The Oriveti OD200 is my flavor of the month (FOTM). Read the following review to find out why.
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Introduction
In the international grand scheme of Head-Fi, Oriveti is one of the lesser-known brands. That is quite surprising to me because they have released excellent products before. At its time, the hybrid OH500 was one of my favorite all-rounders and I awarded it with a FOTM review.
There have been plenty more releases afterwards, including an all-BA O800 which left incredibly positive first impressions on me, but sadly I did not review it. For me, the O800 was maybe ahead of the competition in terms of tuning. Yet the Oriveti brand is still unknown to some.
Let me decipher the Oriveti code for you real quick:
- all IEM models start with the letter O for Oriveti
- OH = Oriveti Hybrid
- OV = Oriveti Variable Switch
- OD = Oriveti Dynamic
- O = Oriveti all-BA
As time of writing, Oriveti‘s latest IEM is the OD200, so it uses a single dynamic driver. After a long pause in the review scene, I was sent this one for a feature.
Product Key Points
The Oriveti OD200 uses a single dynamic driver that stands out with its distinct focus on optimal airflow, as demonstrated by its “Dedicated Airflow Distribution” system (pat. pend.). This mechanism connects the rear and front chamber with a tube, creating a bass reflex system-like structure where each chamber has a bore.
With a CNC-machined metal body in a rather dark “racing green” color, the OD200 is not only robust but also visually appealing. It offers a level of customization with exchangeable nozzles and three types of ear tips, ensuring a comfortable fit for each user.
It comes with a multi-plug balanced cable to ensure compatibility with unbalanced and balanced sources.
Brief Company Info
I personally don‘t know much about Oriveti, except that they are a Hong Kong-based manufacturer that is also responsible for the very successful Lypertek IEMs. The company is a veteran in the Head-Fi community and I am a personal fan of the OH500 and O800 IEMs. But sadly that‘s all the info I have or can share.
Hardware
Build
The build quality of the Oriveti OD200 earphones is exceptional. The housing is expertly crafted from metal, and the dark green finish, although not quite reminiscent of traditional “racing green” or glossy enough to match car paint, is beautiful nonetheless. The process of exchanging the nozzles is a delight, executed flawlessly with zero tolerances.
Comfort
The Oriveti OD200 IEM offers exceptional comfort, which is one of its standout features. The earphones have a flat faceplate and all sides that touch the ears are made as smooth as possible, contributing to the comfortable fit. Due to the relatively small shell, which can accommodate even larger ears, these earphones provide excellent comfort. They have a flat and deep insert, making them almost invisible from the front. However, the metal material might feel a bit cold to the touch, especially in winter. But overall, they offer decent isolation and a comfortable fit, ensuring an enjoyable listening experience.
Repairability and Accessories
In terms of repairability, it’s highly doubtful that anything on the OD200 could break, making it a robust choice for the long term. The earphones come with a high-quality 2-pin cable that features a recess and quick switch termination, which is a great choice for convenience. An interesting design detail is that the color of the cable matches the color of the earphone body, adding a nice touch to the overall aesthetic. Oriveti also provides a very premium travel case for safe and easy transportation of the earphones. To ensure a comfortable fit for both beginners and professionals, an abundance of ear tips of different sizes and shapes are included with the earphones.
Sound Quality
First Impressions
On first listen, the OD200 sounds very dynamic and engaging. The bass tuning is captivating and fun to listen to, while the clarity is surprisingly high for a budget-tier IEM.
OD200’s sound is very easy to get into. All important aspects of the music are highlighted here: rhythm, vocals and details. I can imagine that the OD200 creates that special “wow”-moment for users first getting into the hobby or those that are on a budget. That makes this Oriveti another great allrounder, just like the OH300.
Nozzles
I didn‘t quite get into details of the interchangeable nozzles apart from the excellent build quality. For me, that is because the silver nozzles sound far superior. The black nozzles can tend to sound shrill. So going forward, I am only using the silver nozzles.
Bass
The low-end is full-bodied with great punch. It retains a good texture and sounds very homogenous all around. The OD200 is neither bass-heavy nor flat-sounding but has a very commendable loudness compensation that preserves a natural sound at low volumes, but can also hit hard at higher volume. The dynamic driver features the usual qualities of the bass performance, meaning that when the music demands it, the low-end can be very voluminous.
Mids
Though technically the bass bleeds into the midrange, the mids themselves are excellently balanced which sounds surprisingly neutral. Ignoring the bass and treble of the overall tuning, the midrange itself has a fine-tuned contrast to it, that gives the music an extra level of dynamics and engagement. For example, within one vocal range the deeper tone can sound even stronger, as well as a higher pitch is slightly edgier. It‘s well enough nuanced and might only be noticeable to more experienced users.
Dynamic drivers are excellent for use in the midrange if you want coherency, especially. As expected, the OD200 does not have any artificial timbre, or scratchiness that some other driver types may showcase.
Treble
The treble quality is also good. The quantity is just right for musical enjoyment, in my opinion. Like most single-DD drivers, there are some minor dips and peaks, but nothing that should be noticeable to most users. From a macro perspective, the highs have a slightly bright tilt but are reduced in the area that causes the most fatigue, e.g. around 6 kHz. The OD200 sound detailed and musical in the treble and also delivery on energetic cymbal splashes when needed without unnecessarily drawing attention.
Soundstage & Resolution
The tuning helps to create good space around the vocals, spanning a convincing soundstage in width and depth. Layering is also very good with great distinction between individual instruments, though I noticed that imaging and bass detail are not as accurate as some studio-mixing might need. But that doesn’t matter one bit if you just want to enjoy music. In this case, the OD200 balances enjoyment, convincing realism and engagement as good as I have seen at this price point.
Measurements
Verdict
I can see the racing car analogy of the Oriveti OD200. The IEM features a great build quality, is technically advanced and invites you to “jump in” and have fun.
There are no flaws worth mentioning! If the OD200 fits your budget, it is a very easy recommendation. The value for this exciting ride is incredible!