Full review of the Asura 2, Zen 2 & Duke here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/809154/review-venture-electronics-ve-asura-2-0-zen-2-0-duke-a-new-path-to-high-end-sound
Sound:
The Asura 2 resembles very closely to the Zen 2 flagship in overall sound quality and signature. With the 150ohm impedance it's noticeably easier to drive, and even with a weaker source the sound is already good enough to impress. There's still need for the right source to bring it to its best. The PK1 sounded quite anemic without a powerful source, the Asura 1.0 congested and distorted, while the Asura 2.0 would be something in the middle, with less distortion but lacking power.
As with the Zen 2, the low end of the Asura 2 is tight, clean and very detailed, but lighter in body and note thickness. Even with foam pads, the bass is smoother, less prominent and lacks the slight extra aggression of the upper Zen model. It doesn't lose in terms of control and accuracy, just not as immense and extended. In terms of pure quantity, the Asura 2 is not a bass light earphone, definitely not for an earbud; it still carries more energy and bass power than the Hifiman Compact and a tad more mid-bass focused than the Yuin PK1. The Ubiquo/Ucotech ES903 while it has a richer mid bass focus it sounds much more muddy and less detailed than the Asura 2 (and so next to the Asura 1.0).
The midrange is also neutral to bright, with a slight emphasis towards the lower treble. Less warm, thinner in body with a leaner presentation next to the Zen 2, but very well balanced on its own; might be found a tad U-shaped sounding for some with more transparent sources. Just clear and detailed mids is what the Asura 2 has been made into. They're smooth and liquid, only a tad cooler with a slight tilt on the upper mids region due the brighter emphasis which also gives an impression of better clarity compared to a PK1/Hifiman Compact (Balanced). While technically the Asura 2 could be considered 'better' it is also less 'musical' than these (relatively) warmer earbuds. This is also reflected in the vocal presentation being the Asura 2 not as sweet and immersive and a bit sharper sometimes. For the midrange, the source matching is more critical on the Asura 2 than those ones, and even next to the Zen 2.
The top end is bright and slightly more emphasized than the low end without the foam pads. It's still very well controlled with a touch of an analytical character. Compared to the well extended Zen 2, the Asura 2’s treble roll-off a bit earlier and tends to be a bit sharper and less forgiving but still manages to maintain a high level of refinement and accuracy at a fraction of the current flagship's price. There's not extra sibilance on the treble and it won't necessarily classify as 'hot', and while fortunately there's no hint of grain or harshness, upper instruments might feel a tad splashy and too energetic.
The presentation also reminds of the Zen 2; almost as spacious and open. It will also sound quite effortless if it gets enough power. Soundstage is also very impressive, very wide and three dimensional too but imaging and timbre is not as natural. Dynamics are excellent, maybe a little bit slower, but much faster than the also 150ohm rated Yuin PK1.