 

RAPTGO LEAF D01 vs HeartField Acoustic Deer (129 USD vs 169 USD) – While I mention that Acoustic Deer is rather bright and open sounding, they have more bass and lower midrange volume to make up for the bright treble, while D01 has less lower midrange and bass in general. The comfort is better on LEAF D01, which also has a better cable, and generally feels and looks better, the package as well. If you’re listening to a lot of classical and acoustic, LEAF D01 will be more precise and will have a certain magic that even the Deer can’t do, but for most usual and commercial music, especially newly released music that’s mastered and mixed properly, Acoustic Deer will sound more natural, and more traditionally V-Shaped. Both are sold by Linsoul, and both should be available on Amazon and the same stores, so go with the one that seems to fit your musical tastes better. 

RAPTGO LEAF D01 vs KBEar Aurora (129 USD vs 169 USD) – Starting with the fit, LEAF D01 fits better than Aurora, has a smaller body and more ergonomic fit, with a better cable and better package. The sound is brighter, and plays better for acoustic, classical and generally unamped / unplugged music on Leaf D01, while for metal, rock and EDM / Pop, Aurora is more natural, and has a better bass to treble ratio, sounding more pleasing and natural. 

RAPTGO LEAF D01 vs IKKO OH1s GEMs (129 USD vs 143 USD) – I never quite understood why IKKO are so underrated, they are more comfortable than Leaf D01, have a smaller body, although the cable on Leaf D01 is much better. The sound is more traditionally V-Shpaed as presented by IKKO OH1s, they work better for Rock, Metal and Pop / EDM. LEAF D01 works better for classical, acoustic and music with a lot of unamplified instruments. Playing the right music, LEAF D01 sounds more detailed and cleaner, but OH1S is a better started / entry-level IEM if you listen to a lot of rock, metal, edm or pop. 

 

Value and Conclusion

We can say for sure that just like the RAPTGO HOOK-X, the LEAF D01 has excellent value, and the company manages to impress us once again with superb build quality, a nice package, and outstanding price / performance ratio. Even better, LEAF D01 can easily be paired with most sources and doesn’t need anything special to sound good. 

For just 129 USD, you can have super nice detail, a sharp and precise sound, with good comfort and a nice cable, all packaged through a clean and crisp sonic signature, RAPTGO LEAF D01 being as easy to recommend as HOOK-X, and a good purchase at its current selling price. 

 

Product Link

You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/3GEbrZY

If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3VHTw8T

And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3jN3use

---

--- Please remember to stay safe, and always have fun while listening to music!---

 - If you have a dime to spare, please donate, and help us! It would make the day brighter for me and my wife- 

---

Full Playlist used for this review

We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature.  I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5

--- Contact Us ---

---