Empire Ears Wraith

Preamble:
This comes as a well deserved apology to @Jack Vang and the Empire team. And quite honestly should have been what came out of my original demo with the Wraith at release time. All thanks to @riverground meeting up in a car for an impromptu demo session and convincing me to give the Wraith a second chance. At current count Empire is still the reigning champion with 6 models owned across 2 generations of productions. The Wraith holds the unique distinction of being one of a very exclusive (almost Phantom like) list of iems that required a second set of impressions. And on the even rarer (Wraith like) list of iems where I completely changed my assessment as a result of a second demo. My opinion of the Wraith went from "nah, no thanks" to "Ohhhh I like this" eerily similar to my reaction to Darth Maul's reveal than watching his double bladed lightsaber ignite during the climatic duel with Qui-Gon Jinn. However unlike the "Phantom Menace" in the title, this one doesn't get cleaved in twain by Obi-Wan Kenobi (read more budget oriented offering. I'll stop now as this my nth rewrite of just the preamble and it's going to devolve into another love letter to Empire if I keep this up.

Design:
Compared to the other shells in the market at the time, the Olympus line was very good at keeping themselves in my ears. The Wraith of course uses the redesigned shell that is a signature of the EP and X lines when they were released. I had a much better fit with a shorter but chonkier nozzle and a slight "lip" so that tips held a lot better than the Olympus line did. Huge improvement in a lot of ways, though I still wish for an actual lip like the Empire needs to stop making planetoid super weapons with an exhaust port weak spot. On the faceplates.....they're gorgeous like, I stared at them like Sheev Palapatine looking at a potential host body. The dark purple/amethyst tones allude to a wraith/phantom feel plus it gives a sense of classy refinement with enough contrast but not too much. On the whole when the monitors are paired with the silvery sheen of the Cleopatra, the extreme contrast pairs extremely well and excellent for photographing. It's not as super sparkly as the chrome plated Naboo ships, but it screams class.

Testing:
Both sets of impressions used the same source (WM1A) for testing off the balanced. However tips were different with Final E and Symbio Ns for the former and latter respectively. I had also neglected to test in high gain the first time which would be my biggest mistake going in (Again, Death Star exhaust ports). 55 in low gain for the first and 30 in high gain for the second. It's worth nothing how sensitive the Wraith are and the power is 100% for the estats and not for lack of volume. The second lowest volume level for high gain off the 4.4 was the Valk at 50. For reference the lowest on low gain has been the Andros at 30 off the 4.4. Both sets of impressions are more or less identical for the bass and mids, with the biggest difference being the treble and the overall balance of the signature.

Bass:
If anything, the word phantom could be the literal description of the Zeus's bass. With everything else taking a backseat to the mids, the bass ends up being masked by the mids, even non existent unless you had a Cardas Clear Light attached. The Wraith does a lot to fix those issues, even with the upper mid bump. The subbass has been dialed up so that it doesn't take an exotic cable swap (Not that the Cleo is a bad cable) to make it noticeable. While the mid bass doesn't deviate from Zeus, the result of the subbass bump results in a singular coherent bass response similar to the JH Lola. This seems to offset the mids drowning out the mids despite an increase upper mid boost. The Wraith's Padawan Phantom is known for a thick and meaty bass/lower mids area, while the Padawan is more tangible, the master prefers are more refined approach, bringing some body but also a more fluid graceful approach.

Mids:
Like the prior Grandmaster of the Order: Zeus. Master Wraith excels in the midrange: forward, clear and always the centre stage of the presentation. You see a glimpse of the grandmaster in the similarly emotional mids, but with a more intimate presentation due to a different shaped stage. Live tracks, accoustic and orchestral tracks stand out on the Wraith in comparison to other genres. The change in shape of the stage also and more intimate presentation also resolved my issue with Zeus being too spacious at times. The mids are also well bodied, leaning in the direction of Phantom, but still channeling it's inner Zeus. An interesting thing that I noticed was a busy bass/lower mid track tend to get blended together a bit at times and making male vocals feel recessed as a result. I usually would prefer more separation, but the interplay makes for a very enjoyable listen.

Treble:
Again, the Wraith draws heavily form it's predecessor the Zeus in the highs. Similar to the Zeus, the treble is quite energetic. Wraith manages to one up that, injecting an excellent amount of treble sparkle with flair. Flashy and energetic? Seems a bit like Yoda it does. Again, happy to repeat that I had no sibilance issues (Which seems to be a trend now) and no issues at all with the sparkle. Galaxy Supernova on Wraith was mind blowing, I don't think I've ever heard it sound like this through all my flagship experiences. The biggest criticism here would be the treble require power to sound as it should. If Empire specificed that, it might have done significantly better. Had @riverground not insist, I probably wouldn't have tried the Wraith again with more power. With insufficient power, Wraith tilts towards the bass/lower mid area feeling more like a JH iem. when fed the power it needs (Awfully Sith like estats.....) it turns that on it's head, becoming a well balanced mid monster.

Conclusion:
When the estats are properly powered, the Wraith is an incredibly balanced midrange specialist iem. The WM1A is much lambasted for being underpowered, but is sufficient to drive the Wraith properly off the 4.4 balance in high gain so it's a bit of vindication for both of them. the former doesn't need that much power and the latter provides enough power for portable purposes. I would consider Wraith the real sucessor to the title of grandmaster from Zeus: The upper mid boost is balanced with an excellent linear bass that doesn't require a lower mid recession. Likewise the same boost doesn't prevent the treble sparkle from coming through. The mids are intimate but just as emotional as the Zeus, well spaced but not overly spacious. The subbass boost ensures that the mids don't mask it, likewise the mid bass comes across as being much stronger and present. If anything I have a wishlist item more than a criticism: I would like to see a Wraith MKII with the revised EIVEC setup used on the Odin so that the intended signature can be heard regardless of source and power being supplied, while scaling with better sources. If I had heard the Wraith in it's glory on release, it might be in my permanent collection alongside Odin.

I do not really know how to begin my impressions of the Empire Ears flagship in-ear monitor from
their EP series, the Wraith. This $3500 IEM is one of their newer models that also includes the use of four Sonion EST electrostatic tweeters, as well as 7 balanced armature drivers, making this an 11-driver hybrid.

I say I’m not totally sure how to begin this because I was mostly puzzled when listening to this IEM for the first few songs. As I listened to it more, the progressively worse state of shock I found myself in.

I joined a Head-Fi tour of the Empire Ears Wraith and Valkyrie and being the last one of the tour, as of writing this, I was quickly sent these two units. I’d like to thank Empire Ears and Barra from Head-Fi for allowing me a chance to try these out.

Accessories

The Wraith comes with in an average sized box with very cool drawer compartments much like the Sony IER-Z1R but on a smaller scale. It comes with a metal carrying case, a nicely braided cable, and a set of Final Type E tips and cleaning tools. I found the cable to be nicely made and looks attractive, however I did not like how springy it is which makes it a little hard to maneuver and hold in place.





For the review I opted to use my own 4.4mm and 2.5mm balanced cables to make use of my various sources. For the sources, I used a mixed bag of digital audio players and desktop gear. The following are the combinations of gears I tested with:

• Astell & Kern Kann Cube
• Sony NW-ZX507
• Astell & Kern SR25
• Samsung Galaxy S10e
• iFi Zen Dac + F. Audio AM01
• Schiit Bifrost 2 + Schiit Jotunheim

I’m just going to go straight into the sound impressions now.
I think the Wraith is very limited. It has a tuning that I do not think works well with many genres, and, for me, cannot be considered an all-arounder by any stretch of the imagination. Due to its bass and treble roll-off as well as its really dark tonality and sharp shouty nature make it one of those one-trick ponies that our Podcast team discussed recently.

The Wraith does have good resolution and I think generally images well, but I feel like I expect a lot more from the price tag of $3500 USD. That’s a large chunk of change and I feel like, price and performance consideration only, it fits more in the $1000 (or maybe much less) range. The tonality is strange, but it doesn’t falter in every genre.




I think it sounds perfectly acceptable in music that really focuses on the mid-range, and mid-range only. Acoustic guitar music with male vocals sound fine, so I did enjoy the more intimate tracks from Chris Stapleton’s library for example. Even for some female vocal, acoustic, tracks, like Civil Wars -- I found this to be quite acceptable.

Where I find it falters heavily is when I listen to jazz music or rock music with a heavy emphasis on drums. Drums sound very dead, dull, and lacking any liveliness at all. It’s to the point where when I listened to Tingvall Trio’s Bumerang, I wanted to immediately take it off and not listen to it again. The song has a heavy dose of snare drum and cymbal hits that carry the song from start to finish, and each strike sounded flat and thud-like, and lacked any liveliness to it at all, and because it’s such a focused part of the song, I could not finish the track with the Wraith on.

I find this problem rears its ugly head in many tracks, with only the music that focused more on the mid-range instruments sounding alright to me. Still, despite it’s darker tonality and lack of treble extension (wait, there’s four EST drivers in this thing?), I find imaging to be solid and detail retrieval was fine in the audible range of the IEM. That again, means I still can’t hear the upper harmonics, or if I did, it’s severely lacking, especially at the asking price.

Another thing about the Wraith that’s good to know is that it is extremely sensitive, if not the most sensitive IEM I’ve tried to date. Because of this, you do not need to go very far on your volume dial and if you have a hissy amp, it will hear everything in full effect. I recommend a very clean source for the Wraith.




Wrap-Up

While I think the Wraith sounds passable for some very specific genres, such as guitar-focused acoustic rock music, I find that it's lack of treble and treble extension makes it severely limited for many other genres and types of music with a wider array of instruments. Some may find the tuning unique, thick and molasses (insert syrupy buzz word here), but that doesn't really jive with me too much, because I don't think treble should sound that way. Instead, it makes some lively music sound rather dead and uninspired.

I am also more impressed with the box than the accessories package. I'd expect a little more from add-ons of this price range. Competing companies offer better cables, better cases, and more accessories.

I do not totally fault everything in the Wraith, however. It does have pretty good resolution and imaging is good, however I expect a lot more from an IEM that cost $3500 and considered a flagship product and even if it touts 4 new EST drivers.

I am in a place that I have never been before and I am not sure if I belong; scared but intrigued at the same time. The Empire Ears gear tour on head-fi has been an eye opening experience for me on so many levels. I want to thank @Barra and Empire Ears for this tour and allowing me to take part in it.

My experience with gear of this price point is very limited. On my YouTube channel I have reviewed a couple of iFi Audio dac/amps over 1k in price. Majority of my listening of gear over 1k has been limited to Axpona and audio meets. I have only heard Empire Audio products once before and that was the Legend X at Axpona. The most expensive IEM I own is the ADV M5-1D which cost $400. So needless to say, I have nothing of significance to compare the Empire Ears to in either my personal gear or from listening experiences.

I am not good with explaining technology so I will let Empire Ears do it for you:
https://empireears.com/collections/ep-series/products/wraith-universal-1

With all that being said, here is my attempt at reviewing the Empire Ears Wraith.

Packaging and Presentation:

The Wraith packaging and presentation is basically the same as the Valkyrie (Copy and Paste enabled). The presentation when you open the box is just phenomenal after you remove the outer sleeve. The small jewelry box opens up to reveal a slip cover envelope that contains some warranty paperwork, a cleaning cloth and a cleaning tool. Below that the Wraith sit glistening with the purple faceplate staring up at you. Attached to the Wraith you will find the Effect Audio cable. Opening up the drawer you will locate the arrangement of Final E type silicone tips fitted into an aluminum carry tray. Also included is a Pandora carry case that is heavy duty.

All in all, I find that the presentation is top notch and even though the included accessories are limited in quantity, they are not limited in quality.

Build and Design:

Everything that is included with the Wraith from the box, the accessories and the IEM are built with incredible craftsmanship and basically the same as the Valkyrie (Copy and Paste enabled). The Pandora carry case is heavy, thick and solid but is so smooth to screw together; the padding inside is well thought out and placed so that it doesn’t allow the Wraith to slip around but yet doesn’t hold them too tight. The tip carry tray is similar to the one provided by RHA with the T20. The edges of the carry tray are smooth and the cutouts for the tips are the perfect size. The Effect Audio cable is the nicest IEM cable I have held in my hand; even nicer than the included cable of the Valkyrie. Tangle free, light but durable, perfect amount of tension on the ear hooks and beautiful to look at. The Wraith themselves are masterpieces; the faceplate glistens in the light and changes tones depending on the angle. The shape of the shell is small and light. The shell is a bit larger than the Valkyrie and has a slight difference in shape but it is very hard to see in pictures. I actually prefer the shape of the Wraith to the Valkyrie; I find that it fits my ears just a tad better. The universal fit shows off the expertise that Empire Ears have mastered over the years.
Overall, the build and design is magnificent and Empire Ears has created an IEM that is gorgeous to behold.

Fit and Comfort:

The Empire Ears Wraith is one of the more comfortable universal IEM I have had the pleasure of using. The curves and angles of the shell fit my ears with precision; the nozzle length is long enough for me to be able to adequately fit in my ear canal and not have them slipping around when using the medium Final E tips. I have listened to the Wraith for 8 hours at a time without any pain or discomfort. Getting the right tip size does matter and will greatly impact the sound if you have too loose of a fit and seal.

I do not see the fit and comfort being an issue for most listeners. These are one of the most comfortable IEM I have used. I actually find them to be slightly more comfortable then the Valkyrie.

With all that out of the way, let's get to the meat and potatoes of the review.

Sound:

The Empire Ears Wraith are an 11 driver beauty; that is 7 balanced armatures and 4 electrostatics.

Technical Specifications
4 Electrostatic Drivers
7 Proprietary Empire Balanced Armature Drivers
2 Low, 3 Mid, 2 High, 4 Super-High
EIVEC - Empire Intelligent Variable Electrostatic Control
5-Way synX Crossover Network
A.R.C. Resonance Mitigation Technology
Impedance: 4 ohms @ 1kHz
Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 100kHz
Sensitivity 117dB @ 1kHz, 1mW
UPOCC 26AWG Handcrafted Cable by Effect Audio
Cable noise:

There is not even a smidgen of cable noise when there is no music flowing, the Wraith and Effect Audio cable are as quiet as a church mouse.

Isolation:

Outside noises are isolated fairly well, I can still hear my keyboard clicks lightly in the background but I have no complaints. I find that the Wraith seals and isolates just a smidge better then the Valkyrie.

Bass:

I personally like a more linear bass that has great extension and detail but at times I have been known to enjoy a bassy IEM or two. The Wraith is what I would consider to be my favored bass signature. Not bombastic and thunderous like the Valkyrie but detailed, extended, fast, lively and never overpowering the rest of the mix. The bass is under control, cutting through the details precisely like Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari weaving his way thru traffic to a podium finish. The bass is effortless and airy but includes all the excitement and energy that flows through an orchestra. When the kettle drums are rolling and the brass is blaring and bass strings are plucked and strummed everything sounds cohesive and immersive. Each note is delicately and precisely displayed. The tonality and timbre accuracy is beautiful to hear in all of its glory.

Mids:

The Wraith has mids that are even and balanced until you get to the upper mids region that climbs and then merges with the lower treble. The wraith is full of details and brings out a romantic lushness that is both easy to listen to and easy to dissect at the same time. Vocals, acoustic instruments, piano’s, brass and woodwind and percussion are all on display and are on their best behaviour. Everything flows naturally together and plays with ease. There is an airy character to the mids that makes the music sound natural.Timbre and tonality are well represented. Details are presented in a friendly way, like a waiter bringing your sirloin steak on a silver platter with a smiling face because he is confident you will enjoy what is on the plate. There is not a hint of sibilance or harshness on the Wraith. Unlike the Valkyrie, the mids are balanced and even and well controlled.

Treble:

The Wraith has an engaging treble to bless your ears. I love a well extended treble with details that are resolved and smooth. The Wraith is a slight disappointment with the treble at times. I love how it extends and has energy and air to keep you engaged but it does have moments of just needing a tad more. The Wraith has a little touch of laid backness to it and every now and then it will sound to chill. The treble on the Wraith is full of life and details. Resolution of the Wraith is incredible, not a sniff of harshness around. Light and airy the treble is but it is also cohesive and controlled. Just like Gianpiero Lambase can fine tune the car for Sebastian Vettel at the racetrack the treble of the Wraith is tuned in a fashion that it gets the optimum out of those 4 electrostat drivers and fits into the tuning with the 7 balanced armature drivers as one well trained F1 team and presents a pleasurable experience to the ears.

Soundstage/Imaging:

When I was in college I attended lots of orchestra concerts and operas. I alway liked to sit towards the front and be able to see the orchestra pit and feel the singers power as they bellowed out across the stage. The Valkyrie is like sitting in the front row behind the orchestra pit or in the mosh pit. On the other hand, the Wraith is like my second favorite seating position, front row, middle seat, of the balcony. From there you get a beautiful view of the stage with all the sounds coming at you from all directions, enveloping you in an awe inspiring thrill session of musical bliss. Details are abundant, placement is precise, depth and layering is impressive and the width is fantastic; the Wraith puts you in the seat when the ticket wasn’t available for purchase. The Valkyrie subwoofer is like a subwoofer front and center on stage with it’s controlled power and authority. The Wraith is like a subwoofer is placed discreetly on stage to blend in with the rest of the mix. The soundstage of the Wraith is special and I haven’t heard such a beautiful soundstage on any other IEM.
Comparisons:

Well as I said in my introduction I do not have much to compare the Empire Ears Wraith with but I will offer a few thoughts on my current favorite IEM’s.

Meze Rai Solo:

The Rai Solo has a brighter, more airy sound than the Wraith. The bass doesn’t extend as far and wide nor is it similar in impact and punch that the Wraith offers you. The mids on the Meze are even and balanced but lack in resolution in comparison. The upper mids and lower treble are less controlled on the Meze and are more assertive then the Wraith. Soundstage has similar width on the Meze but it lacks the immersive depth and layering of the Wraith. Build and comfort is top notch on the Meze and I would have a hard time deciding between the two which I prefer. Overall, the Meze Rai Solo brings a lot to the table for the price but when compared to an IEM that is 14x the price the difference is noticeable.

ADV M5-1D:

The ADV M5-1D beryllium driver shows off some impressive bass prowess but it even lacks when compared to the Wraith. The M5-1D has a deep and detailed bass that is a lot slower in decay but is more punchy than the Wraith. Mids are not as even and balanced then the Wraith and do not resolve as well. The treble has a bit more energy on the top end but lacks resolution. The soundstage is larger on the ADV but the placement is lacking when compared to the Wraith; the ADV is a medium size step back when it comes to depth and layering. Build is excellent on the M5-1D but the Wraith feels more premium. Fit is more comfortable on the Wraith. Overall, the ADV M5-1D brings a lot to the table for the price but when compared to an IEM that is 9x the price the difference is noticeable.

Empire Ears Valkyrie:

The Valkyrie has bombastic, thunderous bass compared to the lighter, detailed approach of the Wraith. The mids are uneven and have upper mid assertiveness on the Valkyrie compared to the even and balanced less assertive upper mid on the Wraith. Treble is more extended and forward on the Valkyrie compared to the light, airy and laidback approach of the Wraith. Soundstage of the Valkyrie is more on the intimate front row of the stage with a subwoofer directly in front of you whereas the Wraith is front row of the balcony where you can see the whole stage and hear each and every detail.

YouTube:



Gear:

iFi Audio Pro iDSD
Monoprice Monolith THX AAA 788
Pioneer XDP-30r
Sony Walkman NW-A105
Shanling M2x
Shanling Q1

Sources:

Tidal
Deezer
Foobar (local dsd and flac)

Songs:

https://tidal.com/browse/track/128215119 Sinne Eeg “We’ve Just Begun” - multiple layer soundstage

https://tidal.com/browse/track/77568002 Molly Johnson “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” - female vocal tone

https://tidal.com/browse/track/120190149 Leslie Odom Jr. “Under Pressure” - male vocal tone

https://tidal.com/browse/track/230625 Eric Clapton “Change the World” - soundstage layering and placement

https://tidal.com/browse/track/18016422 Yo Yo Ma “Ecstasy of Gold” - acoustic instrument timbre

https://tidal.com/browse/track/103401770 Adam Baldych “Spem in Alium” - acoustic instrument timbre

https://tidal.com/browse/track/31759874 Tingvall Trio “Beat” - piano tonality


https://tidal.com/browse/track/52532480 Pain of Salvation “Stress” - percussion balance

https://tidal.com/browse/track/98069001 Michael Buble “When I Fall in Love” - orchestral dynamics

https://tidal.com/browse/track/41094997 Patricia Barber “Code Cool” - sibilance check
Christian Scott “New New Orleans” - shouty upper mids

https://tidal.com/browse/track/116415078 Tool “Chocolate Chip Trip” - imaging

https://tidal.com/browse/track/1855831 Hans Zimmer “Why So Serious” - sub bass extension

https://tidal.com/browse/track/89386285 Marcus Miller “No Limit” - bass control

https://tidal.com/browse/track/77646106 Dave Holland Quartet “Conference Of The Birds”- bass check

https://tidal.com/browse/track/132139860 Ilhan Eshkeri “47 Ronin”- orchestra and bass dynamics

https://tidal.com/browse/track/79530261 Hans Zimmer “2049” - sub bass extension

https://tidal.com/browse/track/36764745 Queen “Somebody to Love” - dynamics, sharpness and transients

https://tidal.com/browse/track/114330493 Tool “Ticks & Leeches” - dynamics, sharpness and transients

https://tidal.com/browse/track/63345703 Galactic “Doomed” - sub bass extension

https://tidal.com/browse/track/3468730 Bela Fleck & The Flecktones “Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo” - sub bass extension

https://tidal.com/browse/track/118552925 Motley Crue “Dr. Feelgood” harshness and shouty

https://tidal.com/browse/track/55391456 Pink Floyd “Young Lust” - mid bass and soundstage

https://tidal.com/browse/track/72947822 Shawn Mendes “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” - forwardness

https://tidal.com/browse/track/85963727 Alexander Desplat “Ïsle Of Dogs: Toshiro” - dynamics

https://tidal.com/browse/track/107749134 Marina “No More Suckers”- sibilance

https://tidal.com/browse/track/75202408 Tauren Wells “Known” - male vocals and micro dynamics

https://tidal.com/browse/track/86330323 Kacey Musgraves “Wonder Woman” - female vocals

https://tidal.com/browse/track/84340438 Dennis Lloyd “Nevermind (Wankelmut Remix)” - soundstage

Playlists:
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/3e4a5ae5-cde5-40fa-bbaa-4e432fe79e3e

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/0ba4d6a8-9d95-4f16-b79e-ef084a091d73

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/c5bc66bd-a907-4a0e-a976-9f02e75c126f

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/0e3aa4a1-ba36-44fe-aabb-d8976dc8a908

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/9e6568e7-8bdd-4ddd-964c-f5453d8761e8

https://www.deezer.com/playlist/744...utm_term=3243482124_1585500966&utm_medium=web

https://www.deezer.com/playlist/744...utm_term=3243482124_1585501023&utm_medium=web

https://www.deezer.com/playlist/744...utm_term=3243482124_1585502653&utm_medium=web