AstroTec AX60 - A new hybrid 3-way universal IEM for under $500? I'm getting excited..
Sep 17, 2013 at 1:52 AM Post #31 of 68
Come on guys...
After listening to it today, the bass seems to have settled down a bit. 
Oh, and apparently Billy is organising a tour for them...
 
Sep 19, 2013 at 8:15 AM Post #33 of 68
Ok, time for more impressions:
After around 100 hours of running them in, they definitely sound a bit better and the bass has settled down a bit, as has the treble to a slightly lesser extent. 
 
Bass: Hard hitting and has a lot of impact, perhaps too much for those seeking a more neutral sound signature. Detail is good, but I can't help but feel like it is a bit bloated and it does keep it from revealing all the details. However, if you are a basshead, I recommend these heartily and if for some reason these do not have enough bass for you, then use the bass filters that have A LOT of bass. 
 
Midrange: As seen from the frequency graphs, these do have a recessed midrange, but it is not really annoying. Vocals can sometimes sound a bit further than they are supposed to though. Detail levels are very good and so is the vocal clarity. Very pleasant midrange which is a bit laid back. 
 
Treble: The treble is very nice and sounds very pleasant to me, but other people have said that it is overly sibilant. I can fully understand why, but it does get better after a bit of burn in. Detail levels are great and I really enjoy the extended sparkle from these gems. I reckon I enjoyed the treble the most out of the entire spectrum. 
 
Design, Accessories and Pricing: Well, the build is great, and the whole thing is made from precision cut metal or something, I cn't remember. They really look great, the best IEM that I have ever seen. 
It comes with a bunch of tips, an extra pair of bass filters, a metal case, a soft pouch case and a metal plate with the serial number. 
Here comes the interesting part, the price. It costs $450, which is certainly a lot to fork out for an IEM. At that price, there is the W4R, the EX1000 and it is approaching RDB v1 territory. While I enjoyed them a lot more than both the EX1000 and the Westones, I did like the RDB v1 more. While the distributor of both told me that the AX-60 is better technically, I really can't say that I feel like the same. However, I do feel like a lot of people will like these better. Overall, these are great in their price range but if you are seeking a neutral sound, these are not it. 
 
Summary: Ok, this is not the full review that some people have been waiting for, BUT one may come if I decide to buy them. I want them, I really do, but can I really justify spending $450 on an IEM that is inferior to my UM Miracles and won't get that much use? I still have to think about it a bit more... 
Pick these up if you like a fun v shaped sound sig and have around half a grand to spend. I might be worth mentioning that you need a moderately powerful source to drive them well. 
Hope that this helps some people to an extent. 
 
Oct 7, 2013 at 5:32 AM Post #37 of 68
Currently listening to the demo pair from Noisy Motel (same ones as lin0003).
 
Initial impressions are that it's an excellent IEM for the money.
 
There is a slight edge to the mid-treble which can be a little troublesome (even from the RWAK100 which is a smooth source). I would be a little shy of these on an analytical source like DX100, etc.
 
Detail retrieval through the mids and lower treble is really good, as is the overall staging and imaging.
 
Perhaps the biggest thing I've noticed is the impact of tip choice (as is so often the case with universals). I tried the smallest triple flanges which were good, but found that my HiFiMan tips (from the Re272) are the best in terms of sound - slightly less bite from the treble and slightly richer midrange.
 
Oct 8, 2013 at 8:27 PM Post #38 of 68
I know I said this in the last post, but the AX-60s are REALLY tip dependent (and possibly insertion dependent).
 
The best results for me are with the HiFiMan tips which leave the sound bore completely unobstructed and also promote fairly shallow insertion, but with a good seal. With these tips, the AX-60s easily out-perform the GR07 Mk2 and also are a step up from the Re272 (in all areas except transparency and maybe refinement).
 
With the HiFiMan tips, the AX-60s actually remind me of the Beyer T1s (not saying thy're as good as, but they are reminiscent of).
 
With Sony Hybrids, the AX-60s become a little sharp at the top end. In contrast to the HiFiMan tips, the hybrids have a narrow sound tube which obstructs the bore from the AX-60s. I'm assuming this has something to do with the change in sound.
 
With the hybrids, the AX-60s remind me of the Beyer T90s - great sound and stage, but prone to biting with any treble-oriented / poorly recorded material.
 
The bass from the AX-60s (with the finer mesh filters) is really nice and full and actually left me wanting more when I returned to my Miracles! Again, not saying the AX-60s are on par with the Miracles, just that the Miracles sounded a little thin after coming from the AX-60s, but they still did everything else better.
 
Oct 23, 2013 at 9:21 PM Post #39 of 68
...
 
Oct 23, 2013 at 10:45 PM Post #40 of 68
Hey guys,
 
The Australian Tour thread is up:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/687252/australian-tour-impressions-astrotec-ax60-hybrid-3-way-universal-iem-2-x-ba-dynamic-driver
 
Nov 1, 2013 at 5:44 PM Post #41 of 68
Very brief first thoughts of the AX-60:
 
 
- build quality is immaculate! (I rarely comment on build quality, but I must with these)
 
- lighter than the DN-1K (not that the Dunu is uncomfortable in any way to me)
 
- bass is a bit muddy, but I expect it to clear up quite a bit. I can hear the potential of the bass
 
- i don't know if these are the bass filters in or not (two sets of inner-changeable filters, one bass and one more neutral), but if not, this is a very bassy iem. bassier than the DN-1K even, but even with the bit of muddiness, i can tell it's a better quality bass. I'm thinking these are the more neutral filters, but we'll see. if more bass comes out of these, then whoa!
 
- without a doubt, the AX-60 is a more refined hybrid than the DN-1k or H-200. And I'm not taking anything from those two hybrids, but AX-60 is clearly a more refined sound by a good leap (really close to M-200's refinement out of the box).
 
- notes are even thicker in the AX-60. great imaging, but i think the DN-1K still has the wider soundstage. 
 
The AX-60 cost about $130 more than the DN-1K, but to be honest  I didn't expect it so sound much better than the Dunu (if at all). So why did I buy it? Just curiosity got the best of me, plus I had the extra funds to try it out. I love reading the opinions in head-fi, but those who know me know that my main belief is to hear it for yourself if you can (and you are really interested in a product). I just figured I'll listen to it, and if sounded like the DN-1K clone (or God forbid, worse) I would just seen it back for a refund. And I was prepared to do exactly that.

Well, I'm not quite ready to say anything more about the sound of the AX-60 then the points I mad above, but I can tell you I have no thoughts of sending them back, and that I'm pleasantly surprised. I love when something leaps over my expectations. The AX-60 is leaping high! More impressions later.
 
Nov 2, 2013 at 1:16 AM Post #42 of 68
  Very brief first thoughts of the AX-60:
 
 
- build quality is immaculate! (I rarely comment on build quality, but I must with these)
 
- lighter than the DN-1K (not that the Dunu is uncomfortable in any way to me)
 
- bass is a bit muddy, but I expect it to clear up quite a bit. I can hear the potential of the bass
 
- i don't know if these are the bass filters in or not (two sets of inner-changeable filters, one bass and one more neutral), but if not, this is a very bassy iem. bassier than the DN-1K even, but even with the bit of muddiness, i can tell it's a better quality bass. I'm thinking these are the more neutral filters, but we'll see. if more bass comes out of these, then whoa!
 
- without a doubt, the AX-60 is a more refined hybrid than the DN-1k or H-200. And I'm not taking anything from those two hybrids, but AX-60 is clearly a more refined sound by a good leap (really close to M-200's refinement out of the box).
 
- notes are even thicker in the AX-60. great imaging, but i think the DN-1K still has the wider soundstage. 
 
The AX-60 cost about $130 more than the DN-1K, but to be honest  I didn't expect it so sound much better than the Dunu (if at all). So why did I buy it? Just curiosity got the best of me, plus I had the extra funds to try it out. I love reading the opinions in head-fi, but those who know me know that my main belief is to hear it for yourself if you can (and you are really interested in a product). I just figured I'll listen to it, and if sounded like the DN-1K clone (or God forbid, worse) I would just seen it back for a refund. And I was prepared to do exactly that.

Well, I'm not quite ready to say anything more about the sound of the AX-60 then the points I mad above, but I can tell you I have no thoughts of sending them back, and that I'm pleasantly surprised. I love when something leaps over my expectations. The AX-60 is leaping high! More impressions later.

 
If you hold the filters up to the light you can see through the bass ones really easily while the neutral ones obscure the light slightly.
 
They are definitely a bassy earphone, but I found the bass quite well controlled with the neutral filters (but a bit muddy with the bass filters)
 
Nov 2, 2013 at 10:04 AM Post #43 of 68
   
If you hold the filters up to the light you can see through the bass ones really easily while the neutral ones obscure the light slightly.
 
They are definitely a bassy earphone, but I found the bass quite well controlled with the neutral filters (but a bit muddy with the bass filters)

Thank you sir. Yeah, I figure it out. The gassy filters were actually already attached on the earphone. I took them off and put the neutral filters on. I prefer that sound too (still with plenty of bass to spare).
 
Nov 2, 2013 at 5:22 PM Post #44 of 68
  Thank you sir. Yeah, I figure it out. The gassy filters were actually already attached on the earphone. I took them off and put the neutral filters on. I prefer that sound too (still with plenty of bass to spare).

 
Awesome. (And you're welcome!)
 
I agree, the sound is much better with neutral filters and still has plenty of thump.
 

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