NF Audio NE4 Review

NF Audio has a good selection of affordable IEMs, with the NE4 sitting at the pinnacle of their line. With it, comes a very interesting design that is innovative for a pair of IEMs. With the NE4’s removable faceplates, it looks like there are three different IEMs in one. Is this concept too much to handle for one IEM?

What You Get

• NE4 Evolution
• 3 pairs of replaceable faceplates
• 5N silver-plated OFC cable
• 6.35mm to 3.5mm adapter
• 3 pairs of balanced silicone ear tips
• 4 pairs of atmosphere silicone ear tips
• 3 pairs of screws
• Allen wrench
• MD-style leather case

Look & Feel

The three separate faceplates all have their own colors. Each of them is similarly vibrant and stylish especially the pop red plate and the transparent blue plate. These faceplates match the material of the shell, which feels like a nice high-grade CNC-carved aluminum. It’s a big shell but shaped ergonomically to be a good fit in your concha. My only gripe is the tiny bolts that hold the plates down. These are very easy to lose and I wish there were a better method to attach these plates.

Design

There are a total of four drivers inside of the NE4 that are all Knowles balanced armatures. The special circuit structure allows for specific parts of the driver configuration to be active at once, thus charging the tuning depending on what faceplates you’re using. No matter which plates you’re using, the level of output will be the same, so you should be able to use the NE4 with any headphone output.

Soundstage

No matter what faceplates you have attached to the NE4, the soundstage will always appear very wide. Using the reference plates gives you the most breathing room between instruments, and it feels the most like a live environment. The pop and reference plates still offer great spatial imaging, presenting a standard stereo environment that feels true and immersive. The transparent plates rarely feel like they have any boundaries. There’s no holographic layering going on with either tuning, but that doesn’t stop the stereo field from naturally filling your headspace with sound.

Low End

If you want to get the most bass possible out of the NE4, you will want to attach the pop plates. These plates give you the fullest bass frequencies, with the most power put behind them. The other plates will feature some clean, balanced bass tones, but don’t feature the lift that the pop plate does. It adds just enough warmth to sprinkle in that added color to the region, supplying it with a more dominant response. There’s a real force of vibration that emanates throughout the bass response while also showing complete control over it.

Mids

Like the bass, the NE4 has a few different ways of presenting the midrange through its faceplates. The pop plate definitely features the most bodied mids, but it’s not always the most even response. If you’re looking for better balance and accuracy, the reference plate might be the way to go. It’s very detailed and smooth, never coming across as aggressively plain even with its flat timbre. The transparent plate gives you something that’s a lot more focused though. It has a neutral timbre, but the details on the notes are so much more precise.

Highs

With the NE4, the treble is either very subdued or hot depending on which plates you use. The reference and transparent plates are the closest in timbre, while the pop plate exhibits the most relaxed treble frequencies. Good height and sparkle are gathered from the two, but they don’t shy away from some pretty aggressive peaks. This is not a consistent concern though, as it’s just a way to showcase the dynamics of their range.

Summary

The NE4 is unlike any other IEM I’ve tried. It really is like having three different IEMs for the price of one. Other IEMs have used different tuning modules, but the NE4’s plates are less like modifications and more like throwing completely different sound signatures onto the same foundation. It also works, and each tuning is equally as impressive. The transparent plates and pop plates are highlighted, as one brings the fun, while the other brings the hyper-detail. With these plates, it feels like there’s something for everyone, and it makes the NE4 a strong option in a competitive range.

The NF Audio NE4 is available at Linsoul.