Empire Ears Custom Universal Spartan IV Adel with G1 module
Background:
-Schitt stack (modi 2 uber and magni 2 uber), HD600, Campfire Audio Jupiter (one step down from Andromeda), Monoprice Audioquest Dragonfly DAC copy
-Drummer, music recording/mixing/mastering, guitarist, also have a high end home theater system (Polk LSIM flagships, SVS sub, Lexicon preamp, Proceed AMP2, miniDSP)
Setup:
Iphone 6 >Apple USB adaptor > Monoprice Audioquest Dragonfly DAC > 50” Empire Ears Silver Cable > Comply Isolation tips
Most of my comparison will be to the Campfire Audio Jupiter, as they are similarly priced ($799 to $929).
Sound (most important first):
Upon first listen, I could tell the Spartan is a very different IEM than the Jupiter (the only other high end IEM I’ve heard). This is somewhat lucky, because after an hour, I read Pinky Power’s Spartan review and his comparison to the Jupiter:
http://theheadphonelist.com/a-lean-mean-fighting-machine-a-review-of-the-empire-ears-spartan/
My review will fail in comparison to that one, but figured I’d add another person’s input for anyone interested. I’ll try to write this without influence from his review, but I 100% agree with his assessment.
I wish I could compare to other Empire Ears IEMs, but check out this review for an overview:
https://cymbacavum.com/2015/11/02/the-empire-strikes-back-empire-ears-line-up-overview/
Soundstage/imaging/detail (the star of the show):
Like most of us, soundstage was the first thing to jump out. It’s noticeably wider than the Jupiter, and appeared more 3D (in the sense there was more encompassing feeling to music). Doesn’t get as wide as the HD600 or most any other over ear headphone, but this is the closest I’ve heard to it on an IEM.
Most impressive to me was the imaging, with each instrument precisely placed within the left to right axis. Likewise, there is a lushness to the far left and right of the image that creates a “complete” stage, where you know nothing is missing and it encompasses you.
I recently saw GoGo Penguin live, and the Spartan surprised me that it was able to bring me back to the live stage so realistically (). I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that before, a truly amazing experience to achieve from an IEM. I think the micro-details contribute most to this. For example, standup bass plugs are so distinct and present that it’s almost tangibly in front of you. The jazzy snare snaps, rim shots, and brush swells are nowhere near as noticeable and clear as the Jupiter. It’s these things that make the Spartan in a league of it’s own. Similarly, I hear details in some songs that I’ve never heard before on the Jupiter (or even my home theater setup), like the precision of the shaker in Blank Banshee Bathsalts (). Acoustic guitars were also very detailed in pick strokes, such as in Milk Carton Kids Heaven () and especially in Andy McKee Heather’s Song (). One thing that is evident due to the details in the Spartan, low quality or poorly recorded music becomes more apparently bad.
Low, Mid, Highs:
Like many others, I’d agree this is a neutral IEM. I’d have to say there’s something hard to describe going on though in the mids, which I believe are related to the detail description above. I’ll leave it to you to experience, but I might need more time to full understand it. Maybe it’s evident in the bite and crunch of a rock guitar like Invent Animate White Wolf ().
Vocals are a high point for many people, but I typically enjoy instrumental music more. Vocals are slightly laid back in the stage in my opinion (which I prefer), but others might consider them forward. One thing I’m sure, vocals benefit from the detail of the Spartan, as evident in Keaton Henson’s sad (seemingly crying and cracking) vocals that requires a delicate presentation to capture it’s essence ().
Bass is present in the lowest registers, but delicate in that it doesn’t color the mids/highs. There’s a punch that’s quick and accurate, but not quite a full as the Jupiter in my opinion (some may like, others dislike). That said, there’s a firm control in the Spartan that I might characterize as more accurate and precise. Like others, I feel the Spartans have bass quality over quantity. I wish more TOTL IEMs were able to provide more quantity in the sub-bass region. I understand I might not get the home theater ‘feel’, but I do long for it. Prime example is EDM like EPROM, where it’s a completely different experience between the two ().
High extension is fantastic on the Jupiter (I imagine due to Campfire’s housing/tuning), and it seems like the Spartan might roll off in comparison (but only at the highest frequencies). Overall, I can’t say the Spartan is necessarily “lacking” highs, but it utilizes the highs in such a way that is more balanced for the tuning.
Other sound comments:
I plugged in the Spartan at the same volume as the Jupiter and noticed a bit more hiss. I’m sure other DAC/DAPs pair better/worse. On top of that, I had to turn the volume up on the Spartan to attain the same relative listening volume. I’m sure the Adel has something to do with that.
Build:
My Spartan’s were discounted/clearance for Black Friday and appear to be customized with an amazing pearl white and wing logo (I missed buying the Zeus R Adel for $1200 by about 1-2 hours when I was deciding… bummer). Truly beautiful, especially with the red Adel accent. For some reason the site said 3 bore design, but mine came with 4 bores like all other Spartan. Maybe just a typo during the Black Friday craziness?
I’m definitely a fan of the Campfire Audio aluminum housing, indestructible (just don’t drop them). So aside from the beautiful customization in color etc., the acrylic on the Spartan seems prone to cracking/breaking. Guess I’ll be a bit more careful, or maybe I’m just a nervous person (I did see another post about a crack in an Empire Ear IEM). See more in fit section below.
Fit:
These fit deeper in my ears than the Jupiter. Overall I’d say the Spartan is more comfortable, but both could be worn for a long time comfortably. One thing I worry about is pushing the Spartan in my ears, it’s easier to do so over the Adel module rather than the sides. Not sure if that impacts wear/tear, but for now I’ll be inserting via. pushing the sides.
The stock cable was quite disappointing, but maybe I was spoiled by the Campfire Audio cable’s TOFL quality. The memory plastic at the ear was not very long (i.e. the plastic did not extend to the top of my ear, so the bare cable was resting on my ear. Also, the Jupiter cable is able to swivel 360 degrees, so putting them in is easy. The 2 prong design of the Spartan cable does not have this flexibility, extruding from the socket in such as way that it’s difficult to set properly sometimes. I could imagine that if the IEM was too far into the ear you wouldn’t be able to get a good fit because the cable would be pressed against the ear. Mircophonics from movement was acceptable, but were concerning when adjusting the actual IEM in the ear. Maybe I’m crazy, but I hear plastic crunch when inserting them. I guess my point is that you need to ‘baby’ these.
My experience with Comply tips on the Jupiter made me immediately put them on Spartan. The ones from Empire Ears did not have the wax guard, which I prefer when dealing with expensive gear, so I used an extra one from the Jupiter pack I bought from Comply. Some reviewers state the Adel does not isolate sound as well as other IEMs due to their design, but I didn’t notice this as much (maybe because I don’t use on the go).
Packaging:
I’d rather pay for a better IEM than a fancy carrier case, or bag, or box etc. There is a general consensus that Campfire Audio leather case is high quality, and while I agree wholeheartedly, I don’t use these on the go. My Spartan came with a nice note that due to overseas issues, the fancy Aegis case would come at a later date and a round clam case is provided for free. The letter appears genuinely sorry, and I’m a forgiving person…
Background:
-Schitt stack (modi 2 uber and magni 2 uber), HD600, Campfire Audio Jupiter (one step down from Andromeda), Monoprice Audioquest Dragonfly DAC copy
-Drummer, music recording/mixing/mastering, guitarist, also have a high end home theater system (Polk LSIM flagships, SVS sub, Lexicon preamp, Proceed AMP2, miniDSP)
Setup:
Iphone 6 >Apple USB adaptor > Monoprice Audioquest Dragonfly DAC > 50” Empire Ears Silver Cable > Comply Isolation tips
Most of my comparison will be to the Campfire Audio Jupiter, as they are similarly priced ($799 to $929).
Sound (most important first):
Upon first listen, I could tell the Spartan is a very different IEM than the Jupiter (the only other high end IEM I’ve heard). This is somewhat lucky, because after an hour, I read Pinky Power’s Spartan review and his comparison to the Jupiter:
http://theheadphonelist.com/a-lean-mean-fighting-machine-a-review-of-the-empire-ears-spartan/
My review will fail in comparison to that one, but figured I’d add another person’s input for anyone interested. I’ll try to write this without influence from his review, but I 100% agree with his assessment.
I wish I could compare to other Empire Ears IEMs, but check out this review for an overview:
https://cymbacavum.com/2015/11/02/the-empire-strikes-back-empire-ears-line-up-overview/
Soundstage/imaging/detail (the star of the show):
Like most of us, soundstage was the first thing to jump out. It’s noticeably wider than the Jupiter, and appeared more 3D (in the sense there was more encompassing feeling to music). Doesn’t get as wide as the HD600 or most any other over ear headphone, but this is the closest I’ve heard to it on an IEM.
Most impressive to me was the imaging, with each instrument precisely placed within the left to right axis. Likewise, there is a lushness to the far left and right of the image that creates a “complete” stage, where you know nothing is missing and it encompasses you.
I recently saw GoGo Penguin live, and the Spartan surprised me that it was able to bring me back to the live stage so realistically (). I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that before, a truly amazing experience to achieve from an IEM. I think the micro-details contribute most to this. For example, standup bass plugs are so distinct and present that it’s almost tangibly in front of you. The jazzy snare snaps, rim shots, and brush swells are nowhere near as noticeable and clear as the Jupiter. It’s these things that make the Spartan in a league of it’s own. Similarly, I hear details in some songs that I’ve never heard before on the Jupiter (or even my home theater setup), like the precision of the shaker in Blank Banshee Bathsalts (). Acoustic guitars were also very detailed in pick strokes, such as in Milk Carton Kids Heaven () and especially in Andy McKee Heather’s Song (). One thing that is evident due to the details in the Spartan, low quality or poorly recorded music becomes more apparently bad.
Low, Mid, Highs:
Like many others, I’d agree this is a neutral IEM. I’d have to say there’s something hard to describe going on though in the mids, which I believe are related to the detail description above. I’ll leave it to you to experience, but I might need more time to full understand it. Maybe it’s evident in the bite and crunch of a rock guitar like Invent Animate White Wolf ().
Vocals are a high point for many people, but I typically enjoy instrumental music more. Vocals are slightly laid back in the stage in my opinion (which I prefer), but others might consider them forward. One thing I’m sure, vocals benefit from the detail of the Spartan, as evident in Keaton Henson’s sad (seemingly crying and cracking) vocals that requires a delicate presentation to capture it’s essence ().
Bass is present in the lowest registers, but delicate in that it doesn’t color the mids/highs. There’s a punch that’s quick and accurate, but not quite a full as the Jupiter in my opinion (some may like, others dislike). That said, there’s a firm control in the Spartan that I might characterize as more accurate and precise. Like others, I feel the Spartans have bass quality over quantity. I wish more TOTL IEMs were able to provide more quantity in the sub-bass region. I understand I might not get the home theater ‘feel’, but I do long for it. Prime example is EDM like EPROM, where it’s a completely different experience between the two ().
High extension is fantastic on the Jupiter (I imagine due to Campfire’s housing/tuning), and it seems like the Spartan might roll off in comparison (but only at the highest frequencies). Overall, I can’t say the Spartan is necessarily “lacking” highs, but it utilizes the highs in such a way that is more balanced for the tuning.
Other sound comments:
I plugged in the Spartan at the same volume as the Jupiter and noticed a bit more hiss. I’m sure other DAC/DAPs pair better/worse. On top of that, I had to turn the volume up on the Spartan to attain the same relative listening volume. I’m sure the Adel has something to do with that.
Build:
My Spartan’s were discounted/clearance for Black Friday and appear to be customized with an amazing pearl white and wing logo (I missed buying the Zeus R Adel for $1200 by about 1-2 hours when I was deciding… bummer). Truly beautiful, especially with the red Adel accent. For some reason the site said 3 bore design, but mine came with 4 bores like all other Spartan. Maybe just a typo during the Black Friday craziness?
I’m definitely a fan of the Campfire Audio aluminum housing, indestructible (just don’t drop them). So aside from the beautiful customization in color etc., the acrylic on the Spartan seems prone to cracking/breaking. Guess I’ll be a bit more careful, or maybe I’m just a nervous person (I did see another post about a crack in an Empire Ear IEM). See more in fit section below.
Fit:
These fit deeper in my ears than the Jupiter. Overall I’d say the Spartan is more comfortable, but both could be worn for a long time comfortably. One thing I worry about is pushing the Spartan in my ears, it’s easier to do so over the Adel module rather than the sides. Not sure if that impacts wear/tear, but for now I’ll be inserting via. pushing the sides.
The stock cable was quite disappointing, but maybe I was spoiled by the Campfire Audio cable’s TOFL quality. The memory plastic at the ear was not very long (i.e. the plastic did not extend to the top of my ear, so the bare cable was resting on my ear. Also, the Jupiter cable is able to swivel 360 degrees, so putting them in is easy. The 2 prong design of the Spartan cable does not have this flexibility, extruding from the socket in such as way that it’s difficult to set properly sometimes. I could imagine that if the IEM was too far into the ear you wouldn’t be able to get a good fit because the cable would be pressed against the ear. Mircophonics from movement was acceptable, but were concerning when adjusting the actual IEM in the ear. Maybe I’m crazy, but I hear plastic crunch when inserting them. I guess my point is that you need to ‘baby’ these.
My experience with Comply tips on the Jupiter made me immediately put them on Spartan. The ones from Empire Ears did not have the wax guard, which I prefer when dealing with expensive gear, so I used an extra one from the Jupiter pack I bought from Comply. Some reviewers state the Adel does not isolate sound as well as other IEMs due to their design, but I didn’t notice this as much (maybe because I don’t use on the go).
Packaging:
I’d rather pay for a better IEM than a fancy carrier case, or bag, or box etc. There is a general consensus that Campfire Audio leather case is high quality, and while I agree wholeheartedly, I don’t use these on the go. My Spartan came with a nice note that due to overseas issues, the fancy Aegis case would come at a later date and a round clam case is provided for free. The letter appears genuinely sorry, and I’m a forgiving person…
I bought the Universal Spartan IV w ADEL MAM and received them 3 weeks ago. I find that its critical to get a good seal, I can see how the custom would help the bass and midrange. But overall they're very enjoyable.