ADVANCED Sound Elise

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Huge thanks to Aurem Fidelitatem for the iem that we’ll be reading about today, the Advanced Elise. You can buy them at their facebook page at fb.com/auremfidelitatem or at the Advanced Sound Group official website at https://www.adv-sound.com/.

Disclaimer:

I am not affiliated with Advanced Sound in any manner. I do not receive any cash incentives, rewards, or anything from them. This review is my non-biased comprehension and appreciation of the said earbud.

The product we’ll be reading about today is relatively a new comer in the Advanced Sound Group. The Advanced Elise made its way in the Philippine market over a few months ago and not much of it has been seen since the November Hi-Fi Show. Today, we visit the low-resonance Elise and see if it can be your next EDC (everyday carry)

Personal Preferences:

• Packaging is important. First impressions can last a long time.
• I do not have a specific genre that I listen to. The songs I listen to differ greatly from billboard tops to old classics, pop, rock, edm, acoustics, alternatives, metal, and all of its sub-genres. I incline listening to metal music, specifically to power metal, death metal, and the likes.
• I enjoy variety of sound signatures, ranging from bright analytical, balanced with only a slight dip in mids, neutral warm, and neutral bright. I generally lean to neutral-bright sound signature, with a certain degree of analytical sound. I dislike over powering bass, as it is the least enjoyable, for me, in my experience listening to music.
• I prefer iems over earbuds, earbuds over headphones.

Source:

• Shanling M3s as DAC (PC)
• Shanling M3s as DAP
• Zishan Z1 + OPA1692 as DAC (PC and my phone) and dap
• Zishan Z1 + Muses02 as DAC (PC and my phone) and dap
• Sony NW-A45

Specifications:

• Driver: Full range dynamic
• Impedance: 16ohms +/- 15%
• Sensitivity: 95dB +/- 3dB @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 20hz to 20000hz
• Cord Length: 1.2m

Packaging:


Much like the packaging in the Advanced M4, Elise comes in a small, stout box, though this one has a more gray-ish theme to it. At the front is the detailed picture of the iem being advertised as “low-resonance ceramic in-ear monitors”. The sides of the box are the same with what is in the M4’s packaging, with dramatic text at the right and in-line microphone representation at the left.

The same goes for the back of the box, with hefty information regarding the iem. The piece-by-piece dissection of the driver unit, the frequency response graph, a list of what is inside the packaging, unit specifications, and ADV’s contact information is all there.

Unlike the M4, Elise did not come with Comply tips. Advanced took it up to themselves to include their very own foam tips, which comes in three sizes (s/m/l).

The package is opened by pulling the bottom part of the box. Here, the buyer is presented with a case similar to that of the M4 that contains the iem and all of its accessories. Taking the case out of the way, there are three user guides in English, Japanese, and Korean writing. Advanced also took it to themselves to imprint “let the voice be heard” in the inside of the box, since Advanced marketed this iem in their website as suited for long listening sessions in podcasts.


The included carry case is a fairly large and rectangular with lots of breathing room. Unzipping the case, the buyer is greeted with the iem itself and two sets of tips; three sizes of black silicone tips, three sizes of foam tips.


In total, the buyer receives the following:

1. Advanced Elise iem
2. 3 pairs of black silicone tips (s/m/l)
3. 3 pairs of Advanced foam tips (s/m/l)
4. Carrying case

Advanced did cut some costs in making the Elise, with not including Comply foam tips and even a shirt clip in its packaging. They focused, on what mattered the most, while still being able to be budget friendly, the build quality and sound (more on that later).

The good thing about Advanced is that they do care about the product’s packaging, and know that their buyers deserve a pleasant unboxing experience. The box does not feel cheap and is rather sturdy for its stout size. Kudos, Advanced.

Build:


The Elise sports a decent black ceramic material that houses the full range dynamic drivers. The ceramic feels premium, though it is much of a fingerprint magnet as all ceramics are. There is a division between the ceramic housing and the aluminum nozzle, with the right nozzle being color coded red, bonus style points for Advanced. The housing is very ergonomic, hence a comfortable fit.

The stem is too stout and takes only a little bit of getting used to. It bothered me for a few minutes but I was able to ignore it and I just got used to it after a while. Advanced could have put a strain relief to make up for the short stem.

The upper part of the cable, while soft, still feels thick and premium and will last the everyday abuse of commute. The in-line remote, with the branding “ADV” is placed at the right channel, as opposed to the left placement in the M4. The cable winds down toward a small, cylindrical y-split that has a short but stable strain relief. The cable is sleeved as it runs down to the gold-plated 3.5mm gold-plated jack.

Elise also did a great job with the cable, as it has very low microphonics, as opposed to its older brother the ADV M4, which has terrible microphonics that can only be fixed using the shirt clip or by tucking it in the shirt.

The Elise has a sleek simple style to it, yet it still screams premium in its very own way. Advanced did not cut corners in making the iem. Apart from the short stem, there is not much to complain about in the Elise’s build quality.

Fit:

The shells are very ergonomically designed to fit the cavity between the tragus and anti-tragus of the ear. They will fit most ears very well, though some might get tickled with how cold they might be when in an air-conditioned, or cold area.

Comfort:

These are bullet type iems that are designed to be worn only down and not over the ear. This makes it so that they are easy to put on and easy to remove when in commute. They fit well, hence, they are on the comfortable side.

Isolation:

Isolation will primarily depend on tips that are being used. The Advanced foam tips provide lots of isolation while also boosting the low end. The silicone tips do well in isolating the user, too.

Sound:

Tips of choice: I used Symbio Wide Bores and stock medium tips in reviewing the Elise. Symbio’s increased the bass response while still maintaining vocal clarity.

The Elise focuses on vocal deliverance, rather than boomy bass and detailed highs. It has a warm presentation with more emphasis on voice rather than full on bass, giving the user a smooth and relaxed listening experience.

One thing to note on the Advanced Elise is that its drivers are housed on ceramic. This ceramic not only helps in maintaining build rugedness, but also provides low-resonance. Elise has a darker background compared to its competitors in the EDC category, which gives it a huge advantage against background noise and congestion.

Bass –

Sub-bass rumble is felt more than it is heard. It is there in quality, not in quantity. Mid bass and upper bass is very punchy, since there is no existence of a bass port, and has natural and lean presentation. The iem does not boast heavy bass but it can deliver great low frequency response on edm, dubstep, and other electronica genres when needed.

Mids –

One thing to note about this iem is that it is advertised as having to present vocals more than anything else. Elise succeeds in this part with excellence and grace. Male and female vocals are lush to a little degree, yet are not too colored; just the right amount to make them sound relaxed and natural. The Elise is indeed built for long listening sessions for music and especially in podcasts while on commute. If you’re a basshead looking to transition to a more mature-sound, this iem should sit very well in your recommendations list.

Instruments are also affected. Guitars in these region seems lush, as well as piano keys. They do come off as unnatural but the tuning makes it so that the presentation is smooth to the ear to avoid fatigue for long listening sessions.

Highs –

The sharp roll-off is immediately noticed, meaning that detail retrieval in the presence and brilliance region (4k to 20khz) is fair in performance. I am not one to complain, since the Elise is indeed built not for detailed and analytical listening, but for commute and relaxation, enjoyment, and fun.

Cymbal decay is fast but still remains to be smooth. Guitar licks are a lot laid back as vocals are more forward. Overall, everything in the highs are laid back while still retaining a few details here and there.

Soundstage –

Elise has a wide soundstage with plenty of room to go about, thanks to its low-resonance housing. The warm presentation, coupled with airy spaces between instruments and vocals, makes the listening experience worthwhile. Though they are not as wide as totl gears, for a sub 50$ edc, the Elise indeed punches way over their price range.

Conclusion:

“Let the voice be heard.”, said Advanced. And so it was.

There’s nothing much to say about the Elise. The build quality will last the daily abuse of everyday commuters. The generous accessories are much obliged. The sound leans to warm, yet the vocal delivery is on point. Sure, highs may not shine, but that is a sacrifice that Advanced was willing to make for the Elise to stand out with its vocal prowess and amazing build quality.

• 

Elise is very hard to beat. This may very well be your next everyday carry.

REVIEW - ADVANCED Elise - Ceramic In-ear Monitors



Website - ADVANCED​

Specifications

• Driver unit: Full-range micro dynamic driver
• Impedance: 16 Ohm+/-15%
• Sensitivity: 95dB+/-3dB at 1kHz
• Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Rated power input: 3mW
• Max. input power: 5mW
• Cord length: 1.2M
• Plug: 3.5mm gold plated

Official Elise info

Price: U$30.

Warranty: 3 years.

Credits go to the ADV team for the Elise review unit. Thank you!

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The ADVANCED Elise arrives in a compact cardboard box. Inside the usual case included on most of the ADV earphones and 3 pairs of silicone and 3 pairs of foam ear tips.

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Design

The Elise is a very compact low profile in-ear earphone. The most catching feature should be the ceramic housings with a round shape and practically seamless finish which look durable enough. They do carry a noticeable extra weight over usual plastic or aluminum shells used on most IEMs and it is reflected on the fit. The nozzle is made of metal (apparently aluminum), a bit short in length but of a standard width that should work with most ear tips.

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The low profile and round shape on the Elise is very comfortable, and the small design should work for small ears. The nozzle angle is very sharp so the earphones sit very similar to normal earbuds (not IEMs). However, getting the best fit can be tricky, mainly due the weight of the thick ceramic material that occasionally tends to pull the earphones down and also the short nozzle length. Moreover, it can be difficult to achieve the best seal with the silicone tips so some tip rolling may be necessary. Isolation is decent for the compact shape and sealed shells housings.

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The cable is nicely done. The lower part has an outer cloth sheath so it's very soft, while the upper R/L cable side has a usual plastic/rubber coating. The in-line remote is placed on the right cable side; it's a 1-button that be used for various functions. It works fine with a pair of Android based phones I tried so far. The plug and y-split are simple with aluminum cover.

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Sound

Despite the compact and sealed design, and mainly the small 6mm dynamic driver inside, the Elise earphone has quite a powerful and full sound. It is not too accurate but the graph gives a rough idea of the overall presentation, though in practice it will strongly depend on the ear tips used. The tips used on the Elise are not only critical for a best fit and seal, but also for better sound results. Personally, I immediately opted for extra tips, and found the Spinfit CP100 and newer 145 the more favorable options for best fit and more balanced sound presentation, so following impressions are based mainly on these ear tips.

The overall signature is of some lively v-shaped response with a very warm tonality. The bass is very powerful with strong mid-bass emphasis, thick texture but still well controlled and decent speed for the price. The sub-bass region is less highlighted but still well present with fairly effortless reach; trading a bit of quantity for little more quality, which is good. Not a total basshead IEM but nothing too far from that. Moreover, despite the stronger bass response, the Elise is more refined and controlled than the S2000, whereas the S2000 is more fun sounding.

The midrange is laid-back, especially on the lower mids region. The stronger bass impact does affect the presentation that while gives a thicker texture also results in some lack of air and separation. Male vocals are not as recessed, not cold but yes a bit dry. Upper midrange is a bit more forward with richer texture for sweeter female voices. It remains very smooth overall with good level of refinement and detail, with just a bit of sharpness on the upper region, but much less peaky than expected from a small 6mm driver.

The treble is more forward than the whole midrange but not at the same level as the lows. Still v-shaped but quite comfortable, well balanced and sparkly. Not sure if it's because the ceramic housings used on the Elise but the treble control is very good and sounds more natural than the own ADV S2000 (and some others IEMs like the KZ ZS5, ZS6 and Vsonic VSD3).
Soundstage is around average though depth is good, less wide than the S2000 but more coherent.

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