Sound Impressions
The following sound impressions of the AFUL DAWN-X were completed using a mixture of my main source, the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch, the Questyle CMA18P, and the Campfire Audio Relay dongle Dac/Amp.
For the review, I paired the IEMs with the stock cable and SpinFit W1 tips, size L.
Summary
The DAWN-X has a slight U-shaped sound signature, with a touch of warmth from the subtly boosted bass that gives the midrange a richer, more musical character. The treble has a good amount of energy, pushing out details without stepping too far forward.
Call it warm-neutral and smooth, where every slice of the spectrum stays in its own lane, none jumping the queue for attention.
It leans more toward musicality than analysis, letting the details flow naturally and effortlessly. The bone-driver slips a faint tremor under strings and voices, like sitting on a wooden floor while the band plays beneath you.
The technical side of things is impressive, giving the DAWN-X the kind of resolution, soundstage, and detailing you’d expect from a flagship release.
Bass
DAWN-X keeps the lows honest. It feels tastefully tuned, more about depth, texture, and layering than raw slams. You get a gentle bump that fills the bottom octave without ever feeling pushed in your face; it’s more “there” and a bit of “awesome,” but it doesn’t hit like a truck.
The sub-bass makes itself known when the song asks for it. It gives a nice, gentle throb and then gets out of the way without giving you a skull massage, but you know it visited. Mid-bass handles the workload, handing out a rounded punch that keeps the beat lively.
Kick drums and snares pop with a full, rounded thump that’s brisk and well-mannered. Bass-guitar lines and electronic kicks stay separated; every strike is parked in its own lane instead of piling into one thick blob. I like how the bass lands: a hint of resonance that lingers just long enough to feel real, then it’s gone.
The bass overall has good control and grip, though a hair more sub-bass shake and tighter strikes would’ve made it even better. It’s the kind of bass that feels present without shoving itself forward. It’s full and rounded but never boomy.
The bass quality does not raise an eyebrow, but it could be better. Each bass note is outlined clearly. Even in busy mixes, it keeps everything tidy; you can follow the bassline and drums easily without them stepping on each other.
The bass is thick, but not the one for bassheads. It’s for someone who likes their low end clean, textured, and easy to listen to for hours. The good part is how the bass keeps to its lane, never bleeding into the higher frequencies, leaving the rest of the sound clear and open.
Midrange
The midrange on the DAWN-X hits a really nice balance, sounding natural, clean, and just musical enough to pull you in. The timbre feels authentic, leaning slightly rich and musical yet carrying the right touch of energy and resolution.
The midrange lands exactly where it should: not too forward or too pulled back. It does not feel shoved in your face, yet it’s close enough to add some sense of intimacy.
The lower midrange is not tuned very neutral and gets some help from the bass shelf, thus adding body and weight to the instruments.
Guitars have a nice woody texture, and cellos sound deep and resonant without getting heavy. Male vocals come through smooth and detailed, with good texture and presence.
The upper midrange stays on a short leash: there’s plenty of detail but zero bite. Female voices float out with easy breath, and instruments like violins and flutes carry just the right energy.
The hand-off to the treble is seamless, giving the midrange a refined, honest, and musical tone that makes it one of DAWN-X’s strongest points. It’s not a very lively or energetic midrange, but rather a relaxed and laid-back one, though I never feel any details are missing.
The midrange could be a touch better in terms of resolution and clarity, but that’s not exactly the kind of tuning AFUL was aiming for.
One of the cooler touches here is the bone conduction driver. It stretches out the decay trails in the mids ever so slightly, adding a faint shimmer or vibration to the textures.
You can almost feel it with acoustic guitars or violins, as it gives them this subtle tickling liveliness that’s refreshing and different.
Treble
The treble on the DAWN-X has a healthy bit of energy and air. It opens up the sound nicely without going overboard. There’s enough sparkle to make things feel alive, and it handles detail well, giving the cymbals natural shimmers, and the strings have that nice ring to them.
It’s bright enough to bring life into the mix, but it never gets harsh or tiring. Towards the top end, there is plenty of air presence, helping with an open and airy sound.
If you chase the last word in crunch or want every hi-hat to slice like a razor, you’ll notice this treble holds back. The treble feels polite, clean, and pleasant, but not the most precise or snappy out there. It blends smoothly with the midrange and doesn’t try to take the spotlight.
You can tell AFUL went for balance here, trying to keep it smooth and even rather than overly sharp or aggressive. I would also suggest trying a good number of ear tips for a favorable treble presentation.
On bright-leaning sources, though, the treble can take a slightly wrong turn. It feels a bit scattered and untidy, more like a light spray of brightness than a focused sparkle. The energy is still gentle with no shrill peaks, but the edges blur, so you sense hiss more than hear actual texture.
For the most part, this treble is enjoyable and does not miss much. It isn’t microscope-sharp, yet it suits the DAWN-X’s slightly laid-back nature: airy enough for space and openness, smooth enough for all-nighters, and honest enough to admit it’s not chasing perfect surgical lines.
Staging & Dynamics
The AFUL DAWN-X delivers a strong technical showing. The expansive and deep soundstage creates a natural, immersive atmosphere that never feels gimmicky. Vocals sit in the center, around which the instruments wrap themselves naturally.
Imaging on the DAWN-X feels precise and confident. Each instrument sits in its own chair. It’s always easy to locate exactly where the guitar is strumming from, where the hi-hat flicks in, and how the violin just trails off into space. It’s not exaggerated or showy, just natural.
The treble helps too; there’s enough air up top to give things room to breathe, so it never feels cramped or stuck inside your head.
What really stands out is how well it pulls small details without turning clinical. The DAWN-X has great resolution but stays natural about it.
You can hear fingers brushing strings, that small breath before a singer starts, or the way a piano note fades into nothing. It doesn’t throw it at your face; it just happens, and you notice it. Everything feels connected, clean, and textured but still musical.
Dynamic handling is impressive as well. Loud-to-soft jumps feel effortless, and the transitions feel controlled and effortless at both extremes. Micro and macro dynamics are handled with finesse, making the DAWN-X sound lively and expressive even at lower volumes.
The bone conduction driver adds its own touch of magic here, contributing a tactile sense of realism.
It’s not a gimmick you “feel” in your skull; it simply fills out the body and extends the trailing edges of notes, giving an extra layer of depth to the physical texture of the sound. All these add up to a very lifelike, engaging listening experience.
Synergy
Efficiency
The AFUL DAWN-X has an impedance of 15Ω at 1 kHz and a sensitivity rating of 101 dB/Vrms.
The IEM does not demand much power and can be comfortably driven by most sources, from small dongles to smartphones and smaller DAPs. I find it scales a bit with additional power, but it does not require much to perform well.
With a few extra clicks of the volume wheel, it doesn’t get too loud and remains stable at higher volumes. A more powerful source can make the DAWN-X sound a bit more expansive. On my Lotoo Paw Gold Touch, it takes more than 30 volume clicks to reach a comfortable listening level.
The DAWN-X has a warm-neutral sound profile with a bit of energy in the treble region, which is why I find it pairs well with neutral and non-bright sources.
A bright source can push the treble slightly forward and make the sound more focused on higher frequencies, which can become fatiguing over time. Other than this, the DAWN-X is a no-fuss and easy-going IEM.
Source Pairings
I find the pairing with the Campfire Audio Relay dongle quite enjoyable. This little dongle provides enough power for the DAWN-X to really shine.
There’s a subtle boost in the sub-bass region that makes the low end a little more tasteful. The dongle adds a touch of warmth throughout the bass and the midrange region. It doesn’t go overboard with the little warmth it adds, and the midrange stays very rich and musical.
There’s no complaint in the treble region either, as there’s plenty of energy and air present. The Relay remains one of the best dongles I’ve tried in the past few months.
Given its small footprint, I don’t find any compromise in sound quality with the DAWN-X; it sounds just as enjoyable as with my higher-end sources. The technical performance doesn’t take a hit either, as the soundstage remains immersive and details flow effortlessly.
The PAW Gold Touch pairs beautifully with the DAWN-X, adding a gentle warmth to the bass and midrange while keeping the treble clean and easy on the ears.
There’s a small bump in the mid-bass that gives the low end a fuller feel and adds some nice weight to the lower midrange.
Instruments and male vocals sound a bit denser and more natural because of it. The midrange itself feels open and transparent, pulling out those tiny details and subtle textures that make recordings sound alive.
The upper midrange and treble stay smooth and extend nicely, helping female vocals and instruments have a bit of air and space around them. The soundstage isn’t the widest, but it has good depth and height and a sense of immersion.
The pairing leans musical, rich, and easy to listen to, never harsh or overly technical, and that’s exactly where the DAWN-X seems to be most at home.
