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ZiiGaat x Fresh Reviews Arete II IEMs Review

A hybrid IEM from ZiiGaat; the page lists a 10mm dynamic driver and four balanced armature drivers in an aluminum shell, with modular 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs, at $237.15 in Red, Blue or Graffiti. The listing text leaves out impedance.

4.0Editorial rating: 4.0 out of 5Editorial rating · research-basedUpdated November 11, 2026
$237.15Price checked November 12, 2026
Check price at Linsoul

Our verdict

Suits someone who wants a one-dynamic, four-armature hybrid in an aluminum shell with modular 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs at $237.15, in Red, Blue or Graffiti. Look elsewhere if you need impedance, sensitivity or cable length, since the listing text gives none. The main caveat is that the page's wording on tuning, the switch and sound is the maker's own and was not checked here.

Best for
Someone who wants a hybrid IEM with an aluminum shell, an earcup switch and modular 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs.
Skip if
You want impedance, sensitivity or a cable length before buying, since the listing text omits them.

The Arete II is ZiiGaat's follow-up to an earlier Arete, and its page lists one 10mm liquid silicone suspension diaphragm dynamic driver with four balanced armature drivers, two of them Knowles ED 29689 units. The shell is full aluminum, the cable is a 0.78mm 2-pin design with modular 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs, and the price is $237.15 for each of three colors.

Options and pricing

Three orderable options are colors named Red, Blue and Graffiti, all at $237.15. The page shows $279 crossed out next to the price, which is the store's own comparison and not something we checked. The cable carries modular 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced plugs, so the plug is not a separate option, and the listing text does not describe the colors beyond their names.

How it compares

The Leisurely Audio L6 is $244.99 and its listing text mentions 6BA, against the Arete II's one dynamic and four balanced armature drivers at $237.15. The ZiiGaat Cincotres is $228.65 with 2DD in its spec line, and the TANGZU Zetian Wu Legend is $233.10 with planar wording.

Shipping

  • Methods and costs. The store's shipping page offers Standard Shipping (4PX, Yanwen or Yun Express), free for most countries, and Express Shipping (DHL Express, FedEx or SF Express) at 15-50 USD depending on the country, free for orders over 270 USD in most countries (checked 2026-11-11).
  • Delivery times. It says an in-stock order ships within 3 working days, Standard takes about 2 weeks after shipping out (up to 1-3 months for some countries, and the store makes no refund for that transit time) and Express takes about 3-7 days. Festive seasons and other circumstances can change the timing.
  • Taxes and fees. The buyer pays any customs, import or processing fees. The page says Standard via YunExpress is tax-inclusive for some countries, that remote areas can carry extra Express charges, and that a parcel refused or left uncollected over taxes is deducted two-way freight and may be destroyed with no refund.
  • Where it ships. The page says the store can generally ship to most countries by Express and many by Standard, and to confirm Standard with the team for your country. It cannot ship to PO boxes or APO/FPO addresses and can only use Express to Hawaii. It does not name the US, Canada, the UK, Australia or New Zealand, so confirm before you pay.
  • Lost parcels. If a parcel has been in transit for at least 3 months, the page offers a one-time reshipment or a full refund for orders under $50 and a 50% refund for orders above $50.

Returns and warranty

  • Returns. The return page allows returning any non-customized product that is still factory sealed within 30 days of receiving it, with the buyer paying the shipping. Email [email protected] within that period; the store asks for the return to be shipped within 5 working days of the RMA instructions and in most cases processes a refund within 5 business days of inspecting it (checked 2026-11-11).
  • Opened items. A product opened within the first 7 days after delivery can be returned for the price minus a restocking fee of 35% of its retail value, including when it still works properly.
  • Refund or credit. The buyer can choose a refund to the original payment method (PayPal or card) or store credit; with no answer within 48 hours of confirmation the default is store credit, which can also be prioritized during promotions, final-sale events and for items 40% or more off retail.
  • Not returnable. Customized products, including faceplate designs, are non-refundable, and the page says the same applies to carry cases, cables, ear tips and other accessories, "due to hygiene purposes". If one item in a package is defective, incorrect or missing, the refund or replacement covers only that item.
  • Warranty. The page gives a 1-year warranty on products, excluding carry cases, ear tips and other accessories, and 3 months on cables and adapters, from the date of purchase. It covers factory defects that affect proper function, not damage from human error, negligence, accidents, dismantling, water, abuse or modification (checked 2026-11-11).
  • Not covered or limited. It does not apply to items bought elsewhere (AliExpress, Amazon, local dealers and the like), prize or giveaway items, normal wear or colour change, commercial use, or items that were stolen or went missing. Coverage is limited for products 40% or more off retail, for review units and for items repaired or modified by anyone Linsoul has not authorized.
  • Claims. Email [email protected] with the order number, the issue and photos and videos of the fault. The store may ask for the unit back for a replacement. It covers shipping for some defects reported within 7 days of delivery if the fault can be shown on video or photo; after 7 days the buyer ships it back. For wrong or missing items an unboxing video of the whole sealed parcel is required.

Before you buy

Linsoul says it was founded in 2016 by the Crazy HiFi team to bring Chinese HiFi makers closer to listeners worldwide, and that it now sells other makers' products alongside four brands of its own, THIEAUDIO, Kiwi Ears, ZiiGaat and Tripowin (checked 2026-11-11).

This product is from one of those brands, so Linsoul is both the seller and the brand's owner: its descriptions of the product are the brand owner's own claims.

We have not read any independent review of this product or of the store. Ratings and owner reviews shown on the store's own pages are the store's and were not verified.

What we liked

  • The page lists one 10mm dynamic driver and four balanced armature drivers, two of them named as Knowles ED 29689 units
  • The cable has modular 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced plugs on a 0.78mm 2-pin connector
  • The shell is described as full aluminum, CNC machined
  • All three colors cost the same $237.15
  • The page describes a small earcup switch

Worth noting

  • The listing text omits impedance, sensitivity, frequency response and cable length
  • The sound description (boosted mids, extended treble, switch-boosted bass) is the maker's own wording and was not checked here
  • The page gives no weight and no size for the aluminum shell

Questions before you buy

What drivers does the Arete II list?

The page lists a 10mm liquid silicone suspension diaphragm dynamic driver and four balanced armature drivers: two Knowles ED 29689 units for the midrange and Knowles SWFK 31736 dual tweeters.

What does the earcup switch do?

The page says a small switch on the earcup boosts the bass and lower-midrange when turned on, which it describes as more suitable for gaming scenarios. The switch effect is the maker's own wording and was not checked here.

Which plugs and colors are offered?

The cable has modular 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced plugs. The three orderable options are the colors Red, Blue and Graffiti, all at $237.15.

Can I return it if I change my mind?

The return page allows returning a non-customized product that is still factory sealed within 30 days of receiving it, with the buyer paying shipping. An opened product returned within 7 days carries a 35% restocking fee. Refunds go to the original payment method or to store credit, which is the default if you do not choose.

How long does shipping take?

The shipping page says in-stock orders ship within 3 working days. Standard Shipping takes about 2 weeks after shipping out, up to 1-3 months for some countries, and Express takes about 3-7 days. Standard is free for most countries; Express costs 15-50 USD and is free over 270 USD (over $499.99 for large items such as headphones and desktop DAC/AMPs).

Does Linsoul ship to the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand?

The page says Linsoul can generally ship to most countries by Express and many by Standard, and to ask the team about Standard for your country. It names no restriction for the US, Canada, the UK, Australia or New Zealand, but it does not list them either, and it can only use Express to Hawaii.

What warranty does it have?

The page gives a 1-year warranty on products from the purchase date for factory defects, not for human error, accidents or modification. Coverage is limited for items 40% or more off retail and for review units, and it does not apply to items bought from other sellers.

Sources & verification

What this review is based on and the day we last read it. Specs and claims from the maker are the maker’s own; the verdict and the rating are ours.

From the store

  • ZiiGaat x Fresh Reviews Arete II product page: specs, options and price (the buy buttons go there)Specs, options and the listed priceRead November 11, 2026
  • Linsoul shipping pageStandard and Express shipping, costs and times, import taxes, lost parcels, couriers, trackingRead November 11, 2026
  • Linsoul return policy and warranty page30-day returns of sealed items, 35% restocking fee on opened ones, 1-year and 3-month warranties, exclusions, how to claimRead November 11, 2026
  • Linsoul support FAQThe same shipping, return and warranty rules in question form, plus order changes and cancellationsRead November 11, 2026
  • About LinsoulFounded in 2016 by the Crazy HiFi team; names its own brands; the awards listed there are the store's own accountRead November 11, 2026

What we couldn’t verify

  • The page's tuning and sound descriptions (boosted mids, extended treble, bass slam, airier atmosphere) are the maker's claims and were not checked here.
  • The listing text leaves impedance, sensitivity, frequency response, cable length and weight unstated.
  • We have not read an independent review of this product or the store, and the store's own ratings were not verified. We read the store's catalog description only: a specification table or image shown just on the live page was not read.
  • The shipping page names no US, Canada, UK, Australia or New Zealand times or fees: its figures are general and we could not confirm them for these countries.
  • Linsoul owns this brand, so the store's descriptions of it are the owner's own claims, which we could not check independently.

Spotted an error or something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it and update the date.

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