DISCLAIMER: This is my first review of any kind; I'm not fully graduated from Audiophile Vocab school yet :p so give me a little patience in my terminology; apologies if I sound like I'm repeating myself or am unclear in some places.
The Rundown:
Fischer Audio Eterna rev2
Tips Used: Sennheiser Small Double-Flanges
Sound:
Bass: 10/10
Highs 4/10
Mids:7.5/10
Clarity: 6.5/10
Soundstage: 7/10
Detail:5/10
Fun Factor: 9.5/10
Overall Sound: 49.5/70
Other:
Comfort: 8/10
Accessories and Compliments: 4/10
Value: 9/10
Overall Score: 71.5/100
Shure SE215
Tips used: Medium Shure Flex stuffed with Comply
Sound:
Bass: 7/10
Highs: 6/10
Mids:8/10
Clarity: 7/10
Soundstage: 8/10
Detail: 8/10
Fun Factor: 7.5/10
Overall Sound: 51.5/70
Other:
Comfort: 6/10
Accessories and Compliments: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Overall Score: 73.5
So I've been very happy with my purchase of the SE215s, they delivered an acceptable amount of bass and I was satisfied with the SQ overall for the price. I love the soundstaging and the warmth and presence of the mids, they have definitely brought listening to a new plateau for me.
Now I just received my FA Eterna rev2 in the mail and am at this very moment giving them a first listen. The bass is absolutely fantastic; a bit more in quantity than I want IDEALLY but the quality of the bass, the texture, the impact is all nearly perfect to my ears. If I could build an IEM from scratch it would have a little more impact but I'm definitely not complaining :p I love the really wide, spacious sound; bass drops seem to come out of nowhere and just clobber you in the face! I didn't know IEMs could do that. I feel like I'm getting attacked by my music and I LOVE IT :D The Eterna truly delivers bass drops as they were meant to be heard.
But I have to say, for overall listening experience I personally prefer the truly sort of 3-dimensional sound that the Shures produce. The separation of different sounds on the Shures is awesome; this is one place where the Eternas fall short. I wouldn't call them muddy, but the music is sort of all thrown in there together...if that makes any sense...
I admit I wish the highs were clearer. The sound overall is great, I've never heard reasonable clarity from IEMs with so much awesome bassy bliss :) but I want cleaner, more present highs with more sparkle.
The bass from these is amazing, it just comes right out and punches you in the face :D Having been jaded by dreary days of selling (read: testing) the whole Skullcandy and Auvio lines, as well as a good chunk of VModa's low/mid-ranged IEMs, different varieties of Beats IEMs, a couple of lower-end Sony IEMs, and some personal exposure to Sennheiser's budget line, I had no idea that IEMs could deliver this much bass and still be reasonably clear/non-muddy. I love how the bass just reverberates for dubstep
Specific Music Comparisons:
The Eternas really do justice to guitars in a way I haven't yet heard out of IEMs. Absolutely amazing. If I didn't know any better I would think these IEMs were designed for Infected Mushroom's album Vicious Delicious ^_^ They are just so aggressive and in your face and that's exactly what Infected deserves. Heavyweight gives me the chills again. The SE215s do a better job with the detail, but really Infected is all about their thematic elements and presentation and the Eterna sound supports these just right IMO.
Bassnectar sounds great on the Eternas too, but the variety of sounds and textures he uses is better supported by the SE215s IMO, which do more justice to the highs and give better sound separation for the cool liquidy noises and little tweaks he is so fond of.
Listening to pretty lights, I somewhat miss the dimensions of the SE215 but the frequent breaks give the edge to the Eterna. The more up-front sound compliments Pretty Lights' tendency to just keep throwing more at you and the Eterna handles this well IMO. He also likes to give some of his tracks something of a veiled, almost retro-y sound and I think the Eterna's warmth is a compliment to his overall stylistic approach.
311 sounds great with the Eterna. The Shures always felt a little too sharp and fake on tracks like Flowing, whereas the Eterna's bigger bass and warm sound remind me of the kind of sound that 311 delivers live. Their smoother tracks like I'll Be Here Awhile and their rendition of Love Song feel intimate and almost overwhelming with the Eternas.
The SE215s really shine in trip-hop. I'm a huge Massive attack fan, and the SE215s do real justice to their wide range of sounds and the fullness of their tracks. Their "big" sounding tracks like Angel and Inertia Creeps are just too much with the Eternas; the combination of deep synths, guitar, drums and bass just gets jumbled by the Eterna, whereas the SE215s do a better job of taking the sounds apart and bringing up the snares and cymbal to give the song its intended intricacy. However my favorite track of theirs, I Against I, goes to the Eternas for their sheer aggression and bass punch.
Bjork is great with the SE215s. The textures really come through and her vocals sound pure and soft. The Eternas do fine here but nothing special.
Blue Sky Black Death, a favorite ambient/hip-hop duo of mine, definitely goes to the Eternas. The enhanced bass and warmth provide a grounding factor for BSBD's airy sound and give them a bit of the same retro-y feel as Pretty Lights.
Now for one of my favorite bands: Explosions in the Sky. I had expected that, with more mids and highs emphasis and a more open, detailed sound, Explosions would go to the SE215s, but the Eternas just bring so much passion and space while keeping the coldness of the ambient highs at bay that it really accentuates the themes that EITS portrays. Guitars sound glorious and well-textured. Background texturing elements aren't quite as nimble as with the SE215, but it just doesn't matter. Despite their aggressive sound, the Eternas bring such a softness to the easier-going parts of Explosions' tracks, and just the right rumble to their passionate builds that I can't deny them the edge.
Personally I still think I prefer the overall sound of the SE215s. They do all of my music really well and have a solid all-around sound with great soundstage. I am admittedly disappointed in the highs on the Eterna. But the sound is so fun and aggressive that I keep pulling them on and switching over to bass-heavy tracks just to feel the rumble :) They are without a doubt the two best IEMs I have tried to date and while they are
Now, if I could describe my perfect IEM at this point, it would be something like this:
- Eterna's bass minus what covers the mids, preferably not as overpowering/purely enormous, a bit punchier, but with the same good low rumble and full, deep sound, even more impact if possible :-D
- SE215's mids clarity and presence, also soundstage (love this on the Shures)
- Highs with some sparkle
- $=infinite - I've been trying to scan the range of bassy lower-end IEMs to find the sound that fits me right so that, when the time comes, I can buy the right high-end IEM and not have to deal with the hassle of returning them/becoming jaded from searching too long.
Does anyone know anything that fits the bill here? I'm trying to think without a price range because I know I will have to in order to combine all of these lovely qualities in one phone, especially with the improvements (if minor) that I'd like. I've heard good things about the Silver Bullet, but I worry they will underwhelm my bass needs, and I've heard that the mids are slightly recessed. I feel certain the Turbines will come up, and I have tried them, and was thoroughly unimpressed; they sounded boring to me, didn't fit well, and not enough bass.
I will probably add to this over time.
Any input or recommendations welcome :)
Edited by Gilly87 - 9/25/11 at 4:49pm
