First Look: Canpur CP622B Ti

Product link: Musicteck.

I saw recently a discussion on Head-fi in the Watercooler thread about the new Canpur CP622B Ti release with questions about how it compares to the CP622B OG, so when I had a chance to borrow some other gear from Musicteck, I asked them for a Ti loaner to find out how it sounds. A big part of it was my curiosity, reminiscent of Traillii JP vs Traillii Ti days 🙂 I don’t have any plans to write a full review, simply because I’m overwhelmed with a flood of review samples that I can’t keep up with. Nevertheless, I wanted to share my initial impressions of these IEMs, which are posted under this First Look article.

Two years after the introduction of the original CP622B (OG), which many audiophiles are well familiar with, Canpur announced a limited CP622B Ti version, with only 100 sets released worldwide. It’s not the first time a manufacturer has released a limited-edition premium shell version of popular IEMs. Still, from the announcement, it was made clear that the internal driver design will remain the same, but the tuning will be “aligned” with the Ti shell. As many probably remember, the CP622B name refers to CP-Canpur, with the suffix corresponding to 6BA drivers, 2EST drivers, and 2BC drivers, all from Sonion:

Sonion 38D2XJ007Mi-8c – dual bass sub-/woofer
Sonion 28UAP01 – dual med/low-frequency drivers
Sonion E50DT0005/D – dual tweeters
Sonion EST65DB02 – dual EST tweeters
Sonion 37AAX007 – dual bone conduction vibrators

The first noticeable change here is the use of a Titanium Alloy instead of acrylic material. The shell’s faceplate, co-designed by Eletech, features stunning artwork. One interesting fact, there is another upcoming limited release of Canpur x Eletech “Mona Lisa” collab, so I wasn’t surprised about Eletech being involved in the Ti version of CP622B. However, it wasn’t just a premium material and new faceplate; the contour of the shell was also optimized, making it less bulbous around the base of the nozzle for a more comfortable fit. A big plus relative to my ear anatomy.

Another update is the re-customized stock Eletech cable. I don’t have the details yet, and I’m waiting to hear from Eric (Eletech) about it. Aside from a different Y-split and plug design, which differs from the original Eletech Socrates cable used in CP622B, I suspect there are a few other changes. I tried 622B Ti with the OG Socrates cable and found it to have a touch more sub-bass rumble and a little more treble sparkle. Then, I tried 622B OG with the Ti stock cable, and it made the mids a little muted and the soundstage a touch narrower. Those were minor changes, but noticeable nonetheless.

7/10 Update: Eric got back to me, CP622B Ti stock cable uses custom formulation copper, a blend of both 7N and 5N copper, which is an upgrade over the Socrates stock cable used in the original CP622B.

So, the big question: how does it sound and compare?

Ti has the same expansive, open soundstage with nearly holographic imaging, thanks to dual BCD drivers. The sound is still neutral and resolving; however, Ti is more balanced and revealing in comparison to OG. The Ti version has a more linear, neutral tuning of the bass, while the OG has more emphasis on sub-bass, which gives the sound more warmth, despite the mids tuning being nearly identical between these monitors. When it comes to the treble, the Ti version boosts the lower treble and slightly accentuates the mid-treble, resulting in a more revealing and airy sound with enhanced retrieval of details.

As a result of these changes, OG’s bass has more weight and a deeper sub-bass rumble, while Ti bass is more neutral, tighter, and articulate. Mids are nearly the same, but due to scaled-down sub-bass and scaled-up treble, Ti mids have less coloring and more transparency, while OG mids have a perception of more texture. With the treble, Ti carefully tuned it to avoid any sibilance and harshness. Still, it does sound more revealing and airy in comparison to the smoother, more natural treble tuning in the original.

For those who like FR squiggles:

Bottom line, I found the CP622B Ti release to be more than just a gimmick with a limited-edition Ti shell. The driver configuration remained the same, but the tuning has changed, either through adjustments to the crossover or a change in filters. And I didn’t find Ti to be a fine-tuned version of OG, because it is different. Thus, it is not an upgrade, but rather a side-grade with a complementary tuning flavor. The new design is also a real eye-candy, plus the updated fit is more comfortable. Color me impressed!