RaptGo HOOK-X: The First Open-Back Planar IEM We Review

The video is in Arabic.

Hey everyone,

The RaptGo HOOK-X is one of the strangest IEMs I’ve used, and the first open-back planar IEM I’ve reviewed. The setup is strange and unique: a 14.2 mm planar magnetic driver and a Piezo driver from the Bone Conduction family. 15 ohm and 105 dB sensitivity according to the company, a 2-pin connector, and a cable with swappable plugs (3.5, 2.5 and 4.4). It’s made of aluminum. It was around $240 at the time of the review.

Who is it for?

• Fun listening and watching movies and shows. Not for monitoring.

Strengths

• One of the biggest soundstages I’ve heard: width, depth and height.
• Separation and resolution are excellent.
• The sub-bass is beautifully rumbly and airy, and it extends really well.
• The mids are fun, with no aggressive response.
• The treble is airy and sparkly with excellent detail.
• The sound is open and relaxed, and it’s very light.

Weaknesses

• It reacts to everything: the source, tip type and size, how deep it sits in your ear, and the file quality.
• It needs a full seal on the ear canal (I used the white tips one size bigger than usual).
• The bass is thick and covers some mid-bass details, and the control is below excellent.
• Vocals are a bit behind, and clarity is only very good (normal for an open back).
• Sounds that should be in front of you land in the middle of your head.

Verdict

I recommend it as long as you get it for fun listening or movies. The tuning reminds me of the 7Hz Timeless, but I preferred the HOOK-X. The Bone Conduction driver works on the treble, not the bass like I expected.

Note: this review is from 2022, so price and availability may have changed.

In the market

No listing for this product right now.

Alert me when listed