Marcelo reviews the Punch Audio Portazo, a new hybrid dual planar and composite 10mm dynamic driver universal IEM priced at $189.00.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. I thank Linsoul for their support.
Click here to read more about Linsoul products previously tested on Headfonics.
This article follows our latest scoring guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.
Punch Audio, in collaboration with Linsoul Audio, is a new audio brand that debuted in June 2025 with the release of its first IEM model, the Martillo, which is known for its tremendous bass performance.
Even though I haven’t reviewed a Punch Audio product before, this is the first time I have had the opportunity to hear one. I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about their previous product, making me excited to review the Portazo.
The Portazo is a hybrid IEM and is Punch Audio’s second product. Like the Martillo, the Portazo is tuned for bassheads or people who like high bass levels in their music, with a 15dB boost in the bass.
It should be perfect for bass-heavy genres like hip-hop, pop, and EDM, according to their product page on Linsoul Audio’s website.
Will the basshead tuning result in clear, powerful bass? Or muddy one? And how will it compare to other Hybrid IEMs, including the Tipsy M3 and the Kiwi Ears KE4? Let’s find out.
Features
The Portazo is a hybrid set featuring a custom-made composite driver with liquid silicone and LCP dome diaphragm material for the lows, and Custom Dual Planar Magnetic Drivers for the highs.
This is a nice combination of materials and driver use, but the main feature of the Portazo is its basshead tuning, which promises a 15 dB boost in the bass.
All Punch Audio IEMs share the same shell design and shape, made of 3D-printed resin. Still, the pattern on each faceplate is unique; no two faceplates share the same pattern. This is due to the hand-crafting method, including the driver’s mounting on the Portazo shells.
According to Punch Audio, “Each driver is individually measured and paired to ensure channel matching, while a final assembly measurement ensures quality for each unit.”
Since I will be measuring the Portazo, we will see how good the channel balance is.
In addition, the Portazo features an effective pressure-release system that prevents pressure buildup in the ear canal, which can cause headache, nausea, and ear pain during walking and running. The Portazo doesn’t have that issue.
Design
I like the pattern on the Portazo faceplate; it looks seemingly random, abstract, and pearlescent. A metallic Punch Audio logo completes the faceplate’s overall aesthetic.
I would have liked it more if Portazo were available in red or blue, but the green color, which is the only color available, is also good.
The Portazo uses a mesh-style metal grill for its resin nozzles. There is a vent hole near the nozzle that acts as the pressure relief vent, and the serial number is marked with the Portazo text.
Near the faceplate, there is a larger hole covered with a metal grill that acts as the back-pressure relief for the drivers and the flush-mounted 2-pin connector.
Stock Cable
It’s nice to see that the Portazo includes a nice-looking black cable. The cable is a detachable 2-pin, 0.78mm cable system with modular plugs, composed of 4 cores of ultra-pure, oxygen-free copper strands.
The cable is terminated with a modular plug system, allowing users to use either 3.5mm unbalanced or 4.4mm balanced connectors for great compatibility with most sources. All the hard parts are made of metal.
Comfort & Isolation
The combination of very lightweight shells (4.3 grams each), the ergonomic shape, the grippy silicone ear tips, and the lightweight cable provided me with a very comfortable listening experience during my walking exercise and home listening sessions.
I noticed the Portazo has a very good sound isolation, which I would rate above average among the IEMs I have tested. While some sound gets in, the music easily masks it at a moderate volume.
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging is simple: after removing the graphics printed on the black sleeve, the black inner box is delightfully designed, with magnetically closed doors that open to reveal the pair of Portazo IEMs. I also like the hard leather storage case.
The medium-sized box, measuring 172 x 132 x 67 mm, contains one pair of Punch Audio Portazo IEMs, one leather case, 3.5 and 4.4mm adapters, four filter meshes, six pairs of ear tips, and one manual.
Sound Impressions
I did my standard 24-hour burn-in routine for IEM reviewing by letting it play continuously with a DAP at moderate volume while checking in occasionally.
For the sources, I used my iBasso DC-Elite and Muse HiFi M6 Double DAC amplifiers, with my OnePlus 13 Android phone and Sony DAP as the music source, and the FiiO M15S DAP, using either UAPP or PowerAmp music player Apps.
Portazo includes two types of ear tips: black silicone and foam. I used the black silicone ear tips for this review because I am not comfortable using the foam ear tips.
Measurements
Just as Punch Audio advertised, my measurement of the Portazo reveals an excellent left and right channel matching. Indicating a high level of manufacturing quality, and the 15 dB boost in the bass.
The midrange is not recessed at all; it is neutral, and the pinna gain or the upper midrange boost is very moderate, with only 9 dB elevation at 3 kHz.
The presence of a peak at 8 kHz is caused by a resonance within the measuring tool, and its frequency shifts with the insertion depth. It is audible in actual listening, but not as peaky-sounding as the graph suggests. The peak at 14 kHz adds air to the sound.
The overall response curve looks like something that bassheads or people who like a lot of bass in the music would enjoy.
Summary
It’s nice to see an audio company that really delivers on its promises of excellent channel balance, 15 dB bass boost, a neutral midrange, and detailed, extended treble.
I have enjoyed the Portazo during my walking exercises, drinking coffee in a café, and critical listening at home for its tremendous bass output without burying the midrange with muddiness, unlike lesser basshead IEMs I’ve heard.
The bass is truly deep-sounding and powerful, with a larger-than-life presentation that reminds me of the old days of car audio competitions, where the bass is always boosted to impress the crowd, but Portazo’s is not boomy.
I like how the bass is speedy enough to keep up with the music and presents the scaling decently, like that of the bass guitarist. There is always a tension in the subbass, making the sound more visceral.
I also like the neutrally presented midrange, which has good warmth and note weight, preventing the vocals from sounding thin. The treble is slightly boosted, detailed, airy, and extended, yet never fatiguing.
Coloration
On rap, EDM, and some pop songs, the Portazo bass boost is very welcome and enjoyable, never distracting; it enhances these genres very well.
It’s not all roses and peaches. The huge bass boost adds coloration to the overall music, especially on songs that don’t need a bass boost to sound good, including tracks with great vocals and lyrics I want to sing along to; the boosted bass sound is distracting.
Some songs, like Rick Peterson’s Living it up, or a version of Redbone’s Come and get your love, to give a couple of examples, as I listen to the lyrics, the bass is calling too much to itself, making it sound distracting.
I had a chance to listen to countless IEMs, including some of the best high-end basshead IEMs available, when I was in Japan and at CanJam Singapore.
They have a soft, elastic bass texture that sounds very deep, but with the Portazo, there is a slight hardness to the bass on some songs, which, to me, detracts from the rhythm and colors the sound.
Soundstage
Upon learning that the Portazo is a basshead set, I was expecting an intimate, closed-in soundstage with a dark ambiance.
To my delight, the Portazo is not like that at all. I was surprised by the deep soundstage, with good width and apparent height. I speculate that the two planar high-frequency drivers and the clean-sounding dynamic driver are responsible for the good soundstage.
I also noticed a good imaging performance. I like how the center image has good edge definition and is well separated from the side and back instruments and vocals, painting a sound that is divided and layered.
Dynamics
There is never a dull moment with the Portazo; the sound is engaging, especially when the music features bass. However, I find the upper midrange neutral in liveliness; there is no lethargy, but it lacks the snap that matches the bass impact.
Portazo can take a lot of power without distorting, compressing, or losing composure. I tried listening at higher volumes, and my hearing seems to be the one to give up.
Click on page 2 below for my recommended pairings and selected comparisons.
