I've had my eyes on this set since around when they first came out after hearing raving reviews and seeing the graph but never had a reason to pick up a pair until recently when they went on sale on Amazon for Prime members for $89.59 USD. I got them as soon as I saw the deal and while I waited for them to arrive I dug deeper into them and what makes them "magical."
These are some of the first single balanced armature IEMs (or at least some of the first good ones) and since it is a single BA, usually not much is expected. One thing that caught my eye was that AFUL made the driver themselves, another thing that caught my eye was how AFUL went about tuning these. Through the use of an RLC electro-acoustic network, AFUL has created technology known as "SE-Math," which enables better extensions at the high-frequency area by compensating for the difference between the driver and the pure sound. The IEM also uses a massive and complex acoustic chamber AFUL is calling the "Acoustic Chamber of Nautilus Structure" which helps the BA push out more and better quality bass.
Build, design, and Comfort
Design + Fit
The MagicOne features a beautiful clear resin shell and a white and silver faceplate. The clear resin shows off the beautiful internals such as the custom BA driver, the Acoustic Chamber of Nautilus Structure, wires, and crossover unit. I really enjoy the snowy design of the faceplate and how the white looks like snow. These IEMs are some of the most comfortable I've ever used, they are smooth, shaped very naturally and are a good size for my ears.
Sound
Overall, these are warm IEMs with plenty of sparkle, extension and treble clarity you would expect with multi-driver IEMs, they have great bass, while it is not as punchy and deep as a dynamic driver, it covers all bass spectrums and has good sub extension, but lacks sub emphasis. The mids are buttery smooth with natural warmth and timbre. The treble is smooth and does not have any BA "glassiness" or " tinniness", also great extension on the upper treble giving them good air.
And to dig in a bit deeper:
Bass
I've never had a problem with BA bass, but compared to other BA sets these have more dynamic and punchy bass than a lot I've tried. The bass is controlled and has good sub extension and instead of pounding your ears with deep punchy bass, the bass kind of just adds color to the mix with a controlled impact. The sub may have extension, but it lacks emphasis. The midbass is smooth and elevated compared to the sub, the midbass doesn't bleed into the mids.
Mids
The MagicOnes are tuned to be mid-focused, so the mids are pushed forward in the mix, but not intimate, they create a good sense of space and separation. The mids have a bit of warm coloration, but not muddy or letting the bass bleed into the mids. The timbre and clarity produced by these custom drivers by AFUL is really amazing, vocals and instruments sound very natural and rich. Male vocals, cellos, trombones and pianos are warm and smooth due to the boost in the low mids and female vocals, violins, trumpets and guitars are sparkly, sweet and clean.
Treble
These IEMs use a new technology that pretty much just enhances the treble response and gives it some extra shine, sparkle and detail. Just like the mids, the treble has great timbre and sounds natural without being tinny or glassy. The treble is very smooth and clear with the best imaging and detail I've heard in an IEM. These create a great sense of openness and clarity in the treble while still being non-fatiguing and smooth.
Techs
The MagicOne creates a great sense of openness and separation between sounds. I would not say these have the best imaging overall but It's the best I've tried so far. It's easy to pick apart different sounds even in a complex song and hear what direction the sounds are coming from, but not exactly pinpointable. I really enjoy the soundstaging on these, nothing sounds stuffed or narrow.
What's in the box
- AFUL MagicOne
- Braided cable
- This is by far the best stock cable any IEM I've owned. It's pretty, soft, strong, and clearly high quality
- Pack of 3 sizes of black silicone tips
- Sizes seem a bit limited but work for me
- Pack of 3 sizes of white silicone tips
- No apparent acoustic difference from the black tips
- Aluminum puck case
- My favorite IEM case for daily use, stong, easy to open, pocketable
- Paper stuff
- Certificate of authenticity
Comparisons:
AFUL MagicOne ($140 USD) VS Audiosense DT200 ($150 USD) (DISCONTINUED)
(THE GRAPH DOES NOT SHOW THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TWO)
These two IEMs are compared a lot due to their similar(ish) tuning and the fact they are all BA setups.
The Audiosense DT200 features a dual Knowles BA driver setup with a warm tuning. The DT200 also has amazing timbre and smoothness, everything sounds clear, though the lower treble can be overpowered by the mids at times. They are very non-fatiguing and I can listen to them for hours without fatigue. The DT200 has a smaller shell also made out of smokey clear-grey 3D printed resin.
The bass on these two IEMs is very comparable but I find the MagicOne to have the superior quality and texture but due to the DT200s having less treble the bass is more emphasized on them
The mids are also comparable but the MagicOne has leaner low mids and more spacious upper mids. The DT200 has slightly superior timbre, it sounds fuller and more natural.
The treble is the biggest difference between these two, the MagicOne definitely has more treble overall, and much better coherency. I find I can analyze high sounds much better on the MagicOnes, but the MagicOnes are much more fatiguing due to the analytical treble. This is another area where the DT200 timbre quality is apparent, the DT200 is more natural sounding, but also duller.
The techs on these two is another much different area, the MagicOne has far wider staging and much more accurate imaging, especially in the treble region. Due to the DT200s more recessed treble, the bass is louder overall and you can feel it more than the MagicOnes, which can make it easier to analyze than the MagicOnes.
Overall comparing these two is much like the Sennheiser HD600 (MagicOne vs the Sennheiser HD 6XX/650 (DT200), one is warmer one is brighter, some prefer one and some might prefer the other. These are two amazing IEMs and are my two daily drivers so if you like one you will most likely like the other.
AFUL MagicOne ($140 USD) VS AFUL Performer 5 ($220 USD)
These two IEMs are compared quite a bit as well because the P5 (Performer 5) is another one of AFUL's cheaper IEMs.
The AFUL P5 uses a 1DD + 4BA driver setup and has a pretty common and pretty safe tuning. Emphasis on sub bass and upper mids with sometimes peaky treble.
I did not enjoy the P5 as much as the MagicOnes due to their sub-par timbre. On EDM tracks the glassy timbre is very obvious and can be too harsh for me at times. Sibilance can also be sharp at times making me have to turn down my volume.
While these are lacking in treble performance, they make up for it with the best bass dynamics out of any of the sets I compared the MagicOne to, it's deep, punchy and clean. I prefer bass tuning closer to the MagicOne so sometimes there was more bass than I'd like, but a basshead would be satisfied with it.
The P5 also has smooth lower mids with far better timbre than the upper mids and treble. Male vocals have a warm body but aren't intimate such as the DT200. The upper mids have worse timbre making female vocals and violins sound digital or synthetic but are more forward in the mix and more intimate than male vocals.
The techs are pretty close on these two sets, but the P5 beats the MagicOne's bass texture and mids imaging, while the MagicOne takes over with it's superior treble detail and imaging.
Overall I much prefer the MagicOne's tuning and sound but the P5 is not a bad IEM by any means. I think most people would prefer the P5s more generic tuning vs the MagicOne's more "niche" tuning, especially if you want something more "analytical" than the MagicOne's colored tuning. These are both great sets from AFUL and I think they are both decent choice, though the P5 is a bit overpriced I feel.
Gear Used + Songs Tested
Gear Used
All gear was tested on an Apple Dongle, M2 MacBook Pro output and an Apogee Duet 2
Songs Tested
White Owl - Josh Garrels
WILDFLOWER - Billie Eilish
i love you - Billie Eilish
THE GREATEST - Billie Eilish
BLUE - Billie Eilish
when the party's over - Billie Eilish
Flight - Hannah Parrot
A Time For Love - Jamie Cullum
Oh Rosy - Milena
Smokeless Fire - Octave Lissner
Long After You Are Gone - Chris Jones
Love is In Love - Geggy Tah
Lovely - Billie Eilish
Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish
Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye
From The Start - Laufey
Flow - Bernth
海色 - AKINO from bless4
why my love? - Aja Monet
into your eyes - Alex Tyché
That's What I Like - Bruno Mars
Passing Through - Gabe Dixon
THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND - Bad Omens
