Today, we review the NiceHCK Rockies IEMs. It’s selling for $499 USD.
Disclaimer: NiceHCK sent us the Rockies for the purpose of this review. As always, I am here to convey my honest experience with the product.
NiceHCK
NiceHCK is a Chinese audio brand that many audiophiles first encountered through their affordable upgrade cables. For years, they have been a go-to name for sensibly priced wire upgrades for portable audio gear.
However, NiceHCK has never positioned itself exclusively as a cable maker. They have been developing in-ear monitors for quite some time, gradually experimenting with various driver configurations, tunings, and price brackets. According to the company, the Rockies is the result of months of internal tuning experiments, benchmark testing, and feedback collection from the audiophile community.
They analyzed popular tunings and user preferences to build a potential crowd-pleaser. The Rockies were present as an engineering sample in multiple exhibitions.
I view the Rockies as an important milestone in redefining the company’s core identity. I believe this is NiceHCK demonstrating that they want to be taken seriously as a dedicated IEM manufacturer. This is their flagship endeavor.
NiceHCK Rockies
The NiceHCK Rockies is a hybrid In-Ear Monitor featuring a tribrid 1DD+2BA+2EST driver configuration. It comes with a price tag of $499 USD.
The configuration is interesting. NiceHCK has opted for a 10mm Beryllium-plated Dynamic Driver for the lows, dual Knowles BAs for the mids, and dual Sonion EST drivers for the highs.
The shells are 3D-printed resin, featuring faceplates made from natural Pietersite. Because Pietersite is a natural mineral, every unit has a unique texture and pattern.
Technical-wise, the Rockies have an impedance of 9.8Ω and a sensitivity of 121dB/Vrms. This means it is very easy to drive, but since spending two weeks with it, you will need a source with a low output impedance to avoid skewing the frequency response. It is also prone to picking up hiss from noisy sources, so a clean source is recommended.
Packaging & Accessories
The Rockies IEM arrives in a sturdy, dark blue box with a minimalist white mountain motif, magnetic flaps, and layered compartments inside. It’s clean, classy, and distinctly more premium than what we usually see in this range. NiceHCK wanted this to be a luxurious unboxing, and they succeeded.
Inside the box, you get a generous pack of accessories. The Rockies ship with a silver-plated Furukawa OCC copper cable, terminated in 2-pin. You also get two interchangeable plugs, 3.5mm and 4.4mm. While the cable looks well-built and visually fits the aesthetic, I expected more from NiceHCK, especially considering their reputation as a cable brand. It’s relatively stiff, not the most pliable, and feels a bit heavy in use.
Eartip selection is excellent. You get three distinct sets. The IEMs come with the “Original Blue” tips pre-installed. These have thicker outer walls and enhance bass for my ears. The cloudy white ones are “07” tips, you get 5 pairs. These are more balanced to my ears. Lastly, you get 3 pairs of “C04” liquid silicone tips. These features have a wider bore size and a sticky surface texture. My personal favorite in terms of both sound quality and comfort. You get a more spacious presentation with these.
You also get a leather round carrying case with the Rockies. It’s compact, but there’s enough room for the IEMs plus something like a Qudelix 5K. As a finishing touch, there is a black plastic nozzle cleaning brush and a purple cable tie inside the box.
Overall, the Rockies make a strong first impression. The packaging feels great, the accessory range is well thought out, and apart from the relatively rigid cable, the unboxing experience is excellent for this price bracket.
NiceHCK Rockies – Sound Impressions
Let’s label the NiceHCK Rockies. The signature is neutral-balanced with a tasteful elevation in the mid-bass and a distinct lift in the upper treble. It appears that NiceHCK began with the Harman target and refined the frequency response through field testing and feedback collection. This must have been a thorough process, but listening to the Rockies, it seems to have been successful, also.
The result is a tuning that makes a lot of sense. The Rockies work effortlessly with a wide range of genres, from jazz to metal. It immediately sounds engaging and resolving, largely thanks to the excellent extension on both ends of the spectrum. To my ears, it is a tad brighter than popular competitors like the Hisenior Mega5EST and Mega7, particularly in the treble range; however, it’s not as bright as the Sennheiser IE600. To my ears, it strikes a good balance, actually.
Bass
Rockies’ bass is quick, tidy, and impactful. Quantity-wise, it doesn’t feel like “too much” or “too little”; rather, it packs a satisfying punch exactly when the track calls for it.
While the IE600 might slightly edge it out in pure sub-bass rumble, the Rockies offer a more present and textured mid-bass with greater punch. This gives drums and bass guitars a solid body without bleeding into the lower mids. It’s a quality-over-quantity approach that respects the reproduction.
Midrange
The midrange is linear and highly detailed. The ear gain region is tuned very well, resulting in a transparent and clean presentation that allows vocals and instruments to stand out without too much shoutiness. The whole region feels clean and resolving.
There is a slight spiciness in the upper midrange that enhances the perception of resolution. This lift adds a sense of spaciousness and air to the presentation, helping with the instrument separation. I find the Rockies particularly strong here; where the IE600 can feel a bit too shouty and contrasty, the Rockies maintains a fuller, more realistic timbre.
Overall, the midrange is linear and clean, with good note weight and a solid sense of detail.
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