NiceHCK X49 Earphones Review – Better Than The Moondrop Quarks?

First Impressions

The NiceHCK X49’s packaging is pretty straightforward as it’s basically a white carton box with some graphics on the front and back. 

The presentation of the earphones is simple. The accessories include a velcro strap, a shirt clip, and a few pairs of extra silicone ear tips. Besides that, there’s not much going on with the packaging.

In terms of design, the X49 does look good and has a premium feel to it. It’s sleek and well-designed. 

The only drawback is that the cable is non-detachable. This means that, in case the cable breaks, you can’t swap it out and you’d have to replace the whole set. It also means that you can’t get upgrade cables.

Build Quality

The NiceHCK X49 has a zinc alloy shell which ensures its durability. 

However, its cable design is flawed. It has a rubber-coated cable known to have tangling issues and can be easily damaged by sweat. 

And since the X49’s cable is non-detachable, it’s pretty hard to get it repaired or replaced without a help of a luthier, which adds up to the list of its problems.

The included silicone ear tips are of average quality. They get the job done but I’d recommend getting a good pair of flange ear tips for a better overall experience.

Fit and Comfort

The fit of the NiceHCK X49 can be an issue. I had difficulty finding a good fit and seal with the included ear tips so I had to scour through my collection to get a well-fitting one. Flange ear tips helped a lot with how the X49 fits in my ear.

Even with its zinc alloy construction, the X49 is pretty lightweight. 

However, the cable isn’t that good and causes discomfort to my ears due to its material. Unlike the silver-plated OFC cables found in most IEMs nowadays, the X49 has a rubber-coated cable which makes it much more prone to tangling, which can eventually damage it.

The cable is also very microphonic, which can sometimes get very annoying as it adds to the discomfort.

Sound Quality

Onto the sound, the NiceHCK X49 sounds neutral but it has a slightly brighter tuning than most neutral IEMs. 

It leans towards a more energetic rather than aggressive presentation, and while it lacks action on the bass, it makes up for its definition and clarity.

Bass

The bass of the NiceHCK X49 is more mid-bass focused with not much sub-bass rumble. The mid-bass has a quick attack and decay. Overall, it’s very thumpy without reaching overwhelming levels, which can bleed through the mids and cause muddiness.

The bass of the X49 is articulate as it has good clarity and definition even on busy tracks. This can be attributed to the bright and neutral sound signature.

Since it doesn’t have a lot of sub-bass rumble, I wouldn’t recommend this to bass heads since it’s lacking in that aspect.

Mids

The mids are well-controlled and very detailed. Sometimes, they can be perceived as relaxed in terms of presentation. 

What I like about the mids of the NiceHCK X49 is how it reveals details even on the lower register of the mids. Male and female vocals also sound lovely and smooth in presentation, with no weird textures that can be heard.

However, I’ve experienced that the mids can sound congested in busier tracks, which makes it sound a bit cuffed or boxy. For the most part, the mids performed well on the tracks I’ve thrown at it and this greatly impresses me.

Treble

The highs of the NiceHCK have a glass-like presentation, and the clarity is excellent. However, once broken by busy tracks and high volumes, they tend to get sharp and allow harsh frequencies to flow in.

Other than that, the treble has some decent extension that allows it to have excellent detail retrieval and organic tonality, which is evident in the cymbal splashes and wind instruments.

Test Tracks

I’ve tested the NiceHCK X49 on different genres of music to get a proper understanding of how they sound and here are my findings.

• Metal / Rock – This IEM worked great on genres with more traditional instruments. The high-gain guitars were well-kept without sounding piercing or harsh to the ears. The vocals were positioned in front, making them pop more than the other elements in the tracks. The drums were still energetic, even for a neutral tuning. Tracks used: I Don’t Love You (My Chemical Romance), All The Small Things (Blink 182), Ignorance (Paramore), Cold (Korn), Cliffs of Dover (Eric Johnson)
• Pop – The vocals were again positioned before the whole mix and presented with outstanding clarity and detail. The instruments had a good texture and depth, and the rhythmic grooves didn’t disappoint. The NiceHCK X49 managed to handle most of the tracks I’ve thrown at it for this genre, with some having congestion issues on busier tracks. Tracks used: Snooze (SZA), Neverita (Bad Bunny), Yours (Maye)
• Hip-hop – Although the X49 is a bit lacking in the low-end presentation for the tracks, it managed to keep the energetic character of the tracks I’ve used for this genre. However, there were times when the tracks sounded a bit bland and flat. Tracks used: LOVE. (Kendrick Lamar, Zacari), sdp interlude (Travis Scott), I Wonder (Kanye West), Superhero (Metro Boomin & Future)
• R&B / Soul – Listening to tracks in this genre was a treat. The vocals had excellent resolution and blended well with the different instruments in the mix, even though they were positioned pretty forward. Sound isolation and sound imaging were excellent, presenting the depth and articulation of the different elements of the mix. Tracks used: LA FAMA (Rosalia, The Weeknd), Blessed (Daniel Ceasar), Moonlight (Kali Uchis), Traingazing (Sam Wills ft. Honey Mooncie)

Conclusion

The NicheHCK X49 has an organic tonality and presentation end even though they can get pretty bright, the essence of its neutral tuning remains intact.

It has excellent tuning for its price, which is a rarity nowadays, especially at the sub-$20 price point. One thing that comes close to the X49’s tuning and performance is the Moondrop Quarks. They even share the same issue of having a bad cable.

Besides the aforementioned cable and comfort issue, the NiceHCK X49 is a solid budget option for a bullet-style IEM with neutral tuning.

This post was last updated on 2025-03-20 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.