We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-20 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a plug-and-play desktop upgrade that turns a plain laptop or PC into a 7.1 surround hub with line-in, mic-in and headphone outs, choose Cubilux 7.1; if you need actual in-ear monitors with a Hi-Res certified DLC driver, a swappable 7N silver-plated cable and a proper fit kit, choose Whizzer Kylin HE01+.
• Cubilux 7.1 — biggest strength: a full aluminum-alloy USB sound card that outputs 7.1/5.1 surround and handles headphone out, line-in and stereo mic in, with headphone sampling up to 384kHz/24-bit.
• Cubilux 7.1 — biggest trade-off: it's a converter, not a listening device. No drivers, no headphones, no mic — and it won't work on Windows XP, 7 or 8.
• Whizzer Kylin HE01+ — biggest strength: a Hi-Res certified in-ear monitor built around a 10.2mm DLC composite diaphragm driver, 20Hz–40kHz response, 0.02% distortion and a replaceable 0.78mm 2-pin cable.
• Whizzer Kylin HE01+ — biggest trade-off: it's wired-only out of the box (3.5mm termination) and depends on your source, so it won't create surround sound or give you a line-in.
• Buy Cubilux 7.1 if you already own good headphones and want your computer to feed them properly with surround and mic support.
• Buy Whizzer Kylin HE01+ if you want the earphones themselves — for music, movies and monitoring where detail and fit matter more than channel processing.
Think of the Cubilux 7.1 as the plumbing, not the tap. It's a USB-A external sound card in a full aluminum-alloy housing, and the metal shell isn't cosmetic — the design intent is to isolate the electronics from interference so the signal travels without static or ground noise. If your laptop's headphone jack hisses, or your desktop's onboard audio picks up whine from the GPU, that's precisely the problem this device is built to solve.
The feature list is unusually complete for a dongle-style card. You get 7.1 and 5.1 surround output, stereo headphone output, line-in and a TRS mic input, plus four 3.5mm interfaces to spread those connections across. The headphone output runs from 44.1kHz/16-bit all the way to 384kHz/24-bit, while the 7.1 surround path itself caps at 48kHz. That's a meaningful distinction: if you're chasing high-resolution stereo music from Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music or Amazon Music, the headphone path is the one doing the work. The surround processing is aimed at gaming and movies, where positional cues matter more than sample rate.
Setup is plug-and-play with no external power, which is the whole appeal for anyone using a PC or MacBook that simply lacks a multi-channel sound card. Buy it if you want surround, a mic input and a line-in on a machine that has none of them, and you're happy to keep using the headphones you already own. Skip it if you need the earphones too, if you're on Windows XP, 7 or 8 — Cubilux explicitly states those aren't supported — or if you want wireless freedom. This is a desk-bound, cable-in device by design.
The Kylin HE01+ is the opposite kind of product: it's the thing that goes in your ears, and the spec sheet reads like a serious in-ear monitor rather than a casual earbud. The centerpiece is a 10.2mm driver with a Diamond-Like Carbon composite diaphragm, laid out in a diamond-inspired pattern. DLC's selling point in this context is its rigidity-to-density ratio — a stiff, thin, light membrane that extends high-frequency response up to 40kHz and moves quickly on transients. Whizzer quotes ultra-low distortion of 0.02% and a 20Hz–40kHz frequency range, with 16 ohm impedance and 124dB sensitivity, which together suggest it's easy to drive straight from a phone or laptop jack.
There's more engineering detail here than most buyers will ever need, but a few pieces actually affect daily use. The cavity was modeled from over 20,000 ear scans, and the design targets pressure-point relief — relevant if you wear IEMs for hours. A Helmholtz-tuned chamber is specified to cut midrange resonance by 4dB, and the polymer shell is claimed to absorb 99.2% of vibrations to reduce cabinet resonance. The bundle is generous: seven pairs of ear tips and a vegan leather case with molded cushioning. The cable is 7N silver-plated oxygen-free copper with a silver foil shielding layer, and it terminates in a universal 0.78mm 2-pin connector with a 3.5mm plug — so you can swap to a premium cable, add a mic cable, or move to a Bluetooth module later. That modularity is the standout feature for anyone who likes to tinker.
Buy it if you want one pair of wired IEMs that handles music, movies and casual monitoring, with a fit kit and cable upgrades built into the ecosystem. Skip it if you need surround processing, a line-in, or true out-of-the-box wireless — the Bluetooth capability here comes from swapping cables, not from the earphones themselves.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for high-resolution stereo music → Whizzer Kylin HE01+. A DLC driver, 20Hz–40kHz range and 0.02% distortion are aimed squarely at detail retrieval.
• Best if you need a microphone or line-in → Cubilux 7.1. It has dedicated TRS mic-in and line-in jacks; the Kylin HE01+ needs a cable swap for voice capture.
• Best if you already own good headphones → Cubilux 7.1. It upgrades the source without forcing you to change what you listen on.
• Best if you need earphones, not a converter → Whizzer Kylin HE01+. It's a complete listening solution with tips and a case included.
• Best for long listening sessions → Whizzer Kylin HE01+. The ear-scan-derived cavity and pressure-point design are specifically aimed at comfort.
• Best for cable tinkerers → Whizzer Kylin HE01+. The 0.78mm 2-pin interface allows premium, mic or Bluetooth cables.
• Best for a noisy onboard audio jack → Cubilux 7.1. The full aluminum housing is designed to block interference and ground noise.
• Best for portability and no power cables → Whizzer Kylin HE01+. It runs off your device's 3.5mm jack at 16 ohm and 124dB sensitivity.
In my opinion, the Kylin HE01+ is the more interesting buy for most people, because it's the part that actually makes sound. The DLC driver, the 40kHz ceiling, the modular cable and the seven-tip fit kit give you something you can use with a phone, a laptop or a dedicated player, and the 16 ohm impedance means it doesn't demand extra gear to sound like itself.
That said, I'd pick the Cubilux 7.1 in a heartbeat if the problem is your computer rather than your ears. If your machine has no surround, no clean headphone out, no mic input and no line-in, the Kylin HE01+ won't fix any of that — it'll just reveal the flaws. Decide which half of the chain is broken, then buy the fix. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever one matches your setup.
For positional audio, the Cubilux 7.1 — it outputs 7.1 and 5.1 surround, which the Kylin HE01+ can't do since it's a stereo in-ear monitor. For in-game detail and footstep clarity, the Kylin HE01+ driver is the sharper tool.
No, but they stack well. The Cubilux 7.1 gives your PC surround, a mic input and a clean headphone output; the Kylin HE01+ gives you the earphones. Many setups benefit from pairing them.
Yes. At 16 ohm impedance and 124dB sensitivity it's designed to be driven by ordinary 3.5mm outputs. Its cable ends in a standard 3.5mm plug, with a 0.78mm 2-pin connector for swaps.
Most modern ones, but not all. Cubilux states it does not support Windows XP, Windows 7 or Windows 8, and it needs a USB-A port and no external power.
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