Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS

Driven by a desire to try out a Hybrid configuration IEM, and hearing good praise for the ASG-1PLUS from ears I trust, when I spotted an opportunity to get them for cheap used, I jumped on it, after a couple weeks living with the IEM, I have to say I don't regret this decision at all. This is despite me not having any liking for "basshead" signatures, which Aurisonics/Fender has been known for.
 
Build/Accessories:
 
The ASG1-PLUS is a hybrid IEM featuring a 14.2mm Dynamic Driver (sidenote: Why don't more IEM manufactuers use big dynamics these days?) complimented by a Balanced Armature tweeter for the highs. The shells are made of acrylic and appear to be of high quality, while the red "AS" lettering on black shells is a nice, understated look that doesn't appear overly obvious, which is a welcome respite given some of the IEM designs cropping up in the past years. 
 
 

 
 
The cables use a 2-pin connector system, which I am not particularly fond of due to its fragility, the cables themselves are nicely braided, with a memory wire section (which I personally don't mind, but YMMV) and a thoughtfully designed y-splitter. Unfortunately, the 2-pin connector on my left earpiece appears to be somewhat recessed for some reason, which is concerning for long term use (shown in picture below).
 

 
The accessories for the IEM include:
- 4 pairs of Aurisonics tips (S, M, M+, L)
- 1 cleaning tool
- 1 hard plastic box to store them in when not in use
 
I can't comment on the box, as it did not come with my used copy, the tips supplied by Aurisonics did not work well with my ears, while they are made of silicon like everyone else's, the silicon they use has a different texture and irritated my ear canals, luckily, with some elbow grease, I managed to fit the silicon tips supplied with the MEE P1 over the wide nozzles, which would be the basis for the sound evaluations later on.
 
Ergonomics/Usability
 
The housings are made in a CIEM-style design that has been catching on nowadays, with a deep but not wide housing that sticks out of my ears a little. I have fairly small ears, so with the housings stuck in the concha area as they should be, it's not the most comfortable, but it's not egregiously uncomfortable either. The memory wire section does not conform very well to my ears, but it approximates it well enough that I don't have significant issues with it.
 
The good news is that with this sort of style, isolation is top notch, noticeably better than other over-ear style IEMs like the MEE P1 and Westone W40. 
 
Sound
 
I honestly wasn't sure what I was gonna get with this pair of IEMs soundwise, I had seen from reviews that these are supposed to be the "neutral" sibling of the ASG lineup, but was not sure what that meant, given the reputation for Aurisonics as a purveyor of basshead IEMs. What I found was a pleasant surprise, a signature that does not stray too far from neutral while still being highly enjoyable for non-critical listening sessions. All listening and comparisons were done on the Hifiman HM650 (Balanced)
 
Bass:
Very nicely done, while there is some emphasis in this area to my ears, it's not to the point where it's bloated and interferes with the overall presentation. The emphasis is most heard in the subbass, with basslines being presented in a relatively forward manner and plenty of audible, powerful-sounding rumble, this, to me is a very suitable tuning decision, as for outdoor use, subbass may be drowned out more easily by background noise. The mid and upper bass also slam with plenty of weight and texture, in a unique way that can only be found with large, dynamic driver IEMs, of course, the drawback to this is that the bass isn't gonna compete speedwise with BAs, but for me, the presentation was too enjoyable to nitpick.
 
Mids:
The mids of the ASG-1Plus can be described with one word: Lush. From the lower mids onwards, notes are presented in a rich, thick manner, but not to the point of impeding detail retreival, the lushness manifests itself in perceived warmth with male and female vocals, upper mids are slightly dipped from what might be strictly neutral, but not in a manner that makes female vocals overly distant. I don't detect any coherency issues between the bass and mids, which has been a concern with many hybrid IEMs.
 
Treble:
The treble is well extended, relatively speaking for an IEM, but not especially prominent in the signature, whatever treble that is present is smooth and detailed, without much in the way of fatiguing peaks. While this means the IEM isn't especially airy, the large stage that it presents prevents it from feeling closed-in.
 
Soundstage:
As mentioned above, the ASG-1Plus has a rather large stage for an IEM, with great ability to present spatial cues within the music. It is more wide than deep, as per usual with headphones/IEMs, but not overly so, separation and imaging is also good, but the lack of absolute black background prevents this aspect from being excellent.
 
Comparisons:
 
Below are comparisons to various IEMs that I have extensive experience with, either through ownership or demos, (* indicates demos)
 
Sony MDR-EX1000
 
A legendary Dynamic IEM that is still seen a benchmark to this day. Immediately, the most striking difference is that the Sony's have a much more energetic presentation and thinner notes, courtesy of significant treble emphasis, which includes prominent lower treble peaks that will put off a LOT of people. Needless to say, the Sonys are much more fatiguing, but in exchange, get stunning clarity and resolution in return, not matched by the Aurisonics. Bass is relatively shelved down on the Sonys and doesn't extend as low as the ASG-1Plus, but still provide texture and articulation that matches, if not slightly exceeds the Aurisonics in quality due to its better speed. (16mm dynamic driver doing wonders). Headstage is massively wide (in IEM terms) on the EX1000, but is somewhat flat compared to the more spherical presentation of the Aurisonics. Isolation and wind-noise are big disadvantages to the EX1000 for outdoor use.
 
MEElectronics P1:
 
Despite the MSRP difference between the two IEMs ($500 vs $200 for P1), it is the P1 that feels like the higher quality product due to the nice feeling Zinc shells and cabling. The biggest difference sound-wise can be found in the bass, where the P1 somewhat rolls off in the subbass, resulting in a mid-bass oriented hump, the Aurisonics extend all the way, with muscular rumble that the P1 is no match for. There is some upper mid emphasis in the P1 that is also not found with the ASG-1Plus, which makes female vocals more intimate, resolution is similar between the two, besides that, the P1 has thinner notes and can give the perception of being more airier due to some mid-treble peakage not present in the Aurisonic. Isolation is somewhat worse in the P1, as well as comfort, as the mmcx connector doesn't agree with my ear shape.
 
Campfire Lyra II*:
 
Lyra II has beautiful ceramic shells that exude quality, with great ergonomics and comfort unfortunately for me, the sound quality does not match the build. Similar to the Aurisonics, there is a clear emphasis in the bass, but it appears to roll off in the subbass, leaving a significant midbass hump that is not to my liking. In addition to this, the dynamic driver in the Lyra II does not appear to be able to convey texture like the larger DDs in the ASG-1Plus and the EX1000, to its credit, it appears to have quicker bass in return, but that is still rather disappointing. Mids on the Lyra II are lush, with an upper mid dip that is similar in presentation to the ASG-1Plus, including the lack of black background that hinders ultimate separation and imaging, even though resolution appears to be better, treble is noticeably more peaky on the Lyra II. Overall, given the price difference between the Lyra II ($699) and the Aurisonics (~200 used), I can't recommend getting it, as the SQ improvements are low for the extra expenditure.
 
Fender FXA7*:
 
A comparison between the past of Aurisonics hybrids and the present Fender products might be illuminating. Compared to the ASG-1Plus, the FXA7 appears more v-shaped, with a clearly more bassy tuning, which makes it seem somewhat bloated in comparison, there is also a more severe upper mid suckout on the FXA7, bass texture is similar between the two but the FXA7 appears to be slower. Overall, I am rather disappointed, as it appears to be a step backwards from the old Aurisonics lineup.
 
Summary
 
The ASG-1Plus has proven itself to be a great, all-rounded IEM that has earned itself a rightful place in my collection, with a great combination of ergonomics, sound signature and technicalities that compel me to reach for it every time I head out of the house, while the accessories could use some work, the sound more than makes up for it, at the current used price these go for, they are a great value for money and well worth it for those looking for a laid-back, but still engaging signature.

Inspired by my great experience with the Aurisonics Rockets I caved in and bought the ASG-1PLUS as well as it was said by many that they we’re the ones of the higher tier Aurisonics offerings being most similar to the Rockets.
 
The Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS was purchased by me as an open box unit from Hifiheadphones UK.
 
At the time of this review they were available from Amazon at $600:
http://www.amazon.com/Aurisonics-ASG-1PLUS-Digital-Headphones-Polished/dp/B00NPA6NH6/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1456915533&sr=1-8&keywords=aurisonics
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Aurisonics.
 

 

 

About Aurisonics:
As Aurisonics was acquired by Fender not long ago I won’t spend any time in telling their story here. Hopefully Fender will treat the legacy of Aurisonics with respect and I’ll get to tell their story in future reviews instead.
 
About me:
 
Built and accessories:
The AurisonicsASG-1PLUS is a hybrid IEM featuring a massive 14.2mm dynamic driver (this is the driver also used in the ASG 1.x series) plus one “custom tuned next generation balance armature tweeter”  (hence the PLUS in the name).
 
The 1PLUS is available in two colors: black or red, I’ve got the black one.
 
The build of the 1PLUS is very good. The housings are made of acrylic plastic but still feel very well made and reliable.
 
The cable is detachable and uses a two-pin connector. I’m not overly crazy about the two-pin connectors since they look so fragile and I’m always worried that something should go wrong with them. The cable itself is quite nice and, being over ear style, microphonics is very low. Unfortunately the cable has memory wires which I absolutely hate so I’ll need to get a replacement cable for them. Given the price I’d have liked to see two cables included: one with memory wires and one without, preferable one of them should’ve had a mic as well.
 
The retail package is ok but nothing extravagant and could certainly have been nicer price taken into consideration.
 
The accessories pack is pretty spare for the price and includes the following:
4 pairs of Aurisonics own Super Seal tips (S, M, M+, L)
1 cleaning tool
1 hard plastic “pelican style” box to store them in when not in use
 
Not only is the accessories spare but what’s included is not the best either in my opinion. The Super Seal tips doesn’t work well for me and the storage box, although being of excellent quality, is a bit small making me scared to break something on the IEM’s every time I close the lid.
 
The 1PLUS are quite easy to drive and works fine even with my LG G3 phone.
 
Isolation is top notch and one of the best I’ve come across so far.
 

 

 

 

 

 
The specs:
 
Fit and ergonomics:
According to Aurisonics the design of the housing for the ASG series is made by doing scans of thousands of ears and taking all the data achieved by this to combine with 3D printing and injection moulding technologies to reach an end result that will fit 95% of ears well. This does indeed seem to be a good way of doing things as the 1PLUS, despite being quite large, has a very comfortable fit and top notch isolation capabilities.
 
As already mentioned I’m not crazy about the memory wire and the way the housings fit in my ears forces the memory wire into a position that puts more pressure on the connectors than I’m comfortable with. In addition to this the connection also has a tendency to start getting a little pulled out when I’m struggling with the memory wire to get the best fit. A replacement cable without memory wire is on its way.
 
The ASG-1PLUS is one of very few IME's that I prefer with foam tips. This is probably du to the memory wire making the fit awkward to be so I expect to move back to silicon tips when the new cable arrives. I'm not a big fan of foam tips but the ones from Havi is actually quite good with their wide bore and reduced amount of foam (they've removed some foam on the sides). 
 

 
 

 

The weird looking Havi foam tips
 
Sound:
These were an open box pair that’s been used for demo purpose from the seller so they should’ve been burned in already on arrival. I’ve used them back and forward for the last couple of weeks as well and they’ve played for well over 100 hours in my possession already. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
For this review I've used them with Havi foam tips. 
 
I’ve used them with my LG G3 phone (with and without my Elecom PAR500 BT receiver/amp), my FiiO X3/Cayin C5 combo and the CEntrance DACport Slim and they’ve worked very well with all of them. As a matter of fact the 1PLUS sounds really good out of every source I’ve tried them with and also with all kinds of music that I listen too. That being said they will also reward you when paired with a good source.
 
Demo list:
 
The overall sound signature on the 1PLUS is well balanced, smooth, airy and with vocals in focus.
 
I’ve used and read the words “bass shows when called upon” multiple times here on Head-Fi but never has this been more true to me than with the 1PLUS.  The first time I put these in my ears I was listening to a song without any particular bass impact and my first thought was that while they had a very nice, smooth and airy sound the bass wasn’t there so I quickly skipped to another song with more bass presence and HELLO bass. There’s more sub bass than mid-bass making for a very clean bass presentation with excellent layering all the way down to the lowest notes. The bass however is ever so slightly soft in impact and very delicate, a presentation that blends perfectly with the rest of the frequencies. Before getting the 1PLUS the ATH-CKR9’s were my go to IEM’s for perfect bass but they’ve got some serious competition now.  Despite the great sub bass the toned down mid-bass may still make these a less ideal choice for hardcore bass-heads.
 
If there was ever an IEM that I’ve heard that’s tuned for vocals the 1PLUS are it. The midrange is pushed forward and offers a lush and full presentation carrying enough weight to give male voices a really natural sound.  Female voices are also full, smooth and airy without any hint of sibilance. The midrange on the 1PLUS is really seductive without feeling to intimate and the vocal reproduction doesn’t lose out to any other IEM that I’ve heard to date.
 
The treble is also airy and smooth and just like with the lowest bass the extension is really good without getting fatiguing. The treble on the 1PLUS carries a great amount of detail presented in the same seductive and delicate way as the bass and midrange.
 
As already mentioned the 1PLUS works great with most sources and music which might suggest that they’re lacking in details and while they don’t have that analytical sound hunting for micro details they’re still ok when it comes to detail retrieval. I do find the overall presentation of the 1PLUS very even across the frequencies and slightly laid back in its nature  and that’s probably a great contribution to making it such a good all-rounder.
 
Layering, separation and soundstage in all directions is excellent and I really feel that they’ve got as good soundstage height and depth as width making for a very holistic presentation. I’ve never heard an IEM with such “out of the head” feeling as the 1PLUS, they really sound more like a closed pair of full sized headphones than an IEM to me and beats (from memory) even the Heaven VII in this department to my ears.
 
Phew, that’s a lot of words when I could’ve just said that they sound perfectly natural to me 
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
For these comparisons I’ve used the combination of my FiiO X3 and Cayin C5.
 
Audio-Technica CKR9’s vs Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS:
Compared to the 1PLUS the CKR9’s has a more bass presence and while sub-bass reaches equally low on both the CKR9’s got more impact. Both have amazing layering in the sub bass but the CKR9’s is actually ever so slightly tighter.  The mid-bass do also have more presence on the CKR9’s while the 1PLUS just shows the bass when the track calls for it. They both have a great drive to the bass, especially with electronic music.  Midrange is quite forward on both but fuller, lusher and more even sounding on the 1PLUS. The CKR9’s got a good vocal presentation, especially on female vocals, but the 1PLUS outperforms them for my preference with their lusher and more laid back presentation. The CKR9’S can feel a bit nasal and shouty in comparison with some music. Overall the CKR9’s are much more in your face while the 1PLUS feels calmer and less fatiguing. Sibilance is a non-issue with both of them. The treble on the 1PLUS have better extension, more details and also feels more articulated and delicate. The 1PLUS also sounds more “out of your head” while detail retrieval and clarity is pretty similar on both.
 
I find them both very comfortable and although built is great on both I give the edge to the 1PLUS due the removable cable.
 
The CKR9’s are significantly easier to drive.
 
Isolation is better with the 1PLUS.
 
Havi B3Pro1 vs Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS:
The Havi B3Pro1 is one of my all-time favorite IEM’s (despite its low price) and I therefore often use them in the comparison section although they’re often much cheaper that the object they’re compared to. Compared to the 1PLUS the Havi’s has a slightly larger soundstage width while the 1PLUS pulls ahead on depth and height. Balance is great on both with a slight lift in the mid-bass on both and significantly more sub-bass slam and better extension on the 1PLUS. While the midrange is equally forward on both the Havi’s has an overall warmer and less refined midrange. The treble is quite similar with a little fuller presentation on the Havi’s and slightly better extension on the 1PLUS and none of them are prone to sibilance. Details and clarity is pretty similar but the 1PLUS has a more 3D sounding presentation.
 
I find them equally comfortable but the 1PLUS has better built.
 
The Havi’s are significantly harder to drive.
 
Isolation is much better on the 1PLUS.
 
VE Duke vs Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS:
Compared to the 1PLUS the Duke feels more intimate and less airy in its presentation. The sub bass on the 1PLUS digs deeper with better layering but mid bass is pretty similar, maybe a touch tighter on the Duke. Midrange is more forward on the 1PLUS and vocals feels more lush and smooth. The treble is very well extended and detailed on both but a bit smoother and more delicate on the 1PLUS. Micro details and clarity are actually better on the Duke while the 1PLUS gives an overall fuller, lusher sound. The 1PLUS is also more airy and 3D sounding with a wider soundstage in all directions.
 
Built is excellent on both but with its detachable cables I still put the 1PLUS on top.
 
They Duke’s slightly harder to drive.
 
Isolation is very good with both of them but the 1PLUS pulls slightly ahead.
 
Summary:
All in all I find the Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS to be the perfect all-rounder when it comes to sound. It sounds great from all sources (although it does scale a bit with better ones) and all kind of music. Some music that I haven’t been listening to for a long time because it doesn’t sound good on any of my existing IME’s sounds amazing with the 1PLUS and I haven’t come across any music it cannot handle well.
 
For a couple of years now I’ve been hunting the perfect upgrade from the Havi B3Pro1 for me and while I’ve found many excellent IEM’s on my journey they’ve all been more side grades than upgrades to me. I’m very happy now that I’ve reach the end of this journey as the Aurisonics ASG- PLUS are indeed a better all-round IEM to my ears while still keeping up with the strengths of the B3’s.
 
It should be no surprise by now that the ASG-1PLUS is a solid 5 star performer for me when it comes to sound and it’s safe to say that this is my all-time favorite, and potentially end game, IEM. While not the most detailed and analytical its smooth and forgiving nature is a winner to me in long term listening. Unfortunately I still feel the need to drop half a star on the total rating due to the fact that the included accessories are very spare and what’s actually included does not fully fill its purposes (bad tips, small storage box). The memory wire is also helping on this decision. Had they’ve been cheaper I might have let this slip but at this price point I’m expecting things to be top notch.
 
I really hope that Fender takes the legacy from the ASG-1PLUS with them to their future offerings and if rumors are right (I’m looking at you Fender FXA6 Pro) it seems as if they will. Hopefully they’ll put some more accessories in the package as well eventually.
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Aurisonics ASG-1+/1plus – initial impressions
 
Picked a pair of these up in the recent Hifiheadphones sale of “old” Aurisonics stock as my first pair of mid range IEMS (price wise). I’m still pretty new to this whole review/impressions thing, so please take it all with a pinch of salt – YMMV.
About me: newly minted audiophile, long time music fan and reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of EDM. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound sig with some body to it.
 

 
Unboxing and contents
 
The packaging is simple but sophisticated. The box itself is a small rectangle, which contains the IEMs in a nice presentation window, and everything else (SureSeal tips, cleaning tool, lanyard cable) in the lower half of the box inside a waterproof/shockproof/probably zombie apocalypse proof Aurisonics branded Otterbox hard case. Compared to other packaging I have seen at this price point (and the one below), this is nothing special, but does lay out the contents and info in a nice and classy looking manner. As noted in my observations on the ASG-1.5 model, utilitarian is probably the best way to describe it. Also as noted, the packaging doesn’t play any music, so lack of pizzazz shouldn’t really make a major difference to the average user. One word of caution with the included hard case – it is padded internally with foam, but is VERY small in comparison to the size of the IEM housings, so care will need to be taken if you are planning to use this regularly if you want to avoid cracking your nice new toys like a very expensive fortune cookie when closing the lid if you have laid them in the wrong way up.
 
 
Build quality/ergonomics
 
For a plastic/acrylic earphone, the ASG-1plus is a very well built IEM. The outer housing is shiny black plastic, with a small Aurisonics logo carved into each ear. The shell is part of the famous Aurisonics “Hybrid Fit” range, which basically equates to a Custom IEM shape based on the average of over 1,000 scans of people’s ear geometry (“Average IEM?”). In practice, the fit is excellent – it sits in the outer ear like a full custom, with excellent comfort and outstanding noise reduction. Being modelled on their custom range, this is a big IEM so even with the best fit, will protrude a little from your ears so unlikely to be particularly comfortable lying down in bed unless you have very small ears. The cabling is a black weave 2-pin design common on various CIEM brands these days, and exudes the sort of quality you would expect. It is reasonably tangle free, and designed to be worn over ear (with the aid of two memory wire guides on the connecting cables, so microphonics are pretty much eliminated. The memory wire also helps the fit and stability of the earpieces for day to day wear – these aren’t going anywhere in a hurry. Comfort is also very good for an IEM of this size, and they fit very well against my ears for extended listening sessions with no “hot spots” or discomfort.
 
 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
Sony NWz-A15 (unamped and with Fiio E6/Brainwavz AP001)
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed, as above)
LG G Flex 2 (as above)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
 
Test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
 
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Otis Redding – various
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Foy Vance – various
Blues Traveler
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Sigma - various
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet (cymbal test track)
 
 
General sound signature
Based on the general “house sound” of the Aurisonics range, the ASG-1Plus is definitely aimed at the neutral or audiophile market, with a nice smooth tuning across all frequencies and an overall warm but detailed and spacious sound, with good sparkle on the high end due to the added HDBA tweeter to compliment the massive 14.2mm dynamic driver providing the bass and mids. This isn’t to say that the bass is lacking – where the track requires it, there is plenty of it provided, but unlike the bassier 1 series models like the 1.5, it isn’t the defining aspect of the sound. These seem to be tuned far more with the audiophile market in mind, rather than the more musician-biased tunings of the other ASG series I have heard or read about to date.
 
Highs
As mentioned above, this is an IEM with a very defined top end and some beautiful crisp sounding highs. There is a custom designed balanced armature providing this set of frequencies, and it it tuned to provide a very clear but detailed treble response, with plenty of extension. The treble itself is on the smooth side rather than some more “etched” IEMs I have heard recently, lending itself to prolonged listening without any fatigue (another characteristic of the Aurisonic IEMs I have heard to date). I have run my usual screechy tracks through these to see if any sibilance is apparent, but I have not managed to hit any so far. The treble is marginally less prominent compared to the other frequencies, but is definitely far more present and engaging than its sibling the ASG-1.5 – to be fair, without EQ an African elephant probably produces more natural treble than the 1.5s, but we digress… In terms of the more esoteric terms used to describe the listening experience (“air”, “separation” etc), there is a nice sense of space to the higher end sound, with the soundstage feeling noticeably wider and more 3D than the average IEM, with great separation between each instrument being played. In layman’s terms (which I definitely am), you find yourself being able to listen to two guitars being played on the same track and clearly identify which guitar is playing which notes, rather than having it all blend together in your head.
 
Mids
The real star of the show as far as this IEM is concerned. The general tone is reasonably neutral, providing a sound that seems both accurate and lush at the same time. The timbre of a singer’s voice comes across particularly well on these earbuds, allowing you to really feel the emotion and tone in each syllable. Vocals in general are treated very well by this presentation (male or female, they are all the same to the 1Plus) – pulled to the forefront of the 3D soundscape, they convey the feeling that you are in the middle of a studio recording session listening to the artist at work with some well-recorded tracks. It is a mesmerising presentation, and really allows you to drift into acoustic and singer/songwriter type music with an almost effortless enjoyment. Detail retrieval is very good, and the little micro-details creak of a chair, scrape of a guitar string) present well in the background noise, adding to the studio feel. When pushed with some more uptempo rock music or more complicated arrangements, the 1Plus doesn’t blink, rendering the sound in a clear and coherent manner no matter how much is going on. This lends itself well to guitar based music in general, and gives just enough sense of energy to complicated guitar riffs and crunching rock sing-alongs to pull you fully into the sound.
 
Bass
Compared to the Aurisonics default tuning (or the perception of it), these initially come across as neutral to subdued in the bass area, with a lovely detailed bass tone purring out of the ear-holes whenever a bass guitar is plucked. Feed it a bass-heavy track or some booming EDM and the character changes completely, however – the big 14.2mm dynamic kicks into full gear and a hefty punch of sub-bass and mid-bass appears like a magician’s rabbit. This to me defines a “neutral” type of sound far better than a graph, where an IEM will provide bass where it is present in the recording, and won’t manufacture it where it isn’t. These are by no means a basshead’s dream, but listing to “Bad Rain” by Slash will give you a growling, finely textured bass “purr” all the way down into the deep sub-bass territory. The extension is also supremely low on these IEMs, and allows you to enjoy the lowest of low notes without any colouration of the sound above it. As I am lacking the audiophile vocabulary to expand in a more technical way, the best analogy I can think of for comparing the bass on offer here is by comparing the difference between a super-middleweight boxer and a heavyweight, where the super-middle is the 1Plus and the heavyweight is a bass monster like the 1.5 or something similar. In a straight fight, the heavyweight would win every time. If you walked into a room with both of them in it, you would almost definitely notice the heavyweight due to sheer force of presence, irrespective of what else was going on, but the super-middle would blend into the surroundings. However, if either of them needed to punch you in the face (maybe it’s just the sort of parties I end up attending!?) then either of them would hit you more than hard enough to turn the lights out.
 
 Soundstage/separation
These IEMs have an excellent 3D soundstage, with superb positioning of instruments and a very clear separation between each piece of the band, almost like a studio recording session. As with all IEMs, please don’t expect something that will blow your mid with the width compared to a full sized headphone, but these will be more than ample to enjoy music outside of your own head.
 
Amping
The ASG series are famed for taking EQ very well, and this also extends to amping from my brief experience. My Sony A15 (even with low output power) can drive these well enough for listening on my daily commute, although the additional power and slight bass boost offered by the Brainwavz or Fiio min amps I have access to did thicken the sound a little in the low end, making rock music a little more punchy when needed. Ditto for my LG phone – while an amp may bring out the true beauty of these earphones, there is just enough volume to satisfy the average user driving straight from source in my opinion.
 
 
Comparisons
 
Trinity Audio Atlas
A tuneable filter IEM. These are another great set of buds, with a dual hybrid setup giving good bass and smooth buttery mids. The sound quality is a little sharper around the edges than the 1Plus (think chainsaw rather than rapier), with less separation and musicality in the meat of the sound. The bass quantity is similar, with the Atlas winning out in quantity if you need a bass cannon in your ears for sheer volume when using the bassiest filter setup, but the 1Plus winning on quality and tone of the bass produced overall. The 1plus is slightly better comfort-wise, but this is a marginal call.
 
Flare Audio R2A
My previous daily driver, and an outright brilliant IEM for my personal tastes. The treble is similar, with the 1Plus producing slightly more clarity in the higher registers due to the rolled off sound produced by the R2A. This helps with a sense of detail retrieval that edges it over the Flare as a general impression, as the microdetails being presented are just a little crisper in presentation, so tricking the mind into thinking they are more “there” maybe. Comfort wise it is fairly similar, although the tiny size of the Flares allow them to be worn in bed, so are better suited for situations like that. Soundstage is similar in size, which is impressive as the Flares do have a massive soundstage to my ears for such a tiny IEM.
 
Aurisonics ASG-1.5
This is the definitive David vs Goliath – the 1Plus casts the stone of clarity, and knocks down the bass giant in one blow. Quality of bass is similar between the two, with the 1.5 having vast quantities more, which colours the sound significantly. For mids and upper register, the 1Plus produces a similar tone in the mids but with crisper presentation, and totally outclasses the 1.5 in the treble due to the additional BA being used. To be fair, this is pretty much as intended bearing in mind the default tuning of the 1.5, but still worth noting.
 
Echobox Finder X1
My current daily driver. This is a far closer comparison, with the crisp treble-led sound of the Echobox units against the musical sound of the 1Plus. For my preferences, these are both different enough to be part of my long-term library so I can’t pick one favourite (fortunately). The Echobox provides more bass “slam” up front, with a similar bass extension but a slightly more clinical tone than the textured bass of the 1Plus. Mids are comparable in quality but different in presentation, with the 1Plus being slightly more forward and tonal compared to the slightly further back sound of the Echobox, which still manages to convey the emotion in a track beautifully. Treble is edged by the Echobox team, but only if you prefer a very sharply defined sound. Build quality is also won by the Echobox team – to be fair, there isn’t much on the market that can compete with beautifully machined titanium as a housing so not really a fair contest there. One area the 1Plus has a clear advantage is in the separation – while this is excellent on the Echobox, there is a small but noticeable improvement when listening to the 1Plus in this area.
 
 
Overall conclusion
These are my first foray into “proper” mid-fi IEM territory, and a very impressive one at that. Eschewing the bass-monster tuning of the other ASG-1 series monitors, this presents a fantastically musical, detailed sound with an ocean of bass in reserve and smooth but defined treble that leaves the overall impression of a neutral to warm sound. Definitely worth listening to if you have the chance.

 
Introduction
 
Well I certainly wasn't expecting to be holding one of these in my hands anytime soon….. Yep, this is my new baby say hello to one of the newest editions to the Aurisonics line up the 1 Plus. I have never had the pleasure of listening to any of their previous earphones until now. However, I have continually kept an eye on what the company has been doing, developing and the stream of positive comments being posted throughout the forum. Long story short I saw this for sale at fairly reasonable price so I snapped her up and I am so glad I did.
 
The 1 Plus features: 

1. One Massive 14.2" Dynamic Driver
2. One Balanced Armature Driver
3. Hybrid design 

 
Included in the package you get: 
 
A Shock/Dust/Waterproof hard case, SureSeal™ tips, cleaning tool, the ASG-1PLUS themselves and a cable.  
 
Cable
 
Finally, gosh this feels right. I haven’t always had the best of luck with memory wired cables mostly due to my glasses, this cable however doesn’t affect them at all. On a side note the cable is secure enough and light enough to jog with, if your into that sort of thing . Not found a ton of of earphones that sound good and are fit for that purpose these, on the other hand stayed nicely glued in as you huff and pant against the elements no matter how hard you go for it.
 
The cable is a detachable silver-plated low oxygen copper cable. I won’t comment on the sound aspect as I feel that needs to be explored more when I have more of a cable inventory. It is a sleek, lightweight, glossy black and simple wire using the traditional two pin plug found on most custom iems. There is a very modest transparent chin slider a nice touch simple and pragmatic.
 
Not much more to say but I do wish every detachable used this type of design as the benchmark. From what I hear it’s basically a Westone replica so should you ever need a replacement and are unable to order directly from Aurisonics there should be plenty on viable alternatives.  
 
Design/Comfort
 
Below I have uploaded a few photos of my sweetheart. I know I know, she’s a little big, a little curvy but my word I do love her.
 

 

 
 
 
First thoughts when trying to get these in my ears were, ouch mixed with a feeling of disappointment but I’ll elaborate on that in the sound section. The fit and comfort are actually quite superb once the correct tips are selected. According to Aurisonics the construction consists of 3D printing, Digital Hybrid Technology, and the shell fits 95% of ears. Hum good statistics I can agree with that statement I don't see many people having an issue with the shells.
 
On the other hand, tip selection is certainly a bit more tricky and crucial for maximum sound performance and comfort. With the wrong ear tips these can be downright uncomfortable, cumbersome and a bit of a pain. Select the right tips and it really is a night and day difference.
 
Isolation is great and manages to block out most external noise, and with music playing just don’t expect to hear anyone calling your name in fact you may have someone throw something at you in order to grab your attention, a pre warning you've been told. But back on topic on the whole I am really happy with the comfort and well let’s just say I love my red eye candy. I personally find the design quite sleek and eye catching, should you choose to go for the more eccentric red which only enhances her beauty in my opinion. Ok, enough about her body, lets explorer her soul and wow what a beautiful one it is.
 
Sound quality
 
​Equipment used: I used both a combination of The Merdian Explorer Dac > Piccolino Interconnect > Vorgzue pure ii amp, However most listening was done using my iPhone 6 and Spotify.
 
Useful tip if you do happen to own an iPhone 6 and the 1 Plus GET Spotify the synergy is just perfect! 
 
Now to my baby girls’ heart and soul and yes this metaphor will get out of hand but I'm ok with it. The first time I heard her voice I took a step back and melted. No seriously kidding aside initially I was a touch dissatisfied with my impression. Congested, unclear and recessed vocals, somethings not right? Fortunately experience has taught me never give up after a quick listen so tip rolling began. Once I had found a nice small pair that slotted in comfortably I suddenly found all that missing sound.
 
A few reviews and impressions have mentioned the stunning midrange and vocal reproduction. Well after a shocking revelation, when switching to more suitable ear tips, this was the thing that immediately caught my attention. The 1 Plus really adds a natural tone to vocals and the midrange detail is just great. The midrange comes across as forward, not veiled at all but lacks a hair of transparency in comparison to the Dunu 2000. I mainly think this is more due to the overall darker tone of the 1 Plus in comparison to the slightly brighter Dunu. Do not get me wrong though I really like this presentation and find this earphone to have one of the most addictive and immersive signatures I have ever tried.
 
This leads me to that expansive and enveloping staging you hear the moment you lose touch of reality and find yourself adrift in the music. One of the things I love the most about this earphone is how mesmeric the music becomes as you listen in and appreciate the character of this enchantress. It has all the features of a monitor, wide and deep staging that surrounds and encapsulates you in world of notes as meaty bass lines inspire your toes to tap, your heart to listen as vocals draw you closer and your ears begin to eye in on the subtle, crisp, sparkly and yet unforceful treble.
 
The bass isn't without flaw some may find it lacking in extension but it certainly has a copious amount of mid bass and a nice touch of sub bass that almost make up for its short comings. Layering is fairly good and it never feels overrun when complicated bass lines appear. I find myself reverting back to my days as a young audio enthusiast, simply enjoying the music and getting involved with that naughty bass line that has you wanting to shake your ass and bob your head like a pigeon pecking for food.
 
If it’s one area I feel needs a little improvement it’s here but this isn’t due to the lack of enjoyment it is more from a strict technical stand point. I can see some penalising her for her slight lack of restraint and refinement but in a way it’s still who she is and many will love this girl for that type of personality. She may not say all the right words but man she is fun to have around.
 
I suppose that leaves the treble to be explored. To my ears a hidden gem, not a diamond in the rough. I initially thought there was a lack of detail missing in the treble coming from my brighter, slightly airier Dunu but it’s just not the case at all. In fact I am leaning towards this type of presentation having seen the light and experiencing this more relaxed type of character.
 
The treble is very well detailed and tends to blend in nicely with the music, it has a soft overtone and nowhere near the bite that I’ve gotten used to hearing. It could do with a touch of air to lift the treble a touch but all in all the treble is spot on. Cymbals, clicks, kicks and pops all are there just not abusively shouting in your face, as you listen and start to enjoy your music you will undoubtedly start to hear the little nuances most of us have come to find so enjoyable. It has to be said even with that slight criticism due to its nature acoustic pieces still sound absolutely fantastic. You will clearly hear each pluck of the guitar and be swept away with the beautiful timber she presents.
 
Considering the size of the driver used and the additional BA driver you might think these are a little inefficient. You would be wrong, well slightly, these earphones do require a little more juice than something like the Dunu 2000 or the Atomic Floyd Superdarts. However, even considering this I never really found myself having to push the volume anywhere over one notch over half on my iPhone. My prefered listening level is usually under the halfway mark with most earphones when using my phone, but in this case the extra power really aided and adds to all the attributes of this beautiful earphones as aforementioned.  
 
Summary
 
In conclusion this is a great package and I can’t see many people disagreeing with the charm and fun this girl brings to the table. The comfort and isolation with a good fit is superb, there is great detailing partnered with unfatiguing treble, absolutely captivating vocals and boundless staging and to top it all off really musical bass which isn't without flaw but enjoyable nevertheless. 
 
As always if there are any questions please feel free to get in contact and I’ll do my best to respond as promptly as possible. Hope you guys have enjoyed the review a much as I've enjoyed writing it. 

This is my first review on Headfi and the main purpose was to get the sound signature of ASG1+ out to the public since the news of its release was mostly overshadowed by ASG2.5. I do hope these impressions help for those who are actually considering the ASG1+.
 
I have never been a fan of the ASG2, which was the only IEM of the Aurisonics line I had heard before the release of the new ASG2.5, ASG1.5, ASG1+ and of course one of the hot favourites right now, the Rockets. When I first heard the ASG1+, I was pretty surprised since a wave of bass didn't hit my ears.
 
Pretty intrigued by how much Dale had listened to the community to provide a much more neutral sound signature iem to us, I was upset at how little attention these iems received since most of the news was about the release of ASG2.5.
 
Seeing this I requested a demo from Aurisonics to get a better idea of the sound signature and to provide some impressions for these IEMs. Chern Wei was kind enough to send a demo to me to do just that and here I am. Without further ado, let's get crackin' on the review!
 
Build Quality/Comfort:
 
I have always loved the build quality of all of Aurisonics line up. They look sturdy and seem to be able to withstand considerable amount of torture, but of course, I didn't try my luck here.
 
As for fit-wise, it was more of a miss than hit for me. Unfortunately for me, I have got very tiny ears that doesn't fit most over-ear universals and ASG1+ was no different for me. I had no complaints from my friends who tried them on so I guess it was just my ears.
 
Tips wise, I have to say initially the Sure seal tips were too grippy but they become better over time/usage and are really quite comfortable after some breaking in. The isolation from these tips are superb in my opinion, more than the Ortofon and Spinfit tips that I usually use.
 
Sound Quality:
 
All listening was done on a Calyx M, which in my opinion, is an excellent match to the ASG1+.
 
I listen to too many genres to list them out so it would suffice to say I really tried them on VARIOUS genres.
 
The first thing that would amaze you immediately once you put on the ASG1+ would be the insanely alluring mids. These mid-centric beast of an IEM puts you through a mesmerising vocal journey through any music you put in its path. I tried and tried countless songs to see if it will falter in this aspect but to no avail. The ASG1+ just is that good in this aspect.
 
After I slowly recovered from the initial shock from the crazy mids, I started to notice the smooth highs that is reminiscent of the Aurisonics Rockets, only more extended this time. The highs also gave neccessary sparkle when needed, in amounts that were just right so that snares and crashes sounded like what they needed to.
 
The bass on initial listening, was just the right amount after coming from the Rockets! Although listening to the Rockets, I didn't feel it was bass anaemic, the ASG1+ made it sound so. The quantity of bass on the ASG1+ was just right so that you get a very well-balanced sound, just ever so slightly tilted so you get a nice tinge of warmth, unlike previous offerings from Aurisonics that had deep thumping bass. It also has just the right amount of bass to give a full bodied sound to the ASG1+. However, over extended listening time, I felt the extension of the bass wasn't that up to my satisfaction. The ASG1+ lacked rumbling in the sub-bass which left me wanting just that little more.
 
The ASG1+ also had uncanny realism to its sound, which I feel is greatly aided by the sound stage it produces. The staging goes as wide as the Rockets and in addition, adds a new level of depth that brings the stage much deeper than the Rockets.
 
Conclusion:
 
What can I say?
 
I was floored by what the ASG1+ had to offer. This was by far my favorite in the Aurisonics line-up. It is up there with the likes of Final Audio Design Lab1, Fitear MH334, Tralucent Audio Ref1 in my books. It is such a well-tuned IEM that should receive lots more attention than it is having at this point of time.
 
I thank Chern Wei for providing me this chance to demo the ASG1+ which I reluctantly sent back, albeit slightly late because I was enjoying it so much, and am quite sure I will be getting a pair for myself.
 
Try the ASG1+ for yourself, and walk the immersive vocal journey that it took me through.