DUNU SA6 MKII In

Christopher Coke Updated: Aug 30, 2023 6:03 PM Posted: Aug 30, 2023 6:00 PM ET Category: Hardware Reviews 0

DUNU has been on a roll over the last year, releasing impressive in-ear monitors like the Vulkan, Titan S, and Talos. In that time, though, there was one burning question: when would DUNU release a new SA6, an IEM regarded as one of the best all balanced armature releases still to this day? They couldn’t help but tease us with the limited SA6 Ultra but have now officially returned with the goods, and it’s in-stock, ready to buy for anyone who wants it.

The DUNU SA6 MKII is a new take on the SA6. The name of the game is refinement rather than reinvention, but the culmination is a wholesale improvement that’s well worth considering to up your audio game. The MKII builds on the six BA design with a refined tuning and a tuning switch that instantly enhances the bass. This new version offers more detail, excellent bass, and soundstage worthy of any video game. It doesn’t come cheap, but it’s absolutely worth picking up if you can afford it.

The DUNU SA6 MKII is a premium, yet mid-range priced pair of in-ear monitors from the fine folks at DUNU. Unlike the masses of hybrid, tribrid, single- and double-dynamic driver IEMs flooding the market right now, the SA6 dares to be different. It’s an all balanced armature design, and if you’ve ever heard that BAs aren’t able to produce great bass, think again. It’s an IEM that proves the merits of tuning and that DUNU remains one of the prestigious brands in this space.

The SA6 MKII’s mission statement seems to have been to respond to feedback and lend the SA6 even more detail while not losing any of the hallmark features, like its great soundstage. It still splits its six BAs across the registers in pairs: two each for bass, mids, and treble. The low-end is handled by a pair of Sonion AcuPass Vented woofers, while the mids and highs use custom Knowles drivers. The frequencies are split accurately using an electronic crossover as well as physical separation, which you can observe the three holes in the nozzle.

Like the original, the earphones have adopted a UIEM (Universal In-Ear Monitor) design. In comparison to CIEMs (Custom In-Ear Monitors) which use 3D models of your particular ears to guide their shape, these are based on accumulated data on the shape of the human ear and are designed to nestle securely within the ear canal and be supported by the outer ear. Unlike bullet-style earbuds or bud-and-stem designs like the AirPods Pro, these offer a much more secure fit that blocks out more outside noise.

You’ll need to choose appropriate tips for the best sound and comfort, and there are plenty to choose from here. DUNU includes a whopping twelve pairs of eartips to choose from, broken across four different styles. Do note that there is a difference in the bore size between these, which can impact the amount of bass you perceive (smaller bore typically means more bass). Eleven of these tips are silicone but one is memory foam, so it should be possible for anyone to find a comfortable fit here.

The SA6 MKII are a striking pair of earphones. While the body is made from acrylic resin, the faceplates are made of hardwood. No two will be exactly alike, but each has a similar red-brown hue that’s immediately eye-catching. There’s a silver DUNU logo on the right faceplate and a “6” on the left. Looking closer, we also find a pressure vent on the top of each side for a more comfortable fit and a switch on the back of both.

Switches on IEMs can vary a lot. They’re usually present to offer you some degree of control over the sound signature, flipping one or more to turn up the bass, mids, or treble. In my experience, the effect of these switches varies a lot and can often seem pretty gimmicky. Usually, you set what you like and forget they’re there (or at least, I do).

Here, these switches enable the MKII’s Atmospheric Immersion mode. This implies, to me, staging and space. In reality, it operates much closer to a bass switch. But unlike those others I mentioned where you set it and forget it, I do find myself changing the tuning quite a bit. The added bass is perfect for gaming, movies, and pop music but for acoustic, classical, or vocal tracks (including podcasts), the standard mode is better. Either way, the switches provide a noticeable bump to the bass without making it sound bloated or slow.

Also included in the box is DUNU’s Hulk Mini cable. Purchased on its own, this cable sells for $170 to $200, though it’s not exactly the same. While the actual cable matches — 26 gauge Furukawa single-crystal copper in an aluminum-shielded Litz braid, completely with heavy duty mean strain reliefs and modular terminations — the MKII only includes the 3.5mm and 4.4mm terminations. The 2.5mm balanced connector has been swapped for a 6.35mm adapter. It’s not quite what you’ll receive if you buy the cable standalone, but if you’re not running an increasingly uncommon 2.5mm balanced source, it’s not a big loss.

The cable is excellent. Despite being rather thick, it’s soft and pliable, and doesn’t retain kinks or cable memory. I didn’t find it to be microphonic at all. Swapping the ends is also easy, and even includes a locking mechanism to ensure the terminations are always snug and secure.

All in all, it’s a very complete package befitting its premium price tag.

The DUNU SA6 MKII fit my ears very well. With the proper tips, I didn’t experience any discomfort whatsoever. They are a tad bulky, however, you so you may find that they stick out of your ears a touch, especially if you’re on the smaller side. Still, given the tip selection, I’m confident that most listeners will be able to find a comfortable, long-term fit here.

Image Credit: Gizaudio courtesy of Squig.Link. Blue Line = Atmospheric Immersion ON, Green Line = Atmospheric Immersion OFF

The DUNU SA6 MKII have a U-shaped sound signature that leans into lows without sacrificing their overall balance. Still, I would consider these slightly warm on their own, even without the Immersion switch enabled. This tuning makes for a very engaging listen that’s perfect for getting lost in your favorite music or video games, and generally makes these a very safe, yet impressive, set to invest in.

The bass on this set is powerful but well-controlled. Balanced armatures have a reputation for being bass light and this set absolutely proves how capable they can be. The speed of the BAs also means the transients (attack) of the bass is very fast, giving these a good amount of pound, texture, and realism. With the Immersion switch on, the sub and mid-bass kick up further and provide a wide, solid body for just about any genre. In my testing, I tried it with everything from hip-hop to classical, with the switch on and off, and the bass minds its lane and doesn’t cloud out other frequencies higher in the spectrum.

The midrange is impacted by the upper-bass and lends it a bit of warmth. Male vocals in particular have a thickness to them that adds presence to the vocalist. It’s not overdone, however, and the tuning levels off enough that it still manages to sound very natural, despite having more body. Moving up the midrange, it’s a very smooth progression with no sharp edges to instruments. Overdriven guitars have an almost liquid quality. Angel Vivaldi’s Dopamine was a particular treat and these offered one of the best reproductions of his lead tone I’ve heard yet.

If it weren’t for the upper mids and highs, the SA6 MKII would devolve into warmth, but DUNU has leaned into the air and sparkle. This clarifies the sound, crispens it, and brings out so many details in what you’re listening to. There’s no veil in what you’re hearing. Instruments ring out with definition and realism. Guitars have resonance. Pianos resound with realistic, crystalline tinkles. Short of adding and EST (electrostatic driver) and several hundred dollars in extra cost, it’s some of the best treble I’ve heard — evening surpassing the Mangird Top, which is a competitor at this price.

The detail retrieval is very good, but the soundstage is better. I was very, very impressed at the depth and width of the listening experience. Enabling the bass boost didn’t detract from this either, so if for gaming, you can have your cake and eat it too.

You might be asking, then, what the downside is. Nothing is perfect, but in this case, I think it will very much come down to personal taste. As I mentioned earlier, this is a very safe set. Metal, country, EDM, gaming, movies, audiobooks… the SA6 MKII is resolving and versatile enough to sound very good across the board, but I think genres and content with body is obviously going to sound the best. The all BA design does mean that you’ll have the BA timbre, too. Some people describe it as plasticky, but I disagree with that. To me, the sound comes across crisp to the point of being etched — a bit like adding sharpening to a picture or television. It’s not bad, and for the presentation of detail, I actually find it to be enhancing. Your mileage may vary, however.

Needless to say, these are a killer set for gaming. The soundstage gives them an edge over the Mangird Top, in my opinion, but it’s a very close race in this price bracket. Either way, the imaging and detail are very good, such that you can hear enemies before you see them and net yourself a competitive edge. I found them to be especially enjoyable in single-player games, however. Baldur's Gate 3’s atmospheric audio and excellent soundtrack came alive with these.

The DUNU SA6 MKII are simply fantastic. I now understand why the audio community was so enamored with the SA6. Since unboxing them, these IEMs have had a permanent place on my desk, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Audio is subjective, and at this price, buying in can feel like a leap. The DUNU SA6 MKII is a safety net.

The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Articles may include affiliate links from which we may earn a small commission to help support the site. Authors do not earn affiliate revenue or commissions.

Chris cut his teeth on MMOs in the late 90s with text-based MUDs. He’s written about video games for many different sites but has made MMORPG his home since 2013. Today, he acts as Hardware and Technology Editor, lead tech reviewer, and continues to love and write about games every chance he gets. Follow him on Twitter: @GameByNight